Depends on how it's used. A game like unreal tournament, where frantically moving from target to target, if it had no gore or exploding bodies, it would almost null the sense of the perfect kill that gets accompanied by a yelling announcer screaming ULTRA KILL, GOD LIKE! etc etc... A game like Mario however >_>; Definitely not needed. If your going for a violent setting or mood, gore and blood can be infinitely useful.
From 0 to KICKASS in .stupid seconds.







