10 Best Keith David Voice Acting Performances In Video Games

2. Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee/'Vadam - Halo

What is there to say about the Halo franchise which hasn't been covered? Definitely deserving of ranking high amongst the very best that videogames have to offer, Bungie's initial trio of first-person-shooters hold an almost-immortal status with fans of the original Xbox and subsequent 360 consoles. Following the story of Master Chief, an armed-to-the-teeth super soldier, Halo's main narrative revolves around a battle for supremacy between humanity and an alien species known as The Covenant. Truthfully, it's all fairly standard stuff, and whereas the story sounds like the plot of any number of science fiction B-movies, the fact is that all Halo games to date offer satisfying shooting, and enough compelling storytelling to keep gamers coming back. Without doubt, the role of Arbiter Thel, an alien belonging to the Sangheili race within the Halo universe, is one of Keith David's more fascinating bodies of work as a voice actor. Throughout this list, we've seen David take on the assignment of being - amongst other things - a gangster, freakish monster God, hardened soldier, stereotypical comic book character, and even himself. That's quite the variety, and nobody should be surprised that the man tackles the Arbiter with anything other than success. An often-reflective character, Arbiter Thel often comes across uncomfortable with the war unfolding. Big on honour and acting as an on-off again ally to the player's main protagonist, David does an admirable job in making the Arbiter a genuine, likeable deuteragonist throughout the adventures of Halo 2 and 3. Even though Arbiter Thel shows up in the spin-off real time strategy game, Halo Wars, the alien is voiced by another actor (David Sobolov), and it's testament to the skills of Keith David that the contemplative nuances of the character don't hit home quite as hard without his voice pulling the strings.