10 Best Silent Protagonists In Gaming History
4. Doomguy (Doom)
Doomguy, sometimes referred to as the Doom Slayer instead, is pretty much the epitome of this trope. Though he has to settle for a spot just outside the medals (it’s a tough competition, after all), Doom Guy probably personifies what we expect from a silent protagonist more than anyone.
Once an everyday space marine, Doomguy gets involved in a beef with demons on Mars after his crew is killed. He ends up almost single handedly defending humanity from Hell, with the Doom games being some of the coolest and most visceral around.
Doomguy certainly isn’t the blank slate of Chell or Gordon Freeman; nor is his silence some artistic comment on grief as it is in Gris. Instead, we see a man who keeps his mouth shut, grits his teeth and does what has to be done.
The rugged marine is hardly a unique archetype in gaming, but several ropey heroes over the years have shown the dangers of leaning on one liners. Dukem Nukem was decent in his heyday, but the revival was painfully dated. Doom’s silence and focus on gunplay makes it a timeless, wordless classic.