kristidumplin's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.1
- Helpful Votes:949
- Reviews Submitted:72
- First Review:November 14, 2011
- Most Recent Review:February 20, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Soul and machine are one in Motor Town, where a stunning mystery awaits!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
I knew my car had a soul!!
PostedFebruary 18, 2013
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Okay - maybe it doesn't, but I swear I think it does now and then..lol. This game is lots of fun! The graphics are outstanding - gorgeous color, great environments, crisp design. Hidden object scenes are a bit junky, but everything can be found, but use the entire scene, including the edges, as some things are very cleverly hidden. I only needed the hint button twice in the entire game for a hidden object scene and, as usual, the items were right in front of me. The music is appropriate for the game, as are the ambient sounds. The ghosts in the game are well done and voice-overs are adequate. The hint system fills pretty quickly on casual mode and is very helpful outside the hidden object scenes. There is a lot of back and forth, so put on your walking shoes, but, if you get lost, the hint button will put you right back on track. The game is long for an SE - and I really enjoyed four long evenings of play, but, I play slowly, really checking things out, so it may not be that long for others. There is a ton of stuff to do, lots of inventory to find and use and hidden object scenes are interactive. I really enjoyed the game. It never bogged down or felt slow - the story moved along well and the ending was adequate. Try the game if you want a few evenings of great game play and decide for yourself if a car can have soul!
I recommend this game!
Brace yourself for the graveyard shift at Dr Mal's Practice of Horror!
Overall rating
5
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
Not a card fan, but this is a blast!
PostedFebruary 10, 2013
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
As my title says - I'm not a big card-playing fan, but I do enjoy solitaire now and then, and the golf-type are lots of fun. This particular game is a hoot! There are silly characters to "diagnose" and the main character reminds me of a certain VA Hospital physician who will remain unnamed..lol. The game play is typical for this kind of solitaire - you build on a base card, either up or down, until you clear all of the cards. However, this game gives you a nifty way to get more cards. You get to play whack-a-mal!! No- I didn't misspell the word..it's mal...think of every rotten doctor visit you've had and take it out on the zany players in the whack-a-mal game. The more mals you whack, the more cards you get. It's fun and a great break from the game play.There are also several power-up type things - see the next card, undo a move, see the face-down cards..that sort of thing. I've played the game from start to finish several times and that's rare for me with a solitaire game, but this one is such fun. Try it out...I think you'll like it, too!
I recommend this game!
A mysterious force from a parallel universe wreaks havoc on a small town as a scientist fights to stop it from taking over the world!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 11 found this review helpful
Odd - but good!
PostedJanuary 24, 2013
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game had an odd, but entertaining story. A giant golden kid is going to end everything if you don't find a way to fix things...and it takes some time to do that. The game is much longer than I thought it would be..it's collector edition long, and I really enjoyed that. I got two very long evenings out of the game, and perhaps would have had a third, except that I skipped a couple of puzzles. The puzzles were fine - I just couldn't understand the directions, as they are vague on a couple of puzzles, but the skip button fills pretty quickly. The graphics are great in the game, as are the animations and environments - good color, texture, all of that stuff. It wasn't a noisy game for me. The music worked, but I turned it down. like I almost always do, and the rest of the sounds went in and out. There were no voice-overs, but the words were there to read, and there weren't any sound effects to speak of. I didn't find it enough of a problem to not play the game. I don't think it took anything away from the experience for me. The game play moved along pretty well. You do a lot of traveling in the game, but the interactive map makes going from one place to another very quick. You don't need to worry about getting lost at all. The hint button helps there, too - if you're stuck - just click on the hint button. It fills quickly and will help you with everything in the game. The hidden object scenes were challenging now and then. Some items were very cleveryly hidden - nothing dark and dank - just very well hidden, but, they are supposed to be - it's a hidden object game! One hidden object scene asked me to find a bow tie, and I went over the scene with a fine-tooth comb. I finally hit the hint button and it directed me to a butterfly! The very next scene - the very next one - asked me to find a butterfly - and I couldn't find one, so I clicked on an available bow tie - and that was it..so a little, tiny boo-boo there. All the other scenes were quite good. Overall, the game was very enjoyable. I liked the story - a bit different than the norm, and that was a refreshing change. It was well done, with just a bit of sound trouble for me and the mistake in the butterfly and bow tie. Try the game - it's entertaining and engaging..I think you might like it if you're looking for a story that isn't the normal dark and eerie one.
I recommend this game!
Charles Dexter Ward summons you to the island of Pawtuxet to stop a revenant from murdering the townspeople.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Crashed 4 times..but I kept at it!
PostedJanuary 3, 2013
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The game was fun..to a point. It had a lot of bells and whistles...good voice-overs, great colors and environments, a good creepy factor, and fun puzzles that weren't too difficult, but didn't send me searching for the available skip button, either. However, as some have mentioned in the forum review pages at Big Fish, there were technical problems that I thought I wasn't going to have. About 2/3 of the way through the game, I got the old familiar access violation, and the game crashed. I uninstalled it, went to the forum pages, found it had a new build, and I reinstalled the game. Shortly thereafter, it happened again. All in all, in a period of about 15 minutes, the game seized up and issued the access violation 4 times. Each time it happened, the game manager would come up, I'd click on play, and off I'd go...until it happened again...I did that 4 times. After the last time it happened, the game played beautifully through the rest of the main game and all the way through the bonus chapter, so, don't assume that, should you get that error, that the game won't play. I just decided to keep going with dogged determination, and I wasn't disappointed, once I persevered through 4 access violations...lol. The game play made sense..things happened in the proper order. The hint system worked well and refilled fairly quickly. I did rely on the strategy guide a bit, as I got turned around a few times, as there is lots of back and forth, so put on your walking shoes. It's a good game, and I liked the ending, so try it out, and be patient if the glitches show up...I was, and had a nice evening's game play.
I recommend this game!
Olivia has been kidnapped by the mysterious Lonely Hearts Killer who murders those suffering from a shattered love. Save her!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Truly Remarkable!
PostedNovember 26, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
As my title says, this game IS truly remarkable - not for the graphics, or the animation, or the environments, or music...these are at the top level of what you expect in a Collector's Edition..top notch, every one, but what makes the game remarkable isn't any of those things. It's the characters and the story that make this the best game I've ever played..ever. The air of mystery is wonderful. The way you can converse with the characters..and hear just what the character should sound like..you hear, in the actors' voices, the desperation, the love, the hatred, the anger, the frustration..everything that a real person would express is in the voices of these characters. They truly become as real as any game character can be. You feel a father's desperation as he searches for the daughter he loves. You feel the detective's frustration at a somewhat bumbling young policeman. You feel the intrusion felt by those who feel you have no right to be asking them anything..and you feel the gripping loss suffered by a father who has lost his son. The animation of the characters is great, too. The detective tells you he he going somewhere else, and actually walks by you..and looks at you as he passes! It's really remarkable...you really feel like you ARE the character you're playing..you interact with the characters in this game like I've seen in no other. In this game, you'll find a great hint system that works beautifully outside the rather junky, interactive hidden object scenes. I never even peeked at the strategy guide..not once. The mini-games were fun - not the norm, for the most part, and quite innovative, and that doesn't surprise me a bit, as that one word perfectly describes the game - innovative. This developer has gone to where others wish they could, and done an incredible job. Play this game...you'll see ..and feel - just what I mean. It's truly remarkable.
I recommend this game!
Alexander the Great: Secrets of Power
It’s up to you, a descendant of the ancient emperor, to collect powerful artifacts and save the world. Dive into the whirlpool of thrilling mysteries to unlock the secrets of ancient power!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
Try it for yourself!
PostedNovember 25, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I read several rather negative reviews, but decided to try the game for myself, and I'm glad I did. It's not as bad as many of the less positive reviews had me believe. In the story, you're a scion of Alexander the Great and you have to find some artifacts to save the world, so to speak. You do this with the assistance of a fella named Oscar, who seems to know where you're supposed to go to look for stuff, but is no help in any other way. You travel the world looking for the artifacts and you encounter lots of hidden object scenes in the process. The scenes, for the most part, are not interactive, and some items are rather small..and many are very cleverly hidden, but that's the way a hidden object game is supposed to be..you look for things that are hidden..and this one fills the bill in that regard. I used the hint button a few times in the hidden object scenes, and be advised...be quick on the thing. It shoots out a very fast beam of light that targets the object, but don't look away from the screen after you push the button, or you'll miss it. Outside of the hidden object scenes, the hint button helps some as well. It will give the dreaded "nothing to do here" statement, but, if there is something to do, it will show it and, if an inventory item is to be used, it will tell you that, too. You'll encounter several different types of mini-games...none too taxing, but they are fun to do, and you're given the chance to skip any puzzle, and the skip option is ready pretty quickly. The hint button loads quickly on the casual setting, as well. You play as a guy, and his voice-over is very well done..a wee bit dramatic at times, but I really enjoyed the character. All of the voice-overs are well done. You'll run across a bad guy or two (and a bad gal) and travel the world, on your way to saving us all. The ending definitely leaves room for a sequel...and I know I'll try it, if it's ever offered. All in all - it was fun..neat smartphone gadget, interactive map, neat locations, good historical info here and there, and I urge you to try the game for yourself.
I recommend this game!
Murder, She Wrote 2: Return to Cabot Cove
Take on the role of beloved murder-mystery writer Jessica Fletcher and return to lovely (but lethal) Cabot Cove!
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
Jessica does it again!
PostedNovember 23, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've always been a Murder, She Wrote fan, and enjoyed the first game very much. This game is much the same. You have three cases to solve and you're helped by some familiar faces from Cabot Cove. Once again, you find missing typewriter keys in each hidden object scene to get more hints, and the scenes themselves are not as junky as some, but some items are difficult to find, but that's why it's called a hidden object game, not a "hey - it's right here - big as life!" game. The hint button works within the hidden object scenes and and is helpful outside of the scenes as well. Voice-overs are adequate and the music is appropriate. It's not Mystery Case Files, but it's not Sesame Street, either. It's a pleasant game with lots of hidden object scenes, decent puzzles, fun little mysteries...of course, everywhere Jessica goes, there is bound to be a dead person nearby..lol. My only negative is the way one of the characters was portrayed. Michael Flaherty, the fellow who works for MI6 and always got Jessica into all kinds of trouble, is a middle-aged man in the original program, a bit stocky, but, in the game, his character appears to be about 21 years old! He is MUCH too young, but the voice-over sounds right. Seth Hazlett doesn't look like Seth, Mort the Sheriff doesn't look much like Mort..but all of the voice-overs are good enough, including Jessica's. If you're looking for a game to pass an evening or two and you enjoyed the first Murder, She Wrote game, try this one.
I recommend this game!
Monopoly ®
Build your fortune as you buy, sell and trade the world’s most famous properties. It’s classic Monopolyfun!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
I thought I didn't like Monopoly! I was wrong!:)
PostedNovember 15, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I never cared for Monopoly very much, as I'm just not too good at it. I know..how hard is it...buy stuff, build stuff, end up in the clink a time or two...right? Well, for me, playing Monopoly with people never went very well, not to mention the hours it seemed to finish a game. I seemed to always be the first one to go completely bankrupt when I played with people, so it's one board game I never bought for myself once I became an adult. On a whim, I downloaded the Monopoly trial and I really enjoyed it! The animated playing pieces are fun - my favorite playing piece is the dog, but the animation I enjoy most is the battleship..it steams around the board with steam and battleship sounds, and, if you beat it, it "sinks" into the board..lol. It's fun to watch all of the pieces as they go around the board. You can play against other people or, like me, you can play against the computer. You can also choose how much money you get to start the game, how much money you get for going past GO or landing on GO, and you can even choose if you want to put any money into FREE PARKING. The choices are fun and makes the game more player-friendly. All of the good Monoply stuff is here in this game...Chance and Community Chest are here, you don't have to worry about how much money you have because the game does all of the math, you get to have property auctions if you like, and you get to do all the same building that you do in the original board game. If you like Monopoly, try this game..it offers everything the board game offers. If, like me, you never cared too much for Monopoly, try this game....nobody gets mad and calls you names when you land on a piece of property somebody else wants or when you land on free parking and get all of the tax money...all of the unpleasant parts of playing with people aren't here...unless you want to play with other folks...lol...try the game..it's fun, the animations and sound are fine, there is a choice in music and environment...just lots of good stuff. Try it!
I recommend this game!
Uncover the mysterious past of a sleepy seaside village and find your missing son in Whispered Secrets: The Story of Tideville!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 22 found this review helpful
SO much to do for a Standard Edition!!!
PostedNovember 14, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I just finished this game, and I'm amazed at how much there was to do in a Standard Edition offering! Most gamers assume that there is going to be a loss of some kind when a Collector's Edition is downgraded to a Standard Edition. I don't think much of that has happened to this game. Granted - there is no integrated Strategy Guide, but you don't need one. If you get stuck and don't know where to go or what to do, just click on the hint button. It will show you exactly where you need to go. It isn't exact on what you need to do when you get there, but it will definitely point you in the right direction, so you won't miss the strategy guide. The animations and voice-overs are good, but I did find the female lead to be just a bit too laid back for a woman who has lost her only son and is desperate to find him. I think they could have ramped up her frustration at having to do countless tasks on the way to finding her son. She doesn't seem to mind at all that she has to take a very indirect path on her quest and none of the characters she meets along the way seem to sympathize much with her concerning the loss of her son. They all seem much more preoccupied with what they need FROM her instead of what they can do FOR her. That was one of only two negative comments I have about the game. The other is the ending...not satisfactory at all..and that extra play from the Collector's Edition is needed to bring the game to a satisfactory end. In the Standard Edition, you are definitely left wondering what came next. However, overlook those two things, and you'll have a few evenings of fun, traipsing through Tideville, meeting some interesting folks, solving some nifty puzzles, and interacting in the hidden object scenes, and they are plentiful, and that's a plus for me. I like hidden object games that have, oddly enough, plenty of hidden object scenes. You do revisit hidden object scenes, but you're not asked to find the same stuff over again. Try the game - lots of choices about how to play, volume control, difficulty level, all of that..and a Standard Edition that provides several hours of fun.
I recommend this game!
Take up the cross and slip into the role of a young exorcist on his first solo battle with the forces of evil in The Exorcist 2!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Really good when the sound finally worked...lol
PostedNovember 2, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
There was a "spooky" game sale, and I needed a game to fill a card....but hard to fill a card with there is nothing filling the wallet..lol.so I looked at the offerings for $2.99 I checked all of the games available and I didn't recall ever playing this game, so I downloaded the demo, and that all went fine. I started the game and, oddly enough, there were no voiceovers,and there should have been, and no sound effects...and there should have been. Having been through this sort of thing a couple of times with my computer, I did the uninstall - reinstall thing...didn't help. I decided to just uninstall it and play it if I was ever desperate for something to play that I hadn't played before. Last night, I renewed my Norton 360...went like clockwork..for the most part. I ended up having a little problem that it took a Norton fella to fix, and one of the things he did was update some drivers that I thought were already updated. Today..I decided to see if it made a difference with this game, and it did!! The game ran beautifully, and I'm very glad I didn't give up on it. The sound is necessary, as are the voiceovers, in my opinion. The demons and devils have wonderfully gruesome voices and the other voices are very well done. As for game play, it was really good. The story moved along well and I only had to flee to the walkthrough once. The color, animations, sounds, music..all fit the game perfectly. The story won't suit those who don't like games that include demons, devils, and exorcism..if you are sensitive to those things, don't play this game. For those who aren't, it's fun to travel about saving a very close friend from total doom. The game took me about 4 hours to play, but I'm slow and really take my time, so it might not take you as long. I really enjoyed the game for lots of reasons....engaging gameplay, good color and animation, good sound, good creepy music and sound effects. Try it the next time you're looking for something a little unusual.
I recommend this game!