It's too bad that a few nice pictures hold so much sway, but it does, I'm just as guilty of judging the book by it's cover as anyone else.
But I have to keep in mind that the "Look" has very little to do with Java. Going up against studios like EA that can afford to hire performers to do detailed motion capture, as well as brilliant graphic artists, musicians, etc... well it's not easy to get something that looks as good when you are tone deaf, can't draw, and working out of your basement

.
It's a bummer that professional Java gaming (non-mobile phone) is caught in this chicken and egg situation where we can't even get a JVM on devices deemed critical to game studios. Though making a good impression in the Indie scene seems to be helping remove some of the stigma from "slow, ugly Java"