Best Voice Actors in Gaming

Making the look for a great and iconic character in gaming is one thing, but it is the voice that can truly bring characters to life. While many appreciate a good looking game with stylish gameplay, I am always impressed when a voice actor can really deliver a performance that not only powers the story, but leaves me in anticipation of their next lines of dialogue. Here are a few of the voice actors that lend their voice to the gaming industry the most, and excel with each new character.

Nolan North

Notable Work:

• Nathan Drake - (Uncharted, Uncharted 2)
• Desmond Mile - (Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed II, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood)
• The Prince - (Prince of Persia - 2008)
• Space Core / Fact Core / Adventure Core - (Portal 2)

Upcoming:

• Nathan Drake - (Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception)
• The Penguin - (Batman: Arkham City)

It is not a voice actor list without first mentioning the man himself; Nolan North. If you check his IMDB, the list is endless of various games/cartoons/animated shorts that he has loaned his voice to, showcasing his ability to adapt to a multitude of roles; be it the cocky hero or dastardly villain. His most iconic role of Nathan Drake made him a personal favorite of gamers everywhere. No other voice actor could have fit the role better, as Nolan brought Nathan Drake's witty, charismatic personality to life through his carefully timed voice delivery and mocap. Chances are that if you have ever played a video game, you have heard the him in some role.

Jennifer Hale

Notable Work:

• Commander Shepard (Female) - (Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2)
• Ophelia - (Brutal Legend)
• Trishka - (Bulletstorm)
• Bastilla - (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic)

Upcoming:

• Commander Shepard (Female) - (Mass Effect 3)
• Satele Shan - (Star Wars the Old Republic)

Jennifer Hale is a female juggernaut of voice acting. With a hefty amount of cartoons and animated features under her belt, she also sports a slew of video games characters. Her role of Bastilla in KoToR stuck with me the most, as her voice exemplified the confident, yet caring nature of the Jedi who stood by your side. There is an unmistakable inflection in her voice that makes her noticeable and easy to identify, yet it never detracts from making each character she portrays different and unique.

Ali Hillis

Notable Work:

• Dr. Liara Tsoni - (Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2)
• Lightning - (Final Fantasy XIII)
• Dr. Ariel Hanson - (Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty)

Upcoming Work:

• Dr. Liara Tsoni - (Mass Effect 3)
• Lightning - (Final Fantasy XIII-2)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic

Leading her voice to such games as Mass Effect and Final Fantasy XIII, Ali Hillis is a stand out among gaming voice talent. Her role of Dr. Liara Tsoni in the Mass Effect titles was the most impressive, as the lower register in her voice leaves a seductive, yet innocent tone to the character. Her portrayal of Lightning was equally affected by this lower voice, in providing a stern and strong female lead.

Troy Baker

Notable Work:

• Snow - (Final Fantasy XIII)
• Vincent Brooks - (Catherine)
• Alec Mason - (Red Faction Guerilla )

Upcoming Work:

• Two-Face - (Batman: Arkham City)
• Booker Dewitt - (Bioshock: Infinite)

After making a mark in cartoons, Troy Baker has steadily emerged as a gaming voice regular. His lively, eccentric voice breathes life into every character he portrays. His performance as Snow from Final Fantasy XIII proved to be one of the best in the game, as the typical hero showed signs of losing hope through well delivered dialogue. With his future appearance as the lead role in Bioshock: Infinite, he is sure to become even more well known and appreciated.

Jen Taylor

Notable Work:

• Cortana - (Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3)
• Princess Peach - (Everything Since Mario Kart)
• Zoe - (Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2)

Upcoming Work:

• Cortana - (Halo 4)

Turning words into a savory song, Jen Taylor has one of those voices that can make you melt. Her iconic role of Cortana showcased her ability to transform an AI, something assumed so boring and monotone in every form of media, into one of the most charismatic leads of the Halo story. She even became a personal favorite choice in Left 4 Dead for her lively portrayal of Zoe. 

Claudia Black

Notable Work:

• Morrigan - (Dragon Age: Origins)
• Chloe - (Uncharted 2)
• Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh - (Mass Effect 2)

Upcoming Work:

• Chloe - (Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception)
• Sam Byrne - (Gears of War 3)

Claudia Black's Australian dialect is easy to recognize, and always vivacious. Her portrayal of Chloe in Uncharted 2 was a welcome addition, but it was her role as Morrigan that made her stand out the most. Here was a character that was morally gray and seemed out for herself, yet was given a hint of compassion that was amplified by Claudia's delivery.

Steve Blum

Notable Work:

• Grayson Hunt - (Bulletstorm)
• Grunt - (Mass Effect 2)
• Jack Cayman - (Madworld)

Upcoming Work:

• Grunt - (Mass Effect 3)
• King Bouris Ulgo  - (Star Wars: The Old Republic)

Another titan in voice work, Steve Blum's rugged voice can make an incredible impact in a character. The gritty register has empowered foul-mouthed mercenaries like Grayson Hunt, but still differentiate from the cooler, collected nature of Jack Cayman. With an impressive IMDB roster and an infinite amount of possibilities ahead, Steve Blum is a welcome addition to the list.

Quinton Flynn

Notable Work:

• Axel - (Kingdom Hearts II)
• Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider - (World of Warcraft)
• Raiden - (Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 4)

Upcoming Work:

• Raiden - (Metal Gear Solid: Rising) 
• Silver the Hedgehog - (Sonic Generations)

With another distinguishable voice, Quinton Flynn is able to breathe life into each character he backs. His most iconic role as Raiden from the Metal Gear Solid series produced a notable change from the second to the fourth installment, and Quinton's performance helped to showcase it vocally. With a voice tailored to animation, he is yet another addition to the list that is well worth a nod.

Robin Downes

Notable Work:

• Doc/ Various- (Bulletstorm)
• Medic - (Team Fortress 2)
• Sagacious Zu - (Jade Empire)
• Travis Touchdown - (No more Heroes)

Upcoming Work:

• Talbot - (Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception)
• Joseph Capelli - (Resistance 3)

Not only can he give a personality to a doctorial profession in Team Fortress 2, but the man's IMDB showcases a multitude of roles over several years of gaming. He is most known for being the voice behind Travis Touchdown, where even his vulgar words made necks explode. To transition to that from his calmer role of Sagacious Zu, backs his ability to adapt to any role.


 
Honorable Mentions

Mark Hamil

Notable Work:

• The Joker - (Batman: Arkham Asylum)
• The Watcher - (Darksiders)

Upcoming Work:

• The Joker - (Batman: Arkham City)

David Hayter

Notable Work:

• Solid Snake - (Metal Gear Solid series)

Upcoming Work:

• Star Wars: The Old Republic

Fruit Ninja Kinect Review: Frigid Fruit

Score 7/10

Fruit Ninja Kinect
Xbox Live Arcade: Kinect

Developer: Halfbrick Studios
Publisher: Microsoft
Release Date: August 9th, 2011
Cost: 800 MS Points



Pros:

• Great pick up and play Kinect title
• Leaderboards to compete against your friends
• Unlockables are a nice incentive to play more

Cons:

• Mistakenly judging a slice happens far too often
• Main Menu is a chore to navigate
• Co-op can be physically painful
• Not a lot of content considering the price

In the latest Summer of Arcade title, Fruit Ninja Kinect brings the hit OS App to the consoles as the newest Kinect game.

Go Ninja Go Ninja, Go!

The basic idea of Fruit Ninja is a simple one; whack fruit and score points. Slicing in a direction with your hands slices the fruit. Hitting multiple fruit with one swipe warrants a combo, and thus, a higher score. With most gametypes featuring bombs that hurt your time or lives, it's a game you want to be accurate and efficient in performing.

This is mixed up with the various game types. There is an Arcade mode that throws a timer in the corner and bombs that lower the timer if hit. There are also power ups like "Freeze Time" or "Frenzy" that work to assist you. Zen mode does away with bombs and has you working to improve your combo with fruits alone. Classic offers your 3 lives and costs you a life with each fruit you miss.

Fans of the OS game will feel right at home with the rules and regulations, and noobies are quick to gather how it works. It's a simple premise with easy execution.

Buddies and Bonuses

Fruit Ninja with a friend is another interesting feature added to the game. There is a co-op and battle mode available, depending on how you view your friendship at the current time. The co-op is much like Arcade, and boasts powerups and a timer. It's the battle mode that proves the most interesting with colored fruit specific to which side you are on; blue hits blue and red hits red. It's unfortunate that the space is so small for these modes, as with almost every game, my friends and I ended up smacking each other in the arms more often than not.

In addition to co-op the game offers unlockables. These can range from new backgrounds to new shadow effects, to new blade types that are unlocked through specified requirements. Basically playing the game will gradually unlock them, though a few require some tact. It's a small incentive that keeps you playing to unlock all that is available.

Kinect Woes

For the basic idea of things, Fruit Ninja works decently enough for the Kinect. It proves to be pretty enjoyable and that "one more try" effect most OS games possess is present. Though the Kinect lag becomes obvious at the start, you soon tailor your movements and make it work, using the reflected shadow in the background to track your movements. That does not mean that Fruit Ninja is not lacking in a few areas.

Accidental slices make navigating the menu and staying accurate a chore. You must "slice" your option to open it, most of the time missing or hitting the wrong thing. Occasional miss-swipes would occur in-game that made it hard to build up combos or the accidental swipe of a bomb would end your streak. In a game that demands precision to excel, this hurdle gets in the way.

Then there is the pricetag. Sure it's not the 1200MS points like previous titles, but 800MS points for this game is a bit much to ask. I am usually not one to complain on price, but 10 bucks for an essential OS game to Xbox Live Arcade port is a bit much to ask, even if it is Kinect. Slicing fruit can only hold your attention so long...

Overall

Fruit Ninja Kinect is an interesting addition to the Kinect library, but one that is too short-lived. Though bound to be a hit for a weekend with the usual group, the novelty eventually fades along with your arm strength. At a 800MS point price tag, it is tailored toward the die hard fans with Kinect only...all 8 of you.

Counter Strike Returns Q1-2012

Counter Strike was a mod that took the PC world by storm around 1999 and has had several releases since. The newest sequel, Counter Strike: Global Offense, was confirmed today for a Q1 2012 release date.

Expect to see many new features including:

• New Gameplay mode
• New Maps and Revamps of Classics (Dust, Aztec)
• New Weapons
• Matchmaking and Leaderboards
• New character skins

The game is being developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment, who also worked on previous CS titles. We should hear more as the weeks progress, but until then, here is a teaser trailer for the game. CS:GO will be released for PC, Xbox 360 Arcade, and the Playstation Network.



Source: Platform Nation

From Dust Review: A Dusty Diety

Score: 8/10

From Dust
Xbox Live Arcade/PC/PSN
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Cost: 1200 MS Points



Pros:

• Environmental physics that never get old to see
• An arcade title that trumps most retail titles in look
• Intriguing gameplay that keeps you on your toes
• Challenge maps to further the play value
• No one way to complete a map

Cons:

• Camera can be tedious
• No true way to control the tribesman besides setting pre-destined waypoints
• Grabbing the right element or object can prove frustrating at times
• Villager AI is incredibly stupid

The second title available from the Xbox Live's Summer of Arcade is From Dust. Ubisoft's latest arcade title is for those archaeological strategy enthusiasts...all six of you.

Sovereign Sphere

On the face of it, From Dust is a strategy game. Yet it is much more about controlling the elements than the actual villagers you seek to flourish. You assume the role of a god-like sphere entity that must guide villagers to establishing a civilization.

It only takes a level or two to truly appreciate the look and physics of the game. It never gets old to pick up a pile of sand and redistribute it, as the swirling vortex of particles is hypnotizing to behold. It was when a tsunami was thwarted by my villagers that I truly saw the level of detail shine through, as a wall of water cascaded around my village and trickled to the valley behind me. Materials behave as they normally would, with water slowly eroding insufficient barricades and fire spreading as it would among brush. It is like watching a Discovery channel special in HD, and being able to pick up parts of the erupting volcano.

The early civilization influence is apparent as your villagers perform tribal dances and speak in a language similar to an ancient ancestor of the Sims. Each tribe member is adorned with a single expression mask that gives the game a cartoonish feel. The only true story is narrated by a tribal leader, but holds no real interest or emotional attachment to the villagers...which is good because when they die from your accidental removal of a sand barrier, you do no feel so bad about it.

The Power to Move Mountains

The gameplay works from a typical overhead view of the terrain. The basic goal is to get your villagers from totem to totem, establishing a village and populating the area with vegetation. There are also additional side missions you can attempt such as getting vegetation to spread throughout the region and discovering small "memories" that are essentially text logs. The beauty of the game is that there is no one method to completing a map. You can sit there for hours building a sand maze if it gets the job done.


You control the snake like cursor that is able to pick up and place various elements around the area. You can pick up sand and redirect a river's stream for your tribesman to cross, pick up lava to form new mountains to protect from tsunamis, etc. You can also have villagers retrieve knowledge and memories from certain waypoints to repel certain hazards.

You are not restricted to just picking up and placing elements, as various powers are in place to assist you as you progress. With each totem populated, you gain one power. These can range from turning elements to jelly, thus freezing the water, to being able to place infinite amounts of earth at one time.

In addition to a story mode, there are a slew of challenge maps unlocked as you progress. These mini-maps give simple challenges like escorting villagers through a series of rivers, to dousing out a fire before it burns down a village. No real medals are given, just a time record to beat.They still add some interesting scenarios and can be pretty fun to attempt.

A Tsunami of Troubles


What starts as a simple pull and place soon becomes a frantic race against mother nature. The problem with this is the simplistic controls of the console eventually give way. There is no real way to jump the camera from totem to totem. You must sluggishly glide along the map, only realizing your village is in trouble by the frantic screams and panic of villagers. The camera is either too far in or way too far out most of the time.

Villagers in this game are very....very...stupid. This is not helped by the fact that you cannot set them waypoints like, "Hey wait here, I'll clear this out for you." Once you assign them a task they will become drunk with purpose and strive headfirst toward their target. They consider lava a mere twig in the road, and laugh as you try to desperately clear their path until they vanish in a puff of smoke. Villager waypoints can constantly shift, and on some occasions your villager will not go down a desired route. It's a much bigger issue on the later levels, and led to much frustration.

Other smaller nuances hold From Dust back from greatness. The maps feel limited in size due to console constraints, and you always feel like you are emerging into another box world with the same parts moved around. The Challenge maps, though interesting to tackle, prove short-lived with only a "fast time" to flaunt. Potential for a level editor is great in this game, and oddly absent.

Overall

From Dust delivered a decent strategy game experience for an Arcade title. If you can get past the basic feel of the game, it truly is one of the more visually appealing arcade games to play. The potential was there for greatness, but nothing was delivered but the basics.

Why I Still Own a Kinect

I purchased a Kinect last November with Dance Central and the packaged Kinect Adventures. I played both games at a relatively normal pace, showcased the technology to friends, and had a generally good time with the hardware.

It has been at least six months since I have genuinely played anything Kinect associated. Besides the occasional voice command items while doing chores, it sits quietly and collects dust.  And yet, I am hesitant to sell the device.

It's not due to the current lineup, I will be the first to admit it. Let's face facts, the software released with the Kinect left a lot to be desired. Though Dance Central proved to be the best use of the tech and most enjoyable title I experienced, it only lasted so long before the appeal faded. Kinect Adventures was much like that of Wii Sports, and was a series of mini games that held my attention for a day at most.


Future Software for Kinect?

  I initially held on to the hardware for E3's showcase. I thought to myself, surely they have some top developers throwing something incredible our way. With each title unveiled, my optimism dwindled. The Star Wars game every one had hoped for looked lag ridden and dull (Though in its defense is looking to have improved functionality since E3). The Fable Legends title looked like a rail shooter that might hold my attention for a few days, and seeing that I have no children (that I am aware of) Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster had no appeal at all.

That's not to say there are not a golden few Kinect titles that hold potential. Ryse is a first person hack and slash game from the fine individuals at Crytek (Crysis 2) that puts you in the shoes of a roman warrior. Sega has a first person survival horror game in the works known as Rise of Nightmares. Even arcade titles such as Twisted Pixel's Gunstringer look like fine use of the Kinect technology. They just do not look like titles that I would drop a big game for...

So why do I still have this thing? What is keeping me from taking it back and throwing it toward one of the dozen big name titles coming out this Fall?

It is the big name titles themselves that are holding me back.

A handful of games are featuring Kinect support for a few elements of gameplay. Mass Effect 3 will make use of the voice recognition technology that allows you to speak the dialogue options aloud. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary has already admitted to including some Kinect function in their game. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier showcased a bit of how they will integrate menu navigation and working gameplay to the Kinect.

I don't expect to use these features all the time, nor do I expect them to work perfectly; but the inclusion alone is a big check in the win column for the Kinect. The potential of the hardware to enhance games we already love is something I have been hoping for since release. A small inclusion of issuing squad base orders by voice or maybe solving a puzzle with motion control could prove an interesting addition. Though I am skeptical as to the functionality of the Ghost Recon gameplay (see below), the Minority Report inspired navigation of weapon customization blew me away. Regardless of the functionality, I like the direction developers are taking in providing some support for the hardware.



I would not go out and purchase a Kinect right away just because a big title is including an option to offer voice recognition, but it is something that has persuaded me to hold on to the hardware a bit longer. It's much like choosing to see a movie in 3D instead of 2D; you get the same product in the end, but that 3D can make things look awfully spiffy...or inexplicably burn your retinas.