sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,068
- Reviews Submitted:758
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:September 12, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you prove that the town’s creatures are innocent?
Overall rating
5
/
5
138 of 191 found this review helpful
PLAYING THIS GAME - YOU NEED TO OPEN THE BOX BUT THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AS WELL!
PostedMay 3, 2018
sunnyglow
fromIf you could choose, what type of chimera would you like to play - a fishy mermaid, a taciturn sphinx, a “neighsayer” centaur or a toothy vampire? I would choose the vampire, so I can take a “bite” out of crime.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME:
3 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 38 pages – Time: 4 hours
3 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 38 pages – Time: 4 hours
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: Detective! As a new member of the Chimera Society, you are off to deal with a broken peace treaty between the humans and the chimeras. Chimeras are being blamed for kidnapping and attacking humans with the humans retaliating by hunting them down and executing them. Adding to this nightmare is the fact that breaking this peace treaty will open the portal to the Underworld, home of the demons. Now you must hunt down the six (6) members of the Council of Creatures, now in hiding, to get the keys to open a box. This box is critical to stopping the demons! You have until midnight before all “heck breaks loose.” Are the chimeras on the attack or is there another explanation for these recent incidents?
OPINION: For me this is a low 5-star game. It is a good but not great game. The main game is short; however, the bonus chapter is long and, for me, well-worth the additional cost. This is a game which should appeal to fantasy game lovers. For me, this is the best of the series. I have never liked this series with its flying, fire-breathing, three-headed creatures. However, this one has an excellent gaming script. The graphics are colorful and there are artfully designed whimsical creatures in this game. The pace is decent; although there are times in which I felt the pace lagged slightly. There is an even number of HOP scenes and puzzles (if you include the mini-puzzles). However, I am rather disappointed you cannot replay either the puzzles or the HOP scenes. With the lists of items, I was also disappointed there was not another game to play in lieu of the scenes.
MECHANICS: As usual there are four (4) modes of play, including customization of the game. There are twenty (20) achievements. You collect twelve (12) cards which provide information on chimeras. And as in most Elephant games, you collect forty-eight (48) jigsaw pieces to play four (4) puzzles to play at the end of the game. There are twenty-eight (28) well-hidden morphing objects (roses). However, the cards and jigsaw pieces are easy to locate. There are twelve (12) wallpapers plus concept art and music.
BONUS CHAPTER: This chapter is a sequel to the main game. The kingdom’s holy tree has been damaged. You must find the water of the living and then go to the underworld, land of the demons, to find the water of the dead to save it. For me, I was more impressed with the bonus chapter than the actual game. It is a long chapter with nine (9) puzzles and eight (8) HOP scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-five (25) HOP scenes in this game – ten (10) of which are mini-HOP scenes in which your search for a small number of items. Most of the scenes are lists of items. However, thrown into the mix are a couple of FROG scenes, a few silhouette scenes, one with runes, and a couple of storybook scenes. I found it unusual that the final scene is a HOP scene. Most are somewhat interactive, and I found them ones seen in most games.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-eight (28) puzzles in the game. The puzzles vary in design and difficulty as well. Except for one puzzle, they are all varieties of puzzles seen in other games. The challenging puzzles appear after the demo and in the bonus chapter as well.
DID I MISS SOMETHING? There are two puzzles which have instructions which make no sense to me. In one, you move bars up-and-down to create a path to move rods across the grid. The directions state something about locating suns and moons to solve the puzzle. These items do not even exist within this puzzle. I have played this type of puzzle before, so I could figure out what to do. The second puzzle requires colored and numbered tokens to be slid into proper position on a grid. However, the instructions mention moving paths. You cannot move paths in this puzzle. I gave up trying to figure out what to do in his puzzle and skipped it.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE A FEW PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Matching puzzle. Move pieces of a mosaic with colored tiles so that it matches that of a given image. Click on pieces of the mosaic to change their color. Changing the color of one tile may change others as well.
B. Maze puzzle. Move four wolves to locations with an X upon a grid. There are walls within this grid to block the wolves’ movement. Moving a wolf will remove or create walls. Only one sequence will locate all four wolves where they belong. 3X. Increases in difficulty.
C. Matching puzzle. On a grid, maneuver weights on chains so they match up with their outline on the left side of the grid. Moving one token affects the movements of the others.
D. Connection puzzle. Remove skulls by using an amulet to create a path to eliminate each one without retracing your tracks.
E. Slats puzzle. Slide 6 slats on a grid to create a path for a ball to move from upper left to bottom right. Rather an unusual puzzle. I have never seen this puzzle with sliding slats.
F. Bonus Chapter. Obstacle course. Maneuver a boat to the other side avoiding obstacles in your path. I found the boat difficult to maneuver.
G. Bonus Chapter. Physics puzzle. Angle mirrors so that beams hit each mirror at least once.
H. Bonus Chapter. Beat the computer. Try to get more yellow tokens than your opponent – the computer. Surrounding tokens will change color if they are next to that color.
B. Maze puzzle. Move four wolves to locations with an X upon a grid. There are walls within this grid to block the wolves’ movement. Moving a wolf will remove or create walls. Only one sequence will locate all four wolves where they belong. 3X. Increases in difficulty.
C. Matching puzzle. On a grid, maneuver weights on chains so they match up with their outline on the left side of the grid. Moving one token affects the movements of the others.
D. Connection puzzle. Remove skulls by using an amulet to create a path to eliminate each one without retracing your tracks.
E. Slats puzzle. Slide 6 slats on a grid to create a path for a ball to move from upper left to bottom right. Rather an unusual puzzle. I have never seen this puzzle with sliding slats.
F. Bonus Chapter. Obstacle course. Maneuver a boat to the other side avoiding obstacles in your path. I found the boat difficult to maneuver.
G. Bonus Chapter. Physics puzzle. Angle mirrors so that beams hit each mirror at least once.
H. Bonus Chapter. Beat the computer. Try to get more yellow tokens than your opponent – the computer. Surrounding tokens will change color if they are next to that color.
I recommend this game!
Just beyond human sight lies an ancient city of magicians, giants, and dwarves. Now you must solve a murder mystery that threatens to destroy it.
Overall rating
4
/
5
91 of 151 found this review helpful
TRAVEL TO THE HIDDEN SIDE OF LONDON
PostedApril 28, 2018
sunnyglow
fromIf there are hidden kingdoms with magical beings within human cities, I wonder what hidden creatures are lurking within the walls of my home? If so, these magical freeloaders need to pay rent and pay their fair share of the utilities.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: Put on your magical glasses, Detective! You are off to London, not the city as you know it, but a kingdom hidden within the city. This kingdom is behind a magical barrier, invisible to humans. You will need those magical glasses to see this kingdom. All three races, the Yotuns, the Dwarfs, and the Lakrians, have divided this hidden city of London into three locations – one for each race. However, this kingdom is in trouble. Sakir, a Lakrian has contacted you for help. Magic is being used to strip these magical beings of their souls, leaving zombies in their place. This is causing friction amongst the races, each accusing the other for this tragedy. Behind this is a villain who needs the souls for an evil purpose. Locate this hooded evildoer, defeat him, and restore this magical kingdom to its former glory.
This game should appeal to those who love fantasy games featuring fairy folk. As usual, Domini goes the extra mile to provide a quality game. Their games, at least to me, demonstrate excellence in game design. The games are longer than most developers; they provide more extra features; and they provide easy and hard options for the puzzles which allow for an easy breezy game for some and yet a challenging one for those who want more difficult puzzles. The graphics are bright and colorful.
HOWEVER, I DID NOT PURCHASE THIS GAME. I usually love Domini games, but this one did not appeal to me for two reasons. Both reasons are a matter of personal preference rather than any lack of quality in the game. I dislike the story. I found the tale concerning fairy folk hidden within the city of London rather bizarre. The second reason I did not purchase it is that I found the game snail-paced and tedious. I fell asleep just playing the demo. For me, there is not enough action. I got tired running to-and-fro searching for supplies. Creativity abounds in this game from the HOP scenes to the puzzles; however, I just could not get into this game. This is a great game – just not for me.
MECHANICS: As usual, this game provides many extra features. There are fifteen (15) achievements. You collect fifteen (15) artifacts for a Mystical Culture room, fifty-five (55) crystals to purchase items, and fifteen (15) Secret City Stories. There is a bar attached to the inventory which alerts you if a collectible is available within that scene. I love this function as it makes it significantly easier to locate the collectibles. You can set the difficulty of the puzzles within the menu; however, you can still change it within the game if you find the puzzles too easy or too difficult. You can replay eighteen (18) HOP scenes and nineteen (19) mini-games. There are sixteen (16) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections.
HOP SCENES: The scenes are varied. Although this developer is known more for their puzzles, this game appears to have quite a few HOP scenes – more than in previous games. They are creatively designed - at least most of them are not just lists of items. They include silhouette and storybook scenes. There are some mini-HOP scenes in which you locate a specific number of one item. There are some multiple-step ones as well. My favorite was an imaginative one in which you must change between three (3) colored lenses to locate the items. You can play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scenes.
PUZZLES: They are well-designed as usual for this developer. I always look forward to playing this developer’s games for the puzzles. However, as stated, I had difficulty in staying awake to play the demo let alone the entire game. There are a few puzzles I did enjoy in the demo.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE THREE OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES FROM THE DEMO:
A. Sliding tiles puzzle. Slide two (2) or three (3) sets of tiles into the proper position to restore a picture. They will be designated as purple, blue and green. You may only work on one set of the colored tiles at a time. Easy mode has only two (2) sets of colored tiles. The hard mode has three (3) sets.
B. Chess puzzle. Move colored knights (following the “L” shaped move for knights) until they are on squares of the same color.
C. Adjust lenses on a telescope so that a picture is restored. Then, move dials up-and-down and sideway to locate five (5) set of footprints with the scene.
B. Chess puzzle. Move colored knights (following the “L” shaped move for knights) until they are on squares of the same color.
C. Adjust lenses on a telescope so that a picture is restored. Then, move dials up-and-down and sideway to locate five (5) set of footprints with the scene.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a strange disease from another world?
Overall rating
3
/
5
69 of 121 found this review helpful
DON’T WANT TO LOOK YOUR AGE? TRAVEL TO A PLACE WHERE APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING
PostedApril 26, 2018
sunnyglow
fromAfter this game, Elva is planning to market her age defying serum via late-night infomercials and TV shopping channels. Now she just needs to find an out-of-work older actress to hawk her products.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 53 Pages – Time: 4 Hours Main Game
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 53 Pages – Time: 4 Hours Main Game
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: Congratulations Elva! After graduating from pharmacy school with honors, you are off visit your friend Michael. However, upon arriving you are shocked at how much he has aged. He is suffering from a disease, Senetka, which was contracted by the people of his village with the opening of a parallel universe. From this other dimension entered Henrick, an alien offering a cure for the ravages of this disease. However, when it appears the antidote is not working, Michael asks you to develop an antidote which will work. Now under Henrick’s direction, children are being kidnapped. What is the true intent of Henrick? Is he a friend or foe? You are off to this parallel universe to develop an antidote for this disease all while investigating what Henrick is up to. You will get a little help from friends, however. Michael, his wife, Nova, and others will join you in your quest to save your people.
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS: This is a great game for those who love fantasy games. Although it deals with parallel dimensions, it is not a sci-fi game. It is more of a fantasy game. Unfortunately, I was not enamored by this game. I purchased this game and then regretted it. Playing this game was tedious. I found the pace slow. You ramble between two parallel universes traveling from city-to-city seeking an endless number of inventory items. You use those inventory items to search for even more items. There is not much to the story behind this game; there is very little dialogue. I got tired of travelling back-and-forth collecting supplies. I felt the graphics were decent, although blurry in some places. Throughout the game you will hear dogs barking. In the last chapter of this game, the constant barking of dogs was nerve racking. With all the shorter games of late, it is a rather long game, so you do get your money's worth. However, the quality here does not match the quantity.
AN OWL WHICH IS A HOOT! There is a helper owl within this game. I dislike helpers in games and his presence in the game is somewhat erratic. He is used eight (8) times in the demo, which, for me, is excessive. All he does is fly to some location and flap his wings back-and-forth. However, after the demo, he is hardly used at all.
MECHANICS: There are not many collectibles in this game. There are no morphing objects. There is only one collectible – love letters. There are one hundred two (102) love letters to collect. Wow! They are everywhere in this game and some are easy to locate, and some are not. How this collectible relates to this game is beyond me. You must collect all of them to uncover a hidden puzzle at the end of the game. There are fifteen (15) achievements to collect (from what I could count). You can replay seven (7) mini-games and fifteen (15) HOP scenes from the main game. Since I did not finish the bonus chapter, I have no idea how many of those there are from that chapter.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Kurtz, Michael’s friend is missing. You are off to locate him. From the short time I played into the bonus game, this chapter appears to be of the same caliber as the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are nineteen (19) HOP scenes in the main game. The scenes are standard ones seen in most games. Most of the scenes are standard lists of items requiring little interaction with the scene. There is little creativity in design. Most of the scenes are not thematic – just a random assortment of items. With the slow pace and lackluster HOP scenes, this game is very boring. The only ones I enjoyed in the game were the search-and-replace scenes in which you locate items and replace them back within the scene. Scenes are reused within the game as well. You can also play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scene.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-six (26) puzzles in the main game. The puzzles are variations of ones seen in most games. Most are easy. Many are not thematic and lack creative design. There are two which I did enjoy playing. Both are maze puzzles. The last puzzle is a super puzzle. However, I feel this super puzzle, containing three (3) mediocre puzzles, has nothing to do with the theme of the game. In general, I was not impressed with most of the puzzles.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Ye Olde book puzzle. Place books in correct order according to a given illustration.
B. Maze puzzle. Maneuver two keys so that they reach their locks at the same time. Moving one moves the other. Avoid vortexes which send you back to the beginning.
C. Maze puzzle. Move through a cloud-covered maze moving to locations indicated in a storybook.
D. Ye Olde Rope puzzle. Untangle ropes by switching nodes from the rope.
E. Place nine items into slots in a box by row and column so they match up by type and color.
F. Best puzzle in the game. Maze puzzle. Lead your character through a maze. You will need to avoid watchdogs and locate colored keys to open matching colored gates as you try to reach the exit.
B. Maze puzzle. Maneuver two keys so that they reach their locks at the same time. Moving one moves the other. Avoid vortexes which send you back to the beginning.
C. Maze puzzle. Move through a cloud-covered maze moving to locations indicated in a storybook.
D. Ye Olde Rope puzzle. Untangle ropes by switching nodes from the rope.
E. Place nine items into slots in a box by row and column so they match up by type and color.
F. Best puzzle in the game. Maze puzzle. Lead your character through a maze. You will need to avoid watchdogs and locate colored keys to open matching colored gates as you try to reach the exit.
I recommend this game!
The penguins are off on a new adventure to solve colorful puzzles and find the treasure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
27 of 50 found this review helpful
PENNY PENGUIN LEADS US TO ANOTHER TREASURE TROVE OF GREAT NONOGRAM PUZZLES
PostedApril 23, 2018
sunnyglow
fromSearching for gaming treasure today! Getting ready to dig into this game and bring up some great puzzles to play!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: Open another treasure trove of great nonograms in this game! Penny Penguin has located a treasure map. Now, she has enlisted the whole Penguin family to search for the treasure by playing these puzzles!
NEW FEATURES HAVE RETURNED: As with the last game in this series, you cannot switch from color-to-color for all the colors at the beginning of the game. You must play into the game to unlock some colors. This makes this game a little more difficult! You also have a choice of five (5) different styles of tiles for the game.
What a wonderful Monday surprise! A BIG THANK you to BFG for offering a game in one of my favorite genres. Match Gems has upped their game with these new additions! This is another excellent 5-star game from Match Gems.
GAME FACTS:
• Levels: Casual and Advanced.
• Colors: The game has up to six colored screens. In this game you will need to play one color until you have uncovered enough of the cells to release the next color.
• You have the choice of five (5) different styles of tiles in which to play the game.
• Autofill: There is auto-fill so you do not have to fill in the unused boxes. However, you can use your mouse to right click “X’s” for unused spaces.
• Hints: Hints are given as you proceed and are based on the difficulty of the puzzle and how well you perform in solving the grid
• Number of Levels and Puzzles: There are 100 puzzles – 20 levels with 5 puzzles per level in the game.
• Aids: You have a pickax as an aid in the game
• Awards: There are 3 trophies: a gold trophy for no mistakes, a silver trophy for 1 mistake, and a bronze trophy for two mistakes. If you make 3 mistakes, you must start the game over again.
• Colors: The game has up to six colored screens. In this game you will need to play one color until you have uncovered enough of the cells to release the next color.
• You have the choice of five (5) different styles of tiles in which to play the game.
• Autofill: There is auto-fill so you do not have to fill in the unused boxes. However, you can use your mouse to right click “X’s” for unused spaces.
• Hints: Hints are given as you proceed and are based on the difficulty of the puzzle and how well you perform in solving the grid
• Number of Levels and Puzzles: There are 100 puzzles – 20 levels with 5 puzzles per level in the game.
• Aids: You have a pickax as an aid in the game
• Awards: There are 3 trophies: a gold trophy for no mistakes, a silver trophy for 1 mistake, and a bronze trophy for two mistakes. If you make 3 mistakes, you must start the game over again.
I highly recommend this game if you like Sudoku games or any type of mathematical puzzle.
I recommend this game!
Save the town of Blackhill from an army of shadows!
Overall rating
5
/
5
79 of 132 found this review helpful
A ROLLER COASTER RIDE THROUGH TIME AND PARALLEL UNIVERSES
PostedApril 21, 2018
sunnyglow
fromLocation? Spiraling down a rabbit hole (wormhole) and hopping out into an alternate universe to attend a tea party for “me” prepared by “myself.” Joining us are my other “selves” from other alternate universes, and, of course, A.L.I.C.E.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 Pages - Time: 4 hours.
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 Pages - Time: 4 hours.
OVERVIEW: OVERVIEW: Detective! Climb aboard an interdimensional roller coaster as you spiral between time and space and enter parallel universes! Out of the fog and into your life comes monsters! Yes, nasty, red-eyed interdimensional nasties are invading the small town of Blackhill! You and Elf are off to a small town to tackle these denizens of the fog. Working on project involving the space/time continuum, Professor Xiao and his genius niece, Sophie, opened a portal into a parallel universe. When Sophie, the professor’s niece, is kidnapped, you, with Elf at your side, are off to save her and investigate this case.
QUALITY OR QUANTITY? Quality! What else can I say – Elephant is one of those champagne developers whose games I truly enjoy. I love the story which revolves around the string theory of quantum mechanics and parallel worlds. This is another great entry into this series! This game should appeal to all the Elf lovers out there! The graphics are decent. The pace is excellent with plenty of activities to keep you occupied traveling through time and space.
THE POLAR OPPOSITE! Quantity! What a disappointment! This game very short. I finished it in less than four (4) hours including the bonus chapter. It appears that with each game produced, they are becoming shorter and shorter not just for this developer but others as well. Also, I also wish there was an option to replay some of those puzzles. I found a few difficult and would like to play them again. You cannot replay any HOP scenes either.
QUANTUM MECHANICS: This game is short on extras! You collect twenty-six (26) picture fragments to complete photos at the end of the game. You also collect twelve (12) figurines of Elf attired in different costumes. This is a nice whimsical addition to the game. Although not a dog person, I felt they were adorable. There are twenty-four (24) morphing objects. I found all somewhat easy to locate. I counted twenty-one (21) achievements to earn.
TO ELF OR NOT TO ELF: I have only purchased a few of these games due to Elf. There are some of us who are not dog lovers or do not want helpers in the games. However, you do have the option to forgo his help. He will frown and go away dejected – but - will not be seen throughout the main game. However, why didn’t this developer offer this in the bonus chapter? You cannot opt out of using him and he is used quite a bit in this chapter.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is related to the main game with the same characters from that game. In the bonus chapter you must save Professor Xiao and Sophie from an evil organization from an alternate universe. When the professor is kidnapped you will be zipping back and forth through time in alternate realities. Like the game, I did not feel it was long enough to be worth the additional price of the game.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-three (23) HOP scenes in the game – five (5) of those in the bonus chapter. This also includes several mini-HOP scenes which require searching for a small number of one item. They are varied as well. However, I felt the ones in the demo were better created than the ones after the demo. They include the usual lists of items, silhouette, matching and storybook scenes. However, there were two I felt were rather creative. There is one which is a rebus scene in the demo and in the main game there is one which has looking for patterns or pieces of the scene instead of actual items. There are also several scenes in which you search for four (4) morphing objects after locating items within the scenes.
PUZZLES: There are thirty-three (33) puzzles within the game. They vary in difficulty and style. Most are relatively easy; however, there are a few which are difficult. Some of the puzzles relate to the theme of this game. However, to create puzzles based on the theme of this game would be rather difficult. Unless you are an “Einstein,” it is probably better the developer DID NOT base puzzles on this branch of physics.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Assembly puzzle. Create three images by choosing between patterns which, when combined, will produce a given image.
B. Kill the “itsy bitsy” spider’s polar opposite! Physical puzzle. (1) Place triangles on a square which acts as a shield before a worm tries to invade. (2) Click on a target when cross hairs enter a glowing orb.
C. Through the looking glass. Assembly puzzle. Using four buttons with different geometrical shapes, recreate a “mirror” image to one given.
D. Map puzzle. Follow directions and lead your car to various locations to get to your final destination. You will need to move the screen to locate the landmarks
E. Queens 8 Puzzle. Ye olde chestnut in which you must place (in this case) chips on a chess board so that no row or column has more than one chip within it.
F. Escape puzzle. On a grid move a detective from square-to square avoiding beams of light which rotate after each move. If you get zapped by a beam of light – you must start over.
B. Kill the “itsy bitsy” spider’s polar opposite! Physical puzzle. (1) Place triangles on a square which acts as a shield before a worm tries to invade. (2) Click on a target when cross hairs enter a glowing orb.
C. Through the looking glass. Assembly puzzle. Using four buttons with different geometrical shapes, recreate a “mirror” image to one given.
D. Map puzzle. Follow directions and lead your car to various locations to get to your final destination. You will need to move the screen to locate the landmarks
E. Queens 8 Puzzle. Ye olde chestnut in which you must place (in this case) chips on a chess board so that no row or column has more than one chip within it.
F. Escape puzzle. On a grid move a detective from square-to square avoiding beams of light which rotate after each move. If you get zapped by a beam of light – you must start over.
I recommend this game!
Survive a dangerous game of luck to uncover your past!
Overall rating
5
/
5
115 of 198 found this review helpful
ROLL THE DICE - ODDS ARE THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR!
PostedApril 19, 2018
sunnyglow
fromThis game has developed a “hunka, hunka” burning love for Vegas – Baby! “Going to the chapel” to look for a high-rolling Elvis to tour the strip; play the slots: dine at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and truly enjoy the “magic” of Vegas with Penn & Teller.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME MINUS THE BONUS CHAPTER
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 45 Pages – Time: 4 Hours
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 45 Pages – Time: 4 Hours
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: Hello Sunshine! Get ready to participate in a winner-take-all tournament. Just remember to don your mask and cloak and follow all the rules! Failure to do so will result in your “final” elimination! Nevertheless, winning will result in the fulfillment of your fondest wish. However, by the end of this game, your fondest wish may be to never see a casino again! Return to the 1920’s. As an infant you were left at an orphanage with a torn picture, a poker chip and a burned card with the word “Azara.” Now, searching for clues concerning your parents, find yourself in this tournament at the newly constructed Azara hotel. You will compete against six (6) fellow competitors. Hopefully you will learn something about your parentage and hopefully, you will survive this tournament!
OPINION: I LOVE this game, although it is short with a part-time helper. I purchased it immediately. In my opinion, 4 Friends is upping the quality of their games. This game should appeal to those who love casino-style games (which constitute most of the puzzles) and those who love mysteries. The graphics are full of bright lights – displaying a colorful casino-style environment. Think – Vegas, baby! The game is well-constructed with most of the activities related to gambling. The pace is excellent with many of the puzzles based on casino games.
MECHANICS: You collect fifty (50) jokers which, when you have collected enough of them, add a player to a card game. There is a sidebar which indicates if there is a joker within the scene. I found most of the jokers easy to locate. You will also be collecting six cards which give you powers you can use throughout the game – strength, sensing gold, mechanical strength, illusion shattering, impersonation, and a joker. There are fifteen (15) achievements you can earn along with seven (7) wallpapers, concept art, and music. You can replay eleven (11) HOP scenes and fourteen (14) mini-games.
CLOVER THE RUNAWAY HELPER: You will have a part-time helper in this game, a small, doe-eyed dog. This little pooch will help you and then disappear only to reappear again in the game. He is not used often in the game and he “helps” you quickly. Although I hate helpers, he was tolerable within this game. He does not sit at the side of the inventory bar no does he bark.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel to the game. In this chapter you will need to save someone dear to you. To state more would give away too much about this game. It is a continuation of this game. I feel you would need to purchase the CE version or you could be left hanging if you purchase the SE. I did not complete the bonus chapter; however, it appears to be of decent length.
HOP SCENES: There are fourteen (14) within the main game. They are thematic; however, most are straight lists of items. Only the first scene displays any creativity. There is one scene repeated within this game. The HOP scenes are my biggest disappointment. With this theme, I feel more could have been done with the scenes. They are not considered HOP scenes; however, there are scenes in which you must use a magic lens to locate hidden objects within a scene.
PUZZLES: I LOVE the puzzles in this game. In the main game there are twenty (20) puzzles. All the creativity within this game lies with the puzzles. The puzzles fit nicely with the casino theme of the game. They vary in style and difficulty. There are a couple of difficult puzzles within this game. Play puzzles which deal with cards, dice, slot machines, and dominoes. They are well-crafted games and in many you will have to beat the computer. I purchased this game for the puzzles and want to replay some of these. Just exquisite!
SPOILER: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Connection puzzle. Connect lines between cards so that the lines emanating from the card matches that on the card.
B. Tangram puzzle. Place pieces into position to create an image. Place the pieces so there are no spaces within the grid to create this image.
C. Mathematical puzzle. Arrange billiard balls within two circles so that the total of any two of the balls equals one centered between the two. Difficult. You can switch out the numbered five extra balls.
D. Blackjack! Place cards faceup and try to get 21 to remove the cards. You must find this combination six (6) times in the scene.
E. Cube puzzle. Pull on arrows on a cube with colored pegs extending from them. Pull on the arrows until all the pegs match up with the background. Difficult.
F. Hit the jackpot! Slot machine. Move the handle and try to get the same token across the screen. You can hold symbols for one turn of the slots.
G. Assembly puzzle. Swap the corners of torn cards to create complete the cards. Cards are face down. Cards rotate as you try to restore them. Somewhat difficult.
B. Tangram puzzle. Place pieces into position to create an image. Place the pieces so there are no spaces within the grid to create this image.
C. Mathematical puzzle. Arrange billiard balls within two circles so that the total of any two of the balls equals one centered between the two. Difficult. You can switch out the numbered five extra balls.
D. Blackjack! Place cards faceup and try to get 21 to remove the cards. You must find this combination six (6) times in the scene.
E. Cube puzzle. Pull on arrows on a cube with colored pegs extending from them. Pull on the arrows until all the pegs match up with the background. Difficult.
F. Hit the jackpot! Slot machine. Move the handle and try to get the same token across the screen. You can hold symbols for one turn of the slots.
G. Assembly puzzle. Swap the corners of torn cards to create complete the cards. Cards are face down. Cards rotate as you try to restore them. Somewhat difficult.
I recommend this game!
Unlock the secrets of the moor to save your niece from the banshee!
Overall rating
3
/
5
66 of 119 found this review helpful
I SEE A BAD MOON ARISING!
PostedApril 14, 2018
sunnyglow
fromAn island in the sun? Swimming with the dolphins? After playing this week’s games, I am staying clear of islands. After that “sun” goes down, a full moon rising brings out creatures I don’t want to swim with.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 39 Pages – Time: 4 hours
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 39 Pages – Time: 4 hours
Pack up your kilts Detective Pamela. You are off on a Scottish fling to Kirkwall, Scotland to celebrate your niece Pamela’s birthday. However, while you and your family are preparing for her party, Nora is whisked away by a demon, a banshee said to inhabit a neighboring island. This beast of the moor, known as the Banshee of MacConnell Island, is on the prowl for more souls to steal. As the red moon rises over the moor, a demon spirit is out to feed upon whatever souls it can capture. You will need to sail to this dark, evil-infested island, to the abandoned cursed MacConnell estate, to save your niece. This game has some surprises! Search the highlands and the lowlands of Scotland to find the source of this evil.
OPINION: This is another short game which I played in approximately four hours including the bonus chapter. I bought it because I loved the demo. However, after the demo, I felt the quality of the game deteriorated. To me, it denigrated into incessant wandering around an island with little dialogue with an occasional puzzle or HOP scene to play. I regret purchasing this game. To me, this game is not worthy of a collector’s edition designation. Frankly, I am torn in whether to recommend it. - so, I AM RECOMMENDING THIS GAME WITH RESERVATION.
It is a game which should appeal to those who love spooky games (nothing here very frightening) or just want an easy-breezy game to play. There is nothing challenging in this game. I love the legend behind the game. The dark ambiance with the bloody moon-stricken graphics of the moor bring a sense of foreboding to this game. The Scottish accents by the actors behind the characters also add a wee touch of authenticity to this game. The pace is excellent in the demo with plenty of activities to keep you busy. However, after the demo, the game slows down to a turtle’s pace, especially in the bonus chapter.
MECHANICS: You receive a gimmicky amulet attached to a dreamcatcher. You will use this to defeat cursed creatures. It will glow when it is needed in the game. You will play the same puzzle which increases in difficulty with each cursed beast you must defeat. You will pick up four (4) more amulets as you play the game and you will need a different amulet for each cursed creature you encounter. You collect twelve (12) pumpkins and ten (10) morphing objects. They are easy to locate. Each pumpkin you collect provides more information about pumpkins that you would ever wish to know. You can replay ten (10) HOP scenes and twenty-nine (29) puzzles. There are seventeen (17) wallpapers along with concept art and a soundtrack. You can also earn ten (10) achievements.
BONUS CHAPTER: The short bonus chapter is a sequel. Go into the heart of nature to help a shaman heal the heart of a tree, stolen and destroyed by a rascally cat! You must cure the tree which provides life for this kingdom and deal with a major mean kitty! The game goes off in a new direction from the main game. It enters the world of fairy tales with birds you can fly, goblins, curses, and huge rats! I don’t like fairy tale games and absolutely hated this sequel. I also hated the voice of the shaman whose high-pitched elfin voice got on my nerves. However, the graphics were colorful and beautifully rendered.
HOP SCENES: There are only thirteen (13) HOP scenes in the entire game, including the bonus chapter. Most are lists of items with little interaction within the scenes. One of the scenes in the main game is used twice. To me, no scene should be recycled in an editor’s edition game! There is one FROG and one silhouette scene. I did like one scene in which you must search for items and then replace them within the scene. However, overall, the HOP scenes are few and to me, rather boring.
PUZZLES: This is a puzzle-intense game. There are thirty-one (31) puzzles within the game. Most of the puzzles are easy but are varied in design. However, there are a few more challenging ones. I found none which I would consider brain crushing. There are several storybook puzzles in which the player searches for items within a storybook setting. To me, these are NOT puzzles – they are HOP scenes. Most of the puzzles are ones seen in other games. There are a couple of bullseye puzzles to defeat the evildoers. My favorite was a logic puzzle in which you must reconstruct the MacConnell family tree.
AMULET PUZZLE: Each time you need to defeat a cursed beast, you will play a puzzle in which you must find runes which do not match up with those from the amulet. You can replay this puzzle all four times it appears; however, I feel this is overkill.
SPOILER: Here are some of the puzzles AFTER the demo:
A. Connect-the-Dots. Connect points on lines on a dragon so that each dot and line is visited without retracing your steps. This same puzzle also appears in the bonus chapter with a necklace.
B. Matching pattern puzzle. Rotate gems on three different circles moving the gems around so that the pattern produced by the gems is the same as one given to you to copy.
C. Logic puzzle. Create a family tree. Place portraits of the MacConnell family according to given clues. Excellent puzzle not often seen.
D. Moving tiles puzzle. Slide masks into the proper rows matching them to the masks at the side of the grid. Each of three rows will have three masks.
E. BONUS CHAPTER: Diagnosis for a heart. Spot the differences. Spot the differences between the heart in a book and a real one.
B. Matching pattern puzzle. Rotate gems on three different circles moving the gems around so that the pattern produced by the gems is the same as one given to you to copy.
C. Logic puzzle. Create a family tree. Place portraits of the MacConnell family according to given clues. Excellent puzzle not often seen.
D. Moving tiles puzzle. Slide masks into the proper rows matching them to the masks at the side of the grid. Each of three rows will have three masks.
E. BONUS CHAPTER: Diagnosis for a heart. Spot the differences. Spot the differences between the heart in a book and a real one.
I recommend this game!
Delve into the Morante family’s past to stop a murderer!
Overall rating
5
/
5
116 of 195 found this review helpful
“ALL IN THE FAMILY” – THE MORANTES OF MORANTE ISLAND
PostedApril 12, 2018
sunnyglow
fromAfter this game, I think the Morante women should produce their own “family drama” reality show – The Real Housewives of Morante Island. And, Selena could act as the “ghost writer” for the series.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME:
6 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 39 pages – Time: 4 Hours
6 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 39 pages – Time: 4 Hours
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: On the first of this week’s island adventures, you, Detective are off to investigate the murder of Don Raimondo Morante in his estate on Morante Island. Seemingly, he fell to his death; however, did he have a little help from someone out to kill him? The dearly departed fifty-seven (57) year old, has left behind a pregnant wife, Dora, and adult children, Leon and Adelina (who is engaged). Superstition abounds in this village as most village inhabitants believe the culprit for his demise is the ghost of his first wife of Don Raimondo, Selena. Is she out to exact revenge on the family which she believes may have violated a contract with another family? Has a curse been unleashed or is someone out to claim his or her share of a sizeable inheritance? However, could there be another reason for the murder? There are plenty of suspects within this game. You will need polish off your best sleuthing skills to solve this case.
OPINION: This is a short game. I played the entire main game and bonus chapter in four hours. This is a nice easy-breezy game for those who love whodunits. The story behind the game leads you down a slippery path which takes some twists and turns as it leads to a surprise ending. The graphics appear hand-drawn and are breathtaking as usual for AMAX games. The scenes are rich in color and well-portray an Italian estate. The pace is decent, although I did feel it slowed down in some places. I feel this sluggishness rests with the need to search for supplies to create potions and medicines. For me, these are boing activities. As in most AMAX games, you collect coins to purchase items to be used within the game.
OPINION: This is a short game. I played the entire main game and bonus chapter in four hours. This is a nice easy-breezy game for those who love whodunits. The story behind the game leads you down a slippery path which takes some twists and turns as it leads to a surprise ending. The graphics appear hand-drawn and are breathtaking as usual for AMAX games. The scenes are rich in color and well-portray an Italian estate. The pace is decent, although I did feel it slowed down in some places. I feel this sluggishness rests with the need to search for supplies to create potions and medicines. For me, these are boing activities. As in most AMAX games, you collect coins to purchase items to be used within the game.
FILLER – THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ITALY: Are you a detective or a housekeeper? I hate games which have the player doing senseless activities which have nothing to do with the theme of the game. Thus, it is in this game. You become a housekeeper to help some guy (who just appears out of the blue) within this game. It feels as if all the activities within this segment are fillers for the game. What does ironing clothes, tidying up a place, setting a table, and cooking dinner have to do with sleuthing?
BONUS CHAPTER: The bonus chapter is a sequel to the original game. More family drama awaits you detective as you get involved in the kidnapping of a family member. To write more would spoil the game for those who have not played it. There were few HOP scenes; however, I felt the puzzles were excellent and much better than in the actual game. My favorite puzzles are within this chapter.
MECHANICS: You collect coins to purchase items to repair a yacht, the Queen Victoria. Those huge blue disks are easy to locate. There are fifteen (15) achievements to earn. There are twenty-seven (27) morphing letters (G and F) which are also easy to locate. You can replay 14 HOP scenes and 14 puzzles. There are an even amount of HOP scenes and puzzles within this game.
HOP SCENES: With the number of mini-HOP scenes, it is difficult to give an exact number of HOP scenes. However, I counted twenty-one (21) within the game. There are some cleverly designed HOP scenes within this game. However, most of the scenes are mini-HOP scenes in which you search for a small number of items, usually pieces of some object. There are the usual lists of items, but there are also quite a few matching scenes and storybook scenes as well in which you search for items listed in green letters while listening to a story about the family. There were two scenes which involve searching for items within three different scenes and then placing those items into the correct location within the three scenes. To me, these were the best scenes of the game.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-six (26) puzzles within the game and most are easy. They vary in design and difficulty. However, there are few puzzles which I would consider difficult. There is a new one I have not seen before which has the player removing runes by using six sheets of paper with holes to display the runes to be removed. This is not an easy puzzle and one I will replay as I did not solve it the first time. In the demo there are some puzzles which have the option to be played in a hard or casual mode. However, those options cease to exist within the main game. There is one in the bonus chapter which does allow you this option.
SPOILER: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Matching puzzle. Match up images within books which open when they are selected.
B. Sequence puzzle. Click on octagonal stones in the proper sequence to fill in holes within a grid. Stones must be chosen in the proper sequence to fill in the holes or you must restart the puzzle.
C. Maze puzzle. Traverse a dark maze with only the light of a torch. Your torch will light your way as you search for items to get rid of obstacles in your path. Nicely done and easy to maneuver.
D. BONUS CHAPTER: And then there were none! A little toughie! Use 6 sheets of paper with holes cut into them. Place them on a grid with runes. Align all the holes with runes on the grid to remove them. It becomes more difficult as you remove more and more runes. You must remove all runes and that is not easy.
E. BONUS CHAPTER: Choice between Casual and Hard. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate rings to restore a picture. Fairly difficult
F. BONUS CHAPTER: Nonogram Puzzle. Place stones on a grid so that the number of stones in each row and column matches the numbers on the left side and top of the grid.
B. Sequence puzzle. Click on octagonal stones in the proper sequence to fill in holes within a grid. Stones must be chosen in the proper sequence to fill in the holes or you must restart the puzzle.
C. Maze puzzle. Traverse a dark maze with only the light of a torch. Your torch will light your way as you search for items to get rid of obstacles in your path. Nicely done and easy to maneuver.
D. BONUS CHAPTER: And then there were none! A little toughie! Use 6 sheets of paper with holes cut into them. Place them on a grid with runes. Align all the holes with runes on the grid to remove them. It becomes more difficult as you remove more and more runes. You must remove all runes and that is not easy.
E. BONUS CHAPTER: Choice between Casual and Hard. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate rings to restore a picture. Fairly difficult
F. BONUS CHAPTER: Nonogram Puzzle. Place stones on a grid so that the number of stones in each row and column matches the numbers on the left side and top of the grid.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the city from a tattoo artist’s magical ink?
Overall rating
5
/
5
115 of 192 found this review helpful
A GAME IN A NEW SERIES WHICH SHOULD BE A “HOWLING” SUCCESS!
PostedApril 7, 2018
sunnyglow
fromGrandma what BIG RULES you have! After Little Red and Chris left the back-alley bar for a play date with milk and cookies at Grandma’s house, Grandma nagged Little Red to clear the “cookies” off her computer.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? You may be after playing this game. Bet you won’t be getting any wolf tattoos! Prepare for another retelling of Red Riding Hood set in modern day Bay City. Play Chris Andersen, a detective, residing in the seamier side of this city. His girlfriend, Rachel, is this modern day Red Riding Hood. People are missing in this city and it may be tied to tattoos created with an exotic, poisonous ink. These glowing tattoos have some hidden purpose for their wearers - that purpose is up for you to discover. When your own tattooed Little Red is kidnapped, you are off to save her and the city as well from a crime ring headed by – you guessed it – a big bad wolf!
OPINION: This game is a great start for a promising new series. Presumably the “Andersen” referred to is Hans Christian Anderson; however, Red Riding Hood was not written by this author. No matter. It appears the fairy tale games in this series will be more adult in nature and set in the present. This game is reminiscent of the now defunct television show, “Once Upon a Time”. It has blended and contrasted a “noir” crime ambiance with that of the innocence of a fairy tale. There is some tongue-in-cheek humor as well. That contrast is well depicted by Little Red’s rendezvous with her boyfriend. After sitting in a run-down bar in the seamier side of Bay City, our little Red can’t wait to take her beloved to granny’s house for milk and cookies. The dark graphics include fairy tale elements including wolves, red capes, and even the three little pigs.
This game is a great for those who love film noir or detective whodunits. It might also appeal to those who like their fairy tales lite in sugary goodness. The pace is excellent and will keep you guessing what will happen next. There is minimal back-and-forth action within the game. Most of activities are relegated to one or two scenes - a HOP, skip and a jump from your locality in the game. No tennis shoes needed here for running to-and-fro. The HOP scenes and puzzles are creatively designed, with some which are thematic as well. I will purchase it and play this weekend. From the demo, it appears promising. Hopefully it will live up to the demo.
MECHANICS: This game is a vast improvement for EIPIX. However, there are not many extras. You can replay seventeen (17) puzzles and sixteen (16) HOP scenes. Collect thirty-one (31) Little Red Riding Hood figures which practically jump out at you. Collect sixteen (16) morphing objects which are located only in the HOP scenes. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with casual art, music selections, and videos. There is also a souvenir room as well.
HOP SCENES: There were only three (3) in the demo. However, I feel the scenes are creatively designed – at least in the demo. There is one which has the player searching for items on a television screen during a newscast. It is a silhouette scene with three different types of silhouettes. In another you open doors within a cabinet to locate items. At least there are no straight lists of items as in previous games.
PUZZLES: From the demo, it appears that EIPIX has created some unique puzzles. There is a nice mixture of easy and difficult puzzles. I enjoyed the assembly puzzle in which you must scale up a building by using bridges and ladders. There is a thematic switch puzzle in which you switch the characters of Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf on a grid. However, one puzzle is recycled from an MCF game. It still has the same confusing directions from that game. However, having played it once, I was up to the task. You need to move levers up and down to light up three rows of fuses so that levers are used, but you would not discern that from the directions.
I recommend this game!
Can you save Dupin from a malevolent murderer in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
99 of 177 found this review helpful
DUPIN IS PULLING SOME SURPRISES OUT OF HIS HAT IN THIS GAME!
PostedApril 5, 2018
sunnyglow
fromShock! Dupin lost his hat! Our cool “Cat in the Hat,” Dupin lost his hat for a short period of time in this game. Perhaps AMAX used it to pull out some illusions within this game!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE MAIN GAME:
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 33 Pages – Time: 3 Hours
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 33 Pages – Time: 3 Hours
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: Things are not always as they seem, detective! Expect some twists and turns in this game. Enter a world of illusion beginning at the Pendulum House, as you assist Dupin in another mystery based upon a Poe classic. Dupin has asked you to help him investigate the death of his friend, Zula, a psychic medium and illusionist. She has been shot by a poison dart and it appears her assistant, Jacob may be the culprit. When he – POOF – disappears right in front of your eyes, you will both find yourself on a case containing some surprises! Beware! Sleight of hand is at work here and what you see in the demo may be an illusion in more ways than one!
OPINION: This is a great game for those who love this series, those who love whodunits or those who want an easy breezy game. I purchased this game based on the demo and soon regretted my decision. The game is short! I played the main game in less than three hours. I was also shocked at the poor quality of this game after the demo. The game seems to have been rushed. It lacks all the beauty and quality of the first games in this series. The graphics are shocking! Some of the scenes are blurry. There are one-dimensional pop-up scenes toward the end of the game. I felt as if I were reading a pop-up book. Returning within the game are scenes with annoying animal sounds. Please, AMAX, get rid of the baying wolves, screeching cats, and howling dogs.
The saving grace within this game is the story, which is excellent. It has nothing to do with original Poe classic “The Pit and the Pendulum.” It is a well-written story with elements of surprise throughout the game. It is an excellent whodunit. Unfortunately, the game mechanics do not display the same quality as the story. To me this game is poorly constructed. The activities are boring. Most of the HOP scenes are straight lists of items with little or no creative design. Most are not very interactive. The puzzles are ones seen in many other games and most are not thematic. They just seem to be thrown into the game. There were only a couple which I felt were decent. To me, this game is NOT worthy of the collector’s edition designation. It is a shame that a game with such a great story lacks everything else to make it a spectacular game!
MECHANICS: There are not many collectibles within the game. You collect nine (9) cards and twenty-six (26) morphing objects. Most of the items are easy to locate. There are sixteen (16) achievements for you to earn. You can replay sixteen (16) mini-games and twelve (12) HOP scenes. There are six (6) wallpapers along with the standard concept art, music and videos.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel to the story. The story revolves around the quest for an ancient artifact which could be deadly if it falls into the wrong hands. I have not finished the bonus chapter and may not bother to complete it. The activities are like those of the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are nineteen (19) in the main game (including the mini-HOP scenes). Most of these are lists of items, and toward the end of the main game, they are all lists of items. They lack creativity, and most are not very interactive. I found the ones in the demo better than those in the actual game. There are quite a few mini-HOP scenes in which you collect a small number of one item. There is one multiple-step scene in the game, which is probably the only scene I found somewhat well-designed. One of the scenes also contains a mini-game.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-six (26) puzzles in the main game. Most of the puzzles are easy. However, there are several puzzles which provide the option to play them in either a hard or casual mode. Most of the puzzles are easy to solve even in the hard mode. I found none which were challenging. I found the puzzles better toward the end of the game. There are three which I enjoyed. There is an interesting modified chess puzzle involving knights (in this case horses) and a mahjong puzzle, which is seldom seen in games. There is also a maze puzzle which involves a train trying to reach a station while avoiding other trains in its path.
SPOILER: HERE IS A SAMPLING OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Sequence puzzle. Ye olde bar removal puzzle. Remove bars from a door in sequential order. The bars must not have any other bars stuck within them.
B. Casual vs. Hard. Chess puzzle. Move 3 knights (colored horses) to the appropriate colored slots following the “L” shaped move from chess.
C. Casual vs. Hard. Sleight of hand. Watch a ball under a cup switched around with two other cups. Choose the cup which has the ball after they stop moving. 3X
D. Casual vs. Hard. Maze puzzle. Take the train. Take a train to town by choosing the correct tracks to traverse while switching tracks and avoiding other trains in your path. If you make a mistake, you return to the beginning.
E. Switch puzzle. Switch twelve (12) tokens so that four rows containing three tokens each are all related to each other.
F. Mahjong puzzle. Remove blocks according to pattern design and color.
B. Casual vs. Hard. Chess puzzle. Move 3 knights (colored horses) to the appropriate colored slots following the “L” shaped move from chess.
C. Casual vs. Hard. Sleight of hand. Watch a ball under a cup switched around with two other cups. Choose the cup which has the ball after they stop moving. 3X
D. Casual vs. Hard. Maze puzzle. Take the train. Take a train to town by choosing the correct tracks to traverse while switching tracks and avoiding other trains in your path. If you make a mistake, you return to the beginning.
E. Switch puzzle. Switch twelve (12) tokens so that four rows containing three tokens each are all related to each other.
F. Mahjong puzzle. Remove blocks according to pattern design and color.
I recommend this game!