It goes without saying that voice acting is a crucial element in video games today. In previous generations, it was overlooked if voice acting wasn't up to par with the rest of what the game has to offer - it commonly took a back seat in importance compared to gameplay and innovation. Today, voice acting is just as important as a solid storyline and immersive gameplay to create an ultimate virtual experience. There have been an abundance of milestones in which products have brought Grammy-worthy acting to the gaming world and suffice it to say, voice actors are often under-appreciated as opposed to live action actors and actresses.
There have been many video games to capture the attention of our ears in which actors and actresses have lent their voice talents to superb levels of realism, immersion and general badass-ery. With that being said, there have been quite a few voice actors to make their mark in many different gaming worlds, series and franchises - most of which are not noticed. I usually make a point to look up the cast in video games in which the acting had made an impression and I've discovered some interesting facts.
Nolan North - famous for his work as Nathan Drake in the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita exclusive Uncharted series - is one of few voice actors who's talents have been lent to an overwhelming handful of different video games. North has lent his talents as:
Desmond Miles - Assassin's Creed series
Dr. Edward Richtofen - Call of Duty: World at War/Black Ops series
Deadpool - Deadpool (upcoming)
Alberto Clemente - Mafia II
Corrupt Cores, Defective Turrets - Portal 2
Vashyron - Resonance of Fate
Additional voices in GoldenEye 007, Quantum of Solace, Metal Gear Solid 4, Saints Row and Saints Row 2.
Kath Soucie is another interesting voice actress. Her name might not ring a bell but some of you might recognise her roles as Phil, Lil, and Betty DeVille in the Nickelodeon cartoon, The Rugrats. Soucie has had her fair share of voice acting in video games as well:
Laura / The Master (female voice) - Fallout
Sally - Kingdom Hearts
Taro - Final Fantasy X-2
Amanda Evert - Tomb Raider Legend, Tomb Raider Underworld
Additional voices in Mass Effect and Dragon Age: Origins
Third, is a man who's voice is not easily forgotten: Troy Baker. His voice is often confused with that of Nolan North's - in my case anyway - but nevertheless, his acting is top notch. You might remember him as:
Trevor Goodchild - Æon Flux
Two-Face, Robin - Batman: Arkham City
Severin, Kagan - BloodRayne 2
PFC. Joseph Allen - Modern Warfare 2
Vincent Brooks - Catherine
Snow Villiers - Final Fantasy XIII, FF XIII-2
Nightwing - Injustice: Gods Among Us
Kai Leng - Mass Effect 3
Jake Mueller - Resident Evil 6
The Boss/Default Male - Saints Row 3
James Sunderland - Silent Hill 2
Joel - The Last of Us
Lastly and certainly not the least of the lot is a woman after my own heart, who's lent her voice talents to characters featured in what it seems to be - by chance - every other game I play lately: Laura Bailey. Personally, I feel that Laura is able to capture many different tones and personalities in everything she does and many of you would be surprised to learn which characters she's given life to:
Una - Æon Flux
Rayne - BloodRayne, BloodRayne 2
Catherine - Catherine
The Courier (female), Vera Keyes, Christine - Fallout: New Vegas
Serah Ferron - Final Fantasy XIII, FF XIII-2
Alicia Valera - Gears of War 3
Oriana Lawson, Asari Lieutenant Kurin, Dr. Eva Coré - Mass Effect 3
Helena Harper - Resident Evil 6
Sherry Birkin - Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles
Default Female - Saints Row 3
Serana - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard
Cheria Barnes - Tales of Graces ƒ
Honourable mentions:
Keith David - The Arbiter (Halo 2, Halo 3), Julius (Saints Row, SR2), Captain Anderson (Mass Effect series), Sergeant Foley (Modern Warfare 2)
Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity; The Matrix) - Aria T'Loak (Mass Effect series)
Vivica A. Fox - LaSandra Belle Dixon (Hitman: Absolution)
Stellar Blade might be the hot game right now, but we already got a better version of it more than half a year ago.
Fallout 4 is now available on next-gen consoles, offering 60fps gameplay and 4K resolution. But it's bad news if you claimed the game on PS Plus.
Probably won't happen for PS+ since Sony makes a clear distinction between a PS4 game and a PS5 game, unlike PC and Xbox where it is not a specific device game (It's now always an Xbox game).
So to make the PS5 game of fallout 4 available. Bethesda would need to renegotiate the complete deal with Sony.
hence why there's often only the PS4 version of the game available on PS+.
Let's hope Bethesda and Sony can arrive to term quickly.
On Amazon, you can't get an RTX 4090 for less than this one from Gigabyte, which now offers great value after an eye-catching April deal.
Very good read lol. I remember hearing Nolan North as a pedestrian in SaintsRow2 and I couldn't stop laughing. I was like no way and I had to look it up on IMDB just to be sure :P
and I didn't even know CarrieAnne Moss did a voice in Mass Effect :o
imo you forgot to mention Mark Hamill. I don't like him much as an actor, but hes an excellent voice actor I find. Did amazing work as the joker and in many other games :)
Mark Hamill has been doing a lot of voice work lately. I remember him, and a lot of other actors in the 90's when they were in the Wing Commander games. Memories.
Today it is interesting to see how many actors/actresses lend their voices to games. In interviews with them they really seem to enjoy the work.