Video games have evolved a lot since the first one climbed out of the primordial goo in 1958. The first was actually played on an oscilloscope. Years later, there was Pong and Asteroids. No characters, no talking. These days, however, players demand realism, and you can't have realism without video game voices, no matter what anyone tells you.



When a character is hit, you can't expect him to just take it silently. Where's the fun in that? Whether you are the one being hit or doing the hitting, hearing that “Oomph!” right afterwards is satisfying. It makes you think that something's at stake. That's where video game voices come in.

Then, of course, you have to have narrators as well. Between the fight scenes on a lot of games, you have a storyline, and someone has to explain it. Video game voices are about a lot more than just talking crap, although that is a fun part of the whole thing. Can you imagine Muhammad Ali without his famous lines? He would make a great video game character, because he is the kind of person that goes great with video game voices.

Besides, video game voices add a touch of reality to the game. They do this by allowing the player to use more of his senses. We're not as in tune with the smells around us as we are to sights and sounds, which is why no one has yet invented a viable way to add smell to the experience, though it's probably coming. But there is something weird and unnatural about people who never say anything. You don't want people to think that about your characters, so give them video game voices. It will have a dramatic effect on them.

If you use the right video game voices, they will add a lot of personality to your characters. Movie producers have understood the power of the voice for a long time, which is why we no longer watch silent films. It's much more natural to listen to speech than to read text. Voices stay with you a lot longer than text does. And if text does stay with someone, it's because it made them hear a voice. The right video game voices will work a lot like commercial jingles in your players' minds. This will give them a truly memorable experience and call them back to the game again and again.