BioWare has always had strong voice talent in their role-playing games – just listen to Don rave about the performances heard in Dragon Age: Origins. In recent years, their ability to draw in celebrity talent has grown significantly. The original Mass Effect featured the talents of the always entertaining Seth Green as quirky Normandy pilot, Joker, as well as rock-solid performances from actor Keith David as Admiral David Anderson, Lance ‘I was Bishop in Aliens‘ Henriksen as Admiral Hackett, and Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Marina Sirtis as Matriarch Benezia. However, as star-studded as the original Mass Effect’s cast was, the sequel has certainly trumped it.
In addition to the returning cast of Seth Green and Keith David, BioWare has secured performances by Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Martin Sheen, Shohreh Adhdashloo of the House of Saddam, Chuck special agents Yvonne Strahovski and Adam Baldwin, Michael ‘Lieutenant Worf’ Dorn, Canadian beauties Tricia ‘Number Six’ Helfer and Carrie-Anne ‘Trinity’ Moss, and perennial Canadian tough guy, Michael ‘Colonel Tigh’ Hogan. That’s more star-power than your typical CBC program!
“Emotionally engaging narrative is a key design pillar for BioWare, and the top-notch voice talent in Mass Effect 2 helps drive this goal,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA. “Credible, powerful personalities are vital to delivering a compelling story experience in BioWare’s games, and we have assembled an amazing ensemble cast that surpasses the very high bar set in the original Mass Effect!”
Martin Sheen plays a significant role in the game as the mysterious Illusive Man who commands Cerberus, a secretive paramilitary organization dedicated to protecting human interests throughout the galaxy. Yvonne Strahovski plays a deadly Cerberus operative, Miranda Lawson, who has been genetically engineered for superior mental and physical traits, and hopefully, her sexy, native Australian accent. Tricia Helfer plays EDI, the voice of the new Normandy; Carrie-Anne Moss plays the role of Aria T’Loak, the crime lord that rules planet Omega; Shohreh Aghdashloo plays Admiral Shala’Raan vas Tonbay; Michael Hogan plays the hard-assed Captain Bailey; Adam Baldwin laces up the combat boots of Kal ‘Reegar; and Michael Dorn lends his baritone voice to Gatatog Uvenk.
This game sounds better and better by the day – and yes, that pun was intended.
