[Renwood]

I started replaying Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 for the first time since 2005. Before, I wasn't sure if it was nostalgia coloring my memory, but now that I've gotten a ways into both, and with MGS4 fresh in my brain, the decline in voice acting quality after 2 is sharp. I am not sure what changed behind the scenes with who handled the NA voice acting sessions, but the delivery is just plain worse in 3 and 4 when stacked against 2.

Though I do think the actual dialogue plays a part here too, the awkwardness in how some of the lines come out is the bigger offender. When Snake and Octacon are jawing over the codec during the Tanker section, it feels natural, and while Snake still does fall into those moments where he parrots back lines, he also really seems to add to the conversation himself, which is nice.

I've read some things on how David Hayter has difficulty producing the Snake voice anymore, and it does show in 3 as his voice becomes more forced and reduced in range.

With that said, I don't think any part of the series has bad voice acting compared against its peers, but still certainly, it is a bit disappointing.