steve_san's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:5,408
- Reviews Submitted:242
- First Review:November 28, 2011
- Most Recent Review:January 3, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
You’re about to uncover the secret that’s been haunting Blackrow!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 12 found this review helpful
Blackrow or Black Crow?
PostedAugust 28, 2014
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The story here, about someone threatening the life of a young actress and you are the detective "protecting" her, leaves you wondering, "Is that all they could come up with?" This is Mystery Trackers, after all. The last MT had invisible phantoms.
Instead we have:
Another game that begins with a car crash after seeing a ghost.
Another game that has the heroine taken by a mysterious "other."
Another game set in a dilapidated town, this time with the added element of - are you sitting down? - a plague.
Another game that begins with a car crash after seeing a ghost.
Another game that has the heroine taken by a mysterious "other."
Another game set in a dilapidated town, this time with the added element of - are you sitting down? - a plague.
Well, that's something kind of new-ish anyway.
I did not have any noticeable jerkiness or lag. I played the demo up until the lock "puzzle" failed to close. I did not consider it worth my time to go back and play again with a new profile to move forward.
Why? This game just had no "hook," that is, something to hold my interest. Sure, the artwork is beautiful. Trouble is, we are spoiled. Just about every new game from all the leading developers is high quality from a technical perspective - artwork, cut scenes, sounds, music, hidden objects, and puzzles are all good - though the latter are fairly easy.
Instead, this game brings to mind a television commercial where someone says, "I'm all out of ideas." That seems to be the thinking behind the game.
Having said that, if you are new to these games or have not played too many, you could still enjoy this if there are no other issues for you.
Cautious recommend for beginners, all others leave it for the crows.
I don't recommend this game.
Manor Memoirs Collector's Edition
Help Scarlett write her next novel!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
Fond Memories of Gardens Gone By
PostedAugust 23, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
There is a a successful writer who is tired of city life. She decides to spend her entire savings on a country mansion - or Manor. The place is very run down, so to raise money to fix it up she starts selling off the contents room by room. All the while she hopes the change of scenery will help her write her next book. You, the player, are helping her out.
This follows the general pattern of Gardenscapes - of which I own both - except instead of a butler we have a writer, and instead of a dog we have a cat. Otherwise it is very similar. There is the same whimsical drawing style, the same music, the same type of "assignments" to find certain types of objects. You still have the option of playing either timed or relaxed mode. To help find objects, in addition to hints there may be a compass (gives an arrow pointing in the direction of the object), or camera (quick highlight of all active objects). There may also be other hint types not revealed during the trial time.
Game play consists of one hidden object "sale" after another located in one room of the manor. You'll also receive postal letters, calls and emails from locals or your editor which will set up the next hidden object scene. In the timed mode, each customer is looking for a specific object and the longer it takes to find, the less money they'll pay you. You also get extra dollars for accuracy, and for finding hidden gold coins within the scenes. Some of the scenes are in "flashlight" mode. The money earned in each scene is added to your total, and then you'll use it to purchase furnishings for the home.
Based on the trial, this game is the equal of Gardenscapes which was a very well made game. In my experience, play can get tiring after a while because it is after all, just hidden object scenes. What makes for a better experience, in my opinion, is to play this game in several shorter sessions instead of one long one.
The only extras of interest to me would be the extra bonus levels. Will her next book get written? I will probably wait for the SE. 3 1//2 stars
I recommend this game!
PuppetShow: Lightning Strikes Collector's Edition
The women of Paris are being turned into puppets! Can you find out who's pulling the strings?
Overall rating
2
/
5
27 of 36 found this review helpful
Mystery of Dementedville
PostedAugust 21, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The story begins on an airship over Paris in 1888. Your pilot is Froissart, a man who spent 40 years with the Paris police and has a mechanical arm to show for it. Froissart has flown you in (you are described only as an explorer) to investigate the disappearance of several women. Each of the women have vanished after a strange lightning had struck. And lightning and airships are not a good combination.
The drawing is done in a very high quality, beautifully done style which I shall call semi-fantasy, similar to the other games in this series.
In those previous games the villains have all had a sinister creepiness to them, and that tradition is continued here. However in this game, at least during the trial, ALL the characters you meet have a creepiness to them. In fact the entire game has an off-kilter, slightly demented feel right from the very beginning. This could be promising, if somewhat of a departure from the earlier games.
Unfortunately, the story and game play don't have their strings connected. Unlike the story, the game play is childishly simple; many times it is just a matter of clicking on one large object in a scene. During the trial, the most difficult task was to reassemble a torn poster. If by some chance you were unsure of what to do, the hint will tell you exactly what you need.
Your character speaks in the opening scene, but following that everything is spoken by the other characters. And they speak a lot. There are so many strange things to introduce that all this dialog is necessary. However, while the acting is ok, the actors speak so slowly, at times pronouncing each individual syllable in an unnatural way. Was this for dramatic effect? Not sure, but I found it distracting.
There are no custom difficulty settings, just the 3 standard ones. And there is an eight character limit on your profile, which is one letter short of what I needed for my preferred name.
This CE contains a Fix the Wonders of the World feature. You collect money from piggy banks hidden in each scene and use it to rebuild the Eiffel Tower, as an example. I did not find this too compelling.
I have been a fan of this series from the beginning, even when many others cut their strings walked off. However the story and characters are too kooky, and the game play way too simple for my tastes. Yours may differ.
Time to bring down the curtain on this Puppetshow. 2 1/2 stars.
I don't recommend this game.
There's a new sheriff in Meadows Town – and it's you! Can you stop a vengeful Viking spirit before she strikes again?
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 7 found this review helpful
"Bones" Are Out of Joint
PostedAugust 20, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
In one of the most original openings of a game ever, (sarcasm) you are driving to Meadows Town to investigate the disappearance of the Sheriff when a spirit appears, and your car crashes at the base of the Meadows Town sign.
Legend has it that Meadows Town was founded by Vikings, and they also may have buried treasure there. Around the time the sheriff disappeared, strange weather phenomena also began occurring.
The artwork utilizes a mix of styles. It is especially color-saturated like fantasy games, and also slightly blurred in appearance. On the other hand, buildings and other structures are realistically drawn.
The story likewise has a mix of styles. There are extremely serious adult-themed occurrences like murders and visiting a morgue with dead bodies. However there is also a man in a skeleton costume following you around and causing mayhem, as well as a female spirit warning you that you can't stop her (ha, ha, haa). This part of the game I seemed to be directed toward younger players.
Hidden objects - there are not too many- and puzzles were ok if fairly easy. Overall quality of the game is good, voices and sounds included.
For me, the bones of the story were disjointed. It seemed that the developers are trying to appeal to both young and old - a noble idea - but the story loses its "fiber" because the two aspects do not "connect" enough to be believable.
There is not enough there to hold these bones together.
I don't recommend this game.
Lynn’s wedding is interrupted by a ghost from Edward’s past.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
"Ties That Bind" Is An Interesting Choice
PostedAugust 17, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I was not too fond of the earlier entries in this series except Charleston Curse. I thought the story line in the earlier games did not make too much sense, bordering on silly at times. For Ties, it is not necessary to be familiar with the earlier games. I have to say that I found this entry to be not too bad. The story makes sense but is rather simplistic, at least in the beginning.
Your daughter Lynn is a witch, and she's about to marry Edward, a former witch hunter. This being a game, you know something will happen before the wedding and sure enough, Edward is lured away and you and Lynn must pursue him. You have a helper, an imp - the last game opened with the line "Mother, my imp has been acting strange today." Love that line. Fortunately, the imp does not talk and is activated automatically each time he/she is needed.
The drawing and cut scenes are good quality as are the voice actors. The opening scene in the home of Lynn and her mother had to be the ugliest example of interior decorating I have ever seen. Fortunately, the game moves to another scene none too soon so your eyes get a break.
Hidden object scenes and puzzles were fairly standard, good but not necessarily memorable or difficult.
I found it ironic that this game is titled The Ties That Bind, which is from the title of a Christian hymn, and yet this is a game about witches. Now, I don't need to be reminded that, "its only a game, they're not real witches" etc. I am well aware of that. I am simply pointing out the irony there. I do not know, and I sincerely doubt, that there was any intent to send any kind of message by using that title. But the developers should probably be more careful about that.
The legacy is improving but I can wait for the SE.
I recommend this game!
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
A father returns home to find his children missing - all but one, who refuses to say a word...
Overall rating
3
/
5
34 of 48 found this review helpful
This Portrait is Paint-By-Numbers
PostedAugust 15, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
You return home to your castle to find that your children have been taken by some sinister red-eyed being who uses paintings to release his minions of gargoyles, bats, vicious dogs and - fill in the blank. It all began when one of your children pulled a book off the shelf and opened a secret room and unleashed this monster.
The story makes use of the usual inhabitants of these games - missing children, scary animals, swirling black clouds, mysterious books, and things popping out of paintings. Problem is, it's all been done over and over ad nauseam. I can't see how anyone could describe this game as imaginative - even a growling gargoyle has been done recently elsewhere .
The voice acting is woodenly stiff and atrocious, with no apparent thought to the context of what is being said. The characters are not interesting, you don't know anything about them except they live in a castle. The quality of drawing and cut scenes are fine, but we've seen similar quality in nearly every other game. Similarly, the game play introduces nothing new, its just derivative of what's already been done. Oh, and there is a helper, Mr. Jenkins the cat - again, nothing creative or imaginative about that either.
If you have played 10 games in the last year, then you surely have played this one a few times. Had they at least come up with something original in the story it would be acceptable, but alas, no.
if you were hoping Family Portrait would be an original, disappointingly, it's just a copy.
I don't recommend this game.
Discover the story of Jean Valjean, the hero of the novel "Les Misérables"!
Overall rating
3
/
5
41 of 49 found this review helpful
Story: Classic Hugo - Game: old loaf of bread
PostedAugust 13, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the classic Victor Hugo tale with a few changes. The story, and the story alone, kept me playing to the end of the trial.
I did not mind that there are no voices, perhaps because the characters are already ingrained in my mind. There is a lot of dialog too, but it's necessary to move the story along as well as develop the characters.
The main problems with this game have to do with the game play. There is little or no exploring here. You are "told" what to do next by a large magnifying glass, eyeball, or footprints (exit) in the scene. That would be bad enough, but each time you click on one of these, the game switches to its "loading" scene of a book and progress bar until the next scene loads. This takes more than a few seconds each time and gets tedious quickly. The play is also hindered by the use of inventory items, each one requires you to CLICK AND HOLD your mouse key to use it, and also click the "X" to exit windows. These add up to give the sense you are playing a game designed 3-4 years ago (and there's also the burning fireplace sound used that dates from back then).
The hidden object scenes are quite numerous and they are more difficult, but they are well drawn. One or two objects in each scene will be very small. The palette uses a lot of browns and this tends to blend items together as well. One of the objects was called a "sand glass," a term I had not heard before but eventually figured out.
The best feature is the butterflies which are hidden in areas and also in the hidden object scenes. Finding one brings up an interesting historical fact about the time period the story is set in - that is if you are interested in history. However, they could have done a little more research and found that steel referee's whistles did not exist at the time and don't belong as a hidden object.
Even Hugo's story can't "redeem" this one, it's doomed by clunky and dated game play. Inspector Javert won't be tracking this Jean down.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Angela and Jimmy save the town of Shipsburgh! Practice your poker face and beat the Grimaldi Syndicate to save your hometown!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 16 found this review helpful
Governor of Hometown?
PostedAugust 12, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is very much like the Governor of Poker (GOP) games which I enjoyed, especially the first one. Here, instead of the old west, you are in a modern small town setting. The town, Shipsburgh, is controlled by the Grimraldi family. Your mission is to buy back the town buildings using your poker winnings, as well as any rent you collect on buildings owned.
Unlike the GOP games, there is a little less campy humor, player reaction, and overall atmosphere. A couple other things this lacks is progressive blinds, and the option to reveal your cards to upset your opponents. Otherwise the game play is smooth and fairly realistic, in my opinion a little more so than GOP. Like GOP, there are also awards for good play, like bluffing.
The town is drawn in a 3D style, however the poker games and characters are somewhat flat looking, giving the game an older look.
A great thing about this type of game is you can pick it up at any time without having to remember where you are in the story. In fact there really isn't much of a story, but the wide variety of the town's characters keep it interesting.
There are detailed tutorials so anyone not familiar with poker can pick it up within a few minutes. Casual poker players should enjoy this, but serious players will probably be looking for something more.
Hometown Poker Hero draws three of a kind.
I recommend this game!
A Mayan god is turning people into jaguars! Can you stop him before the world falls into chaos?
Overall rating
1
/
5
11 of 18 found this review helpful
Blood Moon Creates Bad Blood
PostedAugust 11, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is something of a continuation of the Mayan Prophecies series, they even use some of the same music. I phrase it that way because I played the earlier "Ship of Spirits" and it was not too bad. However, with this release, there apparently was a decision to appeal directly to female fishes.
This game is, I hate to say it, actually offensive to me, and I don't get offended easily.
This time it's not the usual bi-chromatic pink and purple - though there is some of that, it is tolerable. No, what is offensive is the story. It is tiring to be insulted by these inane stories. I have to give the voice actors credit for speaking their lines so seriously, despite the fact that there is no sense to them. And then there are elements woven into in the story line which were quite off-putting to me. Unfortunately I cannot explain further without giving a spoiler, but I can say it has to do with the jaguar. Because of this, I am quite surprised they would release a game that would be potentially offensive to some customers.
Despite losing interest after five minutes, like a good fish I continued playing to see if it got any better. It didn't. And it was too bad, because the puzzles and hidden object scenes are good, and this is otherwise an ok game from a technical standpoint. But there is absolutely no way I can support a game with a story like this - otherwise we will get more of them. No!
I don't like to write poor reviews. I would rather write a glowing one, and throw in a few chuckles for fun. I can't do that this time because this blood moon creates bad blood.
I don't recommend this game.
Solve the mystery that spooked a young girl into silence!
Overall rating
4
/
5
47 of 56 found this review helpful
Cursed Castle is a Blessing
PostedAugust 9, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
It's refreshing to find something interesting here today. The concept is not really new: an old family, the Flatsbury's, and a castle, a curse, and of course, a flaming knight - literally flaming, I should add . This story you are investigating as Ms. Gates takes place in modern England, but the castle and curse date back to the 13th century.
This is not the usual rehash of the familiar elements we've been putting up with of late. The designers clearly put some thought into the game as well as the game play. There are quite a few hidden object scenes, but they present as progressive, put back, silhouette, reassemble and other variations, as well as the standard lists. They will take a little more time to solve than average.
One thing I especially liked was there was not too much dialog or constant attempts to scare. There are a few here and there but they're very brief. Recognizing there is enough creepiness in a 13th century castle, they don't over-do it. The voices we do hear are well acted: very serious policemen, - or should I say constables - a child, and a ghostly being. The play is not too hard, but you do have to think a little bit.
There is a map, and also a journal which keeps a record of the cut scenes and clues you find. There are morphing objects too, and they are more difficult to spot than most. These objects vary by scene to add even more difficulty. I had a little trouble collecting one, but I kept clicking and eventually collected it.
There is also a gallery - you'll collect pieces of paintings as you progress and when you have all the pieces, you'll reassemble the painting. These are jigsaw type puzzles, really not too hard. Once assembled, the paintings add to the back story.
There is a lot of fun here, and I have not yet mentioned the music which complements the eerie atmosphere perfectly, keeping the tension high and not distracting from the play. And the semi-realistic drawing style which is easy on the eyes and utilizes a full palette.
Curse or no, this castle is worth exploring further. I'll give it four flaming knights.
I recommend this game!