I was thinking why a lot of people think the gaming industry has been rather stale lately. Some people might say the effect of Covid, terrible monetization, incomplete games, higher expectations, digital future, political correctness, TOO MANY GAMES, etc. (I don't think most people notice but too many options is not good for us, it divides community, is overwhelming, and decreases the worth of the current game) For example, (this may just be growing up) but back then, games felt like we were accomplishing something, nowadays it doesn't because we know the game is eventually going to die or a new game is going to take the hype. New games are supposed to be exciting, not scary. Even character creation/customization, when there is too much freedom, it can become overwhelming to the point where I can't start the game (I can't be the only one with this symptom). 

Now all of these are probably somewhat true, but I believe that none of them is the true answer. Imo, the problem is that so many games are trying to be realistic to present the best possible graphics (specifically AAA games). We don't need that (by "we" I'm just trying to create a bond of solidarity). For example, how many people play on 4K? Even on this website where core gamers gather, I assume most don't play in 4K. There was a streamer that took a poll to see what percent of their viewers play in 4K. The result was less than 10%. In fact things like 4K and ray tracing drops frames rate and ruins the experience. Most probably can't afford a pc that can run high graphics smoothly, and tbh real life for most people isn't even clean as 4K. This is a huge problem because humans can't keep up with something their eyes aren't used to, it becomes overwhelming. Realistic games limits/restricts creativity in gaming. 10,20,30 years ago gaming evolved at an extreme rate. Now, it feels like every game is the same, every game feels like I've played it before. I understand that it was because gaming was new at the time so obviously new innovation would keep coming. But I think this is just an excuse, and there are surely more innovation yet to be found. Yes, there are indie games that tries their best to fill in that gap, but it's clear there are limits to indie games and most fall short. 

How does realistic games limit creativity?
1. They have to spend so much on trying to make the humans/environment realistic
2. They have to abide with the laws of physics to an extent to keep it real
3. Limits the art style
4. They limit uniqueness 
Humans have limits, real environment have limits, the law has limits.


Gaming is imagination, it is fiction, just like art there can be anything happening. This is the same for something like an Anime and its "Anime logic". So many people points out about how the characters are talking for 5 minutes despite having 1 second left on the clock, or a mother that looks like 5yo, or unrealistic hair. All of this is what makes these fictional entertainment fun, people seriously pointing these out are not doing any help. Do you want Star Wars with real sword instead of lightsaber, real guns, non of The Force?

I don't need a realistic setting, I don't want no simulation, we need more games with characters like Kirby a fcking pink ball, a human with bones that can bend, a mermaid, I want more chaos, I want something out of the ordinary. This is why I'm excited for Bayonetta 3.

Games nowadays also take much longer to develop and are more expensive, which is why many developers take less creative risks. That's why for example Far Cry games don't innovate at all. They "need" to stay realistic, aka not change the art style and "need" high end graphics, which takes away a lot of resources from developing genuinely new gameplay ideas.

Limitations breed creativity

There are a lot of issues in the industry, and I love an interesting art style as much as the next guy, but graphics being too realistic isn't really the main problem here.

Eh... I mean, if developers were forced to develop games in a realistic art style you might have a point, but as far as I know, that's not the case. I prefer stylized graphics, and I have plenty of games to choose from. I would personally love if most games were that way, but sadly I'm not the ruler of the world.............yet.

Realism is dull as dirt to me. I always feel if you only strive for realism then your imagination is limited. Shenmue was the last time realism in a game wowed me. The worst is racing games just showing off shiny cars, like I get it the car is shiny. 360 era and early PS4 era were the worst for this. Spend 10 minutes zooming in on a car at E3 and it was boring as fuck. Then shit like TLOU exists with mediocre gameplay and a bland as hell revenge is bad storyline but THE GWAFICS! pfft. I'm more taken with art design. Sure I can point out easy ones like Astral Chain and Daemon X Machina as recent examples of games that look great. Then there is Nex Machina, Ruiner, Cuphead, The Ascent, Nier Automata even Doom Eternal. But the games I mentioned generally have great game design to boot. (I'm not a fan of Eternal but it's not bad)


Realism has its place for sure like anything but it's also shitty when people use it as the only metric for games looking and being better.

Absolutly Bullshit.

Why we dont open a Thead about: Why Comic/ Anime Graphics and Pseudo Art Style games sucks?

The best Reason for realistic Graphics is immersion.

I don't agree with a single instance in this thread

This discussion has actually been around since the 1970s. It's usually phrased: "graphics are not as important as gameplay".

I tend to find photorealism fairly unappealing, especially since games using it are mostly using realistic settings.

That said, just step or two away from it, to stylized realism, preferably with elements from surrealism, and that is my sweet spot for VG presentation.

I don't mind realism style where it fits, but when the HD era started in mid 2000s I needed time to get used to the details in games, they were distracting me, and I thought they were mostly pointless. I cringe at the Resi4 remake, I think the original is almost perfect in every way, shiny modern grafix won't make it any better for me, I prefer the clean grafix style of that era.