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:
The citizens of Bordeaux are outraged after eight monks are murdered.
Overall rating
3
/
5
34 of 85 found this review helpful
3½✭ - Good story, some innovative gameplay, easy puzzles.
PostedMarch 9, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...2 days until Daylight Savings Time and 11 days until Spring!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
OVERVIEW
The Black Hawk is the 9th episode of Haunted Legends series, which ties it with Redemption Cemetery for the dubious prize of ERS’s Second Longest Series. Two series have ten episodes each—so far, that is—PuppetShow and Dark Tales. This is emblematic of ERS’s predilection for staying too long at the party. Personally, I’m sick unto death of St. Germain, and feel this would have been a better game without his constant disgruntled grunting. (Er…disgruntling?)
The Black Hawk is the 9th episode of Haunted Legends series, which ties it with Redemption Cemetery for the dubious prize of ERS’s Second Longest Series. Two series have ten episodes each—so far, that is—PuppetShow and Dark Tales. This is emblematic of ERS’s predilection for staying too long at the party. Personally, I’m sick unto death of St. Germain, and feel this would have been a better game without his constant disgruntled grunting. (Er…disgruntling?)
STORYLINE (8/10✭)
Though your name isn’t Bond, you’re a member of His Majesty’s Secret Service, and you’ve been sent to Bordeaux to investigate the mysterious murders of eight monks of the Marinite Monastery, and act as bodyguard to the Cardinal. The chief suspect is Stephan Astor, a man recently released from a twenty-year sentence for sorcery. Oddly, the Cardinal is the one responsible for commuting Stephan’s death sentence, but Stephan is still out for revenge for his lost twenty years. You might want to fortify yourself with some lovely Bordeaux while taking on this multilayered plot!
Though your name isn’t Bond, you’re a member of His Majesty’s Secret Service, and you’ve been sent to Bordeaux to investigate the mysterious murders of eight monks of the Marinite Monastery, and act as bodyguard to the Cardinal. The chief suspect is Stephan Astor, a man recently released from a twenty-year sentence for sorcery. Oddly, the Cardinal is the one responsible for commuting Stephan’s death sentence, but Stephan is still out for revenge for his lost twenty years. You might want to fortify yourself with some lovely Bordeaux while taking on this multilayered plot!
GAMEPLAY (10/15✭)
This is a puzzle-heavy game that is light on HO scenes, at least in the demo. I encountered only four HO scenes, presented with variety.
• Interactive list, followed by a mini-FROG, then a small jigsaw.
• Four screens of three-of-each-object while listening to the narrative.
• A list of multiples of each veggie to pick and place in the correct basket.
• A list of multiples of each piece of jewelry to collect in pairs.
This is a puzzle-heavy game that is light on HO scenes, at least in the demo. I encountered only four HO scenes, presented with variety.
• Interactive list, followed by a mini-FROG, then a small jigsaw.
• Four screens of three-of-each-object while listening to the narrative.
• A list of multiples of each veggie to pick and place in the correct basket.
• A list of multiples of each piece of jewelry to collect in pairs.
Puzzles were mostly quite simple, including several versions of matching pairs, a couple of dexterity tests, two that required copying the given clue, and:
• Swap tokens in the outer ring until they match the inner ring.
• Click the fingers until both hands have released, and clicking one finger affects others.
• Move the bars to create a path for each fist to reach its matching shield, and moving one bar affects others.
• My favorite!!! An apothecary cabinet’s drawers are all locked. You begin with one drawer and must use whatever you find inside to open sequential drawers until you’ve opened them all.
• Swap tokens in the outer ring until they match the inner ring.
• Click the fingers until both hands have released, and clicking one finger affects others.
• Move the bars to create a path for each fist to reach its matching shield, and moving one bar affects others.
• My favorite!!! An apothecary cabinet’s drawers are all locked. You begin with one drawer and must use whatever you find inside to open sequential drawers until you’ve opened them all.
Exploration/adventure mode lacked the constant hand-holding, which made for a nice change. Often times, you were left alone to figure out what to do next, such as with the candles in the monastery yard and while walking through the crypt. Actions were intuitive, though, and not illogical. If you stopped to think about what you might try in real life, that usually worked. It was refreshing.
INTERFACE (4/5✭)
As usual, I would have liked either a wider inventory panel, or arrows that moved a page at a time instead of an item at a time. Other than that, the interface was nicely designed, compact but not cluttered.
As usual, I would have liked either a wider inventory panel, or arrows that moved a page at a time instead of an item at a time. Other than that, the interface was nicely designed, compact but not cluttered.
LOGIC (4/5✭)
Other than the coin-as-screwdriver, there were no outrageous deviations from common sense.
Other than the coin-as-screwdriver, there were no outrageous deviations from common sense.
PRODUCTION (8/10✭)
I happen to like handpainted graphics, and I think ERS did a fantastic job overall. Where ornate detail was required, it was there. Objects were easily recognized, and proportions were appropriate. The depiction of light was fantastic, and the palette was soothing. I also appreciated that the NPCs were rendered in the same style, rather than having hyper-realistic backgrounds and cartoon-like characters.
I happen to like handpainted graphics, and I think ERS did a fantastic job overall. Where ornate detail was required, it was there. Objects were easily recognized, and proportions were appropriate. The depiction of light was fantastic, and the palette was soothing. I also appreciated that the NPCs were rendered in the same style, rather than having hyper-realistic backgrounds and cartoon-like characters.
The music was ok, but I would have preferred more time-appropriate music. Voiceovers were excellent and environmental sounds were good.
EXTRAS (4/5✭)
Bonus chapter, performance achievements, and the strategy guide. Morphing objects, and collectible tokens to restore your family estate. Replay HO scenes and puzzles. Dev’s portfolio includes wallpapers, screensavers, concept art, videos, and soundtracks.
Bonus chapter, performance achievements, and the strategy guide. Morphing objects, and collectible tokens to restore your family estate. Replay HO scenes and puzzles. Dev’s portfolio includes wallpapers, screensavers, concept art, videos, and soundtracks.
CONCLUSION
Overall Rating = 38✭ ÷ 50✭ = 3.8✭ (rounded to ✭✭✭½)
The sole reason I didn’t rate this game higher was that the puzzles were too easy. I’ve said it a million times: Matching pairs is a game for children, and there were three of them in the demo. But other than that, this game has an engaging storyline and offered some innovative gameplay, so I’m going to recommend it anyway as a “rainy day” game. Happy gaming, fishies!
Overall Rating = 38✭ ÷ 50✭ = 3.8✭ (rounded to ✭✭✭½)
The sole reason I didn’t rate this game higher was that the puzzles were too easy. I’ve said it a million times: Matching pairs is a game for children, and there were three of them in the demo. But other than that, this game has an engaging storyline and offered some innovative gameplay, so I’m going to recommend it anyway as a “rainy day” game. Happy gaming, fishies!
I recommend this game!
Discover a lost Slavic legend, where love is greater than death!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 21 found this review helpful
A decent game for beginners...
PostedMarch 7, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...4 days until Daylight Savings Time and 13 days until Spring!
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Sorcerer’s Mirror is a story-driven, fairly linear HOPA that includes a random factor we rarely see: at several crucial turning points, you’re given a choice as to how to proceed, and the choices you make will affect the story, gameplay, and ending. This is a welcome innovation to what has become cookie cutter gameplay.
HO scenes present some variation and include fragmented objects, narratives in which you find the capitalized word or the silhouette, interactive list, and multiples. Puzzles are all quite easy and included removing thorny vines (pick-up sticks) and connecting tokens of the same color without crossing paths. Adventure/exploration included the usual: do favors for people and get stuff in return, find and use tools and keys, search for clues, etc.
Graphically, backgrounds were charmingly hand-painted, while objects close-up were rendered with intricate detail and texture. The NPCs were fully animated posers during cutscenes, but a bit two-dimensional during actual gameplay. The music was appropriate to the theme, but not outstanding. Voiceovers were done well.
Though this is a standard edition, there are collectible cards and mirrors. Overall, this is a decent game for beginners or those who are looking for relaxing gameplay.
Investigate the secrets hidden in the shadows of the throne!
Overall rating
3
/
5
16 of 23 found this review helpful
3½✭ - Well-developed story, gameplay too easy.
PostedMarch 6, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...5 days until Daylight Savings Time and 14 days until Spring!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom is a well-developed coming of age story set in a fantasy universe, complete with palace intrigue, alchemical potions, mythical creatures, and an oppressed population ground under the heel of a tyrannical usurper. Gameplay offers little challenge, but quite a bit of variety, and is weighted about equally among HO scenes, puzzles, and exploration/adventure.
HO scenes, while not difficult, are presented in infinite variety and with creativity. During the demo, they included an interactive list involving opening the drawers and lids of a sewing box, solving a series of riddles by finding the objects that represented the answers, a silhouetted list to find and use to create a potion, and a pictorial FROG to find the parts of a grappling hook.
Puzzles, while graphically beautiful, were much too easy and tended toward variations on a limited number of themes, like rotating circles until certain elements were in the correct place.
• Rotate three circles that have colored wedges until the gems between the circles match in color.
• Rotate the intersecting circles to move the tokens on them until they match the given pattern. (This is a repeating puzzle involving the alchemical kit. It increases in complexity, but not in difficulty.)
• Two instances of Simon Says: Repeat one sequence of five.
• A jigsaw of Tetris-shaped pillows, which might have been challenging, but was made easy because the fabric had distinctive patterns to match up.
• Rotate three circles to correctly position the lockpicks. Rotating one circle affects others.
• Three swap-the-wedges jigsaws (no swapping between puzzles required).
• Click on the map squares, following the given directions. (This isn't even a puzzle, unless you can't count to three or are clueless about the cardinal directions.)
• Rotate three circles that have colored wedges until the gems between the circles match in color.
• Rotate the intersecting circles to move the tokens on them until they match the given pattern. (This is a repeating puzzle involving the alchemical kit. It increases in complexity, but not in difficulty.)
• Two instances of Simon Says: Repeat one sequence of five.
• A jigsaw of Tetris-shaped pillows, which might have been challenging, but was made easy because the fabric had distinctive patterns to match up.
• Rotate three circles to correctly position the lockpicks. Rotating one circle affects others.
• Three swap-the-wedges jigsaws (no swapping between puzzles required).
• Click on the map squares, following the given directions. (This isn't even a puzzle, unless you can't count to three or are clueless about the cardinal directions.)
Exploration/adventure involved problem-solving through finding and using tools, objects, keys, and potions, as well as helping people and getting their help in return. Most inventory items were located a few steps from where they were needed.
I turned the music off because it was repetitive and became annoying. Graphics were mostly excellent, except that the NPCs and the running water appeared to have been done by someone else. They didn't fit. Where most things had sharp detail, the NPCs looked painted with oils by a large brush.
I thought the storyline was excellent, and would say that beginners or folks who prefer easy gameplay might enjoy this game, but it's not for me. Happy gaming!
Can you beat the clock and get your life back?
Overall rating
2
/
5
45 of 58 found this review helpful
Zero logic. Infinite numbers of banners.
PostedMarch 4, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...7 days until Daylight Savings Time and 16 days until Spring!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The hallmark of the Cadenza series was that music was the catalyst for magic. Mad Head seems to have abandoned both music and magic in this latest episode, “Fame, Theft, and Murder,” as well as both logic and common sense.
We’re told early on that Adam is able to achieve the body swap by possessing his victim’s favorite object, yet he didn’t have Mike’s lucky pick until after he swapped with Mike. So the premise of the storyline has a hole big enough to ride an elephant through. No explanation is given for why the guitar duel was necessary, and the music concept is abandoned immediately thereafter, remaining part of the game only as graphic symbolism.
Irrationality was the overriding theme of this game. Every step I took in this game universe left me bemused. A few examples:
• Several musical note-shaped parts of the gate to my (Mike’s) house were missing; one was inside a balloon inflated with helium. To pop it, I had to create an ersatz bow-and-arrow using a broken violin bow, some yarn I pulled from a winter hat, and a wire rib torn from a discarded umbrella. Seriously? Like that would work. Why didn’t I just use the handle of the umbrella to hook the balloon’s string and pull it within reach, then use the wire rib to pop it?
• My (Mike’s) spare house key was frozen inside an ice sculpture shaped like a swan. So, in plain view, but difficult to access…exactly the opposite from how normal people store a spare key. I had to melt the ice with a lighter. Have you ever tried to melt a huge block of ice with a lighter? Or taken a basic physics course?
• A common light bulb was secreted in a niche hidden behind a coatrack, and the niche was locked with two shaped indentations. The two shaped keys were, themselves, locked up in two separate places. I might be able to let this one go if it was an LED bulb, because they’re expensive, but it was just a regular incandescent bulb. But it was my preciousss!!!
• In the park, an elderly man appeared from out of nowhere, instantly recognized me as Mike-in-Adam’s-body, issued a dire warning, then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Er…what just happened? And why?
I could keep going with more examples, each more ludicrous than the last, but let’s move on to the plague of pop-up and slide-in banners. They were legion, and they were annoying. Every HO scene ended with half a dozen of them, each celebrating a dubious performance achievement. Each task was heralded by banners at its beginning and completion. Fully half my demo time was spent waiting for banners to get out of my way.
Yes, all the HO scenes were multi-level. Big deal. They were also all interactive list, and all unhidden object scenes. I’d be more impressed with a straight list where the objects were actually hidden, but no one seems to do that anymore. Puzzles were mostly retreads that offered no challenge. I did like the park gate gem lock, which was a moderate challenge.
Graphics and music were Mad Head’s usual excellent job, but the storyline was amateur at best, and gameplay was illogical.
I don't recommend this game.
A locked room murder awaits you! Was the killer human or something else?
Overall rating
3
/
5
17 of 21 found this review helpful
3½✭ - Engaging story, good production, gameplay for beginners
PostedMarch 2, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...9 days until Daylight Savings Time and 18 days until Spring!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It was a dark and stormy night, and I was enjoying a bit of much-deserved relaxation when there was an unwelcome knock at my door. It was a police detective named Donovan asking for my help with his current case, a locked room murder. He said my expertise with the supernatural was needed, and I soon discovered why. For this was no everyday crime, and my investigation led me to a vast underground city, long abandoned, and a powerful sorceress intent on revenge. As if that wasn't enough, it turned out that Donovan had a few surprises up his sleeve too.
The Sealed and Forgotten is a story-driven HOPA heavy on puzzles but light on challenge. However, I found the story engaging and the production excellent, so I would recommend it for beginners or folks who like to have a few relaxing games in their collection for rainy days. Since I fall into the latter category, I'll probably pick up the SE with a PCC.
During the demo, I encountered five HO scenes and ten puzzles. The HO scenes included two silhouette find-and-use (moderate), two find-eight-of (easy), and one narrative with three levels of find-four-of (easy to moderate).
Puzzles ran the gamut from "not really a puzzle" to moderate difficulty. Included were three types of matching pairs, two just-copy-the-clue, two versions of jigsaws, a modification of Rush Hour, a find-the-symbol-parts, and one original puzzle that was reminiscent of the game Alchemy.
Adventure mode was typical of a HOPA and involved the usual amount of illogical nonsense, leaving the experienced player thinking, "How in the world did that get there?!" and "No one would lock up something like that!" Most inventory items were found one or two steps away from where they were needed.
The highlight of the graphics was the gloriously lifelike textures from the pores of the skin to the grain of the leather gloves. The animation lacked dimension, but the palette was pleasing. The music ranged from thematic pieces to ambient soundscapes, setting the tone nicely.
While this isn't the best game in the Mystery of the Ancients series, it certainly isn't the worst. Again, it's a good game for beginners or for those who wish relaxing gameplay. Happy gaming!
James, a former FBI agent is asking for your help!
Overall rating
1
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
This game should have remained a secret.
PostedMarch 1, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...10 days until Daylight Savings Time and 19 days until Spring.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Secret Case: Paranormal Investigation is an extremely old-fashioned game in its design, gameplay, and graphics. You investigate each area on the map twice, and can earn up to three stars for each investigation. Earning stars depends on how well you score in each area's timed HO scene and mini-game.
There's a brief intro cutscene relating a myth that God gave an artifact to humans that would grant them supreme power. Humans fought over it, so a wise man destroyed it and scattered the pieces. Suddenly, you're in the modern day and at Stonehenge with no segué as to who you are or what you're doing, except some brief chatter about an investigation. Not the best storyline exposition, since you're left with zero motivation.
All the HO scenes are straight list. Generally, you're required to find multiples of smaller objects, like paper clips. The scenes I played were all close-ups, so the objects were all large enough to see. No special effort was made to hide the objects in the scene.
Mini-games were all quite simple: enter the given code to unlock the briefcase, rotate the concentric circles to complete the image, swap sound waves until you've created three coherent waves, and the like. None presented a challenge.
There was no true animation and no voiceovers, but there was a LOT of dialogue to click through. Each scene had a gigantic puzzle piece icon with an arrow pointing to the HO scene or mini-game, so no exploration was necessary. Items had to be dragged from the inventory. And most of my time was spent waiting for the pop-up score boxes to calculate my score, which happened after every HO, every mini-game, and every scene.
To be honest, I think even beginners to the HOPA genre would be frustrated with the slow pace of this game. Not only is your hand held, but you're led to every gameplay element, tapped on the shoulder, and told, "Look here!!!" It plays like it was pulled from a drawer labeled "Made in 2001."
I don't recommend this game.
Can you give Romeo and Juliet the happy ending they desire?
Overall rating
1
/
5
24 of 35 found this review helpful
This dev's formula is an all-around failure.
PostedFebruary 26, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...13 days until Daylight Savings Time and 22 days until Spring.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I find myself saying much the same thing for every game from this dev, and this game is no different.
The production is just terrible. Graphics have an utterly eye-searing palette as if the game universe has been irradiated with nuclear waste. Animation has a stop-motion appearance, and living beings moved unnaturally. Environmental sounds were missing entirely, and music started and stopped at random. Mostly, there was just silence. Voiceovers were mediocre at best.
Gameplay was formulaic, too easy, and included ridiculous departures from logic and common sense. A stiletto heel used as a screwdriver? "I'm locking you in your room. Here's a messenger dove, but don't use it!" A flute made by dumping clay into a mold, then drilling random holes in it? Putting out a fire with an anachronistic rubber hose? Good grief!
HO scenes could be completed in less than a minute, and most were minimally interactive list. Puzzles were too easy even at the "hard" level. And adventure mode included all the trite game devices we've seen a million times, like the broken ladder, the rusty pruning shears, the cobwebs, and more. All completely predictable.
Don't even get me started on the numerous ways this dev butchered one of the bard's masterpieces. It's criminal.
I don't recommend this game.
Dark Parables: Requiem for the Forgotten Shadow Collector's Edition
A dark illness has befallen the townspeople of Anaben!
Overall rating
5
/
5
64 of 83 found this review helpful
Original, challenging puzzles. Fragments actually hidden. YES!
PostedFebruary 24, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...15 days until Daylight Savings Time and 24 days until Spring.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
While I’ve generally disliked Eipix in my Blue Tea, I loved The Swan Princess and the Dire Tree and gave it five stars, so I hoped for another sterling game with Requiem for the Forgotten Shadow. If I can judge by the demo alone, I think we have a winner.
The storyline did have some formulaic elements—townspeople stricken by a mysterious illness, secret society, eldritch hooded figure—but its development kept me engaged and wanting to know more with the introduction of characters with depth and motivation.
Gameplay introduced some original and challenging puzzles that made me punch the air with a loud, “YES!” Among my favorites:
• On a chessboard, four pawns advance one square per move, but can also move one space diagonally to attack. You have a bishop, who moves traditionally, and must take all four pawns before they reach the other side.
• There’s an array of colored pegs on which you must place matching tokens. To the right is a display showing the next three tokens to be placed. Click any token, then one of the adjacent pegs where you wish to move it, and the next token in line will be placed on the peg you vacated. (The instructions for this one weren’t clear, so it took a bit of trial and error to understand the method. Example: If, on the array, there’s an orange token on a purple peg, and the next token in line is purple, move the orange token to an orange peg so that the purple token will take its place on the purple peg. And so on. It gets harder as you get toward the end.)
• On a chessboard, four pawns advance one square per move, but can also move one space diagonally to attack. You have a bishop, who moves traditionally, and must take all four pawns before they reach the other side.
• There’s an array of colored pegs on which you must place matching tokens. To the right is a display showing the next three tokens to be placed. Click any token, then one of the adjacent pegs where you wish to move it, and the next token in line will be placed on the peg you vacated. (The instructions for this one weren’t clear, so it took a bit of trial and error to understand the method. Example: If, on the array, there’s an orange token on a purple peg, and the next token in line is purple, move the orange token to an orange peg so that the purple token will take its place on the purple peg. And so on. It gets harder as you get toward the end.)
HO scenes are, of course, the trademark fragmented objects of the Dark Parables series. But these are not throwaway scenes you can complete in under a minute. The fragments are cleverly blended into the background scene, making them much more difficult to find. Kudos to Eipix for raising the challenge level!
Yes, there was a certain amount of the highly detested “shaped key” nonsense, but it was kept to a minimum, in my opinion. In fact, most of the typical devices we see used and reused to slow the player down were missing. I failed to encounter a zipper missing its pull tab. I wasn’t required to use a glass shard as a knife (or find cloth to pick up broken glass). The boat I found didn’t have a hole in it. All of that was gloriously absent.
Production values are, as always, through the roof, with stunningly detailed graphics in lovely colors and textures, smooth animation, and an orchestral and choral soundtrack worthy of a movie. (Note: Overall, the screenshots above showing the toxic green sky are NOT characteristic of the graphics. Frankly, a better variety of screenshots should have been chosen.)
Extras include the bonus chapter, collectible parables (which are extremely difficult to spot), collectible “signs” (which are actually torches), a souvenir room, performance achievements, the SG, replayable FROGs and puzzles, and the dev’s portfolio of wallpapers, movies, concept art, and soundtracks (which are downloadable).
You can mouse over my name and see that I rarely give out five-star ratings…only 13.7% of the games I’ve reviewed have gotten five stars. This game just brought that percentage up. I’m enchanted, and am getting to like my Blue Tea with a healthy dose of Eipix added in. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to rescue the shadows before they’re forgotten. Cheers!
I recommend this game!
It's up to you and your canine companion to save the city!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
Based on completed game...excellent puzzles in this one!
PostedFebruary 19, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...20 days until Daylight Savings Time and 29 days until Spring.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
OVERVIEW
Edge of Reality: Ring of Destiny is proof that one can’t always judge a game by its demo. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the CE version, finding the puzzles relatively easy. However, I picked up the SE as part of a sale, and I’m glad I did, as the puzzles got progressively more difficult.
Edge of Reality: Ring of Destiny is proof that one can’t always judge a game by its demo. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the CE version, finding the puzzles relatively easy. However, I picked up the SE as part of a sale, and I’m glad I did, as the puzzles got progressively more difficult.
DETAILS
Storyline (8/10★)
When you adopted Ice, a gorgeous, cream-colored Golden Retriever, you had no idea he was a messenger from the fantastic world of Agora. But Ice specifically chose you to wear the Ring of Destiny, an artifact with several magical powers. Because Agora is in serious trouble.
Storyline (8/10★)
When you adopted Ice, a gorgeous, cream-colored Golden Retriever, you had no idea he was a messenger from the fantastic world of Agora. But Ice specifically chose you to wear the Ring of Destiny, an artifact with several magical powers. Because Agora is in serious trouble.
Glivera, an evil queen imprisoned in the Labyrinth, has gathered shadow creatures about her. Even now, they are on the verge of breaking free and crushing Agora under eternal darkness. Aeron the Wizard barely has time to teach you to use the Ring before you’re off on your quest.
Adventure (4/5★)
Travel around the beautiful land of Agora in search of traditional and magical items to aid you in your quest. Help the denizens of Agora, including a dragon, and they’ll help you in return. Mix up potions and repair devices. And use the powers of the Ring (which I won’t reveal, because that would spoil things).
Travel around the beautiful land of Agora in search of traditional and magical items to aid you in your quest. Help the denizens of Agora, including a dragon, and they’ll help you in return. Mix up potions and repair devices. And use the powers of the Ring (which I won’t reveal, because that would spoil things).
Hidden Object Scenes (3/5★)
HO scenes included interactive lists, find the highlighted words in the narrative, silhouettes, FROGs, and more. Some areas were visited twice. Quite a few were creative in their presentation, and some of the objects were difficult to find.
HO scenes included interactive lists, find the highlighted words in the narrative, silhouettes, FROGs, and more. Some areas were visited twice. Quite a few were creative in their presentation, and some of the objects were difficult to find.
Puzzles (4/5★)
I won’t bother describing the puzzles in the demo, or the repeating ones involving the Ring. Further on, they get tougher, so over the course of the game, there’s a good range of challenge from beginner to expert. Some of my favorites included:
• STAR CHART - A field of numbered stars has marked start and end points. There are buttons numbered 1-6; each may be pressed once. Chart a path through the starfield by pressing the buttons. Pressing a button will move you to the nearest star that matches that number.
• COMPLEX LOCK - A key must move through a grid to its goal. You are given four path patterns to use and reuse. Make sure the key doesn’t leave the grid.
• ALL BUT ONE - Tokens with several symbols move along a path. The goal is to remove all but one. A token can be removed if those on either side of it match.
• MATCHING ORBITS - A sun has planets circling it on three orbits. Each planet is marked with 1-3 stars. Below is a star chart. Select and rotate each orbit until the planets line up correctly with the star chart.
• BOSS LEVEL - Assemble a circle from eight colored runes following the given rules of logic, which specify that certain runes either must be or cannot be between two others.
• MAILBOX MAZE - Move the token to the goal, lowering barriers by landing on spots of the same color. Requires strategy to avoid dead ends. Three levels.
• RAYS OF LIGHT - Guide the light rays from the center to the four pictures by placing barriers on the grid to reflect them. The rays advance automatically one square after each move, so plan ahead.
I won’t bother describing the puzzles in the demo, or the repeating ones involving the Ring. Further on, they get tougher, so over the course of the game, there’s a good range of challenge from beginner to expert. Some of my favorites included:
• STAR CHART - A field of numbered stars has marked start and end points. There are buttons numbered 1-6; each may be pressed once. Chart a path through the starfield by pressing the buttons. Pressing a button will move you to the nearest star that matches that number.
• COMPLEX LOCK - A key must move through a grid to its goal. You are given four path patterns to use and reuse. Make sure the key doesn’t leave the grid.
• ALL BUT ONE - Tokens with several symbols move along a path. The goal is to remove all but one. A token can be removed if those on either side of it match.
• MATCHING ORBITS - A sun has planets circling it on three orbits. Each planet is marked with 1-3 stars. Below is a star chart. Select and rotate each orbit until the planets line up correctly with the star chart.
• BOSS LEVEL - Assemble a circle from eight colored runes following the given rules of logic, which specify that certain runes either must be or cannot be between two others.
• MAILBOX MAZE - Move the token to the goal, lowering barriers by landing on spots of the same color. Requires strategy to avoid dead ends. Three levels.
• RAYS OF LIGHT - Guide the light rays from the center to the four pictures by placing barriers on the grid to reflect them. The rays advance automatically one square after each move, so plan ahead.
Game Design (4/5★)
Excellent interface with a nice, big inventory. The map was well-designed and indicated active areas if you so chose. I would have liked a touch less hand-holding when it came to charging and using the ring, though.
Excellent interface with a nice, big inventory. The map was well-designed and indicated active areas if you so chose. I would have liked a touch less hand-holding when it came to charging and using the ring, though.
Logic (5/5★)
Nothing bizarre.
Nothing bizarre.
Graphics (5/5★)
Stunning panoramas are the hallmark of this game, and the palette subtly shifts from warm, welcoming tones in Agora to icy, arctic shades in the mountains, then to an eldritch mix of discordant colors in the Labyrinth. There’s no mistaking this for Earth; the fantastic elements are beautifully rendered. Characters are drawn well, and animation is smooth.
Stunning panoramas are the hallmark of this game, and the palette subtly shifts from warm, welcoming tones in Agora to icy, arctic shades in the mountains, then to an eldritch mix of discordant colors in the Labyrinth. There’s no mistaking this for Earth; the fantastic elements are beautifully rendered. Characters are drawn well, and animation is smooth.
Sound (4/5★)
I did find the music a bit repetitive at times, but not quite enough to annoy me. A few more tracks would have been welcome, but what I heard was enjoyable and varied. Voiceovers were professional, and environmental sounds were excellent.
I did find the music a bit repetitive at times, but not quite enough to annoy me. A few more tracks would have been welcome, but what I heard was enjoyable and varied. Voiceovers were professional, and environmental sounds were excellent.
CONCLUSION
Rating = 37/45★ = 4.1★ (rounded to ★★★★)
I recommend this one for its engaging storyline, variety of gameplay which includes quite challenging puzzles, and pure eye and ear candy. Other games by this dev that I’ve enjoyed include:
Bridge to Another World: Alice in Shadowland CE (2016) ★★★★
Living Legends: Frozen Beauty CE (2013) ★★★★
Living Legends: Beasts of Bremen CE (2017) ★★★★
Rating = 37/45★ = 4.1★ (rounded to ★★★★)
I recommend this one for its engaging storyline, variety of gameplay which includes quite challenging puzzles, and pure eye and ear candy. Other games by this dev that I’ve enjoyed include:
Bridge to Another World: Alice in Shadowland CE (2016) ★★★★
Living Legends: Frozen Beauty CE (2013) ★★★★
Living Legends: Beasts of Bremen CE (2017) ★★★★
I recommend this game!
Open a puzzle box to unlock four extraordinary worlds!
Overall rating
2
/
5
24 of 30 found this review helpful
What happened to the beautiful storytelling and innovative gameplay?
PostedFebruary 18, 2017
LunaNik
fromCountdown to the return of the Sun...21 days until Daylight Savings Time and 30 days until Spring.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I’ve always been enchanted with the concept of fantastic worlds accessible via everyday objects. As a young child with a rich imagination, I prodded mirrors, hoping to fall through the looking glass. I badly wanted a wardrobe in my bedroom in the hopes that a rainy day might find me pushing through the coats into Narnia. To this day, I’m still thoroughly fascinated with the worlds of Myst and the idea of writing them into existence.
The first episode in the Subliminal Realms series, The Masterpiece, captured this idea perfectly. The worlds of Albert’s imagination became real, and he was able to travel to them as part of a quite personal journey of discovery. That’s what I expected when I downloaded the demo for this sequel, but I found it to be missing all the elements that made The Masterpiece such an engaging story, its characters so relatable, and its gameplay so innovative.
—————
Matthew finds an artifact on his latest diving expedition, but experiences some sort of accident and ends up a patient under Samantha’s care. (She’s his wife? Fiancée? Even the game blurb isn’t sure.) It turns out the artifact is a portal to four worlds, and Matthew is pulled through the portal by an evil magician named Ralden. Samantha follows him and discovers an ally in Harold, a good magician, who gives her a magic box to aid and protect her. So, loved one in danger; off we go to the rescue.
I found myself unable to relate to either Matthew and his plight or to Samantha and her concern, largely because the story failed to develop either character beyond “diver” and “nurse.” Also, unlike in the first episode, there was no connection between the couple and the subliminal realms to which they traveled, no personal journey. Lastly, no explanation was forthcoming about what Randel was up to, why Harold was countering him, what the artifact was and how it came to be on the bottom of the ocean, and what purpose the four worlds had.
—————
Gameplay was rather repetitive. There were lots of amulets, medallions, and inlays to find, both whole and in pieces. Some were “guarded” by the denizens of the worlds, requiring you to either bribe them with food or threaten them. Some areas were obscured by a dark haze created by Ralden, cuing a simplistic mini-game like untangle the ropes, drag the ball along the path without touching the sides, or rotate the concentric circles to complete the image. The magic box itself was much like the enigma box in Key of Ravenhearst; a lock or puzzle, when unlocked or solved, would provide a needed item, then reveal a new lock or puzzle. What happened to the innovation of the alternating inventories? The traveling back and forth between the “real world” and the subliminal realms?
HOs came in two types: full-size and multi-layered, and zoom box FROG. The latter ones were all extremely easy. The full-size ones, to give an example, might begin with a FROG, then zoom into a matching pairs, then zoom back out to a rebus list HO, and end with a rotate-the-pieces jigsaw. I liked the multi-layer design, but disliked the inclusion of overly simple puzzles.
Overall, the challenge level of the puzzles was much too easy. During the demo, there must have been half a dozen versions of jigsaws. It doesn’t matter what the format is, these are simple and boring. There was a grid requiring you to place symbols based on the partial symbols labeled for each row and column. And if you can’t correctly repeat a sequence of five, you should probably see a neurologist.
—————
The high points: absolutely stunning and imaginative graphics, animation, and music. If this were a video, I’d give it five stars. But it’s not; it’s a game, and the gameplay showed no imagination. And after the beautiful yet heartbreaking storyline, and the innovative and original gameplay in The Masterpiece, this dev should be ashamed to release this as a sequel.
P.S. Those were NOT morphing objects. They popped into existence from thin air and disappeared just as quickly. They didn’t morph from other objects into masks, then back.
I don't recommend this game.