Top 10 DUMBEST Character Redesigns in Video Games

“Resident Evil 5” (2009)

Bear with us for a moment. There may not seem like there has been a drastic change similar to Jill Valentine, but it’s easy to think that way until you look at the original design side by side with the other redesigns. However, we got to give the spot to “Resident Evil 5”. The original Chris had an appealing design to him before he slowly became a generic white guy in army clothes. The biggest gripe is…well…look at his arms! I mean, holy crap, Chris! How big do you need those biceps to be?! My god man lay off the roids. Muscle men don’t sell the games. Consistent quality does.

“Doom 3” (2004)

In retrospect, “Doom 3” was like puberty for the franchise; it was different than what Doom was originally and it was wanting to be edgy in style. This approach also affected the designs of the various demons you’ll encounter, such as the Pinky. This menacing beast has been known for charging at players and dealing massive damage at close combat. So, how was this monstrosity transformed from a 2D horned demon to a 3D one? How did we go from vicious teeth and panic-inducing rampages to some fleshy-looking mammal with cybernetic legs? It doesn’t look scary at all. Just…dumb.

“Alone in the Dark” (2008)

Don’t act surprised to see this on the list. Everyone knows this was coming up, one way or another. What made Edward Carnby so appealing in his design was how he fit into the game’s world, tying in the Gothic atmosphere and bizarre color schemes. With the 2008 version … what the hell happened? We got this grimy looking guy who says some of the dumbest lines to ever be spoken in video game history. (“I’m the f***ing universe”?) Not only does he look silly, but he sounds silly and acts silly. Sorry, Atari, but there’s no way we can take this seriously.

“Crash of the Titans” (2007)

Fans of the original “Crash” games remember this muscular feline for being a vicious and threatening menace, until you notice is low intelligence. His stupidity became the butt of most jokes in later games, until we hit “Crash of the Titans”. Activision produced heavy redesigns of all characters, some even parodying celebrities like Crunch impersonating Mr. T. The worst of them all, however, was Tiny, who turned into none other than a Mike Tyson the Tiger, complete with high-pitched voice and lithsp. Tiny is supposed to be the Bane to Crash’s Batman, where speed and wit beat the brute. Instead, we were given another stereotypical joke that’s been done too much for too long.

“Perfect Dark Zero” (2005)

We understand this game depicts a younger Joanna, but that’s no reason to deviate from the protagonist’s original look. Before, Joanna was a mature woman, short hair, and dressed like a secret agent. She was respectable and could be compared to the likes of James Bond. After playing this game, though, you’ll find that this is not the same Joanna Dark we knew and loved. It looked like Carrington Institute found a Kim Possible cosplayer and said, “You should be a secret agent.” Because nothing says SECRET agent, like a woman who’s bright orange hair with highlights make her stand out in a crowded room like her head is on fire.

“Bionic Commando” (2009)

Hmmm…there seems to be a theme running here in old games desperately trying to appeal to modern audiences. “Bionic Commando” may not be the longest running franchise on this list, but it’s still fun to go back and play every occasionally. Series protagonist Rad Spencer looks like an embodiment of cheesy sci-fi movies from the 1980’s, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. So, why did the 2009 remake completely drive away from that look? Because trends. It fell in line with what many other games, giving our protagonist dreadlocks, angsty attitude, edgy style, etc. Oh and they changed his name to Nathan Spenser. Was “Rad” too rad enough for you?

“Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within” (2004)

As one of the oldest video game icons to appear on this list, it’s interesting to go back and look at all the changes in appearance our hero has been through. But, like going through old yearbook photos, there’s always that one that you wish would just go away. Enter “The Warrior Within”, a game that stripped the Prince of any charisma and replaced it with an angsty guy. Yeah, get in line, buddy. There were a lot of those in 2004. This Prince was just trying too hard to be edgy and violent without any personality whatsoever. (Isn’t that Duke Nukem’s job?) Luckily, the later years were much kinder to the Prince.

“DmC: Devil May Cry” (2013)

We feel so sorry for the fans on this one. This reboot of the classic hack-&-slash series did not resonate with fans too well, especially with Dante’s brand new design. Before, we had a cool (yet, cheesy) dude with style, flair, and a bad attitude. THIS Dante looks like if Taylor Lautner had gone all vampire hunter in the Twilight series. They may sport red trenchcoats, but at least the old Dante looks like he’s ready for a fight and not coming straight from a frat party. Seriously, man? A white shirt and jeans? He’s certainly not winning many people over by insulting the original Dante.

“Sonic Boom” series (2014-)

As evident with Tiny Tiger, big brute usually means little intelligence. Knuckles the Echidna of the “Sonic” franchise was a character who was strong AND intelligent, but his shortcomings usually came about in his headstrong attitude. Leave it to the “Sonic Boom” series to strip that down and put Knuckles in a stereotyped role. Instead of the design that kept with the Sonic the Hedgehog style, Knuckles was beefed up and dumbed down to be part of the game’s comic relief. You can guarantee the Internet did not let this go down easy, spawning thousands of memes criticizing the new design.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few Dishonorable Mentions:

Frank West
“Dead Rising 4” (2016)

Cody
“Final Fight Streetwise” (2006)

“Bomberman: Act Zero” (2006)

What have we done to deserve this? Bomberman has always appeared as a goofy, lovable guy who just likes to blow stuff up. He’s downright adorable with his pink shoes, round hands, and little antenna! In a questionable effort to get grittier with this franchise, Hudson Soft unleashed “Bomberman: Act Zero” on the world, turning our cute bombardier into an android with an oversized hand that shoots explosive plasma balls. Not only was our favorite character changed, but his world, as well, shifting from bright and cheerful to a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Bomberman, this was not, and nor will it ever be considered as one.

Do you agree with our list? Which character redesigns did you find the most appalling? For more Top 10’s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com!