History HeReallyCanAct / VideoGames

* Creator/LexLang replaced Creator/ClancyBrown as Dr. Neo Cortex from ''VideoGame/CrashTwinsanity'' onwards. Brown had played Cortex since the second game, and Cortex was depicted as a serious, menacing villain, though he started getting more of a weak, pathetic side in the third game. ''Twinsanity'' focused on an EnemyMine situation between Crash and Cortex, which paved the way for Cortex to become much more humorous. This stuck in the Radical games, despite Cortex going back to being an antagonist, and Lang would repeatedly ham it up. Then [[VideoGame/CrashBandicootNSaneTrilogy the first three games were remade]] after a long hiatus, with Lang reprising Cortex. He brought his tone back down to ''Twinsanity'' levels and played Cortex far more seriously than he ever did before. The result is a more emotive Cortex that still manages to be threatening, and while Lang wasn't unpopular as Cortex before, he became far more respected by the fanbase for his performance here.

* Literally everyone in VideoGame/NotForBroadcast. Acting like it really is a news broadcast is one thing, but acting out the behind the scenes moments in-universe makes it even better. And during the final two broadcasts where the game takes a very, ''very'' dark turn [[spoiler: with the main anchor Jeremy either being gunned down, commiting suicide, or being arrested, to Advance getting extremely oppressive to the the point one of the leaders themselves begins doubting the other]]. Every actor makes it seem like the in-game world is actually real and makes it full of emotion, ranging from comedy to dark, serious themes in a second. Everyone really ''can'' act.

* Steve Downes as Master Chief in ''VideoGame/{{Halo 4}}''. He'd always been good as a VA, but a recurring criticism was that Chief was too flat a character (owing to his being a HeroicMime and so on). The increased dialogue was put to good use by Steve, who manages to steal the show and simultaneously humanise him. It gets even better when [[spoiler:he's saying goodbye to Cortana]] and his voice is cracking, with Chief clearly trying to fight back tears. If that isn't a tear jerker for the game, what isn't?
* Creator/CharlesMartinet as Mario in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'': Mario is usually a happy-go-lucky [[TheEveryman Everyman]], but the surprisingly deep storylines in ''Brawl'' show him as as a true battle-hardened hero. When Mario is about to unleash his [[LimitBreak Final Smash]], he delivers his line with utter, barely-contained '''joy'''.
** One of Charles Martinet's roles outside the Mario universe was the [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim dragon Paarthurnax]]. Contrary to the high-pitched voices of many Mario characters, Paarthurnax has an incredibly deep voice, and is well-acted.
** Another one of Martinet's roles is Fowl Mouth in ''VideoGame/CelDamage''. Fowl Mouth is an avian Chicago gangster from the 1920's with an appropriately deep voice, who, as his name indicates, says a lot of vulgarities. In other words, the exact opposite of Mario. Martinet proves able to keep up with the rest of the cast, who consist mostly of comedy specialists and stand-up comedians.

* Freddie Prinze Jr. pleasantly surprised people with his performance as James Vega in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', which provided more nuance to the character than one would initially expect from looking at him and coming from a guy best known for 90's romcom roles, [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap preemptively helping to rescue the character from the scrappy heap everyone thought he would be in]]. But it was his performance as [[TheBigGuy The Iron Bull]] in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' that really got people singing praises. In addition to showing off a vocal range that nobody thought he had and often being hilarious, it gave a whole new perspective into the Qunari, by depicting one GoingNative, which he managed to capture in almost every piece of dialogue, making Iron Bull a big favorite. His work on Iron Bull's [[SadisticChoice personal quest]] was a particular stand out.

* Creator/CristinaValenzuela , despite having been cast in roles before (such as ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}''), her role as Velvet Crowe in ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'' had her PlayingAgainstType ''massively'', and it was seen as perhaps one of her best performances ever. Those who heard her as Riven from ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' or more "stereotypically girly" characters were shocked at hearing at how ''well'' she played Velvet, as demonstrated by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_knpSsCTvDY this]] scene.

* More like "He Really Can ''Sing''," but Creator/MatthewMercer stunned fans with his performance as Shigure in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', specifically in the ''Heirs of Fate'' DLC. Shigure's more soft-spoken voice is already PlayingAgainstType for Mercer, since he tends to be associated with BadassBaritone (notably as Chrom and Ryoma, two of his other ''Fire Emblem'' roles). On top of that, Mercer gets several singing lines in ''Heirs of Fate'', including ''the background music'' for the final stage, where he's alongside clips of Rena Strober (who's known for her Broadway singing). He absolutely nails it despite being more known as a voice actor than a singer.

** Also, in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', where in another good instance of PlayingAgainstType, North proves his chops as Merasmus by delivering a performance that's both entertaining and terrifying, made even better by how he nails that Creator/VincentPrice impression perfectly.

** This is to say nothing of his performance in ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'', [[spoiler:where his character, Captain Martin Walker, [[SanitySlippage starts going batshit insane]] in an epic PlayingAgainstType work, and he gradually becomes so much worse than the person he thinks he is hunting. His performance in that game is truly nightmarish... even better, the developers said that they hadn't chosen him as a case of PlayingAgainstType, just that he'd auditioned successfully. When the developers realise you have the potential to be that creepy and then use it to full effect... damn]]. What's most impressive though, is that you can tell how Nolan North clearly had a lot of fun here, because there's a very good reason as to why ''Spec Ops: The Line'' is his favorite video game (evidenced by him recommending it several times already) and Captain Martin Walker [[CreatorsFavorite is his favorite character that he has ever portrayed]].

** This is to say nothing of his performance in ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'', [[spoiler:where his character starts going batshit insane in an epic PlayingAgainstType work, and he gradually becomes so much worse than the person he think's he is hunting. His performance in that game is truly nightmarish... even better, the developers said that they hadn't chosen him as a case of PlayingAgainstType, just that he'd auditioned successfully. When the developers realise you have the potential to be that creepy and then use it to full effect... damn]].

* ''VideoGame/SpiderManPS4'' impressed many on just how much Creator/YuriLowenthal was allowed to show his range off as the title hero. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcbkZkeoaVU He absolutely nails it]] during the game's climax [[spoiler:with his quiet rage as he realizes that Dr. Octopus always knew his true identity, his grief realizing that the man he once looked up to is gone and has been replaced with one of the worst criminals he's fought, and his [[Tearjerker/SpidermanPS4 utter heartbreak]] as he spends one last time Aunt May in her final minutes before she dies.]] Many fans have praised the game's climax for how emotional it gets, with Lowenthal's performance being seen as a primary contributing factor.

* Whilst the Sly Cooper games aren’t exactly known for stellar voice action, Kevin Miller delivers more emotions into his lines as Sly as the series progresses, a stark contrast to his quiet, monotone voice consistently throughout the first game.

* Creator/RichardStevenHorvitz has always played [[WesternAnimation/InvaderZim comedic]] [[WesternAnimation/TheAngryBeavers roles]]. In ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', while not being as [[LargeHam large a ham]] as he is notorious for, his character Raz is still pretty lighthearted. And then you see scenes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Q1tNxWGG4 like]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WumAlZ2T-uM#t=265s this]] and it hits you that maybe it's just the littlest bit serious. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments The littlest bit.]] And he can still pull that off.

** Ask the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' fandom, and most will say that the prologue for ''Kingdom Hearts II'' took a turn for the heart-wrenching towards the end. The sob-inducing performance of Roxas? Yeah, that was ''Jesse [=McCartney=]''. Same goes for Alyson Stoner (the English voice of Xion) in ''358/2 Days''.
** And if you were still unconvinced by Jesse in [=KH2=], then ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth By Sleep]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 358/2 Days]]'' will change your opinion.
** Here's another example: see him acting as Robin/Nightwing in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice.'' He gets to display a wider range of emotions in his role as Dick Grayson than in most of his other roles. DC fans who worried that a "pretty boy who can't act" would butcher one of the most beloved comic characters in history were silenced. His performance has always been solid -- but he has moments of absolute brilliance every now and then. See "Disordered" and "Darkest" for proof.
** For a live-action example, check out ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435679 Keith]]''. Though it can be argued that his character is something of a male ManicPixieDreamGirl, he plays well with the female lead, who is portrayed by Elisabeth Harnois.

** While we're on the topic of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', there's something to be said about Vincent Martella's Hope. It's very easy for Hope's initial petulance and selfishness to make one view him as an unlikeable character, and to this day, [[BaseBreakingCharacter there are arguments over whether the in-story explanation for his behaviour was sufficient]]. But the actor never fails to ground the character and makes sure that you can empathise with the character even when you can't sympathise with him. This becomes especially rewarding when his CharacterDevelopment kicks in.

* Speaking of Jack Black, there's his VA performance in ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'' where he combines his silly and goofy character with badassness and a touch of deepness. Then again, there were a lot of instances in that game, especially from the guest stars. [[Music/JudasPriest Rob Halford]] plays both an effeminate BigBad with tendencies for hitting extremely high notes and a GutturalGrowler, [[Music/TheRunaways Lita Ford]] plays a [[TheStoic stoic]] ProudWarriorRaceGuy, [[Music/{{Motorhead}} Lemmy Kilmister]] plays himself to great extent, as does Music/OzzyOsbourne, alongside the fact that [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and you actually hear the latter.]]
* Another voice acting example: Creator/JasonGriffith. Compare his acting in ''Anime/SonicX'' to his performance in the last ''Sonic'' game he worked on. Or his performance in ''Manga/BlackGod''. You will see a marked difference.
** His voice work as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Iron Man: Extremis motion comic is also surprisingly solid, with his fairly intense speech while defeating Mallen in the final installment being the highlight.

*** Not to mention ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' where he played [[JerkJock jerk jock]] Nelson Nash. Creator/BruceTimm even laughs in the commentary about the fact that a 5'4" scrawny guy is voicing a 6' brawny teen with all the bravado and cowardice.
* Steve Downes as Master Chief in ''VideoGame/{{Halo 4}}''. He'd always been good as a VA, but a criticism was that Chief was too flat a character (owing to his being a HeroicMime and so on). The increased dialogue was put to good use by Steve, who manages to steal the show and simultaneously humanise him. It gets even better when [[spoiler:he's saying goodbye to Cortana]] and his voice is cracking, clearly trying to fight back tears. If that isn't a Tear Jerker for the game, what isn't?
* Creator/CharlesMartinet as Mario in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'': Mario is usually a happy-go-lucky [[TheEveryman Everyman]], but the surprisingly deep storylines in ''Brawl'' show him as as a true battle-hardened hero. When Mario is about to unleash his [[LimitBreak Final Smash]], he delivers his line with utter, barely-contained '''JOY'''.

* While his performance in ''[[VideoGame/KingsQuestVAbsenceMakesTheHeartGoYonder King's Quest V]]'' is nothing to write home about, Creator/JoshMandel showed how emotional King Graham could get in the [[FanRemake AGD remake]] of ''[[VideoGame/KingsQuestIIRomancingTheThrone King's Quest II]]''. In a vision of the future showing Daventry in ruins during the events of ''[[VideoGame/KingsQuestIIIToHeirIsHuman King's Quest III]]'', The Father, head of the Black Cloak, taunts Graham during his darkest hour. Mandel gives one hell of a performance, portraying a King Graham being forced to make decisions that would risk the life of his daughter, but doing so would save his kingdom. Remember, this is a guy who started out as a comedian before becoming a writer and designer at Sierra before being thrust into the recording booth.

-->'''Vergil''': Where did he go...Stop running, Dante!

* ''VideoGame/TheTalosPrinciple'': A variation. Croteam was best known for ''VideoGame/SeriousSam'', a delightfully silly, [[RatedMForManly machismo-drenched]], ultra-violent GenreThrowback to 90s {{FPS}}es. And then, they come out with a slow, thoughtful, introspective puzzle game that explores how our species would face its end and what it means to be human. Many reviewers commented on the astounding irony.

* Creator/RichardStevenHorvitz has always played [[WestenrAnimation/InvaderZim comedic]] [[WesternAnimation/TheAngryBeavers roles]]. In ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', while not being as [[LargeHam large of a ham]] as he is notorious for, his character Raz is still pretty lighthearted. And then you see scenes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Q1tNxWGG4 like]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WumAlZ2T-uM#t=265s this]] and it hits you that maybe it's just the littlest bit serious. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments The littlest bit.]] And he can still pull that off.

* Creator/RichardStevenHorvitz has always played [[WestenrAnimation/InvaderZim comedic]] [[WesternAnimation/TheAngryBeavers roles]]. In ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', while not being as [[LargeHam large of a ham]] as he is notorious for, his character Raz is still pretty lighthearted. And then you see scenes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Q1tNxWGG4 like]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WumAlZ2T-uM#t=265s this]] and it hits you that maybe it's just the littlest bit serious. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny The littlest bit.]] And he can still pull that off.

** While we're on the topic of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', there's something to be said about Vincent Martella's Hope. It's very easy for Hope's initial petulance and selfishness to make him an unlikeable character, and to this day, [[BaseBreakingCharacter there are arguments over whether the in-story explanation for his behaviour was sufficient]]. But the actor never fails to ground the character and makes sure that you can empathise with the character even when you can't sympathise with him. This becomes especially rewarding when his CharacterDevelopment kicks in.

** While we're on the topic of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', there's something to be said about Vincent Martella's Hope. It's very easy for Hope's initial petulance and selfishness to make him an unlikeable character, and to this day, [[BaseBreakingCharacter there are arguments over whether the in-story explanation for his behaviour was sufficient]]. But the actor never fails to ground the character in reality and makes you that you can empathise with the character even when you can't sympathise with him. This becomes especially rewarding when his CharacterDevelopment kicks in.

** While we're on the topic of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', there's something to be said about Vincent Martella's Hope. It's very easy for Hope's initial petulance and selfishness to make him an unlikeable character, and to this day, [[BaseBreakingCharacter there are arguments over whether the in-story explanation for his behaviour was sufficient]]. But the actor never fails to ground the character in reality- making sure that you can empathise with the character even when you can't sympathise-, which becomes especially rewarding when his CharacterDevelopment kicks in.

** While we're on the topic of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', there's something to be said about Vincent Martella's Hope. It's very easy for Hope's initial petulance and selfishness to make him an unlikeable character, and to this day, [[BaseBreakingCharacter there are arguments over whether the in-story explanation for his behaviour was sufficient]]. But the actor never fails to ground the character in reality, making sure that you can empathise with the character even when you can't sympathise, which becomes especially rewarding when his CharacterDevelopment kicks in.

* While we're on the topic of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', there's something to be said about Vincent Martella's Hope. It's very easy for Hope's initial petulance and selfishness to make him an unlikeable character, and to this day, [[BaseBreakingCharacter there are arguments over whether the in-story explanation for his behaviour was sufficient]]. But the actor never fails to ground the character in reality, making sure that you can empathise with the character even when you can't sympathise, which becomes especially rewarding when his CharacterDevelopment kicks in.

* Creator/CristinaValenzuela , despite having been cast in roles before (such as ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'', her role as Velvet Crowe in ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'' had her PlayingAgainstType ''massively'', and it was seen as perhaps one of her best performances ever. Those who heard her as Riven from ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' or more "stereotypically girly" characters were shocked at hearing at how ''well'' she played Velvet, as demonstrated by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_knpSsCTvDY this]] scene.

* Another voice acting example: Creator/JasonGriffith. Compare his acting in ''SonicX'' to his performance in the last ''Sonic'' game he worked on. Or his performance in ''Manga/BlackGod''. You will see a marked difference.

*** Not to mention ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' where he played [[JerkJock jerk jock]] Nelson Nash. BruceTimm even laughs in the commentary about the fact that a 5'4" scrawny guy is voicing a 6' brawny teen with all the bravado and cowardice.