The Evolving Role of the Silent Protagonist in Modern RPGs: A Conversation Between Dragon Quest and Metaphor: ReFantazio Creators
This article features a discussion between Yuji Horii, creator of the renowned Dragon Quest series, and Katsura Hashino, director of Atlus' upcoming RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio. The conversation, excerpted from the "Metaphor: ReFantazio Atlas Brand 35th Anniversary Edition" booklet, explores the challenges of using silent protagonists in today's visually advanced gaming landscape.
Horii, known for Dragon Quest's iconic silent protagonist, describes him as "the symbolic protagonist." This approach allows players to project themselves into the character, enhancing immersion. The silent protagonist acts as a player avatar, interacting primarily through dialogue choices.
Horii notes that the simplicity of earlier game graphics made silent protagonists a natural choice. However, with increasingly realistic visuals, a static protagonist can appear unconvincing. He humorously observes, "As game graphics evolve and grow increasingly realistic, if you make a protagonist who just stands there, they will look like an idiot."
Horii's background as an aspiring manga artist and his passion for storytelling and computers led him to game development. Dragon Quest's narrative unfolds primarily through dialogue, creating a unique interactive storytelling experience.
He acknowledges the evolving challenges of this approach. While the NES-era's minimalist graphics allowed players to fill in the emotional blanks, the increased visual and audio fidelity of modern games makes a silent protagonist harder to execute effectively. He concludes, "That’s why, the type of protagonist featured in Dragon Quest becomes increasingly difficult to depict as games become more realistic. This will be a challenge in the future too."
Dragon Quest stands out among major RPGs for its continued use of a silent protagonist. In contrast, series like Persona feature fully voiced protagonists. Hashino's Metaphor: ReFantazio will also utilize a fully voiced protagonist.
Hashino praises Horii's approach, highlighting its focus on player emotional engagement. He states, "I think Dragon Quest puts a lot of thought into how the player will feel in a given situation...I feel like the games are consistently created with the player in mind, thinking about what emotions will arise when someone says something." This underscores the enduring appeal of Dragon Quest's design philosophy, even amidst technological advancements.
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