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:
A vengeful monster has found a way to stop Christmas!
Overall rating
4
/
5
157 of 218 found this review helpful
A JOYOUS START TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON
PostedNovember 18, 2021
sunnyglow
fromNo matter what the language or customs – from Gleðileg jól (Icelandic) or Merry Christmas (English) – Happy Holidays to everyone no matter where you are!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 29 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 29 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
OPINION: Start the Christmas season with the first of the BFG Yuletide games. Elephant Games has again filled our stockings with another Christmas festive delight, this time based upon an Icelandic tale. It is a filled with the Christmas spirit with a message of redemption, reminiscent of “The Christmas Carol.”
I enjoyed playing this game. For me, this is another great family game and a great way to usher in the Christmas season. I found the game an easy play, smooth flowing with a good pace. I discovered no errors within the game nor in the strategy guide. Players can play three of the chapters in any order they choose. I found this a nice touch. There are plenty of activities within the game. However, some of the puzzles might be a little challenging for younger children without adult assistance. Nevertheless, the graphics are chuck full of Christmas items and snow-covered scenes. The game has some beautiful, glistening graphics set to festive seasonal background music making it a great one to play with children. I found it to ve a decent game; however, not as good as previous ones from this series.
There are two collectibles, cards with information on each of the Icelandic Yulemen and jigsaw puzzle pieces. Upon completion of the game, the puzzle pieces are used to create four puzzles. To add a little extra challenge, the pieces must be rotated before placing them into position. I found most easy to locate. Many of the scenes contain multiple jigsaw puzzle pieces. There is an exhibition room which allows the player to return to scenes to locate missing collectibles. As in many of the developer’s games, there is a secret room which allows the player to search for more items within the scenes. As with past games, the searches are timed.
I do not like game helpers; however, the helper, the dwarf, Glu, is a natural fit for a game such as this one. He provides a little Christmas whimsy to the game. He is used frequently in the game to retrieve hard-to-reach items. However, I do wish he had been made an optional helper. And although he is amusing and delightful, he takes some time to perform his duties.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 puzzles
• Collect 13 cards describing the Yulemen.
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Helper Yuleman, Glu – used to retrieve items
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 13 Mini-games
• Secret Room opened upon completion of the game, allowing the player to locate more items within the scenes. Player is timed.
• Expedition Room which allows the player to search for any collectibles missed within the game.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 puzzles
• Collect 13 cards describing the Yulemen.
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Helper Yuleman, Glu – used to retrieve items
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 13 Mini-games
• Secret Room opened upon completion of the game, allowing the player to locate more items within the scenes. Player is timed.
• Expedition Room which allows the player to search for any collectibles missed within the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is sequel. Play Hans, the evildoer from the main game. After being redeemed you, as Hans, are off to save the Yulemen from the Snow Queen. I found this a decent chapter. There are five (5) HOP scenes and five (5) mini-games. I found it a nice addition to the game. The activities, to me, are exactly like those from the main game. There is one HOP scene I thought very creatively designed; however, most of the chapter is just a continuation of the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are fifteen (15) scenes, fourteen (14) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. They are chuck full of Christmas items. My favorite was the last one in the game. In the bonus chapter, there is a scene in which pages from several books are flipped back and forth to locate and combine two halves of an image before it is removed. I have seen this type of HOP scene in other games, but I found the one in this game easier to play. The other scenes include the usual lists of items, silhouette, storybook (with highlighted letters in the text), and matching.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-one (21) mini-games, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. For the most part, I found the mini-games somewhat challenging for a Christmas game. They are thematic and and creatively designed. I enjoyed playing them. However, I wonder how school-aged children would fare with some of these puzzles?
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Merry Christmas! Lock Puzzle/Switch puzzle. Switch lock pieces on the top and bottom of a grid to that the pieces mesh with those in the center which are either directly above them or below them
B. Feliz Navidad! Maze puzzle. Move the dwarf Glu through a maze with hallways to locate a stash of items. Use arrows to move Glu back-and-forth through the maze
C. Joyeux Noël! Checkers puzzle. Remove blue cupcakes on a grid by having them jump over each other until only one remains.
D. Buon Natale! Gear puzzle. In this case use snowflakes instead of gears to create a continuous connection from the bottom left to the upper right of the grid. Once connected, they will rotate
E. Hyvää Joulua! Marble popper puzzle. Remove 3 or more marbles at a time by shooting marbles at a group of 2 or more to remove them.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Frohe Weihnachten! Map puzzle. Move a reindeer sleigh down a lane while avoiding obstacles in your path You will restart if you get hit by obstacles too many times
G. God Jul! Jigsaw puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to restore the Queen’s portal.
H. Gleðileg jól! Strategy Puzzle: Plot your moves. Click on like- tokens to move them so they hit each other and are removed from the board. All tokens must be removed from the board. Strategies your moves.
B. Feliz Navidad! Maze puzzle. Move the dwarf Glu through a maze with hallways to locate a stash of items. Use arrows to move Glu back-and-forth through the maze
C. Joyeux Noël! Checkers puzzle. Remove blue cupcakes on a grid by having them jump over each other until only one remains.
D. Buon Natale! Gear puzzle. In this case use snowflakes instead of gears to create a continuous connection from the bottom left to the upper right of the grid. Once connected, they will rotate
E. Hyvää Joulua! Marble popper puzzle. Remove 3 or more marbles at a time by shooting marbles at a group of 2 or more to remove them.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Frohe Weihnachten! Map puzzle. Move a reindeer sleigh down a lane while avoiding obstacles in your path You will restart if you get hit by obstacles too many times
G. God Jul! Jigsaw puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to restore the Queen’s portal.
H. Gleðileg jól! Strategy Puzzle: Plot your moves. Click on like- tokens to move them so they hit each other and are removed from the board. All tokens must be removed from the board. Strategies your moves.
I recommend this game!
An investigation into a disappearance reveals ghostly secrets in a mountaintop hotel!
Overall rating
5
/
5
134 of 234 found this review helpful
A PICTURE PERFECT FIRST GAME IN A NEW SERIES
PostedNovember 11, 2021
sunnyglow
fromTravel by Mirror! Mirrors are wonderful vehicles to transport to other dimensions and other worlds. This game opened another travel destination - Spirit World! Just post some symbols with any old lipstick you may have – and off you go!
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: 41 pages (My time – 7 Hours)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 pages (My time – 7 Hours)
Grab your camera and travel to the Snowy Creek Hotel to battle a disgruntled ghost in the first game in a new series from Domini Games. As a paranormal detective with your own agency, Mystic Riddles, your journalistic friend needs help in investigating the reports of ghostly attacks and disappearance of the hotel’s guests. With camera in hand, travel back-and-forth between the spirit world and the real world sleuthing the cause of all the ghostly activity.
This is a very long game! Domini always provides more game for the money and this one is no different. There are a lot of activities within this game. Logistically, it is a cookie cutter game, cut from the same mold as their other games. There are three thematic collectibles, rolls of film, morphing hotel items and door signs. The rolls of film can be exchanged for items for a dark room upon completion of the game. The player carries a gimmicky camera with a magic lens to take pictures of the paranormal. I wonder why Domini included this gimmick as it seldom is used in the game.
Most of the puzzles can be played in either hard or easy version. However, this game does not have as many puzzles with this option as in previous games. I loved this game. This game is creatively designed, with a good storyline and is chuck full of puzzles and HOP scenes.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 59 rolls of films to exchange for items to deck out a dark room.
• Collect 15 door signs and 15 morphing hotel items
• Gimmicky camera to take pictures of the paranormal activity
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 19 Mini-games
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 59 rolls of films to exchange for items to deck out a dark room.
• Collect 15 door signs and 15 morphing hotel items
• Gimmicky camera to take pictures of the paranormal activity
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 19 Mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story. The solicitor to your grandfather’s estate has contacted you and asked you to sign documents for you to take possession of it. However, upon arrival at this mansion, Albert Hall, you find yourself the victim of deceit. Now you must save yourself from a ghostly possession while helping your grandfather’s ghost reunite with your grandmother. I found this a nice addition to the game and worthy of a collector’s edition designation. It is a lengthy chapter with five (5) HOP scenes and eleven (11) mini-games.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Domini is best-known for their puzzles; however, there are some creatively designed HOP scenes in this game. There is wide variety of styles. There are lists of items, silhouette scenes, matching scenes, a spot-the-difference scene, and search and replace scenes. However, I had difficulty with one scene in which halves of items must be combined to remove them. I found it difficult trying to rotate the circle and then maneuver the two pieces together to create the item to be removed. Hopefully Domini will not use this format again.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Domini is best-known for their puzzles; however, there are some creatively designed HOP scenes in this game. There is wide variety of styles. There are lists of items, silhouette scenes, matching scenes, a spot-the-difference scene, and search and replace scenes. However, I had difficulty with one scene in which halves of items must be combined to remove them. I found it difficult trying to rotate the circle and then maneuver the two pieces together to create the item to be removed. Hopefully Domini will not use this format again.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-five (35) mini-games, nineteen (19) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Many have the option to be played in easy an easy or hard version. Amazing! There is a Rube-Goldberg puzzle within a maze puzzle. As you traverse a maze, the player must solve several other puzzles. My only complaint are the numerous lock puzzles within this game. To me, entering a numeric combination to a lock is NOT a puzzle.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES FROM THE 35 MINI-GAMES WITHIN THIS GAME
A. Switch Puzzle. Switch springs so that each one is level with each other. The easy version has 6 springs, and the hard version has 8.
B. An Amazing Maze Puzzle. Using a lantern, find a way out of a maze. Along the way, solve these puzzles
(1) Bullseye Puzzle. Break spheres within a revolving circle to defeat a ghost
(2) Sequence Puzzle. Locate magic flowers in sequential order to defeat a ghost
(3) Rotating Rings Puzzle. On a circle, place 6 spheres within 6 skulls sequentially so that with each turn, each skull matches with an empty skull
C. E/H. Connection Puzzle. Connect tokens in one continuous line. The hard version has more tokens to connect.
D. E/H. Assembly Puzzle. On a square mosaic, click on segments to change their color so that no 2 of the same color are next to each other. The hard version has fewer color options
E. Sequence Puzzle. Set 6 valves to move a ball from one end of a pipe to the other without exiting into holes next to each valve.
F. E/H. Assembly Puzzle. Create a solvent by following directions. The hard version has more ingredients to use.
G. Gear Puzzle Place gears into position so they mesh with each other. The easy version has 6 gears, and the hard version has 10
H. E/H. Escape Puzzle. Create a fence around an evildoer by landing on cells to block him in so he cannot escape. The easy version has more natural blockages such as trees.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. E/H. Connection Puzzle. Connect like-colored gears with chains without crossing other chains. The hard version has one extra pair of gears to be connected.
J. Sequence Puzzle. On a grid, place letters into position by sliding them in the proper sequential order to spell out My Dear Alma. The easy version only has the player spell Alma – the Hard has 3 grids with all three words.
K. Assembly Puzzle. Transfer liquid between flasks using arrows at the side so 11 units is within the flask in the center
L. E/H. Rotating Tiles Puzzle. Rotate colored cameras on a grid so each on is on a square of a matching color. The easy version has 5 cameras, and the hard version has 6
B. An Amazing Maze Puzzle. Using a lantern, find a way out of a maze. Along the way, solve these puzzles
(1) Bullseye Puzzle. Break spheres within a revolving circle to defeat a ghost
(2) Sequence Puzzle. Locate magic flowers in sequential order to defeat a ghost
(3) Rotating Rings Puzzle. On a circle, place 6 spheres within 6 skulls sequentially so that with each turn, each skull matches with an empty skull
C. E/H. Connection Puzzle. Connect tokens in one continuous line. The hard version has more tokens to connect.
D. E/H. Assembly Puzzle. On a square mosaic, click on segments to change their color so that no 2 of the same color are next to each other. The hard version has fewer color options
E. Sequence Puzzle. Set 6 valves to move a ball from one end of a pipe to the other without exiting into holes next to each valve.
F. E/H. Assembly Puzzle. Create a solvent by following directions. The hard version has more ingredients to use.
G. Gear Puzzle Place gears into position so they mesh with each other. The easy version has 6 gears, and the hard version has 10
H. E/H. Escape Puzzle. Create a fence around an evildoer by landing on cells to block him in so he cannot escape. The easy version has more natural blockages such as trees.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. E/H. Connection Puzzle. Connect like-colored gears with chains without crossing other chains. The hard version has one extra pair of gears to be connected.
J. Sequence Puzzle. On a grid, place letters into position by sliding them in the proper sequential order to spell out My Dear Alma. The easy version only has the player spell Alma – the Hard has 3 grids with all three words.
K. Assembly Puzzle. Transfer liquid between flasks using arrows at the side so 11 units is within the flask in the center
L. E/H. Rotating Tiles Puzzle. Rotate colored cameras on a grid so each on is on a square of a matching color. The easy version has 5 cameras, and the hard version has 6
I recommend this game!
Can you rescue a child with magical powers in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
77 of 153 found this review helpful
A REMASTERED GAMING WORK OF ART
PostedNovember 4, 2021
sunnyglow
fromIf the paintings in this game create worlds, can’t this game do the same? If so, I went over my exercise goal of 10,000 steps today by going up-and-down tower steps and zipping in-and-out of paintings - all without leaving my chair!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Enjoy a wonderful, remastered gem from the past! This game is puzzle lover’s delight, and one which is more of an adventure game than a HOPA game. There are only a few HOP scenes in this game. The game takes the player to a dark, dismal world, one which is devoid of color and light, to save Iris, a little girl, who is the only hope to save this world from evil. The setting is a tower in which Iris is imprisoned. Move through winding staircases and enter the worlds created by Iris’ paintings as you attempt to reach her at the top of this tower. You need to find the source which will save her and the world from an evil king
Since I did not play the original game, I am uncertain what alterations were made to this game. However, I can understand why this game was remastered. It is an artistic masterpiece, and much better than many of the current games being offered. The game is set in the background of a dark fairytale. It is a beautifully illustrated game, somewhat surrealistic with a touch of arte noire. I thought it was spark of genius to have the player enter Iris’ paintings which are vibrant and full of color and light, contrasted that to the drab world of the tower. It is evident a lot of work went into this game, and it appears many scenes were hand-drawn.
The game consists of entering the imaginary worlds created by Iris through her artwork, getting help from her friends within each of these works of art to reach the tower in which she resides. Most of the activities involve art in some way. The collectibles are morphing red scarfs and puzzles pieces which are used to play a jigsaw puzzle upon completion of the game. As in their other games, the developer provides an indicator on the left side of the screen indicating how many collectibles are within each scene. It also keeps track of how many have been found and how many remain to be located. Unlike other HOPA games, this one has no achievements.
Are there missing jigsaw pieces? I found some of the puzzle pieces extremely difficult to locate. Two I never found and believe they were omitted from the game. I researched the strategy guide for the location but never found them. One is supposedly on a gear system and the other is supposedly located on the side of an elephant. Upon completion of the game, the player can return to the scenes to locate the jigsaw pieces if they are missed while playing the game.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• There are no achievements.
• Collect 60 jigsaw puzzle pieces (most scenes have 2 per scene)
• Collect 60 morphing red scarfs (most scenes have 2 per scene)
• 7 wallpapers and 7 screensavers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 4 HOP scenes and 9 mini-games
• There are no achievements.
• Collect 60 jigsaw puzzle pieces (most scenes have 2 per scene)
• Collect 60 morphing red scarfs (most scenes have 2 per scene)
• 7 wallpapers and 7 screensavers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 4 HOP scenes and 9 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. It is the day prior to the beginning of the main game. The Griffin prepares Iris for her future responsibilities as queen by giving her three tests to assess the qualities she must possess. They are solving problems, saving lives, and being wise. Play Iris as you accomplish three (3) sets of tasks to prove your worthiness as a future queen. I found this chapter well-crafted and equal in quality to the main game. However, I do believe this chapter was not part of the main game. The puzzles created are much different. There is only one HOP scene and seven (7) mini-games. Upon completion of the game, the player will discover the character he or she plays in the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are only four (4) HOP scenes within this game. All can be replayed upon completion of the game. There are also several mini-HOP scenes with a small number of items to be located. There is one within the bonus chapter which I found very confusing. It consists of locating qualities based upon mythical creatures on a tapestry. For me, the qualities to be located did not match up to the mythical creatures to which they were assigned. For example, I don’t understand how the quality of bravery is related to a minotaur.
MINI-GAMES: This is a puzzle-oriented game and there are some challenging puzzles within this game. Luckily, some of the puzzles have two versions in which they can be played – casual or hard. Some of the puzzles have multiple steps or sequential puzzles to solve. There are twenty-five (25) mini-games, only nine (9) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. I do wish this developer had included more of the mini-games to be replayed. I do not want to replay the entire game to replay some of the puzzles which I found somewhat difficult. There are several tracing activities (not considered puzzles by this developer) which I found tedious. In one chapter, I became tired of tracing a sun and a moon to change the time of day. I did feel this was excessive.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SAMPLE OF SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Assembly puzzle. Locate pieces of Roman numerals for a clock and then set the time based on clues within the scene.
B. Checkers puzzle. On a grid with one blue token and several red ones, have the tokens jump over each other to remove them leaving only the blue token centered in the middle of the grid.
C. Casual/Hard. Jigsaw puzzle. Place glass shards into the correct position to assemble a broken hourglass. In the hard version, the pieces must be rotated. 2X
D. Mirror puzzle. Rotate mirrors to center a beam on a seed to grow a tree during the day and then repeat to make a flower bloom at night.
E. Sequence puzzle. Move the teeth on two lions by clicking on their whiskers so the upper and lower set of teeth intermesh with each other. This puzzle is somewhat confusing on how to proceed after the player is finished.
F. Casual/Hard. Jigsaw puzzle. Create a dragon by placing pieces into position on a grid. In the hard version, the pieces are clear – no color until they are placed within the scene.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Casual/Hard. Matching. Uncover tokens to reveal pictures to match. The tokens move after each match. The hard version has two more tokens to match.
H. Rope puzzle. Switch knots on a rope so that rope segments do not intersect with each other.
I. Lock puzzle. Set the combination on a cryptex following a given clue.
J. Paint by number (symbol). Paint a picture on a piece of cloth according to a guide which assigns a symbol for each color.
B. Checkers puzzle. On a grid with one blue token and several red ones, have the tokens jump over each other to remove them leaving only the blue token centered in the middle of the grid.
C. Casual/Hard. Jigsaw puzzle. Place glass shards into the correct position to assemble a broken hourglass. In the hard version, the pieces must be rotated. 2X
D. Mirror puzzle. Rotate mirrors to center a beam on a seed to grow a tree during the day and then repeat to make a flower bloom at night.
E. Sequence puzzle. Move the teeth on two lions by clicking on their whiskers so the upper and lower set of teeth intermesh with each other. This puzzle is somewhat confusing on how to proceed after the player is finished.
F. Casual/Hard. Jigsaw puzzle. Create a dragon by placing pieces into position on a grid. In the hard version, the pieces are clear – no color until they are placed within the scene.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Casual/Hard. Matching. Uncover tokens to reveal pictures to match. The tokens move after each match. The hard version has two more tokens to match.
H. Rope puzzle. Switch knots on a rope so that rope segments do not intersect with each other.
I. Lock puzzle. Set the combination on a cryptex following a given clue.
J. Paint by number (symbol). Paint a picture on a piece of cloth according to a guide which assigns a symbol for each color.
I recommend this game!
Piece together some visual Halloween treats with this incredible set of jigsaw puzzles!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
FAN-TASTIC JIGSAW PUZZLE FROM A NEW GRAPHIUM FAN
PostedOctober 31, 2021
sunnyglow
fromHappy Halloween! Playing these jigsaw puzzles is much easier than trying to piece together a costume!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a fan-tastic game from a developer who has a devoted fan base, including me! I usually never play most of the BFG daily games, being an aficionada of HOPA and adventure games. However, in days of yore, I did play massive jigsaw puzzles from Ravensburger, but playing them on a computer is better – no lost pieces to salvage and no need to deal with jigasaw glue to paste all those pieces together. I have never been one to play jigsaw puzzles online as I have found most boring and lacking any creativity. However, Graphium has developed ones which are unique and can be as challenging as the player wishes.
There are several elements I love about this game. I love the fact that the player can customize the picture puzzles from 30 puzzle pieces to 1,024 pieces. Also, there are various shapes for the connections on the puzzles pieces. I also love the fact that some of the pictures are not just related Halloween. I found this game user friendly with useful features as outlined below.
MECHANICS:
• 36 Puzzles
• Choice of 10 different backgrounds
• Choice of puzzle pieces – 30, 49, 108, 165, 252, 306, 572, 700, 810, 961, 1024
• Shuffle feature – allowing payer to shuffle the pieces
• Zoom function – Zoom in and zoom out of the pictures.
• Feature which shows only the edge pieces
• Preview feature which shows you the finished picture
• Auto-solve to place some pieces into place to help solve the puzzle
• For an extra challenge – a function to add extra non-related pieces into the picture to be solved
• Choice of 10 different backgrounds
• Choice of puzzle pieces – 30, 49, 108, 165, 252, 306, 572, 700, 810, 961, 1024
• Shuffle feature – allowing payer to shuffle the pieces
• Zoom function – Zoom in and zoom out of the pictures.
• Feature which shows only the edge pieces
• Preview feature which shows you the finished picture
• Auto-solve to place some pieces into place to help solve the puzzle
• For an extra challenge – a function to add extra non-related pieces into the picture to be solved
Personally, I try to buy from people not companies. This developer is a frequent guest to our forum ,Pond Friends, interacting with us, asking for our input on his games. He sends us screenshots on his games and answers questions concerning his games. To be honest, usually I just ignore most of the developers on our forum; however, I was hooked by the beautiful pictures from his games and his creative genius. An extra bonus to me is that this developer is a nice guy and like me, an avid mushroom hunter! He sold me on his games with his first mushroom picture! I do love the skeleton under the mushroom as one of the pictures. I cannot wait until the Christmas game appears!
Thanks Graphium - you sold me on the first mushroom picture! Hope to see many more of your games!
I recommend this game!
Can you rescue your daughter from her puppet look-alike?
Overall rating
4
/
5
102 of 200 found this review helpful
UNCOVERING FAMILY SKELETONS BY CREATING FAMILY ATTACHMENTS
PostedOctober 28, 2021
sunnyglow
fromFamily attachments. The Gray family has close family ties. In this game, Great-Auntie Alexandra Grim proves that is the case. She is certainly attached to her grandniece Alice.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 35 pages (My Time: 6 Hours)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 35 pages (My Time: 6 Hours)
Enjoy another family reunion for Anna Gray and her ever expanding brood. Family secrets are revealed in the latest chapter of this neverending family drama for our time bending heroine. In this episode, Anna and her teen daughter, Alice, discover more family skeletons hiding in their attic – this time Anna meets a new family member, an aunt, her mother’s sister - someone her mother just forgot to tell her about. Auntie has been hanging out in the attic as a puppet for years. When auntie literally attaches herself to Alice, Anna must travel through time to save her daughter and restore familial harmony.
I liked, but did not love, this game. To me, this is a decent game; however, in my humble opinion, it is not worthy of a collector’s edition designation. To me, it is a carbon copy of the other games within this series. I cannot see anything within this game which is any different from every other game in this series. I found the pace slowed in some segments of the game. My general feeling is that this is standard fare providing very little in the way of exceptional content or creative design.
There are only two collectibles and there are not many of them within the game. Collect screensaver fragments and theater props. I found all easy to locate. As the game progresses, Anna’s mother, Anastasia, becomes your helper, sitting on the inventory bar, giving you needed materials to defeat the evildoer. As in their other games, there is an expedition room which allows the player to return to scenes to search for missing collectibles. There is also a secret room as in other games which allows the player to locate more collectibles within the scenes from the game. As in other games, this activity is timed. An Archives room contains the HOP scenes and mini-games which can be replayed.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 24 screen saver parts and 12 theater props
• 5 wallpapers along with 2 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 13 mini-games hidden within the Archives room.
• Expedition room allows the player to return to scenes to search for missing collectibles
• Secret room allows players to return to the game scenes and collect more items. This is timed.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 24 screen saver parts and 12 theater props
• 5 wallpapers along with 2 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 13 mini-games hidden within the Archives room.
• Expedition room allows the player to return to scenes to search for missing collectibles
• Secret room allows players to return to the game scenes and collect more items. This is timed.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Go back in time and learn how Anna’s mother, Anastasia, met her father, Richard Gray. Also learn some more history concerning Anna’s mother, her sister, and Richard as they try to stop smother mother, Eleanor, from resurrecting her son, Lars. I found this a decent chapter and did enjoy the storyline within this chapter. There are four (4) HOP scenes and six (6) min-games. There are also several mini-HOP scenes with six (6) items to locate. One element I did like in this game was the last part of the game in which symbols are collected to accumulate power used to defeat the evildoer.
HOP SCENES: There are thirteen (13) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. There are also several mini-HOP scenes with six (6) items to be located. I was somewhat disappointed in the HOP scenes. I found most boring, lacking the creative design seen from other developers. They are not very interactive, and most are either straight lists of items or silhouette. There are some matching scenes and there is a replacement scene in which items are returned to the scene. However, overall, I was not wowed by the HOP scenes.
MINI-GAMES: To me, they are the best part of the game. There are twenty-one (21) mini-games, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Most of the puzzles have been seen in other games; however, I do feel they are much better than the HOP scenes. There are some creatively designed puzzles within this game.
SPOILERS: HERE IS A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Connection puzzle. Awesome puzzle in which fans are connected so that the patterns on the fans match with at least one pattern on connecting fans.
B. Switch puzzle. On a circular wheel, switch tokens with symbols on them so they are placed on the wheel matching the color and the symbol posted at the top of the wheel
C. Maze puzzle. In a fog-filled grid, find your way out of a maze You must set up your path in 12 moves and press a button to check if it is correct.
BONUS CHAPTER:
D. Sequence puzzle. Play a melody by pressing on pictures sequentially on a piano keyboard which pictures are somehow related to the pictures on a musical score.
E. Paint-by-Number puzzle. Paint a mask so that adjoining areas are not the same color
F. Bullseye Puzzle. Shoot ‘em’ up. In an arcade shooting game, shoot symbols portrayed on sacks which are the same as those posted on a sideboard. There are 8 symbols to shoot.
B. Switch puzzle. On a circular wheel, switch tokens with symbols on them so they are placed on the wheel matching the color and the symbol posted at the top of the wheel
C. Maze puzzle. In a fog-filled grid, find your way out of a maze You must set up your path in 12 moves and press a button to check if it is correct.
BONUS CHAPTER:
D. Sequence puzzle. Play a melody by pressing on pictures sequentially on a piano keyboard which pictures are somehow related to the pictures on a musical score.
E. Paint-by-Number puzzle. Paint a mask so that adjoining areas are not the same color
F. Bullseye Puzzle. Shoot ‘em’ up. In an arcade shooting game, shoot symbols portrayed on sacks which are the same as those posted on a sideboard. There are 8 symbols to shoot.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop dangerous specters from destroying the city in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
76 of 149 found this review helpful
ELECTRIFYING MAIN GAME – POWER OUTAGE IN THE BONUS CHAPTER
PostedOctober 21, 2021
sunnyglow
fromSay watt? I was shocked by bonus chapter in the game. Currently, the bonus chapters leave me less than ex-static – and that hertz!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 72 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 72 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
Mon amis! Agatha, our Victorian era sleuth, returns in another case. This time our detective has become a ghostbuster – investigating an infestation of them at the 1899 World Exposition in Paris. Joining you in solving this case is Nikola Tesla, who will help you assist in dealing with an evildoer out for revenge.
I found this a decent game; however, I did not find it as enjoyable as previous games within this series. The game is electrifying (with bolts of lightning throughout), along with a touch of Steampunk. A mini-Tesla Tower is lurking in the background in one scene and the Eiffel Tower, built for this exposition, is featured throughout the game. The graphics are colorful, depicting late 19th century Paris. For me, it is a light-hearted spookfest, an easy peasy game which is a decent addition for Halloween.
I found this a decent game; however, I did not find it as enjoyable as previous games within this series. The game is electrifying (with bolts of lightning throughout), along with a touch of Steampunk. A mini-Tesla Tower is lurking in the background in one scene and the Eiffel Tower, built for this exposition, is featured throughout the game. The graphics are colorful, depicting late 19th century Paris. For me, it is a light-hearted spookfest, an easy peasy game which is a decent addition for Halloween.
The collectibles are morphing objects and drawings of ghosts. I found most easy to locate; however, I found some of the morphing objects so miniscule that I needed to consult the strategy guide to locate some of them. There is a bar on the left side of the scene which indicates how many collectibles are within the scene. It also indicates when all collectibles have been located. Most of the scenes have one of each type of collectible. Previous games from this developer have had two of each per scene.
DEDUCATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: A nice touch within this game are scenes in which conclusions and deductions are made after collecting enough evidence. Those involving conclusions require placing photos into a narrative to develop a conclusion about the story up to that point. Those scenes providing deductions, require locating four items within a scene. After locating the items, Agatha provides her input on what she feels is transpiring within the game. There are five (5) each for both the conclusions and the deductions within the main game and one in the bonus chapter for each as well.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 24 achievements.
• Collect 24 collectibles which, when all are collected, allow the player to play a rotating rings picture puzzle upon completion of the game.
• Collect 24 morphing objects
• 9 wallpapers along with 7 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 17 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games
• 24 achievements.
• Collect 24 collectibles which, when all are collected, allow the player to play a rotating rings picture puzzle upon completion of the game.
• Collect 24 morphing objects
• 9 wallpapers along with 7 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 17 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: The bonus chapter is a sequel. After dealing with a ghostly outbreak at the World Expo, the government minster asks Agatha to investigate the Louvre. Exhibits are coming to life and attacking visitors at the museum. I do not feel this chapter is of the same caliber as the main game. It seems as if the chapter was just tacked on, rushed through with repeated HOP scenes and some ridiculously easy puzzles. There are ten (10) mini-games and six (6) HOP scenes. It is a long chapter, but to me, not as creatively designed as the main chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-one (21) scenes, seventeen (17) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. There are also some mini-HOP scenes in which four to six items or fragments of items must be located. Scenes are repeated with the game; however, I found them interactive and creatively designed. They include lists of items, silhouette, rebus clues, cryptic clues, and replacement of items back into the scenes. There are some creatively designed scenes in this game.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty (30) mini-games, twelve (12) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. I wish more were offered to be replayed; however, the developer does offer the most enjoyable ones for replay.
SPOILER ALERT: HERE IS A SAMPLING OF THE MINI-GAMES OFFERED AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Mathematical puzzle. Work out 3 mathematical calculations on a paper to discover the number associated with each of 3 letters of the alphabet. Afterward, enter those numbers to open a safe.
B. Sequence puzzle. Tell a story in sequence by placing 16 picture frames in the proper sequential order.
C. Maze puzzle. Traverse over rooftops looking for items to use in a search to locate an evildoer.
D. Morse code puzzle. For ham radio operators! Using 2 knobs on a transmitter – enter the Morse Code for a 4-digit number. Learn Morse code for numbers as well!
E. Connection puzzle. Using an airship, move over all cells on a map without retracing your steps.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Using an arrow to point to letters on a dial on a safe, spell out the name MARSEL
G. Block puzzle. Move blocks within a grid to create a path for a key to move from the left to the right to exit the grid.
H. Sequence puzzle. Pull colored ribbons on a book as per the order on the side of the book.
I. Enter numbers on a cryptex in the proper order as shown on a given guide.
B. Sequence puzzle. Tell a story in sequence by placing 16 picture frames in the proper sequential order.
C. Maze puzzle. Traverse over rooftops looking for items to use in a search to locate an evildoer.
D. Morse code puzzle. For ham radio operators! Using 2 knobs on a transmitter – enter the Morse Code for a 4-digit number. Learn Morse code for numbers as well!
E. Connection puzzle. Using an airship, move over all cells on a map without retracing your steps.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Using an arrow to point to letters on a dial on a safe, spell out the name MARSEL
G. Block puzzle. Move blocks within a grid to create a path for a key to move from the left to the right to exit the grid.
H. Sequence puzzle. Pull colored ribbons on a book as per the order on the side of the book.
I. Enter numbers on a cryptex in the proper order as shown on a given guide.
I recommend this game!
A strange board game makes a Halloween party go very wrong!
Overall rating
5
/
5
124 of 219 found this review helpful
A CREATURE FEATURE WHICH IS A MONSTROUS HIT!
PostedOctober 14, 2021
sunnyglow
fromOn the planet Earth there be monsters. They live among us; however, the scariest ones are those hiding in plain sight
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: 68 pages (My Time: 8 Hours)
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 68 pages (My Time: 8 Hours)
Enjoy a creature feature, one in which you, your family, and even your “ghoul” friends can enjoy! The setting for the story is a Halloween party in which you, your sister, Samantha, and another friend, Harry, are whisked away into a world of monsters after Samantha begins playing the game, Kriben’s Game. Although your sister may be a little monster herself, you certainly do not want her to spend eternity as a servant to this demented evildoer, do you? Well even if you do, you will spend the entire game battling this nasty evildoer, trying to rescue your sister, and searching for an exit from this surrealistic gaming world in this fast-paced Halloween themed delight.
I loved this game! It is chock full of creatures – from monsters to domesticated and wild animals. To me, this game is better than the previous games in this series and for me, one of the best games from Domini this year. The setting is a gameboard set within in a world full of monsters. The graphics are surrealistic with doors, candles and castles floating in midair. The graphics to me, are incredibly well-done. There is a wondrous chapter dedicated to witches set in an amusement park with roller coasters being supported on the tentacles of octopuses.
The framework of the game is the same as in this developer’s other games. There are three collectibles which include morphing items from the monster Kriben, monster statues and coins which are used to purchase items for an armory. I found most easy to locate; however, as with other games, I did find some of the coins difficult to locate within the scene. As in other games, there is an indicator on the inventory bar which lights up when a collectible is within the scene. I found the pace excellent with plenty of activities set in this unique dreamlike setting with oodles of Halloween items thrown into the mix. I found no errors while playing this game and the gameplay was smooth and enjoyable.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 38 achievements.
• Collect 15 of Kriben’s morphing items and 15 monster figurines.
• Collect 66 stone coins to purchase items for an armory.
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences.
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games.
• 38 achievements.
• Collect 15 of Kriben’s morphing items and 15 monster figurines.
• Collect 66 stone coins to purchase items for an armory.
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences.
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story. Return to nineteenth century England. Play a Monster Hunter invited by your sister to attend a Halloween party. However, when your sister is kidnapped by Kriben to exact revenge against you, you are off to save her within the walls of a castle. Continue collecting the collectibles within this chapter. I was not thrilled with this chapter and found it a decent chapter but not near as good as the main game. There are four (4) HOP scenes and eight (8) mini-games. It is a long chapter and a decent addition to the game; however, I personally enjoyed the story and the activities from the main game better.
HOP SCENES: Wow! These scenes are a creature feature extravaganza! Many of the scenes involve either animals or monsters in some way. There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes within the game, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. The scenes are creatively designed. In one, the player uses an octopus tenacle to hold a magnifying glass to search for items within a scene. They are all interactive and include lists of items, silhouette, cryptic clues, storybook scenes, and scenes in which items are located based on a small segment from the scene or items. The silhouette scenes include some in which the items located must be returned to the scene and either used within the scene or put back into their proper locations.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-six (26) mini-games, eighteen (18) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Most of the puzzles have the choice to be played in either an easy mode for an enjoyable easy-peasy game or in a hard mode for a more challenging game for those who want it. I love this option. I played all the puzzles in an easy mode and will replay them again in the hard mode. There is a variety of different styles of puzzles. And although many of the puzzles are like ones seen in past games, Domini always provides a unique twist on their puzzles in all their games.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE A FEW OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard) (Each puzzle is dedicated to some literary or cinematographic monster)
A. E/H. Aliens and the String Theory. Switch puzzle. Move 10 beads located on three strings from the left to the right on 3 other strings. All beads must fit onto the strings. In the hard version the beads must be rotated to fit on the other 3 strings
B. E/H. Pumpkin Head. Alignment puzzle. Align pumpkins on 6 rows so that each column has the correct number as listed at the top of the grid.
C. E/H. Shapeshifter. Maze puzzle. Move a game character to a colored token. That token will transport the player to a token of its matching color. Then move the character to another colored token next to it. Continue to dart in and out of the tokens until landing at the end post. The harder version has a more difficult set up to reach the final token.
D. E/H. Phantom of the Opera. Assembly/Sequence puzzle Place parts of theater scenes in an amusement park into a scene in the proper sequential order as per a given diagram. In the hard version, if you make a mistake, you must restart.
E. E/H. The Minotaur. Circular Maze Puzzle. Move a key to a lock in the center of a circular maze by using directional arrows to move across pathways while avoiding skulls and arrows within your path. The skulls and arrows move at the same time you move so plot your moves. The harder version has more skulls.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. E/H. Medusa. Connection puzzle. Connect different colored snakes with a matching stone of the same color without crossing lines in an 8 x 6 grid. The easy version has 5 snakes, the hard version has 6 snakes.
G. E/H. HAL 9000 the Robot. Assembly puzzle. Create 5 complex symbols by choosing the correct symbols which, when combined, create the more complex ones.
H. E/H. IT Came from Outer Space. Sequence puzzle. Press symbols in the proper sequence on a globe. The easy version has 8 symbols and the hard has 11 symbols.
B. E/H. Pumpkin Head. Alignment puzzle. Align pumpkins on 6 rows so that each column has the correct number as listed at the top of the grid.
C. E/H. Shapeshifter. Maze puzzle. Move a game character to a colored token. That token will transport the player to a token of its matching color. Then move the character to another colored token next to it. Continue to dart in and out of the tokens until landing at the end post. The harder version has a more difficult set up to reach the final token.
D. E/H. Phantom of the Opera. Assembly/Sequence puzzle Place parts of theater scenes in an amusement park into a scene in the proper sequential order as per a given diagram. In the hard version, if you make a mistake, you must restart.
E. E/H. The Minotaur. Circular Maze Puzzle. Move a key to a lock in the center of a circular maze by using directional arrows to move across pathways while avoiding skulls and arrows within your path. The skulls and arrows move at the same time you move so plot your moves. The harder version has more skulls.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. E/H. Medusa. Connection puzzle. Connect different colored snakes with a matching stone of the same color without crossing lines in an 8 x 6 grid. The easy version has 5 snakes, the hard version has 6 snakes.
G. E/H. HAL 9000 the Robot. Assembly puzzle. Create 5 complex symbols by choosing the correct symbols which, when combined, create the more complex ones.
H. E/H. IT Came from Outer Space. Sequence puzzle. Press symbols in the proper sequence on a globe. The easy version has 8 symbols and the hard has 11 symbols.
I recommend this game!
A trio of hoax hunters get the shock of their lives!
Overall rating
5
/
5
128 of 212 found this review helpful
BEGIN THE HALLOWEEN SEASON WITH A MYTHICAL CREATURE FEATURE
PostedOctober 7, 2021
sunnyglow
fromLet’s build bridges by reaching out and welcoming a new legendary creature, Mothman. Flying in from West Virginia to make his gaming debut at BFG, let’s hope his presence will prophesize an award-winning game! My advice to him – just wing it!
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: 37 pages
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 pages
What a fun-filled creature feature! No tricks in this game – just a “fun-tastic” game – a goody bag filled with lots of activities to get one into the Halloween spirit! Pumpkins, skeletons, candy, and other Halloween items adorn this game. This is one I would recommend for the entire family. There is nothing terribly frightening nor spooky in this game. The game consists of three (3) stories, all based upon myths from three different countries, - Ireland, Mexico, and China. I thought it a nice touch for the developer to look at the different facets of this holiday season as seen in other countries such as Samhain in Ireland and Día de los Muertos in Mexico (which is celebrated on November 1 and 2). The graphics well portray the culture of each myth.
In my opinion, Elephant has upped their game in this one. There is an option to play the second and third stories in any sequence the player wishes. There are two collectibles. Collect puzzles pieces to create a jigsaw puzzle scene depicting creatures from the three stories in the main game plus the one in the bonus chapter. Collect cards which provide information on some aspect related to this festive season. I found most easy to locate although Elephant has snuck in a few sneaky, cleverly hidden jigsaw pieces. Upon completion of the game there is an Expedition room which allows the player to return to the scenes to search for the collectibles which may have been missed. A Mystery room contains HOP scenes and mini-games which can be replayed.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 20 achievements
• Collect 12 Cards and 24 Puzzle pieces
• 5 Wallpapers along with a screensaver and music sequences.
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games.
• 20 achievements
• Collect 12 Cards and 24 Puzzle pieces
• 5 Wallpapers along with a screensaver and music sequences.
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games.
***BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel dealing with the Mothman legend from West Virginia. Play William Erickson, another myth buster, as he travels to the Skeptics Museum to investigate a sighting of this red-eyed winged creature. There are five (5) HOP scenes eight (8) mini-games. I found the HOP scenes and mini-games thematic with plenty moths flying around in those activities. Continue collecting the collectibles. To me, it is a spectacular finish to this game and a chapter worthy of the collector´s edition designation.
HOP SCENES: There are thirteen (13) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. There are numerous mini-HOP scenes as well. I feel the scenes are better designed than previous games. They are thematic, and in this game, the developer has included more variety as well. In addition to the usual standard lists and silhouette, there is a rebus scene and one in which items are located and then replaced back within the scene. There are also a few storybook scenes.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-two (22) mini-games, twelve (12) which can be replayed upon completion of the game. They vary in difficulty and variety. I enjoyed the thematic element of the puzzles.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Something to sink your teeth into. Sequence puzzle. Press on 8 gold bars to put teeth into a skeleton. Clicking on one bar affects the others.
B. Skullduggery. Switch puzzle. Switch beads on a calavera (skull) by using a slider with 2 slots so that all beads are matched with like colored threads attached to the skull.
C. ‘Dem’ Bones. Escape puzzle. Escape two skeletons. Move 3 characters through the cells of a grid avoiding the skeletons. Use arrows along the side to move each character plus use a button to attack the skeletons.
D. Cram it in! Assembly puzzle. Place items upon two grids so all fit and do not overlap each other.
E. Rubik’s cube Switch puzzle. Switch pegs on a cube to match a given diagram
F. Just ‘draggin’ my dragons. Sequence puzzle. Slide 7 dragon heads up-and-down so that each one aligns with its match on the right side of the grid. Moving one dragon affects the others.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. How adorable - baby Mothmen! Matching puzzle. Match symbols under moths (baby mothmen in training)
H. Chase the evildoer! Maze puzzle. Using arrows pursue a culprit through a maze. Set up the sequence of moves and then press enter. 2 scenes
I. More hooded evildoers! Matching puzzle. Match up hooded evildoers by uncovering their robes to see the hideous faces behind them and discover the face of the genuine red-eyed Mothman.
B. Skullduggery. Switch puzzle. Switch beads on a calavera (skull) by using a slider with 2 slots so that all beads are matched with like colored threads attached to the skull.
C. ‘Dem’ Bones. Escape puzzle. Escape two skeletons. Move 3 characters through the cells of a grid avoiding the skeletons. Use arrows along the side to move each character plus use a button to attack the skeletons.
D. Cram it in! Assembly puzzle. Place items upon two grids so all fit and do not overlap each other.
E. Rubik’s cube Switch puzzle. Switch pegs on a cube to match a given diagram
F. Just ‘draggin’ my dragons. Sequence puzzle. Slide 7 dragon heads up-and-down so that each one aligns with its match on the right side of the grid. Moving one dragon affects the others.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. How adorable - baby Mothmen! Matching puzzle. Match symbols under moths (baby mothmen in training)
H. Chase the evildoer! Maze puzzle. Using arrows pursue a culprit through a maze. Set up the sequence of moves and then press enter. 2 scenes
I. More hooded evildoers! Matching puzzle. Match up hooded evildoers by uncovering their robes to see the hideous faces behind them and discover the face of the genuine red-eyed Mothman.
***I was especially interested in this chapter after having visited the town where the legendary Mothman has been sighted. Legend has it that this creature was seen shortly before the collapse of a bridge in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. This tragic event killed many people who were on the bridge when it collapsed. Seeing the Mothman is considered a prophetic omen of doom. To this day, there are still sightings of the creature reported within this area of West Virginia.
I recommend this game!
The secret of the fairies lies deep in the English countryside.
Overall rating
5
/
5
137 of 235 found this review helpful
I DO BELIEVE IN FAIRIES - I DO! I DO! AND I DO BELIEVE THIS IS A “FAIRY” GOOD GAME
PostedSeptember 30, 2021
sunnyglow
fromIn my mind, I am walking in a magical forest filled with fairy rings, searching for fairy folk under mushrooms and in wee houses hidden amid the trees.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 64 pages (My Time: 9 Hours)
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 64 pages (My Time: 9 Hours)
What a “fun-tastic” start to a new series from this developer! Do you believe in fairies? If you don’t, you may after playing this game. Enter a magical world of fairies, hidden within the woods of a local village. Save this wee folk from extinction as a misguided evildoer destroys their native habitat. And as you enter this magical world, watch out that fairy dust does not get into your eyes! Like Peter Pan, you may never want to leave these enchanted woods!
As for me, I do believe in fairies, and I do believe this is one the best games from this developer to date. This developer always provides more game for the money and this one is no exception. It is a fast-paced, long game set to the background of two whimsical stories. The graphics are full of fairy delight with some incredibly beautiful scenes, with a cast of dozens of fairy folk. This is a game which can be played by adults and children alike, with some help from adults with the puzzles.
There are three collectibles, most which I found easy to locate. They include morphing magic items with descriptions detailing their purpose. Collect figurines of the variety of fairy folk from around the world. Collect leaves to exchange for items to deck out the fairy queen, Queen Mab’s hut.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 36 achievements.
• Collect 15 different type of fairy folk figurines
• Collect 15 morphing magic items with descriptions on how they work.
• Collect 70 leaves to exchange for items to deck out Queen Mab’s hut.
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 21 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 36 achievements.
• Collect 15 different type of fairy folk figurines
• Collect 15 morphing magic items with descriptions on how they work.
• Collect 70 leaves to exchange for items to deck out Queen Mab’s hut.
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 21 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another well-written story. Play Maryam, the child from the main game, as she endeavors to rescue missing fairies from the clutches of another evildoer who is exploiting them for financial gain. This is a long chapter, and I liked the story better in this chapter than the one from the main game. Continue to collect the collectibles in this chapter. There are nine (9) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. This chapter is one-third the size of the main game. The puzzles and the HOP scenes are superb, and this chapter is well-worth the price of a collector’s edition rating.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes in the game, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Although known for their puzzles, Domini offers some creatively designed HOP scenes in this game. They are very interactive. They include the usual lists of items and silhouettes scenes. There are matching scenes. There is one of my favorites, a silhouette slider scene (one in which sliders at the side and top of the scene manipulate silhouettes of items to match with the actual items before they are removed). I love the two rebus clues scenes and there is a scene with morphing items. I enjoy seeing those items flicker back-and-forth changing from one item to another. As in their other games, a Match-3 game can be played instead of the scenes.
MINI-GAMES: Our “puzzlemeisters” have outdone themselves with the puzzles within this game! I love the creative design of the puzzles and will be replaying some of them. There are twenty-five (25) of them, eighteen (18) of which can be played upon completion of the game. Most of the puzzles can be played in either an easy version for an easy breezy game or in a hard version, for a more challenging game. The setting for the difficulty can be set in the menu; however, it can be changed while playing the puzzles as well.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move a token to a sawmill at the end of the maze. Use circles along the paths to rotate the paths. Collect all mushrooms residing along the paths. The harder version has more mushrooms to collect and a more difficult path pattern to formulate.
B. E/H. Battleship puzzle. Move a token through a 7 x 5 grid with 35 squares avoiding traps. Collect 9 coins in the easy version and 11 coins in the hard version. The harder version has more traps. If a mistake is made, the player must restart.
C. E/H, Connection puzzle. Connect all red dots on a dream catcher by rotating four wheels containing the red dots. Rotate the wheels until all red dots connect. The harder version requires switching the 4 rings as well.
D. E/H. Matching puzzle. Match 3 or more gems to remove them from a grid. Collect more of your colored gems than those of your opponent.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. E/H. Rotating rings. Rotate rings (each with 4 colors), so that where each ring abuts another one, the colors match. The easy version has 6 rings, and the hard version has 8. Moving one ring affect the others.
F. E/H. Matching. Place musical notes into the proper slots so each matches a given one. The hard version has extra halves which do not match up with anything.
G. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Set the position of 6 pins to open a lock. Use arrows to move them up-and-down and then test the combination by trial and error.
H. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Magic dust recipe. Use colored sand to create a given image. Place symbols on a grid into the proper order to get the correct color The easy version involves 3 colors and the hard version involves 4 colors.
B. E/H. Battleship puzzle. Move a token through a 7 x 5 grid with 35 squares avoiding traps. Collect 9 coins in the easy version and 11 coins in the hard version. The harder version has more traps. If a mistake is made, the player must restart.
C. E/H, Connection puzzle. Connect all red dots on a dream catcher by rotating four wheels containing the red dots. Rotate the wheels until all red dots connect. The harder version requires switching the 4 rings as well.
D. E/H. Matching puzzle. Match 3 or more gems to remove them from a grid. Collect more of your colored gems than those of your opponent.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. E/H. Rotating rings. Rotate rings (each with 4 colors), so that where each ring abuts another one, the colors match. The easy version has 6 rings, and the hard version has 8. Moving one ring affect the others.
F. E/H. Matching. Place musical notes into the proper slots so each matches a given one. The hard version has extra halves which do not match up with anything.
G. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Set the position of 6 pins to open a lock. Use arrows to move them up-and-down and then test the combination by trial and error.
H. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Magic dust recipe. Use colored sand to create a given image. Place symbols on a grid into the proper order to get the correct color The easy version involves 3 colors and the hard version involves 4 colors.
I recommend this game!
Experience an original coming-of-age story in a magical realm!
Overall rating
5
/
5
93 of 153 found this review helpful
A MAGICAL FAIRYTALE COME-TO-LIFE IN ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
PostedSeptember 23, 2021
sunnyglow
fromLoved this magical tale about Tail and his adventurous ward, Anna. In this case, a cat adopts a rescue human. I wonder if the wizard Tom from this game foresees more of this genre of game in the future. Hope so.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME (My Time: 10 Hours)
Welcome to Dreamia, a breathtaking fairytale world, situated in an award-winning game! Join Anna and her guardian cat, Tail, as they explore this world, one in which magic is being stolen by an evildoer. Brave Anna is the last person in the realm to possess magic and will need to battle this evildoer before he gains control of all the magic within this kingdom. Enjoy a girl’s heartwarming adventure through beautifully designed landscape filled with all the elements to make this a fantastic game. If I could purchase only one game this year, this would be the one.
Get ready to “click up” some excitement. Also be prepared to search for some well-hidden items! I found this game challenging. This is a point-and-click adventure game. The player must interact with the scene, pointing and clicking throughout each scene to discover what items need to be collected. A picture of each item to be collected, plus the number of each, is added to the inventory bar. The player must then search for those items within a variety of scenes. At the end of collecting groups of items, the player casts a spell by tracing a symbol. The player then moves on into a new section of the game.
There is no strategy guide. However, by moving the cursor over an item within the inventory bar, an image of where the item is used pops up. There are no voiceovers. All the dialogue must be read to follow the storyline; however, the dialogues can be skipped. I can see the pros and cons of having voiceovers or not having them. For me, I would have liked voiceovers, but the lack of them did not prevent me from enjoying the game.
Collectibles are puzzle pieces for a series of jigsaw puzzles. The puzzles create images of the game’s characters. Upon completion of the puzzle, a narrative is provided, giving information about that character. You start collecting the puzzle pieces after Anna receives a spellbook. There are a lot of puzzles pieces in this game – from five (5) to ten (10) per scene. Many are well-hidden so be on the outlook for them!
Collect petals to get hints. The petals illuminate when they are present within a scene. You may need to go back-and-forth between the scenes to collect them. The player must collect five (5) petals to activate the hint function. This is one game where I needed hints to locate some of the items. The inventory items are very small and well-hidden. I must admit, although I loved this game, I did become somewhat irritated by traveling back-and-forth between scenes to locate those five petals. Once an inventory item is located using the hint feature, the player must locate another five (5) petals to reactivate it.
MECHANICS:
• 15 achievements.
• Collect petals to get hints (5 petals are needed to activate the hint function)
• Collect puzzle pieces used to play jigsaw puzzles which give more information about the game characters
• 6 Wallpapers
• Replay 20 mini-games
• Collect petals to get hints (5 petals are needed to activate the hint function)
• Collect puzzle pieces used to play jigsaw puzzles which give more information about the game characters
• 6 Wallpapers
• Replay 20 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. It is a short chapter as well with only two puzzles within the entire chapter. Join Anna as she goes through the looking glass to the spirit world locate a family member and bring that person back to life The layout of the game is the same as that from the main game. Continue to collect puzzle pieces and petals. I found the petals more difficult to locate in this chapter.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty (20) mini-games, all of which can be replayed at the end of the game. There is a variety of puzzles and levels of difficulty as well. However, I found most of the puzzles to be somewhat challenging, or time-consuming. Adventure games usually have more difficult puzzles than HOPA games and this one is no exception. You can skip the puzzles after a few minutes.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES WITHIN THE GAME:
A. Switch puzzle. Switch glass pipe pieces so that a continuous flow of liquid is created for 4 flasks
B. Rope puzzle. Untangle a rope by moving rings on 3 posts until all do not touch each other.
C. Circular maze puzzle. Ingenious creative design. Place 4 acorn branches of differing weights into containers to create an imbalance which will allow a ball to move throughout a maze to the bottom. Switch the acorn branches until the marble leaves the maze and ends up in a calla lily.
D. Connection puzzle. Connect like colored buttons within a grid without lines crossing.
E. Switch puzzle. Switch planets on a grid so that no column or row has the same planet twice
F. Switch puzzle. Switch and rotate circular segments of a star chart so that all the constellations are restored.
G. Sequence puzzle. Press on 16 stars in sequential order.
H. Mirror/Physics puzzle. Angle mirrors on the side of mirror so that beams of light connect like-colored crystals.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. Switch puzzle. Switch stones with symbols on them on a circular grid so that each stone is located in the same as ring with identical stones.
J. Sequence puzzle. Click on starfish in the proper sequential order.
A. Switch puzzle. Switch glass pipe pieces so that a continuous flow of liquid is created for 4 flasks
B. Rope puzzle. Untangle a rope by moving rings on 3 posts until all do not touch each other.
C. Circular maze puzzle. Ingenious creative design. Place 4 acorn branches of differing weights into containers to create an imbalance which will allow a ball to move throughout a maze to the bottom. Switch the acorn branches until the marble leaves the maze and ends up in a calla lily.
D. Connection puzzle. Connect like colored buttons within a grid without lines crossing.
E. Switch puzzle. Switch planets on a grid so that no column or row has the same planet twice
F. Switch puzzle. Switch and rotate circular segments of a star chart so that all the constellations are restored.
G. Sequence puzzle. Press on 16 stars in sequential order.
H. Mirror/Physics puzzle. Angle mirrors on the side of mirror so that beams of light connect like-colored crystals.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. Switch puzzle. Switch stones with symbols on them on a circular grid so that each stone is located in the same as ring with identical stones.
J. Sequence puzzle. Click on starfish in the proper sequential order.
I recommend this game!