Storytelling has always played an important role in video games. Having a story gives players a reason to play and motivation to succeed. In the earliest days of gaming,this motivation had to be found on the side of the arcade cabinet, but over time, developers have been able to integratelayered and compelling narratives directly into their games.
As video games began to include more complex narratives, characters were given voices to assist with storytelling. Then, as plots became even more complex, performances followed suit, leading to the modern era wherevideo games contain performances and tell stories that rival, and sometimes even surpass, major Hollywood films.
10’Portal 2' (2011)
Developed by Valve
In most games, players are rewarded for completing challenges and progressing further. InThe Legend of Zelda, as players explore dungeons, they are rewarded with helpful items that help them progress, and inDoom, players gain weapons and upgrades for disposing of demons. Meanwhile, inPortal, when players complete a puzzle, they arerewarded with dialogue from GLaDOS(Ellen McLain).
GLaDOS is the highlight of the firstPortal, and McLain’s robotic, yet incredibly snarky performance immediately solidified her as one of gaming’s most memorable antagonists.Portal 2was released a few years later and featured the return of McLain, while also addingStephen Merchantto the cast as the comically bumbling Wheatley, andJ. K. Simmonsas Cave Johnson, who’s famous lemon rant perfectly embodies the hilarious humor found in both games.The comedic performances inPortal 2genuinely rival those ofsome of Hollywood’s best comedies, making it easy to see why, 13 years later, fans are still hoping for a third entry to the franchise.
Portal 2is available to buy on Steam in the U.S.
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9’Batman: Arkham Knight' (2015)
Developed by Rocksteady Studios
For years,Kevin ConroyandMark Hamillhad been giving life to Batman and the Joker across a wide number of film, video game, and television productions, but one of the best stories featuring the famous duo was theArkhamtrilogy. These three games toldan interesting story that heavily focused on the relationship between the two iconic characters, but their performances shined the most in the third entry,Batman: Arkham Knight.
InArkham Knight, the Joker is already dead. Instead,Hamill’s iteration of the Clown Prince lives rent-free in Bruce Wayne’s head, taunting him each step of the way, proving to be an antagonistic force, even from beyond the grave. WhileHamill’s performances in both preceding games were fantasticon their own,Knightallowed him to reach new highs. The same can be said for Conroy’s role, withthis being one of hisbetter performances as Wayne. In all honesty, theArkhamtrilogy as a whole could have made a fantastic series of films.
Batman: Arkham Knightis available to buy on Amazon in the U.S.
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8’L.A. Noire' (2011)
Developed by Team Bondi
As the technology in video games has improved, so too have the acting performances. Certain advancements have allowed different aspects of an actor’s performance to be captured in new and exciting ways, andL.A. Noirewas one of the first to show off just how well a game could capture anactor’s facial movements.
InL.A. Noire,players control Cole Phelps (Aaron Staton), an officer working his way up the ranks of the LAPD in Los Angeles in the ’40s. In each case, players interrogate witnesses and potential suspects, choosing whether to accept their testimonies, press for more information, or to directly accuse them of lying. Many of the decisions that players make are based on the performances of the actors involved. Sometimes these decisions are based on the actors' vocal performance, butplayers also have to keep a close eye on the eyes and facial movements of interrogation subjects both while they testify and after, as even a small glance in the opposite direction can give away that someone isn’t telling the full truth. Not every performance has aged perfectly, butthe game is still a technical marvel with some impressively detailed performances.
L.A. Noireis available to buy on Amazon in the U.S.
7’God of War' (2018)
Developed by Santa Monica Studio
Recasting a beloved charactercan be a risky move, whether it be in movies or in video games. Sometimes a new actor just doesn’t bring the same magic to a role that made fans fall in love with the character to begin with. So it would be understandable if, after spending eight years withTerrence C. Carson’s portrayal of Kratos, someGod of Warfans were hesitant to be excited when they heard that the role would be given toChristopher Judgefor 2018’s continuation of the franchise.
But any potential anxieties would have been erased whenGod of Warwas finally released.Judge nails playing an older version of Kratosthat’s given more depth through his relationship with his son, Atreus (Sunny Suljic).He brings a gruffer, more experienced edge to the characterthat is more than appropriate for this story. Ultimately, Judge’s performance was critically acclaimed, and it even netted him anomination for Best Performance at the 2018 Game Awards.
God of Waris available to buy on Amazon in the U.S.
6’Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End' (2016)
Developed by Naughty Dog
It takes a lot to be agreat adventure hero. Obviously, it’s important for a hero to have cool, flashy moments, but it’s equally important for one to show vulnerability. Indiana Jones' best attribute was never his cool demeanor; it was thathe showed genuine emotion in the face of danger. It seems that the writers at Naughty Dog understood this when they were creatingUnchartedseries protagonist Nathan Drake, giving actorNolan Northplenty of material to craft a compelling adventurer.
North’s portrayal of Nathan Drake includes an amount of vulnerability that is comparable to Indiana Jones, especially inUncharted’s fourth entry. Players see and control Nathan as he pulls off a wide variety of death-defying feats, butat no point does he ever seem cocky, making him more relatable to audiences. He’s also givenreal, human issues, like in a scene where his wife, Elena (Emily Rose), is upset to learn that Nathan never told her that he has a brother. They havea confrontation that is perfectly acted, and played completely straight, giving more humanity to Nathan, and reminding players of what makes him such a compelling protagonist.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s Endis available to buy on Amazon in the U.S.
5’The Last of Us' (2013)
As is the case with many Hollywood films, a good, story-driven video game can sink or swim based on its cast alone.The Last of Usis the perfect example of a game thatneeded a strong cast to be remembered. Luckily, as its legacy can attest, the game featurestwo stellar performancesfromTroy BakerandAshley Johnsonas Joel and Ellie, respectively.
The plot ofThe Last of Usrequires its leads to steadily develop an affinity for each other over the course of the game’s playtime. Initially, Joel is merely guiding Ellie from one location to the next,making it explicitly clear that this is just a job to him. But as time goes on, both characters are given a tremendous amount of depth that is masterfully portrayed by both actors, and they slowly begin to care for each other. By the end, they develop an incredibly strong bond,with their story making such an impressionon audiences that the game was recently made into anincredibly faithful television series.
The Last of Usis available to buy on Amazon in the U.S.
4’Max Payne 3' (2012)
Developed by Rockstar Studios
In 2001, players were introduced to Max Payne (James McCaffrey), a man haunted by the death of his wife and baby. Throughoutthe originalMax Payneand its sequel,the tortured antihero won over fans due to both the depth that he was given through the game’s story, and McCaffrey’s excellent performance. But his finest moments came in the series' third entry.
Max Payne 3was released nine years afterMax Payne 2, with development being headed by Rockstar Games instead of Remedy Entertainment as it had been in the past. Luckily, Rockstar had McCaffrey reprise his role,this time also allowing him to provide Max’s likeness and motion capture performance. McCaffrey absolutely kills it asan older, wearier version of Payne, usually drunk or hungover, and with nothing left to lose. While the game’s narrative split the fanbase, anyone who played it could still agree that McCaffrey is one of gaming’s best performers.
Max Payne 3is available to buy on Amazon in the U.S.
3’Grand Theft Auto V' (2013)
Developed by Rockstar North
When Rockstarbegan casting major Hollywood names likeRay LiottaandSamuel L. Jacksonin theirGrand Theft Autoseries, fans began to have higher expectations of the performances in their games. EachGTAsince this trend started has featured increasingly memorable performances, culminating in the series' most recent release,Grand Theft Auto V, which features some of the most memorable performances in gaming.
GTA Vfeatures three protagonists; there’s level-headed gang member Franklin (Shawn Fonteno), retired career criminal Michael (Ned Luke), and psychopathic drug lord Trevor (Steven Ogg). While Fonteno has moments of greatness as the plot’s straight man, Luke and Ogg are the real highlights. Luke is able to give a surprising amount of depth to Michael,the firstGrand Theft Autoprotagonist with a family, while Ogg is a great source of tension as the terrifying Trevor.His performance isexplosive, completely selling Trevor’s unpredictable nature, and making him the series' standout protagonist.
Grand Theft Auto Vis available to buy on Steam in the U.S.
2’Alan Wake 2' (2023)
Developed by Remedy Entertainment
From the release of 2001’sMax Payne, which featured graphic novel-styled cutscenes that enhanced the game’s neo-noir aesthetic, all the way up to 2019’sControl, which seamlessly integrated live-action footage into its gameplay,Remedy Entertainment has been experimenting with alternative forms of storytelling in its video games. In many ways, their most recent project,Alan Wake 2, feels like the culmination of every single one of those experiments.
The fact that Remedy games focus so heavily on their storytelling necessitates strong performances, and luckily,Alan Wake 2is full of them. The title character is once again brought to life by bothIlkka Villi, providing Alan’s physical performance and likeness, andMatthew Porretta, who lends him his voice. Their co-performance is flawless, with Villi’s physical performance combining perfectly with Porretta’s vocal one, to create an exceedingly compelling, but also very flawed, protagonist.Melanie Liburdis just as great as new co-protagonist and FBI Agent Saga Anderson, as is James McCaffrey, who plays the Max Payne-like Alex Casey, Saga’s partner.This game highlights just how good both narrative storytelling, and performances have gotten in video games, while also being a tough achievement to top. Here’s hoping Alan’s story is able totransition well to the big screen.
Alan Wake 2is available to buy on the Epic Games Store in the U.S.
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Developed by Rockstar Games
While Rockstar has always excelled at delivering extremely compelling narratives in their games,Red Dead Redemption 2ison a whole other level. Taking place before the events of the first game, it tells the story of Arthur Morgan (Roger Clark), an outlaw and member of the Van der Linde gang, a group of criminals on the run from the law after a failed heist. For years, Morgan’s mentor has been the leader of the gang, Dutch van der Linde (Benjamin Byron Davis), but as things get increasingly more chaotic, Arthur begins to question their way of life.
Arthur’s transformation is one of the best story arcs in any video game, due in large part to the strength of Roger Clark’s performance. Clark makes the remorseful killer shockingly empathetic, which is no small feat considering how many acts of violence he commits throughout the course of the game’s hefty playtime. Benjamin Byron Davis also deserves a ton of credit for his performance as Dutch.It is incredibly interesting to watch his character’s veneer fallover the course of the game, as it becomes increasingly clear that Dutch is losing control over the situation. Quite simply, the performances inRed Dead Redemption 2aren’t just some of the greatest performances in video games, but they’resome of the greatest performances in any entertainment medium.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available to buy on Amazon in the U.S.
