The problem isn’t silent protagonists; it’s inactive ones

Michael Urban from Velocity Gamer states why it's not necessarily the lack of a voice that makes most silent protagonists boring, it's the fact that the lack of a voice is being used to hide a deeper problem:

Most silent game heroes are inactive, barely playing a role in their own stories.

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

Pretty good read.

[thebudgetgamer]

While playing Half Life and people are talking to me I'm usually throwing stuff at them.

Jerk Freeman.

[ThichQuangDuck]

See and what makes that awesome is if you throw stuff at them they will react. Which in other games they would go about their normal business. Demonstrating that you affect the world

[ab5olut10n]

I happen to like Tom Cruise, but this is still a pretty good article.

[ThichQuangDuck]

Silent Protagonist worked in Shadow of The Colossus, Half Life 2 and Bioshock for obvious reasons. It is much harder to deliver a narrative with a first person silent character. Even while I play Far Cry 3 I am often frustrated by moments that are quicktime or essentially very short cutscenes where I should be in control. In Max Payne 3 and GTA IV I felt a disconnect with a character who complains about killing constantly while killing. The story has to align with the character and the player in a comprehensible way. If not than the gamer feels the fantasy world and sees the man behind the curtain

[ab5olut10n]

Ludonarrative dissonance, that's what you're referring to

[ThichQuangDuck]

That is what I am referring to thank you. Also overall player's sense of agency of whether they are affecting the world and narrative.

[ElectricKaibutsu]

Great article.

The article was more about the protagonist being a hero with clear goals than being about whether or not they speak, but I just want to say I love protagonists that talk as long as they have something interesting to say. Prince of Persia Sands of Time is a good example of this. The Prince was witty and likable. You liked him and you liked being him. On the other end of the spectrum speaking protagonists could be annoying stereotypes such as the sequel, Prince of Persia Warrior Within. That Prince (supposedly the same prince mind you) was devoid of charm, dark, and angry. Quoting Penny Arcade, the Prince "smolders with generic rage."

Like the article writer I don't mind if the protagonist doesn't speak as long as they're still an interesting character.

[Flipgeneral]

I would have to disagree with the author lumping Dishonored into the list of bad examples. Actually his reasons for applying HL2 to the good ' example list justify Dishonored's Corvo to be in the same category. Just my 2 cents

[crackforgangstas]

This is a great read, reminds me of a book I recently read called "The Lock Artist" which was about a mute... I had my doubts about it but the character turned out to be simply fantastic! He wasn't bland he moved with purpose.

[Kratoscar2008]

I feel this opinion piece is more about a rant to linearity and hand holding (Via NPC)than the silent protagonist as even if your character talked his whole issue would be to be bossed around.

On topic, SPs are not for everyone:

http://n4g.com/user/blogpos...

Again this is an opinion piece in wich what troubles him for the SP isnt the case for everyone who dislike them in my case a SP works for me because i as a player with my actions and sometimes my desitions are the motivation of me and thus my character, why i would want to help the MC accomplish his dream of being a pop star? Why i would want to help him if i as a player dont share his ideals? A SP makes me able to have MY own reasons to finish the story.

"Imagine picking up a book right now (or film, or graphic novel, or whatever) in which the character has no control of their journey. Other characters explain the plot to them and tell them where and when to get to all the significant plot points. They save the protagonist from being incinerated in the opening and then provide them with the rusty spatula to stab the villain with during the climax. Not once does the protagonist get to speak up and propose what to do next. If they do, another character yells “Shaddup, foo!” in their best Mr. T voice and the hero agrees like the submissive little bitch that he is.

Would that not be the most boring, uninvolving book/film/comic/porno ever? I believe the answer starts with the letter Y."

Well my friend thats why its a videogame, is like you rant of the lack of pictures in a book or the lack of narrators in movies, they dont have to share how they give the experience.

Good article nevertheless at least i laughed.