In certain games I think it's done well and others I just don't like it. Link, Gordon Freeman, Chell, Isaac and Felix, Crono, I think they're all done well, but then you get to the games like Dragon Age and KotOR (wtf BioWare!?) and I think it's just awful.

I agree with Jessweeee♪ in that Mass Effect was done really well. Shepherd's not exactly a silent character, there is an actual response from the character and body language to accompany it, but the interaction is supposed to reflect what you would do, make you feel like you're the character or whatever their goal is, just as many of the new "silent character" games are going for.