Silent Lead?

August 16, 2007, 9:00 PM

How would you react if Enix released a Final Fantasy game with a silent lead, as in, he doesn't speak at all and only shows what he's feeling or whatever else through the supporting cast and party members?

As in...Grand Theft Auto 3 style.

My Character Profiles · August 16, 2007, 9:06 PM

As Link does in Zelda? I haven't played many Zelda games, but from what I have seen, Link like...never does any talking.
It really doesn't matter to me. I think it depends entirely on the type of the game. In FFVIII, Squall might as well have not spoken through the entire game and it wouldn't have mattered. XD
But in FFIX for example...you NEED the main character to speak; he's the speaker of the group, the leading man, THE most HEROIC, after all. ^.^

August 16, 2007, 9:12 PM

That would really bored me to death, to be honest. It was bad enough that Vaan or any other characters on FFXII didn't really interact with the NPC's in the game...but having a main character not talk at all would ruin the whole Final Fantasy feel to it.

August 16, 2007, 9:18 PM

It would bore me as well. But then again it may add to the main characters mystery. Just depends. They could have a sidekick-like character that would speak for him, and that would work. Something like "Watch out Sever gets that look just before he kills someone." And the NPC would back down.

August 16, 2007, 11:09 PM

That would frustrate me to death. I like my main character / Villain to be chatty, and without them communicating in some way i would lose it. It's one of the reasons i dislike Link - he never speaks ><

August 17, 2007, 12:16 AM

Well it did work for Chrono Trigger since Crono never talked. I didn't even notice until someone pointed it out to me. XD

I don't think it would work for a game where there was voice acting though. Maybe it would work for a game where the talking was all in text.

August 17, 2007, 12:24 AM

You raise a valid point Ali, in the golden Sun games the lead character in each games never talks - but you don't notice because the others react for them, and because theres no voice acting. i think it could work, but iw ould be difficult to do it correctly...

August 17, 2007, 8:21 AM

In both Breath of Fire 3 and 4, Ryu never speaks either but the characters react just like he's speaking. It didn't mind it at all. I agree with Rydia though. I don't think it would work if the game had voice acting. It would seem kind of silly.

August 31, 2007, 4:05 AM

It may work for some, but I think I’d have a hard time getting into a later day FF with a silent lead being one of the main characters.

August 31, 2007, 4:29 PM

As said above, I agree, if it works well and fits the plot I wouldn't be bothered. Who knows if it would or wouldn't work out for a game with voicing acting. I can't think of a game with voicing acting and a main character that doesn't speak. Unless, maybe it might work in a single-character game.