General Zelda Voice Acting

[Ventus]

Yes, the time has come for yet another thread on voice acting. Where do you stand? Should Zelda receive full voice acting at some point in the future? Why/why not?

My own opinion is that yes, the series is long over due on fully voiced cinematics and what not. I was doing some looking up of the KHWiki when I remembered to look up this specific cutscene from Kingdom Hearts II:
[video=youtube;3MGR1Io4UTg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3MGR1Io4UTg#at=161[/video]

Really, I understood a lot of Sora's naivete thanks to the voices. It aids me in more ways than one to understand characters personally when I hear their voices rather than reading text. This kind of stuff would transfer to Zelda pretty well. It also helps that I don't see Zelda in its own tier post-Twilight Princess.

 

[ihateghirahim]

A- this deserves a pool

B- Never. Voice Acting will lead to bad voice acting, and a removal of the focus from the actual lines and gameplay. It's a distraction I'm glad Zelda, and most Nintendo games, have done without. The game just works and feels much better with text boxes (or are gamers too lazy to read?) and sound effects. It's nice to live without frankly irratating line delivery. I know it has worked in some games, but Zelda really needs to keep the tradition and steer clear.


Don't believe me? Listen to the grade A voice acting in Metroid Other M an Super Mario Sunshine.

 

[DarkestLink]

No.

1) I hate voice acting.

2) Nintendo has a bad track record with voice acting. If they won't give MARIO decent voice acting, Zelda stands no chance.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

nintendo hasn't really been known to have professional voice acting in their games,the best they can do is ok
of course its their call

 

[tketle]

My opinion is pretty simple: If they don't have voice acting, they can't screw up voice acting. I don't really feel like the series is missing anything without it anyway.

 

[JuicieJ]

Ven, you should know better than to start up a thread that has been done so many times that it's impossible to count. Bad boy. Bad.

...But to be a good sport: Voice Acting and Zelda (my 1+ year-old article on the topic).

1) I hate voice acting.

You are one special person, aren't you?

Don't believe me? Listen to the grade A voice acting in Metroid Other M an Super Mario Sunshine.

Other M's voice acting was actually pretty good. It wasn't life-changing, but it certainly wasn't bad by any means. I really don't get the criticism behind it, especially when Prime 3's voice acting is clearly inferior, yet no one criticizes it. That's not to say its voice acting is bad -- I praised it in my article, after all -- but still.

 

[Mangachick14]

No. I think the way Zelda is now, in terms of voice acting, is just fine. To me, it would almost seem odd for there to be full voice acting. Plus, if the voice acting isn't done well, it can really spoil any sort of seriousness the game was going for.

 

[ProtagonistJake]

If there was

It'd have to be random gibberish like Minda in TP or all of Okami's character

They'd be speaking Hylian, and would add unique personality without them needing to worry about how well acted it was in every language.
Wish more cartoony games would do this honestly.

 

[Salem]

I support voice acting, only in the condition that Link doesn't talk no matter what, but he can grunt and shout and whatever.

The reason support voice acting is not because of cinematics and stuff, no but it's because since we don't have to read dialogue in cutscenes anymore, Nintendo can design scenarios where we can just listen to characters talk and play the game without needing to pause and thus break the game's flow.

Also, just because Nintendo screwed up with Voice acting before doesn't mean they will always screw up and forever, I mean have anyone played the 3DS Kid Icarus game???? This is how I wish for story to be handled, gameplay and dialogue at the same time.

 

[Hoff123]

NPC's: Talk!
Link: Shut up!

 

[Big Octo]

Voice acting in future games? I sure, go for it!

Sure, maybe Nintendo had one or two games where the VA's weren't up to their standards, but they also have a fair number of games with quality voice acting. This time around, I would trust Nintendo to do the voice acting well.

As for how it's done, I don't want it to be Hylian or some other gibberish language. I would rather have it be fully voiced for every region. Personally, I think this would make NPCs come to life more. Sure, they may have an established personality, but giving them the matching voice would only improve things in my eyes. Also, in some cutscenes it just seems awkward when the characters are not actually saying anything, but are still moving their mouths and gesticulating. This is especially prevelent when the characters is angry, but not actually making any noise.

Now we come to Link. One of the main arguments against voice acting. Well, here's something I think, but it may not reflect much of the fanbase: I never felt connected through Link, nor have I ever felt like I conveyed my emotions through him. And I've tried, but it just doesn't seem to work for me. In some games, this just makes cutscenes and other emotional situations strange, especially in Ocarina of Time. Whenever Link doesn't react to an important event and he's just standing there with a blank look, it just makes me want to see him with his own personality. Fortunately, in later games, Link is given more emotional reaction. I found this especially prevelant in The Wind Waker. You can tell through the cutscenes and such that he actually has more of a personality. Nonetheless, it could still be improved upon. Now, where am I going with this personality thing? Well, I'm saying that I would very much like to see Link with his own personality, complete with voice acting. Personally, this would just improve his character for me. However, this is just my opinion on the matter, I know many disagree with me. Also, I guess you could say I'm content with the Link we still have, and would be fine if he is kept the way he is.

Bringing it back together, I'd like most or every NPC to be voiced. If Link is voiced, then great, but if he's not, the that's okay. In either situation, I trust Nintendo in doing well with voice acting for this series.

 

[onebizarrekai]

I wouldn't mind voice acting at all… as long as it isn't crappy.

 

[Salem]

As for how it's done, I don't want it to be Hylian or some other gibberish language.

Yeah, I don't like it when they use made up languages, it will probably be the same as not having voice because either way, we'll end up reading rather than listening.

Now we come to Link. One of the main arguments against voice acting. Well, here's something I think, but it may not reflect much of the fanbase: I never felt connected through Link, nor have I ever felt like I conveyed my emotions through him. And I've tried, but it just doesn't seem to work for me. In some games, this just makes cutscenes and other emotional situations strange, especially in Ocarina of Time. Whenever Link doesn't react to an important event and he's just standing there with a blank look, it just makes me want to see him with his own personality. Fortunately, in later games, Link is given more emotional reaction. I found this especially prevelant in The Wind Waker. You can tell through the cutscenes and such that he actually has more of a personality. Nonetheless, it could still be improved upon. Now, where am I going with this personality thing? Well, I'm saying that I would very much like to see Link with his own personality, complete with voice acting. Personally, this would just improve his character for me. However, this is just my opinion on the matter, I know many disagree with me.

I probably completely disagree with you there.

 

[ProtagonistJake]

Yea, i don't like it when they use made, it will probably be the same as not having voice because either way, we'll end up reading rather than listening.

Whats so wrong with that though?
Why is reading such an issue if it adds to the personality of the game?

Are you gonna say it detracted from the characters of Okami, that the gibbersh wasn't good enough?
That Minda's personality wasn't enhanced with the gibberish?
That all Japanese subs are lessened cause we have to read?

Cause bad voice actors ruin the immersion much more than good voice actors enhance it.
Gibberish allows for a universal cast that can put the right tone and personality behind the gibberish.
If you just don't like having reading... well, I dunno what to tell you there.

All I know is reading isnt immersion breaking, otherwise no book ever could be considered immersive

 

[JuicieJ]

Also, juts because Nintendo screwed up with Voice acting before doesn't mean they will always screw up and forever, I mean have anyone played the 3DS Kid Icarus game???? This is how I wish for story to be handled, gameplay and dialogue at the same time.

Oh, yeah, that game had GREAT voice acting. I forgot about that. XP