One of the biggest hypocrisies in my gamer life is how I always say I don’t like silent protagonists, while three of my favorite JRPGs feature exactly that.
Back in the day, it was easier to pull off this characteristic, although it wasn’t necessarily beneficial to the narrative. The idea of self-inserting ourselves into a silent protagonist never worked for me because, well, the character exists, has a name, a life, and other traits I never had any control over.
Even so, there are a few JRPGs that manage to take advantage of this silence and create relatively charismatic protagonists, whether through expressions, attitudes, or the sheer power of their fashion sense.
Today, I’ll explore some of the best JRPG silent protagonists I’ve seen out there. Just remember, I’m talking about the characters and their contribution to the narrative, not just their games.
8 Hero
Dragon Quest VIII
Dragon Quest is known for having the most silent protagonists of all franchises, to the point where their inaction can even harm the narrative, as in Dragon Quest XI. The world is falling apart, comrades are dying, and our hero just stands there, expressionless.
That’s why, although the latest Dragon Quest might be technically superior to Dragon Quest VIII in every way, I still prefer the latter’s hero. Here, he’s a lowly soldier lucky enough not to get cursed (avoiding spoilers, people) and now, thanks to his righteousness, embarks on a journey to save those who were.
The best thing about the hero in Dragon Quest VIII is that he has expressions and reactions in cutscenes. He may not speak, but he knows how to express himself. On top of that, his design is delightful and nostalgic, evoking that feeling of seeing Goku again.
Even better when he uses Tension and basically turns into a Super Saiyan. Too bad they removed that in the Nintendo 3DS version, though the bandana remained—a nice fashion statement.
7 Ludger
Tales of Xillia 2
One of the most baffling decisions I’ve ever seen is Bandai Namco opting for a silent protagonist in a Tales of game, a series famous for building its characters through skits and banter. But here we are.
The decision came, I wager, due to a mechanic that allows us to choose Ludger’s responses, shaping his personality and a few minor plot events (until the end, that is). Does it work? Kind of. Compared to other Tales of protagonists, Ludger sits in the middle ground.
For instance, he’s more unyielding than weak-minded ones like Sorey. However, since he doesn’t, well, talk, his development falls short of more complex protagonists like Velvet or Yuri.
Still, it works, and that’s why Ludger deserves a spot here. Pulling off a silent protagonist in a series that thrives on dialogue is tough, but Tales of Xillia 2 made it work. It also doesn’t hurt that Ludger is an all-powerful character, possibly the strongest protagonist ever seen in the franchise.
6 Dan/Yuki Kanan
Digimon Story Time Stranger
Just when I thought silent protagonists were a relic of the JRPG past, along comes a recent release featuring yet another one. In Digimon Story Time Stranger, we can choose between Dan Kanan or Yuki Kanan, and the one not chosen becomes our operator, guiding us through our mission with voiced dialogues.
From my limited understanding, I believe our Time Stranger protagonist is silent because the game gives us dialogue choices. Mind you, those choices don’t alter any narrative outcome, so pick whichever you like. Some were surprisingly funny, though.
However, unlike many other JRPGs, our silent protagonist here has agency in the plot. We’re not just bystanders thrown into a conflict and suddenly expected to save the world. We’re professionals, with a clear objective and the unique means to travel through time and make things happen. That already puts them above most silent protagonists.
5 Rudy Roughknight
Wild Arms
Sometimes, a hero’s silence is used as a narrative device to either empower the story or foreshadow something greater. I don’t know if that was precisely the case with Wild Arms, but it sure helped. This is especially evident since Cecilia and Jack—the other main characters—talk, while Rudy doesn’t.
To sum up: Rudy just wants to find a place to belong. During his travels, it’s discovered he has a massive talent for handling ARMs and, well, mass destruction. However, that never clouds his judgment or personality; he’s always striving to help others or do better, even at the cost of his own well-being.
That’s symbolized when Rudy heroically cuts off his own arm. It’s also the moment of a significant plot twist, revealing he was never human to begin with, but a Holmcross (apparently, a mistranslation of Homunculus). Then, all the pieces fall into place, from his aptitude with ARMs to his tech-based tools like the Radar and Rocket Skates.
4 Serge
Chrono Cross
I love Chrono Trigger as much as any other gamer, but for me, its weakest part is Crono. He’s just a guy who wakes up one day, goes to a fair, and suddenly gets thrown into a time-traveling odyssey without ever questioning anything, all to save a future where he’ll be long dead.
That’s why I think Serge is a much more fleshed-out and remarkable protagonist in Chrono Cross. Not only does he wear a bandana, instantly earning cool points, but he’s also pivotal to the plot. Okay, sure, it’s a bit weird how he stays silent after turning into Lynx, not even trying to defend himself, but come on.
The entire dual-world concept exists because of Serge’s death, which is also why he’s the only one who can travel between them. Pretty much the entire Chrono Cross plot hinges on Serge, elevating his role to a level where his silence can easily be forgiven.
It also justifies why the characters who know the truth care so deeply about his existence, to the point of trying to either kill or save him. That’s strong protagonist material right there, even without a single spoken word.
3 Ryu
Breath of Fire III
Breath of Fire III is my favorite game ever. It helped shape my taste in games, especially JRPGs, and is the sole reason why I use “Ryu” as my gaming alias. It’s also one of the few older games that really nailed the concept of a silent protagonist.
From start to finish, Ryu only has voiced lines when attacking, casting, or taking damage. Yet we can still observe his growth and emotional feedback through his actions and expressions. As a child, Ryu cries often, and his initial stance in battle is timid and hesitant; however, it changes when he must stand tall and protect Nina, showing his development.
Then, after the time skip, Ryu carries himself with more maturity and conviction in his duties. The whole adventure, the learning, and the experiences culminate in the end, where Ryu—and the player—must make a single decision that determines the good or bad ending.
It’s the only choice the player makes throughout the story, but it carries enormous weight while undeniably being shaped by everything we’ve seen Ryu go through. Kudos to Breath of Fire IV as well, which nails the silent protagonist concept greatly while adding a dichotomy resource to the narrative.
2 Joker
Persona 5
If you search on YouTube, you’ll find a video of all Joker’s voiced lines spanning six minutes, quite a lot for a silent protagonist. But there’s a difference between actively talking and, well, shouting every Persona name repeatedly in a stellar timbre.
Joker, aka Ren Amamiya, is a slick and stylish protagonist, much like Persona 5 itself. Most of the time, it doesn’t even feel like he’s silent, but rather a terse protagonist who favors brevity when expressing his thoughts, actions, and convictions. He rarely speaks because he doesn’t need to.
Also, the whole Social Link feature benefits from player choice, so letting us decide what he says has a clear design purpose. If Persona 5 gave Joker a strong, predefined personality, it would undermine our sense of agency.
Additionally, every cutscene that features Joker oozes with style and personality. He’s a leader who inspires and guides others through action rather than words. All in all, every little detail ties together to create a masterpiece. No wonder Persona 5 Royal is the highest-rated JRPG today.
1 You, Warrior of Light
Final Fantasy XIV
An MMORPG from one of the world’s most famous JRPG franchises still counts as a JRPG, right? Right. So, for a while now, I’ve defended the idea that Final Fantasy XIV’s protagonist is the best in the series. After all, it’s me. It’s you. It’s us. We should all love ourselves.
I still stand by this belief. Most custom-created characters are silent to allow self-insertion, and it usually works, even if our choices don’t change the story in any way.
That’s the case with Final Fantasy XIV. No matter what we do, the story is as linear as it gets. However, as we spend more time with our Warrior of Light, getting to know Eorzea (and Hydaelyn), meeting the Scions, saving the world from Primals, emperors, gods, and whatever conflict arises, we begin to form lasting bonds.
It’s the only game where I genuinely felt in my character’s shoes, even if my cooking and fishing skills are nowhere near his. When I spoke with Alphinaud, learned from Y’shtola, or frowned at Zenos, it wasn’t just a character reacting; it was me, the player, engaging with them.
Final Fantasy XIV’s Warrior of Light is the only silent protagonist that truly gives a voice to the player.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
