jcballar's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.8
- Helpful Votes:100
- Reviews Submitted:12
- First Review:March 26, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 5, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Help the brave caveman tribe build a new and safe paradise to live in happily ever after!
Overall rating
3
/
5
26 of 26 found this review helpful
Too Tough, Too Soon
PostedJanuary 5, 2020
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
After a cold winter dearth of Builder TM Games, was so excited to see this Alawar TM game drop, but soon was disappointed. The storyline is promising - at Level 7 I already needed to know "What has happened to those kids??" - but quickly realized that this was going to be a tough challenge. What is so frustrating is that I, a VERY experienced TM player, has had to play Levels 7-10 (current level) at least twice to even get Silver (on the medium-hard setting).I'll keep at it until I get all Gold, even if it takes months, but here is the MOST frustrating thing about this:
BFG - STOP advertising the Forums as a source for HELP! The Forums have not been active since 2018, yet even on the "Thanks for Buying Splash Page" after purchasing this game, it states: CHECK OUT THE FORUMS FOR MORE HELP! It is impossible for a player to even create a NEW game forum and BFG is no longer doing it, so either remove all reference to them or, better yet, reinstate them. Frankly, I game up my ten-year BFG membership over a year ago because of the forums. I obviously still buy the occasional TM game that I can't find elsewhere cheaper, but just use YouTube now for help. I would reconsider joining if the Forums came back. I suggest BFG limiting them to Members-Only forums and expect that would drive a lot of new memberships. Sorry for long-winded response, but felt this represented many more players here than just me.
I recommend this game!
Help the Romans and the Britons defeat the Filth in this exciting strategy adventure!
Overall rating
2
/
5
26 of 39 found this review helpful
Too Frustrating
PostedOctober 23, 2018
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I loved Roads to Rome and like Atelando, but this game is way too frustrating. The "help" guide only shows what each bldg produces. Other than destroying all of the 'filth", it's not at all clear how to get to the intermediate goals to accomplish that. I became annoyed at level 6 when there seemed no apparent way to create a bldg to produce gold, and finally gave up at level 8 when I could not find/make the one coin needed by a druid to move on. Again, I love builder/strategy TM's, but I leave my real life of frustrations to play games that are both challenging AND FUN. Not this one - for me anyway.
I don't recommend this game.
Head the investigation team and help the Argonauts crack the case of the missing Golden Fleece in this fantastic time management adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
LOVED this game!
PostedOctober 10, 2018
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
For me, the pace of this game on normal mode was perfect and there was just the right amount of strategy required. Decades ago I was really fast on TMGs, but aging has slowed that down. I applaud the developer for providing three different timer modes to suit most all players. I don't like a game to be too easy and was happy that I had to replay several levels at least twice to get three stars. The story was much of the same as the rest, but I don't rate for that. Why I am dropping one star is because if the company wants to call a game a "Collector's Edition" and charge extra then at the very least it should have a strategy guide. Extra bonus levels would also be a plus. Anyway, had a lot of fun playing this one and it never got tedious. Look forward to more.
I recommend this game!
Moai II: Path to Another World
Save your beloved and rebuild a devastated land!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
Great Game - except for Level 19a
PostedMay 9, 2015
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I loved this game and the strategic challenges. Many levels were tough, but rethinking the strategy and changing the artifacts on the warrior, helped me finally get Gold. EXCEPT - for Level 19A. This level seems so ridiculously out of place in this fun game, and the only level that I cannot achieve gold. I have watched the walkthrough video many, many times, and have replayed it at least 100 times, but still cannot even get close to a gold finish. I am finally giving up and uninstalling the game. It would have been an easy 5 star review for me if it wasn't for this one level.
I don't recommend this game.
Christmas Stories: Hans Christian Andersen's Tin Soldier Collector's Edition
The Rat King's wand has fallen into the hands of a vengeful baron. Team up with your new friend, the Tin Soldier, to stop him!
Overall rating
5
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Stunning and So Much Fun
PostedDecember 13, 2014
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I thank this amazing, fun holiday game for getting my Christmas spirit recharged this year.
PROS: Great graphics, very cute characters, nice holiday music, and a good story line. A great holiday game to play with a youngster in your life.
CONS: Wish there were INFO buttons for all of the mini-games. I skipped a few because I just was not sure what to do. Would have liked the two extra Collector Edition games to continue on the story, but the two kittens were adorable.
Overall - five stars and one I will play every year. I am glad that I purchased it.
I recommend this game!
Cooking Quest
Gather ingredients and manage your budget while preparing gourmet meals in this Hidden Object sizzler.
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Does Not Save Progress
PostedJuly 4, 2014
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Cute game, but the deal breaker for me was the inability of the game to save progress. I quit and returned a few times before completing the basic restaurants, and ALWAYS had to start over at the Steak Restaurant. Did not see this reported in the Technical Issues or main Forum for the game, so maybe it's just my (brand new) PC.
I don't recommend this game.
Farm Craft 2
Ginger must stop people making suspicious experimental fruits and vegetables, and stop the Global Vegetable Crisis!
Overall rating
1
/
5
3 of 9 found this review helpful
Way too difficult IMO
PostedMay 19, 2014
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I consider myself a very good TM player, but when this game stumped me on Level 3 (after 20 tries), I decided to forego further frustration.
Do not recommend unless you are a stellar TM player that loves extraordinary challenging.
I don't recommend this game.
My Farm Life 2
Help Lisa tackle the unique challenges of running a rooftop farm!
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 10 found this review helpful
Ridiculously Difficult
PostedOctober 25, 2013
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
TM/Strategy games are my favorites, and I generally master all gold/five stars with several level replays, but FL2 is too brutally frustrating to even be fun. When I, quite experienced, cannot even make it past Casual Level 12 (out of 50 levels), then this game is too hard for the average TM player.
Worse waste of $7 USD that I have spent in my 8+ years here at BFG.
I don't recommend this game.
Deadtime Stories
Sinister thrills await you in this gorgeously dark and unsettling real-life ghost story from New Orleans’ shadowy history!
Overall rating
3
/
5
18 of 21 found this review helpful
Nice change of venue, but quite frustrating
PostedJanuary 7, 2013
jcballar
fromFlorida, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Born and raised in the south USA, I've always been intrigued by the mysterious culture surrounding the New Orleans area, and I give the game 5 stars for recapturing that.
The characters' conversations and accents were dead on, and the background music (especially the jazz in the French Quarter) added to the ambiance. The story was plausible because superstition, fear of the unknown, and mystic repercussions rule the area as much as the law.
As excited as I was by all of this at the beginning, the game became tedious because:
1. There were many times that I was not sure what to do next and became frustrated because there was no journal or log to check.
2. HOS objects were ridiculously obscure. I rarely use a hint to find these in other games, but had to use hints on 75% of the HOS here -- and showing them wasn't a AHA moment, it was "that is unreasonable" moment.
3. The carriage was a nice touch to get to other areas, but I would have preferred a jump map indicating where areas with actions were available. I took way too many rides to areas that had nothing I needed (another reason for a journal or log).
Bottom line, although I consider myself an expert on HO games, I still play them in casual mode because I buy these to de-stress from my regular life. Deadtime Stories had 5-star possibilities, and I so hope to see more from these developers, but this game was just a little more work than fun for me.
Delaware St. John - The Curse of Midnight Manor
Delaware St. John is able to see the extraordinary, and uses his gift to solve mysteries. Help him explore a mysterious manor!
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 12 found this review helpful
Not Ready for Primetime
PostedNovember 1, 2012
jcballar
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Large File
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Only 30 min demo and I spent five of those watching the credits roll by at the beginning (and cannot be skipped). After spending 15 more minutes going around in circles in the basement without ever finding the needed generator, I gave up and uninstalled. Odd game that offers no help feature.