Moon Wizards and Voice Actors
“That wizard came from the moon!” It’s a phrase that resulted in many internet discussions and T-shirt sales, but just what does it mean for the storytelling in Destiny? From the small slice of story that we’ve seen from the alpha, it’s hard to tell at this point. That line could have been written as cheesy fun, or it could have been intended to be a serious concern. Depending on the surrounding story elements, the game could go either way, but it seems everyone has an opinion on the subject.
Players are also divided when it comes to the performance of Peter Dinklage as your artificial intelligence companion, Ghost. Some believe his performance in the alpha sounded somewhat dull and lacking in energy, while others thought that Dinklage sounded highly appropriate for an artificial life form.
Whatever your opinion of the dialogue heard in the alpha, as you may know by now, it’s going to change. Bungie has officially commented and explained that not only has the dialogue been updated for the beta, but it’s going to be updated again for the retail version.
And while I’m personally happy with most of the voice acting that I’ve heard so far, I’m a little more concerned with the multiplayer announcer. He represents quite a tonal shift from the guttural sounds of the famous “Killtacular!” Halo announcer, who conveyed a somewhat menacing sense of joyful encouragement. In contrast, Destiny‘s announcer sounds far more reserved and professional. It’s an adjustment for a multiplayer game that feels considerably entrenched in Halo-style gameplay mechanics, but it’s obviously a subjective issue.
Destiny‘s announcer is also less talkative in some important areas. He’ll comment on every zone capture or neutralization, and every time my team either gains or loses the lead, but remains sadly quiet when it comes time to potentially congratulate me for a double or even triple kill. This was perhaps my largest complaint with the new announcer, and I hope that he’ll be a bit more verbally rewarding in the final game.