But it's so interesting I couldn't give up without a gallant try. I was unfamilar with Sparkle so I looked it up, finding it to be a Marble Popper series that originated in 2011. The ratings were high, featuring beautiful graphics and good challenge. Marble popping games were so popular back then and I own plenty.
Well, Sparkle 3 isn't at all what I expected but I was happy to see something out of the ordinary. It reminds me of "Leaves" with a quiet, surreal feeling and beautiful ''landscape''. The music was so soothing and I loved swimming around as a little Sparkle, navigating through the watery environment.
After breaking out of the glowing circle I collected the 5 colored Elements which you locate via the radar feature but then I hit a "brick wall" and got nowhere fast. You really have to take your time with the instructions, figure out all the mechanics and swallow the frustration. I ended up swimming around endlessly in the new task of finding the Elements which I never did accomplish. I wasn't even sure what they would look like so I was off to a bad start. I know I'm not stupid so I must have missed a vital clue or instruction.
It's an everchanging environment packed with challenge and requires good strategy skills. Definitely a thinking person's game! I loved the challenge in the demo, but I failed miserably at it. All the more reason to dive back in and figure it out. I've no clue what's ahead but I'm ready to tackle it, with a coupon, because I think a great game awaits!
I see no reason to rate this game unfavorably just because I didn't succeed. I believe many great games are overlooked too hastily by not giving them a fair chance to prove themselves. It may not be as complicated as it seems in the beginning. It looks like the dev's put a lot of work into it and I'm coming back to see what I'm missing and expect not to be disappointed.
I wish I could submit a more informative review but hopefully this will inspire you to give it a go. The in-depth reviews for Sparkle 3 are best left to the gamers who know what the heck their doing, unlike myself, with this unique game. Demos and reviews, I can't shop without them!
and gave it an extra star because it is a popular mystery wherein Bloody Mary lives up to her name. Although Domini turned it into one guaranteed not to provide the goosebumps, it's still a chilling story and this time I enjoyed it a little more. Being trapped in another realm is the premise for lots of games I've enjoyed playing.
The graphics were dark and drenched in too much green and blue but the colors seemed to fit this game pretty well. I tried a new approach, hinting my way through much of the demo and skipped puzzles in order to speed my progress, It enabled me to go beyond the point I reached in the CE demo so I did enjoy a little more of the story. I didn't reach the ritual that other reviewers mentioned, but they warn to finish the ritual before leaving the Mirror World or you will have to restart the game.
There wasn't much dialogue but the lip sync was near perfect and the voices were well matched to the characters. There was no fluidity to their movements but their facial features and costumes were very good. I paid more attention to the scenery this time and it was busy and interesting. I'm not keen on travelling back and forth between worlds so that was a little boring for me. The circumstances surrounding Mary's demise don't make much sense. I think she must have been confused but then again it's only a game, where we all know logic doesn't exist.
The HOPs and puzzles were a decent variety. Some quite familiar. This time I still felt the HO scenes were hazy and too dark, making it hard to distinguish the items and again switched to the M3 so I could move on. The CE collectibles are the same as always being the same number of each and nearly zero challenge. So the SE version will still give you the entertainment without missing anything important. I've no clue how long the game might be. For the CE one reviewer claimed 9 hrs, another said 5 hrs. I guess it really doesn't matter as long as you're having fun and, for me, SEs are always just the right length anyway.
If you like messing with the tasks, there's an over abundance of them, which is the norm in Domini games. And they are just the same as always, they never change, probably never will. It just is such a waste of time and becomes a big deterrent to purchasing. I think, after today's demo, I may pick up the game in a BOGO SE sale. I'm curious to see what havoc Mary and other mirror dwellers may be about to unleash.
I love vampire tales and this modern-day story seems to have an interesting plot. Just hoping it doesn't turn into a boring go nowhere game laden with tasks and little else. Vampires usually never fail to pull me into the story with their sinister deeds and fragile immortality.
After playing the demo, I can't honestly decide if this game will deliver the entertainment it claims to contain. Too many disappointments from Domini have made me leary. Domini does not always add new elements to their games nor do they provide many extras that other devs do not. Simply not true! So let's just check it out and try to have some fun!
A couple of improvements were evident right away. The game got into the story much quicker this time and the movements of the characters are more fluid. The graphics are again excellent, color's good but a little on the dark side. I really liked the music, very fitting for a vampire story, but it overpowered the voices at times. Adjusting the volume was a necessity. Speaking of voices...the voice acting with the accents was horrid, actually laughable. Flat out mismatched to the characters. It amazes me that someone actually approved it even for a game. Occasionally talking would stop long before the lips stopped moving but we've seen that in other games many times. I thought the characters looked great for the most part, but the expressions were stiffer on some than on others, the fashion was nicely done. I do think that the vampires needed more expressive features though, as they are usually angry or emotional beings that don't just look stone-faced all the time. All this stuff is more important to a game than you may think.
Although, this game got into the story pretty quick it was still full of locks, broken and lost items, digging, an animal to feed, using ridiculous items for tools, finding what I need in the stupidest places. I could see the tasks coming before they even reached my screen, they were so obvious. I noticed very few animated objects in this game. Some players really enjoy them, I think some of them are clever. I really didn't enjoy dialing the phone in an early scene, just an unnecessary time waster and slow at that.
I loved the few HOPs in the demo, creative and interactive, and some containing games. They were much more fun than in recent games. The Match 3 was the same old boring clunker with huge board and tiles, loud sound f/x. The games were lots of fun, too. I always appreciate Easy and Hard Modes, it allows me to do less skipping. Not being a wiz at puzzles, some require a helping hand so I am less apt to give up. My patience wears thin and the options are appreciated. I do wish there weren't so many and give us some more HOPs. Puzzle lovers are favored too often, leaving HO lovers always "out in the cold". The scenes and locations were full of interesting visuals, I enjoy taking my time to check everything out, especially in games with the atypical characters. I am always hopeful, in any game that includes ME, that I will actually take form. Please let us see what we look like, I don't like always being just a hand, not even a voice!
So it's another CE with the same Domini game format as all their others. But, hooray, I didn't find the plethora of notes this time!! Love that! However, still the same number of easy to find collectibles, another room to decorate, same amount of achievements, etc. As usual, way too many mundane tasks that take away from the gameplay. It would be nice to at least have some new, more creative tasks to waste our time. There is never enough time allotted to the story and IMO it effects the ending with a disappointing abruptness. A good story always needs good closure.
The story was interesting, I liked the cast of characters, the demo wasn't so bad because it wasn't entirely tasks and puzzles this time. Haven't bought a Domini game in ages but since this one involves vampires and elves, I may consider the SE. I want to see what others have to say, also, who have played the entire game, so I'll be on the fence for quite awhile.
She's not the same Mia and the noticeable difference makes her more insignificant than before. She's caught up with an odd assortment of people and has lost her touch for great antique finds. The story now contributes even less than in the previous Faircroft games. But the game itself was ok for the most part.
I like Boom Zap but this series just doesn't have that fun element that keeps the interest up and the boredom down. For one thing, the excessive dialogue, so unimportant to the story, is really annoying. Way too much useless babble constantly interrupting the game. Thank goodness it can be skipped. Mia may have many fans, but if she came to my house I'd lock her in the closet. lol
The graphics are very nice, bright colors, busy scenes, well hidden items, a fun variety of HO styles and mini-games. I think they provided a good mix. I especially liked Spot the Difference, with so many things to find and the Memory Match is always a fave. The Easy, Medium and Hard Modes are fun to experiment with and test your skills. I was impatient with the recharge times of 15-45 seconds. Waiting 15 seconds in Easy Mode is too long. Most objects were of average challenge but there was a fair share of really tough ones. I love the difficulty and hate using hints, sometimes I just have to give in.
The CE demo went well but decided to wait for the SE to arrive. Now that it's here I think it will be another pass for me. To be frank I'm too chicken to go for it. I'm not confident enough in this series to purchase, based on a couple of early games I took a chance on. There's no extra anything, no fun projects or collections to jazz up the entertainment value. Those things are not a solid must-have to make every game fun but I think they would be a great asset in Faircroft Antiques, as we all enjoy the extra goodies. It makes pushing the Buy Button easier, at least for me.
Luckily for us Point 8 Games is back with another gorgeous game. They're up to their beautiful tricks again, making this a great hidden object CE package. I didn't have to think twice about purchasing. There's so much entertainment here! It delivers top quality all the way through.
With 20+ worlds to get lost in and all the extras, the chances of becoming bored are very slim. Each location has multiple modes and each has 3 Facts, 3 Peace Signs, 3 to 8 Balls to collect in addition to the regular items. After all the "extras" are found, the scene is finished. To unlock Unlimited and Finale Puzzles all scenes must be completed. The variety of HO styles keep your search interesting, I enjoy them all, especially the Scrambled Mode. I also like the item on a list that requires you to bring another item to it.
Clicking the Hint encircles the area but doesn't pinpoint the item you're seeking and I like that it's still a little tricky. The Zoom areas are designated with the usual sparkles and the HOs are not so easy to spot as you would think even in the small settings. That's one of the many reasons I love this dev's games. They are always fun but none of the challenge is sacrificed. The extra help is always there to get you out of a pinch.
There is a generous number of mini-games included that will please most everyone. My least favorite is always Mahjong no matter how it's "dressed up" but there's so many, it would be petty to complain. With Match 3, Tile Swap, Spot the Difference, Word Search, Jigsaw, Memory and Sudoku I am very pleased. Easy, Medium and Hard play modes are available. I tried each one and can honestly say that Easy is the best choice for me. I can't stand waiting for the Hint to recharge. I can see misclick penalities arising too often because everything is so "not in your face". And just forget about the Timer, I would be a nervous wreck with that to contend with! (LOL) It would be so frustrating since the HOs are very well blended into the scenes. The devs did a great job of making this a challenging, fun HO game.
The locations are all over the world. Not being just in one country adds much more interest to the game. I love the trivia that comes with each one and learning anything new about places that I'll never get to visit. A delightful extra for me. The game is gorgeous, lots of color, beautiful clear graphics. Every Adventure Trip has been a beauty! The games are very lengthy, full of features and extras including a bunch of mini-games. The quality never falters and the CE is the way to go if you can swing it. A really fine value especially when the replay value is considered. But if you wait for the SE you will definitely not regret it, I own a couple of those too and they are packed with fun as well.
My ONLY niggle is, I don't like how the magnifier works. It can be used for only one item at a time and then falls back to it's position. Sometimes I spot 2 or 3 items I want to pick up but have to return for each one, also it has to refill. It is a quick recharge but I find it unneccessary.
Thank you, Point 8 Games. It's always a happy day when I find you waiting with a new Adventure Trip!
If you love logic games this is a dream come true. They are extremely rare at BFG. Numbers have never been my forte, they bore me to the max yet I find them fascinating because they are so essential to life. I need more stimulation than numbers can provide, to keep me interested in a game.
I'm wondering how many folks this game will appeal to. Most play games as an escape or relaxation and don't want to overtax their minds. The 4 variants didn't seem very hard to grasp, the instructions were easy to understand, basically the same for all, slightly different visuals. I played the Anti Diagonal and struggled less than anticipated , but definitely had me flustered. I wanted to check out the others but was only able to find Bricks when I went to the Main Menu. Couldn't figure out how to access them. Obviously, I majorly missed something or maybe just a couple are available in the demo.
The game's format, mechanics are simple. The Hint and Error Check are absolutely necessary features and quickly provide assistance, with no wait time. Game rules are always at your fingertips. The boards are big, 2 font styles for the large easy-to-read numbers, no fancy graphics. I don't think Sudoku really needs a lot of frills to make it more appealing to its fans.
600 levels guarantees getting your money's worth, this will likely be the only one you'll ever need. I sure wish our Match 3 and Solitaire games had 600 levels! I can only dream of that happening with Art By Numbers. What a glorious day that would be! LOL
Great game, surely intimidating, if like me you aren't crazy about numbers. If you love logic based games Sudoku will fix you right up. I enjoy Sudoku in very small doses. Give me words and symbols and I'm Brainiac. Give me numbers and my brain just fizzles out! However, I did like the demo. I rate 3 stars only because numbers and me are not a good team.
The game starts out with a very lengthy dialogue but it sets up the story so I didn't mind. The story is about a boy that uses his magic in public which was unheard of, to save a villager, and for his efforts gets hauled off to jail. I imagine he'll be up against the evil wizard in the game. His bravery earned him 2 friends and so the game begins.
There are minimum options other than Relaxed and Timed Modes. Having Timed now will make a lot of players very happy. Score board shows level score and stars earned, and your time even when playing in Relaxed Mode. This game plays like the others of this type. Purchase upgrades with your stars. After all 4 upgrades are unlocked in a chapter, you can advance to the next one. They weren't very pricey but I thought earning the stars was a slow process, as usual.
There were several power-ups in the demo that worked well to remedy a couple of "road blocks". I earned the bomb by matching 5 tiles but I don't like that it explodes the instant it's touched. I prefer moving it up, down or to the side before I detonate it. The spider webs, chains, morphing tiles, artifacts were back, not especially challenging as they got in the way. The demo provided me with only 5 levels so hopefully the game becomes more difficult, otherwise I doubt it will be a purchase for me.
The boards were a good size and bright, the tiles were easy to differentiate. Game mechanics were pretty much the same as in the previous games. I don't know how many levels there are. I do know I hate that it takes so many clicks to exit the game. Other games have this annoying feature, too. Just let me out when I'm ready to leave!
I didn't care for the upgrades. They were colorful but not interesting. I usually enjoy this feature but these didn't make me want to hurry up and earn a new one. The graphics were nice and sharp, I liked the colorful hand drawn artwork. I don't like having to read all the dialogue of the characters, it would be more interesting to hear it. We seem to get so many of this style of M3 games. Surely there's a creative, enthusiastic dev out there with some bright, new ideas up their sleeve. Things are pretty boring around here, we could sure use some help!
The demo was easy, not loads of fun but if you like this series it will please you. If you want something more stimulating, this game won't deliver. It has its good and bad points so give it a try. You might love everything that I don't.
Still no changes, still no purchase from me. I quit at number 10 and there has been plenty of time for the dev to read the reviews for each game and realize that something is wrong. It's amazing that not one of the very good suggestions would be considered. We love paint by number games but when there's no fun or beauty involved it, why bother?
The synopsis pics hint at some that interest me, I love animals. But upon seeing the first level I immediately felt that old deja vu. The same issue of having to complete the level before moving on still exists. That is so ridiculous and annoying! For me it is an instant deal breaker! There is no way to finish the demo to see the other images. It is impossible! So why do I want to buy something I don't even have the privilege of seeing beforehand? It's too risky to buy anything sight-unseen. Judging from my past purchase boo-boos, it was a lesson well learned from Pixel Art.
I wasn't surprised to find the fruit, was surprised to find the cute animals. I'm curious if the subject matter has improved at all but I'll never know because the first level prevents me from finding out. I hope the Pixel Art fans are happy with what they find and can enjoy adding this to their collection. The colors are still drab. For instance, the apple didn't look very tasty. Colors should be used to brighten, lighten, detail subjects to make them more than or as interesting as they are in real life. Not drab, pale, dark, etc. These effects don't make the piece fun to paint. I sampled the colors for each pic and they were all dull and lifeless which would result in a flat look with no depth or detail. Pixel Art usually has a huge array of colors but they not beautiful or used well.
I love the very full, complex images that are time consuming. They usually involve scenery or buildings that feature an over abundance of single pixels that each need a different color, or a stray from the larger groups. It adds a good challenge, also becomes tiring after a while. What I don't love are the various shades of grey used to designate the numbers in the area being painted. The closeness in color makes them hard to see and it is confusing because the grey areas don't apply to just the number you are working on. It's even confusing trying to explain it!
I've never been a fan of food, juvenile or objects such as clocks, cars, trains, furniture, etc. They are boring and never have a background, just plopped onto the center of the screen. The large complex paintings are great and mostly very appealing containing a multitude of colors. However, they fall flat at the end because the completed piece is so little and blurry that you can't enjoy the beauty you have just created. In addition it disappears from view so quickly, there is no chance to appreciate all that work and just enjoy viewing it. There are no fun options or colored backgrounds, if that's what you seek in painting games, This is very basic, all the way.
There are some who say the small pics and bluriness is to be expected because they are pixels, this is how it is. Well, that just is not true! I know that much more is possible with computer art and our other pixel paint developer proves that large, clear images are absolutely no problem. The colors are spectacular, the images are large and aren't gone in a nano second. The artwork is different but if you enjoy pixel painting check it out, fun features, 140 levels. There is so reason for poor quality images. It's all about the dev not caring enough.
If Pixel Art would make a few important changes I would jump back on their bandwagon. I can't get enough of paint by number games, they are so relaxing and fun. But I won't buy something just for the sake of growing my collection.
Pennmom is absolutely right ! I lost my sweet angel, Lulu, over 20 yrs ago and I'm still not over it. Yep, many will think that's weird but that's okay. Dog's are just that kind of special. So this game, for me, is very enjoyable! I love these pet hidden object games. This will complete my collection.
The graphics are always crystal clear and beautiful, the colors are natural. There's never a problem with tech issues and the features and options are super. I love the mini games, especially Spot the Difference. I like, in this kind of game, not playing with a timer. Dogs are so photogenic and these pics are delightful! It's more fun to slow down and ooh and ahh over the adorable animals. You still earn your Gold, Silver, Bronze Stars even without a timer. So keep striving for those points if a perfect game is important to you.
Searching for the listed items, pups and morphing butterflies keeps you busy but without a huge challenge. I think the challenge is just right. The additional locations and mini games along with the nice wallpapers and extra photos of Adoptable Pups, plus the dev's own cuties make up a very good CE package. I highly recommend to all pet lovers, all ages. Give the demo a try, it's a good one.
This is a beautiful remaster of one of my favorite older games, a Goldilocks tale with a twist. After her untimely death her son uncovers the truth about his family and influences of dark forces and magic at hand. I love the story and playing the dual roles of human and bear made it more fun.
Goldilock's son and her spirit set out to defeat the villain who is bent on destroying his father and his kingdom. The battle is on, creating an engaging story that was entertaining to the end. Aside from the story it is done with the special additional touches that Friendly Fox is famous for. Though the original was outstanding this version is even more so. Some may think it's no big deal but I feel the enhancements have really made a difference.
The scenes are busy and interesting, the locations are beautiful, the characters are rendered extremely well. The visuals play such an important part of any game, for me, and they are top quality here. The graphics are sharper and color quality has improved, there are more HOPs and puzzles and the sound is much better. If you decide on the CE you will be thrilled with the extra content. Friendly Fox doesn't scrimp on the collectibles. If your budget allows, I think the CE is the way to go.
We don't get HOPAs like this anymore. I'm so fed up with stupidly easy games that all look and play the same. This one from the golden days of HOPAs outshines any that we have today. The remaster has enhanced the experience.