Just what is un-Valve? Do explain that to me.
I think the response "is that it?" to these screenshots is fair one. They look nice (graphically), but it's nothing new or interesting.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
I went in with higher expectations than I imagined I would, mostly due to the positive buzz surrounding its release - likewise unexpected - and I was not disappointed. The whole film was an enjoyable affair of simian antics and some great work from the WETA team...
But it's not an attempt at super-realism. As you said, there's a man dressed as a Bat fighting a man in clown makeup. There's no pretense about that in the films, even if they are grounded as crime-films.