Did you wait for detailed imagery to load while zoomed? The longer and more closely you view an area, the more detailed the view gets. It shows a status bar at bottom center area.

(edit) Also there's the chance you inspected an area that is only covered by satellite imagery, in which case it'll look horrible close up. To see the 'best' resolution, zoom in on a house in or near a city, and you'll get an idea of how it looks at the finest level.