lyssa7712's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.8
- Helpful Votes:1,561
- Reviews Submitted:40
- First Review:January 16, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 12, 2017
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Beyond the Unknown: A Matter of Time Collector's Edition
It’s time to solve the secret of this mysterious island!
Overall rating
2
/
5
17 of 37 found this review helpful
no challenge, short game
PostedJuly 11, 2014
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
this is your typical ERS fare, complete with cute little animal to help you along your way. in addition, there is no challenge to this game, the puzzles are absurdly easy, and the HO scenes are repeated, as they always are with this developer. this storyline, though, has been beat to death.
the graphics I felt were better than their EAP series, slightly more realistic. the sound was unobtrusive, but there was a great deal of dialogue. the gameplay was straightforward, and pretty linear. wander through 4-5 areas, complete all the tasks, move on to the next 4-5 areas. there wasn't anything about it that really grabbed me. the addition of collectible clocks and achievements weren't enough to make this worthy of the additional cost of a CE.
but the final dealbreaker, and why I won't even buy it when it's released as an SE, is the length. I quit the demo 1 hour in, and I was at 40% completion. I didn't skip any puzzles, used no hints. I don't think it's cost effective to spend $14 on a 2 1/2 hour long game that has nothing really going for it.
I don't recommend this game.
After inheriting an old antique shop, Emily discovers an odd diary that seems to contain a number of clues as to the book's origin. As she delves deeper into the mystery, what she uncovers will change her forever.
Overall rating
1
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
even with a magnifying glass...
PostedMarch 26, 2014
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I wouldn't have been able to find some of these items. and I just had my vision checked three days ago; it's perfect at close distances. the items are teeeeeeeny tiny. there was no fun to be found trying to scour a scene for a key that was miniscule. objects are extremely "well hidden", meaning that when you look for a dog, you might find the top right corner of its head as it's sitting behind something else.
aside from the hidden object scenes, there are no voiceovers in this game. there is written dialogue coming from the main character. the storyline isn't very well fleshed out either. the game looks like it was created at the beginning of the HO craze.
this is a "no buy" for me. I want entertainment when I play a game, and it's just not here. it's a soft release for a reason; though it's always nice to find a hidden gem in one, it's nonexistent in this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Paranormal activity has turned Smalltown upside-down! As the newest initiate of the Order of the Light, you must investigate why.
Overall rating
4
/
5
25 of 29 found this review helpful
not difficult, but definitely engaging!
PostedJanuary 18, 2014
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
this game is a super busy one! the storyline is not really too fleshed out, but the gameplay flows smoothly and there's a lot to look for.
there are 30+ HO scenes, around the same number of puzzles, 50! hidden symbols of all sorts of types (footprints, origami, easter eggs, etc. - 5 of each#. keep your eyes open! you're also given a ghost finding device, where you'll scan it over each scene to find and capture the ghost.
achievements? we've got plenty! you also earn up to 3 stars for each HO scene, the more stars you earn the more points you get. you also obtain points by finding the hidden symbols #the quicker you find them, the higher your points#. I couldn't find anywhere to actually use these points.
the options available include 3 levels to choose from #and you have to select the "no hints/skip" option if you want to lose the sparkles. but so far there hasn't been any need for those buttons anyway.
the game looks to be relatively short - in 40 minutes I'm 17% complete. there is also a section in the extras menu for your statistics - how many hints / skips you've used, how many tools you've found, etc. not particularly helpful, but interesting.
it's a buy for me.
I recommend this game!
Who am I is an immersive hidden object adventure of an epic scale! Take the role of an undercover agent investigating strange sci-fi incidents in the city.
Overall rating
2
/
5
16 of 18 found this review helpful
*not* an immersive hidden object game
PostedJanuary 13, 2014
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I can't believe they even bothered to release this game. unless it's your first hidden object game you're not going to be challenged. and if it is your first HO game, you're going to be turned off of the genre.
you start out by popping a pill, passing out, and coming to being kicked out of the police station. your luggage is tossed out right after you. you then go to the hotel, where the desk clerk (and everyone else you come across# speaks to you in the mumbled style of Charlie Brown's teacher.
the HO scenes lean towards the mostly-obscured items, almost everything is halfway or more behind something else. but it's still very easy to find the items. the puzzles I cam across were quite easy. the gameplay is basic, yet still not easy to follow.
instructions might have been a nice thing to have. it doesn't tell you anywhere that you can combine items #one HO scene has you find items, then put them back where they belong - two items you put away need to be put together before you can place them#. there are no puzzle instructions #though they're really not necessary). the green button in the left corner appears to be the hint/skip button, and the red button takes you out of the puzzle/HO scene.
I still haven't determined what exactly the storyline is. you pop back and forth between locations with a jump map, but when I quit the guy at the train station had me looking for a wig before he'll tell me what locker to use the code on. just bizarre.
I played a half hour hoping that it would improve but that was in vain.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Princess Arianna save her kingdom and defeat the Dark Witch in this clever hidden-object adventure and match-3 game.
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 18 found this review helpful
cute little time filler
PostedNovember 19, 2013
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I was surprised to like this game as much as I did. it looked pretty rudimentary in the preview photo. and while the challenge level wasn't high, there was enough to keep me engaged.
this is the first HOPA I've come across that has a Match 3 aspect that's not just an alternative to finishing a hidden object scene. and there are Match 3 rounds scattered liberally throughout the game, of both the "drop the item to the bottom" and "turn all squares" varieties so far.
the hidden object scenes are not ridiculously easy, there are a couple of items in each that take a bit of looking to find.
the graphics are above average, though there aren't any voiceovers. the storyline hasn't really fleshed itself out too much in the half hour of demo I've completed, but I the gameplay so far is good enough for a purchase. if you don't enjoy match 3 though I would skip it.
I recommend this game!
As Sara tries to find a miracle cure for her ailing brother, she unravels the dark events of her own past.
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 28 found this review helpful
was hoping for something more...
PostedNovember 5, 2013
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I don't have a lot of good things to say about this game.
the level of challenge is right at beginner. everything you need is within a few clicks of where you found it. the minigames/puzzles are simple, but a word to the wise - if you back out of it before finishing, you'll get to start from the beginning.
the graphics ranged from clear and crisp and well done, to so pixelated that it's like looking through a kaleidoscope. sound was decent. storyline looks like it might develop into something worthwhile if I could stay engaged in the game that long.
there are extras with this game that you might not expect in a Standard Edition. there are radioactive collectibles (but I had found 5/14 of them in 13 minutes), and there are a few awards you can find throughout the game that appear to factor into the storyline.
this might be a good game for someone new to the HOPA genre, or who just wants a relaxing afternoon of gameplay. it didn't hold my interest for longer than the 13 minutes I spent on the demo, it's not for me.
I don't recommend this game.
Something’s driven everyone away from Linden Shades.
Overall rating
5
/
5
200 of 220 found this review helpful
oh my, a fantastic game with something for everyone!
PostedJune 8, 2013
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
it's not often that a demo sucks me in to the point where I'm disappointed when it ends. and thanks to BFG for releasing it on a sale weekend! I rarely even trial CEs, but if you're going to give it to me at a discount...
I absolutely love this game. the graphics are excellent, the sound and voiceovers above par. some of the best live actors in existence.
the hidden object scenes are not difficult, but contain interactive items and find x candles, etc. there was a spot-the-difference, but it was a mirror image. the puzzles weren't difficult either but were fun.
this game has more collectables than any I've played. you're looking for at least four different types of items. there are also achievements.
the storyline sucked me in. I can't wait to finish the game and find out what happens!
I recommend this game!
Investigate a painter's mysterious disappearance and solve a chain of cold blooded murders in this chilling Hidden Object game.
Overall rating
1
/
5
73 of 88 found this review helpful
another Detective Agency stinker
PostedJune 3, 2013
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I had some hope that this developer would have improved their game since the last Detective Agency offering, but instead it looks like they made this one at the same time. graphics are awful, and the game only fills half of my screen. there might have been voiceovers, but it took some fiddling to get sound - I had to turn their sliders to high, and turn up the volume on my computer. the hidden object scene I played was not challenging, and there was only one interactive item (if you consider opening a box by clicking on it interactive).
I'm going to have to pass on this one, five minutes into the demo was enough. this might be a decent game for a beginner.
I don't recommend this game.
After finding an artifact, you're whisked away to a dying world. Can you save it from the darkness?
Overall rating
2
/
5
26 of 32 found this review helpful
doesn't live up to the hype
PostedMarch 3, 2013
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
after reading the reviews for the Collectors Edition, I was eagerly anticipating playing the SE. unfortunately, it really missed the mark.
two levels of challenge, the harder says no sparkles but every hidden object scene was lit up like a Christmas tree. there was nothing difficult about the hidden object scenes, the graphics weren't that great either. the only thing I saw about this game that offered the slightest glimmer of interest was the riddle at the end of each HO scene to obtain your inventory item, but you didn't even have to read past the first line of the riddle to determine the item and find it. the puzzles weren't challenging either.
I'd like to comment on the storyline, but I'm still not sure what the story is other than a bunch of red blobs (bad guys# and a blue blob #potential helper/good guy). but with only one objective to complete at a time, and everything within a few steps of where you need it, there was no thought necessary to play this one. try it, you might like it. it's just a bit too rudimentary for my tastes.
I don't recommend this game.
Are a town’s superstitions justified? Follow the blood to find out!
Overall rating
2
/
5
96 of 110 found this review helpful
very outdated, nothing to write home about
PostedFebruary 2, 2013
lyssa7712
fromChicago
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
- two levels of difficulty, plus option to customize
- voiceovers poorly done, with thick accents
- graphics are circa 2004, with extremely little detail
- characters are wooden and don't move at all
- storyline wasn't anything special
- hidden object scenes were very easy
- puzzles had no difficulty to them either
- gameplay left a lot to be desired, with locations that weren't active until right when you needed them. one or two tasks to complete in a location, and nothing that requires any thought.
- voiceovers poorly done, with thick accents
- graphics are circa 2004, with extremely little detail
- characters are wooden and don't move at all
- storyline wasn't anything special
- hidden object scenes were very easy
- puzzles had no difficulty to them either
- gameplay left a lot to be desired, with locations that weren't active until right when you needed them. one or two tasks to complete in a location, and nothing that requires any thought.
bottom line - this isn't a game for me, I can't recommend it even to beginners.
I don't recommend this game.