Square Enix's Dragon Quest and Atlus' Metaphor: ReFantazio creators, Yuji Horii and Katsura Hashino, respectively, recently discussed the evolving role of silent protagonists in modern RPGs, a topic highlighted in the Metaphor: ReFantazio Atlas Brand 35th Anniversary Edition booklet. Their conversation explored the challenges of maintaining this classic trope in an era of increasingly realistic game graphics.
The Silent Protagonist: A Dragon Quest Tradition Facing Modern Challenges
Horii, creator of the long-running Dragon Quest series, refers to his silent protagonist as a "symbolic protagonist." This design choice allows players to readily project themselves into the game, enhancing immersion. The character interacts primarily through dialogue choices, not spoken words.
Horii jokingly notes that the silent protagonist worked well in the simpler graphics of earlier games. However, with today's realistic visuals, a non-expressive character can appear jarringly out of place. He cites his background in manga and his passion for storytelling as the driving forces behind Dragon Quest's narrative structure, built largely around dialogue and player interaction, rather than extensive narration.
The minimalist graphics of the NES era allowed players to easily fill in the emotional blanks left by the silent protagonist. But as visuals and audio become more sophisticated, Horii admits that maintaining this design choice presents a growing challenge. He concludes that the Dragon Quest protagonist's design will continue to pose a significant hurdle in future game development.
A Different Perspective: Metaphor: ReFantazio's Approach
Dragon Quest remains a notable exception among major RPG franchises, continuing to utilize a silent protagonist. In contrast, series like Persona have incorporated voiced protagonists, notably since Persona 3. Hashino's Metaphor: ReFantazio will feature a fully voiced protagonist.
Hashino praised Horii's approach, highlighting the emotional intelligence embedded in Dragon Quest's design. He emphasizes the game's consistent focus on the player's emotional response to every interaction, even with seemingly minor characters.
