Canines have to take the back seat when it comes to mans best friend in video games. All dogs can do is look cute and bark you cant even use them as a means of transportation. This is where the domesticated horse comes in. With an average top speed of 30mph, horses can outrun hoverboards, sloths and provisional license holders. This makes them the perfect companions to go on adventures with, and is essential for the pre-industrial open-world settings commonly used in games. So, lets not foal around and take a look at the best of the best.
Roach (The Witcher):
GeraltÔÇÖs horse gets the sympathy vote due to the sheer amount of shit she puts up with. Being the ride of a monster hunter means that Roach will encounter terrifying beasties on a daily basis; including but not limited to: trolls, griffins, werewolves and giant frogs. Naturally all she can do is run around and try not to get eaten or stabbed (horses canÔÇÖt hold swords, making them fairly useless in a fight). Yet still she sticks around by GeraltÔÇÖs side even when he constantly uses magic to brainwash her into being calm! If that wasnÔÇÖt enough, Geralt likes to take trophies from the bounties he accomplishes to pretentiously show off how talented he is. Unfortunately another downside to being a horse is that you are unable speak English, so Roach can’t object to having severed heads displayed on her saddle. ItÔÇÖs clear that she has unwavering loyalty, otherwise she wouldÔÇÖve cantered sassily away many moons ago.
Agro (Shadow of the Colossus):
Another example of extreme loyalty and affection can be found in the PlayStation 2 classic Shadow of the Colossus. Agro is the sole companion of Wander on his quest to resurrect a cursed girl named Mono. Wander must perform a controversial ritual that demands the death of 16 Colossi ÔÇô huge, beautiful creatures that peacefully inhabit The Forbidden Lands. Without Agro, this task would be near impossible. AgroÔÇÖs speed in particular is what make her so useful, helping in the battles against the faster moving colossi allowing Wander to dodge attacks and fire his bow whilst on horseback. Albeit, the stead’s most notable act <spoiler alert> comes later in the game in a scene that really stirrups your emotions. The pair must cross a suspiciously ancient stone bridge in order to reach the final Colossus. You can probably guess what happens. The bridge starts to collapse whilst Agro swiftly gallops and bucks Wander to the other side. Agro falls as Wander helplessly looks in despair.
Diamond Horse (Metal Gear Solid V):
As one would expect, Big BossÔÇÖs horse is the most tactical on this list. If James Bond didnÔÇÖt drive luxurious Aston Martins then he would most definitely opt for D-Horse. Perhaps the most eminent of D-HorseÔÇÖs abilities is the skill to defecate on command. A well placed poo can make light vehicles swerve out of control and incapacitate any driver with the misfortune to stumble upon this brown trap. A truly impressive trait for any horse to have and an absolute mare for provisional drivers everywhere.
The Four Horses of the Apocalypse (Red Dead Redemption):
Now for more magical horses, in the Undead Nightmare add-on to everyoneÔÇÖs favourite cowboy simulator, zombies have taken over the American-Mexican border. With the undead comes an assortment of mythical creatures and amongst the sasquatches, chupacabras and jackalopes come Famine, Pestilence, War and Death. Each have their own unique superpowers that are very loosely based on their biblical interpretations; they are like the Avengers but wear saddles instead of tights. War is engulfed in flames and sets enemies on fire, Pestilence is covered in wounds and is surrounded by a sickly green mist that stuns the undead, Famine is accompanied by a swarm of locusts and is the fastest of all the horses and finally, the most powerful, Death who can elegantly make zombiesÔÇÖ heads explode on contact. Chasing these majestic beasts on your ordinary stead whilst trying to lasso and subsequently tame them is probably the most fun you can have whilst on a virtual horse.
Shadowmere (The Elder Scrolls):
And finally we have the cool one. The horse that would most likely be wearing sunglasses, regardless of the weather. Admittedly one needs to be a pretty cool horse in order to be the prized possession of the Dark Brotherhood assassins. Shadowmere fits the criteria perfectly: he is immortal, he has glowing red eyes and he is an avid mountain climber. Unlike the other horses that cowardly run away from danger, Shadowmere stays and fights no matter who the foe is. An ancient dragon, a lowly peasant, a provisional licence holder. Shadowmere doesnÔÇÖt care. He will crush them with his mighty hooves and he will have neigh regrets. When you earn him in The Elder Scrolls V:┬áSkyrim┬áhe emerges out of a black pool of water and is surrounded by smoke for crying out loud. So cool.
– SAMAN IZADYAR