Poll: Which Commander Shepard has the better voice acting?
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Mark Meer does a variety of voices for the series, and really can voice act, but he makes male Shepard sound like a robot. I voted for Jennifer Hale, because she is just more talented, all around. She gives Shepard a personality, and has done many different roles quite well.
Ive really only played as Male Shep. Until i beat the game AS fem-shep, i dont feel i truly have the right to comment on, "Which is better" x:
But from what ive heard, i do feel more attune with male shep. He feels more canon, and the scripting ((from what ive heard on both genders)) seems to fit him better.
But from what ive heard, i do feel more attune with male shep. He feels more canon, and the scripting ((from what ive heard on both genders)) seems to fit him better.
This one is always a difficult one for me.
In ME1, Meer was good, but sounded off to me sometimes, like he lacked conviction. Hale certainly didn't lack for conviction and her more comedic lines were better than Meer's, so I give her the better overall. However, renegade line were a point in Meer's favor.
In ME2, both improved a bit, but Meer is still the better sounding renegade character. Hale still has better overall, but sometimes she did come off as a bit too harsh.
....I think I give it to Hale overall for both games, as she is a bit more interesting to listen to, but I love both her and Meer's work on the series.
In ME1, Meer was good, but sounded off to me sometimes, like he lacked conviction. Hale certainly didn't lack for conviction and her more comedic lines were better than Meer's, so I give her the better overall. However, renegade line were a point in Meer's favor.
In ME2, both improved a bit, but Meer is still the better sounding renegade character. Hale still has better overall, but sometimes she did come off as a bit too harsh.
....I think I give it to Hale overall for both games, as she is a bit more interesting to listen to, but I love both her and Meer's work on the series.
I've only played as MaleShep and watched videos of FemShep.
In basic straight up voice acting Hale is better overall, but I prefer Meer. Despite his depiction of the character in the pseudo-deadpan part of me feels that was the point. When designers make the choice to have a silent character its usually to give the players a voice in their heads. I'd like to think that the deadpan is voice acting variant of that, by delivering his words in a specific way, perhaps its a voice acting way of allowing us to give the words our own meaning. I mean would anyone really have read the entire Bioware/Mass Effect text on screen given how much is there in dialogue.
In basic straight up voice acting Hale is better overall, but I prefer Meer. Despite his depiction of the character in the pseudo-deadpan part of me feels that was the point. When designers make the choice to have a silent character its usually to give the players a voice in their heads. I'd like to think that the deadpan is voice acting variant of that, by delivering his words in a specific way, perhaps its a voice acting way of allowing us to give the words our own meaning. I mean would anyone really have read the entire Bioware/Mass Effect text on screen given how much is there in dialogue.
Mark Meer has a goofy fucking voice.
Even if Jennifer Hale wasn't an amazing voice actress Femshep would still win.
Male Shepard should be voiced by somebody cool like Liam Neeson or Daniel Day-Lewis.
Damn, now I want to see a Mass Effect movie staring Liam Neeson.
Even if Jennifer Hale wasn't an amazing voice actress Femshep would still win.
Male Shepard should be voiced by somebody cool like Liam Neeson or Daniel Day-Lewis.
Damn, now I want to see a Mass Effect movie staring Liam Neeson.
This is basically my thoughts, although I think that Hale is still able to pull off renegade dialogue.Fredvdp said:
I'm not really sure about neutral, seeing as I almost never use that.
I prefer Mark Meer, but only slightly, and that's because I also prefer to play mostly paragon, and Mark Meer lands those lines better than Jennifer Hale, in my opinion.
However, Jennifer Hale lands renegade lines better, and delivers solidly at just about every other line as well.
So it's a tie.
However, Jennifer Hale lands renegade lines better, and delivers solidly at just about every other line as well.
So it's a tie.
Get this guy a dressing gown, an armchair, a fireplace, some whisky and a pipe. He speaks words worth listening to.Yassen said:
Overall I prefer Hale as she shows more emotion, but fails to impact with some line that Meer can do. But Meer seems overall lacking in emotion. They have their good lines, and their bad lines - they do have to record THOUSANDS.
Jennifer Hale all the way, she at least tries to have some semblance of emotion. ManShep is very boring and monotonous, and sometimes awkward because of that. (We have a connection, Samara; uh I think I actually cringed when he said that)
I dunno, FemShep sounds better during the Renegade options but not so good with Paragon options, since her voice always makes me think of a slightly pissed off babysitter trying to calm the kids down, regardless of Paragon/Renegade choices. So naturally I play Renegade with her.
MShep is just more of an all rounder, not many spectacular lines (some are pure gold though) but no "GAH MY EARS!" moments (Jacob/Femshep romance anyone?)
MShep is just more of an all rounder, not many spectacular lines (some are pure gold though) but no "GAH MY EARS!" moments (Jacob/Femshep romance anyone?)
Pretty much exactly how I feel. While I definately prefer Hale overall, I think that Meer's delivery does suit the renegade dialogue choices though, he does anger well enough when it comes to emoting and his otherwise flat demeanour gives a pretty cold, dark comic edge to a lot of the lines that really makes you think of the kind of unforgiving sociopath who will waste a guy with one-liner.Zhukov said:
To be honest, Hale for me. Femshep just overall has that quality to it, she actually sounds like a Person. With Meer i always have this image of him just reading his Lines. But to be fair, Meer has improved, i mean compare Maleshep between ME1 and ME2, its a big Improvement. But still as said, to me Hale managed to make Femshep more a Character than just giving the Voice.
So in the end, they are both good, both got Ups and downs, Hale makes some paragon Dialogue sound a little flat as well, but i play Renegade anyway, though i do pick some Paragon Choices now and then, so they both work. Some of Hale's Renegade Dialogue is pretty epic, just as Meer's. Like the Renegade Option when Tali and Legion are bickering in ME2..thats just badass ;P
So in the end, they are both good, both got Ups and downs, Hale makes some paragon Dialogue sound a little flat as well, but i play Renegade anyway, though i do pick some Paragon Choices now and then, so they both work. Some of Hale's Renegade Dialogue is pretty epic, just as Meer's. Like the Renegade Option when Tali and Legion are bickering in ME2..thats just badass ;P
Yeah the romances just seem like they were hastily bolted on as a fan service, thy don't add anything, but they dont really subtract much either.Kahunaburger said:
OT: I always found Meer to be more heroic, regardless of which way you play him, whereas Hale just seems a bit snide and bitchy no matter which way you play her.
You realise the dialogue is exactly the same no matter who you play right?Stainlesssteele4 said:
I thought both were pretty much on par in ME1, but in ME2... I dunno, there were quite a few spots (wish I could remember specifics) during the ManShep playthroughs where I just thought the voice acting sounded like it was phoned in or being rushed out as the last line before knock off time or something. Jennifer Hale, on the other hand, I thought was consistently good throughout so I'm giving it to her.
Its in the delivery of his lines. He's very pretentious in the way he says things. I wasn't saying Hale's lines were written differently, just delivered differently. I'd still prefer to play as a male protagonist, but Shepard's voice actor is just such an asshole.El Dwarfio said: