It’s been a tricky few years for voice actors. Whereas it’s maybe by no means been extra apparent how a lot worth they supply to a recreation’s characters and story – the massive success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and its beloved solid put the occupation in maybe the brightest highlight it’s ever had – voice actors and movement seize performers face a frightening menace in synthetic intelligence. That’s simply one of many explanation why we wished to honor the artwork of efficiency on this yr’s IGN Awards. Actors carry our video games to life, and our digital worlds could be poorer with out them.
As with our different awards, we requested the IGN crew to appoint their favorite performances from throughout the previous 12 months, after which all of us voted for which one we felt was the perfect instance. These are our picks for the very best particular person performances in video video games this yr:
Runner-Up – Erika Ishii (Atsu, Ghost of Yotei)
The position of a revenge-seeking samurai is well-trodden floor, however Erika Ishii breathed refreshing new life into Atsu, the protagonist of Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Yotei. Lending the character a plausible “tough across the edges” really feel, Ishii ensures that Atsu’s bloodlust has depth.
Runner-Up – Aaron Paul (Robert Robertson, Dispatch)
In contrast to Hollywood, which has lengthy solid animated films utilizing movie star film stars, video video games have predominantly held onto the concept that voice performing and efficiency seize is a definite talent, and that hiring individuals who specialise in that’s the technique to go. However whereas Dispatch options trade titans like Laura Bailey and Matthew Mercer, it’s display actor Aaron Paul who’s the standout; our evaluate explains that he is capable of ship “a nuanced efficiency as a person struggling to carry onto his optimism whereas reconciling with who he’s outdoors of his large mech swimsuit.”
Runner–Up – Konatsu Kato (Hinako Shimizu, Silent Hill f)
Lending each her voice and likeness to Silent Hill f’s protagonist Hinako Shimizu, Konatsu Kato dropped at life one of many sequence’ most tortured heroes. Whereas many people could have relied on subtitles to grasp her Japanese-language strains, her supply helped instill each scene with the heavy, complicated feelings supposed by the script’s nuanced story.
Runner-Up – Ben Starr (Verso, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
In Verso, Ben Starr was capable of take the gruff, darkish hero voice he adopted for Clive in Ultimate Fantasy 16 and ideal it. The maturity of Expedition 33’s themes, notably in its last act, enable for Starr to discover a personality who should experience tragedy, however who carries sufficient optimism and conviction to by no means enable the darkish to obscure the sunshine.
Winner – Jennifer English (Maelle, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Maelle is the guts of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and a significant motive her journey rings so true is Jennifer English’s efficiency. Grief is a troublesome emotion to wrestle with, particularly when it’s a part of a narrative that fortunately leans into the melodramatic, however English retains Maelle eternally grounded and fully plausible. Expedition 33 could also be a recreation with flashy fight, monstrous deities, and a military of goofy paintbrush folks, however what it’s actually about is the human situation and, extra particularly, how we cope with loss. As Maelle, Jennifer English ensures that Clair Obscur’s loftier, extra literary themes and ambitions are by no means misplaced among the many extra video game-y, JRPG-inspired tropes.
Whereas particular person performances are essential, a powerful ensemble solid will help carry a degree of constant immersion to a fictional world. When everybody in an ensemble offers their A-game, there’s no fracture in your perception that these online game characters are real folks. Our picks for the very best online game ensemble solid are:
- Runner-Up – Ghost of Yotei
- Runner-Up – Hades 2
- Runner-Up – Dispatch
- Runner-Up – Demise Stranding 2: On the Seaside
- Winner – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Congratulations to Jennifer English, your complete solid of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and the crew at Sandfall Interactive, in addition to the casts and improvement groups of all of the video games we nominated. For extra from the IGN Awards 2025, make sure you try our full checklist of winners.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s Government Editor of Options.