Glitches, the usually minor malfunctions we run into time and time again in video games, can be annoying, comical, or downright frustrating. Of course, it all depends on what game, when, and where the bugs pop up. While they can occasionally offer an advantage, the glitches we run into most often just offer a second to chuckle at the screen and maybe restart from the last checkpoint.
Encountering a glitch can be like finding a needle in a haystack, but it can also be exciting to catch a glimpse of something that was never meant to be seen. It can be jarring, taking us out of the world we’re currently immersed in and reminding us, well, nothing’s perfect.
With the upcoming releases of Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 in spring 2018 and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files on Nov. 14, 2017, we’re taking a look at a few unanticipated moments that Rockstar would rather have us forget. Especially since they’ve already delayed Red Dead Redemption 2, stating that “we are very sorry for any disappointment this delay causes, but we are firm believers in delivering a game when it is ready.”
Rockstar Games, founded in 1998, is the New York City-based publisher responsible for the Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, and Red Dead series. We’ve found some utterly absurd screenshots from some of their more popular releases over the years. For fair warning, most of the glitches referenced in this article have since been patched, but a few uncomfortable visuals and videos remain.
15 Riding On An Invisible Horse
This glitch in Red Dead Redemption’s multiplayer mode was innocent enough. It didn’t affect gameplay in any negative way, at least not in any way other than causing a brief distraction while we float on through the old West. There’s still a few character movements that tell us we’re still horseback, such as the motion of kicking the heels into the horse’s sides. If we don’t visualize that horse though, it honestly looks like a Western take on parkour. Our character seemingly kicks off the ground as they continue to travel through the American frontier. Otherwise, maybe the Wizarding World lost a few Thestrals that managed to sneak into the Free Roam mode. All kidding aside, this is just one of many invisible glitches we were bound to come across.
14 Even The Menus Are Broken
Probably one of the least inconvenient places to run into a glitch is the main menu. Sure, it could stop us from starting the game, but we could always just go to our console menu, or in this case our desktop, to restart the game. The glitch caused a lag in the scene playing in the background of the PC menu for Max Payne 3. While Max is in on the screen taking drags from a cigarette and drinking the night away, his actions aren’t keeping pace with his vices. His hands motion to pick up the glass or bottle, while the cigarette dances in the air on its own. The glass floats up, tilting toward Max, who is moving like an old animatronic that’s in dire need of repairs.
13 The Traffic In San Andreas Is Pretty Bad
Of course cars spawn all the time in GTA, but they’re not supposed to spawn inside of each other. That’s exactly what happened when one player captured this image. A sedan’s hood disappears into the rear of a bus, technically rear-ending it. It’s an odd encounter to find on the streets of San Andreas, if only from this perspective. Neither the sedan nor the bus had their wheels on the ground. Car spawning glitches can cause sparks, smoke, and even explosions. It’s a glitch that just looks bad, but doesn’t affect much unless we decide we want one of the cars that were spawned. It can sometimes be fixed by hitting the vehicles with whatever car CJ is driving at that time. It’s just an inconvenient glitch.
12 Piano Posture
“There it was. The soundtrack to my life.” –Max Payne
It’s a moment that meant to be touching and to close the circle for Max and his story. It can really kill the mood when this glitch causes him to dislocate his left arm and completely lose his right arm. Probably one of the most uncomfortable and eerie glitches, it causes the now misshapen Max to lean over the piano while we’re left with the piano theme playing itself. The unfortunate glitch can ruin a first playthrough. We can’t help but stare at his hand sticking right out of his face and his right arm reappearing out from behind his back. It steals the moment away from the final installment of the trilogy, but just for the sake of a meaningful plot, we can just pretend this horrifying glitch never happened.
11 It’s Like A Superpower
When the New Heist DLC was released for GTA V in 2015, purchasing the Heist Tactical Stealth–The Guerilla clothing allowed for a peculiar fashion statement. Once The Guerilla was purchased, it was possible to select “No Utility Vest” as an option to equip to the playable character. It then caused the chest area to become invisible as the player makes their way through the game. It basically became one of those neat glitches to show off to friends and just a personal goal of sorts to play with their head and arms detached from their body. Filed under the category of a comical glitch, selecting the no utility vest did not interfere with any other aspect of the game. It was just a little hidden gem.
10 Put Your Hands Up!
Jimmy decided it was a smooth move to make out the most popular girl in school, Mandy, and then flirt with another girl in front of her. In a fit of jealousy, Mandy runs over and kicks the girl Jimmy’s chatting up. Then this Sim-like glitch occurs after the kick. She suddenly reaches down through her skirt, hands disappearing through it, and collapses. It’s an awkward glitch for an awkward situation. The worst part is that it doesn’t end there. When she picks herself up, she starts to run in place immediately after hiding her hands in her skirt. (Probably trying to outrun her embarrassment.) It’s another glitch, this time from Bully, that doesn’t affect any part of gameplay, but this is one that’s definitely worth a good laugh.
9 You Look Just Like Me!
This glitch could easily cause an identity crisis for either Michael, Trevor, or Franklin. It’s not every day you run into your long lost twin. Sure, they’re wearing the same clothes and everything, but it could definitely be weirder. The glitch itself was triggered by switching between characters when meeting up at the safe house. It’s similar to the no chest glitch in that it’s a neat visual to show off to friends. Cloning the main character isn’t the only way to make clones spawn in GTA V. YouTuber RSProductionzGames explained how to make workers spawn in Michael’s safe house. It’s definitely a creepy glitch once there’s a few dozen of the same character walking around the house, but spawn glitches can be expected in a large game like GTA.
8 Just Like A Rag Doll
L.A. Noire is full of bodies and crime scenes set in 1947 Los Angeles. When this innocent civilian finds herself in the middle of a shootout, it’s just another body added to the video game’s recreation of the most violent period in L.A. history. It’s not something to bat an eye at. One moment she’s standing next to the car. The next moment she’s collapsing; injured and dying. Detective Cole Phelps can’t help her. There’s not really much anyone could do when the bottom half of her body is engulfed by a vehicle. While she continues to scream, her body contorts and falls from the car to the ground. Her limp body remains still, but just the idea she was able to fall into the vehicle is… disturbing to say the least.
7 That Headwear’s A Bit Unusual
At lot of times, glitches just don’t make sense. This is one of those times, found in Red Dead Redemption. Instead of sitting on the piano stool, the player squats and manages to simultaneously balance a stool on his head while playing the piano. The glitch was made into a meme to highlight just one of Red Dead Redemption’s many glitches. Considering there’s multiple glitches in the game that focus on pianos, it not surprising that this isn’t the first time we’ve looked at a glitch triggered by a piano. Even though it’s particularly strange to witness a glitch swap two objects like this, it’s just a glitch that is fantastically funny. It doesn’t really make sense why.
Other than… who doesn’t like to see people wear piano stools as hats? That’s the valid question here.
6 Hiding Out Under The Map
After the entrance was found during the case “A Marriage Made In Heaven” in L.A. Noire, players could explore Los Angeles from a whole new perspective. Found after Phelps crashes into a barrier, he drops under the map of the city. There’s really no point to going under the map since it requires running and walking everywhere, but it’s interesting to see a reminder that there’s more to a game than its face value. It’s still hard to imagine having the patience to make it to the outer edge of the map since it requires wandering aimlessly. Offering incentive to explore, the under map glitch offers an oddly futuristic look for 1947 L.A. with cars zooming by overhead, almost as if they’re flying. The case can time out though, which will cause the game to restart from the last checkpoint.
5 Watch Where You’re Walking!
While playing through Chapter IV: Mission Stronghold Assault in Bully, if Jimmy ran headfirst into one of the nerds from Bullworth Academy, Algie, both characters would suddenly become unresponsive. Moving uncontrollably, the two students would be caught in a spasm loop. Even the sound effects glitched along with the graphics, causing the movements to resemble either a rave or an attempt at Michael Jackson’s dance from Thriller.
It’s just another unexplainable instance that doesn’t do anything to improve the game. Unfortunately, the glitch can become frustrating since it happened during a battle scene. When the game starts to respond again, Jimmy is a sitting duck and can easily be knocked out. Once he fails, it’s back to the beginning and hoping that we never encounter that glitch again.
4 Hey, You Shouldn’t Be Down Here!
Within Red Dead Redemption’s multiplayer mode, players could access the under map in Escalera. It was valuable because it made it easier to kill with little risk of being caught. While the bounty on the player’s head went up, they were still below all the other characters and out of range from their bullets. It was especially useful for unlocking the Most Wanted Achievement. Reaching Public Enemy status with a $1,000 bounty would be easy enough while picking off the soldiers from the Upside Down, and then waiting through the next 10 minutes was next to nothing. It’s definitely one of the rare glitches that’s worthwhile.
Ironically, Escalera translates from Spanish to English as “stairs.” It just seems like it was a place destined to have a route to the under map.
3 The Invisible Man
While Phelps is working the Vice Desk with Detective Roy Earle during the “Manifest Destiny” case in L.A. Noire, Detective Harry Caldwell from the Burglary department provides assistance. In a discussion on the drug bust, one player happened to stumble on a glitch that caused Harry to literally lose his head. We’re able to see his hat resting on nothing but air as they continue to talk about the case. Even though his face has suddenly disappeared, Harry’s hands stay perfectly visible and still hold onto his lit cigarette. While the cut scene continues, Harry’s head is visible from behind him. At least until his neck decides to separate from his body and elongate, stretching like rubber. This was an odd glitch that simply caused the game to crash.
2 Where’d The Townsfolk Go?
It was one thing to anticipate an encounter with zombies during Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, but walking into a town full of invisible people is something else completely. While MacFarlane’s Ranch is under attack, it becomes a town full of animated clothing instead of the reanimated dead. Rather than wait to see the full extent of this glitch, which seemed to affect the whole town, the player decided to go to the menu to restart their game on Xbox One. The glitch seems like it could bring a level of horror to the game all on its own. The headless and armless figures are only visible due to their shirts, pants, and shoes. Thankfully, these characters are all normal townsfolk. It would definitely make the game harder if we had to shoot for the heads of headless zombies.
1 That’s A Bad Place To Park
During the investigation of “The White Shoe Slaying” in L.A. Noire, Phelps is looking to question a bus driver about his encounter with the victim. In an extremely weird glitch, the bus spawns without the bus driver. It also manages to place itself precariously on a fence with one lone passenger inside. It’s impossible for Phelps to enter the bus, which bounces up and down on its wheels. Even with all the rocking, the bus manages to stay where it spawned and never falls on its side. Since the bus driver has appeared to have abandoned his vehicle, the case is impossible to complete with this glitch. By itself, it adds a new element of mystery to crime drama. It’s one case that will never be solved.
