Equinox: Homecoming

[b][u]This is a SINGLE PLAYER review, not a multiplayer one.[/u][/b] [i]Controller User (PS5) | Linux OS 10+ hours in this game to review due to grind mechanics. Games Compared: Rival Stars Horse Racing, Skyrim, BotW[/i] [h3]Pros:[/h3][list] [*] You can absolutely enjoy this game in solo mode. You can make your own group for social mechanics, participate in races, and there is NO clutter of randomly generated NPC racers. Peak solo gaming. [*] Good balance of suspense with no combat mechanics. I enjoy the horror aspect without the 'escape before you die' pressure, and have not run into any cheap jump scares so far. [*] Very intuitive and responsive controls for the riding. Animation gives a sense of speed and organic movement. You don't need to hold the joystick forwards for the horse to continue moving forwards, you just set the gait and run. Games like Rival Stars Horse Racing have very, very simplified riding controls and mechanics that make them feel grind-y and repetitive over time, I did not experience this here despite how big the map is. [*] 'Immersive' riding: like when riding an actual horse, the controls for this game demanded more focus and planning from me regarding gait, speed and general handling. The horse moves much differently using both joysticks vs steering with one. [*] Attention to detail with stats. There's consideration for elevation, how quickly your horse can transition through gaits, how speed affects movement and ability to jump (no springing into the air at a walk). [*] Gorgeous graphics. Obviously the horse models are fantastic, very realistic and not painful to watch. [*] Simple quality of life features. Lots of save slots. Tons of options to change graphics to fit your PC. Option to play alone and hide chat vs playing multiplayer is such a nice feature for those who want to play a solo story game. [*] Reputation grinds. Unpopular opinion, I love a reputation grind. It's a good excuse to get lost on the back trails, encourages you to do side quests, and generally makes the world feel less empty and more like the community the story describes. Others may find grinding for a fast travel point annoying, IMO it makes sense for the atmosphere. [*] Horse care mechanics don't take up an ungodly amount of time and they have kindly made it so there is no debuff for not caring for your horse. However, you get daily xp and rewards for doing so. I feel this is a balanced system for players who want to focus on game play vs details for immersion. [*] Very cute that there's a quest line to learn about where your horse came from! It would have been nice to see more initial bonding with MC based on that, but it's a nice touch regardless. [*] Soundtrack is nice and the radio is a bop. [*] MC IS NOT A PUSHOVER. [/list] [h3]Cons:[/h3][list] These all keep in mind this game is still receiving updates. [*] Most prominently: I had many issues with crashing and green screening. I am not blaming the game entirely for this, I am running Linux and the game flags my graphics drivers as outdated. Launching through Proton has mostly fixed this, but still experiencing some crashes at the end of races. Linux users do what you will with this information. [*] Poorly optimized.. toasty computer.. I am able to run much more graphics intensive games on highest setting with much more ease. Other users have mentioned crashing and performance issues on non Linux OS. Something to keep in mind, hopefully this improves with updates, but seems like a big thing to overlook before release. [*] Some patches of terrain (small juts of rock) that look like they should be easy to ride over instead seem to slam your horse into a wall. This isn't consistent throughout the map, and you can ride over bigger obstacles in other parts of the map. [*] Water is beautiful on the surface but you fall through it onto normal terrain like a PS2 game. I assume this will be fixed later. [*] Taking rider control / other stats into account, it would be great to see a nice sliding stop! The animations give an immersive idea of speed and agility, this would be a nice touch. [*] There's no animals in the woods. A nice immersive woodland scene includes the animals, even small ones like birds flying out of bushes when you ride by. There are exactly 3 deer and only one moves its head up and down, the other 2 including the doe on the path are static. It's uncomfortable. [*] Related to the above, it would be nice to see NPC characters like the farmers and blacksmith out doing their thing, working, moving around the farm or building etc., following a schedule like in games such as Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. [*] Dialogue trees and varied interactions with NPCs to add to the lore would add a lot to the atmosphere as well. Potentially impacting reputations, getting unique dialogue options or discounted vendor prices for befriending certain characters.. little things. [*] Microtransactions :( You can earn this same currency with daily activities, but it's clearly geared towards selling the in-store horses. In a horse game, it would be much nicer to see quest lines to 'rescue' or otherwise obtain horses. [/list] And to the argument that the game isn't finished but still costs money... I DON'T CARE. This game has more than enough features to ask a $15. There are PLENTY of games in this price range that bring nothing new to the table and are less loved by the devs. You can tell work and passion is put into this game, and updates are promising. Community support for this game is incredible. There are already lots of comprehensive guides, and both players and devs are active in forums. [b][i]As someone who loves horses as well as gore, horror and a good storyline, I found this game the perfect combination. If you enjoyed riding around on a horse in Skyrim or Breath of the Wild, and/or enjoyed the competition racing in Rival Stars, you will enjoy this game. This game brings something new to the table for open world equestrian gamers. [/i][/b]

I was forced to play. No train robbing cant play as John Marston

i enjoy this game as a whole. the open world is incredible and the world is just breath taking. the characters are nice looking and the horses are alright. they do move funky but its a new game so im sure those will improve with time. i love the story! no complaints. some things i wish we did have is a jumping course and barrel or pole bending arena set ups. would like to sit and eat food or drinks for more immersion. excited for more breeds to be added and coat colors. so far im very impressed.

Just love that game! It´s the perfect mix of mistery, accurate horses, cozy gameplay besides the main quests and super realistic graphics ( tbh. the first horse specific game fulfilling the visuals) The community is lovely too since we´re mainly adults so no drama in the chat. ^^

Equinox: Homecoming has been such a lovely experience. One of my favorite things about the game is the beautiful scenery and atmosphere. The world is genuinely enjoyable to explore, and there are so many places where I just want to slow down and enjoy the surroundings. I also really like that the story continues to grow instead of simply reaching a final ending and being over. It makes the world feel more alive and gives me a reason to keep coming back to see what happens next. The horses, exploration, quests, and overall atmosphere make the game very relaxing and enjoyable. Even though there are still some things that could be improved, I have had a really positive experience with it and I am excited to see how the game continues to develop.

The cringiest ever, it is marketed at, 10 year old, they would not even like it, but ya get what you pay for. It is insulting to most inteligence, I am not sure what made this game and I am sorry I bought it.

To put it short: I'm definitely having a lot of fun playing this game despite the flaws. The premise of the story is really fascinating and the world feels so calming. Even with microtransactions in the game, you don't feel pressured to spend more money. The only downside I'd say is that the game definitely isn't the most polished. The world feels empty, the NPCs are like statues and gathering of materials (which is needed for almost everything) is quite a pain. However, I still find myself having a blast with the story and horses. The team, while small, is very receptive and active in the community. Don't be surprised to see the ceo chatting away in global chat. I see lots of potential with this game and am excited to join the journey.