Not at all. You are playing through the story of Aloy. Just like Joel in The Last of Us and John Marston in Red Dead Redemption.

I like stories with set protagonists and stories that let me build my own pretty much equally, though for very different reasons, obviously. Like, Horizon wouldn't be Horizon without Aloy, the Witcher wouldn't be the Witcher without Geralt (Still holding out hope that, if/when CDPR go back to that universe, it'll be for a Ciri-lead spin-off, tho.) and so on. That said, I also love being able to craft my own protagonist, when a game's been built around that idea.

So... I guess what I'm saying is, no, I wouldn't have wanted Horizon to have a character creator, but equally, I'm super glad that games - specifically, story-driven RPGs - with character creators still exist. I'd hate for either to go away.

Absolutely. I think Aloy looks dumb. At least let me change her dumb hair

It's a personal story I didn't think about gender.

Haven't played the game, but doesn't seem like the type of game where a character creator seems appropriate. I disliked it in Nioh though. Yeah, that game has a story, but meh.

It's a hand crafted single story experience. It's not supposed to be a power fantasy for you to inhabit. You are there to play through the story of a character.

In any other open world game sure, lemme play with sliders, better yet let me put horns on my dood like Inquisition did. In this case though, when it's such a strong emphasis on this characters story, nah I'm good, but I wish there was more armor customization.

Also while I'm all for freedom in games and of opinion I somehow find what @mems1224 said extremely depressing.

Not every game needs it. Especially if they are trying to tell a really strong story about one particular character.

Character creation is bad. In the highly unlikely event that the character you spent half an hour making looks attractive outside of the creation screen, they will still barely emote, or their face will be distorted and ugly while emoting. The devs have far better tools with which to create characters, so I don't know why you'd leave it to the player and the crappy sliders.

@humanity: idk what you want me to say dude. i think her face looks dumb. sorry?

You are totally in your right to have that opinion, but boy I sure wish you didn't express it that way. but u kno u do u

Where's the "No, because it's story about a specific character and it would make no sense to have a character creator" option.

I love a good character creator in a game built to allow you to forge your own protagonist in the world and story, but Horizon is not that game. It's much more Witcher than it is Elder Scrolls in terms of how it tells its story, how the main character is presented, and how much freedom the player is given to shape that character. Like The Witcher, you have the ability to choose Aloy's tone in some conversations, but she's still Aloy and you can never have her say or do anything that would be out of character, just as you can't with Geralt.

I voted for the first option - not because I don't like character creation (I love it) but because Horizon is a game telling a specific character's story, and it's built around that character. I think it totally makes sense for Aloy to be specifically designed the way the developers wanted her to look in that case.

Gamefaqs options up in here... No.

100% this.

Pretty much what everyone else is saying, Horizon is Aloy's story. Only thing about her appearance that bothered me was how static it was. Would've liked to occasionaly see her hair down or something, anything to help expand her character beyond the always-ready warrior archetype.

No because Aloy strikes me as one of the better parts of the game.

Looking at your name and Profile OP, this isn't some ploy to get us to watch your youtube channel is it?

Like any good poll: this one has a point of view it wants you to ascribe to!

No. Are people upset at being forced to play a female protagonist or upset about her appearance? Either way... I feel like it's kind of unnecessary to bring this type of question up when this is specifically about a character and their story. People who have a problem with her gender or her appearance need to get bent.

I hate to be that guy that brings up Witcher 3, but I did really like being able to change Geralt's hairstyle. I wouldn't mind if we could do that with Aloy.

This isn't really an RPG, so no.

They made a good character. She is not a blank slate for me to project on to. Not every game has to be that.

I really only like character creators in multiplayer games.

No, god no. This game wanted to tell the story of Aloy, and that is what it did. Every game does not need a character creator and doesn't need to have a generic "blank slate" background.

Also these poll options are horrible and you just really want to get your personal views across...huh?

No, I like a well crafted story with a well crafted character. You never get that in one of those games. In fallout your character isn't a character its just you picking dialogue options for a spreadsheet and there are no real limitations on your character. I hate that in Skyrim you can be the best of everything. If this was a create a character game it would be worse

Please no, I like Aloy and typically prefer a well designed main character to typically sort of ugly created character dudebro #0987658434564789035116 anyway. I mean, young Aloy is a tad creepy looking but she grows up and unlocks being good looking which is always a fun upgrade to get.

No, I make redheaded women in all my character creators anyway.

Nope.

Not at all. I loved playing as Aloy. I really enjoyed it because I kept ribbing on my sister that the character was based on her, since they're both tall, redheads born in April that roll everywhere.

I'd be interested in a sequel that had a created character under the wing of Aloy, but that's really not necessary. I like Aloy as a character and I'd be interested in seeing how she continues her story.

90% of the time I prefer playing a unique character rather than a shell. I do still like being able to customize the character though (with clothes and hair options).

Much as this is almost always a stupid question it wouldn't work at all in the case of Horizon especially given the strength of the narrative. Spoilers: The Witcher 3 is better than every game with a character creator ever made.

Ummmm . . . No? I mean, how would that even work with the direction the plot goes?

And may I start the movement to stop calling these things "character creators"? They're more like "avatar creators". Character implies there is some sort of characterization going on, which tends to be far less the case in games with creation tools than games that hand-craft a protagonist. Just look at The Witcher 3, or The Last of Us.

In too many of these games, you create your "character" and then the quality of the writing is so bad it defeats the entire point because the devs get so focused on validating player choice they forget to make a good story in the process.

For me, it honestly depends on how much of the narrative connects to the playable character. For instance, this is why I always play "Story Shep" in Mass Effect instead of creating my own character. The story has direct ties to that specific character, not a blank slate.

But I can definitely admit that more times than not; I'd rather play a character that the developers envisioned as their main character.

No because some games are about characters and not just what the player does to a world.

I love love love character creators for MMO's. I played Tera in the beta when you could only have 1 or 2? characters until it was fully released and I went through and made a full roster of 8 noting where all the sliders were, what hairstyles, what colors etc; everything.

However for any experience in which I give a shit about the character, story and interactions? I always want a pre-made character. MGSV, Witcher 3 and Horizon all need their protagonists to be what they are. I never liked how my FemSheps turned out in ME1/2; not entirely anyway.

Yup.

Also "Yes, I think at least a slight amount of character customization would have added a little more personal uniqueness to the gameplay." - Why is this a 'Yes' option when... you can pick how you look via the clothing options in the game. Like, you literally can change how you look between several different outfits in the game (pre-order bonus: even as early as the main tutorial area) and that's reflected in cut-scenes etc (mainly, a bit of pre-rendered video means it's not always perfect). Wanting a bit more of that would be fine but this frames it as if you have no ability to change anything when that's simply not true in this game (unlike narrative games that completely fix your look as part of the direction).

Seriously, OP would demand a dude to play as? That's an option you're saying is a reasonable stance? We have quite enough games if you're desperate to play as a dude.

No, and at this point I would rather have a game written about a specific character and have good writing than generic ass writing that has to account for you making your own.

Welp this poll was unanimous.

Ugh, the stupid demon points make Snake unplayable. It's the worst morality system Kojima has ever implemented (in his pornographic military games loaded with guns). I always play as alternate characters because they're not covered in blood. The temporary blood is pretty terrible too. You get shot a bit or shoot someone in the face and then have to wait until it rains or exit the map. It doesn't darken or peel off by itself, even from perspiration. What the fuck were they thinking?

Gonna echo that one non-poll answer, as in, the current story wouldn't even make sense with another character, which is maybe the biggest problem to your poll. This game's really not an RPG.

Not really. From the very first trailer this seemed like a crafted narrative with an established main character. I can't say I expected anything else from it.

Yeah it's not an RPG. You are playing as Aloy. If you could substitute her the game would lose a lot in my opinion.

No. Get over it.

This, all day.

@ezekiel: probably that it would be cool as hell and it definitely was cool as hell. Then again I'm just really into pornographic military games with guns in them. You know like Gears of Wars or Mass Effects or like any other game with guns and/or blood!

So glad to see the responses in this thread. 100% agree. Not every game needs a customizable character. I fully think this game would be worse off for it.

Telling a character's personal story is way more interesting to me than being able to choose the gender / scars / haircut, and then ending up with a mute / poorly voiced / written generic character.

would you customize link ?

I'm not complaining about pornographic military games with guns, I'm complaining about the contradictory morality system. The previous MGS games never beat you over the head with it. In MGS3, killing people just gave you a longer fight with The Sorrow, which is easy and can be forfeited and skipped if you don't want his camo. In MGS4, it gave you the infinity bandana, but you weren't punished for killing. In MGS2 and 1, there's no reward for not killing. But in MGSV, you get a protagonist who looks absurd and filthy.

I'm pretty over the "choose your own" aspects of game stories. I want people to tell me a story they crafted from start to finish, and as someone else said, this was a story about Aloy.

No - this is Aloy's story, not pixelated clay to mold in your likeness.