
Every driving game can be mapped onto a spectrum. At one end are those with arcadey vehicle physics. Vehicles in these games do not handle realistically at all; they are typically cartoonish and deliberately silly. At the other end are those with realistic vehicle physics; these games aim to recreate the experience of driving actual vehicles.
The Grand Theft Auto series has leaned more on the realistic side of the spectrum since GTA 3. The PS2 games featured vehicle physics at their most arcadey, though they were relatively realistic by the standards of the time. The physics and damage models are simple compared to modern GTAs. They would undoubtedly be considered outdated if alternative urban sims such as Watch Dogs and even many dedicated racing games weren’t still lagging behind Rockstar’s earliest efforts.
