When it comes to immersion, nothing beats a well-written video game with decent visuals and an overarching all-encompassing plot. What helps with building that experience is a dedicated cast of individuals who can deliver powerful vocal performances to help you better emulate that world for you.
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So, most video game developers recognize just how essential hiring a good team of voice actors can be to make sure your game is a success not just at home but overseas too. Despite developing games for a Japanese audience, some studios focus on catering to a far more general audience, and wind up hiring people with fairly memorable voices and exceptional talent.
10 Ghostwire Tokyo
Ghouls, demons, a detailed city, and some killer graphics. How can you go wrong with Ghostwire Tokyo and its captivating setting? Scouring the streets of Shibuya and fending off several Yokai as they terrorize the roads is easier said than done, but doing it while you’re not breaking the immersion by having to read the subtitles might make the experience a little more enjoyable.
Most people don’t know it, but you can switch up the dialogues if you tinker with the game’s settings. Sure it’d be surprising hearing people talk in English while you’re in Japan but the voice acting’s top-notch and actually worth a playthrough.
9 The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Most of the Ace Attorney games don’t rely on voice acting as much. All you usually hear are people saying “Objection” and “Hold it!” over and over again. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles features more or less the same kind of gameplay but with an added twist.
There's a dedicated British cast voicing team, and there’s even a narrated cutscene to immerse you into the game’s universe. The cast did a splendid job with clear crisp voices full of emotion and precise enunciation, thus bringing this detective game to life.
8 Nier: Automata
A dystopian future with almost no humans and a world overrun by machines created by aliens may lack opportunities for characters to interact with each other, but Nier: Automata teaches you there’s more to the androids than you previously thought.
The voice acting cast did a splendid job for the English dub; it's just as believable and immersive as the Japanese lineup’s work. As cold and robotic as the setting may seem, the character interactions have an emotional depth to them.
7 Persona 5
Persona 5 is perhaps one of the most popular JRPGs ever, and the Persona series has never shied away from delivering stories that enthrall and evoke feelings. Nothing helps the game do that better than the dialogue the characters used to convey their uniqueness.
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Since it’s so popular in the West, the dub is great too. You can tell the studio really wanted to cater to that audience as well as their Japanese fans.
6 Final Fantasy 12
As one of the most celebrated turn-based RPG series ever, Final Fantasy has always been the gold standard for top-notch console-pushing graphics and emotional scenes that evoke a sense of familiarity with the characters.
So, with the 12th installment to the series, the focus on providing you with an experience you won’t forget in your own native tongue was a conscious decision that they hired experienced professionals for. The dub is just as enjoyable as an experience as the sub.
5 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel
A game with tons of likable characters needs a dub crew that can bring those characters to life, and TLOH delivers on that and more when it came to featuring a cast that fits in line with the themes of the video game.
The voices are vibrant, diverse, and playful at times. You can tell a lot of dedication and commitment went into each performance and that in turn makes it quite a memorable experience.
4 The Tales Series
It’s easy to get attached to video game characters if they have their own voice, and the Tales series of games definitely focuses on that aspect of human connection more than anything. Relatable characters are important for any fantasy-based RPG, and the Tales series nails that.
From bewildering knights to lowly orcs, there are tons of voices to fill in the roles for. The game doesn't shy away when it comes to making sure you immerse yourself in the world created, despite speaking another language.
3 Danganronpa 3
You’d be surprised to hear it, but, according to most of the fanbase, the Danganronpa series has some great English VAs working on the video games and the appreciation for their work isn’t as divided as it is for most other JRPGs, although the third installment featured some of the best performances in the series yet.
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From NPCs to down-right annoying side characters, love ‘em or hate ‘em, you won’t find it hard to believe just how invested the voices make you feel.
2 Yakuza 7
You can’t expect a team of talented voice actors to naturally nail down the hype and excitement some characters are written to exude, but, fortunately for you, the Yakuza 7’s English voice acting crew definitely outdid themselves when it came to delivering their performances for this whacky game.
You can feel the energy in their tone, and the heart they put into each dialogue sequence. It’s well-liked and enjoyable regardless of the setting.
1 Kingdom Hearts
How can you expect to miss out on experiencing a game full of Disney characters without listening to the actual voice actors working on the project? Sure the Japanese team probably did a great job when it came down to it, but you just can’t ignore the excitement that comes from hearing those iconic voices that came to define the animated characters for you.
With the voice acting talents of people like Jodi Benson, Kristen Bell, Tony Anselmo, and more, the Engish dub is charming and certainly full of nostalgia.
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