Height has long been studied in psychology and media studies for its ability to evoke certain perceptions of characters. Directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles would use low-angle shots to make their characters look strong and powerful. While the simplest psychological effect of tallness is an association with power, a more in-depth analysis reveals a variety of super tall characters. These characters are often villains and their height is generally intimidating, although the gentle giant character often subverts this. Games are now in a position to explore a more nuanced approach to height aside from it just connoting power.
The internet's reaction to the super-tall Tyr in God of War Ragnarok, and Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village, revealed a clear affinity to these characters. With the already established theories surrounding height onscreen, then it is likely these characters will not be the last super-tall video game stars. In addition to this, the reactions to Tyr and Lady Dimitrescu give some insight into how perceptions of tallness may be changing, and in general, audiences aren't afraid of tall super tall characters anymore but actually love them.
Tyr, Power, and the Gentle Giant
It would have been hard to miss all the hype over Tyr's height after the trailer for God of War Ragnarok was released. It's becoming increasingly clear Tyr is going to play a major role in the upcoming game, and fans immediately began comparing his enormous stature against Kratos, Lady Dimitrescu, and other super tall characters. In Tyr's case, his height does connote power, and has many God of War fans wondering whether Kratos will end up fighting the enormous Norse god of war.
While not a huge amount is known about Tyr's role in the upcoming God of War Ragnarok, fans are already captivated by the character. This is not only due to his height, but to the lore that 2018's God of War established surrounding this character. Tyr's description as the diplomat god, an ally to the giants, and Kratos and Atreus' best hope at finding answers, all lead to him seeming to be more of a gentle giant that could very well be an ally to Kratos and Atreus. However, given God of War's history of not shying away from the more brutal nature of the gods, Tyr's power and capabilities will no doubt be very great.
Lady Dimitrescu, Villainy, and Femininity
It was clear that Lady Dimitrescu was going to be a big hit with fans even before the game was released, and she featured heavily in all pre-release trailers. Even when it was revealed she was only present in the first section of the game, she was a clear standout villain from the game. This character's enormous height was definitely designed to contribute to her villainy, but her intersection with a particular brand of femininity lead to fans loving her more than they feared her.
Tall women have not typically been seen as sexually attractive in media, as films like Netflix's Tall Girl attempt to explore. However, in the case of Lady Dimitrescu, her height does not preclude the internet from finding her hot. The psychological reasoning for tall women being somehow less attractive is linked with the association of height and power, with a further assumption that powerful women are somehow less attractive. The love and adoration the internet has poured out for Lady Dimitrescu proves that this may no longer be the case. Lady Dimitrescu is not attractive in spite of her height or power, but because of them.
The amount of buzz surrounding Tyr and Lady Dimitrescu would be enough to inspire many more super tall characters in games, but there are a variety of psychological underpinnings to their success. None of this is intended to comment on the psychology of height in real life, but rather to reveal that the typical negative associations with being super tall in media may be changing. It's important too that Lady Dimitrescu and Tyr are not just tall, but enormous, and as such these characters become fantastical and all the more intriguing. While two distinct cases is not enough to declare this a trend, the clear positive response to these characters is undeniable.