#friendly horse

[horses-in-videogames]

Agro (Shadow of the Colossus)

Category: Ally Type: Horse Size: Pretty big Rideable: Yes Pettable: Yes Cool fact: Cheated death at least once

Agro here is in my honest opinion one of the best executed horses you can find in video games, especially from the ps2 era. Despite being, well, a horse, and thus having no dialogue, she feels like a character. Which she should, she's with you for most of the game helping you defeat the colossi, and most importantly taking you to them.

Horse score: 5/5 🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎

Gameplay:

[horses-in-videogames]

I recommend the horses of skyrim. I love using them to scale almost vertical cliff faces

Horse (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

Role: Ally/npc Type: Horse Size: Average Rideable: Yes Pettable: Only when idle Cool fact: Not bound by the laws of physics

I just started playing Skyrim and I already love these chunky little things, I stole one and took her on a ride around a mountain. Their animations and gameplay are a mess but they technically check all the boxes of a perfectly good horse. I will probably mod them to oblivion so gotta enjoy the crust while it lasts. More in-depth review coming once I play a bit more, maybe.

Horse score: 4/5 🐎🐎🐎🐎

Gameplay:

[horses-in-videogames]

hi!!!! could you maybe review kaithes from Warframe? they are very horse shaped (though I am still waiting for a horseframe :D)

Kaithe (Warframe)

Role: Ally Type: Uhhhhhhhhhhh... Alien horse...? Size: Average Rideable: Yes Pettable: No Cool fact: I got nothing. They look sick tho.

As little as I did play Warframe, I did get my hand on one of these buggers, and then had a blast running around Duviri. Not ground breaking as action game mounts often aren't, but they give Duviri Paradox a unique feel and that's neat. They can also fly which is something not all horses often do.

Horse score: 3/5 🐛🐛🐛

Gameplay:

[horses-in-videogames]

The Count from Red Dead Redemption 2?

The Count (Red Dead Redemption 2)

Role: NPC Type: Horse Size: average Rideable: No Pettable: No Cool fact: Arthur tried to ride him once and got thrown off

I don't think there's anything new I can say about the horses in RDR2, they are simply outstanding. So much so that Red Dead is often considered an honorary horse game despite technically being nowhere near that genre. Mechanics wise they are cream of the crop, personality wise though, well, they are horses. They appreciate pets & treats, they're scared of predators, and they are everywhere. The drama is between the people and the horses are here just to be horses. But because they have been built with such care, they feel complete. And with their existence, they too help complete the world they belong in.

What was this post about again? Oh yeah, D*tch's horse

Like I said before the horses in RDR2 really are just horses with nothing extra, but I think it's a neat little detail that all Van Der Linde gang's horses suit their riders really well. The Count is an excellent example of that, it's right on character for Dutch to flaunt such a rare and extravagant horse as a cremello arabian.

Horse Score: 4/5 🐎🐎🐎🐎

Clips:

[horses-in-videogames]

Horse(s) (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

Role: Mob/Ally/Npc Type: Horse Size: Average Rideable: Yes Pettable: Yes Cool fact: Also available in pink & blue varieties

I am one of those weird people who got a switch & BotW just for the horses. In fact, I think this game was my first ever "horsegame", or at least a game with a significant amount of horses.

While the core function of these horses is transport, it's the details that make them truly shine: They have all 3 gaits, and even cleanly switch between them, they follow paths and avoid obstacles, and they show interest in you when you're nearby. The way they jump too feels fittingly clumsy for their build, and while I'm talking about jumping I just have to say I adore how they will only jump of their own volition. Having a jump button for a horse just completely breaks the immersion and it has become one of my pet peeves.

Horse score: 5/5 🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎

Gameplay:

[horses-in-videogames]

Torrent (Elden Ring)

Category: Ally Type: Horsesque creature Size: Average Rideable: Yes Pettable: Sadly not Cool fact: He's a spirit!

Oh Torrent. The best goat-cow-horse known to man. Even with your weird bendy legs I still love you to bits. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed you can't use his horns to attack foes, but with how chill this prey animal amalgamate is able to stay when chased by dragons and whatnot I cant really complain. I also really love his tack but that's just me being a sucker for unusual saddles.

Horse score: 5/5 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐

Gameplay:

[horses-in-videogames]

Little Ica (Honkai: Star Rail)

Category: Ally Type: Pegasus Size: Smol Rideable: No Pettable: No but kinda yes Cool fact: Has an insatiable appetite

Ica is a summon Belonging to another character, Hyacine, and together they help you out by healing your team and launching what I can only describe as a tactical pegasus straight out of the sky. There's also rainbows. So. Many. Rainbows.

He's technically not pettable but there are plenty of animations where he gets snuggles and I think that counts.

Horse score: 4/5 🦄🦄🦄🦄

Gameplay:

[horses-in-videogames]

Blanchy (WoW)

Blanchy (World of Warcraft)

Role: NPC/Ally Type: Undead horse (ghost) Size: Pretty big Rideable: Yes Pettable: Yes Cool fact: We will never know what kind of sins she committed

A sweet horse with a sad backstory and a sprinkle of ominous lore to keep things fresh. I always appreciate it when mounts are given their own backstory, and made into a proper character instead of just a gameplay commodity. It makes them feel more connected to their world and tells us they don't exist just for our sake. Well, in-universe at least.

As far as I know the mounts in WoW are rather simple, so it's fun to see how they make all the different ones stand out from eachother. "Evil ghost horse" is already an interesting concept, but an evil ghost horse that you meet in life and can befriend in death? Now that's something.

Horse score: 4/5 👻👻👻👻

Gameplay: