It’s been a troublesome 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 large success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and its beloved forged put the occupation in maybe the brightest highlight it’s ever had – voice actors and movement seize performers face a frightening risk in synthetic intelligence. That’s simply one of many explanation why we needed to honor the artwork of efficiency on this yr’s IGN Awards. Actors convey our video games to life, and our digital worlds can be poorer with out them.
As with our different awards, we requested the IGN workforce to appoint their favorite performances from throughout the previous 12 months, after which all of us voted for which one we felt was the easiest instance. These are our picks for the most effective particular person performances in video video games this yr:
Runner-Up – Erika Ishii (Atsu, Ghost of Yotei)
The function 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)
Not like Hollywood, which has lengthy forged animated motion pictures utilizing superstar film stars, video video games have predominantly held onto the concept voice appearing and efficiency seize is a definite ability, and that hiring individuals who specialise in that’s the strategy to go. However whereas Dispatch options trade titans like Laura Bailey and Matthew Mercer, it’s display screen actor Aaron Paul who’s the standout; our assessment 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 big mech go well with.”
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 collection’ 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, advanced 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 closing act, enable for Starr to discover a personality who should enjoy 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 center of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and a significant motive her journey rings so true is Jennifer English’s efficiency. Grief is a tough 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 utterly plausible. Expedition 33 could also be a recreation with flashy fight, monstrous deities, and a military of goofy paintbrush individuals, 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 vital, a robust ensemble forged can assist convey a degree of constant immersion to a fictional world. When everybody in an ensemble provides their A-game, there’s no fracture in your perception that these online game characters are real individuals. Our picks for the most effective online game ensemble forged are:
Runner-Up – Ghost of YoteiRunner-Up – Hades 2Runner-Up – DispatchRunner-Up – Loss of life Stranding 2: On the BeachWinner – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Congratulations to Jennifer English, your entire forged of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and the workforce 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, you should definitely try our full checklist of winners.
IGN Awards 2025: The Winners
Need to know extra about every award? Our devoted awards pages are a deeper dive into every class, revealing the factors for every award and our ideas on the large winners (and most of the runner-ups, too!)
Matt Purslow is IGN’s Govt Editor of Options.
