LunaNik's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.8
- Helpful Votes:12,435
- Reviews Submitted:670
- First Review:November 2, 2012
- Most Recent Review:August 19, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Face the fears in Sebastian's Cinema of Horrors!
Overall rating
2
/
5
11 of 17 found this review helpful
Why are all developers releasing the exact same game?
PostedSeptember 25, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
There's nothing new here. In 15 minutes, I had a long list of shaped keys to find. Each scene was chaotic, with random items scattered about. Naturally, each one needed a tool, part, or shaped key. No thanks. I already have hundreds of games just like this one.
The palette will blind you, especially since there's a bright flash over your entire screen every time something changes. And cutscene animation is blurry and pixellated. I actually started to get headache.
Lastly, Domini did everything possible to destroy immersion, including banners every time you moved, notifications of dubious achievements, and loads of unnecessary, lengthy animations. And my hand was held firmly throughout. Why can't you just leave me alone and let me play the game? I'm not five; I don't need a babysitter.
I don't recommend this game.
Way to Go! A fun puzzle game with simple rules and surprising challenges.
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
4½ stars for this unique puzzler!
PostedSeptember 22, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Don't be fooled by the adorable graphics and cutesy storyline, this puzzler is challenging and a lot of fun.
For each level, you're provided with one or more directional arrows to place on the path in order to get the character to the goal without falling in the abyss. There's no timer, and you can stop and start the character's travel at any time.
The challenge level increases fairly quickly. Obstacles are added, and some levels require you to retrace your path.
One nice feature is the ability to speed up the character's travel either twice or four times. Unfortunately, there's no general setting for this; you have to make this choice for every level separately.
This puzzler is a definite purchase for me, and I recommend it.
I recommend this game!
Solve the puzzle of the red mist and save a missing camper before they meet a terrifying end.
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 16 found this review helpful
Interesting storyline, monotonous gameplay.
PostedSeptember 22, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The storyline intrigued me, but not enough to recommend this game, because the gameplay is simplistic and boring. So many shaped keys! So many broken things! Additionally, it's not CE-worthy, as there's no additional gameplay except the bonus chapter and not much in the way of collectibles. I may try the SE version when it's released, however.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you recover an ancient underwater artifact in time?
Overall rating
1
/
5
8 of 15 found this review helpful
I lasted five minutes.
PostedSeptember 22, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
The first scene was overflowing with indentations awaiting shaped objects. My inventory began to fill up with items with mystical, obscure names. And the first puzzle was one of those annoying "moving one thing also moves others." Nope. I can already tell this game will just annoy me with its monotony.
I don't recommend this game.
Uncover a conspiracy against the king!
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
Well-written storyline, beautiful production, decent HO scenes, but too many shaped keys and easy mini-games. I'll wait for the SE.
PostedSeptember 2, 2018
LunaNik
fromAugust Ratings: ★★★★★=0 — ★★★★=1 — ★★★=1 — ★★=4 — ★=1. Rather uninspiring.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Rise to the Throne has an excellent storyline filled with palace intrigue. It's the story of the Ulmer brothers, guards to the king, who are framed for the king's murder. The Ulmer family has a secret that would utterly change the kingdom. And there are those who would not give up power easily, even if they're not entitled to the positions they've usurped.
I wish the gameplay has risen to the level of the story. While the HO scenes were creatively designed and fun to play, the mini-games fell down a bit. I played four HO scenes that were beautifully integrated into the story. The first provided silhouettes of items to find and use in the scene with the goal of making some glue. Next was a list of things to find on a map to plot a safe route through the town. None of the HO scenes was gratuitous or forced into the plot.
The mini-games began with sliding tokens to their matching slots, something we could all do in our sleep at this point. The battle scenes involved a repeating triplet of puzzles: trace all the lines on the figure without repeating. Next was a lock puzzle which was too random and irritating: choose the rods in the correct order, and start over if you miss one. There was nothing in the puzzle to indicate what the order might be, so I have to call this one "annoying random guessing." Last was another sliding tokens into connected slots in the correct order.
The remainder of the gameplay consisted of running around looking for shaped keys. In my 45 minutes, there were 30 of the cursed things, some with multiple parts. Frankly, I'm sick and tired of this activity. It's not challenging or fun, just bothersome.
Beautiful production. The graphics were realistic but painterly graphics with a gloriously natural palette. No blurples here. And no neon. The music was beautiful and appropriate to the theme. And the voiceovers were spot on.
Overall, this is a much better game than most offerings, and I'll revisit it when the SE is released, mainly because the collectibles were all alike and easy to spot. They morphed, but only appeared and disappeared.
Stop an evil dragon from plunging the Empire into darkness!
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 18 found this review helpful
Same as the last episode, including the impossible 120-combination medical kit puzzle.
PostedSeptember 2, 2018
LunaNik
fromI miss HOPAs with fantastic stories, interesting characters, and challenging gameplay. I wonder if anyone will ever make one again.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Another apocalyptic good versus evil story…what a surprise. Like every episode in this series, it involves people being transformed by infection, magic, what have you.
I've mentioned the impossible medical kit puzzle in each episode's review. Given five ingredients and five locations, there are 120 possible combinations (5x4x3x2x1=120), only one of which is correct. Let's say it takes you 20 seconds to place five ingredients, press play, and wait to find out if you're right. That means you can try three combinations per minute. To try all combinations would take you 40 minutes. I have better things to do than randomly guess, then try to remember which combinations I've already tried. This isn't a puzzle; it's torture.
There are at least five shaped keys per game scene. Again, I have better things to do. Nor does this make any kind of rational sense. "Oh, please investigate this dreadful danger to our kingdom. Sorry, though, everything you'll need has been locked up by an insane person. Have fun rummaging around for the multiple shaped keys you'll need for everything."
HO scenes and other mini-games were uninspiring and simple. Nothing we haven't seen a bazillion times. Even in hard mode, none presented a challenge. CE bling is comprehensive, but the collectibles are easy to spot.
Lastly, while the voicevers and music were high quality, the graphics were absolutely ruined by the glow-in-the-dark palette that makes everything appear to have been doused in nuclear waste. I like bright colors. Not all of them simultaneously and inappropriately. It's ugly and hard on the eyes.
I don't recommend this game.
Your brother’s invention has made contact with aliens. Help him defeat an intergalactic invasion before the Earth is destroyed.
Overall rating
2
/
5
13 of 20 found this review helpful
Cookie cutter gameplay. Apocalyptic good versus evil story. Yawn.
PostedAugust 29, 2018
LunaNik
fromWhy was there an unplugged toaster with toast inside it in the trunk of a car?!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I've been a science fiction fanatic since the original Star Trek series. It's so rare for us to see sci-fi themes that my expectations were high for this game...and quickly dashed.
The storyline uses the "child kidnapped by aliens" theme from Star Descendant and the "merciless aliens headed toward Earth" theme from Light Advent. At this rate, the next episode will involve a child with an imaginary friend who's kidnapped by aliens, then saves Earth from merciless aliens and deposes a brutal tyrant for dessert.
I found the gameplay repetitive and boring. Fix the broken device. This one has missing parts. Terrific, this box requires four shaped keys to open, that one needs one. Various HO presentations with one thing in common: gigantic, obvious objects. Puzzles suitable for children: simple jigsaws, matching pairs, follow instructions, copy clues, swap tokens, rotate rings, yadda yadda yadda. Oh, and a "weird device" aka a gadget. I'm amazed there wasn't a little furry alien helper.
Two puzzles out of fifteen were fun: swap tokens to connect identical ones, and use arrows to move boxes to clear a path for the connection. One might have been interesting, but the "puzzle info" area was blank and all I could do was rotate one constellation, so I have to call this a bug. Judging from other reviews, it's not the only one.
Nice production. I've always enjoyed the music from this series. At the same time, I found it horrible outdated that the "good guys" appeared to be utterly human, while the "bad guys" were depicted as repulsive insectile creatures. I mean, the odds are seriously against parallel evolution resulting in two separate species that are exactly alike.
Lastly, Madhead has, once again, skimped on the bling and made their collectibles exactly alike and easy to spot. The only extra gameplay is the bonus chapter and some HO scenes. Why pay double when you're not getting double? I'm not even waiting for the SE to decide this is not a purchase for me.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save escaped magical creatures before it’s too late?
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 16 found this review helpful
4½ stars! Enchanting story. Varied, interesting gameplay.
PostedAugust 7, 2018
LunaNik
fromI'd LOVE to inherit an old lighthouse in Ireland!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Abe Hanson willed a lighthouse on the coast of Ireland to his niece Julia. Curious, she immediately went to visit it and discovered that her family has been protecting Ireland's magical creatures for generations. These beasties can control the elements, which makes them vulnerable to those who would seek power through them. It's Julia's task to save them.
The story begins with an unexpected plot twist that presents Julia with a formidable antagonist seeking to harness the elemental power of the creatures. Fortunately, Julia has allies: Casey, Uncle Abe's long-winded best friend, and Ash, the utterly adorable Super Corgi.
First, we must explore the enigma that is the lighthouse and uncover its secrets. Then, it's off to Dublin to chase the adversary and save the mythical animals. While the HO scenes aren't too varied in presentation, the objects are actually hidden! Mini-games are interesting and come in all levels of challenge. My favorites during the demo were:
• Use the clues to correctly accessorize the canine figurines.
• Connect the stars. Each is labeled with the number of corrections it should have, and moves are limited.
• Beat the mythical animals at Match-3.
• Navigate the alleyways of Dublin with Ash, using items in the maze to overcome obstacles.
• Use the clues to correctly accessorize the canine figurines.
• Connect the stars. Each is labeled with the number of corrections it should have, and moves are limited.
• Beat the mythical animals at Match-3.
• Navigate the alleyways of Dublin with Ash, using items in the maze to overcome obstacles.
The graphics are both realistic and whimsical, and they fit the game's theme perfectly. 4Friends has done a spectacular job rendering Ash the Corgi. At one point, he licks your face and you can see the taste buds on his tongue! He's animated fairly realistically, and just cute as a button. Generally, I'm not a fan of animal helpers, but when they're as cute as Ash, I'll make an exception.
The CE bling is comprehensive and includes plenty of gameplay. The collectibles—ornate eggs—actually earn you something. When your total reaches certain numbers, you can hatch five of the eggs.
I found this game instantly engaging, the storyline immersive, and the gameplay varied and interesting, so it's a definite "yes" from me, and I heartily recommend it.
I recommend this game!
Find the double agent in H.E.L.P. before it’s too late!
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 9 found this review helpful
Logic was sacrificed on the Altar of Lies.
PostedAugust 7, 2018
LunaNik
fromI'd rather have one amazing game a week than a "new" cookie cutter every day.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Eipix's immense talent is never brought to bear on game series they've taken over from other developers. When they innovate, they produce amazing games like Amaranthine Voyage: The Shadow of Torment, Off the Record: Linden Shades, and Saga of the Nine Worlds: The Four Stags.
This episode of Hidden Expedition is emblematic of choosing quantity rather than quality. The storyline started out with promise, but quickly devolved into confusion without a shred of logic. Instead of exploring the ancient city, we're transported to the modern world without an explanation, and must troll through a diner and an automotive shop.
The devious and presumably evil Noble Scoundrels, who wish to eliminate us and catch up with us at the diner, seem perfectly content to wait around while we mess with a winch, explore the auto shop, and gather items to help us escape/fight them. How is this realistic?
The HO scenes failed to include hidden objects, so they presented no challenge and weren't fun. The mini-games were the usual: copy the clue, guess the random order, match pairs, and move the crosshair to the target. No thinking required on the part of the gamer. And no thinking was required on the part of the developer either, as they just plugged in previous used programming, slapped on a new coat of paint, and claimed it was new.
Sure, the production was state-of-the-art. This. Is. A. Game. It's not an animated movie. It's a GAME. While it's a bonus to have excellent production, the focus should be on the storyline and gameplay. Even the five-star reviewers are getting sick of the cookie cutters.
BFG, most of us would gladly give up the "new game every day" in favor of one amazing, challenging, engaging, and fun game a week. No more cookie cutters!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you escape the nightmares before it's too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
I actually have nightmares about shaped keys and neon palettes.
PostedAugust 7, 2018
LunaNik
fromWilting in the heat.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It's no secret that I'm generally not a fan of Grandma's games. This one is an improvement on their usual fare, but not spectacular by any means. For me, it's difficult to remain immersed in a game that's drenched in unnaturally neon colors, for one. However, I am a fan of games involving nightmares, because it provides for both surrealism and whimsy in the graphic design.
I did find the storyline engaging. When the demo ended, I retained a lingering curiosity about the relationship between the psychotherapist and the Nightmare creature. And the characters were voiced well.
HO scenes came in several flavors: zoom box, interactive list, storybook, locked panels, morphing objects, and sequential interactions. While the zoom box and storybook scenes were quite easy, the others were at least moderately challenging.
Mini-games ran the gamut from throwaway easy to somewhat challenging. My favorites:
• Light all haystacks on fire in one continuous line. The starting point is not specified, but if you choose the wrong place to begin, you'll reach a dead end.
• A new riff on Match-3: Plant seeds in the garden, collecting three or more in a row. You must collect fifteen of each flower type, and the garden spontaneously sprouts flowers that can help or block you.
• Fill the grid with color. There are four squares labeled with numbers. Choose one and drag to fill that number of squares with color. Obviously, you have to plan a bit.
• Light all haystacks on fire in one continuous line. The starting point is not specified, but if you choose the wrong place to begin, you'll reach a dead end.
• A new riff on Match-3: Plant seeds in the garden, collecting three or more in a row. You must collect fifteen of each flower type, and the garden spontaneously sprouts flowers that can help or block you.
• Fill the grid with color. There are four squares labeled with numbers. Choose one and drag to fill that number of squares with color. Obviously, you have to plan a bit.
On the downside, there were at least five shaped keys per game scene. That gets old, especially when you use one only to be "rewarded" with yet another one. I really wish this trend would go away and devs would be more creative in their gameplay design. Also, there were TWO gadgets: the dreamcatcher (which lets us travel to others' nightmares) and an unnecessary magnifying glass (which required "charging") to reveal HO scenes.
I gave the CE three stars, and would rate this about the same. So, worthy of a PCC, DD, or really good sale.