Horses Brings Subversive Cinema and Dark Humor to PC and Console Horror
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Santa Ragione's Horses blends arthouse cinema aesthetics with pitch-black comedy and psychological horror, offering players an unconventional and deeply surreal narrative experience.
Independent developer Santa Ragione and writer Andrea Lucco Borlera have delivered one of the most unconventional horror titles of the year. Originally covered by Eurogamer, Horses is a first person narrative experience that blends pitch black comedy with deeply unsettling imagery, drawing heavy inspiration from classic arthouse cinema rather than traditional jump scare tropes. The game utilizes a claustrophobic aspect ratio, a stark monochrome color palette, and silent film intertitles to create an oppressive atmosphere that immediately destabilizes players.
The story follows Anselmo, a naive young protagonist sent to a remote farm for a mandatory fourteen day apprenticeship designed to build character. Players quickly discover that the farm operates under deeply disturbing rules, most notably represented by the owner's prized livestock, which turn out to be human beings wearing rubber masks and enduring a completely dehumanized existence. While the premise sounds intensely transgressive, the execution leans into absurdism just as often as horror, creating a jarring rhythm where players alternate between mundane farm chores and moments of shocking, meme worthy surrealism.
For a modern gaming audience accustomed to predictable live service routines and polished blockbuster loops, Horses offers a refreshing, albeit brief, jolt of pure auteur experimentation. It borrows visual language from mixed media art, silent films, and live action interstitials, proving that single player narrative spaces still have plenty of room for genuine subversion. Whether players approach it as a satirical critique of societal expectations or simply a deeply weird psychological trip, it stands out as a singular vision in the current horror landscape.
Tags: Horror Games, Indie Games, PC Gaming, Console Gaming, Reviews
Original article: Eurogamer