Halo 4's voice acting 'more emotional, more intense,' says Cortana actress

The voice of the Halo series' beloved AI holograph Cortana, Jen Taylor, says the voiceover work she performed for Halo 4 has been very different from her previous work, saying the game's "big drama" afforded her the chance to "go a little crazy."

In an interview with NBC News' InGame, Taylor reflects on ten years of playing Master Chief's constant companion, saying that the Halo 4 gig was different for a key reason: It's the first time she and Master Chief voice actor Steve Downes have been in the recording booth at the same time while performing their lines.

"That's the first time it's ever happened," Taylor says. "We've never been in the room together. So our connection is pretty intense.

"To have somebody go through any kind of an emotional scene there with you — it makes it more real somehow. It feels more authentic to work off of somebody. Even the happy-go-lucky scenes and the wry scenes are more fun. Steve and I get along incredibly well. So it made it more emotional, more intense. Everything is more heightened because you are experiencing the journey with someone else."

Halo 4's E3 2012 trailer showed hints of Cortana's more emotional, more intense behavior, something Xbox 360 owners will be able to experience fully when the game ships Nov. 6 in North America.