A new indie title in early development, Hoofprints is already catching attention for its beautiful artwork and unique premise!
Set in a dark forest, you play as a foal separated from its mother, trying to survive the natural dangers around it. Not only the dangers, but also your own fear. As you progress through the stages of life, eventually into a stallion, this fear will fade.
The animations and artwork are all done in-house by the developers. No AI was used in the making of this product, which is a joy to hear!
In a recent interview with YouTuber Rattle, the developers said this about their game:
“It is about growing up, about how life experience gradually changes the way we perceive the world. Things that seem frightening and incomprehensible in childhood may reveal themselves from a completely different perspective over time.”
As you progress through the game, your foal will grow from youngster to stallion, and the world around you will change as your perspective shifts. The concept is quite unique for a horse game. Where most promise large expanses and realistic genetics, this one just promises a good story.
Befriending forest creatures will also play a big role, and as you grow up, you might in turn help them where they once helped you. It is a game about coming of age, about relationships, about finding your way—all set behind the eyes of a pretty foal.
In the video, the developer shared some short animations and visuals which cannot currently be found on the Steam page, and the artwork is absolutely beautiful!
Happily, they are also working hard to ensure the animations are correct.
Getting the animations right took a lot of time. The developers had to find references and videos to understand both the biomechanics and the behaviour of horses to help with the visual storytelling. There will be no dialogue, so each action, moment, and area indirectly tells part of the story. This is a difficult way to tell stories, but the result is often worth it.
Unfortunately, because of the small scope and focused story, you will not be able to create your own foal, nor can you breed horses. It’s a linear adventure from start to finish. Plus, they are keeping the scope small, as their team is made up of only three people.
Some features on the Steam page are listed:
• Day-based survival loop: explore the environment, find food, avoid hazards, and reach a safe location before nightfall.
• Scent-based mechanic used to identify edible objects, detect nearby threats, and navigate in low visibility without direct UI indicators.
• Gradually increasing threats, including predators and more complex survival challenges.
• Later stages introduce mechanics focused on leading other creatures, territory protection, and stronger influence on the game world.
Although small, Hoofprints might just pack a punch!
To learn more about the game, you can watch the full interview with Rattle.
Leave a Reply