10 Best Lead Voice Acting Performances In Video Games

By Scott Tailford /

1. David Hayter - Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid)

Konami

Of all the iconic voice performances, they all go back to that fateful time in 1998 when Konami's staffers hired David Hayter, gave him a concept sketch of Solid Snake and said "Just do what comes to mind".

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Thankfully, what emerged was one of the most recognisable, impersonated and damn-well loveable voice performances of all time. Everybody - and I do mean everybody - can do a 'Snake voice', and from shouting names like "OTACON!" and "LIQUIIIID!" to hearing the character's very biological structure break down in MGS 4, Hayter's turn as Snake is one he put his entire heart and soul into.

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The nearest thing we've had in the last decade to similar performances are The Witcher's Geralt or Deus Ex's Adam Jensen, yet neither manage to feel as 'natural' as Snake; the ultimate hero with one liner or grounded monologue for every situation.