This open-world game where you're a 13th-century Mongolian horse courier immediately proved more hardcore than anything Death Stranding 2 could offer

There are plenty of horse games, and there are plenty of courier games, but there are relatively few dedicated horse-riding courier games, and I'm almost certain none of them are as hardcore as Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori.

Inside a 45-minute demo, this open-world game had killed even my hardiest mountain-faring horse, leaving my protagonist stranded in the mountains of 13th century Mongolia in an experience I'm now convinced is harsher than anything Death Stranding 2 could throw at me.

Saddle up

The Legend of Khiimori starts off innocent enough. As a courier, you're tasked with taking a package across the steppes.

It's not long before I'm cantering over open countryside, navigating along the route I've drawn out for myself. Your waypoints are your own, and while there are paths and tracks that are easy to follow, pathfinding is a massively customizable process. That said, it's unlikely you'll want to go too far off the beaten track – even this condensed version of Mongolia seems huge – but proper navigation is key to making your deliveries on time.

I arrive at my first location in plenty of time, but as soon as I arrive I'm given another task. This time, I'm heading up into the mountains. But before I can set off, I'm told that the horse I've brought with me is far too flimsy to contend with the alpine temperatures, and I'll need a hardier ride.

Speaking to the local stablemaster, I'm given a horse that should be better equipped to deal with the cold – a result of the training and breeding mechanics that are key to appealing to Windstorm's core horsegirl audience, but which I sadly get almost no time to explore.

Now riding atop my new horse, I chart a course into the mountains, and am quickly met by the first flurries of snow. While it'll only fall in those biomes where it's meteorologically correct, you're not guaranteed to find snow just because of an increase in altitude; Windstorm offers up an attempt at accurate weather that means chance can play a part in a successful delivery.

As it turns out, luck is not on my side, and my horse is soon knee-deep in snow, its neck bent against the elements and its stamina dropping rapidly.

Harsh climbs and harsher climes

I'm able to grant my steed a brief reprieve thanks to a hearty cold-resistant broth, temporarily seeing off the worst of the storm.

But it doesn't last too long, and a wrong turn means I'm having to reassess my route on the fly – a task easier said than done when the entire mountainside is a blanket of white.

Very soon, my horse's stamina drops to zero, and it's not long before they simply can't go any further. They collapse, leaving me stranded on the side of a mountain in the middle of a snowstorm, miles from anything resembling a human settlement. A nearby camp might have offered some reprieve, but we fell agonizingly short of making it.

Despite my failure, I'm even more intrigued by Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori than I was before playing it. I'm no horse aficionado, but where the elevator pitch had my curiosity, the demo has my attention.

This isn't the most detailed or lively world, but it's a strong effort to appeal to a passionate (if niche) audience while doing nothing to dissuade a wider audience from jumping in. A recent kickstarter campaign smashed targets, suggesting that there's a broader interest in this game than you might imagine.

I've barely scratched the surface of some of its more immersive mechanics, and I've come away impressed – even if my horse is a little worse for wear.

Gamesradar is on the ground in Cologne at Gamescom 2025. Check out our Hollow Knight: Silksong preview for more!