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For games that have multi-language options, do you ever choose to have the audio/voice acting in a language you don't understand or only barely understand? I would be especially interested to hear from European or Asian gamers that choose English audio over their native tongue.

Most recently, I did it for Assassin's Creed Unity. Despite being a proud French company, Ubisoft chose to have the English VO with mostly British/American accents. For such a stunning depiction of revolutionary France, this caused a dissonance that got on my nerves. So I just set the language to French and relied on subtitles. I only played it for 5-10 hours, but I enjoyed it much more that way.

I don't play JRPGs much, but I can imagine a lot of players switching to Japanese just to avoid the uniformly terrible anime-grade voice acting that English localizations have. Is Final Fantasy English VO still as bad as it used to be, or is FF15 tolerable?

Changing the language for Metal Gear games makes sense as well. The dialogue and scenarios there are just so anime-hammy that it's a bit much to take in English, even if the performances can be good at times.

 

[BlitzBlake]

Usually in Japanese games. I can't hear bad Japanese voice acting. I wish all final fantasy games had Japanese audio option.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Sin and Punishment: Star Successor

I don't need a story. I just want bullet hell.

 

[arigato]

Since I already knew the games story and have completed the games. Thus on my second playthrough of Metro 2033 on Russian VO and I don't even bother turning subtitles on.
When the English voices are terrible I immediately switch to another language.
Two examples of stellar voice acting is the original Dead Rising and Tales of Vesperia. Lost Odyssey also had pretty good voice acting.

 

[Platy]

LOTS of times
Because I don't have a problem with subtitles in language I speak

Assasin's creed is a good example ... but basicaly every game I choose the original language.

And games like SF, characters voices are to the closest to the ones they came from

 

[hateradio]

I set AssCreed 2 and Brohood to Spanish (I don't remember if Italian was available...), because I couldn't stand those terrible "Italian" accents in the English version.

 

[Kthulhu]

Only for Japanese games with bad dubs.

 

[Dabanton]

Assassins Creed 2

 

[Samikaze]

Brothers in Arms on German. it turned it into a surreal, civil war like experience.

When I was a kid I put Jedi Knight II on various languages because I was an unoriginal teen who thought languages other than English were funny, I guess.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I think most will answer with Japanese voice w/ english text. Usually if it's a japanese game. Either because you watch a lot of anime and recognize voice actors/appreciate the quality, or because the local dub is so bad you don't want the experience ruined.

 

[Goldboy]

I'm going with Japanese in Persona 5. Something about anime or anime-looking characters speaking in English just feels off to me for some reason, even with good voice acting. No idea why.

 

[border]

I set AssCreed 2 and Brohood to Spanish (I don't remember if Italian was available...), because I couldn't stand those terrible "Italian" accents in the English version.

Is there no Italian language option in AC2?

 

[yami4ct]

I typically will set a game's language to whatever the native language of the game is. If a game is Japanese and has a Japanese voice track, I would prefer that. It's not a hard and fast thing that will set me off if I can't do, but it's my preference. I don't mind subs and just prefer having the original language.

 

[kennyamr]

Only for Japanese games with bad dubs.

Yup.

---

FFXV is ok.

 

[syncyes]

If it's possible, I generally set things to their original language. I like enjoying things in their original form and context. Of course it's not real original form and context since I don't know those languages, but this is a quandary that will always follow

 

[RRockman]

ONLY if I know the seiyuu and I like them over the english Voice actor. Like for example, if Tōru Furuya was voicing a character and the english was a nobody then I would go Furuya all the way. But now if Brad Swaile was playing the english dub the I would be English dub forever.

Spoiler

You can probably tell I'm a Gundam nut

.

 

[Anth0ny]

Only for Japanese games with bad dubs.

yup

 

[Abilidebob]

Just like TV shows and movies, I like to play my games in with the "original" voices. All 3 Witchers I played with polish voices, for example.

 

[Tagyhag]

Depends on the game, especially if it adds to the atmosphere or realism.

Metro games with Russian voices are superb.

 

[Goose_Se7en]

Only time I ever did this was in Ass Creed 2 because I wanted an "authentic" experience. Switched the audio to Italian and had English subs.

 

[JayEH]

If it's a japanese game with a bad dub I'll immediately switch to the original audio if given the choice.

 

[Incitemaybe]

I prefer hearing a different language than my own and reading subtitles. Gives it a bookish dimension I enjoy.

 

[thekonamicode]

Usually in Japanese games. I can't hear bad Japanese voice acting. I wish all final fantasy games had Japanese audio option.

Exactly this.

 

[BigDes]

Mostly when it's Japanese games I do.

A lot of Japanese stuff doesn't translate well when shouted in English.

For instance telling the enemy you will never forgive them. I understand in Japan this is an insult that carriea more weight but when you hear it in English it just sounds dumb

 

[Aurongel]

French for The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine after beating it once. It fits the mood more and the language just sounds more pleasing to the hear anyway.

 

[jacob armitage]

The only time i've done so recently is for Assassins Creed Unity too - just to make it a little more immersive to actually have characters speak French instead of mostly English with English accents.

 

[Renekton]

English dub of Japanese titles sound like evil alien robots trying to mimic human.

 

[NoMoreTrolls]

Nope. Bad VA in a language I don't have to read > amazing VA in a language I do. This mostly applies to games, where I feel like my eyes have to be on the action at all times. In anime I don't mind Japanese VA in the absence of a good dub because most of the time you can look away for a brief moment when they're talking because they aren't doing much else.

 

[border]

Just like TV shows and movies, I like to play my games in with the "original" voices. All 3 Witchers I played with polish voices, for example.

I didn't expect this one.

I think that's an interesting choice, though CDPR probably bought 100 times more effort and money into the English voice acting than they did the Polish one......so it becomes difficult to make a case for either one.

 

[lastrealgameralive]

I tinkered around putting Fatal Frame: Maiden of the Black Water [Wii U] in Japanese with English subtitles to see if it enhanced the horror experience. Also, changed the language for Super Smash Bros. Melee to hear the different taunts.

 

[Lindsay]

If it seems like a one-off game an not a series I'd usually default to English voices if the option is there. If its part of a series then it goes right to japanese cause its highly likely not all games that follow will also have a dub. When the reverse happens... I just drop the series. Sorry Fire Emblem!

 

[Trigonometrize.]

Mostly when it's Japanese games I do.

A lot of Japanese stuff doesn't translate well when shouted in English.

For instance telling the enemy you will never forgive them. I understand in Japan this is an insult that carriea more weight but when you hear it in English it just sounds dumb

Bad/lazy translations. There are so many better alternatives in English for "I won't forgive you!" in most situations.

 

[Novocaine]

Yes on most Japanese games that have the option. Because I like the way the language sounds and it usually fits the game better.

I've been playing Nier Automata with JP audio, I don't even want to know what the English audio sounds like.

 

[Charlouie Jonesman]

I usually prefer to play with the original VA if possible, so yeah. It's not even a dub quality thing with me, not anymore at least, just something I like to do. Though in recent time it's been getting a bit difficult. I really don't mind reading subtitles in cutscenes and the like, but I started both FFXV and Nier Automata in japanese and soon switched to english because of the constant chatter during combat and other gameplay sections, some of which is essential. (Or maybe it's just that both games have kinda hard to read subs and in Nier's case the subs tend to be a bit out of sync with the spoken japanese dialogue.)

However, what I would not do...my native language is german, but if there was an american game taking place in Germany, I'd still go for the original english VO, because no matter how you look at it, the german dub, quality issues aside, still wouldn't feel authentic, being translated from an english lanuage script.

And by that same logic I wouldn't play Assassin's Creed in french or italian or whatever.

 

[Skyzard]

I don't remember ever doing it but I'm going to try doing it with BotW after cemu's ready.

Some real bad voices of key people that you hear quite often from all the cutscene stories there are.

 

[WickedLaharl]

I don't pretend we are in the early 2000s anymore and I'm not obsessed with Japan so I select dubs.

 

[AppleSeason]

Because I'd rather read than suffer mediocre dubs with voices that don't fit the characters. Also, not the first time i silence the voices if i can't change them.

Only exception for me is the Disgaea series, where despite the original being available, i prefer the English dub.

 

[YearoftheWooster]

Playing Overwatch in Mandarin is actually kinda cool.
(EDIT: Taiwan rather than Mainland)

And yup, Japanese for games with bad dubs.

 

[Vincent Alexander]

Does Titanfall 1 with a Japanese VO for the titan count? Cuz that shit sounds awesome.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Japanese whenever it's possible, i don't even care about other dubs if Japanese is available, except for Disgaea.

 

[Myriadis]

French because I learned it in school yet have forgotten almost everything. It's a good way to strengthen it again.

 

[AppleSeason]

I didn't expect this one.

I think that's an interesting choice, though CDPR probably bought 100 times more effort and money into the English voice acting than they did the Polish one......so it becomes difficult to make a case for either one.

English Witcher 3 does not use the original names. If you are playing with an European display language which respects the original but does not have a dub, English is pretty painful. It's fucking Jaskier, not Dandelion. So I'd rather use polish.

 

[En-ou]

i usually set the language that matches the game. so like for witcher i chose polish. assassin's creed 2 i chose italian. for japanese made games i always go with japanese because 99% of english dubs sound like the actor is taking a crap while acting. why the hell they always have a forced/fake voice i do not know.

reading is actually work for some people? damn, such lazy brains.

 

[Bjoern the Smexy]

I once set the audio in Heavy Rain to Dutch. At first I thought I made a huge mistake. But then I realised I was watching the funniest comedy of all time.

 

[Rynocirator]

No, especially for fighting games with more talkative characters. There's no place for subtitles in a middle of a match

 

[jdstorm]

I like to choose languages that seem to fit the world. Or if i dislike the english. In general i feel like most games have an Ideal language/best localisation. Although sometimes it isnt in either the developers or my own native language.

For example in FFXV ony 2 party members have good VAing in english. In japanese its 3/4. In french all characters i have met so far sound perfect and the localization changes in the script improve the moment to moment dialogue

Horizon Zero Dawn i played in German. The voice work on that version is incredible. It makes it hard to hear the origional english since Deusch Aloy is perfect. (Although that could just be my ignorance of the neuances of spoken German)

Remember Me/Assasins Creed Unity. Why play a game set in paris with generic posh english voices. French enriches both these experiences so much.

Zelda BotW. The Latin Spanish version is the best. German is also good but it just felt wrong playing BotW in German after playing Horizon in the same language.

Yakuza 5: played in Japanese. Why play virtual tourist and not experience the language of the place you are going.

 

[batman2million]

I usually do this to troll my friends. But personally, no I don't.

 

[renzolama]

Usually in Japanese games. I can't hear bad Japanese voice acting. I wish all final fantasy games had Japanese audio option.

This for me also. I don't enjoy the overwhelming majority of video game writing and voice acting, and often it significantly detracts from my experience playing the game. I speak just enough Japanese to be able to get the general meaning of conversations (and sometimes feel clever by catching a joke that was lost in the translation) but not enough to tell the quality of the writing/voice consistently, so it's a win/win.

 

[nkarafo]

I'm Greek so...

Some games do have Greek voice acting in them (like the later Tomb Raider game) and that felt so jarring to me. Thankfully, it wasn't as embarrassing as that fucking Xena episode.

Some well known Sony games even have full Greek translations in menus and dubbing. I also remember an older ISS Pro game on PS1 where Sony of Greece used a Greek comedian as the announcer in the game.

But all these feel weird to me, i usually can't stand anything other than English in my media. I got used to it.

Oh and the Japanese voice acting in 99% of Anime makes me want to stick screwdrivers in my ears, sorry.

 

[LowParry]

Depends if the voice acting is annoying in English. If the option is available in another language, I made the switch. Lately, the latest games I've been playing have been really good for English VO. ToB, Nier:A just to name the few.