Dominic Armato, the long-time voice of adventure game icon Guybrush Threepwood, has shared his thoughts on his gaming habits and the titles that have left a lasting impression. In an interview for PC Gamer's "Disk Cleanup" feature, Armato revealed that an early encounter with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy nearly deterred him from gaming altogether.
"It was just evil," Armato recalled. "I was a kid, and I'm trying to play this game that's one of the most difficult text adventure games ever written… It's not a happy memory. It's a miracle that I stuck with videogames at all."
Despite this formative negative experience, Armato developed a deep appreciation for LucasArts' point-and-click adventures, a passion that eventually led him to voice Threepwood in The Curse of Monkey Island and every subsequent entry in the series. Beyond his iconic pirate role, Armato has lent his voice to games like Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. He also has a background in food criticism and writing.
Armato is currently revisiting Chants of Sennaar on his Steam Deck during his travels, describing it as a captivating puzzle game with an atmospheric world and intriguing mysteries. He recently replayed Remedy's Control in anticipation of a new release from the studio, citing his admiration for the game's unique blend of Twin Peaks, X-Files, and brutalist architecture. He also noted his enjoyment of Remedy's previous titles, particularly Max Payne and Alan Wake.
When it comes to older titles, Armato keeps Maniac Mansion installed, though he admits it hasn't quite clicked with him. "I get 10 minutes in and I'm like, oh, this is tedious, man," he stated, comparing the experience to the early frustration of The Hitchhiker's Guide. He finds the game historically fascinating but not yet entertaining for him.
His most played game according to Steam is Red Dead Redemption 2, with nearly 300 hours logged, largely during COVID-19 lockdown periods. However, he suspects he has spent significantly more time in Thief: The Dark Project, a game he played with an obsessive approach, clearing entire levels of enemies before exploring. Armato praised Thief's pioneering use of 3D sound design, which he feels remains unmatched.
For a game he will "never, ever uninstall," Armato chose Forbidden Island, a digital port of a tabletop game. He describes it as a simple, quick time-waster that he plays during lunch breaks, akin to his father's habit of playing solitaire. He also relies on a non-gaming utility called Klack, which pipes in mechanical keyboard noises, to aid his writing process, stating, "It makes no sense whatsoever, but my writing flows easier when I've got that clackety clackety clack mechanical keyboard noise."
Digitally, Armato maintains a meticulously tidy desktop, a stark contrast to his tendency for real-life clutter. He organizes files with a date code system and keeps extensive records of his dining criticism work, logging thousands of restaurant dishes. "On my gaming PC, the only thing that will be on my desktop is something game related, or my notes on that game, or my spreadsheet for that game, and that's it," he explained.