rosekaufmann's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.2
- Helpful Votes:18,036
- Reviews Submitted:831
- First Review:April 2, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 27, 2014
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can a mysterious tattoo cure a phobia or will it turn a patient into a victim and make him crave for death?
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 10 found this review helpful
HELP SOLVE THE TATOO AND SUICIDE MYSTERY
PostedSeptember 14, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERALL SUMMARY: Completed game for the third time, in about 4 hours – I take my time always. It could have used 3 difficulty modes. The casual mode leads you by the hand (which is okay with me – I don’t need to do a HOS that is sparkling if there are other things to be done in the scene). The hard mode gives no direction and it probably wouldn’t be clear what you need to do. So it seems an intermediate mode would have been useful to a lot of people. Georgeous artwork.
WHAT YOU GET:
2 difficulty modes (expert has no sparkles, casual does)
Task button, showing current tasks
Area Completed when all has been done in a scene
2 volume controls
Journal
Hint button to help you locate a HO, tell you to search elsewhere or reveal next step
Replayable – HOS are different each time
2 difficulty modes (expert has no sparkles, casual does)
Task button, showing current tasks
Area Completed when all has been done in a scene
2 volume controls
Journal
Hint button to help you locate a HO, tell you to search elsewhere or reveal next step
Replayable – HOS are different each time
STORY & GAMEPLAY:
We have a hero and a heroine in a supernatural theme. Our hero Victor finds himself on an island with a highly painful floral tattoo. He decides to get it removed and finds that his psychiatrist and several of his other patients have similar tattoos and have committed suicide. Help Victor and his gal Mary learn the mystery of the tattoos and how they tie the victims together. Gameplay is pretty straightforward and somewhat linear. If you get stuck, the hint button will suggest looking in another scene or reveal the next step. Scenes that have no more tasks will show “Area Completed” at the top.
We have a hero and a heroine in a supernatural theme. Our hero Victor finds himself on an island with a highly painful floral tattoo. He decides to get it removed and finds that his psychiatrist and several of his other patients have similar tattoos and have committed suicide. Help Victor and his gal Mary learn the mystery of the tattoos and how they tie the victims together. Gameplay is pretty straightforward and somewhat linear. If you get stuck, the hint button will suggest looking in another scene or reveal the next step. Scenes that have no more tasks will show “Area Completed” at the top.
Ghostly apparitions appear periodically. Don’t know what they do, other than the underlying theme is a supernatural one. The characters and sounds (such as footsteps over crushed stones) appear very realistic. You can’t pick up objects until they are needed.
HOGS & PUZZLES/MINI-GAMES: Play a standard HOS or get an alternate puzzle with goggles. HOS are nicely drawn and you can get an outline of the object, so they are relaxing to play. Goggles shows you a piece of the puzzle and you need to determine where it should overlay to get the objects. When you click on objects in the scenes (and the objects will be part of a puzzle), question marks are thrown into your inventory tray and show the shape of the puzzle pieces you have to find. I liked this facet.
OTHER STUFF:
Gorgeous and colorful locations with strong artwork. They could have done voice-overs – of course, a lot of people would then condemn them. Pleasant-enough music. I found the game to be well thought-out and very polished. I think the game is more than a 4-star and a little less than 5-star. Since it was closer to 5-star, I just rounded up.
Gorgeous and colorful locations with strong artwork. They could have done voice-overs – of course, a lot of people would then condemn them. Pleasant-enough music. I found the game to be well thought-out and very polished. I think the game is more than a 4-star and a little less than 5-star. Since it was closer to 5-star, I just rounded up.
I recommend this game!
Through the creaking gates, you’d best beware. A spooky mansion awaits, enter if you dare! Explore the inside of a scary house.
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
GREAT FOR THE TARGET AUDIENCE
PostedSeptember 14, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
As other reviewers have said, this is a great game for kids. I don't recall the game as a kid (maybe I'm just too old). I would have liked a way to speed the game up, as an adult or maybe older kids (rather they play this type of game than blast each other away in a video game). I would maybe have bought it for a nice refreshing change of pace to relax if I didn't have to wait for all the jiggles and wiggles in between finding each item (although I must admit they were cute, it would have been nice to be able to shorten it). But the game is probably right for the target audience and I rated it as such. (And I had to use a hint a couple times.)
I recommend this game!
Your father was murdered while he was investigating a crime. Travel back through time to save him!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 7 found this review helpful
JUST MISSED
PostedSeptember 14, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Even though the story was extremely interesting and unique, the game just didn't excite me as much as I had hoped. The voice overs were done rather nicely, especially the main character; the HOS were detailed and large enough that you weren't pixel hunting; the puzzles were moderately challenging; the gameplay was pretty straightforward; and the visuals were beautifully done. The cutscenes were well done - perhaps it was their frequency that was the undoing. It seemed you were playing just fine when you got another cutscene. It made the gameplay feel a little choppy. Whatever the reason, it is still has good production values and was well thought out and conceived. As others have said, the CE doesn't have quite enough to compel its purchase in lieu of the SE, so I'll just wait. Overall, it just doesn't feel like a 5-star to me (a 5-star to me is purchase within the next day or two).
I recommend this game!
Release the characters from the witch's curse and find the portal home!
Overall rating
4
/
5
55 of 60 found this review helpful
TAKE THE SE
PostedSeptember 11, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I have all the other Echoes of the Past games and love them. This one is also good with above average production values, but I don't like it quite as much as the others.
CE doesn't have as much in extras as other CEs, so the SE is the way to go.
GOOD:
Music is relaxing.
Locations and graphics are very good.
Not much traveling of great distances. although I suspect there will be a great distance near the end.
Interactive map, with fast travel, showing actions needed.
Lots to do.
HOS are moderately crowded; interactive.
Puzzles are interesting and quite different from the usual.
Hint gives you a photo of where the action is.
Music is relaxing.
Locations and graphics are very good.
Not much traveling of great distances. although I suspect there will be a great distance near the end.
Interactive map, with fast travel, showing actions needed.
Lots to do.
HOS are moderately crowded; interactive.
Puzzles are interesting and quite different from the usual.
Hint gives you a photo of where the action is.
NOT SO GOOD:
Voice overs are somewhat grating on the nerves.
Somewhat challenging, but not as much as I would sometimes like. When story keeps me interested throughout, I like more challenge.
Voice overs are somewhat grating on the nerves.
Somewhat challenging, but not as much as I would sometimes like. When story keeps me interested throughout, I like more challenge.
I recommend this game!
Jane Austen's: Estate of Affairs
Search for Jane Austen's missing novel and help save the Austen estate from greedy villains!
Overall rating
3
/
5
46 of 49 found this review helpful
SIMPLE BUT OKAY
PostedSeptember 10, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
STORY: You must find the final manuscript of Jane Austen so that the proceeds from its sale can save her estate from the clutches of the Bingham family.
YOU GET: Widescreen capability, 3 modes of difficulty, 3 volume controls and a diary.
GAME PLAY: The synopsis says there are about 30 HOS. I think I completed about one-third of them, so the game is likely to be quite short. The HOS are list and shape based scenes. Very easy to find objects.
There seems to be an equal amount of HOS and puzzles and the puzzles are quite easy. Quite a few of the puzzles have a an easily-solved riddle which tells you how to complete the puzzle. The puzzles have a missing piece or two and it doesn't take long or any great distance to find them. Quite simple.
There is no problem in determining where to go or what to do. Back and forth is limited to a few scenes.
OTHER STUFF: I thought the music was jaunty at first, but it quickly became irksome. So, I'd probably turn it off and never turn it back on. The voice overs are okay. The graphics seem authentic to the period and are pleasant to look at.
SUMMARY: This would be a good game for someone new to adventure-HOGs because objects and puzzles are rather simple and you won't need much help in trying to figure out what to do.
I recommend this game!
Escape from Thunder Island
Join the more-brave-than-brilliant aviatrix Rita James on a quest to rescue her kidnapped father in Escape from Thunder Island!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
SEARCH IN THE LOST CITY OF ZENADOO
PostedSeptember 7, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
YOU GET:
Automatic widescreen
3 volume controls
Map showing current objectives
Automatic widescreen
3 volume controls
Map showing current objectives
GOOD:
Sound effects are very good - you hear realistic waves crashing, etc.
Voice overs are also very good
Lots of HOS
Good ratio of HOS to puzzles
Sense of humor with Marbles the monkey
Getting a reward for finding all 80 coins
Sound effects are very good - you hear realistic waves crashing, etc.
Voice overs are also very good
Lots of HOS
Good ratio of HOS to puzzles
Sense of humor with Marbles the monkey
Getting a reward for finding all 80 coins
NOT SO GOOD:
HOS are average - but there are frequently very tiny items to find that are hidden too well (like ants against brown backgrounds)
Inventory tray is too large - it holds so many things and when you try to cycle to the beginning or end of the tray, the objects just keep recycling. If you need 5 planks, the tray could be made a lot less large by putting all 5 planks together instead of each plank having its own space.
HOS are average - but there are frequently very tiny items to find that are hidden too well (like ants against brown backgrounds)
Inventory tray is too large - it holds so many things and when you try to cycle to the beginning or end of the tray, the objects just keep recycling. If you need 5 planks, the tray could be made a lot less large by putting all 5 planks together instead of each plank having its own space.
Other reviewers have told the story, so I won't repeat it. This might be a good game for HOG newbies or for those who just want to relax and play.
I recommend this game!
The fate of the magical world is in your hands – free it from evil!
Overall rating
4
/
5
85 of 94 found this review helpful
NOT YOUR RUN-OF-THE-MILL HOG
PostedSeptember 6, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Refreshing change of pace. Very imaginative floral and animal artwork and animation. Environments are a real pleasure to look at. Nice adventure with cohesive story and a helpful hint system when you're stuck. The "guide" is a bit too talkative for my taste. Provocative puzzles are usually unique and very well constructed - many take a little thought. The environments are carefully crafted, with a lot of attention to detail. Nice relaxing music. Real joy to play.
I recommend this game!
Can you defeat the Four Horsemen and save the city?
Overall rating
5
/
5
72 of 88 found this review helpful
GOOD QUALITY FAST-PACED GAME
PostedSeptember 5, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A fast-paced adventure game that grabs your attention from the beginning and keeps your interest throughout. There is a lot of action and a lot of things to do. Environments were given a lot of attention to the details of developing them. Colors are a nice palette, fitting to the location.
WHAT YOU GET:
3 difficulty modes
achievements
secret room
collectibles
4 volume and a gamma controls
bat to help in different situations (not necessarily height)
3 difficulty modes
achievements
secret room
collectibles
4 volume and a gamma controls
bat to help in different situations (not necessarily height)
STORY
Ghostly manifestations have appeared and destroyed much of the town, keeping its inhabitants prisoners in their own homes. They are searching for a particular girl, who of course will be the heroine. There is a prisoner in the tower who you have to rescue, since he can help you with the ghosts.
Ghostly manifestations have appeared and destroyed much of the town, keeping its inhabitants prisoners in their own homes. They are searching for a particular girl, who of course will be the heroine. There is a prisoner in the tower who you have to rescue, since he can help you with the ghosts.
GAMEPLAY
When you click the ghosts, they will talk to you in a rather spooky manner and animation is spectacular. You will make a cold potion to rid the town of one particular winged ghost, but then you encounter more of them. Guess you should have made more cold potion to battle them.
When you click the ghosts, they will talk to you in a rather spooky manner and animation is spectacular. You will make a cold potion to rid the town of one particular winged ghost, but then you encounter more of them. Guess you should have made more cold potion to battle them.
You do travel somewhat, but nothing onerous, to gather the items you need to rescue a prisoner who holds the key to getting rid of the ghostly manifestations. Sometimes, it seems they just want to cause mischief to inconvenience or scare you. You have a pretty good idea of where to go and what to do (caveat: this may depend on your experience with these types of games). I actually don't recall, but I think there was a map. I didn't need it because, although there was lots to do, what needed to be one in which location was fairly self-evident.
HOS and PUZZLES
The HOS are very nicely done - everything is visible and well defined; you won't have to rest your eyes after playing one. The puzzles are a wide variety - I must say that the developers are coming up with new and unique puzzles lately or add new twists and turns to some tried-and-true puzzles. They're great and a lot of fun.
The HOS are very nicely done - everything is visible and well defined; you won't have to rest your eyes after playing one. The puzzles are a wide variety - I must say that the developers are coming up with new and unique puzzles lately or add new twists and turns to some tried-and-true puzzles. They're great and a lot of fun.
OTHER STUFF
The first person I encountered for conversation had a forced and unnatural voice, so I thought "oh boy. Turn the voice volume down." But the people and ghosts encountered later sounded much more professional and their voices fit their characters.
The first person I encountered for conversation had a forced and unnatural voice, so I thought "oh boy. Turn the voice volume down." But the people and ghosts encountered later sounded much more professional and their voices fit their characters.
Animation is terrific and goes a long way in setting the overall mood for the game. Most of the music is relaxing, although there is one upbeat track. It is appropriate to the actions being taken. A good game that's lots of fun at a fairly fast-pace.
CE v. SE
The CE has 2 bonus games, so I think that will be enough to sway me toward the CE over the SE. Plus, I get a secret room which I can't access yet.
The CE has 2 bonus games, so I think that will be enough to sway me toward the CE over the SE. Plus, I get a secret room which I can't access yet.
I recommend this game!
You shall have to investigate the mysterious disappearance of young Luciano Folgeri from the orphanage.
Overall rating
5
/
5
133 of 141 found this review helpful
REALLY FUN LITTLE GAME
PostedSeptember 4, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Really like this game. There are 2 modes of difficulty and a diary and task list. A boy has been kidnapped from a Venice, Italy, haunted orphanage and you have to find him.
ENTERTAINING: Music can be suspenseful or energetic - always appropriate to the scenes and what goal you are trying to accomplish. Ghosts in various shapes appear throughout in the most unusual places and really add to the atmosphere as you explore the various environments. The artwork is very nice - not too vivid or dull. ANIMATION is really good and sometimes makes you wonder if you really saw what you thought you saw.
HOS AND PUZZLES: Lots of HOS - of most every kind there is. Objects are well detailed and not difficult to find, although occasionally you really have to look. Also lots of puzzles which have varying degrees of difficulty. Some were rather new and ingenious or had twists and turns of well-known puzzles. Missing pieces of puzzles were usually not too far away, although you had to explore the entire location (ex: the house and its grounds) to find them. The ratio of HOS to puzzles seemed to be about even.
REALLY LIKED THE TASK LIST: One thing I really liked was the way the task list worked. You are given a list of tasks to be performed at, say the orphanage. As you complete each one (ex: find out who took the boy and in what direction did they go), your task list reappeared with that task greyed out. New tasks appear periodically. You could not leave a place until all the tasks that were required were completed (ex: you could not leave the orphanage to go to the homestead until all orphanage tasks were done - there is limited back and forth only in each location). So the game is rather linear in that respect.
Game is an amusing afternoon of entertainment.
I recommend this game!
Deep in the heart of an enchanted forest, a forbidden love blooms. Guide the human Eveline as she sets out to rescue her beloved from the clutches of a tyrant.
Overall rating
4
/
5
28 of 29 found this review helpful
GETS MORE INTERESTING AS YOU GO
PostedSeptember 1, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a different type of game than I normally play. It's an adventure game with an intriguing story which gets you more interested as you go deeper into it. I found myself liking it more and more, though I was somewhat mediocre about it at first.
WHAT YOU GET:
3 sound volumes
automatic widescreen
relaxing music
2 game modes
journal with map, notes, tasks and memos
separate map without opening journal if wanted
tasks listing without opening journal if you prefer
a potion lab
3 sound volumes
automatic widescreen
relaxing music
2 game modes
journal with map, notes, tasks and memos
separate map without opening journal if wanted
tasks listing without opening journal if you prefer
a potion lab
GAMEPLAY:
You'll find 70 memos along the way that will give clues and tell the story of the felizes and humans, the war, disappearances, and other interesting facts. You will also be given potion recipes periodically and ingredients you find will automatically go to the potion lab instead of into your inventory tray. The potion lab is given to you by a shaman in the forest and she will appear periodically to help you since she knows the land of the felizes as well as the humans so well. Something always seems to happen that gives you clues as to what direction to head to next. That's good because there are a few unexpected twists and turns to the story.
You'll find 70 memos along the way that will give clues and tell the story of the felizes and humans, the war, disappearances, and other interesting facts. You will also be given potion recipes periodically and ingredients you find will automatically go to the potion lab instead of into your inventory tray. The potion lab is given to you by a shaman in the forest and she will appear periodically to help you since she knows the land of the felizes as well as the humans so well. Something always seems to happen that gives you clues as to what direction to head to next. That's good because there are a few unexpected twists and turns to the story.
HINTS are in the form of a dragon, which will go so far as to show you where you can do something and what inventory item to use (which is helpful because it isn't always clear that an inventory item can be used there). There are little balls of light in various scenes that will recharge the dragon. But unlike some games, you won't waste the charge by clicking on it if your dragon doesn't need recharging.
OTHER STUFF: Dialogue is written and spoken; clicking on a dialogue popup will hurry it along (since you can read faster than listen to the spoken words). Voices are middle-of-the-road - neither great nor terrible.
Visuals are pleasant to look at. Animations are very, very good. I think this game was listed as a HOG, but it's not the usual type where there are HO scenes. You do have to find stuff to complete the puzzles though, but they are in the various environments. If there's one drawback to the game, it's that the story is occasionally a little slow to develop - but I prefer fast-paced stories. Well thought-out story and gameplay.
I recommend this game!