There was a time when video game voice acting could've conceivably doubled as torture. Simply slap a pair of headphones on your primary suspect and proceed to bang out a 'best of the mid-'90s' VO playlist. I'll bet that by the time they reached Grandia, said villain would have been too busy contemplating the innumerable, illogical absurdities of the 'Jill sandwich' to put up too much of a struggle. Word to the wise - if they're muttering something about a wizard, the moon, and sucking on their thumb from the foetal position then you know you've gone too far.

Thankfully, in-game audio has come an awfully long way since then. For example, we now have actual professionals voicing our icons, as opposed to whichever member of the penal system didn't fancy stamping out license plates that day. Today's big list of stuff will attempt to acquaint you with some of the more prolific players in the modern industry. Particular attention has been paid to the most versatile stars therein, as opposed to folks like Keith David who're specifically contracted for their rich, silky speaking voices. Sorry about that Keith, but knowing that the same bloke voices both Batman and Sonic is just way teresting.

Who? Robin Atkin Downes is a film, television, theatre and video game voice actor, mo-cap performer and music producer. He also has experience in directing. Think of him as the Swiss army knife of this list. A Swiss army knife with great hair.

Who else? Downes portrays Metal Gear Solid's Kaz Miller, Just Cause's Rico Rodriguez, Uncharted 2's Tenzin, Ratchet and Clank's Captain Slag, Team Fortress 2's Medic and Gear of War's Locust Kantus - among others.

Who? Jennifer Hale is the veritable 'first lady' of video game voice acting, though she's also appeared in several live action productions. Last year Hale engaged in a spirited 8-week hot-air balloon race, vying against Tara Strong for the opportunity to call 'dibs' on all of 2015's best roles. Of course, none of that actually happened, but it should've done.

Who else? Hale is the woman behind Bioshock Infinite's Rosalind Lutece, MGS2's Emma Emmerich, Metroid Prime's Samus Aran, Halo 4's Sarah Palmer and Mass Effect's female rendering of Shepard. She also provided the voicework for both versions of Metal Gear Solid's Naomi Hunter (both the early British and later American incarnations).

Who? Mike Patton is the uber eclectic frontman of Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, and about a dozen other bands. He began voice acting in 2007, and is typically tasked with providing gruesome monster noises.

Who else? Patton has provided the pipes behind Portal 2's Anger Core, Left 4 Dead's Infected (including the Smoker Hunter variants) as well as The Darkness' titular nasties. Oh, and he's also responsible for Bionic Commando 09's gritty, cheeseball hero.

Who? Tara Strong is a well known voice over artist and television actress. Her distinctive surname was bestowed upon her by the old gods after witnessing Tara's completion of the 12 labours of Hercules. Of the 12, Tara counts the Lernaean Hydra as being the single most challenging foe.

Who else? Strong has voiced Batman: Arkham's Harley Quinn, Mortal Kombat's Ferra, Metal Gear's Paz, Jak Daxter's Keira and Final Fantasy X's Rikku. Plus a boatload more.

Who? Armin Shimerman is a film and television actor best known for playing Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Principal Snyder and Star Trek: Deep Space 9's Quark. Fun fact: Shimerman came up with the design for Quark's face while bashing a catcher's mitt with a baseball bat? No, not really, but he might as well have done.

Who else? Shimerman has appeared as Mass Effect's Salarian Councillor, Ratchet and Clank's Dr. Nefarious and Bioshock's Andrew Ryan.

Who? Grey DeLisle is a singer, voice actress and occasional stand-up comic. She also goes by the pseudonym of 'Grey Griffin', which probably comes in really handy during live action role-playing.

Who else? DeLisle has voiced Jeanne from the Bayonetta series, Catwoman in Batman: Arkham, Sly Cooper's Carmelita Fox and Amanda from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

Who? Nolan North is a professional actor and voice over artist/bona fide gaming institution. Little known fact: both he and Troy Baker are immortal Highlanders simultaneously attempting to corner the voice over market, because of course 'there can only be one'.

Who else? North voices everyone from DOTA 2's squealing Gyrocopter pilot to the CoD franchise's zombie-mad Richtofen. Other characters include Uncharted's Nathan Drake, Injustice's General Zod, Batman's Oswald Cobblepot and Portal 2's Space, Adventure and Fact Cores.

Who? Ellen McLain is an opera singer and voice actress who regularly contributes to Valve Corp. video games. Her husband is similarly involved with the company, having provided the voice of the Sniper in Team Fortress 2. And no, they didn't meet up while screaming robotic threats into a microphone. Shame.

Who else? McLain's work includes stints as DOTA 2's Broodmother, Left 4 Dead's Witch monster, Half-Life 2's Overwatch speaker and - most famously of all - Portal's array of talkative turrets and the evil A.I. GLaDOS.

Who? James Arnold Taylor is a professional cartoon and video game voice actor. Long-term exposure to the man's unique brand of laughter has been known to cause ferocious irritation in viewers.

Who else? Taylor's most notable roles include Ratchet from the Ratchet and Clank series, the Clone Wars' Obi-Wan Kenobi (both in video games and TV) as well as Final Fantasy X's boisterous lead character Tidus. He also does a rather good Jack Sparrow impression.

Who? Lani Minella is a professional voice actress specialising in video games. I wonder how many people accidentally call her Liza Minnelli on a daily basis?

Who else? Lani voices the female infected in The Last of Us, Sheeva from Mortal Kombat 9, Ivy in SoulCalibur, the Koopa kids from the Mario franchise, and the female fighters in the Worms series.

Who? Troy Baker is a musician, mo-cap actor and award-winning voice over artist specialising in video games. He spends much of his time coated in brightly coloured ping-pong balls trying not to laugh.

Who else? Baker's work includes appearances as Batman: Arkham's Two-Face, Metal Gear Solid V's Ocelot, The Last of Us' Joel, Far Cry 4's Pagin Min and Arkham Origins' Joker.

Who? Jen Taylor is a professional voicework and theatre actress, contracted to the Halo franchise for the next 187,000 instalments, or the complete heat death of the universe - whichever comes first.

Who else? Taylor's impressive C.V. boasts several big name gigs, including those of Princess Peach and Halo's Cortana. Other notable performances include No One Lives Forever's Cate Archer, Left 4 Dead's Zoey and DOTA 2's Medusa.

Who? Fred Tatasciore is a prolific voice actor appearing in film, television and video games. He once voiced one of Jar Jar Binks' annoying Gungan buddies, and probably felt really terrible about it afterwards. We forgive you Fred, you couldn't have known.

Who else? Tatasciore has voiced Baird from Gears of War, Zeratul (Starcraft 2), Bane (Arkham City), Mario (Assassin's Creed 2), both the Tank and Boomer monsters from Left 4 Dead, and Mass Effect's Saren Arterius.

Who? Terrence Carson is an acclaimed stage actor, tv performer and vocalist. Fun fact: Carson was also betrayed by almighty Zeus. He was pretty chilled about it though.

Who else? Carson has portrayed God of War's vengeful Spartan Kratos, the Saints Row series' Big Tony and Star Wars' own Mace Windu.

Who? Quinton Flynn is a video game voice actor and writer. Fun fact: the name Quinton Flynn would also suit a restaurant critic and/or a wealthy teenaged adventurer.

Who else? Flynn voices Sonic's Silver the Hedgehog, Metal Gear's Raiden, Henry from the No More Heroes games, and Crash Bandicoot's Dr. N. Gin.

Who? Mark Hamill is a professional acto… - y'know what, forget it, the man's Luke Skywalker, LUKE SKYWALKER damn it! Oh and he was in all those Wing Commander games too…

Who else? Hamill has provided the voice behind CoD 2's old-timey narrator, X2's Wolverine and of course Arkham's main-series iteration of the Joker.

Who? Matthew Mercer is an anime and video game voice actor. His name is also an anagram for 'Mew Meth Carter', which in the context of the Pokémon franchise would certainly explain a lot…

Who else? Mercer provides the pipes behind Street Fighter 4's Fei Long, Arkham Origins' Anarky, Resi 6's Leon, and Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell's Blackbeard.

Who? Roger Craig Smith is a professional voice actor specialising in anime, video game and cartoon-based voicework. Since winning the role of Batman in Arkham Origins, Smith has received numerous lewd phone calls from a man referring to himself only as 'Conroy Kevin'. Police are baffled. And of course, none of that actually happened.

Who else? Smith lends his considerable talents to a wide array of gaming icons, including Ezio Auditore (Assassin's Creed 2), Chris Redfield (Resident Evil 5), Batman/Bruce Wayne (Batman: Arkham Origins) and err… Sonic the Hedgehog. That's quite the range.

Who? Steve Blum is a professional voice actor specialising in anime, cartoons and video games. Fun fact about Steve: he was only one botched birth certificate away from being called 'Steve Bum'.

Who else? Blum has voiced Sub-Zero and Reptile in Mortal Kombat X, Wolverine from the X-Men franchise, Killer Croc in the Batman: Arkham series, Vincent Valentine in Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus, Final Fantasy Type-0's Cid, and Grayson Hunt from Bulletstorm. Also, about .

The world of is a dangerous place. In the south, the massive Nilfgaardian Empire presses forward in an attempt to expand its empire to the north. Only a handful of kingdoms remain independent of the Nilfgaard's aggressive expansion: Temeria, Aedirn, Redania, Kaedwen and Kovir. Non-humans -- such as elves, dwarves and halflings -- suffer bigotry and violence from humans and the land is terrorized by a host of vicious creatures.

Though an instability exists between non-human and humans throughout the unnamed continent, a modicum of control exists in the fight against monsters. These warriors are the Witchers.

The central figure in CD Projekt Red's video game adaptation series is Geralt, part of a dwindling group of hunters known as Witchers.

Witchers are genetically mutated humans who undergo years of special training and are imbued with supernatural abilities thanks to various potions and elixirs. Their development, which the universe’s lore states begins at an early age, is for the specific purpose of hunting and slaying dangerous monsters that terrorize the land.

The first game in CD Projekt RED's series begins years after the conclusion of the Witcher novel saga as Geralt is discovered in a forest with no memory of his previous life.

Geralt struggles with amnesia, unsure of his past. As he attempts to piece together his memories within the walls of Kaer Morhen, the last remaining Witcher stronghold in the world and home to the remaining few of his kind, the fortress is attacked by a group known as the Salamandra. In the ensuing conflict, an assassin known as the Professor and a Salamandra mage named Azar Javed escape with the secrets of Witcher mutation, which had been sealed by the Witcher Order for centuries.

(Note: The Witcher series author and creator, Andrzej Sapkowski, has stated that CD Projekt RED’s video game series is not canonical.)

On his way south to Temeria's capitol city Vizima in search of the Salamandra, Geralt befriends a dwarf named Zoltan and a child who appears to have powerful magical abilities named Alvin. The region is in turmoil, Geralt learns. Vizima is under quarantine and two militia groups - the human Order of the Flaming Roses and the Scoia'tael (a group of guerrillas made up of non-humans, such as elves and dwarves) - are embroiled in a growing conflict.

After being taken prisoner before entering the Vizima city gates, Geralt is offered his freedom in exchange for defeating a creature that stalks the sewers under the city. Underground, Geralt meets Siegfried, a knight who aids in his quest to defeat the menace and offers him advice in his search for information regarding the Salamandra. In his quest to uncover the group's plan, Geralt comes face-to-face with the Professor and Azar Javed, but the pair escape after Geralt is knocked unconscious.

Geralt regains consciousness in the personal quarters of the powerful mage Triss Merigold, who had been among those that nursed him back to health at Kaer Morhen. The mage works to restore his memories, but cannot unlock his mind. As Geralt uncovers Salamandra bases within the walls of Vizima, the extent of Alvin's powers become more clear. The boy has visions of humanity’s destruction and is eventually revealed to be a Source, a person born with innate magical abilities rather than earning those gifts through training or elixirs.

In Vizima, Geralt greets Princess Adda -- daughter of the King Foltest, ruler of Temeria -- and it's revealed that the Witcher had once cured her of a disease that was transforming her into a feral beast many years ago. Eventually Geralt discovers the Princess is working with the Salamandra and is once again confronted by the mage Javed and the hired killer known as the Professor. In the encounter Geralt manages to kill the assassin, but Javed flees. To protect her role in the Salamandra plot, Princess Adda calls for Geralt's arrest, but Triss manages to teleport Geralt away to safety.

In the village of Murky Waters, Alvin's visions continue to disturb him. Geralt and his friend Dandelion the Bard care for the boy. To help suppress his magical abilities and nightmares, Geralt gives Alvin a pendant sent to him by Triss.

The conflict between the Flaming Rose and the Scoia'tael (also known as the Squirrels) expands to the region, giving players the ability to remain neutral in the battle or choose the side of either the knights of the Flaming Rose or the non-human Squirrels. The conflict scares Alvin and the young boy mysteriously disappears in a flash, never to be seen again.

The civil war between the Flaming Roses and the Squirrels reaches its apex, with all non-humans within the region joining the ranks of the Scoia'tael. Princess Adda once again begins to transform and King Foltest pleas for Geralt's assistance. Geralt can decide to either kill the Princess or cure her once and for all. Regardless of Geralt's decision, King Foltest helps the Witcher locate Azar Javed. Geralt finds and kills the mage and learns that it was Jacques de Aldersberg, the Grand Master of the Order of the Flaming Rose, that was responsible for the attack on Kaer Morhen.

Geralt learns that Jacques de Aldersberg's plan is to use the secrets from the Witcher Order to create an army of mutant soldiers to protect humanity from an apocalypse. During a battle with Jacques, who is revealed to be a Source, Geralt and the Grand Master are teleported into the potential future, a decimated world that resembles the destruction of humanity prophesied by Alvin's visions. After killing the Grand Master, Geralt discovers Jacques carries a dimeritium pendant similar to the one given to Alvin by Geralt, though it has been ravaged by time. Though it has never been confirmed within the game's narrative or by CD Projekt RED, popular fan theory (and some in-game speculation) surmises that Alvin disappeared through time and grew up to become Jacques de Aldersberg.

Geralt's quest doesn't unlock his memories, but he is given a pretty penny for his role in quelling the rebellion of the Order. King Foltest offers his thanks and Geralt makes his way toward "a new beginning." Before leaving the kingdom, however, Foltest is attacked and Geralt steps in to save his life. After killing the would-be assassin, Geralt discovers the kingslayer is also a Witcher.

Geralt of Rivia is now employed by King Foltest, assigned to offer advice and protect him from danger, alongside Triss Merigold. Geralt's past is still hazy, but pieces of it return to him over time. Geralt helps the King rescue his illegitimate children from a former lover, but an assassin -- who is later revealed to be a Witcher -- infiltrates the stronghold housing the children and kills the King. Geralt is immediately suspected of the crime, and is arrested for regicide.

Geralt convinces Temerian Special Forces commander Vernon Roche that another is responsible for the King's death during interrogation. Roche offers Geralt the opportunity to hunt down the true king slayer and frees him. The two escape together and, along with Triss, follow the true assassin's trail to the city of Flotsam.

Once the trio land in Flotsam, they are ambushed by rebel elf Iorveth. It is revealed that Iorveth is working with the Witcher responsible for the death of King Foltest as well as the death of the king from the neighboring region of Aedirn.

Once Geralt, Triss and Roche make their way to the town square, Geralt reunites with (and saves from hanging) his old friends Zoltan and Dandelion. While in town Geralt defeats a giant monster threatening the town's economy and learns that the Witcher kingslayer intends to betray Iorveth. Geralt manages to convince Iorveth that his assassin ally is untrustworthy as Roche arrives with an armed force to stamp out the rebel threat. Geralt eventually confronts the Witcher assassin, named Letho, but the kingslayer escapes and takes Triss Merigold as his hostage.

From here players choose to side with Iorveth or Roche, altering the path toward the game's ending.

If Geralt sides with the rebel elf the two sail to Aedirn in pursuit of Letho. While there, the two are wrapped up in a plot against King Henselt, who controls the region of Kaedwen. After helping him escape to the city of Vergen, Geralt learns of Triss Merigold is being held by members of the Nilfgaard kingdom from sorceress Philippa Eilhart. Eventually Geralt breaks a spell unleashed onto the battlefield and helps repel attacks on Vergen by King Henselt’s forces alongside the Scoia'tael and the rebel leader Saskia the Dragonslayer.

Geralt later discovers Saskia is a dragon taking human form whose mind is being controlled by Philippa Eilhart. Once this is discovered, Philippa teleports Saskia and herself to the city of Loc Muinne, where Triss is being held. Geralt and Iorveth follow toward Loc Muinne, where a summit of royal leaders is taking place and is central to the sorcerer’s motivation for her control of Saskia.

Upon arriving in Loc Muinne, Geralt and Iorveth discover Philippa Eilhart has been taken prisoner and choose to aid in her escape or rescue Triss. Helping Eilhart escape gives Geralt a dagger that can break the spell over Saskia. Geralt soon discovers the plot of the mages was to use Saskia's dragon form as leverage in an effort to re-establish a Mage Conclave. The group of mages have hired Letho along with other Witcher assassins to kill neighboring kings in order to weaken their stranglehold on the region. Geralt then discovers that Letho has once again betrayed a contract, learning he has turned against Síle de Tansarville.

Still under mind control, Saskia attacks Geralt in dragon form. If he helped Philippa escape, he may use the dagger to break the spell. If Geralt chose to save Triss, he must kill the dragon.

If Geralt assists Roche, the two eventually sail to Aedirn and learn of a rebel plot against the Kaedwen King. The two decide to aid King Henselt, despite the fact that the king appears to be completely amoral and carries himself with an arrogant sense of immunity. Geralt discovers an insurgency within the King's army believes Henselt is conspiring with the Nilfgaard empire. In his time working to protect the King, Geralt uncovers Triss Merigold's whereabouts. Eventually Geralt defends King Henselt from two Witcher assassins before uncovering they are working with the sorceresses Síle de Tansarville and Philippa Eilhart. Once discovered, Síle de Tansarville flees to Loc Muinne with Philippa Eilhart and Saskia, where Triss is being held.

Henselt's vicious character comes forward even further after the plot to destroy him fails. The king first rapes Ves -- the lone female soldier in Roche's Blue Stripes special forces unit -- and then has the rest of Roche's men killed in retaliation for spreading rumors about the King’s support of the Nilfgaard empire.

The player may decide to allow Roche to kill King Henselt in revenge, causing a civil war in the region, or to spare the king.

Geralt and Roche learn that, in an attempt to kidnap King Foltest's illegitimate children, Foltest's son has been killed. Geralt must then choose to rescue Foltest's daughter, Anais, or continue in his search for Triss. If Anais is saved, she is either return to Temeria to become a "great leader" or brought to the region of Redania where she is expected to eventually grow to marry.

Eventually Geralt confronts Síle de Tansarville, learns Letho has betrayed her, and is attacked by the dragon. Geralt may either kill the dragon or leave it wounded; regardless of his choice, Geralt never learns the dragon's true identity if he choses to side with Roche.

If Geralt rescues Triss Merigold, the Mage Conclave is re-established and they work to seal Loc Muinne. Later, on his way to confront Letho, Geralt sees Roche defending Anais from a group of attacking soldiers. Geralt may choose to help him; regardless, Geralt learns the once Commander of the Blue Stripes has now been labeled an outlaw.

If Geralt saves either Philippa or Anais, Letho blames the deaths of each king in the northern region on Síle de Tansarville and a witch hunt of Salem, Massachusetts, level proportions ensues. Additionally, Iorveth is labeled “public enemy number one”. Letho then saves Triss himself and reveals that he and Geralt were once allies. Letho also reveals that the plots to kill the kings of the north were all in an attempt to destabilize the region in preparation for a Nilfgaard invasion. Letho says he only agreed to the plan because the Emperor of Nilfgaard promised he could re-establish his Witcher school.

Geralt may choose to either kill or spare both Letho and Síle de Tansarville in their final confrontations.

By the end of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Geralt has regained his lost memories. He remembers that he and his true love, a sorceress named Yennefer of Vengerberg, were attacked and killed by an angry mob out for non-human blood.

Thanks to his adopted daughter, a young but powerful sorcerer named Ciri, the pair were revived and brought to safety before she absconded to forge her own path. Geralt recalls that Ciri, like Alvin and Jacques, is a Source.

Geralt remembers that once they were revived, his peaceful existence with Yennefer did not last. She was soon kidnapped for her power by the Wild Hunt, a vicious group of Wraith-like warriors that terrorize the land. Geralt, with his friend Letho in tow, gave chase to the group and offers his soul in exchange for Yennefer. Their leader accepts the trade immediately.

Geralt escapes the Wild Hunt and eventually finds his way near the last Witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen near death and with no memory of his past.

Nilfgaard begins its invasion of the north. Geralt has recovered his lost memories and he knows Yennefer, his true love, is being held somewhere within the advancing army's territory. The story of Geralt, the Witcher, is coming to an end.