9 Image Changes That Totally Killed Your Favourite Video Game Characters

4. Nathan 'Rad' Spencer (Bionic Commando)

Not quite so loveable as the rest of the entrants here, but at one point, Bionic Commando was on the lips of the populace - enough for Capcom to license not one but two remakes; one being a visual and mechanical overhaul that remained true to the 2D original in 2008 (Bionic Commando Rearmed), and a full-on 3D platformer-shooter in 2009.

Whilst the former did supremely well and is still highly recommended, 2009's edition took the slick-looking commando and gave him the 'youth marketing' treatment. Which is to say, they attempted to take the name Rad Spencer (which is brilliant) and design what a 'rad individual' would look like in 2009. If 2009 was 2000, and P.O.D. were still a thing.

Hence grubby clothing, tattoos, dreadlocks and baggy pants - none of which made a lasting impression, and actively turned consumers in the opposite direction. The very idea of a 'bionic commando' is one we've seen everywhere from Deus Ex to Prey, Bioshock to Batman's Arkham Knight costume, though the archetypal version in gaming was pipped at the post by his own redesign.

A real shame.