Guild Wars 2

Okay… let me start by saying that some people like Rox and Braham which is fine, but I will be blunt here, I don’t and I am not, alone.

Rox:
The Good:

Rox is what Rox is, a natural stereotypical female Charr trying to get into her brothers Warband, this has merit, she also happens to be fun for her caffeine cat jokes.

The Bad:

Rox voice acting is bad, her VA lacks the same personality of chars like Kasmeer, Kiel and Jory, which consequentially makes her char feel empty and sound as bland as Treesus.
She also happens to be a Stereotype, as I said, she is just generic Dwarf/Elf Fantasy What ever your race is, with no personality, no branch that makes her interesting.

Improvement:

Either give Rox a new VA to make her lines more conveying, or improve the dialogue to make her more interesting, as a character, she has absolutely nothing to give that hasn’t been seen in every fantasy story ever done before. Personality is very important to make people care about a character, and without it, they are just a stereotype.
There’s a reason we liked Tybalt more.
The relationship with Rytlock and Rox could be better portrayed, her desire to be close to her brother is there, but it lacks personality that is desperately needed to make her sound like she genuinely wants to be close to him.
Right now its “I wanna be in his band because its cool” I honestly don’t get the incentive, or the motive, or the reason “I” should care?

Braham:
The Good:

I like Braham, especially since Taimi has come along, he had stuff going for him before that too which people may forget, including his love interest in Flame and Frost (bring her back please, or at least show her to us for the first time).
His voice acting works for his character too, the sharp and eager behavior he expresses make him sound arrogant and confident but also shows he has a heart when he needs to care about someone close.

The Bad:

Braham’s problem isn’t like Rox, with him we have a different issue, we need more character development in the form of his conflicting relationship with Eir (Another char that needs a better VA >_>).
Braham also suffers from the same problem Rox does in one context, hes generic, he is what you see on the surface with little layering or depth.

Improvement:

Braham really needs his girl, he also needs a confrontation with his mother, which I think is important for both chars, Eir really needs to be back into the story, and she heavily lacked any real personality in GW2’s personal storyline.

I think this could force her personality to come back out and make her strong again, give her much needed char development to show she can convey emotions and can be made to realize hiding away isn’t going to make her fight against the dragons any more favorable just cause shes afraid to loose those close to her.

Braham himself is also important for this reason, hes young, arrogant, much like those in her past she has seen go off into battle and die for heroic causes. He needs to bring out the best in her, she needs to bring out the wisdom in him.

Braham needs a more centralized story in contrast to Rox, Rox needs personality, Braham needs char development for unanswered questions in his past.

I do understand people like these characters, but I am sure those that like them can agree they do need ‘more’ development.

On that note:

Who do you think needs voice actor replacements/better voice acting and better character development?

Don’t worry, Canach is already in the back of my mind.

And Treesus.

But yes, thoughts, opinions, your views on which chars need better VA, have good VA, have good char development, and need better char development?

I dislike almost the entire cast of season 1. Braham has one advantage though, his voice actor: Matthew Mercer, he has the best talent out of the entire cast in season 1.

I have no idea where you’re getting the idea that Rox is Rytlock’s sister from, but she’s not.

Half-Sister, correction, but according to her recent back story, she claims to be related to him directly.

Recent backstory? What recent backstory? I haven’t seen a backstory posted in months. Don’t tell me they’re posting it on some completely outside website now and not even here on the official site…

Also, respect for Rox -10 if that is indeed the case. I really dislike when a characters’ successor (Rox being Rytlock’s successor in the biconics or whatever they’re calling the group) just so conveniently happens to be related to the other character for no reason. Braham was bad enough, I was hoping that’d be the end of it.

Recent backstory = possible spoilers posted on Reddit a couple of weeks back as far as I can tell.

I liked Braham from the minute he said, in the F&F dungeon final boss fight, “Oh, we’re so dead…”

Remember when Guild Wars was about the epic adventures in Tyria and not the interpersonal melodrama of some random characters? I miss those days.

Electro.4173:

Also, respect for Rox -10 if that is indeed the case. I really dislike when a characters’ successor (Rox being Rytlock’s successor in the biconics or whatever they’re calling the group) just so conveniently happens to be related to the other character for no reason. Braham was bad enough, I was hoping that’d be the end of it.

This is just in: Canach is Caithe’s brother!

lakdav.3694:

This is just in: Canach is Caithe’s brother!

To be fair Canach IS Caithe’s brother.
Just like how every other Sylvari is their siblings.

Shiren.9532:

Remember when Guild Wars was about the epic adventures in Tyria and not the interpersonal melodrama of some random characters? I miss those days.

While I recall the epic adventure, which has little meaning to me now besides the major bits like the Searing, fighting Abaddon, becoming Weh No Su, and fighting my doppleganger, I remember other things with far more vividness and emotional attachment. I remember them stringing out Cynn and Mhenlo’s relationship without giving it any development or depth beyond “Cynn be crazy jealous” (of Jamei, iirc, specifically) for three and a half games. I remember Hearts of the North, an entire plot revolving around a relationship. I remember the “interpersonal melodrama” between Rurik and his father that made me care so much about Rurik that I cried when he died. I remember the Tahlkora/Koss/Melonni love triangle and how Tahlkora was like Martha Jones in that she walked away with her head held high and no cattiness when she realized who Koss was truly in love with. I remember the struggle within Morghan to choose between the little girl he basically raised who grew to be terrible and the well-being of the people she was meant to govern. So… I guess my answer is that I do not remember the sanitized version of GW1 that you speak of.

Back on topic, though, I feel like their voice actors are both highly enjoyable. I absolutely agree that I want more interpersonal interactions between Braham and Eir (I think this would make both of them WAY more interesting). I don’t have many ideas on what to do with Rox, though… I still don’t understand if they’re going for a “species-specific cultural ties are more important than the friendships you go make for yourself” plot with her, or what. I’d be willing to see, though. It seems like that’s been the big set up for her this season, maybe we just have to wait until season 2 to see if it goes somewhere unexpected. I hope it does. I hope it contrasts with the sylvari maybe having ties to a dragon and can be played out that way. That’d be interesting. Rox and Caithe or Trahearne could have a nice chat.

Yes, cause we all know VA in the launch release was better.

Logan and Ritlock couldn’t sound more sarcastically chummy when they were at each others throats.

To be fair, Logan and Rytlock have amazing and talented voice actors who have been in many games and anime.

Logan = Troy Baker, the same guy who is the lead protagonist in the upcoming PS4 Exclusive InFamous: Second Son. The guy has class and is great at his art, but his character in this game sucks lol. Delsin > Logan.

Trivia: Both seattle made characters.

Rytlock = Steve Bloom, A legend in his craft, I didn’t even notice it was him at first in this game! He has so many notable and relatable roles it’d take to long to list them, Spike from Cowboy Bebop being probably his most famous one though.

Trivia: Always seems to play a kitten character.

Troy’s always been a favorite and his VA suited his part that’s the important thing, he acted the role and played Logan Thackery, they even had him practice some comical out-takes (still on sound cloud) to get into the vibe of the character.

I think the big problem with the game is that while I do appriciate the VA effort, either its a scripting problem or an acting problem, but who ever said after take one it was good needs to try again and say “no, try a second time”.

Rox voice acting is my biggest gripe, shes like the Rule 63 Treaherne, the voice acting can seem incredibly static for her char and lacks any real personality which is “important” to making a char feel like they actually care about something.

Its a case of “re-read the lines and this time actually pay attention to what they are saying”.

I’m not griped against her actress, just that they seem to be letting people act lines by reading them instead of ‘acting’ them.

Scarlet’s acting is solid for example, because while her story wasn’t great, her actress, Tara Strong, knew exactly who the char was and what they needed to do to act her part perfectly.

I really felt attached to Scarlet because of that, she felt just right for the char they were designing.

I deeply hope Tara doesn’t get put off doing future roles for GW2, because honestly, id love to see her come back in some form or another, be it as a past version of Scarlet aka: Ceara in a time-lapse scene, or maybe something else, she just has a great gift for VA and its people like her that make the voice acting of GW2 worth it.