The Mute Protagonist

As others have said, it depends, but as stories become more story-centric, I think silent mains become increasingly inexcusable. My friends have praised WA1 Rudy as a decent silent main, but the whole sense of comradeship in the game would have been much better if he actually interacted with the others.

I'm also not too fond of the way the Suikoden games handled their mains. Yes, you make decisions, but it's somewhat rare that you aren't just getting pushed around by your bodyguard/sister/strategist. Suikoden V was a bit better because the Prince's choices had some impact, but the game's interaction would have been much better if they actually gave him some lines to go along with each choice.

Jam it back in, in the dark.