sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,084
- Reviews Submitted:821
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:June 27, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
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!
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!