Overview
Windstorm: Start of a Great Friendship - Remastered is an adventure and horse simulation developed by Aesir Interactive and published by Mindscape. Drawing on the Windstorm films and books, the story follows Mika, a young horse whisperer, as she builds a friendship with the black stallion Windstorm.
The Kaltenbach estate anchors the adventure, with surrounding Alpine hills open to horseback exploration. Riding activities share space with the practical responsibilities of looking after a horse. The game is available on Windows PC through Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox.
What does the horse-riding gameplay involve?
The core gameplay combines free horseback exploration, riding tasks, races, and hands-on horse care. Players can ride alongside other horses or enter competitions, while unrestricted exploration provides an alternative to pursuing a specific riding objective.
- Free horseback exploration
- Riding tasks and races
- Grooming and hoof care
- Stable cleaning and play
Care takes place away from the racing activities. Mika grooms Windstorm, cleans his hooves, and maintains his stable. Playing with him in the paddock adds another way to interact without heading out for a ride.
Windstorm's health, training, and happiness all need attention. The simulation therefore involves more than controlling a horse across the countryside: it also asks players to manage his condition through everyday upkeep. Racing and stable work occupy different parts of the same routine, with one focused on competition and the other on the animal himself.
Visual updates across Kaltenbach
The remaster increases character detail and replaces animations for every animal, including Windstorm. Its visual changes extend to the surroundings, with new trees and plants alongside updated lighting and weather effects.
These updates cover both the horse seen throughout the adventure and the countryside explored from the saddle. The emphasis stays on a rural estate and its Alpine surroundings, matching the story's focus on riding and animal care.
Technical features include 30 FPS support, 4K upsampling, and full controller support. Upsampling is part of the presentation feature set, separate from the changes to models, vegetation, and animation.
Collectibles and photo mode
Hidden locations and objects give exploration goals beyond the riding tasks. The remaster adds new collectibles, placing more items around the world for players to seek out during their outings. Searching Kaltenbach becomes a distinct activity alongside racing and maintaining Windstorm's daily care routine.
New achievements add completion targets to the remastered edition. Collectible hunting supplies another reason to investigate the estate's surroundings instead of moving directly between assigned activities.
Photo mode introduces a creative toolset to the horse-riding adventure. Players can capture pictures, edit them, and apply filters, making photography another activity within Kaltenbach's countryside.
