Best Silent Protagonists In Video Games

UGO:

The best kind of hero is the kind that gets the job done without a bunch of babble in between. In some cases, an epic journey of life or death can be completed with a few sighs and a couple of grunts. That is what makes a true hero. Here are the best silent protagonists in video games!

[theDECAY]

While Link doesn't speak in the traditional sense. There are always word boxes which allow him to express his thoughts. Just because you are not hearing his voice, doesn't mean he's silent.

[CasinoTempira]

Well, the same is true for Crono, Mario and others. They are still silent characters. The choices are largely for the player's benefit.

On the other hand, Doom Guy and Half Life guy are not really silent characters, they just don't talk in the game because their only purpose is to be the person holding the gun on the screen - it's like calling a Goomba in Mario 1 a silent character just because it didn't speak - it was not a real creative decision like in games like Crono Trigger and Mario (from RPG onward), just a lack of talking; similar to Sonic in the first two Sonic games - because Sonic does talk in most games, and even has voice acting in some.

[theDECAY]

I think your logic is off. I would argue that Freeman is a silent character because the story evolves around him without him needed to speak. Link having the ability to talk (via silent dialogue boxes) renders the story changed. So not silent.

[Pintheshadows]

The Freeman.

[NAGNEWS]

the whole half-life 2 just to hear jordan freeman speak but he didnt

he was like...

[debian_zac]

did you just call him jordan freeman?

[NAGNEWS]

mistake

[SonyPS360]

Freeman is over rated in my eyes. Give him an appearance you never see in game, and a name, and that somehow makes him a great protagonist?

I think having a geeky look while being able to kick ass gives him appeal to geeks world wide or something.

I don't know. I love Half Life 1 + 2 but never cared for the main character, and it's likely due to him being a mute.

It's the same with alot of silent protagonists, they're only better than poorly written protagonists.

[CasinoTempira]

I disagree with a few things on the list. Primarily because when you take characters like the Doom Guy and the Half Life guy, you can replace them with anyone and no one would care. The only reason they don't speak is because their dialogue would not really be important.

Also, Sonic isn't silent, he does talk in most games. The only reason he didn't talk in Sonic 1 and 2 was because dialogue was not a part of the game. This is unlike Mario who did continue being silent even in the future games with lots of dialogue.