Rival Stars Horse Racing: Desktop Edition

I really like the horses in this game. The graphics are great and the genetics system seems really thought out with different breeds, colours, markings, etc. However, playing this game feels like playing a mobile game with constant grinding for seemingly little return, no sense in the cost of things, caps on how much income your homestead can make passively (but a requirement to keep upgrading it anyway). Shockingly, annoying mobile game mechanics are not what I'm looking for when I BUY a DESKTOP game. Just, be prepared to be annoyed by the mechanics if you were hoping to see any real progression in anything except number-go-up-arbitrarily.

After spending over 100 hours playing Rival stars on PC, VR and mobile, I fear in it's current state I cannot recommend it to anyone who was thinking of buying it. Although it was fun at first, it quickly feels simply like a grinding simulator to complete quests. The horses are cute, but there is a really horrible variety of tack, considering the fact this game is no longer racing focused and has XC and show jumping, they really should be adding more tack focused on those disciplines It has basically been abandoned, there is a lack of new content because all efforts are being put into the mobile version --- since the only way to get ANYTHING in the mobile game is through microtransactions. It isn't exactly fair, considering the game costs something like £40, PC players should not be withheld from updates because they chose to buy the full game rather than spend MORE money on microtransactions Considering the amount of money this company is making from all games combined, the only reason we get no updates is purely because they cannot be assed and are money hungry ♥♥♥♥♥♥ company and game dawg

As someone who has been cursed to eternally look for the perfect horse game for me... Rival Stars is not that game. As implied by the "Desktop Edition" in the title, this is the secondary game to their mobile game, and as it's harder to justify all the microtransactions here, this version is largely abandoned. It hasn't had a major update in nearly a year, before I even picked it up. Pros: - Cute animations and coats for the horses, they don't look like slapped together cheap assets like a lot of similar games tend to do. Tack customisation is also a nice touch. - Races can either be player-controlled, or you can hire a jockey to run the race for you. You also have the option to skip viewing the race in the latter case, if you're just getting items/cash, which speeds things up. - The different innate skills of your horses means that some thought is required in entering a horse into a race - some like short distance, some long. Some prefer soft terrain, some hard. So you can't just train up any random horse and have them bruteforce all the missions. Cons: - Despite what I said above, the actual nuance for racing is extremely low, for a game that seemingly boasts the racing aspect heavily. You breed until you get 10 Stars, which is the only option. You train the three stats up to max for the race, which is the only option. Even the skills that you can attach to your horses (which are temporary, and you'll have to re-unlock the skills through daily missions) honestly don't change much. And once again... slap the gold skill on your horse, which is the only option. And inevitably, once you finish the story, you get the strongest horses you can, and then go... what now? Nothing, unfortunately. All that's there to do is grind money for cosmetics, and grind money to breed a horse who looks nice. - Story is... there, but not particularly moving or interesting. Dialogue isn't visually interesting either, just static images of the characters and textboxes. - Somewhat understandable for a VERY slowly updated game that's been out for a while, but multiplayer is pretty much non-existent. Also clearly not a priority, as I don't think I remember seeing a leaderboard or anything to imply multiplayer matters. - And just to say it again, this version is all but abandoned, in favour of the mobile version, where they ask people to shell out approximately £50 for a fresian horse, and most of your actions are gated by either time or more real money. Overall, I sank over 30 hours in, waiting for the game to really "get going," only to realise that's all it was. My search for the perfect horse game continues.

If anyone plans on purchasing the desktop version DONT!!!! Its a scam, at this point! PikPok announced they will no longer be updating the desktop version until further notice meaning if you see Mobile game play that's much more updated the desktop version will most likely NOT have the update. Meaning you will be paying for a NONE UPDATED GAME!! SCAM!!!

newer players i don't recommend buying this game as of Feb.2 they have stated that desktop isn't getting any updates and they have no idea when desktop will get another update. Do not give your money to this money hungry company.

《家族传奇》[h1]★★★★☆[/h1] 作为一名玩过手游版的玩家，桌面版的《家族传奇》，我觉得自己还是有资格聊两句的。PikPok这次把一些氪金设计砍掉、换成一次性买断制，玩起来的心理负担确实很轻。但玩法架构依然是那一套相似的手游框架，这既是它的交互接口，也是它最容易劝退人的地方。 ▷ 精选截图 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3756574935[h2]【第一圈：旧时代的缰绳，新的马厩】[/h2] 马匹分为十个星级，而每个星级内部还有大量等级，需要通过一场又一场比赛慢慢培养，最终才能达到满级。当然，作为马场老板，你甚至可以雇佣骑手进行托管刷级，一次一次让马匹“跳过比赛”。但问题在于，无论是自己操作，还是让AI替你比赛，这个过程依旧漫长。一匹马如此，十匹马如此，几十匹马更是如此。养马的浪漫，可不是为了耗时耗力的重复劳作感。 所以我直接选择了修改器，好在官方对这类行为基本不管。毕竟这点自由如果都不给玩家，那免费手游改成买断制的意义也会大打折扣。单机游戏最大的魅力之一，就是玩家可以按照自己的节奏体验内容，而不是被数值成长绑架。对我来说，用修改器跳过枯燥的等级和攒金阶段，至少是为了腾出时间去体验游戏真正让人沉醉的部分。 [h2]【第二圈：冠军会被遗忘，名驹不会】[/h2] 等级和金币问题解决后，游戏真正让人欲罢不能的地方就显现出来了——马匹培育与外观选美系统。本作的马匹外貌设计极为丰富，我遇到过白屁股的黑马、烫金斑点的白马、渐变浅乌云大块斑的灰马……游戏内部还增加了马匹编辑器，可以让玩家自定义马匹的花色和辫子，并将成果分享到社区供所有人下载，进一步放大了马匹暖暖这条主线的可玩性。 在自由漫游模式里骑着自己精挑细选的马闲逛，从家族牧场到瑞士风情、再到狂野的西部荒郊，不知不觉得就消耗掉半个小时。你也可以打开任何一场比赛雇佣骑手代跑，自己全程当观众，切换不同镜头角度欣赏马匹奔跑的英姿，游戏还配备了专门的拍照模式，方便把这些瞬间截图收藏。说实话，比起累死累活比赛，这种“看着自己养的马匹跑起来”的满足感，才是当马场老板的真正意义。 [h2]【第三圈：刚出名利场，又进赛马场】[/h2] 叙事方面采用碎片化讲述方式，万年不变的打野战背景插画，插入角色立绘和偶尔的表情变化，确实显得有些敷衍。但充实的文本对话、舒缓优美的配乐，属于精心设计的，能感受到开发者的用心。故事讲述你亲戚开的马场濒临倒闭，你作为“牛人+烂好人”接手烂摊子。通过只言片语的碎片信息，你能逐步拼凑出主角父母的背景、配角的家庭关系，以及与同行业骑手的互动。作为一款主打赛马的游戏，这样的叙事水平已经算让人满意，能让你在养马之余多一份情感投入。 比赛模式分为平坦比赛和障碍赛、越野赛。平坦比赛就是和一群AI比赛，比赛当中你要“合群”，在一群骑手聚集那一条蓝色条上充能你的“氮气值”，如果你跑的太快，就算你的马比他们等级高，你仍然会被超车，这一点很有意思，因为有天赋不意味着你就可以不努力。障碍赛就是和一群AI在平坦比赛中跨越障碍物。越野赛是一个人的计时赛，也是加长赛道的障碍赛。另外游戏还提供了多人在线对战和投注这类附加玩法，如果你玩腻了单机剧情，也能找到延长游戏消耗的方式。（为保持公平性，多人对战模式不允许用自己的马） [h2]【白昼尽头：奔跑无需加冕】[/h2] 诚然，它仍然无法完全摆脱手游框架带来的重复感，养成周期和数值成长会成为玩家与游戏之间的一道障碍。如果你对此没什么耐心，我的建议和自己的做法一样：该开修改器就开，把时间省下来用在真正有趣的阶段上。对于喜欢马匹收集、慢节奏和轻叙述的玩家来说，这是一部值得一试的作品。如果你曾幻想过拥有一座属于自己的马场，训练一匹独一无二的赛马，然后在夕阳下看着它奔向终点，那么就选它吧。因为最终冲过终点线的不一定是最快的马，但肯定是那匹你愿意一直陪它跑下去的马。 ▷ 精选截图 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3755397662[b]◇────────────────◇ 〔已归档累计 · No.0741〕独立记录，不代表任何团体。 麒麟问天KylinYu - 身体和心灵，总有一个在路上... 感谢阅读，下一段旅程见。[/b]

Please dont get me wrong i love this game, i really do! But at this point its just unfair how big the gap between the desktop and the mobile version is. I get it that they wanted to take a break from this version, but its still just unfair. I mean the mobile version wich is mostly pay-to-win gets all the new content while i have to wait multible months for the same content? And now they are taking a break from this version, wich means that i will probably never get the friesian horse breed and barrel racing. The game is really amazing and fun, and also has lots of potentail, but i dont want to wait until they decide that they want to start working on this version again, and i also dont want a pay-to-win game wich has all the new content. I would recommend this game, but not in its current situation. Im done with it for now.

TERRIBLE GAME! I had over FIVE YEARS of playing wiped out by a SINGLE UPDATE. THERE IS NO WAY TO BACK UP! UPDATES ARE FORCED BY STEAM AND TIME MACHINE DOES NOT INCLUDE THEM!!!!! 100% DO NOT RECOMMEND DOWNLOADING OR BUYING THIS GAME!!!!!!!!