Jacoban55's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.4
- Helpful Votes:189
- Reviews Submitted:23
- First Review:January 16, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 1, 2021
- Featured reviews0
A routine flight becomes a perilous adventure as you struggle to survive the dangerous way of life inside the Bermuda Triangle!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Best in a LONG time
PostedApril 1, 2021
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I purchased my first BFG game in 2008. Yep. So when I say this game was one of the best I've played in years, I'm not exaggerating. I can't say I've seen 10 pages of reviews for a game in a long time either.
I stopped writing reviews quite some time ago, but this one made me come out of hiding. It was FUNNY. I don't remember laughing out loud so much while playing any game. It was CLEVER. The "Retro" was tremendous, and the other interactives with "Daring" were superbly pulled off. It was CHALLENGING. There were 2 specific HOPs that wholly frustrated me, but I truly loved the challenge... frustration aside. I felt like I actually ACCOMPLISHED something. Been a long time since any game's evoked that feeling. It was BEAUTIFUL. Colorful and nicely done. Not sullen and blue and purple and green having me up my screen brightness just to see. Oy. It was WHIMSICAL. Set the imagination on fire. Could the Bermuda Triangle really be like this with stuff just hanging in the air? The music was very good. What's that sound? Me humming while playing. Rarity. I can't tell you how many times I blurted out "Mad Head has outdone themselves with this game!!" or "This game is so GOOD!"
Many, many others have described the game play, proper. I just had to poke my head out and say "Well done, Mad Head, well done. I applaud your work." Stay this course for a minute. Now, back into hiding with me while I wait for the next wonder that will pull me out into the light again. Happy gaming, all!
I recommend this game!
The mysterious League of Light has chosen you as their newest member. Are you up to your first assignment?
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 17 found this review helpful
Not a bad game
PostedJuly 20, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Unfortunately, this will have to be a review based on a truncated demo experience - about 30 minutes. I experienced some technical glitches which locked up my machine and I wouldn't go back into the game and try again.
First of all, this is a good game. The graphics are great. I went into the extras and listened to all the music pieces, and they were all very nice. With the amount of demo I was able to get through, the music was excellent and did add to the atomosphere of the game.
There are voiceovers, and they are well done. The animation was excellent - the character's mouth moved properly with the words they were speaking and stopped when they were finished. The dialog made sense and wasn't cheesy.
There are also achievements. Owls to find, and the usual assortment for different actions in the game (finding 3 hidden objects in 3 seconds, and the like), and there was a nice twist: you get an achievement for answering an "easy question". There are not an overabundance of them, about 10.
"Black bar" info is helpful, and tiered. That is, if you click the area more than once, you'll get different info that is helpful for what you need to do. It's like a mini-hint system. Nice touch, I thought.
Interactive map, and looks to be a very nice sized game. Strategy guide is helpful, and stays where you left it.
This may be my experience only, but I found the game to be glitchy. Infrequently, when I would zoom in on an area, only half of the scene would show, the other half would be blacked out. However, the full scene would be active, so if I needed to use a key in a door and clicked on a door zooming in on the lock, only half of the lock would show, but the key would still work and the door would still open. Before the game froze up, this began to happen in the main scenes as well.
Also, things would just disappear though they would still be there. A painting would disappear from a scene, but my cursor would still change to a magnifying glass, and I would still get the black bar info when I clicked on it. Similarly, items would also disappear from my inventory, though they would still be there and identifying text would appear when I hovered over the item. I could still use it and it would still work. However, usually what you can't see, you forget it's there. That could be an issue.
Lastly, for those that this matters to, this game is full of demonic imagery. There is quite a bit of darkness associated with the story, with the backgrounds, with the drawings in the books you see in the game, with the paintings you see in the game, even with the wallpapers offered in the extras, and with some of the characters you interact with during the game. There's also a number of skeletons and other death images. And I only got through about 30 minutes of the demo. Take it for what it's worth to you, and don't say my review wasn't helpful because I mentioned it.
All that being said, for the game play, the storyline, the *overall* look and feel of the game (sans my glitches which you may not even experience), I would recommend it. There's a lot of bang for the buck, and... it's a bogo weekend. :o)
I recommend this game!
After being passed from one orphanage to another, all Katherine wants is a family to call her own.
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Awwwwwwww!
PostedJune 27, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Ok, I really liked this game. There were some frustrations: even after I got the wrench/puzzle part/whatever, everytime I hit that room or space again, it still said I needed it. :o) Ah, I learned quickly to just keep on moving because the story had a hold on me.
It's funny what gets us sometime, isn't it? The things we think we'll love we end up not, and vice versa. Well, this game was one of those for me. I didn't think I'd like it too much, thought it'd be sappy, but you know what? It was a solid storyline. It flowed well and stayed cohesive all the way to the end. All I will say about the end is: I really, really liked it! The game left me feeling good and satisfied.
Not always about the graphics, the colors, the journal, map or lack thereof. Sometimes it's good to just get into a good story and go through it and enjoy it, flaws and all; whether it meets the current days "standards" and "expectations" or not. This was one of those games, and I thought it was well put together.
Puzzles were a mix of easy and a little harder than easy. I found one particular one that the directions didn't help me, personally, so I went to the walkthrough to see what it was I needed to do. Otherwise, I made it through them pretty well.
Music was good for me. I liked it - it was laid back, mellow and more backround-ish, which was appropriate for the game.
Wonderful, meandering change of pace. Enjoy.
I recommend this game!
The lighthouse fails and darkness invades Willow Ridge. Your husband runs into the forest for answers, unaware of the shadow hunting him.
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Mixed bag
PostedJune 1, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed the whole game, plus bonus. First off I must say that this game had every bell and whistle you could want. Acorns in the main game, morphing objects in the bonus chapter, thought provoking puzzles, different twists on HOS, gorgeous graphics, extremely good music, great adventure, good storyline flow.
Why the 3-star rating? Two things: the mini-movies/films/cutscenes, and the achievements.
I had the same problem quite a few others had with those blasted mini-movies/films/cutscenes. They froze up, they paused, they inched along at a rate that was slower than slow. I am thankful they didn't lock my computer, and I was joyous for the skip button because that enabled me to eventually continue play the game. I actually got quite good at positioning my mouse so that I wouldn't have to wait for the next "freeze frame" to see if it was positioned correctly. Then I had to click repeatedly on the skip button (or the item I was trying to get) so that when the screen moved again, that action would take effect. That was extremely irritating. Once out of the cutscene, everything else was smooth. Not sure what that was all about, but developers: take note because that's a killer. When I see this developer's name again, I will think of these cutscenes and it will give me pause as to whether or not I'll play/purchase the game.
Next the achievements. I like achievements and I usually take a peek at what there is to get (in the main menu) before I start so I can know what to do during the game. This set of achievements was extensive, and some were for the bonus game. 'Course you didn't know that, so you spent lots of main game time looking for morphing objects... hmmmm. Then there were 'mystery' achievements - I generally find those to be off-putting and challenging at the same time. Can't really do/get them if you don't know what they are, but the challenge is trying everything and then find out in the end if you got them. Can't say I am a real fan of them, and in this game even the ones I knew about had to be left undone. Gold, Silver, Bronze levels of achievements? Lose that. Didn't understand the Old Lady's bonus thing. Apparently, I missed an acorn or something somewhere that tied into getting to that bonus. Frustrating - why spend the money if you can't enjoy all of what you pay for? One review said to follow the SG all the way through the game word for word...but what type of gaming experience would that give? Generally, I am not a "re-player" once I solve/finish/defeat something I'm done with it. This game, however, left me rather unsatisfied and it may warrant a replay just to get all the parts I missed.
Great ideas, however bad execution in some places.
Other than those scenes & some achievements, the game was simply phenominal. I liked the concept drawings that came with explanation - I appreciate the work that goes into making these games, so it's always good to be able to see behind the scenes.
I will recommend the game - my frustrations aside. There is plenty of help in the hint and SG systems, and if you don't have problems with the mini-films/cutscenes, then you are good to go. You'll surely be challenged and you'll find the flow of the game to be very good with quite satisfying endings in both the main game and bonus chapter.
I recommend this game!
The evil Alura is back, and this time she’s attacking your homeland!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Thoughtful
PostedMay 27, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
First a tip of the cap to a couple of reviewers who spoke my mind: "purring ginger kitty folks", "Sanford and Son junkpile" (nice analogy), and to Reviewer Nilosh, who wondered rather forlornly at the quality of today's CE's. Caused me to pause and think - yes, CE's should be more than just the "standard" stop-drop-and-roll of wallpapers, music, concept art, and (sometimes anemic) bonus play, though that was not the case in this game.
Having said that, I purchased the CE (heh) and I found it quite delightful. I loved the colors - they did fine on my compy and weren't "washed out". I was especially taken with the colorful animals and attention to detail. Extremely creative and well thought out. It is clear that the developers took some time with this offering.
Game play itself was fine. Very smooth, no hiccups, and the music was gorgeous. The best I've heard in quite some time.
For the reviewer who wanted to hear about what others thought of the end of the game: The end of the main game was done well. I wasn't left hanging and *having* to go to the BC to find out what happened (I don't like that either). Concerning the BC, I thought the story direction itself was quite good, however, I found it to be a bit short and the end to be a little abrupt (I would have liked to have freed my friend myself). I was a little sad that they wrapped all the loose ends up and handed me the package. Less programming that way, though....
By the way, I noticed that someone forgot to translate a direction - it was still in...Russian? Forgive me, I have a hard enough time with Englsh! :oD It had to do with getting into a door I believe and when you click on it to see what you needed to open it, the explaining text appeared in ...err...that other language. That only happened once, and I figured out I needed some sort of amulet or something to get the door to open. ;o)
Overall, this game was very good and I am glad that I purchased it. This set of reviews, though, is quite thought provoking and I hope that all developers take note.
I recommend this game!
Solve this maritime mystery to reunite a pirate with his lost love!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
This one got me
PostedMay 11, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
You can read the other reviews for all the gaming details - other reviewers are very, very good at giving out that kind of info - plus...they always beat me to the punch! :o) So no need to repeat here.
I will say this: what got me about this game were the clarity of the graphics. One reviewer said they liked how they could almost reach out and grab the door handle or feel the water, and yes, that is quite true. That's one thing that got me. The other was the storyline and the presentation of it. I'm pretty much a sucker for find-the-person-defeat-the-bad-guys-reunite-lost-loves storylines. Also (and this might be a bit quirky) I like the scrolls for the cut scenes. I think they're different and a nice touch, and I enjoyed the voiceovers.
When I encountered slow loading scenes, I thought "oh no!" and I thought there might be a long loading lag between the scenes throughout the game. I was a little afraid of that, but I found that once I'd played and visited scenes, going back to them did not require the same long load time - they just came up (even when I used the jump map).
Coins: yes indeedy some are hard to locate. My goodness. However, there is much help where that is concerned so if you know one is there, then don't give up til you find it! Plus you can increase the brightness, so maybe that will help from time to time.
Options should be available to the user *before* the game starts...having said that, I didn't have to adjust the music, voices, or atmospheric sounds. They were perfect for me.
Lastly, how can a wheelbarrow full of wood still be dry in the pouring down rain? Hmmmmmm.... ;o)
Good show Youda.
I recommend this game!
Castle: Never Judge a Book by Its Cover
Solving murder has never been so much fun!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
It's deja vu all over again...
PostedMay 4, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
...But not a bad game at all. I decided to purchase (well, use a free credit# half way through the demo. Highly reminicent of James Patterson Women’s Murder Club game series and since I liked them, I also liked this one. I had no idea this was a tv show until I saw it in the prelim screen splashes.
The game is a bit repetitive, and about half way through you know the series of events that are going to take place for each new victim. However, each case takes you different offices/homes/locales and the different scenery is nice with crisp graphics throughout. HOS give relevant items that are ready to use #that is, you don't have to hold on to something forever trying it in ridiculous places out of frustration), and they're pretty easy.
I enjoyed the puzzles - a couple of them were frustrating as heck for me, and I enjoyed that challenge. One was actually 5 puzzles in 1 which was refreshing. I've been off and on the game all day - doing other things and coming back to it, so I can't speak to it's length.
It's a good game, and a good distraction from all the supernatural, dispairingly demony & ghosty games. So, whether you know of the show or not, whether you're a fan or not, take a spin and see if you like it.
I recommend this game!
A murderous figure in a red mask haunts the streets of a small French town, and the mayor needs your help to track him down. But you soon discover that the mysterious Red Masque might not be the real criminal…
Overall rating
5
/
5
15 of 16 found this review helpful
Appreciative of the time and effort
PostedApril 28, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I really enjoyed the game. It was simply visually beautiful - the developers really captured the ambiance of every scene. The music matched as well, and so when I was standing in the pouring rain, I felt like I wanted to be in my office with the kitt by the roaring fire. Excellent job.
The game had many little nuances like that that made it a full experience. I played the whole game and the bonus content and at the end of it all, I sat back and said "wow. Now that was a good game!" There were many acheivements, many things to collect, details to pay attention to, and it was quite twisty. I liked being able to decide who dunnit, thought that was a nice touch.
I didn't expect the bonus content to be what it was - which was a very plausible continuation of the story and brought it to a satisfying close for me. It had new areas to visit and, while it was equally as stunning graphically as the main game, I did have a minor disappointment with it. As a disclaimer, I'll say that I have been having some minor compy issues, so this could very well be a problem of my very own and not the devs, however, I found the bonus game to be a bit lacking in some details that were in the main game. Example: when you go to pour water, you usually get the lifting of the pitcher, the pouring water sound, see the container fill up and then then message "you found a container of water". (I love that by the way - heh! :o) I just poured the thing, I didn't just find it! :o) In this bonus game, you expect all that detail and instead a full thing of water just pops up. Or whatever the action that you were doing. It felt a little undone and incomplete - not like it was just thrown on the end (as with some others), but like ....maybe some spots were just missed and they put the game out anyway? Well, it's a rather small matter in the face of the entire game, and like I said, it could've just been my persnickety computer.
The extras were plentiful, and I always enjoy a peek behind the scenes. I like being able to put faces to the work. Causes me to appreciate it much more. I liked that you could go back and play the HOGs and puzzles again. It's good that all games are different/have different extras/achievements/etc - each developer has their own flair and style and that's what makes them good (and what causes me to buy their games!). I wouldn't want every game if they were all the same.
I recommend this game!
Someone in the Order has turned traitor, murdering one of the Secret Five! Only Sarah can prevent the Order’s destruction!
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 10 found this review helpful
Engaging and fun
PostedMarch 25, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I found the graphics, voice overs, music, and sounds to be quite well done. I especially liked the bonus content as part of the game. That was refreshingly different, and it added to the 'drama' (if you will) of the game for me. I decided to play this on the intermediate level; a first for me - I usually hang on the casual level and meander through games enjoying all the nuances, etc. This time I meandered on the intermediate level, and found it to be about the same experience I that I've found on previous casual levels: hint refill relatively quickly, still sparkles, but not so frequently, click penalty (though I never ran into it).
The first thing I thought as I was playing was that this was a tight and fluid game. I never felt as though it were linear, nor did I ever feel 'lost' as in not knowing what to do next. This was the 2nd game in this title series (if I'm not mistaken), and it was a very good offering. I was a little surprised by the low ratings and comments, but to each his own I suppose. I knew from the first game that I'd probably be getting this one, and after I played the demo I knew I would be. Found it to be money well spent (we're glad BFG is having a March Madness fit!).
The game always loaded quickly and played well. No error shutdowns and no stuttery glitches, map problems, or game code showing up in the game as I've experienced recently with other games.
It's a good story, a good game, will hold your attention, and worth your time. Yep, I'll recommend it. :o)
I recommend this game!
Face a 200-year mystery and save your best friend! Discover how strong friendship ties can be and to what extremes unrequited love is ready to go.
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
Hm! I liked it!
PostedFebruary 9, 2013
Jacoban55
fromDC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Given all the low reviews I was really skeptical of this game, but I gave it a try anyway. Sometimes in spite of the reviews :o)
I was honesty surprised that I liked this game so much. There was an "old schoolness" about it that appealed to me, I guess. What others have said does hold true for the most part: the text lags behind the voice over, yes; the music is a loop and a short one at that, yes; and, perhaps the most annoying, the reminder that popped up on every single screen that you had "get this to Elizabeth" (once you found something you were to give to her). If you found that item 5 screens away, you got that popup on every screen as you made your way back to where she was - including when you got there. That was a bit much, though I do understand the logic behind it. Also, I was often in the dark about what to do with items... because when I noticed the item was needed it was *WAY* back at the beginning of the game, or quite a ways back and I almost never knew what to do with the item. That was a bit frustrating. I was very thankful for the hint button - it did tell me when there was nothing to do (quite a bit!), but when there was something to do I would get a proper sparkly hint that encircled the item where the action was needed and *then* I would know what to do with the doodad I got so long ago.
All of the above aside, oddly enough, I still liked the game. I liked the graphics, the story, and the game play itself. I did like the music even though I wished it had been more varied. I found the game to be immersive, and I liked the twist ending. I dunno - I guess some games just strike you that way and when there's a general outcry of "yuk" you find that it appeals to you. Ah well, as I always say try it for yourself because a game might just hit you the right way even when the majority says no.
[Oh, and by the way, I didn't run into any of the slowness or lag that was reported in other reviews as far as cut scenes went. One plus was that while it did take forever for items that were picked up to get into your inventory, you could move on to the next scene while it was still going in and your doing that didn't cause issues. The item still went in your inventory. One last thing: I did notice an issue when you did an alt-tab to swich applications while the game was running. The game did close down on me, so I wouldn't recommend doing that.]
Happy gaming to all.
I recommend this game!