Hoofprints

A lone foal wanders deep into a forest after being separated from its herd. By day the woods feel quiet and inviting, but as night falls the environment swells with danger. Hoofprints is a side-view survival adventure built around exploration and environmental interaction.

Core gameplay

Experience a day-based survival loop: explore the surroundings, locate nourishing food, dodge hazards, and reach a safe location before night arrives. Night dramatically increases threats, making shelter essential to endure until dawn.

Key mechanics

• Food system with multiple plant types offering varying nutrition; some sources are discovered through gameplay and exploration.
• Scent-based mechanic to identify edible objects, detect nearby threats, and navigate in low visibility without direct UI indicators.
• No dialogue system—narrative unfolds through animation, sound design, visuals, and the changes etched by the hoofprints on the ground.

Life stages and progression

The journey unfolds across three life stages, each introducing new mechanics, tougher challenges, and shifts in how the world behaves. The foal grows with each cycle, and the forest responds to those changes, altering paths and opportunities.

World, threats, and relationships

Threats slowly escalate—from predators to more intricate survival obstacles—while the foal learns to interact with forest inhabitants who can influence outcomes and available routes. Encounters with a mocking crow, a pushy raccoon, and a silent deer enrich the world and can reshape the journey.

Growth through discovery

In Hoofprints, not all scary things are truly dangerous: some must be sniffed, observed, and understood to progress. The story is told without words, through movement, light, ambience, and the lasting hoofprints that linger after a path has been walked. Later stages empower the foal to lead other creatures, protect territories, and exert greater influence on the world. The objective remains consistent: find food, explore wisely, and return to safe places before night closes in.