sabinesa's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:821
- Reviews Submitted:70
- First Review:December 2, 2011
- Most Recent Review:April 4, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Come celebrate Christmas with these holiday themed puzzles and help the residents of Gizmoland bring on the Christmas cheer!
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
My life is saved!
PostedDecember 13, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Just last night needing a bit of time to relax I checked out my not-finished games and I wasn't too excited. With a big sigh I thought: "Wouldn't it be just great to have another Gizmos!"
And Santa heard my plea, here it is!
The gizmos series offers by far the best nonogram games around. What makes them so special are the optional settings, like the auto-fill, which is absolutely brilliant and one of my favourite features. Because I never use a game cursor, as I find that distracting, I like the option to turn that off also. But note: widescreen needs to be turned off (interestingly that makes the board bigger and the cells square, otherwise they look oblong - at least on my setup), otherwise the system cursor doesn't hit the mark properly.
Another nice one is the "turn background off". Its a bit unfortunate, but for a nonogram, specifically in the higher levels non-negoatiable.
To achieve gold one has to finish inside a specific time frame as well as have had no misclicks. This type of scoring system is so nice, it gives a challenge and something to work towards, without messing up the fun and enjoyment. Some of the other nonogram games, like Magic Gridlers and the many alike ones from the same developer don't allow you to advance if you didn't meet certain criteria - well, that's a sure fun killer in my book.
The little story line is sweet as with the other two games in the series. It's not overwhelming and doesn't take 5 hours reading first, comes with cute little drawn characters and fits the theme. The music of the first was the best and I didn't get tired of it. The second one already got on my nerves a bit after a while and I'll see how I fare with the Christmas jingle this time. Alas, as the music can be dimmed or altogether turned off, that's not a problem.
I noticed with the 2 other Gizmos that reviewers were complaining about things that were under their control, but they didn't realize it. I can only encourage you to try this out and if there's something you don't like, check out options and try various settings. I am almost certain you'll find a way to make this work for you nicely.
Sorry, got to go, got a game to play!
I recommend this game!
Enter the magical world of Knoxford the Sorcerer! Play exciting levels of Solitaire and venture through a mystical world filled with secrets!
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 12 found this review helpful
Pity, it's really pretty
PostedDecember 12, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
What a lovely pack, backgrounds and relaxing sound. Seems like the perfect ingredients for a nice long card game. Alas, there is nothing to win/achieve as such. It's just one hand after the other. No score to beat, nothing to strive for.
To me that's the art of making a good solitaire game, to surround it by goals in such way that one doesn't want to stop playing and want to just achieve the next "thing" whatever that might be. For example I am currently playing Pirate Solitaire and just to get enough points to finish the level and not be able to re-play prior hands in a level makes it so much challenging fun. This game offers none of that.
These developers should be the art designers for other games, as it's really very pleasant all around, except there is too much bling, too many sparkles on every move and I would imagine the music starting to irritate after a while also.
Anyway, it's a pity, because other intriguing solitaire games could do with some of this one's pleasantry.
I don't recommend this game.
A deadly secret lurks in the woods of Dire Grove!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 7 found this review helpful
Wow, MCF back to old glory!
PostedDecember 6, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I only hit onto the MCF series with the initial Dire Grove release, luckily so, as that was the best for a good while (Return to Ravenhurst was also good). The next were soso and then it really went downhill with way too linear storylines, hardly any challenge and only a play on good graphics/video - if I want that I go to the cine.
In fact I had tired so of the always same old IHO that I didn't even try new releases of any of those any more. You know, what with around max 4 h playtime, mostly too easy and ever the same puzzles, silly stories, too much walking or too little adventure and one HO after the other = tedious and non-exciting.
Somehow I ended up checking out the reviews for this game and got intrigued enough to download the trial. Wow, what can I say. Now, after having finished the game I can only say "more, please". Now here is a decent adventure, great graphics, but not only, a decent enough story and the most brilliant original puzzles. I totally enjoyed it. Also, for once a CE is actually worth it,, which for me only ever means extra game play. All the rest is clutter in my opinion. With this offering not only do we get an extra chapter, thats albeit not quite as good as the main game, but miles better than most others main games in the genre. Then we also get an alternate ending, with a whole further hour of fun playing time. Talk about a happy chappy.
Just in case the devs ever read reviews, what I didn't much appreciate was the choice of questions to ask, because it made zero difference and in the end one had to ask them all anyway, so why have choices, that aren't real choices. Also that little spiel with the investigative board and deduction was meaningless as there was no guessing or reasoning involved and to my mind those two aspects should have been incorporated into the flow of the game. But those 2 minor annoyances didn't change the fact that I had a ball playing this. The length was great too and now, that I've finished it and am busy uninstalling, I feel satisfied that I really got my bucks worth and that there is hope for this type of game genre.
Again, please more!
I recommend this game!
Help Amanda make her dreams come true in this exciting match-3 puzzle game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
Nice little match 3 hidden in silly story
PostedNovember 25, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
If it wouldn't be for the fact that I recognized the overall match3 game as done by the maker of Enchanted Islands, which was quite lovely, I wouldn't have even tried this. Sorry, devs, but this storyline must be the utterly worst I have yet ever come across. What were you trying to do? Chase potential customers away by making it interesting to girls between 10-12 only? Really, really bad. Alas, the actual match3 game is nice, varied enough to be fun and challenging enough with the spiders and boss levels to make it worth a DD or special price.
Unfortunately it also was a bit short.
Haha, I think it actually might have only been a 3 star game at most, but because Enchanted Islands was so nice and this has the same game mechanics (if not the story nor length) and music I cannot help myself but giving it 4 stars.
Otherwise this game should be used to teach upcoming game programmers what NOT to use as a story. I cannot say it strongly enough how completely silly and offputting it was.
Please, back to enchanted islands!
I recommend this game!
Terrafarmers
Use advanced terraforming technology to revive a barren celestial wilderness! Terrafarmers is an out-of-this-world experience!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Different approach to Farm Frenzy type game - Neat!
PostedNovember 8, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I really enjoyed this game. It's very much a type of Farm Frenzy game with having to cultivate a little patch of planet with animals and crops, sell them, cook them, meat the level's objectives. What is so nice about this is that the story line sets it apart from similar games in the genre and that's very well executed - except the ending could have done with a tat more cute and well-done factor.
This would have been a definite 5 star game if they would have taken a bit more care with opening up the options. There are no upgrades to features really. One cannot cook more than one item ever for example, which is an integral part of all other games of this type, which makes the strategy part lacking. Add to that that one cannot buy items that are not part of the level's objective, making it a bit dull in its options and that's were the point is lost. Give me the option to buy a cat to collect all the items even if it's not needed for the objectives, let me figure that myself.
Because this is off planet and outer space the animals and items don't relate, so there is no logic as to what cookes into what, because it's all fictitious items. That makes it very cute, but one also gets a bit lost as to what causes what. A better mouse-over, which would have clarified which animal produces which item or what will cook into what, would have made it more enjoyable instead of guess work.
Overall though a very well done game. I hope there will be a sequel. It's cute, it's fun, it's long, it offers good challenge without going too frantic. Anybody that appreciates games of this genre will have hours worth of enjoyment.
I recommend this game!
The citizens of Gizmo Land find themselves in great danger after an attempt to celebrate Halloween goes very wrong.
Overall rating
5
/
5
17 of 20 found this review helpful
Taking nonograms to the next level
PostedOctober 28, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I loved the prequel to this one "Gizmos: Riddle of the universe" and will buy this one as soon as I am finished with that one. I like nonograms inbetween playing other type of games for the relaxation, enjoyment, challenge without too much bother and each level being just a few minutes long.
In the past the World puzzle series was my favourite in this genre but the last one didn't excite me much, plus I never thought the story line was worth anything in those. Then again, who needs a story line with a nonogram?!?!
Now the Gizmo series has a real fun story line and great little characters which I ended up enjoying a lot.
Now the Gizmo series has a real fun story line and great little characters which I ended up enjoying a lot.
What I specifically appreciate is that one can turn off the background picture, which I had to do with both in the series - perhaps that's a bit unfortunate and it would be nice to have a background other than solid greyblack, but the graphics are just too busy and colourful to make the number puzzle still visible enough. One can also turn of the background voices and that's the first thing I did because I don't appreciate somebody saying "not bad" every second move ;)
Best though is the autofill option. Now that's really something every nonogram game should offer and has bothered me before in playing this type of game specifically once one gets to the 20x20+ levels. To fill in all the blanks manually is a lass once a row is finished and the autofill does it beautifully - great idea, devs.
I enjoy a decent background music in games and liked the one from the first Gizmo better than this one, but that shall not spoil my enjoyment.
I am all excited that I'll have another one to go to once I finish the first one.
Thanks for a great game!
I recommend this game!
Embark on an exciting expedition to crack the intriguing puzzles of the past, while developing new lands for the kingdom!
Overall rating
1
/
5
17 of 32 found this review helpful
not even worth a daily deal purchase
PostedAugust 21, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is one sadly lacking Time Management Game. The first one in the series got off to a neat enough start, the second was bad, and this third one is so tragic, that it's not enjoyable at all. I cannot even get myself to finish it because it's so annoying.
For example, a level's goal might be to build 5 banks. The premise with a bank is that it increases the income from houses, but, as it clearly states, and also repeatedly mentions in the tips each level starts out with, only one bank counts. To build more than one bank is nonsensical and doesn't add to the income or anything else. Then why would a level's goal be to build 5 of them??? Why have a story, why have "rules", when then strategy is the first thing a player has to throw out the window because to use logic gets one nowhere and is even contrary to a level's goal. Sorry, but "stupid" is the only fitting word for that type of approach. Even kids play smarter than that.
And so it goes on and on. There is no fun in most levels, the story doesn't gel and there is no vibe.
This is a time management game series that I don't recommend at all and in future I won't even give another installment a try because this one was so bad, that there is no way back to any decent entertainment. This whole concept has to be flushed down somewhere, then the developers should spend some good time playing other time management games and only after that perhaps try something completely new - this lot is unsavable.
I don't recommend this game.
Match tokens to break a curse that has cast a frozen pall over a once warm and lush land!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Wow, why did it have to end all too soon!
PostedAugust 21, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a beautiful game. For once a story line that worked real well in a match3 game and added to the overall immersion and enjoyment. Each step of the journey brought a new and different matching style and all of them were fun. I was in awe at times at the beauty of the experience.
I cannot say that it was a shortish game, but I was real bummed when it finished. I am used to match3 games going on for days and days which is one of the reasons I enjoy them so. Not so with IHO games which can be measured in hours most of the time. The Snow was definitely more than just a couple of hours, but not as lasting as many other good match3 games. And because it was such outstanding game it made it so much more the pity.
I have recommended this to numerous friends and know that they got just as much fun out of it.
I recommend this game!
Go on a high seas quest for treasure and adventure with Floyd Finders, and his trusty sidekick, Goldie the cat.
Overall rating
1
/
5
12 of 25 found this review helpful
Seldom uninstalled a game as quickly as this one
PostedAugust 10, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
This game really belongs on a kid's toy tablet not on BFG.
I don't recommend this game.
Carve a path through an unforgiving wilderness to rescue a hero trapped by a villain!
Overall rating
4
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Neat fun for some good hours
PostedAugust 10, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I wouldn't call this a gem, but I definitely enjoyed hours worth of relaxed planning, collecting and building. I loved the Mine Work, which was a Match3 thrown in and playable at will whenever the mood strikes. In my opinion that was so good that it could be developed into a stand-alone Match3 game in it's own right.
After the third location it got a bit repetitive and specifically the angling mini game got on my nerves.
Overall a real nice rpg type game with a strong collecting/building aspect. The story line was weak, but it didn't really matter. In fact often I find the stories distracting from the actual play, for example in a Match3 or Marble Popper type game. I often have to chuckle to myself (with an annoyed sigh thrown in for good measure) when the introduction on BFG to a game like that does nothing else but tell a story that belongs into a fairy tale book, when what I'd be interested in is how the match3 boards look, what powerups are availabe, what options one has and how many levels the game offers.
I got this on a special and would recommend it for relaxed enjoyable fun. No Wow factor, just plane good ole playing.
I recommend this game!