But are these absolutely photorealistic graphics truly necessary. Does the game really need to look like we're playing a movie? I think eventually it might get a little weird, especially with games containing excessive violence, blood, and/or *ahem* riske behaviour and outfits. To be honest, I don't want graphics to eventually get (nearly) perfectly realistic, and I hope that never happens, although it appears it is approaching rapidly. Do we need these? Don't get me wrong, great graphics in a game are nice, but complete realism... that not so much. Nintendo has proved with Paper Mario that "bad" graphics, or an unrealistic art style can actually enhance the game, and I think the industry may be getting too continually caught up with the latest cutting-edge graphics.

Also, this might make you think, where is the industry going to evolve past the latest graphical upgrades. Apart from the DS and, if you still remember it, Virtual Boy, no console or handheld has really been anything revolutionary or out of the ordinary since the original NES, Gameboy, or even Atari days. Do you think that graphics will just continually improve, of do you think companies will actually try to innovate the industry, perhaps at a slight risk of photorealism?

Pictures can be seen here.

I posted this in the Virtual Underground earlier, too, if you wish to see some responses, or just reply to my entry,