belamba's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.4
- Helpful Votes:6,536
- Reviews Submitted:161
- First Review:November 16, 2011
- Most Recent Review:April 4, 2019
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The Path of Hercules
Pay homage to the dieties by restoring ancient artifacts in this unique Hidden Object and Match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
My fave M3 series of games...
PostedJanuary 1, 2014
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Was so pleased to see this pop up for the Mac yesterday. Also good to see a relaxed option included this time.
I love the music, the choices of the way you play the M3 boards and the difficulty as you get further in.
I love the music, the choices of the way you play the M3 boards and the difficulty as you get further in.
A mix of M3 and FROG scenes all go to make this a very enjoyable gaming experience. It has much replay value too, as you can choose three different ways to play it, and play against the timer after you've finished the game in relaxed mode (or vice versa).
Been quite a while since a decent M3 came out, and if you like this genre you'll like this game.
I recommend this game!
Lisa is helping Santa Claus deliver presents to a small town when her car transforms into candies! Help her fix her car and save Christmas!
Overall rating
2
/
5
49 of 54 found this review helpful
Far too short...
PostedDecember 30, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
As a soft release this was ok BUT only got 30 minutes of trial, and after buying it only had an hour of play time left. Had I got an hour's trial, would only have got 30 minutes for my money.
Only 4 different scenes to work with, which wasn't really great value for money.
It was ok; too many HOG scenes really and they were very easy . Could have been a much better game with longer play time, and more places to visit.
No choice of modes, but luckily only real sparkles were to highlight HOG scenes.
Quite a few items were misleading in HOG scenes, as obvious major bad translations! 'a plummet' was a scales weight #not a plumbers plumb line# as an example.
Music got a bit annoying at times too.
Felt it was made on a tight budget, and 'devs' just because it's Christmas doesn't mean that anything with a Christmas theme will do.
I don't recommend this game.
You’re on a train in the middle of nowhere, and a band of dangerous thieves demand you tell them where to find the Hope Diamond’s shards. As the newest Hidden Expedition recruit, you’ve got to find the shards before they do…
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 19 found this review helpful
Not as good as many CEs
PostedDecember 20, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Found this game a bit boring. HOS ok, but nothing very challenging. Loved the fact you could customise your game play (always welcome). Hidden extras were cards, Smithsonian symbols and morphing objects in HOS.
Not enough to do at each location, and very linear in game play.
Puzzles fairly easy.
Finished entire game and bonus chapter within 3 hours.
Didn't grab me, and really didn't warrant CE status.
Map and hint system excellent, and didn't need SG.
Not a great fan of the Hidden Expedition games, but bought this after the hour trial hoping it would get better...it didn't.
Not enough to do at each location, and very linear in game play.
Puzzles fairly easy.
Finished entire game and bonus chapter within 3 hours.
Didn't grab me, and really didn't warrant CE status.
Map and hint system excellent, and didn't need SG.
Not a great fan of the Hidden Expedition games, but bought this after the hour trial hoping it would get better...it didn't.
I recommend this game!
Solve the mystery of the island of abandoned ships in a new classic Hidden Object Adventure game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 9 found this review helpful
Pretty basic HOG...
PostedDecember 19, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Tried the whole hour trial, but just didn't grab me. Far too many HOS, and you do each one twice. Offers two game modes and I played advanced as I hate sparkles.
The few puzzles I came across were very easy, the graphics a bit fuzzy and didn't offer much of a challenge. Linear in game play, and the map didn't offer up much help.
Had a dated feel to it.
Not the worst HOG out there by far, and if you like basic HOS then this game might suit you, and they were marginally interactive.
A few years ago this would have been a good game, and probably the reason it was a soft release.
The few puzzles I came across were very easy, the graphics a bit fuzzy and didn't offer much of a challenge. Linear in game play, and the map didn't offer up much help.
Had a dated feel to it.
Not the worst HOG out there by far, and if you like basic HOS then this game might suit you, and they were marginally interactive.
A few years ago this would have been a good game, and probably the reason it was a soft release.
I don't recommend this game.
Everyone deserves a second chance – even the stingiest of them all.
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 9 found this review helpful
Enjoyed every minute of this game...
PostedDecember 7, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I so love this game. Everything from the graphics, music, characters, storyline, game play, hint, map etc was brilliantly done! Enjoyable interactive HOS too, and puzzles really well thought out.
It's a good length, and I've one chapter left to play before the bonus chapter.
It's a good length, and I've one chapter left to play before the bonus chapter.
It's humorous too, and your helper is soooo funny when you've forgotten you need him.
Couldn't fault it, and one of my favourite CEs of all time.
I recommend this game!
You're called to a health spa in the Alps, where an evil professor has something terrible in mind for his unwitting patients.
Overall rating
4
/
5
46 of 52 found this review helpful
Really good CE...
PostedDecember 7, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Have loved all the games in this series. Quality gameplay, excellent graphics and music pleasant.
Played advanced mode and took about 5 hours including bonus chapter and some puzzle skips.
The HOS were a mixture of finding junk pile objects, to putting items 'back' into their place, to item silhouettes. Nothing original really, but not too many of them in the main game. Once again we get to the bonus chapter, and far too many HOS. Do wish devs would bear in mind we pay 'double' for a CE, when adding the bonus chapter.
I'm not interested in screen savers and concept art. Hardly ever have to use the SG either, mainly because there's too much handholding going on.
I'm not interested in screen savers and concept art. Hardly ever have to use the SG either, mainly because there's too much handholding going on.
The puzzles were beautifully done, and some fairly unique. In advanced mode the skip button refilled in about 2 minutes.
You could search for designer 'canes' in the game, which wasn't very interesting.
Definitely a fun game to play. The map was very handy as a lot of back and forth involved, and the hint system was excellent. For some reason once in the bonus chapter, the hint system was useless...nothing to do here, look somewhere else and so on. Map also helps here though.
An excellent game overall, but if I'd known the bonus chapter would be so short with too many HOS, and mainly revisiting rooms from the main game I'd have waited for the SE!
I recommend this game!
Help Ashley Ford find her father and solve the mystery of the Three Oak Mansion.
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
Would have loved it 5 years ago...
PostedDecember 4, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Could only take 30 minutes of this game then had to delete. First time I've turned the sound off too, just couldn't take the music.
Got stuck at the beginning, and once I'd sussed out what to do I thought it was going to be challenging and enjoyable. The hand holding was OTT in some scenes, but when needing a hint it was useless in advanced mode.
Get the feeling BFG came across this whilst having a major clear out of their cupboards!
I really dislike games where the items aren't given the right names. Spent an age looking for 'a pipe' when it was actually a flute I needed. Graphics very dark and fuzzy. Didn't expect much when I saw it was a very small file for a HOG, but sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. Not on this occasion.
I don't recommend this game.
Something wicked has taken over Fate’s Carnival!
Overall rating
5
/
5
21 of 30 found this review helpful
Amazing game!
PostedNovember 27, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Everything about this game is fantastic! Its a good length too. I'm about half way through, and enjoying every minute.
Superb graphics, music, puzzles, HOPs with fun comments and animations. A vast choice of game play modes too.
Superb graphics, music, puzzles, HOPs with fun comments and animations. A vast choice of game play modes too.
What better than a creepy fun fair setting??
Nice touch having a puzzle hint within the screen of those crazy puzzles that really test your grey matter. I managed to crack a couple without help, but needed the hint at other times.
So much work has gone into this game, and it's those little extra fun touches throughout that set it apart. For me its the best MCF of all. Really don't want it to end, and it's going to make some other CEs seem quite lame.
I recommend this game!
You thought this would be just like any other investigation. But now you find yourself lost in a mysterious mansion brimming with strange creatures, comatose colleagues, and mysterious tentacles around every corner…
Overall rating
5
/
5
69 of 83 found this review helpful
A worthy CE. Loved it...
PostedNovember 21, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game was really entertaining, and although the main game took almost 3 hours to complete with a few puzzle skips, the bonus chapter took about an hour to finish. Wish game had been longer, but still felt I'd got my monies worth with the quality of this CE.
The game had various levels of difficulty, including a custom mode which is always welcome. After all, we buy the games, and therefore it's right that the devs allow us to play the game the way we want to. The mode could be changed during the gameplay.
Graphics were superb, and music was pleasant. A bit too much hand holding but the level of challenge was great if you clicked off the black bar tips.
The game ran really smoothly on my Mac, and no pickiness with the cursor when picking up objects.
The HOPs started off being quite unusual and fun, but as happens all too often they decline into junk pile with a bit of interaction which is a shame. So refreshing to have new ways to play these puzzles.
I really enjoyed the mini games. They were beautifully done, different and challenging but not impossible.
My only criticism was the glasses you picked up early in the game, which were used to crack some kind of code. It got quite monotonous and boring when the glasses were needed over and again. I felt this added nothing to the game. Luckily the skip button could be adjusted to skip this quickly.
The map and hint system were excellent and I didn't need to consult the SG.
I recommend this game!
This was supposed to be the happiest day of your life. But instead of walking down the aisle, you're in another dimension, battling a mad inventor to save your family!
Overall rating
3
/
5
14 of 24 found this review helpful
A nicely done game, but far too easy...
PostedNovember 14, 2013
belamba
fromPoole, Dorset UK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I played this game on Advanced mode as didn't want sparkles, or wait forever for hint and skip to recharge.
The graphics were beautifully drawn, the music pleasant and the game took 5 hours to complete including bonus level.
The HOS were drawn well, but basic junk pile objects to find. Loosely interactive compared to others these days (cursor turns to hand to open drawer, curtains etc), and I felt there were too many of them. You could play a Match 3 game instead, but that wasn't very exciting either.
Puzzles nothing new, but really cleverly put together and not too difficult (possibly too easy for some).
Puzzles nothing new, but really cleverly put together and not too difficult (possibly too easy for some).
Had to find these weird spider like creatures (four or five of them) in 'every' scene, which got a bit laborious really. and a dragonfly joins you quite early on to get rid of the toxic fumes that occur along the way.
My main dislike of this game was that nothing was left to the imagination; hand holding galore and very linear in game play. Yes, you could play hard core, but the hint/skip took an age to refill in advanced mode so would just slow the game right down. Certainly didn't need the SG, as the map was excellent and took you to a scene where a task was needed.
The bonus chapter was even more simple and linear than the main game, but at least they didn't fill it with HOS.
If you don't want much of a challenge in a game, but a pleasant relaxing few hours this is the game for you.
I recommend this game!