The best video games featuring big Hollywood stars

As the video game industry grows and the technological tools for turning flesh-and-bone actors into digital beings evolve, it’s only natural for Hollywood stars to become more present in games.

Big gaming awards already recognize the work of voice actors and mo-cap specialists that help to bring some of our favorite characters to life, such as Christopher Judge as Kratos in God of War and Ashly Burch as Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn. Still, gaming companies know that having a familiar face on the cover of their products can help bring in new customers. 

That’s where Hollywood stars come in, using their talent to elevate the production value of specific games and helping companies expand their player base beyond the usual gamers. But what are the best games featuring big Holywood stars and celebrities?

6. Twelve Minutes

Twelve Minutes is a quirky time-loop game that occurs entirely inside an apartment. The game puts you in control of a man voiced by James McAvoy, who’s stuck in a time loop that lasts exactly 12 minutes. If you do nothing during this time, you learn that your wife, voiced by Daisy Ridley, is pregnant. Soon after that, a police officer, voiced by Willem Dafoe, enters the apartment, accuses your wife of murder, and accidentally kills her and your newborn baby. So, the goal is to change the future by interacting with the objects in the apartment and choosing different dialogue branches. The story is brought to life thanks to the phenomenal acting of the three Hollywood stars.

5. Beyond: Two Souls

Beyond: Two Souls showcased the PlayStation 3’s power by featuring ultra-realistic graphics. To bring its cast of characters to life, Beyond: Two Souls hired big Hollywood stars and turned them into digital versions of themselves through the power of motion capture and voice acting. The game tells the story of Jodie Holmes, a girl who’s mysteriously connected to an incorporeal being named Aiden. If Jodie looks familiar to you, it’s because she’s played by Elliot Page. Additionally, Beyond: Two Souls cast includes Willem Dafoe as Nathan Dawkins, a paranormal researcher who acts as Jodie’s surrogate father. Other actors involved in the project are Kadeem Hardison, Eric Winter, and Caroline Wolfson.

4. Def Jam

Def Jam is a wacky fighting video game series that allows you to punch your favorite hip-hop artist in the face. Each game follows a street fighter trying to become the champion of the underworld by facing the toughest people in the streets. As it turns out, many of the characters you have to fight are artists represented by Def Jam Records, a record label specializing in hip-hop. The Def Jam series features dozens of artists turned into video game characters, including Xzibit, Busta Rhymes, Ice-T, Ludacris, and even Snoop Dogg.

3. Grand Theft Auto

The Grand Theft Auto video game series is famous for featuring celebrity cameos and paying homage to Hollywood stars. Ever since the franchise made the jump to 3D, every new entry has a few familiar faces. GTA 3, for instance, cast some voice actors famous for playing mobsters and criminals, such as Frank Vincent and Michael Madsen. GTA: Vice City took things further by casting Ray Liotta to voice the game’s protagonist. Vice City also uses the voice talents of Luis Guzman, Blondie singer Debbie Harry, and adult film actress Jenna Jameson. Finally, Phil Collins also shows up in Vice City, playing himself. The GTA tradition of casting Hollywood stars would live on. GTA: San Andreas had Axl Rose, Samuel L. Jackson, and Charlie Murphy, for instance. Among the celebrities in GTA 4 are Ricky Gervais, Chelsea Peretti, and Will Forte. Finally, GTA 5 features Dr. Dre and Cara Delevingne, among others.

2. Cyberpunk 2077

Inspired by a beloved tabletop RPG setting, Cyberpunk 2077 takes you to a future where corporations rule the world and money is all you need to install wondrous technology into your body. The game allows you to build your custom character to explore a massive city with hundreds of characters. All the while, you are guided by the hologram of Johnny Silverhand, a former freedom fighter who stood against megacorporations and corruption before being killed. Johnny saved his consciousness in a digital device you can use to talk to him, and the figure you see before your eyes is none other than Keanu Reeves. Reeves was a prominent part of Cyberpunk 2077’s marketing campaign, which partly explains the game’s success.

1. Death Stranding

Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding took the use of Hollywood stars to a whole new level by inviting some of the best performers and celebrities of this generation to become video game characters. Set in a unique post-apocalyptic world where the rain accelerates the passage of time, Death Stranding stars Norman Reedus as Sam, a delivery man who has to cross dangerous landscapes to ensure the survival of humanity. Along the way, Sam meets many allies and enemies, played by big names such as Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Margaret Qualley, Troy Baker, Tommie Earl Jenkins, and Lindsay Wagner. There are also characters modeled in the likeness of filmmakers Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn.