Not really if everyone cared about graphics that much no one would have bought a PSP, Wii, DS or a 3DS.  Also handheld gaming would have died with the original Gameboy which had worse graphic cababilities then the NES.

I think the fact some folks felt the need for a KZ3/Crysis2 tech analysis says a lot for Cry Engine 3. It also means that with more time, experience and refinement Cry Engine 3 may be capable of putting out a graphics king game. Just depends on the 3rd party uptake of the engine and what they do with it.

anything below 30fps should not be considered.

premium GT cars > everything except crysis 1 on a NASA computer.

Based on the fact that no one can agree what's definitive, I'd say so is graphics.

Yeah it basically all comes down to what art style you prefer.

Some peoples' responses are so predictable... it's hilarious...

Have fun guys, this will be a long thread.

Hell... really... I wouldn't call anything a fact about this topic, but... for those people who always call LoT 'noobs' or 'lens of fail', etc... they are still way more professional than you (the complainers) are. Therefore behave a little more reasonable and don't make yourself look like idiots.

One could say what style of gameplay you prefer affects what you think about the overall game. For example: Gamefaqs did a poll to find out how people like to control their cameras in games. http://www.gamefaqs.com/poll/index.html?poll=4300

I think something as little as this can also affect how you feel about it. For example; I am often biased against racers that use the shoulders for accel/deceleration.

I still think the best looking games on the PS3 are:

Valyaria Chronicles and Eternal Sonata.

Tho my opinion is just that, mine.

Blame the gaming media. They created a gfx GOTY award. But it has a parallel with sfx in the oscars. So people in all sorts of visual entertainment media are fixated on visual excellence, funny that.

All well and good that people say gameplay is more important than graphics, but if people really don't care about graphics why has the game industry put so much effort in to a process of continual visual improvement in games? Same reason the movie industry keeps pushing the sfx envelope people love seeing stuff look more and more realistic, because it helps immersiveness.

CVG:
"best looking fps ever"

Eurogamer:

"But it is a world whose intricacy and realism will cause you to stop and stare long after the first drop of the jaw. The sway of tree-tops; the spray of a decorative fountain; the flames erupting from a burst gas pipe: incidental details that grab your attention for their quiet, shocking realism. Who knows how Crytek managed to squeeze Cry Engine 3 onto the consoles while maintaining such extraordinary level of detail? But this world sits next to Uncharted 2's as the most detailed and well-expressed yet seen on our TVs."

IGN:
"Crysis 2 on Xbox 360 has taken the crown for best graphics in a console game"

PSU:
"best looking shooter on PlayStation 3"

electripig:
"Crysis 2 is outstanding in almost every department, not least its visuals, which are the very best either PS3 or Xbox 360 has to offer right now"

GamesRadar:
"Crysis 2 does run on consoles, and it does so beautifully. We're calling it now: Crysis 2 is possibly the best-looking console game ever."

justpushstart.com
"I find Crysis 2 visuals to be superior to similar shooters like Call of Duty: Black Ops or Killzone 3."

xg247.co.uk
"Crysis 2 is definitely the best looking game on consoles and PC"

denofgeek
"I honestly think that this may well be the single best looking FPS I've ever seen, on any platform. It really does look that good."

XXLGaming:"The games visuals were just jaw dropping and I have to agree when Crytek says it is setting the bar in console gaming graphics. Just wow."

joystiq: Though about the millionth FPS built around a plot of an alien invasion, give or take a few, it's also the most beautiful.

destructoid: Naturally, the gameplay is all wrapped up with some of the most gorgeous visuals you'll see in a videogame.

gameinformer: Crytek wisely sticks to the traits that made the first game successful while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of graphical fidelity.

1up: Crysis 2 is just as visually impressive as its predecessor, even on PS3 and 360. 

gamezone: The game looks utterly stunning and is arguably one of the best-looking shooters on consoles. I'm still undecided whether Crysis 2 looks better than the original game, but the fact that there is a discussion about which looks better speaks volumes on what Crytek was able to accomplish with their engine.

videogamer: It might come up slightly short compared to Killzone 3 in raw mettle, with an occasionally inconsistent framerate on our PS3 version, but the game is leagues ahead in terms of artistic accomplishment.

strategyinformer: Crysis 2 is bloody gorgeous, and by far one of the most polished games we've ever played. Watching the cityscape come crashing down around you in all its HD glory is quite the sight, especially in some of the more open areas midway through the main campaign. Whether you've diving across rooftops or making your way into the heart of an alien hive, it's all jaw-dropping throughout.

gamerevolution: Somehow the team over at Crytek has found a way to make their sequel just as visually remarkable as the original and without the need to spend a fortune on a fancy new video card and extra RAM (on the console at least)

msxbox-world: Crysis may have been the benchmark game on PC but for console owners there might be a new kid on the block as Crysis 2 really is a sight to behold.

metro: Although Crysis 2 swaps an actual jungle for the urban variety, the level of near photorealism remains. Despite the impressive scale the attention to detail is second to none: from hedges that shed leaves as you run through them to the filtering of light through a half-destroyed wall. That all this is running on a middle-aged console, not a state of the art PC, only makes it more impressive.

Digitaltrends: 
"Crytek manages to live up to the hype with Crysis 2, the best-looking console game ever made (except for the glitches)."