Summary
- Horror games can benefit from protagonists who speak, adding depth and immersion.
- Certain horror games like Days Gone and Resident Evil 4 execute talkative main characters well.
- Characters like Justine and Heather bring unique dialogue and atmosphere, enhancing the horror experience.
In most horror games, the protagonist that players assume control of will either barely say anything during the nightmarish adventure, or will remain completely silent the whole way through, but this doesn't always need to be the case. In fact, if the lead of a horror game is a little more on the talkative side, it can end up making them a lot more interesting as a character, while also allowing players to feel a little more at ease knowing that they aren't the only ones reacting in horror at what's going on around them.
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More horror games need interruptible, immersive in-game menus. I'm talking Dead Space's floating, see-through RIG menu. Your inventory should never be a safe space. Any other mechanics you think are a must-have?
It can often be quite risky to have a horror main character who talks a lot, considering this can easily break the immersion and scare factor of the game. When done right, though, it can end up making the star of the show a lot more memorable and fun to follow, with these being the biggest examples of horror titles that managed to get it right.
8 Days Gone
Deacon Is Always Ready To Give His Opinion On The Sad State Of The World Around Him
Days Gone Remastered
- Released
- April 25, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Bend Studio
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5
Whether he's scavenging a town for supplies, raiding a camp full of flesh-hungry zombies, or even simply hopping off a radio-call with a friend, Deacon will always have something to say about the current state of affairs. When riding through the vast open world of Days Gone, Deacon will occasionally talk to himself as he reflects on past events, and tries to make sense of the zombie outbreak that he finds himself dropped in the middle of.
Considering much of Deacon's journey across Oregon is spent alone, having him be such a chatterbox does at least prevent the long bike rides from ever getting boring or stale. It also allows players to get a deeper insight into Deacon as a character, and how he views the world and people around him now that everything has gone to hell.
7 The Walking Dead
Lee Can Always Be Found Chatting To People And Making New Allies To Keep Him And Clementine Safe
The Walking Dead
- Released
- April 24, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Telltale Games
- Genre(s)
- Graphic Adventure, Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Mobile
Despite being a criminal who was on his way to prison moments before the zombie outbreak started, Lee doesn't exactly come across as a bad guy. In fact, he's very open, honest, and approachable, which is why he's able to speak to so many people through The Walking Dead, and form so many close bonds during his adventures with Clementine, who he's prepared to protect with everything he has.
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Considering The Walking Dead is a Telltale game based on making choices that will impact the story going forward, it makes sense why Lee would have so much dialogue packed into a playthrough. The good news is, though, Dave Fennoy does such an excellent job with the voice acting that it never makes Lee feel annoying to listen to. In stark contrast, it's always a joy being able to learn more about him, and how he bounces off the iconic cast of characters who join him in his survival mission.
6 Amnesia: The Dark Descent (Justine)
Without Players Even Realizing It, Justine Has Been Narrating The Entire Journey In A Weird Roundabout Way
Amnesia The Dark Descent
- Released
- September 9, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
Amnesia: The Dark Descent's brief but excellent side story, Justine, kicks off with players waking up inside a dark and dingy cell while a woman's voice berates them from a speaker in the background. As players make their way through each area, solving puzzles and sneaking past the mysterious Suitors as they go, they will hear this mysterious woman talking to them at numerous points along the adventure.
While this is all going on, players have no idea who they are even playing, that is, until the protagonist speaks for the first time nea the end, with their voice being identical to the one that had been narrating the journey so far. In an unexpected twist, it turns out players had been controlling Justine the entire time, after she gave herself amnesia to partake in one of her sick and twisted games. This is why her voice is constantly ringing through the bleak prison halls, adding to the game's unsettling atmosphere and ambiance in the process.
5 Outlast 2
Blake Provides Some Intriguing Narration To His Uncomfortable Recordings
Outlast 2
- Released
- April 25, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Red Barrels
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
In the first Outlast game, Miles was a silent protagonist who, outside a few grunts and screams, never utters a word as he desperately tries to escape the dangerous Mount Massive Asylum which is crawling with psychotic inmates. Blake, however, who takes the lead role in the sequel, is more than happy to give his own opinions on the unsettling imagery and characters he comes across.
After capturing a video on the camcorder, players can then go back to the recording where Blake will provide some narration of the story up to that point, but he will even throw out a few comments here and there during intense in-game sections too. Outlast 2 is one of the scariest horror games in recent years, but Blake's voice can at least ensure players that they aren't alone for the journey.
4 Silent Hill 3
Heather Can't Hold Her Tongue When She Sees Something Creepy Or Bizarre
Silent Hill 3
- Released
- August 6, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Unlike James, who prefers to keep his thoughts to himself most of the time, Heather is a lot more open and quite hot-headed, considering she's only a teenager in Silent Hill 3. As a result, she talks a lot more often than most other protagonists seen in the series, which, alongside her iconic design, is a reason why Heather has become so beloved.
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Rather than letting characters like Claudia and Vincent walk all over her, Heather will always push back on them with her own comments and remarks in an attempt to try and understand why the world around her is turning into hell itself. Heather's voice can't be heard when analyzing items, but regardless, she still has a ton of comments she can make when exploring the game's areas, no matter how random or obscure her dialogue might be.
3 Resident Evil 4
No Matter How Terrifying Things Get, Leon Is Always Ready To Throw Out A Cheeky One-Liner
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- January 11, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Throughout Resident Evil 4, Leon faces off against a plethora of horrific monsters in his mission to rescue Ashley. However, the cheeky protagonist will almost always have a snarky comment up his sleeve to belittle his opponents with, either before or after taking them down for good. Leon's dialogue in Resident Evil 4 helps to add a slice of goofiness to the whole experience, while still retaining enough creepy enemies and environments to ensure it still feels scary to play.
While Leon was already known to be quite the talker in Resident Evil 2, as a way to showcase his new action-cop persona, Capcom decided to give him tons of extra lines in the fourth mainline game and its remake. Considering many of his lines are still thrown around among the fanbase even to this day, it proves that Leon's remarks aren't just forgettable bits of fluff, but instead, memorable catchphrases and quotes that have managed to stand the test of time.
2 Alan Wake 2
Alan And Saga Will Drop A Few Hints To Keep Players On Track
Alan Wake 2
- Released
- October 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Though Alan Wake 2 is an incredibly innovative horror game that features plenty of unique systems and mechanics to shake up the traditional survival horror gameplay loop, it's also quite challenging overall. Over the course of each chapter, players will either assume control of Saga or Alan, both of whom will be frequently dropping small hints and comments to help prevent players from getting lost or confused.
When entering Saga's Mind Place, for example, where players can piece together the information they have found so far on a giant crime board, Saga will occasionally give her own thoughts and opinions, as if discussing the situation with the player directly. Thankfully, both protagonists also know when it's time to keep their mouths closed to ensure the eerie moments are as scary as possible, but it's still extremely handy to have them speak so often.
1 Dead Space Remake
Allowing Isaac To React To His Situation Makes Him More Believable And Realistic As A Character
Dead Space
- Released
- January 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated M for Mature for Blood and Gore, Strong Language, and Intense Violence.
- Developer(s)
- EA Motive
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Isaac being a silent protagonist in the classic survival horror game, Dead Space, was somewhat of a controversial decision by the developers. While some felt it added to the immersion, others would have liked to have heard what the engineer truly felt about the state of the Ishimura, and his own opinions on whether his girlfriend, Nicole, is truly alive or not. For the remake, Isaac is allowed to speak both for in-game cutscenes and in combat situations.
Being able to see Isaac push back against Hammond and Kendra when they start acting suspicious makes him feel far more believable and intriguing as a character. Isaac's newfound voice is also used to good effect once he starts getting a little too close to the Marker, where he'll start mumbling to himself as his mind becomes more and more corrupted. Dead Space remake is an excellent horror game in its own right with plenty of freaky enemies, gorgeous graphics, and tons of weapon variety, but giving Isaac a voice, and allowing him to speak so often, is one of the greatest new additions.
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