The “best voice acting” thread got me to thinking about this, and it’s not really in the same league as voice acting, so I thought I’d make a separate thread.
NPC barks are those one liners that NPCs shout (often over and over). The primary example of this is in any FPS when the enemies are shouting things during combat. But I think it also includes just random ambient NPC dialogue, things added for flavor. (If there’s actually a separate term for those, I’d be interested to know what it is.)
For me, some games have the best NPC barks that just make me smile every time I hear them. Here are some of my favorites, but I’d like to hear others’ thoughts!
“Has anybody seen my spear? How can I be a spear carrier without my spear?” - Spoken by a walker NPC from the Theater in Zeus / Poseidon
“Where DID I put my spellbook?” - Spoken by wizards in Majesty
“No one has as many friends as the man with many cheeses!” - Spoken by the cheese seller in Divinity: Original Sin (Sorry for this one. I think a lot of people groan at it, but it still makes me giggle.)
“What’s that smell? Smells like old meat.” - Spoken by guards in the original Thief games (Actually, most of the Thief guard lines are great.)
Everything the Space Sphere rambles in Portal 2
I’m sure there are some I’ve forgotten. I’ll post them when I think of them. What are yours?
Grunts always cracked me up in the original Halo. “more here, more here”
Oh, I just remembered another one - in Deus Ex (might have been the second one) there is a bar scene where you can throw a cup at an NPC over and over. Each time he says “that’s inappropriate”. Not sure why I found that so funny but I did.
Pretty much everything Minsc says is gold, yeah. Although I rather enjoy Korgan’s grumbly bloodlust as well.
Majesty is full of 'em. The Krolm chant is perfect. (“Krolm! Krolm! Krolm!” Barbarians are a simple folk with simple pleasures, and I love them for it.)
Majesty 2…yikes. “I might cook it…” from the peasants makes me want to die.
Warcraft peons are still great. Back to work!
And for something more obscure: The Sins of a Solar Empire bark when you explore a planet and get nothing, which is most of the time: “Nothing of value has been found.” Not only does it often play in my head in my daily life, but it’s particularly great in the game because I generally remember that I should spend a bunch of space money to dig up artifacts and whatever at some point in the game and explore, like, my whole damn empire at once, so it plays over and over and over and makes me giggle.
I’ve a huge fan of Blizzard’s games (like Warcraft and Starcraft, not sure about Heroes of the Storm) that have great unit barks - especially the more you click on them.
“My life for Aiur!” or as my friend used to hear it “My wife for hire!”
I dislike some of the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 barks (I think I’ll hear “I like your attitude!” as my synapses fire randomly in the instant of my death), but most of them are just so endearing. How could you hate “The power of friendship!”?
Oh my god, I forgot the absolute best one. Anyone remember Gladius? PS2-era tactical RPG from LucasArts, sold for absolute shit but was brilliant and a better game than any of the unwashed masses deserved?
Barbarians in that game had a bark when given a move order: “Coming for you…” in this fantastic sepulchral basso profundo. I can still hear it. So great.
