dancemom1's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:13,287
- Reviews Submitted:871
- First Review:April 15, 2012
- Most Recent Review:November 26, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The rivalry between two movie studios escalates into deception and murder!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 11 found this review helpful
Different story line...
PostedDecember 5, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi all! Well, we have #6 in this series. Naturally, I have all of them. Graphics are very well done and up to the standard for this series. Colors are very bright and true. Game play was exceptional, no problems during demo and the game fit my large screen very well. There aren't a lot of voice overs, but what there is, is well done with emotion and not just reading a script, and they are age and character appropriate. Mostly you read the dialog, but you get the feel of the game and what is happening with the music. Sound FX are very nice. Normally I don't care for split cut scenes, but it works well and fits this particular story line quite well.
HOPs are well done, with interactive lists and riddles. They are very clean and items are not difficult to find. Be on the lookout for morphing items within the HOPs..they are quick. If you don't care for HOPs, you can switch to a Match 3 game. The hint system is mostly very helpful, but sometimes gives you that annoying "move along." It does transport you to longer locations. There is some back tracking, but it didn't really seem like too much, since I still have some tread on my sneakers. The map seemed a little busy to me, but I seldom use one anyway. The SG only listed 2 chapters and nothing else, which often makes me wonder how long the game really is. If this one is anything like the others in this series, it won't be a short one. Liked the puzzles in this one. They are not overly challenging, but some were different and a bit fun.
Collectibles: there are 41 "signs" that are actually faces. They are blended pretty well with the background, but they are not as difficult to find as you may think. Other than the morphing objects in the HOPs, there are 2 candy canes that, if found, will give you 2 extra HOPs to play, and 1 Christmas stocking that will give you an extra puzzle to play, if found. I think the challenge is finding the sock and candy canes.
I beta tested this one back in September and really enjoyed it. Unlike others, I do not give 5 stars easily. A game has to be exceptional in every way for that. This game was very close for me, but still missed a bit, simply because when I ask for a hint, I expect to get one, not "move along" or "nothing to do here." So, I gave this one a 4.75. The story was quite different and interesting and I find the need to play it out and see what happens. I think this game will appeal to all levels of players. Yes, it is a buy for me.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all, and that's okay too. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Haunted Legends: The Secret of Life Collector's Edition
You've traveled the world in search of a cure for your deadly illness, and you've finally found it! But it won't be easy to get – are you up to the task?
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Nice collectibles...
PostedDecember 4, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all! Well,we have #7 in this series..yep, got them all. I do have to say that I was not kicked out about this game when I beta tested it, gave it a 3, but it looks like someone paid attention to suggestions for a change. The colors are a bit muted, but clear and true. Graphics and animation are done quite well and mouths move with the voice overs. I like the voices, which have some emotion, fear, and urgency for realism, and they don't all sound like the same person is doing them. Game play was excellent, no lag or any problems during the demo. They added more sound FX, which really help with the "creepy" feel of this game, as does the music. The game started out with "choose" your dialog, which I really don't care for, but seems to have gone away...I hope. For those of you who don't care for things that jump at you, this game has it...just a warning, but well done.
HOPs are the standard with IHOP lists and the usual "here's a word, find the item." They are clean and items are not difficult to find. You do need to find 15 cats, which give you points to unlock more content. Don't know what that is, but going to find out. I do not see that there is a transport feature in this one, but so far there hasn't been any long distance traveling, just short hops here and there with objectives along the way. Hint system is very helpful and actually gives you a hint. SG is the standard stuff and collectibles are clearly marked.
Collectibles are many, e.g., morphing objects, which are not as easy to spot as you may think; cakes, which I found you eat, not sure what this does for you other than satisfy your sweet tooth; various symbols which are found in a glass container. Some of these are small, but not hard to find. You need to "break" the glass to collect the symbol. Don't know what these are for either.
This game is not especially challenging, but it flowed quite well and keeps you moving. The story is nothing new, but interesting enough to make me want to see what is happening and where it is going. Yes, someone needs to check the grammar and sentence content before releasing, e.g. "the reward will mine alone," but not a deal breaker. I did have to laugh at "pulse steady, check for breath." Um, if there is a pulse, there will definitely be breath because he is alive. Silly. Anyway, I think this newest addition will appeal to all levels of players. Of course, I am adding this one to my collection.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Why would anyone want to stop Christmas from coming?
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 10 found this review helpful
Not the usual Puss in Boots story....
PostedDecember 3, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all! Now that I have recovered from Thanksgiving, I can get back to my games...I missed them. Today we have another addition to this wonderful series. I beta tested this one quite some time ago and found that the graphics didn't seem quite as nice and crisp as the other, but still quite nice. Santa's face just seemed a little odd to me for some reason. The colors are bright and true. Game play was very good, no problems during the demo at all. Music is the usual for this series and not at all annoying. Voice overs are nice and in some cases, quite cute, but all were character appropriate. Yes, you do have a cat helper and he does move a little slow, but he gets the job done when needed. He isn't used constantly.
HOPs are well done with interactive lists, silhouettes and place the item in the scene. Items are not hard to find, but placing the items does take a little time and thought. Puzzles were not difficult at all and took no brain power to complete. There is a map, which I found to be a bit cluttered, but still usable. Areas with a collectible are marked on the map, in case you think you missed one. Hint system is very helpful and it does transport to longer locations. There isn't a lot of back tracking, but there is some, so this feature is a time saver.
Collectibles: the only thing I found so far are puzzles pieces. There are 36 and they are not as easy to spot as you may think. They can be hidden anywhere, so be on the look out. There are also 12 morphing items, which morph fairly quickly. I see that you can only collect the item when it is morph mode...tricky.
I have all of the other Christmas Stories and really loved them. This one is "loosely" based on the Puss In Boots story. There is a serious side to this one, but also some comedy to keep it a bit light. This game is not challenging, but it was simple and fun, with nice collectibles and I find the need to play it out and see what happens. I think all levels of players will find this one enjoyable, especially is you liked the others in the series. Yes, I am adding this one to my ever growing collection.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
A great evil unlocks deep within Ravenhearst!
Overall rating
3
/
5
21 of 40 found this review helpful
Disappointing...
PostedNovember 24, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Hi all! Another in this series. I have all of the others and liked most of them. I'm not too sure about this one. The colors are muted and somewhat faded, but maybe it's because it's supposed to give you that "creepy" look...it didn't. Otherwise, graphics were the usual for this series. Game play was very good, no problems during the demo at all. Music was okay, but needed to be a bit more sinister to really help this game out. The sound FX were nothing special, except for an occasional scream here and there. Not much of anything in the way of character interaction or dialog, so the game seems very quiet.
HOPs are the usual. The scenes seemed more like junk piles to me, but the items were not all that hard to spot. Puzzles were extremely simple. Hint system was helpful, when it actually helped. Most of the time it just said "move along." I use the hint when I actually want it to tell me which direction to go in next. This one does only if there is something to do in that scene. I did not see that it transported you anywhere, but then again, I got bored and didn't complete the entire demo.
The only collectibles I found were lighthouses. Not sure what they mean, but they are large and very easy to spot. I didn't find anything else. Very disappointing and very much in need of something more.
When I beta tested this one, I gave it a 3. I think they put this one out way too quickly after the last one, which was a very nice game. It definitely needed a little more work. It was just boring for me. No challenge and nothing special. The story line is old and should probably be retired, or at least up graded. As I said, I didn't complete the entire demo, which is extremely unusual for me. I do not feel that this is CE worthy and I seriously doubt that I will get it even as an SE. There was nothing about this game that made me want to buy it. I'm sure there are those that will find this one quite enjoyable, but it isn't for me. No buy for me, but I will recommend it for beginners.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may find this one to be exactly what you are looking for. Thanks for the review.
I recommend this game!
The people of Lightfalls are disappearing, and it’s up to you to save them!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Very nice storyline....
PostedNovember 22, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi all! Well, we have #8 in this series. Yep, got all of the others and really enjoyed them all. Wasn't all that kicked out about the graphics. They weren't bad, just a little muted and seemed a bit fuzzy. The colors weren't as sharp as they were in other games in this series. Animation was quite good, as were the sound FX. Game play was excellent. The dev must have read the reviews for the beta, since there was no longer a "lag" time between scenes. Voice overs are very nice, with emotion and not just reading a script. Did anyone else notice that the "trunk" on the VW was in the back? It wasn't in mine! You do have a story board that gives you more insight into what is happening and why. You need to place the items on each page in the correct spot in the picture...not real keen on these, but it works.
HOPs are nothing new, e.g. interactive silhouettes and basic lists. The scenes are fairly clean and clear, but again, the colors are mostly washed out. Hint system is very helpful and actually shows you where you need to go next, or what to do next. There is a transport in this one, which is quite helpful, since you do a whole lot of back tracking for one or two items, so grab an extra pair of tennis shoes, you'll need them. SG is the standard. I was a bit disappointed that the demo did not let you see the collectibles. The map is set up well and does show you that you have missed a collectible. I like this feature, since I do have a need to find them all. Puzzles were not difficult, but some do take a little time to complete.
Collectibles: the flowers, naturally. Not sure how many, since the number kept changing almost every scene, e.g. 15 in one, 30 in another. They are not as easy to spot as they have been in previous games and there is more than one in each scene. They can be anywhere, so be on the lookout for them. I also accidentally found morphing figurines and its shows that there are 12. Didn't find anything else.
This game is not really challenging, but I found this story more interesting than most. It would flow much better if you didn't have to constantly back track. It gets old real fast. That being said, I think this will appeal to most all levels of players. Because I liked the story line in this one, I do find the need to see where is it going. Yes, I am going to add it to my collection.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Who is trying to destroy the Kingdom of Barsia?
Overall rating
3
/
5
20 of 33 found this review helpful
Time to retire this series...
PostedNovember 19, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Hi all. Well, here we have another in this series. This is not the Goldilocks I remember! This game is set up exactly the same as all the other in the series, with a few differences. The graphics seemed a little blurred to me, especially the close up scenes. Colors were okay, but somewhat faded and not as sharp and clear as others in the series. Music was nice. Voice overs were okay, but very few. You don't speak, you are just written dialog. However, you could click through if you read faster than the "speaking" characters. Sound FX were quite faint, and I even had the environment sound at max. Game play was very good, no problems at all during the demo and it fit my large screen quite nicely.
HOPs are fragmented pieces, which have become quite boring. It is definitely time to upgrade the HOPs in this series. The HOPs are junk piles, with some items with color and others none. Puzzles were painfully simple and took no brain power at all. Hint system is very helpful and it does transport to longer locations. This comes in handy, since you do a lot of back tracking in this game, just as you did in all the others.
Collectibles...40 snowflakes that are extremely hard to find. They blend in color, with most being only an outline, and most are very small. This is the challenge to this game. You also collect parables...again. These are also very small and not at all easy to find.
I have most of these games and liked them all, but this one left a lot to be desired for me. It is not a bad game, just nothing new. Same game, different story...sort of. I beta tested this one a few months ago and didn't rate it very high then. Sticking to that now. I am sure there are people who will like this game, but I feel it is geared more toward a beginner who has never played any of the others. No, no buy for me. Honestly don't feel this is CE worthy and I know I won't get it even as an SE, which is unusual for me.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may like this one. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
You're the last hope to stop the ancient curse!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Lots of collectibles!
PostedNovember 15, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all! Excellent review twin. Don't have much to add to this review. This is #3 in the series and yes, I do have the first two and liked them both. The graphics weren't bad at all. At first it seemed like an older game, but it was just how it looked. Not a lot in the way of animation, but the sound FX are well done. Game play was very good, with no problems during the demo. Colors are bright and true and well done. If the music doesn't grab me in the beginning, it gets turned down...this one was turned down. Voice overs aren't bad either, but the little girl's voice started grating on my nerves very quickly. I think it was just too high a pitch. It has been quite a while since I played the other two, but it seems like this one sort of picks up where the other left off. I play so many, it's hard to remember for sure.
HOPs are the standard interactive silhouettes and lists. They are fairly clean and items are not difficult to find. I did not see that you could switch to a different game is you did not like the HOPs. Puzzles were not all that difficult either, but you did have to use your brain on a couple. SG was the standard, but only showed the one chapter, so you had to "accidentally" find out what the collectibles are. The hint system was helpful, when it actually gave you a hint. More than once, it didn't do anything when I clicked on it. The map is a jump and areas are identified very well. It also shows the areas where you have a collectible or a morph item.
Collectibles are many, which is what I like and what I think a CE should have. So far, I see that there are 24 figurines, which are very difficult to spot in most cases. They blend and are very small! We also have 35 morphing items, which morph fairly fast, so be on the lookout. The plus here is that your icon turns to a hand when you roll over one. Then we have 28 manuscript pages. These pages give you more information about an area and/or the story and are not hard to spot.
I was surprised by this game. At first, I didn't think I would care for it, but the collectibles changed my mind. You don't just play a game, you have to work at it. The only thing I didn't care for was when you clicked on a building or place, one of the characters would tell you what it was...every time you click on it. This became very annoying when I was looking for the morphing item. Tell me once and be quiet, thank you. Anyway, not a deal breaker. I think this would appeal to all levels of players. Naturally, I am going to add this one to my collection.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes and you may not care for this one at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
A scream in the night... a brutal crime... a mysterious figure with eyes red as blood. Can you get to the heart of this shocking murder?
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Not CE worthy...
PostedNovember 14, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Hi all! Wow, talk about short demo...this has got to be the shortest yet! I have most of the EAP games in this series and liked what I do have...a couple were just too far off the story for me to buy. There have been a few changes to our detective Dupin, e.g. his face is longer and thinner and his voice is way off. What happened to his accent? The graphics are very nice and colors are bright and true, so you don't have all that blue and pink we see a lot of. Game play was very good, no problems during the demo and it fit my large screen. As I said, the voices overs left a lot to be desired, but hard to tell with such a short demo. Makes me think the game is also quite short. Music was okay. Not much in the way of sound FX either. This game could have used some stormy weather or something to help it.
HOPs are very few. I only ran across two during the demo, but they were fairly clean and items were not difficult to find. Just interactive lists so far. The sound FX you hear when you find something or accomplish a task got very annoying very quickly. Puzzles were not as simple as most we have seen lately. They did take some time and thought to complete, so there is some challenge here. Hint system is very helpful, but I did not see a transport feature. There is a map, but the demo was so short, I didn't get a chance to even look at it.
Collectibles - all I found are cards, that depict the Poe stories. There are 36 total and they quit easy to spot. Not sure what happens when you get them all, but it seems they are used when all are collected. This was also a disappointment. This game needed more collectibles.
I love Poe stories and know them all. I was a bit disappointed in this one. Yes, his stories are about death and all, but not quite this bloody. This was a little over the top. I do not feel this is CE worthy at all. The game wasn't long enough for me to even really get into the story, but as I said, I was disappointed in what I did play. I'm sure there are those who will find this one a good game...it's not a bad game, just not one that makes me want to buy it, even though I do know how the story is supposed to end. No buy for me, but I will give the SE version a try when it comes out. Some games are just better as an SE, we will see.
As always, give this one a try and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may find this one to be exactly what you are looking for. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
A dark prophecy threatens to destroy the city of Munich!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Wee done!
PostedNovember 13, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Not sure how I managed to miss this when the CE came out, but I sure did. As usual, others have done a much better review of the story than I can, so I just review the game play and extras. Game play is excellent, no problems with any part of it. Graphics are very clear and animation is well done. The colors are nice, although there is some blues...it's night, so it would be blue. We will see what happens when the sun comes up. I was disappointed in the voice overs. This takes place in Munich...where are the accents? Music was pretty nice, but still turned it down.
HOPs were the usual combination of interactive lists and silhouettes. They are fairly clean and the items are not difficult to find. Puzzles were not hard. I do find the "combo" puzzles frustrating sometimes, but the one I found in this game was pretty simple. Hint system is quite helpful and it does transport to longer locations. I like how you had to accomplish multiple tasks in each location and not just one here and one there, so there isn't really a lot of back tracking. Jump map is nice and areas are clearly marked and identified. Again, I don't waste my time with the SG, except to make sure I have all the collectibles. I sometimes get so engrossed in a game that I forget to look for them.
Achievements are many and nothing new. Lots of collectibles, e.g., 13 tarot cards, 19 Chimera and 27 morphing items. Nothing is hard to find, you just have to remember to look for it.
This game is not all that challenging, but I liked it. You are constantly on the move and frequently interact with the characters in the game. I like this one well enough to get the CE version, but I will hold off for a really good sale. The addition of the secret room and the ability to pick up missed collectibles is always a plus for me. I think all levels of players will find this one interesting.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Decades ago, a brutal crime occurred at the Lexington Hotel. Are you brave enough to uncover the truth about what happened there?
Overall rating
4
/
5
15 of 21 found this review helpful
Ghosts, spiders and more ghosts...nice game!
PostedNovember 12, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all. Well, this is a nice addition to this series. Naturally, the colors are very dark and dreary, but you are in a haunted house and it is a very dark and stormy night, so they fit. Graphics are very well done. I really liked the animation, e.g. ghosts. They would fade in and out, rather than just suddenly have a white blob in your face. Now, for those of you who don't like things jumping at you, there are some ghosts that do jump out of nowhere. There are also some spiders, but not a lot. Game play was very good, no problems during the demo and it fit my large screen quite nicely. The music was sinister enough to make me keep it turned up, where I usually turn it down to light background noise...very well done. Did anyone else notice that the VW had the "trunk" in the wrong place? It's the small things. Voice overs are well done and fit the character and action quite well. Very nice sound FX.
HOPs are the usual and customary silhouettes, lists and find the pairs. They are clean and clear and items are not difficult to find. Puzzles we fairly easy for me, even the ones I truly do not care for. No brain power needed here. Hint system is quite helpful and it does transport. I like this feature, especially when you do as much back tracking as you do in this game. No need for the jump map, which I didn't even look at. You will find cassette tapes, which will give you more insight into what is happening in the game, which will also provide you with a picture of an area where you can find a helpful/useful item.
Collectibles are many and some are not as easy to see as you may think. There are 21 morphing objects, did not find any in the HOPs, and they morph fairly quickly. You find petals to restore a bouquet..for what, I don't know, but there are 24 of them and you do have to work to find them. They actually looked more like cut glass to me. There are also a number of orphan photos to find. Again, not sure why. Some are easy to see, others are quite small.
This game seemed to move slowly for me, but I was surprised at how fast the demo actually went. Suddenly, I was finished! The game flows very well and is easy to follow. You are constantly on the move and doing something everywhere. This HH is not all that challenging, but it's put together quite well, and has enough going on to keep me interested and wanting to see how it plays out. I think all levels of players will find this one interesting. Yes, it is being added to my collection.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!