G00N3R7883 said:
I could mention pretty much all of the Actors and Actresses from the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises, and I think Camilla Luddington deserves a mention for the Tomb Raider reboot ... but if I have to pick the one absolute best, I'm going to go with
Simon Templeman - Loghain, Dragon Age Origins.
Every great story needs a powerful antagonist, and he owned every one of his scenes.
Very much ditto'd on Luddington and Templeman. I think Crystal Dynamics, Pratchett, and Luddington crafted an incredibly well realised protagonist. I rarely feel immersed or engaged in third-person perspective games from a narrative POV, but with this Lara, TR nailed it perfectly (at least for me).
Loghain's a great antagonist, but I'd qualify that by saying he'd get my, er, vote only when counting him joining your party. The conversations you can have about his - and his daughter's - past elevate him from just an excellently bolshy antagonist, to a great character with nuanced complexity and depth. Templeman does especially well in showing Loghain's range, and that's only showcased when he's spared at the Landsmeet.
(if only Dragon Age Inquisition had an antagonist half or a
third as interesting as Loghain... )
Another brilliant piece of acting comes from the already mentioned Courtnee Draper, as BioShock's Elizabeth. The story may have its
issues glaring plotholes, but I was sold on the two main characters from the moment they're introduced. I think Infinite's a dull, repetitive shooter with an ultimately wonky narrative, but it had heart and soul to spare, and it had to have the very best performances to deliver on that. Draper's Elizabeth's a standout game character, and she and Baker were just about perfect from beginning to end.
...oh, and lastly: Jo Wyatt's FemHawke in Dragon Age II's my favourite talky-PC, period. That woman's some kind of voice acting genius, and deserves more major roles. Sarcastic FemHawke = pure awesomeness. It's tricky to think of another lead character with as dry a wit - and delivery - as Wyatt's Hawke (especially in a game with dialogue/role choices), yet she also does an exceptionally naturalistic job at the more serious or somber moments with the story.