It's not the graphics, it's how they are used. Games with horrible graphics can still be great, if the art design makes good useage of what it has. Similairly games with amazing graphics can still be horrible if the art design just squanders around.
I'd like to compare graphics with painting utilities. Imagine an artists having only a pencil, said artist could still make great works. Now imagane the same artist but now with a whole set of painting utilities. It's more then likely this work will be better, then the one drawn with just a pencil. Now imagine a person with no talent whatsoever, regardless you give said person a pencil or a whole set of painting utilities his/her work would suck.
All in all graphics have only a minor importance, they can help making something good better, but that's all they can do.
I'd like to compare graphics with painting utilities. Imagine an artists having only a pencil, said artist could still make great works. Now imagane the same artist but now with a whole set of painting utilities. It's more then likely this work will be better, then the one drawn with just a pencil. Now imagine a person with no talent whatsoever, regardless you give said person a pencil or a whole set of painting utilities his/her work would suck.
All in all graphics have only a minor importance, they can help making something good better, but that's all they can do.