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:
An expedition to an Aztec temple awakens a true force of nature!
Overall rating
3
/
5
0 of 5 found this review helpful
Great Start, Fell Off
PostedJuly 10, 2020
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
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is a long-running series and so it's natural enough to expect a little turnover in the development team, but I got the impression the team behind this entry hasn't played the predecessors. I too used to enjoy the now-absent fact cards and the moderating presence of Sam, who provided a welcome counterpoint to the occasionally too-perfect, hence bland, player character. Series have personalities, and this one appears to have lost its, and that's too bad.
Pros: There's a lot to like about this game, especially the early chapters. I found the maze with successive puzzles to be particularly engaging and played in Hard mode, which I'd recommend for most of the mini-games, nicely challenging. Generous with game play, lots to see.
Cons: Heavy color saturation on this one, although the underlying graphics are detailed and the art beautiful. A touch of historical inexactitude here: making the Aztecs out to be children of nature makes about as much sense as a fertility goddess complaining about overpopulation, (which she did). Still, it's just a game. The ending was quite abrupt - the villain died, and...and what?
Bonus Game: No points for this one. I reached a problem where I couldn't place a wheel and a wrench into the picture anywhere and ended up completely stuck. Game over. Irritating.
Overall, the impression was of a game with great potential and a terrific start that simply dwindled and ended. I saw poor QA in this one and despite the art and the music, a story not brought to proper closure.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop a deadly evil waiting in an abandoned school?
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Play Nice, Kids
PostedJuly 2, 2020
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
Oh, this one was good. Madhead have outdone themselves this time. I enjoy the Creepy Little Kids trope a great deal and especially this pair of cute twins with glowing eyes who are, at least, well-dressed and courteous while they're trying to kill us. "We" are Sophie and her two friends Dario and TJ, off on a vacation with a horror story apiece to tell the others, and wouldn't you know it? Their stories end up telling them. Buckle up players, you're in for a ride!
Pros: The atmosphere of this game is deliciously spooky, with some genuine jump-scares that seem to come when we're least expecting them. It's beautifully drawn, with excellent voice acting and marvelous atmospheric music by Jovian Audio. HO scenes are very different and are beautifully presented, and there are morphs both inside the HOS and out, so you have to stay on your toes. Mini-games give us an Easy and Hard mode and the latter can be very challenging indeed. Some nice bonus twists - Dario's scene-switching glasses took the creep factor up by a lot more than a simple gadget could. There's a very sick world lurking underneath the real one, and it's only a pair of glasses away.
Cons: One minor gripe is the best I can do - the background sounds have that thrice-cursed barking dog in them occasionally, which is officially one of the most annoying sounds ever (the other is a crying baby which thankfully we are spared). Not a Con really, but do be aware that this one isn't for kids, no joke.
Writing: Deserves its own section out of pure excellence. Not even the plot is what it appears. Yes, we have the classic three stories from three narrators structure...or do we? Three escapes, three happy endings...or not? And a wonderful reveal at the end which was the very last thing I was expecting. Game writing this good is a high art and deserves a round of applause. And just when you thought they were through messing with your head, there's the:
Bonus Game: Anything specific would be a spoiler. Let's just say if you thought the ending to the main game was great, this tops it. I'd highly recommend the CE for the bonus game alone.
Overall, a true tour de force and the best game of the year for me. It's been a long wait for one this good and it was worth it.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a new monster brought to life before it's too late?
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
New Life For An Old Favorite
PostedJune 21, 2020
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
4
/
5
Just when you thought it would never recapture the magic, somebody proves you wrong. This one is truly exceptional with regard to art and atmosphere, with some player options that bring it right up to date. We are - choose, male or female, with three profile options within each - a student of a robotics expert who is under assault by his own creations. The world is straight steampunk with all the weird gadgets that that genre demands. Plot is straightforward with an interesting twist or two. Puzzles are on the easy side with a couple of notable exceptions.
Pros: Graphically stunning. I didn't even get past the opening screen without staring. Really, the art here demands its separate consideration, and this is one of those games where the player will enjoy wandering scene to scene just to enjoy the eye candy. I was angry that the winsome little puppet in the cage couldn't be returned to for admiration once we solved her secret, for example; it's that good. Average to good voice acting, original themes in the music, and a nice variety of HO scenes.
Cons: Way too much hand-holding, too much "here's this, you'll need it" after every character encounter. It's a short and very linear game with a great deal of sometimes unnecessary guidance, which will make it accessible for a beginning player but perhaps a bit too obvious for an expert player. This is nowhere near the difficulty of the original entries in the series but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad.
Bonus Game: A really nice prequel. We find out who Howard is, and, well, that turns out to be worth the price of admission in itself.
Overall, a fresh win in what had become a moribund series. Thoroughly enjoyable, regrettably brief, but every bit worth the money.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a mysterious monster terrorizing a new amusement park?
Overall rating
1
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
So Disappointing
PostedMay 27, 2020
timothya
fromSandpoint, Idaho
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
A shocking disappointment from one of my favorite developers. Simply the worst MadHead game I've ever played. Puzzles that don't work, unsympathetic characters, illogical moves, and a plot that can't seem to decide where it's going. The overall design of the game has been neglected and the painfully inadequate writing can't save it. There is a constant barrage of nonsensical solutions: we have a potentially great maze turned into stupefying boredom, we burn a piece of tape with a prism (prisms don't do that, you need a lens) which we get by throwing termites on a live vine. We find gears that are to be de-rusted and lubricated...with coconut milk? A light bulb that was working perfectly now needs de-rusting with carbonated soda before it will function again? What this sort of illogic does is leave the player looking at a problem and trying everything in an over-full inventory because whatever does work won't make sense anyway. Perhaps this was intended to be challenging but I only found it frustrating.
Comes the denouement and we suddenly realize we have been presented with three alternative theories of where the monsters came from and are expected to deduce which is correct, a confusion that doesn't last long because we are presented with an answer that is arbitrary and with no supporting evidence whatever. And pop! - game over.
Pros: it isn't a Viking themed time management game, there's that. Nice music from Jovian Audio.
Cons: the above. This game needed a very great deal of editorial guidance it didn't get.
Bonus Game: If possible, worse. We have a sudden jolting change in character POV that changes back just as suddenly, and a bizarre love story of a stranger tricked into burning one of the principals alive, murdering the provocateur in sequence before taking his own life, and a curse (from whom? They're all dead) on a chest that turns people into monsters when no monsters were ever involved in the first place. Along the way we shoot with our only cartridge (ammo must be expensive in this place) one of two wolves who are attacking our heroine, and pause to repair a conveniently placed but naturally incomplete catapult to launch a lump of raw meat we've happened across to distract the other. Come on, really? What is worse about this chapter design is that it's merely the missing ending to the main game which the CE purchasers, if any, won't get to resolve.
Overall, it's a mess: short, illogical, and aggravating. The biggest thrill, chill, and kill I got from this game was deleting it.
I don't recommend this game.
Return to Rosemount to stop the Ice Queen in this updated classic!
Overall rating
5
/
5
17 of 18 found this review helpful
Won Me Over
PostedMay 18, 2020
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
4
/
5
This one won me over. There is the obvious objection that people who paid for the original are now required to pay again for the "remastered" version, and so the question is, would it be worth it? That's an awfully strong wind to try to walk against, and much to my surprise the answer to me seemed to be yes, this one is that much better. Player character is occupied with recovering her lover Edward from the clutches of the Ice Queen, an endeavor that takes us through a fantasy world that seems familiar, but frankly much more colorful and detailed than before.
Pros: Graphics are a major improvement, very good voice acting, atmosphere, especially the music, is immersive. Plot is straightforward but includes enough side characters and plots to keep interest level high. Game mechanics good and it's weighted more toward HO scenes than mini-games, which are on the whole good enough to stand on their own. Plenty of game play - that much is reminiscent of the Good Old Days of 2012 - and bonus ice squirrels that are absurdly addicting.
Cons: Both main and bonus game are inconclusive, the former so much so that SE players may feel a bit cheated, and both of them pointing clearly toward some sort of sequel. Our love Edward hasn't really much of a function but damsel-in-distress in reverse and strikes me as a bit of a dim bulb not entirely worth the trouble, but such is love.
Bonus game: It's actually the coda to the main game. Edward is still enchanted and must be freed by an additional round of daring-do. A couple of good puzzles in this one.
Overall, I stated that yes, this one is that much better, and it was, but I certainly wouldn't want this to become a new direction, new lamps for old, because all of them cannot and won't be. This time, though, the eight years between have accorded us a startling improvement in graphics and smoothness of play. For me that and the length of the game tipped it into the five-star category.
I recommend this game!
When Leitan Keyes, a famous inventor, finishes his latest invention a sudden visit from the future will shatter his world.
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Terrific SF Atmosphere
PostedApril 28, 2020
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
4
/
5
This one was certainly a surprise. Coming from an unprepossessing opening into an SF thriller the likes of which we haven't seen in a very long time, I found myself sucked in and enjoying every minute of it.
Pros: Colorful graphics with a cool blue tint, very atmospheric music and surroundings, and many challenging and original puzzles, some of which are sequential after the old MCF pattern I just love. Story line had a couple of nice twists and the main characters were nicely developed. HO scenes incorporated morphing objects in an innovative way. Nice pacing, smooth game play, excellent production values throughout.
Cons: A small thing really, but persistently missing articles in the text and the dialogue made it sound like a story told to you by a Russian friend, which perhaps it was. "Is missing articles in sentence" or something like that. Sure isn't much to complain about.
Bonus Game: The villain, as all proper cyber villains should, has a backup that the player must eradicate. Some nice puzzles in this one too.
Overall, a wonderful change of pace. We just don't seem to get enough SF games these days, especially not ones with this much imagination and attention to detail. Full marks to the Devs for this one and I'll be looking forward to their next effort.
I recommend this game!
Can you live up to your family’s legacy in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
Pleasant Play
PostedApril 14, 2020
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
3
/
5
Quite a pleasant game, really. The Nevertales franchise has left us playing as a grandson fated to follow his grandmother's footsteps into a land created by the human imagination, threatened by a figure we meet in the game's beginning cut scene and nicely revealed toward the end. The mood of the game is augmented by some particularly nice music that is serene rather than threatening. The plot and the internal monologue tend toward the saccharine in places but there are some interesting secondary characters and a combination of quest and damsel-in-distress tropes keep the thing flowing. Some good mini-games in this one.
Pros: colorful scenery, wonderful atmosphere. Ethereal music and some excellent voice acting, particularly on the part of one Jonathon Cooke, who presents us with a tough-guy miner and a Shaman with an accent you'll love to hear. Male POV with a female foil who spends nearly as much time getting our hero out of a jam as he does getting her out. Plot resolution is anticlimactic but is picked up beautifully in the Bonus Game.
Cons: dialogue is a little over-earnest in places and we occasionally cringe at the player character's naivete. Plot could have used a couple of twists to keep interest up and make up for the occasional triteness of the characters, but the villain's motivation (although belatedly revealed) is much better than most.
Bonus Game: this one is really good from a plot perspective. We find out that our reservations about the villain at the end were justified and now that we're walking a mile in his shoes it offers a nice rounding out of the overall plot. Final puzzle in this is delightfully frustrating.
Overall, not the strongest entry in the franchise but a colorful, melodious ride through some lovely scenery. Plenty of play and a generally relaxing atmosphere, a nice thing to sit down in front of with a fire going and a nice cup of tea. I enjoyed it a lot.
I recommend this game!
A recent expedition uncovered unique, priceless artifacts, but at what cost?
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
Every Body Loves Some Body
PostedMarch 28, 2020
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 lot of fun in this one for some unusual reasons. We play as Rick Rogers, the greatest paranormal detective in the business and if you don't believe that he'll tell you so, you don't even have to ask. Of course, every time he does, he gets his comeuppance, which is part of the fun of the game. Full marks for creative writing in this one with twists that make it much less predictable than the average straightforward quest game. At times it's a real - ahem - out of body experience. We have a particularly strong supporting cast and voice acting that is up to the challenge.
Pros: generous game length, plenty of puzzles and HO scenes, excellent graphics. A twisty mystery plot that has our hero alternately aided and betrayed by nearly everyone. Rick prevails, of course, or does he? Great art and immersive music.
Cons: the main plot twist either works or it doesn't for the individual player's tastes. No spoilers, but it's really nicely pulled off by the voice acting. If you can't laugh at Rick you'll probably end up hating him.
Bonus game: more generous game length, we get to play as Rachel here, whose ambiguous motivations and ambition come through very well. More great graphics and puzzles. It may be that we'll be seeing more of Rachel...
Overall, a whole lot of fun. One gets the impression it was for the writing team as well. I had the privilege of beta-testing this one and the Devs came through with flying colors. Can't wait for the next installment.
I recommend this game!
Can you catch a magical culprit behind a string of strange robberies?
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 7 found this review helpful
Light And Easy
PostedMarch 20, 2020
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
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
A seasonal game that is accessible to beginning players. We play as The Detective, tasked with figuring out certain kidnappings performed by what appear to be Banshees, although these don't screech very much. It unwraps to ancient family histories and fortunes in gold. Puzzles are quite easy and violence level is very low, making it attractive for family play.
Pros: beautiful graphics, especially in the Dublin street scenes. Straightforward plot punctuated by frequent summations in which we are brought up to date on the plot developments we may have missed in the interim.
Cons: plot requires a suspension of disbelief approaching stratospheric levels, but it probably wasn't intended to be taken very seriously. But we are, after all, talking about a kidnapping ring underneath it all so maybe not quite seriously enough. Character development of the villain is late and perfunctory, obviously an afterthought. One suspects that no actual Irish people were involved in the voice acting.
Bonus Game: more of the same, really. Adequate game play, forgettable plot.
Overall, the easy puzzles and period atmosphere help to make up for the improbability of the thing. Definitely best for beginning or intermediate players as there's little in it to challenge the advanced ones. Still, game play was smooth and graphically and atmospherically it was a fun romp through a fantasy Dublin.
I recommend this game!
Could you survive a deadly game where your opponent knew your secrets?
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 11 found this review helpful
Nice But Short
PostedMarch 8, 2020
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
2
/
5
A welcome break from the spate of cartoonish Time Management games that has been our fare of late. This one has up-to-date graphics, plenty of HO scenes, and only a few fairly easy puzzles. We play a male POV with a female partner and a somewhat gadgety mind-reading superpower, the result of a youthful dabbling in scientific experimentation (and the only real explanation for the reference to rats in the beginning of the game). He/we are now a police psychologist teamed with a tough wise-cracking detective, trying to track down a not-so-mysterious villain with a penchant for elaborate traps.
Pros: Gorgeous graphics, colorful and nicely rendered, which accompanied by immersive music and environmental sounds make for terrific atmosphere. Very HO oriented for those who like that. Adequate to good voice acting, good game mechanics, very good production values. A female partner with character who isn't simply window dressing or a Damsel In Distress (bud, take my advice, when your partner says "shoot the bad guy", shoot the bad guy, don't talk).
Cons: Weak writing. The plot is straightforward but not very well timed - we learn who the villain is nearly immediately, which makes us wonder why the silly rat mask? The villain is unmemorable and rather weak, and inexplicably finds that he can succeed at whatever his objective is - we never do find out exactly - with a Rube Goldberg contrivance instead of the player character's blood. That's quite a leap in a very short game. Player character has far too much redundant internal monologue.
Bonus game: A straighforward rescue of two experimental subjects who have been abandoned to die. A couple of excellent puzzles. As the main game, rather short.
Overall, one is so overjoyed to see a decent mystery game at last that a lot of foibles may be forgiven, and the graphics and the atmosphere are very enjoyable. One star off for short game length and poor writing, but a very promising first entry to what looks like an interesting series.
I recommend this game!