The Legend of Khiimori delivers rare realism for horse gamers

Horse games have a reputation for disappointing enthusiasts: if they’re accurate they can be ugly, if they’re pretty they often feel empty, and highly anticipated titles can arrive buggy and unsupported. The Legend of Khiimori launched in early access this week after its demo proved so popular last year that developer Aesir Interactive delayed a planned 2025 release.

Streamer and horse photographer Chelsea Farace, who estimates she’s played upwards of 30 horse games, says many attempts merely “scratch the itch but always leave something important missing, whether it’s depth, realism, or soul.” She thinks Khiimori “feels like it’s well above that 'good enough' line” and praised a “beautiful sense of realism I haven't felt since RDR2,” pointing to moments like the flehmen response, how horses swim, and the little stretches and fidgets they do when not being ridden.

The game models distinct gaits rather than crude slow or sprint speeds, accounts for terrain and weight distribution while riding, and factors in horse genes when breeding.

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