NCwriter's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.2
- Helpful Votes:652
- Reviews Submitted:17
- First Review:November 14, 2011
- Most Recent Review:December 3, 2022
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you restore your town's faith in the spirit of Christmas?
Overall rating
2
/
5
18 of 18 found this review helpful
What a dull and boring disappointment!
PostedDecember 3, 2022
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
My favorite Christmas game of all time is Christmas Stories: The Nutcracker. That was Elephant's first one in the series, and it was magical. Perfect storyline, absolutely beautiful graphics, lovely music, fascinating and challenging puzzles, and an actual feeling of joy when you reached a satisfying conclusion at the end of the game. And the bonus game was delightful. I've played that game several times. It's fun, heartwarming, and colorful, and is a wonderful way to usher in the holidays.
Every year since then I've looked forward to the Christmas Stories games, but each one since The Nutcracker has been just a little bit less impressive. I know they set the bar pretty high with The Nutcracker, and it may be hard to match that level of excellence every year, but with The Taxi of Miracles, it feels like they just cranked it out and didn't care. It's depressingly cookie-cutter, similar to other games out there.
The storyline doesn't make sense, and the characters are uninteresting. The colors are drab and grayish--not AT ALL like the bright, sharp, colorful Christmas-y palette of previous games in the series. Even the snow looks pale gray, not white. Jacob's parents look like actors drifting across the screen slowly in a horror movie, especially his mother. The taxi driver is actually a little scary--he reminds me of the clown in the movie "It." Some of the puzzles are almost insultingly easy, and there are some "oops, I need to find XXX to do this" moments that make no sense. The music sounds like it's played by a child on a toy piano.
I've always been a huge fan of Elephant Games offerings, both holiday games and others, because their graphics are crisp and the stories interesting. For all the previous Christmas Stories games, I bought them without playing the demo because I knew they'd at least be beautiful and put me in the Christmas spirit. But for this one I played only the demo because I'd read some of the initial bad reviews. I'm glad I didn't buy it without giving it a try. This is such a disappointment. I have no interest in this game at all. Elephant Games could have offered us a bright, shining, colorful distraction for the holidays, after the stress and sadness of the world for the past couple of years. But they failed.
I've been a Bigfish member for 15 years and have bought nearly 700 games. I rarely write reviews, but I wanted to write this one to recommend that you try the demo first before buying it. And if Elephant Games reads the reviews, please take this one to heart and work harder on next year's Christmas Stories game. It doesn't have to be another Nutcracker, but it can certainly be better than this one.
I don't recommend this game.
When Santa’s sleigh is damaged as he’s leaving the North Pole on Christmas night, only one person can save the holidays. You!
Overall rating
3
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
I always love Christmas Wonderland! Until now...
PostedDecember 16, 2021
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: Nutcracker Collector's Edition
(323)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've been a BigFish member since 2007, and I rarely leave reviews (although I know I should, since I rely on other reviews when deciding on a game) but I want to leave one for this game because I was so disappointed.
This has been an awful year and I was so looking forward to Christmas Wonderland, as I do every year. I have the previous 11 versions, and I have all the Park Ranger games as well. The Christmas Wonderland game isn't terribly different from year to year, but that doesn't bother me--it's okay to have the same family, the same neighborhood, the same Santa's Grotto, the same elves, the same Springfield Mall, and the same angels to find, etc.
But the artwork. It keeps getting worse and worse, instead of better. This year is the worst, hence my coming here to leave a review. Can you please make the family attractive? The background characters--actual photos of real people--look good, so they just make the graphic people look even worse. The Santa in Santa's Grotto looks like his head is sliding off his shoulders. How did the graphic artist get away with that? The mother standing in the Soda Fountain picture looks like an alien with lifeless eyes. In the Family Living Room, the kids' faces are pulled too far forward and look like they're wearing masks. I'm not a professional artist, but I know bad artwork when I see it. The people in the two families are unpleasant to look at. They look worse than they ever have.
As for the scenery, I agree with other reviewers that it's too busy and there are too many distracting twinkling lights and falling snow. I've really liked the previous versions with deer crossing in the background, birds flying overhead, clouds drifting by...but in this version, there are so many sparkling lights and flashing animated signs, and they get old pretty quickly. The scenes are packed with so many small, insignificant things, and they're not as enjoyable to hunt through.
One positive comment is that some of the puzzles are more challenging than in previous versions, which is nice. Particularly the jigsaw puzzle of the Christmas basket and the one where you have to swivel the octagons and swap the squares. Most of the others were way too simple, but those were the right level of difficulty. It's nice to have a mixture of difficulty.
I don't know whether developers read these reviews, but if they do, I strongly suggest that they find new graphic artists to give the main characters makeovers, and ease off on the busy-ness of the scenes. The previous versions weren't like this. It seems like it was rushed through just to make it available for sale before Christmas. My husband and I were really looking forward to Christmas Wonderland 12 to escape from the real world and lighten our spirits, but instead we were disappointed. I'm going to go back and play one or two of the previous versions, just to clear this one out of my mind. I'll still recommend it, because it isn't awful, but it's not nearly as enjoyable as previous versions.
I recommend this game!
Why would anyone want to stop Christmas from coming?
Overall rating
2
/
5
22 of 22 found this review helpful
I was soooo disappointed
PostedJanuary 9, 2016
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: Nutcracker
(67)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
First of all, I LOVE the Christmas Stories games. The first one, the Nutcracker, absolutely blew me away. The graphics were gorgeous, the music was beautiful, the storyline was compelling and perfectly developed, and the puzzles were unique, intelligent, and challenging. I bought the CE and the bonus game was also really good. I've been a BigFish member for nearly a decade, and it is one of the best games I've ever played here.
Last year's offering in the series, A Christmas Carol, was also really good. Not quite as good as the Nutcracker because there was a lot of back-and-forth to accomplish tasks and a couple of illogical solutions to puzzles, but the storyline was good, the graphics were fantastic, the bonus game was good, and I liked the game quite a bit. So I was really looking forward to the third installment of Christmas Stories. And boy, was I disappointed.
The graphics are excellent, as always with Elephant games. The music is lovely. But the storyline is downright strange. What does Puss in Boots have to do with Christmas? The traditional character of Puss in Boots is a notorious fighter, lover, and outlaw. Why would he care whether or not Christmas comes for a little girl? Also, he's only barely in the game--it could have been any cat, animal, character, or person--so Elephant evidently just picked a familiar fairy tale character to attract people to the game. The previous two in the series had characters (the nutcracker and Scrooge) that were central to and involved in the storyline.
I could have overlooked the baffling storyline if the rest of the game hadn't been such a letdown. The puzzles are VERY, VERY easy, sometimes even a bit insulting to adults because a preschooler could solve them. I never, ever skip puzzles, but I skipped a couple of these because they were so easy they were boring. The tasks required to solve problems in the game were simplistic and uninspired. When the game was released I immediately bought the CE without reading anything or downloading the trial, and I shouldn't have done that. The description calls this a "family-friendly game," so apparently the developers intended for it to be easy. If I'd played the demo first I definitely wouldn't have bought the game.
About halfway through I thought more than once about just quitting, but I loved the first two so much that I kept thinking things would get better and I enjoyed the Christmas-themed graphics. But it didn't get better. I also played the bonus game hoping it would be better, but it was also boring.
I don't know whether game developers read the reviews on BigFish, but I sure hope they do, and I hope they take to heart all the comments people have made about the puzzles in this game being too easy, so they can make the next installment better. I'm posting this review in the forum for the Standard Edition because there aren't nearly as many comments here so maybe my review has more chance of being noticed here.
I'm clicking "Yes" I'd recommend this game, but only to families, novice players, or people who just like the lovely graphics and Christmas theme. For experienced or even average gamers, I don't think I'd recommend it.
I love Elephant Games and think they're one of the top developers out there. I loved the first two Christmas Stories games and I think they (especially the Nutcracker) top the list of the best games of all time. I really, really, really, really hope they will continue the series--but please let next year's game return to how the series started. The graphics and music will always be good, but please give us an intriguing storyline, challenging puzzles, and logical problem solving requirements. And for heaven's sake, pick a main character that actually has something to do with Christmas! Tiny Tim, Rudolph, Frosty, the Abominable Snowman, Nestor the Christmas Donkey...even Santa Claus or Father Christmas. I still look forward to next year's edition, but I'll download the trial before buying anything. Come on, Elephant, I know you can create magic again.
I recommend this game!
Cadenza: The Kiss of Death
Is your husband-to-be guilty of betrayal – or even worse?
Overall rating
1
/
5
12 of 13 found this review helpful
Boring, short, easy, talky
PostedMay 9, 2015
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy
Current Favorite:
PuppetShow: The Price of Immortality
(21)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I loved the first Cadenza game. I was excited to get the e-mail asking to try the beta version and provide feedback, because I thought I'd have glowing things to say. I was really looking forward to playing it. But I didn't buy it because the beta version was so bad.
This sequel has lovely graphics, just like the first one, and the music is really nice, but the similarities end there. There are WAY too many cut scenes and too much babbling between actual gameplay. Seems like every time I completed a task or went to another location, someone started talking. If I wanted to watch a movie I'd sit in front of the TV, not at my computer. The puzzles are too easy and the storyline is boring. I was so disappointed in this game.
I don't recommend this game.
My Kingdom for the Princess III
Wait no more! The adventures of My Kingdom for the Princess continue. It's time to defeat the traitors and rebuild the kingdom!
Overall rating
2
/
5
16 of 16 found this review helpful
So SLOOOOOW
PostedMarch 13, 2013
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I love Roads of Rome, Kingdom Chronicles, and Royal Envoy series, so I thought I'd try out the My Kingdom for the Princess games because others compared them to the ones I love. BOY are these different. The characters are cute and the basic gameplay and objectives are the same, but there's no option for chaining actions or speeding characters up--so when there's just one little guy working, you have to sit there and watch as he chops up a tree, then wait for him to return to the house before you can click on the next thing for him to do. I didn't even make it very far into the trial period before I just got bored and exited out. I like TM games where you're doing something most of the time, not just sitting there waiting for the characters to do things. I'd suggest not buying this without trying it first.
I don't recommend this game.
Adelantado Trilogy: Book One
Discover the fabulous secrets that a jungle hides in Adelantado Trilogy: Book One! Help the brave and noble officer, Don Diego De Leon, to find and save the lost expedition.
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Could have been great, but it isn't
PostedFebruary 25, 2013
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Brain Teaser, Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I've played only about 20 minutes of the demo, and I'm not going to buy this, but the flaws that ruin the game are basics that are throughout, not just in the demo. The big one is that you have to play through an entire level before you can save the game, or else you lose everything you've done. And the levels are long--I had to quit playing 18 minutes in, but couldn't save the level, so if I go back to play again I'll have to start from scratch! That just makes no sense.
The other flaw is that there is ONE guy going around doing everything. It's not like Roads of Rome or the other TM games where you build things--you have to sit and wait while this one little guy slowly hustles around doing things. It's irritating.
One thing I had to go to the forums to figure out was how to upgrade buildings. The game pops up a window saying you need to upgrade buildings to increase their efficiency, but it doesn't say how to do that. As it turns out, you can't upgrade them until you reach a certain level--which is way beyond the point in the game where you're told they should be upgraded! Very confusing.
I wanted to like this game because it's beautiful and the music is very nice...but the game is so irritating that the lovely graphics and music can't overcome the flaws.
I don't recommend this game.
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court 2
Return to the days of magic, maidens, goblins and gold!
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Fun, but some irritating differences from the first one
PostedFebruary 18, 2013
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Golden Trails 3: The Guardian's Creed
(76)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I liked the first New Yankee game quite a bit, and this one is pretty much the same theme, same goals, etc. Graphics are still good, but I agree with other reviewers who complained about the grammar problems and the cursor sometimes not registering a click correctly.
But the one thing that bugged me more than those things is that when a level begins, you can't see the goals and resources at the top of the screen until you click away the last piece of dialogue. So there's no way to plan a strategy in advance before the clock starts ticking! You have to start the level before the goals and resources appear at the top of the screen. So I have to start the clock before I can look at the goals and resources, look at the scene, and plan a strategy. As a result, I have to go ahead and start a level just to plan a strategy, then start the level over again in order to follow the strategy I've planned. It's so irritating, because in other TM games, and in the first version of this, the clock doesn't start ticking until I have a strategy in mind. It's still a fun game, but not as much fun as the first one because of these annoyances.
I recommend this game!
RealMYST
Experience the world of realMyst in 3D! Solve perplexing puzzles and return to one of the most popular PC games of all time!
Overall rating
1
/
5
25 of 32 found this review helpful
Fantastic game, ruined with 3D
PostedDecember 29, 2012
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I loved, loved, loved the original Myst--spent weeks playing it, bought every new game in the series when it came out, and have remembered it fondly through the years, wishing I could play it again with the newer operating systems.
When I saw this on BigFish I was SO EXCITED!!! I didn't even read the description; I just bought it immediately. No reason to try the demo of a game I already loved, right? Boy, was I wrong.
They have totally ruined the Myst experience by making it 3D. The original Myst had beautiful music, gorgeous graphics, and intriguing and challenging puzzles. The music is just as beautiful, and the graphics are still gorgeous--but only if you're standing still. If you move at all, using the cursor or the direction keys, movement is so fast and dizzying that it totally destroys the dreamy complexity of the original design. I have to tap the direction keys just slightly to move anywhere, or else I'm zooming around bumping into walls or zipping past the spot I meant to stop at. It is INFURIATING and soooo disappointing. I assume the puzzles are still just as challenging and enjoyable, but I'm not going to play the game anymore to get to any puzzles because the 3D movement is so disorienting.
If you loved the original Myst and think this is the same game, I strongly recommend downloading the trial first. You'll be disappointed.
I don't recommend this game.
Christmas Stories: Nutcracker Collector's Edition
A classic Christmas tale tail, with a whole new twist! Help the Nutcracker rescue the princess from the evil Rat King!
Overall rating
5
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
FINALLY a beautiful, uplifting game!!
PostedDecember 19, 2012
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: Nutcracker Collector's Edition
(323)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Man, I am SO TIRED of all the dark, gloomy, depressing games about murder, missing people, demons, torture, and kidnapping...it was getting to the point that I didn't even enjoy coming to BigFish to see the new offerings. I'm so glad I happened upon this game. I rarely buy Collector's Editions, but I loved the demo so much I didn't want to wait for the Standard Edition!
The graphics are elegant, the music is beautiful, the storyline is charming, the puzzles are challenging and interesting, and the snowy scenes and holiday atmosphere are exactly what I needed to help generate some Christmas spirit when there's so much unhappiness in the real world right now. I kept finding myself wanting to get lost in the Nutcracker's world just to take a break from the real one.
The storyline is a nice twist on the traditional Nutcracker tale, and along the way you pick up a couple of helpers to assist you in saving the princess from the Rat King. The hidden object scenes are crisp and clear, and the extra task of finding hidden dolls is nice. The puzzles and mini-games are mostly unique, which is nice. And I like it that toward the end of the main game, snow starts falling and the snowfall gradually gets heavier. I loved, loved, loved immersing myself in this game.
I was really glad I got the collector's edition, because the bonus game was fun! Between the main game and the bonus game, this game was satisfyingly long...although I didn't want it to stop because I loved it so much! This is definitely one I'm going to play every Christmas. Thank you BigFish and Elephant--PLEASE give us more games like this instead of a constant barrage of gloomy games!!
I recommend this game!
Mystery Case Files: Escape from Ravenhearst
Return once more to the haunted grounds of Ravenhearst Manor to uncover new details about this poignant saga. What you find could very well be the final chapter of this riveting story-if you escape.
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
What a FANTASTIC game!!
PostedOctober 25, 2012
NCwriter
fromNC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Escape from Ravenhearst
(473)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I'm a huge fan of the MCF games and always have been, because the graphics are great, the storylines are interesting, and the puzzles are SO challenging--not the same old, same old puzzles like in most HOGs. In this game the puzzles really make you think. There is no hint function for the puzzles, so if you get stuck or can't figure one out, go to the walkthrough here on the BigFish site. But I take my time and do my best to figure them out before giving up and going to the walkthrough. What's the point of playing the game if you're just going to have someone else tell you how to do it?
There are hints for the morphing object scenes, but take care not to click on too many wrong items or you'll get a penalty by one of the items you've already found being placed back into the scene. The morphing object scenes get harder as you go through the game, with some objects very small or the changes very slight.
Anyway...this is a huge world and a long game, but there isn't a lot of backtracking until the very end, and even that's minimal and understandable. I personally like the morphing objects because it's so different from other games--and something I really liked about Madame Fate. So it is a refreshing change of pace to have entire scenes of morphing objects rather than hidden objects. If you don't like that in a game, then don't play this game, but that's no reason to give it a bad review. Not liking a particular feature doesn't mean the game is bad, it just means you don't like that feature.
Which brings me to the other point. There is a huge red warning on the main page of this game saying that it isn't for the faint of heart and there are disturbing themes in the game. They aren't kidding! If you don't like horror movies, or you get creeped out by dismembered, twitching body parts, cutting umbilical cords, or popping pimples, then this isn't the game for you. I personally thought everything was hilarious, because these aren't real people, they're automatons the insane guy created. I could understand people being disturbed if they were actual people or if there were grisly violence in the game, but these are gross robots and there's no actual violence at all. Maybe I'm the disturbed one, but I thought they were pretty funny.
Navigation is intuitive and easy, even though there isn't a map. There is a journal, but it records mostly story elements, not numbers you come across or clues to puzzles, so you should keep paper and pen handy for making notes.
Developers, please ignore the negative comments about this game because it is unique and absolutely fabulous!! A real challenge, a wonderfully long and involved game, terrific mini-puzzles, great music, and beautiful graphics. Not everyone's cup of tea, for one reason or another, but in terms of game design, graphics, storyline, challenge, and downright fun, this is one of the BEST BigFish games I've ever played. More, please!!!
I recommend this game!