Stage 1: Impressions |
Stage 2: Analysis |
Stage 3: Evaluation |
The simple truth is that there just isn't much to My Horse and Me. Players ride on the horse, racing and jumping around the track; if successful, the game rewards them with a prize in the form of an unlockable. The unlockables range from new courses, to new clothing, to new designs for the horses, but nothing about the gameplay really changes. The player merely repeats the same pattern over and over until everything is unlocked, at which point they can customize their character and horse fully, and jump around every course.
The game is surprisingly good-looking, despite some repeated textures. The colors are bright and beautiful, and the horses are well modeled. The rider is a bit generic, but the ability to change the colors of clothing, along with the horse, probably gives this game a bit of extra tread - especially in the Barbie-friendly target market.
If only the gameplay were as happy and diverse as the colors.
That brings the focus of this review back to the control scheme, which is entirely too difficult for its intended audience. As I said in Stage 1, the controls rely on the player's ability to lift or lower either the Wii Remote or the Nunchuk in order to simulate controlling a horse. However, the game asks the player to turn some tight corners that are seemingly non-negotiable, especially when considering that the horse has the turn radius of a semi-truck. Worse yet, the horses seem to make their own decisions now and then, especially near the edge of a fence, and a single mistake will ruin an entire competition.
All jockeys should also be experienced truck drivers.
Speaking of which, my daughters' progression on the game has mainly worsened from Stage 1. My 7-year-old daughter has nearly given up altogether. Although she has shown flashes of brilliance in deftly maneuvering around the track, a single mistake sends her looking for the easier controls of Wii Sports. My 11-year-old daughter, quite the game player in her own right - has also given up on My Horse and Me. She can handle the controls, but nothing interests her enough to keep her playing for more than 15 minutes at a time.
It seems that this title is intended for either nobody or those people crazy about the equestrian sport who lack a real horse. To the game's credit, the developers do appear to have gone to great lengths to ensure accurate horsemanship terminology. If that puts the kick in your hind legs, be sure to return for Stage 3 to see if My Horse and Me can avoid galloping into the trash bin.
Stage 1: Impressions |
Stage 2: Analysis |
Stage 3: Evaluation |
