Howrse - Horse Breeding Game | Game Brain

Howrse - Horse Breeding Game is a simulation game that allows players to breed horses, enter competitions, and manage their own equestrian center with beautiful visuals. Despite its immersive gameplay, the game is plagued with annoying ads and bugs that can hinder the overall experience. Players can enjoy the game's features while dealing with these occasional frustrations.

Genres & Tags

Simulation

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,087 reviews

graphics29 positive mentions

stability148 negative mentions

stability
149 mentions
2 % positive mentions
-1 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The stability of the app is widely criticized, with users reporting frequent glitches, lag, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players experience issues during key actions, such as naming foals or navigating the tutorial, often requiring them to restart the app multiple times. While some users find the game enjoyable despite these problems, the overall consensus is that the app is very buggy and in need of substantial improvements to enhance stability.
- “Other than these few things, the game runs great and is a lot of fun.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; I rarely encounter any crashes or bugs.”
- “I've played for hours without any issues, which really enhances the overall experience.”
- “I have had to reinstall more times than I can count because it freezes in the tutorial.”
- “The app is very buggy and usually crashes or freezes.”
- “The game is hard to play since it glitches, it's slow, and you can't interact with the horse itself!”
graphics
45 mentions
64 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising their realism and beauty, particularly in the depiction of horses. However, some users criticize the overall visual experience, citing glitches, poor mobile performance, and a lack of engaging gameplay elements. While the graphics are often highlighted as a strong point, they are not enough to compensate for other shortcomings in the game.
- “The graphics are amazing and the controls make sense.”
- “Beautiful graphics and I recommend this game to horse lovers.”
- “Great graphics and controls and loads of things to do and interact with.”
- “Please don't support this joke of a game; there are much better games with better graphics, breeding systems, and respect for the player out there.”
- “I hate this; it's so bad. The graphics are so bad it is glitchy... and yeah, it is just bad.”
- “The graphics are horrible at best; I'm sure a 4-year-old could do better. It's just plain lazy on the creator's part.”
gameplay
23 mentions
17 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players enjoying the fun aspects and community, while others criticize technical issues, slow progression, and a lack of meaningful interaction. Many users report glitches that hinder their ability to progress, particularly during tutorials, and express frustration over the "pay to win" mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, some players appreciate the improvements in the mobile version and the nostalgic elements of the classic gameplay.
- “As a long-time player on the website (though I no longer have my original account), the app is a welcome addition to gameplay.”
- “I highly recommend the game overall; I love the gameplay and the community.”
- “Gameplay, however, is a lot of fun.”
- “Would love to review it but I've only played about 1 minute of gameplay and can't continue on as it's glitched or stuck on the tutorial. I can't click into anything else as a message pops up 'continue your training on Gaia's page' but I'm unable to do anything on that page.”
- “There's absolutely no gameplay.”
- “No gameplay, just clicking on 5 things with no feedback and then waiting 14 hours.”
monetization
16 mentions
19 % positive mentions
19 % neutral mentions
63 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is mixed, with many users appreciating the minimal ad presence and the option to watch ads for rewards, while others express frustration over excessive ads and high-priced in-app purchases. Some players enjoy the game without feeling pressured by ads, but complaints about confusing monetization strategies and unhelpful support persist. Overall, the experience varies significantly between the mobile app and the online version, with the latter facing criticism for intrusive pop-up ads.
- “Easy to play, wonderful graphics, and awesome in-app purchases at a decent price.”
- “Super fun, better with in-app purchases.”
- “I absolutely love it; it's the best and it gives no ads!”
- “I gave you three stars because there are a lot of ads and the game won't load until I press the home button to leave the game. If you help me with these problems, I will rate you five stars.”
- “Be careful of the in-app purchases.”
- “All the in-app purchases are ridiculously high priced and they don't offer any help if you have a problem.”
story
15 mentions
20 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is marred by technical issues and frustrating quest mechanics, with players frequently encountering glitches that prevent them from progressing. While some enjoy the breeding and auction elements, many express dissatisfaction with the clarity and accessibility of missions, often feeling stuck or unable to complete tasks. Overall, the narrative experience is hindered by these gameplay obstacles, leading to mixed feelings among users.
- “It's a good game, but I just didn't get the quests, and one of my horses was pregnant. I would recommend it, but it's just not the game for me.”
- “Great, but I got stuck on a quest. I kept being brought back to the same page trying to finish the 'affvises' quest, but it won't let me even though I was following Emma's directions.”
- “I try to do quests, but it won't let me. It is a laggy game.”
- “Needs extreme work on being able to find quests and accessing Grand Prix information.”
- “I'm stuck in the 'Can we be friends?' mission.”
- “Some features such as the search for auctions and missions do not work.”
grinding
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment with minimal rewards, particularly for newcomers. While some enjoy the daily login incentives and horse care mechanics, many feel that the game heavily favors long-term players and monetization, making it difficult to progress without spending money. Overall, the grinding can detract from the enjoyment, despite the game's fun elements.
- “I played for four years, went inactive for six months because I couldn't afford internet, and lo and behold my account is gone, along with all the equipment and 'seniority' I racked up with it. It's a painfully tedious way to 'encourage' players to log in daily. It's gross; if you didn't start playing this game years ago, it's impossible to rank or become accomplished. But it's fun tending to the horses, so I often find myself coming back.”
- “Unless you want to tediously work at something with almost no reward, you have to pay heaps of money.”
- “Great game, but it's a little too grindy and takes days to play.”
music
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a strong desire for music and sound effects in the game, with several users expressing that the absence of these elements detracts from the overall experience. While the game is praised for its fun gameplay, the lack of audio features is a notable downside for many players.
- “This game is so fun! Everyone should play it; it's so cool.”
- “Eh, it's pretty cool but there's no music.”
- “I would love for there to be music or sound effects or some animation!”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The soundtrack feels generic and doesn't match the game's atmosphere.”
optimization
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
While users appreciate the game's overall quality and smooth performance when optimized, there are suggestions for further improvements in the app's optimization to enhance convenience and efficiency.
- “The game itself is wonderful, and when the app runs smoothly, it's very convenient compared to using a computer.”
- “It loads super fast, has accurate graphics, and everything just runs smoothly!”
- “The app could use some optimizations.”
- “Performance issues are rampant, making the game feel sluggish.”
- “The loading times are excessively long, indicating a lack of proper optimization.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is primarily derived from its clever name, "howrse," which many players find amusing and a key reason for their enjoyment. Overall, while the game itself is appreciated, the comedic element significantly enhances its appeal.
- “The only reason this gets 2 stars instead of 1 is because the name is hilarious.”
- “It's an amazing game! What's funny is that I got it because it's spelled 'howrse', so I got it because it was funny. I definitely recommend this game.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with players expressing a deep appreciation for both the immersive environment and the community of players across various servers. This enduring enjoyment contributes significantly to the overall experience.
- “I've been playing this game for almost 8 years now, and I absolutely love the atmosphere and the community of players across the different servers.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the horses and the grand prix events, indicating that the game's narrative and character development foster deep investment in the outcomes.
- “I get emotionally invested in the horses and Grand Prix.”