timothya's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:1,143
- Reviews Submitted:196
- First Review:June 24, 2012
- Most Recent Review:May 18, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you rid the city of a malevolent monster in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Great Game, A Couple Of Flaws
PostedSeptember 23, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The latest entry in my favorite series is the densest puzzle game I've ever played. For puzzle fans such as myself, this one is close to nirvana. For others, not so much.
Pros: The usual sly references to period literature abound. The Victorian/Steampunk atmosphere in this game is appealing and if it's a little outlandish at times, it's supposed to be. First-rate voice acting including an excellent recurring role in Rufus. Nice reveals in the identities of two of the main characters. Aside from the technical sizzle it's a pretty good mystery. Plenty of play, very useful map.
Cons: The writing was properly labyrinthine for this genre but the frequency of the puzzles made me lose track of the flow of the plot. Uneven sound control made the music blast at unexpected times, especially toward the end. But what cost this entry a star were two key puzzles at the end which simply did not work - game mechanics failed in each, and the correct moves yielded no result. This is likely a QA issue too late in the game for the Beta testers to catch.
Overall, although I love this series and eagerly await another entry, this one fell short due to packing it a little too full. I don't recall ever making that complaint on a game before, which is a tribut to the Devs. It's a nice problem to have. I love the atmosphere in this series and would have preferred a little more of that if it cost me a few puzzles. But I still loved the game!
I recommend this game!
Uncover a conspiracy against the king!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Nice Tale
PostedSeptember 14, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A very pleasant game, even for those who are getting tired of the sword-and-sorcery genre. The player's beloved brother turns out to be the rightful heir to a kingdom beset by usurpers, who frame the two for the murder of the King. Proving their innocence and regaining the throne are the objects of the game, and along the way there is a quest, a magic object, and considerable intrigue and skullduggery. Quite a bit of back-and-forth, but a very useful map takes the tedium out of it.
Pros: Wonderful ambient sound effects. The rain outside the stables was good, inside them with it coming down on the roof, really excellent, so good I regretted the loss of the chance to go back and savor them. Voice acting is quite good, graphics colorful, nice balance of HO scenes and mini-puzzles. The plot is necessarily fairy-tale but has a couple of neat twists.
Cons: A lot of back and forth, some silliness: are we really going to cut the reins on our transportation to pull down a branch? Not a lot of nuance in the characters - bad guys are really bad, good guys good. These are minor flaws.
Overall, an excellent stand-alone game. Congratulations to the Devs.
I recommend this game!
Three legendary detectives join forces to solve a horrible crime!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 8 found this review helpful
Wonderful New Series
PostedAugust 21, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Three familiar faces in a new series with a spectacular start. For those complaining about nothing new, this is your chance!
Pros: Excellent graphics, good voice acting, and the writing truly shines. This is a mystery game in which the reveals are nicely spaced out and the player has to earn them. Character shifts make each segment slightly different.
Cons: Some really excellent potential is wasted on several of the mini-games due to inadequate or misleading instructions. For me this was the principal fault of this offering and detracted from the overall score.
Overall, a very encouraging start to what I hope is another fine series. Well done, Devs!
I recommend this game!
Can you keep the past from destroying the present?
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
The Good, The Bad, The Retro
PostedJune 29, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
As the reviews suggest, you'll either love this one or hate it. The first attempt at a sort of rewind was the sub-par Dire Grove, Sacred Grove that recycled the scenes from DG but neither the plot nor the game quality. This one, though, this one goes way back to the beginning.
Pros: the art recaptures some of the sly humor of Prime Suspects and Madame Fate, and nearly all of the characters, especially Charles, benefit from the cartoon-ization. The writing does a better job of allusion than recapitulation, thank heaven, and Charles is wonderfully incompetent as a villain. Take the time to read the Diary and Charles' notes too - they're a hoot. Excellent voice acting, nostalgic music.
Cons: some of these come with the territory. The scenes are all necessarily in-jokes, and if you haven't played or don't remember the games 12 years back, you miss the reference.
The Retro: this too goes back to Prime Suspects - the game is heavily weighted to HO scenes and is timed, with not much of a break between scenes, giving the game a breathless character but little variety. Not much in the way of help, no progressive help for the door puzzles - this is what it was like in the beginning, and it can be a little tough with the clock ticking. It was a fun reminder but also a reminder of why certain things have been improved upon. I don't like racing through a beautifully-drawn scene, for example, it seems like an insult to the artists.
Overall, it is what it is, and despite the five stars I'm only giving it a conditional recommendation : if you like a lot of HO scenes and door puzzles, the humor, and the allusions to past games, you'll love this one. If not, it's likely to bore you to tears.
I recommend this game!
You'll die in three days if you can't uncover the truth!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Great New Series
PostedJune 12, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Another five-star review, and this one earned it. Yes, the hitchhiker trope isn't new, but this one is an excellent version with a very nice mystery wrapped around it. And, a bonus game worthy of the name.
Pros: nicely rendered graphics, cut scenes to the point and not overdone. Excellent voice acting - the Hitchhiker in particular manages to convey a hint of exasperation at her fate. Player character is a male POV with the ladies getting most of the action for a change, and that voice actor conveys a hint of innocence as well as heroism. Well done! Outstanding puzzles, some probably a bit too difficult for beginners.
Cons: none.
Writing: a strength. This one turns into a murder mystery with a couple of nice twists, and the full measure of the villain's villainy is revealed slowly and logically.
Overall, a great start to a new series. Looking forward to the next installment!
I recommend this game!
Mononino and the Treefruities are facing another disaster. With the leaves of their home tree once again scattered, your help is greatly needed.
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
So Sorry To Be Finished
PostedJune 1, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I truly am sorry to be finished with this brilliant game. This is pure puzzle joy, and some of them are pretty tough. The Help this time was a little more evocative than last, but as before you have to solve a puzzle to get to it. Surreal surroundings, great ambient sounds. Not just my game of the year nominee, but one of the best I've ever played. Not for a beginner, not for the impatient, but utterly delightful for everyone else.
I recommend this game!
Travel to mystic lands and help the Treefruities recover the lost leaves of their home tree. Search for clues and master puzzles during your journey.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Brilliant Sleeper
PostedMay 10, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I nearly missed this one the first time through, but I'm so glad I stumbled across it. I'm sure I read the synopsis and thought, "this sounds really dumb." It isn't, it's brilliant.
It is very challenging. Like Tiny Bang Story, one of my all-time favorites, it has nearly no information for the player and even movement has to be discovered. The inventory isn't in the standard place and even the Help screen requires a puzzle to be solved to see. That's pretty rough until you get the hang of it.
Pros: Charming other-world scenes, a magnifying glass that you use even when you know it isn't going to do you any good because when it does show you something it's always worth the effort. Excellent ambient sounds. Terrific puzzles everywhere.
Cons: none, except that the player is really, really on his or her own. This can be frustrating for some who might have been sucked in by the simple innocence of the plot and were expecting a much easier game.
Overall, fives all the way across and completely worth the effort. This one offered me days of play, and a feeling of accomplishment at the end that was reminiscent of the early days of gaming - dare I even invoke the holy name of Myst? Yes, like that. I loved it.
I recommend this game!
Save the town of Blackhill from an army of shadows!
Overall rating
2
/
5
8 of 11 found this review helpful
Half A Game
PostedApril 29, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Puzzle, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
A bit of a disappointment here. This had all the ingredients for an excellent game and simply stopped with all sorts of potential story lines and complications unexplored. As others have pointed out, it's a very short game, and there's a reason - it doesn't appear to be all there.
Pros: nice graphics, especially in the post-apocalyptic alternate world. Protagonists we were just beginning to really get attached to when the game suddenly ended. Spooky sci-fi music, excellent mix of HO scenes. I did enjoy the option to proceed without Elf and regretted it when it became apparent that at least the little guy would have given me a few more seconds game play. Puzzles on the easy side and nothing particularly original there, but the play was smooth and fluid.
Cons: brevity. So many missed opportunities for an excellent narrative I want to cry. Sophie's voice was one of those awful frequency-pushed Alvin-and-the-chipmunks concoctions that need to be done better or preferably not at all. Absolutely no exposition on what the spooky monsters were or if they were even the bad guys. Plot contrivances abound - come on, a time travel box and a murderous thief that just appeared? Isn't interdimensional travel enough?
In all, a real missed opportunity for a great game. Playable, but definitely not worth the CE price.
I don't recommend this game.
Survive a dangerous game of luck to uncover your past!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 6 found this review helpful
The Joker Is You!
PostedApril 24, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BFG is on a roll of late. This one is really excellent, beautifully drawn, well acted, nicely plotted with a couple of twists and turns. Is that good guy really a bad guy? Is that bad guy really good? We won't know until the final roll of the dice.
Pros: beautiful graphics, nicely colored and fantastic interiors. Atmospheric music. A nice mix of HO scenes and some of the puzzles were simply terrific. And a solid, coherent plot with plenty of revelations as a reward for completing scenes. The narrative is as solid as I've seen this year. And the ending is worth the effort to get there!
Cons: minor. The difference in volume between cut scenes and the rest of the game was marked; suddenly the thing blasted from your speakers. One fairly significant one: if you don't get the Bonus game in the SE, (and I don't know that you don't because it hasn't been released yet) you'll miss the complete plot. No spoilers, so no more may be said. Also, the Corgi. As the now rather retrograde cutesy furry assistant this wasn't overdone in the main game but by the time the Bonus game was done I was ready to scream "Bad Dog! Go away!"
In all, a brilliant game and a pleasure to play. The puzzles in particular were worth the price of admission. After a winter of magic-princess monotony this was a breath of fresh, spring air!
I recommend this game!
Nobody comes back from the Dark Side unchanged, but it’s the only way to re-light the fading flame.
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
A Graphical Feast
PostedApril 9, 2018
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This series has always been a guilty pleasure for me, and having had the good fortune to beta the second one, I immediately rushed to purchase the first one as well. This is the third, and it was worth waiting for. Everything that was great about the first two is astounding about this one. It's the graphics. I played this on a 27-in 4K monitor and was nearly blown off my chair. For pure production values this is as good as it gets.
Pros: the graphics, of course. Imaginative post-apocalyptic scenery, brilliant coloration, movement that was amazingly close to video of human actors. Rich cut scenes that weren't boring for once. Voice acting adequate to excellent, and the scenes of the Japanese village seemed to leap off the screen. It's the sort of art that I like, it makes the player want to linger in the scenes to enjoy it, and although the timed maze was wonderfully creepy with Uncle Colin's taunting voice in the background, you can't do justice to the scenery like that. Nice touch, though. Nice variety of HO scenes. Great game mechanics.
Cons: not much. The adolescent female protagonist can get a little saccharine from time to time but it's all in good fun. Certain puzzles were updates on old traditional ones: the rotation puzzle with the slider bar at the bottom simply wasn't particularly good, but the new version of the sliding bars puzzles was brilliant.
Overall, five stars and I hope they keep the series going. There is a hint that they will. Competing developers had better be keeping their eyes on this one because I do think the bar has been raised a bit.
I recommend this game!