One thing that’s probably got a bit lost in all the controversy preceding Horses’ release is the fact it’s surprisingly funny. Its humour is pitch black, yes, and its comedic moments often dance on a knife’s edge between laughter and revulsion, but writer and director Andrea Lucco Borlera’s first-person narrative horror – his debut game, created in close collaboration with Saturnalia developer Santa Ragione – is a fascinatingly singular vision. It’s singular enough, in fact, that it’s not an easy thing to effectively describe, but if you can imagine a sort of thematic reinterpretation of Animal Farm by way of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salo on one side, and a meme-able Garry’s Mod video on the other, then Horses gleefully oscillates between them, landing somewhere in the middle.
It’s great to see a discussion around the new Horses release. The controversy definitely adds an interesting layer to the conversation. Looking forward to hearing more thoughts on it!
Absolutely, the controversy does spark more conversations! It’s interesting to think about how the themes in Horses reflect the current cultural landscape, making the album even more relevant today.