I really love his VO, but Tahm was only the beginning of a great period. A vast majority of all the VO/SFX since his release have been great.
Like, look at the list, by order of release:
- Tahm: best taunts, wonderful accent and acting
- Kindred: great emotions and synergy between the two half
- Illaoi: not the best VO I think, but I really like her character and philosophy, so she still has a dear place in my heart
- Jhin: the opposite, I really do NOT like his character, but this VO is really great, with all the ambiance sound, and the half-lost musing
- Aurelion Sol: the acting on this one is formidable, and the "starry SFX" are a perfect match
- Taliyah: nothing very striking, but she has a very genuine and optimistic feel that I enjoy
- Kled: I can't help but laugh every time I play Kled, and I do play Kled a lot. Not only is the acting an extraordinary feat, but the scripting of the VO is also wonderful. All the triggers when you kill someone in a clutch duel, all the "dialogues" with Skaarl, it really adds to the ambiance.
- Ivern: it's Taliyah++. Like her, he's super optimistic and cheerful, but he also has this little undefinable thing that really makes him feel very different and characteristic, and I really love his absurd side.
- Camille: not a fan, I find this VO a little too "simple", but it's straight to the point and efficient, and it works well
- Rakan/Xayah: the "couple" lines are great, and even beyond the technical side of it, they really add a lot of depth to their relation without having to dig into the lore outside of the game.
- Kayn: the VO in 3 parts was very original and works well to give you a different feel game to game
- Ornn: the gruff old man VO is cool, but what I really love are all the SFX and ambiance music. (Side-note: I still regularly listen to the Path to Earth-Home regularly :) )
So, over those 13 champs, I'd say 10 are extremely good and original. That's a good success rate, if you ask me :)
Also, even if they are a bit older, a special note for Braum, Rek'Sai, and Bard.
On the other hand, I'm a little disappointed in the last 3 champs, they aren't bad by a long shot, but I don't think they rise to the level of the above list. In my humble opinion, they are all like Camille, efficient but not remarkable. Though, I do like the SFX when Pyke executes you with R. But I hope for more great things.
(Sorry to have derailed your Tahm appreciation into a VO/SFX appreciation thread ^^')
“I will not, must not, and can not be benched.”