Baldur’s Gate 3 Star Samantha Béart Makes a Splash as Shape-Shifting Hero in Fading Echo
Samantha Béart, the unforgettable voice behind Karlach from Baldur’s Gate 3, is swapping fire for water in her newest gaming role! This time, she’s lending her talents to the main character in Fading Echo, a fresh action-adventure game from New Tales. If you loved Karlach’s energy, you’ll want to see how Béart brings to life a hero who can literally turn into a droplet of water. Ready for some cool shapeshifting fun?
- Samantha Béart voices the main character in Fading Echo
- Plays as One, an aquatic shapeshifter with unique abilities
- Game features puzzle-solving and cartoon-like, cel-shaded visuals
- International voice cast, including Matt Mercer, Laura Bailey, Jasmine Bhullar
- Coming soon to PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X – wishlist now!
Samantha Béart takes on a brand-new element
Best known for her fiery performance as Karlach, Béart’s latest adventure in Fading Echo is quite the switch-up. This time, she’s voicing One, a protagonist who can morph from human to a giant, adorable blob of water. In the game, players will outsmart enemies and crack environmental puzzles while exploring the mysterious world of Corel.
Béart told Polygon how refreshing it is to play a water-aligned character: “It’s great. I’m sort of very — in terms of elements — I’m very earth and fiery myself. So that’s not the hardest thing to do. In fact, to see a player-character with water energy, it seems brand new. I’m so excited and I will bring that [excitement] into it.”
Cartoon vibes and creative teamwork
One thing that stands out in Fading Echo is its cartoonish, cel-shaded art style — think anime vibes with a playful twist. Béart even sat down with the lead animator to get a feel for One’s unique movements and style. She said, “I’ve actually sat down with the lead animator, and she’s shown me how [One] moves, what she looks like, all of that, and it all helps inform that performance.”
Usually, voice actors don’t get to see their characters in action until the game launches. Béart appreciates the extra transparency: “We normally don’t get to see [how a character looks and moves in-game] until the game comes out, so [I want] more of this. This is what I’ve been saying in interviews: It’s more transparency. It helps everyone do their best work and it makes people feel valued and you’ll get better work out of people. It’s a crazy idea. I know. I wish it would catch on.”
She also praised the international dev team, which spans France, London, and the US, and includes voice talents like Matt Mercer, Laura Bailey, and Jasmine Bhullar (who’s also writing the game!): “I’m having the best time with the team. And of course, we’ve got Jasmine Bhullar, who’s not only acting in it, but also writing the thing. So it’s just really good fun. And most of the devs are based in Lyon in France, our composers [are] in London, like me. Then you’ve got obviously some of the actors on the West Coast of America. So we’re a good international team.”
Puzzles, powers, and playful blobs
The game’s trailer shows off One’s quirky powers — like jumping on lava to turn into steam, or using water to petrify enemies. Béart is hyped for the puzzle mechanics and the adorable water-blob form: “I’m seeing bits going on social media about how you will interact with your environment [in Fading Echo],” they explained. “So if you jump on lava, you’ll turn into steam. Or you can petrify enemies with the water. It’s very puzzle-based as well, from the looks of it. Really exciting stuff. There was a bit in the official trailer […] where she’s in a blobby form and sort of sits on some sort of weighted device to open a door and I’m like, ‘Yes, bring it on.’ Can’t wait!”
When can you play Fading Echo?
Fading Echo doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet, but you can already wishlist it on Steam. The game is set to launch on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. Keep your eyes peeled for more updates — this is one adventure you won’t want to miss!
