10 Best Voice Acting Performances In Video Games, Ranked

John Marston, Ellie, and Joker

Gotham Knights is just around the corner, and fans can already expect some fantastic voice acting performances from the cast of the highly anticipated game, such as from Christopher Sean and America Young, who play Nightwing and Batgirl respectively.

Voice acting performances can help cement great titles as the best games out there. With so many voice actors and great performances available to experience, it can be hard to decide which performances are the best of the best. But here are 10 of these great voice acting performances.

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10 Christopher Judge – Kratos (God Of War)Kratos and Christopher Judge

Kratos was voiced by Terrence C. Carson in the original God of War games, but when the franchise continued years later and put the character into the world of Norse mythology, Stargate alum Christopher Judge took over the voice acting duties.

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Judge nails the deep gruffness the war-weary Kratos, haunted by all his past actions, calls for. The character’s emotional range, which goes from protective of his son to full-blown rage when fighting his foes, requires an equal range on his actor’s part, and Judge delivers. Judge is sure to continue this voice acting performance when he reprises the role in the upcoming God of War: Ragnarök.

9 Rob Wiethoff – John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)John Marston and Rob Wiethoff

Red Dead Redemption takes players to the last days of the Old West and features a fantastic performance by Rob Wiethoff as the game’s protagonist, former gang member John Marston.

Wiethoff keeps up his great performance all throughout the game as Marston tries to find his former gang members in order to see his family again. The trials he goes through are enough to make anyone break, as demonstrated by Wiethoff’s acting. In the end, Wiethoff caps off this incredible performance when the game turns out to be another game where the protagonist dies in the end.

Metal Gear Solid was one of the earliest video games that had voice actors voicing the characters. Despite this, the game still managers to do a great job with it, particularly David Hayeter, who voices main character Solid Snake.

Hayeter takes the lines given and completely pulls off the personality of the battle-hardened, emotionless soldier while also showing off the character’s fun, more humorous side. He’s a soldier through and through, burying his emotions as he goes through his missions, yet still having his moments where he lets the tough facade slip through – all of which Hayeter portrays extremely well.

7 Peter Cullen – Optimus Prime (Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron)Optimus Prime and Peter Cullen

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is arguably one of the greatest Transformers games ever. And standing right at the front of its success is Peter Cullen, the iconic voice of Optimus Prime, back again to reprise the character.

Cullen once again pulls off the role as Optimus witnesses Cybertron’s final days as the Decepticons take almost complete control of the planet. Filled with heart, wisdom, and callbacks to some of Optimus Prime’s’ most inspirational quotes, Cullen once again shows that he is the only one that can truly pull off a character as iconic and heroic as Optimus Prime.

6 Keith David – Admiral Anderson (Mass Effect)Admiral Anderson and Keith David

Keith David has voiced plenty of great characters throughout the gaming industry, including the Arbiter in Halo. Another one of his iconic roles was the strong-willed Admiral Anderson in Mass Effect.

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While Anderson doesn’t have as many lines as other NPCs in the game, he still stands out as one of the best. David’s iconic voice helps him power through the character’s greatest moments and give inspiring speeches, helping Shepard complete the mission of stopping the Reapers. His power and range gives life to a character that was one of the few higher authority figures in the franchise that sided with Shepard the entire time.

5 Steve Downes – Master Chief (Halo)Master Chief and Steve Downes

Sometimes, even characters with few lines are the ones that people remember the most. No character demonstrates this more than John-117, otherwise known as the Master Chief and voiced by Steve Downes.

Master Chief is a man of few words, talking only during the cutscenes but when he talks, Downes’ voice makes everyone listen. His line delivery may be curt and to the point, but for a hardened super soldier like Master Chief, it’s perfect. Soldiers are supposed to focus on the battle ahead rather than engage in idle chatter in combat. Downes’ performance as Master Chief is one of the main reasons why the character is so beloved and remembered.

4 Ashley Johnson – Ellie (The Last Of Us)Ellie and Ashley Johnson

While many argue that The Last of Us is a game that shouldn’t receive a remake, no one can deny the stunning vocal performance that Ashley Johnson gives as Ellie.

Ellie is a young girl thrust into danger when she may be the key to humanity’s survival, as she is immune to the virus ravaging the country. Johnson perfectly portrays the girl who becomes more determined and traumatized as the game progresses. What really seals this role in as one of Johnson’s best was her interactions with Troy Baker’s Joel. The bond these two share is highly reflective in both their voice actors’ performances.

3 Dameon Clarke – Handsome Jack (Borderlands 2)Handsome-Jack-and-Dameon-Clarke-1

Few video game exclusive villains have become more infamous as the Dameon Clarke voiced villain known as Handsome Jack, the main antagonist in Borderlands 2. And that infamy is mostly due to Clarke’s performance.

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Clarke takes the insanity iconic to the Borderlands franchise and dials it up way past eleven in his role, filled with vocal improvisations and witty one-liners. The comedy in Jack’s voice may make him seem like a comical villain, but it’s the sinister moments in the game that Clarke brings to the forefront that shows off just how much of a sadistic villain Jack truly is.

2 Mark Hamill – Joker (Batman: Arkham Asylum)Joker and Mark Hamill

When it comes to voicing iconic duos, no pair is probably more iconic than Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill voicing Batman and the Joker respectively – roles that both would reprise in Batman: Arkham Asylum and its subsequent sequels.

But Hamill really goes all out to show why Joker is Batman’s greatest villain. His performance is just what people would expect from the Clown Prince of Crime: sadistic, malicious, but filled with dark humor and jokes. And after voicing the character in Batman: The Animated Series, there’s very few people who can pull off the complexity and darkness of the Joker’s voice than Mark Hamill.

1 Nolan North – Nathan Drake (Uncharted)Nathan Drake and Nolan North

Nathan Drake is the action/adventure hero that many people have imagined themselves to be, and Nolan North does a perfect job at bringing the character to life.

North embeds his own personality into the character, making him whimsical and quipping, especially when he’s put into absurd, almost impossible situations. He says what he’s thinking out loud, almost mirroring the thoughts of the players in the process, especially during some of his most difficult and ludicrous moments. In fact, Nathan Drake feels like he’s almost like a real person with the perfect way that North portrays him.

Next: 10 Facts In Uncharted That Were Later Contradicted

Author: Deann Hawkins