Original James Sunderland Voice Actor Speaks Out About Silent Hill 2 HD Re-Casting

TheGamingLiberty.com:

"Yesterday it was reported that Konami's Silent Hill HD Collection on PS3 will feature new voice performances, with the original voice work being re-done to compliment the HD release. This news has met with mixed reactions from fans, mainly due to the fact that changing the voices of characters like James, Maria and Heather will almost certainly alter the unique experience and atmosphere created by both Silent Hill 2 and 3.

TGL got in touch with Guy Cihi, the voice of Silent Hill 2 protagonist James Sunderland and asked him if he would be returning to voice James in the HD Collection and if he knew anything about being re-cast. He has some blunt words for Konami....

[Pozzle]

I've played this game so many times, I can't imagine any of the characters sounding different. Especially Maria. I thought her voice actress was amazing, tbh. The sudden changes in her mood and tone were very convincing and...well...creepy.

I hope there is at least an option to switch back to the original VAs.

[SwilloTGL]

Completely agree, cant imagine playing this game with different voices...

[LastDance]

The video preview where it starts out with the girl saying, "James Honey..." with the silent hill 2 theme playing is embedded in my mind.

anything else is going to be weird.

[Knushwood Butt]

"I got a letter...."

Sorry, but there's no way I'm playing this with different voice acting.

[jc48573]

pwnage

[SeraphimBlade]

The voice acting didn't exactly blow me away in SH2, except for some bits by Mary / Maria. I don't blame Konami for getting different actors, but this guy's right, they do deserve some compensation.

[Reibooi]

I think he is somewhat ignorant to expect residuals at all. Voice actors in gaming never get them and never have. Remember awhile back the guy who played Nico in GTA IV freaked out about that because he wasn't payed alot compared to how much the game made? It's the same deal. And he should know that I bet 100% the contract he signed when doing the original game said this which means if he does go to the courts chances are Konami will win anyway.

I'm not trying to defend Konami or anything. I'm in fact PISSED that Heather is gonna have a new voice but the reason the actors are angry are not very informed which is odd to me. I mean it's been like this forever in gaming(with very few exceptions) and the only place it's NOT like this are far as I know is movies(even things like anime the actors don't get residuals)

[orange-skittle]

You don't get residuals unless it's stated in your contract, but he should get it for his mocap. If they used his likeness, then he must be paid. Just like recording artist, unless stated otherwise, you are only allowed certain percentage when you're THE VOICE. The composer and producer make all the money. These guys get paid a lot of money. Michael Ironside gets 6 figures for doing Sam Fisher. Nolan North and David Hayter also make a lot of money

[NarooN]

You don't understand. It's not about not being paid enough for his work, it's because not only was he not paid for his mocap in the game, they used his likeness in the documentary for SH2 and blurred out of his face to avoid paying him even more money, and didn't even give him name credit in it.

Konami has being doing this bullshit for ages now, and it's fucked up.

[Reibooi]

@NarooN

Not paying him for his likeness is BS and they should really give him the money he is owed. My comment in general was in response to the fact that what he said seemed to imply he thought he should have been getting money for his VO which isn't the case and never was. He stated the way they are getting out of paying him for his voice work was by recasting him. But they never needed to pay more for his voice work.

However his mo cap and likeness is a different story and they should be liable to pay him on those accounts.

[X-]

They're changing Heather's voice too?
FUCK YOU KONAMI, FUCK YOU.

[jc48573]

this is just like DmC to be honest.

[Breadisgood]

Well this has gone and spoilt my day...

[Kahvipannu]

Agreed, I have been waiting remake of SH2 for years, and now this? Especially Maria missing is just... She is just so convinsing and twisted.. I don't like these news at all..

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

I just hope they will atleast keep the amazing musics and sounds from originals..

[Pozzle]

I was always a big fan of this cutscene:

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Maria's sudden mood changes are so creepy. It's this cutscene that made me realize something isn't quite...right with Maria.
And, well, we all know how that turns out :D

[mantisimo]

I know James voice acting wasn't fantastic in the sense of other voice actors (hell Guy said he was a salesman or something and Konami asked him to have a go) but with a slow and deliberate (I'm trying to be a voice actor) delivery it actually worked very well for the game.

and besides, for all of us who love the games James is well James and Heather is Heather.

Please rethink Konami, for all of the characters.

I won't not buy them but would feel very, very dissapointed.

[godsinhisheaven]

Just pay these guys KONAMI, they deserve it.

[Figboy]

Silent Hill 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, but it certainly wasn't because of the voice acting.

The Silent Hill series is known for shit voice acting, so the fact that they are recasting the voices actually makes me MORE interested in this collection.

My hope is that they get some GOOD voice actors there.

Although, I really did like Heather's voice actress in SH3. It'll be a bummer to have a new Heather, but all the other characters were terribly voiced, truth told.

In either case, I can't wait to dive into SH in HD. I replay them at least once a year with my wife, who is also a Silent Hill fan.

[antauwnehart]

The entire silent hill series is average at best and the voice acting mediocre to the level of laughable! Although
silent 4 had some amusing moments still terrible beyond repair!

[Wolf873]

Well, they can retain the option to choose original voice over.

[Alos88]

I just hope the replacement actors aren't inferior.

[Mr Tretton]

This. As long as it's a slight improvement at the least, then this shouldn't be too big of a deal.

[Cloudberry]

.
As long it's good.

I never played Silent Hill 2 yet but only 3.

The 3's voice acting is between good - average.

[chiwoo]

I don't mind the new Re casting They should at least let us have the option of choosing original or new voice acting in the game like a special feature.

[Mr Tretton]

If this is for legal reasons then that's not possible anyway.

If it really is like that guy said, shouldn't they have just paid him and the others? I mean, they have to pay the new people anyway.

Silent Hill voice acting does tend to range from good to mediocre, hopefully this is all more about making it good acroos the board, which makes sense why they would bother doing this instead of paying the previous actors. People are getting paid either way.

[cr33ping_death]

:(

[8bit_Nes_Rambo]

I'm going to miss James' voice, the actor really hit the right tone with that character, same with Heather. The only real mediocre performances in the core SH series was in part 1 and "The Room". I never played the western produced SH games, so I don't know how the VA turned out.

[Knushwood Butt]

Awesome username and avatar.