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:
Adventure into the unknown to save a city from evil!
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
No challenge, no fun, no buy...
PostedAugust 17, 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
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hello friends! I have attached the summary of my original review of the CE version of this game. If I don't care for the CE, I always give the SE a try and frequently prefer and purchase the SE. That said, this game just doesn't excite me at all. I have the first one and liked it as an SE, but this one is just too simple and too quiet. I'm sure there are others who will find this one fun, but for a "seasoned" gamer, it just wasn't for me.
"I liked the first game in this series, but this one is far too simple and has no real challenge or excitement. Personally, I feel that this game is geared more toward a "new" beginner who just needs to get the feel of a game before moving into something more challenging. I will recommend this game for beginners, or for someone who just wants to play a no brainer game, which I sometimes do, but not for the more. I do not feel this game is CE worthy without some very nice collectibles and a bit more challenge. "
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 today. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
A magic bear summons you to help save the neighboring kingdom of Nypha.
Overall rating
5
/
5
43 of 55 found this review helpful
Exceptional game!
PostedAugust 16, 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
5
/
5
Hello friends! Well, we have a new addition to this series...yep, got the first one. This game has beautiful colors, very clear and clean. Graphics are superb, game play is excellent and animation and voice overs are extremely well done. Get the picture? I loved the music, which moved with whatever was happening at the time. Believe me, I never say that about music! Sound FX are constant and extremely well done, e.g., wind sounded so real. You can click through the dialog if you read faster than they speak. There are a lot of achievements, but none that are too difficult to accomplish.
HOPs are interactive lists, silhouettes and parts. They are very clean and clear and items are not difficult to find. There are not a lot of HOPs, but you get so engrossed in the game that you don't really notice. Puzzles are not difficult, although I did find one that made me stop and think before I did anything. There are various types of puzzles, so you don't notice that there are a lot. This game flows extremely well. SG is the standard, but I was disappointed that it did not show a bit of the collectibles, so I wasn't sure what I was looking for. I did not see that you have the transport feature in the hint, but the map is very well done, with areas clearly marked and identified and it does jump quickly.
Collectibles are 44 crowns. A little hint...note that not all of them are metal or have jewels and are different sizes. They are not as easy to spot as you may think. You do have to look for them. I also see that there are morphing objects in the HOPs, but I got so engrossed in what I was doing, that I forgot to look for them. I need to go back and pick them up, if the extras allow it. Didn't even look at the extras to find out.
It is so nice to have a game that immediately moves you from one area to another, without a black screen or a long frustrating lag. I beta tested this game quite some time ago and was very impressed with it. Now, please understand that I do not work for the developer, so my review is strictly my own personal take on the the demo. I rarely give a game 5 stars unless it is exceptional in every way. This game most definitely deserves them all! I was drawn in from the opening scene. The story really isn't anything new, but everything is so well done that I find the need to continue and see what happens. Not extremely challenging, but enough to keep you interested. I think all levels of players will find this one enjoyable. Yes, I am absolutely going to purchase this game.
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
3
/
5
12 of 13 found this review helpful
Not a bad game, but not exceptional either...
PostedAugust 13, 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
4
/
5
Hello friends! Well, we have #5 in this series...yep, got the other 4. 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. SG is helpful, but not really needed, except to make sure you find all of the collectibles. Hint system is helpful, but again, quite slow in activating.
The only collectibles I did find are stamps...no, not the postage type. These are not as easy to spot as you may think, so be on the lookout for them. I did not find anything else during the demo.
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. Games have to be exceptional with challenge, fun, nice collectibles and lots of things to do in order for me to give a game 5 stars. This one isn't it. The beta worked much better than the demo. 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. Hmm, maybe I'll try using the custom cursor and see if it works better...shouldn't have to do that in any game.
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!
Answer a distress call at an arctic research lab where scientists have made a chilling discovery!
Overall rating
4
/
5
28 of 38 found this review helpful
Would be an excellent game with a quick fix...
PostedAugust 8, 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
5
/
5
Hello friends! Another addition to this fine series. Naturally, I have all the others and was looking forward to this one. Graphics are very nicely done, clear and bright colors. Game play was very good, except for the extreme lag between scenes. Music was nice and soothing, but could have been a bit edgier for the "fear" effect. Our little helper, Elf, is back to get into the small or difficult areas we can't quite get to easily. He is quiet and very helpful. Voice overs are good, but are few and far between. You can click through dialog if you read faster than they speak. I did notice that the mouth animation often did not work when the character was speaking. Not a deal breaker, but one of those little things that shouldn't happen with a little quality control before a game goes out.
HOPs are well done, with straight lists, silhouettes and collecting pairs of items. I like the changes up, so I don't get bored with the same old thing all the time during a game. Items are not difficult to find and HOPs are pretty clean and clear. Puzzles were not difficult either, but I did run across one that took me some time to complete. There was some challenge here. Hint system is very helpful and does transport you to longer locations. This is a nice feature in a game that sends you back long distances for items or objectives. Didn't care for the map set up...seemed a bit messy to me, but it is a jump map and areas of interest are clearly marked. The use of the goggles to complete tasks was different, but quite simple.
The collectibles are what I found interesting and fun. You find character statues, morphing objects and stars to complete the "starry key." Not sure what that does for you, but these stars are not as easy to see as you may think. Okay, they aren't hard either, but I kept forgetting about them. The plus to this is that the scene would not automatically close until you click on it, so you could go back if you closed it yourself.
I beta tested this one some time ago and commented then that there was a very long lag time between scenes and each movements, which is a major bummer for me. It is frustrating to say the least and I was surprised to see that the dev did not fix this problem. Why have a beta if you don't listen to the comments? I really like this game, and the story line, but this problem is very frustrating for me, so I will wait until they get a fix before I get it. I think this game will appeal to all levels of players.
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 man has gone missing in the town of Rockshire, but the townspeople deny he was ever there. What dark secret are they hiding?
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 27 found this review helpful
A game with some challenging puzzles...
PostedAugust 6, 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
Hello friends! Well, another addition to this series...yes, I have the others as well. This dev really seems to like the blues and pinks in their graphics. They aren't over-powering, but they are quite evident everywhere. Otherwise, colors are pretty nice. Graphics and game play are well done, with no problems during the short demo. Voice overs are good, but I didn't care for the constant "talking out loud to myself" of the main character. Animation is well done. Music was somewhat boring, so I turned it down. It was the same few notes over and over. You do have your little raccoon helper. If he is needed in a spot, he automatically goes for it and you don't have to click on him and tell him where to go. That is a nice feature and unexpected.
HOPs are a combo of interactive lists, silhouettes and standard lists. They are fairly clean and items are not hard to find. If you don't care for the HOPs, you can switch to a match 3 game. Puzzles did have some challenge, but they seemed few and far between in the demo. The hint system is helpful and it does transport you to longer locations. There is a lot to do in each scene, so you aren't constantly running back and forth for one little thing or another. You get a negative type "picture" hint that has the "X" marks the spot on them. You need to find that area in a scene and overlay it to get another hint and a useful item for your inventory. This was different.
The only collectibles I found are 73 crystals. These are various sizes, shapes and colors and are not as easy to spot as you may think. I accidentally found out that there is more than one in each scene, so watch for them. Not sure what they do for you, but maybe we will find out at the end of the game
I beta tested this one quite some time ago and liked it well enough to give it 4 stars. The blue and pink downgrades it a bit for me. The story line is nothing new, but I like the game play and it was challenging enough to make me want to continue and buy the game. Yes, I am adding this one to my collection. I think all levels of players will like this one.
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!
Prepare yourself for a perilous journey across the world in order to save your niece from imminent danger.
Overall rating
3
/
5
20 of 24 found this review helpful
Simple review for a simple game...
PostedAugust 4, 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
3
/
5
Hello friends! Wow, not sure why I didn't write a review on the CE version of this one in the first place. This is not my usual review, so I won't be adding much to everyone else's review. I know I wasn't kicked out about this game as a CE. It just didn't have enough to really make me want more. I did like the HOPs set up, which include morphing items within the HOP. I only found one HOP in each scene, which I didn't feel was too bad at all, so not overloaded with them. Puzzles were fairly simple and not a lot of them in the demo.
The colors are very bright, but then again, Oriental items are very bright and colorful. It was a bit over-powering at times, but on the whole, it wasn't bad at all. Music was nice and game play was quite good. I do like this one better as an SE, so I will add it to my collection. I think this will appeal to all levels of players.
Give it a try 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!
From the makers of the Rite of Passage series comes a ground-breaking new series that's as creepy as it gets.
Overall rating
4
/
5
14 of 23 found this review helpful
Interesting and a little challenging...
PostedAugust 1, 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
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hello friends! Well, an interesting game today. The graphics weren't bad and the color was very "gray" and ugly. I think it was because of the setting of the scenery...it was supposed to look like that to give it that "creepy" feel. Still, it was a little tiring on the eyes. Game play was good, no problems during the demo. Music did have a sinister sound and it will bring you up to that "something is going to happen" mode. The game is fairly quiet, except for you and the little girl, which to me was a bit boring. However, it was set up to give you the creepy feeling. If you don't like things that jump out at you, you probably won't care for this game.
HOPs were the standard lists and items were not hard to find. You do need to watch for morphing objects in the HOPs, which are not as easy to see as you may think. Puzzles were somewhat fun and I admit, one was difficult enough to frustrate me and make me skip it. Hint system works quite well and is very helpful. You do not have a transport feature in this game. I didn't really care for the map set up. Yes, it is a jump map, but very plain and boring. SG is the standard, but again does not list how many chapters there are, so we can't guess how long the game may be.
The only collectibles I found are a spiral type shape that is easily seen. You do collect items here and there that give you insight into what is happening and why you are there.
There is challenge to this game, for sure, but not enough for 5 stars. I don't scare easily when I play these games, but some people do. My 6 year old grandson likes to help me play my games and he said "that just creeped me out." Well, the music does give you some warning, but I did jump just once, even though I knew it was coming. I'm fairly certain I have figured out what is going on in this game. It didn't seem to flow as well as it could have, but it was interesting and I find that I do have the need to see if I'm right about the plot. I believe all levels of players will find this one fun. 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!
Can you find and catch the notorious Sea Ripper?
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Not CE worthy, but not a bad game either...
PostedJuly 31, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hello friends! Just now got to this one today. Game play was quite good, with no problems during the demo. Colors are quite bright and clear, with very nice graphics and animation. Music is nice and moves with whatever action is happening at the time. Voice overs are very well done, with emotion and not just reading from a script, and fit the characters. As usual, I was disappointed in the very short SG, only showing 2 chapters. Always makes me wonder how long, or short, the game really is. I only look at the SG to see what the collectibles are, but they aren't listed in this one, so I didn't bother.
HOPs were a bit disappointing. They were pretty straight forward, quite messy and looked more like junk piles. Unless I missed something, the only exciting thing about them is the ability to change to the match 3 game. Puzzles weren't bad. I did have to work at a couple of them, but not too much. The hint system is quite helpful and it does transport to longer locations. This feature is very helpful, since you do return to the same locations multiple times. I didn't find the need to use the map, except once, and it didn't want to open for me. Didn't bother with it after that.
The only collectibles I found are snow globes. They are quite large and very easy to spot. This game definitely needed a bit more in this department. Maybe I missed morphing objects or something else, but maybe this is all there is. I expected much more from this dev.
I beta tested this one a while back and gave it 4 stars then. A game has to be exceptional throughout to get 5 stars from me. This is not a bad game, but it is not exceptional either. At first I thought this was the same old, same old, but the demo ended with a bit of a twist. Actually left me wanting to keep going to see how it ends. This is not a very challenging game and it is lacking in extras. Because of that, I do not feel this one is CE worthy and for now I am going to put this one in my puddle and wait for the SE. I'll give it another try then and see if I like it better. I think this is one of those "lazy day, nothing better to do" games, which I do like now and then, so I will recommend it for that.
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!
Shadow Wolf Mysteries: Tracks of Terror Collector's Edition
Can werewolves be cured, or will one family’s curse continue?
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Too much lag between scenes..
PostedJuly 26, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hello friends! Wow, another addition to this series. Naturally, I have them all and loved them all. I was somewhat disappointed in this one, especially since it does no good to comment on a beta and get the problems resolved before a game comes out to play. Graphics were very nice and colors are very bright and true. Game play was the big disappointment, in that there was such a major lag between scenes and a needed action, e.g. talking to someone, picking something up. This was my main complaint about the beta test, which went unnoticed. The voice overs are very well done and animation is quite good. Music is also very well done and moves with whatever may be happening at the time.
HOPs are silhouettes and interactive lists. The scenes are fairly clean and clear and items are not difficult to find. There really aren't many HOPs. The puzzles are very simple, e.g. follow the line to copy the design. SG is the usual and customary and easy to follow as well. Hint system is helpful, but I did not see that it transported you to longer locations. This is where the jump map is very helpful. The map is a little busy, areas a well marked and you only have to "click" once to jump. The only suggestion I would have here is to make the objective icon (!) a brighter color so it is easily seen. White blends into the background to much.
I was disappointed in the collectibles as well. All I found during the demo are various pictures of animals and creatures. Nothing difficult or exciting. You also collect 4 spirits, then need to put a jigsaw puzzle together for each, in order to gain more insight into the story line. Quite lacking in the collectible department.
I really like this series, but as I said, I was very disappointed in the drastic drop in quality of this game. The few collectibles it has, does not make it CE worthy, and the much needed "lag" fix isn't helping either. If you don't mind just sitting and staring at a black screen for a long while, then you will like this game. There is no real challenge, and nothing that made me want to buy it now to see what happens next. That said, because I like the series, I will get the SE version. Beginners may find this one exciting, but us "well seasoned" gamers probably will not. I will 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 find this one to be exactly what you are looking for today. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Beyond the sky lies a thrilling adventure... and a deadly threat!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 8 found this review helpful
Well worth the CE price!
PostedJuly 26, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Strategy, Word, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hello friends! I beta tested this one a while back and really liked it. Carl definitely really is a true geek, don't you think? Game play was very good, absolutely no problems during the demo. Very bright and true colors for a change. At first I thought we would have a problem with the blues and pinks, but not. Graphics and animation are very well done. Voice overs fit the characters, right down to the sinister sounding bad guy, and dialog can be clicked through if you read faster than they speak. I do like this feature a lot. A truly awesome aspect of this game is the addition of 3D animation. This is exceptionally well done. Doesn't happen often, but it is so cool when it does. Play it to see what I'm talking about, but pay attention (no spoiler here). Music is very nice and moves with what is happening in a scene at the time...good, bad, scary, edge of your seat and all. Sound FX are also very well done.
HOPs are nice and clean, but nothing new. You do have morphing objects in them and there is an icon above your hint button that indicates if you have found it or not. Hint system works very well and is quite helpful. The only thing I didn't care for was the radar thing that ran across the screen every time you asked for a hint. A little bit of bright lights with that one. The map is a bit odd in the set up. It shows you where you can go next, but if you haven't already been there, you won't jump there. You have to actually "walk" to that area first for the jump feature to work. I didn't even look at the SG this time, but then I only use it to make sure I have all of the collectibles anyway.
The only collectibles I saw are 44 space ships. They can be difficult to see at times, but there is an icon above the hint button that tells you if you have it or not. I did find a couple that were only outlines, so be on the lookout for them. There are numerous objectives for each level in this game and it is fun trying to figure out what they are.
I really like the story line in this game. It is fun, interesting and keeps you wanting more. I think this game will appeal to all levels of players. Yes, of course I'm going to add this one to my collection. It is a very nice CE!
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!