Well bad graphics are always bad. But simple or stylized graphics can still be very good. Celeste was an awesome game and had great graphics (and sold very well). Even though they were low resolution, I'd almost say it looked better than Call of Duty since it had an original style.
Also, if you notice, all the really popular and best selling games (aside from large multiplayer games) usually have a distinct style or feel. Like Half-Life 2, Bioshock, Mirror's Edge, Dishonored, Life is Strange, Portal. All those games look very original and also feel original, in a way even people trying to copy them can't pull off (how many of the millions of Minecraft clones were even a success?). It's about originality and vision. The actual graphic fidelity is not as important as the cohesive and coherent style and art direction. Just my opinion.