How much do you value Graphics?

Graphics are essential to every video game there is. From 8-bit, to 64 bits, to how many bits there are nowadays, we need graphics because, well, they help us to actually visualize the video game! But, the point to this thread is, how much do you value graphics? Do you think that graphics are most important to a video game, or are there more important factors?

Feel free to discuss any and all thoughts!

Nowadays I value them a lot simply because we have the ability to have games with outstanding graphics. I cannot stand going to play a new game and the graphics not be up to par with everything else. That said, I do appreciate games with horrible graphics because I am hit with a huge wave of nostalgia and it feels so good haha. I guess you can say I lean both ways on this :3

Very little do I care about the graphics. If its a good story and good gameplay it dousnt bother me. And even in this day and age its hard to find any game that has sub par graphics. Especially if its on some of the next generation consoles.

I honestly try not to judge a game based on the graphics, but I can't help myself D: The industry has potential to create realistic looking games, as Castform mentioned, so why not? I realize that not all games look the greatest with life-like looking characters, but for the majority of the games I would play, I like having beautiful settings and environments to wander, pretty looking characters, etc. Though I do appreciate the older generation games from time to time.

Personally graphics are the base of the game, it captures the players interest, and it gives a sense of immersion, but that is the thing that gets people to play the game, and enjoy it in an overall. But the thing that gets people to keep playing it is everything else, the plot and story, the characters and their background development, everything that make's the game feel surreal in every way.

From experience I can tell that there are a lot of people who think that graphics means everything but if that were true then what is the point of making the game in the first place, in a way it is like reading a book, it need your imagination to make it even more interesting, without it there is nothing else.

Personally I love graphics as much as the next person, but I know that it isn't everything.

Not at all. I actually enjoy old school graphics and I think some newer games should implement them. A new game with a nostalgia feel would be awesome.

As long as it's playable and enjoyable, graphics are not my main pet peeve.

River Ramirez said:

Not at all. I actually enjoy old school graphics and I think some newer games should implement them. A new game with a nostalgia feel would be awesome.

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There are thousands of indie games that do this lol.

I love good graphics, but of course they're not the be all end it all when it comes to gaming. However, if there's the same game with better graphics, I'll play the updated game. The remastered Mario games in Super Mario All-Stars are vastly superior to the originals.

Really graphics take a massive toll on whether or not a game is good nowadays for most people. Although I can sit down and enjoy playing the first Legend of Zelda just as much as I can enjoy playing Skyward Sword, others seem to think the first Zelda is very "aged" since the graphics don't look as perfect as today. So, in other words, I don't value them as highly as others, but I still value them.

Graphics matter to me as much as story-lines. When playing games, both would have to be at a balanced level. If one's good and not the other, then I guess I won't be having much of an enjoyable experience. d:

Ah, the age ol question of todays gaming.

I don't value them highly, but it would be nice to have a beautiful game to go along with fantastic game play.

The thing I wish the designers and developers understood was that a game doesn't need to have amazing shadows and lighting with HD graphics to be a good looking game.

I like graphics, but most designers take them as everything now. A game doesn't have to solely look good to be liked by a player. Hell, I think Sonic 3 and Knuckles is better than the, what I'd call graphically stunning Sonic Unleashed for the PS3/Xbox 360.

Graphics doesn't have to be really freaking amazing for me to like a game. Example The Walking Dead by telltale the graphics is comicy although it brings it's own perspective into it. The great story and character developments lets you ignore the graphics in it therefore making one of the great games out there.

So as long as you have great gameplay, great story some fancy controls/mechanics then that game is surely a great one! Gameplay>Graphics

I still enjoy a lot of older games from the Sega Genesis where graphics aren't all that great, but the gameplay was really well done, which is why I still find myself playing those games 15-20 years after their initial release. Of course, they're much more refined looking than games like Pitfall back on the Atari, but compared to today's graphics, they don't really compare.

In current gaming though, I'm a little pickier on graphics, especially with all of the resources available to some of these larger gaming companies. That's why it always bothers me that in a series like NHL, the graphics have remained mostly unchanged since 2008, yet they've had 6 years now on the same engine to pay attention to details like that, especially on a sports game that doesn't require a huge amount of updating.

Graphics dont really matter that much for me, since if i want high graphics my laptop will die of a frame drop. Nowdays they are a "must" though, since the gaming industry is evolving all the time, but give me a game with fantastic mechanics and a great story and im sold :)

Graphics are not really a big concern to me. I obviously think a story and gameplay are the aspects of a game that should receive more attention. However, if we're only discussing the visual aspects of the game, I would much rather prefer that the game have a sense of unique visual style rather than look pretty. For example, Okami's beautiful paint-like design, Wind Waker's cell-shaded look, or Elite Beat Agent's quirky look.

I used to say I don't care about the graphics, but now I obviously enjoy games with better graphics. I get more into games with top notch graphics, they make a game 10x better imo. I do still enjoy the classics however. :)

I prefer the story over the graphics, I mean graphics can only go so far to keep me playing a game but even a game with the worst graphics as long as the story is good I can keep playing as the story drags me in.

If it looks bad, it probably is bad. Poor visual presentation is as sure an indication of the creators lacking care and/or skill as any other part of a product, game or not.