Game franchises They’re usually full of recurring characters, but that doesn’t mean those characters look the same every time they appear in a game. Changes to a character’s appearance are quite common in a series, especially if the games take place in a timeline and the characters age. But even though there is no distinct timeline in a series, Characters can appear in a game with a completely different appearance than their previous appearanceand that’s not always a good thing.
Many redesigns are appropriate, whether in the sense that they improve character or changes are met with neutral reactions. However, there are also reworks that leave players upset and confused, wondering what the idea behind these changes was. In some cases, developers listen and adjust the design to address player complaints, especially if the game hasn’t been released yet and the design has just been shown in promotions. Then there are the redesigns that go live when a game is released and can make the character feel completely different or out of place.
10
James Sunderland’s redesign almost made it into Silent Hill 2
Horror game icons
When the first trailer was released to announce that Silent Hill 2 was being redone, The excitement was accompanied by a dose of confusion about James’ appearance. While its redesign wasn’t the only point of controversy, like Maria’s Silent Hill 2 changes also raised questions, it would have been more prominent, as players see James much more than Maria when they play.
Because of this, it is a relief that The Bloober team listened to feedback and tweaked James’ appearance. James’ redesign wasn’t the most egregious, but since it was for a remake and not for him to reappear in a later game, the changes felt wrong.
Gamers were immediately worried about the remake because of this redesignas it left them wondering how many other small differences would be made and whether the end result would look like a faithful remake. However, Bloober Team made the best choice they could have in that situation and showed that they are listening by adjusting James’ appearance, which reignited hope in the remake.
9
Ashley’s appearance changed drastically between Mass Effect 1 and 3
The protagonists of science fiction
Depending on who Shepard decides to save Mass Effect 1Ashley returns as a squadmate in Mass Effect 3 with a new appearance. Some time passes between ME1 and ME3and with the original games, the graphics improve a lot throughout the trilogy, unlike the Mass Effect Legendary Editionwhere the graphics have been improved, so that each game is more polished.
Ashley’s redesign for Mass Effect 3 makes it seem like the goal was to make her another version of Miranda, or at least have a more Barbie-like appearance. There was nothing wrong with its original appearance, it just needed some updating and polishing due to the difference in graphical quality between ME1 and ME3. It feels like a disservice to Ashley to give her a look that focuses on looks rather than her strengths as a soldier working with Shepard.
8
Master Chief’s armor doesn’t feel protective in Halo 4
A less armored look
Master Chief’s redesign is actually among the few that received an in-game explanation for the changes. Due to the events of Halo 3, the armor that Master Chief wears had to be repaired by nanobotswhich resulted in his new appearance in Halo 4 and Halo 5. Outside of the game’s universe, the biggest reason for choosing to redesign Master Chief is likely due to a broader change in art style, moving to Halo 4.
In this redesign, many of the actual armor pieces intended to offer the Master Chief some protection are quite small. Then, parts that appear to allow the user flexibility are more prominentwhich seems like a major concern when the threats Master Chief faces are considered. The result is a redesign that left many players unhappy with the choices made in Master Chief’s appearance, as this iconic character just didn’t look right.
7
Samus’ gravity suit in another M is a downgrade
A reduced suit
Samus has received many redesigns throughout the year. Metroid series, and part of this comes from the variety of costumes she wears in the games, as well as changes in graphics and styles that lead to different appearances. Another M is a game in the series that is not one of the most popular, and also included what may be the worst version of Samus’ Gravity Suit. It just looks like your regular suit with a little sparkle.
Traditionally, the Gravity Suit is at least partially recolored compared to the standard suit. Mostly, the head is the same reddish color, but the rest of the costume has shades of gray, green, or purple. However, for Another Mthe costume is not recolored and instead just has a pink aura. The end result makes it look like it would fit better in a cartoon than Samus.
6
Spyro received a new look in Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure
A New Dragon
For many gamers, Spyro is the main character of a series that helped define their childhood, making him and his appearance quite nostalgic. Perhaps that’s why Spyro’s redesign in Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure arouses contradictory opinions. It doesn’t help that its new appearance looks different enough from its classic design that he can be mistaken for a new character at first glance.
This version of Spyro has a completely different body shape and a darker color palette used in his design. Although his horns and head still have some similarities, they were not similar enough to indicate that this new character was Spyro and not some other character who would be a new addition to that game. To add to the disappointment, Spyro doesn’t even have a big role in the story Skylanderswhich makes him feel like a secondary character.
5
Dr. Eggman’s realistic appearance didn’t work in Sonic 2006
A strange transformation
Eggman received a redesign that was supposed to help him fit in with the 2006 film’s more realistic art style. Sonic game. However, Dr. Eggman’s default design is quite exaggerated to make him look like a mad scientist-type villain, and the redesign was unsuccessful in capturing that vibe with the new style. The design’s attempt to mix exaggeration with realism left it looking out of place.
Interestingly, he is still recognizable as Dr. Eggman from this game’s design, which is not always the case with redesigns. It helps that her outfit and color scheme stay pretty much the same. However, the realistic style of his head didn’t work with his large mustache and nose, and the rest of his body and design leaned more towards the exaggerated style rather than trying to make it realistic, so the end result looked strange.
4
DmC completely changed Dante’s appearance
A demonized hero
Dante typically has white hair, a young face, and a very colorful or detailed outfit that sets him apart as the main character in Devil can cry. However, DMC decided that the original version of Dante was no longer appealing to the series, so he received a completely new look that transformed him into a different character. Although Dante is supposed to be younger and more rebellious in DMChe is not recognizable as Dante when compared to the original character.
This version of Dante has short black hair compared to the long white hair he had before, and his outfit is a more understated combination of shirt, jacket, and jeans. Overall, the design itself isn’t bad. The problem is that the end result bears no resemblance to Dante’s original version.what can cause DMC less attractive games for players accustomed to old games.
3
Bomberman: Act Zero changes Bomberman in the worst ways
A remake of Bomberman
Bomberman is generally known for its cartoonish design, light-hearted world, and user-friendly gameplay for players of any level. Then, Bomberman: Act Zero was released in 2006 and completely changed beloved character designs for the worse. Unlike previous games, players could customize their characters instead of playing as the iconic version of Bomberman or his friends.
The problem was that none of the characters seemed to belong to a Bomber game because the art direction of Act Zero I tried to have a more realistic look and include darker themes in general. As a result, the the game is not recognizable as part of the Bomber seriesand it seems like it would have been better if it was released as a standalone game under a different title. Fortunately, games added to the series later Act Zero returned to classic designs for Bomber and other characters included in the game.
2
Ken underwent a design overhaul on Street Fighter 5
The new style of a fighting legend
Ken street fighter is iconic for his blonde hair, red outfit, and skill set that shares similarities with Ryu, his childhood best friend, in most games. However, it got its biggest makeover in Street fighter 5and as is the case with many of these recasts, the result left him looking like an entirely different character. There is some speculation that the change may be related to events that happened off-screen, but its design changes again to Street Fighter 6 to better resemble your original appearance.
In Street fighter 5Ken has longer hair that appears more white than blonde, and is partially tied back. Then, his normal red outfit was adjusted to have the shirt around his waist in favor of a dark V-neck shirt.. In addition to these changes, Ken’s skill set was also adjusted to differentiate him from Ryu, as their fights were typically similar.
1
Chris Redfield doesn’t look like himself in Resident Evil Village
A familiar face, a new look
Chris Redfield has had several makeovers in Resident Evilbut most of them were done in a way that he was still easily recognizable. The games take place in set years, so characters are expected to look different as they age. In RE5he might have had ridiculously large muscles for punching rocks, but the design was clearly Chris’s. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with his latest appearance in RE7 and RE Village.
With his new appearance, veteran players are surprised when Chris introduces himself as Chris Redfield in RE Village because he seems like a completely different character. He almost seemed to be taking inspiration from Mr. with that portly build and fashion sense. Since Chris is an iconic character in the series and appears in more games than any other character, deciding to make him look so different seems like an odd choice.
Character redesigns are common in video games, especially when a series has recurring characters or a timeline that continues with confirmed years. However, not every redesign is a good choice, especially when it takes away the essence of a character or makes it unrecognizable when compared to its previous appearances. Since character designs tend to become an important part of that character, redesigns need to be handled with care.
Resident Evil Village