10 Controversial Video Games Everybody Totally Misunderstood

3. Call Of Duty 4 - Branded A 'Terrorist Simulator'

Tackling the No Russian mission a few years later is a bit of a mixed bag - however, one thing Infinity Ward didn't do back in 2009 was put together what became known as a 'terrorist simulator'.

The context of the level came in the form of maintaining your cover as an American agent pretending to be a Russian terrorist, who as part of a group, were attempting to frame the US by using American firearms, hence the phrase "No Russian" referring to not speaking. Let's avoid the fact it came across as being in spectacularly bad taste, as objectively you were put in the shoes of a person with a gun in an airport, and the only gameplay options involved massacring scores of innocent people or walking through the level and watching it all unfold.

In an interview with PCGamer, designer Mohammed Alavi stated the intent was "to do three things". Infinity Ward wanted to "sell why Russia would attack the US, make the player have an emotional connection to the bad guy Makarov, and do that in a memorable and engaging way."

Naturally there was enough controversy here to kickstart a few year's worth of right-wing news bulletins, and the press had a field day drawing parallels between the level and real-world terrorist attacks that happened at the time - not to mention doing the standard "Won't somebody think of the children" dance. In the end though, the team - although going way overboard in doing so - just wanted you to really care about shooting the dastardly Makarov at the close of the story.

Mission... accomplished?