Square Enix's Dragon Quest and Atlus' Metaphor: ReFantazio – two RPG titans – offer a fascinating contrast in protagonist design. Their creators, Yuji Horii and Katsura Hashino, recently discussed the evolving role of the silent protagonist in modern gaming, a conversation featured in the Metaphor: ReFantazio Atlas Brand 35th Anniversary Edition booklet.
The Silent Protagonist: A Dragon Quest Legacy
Horii, the visionary behind Dragon Quest, refers to his series' protagonist as a "symbolic protagonist." This silent character allows players to fully immerse themselves, projecting their own feelings and reactions onto the hero. This approach worked seamlessly in the NES era, where simplistic graphics left ample room for player interpretation. As Horii humorously notes, a silent protagonist in today's hyper-realistic games might just look like "an idiot."
Horii's background as an aspiring manga artist shaped his approach to storytelling. Dragon Quest's narrative unfolds primarily through dialogue, minimizing narration and maximizing player engagement. However, he acknowledges the challenges of maintaining this style in modern gaming, where detailed visuals and audio demand more expressive characters. The silent protagonist, once a strength, presents a significant design hurdle in the age of advanced graphics.
A Shift in Perspective: Metaphor: ReFantazio
In contrast to Dragon Quest's enduring silent protagonist, Metaphor: ReFantazio, directed by Hashino, features a fully voiced protagonist. While series like Persona have embraced voiced protagonists for years, Dragon Quest remains a notable exception.
Hashino, however, praises Horii's approach, highlighting its player-centric design. He observes that Dragon Quest consistently considers the player's emotional response to every interaction, even those with seemingly minor characters. This focus on emotional resonance, regardless of the protagonist's silence, makes the Dragon Quest experience uniquely impactful.
This discussion reveals the evolving creative choices in RPG design. The silent protagonist, once a natural fit, now presents a challenge, forcing developers to consider how to maintain player agency and emotional connection in the face of increasingly realistic visuals and audio.
