Dr_Q's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3
- Helpful Votes:149
- Reviews Submitted:60
- First Review:May 5, 2013
- Most Recent Review:August 5, 2013
- Featured reviews0
Pathfinders: Lost at Sea
Follow a mysterious signal to the middle of the ocean with Professor John Darby and explore an island that has magically appeared!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Like a first-gen HOG
PostedJune 29, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This would have been state-of-the-art a few years ago, but today is just really boring. Flat, two-dimensional graphics. Extremely tiny objects; no zoom of any kind.
Pretty much one HOS after another, with a very basic mini-game in each, such as matching the cards, jigsaw puzzle, etc.. No exploring; you are taken from one scene to the next.
On the positive side, there is no backtracking. But no real challenge.
I don't recommend this game.
Mystery Trackers: Black Isle
Black Isle was supposedly abandoned after an earthquake but the truth is much more sinister! Join the Mystery Trackers and learn the truth!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Phantom of the Opera meets X-Men
PostedJune 29, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Not a perfect game, but pretty good. The resolution could have been better, especially in the HOS. I did enjoy using items from my inventory with items in the HOS.
The little dog was cute, but wasn't always used to the best effect.
There is too much backtracking, especially just to pick up one item, in the last third or so of the game. Not only does it waste time, it gets boring have to search through the same area over and over. I prefer to do what I have to do and move on, unless there is some valid reason that I have to return.
I had to use the hints a lot toward, as well, mainly because I'd forgotten where things were. It wasn't so much that I didn't know what to do as that I couldn't remember where it was.
As with all of these games, there are some actions that are just added as padding; these become a little too frequent toward the end, as well. There are several points earlier on when a necessary action cannot take place for 15 minutes or more as you run away finding one thing at a time -- the theatre would have burned to the ground by that point.
But overall, the game kept my interest.
I recommend this game!
Hidden Mysteries - Civil War
Travel back in time to the Civil War and its original battle locations. Search for hidden objects in each historical level.
Overall rating
1
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
There's no game in this game
PostedJune 27, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The Civil War should provide the basis for an exciting, challenging game, but this looks like a high school history teacher's idea of an educational game. There is a lot of reading of facts relevant to the different locations of the Civil War, which is frankly boring.
The graphics are quite nice, but the hidden objects are simply random. And they are so tiny that even with hints they were sometimes impossible to see -- I just clicked in the general area and that waited to see what disappeared from the list.
The puzzles are adequate, but nothing terribly challenging.
The only "story" is the story of the Civil War. We don't follow a specific character or campaign or battle; we don't interact with characters. It's just move from one location to another and read about it.
My husband, who is a Civil War buff, looked over my shoulder and complemented the graphics. When I told him what it was about, he asked if I were hunting in the field for bullets and rifles and stuff. Now THAT would have made a good game.
I don't recommend this game.
Hidden Expedition: Devils Triangle
Follow the Hidden Expedition Adventure Team to Devil`s Triangle and help track down Phoebe, a famous ace pilot lost at sea!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Good beginning, but becomes frustrating
PostedJune 26, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game is a welcome change from all of the dark, psychotic HO and adventure games out there. I really enjoyed the lighter, more humorous setting and characters. It is showing its age, with only one level of play, no instructions for puzzles, and no map.
At the beginning, it was clear what I needed to do, and I enjoyed the change from the usual HO "junkpile" with the "match related pairs" challenge. Yes, many of them required some non-linear thinking, but that was what made them a fun challenge. Most of the puzzles
However, as the game continues, actions become less and less logical and coherent. Sometimes the journal contained necessary information; other times, I just had to randomly move the cursor around, hoping for something to happen. Ultimately, I resorted to the walk through.
By chapter 5, there are no HOSs, only puzzles. And tedious, drawn-out puzzles with dozens of steps at that. I admit that I got bored and quit at that point.
I really wish that I could recommend this game, but it just doesn't hold up.
I don't recommend this game.
Grim Facade: Mystery of Venice
Overall rating
4
/
5
Story and puzzles meshed well
PostedJune 24, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The setting, story, and puzzles all worked well. There were a few times when it wasn't obvious what needed to be done, but very few. Most of the time it was not only obvious, it was expected.
It was a little on the long side, and did start to drag toward the end.
I recommend this game!
Grim Tales: The Legacy
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 15 found this review helpful
Begins well, then forgets where it's going
PostedJune 24, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
As others who gave it a low rating have said in more detail, the developers just kind of dump the storyline somewhere in the middle.The game becomes all about finding how many more weird and bizarre actions they can come up with rather than actually moving the plot forward.
Who raises a crib to the ceiling in order to get a hand rake?
Why is there a pen hidden in a wall and why must we use that one rather than the pen that is sitting in plain site on the desk? And why do we first have to get a pair of tongs in order to get a coal in order to burn up a stuffed bird and get the pair of tweezers out of it to get the pen out of the wall? Who sews a pair of tweezers inside a stuffed bird in the first place?
Why do we wait literally hours to get a boomerang to throw at a crow when there are stones all over the ground? And really, who remembers about that crow? It was literally hours earlier.
I've reached a point where I just can't be bothered anymore. Since I'm playing on streaming, I haven't invested anything in this particular game, so I can quit without feeling like I've wasted money.
HOS scenes are average, although a few were too dark. Puzzles vary widely; some are extremely easy, others difficult, others just tedious. Instructions are next to useless; they usually just give the goal of the puzzle, with no details about how to achieve it.
I don't recommend this game.
G.H.O.S.T Chronicles: Phantom of the Renaissance Faire
Track down the terrifying and menacing Phantom of the Renaissance Faire in this exciting Hidden Object Adventure
Overall rating
4
/
5
Gets an extra star for the setting
PostedJune 20, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is not the greatest game, but I do love a Ren-Faire and this is an excellent reproduction of a permanent Renaissance fair village.
That being said, the graphics could be sharper. Some of the items were difficult to identify, and the characters reminded me of older Second Life avatars.
Even with that, the HOS are still some of the best. No junk piles. Items are very cleverly concealed within a scene that is a good representation of what is it supposed to be.
It has absolutely zero "terrifying and menacing" factors. The few ghosts that you run into are just hazy human figures.
Play isn't always straightforward, but the hints help. It's a disappointingly short game. I'd like to see it updated, with more characters and more interaction.
I recommend this game!
Dream Chronicles
Surreal clues and puzzles come alive in this breath-taking adventure game where the line between reality and fantasy no longer exists!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Showing its age
PostedJune 19, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This was undoubtedly top-of-the line in 2007, but today, it merely serves to show how far games have developed.
As others have noted, there is a lot -- as in, constant -- of text/internal dialogue. It reads like a role-playing game, where the players describe what they are doing for the benefit of the other players -- "I open the chest and take out a key" -- which is completely unnecessary, as we are the one taking the action and the graphics show what happens.
The narrator also gives explicit directions as you go, so there's not much challenge. Just move the cursor around until you find what you've been told to look for. It's a good thing that the cursor tells you what it's on, because much of the time the image is too small, too blurry or both to identify it any other way.
And there's just way too much about fairies, none of which is in any way relevant to the story.
As with other older games, it might be good for a beginner or for a younger player.
I don't recommend this game.
Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue
Overall rating
3
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Loosely based on the Poe short story
PostedJune 18, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
If you know the story, this will be a disappointment. It's merely the framework for an unending series of HOS -- two, three or more per room. A handful of extremely simple games and far too much direction in the "Normal" mode, but not nearly enough in the "Hard."
Lots of reading. A few glitches with the games -- a "striped tie" turns out to be a solid blue tie, a few puzzle pieces refused to take -- but nothing serious.
The changes to the story do not improve it. Mademoiselle L'Espanaye is Madame L'Espanaye's sister, rather than her daughter. So how do they have the same last name? L'Espanaye is Madame's married name. And Madame L'Espanaye is given a 5-year old sobbing son; very cliched.
I won't spoil it for those who do want to play, but will simply say that the case bears no resemblance whatsoever to that in the story. No interviewing of witnesses, no clues found at the scene.
I don't recommend this game.
Steve The Sheriff
Help Steve the sheriff recover Neptuneville's missing treasures in this thrilling Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
For the SpongeBob crowd
PostedJune 17, 2013
Dr_Q
fromBaton Rouge, LA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
My biggest complaint with this game is that the characters are constantly intruding to spout some line or two of cheesy dialogue, before getting out of the way so you can get back to finding objects or differences.
A very elementary hidden object game that would be good for a beginner or kid who would find the humor -- well -- humorous.
I don't recommend this game.