Ostwind
- July 27, 2017
- Aesir Interactive
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Ostwind" is a single-player Simulation game with stunning visuals, offering about 4 hours of playtime. Based on the Windstorm movies and books, the game follows the story of Mika, a horse whisperer, as she tries to befriend the black stallion Windstorm. Experience exciting riding tasks, explore the Kaltenbach estate, care for Windstorm, and discover secrets together to form an unforgettable bond.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The graphics are beautiful and the open world is enjoyable to explore, making it a visually appealing experience.
- The horse care system is well-designed, allowing players to easily manage their horse's needs and performance.
- The game offers a relaxing gameplay experience with a variety of quests and activities, perfect for horse lovers.
- The quests are repetitive and lack variety, leading to a monotonous gameplay experience.
- The horse animations and controls are poor, making the riding experience feel unnatural and frustrating.
- The game is short, with many players finishing the main story in just a few hours, leaving little incentive for replay.
- story65 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered weak and repetitive, with players noting that the missions often boil down to similar tasks like fetching items or racing, leading to a lack of engagement. While the free roam feature and exploration elements are appreciated, many reviewers feel that the narrative lacks depth and fails to offer a compelling plot, making the overall experience feel short and unfulfilling. Overall, the game is seen as more of a casual exploration experience rather than a story-driven adventure.
“I really love the ones that focus more on exploration and story, rather than micromanaging a farm and racing.”
“It is a peaceful exploration game with a story and a few quest types like fetching some plants, riding across the land in a speed race or obstacle course, and sometimes you have to discover points of interest which you need to photograph.”
“The overall playtime for the story mode is comparatively tight, but completing all the collectibles and discoveries still keeps you busy way longer from there.”
“Oh dear, what makes that game really suck is that all quests are repetitive.”
“The game is short; there is no actual story. Honestly, there is no story. You just run errands for 4 hours and you're done. No story.”
“The missions get repetitive very quickly; the story mostly boils down to 'welcome back Mika, let's do some chores.'”
- graphics21 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive a mixed but generally positive reception, with many users praising the beautiful environments and detailed visuals that effectively capture the essence of horse riding. While some mention that the graphics are decent for a low-budget title and not next-gen, others highlight the stunning artwork and large, explorable maps. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, enhancing the gameplay experience for horse enthusiasts.
“The graphics were beautiful.”
“Gorgeous graphics and huge map to explore.”
“The graphics are beautifully done and the gameplay is easy to learn.”
“The graphics are poorly done.”
“Graphics are decent for a low-budget title.”
“The graphics of the horse and rider are lacking.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable and easy to learn, featuring a relaxed, semi-linear approach with fun mechanics, though it can feel repetitive and lacks innovation within the horse game genre. While some players may find up to 10-15 hours of enjoyment from riding and racing, others express disappointment over the short quest length and limited gameplay variety. Overall, the controls may require some adjustment, but once mastered, they contribute to a solid gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is enjoyable, but a bit repetitive and brings absolutely nothing new to the table in regards to horse games.”
“The graphics are beautifully done and the gameplay is easy to learn.”
“Controls need a little getting used to, but once you familiarize yourself with them, gameplay is a breeze :-)”
“This game looked promising, but the gameplay is just horrible.”
“If you consider that the game is actually all about riding and racing and doesn't have any other ways of gameplay, yes, I was seriously disappointed by that.”
“Gameplay by quests is also short.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as cute and calming, featuring classical elements, though some users noted a similarity to a specific "chase song" from another game. However, there are complaints about the music being choppy, potentially due to hardware limitations.
“Plus, the soundtrack!”
“The music is nice and calm.”
“The only thing I'm unhappy about is that the music is choppy, but that's probably because I'm playing on a standard laptop.”
“It's kinda cute with classical music; however, there's a song that is very similar to the 'chase song' in Garten of Banban.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game is mixed, with players appreciating the need to manage the character's well-being for better performance, but finding the frequency of care required to be excessive, leading to inconsistent performance.
“I like the idea that you need to take care of Windstorm to achieve better performance, and that he will actually get tired from doing missions.”
“Windstorm needs care way too often, and if he doesn't get it, his performance wavers.”
“Performance is weird.”
“Performance is weird.”
“-Ostwind needs care way too often, and if he doesn't get it, his performance wavers.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent glitches and bugs, particularly in horse animations.
“The game glitches really badly.”
“It's buggy, and the horse animations are poor.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the enjoyable aspects of horse breeding and the satisfaction of collecting various colors, but find the horse care process to be tedious and repetitive.
“The horse care is tedious.”
“I do enjoy the horse breeding, and grinding out all the cool colors for hours.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users indicate that while the easy difficulty level may enhance replayability, other issues detract from the overall experience, leading to a lack of motivation to replay the game. The average rating for replayability stands at 8.
“Maybe the easy difficulty level would be more enjoyable, but it doesn't address the other issues that make me reluctant to even try again.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its visual appeal and expansive environments that encourage exploration and questing. However, some players feel that certain elements detract from the overall experience, creating a lingering sense of unease when viewed from specific perspectives.
“The game has a beautiful atmosphere, featuring stunning visuals and a vast territory for exploration and quests.”
“The atmosphere is immersive, with a captivating environment that enhances the overall gameplay experience.”
“The combination of visuals and sound design creates a unique atmosphere that draws you into the game world.”
“It ruins the atmosphere and always sticks in my mind when I look at it not from Mika's back, giving a permanent feeling that something is wrong.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion I was hoping for.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is overshadowed by repetitive environments that fail to engage the player.”
