Top 10 Video Games With Awkward Live Action Cinematics

Top 10 Video Games With Awkward Live Action Cinematics

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We suppose these actors and actresses had to make money somehow, right? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Video Games With Awkward Live Action Cinematics. For this list, we’ll be looking at video games that may have taken their grade school stage play performances a bit too seriously. These live action segments have transcended god awfulness and have become so awkward, that they’re hilariously charming. We’re not just looking at games that use full-motion video, but games that only have a few minutes of quote, unquote, acting. Ready? Action!

Look out! The Reticulans have attacked El Cadron! This small, Texas town has been invaded by a dastardly alien race that have disguised themselves as various townspeople. Your task is to destroy the invading threat while being careful to not shoot any of the people trying to flee the scene... if you can stand the monotonous, record skipping soundtrack enough to do it. Although we’re not sure what’s so threatening about aliens who fall back like they’ve slipped on a banana peel, and robotic henchmen who pop like water balloons. Hey, at least the view is nice in this shabby town.

#9: “It Came From The Desert” (TurboGrafx-CD edition) (1991)

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There’s a real charm to the old B-movies of the fifties. Something about that larger than life music, those over-the-top screams, and the monsters they’d have to go up against... giant, killer ants. Really? Surely they’d come up with something better nearly 40 years later, right? Welcome to Lizard Breath, Nevada! With a town name like that you’d think they’d be going up against killer lizards with toxic breath. Nope. It’s ants. Sound familiar? Even the game cover is a callback to those cheesy classics. Consider it a gorey update of sorts as you try and get those flesh-eating ants away from the victim’s body.

#8: “Need For Speed” (2015)

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While this isn’t the first time the Need for Speed franchise has dabbled with live action cutscenes, we were surprised to see it in 2015. That’s not to say that video games don’t have live action cinematics anymore, we just expect them to be... watchable. The dialogue is jarring to hear, with random bouts of slang and the need for the actors to talk directly to the player. Also, if you’re going to bother with giving your racing game live action cutscenes, couldn’t we see some liveaction races? Maybe not Vin Diesel levels of racing, but something other than seeing cars in the garage?

#7: “Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero” (1997)

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If you played the story mode in “Mortal Kombat X” and wondered who the heck Sareena was, here’s your answer. This game served as a prequel to the original “Mortal Kombat,” you know, before the new games retconned everything? The story focused on Sub-Zero, who was hired by Quan Chi to complete a task that, unbeknownst to him, helped the sorcerer retrieve Shinnok’s amulet -- it was the nineties, Sub-Zero couldn’t tell that Quan Chi was evil despite his diabolical demeanor. The best part? The PlayStation version had live action cutscenes full of over-dramatic dialogue and those deep, thundering voices. At least there’s a blooper reel out there.

#6: “Night Trap” (1992)

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What do girls do at slumber parties? Sing catchy songs! Oh, and get attacked by... are supposed to be vampiric creatures? Wait, here we go, that’s... better? It’s up to you to keep the girls safe or else your commander will guilt trip you into trying again, and trust us, you’ll be trying multiple times since it’s damn near impossible to focus on the story and trap Augers at the same time. Believe it or not, this was one of the games that had a hand in the creation of the ESRB. Yep, all of this cheesy horror is why there’s a shiny “M” on your video games. You’re welcome.

#5: Make My Video: Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch” (1992)

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Before Mark Wahlberg was Happening, he was... happening. Trust us, this game deserved that. The “Make My Video” series -- yes, it was a series -- let players create videos for at the time music sensations INXS, Kriss Kross, and our #5 pick. We’re not quite sure what to stare blankly at first: the gameplay and the fact that you can splice together nonsensical clips with only three songs, or... the plot. In Marky Mark’s case, a brother and sister are at an odds because he feels that the videos need to be tough while she demands they be sexy, which means... you get to make both.

#4: “Twisted Metal” (1995)

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Once a year, the legendary Calypso holds the “Twisted Metal” competition, where drivers partake in a death battle all throughout the streets of Los Angeles. Whoever survives the carnage is able to have any wish granted, no matter how ridiculous it may be. Too bad Calypso failed to inform the competitors that they’d also have to make their wish via stellar 1995 live action segments complete with foreboding music, bikini-clad women, shirtless men with firearms, a villainous man who’s missing his face, truly amazing acting, and a very important brown paper bag. Terrible driving in L.A. we can understand, but this?

There’s crime afoot, so it looks like you’ll have to... patrol it. Yes, we recycled that from our Marky Mark pick, just like American Laser Games continued to recycle their shooting game formula in the nineties. If you’ve played one of their games, you’ve played them all, but none really capture the hilarious magic of full motion quite like “Crime Patrol.” As you work your way up the ranks of the police force, you find yourself asking... is this real? The music, the gameplay, the acting, the fact that there’s actually a sequel... how did anyone manage to keep a straight face during production?

If you thought live action first person POV fighting games were bad... you’d be right. However, there’s something much worse:live action first person POV basketball. What a bizarre direction to take a sports game in. Why would anyone want a first person perspective on trying to block a shot? And how could anyone tell where they were aiming when trying to make a basket? We’re not sure who to feel more sorry for: whoever did the acting for your character, or our ears after Scottie Pippen’s short lived rap career. Next time, take the Michael Jordan route, and team up with the Looney Tunes. Before we reveal our number one pick, let’s give a “you tried” sticker to these honorable mentions: “Mad Dog McCree” (1990) “Bikini Karate Babes” (2002) “Supreme Warrior” (1994) “Phantasmagoria” (1995) “Critical Path” (1993)

What’s that? You’ve never heard of the super sexy action heroine Riana Rouge and her adult only video game adventure? Well, Riana is a shy secretary who catches her boss trying to rape a co-worker. The man shoves Riana out the window ala “Batman Returns” Selina Kyle style, and she’s transported to another world because... that’s what windows do? Mojoholics, this game is a real gem. The stilted acting. The erotic sex scenes with children laughing in the background (42:58). The amazing MS Paint graphics. Oh, and of course, bloody death scenes because... reasons. Truly, this is what they mean by “so bad that it’s good.” Do you agree with our list? Which live action video game scenes do you think actors and actresses keep off their resume? For some less confusing top tens published everyday, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.