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:
Become the manager of some of the world`s leading beach resorts in Paradise Beach, a fun and exciting Strategy game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Too much going on at once to enjoy!
PostedMay 4, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Sure, there are no predetermined lots and you can build wherever you like. However, you don't have the time to be creative because you're too busy saving drowning people, cleaning up after litterers, building and repairing facilities, planting trees and greenery, putting up lounge chairs, emptying trash cans, and the like. Ugh. Just stressful to play, not at all fun.
I don't recommend this game.
Get land to build cities with houses, schools, markets, farms and a network of roads to improve the quality of life and the economy of the Roman Empire.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Interface & game mechanics need improvement...
PostedMay 4, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*sigh* I was so looking forward to this one...the rare resource management game with no timer. Sadly, there were too many interface and game mechanics issues to overlook.
1. The inability to move/rotate buildings caused repetitive "there are no roads to this building" messages. You had to delete and rebuild rather than simply move or rotate. Annoying.
2. Even though I always built a tax collector, that meter was always at zero. Apparently, no one wanted to pay taxes in my cities, or my tax collector was inept.
3. An "undo" button would have been great, especially when building roads.
4. The tutorial and instructions were sketchy, leaving you to figure out an awful lot on your own.
5. I had the sound volume all the way up, yet still always missed the sound meaning something was on fire. As a result, things often burned to the ground before I realized it. Also, at times I was unable to put the fire out myself by just clicking on it. When I tried, I was instructed to build another prefecture.
Overall, there were poor decisions made regarding which aspects were controlled by the game and which by the player. I can't recommend it unless improvements are made.
I don't recommend this game.
When your daughter, Emily, is taken over by a mysterious force, you must travel to the Nightmare Realm to search for a cure. But nothing could have prepared you for what you find there…
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
A beautiful challenge, stunning and immersive!
PostedMay 3, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
TITLE—Nightmare Realm: In the End...
VERSION—Collector's Edition (full game + bonus adventure)
DEVELOPER—Lesta (produced by Big Fish Games)
GENRE—Puzzle Adventure with some Interactive Hidden Object Scenes
STORYLINE—You return in your role as Kathleen, mother of the gifted artist Emily whom you saved from the Nightmare Realm some years ago. Emily is all grown up now and getting ready to depart for college. Suddenly, a creature from the Nightmare Realm appears and causes her to fall ill. The creature tells you that you have only one hour to collect your husband David's tears from the Nightmare Realm, or Emily will die. When you finally reach David, you learn that a more sinister plot is afoot.
OVERVIEW—This was, above all, a thoroughly enjoyable game to play. It's extremely immersive in nature, and all aspects from the graphics to the music to the storyline suck you in and keep you there. I recommend you take your time, turn off your phone, and dive in head first.
GAMEPLAY—Point 'n' click adventure interspersed with lots of puzzles and mini-game and a few highly interactive HOs. In fact, the HOs were difficult; you really had to think about what to do. The puzzles ranged from easy but time consuming to difficult, from the familiar to the unique. Really, a nice blend of gaming skills was required to play.
SPECIALS—Find 36 origami to unlock NPC profiles.
EXTRAS—17 wallpapers, 15 musical pieces, concept art, and the bonus adventure which details the inception of the Curator of the Nightmare Realm.
INTERFACE—JOURNAL: None, and it's unnecessary. MAP: Informative about where actions are available, but not a jump map. However, it is beautifully artistic. HINTS: I only used two, so I'm unsure of how quickly they recharge. STRATEGY GUIDE: Real time. I used it once and it brought me to the exact spot in the game where I was playing.
SETTINGS—Music, environment, and effects volumes can all be set separately. There are three levels of difficulty, a custom cursor, full screen, and aspect ratio correction.
GRAPHICS—Beautiful use of color and texture, imaginative backgrounds, detailed close-ups, and gorgeous renderings. Eye candy. You can't help but become immersed.
CUTSCENES—Absolutely stunning animation, both for the in-game graphics and the interludes.
MUSIC—Lovely and ambient, never intrusive. Exactly what game music should be.
SOUND—Ambient and game sounds were entirely appropriate and contributed to the experience.
VOICEOVER—Not superlative, but decently done.
SUMMARY—Lesta hit a home run with this one, in my opinion. I'm looking forward to more games from them. I definitely recommend the CE for the bonus adventure alone, although the SE satisfactorily ties up the main storyline. Also, the credits are worth watching for the beautiful graphic representation of shadow play. Now, I'm going back to play the first Nightmare Realm, then play this one again!
I recommend this game!
Rescue your abducted brother from eternal darkness in this thrilling Hidden Object adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
New Devs are on the right track...
PostedMay 2, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
TITLE—Tales of Terror: Crimson Dawn
VERSION—Standard Edition (full game)
DEVELOPER—Deep Shadows (with Big Fish Games)
GENRE—Interactive Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (supernatural)
STORYLINE—As you're about to meet your brother Jason, he's suddenly abducted by a group of hooded figures, one of whom knocks you unconscious. When you awaken, you have only a photo and Jason's cryptic message as clues to find him. They lead you to an eerie mansion where, you soon discover, you'll play a pivotal role in the ongoing battle between good and evil.
OVERVIEW—I acquired Crimson Dawn with a free game coupon after playing the demo because I thought the graphics and animation were beautiful, the mix of adventure/iHOs/puzzles was just right, and I was intrigued by the storyline. There was a lovely twist which I thought should have been played out further, and I wish there had been a denouement; these endings are always too abrupt for my tastes. Devs, please go look up the word "denouement" and give us a satisfactory segue to a sequel!
GAMEPLAY—Point 'n' click adventure with iHOs, puzzles, and mini-games. The interactions in the HOs are of the "move this to reveal that," "unlock this to find that," etc. variety, and all are clearly rendered. The puzzles range from simple and familiar to difficult and unique. (Oh, how I long for the death of the "swap pieces" puzzle!)
SPECIALS—None noted.
INTERFACE—JOURNAL: Keeps track of clues and your adventure. MAP: None. HINTS: Find items in the iHOs and direct you in adventure mode.
SETTINGS—Music and effects volumes can be set separately. There are three modes of difficulty: casual, expert, and professional. Custom cursor and full screen are available, but no wide screen correction.
GRAPHICS—Eye candy. Gorgeous colors and textures. Realistic without being photographic.
CUTSCENES—Live actors and 3D rendering make for fairly realistic interludes, although the lip-synching is off. In-game animation is very realistic. For once, the screws turn the right way when you're using the screwdriver! LOL
MUSIC—Dramatic and spooky, but somewhat repetitive, though not overly annoying.
SOUND—Ambient sounds as appropriate. I didn't notice much in the way of game sounds. Perhaps I was too immersed.
VOICEOVER—Range from extremely well-done to oddly out-of character.
SUMMARY—With a few tweaks, this game would be perfect. There were some translation errors. "Football" turned out to be a billiards ball, for example. I think the game could have been longer as well. But I did enjoy playing it, so I'll recommend it.
I recommend this game!
A late-night subway ride takes a bizarre turn into a mystical cemetery. You have been summoned by a strange entity to free the cemetery’s lost souls. Will you succeed, or is this the end of the line?
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 14 found this review helpful
ERS has stepped up & delivered an excellent game!
PostedApril 20, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
TITLE—Redemption Cemetery: Salvation of the Lost
VERSION—Collector's Edition (full game)
DEVELOPER—ERS
GENRE—Interactive Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (supernatural)
STORYLINE—A subway ride home takes a detour through the twilight zone to the end of the line: Redemption Cemetery. The Keeper of the Cemetery, Hina, takes your puppy, promising to return it safely to you if you free the three lost souls. Each is tortured by unfinished business from his or her life and it's up to you to resolve these issues so the souls can be at peace.
OVERVIEW—Of the games in this series, I only really cared for the third one, Grave Testimony. I was hoping this installment was just as good, and it is. I knew long before the demo was over that this would be a buy for me. Well done, ERS!
GAMEPLAY—Point 'n' click adventure interspersed with mini-games, puzzles, and iHOS. Some of the iHOS are list-based, others are silhouette where you must find a certain object in order to help you find another. The mini-games and puzzles are not too difficult, but do require some thought. And there are some unique ones we've not seen before. Additionally, your raven friend is back and has new abilities.
SPECIALS—Find medals for your puppy. Complete sets of five to play games with your puppy (jigsaw puzzles, tic-tac-toe, concentration, and Simon Says). Really cute animation.
CE BONUS—23 puzzles, 11 HO scenes, 4 puppy games (if you collect the appropriate medals), 13 wallpapers, 7 screen savers, 4 musical tracks, 24 videos, plus the bonus adventure which details a bit of background on the ongoing battle between good and evil.
INTERFACE—JOURNAL: Keeps track of the storyline and records clues. MAP: Shows you where tasks are available and transports. HINTS: Directional in adventure mode and finds objects in the iHOS. STRATEGY GUIDE: Divided into chapters and step-by-step.
SETTINGS—Sound, music, and voiceover volumes can all be set separately. There are three difficulty modes.
GRAPHICS—Unmistakably ERS in its painterly style, but crisper and clearer, brighter and more colorful. They've definitely stepped it up.
CUTSCENES—The intro and outro are 3D animation and stunning. Characters in the cutscenes are well-drawn and animated with decent lip synching.
MUSIC—Finally, we no longer have to listen to the same composition! I did keep the volume down, but the music was orchestral and dramatic at times, and soft and sweet other times.
SOUND—Excellent ambient and game sounds.
VOICEOVER—Very well done, I thought. Hina the Keeper's voice was imperious, but kindly. All of the lost souls sounded properly penitent.
SUMMARY—Salvation of the Lost, in my opinion, is the best of this series. Playing time was quite long. The overall storyline was the familiar Redemption Cemetery story, but the three souls' stories were captivating, each one very different from the others. Graphics, music, sound, and voiceovers were all on point. ERS has heard our pleas, and improved greatly to deliver a modern game that's fun and immersive with just enough difficulty to be challenging. I recommend it.
I recommend this game!
Embark on a mysterious journey to the heart of Transylvania and investigate a series of nocturnal kidnappings bringing unrest to Eastern Europe.
Overall rating
1
/
5
1 of 28 found this review helpful
Fellow Fishies...swim away!!!
PostedApril 16, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Current Favorite:
Reality Show: Fatal Shot Collector's Edition
(73)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
TITLE—Vampire Secrets: Eternal Love
VERSION—Standard Edition (demo)
DEVELOPER—I uninstalled this game too quickly to catch their name.
GENRE—Hidden Object (supernatural)
STORYLINE—I'm not sure. The intro talked about Vlad Tepes eternally searching for his wife, then the game segued into an irritatingly cheerful girl with a high-pitched voice.
OVERVIEW—Yikes.
GAMEPLAY—You're given a task, presented with an HO scene, interrupted by mini-games with inadequate instructions and clunky game mechanics, then returned to the HO scene. Transitions between scenes are s-l-o-w.
INTERFACE—JOURNAL: Bounces annoyingly even after you've read the current entry. MAP: Apparently, there's a mini-map for each scene. I'm not sure why. HINTS: I didn't play long enough to use any.
SETTINGS—You can tweak the graphics quality as well as sharpness and brightness. There are full screen and widescreen choices, and custom versus system cursors. Music and sound volume can be set separately, but not voiceover volume. Which is unfortunate.
GRAPHICS—Oh, dear. Where to begin? The screenshots on this page led me to expect decent graphics at the very least. However, it appears that the devs used up all their talent designing their logo and the title animation.
CUTSCENES—Worse than the HO scenes. These appeared to have been finger-painted by elementary school-aged children.
MUSIC—To be honest, I was so taken aback by the low quality of the graphics and the wretched game mechanics that I didn't even hear it.
SOUND—Game sounds were appropriate to player action, surprisingly.
VOICEOVER—Please, make it stop.
SUMMARY—No. Just no. I'm truly sorry, but I cannot find a single reason to recommend this game. It's rare for me to cut a demo short before my time is through. I only lasted 7 minutes, and could bear it no longer. Swim away! Swim away!
I don't recommend this game.
Start your own business developing astonishing eco-friendly campsites, uncover a hidden artifact, and become the Campground Developer of the Year!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Poor game mechanics ruined this one for me...
PostedApril 15, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
In general, I prefer resource to time management games. This one had potential, but the poor game mechanics ruined it.
1. Having to collect the rent from each campsite at frequent intervals interfered with completing the level goals to the extent that it became annoying.
2. The build menus were not intuitive at all, and should have been better designed. They were too small, difficult to read, and required too much cursor movement in order to simply build one building.
3. The onscreen notations showing you had upgraded a building or planted a garden (and thus increased your eco-score) were too small to be read quickly and at the pace of the game. Teensy stars and a tiny green sign would appear, but the building would look exactly the same. It should have been much more obvious that the building had been upgraded.
I really did want to like this one but, in the end, could not get past the poor design and shoddy game mechanics. Make sure you demo before purchasing...your opinion may differ, or you may like clicking madly and risking carpal tunnel syndrome.
I don't recommend this game.
Reality Show: Fatal Shot Collector's Edition
After a man is murdered on a hit reality TV show, you are called in to uncover the truth behind the crime.
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
A pleasant surprise from ERS! Well done!
PostedApril 15, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
TITLE—Reality Show: Fatal Shot
VERSION—Collector's Edition (full game)
DEVELOPER—ERS
GENRE—Puzzle Adventure (murder mystery)
STORYLINE—There's been a murder on a shockfest reality show. The victim's fiance Sarah comes to you, the canny police detective, to investigate the case. What really happened the night Mark died? Was his death an accident, or is there some foul play afoot?
OVERVIEW—Given this developer's offerings of late, I was prepared to hate this game. Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered no junkpile HO scenes, but a pure adventure sprinkled with difficult puzzles backed up by a truly interesting and unique story with plot twists aplenty! Well done!
GAMEPLAY—Point 'n' click adventure with puzzles and mini-games. There are no HO scenes at all. Not one.
SPECIALS—No collectibles or achievements, but you do get a black light which helps you find clues throughout the game.
INTERFACE—JOURNAL: Keeps track of the story and clues you find. MAP: None, but it's not really necessary. HINTS: Informative and relatively quick to recharge. STRATEGY GUIDE: Necessary, as many of the puzzles' instructions are lacking. Pay attention, ERS. Better instructions next time, please.
SETTINGS—Casual, hard, and advanced modes of play. Music, sound, and voice volumes can be set separately.
GRAPHICS—Recognizably ERS, but with crisper outlines and brighter, more saturated colors. Definitely a step up from their standard pastels.
CUTSCENES—Intro scene features live actors. Cutscenes are drawn animation, but decently done.
MUSIC—Anticipating the typical ERS fare, I had it turned off.
SOUND—Good ambient and game sounds.
VOICEOVER—Quite well done (for a change).
EXTRAS—Bonus adventure, 24 puzzles, wallpapers, screensaver, movies, concept art, and music.
SUMMARY—Definitely an enjoyable game, especially as there were no junkpile HOs to sift through. This is a potboiler detective mystery adventure with puzzles that, while not difficult, take thought and time. I recommend it.
I recommend this game!
When the entire audience disappears from a film screening at an old theater, you must go behind the scenes to find out who is running the mysterious Nightmare Cinema.
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
Collectible heaven...but a good game as well
PostedApril 14, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management
Current Favorite:
Kuros
(19)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
TITLE—Fear for Sale: Nightmare Cinema
VERSION—Collector's Edition (full game)
DEVELOPER—Elefun (Produced by Big Fish Games)
GENRE—Interactive Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (supernatural)
STORYLINE—You reprise your role as crack reporter for Fear for Sale magazine, once again facing the demon that haunted the McInroy Manor. This time, the souls of a film screening audience are taken, and it's up to you to investigate and solve the case of the Nightmare Cinema.
OVERVIEW—I honestly didn't expect to like this game as I didn't care for McInroy Manor, and the reviews were mixed. Thankfully, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find a challenging and enjoyable game with replay value. The main game was a little over 4 hours and the bonus game was about an hour (no skipping in either one).
GAMEPLAY—Point 'n' click adventure interspersed with iHO scenes, puzzles, and mini-games.
INTERFACE—JOURNAL: Notes clues and narrates the storyline. MAP: None, but the backtracking isn't onerous. HINTS: I only used a couple in the iHO scenes, and they simply pointed out the object I couldn't find. SPECIALS: Lots! There are morphing "beyond" objects to find (just about one per scene, including in the iHOs). And there are a bunch of special object collections to complete, ranging from origami to butterflies. STRATEGY GUIDE: I used it a couple of times and it guided me in the correct direction.
SETTINGS—Music, environment, sound, and voice volumes can all be set separately…a nice feature. You can play windowed or full-screen, and there is a wide-screen option, as well as custom cursors.
GRAPHICS—Artistic rather than realistic, but well-rendered. I liked how the perspective was a bit distorted to make every scene just that much creepier. The colors tended to be brighter and more saturated than most creepy games too.
CUTSCENES—Animated with drawn characters. The demon looked cartoonish (as in McInroy) and not at all frightening.
MUSIC—Enough in the background so as not to be intrusive, but not all that memorable.
SOUND—Game sounds were appropriate to actions. Ambient sounds were well done.
VOICEOVER—Decent, if a touch melodramatic.
SUMMARY—I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game, and not just for the copious achievements and collectibles, but also for the adventure, puzzle, and iHOs as well. This is an all-around good game and I recommend it.
I recommend this game!
An ancient phoenix summons Anna to explore a drifting ocean city, confront the Evil Colossus and save her lost tribe.
Overall rating
3
/
5
0 of 2 found this review helpful
Mixed feelings...wait for the SE
PostedApril 13, 2013
LunaNik
fromMassachusetts
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management
Current Favorite:
Kuros
(19)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
TITLE—Empress of the Deep: Legacy of the Phoenix
VERSION—Collector's Edition (demo)
DEVELOPER—Silverback
GENRE—Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (fantasy)
STORYLINE—You return in your role as Empress Anna to save your long lost tribe from the Colossus, awakened by your evil twin Pandora. You've been undersea and in the clouds; this adventure leads you to a floating island.
OVERVIEW—This third installment of the series is very similar to the first two in mood and gameplay, but seems to move much more slowly and have many more cutscenes, dialog, and hand-holding.
GAMEPLAY—Point 'n' click adventure interspersed with HO scenes and very simple mini-games.
INTERFACE—Journal: keeps track of the storyline and notes clues. Map: shows your location and where you should go next, but is not a jump map. However, there are transporters on the island that you can use once you've unlocked an area. Hints: recharge quickly. Specials: none noted. Strategy Guide: did not need or use.
GRAPHICS—Very similar to the first two games in the series, but not as colorful and crisp.
CUTSCENES—Done in a series of still frames.
MUSIC—Relaxing…sets the mood nicely.
SOUND—Not a lot of ambient sound that I noticed, but game sounds chime for everything.
VOICEOVER—Quite melodramatic, I thought.
SUMMARY—I didn't like this installment as much as the first game, which I'd rate the best. However, I will purchase the Standard Edition. Since I don't care for Match 3 games, I won't get the CE, as there's no Bonus Adventure. If you've bought the previous two, I'd recommend the SE, but I see no reason to purchase the CE unless you really like Match 3 games. A strategy guide is totally unnecessary as this is an easy game.