Volauvent's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:3,336
- Reviews Submitted:177
- First Review:February 19, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 2, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Realize your latest masterpiece with a touch of artistic billiance!
Overall rating
4
/
5
20 of 23 found this review helpful
BEAUTIFUL, WHIMSICAL, GOOFY, WONDER-FILLED
PostedJanuary 4, 2023
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
As usual, Awigor's paint games are an auto-buy for me, and this issue is more stunning than the last.
WHY THE 4 STARS
1. The game does not tray well, at least on my laptops (win 10 & win11). I can click on the Windows icon, but the game remains in full screen until I click on a tray icon.
2. The pop-up color numbers have been omitted, meaning we have to zoom in and out to find the number for that itty-bitty spot in an element. Yo! Awigor! There are a whole bunch of us who do not simply follow the numbers in sequence.
3. I had just finished a rather complex design when I had to pause. When I lifted the pause, the entire image was back to blank. Haven't had this issue before, and I own all the Awigor paint games.
---------
MESSAGE TO BIG FISH:
Please, please let Awigor see the above. Issue #2 has been bothersome ever since they dropped the feature, and I'm not the only one to say so.
2. The pop-up color numbers have been omitted, meaning we have to zoom in and out to find the number for that itty-bitty spot in an element. Yo! Awigor! There are a whole bunch of us who do not simply follow the numbers in sequence.
3. I had just finished a rather complex design when I had to pause. When I lifted the pause, the entire image was back to blank. Haven't had this issue before, and I own all the Awigor paint games.
---------
MESSAGE TO BIG FISH:
Please, please let Awigor see the above. Issue #2 has been bothersome ever since they dropped the feature, and I'm not the only one to say so.
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
1
/
5
11 of 16 found this review helpful
HOW I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY THIS GAME
PostedJanuary 1, 2023
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
OS:Win11
Laptop
Laptop
Just letting y'all know:
Am unable to complete the first scene as everything stopped working, or exit the game without hitting the windows logo and clicking on the "x" on the trayed program icon.
I know I demo'd the CE and thought I bought it, but no. Hm.
Can you restore your town's faith in the spirit of Christmas?
Overall rating
3
/
5
19 of 22 found this review helpful
MIXED REVIEW
PostedDecember 1, 2022
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The story begins with a young boy running out the front door of his home to get in a taxi, reason unknown, driven by a creepy-looking stranger. And off they go while the creepy stranger with a clown nose blathers on about Christmas in a slightly unhinged manner. Not quite Pennywise, but it still made me very uncomfortable.
In the meantime, Mom and Dad have no clue that their little boy is off on an adventure with a suspicious-looking stranger. Weird.
Thing is, once you get past the unsettling beginning, and the onset of a few standard tasks, the gameplay is pretty good.
I'll pick up this game on the next BOGO, as I traditionally do with all the Christmas games every year. BF's Christmas games are usually fun with very few buyer's remorse incidents.
Looking forward to Christmas in Springfield(? Dang CRS) with the Park Rangers :D
Happy Holidays!
I recommend this game!
The Puzzle Box is packed full of mind-bending challenges that are easy to play and difficult to master!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE RARE GAMES I KEEP IN MY GAME MANAGER
PostedNovember 11, 2022
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
If I'm not mistaken, I picked this game up on the release date and turn to it every now and then.
There are a couple of things I find annoying:
1. The hyperventilating cartoon character. I can't for the life of me figure out what its purpose is, but it's kinda' like having a nervous Nellie dog panting in your ear.
2. I'm a sliders and swap freak.
---This game does not have sliders, it has panel swaps, which is fine, except that matches don't adhere to each other so one is faced with moving panels one at a time from one side of the board to the other to organize matched groups.
---This is especially frustrating if you've mistakenly assembled the left side on the right and have to switch positions, and if like me you don't look at the finished image, you know what I'm talking about.
2. I'm a sliders and swap freak.
---This game does not have sliders, it has panel swaps, which is fine, except that matches don't adhere to each other so one is faced with moving panels one at a time from one side of the board to the other to organize matched groups.
---This is especially frustrating if you've mistakenly assembled the left side on the right and have to switch positions, and if like me you don't look at the finished image, you know what I'm talking about.
Other than those 2 things, I'm fine with the game and probably won't retire it from my Game Manager for quite some time.
I recommend this game!
Follow the heroic Theseus on his adventure through ancient Greece!
Overall rating
5
/
5
20 of 21 found this review helpful
WAS EXPECTING A SO-SO M3 - AND AM HAVING A BLAST!
PostedNovember 2, 2022
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
After scanning over the images, I was thinking, "Yeah, yeah (yawn); another cute Match 3 that's probably a cookie cutter of a lot of other M3s.
Nope, it's not. Took me all of 10 minutes into the demo to buy the game. BTW, the sound effects are great.
Unlike other M3's, this one throws all sorts of tasks onto the board.
1. There are adorable little golden owls to collect.
2. A storyline character you have to move on to a destination (nope, does not involve moving the character to the bottom of the page).
3. Building materials to collect, and it's not just a matter of getting the tiles to the bottom of the page.
4. Walls, blocks, rocks that must be removed as usual... so far.
2. A storyline character you have to move on to a destination (nope, does not involve moving the character to the bottom of the page).
3. Building materials to collect, and it's not just a matter of getting the tiles to the bottom of the page.
4. Walls, blocks, rocks that must be removed as usual... so far.
All the above can be found on just ONE BOARD!
And that's at the beginning of the game. Not telling how many challenges will be added to each board as we get further into the story.
Gotta' go vote now, but when I get back, well, you know what I'll be doin' :D
I recommend this game!
Dispel the ominous presence of the Spooky Dwellers!
Overall rating
5
/
5
15 of 16 found this review helpful
ENDLESS REPLAY VALUE!
PostedOctober 31, 2022
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
After reading the first couple of reviews :( I decided to give it a try anyway. Boy am I glad I did: this studio really got creative with a Match 3. Bravo!
To be honest, I couldn't stop playing. I bought it on the BOGO, tried to put it aside, and caved. I even went through 2 rounds of the bonus, maybe more 'cause I was at level 130 something when I stopped.
The colors are bright and cheery, the music is... can't remember. I was too engrossed in the gameplay to pay attention. 1960's horror movie music?
Besides the Match 3 there are swap-the-blocks jigsaw puzzles and Hidden Object games, both of which are entertaining.
Spooky Dwellers is one of those rare games that will stay in my Game Manager for a long, long time.
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
4 REASONS I LOVE THIS ISSUE, AND 1 NEGATIVE
PostedSeptember 7, 2022
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
4 REASONS I LOVE THIS ISSUE (Full game, auto-buy)
1. The Modern Art series specializes in the Impressionist style.
I've been fascinated by Impressionist art (Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Lautrec, Manet and the gang) since I was a little kid, so the series is a sheer delight for me.
I've been fascinated by Impressionist art (Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Lautrec, Manet and the gang) since I was a little kid, so the series is a sheer delight for me.
2. There are 17 food representations, mostly still life, out of 64 images. I would prefer fewer, but I enjoy the paintings too much to worry about it.
3. Detail. This artist provides us with an attention to detail
that makes filling in the paint an engrossing pastime, and that renders the finished work thumbnail very enjoyable to contemplate.
that makes filling in the paint an engrossing pastime, and that renders the finished work thumbnail very enjoyable to contemplate.
4. A free-roam palette. A bounce back to the next number in sequence, Awigor style, is very annoying for those of us who do not paint in sequence and thankfully, Modern Art has never forced us to paint in any sequence whatsoever. We have a free-roam palette.
1 Negative - T1 Studio is stubbornly determined to force us to complete the first 8 images, even if we own the game, before gaining access to the rest. Awigor gives us a very decent tutorial we can click on at any time, and complete access to all images even in the demo.
I recommend this game!
A mystery-filled ride to unknown cosmic shores!
Overall rating
5
/
5
26 of 30 found this review helpful
CHOO CHOO WOO HOO :D
PostedJuly 30, 2022
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I am lovin' it!
DIFFICULTY
Not too hard, not too easy, regardless of your own gaming experience level.
Not too hard, not too easy, regardless of your own gaming experience level.
STORYLINE
You are a detective (wait 'til you see the office!) engaged by a former Mouse Circus owner looking for his missing cousin. Judging by the client amenities, you are used to tiny clients.
You are a detective (wait 'til you see the office!) engaged by a former Mouse Circus owner looking for his missing cousin. Judging by the client amenities, you are used to tiny clients.
Your client gives you a fat case file - you're not the first he's engaged over the years to find his cousin.
"Hmmm... this sounds familiar", you muse. And so it is.
And with that, and the aid of your trusted assistant, you are off on a fantastic adventure that leads you to the most surprising discoveries!
GAMEPLAY
The game style is called "Point and Click" which means you point on areas and items to interact with them.
The game style is called "Point and Click" which means you point on areas and items to interact with them.
There are items that shake when we click on them, and this tells us "Hey! Remember where I am 'cause you're gonna need me later."
When we need an item, its image pops into the upper right hand corner of of the screen. Be prepared to do a lot of clicking as you try to figure out where stuff is, what needs to be done, how to find what, and so on.
BUT, there is a handy-dandy question mark for when the going gets tough, and the help is excellent - no guessing. Thing is, look around for fat little blue pyramids to feed the question mark so you don't run out of help.
GRAPHICS
The cartoon graphics are among my favorite style. If you are familiar with the games in the Puzzle section, you will recognize the style immediately. It's fun, quirky, and provides the occasional chuckle. It keeps you smiling even when you start chewing the cartoon grass in frustration 'cause you don't want to use the question mark.
The cartoon graphics are among my favorite style. If you are familiar with the games in the Puzzle section, you will recognize the style immediately. It's fun, quirky, and provides the occasional chuckle. It keeps you smiling even when you start chewing the cartoon grass in frustration 'cause you don't want to use the question mark.
Apart from the above, there's not much I can tell you without spoiling the game - we have to figure things out as we go so it is easy to give away the game while writing a review.
See ya' later, am heading back to the game.
I recommend this game!
Explore the uncharted lands where light and shadow meet!
Overall rating
5
/
5
45 of 49 found this review helpful
WHOA! NOT YOUR USUAL DOMINI :O :O
PostedJuly 28, 2022
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Something righteous may be happening at Domini, aka Do Games. Bravo guys!
There was a glimmering of less cookie cutter tasking a couple of games ago, so I was hoping, but had no clue they would burst forth with this fantastic game. Had I not splurged on the 65% Off sale, I would buy Reflection of Light immediately.
I have made it all the way through the demo without having to:
1. Feed an animal
2. Fan away smoke
3. Find a key in the usual places
4. Engage in even one same-old, same-old that is not general gaming experience knowledge
5. Fulfill even one cookie-cutter task.
2. Fan away smoke
3. Find a key in the usual places
4. Engage in even one same-old, same-old that is not general gaming experience knowledge
5. Fulfill even one cookie-cutter task.
STORYLINE: Starts off lame, gets better
We start off with 2 bubblehead archeologists (we play the one who is supposed to be the mentor) in search of a missing expedition group that, due to anomalies and general weirdness happening, was hunting down a local meteorite crash which is most likely the cause of the strange incidents.
We start off with 2 bubblehead archeologists (we play the one who is supposed to be the mentor) in search of a missing expedition group that, due to anomalies and general weirdness happening, was hunting down a local meteorite crash which is most likely the cause of the strange incidents.
Still we, the "mentor", do not warn our rookie to step away from the glowing object directly adjacent to the missing archeologists' campsite.
Surprise, surprise, we are whisked off by the glowing crystal to strange new worlds where everyone speaks American. Okay, I can live with that.
What I can especially live with is that this is when the going gets good. Really good.
GAME PLAY
We have morphies to collect, artifacts too, and metal discs/coins in close-ups. That's a fun factor for me, albeit I do enjoy replaying the old games that had nothing to collect.
We have morphies to collect, artifacts too, and metal discs/coins in close-ups. That's a fun factor for me, albeit I do enjoy replaying the old games that had nothing to collect.
So far, interaction with the characters is in sensible everyday conversation format, and nobody seems to want to take over the universe, at least not by the end of the demo. And so far, the continuity of the story and tasks is solid.
We are given 3 worlds to explore. Dang, I love multiple worlds, the more the merrier. They are Lightrun, Shendaur (a shadowy world), and Reflex and I can't wait to wend my way through all of them.
There are magical creatures, magical folks, and magical everything, actually. :D
You'll have to put your thinking cap on for a change as opposed to the usual Domini. In fact, Domini appears to have gone retro, meaning this is more like the games they used to produce that we all loved and waited for with bated breath. Or as Robin Williams used to say, "With worm on tongue". Miss him to pieces.
Anyway, this game is a total GO GO GO for me.
I recommend this game!
Witness the struggles and triumphs of exotic lifeforms in a vast ocean of wonder!
Overall rating
4
/
5
25 of 27 found this review helpful
INTERESTING, WORTH A TRY
PostedJuly 26, 2022
Volauvent
fromHigh Desert, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I downloaded the demo in the wee hours this morning and dove in.
OBJECTIVE
The object of the game is to grow from a tiny sci-fi bit of life swimming in a vast sea to a full, powerful critter. Though I refer to the tiny bit as "tiny bit" below, in the creator's mind, that us. First person tiny bit of life.
The object of the game is to grow from a tiny sci-fi bit of life swimming in a vast sea to a full, powerful critter. Though I refer to the tiny bit as "tiny bit" below, in the creator's mind, that us. First person tiny bit of life.
ORIENTATION
On the left of the dashboard you will find a variety of symbols. The honeycomb is where you click on your current level. The DNA is where you add power ups that you gain by various means, one of which is absorbing elements. The Gear is where you can add a mini map. So far, I haven't seen it appear.
On the left of the dashboard you will find a variety of symbols. The honeycomb is where you click on your current level. The DNA is where you add power ups that you gain by various means, one of which is absorbing elements. The Gear is where you can add a mini map. So far, I haven't seen it appear.
MOVEMENT
Movement is easy - left mouse to move the tiny thing a little here and a little there to inch around the huge pieces of landscape, and right mouse for grand, sweeping moves where you don't have to hold down the button.
Movement is easy - left mouse to move the tiny thing a little here and a little there to inch around the huge pieces of landscape, and right mouse for grand, sweeping moves where you don't have to hold down the button.
MISSION
The first mission is to exit a circle of light to find a special something the creator left for you. You are to do this using your sixth sense, or radar. The radar is the arc of light that guides you to the prize, and a sound alerts you to proximity.
The first mission is to exit a circle of light to find a special something the creator left for you. You are to do this using your sixth sense, or radar. The radar is the arc of light that guides you to the prize, and a sound alerts you to proximity.
ELEMENTS
Elements, in different colors, sizes, and shapes, are what make the bitty thing grow. Found 'em, gobbled 'em up, completed round one. Opened the DNA on the dashboard and added my power ups.
Elements, in different colors, sizes, and shapes, are what make the bitty thing grow. Found 'em, gobbled 'em up, completed round one. Opened the DNA on the dashboard and added my power ups.
ROUND TWO
For some reason, I am still in the initial hub with the same instructions, but the thing is bigger. Absorbing elements is a bit more difficult unless you approach them just right. Am leaving the game at this point to buy it.
For some reason, I am still in the initial hub with the same instructions, but the thing is bigger. Absorbing elements is a bit more difficult unless you approach them just right. Am leaving the game at this point to buy it.
Am buying this game with a coupon as I am intrigued to find out where it all leads. This the 3rd edition, so it must have a following. Interesting. Give it a try and see what you think.
I recommend this game!