I think they enhance and aid with immersion. If the game has a good story it works well, but often good graphics, mixed with correct use of sound and generally good mechanics are all ultimately needed to immerse the player into the environment. So if anything you do need good graphics but not fully, and you can't rely on them alone as it's a combination.

Sad to say but does anyone remember the first time they played call of duty modern warfare visually it was stunning because nothing had yet been created on consoles to compete and it seemed to emerge you into to the game that is the purpose of awesome graphics to put you onto the game. While you may control the character you find yourself being the character

I Feel Graphics & Physics 50 % And Gameplay 50%

I think controls is the number one thing but even then if the graphics are poor i lose interest regardless of how great the controls are. Sometimes you have to look at the art direction though.

I think they ae really important, like if the controls are bad i usually work around them if the game is visually sunning and ebgaging, story and graphics (physics & performance included) are most important.

But sometimes they can hinder games if too much emphasis is put on the graphics over story.

Over 100 hours on Star Ocean Last Hope and Digaea 3.

I would play FF13 more then WoW, maybe because I don't feel like wasting that much money to play a good looking game and play the part of WoW I want to play.

Graphics dont make any game more fun so to me no. I rather play a fun game with crappy graphics than a boring game with the best graphics in the world.

realistic graphics usually mean realistic environments and physics... and this mean realistic gameplay..usually.

So.... 99% of the times, yes.

When will it end?

yes they do, specially when your as old as i am and want realistic to get you immersed into the experience. but if your going for a kiddy game then your not looking for an imersion but your looking for fun.

95% of the time a game with amazing graphics will be a great game. Why? Because if the developers put so much effort into graphics, it means that they care about the game and won't let it go down the crapper.

In reality it needs to have good graphics along with decent Story. If someone doesn't like one usually they don't like the other because they(gameplay/story/graphics) all need to be as good as each other to envelop the players totally.

Well, graphical power can add the immersion of a game. Imagine Red Dead Redemption on PS2 - without the euphoria physics and beautiful vista's, the game would suck.

A lot of fun in games comes from making the player experience what it's like to be a different person in a different environment. The better the graphics the easier that is to achieve.

But of course gameplay is necessary.

No they don't. Crysis is prove of that. I remember playing it ages back on maximum settings. For the first 30 minutes, it was nice looking at the nice graphics, after I got over it, the boring, dull gameplay ahowed.

I didn't even complete the game, got so bored.

I think that's proof enough.

Aslong as the graphics aren't PS1 level (lol), it really makes no difference.

I completed Yakuza 4 the other day. Those that have played it know that the graphics aren't it's strengths, but the gameplay was awesome. Absolutely LOVED the game.

As for graphics adding immersion. I got more immersed in Yakaua 4, then I did Crysis.

Again though, I guess it depends on the person.

If you are one of those unfortunate ones, who are sensitive to low quality graphics, frame rate etc, then it would impact you.

In the end, you can have a crap game with amazing graphics and you can have an amazing game with average graphics.