gingergal's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:15,535
- Reviews Submitted:193
- First Review:November 19, 2011
- Most Recent Review:July 23, 2013
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The king's daughter has turned into a man-eating monster, and either you find the cure, or it's off with your head!
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 11 found this review helpful
Very hard to see objects bring the ratings down on this quirky good game down
PostedNovember 12, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Think TM game meets hidden object game meets quirky puzzle game and you begin to get the idea behind this unique game brought to us by the makers of 1000 doors.
There are 14 levels which each take a different amount of time to finish. After which you get scored for time taken and how many hints/skips you used. You then have the choice to repeat the level to better your score or continue. You are awarded 1 or 2 etc for each two part of the scores.
You don't get kicked out of a level though if you are too slow and the time element only features if you want all gold in the achievements (screenshot of all levels and what you got for each level.) Tip to get all gold - You will have to replay most levels to get all gold so just take your time enjoy the plot learn where things are for your first attempt and don't rush your first attempt at each level.
The plot is wonderfully quirky and out there and is quest based and has a lot of humour although I do wish they didn't involve animals ie on the first level you have to catapult sheep and if you miss basically the idea is you've killed a sheep. There aren't many of this, I think only two in the whole game but would have preferred it wasn't there.
There is a choice of two modes of play and the easier one has less hidden objects for you to collect. There is a hint and skip button.
Gameplay is a mix of well known puzzles and finding items and sometimes figuring out what to click on next. To make it easier to find objects there is a zoom button but using that makes the whole scene move when you move your mouse. There is also arrow buttons on most scenes as some objects you can't see unless you move the perspective of a scene.
I loved that you can revisit old areas to improve your score but will add that if you like your puzzles to be different for replayability factor they are all exactly the same even simon says. It's a good game if you love to beat your own score, or just have 10 or 20 mins as you can complete a level.
Puzzles were a mix of arcade, quite a few rotating rings, and loads of sliders and to get gold you do have to be very quick with certain types of puzzles.
Cons
- Some things were buggy and had to exit a couple of times which took me nearly back to the beginning of the level. Other times hitting the window key to go back and forth worked.
- Hard to see items
- It's not that long but playing for all gold makes it an OK length
If your eyesight is good, love quirky things, want something different and are good with puzzles then I recommend it to you especially if there is a sale on as it's not that long (when I got it.)
But for those looking for more traditional HOGs, don't like puzzles then I don't think it's for you.
I recommend this game!
Fiona Finch and the Finest Flowers
Fiona Finch is out to win the Finest Flowers competition! Help her grow fantastic flora and walk away with the prize!
Overall rating
5
/
5
25 of 25 found this review helpful
Perfect game for beginners - no timer on levels
PostedNovember 10, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Beginner
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
If you are a beginner or just not that fast this is the perfect TM game for you. It’s not one of those games that kick you out of a level because you don’t make a certain time as there is no timed levels.
The time aspect comes with feeding, watering plants as well as the few customer requests that come in but I sometimes ignored the requests and didn’t get penalised if I did that or didn’t manage to complete a order, and if a plant dies just replant a new one!
The level ends when you reach the goals in a level; money and a certain number of plants some which you have to make by crossbreeding in each level. Also when you reach certain monetary goals new things open up for you to buy or upgrade.
This isn’t just about flowers although that part is fun as well as crossbreeding them, but you grow grapes, apricot tree, blackberry bushes which you can make juice, cakes and jams from, as well as having honey and making gingerbread. There is also a perfume maker, a flower wrapping machine for your flowers.
There is a story book mode which has 7 levels (different gardens) and I love that after you have completed your level goal you can go back in to each garden and it becomes a sandbox mode but your money doesn’t carry over into other levels.
The story is simple but nice and gives it a good link between gardens/levels. Just when I thought the game was over I discovered ‘the free gardening’ mode. This isn’t just a sandbox mode as there are goals and awards through the 7 different levels in this area, as well as the storybook levels. The only difference between the two areas is that all upgrades and tools are available to you if you earn enough money to buy them. There are awards throughout the game and to get them all you have to play the ‘free gardening’ mode.
The one thing I missed or couldn’t figure out if I can do it was to move an item or cancel a patch of soil if I put it in the wrong place.
I loved the graphics, the added dimension of the food as well as the flowers, and no timed levels so I can actually finish a TM game! So for those of you that are new, or just want a very relaxing laid back game this is for you. I gave it 3/5 for hardness as if I can finish it anybody can, and with a good tutorial you aren’t lost as to what to do.
I recommend this game!
Save Brightfield from a shocking plot by a dastardly organization!
Overall rating
5
/
5
185 of 207 found this review helpful
If not the CE you have to get the SE version - great fun game.
PostedNovember 9, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
*All my reviews (bar one TM) is on finished gameplay - here it was the CE*
Plot was 100% tied up in this SE version, bonus chapter was a bonus plot (more info at bottom.) As usual with Elephant you don’t have to worry about this or that you need to play the CE game to understand the next story. If they started doing that I wouldn’t recommend their games! I put my finished CE reviews in SE area as that information can be hard to find and it’s the most vital piece of information I look for in reviews (as often I’m a SE player.) Since Raincliff you don’t get any extras in the SE version, just in case you were hoping.
Another great game from elephant (and big fish was in the credits as well as often they are) and I think the best of the four mystery trackers (this is more like raincliff purely because of the snow. Games in order it’s the void, ranicliff, black aisle)
Usually developers gives you the best in the demo and by the time the end comes, it’s not as good. Elephant are very unusual as I find it gets even better as it goes along. The quality never wavers, gives you a good amount of new areas and holds my easily bored attention throughout. While I lOVED their extras in the CE I do think about if it would hold my attention without all that, and here it would.
The usual elephant signature of never repeating HOS, no random click penalty, great cutscenes, transporter map (in later games) with tips in it, a lot of adventure and not that many HOS makes them my favourite DEV along with their graphics. The hint button is their usual mini guide which makes it great for SE players.
Here you have a choice of four modes to play – added detective one which is the same as the 3rd but mouse icon doesn’t change if you get to an interactive area. You can change hardness during play. There is the usual live actors and I’d say apart from 2 scenes the lip synch was OK (mostly didn’t speak!) Your dog is back to help!
Ratio you can see is a lot of adventure and not so much HOS or puzzles but a lot of interactions, which is my personal preference as I love the adventure side.
PROS
-Transporter map
-Amazing cutscenes
-Unique plot
-Lot of adventure
-Only play a HOS once (other devs are lazy when they repeat and pad their games out by repeating them)
-Amazing cutscenes
-Unique plot
-Lot of adventure
-Only play a HOS once (other devs are lazy when they repeat and pad their games out by repeating them)
CONS
-Black bar tips on hardest mode
-Puzzles were mostly easy and mostly not that original or got a twist on them compared to their other games
-HOS in some of their other games are more crystal clear and sharp
-Although better than some other games, still need to work on lip synch with live actors
-I wish it was more like surface where you never went back to old areas
-Puzzles were mostly easy and mostly not that original or got a twist on them compared to their other games
-HOS in some of their other games are more crystal clear and sharp
-Although better than some other games, still need to work on lip synch with live actors
-I wish it was more like surface where you never went back to old areas
15 PUZZLES
Mostly easy, some medium hardness (3 out of 5 for hardness) I enjoyed the move the ball down the path but that was made so easy by limited choice of arrows to use. The suitcase/flag is one of my favourites.
15 HOS
No random click penalty on any mode, all list, interactive – had some mini games in them, never repeat. While I found them well defined they weren’t as crystal clear and sharp as in some of their other games. Also there is light in some of them making it hard to see some as well as some very small items. I gave the graphics 5/5 for the amazing cutscenes and other scenes but the HOS is more a 3/5.
TIME – 6 hrs (no skipping, no hints but did switch a few times from detective mode to get hints on map) This is a harder mode than I usually play (no hints or skips) so my time may be slighter longer.
Slight spoiler –
#At the end of the bonus chapter in the CE version there is a literal 3 second scene with someone in it, that might be indicated that you will see them in another game but if you do there was no plot you were missing out on or anything like that.
I recommend this game!
Journey: The Heart of Gaia
After being kidnapped, Liz must free the Underworld from the tyranny of Scartaris Umbra.
Overall rating
4
/
5
54 of 56 found this review helpful
Good length, straight adventure game
PostedNovember 8, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
What an unexpected good adventure game by waterlilly games the casual games division of frogwares ( Sherlock holmes games). I have no idea why this is categorised as a HOS as I nearly missed it due to this and it’s a shame as those wanting a casual lighter adventure game with a few puzzles, may miss this.
I don’t normally like this style of graphics or the fantastical storyline but I enjoyed it, you are kidnapped and transported to a magical world and thus the adventure begins. Along the way are three helpers each with their own abilities that you use throughout the game and there is a lot of different locations which I always like to see.
I appreciated that there were achievements along with a transporter map that has hints on it. There are two modes of play and the hardest has harder puzzles or more steps to some of them. There are hints and skip buttons and a helpful ‘location complete’ when you have finished with an area.
The game has quite a few puzzles (over 20) ranging from easy especially at the beginning to a couple of more challenging ones and has a couple of my very favourite puzzles in it. It does have a reset as well as an info button button on them but to make it a more of a challenge try playing without using either, one of the achievements was not to use the reset button that often and that alone made some puzzles harder. By doing that I thought it was the perfect hardness for a relaxing game.
It’s also a very good length as well, I took nearly 5hrs on casual mode (I’m playing for achievements as you have to play it in both modes to get all of them) and so many of these straight SE adventure games are sadly so short so it was refreshing to see a good quality, good length straight adventure game. It took me 35 mins for the demo if it helps you to judge length.
I recommend this game!
Murder and deception awaits in NiBiRu: Age of Secrets! You'll be sent reeling into the heart of an exhilirating adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
37 of 41 found this review helpful
A classic that stands the test of time
PostedNovember 7, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
From the makers of black mirror (the original) comes this classic point and click adventure. After just replaying it, it does stand the test of time and the graphics are as good as any modern day adventure game.
You play as a nephew doing some investigation on behalf of your uncle and you travel around the world. This is good as there is a lot of variety of places and locations to play in.
This isn’t a 360 game so no worries about nausea but the game mechanics might be a bit different if you have never played black mirror.
To access the main menu it’s top right (cogwheels) and it’s a manual save game like most LF games. The curser turns a metallic colour whenever there is something to do and will stay that way until you have fully investigated that area. You need to remember to right click as well as left click on everything you see, and as well as that to right click on items in your inventory bar. You combine things in your inventory. Keep going back to talk to people until they repeat themselves.
There are a few puzzles in this game and it’s a good idea to save before doing them in case you get stuck and need to go online to a walkthrough or need to reset a puzzle.
This isn’t a game I’d recommend for beginners as it is not easy but I loved it as the variety of scenes and areas are there, good amount of interaction and things to do as some LF games can be nearly pure dialogue which I find boring.
Also each area is quite contained so there isn't huge amounts of wandering around wondering what to do next, so if you didn't like Syberia because of that you'll like this.
It’s a long very good quality game and I dearly wish they would make a lot more games like this as this is an excellent game to judge others by.
Couple of things to note -
There are a few threads in the plot which are either introduced but never fully explored or not fully pieced together. (why I gave it 3 out of 5 but I did really enjoy the plot)
Animal lovers won’t like a scene in which you have to do something to a rat.
There is some swearing and there are some spelling mistakes in the subtitles.
You do need to play this with the sound on as a couple of times it is clues for things to do in the game.
It is quite disconcerting with the black cutscenes and the voiceover but be patient it does pass.
Highly recommend it.
I recommend this game!
You have been chosen to defend all of mankind in Red Crow Mysteries: Legion! Stand up to a terrible evil and save humanity!
Overall rating
2
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
2.5 - shame about the plot and ending
PostedNovember 6, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is a bridge game by Cateia games – bridging the gap between a HOPA and a pure adventure game, and I think aimed at the large amount of people that play HOPAs but may be to intimated to try a LF game. The elements that HOPA players are used to are here – auto save, hint and skip buttons but the hidden objects are a bit different.
Here it’s part list, which comes up auto when you are in a scene that has those items. There is also a lot of find a certain number of ‘x’ items. Some things are hard to see or very well blended.
I hated the plot which was so very dark and also weird with a non resolved ending, about legion the demon. The length isn’t bad and I would say slightly longer than their recent where angels cry game - it’s about as long as a short HOPA.
The huge negative I found, especially after just playing their most recent game “where angels cry” is the puzzles. They have repeated all their puzzles from this game in their recent one, some exactly which was so disappointing. They also repeat a couple of types of puzzles in this game. Puzzles were – nonograms, move pile of boxes from one pile to another, switch all ‘button’s on, and the red and yellow ‘buttons’ from one side to another that was in angel may cry.
I did find this harder than ‘angel’ but that was to do with the sometimes hard to see items. If only I hadn’t just played their other game then this review would have been a bit different!
While I appreciate the collectables (21 roses) and the achievements in this game, I found I didn’t really like this game and the plot had a huge amount to do with it although the gameplay was OK. But repeating of the same puzzles in this, the plot was too weird and dark for me as well as an unresolved ending, all add up for me, which is why I’m not recommending it. I got it as a DD and for that I thought it was worth it, I don’t generally recommend it but if you are an avid adventure player just looking for any adventure game or love achievements and it’s a DD then I do recommend it.
I don't recommend this game.
Investigate a mysterious, medieval monastery and reveal the terrifying truth!
Overall rating
3
/
5
18 of 19 found this review helpful
3 stars for length but it's a good adventure with all the extras!
PostedNovember 3, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Cateia games (hotel, crystal valley) are clever as they realise there are people who want to try pure adventure games but find LF daunting so they do easier games and here is obviously trying to appeal to the HOPA player who is looking for something different but familiar enough not to feel lost and this is a bridge game (bridges the gap)
This does not mean more seasoned adventure players don’t enjoy their games it’s just a different type of game and change of pace.
The one major thing I have to point is the ending. If you are expecting a ‘nice’ family friendly plot with no darkness in it then the ending will disappoint. I thought it was daft to do an ending like that as they are reducing the amount of players for this game and there was no indication in the short demo that it would be like that and even if you didn’t have a problem with it, I thought the plot ending was not good as you’d never guess it or see it coming and thought it would be more reasonable or tie in with the main story better.
I bought this with a coupon as I knew it would be short, as I did the demo in about 35 mins and I felt it was pretty far through the game but I did get nearly 3 hrs out of it, playing for all the achievements. I don’t recommend any games under 3hrs and very rarely around that mark, but because this game had 21 collectables (angels) and 20 achievements (one of which is finish the game in under 3 hrs!) I do recommend it if you are that type of gamer or don’t mind re the time so much but if you liable to skip a lot of puzzles or dialogue etc then I don’t recommend it for you.
There is a journal, with to do tasks, as well as general information of how long you’ve been playing how many achievements you have etc.
There is quite a few of find ‘x’ items in the game but it’s never a separate scene it’s in the game.
There are 20 puzzles ranging from easy old school which were all at the beginning; move stack of boxes from one pile to another, rotating circles to make a picture, 2 easier nonograms, they repeat the ‘get every light to the same colour a few times by pressing on them’ to a couple of hard ones and I must have spent at least 15 mins on one!
The quite rare thing about this adventure game is you can skip the puzzles and also you don’t need to manually save the game it auto does it for you. . You have three choice of gameplay or a fourth – custom where you can choose to have or not – sparkles, fast hint/skip charge, extended tutorial. Another thing to make it easier for you is that a character has a large “I” above his head if you speak with him.
Some CONS –
-You have to collect the same bucket 3 times in the game, why you don’t keep I don’t know.
-Some very well blended objects
-Slow load times between chapters
-Would love the option of manual save, as I messed up a puzzle for an achievement and had to replay the whole game again
-Short especially if you are a fast player
-A few items were hard to find as were very well blended in and I don’t even have problems with my eyesight
-achievements I don’t like replaying a game to get them all and prefer it on once screen so it’s easier to see than scrolling
PROS
-Collectables
-Achievements
-Fully customisable gameplay as well as audio and video
-Crisp graphics
-Very enjoyable gameplay
-Achievements
-Fully customisable gameplay as well as audio and video
-Crisp graphics
-Very enjoyable gameplay
If only they made it about an hour longer it would have made all the difference and more people would have bought it but thanks for a good adventure.
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships
Solve a 300-year-old Bahamian mystery to save your friend, Bess Marvin, from dangerous kidnappers in this Adventure game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 16 found this review helpful
Rating is compared to other ND games as there isn't a bad one but....
PostedOctober 31, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
If you are an arcade & time management player and also love hard puzzles gamer then this is your game and I really recommend it to you but for anyone else unless you play every ND there is, I can't as you can't skip any puzzles. I've never been as frustrated with any game before.
The great thing about nancy drew games is the ability to keep the games different. Some are mostly adventure games, others adventure/puzzles with lots of small puzzles in it, here it feels like one long puzzle game with adventure put in occasionally. This is the hardest game I've every played (way more than safecracker) purely because of the type puzzles. If you hate timed puzzles then you will hate this, as there are a lot of arcade or timing puzzles in this and two huge as in hard timed puzzles. A Sudoku one and not giving too much away 'hourglass' one.
The sudoku one if anyone can do that in situ in the game and not 'cheat' (take screenshot of it do it at leisure then go back and do it, you deserve title of gamer of the decade!) but at least you can get through it that way. The other one I just couldn't do, my timing is so off and we are talking 1 sec on one aspect makes all the difference type puzzle. I tried all the walkthoughs (which gave me different numbers) and still couldn't manage it, until I did it by fluke.
I'm spending so much time in this review mentioning timed puzzles to tell you how hard it was and how many timed elements were throughout this game. The rest of the puzzles were cryptograms, riddles and a lot of reading one book for clues for everywhere else in the game.
When I first started playing this I thought this could even be one of my favourite Nancy Drew but the cons quickly detracted from my enjoyment which was a shame as if they were addressed as well as being able to skip puzzles this would have been a very good game.
CONS -
- Lack of characters you interact with. It's George, Bess and one other, no phone calls or anyone else.
- Lack of characters you interact with. It's George, Bess and one other, no phone calls or anyone else.
- Driving around the island to get anywhere and it's zoomed in so it's hard to remember where everything is. If they had a transporter map, that would have been great.
- Sailing. I didn't find it as bad as the driving but I ended up ignoring the co-ordinates as didn't find them accurate so it took up a lot of time.
-Plot, the initial why you were there plot was bad as there weren't that many people involved and hated the ending. The secondary plot of treasure hunting was well done and if you like that and deciphering sometimes hard clues (and a cryptogram was hard!) then you will enjoy that part.
- In other ND games you know when it goes to the 1D view from the top very basic graphics? Well here it's with the car and boat and a couple of other times.
This is a game that I think most people would have to look either at a hint website or walkthrough even if it's to double check puzzles that you've got the objective right.
It's one of the later games so no interface taking up half the screen and as usual, there is a choice to play junior or senior. Junior gives you a helpful task list which is useful when you are stuck, and you don't need to look at it but it's there if you want it. Also some puzzles are easier than senior mode.
You have to manually save the game (clicking on the save box enables you to write your game save.) There is achievements in this ND games, as with most of them. You don't know what they are until after the credits but if you do an internet search for them you can find out what they are if you want to.
I'm just glad I finally finished this game as one puzzle had me abandoning this game for months but hopefully the next ND game will be back to their normal hardness and not all those timed elements!
As I can't in good conscience recommend this game to anyone other than a specific gamer (who likes timed puzzle games or a ND fan who will play every game) it pains me to say I can't recommend it and it's the first one I can't.
I don't recommend this game.
Unfinished Tales: Illicit Love Collector's Edition
After the Raven Queen crashes her wedding, Thumbelina must save her prince to reclaim her happy ending!
Overall rating
5
/
5
147 of 157 found this review helpful
Different again - elephant games just keeps it fresh and great! bonus review at bottom
PostedOctober 27, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
If you liked royal detectives you should try this and it has the same length in the main game but a way longer bonus (thankfully) than royal detectives. It's not one of their mega long games (but then I'm an adventure player so maybe it would be to you.)
I really, really loved this game and yet it’s so different from the live actors and a lot of games that elephants have done which I love and are my favourite.
I’m glad they decide to keep being different and this game is different, a fairy tale and you are Thumbelina fighting against the witch who has put a spell on your prince. The graphics are different also but thankfully they have kept it super sharp and in the HOS. I have no idea why they chose frankly the worst three screenshots out of the whole game (especially the HOS) and put in the main page but the graphics are gorgeous. Changing the seasons was pure fun.
I do wish they would do a pure adventure game (not instead of their HOPAs but on top of) and here with only 10 HOS in the whole game and not that many puzzles (compared with boomzap games) adventure lovers will love this as it is very much adventure driven and feels like an adventure game, not even an adventure/puzzle game.
There are achievements and collectables (butterflies).
As usual, you have a transporter map (and map tips if you play casual) there are three settings which you can change during the game. There is black bar tips on hardest.
My only nitpicking note was that near the end of the game you had to go back to old areas, even though it was somewhat changed, I would love it if it was like surface and it’s all new areas. Despite that I did feel throughout there were a lot of new areas to explore like a good adventure game should have.
10 HOS
Usual – never repeat their HOS, and there is no random click penalty on them. They are mostly very cluttered scenes or junk piles and I would love it if they could do non junk pile. In a couple of their recent games their HOS have not been that clear but thankfully it’s back to their normal standard of super crisp lines, really crystal clear items and no tiny items. Even though a lot are quite big, I found it hard to find some so it’s not easy. All list type and they were mostly medium interactive only a couple mild.
17 or 18 PUZZLES (I went back to triple check nos and got another one)
I do wish some were harder but most were medium and some very easy although I enjoyed them. The old school puzzles seemed to be at the beginning (simon says, move one lot of ‘buttons’ to the other side) but even some of the old ones were done well like the dummy. I love the change arrows and icons so when you hit play ‘x’ goes through a path to the end.
CE EXTRAS
Achievements
Collectables – butterflies (at least 50)
4 music
8 wallpaper
8 concept art
SG
Bonus chapter
Collectables – butterflies (at least 50)
4 music
8 wallpaper
8 concept art
SG
Bonus chapter
BONUS GAME (mild spoilers as to plot and kind of puzzles)
Mostly (95%) is in old area and I do wish it was all new. Main plot between prince and Thumbelina is 100% completed in main game (and they weren’t in the bonus) and the bonus plot was actually refreshing as I thought it would be bog standard plot but it wasn’t.
You play as the witch and if you love helpers you get one in the form of a ‘minion’ and I really enjoyed the plot! What surprised me was the length of the plot as it was at least 1hr 30mins.
You actually do get something to collect which is part of the game which I loved. I loved the sky scenery and I felt the bonus was worth it despite old locations as it’s been the longest elephant bonus that I remember and had same quality.
5 puzzles
(move people in boat in combinations, balance 5 scales, smaller version of put ‘icons’ in right order so when you hit play ‘x’ can travel through, draw continual line with boxes saying how many lines can be used on the sides of them, variation or rotating circles) A couple I’d class as hard or took a while, harder than main game.
4 HOS
(no skipping in whole game but did change to casual a lot for map tips, I was playing for achievements but didn't feel too well so was wanting more help than usual! This to try and help you with time.)
TIME – 4hrs 45mins (or same as royal detectives but they had more HOS so this is longer in adventure)
BONUS - 1hr 35mins
When you think there isn't that many HOS or relatively many puzzles to make this game long along with the transporter map, I think it's a good length.
I recommend this game!
After inheriting a manor in England, you begin to explore the Kangale Estate and discover its history!
Overall rating
3
/
5
61 of 77 found this review helpful
I can't recommend SE as you need the CE to finish the story also it's very short
PostedOctober 25, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
*I played the CE*
First of all I can’t recommend the SE version, apart from super short main game, you need the CE bonus to complete the story. But I can't even recommend the CE as there are no extras (other than wallpaper etc) and bonus was 45mins so CE was under 4hrs.
It is trying to be an atmospheric game and mostly succeeds with this although in the middle it lost its way with this and with bog standard gameplay even the occasional good cutscene got lost. Game opens with a girl at the top of a lighthouse with a fire behind her and a cloaked figure rowing away. Plot is all told by finding notes around the place – you are having a boring life when you find out you have inherited this old manor in an English island; intriguing opening, lonely eerie manor with only the butler as you arrive. If you want voiceovers you need to keep the music on.
Sadly the occasional ‘spooky’ cutscene and there were some good ones, especially the rare first person ‘movement’ scenes but gameplay was so boring and bog standard at the middle it was unbelievable. At the very end the plot got interesting and was well done but it actually spelled out the things you didn’t know yet and was a literal cliffhanger so you would want to play the bonus so you would have to buy the CE version. :thumbdown:
If you love HOS but hate puzzles then this is your game as there were only 6 puzzles in the main game so it seemed there were more HOS than they really were (14 HOS). Graphics were lovely and sharp sometimes but in HOS it was that faded, hard to see mostly junk pile with only mild interaction scenes which I can’t finish fast enough and that was hampered by the random click penalty. What was lovely to see though, was that the HOS weren’t repeated. Puzzles were easy, one was arcade target, look in diary for clues to some others.
There are 3 choice of hardness and even the hardest had sparkles on HOS and black bar tips but hint and skip were not available. You can change settings mid game. Sometimes in the inventory there are items that are in a small box – this can mean either puzzle or you need another inventory item on it.
Plot got 3 stars for SE as plot isn't finished.
There was no transporter map so there is a lot of backtracking.
[b]Time 3hrs.[/b]
Nothing irritates me more than devs cutting up plots like this so you have to play the CE to finish the story and as reading some comments a lot of people don't seem to know this and expect a sequel to this game to address the unfinished plot . :(
I don't recommend this game.