I agree movies can rely less on CGI and since the camera/acting hasn't made dramatic leaps like game tech it doesn't really matter that much.
I think you are misunderstanding me with HL comment - I'm not saying you need to have the best graphics in the generation to be a good game - I'm saying every generation raises the bar for "tolerable" on multiple value scales (both graphics, gameplay, story, sound/voice acting).
HL had good graphics for it's era, and as someone else mentioned you can pull a lot of weight if you have a style that works with what you have. For example Fallout games have/had crap graphics compared to contemporary shooters - for example Bioshock was much better graphically and stylistically - but it's good enough to be passable so you can focus on gameplay/story/world.
But if Fallout 3/4 had HL1 graphics and design constraints I doubt I or many other people would play it.
I think you are misunderstanding me with HL comment - I'm not saying you need to have the best graphics in the generation to be a good game - I'm saying every generation raises the bar for "tolerable" on multiple value scales (both graphics, gameplay, story, sound/voice acting).
HL had good graphics for it's era, and as someone else mentioned you can pull a lot of weight if you have a style that works with what you have. For example Fallout games have/had crap graphics compared to contemporary shooters - for example Bioshock was much better graphically and stylistically - but it's good enough to be passable so you can focus on gameplay/story/world.
But if Fallout 3/4 had HL1 graphics and design constraints I doubt I or many other people would play it.