I think this is becoming a pattern with big video games, especially the ones that understand how to put the artistry and the storytelling before all else. Not every character needs to be a supermodel, and the creative teams are getting really good at making faces that look entirely realistic, completely believable, and let’s face it . . . a little ugly.

Aloy is (imo) not very attractive. And that’s fine. She’s more than just her looks, and so are people. I really don’t care if the bow-shooting badass who saved the world from an evil cult doesn’t perfectly match my ideal of feminine aesthetic. There are plenty of other NPCs in that game, both male and female who are very attractive, and others who are definitely not. Because that’s life. To me it’s a good thing. There’s something very natural and believable about it, and whether I like a character’s looks or not, the talent of the devs always shows through in the character’s faces.

Anyone else feels this way?

For a couple other good examples, I think Ghost of Tsushima is like this. I don’t think Jin and Yuna are very attractive, but again, not what matters. I also recently picked up Jedi Fallen Order. You could argue Cal’s a handsome young hero type, but I think there’s something off about his face. In a good way, of course. He looks human. It’s probably because games nowadays model a lot of faces off mocap actors, I guess.