Full Stride is a new horse-racing game that released on Steam and PlayStation 5 at the full price of $34.99. Although we are all eager for a realistic horse game, and Full Stride has some nice visuals, the price is far too steep for the experience.
Blue Bullet Inc. is a Japanese indie developer that set out to create their first game, Full Stride, a realistic jockey game that combines strategy with intensity. The team started sharing the development process in 2024 on Instagram and launched the Steam page at the tail-end of December 2025 along with a Patreon, which has over 1,000 members and over $3,000 in monthly funding, which is a decent budget for a small indie team.
On the Steam page, they describe the game as:
“Full Stride is an authentic jockey racing game where you take on the role of a jockey and challenge the race.”
If it sounds bare-bones, that’s because it is. You are a jockey, you select races, you race horses, you repeat. That is the cycle. Although we didn’t dive too deep, the experience felt exceptionally bare-bones. Compared to other well-known titles like G1 Jockey, Gallop Racer, and Winning Post, this game fell so far short of the target as to hit the archer’s foot. If you are expecting more from the gameplay, there is precious little else to discuss.
What does stand out are the visuals. Realistic tracks and horses are showcased in the trailer. It draws the eye, but the in-game experience does not live up to that trailer. The developers claimed in a press release to have “pushed the boundaries of indie production, incorporating advanced UE5 graphics and multiplayer features.”
The end result leaves a lot to be desired. The visuals are choppy, and the mane of the horse breaks and stutters. The jockey is stiff in the saddle, barely moving with the actions of the player. There are no lead changes, nor any sort of visual response during the race when bumping into horses or when the horse loses motivation. The result is a flat experience.
The tracks looks nice and the weather does create a sense of drama, but it’s not enough to elevate the races beyond “fine”.
Even the UI suffers. It is functional but has not been polished in any way. It looks like a rough play test rather than a $34.99 title.
As for the features, this is what they promise:
• Realistic and intense horse racing
• Understand your horse’s riding style and strategize accordingly
• Work your way up the career ladder to finally reach G1 races
• Edit race horse names, appearance and abilities
• Enter a multiplayer race with up to four players.
“Feel the tension as the gates open, fight for position within the pack, decide when to make your move, and experience the thrill of a head-to-head battle down the final stretch.”
We’ve played the game, and no, it does not come close to what it says on the tin. It is confusing and bland, and there is no tutorial. If not for the fact that we have team members who played horse-racing games extensively, the horse’s stats during races would be complete gibberish. The game does not even do you the courtesy of properly introducing you to the world. You are dropped into the middle of the ocean and expected to find land without a piece of driftwood to keep you afloat. We blundered through three races, but it was enough to dissuade us from trying any more.
Although we are all eager to see a Western version of Winning Post, we would rather encourage people to steer clear of this game until a better one comes along.
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