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:
Stop a madman from taking over a city using a mind control device!
Overall rating
4
/
5
12 of 15 found this review helpful
No such thing as easy money...
PostedDecember 17, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
When I saw this game, I figured it would be the usual "not up to par" SE's we have been used to lately #when we get them#. I was wrong. Graphics and game play were very nice. Colors very bright and clean. I really like the time period of this game and so far, everything seems to fit the scenery. Music was a bit monotonous, so turned it down. Voice overs and animation were well done, and the sound FX were nice.
HOGs were not difficult, as long as you can see in the dark. They were a little too dark in some areas. Puzzles were the usual and not really hard to figure out. There are collectibles...you need to find 25 symbols, which are not difficult to see. You just have to remember to look for them.
There is a jump map, but I didn't use it during the demo. The SG is set up a little differently. You need to click on the picture of the scene you are in to read the SG instructions. Didn't care for that at all...too much clicking. Inventory bar does not lock in place, so it jumps up and down constantly, and wiggles back and forth when you run your cursor across it #very annoying#.
The story line is nothing new, and I don't know what it is about this game, but I found it interesting and fun. This is not the usual SE, there are extras, e.g. the strategy guide and the collectibles. I find the need to use a punch credit and get this one today.
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!
Play as both Ellie and Ian, two scientists stranded on Botanica. Can you save your friends and find your way home?
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 8 found this review helpful
Very nice game...
PostedDecember 14, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Well, another game from Boomzap. Don't get new ones from them often. I have the first in this series and really enjoyed it. This one picks up where the first one left off (for those who don't know it, the first is Botanica: Into the Unknown#. Poor Ian, he sure does have a lot of bad luck in this one.
Graphics are well done #I think most all devs are going to the cartoon like characters these days#, game play is very good. Music isn't bad, but not a lot of it. Very few voice overs and sound FX as well #that's disappointing to me#.
The HOGs are a bit different, in that you are also playing a game within the HOG. That was kind of fun. HOGs are pretty clean and you do have to work at finding items, because of the games. Puzzles are not difficult, but take some time and thought to complete. There is a jump map, which has each location clearly identified #thank you!, someone finally listened). You don't return to the same location as much as a lot of other games, but you do use it.
SG is standard. Hopefully we don't have to have to go back to the Table of Contents with each chapter, as I did when I read the general instructions...I really don't care for that at all. Should automatically take you to the next chapter. Hint system is very helpful and fills quite quickly. The only collectible I see so far, are the bugs. They are not hard to spot at all. There are other achievements as well.
This is not an extremely challenging game, but challenging and interesting enough for me to purchase the CE version. As hard as I try, I just can't seem to get away from these things, but I will keep trying. Need to cut back on the CE's. I think this game will appeal to all levels of players. I do not give 5 stars easily...a game has to be exceptional for that. I downgraded this one because of the lack of sound FX and not much in the way of voice dialoge. Hoping that changes as the game goes on.
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 mystical Silver Arrow has been stolen from you on the eve of your wedding. Without it, you can’t marry your beloved Prince Philip! Can you track down the arrow in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
40 of 49 found this review helpful
Same old, same old...
PostedDecember 12, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Well, this one has me on the fence, to say the least. Game play is good. Graphics seem old school...maybe back a couple of years, and a little washed out. Music isn't too bad. There is a locking inventory bar and a jump map. Jump map is not identified by location, only a picture...I lose interest in this type of set up quickly. At least the SG doesn't say "return to the tower," it tells you how many steps to go back, which can be quite a few.
HOGs are okay, although straight silhouettes is very boring, and I like HOGs. Puzzles are not difficult, but take a bit to complete (the cup game was easy to figure out#. There are some sound FX, e.g. birds, bugs, water, but not a lot in the way of dialoge...except for the interpreter animal. Ug, extremely grating voice and why do we need to interpret animal speech when it is the land of magic and you just wave your hand? Did not care for that at all. Hint system is helpful and fills quickly.
Not a lot I can say about this game. Only collectibles are the pearls and you only use them to upgrade the tower #yawn). It did not grab me and make me want to buy it to see what happens. The story is nothing new, location is nothing new. The game was not challening to the point of needing to use the SG to figure out what to do next...not necessary at all. I do not see that this game is CE worthy, but I may get the SE if there is a hot deal down the road. I sometimes find that a game is worth buying if I play it a second time, when the SE comes out, although not often.
It is time that the devs do some upgrading of graphics, story and challenge...especially challenge. Really tired of the same old stuff.
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!
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 30 found this review helpful
Not today...
PostedDecember 9, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Well, an SE for a change. Don't know anything about this dev, they aren't familiar to me anyway. The graphics seem a little old school to say the least. They are clear and not badly done. Game play is nice, no problems. The inventory bar does not lock, which drives me nuts. There is a map, but it does not jump. It shows you where things can be done, but not exactly how to get there. There are no voice overs.
The music isn't too bad. There are no sound FX. This is a very quiet game, which makes it a bit boring. Does make an annoying ping when you find an object. The HOGS are quite simple and straight forward. Puzzles are very simple as well. There are no extras, no collectible, no bells or whistles...it's just a game. You visit the same location multiple times throughout the game, before you go on to a new one. It moves rather slowly. Hint system is helpful and fills at the usual rate.
Because there are no sound FX and no real dialoge, the story line is quite hard to follow, so you just seem to be moving through it without any real purpose. This game is not at all challenging, but isn't a bad game if you just want a no brainer. I believe it is geared more toward the "real" beginner than anyone else. I recommend for beginners only. Definitely not a game 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 to be exactly what you are looking for today. Thanks for the reviews.
I don't recommend this game.
You're called to a health spa in the Alps, where an evil professor has something terrible in mind for his unwitting patients.
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
Solid 4.5...
PostedDecember 7, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Others have reviewed the story, so on with the game play. I have the other game in this series and really liked it (Cinderstone Orphanage). The graphics in this one seem a little cartoon like. More and more devs are going in that direction for some reason...I much prefer the look of "real" over cartoon, but they are well done. Game play is very nice, although a little slow in movements in the SG and jump map. Music is nice, didn't even have to turn it down. I did not hear much in the way of sound FX, but maybe that changes as the game goes on. Voice overs are also well done, but few and far between.
SG is very simplistic and easy to follow. Does not say " go to yard," but tells you how many steps back you need to take to get where you need to be. Probably a good thing, since the areas on the jump map are not identified by name, only by picture. There is not nearly as much running back and forth in this game #thank you, thank you#, but you do return to the same locations multiple times. Jump map does save time, but areas need to be clearly identified.
Since I am a HOG fan, these really appealed to me. You get silhouettes, return the item and straight HOGs. Nice change up. HOGs are clear and items not difficult to find. You will play the same HOG more than once during the game. Puzzles are quite fun and different. They are not extremely difficult, but do take some time and thought to complete. The only collectible I found are the canes, which are very easy to spot.
I really like this game and I am going to purchase today. The only reason I did not give this one 5 stars is because of the lack of area identification in the jump map. This game is not especially challenging, but for some reason, I found it to be a very nice and fun game, one that I think will appeal to all levels of players and worth the price of the CE. It will definitely hold your interest throughout the 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!
Everyone deserves a second chance – even the stingiest of them all.
Overall rating
4
/
5
17 of 24 found this review helpful
Nice Christmas Story...
PostedDecember 5, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Been waiting for our Christmas game and here it is. I never tire of A Christmas Carol...maybe because it's only on once a year and not every other week like most all cable movies. This is the typical Elephant game...nice graphics (a little fuzzy here and there#, very nice game play. I'm not big on music, but there sure wasn't much in this one, I didn't even have to turn it down. Not much in the way of sound FX either, but I just played the demo, so hopefully it gets better as the game goes on.
Voice overs are very good, but not very many. This seems to be a very quiet game, which is unusual for Elephant. There is a lot of running back and forth, so you use the jump map a lot. It is well set up, except that the locations are not identified by anything other than a picture. When will they learn that it would be most helpful to NOT have to memorize what a room looks like in order to know where to go in the map?? Very annoying. Locking inventory bar is a plus.
I really like the helpful "floating" Scrooge rather than another animal. SG is the usual and customary, although the pictures seem a little small when blown up. Hint system is helpful and fills at the same rate and all other games. You have to find 34 morphing penguins and there are collectibles, but I'm not sure what they are. I didn't hit any during the demo. HOGS are straight forward and simple. The puzzles are quite simple.
This is not a particularly challenging game, but I do like the story #even though I know how it ends#. I am going to buy this one just because I want it and for no other reason. It is a nice game and I think you will enjoy 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!
Help Ashley Ford find her father and solve the mystery of the Three Oak Mansion.
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 7 found this review helpful
Nope, not today...
PostedDecember 3, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Well, not a bad game, for an SE. There are no bells or whistles in this one at all, no extras, no morphing...nothing. This is pretty much a straight HOG. That said, HOGs are fairly clean and items are very easy to see. Puzzles are simple. Music is okay, but gets annoying quickly. There are no real sound FX and this game could certainly use them. This is an extremely quiet game. Graphics and game play are pretty good...had no problems at all.
There is a jump map, but it does not show you if anything needs to be done in an area, nor are the areas identified by name, only by a picture. You really have to know where you are going and remember where you have been in order to find the location.
Hint system fills at the usual rate, and is not really helpful. I know I need a key for the door, I asked for a hint to find out where to find it, but it doesn't tell you. It will show you where you need to go next, but not how to get there (very helpful if you haven't been in that area yet) and not what you are looking for when you get there.
This game is not challenging at all and is geared more toward the beginner. It could have been a nice game without much help. I don't need all the extras to enjoy a game, but I do need a little challenge or fun. Unfortunately, I found neither, so 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 were looking for. Thanks for the reviews.
I don't recommend this game.
To save your father from a hideous monster, you've decided to sacrifice your own freedom. Now you must journey through a strange and magical land before time runs out!
Overall rating
3
/
5
22 of 26 found this review helpful
Solid 3.5 stars...
PostedNovember 30, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I tried the CE version and wasn't real kicked out about it, so gave the SE a try. Wouldn't be the first game I bought after the second demo. Very nice graphics and game play. Voice overs are done well. Hint fills fairly quickly. Not a lot of running back and forth, but some.
There were not a lot of HOGs in this game, but what there was, had fairly clean and easy to spot items. Puzzles were not difficult at all. There was not a lot of action and no real challenge to this game. For some reason, it just didn't grab me and make me want to purchase either version. Maybe I'm just tired of the same story...okay, this one is not Beauty and the Beast, but extremely close. This game seemed to be geared more toward the beginner than the expert player, and I do recommend this game for beginners. As much as I like ERS games, this one is a 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!
An imprisoned soul will never be free until you clear his name!
Overall rating
4
/
5
14 of 17 found this review helpful
Nice game...
PostedNovember 30, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I have two of the first 3 games in this series and really liked them. This one has very nice graphics and game play. Yes, cartoon like, but it seems that that's how the games are going these days. Voice overs were very nice. Music wasn't bad but got very annoying quickly, so turned it down. Not a lot in the way of sound FX, which this game could definitely use to spice it up a bit.
These stories are very predictable, but I find them fun anyway. I think I only ran across one real HOG in the first chapter, which I finished in the first hour. Items were very easy to see. If the other chapters take as long, this will be a very nice long game. There are a number of puzzles and games, but they were interesting and fun, although not difficult. The game is not challenging, but kept me interested and going on to the next scene.
I liked this game and story line well enough to purchase the CE. I think it will appeal to every level of player. Even the most expert player needs a little relaxation now and then and this one has that, with a nice story as well.
I do not give 5 stars easily...a game has to be exceptional in every way and this one is not. It is just a very nice 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!
Unlock the mystery of the Sculptor's tragic fate!
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 18 found this review helpful
Worth the SE price...
PostedNovember 24, 2013
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The following is the review I posted for the CE version, but still stands for the SE as well. The only difference is that I did not feel this was CE worthy, but well worth the SE and will use a punch credit to purchase tomorrow, since credits don't work when you have a special.
I really liked the graphics in this one. Color was very vibrant and fairly clear. Game play was nice. Music wasn't too bad...calming actually. Voice overs were good. Sounded tinny in the beginning, but cleared up when the actual game began. You can click through the dialoge everywhere in the game, except during the "story" part of it. It did need a little more of a hint as to what was going on in the beginning.
HOGs were nice, clear and clean. Items not difficult to find. Games were fairly simple, but some did take a little thought. SG was nice, but not really necessary. Hint system was helpful and filled quickly.
There was no real excitement to this game. Nothing that drew me in from the beginning and make me want to purchase to see what happens next. The coins are easy to find, but not sure what they are for #looked at achievements and still don't know#. The only challenge that I found so far is trying to find the morphing objects. They are extremely difficult to see and major eye strain watching for them. Otherwise, it was not challenging or difficult, but it was a nice game. Yes, I will get this game, but not sure if it is worth the price of a CE or if I'll just wait for the SE version.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and may not care for this one at all. Thanks for the review.
I recommend this game!