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:
Prepare for a mind-bending journey into the realm of the weird in Haunted Halls: Revenge of Dr. Blackmore! Brace yourself for the unexpected in this exciting Hidden Object adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 9 found this review helpful
Just too predictable
PostedOctober 1, 2012
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I love ERS games. I've always depended on them for a great gaming experience, and part of that experience was not always know what was coming next. Don't look for that in this game. Everything went step-by-step just like it ought to. If you needed a paint roller, the next hidden object scene would have one. If you needed to fix a ladder, the boards and bolts were just around the corner. It was a bit boring. The music was bland, the voice-overs were adequate, and the dumb, helpless boyfriend was just too much to take. In the bonus play, he's even too wimpy to help you escape!!! I hope the developers don't end the SE of the game where the CE ended. There is a better spot for an ending just a few scenes into the bonus play. The bonus play is just as predictable and boring as the rest of the game. Puzzles were typical and didn't present too much of a challenge even for me, and I am ordinarily horrid at puzzles and rely on the skip button. I didn't really feel like I'd accomplished much of anything with the puzzles in this game.
All in all - disappointing, predictable, a bit boring.
All in all - disappointing, predictable, a bit boring.
I don't recommend this game.
Follow orphan Eva on a trip to mystical Prague. Will she find out about her Royal origins, find real love, and save the world from a monster? It’s all up to you.
Overall rating
4
/
5
55 of 64 found this review helpful
Creepy, dark, and just a bit of evil fun!
PostedSeptember 7, 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
4
/
5
This game is pretty good, all in all. Now, if you are expecting the crisp, bright, clear graphics in some top-level games, you'll be disappointed. However, the graphics, colors, textures, and environments are perfect for the story line. You are an orphan, lured to Prague by news of an inheritance, and you didn't even know you had relatives! The story moves along well as you fight evil magic to save the world, and yourself. There are characters in the game, both real and from "the beyond" who will both help you and try to destroy you. With the rather dark and creepy story developing as it does, bright colors and more cheerful scenes would not have been appropriate. Hidden object scenes were typically junky, but most items were fairly easy to find and, to make it a bit more interesting, you carry items in your inventory that help you clear hidden object scenes. As usual, you are rewarded with something from each scene that moves the game forward. In saving the world, there is a lot of running around to do, but a map that allows you to "jump" from place to place, with active areas marked as so, makes it a piece of cake and you don't have to worry about getting lost. Each scene in the game will rotate 360 degrees, and it's very smooth. You can even choose "smooth rotation" in the options menu. There is no dizziness or "sea-sick" kind of feeling. If you get stuck, the hint system is very helpful. It will tell you where to go and, if applicable, tell you what you need to use from your inventory to accomplish a task. I call that a great hint button, and I used it a few times, as I did get stuck and wasn't sure what to do next, but the hint system fixed me right up. I finished the game in an evening..about three hours, and skipped two puzzles. All the puzzles are skippable in a pretty short time, and some are quite interesting. I found all of them fun, but a couple - I just couldn't get, so..the handy skip button, and there is no penalty for skipping. I also didn't run into any penalty for over-clicking. I clicked all over one scene as quickly as I could, just to see if anything would happen and nothing did.
My only real negative point to make is that picking up an item from inventory did get frustrating. When you mouse over an item in inventory, it "rises" up and you click on it, but you don't always come away with the item. Oftentimes, it would sit back down and I would have to click several times to get an item from my inventory to where it needed to be used.
I turned down the music, as I almost always do, but not because it was annoying or anything. It's just something I do when I play. Game play was pretty smooth, moved along logically, and kept me busy from one scene to the next with very little lag in activity. The voice-overs in the game were good and there was a good amount of dialogue, but it was skippable. I don't skip dialogue, as it usually will help fill out the story and add valuable information, but you don't need to read it all..or listen to it all..to complete the game.
Overall, a game that kept me engaged all evening..not to the level of something like Mystery Case Files or games like that, due to less-than-perfect graphics, but I think the developers did a good job of creating a good environment for a creepy, cool story with amulets, bad guys, magical creatures, ghosts and ghouls, and..maybe...a love interest? Try the game for yourself. I think you'll enjoy it, too.
I recommend this game!
Rescue your daughter, Hannah, from the clutches of an evil witch before it's too late in this chilling Hidden Object adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
I thought I might miss the hidden object scenes......
PostedSeptember 1, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
....but, I didn't! I read several reviews of the game that mentioned there were no hidden object scenes in the game and that it was WAY more adventure than hidden object. I decided to give it a try, anyway, due to the weekend sale. From the moment the game opens, it's not the same old thing in many respects. The opening screen animations are wonderful and you haven't even started the game yet! The regular options are available - sound and music levels, and three levels of play. I always choose the easier level because I'm not an accomplished player and I need help along the way. The music was appropriate and the environmental sounds were all good, but I found it necessary to lower the volume on both, but I usually do, so you'll need to judge that for yourself. The graphics are great - wonderful colors and textures with very few "dark" or "grainy" issues. Due to the game's content, nothing is very bright, but brightness would have conflicted with the creepy story, but very few items are hard to find at any place in the game. There are no hidden object scenes, but you do need to find items for your inventory. Some you'll carry for awhile, while others are used almost immediately. There is the regular gameplay - nothing remarkable about that - find inventory, use inventory, and move the game along, and this one does that well. I never felt bogged down and only felt a bit lost once. The hint system is of little help, and you oftentimes get some version of "nothing to do here", but, when it's right, the hint system will let you know where to go and what to do...just don't depend on it for lots of help. The integrated strategy guide stays where you leave it and is clear and concise. The storyline - rescue your daughter from the creepy creatures and the witch - is an old one, but well done. The creepy factor is great - everything moves and watches you..and it's the basic "good winning over evil" game, but it's fun, with fairly easy puzzles, with an old, but well done story, and decent length of play. It took me about 5 hours over two evenings to complete the main game and bonus offering. Give this game a try, even if you're like me - one who really prefers the whole hidden object scene thing - the game is compelling enough, with so much to do, that you don't miss the hidden object scenes at all. Give it a try..especially now that it's on sale!
Oh - a small negative..pack your walking shoes, as there is LOTS of back and forth. A jumping map would have made this game stellar.
Oh - a small negative..pack your walking shoes, as there is LOTS of back and forth. A jumping map would have made this game stellar.
I recommend this game!
Learn about the greatest cities in the world while playing through amazing Mahjong levels in World’s Greatest Cities Mahjong!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
I like mahjong!!
PostedAugust 30, 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 thought I would be reviewing a mahjong game, simply because the games I've played in the past were such snoozers. You know the type...oriental muzac creeping around in the background, very few options about game play, level after level of the same old thing, and just not too much on the "fun" factor. This game, however, is WAY better than most! My husband is the mahjong fan and asked me to find a new game. Apparently, he is incapable of using the Big Fish site on his own...lol..and it's SO nice to be needed...lol. I clicked on this game first and downloaded the demo and was immediately grateful that all of the things I really disliked about mahjong weren't anywhere to be seen, or heard. The game is colorful, good animations, sliders for the music and sound effects, and some neat historical info that I really enjoy. Game play is great! It's not the same old thing in this game. There is "regular" mahjong, but with a twist here and there. There is a solitaire game that is loads of fun, and several other games that take the boring right out of mahjong. There are loads of levels and I'm going to play every one of them. If, like me, you have avoided the mahjong section because it was just too boring, try this game. It's fun, informative, and innovative...the developers have actually made mahjong fun!!
I recommend this game!
An old woman tricks Melissa into wearing a cursed ring that makes her go into an everlasting sleep. Use magical potions and spells to save her from the curse!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Not the best, but far from the worst.
PostedAugust 20, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Okay - it's not Mystery Case Files or Mystery Trackers - but it's not the worst game I've played, either. It's just not all that bad. The graphics, for the most part, are pretty good. Hidden object scenes were junkpiles, but most items were fairly easy to find. An object now and then would be tough to find, but that's why it's called a hidden object game. The hint system worked nicely within the scenes. Instead of locating the item for you, it puts up a picture of part of the scene with the item highlighted. You then close the hint window and locate the item. I liked that way better than some hint systems that give you a flash of light that's so fast you can't see it. Outside of the hidden object scenes, the hint button was a great strategy guide! When you click on the hint button, a list comes up and tells you exactly what you need to do, where to go, etc. The few puzzles that needed to be done were pretty simple. There is a carnival game that was more fun than I thought it would be, and not as easy as I thought it would be. There were some puzzles I found a bit disconcerting where you had to put a picture right, but the "picture" turned and moved and made it a little tough for me, and I did end up skipping those. There is no skip button, but, when in a puzzle, click on the hint button and it will ask if you want to skip. I can't comment on the music because I turned it down at the beginning of the game, something I almost always do. Sound effects and environment sounds were fine. There were voiceovers and they were okay. The talking didn't mesh with the movement of the characters' mouths, but, who cares. The voices themselves were good. There were a few hidden objects that perplexed me...a green bell pepper was called "capsicum", an artichoke ended up being a "cabbage", and I had to use a hint to find out what an "aldrop" is. It turned out to be a latch sort of thing on a chest or trunk. All in all..the game was okay. I enjoyed playing it, as the scenes were well done, the colors and graphics were crisp and clean, and the storyline was just creepy enough...a cursed ring, a sleeping wife, an evil witch...and a fortune teller! There's more fun...try the game for yourself if you want a game that isn't all that taxing, but is enjoyable.
I recommend this game!
Banish the evil spirits from the house that is cursed and possessed by ancient evil creatures! Save the Cursed House!
Overall rating
4
/
5
27 of 28 found this review helpful
It's lots of fun!
PostedAugust 19, 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
To begin with, I'm not a big fan of match 3 games, because most have the dreaded timer. I have two other match 3 games without timers and hubby asked me the other day to find a new match 3 game. After checking out many, many match 3's, I finally found this one. It's a hoot!! No timer, a little bit of creepiness, and the levels are fun to play. You get to dump demons into fire, bring keys to locks, and collect coins from frozen cells..all without a timer!! the graphics are fine, sounds are great, but I did turn the music down, like I do with almost any game I play, so you'll have to judge that for yourself. It was hard to find a game with no timer that wasn't made for little kids. I didn't want a timer..I also didn't want a game along the "see jane play" age level. This game is perfect for someone like me who doesn't play a lot of match 3 games. I will definitely play this game again, as the levels are fun, the story is a little creepy ( I love creepy), the graphics are great, and who wouldn't want to play a game with a cursed old house in it? Try it if you like a match 3 with no timer but lots of entertainment value.
I recommend this game!
Become a Hunter of darkness to cope with possessed owner of theater and revived shadows. Help other people by correcting their wrong fulfilled wishes!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
It's a nice game!
PostedAugust 8, 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'm glad I tried the game myself, instead of failing to do so because of some "iffy" reviews. I think the game is really good. I didn't see the grainy stuff others spoke of and I think the graphics, color, and overall presentation are quite good. I don't miss the voiceovers at all. They are nice to have, but reading isn't all that much of an effort, is it? There isn't a great deal of dialogue, so the reading isn't lengthy..just moves the story on. I almost always turn game music down, but what I did listen to wasn't awful..just a bit loopy and repetitive, but not altogether unpleasant. The storyline is fun and moves along well. The mini-games are innovative and creative and a bit challenging, but shouldn't leave you tearing your hair out. The hint button does do the "nothing here, look elsewhere", thing, but when you ask the hint button for help within a scene, if there is something to do, it will tell you. I play the casual or easier setting, and hint recharge was very quick. Hidden object scenes aren't too junky and items aren't too difficult to find and I didn't see any that were dark or with tiny, unseeable items, Overall, a pleasant game, pretty, colorful, good animation and smooth game play. Try it yourself. I'm glad I did, and you might be, too.
I recommend this game!
Travel from the deepest trenches of the Atlantic Ocean to the awe-inspiring wonders of Mars as you solve the greatest archeological puzzle known to man: the origin of Atlantis.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
It is AWESOME!!!!!
PostedJuly 31, 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
This game..as my title says..is AWESOME! From the very beginning to the end of the bonus play, there is not one, single thing lacking in this game. The artwork is stellar. The animations are fantastic. The cutscenes are perfect. The storyline is compelling and gets you into the game like few others have. There is actually a "plot"..a great sci-fi adventure that takes you from Atlantis to outer space, and it does it seamlessly. The characters are believable and the voiceovers are well done. There is a great map that you can use to jump to places you need to go, and it's great, because, without it, I'd still be lost in some cavern, never to be heard from again. There is a little "creepy" factor, as well, and you even get a little arcade-type action in one scene. The hidden object scenes are interactive and a bit junky, and I commented to myself, while playing, that I was surprised to be looking for a toothbrush in a cavern under the surface of Mars..lol. The hint system works well outside the hidden object scenes and the integrated strategy guide stays where you leave it. The sounds are "right", too...a chainsaw sounds like a chainsaw..that sort of thing. Sound effects are really good, and the music is good. It's a very "theatrical" game to me..like playing in a movie or something. To comment on every positive aspect of this game, this review would be the length of "War and Peace", so I'll leave it like this..get this game!! If you like sci-fi, great artwork and animations,, fun.interactive hidden object scenes, and a wonderful adventure...get this game!!!
I recommend this game!
Stop a black magician from gaining immortality and destroying the world!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Not great, but not awful, either.
PostedJune 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
This game lies teetering on the brink of being worthy only of a price around $2.99, and I'm glad I used a gift from a wonderful person to get this game. I'm not sorry I did, but I'm glad I didn't pay $6.99 for it. It's just not worth it, in my opinion. For one thing, the game is short. I finished in about three hours, and I only skipped two puzzles, because I am just horrid at the two I skipped, and I took a break or two to take the dogs out..lol...so don't expect much length of play, because it isn't there. If you want to spend a couple of hours meandering around in a game, get this one. The options menu offers volume in music, sound effects, and environment. I didn't care for the music very much, but I rarely do, so don't depend on that for much. The sound effects were unpleasant, in my opinion. The sound that you hear when you find an object in a hidden object scenes was rather strident to my ears..a bit harsh..so I turned in way down. The environment sounds are good. There is a diary that you keep throughout the game which will offer clues and the "missing" pages are added to it during the game to give insight into why your brother has gone off the deep end. There is no map, and there is some back and forth, so pay attention to where you are and how you got there. Hidden object scenes were pretty good. The scenes were clear and offered a list of items to find or "find this many" scenes...like finding 12 eyeballs..that sort of thing. The graphics were okay and the colors were nice. The hint button worked in the regular way in the hidden object scenes and offered little help outside of the scenes. If you had something in inventory and you didn't know where it was to be used, you can drag the item over to the hint button and it will tell you where the item is to be used. There are no hints about where to go next or anything like that. The puzzles/mini-games were lacking clear instructions and you are left to do some trial and error on the way to solving these. They are the regular type you find in many games - get marbles into the right holes, turn pieces to make a picture, and a few that I have no idea how to describe. They weren't bad..just didn't have clear instruction and that can lead to a wee bit of frustration when you have no idea what you are to do. All of the puzzles/mini-games are skippable except for one that includes deciphering morse code clues to open something. As easy as it sounds, I had to go to the walkthrough to find out how to solve it and it was so simple that I kicked myself for not figuring it out and making it more difficult than it needed to be. That is the only time I felt the need to leave the game and use the walkthrough. The ending of the game is pretty lame..pretty anti-climactic and almost makes you wish you hadn't tried rescuing anyone..lol. So - if you need to fill a punchcard or have a couple of hours to fill, get this game. It's not great, but it's not the worst I've played, either. I do recommend it because the hidden object scenes are nice and play moves along nicely.
I recommend this game!
Escape an underground vault of clockwork wonders with the help of its mysterious and eccentric inventor in Fantastic Creations: House of Brass!
Overall rating
4
/
5
I'm so glad I changed my mind!!
PostedJune 11, 2012
kristidumplin
fromColumbia, SC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
When this game was released, I didn't give it any notice after I read in the game description that I had to manipulate some creations. Needless to say, I don't manipulate anything resembling a creation of ANY kind very well...so I didn't even demo the game. Tonight, however, I changed my mind. I had a PCC burning a hole in my pocket and I really needed a new game, and, when I game to this one in the hidden object list, I downloaded it. I was agreeably surprised!! I had envisioned some mechanical horrors that I'd have to fix or use or something equally disagreeable. I didn't expect humor, lovely graphics, terrific gadgets, fun puzzles and mini-games, and a bittersweet storyline. I got all of those things with this game. The story is of love lost to a lust for invention....and trying to get it back again...in a "home" that you haven't seen in any other game. As stated above, just about everything makes this game a good one, and that includes the hint system, although, refill is a bit longer than I like...lol. The hidden object scenes aren't quite the ordinary. Instead of the typical list of items, you are asked to find a certain number of certain types of things...like 12 pointed objects..that sort of thing. Most items are fairly easy to see, but a few are very cleverly hidden and that adds a bit of fun to the scenes. There are some nifty little story puzzles that you come across in which you have to figure the natural order of events and they are fun, too. The entire game is fun. It's not a Mystery Case Files, or a Mystery Trackers...but it's fun and different and WAY better than I thought it would be. I am VERY glad I changed my mind and tried this game.
I recommend this game!