I was actually impressed at how many different characters just four voices suited in DA:I, and how the same voice could feel different just because the face and character were new. Though as I said earlier in this thread, I’d really like six options for BG3.
For me the pc’s voice in DA:I and DA2 was too generic sounding. Still better than no voice, though! I prefer how it is done in Mass Effect.
And even better in WItcher3. The poblem is that neither Shepard nor Geralt are custom characters.
I agree, and that’s why I think DA:I is the best example (that I’ve played) for comparison, where a limited number of voice sets need to suit a wide variety of characters. To do that, the personalities expressed by means of the voices would probably, I concede, need to be more neutral than Shepard, Hawke or Geralt (though I’ve still not got all the way through the second Witcher game so can’t comment on the third!).
I think there’s still a lot of scope to express emotion and personality based on the specific lines chosen, but I agree with Sozz that the need to have all lines work for a character means this needs to be toned down a little compared to a character with a fixed personality, otherwise many characters could end up sounding as though they have dissociative personality disorders, even if that’s not what we’re gong for!
That said, my favourite Shepard to play is one that talks tough, and is certainly chaotic rather than lawful, but has a heart of gold (and tends to end up fairly evenly balanced between Paragon and Renegade). And my favourite Hawke is usually unserious, can be sweet when her sympathies are touched … but you wouldn’t like her when she’s angry. I have found some lines in both games that jar when playing changeable characters like these, but overall I think they can work really well. But these are still examples of variations on a single character, so I would accept that the limitations on the range of the vocal performances might be greater for voiced custom protagonists in BG3.
Still worth it for me, though!
