The Legend of Vox Machina premieres with three episodes on Prime Video on Jan. 28, with three episodes debuting each subsequent week.
In the first episode of The Legend of Vox Machina, the gnome cleric known as Pike Trickfoot (Ashley Johnson) asks her fellow band of adventurers if they should consider doing something good rather than trying to make their money from killing and swindling. Her response is met with apathy, as the party members that make up Vox Machina — the half-elf rogue Vax’ildan “Vax” Vessar (Liam O’Brien), the half-elf ranger Vex’ahlia “Vex” Vessar (Laura Bailey), the barbarian Grog Strongjaw (Travis Willingham), the bard Scanlan Shorthalt (Sam Riegel), the gunslinger Percival “Percy” Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III (Taliesin Jaffe), and the half-elf druid Keyleth (Marisha Ray) — dismiss the idea that making their money while being honorable is something worth pursuing.
This kind of exchange — sarcastic, funny, blunt, but also somehow endearing — is what Critical Role has built most of its success on. It’s also the basis of what makes The Legend of Vox Machina, the new animated show based on the first campaign of the Dungeons & Dragons web series, so much fun. Stunning animation and dazzling score aside, the true strength of the three-episode premiere lies in the characters and voice actors behind them.
Critical Role, now an internationally known sensation that boasts its own company, tie-in merchandise, and Twitch and YouTube channels, has humble beginnings. For years, it was simply a group of friends who also happened to be skilled voice actors from properties like The Last of Us, Avengers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Overwatch, coming together to play a game of Dungeons & Dragons each week. But part of that show’s charm has always been the easy relatability of the characters, and the minds behind The Legend of Vox Machina realize that’s something that works just as well in animation as it does around a table.
That’s why, instead of a history of Exandria (the universe where the show takes place) or Tal’Dorei (the continent where Vox Machina has their adventures), we’re introduced to Vox Machina when they’re already a band of reluctant friends — if not slightly questionable mercenaries — playing drinking games and looking for their next job. Still, the writers are aware that we need to understand at least the basics of who these characters are, which is why, after the group travels to Tal’Dorei’s capital of Emon to accept that new job from Lady Allura Vysoren (Game of Thrones’ Indira Varma), we get a cleverly timed song from Scanlan. (And longtime Critical Role fans, or “Critters,” will delight in one of the many character in-jokes that happens during this particular segment.)
The first three episodes waste no time diving into the action, drawing us into a world where, whether you like it or not, you’re forced to root for this found family. This “trial by fire” approach is a smart move for a show that’s adapting a multi-year, 400+-hours-long campaign into 12 episodes of user-friendly story, as is the series enlisting Titmouse as its animation studio. The company behind hits like Big Mouth and Beavis and Butt-Head is a perfect choice for the kind of adult-oriented animated content that Legend of Vox Machina is producing; the cast has maintained that like its table game, the show won’t stray away from things like lewd language, sexual innuendos, and violence. And it absolutely delivers on that promise.
The Legend of Vox Machina’s base story follows what’s known as the “Briarwood arc,” the second part of Critical Role’s original campaign that puts fan-favorite Percy front and center. (The Briarwoods — Lady Delilah, voiced by Grey Griffin, and Lord Silas, voiced by Matthew Mercer — killed Percy’s family when he was young, leaving the exiled diplomat with a dark past.) Adapting this particular storyline is another smart move, as the Briarwoods are one of Critical Role’s signature villains who have ramifications across its gameplay universe. That means that there’s potential to set them up as long-lasting antagonists, especially given that Amazon has already renewed the show for a second season.
But the first two episodes deliver a brand-new story, with Vox Machina taking on a deadly threat to Emon at the behest of the Tal’Dorei council which, in addition to Lady Allura, includes General Krieg (David Tennant), Sovereign Uriel Tal’Dorei (Khary Payton), and Lady Kima of Vord (Stephanie Beatriz.) By Episode 3, and after more than a few battles that test their friendship as well as their talents, Vox Machina has warmed to the idea that they might actually be decent at this hero thing. So has the Tal’Dorei council, who invites the group to attend a fancy banquet. It’s during this half hour that the series evolves into its true potential, bringing out character backstories and finding a groove in its action that culminates in a truly epic fight sequence, one that will leave viewers eagerly anticipating the next installment.
One of the strengths of The Legend of Vox Machina is that it skillfully balances the fine line of pleasing hardcore fans while also making itself accessible those who might not have binged all 115 episodes of the original campaign. That’s not to say that the show doesn’t lean into fan service (in a good way), however. For devoted Critters, there are plenty of Easter Eggs and inside jokes; those who know the characters well will also get a lot of joy out of watching exchanges between certain party members who eventually become endgame. And while it’s a treat to hear voices of these characters come to life in this world, what’s even more delightful is how the show manages to make you feel like you’re discovering them for the first time.
Bailey’s elegantly voiced Vex’ahlia and O’Brien’s suave Vax’ildan somehow exude an even stronger bond in this new format, while the heartwarming friendship between Willingham’s brute Grog and Johnson’s sweet Pike comes alive in a way that feels genuinely earned. Ray’s quirky and awkward Keyleth, by far the most relatable of the crew, brings a poignant and earnest grounding to the druid, and Riegel’s boastful and cocky Scanlan shines brightly as a standout — as do his songs. Jaffe, meanwhile, imbues Percy with a distinct sense of curiosity and intrigue that entices us to peel back the layers of his past, even if we already know it. (And of course, we can’t leave out Vex’s armored bear Trinket: the true MVP of the group.)
Mercer, who can usually be found playing multiple N.P.C.s (Non-Player Characters) during a normal campaign, takes on the impressive task of doing the same for the series. One of the most adept Dungeon Masters in the gaming sphere, Mercer further proves just how talented he is on every level by lending his vocals to multiple characters — some new and some familiar — each with unique tones and emotions. And yes, his likeness also gets drawn into the world in various scenes.
Vox Machina has never necessarily been the best band of adventurers, but they have always been the ones who are most willing to take a chance and roll the dice. That’s what makes them special — and that’s what makes this show, at least so far, unique.
from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/3rC24kA
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