Robert Englund, Mark Hamill, and Loads More Announced for Master of Orion

[Lizzy Finnegan]

Robert Englund, Mark Hamill, and Loads More Announced for Master of Orion

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All-star voice line-up announced for Master of Orion reboot.

Let me know if you've heard this one: Luke Skywalker, Freddy Krueger, and Murdock walk into a studio...

In a press release today, WG Labs revealed the star-studded cast for upcoming reboot of Master of Orion, with Troy Baker, Nolan North, Mark Hamill, Robert Englund, and Dwight Schultz being some of the big names lending their voices to the game.

"In addition to AAA graphics and updated gameplay, the renowned 4X strategy game delivers an amazing voice cast comprised of legendary actors from science fiction, horror and video games," the press release reads. "This carefully selected ensemble of talented performers has been recruited to bring the iconic aliens, robots and celestial entities from Master of Orion to life."

In addition, the press release stated that early access will become available on February 26, with the purchase of the $49.99 Collector's Edition [http://masteroforion.com/editions] that is. The Collector's Edition will include the first three Master of Orion titles, retro pixel ship skins, a digital artbook, a "modernized orchestral soundtrack" by the original composer, and an exclusive new race.

"The original Master of Orion captured the hearts of gamers with solid gameplay and a rich,
diverse universe where every choice makes a difference," stated Chris Keeling, Director of
Product Vision at WG Labs. "Having some of the most iconic science fiction, horror and video
game voice talent lending their skills to the game only helps us realize this amazing universe in
even more exciting ways."

You can check out the full announced cast below, as well as the announcement video:


Troy Baker: Klackon Advisor, Psilon Emperor
J.B. Blanc: Bulrathi Advisor, Meklar Advisor, Meklar Emperor
Kat Cressida: Mrrshan Empress
John de Lancie: Human Emperor
Michael Dorn: Narrator
Robert Englund: Terran Emperor
Nika Futterman: Darlok Advisor, Mrrshan Advisor
Jean Gilpin: Klackon Emperor
Mark Hamill: Alkari Emperor
John Kassir: Alkari Advisor
Misty Lee:, Silicoid Advisor
Sumalee Montano: Terran Advisor
Nolan North: Darlok Emperor, Sakkra Emperor
Dwight Schultz: GNN Anchor
Roger Craig Smith: Sakkra Advisor
Fred Tatasciore: Bulrathi Emperor, Silicoid Emperor
Alan Tudyk: Psilon Advisor
Kari Wahlgren: Human Advisor, GNN Anchor

Permalink

 

[Dreph]

I admit I might be in the minority here, but why? This is a 4x turn based strategy game, why do you spend what must be a huge amount of money on a part of the game that is tangential to the main game play?

Again I could be wrong, but I don't think anyone is going to go "Hey cool Worf is narrating. I'm going to go buy this game based on that!"

 

[tacotrainwreck]

All very nice, but hardly necessary. As long as it stays as far as possible from Master of Orion 3 formula, we're good. Hell, every character could be voiced by Tommy Wiseau and I still wouldn't have a problem.

 

[The Enquirer]

Hell, every character could be voiced by Tommy Wiseau and I still wouldn't have a problem.

"You are tearing my ship apart Lisa!"

OT: As others have said, cool, but hardly necessary.

 

[lancar]

I'm far, FAR, more concerned about what they're gonna do about the ship combat system.
Is it going to be a tactical affair like it MoO 2, or the usual boring autocalc "cinematic" most other 4x space games use?

I sincerely hope it's the former. I don't need a deep focus on it like in XCOM or Total War (MoO has always been more about strategic aspect), but I definitely want to see it be a part of the game.

 

[Jadak]

I admit I might be in the minority here, but why? This is a 4x turn based strategy game, why do you spend what must be a huge amount of money on a part of the game that is tangential to the main game play?

Agreed. On the one hand, I'm happy they've got the budget to be spending money on things like extensive voice acting. On the other hand, it's the sort of thing that always makes me concerned the focus is too much on flashy surface appeal while deep gameplay will be lacking.

 

[BoogieManFL]

If that means the diplomacy and interaction between the races is more in depth I'm all for it. That's a good list of voice actors.


Also... Terran Emperor and Human Emperor? What's the deal with that?

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

I once again look forward to having the smallest military, but the most powerful intelligence network in the galaxy. I never fought a single engagement. I always stole my friends most advanced tech, and framed my other friends for the deed. Dance my puppets, dance.

 

[Secondhand Revenant]

Hell, every character could be voiced by Tommy Wiseau and I still wouldn't have a problem.

"You are tearing my ship apart Lisa!"

OT: As others have said, cool, but hardly necessary.

Imagine the part where a new leader greets you with "So, how's your sex life?"

 

[BoogieManFL]

I once again look forward to having the smallest military, but the most powerful intelligence network in the galaxy. I never fought a single engagement. I always stole my friends most advanced tech, and framed my other friends for the deed. Dance my puppets, dance.

In my favorite game I did the opposite. I had such a good set of planets around my home system that I expanded very fast. So much that I was able to place a large fleet in orbit of every other race's homeworld. When they would declare war on one another, I would demand they make peace, and nearly every time they accepted due to my empire's overwhelming power. One the few times they didn't, I destroyed a fleet and their homeworld starbase and forced them in to peace.

With the exception of some star bases and a few smaller fleets, I was able to enforce peace on the entire galaxy for a very long time. Until I got bored and wanted to end the game. I conquered everyone simultaneously using only troops and no bombardment. It was glorious.

 

[Albino Boo]

I once again look forward to having the smallest military, but the most powerful intelligence network in the galaxy. I never fought a single engagement. I always stole my friends most advanced tech, and framed my other friends for the deed. Dance my puppets, dance.

Darlok scum my glorious Elerian fleet will just mind control your plantes turning Darloks into loyal citizens of the empire

 

[The Enquirer]

Hell, every character could be voiced by Tommy Wiseau and I still wouldn't have a problem.

"You are tearing my ship apart Lisa!"

OT: As others have said, cool, but hardly necessary.

Imagine the part where a new leader greets you with "So, how's your sex life?"

If someone doesn't make a mod of this I am going to be intensely disappointed.

 

[Bors Mistral]

Damnation, with that voice cast I'll have to buy it...

Still want some control over ship-to-ship combat.

 

[Karadalis]

Mark really seems to be making mad cash in his olden days.

But honestly.. im not interested in big name voice actors.. i would rather have more content and a more polished game then a turd with pretty voices. Big name voice actors have yet to save a bad game and add very little to a good one in my opinion since there are many tallented voice actors out there that cost only a fracture that you have to pay big hollywood stars to even show up.

On the other hand he is a brilliant voice actor.. best joker ever.

 

[Abomination]

I admit I might be in the minority here, but why? This is a 4x turn based strategy game, why do you spend what must be a huge amount of money on a part of the game that is tangential to the main game play?

Again I could be wrong, but I don't think anyone is going to go "Hey cool Worf is narrating. I'm going to go buy this game based on that!"

One of the major things that gave Alpha Centauri soul as opposed to Civilization Beyond Earth was the personality and the voice overs of the faction leaders.

Master of Orion has always had a strong and diverse cast of alien species, each with some sort of cultural, physical or spiritual difference from each other. Employing quality voice actors to add to their presence can only enhance this aspect of the game and place a greater emphasis on the clash of species, not just as different coloured factions with small stat differences.

 

[Karadalis]

I admit I might be in the minority here, but why? This is a 4x turn based strategy game, why do you spend what must be a huge amount of money on a part of the game that is tangential to the main game play?

Again I could be wrong, but I don't think anyone is going to go "Hey cool Worf is narrating. I'm going to go buy this game based on that!"

One of the major things that gave Alpha Centauri soul as opposed to Civilization Beyond Earth was the personality and the voice overs of the faction leaders.

Master of Orion has always had a strong and diverse cast of alien species, each with some sort of cultural, physical or spiritual difference from each other. Employing quality voice actors to add to their presence can only enhance this aspect of the game and place a greater emphasis on the clash of species, not just as different coloured factions with small stat differences.

Uhm... alpha centauri was better then beyond earth because alpha centauri was a better game overall... the voice overs? Really? Those little blurbs you got when you researched a new tech or when contacting another nation? Those where the things that sold the game for you?

Well i guess other priorities...

Personally i dont believe that the best voicecast of all time could have saved beyond earth from mediocrity...

 

[Kahani]

Uhm... alpha centauri was better then beyond earth because alpha centauri was a better game overall... the voice overs? Really? Those little blurbs you got when you researched a new tech or when contacting another nation? Those where the things that sold the game for you?

Note that he explicitly said "one of the things", not that it was the only thing. And you can see exactly the same problem with most recent 4X games. GalCiv, Endless Space, Star Ruler, Space Empires (not so recent), Beyond Earth, and many others are perfectly functional games, but for the most part they just feel incredibly bland and soulless. Master of Orion is remembered so fondly because it had actual personality rather than just being a spreadsheet with pretty graphics. Similarly, Alpha Centauri was certainly a good game mechanically, but it wouldn't be anywhere near as well remembered if it had cut out all the lore and flavour. If all they've done for MOO4 is simply hire a bunch of expensive names, that obviously won't be enough to make it a good game, but the fact they're putting effort in is a good indication that they actually care about making the game fun and not just functional.

 

[Amaror]

I don't know, but everytime a company brags with the great voice-actors they have for their stuff it just feels to me like they don't know what their doing with the game.
VA's are just such a tiny thing about any game. A good VA is cool, but I can only name very few games were a voice actor had a dramatic impact on the quality of the game and all those games, like the Stanley Parable or Bastion, were games were the narration played a large role.
A 4X game is not that. And celebrities make things even worse. It just shows that they desperatly needed something to market the games with. Celebrity-actors almost never do a better job at voice acting than just a good voice actor and they need a lot more money for their name alone.
Maybe I am wrong, maybe the game will turn out to be fantastic, but this doesn't make me eager to buy the game.

 

[SmugFrog]

I don't know, but everytime a company brags with the great voice-actors they have for their stuff it just feels to me like they don't know what their doing with the game.

I've been following it since it was announced, and with every bit of information they've released, it's clear they really just want to do their own thing and are going to make their own game; what made Master of Orion great in the first place be damned.

I can't get the link to work right now, but check the Steam forums and the game's announcement trailers. They turned the news report between turns into an awful failed attempt at comedy that is sure to get old fast.