1. Grand Theft Auto IV - Your "Friends"
Rockstar"No Roman, I don't want to play poker with you". "No Roman, I don't want to go to a strip club with you". "No Roman, I don't want to go out and get drunk and then drive you home while I'm intoxicated". Grand Theft Auto IV's sandbox experience was marvellous, but it was also a giant lesson in why you don't give people you don't like your phone number. This entry isn't an example of bad or game-breaking AI, it's an example of how mechanics that sound innovative can ultimately end up being extremely irritating. Niko Bellic wasn't exactly the most sociable person to ever grace planet Earth, and yet for all of his anti-social behaviour (murder, theft, assault), the European immigrant sure did make a lot of friends during the course of GTA IV. Whether he had worked with people on a job, got a new girlfriend, met some friendly strangers or was being badgered by family members, Niko had no shortage of people that wanted to call him at all hours of the day asking him to help them, hang out with them or simply have a quick chat. Sure, there's nothing wrong with being a good friend and catching up on a weekly basis, but when acquaintances start moaning in your ear with every passing moment, the friendliness turns into borderline stalking. It didn't matter if you were in the middle of a mission, cruising the city or just engaging in some good old-fashioned mayhem on the streets of Liberty City, you were never safe from the constant threat of your mobile phone going off with an obnoxious ringtone. To make matters worse, if you turned down an offer to socialise, you were then berated or made to feel guilty for not wanting to see their annoying face. Unfortunately, Rockstar never gave players the option to turn the damn thing off, but it's okay, they were forgiven in full when Grand Theft Auto V was released last year. And if you have the same problem as Niko, the remedy is simple - just don't make friends. Who needs them anyway?
Are there any other 'companions' you got saddled with that were a major annoyance? Let us know in the comments!