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and when put on the screen, did not require any spoken dialogue, since the games' plot and mechanics were all picture and motion based. Players are expected to put themselves into the role of the silent hero, and since the player does not talk in the game, neither does their on-screen avatar.
157:(which also features a silent protagonist) with game developer Valve, stated that he did not recommend keeping protagonists silent due to the difficulties that arise during development, but noted that limiting oneself to a silent protagonist can lead to more creativity.
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CJ Miozzi called franchises that still use the technique a "crutch" for bad storytelling, saying "just as narration has become a hallmark of terrible movies through improper use, silent protagonists have become the trademarks of a weak storyline in a game."
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the protagonist or is merely assuming control of an established character and whether the game allows the player freedom of choices that would be difficult to believably justify with spoken narrative influence this decision. Some have cited the 1993 game
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has no dialogue for its protagonist, Claude, as is common for games of its time, and this allows players of many backgrounds and personalities to identify with the character they control in the game's open world environment.
89:, were silent protagonists. Characters such as these may occasionally speak through text or audible words, but are otherwise limited to making gestures, inarticulate noises, or remaining entirely silent.
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39:, this may extend to protagonists who have dialogue, but no voice acting like all other non-player characters. A silent protagonist may be employed to lend a sense of mystery or uncertainty of
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franchise. Others have stated that real immersion in a game would require a character to speak, since in such situations, the player would naturally vocalize and the protagonist does not.
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Many early videogames made use of a silent protagonist out of utility, because of technology, time, or budget limitations, or as a narrative device. Whether the player is supposed to
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as an example of a first person adventure where the main character is merely an avatar for the player's choices and dialogue would not be needed or helpful. The 2001 game
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frequently cited, while the protagonist's lack of communication has at times been noted as hindersome to plot development, as in one reviewer's comments on
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Reception has varied widely according to its use, ranging from praise for its help immersing a player in the game, with titles such as
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who lacks any dialogue for the entire duration of a game, with the possible exception of occasional
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to the gameplay, or to help the player identify better with them. Silent protagonists may also be
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458:"Silent Protagonists: Why Games Like Skyrim Would Be Better without Them"
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343:"GDC Online: Valve Writers' Candid Thoughts On Creative Process"
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217:"Opinion: Shut Up And Save The World: The Silent Protagonist"
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96:. These games originated from pen and paper games such as
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in video games of the 1980s, including the likes of
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249:"The Missing Link: Voice Acting in Video Games"
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35:or short phrases. In some games, especially
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373:Szabelski, Brian (10 February 2008).
279:ben "yahtzee" croshaw (2010-09-28).
215:Andrew Vanden Bossche (2008-03-13).
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406:Screw Attack Editors (2012-04-07).
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468:from the original on 11 April 2019
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341:Kris Graft (2011-11-11).
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281:"On Silent Protagonists"
498:Video game protagonists
171:and franchises such as
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493:Video game terminology
99:Dungeons & Dragons
408:"Silent Protagonists"
186:Grand Theft Auto III
125:Grand Theft Auto III
180:The Legend of Zelda
79:The Legend of Zelda
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161:Critical response
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265:2012-09-11
233:2012-09-11
203:References
472:17 August
462:GameFront
391:17 August
348:Gamasutra
316:Eurogamer
222:Gamasutra
149:Half-Life
135:Half-Life
45:anonymous
466:Archived
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385:Archived
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132:In the
66:Metroid
154:Portal
137:series
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