Horsez

Infobox VG
title = Horsez


caption =
developer = MTO
publisher = Ubisoft
distributor =
designer =
license =
series = "Petz"
engine =
version =
released = Nintendo DS
vgrelease|PAL=October 26, 2006vgrelease|NA=November 28, 2006

PlayStation 2
vgrelease|PAL=November 2, 2006vgrelease|NA=November 14, 2006

Windows
vgrelease|PAL=November 2, 2006vgrelease|NA=November 16, 2006

Game Boy Advance
vgrelease|NA=July 2, 2007
genre = Strategy
modes =
ratings = vgratings|ESRB=Everyone|OFLCA=General
platforms = Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Windows
media =
requirements =
input =

"Horsez" is a videogame released by Ubisoft on October 26, 2006 for the Nintendo DS, Playstation 2, PC and Game Boy Advance. This PC game is the sequel to "" and is also part of the second series of Petz. In "Horsez", you play as Flora (this is the default name), a new member of the Sycamore Academy. Players can select a horse from one of 5 breeds and a range of colours. The player trains their horse in different disciplines, enters shows, cares for their horse, and after a few weeks gains a foal to raise.

"Horsez" is also known as "Pippa Funnell 3: The Golden Stirrups Challenge."

Gameplay

The player has to arrange their timetable so that they pass each week. To pass, they must obtain a certain score out of 10 for each of the disciplines, and must train in that discipline at least twice a week. The disciplines are Horse Care, Cross Country, Dressage, Showjumping, and later Foal Care and Learning. They must also have a high social rating, which is obtained by spending time in the Student Centre talking to other academy riders, performing well in disciplines, taking and displaying photographs in the Student Centre and purchasing items from the shops. Between training and caring for their horse, foal, and talking to the other riders, the player can go shopping, change their attire in their bedroom, study in the library and go for a walk with their horse. In each country, there are a number of secrets to find. These are small figurines, and there are 10 in total.

Throughout the game, the player is sometimes given control of the protagonist or the horse, and can move around freely. There are numerous cutscenes, events where your character has to find something (some of these can be very difficult) and riddles. Preceding many events is a journal entry with a voiceover. Thuise events, combined with the contrasting disciplines, ensure the gameplay is variable.

tarting

First, the player must choose a name for the female character they will be playing and a mount. The player can choose from 5 breeds: Arabian Thoroughbred, English Thoroughbred, Connemara, Appaloosa and Saddlebred. Each breed has a range of colours including a number of shades of brown, bay and grey. After the horse is selected and named (the horse's name is ignored for the rest of the game), play begins with a journal entry and a cutscene. The player is then given control of the horse.

Characters

The main character is Flora and her horse, which you get to name. Other characters include the staff at the riding academy (Jade and Patrick are the managers), your fellow riders (Miguel, Samuel, Caroll and Aurelie), and later your rival, Daniela. Daniela's director is Esteban, who had a previous relationship with Jade.

Friends:
Miguel: Male, short brown hair, glasses. Shy, loves poetry. Has a crush on the protagonist.
Samuel: Male, dark skin, black hair. Loves loud rock music.
Caroll: Female, red hair. Fairly quiet, can be a bit slow.
Aurelie: Female, brown hair. Plays the violin. Likes fashion.

In the Student Centre, you can talk to your friends and learn their stories.

Disciplines

Horse Care: You need to take care of your horse. Horse Care includes hosing, grooming, picking his hooves and mucking his stall. It is best to do this at least 3 times a week.

Cross Country: You canter your horse around the course, pressing the spacebar key to jump when you are in the right spot (there is a green circle that you must be in when you jump, otherwise your horse will baulk or throw you). After successful jumps, you are allowed to move your horse up into a slow gallop, but it is recommended you slow them down before a jump as it is difficult to jump when moving that fast.

Dressage: You press the left and right arrow keys in time to make your horse perform the correct gait. Other keys are also used to control your horse and halt and salute. It's fairly easy to keep in time. You need to go to the library and read the books on all the gaits each week to ensure you know them all, otherwise your horse won't do them.

Showjumping: A fairly difficult discipline to master. You canter inside the ring following the arrows and jumping at the jumps. There are 3 stripes on the ground in front of each jump, the middle usually being the largest. The middle stripe is green, and hitting the spacebar key here almost always results in an excellent jump. The stripes on either side are red, and these usually result in your horse knocking a bar off the jump. If you try to jump too early or late, your horse will baulk or throw you.

Foal Care: Once you have your foal, you have to take care of it. During Foal Care, your foal will perform 3 actions. You need to guess what the foal wants based on what it does. Each week, you should go to the library and read up on foal care, and take notes so you can look at them and decide which action you think your foal is doing, and act accordingly.

Learning: Once you have your foal, you need to raise it. Learning involves you teach your foal different gaits. As your foal walks (this and trot are the most common gaits) around you, you need to press the left and right arrow keys to make it walk closer or further away, based on what you are instructed to do. You must also use the up and down arrow keys to increase or decrease its speed (gait) and turn it around to go the other way if you are instructed to do so. While your foal is moving, you have to keep your mouse in the green area between it and your character.

Narrative

The game has a narrative that extends through 6 weeks. For weeks 1 and 2, the player is in Italy. For weeks 3 and 4, the player is in France, and for weeks 5 and 6, the player trains in China. During the course of the game, the player's timetable is interrupted for an event, and the player is shown a cutscene and often sent out alone or with their horse to complete a set task or tasks.

At the end of each week, you compete in a show where you must compete in cross country, dressage and showjumping. You need to win in all weeks except one in which you are blackmailed. If you win/lose when you aren't supposed to, the game resets and you try again.

External links

* [http://petz.uk.ubi.com Ubisoft's Official Petz Website]
* [http://petz.us.ubi.com/horsez Ubisoft's US Horsez Website]
* [http://www.pippafunnellgame.com Official Pippa Funnell games Website]