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Anyone else disappointed with Gnar and Rek'Sai's VO?

Helmight·11/26/2014, 1:20:15 AM·16 votes·3,228 views

The recent approach Riot's been taking with the VO of monstrous or otherwise non-human champions is immensely disappointing. Previously, even if a champion's lore explained nothing about them, you'd still be able to learn something of their past and how they act by listening to the VO. It added depth to the champion and really helped fill in gaps.

Having a VO that's nothing but growls means that your only source of information on the champion is through their lore, and as we've all found out, the new lore doesn't actually explain anything. Rek'Sai is a Voidborn, same as Cho'Gath and the others, but is portrayed as nothing more than a monster because of her VO.

Furthermore, even with the Institute of War being retconned out of existence, the whole concept of Summoners and summoning is still in existence. Therefore, the mental link that Summoners hold with their champions still exists, meaning that they SHOULD be able to understand what the champ is saying regardless of the language differences.

I understand the direction Riot's trying to take here, but it's unnecessary. Get Rek'Sai a real VO.

43 Comments

A Superb Villain11/26/2014, 7:26:08 PM8 votes

I am not disappointed with the voice acting, per se. What I am disappointed in is that Riot chose to use it for this particular champion; Rek'Sai is the first, explicitly female, Void champion. Until Riot provides us with more lore or creates another, monstrous female champion from the Void - don't hold your breath - the Void Burrower is our only frame of reference.

I would have been deeply appreciative if Riot had provided her with some lines to shed greater insight on her purpose beyond simply being and exterminator's worst nightmare. She could have had taunts for our previous Void champions, establishing unknown details.

Some suspect Vel'Koz is similar to a drone from a hive, gathering information. What if Rek'Sai called him a stray who has wandered too far? She could have blatantly referenced Kog'Maw's "father", by recognizing our beloved biological artillery as one of his many children.

The voice acting is wonderful, that it is for a female champion is even better, but the timing is wanting.

Sharjo11/26/2014, 1:29:30 AM7 votes

She's an alien. If anything, it's bizarre that she's the only one who doesn't speak an intelligible language. This VO's cool because it allows for her behaviour to be explored in different ways; the sounds she makes and the body language she uses is completely different, but distinctions are key in her VO, she has clicks, screeches, growls and bellows to express her emotions and thoughts. Here's a thing as well. If a person doesn't speak a set language, and you read their mind, you still wouldn't understand it, because you're reading the mind of someone who doesn't speak or think in that set language. We can make the argument of magical translation but honestly that just seems dumb at this point. The Zerg of Starcraft are still amazing, varied and cool even though the majority of them don't speak a lick of ANY language except their primal Zerg language.

IMO the fact we don't know what she's thinking, and have to infer from her tone, what she's actually doing when she makes sounds, and her body language is a positive point and only strengthens her as a character.

Aria Storm11/26/2014, 6:21:55 PM5 votes

I was actually kinda really hoping she'd have like a Shyvana-type voice. (something kinda deep but still distinctly feminine.) Maybe with some sort of filter to make it echo-y or something. (Like Varus, Sona, etc)

It took them so long to release a female monster. They refer her as female and nothing that really proves she is in game. Gnar has a bit of both. He growls, says DEMOGLIO and several other words and you can clearly tell he's male. Change his voice slightly - make it slightly higher pitched, and you practically have an instant female. (Or a primitive yordle on helium)

It just doesn't sit right with me and her VO kinda made me lose any interest I had in her.

The5lacker11/26/2014, 1:53:26 AM5 votes

This is like complaining about Zerg Queens having feral screeches when Broodmothers can talk. Some of us like the unknowable monsters being unknowable.

King Kowabunga11/26/2014, 5:54:23 PM5 votes

I made a thread similar to this and got downvoted.

I was extremely excited to hear this champions voice and when I found out "she" (I use that term liberally since there is literally no way to tell what this champ is) was nothing but a collection of squeaks, clicks and squeals. II clicked on her voice over video and with 7 minutes worth I thought "Damn! There's a not to get out of this one! I can't wait to hear her taunt and interactions!" And then skipping through minute after minute hoping she says something really sucked.

Extremely dissapointed with this release, especially since it's probably the only "girl" monster we'll ever get from Riot again. Such a massive waste of potential.

Best KhaZix Void11/26/2014, 1:22:23 AM4 votes

I was disappointed at first too, But I can definitely see why they chose not to give her a "voice". P.S. I don't think a mental link with a void champion is very healthy considering what little we know about them.

Diahane11/29/2014, 12:10:37 AM4 votes

I've posted the following in another thread, but I think it may add something to the discussion, so I'll repost it, because it addresses one possible reason for people not to like how she's been characterized through her ("lack of") VO lines.

So yes, every character has to think their autobiography at you for you to understand them. It can't be any sort of non-verbal indication of their personality or concept.

If you can't understand Gnar just by looking at him, you have serious problems. Gnar's obvious. He's this primal, child-like critter that seems alternately ecstatic at being alive and pissed off that everything around him isn't dead yet. And he needs absolutely no words to convey that, because ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, and SHOW, DON'T TELL. These are two cornerstones of good writing.

That's why people would like to be shown things like, you know, characters being characters, with mental processes and interactions. Rek'Sai is a good monster design, but is she a character? She's as much a character as Tremors were in their movies. Hint: they were not real characters, they were more of a plot device than anything else. They were the Raison d'Être of the movies, but they were not the ones the audience was meant to impersonate with, they were not the characters presented with forms of plot progression, problem solving or development. Rek'Sai risks to be as much of a character as faceless guards or big creeps are in your usual TES game. She doesn't seem to have any other agency than being, uh, a big tough monster. We could argue Godzilla too falls under this category and does just fine, but Godzilla is the star of his movies and eventually faces other big monsters with his same character depth, while Rek'Sai is part of a world where there are actual meaningful characters with some agency (apart from Sivir, she's just the Disney princess needed to shoehorn Azir). There's the serious risk of her being overshadowed by the major complexity of other characters, thus turning into just a plot device, a foe to put other more meaningful characters in peril and to maybe let them show off how strong they are. You know, like when in ME2 you go and shoot that Thresher Maw to death. That's just to remind you how cool you are. The creep isn't per se a character, it's a device in your story.

Regarding Gnar, he's obviously who you said he is. He's hyperactive child and we are shown that, that's good. But if we want to talk about his relevance in a Runeterra global scope, well, we wouldn't have anything more to say. He's pretty one-dimensional in his characterization and doesn't offer that much of potential character progression. I don't think he will ever have a big role on the lore, apart from eventually being a plot device - i.e. maybe his genes will get studied and that will unveil something of Yordle history and all. But it won't actually be Gnar doing it, it will be done through him, but not thanks to or by him.

Kobila200011/26/2014, 11:36:38 PM3 votes

Plenty of other monster champions have shallow lores, but that's because they're monsters. You would not look at a crocodile and find some great personal introspection, you'd find a primal brain that operates on instinct. Same with these champions, except the destruction angle is turned up to the extreme.

The first lore I read was Skarner's, because of his "I miss my kind" line. I didn't expect him to be anything but a fearsome scorpion and was pleasantly surprised to see that he has a small story. But not every champion can be like that and I think that's okay. Some monsters are shallow, some are not.

And I like Rek'Sai's VO. It's different. What would you have her say? More stuff the lines of "Death awaits" "You will perish" "Destruction is coming" etc.?

Garens Harem11/27/2014, 7:04:52 AM2 votes

I am not disappointed at all

mainly because i do not give a hoot about VOs

Rune Ocarina11/27/2014, 7:12:54 AM2 votes

I actually like it. We got our female monster. Riot delivered. There's no need to give her real vocals cause she what you guys wanted - a monster. We already have monsters that speak, actually having a monster that sounds like a monster is actually nice to have. And hey, she's female too - like everyone wanted XD

Colgate Gator11/26/2014, 5:59:52 PM2 votes

Maybe she just doesn't feel like talking to your whinny ass, so just growls at you.

2 out of 100+ Champions don't talk and yet you find it a reason to complain about.

Rek' Sai is an independant Voidwomonsterwoman and need no Summoner.

EDIT: I'm not particularly interested in what Gnar has to say, to be honest, it'd be mostly derp shenanigans and we have enough of those. Come to think of it, all Yordles only say nonsense, save maybe for Poppy.

GreenLore11/26/2014, 6:09:05 PM2 votes

You are wrong about the whole "summoners should understand them",the link between summoners and champs was never depicted as "the summoner understands the thoughts of the champ" and more like "the summoner hears some thoughts of the champ"

You want proof? Well just look at Karmas VO. When she uses her ult,she says stuff like "Lath Rian Oune Vi..." which translates to "Weave the threads of..." we do not get the translated version because karma doesn't think this line in english,she thinks it in old ionian,just like gnar and rek'sai don't think in english or whatever language you use(and yes Karma says that even in her old VO)

Athenes Lulu11/27/2014, 10:34:10 AM1 votes

If I'd get a translation of Gnar's lines, that would be nice. That at least gives us some idea on how old he is.

And of course, now to the new champ... I wanna know what my waifu says too :(

Tabs11/29/2014, 12:58:44 AM1 votes

I think it be cool, if she kept her current VO, but tried to attempt to speak, depending on what champs are on her team. Kinda like shes trying to pickup, and understand their language. It would keep her current feel, but let people know she IS a female

Athenes Lulu11/27/2014, 10:33:54 AM1 votes

If I'd get a translation of Gnar's lines, that would be nice. That at least gives us some idea on how old he is.

And of course, now to the new champ... I wanna know what my waifu says too :(