timothya's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:1,143
- Reviews Submitted:199
- First Review:June 24, 2012
- Most Recent Review:September 3, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Discover the wonders of the dark world of "Beyond Stories: Jester."
Overall rating
5
/
5
Halloween Spookiness
PostedOctober 3, 2024
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
Another excellent offering in the Jigsaw genre. This one is Halloween oriented and the brilliant colors in the autumn picture set are gorgeous. But be warned: the plot is dark, very dark indeed. Our character is a fellow with an evil alter ego, a Jester, that threatens to destroy him for his past sins. The art picks up the menacing atmosphere, concentrating on a panoply of Halloweeny monsters, (even if the Witch Girl is awfully cute). Music this time is a little over-fond of drum rolls and cymbal splashes that fortunately can be turned down. Overall, a rather intense (and too short) plot covering what we're really here for, some beautiful art. Still, a question for the artist, or rather the editor who chose the pieces. Is there no room for little boys in your fantasy world? It must be a boring place.
I recommend this game!
Help weigh the life of Richard Gray to determine his fate!
Overall rating
5
/
5
A Long Awaited Game
PostedSeptember 9, 2024
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
For a disembodied skull Richard Gray has proven pretty difficult to get rid of, hasn't he? And so off to the Other Side with him, but not so fast. There are some loose ends to be tied and some of them are pretty important. Richard doesn't remember them himself, for good reason, and until he confronts those missing links in his life he cannot go on to what comes after. Whatever that turns out to be...
Pros: It's the sequel for which we've been waiting in vain for longer than I'd care to recall. Richard, for all his sins (and they are many) deserved better than a walk into a mirror and a magical Sayonara. And so here we are, playing as Richard, standing in front of a somewhat exigent Guardian and filling in the blanks, Richard meets Redemption Cemetery or something like that. Certain familiar characters make an all too brief appearance, but there's no time for nostalgia when evil is afoot. (Which is too bad, because little Billy is getting really interesting).
Cons: OK, rough launch. Wow. It seems mean to rip on it at this point but after all, this is a long-awaited game and deserved a little better care at release to market. That's fixed now; the game actually downloads and works, hurrah! It's short, unfortunately, very plot driven, and it's hard to imagine how someone unfamiliar with the cast of characters could keep up. Once again, details important to the meta-story are reserved for the Bonus Game.
Bonus Game: We play as Anna here, stuck with a cleanup task in the now abandoned family mansion, sinking into ruin through desuetude but not quite as deserted as it seems. It turns out to be quite a task.
Four and a half stars stretched to five for the writing. Overall, it's the game longtime fans needed. Whether it's the one they wanted, that's another question. But the one question we are left with is where from here, because this thing...isn't over...
I recommend this game!
Unravel a complex kidnapping case where anyone could be lying!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Very Strange Investigations
PostedSeptember 6, 2024
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
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
It's strange, all right. We have, for a change, a genuine Whodunnit, with multiple suspects, several different character arcs, and an ending that seems truncated, and is. For a reason. There's more than one mystery going on here.
Pros: For the main game, however, we really do have some excellent mystery writing. Dana and Malcolm are sucked into a kidnapping that is more than it seems by people who are more than they seem. Nice reveals properly timed, a variety of HO scenes, puzzles that are a little too easy, but overall a short but nicely paced mystery.
Cons: It gets a little silly toward the end of the main game - the police set a trap for the evildoers and casually say, "Oh, by the way, Dana, we need you to repair and operate this deck crane to make it work. See you, bye!" and walk off. Um...no.
Bonus Game: We have come to care about Dana Strange's past and how it has wounded her, and the repeated appearance of the bees and the odd apparition that is named Eve. The recurring attraction about this series was always that Dana's life was dominated by her love for her lost sister and her failure to save her. And so who is Eve, really? And is the answer that we think we get, the true one?
Overall, a solid four stars for outstanding writing and some questionable editing. And it seems unfair to those who purchase the SE, but the real meat in this one for long time fans had to wait until the bonus game. Where the series goes from here is going to be very interesting indeed.
I recommend this game!
Escape a terrifying hotel with a haunted past.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Nice Old-School Fun
PostedJuly 29, 2024
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
Greetings to my The Catch friends! Yes, they used to be this good. Sister Tilly has taken a job in a hotel that is more than it appears, and we have to delve deep into the horror to extract her. What's not to like?
Pros: Clean, straight writing. Lots of creepy scenes, some altered upon return to be creepier still. Classic Sister-to-the-Rescue game, plenty of play, lovely graphics, some very nice mini-games, and a plethora of HO scenes. Atmospheric music, excellent voice acting.
Cons: Not a lot. The villain isn't very well developed but is suitably creepy and has enough lines to develop a nasty personality indeed.
Bonus Game: It looks like we're not quite through with the creature's minions. This time they're going to get it!
Overall, one of those great Eipix games from a departed but dearly remembered Dev. Five stars compared to what we have before us now.
I recommend this game!
The past isn’t set in stone. Now’s your chance to change it!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Nice Find
PostedJune 24, 2024
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 thoroughly engaging game with beautiful art, plot twists, terrific pace, and a rather wild story line.
First, the silly stuff - you'd better bring a bucket-full of suspension of disbelief, because in the first few minutes of the game we are presented with a hero flying a light aircraft (can't she drive?) through a terrifying storm, which plane bursts into flame presently, and she has to kick open a suicide door that such aircraft don't have, don a parachute which they don't carry, and gently float to the ground in the midst of a tempest that has blown off roofs and destroyed buildings. We are then presented with a gizmo-wielding scientist attempting to capture an electrical storm with an ancient amulet resulting from the inexplicable presence of an oriental temple - heavy Chinese influences with a dollop of Japanese trimmings - in the middle of a small American town ominously named Ashen Rise. A monk named Omni appears to be angry over something (I'd be angry too if I were named after a car) and we proceed merrily into magic, revenge, and a murder mystery.
You'd think with all this going I'd hate the game but in fact I loved it. Even the part where we plug a high-pressure supply line with a wad of used bubble gum. Because why not?
Pros: Extraordinarily beautiful art, straightforward tasks, a nice variety of HO scenes, and mini-games challenging enough for intermediate players. Gorgeous soundtrack by Jovian Audio. A plot that actually makes perfect sense in the midst of all this weirdness and unfolds rapidly enough to keep the interest level high.
Cons: Some of those tasks have pretty improbable solutions, so just roll with it. Bittersweet ending more sweet than bitter, not really much of a con but still a little sad.
Bonus game: Omni finds closure. A lovely ending, but you have to be playing the CE to get it.
Overall, a wild one but a fun ride. One suspects somebody spiked the writing team's tea, but you can't complain about the results. Players who are combing older games looking for missed gems would do well to take a look at this one.
I recommend this game!
Rick and Daemon stumble upon a sinister plot at a rock concert!
Overall rating
3
/
5
Will Rick Recover?
PostedMay 30, 2024
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Rick's back - or is he? Writing the protagonist out of his own series was really weird, and the recovery has been long, painful, and frustrating. This version of Rick is "back" but definitely wounded, as 13 years of netherworld exile could not help but do, and what was apparently burned out of him was the fun that made him an attractive character in the first place. So will he recover even a little in this episode? Let's see.
Daemon (the only really interesting character in Rachel's team) invites Rick to a concert to attempt a little normality therapy and what they encounter is anything but: a Mean Muse who eats souls, and the boys are definitely on the menu.
Pros: Some nice if fairly conventional HO scenes. Decent pacing, plenty of locations. A couple of novel mini-games that are pitched toward intermediate players (not much for the advanced player).
Cons: Very linear plot, no real mystery in this one - we know from the outset how the sides line up and it becomes a bit of a generic quest scenario. The villain is a cardboard cutout that doesn't really excite much interest, nor is there any character development at all with the rest of the cast. Daemon does a little - but only a little - more than act the Damsel In Distress role he filled when Rachel was at the helm, and if he says "I found this" one more time this player is going to scream.
Bonus Game: Daemon, Rachel, and Rick go into Rick's world of dreams to confront the being that held Rick for 13 years.
Writing: Some acknowledgment should be offered to the writing team - I see some heavy hitters in the credits - who began the project having been written into a corner by their predecessors from which escape always was going to be a job. Wounded Rick was probably the best alternative; unfortunately a partial return isn't going to satisfy fans who have waited patiently through half a dozen teases by now. But toward the end of the main game we do, in fact, get flashes of the old Rick, and they're like a breath of fresh air.
Overall, the game itself is fairly bland, simplistic, and a cover for the meta-plot, where it's evident that the writing staff made its principal effort and unsurprisingly is the real point of the game. There are, though hints of better things to come, and a partial Rick recovery is better than no recovery at all. Four stars for the meta-plot and two for the actual game make a nice solid three.
I recommend this game!
Discover untold stories from familiar pasts!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Blew Me Away
PostedMarch 8, 2024
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This one is something extraordinary. I had thought going in that these would be three dissociated stories, but they're not at all. Telling more would be spoiling the surprise, but this is beautifully written and the pieces fit together brilliantly, not just with themselves, but with what went before. Past fans of the series had better buckle up, because we're in for a ride.
Pros: Where to start? Graphics are first class, animation is a little creepy at times but well done. The mini-games merit a special mention below. There are easter eggs aplenty here for players of past games in the series (don't blink or you'll miss the Ulf origin story, and it's really good). The writing is outstanding as it has been throughout this series, although hearing fantasy characters utter "OK" is so cringe-worthy it's almost funny. Some points require a bit of a stretch of imagination - a sweet little girl braving a giant spider cavern and climbing a sheer snow wall with ice axes is the shortest way to Grandma's house? And she's done it before? Tough kid. And she'll be back.
Cons: The mazes. Well, the first one, anyway. Come on, Devs, a timed maze? I want to savor it, not race through it. They get better, though. Much later, but more of that in a bit.
Mini-games: Some nice twists on some classic games here, with some cute traps for over-thinking - the "punch the code" button push in the Riding Hood chapter is just MEAN and I laughed out loud when I finally figured it out. A warning: the difficulty level of many games is well above the ability of a beginning player. A few might even be described as over-elaborate, but they're worth the work. You can skip them...but you won't want to.
Bonus game: Brace yourself - there are no fewer than six. Not kidding, six. Each is a separate story incorporating some characters we've seen before. It's six free re-visits to a charming world. Buy the CE, you won't regret it.
Overall, I haven't seen a game like this in a very long time. If I could give this six stars I would. Writing, graphics, puzzles, length of play, and production values are all outstanding and this must have taken a lot of work by some seriously talented people. For pure value this sets a new standard. Highly recommended.
I recommend this game!
A simple museum heist becomes a desperate rescue from the forces of darkness!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Stick With This One and Don't Miss The Easter Eggs
PostedDecember 6, 2023
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
We have the now perennial question - is it MCF worthy? After the first five minutes we sadly conclude no, it isn't...but wait. There are a couple of things, now a couple more, and all of a sudden it steps up the game again, and again. The overall pattern of the game is an indifferent beginning, a solid middle, and a roaring climax with a few teasers in it just for fun. Somebody put a lot of work into this one, it's really good.
Pros: You'd better pay attention because there are a few things just for longtime fans. Alas, no Queen to dispatch Master Detective on the latest adventure. Instead...oh, wait a minute, who is she? Better pay attention or you'll miss it. No clacky typewriter, darn it...oh, wait, it does turn up. Only once, chuckling at you. Excellent plot, plenty of play, not too much back-and-forth, and some mini-games that deserve their separate mention below. Beautiful graphics, very high production values throughout.
Cons: First, no dashboard hula doll. Got 'em there! No MCF theme (come on now, how hard can that be?) inside a really atmospheric musical mix. Early voice actors are atrocious with the customary complaints that Scots don't sound like Valley Girls...until that gets better and by mid-game they're excellent.
Mini-Games: No Rube Goldberg door locks, doggone it! Instead we have sequential puzzles that are actually the same thing in a different format, but they're still games nested within games. Some are really original, some classic, all pitched at just about the right level of difficulty to allow beginners to try but are really for more advanced players. A squares game I haven't seen since junior high school that really brought back the memories.
Bonus game: A prequel. Here we play as Carol, sister to a rather nice fellow who gets dragged into the mirror mess through no fault of his own. She/we have to drag him back and set up for the main game. More detail would only be spoilers.
Overall, five stars. There are enough references to past MCF games to keep the old fans amused if we can find them. After a slow beginning it builds to something head and shoulders above the rather tame fare we've subsisted on of late. Oh, one more thing - check the credits out. There are names there that have been attached to the MCF ride from the beginning. They deserve our thanks.
I recommend this game!
Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek Collector's Edition
Find a kidnapped teenage girl and save yourself in Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek, a fun Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
A Beautiful Blast From The Past
PostedSeptember 7, 2023
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
Here we are in 2023. This turned up in my search page and although I'd seen it before, for some reason I gave it a pass long ago. Lucky me! This is the first game in a trilogy and it's a real gem. We play as a detective engrossed in a missing person investigation whose memory of why she's in Maple Creek at all must be recovered before she proceeds to solve the mystery. That leads in some very interesting directions.
Pros: the writing is outstanding. Believable characters, pace is excellent, reveals timed perfectly. Plenty of HO scenes, some mini-games that are nicely challenging. Useful journal. Evidence board is well-handled. Plenty of play.
Cons: lots of back-and-forth. There is a map but it's not interactive so we do a lot of trudging between scenes.
Bonus Game: worth the CE price. It's a prequel. We play as one of the characters who we meet in the main game and his story fills in some interesting blanks.
Overall, a game still worthier of the price a decade after its publication than most games since and certainly at present. I can't wait to get to the other two. Hat's off to Artifex Mundi, this is really enjoyable!
I recommend this game!
Who could turn down an opportunity to change the past?
Overall rating
5
/
5
14 of 15 found this review helpful
They Did It - It's MCF Worthy
PostedMarch 22, 2023
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
It all began over 16 years ago - it hardly seems that long, but the dates don't lie - when Charles Dalimar lost his fiance and his sanity in the course of a single game, the Queen herself took a hand in affairs and Master Detective first came to the acquaintance of a very strange place named Ravenhearst. That's all behind us now, or is it? On his way to an opening ceremony for a new headquarters the Master Detective is suddenly plunged into the past in a blast of evil green light and somehow finds himself in the body of a longtime nemesis. The body, but not the mind, and here is an opportunity to make things right before ever they went wrong. But Dalimar caused this, somehow...what's his game?
Pros: Rube Goldberg puzzles, yes! Charles has laid his customary traps in this steampunk world and some of them are really good. Plenty of game play, some references to past games to amuse those of us who have ridden this ride for so long. The graphics are outstanding in both color and detail. Nice balance between HO scenes and mini-games, several of which are quite challenging. Perfect voice acting.
Cons: Nearly nothing. The main question is, how much of the old MCF magic can be revivified? Music is quite good but the MCF theme is nowhere to be found. Dun DUN dun DUN dun DUN dadadada dun DUN...come on, how hard would it be? At least we do get to hear from the clacky typewriter. Yes, I am complaining about sound effects because there's nothing else to complain about.
Writing: Here we make or break the entire thing. The premise is very amusingly executed - we are embodied as Charles and trying to undo his misdeeds when everyone around us thinks us to be the villain that Charles is. That's a pretty tough headwind to navigate. Some beautifully developed secondary characters here, voiced well and convincing. One of them, no, two, seem to sense that something in Charles isn't the villain they know. There was, in the best of the Ravenhearst writing, more than a suggestion of real cruelty - Rose's twins come to mind - that is reflected here, tastefully, but it's there, and it adds an subtle emotional edge that's difficult to pull off in a game such as this. Hats off to the writers and the editors!
Bonus game: OK, buy the CE. Herein we see two of the secondary characters come to life: Angelica, a cruelly exploited maid, and a certain talking cat named Goliath. In the main game Master Detective frees them and this is where they went after he did so. She wants Dalimar - the real one - arrested, but who will listen without evidence? More generous game play.
Bonus game: OK, buy the CE. Herein we see two of the secondary characters come to life: Angelica, a cruelly exploited maid, and a certain talking cat named Goliath. In the main game Master Detective frees them and this is where they went after he did so. She wants Dalimar - the real one - arrested, but who will listen without evidence? More generous game play.
Overall, I have to say someone finally did it - they managed to recapture the magic. It's been a long wait. Kudos to the entire team at GrandMa and BFG. They've set the bar back where it belongs.
I recommend this game!