Am I the only one who doesn't care either way?

[BrokenBoy]

I keep hearing people whining the use of silent protagonists in video games and complaning that it's totally outdated or whatever.

On the other hand I sometimes hear people complain about voiced protagonists as well and I don't get it.

Honestly, I don't really have a preference for either and I can see the appeal of both.

Sometimes it can be great to have a real character you care about and who's struggle you can empathize with.

Sometimes it can be great to have a spiritual vessel that can help you feel immersed in the game's world.

Does anyone else not have a preference either way and is fine with both?

 

[Misery]

On one hand, I indeed could not care less really.

On the other hand, I'm playing roguelikes alot and similar games that often barely even have a story. Or if they do, they sure as heck dont tell it via cutscenes or long conversations. Either way though I dont think I've ever seen a player character in that genre talk at all. But then, nobody plays that genre for the story stuff, even with those games that have stories (such as ToME).

Other than that, I grew up with NES and SNES games. The heroes never talked. They just didnt. Even in something like Final Fantasy or Dragon Warrior. Though to be fair, those games are old enough that even the NPCs didnt talk much.

Since I usually tend not to pay all that much attention to story stuff in most games, and since I'm used to that trend from the old games, well, yeah, it doesnt matter to me. Unless there are characters that never shut the heck up, or lots of cutscenes. THEN it matters. That's a fast way to kill my interest.

 

[Rabscuttle]

It depends on how it's done. Compare the two Half-Life games: Gordon never speaks in either, but in the first, it feels much more natural and flowing, and in the second, stilted and forced. It's partly due to the shift in atmosphere, but mostly just due to writing.