firekat7's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:113
- Reviews Submitted:14
- First Review:April 20, 2012
- Most Recent Review:November 28, 2019
- Featured reviews0
A visit to Manchester Asylum takes a dangerous turn into madness!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 7 found this review helpful
Great Follow-Up To 13th Skull
PostedNovember 28, 2019
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I always enjoy it when an MCF game refers back to characters in previous releases. This is the first one referring back to 13th Skull, and it was a good sequel. I won't go into great detail about the game, as there are other posters who do a fantastic job, but I will say what made me give it a 4 star rating instead of 5 stars.
1) There was no cheekiness that the MCF series usually includes. 13th Skull was very cheeky, and I did miss having that in this sequel.
2) The Rube Goldberg door puzzles were not as interesting and complicated as in previous MCF games, and there weren't as many. I would love to see these puzzles go back to being whacky like they were in Return to Ravenhearst and especially Madame Fate. My all time fave was the yodeler that climbed the mountain and then fell off to flush the toilet.
3) The beginning of Black Crown was a little slow for me. I didn't really get into it in the beginning, but it did pick up pace and interest once we got out of the asylum. The asylum could have been so much more interesting, like it was in Escape from Ravenhearst (I think that's the one with the asylum, but I'm not sure). There could have been more detail in the individual cells, tying each cell to some of the people we met along the way in 13th Skull. That was a missed opportunity.
4) It did bug me that the bonus chapter concept of leaving pieces of soul in objects was a bit of a rip-off of the Harry Potter horcrux concept.
Overall, though, this is an enjoyable, quality game. Perhaps in a later game, we will see Magnolia, with the help of the Master Detective, going around her town searching for her mysteriously disappearing neighbors. After all, SPOILER, Phineas did leave behind one gold tooth.
1) There was no cheekiness that the MCF series usually includes. 13th Skull was very cheeky, and I did miss having that in this sequel.
2) The Rube Goldberg door puzzles were not as interesting and complicated as in previous MCF games, and there weren't as many. I would love to see these puzzles go back to being whacky like they were in Return to Ravenhearst and especially Madame Fate. My all time fave was the yodeler that climbed the mountain and then fell off to flush the toilet.
3) The beginning of Black Crown was a little slow for me. I didn't really get into it in the beginning, but it did pick up pace and interest once we got out of the asylum. The asylum could have been so much more interesting, like it was in Escape from Ravenhearst (I think that's the one with the asylum, but I'm not sure). There could have been more detail in the individual cells, tying each cell to some of the people we met along the way in 13th Skull. That was a missed opportunity.
4) It did bug me that the bonus chapter concept of leaving pieces of soul in objects was a bit of a rip-off of the Harry Potter horcrux concept.
Overall, though, this is an enjoyable, quality game. Perhaps in a later game, we will see Magnolia, with the help of the Master Detective, going around her town searching for her mysteriously disappearing neighbors. After all, SPOILER, Phineas did leave behind one gold tooth.
I recommend this game!
Join the penguins as they discover a spooky manor with new puzzles and mini games!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Halloween Puzzles - Yes Please!
PostedOctober 8, 2019
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
As a few other reviewers have said, in this game, the puzzles fit the theme, and the Halloween music gets you in a festive mood for almost everyone's favorite holiday. I am a fan of the Fantasy Mosaic series because both the background pictures and the puzzles are more colorful and easier to see than other mosaic series. Now that they've added some other types of puzzles into the interiors you unlock in the newer chapters, it's even more fun. It's a definite buy for me. Now, if you'll excuse me, me and my penguin friends have to go and brew up some potions.
I recommend this game!
When the game worlds collapse, help can only come from one place. The real world!
Overall rating
1
/
5
18 of 35 found this review helpful
Boring Beyond Belief
PostedOctober 5, 2019
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
After about 10 minutes of the trial, I decided to uninstall. The beginning of the story didn't hold my interest; there were too many hackneyed cut scenes; and the game play was just plain boring. When I got to the first battle puzzle, that was the nail in the coffin for me. I don't play HOP games to do battle puzzles. If I wanted that, I'd play a different category of game. And just to make things even more annoying, I had to reboot in order to complete the uninstall.
I don't recommend this game.
Discover a sweet and magical world in this fantastic point and click adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
15 of 17 found this review helpful
Mixed Bag
PostedAugust 26, 2019
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This game is a lot like Tiny Bang and My Brother Rabbit, which are two of my favorite games. This game has similar mechanics, but it is not as good.
It had a lot of puzzles, and they were different than what I'm used to, so it was difficult to figure out how to solve some of them. Fortunately, you can skip them.
One thing that was a real turn off for me was the storyline. The cut scenes had disturbing dialog about violence. It seems that the violence was meant to describe video games, but who knows. It was written by someone who does not have English as their first language, and it was very awkward. Fortunately, you can skip these scenes after clicking on the dialog about three times.
Overall, though, I did enjoy this game and will play it again. Maybe I'll figure out how to solve the puzzles I skipped, lol.
My current favorite game is Mystery Case File Moths to a Flame CE. It wasn't available as a choice in the Add Current Favorite section, so I am putting it in the text of my review.
I recommend this game!
Unwind on a sweet adventure through 160 puzzles in Picross BonBon Nonograms!
Overall rating
1
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Not For Me
PostedJuly 4, 2019
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Word
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I very much enjoy mosaic games. I haven't been a fan of the types that only use one color, but I thought I would give this one a try because it looked cute and had lots of levels. I wasn't able to make it past the fourth level without being completely bored. Because the game doesn't let you make a mistake, it is way too easy to solve. What's the point of playing a game with no challenge?
I don't recommend this game.
Help find a missing friend in this artic match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Fun For Kids
PostedJune 20, 2019
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game is really cute. I'm playing on casual mode, and it's fairly easy, even a little boring. I'm guessing it's challenging on the expert mode. It's a typical match-3 game, nothing out of the ordinary. I think kids would have a lot of fun with it.
I recommend this game!
Join Tico and his band of rainforest animals in an unforgettable Solitaire adventure.
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
All Night Caribbean Party
PostedMay 22, 2019
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I addictively played this game all night. It had plenty of variety and challenge to keep me entertained. I love the steel drum music and the sound effects. The characters were cute. There is somewhat of a silly story, but I didn't consider it to be an important part of the game. The only thing the story accomplished was to give goals to push towards the level where you meet up with the next character. As far as the three star accomplishments go, it was very difficult to achieve in the beginning levels, but got easier as the levels got more complicated. Go figure. After several tries at the beginning levels, I figured out that you get more points for each match that you make in a row without having to turn over a card from the deck. Sometimes the three stars are practically impossible to get without using power-ups, but that did not deter me from having a great time.
I recommend this game!
My Brother Rabbit is a beautifully drawn adventure set in a surreal world that mixes reality with a child’s imagination
Overall rating
5
/
5
Absorbing and Sweet
PostedApril 21, 2019
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game reminds me of The Tiny Bang Story in that there are several scenes to travel between in which to find elements that drive the mechanisms that lead to the story's final destination, with no dialog. The music is relaxing, enchanting, almost hypnotic. The visuals are sweet. The game mechanics are fun. Just like The Tiny Bang Story, I will play this game over and over again.
I recommend this game!
What lies within the depths of the pitch-black mirror?
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 10 found this review helpful
PRETENDER, BUT FUN ANYWAY
PostedNovember 24, 2018
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Like most other vintage MCF fans, I was disappointed that this game does not have the heart of the earlier foundations of the series. The main storylines and characters used to revolve around humans who were insane or at least deeply flawed rather than ghosts being the main focus. The ghosts in the early games were people murdered by the bad guys and just wanted peace and to stop further harm to innocents. The newer games' ghosts are bad and need to be destroyed. There are no compelling back stories to the ghosts' existences and purposes. I miss the easter eggs, the hidden Felixes, and the quirky dashboard items. My favorite dashboard item is the Madame Fate bobble head in Dire Grove. The level of challenge and complexity of the original puzzles were a big part of what made the games fun. I especially liked the diary in Return to Ravenhearst which had clues in it that were necessary to solve some of the puzzles. The puzzles in The Countess were easy to solve and uncreative, even the few multi-layered door puzzles. The HOPs were short and easy and contained lackluster items that were not relevant to the storyline. There is no mystery in The Countess; it is just wandering around through a series of connected rooms with no areas away from the mansion. Given all of that, I did enjoy this game. Just don't call it a Mystery Case File. I vote for more Ravenhearst and Madame Fate spin-offs.
I recommend this game!
Can you and your sister escape the deadly history of Reed Valley?
Overall rating
4
/
5
12 of 19 found this review helpful
Good Addition to the Series
PostedJuly 7, 2018
firekat7
fromElk Grove, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This wasn't the top game in the series, but I like it more than the last one, and it certainly doesn't belong towards the bottom of the list. I found the story line and game play fun enough to play the main game in one sitting. My favorite location is the store. There's some funny stuff in there.
My only complaint is with some of the Eipix standard puzzles. I find those climbing "puzzles" inordinately annoying. I also find the puzzles with maps in which you avoid your adversaries very annoying as well.
I recommend this game!