The Uncanny Valley in Games and Films

The uncanny valley is a psychological phenomenon that is used in designing characters for games and films. It is widely known that we tend to experience negative reactions towards artificial figures trying to mimic real human beings. There are subtleties in humans which make it difficult for artists to exactly imitate them; the closer these mimics get to hyperrealism, the creepier they will appear to us.

This effect is known as the “uncanny valley”. The term was used for the first time in robotics in 1970 by Masahiro Mori. When a humanlike character portrays a feature which is difficult to read in its context, there is a mismatch in our mind which is hard to overcome. Shapes and colours surely influence this.

The causes for these are still unknown. There are hypotheses that fake figures trying to replicate human beings remind us of corpses or sick individuals.

There are some films where computer-imagery notoriously fell into the uncanny valley, like Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and The Polar Express. In recent years, the technology has made a noteworthy leap in making digital humanlike replicas more acceptable, thus the unintentional use of the uncanny valley in games and films has been reduced. Filmmakers and game developers are now aware of the phenomenon which can and has been beneficially used to design monstrosity and scare viewers.

Our response to the uncanny valley is complex and it does change from culture to culture. However, studies have found common triggers for it. The uncanniness is usually related to the presence of an atypical feature of the character such as the eyes (dimension and movements, like the absence of blinks) or the lack of interaction between the character and the live-action actresses (for example, characters not maintaining eye contact). The loss of identity is another key factor of the uncanny valley: human beings feel panicky when they cannot read the expression of others. Being able to identify threats is vital for our survival.

The Art of Arcane (Netflix series)

As you probably know already, Arcane is an animated streaming television series set in the universe of League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle arena video game (a genre known as moba). The series was produced by Riot Games and Fortiche – a French animation studio who worked on music videos and game trailers for League of Legends – and serves as a prequel to the game. While champions of the game are featured in the series, the mission for Riot Games and Fortiche was to make a show appealing to both casual viewers who have never played League and to longtime fans of the game. This was not easy, but the result proved to be successful. Let's analyse what made this happen!

Thanks to the creation of complèx characters, who are there not only to support the stars featured in the game but as an organic part of the world, Arcane achieved what other adaptations from games have not. The show is not a mere promotional tool; it is self-sufficient, and it succeeds in making fans of the game salivating, along with attracting an audience who knows nothing about the setting. While this is true for other adaptations such as Castlevania, Arcane succeeds in making the audience sympathise with its nuanced characters. These are the products of the world they inhabit; they show shaded personalities which make them believable and relatable. It’s for this reason that we might justify the evil schemes of Silco and still love a delusional character such as Jinx, despite her inclination for violence. It is a complèx world filled with moral decisions that have significant consequences.

While the pace of the show forced the writing to compress actions, after watching the whole series, I found it hard to complain about narrative arcs, which are mirrored throughout the whole series. The relationship between father, daughter and siblings is at the core of it and is reinforced by the framing of the virtual camera. Albeit some narrative choice, that I cannot mention here to avoid spoilers, feel rushed, everything connects in a natural way, without betraying the mood and style set for the show. Every frame is packed up with references and Easter eggs that better explain the background of characters and places. The success of these organic transmedia storytelling and crossmedia characters is certainly the result of years of effort of Riot Games in shaping the fictional world of Runeterra in all its aspects.

Apart from effective storytelling and compelling characters which well connect with the existing lore, what makes Arcane particularly appealing? The strong point of the show is the visuals. The camera movement is smooth, and the editing is effective, especially in the fight scenes. This is not a pilot show; it has been designed consistently with nothing left to chance. What makes Arcane identifiable on a figurative level is the combination of both 2D and 3D which elegantly blend together in a pictorial style. All departments are strong, from layout to animation, from storyboarding to matte painting. The costumes and the architecture are iconic and inform us on the world where the characters live in. There are stark differences between Piltover and Zaun, especially in buildings and the clothes worn by their inhabitants. The series really shines in mixing striking visuals with emotional storytelling. The backgrounds are digitally hand-painted, and the textures for characters are modified to fit within the environment. Effects such as smoke and explosions are made in 2D to enhance the pictorial style.

When it comes to animation, there is a nice balance between the realism and cartoonish style. I was surprised at how the characters walked, especially when Vi, Powder and the others get back to Zaun in the first episode after the heist. It felt clunky to me at first but then I realised that the animation was keyframed. And I understood the reason straight away. The characters have semi-realistic proportions, and therefore they might trigger the uncanny valley. This is why motion capture (mocap) was not involved. I will explain more about the uncanny valley phenomenon here

One last word must be said about the sound of the series. When it comes to it, it feels like the team explored what sounds inhabit Piltover and Zaun. The former is the shiny city of progress and so its sound is elegant and refined, while the latter is the undercity, a dangerous and polluted place where people have to survive. Its sound is deep and ominous. The voice acting then is utterly expressive. Silco’s and Viktor’s voices are particularly efficient, and it is not a case that they are some of the most loved characters of the show.

We know that another season for Arcane is in production already and I’m looking forward to watching it! What champions will appear in the next one? How will the characters evolve? I confess that I haven’t been so hyped in a very long time!

This is my painting of Jinx. You can find a bigger picture here