A great game is not just about its graphics or story. Performances like Roger Clark's Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2 and Christopher Judge's Kratos in God of War show how powerful voice acting can turn characters into gaming icons.

As games became more cinematic, voice acting evolved from a supporting feature into one of the most important parts of character storytelling.

GCML presents some of the greatest video game voice actors of all time.

15. Camilla Luddington

Camilla Luddington took the role of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider Reboot in a challenging era. But she made the role her own. She perfectly portrayed a younger and more vulnerable Lara across Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

14. Ashly Burch

Ashly Burch's contribution to shaping Aloy in the Horizon series made her one of the most iconic voices in the gaming industry. Other than that, she played Tiny Tina in Borderlands and Chloe Price in Life is Strange.

13. David Hayter

Many players think David Hayter is Solid Snake himself. His gravelly delivery became a defining part of the Metal Gear Solid franchise. And thus, Snake became one of gaming's most iconic characters.

12. Tara Strong

Tara Strong's video game resume boasts hundreds of roles, stretching across decades. Her versatility spans comedic (Harley Quinn) to dramatic (Rikku) roles.

11. Christopher Judge

Kratos reinvented himself in the GoW reboot in 2018, and Christopher Judge's deep and resonant voice gave it a perfect platform for that. His performance added emotional depth and maturity to the Spartan warrior.

10. Roger Clark

Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most celebrated titles in the gaming world, and one of the major reasons behind that is Arthur Morgan's epic character arc. Thanks to Roger Clark, who is the one who brought the iconic character to life.

9. Ellen McLain

GLaDOS became one of gaming's most popular antagonists, and credit goes to Ellen McLain. Be it sarcasm, humor, or menace, McLain balanced everything and gave brilliant performances in Portal and Portal 2.

8. Yuri Lowenthal

We have seen Yuri Lowenthal in hundreds of games. But his portrayal of Peter Parker in Marvel’s Spider-Man is what made him break his own barriers of excellence. He is also known for roles in Prince of Persia and numerous anime-inspired games.

7. Ashley Johnson

The Last of Us series features many characters. But Ellie had a different fanbase compared to others. And one of the main reasons behind that was Ashley Johnson's performance. Her work across both games showcased Ellie’s growth from a curious teenager into a hardened survivor.

6. Matthew Mercer

Leon Kennedy, Cole Cassidy, or characters in Baldur’s Gate 3, Matthew Mercer is the go-to voice for these iconic roles. That's why the voice actor has one of the most diverse portfolios in gaming.

5. Jennifer Hale

When it comes to female voice acting in gaming, Jennifer Hale is regarded as one of the most influential. Her portrayal of the female version of Commander Shepard in Mass Effect remains a benchmark for player-driven storytelling and character performance.

4. Laura Bailey

Very few voice actors could handle both dramatic and lighthearted roles. Laura Bailey was one of them, as she gave her voice to many blockbuster titles such as The Last of Us, World of Warcraft, Marvel's Spider-Man, and NieR.

3. Troy Baker

Troy Baker was one of the most prominent voice actors in the gaming industry. From Joel in The Last of Us to Booker DeWitt in BioShock Infinite and Pagan Min in Far Cry 4, he didn't just play the characters, he made them iconic.

2. Nolan North

Nolan North has actually become synonymous with modern gaming. He is best known as Nathan Drake in the Uncharted series.

Along with that, there are hundreds of games across franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Destiny, Call of Duty, Batman, and more, which feature the name of North in their post-credit scenes.

1. Charles Martinet

Arguably the greatest voice actor in the history of video games. His performances as Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi actually defined Nintendo's most famous characters for generations.

Read more at Gaming Community by Max Level!

Written by

Nilendu Brahma

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav