Video games have changed a lot in the last 25 years. Games, including Nintendo’s, shifted from mostly 2D to mostly 3D, with graphics becoming more realistic and detailed with each new generation of video game consoles. This created some new challenges for video game developers. However, you might be surprised to learn about the challenge mentioned by the creator of Dragon Quest.
Dragon Quest Series creator Yuji Horii and Metaphor: ReFantazio producer Katsura Hashino recently participated in an RPG dialogue event. At one point, Horii talks about a “symbolic protagonist,” one of the key aspects of Dragon Quest. At the time, the graphics were 2D and less detailed, meaning that it was easier for players to insert themselves into the game as the silent protagonist and project their own emotions and reactions onto the character. However, Horii says that “as the game’s graphics evolve and become more realistic, if you make the protagonist just stand there, he’ll look like an idiot”.
Horii also notes that there is no simple solution to this problem. The reason for this is that having the protagonist clearly react to events can risk losing immersion as players may find it difficult to relate and connect with the character. Horii said that “this is why the type of protagonist presented in Dragon Quest is getting harder to describe as the games become more realistic. This will be a challenge in the future as well,”
