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:
You’re called in to photograph a wedding, but what you really expose is murder.
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 10 found this review helpful
Interesting story, not CE worthy...
PostedSeptember 28, 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
4
/
5
Hello friends! Well, I think our friend, shardlake, did a very nice job on this review. I really wasn't too thrilled with the graphics in this one. It made me think of paper dolls, being one dimensional and not much in the way of animation, except for the dog. Colors were nice and game play was very good. I had no problems during the demo and the game fit my large screen very well. The voice overs sounded like there might have been only 2 and possibly only 3 people, as they all sounded the same. They were trying to change their voice, but it just didn't work that well and there seemed to be an echo or tinny sound to them. There are some sound FX, but this is supposed to be a "thriller," so it could have easily been done a bit better and with a little more "scare" to it, especially through the music.
The HOPs were okay. Items were not difficult to find. The demo was so short that I didn't make it to the attic to try out the pictures I had taken. Even on custom mode, the camera flashes enough so that you don't miss when you need to take a picture. Puzzles were very simple. I didn't run across many HOPs or puzzles during the demo. There is a jump map, which comes in quite handy, since you do back track a lot and there doesn't seem to be a transport feature.
Collectibles...morphing objects that are not as easy to spot as you may think. However, if you think you missed one, just look at the map and it will show a gold star if you didn't find it the first time through. Fortunately, you can go back. As I said, you do a lot of back tracking, so you'll have plenty of chances to find it if you missed it. You also take "hidden" pictures. The camera will let you know when you need to take a picture, so you don't have to remember what the icon looks like when you find one. I was quite disappointed in the collectibles. I did like the challenge of finding the morphing objects, but it just needed something extra to keep me interested and make it CE worthy.
This was not a bad game, but I did not feel it was CE worthy. The story was somewhat interesting and for some unknown reason, I find the need to see how it plays out. I just wish the demo had been a little longer. It makes me wonder how really short the game might be. I think a number of people will find this one fun and/or interesting. This is one of those games that I sometimes buy just because and for no other reason. Yes, I will get this one, but I'm not sure yet if I want to spend the extra just to see how it ends. I will put this one in my puddle for now and maybe wait for the SE version.
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!
Redemption Cemetery: Clock of Fate Collector's Edition
Can you undo the past and set the trapped souls free?
Overall rating
3
/
5
28 of 31 found this review helpful
Definitely not CE worthy...
PostedSeptember 24, 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
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hello friends! Well, here we have #7 in this series...yes, I have the other six. If you have played any of the others, you will see that this newest game is no different in any way. Graphics aren't bad, but the eyes are a bit creepy, animation is good. Color is mostly very bland with a few bright colors thrown in, e.g. clothing. Maybe it's because you are traveling back in time, so things might be a little different than in the "real" world. Just seemed a bit tiring on the eyes. Game play was very good, no problems during the demo and the game fit my large screen quite well. You can customize your game play, but the scale for the hint and skip was odd. Lower the time on ones and the time on the other automatically increases. Voice overs were nice, but very few. Sound FX were well done, but again, very few. Music was okay and did change tempo depending on what was happening at the time. Because you travel in time, you do see very bright flashing lights, in case you have a problem with bright lights.
HOPs are straight forward and simple and fairly clean. Items are not difficult to find at all. Again, the color was a little too muted. Puzzles are extremely simple and take no brain power or time at all to complete. Hint system works well, but does not transport. Fortunately you don't back track that much. You do have a jump map that does save running time. The map is also very plain and generic. I did note that there are multiple objectives open on the map at the same time, so you aren't quite sure where you need to go next first.
Collectibles...all I found are skulls so you can build your own cemetery. Why? The skulls are very easy to spot and there seem to be 3 in each scene. This was somewhat boring for me. No challenge and not really fun either. Definitely could have used something extra.
We haven't seen an game in an asylum for quite some time, and I think it might be time to retire this one. I was disappointed in this game. Much too simple, nothing exciting or challenging and boring for me. I did like the others in this series, but this one is badly in need of an upgrade and most definitely is not CE worthy. Okay, who wouldn't want to travel back in time to re-write a horrific event in their life? This could have been a very nice game without much extra. It needs color, it needs collectibles, it needs a little challenge. I will recommend this game to beginners, but not for seasoned gamers. I beta tested this one a while back and wasn't kicked out about it then, but I often like simple, no brainer games for a change of pace. However, this one just didn't make me want to keep playing past the demo. No buy for me.
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 reviews.
I recommend this game!
A criminal organization searching for an ancient treasure shot your partner!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 18 found this review helpful
Very disappointing...not CE worthy!
PostedSeptember 20, 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
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hello friends! Did I miss something? This was a CE? I found the graphics to be okay, fairly clear. Game play was nice, but the animation left a lot to be desired. Very choppy movements. Colors are very bright and clear. Voice overs had not real emotion during the demo, but maybe they pick it up during the game. Music was okay, but got annoying after a while. Very disappointed in the lack of sound FX. This game certainly could have used them. It looked and felt more like an older game that was just pulled out of the closet.
There is a jump map and believe me, you will use it a lot. You are constantly back tracking during this game. Hops are interactive lists and a bit messy. If you don't care for the HOPs, you can switch to Mahjong. I did find that the words in the inventory lists were quite small, but still readable. The hint system worked well, but there is no transport, which is needed.
The only collectibles I found...none. I thought this was a CE. Where are the collectibles? I clicked all over the place looking for something, anything and found nothing. Extremely disappointing.
Why is it we get this kind of stuff when there is a good sale for the weekend? I see the usuals have given this game 5 stars, but like I said, did I miss something? A true beginner might give it 3, but that would be pushing it. There is absolutely no challenge and the game got quite boring very quickly. I try to find something good about a game, even if I don't care for it, but all I can say is...nice colors. Sorry, but this one is no where near CE worthy. No buy for me.
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 reviews.
I don't recommend this game.
The love between you and your husband was strong enough to end a war... but is it strong enough to save the world?
Overall rating
4
/
5
23 of 31 found this review helpful
Wish we had half points...nice addition to series
PostedSeptember 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
4
/
5
Hello friends! Well, we have #4 in this series..yep, got them all. This one is very much the same as the others. I had beta tested this one not too long ago and one thing I suggested was to tone down the blue and pins...they actually listened. Very nice true colors in this one. Graphics and animation was very nice and clear. Game play was also very good, with no problems during the demo and the game fit my large screen quite nicely. Music was rather soothing throughout the demo. Voice overs are nice, age and character appropriate. There aren't a lot of sound FX, but what we have is done very well. You do travel through portals, so anyone with a bright light problem may want to be prepared for this one. It doesn't happen often.
HOPs are lists and nothing new, although they are very clean and clear and items are not difficult to find. You do have morphing objects in the HOP, so be on the lookout for them. Puzzles were also not difficult, but one did take me a few minutes to figure out. Didn't bother with the SG..didn't need it. This game flowed quite well and was easy to follow. You do have a jump map, which is not set up very well, in that there are too many open objectives at one time and the objective sign blends in too well with the other colors on the map. However, it does save you time, since you do return to the same locations multiple times. The hint system is quite helpful, but I did not see that it transported to longer locations. Bummer, I like that feature in a game.
The only collectibles I found are medallions. They are quite large and fairly easy to spot in the scene, but you do still need to look for them, as they are sometimes partially hidden. There is an icon under the inventory lock that tells you when you find it, in case you just happen to click in the right spot. Not sure what they do for you, but that was all there was.
Other than the map, the only thing I really didn't care for in this game was the magnification of the character speaking in a 3 part scene. That was weird and distracting and the only reason I down graded this one. I like this game, even though I pretty much have it figured out, just like most all games we play these days. It was not all that challenging, but for some reason I find myself wanting to play it out and see what happens. I think this game will appeal to all levels of players. Yes, 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 in games and you may not care for this one at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Isa's back to his old tricks, and now he's doing the bidding of an even greater foe.
Overall rating
4
/
5
24 of 27 found this review helpful
Much nicer as an SE....
PostedSeptember 11, 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
4
/
5
Hello friends! An update to my original CE review...see shortened version below. I always replay a CE that I'm not sure about in the SE version, as I frequently find the SE much better than the CE. This is the case with this game. I had too many glitches in the CE, but none of them showed up today. Yes, I tried the CE again and still had the same choppy movements and lag time. The SE does not have this problem. I did not feel this one was CE worthy, due to the lack of more much needed collectibles. I do like this game as an SE and I did add it to my collection.
"The graphics and animation in this game is very well done, with bright true colors. Game play was pretty good, after one freeze and a reboot. The one problem I seem to continue seeing these days, is the long lag time between scenes in the latest games. The game does not flow well if you have to sit and wait for it to decide to open the next area to continue playing...very frustrating. Music was not bad, but annoying after a while. Voice overs are well done and are age and character appropriate, with some emotion included. Sound FX are very nice.
HOPs are nothing new, with silhouettes and interactive lists. They were clean and clear and items are not hard to find. Puzzles were very simple, no challenge and no brain power used to complete them. I did not run across a transport feature in this game, so I had to do a lot of back-tracking. Yes, you have a jump map, but it seemed very messy and cluttered to me. I really had to look for the available area. Hint system is helpful, but again, quite slow in activating.
I like this series, but I'm not really sure this one is CE worthy. There is no real challenge and the hesitation with every move you make is quite annoying and frustrating. This is not a bad game, they just need a little more quality assurance before they put them out for purchase. I think all levels of players would like this one, if you don't mind waiting for it to follow through with an action. I will put this one in my puddle and see if we get a fix."
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not like this one at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Solve the mysteries of Stoneville and escape with your life!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 7 found this review helpful
Interesting story...
PostedSeptember 10, 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
Hello friends! Here we are with #3 in this series. Yes, I already have the first two and really enjoyed them both. This game started out with a lot of pink and blue, which really puts me off, but I kept playing. Glad I did. The colors turned to bright true color for a change. Very nice graphics, clear and clean. Game play was also very good, with no problems during the demo and the game fit my large screen very nicely. I really liked the voice overs. They are age appropriate and show emotion, not just reading a script, with fear, urgency, anger, evil...you name, we got it! Very well done. The thing I did notice is that you cannot click through dialog if you read faster than they speak. If you skip it, you lose some of the story line, so you really should watch it all. The story is nothing really new, but done very well. Music is well placed and helps with the feel of the game. The devs seemed to have taken a little more time with this one. I even liked the "doggie kiss"..nice touch, made the game a bit more realistic.
HOPs are nothing new, silhouettes, interactive lists, and use this to get that. They are well done and the scenes are fairly clean and clear. Items are not difficult to find. The puzzles aren't new either, but some do take a bit of time and brain power to get through. Well done. SG is the usual, but I seldom even look at them except to make sure I have all of the collectibles. Hint system is very helpful and doesn't run you around with the "keep moving" garbage we see now and then. It actually gives you a usable hint. It also transports you to longer locations. Yes, one of my favorite features...I'm doing my happy dance right now.
Collectibles are 7 character figurines, which are fairly well hidden in and about scenes. You also need to find 26 owls...okay, owl shapes, not just an owl. These are not difficult either, but you do have to look for them.
This game is nicely done and drew me in from the beginning. You are constantly on the move, so you don't get bored. It flows well and is easy to follow, 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, I am going to add 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!
The twinkling lights in the marsh look pretty, but they hold a mysterious power. Whatever you do... do not follow them!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Nice addition to this series..
PostedSeptember 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
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hello friends! Well, we have #7 in this series. Naturally I have them all, but not all CE versions. This one has excellent graphics and animation. Colors are very bright and clear, but not over powering. Game play was very good, no problems or lag during the demo. Very smooth movements. I really liked the music, which is quite unusual for me. It played right into what was happening at the time and didn't constantly repeat only a few notes. Voice overs are excellent and in sync with mouth movements, and had emotion, fear, urgency, etc. There is not a lot going on all at the same time, so the game is a bit quiet. The sound FX you do hear are well done.
HOPs are a combination of IHOP, lists and silhouettes, so you don't get bored with the same thing all the time. I actually didn't run across that many HOPs during the demo. I accidentally found a morphing object in a HOP, so be on the lookout for them. HOPs are fairly clean and clear and items are not difficult to find. Puzzles are very simple and take no brain power, but one did take me a little time to complete. Hint system is very helpful and it does transport you to longer locations. I like this feature, as you do back track frequently. Yes, there is a jump map, but I didn't care for the need to click on the location and then go up and click on a picture of the location. Much prefer one click and you are there. It's the small things. This game is easy to follow, so I didn't find the need to use the SG. I only use it to make sure I have all the collectibles anyway, but this didn't list them in the demo.
The only collectibles I found are the "signs" that actually look sort of like ornate acorns. They blend well with other scenery and are not as easy to spot as you may think. They can be found, but you do have to look for them. They are varying sizes as well.
I really like how this game is set up. It flows extremely well and every move makes sense. I beta tested this one a few months ago and really liked it. I gave it a 4.25 at that time and I think I'll stick with that. It isn't all that exciting or challenging, and the demo was pretty short, but there is something about it that makes me want to play it out. The narrative at the end of the demo was exceptional. That alone might make you want it. I think all levels of players will find this addition to the series enjoyable. Yes, I am going to add this 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!
Uncover the truth behind the legendary fire that destroyed a university.
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 10 found this review helpful
Excellent addition to this series!
PostedAugust 30, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hello friends! Well, here we have #9 in this series. Naturally, I have all of the others. You have the standard nice colors, even with a bit more blue than I care for, but not over-powering. Graphics are very well done and are very clear. Game play was very good, except for an occasional lag between scenes or actions. Not sure why this is happening so frequently with these games, but quite annoying. Voice overs are well done and actually have emotion, e.g. fear, anxiety, etc. Music is a quiet creepy and gives you the feel that something is going to happen, but is not over done at all. I actually left the music turned up, which I seldom ever do. I did not have anything jump out at me during the demo, no bright lights or snakes either.
HOPs are varied, with interactive lists, match pairs and find parts to complete an item for the inventory. They are fairly clear and items are not difficult to find. These are pretty well done. Puzzles have a little challenge to them, but are not difficult. Just take your time, you'll get it. I did not run across a great number of HOPs or puzzles, but there is enough going on to keep you moving. Jump map is set up very nicely and is easy to follow. Areas of interest are clearly marked. Hint system works very well and you do have a transport feature for longer distances. Very helpful, since you do return to the same locations more than once.
There are a lot of achievements in this game, but nothing too difficult to achieve. I really liked the multiple collectibles in this one as well, e.g. 21 morphing objects, 20 stained glass puzzle pieces and 12 mythical creature figurines. None of these are difficult to find, but you definitely have to be looking for them. I found it easy to get wrapped up in the game and forget to pick up the collectible, but I did manage to go back and get them. Thanks to the devs for including the collectibles in their demo SG.
I beta tested this one a while back and really liked it. You are constantly on the move and have something to do in every scene. The story is a little different than the others in this series, but I liked it, and it kept me wanting more. So far, I haven't run across anything "scary," and nothing jumped out at me during the demo. I definitely have the need to get this one and see what happens. Yes, I am going to add this one to my ever growing collection. I think all levels of players will find this one interesting, fun and challenging. Do I think it is worth the CE price...yes. Do I think it is worth 5 stars...it would be if the game play flowed better and did not have any lag between scenes. It is a small thing, but still pretty big deal for me, so I give it 4.5.
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!
Mystery Tales: Alaskan Wild Collector's Edition
Call on the animal spirits to help find your sister.
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 18 found this review helpful
Worth the price of a CE!
PostedAugust 29, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hello friends! Well, we have #3 in this series. Of course, I already have the first two and thoroughly enjoyed them. Graphics are very well done with bright clear colors. Game play was excellent, with no problems during the demo, which seemed quite short to me. Animation was very well done, with very smooth movements and mouth movements in sync with voice overs. Voices are exceptionally well done and quite appropriate for the character, with emotion, fear, urgency, anger and all. The one thing I don't care for in any game, is the need to choose dialog in response to a character. Fortunately this does not happen often enough in this game to be annoying, but it does happen. Sound FX are very nicely done. Music is rather soothing and nice and does move with whatever may be happening in a scene at the time.
HOPs are the usual lists and some you need to find the morphing items before the list appears. They are clean and clear and items are not hard to find. If you don't care for HOPs, you can switch to a match 3 game. There is a jump map, but I found it to be somewhat cluttered. It was faster to use the hint, which does transport to longer locations. You don't really do that much backtracking, but there is some. Puzzles were quite simple and took no brain power to complete.
There are numerous achievements in this game and a number of collectibles. So far, all I have found are character statues and various...there are 11. You also have a camera to take pictures of various animals within the game. Not sure what this does for you yet, but I'll find out. You have a magic amulet that brings a totum to life as a specific animal. These totums help you complete a task along the way. Well done!
The devs took a little time with this one and included little extras like "cold breath" when the character spoke outside. You know that's going to happen whenever you are out in the snow. You could even shake the snow off the trees, and make it snow more if you wanted #see snowflake on far left#. Very creative use of graphics and animation. In case you haven't figured it out yet, I do like this game. I liked it as a beta back in July and like it even more after playing for a second time. I don't give 5 stars easily and I'm really on the fence about this one. I think the only reason I don't give it 5, is because there needed to be a bit more in the collectibles area. Yes, it's just me, but a game is more challenging if you have to actually "work" for something and not just walk through a game and pick things up here and there. That said, I give this one 4.75! I think this game will appeal to all levels of players. Yep, already bought it!
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 mountain observatory is hiding a big secret!
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
Nice story line...
PostedAugust 27, 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
Hello friends! Well, we have #10 in this series. No, I do not have all of the others, I only have 5 of them. I only buy a game in a series if I really do like it. The graphics in this one are nice and clear, with clean true colors. Game play was very good, no problems during the demo and the game fit my large screen from corner to corner. Music isn't too bad, but I usually turn it down for just a little background noise. Voice overs are well done, with emotion and not just someone reading a script. Sound FX are done well and not over-powering. There is a click penalty, but you really have to go at it fast in order to set it off...yep, I did it.
HOPs are nice and clean and items are not difficult to find. You do have a combination of IHOPs, silhouettes and find particular items to open the rest of a HOP. I did like that you also have to find a morphing object within the HOP. This makes them a bit more challenging, as they are not as easy to spot as you may think. Puzzles were not really difficult, but I did find one that made me stop and think a bit in order to complete it. SG is the standard, and I only use it to make sure I have all of the collectibles. Hint system is quite helpful and it does transport. This is a wonderful feature, as you do return to the same locations multiple times during the game. The jump map is fairly clear, but I really don't see a need to click on the area I need, and then have to click on a cutout of the location in order to jump. Just an extra unnecessary step.
Collectibles are nothing new, e.g. 44 globes, which are quite easy to spot, and 20 fact cards that explain different things found along the way. These cards are usually hidden in something and not all that easy to find. I think I found a couple accidentally. There is challenge to this part of the game.
As I said, I do not have all of these games in this series, but the ones I do have I really enjoyed. This one has an interesting story and I do find the need to play it out and see what happens. Because this has a bit of a military feel to it, you have different items to find and use to progress in the game, e.g., laser pointer to disable cameras. That is different and fun. No, not really challenging, but I did like it well enough to get the CE version. That, and I like the additional "extras" you get with this one, and not just extra game play. I think this game will appeal to most all levels of players, especially if you just want something a little different.
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!