Unbridled: That Horse Game is a simulation game, where players breed and train horses as they build their equestrian paradise. Read our review of its early-access build to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
Everything We Know About Unbridled: That Horse Game
Unbridled: That Horse Game Story Plot
In Unbridled: That Horse Game, you are an individual who finally saved enough money to buy your own property and start taking care of horses. The folks at Veilingen Town are there to assist you in your journey to be one of the best horse trainers out there.
Unbridled: That Horse Game Gameplay
Unbridled: That Horse Game is an equestrian simulation game that centers around managing and training horses. The core gameplay loop revolves around buying horses, training and caring for them, breeding them for better traits, and participating in equestrian sports. However, breeding is not currently available in the early access version, while the Falkenberg Riding School only offers some challenges for your horse riding skills. In the future, horseback archery and sports will be added to complete the gameplay experience.
Unbridled: That Horse Game Release Date
Released on February 19, 2025, Unbridled: That Horse Game is now available to be purchased in Early Access on Steam for $24.99 USD. As an Early Access title, the game is still in development.
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Unbridled: That Horse Game Review [Early Access]
Messy Performance and Visuals
Unbridled: That Horse Game piqued my interest since horse simulator games are not that common in the gaming industry. The idea of breeding, training, and competing with horses sounded like a refreshing change from usual simulation games. However, after spending some time with the early access version, I quickly realized the game has a long way to go.
Before diving into the gameplay loop and other features of this early access title, I have to say that the game's performance is somewhat terrible. Though not unplayable, it struggles to even maintain 30 FPS, which is quite jarring when exploring every area of the game. This is even especially noticeable when in multiplayer mode. Moreover, opening your horse’s stall takes a little bit of time, prompting a "Processing, please wait" message, making each visit with your horse frustrating, especially when you have multiple ones. I’m not sure why such a mundane action takes so long, but it disrupts the immersion of caring for your horse.
The visuals are also underwhelming. For instance, some tree shadows stutter, making them appear as if they are moving frame by frame rather than following the tree’s motion. Meanwhile, the character models and assets look janky, as if they are still in an early development stage. Though I understand that the game is in early access, it could have polished the limited content it currently offers.
Offers Limited Content
I've played a lot of early access games, but Unbridled: That Horse Game stands out for its extremely limited and incomplete gameplay features. In its current build, you can buy horses, train them at the riding school, and complete side quests to earn money. But these features lack polish, and do not form a complete gameplay loop. Breeding and competitions have been mentioned as key mechanics, yet they remain absent, leaving the experience feeling unfinished.
The game offers only four main quests, which feel more like a disorganized tutorial stage. In summary, these quests require you to visit every location on your property, explore the local market, complete side quests at the riding school, and visit the town to speak with the blacksmith. That’s it.
On top of that, the final quest in the early access version feels meaningless. Once you interact with the blacksmith in an empty, lifeless town, the main questline simply ends. Sure, you can buy an axe and pickaxe to gather resources and sell them at the market, but what’s the point? The only thing you can do with the money right now is to buy horses and cosmetic items for them, but there’s no breeding system or competition to showcase your best horses anyway.
I also spent some time in multiplayer mode via the camping area, where I fortunately encountered two other players. However, we had nothing to do but gallop in circles and aim our axes at each other, which is the only enjoyable moment throughout my playthrough of this game. It would be pretty fun if there were even one feature where we could compete with one another in multiplayer mode.
Half-Baked Game Mechanics
My experience was also disappointing due to the game's current mechanics. For instance, the controls are not properly explained, forcing me to randomly press keys just to perform the right actions. This happened twice—once when leading the horse to the care area and again while dismounting during side quests at the riding school. I even checked the Index menu and keybindings, but there was no mention that you need to empty your hands to lead a horse or press F to dismount.
Speaking of the riding school, completing side quests there is quite challenging—but not in a fun way. First, side quests or jobs can be selected from a bulletin board, but they do not get added to your quest menu. As a result, I had to constantly revisit the board just to check if I had completed the required tasks for a particular job, such as taking a horse outside and running a certain distance.
After finally figuring out how to track and complete these side quests, night fell, making everything too dark to play properly. I assumed that going home and sleeping would allow me to skip nighttime, but to my surprise, sleeping wasn’t an option. This meant I had no choice but to wait several minutes before I could continue and finish the three side quests at the riding school.
An Incomplete Game with Potential
With that said, Unbridled: That Horse Game has a lot of potential, such as the breeding system and the online multiplayer mode, but is bogged down by half-bake mechanics, unpolished visuals, and disorganized content. While the foundation to be one of the great simulation games is there, the current early access build lacks depth and polish, making it feel more like a tech demo.
Though I understand that some key gameplay features are missing, since it is an early access game, the existing mechanics feel hollow and without purpose. The multiplayer mode was devoid of any activities aside from collecting wood and stones, which you can do solo. The poorly explained controls, the inability to skip nighttime, and a lack of progression further add to my frustration when playing this game. Considering these issues, the $24.99 price tag seems quite expensive at its current stage.
Despite the shortcomings of this game, there’s still room for improvement. With better optimization, expanded mechanics, and gameplay features, Unbridled: That Horse Game could eventually serve as an immersive equestrian experience for players. However, in its current state and price, I cannot recommend this game, especially to those who enjoy horse simulators.
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Unbridled: That Horse Game Product Information
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| Title | UNBRIDLED: THAT HORSE GAME |
|---|---|
| Release Date | February 19, 2025 (Early Access) |
| Developer | Mindev Games |
| Publisher | Mindev Games |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam) |
| Genre | Casual, Simulation, RPG, Indie |
| Number of Players | 1-4 |
| ESRB Rating | RP |
| Official Website | Unbridled: That Horse Game |
