There are a few voice actors in gaming that are as prolific as Ashly Burch. She is ubiquitous, and she has appeared in as many games as iconic gaming voice actorssuch as Troy Baker and Laura Bailey. Her career began withHey Ash, Whatcha Playin'?, a series of online sketch comedy videos featuring Burch and her brother, Anthony Burch.
When Anthony was hired as a writer forBorderlands 2, he suggested that Burch apply to be a voice actor in the game, which Burch agreed to do. Burch’s audition landed her a role as Tiny Tina, and the rest is history. SinceBorderlands 2, Burch has voiced several iconic characters, making her a vital piece of gaming history.
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Ashly Burch and Life is Strange
Life is Strangeis a seriesof episodic narrative-based games developed by Dontnod and Deck Nine. The games center on young adults who discover that they have supernatural abilities. They attempt to use their powers to make life better for their friends, but they often discover that things are not as simple as they seem, and even good intentions can lead to bad outcomes.
During the development of the first game, Burch auditioned to voice several characters in the game, including Victoria Chase, Kate Marsh, and the protagonist, Max Caulfield. She ended up being hired to voiceChloe Price, who is Max’s best friend. Although she is not the main character, Chloe is a very prominent and fan-favorite character inLife is Strange, and much of what Max does with her powers is to protect or help her. Chloe has a huge personality, and she is rebellious and prone to taking risks. However, behind the rebellious exterior is someone who is deeply hurt after the death of her father.
Thanks to Burch’s superb voice acting, Chloe’s character is brought to life, making her one of the most memorable parts ofLife is Strange. Chloe gets an entire game dedicated to her withLife is Strange: Before the Storm, which is the prequel toLife is Strange. Due to the voice actor’s strike occurring during the game’s development, Burch did not return to voice Chloe, and the character was instead voiced by Rhianna DeVries. Although DeVries does an excellent job, Burch’s absence is felt, but she returned to voice Chloe inBefore the Storm’s DLC.
Ashly Burch and Aloy
When Guerrilla Games decided to begin the development ofHorizon Zero Dawn, it was a very risky move for the studio, as it had spent prior years working on the first-person shooter franchiseKillzone. Third-person action-adventure open-world games are a dime a dozen, and as such,Horizon Zero Dawnwould need to be a special game for it to stand out. Fortunately, Guerrilla Games was able to create some truly unique through its robot dinosaur enemies. However, much of the game’s success can be attributed to just how wellthe protagonist, Aloy, clicked with fans.
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Aloy, voiced by Ashly Burch, is an outcast living in a post-apocalyptic future. She aspires to join the Nora tribe through an event called The Proving, but it is cut short when the Nora are massacred by cultists. This leads Aloy on a hunt to discover more about her origins and what the cultists are planning.
Burch’s voice acting is nothing short of excellent, and itbrings Aloy to life. As Aloy explores the world around her, she is often talking to herself, panting, and grunting while interacting with the environment. Through Burch, Aloy’s independent yet compassionate personality is brought to the forefront, turning her into a character that gamers can both appreciate and admire. Burch reprises her role as Aloy inHorizon Forbidden West, and once again, her performance is unforgettable.
Burch Goes to Space with The Outer Worlds
Developed byObsidian Entertainment,The Outer Worldsis a first-person RPG that takes place in a reality where capitalism has veered out of control. Players begin by exploring Edgewater where they eventually meet Parvati Holcomb, who is voiced by Burch. Parvati is an engineer, and she is an interesting character because she retains some innocence in a world of greedy hyper-capitalists.
Parvati is asexual, which is a rarity in gaming, but her romantic escapades, character development, and overall wholesomeness make her a standout.The Outer Worlds 2has been announced, although it has not been revealed whether Burch will be making a return.
Burch’s Long Career in Gaming
After playing Tiny Tina inBorderlands 2,Burch returned to the series withBorderlands 3and the spinoff gameTiny Tina’s Wonderlands. She has done voice acting for several more franchises includingSaints Row,Persona, andThe Last of Uswhere she voices Mel inThe Last of Us 2. Burch can also be heard in superhero games includingSpider-Man: Miles Morales,Marvel’s Avengers, andMarvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, to name a few.
With the success ofHorizon Forbidden West, it seems Burch’s career has nowhere to go but up. Her voice acting talents have been responsible for giving so much personality to so many iconic characters, and countless gaming characters, including Tina, Aloy, Chloe, and more owe their popularity to Burch. While many gamers may overlook the role of voice actors and actresses in gaming, people like Burch prove just how much value good voice actors and actresses can bring to a game.
Borderlands 2is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
