shorenuf's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:2,543
- Reviews Submitted:89
- First Review:November 19, 2011
- Most Recent Review:October 25, 2021
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Take a journey through medieval times. Help Joan of Arc to build a new kingdom and change the fate of the people in this epic story of honor and courage.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Player's choice of challenge
PostedMarch 1, 2013
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Oh, of course I bought it -- it's a Match 3, my fave kinda game! And it has some decent features…
Initial findings:
Timed and Untimed Modes -- can switch between boards
Swap. group and chain modes -- can switch between boards
Some interesting game mechanics
Hidden sections you must unlock
Power ups
Achievements
Earn coins to build the town as you play
Timed and Untimed Modes -- can switch between boards
Swap. group and chain modes -- can switch between boards
Some interesting game mechanics
Hidden sections you must unlock
Power ups
Achievements
Earn coins to build the town as you play
Not so great features…
Not exactly Widescreen -- side bars are filled with stone walls
Graphics are colorful -- not as sharp as I would like
Music is repetitive
Game play feels repetitive
So far I am doing all the work -- not sure when Joan will show up.
Not exactly Widescreen -- side bars are filled with stone walls
Graphics are colorful -- not as sharp as I would like
Music is repetitive
Game play feels repetitive
So far I am doing all the work -- not sure when Joan will show up.
Follow up upon completion:
The town built itself with the help of my financial support. Joan showed up periodically to laud the progress and finally to proclaim the town safe and prosperous.
The town built itself with the help of my financial support. Joan showed up periodically to laud the progress and finally to proclaim the town safe and prosperous.
This match 3 was much too easy if you play it in swap mode. One of the achievements is 'Use each mode (swap, group, chain) to complete at least one board.' I tried the other two modes -- even in the beginning they were challenging; toward the end, near impossible. Does practice make perfect? Go through the entire game once and you can "Free Play" any of the 100 levels in any mode.
So I guess trying to play most of the game in only group and or chain would make the game extremely hard. Maybe someday I will try that…maybe not. (3.5 stars)
I recommend this game!
Be the detective: Catch the killer in the present and the past!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
I really got Caught Up in this game…
PostedNovember 12, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I totally enjoyed this game. I was at it for hours and hours. Some of the puzzles were very clever. There were several HO scenes, but for those of us no longer that excited about them, they were not overbearing. The story was complicated but not convoluted. If you get involved in it, you really should get the CE to play the Bonus chapter. The main game is complete enough, but the Bonus chapter… well, just play it and come to your own conclusion.
Yes, the story drove the game along, but there was plenty of "game" in the game. Lots of tasks with interesting uses for inventory items. Play in Hardcore mode for the most challenge. If you are into getting achievements, you might be very tempted to play the game again -- several of them were based on the puzzles and mini games.
Widescreen, the artwork is stunning, the presentation is excellent, the twists and turns are fun. An unequivocal 5 stars!
I recommend this game!
Explore the vastness of a ship lost in time, what mysteries will you uncover amidst its Mayan idols, menacing sea creatures, and exotic treasures? Find out in this exciting new Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game on the open seas!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 8 found this review helpful
Prepare for a Spirited Adventure…
PostedOctober 6, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In the hours and hours of game play you will spend entertained by this game, you will encounter practically every feature possible in a Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure.
Other reviews posted here have itemized the myriad ways this is a top notch game -- I concur with every Wow! Please demo this and discover all the fun to be had!
I recommend this game!
Save your brother and try to solve the mystery behind the silver screen in Final Cut: Death on the Silver Screen, a thrilling game set in the 1950's!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Lights! Camera! Action!
PostedSeptember 27, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Looking for several hours of game play? This one will deliver! I really enjoyed it. I think that had a lot to do with the story, but it did keep my interest. The tasks made you think enough to feel accomplished; some of the puzzles exercised your gray matter. I did not get all the achievements -- there were over 40. One was for finishing in under 5 hours -- I definitely did not get that one!!
The bonus chapter -- it was an epilogue that followed right after the main story and cleaned up the mystery that ended the core game. That's not to say that the core game couldn't stand on its own -- many stories leave you wondering. At the end of the bonus chapter you'll just be left wondering about something else.
The bonus play was fairly long. It did cover a new location, was a tad HOS heavy, puzzles were decent. If you got caught up in the story playing the demo, I would recommend the CE.
Other bonus extras include music, movies, hidden object scenes (even a couple of bonus ones), puzzles, concept art and even a funny “making of” video featuring the humorous hijinks of the development team.
I wish the presentation had been in widescreen. The only excuse to forgive this is the story is about a filmmaker who died in 1946, the time frame of the game. (approaching 4.5 stars)
I recommend this game!
Discover the Red Riding Hood Sisters and defeat the nefarious Wolf Queen!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
A few things fell out of Red's basket…
PostedSeptember 21, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
What this presentation does well is worthy of superlatives. It is exquisitely, masterfully, intricately, skillfully crafted, visually stunning with enormous attention paid to animated detail. The story is well conceived. Little Red grew up and her legacy is the basis for this fairy tale. However…
This would be an awesome picture story book, unfortunately the last few chapters felt rushed. As the detective on the case to defeat the Wolf Queen you meet and interact with several characters, the plot becomes quite involving. Then poof! In a few convoluted moments it's over.
As a "game" -- something to challenge your mind, an adventure to piece together by completing tasks with found objects and solving puzzles, all with a sense of accomplishment -- it falls a bit short.
This is a fragmented hidden object game -- find pieces of a whole object which will become an item in your inventory. Unfortunately only 10% of the pieces are really well hidden.
The puzzles are beautifully, thematically presented, clever and enjoyable. Some have multiple parts to solve -- those are the most challenging. Others are very simple. One challenged your mouse skills; when I was sure I had failed, the game registered a win. Go figure.
The Adventure flows well -- almost too well. You are never stymied by how to use an inventory item or what to do next.
The one challenging exception might be finding the 20 morphing objects -- I didn't.
The map is not detailed and has no teleporting feature -- a miss considering the scope of the game world you travel back and forth within.
The bonus story is a prequel to the main story, but both stand on their own. It is equally well done. I enjoyed the story, and actually think the adventure had a bit more challenge.
This review is based on the merits of this game. Compared to others, I would have to rate it better than many. It was a pleasant way to spend several hours.
I recommend this game!
Save the besieged alpine village of Martlet and rescue its residents from the mysterious living statues in this exciting Hidden Object Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
One caveat away from brilliant…
PostedSeptember 2, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Well, as much as I am about to rave about this game, I must say the bonus chapter was fairly short and ended rather weakly. It did have different locations and a few pretty good puzzles. The main game has a conclusive enough ending; the bonus play does nothing to enhance it. The SE would be quite satisfying, IMHO.
Now for the raves…
This is a beautifully presented, well structured game with some very unique use of inventory items. It was truly enjoyable to play.
This is a beautifully presented, well structured game with some very unique use of inventory items. It was truly enjoyable to play.
Play in Hardcore, and this will be very much an adventure. Take notes, there are a lot of locations and tasks. There is a map that will transport you from place to place, but in Hardcore the map does not indicate where there are achievable objectives. Play in Casual or Advanced using the map, this game will be much more about the puzzles and the HOs, than the tasks, more an activity than a memory game.
Either way, there is no denying how stunning this game is, visually, and in content. Except for one transition I thought was obscure, the game flowed comfortably along, aided by a captivating story.
This was one of the more satisfying games I have played in recent weeks. I highly recommend it.
I recommend this game!
Embark on a fascinating adventure in a world of magic. Break the town’s evil spell to bring joy back to its citizens in this beautiful Match 3 game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
Time is NOT on your side…
PostedAugust 15, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The townspeople shunned the Clockmaker. He took revenge by messing up time. Buildings are deteriorating…
Truly an exercise in patience. In relaxed mode, of course, you won't have to replay any roundss, so the game will take you 24 rounds to complete. That's approximately 80 levels depending on how many bonus levels among those you want to tackle. They can be skipped.
The required levels, however, are tedious and unforgiving. There is definitely logic involved even from the first move. It feels like punishment to miss an obvious move -- other moves become frustratingly difficult. There is no "restart level" option. Using power ups doesn't always have a positive effect. I would give up ice cream for a "shuffle" power up. If there are no more moves the board resets and adds frozen tiles. (More punishment.) A level can take so long as to become a hateful exercise.
Timed mode -- I can't imagine ever investing the effort. At least not until I figure out the logic in all the boards and have a better shot at completing them more quickly. Even with that, time is so much a factor that your buildings will deteriorate during your game play. They even deteriorate while you work on the supposedly untimed bonus puzzle like rounds. One way to beat the game is to play rounds over and over until you earn enough points to buy the "indestructable" power up 24 times. I'm afraid I lack the fortitude for that!
I finished the game in relaxed mode and figured out 22 of the 24 bonus puzzles. (Makes me really wonder why I couldn't get the other two, but you can't replay the buildings once the game is completed.)
I have spent enough time with the Clockmaker.
I don't recommend this game.
Escape a cursed island of lost souls by helping three of the trapped spirits in Redemption Cemetery: Grave Testimony!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
Rush to judgement…
PostedAugust 9, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
My error -- I was sure this would be a great game just from the opening cut scene. Oh yes, there is the stunning artwork, the live person video, but then it is just typical ERS. Even in Hardcore mode there was very little challenge. Unless of course you count the challenge encountered by some main game black bar info given in the wrong order.
Totally disconnected stories -- the first being the longest and best, simple puzzles, and a lackluster ending improved modestly but not completely by the bonus chapter…
Ah, the bonus chapter. Perhaps the most challenging of all. There certainly was some obtuse reasoning expected from the player. And one area near the end where you could not progress unless you followed the tasks in a precise order. That order, by the way, was given backwards in the strategy guide.
So, in the end, I felt ERS rushed this one out hoping the opening scene would lure you in. Unfortunately for me, it did.
I don't recommend this game.
Take a trip to the beautiful Caribbean and create your very own tropical hideaway!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Yar Har Har! Skull Island is Mine!
PostedAugust 5, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a great game -- wickedly tough, even frustrating on some levels, but entertainingly addictive at the same time. The Match 3 mechanic is unique -- you always have an icon on your cursor that you have to match on the board. Strategy and quickness are essential for ultimate success through 100 levels. Earn gold as you play, buy buildings to get power ups, buy building upgrades to strengthen them. Follow a cute Pirate story.
You complete 1 of four Islands each time you finish the game. I certainly intend to finish all four of them. Yo! Off to build Scallywag Sands!
I recommend this game!
Travel to Red Lake Falls to track down the latest Dark Dimension!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
The wax ebbed and flowed…
PostedJuly 7, 2012
shorenuf
fromScottsdale, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
…as did the story and my interest.
I am rather torn on my opinion of this game. It took what seemed forever to complete it, but not sure that was because it was long, or it didn't hold my interest and I had to stop playing for a while and return to it.
Game play was decent -- no map and perhaps a bit too much back and forth, but will admit there was a lot to do.
Most of the mini games were rather easy, but required some time to acquire all the inventory items necessary to start the puzzle. There was a unique twist to the interactive HOG scenes -- both the item you needed to interact on and the one used to interact with were in the list. So you had to find the latter one with no cursor guidance. Some of the adventure tasks also required multiple actions using inventory items found at different times.
None of it was particularly challenging which I imagine is what led to my boredom and need to take a break.
As for the story -- it had potential, but sad to say, after all was said and done, it came to no great literary climax. There was visual drama at the end of the core game, and I suppose a sufficient enough ending, but not very satisfying.
So, off I went to see what the bonus chapter would be like. It was a tad convoluted, and the purpose for the chapter never came to fruition. Similar game play to the main game.
There were some innovative attempts at presentation -- live actor video (with poor lip syncing), the H0G scenes as mentioned above, dramatic cut scenes, some outstanding artwork. (Yes, the game is dark in story and visually -- hence the title.)
If you buy CEs for the extended play time, the bonus chapter is of modest length. And, if you buy the CE for the better story, the bonus chapter will not leave you more satisfied.
In total this is, comparatively speaking, a higher quality game. IMHO the SE would provide enough entertainment.
I recommend this game!