Petz: Horsez 2

Petz: Horsez 2 is a game in Ubisoft's Petz series based around riding, training and caring for horses. It does not tie in with any of the previous games in the series, but incorporates some mechanics previously explored in the Pippa Funnell titles by the same developer. It is entirely different from the DS game Petz: Horsez 2 also by Lexis Numérique. There is no relationship with the 2007 Windows game Petz: Horsez 2 either, also published by Ubisoft, but developed by Phoenix Interactive.

The game is divided into twenty chapters and it starts in August 2007. The protagonist, Emma, left California to get an internship in France and complete her education as a veterinarian. Along the way the taxi breaks down and she looks for a place to spend the night. A local boy called Oliver tricks her into thinking there will not be a bus and takes her to his family's stud farm where they need help. Emma spends the night there and wants to repay the family's hospitality, but eventually stays there to help them out for a longer time. The game offers a 3D environment where Emma can move around freely, talking to the family members like Oliver, Carol, Flora and Michael, and visiting locations to start horse-related activities. There is a linear series of quests, stored in a notebook.

Eventually many horses can be managed. They have a name, age, sex and a certain breed and coat. The main statistics are based on cleanliness (coat, hoof, stall), physique, morale, appetite, trust and training. By participating in various activities these statistics can be improved. Horses can get diseases and infections that need to be treated. Cleanliness is improved through using brushes, hoof-picking, cleaning the stall, and taking out the horses, each with their own mini-game. Horses need to be fed, they can be taken to a meadow to improve their morale, and they can also be washed. There is an abstract type of conversation system with the horses to bond. After watching their behaviour an appropriate action needs to be chosen, offering education, play, care or affection. Emma has access to a map, she can take and store photos, use an inventory and use her notebook. The game takes into account the different times of day as well as the cycle of the seasons. Using an alarm clock it is possible to wake up at a specific moment.

The main activities are cross-country riding, jumping and dressage. Each activity has different controls for jumping and timing correctly, with scores based on the performance. Personal activities include using a library to read and learn about new dressage moves, accessing a bedroom to sleep, to change clothes in a wardrobe or to browse collected items, and shops where new items can be bought using tokens earned by winning competitions. There is a breeding centre where horses can be bought or sold. Next to breeding foals horses can also be uploaded to the game's official website. Next to the main game there is a separate training mode where up to four players, taking turns, can practise the three main activities: dressage, cross-country and jumping, with the option to alter the parameters for each session.