This paper analyzes aesthetic realism and the possibility of application of its “codes” to better understand the reality effect provided by video games. This would help to understand, for instance, why some games, with images that do not have a high degree of visual verisimilitude with their actual referents, give an impression of being realist games, resulting in severe rating restrictions imposed by classification entities. By contrast, many games with realistic images do not necessarily imply being realist games, resulting in different impressions by customers and the society.