Summary
Narration has long been a common feature in video games.When navigating the unfamiliar territory of a new game world, it is helpful to have someone guide the player through their actions and provide insight into the overall narrative of the game —even when they aren’t all that trustworthy.
Narrators play a crucial role in determining the tone and story of a game,whether they’re narrating the consequences of the player’s actions in an end-credit cutsceneor helping players ‘learn the webs’ of how to be Spider-Man. Some of the most legendary games of all time are renowned for their narration, so here’s a list ofthe best narrators in video games.
“War never changes.” These words are all too familiar to longtime fans of Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic franchise.Ron Pearlmanlends his iconic deep and weathered voice to each entry in theFalloutseries.
However, his voice is only present during the games' introductions and post-ending summaries. He perfectly sets the tone for the well-worn world ofFallout, all the way from the Mojave Desert to the Commonwealth;even when summarizing justhowevil the player’s actions may have been. IfFalloutcould talk, it’s easy to imagine it would sound something like Ron Pearlman.
Logan Cunningham’sdelightfully smooth tone and gravelly inflections blend perfectly with theheavily-stylized isometric action game from Supergiant Games—Bastion’s’Rucks’is with the player on every step of the journey.
Hints and reflections about the game’s key moments and characters, all with the added layer of emotional depth and self-reflection provided by Rucks, wistfully guide players through the story. The character’s personal involvement later in the story adds another layer of increasingly intriguing depth to this legendary narrator.
Though he serves as the game’s main antagonist,Handsome Jack’sdisembodied voice is constantly present in the world of Gearbox’s Pandora, constantly berating the player and belittling their every achievement.
Handsome Jack puts the series' dark humor in the spotlight,Dameon Clarke’srelentless snide remarks and maniacal monologuesare the beautiful soundtrack toBorderlands 2’schaos. When he’s not busy naming his next Diamond Pony, Handsome Jack serves as President of the Hyperion Corporation. Racked with guilt, money, and a ‘face’ mask — this narrator fully plans to use all the tools at his disposal to rid the world of those pesky Vault Hunters.
Having someone narrate the story of their owncowboy-western lifeis always going to lend itself to some inaccuracies. WhereCall of Juarez: Gunslingerexcels, however, is when it actively embraces the concept of an unreliable narrator.
At times in the story,Silas Greavescompletely pauses and retells the story to make it sound more extravagant than it really was — making the player actively replay segments with added details. The lateJohn Cygan’sweathered voice would sit right at home behind the two-way doors of an old-timey saloon, and is the beautiful horse through which the game gallops itself to the credits.
The legendaryBruce Campbellvoiced the tutorials for each ofActivision’s movie-licensedSpider-Mangames. Though his helpful tips and important lessons do include exceptional sarcasm and irony, there’s no better way to learn the ropes.
Given his roles in every one ofSpider-MandirectorSam Raimi’smovies, it’s no surprise that Bruce Campbell would find himself dropped into the world of Marvel games as well. The witty one-liners and comical tone made the tutorial all the more bearable and easy to follow.
Max Payne, a grieving detectivewhose mental state seems to be deteriorating as the series progresses, often solves his problems by repeatedly diving from side to side and firing his gun(s). This might not seem like the most appealing character to have narrating their actions.
Max’s tortured psyche is what makes the franchise so over-the-top gritty. The crime-ridden and drug-filled world ofMax Payneis perfectly narrated through the eyes of the seasoned protagonist himself, whose head is filled with his own contradictory thoughts, vices, and an overall rapidly-spiraling mental state.
Akin toBorderlands 2,Portal’smain narration is all done through one of the most iconic villains in gaming.Ellen Mclain’sdistorted and robotic voice is the vessel for Valve’s legendary puzzle-based platformer to deliver some of the industry’s most iconic and hilariously nihilistic lines.
GlLaDOSis undoubtedly the audience’s favorite maniacal murder-bot. Any hint of the protagonist’s success is almost immediately met with disappointment, resentment, and all the burning hatred that a self-aware robot can store. She is always present, always watching and always has something to say.
Harry Du Bois, thesomewhat loveable trainwreckand protagonist ofDisco Elysium,is the embodiment of an internal narrator. Each in-game conversation sees the protagonist’s actions beingnarrated by various aspects of his own subconscious.
Whether it’s listening to Harry bluntly stringing “facts” together in his own head with Logic, or just theincredibly positive affirmations of Volitionto see him through his turmoils, narration is at center stage inDisco Elysium. It’s a core gameplay mechanic, andeach aspect of the protagonist’s thoughts are also a skill to be upgraded. This also leads to some hilarious moments, and subsequently slightly sadder ones, as each voice scrambles for dominance to influence player choice.
Amelia Tyler’s soft-spoken and clear voicealmost sounds like having a book read to oneself as they gently fall asleep. The Narrator in Larian Studios' award-winning RPG takes the role ofthe Dungeon Masterin this adaptation of the classicDungeons and Dragonsfranchise. Their voice is with the player every step of the way, narrating their every action.
Delightfully descriptive when it needs to be, and comically cartoonish when it can be, the narration inBaldur’s Gate 3was a key role to get right. Which, of course, they did.Amelia Tyler’s narrator brings the beauty and intrigue ofDungeons and Dragonsto life, with each word making the player want to lean in closer as they’re whisked away to the fantastical Sword Coast.
The Stanley Parablerevolves solely around its narrator, or, well,The Narrator.Will the player do as The Narrator says, abide by his word, and return to the mundane reality of office life? Or might they will go directly against his instructions, just to see what can happen?
Kevan Brightingdelivers each of his lines with just the right amount of deadpan. His stone-cold delivery of some of the game’s more outrageous lines makes rebelling against the increasingly frustrated narrator all the more entertaining.
