I can't count the number of times when a game will have extremely pixelated depth of field or self-shadowing that sticks out like a sore thumb, and I just can't help thinking, why not just get rid of it? The absence of these effects wouldn't hurt the scene half as much as having them distractingly low quality.

What's the point of employing an effect if you can't pull it off well? Just because you can, or you want to see how far you can tax the hardware?

I genuinely don't get it.

I would assume that they were originally planning to implement it well but then they eventually ran out of time/money/resources to optimize it fully so instead of scarping the whole thing, they just put what is left in order to not waste the work they already put in

Agree

Quite a few lighting effects are quite irritating, blinding bright lights are just uncomfortable. Seeing them pop up more and more this gen

Examples?

Idk The particle lighting effects have been pretty damn good so far. Should get better over time.

The inspiration for the thread was Mass Effect 3. I'm replaying it, and the depth of field in cutcenes is so often just terrible and very distracting.

Ahh Mass Effect 3 I love that game. I was too into the story to notice graphical hiccups lol

Don't get me wrong. I love it too. Actually liking it even more this time around, now that  I know what to expect.

Just baffled as to why they didn't just axe DOF, as it would have looked better without it.

Yeah you're right. I played ME3 on the PS3 so I didn't expect much from the graphical department anyway.