A rant about Fernhoof Grove because peer influence was right
I've been curious about Fernhoof Grove for a while, it's one of those games that looked promising early on. When the playtest came out, I thought I would wait until early access to try it, but just one or two showcase videos convinced me to try it for myself. And the verdict is... yeah, I'm in love.
First off: it works! I have a 2013 office laptop, not made for gaming and struggles to run most games, yet this one runs smoothly without great effort. I did lower the quality to medium to fix slight lagging at first but it still looks as good and doesn't lag anymore.
I'm about 5 hours in and I may be obsessed already. This game feels like the perfect combinaison of Rein Ravine and Ranch of Rivershine, in its style, riding mechanics, atmosphere. It's very cozy and relaxing, while keeping the riding engaging and equestrian aspects realistic. Riding requires just enough practice without being too intricate to get the hang of. The concept of the game is very simple and concise, but works so well. It's the perfect game to unwind and clear your mind, no stakes whatsoever but objectives of your own to work towards.
I love being a boarder, and the limited amount of horses it implies. It's a fresh change. I find it accurate to real life boarding, and the barn is full enough with school horses to feel lively even with only one horse belonging to you. It doesn't give you this big empty stable waiting to be filled, just a corner of your own. The limited 4 stalls makes you think thoroughly about what horse you will bring home, and you grow attached to them quickly. Even now that I can buy and train more horses, I still love my starter horse and look forward to training him every day. He doesn't feel lesser than my new horses, more like my original trusty partner. I fully intend on keeping him for my entire playthrough.
The barn chores are repetitive, but not redundant, at least not yet. You're technically not obligated to do them, but they give you a good reason to do them. It has become a routine to turn in my horses, make their feed, do my chores, then get on with my day of grooming and training. Chores take all but 5 minutes to do and earn you 40 to 80 bucks each, so an easy bit of daily pocket money.
The market is a very fun experience. After the tutorial, you get a batch of 6 new horses per game day, which might sound small, but the Trial Ride feature changes everything. It makes the experience a lot more entertaining than clicking 'buy' on the picture of a horse. I took a solid 30 minutes choosing my starter horse, trialing and comparing everyone to find my best match. The process felt meaningful and I don't regret my choice. It actually feels like taking an existing horse home, not just adding an asset to your stable block. I have a plain boring bay and he's my most quirky ride and I love him very much.
Training is grindy enough without being too much. I'm no gamer, I rarely get far in a game and this one makes progress easy enough to offer challenge without being discouraging. The arena designer is great with a solid selection of exercises and premade courses. I can confidently say, this is the first game who makes training on the flat engaging. Competitions are not the most developed feature yet, with a small selection of courses who take a while to unlock, but the training is enough that I don't mind only competing once in a while. I usually train my horses over the game week then do one or two competition courses on the week-end as a challenge. Maybe not the most productive, but it makes for something to train towards.
Last thing about riding: the first person POV is awesome. I only ride in first-person, the feeling is great and if anything, I find it easier to ride like this than in third person. It's cool. Very cool.
I'm overall so happy with this game. It has been years since a game made me this excited, I just had to gush about it. For a game that's not even in early access yet, I find it amazing. The world still feels a little empty, maybe because of the lack of music or soundtrack in some places (the echo of wind in the stables can feel somewhat eerie at times) but the ambiant sound design in the market and showground is organic and immersive. And those bouts of emptiness are compensated by the game's charming design and personality. While stylized, it's deeply immersive while remaining game-ified enough to be engaging. Fernhoof Grove has an identity of its own and it shows in every crack and cranny. It doesn't need hyperrealistic graphics to be lifelike. The simulation is good, and the gameplay is good: it is a game and was designed like a game. Being currently out of horses, I found a lovely refuge in this game, a feeling not many horse games have been able to give me.
I deeply hope this game will receive the love and support it deserves. More than showing good potential, it is good. The passion put in this project is evident. I hope it will grow to completion, and keep its identity and focus on what it was meant to be. Simplicity can be thoughtful, and sometimes it's all that's needed.
Thank you Miaumi Games for this gem!