biscuitsmama's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:67,036
- Reviews Submitted:1148
- First Review:July 13, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 16, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you stop a dangerous curse from destroying the realm?
Overall rating
5
/
5
82 of 99 found this review helpful
PORTRAIT OF THE STAINED PRINCESS IS A TRIBUTE TO THOSE EARLIER DARK PARABLES GAMES
PostedOctober 18, 2019
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Dark Parables Portrait of the Stained Princess is one of the best DP games to come along in several years. It takes me back to a time when the original developer of the series created some masterpiece games. At one time I waited for each new Dark Parables to be released as they were brilliant games but that all changed when the series was “farmed” out to a new developer. Gone were the gorgeous FROGS that sparkled with a luminescence that at times kept me enthralled as I played each scene. Now, with the Portrait of the Stained Princess the new developer has almost hit the mark with a game that is very reminiscent of those original Dark Parables.
After playing the beta release for the Stained Princess I have been waiting to purchase the full game and I did as soon as it was released for sale. No second thoughts here as the game is wonderful and has captured everything I loved about those earlier games. My only TINY complaint is that some of the FROGS seemed a bit muddy and lacked the sparkle of those original scenes. It is minor because overall this game shows attention to detail and is a tribute to what made the Dark Parables games excellent.
At this point, I’ve not yet completed the game but what I have played has kept me interested and wanting more. As with those earlier games, I imagine that this one will take several days to complete. I don’t want to skip any of the puzzles as I find them very good and not quite as easy as some might find them. Although I do enjoy puzzles, I am not fond of the brain-drain types and the ones in Portrait of the Stained Princess are perfect for me.
The items in the FROGS are at times difficult to find and I have used the hint button once or twice. At times the items to find are large but for the most part they are well concealed within the cluttered scenes. Although some of the luster is missing the FROGS are still beautiful and enjoyable to play.
Thank you to BFG and the developer for creating a Dark Parables game that is everything I hoped it would be. As always, please try the demo to see if Portrait of the Stained Princess is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you save your friends from the Painted World in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
110 of 132 found this review helpful
YOU’VE SIMPLY GOT TO LOVE A CAT WITH ATTITUDE
PostedOctober 17, 2019
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In recent times, this developer has not been a favorite because of its heavy use of puzzles in its games. However, when I met Morty, a cat with attitude, that changed everything and I absolutely loved this game. I wasn’t planning to play more than just the demo of Mystery Tales Art and Souls, but I simply had to keep going and buy the game. This is one that I really enjoyed!
Several years ago, there was a rash of games that dealt with the subject of people being sucked into paintings and, at that time, I was rather tired of the storyline. That being said, I truly enjoyed this game. The story is one of a father’s love, albeit misguided. I don’t generally like to give a “blow by blow” description of HOPA games and all that we can expect to find so I will leave it to others to provide all the details.
Since I am not a huge fan of puzzles or mini-games, I was definitely surprised that I enjoyed the those in Art and Souls. There were a few old favorite puzzles that I haven’t seen in quite a while and those kept me busy happily solving away. The HOPS are amazing and beautiful and, IMHO, worth the price of the game.
We all know this developer has a great love affair with intense colors and we will find them in this game as well but the colors don’t seem as unrealistic and don’t rely on too many neon colors. I think some of the backgrounds have been lightened up as well and that helped a lot. Mystery Tales Art and Souls is a game that I find very enjoyable. There is a bit of back and forth between scenes but I like that more than I do the strictly linear games. I now have to remember where I saw an item so I can go back and complete the required actions to move forward.
Generally having a pet helper in a game isn’t something I love, but a cat with attitude makes all the difference. In fact, he was rather a fun cat and I hope to see him in another game from this developer. Wish I could have a Morty of my own but I think my Yorkies would rebel if I brought a cat home so it’s safer to have one in the game world.
Although I haven’t quite finished the game, I certainly like everything about this one. Even though this one is a keeper and perfect for me, as always, I recommend that you try the demo to see if you will enjoy it as well. Happy gaming!
Explore haunted realms, creating spooky mosaics and watching them come to life!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 9 found this review helpful
A VERY CHALLENGING MOSAICS GAME
PostedOctober 16, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromSome of the boards are very hard on the eyes. Please devs try to make these easier for older gamers to see.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Time Twins Mosaics Haunted Images is a devilishly hard game that, overall, I very much liked. However, there are some things about the game that will keep me from giving it a 5-star rating. The major thing that makes the game difficult for me is that some of the boards have such small squares and numbers that it is difficult to see where I am and what squares I need to fill. I think developers should take into account that many older gamers have visual difficulties that make this game very hard on the eyes. It was very hard on my eyes to play more than a few boards at a time because of eye-strain.
The best thing, at least for me, about this game is that it takes logic to figure out which tiles should be filled. With some boards, even early in the game, I had to switch between colors frequently to make any progress in the game. Some mosaic type games make it far too easy and for me less enjoyable, even though these types of games are what I play almost every day.
Overall, I highly recommend Time Twins Mosaics Haunted Images as an excellent game with a lot of challenge. If you want a game that makes you think, then this is one you will most likely enjoy. This one is a keeper for me. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
A visit to a childhood home uncovers unreal memories!
Overall rating
1
/
5
73 of 120 found this review helpful
THIS GAME SHOULD HAVE A WARNING ABOUT ITS DISTURBING CONTENT
PostedOctober 12, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromThis is not the sort of fun and creepy Halloween game I enjoy. Give me ghosts, vampires, bats, and witches’ brews any day!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Haunted Manor: Remembrance is one of the weirdest games I have ever played. I absolutely loved the first three games in the series that were from its original developer. I’ve not really cared for any of the new ones by the current developer, and I seriously had to question this game. One of these days I will listen to myself because I always recommend that gamers try the demo first. Unfortunately, I purchased the game outright WITHOUT playing the demo, and it was a huge mistake. Since I haven’t enjoyed the previous two Haunted Manor games from this developer, I have no idea why I would jump to purchase this one without trying the demo.
Although there are some great instances of creativity with Remembrance, I really disliked the storyline that has a young woman reliving the past and visiting the home where her parents perished in a fire. Admittedly, I didn’t play too much of the game as it became apparent very early on that this is not the typical scary Halloween game. What I played of the game portrayed a tale of descent into madness and having a family member who struggles with mental illness, the subject matter was simply too much for me to handle.
Yes, the month of Halloween is here and I do expect some good creepy games but, IMHO, this one should have come with a warning about its psychological content. A great ghost story would have been far better than a game where a young adult relives her childhood memories. Needless to say, I found many of the scenes rather disturbing and that is not what I want in a game. BFG has so many great Halloween themed games and I think I will go back and play one of those rather than try to struggle through a game that I find distasteful.
In the future, I will take my own advice and ALWAYS try the demo before I purchase a game. Haunted Manor: Remembrance is definitely a game you should try because you might enjoy the game.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save Vienna from a masked Phantom’s wrath?
Overall rating
4
/
5
23 of 30 found this review helpful
GREAT GAME BUT ONE STAR DEDUCTED FOR TOO MANY PUZZLES
PostedOctober 12, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromGreat HOPS are much more enjoyable than having too many PUZZLES to solve
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Dark City Vienna is the third game in the Dark City series and it is, IMHO, the best. I enjoyed the first game but the second game not so much. Dark City Vienna is a vast improvement in the HOPS but still has far too many puzzles as far as I’m concerned.
This developer has been a long time favorite and has consistently created some excellent HOPA games over the years. In Dark City Vienna they have taken creativity to a new level in the design of the HOPS. I’m not going to give you all the details as I believe it is far more fun for you to discover those for yourself. If you play the demo for the game you will soon see the excellence and creativity in the HOPS and even some of the puzzles.
The story is told in a well-constructed manner as you use your detective skills and a deduction journal to help you categorize the clues that you find as you play the game. The only issue I have with the deduction journal is that you really don’t need to figure out where to place the items you have gathered. I don’t know why the developer found it necessary to highlight the circles where the gathered items should be placed. It would have been far more fun to figure it out without all the hand-holding.
The gameplay was excellent but there were far too many puzzles that cropped up before I could make any real progress in the game. For example, there were nine puzzles or mini-puzzles in the first chapter of the game. Although I do enjoy puzzles, I dislike having so many that they overwhelm the gameplay. Puzzles are often used as game extenders and replace the necessity for a well-crafted HOP scene in a game.
Although I am not a fan of having far too many puzzles in a HOPA game, I did find several of the puzzles fun to solve. The game was one that I purchased before the end of the demo and I have enjoyed discovering who was behind the phantom’s mask and his motivation. I’ve not yet played the bonus chapter but I do highly recommend Dark City Vienna as a terrific game, even more so if you happen to enjoy puzzles. Happy gaming!
Four friends are pulled inside a movie where the special effects are all too real!
Overall rating
1
/
5
58 of 100 found this review helpful
WORSE THAN A CHEESY B-RATED MOVIE
PostedOctober 10, 2019
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Halloween Stories Horror Movie is simply a horrible game. Where I loved the first two Halloween Stories games, this one was a chopped-up compilation of three stories that maybe came together in the end but I couldn’t stand to play more than the first chapter and I struggled through that one. Admittedly, I was never a fan of the horror movie genre so I have no idea why I purchased this game, aside from the fact that I loved the first two games. I had hoped that this one would be just as good but I purchased the game outright without even trying the demo – big mistake folks!
The graphics were excellent and set the mood for the Fall Season but, IMHO, the graphics and the sound were the best part of the game. I loved the attention to detail in the game with skeletal arms skittering across the floor, pumpkins that howl when you touch them – all sorts of Halloween items that come to life. If the game and storyline had only been as good as the special effects then I might have actually enjoyed the game. For me at least, the three stories in the game simply didn’t work. Since I never saw any of the slasher Halloween related films of the past, I guess I couldn’t relate to the game.
The HOS were awful with the developer using washed out or tiny items to find. I had to use the hint button in several HOS simply to get through them. I wish the developer had included a skip button so that I could have been on my way with the needed item in hand rather than struggling through tedious HOS. It is strange to find HOS this awful in a game from a developer known for excellent graphics and well-designed HOS. On the other hand, the puzzles were excellent.
It is not often that I find a game where there is a super long lag between scene changes. When the game initially loads it takes almost two minutes while I am staring at a black screen that says loading. I also experience a black screen lag that would last approximately thirty seconds between scene changes.
Even though I didn’t care for this game and had some technical issues, please try the demo before you buy. If you are a great fan of things that go bump in the night and those old horror films then you might love this game. Happy gaming!
I don't recommend this game.
Join the penguins as they discover a spooky manor with new puzzles and mini games!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 16 found this review helpful
A SPOOKY NIGHT TO KICK OF THE HALLOWEEN FUN
PostedOctober 7, 2019
Yay, another Fantasy Mosaics game is here and this one is just in time for Halloween. I have followed the Penguins on their journeys for the past several years and I’ve never been disappointed with any game. Although I have recently found another mosaics game that I enjoy as well, I still keep coming back the Fantasy Mosaics.
What I love about this game is the Halloween them and the eerie music. What could be better than a cup of warm apple cider and this fun mosaic game to play on a fall evening. Overall what I like the best about the Fantasy Mosaics series are the large size board in the game and the brilliantly colored tiles. I have played other mosaics games but sometimes I struggle with the tiny squares that need to be filled with colored tiles.
For me Fantasy Mosaics is always entertaining and with the more recent games in the series there is far more challenge built into the game. Sometimes I need to use one of the power-ups to help me figure out where I need to place the next tile. I love the logic in the game that keeps me entertained and coming back to try my hand at each new game in the series. I hope the developer and BFG keep them coming my way in years to come. Even though I am a huge fan of Fantasy Mosaics and love Spooky Night, please try the demo to see if you will enjoy it as well. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
A rock band reunion takes a deadly detour into a nightmare!
Overall rating
5
/
5
27 of 40 found this review helpful
TREAT YOURSELF TO AN ENTERTAINING NEW CADENZA AS YOU JOIN VELVET WHISPER ON THEIR REUNION TOUR
PostedOctober 6, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromA terrific game that I loved! Maybe because there were NOT TOO MANY PUZZLES.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Jump into a game that will take you back in time as the 60s rock band Velvet Whisper reunites after a twenty-year split. I found myself enjoying this trip back in time with the band as I played the very good HOPS. Thankfully, this developer got it right and didn’t include nearly as many puzzles in the mix. Maybe this is the reason those "nothing but puzzles" lovers didn't think the game was great.. The puzzles were entertaining and not overly difficult, and it didn’t seem as if they were thrown into the game as time fillers. Of course, I play HOPA games for the HOS and not the puzzles that in recent years have replaced many of the excellent HOS we once found in the genre.
The HOPS are creative and enjoyable to play with most of them being the more traditional list type although there is some variety in style. The items are cleverly hidden and I did end up using the hint button to find some items in the piano because I couldn’t figure out where they were hiding – lol.
Yes, some might think that the puzzles were too easy but I happen to enjoy being able to actually complete a puzzle without too much brain drain. One of my favorite puzzles was the one where we needed to align different colored bits to recreate the pattern provided. That puzzle took a bit of time but it was fun to figure it out.
The storyline is very good and it didn’t seem overly confusing. The story opens up as we play through the various scenes and begin to realize what is happening and why Velvet Whisper has been “invited” to the Evergreen Hotel.
Some might find the game to be short but for me it seemed just about average game time. Of course, I play slowly and have to take in every detail in each scene and always need to find all of the collectibles and morphing objects. I love that this developer provides so many morphing objects and not all of them are easy to find. Maybe if I raced through a game without looking for the collectibles and morphs then the game would seem much shorter than it really is.
The Cadenza series of games have been hit or miss over the years but I happen to really like this game. Perhaps it is the throwback to the 60s music theme that made the game more enjoyable but I found the gameplay overall to be a lot of fun. I purchased the game and am very happy that The Following has everything that I enjoy the most in HOPA games. Although the game was a purchase for me, please try the demo to see if it is one that you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Join the Walker family and solve incredible mosaics puzzles while learning fun facts about the City of a Hundred Spires.
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
VISIT HISTORIC PRAGUE IN THIS NEW TRAVEL MOSAICS
PostedOctober 5, 2019
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
The Travel Mosaics games have become my favorite and finally ousted the penguins from first place in my heart. These games offer so much more challenge even from the beginning boards in the game. I like that I really have to think about where to place my tiles and often have to switch colors back and forth in order to complete the individual colors.
Great games and I own all of them. I look forward to each new game because I know it will be filled with hours of entertainment. Please try the demo because this might be the perfect puzzle game for you. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop history from repeating itself before it’s too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
130 of 155 found this review helpful
STOP LANCER BEFORE HE CAPTURES THE ALL THE DEMIGODS
PostedOctober 5, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromI think I need this artifact so that I can communicate with my dogs particularly the headstrong little Chihuahua
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Finally, a game that I could enjoy without having to play puzzle after puzzle. In fact, I became so involved enjoying the game that I lost track of time. For many seasoned gamers, this one might seem very easy, and at times it was. That being said the game flowed well and I did enjoy it.
From the moment the game began, I enjoyed being off on a journey to save my friend Madeleine and put an end to Lancer’s reign of terror across the Empire. For me what made this game more enjoyable was not having to stop to play a puzzle at every turn. I am an avowed HOS fan but not so much of the puzzles. I do enjoy puzzles but I don’t want to play a game that has sixty of them thrown into the game simply to make it seem longer.
For a change I didn’t seem to mind all of the bright colors that this developer normally uses in its games. Maybe because rather than all of those pinks and purples set in dark backgrounds, this game was lightened up by bright skies. There were some darker scenes but not as many in the other games.
The HOS were very creative and some took me a while to make my way through as it was sometimes difficult to find the items I needed. Not because they were to small but because they were cleverly hidden and many required interactions with other items to find. I loved this game even though there is a translation gimmick that allows us to talk to the various animals in the game. Before each use of the device, there is a mini game of finding symbols to translate. I don’t normally enjoy gimmicks but this one didn’t bother me and at times was quite enjoyable.
The puzzles were almost always easy, even when I chose the hard setting. Even the maze puzzle was very easy and it is almost as if the developer didn’t spend as much time in creating the puzzles. I do enjoy good puzzles in a game particularly when they are not all crowded into each scene but these did seem quite easy.
I spent over five hours playing the game during the night and still haven’t finished but I did need to get to sleep. It is not often that HOPA games have me riveted to my chair but I really couldn’t stop playing. For me this game is one I’ve really liked and that is what matters most. Why play a HOPA that you dislike simply to say you completed the game. So even though the game isn’t perfect it is still had what I enjoyed the most with very good HOS. Even though I find this to be a very enjoyable game, please try the demo to see if Enchanted Kingdom Arcadian Backwoods is a game you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!