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:
The exciting adventures of the young Ingolf await you in this magical Time Management game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Loved it
PostedJune 22, 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
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I am quite a time management game sucker, and will forgive a lot just to have one that semi works and plays decently. My forgiveness levels were required to be fairly high over way too many months now with nothing decent in sight anywhere. Then I checked out games I hadn't finished yet for whatever reason and came across Viking Saga, which fell through the cracks in the middle of a laptop swap.
What fun I had with this one. It's different and a wee bit slow compared to all time favourites like Roads to Rome, My Kingdom for the Princess and (my personal favourite and if one can actually call that a TM game) the Adelantado series. But I very much enjoyed the level of strategic thinking required in Viking Saga. The story was decent and the playing flows nicely. The constant "I am on my way" I could have done without and I see with the next 2 installments that there is an option to turn that off. - Haha, or so it seems, they still constantly say "I am on my way" regardless.
What was also a nice touch was the extra levels one could only get to once one completed a set of 10 games with 3 stars.
If you like TM games, I doubt you'll be disappointed with Viking Saga, unless you mind having to strategize a bit.
I liked it so much, I am busy buying the other two in the series.
Thanks Realore.
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
20 of 40 found this review helpful
What's CE about this?
PostedMay 22, 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
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I find it completely unbelievable to call something a collectors edition, charge double and the extras are basically non-exisant and only the frill that never matters in other CE's either, like wall papers. Don't developers realize that nowadays one can get any music and any picture off the internet, one can even copy and paste the games advertising and have that as a wallpaper - that's not added value. This is after all a time management game, so the usual extras don't apply. Perhaps if there'd be 20+ extra levels, but like this - sorry, that's a shot in the dark.
I own and enjoyed the first 2 Royal Envoys and shall buy this one, but on a special or with a credit and certainly not as a collectors edition.
As far as time management games go this is a good middle of the road game. Not too exciting, not too boring, good for a couple of fun hours. Looks and plays exactly like the other Royal Envoys.
To clarify, the game will probably end up with 3 stars for me, but as a CE it's absolutely not worth it and therefore only 1 star and I surely don't recommend it. If it were one of the top time management games, like a new Roads to Rome, I might consider buying the CE just to have it already, but alas, as I said, this is just 3 star entertainment. Playrix can do better. And they surely must drop the notion of making a time management CE - whoever heard of it?
I don't recommend this game.
Awakening Kingdoms
You are chosen by Queen Sophia to restore her kingdom back to its former glory through fun mini-games and beautiful hidden object scenes.
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Click Happy
PostedApril 30, 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
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Whoa, click here, click there, read this, reward that. Boy, what a click happy game. Game? Was there any play involved? Somehow I ended up with a couple of HO scenes that don't even deserve that title, because it was sort of first-grader 5 objects stuff, haha, but I got lots of rewards for my trouble.
Sorry, but this is really not what gaming is about for me. Sure, it's pretty, but I failed to see the relevance nor what it is actually all about. I'd say it's a kids game, but then a kid wouldn't do all that reading nor comprehend when to click all where. Leaves the question who the target audience actually is meant to be. All I know, it's not me ;(
I don't recommend this game.
The town of Green Hill has really gone to the birds!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Good game, not outrageous, but good
PostedMarch 11, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I really enjoyed this game, though I was a wee bit disappointed in the bonus chapter and don't care that much for the other frills and whistles. I enjoyed looking for the squirrels, that for once was a fun little "extra".
There really wasn't anything wrong with this, except I didn't get a "wow" while playing and nowadays that's the bar for 5 stars in my book. What I found the nicest by far in this were the puzzles, they were varied, not just the usual and the level of challenge was just right.
The story line was a bit convoluted and I am getting seriously tired of evil mysterious forces. Doesn't anyone have any other ideas in making a suspenseful, fun and enjoyable game?
I certainly would buy this again, though not the CE and perhaps only with a punch bonus or as DD.
I recommend this game!
Use your powerful army to conquer the world in Land Grabbers, a fun Strategy game set in the Middle Ages!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Goes to show
PostedMarch 2, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Don't judge entertainment value by it's cover.
I never play shooters in any form or kind, not only don't I enjoy them, I also am pathetic at it. Give me a decent Match3 or a Time Management Game any day over a shooter or tower defence game.
Initially by the pictures I wondered if this was a Time Management type game and therefore ended up reading the reviews. Hmm, sounded sort of neat - but a shooter type game???
Well, I've had hours of fun with this one. It's easy enough in what needs to be done, there is a fine element of strategy involved and it's humorous to boot. Every time I master a level, by now as Colonel, it gives me such good vibe. Its actually invigorating, and I didn't think I'd say that about a game in a hurry.
I can only hope that more people will try this even if its not their normal fair, because this is a little gem of fun.
Please, can we have a sequel. And keep it just as simple and straight forward, don't clutter it with gadgets or otherwise fancy stuff. This is great as it is.
Thanks a mill, Nevosoft.
I recommend this game!
Explore a world of magic to stop an ancient evil!
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
very enjoyable
PostedFebruary 11, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This was such fun all around and I had a great time. I cannot think of much that could improve on this game other than that I could have played on and on.
This series stays true to it's initial calling and gets more polished as it progresses.
Well done, devs.
I recommend this game!
Princesses have a tendency to be kidnapped, and a service for lost royals is in high demand. Start your own Lost Princesses Agency and find your one and only!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
a let down
PostedFebruary 11, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I bought this without even trying it because I loved the first 3 in the series so much. Then came the rude awakening. Duh, Mangos just lying around somewhere, rather non-sensical and that floating business? Is that meant to aid the game play? It was quickly apparent that the developer instead of sticking with what worked before and polishing it up some more, wanted to be creative, which backfired badly, in my opinion.
The worst for me was that there was hardly anything to build anymore, in fact maybe once or twice and the rest was either fix existing structures or pick up, pick up, pick up. And at that each pick up point a number of times. On top of that the way was blocked with the to-be picked up stuff.
Here are the things which didn't work for me
- level goals not visible
- nothing much ever to build
- multiple collects on the same resource
- no volume control on voice overs
- no custom cursor turn off
- attack birds in the sky not well visible
- same thing over and over
- level goals not visible
- nothing much ever to build
- multiple collects on the same resource
- no volume control on voice overs
- no custom cursor turn off
- attack birds in the sky not well visible
- same thing over and over
Add to that the fact that the challenge level did not slowly increase, but there were hard spots up front and then the whole last chapter was an utter bore and super easy.
Big pity for one of my favourite Time Management series.
I don't recommend this game.
Play Mahjong and experience royal generosity for yourself! Complete over 100 unique levels in 6 locations, earning points and trophies.
Overall rating
1
/
5
What a pity
PostedJanuary 30, 2014
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I loved Mahjong World Contest and this is another in the same series, of which there are a good number by now. Because World Contest was so very enjoyable I didn't hesitate buying this without much checking it out, unfortunately.
Like most of the other follow-ons of World Contest this is just too hard and without getting enough 3 stars in one level one cannot proceed to the further levels.
I am quite a good player and choose the same board layout with Mahjong always, so am familiar with the tiles. But really, in the very first level, on the 5th board (note, this is rather at the very beginning of it all) with 2 full sets of tiles and a busy layout one can only make 43 matches to achieve a star and do so in 1.40 minutes. That's 100 seconds for 43 matches, meaning roughly a match per 2 seconds - I don't think so.
Seems to me that the person who set up the star rules hasn't ever played the game themselves and just rolled the dice to come up with numbers ... and got it horribly wrong.
Subsequently I've always tried any other Mahjong in the same series before buying and have found with near all of them the same problem, so no more purchases from me. Sigh, but World Contest was so nice, why did they bugger it up?
Really, what a shame for a potentially great series. I won't spend another penny on any of these until they get their scoring sorted to reasonable and enjoyable levels. If I want a fast and furious madness game I play a shooter or Farm Frenzy, not Mahjong!
I don't recommend this game.
The residents of Bitterford, Maine have fallen prey to a terrible curse. It’s up to you to unravel the series of mysterious events that led to the town’s downfall and uncover the evil that was responsible.
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
A real mixed bag
PostedDecember 30, 2013
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
After looking at the very mixed reviews I tried (and bought) this game to check it out myself as I liked the others in the series.
I have to agree with the folk that like the game as well as with the ones that don't, but I don't feel that strongly either way.
Initially I found the floating picture bits and the matching of parts of locations quite innovative; something completely new for a change. Except the same thing was used over and over again without anything much else in between, which made it boring and I ended up skipping the last couple of those.
The HO scenes are also special and very different because it's not just one scene in fact but across a location with a lot of interaction along the way. Again, innovative ... and then overused.
Feels like as if the planning team from the developer sat together for an hour and came up with these 3 new ideas and made a whole game out of that, which is sad, as now the innovation got lost in the repeatitiveness of it.
I cannot say much about the live acting, never heard of the actress before, but I thought it fitted well, except ... guess what ... the same scene was repeated over and over again.
Overall a more or less pleasant couple of hours spent at the end with the repetitive yawn factor, specifically as the storyline as such was also so similar to what's been done all over the show already too.
Pity, there was potential but it was drowned out by the re-use of the couple of new ideas.
I'd only recommend this if you're rich and retired with time to spare ;) or as a DD.
Become a business shark – play Mahjong on the exchange! Climb the ladder of success and Wall Street will bow to you!
Overall rating
1
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
What a pity - too hard again
PostedOctober 27, 2013
sabinesa
fromCape Town, South Africa
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Oh my, what a disappointment.
I just love Mahjong World Contest and the sequels that followed, but already found those nearly not manageable, as the stars you need to advance to the next level are not easy to get. In this one, it's near impossilbe. One has to be so extra fast that the joy is all but gone ... and then one can hardly get even a second star let alone a third.
I so would love another Mahjong by this developer, but all 3 I tried (and 2 I bought) that came after World Contest are no fun no more, because the level goals are set too high.
Please people, make this excellant series enjoyable again!!!
I don't recommend this game.