Top 10 Video Games That Proved Graphics Don’t Matter

Video game graphics have gone from blocky polygons to ultra-realistic in a span of just 10 years because of which a lot of people judge a game based on how good the graphics are, which just means how realistic it looks. They’re not talking about the art style in general or how a game’s world was crafted with specific art design.  So to prove that games don’t necessarily need ultra-realistic phenomenal graphics to be good, here’s a top ten list of games where the graphics were just an added bonus to the gameplay and instead of being the main point of the game, were a very wonderful tool for world building.

Pokemon Red and Blue/ FireRed and LeafGreen

Pokemon took the world by storm more than a decade ago and is still going strong. It all started with Pokemon Red and Green on the original Gameboy. No real colours, just sprites, and chiptune music. Catching all 151 Pokemon became every child’s dream and this led to the very popular anime series of Pokemon. These games were then remade as FireRed and LeafGreen for the Gameboy Advanced with updated sprites  and instead of being black and white, it was coloured. FireRed was the game from which I first started playing Pokemon games and because of which I still frequently play Pokemon games. This series has a proper World Championship and to this day and age has a huge fan following. If you like Pokemon, do yourself a favour and go play FireRed or LeafGreen.

Minecraft

Another game that took the world by storm. This little indie game started as a humble game where you survived in the wild and built stuff. It didn’t have fancy graphics,  and still doesn’t(I’m not counting ENB and modpacks because that’s not part of the base game and wasn’t available back then). Just ugly square textures from which you can create masterpieces. Even a calculator apparently. This game made Notch, the founder of Mojang a multi-millionaire after he sold Mojang to Microsoft. This game has also started the careers of many famous Youtubers and is a game that is introduced to people who are new to gaming.

Undertale

One of my favourite games to have come out in recent times, Undertale was made by mainly one man named Toby Fox with a little help from some other individuals. This game has very clever writing, phenomenal music, a heartbreaking story and lots of replayability. The graphics of the game are honestly ugly and for some, it can be hard to get past that but it just gives the game a lot of character. The game also has a huge cult following and a fanbase that a lot of people would call weird but don’t let that deter you from playing a really fun game.

Stardew Valley

Remember FarmVille? This is that but sooooooo much better. You’re a farmer who leaves his job and takes over his grandfather’s farm after he gets fed-up with his robotic and grueling 9 to 5 job. You can create your own farm, go mining, kill monsters and become an important member of Stardew Valley. It’s a very relaxing game that very well written characters and a world that is a lot of fun to explore.

Dwarf Fortress

A lot of people may not have heard of this game.  This is the only free game on this list and features no graphics. You heard that right, it features no graphics. This game is described as PC’s most complex ASCII sim because everything is in ASCII. It has procedurally generated world’s and is a management and survival based roguelike game. You’re in control of a group of dwarves who must make a wealthy underground fortress. Here’s the thing though there are no real main objectives and there’s no end. No matter what you do, your fortress will be destroyed. If you still have no idea what this game is, go check it out because it’s a unique game with a pretty big player base that has a lot of helpful players who are always ready to welcome people to the glory of Dwarf Fortress.

The Binding Of Isaac

Isaac is a little boy whose mom goes crazy after God asks her to sacrifice him to prove her faith. He escapes into his home’s basement that is filled with monsters who are out to kill him. The game is a roguelike game with procedurally generated levels,enemies and items. It has been featured on a lot of Let’s Plays by various Youtubers and is very addictive to play.

FTL: Faster Than Light

Another roguelike game but this one is a spaceship sim. You’re in charge of a spaceship capable of FTL and its crew who need to get to a sector to keep yourselves safe from the rebels. Your ship has various rooms that need to be managed and every jump that you make can potentially lead to your doom once you reach that zone. Each zone and sector is procedurally generated so you’ll never really be doing the same thing over and over again. It also has a lot of deep mechanics and is very addictive, just like most of the roguelike games on this list.

Limbo

No, this game is not about how low can you go. It’s the tale of young boy’s quest to find his sister through a dangerous forest that has many traps and lethal puzzles. You will die a lot, and by a lot, I mean A LOT. But that’s the only way for you to actually figure out a puzzle. The game is presented through dark, greyscale visuals with almost minimal ambient sounds that really creates a creepy and haunting environment. It’s a beautiful game that I highly suggest you play as it’s even available for Android and iOS devices.

Hotline Miami

I never thought a top-down pixel graphics game could be this brutal and gory but oh boy do I stand corrected. Hotline Miami is cocaine in video game form. Fast combat, adrenaline pumping music and skull crushing brutality, this game always has you coming back for more. Not to mention the quick respawns that does a fantastic job of keeping the fast-paced flow of the game especially since you die ever so frequently. But the high that you get from completing a level that you were stuck on for 45min while the fantastic music plays is an experience that very few games deliver.

Hollow Knight

I started playing this game thinking it would be a relaxing fun game. Nope. It’s a 2D action-adventure game that can be classed in the Metroidvania style of games. The game is hauntingly beautiful with a mysterious world that you must explore to uncover its secrets and forge your own path as the Hollow Knight as you take on various insects and fallen heroes.

Bonus Game: Papers, Please

Glory to Artstozka! A game where you take on the role of an immigrant officer of the fictional country of Artstozka that has been politically hostile with the neighboring countries and is set in a dystopian time period. The player must correctly review and process the paperwork of people looking to return or immigrate to the country. They must then either allow them into the country, detain them for false information or decline people based on a list of ever-growing rules and guidelines. You will face various situations like when the spouse of an immigrant will ask for passage even though they don’t have the proper paperwork but chances are that they could be a spy. Every decision you make is not just a moral decision as your daily salary depends on how many people you correctly processed while being fined for mistakes. This is very important as your salary is what you use to provide food, heat, and shelter for your family. It’s a very addictive game that really plays with your morality and puts you in a lot of tough spots.

That was my list of games where the graphics weren’t really the selling factor and was not what made the aforementioned games great. What games do you think fit that category? Let us know by commenting below and while you’re at it why not register with us for the best in gaming, and join us for video game discussions on our forums.