The problem with most 'realistic' games is that they require the player to do a lot of the things that would be necessary in a real life situation, but without the means to do them intuitively.
The original Gran Turismo illustrates my point quite well: in order to drive a real car on loose gravel/sand without spinning your tires, you need to gently press on the gas, but that isn't possible in the game, because there were no analog buttons. You've got a pretty realistic simulation of a car with demanding physics, but you all you can do is slam on the gas. It's not like driving a real car, it's like driving a real car with a shitty remote control. How fun is that?
Sure you can buy a steering wheel for a racing game, or a fishing rod for a fishing game, etc, but that's expensive, and what kind of accessory could possibly give a game like Splinter Cell a realistic interface.
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