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:
Nobody comes back from the Dark Side unchanged, but it’s the only way to re-light the fading flame.
Overall rating
5
/
5
75 of 166 found this review helpful
CRASH LAND INTO A FANTASTIC GAME
PostedMarch 31, 2018
sunnyglow
fromThe Easter Bunny is HOP-ping in to wish you a wonderful HOP-filled Easter!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UON THE ENTIRE GAME:
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 44 Pages – Time: 5 Hours
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 44 Pages – Time: 5 Hours
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: Alice! Crash land into the third episode of your never-rending battle against the Darkness headed by the Dark Warrior. Sorry to “burst your balloon,” but blowing up the dam did not annihilate the Dark Warrior. Whirling through a tornado, your hot air balloon crashes into the Dark Canyon. Dust yourself off and find yourself in a quest to locate your Uncle Colin, friend Farador, and to destroy the Darkness with your unique power, a tattoo containing a fiery phoenix. This time you will get some help from another teen, Ray. Will you ever destroy the Dark Warrior and conquer the Darkness? Perhaps the third time’s the charm – especially with your own Prince Charming to help!
OPINION: I have been eagerly awaiting this game! This is a great game for sci-fi and adventure game lovers. It is also a great game for ‘tweens’ like our heroine Alice. With scaling up cliffs, being timed while escaping a maze, or fighting off the Darkness - get prepared for an action-packed game! Grab your tennis shoes as you will be traveling back-and-forth between scenes in this game. You will be grateful for that transportable map. Remember to jot down where you see actions which need to be completed, otherwise you could be stuck within this game a long time. I felt this game equal to the others in the series.
The graphics are cartoon-like. They are varied as well. They are bright and colorful in some scenes; gray and dark in others; and incredibly beautiful in some scenes. There will be scenes of desolation; however, you will also encounter incredibly beautiful exotic communities, hidden in caves away from this post-apocalyptic world. This game is HOP light and puzzle intense. The pace is excellent with plenty of activities to engage in as you battle the Dark Warrior. There are a host of collectibles within this game and quite a few morphing objects as well. Some are easy to locate and some not. It is jam-packed with extras from forty-two (42) collectibles to a bonus puzzle with twenty (20) different puzzles within it. You also get an extra seven (7) original puzzles to play if you collect all the collectibles within each set of collectibles. If you are missing collectibles within each set, you can collect more in the bonus chapter.
MECHANICS:
• 22 Achievements
• Replay 21 Mini-games
• Play 7 brand spanking new Puzzles (you receive one NEW puzzle every time you complete a collection)
• Collectibles: Thirty (30) morphing objects and forty-two (42) collectibles - (7 gold figurines, 7 lotus blossoms,8 brooches, 6 jade frogs, 6 rings, and 8 origami pieces).
• Bonus Puzzle with twenty (20) different games to play
• 9 Wallpapers, Concept Art, Music, Videos
• 22 Achievements
• Replay 21 Mini-games
• Play 7 brand spanking new Puzzles (you receive one NEW puzzle every time you complete a collection)
• Collectibles: Thirty (30) morphing objects and forty-two (42) collectibles - (7 gold figurines, 7 lotus blossoms,8 brooches, 6 jade frogs, 6 rings, and 8 origami pieces).
• Bonus Puzzle with twenty (20) different games to play
• 9 Wallpapers, Concept Art, Music, Videos
INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL BONUS GAME: It is a prequel with incredibly beautiful graphics! Wow! Follow Helen from the main game as she tries to save the captured people from her village from the Darkness. They have been encapsulated into the webs of a spider. Help her find the knowledge concerning a magical flower to help save them from this evil.
HOP SCENES: There are only nine (9) in the entire main game and three (3) in the bonus game. Although there are not many in this game, the HOP scenes are creatively designed. There are few standard lists of items within this game. However, the ones in the game require a great deal of interaction with the scene and some contain mini-puzzles. There are creatively designed silhouette scenes. My favorites were the search and replace scenes in which you must locate items and interact with them within the scene. There are also a few mini-HOP scenes to locate a small number of one item.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-eight (28) within the main game and eleven (11) in the bonus game. Many are ones seen in many games, thematically designed to fit the game. There is a nice mixture of easy puzzles (some I would hardly call puzzles) with some moderately difficult ones. The puzzles reflect the scene in which they are situated. There are quite a few easy puzzles involved with restoring images, entering codes to open a lock. There are also puzzles which are jigsaw in nature.
SPOILER: HERE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES FROM THE GAME AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Moving tiles games. Exchange the positions of snakes and eagles by following paths provided between tokens. No eagle and snake can stand on neighboring cells.
B. Matching puzzle. Rather cool. Match up hexagonal plates on a stone wall. If matched correctly, the plate will flip and change to another image to match up. Match up all plates.
C. Replacement puzzle. Rather awesome. On a ship, locate and replace pieces into the proper location.
D. Bonus Chapter. Matching puzzle. Three colored dragonflies have numbers on their wings. Click on the wings of those in the scene to change their color so there are the exact number for each color. This puzzle is incredibly beautiful!
E. Bonus Chapter. Shark attack! Bullseye Shoot five sharks as they quickly pass the screen.
B. Matching puzzle. Rather cool. Match up hexagonal plates on a stone wall. If matched correctly, the plate will flip and change to another image to match up. Match up all plates.
C. Replacement puzzle. Rather awesome. On a ship, locate and replace pieces into the proper location.
D. Bonus Chapter. Matching puzzle. Three colored dragonflies have numbers on their wings. Click on the wings of those in the scene to change their color so there are the exact number for each color. This puzzle is incredibly beautiful!
E. Bonus Chapter. Shark attack! Bullseye Shoot five sharks as they quickly pass the screen.
I recommend this game!
Can you confront an otherworldly foe and save your nephew?
Overall rating
5
/
5
19 of 51 found this review helpful
BLAST OFF INTO A NEW SCI-FI SERIES FROM MAD HEAD GAMES
PostedMarch 29, 2018
sunnyglow
fromMy location? HOP-ping around in a spacecraft between Planet Priora and its two moons searching for alien technology I can reverse engineer to bring back to Earth. I do want the multi-task light spear!
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 MAIN GAME:
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter - Strategy Guide: 40 Pages -Time: 4 Hours
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter - Strategy Guide: 40 Pages -Time: 4 Hours
OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND: Get prepared for an out-of-this-world experience in a new sci-fi series from Mad Head Games. Enter a planetary system with two moons. Play Uncle Arthur, inventor of gadgets and gizmos on this planet. While on your way to a Victory Day celebration on the planet Priora, your nephew, Isaac, discovers a UFO which crash landed in the woods. When he disappears into the UFO, you are off to rescue him. The discovery of this UFO will see you blast off into a world of adventure and intrigue for both you and your nephew. Battle some interplanetary evildoers, lurking in the background out to conquer your planetary system. Can you rescue your nephew and save your planetary system?
OPINION: Sci-fi meets the Renaissance Faire along with a few pirates thrown into the mix as well. This is a great game for sci-fi aficionados, adventure game lovers, those who love fantasy games, and ‘tweens.’ It is an easy breezy game with most puzzles on the easy side with only a few which I would consider moderately difficult. Some might find some of the puzzles a tad too easy. The HOP scenes are standard fare seen in most games. I found none containing what I call the “wow” factor. Yet, the story behind this game and those stellar graphics make this an enjoyable game for sci-fi lovers! The graphics encapsulate both the high-tech alien landscape of the space colony and “ye olde” Medieval environment of the planet Priora. “Star Wars” is alluded to within this game from the evil empire to the use of “light spears.” This is a fast-paced game with plenty of activities to keep you busy. This was an automatic purchase for me.
MECHANICS:
• Game Helper: Hand augmentation device (bracelet) which allows you to understand the alien language and gives you power to fight off evildoers
• Replay sixteen (16) HOP scenes (I wish Mad Head would allow for the replay of puzzles as well)
• Achievements: Eleven (11) (Some with three (3) parts).
• Collectibles: Thirty-one (31) swirls and thirty-one (31) morphing objects (some in HOP scenes). Same collectibles as in all their games.
• Four (4) wallpapers plus music selections and concept art.
• Game Helper: Hand augmentation device (bracelet) which allows you to understand the alien language and gives you power to fight off evildoers
• Replay sixteen (16) HOP scenes (I wish Mad Head would allow for the replay of puzzles as well)
• Achievements: Eleven (11) (Some with three (3) parts).
• Collectibles: Thirty-one (31) swirls and thirty-one (31) morphing objects (some in HOP scenes). Same collectibles as in all their games.
• Four (4) wallpapers plus music selections and concept art.
BONUS CHAPTER: The bonus chapter is a sequel. Nephew Isaac has decided to study at a university on one of the Moons learning new technology not available on Priora. However, evildoers out for revenge may foil some of his plans. I have not played the entire bonus chapter, but the quality appears to be consistent with the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are fourteen (14) HOP scenes in the main game. There are probably at least two more in the bonus chapter. There are a few mini-HOP scenes within the game as well. These mini-games include searching for pieces of inventory items or searching for a small number of items within a scene. Generally, I was not impressed with the scenes. Most of them consist of silhouette scenes, list of items, or matching scenes. There are some which are interactive; however, most are simplistic searches for items. The only one I thought creative was a panorama one which involves switching between two scenes to locate symbols on two ravens.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-six (26) puzzles within the main game. I felt the puzzles were better in the demo than in the main game. Some of these I would not even consider puzzles. There are several “puzzles” which only consist of entering a given code for a lock or device. To me, this is NOT a puzzle. However, Mad Head did include a few moderately difficult puzzles which I did enjoy. I would consider this game a mixture in both the variety of puzzles and difficulty as well. However, generally, the puzzles tend toward the easier end of the spectrum.
SPOILER: HERE ARE A SAMPLING OF PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Ship Ahoy! Map puzzle. Create a path for a ship to follow by landing on spaces with one of three (3) images upon them. However, you cannot land at the end of the path until you have exactly five (5) of each of the three images.
B. Alien Technology. Physics/Mathematical puzzle. Fill three bowls with liquid within a contraption with pipes and valves. Open the valves and fill the bowls according to the amount posted next to each bowl.
C. A-maze-ing! Maze puzzle. Navigate a maze. Collect items as you traverse through the maze. They will need to be collected and used to get through the maze.
D. Claustrophobic? Surround puzzle. Move five (5) marbles to enclose a red marble by rotating the marbles until they completely encapsulate the red marble.
E. I see stars from this knock-out! Avoid those asteroids! Using arrows, avoid asteroids in your path.
F. Bullseye! Center two sets of sliders to knock out a raven. 2X
G. Beat the computer! Skipping Stones puzzle. In this case, they are tokens. Play against the computer. Connect more like-colored tokens than the computer (who is the evildoer) in this game.
H. A checkered past. Matching. Fill in squares on a checkers -like board so it matches a given diagram.
B. Alien Technology. Physics/Mathematical puzzle. Fill three bowls with liquid within a contraption with pipes and valves. Open the valves and fill the bowls according to the amount posted next to each bowl.
C. A-maze-ing! Maze puzzle. Navigate a maze. Collect items as you traverse through the maze. They will need to be collected and used to get through the maze.
D. Claustrophobic? Surround puzzle. Move five (5) marbles to enclose a red marble by rotating the marbles until they completely encapsulate the red marble.
E. I see stars from this knock-out! Avoid those asteroids! Using arrows, avoid asteroids in your path.
F. Bullseye! Center two sets of sliders to knock out a raven. 2X
G. Beat the computer! Skipping Stones puzzle. In this case, they are tokens. Play against the computer. Connect more like-colored tokens than the computer (who is the evildoer) in this game.
H. A checkered past. Matching. Fill in squares on a checkers -like board so it matches a given diagram.
I recommend this game!
Embark on a secret mission to save Princess Isabella!
Overall rating
3
/
5
75 of 165 found this review helpful
ENJOY A MONSTROUS ISLAND ADVENTURE
PostedMarch 24, 2018
sunnyglow
fromAfter time spent at the French “Court,” Pascal, the loveable hunchback, decided to build upon this “court” experience and pursue a law degree at a prestigious university in the U.S. He is now known as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
OVERVIEW: Detective – The Cardinal has given you a “monstrous” task of international significance! The Spanish princess, Isabella has been kidnapped and sequestered to a private island owned by the infamous Fontainebleau family. This is a matter of international importance as the princess is betrothed to the Prince of France. Uncover why has the princess been kidnapped by this nefarious family. This is a “beastly” task, but you are the Cardinal’s last hope in this tale of intrigue and revenge.
This is a great game for those who like this series, or perhaps those who have a penchant for French history or hunchbacks (as in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”) However, although I am a Francophile, the demo did not ring any bells for me. I did not purchase it. I have enjoyed other games within this series; however, for me, this game is not as good as some of the others. The incredible AMAX graphics are amazing. The pace is excellent with plenty of interaction within the scenes and little back-and-forth movement.
MECHANICS: This is a bare bones game. There is only one collectible - coins hidden within an apple. It would not be an AMAX game without collecting coins. They are in all their games. You use the coins to purchase clothing. Please AMAX, find some other collectibles! You can replay twelve (12) mini-games and fifteen (15) HOP scenes. There are achievements which you can earn. The amount is not given in the demo of the game. There is no mini-game to play in lieu of the HOP scenes and there are no morphing objects.
THE HUNCHBACK OF THE CATACOMBS OF AMAX: The grunting dwarf, St. Germaine, does not make an appearance in this game. However, not to disappoint those who love the bizarre, AMAX has added a little hunchbacked man, Pascal, as a guide within the game. He is the cowardly personal attendant to the princess. I have no idea if he is with you for the entire game; however, he is omnipresent in the demo. On the plus side, at least he does not grunt. This game is rather quiet without the usual howling cats, baying wolves, or barking dogs – and of course, no ringing of any bells!
CONGRATULATE YOURSELF WITH BIG BANNERS! Want to know how well you did in locating the items in the HOP Scenes? A BIG BANNER will appear to give you statistics of your accuracy in locating those items. If that is not enough of a BIG FLOURISH within this game, you will be lauded with another BIG BANNER when you get an achievement. These banners cover the entire screen, so it will be hard to ignore them. After the first one appears in the first HOP scene, you have the option to get rid of it. However, you cannot get rid of them for the achievements.
HOP SCENES: The scenes are standard fare. I found no scenes which had that “awe” factor. However, they are thematic. They include the standard lists of items, matching, silhouette, and storybook. There is some interactivity within them. You begin the game with a storybook scene outlining the game’s storyline. I felt this was a nice touch. There are several mini-HOP scenes. Symbols and runes abound in this game and there is a HOP scene in which you locate more than one symbol in the eye of a snake.
PUZZLES: The puzzles vary in style and difficulty. They are all variations of puzzles seen in most games. Most of them are easy. There are three (3) in the demo which I found moderately difficult. The demo consists of a variety of matching puzzles, moving tiles puzzles, Simon Says puzzles and sequence puzzles. Surprisingly, there are some puzzle-like activities which are not considered puzzles.
As good as some of the puzzles are, others I felt were poorly constructed or just plain boring. Returning is another tracing puzzle in which you must not touch the sides of the figure which you trace. The most ridiculous puzzle I played was one in which you must locate nails using a magnet. Not much imagination needed here – just move a magnet up and down and nails will magically appear.
THIS GAME WILL 'RUNE' YOUR DAY: No! Not again! Returning for the umpteenth time in a game is the assembly puzzle in which the player must combine two symbols to create a larger symbol in the middle of the scene. There are two within the demo. However, one of these is somewhat creative as it uses light reflections to create those symbols.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE MY TWO FAVORITE PUZZLES FROM THE DEMO:
A. Amazing Maze Puzzle. I wish all the puzzles in this game were as good as this one. In a maze puzzle you must traverse the catacombs by choosing the correct path to exit. There are items which you must collect to perform actions which are needed to proceed. If the other puzzles were as good as this one, I would have purchased this game.
B. Battle for Global Domination: Logic puzzle. Place On a globe, place tokens so that the number of each of three (3) tokens matches up by row and column. Nice puzzle design.
B. Battle for Global Domination: Logic puzzle. Place On a globe, place tokens so that the number of each of three (3) tokens matches up by row and column. Nice puzzle design.
I recommend this game!
Can you defend the townspeople from the dangerous black lotus?
Overall rating
5
/
5
126 of 207 found this review helpful
THIS BLACK LOTUS HAS BREATHED NEW LIFE INTO THIS DEVELOPER’S GAMES!
PostedMarch 22, 2018
sunnyglow
fromGrumpy Cat may have some competition in the grumpy department with Oscar the Grumpy Ram from this game. Everything for this old goat is Baaaad!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter
OVERVIEW: Here comes the bride! Unfortunately, not! On the eve of your wedding, your bride, Christina is given a deadly lotus flower as present from a local woman. Zapping the celebratory mood out of the festivities, this flower begins to drain your beloved’s life force. When she is completely drained of energy, when the petals of the flower are completely black, she will die. But why would anyone want to kill your bride? This deliverer is just a puppet in the machinations of a madman in his quest for eternal youth. Can you stop this evildoer and save your bride? I purchased this game! For me, this game is a vast improvement from previous games in this series. This game should appeal to fantasy game lovers and incurable romantics. I usually dislike this developer’s games; however, this is one I would recommend.
MECHANICS: 4 Friends has upped their game. The graphics are bright, clear, and colorful. Many of them provide a panoramic view as well. It appears that this developer has fine-tuned the graphics so there is no blurry imaging as in prior games. The story is a little far-fetched but does provide a good vehicle for this game. This game is an easy breezy game – I did not find one puzzle which was even moderately difficult. The pace is excellent with plenty of activities to keep the player busy. There is not much back-and-forth motion in searching for inventory items or supplies.
There are twenty (20) achievements to earn. There is only one collectible. You collect sixty-eight (68) phoenixes (the symbol of immortality). They are in various sizes throughout the scenes. There is an indicator bar at the left of the screen to indicate if there are any collectibles within the scene. There are five (5) wallpapers and (5) screensavers.
There are some innovative new features in this game. I especially enjoyed the timed scene in the beginning of the game. In a scene which will “take your breath away,” you are timed and only have a limited amount of time to save yourself from drowning.
HOP SCENES: The HOP scenes are creatively designed, and to me, the best part of the game. There are lists of items with mini-games within them. The scenes are incredibly beautiful. Flowers feature heavily within the scenes. You will search for items (at times more than one item) within the center of these flowers. As with many games today, many of the HOP scenes use symbols instead of items. I do believe this trend in the use of runes and symbols for not only HOP scenes but puzzles as well has run its course. You have the option to play a Match-3 in lieu of the scenes.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are easy and creatively designed. However, I do wish there was at least one puzzle which was a little more difficult to solve. Thematically, they fit well into this game. For example, in an underwater scene you merge bubbles into one large bubble. The puzzles are variations of ones seen in previous games. They consist of some easy matching puzzles and sequence puzzles. The battle scenes I played in the demo do not rely upon some bullseye game. There is one which is a logic problem and one which I consider my favorite puzzle of the demo.
FAVORITE PUZZLE: Usually in battle scenes to defeat some evildoer there is some bullseye mini-game to play. Personally, I hate these mini-games. However, in a battle against a crocodile, 4 Friends has provided a Skipping Stones puzzle instead. This puzzle requires you to match up three (3) or more stones by color to remove them until none remain. This is a logic problem as you must plan your moves so that you do not end up with one or two stones which are left over. You play three games and they increase in difficulty. Nice touch!
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Sequence puzzle. Beginning with the smallest air bubble, accumulate air bubbles in sequential order according to size – from smallest to largest. Rating: 1
B. Matching puzzle. Click on blossoms which disclose symbols. Match up pictures hidden within the blossoms. The blossoms move clockwise after each set of clicks. Rating: 2
C. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles so that in each column the two tiles are related to each other in some way. Rating: 1
D. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces on five picture frames to restore the images of 5 girls. Rating: 1
E. Sequence puzzle. Remove spikes from a comb in sequential order so that all the spikes are removed. Moving one spike affects the others. Rating: 1
F. Logic/Skipping Stones puzzle. Connect like tokens so that none remain. 3 X Increases in difficulty You must logically plan your moves to remove the tokens.
G. Logic puzzle! Battle scene! Defeat the Count’s guard. Using three actions, defeat the count’s guard. You must decide which of three actions to take to thwart the guard. 3 X Rating: 2
H. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens to restore a fresco. You can only work on one-half of the fresco at a time. Click a button to switch between the halves. Rating: 2
I. Book puzzle. Switch puzzle. Switch books to create an image when completed. Rating: 2
B. Matching puzzle. Click on blossoms which disclose symbols. Match up pictures hidden within the blossoms. The blossoms move clockwise after each set of clicks. Rating: 2
C. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles so that in each column the two tiles are related to each other in some way. Rating: 1
D. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces on five picture frames to restore the images of 5 girls. Rating: 1
E. Sequence puzzle. Remove spikes from a comb in sequential order so that all the spikes are removed. Moving one spike affects the others. Rating: 1
F. Logic/Skipping Stones puzzle. Connect like tokens so that none remain. 3 X Increases in difficulty You must logically plan your moves to remove the tokens.
G. Logic puzzle! Battle scene! Defeat the Count’s guard. Using three actions, defeat the count’s guard. You must decide which of three actions to take to thwart the guard. 3 X Rating: 2
H. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens to restore a fresco. You can only work on one-half of the fresco at a time. Click a button to switch between the halves. Rating: 2
I. Book puzzle. Switch puzzle. Switch books to create an image when completed. Rating: 2
I recommend this game!
These free TVs may be too good to be true...
Overall rating
3
/
5
90 of 175 found this review helpful
A FREE TELEVISION! THIS IS A FREEBIE TO DIE FOR IN A GAME WHICH NEEDS SOME FINE TUNING
PostedMarch 17, 2018
sunnyglow
fromI want a hamster-controlled battery charger as shown in this game. This is a BOGO – a working pet along with a charger!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter
OVERVIEW: Want a free television? They are free to all the citizens of Twola; however, this gift comes with a price. These “freebies” may be responsible for the death of the town’s citizens. People are dropping dead in front of these free televisions. Play a detective who is called in to investigate these deaths by her friend, a paranormal investigator. This mystery has many suspects who may be behind these deaths including the head of the television station and a mad physicist.
THIS GAME NEEDS ADJUSTING AND FINE TUNING: Hopefully Domini will readjust and fine tune the graphics in future games. This game is old school in design. There are black bars and some of the scenes are blurry as well. This game should appeal to those who like mystery games or those who like the paranormal. However, for me, this is a pass. I am an “aficionada” of Domini Games; however, for me, this one misses the mark. I was shocked how poorly constructed it is. I do not find it in the same caliber as most of their other games. The story is interesting and does engage in the conspiracy theory of mind control via electronic devices. However, for me the pace of this game is slow. I could not wait until the end of the demo to resume watching a movie on television. At least I won’t “die” of boredom watching a movie.
THIS GAME NEEDS ADJUSTING AND FINE TUNING: Hopefully Domini will readjust and fine tune the graphics in future games. This game is old school in design. There are black bars and some of the scenes are blurry as well. This game should appeal to those who like mystery games or those who like the paranormal. However, for me, this is a pass. I am an “aficionada” of Domini Games; however, for me, this one misses the mark. I was shocked how poorly constructed it is. I do not find it in the same caliber as most of their other games. The story is interesting and does engage in the conspiracy theory of mind control via electronic devices. However, for me the pace of this game is slow. I could not wait until the end of the demo to resume watching a movie on television. At least I won’t “die” of boredom watching a movie.
MECHANICS: You can customize the level of difficulty for the puzzles within the game’s main menu. However, you can still adjust the difficulty of the puzzle if you find it too easy or too hard. There are two collectibles. You collect one hundred eight (108) coins (gee, are you certain these are enough?) and twelve (12) artifacts. Again, there are indicators on the inventory bar to indicate if there are any of the collectibles within the scene. Personally, I would rather see another collectible and morphing objects. I hate collecting coins to purchase items. You can replay nineteen (19) HOP scenes and nineteen (19) puzzles. There are sixteen (16) wallpapers and thirty-eight (38) achievements to earn.
GIMMICKY GLASSES: They’re back! As in previous games, you receive a gimmicky pair of glasses which allow you to see the past. Many developers are offering some device to see hidden objects or past events. Personally, I am tired of these gimmicks. I would love to see them all disappear!
HOP SCENES: There are six (6) in the demo and five (5) are lists of items and one is a silhouette. I found most of the scenes lacking creativity. They are the same ones seen in many games. Most are standard lists of items with little interactivity. You can play a Match-3 game in lieu of the puzzles. There is one in the demo which I did enjoy. Instead of searching for the usual list of items or silhouette items, in this scene you search for pieces of the scene.
PUZZLES: There are fifteen (15) I the demo. Most of the puzzles can be played in either a hard or casual mode. Some of the puzzles are creatively designed and some are not. I was not wowed by the puzzles (even if they provide for two modes of difficulty) and I did not feel they were thematic. There is one challenging one I did enjoy, however. It is one in which you must copy a given pattern by moving tokens on a grid. The tokens can only move to certain locations, and with so many tokens, I felt is was difficult.
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT SAMPLES OF PUZZLES FROM THE DEMO:
PUZZLES: Most of the puzzles have the choice between easy and hard. Here are SOME of the puzzles within the demo: There are too many puzzles to list all of them.
A. Storybook puzzle. Search and connect items listed in yellow on a bulletin board. There are four items for each item listed to be found.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch pictures to match up with their silhouette on a wall.
C. Map puzzle. Follow directions and plot a path to get to the police station.
D. Matching puzzle. Following a diagram position a policeman as shown within the diagram.
E. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces of a picture to restore the picture. Not that easy as you will need to press a button for the picture to come together as one unit.
F. Logic puzzle. Using three dials with holes upon them, turn and position them so that six (6) each of two items are revealed through the holes.
G. Everybody is doing it! Assembly puzzle. Rotate four (4) dials on a safe to combine two parts of items on them to produce four images around the safe.
H. Assembly puzzle. On a grid, move tokens so they are in position as indicated on a schematic. However, you can only move tokens to certain locations which are indicated to you. There are many tokens to move in the difficult mode, so it is a difficult puzzle.
I. Logic puzzle. From a sheet a paper with three columns, choose the correct three words (one from each column) which are the password for a computer. Trial and error
B. Switch puzzle. Switch pictures to match up with their silhouette on a wall.
C. Map puzzle. Follow directions and plot a path to get to the police station.
D. Matching puzzle. Following a diagram position a policeman as shown within the diagram.
E. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces of a picture to restore the picture. Not that easy as you will need to press a button for the picture to come together as one unit.
F. Logic puzzle. Using three dials with holes upon them, turn and position them so that six (6) each of two items are revealed through the holes.
G. Everybody is doing it! Assembly puzzle. Rotate four (4) dials on a safe to combine two parts of items on them to produce four images around the safe.
H. Assembly puzzle. On a grid, move tokens so they are in position as indicated on a schematic. However, you can only move tokens to certain locations which are indicated to you. There are many tokens to move in the difficult mode, so it is a difficult puzzle.
I. Logic puzzle. From a sheet a paper with three columns, choose the correct three words (one from each column) which are the password for a computer. Trial and error
I don't recommend this game.
Explore kingdom ruins and meet the exiled Salt Princess.
Overall rating
5
/
5
126 of 229 found this review helpful
THE RETURN OF THE “FROG” PRINCES OF GAMING IN AN AWARD-WINNING GAME
PostedMarch 15, 2018
sunnyglow
fromIf a princess kisses a frog he turns into a prince. However, if a princess kisses a prince of a guy, then does it follow that he will turn into a frog?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE MAIN GAME – (Minus the Bonus Chapter)
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter - Strategy Guide: 59 Pages – Time: 6 Hours
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter - Strategy Guide: 59 Pages – Time: 6 Hours
OVERVIEW: Welcome to Krakow, Poland, Detective! Immerse yourself in a magnificent, well-written fairy tale FROG game designed by Blue Tea Games. Get ready to enter a magical kingdom with princes, princesses, dragons, dragonflies and, of course, plenty of frogs! You will need to be on the lookout for frogs in this game in more ways than one! Such dastardly little fellows! This game is a gem! They don’t create games like this anymore! This is truly a stunning masterpiece!
Enter the remains of the “Grak Kingdom,” the remnants of a magical city protected by a magic barrier. Help the conflicted Salt Princess, Brigid, in a story which has plenty of twists and turns and surprises as well! A beautiful love story is embedded within this story intertwined with one of revenge. You will need to complete the entire game to understand the whole story behind this little princess! You are not going to figure this one out until the end!
This is the return of the FROG princes from Blue Tea. This game should appeal to those who love HOP scenes which are all FROGS! Ribbit! This game should also appeal to the aficionados of this series, or those who love the magic of a beautiful fairy tale come-to-life. This little “gem” is a great game for school-age children as well. I do believe children would love this game. However, they would need help with the puzzles.
OLD SCHOOL GLAMOUR: The story behind this game is well-written. This is a long game and well worth the investment. I found the story engaging with plenty of activities to engage the player. Time flew by playing this game. This is more of an adventure game than a standard HOP game. There are few HOP scenes and even fewer puzzles. This game is old school and with that comes the lack of features offered in most other games. You cannot customize your game. You are only offered three options of game play – easy, normal and hard. You cannot set the time for hints and skips. The map is not transportable. The map merely indicates which scene has an action which needs to be performed. However, a transportable map is not really needed within this game. Most of the actions needed to be performed are just a few clicks away.
If you want to play a game which is pure eye candy, this is the game! It has an opalescent jewel-like quality not seen in other games. Absolutely no other developer illustrates the beauty and magic of fairy tales as Blue Tea. It is truly a breathtaking fairy tale come-to-life. There are hand-drawn scenes and the HOP scenes are jewel-encrusted FROGS. I also like that this developer identifies the chapters within their games. It is truly one you do not want to miss.
MECHANICS: The extras include a series of five (6) parables. You collect twenty-seven (27) pieces for six (6) parables which can be read as soon as the pieces are collected. They are fairy tales which the player may or may not be familiar. There are twenty (20) cursed objects (morphing objects) as well. The cursed objects, when located, decrease the amount of time needed to refill the hint bar. I found locating the collectibles varied in difficulty. Some, for me, were easy to locate and some not so easy. There are twenty-six (26) achievements to earn. There are twelve wallpapers as well. You can replay nine (9) puzzles from the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: The bonus chapter is named “Moonlight Romance.” It is a prequel. It tells the story of a young princess betrothed to a King of a neighboring kingdom in an arranged, loveless marriage. She is trapped, a prisoner of her own lineage. When she takes a moonlit walk, things begin to happen. And this is where the game begins! This chapter appears to be a nice addition to the main game. It appears to be long. I did not finish it, but it seems to be the same quality as the main game.
HOP SCENES: - Ribbit! From what I have played – they are all jewel encrusted FROGS. There are twenty-four (24) FROGS within the main game. I may have missed one or two however. There is a successive number of them at the end of the main game.
PUZZLES: There are not many puzzles within this game. There are only fourteen (14) within the main game. Many of the types of puzzles are repeated several times within the game. They are formatted slightly different each time they are used. Listed below is an example of each type of puzzle used within this game.
SPOILER: HERE IS A SAMPLE OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
SPOILER: HERE IS A SAMPLE OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Checkers puzzle. Plot a path to remove all gems. On a grid move two dragons by jumping over gems to remove them from the board. If you have no gems to jump over, you must restart the puzzle.
B. Entrapment puzzle. Move four (4) tokens on a grid to surround and entrap a human so he cannot move.
C. Connection puzzle. It is exactly like one in the demo, but in this case, you match up cards of chess pieces. For nine tokens, with two pictures upon them, rotate and switch them so that the sides of adjoining tokens match up.
D. Moving tiles puzzle. Better know the Zodiac. In this game amass like zodiac signs of the same element – air, fire, water and earth. All the signs of each element should form a triangle. They are assorted by color if you don’t know which signs go with which elements.
E. Sliding tiles puzzle. Slide tiles so that animals portrayed on them are within their correct habitats.
B. Entrapment puzzle. Move four (4) tokens on a grid to surround and entrap a human so he cannot move.
C. Connection puzzle. It is exactly like one in the demo, but in this case, you match up cards of chess pieces. For nine tokens, with two pictures upon them, rotate and switch them so that the sides of adjoining tokens match up.
D. Moving tiles puzzle. Better know the Zodiac. In this game amass like zodiac signs of the same element – air, fire, water and earth. All the signs of each element should form a triangle. They are assorted by color if you don’t know which signs go with which elements.
E. Sliding tiles puzzle. Slide tiles so that animals portrayed on them are within their correct habitats.
I recommend this game!
Can you and your father escape a mystical and dangerous realm?
Overall rating
5
/
5
74 of 137 found this review helpful
A SPARK OF GAMING GENIUS FROM ITS CREATOR – MAD HEAD GAMES
PostedMarch 10, 2018
sunnyglow
fromThis game demonstrates the world changing and life altering events created by the power of the pen!
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 MAIN GAME
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages – Time: 4 hours
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages – Time: 4 hours
OVERVIEW: The “spark” of imagination can be an asset or liability – it can create or destroy! For Godfrey Long, an up-and coming writer, his creation, Taleworld, has trapped him within its boundaries. One of his characters, an evil wizard, Cyrus, has captured his Spark, and now wishes to use it become the new Creator. Play Long’s daughter whose father disappeared into this world when she was a child. He has now contacted her for her help to escape this kingdom. As Godfrey Long’s daughter, find yourself swept up in a vortex, entering this world to answer you father’s call to defeat this evildoer and restore the Spark to its true owner, your dad!
MECHANICS. Science meets fairy tale land in this game! This game is one which should appeal to writers who are always look for the “Spark” to provide the brushstroke of words to create other worlds. It may also appeal to sci-fi lovers as well. It is a hybrid which I would call a “sci-fi fairy tale.” This strange hybrid seems to work well for Mad Head. The pace is excellent with plenty of activities within the game. The graphics are incredibly beautiful especially in the “Gaia” chapter.
You can replay seventeen (17) HOP scenes. And again, I do hope Mad Head will consider offering some puzzles to replay. There are many collectibles within this game. Collect thirty-one (31) each of swirls, story mementos (disks) and treasures. The swirls and mementos are within the same scenes. There are also sixteen (16) morphing objects within the HOP scenes. There are eleven (11) achievements to earn. Some of the achievements have three parts.
BONUS CHAPTER: I LOVE this game; however, I did have technical difficulties with this chapter. I was not able to play the Bonus Chapter because once I finished the game, I could not access it.
SCRAPBOOK SUPER HEROES: The game offers a scrapbook which provides a cartoon snapshot of the Mad Head employees. And truly, the members of this gaming team are superheroes and geniuses in gaming.
HOP SCENES: There are seventeen (17) HOP scenes in the main game. Most of these are either lists of items or silhouette. I did not see much creativity within these scenes. Most are standard searches with a minimal amount of interactivity. All the items are easy to locate. There are a couple of matching scenes and a few storybook scenes. Some of the storybook scenes have the player searching for one item at a time. My favorite was one in which you must locate different colors and patterns of beans within rather large bag of them. This was slightly difficult. Other than this one scene, I was not impressed with the others.
HOP SCENES: There are seventeen (17) HOP scenes in the main game. Most of these are either lists of items or silhouette. I did not see much creativity within these scenes. Most are standard searches with a minimal amount of interactivity. All the items are easy to locate. There are a couple of matching scenes and a few storybook scenes. Some of the storybook scenes have the player searching for one item at a time. My favorite was one in which you must locate different colors and patterns of beans within rather large bag of them. This was slightly difficult. Other than this one scene, I was not impressed with the others.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-two (22) puzzles in the main game. However, I do believe I may have not listed one. However, I was not going back to replay the game to locate it! I do feel the puzzles are the best part of the game. Many are creatively designed. They vary in style and difficulty. I did not find any challenging. Here are a few from the game after the demo. There are two which I truly enjoyed. One involves an incredibly beautiful scene with flowers and the other involves coloring squares on a grid. Both are in the stunningly beautiful “Gaia” chapter.
SPOILER ALERT. THESE ARE A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Moving tiles puzzle. Move three wheels with different colored tokens upon them so that each token abuts a like token on the wheel. Moving one wheel affects the others.
B. Assembly puzzle. On a screen click on two symbols which combine to create a given larger symbol. There are 3 symbols to assemble. This puzzle been seen in many other games.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect a series of ore nuggets by following given paths between them without retracing your steps.
D. Connection puzzle. Incredibly beautiful! Switch bubbles within flowers with a different number of leaves within them so that vines which connect to the flowers equal the number of leaves in each bubble.
E. Logic puzzle. (And one of my favorites). Color squares on a circle so that no two (2) squares which abut each other have the same color!
F. Maze puzzle. Rotate four (4) colored dials to move a wheel of the same color to create paths leading to each of the four colored dials.
G. Multiple-step puzzle. (1) Switch puzzle. Switch metallic pieces so that the lines on each of the six pieces within the grid connect to create a maze. (2) Move a token through the created maze from one end to the other. (I found the token difficult to move within this puzzle)
H. Bullseye puzzle. Using a ray gun, try to center two sets of three tokens into the middle of a target.
I. Connection puzzle. Sword puzzle. Used in connection with the sword. Connect symbols without crossing lines.
B. Assembly puzzle. On a screen click on two symbols which combine to create a given larger symbol. There are 3 symbols to assemble. This puzzle been seen in many other games.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect a series of ore nuggets by following given paths between them without retracing your steps.
D. Connection puzzle. Incredibly beautiful! Switch bubbles within flowers with a different number of leaves within them so that vines which connect to the flowers equal the number of leaves in each bubble.
E. Logic puzzle. (And one of my favorites). Color squares on a circle so that no two (2) squares which abut each other have the same color!
F. Maze puzzle. Rotate four (4) colored dials to move a wheel of the same color to create paths leading to each of the four colored dials.
G. Multiple-step puzzle. (1) Switch puzzle. Switch metallic pieces so that the lines on each of the six pieces within the grid connect to create a maze. (2) Move a token through the created maze from one end to the other. (I found the token difficult to move within this puzzle)
H. Bullseye puzzle. Using a ray gun, try to center two sets of three tokens into the middle of a target.
I. Connection puzzle. Sword puzzle. Used in connection with the sword. Connect symbols without crossing lines.
I recommend this game!
Mark’s reality unravels as he discovers the truth about his life.
Overall rating
3
/
5
13 of 28 found this review helpful
REGRETTING MY STAY AT SCHNEIDER’S HOTEL AND SPA – A BAD DREAM COME TO LIFE!
PostedMarch 8, 2018
sunnyglow
fromNewest in hotel accommodations! Enjoy the beach and an entire ocean without leaving the hotel. Sail the ocean blue and be within walking distance to your room.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME (INCLUDING BONUS CHAPTER)
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 40 Pages - Time: 4 Hours
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 40 Pages - Time: 4 Hours
OVERVIEW: Wake up Mark! Wake up to your own worst nightmare! After a train accident in the Alps find yourself in the Schneider Hotel and Spa. But – how did you get there? And where is your wife, Jane? You will have even more questions when you see an ocean replete with a sandy beach within this hotel. Are you experiencing a hallucination, are you dreaming, or are you going insane? You see glimpses of your wife calling for help; however, you cannot reach her. It will be up to you to assess what is reality and how to deal with these “haunting” hallucinations within this strange hotel. What is the story behind this hotel? Why are you there? Has the dream world escaped into the real world? And as you amble around the hotel, how does the family who once inhabited this hotel fit into all of this? Hopefully your stay at this hotel will be brief!
MECHANICS: Wake up to a bad dream – this game! I purchased this game based on the fantastic demo and was disappointed afterward. It is a good, but not great game. It is also a SHORT GAME. To me, it is not CE worthy. I feel the game falls into an abyss of mediocrity after the demo. While playing there were spots which I found sleep-worthy due back-and-forth movement within the scenes. That fact, along with extremely easy puzzles and the boring nondescript HOP scenes, made this game tedious for me to play. It appears Elephant put all their goodies in the demo. This is a psychological thriller which may also appeal to sci-fi fans. I would recommend this game as an SE. To me, the bonus chapter is not worth the additional price for this game.
You collect thirteen (13) memory elements and twenty (20) jigsaw pieces for pictures. You also collect twenty-seven (27) morphing objects. I found that most were easy to locate – however I did find some well-hidden within the scenes. There is a display at the right side of the computer screen indicating how many of each item you have collected. You can replay twelve (12) puzzles and fifteen (15) HOP scenes. There are eighteen (18) achievements which you can earn.
BONUS CHAPTER: The Bonus chapter is a sequel. You and your wife, Jane, help a girl, Alice, after she falls ill. She is having nightmares and needs you to search for her brother, Tony. There is not much activity within this chapter nor dialogue. It is a series of running to and fro searching for items and playing an occasional HOP scene or puzzle. The HOP scenes are the same standard lists of items, silhouette and matching pairs as in the main game. The puzzles are of the same caliber as the main game as well. I played this chapter is less than one hour. There is also an “Easter egg” within this chapter! Hope you locate it!
HOP SCENES: There are fifteen (15) HOP scenes in the game. The scenes are standard and lack interactivity. They also lack creativity. They include many standard lists of items, some silhouette scenes and a few matching pairs scenes. The matching pairs scenes are almost duplicates of each other.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-five (25) in the game. I loved the puzzles in the demo. After the demo, I found the puzzles easy and lacking creativity. There is one super puzzle toward the end of the main game. The four (4) puzzles within in are ridiculously easy.The only one I found somewhat unique was a shooting marbles puzzle in the Bonus chapter. They include a couple of sequence puzzles, several puzzles to restore some type of image, and a few assembly puzzles. Basically, they are standard ones seen in other games, and one is a duplicate of one I just played recently in another game. Here are a few of the puzzles from the game:
POSSIBLE SPOILERS: THESE ARE SOME PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Assembly puzzle. Maneuver four (4) arrows to point to two symbols (two arrows point to each of the two symbols) within a row. These combine to create a given symbol at the bottom of the screen. Do this for five (5) symbols.
B. Matching puzzle. Set coordinates to open a lock. Using a wheel set numbers and colored gems as per a given set of directions.
C. Sequence puzzle. Turn on six (6) lights by flipping switches until all the lights are lit. Trial and error. Clicking on one affects the others. Rating: 1/2
D. Assembly puzzle. Rotate eight wheels (with a wheel within another wheel) to create four symbols which appear at the side of the grid. (This puzzle is almost identical to one I just played recently).
E. Maze puzzle. On a grid with several squares, create a path for a ball to reach the end square.
F. Gear puzzle. Arrange five (5) gears so they intermesh with a moving one.
G. Maze puzzle. Rotate four (4) rings so that four paths are created.
H. Super puzzle. (1) Switch puzzle. Switch pieces on a circular grid to restore an image. (2) Matching puzzle. Uncover and match up colored balls. (3) Slider puzzle. Slide six (6) colored squares (3 each for 2 colors) so that each set matches the grid upon which they sit. Only squares of opposite colors can switch places. (4) Rotating disks puzzle. Rotate four disks to restore a picture.
I. Bonus Chapter. Bubble Shooter game. Shoot marbles to defeat an evildoer. It increases in speed as you continue in the game.
B. Matching puzzle. Set coordinates to open a lock. Using a wheel set numbers and colored gems as per a given set of directions.
C. Sequence puzzle. Turn on six (6) lights by flipping switches until all the lights are lit. Trial and error. Clicking on one affects the others. Rating: 1/2
D. Assembly puzzle. Rotate eight wheels (with a wheel within another wheel) to create four symbols which appear at the side of the grid. (This puzzle is almost identical to one I just played recently).
E. Maze puzzle. On a grid with several squares, create a path for a ball to reach the end square.
F. Gear puzzle. Arrange five (5) gears so they intermesh with a moving one.
G. Maze puzzle. Rotate four (4) rings so that four paths are created.
H. Super puzzle. (1) Switch puzzle. Switch pieces on a circular grid to restore an image. (2) Matching puzzle. Uncover and match up colored balls. (3) Slider puzzle. Slide six (6) colored squares (3 each for 2 colors) so that each set matches the grid upon which they sit. Only squares of opposite colors can switch places. (4) Rotating disks puzzle. Rotate four disks to restore a picture.
I. Bonus Chapter. Bubble Shooter game. Shoot marbles to defeat an evildoer. It increases in speed as you continue in the game.
I recommend this game!
Help Penny out of the time portal by solving new mosaic puzzles!
Overall rating
5
/
5
28 of 63 found this review helpful
COUSIN PENNY MAY BE STUCK IN A TIME – BUT THIS GAME IS NOT!
PostedMarch 5, 2018
sunnyglow
fromWhen the Penguins find the “key to time,” hopefully they will pass it around to others who would like to stop time - just for a little while!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: In her search for new colors, Cousin Penny Penguin entered a time portal and now she is stuck. You will need to find the key to release her by playing all these wonderful puzzles. Penny Penguin may be stuck in time, but this game is not! This game has some new twists! You must unlock the colors one-at-a-time. You will no longer be able to switch from color-to-color at the beginning of the game. You must play into the game to release those colors. This makes this game a little more difficult! You also have a choice of five (5) different styles of tiles to fill in the boxes for the game. This feature is is another welcome plus!
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
• Autofill: There is autofill 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.
• Collectibles. When you complete one level of 5 puzzles, you receive a collectible.
I highly recommend this game if you like Sudoku games or any type of mathematical puzzle.
I recommend this game!
Ghastly murders in Whitechapel foreshadow the return of the Red Queen!
Overall rating
5
/
5
90 of 182 found this review helpful
ANOTHER “BLOODY” GOOD GAME IN THE VERMILLION WATCH SERIES
PostedMarch 3, 2018
sunnyglow
fromThe EIPIX Wrinkle Zapper! Do you have wrinkles and lines? To get rid of those lines and wrinkles, do what evildoer Carmilla does - just take your mouse and click on them. Presto! They instantaneously disappear!
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 – Time: 5 Hours
5 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 52 Pages
5 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 52 Pages
OVERVIEW: You are off on another blood-curdling case set in the dark, crime-ridden underground of Victorian London! The Vermillion Watch again needs your help. Your next case takes you to Whitechapel where victims are being found drained of blood. A triumvirate of evildoers, Carmilla, Mr. Varney, and Mr. Dracul, (along with some secret evildoers) are behind these attacks and it is up to you again Hawkes to save the day. When Dr. Jeckyll is kidnapped, you and the whole Vermillion Watch will have your hands full attempting to save him in an action-packed game!
There are some surprises in this game– be prepared! This is a good adventure game. It should appeal to those who love this series or those who like Steampunk adventure games. Science meets the Victorian age in this game. There is plenty of name dropping as well as both historical and fictional literary characters, appear side-by-side within this game. The story is loosely based a vampire theme – with a scientific twist. The graphics well-portray Victorian England. This is an action-packed game with plenty of activities to keep you busy. As with the other games in the series, you will have the choice to play each of three locations in whichever order you choose.
MECHANICS: Snake alert! There are quite a few snakes within this game – most within the residence of Carmilla. There are more puzzles than HOP scenes. There are two collectibles and they are easy to locate. There are fifteen (15) achievements to earn. There are forty-two (42) signs which look like large drops of water and twenty-four (24) morphing objects. The morphing objects appear in both the gaming scenes and the HOP scenes. You can replay twenty-four (24) HOP Scenes and twenty-nine (29) Puzzles. You get a device from Rufus to help you in your quest. You also visit other members of the Watch to help you analyze materials and data. There are nine (9) wallpapers, three (3) concept art pictures and a souvenir room,
BONUS CHAPTER: The bonus chapter is a sequel. Maria has summoned you for help. She is on the verge of death. Someone was using her to gain immortality. Now you must revive her. I have not played the entire bonus chapter. However, it appears to be of a decent length.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty (20 In the main game. They are similar to ones seen in many of their other games. There are several multiple-step ones throughout the game. Most of these combine a silhouette scene with a list of items. There are two storybook scenes and a few matching scenes after the demo. It is evident that EIPIX spend a great deal of time creating these scenes. They are creatively designed and thematic.
FAVORITE HOP SCENE: My favorite scene is one from the opening scene of the bonus chapter. It involves rotating and switching three wheels to put halves together of an item to be removed. I have seen a variation of this scene before. However, I do love this type of scene and it is seldom used within these games.
PUZZLES: There are forty (40) puzzles in the main game. They vary in style and difficulty. Most of the puzzles are easy; however, there are some harder puzzles toward the end of the game.
PUZZLE WOES! I did have trouble with a few puzzles. In one in which you need to read dates assigned to portraits, the numbers were so small and blurry, I had trouble reading the dates. There is also a physical puzzle (used twice in the game) in which you must click an arrow continuously to fill up a bar to balance yourself on the top of a moving train. I kept clicking – and clicking – and clicking (rapidly as well) and could never get it to fill up the bar. However, for once, the puzzle directions were superb!
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Oil is where it’s at! Mathematical puzzle. Fill up four lanterns with three cans of oil with specific units of oil., 5, 3, and 2 units. All the lanterns have different amounts of oil to fill them. All must be filled to the top and there should be no oil remaining.
B. Light up the world – with oil! Weights and balances puzzle. Taking the lanterns from the previous puzzle, hang them on chains so that all the lanterns are level with each other. Each lantern weighs a different amount
C. What’s your sign? Multiple-step puzzle. (1) Matching puzzle. Match up zodiac symbols with their constellations in the sky. The stars will light up when the symbol is in the correct position. (2) Connect the dots puzzle. Using stars as dots, create six (6) constellations by connecting stars to create them.
D. Age is just a number. Sequence puzzle. Move twelve (12) photos of Carmilla so they are in sequence from oldest to youngest by date.
E. What is a vivarium? Maze puzzle. Maneuver a snake using an enchanted flower from one corner of a vivarium to the other end to capture its venom
F. How does your garden grow? Assembly puzzle Grow a series of flowers by following given directions as to the right combination of seeds, fertilize, light and water
G. Get away from me! Rope puzzle. Separate snakes so that none touch each other.
H. Atomic foolery! Connection puzzle. Connect all the lines between atoms without retracing your steps. 2X
I. Difficult as it gets. Rotate six wheels embedded with parts of symbols so that they create six symbols shown at the side and the top of the screen. DIFFICULT
J. Don’t fence me in! Entrapment puzzle. Entrap the token of an evildoer by using five other tokens of the Vermillion Watch to surround it so it cannot escape out of the grid.
B. Light up the world – with oil! Weights and balances puzzle. Taking the lanterns from the previous puzzle, hang them on chains so that all the lanterns are level with each other. Each lantern weighs a different amount
C. What’s your sign? Multiple-step puzzle. (1) Matching puzzle. Match up zodiac symbols with their constellations in the sky. The stars will light up when the symbol is in the correct position. (2) Connect the dots puzzle. Using stars as dots, create six (6) constellations by connecting stars to create them.
D. Age is just a number. Sequence puzzle. Move twelve (12) photos of Carmilla so they are in sequence from oldest to youngest by date.
E. What is a vivarium? Maze puzzle. Maneuver a snake using an enchanted flower from one corner of a vivarium to the other end to capture its venom
F. How does your garden grow? Assembly puzzle Grow a series of flowers by following given directions as to the right combination of seeds, fertilize, light and water
G. Get away from me! Rope puzzle. Separate snakes so that none touch each other.
H. Atomic foolery! Connection puzzle. Connect all the lines between atoms without retracing your steps. 2X
I. Difficult as it gets. Rotate six wheels embedded with parts of symbols so that they create six symbols shown at the side and the top of the screen. DIFFICULT
J. Don’t fence me in! Entrapment puzzle. Entrap the token of an evildoer by using five other tokens of the Vermillion Watch to surround it so it cannot escape out of the grid.
I recommend this game!