bluesycat's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.9
- Helpful Votes:1,094
- Reviews Submitted:151
- First Review:July 25, 2012
- Most Recent Review:August 2, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Overall rating
3
/
5
Just OK
PostedNovember 2, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the completed game.
First the pluses: Terrific graphic detail in each of the scenes. Good thing this game is not timed because there is so much beautiful to look at. The settings are absolutely LUSH, and I loved that part of the game. The story was a good adaptation of the Edgar Allen Poe. As I've read everything he ever wrote, I knew the outcome, but that was OK. It was fun finding out how the game did it. And the culprit is just horrifying when you finally find him!
In between. HOS were many, many, many, often more than one in a scene. Some required you to finish one before you could finish another. You are also not allowed to leave a setting until you have finished everything there is to do there. Which is good because of the hint system (see "Not so good" below). No voice overs, just text in the many interactions with the characters, who are not drawn with the loving detail of the settings.
Most of the puzzles were doable, except the one with the wolf, where I spent at least 10 minutes trying to figure out the logic and then skipped. I didn't even want to check the walk-through for that one!
Now, the not so good. The hint system is awful. Only works in the HOS, so if you get stuck anywhere else, you random click until you find the "eye." Eyes and hands won't let you proceed if you don't have the needed item in inventory, but you get no help in figuring out what the missing item might be or where you might find it. (As I said above, the only help was that you can't leave a scene until you've discovered everything it has to offer.) I had to refer to walk-through about 12 times. . .
The things to discover in the HOS are tiny. Many require the hint to find because they are so small. Maybe that's just my 13" screen, but these were tough. I do think that most HOS advanced the game, so I am less critical of how many there are.
The third down is how exact you must be with your mouse placement in order to find an HO or get an eye or hand. Even with the sparkles in the easiest mode, I couldn't locate many things until after trying a lot of times. Oh, yeah, and then there's the "map" which isn't really a map at all, just another lush setting that you can look at and enjoy. But be careful scrolling down too close to the bottom of the screen, you will lose the location you need to go to.
And that brings me to my final complaint (and I have this about a lot of games): If you move your cursor too quickly and too close to the bottom of the screen you got the menu, and because I was swirling around a lot looking for the next clue, I got the menu A LOT!
But overall, I guess I recommend this game, although not wholeheartedly. (I have all 5 of these games. I hope the others are better. . .)
I recommend this game!
Guide Ethan Black as he attempts to rescue his bride-to-be from a terrifying menace known as the Faceless Ones!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Really Enjoyed this Game
PostedOctober 27, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
From the number of reviews already posted, there's probably not much new I can add, but I really enjoyed playing this game, so at least I can say that.
First of all, this meets my requirement of a good story. The hero takes a many-faceted meticulous journey to solve the puzzle of his fiancee's abduction. There are many, many scenes. Mostly HOS, but also a fair number of puzzles. Many of the HOS are visited 2 or 3 times, but I didn't mind. A few objects in each visit are very hard to find, and the scenes aren't to scale making them more difficult - but not so difficult I gave up.
I did skip many of the puzzles after messing with them for a while. The ones I was able to solve were just the right balance between too easy and insoluble. Most were visual puzzles. The ones I couldn't do were the ones where moving one thing, moves a dozen other things, although I was actually able to figure out one of them.
For an SE, there is a lot of game play. I don't time my play time, but this game took a lot of enjoyable time, even when played at the easy level with a ton of sparkles. There was so much to discover in each scene I could forgive the endless blinking. There were a few instances of traipsing back and forth, but not too much. For the most part, once you left a scene cluster, there was no need to return.
Graphics are comic drawn, but with some interesting detail. The music is repetitive and sometimes annoying, but you can always shut it off. Sound effects in the HOS were strident, but again didn't take away from the game. Very satisfying ending, particularly in light of there being a CE out there. Try it out first, but I recommend this game!
I recommend this game!
Can a vampire and an ordinary girl be together, if the vampire's father opposes this?
Overall rating
3
/
5
Not so much fun on lots of levels
PostedSeptember 19, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on completing the main game and the bonus chapter. The story had a lot of promise - vampire loves human and wants to change, but is burdened by being the son of Dracula, who is not pleased with sonny's choice. The game is played from both the perspective of the human bride and the vampire groom, jumping back and forth between the characters to advance the story.
I liked the idea of playing both characters. It was often difficult, however, to decide when was the best moment to switch without consulting the guide. I consulted the guide a lot because much movement was not intuitive. The wonderfully interactive map also helped out with what to do next. I had set the custom degree of difficulty to turn off sparkles, but if you want helpful info on the map, you have to get sparkles too.
The game is very heavy with HOS and all (or almost all) are visited multiple times. Although they were interactive, the junk piles were so confused and messy, it was hard to pick out things. By the last quarter of the game, I found myself switching almost immediately to the Match 3 so that I wouldn't have to look at those jumbles. There are also lots of puzzles, which were fun. I was able to solve most, except those of the type that I can never solve - ones involving numbers and spacial relationship.
Overall, I was just desperate to finish, hoping that something better would happen, but it didn't. Another thing I don't like is endings with choices. The bonus has a choice. I don't like that I have to go back and start over as someone else to find out what would have happened if I made the other choice. There were also a few small technical issues where those pesky black bars told me that I had to do something I had already done.
So - not a lot of fun and no recommendation.
I don't recommend this game.
Follow our intrepid investigators as they explore this unique Paris setting that combines fantasy and the Crazy Years.
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
Different Bad Reason
PostedSeptember 17, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Well, I played for about 15 minutes before deleting the demo. I was not so put off by the idea of a cartoon instead of a game (although I don't know why I would want to pay for that). I just could not figure out how to play the game. Rolls of film keep popping up all over the place. You're supposed to collect them, but I never did figure out how, and you need them to play the puzzles, so if you're me you get stuck, stuck, stuck.
Nice cartoon graphics. The cat is cute, as are its comments about things. No other redeeming value here.
I don't recommend this game.
After inheriting an old antique shop, Emily discovers an odd diary that seems to contain a number of clues as to the book's origin. As she delves deeper into the mystery, what she uncovers will change her forever.
Overall rating
2
/
5
Could have been OK
PostedSeptember 10, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on ten minutes of the demo. Which was all I could take. I think the story could have been good. Really good teasers with the explanations from the Book of Souls. But, too much to read, and the game moves VERY slowly. Too slowly for me to try to find out about the story. I think if the objects had been easier to find I would have liked this.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Melissa find her son, figure out who is behind his kidnapping, and stay off the police radar in Vault Cracker!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Hard to classify
PostedAugust 31, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on completed game in "casual" mode. This is an older, different kind of HO game. You search each scene for tasks to solve. Each successfully found task has a drop down chain of images of things to find in the scene. Most scenes also have a number of traditional HO games with lists of things to find. Some of main scenes are very interactive, some not. In the easy mode there are lots of sparkles. I usually don't like these, but in many instances I would not have been able to find the tasks without them. For each thing you have to find, you have to be very exact with the curser.
The game has good looking cartoon graphics and has some quirky HOs where you need to eliminate characters based on their characteristics. There are a number of safes to crack and you need to solve a puzzle to do so. All the games are very easy, a plus for me. The story, which involves the kidnapping of a child, is mostly light and entertaining. There is no doubt about the outcome from the first scene.
My low rating is based on some technical issues I had late in the game. I had to go to the forum twice - once I found a fix, the other time I did not and had to start over with a different profile. Also, there was one HO scene repeated verbatim at the beginning and end of the game. What's up with that? The play is fun - I wouldn't dare try it in advanced mode! I will recommend the game for people who want an easy HO game with a few challenges. Hopefully the technical issues have been resolved (I bought this game a long time ago), and you have good time.
I recommend this game!
Experience a story about love so strong, it can overcome the most powerful evil! Explore visually stunning mystical dimensions and rescue your fiance!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 6 found this review helpful
Nope!
PostedAugust 26, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Review based on 45 minutes of the demo. OK. I liked the story. I liked that the puzzles are easy. I sort of liked the graphics. I hated the sound (but that's pretty normal for me).
This game had two non-starters for me for a CE. Only two levels of difficulty for the play and the inventory DOES NOT LOCK. Come one folks, this is a CE! I really dislike having to flash back and forth and back and both and back and forth to an invisible inventory, particularly one that has so many objects to gather.
I MIGHT get the SE when it comes out with a coupon, because I like this kind of story, but I won't pay for it.
I don't recommend this game.
Explore the Portals to the Unknown with rescue pilot Veronica Rivers in this mysterious Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Fun But Old
PostedAugust 20, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the completed game. This is a "true" HO game. There are lots of them here interspersed with some easy puzzles. Very relaxing because there is nothing particularly challenging. The artwork is good; the sound engaging.
This is definitely an "old" game, however. There are many chapters, taking the heroine to many places in the world and out of it. But each chapter is the same. One or two HOS, and the same puzzles. Each of the puzzles gets a bit harder and a bit more complicated in each scene, but they are still the same. I found this OK, because I could go away from the game at the end of a chapter and come back and know exactly where I was. Some of the HOS were lists, some were silhouettes. One has the objects to find moving in and out of the scene, so you have to look at the right time.
Lots of fun for people who like to relax and not complete a game in one sitting. Not fun for folks who like the newer games with more complex practice.
I recommend this game!
The entire town has been put into a deep, dark sleep by a mysterious evil force. Now young Lillian must find allies and uncover the dark secrets of voodoo in order to save her master and free her friends before it is too late.
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Oh, NO!
PostedAugust 6, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the finished game.
Well, I was going to give this 3 stars until I got to the ending. The ending is so bad, I almost gave it 1 star.
I was ambivalent about the game play throughout. The visuals for this game are just gorgeous. Everything is almost like old sepia photographs but with more detail. Each scene is a beautiful picture with lovely details in soft light. This game has some of the best HOS I've seen. They are extremely difficult, crowded locations, but there is almost nothing in each scene that should not be there. So a lady's dressing table is crowded with cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry. A man's desk has writing implements, cigars, playing cards. A trash can has - trash! There is a magnifying glass for these scenes which is sometimes helpful and sometimes not.
The game play is slow and not intuitive and the hint very slow to recharge. And then the walk-through (for which there is no link) is also not very helpful, particularly for the HOS. So you had better like those beautiful scenes A LOT, because you're going to be looking at the wrong one forever.
The music is often inappropriate to the setting, so I just shut it off. There is also lots of dialog for those who don't like dialog. Given the ending, this game gets no recommendation.
I don't recommend this game.
Witch Hunters: Full Moon Ceremony Collector's Edition
Defeat the evil witches and save the world from eternal darkness!
Overall rating
1
/
5
41 of 54 found this review helpful
Not fun - at all
PostedAugust 2, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I hardly ever do this. This review is based on 27 minutes of the demo. I usually complete (or come close to completing) the demo before I decide to review a game. But this game is so dreadful that I couldn't bear to continue any further.
It has beautiful scenery and characters, but everything is rather old style. That would be OK if the story weren't so totally stupid. Painfully stupid. I play mostly for story and this one is so idiotic I could not bear it any further. The third time the good witch shows up and spends minutes of my precious time telling me how sweet my heart is, I just about threw up. That's when I deleted the game. I know some of us need this encouragement, but I wouldn't be the "hero" of this game if I didn't have a good heart, right?
The game play was OK, but nothing was going to save this stupid story with gushing good witches, accented bad witches and the worst ghoul ever.
Sorry, folks.
I don't recommend this game.