Support NeoGAF

[NanaMiku]

English unless you wanna pretend you speak Japanese.

If you have no functional reason to speak Japanese have a word with yourself nerd.

English and Japanese are not my first languages and are not used in everyday life. So yeah, English in an anime-style game is still cringy.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

I only recently started preferring English.

Originally, I went with Japanese because I don't speak it, so any bad acting didn't come across, and the acting seemed more verisimilitudinous as a result.

But now that the English voice acting is so good, bad acting is not much of a concern. Plus, I like to walk around and get minor things done during longer, less important cutscenes.

 

[Danjin44]

Japanese. ENG is trash.

Not always, I'm playing Metaphor and english voices is really well done and its fits the setting very well.

This exactly how I felt with Drakengard/Nier series as well.

 

[MasterDerico]

Always the original VA.

 

[Icymanipulator]

I only recently started preferring English.

Originally, I went with Japanese because I don't speak it, so any bad acting didn't come across, and the acting seemed more verisimilitudinous as a result.

But now that the English voice acting is so good, bad acting is not much of a concern. Plus, I like to walk around and get minor things done during longer, less important cutscenes.

This is a good point, because I don’t speak Japanese the cringe factor of yelling out attacks doesn’t sound as bad. In English it can sound down right embarrassing and gets annoying quickly.

But ya, also when story related dialogue is happening during gameplay it can be really hard to pay attention while actively playing at the same time.

 

[NanaMiku]

Speaking of which, there's this channel who teach you how to learn Japanese with games

 

[Fake]

Not always, I'm playing Metaphor and english voices is really well done and its fits the setting very well.

This exactly how I felt with Drakengard/Nier series as well.

Nah. I don't trust ENG dub those days. The localization is joke and I don't either accept or support.

 

[SHA]

Both, whatever more bad ass I prefer that.

 

[Hawk The Slayer]

Always prefer English for everything.

 

[drganon]

I voted Japanese, but I'm fine with either.

 

[EDMIX]

That’s entirely depends on the setting and quality of the voice.

If game set in Japan like 13 Sentinels or Persona then I will play it Japanese but if game takes place fantasy setting like Metaphor and Xenoblade and English voices well done I will play it in English.

Edit: Rare case when game has its own unique language like wyverian in MH then I choose that.

lol yea I'm the say way.

Its like, what is the story about? Being made from japan doesn't mean the game was made with the idea that the characters are Japanese. So I'm playing Metaphor in English, but I'd play Persona in Japanese, I'd play Resident Evil in English, but I'd play some Siren remake in Japanese

Where ever the game is SUPPOSE TO BE in that game's setting, that is generally the language i wish to hear

 

[hemo memo]

English: You lose the emotional attachment when it's a language you don't understand.

Play Royal in English. One of the performances in there, and I can't say by whom because it'll be a spoiler, but oh my god, it was so unbelievably good.

 

[Raven117]

Depends on the game

 

[WX3]

I enjoy Japanese voice acting because it creates the desire in me to learn another language.

 

[March Climber]

As with anime, I give the english dub an hour to impress me. If it sounds really, really bad (4kids shows) or if the voices don’t match the characters at all to me (Naruto), then I switch.

 

[Soodanim]

The last time I played with Japanese voice was Sekiro. I don't remember if I did it on my first or second play through, but I did enjoy it there.

But that's an exception, not a rule.

 

[Kamina]

For Japanese Games i mostly need JP voices
English Dub is often cringe.

An exception to that is Metal Gear though, here i like English.
Ghost of Tsushima was better in Japanese in my opinion.

 

[Cakeboxer]

Englisch, because i hate reading subtitles. It's exhausting and you can't focus on the game.

 

[FingerBang]

Japanese. It's vastly superior and I understand what they're saying/talking about and the nuances. Keep the menus in English though.

 

[Paltheos]

Like most people, my answer is, "It depends." High profile video game dubs often do a good job. I've never been disappointed by a Persona dub, for instance (even if the script may be garbage; man, vanilla P5's localization is wildly inconsistent). Other stuff I stick to by legacy, even if all the performances aren't always up to snuff. Some of the Trails dubs are quite good, but I've always played them subbed and so many of them are available only subbed (i.e. the first five games). I don't want to hear new voices for old characters.

As with anime, I give the english dub an hour to impress me. If it sounds really, really bad (4kids shows) or if the voices don’t match the characters at all to me (Naruto), then I switch.

That sounds pretty fair. My approach to anime is generally more cynical. I assume most anime dubs are produced on the cheap and only give them a try if I hear overwhelming acclaim.

Edit: Given the poll options, I picked Japanese though, if just because by volume I think I hear it more. I'm not surprised English is winning though; I think that's been the more popular position for a while.

 

[ShirAhava]

Japanese! when its English only I mute and throw on headphones

 

[Kataploom]

In anime games? I rather skip the whole thing with ZERO regrets before playing it with English voices. Even if it is a Persona or Xenoblade game. Even if it's the best master piece ever created in human history.

Seriously guys, you that are from America can't understand how horrible and unfitting English sounds over anime for someone in the overseas... Or even over Japanese characters with obvious anime or Japanese face expressions like Final Fantasy... Not to mention the annoying cartoon-like accent voice actors do, like the only game I'd play in English is DioField Chronicles and that's because it doesn't feel retarded and unfitting, give it a look

 

[Labadal]

For the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series, always Japanese.

For other games, I try English audio first, and change if I don't like it.

 

[darth.shrimp]

Whatever voice is the original.

 

[chokotoureiki]

English. Sometimes I can't stand the Japanese voices, especially the high pitched cutesy child-like female ones. Also, I don't speak Japanese, and can't be bothered to read the subtitles as that distracts my focus from the action happening in the cutscenes.

 

[Majukun]

in every media i prefer stuff as close as possibile to the original, so japanese for japanese games, english for the rest

then there are exceptions like the first bayonetta that while being a japanese game, had his first version only with english and according to PG the script was originated in english

 

[Bloobs]

Depends, but 90% in English. I want to hear whats going on without reading subtitles.

 

[Kotaro]

Japanese for Japanese games, English for Western games

 

[mansoor1980]

i prefer japanese voices but only if they are spoken by western voice actors

 

[cireza]

I really like it when I can simply listen to the discussion without having to read. So I will pick English if possible, unless it sounds too bad. Japanese voices can be quite irritating too though.

 

[Drell]

I voted Japanese but I think the OP asked the question wrongly. Firstly, that question has value only for japanese made games and secondly, it's biased to english native speakers, even though a huge majority of people on this forum can understand english better than japanese. It should've been something like "Do you prefer original or your own language voice in japanese made games".

 

[Rivdoric]

I suppose your question is "Do you prefer original or english voice for japanese games".
Because right now the poll is quite confusing on it's own.

 

[Esppiral]

Neither, I prefer my native language.

 

[BlackTron]

Switching to Japanese VA can really fix some godawful dubs. Actually even if the delivery is fine, it can still help just because the dialog is horrible, it's better that you can't understand what they're saying without reading.

 

[Zathalus]

Depends on the game, Persona 5 has an excellent dub for example.

 

[Garibaldi]

I speak English, so English. But, if the game is specifically design around another language (Yakuza, Metro, various Eastern European titles) I usually opt to play them in the native tongue and use subs.

Other Asian title are usually a try em and see. If the dubs are top drawer I go dub. Otherwise, sub.

 

[Fabieter]

If it's loads of talking in the action like with nier automata I chose English, but Japanese va is better most of the time. It's the same with persona.

 

[Rickyiez]

Japanese games = Japanese voice

Doesn't get more simple than that

 

[CliffBronger]

English as i can't speak Japanese.

 

[InterMusketeer]

I understand a little bit of Japanese. I enjoy listening to it and like to challenge myself with Japanese voice overs. It also allows me to spot differences between the original and the translated text, which happens quite frequently. Despite praises in this thread, I'm still skeptical of EN dub quality as well.

 

[Ojeteespacial]

Non english speaker here, majority of english dubs sound bad to me. If It came in my language, and if It was good, i'd play with It. And still, an anime Game has to be in japanese. If It was other type, like Silent hill 2, then depends on the case.

 

[deriks]

Depends on the game

You're a sinner if you play Yakuza in English. Dragon Ball games are also way better in Japanese. But even thou Metal Gear Solid has a stellar dub in japanese, english is the way to go

 

[RaduN]

Depend the game...

That's literally the only answer ^

 

[RaduN]

Japanese for JRPG

English VA and script are an absolute masterpiece in FFXII though.

 

[Parazels]

I would vote for Japanese voices, if English were my native language.
To listen to English language is more useful to me.

 

[NanaMiku]

Englisch, because i hate reading subtitles. It's exhausting and you can't focus on the game.

I always find this funny. As someone who grew up reading subtitles, reading subs helps me a lot, especially in action scenes where I can't hear what the character is saying.

 

[Fabieter]

Englisch, because i hate reading subtitles. It's exhausting and you can't focus on the game.

Many scenes in English lose the depth and emotional impact that the original Japanese versions convey, even if you don't understand the language without subtitles. The tone, delivery, and cultural nuances often feel diluted or altered in translation, making the English version seem less authentic or powerful.

 

[Robb]

English for me.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

For games like Persona and Yakuza, it's 100% Japanese and for Yakuza there shouldn't even be an English option. It's all about the characters and the setting, there's absolutely no way to make Kiryu sound the same in English. For Persona, it's a weeb's fantasy and high schoolers manage to sound way more insufferable in English than in Japanese.

For other games, it depends. I enjoyed Xenoblade in English, but I play Octopath Traveler in Japanese. JRPGs that go for more of a Saturday morning cartoon vibe (Xeno, Mana, etc) can be pretty good in English.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

I always disable subtitles. They are distracting and I don’t want to stare at the bottom of the screen for most of the game.

I can understand about 2/3 of what is said in Japanese and I still always use English.