9 Video Game Controversies We Were ALL Wrong About

5. GTA IV's 'Realistic' Gameplay

Despite being critically one of the highest rated games of all time, and selling like hotcakes, the legacy of Grand Theft Auto IV is a little strange. The story of Niko Bellic rising the ranks in Liberty City is fondly remembered, but its unique gameplay quirks are still considered, by some fans, a total misstep in the franchise's long history.

That's because, instead of embracing the open world anarchy of the previous titles (which other sandbox releases at the time, such as Saints Row, were also doing), Rockstar instead tried to make GTA IV far more realistic than its predecessors. Sure, it still had its wacky moments, but the world of Liberty City was programmed to be as authentic as possible, right down to NPCs having their own routines and characters' feet connecting to every step on a staircase.

That also meant, however, more 'realistic' gameplay, particularly when it came to the handling of cars. Unlike previous titles where every vehicle controlled like you were playing Burnout, here the cars had weight, and you couldn't just drive down the street at 100mph and hand-break turn around every corner without busting a sweat.

These simulation elements were seen as sacrificing the fun, and GTA V worked as a huge course correction to remedy the issues fans had.

However, in a post-Red Dead Redemption 2 world, Rockstar's previous attempt at a more methodical, purposeful style of play can be appreciated. These little details put Rockstar's world lightyears ahead of the competition, to the point where it still holds up 10 years later.