Summary
It seems like video games are one of the last true bastions left for actual voice actors to shine, particularly in contrast to animated movies that tend to prioritize celebrity star power over all else with their voice casts. No shade, of course.The Super Mario Bros. Moviewas a perfectly fine Minions film.
But aside from the household names like Troy Baker, Laura Bailey, and Nolan North, there are plenty of slightly lesser-known voice actors in gaming who play some of your favorite characters. It turns out they can’t stop at just one, either.
10Cassandra Lee Morris
You’ve heard Cassandra Lee Morris wheneverPersona 5’s cat-like Morganawould brag about his battle prowess just before getting knocked out again. But that isn’t the only famous series she’s had a hand in.
You can also hear her as Elora the Faun inSpyroReignited Trilogy, adding a more playful side to the character since the original. That would be impressive on its own, but on top of it all, she appears in thePokemon Masters EXmobile game as the popular young trainer Iris, who is usually played by Eileen Stevens; hey, sometimes your voice changes for a day or so too.
9Yuri Lowenthal
Yuri Lowenthal is arguably one of the most prolific voice actors out there. He recently stepped into the spotlight for his excellent performance as the friendly neighborhood webhead himself inMarvel’s Spider-Manand its sequels, a character that he has played on and off since 2010.
Not only is he married to fellow voice actor Tara Platt (who ironically plays Yuri in those same Spider-Man games), but he’s also been around the block for decades at this point. You might recognize him as Cecil Harvey from more recent iterations ofFinal Fantasy 4, plus he’s even been playingCastlevania’s resident palindrome enthusiast Alucard since 2007.
8Suzie Yeung
After only being in the business for a short decade, Suzie Yeung has quickly made her mark. Though perhaps she’s been more subtle about it thaneverybody’s sibling Yuffie Kisaragi, whom she’s been playing inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthand the rest of the Remake series.
In that same short time, she’s also found herself as part of the long-awaitedPersona 3 Reloadas team tactician Fuuka Yamagishi. But if that isn’t enough, you’ll also hear her as the ruthless Avatar: The Last Airbender villain Azula inNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2; can you imagine if those two switched places?
7George Newbern
While many video game voice actors tend to take the role equivalent of throwing spaghetti at the wall, George Newbern somehow nabbed two of the biggest possible names and decided that was fine. It’s nice to know what you want.
You’ve likely heard him as Superman in various games like theInjusticeseries andMultiVersus, and he’s actually been playing the character since 2000. But arguably even more impressive, he spent years as the official voice ofFinal Fantasy 7villain and fanfic darling Sephiroth; despite Tyler Hoechlin taking over admirably in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, many fans still consider Newbern the true voice of this silky-haired monster.
6Erica Lindbeck
Persona 5 made you wait to meet Futaba Sakura, making Erica Lindbeck’s delightfully passionate performance as the neurodivergent genius hit even harder. It’s arguably her best-known role, but what about the rest? Well, take your pick.
Lindbeck also contributed to severalSonic the Hedgehoggames since 2019 as Blaze the Cat, and she also showed her range as your friend and spiritual confidant Misty inCyberpunk 2077. That’s not to mention Captain Marvel in Marvel’sMidnight Suns, a game that deserved far better sales considering it lets you pet a hellhound.
5Kaiji Tang
Chinese-born voice actor Kaiji Tang deserves praise for proving that the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series can be just as good with an English dub. His enthusiastic take on protagonist Ichiban Kasuga inYakuza: Like a DragonandLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthis all the evidence you need.
But apparently, one iconic series wasn’t enough to slake his dramatic thirst, and you may hear him as Sub-Zero himself inMortal Kombat 1(not the first one, the one with one in the title. Simple.) However, it quite possibly pales to his foray into the PokemonDetective Pikachugames as their titular fuzzy sleuth.
4Matthew Mercer
You know that one friend who jogs every morning and makes you exhausted just to look at them? That’s Matthew Mercer to the voice acting world. Previously seen by many as the guy you turn to when Troy Baker is busy, now people have rightfully realizedCritical Role’s illustrious Dungeon Masteris a proper first choice.
What series hasn’t he touched? He’s been Vincent Valentine in Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, chaos gremlin of a human Goro Majima in the later Like A Dragon games, freaking Ganondorf inThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and the list goes on. Is he actually human? Don’t worry about it.
3Jen Taylor
If Jen Taylor had only been the voice of Cortana in theHaloseries, she would have found herself cozily among the ranks of people who get oddly enthusiastic receptions at Comic Con signing booths. But even well before anybody looked at the four lights, she had her foot far in the door.
Taylor was the official voice of Princess Peach in theSuper Mariogames from 1999 to 2008, and yes, that includes Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. During that same time, she played both Toad and Toadette as well, contributing to that trademark high and scratchy voice you definitely hurt yourself trying to replicate at some point.
2Roger Craig Smith
If you’ve played a Sonic the Hedgehog game, odds are you’ve also been to DeviantArt. But besides that, you’ve most likely heard Roger Craig Smith as the blue blur himself, as he arguably remains Sonic’s most iconic voice actor after taking over the role from Jason Griffith in 2010 and hanging on for dear life.
This made things particularly interesting when he introduced the world toAssassin’s Creed2 hero Ezio Auditore da Firenze; yes, that was the same guy. He’s been around the block a few times, even stopping to pick up a credit as Batman himself inthe underrated Batman: Arkham Origins. Maybe the store was out of milk.
1Jennifer Hale
Few people can claim as many roles, voice or otherwise, as Jennifer Hale. She was already royalty in the field when she took on the part of female Commander Shepard in theMass Effectgames, and like Shep herself, she refused to slow down.
You might remember Hale as Bastila Shan in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic way back in 2003. But jump to any point and you’ll dig up more solid gold. Samus Aran inMetroid Prime(albeit just her battle grunts), Rivet inRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart, as well as taking over the title role inBayonetta 3; Hale is a true legend of voice acting, even more than the Wilhelm scream guy.
