Top 10 Times Video Games ROASTED Celebrities

“DmC: Devil May Cry” (2013)

Ironically, this controversial news anchor became the news when a not-so-subtle parody of him appeared in the “Devil May Cry” series. See, Bill O’Reilly - sorry, we mean Bob Barbas - is the so-called “King of Media” who spouts off propaganda in the name of the Demon King Mundus. Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, his boss fight turns him into a literal giant, talking head. It’s not exactly what you’d call a “flattering portrayal,” that’s for sure. At the end of the day, Barbas is just a fictional character, but the visual similarities to O’Reilly make the reference plenty obvious. Especially since Barbas borrows some of O’Reilly’s signature catchphrases, too.

“Fallout 2” (1998)

When exploring the Hubologist base in this open-world sequel, you may run into two oddly-detailed NPCs. Their names: Juan Cruz and Vikki Goldman. Apparently, the two are married actors known for smash-hits like “Top Bun,” “Frisky Bizness” and “Days of Rubber.” Given all that, it doesn’t take a movie buff to figure out who these two are supposed to be. At the time of “Fallout 2’s” release, Cruise and Kidman were still in the midst of their very public romance - which also included their outspoken support of the controversial Church of Scientology. Since “Fallout 2” isn’t shy about calling Hubology a cult, it’s pretty clear how they feel about it.

“Saints Row IV” (2013)

If you’re going to bother having someone like Keith David in your game, you may as well have some fun with it. And that’s exactly what “Saints Row IV” did. After the fictionalized actor is trapped inside his own mental simulation, he envisions himself in a fist-fight with none other than Roddy Piper. Also known as David’s co-star from the 1988 film, “They Live.” The reference doesn’t stop there, though. The entire altercation is a loving homage to their iconic alley fight in the film, all the way down to David’s lines. However, this version leans heavily into the over-the-top choreography, and the results are suitably hilarious.

“Apocalypse” (1998)

John McClane was the quintessential action-hero of the 80s and 90s, but oddly enough, this game took inspiration from Bruce Willis' role in “The Fifth Element,” instead. That might’ve had something to do with the original “Die Hard” games, which had to be rebranded to “Dynamite Cop” due to licensing issues. Neither does the actor justice, anyways. “Apocalypse” splurged for Willis’ likeness and voicework, but then bafflingly relegated him to a few cringey quips. Keep in mind, his face is literally on the cover. The gameplay features a few blatant ripoffs of his famous stunts, but otherwise, “Apocalypse” fails to emulate any of Willis’ films. At least, the good ones.

“Brütal Legend” (2009)

As a loving tribute to all things heavy metal, it’s only natural that this game has its fair share of rocking cameos. And, if you’re going to cast anyone as the so-called “Guardian of Metal,” who better than Ozzy Osbourne himself? Luckily, the musician was a great sport about it. In fact, he provided the VO and likeness for the character. The clear Black Sabbath wardrobe is appreciated, but really, Osbourne’s role works because of how much fun he’s having behind the mic. He eats up every single line, even when he’s going on about insane weapon upgrades. In this case, there really was no one better to guard the Metal genre.

“Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon” (2008)

Here’s Johnny! Well, at least in spirit. After all, Crypto unmistakably sounds like Jack Nicholson. No, they didn’t actually get him to do the lines. Instead, for some reason, voice actor J. Grant Albrecht booked the part doing a Nicholson impersonation. He’s brought that same signature cadence to the character ever since. The third game, “Path of the Furon,” paid homage to this inspiration by featuring a knockoff Nicholson by the name of Jack Trippleson. He’s a washed-up actor trying to get with some ladies, and it’s as amazing as you’d expect. Crypto even says Trippleson’s voice is grating, which is doubly ironic considering Albrecht recorded for them both.

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)

They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but Facebook may beg to differ after this one. On paper, there’s nothing wrong with “GTA” including their own fictionalized take on social media. The issue is that they named the in-universe service “Lifeinvader,” and created a whole sidequest about taking down its greedy CEO. Who, get this, is rich because he sells the personal data of his userbase. Sound familiar? It should, because it’s a very pointed jab at Facebook’s long-standing privacy issues. Even more damning, Lifeinvader’s CEO, Jay Norris, has a definite resemblance to Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg. Hey, at least the real Zuckerberg didn’t get his head blown off.

“South Park: The Fractured but Whole” (2017)

Apparently, you can’t cheat in life, football, or “South Park.” To prove it, “The Fractured But Whole” tests players with a puzzle involving a locked door. As with any password-based mechanic, you can just look up the combination online. However, if you try to enter before finding the code in-game, Cartman will call out your sportsmanship by comparing you to Tom Brady. They aren’t friendly quips, either. There’s at least four separate, fully-voiced lines of Cartman dragging Tom Brady’s name through the mud. Of course, it’s no surprise “South Park” had a field day with the “Deflategate” controversy. But, the fact that this easter egg is so well-hidden makes it particularly gut-busting.

“UFC Undisputed 2010” (2010)

As Shaquille O'Neal learned the hard way, joining a game’s roster is just half the battle. Back in 2010, his love for mixed-martial arts earned him a spot as an unlockable character in this well-reviewed wrestler. But, as people soon discovered, he was destined to warm a spot on the bench. Despite his exclusive status, O’Neal’s in-game stats were borderline unusable. Apparently, it was so bad, other characters could knock him out in a single punch. Whether it was an intentional gag or not, “UFC Undisputed” did not inspire much confidence in O’Neal’s boxing career. Or, really, his skills as an athlete at all.

“Goat Simulator 3” (2022)

This reference quite literally goes to the stars and back. At first, the sidequest seems innocent enough. But, once you finish putting batteries into the wind turbines, the entire house floats up to the sky. In some sort of twisted parting message, the words “Space Sux” are written on the side. Considering Elon Musk is involved with a company called SpaceX, that’s about as overt a wink as you can get. But, if you still need more convincing, you only need to walk inside the mansion. There, a hologram greets you as Mr. Snusk. Since this mission is called “Clean Energy,” too, it’s pretty clear that “Goat Simulator 3” isn’t shy about its politics.