Valve: Portal's Chell is Silent Because It's Funnier

[Ashcrexl]

chell never speaks because her birth parents never loved her. it was traumatic.

 

[GeorgW]

Aw man!! I want Chell back! Not because I like her dialogue or anything, but because I've played through her story and want more of it! A new one just wouldn't be the same!

 

[Art Axiv]

Wolpaw doesn't feel that people are actually invested in Chell as a character, and instead relate to the game world through her shell as themselves. Wolpaw admits that Chell can definitely talk, but added: "She just chooses not to, what with the robots all being dicks. Why give them the satisfaction?"

Exactly. Why give them the satisfaction when you can just jump? Especially when the reaction from the robot when you do is so hilarious.

I think its also why you don't see your legs when you look down..

 

[Slick Samurai]

I suspect that the real reason is that Valve can't write protagonists, so they just leave them mute as to not call attention to their glaring weakness. But it still feels like playing a floating gun, so that's pretty much a failure.

 

[Choppaduel]

I suspect that the real reason is that Valve can't write protagonists, so they just leave them mute as to not call attention to their glaring weakness. But it still feels like playing a floating gun, so that's pretty much a failure.

Not the feeling I get at all. I'm sorry you missed out on that experience.

 

[Andaxay]

Wolpaw doesn't feel that people are actually invested in Chell as a character, and instead relate to the game world through her shell as themselves.

This is exactly why I'm glad Valve kept her silent - I like the feeling that GLaDOS, Wheatley, Turrets, etc are interacting with me.

I'm glad that they've given her a (sort of) back story, and wouldn't complain if we saw more of her character and personality, but I'm so very glad it's me revisiting Aperture and experiencing the story and environment.

 

[mireko]

Would love to see F-stop in some DLC. If they considered it as a full replacement for portals, it must be pretty interesting.

 

[Innegativeion]

Portal 2 actually does reveal Chell's backstory, though not much about her character.

Spoiler

In the room with the "Aperture Science Bring Your Daughter to Work Day" science projects (mostly potato batteries), you can see one signed "Chell" in big, childish letters. It's the one who's potato has overgrown the others. The procedure on the project says adding "a secret ingredient from daddy's work". So there you have it. She was a daughter of a male scientist brought in on the day of GLaDOS's attack.

 

[WouldYouKindly]

I didn't buy Portal 2 for a great protagonist, I bought it so I could hear Gladdos be hilarious again, Wheatley was pretty funny too. The real story is based around the facility, and that was really the most intriguing thing there. I'm fine with silent protagonists in everything but RPG's, then I typically want to give them a voice so you'll find out how a line is delivered.

 

[WanderingFool]

BTW, what is an F-Stop?

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Chell is silent so GLaDOS can get that last little dig in, possibly her best one.

"Just go. You crazy, mute, lunatic."

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Need I remind people of the beginning?



Actually made me laugh out loud for a few seconds.

I still like Chell as a silent protagonist, much like a world gone mad, she stays sane by not saying anything.

That what I was going to post!

Yeah, the guy kind of needs to get his facts a bit more straight, though this could of been an explonation as to why she doesn't talk in the first game.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I think it'd be funnier if she'd talk...and constantly break the fourth wall when doing so.

 

[Jordi]

I don't think Chell being silent is a bad idea at all, but in the second game, I just don't see the "she chooses not to talk" explanation working. In the first game, I understand. I can't even remember an instance where GladOS actively tried to engage her in a conversation when it wasn't already apparent that GladOS was the enemy.

But why would she remain silent in the second game? *slight Portal 2 spoilers ahead* When Wheatley comes in he is pretty nice to her and he actually tries to talk with her. And then they start more or less collaborating to escape. It doesn't really make much sense to me that she wouldn't once say something to him.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Need I remind people of the beginning?



Actually made me laugh out loud for a few seconds.

I still like Chell as a silent protagonist, much like a world gone mad, she stays sane by not saying anything.

That what I was going to post!

Yeah, the guy kind of needs to get his facts a bit more straight, though this could of been an explonation as to why she doesn't talk in the first game.

Of course, she could have just been messing with him Or yeah, found no reason to talk then lost the ability to talk.

 

[Yokai]

Hmm. That makes sense, but it still bothers me. Valve's writers are good enough that they could come up with dialogue for both Chell and Freeman, and it wouldn't hurt the game a bit.

 

[Beryl77]

i think that Chell doesn't really need a character or story background. The characters and stories I'm interested in, are the ones about the whole facility and its characters inside and how they interact with me, the player.

Also, I'm really intrigued by F-Stop. Geoff Keighley also mentions it in his ipad app "The Final Hours of Portal 2" and there he says that Gabe Newell other Valve employees really like its concept and considering it should initially replace the PORTALS in PORTAL, it must be really good. Unfortunately Keighley can't write more about it because Valve might use it in the future. I would love to see what it is.