Peter Dinklage’s delivery in Destiny is still awful

GameZone's Matt Liebl: "I enjoyed the Destiny beta. But if there’s one thing I have to nitpick about, it’s Peter Dinklage’s voiceover as Ghost."

[Snookies12]

Yeah, I found it rather boring honestly... Felt like he just wasn't into it at all.

[-Foxtrot]

I know...they should of got someone else

My picks would of been Sam Rockwell or Richard Ayoade

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Palitera]

I doubt they or anyone would save the over the top uninspired text of the game.

IMO, it's ok as it is and there's no way it would be much better.

[Phene]

Dude my mind instantly went to "Moon" with Sam Rockwell/Kevin Spacey when this whole Peter Dinklage thing started. Honestly, I love him in GOT but I think he was a terrible choice for a space robot companion. And the new...sounds? ..are terrible, I would've preferred a less emotional sounding ghost. I don't know how to describe it, but suffice to say, their could've been someone better.

[TheoreticalParticle]

Ugh.

SHOULD'VE! WOULD'VE!

[ThinkThink]

You shouldn't blame dinklage. He's a great actor with proven range. Blame bungie, this is clearly what they asked him for and it's exactly what they wanted. It just turns out many disagree with what bungie was going for.

[CloudRap]

The ghost is fine my question is, why do we have Captain Price from MW as the pvp announcer?

[christian hour]

Fallen? this cloose to the SUUUUURfaaace?!

Dat Delivery. Havent heard voice acting that un-enthused since the original Resident Evil.

However to dismiss every line coming from your ghost in the game as being god awful is a little bit OTT. There are a lot more lines where the delivery seems a lot more convincing and less one-takeish,

Hopefully a little post processing can fix the inconsistency of his performance, but with the game so close to release I don't see them being able to do much with it.

Either way it is no where near as bad for me as whoever's doing the Crucible VO, but despite all taht I had a blast with the Beta. Exploring with friends and dancing/bonding with strangers being the highlights.

[Sayai jin]

I say they should get Samuel L. Jackson. Imagine it..."theres snake on the M&^%*!! plane. J/k

On topic, it was rather boring.

[BlackWolf12]

Anyone who blames Dinklage for the voice acting mustn't understand how voice acting is carried out.

It's not like they ask him to record lines, he does it and then sends it off to them. He did it under the direction and supervision of Bungie. Meaning the way he sounds is how they wanted him to sound.

I personally never noticed his voice, meaning it fit in fine for me.

[Prime157]

Why is it that the little robot thing that is following you around is supposed to be more human?

I'm confused, as thought the ghost was seemingly calm and emotionless - mostly. Which is good for a little robot.

[theDivision]

Morgan freeman. I agree with Palitera though it seemed as if the lines he was given were terrible. They should have allowed him to convey as much emotion as he wanted it seemed like they had him hold some back to be more AIish. They should have gone 100% AI or allowed as much emotion as peter could do. I blame more the people who let Dinklage act like that than Dinklages performance.

[ShutUpDonny]

I honestly think it's the writer's (and possibly the director's) fault. The lines are boring and lifeless. Put any actor in a booth with very little context, no real character, and insipid lines and he will sound awful.

[JimmyDM90]

They should have gotten Alan Tudyk from Firefly to do it. That guy does voice over all the time plus he's awesome.

[ThinkThink]

It wouldn't have mattered who they got. If they got Alan Tudyk they just would have said "Ok Alan, that was great but can you deliver the line again only this time strip every ounce of emotion from it because that's what we want. Same end result, different voice actor.

[JimmyDM90]

@ThinkThink No emotion would have been an improvement over what Dinklage is doing. His boredom it what takes you out of the experience not that he's robotic. Some of the lines sound like he's reading them with utter condescension. Also Alan Tudyk nailed playing a robot in iRobot so he'd have had my full confidence.

[Sharky231]

He's playing an emotionless ai!! How's he suppose to act?

[Gozer]

He actually does show some emotion. I was under the impression that the Traveler recovered the souls of soldiers from the Golden Age, and imbued the Ghosts with their souls. He doesn't sound like a monotone robot to me. Imo the shallow writing is probably the thing people are really having trouble with.

Who can forget when your Ghost screams "Hes in the walls!!" in the second story mission? It certainly wasn't an unemotional robot line.

I had more issue with the announcer in the Crucible.

[Christopher]

I don't think it's intended to be that great of a delivery. It's not like Ghosts are supposed to have that much emotion or breadth of delivery. They're AI...

[SilentNegotiator]

...it's a robot. What did you expect?
This?? http://youtu.be/43ilXxZz1RU...

[assdan]

I honestly don't have a problem with is performance. Is it a little boring? Yeah, but it's a robot that helps you through situations. I don't think it's voice should feel very emotional.

[brbobcat]

I just don't understand how it can be so bad... like who over at Bungie heard the lines and thought "yup, this is perfect!"

[_LarZen_]

I loved Peter Dinklage’s voiceover as the Ghost. So I don't know what the heck you are complaining over.

[Rob_Ko]

yeah I have no idea what's the big deal for them, he sounds awesome. I don't want my Ghost to be some emotional teenage girl whou woul'd scream from fear/excitement.

[Drekken]

It was bad int he alpha, but with the post processing effects in the beta it sounded a lot better.

[SilentNegotiator]

Any Destiny negativity seems to be getting lots of instant attention. Even something as stupid and inconsequential as the voice acting of a floating robot, which isn't supposed to have a lot of emotion or personality.

[HammadTheBeast]

I'm notsure how else they expected a robot to sound like...

Although it does sound a bit weird in the part where you have to stall for the mesh to be taken off in the raid level.

[RiPPn]

I don't understand all the hub-bub about this. Then again I like the English dub on jrpg's so maybe I'm not the best person to ask. haha

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

Bring back 343 guilty spark. seriously tho I was hoping Dinklage could do a better job than this.

[Lumberg187]

I thought his voice was fitting, he sounds calm and collected, I thought it was pretty cool. But gamers always have to find something to bitch about with every game all the time so this is expected.

[Heisenburger]

Reminds me a bit of Data from Star Trek.

It's not full of emotion if you compare it to a character like Joel. But it's perfectly fitting for what it actually is, imho.

[TheoreticalParticle]

I can't really agree. I mean, he has a bunch of lines where he's supposed to be more personable than Data ever was, and he just sounds like he's stuck in between smart-ass and robot.

[SharnOfTheDEAD]

The Daggers are out for Destiny. I enjoyed the beta, shooting is fun and I like Dinklage's voice... Then again there's people that hate Skyrim so I dunno

[Onenyte]

Brilliantly put , now allow me to buy you a drink.

[Wni0]

Skyrim is a terrible game for terrible people

[TM333]

Like you said...people just like to bitch and complain about stuff. I'm convinced it helps them to feel important. Suddenly I feel more important, and part of a "special" group:)

[Dirtnapstor]

Agreed. It's fine, I disagree with the boring retorts. Sounds good with the filter. Not too over-the-top. Are people wanting another Claptrap or Cortana? Can only imagine what people would say then....

[Spinal]

Agreed.

I think Dinklage's voice is fitting for the AI Ghost which seems emotionless. I loved every minute of Alpha and Beta.

Cant wait for launch. Guardian edition on my PS4.

[mhunterjr]

Didn't they mention they mention they'd be re-recording some things? The beta dialogue just sounded like they edited the old audio and added done filters and modifiers. I agree, he sounds awful.

[Lucreto]

Nope it was not re-recorded they just didn't add the robotic voice over it. It will get another one before release.

[MCTJim]

I dont see what the issue really is, if they listen to the fans..have the guy come back and re record it...is it that hard?

[arkard]

Hard? no. Super time consuming and costly, yes.

[Pozzle]

Yeah, but considering how much money they're putting into the game (isn't it something like $50 million?), a little bit of re-recording is hardly going to destroy their budget.

[BattleTorn]

That very well could involve paying his fee a second time over.

He has most likely been paid for what work he provided.

He would probably ask for them to match his retainer fee again, since it would be additional work, outside of what he has already been paid for.

[admiralvic]

"I dont see what the issue really is"

Money. Not only is it going to cost them money to get him back and reread the lines, it would also cause a delay. I mean, imagine having to have a person come back to reread possibly every line of dialog he has in the game, plus multiple other takes, and then code that in the game, QA test it again, possibly resend it to Sony and do so before the game goes gold, which will probably happen in 3 or so weeks.

I mean, lets face it. Some people think the acting is terrible, where as others simply don't care (I am part of the latter). However, I doubt neither group would say this is an issue so detrimental to the game that a complete game that is ready to go should be delayed and thousands (maybe even a million+ when it's all said and done) of extra dollars should be spent to make sure the ghost comes off less "bored" sounding.

[MCTJim]

Oh I too am part of the latter..but if the outcry is a big as we are made to believe then they should redo it.

[SaveFerris]

Gilbert Gottfried, Bobcat Goldthwait or Tim Curry. How about it?

[Heisenburger]

Lol the last person I want hovering around me is Iago.

Haha though, now that I am thinking about it, it would be pretty dang funny.

[SaveFerris]

George Takei as Ghost

[shammgod]

Fran Drescher

[SaveFerris]

Ha ha. Jaleel White as Steve Urkel.

[MysticStrummer]

Joan Rivers

[SaveFerris]

@Shammgod and @MysticStrummer

Okay, last one from me. Steven Wright.

[arkard]

People are just comparing this to Borderlands Claptrap. This is Bungie's version of an AI, I'm guessing the lack of emotion is by design.

[Muadiib]

Clearly you are not acquainted with the other Bungie AI's Cortana and Guilty Spark, both have emotion and both are infinitely better than this crap. Special mention must also go to the truly dire multiplayer announcer, again Halo did it far far better.

[strangeaeon]

And don't forget Beebee

[TheoreticalParticle]

Multiplayer announcer guy is always so sad when you lose point C.

[jts1891]

Thing is, Cortana and Guilty Spark are essentially digitized people. Cortana is a 'mental clone' of Dr. Halsey and Guilty Spark has similar origins. They were meant to have emotions and seem human, because they were.

Ghost, on the other hand, comes from something entirely -not human-.

[BattleTorn]

I just get the impression that not very much money was exchanged for the voice work. (even though his time would fetch a hefty sum)

He just didn't seem very into the role.

Nonetheless, I'm not too worried about it. The voice suffices, and it's still somewhat cool to remind oneself that it is Peter D - even it it's lackluster and/or barely noticeable.

[WeAreLegion]

Peter throws himself into every role though. Even after GoT got big, the bad films he was in were made so much better by his performance.

[JeffGUNZ]

It's a talking cube, what do you want out of it? It sounded fine during the beta. Would you prefer the voice and hologram of "Jack" from Will & Grace?

http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/...

[Spinal]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL that made me spit out my drink

Bravo!

[JeffGUNZ]

haha thanks brother!

[STK026]

With the lines he was given to work with, and presumably the directives coming from Bungie as to what they expect from an AI in terms of delivery and emotions, I'd say he did well. We can criticize it all we want, but I feel the voice actor in this case isn't the issue; or at least not the only one.

[ExPresident]

I'm pretty indifferent about the whole thing. On one hand I see people's issue, especially when compared to the AI voice of Cortana or Claptrap, but on the other I think its fine, especially if Bungie was going for that direction for the robot from a future/alien being. Also can't imagine how it would be to be the actor reading lines from an over the top game script and asked to get into character and be stoked about it lol. Dunno, its fine imo, neither great nor terrible... just acceptable.

[Rhezin]

lol people need to just shut their mouths. The voice was fine. Stop your incessant whining.

[thejigisup]

I'm not expecting a kortana or claptrap. I'm fine with the performance, fits the role just fine. I'm assure there will be further enhancements come launch

[cr33ping_death]

Dont care. Voice sounds fine to me.. still buying it. :)

[secretcode]

..He's a lifeless robot drone. The voice fits.

[XtraTrstrL]

They were too afraid to direct him properly. He's the big GoT actor on the set, they just gave him the script and let him do what he would with it. I blame bad directing.

[mcarsehat]

BECAUSE HE CANNOT ACT TO SAVE HIS LIFE!

He managed to pick up a few awards for Game of Thrones, that means he adjusts well under the Directors they have chosen, which is nice but in every other project he's been in, he brings nothing. From X-men: Day of Future Past to lassie, it is like he doesn't exist within the cast, like he is a bystander that accidentally fell onto the set.

Listen to his "You seem to hate the Mutants" speech from DOFP, Destiny to a tee. His height seems to add a respectable layer of charm to his performances but it doesn't benefit his believability.

[JeffGUNZ]

He can't act, but then you immediately say "he managed to pick up a few awards for..." Yeah, like he walked down the street and found them. He earned them. He's a fine actor. The Station Agent was brilliant work by him, he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in that. In Game of Thrones he won an Emmy, Golden Globe, Satellite Award and Scream Award! Yeah, but he cannot act to save his life.

[mcarsehat]

A big part of acting is in the direction of the film, any actor can mess up but it takes a directors hand to help them garner a good performance. How is it that he can be under such talent as Bryan Singer (The person that made the superhero film popular) and Jon Favreau (The person that saved Iron Man from being a train wreck) and still be thought of as the worst thing about the picture?

Just remember, Nicholas Cage has an Oscar and the decision for that has been questioned by critics for almost two decades and the Oscars have almost 6000 judges in their comity.

[JeffGUNZ]

I'm not saying he's Tom Hanks, but his obviously respected in that field hence the Emmy and Golden Globe are pretty prestigious awards.

[desertpunk86]

just cause your a good tv/movies actor doesn't automatically make you into a good voice actor.

i would rather have a no name good voice actor than a fruitard from hollywood.

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

Some people. QQ all day all night.

[DevilishSix]

Morgan Freeman has a great voice and has been in many movies where he performed the voice over narration, for example Shawshank Redemption. I realize he is an older actor but I think he would have fit the Destiny story of an age past and the Traveller being crappled in the battle centuries ago and your guardian being revived after being dead for a long time. I realize it would have cost some money to get him, but I swear I heard Bill Nighy's voice in there, I bet he wasn't cheap.

Drinklage just doesn't have a good voice for narration or voice over

[Systemshock2]

I think for mainstream voice they opted for most typical mainstream TV hit series and picked Peter, ignoring the fact that apart from his average acting his voice was no where as good(in GoT).
They only wanted his brand name stamped on the game.

[Sp1tfireXM]

"I've got a bad feeling about this"....*shaking my head

[Iltapalanyymi]

i think he is pretty fine. the announcer in multiplayer sucks ass thou. such a bland and boring voice.

[Ryan741]

Thing is, he is just hot right now because of GOT, if it wasn't for that he probably wouldn't of got the gig.

[lsujester]

Totally agree. To me, he's never been more than an average actor, and ended up with some good material in GoT to perform. I bet he'd barely be noticed if he weren't a little person.

[ExposingLames]

geeee i looked at it like he was trying to play a robot character which would be why you would talk boring and monotone....oh wait.....

[SliceOfTruth888]

I guess I am the only one who enjoyed it..? I don't know what people are expecting it kind of fits perfectly if you ask me

[scott1234678]

Poor old pete bet he wished he didnt sign up now lol.

[LoneWolf019]

Guess I was in the minority with the fact that I liked his performance with the Beta.

[jts1891]

Not really. A lot of people were fine with it. But anything negative about Destiny gets air time.

[lemoncake]

I went in expecting it too be horrible but actually it wasn't too bad, if it was for a human character it would be pretty bad but considering its supposed to be some robot thing its quite fitting.

[ICANPLAYGAMES2]

I'd hardly call it awful, uninspired? sure. It went to ok from time to time. I think there are far worse examples of poor V.A. in other games (hell, it's easier and shorter to come up with a list of well-acted games).

[LAWSON72]

I did not mind the ghost though i wish the crucible announcer was different.

[MajorGecko]

are you kidding me hes an amazing actor but i feel i am been spoken too by a drugged out tyrion lannister when he speaks.

[DC777]

Well it's a thing now. You can't change it.

[Reek]

I personally loved the voice acting for the Ghost!
People should understand the idea that the Ghost is an AI a robot that can talk by itself.

[Psycho_Mantis]

"You feeling strong may friend!?Call me elf..one more time.." *Hand gestures*

[Slick81]

He's a robot what do u expect but yeah I laced every time I heard his mom tone voice

[JediDiah]

Cortana :)

[Blacklash93]

The gaming industry should be fostering its own pool of voice talent, instead of spending budgets on borrowing from Hollywood.

Hollywood actors give off average voice performances in videogames, and aren't worth the money it takes to get them on board. We need more industry-native voice actors with range and talent.

[Breakline]

Guilty Spark was incredible. I think it was because they made him sound more like a robot and less like a human trying to sound like a robot. Either way, the ghost in this game is not as good as Guilty Spark was in the Halo games. I can get over it, though. The game will still be fun.

[r3f1cul]

i still disliked the mp voice narrator guy more... it just made everything that was happening in mp more boring then it needed/ i wanted it to be... everything in this whole game seems monotone... i picture a world that is the last civilization protected by an unknown entity to have a bit more life in it... give me some damn emotion for fucks sake

[DanTheRobot]

His voice is fine! Also he is an AI and should not be a joke-bot.

[masterfox]

I didn't have a problem at all, I think he did a good job.

[n4gusername]

I thought it was much better than the Alpha.