FishyFemale's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:1,171
- Reviews Submitted:113
- First Review:September 23, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 1, 2023
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Your friend, Mary, disappears and it's up to you to save her. Uncover an exotic land with unearthly secrets as you find and help your friend leave the flying island.
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
First half of game was better than second half
PostedJuly 31, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I was very excited to purchase this game because I was really wowed by the free trial. It was very different from other games I've played because it seemed to have a science-fiction theme going, which I was curious to explore. And it offered interactive fragmented objects which are such a nice alternative to the usual list of hidden objects that normally bombard us in this type of game. The puzzles are fun and not too difficult so I was prepared to enjoy the ride through the rest of the game. Unfortunately, the thrill lasted only until the end of the demo time because it seemed to change abruptly once I bought the game. What started out as something new and different during the demo quickly became just another adventure game once the hour was over. The game was too short and the story just seemed to fall flat, leaving me wandering around and wondering what I should do next. Mind you, I still like it well enough to recommend it, but only for the beginning player or those who just want something to chill out with after a busy day. The graphics are clear and beautiful but I just lost that lovin' feelin' for it once the trial period was over. Others may like it once you start playing but don't be too surprised if you find your feelings changing once the trial is over. You'll know what I mean but don't take my word for it. It's worth a free coupon or buy it on one of those half off sales that frequently are offered. At the very least it's worth that much.
I recommend this game!
Pretty In Pink
Pretty in Pink is known as a movie that defined a generation, and now you have the chance to relive this memorable love story!
Overall rating
4
/
5
34 of 37 found this review helpful
A Blast from the Past
PostedJune 20, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I saw this title listed in the hidden object genre and just had to have a look. I love the John Hughes films from the 80s and especially enjoyed Molly Ringwald in them, so playing this game brought back many happy memories for me. Somehow, the cartoon art style works very well since it's based on a movie about teenagers, and the characters look uncannily like the actors from the film except for Ringwald herself. How the designers were spot on with everyone else except Andie's character perplexes me, but I liked everything else I saw here. I only played the trial and never seriously planned on buying the full version, but only played for nostalgia's sake. Yes, the game looks dated and is very basic and easy, and young girls who've seen the movie will most likely be the ones who play it the most. Also, women like myself who are from that era may have their interest piqued by the title as well, because the game follows the major plotpoints and dialog from the movie. Since I only played the trial, I don't know how long the game is or how much of the story is told, but I had fun with all the girly-girl elements in it. Matching up associated pairs by memory, finding the differences, and jigsaw puzzles were the minigames I encountered in the trial. All were very easy but fun and made for a very relaxing piece of my afternoon. There are no voiceovers and you have to click through the dialog, but the hint and skip buttons fill quickly. The only thing I didn't like was the music. It didn't sound like it was from the 80s at all. It was more like the instrumental music you hear on an adult contemporary radio station. Certainly not like the teen music we had in the 80s! Apart from that, I know that this game is obviously not for the serious hidden object player. I don't know when it came out but I assume there's a very small audience for it now. Therefore, my recommendation will only be for the absolute (young female) beginner who has never played a HO game before and who likes the subject matter. I didn't expect much from this game but was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking it. Just not enough to actually want it for myself.
I recommend this game!
A classic Christmas tale tail, with a whole new twist! Help the Nutcracker rescue the princess from the evil Rat King!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
One of the prettier Christmas games out there
PostedJune 9, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
There's not a whole lot more for me to add to the already glowing reviews given here for this game. It's truly a beauty from the very first scene. The detailing of everything with its vivid colors was amazing as well as the wonderful animations and cutscenes you come across. There aren't a whole lot of locations to explore but there ARE a lot of things to do in each one, so the map is very helpful in pointing out which locations have tasks to do at any time. I'd forget which scene I needed to revisit in order to use an inventory object, so the map came in handy because it let you jump to any location you've visited before.
Now for what I didn't like. I took off one star because I felt that both the main game and the bonus game were too short for a collector's price. And from all the aforementioned five star reviews, I expected more from the bonus content as well. For a game with as much detail as there is, I expected to see a lot more in the way of wallpapers, screensavers, and concept art than what was offered. Also, I thought there would be more activity in the cat cave too other than just putting them in their places. A lot more fun could have been had there. I did enjoy finding the dolls although I missed one somewhere. It would have been nice to be able to go back into the main game just to look for the dolls. I've played some other games that allowed you to go back in to get the remainder of whatever you're looking for, so I don't understand why it couldn't have been done here. And like some others have already said, the game strayed a bit from the original story which de-emphasized the holiday theme so that was a distraction as well. I also didn't like the voice acting of the cats at all. The voices were not cute enough for cats and just sounded whiny for the most part. That took away some of the fun for me.
Overall, though, I did enjoy the entire game but just wished it lasted longer. Each scene was so beautiful that they could have designed more to add to the story. Maybe the artists got too tired after all the work they put into the main game as there's a lot of detail there to take in. And maybe I'll enjoy it more the second time around knowing what to expect. It's happened before so I'll look forward to playing it again later in the year to get me in the mood for Christmas!
I recommend this game!
Syberia
Seek out the hidden heir to a legacy built on cities of automatons and other clever machinations.
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Old school style but still gives a kick
PostedJune 9, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
When I first read all the glowing reviews about how "beautiful" and "gorgeous" the graphics were in Syberia, I was prepared to feast my eyes on something vivid with color. How disappointed I was to see that this wasn't the case. Instead, the entire game is nothing but varying, dull shades of browns and grays with some offwhites for balance. The only real variety in color is at the train station in the university town, where shades of green are added into the mix of otherwise neutral tones. I guess I like to be transported to something out of the ordinary where computer games are concerned and the corresponding colors would be just as extraordinary. It's just what appeals to me for I am a visual person and how a game looks matters a lot to me. Color variation in particular. I can see small items better when the clarity in color is evident. And I just want to explore more when the settings are more colorful. So when I explored the French village for the first time, I thought more like "ewwww". The town was run down and just looked grimy all over. Rust abounded everywhere. And in the remaining locations throughout the game, the rusted machinery continued. It was then that I realized something.
The "beauty" of this game wasn't in the colors of the scenery. It was that this is how "real" locations look like when they are this old. Therefore, the buildings and other things look very realistic. Even the rusted parts! I then saw the beauty in the rusted creations because it took a great deal of time for the artists to draw these things in disrepair. This takes a lot of talent and this kind of drawing was consistent throughout Syberia. I appreciate that. The rusty machines actually look like they're many decades old as was required by the storyline. Even things like cracks in the walls and smudged patches on the outside of the trains were drawn with care to depict age. I was completely blindsided by this revelation and now must agree with those who say how beautiful the graphics are in Syberia. They're not beautiful in the traditional sense, but in the practical sense in how the aging locations looks after many decades. I especially loved the machinery itself when it was in motion. You get to see and enjoy watching how things move in many locations throughout the game. It is in this way that the beauty of the game really reveals itself. In my opinion, the automatons are the real stars of Syberia, not the main character, Kate.
With that out of the way, I must say that I played Syberia for the first time a couple weeks ago. It took me eight wonderful days to finish it. Like everyone else, I had to consult the walkthrough a few times since this old game came out before hints were included, and the game looks very dated. It looks like the games I played in the 90s so I expected some better drawn characters than the pixellated ones I got here. And the movement of the main character was awkward when I was able to make her run in some places and not in some others. And the funny way she came to an abrupt halt seemed like something the devs could have done a little better. Still, it's a very good game.
I played adventure games since the 80s so I was familiar with how to maneuver around. Syberia provides plenty of that and I had great fun with it. There are many red herrings throughout the game as well, so be prepared for it. People who you make contact with and who you're sure you'll have to collect information from later never deliver. Also places where you're able to zoom in make you think something will surely turn up later for you to use never show you anything either. These are just some things that are thrown in there to make the gaming experience seem more "real" so that you're totally immersed in the environment. I just wish there were more people shown in the actual locations so that I didn't feel so lonely. It wouldn't have mattered if they interacted with me or not, I just would have liked to have seen more "life" around.
There's a lot of dialog to read. It would have been a long, boring game if it contained no voiceovers. However, if you're reading along, you'll notice a lot of misspelled words as well as the voice actors reading from a script that is different from the one we are reading. The meaning is basically the same although the tone reflects differently than what the words say at times. This doesn't detract from the story but it can interrupt the train of thought on the player when you're trying to follow along.
I didn't like the character of Kate for most of the game because she's so snarky with Oscar all the time and particularly brisly when meeting new people that challenge her. At the same time she's wimpy when her boss talks down to her in a disparaging way and she doesn't explain herself well to him, so I guess she might deserve that treatment until she grows a backbone. She's another way altogether with her fiance, but their great geographic distance puts an even greater emotional distance between them. Much of the dialog of all the characters in Syberia are over the top, especially Kate's mother who seems to be in the clouds most of the time. Fortunately for Kate, her character becomes stronger and I actually started to like her by the game's end.
As in all good adventure games, there is lots of walking around to do. People who are new to this genre may get frustrated early on and quit, but it's a classic that holds up well even with its many flaws. Luckily, there are forums available to help you out. It may take awhile to get used to the game mechanics as they are crude but workable. And like all adventure games, you'll need to repeat the same topics over and over with the same people to glean new information. This is repetitious but part of the adventure genre. Since this game is so old, I wouldn't be spoiling it to say that Kate never reaches Syberia in this game. She gets there in the sequal, Syberia II. What the game may lack in looks and some sloppy design, it makes up for in spades with the compelling storyline. There's a lot of detail in it and what Kate needs to do to move on. This is the strength of Syberia. The creative team behind it has put together an extraordinarily good storyline that takes you places and really makes you think. You should try it if you get the chance. Not everyone will like Syberia since it's different from what we expect and get now in games, but it's still worth checking out.
I recommend this game!
Play as Jack, a plucky pirate with a penchant for gold. Unravel the secrets of the Cursed Ghost by finding Hidden Objects.
Overall rating
4
/
5
17 of 19 found this review helpful
Its good looks can't make up for poor quality
PostedJune 9, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
For some strange reason, I have an odd affection for this straight hidden object game. Maybe it's because it's been trashed so much in the forums (and for good reason) that I had to see for myself just what was wrong with it. And I wasn't disappointed. This game may be old but it's not THAT old that modern technology couldn't have been utilized better. Pirateville is an earlier effort from a developer whose games have, fortunately, gotten better over time. The mechanics of Pirateville are awkward at best, which make for annoying gameplay since the game itself is quite long. Instead of using voiceovers with printed dialog in paragraphs which we could have easily listened to and read quickly, we have to click after every individual phrase or sentence that's being said. This goes on whether the character is thinking to himself or talking to another person within a conversation! You're constantly clicking through each conversation and it's because of this that the game seems to take so long. Why was it done this way? If you can include the written word in the game at all, why didn't you design the conversations better? They don't flow when you have to click each sentence back and forth between characters.
Another thing is that there are five levels within each chapter (called "stage" here) that gets boring real fast. You have to do a variety of minigames to proceed with the story. The puzzles themselves are fun and varied but you just have to do them SO MANY times over the course of the entire game that it becomes redundant. You also get a snapshot of all the stages that you've completed on the right side of the map, but if you accidentally click a stage that you've already done, you have to do it all over again! This is a major design flaw and is unexcusable, in my opinion. Why show your completed stages at all if you can make a mistake like this only to have to repeat your actions? Not only that, there are numerous spelling and grammatical errors throughout the printed dialog, which take away credibility of what quality control there was in this game, as well as mislabeled items in the HO scenes. This is probably the worst of the errors since you'll be looking for something that's not there because it's not what they have listed. Like someone already said in the forums, they'll list teapot when they mean kettle in one scene, then list kettle when they mean pitcher in another. Another kind of error is when they list elephant when they mean hedgehog. And so it goes. Yeah, this adds to the long game length too but in a bad way. The developer is a foreign one but that means they need to work harder to sell their games to an English speaking audience. Their translator is poor when too many words are used interchangably or when it's so obvious when one kind of animal is not another. Scenes are also timed but you get more than enough time to complete your tasks, and the limited hints are not the refillable kind.
Still with all its many flaws, there were some things that I actually liked about Pirateville. Since the game has a pirate theme, all the items are appropriate to the time period, which I appreciated. There are many characters who are all very well drawn and have their own quirky personalities. This developer is known for their snarky sense of humor and it's represented well in each character's relationship to the main character, especially the one between the main character and the fortune teller. Each of these relationships are well developed and moves the story along. It's just too bad that no voiceovers are included as this would have leant so much more appeal to the game overall. The game is story driven and is its strongest feature. The two women characters are very attractive. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for ANY of the men, but all the characters look like photographs of real people. The scenes are all very colorful and pretty overall, which is always appealing to me and a big selling point for me as well. I loved the artwork, story, and music overall and the music sounds appropriately seafaring. I didn't think the HO scenes were junkpiles at all as the items were usually right there albeit mislabeled at times.
The minigames are fun and varied overall, but some show up too frequently for my taste, like the "spot the differences" one. You get that one a lot and it becomes tedious when you've just completed it a few minutes ago. The other games you play are jigsaws where you swap or rotate the pieces, finding the pairs (to increase intuition), changing letters around to decipher a message, and collecting multiples of a single item. Other games are a memory game where you find matching pairs, a card clearing game where you fix broken things, and looking for silhouettes which are frequently of a different proportion or in a different orientation than that pictured.
The three screenshots shown on this page are reflective of what you'll see in the game overall. And if you're even remotely interested in checking out Pirateville, you'll know for sure within the first few minutes of the trial whether you'll like it or not. I knew about this game's flaws before trying it but I'm a sucker for lost causes and felt I "owed" it something so I played it. I played the entire thing for free on another site but would like to have it for my own someday since I like it just "enough". I'm just in no hurry to get it yet so I'll wait to use a coupon or one of those $2.99 sales if possible. In no way should anyone spend more than that on it. This game would have been better received had voiceovers been included and not so much clicking required but since it doesn't, it'll have to stay in the clearance bin. With all that said, there are just too many flaws in the game for me to recommend it to the great majority of gamers out there who want quality with their fun. Pirateville doesn't provide enough of either for the majority. There are better games out there.
I don't recommend this game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Gorgeous graphics with a nice variety of gaming strategies
PostedJune 9, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this spectacular game! It has a very nice mix of adventuring, object finding, and puzzles so that there's not too much of any one thing to irritate the average gamer. I love vivid colors and this one has it in abundance. You can even adjust the brightness to your liking so even the darker scenes can be illuminated enough for you to see what you're looking for.
I thought the blend of snowy scenes with summery ones made for a nice changeup of scenery, as well as finding fragmented objects in addition to the usual word lists in the HO scenes (which are interactive). You can also create a map by collecting coins in each area so you can easily transport yourself to that location later on instead of walking there on your own, but the other option is still available for those like myself who prefer the adventuring.
At the bottom of your screen are three sections: Inventory, Goal, and Objects. When you do a search for fragmented objects, they first go into the “Objects” slot. Then when the object has been put together, it moves into the “Inventory”. The "Goal" section describes your tasks.
There are lots of places to go with lots of things to do. The music and voice over add to the atmosphere, and the refill times for the hint and skip buttons are reasonably quick. The hint button works outside of the hidden object scenes but is sometimes difficult to "follow" in snowfall scenes. It works like a shooting star and I had trouble seeing it in the opening scene when it blended in with the falling snow, but otherwise gameplay was smooth overall. I had a lot of fun with this one.
I recommend this game!
Follow the rabbit into its rabbit-hole and help Alice find her way in a wonderful world, populated by whimsical characters!
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
It could've been so much better
PostedMay 27, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Unless you really REALLY love the story of Alice in Wonderland and don't mind inferior quality to your gameplay, then I would strongly advise you not to get this game. I liked the book well enough and the game looked pretty for my taste, so I tried it but lasted only about 10 minutes of the trial. There are just too many things wrong with it. For one thing, the developer is not a popular one among seasoned gamers, and I found that other games I'd played by this dev used the same subpar interface. The items in the scenes are incredibly small and you need to adjust the brightness before you can make out any of them. Although they give you a magnifier, the zoom feature is not always helpful and can leave you frustrated. Especially in one scene with the rabbit that is so surreal that it actually made me nauseous. It made me feel like I had vertigo.
But for some strange reason, I kept thinking about this game even after deleting it. Maybe it was because I wanted something different in my game collection besides the usual dark themes that make up the majority of them. And I loved the fairy tales from my childhood so I decided to give it another chance and finished the demo. And I was surprised to see that not all of it was bad. The game follows the story well enough and its puzzles and minigames incorporate the details of the story quite well, although some of them cannot be skipped. This is a major fault of this game because two of them may take a long time to do if you don't like this type of puzzle. One is finding a series of four matching pictures behind many doors and although I happen to like concentration games, this one can take some time if your memory isn't so good. And the one of "painting the roses red" is a nightmare. You have to paint something like 58 white roses red and many of them are so tiny that you're sure to throw a fit. Hints are available but take some time to refill but by then your patience is gone. And although there are two modes of play, timed and standard, I implore you to NOT use the timed feature as you'll run out every time and it's infuriating. Case in point, the game where you have playing cards shooting out in a general mess and you have to find 15 heart cards within 3 minutes. Even with the magnifier and using hints, it's extremely difficult to find all of them and I've always run out of time with a few seconds left. The one time I did manage to find all of them with 2 seconds left, I couldn't even glory in my triumph because I now had to find 15 face cards in the same pile of mess within the same 3 minutes. Only thing is that once time ran out on the second set, the whole game got reset to finding the 15 heart cards again! So you can't proceed until you do the entire thing over even when you'd finished the first set in time! It's like you're getting punished for doing it right the first time but failing afterwards. This is not a good way to get someone to keep playing, so the best way to get through this game is to play in standard mode. At least you'll be able to finish it.
Even after all that, I did find some things to like about Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It was very colorful and offered some fun puzzles. Most of them are jigsaws, which is one of my favorite kinds. They start easy and get progressively harder although none are too difficult, save for the one of the gears which I always skip. Most of the other jigsaws are actual illustrations taken from the original book which I thought was a very nice touch. Two sliders, a match 3, and a couple of target shoots make up the bulk of the remainder and I liked all of them but wished there were more of a variety and just more in number to fill out the time better. The best part of this is that you can replay all of the minigames at any time after you've finished the main game, but like I said, there aren't many overall (23 total). An interesting feature that I hadn't seen in any previous game I'd played before this one, is the horizontal movement in some of the scenes. The opening scene is an example of this, where items may be hidden behind other parts of the scenery. You see this better illustrated in later scenes and I thought it was very clever and unique.
The biggest glaring fault, however, is in the game controls themselves. Game instructions were unclear and icons were nondescriptive. In addition, to move a jigsaw piece, you have to use one game button to select it and another one to rotate it. For experienced gamers like myself, I found the sequence very awkward and caused mistakes with selection and rotation. Other games make use of the left and right mouse button to alternately select and rotate pieces, so why can't this game use it too? This is just one of the many things that irritate the advanced gamer and even beginners might have a problem with it too.
The game is short overall, taking a little over 2 hours for me playing in untimed mode and skipping one puzzle. The negative aspects I described above seem, to me anyway, to be the developer's way of lengthing the gameplay. They could have done that better just by embellishing the story with more details or providing more puzzles. It would have made for a better game and a longer one at that. I used a free coupon for it after reading all the negative reviews here and in the forums so I'm pleased with my "purchase". I wouldn't have wanted to pay more than $2.99 for it and I don't think the quality is worth a half off sale price either. But don't take my word for it as I don't pretend to speak for anyone. Try it out for yourself and see what you think. The one hour trial is long enough for you to tell if it's something you'd like to play.
I don't recommend this game.
Travel back in time and experience the mysterious life of your grandfather! Explore eerie Victorian locations and find the truth!
Overall rating
1
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Not as good as the others in this series
PostedApril 28, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I really wanted to like this game because I love vampire stories but this one was a real stinker, in my opinion. As I remember, all the hidden object scenes had bluish/brown items on bluish/brown backgrounds which made looking for said items more of a challenging chore than challenging and fun. And just when you'd finish one of these drab looking scenes and gotten whatever object you had earned, you were sent right back to that VERY SAME SCENE to find other bluish/brown items in the same bluish/brown background. This was very tedious and made for very boring gameplay. Very little of the storyline was revealed during this time too, and it seemed like the devs had you going back and forth just to add some length to the already boring story. I was really disappointed because the developer of this game is one of my favorites so it was a real letdown for me to play my first game in the Vampire Saga series. I couldn't wait for the trial hour to be over because I was so annoyed by this time but I wanted to give it a fair review. I never buy a game unless I'm won over by the end of the trial period but this one lost me early on and it just got worse by the time it ended. I never learned anything more about the story at the end of the hour and I really didn't care anymore what happened to the grandfather or why.
At least the devs did better with the next two games in this series. I only played the demos so far, but I really enjoyed those two and plan on purchasing both soon. They are innovative in their design and different enough in their gameplay from each other so that you have real variety when playing those two games. They also were vividly colored in their scenes so you'll notice a big difference when compared to the dull colors used in Pandora's Box. And don't be fooled into thinking that these are sequels to Pandora's Box. These are not continuing stories, so don't think you'll be missing anything if you play them out of order or only one or two from the series. Each game from the Vampire Saga series are stand-alone stories with their own characters and storylines so enjoy one, two or all three but don't feel like you have to play them all to "get" it. Each game has the vampire thing running through them but they're more prevalent in the latter two games. Pandora's Box has its share of fans and rightly so, for none of us think alike when it comes to what we appreciate in the games we play. To each his own, so try it out for yourself and see what you think!
I don't recommend this game.
Enter the weird and wonderful realm of legend in Oddly Enough: Piped Piper, an enchanting Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Colorful graphics and characters made me want to play longer
PostedApril 14, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game is somewhat on the shortish side but makes a perfect filler game in between those longer and harder ones. There are four areas to explore with about a half dozen locations within each area, so your movement is contained in only that area until all tasks are completed. This makes the adventuring part easy enough to navigate and remember since you'll only be going back and forth within a limited amount of scenes, which I like. You can't go back to previous areas once you're done with them so the movement is very logical and linear. The cartoonish graphics are lovely and wonderfully skewed at odd angles (oddly enough?) using rich, bright colors and very creative animations especially regarding the mechanical devices.
I took one star away because the story could have been padded with more to do in order to make the story better and the gameplay longer. The story is lame at best and as one reviewer already said, if the townspeople had just paid the piper, none of the children would have been kidnapped. There are only three kids to save and the piper isn't actually mentioned again anywhere in the game until the final minutes. And then, there is really no climax. You get a little conversation with him where he goes back and forth with his opinions but there's really no climactic confrontation with him, which was a disappointment to me. I still had fun playing this game because it looked so darned pretty with its excellent artwork and animations and was easy enough where tasks were still challenging but not frustrating to complete. The hints refilled quickly and puzzles were easy and skippable so experts looking for brain twisters and tough challenges should look elsewhere. The hidden object items are all in silhouette but they keep the same orientation as those in the scenes themselves, and they combine to form tools that you need elsewhere in the game. The characters with whom you interact are quirky and fun and the game could have been better had voiceovers been provided for them. I experienced some glitches with freezeups a couple times on my eight year old computer, but clicking out and into the game again let me back in where I left off and saved everything I had done, so I still liked the game enough to keep it at four stars. I just wish it had lasted longer.
I recommend this game!
After leaving something in your car, a hitchhiker vanishes! Track her down and return her things in Shiver: Vanishing Hitchhiker!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Beautiful atmosphere but not in the usual sense
PostedApril 10, 2013
FishyFemale
fromDetroit, MI
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Yes, this is another story with a broken down house but this one also has the decrepit hospital rolled into it, so you get both in the same game for one price! I've always liked those creepy kinds of settings so I loved playing this one. You get to wander around outside a lot too, which I always find more fun than wandering around inside a building since there's more to explore and this game didn't disappoint. I especially had a great time steering the boat. This was also the first game I played where it's raining so that really added to the drab and dreary atmosphere. Brown and grey were the main colors throughout so it's not a pretty game by any means but is quite beautiful in how realistic the rain and dull colors make you almost feel the chill and dampness. The storyline is interesting too, and you have a journal to review what you've done and a task list of what you still need to do. The hint button is helpful and minigames are fun and skippable. There is a lot to see and do so I think you'll have fun with it if you're not put off by the dreariness of the locations.
I recommend this game!