In Horizon Zero Dawn, these machines range from towering Tallnecks to powerful Thunderjaws, each with unique designs and roles that challenge and engage players. This tier list sorts these machines based on how memorable they are, their difficulty level, and their significance in the game, showcasing why some stand out more prominently.

Tier	Machine Name	Description
S	Tallneck	Iconic, invincible, reveals the map
S	Metal Devil (Horus)	Massive, part of the environment, not encountered in battle
S	Thunderjaw	Resembles a T-Rex, very challenging and iconic
S	Stormbird	Like a flying Thunderjaw, very challenging
A	Deathbringer	Ancient human-made, intimidating and powerful
A	Sawtooth	Resembles a saber-toothed cat, memorable from an early quest
A	Ravager	Like a Sawtooth but with a laser cannon
A	Rockbreaker	Resembles creatures from "Tremors", powerful
B	Corrupter	Ancient human-made, can hijack other machines
B	Scorcher	Medium size, tough, from the DLC
B	Bellowback	Dinosaur-like, shoots fire or liquid CO2
B	Fire Claw	Upgraded Frost Claw, slightly disappointing
B	Snapmaw	Robot crocodile, intimidating
C	Stalker	Invisible, powerful but not very memorable
C	Frost Claw	From the DLC, not very memorable
C	Glint Hawk	Bird-like, memorable, could have been rideable
D	Behemoth	Hippo-like, uses anti-gravity field
D	Trampler	Resembles a bison, not very memorable
D	Strider	Horse-like, often used as a mount
D	Scrapper	Salvages defeated machines, challenging early on
E	Shell Walker	Resembles a crab, drops resources
E	Long Legs	Annoying bird-like machine, shocks the player
E	Broadhead	Reskinned Strider, less memorable
E	Charger	Another Strider variant, resembles a ram
F	Grazer	Deer-like, herd animal, not very challenging
F	Lancehorn	Similar to Grazer, slightly different appearance

Tallneck: S Tier

Tallnecks are iconic within Horizon Zero Dawn, serving a unique, non-combative role. They are invincible and pivotal for gameplay, as interacting with them reveals parts of the map. Their towering presence and distinctive design make them memorable and a symbol of the game's rich environment.

Metal Devil (Horus): S Tier

The Metal Devil, also known as Horus, stands out due to its massive size and integration into the game's environment. These machines are not encountered in battle but are significant for their lore and visual impact. Their half-buried forms in mountainsides add a sense of history and scale to the game's world.

Thunderjaw: S Tier

Thunderjaws are among the most challenging and iconic machines in Horizon Zero Dawn. Resembling a T-Rex, they present a formidable challenge to players, especially at lower levels. Their massive size and power, coupled with their prominent role in the game's marketing, make them a standout feature.

Stormbird: S Tier

Stormbirds are akin to flying Thunderjaws, presenting a significant challenge to players. They are massive, eagle-like machines that offer epic and satisfying battles once players reach a sufficient level. Their ability to fly adds a dynamic element to combat encounters.

Deathbringer: A Tier

Deathbringers are ancient, human-made machines known for their intimidating presence and power. They are large and formidable in combat, making them a significant threat in the game. Their design and capabilities reflect the advanced technology of the game's ancient civilization.

Sawtooth: A Tier

Sawtooths, resembling large saber-toothed cats, are memorable for their early appearance in the game. They are involved in a notable quest while the player is still with their mentor, Rost, making them a key part of the player's initial experience and learning curve.

Ravager: A Tier

Ravagers are similar to Sawtooths but are distinguished by a massive laser cannon mounted on their backs. This addition makes them more dangerous and visually striking. Their aggressive nature and unique weaponry make them a memorable challenge.

Rockbreaker: A Tier

Rockbreakers are reminiscent of creatures from the movie "Tremors," being large and powerful machines capable of burrowing underground. They pose a significant challenge due to their size, strength, and unique burrowing ability, making encounters with them particularly memorable.

Corruptor: B Tier

Corruptors are ancient, human-made machines capable of hijacking other machines. This ability adds a strategic element to encounters, as players must consider the potential for other machines to turn hostile. Their design and capabilities reflect the technological prowess of the game's ancient human civilization.

Scorcher: B Tier

Scorchers are medium-sized but tough machines introduced in the game's DLC. They are challenging to defeat due to their agility and strength, representing a step up in difficulty, especially for players who have completed the main game.

Bellowback: B Tier

Bellowbacks are dinosaur-like machines that can shoot fire or liquid CO2. They offer a unique combat experience with their elemental attacks and imposing size. Their design is visually striking, adding to the diversity of machines encountered in the game.

Fireclaw & Frostclaw: B Tier

Fire Claws are upgraded versions of Frost Claws, featuring fire as their elemental attack. They are slightly larger and more powerful, but their similarity to Frost Claws can be somewhat disappointing. Despite this, they still present a significant challenge in combat.

Frost Claws, introduced in the DLC, are not as memorable as other machines, possibly due to fewer players experiencing the DLC content. They are mid-tier in terms of challenge and memorability, offering a decent combat experience but not standing out significantly.

Snapmaw: B Tier

Snapmaws are robotic crocodiles that are both intimidating and challenging, especially for lower-level players. Their design is unique and memorable, adding to the variety of machines that players encounter in the game's diverse ecosystem.

Stalker: C Tier

Stalkers have the ability to turn invisible, making them a unique and challenging adversary. However, they are not as memorable as other machines in the game. Their stealth capabilities add a different dimension to combat encounters, requiring players to adapt their strategies.

Glinthawk: C Tier

Glinthawks are bird-like machines that are somewhat memorable and could have been more significant if the original plan to make them rideable had been implemented. They offer a decent challenge and add to the aerial threats in the game, requiring players to adapt to combat against flying machines.

Behemoth: D Tier

Behemoths resemble hippos and are known for their anti-gravity field, which they use to pick up and throw rocks. While they offer a unique combat experience with this ability, they are not particularly memorable compared to other machines in the game.

Trampler: D Tier

Tramplers are bison-like machines that are not particularly memorable but offer a decent combat experience. They are typically encountered in herds, adding a layer of strategy to battles as players must manage multiple adversaries simultaneously.

Strider: D Tier

Striders are horse-like machines often used as mounts in the game. They are memorable for their role in transportation and for being one of the first machines players can override and ride. Their presence in trailers and as a player's first mount adds to their memorability.

Scrapper: D Tier

Scrappers are notable for their role in salvaging defeated machines, similar to scavengers in the wild. They present a challenge early in the game and add depth to the game's ecosystem, reflecting the interplay between different machine types.

Shell-Walker: E Tier

Shell-Walkers resemble crabs and are known for dropping resources when defeated. They are not particularly iconic or powerful, making them less memorable. Their design and behavior add variety to the types of machines encountered but do not stand out in terms of challenge or memorability.

Longleg: E Tier

Longleg are bird-like machines that can be annoying due to their shock attacks. They are not particularly cool or memorable, often being more of a nuisance than a significant challenge. Their design is less striking compared to other machines in the game.

Broadhead: E Tier

Broadheads are a reskinned version of Striders, acting similarly but with less memorability. They are not as prominent in the game's narrative or marketing, making them less recognizable to players. Their role is similar to Striders, primarily serving as mounts.

Charger: E Tier

Chargers are another variant of Striders, resembling rams with horns. Like Broadheads, they are less memorable and serve a similar function as mounts. Their design differs slightly, but they do not stand out significantly in the game's diverse machine lineup.

Grazer: F Tier

Grazers are deer-like herd animals that pose little challenge, often fleeing rather than fighting. They are the least memorable and challenging of the machines, serving more as background fauna than significant adversaries.

Lancehorn: F Tier

Lancehorns are similar to Grazers, with a slightly different appearance. They also behave as herd animals and are not particularly challenging or memorable. Their role is more ecological, contributing to the game's sense of a living, breathing world.