Did you like the hooded man figure voiceacting?
![Arthas](https://forums.beamdog.com/applications/dashboard/design/images/banned.png)
1) Was checking this video and honestly it seems like it is lacking on soul. Like if he is reading, but he is sort of reading it for kids not able to understand. Like if he is trying to say everything slowly to let you catch the meaning of what he says, but in an artificial manner. Am I the only one thinking this?
2) Do you know what it means when he says "you have half a god in your blood" at 18:50? People seem to read this like if you have half of Bhaal's essence in you, but I don't think so.
2
Comments
However, I think one of the valid criticisms of SoD is that it had too much of him and that he wastes too much of his time on talking with Charname.
While you learn little about him it stills cheapens the mystery of who he is and what he wants.
Jon Irenicus is no ordinary mad man, though. He is a highly intelligent psychopath, not a delusional nut job, which is why he is tracking your PC. However, he needs "the perfect Bhaalspawn" for his aims. If the target doesn't have enough power, they can't be used, eliminating the horde of wannebes that end up killing rats in the garden instead of going to war. On the other hand, the ones who have a lot tend to know it and use it, like Saravok, the Five, etc., making them troublesome and likely to be missed. Because of PC's upbringing, they are unaware of their power, yet contain a tremendous amount of it, which is exactly what Irenicus is looking for. His appearance in SoD is precisely that sort of probing and exploring to gauge if you are the Bhaalspawn he is looking for. He just needs to make sure you aren't missed.
If I had a problem with his character, it's that he seems to be goading the PC into really exploring that untapped potential. Perhaps there is an entirely selfish reason for it, but it's never made clear whether he has an ulterior goal in those chats or whether he really is offended that you aren't trying to live up to your heritage. I think it's why, even though he is the main villain in BG2, I had a degree of respect for his character - even to the end. As villains go, Irenicus was actually one of the better ones.
As for the latter part, it's never really explored in BG2. In fact, I can't recall a single conversation where your predicament is explained fully. Which is probably how SoD got greenlit in the first place.
I interpreted his insistence to try and stir the taint within Charname and Imoen as something that would make it easier for him to separate Taint and Divine Essence so he could take the latter for himself... but that his calculation obviously went off a bit when Charname managed to preserve a part of their soul (the dream fight against Bhaal in Candlekeep) and the Taint broke through even stronger (Slayer transformation). Basically Irenicus, for all his intelligence, is operating in uncharted territory here (wouldn't imagine there's a "how to steal divine souls for dummies" at hand even in Spellhold).
There were some conversations with Bodhi and Aran Linvail which hinted at your capture but yes, most of it was left to the player's imagination.
yes i agree. if you play the series in order sod is where you really start thinking about your heritage. and here is a man who is informing you of your destiney and seems to have your best intrest at heart until the end.
for me it goes like this
bg1: your normal your just an adventurer and then you find out who you are but you have no time to process it due to having to take down seravok
sod: you start thinking about what being a bhaalspawn means. then the events happen leading to bg 2 and you get kidnapped
bg2: you start to accept what it means to be a bhaal spawn and what it truly means.
tob: you have accept your role and it's time to face your destiny.
If you ignore M'Khiin, Minsc, Dynaheir, Khalid, Dorn, Caelar, really, everyone BUT Entar and Mizheena.
De gustibus etc. If I compare any of the new voices with BG2 Imoen, Keldorn, Anomen... They fall short.
That said, comparing voices is a bit like comparing art. There can't be just one reply. Glint by Jacob Burgess is among my most favourite voice-acting in gaming.
Its the same actors doing the same voices. Also, Glint's vo is masterful. So no, they don't fall short. Check your nostalgia.
The same actors don't sound the same years later. Your tone is absolutely uncalled for. I dislike most of the voice acting in SoD and you don't. Can we leave it at that? There's no arguing about tastes and colors. You won't magically convince me to like ssomething I don't.
Probably, yes. I still remember starting my first BG2 game and hearing Imoen for the first time ("Something up?"). It sounded so much more polished and professional compared to BG1.
Entar with the fake French is much worse considering his daughter has no accent at all.
Still, great performance.
Entar was disappointing for me. Back in the 90s I remember just really liking his name and reputation.
i would not say it's spoiling anything
david warnar is a famous actor who i known for playing over the top villlains. he was also in fallout 1 so this was not the first time black isle even used him.
i did not really see that much of a difference when going to sod to bg 2. the slower speech may be deliberate as he is trying to seem unassuming. so when his plan is under way he drops the act.