Final Fantasy 14's Silent Protagonist Is More Endearing Than Any Other In The Series

thegamer.com:

Written by Murillo Zerbinatto

Initially, I didn't mind silent protagonists in video games. Most Super Nintendo RPGs featured a reserved protagonist whose lines were identified by NPC responses, rather than spoken language. Since I had never experienced the opposite, this was acceptable. As games evolved and protagonists began to gain a voice, I assumed that silent protagonists were lazy and a waste of narrative - I would have loved to hear Crono pleading for his innocence in the Guardia trial, for example.

Years went by, and silent protagonists became rarer. They were an archetype facing extinction. And even with so many vocal, dynamic protagonists out there, the ones in Final Fantasy are among the medium’s most popular. I love Cloud and Zidane as much as the next guy. They are badasses. Who wouldn't want to be like them?

Related: Final Fantasy 14 Community Spotlight: ChiliFarmer

One of the things that make us emotionally connected with these characters is their flaws. We claim that they feel more real and tangible than do-good, flat characters. But does that mean the opposite is bad, that silent characters have now had their moment? I don't think so.

One thing in common with these protagonists is that the game has defined their personality for you. Sometimes they shape themselves and grow, but we just follow along. This can break or make a game if you don't have chemistry or relate to the character. Vaan, from Final Fantasy 12, here’s looking at you.

But what about the character that has no predefined personality? They are so much of a blank slate that the game doesn't even give them a voice-over. It sounds boring, and most of the time - for me, at least - it is. I never felt ‘me’ while creating a character in Skyrim or