The importance of graphics in video games has been a long-running debate since 3D gaming was introduced and we got our first glimpse of rotational polygons. It seems that Crytek head Cevat Yerli believes visuals account for most of the immersion and world in video games, making them 60 percent of what makes up a title.

“People say that graphics don’t matter, but play Crysis and tell me they don’t matter,” stated Yerli. “It’s always been about graphics driving gameplay. In Crysis 3 it’s the grass and the vegetation, the way the physics runs the grass interact and sways them in the wind. You can read when an AI enemy is running towards you just by observing the way the grass blades.”

Graphics, including environmental elements like lighting and shadow effects help to create emotions in players, believes the Crytek boss. By helping the players get immersed into the world through the visual aspect of a game, Yerli said a much more compelling and gripping experience can be created, and even other aspects of a game can be affected positively.

“The better the graphics, the better the physics, the better the sound design, the better the technical assets and production values are — paired with the art direction, making things look spectacular and stylistic is 60 percent of the game,” he explained.

Not everyone will agree with Yerli, and while for me the gameplay is still the standout aspect of a game, I have come to acknowledge the importance of a good visual style, be it aesthetic or technical. Still, after Crysis 3 turned out to be somewhat of a ho-hum experience according to many reviews, it’s not all that surprising that graphics are being praised over gameplay by Crytek.

Follow this author on Twitter.