This question is so cliche and the responses are always the same.

Fact is that without graphics gameplay would not exist after all it is a video game. Gameplay depends on graphics which is contrary to what most people claim. Since graphics make up or is part of gameplay then gameplay cannot be more important that graphics because its a component of gameplay.

Not being able to bail out of a Warhawk at anytime. Dumbest thing ever as far as I am concern.

Now with regards to the quick save versus checkpoints. Having both is a great idea. The folks who said it would cheapen the difficulty, so what? That is the way a particular gamer decided to play and if you can't help yourself but to use it as often as you can, then that is more of a player issue than a design issue. Faulting the game designer for giving gamers more option is absolutely ludicrous.

I agree. Even the original Mega Man, Super Mario 3, Chrono Trigger, FFVI, Link to the Past, or Ocarina of Time still look good today.Even some Gameboy games like Zela Link's Awakening can hold up a candle next to LttP and Minish Cap.

Graphics can be a great tool but I think in many ways, artistic merit and good design stands out in all great games. Even some next-gen games look terrible, which is strange. God of War 2 looks more impressive than some of the next-gen shovelware.

ASK_Story

The main reason for that I believe is due to the fact that it was executed well in the first place and was able to capture the game's spirit(for lack of a better word) than some newer games where very little effort was placed in refining the visual experience with the technology that is available at the time.

Uh... Gameplay. THen sound, then graphics.

Honestly, a games graphics do nothing to make the game in any way more fun or interesting

BuryMe

I guess games like Half Life 2, Halo, RE4 etc would still be great if the graphics looked like ass.:|