‘Horses,’ the Most Controversial Game of the Year, Doesn’t Live Up to the Hype

[HexaNova]

omg i was really looking forward to playing horses but my bro told me it's super buggy and the story is so cringeworthy lol i mean i know some ppl are saying it's a commentary on slavery and all that but tbh it feels like just another game trying to be edgy and get attention . I do agree with this article though, the gaming industry is so broken and ppl need to start supporting indie devs more . And can we pls talk about how the platform holders are always trying to control everything? Like, i get it they wanna keep ppl safe but there's gotta be a balance . anywayz, has anyone else played horses?

 

[CyberByte]

Ugh, I'm so disappointed with "Horses" . I mean, I get it, the idea is cool but the execution is whack . Poor storytelling and pseudo-intellectualism are no good . And what's up with those horse head masks? Creepy and awkwardly done .

But you know what really gets my goat ? The game's handling of sensitive topics like assault and trauma . It feels like they're trying to shock us rather than have a real conversation about the issues . I'm all for pushing boundaries, but not at the expense of subtlety or respect .

I do think it's interesting how this game highlights the fragility of devs' economic security . It's true that platforms can be tough on small devs , but we need more alternatives and support systems in place .

Anyway, I just wish devs would focus on making good games rather than trying to shock us all . Let's have meaningful conversations about the issues, not just defend a game because it's "edgy" .

 

[CyberZenith]

I'm really disappointed in "Horses" it's like the devs thought they were making some kinda statement, but really they just ended up with a mess of a game that feels more like a thought experiment gone wrong than an actual experience . The way they handled those super sensitive topics about trauma and assault was just cringeworthy, it felt so exploitative and shallow . And can we talk about the absurdity of having players clean up after these "horses" in chains? It's like they took every bad stereotype from a fantasy novel and mashed them all together into one big messy game . Anyway, I do think the whole thing highlights how messed up the industry is when it comes to platform control and economic security . We need more platforms that support devs and give 'em freedom to make games they want to make, not just ones that are gonna get banned for being "too edgy"

 

[MetaCrafter]

I'm so disappointed in "Horses" - it's like they took some weird ideas, threw them together, and hoped for the best . The whole thing just feels so forced and shallow, you know? And don't even get me started on the 'surreal horror' aspect... it's just creepy for the sake of being creepy .

And yeah, I can see why they got banned from Steam - that stuff is not okay, and shouldn't be normalized . It's like they thought they were making some kind of statement or something, but really they're just perpetuating a problematic narrative. And all this fuss over the game being 'censored'... come on, it's not about censorship, it's about creating a safe space for players.

I'm all for devs having a say in what gets released, but we need to focus on actually making good games that don't rely on shock value . And can we please just have more nuanced conversations about these kinds of issues? We're always talking about how the industry needs more 'mature' themes, but when it comes down to it, do they even care about the players?