I'm not sure if we really need realistic graphic. The advantage of most jrpg's is, that we usualy have anime style art. Sure the model get here as well more and more complex, but they doesn't have to be that detailed as realistic graphic and maybe we don't want that as well. About the silent protagonist...well i guess i prefer the nto silent one. But if we have one, giving them some kind of character, like joker (persona 5) is something i prefer.

Just make it canon that the protagonist is part of an order of knights or whatever who have taken a vow of silence