10 Genius Gameplay Tricks That Made Video Games WAY Better
5. The Euphoria Physics Engine - Grand Theft Auto IV
Say what you will about Grand Theft Auto IV, but the game's most pronounced innovation was the decision to use the Euphoria physics engine, resulting in comprehensive ragdoll physics which haven't been much bettered today.
Rockstar clearly knew they were onto something here given the inclusion of a push button for the first time in the series, allowing players to shove unsuspecting NPCs off roofs and ledges, as is basically entertaining enough to justify the game's existence in its own right.
Similarly watching protagonist Niko get cartoonishly flung around when he's hit by a car is both gut-bustingly hilarious and genuinely satisfying, such that it's surprising Euphoria has been deployed in few games outside of Rockstar's own output.
As it turns out, the reason for this is the cost and difficulty of implementing Euphoria, which in the case of GTA IV benefitted from being loaded on top of the game's Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE).
Almost 15 years later, GTA IV remains the standard bearer for dynamic in-game physics.