The ability to render more polygons creates more opportunity for different graphics, but you’re right, it isn’t better. The issue is that the “premium” style is realism. All AAA games now think they need to recreate reality. Style is what they should be aiming towards. We want something that looks cool, not necessarily real.
How many people say their favorite painting style is realism? Probably not very many. Why do we limit video games to that then? (I haven’t played a AAA for a while now, partially because of this, and partially because their gameplay is all boring and generic.)
The ability to render more polygons creates more opportunity for different graphics, but you’re right, it isn’t better. The issue is that the “premium” style is realism. All AAA games now think they need to recreate reality. Style is what they should be aiming towards. We want something that looks cool, not necessarily real.
How many people say their favorite painting style is realism? Probably not very many. Why do we limit video games to that then? (I haven’t played a AAA for a while now, partially because of this, and partially because their gameplay is all boring and generic.)