Video games shouldn’t chase ultra-detailed graphics.
The recently released Avowed from Obsidian looks great and runs smoothly, but I felt dizzy after just an hour. The game is not obsessed with details but maybe the camera tuning was causing me feeling dizzy. This made me think about accessibility of video games.
In contrast, Atlus’ low-res Metaphor: Refantazio has rough visuals, focusing only on game-related elements in the scene. But I can play it for long hours without discomfort.
Elden Ring is similar—not too dizzying, though frame drops can be annoying.
My takeaway: Video games should focus on art and interactivity, not excessive visual details.
Another example is Cyberpunk 2077. It is a game that has to go for realism. With its dynamic details and open world, the unstable frame rate makes it hard for me to play for more than two hours at a time. Many of those details are just for show, meant to enhance immersion. However, when there’s too much distracting visual clutter and the frame rate can’t stay at a stable 60 FPS, I can’t immerse myself at all.
Monster Hunter Wilds is a different story. The game has low texture as well as low, unstable FPS. Capcom simply does not have sufficient skill.
Games should reduce unnecessary visual details, prioritize frame rate, and use a unique art style to create immersion—that’s the right path.