Best voice acting in a video game
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Great question! So great, in fact, that I've chosen this thread as the source for our Community Gallery of the Day for this week!thejboy88 said:
You can see today's gallery right here: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/art...eday/12985-8-Games-with-the-Best-Voice-Acting
Thanks for your help!
Stephen Merchant as Wheatley in Portal 2 was probably the first time I really took notice of a voice actor.
Before that it was always just people talking, never really noticed if it was good or bad, but there's something about how Wheatley stumbles over his words without sounding like Stpehen's just messing up that makes it sound really real to my ears.
Before that it was always just people talking, never really noticed if it was good or bad, but there's something about how Wheatley stumbles over his words without sounding like Stpehen's just messing up that makes it sound really real to my ears.
Telltale's Walking Dead is still pretty standout for me. The cast in general was great, but Dave Fennoy and Melissa Hutchison as Lee and Clem managed to nail the whole emotional range.
Michael McConnohie earned points with me on Kaufman's final monologue too.Spider RedNight said:
For me, it would have to be Gideon Emery, whom I got to know via Fenris in DA2. When you end up being so enthralled by a voice thaty it makes you overlook all of the character's flaws... it's something... I have since been able to recognize his voice instantly, be it movies or games.
Close behind would be Steve Blum (known him from playing Oghren in DA:O and Awakening, but preferred him as Grunt in ME.
As for female voice actresses go, it would have to be Jennifer Hale of course. I like the range of characters she can portray (go from Femshep, to the Mother in Broken Age, to Krem in DA:I).
Close behind would be Steve Blum (known him from playing Oghren in DA:O and Awakening, but preferred him as Grunt in ME.
As for female voice actresses go, it would have to be Jennifer Hale of course. I like the range of characters she can portray (go from Femshep, to the Mother in Broken Age, to Krem in DA:I).
Yeahhh and like as you progress through the game you can hear him getting angrier and angrier and I'm like "dude calm down omg". That last monologue was great, thoughMikejames said:
Mass Effect- everybody but the Shepherds
I actually like the voices of Shepherd but considering opinion is divided they don't belong in greatest]
Bioware had some excellent recurring voice actors.
I actually like the voices of Shepherd but considering opinion is divided they don't belong in greatest]
Bioware had some excellent recurring voice actors.
hmm, as far as excellence in a series go there are too many in a tie for me to list, and most of my favorites have already been listed...
as to what I'd call the best... as in, a scene where the acting actually affected me emotionally... well, I'm probably in the minority, and feel free to mock me for the admission if you like, buuuut....
Metal Gear Solid 2. not the whole game, god no. as competent as the voice cast is, the dialogue they're working with is just too far beyond the line for it to win that kind of accolade.
No, I refer specifically to Otacon's performance in the aftermath of the final Vamp battle. I won't spoil just in case anyone has failed to play the game who may want to, but anyone who has played knows of what I speak.
In particular, the scene toward the end of the event, where he's by himself looking at the bird, who recites the only phrase it was taught to say, and he just breaks down sobbing. I did the same when that scene hit, the first time I played.
as to what I'd call the best... as in, a scene where the acting actually affected me emotionally... well, I'm probably in the minority, and feel free to mock me for the admission if you like, buuuut....
Metal Gear Solid 2. not the whole game, god no. as competent as the voice cast is, the dialogue they're working with is just too far beyond the line for it to win that kind of accolade.
No, I refer specifically to Otacon's performance in the aftermath of the final Vamp battle. I won't spoil just in case anyone has failed to play the game who may want to, but anyone who has played knows of what I speak.
In particular, the scene toward the end of the event, where he's by himself looking at the bird, who recites the only phrase it was taught to say, and he just breaks down sobbing. I did the same when that scene hit, the first time I played.
Well seeing as most of the obvious choices are gone I'll go with a lesser known actor and say T J Ramini in dota 2 (yay another chance to talk about DOTA 2):
In addition to playing 4 of the best acted and most well Characterised Heroes in the game, his vocal range is uncanny: he plays a brutish British porcupine man, a squeaky tree fearing goblin like creature, a hushed eerie wraith and a lovesick oddly accented birdman, each totally different and incomparable. Hell the only reason I know these characters were done by the same guy is cause of the credits. sorry I din't link videos, I don't know how.
Merle Dandridge is good in pretty much every game she's been in; she was Alyx in HL2 and Marlene in TLoU (I liked her in it despite not being totally grabbed by the game).
Also special shout out to Dee Bradley Baker because he has played pretty much ever animal and monster sound in everything ever and I have no idea how a human can make some of those sounds; Appa and Momo from Avatar: TLA, Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb. He also did some of the infected sounds in the L4D games and was the Gravemind in Halo.
In addition to playing 4 of the best acted and most well Characterised Heroes in the game, his vocal range is uncanny: he plays a brutish British porcupine man, a squeaky tree fearing goblin like creature, a hushed eerie wraith and a lovesick oddly accented birdman, each totally different and incomparable. Hell the only reason I know these characters were done by the same guy is cause of the credits. sorry I din't link videos, I don't know how.
Merle Dandridge is good in pretty much every game she's been in; she was Alyx in HL2 and Marlene in TLoU (I liked her in it despite not being totally grabbed by the game).
Also special shout out to Dee Bradley Baker because he has played pretty much ever animal and monster sound in everything ever and I have no idea how a human can make some of those sounds; Appa and Momo from Avatar: TLA, Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb. He also did some of the infected sounds in the L4D games and was the Gravemind in Halo.
"Seriously though I think I'd have to go with Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver for this"
Kains voice acting was superb in all the games, I'd say his scene during the end of 'Blood Omen 2' is the absolute best. It might sound corny when written but:-
'If your kind ever reach that place of banishment again, I will be waiting!'
'(coughing and laughing) You will not live that long....'
'I have lived long enough, to dispose of you!'
-sounded outright Shakespearean with the voice cast they had.
Kains voice acting was superb in all the games, I'd say his scene during the end of 'Blood Omen 2' is the absolute best. It might sound corny when written but:-
'If your kind ever reach that place of banishment again, I will be waiting!'
'(coughing and laughing) You will not live that long....'
'I have lived long enough, to dispose of you!'
-sounded outright Shakespearean with the voice cast they had.
Speaking of Sam and Max, I'm gonna go with the original LucasArts game. The "I can't pick that up!" comment chain alone left me almost on the floor.
Ali Hillis is good in everything I've heard her in (Liara in Mass Effect, Palutena in Kid Icarus and Smash Bros.)
Also, for my joke answer... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NwsQk7pPjI
EDIT: Also, Brandon Keener as Garrus.
Ali Hillis is good in everything I've heard her in (Liara in Mass Effect, Palutena in Kid Icarus and Smash Bros.)
Also, for my joke answer... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NwsQk7pPjI
EDIT: Also, Brandon Keener as Garrus.
Finally a "Best ..." topic where I can't just reflexively post Deus Ex. For as much as I love that game, holy crap do I have to admit it's got some of the worst voice acting I've ever heard (particularly the Chinese and French characters).
As for games with actually good voice acting... I'd probably go with Portal and Portal 2. I generally dislike puzzle games, but I was recommended these ones because of the characters in them... and wow, yeah, the dialogue and delivery made these games well worth playing.
Alternately I'd say Telltale's The Walking Dead or the Mass Effect games (excluding ME1 BroShep).
As for games with actually good voice acting... I'd probably go with Portal and Portal 2. I generally dislike puzzle games, but I was recommended these ones because of the characters in them... and wow, yeah, the dialogue and delivery made these games well worth playing.
Alternately I'd say Telltale's The Walking Dead or the Mass Effect games (excluding ME1 BroShep).