Chainscrape – The Largest City in Horizon Forbidden West
To answer the question outright: Chainscrape is the biggest city players can explore in Guerrilla Games‘ Horizon Forbidden West. While the iconic capital of Meridian likely remains the overall largest settlement in the known Horizon world, Chainscrape is the preeminent urban hub within the boundaries of the Forbidden West.
An Introduction to Chainscrape
Founded by Utaru refugees centuries ago, Chainscrape served as a safe haven for those fleeing violence until it expanded into a thriving mining colony. It now stands as a gateway linking the western frontier to the more "civilized" east. As Aloy‘s entry point into the Forbidden West, it acts as a bustling merchant hub catering to many tribes.
With extensive vendorstalls, workbenches, and a well-supplied stash for storing items, Chainscrape offers critical services for upgrading equipment and preparing for the frontier‘s many threats. Its inn, central location, and plethora of job boards also make it attractive for delvers using the settlement as an excursion base.
While firm population numbers are hard to derive, as a mining town built across once-abandoned ancient ruins, Chainscrape likely houses a few thousand residents from all tribes – more than any other known Forbidden West settlement.
Meridian – Politics & Grandeur
The renowned Sun-King capital of Meridian maintains its political importance following the events of Zero Dawn, but its distance east of the California border places it outside Forbidden West‘s setting. As the influential seat of the Carja tribe, Meridian undoubtedly remains the grandest city in Horizon‘s post-apocalyptic America, eclipsing frontier towns like Chainscrape in scale, technology, and defensive fortifications.
However, Chainscrape still dwarfs also-rans like Thornmarsh, Scalding Spear, and other "major" villages documented in Guerrilla‘s expansive world guide. It is the only true city explored up close by Aloy in-game.
How Other Tribe Settlements Compare
The Tenakth, Utaru, and Oseram also boast large bastions shown or mentioned in Forbidden West:
- Plainsong (Oseram) – well-fortified base but remote location inhibits growth
- Scalding Spear (Tenakth) – more a war camp than true city
- Bulwark (Oseram) – minimal lore available on this village
- Stone Yield (Utaru) – agrarian, decentralized culture precludes sprawling cities
While of unclear size, none seem as developed, populated, or frequently visited as the crossroads mining town of Chainscrape. It holds a unique position as the Forbidden West‘s de facto boomtown bridging tribal borders.
Commentary as an Expert Guide Author
Having played through Forbidden West and closely analyzed settlement designs, I believe Chainscrape strikes an ideal balance as a welcoming traversal hub. It delivers that "bustling frontier town" feel missing from Zero Dawn‘s scattered, trial-and-error merchant encounters. The settlement‘s layout, available gear upgrades, and quest density make it a standout launch point for exploring Guerrilla‘s massive open world.
| Settlement | Key Services | Estimated Size | Lore Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chainscrape | Stash, merchants, workbenches, inn, job board | Large town (2,000-5,000) | Gateway settlement into Forbidden West |
| Meridian | Palace, arena,elevators, training grounds | Major city (25,000+) | Capital of Carja Sundom |
| Plainsong | Fortifications, lift, some vendors | Medium town (1,000) | Rising Oseram holdfast |
For these reasons, I consider Chainscrape Horizon Forbidden West‘s most pivotal city – making it the "largest" by gameplay importance if not raw scale. While Meridian remains the crown jewel of Horizon‘s politics, no other urban area Aloy visits conveys that dynamic frontier atmosphere like Chainscrape. It stands unique as the port of call for delvers searching out the Forbidden West‘s many mysteries.
