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:
Save your cats and investigate a series of leopard attacks.
Overall rating
4
/
5
25 of 33 found this review helpful
Very nice game!
PostedOctober 3, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I demoed the CE version and really liked it. The following is my review of the CE (just delete the collectibles and you have the SE version):
"Hi all. Wow, talk about a short demo...why give us 90 minutes when we have 63 left at the end of the demo! Naturally, I have the first 2 in this series and liked them both. This one is much of the same, but a new story line, although a bit muddy in the beginning. The graphics are very clean and clear. Yes there is blue, but it is night (so far# and not over-powering like most of the others who use the color. Animation is excellent, right down to the movements of animals and faces. Game play was very good, very smooth and no glitches. Voice overs are also very good and the character voices don't sound like they are reading a page of lines. Music is quiet and rather soothing, until it needs to make you pay attention to what is about to happen. Sound FX are very good, e.g., wind, crunching snow, creaking doors, fire, etc. There is a jump map, with areas well identified and areas of interests marked accordingly.
HOPs are very well done and change up as you go, from silhouettes to standard words to place this item, etc. Very clean and clear and items not too difficult to find. You don't just click around, you have to think about it first. Puzzles are not difficult, but do make you think and plan ahead in most cases. Part of the puzzles are the storyboards, which I find fun. They are not difficult at all and they do give you more insight into the story. Hint system isn't too slow and is quite helpful, including transporting you to your next location #I really like this feature).
The only collectibles I found are sketches that are suppose to give you more information about Snowville, but I haven't looked at them yet. I agree with other reviewers, it would have been a nice addition to the collectibles to add cats...maybe morphing cats. Ooh, I like that idea.
It is not a particularly challenging game, but it has an interesting story and I was drawn in fairly quickly. Anyway, I like this game and find the need to play it out and see where it is going. Pretty sure I know, but I am enjoying it and am going to add it to my collection. I believe all levels of players will like this one."
Give it a try, I think you just might like this one. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Without warning, a group of mysterious figures arrives and reduces your village to flames and rubble. What do they want... and who is controlling them?
Overall rating
4
/
5
18 of 21 found this review helpful
I love dragons!
PostedOctober 2, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Well, another addition to the DR series...yes, I have the other one as well. There is a lot of blue and pinks in this game, but it really does fit the game and is not all that overpowering. Not a big fan of the scrolling screen, but okay. The graphics are well done, clean and colorful. Animation is very nice. Game play was excellent, no problems at all. Voice overs are very well done and appropriate for age and character and doesn't sound like someone is just reading a script.
The jump map left a bit to be desired, too plain or something. SG was the standard. HOPs were integrated and a bit different. Items were not difficult to find, but you did have to look for them. Not a lot of junk to dig through either. Puzzles were not difficult, but did take some time and thought and were a little different and fun. Hint system is helpful, but takes some time to fill. I found that the game flowed so well that I really didn't need to use it much at all.
The only collectibles I found were the 57 flames (outlines), which were not all that easy to see. They blend in quite well to their surroundings. A bit of a challenge here. Other reviewers have stated that there are morphing objects as well, but I didn't see any. Of course, I often get so engrossed in a game that I forget to look. The only minus I see to this game, which is not a deal breaker, is that everything is way too close together, e.g. hint, journal, SG, map, etc.
This game actually drew me in from the beginning. Why, because of the spider that ran up and down the wall in the attic. Silly, yes, but it was so realistic and the game just took off from there. I especially liked the integration of the dragon at the end of the demo...so very well done. Do I recommend this game to all level of players...absolutely. Am I going to buy it...darn tootin'.
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!
Prove the innocence of a young queen before she is put to death for a crime she didn't commit!
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
Not CE Worthy...
PostedSeptember 30, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all. Gone all weekend so didn't get to this one until today. I have the first in this series and really liked it. This one didn't seem quite as good and definitely not better. Graphics were nice, but more one dimentional and cartoon like in a lot of scenes. This is a fairytale, so it might work. Color was excellent, very clear and bright. Game play was good. Music was okay, nothing exciting. Voice overs were well done.
HOPS were the usual "put the parts together to make something useful," which I do like. However, they were few and far between. Items were well blended and not all that easy to see within like colors. Puzzles were not all that difficult, just some took a bit longer to do than others. Standard SG. Hint system was helpful and filled at a nice rate. Between the jump map and the hint system, you really don't need the SG.
The only collectibles I found were the "healer's sign," which is not that difficult to see. You just have to know what you are looking for. These can be found anywhere in the scene and some blend quite well. No eye strain for these items.
I do not feel that this game is CE worthy. It is quite simple and seemed to be geared more toward the beginner. I do recommend for beginners, but not as a CE. I have been known to change my mind when the SE comes out, but only for the SE version. There was no real challenge or excitement and nothing that grabbed me and made me want to buy the game and add it to my ever growing collection. No buy for me today.
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!
Princess Selene's vivid dreams warn that her marriage foretells disaster – but only you can break the magical spell threatening both your lives!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Updated Review...IT'S FIXED!
PostedSeptember 26, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Well, the fix is in and the game works great! To add to my original review posted here, I like this game. Of course, I'm into dragons and the like, so I was drawn in pretty quickly. Still haven't found any real collectibles, but now that the game is fixed, maybe I will. Other than the frustratingly slow hint recovery, this is a nice game and a definite buy for me. NOW I can recommend this game. Give it a try and see what you think.
I recommend this game!
Tragedy strikes a popular Parisian cabaret when their star dancer is murdered! Gather the suspects and unmask the killer.
Overall rating
4
/
5
25 of 32 found this review helpful
Very nice game...
PostedSeptember 25, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. I see we have the 2nd in the DM series. Really liked the first and this one is just as good. I seldom ever go into the story, as others have done a very nice job of that in their reviews already. Again, I always demo in casual mode to get a feel for the games and yes, I do replay the games I have purchased. That said, colors are very bright for the most part. Some areas are a bit dark but light enough to do what is needed. Game play was very good. Graphics are well done. There wasn't much in the way of animation during the demo, but it worked. Voice overs were well done and appropriate for the location, age and character, but personally, I would rather not have talking faces jump off the screen at me. I don't care if their mouth moves when they talk or not, just odd for a face to suddenly appear when they are already on the screen. Music was nice and somewhat soothing, but did move with what was happening in the scene at the time.
HOPs were interactive and fun, with silhouettes and straight HOP and were very well done. No clutter and items were not difficult to find. You could switch to a match 3 for a change of pace. Puzzles were very simple with no challenge so far. SG was okay, but found the hint system to be far more helpful, since it also transported you to your next location and filled fairly quickly.
I read other reviews, which help me know what type of collectible I need to look for. I often get so engrossed in a game that I forget to look for them. The 41 windmills (which are only the fan and not the entire mill# are not difficult to find. Saw that there are 14 morphing objects as well, but couldn't find any until it dawned on me where to look #no spoiler here). These objects are a bit challenging to find. There are numerous achievements, but I haven't run across anything new yet.
I do not give 5 stars easily and for some reason, I just can't for this game either. It is a very nice game and one that I am going to purchase, but something is missing. There doesn't seem to be as much excitement as there should be and hardly any sound FX. However, I think this 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!
Leonardo da Vinci needs your help! A tyrant has conquered Florence and he is destroying all works of art and science!
Overall rating
3
/
5
57 of 68 found this review helpful
NOT CE worthy!
PostedSeptember 18, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all. Well, the 5th edition in this series. Yep, I got the other 4 and really enjoyed them all. Graphics are the usual, nothing special, but nice. Colors for the most part are very clear. Game play was good, no problems. Music was nice and moved with what was happening at the time. Not a lot of sound FX. Voice overs weren't bad, but the Mage's sidekick was extremely annoying and grating on the nerves. In this game, you choose which path you want to take, which may or may not change the outcome of the game. Don't care for this set up, it takes away from the flow of the game play for me. Yes, you have mechanical things everywhere...okay, he was an inventor after all, and a somewhat helpful bird and sheep.
HOPs are nothing new or special. You find silhouettes and put them where they belong in order get whatever piece you need to continue the game. The other I found was a straight HOP. Not difficult at all and are repeated multiple times. There are fans in the HOPs that give you more hints. At least that's the only place I saw them. Puzzles are very simple. Hint system is not that helpful, as it says "nothing to do here, or try another location." That's not what I want a hint to do for me. It is also quite slow on the recharge. The jump map is far more useful, which is quite the opposite to most games. It is very plain, but it does show you where something of interest is to be found. SG is the standard.
The only collectibles I found are coins that you use to buy items to use within the game. Also collect parts of tales #stories#, but I'm not sure what that has to do with anything yet, because I didn't collect enough to finish one tale to find out.
There is no real excitement or challenge to this game. I did not feel that the beta was CE worthy and I certainly haven't changed my mind, as no changes seem to have been made to improve the game. I have been known to change my mind once I give the SE version a shot, but there is nothing in this one that will make me want to purchase the CE, maybe the SE...maybe. As much as I like the other 4 in this series, I just didn't feel that this one had anything that made me want to add it to my collection. I found it disappointing and somewhat boring. I only recommend this one because I think a beginner would find it fun.
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!
Discover the secrets that lie buried in the eerie, crooked halls of Mnemosyne Asylum!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 9 found this review helpful
I like playing detective!
PostedSeptember 17, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Well a second edition to the 9 Clues games and yes, I do have the first one as well. The graphics are nicely done. Animation isn't too bad, a bit choppy now and then, but it seems to fit this game well. Colors are clean and true. Voice overs are very well done and actually have a little emotion to them, rather than just reading a script. I like how they have different accents to fit the character's name, e.g. if you have a German name, you have a German accent. Music is nice, but not constant. Very nice sound FX, but otherwise a fairly quiet game. You can "click" through dialog if you read faster than they speak, which I especially like.
I think maybe I was a detective in another life, because I like this sort of game. Makes you think and doesn't just walk you through it. Yes, you gather clues in "clue mode" and then put them together in the order that they happened. At that time, the detective verbally tells you what they think happened. Breaks up how the HOPs are done. Make sure you do a thorough search of each area before moving on. There is a jump map that is quite helpful, as you do a lot of running in this game. Areas are well identified and areas of interest are marked accordingly. Regular HOPs are interactive and well done. Items are not difficult to find and scenes are pretty clear of clutter. You can switch to a Mahjong game, but I prefer the HOPs myself. Puzzles are not difficult and so far I haven't found any that took very long to complete. Hint system fills very quickly and is quite helpful.
I think there is enough in this game to keep you moving and interested. You don't want to skip any dialog, especially during the clues. They do help you through the game. This is an asylum #familiar#, so there are lots of noises and things that jump out at you. You will also see murder and mayhem. So, if you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like this game. It wasn't really gory at all, more of a hint and sound than actually seeing something bad happen, at least during the demo. Don't know how long this one might be, but I only found 2 clues during the demo so now I have to play it out and see what the other 7 might be. This is a nice SE and one that I enjoy playing. I think any level of player would find this one entertaining. 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. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Enjoy this beautiful adventure set in a unique interactive 3D Thailand! Complete mysterious puzzles and find hidden objects. Prepare for an unforgettable experience!
Overall rating
3
/
5
17 of 20 found this review helpful
Nice SE for a change...
PostedSeptember 15, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Well, I don't automatically give 5 stars to games unless they are exceptional and this one is no exception. The graphics are very old school...haven't seen anything like this for a few years, but it works for this game. Game play was pretty good. I don't care for the scrolling you need to do and the constant bouncing up and down when a character is walking. Colors are bright. Music was very soothing and nice. Inventory bar locks, but you have to actually click on an item to see what it is and then click, hold and drag to wherever you need to use it (again, old school). You collect items that will be used throughout the game and are quite helpful, e.g., flashlight, net and yes, a lizard. The voice overs are not too bad, although the female dialog is rather silly sometimes...walk into a room and say "oh, I think I'll go to bed." Um, okay. You can't click through dialog if you read faster than they speak and you don't want to skip it either, or you miss some of the story and reason why you are doing certain things and going certain places.
HOPs are all find the parts to make an item type, which I do like, but some parts area extremely small and hard on the eyes to find. At least the HOPs are not junk piles. Puzzles are a little different and take some time to complete, so there is a little challenge here. There are not a lot of HOPs or puzzles in this game, but enough to break the monotony of a straight adventure game. There is a jump map, but it does not show locations that have something to do and they are not identified by name. Fortunately, the hint system is quite helpful and fills very quickly.
There are 11 letters to collect and 16 Buddha statues. I only found 2 of each during the demo. Not sure where or how I managed to get these items, but they showed up in the journal as being found. I did not see a flow to the story until I was about 20 minutes into the game and I finally got a little insight into the story line. Then it began to make some sense. All that being said...I do like the extras this SE gives us and I think I need to keep playing to see how it goes. This is not a difficult or especially challenging game, but I like it well enough to us a punch coupon.
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!
Shrouded Tales: The Spellbound Land Collector's Edition
Your magical powers have finally awakened. Now you have the strength to free your mother from the Shadow Realm!
Overall rating
3
/
5
22 of 32 found this review helpful
Not Spellbound...
PostedSeptember 13, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Hi all. Well, I was not impressed by this game today. It looked promising, but fell short for me. The graphics were nice, clear and bright colors, with little blues and pinks. It did seem to lag a bit between scenes. Game play was pretty good, no real problems with the demo. Music was nice. Voice overs were good, but very few and far between. This was a very quiet game. Yes, there were sound FX, but little else. Story just seemed to drag for me.
HOPs were very simple and straight forward. Not many at all. Items in the inventory bar were extremely small, to the point of using the magnifying glass to see them clearly..no thanks. Not much in the way of puzzles either. There was a tremendous amount of running back and forth for one thing or another, but not really do much when you are there. There is a lot of magic in this one, but it just wasn't fun or exciting, and I like magic.
I found no collectibles during the demo. So, either there are none or I just missed them. The SG didn't indicate that there were any either. Jump map was set up fairly well, but didn't use it much. I find that the hint is usually all I need and it filled at a pretty good rate.
I was very disappointed in this game and do not see that it is CE worthy. It did not draw me in or make me want to buy it to see what happens. There is just something missing besides challenge. No buy for me today and probably not the SE either. However, I have been known to change my mind when the SE comes out and I play it again. I just rarely change my mind about the CE version. I seldom do not recommend a game for one reason or another and I am on the fence with this one. I think this will appeal more to the "real" beginner, rather than a seasoned gamer.
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!
Diva's dark talent claims another victim – can you stop her before the curtain falls?
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 13 found this review helpful
Nice addition to the series!
PostedSeptember 11, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Well, we have the 4th edition to the Maestro series and yes, I have the other 3 already. Must be getting close to Halloween with this one. I played in apprentice mode to get the feel of the game and found that the graphics were quite nice. Colors are a bit muted, but it fits the story line with ghosts and such. If you don't like things jumping out at you, then you won't like this game. It doesn't happen much, but it does happen. Game play was very good until the hint/skip button froze up on me, which is a bit maddening. Music was nice and appropriate for what was happening at the time in the game. Voice overs were not as good as they could have been. Most sounded like they were just reading and had no hint of emotion or fear in them...the scream was very good.
There are no dogs or cats to help you out, but there is an otter that shows up now and then. Mostly, you are finding gems to recharge a medallion that helps eliminate the bad ghosts and spirits that are in your way. Unfortunately, you can only use it once and then you are out of power until you find more gems, so spirits float around in the meantime.
HOPs were fun and changed each time you played them, from standard to where do I go, to find 12 of this or that, etc. Makes it more fun than just a straight HOP. Items were not difficult to find, but some did take some thought to search out. Puzzles were fun and some were a little challenging, but mostly the same. SG is the standard set up. Jump map is nice, except that areas of interest were not marked properly. They are marked with an exclamation mark, but you can't see it just by looking at the map, you have to put your cursor on the area and see if there is an ! on it. Someone got very lazy on this one.
The only collectibles I see are the 11 ghostly items that pop up now and then. You can see what they are in the "collectibles" section of the game. So far, I only found one, so either they are not as easy to see as you may think, or I'm just missing them. This game drew me in from the spooky beginning, is challenging enough to keep me interested. I find the need to add this one to my collection...but only if the dead hint/skip button gets fixed. I think all levels of players will find this one challenging.
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!