Graydon Webb – VO Hero

Roger Clark (Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2)

I just want to start by saying, “Allan, this is an incredible idea for a series!” There are so many amazing voice actors to choose from, and the way they’ve brought games to life… I would argue some games transcended into masterpieces because of certain standout voiceover performances! So yes, we will certainly do more of these, if only to satisfy my hunger for shining the spotlight on anyone who deserves it.

We begin, this time around, with a man named Roger Clark. This Irish American cowboy got his start narrating for various short films, as well as landing some roles in television. However, his big break came in 2018 when Rockstar put him in charge of Arthur Morgan, the misunderstood protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2. There’s no denying that however one played the man – passive and unforgiving or steadfast and loyal – Arthur Morgan cemented himself almost instantly amongst the pantheon of fantastic video game characters.

The emotional, and physical, struggles of Arthur Morgan lay the groundwork for Red Dead Redemption 2‘s award-winning narrative. For years now, I have heard countless folks talking about the game’s characters, and how their performances made every decision, side mission, and shootout more impactful. What Roger Clark brings to this role is the vast range of aforementioned emotion, wherein Arthur’s victories and shortcomings are conveyed through the subtlest shifts in his tone. You fall in love with this character over the course of many hours, and he begins to feel – in typical Rockstar fashion – like less of a “video game character,” and more of a cinematic hero we’re simply witnessing on the screen.

Roger Clark hasn’t done much in the years following. One of his last outings, as protagonist Jack Leary in 2023’s Fort Solis, was… okay. Certainly not as impactful as Arthur; I felt he couldn’t decide which accent he wanted to use, making for a rather disjointed performance. Sadly, this tends to keep you feeling more detached from the character you’re playing. I hope Clark has more chances soon to get back in the recording booth, though, as there was something truly special happening in Red Dead 2. Twas a magic that will definitely be hard to recapture in future games, and a performance that will forever go down in history as one of the best.

What video game performance is your personal favorite? Sound off in the comments below or let us know over on Bluesky!