Not all video game characters are created equal, even for the developers involved with projects tied to them. The exact reasons for this can vary, but developers will often tend to mention them alongside why they do not like the character. Usually, there tends to be some dislike towards what the characters represent in terms of the final product. Sometimes it is purely a process of elimination.
After all, not everyone can be the favorite. Other times, there is more to do with exactly who the character is or what it represents. Below are some characters who gained a developer’s ire, and why.
is arguably the most well-known character to come out of theSilent Hillseries. It is said to be a physical manifestation of the guilt James Sunderland feels for killing his wife, Mary. But in a twist of fate, this being was not confined to James' psyche, making several appearances in games such asSuper Bomberman RandNew International Track & Field. These appearances are in addition to many otherSilent Hillgames and promotional products, many of which do not tend to focus on James.
It is this particular exposure that made the game’s artist and Pyramid Head’s own creator, Masahiro Ito, sour on his own creation.
More specifically, he mentions that Pyramid Head was created for the story of James, which is a role it has evidently outlived.
His Twitter account contains multiple tweets, expressing his dislike for the character’s overexposure. Despite this fact, his profile itself is still a picture of Pyramid Head. This indicates his dislike is motivated by his view that his creation has been misused, more than any genuine negativity towards the character itself.
One of Gruntilda’s three sisters, Brentilda, is noted for her dislike of her sister. She is dressed like a fairy godmother, in contrast to the witchy designs of her sisters. She assists the player by giving them various bits of knowledge about her sister. These double as the correct answers to various questions that could be asked during the Grunty Square segments of Furnace Fun. Notably, Brentilda has not appeared in any significant capacity since this first game.
On Twitter, in a quote responding to his brother, Steve, who viewed Tooty as the “least popular BK character,” Rare’s creative director, Gregg Mayles, mentioned his own least favoriteBanjo-Kazooiecharacter as being Brentilda. He considered her role “one of the worst pieces of design [he has] ever created.” In both cases, the dislike for each character is an understandable reason as to why they did not make significant appearances in any follow-up material.
Rebecca Chambers is a supporting character in theResident Evilseries. She is the sole survivor among the USS Bravo Team in the original game, and has various appearances throughout the series, including a starring a role inResident Evil Zero. Despite being one of the series' earliest characters, designer and director Shinji Mikami vocalized his dislike of her in an interview with The Guardian, where he viewed her as “submissive” and “not independent.” He claims the staff wahted her, and that the archetype she represents is fairly popular in Japan.
Mikami expressed his own preference for “women characters who discover their independence as the game progresses,” as well as those who “already know they are independent, but have that tested against a series of challenges.” This can be seen in other characters he has created, most notably, Jill Valentine, who is often shown to be a capable character in her own right. Despite Mikami’s own criticisms, video game journalists tended to receive the character more positively, with some considering her a refreshing character both in the context of the series, and the broader tropes of horror in general.
Possessing some of the most remembered soundbites in gaming history, Navi herself is well-remembered in the general context of video game characters. Her name is a shortening of Fairy Navigation System, which refers to her role. She acts as a guide for Link, with her “hey! listen!” soundbites often being accompanied by advice to help the player progress. In addition to being Link’s companion inOcarina of Time,she is also the basis for his involvement inMajora’s Mask, as hebegins the game searching for her.
She is often hated by both fans of the series, who view her as tedious, to the point where it has become an overused meme. Nonetheless,she has her defenders, who argue that she adds value to the game. In a 1999 interview with Shigeru Miyamoto concerning the game, which has since been translated to English on Shmuplations, he seems to advocate for each perspective. Miyamoto notes that there is a difficulty in tailoring hints for the game to every kind of player, so Navi’s own somewhat intentionally “stupid” hints were the compromise. However, he also noted a desire to scrap the system entirely. However, he maintains that this would have “been even more unfriendly to players.”
In a series that’s as tongue-in-cheek asMortal Kombat, if the developers feel badly about a character, everyone will know. This style of writing made people aware of the infamous Hsu Hao. This Mongolian cyborg was a member of the Red Dragon clan, a rival to Kano’s own Black Dragon clan, the latter of which splintered from the former. His cybernetic heart enhances his strength and gives him access to a laser beam, which is also usedin his fatality.
Game designer, John Vogel, notably one of four developers on the originalMortal Kombat, as well as a continual fixture of the series, has been vocal about his hatred of Hsu Hao. He noted in Hsu Hao’s bio kard, a feature inArmageddon, that Jax’s ending inDeadly Alliance,which featured him killing Hsu Hao, was meant to be canon, to the extent that it prevented him from being playable in any future games. However, the release ofArmageddon,a game which included every playable character up to that point, necessitated his return. “Armageddonis about bringing every character back to life, so Hsu Hao is back, much to my dismay,” said Vogel.
To this end, most subsequent appearances of Hsu Hao depict him in unflattering circumstances. InMortal Kombat 11, Erron Black is shown carrying his severed head. Allegedly, a Game Informer article about Ed Boon noted his own dislike for the character. In a tweet, Boon jokingly referred to Hsu Hao as the fourth strongest in canon, below only Mocap, Moloch, and Mavado. A serious reason for the dislike, if any, is not widely known. Like many other short-lived fighting game characters, his limited appearances are likely tied to being a less interesting version of another fighter, in this case, Kano.
