Pippa Funnell: Take the Reins
 |
 | This article uses second-person (you) inappropriately. (February 2011) |
| Pippa Funnell: Take The Reins | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | MTO |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Series | Petz |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, Windows |
| Genre(s) | Strategy |
Pippa Funnell: Take The Reins is a videogame released by Ubisoft for the PlayStation 2 and PC. In Pippa Funnell: Take The Reins, the user plays as Jade, the newest member of the Sycamores Riding School in Scotland. Players can select a horse from a variety of breeds and colours. The player trains their horse in different disciplines, enters shows, and cares for their horse.
Pippa Funnell: Take The Reins is also known as Alexandra Ledermann 6: L'Ecole des Champions in France.
Gameplay
As the player, you have to arrange your timetable so that you can pass each week. To pass, you must obtain a certain score 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. You must also have a high social rating, which is obtained by spending time in the lounge talking to other academy riders, performing well in disciplines and purchasing items from the shops. Between training and caring for your horse, foal, and talking to the other riders, you may go shopping, change your attire in your bedroom and study in the library.
Throughout the game, there are numerous cutscenes, events where your character has to find something (some of these can be very difficult) and riddles. The player is sometimes helped by a "voice" called Elsys. These events, combined with the contrasting disciplines, ensure the gameplay is variable.
Starting
First, the player must choose a name for the character they will be playing and a mount. (Choosing the name of your horse is only available on the PC version) The player can choose from many breeds. Each breed has a range of colours including a number of shades of brown, bay and grey. After the horse is selected and named, play begins with Jade in a train, sending an e-mail to her brother Lucas and a cutscene. The player then arrives at the Academy.
Characters
The main character is Jade and her horse. Other characters include the staff at the riding academy and fellow riders.
Friends:
Spike: Male, spiky blonde hair. He can sometimes be quite impolite to fellow pupils. A rebel, nothing seems to faze him. He is only at the academy by his parent's request. We later learn that he is from a dangerous background.
Ginger: Female, fair skin, long blonde hair. From a good family. Knows how to treat the boys.
Jade: Main character, female, short red hair with clear grey eyes and freckles. Friendly and kind. Average size, sporty appearance. Pleasant personality but with a strong character. She has what it takes to outwit authority, if the cause is right.
Esteban: Male, Spanish, short black hair. Tanned skin and clear blue eyes. Classic European dress sense. Not too eccentric, shows his gentle personality to everyone.
Kiew: Female, Asian, long black hair. Simple clothing, mostly black, white, or blue. She has a very competitive spirit and does not like defeat.
Whilst in Morocco, Jade suspects Kiew of tampering with her horse box, so she breaks in to Kiew's room while she is having a swimming competition with Spike. Kiew, however, comes back and catches Jade red-handed, and the director takes all the player's money away.
In the lounge, the player can talk to these friends and learn their stories.
Disciplines
Horse Care: Taking care of a 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 (PC) or X button (Playstation 2) 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).
Dressage: You press the left and right arrow keys/buttons in time to make your horse perform the correct gait. Other keys/buttons are also used to control your horse and halt and salute.
Showjumping: A fairly difficult discipline to master. You canter inside the ring following the arrows and jumping at the jumps.
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.