Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1524863
56 M PS E . O R G about hiring you, but we need you to tell us that you can get better performances out of the actors than we already have." I said, "Well, send me what you already have." They did, and I listened to it, and I called them back and was like, "Yeah. I guarantee it." I think that's the game that I may have skewed the industry slightly with. At the time, most game companies weren't using actors. They were using developers on their team, they were using friends of friends, things like that. So when that happened on Resident Evil, I think it kind of enlightened the industry further and beyond just the Metal Gear stuff. EM: In terms of professionalism, and getting the right actors? KZS: Getting union actors. There were still plenty of non-union games, and I'm sure there will be again, but I'd say mostly the stuff is union now. EM: What was the experience like for you watching the first Metal Gear Solid become such a blockbuster hit, and just hearing how much players connected with it? KZS: A shock and giddiness. I'm pretty proud of Metal Gear. And we're all still together! We did a photo shoot not long ago with Cam Clark, Paul Eiding, David, and myself. I think Vanessa Marshall and Kim Mai Guest were there too. Yeah, that was a lot of fun. Metal Gear is special to me. It will always be special to me. EM: You've worked on so many iconic games, with so many different teams over the course of your career. God of War, Tomb Raider, No More Heroes, Bayonetta, Ratchet & Clank, Spider-Man, and the list goes on and on and on. KZS: Shout-out to Spider-Man 2! We just won Best Performer at the BAFTAs. EM: Congratulations! Are there any franchises that have been most memorable for you over the years? KZS: Well, obviously Metal Gear. I love Ratchet & Clank. It is super fun. God of War was really great to work on. Challenging, but really great to work on. Spider-Man obviously. Spider-Man is very special to me, near and dear to my heart. I'm working on a game right now that's also super, super special, but I can't spill those beans. EM: When you get hired on a project, how much time do you typically have to learn about the project, the characters, and deep dive into the script before you go into a recording session? KZS: Not much. Not much at all. The audition process is probably the most detailed to find the right person to match the role, but the scripts are the day before, two days before, just depending on if they're written. Everything's all so down to the wire. Fortunately, I have really good instincts and I'm a quick study. "They were in groups, so if David was acting with Jennifer Hale's character, she would be in the room with him, and that part was nice because then they had some interaction."