10 Video Game Acting Performances Worthy Of An Oscar

5. James McCaffery - Max Payne (Max Payne Trilogy)

Max Payne is a series that knows exactly what it is; an homage to the hard-boiled noirs of old Hollywood. You play as Max, an NYPD detective trying to take down the gang that killed his wife and child whilst struggling with a drug and alcohol problem.

McCaffrey does a fantastic job selling Max’s grief and torment but it is Max Payne 3, where our hero gradually evolves from a past-it bodyguard for a rich socialite to a bald headed badass, that he really shines. His inner monologue delivered almost in baritone, highlights Max’s fragile mental state and the delivery helps sell some of the more clunky lines of dialogue.

With Max Payne 3, Rockstar attempted to do something different with the character and explored more of what makes him tick. The fact that they were successful owes a lot to McCaffrey’s exceptional performance.