Silent Protagonists in Modern RPGs: Insights from Dragon Quest and Metaphor

Veteran RPG creators Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest) and Katsura Hashino (Metaphor: ReFantazio) 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 graphics.

Horii, known for Dragon Quest's iconic silent protagonist, described him as a "symbolic protagonist," allowing players to project themselves into the game. This approach worked seamlessly with the simpler graphics of earlier games, where players readily filled the visual gaps with their own imagination. However, Horii jokingly admitted that a silent protagonist in today's high-fidelity games might just look like "an idiot" standing motionless.

He attributed his love for storytelling and computers to his career choice, emphasizing Dragon Quest's narrative structure built around dialogue rather than extensive narration. This dialogue-driven approach, he explained, is central to the game's charm. However, he acknowledges the growing difficulty of maintaining this design philosophy as graphics and audio become increasingly sophisticated, making a non-reactive protagonist seem increasingly out of place. He concludes that depicting this type of protagonist in increasingly realistic games will pose a significant challenge.

Hashino, whose upcoming game Metaphor: ReFantazio features a fully voiced protagonist, contrasted this with Dragon Quest's continued use of a silent lead. He praised Horii's focus on the player's emotional experience, stating that Dragon Quest consistently considers how players will feel in different situations, even during seemingly mundane interactions with NPCs. This player-centric approach, Hashino noted, is a hallmark of the Dragon Quest series. The discussion highlights the ongoing debate surrounding character design choices in modern RPGs and the enduring legacy of the silent protagonist in a rapidly changing gaming landscape.