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Video games, just like any other piece of entertainment, require every little cog to work in unison. Graphics, sounds, controls - all of it is needed to get the best game possible. Or is it?
Back when the video game industry was in its infancy, having good graphics was not an option, and there was no music to speak of - you'd be lucky if there were sound effects. Lack of presentation meant a focus on gameplay and making it as much fun as it could be, considering limitations.
It didn't take much for video games to intrigue us and become one of the main sources of entertainment - after all, it was the only type of entertainment that let us take control over a bunch of pixels. And that is exactly where video games stand out, control, so it makes sense that control and gameplay would be the focus in developing the game, right? Of course, but we started taking that fact for granted.
We like to say how they don't make games like they used to, and that is true - today, they make them better. We live in a renaissance of video gaming and we never had so many great games coming out on a yearly basis, be it from big or indie developers. Such development spoiled us a bit.
Now, it is not enough to have good gameplay, we also need high-end graphics, epic soundtrack, a story that will kick our socks off that will make us ponder about the meaning of life, etc. On top of all that, we have to play those games on a machine so powerful that it could run a country.
Ever since the console wars between SNES and Sega Genesis we compared the graphics and sound and figuring out which one was better when in reality it didn't really matter. Did Mortal Kombat on SNES need blood to make it play better? Nope, the gameplay was pretty much the same on both SNES and Genesis. None of it is needed to make the game good as long as gameplay works.
In that regard, video games are very much like comedy movies (stay with me). You can have a comedy with underdeveloped characters, a story filled with plot holes, bad green screen keying, yet none of it matters if it makes you laugh. Similarly, in video games, even if every aspect of the game is lacking, if the gameplay is good the game is usually good overall.
Now, don't get me wrong, if games graphics are a jumbled mess and you can't clearly see what is going on, or having a soundtrack that is grating your ears, even with tight controls and terrific gameplay it wouldn't make a for a good game. However, games with good looks but average gameplay are a more common occurrence.
Looks will sell the game, but gameplay will elevate it to a whole new level.
Get in the Game ! 
