Video game graphics have come a long way in the past few decades. Advances, however well-intentioned, have had a significant impact on stories and characters, and may now even bring an end to the silent protagonist—or so claims Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii.

In a July 22 interview for Denfaminicogamer, translated from Japanese by Automaton, Horii spoke about RPGs, specifically his own Dragon Quest series, and the foundations they're built on. He cites the silent protagonist as a key element, which he describes as "symbolic," an element that is slowly disappearing as video game graphics continue to improve. "If you make a protagonist who just stands there, he'll look like an idiot," Horii explains, stating that developing this type of character will become increasingly challenging as graphical fidelity "evolves."

He added that when placed in modern video games with realistic graphics, silent protagonists cannot provide natural responses to what is happening around them. Immersion is easily broken, which was not the case in the classic Dragon Quest and other old RPGs with simpler graphics. Players could put themselves in the role of the silent protagonist, filling in the gaps in their minds, making it seem like reading a book. With high fidelity, players can easily be put off by a character who is just there and says nothing.

RPGs have come a long way in the past few decades, and not just in terms of graphics. There’s been a greater emphasis on setpieces and epic scale, while classic stories were created “in dialogue” with “very little in the way of narration,” as Horri puts it. We’ve gone from games like the old Baldur’s Gate titles that were glorified novels to the latest Baldur’s Gate 3 that is a Hollywood-style production in terms of voice acting, cutscenes, and other elements.