http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj8nHy6aA6E Modern gamers love their voiceovers, and why shouldn't they? You've probably played video games in an era were text boxes were king, and "voiceovers" were limited to Link screaming "Hyaaa!" over and over again (a condition that he has yet to overcome. I hope he never does). Games have come a long way since then, and voiceovers are becoming more and more prevalent in the modern gaming environment. Conceptually, this is a good thing, because it means you don't have to strain your tiny little brain by reading text. But sometimes, voiceovers cause just as many problems as they solve. Video games are meant to be an immersive experience. Ideally, you would forget about the Cheetos dust on your shirt and your mounting college loan debts for a few brief, glimmering moments and become Booker DeWiit, cynical trans-dimensional face-shredding extraordinaire! The real world melted away while you focused on getting Elizabeth out of Columbia in the most complicated way possible. The problem is that Booker and Elizabeth like to have conversations about quantum physics in the midst of a vicious firefight, and if you've ever tried to have a debate while automatic weapons are discharging from every direction, you'd know that it's a little difficult to hear. Now, let me be clear, in modern times, voiceovers are a huge part of characterization, and if Booker and Elizabeth didn't actually speak, the game would feel hollow. I'm glad most games have voiceovers, but it's the actual implementation of voiceovers that I feel can be improved. I have to turn on subtitles because I can't freaking hear the characters as they ponder morality in the middle of a warzone. Voice quality is also an issue. I'm a huge fan of the Metal Gear series, but Raiden's voice actor Quinton Flynn could not be more irritating. Sure, iffy writing can be a tough hurdle to clear, but in Metal Gear Solid 4, his performance is so grating and canned that I wanted Snake to put him in a sleeper hold and stuff him in a locker until he promised to be more convincing. The Elder Scrolls series is also a repeat offender, but for a different reason. In Skyrim, it feels like Bethesda only used 5 different voice actors. This is an issue because you can actually speak to a citizen about killing bandit leader, and then when you confront the villain, you find that he sounds exactly like the man that you received the mission from. Voiceovers are here to stay. I really don't think there's going to be some Text Box Renaissance in the near future, and truthfully, I'm okay with that. But instead of slathering every corner of a game with mediocre voicework (Metal Gear Solid 4, Skyrim), companies should focus on key interactions that will be enhanced by a moving vocal performance (Yakuza 4, Baten Kaitos) while maintaining quality text conversations during minor interactions and exchanges.
Eller likes a lot of old video games, and some new video games. Follow him on Twitter (@JordanEller) for updates about articles, but mostly silly jokes.
