I love this series. The quality is superb, the images are unique, all runs smoothly with no tech problems. The puzzle sizes range from 28 to 1000 pieces and the pieces are not all clumped up together, which means no tedious sorting! Each release is very different from one another.
Some may think that 45 puzzles are not enough but, believe me, they are more than adequate. Many hours of relaxing, top entertainment that can be extended, too, with the variety of puzzle sizes. There are several options that will help to customize each puzzle and 3 puzzle shapes available. These extras make assembly even more fun. I also love the stories. Each game in this series takes us on a fantastic adventure. So I am never disappointed and feel my $$ are well spent.
I appreciate this developer very much. It is obvious to me that quality and customer satisfaction are a priority. The games are not cheaply and lazily thrown together like so many devs seem to be doing these days. I hope we see much more of these great games. It is nice to have a developer who cares!
I really liked the story, but the game was a little boring and too easy, IMO. The puzzles posed no challenge at all, even the HOPs were disappointing. I felt like Elephant Games did not put much creativity or effort into this game. It seems to be that way with our other popular devs as well, these days.
There were a couple of collectibles and a Secret Room, a scant amount of HOPs and puzzles and little entertainment. Not enough, in my opinion, to make this a decent CE. The graphics and coloring were quite good and I liked all the blue roses. The characters seemed average to me in appearance and voice-overs, I found nothing negative about them.
The pace of the game was not consistent, but it didn't really affect it in a bad way. There were the usual crazy tasks, but they were simple to accomplish and moving to each scene/location was a breeze because of no intrusion of delays or glitches. This is a game suitable for any skill level with the variety of play modes and I think if you are wanting a simple game to fill a few idle hours, this should do it for you.
I am drawn to stories about returning to one's hometown in HOPA games because something bizarre or creepy is usually lurking about. However, I am hesitant to buy this game to see what happens, based on the minimal fun and maximum easiness of the gameplay. I played the entire demo and felt no urge to buy, although I may reconsider if the SE is available when I have an expiring coupon to use.
It used to be fun, but now it is old and done to death. The demo was quite enough for me with too many artifacts and not enough story. It wasn't all that interesting either. I have enjoyed several of the earlier Secret City games, but I found this one was quite lacking all around.
I always wish the stories would focus more upon the citizens of this city hidden away from the humans, but there are only brief encounters with them. There is great potential for something more than running around in search of artifacts. I would think that Domini could zap this game with its magic touch and give us some good entertainment.
The graphics were nice but there was nothing special about the scenes or color, just typical. Lots of tasks and going back and forth which made me lose interest early in the demo. Sometimes a game improves after the demo, but I didn't feel it would happen with this one.
I did complete the trial and didn't encounter any glitches, no delays between scenes/locations. The standard HOP styles were fun, all were easy and quick to finish. Some of the puzzles could be played in Easy or Hard Mode, but the ones in the demo were not of much challenge.
The collectibles were sparse but included lots of coins to find and 40 achievements that are always interesting. The morphs were not as easy to spot as the other collectibles, but still too easy. Without the challenge of well-hidden collectibles, the fun is greatly diminished, IMO
Secret City: Mysterious Collection is an okay game if you are not expecting a special story plot or non-stop entertainment. It can be easy or more challenging, depending on your choice of play mode. You may like this game a great deal, but for me it was boring and "empty" of many of the fun elements I Iook for in HOPA game.
Instead of Christmas cheer, we have a warring Mouse King and toy soldiers battling it out, with the toy kingdom at stake. This story isn't dripping in sweetness like the previous 2 holiday releases and I rather like that. I love the characters and the enchanting little realm that is caught up in saving themselves from the baddies. I enjoyed the entire demo and just had to buy the game right away. I've been playing for several hours and see no chance of becoming bored.
The HOPs and puzzles are plentiful. This is a nice CE package that offers lots of entertainment and replay value. Even though I am not a puzzle lover, I have been enjoying the creative style in these and haven't felt the urge to skip any. However, I wish there weren't so many. It would be nice to have more HOPs than mini-games for a change. The HOPs were really fun, the usual styles, and all can be replayed.
So far, the game is moving along at a good clip with so many activities and tasks to keep the pace up. It is visually very interesting and beautiful. Great for those who love to take their time checking everything out with all its lovely detail. I don't see where this actually fits into the Nutcracker category, it is just very loosely based on the characters from that series. The graphics are excellent, the scenes are full of things to see and do, the colors are not in-your-face bright, each location is beautiful.
I think the magic of toys coming to life will forever appeal to the child in us. Sugarplum fairies, talking animals, toy soldiers, nutcrackers and sparkling Christmas trees have always been a big part of my imagination. I'm glad that BFG brings us some of these games to escape into. I feel that the developers did a really fine job with this one. It is now a part of my holiday collection and will be enjoyed not just at Christmas time.
A great family game, it can be played by all skill levels, and it has certainly brought me some early Holiday Cheer. I heartily recommend this delightful bit of enchantment.
I have never taken much interest in the Chimeras series, but this release caught my attention. Genetics research provides a dark theme to the story and being held prisoner in a hospital gets things off to a good start.
I completed the demo but it moved along slowly, I found the game lacking in entertainment and it became boring. The back and forth for this and that was irritating and there just wasn't enough to do. The collectibles were in short supply, there was a Secret Room and achievements to be earned. I encountered only a few HOPs and puzzles and they were easy and boring. There is not an adequate amount of either for the entire game, to keep it interesting or fun.
In my opinion the graphics were shrouded in too-dark colors and the characters were uninteresting. More of a creative touch and attention to activities would have made a big difference in the quality of this game. It is a really good, interesting storyline. I always love games with hospitals, crazy doctors, and dark secrets but I'm passing on this one.
The game ran with no tech issues. The sound and music was okay, there were the usual play modes for all skill levels. It is not scary, but the subject matter is dark.
You may find this one more entertaining than I did when you try the demo. For me, it was just missing the extra "little things" that make me want to buy a game.
I own them all, but I think I'll pass on this one for a very simple reason...I don't want to work on an image and then end up with a big blur after all the time spent. The finished pictures were so disappointing. They should be nice and sharp, bright and clear, and larger as well.
After completing several of the images in the first level, I just had no desire to continue. Coloring the first 3 was tedious because they were so unappealing. The remaining ones were really nice, but my enthusiasm had already dwindled. I would love to have seen the other levels, to check out the subject matter but for some ridiculous reason that is a no-no. It should not matter which level we want to go to!!
The large cursor was kind of "floaty" and didn't move very quickly or smoothly, but the smaller one was just fine and more precise. I really loved the vast array of beautiful colors, The many shades and tones are so vital to bringing a picture to life. However, that beauty is not evident in the finished product, due to the poor quality caused by blurring.
The color palette worked fine, except the up/down arrows were a little "touchy". Also I had to click 2-3 times on a color sometimes to use it. These were minor annoyances, but should be fixed. All the other features seemed to work okay. For me the most helpful is the zoom, especially for the elaborate images. But some enhancements certainly wouldn't hurt, to make the game more attractive. The sporadic music was the same as always, very soothing with some soft nature sounds. The Save Feature is great, can't imagine a game like this without it.
Pixel Art has always been lots of fun for me and gives me a nice break from my books and pencils when laziness rules. With all the color/paint games I own, the artist in me is thriving. However, I see no point in purchasing a game that brings me only partial satisfaction. If they want my $$, they have to do better. There are many super art games out there, I own a few of them, and if Big Fish starts supplying more of them, I am ready and waiting. Hopefully, Pixel Art won't let the competition overshadow them.
I do love Pixel Art and enjoy my previous purchases, it's just in need of some tweaking to increase the entertainment value, in my opinion. Do give the demo a try, Pixel Art is a fun, relaxing way to spend a quiet day or evening. I think the kids may even enjoy the less-detailed images, maybe teach them a little about color value. There are always cute ones included, more suited to the younger colorists.
It's a pretty basic art game, yet can be somewhat challenging when trying to find those last few boxes or find all the scattered ones you need in the busier images.
The demo was fun as usual with Paint By Numbers, but I become aggravated right at the get-go. I do not like that I cannot go to the next level until I complete the first set of pictures. IMO, that needs to change. I just want to see the pictures, I'm a window shopper! And what harm is there in that?
I did like the improvements given us this time. I'm so happy that the cursor size has changed and being able to drag the cursor over a same-color area filled with teeny spots of color is a blessing in my book. Honestly, some of the areas are a mere pin dot, even zooming in sometimes doesn't help.
The addition of the background colors has finally arrived, a nice variety. However, as Pennmom mentioned, there needs to be a better variation between background and highlighted area. The areas along the border are the problem. Speaking of color, I really love the wide range of colors we have in Paint By Numbers and using 34 beautiful shades in one image brings it to life rather than creating "just" a picture. Having a Hint Button sure comes in handy with so many miniscule areas to fill in, but I try to avoid it. I love the challenge.
I enjoy many hours of coloring with books and pencils, my favorite go-to for relaxation. Paint By Numbers fits right in without having to bring out all the supplies, The color by number games are lots of fun. They provide a lot of enjoyment, for me, they are simple for any age to catch onto. The most challenge I find is those wee areas that are difficult to spot. Many of the Paint By Number images are too easy. However, the more elaborate ones can take quite a while to finish. And the end result is always worth the effort.
I own all the Paint By Numbers and haven't finished any of them. Since I own all the other color/paint games on Big Fish there is plenty to satisfy the artist in me. I try not to binge on any of them, so my supply won't run dry. I keep asking Big Fish for more of these games, there are lots of them out there. Would love to see them more often. PLEASE?!
Great fun! Give it try and maybe you'll find it to be a relaxing, colorful way to spend some spare time or just take you away from a hectic day. A good distraction from the stress of lockdown, for me.
May it always remain magical for the kid in us! This is really a beautiful journey with lots to see and do. The scenes are gorgeous although I think less of the color blue would be nice. I was drawn to this game because of the girl looking for her mother and I was especially interested when I found it included cats. Its a perfect story for me to get lost in with all the Christmas scenery, decorations, songs and games, and the kitties. A few years ago I bought and played to death the PussNBoots Christmas which was great fun, so I am eager to get into the Bonus Chapter.
And a bonus here (for me) is the absence of horrid demons and evil beings that are so abundant in our other games. I can deal with a misguided sorceress in this story.
The collectibles package seems to be ample enough and I always love the Secret Room. The HOP scenes are all Christmasy as well as the games, each one I have played so far has been very enjoyable. There is a nice variety of both, the challenge seems about average and I didn't find any of the puzzles undo-able. I was so happy to find that there was not a crazy amount of puzzles, too many and I end up skipping a lot. Definitely will be able to enjoy these without becoming bored or impatient.
The graphics are very colorful and clear. The devs did a great job creating the magical scenes, wintery atmosphere and all the Christmas "little things" we ooh and ahh about that make the game a beautiful holiday escape. I expected the cats to be non-realistic but I thought the characters could have been done better. But the beauty is still there.
There were no tech issues to spoil the fun. The pace of the game was good and there were plenty of fun tasks to keep it busy. I'm sure this will be along game, for me, as I can't resist stopping to look at every little thing in sight. With the choice of game modes everybody can enjoy this holiday offering. Also, great entertainment for the whole family, including cat lovers. I own just a few Christmas themed games, so this will be a nice addition to my collection.
The demo contained a fine sampling of what to expect, so purchasing was an easy choice. I hope you find some Holiday Cheer in the demo, too.
I remember seeing Gizmos before I became brave enough to enter the world of nonograms, With today's release I looked up the old ones and they each had 5 stars all over the place. So I tried the demo and can totally agree with the ratings. I played to the end which clinched the purchase for me.
I especially love that the numbers bordering the grid disappear when the cells have all been filled. In my other mosaics I can guess the image as it slowly emerges. With just the green boxes and no pic, it adds some mystery and extra fun. The helpful tips along the way are dandy and can be disabled if desired. The tutorial is very easy to understand. The voice-over may become annoying in time, but I like the bits of humor and praise that are included. There are trophies to earn...I love trophies!
The energy vials are something new to me and I liked the way they worked, just basic easy help when you need it. The mistakes gauge was also unique, to me. There is a time goal but there are no penalties for going over and your completion time is displayed. By the way, the Save Feature is a super blessing for me, as I am very slo-o-ow with nonograms!!
The jungle theme got my attention, though I didn't see any full scenes as I finished 7 puzzles in the demo. So don't know what to expect on that subject. The graphics were beautifully sharp and brightly colored.
The game ran with no tech issues and responded quickly. I don't like that the grid is surrounded by lots of black space, The options show wide screen/full screen, but was unable to utilize. Still, that annoyance isn't a huge negative. It really is a beautiful and challenging nonogram game and may kick my current favorite right off its pedestal. It is super fun, relaxing and challenging, all wrapped up in one little bundle.
My only concern was with the much larger grids. Since my nonogram skills are not expert (working on it), I'm thinking that 30x30 may be too difficult for me. Also, the boxes will surely become smaller as grid size increases, straining my aging vision. But had to get over it and just buy it!
I think Gizmos: Jungle Adventures is a quality mosaics game, based on the demo. Hope to find some mini-games or puzzles in the full game, like I saw in the previous Gizmos that I found. There are mosaics that are less intimidating if you are just starting out but, in my opinion, this one is well worth the $$ if you're ready to take that big leap.
and that's about it! I had no desire to spend much time in the demo. I can see where maybe a 10 yr old would enjoy this game, but from this adult's point of view it is an inferior offering. I'm pretty sure kids are getting their games from other sites that cater to the younger set. I am baffled as to why BFG does not bring more games suited to the adult players, we are in great need of them. Big Fish used to supply us with great games, but recent years have been disappointing.
100 Days Without Delays will be fun for the kids with its bright graphics and large, colorful tiles. There is a little story attached and the task of upgrading an airport. It is a very simple game with easy instructions, there are a few bonuses to liven things up a bit, the music is peppy, the levels will probably go quickly since the game is so ez-pz. Beginners may even like this one.
As for me, it is a no-no. Hopefully, BFG will give attention to the gaming needs and requests of their adult members.