Why Dragon Quest 12: Flames of Fate Should Make Big Change To Protagonist

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Why Dragon Quest 12: Flames of Fate Should Make Big Change To Protagonist

Highlights

  • Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate promises a darker, more serious tone and heavy decision-making elements, a departure from previous DQ games.
  • The creator believes that silent protagonists are out of place in modern games, suggesting a voiced protagonist for DQ 12 could enhance player immersion.
  • While some fans may be disappointed by a potential change, a voiced protagonist in DQ 12 could help players take the game’s dark plot more seriously.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that I am quite intrigued by the prospect of Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate introducing a voiced protagonist to the series. It’s no secret that the Dragon Quest franchise has been rather traditional in its approach, and while I have fond memories of playing through the silent hero’s adventures, I can’t help but feel that it’s time for a change.

Despite the fact that Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate was officially announced three years ago, Square Enix has yet to provide much detail about the game. The only substantial information we have so far is from a 50-second teaser trailer released in 2021 and subsequent developer interviews. Although it’s difficult to imagine what Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate will ultimately look like, series creator Yuji Horii has hinted that the game may deviate significantly from the traditional Dragon Quest formula.

Apart from confirming a more somber, thoughtful mood for the game compared to its predecessors, he also hinted at a greater focus on complex choices. As such, the title The Flames of Fate fittingly suggests this shift. If Square Enix intends to revolutionize the Dragon Quest series as drastically as it did with Final Fantasy 16, then they might as well consider modernizing certain elements from past Dragon Quest games that could benefit from updates. One aspect that has been debated for improvement is the silent protagonist.

Dragon Quest 12 Should Break Series Tradition By Having a Voiced Protagonist

For those familiar with the Dragon Quest video game series, it’s no secret that its primary characters are typically silent throughout the story. While a few exceptions may occur in specific situations, dialogue from these heroes is scarce. This characteristic is particularly evident in the latest mainline installment, Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age.

Dragon Quest 11’s Hero Has Little Personality Compared to Other Silent Protags

In the game DQ11, players assume the role of a silent character often referred to as the Hero or Luminary. Due to his lack of spoken dialogue, he doesn’t possess a distinct personality. Some believe the purpose of having such an enigmatic protagonist is to allow players to fill in their own emotions, yet the game mechanics do not actively support this concept.

In this game, the main character communicates solely through hand movements, facial expressions, and grunts, with all interactions being pre-set. This means that players can’t customize or influence the Hero’s personality according to their preference, unlike in role-playing games from the West such as Baldur’s Gate 3 or Starfield. While these two games also feature silent protagonists, they allow gamers to mold the characters they control by providing dialogue choices that shape their personalities.

A more fitting comparison for the game Dragon Quest could be the Persona series. Like Dragon Quest, the player characters in many Persona games are mostly silent. Players are occasionally given a choice from unvoiced dialogue options that allow them to influence the protagonist’s personality slightly. Despite the lack of dialogue, the main characters in the Persona games possess an endearing charm and have distinct personalities that resonate with players. This is not always true for Dragon Quest protagonists.

Dragon Quest’s Creator Thinks Mute Protagonists Feel Out of Place in Modern Games

The sentiment that Dragon Quest‘s silent protagonists are out of fashion is even shared by Yuji Horii. In a recent interview with Denfaminicogamer, the series’ own creator criticized the notion of silent protagonists in modern video games, stating that “as game graphics evolve and grow increasingly realistic, if you make a protagonist who just stands there, they will look like an idiot.” Indeed, while silent protagonists didn’t feel too out of place in the NES and SNES days, having a mute player character in a modern third-person video game is realism-breaking.

As a dedicated Dragon Quest fan, I can’t help but speculate about the direction of Dragon Quest 12. With an emphasis on player choices, it seems plausible that we might see a protagonist with voiced lines or even dialogue trees reminiscent of Persona games. This could be a game-changer for the franchise, and while it may ruffle feathers among long-time fans who appreciate the silent protagonists, I believe it’s a step in the right direction. After all, with a potentially grim plot for Dragon Quest 12, a voiced protagonist could add depth and gravity to the storyline.

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2024-08-05 23:34