Horizon Forbidden West puts a strong emphasis on its protagonist’s identity as a competent, independent woman, with occasional sidelining of more traditional hero’s journey elements in favor of modern empowerment messaging. Some may see its diverse cast as ticking boxes rather than being meaningfully developed, and at times the narrative feels a bit forced in promoting ideological themes over organic character growth.

The game frequently subverts traditional family, gender, and leadership roles, particularly by minimizing the importance of family structures and portraying classic masculine characters as lacking, secondary, or flawed. It tends to elevate the protagonist and other female characters as unambiguously competent and moral, while downplaying or critiquing longstanding cultural traditions.

Alternative worldviews, particularly those rooted in tradition or skepticism about current ideological trends, are largely absent or given shallow treatment. The game gives little nuanced space to dissenting viewpoints; most characters quickly fall in line with the protagonist’s modern moral framework, with dissenters painted as either ignorant or antagonistic.