10 Video Game Acting Performances Worthy Of An Oscar
Voice over artists should get the recognition they deserve.
There was a time long ago when video games amounted to collecting shiny things and bouncing on the heads of your enemies. My, how times have changed. The gaming industry is now a colossal beast, with a number of titles giving Hollywood a genuine run for its money.
Advancements in technology have led to emotionally-charged titles telling way mature stories, meaning consumers are more demanding of elements like plot and characterisation. Due to this increase in demand, game developers are increasingly turning to professional actors to inhabit their virtual counterparts, leading to some truly outstanding performances.
Now, if this were Hollywood these extremely talented people would be recognised for their efforts with an Oscar, but unfortunately, the gaming industry has not yet begun to acknowledge how much these people bring to a game. So I've taken it upon myself to do the honours - here are 10 video game performances that are worthy of an Oscar.
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10. Troy Baker - Joel (The Last Of Us)
The Last Of Us is a truly monumental achievement in gaming; with a wonderful combination of story, atmosphere, riveting gameplay and mature themes running throughout, it is a game that transcends the medium.
But none of this would matter if we didn’t care about the characters, and that is where Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker really shine. To be fair, I could have chosen either for this entry but I have gone with Troy Baker as he has the slightly more difficult task of conveying Joel’s gradual shift from a haggard, world-weary loner to a loving and caring father figure by game's end.
Baker really sells Joel’s initial reluctance to form an emotional attachment with Ellie and the transition he goes through as they rely on each other to survive in the dangerous post apocalyptic wasteland. Monosyllabic grunts become fully formed conversations as the journey progresses and, by the time he is rescuing Ellie from a murderous psychopath, you are left in no doubt that he now looks at humanity’s potential saviour as his own daughter.
It's an incredibly mature and emotionally draining story for a video game and, in lesser hands, would not have hit anywhere near as hard.