Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Graphics do not make games great, gameplay makes games great.

You need to calm down about Fallout 4’s graphics

Graphics do not make games great, gameplay makes games great.
This article is over 9 years old and may contain outdated information

Yesterday, many people became overjoyed upon hearing the news that Fallout 4 is indeed real.

Recommended Videos

However, as with anything in life, the internet found a way to turn an exciting and happy moment into one of, at the least, moderate annoyance and cynicism.

For many, Fallout 4’s graphics were the focal point of the discussion, as opposed to the actual announcement of the long-awaited game and the contents of the trailer.

My question to you is this:

Why does it matter?

I do not play games for graphics. I never have and I probably never will. I don’t even play games for story.

There are multiple mediums that are better equipped to tell a story. Books, movies, and TV are better vehicles for story.

What makes video games so special is what they offer that books, movies, and TV cannot.

In video games we can interact with the world we are in. We can be the driving force in determining what happens in a world. Mechanically, it is gameplay that makes a game what it is.

Sure graphics and story can create a more immersive experience, and I think it would be silly not to acknowledge this. However, gameplay always has and always will be what makes or breaks a video game. 

The best video game of all time, according to Metacritic, is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for N64. Now, for its time it was pretty great graphically. Now though? It is a blur of polygons that frightens small children.

That being said, Ocarina of Time is great to this day because the dungeons, bosses, and mechanics are so great. These are some of the reasons why it is so many gamers’ favorite game of all time.

So please, before you begin shouting from the top of a mountain that this game is awful because it doesn’t redefine graphical excellence, remember what makes a video game a video game.


GameSkinny is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Michael Slevin
Michael Slevin
Michael likes video games, movies and is a Pokemon Master. Find Michael on Twitter to keep up with his work @Slevin_Michael