Dragon Quest, Metaphor: ReFantazio Creators on Silent Protagonists in Modern RPGs

RPG veterans Yuji Horii and Katsura Hashino, directors of Square Enix's "Dragon Quest" and Atlus' "Metaphor: ReFantazio," delve into the evolving role of silent protagonists in RPGs, amidst the backdrop of advancing technology and shifting game development trends.

Dragon Quest Creator Talks Modern Challenges of Using Silent Protagonists

image (c) Den Faminico Gamer

In a thought-provoking discussion featured in the "Metaphor: ReFantazio Atlas Brand 35th Anniversary Edition" booklet, Yuji Horii, the mastermind behind the iconic Dragon Quest series, conversed with Katsura Hashino, the director of Atlus' eagerly anticipated RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio. They explored the nuances of storytelling in RPGs, particularly focusing on the challenges posed by increasingly realistic game graphics.

The Dragon Quest series has long been anchored by its use of a silent protagonist, which Horii refers to as "the symbolic protagonist." This approach allows players to project their own emotions and reactions onto the character, enhancing immersion within the game's universe. Silent protagonists serve as player avatars, engaging with the game world through dialogue choices rather than spoken lines.

Horii humorously noted that with the evolution of game graphics towards greater realism, a protagonist who merely stands silently can appear out of place. "As game graphics evolve and grow increasingly realistic, if you make a protagonist who just stands there, they will look like an idiot," he quipped.

Reflecting on his career, Horii shared that his initial ambition was to become a manga artist. His passion for storytelling and fascination with computers led him to the video game industry, culminating in the creation of Dragon Quest. He emphasized the game's unique narrative structure, which relies heavily on dialogue with townspeople rather than extensive narration. "Dragon Quest basically consists of dialogue with townspeople, with very little in the way of narration. The story is created using the dialogue. That’s what’s fun about it," he explained.

Horii acknowledged the growing difficulty of maintaining silent protagonists in modern games, where realistic graphics can make a non-reactive protagonist seem out of touch. In the early days of Dragon Quest, the simplistic graphics of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) allowed players to easily fill in the emotional gaps left by the silent protagonist. However, as game visuals and audio become more sophisticated, Horii admitted that depicting silent protagonists becomes increasingly challenging.

"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," he concluded.

Metaphor ReFantazio Director Thinks Dragon Quest Puts Players' Feelings First

While Dragon Quest remains one of the few major RPG series to feature a silent protagonist, other series like Persona have moved towards fully voiced protagonists, a trend evident since Persona 3. In contrast, Hashino's upcoming game, Metaphor: ReFantazio, will feature a fully voice-acted protagonist.

Hashino praised Horii for the emotionally resonant experience Dragon Quest provides, despite the limitations of silent protagonists. "I think Dragon Quest puts a lot of thought into how the player will feel in a given situation," Hashino remarked, "even when it's to do with a regular townsperson. I feel like the games are consistently created with the player in mind, thinking about what emotions will arise when someone says something."