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.
Pretty good read.
While playing Half Life and people are talking to me I'm usually throwing stuff at them.
Jerk Freeman.
I happen to like Tom Cruise, but this is still a pretty good article.
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
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.