FamilyDad1's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:389
- Reviews Submitted:68
- First Review:April 14, 2012
- Most Recent Review:June 12, 2024
- Featured reviews1
Status:
Push your detective skills to the limit in a fantastical faraway land and find a prince's lost love.
Overall rating
3
/
5
It was okay I guess
PostedJuly 31, 2019
FamilyDad1
fromNew England
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The graphics were beautiful, the characters were interesting, the monsters were pretty cool and there were tons of locations. I liked having characters to talk to in the game.
The puzzles were very good in they mixed old & new in good ways. The HOGs were the best as they reversed the traditional Find goal and it really made them fun. The Map/Hint system with the built in task list was excellent.
But being so huge you really didn't know what to do next. Many of the tasks didn't make such sense to me as you had to stick an obscure object onto another random thing. Because of this there was never a natural flow for me and I found myself depending on the Hint system. By the end I couldn't wait for it to be over. How am I going to remember what goes where? Way to much backtracking for me.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Sara find her missing husband and stop an evil pirate’s ancient curse in Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Excellent with a few flaws
PostedJuly 21, 2019
FamilyDad1
fromNew England
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is easily one of the best adventure games for a number of reasons. When I play adventure games I don't like feeling lonely. The human actors really keep you company throughout the game!
There are many locations within the main mansion and throughout the grounds. This is pretty awesome.
The storyline with it's twists and turns was excellent too.
I really liked the Scavenger hunts as they were reasonable and stayed within the areas you were exploring so the light backtracking felt natural like part of the game.
I also really liked that you almost always knew what to do next.
The puzzles were okay, some were pretty difficult but you got 3 clues, which was great and you could skip them as well.
The HOPs were terrible. Mostly a jumbled mess of objects that blended in with the background and were mostly out of size perspective. A Prune? Really cmon now.
They also cheaped out on both endings. And the CE was really just them lazily excluding the Real ending and reserving it for the CE players. Super Bogus move!!
Overall I really liked this game very much except the HOPs and the non existent endings. I would very highly recommend this game.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a mystical murderer in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
19 of 19 found this review helpful
LOVED this Game!!
PostedApril 20, 2017
FamilyDad1
fromNew England
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I loved everything about this game! Especially the different Detective angle. It was great to interact with people so it never felt lonely. The various locations were very cozy and warm. There were just enough puzzles, objects to interact with and places to explore. I know there's a collector's edition but if I had to complain, I wish it were just a tad longer, and that's a compliment considering just how much I enjoyed this awesome game! If it were a series, I'd want to play them all! Very strongly recommended!
I recommend this game!
Bring an end to Mr. Dudley's reign of terror!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Incredibly Long, Tons of Locations
PostedApril 20, 2017
FamilyDad1
fromNew England
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Let me start by saying there were at least 3 different times when the game could have ended and I still would have been happy with it! But it kept going and surprised me with the length. There were dozens of locations and you eventually get to explore almost every nook and cranny of previously locked location. The puzzles were mostly easy to medium with a couple of stumpers but there were loads of them. A good mix of HOG scenes, almost one too many if i had to knit pick, but too many is better than too few. The storyline while predicated on the supernatural was still pretty cool involving a magician, that's all i will say. And the best part is most of the puzzles and object interactions made sense, even for a fantasy adventure game. The game is near perfect, the length is incredible and you always knew what to do next, if not, you have a pretty intuitive hint system, map and journal. The cut scenes came at the right time so you never felt all alone. And the object interaction within the inventory itself was a nice touch. There were several mini-puzzle and even puzzles within scenes, a nice extra touch. Overall this game was a breeze to play, never felt stale and I couldn't wait to play it when I took breaks. Oh and by the way, did I mention it's not even a Collector's edition! Still it took me about 3 day to finish. Very highly recommended!
I recommend this game!
Follow Edwin through Mystic Gateways! After unlocking ancient portals, Edwin sets off on an adventure and asks you to follow!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Pixel hunting killed it for me
PostedJune 12, 2014
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Remember the worst thing a game could do back in the day? Force you to go on an endless pixel hunt? Well even worse, it was one after another, after another, and the worst part was the objects blended in with the grey background. The objects were so tiny it made it tedious. There were some neat uses of tools which you kept through the entire game, there were many characters which is always a plus and the locations were very nice and expansive. The puzzles were good too. No real hidden object scenes, but that's okay. The game was kind of cozy but at the same time a bit of a chore. I didn't love or hate it, it was just okay and could have been better if there weren't so many impossible to find object quests one right after the other.
I don't recommend this game.
Return to the House of 1,000 Doors to save mankind from annihilation!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Really Cool Game!
PostedOctober 21, 2013
FamilyDad1
fromNew England
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
What can I say, I am biased toward Alawar Games. No I don't own stock in the company. lol I went back through some of my reviews & I usually give them high scores.
A few reasons... I am an Adventure gamer. That is, I like to cuddle up on a weekend, make some soup or coffee & play through a game or 2 that weekend.
Some times things will come up & it will take me 2 or 3 days to get through the whole game. This was one of those games. I played it in pieces. Now some games confuse you when you return, but guess what.. each time I returned, I remembered everything!
The HOGS were well balanced appearing just a few times with easy to find objects, plus they tossed in a nice Reverse-HOG twist a few times. A very simple & fun twist. Oh & I did I mention you never seem to get penalized.
The HINT system was AMAZING! First you get a nudge from the game itself, then you get a journal, next you get an INTERACTIVE Map that "Warps" you to the location, and as if that wasn't enough... to top it all off, you even get a very quickly recharging HINT button which works both within HOGs & out in the game navigation environment!
The puzzles were nicely balanced & varied a bit, but were never really too difficult & with everything else going on, including a good, strong story line, I didn't seem to mind.
Now I know some of you might be thinking.. too easy, but not only can you select Casual or Expert gamer, you can actually turn the Map/Nav guide Hints ON or OFF right from the Map itself on the fly -- Incredible!!
Oh & remember I told you guys how cozy I like to get.. well they even included many, many characters complete with cut scenes & full quality voice overs so you never really get lonely. This scores huge points in my book.
If I had to gripe about something, without spoiling anything about the story line, I will say you encounter some "machines & technology" later in the story. Now if it strayed too far into elements of the game MYST, I would have to call it "cold". But it never quite gets to that point, which is a good thing. In addition, everything really made sense most of the time, so as long as you used the map/hint guide a few times, you never really got lost as to what to do next.
Overall a very, very good solid, fun & entertaining adventure gaming experience with ALL of the expected elements, executed beautifully with some terrific graphics, great voice overs & everything else you would expect from Alawar & Big Fish games! Thank you for a great game!
I recommend this game!
Dark magic threatens our world! Can you stop the Shade and his minions before it's too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
It was okay good
PostedJune 2, 2013
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
It was good like any other adventure game, there were some interesting locations & puzzles, but some were very obscure and aggrivating as opposed to just challenging as in the end they didn't make much sense. Good puzzles have the user catch on to what the author is trying to get you to understand. And the end part "final battle" was weak and meandering, it could have been much stronger. Overall, I enjoyed this adventure.
I recommend this game!
Reveal the twisted plan of a deranged magician who has his own Vendetta against the world! And uncover a secretive world of magicians and discover the power they have held and passed down through the centuries!
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Excellent
PostedMay 23, 2013
FamilyDad1
fromNew England
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
One of the best things about this game is the sheer number of locations. I've seen some games present you with a small number of locations and you feel boxed in. Not here, there are dozens of locations and each of them has several nooks n crannies to explore making it for a very cozy experience.
The storyline is interesting as it revolves around chasing a magician around Paris. Pretty cool. The story book attempts to explain his backstory so you get some information, but not all, so it leaves you in mystery unresolved.
The length of the game was good, the puzzles were perfect, not too difficult but with a couple of unique ones thrown in. And extra bonus points for no missed click punishments!
I would love to see more from this developer. Great stuff!
I recommend this game!
Journey across Italy as best-selling novelist Dana Knightstone in Death Under Tuscan Skies: A Dana Knightstone Novel!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Very good game
PostedMay 12, 2013
FamilyDad1
fromNew England
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This was a fun game to play with not a ton of challenge to hurt the brain. Sure it's the long lost love story, but the locations were clearly marked & the puzzles were good. There were a few characters with whom to interact. Any people are always a bonus to me as it gives life to otherwise solitary games. A couple of times you had to click more than once to get something to trigger, but that's knitpicking. Overall it was a nice break for something to do for a lazy day. I finished it in just around 6 hours which is fine. I had a good time playing it.
I recommend this game!
A mysterious package begins an epic duel of minds between FBI agent Nicole Bonnet and a ruthless serial killer!
Overall rating
2
/
5
19 of 20 found this review helpful
Mixed Emotions
PostedDecember 24, 2012
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
At first it seems like there's so much to like about this game: Namely the professional voice-overs, great graphics, expansive locations, detective angle and old school feel.
But what drags it down is just how far the author goes assuming we the players care to make absurd leaps of faith.
While I really like the old school aspect of having the the main character talk about objects when you click on them with the "eye" icon, and the ability to combine objects in inventory, at times the game bogs you down with no where to go and nothing to do.
An example is in the theater. Some of the challenges which quickly turned to aggravation include: What at first seemed like simple swapping of good and bad lightbulbs became confusing. Why? Because once it seemed the task was complete, the game kept letting you open the projector again and again. If I completed the objective, why not be like every other normal game, and STOP allowing me to open the projector?
Then there's the HINT system. Literally a question ? mark which shows you all the possibilities on a given screen. Many times I found myself going online for the walkthrough.
Another example of crazy objectives... At one point you're supposed to raise (or lower) the projection screen. This takes place in a back room via a crank. At first, you're not sure which way the crank is supposed to go, or if it matters. Then once you've spun it around a few times, nothing happens. Then after roaming around the theater a few more times hitting dead ends, you finally go back and crank it some more. Finally you hear a noise- Oh, the screen is moving ok, but now what. Well, for some reason they thought it was a good idea to have you combine the BRICKS with the BUCKET in inventory and hang the bucket on the crank handle to keep the sceen in place!!! SERIOUSLY?!!
It's this linear approach of consistently hitting one dead end after another, with no hope of proceeding that kept me more aggravated than entertained. And yes of course I really like being challenged and stumped, but not plain annoyed. Who would find any fun in that.
I don't recommend this game.