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Beauty is skin deep: Calling out the graphics pimps

There is a term among the gamer community the describes a certain subsect of gamers interested only in how impressive a game looks -- "graphics whores." These are people who get excited over how a game looks more than how it plays, and will easily dismiss any title that isn't up their visual standards.

Just like there can be no smoke without fire, so too can there be no whores without pimps. These are the people that justify the shallow judgment of a title based purely on aesthetics, mainly because that is how they are selling their games. Prompted by the recent resurgence of Killzone 2 talk, I decided to voice my feelings about the "graphics pimps," and why I am sick and tired of hearing about how great a game looks.

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destructoid.com

BrotherNick - contributor
Published: 594 days 8 hours ago | Article | PlayStation 3 | Industry News

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Rick Astley - 594 days 9 hours ago

1 -

LOL Killzone 2 ftw. I cannot believe how crazy things are getting. People weren't expecting it to look so good and now that Guerilla have proven themselves they're all like "gameplay > graphics". Man this is great stuff.

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BrotherNick - 594 days 8 hours ago

1.1 -

Could anyone link me to a review of someone playing KZ2? I'm curious because it may be a future purchase if what you say is true.

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Fishy Fingers - 594 days 8 hours ago

1.2 - ^^

http://www.n4g.com/ps3/News... < Eurogamer

http://www.n4g.com/ps3/News... < CVG

http://www.n4g.com/ps3/News... < GameSpot

http://www.n4g.com/ps3/News... < VideoGamer

^All Hands On Impressions

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1.3 BilI Gates | 594 days 8 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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BrotherNick - 594 days 8 hours ago

1.4 -

Sounds good from those impressions.

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Fishy Fingers - 594 days 8 hours ago

2 -

No, but you don't get to test the gameplay before you buy it (if Day 1), all we get is screen/video's which give you an idea but visual are what you many have to go on (or hands-on's but thats opinion to).

I love the media, you wait until the Gears trailer is released later, you think its the gameplay every site will be banging on about, nope, that'll be the GRAPHICS or "beauty" in the case of the article.

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BrotherNick - 594 days 8 hours ago

2.1 -

I thought gears controls weren't that fun, I guess I liked the simplicity of Halo More.

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Newmanator - 594 days 8 hours ago

3 - Graphics 60%, Gameplay 40%

The ultimate game delivers both and to a good standard - GTA IV or COD4 for instance.

If you don't like games with good graphics but bad gameplay, DON'T PLAY THEM!
Some people just whine and whine...

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Tmac - 594 days 8 hours ago

4 -

Look at the comments on destructoid.com, Jim is being bombarded with a lot of spiteful comments, what is with the stigma the PS3 brings? Killzone 2 as it stands right now is the most graphically advanced game we've seen, possibly even on par with Crysis.

I know people will bring up the original Killzone, I've looked into it and saw that Sony actually owns the IP now, and I think they have over 100, 150 people working on this right now? As far as I'm concerned this game is a total over haul of its predecessor.

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PoSTedUP - 594 days 8 hours ago

5 -

just another hater, dont worrie about what sonys doing b!tch.

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Some_One_Plays - 594 days 4 hours ago

6 - Anything Relating To Sony Must Be Bad?

Everything that comes out exclusively on a Sony platform some journalist comes out with a negative write up relating to it. So when Crysis came out exclusively to the PC (Personal Computer) I didn't hear much about graphics aren't everything.

As soon as Killzone 2 surpasses the targeted pre-rendered video something comes out saying graphics aren't everything. In reality graphics is just as important as gameplay. The one catch is that graphics doesn't hold its own but gameplay can. Look at Turok so much people said it looked ugly but the gameplay is there. Look at Crysis compared to Turok which one would you play first?

Graphics = better hardware = more sophisticated worlds = 50% of experience
Gameplay = changed due to graphics = 50% experience

Graphics can change gameplay so better graphics means a more sophisticated world. Look at Super Mario World to Super Mario Galaxy, big difference.

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yamamoto114 - 593 days 22 hours ago

6.1 -

Of course a CERTAIN level of graphical prowess is necessary to make a game enjoyable. But Nintendo isn't spending 75% of their effort on graphics like other companies. They made a great game with passable graphics, not BRILLIANT graphics with insane aftereffects, but at that one perfect sweet spot where they're good enough that no one notices or cares how good it looks, because everything is coherent and the art style is expressed.

And yes, you're right. No one blathered on about how Crysis was all graphics and no game. Because, for the most part, no one cared about Crysis. It received very little attention after release.

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Some_One_Plays - 593 days 16 hours ago

6.2 - yamamoto114

How much do Mario games sell on the TV / Home consoles? Killzone 2 is getting attention because of its graphics. Look at the Turok reviews that game is great buy many people don't think so because of the graphics.

Games are played in third person just like watching a movie so graphics are just as important as game play. If you don't think so you can play PlayStation 2 version of next generation games if you think graphics don't play an important role.

The one think you'll notice with insane graphics the game play is very different. Look at Gran Turismo 5 to Mario Kart, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction to Super Mario Galaxy, or Motor Storm to MX vs. ATV Untamed.

The game play is dramatically different and so are the graphics even though they're in the same genre. Killzone 2 to Halo 3 these games are so far apart it's not even funny.

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e-ray - 594 days 4 hours ago

7 -

Graphics are hella important. Of course, the game will still suck without good gameplay (Lair, as a legitimate example). But graphics push a game with great gameplay into superstardom (see CoD4 Gears of War, Uncharted).

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Real gamer 4 life - 594 days 4 hours ago

8 -

I can't belive the media, if sony does not deliver on their promise they get bash. if they do deliver on their promise, they still get bash.

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GutZ31 - 594 days 3 hours ago

8.1 -

Its called:
Your damned if you do, and your damned if you don't.

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Covenant - 594 days 4 hours ago

9 -

Gameplay first...

Graphics second.

If you REALLY think about it, many of the best games ever made didn't wow you with their graphical prowess (you didn't come back to them again and again for the pretty images) but with their fantastic gameplay.

Seriously, think about it.

That doesn't mean graphics aren't important, but should be secondary to gameplay.

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yamamoto114 - 593 days 22 hours ago

9.1 -

Like KotOR and Okami.

GAMEPLAY > GRAPHICS. We should make bumper stickers that say that.

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10 Anything but Cute | 594 days 4 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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GutZ31 - 594 days 4 hours ago

11 -

Game play is uber important, but having graphics this good allows gaming to be passed over as an art form so much easily.

After games like gears of war 2, and killzone 2 show what graphics can do for this generation, it will be hard to deny that games are just as graphically stunning as they are moving.

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poopybumbum - 594 days 3 hours ago

12 -

i heard they are making a porn called killbone

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LightningPS3 - 594 days 3 hours ago

13 - I hope this is just the start

We've heard rumors of other games in development that leave people speechless.

I hope PS3 produces many more games that will make us proud to be graphic whores.

Suddenly, the next knock on the PS3 will be that they're making games look too good.

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yamamoto114 - 593 days 22 hours ago

13.1 -

That's already happened.

Refer to: "Uncanny Valley"

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ArmrdChaos - 594 days 3 hours ago

14 -

WOW has over 10 Million members and it has never struck me as graphically impressive. Without good gameplay great looking games are nothing more than cut scenes you have the chore of controlling yourself.

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Jinxstar - 594 days 3 hours ago

15 -

Here is my issue with many of these Graphics whores. Gameplay is hands down the most important factor in a game imho. Echochrome,Boom Blox, Portal, Everyday Shooter and insert innovative game here. May not compete with Call of Duty or others but have some amazing replay in all of them. A game that teaches you to think outside the box and figure it out to me is more important then twitch reaction. I love COD, GTA, Bioshock and uncharted even though they can all be very very repetitive where as the above mentioned games are quite the opposite. I guess my point is without graphics you can have a very very good game. Bejeweled for example. You can have amazing graphics and fail due to horrid gameplay. Lair or Two Worlds... Really bad games. Gameplay is everything first and needs to take priority. That is where so many people fail. Haze looks decent but from the demo I played I will not buy it. If reviews are good i will but from my impressions its weak and shallow. Heavenly sword on the other hand had variety, control and some very innovative moments it was beautiful but leave it to some to cry about length... most gamers don't care for new IP's anymore or innovation all they want is something pretty and mindless as opposed to something innovative and unique... Hence why a game like Halo does so well over a game like Boom Blox... I digress as I am sure to get flames to hell. For those who enjoy watching the industry grow in new ways I know your with me in this but those who only want the creme of the crop(Graphics whores) I feel don't even deserve to be here on this website.

My dinner is done or I would keep going. Anyway Game on!

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Cupid_Viper_3 - 594 days 3 hours ago

16 - man i gotta to tell ya'll

im so glad i dont own a gun......seriously. its so tempting to just do something stupid, when you witness absurd stupidity....

when the 2005 trailer was shown, No one, and i mean, NO ONE said SH!T about gameplay. THE BIG SH!T TALKING was about how the PS3 can never accomplish such graphics....

AND NOW that they've proven that it not only can, but IS DONE.... so its all of a sudden about GAMEPLAY.... and when the GAMEPLAY matches or surpasses everything we currently have.... IT will be criticized because SOMEHOW it will lack INNOVATION....... and if it does INNOVATE, THEN it will be crucified because even with all the GRAPHICS and GAMEPLAY and INNOVATIONS, it failed to suck the GAMER'S d!ck......

hating b!tches will always be hating b!tches, period. it's like one day, they say, "you'll never land a girl like mines" and the next day you f*ck his wife, and he goes, "oh yeah, oh yeah.... well you didnt do her doggy style"..... so the next day, you do her doggy style and tape it, and he goes "oh yeah, oh yeah....well at least you didnt.. do her missio----BAMMMMM!!!!" you punch the sh!t out of him, and knock him the f*ck out....and that's trully they only way to show off a hater..... but let's not do that....it's not that serious....it's just N4G....

But man....some of those f*ckers really work my patience......

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yamamoto114 - 593 days 22 hours ago

16.1 -

QQ. I bet you everyone's gonna love Killzone regardless of if it's a good game or not anyways, thanks to the hype.

Look at Halo, and GTA4, and Smash, and Gears, and Twilight Princess. They all got hyped to death. And regardless of the fact that none of them are nowhere near perfect, they got amazing review scores.

Not saying they're BAD. They just didn't deserve the praise they received.

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17 CViper | 594 days 3 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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kewlkat007 - 594 days 3 hours ago

18 - Hey thats why..

why Wii games sell or even, why the Wii sells.(gameplay) Hey, people still play Pac-Man...

Never cease to amaze me, Graphic whores are hardcore gamers, as well as fanboys with superiority complexes.

Without good gameplay, Graphics alone won't give you GOTY or perfect scores.

GTA4 is no "Uncharted" graphics-wise. The graphic is OK but excels at gameplay over any other game.

The same go for 70% cut-scene to 30% gameplay, I wanna play the damn game not watch a movie.

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mistertwoturbo - 594 days 2 hours ago

19 -

I agree overall it should be Gameplay > Graphics. But it's probably more like 50/50 in my opinion. Call me spoiled, but I want both excellent graphics and excellent game play. Only game that has delivered that for me would be the Metal Gear series every generation.

But come on, people cant absolutely say ONLY GAMEPLAY over graphics. Otherwise, just stick to playing SNES games and forget the PS3/360.

And about this article, I think it's just pure hatred spewing out. They just hate the fact that the graphics of Killzone 2 is actually living up to the hype. So what else can they knock if they cant knock on the graphics any longer? The gameplay.

This is why It's funny to me when people say "Killzone 2 has good graphics but the gameplay is more important!" Then go on to say "Gears of War 2 will have better graphics than KZ2!"

Make up your mind folks.

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nycredude - 594 days 2 hours ago

20 - WTF man?

What is with all this condenscending talk towards GG and Killzone 2? People are always trying to put this game down. First it's there is no way the graphics will be as good as the cgi trailer. Now that GG has shown that it may not only be on par but may actually surpass it everyone and there f*&king grandma is talking down the gameplay. Didn't most people who played the demo so far say that the gameplay is smooth and some even compared it to COD4?

Hmmm... I don't know about everyone else but I'll take COD4 gameplay with Killzone 2 graphics anyday. I already see a subpar review coming from all these fanboy review sites! I don't care what the final score is I am buying this one on day one to support my console of choice the PS3!!!!

To all these people who keep trying to downplay graphics, why the heck did you buy the current generation console for? The gameplay? You can play great games with great gameplay and ok graphic on the last generation of consoles!!

Sorry about the long rant, I had to get that off my chest!

Peace
NYCREDUDE

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yamamoto114 - 593 days 22 hours ago

21 -

Objectivism > Fanboyism.

Case closed. NEXT CONAN'S HINT!

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LinuxGuru - 593 days 22 hours ago

22 -

Well, unfortunately, everyone pretty much knows what the 360 and PS3 are capable of, so when a game is released that looks like ass, people feel jipped and/or ripped off. End of story.

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Keowrath - 593 days 16 hours ago

23 -

Pixel Junk Monsters, one of the greatest games ever...

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