highwayguy's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:98
- Reviews Submitted:13
- First Review:April 8, 2014
- Most Recent Review:January 20, 2019
- Featured reviews0
Escape from the clutch of the spiteful innkeepers! Can you help Cosette have a better future?
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 10 found this review helpful
Too many HOS, but...
PostedDecember 16, 2014
highwayguy
fromThe Concrete Sea
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
it isn't a bad game at all, if you like HOS. Unfortunately, I don't. I am more for the adventure and puzzles, and this one doesn't deliver those. There is no adventure, to speak of, and the puzzles are way too easy.
I am one of the few who actually like quite a few Hdo games. They tend to be short, but otherwise are pretty well made. This one, well.
Pros: Decent artwork and graphics, decent storyline (well, sure, it's a classic, LOL), and decent audio if you can ignore the short loops. HOS were quite challenging.
Cons: Few options. Slow transitions. Rather melodramatic, which fits the story, but not to my taste. One of my pet peeves: anachronisms. A wooden toy airplane in 1826?? Really??
If you like classic HOGs, then you may find this quite to your liking. Do try it!
I recommend this game!
Solve a variety of puzzles while travelling across distant worlds!
Overall rating
5
/
5
24 of 27 found this review helpful
Big Surprise!
PostedJuly 2, 2014
highwayguy
fromThe Concrete Sea
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Okay. I'm a picross ADDICT, and have to try every one. I was not particularly excited by FM 1 & 2, but thought I'd try this. I figured it would be something to tide me over until the next World Mosaics, or, hopefully, Gemsweeper 2. (If only!)
So I was rather blown away when, by level 5, we had a 15x20 grid! These puzzles are not hair-pullingly difficult (so far), but they do present a decent challenge, and you have to pay attention, especially on advanced mode. (I didn't try casual, but evidently it crosses off closed squares as they close, rather than when a row is complete.)
The graphics are sharp and clear, the backgrounds nice enough, and the music rather zen-like. I have not come across any ambiguities, which is a pet peeve of mine when doing some brands of picross puzzles.
Now, I won't get into the absurdity of having a penguin wanting his rather tropical garden restored - it's a fairy tale, right? But it did make me LOL. I suppose they feel they must make a storyline, no matter how silly, but if it isn't something interesting, like World Mosaics, then just give the puzzles! We don't care that much for the story on this type of game. At least I don't.
If you are a picross fan, you should definitely try this. I'll be buying it for sure!
I recommend this game!
Puzzle your way through Fill-A-Pix or Pic-A-Pix on your quest to restore the Great Tapestries and save Mysteria from darkness!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
Almost great, but not quite.
PostedApril 8, 2014
highwayguy
fromThe Concrete Sea
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I admit it - I'm addicted to picross. I buy almost all of them. And this one has a bonus - the Fill-a-Pix puzzles, which I'm not as good at. But it isn't going to be my favorite, nevertheless.
First of all, it does have a loose storyline of sorts. Not necessary, but okay. Shrug.
I really liked the soundtrack, which changed with each locale. After a while, the loops got a little old, but still not really annoying. The production quality was excellent.
The puzzles are not as hair-pullingly hard as World Mosaics or World Riddles, but they do offer a fair challenge on the higher levels. They are well made, and solveable with logic, without ambiguities. They are, in fact, FUN.
But the graphics leave a lot to be desired. Like Arizona Rose, the background is confusing, and I find myself making errors because I am unable to distinguish colored squares from the background at times. I also do not like the fadeout grid numbers on the busy background, because it is impossible to see them sometimes. I'd much prefer the numbers to be crossed off, or better, a plain background.
And speaking of the grid numbers... On the higher levels, the shadow effect on the font makes it very hard to distinguish some of the numbers, which are fairly small on the 20 x 20 grids.
Please, devs, don't do this to us! A lot of us have older eyes, and it is hard enough to see without all the distractions. Give us the backgrounds with the story, then go to plain, easy to see grids and numbers!
I still recommend the game to anyone who likes picross, or even beginners. This one doesn't get tough fast, so you have plenty of practice on easier grids. :0)
I recommend this game!