It’s award season here at Twinfinite! Let’s look back at the best video game voice actors of 2019. Voted on by our editors, these were the best performances that really helped to bring life to the video games they were in.
Let’s start with some honorable mentions, and then our top vote-getting runner-ups, and finally, of course, our overall winner!
Best Voice Actors of 2019
Honorable Mention: Haley Joel Osment as Sora (Kingdom Hearts III)
Features Editor Greysun Morales: Square Enix somehow managed to wrap up the Xehanort Saga in Kingdom Hearts 3 with a gorgeous bow. Well, there are tons of questions still needing to be answered but the third numbered entry was still a fantastic adventure through gorgeous Disney Worlds led by Sora, who, after over 15 years, still manages to bring his charisma and good spirit into the universe.
Being voiced by Haley Joel Osment, Sora is still and will always be the best part of the Kingdom Hearts universe and it’s really all thanks to Haley’s voice work over the years. Sora is the shining light in all of the dark-sided events happening in his world and even when things seem bleaker than ever, the player knows that Sora will laugh and/or smile through it all, keeping everyone sane and in a positive mindset.
Sora represents everything good in the world and Haley brings that out of him by using his fantastic voice to portray the kind-hearted hero.
Best Voice Actors of 2019
Honorable Mention: Troy Baker as Higgs (Death Stranding)
News Editor Giuseppe Nelva: It’s difficult to talk about Troy Baker’s role as Death Stranding‘s Higgs without going into massive spoilers, but it’s obvious that he has a knack for bad guys. While many might know him for playing some pretty decent fellas, Baker can play the psycho better than most.
His performance as Higgs has many layers, which isn’t something easy to achieve when you give life to this kind of character. There is always an undertone of mockery mixed with nearly friendly teasing which proves almost endearing. I’ve found myself looking forward to the next cutscene featuring Higgs for basically the whole game.
Especially in video games, when actors become really popular, they tend to feel like they’re everywhere. Troy Baker indeed plays a whole lot of roles, but his flexibility and range are extremely solid. As a result, he doesn’t feel nearly as overused as many others, despite possibly playing more high-profile roles than most.
Higgs is another piece of evidence of that flexibility, and the fact that this time around the character actually bears the actor’s face adds further value to this awesome performance.
While every time he appears, he’s definitely bad news, he’s a joy to watch and listen.
Best Voice Actors of 2019
Second Runner-Up: Norman Reedus as Sam (Death Stranding)
Senior Editor Alex Gibson: When Hideo Kojima and Norman Reedus’ enticing collaboration on the ill-fated PT project was declared canceled, the gaming community let out a sigh so loud it shook the internet. Thankfully, our mourning didn’t last long before the dynamic duo were rolled out anew for Death Stranding.
Norman Reedus has now made his long-overdue appearance in a AAA video game project, and he certainly delivered. What an extraordinary debut Death Stranding was, and it’s to Reedus’ credit that his voice and mo-cap performance is as equally memorable as the game’s bizarre story and setting.
Reedus has an air of nonchalance about his demeanor that he so appropriately injects into Sam Porter Bridges’ character. But the brilliance of his performance is how he manages to convey Sam’s emotional roller coaster throughout his epic journey.
Celebrating this particular triumph is difficult without delving into spoilers, but I was impressed that Sam’s character development wasn’t as cheesy and predictable as I almost thought it was going to be during Death Stranding’s final hours. Reedus’ skill in oscillating between these highs and lows has me hungry for me video game performances from him moving forward.
Best Voice Actors of 2019
First Runner-Up: Ashly Burch as Parvati (The Outer Worlds)
Guides Editor Chris Jecks: If there’s one character that’s won over the internet this year it’s… no, not baby yoda… PARVATI!
A naive and sheltered mechanic in Edgewater, initially just tasked with helping you divert power from a Geothermal Plant. Not much later, though, Parvati is excitedly rambling about your ship and nervously asking you if you may perhaps need a hand and some company on your space adventure.
Much like us, the player, Parvati is naive to the world around her. She’s clueless of what lies outside the boundaries of Edgewater and on foreign planets. She’s never left the town, and so on our journey, Parvati is the relatable character, offering up all the excited, surprised, scared, and angry reactions that we as new travelers among the stars would likely have ourselves.
All of this, combined with the nature in which Parvati’s asexuality is explored makes her one of the most memorable characters, but she wouldn’t quite be the same if it wasn’t for Ashley Burch.
The voice actor best known for her roles as Chloe in Life Is Strange and Tina in Borderlands has returned to the booth, this time to voice a truly sincere character.
Every line Parvati comes out with is dripping with her own blend of excitement, surprise, and anxiety. There’s a nervous energy in her voice that goes hand-by-hand with what’s being said. And it makes for one of the most memorable side characters in a game not just this year, but this generation for certain.
Parvati is an excellently-written character, but it’s Ashly Burch that brings her to life in a way that nobody else possibly could. Her own personal flair and style is exactly what this novice space explorer needed, and our time planet hopping in Outer Worlds was all the better for it.
Best Voice Actors of 2019
Winner: Mads Mikkelsen as Cliff (Death Stranding)
Reviews Editor Zhiqing Wan: Mads Mikkelsen is an incredibly talented actor, so of course it should come as no surprise that he’d play the part of Clifford Unger so well. But then again, we all thought Peter Dinklage would be amazing as Ghost in Destiny, and look how that turned out.
Anyway, the overall archetype of Cliff Unger isn’t necessarily very complex or hard to understand, but Mikkelsen lends a real sense of strength to this character, making him feel grounded. Even the most ridiculous-sounding lines (“Give me back my BB!”) are delivered with gusto and so much conviction that whenever Cliff claims that he loves his son, you believe him.
Each time he appears onscreen, Cliff simply commands the stage and makes sure that he has your rapt attention. Mikkelsen’s strong presence is undeniable here, and before long, you’ll find yourself hanging on his every word.
Mikkelsen’s line delivery and motion capture performance is astounding in Death Stranding; it truly feels like you’re watching him step so seamlessly into a role and you can’t help but be mesmerized by him.
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