One of the biggest issues the games industry has faced over the years is how to inject a touch of glamour into what is, arguably, an unglamorous profession.
Whereas movies go to real places and blow things up, and rock stars get to prance around on stage while tripping their gourd off on the latest cool drug, games are made exclusively by sad, lonely people sat in front of computers surrounded by toys and pasty crumbs.
That's just a fact.
This could explain why games companies seem so intent on crowbarring actual celebrities into their games.
Unfortunately, this has led to another issue: an encounter with the uncanny valley, described as "the phenomenon whereby a computer-generated figure bearing a near-identical resemblance to a human being arouses a sense of unease or revulsion in the person viewing it."
Here are 10 such revolting experiments in attempting to recreate our celebrity gods.
Whereas movies go to real places and blow things up, and rock stars get to prance around on stage while tripping their gourd off on the latest cool drug, games are made exclusively by sad, lonely people sat in front of computers surrounded by toys and pasty crumbs.
That's just a fact.
This could explain why games companies seem so intent on crowbarring actual celebrities into their games.
Unfortunately, this has led to another issue: an encounter with the uncanny valley, described as "the phenomenon whereby a computer-generated figure bearing a near-identical resemblance to a human being arouses a sense of unease or revulsion in the person viewing it."
Here are 10 such revolting experiments in attempting to recreate our celebrity gods.
KEVIN SPACEY - CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE
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Well, is he or isn't he... real that is!!? Ha ha. Unfortunately, while the screenshot above seems to indicate a fair degree of success in recreating Mr Spacey, in motion he was all rolling eyes and head wobbles. You know: like he'd been on the turps all day, and might start foaming from the nostrils at any moment.
BRUCE WILLIS - APOCALYPSE
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One of the very first celebrity appearances in a game, Willis's starring role in Apocalypse is most charitably described as "ambitious". What that means is that it didn't really work, with Willis rendered as a sort of disgusting, Plasticine-faced, Easter Island head. Still, being short on curlies, he was the ideal first candidate to translate into gaming form: hair is not the developer's friend.
SNOOP DOGG - TRUE CRIMES: STREETS OF LA
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Snoop Dogg is a funny looking feller anyway - he has the face of a weasel looking in the back of a spoon - and it may be that this is one of the rare occasions where a games character actually looks more believable than their real-life counterpart.
PHIL COLLINS - GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY STORIES
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As the first man to ever marry somebody by fax, Phil Collins is no stranger to technology. Regrettably, his appearance in Vice City Stories was even less convincing than when he sang about how it feels to be homeless and not own a fax machine.
BURT REYNOLDS - SAINTS ROW: THE THIRD
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The Saints Row games are generally better known for their LOLs than their spectacular graphics. Needless to say, were it not for the cowboy hat, Burt "Breynolds" Reynolds would've been all but unrecognisable.
HAYDEN PANETIERRE - UNTIL DAWN
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Until Dawn may have had partial success in recreating the likenesses of its young cast, but its biggest achievement was in aping the predictable tropes of the cabin-in-the-woods-style horror game. The game also features an equally unconvincing appearance from Mr Robot star Rami Malik.
EMINEM - QUAKE 3: ARENA
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Get this: Eminem appeared in a custom Quake 3: Arena level to promote Dr Dre's album, 2001. Sadly, he doesn't look very happy about it, judging by the way in which he is "flipping the bird". Oh, Eminem... you are so very edgy!
RICKY GERVAIS - GRAND THEFT AUTO IV
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Frankly, Ricky Gervais doesn't seem like a very nice person, and we wonder whether his tragic-looking Grand Theft Auto IV avatar reflects his inner self. That said, while he may appear to despise his fellow man, he apparently really likes animals - and nobody is all bad. Y'know, say what you like about him, but even Hitler loved his dog... and that guy was a right shit.
AVRIL LAVIGNE - THE SIMS: SUPERSTAR
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Try-hard rocker Avril Latrine appeared as a character in The Sims: Superstar, along with Andy Warhol and Marilyn Monroe - suggesting an over-optimistic assessment of her place in the pantheon of greats.
NATHAN FILLION - HALO 5: GUARDIANS
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Nathan Fillion is fast becoming a go-to guy when it comes to gaming voice-overs, so it was only a matter of time before his actual face appeared in a game. His Halo 5 appearance is certainly more successful than most on this list, but suggests a slightly fitter, more rugged, and slimmer version of the real Fillion. This alone is enough to cause us to plunge headfirst into The Uncanny Valley.
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