Usually when there’s a big Hollywood name attached to a game, it’s on its own, a big star to draw in the crowds, but star singular, so that the budget of the game doesn’t go stratospheric. Dishonored has no such qualms, and not only have they got more than one big name, they’re the right big names, all actors who have proven voice actor experience, or at the very least providing some great versatility with their performances.
Some minor character spoilers likely follow, so close your eyes if you don’t want anything ruined.
Susan Sarandon, in her first videogame performance is playing Granny Rags, described as ‘an intriguing old blind woman now deranged after years of street life’. Brad Dourif, who was brilliant in films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Lord of the Rings (where he was Wormtongue), plays the inveitor Piero, ‘creator of the iconic mask worn by Corvo’, among other things.
You’ve also got the likes of Carrie Fisher, most well known for playing Princess Leia in Star Wars, but with an extensive back catalogue of tv and film appearances. She’s going to be the voice of the government propaganda blasted over loudspeakers throughout the game’s city of Dunwall. Michael Madsen, that psychopath from Reservoir Dogs, takes on the role of Daud, ‘a mysterious assassin’. You’ve also got John Slatterly from Mad Men playing an Admiral, Chloe Grace Moretz, famous for Kick-Ass, portraying the Empress’ daughter, and finally Lena Headey playing her caretaker.
Which, as you might imagine, is a pretty bloody amazing cast to be dealing with. And not only that, it also shows that they’re, at the very least, characters with meaty enough roles to be worth the names attached to them. When you consider Skyrim, a massive games with hundreds of thousands of lines to be spoken, only had Max Von Sydow and Christopher Plummer, it makes it look more impressive still.
The game itself is looking to be something pretty special, especially coming from the pedigree of Arx Fatalis and Dark Messiah. We haven’t had a chance to get our hands on it just yet, but hopefully will before its release on the 12th of October.