codester9's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.2
- Helpful Votes:1,158
- Reviews Submitted:31
- First Review:November 14, 2011
- Most Recent Review:February 23, 2021
- Featured reviews0
Status:
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
Compelling, unique, and beautiful HO game
PostedNovember 22, 2012
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love this game! It has everything: a great story line, with lots of suspense. Just like the best detective movies, we really do not know who the villain is until close to the end. It has great puzzles (some unique ideas I've not encountered before), just enough HO scenes, good dialogue (which you can skip if you don't like that kind of thing). The voice acting is top-notch. There is humor as well, which is always a nice addition. The CE has something I've not seen before: interviews with the developers. I loved that, finding out the motivations, the ideas, etc. behind the game. I recommend this game without any reservations! Buy it!
I recommend this game!
Be the detective: Catch the killer in the present and the past!
Overall rating
2
/
5
11 of 24 found this review helpful
Irritating and annoying
PostedSeptember 7, 2012
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
It's hard to imagine a game more annoying than this one. I tried to ignore the character off to the right, nodding or shaking her head at whatever action I take, but it was impossible: she's huge. It is as if she is in every scene of the game. Also, the wrench that appears in our hand when an action is possible is confusing and irritating. I'm really surprised at the abundance of positive reviews. I would caution anyone who is thinking of buying this to play the demo all the way through first. Then make up your own mind. Don't be swayed by other reviews (even mine).
I don't recommend this game.
Help Angelica get her witch-stolen beauty back! Save a young woman suffering from the witch’s sorcery for over 100 years!
Overall rating
5
/
5
157 of 190 found this review helpful
This is a wonderful game (ignore the bad reviews)
PostedAugust 17, 2012
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I wasn't going to write a review until I read some of the "ho hum" reviews some of the "expert" players were giving it. I completely disagree with those calling it the same old story. It is not: it is charming, challenging, and completely worth buying. The artwork is exquisite, with lots of HO scenes, in addition to puzzles and just plain old solving the mystery to determine where to go next. Each time we rescue someone, we gain a supernatural skill. I recall only one other game in the last few years that had this feature. I loved it and recommend it highly. I didn't use the strategy guide, so for those who are counting pennies, wait for the standard edition, although I found it too hard to wait. Have fun!
I recommend this game!
A medallion banishes Jessica to a strange world where she must defeat the witch who stole her husband's soul!
Overall rating
2
/
5
0 of 2 found this review helpful
A good idea, gone wrong
PostedJuly 23, 2012
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Mostly I just felt lost playing this game. It didn't make much sense. The visuals were undeveloped so it was very difficult to find items. I had to use hints and I seldom use them, even in very good challenging games. It seemed to me that the programming was off. For example, in one puzzle, I was sure I knew what to do, but even if I clicked the right number, the switch would be off. So I couldn't even get through what seemed like a simple puzzle. I always feel bad rating something this low, but it was simply impossible to enjoy.
I don't recommend this game.
Reunite Rick and Caitlin in Mystical Island, an incredible Hidden Object game! Get rick off of a tropical island and get him home!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 3 found this review helpful
For Beginners' Only
PostedJanuary 11, 2012
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Sorry to say, but this game was so boring, I did not even even finish the demo. It was very amateurish in so many ways: the artwork, the music (or lack thereof), long scenes of dialogue with no vocals, but just endless scenes of written text. At least we have the option to skip these scenes, The plot is vague and pointless. Nothing meshes together. The HOGS have items lying around that have nothing to do with the scene itself. Also, many times the objects were given completely wrong names. I was looking for a "crest" and finally used a hint, only to discover that they meant a "comb." There were other errors like this. All in all, this was disconnected, pointless, boring, and rather annoying. Each time we find an object, a dialogue box pops up to let us know what we found. Who needs that?. I don't like to submit such a negative review but people should be warned. This game is truly only for someone with no hidden object experience whatsoever. Don't waste your money.
I don't recommend this game.
After being invited to the Christening of your sister’s son, you arrive to find a deserted estate! Save your sister before it’s too late!
Overall rating
5
/
5
22 of 24 found this review helpful
In this Case, Grim Equals Great: Don't Miss It!!
PostedJanuary 7, 2012
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I didn’t think it would be possible to top The Bride, but in this sequel, Elephant Games have exceeded not only their first effort, but most of the top-level Hidden Object/Puzzle games of the last couple of years (and there have been some wonderful games)! Setting off to her nephew’s Christening, our character wrecks her car just outside the gloomy castle where her sister resides with her husband and new baby. From the start, it is clear to us, if not to the narrator, that werewolves are involved and very close at hand. With beautiful artwork, an abundance of challenging and unique puzzles, appropriately spooky music, and atmosphere galore, this game simply astonishes with its complexity and length. It feels as if I have gone to the movies expecting a 90-minute light comedy, and ended up in an epic-length horror movie, with surprises every time I turn around. The game offers so much, I literally had to stop to rest my eyes. Some of the puzzles are very difficult. Some are simply challenging, but would take so long to play, I wimped out and used the Skip button. I am playing the game at Advanced level, which is where I normally play. I think this game would be challenging and great fun at the Casual Level, even: it is very intricate! Some people may be surprised at the level of expertise required to get anywhere. A readily available map indicates our location, which rooms remain unsolved, and the location of yet-to-be discovered rooms. But the map shows only one floor level at a time: at one point in the game, after a cut scene, we suddenly have a new map to follow, underneath the castle. We play on that dungeon level for quite a while before another cut scene brings us back to the main rooms of the castle. Don’t pass up this game! It will keep you on your toes (or at least on the edge of your seat) for many hours! I recommend it highly.
I recommend this game!
Save your people from an invading force of supernatural Terractotta Warriors in this incredible Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
38 of 42 found this review helpful
Entertaining Adventure in Ancient China
PostedDecember 27, 2011
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
If you prefer extremely difficult games, this is not for you. However, if you want a beautiful, entertaining, and lengthy game to test your hidden object and puzzle skills, I recommend it highly. The game has two kinds of HO scenes: lists of 20-25 artistic, realistic, and well-hidden items, 2 or 3 that require an extra step to uncover. Clicking on certain objects begins the other kind of HO scene: 4 or 5 circles appear showing the pieces needed to create the object we have discovered. By paying close attention and searching each scene thoroughly, we also uncover other hidden tools to ease our journey; they are not on a list or indicated by sparkles. The constant variation adds to the enjoyment. The music is dramatic and appropriate for the ancient Orient; the artwork is colorful and imaginative. The game includes several puzzles. Most are quite simple, but a few require a bit more imagination and/or time. A help button reveals the objective of, but not the solution to, the puzzles. The journal includes a map indicating our location, available HO scenes, and rooms left to uncover. You can easily play the game without using the map. The game ends with a “To Be Continued” teaser, so I look forward to the next game from this group. It is nice to play a game this sophisticated that is not a Collector’s Edition. My only, very small, complaint is that we have to watch the intro cut scene each time we start to play. Once is usually enough.
I recommend this game!
Guide Kate Reed as she solves four mind-bending mysteries that take her to worlds she's never imagined!
Overall rating
5
/
5
260 of 278 found this review helpful
Exquisite Holiday Gift for Hidden Object Fans
PostedDecember 23, 2011
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Just when it seems the games cannot possibly get any better, another beauty like this emerges. House of 1000 Doors is a stunning HOG, with seven surprisingly long chapters (plus a bonus chapter in the CE), a very compelling story, and some of the best artwork to appear on the scene. This is the kind of game that keeps me up way past a normal bedtime: one chapter can easily take an hour, if you play as I do, which is enjoying the sights, sounds, and surprises along the way. I am never in a race to see how fast I can finish, but I do like to be challenged and occasionally stumped so that I have to take a hint to see where to turn next. With this game, I even resorted to the Strategy Guide once to set me on my path. You can’t get a much better effect than a huge mansion with 1,000 doors that simply “appears every few years.” The occasional creepy storyline leads to glorious redemption and before we know it, we’re headed in another direction for more adventure. The game begins, as they often do, upon receipt of a mysterious letter to set us on our quest. The huge mansion appears before our eyes, and we search through its doors, fireplaces, mirrors and pictures that morph into more doors, trains, toys that turn into real places...well you get the idea. This is a highly imaginative and enjoyable game, which I recommend without reservation.
I recommend this game!
After Sara inherits a home, she discovers that a restless spirit can speak to her! Help her sooth Emily’s soul in Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts!
Overall rating
5
/
5
45 of 46 found this review helpful
Spooky Time-Jumping Mystery Provides Hours of Challenging Play
PostedDecember 20, 2011
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts is a very engaging, often mind-boggling, game, jam-packed with puzzles from beginning to end. Set in a creepy decrepit mansion, this game is unique right off, as we choose among three levels of play: casual, challenging, and custom, in which we can design the difficulty of the play. I began with Custom, but after 20 minutes or so, started over at Casual, and was never bored. I usually play at the Challenging level of all HOGs, but even at Casual, I needed occasional hints throughout the game. However, the hints never ruin the play—they simply point us in the right direction if we are lost…and with so many rooms, two time eras, and several ongoing puzzles, it is very easy to get lost! It takes a while to catch on to how things work, but it is fun to solve the mysteries and satisfying once we do. We time jump to the past, still in the same mansion, but when it was beautiful and well tended. In the past (which we reach via mirrors and other reflective surfaces), our task is to locate objects we need in the present. We find them, hide them where they will be available in the present (assuming we can find them, have the right tools to unearth them, etc.) It is a lot of fun! I recommend this game highly, if you like a game that takes a while to play and keeps you guessing throughout. The Bonus Play in the Collector’s Edition is also very long; I would say 60-90 minutes. At the end, a message tells us we will soon have another chance to use our “gift.” I hope the game makers consider “soon” as just a few months, since I am already looking forward to their next game. Five bright stars for this highly compelling game!
I recommend this game!
End a centuries-old war between the Guardians and the Clan of the Nine in 9: The Dark Side!
Overall rating
5
/
5
62 of 72 found this review helpful
Exquisite and Challenging HO Game!
PostedDecember 6, 2011
codester9
fromEugene, Oregon
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
What a wonderful surprise to discover this game on a Sunday night. Never sure what to expect from new names in the Pond, so I was floored when I started playing. The artwork is beautiful: very detailed, lovely, and realistic. The colors seem particularly vivid and bright. The game is generously lengthy, with very long chapters and several sites we must revisit throughout the game. As other reviewers have noted, the game offers three levels of play: easy, challenging, and hardcore (no hints, no skips). I like to be challenged as much as possible, but admittedly, I appreciate the option of a Skip in case a puzzle just hangs me up too long. The HO scenes are beautifully rendered, with some objects requiring a little more imagination to uncover. I haven't heard of this company before, but I certainly hope they have more up their sleeves. This game gives you plenty opportunities to use your noggin to figure out what to do next. Along with the normal types of puzzles, they have a few unique and satisfying new puzzles. The actors are very talented, each with a distinctive personality and accent. It feels that lots of thought has gone into every aspect of this game. Very imaginative musical soundtrack, and the sound effects actually made me jump a couple of times! Well, I did have it turned up pretty loud, but all the EFX are very realistic. I recommend this game highly and will be on the lookout for more from this group of artists.
I recommend this game!