They say that man’s best friend is a dog, but in the world of gaming, the most loved animal has to be a horse. They’ve been a part of the culture since at least 1981 when the Atari 2600 cattle-ranching game Stampede let you ride upon a graphically-limited horse. As technology has rapidly advanced, the magnificent creatures have become an almost staple of open-world games. After all, there aren’t many better feelings in gaming than mounting your trusty companion and galloping across a virtual land.
Not all horse riding experiences in games are created equal, however. So, we’re going to be looking at which games have the best horse-riding mechanics. The ones that nail the dynamics so well that they have you yee-hawing along, and almost feeling like the wind is rushing into your face as you play.
We won’t be discussing any specific horse-racing games though, although there are plenty of great ones out there. If you enjoy horse racing and having a flutter on the excitement, make sure to check out https://www.sbo.net/horse-racing/. They’ve located the best horse-racing betting sites in the UK for 2022 and rounded them all up in one easy-to-navigate list. Each choice has a monumental number of special offers, including free bets. There’s even information on all the major horse-racing events in the UK and beyond, so you’ll be very knowledgeable come race time.
Shadow of the Colossus
The original Shadow of the Colossus was originally featured on the PS2 back in 2005, but this 2018 remake for the PS4 both soups up the graphics and tweaks some of the gameplay. One of the much-improved areas is the horse-riding. The game is now firmly renowned as a classic, and it has you single-handedly battling giants that upon first sight, you’ll want to cower from in fear. However, your one and only friend in this lonely and brutal land is your horse named Agro, whom you travel on across vast desolated areas to reach your gigantic foes.
Game developers, Bluepoint Games, decided to try and make Argo as realistic as an AI-capable horse could be. They achieved this by making the horse every so often not react to the controls that you input, meaning that if you press you want to travel to the right, occasionally Argo will decide that she wants to go left, or not move at all. As all horse-riders can surely attest to, this non-reaction is deeply comparable to riding the animal in reality.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Do you know what’s fun? Combat on horseback. Ok, sure, it probably wasn’t much fun in reality when you had to fight for your life against other knights, but in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess it definitely is. It was originally released on both the Nintendo Gamecube and also the Wii, back in 2006. It’s definitely a must-play, so if you haven’t yet, seek it out, and make sure you’re sitting in comfort when you do. So, read up on what features to look for in a gaming chair, as we reported here at https://www.slendergame.com/.
The game was a relatively more serious reboot to the much-loved franchise, after the cel-shaded art style of the previous entry in the series. One place this more realistic tone really excelled was in the horse-riding. Your horse, the much-cherished Epona, handles wonderfully, as you canter across the mystical Hyrule. Plus, as mentioned previously, you now have the ability to swing your sword from your saddle, which leads to some exhilarating horse-riding battles.
Red Dead Redemption 2
The winner though for the most outstanding horse-riding mechanics in gaming so far has to be Rockstar’s truly exceptional cowboy simulation, 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2. Obviously, a massive part of being a cowboy (or girl) is riding into the sunset on the back of a strong steed, and that’s a part of the experience that the game nails. The previous release had already given the acclaimed developers a solid foundation to build upon, and they managed to elevate the gameplay even higher.
There are nineteen different horse breeds dotted throughout the game’s fictional five U.S. states, with each one having differing attributes, allowing players to find one that suits them best. Want one that is sturdy and full of stamina? You want to be on the lookout for a workhorse then, such as the Appaloosa. Fancy the opposite, and want a speedy number that will zoom across the trails, but will tire easily? No worries, get yourself a racehorse, such as the Thoroughbred. The easiest way to comprehend these differences is to look at a guide, like the one over at https://www.ign.com/.