Horizon Zero Dawn took the tired open-world game mechanic of climbing to tall peaks to survey different areas and put its own spin on it by making the tallest peaks living giraffe-like machines that walk around the world. The Tallnecks reappear in Horizon Forbidden West, but given the fact that there are a lot more traversal methods available to Aloy, the game changes up how their information is able to be accessed.
Each Tallneck has a simple platforming puzzle of sorts associated with it that the player needs to solve in order to scan the area, or they can wait to scan them until they unlock an endgame ability that allows Aloy to travel great heights easily. It’s recommended that players climb the Tallnecks as soon as they find them in order to best understand the lay of the land, but, at the end of the day, it’s up to the individual player to choose what order they want to do things in.
More Horizon Forbidden West guides:
Explorer and Guided Mode Explained | Horizon Forbidden West Difficulty Trophies | ‘Reached the Daunt’ Trophy Guide | How to Get God of War Face Paint | Best Skills to Get First | Relic Ruins Locations and Puzzle Solutions | How to Upgrade the Resource Pouch
All Tallneck Locations
Cinnabar Sands
The first Tallneck available to the player is located in the Cinnabar Sands. It can’t be accessed until the story beat where Aloy is able to leave the Daunt, but once she picks up the glider, she can make a beeline straight to it.
The Stillsands
The Stillsands Tallneck isn’t available to the player until they’re able to get through the mountain range to the west of Plainsong. It can easily be accessed through the Spinebreak in the southern section of the mountains. Players will need to weigh it down by shooting it with a ballista three times before being able to scan it.
The Stand of the Sentinels
The Stand of the Sentinels Tallneck is one of the trickiest to climb. Its walking track is surrounded by a treehouse village that’s overrun with machines. Players should be prepared and cautious before scanning the Tallneck as it will likely take a bit of effort to clear out the machines.
Landfall
Scanning the Landfall Tallneck is a unique part of Horizon Forbidden West as its most submerged underwater. Before the player can scan it, however, they’ll need to fix two of its broken parts. Luckily, finding the components is relatively simple as they’re both located in nearby scrap piles, but it does require the player to do a little bit of swimming back and forth between structures.
The Shining Wastes
The Shining Wastes Tallneck isn’t available until the very end of the game despite its relatively early introduction to the player. Without spoiling anything, the player needs an upgrade that allows them to easily make it to the top of the Tallneck that’s given to them towards the end of the story.
Salt Bite
The Salt Bite Tallneck isn’t able to be seen in the same way that the rest of the machines are as they proudly walk around the world. Instead, the Salt Bite Tallneck is located within the IOTA Cauldron on the northern edge of the map. To scan it, simply traverse and complete the Cauldron, and the scan point will be available at the end.
