I prefer Meer's Shepard.
His monotone deliverance has an irresistible charm for some odd reason.
His monotone deliverance has an irresistible charm for some odd reason.
Poll: Which Commander Shepard has the better voice acting?
- Thread starter Zhukov
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Male Shephard never bothered me since he sounded more like a career soldier.
FemShep doesn't fit the military aspect - plus she always sounded disturbingly angry no matter what.
FemShep doesn't fit the military aspect - plus she always sounded disturbingly angry no matter what.
This.Kahunaburger said:
I'm a big fan of Jennifer Hale and her work in Mass Effect.
And I'll leave it at that. ^^ Wouldn't want to stir things up.
I like ManShep. I've never felt like he's emotionless, but then again I haven't been trying to critique the voice acting. He makes my Renegade choices sound dangerous, and I approve.
And I think someone should link the definition for the word "abysmal." I see it being tossed around here in the same place you'd usually find "not really my cup of tea."
And I think someone should link the definition for the word "abysmal." I see it being tossed around here in the same place you'd usually find "not really my cup of tea."
Meer delivers nearly every line in an annoyingly neutral tone, which makes certain renegade options sound cool in a deadpan sort of way but makes most of his lines sound irritatingly flat and devoid of personality. Jennifer Hale makes Shepard feel completely different--she makes Shepard an actual character rather than a lifeless husk.
I've heard that they wanted him to sound neutral because he's a blank slate and if lines were delivered with more personality they would add aspects to his character that the player didn't want their Shepard to have, but I don't buy that. Shepard isn't a blank slate--the whole point of having a voiced protagonist is to sacrifice the freedom of having a blank slate to have a character with a more defined personality. If the dialogue is delivered in a totally neutral, lifeless tone, you sacrifice both--he's still not a blank slate, and he doesn't have a personality either.
I've heard that they wanted him to sound neutral because he's a blank slate and if lines were delivered with more personality they would add aspects to his character that the player didn't want their Shepard to have, but I don't buy that. Shepard isn't a blank slate--the whole point of having a voiced protagonist is to sacrifice the freedom of having a blank slate to have a character with a more defined personality. If the dialogue is delivered in a totally neutral, lifeless tone, you sacrifice both--he's still not a blank slate, and he doesn't have a personality either.
Hale sounds like she's trying too hard, Meer sounds more realistic. He is more of how I speak in day to day interactions but delivers the big speeches with a steel spined passion that stands my hair on end. Hale reminds me of a decent but not well practiced Shakespearean actress trying to cram more and more feeling into every line, she should relax a little and speak naturally.
I would say the voice acting is better for female but the game just works better if you are a male if you ask me. Things just "fit" better I don't know.
this is a very good way of putting it imoTreeinthewoods said:
agreed, for the role that i see, a commander, doesn't need to shove immense amounts of emotion into the dialogue, i like the fact it is a realistically neutral yet "commanding" tone with mark meer.
honestly i love jennifer hale in a ton of other roles, but as fem shep? eh..too much.
they both have the charisma of a broomstick in ME; although i think - much to my surprise - that HE was not as awefull as SHE
i never heard Ms Hale so monotonous and lacking personality (the character of course, not herself) in any other project; sometimes it almost hurt
i never heard Ms Hale so monotonous and lacking personality (the character of course, not herself) in any other project; sometimes it almost hurt
While most people would agree that Mark Meer doesn't do a very good paragon Shep, I actually disagree. Why? Honestly, I think it's just the way my male paragon Shepard looks. My male paragon Shepard looks slightly meek, and because of that the voice works. However, seeing the default male Shepard speaking paragon lines feels really off to me.
The same actually can be said about my female renegade Shepard. Many seem to believe Jennifer Hales makes a weak renegade Shepard. But the way my female renegade Shepard looks, the voice seems fitting to me. Likewise, the voice doesn't match the default female Shepard.
Hope that made sense.
The same actually can be said about my female renegade Shepard. Many seem to believe Jennifer Hales makes a weak renegade Shepard. But the way my female renegade Shepard looks, the voice seems fitting to me. Likewise, the voice doesn't match the default female Shepard.
Hope that made sense.
In all honesty if I played as Manshep first I probably wouldn't have liked the game as much. Sure I can sex up Tali or Miranda buts its a small comfort to put up with the male voice (Garrus totally is James Bond in Alien Form).
But I didn't like playing as a Renegade as Femshep, so I might've enjoyed playing as a Harry as a Man.
But I didn't like playing as a Renegade as Femshep, so I might've enjoyed playing as a Harry as a Man.
