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:
Race to prevent a bloody conflict between elves and vampires!
Overall rating
5
/
5
58 of 148 found this review helpful
DIP YOUR FANGS INTO A NEW VAMPIRIC DELIGHT: I CAN’T BELIEVE ITS NOT BLOOD!
PostedJuly 23, 2022
sunnyglow
fromI wonder if the artificial chemical concoction of fake blood served to the vampires in this game has the same effect as artificial food does on humans – can it cause blood clots or hardening of the arteries?
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 84 pages
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 84 pages
Emerge yourself into another delightful game from Domini Games! The sleuth duo at the Magic City Detective Agency is back on another case, one they can really sink their teeth into. An envoy from the vampiric kingdom, Geoffroi, needs help locating one of the elders of the elf kingdom, Cornelius. To keep peace between the elf and vampire kingdoms, Cornelius developed an artificial blood serum which allows the vampires to satisfy their thirst for blood without victimizing others. However, now, this elf elder has disappeared and the supply of this serum is dwindling. With shortages, a bloodbath is looming - vampires are starting to attack elves and humans alike. Where is Cornelius and why did he vanish? Surprises await as to the culprits in this game.
Domini is my favorite HOPA developer, providing more game value for the money and this game is no exception. This vampiric jaunt is one of the longest games I have played from this developer. However, I was not bored, nor did I get tired of playing it! I found the stories in both the main game and bonus chapter intriguing and the pace excellent with many fun-filled activities throughout the game. There are many extras in this developer’s games which other developers do not provide. As always, Domini always adds some new element to their games, this time it is the search for fragments in a few of the HOPA scenes.
The gaming format is the same as in all this developer’s other games. There are three collectibles. They include morphing vampire amulets, plants, and vials of blood which can be exchanged at the end of the game to deck out a vampire’s chamber. I found all easy to locate. Hurrah! Domini has provided larger pictures in the strategy guide making it easier to see the location of those collectibles. This is a nice feature as the images in previous games have been so small it was impossible to see where the collectibles were located. As in the last game you have the option to add more supplemental game footage – this time it is meandering around a library to learn the history of vampires, and later in the game, in learning the history of a magical artifact. I would love to see this feature added to other developers’ games. You do have the option to opt out of the extra footage if you wish. The extra footage adds another HOP scene or puzzle.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing vampire amulets plus 15 plants
• Collect 70 bottles of blood to exchange for items to decorate vampire chambers
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 21 HOP scenes and 20 Mini-games
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing vampire amulets plus 15 plants
• Collect 70 bottles of blood to exchange for items to decorate vampire chambers
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 21 HOP scenes and 20 Mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a continuation from the main game. A mysterious chemical brew is being sold to vampires which are turning them into glass statues. Uncover the evildoer behind this serum and learn the reason for his or her madness. A tale of revenge is involved and you again as part of a detective duo must stop it. Continue collecting the collectibles. There are four (4) HOP scenes and ten (10) mini-games. This chapter is a wonderful addition to the main game. I felt the activities were equal in quality to those in the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-one (21) scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. The scenes are very creatively designed. All are interactive and two of them have puzzles within the scene. As in previous games, the player can play a Match-3 game instead of the HOP scenes. These are some of the best HOPA scenes out there and all are somewhat puzzle-like. There are storybook scenes which further the story behind the game. There are lists of items, silhouette, and matching morphing objects. There are a few scenes in which the player searches for fragments to create an image. There is also a scene in items are provided which must be placed into the scene in the proper location.
MINI-GAMES: This game is puzzle-intense. There are thirty-eight (38) mini-games, twenty (20) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. As in other games, most of the puzzles can be played in either an easy or a hard mode. In this game, Domini spent more time in puzzle development than in creating HOP scenes. There are twice the mini-games as HOP scenes. Again, with so many wonderful puzzles within this game. I wish this developer had offered a few more to replay at the end of the game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MIND GAMES FROM THIS GAME (E = Easy; H = Hard)
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MIND GAMES FROM THIS GAME (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Domino puzzle. Switch pentagram-shaped tiles into position on a round grid so that sides which abut each other have the same symbols The hard version has one extra pentagram-shaped tile in the center, in which each side must match with each of the other 6 pentagram sides surrounding it.
B. Assembly puzzle. Place tokens with pictures on them so that each token is placed under one of 3 pictures which matches up with it thematically. There are path segments which must be switched to create paths to the pictures
C. E/H. Ye olde Fix-the-Net Puzzle. Place strands of rope onto a net with holes in it to create a complete net. The player only receives a specific number of ropes to fix the net. The harder version provides one more piece of rope and the net has more holes to fix.
D. E/H. Strategy puzzle. Click on columns of toys so that a space is created between the rows and columns which allows the rows to be removed. The easy version has one less column and one less row.
E. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Click on digits in order from 1 to 10. Use arrows along the side of the grid to disclose the numbers. The grid is more complex in the hard mode.
F. E/H. Use arrows to move musical notes so they fit into their slots on a harp. The easy version has 6 notes, and the hard version has 8.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Assembly puzzle. Place animal tokens on a grid so that each row has either one color or one type of animal.
H. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch portraits so that the shape of each portrait matches the shadow beneath it. In the hard version. Two of the portraits are hidden by a shutter.
I. Gear puzzle. Switch gears until each is within its proper location and all mesh.
J. E/H. Ye olde book puzzle. Switch books on a bookshelf so the spines create a picture. In the hard version the player can only move one book at a time.
K. Mathematical puzzle. Connect wires to numbers on the bottom of a grid to according to a given clue
B. Assembly puzzle. Place tokens with pictures on them so that each token is placed under one of 3 pictures which matches up with it thematically. There are path segments which must be switched to create paths to the pictures
C. E/H. Ye olde Fix-the-Net Puzzle. Place strands of rope onto a net with holes in it to create a complete net. The player only receives a specific number of ropes to fix the net. The harder version provides one more piece of rope and the net has more holes to fix.
D. E/H. Strategy puzzle. Click on columns of toys so that a space is created between the rows and columns which allows the rows to be removed. The easy version has one less column and one less row.
E. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Click on digits in order from 1 to 10. Use arrows along the side of the grid to disclose the numbers. The grid is more complex in the hard mode.
F. E/H. Use arrows to move musical notes so they fit into their slots on a harp. The easy version has 6 notes, and the hard version has 8.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Assembly puzzle. Place animal tokens on a grid so that each row has either one color or one type of animal.
H. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch portraits so that the shape of each portrait matches the shadow beneath it. In the hard version. Two of the portraits are hidden by a shutter.
I. Gear puzzle. Switch gears until each is within its proper location and all mesh.
J. E/H. Ye olde book puzzle. Switch books on a bookshelf so the spines create a picture. In the hard version the player can only move one book at a time.
K. Mathematical puzzle. Connect wires to numbers on the bottom of a grid to according to a given clue
I recommend this game!
A bone-chilling mystery that will leave you questioning everything!
Overall rating
5
/
5
93 of 198 found this review helpful
A FUTURE BRIDE WHO IS A REAL DOLL
PostedJuly 14, 2022
sunnyglow
fromAre you a parent to a son? As this game demonstrates - you just never know what kind of “ghoul” your son will bring home.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 45 pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 45 pages
Kudos to DO Games for another “phantasmic” spookfest! Enjoy a ghostly jaunt into the world of the paranormal as a detective with your own agency, Mystical Riddles. Your companions on these two haunts will be from the ghostly realm. In the main game, help a future mother-in-law discover why her future daughter-in-law gives her goosebumps and why she seems so cold to her. Although her son considers her as a real doll, mom is less impressed. In the bonus chapter, help a neurotic husband locate his wife. And if this hubby seems somewhat strange, there is a reason!
DO Games is my favorite HOPA developer, providing more game value for the money and this game is no exception. I loved the storylines in both the main game and the bonus chapter. I found the pace excellent with fun-filled activities throughout the game. There are many extras in this developer’s games which other developers do not provide. For me, I cannot wait to play the games from DO Games.
The gaming format is the same as in all this developer’s other games. There are three collectibles. They include morphing runes, dolls, and photographs which can be exchanged to outfit a boudoir at the end of the game. You get a gimmicky camera which takes photos of the world of the paranormal. Just push the button every time you see a glimmering light. As in the last game you have the option to add more game footage – this time it is meandering around a doll house and within the basement of a forest cabin. I love this new option within this developer’s games.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 44 achievements.
• Collect 15 dolls and 15 morphing runes.
• Collect 59 snapshots which can be traded to items to deck out a boudoir
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 21 HOP scenes and 18 Mind Games
• Gimmicky camera to take pictures of the paranormal
• 44 achievements.
• Collect 15 dolls and 15 morphing runes.
• Collect 59 snapshots which can be traded to items to deck out a boudoir
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 21 HOP scenes and 18 Mind Games
• Gimmicky camera to take pictures of the paranormal
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a different story than from the main game. Play the paranormal detective in solving yet another case. Help a husband locate his wife who is missing. Also, help a ghostly green hound from the underworld who is trying to collect a wayward soul. There are five (5) HOP scenes and seven (7) mind games (AKA puzzles). This chapter is a wonderful addition to the main game. I felt the activities were equal in quality to those in the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-one (21) scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. The scenes are very creatively designed. All are interactive and two of them have puzzles within the scene. As in previous games, the player can play a Match-3 game instead of the HOP scenes. These are some of the best HOP scenes out there and all are somewhat puzzle-like. There are only two standard lists of items (which I find boring). There is a variety of different styles. There are scenes with cryptic clues, rebus clues, and matching. There are the usual storybook scenes with silhouetted items to be located. The player will also discover a scene in which items which are out of place must be identified, and once clicked, return to their proper position. For me, this developer’s HOP scenes are creative works of art.
MIND GAMES: There are thirty-three (33) puzzles, eighteen (18) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. As in other games, most of the puzzles can be played in either an easy or a hard mode. I love the phrase “mind games.” However, even the “harder mind games” are not terribly challenging. I only wish that this developer would provide more of these puzzles to be replayed upon completion of the game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MIND GAMES FROM THIS GAME (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Strategy/Physics puzzle. Set the value on shut off valves so that the pressure causes a ball to go from one end of a pipe to the other. The easy version has 5 valves and the hard has 6.
B. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Enter a code to open a chest by using pointers to select and place tokens into slots at the bottom of the grid in sequential order. The easy version has 3 tokens to place while the hard has 5
C. E/H. Maze Escape puzzle. Move through a maze choosing between 3 routes at the proper time to escape ghosts. 3X
D. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Place cutlery into position into a suitcase so all fit without overlapping. Easy version has an easier arrangement than the hard version.
E. E/H. Pant by Number puzzle. In this case, paint by symbol. Paint a picture with paints matching symbols within the scene. The hard version has symbols which morph in and out of the picture.
F. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move 2 minecarts to houses of the same color removing obstacles along the way. Alternate between the carts to remove obstacles to open paths. The hard version has more obstacles.
G. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Neat puzzle in which you guess 8 animals being portrayed by hand shadows. In the hard version, the animals are divided into segments; the player must click on all the animal segments to remove them.
H. Switch puzzle. On four tokens, each with 4 different colored segments, rotate the tokens to change the position of their segments until each of the four has segments of the same color.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. Map puzzle. Move 4 pieces of a tiara to their matching slots at the side of a grid. Move them on a 11 x 6 grid with rotating tree roots. Keep the pieces from hitting the tree roots while moving them to their slots.
J. E/H. Strategy puzzle. On a grid, press on squares with up to 5 dots on them to throw dirt on a fire. The dots indicate how many squares it can extinguish. The easy grid as 25 squares and the hard 36 squares.
B. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Enter a code to open a chest by using pointers to select and place tokens into slots at the bottom of the grid in sequential order. The easy version has 3 tokens to place while the hard has 5
C. E/H. Maze Escape puzzle. Move through a maze choosing between 3 routes at the proper time to escape ghosts. 3X
D. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Place cutlery into position into a suitcase so all fit without overlapping. Easy version has an easier arrangement than the hard version.
E. E/H. Pant by Number puzzle. In this case, paint by symbol. Paint a picture with paints matching symbols within the scene. The hard version has symbols which morph in and out of the picture.
F. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move 2 minecarts to houses of the same color removing obstacles along the way. Alternate between the carts to remove obstacles to open paths. The hard version has more obstacles.
G. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Neat puzzle in which you guess 8 animals being portrayed by hand shadows. In the hard version, the animals are divided into segments; the player must click on all the animal segments to remove them.
H. Switch puzzle. On four tokens, each with 4 different colored segments, rotate the tokens to change the position of their segments until each of the four has segments of the same color.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. Map puzzle. Move 4 pieces of a tiara to their matching slots at the side of a grid. Move them on a 11 x 6 grid with rotating tree roots. Keep the pieces from hitting the tree roots while moving them to their slots.
J. E/H. Strategy puzzle. On a grid, press on squares with up to 5 dots on them to throw dirt on a fire. The dots indicate how many squares it can extinguish. The easy grid as 25 squares and the hard 36 squares.
I recommend this game!
In this remastered classic, reawaken in that mysterious castle, and solve perplexing puzzles to escape!
Overall rating
2
/
5
22 of 65 found this review helpful
A CHORE AND A BORE:
PostedJuly 7, 2022
sunnyglow
fromWas stuck in a magic castle, but with the help of an escape button was able to safely get out of this castle and boring game.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
A CHORE AND A BORE:
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter: Strategy guide is a scroll which rolls down to provide information. There is a scroll for each chapter.
Return to the magic castle for a dreadful revamped version of the original game. Join Sophia as she battles her way again through this castle to liberate goblins from the darkness. Along the way you might find yourself battling to keep yourself awake while playing this revamped monstrosity. Along the way, pick up more puzzles (mainly picture puzzles) for her to solve.
I found this game boring. I did not play the original game, but this remastered version seemed more like a patch job rather than an enhancement. If this developer was going to remaster the game, instead of throwing in dozens of additional puzzles and sprucing up the HOP scenes, he should have remastered the menu. I did not finish this game. It is a long game and with the wait time involving the hint and skip buttons, I just gave up. I did not play the Bonus Chapter so cannot comment on it. However, the player can play the bonus chapter without finishing the game.
IT’S THE MENU: Unlike current HOPA games, the menu is archaic. The player does not have the option to choose between three levels of difficulty. In addition, there is no ability to set the time for the hint button nor the skip button. I got tired of waiting for the hint button and skip button to reload. During the game I went out to get a snack and when I returned to the game, the hint button still had not recharged. However, I did like the scroll feature of the strategy guide. I found this much easier to use than the book-style guides created by other developers.
I found the game confusing to navigate as well. There is little direction as to procedures needed within the game. The player cannot replay HOP scenes nor any of the mini-games. However, you can play as many games of Goblin-jong (a form of mahjong) you desire. To do so, you must collect all the collectibles within the game, morphing fairies and Goblin-jong pieces. There are two each within each scene.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 66 shape shifting (morphing) fairies and 66 goblinjong tiles There are 2 of each in each scene
• 11 wallpapers along with concept artwork in the Dev Journal, music, and video sequences
• You get a magnifying glass for close up shots
• Goblinjong. Upon completion of the game you can play 24 additional puzzles of this game. You unlock a bonus puzzle for every two Goblinjong tiles found within the game
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 66 shape shifting (morphing) fairies and 66 goblinjong tiles There are 2 of each in each scene
• 11 wallpapers along with concept artwork in the Dev Journal, music, and video sequences
• You get a magnifying glass for close up shots
• Goblinjong. Upon completion of the game you can play 24 additional puzzles of this game. You unlock a bonus puzzle for every two Goblinjong tiles found within the game
HOP SCENES: There are very few HOP scenes. Most are puzzle-like and require some thought as how to locate items within the scenes. Most of the scenes have one to two puzzles within them. The ones I played were all lists of items and matching.
MINI-GAMES: Picture puzzles, picture puzzles and even more picture puzzle! I got so tired of playing picture puzzles – just one after another within this game. Half of the puzzles I played involved creating an image or a statue by place fragments into position. There are a lot of puzzles within this game. When I stopped playing, I had already played thirty-five (35) mini-games and had not even finished the game. In the beginning the puzzles are easy; however, as the player progresses, they become harder and there are more puzzles as well.
MINI-GAMES: BELOW ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES FROM THE GAME:
A. Mathematics puzzle. Switch numbered hexagons on 3 columns so that three rows of numbers when added or subtracted equal the number on the third column. 2 X
B. Picture puzzle. Place fragments into place to create a flowerpot.
C. Picture puzzle. On a 5 x 4 grid, click on 20 pieces, changing the image with each click until you find the proper fragments to create the picture
D. Picture puzzle. Click on the quarters of 4 circles until they form an image which matches up with those within a book.
E. Matching. Match up like- butterflies on a pond.
F. Sequence puzzle Click on taps of vats of 3 prime colors in the correct order to create the colors at the bottom of the tubes leading to them.
G. Mathematical puzzle. Click on a -3 glass and a +8 glass until you move the needle in the center between the 2 glasses to the green area of the dial.
H. Sequence puzzle. Take bottles of colored sand with mixed colors throughout and move back and forth so that each of the 5 bottles has one color of sand
I. Sequence puzzle. Play strings of a harp in the proper sequence.
J. Switch puzzle. Switch 5 gem-studded clusters and place in the proper numerical sequence.
K. Sequence puzzle. Click chimes in the correct order.
B. Picture puzzle. Place fragments into place to create a flowerpot.
C. Picture puzzle. On a 5 x 4 grid, click on 20 pieces, changing the image with each click until you find the proper fragments to create the picture
D. Picture puzzle. Click on the quarters of 4 circles until they form an image which matches up with those within a book.
E. Matching. Match up like- butterflies on a pond.
F. Sequence puzzle Click on taps of vats of 3 prime colors in the correct order to create the colors at the bottom of the tubes leading to them.
G. Mathematical puzzle. Click on a -3 glass and a +8 glass until you move the needle in the center between the 2 glasses to the green area of the dial.
H. Sequence puzzle. Take bottles of colored sand with mixed colors throughout and move back and forth so that each of the 5 bottles has one color of sand
I. Sequence puzzle. Play strings of a harp in the proper sequence.
J. Switch puzzle. Switch 5 gem-studded clusters and place in the proper numerical sequence.
K. Sequence puzzle. Click chimes in the correct order.
I don't recommend this game.
You won’t need to call her three times… She’s already here!
Overall rating
5
/
5
90 of 158 found this review helpful
BLOODY MARY, BLOODY MARY – BLOODY GOOD GAME
PostedJune 25, 2022
sunnyglow
fromMirror, Mirror on the wall, you are a danger to us all! Bloody Mary, Candyman, Ghosts, or Alice, you never know who is going to pop out of the mirrors within your own palace!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 50 pages (My Time: 9 Hours)
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 50 pages (My Time: 9 Hours)
Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, (Oops! not going to say that name a third time!) Don’t want Mary coming through my mirror to sweep me away into the Mirror World! However, I did enjoy watching the game characters go back-and-forth between Mirror World and the real world, dealing with ghosts and a crazed warlock. This game is a wonderful ghost fest, a spooky little adventure involving a novelist in search of inspiration for her novels. Help this famous writer learn the truth behind the legends by uncovering the true story and the actual evildoers behind those legends portrayed in both the main chapter and the bonus chapter.
Do Games, AKA Domini Games (or whatever their company name is nowadays) is my favorite HOPA developer. By whatever name, they produce fantastic games! I love their games because they provide more game for the money. This developer provides a longer game than other devs, with more puzzles, more collectibles, and even a choice in the difficulty of the puzzles. The player can also play an optional Match-3 game in lieu of the HOP scenes. No other developer provides the quality nor creativity of this developer. To me, this game is one of the best games Do Games has developed this year.
Speaking of creative new features, this developer has added a new one within this game. This game gives the player optional activities throughout the game. The player is asked if they would like to visit another location where another puzzle or activity is presented. The player can opt out if they don’t wish to engage in the activity. I love this new feature and hope they will continue to provide it. Other developers should check out this new feature as well.
As in other games, this developer has three collectibles. The collectibles are trapped ghosts and morphing writing supplies (for the most diligent writer). These two collectibles alternate between scenes. Bookmarks are collected throughout to exchange for supplies to deck out a writer’s office upon completion of the game. My only complaint is the miniscule size of the collectibles. I could not even recognize the writing supplies and could only find them if I waited to see them morph. They are too small in appearance as are some of the trapped ghosts. I found the bookmarks in some locations were hard to see as well, although most times, they were easy to locate.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 35 achievements.
• Collect 15 items from a writer’s desk and 15 trapped ghosts within mirrors
• Collect 70 bookmarks to exchange for items to deck out an office
• 11 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 21 HOP scenes and 20 mini-games
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 35 achievements.
• Collect 15 items from a writer’s desk and 15 trapped ghosts within mirrors
• Collect 70 bookmarks to exchange for items to deck out an office
• 11 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 21 HOP scenes and 20 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: Our renown writer from the main game is off to La Llorona (crying woman in Spanish) Recreation Center to investigate the legend of the ghostly figure, La Llorona. The Latin American legend does not match up with the story portrayed in this game, but I can understand why the developer took the story in a different direction. This story involves another ghost and an evildoer involved in her death. I liked this chapter and felt the activities were comparable to the main game. Continue collecting the collectibles. There are four (4) HOP scenes and eight (8) mini-games within this chapter. I feel it is a good addition to the game and worthy of a collector’s edition designation
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-one (21) scenes all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. There is also a Match-3 game to play instead of the scenes. One of my favorite parts of this developer’s games are the creatively designed HOP scenes. While most HOPA games include boringly similar standard lists of items (ho-hum), Do Games provides new variations for their HOP scenes. All are interactive with some well-designed scenes. Many scenes are storybook in nature, providing information about the storyline. There are many search-and-replace scenes or placement scenes in this game. Either the player searches for the items and uses them back within the scenes or is given an item to place within the scene. My favorites are the rebus scenes and there are two of them within this game.
There are also matching scenes. However, my only other complaint concerning this game are the lock and chains which appear if you click too often within the scenes. Please Do Games – Stop locking the matching scenes. The matching scenes require clicking on objects to uncover the items which are to be matched. How can the player find where items are hidden if you can’t click on all the objects within the scene to find them?
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-three (33) mini-games, twenty (20) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Most of the mini-games can be played in an “easy” mode or for more of challenge, a “hard” mode. Very few of the puzzles do not have this designation. There are no puzzles, in my opinion, which are brain busters. In this game, Do Games placed some mini-games within the HOP scenes which I feel makes them more enjoyable to play.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES FROM THIS GAME: (E = Easy H = Hard)
A. E/H. Maze puzzle. Choose between 3 paths at the right time to traverse and exit a maze in the woods while avoiding ghosts. 3X
B. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Move the body parts of a plastic figure to match that of a given diagram. The easy version keeps the diagram in front of the player while playing the puzzle; in the hard version, the diagram must be pulled up to reference it.
C. E/H. Domino puzzle. Move domino-type pieces so that the ends of dominoes which abut each other have the same symbol on them.
D. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch colored tokens and move them to slots of the same color by using gears to transfer them. The easy version has 4 colored tokens and the hard has 6.
E. E/H. Connection puzzle. Run wires between numbered boxes so the number of wires emanating from each box equals the number on the box. The easy version has smaller numbers on the boxes making it easier to solve.
F. E/H. Tangram puzzle. Fit all items into a box without overlapping the items. the easy version has added blocks into the box to help with assessing where different shaped items can be placed.
G. E/H. Strategy puzzle. Use machetes to clear a 10 x 7 (70 squares) grid of bushes. The easy version gives you 3 machetes and hard gives you 4. You cannot use a machete if you arrive at a place where there are no bushes in front of you to remove.
H. Chess puzzle. Using the “L” shaped moves of a knight, place 4 chess pieces on a square of the same color
I. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch sides of swallows and eagles using paths to guide them to the other side. Different birds cannot stand on neighboring squares. The easy version has 3 of each bird and the hard has 4.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. E/H. Jigsaw puzzle. Place pieces into position to create an image. The hard version has more pieces to place. (Optional puzzle within the museum)
K. E/H. Physics puzzle. Place billiard balls into the pockets on a billiards table. The hard version has more balls to pocket
L. E/H. Strategy puzzle. Zipline through the trees in this puzzle. Use switches to avoid obstacles in your path as you use ladders and walkways to maneuver between the trees.
M. E/H. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate rings on the front of a ring to create an open space. A latch will release when the gaps are produced.
N. E/H. Tangram puzzle. Place wires on a 6 x 5 grid (30 connectors) so that the complete grid is filled without wires intersecting each other.
B. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Move the body parts of a plastic figure to match that of a given diagram. The easy version keeps the diagram in front of the player while playing the puzzle; in the hard version, the diagram must be pulled up to reference it.
C. E/H. Domino puzzle. Move domino-type pieces so that the ends of dominoes which abut each other have the same symbol on them.
D. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch colored tokens and move them to slots of the same color by using gears to transfer them. The easy version has 4 colored tokens and the hard has 6.
E. E/H. Connection puzzle. Run wires between numbered boxes so the number of wires emanating from each box equals the number on the box. The easy version has smaller numbers on the boxes making it easier to solve.
F. E/H. Tangram puzzle. Fit all items into a box without overlapping the items. the easy version has added blocks into the box to help with assessing where different shaped items can be placed.
G. E/H. Strategy puzzle. Use machetes to clear a 10 x 7 (70 squares) grid of bushes. The easy version gives you 3 machetes and hard gives you 4. You cannot use a machete if you arrive at a place where there are no bushes in front of you to remove.
H. Chess puzzle. Using the “L” shaped moves of a knight, place 4 chess pieces on a square of the same color
I. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch sides of swallows and eagles using paths to guide them to the other side. Different birds cannot stand on neighboring squares. The easy version has 3 of each bird and the hard has 4.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. E/H. Jigsaw puzzle. Place pieces into position to create an image. The hard version has more pieces to place. (Optional puzzle within the museum)
K. E/H. Physics puzzle. Place billiard balls into the pockets on a billiards table. The hard version has more balls to pocket
L. E/H. Strategy puzzle. Zipline through the trees in this puzzle. Use switches to avoid obstacles in your path as you use ladders and walkways to maneuver between the trees.
M. E/H. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate rings on the front of a ring to create an open space. A latch will release when the gaps are produced.
N. E/H. Tangram puzzle. Place wires on a 6 x 5 grid (30 connectors) so that the complete grid is filled without wires intersecting each other.
I recommend this game!
Can you take on Goldilocks’ mantel and protect the kingdom?
Overall rating
5
/
5
88 of 144 found this review helpful
THE SPIRIT OF GOLDILOCKS RETURNS IN A “BEARY” GOOD GAME.
PostedJune 16, 2022
sunnyglow
fromWhat a wonderful surprise to see the return of Friendly Fox! My prayers have been with them during this difficult period and happy to see them creating their superb games again.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The spirit of Goldilocks and her bears return in this delightful, remastered classic. Play Goldilocks’ prince of a son as he discovers the truth about his past while fighting a force out to destroy his family. With the help of his mother’s ghost, he is off to save his father and his kingdom from being destroyed by an evildoer.
I could “bearly” contain my delight in playing this game. The game is much improved from the original classic. The graphics have been heightened and the sound quality is richer. More puzzles and HOP scenes have been added. This a long game and one which I enjoyed playing. Friendly Fox has added some creative touches to this game without altering the format from the original game.
Play two characters throughout the game. Play a human and then transform into a bear when bear strength is needed. As a bear you will you use your claws, your sense of smell, and your bite to traverse throughout the game. There are two collectibles, sprites, and morphing runes. I found both difficult to locate. Some of the sprites are blended into the scenes and are difficult to see. I found the morphing runes hard to locate because of their small size. Upon completion of the game, there is an additional picture puzzle which can be played if all the sprites are collected. It consists of two scenes where circular pictures fragments must be exchanged and rotated to complete the final pictures.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 29 achievements.
• Collect 76 sprites used to exchange for 5 larger sprites
• Collect 34 morphing runes
• If all 76 sprites are collected, another picture puzzle with two scenes is made available to play.
• 7 Wallpapers along with 5 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 15 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 29 achievements.
• Collect 76 sprites used to exchange for 5 larger sprites
• Collect 34 morphing runes
• If all 76 sprites are collected, another picture puzzle with two scenes is made available to play.
• 7 Wallpapers along with 5 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 15 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. The evildoer from the main game is out to revive his beloved once again. Play Goldilocks’ son who is now married to Sheridan from the main game. Their precocious child, Jenny, is lured by the evildoer to assist him in resurrecting his true love. Now you and you wife must save your daughter from this evildoer. I loved this chapter much more than the main game. This chapter is long, creatively designed, and well-worth the price of the collector’s edition. Collect the sprites but not the morphing runes. There are ten (10) HOP scenes and twelve (12) mini-games. There is one puzzle which can be played in either a casual or hard mode. There is an awesome HOP scene within a dollhouse in the inventory. This is the first game I have seen with a HOP scene within an inventory item.
HOP SCENES: I counted thirty-nine (39) HOP scenes within the game, fifteen (15) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game They are highly interactive and include lists of items, silhouette, and matching. Most of the scenes are reused for more than one search of items. There is a diary within the game and throughout the main game, items are searched within the pages of the diary to further the story behind the game. There are some beautiful scenes within this game. I particularly enjoyed searching for items on a stained-glass window (which is used twice for searches).
MINI-GAMES: There are forty-one (41) puzzles within the game, eighteen (18) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Most of these puzzles are the original ones from the original game; however, there are new ones included as well. I found most of the puzzles of easy or moderate difficulty. There are three (3) puzzles which can be played in either a casual or hard mode.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Matching puzzle. Match up 5 keys with their proper keyholes
B. Assembly puzzle. Place gears where they belong according to size and shape
C. Switch puzzle. Rotate and switch hexagonal picture tiles until an image is created.
D. Round maze puzzle. Lead a ball in a circular maze to the center by rotating the grid back and forth.
E. Casual/Hard. Complete an image by dragging fragments to where they belong in a circular frame. The easy version has images on the fragments whereas, the hard does not – only shapes to go by.
F. Maze puzzle. Move through a dark maze lighting up paths as you proceed.
G. Sequence puzzle. Repeat a sequence of lighted skeletons
H. Arrange 3 rows and columns of a wind chime so no 2 of the same items are within the same row or column.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. Jigsaw puzzle. Place puzzle fragments onto a circular frame to restore an image
J. Switch puzzle. Switch zodiac symbols so they are in the proper location
K. Switch puzzle. Switch picture tiles for 5 pictures to restore the images of 5 of the game’s characters.
L. Casual/Hard. Assembly puzzle Rotate and place mirror shards back into position within the mirror. The hard version does not have a framework as to where to place the shards
M. Maze puzzle. Find your way through a labyrinth within a dungeon.
N. Switch puzzle. Using a rotating disk in the center of a grid to pick up and move tokens, move 8 tokens to their proper slots around this central disk.
B. Assembly puzzle. Place gears where they belong according to size and shape
C. Switch puzzle. Rotate and switch hexagonal picture tiles until an image is created.
D. Round maze puzzle. Lead a ball in a circular maze to the center by rotating the grid back and forth.
E. Casual/Hard. Complete an image by dragging fragments to where they belong in a circular frame. The easy version has images on the fragments whereas, the hard does not – only shapes to go by.
F. Maze puzzle. Move through a dark maze lighting up paths as you proceed.
G. Sequence puzzle. Repeat a sequence of lighted skeletons
H. Arrange 3 rows and columns of a wind chime so no 2 of the same items are within the same row or column.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. Jigsaw puzzle. Place puzzle fragments onto a circular frame to restore an image
J. Switch puzzle. Switch zodiac symbols so they are in the proper location
K. Switch puzzle. Switch picture tiles for 5 pictures to restore the images of 5 of the game’s characters.
L. Casual/Hard. Assembly puzzle Rotate and place mirror shards back into position within the mirror. The hard version does not have a framework as to where to place the shards
M. Maze puzzle. Find your way through a labyrinth within a dungeon.
N. Switch puzzle. Using a rotating disk in the center of a grid to pick up and move tokens, move 8 tokens to their proper slots around this central disk.
I recommend this game!
Time is running out when a killer targets a fellow detective!
Overall rating
5
/
5
99 of 216 found this review helpful
JUSTICE IS SERVED IN A WHODUNIT WITH A HEART-WARMING BONUS CHAPTER ON THE SIDE
PostedMay 26, 2022
sunnyglow
fromLocation? In a happy place to see a new HOPA game out today. Thank you BFG for bringing a smile to HOPA game lovers!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 pages
The wait is over! After a brief hiatus from publishing new HOPA games, BFG has returned with an exciting psychological whodunit! Join sleuth, Dana Strange, and her partner as they investigate who is out to exact revenge against those who escaped punishment through the justice system. This game also comes with a heart-warming bonus chapter which I feel is better than the main game!
The game has the same format as most of the Elephant games. The collectibles include twelve (12) playing cards and forty-eight (48) puzzle pieces which are used to create four jigsaw puzzles upon completion of the game. I found the cards easy to locate; however, I found some jigsaw pieces well-hidden within the scenes. Most of the scenes have numerous collectibles within them. Since there are several within a scene, I had to return to the Expedition Room to see where I missed some of those jigsaw pieces. As in most of Elephant’s games, there is a Secret Room which provides more items to be located within the game scenes after completion of the game.
HOP SCENES: There are thirteen (13) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Most are standard fare, most being lists of items or search and replace scenes. I love the search and replace scenes in which items must be found and returned to the scene in the proper location. There are numerous mini-HOP scenes (ones with only six or seven items to locate) within this game. There are as many mini-HOP scenes as the standard ones.
MINI-GAMES: For me, the mini-games are the best part of this game. The bonus chapter has several which are more like HOP scenes than puzzles. There are twenty-two (22) mini-games, including two (2) Rube-Goldberg puzzles.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzles pieces for 4 puzzles
• Collect 12 playing cards
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 13 Mini-games
• Expedition Room taking the player back to scenes where missing collectibles can be collected.
• Secret Room returns to scenes within the game to search for more items within the scenes. The player is timed within this room.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzles pieces for 4 puzzles
• Collect 12 playing cards
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 13 Mini-games
• Expedition Room taking the player back to scenes where missing collectibles can be collected.
• Secret Room returns to scenes within the game to search for more items within the scenes. The player is timed within this room.
BONUS CHAPTER: Jack Goldwin’s beloved Grandpa Ralph has died and left him an inheritance. However, what has he inherited? Grandpa has left Jack a key and being a lover of riddles and puzzle, he now expects his grandson to figure out where his inheritance is located. What does the key open? Does it open a safe with large stash of cash, or something even more valuable? Find out in this incredibly creative chapter. I loved this chapter more than the actual game. The HOP scenes and puzzles are much better than the main game. This chapter is worthy of a collector’s edition price. Continue to collect the collectibles. There are six (6) mini-games and four (4) HOP scenes. However, some of the puzzles are more like HOP scenes.
SPOILERS: THERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Checkers puzzle. A modified version in which you use white balls to defeat your opponent’s black balls. Landing your ball next to your opponent’s balls turns them to your color and vice versa. Win by filling up the 8 x 8 board (64 squares) with more of your colored balls than your opponent’s.
B. Strategy Lock puzzle. Enter a passcode to open a door lock by pressing the 3 given symbols. However, pressing down one symbol affects the others around it. Push buttons until the 3 which open the door are the only ones pushed down.
C. Rube Goldberg Puzzle.
(1) Switch puzzle. Switch 8 segments of a circular disk until an image is restored.
(2) Matching puzzle. Uncover 8 squares by pushing on them to match like-tokens
(3) Switch puzzle. Take the red square discovered in #2 and place it where it belongs then switch the positions of the colored squares so the 3 red ones are where the 3 blue tokens are and vice versa.
(4) Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate 5 circles so that they create a picture.
D. Assembly puzzle. Dress a samurai warrior in war attire. Choose items and put them into the proper position to create the warrior matching a given picture 3X
E. Connection puzzle. Match up nodes on the left with those on the right to create a circuit.
F. Rube Goldberg puzzle. Free your hands from being tied up.
1. Tracing puzzle. Move a knot across a string to release the string. There are 3 different colored strings.
2. Rope puzzle. Untangle a rope so no sections overlap with each other.
3. Slider puzzle. Slide 4 colored knots to their like- colored spaces.
G. Maze puzzle. Lead a lab rat to a button at the end of a maze using 4 sets of control buttons to guide him on his path. You must open gates along the way.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Map puzzle. Using a map, go to designated points and locate 3 symbols at each point within an underground part of a college.
I. Connection puzzle. Connect 9 pictures with thread. Each picture has the number of connections which must be made.
J. Search and replace puzzle. Locate items out of place within the scene and put them in the correct position (More like a HOP scene)
B. Strategy Lock puzzle. Enter a passcode to open a door lock by pressing the 3 given symbols. However, pressing down one symbol affects the others around it. Push buttons until the 3 which open the door are the only ones pushed down.
C. Rube Goldberg Puzzle.
(1) Switch puzzle. Switch 8 segments of a circular disk until an image is restored.
(2) Matching puzzle. Uncover 8 squares by pushing on them to match like-tokens
(3) Switch puzzle. Take the red square discovered in #2 and place it where it belongs then switch the positions of the colored squares so the 3 red ones are where the 3 blue tokens are and vice versa.
(4) Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate 5 circles so that they create a picture.
D. Assembly puzzle. Dress a samurai warrior in war attire. Choose items and put them into the proper position to create the warrior matching a given picture 3X
E. Connection puzzle. Match up nodes on the left with those on the right to create a circuit.
F. Rube Goldberg puzzle. Free your hands from being tied up.
1. Tracing puzzle. Move a knot across a string to release the string. There are 3 different colored strings.
2. Rope puzzle. Untangle a rope so no sections overlap with each other.
3. Slider puzzle. Slide 4 colored knots to their like- colored spaces.
G. Maze puzzle. Lead a lab rat to a button at the end of a maze using 4 sets of control buttons to guide him on his path. You must open gates along the way.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Map puzzle. Using a map, go to designated points and locate 3 symbols at each point within an underground part of a college.
I. Connection puzzle. Connect 9 pictures with thread. Each picture has the number of connections which must be made.
J. Search and replace puzzle. Locate items out of place within the scene and put them in the correct position (More like a HOP scene)
I recommend this game!
The Puzzle Box is packed full of mind-bending challenges that are easy to play and difficult to master!
Overall rating
5
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
ENJOY A GAME WITH A TREASURE TROVE OF PUZZLES
PostedApril 21, 2022
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a fantastic puzzle game! I love enigmatology (the history, design, and creation of puzzles), and am looking forward to many enjoyable hours playing the wide array of puzzles in this game. This is a must-have for puzzle lovers. It is a nice compendium of puzzles which can be enjoyed by the entire family!
A lot of work went into designing this game. Very few games have the number and variety of puzzles as in this game. The game provides puzzles in a variety of difficulty levels from easy to insane. There are even separate puzzles provided for children in the Kid's Corner at the bottom of each puzzle section.
Puzzles can be personalized in a range of options from the difficulty to the size of the grids, and by theme. There is also an option to be timed or untimed while playing them. There are well-written instructions for every puzzle; as well as an option to watch a video of a sample puzzle on You Tube. There are twenty-nine (29) achievements which can also be earned. This is a game which will provide many hours of enjoyment.
PUZZLE TYPES AND DESCRIPTION:
I have listed the puzzle types and provide a brief description on what is included in each of the 10 types offered.
1. Find Objects: 5 Levels – easy, medium, hard, challenging, and insane. Choose between timed or untimed. There is also a special timed section which only gives you 20 seconds to find an item. Hints are limited, unlimited, or off. Items can be located by word or by picture of the item. Three items are pictured at the top of each scene during play. The more difficult levels have a scene which must be moved back-and-forth to see all the items.
2. Word search. There are 6 grids to search for words. 8 X 8, 10 X 10, 12 X 12, 14 X 14, 16 X 16, 18 X 18. There are 23 categories. Travel the world or choose the animal kingdom as theme – or select one of 23 other themes.
3. Rememberry: Look at a scene and test your memory as to what items were seen within the scenes. There are 3 types of puzzles - easy, medium, and hard. There are 8 themes to choose from in this memory game
4. Photo Puzzles. Pictures are divided into tiles which are scrambled. The tiles must be switched and placed in the proper location. There are 24 different themes. You can also get hints (limited, unlimited, or none). Each theme has 18 puzzles. The picture puzzles have the option of tile rotation, tile swap, or split tiles. The grids range from 6 X 4 to 21 X 14. Pictures can be adjusted in size to small, medium, or large. There is button which allows you to see what tiles still need to be switched.
5. Geography quiz. Test your knowledge of the world on 14 topics. You can choose the number of questions you wish to answer from 10 to 50 in increments of 10. I learned quite a bit about flags and maps of the various countries around the world in this section.
6. Spot It. Spot 10 differences between 2 pictures. There are 24 pictures in each of 10 categories.
7. Word Ninja. (A favorite of mine). Create words from 3 to 7 letters long from letters given. The difficulty levels are – easy, medium, and hard. The player is given the number of words associated with a theme and must click on letters to fill in the empty blanks to create the words.
8. Zombie attack. This the same as Hangman. Guess the letters to create a given word. Words are from 5 to 8 letters. Choose the theme from 13 categories
9. Find Numbers. Same as finding objects except the grid is composed of numbers. Levels are - easy, medium, and hard. Number grids range from 1 to 50 to 1 t0 200.
10. Match Pairs. Levels are easy, medium hard, challenging, and insane. There are 14 themes to choose from to match like items.
FINAL NOTE: Doing my happy dance today! For those of us puzzle enthusiasts, I hope BFG will publish more of this type of puzzle game and also sneak in some escape room games as well.
I recommend this game!
Find and collect adorable critters as you visit incredible places all over the world!
Overall rating
5
/
5
79 of 131 found this review helpful
NOAH’S ARK IS NEEDED FOR THIS COLLECTION OF CRITTERS
PostedApril 9, 2022
sunnyglow
from“The critters went in two by two. The monkey and the kangaroo. They went into the ark for to get out of the rain.” (Children’s song)
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
You are off on another fantastic world-wide adventure, searching for critters from cities around the world. This game is jam-packed with animals of all species! Visit eighteen (18) cities switching between two scenes searching for a list of items while locating twelve (12) critters and three (3) morphing butterflies. Then play a Spot-the-Differences puzzle which contains three (3) more critters.
The format is the same as in the other three games, “Cats,” “More Cats,” and “Pups.” Unlike other HOP games, which I find extremely boring, I find this series more to my liking. The game is fast paced, which can be partially attributed to searching between two scenes for the items. Not all the items to be located are displayed in the beginning. The player must bounce back-and-forth between the two scenes to get more items added to the list. I liked that. Also, the critters and items are not easy to locate which made the game more puzzle-like. Another factor which kept my interest are the puzzles. There are more puzzles in this game which breaks up the constant stream of searches found in other straight HOP games.
After finding the items and collectibles, each city will have a Spot–the-Differences puzzle. Search for 12 differences between the scenes. I found some of those differences difficult to locate. After that puzzle, there are matching puzzles or one of a variety of jigsaw puzzles to solve. Some of these are somewhat difficult with round pieces and a background which makes it difficult to create the scene
BONUS LEVEL: There are six bonus cities. The format is the same as within the main game. I felt this was worth the price of a collector’s edition. The six extra cities provided a nice amount of extra gameplay for this game.
MECHANICS:
• Collect 12 critters per location – for a total of 456 critters.
• Critters are different within each city visited. Search for adorable hedgehogs, manic monkeys, quacking ducks, clucking hens, sneaky snakes, wide-eyed otters, peeping chicks, fiendish ferrets, lurking lizards, nutty squirrels, timid turtles, pompous parakeets, and freaky frogs to name a few.
• There 3 more critters to be found in the Spot-the-Differences scenes.
• Collect 72 morphing butterflies within the scenes - 3 per scene. I found two butterflies within the main scenes and one within the secondary scene.
• Upon completion of the game release the butterflies (each butterfly provides 3 circular puzzle pieces) to provide 12 picture puzzles of butterflies.
• 27 Wallpapers
• Developer Animal Collection. A section within the bonus content which provides some entertaining information about the developer’s animals.
• Critters are different within each city visited. Search for adorable hedgehogs, manic monkeys, quacking ducks, clucking hens, sneaky snakes, wide-eyed otters, peeping chicks, fiendish ferrets, lurking lizards, nutty squirrels, timid turtles, pompous parakeets, and freaky frogs to name a few.
• There 3 more critters to be found in the Spot-the-Differences scenes.
• Collect 72 morphing butterflies within the scenes - 3 per scene. I found two butterflies within the main scenes and one within the secondary scene.
• Upon completion of the game release the butterflies (each butterfly provides 3 circular puzzle pieces) to provide 12 picture puzzles of butterflies.
• 27 Wallpapers
• Developer Animal Collection. A section within the bonus content which provides some entertaining information about the developer’s animals.
WHERE ARE THE MISSING UNICORNS? I LOVE FINDING FAIRY FOLK!
No unicorns? Unfortunately, those critters missed the voyage on Noah’s Ark. However, they are still living in the fairy tale kingdom. It would be wonderful to play a HOP game with travels to the cities of the fairy tale kingdom in search of those missing unicorns, along with fairies, elves, ogres, witches, gremlins, leprechauns, dwarfs, mermaids, flying monkeys, wizards, and other fairy tale denizens which hide within the trees or under mushrooms within the forests.
No unicorns? Unfortunately, those critters missed the voyage on Noah’s Ark. However, they are still living in the fairy tale kingdom. It would be wonderful to play a HOP game with travels to the cities of the fairy tale kingdom in search of those missing unicorns, along with fairies, elves, ogres, witches, gremlins, leprechauns, dwarfs, mermaids, flying monkeys, wizards, and other fairy tale denizens which hide within the trees or under mushrooms within the forests.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the paranormal from terrorizing an award-winning winery and hotel?
Overall rating
5
/
5
81 of 165 found this review helpful
BACK TO THE FUTURE IN THE ETERNAL SEARCH FOR RICK ROGERS
PostedMarch 31, 2022
sunnyglow
fromIf Rick Rogers and Rachel Cowell wait long enough to wed, they can both use wheelchairs to escort them down the aisle
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 38 pages (My Time: 6 Hours)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 38 pages (My Time: 6 Hours)
It is back to the future for Rachel and her ghostbusting gang in a fantastic new game! If you are fan of this series, you will want to play this one! For me, it is better than the previous ones in this series, and will reveal more information concerning heartthrob, Rick Rogers. I would suggest purchasing the collector’s edition and not wait for the standard edition of this game. The bonus chapter has information which is relevant to the story behind this series!
It is 2034 and Rachel’s love, Rick Rogers is still missing after 13 years. While searching online, Rachel discovers Rick Roger’s name carved into a tree on an island with a world class vineyard. She is off with her ghostbusting crew to this island to get clues as to Rick’s whereabouts. While investigating the island for clues, she and her crew help a family plagued by disgruntled ghosts, a family curse, and help them deal with a vendetta which reaches from beyond the grave.
At first, I was not going to play this game as I hated the last two within this series. However, this game is much better. Rachel’s ghostbusters travel with her to the island; however, there are no tag teams involved in this game as in the previous ones. I absolutely hate tag team games, especially when there are multiple characters involved. It becomes very confusing for me.
The pace is excellent with plenty of activities set against a great ghost story with vengeful ghosts. The graphics well depict the story behind the game. There are two collectibles, figurines of the game’s characters (which to me looked more like voodoo dolls) and eyes which transform into pieces for a jigsaw puzzle. The jigsaw puzzle is played upon completion of the game. The figurines practically jump out at you within the scenes; however, some of the eyes I found difficult to locate. They are very small and well-hidden.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 10 achievements.
• Collect 12 figurines of the game characters
• Collect 23 eyes (puzzle pieces) to complete a jigsaw puzzle at the end of the game.
• 5 wallpapers along with a screensaver, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 13 puzzles
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 10 achievements.
• Collect 12 figurines of the game characters
• Collect 23 eyes (puzzle pieces) to complete a jigsaw puzzle at the end of the game.
• 5 wallpapers along with a screensaver, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 13 puzzles
BONUS CHAPTER: I loved this chapter! After receiving an unexpected letter, Rachel returns to the island, the setting from the main game. Upon arrival, she discovers more unsettling facts about the founder of the Russell Vineyards and tries to quell more ghosts still residing on the island. This is a long chapter and well-worth the collector’s edition designation. There are four (4) HOP scenes and numerous mini-HOP scenes and seven (7) puzzles. This is an important chapter and provides information about Rick Rogers.
HOP SCENES: I counted sixteen (16) HOP scenes; however, there are some of what I call “mini-HOP scenes” which contain a small number of items (seven) to locate. For some of the scenes, I was unable to ascertain if they should be classified as standard HOP scenes, so my total may be off from another player’s count. I found the scenes much better than what Elephant has provided in the past. There are the usual lists of items and silhouette; however, Elephant has also included some storybook scenes, pattern scenes and even a slider scene in which two halves much be matched to remove the item from the scene. Elephant has upped their game with some creatively designed HOP scenes within this game.
PUZZLES: There are twenty (20) puzzles, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. I enjoyed playing some of these puzzles. I loved playing dominoes against a skeleton. I won on the first try – but still think he tried to cheat! I also enjoyed fishing and trying to trick an ornery little frog from trying to keep me from snagging the red, green, and blue fish from a river That annoying frog was hard to evade, stopping me at every turn, but eventually I learned how to outsmart him – Ribbit!
PUZZLES: There are twenty (20) puzzles, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. I enjoyed playing some of these puzzles. I loved playing dominoes against a skeleton. I won on the first try – but still think he tried to cheat! I also enjoyed fishing and trying to trick an ornery little frog from trying to keep me from snagging the red, green, and blue fish from a river That annoying frog was hard to evade, stopping me at every turn, but eventually I learned how to outsmart him – Ribbit!
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Maze puzzle. Lead 4 colorful butterflies to spots of the same color on the sides of a grid. You cannot touch them to move them; however, if you approach them, the butterflies will move in the direction you approach them.
B. Tangram puzzle. Place boards into position to create a bridge. The board pieces must mesh with each other so there are no open spaces between them.
C. Go Fish. Catch fish using a makeshift fishing pole with a hook until you reach 100 points. Each fish is worth points. The red fish is worth 7points; the green fish is worth 10; the blue fish is worth 14. However, a sneaky little frog will try to keep you from catching those fish.
D. Switch puzzle. On a 4 x 4 grid with 16 slots with wine bottles within them, switch the labels on the bottles according to city at the left side and the items associated with each geographic location on the top.
E. Connection puzzle. Rotate 3 different colored tubes so each of the tubes connect with those of the same color in a continuous flow.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Domino puzzle. Play dominoes with a skeleton. Match up ends of the dominoes to beat him by playing all your dominoes before he does.
G. Maze puzzle. Create a path by switching parts of a spider’s web to lead the spider to an exit point.
H. Map puzzle. Lead a boat through a river avoiding whirlpools, lightning, and a shark in its path.
I. Gear puzzle. Connect gears so they connect with each other in a smooth line.
B. Tangram puzzle. Place boards into position to create a bridge. The board pieces must mesh with each other so there are no open spaces between them.
C. Go Fish. Catch fish using a makeshift fishing pole with a hook until you reach 100 points. Each fish is worth points. The red fish is worth 7points; the green fish is worth 10; the blue fish is worth 14. However, a sneaky little frog will try to keep you from catching those fish.
D. Switch puzzle. On a 4 x 4 grid with 16 slots with wine bottles within them, switch the labels on the bottles according to city at the left side and the items associated with each geographic location on the top.
E. Connection puzzle. Rotate 3 different colored tubes so each of the tubes connect with those of the same color in a continuous flow.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Domino puzzle. Play dominoes with a skeleton. Match up ends of the dominoes to beat him by playing all your dominoes before he does.
G. Maze puzzle. Create a path by switching parts of a spider’s web to lead the spider to an exit point.
H. Map puzzle. Lead a boat through a river avoiding whirlpools, lightning, and a shark in its path.
I. Gear puzzle. Connect gears so they connect with each other in a smooth line.
I recommend this game!
A breathtaking voyage through dreams, reality, and places in between!
Overall rating
5
/
5
97 of 166 found this review helpful
ENJOY A BLAST FROM THE PAST IN ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
PostedMarch 17, 2022
sunnyglow
fromCongrats to Dragonseye Ltd. for a fantastic sequel to the first Tearstone game. Hopefully, it will be less than a decade until the next game within this series is published.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 45 pages (Includes page for collectibles) (My Time: 7 Hours)
Make a nostalgic trip back to the kingdom of Tearstone, one which will bring back memories of those fantastic HOPA games of yesteryear. Ten years have passed since your last visit to this kingdom. The Heart of the kingdom is missing, and the King has sent two of his emissaries, Todd the Ghost, and the Monk to enlist your help in locating it. You and your companions will venture throughout the kingdom, moving through several portals to locate the Heart, meeting new characters and spending time with those from the past. Hopefully, along the way you will enjoy a game which encapsulates the features we enjoyed within the HOPA games from the past. They just don't make HOPA games like this any longer!
What a fantastic game! For once, we HOPA lovers have a game which is not a cookie cutter, assembly game. This game is a masterpiece, one the entire family can enjoy. The game is a beautiful fairy tale delight, one with creatively designed HOP scenes and easy puzzles. The graphics are just incredible! The artwork from this game is in a league of its own. The characters are hand drawn, fine-tuned with much detail incorporated into each character. The characters drawn in this game rival anything created by other HOPA developers or even Disney.
I loved the fact the game is divided into chapters. I wish more developers would provide this feature. For me, it makes it easier to follow the story behind the game and to locate hints in the strategy guide if help is needed. I also love the notes provided throughout the game. The notes provide the historical background of the game for those who did not play the original Tearstone. And there is some tongue-in-cheek humor throughout. I am certain many of us would love to take a baseball bat to our alarm clocks at times – especially this week with the scourge of the return of Daylight Savings Time!
There are three collectibles, Symbols of Luck, morphing objects, and Cards of Destiny. I found most easy to locate. However, I missed locating one card and my only regret is that there is not the ability to return to the scene to retrieve it. Thus, I was not able to play the extra game for locating all the seven cards. However, this is a game I will replay. Hopefully I will locate that one card in a future play of this game. One thing I loved about this game is the layout for the screenshots of the collectibles. They are larger than those from other developers and it was easy to locate most of the missing collectibles. I still can't quite understand how I missed locating that one card with these easy-to-view screenshots. Again, I wish more developers would create larger screenshots for the collectibles.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 12 achievements.
• Collect 32 Symbols of Luck
• Collect 11 Morphing Objects
• Collect 7 Cards of Destiny (There is a card in every chapter)
• 32 Screenshots
• 6 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 12 HOP scenes.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 12 achievements.
• Collect 32 Symbols of Luck
• Collect 11 Morphing Objects
• Collect 7 Cards of Destiny (There is a card in every chapter)
• 32 Screenshots
• 6 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 12 HOP scenes.
BONUS CHAPTER: I loved this chapter! It is unlike most of the bonus chapters provided in other HOPA games. You enter a surreal world as Todd the Ghost. However, there is no story behind this chapter. The chapter centers on solving a series of puzzles and HOP scenes in consecutive order. There are three (3) HOP scenes and three (3) mini-games. There are no collectibles within this chapter. I loved the surreal graphics and maneuvering between one activity to another.
HOP SCENES: There are twelve (12) HOP scenes, and all can be replayed upon completion of the game. There are also some scenes which require searching for a small number of items. These scenes are puzzle-like, interactive, and just amazing! To me, they are some of the best HOP scenes I have played recently. The ingenuity of some of the scenes is incredible. In one scene, items to be removed are presented in a frog’s mouth; in another scene, two items must be located together; and in a third, items to be removed are painted on an artist’s canvas. One of my favorite scenes has the player searching for brown bags by rummaging through a series of drawers in a cabinet, removing items to find those bags.
MINI-GAMES: There are eighteen (18) mini-games. None of them can be replayed upon completion of the game. Most of the puzzles are easy so I, for one, would not replay them anyway. However, it was nice to play some new puzzles, ones which are different from those from other developers. There is even one Rube-Goldberg puzzle toward the end of the main game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES FROM THE ENTIRE GAME:
A. Assembly puzzle. Press on 5 square tiles so that their pattern matches that of a given diagram.
B. Two puzzles together. (1) Switch puzzle. Switch pieces on a television screen to create an image. Use television dials on the television to switch the images (2) Sequence puzzle. Press on bricks on the wall according to the image created on the television screen.
C. Switch puzzle. On a 5 x 4 grid with 20 squares, switch them to restore an image. If the squares are in the proper location, they can no longer be moved. The completed image is random in design
D. Matching puzzle. Follow the path of sinuous, curving wires which lead from the top to the bottom of a grid. Each wire is numbered at the top. Choose a number along the sides of the grid to place on a slot at the bottom so it matches the number at the top of the wire.
E. Sequence puzzle. Click on cans to expose hidden numbers, then. click on the cans in sequential order.
F. Rube Goldberg puzzle.
1. Assembly puzzle. Rotate 7 rings until a given image is formed as shown at the bottom of the grid.
2. Sequence puzzle Repeat a given sequence of lights as they are lit.
3. Match-3 variation. Click on symbols at the bottom of an hourglass which will match up with those on the top of the hourglass so that all are matched and removed.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Assembly puzzle. On a grid, rearrange ribbons so that the layout matches that on a given guide.
H. Switch puzzle. For each of 3 tokens, switch pieces surround each one so that the pieces, when combined, create the image in the middle.
B. Two puzzles together. (1) Switch puzzle. Switch pieces on a television screen to create an image. Use television dials on the television to switch the images (2) Sequence puzzle. Press on bricks on the wall according to the image created on the television screen.
C. Switch puzzle. On a 5 x 4 grid with 20 squares, switch them to restore an image. If the squares are in the proper location, they can no longer be moved. The completed image is random in design
D. Matching puzzle. Follow the path of sinuous, curving wires which lead from the top to the bottom of a grid. Each wire is numbered at the top. Choose a number along the sides of the grid to place on a slot at the bottom so it matches the number at the top of the wire.
E. Sequence puzzle. Click on cans to expose hidden numbers, then. click on the cans in sequential order.
F. Rube Goldberg puzzle.
1. Assembly puzzle. Rotate 7 rings until a given image is formed as shown at the bottom of the grid.
2. Sequence puzzle Repeat a given sequence of lights as they are lit.
3. Match-3 variation. Click on symbols at the bottom of an hourglass which will match up with those on the top of the hourglass so that all are matched and removed.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Assembly puzzle. On a grid, rearrange ribbons so that the layout matches that on a given guide.
H. Switch puzzle. For each of 3 tokens, switch pieces surround each one so that the pieces, when combined, create the image in the middle.
I recommend this game!