Tikatoy's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:1,359
- Reviews Submitted:111
- First Review:November 15, 2011
- Most Recent Review:April 30, 2017
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Collect the prestigious Animal World Expert Medallion by traveling around the world and solving puzzles in World Riddles: Animals!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Fairly basic nonogram game
PostedAugust 31, 2012
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This is a game featuring nonogram puzzles. These are logic-based puzzles where you use the same type of thinking as you would for Sudoku or Minesweeper. If you like those, you'll probably like this game.
This seems to be an older game; the graphics are bland and it's lacking features of the newer nonogram games that show you how many tiles you've selected. It also doesn't consider the row/column complete until you clear out empty tiles; all of the newer games consider it complete as soon as you click on all of the "occupied" tiles.
The difficulty level of the puzzles generally increases as you progress through the game, but every now and then a few easy ones are thrown in. These, along with the spot the differences, jigsaw puzzle and animal trivia puzzles do a good job of providing a refreshing break from the nonograms.
The puzzles themselves were very enjoyable with a few especially tricky ones. I liked the difficulty level. Only complaint is that a couple of them came down to 50-50 guessing and couldn't be solved with pure logic.
For an added challenge beyond just solving the puzzles, you get medals depending on how many hints you use, mistakes you makes, and also the amount of time taken to finish the puzzle. Finish in expert time with no hints and no mistakes and you'll get a star for that level; get all stars for a continent and you get a gold piece. There is also a bonus round where you try to complete 4 puzzles as quickly as possible and beat the high score.
I'd suggest getting the newer games in the World Mosaics or World Riddles series first, then if you can't get enough, pick this one up.
I recommend this game!
Find a kidnapped teenage girl and save yourself in Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek, a fun Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Evidence collection adds another dimension to the game
PostedAugust 27, 2012
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a really high quality game with absolutely beautiful location and hidden object scene graphics, great spooky ambient sounds and soundtrack and some genuinely creepy moments and imagery.
It also introduces a new game mechanic: Collecting evidence to solve the mystery of Maple Creek. You find documents, photos, posters, etc. throughout the game, and you have to choose which mystery/question they apply to. While the premise of the game isn't original (find a missing person), there is more depth to the story compared other games. I found that having to sort through and think about the evidence as part of the game made me care more and pay attention to the layers of the story. Definitely a welcome addition to the gameplay!
The art has a painted watercolour look to it, with mostly a blue palette highlighted by orange glows (where there's illumination) which I found beautiful and eerie. The colour scheme also made the hidden object scenes a little more challenging than usual, but not unfairly so. Not a lot of puzzles and all pretty easy ones, but I appreciated the fresh presentation.
There is a great map that shows you locations where you have something to do, however you can't click to travel instantly. This means that there is quite a bit of backtracking as there are plenty of locations and lots of items to be used all over the place. I personally didn't mind and the scenes load quickly.
Overall, one of the most gorgeous games I've played and a story I actually was interested in because of the new "evidence" gameplay mechanic.
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Great graphics, but disappointed with the puzzles
PostedAugust 24, 2012
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I played and enjoyed the first game in this series (Queen of Spades) and I liked this one as well, although I thought it wasn't as creepy.
My favourite thing about this game was the setting. I don't think it was ever openly stated where and when the game is set, but this seems to be a 19th century town with some fantasy elements to it. It's been flooded after heavy rains so it's in a state of disrepair and the location graphics are beautiful, some of the best I've ever seen. I also love the theme of horses that appears everywhere; they appear in the architecture in arches, pillars, on street signs, on gears in puzzles, on coins, as sculptures, etc. There is also lots of snail imagery everywhere. I'm not sure why snails, but there was a toy rocking horse that was a snail instead of a horse (somewhat ironic as horses are pervasive everywhere else in the game).
The villain from the previous game (the mysterious "SG") is back and appears to taunt you throughout the game, only to always make his escape. *shakes fist* This is a good way of keeping the story moving. The game locations and inventory items are also planned out so that you won't be stuck for long and are always finding new items and places to use them. Great game design.
The hidden object scenes are beautiful and were fun to do. They tend to the junk pile side, though I don't mind that look. The puzzles were also beautiful, but I was a bit disappointed by how easy they were. Not ludicrously simple, in fact they were of average difficulty for the HOG genre, but I had recently played another game by this developer that had a much better level of challenge. They did at least have original presentations for the puzzles, though.
Overall, a good game worth playing. :)
I recommend this game!
Rita Ray, your mother and world famous film star, has disappeared! Find her before it’s too late in Film Fatale: Lights, Camera, Madness!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Fun setting
PostedAugust 24, 2012
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Love the old black and white movie theme. The cut scenes are well done, and I love the concept of having a big movie studio on an isolated island run by an eccentric (and psychotic) director. The locations are varied; you have sets from car chase scenes, island villages, etc. They keep the story compelling by having the villain and your mother appear at regular intervals so you always feel like you need to keep going. There are also lots of prop rooms full of fun B movie props like giant robots, a makeup room, a writer's room, etc. that help immerse you in the movie studio.
The story is somewhat silly and cheesy (but how many HOG stories aren't?) but I felt that it fit in with the whole B movie theme. There are a few shocks thrown in too, just like an old horror movie! :) While I liked the overall design of the locations because of the rich setting, I disliked the art style. Hidden object scenes were below average in visual quality and pretty easy. Puzzles were easy as well.
If the theme of the game appeals to you, check this game out, otherwise give it a pass.
I don't recommend this game.
Use magic and manpower to restore a broken land! The citizens of Hidden World are counting on you in this stunning Strategy game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
33 of 33 found this review helpful
More fun than it should be
PostedAugust 23, 2012
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
At first glance this is yet another "road building" TM in the vein of MKftP (My Kingdom for the Princess) or Roads of Rome. However, there is the addition of an action/arcade element that is literally a game changer.
Each level has some primary objective(s) to accomplish; usually clearing obstacles, building bridges or other structures, or destroying a wizard portal. These can be done simply by clicking on target obstacle/building site and having enough workers and resources to complete the task. You can also construct and upgrade buildings that generate resources (wood, food, coins) or give you extra workers. All of this is the same as MKftP and other games in the genre. In those games the challenge is in determining what order to collect the resources and the order in which to construct and/or upgrade buildings so as to complete the objectives in as little time as possible (usually there is a time limit for an expert score).
Where this game is different is in the heavy action/arcade element that rewards fast and accurate clicking and shifts the emphasis from strategy/planning to real-time reaction. Clicking on workers when they are performing a task makes them work much, much faster. Your buildings generate resources automatically, and if you don't click on the resource within a certain time, it disappears. Dragons intermittently appear flying across your screen carrying parts of artifacts (when you get all of the parts from a collection, you get a game bonus like generating food more quickly) or coins and you have to click on them several times to defeat them. On later levels, they fly quite fast. On levels with wizard portals, "wizard clones" appear that shoot freezing snowballs at your buildings that will halt their resource generation. You have to click several times to defrost a frozen building, but you can also destroy a snowball by clicking on it, and stop the clone himself by clicking on him.
You get the picture; there is a lot of clicking. :P But I thought this made the game a lot of fun! It can get a bit hectic when you are dealing with two clones shooting snowballs while trying to collect all of your resources before they expire AND directing your workers to do something at the same time. On the downside, if you play with this style, you will complete the primary AND bonus tasks for each level with plenty of time to spare and there isn't really any challenge.
On the other hand, if you choose not to engage in the clickfest, it probably plays more like MkftP and I think you'd probably still be able to finish the levels in a longer amount of time (I think you may be allowed to continue to the next level even if time runs out, you just wouldn't get the "magic lamp" bonus). The graphics are fun, colourful (perhaps a bit TOO colourful) and cartoony in a fantastic setting. It's fun to collect the artifacts from the dragons and to get special decorations from completing bonus tasks.
If you'd enjoy a MKftP-style game with action/arcade elements, definitely check this out. It's not as fun without those, but still pretty decent.
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Kept me up past bedtime
PostedAugust 22, 2012
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I started playing this game last night intending to stop halfway and go to bed, but there was always one more task to do, one more puzzle to solve, one more HOG... and I ended up finishing the whole game.
This is a testament to how well the game is structured (a trait of all ERS games); you always have something to do (use inventory item, solve a puzzle or hidden object scene) that doesn't require much backtracking and you open up locations at a good pace.
The music is good, and I liked the art (although it was a little washed out), however it's very much like the music and art in previous games by ERS. I really enjoyed the puzzles. There was a good variety of them and they were more difficult than average for a HOG. I took some time to some of them, but I was never stumped or frustrated.
I recommend this game!
Build glorious Egyptian towns and expand your realm in Fate of the Pharaoh, a fun and challenging Strategy game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
Decent, but not as good as other similar games
PostedAugust 21, 2012
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This is a TM game similar to Royal Envoy and the Timebuilders series. You construct houses and other buildings, collect rent and try to complete the level objectives before time runs out to attain an expert score.
I was impressed that in the settings I could adjust the resolution to the full 1920x1200 that my monitor supports. However, I didn't quite like the 3D buildings, people and animals as it just doesn't look as nice as some pretty 2D art.
The gameplay is not quite the clickfest that Dash-style games are like, however you do have to respond quickly (to collect rent or replenish food/water) if you want to finish the level in expert time. You can complete the level after the timer runs out, so don't worry about not being fast enough to move on.
There is not much variety in the strategy you have to employ to complete each level. While you have several buildings you can construct, most of them are useless and you wouldn't build them unless you have to as a level objective. This is in contrast to the other games mentioned above where you have to make careful decisions about what, when and where to build to get an expert score. If you just follow the basic strategy of: 1) build a well, quarry and farm, 2) upgrade the quarry fully, 3) build residential dwellings and upgrade them fully, you will get an expert score every time.
I do enjoy this genre so this was a fun little game for me and I don't regret buying it, but I would recommend you play the Royal Envoy series then the Timebuilders series first (in that order), then if you still want more check this one out.
I don't recommend this game.
Down by the deep and muddy Mississippi, something’s not right. A ghostly riverboat brings to light a new conspiracy!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Another strong entry in this series
PostedAugust 19, 2012
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is an excellent HOG with beautiful graphics and animations, a variety of fun puzzles and a great story. There are also some great, spooky effects and some genuine shocks along the way. You explore varied locations (scattered throughout the US and England) at different points in time and meet numerous ghosts; some of whom are truly menacing (although the scariest ones may have been children!)
But what I like best about this game (and the two earlier ones in the series) is how there are two separate but intertwined storylines and how the parallels and connections between them are revealed along the way. You are given dialogue options when you talk to different characters in the game and it makes you feel more involved. The story is very inventive, for sure, and the strongest part of the game--quite a feat given how high quality the other aspects of the game are.
You get more hints by finding ravens throughout the game, and there is also an optional task of looking for clovers. Some of these are quite well hidden! You get special trophies for finding all of the ravens and all of the clovers, and I enjoyed these extra challenges.
The puzzles were a lot of fun and included some types that I haven't seen in other HOGs. They was a good variety of them and all are skippable after some time has elapsed. I especially liked the one that was a bit like Battleship (E4!) but with a logic aspect to it so it isn't just random guessing. (This is a dressed up nonogram.)
This is a great HOG, and I really appreciated the original storyline and its wonderful brew of historical and literary fiction.
I recommend this game!
A chance discovery sends Arizona Rose on a new life of adventure and it’s up to you to help her decipher Blackbeard's treasure maps!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
An interesting treatment of the nonogram/picross genre
PostedAugust 19, 2012
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This is a game based around a type of logic puzzle called nonograms/picross. It utilizes a similar type of thinking to what you'd use for Sudoku.Try the demo to see if you like them, because almost the entire game involves solving these puzzles.
There are also a few hidden object scenes where you get a list of images to look for and a couple of different types of puzzles where you try to fit pieces into a specific shape. There aren't a lot of these, but they do break up the nonograms nicely.
Another nice addition is "powers" that you can use to help solve the puzzles. Some reveal a selected row or column while others randomly reveal tiles that are empty or occupied. I would have appreciated these except that the puzzles are all so easy that none of them are that much of a help. Most of the biggest 25x25 puzzles could be solved in under 5 minutes. In comparison, the 20x20 puzzles from another nonogram game I play typically take 10-15 minutes to solve.
Overall this is a very welcome and refreshing treatment of this puzzle genre.
I recommend this game!
Jo's Dream: Organic Coffee
Help make Jo’s dreams come true! Join her in a challenging journey to build a coffee shop. Learn to make different brews, take orders and manage staff!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Hate coffee but love this game
PostedAugust 19, 2012
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I hate coffee but this game was so fun that it didn't matter!
At first glance, this looked like it was going to be a slow-paced version of Burger Shop where you run a cafe instead. A customer comes in an orders a drink, you click on the correct ingredients to assemble it, then deliver the drink. You have a recipe book, and as you buy upgrades like vanilla syrup, chocolate or espresso machines, you unlock more recipes. You can also decorate your shop or add more tables and other improvements.
All of the above is fairly standard and I've seen it in several other games. The unique feature in this game is that you can hire help to perform the tasks that you would normally have to perform yourself. In fact, you can play through a level without a single click and the staff will take care of everything! (Doing this earns you one of the trophies)
The AI for your baristas and waiters is quite competent. They serve one customer at a time, but if the order they were trying to fulfill is served by you, they simply serve someone else instead. Their help is invaluable on later levels when more customers appear and more complicated recipes are added to your menu.
Unlike most games in this genre, you don't have a fixed number of levels each with specific objectives. Instead, each level is essentially the same, except as you progress you get more customers and they can order a greater variety of food/drinks as you buy upgrades. You do still need to achieve objectives to advance the story (e.g. buying specific upgrades or serving a certain number of customers) but you can do it at your own pace. I would actually have preferred a more structured level progression, but I thought the game was really fun anyway.
This game would be great for people who enjoy the aspects of time management games that involve preparing and serving food/drinks and running a restaurant, but don't want to be pressured by time constraints or having to click really fast. You can let you employees do most of the work and take as long as you need to complete objectives. It's actually very different from Diner Dash type games where the emphasis is on speed and chaining actions.
I recommend this game!