The premature demise of Lance Reddick in 2023 was felt all through the leisure world. For Future 2 followers, the loss was particularly acute: Reddick had supplied the voice of Commander Zavala, Vanguard Commander of the Final Metropolis, for the reason that launch of the unique Future in 2014. The character’s destiny within the wake of Reddick’s passing was unclear at first, however Bungie opted to maintain him round, with Keith David, one other widely-respected character actor, stepping in to fill the position.
Eight months after David’s casting announcement, we have lastly received our first look—or, extra appropriately, pay attention—at his tackle the character, and I’ve to say, it hits the spot.
BREAKING: First have a look at Keith David’s (@ImKeithDavid) Commander Zavala in Future 2 The Closing Form. pic.twitter.com/aAY1J7JHuAMay 23, 2024
I am a really lapsed Future 2 participant besides, this clip lands good. It is Zavala—somewhat extra gravelly, possibly a bit deeper, however with inflection and intonation shut sufficient to the unique that I do not come away feeling like Bungie employed an imitator, they employed a brand new Zavala to hold on the position. And though it isn’t a reference to Reddick, the truth that Bungie selected this specific quote for David’s debut actually comes off as a touching homage.
The response from followers is broadly constructive too. Many replies on Twitter specific the comprehensible sentiment which you could’t exchange Lance Reddick, however that David’s take—primarily based on this very temporary clip, no less than—is true on the cash. A number of individuals say it feels like Zavala has merely aged a number of years, and that his voice is extra timeworn; one apt description stated David’s voice within the position is “like a unique however acquainted feeling.”
Previous to Reddick’s demise, Zavala was truly the final of Future 2’s Vanguards to nonetheless have his unique voice actor: Nathan Fillion, who voiced Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6, was changed by Nolan North (though he ultimately got here again to the position) and Gina Torres, unique voice of Warlock Vanguard Ikora Rey, was swapped out for Mara Junot.
However these instances have been primarily enterprise selections made by Bungie; the necessity to exchange Reddick got here below utterly totally different and way more delicate circumstances. That made selecting the best new voice for the character important, and I believe they nailed it.
The clips of Keith David as Zavala, assembled by fan account Future Bulletin, comes from a brand new vidoc taking a behind-the-scenes have a look at the upcoming enlargement The Closing Form, which is able to conclude the 10-year Gentle and Darkness saga that is supplied the narrative spine of the collection for the reason that very begin.
You possibly can watch the total vidoc beneath.
Along with the vidoc launched right now, Bungie additionally dropped an unique armor tuning preview that comprises a nerf to Cenotaph Masks, which our non-lapsed Future 2 skilled Tim Clark described as “ridiculous”. It is truthful to say that the response to the unique armor adjustments has been disappointing, notably from those that had hoped extra rarely-used exotics would get a contact up. (Spare a thought for the beautiful however ineffective Blight Ranger.) Yesterday, the studio additionally printed an talents tuning preview, by which Warlock’s OP Nicely of Radiance ate a number of swings from the nerf hammer.
Lest you need nonetheless extra official information to learn, there’s additionally the common weekly weblog submit. Probably the most notable announcement in there’s that Bungie goes to dramatically buff the drop charge of these restricted version ‘Shiny’ weapons with the flamboyant animated shader: “Beginning on Could 28 at 10 AM PT, we can be doubling the drop probability of limited-edition variations of BRAVE weapons. In order that, mixed with the will increase we made to weapon and token drops, offers you quite a lot of alternatives to seize a number of extra fairly weapons with fairly rolls.” And for those who’re questioning what god rolls to go for, don’t be concerned, we have that lined in our information.