Many fans express disappointment with Megan Fox’s performance as Nitara in Mortal Kombat 1, but this is not the first time the series has struggled with poor celebrity voice acting. While having popular actors in a game may seem cool, it becomes irrelevant if their delivery is subpar.
A Reddit thread sparked a discussion about NetherRealm Studios’ questionable casting choices in recent Mortal Kombat games. Examples included Ronda Rousey as Sonya Blade and DJ Dimitri Vegas as an alternate Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat 11. Fans mentioned other celebrities who appeared in the series, but the focus was on those who were disliked.
However, users in the thread were not against the idea of celebrities voicing characters. In fact, they suggested some great choices for certain roles. The main issue was the poor execution of the lines delivered by these celebrities.
One commenter pointed out the need for a voice director at NetherRealm Studios. They questioned how the voice director could listen to Nitara’s lines and not realize how terrible they sounded. They emphasized that such performances should not be released.
Another user speculated that the problem could be related to budget constraints, resulting in a lack of additional takes during dialogue recording. They suggested that NetherRealm Studios might either be bad at casting celebrities or unwilling to invest money in multiple takes to ensure better performances.
The backlash against Megan Fox in Mortal Kombat 1 stemmed from her unnatural delivery of lines. The same criticism applied to Vegas and Rousey for their respective characters. Fans believed that the lines could have been redone to sound much better.
Some fans argued that celebrities lack the incentive to deliver exceptional performances because their livelihood does not depend on voicing video game characters. They speculated that celebrities likely receive payment upfront and may not receive the same level of feedback as regular voice actors.
Others shared similar thoughts on how celebrities are given feedback during their voice performances. While this may contribute to subpar delivery, another factor could be the direction they receive during line recording.
Some comments mentioned that casting celebrities was a way to attract their fan base to the game, using their voice and likeness. In Mortal Kombat 1, both Nitara and Johnny Cage’s appearances were based on Megan Fox and Jean-Claude Van Damme, respectively. Although Megan Fox is a huge fan of the series, Jean-Claude Van Damme’s involvement directly ties to the history of the Mortal Kombat franchise.
Despite the vocal criticism from Mortal Kombat fans, it is unlikely that celebrities lending their voices to the series will cease. The upcoming Kombat Pack 1 will introduce new fighters, including characters like Homelander, Omni-Man, and DC’s Peacemaker, all voiced by the actors who portrayed them in their respective shows. Hopefully, these characters will be better received by fans than previous ones.
Source: DOTESPORTS
