Historical video games have always primarily focused on attempting to fully immerse players into their world, typically through means of historical authenticity and close attention to detail. This can be in the form of a soldier’s uniform depicted in a tactical strategy game set during World War II, the interior of a palace in an adventure game set within Ancient Greece, or the sound a particular gun makes in a first-person shooter set during World War II.
But that authenticity can also come from how a historical game handles language. Whether a title features characters that speak foreign languages, regional dialects, or accents, a game’s close attention to detail regarding language can either make or break a player’s immersion.
Voice Acting Over Time
Similarly to in-game voice acting, language use in historical video games has improved considerably over time. By looking at some of the longest-running historically based video game franchises like Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed and comparing their most recent endeavors to their oldest entries from more than a decade ago, it’s easy to spot the improvement in voice acting and language over time.
Looking at 2003’s Call of Duty, the German and British accents sound very fake and cheesy. As the series progressed, the regional dialects became more grounded in reality. This is typical of most games from that era, as video game budgets were smaller and good voice acting was largely reserved for story-based experiences. In older titles from the PSX and N64 era, voice acting was even less common and, as such, were usually not of the highest quality. Wolfenstein 3D (1992) is a prime example of the low-quality vocal effects of yesteryear, where Nazi soldiers were relegated to simple phrases spoken in stereotypical German accents.
Voice Acting Now
Nowadays, voice acting is very much considered a staple for the medium. And as a result, gamers expect voice acting to be of high quality, like every other facet of their games. But it is one aspect of gaming that many may say remains unappreciated. When a game features good voice work, it should go somewhat unnoticed and flow with the rest of the game. But when the vocals are bad, they stick out like a sore thumb and, as a result, can completely break a player’s immersion.
Gamers who play historical video games expect that the language– whether it be of a regional dialect or a different language altogether– is accurate and authentic to the period depicted. And when handled properly, such efforts can elevate a historical game to an even higher quality level.
How Language Improves Historical Games
When done well, language and accents authentic to the historical period only further improve their games. The Assassin’s Creed series, for instance, has become incredibly engaging for many gamers in its most recent entries because of its close attention to detail. The series has gone above and beyond to make its worlds feel authentic, which means focusing heavily on the languages and accents of its characters.
Language that is true to the period of a game is important, as it makes the world more believable and therefore more engrossing and immersive for the player. And immersion, of course, is one of the most important traits to have in historical video games. Nowadays, many big-budget historical video games have gone above and beyond to deliver historically accurate dialects, accents, and vernacular. As you’re piecing together the puzzle that is your historical video game, Epoch Xperience can help ensure your character’s dialogue is true to the period. If it’s maximum authenticity you want, contact us today for your free consultation.
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At Epoch Xperience, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch Xperience’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.
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(This article is credited to Ben Price. For as long as he can remember, Ben has always loved playing, discussing, and writing about video games. Since receiving his B.A. in English, he now writes about them for a living.)