A good narrator can go a long way in truly bringing a story to the next level. You might even remember a few different narrators from different mediums quite fondly thanks to their iconic voices and line delivery. There’s no forgetting that classicDragon Ball Znarration.
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While some games do feature narration, that’s quite the rarity these days, at least, throughout the gameplay. A solid narrator isn’t uncommon in the opening sections of a game or for lore-dump purposes, but there are a few games that could be even better with the right voice giving you some much-needed information.
10Skyrim
While some might take issue with this because it might break some of the immersion, simply having the option to have a narrator on your quest inSkyrimwould go a long way in making the experience feel like you’re activelyplaying through a D&D campaign.
It might be a bit odd to have the narrator judging your decision to go join The Dark Brotherhood when you really should be out there slaying dragons, but it would definitely add a lot of personality. With just the right voice actor, entirely different tones could be added to this modern classic RPG.
9Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
A narrator for a Mario game might seem a bit odd at first, but the entire series is filled with enough silly moments that a narrator could be incredible. It would be even better if characters like Mario, Peach, and even Bowser all ended up directly talking to and taking issue with the narrator.
There are a lot of moments throughout the game that are a bit more scenic, and there are more than a few cutscenes that would work even better with a touch of narration. Exactly what kind of voice would fit a game likePaper Mariois a good question, but it could be done.
8Minecraft
You can do anything and go anywhere inMinecraft, and that’s why a dynamic narrator would be a great choice for this game. It would take a lot of work to implement, but it would go a long way in making solo play sessions a lot more cinematic.
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The narration could be tied to the main questline or simply be dynamically set to trigger during certain continued actions, making what can sometimes feel like a bit of an empty experience all the more fulfilling for anyone who plays it.
7Portal
Narration would be so easy to implement inPortaland it could be done to incredible effect with one minor tweak. If Glados and all her taunting were shifted slightly, she could work asa hilarious The Stanley Parable styleof narrator.
Her poking fun at every single one of your actions and essentially forcing you to go through with different actions sound very Glados. This could just be combined with Glados’ usual shtick, and all of a sudden, an iconic character becomes ever more unforgettable.
6Stardew Valley
WhileStardew Valleyis already an incredibly relaxing game, a bit of narration from time to time could probably make things all the more enjoyable. Some narration for character interactions and your daily duties would go a long way.
Bringing ina Matthew McConaughey sound-alike modmight sound too silly at first, but just think of how much it would fit the setting, mood, and overall vibe of the game. You’d probably be loving every moment of something like that since it sounds pretty alright, alright, alright.
5Bioshock 2
There are a surprising amount of people to hear from throughout your journey inBioshock 2, but one thing that could have really added a lot to a more oppressive atmosphere would be the addition of a solemn narrator.
Trudging around would probably feel a lot more eerie and even sad if there was some narration to clue us into what Subject Delta’s existence was like at the bottom of the sea. That might take away from some of the scares, but that’s a small price to pay for a unique experience.
4Dark Souls
There are a lot of reasons adding a narrator into the general gameplay ofDark Soulswould be fantastic. First, it would really help you get a better understanding of just what in the world is going on as you’re exploring vast worlds and slaying mighty foes.
Imagine having to walk back to the bonfire afterthe battle with the Great Grey Wolf Sifwhile a narrator tells you all about its sad backstory. It might make hunting down cryptic lore a bit less exciting, but it would provide a much more emotional experience for those not interested in lore-hunting.
3Celeste
There is already some great writing to be found inCeleste, but it’s hard to wonder what could have been if the decision was made to remove dialogue and instead use a narrator. This is another game that could have a very different feeling at times with the right voice.
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It’s hard to say a narrator would work better, but it would certainly allow for an even more emotional story to be told. Even better, a narrator could have allowed the team to make some unique decisions with sprite direction during cutscenes to really help you connect even more.
2Enter The Gungeon
Enter The Gungeonis such an awesomely weird game that a narrator would probably be incredible. There are so many cool guns, items, and hidden bits of lore to read through that an optional narrator could add so much to with just a few lines.
It would be a lot easier for you to understand new guns, learn tips on what you’re able to pair them with to make the gun even more powerful, and even learn where the guns came from. You might be wondering what’s up with the Unicorn Horn, and a narrator could help fix that.
1Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Being a few years removed fromSuper Smash Bros Ultimate’srelease, it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn you and most other people only ever played through The World Of Light a single time and then forgot about it. One way to make the unique little adventure a bit more memorable could have been a narrator.
The team would have had toget a different voice from the announcer, but a soft bit of narration about your chosen character’s adventure could have helped make the mode replayable. A new story-based experience could have been brought back to the series in an entirely new way with the decision to use a narrator.
