Nelson French (Lead Antagonist)

Nelson French — Main Antagonist

Nelson French is one of the main antagonists of RUINS OF TOMORROW and a former ally of Jack Fuller.

Nelson is a 40-year-old survivor from Miami, Florida. He is calm, calculated, and controlled on the surface, but deeply pragmatic and morally flexible underneath. Nelson believes that survival requires structure, order, and difficult decisions rather than emotion or sentiment.

He is a strong leader and strategic thinker who has built his own survivor society around efficiency and control. He genuinely believes that his methods are necessary to create something that can survive long-term.

Voice Characteristics:

• Male, approximately 30s–40s

• Low, mature, and commanding

• Calm and controlled

• Calculated and deliberate delivery

• Confident and authoritative without constantly sounding aggressive

• Persuasive and convincing

• Emotionally detached

• Can become threatening or intimidating when pushed

• Anger should feel controlled rather than explosive

• Able to show subtle moments of doubt, frustration, and regret

• Natural American accent, preferably fitting someone from Miami, Florida

Nelson should sound like someone who is always thinking several steps ahead. He doesn't need to yell to intimidate someone. His confidence and control should make his words feel important.

What We're Looking For:

We're looking for someone who can make Nelson feel like a real person rather than simply "the villain."

Nelson genuinely believes in what he's doing. He doesn't see himself as evil, and the actor should be able to communicate that. His decisions come from his belief that order and survival are more important than emotional attachment.

Persuasion is especially important for this role. Nelson should be able to sound reasonable and almost reassuring in one scene, then cold and threatening in another without feeling like a completely different character.

The actor should also be able to portray the conflict underneath Nelson's personality. Despite everything he has become, he still remembers the unity he once shared with Jack. There should be moments where his confidence cracks slightly, revealing the guilt, resentment, and doubt underneath.

For the audition, please try different levels of emotion while keeping Nelson's overall calm, controlled, and calculated personality.

Software Needed:

No specific software is required. You may record using whatever software you're comfortable with, such as Audacity, OBS, or your phone's voice recorder, as long as the recording is clear.

Project Type:
Unpaid / Volunteer Indie Game

This is an indie project, so this role is currently unpaid. In exchange, you'll receive full voice-acting credit in the game and experience working on an original indie game project. This is a great opportunity for newer voice actors looking to build experience and a portfolio.

Role Importance:
⭐ MAIN ANTAGONIST ROLE

Nelson is a major character in the story and will have a significant amount of dialogue throughout the game. The selected actor should be comfortable committing to the project and potentially recording additional lines as the story develops.

Nelson has an important connection to Jack and plays a major role in the conflict surrounding the survivor communities.

About RUINS OF TOMORROW:

RUINS OF TOMORROW is a story-driven survival game set during the collapse of society. The story follows Jack as he searches for his family, meets other survivors, builds a community, and struggles to maintain his humanity as the world around him falls apart.

Nelson represents a different approach to survival. While Jack tries to protect people and maintain their humanity, Nelson believes that a stable society requires control, structure, and sacrifices.