Because since RDR2 and last of us part 2 I only see that they’re going backwards or just stagnant.
The only exception is RE4 2023, that game looked really good. I don’t count Hellblade due how limited the gameplay is, it sacrificed most of its gameplay for the graphics. Is basically a movie with walking sections.
Edit: I guess guardians of the galaxy looked also really good when was released.
Yeah, when a character design consisted of like 30 sprites of 32x32 pixel resolution, that could basically be done by an artist in a day. Then the “physics” of game play could be simply defined in a two dimensional space.
Going to 3D, with different models of clothing, armor, weapons, hair, requires a lot more conscious artistic choices within a broad but consistent visual design language. Each time resolution or polygon count or frame rate or hit box number go up, the complexity of the visual design, gameplay design, etc. go up accordingly.
Physical realism in games increases game development cost exponentially with each generation in tech. A lot of studios simply stepped off of that rat race and went towards cartoony visuals and physics that don’t even pretend to be realistic.