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Aloy is the single biggest problem with the Horizon franchise to me

hybrid_birth

Gold Member
I won't spoil the surprise...

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Youll complain about Rachet and Clank next. Not enough furry.
 

ZiZ

Member
Haven't played the second game, but almost every single character in the first game was terrible. The exception being Cyber Lance Riddick.
 

nikos

Member
Her face alone angers me to no end for some reason. Pair that with a non-existent/dreadful personality and you have a game I will never touch since abandoning the first one after a few hours.

It's the same reason I absolutely couldn't stand The Last of Us. The characters are horrible. Still, I forced myself to finish that game over the span of seven years (since it received so much praise) only for absolutely nothing to happen.
 
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Humdinger

Member
She's pretty much the same po-faced Mary Sue with a single-minded determination to save the world as she was in the last game, and she's basically represents this tired trope of a strong female character that can do anything she wants and she has no flaws or desires whatsoever. There's literally nothing about her that would be even remotely interesting. They even had to bring another clone of hers on board in order to introduce some much-needed character drama because Aloy herself is so perfect that there was no internal conflict that she could overcome and grow as a character. I was way more invested in the events of the game, because - once again - the overarching world-ending conflict and lore were the main driving force behind the plot, and they significantly grew in scope and stakes.

Besides the spoilered bit, they also did that (gave her "internal conflict that she could overcome and grow as a character") in the way they reshaped her personality for the second game. In the first game, Aloy was basically a likeable outcast and underdog. In the second, she became an irritated, impatient, "self-sufficient" loner. Her motto seemed to be, "I have to save the world all by myself, leave me alone." The writers set it up that way, because it provides what you talk about (the internal conflict, chance to grow). Through the course of the second game, she gradually learns about the power of friendship and teamwork (aww).

I didn't like the artificiality of it. They monkeyed with her character, just to set up a character arc. There was no explanation for why she suddenly transformed from a sympathetic outcast who had allies and was happy to get help from others into a cranky princess who players didn't much like. As someone who enjoyed Aloy's character in the first game, this bothered me. I understood what the writers were up to, but the artificiality of it bothered me.
 
i was fine with aloy in zero dawn, which i've enjoyed & replayed. i almost instantly began despising her in forbidden west: narcissistic, pompous, & arrogant. but! it's not her fault! it's guerilla's fault, for thinking that there was somewhere further to take the character, when the truth is, there really wasn't! her story was completed, & nearly perfectly, in the first game. forbidden west should've featured a fresh protagonist & a fresh story, & put aloy & her story to rest...
 

Alex11

Member
I will agree with you that Aloy is bland and kind of boring but it doesn't bother me so, I think we're all forgetting why we play video games, when I see reviewers complaining about how a character is written or plot holes in the story I don't understand, it seems really bizarre.

A video game it's not meant to be a novel, fuck, not even a good or decent movie in terms of story and characters. It's meant to have a stoic, cocky, arrogant etc. protagonist and crazy story, even over the top a bit that should always complement the gameplay, not the other way around, and I think in this regard are just about right for me these games. I like the gameplay, the stripping parts of robots, it's fun it's really interesting and great for building upon it in the future.
 

taizuke

Member
Aloy unfortunately is a product of it's time. A time when writers are more concerned with having role models as characters for representation rather than actually writing good characters. Now don't get me wrong, the concept of characters being role models is all well and good but when that idea is skewed only one way, then the character suffers.

TBF i did enjoy her more in Zero Dawn.
 
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I stopped played forbidden west for this very reason. A thoroughly unlikely, smarmy character that's as deep as a puddle. Not to too mention the constant chatter.
 

Neolombax

Member
Yeap, dont like Aloy Forbidden West. But more because she's become this snarky person. I find her very unpleasant and would prefer her not to talk at all. I understand her circumstances in Zero Dawn but its become too much in Forbidden West.
 

reezoo

Member
Horizon's main problem is its combat doesn't have depth or its not easy to discover depth. If gameplay is good, story & character development can be forgiven, example BOTW, nothing extra ordinary about story, there's no character development but gameplay has depth, your first fight with lynel and your last fight with lynel is very different. I dont think I developed anything skilled wise while fighting thunderjaw, all I did was come back with better gear.
 
Yeah I've got the same problem with this game as I do with GOW 2018. I'm just not interested in these characters. I have Horizon and GOW, don't know that I will ever play them. The backlog is too damn big to waste time on games I'm not interested in. I'd much rather play Gravity Rush 1/2 or Days Gone before Horizon or GOW.
 

Nydius

Member
They should go full RPG and let you create your character from one of the tribes.
I’ve long maintained that if they could do a full blown collaboration with Capcom, they could make an amazing Monster Hunter game in the Horizon world. The setup is practically already there: Set at the onset of the machine Derangement, you’d create a character from one of the tribes. Eachmtribe offers different passive abilities. Since no one in this world has Focuses, the only way to take down machines is to fight them head on, learning their strengths and weaknesses while also improving your weapons and armor with machine parts.

Theres more than enough machines for a MH style progression with the top four being Thunderjaws, Stormbirds, Tiderippers, and Slaughterspines. They’ve already got consumables down. And if they really want a Palico style system, they can write in some silly arc about finding a friendly Watcher or some shit.

i‘d play the absolute hell out of a game like that and I personally don’t have any issues with Aloy as a character. It would just be nice to have a different non VR game in the world that doesn’t revolve around her and the Focus/old world data.

I dont think I developed anything skilled wise while fighting thunderjaw

You’re not wrong. The only skill I developed fighting Thunderjaws was learning that all I had to do was knock off a disc launcher and grab it, because that had enough firepower to take it down even on Very Hard. And at that point, Thunderjaws no longer felt like a threat. They were just as easy to take down as Watchers.
 
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Dr. Claus

Vincit qui se vincit
I will agree with you that Aloy is bland and kind of boring but it doesn't bother me so, I think we're all forgetting why we play video games, when I see reviewers complaining about how a character is written or plot holes in the story I don't understand, it seems really bizarre.

A video game it's not meant to be a novel, fuck, not even a good or decent movie in terms of story and characters. It's meant to have a stoic, cocky, arrogant etc. protagonist and crazy story, even over the top a bit that should always complement the gameplay, not the other way around, and I think in this regard are just about right for me these games. I like the gameplay, the stripping parts of robots, it's fun it's really interesting and great for building upon it in the future.

If the game, its marketing, and its devs all focus heavily on the narrative and characters - we expect the narrative and characters to be well written/interesting/fun.

Horizon is not any of those.
 

Chukhopops

Member
I think OP has a fetish and just enjoys being insulted on the Internet, there’s no other possible explanation.

On topic I think Aloy in HFW was decent with two issues:

- telling you what you need to do before you even have time to see it (“I should climb this and go there to do that”);
- bitching about having to do side quests because the main quest is too urgent and important.
 

Robb

Gold Member
Yeah, we need more silent protagonist. Or at the very least protagonists that’ll keep quiet during gameplay.
 
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Kupfer

Member
You best belive that I will write a 900 word essay about why it's the greatest PS4 exclusive released in November 2013 ever made.
I got you.

Knack is a third-person action game developed by Sony Japan Studio and directed by Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PlayStation 4 console. The game was released on November 15, 2013, alongside the launch of the PS4, and it quickly became one of the console's most talked-about exclusives. While the game was met with mixed reviews upon release, it has since garnered a devoted following of fans who recognize it as one of the best games of its generation. Here are some reasons why Knack is the greatest PS4 exclusive released in November 2013.
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Knack aside, you're absolutely right about the "Aloy is the biggest problem in HFW" theme. I stopped playing after a good 20 hours because the old lady was such a pain in the ass that I felt uncomfortable being represented by her in the game. The first game and Aloy's development was a lot of fun, but I don't know what GG was thinking with HFW, screwing it up like that.​
 
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Yup she's a terrible actress. A lifeless personality with way too much seriousness and a monotone voice. Most likely terrible to party with. Should've made her fun and flirty. She's a reverse ugly duckling too.
A reverse ugly duckling?
So she's hot but... ugly? Lol
 

Crayon

Member
The biggest problem is that aloy is the best character, and she's just okay. All the characters are so boring. In fact all the writing and lore is boring. When horizon first kicked off, it had the mystery of 'how did this happen?' and that was fun. But that's all it really had going on. I never got that into it. I enjoy horizon like I do spider-man, as an action game where I don't care about the story. Still, even if the plot was bad, I think the characters and npc's being so boring was worse.
 

GymWolf

Member
She doesn't have much time to save the entire planet and she is the only one who can do it and the only one who understand the gravity of the situation, her not taking shit from no one and being bitchy (after she grow up as an outcast hated by his own tribe) is kinda realistic if you ask me.

It would be absolutely out of tone if she was super happy or nice with everyone, she is the only one with knowpedge in a world full of religious zealots, majority of people would act like her in the same situation, let's be real, people forget that she is trying to save the entire world and the pressure must be unbereable, context is important on why she act the way she act.

Are people mad because kratos grew up as a spartan and he is a bitch and mad with fucking everyone? No because he is a man and not a woman...

I think the problem with some people is just the usual stronk woman must be bad but do the same with a man and it is A-OK.

Personally, seeing her shushing religious people down because she has shit to do gives me life every time:lollipop_grinning_sweat:

I can understand not liking the voice actress, or her being a bit mary sue, or that she never shut up even during puzzle solving, those are legit critics (i personally don't have a problem with overly talkative protagonists if i like them)

I don't have a problem with everyone falling in love with her, women in horizon are mostly ugly and she is a cute, energetic, smart redheaded capable warrior, no surprise if men (and women) are attracted to her.
 
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Crayon

Member
She doesn't have much time to save the entire planet and she is the only one who can do it and the only one who understand the gravity of the situation, her not taking shit from no one and being bitchy (after she grow up as an outcast hated by his own tribe) is kinda realistic if you ask me.

It would be absolutely out of tone if she was super happy or nice with everyone, she is the only one with knowpedge in a world full of religious zealots, majority of people would act like her in the same situation, let's be real, people forget that she is trying to save the entire world and the pressure must be unbereable, context is important on why she act the way she act.

Are people mad because kratos grew up as a spartan and he is a bitch and mad with fucking everyone? No because he is a man and not a woman...

I think the problem with some people is just the usual stronk woman must be bad but do the same with a man and it is A-OK.

Personally, seeing her shushing religious people down because she has shit to do gives me life every time:lollipop_grinning_sweat:

I can understand not liking the voice actress, or her being a bit mary sue, or that she never shut up even during puzzle solving, those are legit critics (i personally don't have a problem with overly talkative protagonists if i like them)

I don't have a problem with everyone falling in love with her, women in horizon are mostly ugly and she is a cute, energetic, smart redheaded capable warrior, no surprise if men (and women) are attracted to her.

I've thought about that while playing. Poor aloy is surrounded by tards.
 

Azurro

Banned
I... think the first part of the game is about how she gets things very wrong while trying to do it all by herself? It's been a year, I might remember some things wrong.

Not really, there are no bad consequences for her for doing everything herself. She's just, there, a bland perfect Jesus figure that worships her past self, that's a great metaphor for how narcissistic people are these days.
 

Kupfer

Member
I think the problem with some people is just the usual stronk woman must be bad but do the same with a man and it is A-OK.

GAF Feminists gather around, OP has an issue with strong female characters.

Is that supposed to be a trigger? Otherwise, this is a cheap excuse for bad design. Unlike Aloy, I at least like to play strong female roles as long as they fit into the game and universe and/or have understandable motivations and reasons for their actions. SotTR, for example, with HFW is also an example of a poorly written and portrayed protagonist who doesn't act comprehensibly and is just a self-centered pain in the ass.
With Abby, on the other hand, with whom, if you believe the loud minority, some have real problems, I'm happy all around. She seems human, not flawless, and acts appropriately in her discretion and according to her motivations. If Aloy were male in HFW, everyone would be bored with his untouchability of the stereotypical super protagonist, because that kind of progagonist is now obsolete. But because she is a respectable woman, she is apparently allowed to depict the old "hero model" without anyone being allowed to say anything against it, because otherwise one would be "anti-feminist".
 

GymWolf

Member
Is that supposed to be a trigger? Otherwise, this is a cheap excuse for bad design. Unlike Aloy, I at least like to play strong female roles as long as they fit into the game and universe and/or have understandable motivations and reasons for their actions. SotTR, for example, with HFW is also an example of a poorly written and portrayed protagonist who doesn't act comprehensibly and is just a self-centered pain in the ass.
With Abby, on the other hand, with whom, if you believe the loud minority, some have real problems, I'm happy all around. She seems human, not flawless, and acts appropriately in her discretion and according to her motivations. If Aloy were male in HFW, everyone would be bored with his untouchability of the stereotypical super protagonist, because that kind of progagonist is now obsolete. But because she is a respectable woman, she is apparently allowed to depict the old "hero model" without anyone being allowed to say anything against it, because otherwise one would be "anti-feminist".
I'm saying how it is dude, kratos is a bitch to everyone and people love him and he doesn't even have the pressure of saving the world alone, so not even an excuse for being a huge bitch (way more than aloy)

You put a man doing and saying the things that aloy do and says and you would not have all this people bitching about him, tell me that i'm wrong...
Maybe they would be bored like you say, but not actively hating like it is for aloy.

And i hate wokenism as everyone else, you can see my reaction to the latest all female marvel movie in the off topic section.
 
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SeraphJan

Member
Hmm, from my experience I think It came down to identity, according to GirlGamer reddit, she is the main reason why so many girl gamer likes the game, Horizon franchise was their favorite Sony exclusive because most of them felt Aloy represents their power fantasy, and her character design clicked with them. I assume maybe most of gamers were men on Gaf. I guess its hard to please everyone unless it had character creation.

They also praised the new God of War, but most of them felt disconnected to a father and son story even when they think the game is objectively good. (BTW Last of us part 2 was also one of their favorite Sony exclusives)

I just want to add a bit of a different perspective to the conversation, I don't intent to discredit OP's perspective
 
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mrmustard

Banned
Didn't play FW, but ZD had a problem with the npc in general, not just Aloy. They were all super boring with flat dialogues and were not memorable at all. Days Gone or the lastest Far Crys have the same problem. I don't think it's a major issue if you can't connect to the protagonist as long as the game is fun.

About chatty protagonists. Loved them in the 90s. Duke Nukem, Caleb or Lo Wang had great one-liners that made me smile all the time. But nowadays they are mostly cringe and annoying and i'm glad if they only talk in cutscenes or are completely silent.
 

Kupfer

Member
I'm saying how it is dude, kratos is a bitch to everyone and people love him and he doesn't even have the pressure of saving the world alone, so not even an excuse for being a huge bitch.

You put a man doing and saying the things that aloy do and says and you would not have all this people bitching about him, tell me that i'm wrong...

And i hate wokenism as everyone else, you can see my reaction to the latest all female marvel movie in the off topic section.
I have the same problem with Kratos. I've already wrote about him several times which you can read about here here & here for example.
That's also why I'll never play Ragnarök; I was already bored with GoW2018 and Kratos back then, and since then the Sony formula and characters like Kratos and Aloy, even if they are different but annoying in a similar way, have pissed me off. Aloy, Kratos and Lara have simply degenerated into narcissists, crybabies and pain in the ass in their last games. I don't know if the developers believe that such peculiarities make for interesting characters, but I can't stand and I will avoid playing games with such implausible characters within a universe that takes itself very seriously.
 
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she's basically represents this tired trope of a strong female character that can do anything she wants and she has no flaws or desires whatsoever.
This is a good summary of what's the problem with this (and others similar) characters. This is simply a writers fantasy as this wouldn't exist in reality. People, all people, have desires and flaws and I am sorry and sad to say but a woman in a post apocalyptic world would certainly not do anything she wants.

The game is still fun though and I actually like it.
 
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GymWolf

Member
I have the same problem with Kratos. I've already wrote about him several times which you can read about here here & here for example.
That's also why I'll never play Ragnarök; I was already bored with GoW2018 and Kratos back then, and since then the Sony formula and characters like Kratos and Aloy have pissed me off. Aloy, Kratos and Lara have simply degenerated into narcissists, crybabies and pain in the ass in their last games. I don't know if the developers believe that such peculiarities make for interesting characters, but I can't stand and I will avoid playing games with such implausible characters within a universe that takes itself very seriously.
Well i love new kratos and like aloy well enough so i don't share the complaints, sorry.

I don't see her as a narcissist crybaby at all.
 
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