Gordon Freeman's silent presence and Master Chief's restrained strength add layers to their enduring appeal. Some characters become iconic because of their voice, others because of their silence .

Master Chief was born in an odd era for video games, where protagonists were either silent like Half-Life’s Gordon Freeman or loud-mouths like the titular Duke Nukem. Master Chief, AKA John-117 ...

Empire's voted Gordon Freeman as its greatest video game character of all time. ... Halo's Master Chief, Guybrush Threepwood from Monkey Island and Link from The Legend of Zelda. ...