8 Gritty Reworks Of Video Game Characters That Fell Flat

If a character was known by its creators as "Cheerful White", it should give an indication as to the type of tone to expect in the game.

Bomberman, and the associating Bombermen, were known for providing fun, in spite of the supposed violent nature of the series. 2006's Act Zero takes that notion, blows it up, and replaces it with a futuristic, dark setting that immediately implodes in its own absurdness.

The intention was to reinvent the notion of Bomberman overall, and craft a story in which the titular hero had to fight his way out of a dark, cyberpunk-esque underground installation. The reimagined aesthetic was also done to have the franchise appeal to more western markets, but it was always destined to fail. For Bomberman himself, the physical characteristics emit more than just a raised eyebrow.

After removing the anime-inspired, cutesy look of the character, the new Bomberman was a generic, futuristic, synthoid, grounded in an edgy realism. The original comical appearance was supposedly ditched to start something new, but ultimately did nothing to build the source material, garner new fans, or evolve Bomberman's overall reputation.

It's a good thing future games returned the character to its roots, as simply adopting a gritty tone did not do the franchise, or the star protagonist, any favours.