In addition to its predecessor, Horizon Forbidden West introduces a new slew of characters, costumes, and physical appearances. Aloy, her friends, and her enemies are each unique in their personalities and their designs. Protagonists, antagonists, and side characters are all designed with special consideration, setting them apart from one another.
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Whether their hair and clothing reflect the different tribes they’re members of, or their level of technological advancement, every character’s design shows the immense creativity and imagination that goes into creating this post-apocalyptic world. These are ten of the best character designs in Horizon Forbidden West.
10 Aloy, Main Protagonist
Aloy, the game’s main protagonist and playable character is one of the most detailed character designs in the game. Sporting her fiery red hair, braided and pulled back from her freckled face, accompanied by her focus, the base of Aloy’s design is easily recognizable and iconic.
Though Aloy’s costume can be customized during your playthrough, each of her looks stand out among the other characters in the game. Her costumes are both practical and intricate, offering the perfect balance for the main character.
9 Varl, Nora Tribe
It’s good to see a friendly face from the previous game. Varl of the Nora tribe’s design is similar to how he looked in Horizon Zero Dawn, but a bit more detailed. Though Varl is a distance away from the Nora tribe while traveling with Aloy, his garb, hairstyle, and face paint stay true to the Nora Brave roots.
Varl’s costume incorporates a strong balance between a Northern tribe, with his fur trim and natural resources, and the more technical aspects of the world they’re living in.
8 Erend, Oseram Tribe
Another close friend who returns from Zero Dawn is Erend of the Oseram tribe. Like Varl, the base of his costume and overall look is similar to his previous one. He maintains his mohawk and his connecting facial hair.
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Erend sports bulky armor fit for a brawler with brute strength, which pairs well with his large axe-like hammer. The color scheme for his costume showcases neutral colors with mustard accents, further setting him apart from the colorways of his friends.
7 Sylens, Lone Wolf
The mysterious voice of Sylens reappears in Forbidden West, and wears a similar outfit to his costume in the previous game. Unlike some of the other characters, Sylens has blue markings on his face and body that glow.
His design is almost cyborg-like as his technology becomes a part of him. The icy blue markings can be seen as symbolic of his frequent coldness toward others, and matter-of-fact way of planning. Unlike Aloy, Sylens is a bit too close to technology, which may cloud his judgment.
6 Zo, Utaru Tribe Gravesinger
Like many of the tribes in the Horizon universe, the Utaru are a unique group of characters. Zo is an Utaru Gravesinger, a tribe member who hopes to ease the pain of the people around her. Her group worships the machines, viewing them as god-like beings.
Her more simple white dress is embellished by her metal headdress, face and body paint, and accents of red and green woven into her garb. Her overall appearance and costume are easily identifiable from the outfits of the other tribes.
5 Hekkaro, Tenakth Tribe Leader
Hekkaro is both a leader and a unifier, and his design clearly reflects these titles. He has one of the more elaborate costumes and makeup looks as he sports a large metal headdress, almost resembling the head of a hammerhead shark.
As a leader, his costume is hard to miss, demonstrating his status within the Tenakth tribe as a significant figure. His garb features a lot of sharp metal detailing, which only stands out more with his blue and yellow color scheme.
4 Regalla, Tenakth Rebel Tribe
With stark war paint and spiky detailing on her shoulder armor and breastplate, Regalla’s design is one of a true warrior. The formidable foe stands tall against her enemies and her clothing represents her strong attitude and disposition. Her long weapon makes it harder for enemies to keep their distance or avoid her.
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Regalla has long silver hair, which suggests she’s of older age, meaning she’s an experienced warrior who’s lived through many battles. Though she may be older, her body is still strong, so her appearance makes her more intimidating.
3 Talanah, Carja Sunhawk
Talanah is another recurring character who befriends Aloy on hunts. As a Hawk, Talanah hunts machines, taking down some of the most aggressive on her side of the world. She’s also one of the few characters who wears makeup for cosmetic purposes rather than tribal, with dark eyeshadow, eyeliner, and lipstick.
She wears bright colors, which doesn’t lend herself to stealth, but rather makes her stand out. Her helmet also only protects the sides of her head, which shows she’s confident in her ability to protect herself.
2 Beta, Clone
Technically, Beta looks just like Aloy, or Elisabet Sobek, but her design still manages to differentiate her from the other two. Unlike Aloy, Beta has clearly been sheltered from the harsh environment of the outside world. She wears a clean white outfit featuring a shirt, pants, and sandals, showing that she hasn’t had to adapt to the same circumstances as Aloy.
She also rocks a short haircut, which is similar to the characters she surrounds herself with. Considering that she’s a clone, resembling the main character, her design makes her almost unrecognizable from the protagonist.
1 Tilda, Far Zenith
Finally, Tilda’s design fits in with the rest of the Far Zenith crew. She has a short, simple haircut with an intricate costume design. Like Beta, Tilda wears light colors, and like Erik, Tilda’s outfit has gold detailing with a cleaner cut.
Tilda’s similarities to both characters’ designs make her status more ambiguous. Her look can pass for a hero just as much as it can for a villain. There’s something ominous about her appearance that lends itself to mystery.
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