Summary
- The choice between a silent or voiced protagonist depends on the game's genre, story, and goals for player immersion or narrative focus.
- Silent protagonists enhance immersion in open-world RPGs that allow players to shape their characters, such as Skyrim and Elden Ring.
- Several open-world games feature silent protagonists despite having pre-designed, established characters, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Shadow of the Colossus.
The discourse surrounding whether a game's protagonist should be voiced or silent is nothing new and depends on several factors, including the story and genre. For some genres, silent protagonists enhance immersion, particularly in open-world RPGs, where players can shape their characters and choose their paths from scratch. In several gaming series, silent protagonists have even become a hallmark, making it difficult to imagine characters like Half-Life's Gordon Freeman suddenly speaking.
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While developers can effectively utilize silent protagonists to great effect, the choice to make a character non-speaking can feel out of place in dialogue-heavy narratives where the lead lacks dialogue options and inexplicably ignores others addressing them (think Metro Exodus). In many open-world games, voiced protagonists can also be overly talkative, causing unnecessary distractions and breaking immersion during exploration. Below, we'll explore some of the best open-world games featuring completely silent protagonists who don't abruptly comment on events players experience firsthand.
1 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Dragonborn (Dovahkiin)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
As in many other Bethesda RPGs, such as Fallout 3, Oblivion, and Starfield, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is one of the most renowned and iconic open-world RPGs featuring a silent protagonist. Players can freely shape the Last Dragonborn, choosing their race, gender, and appearance as desired. Despite its dialogue-heavy nature, Skyrim adheres to the genre's tradition of selecting text responses when interacting with other characters or companions.
Skyrim exemplifies a timeless world that continues to captivate players for years, suggesting that silent protagonists may be the optimal choice for open-world RPGs offering extensive freedom. The game allows players seeking a second life to fully embody their character, immersing themselves in a world rich with deep lore, intriguing characters, and adventures at every turn.
2 STALKER: Shadow Of Chernobyl
Marked One (Strelok)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
- Released
- March 20, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Publisher(s)
- THQ
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl features a fully silent protagonist who also suffers from amnesia — another familiar trope for leads in gaming. The Marked One (later revealed as Strelok) is a typical RPG character, allowing players to select text responses during dialogues with NPCs, but the protagonist's voice is never heard during gameplay. This changes during some cutscenes, including the finale, where players hear Strelok's wishes to the Monolith, though this has little impact on the character's perception throughout the main story.
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It's unclear whether the silent protagonist was a deliberate choice or a result of budget constraints, given that in the sequel, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, players are introduced to a new, fully voiced protagonist, Skif. Interestingly, Strelok returns as a key character in the sequel, playing a major role in the story and communicating with players as Skif with full voice-over. Fortunately, the sequel's cinematic approach enhances the narrative, making it feel more natural without detracting from the game's unique atmosphere.
3 Fallout: New Vegas
The Courier
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
Fallout: New Vegas remains one of the most beloved entries in the series, with its characters often ranked among the most memorable. Like previous entries, New Vegas features robust character creation through the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. System, allowing players to craft highly flexible archetypes for the Courier. This, combined with the game's rich role-playing elements, creates a unique journey and enhances replayability.
Throughout the Fallout RPG series, only Fallout 4 features a voiced protagonist — a creative decision still widely debated among the series' fans. This choice may have been a natural fit for a game that took bold steps to simplify the established role-playing system, aiming to make Fallout more accessible.
4 Far Cry 5
The Junior Deputy (Rook)
Far Cry 5
- Released
- March 27, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Toronto
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Far Cry 5, the most successful game in the series to date, introduced several bold decisions, including a character creator and, for the first time, a fully silent protagonist. However, unlike most open-world games, the choice to make the Deputy non-speaking often feels inconsistent with the story-driven experience. Many characters directly address Rook, receiving no response, and players frequently lack text dialogue options to choose from like in the usual RPGs.
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On the other hand, the silent protagonist enhances immersion, as voiced protagonists in many Ubisoft open-world games can be overly talkative, constantly commenting on players' goals, which can become annoying. Nevertheless, Ubisoft later reversed this approach in Far Cry 6, introducing the voiced protagonist Dani Rojas and adopting a more cinematic narrative, featuring the lead character in cutscenes rather than relying solely on a first-person perspective.
5 Elden Ring
Tarnished
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
FromSoftware's Souls games are renowned for their silent protagonists, which players can create from scratch, and Elden Ring is no exception. Unlike previous Souls games, however, Elden Ring features an enormous and unique open world and includes the largest number of side NPCs that players can interact with and engage in optional questlines.
While the game offers limited dialogue choices, every decision in Elden Ring carries weight and can lead to unpredictable outcomes, as the game focuses only on meaningful interactions. Another distinctive feature of communication in Elden Ring is the gesture system, which players can occasionally use to progress certain quests, solve puzzles, or reveal hidden pathways and entire locations.
6 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Link
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Wii U, Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Legend of Zelda, one of the most popular and iconic gaming series, is closely associated with a silent protagonist, and Breath of the Wild (alongside Tears of the Kingdom) exemplifies this. Even without a voice or active dialogue participation, Link remains a well-established and relatable character, standing out with his stoic personality during exploration.
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In the Creating a Champion book, Link's lack of expression is partially explained, depicting him as a man fully dedicated to his knightly duties and warrior responsibilities, which have rendered him unable to express himself openly, thus remaining silent. In Breath of the Wild, Link is more expressive and lighthearted but stays true to his characteristic quietness.
7 Dragon's Dogma 2
Arisen
Dragon's Dogma 2
- Released
- March 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Following in the footsteps of Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen and many open-world action-RPGs with character creators from 2010s, Dragon's Dogma 2 features a completely silent protagonist. Overall, Dragon's Dogma 2 feels like a rare modern take on old-school RPGs, often resembling a faithful remake of the first game but set in a new world, appealing to players who crave its classic approach to the genre.
Players can choose gender and race for Arisen, and later create their own Pawns with various races, genders, and classes. Dragon's Dogma 2 is less dialogue-focused and more action-driven, making the silent protagonist a natural fit for exploration of the game's harsh medieval world.
8 Shadow Of The Colossus
Wander
Shadow of the Colossus
- Released
- February 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bluepoint Games, JapanStudio, Team Ico
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
A distinct type of open-world game, Shadow of the Colossus offers a deeply melancholic and largely wordless experience, featuring little to no voiced dialogue and cutscenes. The story unfolds primarily through events and music, without hand-holding or excessive explanation.
To complement this tone, Wander is a fully silent protagonist, perfectly suited for a solitary (and mysterious) journey where players are left to their own devices in a seemingly simple quest to find and defeat 16 colossi in a vast world with little else to do. Departing from the typical busywork-filled open-world formula, Shadow of the Colossus delivers a unique and memorable experience, with every element of its design, including the silent hero, serving a singular purpose.
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