Celebrities 'acting' in videogames

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

It started many a year ago, with actors/celebs adding their voices to certain characters in games, my favourite of which was Eric Idles Rincewind from the Discworld games. It was always a nice surprise to hear a familiar voice playing the character in a videogame. It was never really advertised so felt was a pleasant shock. I remember playing GTA SA & hearing Samuel L Jacksons voice from the beginning really added to the atmos & in which direction the game was gonna go.

It then unfortunately moved on to actors images appearing in games, which is beginning to grate a bit now for me.
Don't get me wrong. I understand that if a game is based on a TV/Movie/Guitar Hero game then of course the actors image has to be used. But when developers create their own game from scratch, & then an actors image & voice is used to play an in-game character then I really think its lazy programming & for me feels like a cheap (but clever) way to draw those who maybe know nothing about a game into parting with their cash.


The idea of this came into my head just today after realising that in just the last few yrs we've had Willem Dafoe, Ellen Page, Spacey & recently Shawn Ashmore in Quantum Break & Norman Reedus (who I thought looked more like David Bowie!!) in the currently cancelled Silent Hills.
I personally don't think that we need actors 'acting' in videogames, & feel its not just lazy or cheap but also shows a lack of confidence in their product.

So what do you guys think?

[Dogg Thang]

Depends on the game for me, I guess. It's not new - remember that one with that guy from that film? The French guy? You know the one.

I thought that Rockstar game with a couple of actors from Mad Men looked great. Never actually played the game but I felt it was quite a novelty having characters played by recognisable actors. I think it's still a nice idea and it can also lend character to models, especially for more realistic-looking games. That Mad Max game stands out to me as having such a generic character model, for example. Could have been Gibson or Hardy but even if they couldn't get those guys I think basing it on some real actor (even not well known) might have given more character.

Little known fact: the character model in Rez was played by Ted Danson.

Okay that's a lie but it could be funny if weird abstract game avatars were played by known actors...

[Golgo]

I don't think they're needed either, although they'll chase the money it's a waste. Look at wotsisname from that fanstasy TV show in Destiny who's now going to be dubbed out for being so half-arsed in his performance. And if Ground Zeroes is any indication the new MGS is already going to be massively ****ter for having Sutherland instead of Hayter. That said, the best ever voiceover from my POV (and not intentionally picking up your avatar, Mr. MONSOON) was Rik Mayall's absolutely brilliant performance in PS1's Hogs of War.

[Asura]

It then unfortunately moved on to actors images appearing in games, which is beginning to grate a bit now for me.

Sadly it's similar to movies. I bet Tom Hanks walked away from Toy Story with millions, but the team of animators who actually made Woody exist probably earned significantly less.

Now, of course, sometimes it's because the actor is one of the major reasons the movie made a lot of money - but that in itself is a problem.

I'm worried that as gaming has become popular, gaming "icons" have become elevated - Kojima, Molyneux, Jade Raymond... All talented people in some form or another, sure, but the whole 22-cans fiasco has surely showed us that these "creative luminaries" are really just the product of all those people they had beneath them.

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

That said, the best ever voiceover from my POV (and not intentionally picking up your avatar, Mr. MONSOON) was Rik Mayall's absolutely brilliant performance in PS1's Hogs of War.

Yeah its one of my faves too as I'm a massive Rik & Ade fan. I only set up a USA PSN gamer tag just to be able to purchase Hogs coz it isn't available on the UK PSN Store

I mentioned Rincewind as it was the 1st character I ever heard voiced by an actor, & it was awesome.

[nakamura]

Rob Brydon has done tons of voices and for a sickening amount of Jaguar games too!

[MartyG]

Zen Studios didn't use the real actors in the Star Wars pinball tables and they sound 2nd rate.

Depends on the actor and the game really, Claudia Black (Farscape) did a good job in Dragon Age.

[QualityChimp]

What's the one with Bruce Willis in France? Onimusha 3 or something?

[shaffy_oppa]

^ yeah the first three Onimusha games used the likeness of actors. First was Takashi Kaneshiro, followed by the late Yusaku Matsuda and the third was Jean Reno and Takashi Kaneshiro.

[Dogg Thang]

I mentioned that one already! The French guy!

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Like I said, I don't have an issue with actors doing voices for characters, but I really don't think that actors need their image in a game, & it feels a bit tacky & cheap when its done.

I don't have an issue either if a TV/Movie is made into a game & the actors playing those characters appear in the game, coz the film/TV series existed way before the game.

[shaffy_oppa]

I mentioned that one already! The French guy!

Or Bruce Willis apparently :/

[nakamura]

Willis was the PS1 game Apocalypse. Was good fun too.

[S3M]

All the later C&C games where filled with famous faces from Tim Curry to Billy Dee Williams, I think they did a pretty good job.

Michael Ironside was great as Sam Fisher in the Splinter Cell, the last game Blacklist loss that special something without him.

[Mayhem]

Michael Ironside was great as Sam Fisher in the Splinter Cell, the last game Blacklist loss that special something without him.

Yeah, it was a bit like David Hayter not doing Solid Snake. Ironside is one of the few actors left I'd still like to meet, because he seems like a dude and isn't aloof.