MSBAM100's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.7
- Helpful Votes:8,578
- Reviews Submitted:240
- First Review:January 11, 2013
- Most Recent Review:January 27, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The town of Green Hill has really gone to the birds!
Overall rating
5
/
5
47 of 61 found this review helpful
Crows and sorcerer and disappearing townspeople!
PostedJanuary 30, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game always has something going on! Your niece Elena has summoned you to her town of Green Hill because lots of people are disappearing, one of whom is her boyfriend Stephen. The opening scene is pretty exciting with lots of crows with red eyes and a huge bear that Elena shoots with her silver bullets and shotgun! As you wander around town, looking for your niece, you see a few people disappear in a cloud of crows. You also see a strange feathered man, Ingram Draco, who of course tells you to get out of town or else. And you finally find your niece, with the sorcerer, in her burning house!
You find an amulet and as you fill in the stones you get the spirit of the amulet who looks like Gandolf who tells you to find more stones and fully charge the amulet and you can beat the sorcerer, who is actually the servant of Morrigan the Terrible - whom I suppose you will eventually meet and have to fight. You also have an attractive teleporting map that indicates where you should go next.
The graphics are clean and crisp. The HOS are challenging, not because they are a muddled mess, but because they are silhouettes that you must find one piece and interact with the puzzle to find the next piece. The HOS even have a mini-game in the middle (not too hard) to find one of the pieces!
One of my favorite parts of the game is the Story Book Puzzle, that you interact with, while it explains a key background part of the story - like Greta and the Fox and the sorcerer. What fun!
There are 3 modes of play - sorry, no custom. But you get to collect 33 squirrels, 9 character figurines, and something to do with a fresco but wasn't part of the demo. Of course there is a bonus game, a strategy guide, art, wallpaper, and music.
This game is a lot of fun and nice surprises. Try it and see!
I recommend this game!
Free Emmett from an evil spell and save the townspeople from murderous demons.
Overall rating
5
/
5
108 of 131 found this review helpful
Green skeletons, zoo animals, a chained up Annie!
PostedJanuary 25, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I played the beta of this game and it is sooooo much improved from then. There are so many things to do you can't get bored! You receive a letter from your brother-in-law Emmet, 5 years after your sister's death who implies she is alive. So you drop everything and go to the town of Reghin, where all the people seemed to be zoned out and controlled by some green skeleton heads. You also discover Emmett is known as the Alchemist, and is suspected of murdering 5 people including the mayor and the doctor.
You find Emmett's little sister Annie chained up in a tavern, and eventually you run into Emmett who says he has some unfinished business to attend to, but gives you his alchemist's crucible for help with the enchanted "green" items. Whew!
There are 18 achievements to earn, 10 zoo animals to find and transform (like Pegasus, Phoenix, and Cerberus), coins to find and spend on decorating your crucible and inventory panel. plus a bonus chapter, strategy guide and the other CE goodies.
The HOS are either lists, for which you can substitute a jigsaw puzzle , or "insert the item", which you can substitute a Match 3 game for. The mini-games are fun -- some are a bit hard. You get a journal, a dossier of the key players as you find them, and an interactive jump map which shows where active areas are. The four modes of play, including custom, show satisfy all.
This is a great game from a new developer. Try it -- it's fun!
I recommend this game!
The wolf spirit still haunts… will you heed its call?
Overall rating
5
/
5
31 of 46 found this review helpful
A Glowing Amulet, a Spirit Wolf, and Giant Mushrooms!
PostedJanuary 23, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the third in the Myths series and it doesn't disappoint. This time you are summoned by your friend Jesse to the Center for Native American Culture to deal with some strange happenings - glowing symbols, supersized mushrooms, and spirits. Of course you also have an amulet that begins to glow when you enter the grounds! Once you assemble your drum and beat it, the spirit Ayanna appears and asks for your help with Misu, the escaped wolf/man spirit.
The entire game sticks to the native American theme, from the hint button headdress, to the graphics full of totem poles, to the spirits that appear. The HOS are interactive lists or silhouettes, and can be swapped for a bubble shooter. The mini-games all have Native American themes but are not too hard. You have an amulet that you add symbols to as you find them, which enables you to overpower the symbols on doors and other items. Some of the items you find require assembly with other items, like adding batteries to a flashlight.
There are four modes, including custom. The achievement awards are dreamcatchers. There are 35 sun runes to collect, with a "sun sign" in each scene that lets you know if you've collected that one or not. You receive binoculars that let you focus in on distant scenes. There is a bonus game and a strategy guide, an interactive map showing areas with objectives, plus a sun path and souvenir site that cannot be opened until the game is completed. Of course there is also the normal CE extra stuff of movies, art, etc.
This is a great game with a good theme that is followed throughout each part of the game. Try it and you'll see! I also recommend the two previous titles -- great games as well!
I recommend this game!
Paranormal activity has turned Smalltown upside-down! As the newest initiate of the Order of the Light, you must investigate why.
Overall rating
5
/
5
34 of 43 found this review helpful
Who, what, why plus ghosts!
PostedJanuary 18, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a unique game! You are either going to love it or hate it. It is very different from any other game, which makes it fun and interesting, with enough bells and whistles to be a CE.
You are the detective hired by the Order of the Light to rid Smalltown of all the ghosts that have been released with the demolition of the old chapel. Plus see if the ghosts are related to the theft of museum artifacts found in the old chapel. You are given a ghost catcher device, to catch 35 ghosts -- pretty easy to spot, it glows red when there is a ghost in the room. You get points for everything in this game, which leads to achievements.
You get to collect 5 each of prints, statues, fruit, sea, cards, chess, and more -- and you get points for each. You get gold stars for finishing HOS quickly, without misclicks, or hints. Which also become points. When you save the mayor, you get points. It is a lot of fun!
Meanwhile, you realize there are at least four other people in danger, based on art they purchased from another citizen. There are plenty of HOS -- all lists but not that easy. The mini-games are new -- not too hard. And you get points for not skipping as well!
The whole game is interesting and fun. Try it yourself and see!
I recommend this game!
Your strange travels continue in this sequel to the exciting game that took you on an Amaranthine Voyage…
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
Enter the portal and find Jonathon!
PostedJanuary 16, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a continuation of the Tree of Life, which I didn't play, but I certainly will now! There are so many things going on in this game. You are Professor Sylvia Burns, who is asked by Mr. Ferguson to find his son Jonathon who disappeared about a month ago. He thinks Jonathon followed your advice, found the village of Standing Stones, and went through the portal.
So you find the pieces of the map to the village, drive there and talk to the villagers about Jonathon. They are pretty sure he activated the portal, which still becomes activated since he left. Grace, who runs the market believes her dog Bonnie also went through the portal. You stay in Jonathon's room, figure out how to activate the portal, and surprise! You go through the portal and see Jonathon, who is now the King's royal councilor. The King is waiting for his Queen to also appear, according to some ancient lore. Sounds like it might be you!
The first HOS are three silhouette lists in a row. The others are regular lists. You can play a Bubble Shoot instead - first time I've seen that in a HO game! Some of the mini-games are unique, but not too hard.
You get a map of the village, plus a map of your portal world. The hint button lets you jump to the needed area. The maps also show you where to go next. However, there are four modes of play, including custom, so you can tailor what help you want to see.
You find Grace's dog, Bonnie, who becomes your pet helper. You also find a bow and arrow that you use to shoot at targets when necessary -- another nice touch. There are 48 dog biscuits for you to collect, plus 20 fairies in the portal world. You have a strategy guide, a bonus game, achievements, a lore book, plus all the other bells and whistles of a CE.
Can't wait to buy it to see if I get to marry the King!
I recommend this game!
Charon's train has left the station, and you’ll never believe who’s on board!
Overall rating
5
/
5
62 of 79 found this review helpful
The Ferryman Charon now has a Train!
PostedJanuary 11, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I couldn't resist so I just bought this. It has a cool new storyline. You play Daniel, whose bride Olivia was taken - killed - by Count Orlok on your wedding day, and put on the Spirit Train. The trainmaster is Charon, who no longer has a boat to ferry the dead, but uses a train instead. And some of the dead, like Count Orlok and Bluebeard - a member of his band - won't stay dead but escaped the train to go on with their lives. In order to free Olivia, you must lure Count Orlok and his men back to the train so Charon can capture their souls, and free Olivia and the other wrongful dead from the train. Kind of a neat new storyline, I think.
Olivia gives you a magic monocle that glows green when it is in the presence of something otherworldly, and helps you discover items and find clues. There seems to be four members of Orlock's band you need to track down and bring to the train. One is in Paris, one is in Italy. The Paris guy's wife Mary married Gilles de Rais, who it turns out was really Bluebeard and killed several other women and stashed their belongings in his secret room. Poor Mary stumbled into it, and now she's on the train, too, killed by Bluebeard.
The HOS are all lists, but very clever lists that require a lot of interaction rather than just finding and clicking the item. The mini-games reflect the country/city you are in -- French themed games in Paris, for example. Not too hard, but enjoyable. The hint button and the map are sufficient to guide you along. The map is also clever -- representing the train and the city scenes that are offshoots from the train.
There are three modes to choose from, and the normal extras including the bonus chapter and strategy guide. The inventory locks open - one of my must haves - and the cut scenes are attractive, especially the opening one of Daniel's and Olivia's wedding. It is not clear yet what the connection between Olivia and Count Orlock is.
Try it, I think you will like it. I am off to finish the game!
I recommend this game!
Witch hunters have kidnapped Lynn! To save her, you'll have to team up with an old foe and storm their castle.
Overall rating
5
/
5
22 of 31 found this review helpful
Witches are HELPING you this time!
PostedJanuary 9, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This might be the best of the series of the three Witches Legacy games. The first two are summarized in the preview to the game. Your now adopted daughter Lynn is a witch, now using her powers for healing, instead of chasing after Elizabeth, the witch that killed her family so she could be the heir to magical powers. Elizabeth was destroyed in a previous game, but she is now back in the form of an animated doll who is helping you.
So Lynn's boyfriend is actually a member of the Order of the Witch Hunters and their "date" becomes a capture of Lynn by the witch hunters, who take her to their castle. Elizabeth keeps an altar in your house - Charlton Manor - and convinces you to help her help rescue Lynn. So off you go again, through the portal to the Witch Hunter's castle. The witch hunters believe "all magic users must be destroyed", even if they are good witches. One of the hunters evidently had a bad experience when one of his creations - supposedly enchanted by a witch - killed his daughter. So they plan to kill Lynn unless you rescue her. Whew!
The same nice touches from previous games are back. You have Lynn's imp, who helps you with small places and high places. He also opens up scrolls listing your next objective. There are 4 modes of play, including custom. The map is teleporting and shows tasks ready to be accomplished. The hint button refills quickly and shows a picture of the location you should jump to, or exactly what item within the scene you should concentrate on. The HOS are clear and clean, although all are lists with some interactive objects. A nice touch is the ability to switch to a matching objects game where 2 matches equals one item. The mini-games are interesting and not too hard.
There are 40 puzzle pieces for you to find, which opens up a bonus puzzle at the end. You can also search for 35 morphing objects. You can win 12 achievements. There is a bonus chapter, and strategy guide - not really needed, plus the normal CE extras. I really enjoyed the demo of this game, and will certainly buy it!
I recommend this game!
Fall of the New Age
Help Marla uncover the secret conspiracy of the Cult and release her brother from captivity!
Overall rating
5
/
5
18 of 21 found this review helpful
Improve your lock picking skills!
PostedJanuary 4, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a great little game that appeared with no fanfare as an SE. But it truly delivers.
You and your brother Ray are thieves who are caught stealing silver from a house where some type of weird ceremony involving sacrifice seems to be occurring. You are thrown in prison, but a bearded man who was a friend of your father helps you escape. You don't know where your brother is. The man needs your help to steal something, and your skill with locks and lockpicks is required.
There was only one HOS in the demo, but it was interesting. You have to find silhouetted pieces, and some are locked until you perform the right actions.
A new puzzle type is the "dress the part" puzzle, where you find a picture and then find the pieces you need to dress yourself like the picture so you can sneak past a guard dressed appropriately. Pretty cool! The dress-up is not easy and requires a bit of patience to get the item just right.
I spent a lot of time wandering through a maze, because although there was a map in my journal, it made no sense to me no matter how a turned it. So using the process of elimination...........I finally came out the other side! I cannot remember having a maze in any recent game I've played!
Anyway, this is a challenging little game -- try it, you will like it!
I recommend this game!
A strange premonition tells you your uncle is missing. Follow him into a world of fantasy, and discover the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone!
Overall rating
5
/
5
25 of 33 found this review helpful
Portals and artifacts and potions!
PostedJanuary 4, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The cut scene opening shows your Uncle Alfred, in possession of the philosopher's stone, being removed by a robed creature with green eyes who tells him that doesn't belong to him. You play his niece, who has been helping him construct a portal following ancient plans. Somehow Afred finished and left without you! So of course you decide to follow and rescue him, once you figure out how to activate the portal.
You find the artifact and the codes to activate the portal, and off you go - no fear, evidently! You meet the same green creature who tells you to leave, but of course you don't. The artifact is quite interesting. Besides opening the portal, you can find and add pieces that allow it to light your way, speed up sprout growth, and two other effects. You also get to make some potions, once you find the recipes.
The HOS are quite varied and fun. You have the lists, which often require action in order to complete. Plus there are pictures you have to match, and they also require interaction to find the complete picture. Additionally, there are the find x items types. The neat thing about the HOS is, once you complete all the actions to finally find the item you need, it automatically delete itself from your list -- a nice touch. The mini-games are not too hard, and the skip button fills up about the time you get frustrated. The hint button is a pointer. The map is interactive, showing each scene plus a clue if there is an activity there or not.
There are only two modes, however -- casual and expert. It does have a locking inventory, 25 achievements, plus 20 morphing objects (I only found one, which the game told me about, during the demo.) There are the normal extras -- bonus game, strategy guide, music, screensaver, wallpaper, and art. The journal nicely holds everything -- the map, the notes, the achievements, and the objectives.
This is a very good game with great art and storyline, and fun to play. It is a buy for me!
I recommend this game!
You came to the town of Brownville, Louisiana hoping to find a new job. But you weren't expecting to stumble upon a strange adventure in a world filled with beauty and danger!
Overall rating
5
/
5
38 of 52 found this review helpful
An Eye Candy Challenge!
PostedJanuary 2, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game is hard, but intriguing. You just can't stop, and if you bear with it, you will eventually figure it out!
You are unemployed, so you travel to Brownsville to meet your friend Ben and his wife, who appear to work for Simon, who owns the town's garment factory and club. Simon convinces you to play cards with him, and oops -- you wind up in some strange game world, the World of Fire. Simon appears and tells you to find the Teleporter Card to advance to the next level, and if you lose you will stay in the game forever.
You meet Anna, who tells you Ben and his wife are also in the game, and if any of you die, you all lose! You have six power cards, and you convert the Ice Power Card to help you out in the Fire World. A bit convoluted, but the graphics are so beautiful and the premise is interesting and different. You eventually find a Teleportation Card, but before you can charge it up, the demo ends!
There are 4 modes - including custom- and I played on Casual and still used the Hint Button frequently, even in the HOS. The artwork style allows the developers to easily hide familiar objects by drawing them in a stylized mode. The mini-games are also hard - or maybe I didn't have enough patience - but I skipped most of them to move along in the demo.
You get a pet creature, who can climb and fetch things you can't reach. I used the map extensively to help me find out where to go next. It is well-marked and interactive. You also have 30 puzzle pieces to collect, which opens up a secret puzzle at the end. The extras include a bonus chapter, strategy guide, video, art, wallpaper, and the mini-games. The demo ended just as I was about to charge my card to teleport to Floating Island World! Now I have to buy it.
I recommend this game!