Before starting this review, I want to make mention of how, as a medium, video games are, in my mind, very much an art form. While to some, that may seem painstakingly obvious, I’m asserting the point here because the context surrounding HORSES is almost essential to consider when looking through the lens of what this game is, and what it wants to be. Santa Ragione have made no secret of their mission statement to deliver on visions that are intensely confronting and unwilling to bend on their themes for the sake of comfort. Nowhere is that more clear, than in HORSES.

The studio’s previous entries, Saturnalia (my game of the year for 2022) and Mediterranea Inferno, were deep-dives into psychological and sociological aspects that would effectively make them persona non-grata to a majority of large video game publishers. When I previewed HORSES, I reflected on just how discomforting and squirm-ish the opening chapters were. This is a game intended to provoke strong emotions of uncertainty, of disgust and beyond. The medium is simply a vehicle for the narrative it wishes to eschew, and it’s imperative when approaching it, that it’s observed through that zeitgeist.

Neigh Bother

With my opening spiel out of the way, I’d better crack on with discussing this mare. Anselmo is a young kid sent to work on a farm during his vacation for two weeks. We arrive at the farm none-the-wiser and rather unsuspecting. Only, the opening is littered with the audio of a running cinematic projector, strange interjections of live-footage FMV clips, and an eerie silence. Approaching the farmer, who’s garish grin is enough to make any sane person run 100 miles never mind one, we’re introduced to the titular horse farm.

Slight problem for young Anselmo, however, in that the “horses” are anything but the graceful steeds you might be expecting. Instead, they’re humans. Enslaved, trapped, forced to don masks, defecate in their pen and fornicate to get through the next day. As an assistant farm hand, your job is to take care of the chores, while simultaneously figure out what in the world could have led to this situation at all.

HORSES’ story is raw and laid bare almost from the off. This is certainly not for the squeamish, given its depictions of torture, slavery, abuse of power, dominance of control, sexual manipulation and multiple other taboo topics. While it’s confronting and in-your-face, I found myself desperate to uncover the mystery surrounding the farmer, and the wider context the game explores about those who partake in such cruelty. I wouldn’t argue that its high-brow, but it will absolutely evoke a response, which is precisely what art should do.

Hay, Listen!

As I went about my day-to-day chores, I was surprised to find myself invested in the wellbeing of a couple of key characters. Even with a short runtime (2-3 hours), text-only dialogue and limited interaction potential, HORSES had me concerned and desperate to unravel and undo the abuses taking place, even as it was forcing Anselmo (and therefore, me) into committing them. Which I think is what makes the story that much more impactful – you’re part of the perpetration.

There are “decisions” you can make such as how to respond to a query or ever-increasingly depraved demands, but the outcomes don’t deviate all that much. Moreover, the gameplay mainly consists of first-person traversal across a small farm map, engaging in limited interactions to chop wood, water the “horses”, dispose of bodies and other such lovely tasks. The simplistic nature of the gameplay feels intentional, so as to not distract you from the disgusting and depraved imagery laid before you.

It works, or at least it does for me. Holding left click isn’t the most strenuous task in the world, but doing so when you’re inflicting life-altering pain on a humanoid body is. Taking the “horses” for races is also suitably clunky and entirely difficult. I imagine some people won’t necessarily “buy into” the blunt imagery, which is fair, but for those are willing to immerse themselves in the nightmare of HORSES, you’ll find little that really compares to it.

Hitting Its Stride

A big part of what makes HORSES so disquieting and unnerving is the presentation. The entire game is steeped in a black-and-white filter, with censored bodies, disproportioned limbs and uncanny facial expressions. The use of retro style dialogue cutaways interspersed with phobic-inducing audio cues for eating, drinking, horse sounds and other various interactions is disturbingly effective. There are two moments of hearing a horse neigh, and both are the stuff of nightmares.

The graphical style is both a reflection of a small studio working with what they can, in that its relatively rudimentary, but it further serves the goal of making the whole ordeal that much more unsettling. Having said that, there are some wonky animations (like NPCs clipping through doors) and textures that are quite low resolution or lacking in detail. Cuts to new scenes can be quite jarring and lack that transition smoothness that may have evened out the rough edges, but again, I don’t think that’s all entirely a detriment to the overall experience.

Most of all, HORSES is evocative in every facet of its design. Some will hate the basic, collect-this-do-that gameplay. Others may take a distaste towards the graphical style or its willingness to be a critique of all manner of authority figures. I’d understand the dislike to an extent, but I’m firmly in the camp that its that exact repulsion that makes the game so effective.

But To Roam Free

I wouldn’t say I enjoyed HORSES, the same way I wouldn’t say I enjoyed The Pianist. Seeking fun from these experiences is entirely missing the point – they’re designed with the intent to move, evoke, disturb and unsettle. It’s an effective horror game that’s at its most potent when you’re willing to submerge into the rabbit hole of madness its dares you to sink into. I also wouldn’t say it perfectly nails every aspect and I do wish the game had the opportunity to flesh out some of its gameplay and commit further to some of its narrative threads.

However, its rawness and tension-fused nature also lend it an air of uncertainty – and what better way to instill terror than through fear of the unknown.

When I reviewed, Saturnalia, I mused about how the innovation it brought to the horror genre made it a masterclass. HORSES is a very different beast, in that it is far more focused on using unusual and enigmatic ideas to create an atmosphere of complete unsettlement. I certainly wouldn’t recommend HORSES for everyone, as its approach to incredibly sensitive material is confronting, but I applaud the developers for being willing to commit to such a vision. HORSES is evidence of video games as an art form, and where the majority of the industry seeks comfortable familiarity, this game thrives in generating reaction, which is what all great art should do.

HORSES will be available on December 2nd on PC via Epic Games Store, GOG, Humble and itch.io.

Developer: Santa Ragione
Publisher: Santa Ragione

Disclaimer: In order to complete this review, we were provided with a promotional copy of the game. For our full review policy, please go here.

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