CowboyDenver's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.2
- Helpful Votes:209
- Reviews Submitted:28
- First Review:January 17, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 11, 2014
- Featured reviews0
Return once more to the haunted grounds of Ravenhearst Manor to uncover new details about this poignant saga. What you find could very well be the final chapter of this riveting story-if you escape.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Pat, could I buy another star?
PostedAugust 31, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game is SICK! And I mean that in the nicest way. I’ve given games 5 stars before, but this one deserves a 6. Where to begin? The overall live action visuals, sound effects and art work are incredible, and beautifully integrated together. The structure of the game is extremely dense and filled with innovations (at least for me). Instead of your customary HO scenes, the designers have taken the morphing-object concept and expanded it to replace the old static object format. Now you must find X number of morphing objects before you are given an object to use. Further breaking the rules, they have occasionally inserted an object (or two) amongst the MO’s that you just simply pick up and add to your inventory.
And just for fun, there are misdirection items just to confuse you. Imbedded cut scene material provides important clues, and you need to listen to the mad doctor. ALWAYS click on the tv monitors and review your journal. Oh, these game creators have a sick sense of humor. This game will give you the creeps and make you laugh out loud. The story line is freakin’ great. This is the first game where I watched the credits all the way through. Worth it.
This is a rich game that you’ll want to play again. It’s tuff. Sometimes really tuff. Really tuff. It made me feel like a beginner all over again. Keep a link to the Walkthrough in your favorites. And keep a paper and pencil handy. The CE, by the way, has more puzzles and activities embedded than the regular edition.
Now I want to start with the first Ravenhearst and play them all again.
I recommend this game!
Shaolin Mystery: Tale of the Jade Dragon Staff
Travel across ancient China and help Yu as she searches for the mythical Jade Dragon Staff. Save your wrongly imprisoned friend!
Overall rating
3
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Inscrutable? Not so much.
PostedAugust 19, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Not my favorite game. I had hoped for more from the reviews, but honestly just can't get that excited about it. There are lots of hidden object and fragmented object scenes. The challenge was trying to figure out what some of the objects even were. "Momegranite?" Ahh, grasshopper. Programmer didn't spell it right. There was at least one object in most of the scenes that I needed help with. The puzzles were pretty easy, but also included a couple of the type I always hate. That's what the skip button is for, I guess. Nice music, fairly nice graphics. Storyline OK except that the printed material didn't stay on screen long enough to read without rushing.
I don't recommend this game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 8 found this review helpful
Many Challenges
PostedAugust 7, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game has many mini-games and many of them offer many challenges. When I came upon one that was easy, I was quite surprised. The "reset" is a feature that every mini-game should have. Sometimes you get so far down a path that a solution is maddening. To hit reset and start the mini-game again is a great thing! This is especially true of the 4 games in the torture chamber!!! Those were tough. The HO scenes were good. Some things were very well hidden but not impossible to see. The castle was quite the labyrinth, and I loved all the hidden doors and stairs. Thank goodness for a map. All in all, a terrific and unique game with a great variety of challenges.
I recommend this game!
Someone is killing the guests at a mountain resort, and you could be next if you don't figure out the mystery and solve a Mountain Crime!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Don't try to make sense of the story
PostedJuly 8, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
There are lots of puzzles and the graphics are very good. The storyline, however, turns out to be irrelevant — which is a good thing, because I give it a 1. Lots of journals and notes which are confusing and also irrelevant. I give this a 2 on the Visual/Sound Quality scale because it's another one of those Mac games where for some strange reason you must listen through headphones. It won't play through external speakers!?!
But, as I said, the puzzles have some very unique twists and are fairly challenging. The HO scenes are odd, but still good. The dialog interface, though, is really odd. Some have voice overs, and some you have to read. Very disorienting, so another good reason the storyline doesn't matter!
I recommend this game!
After their yacht is sunk by an incredible storm, Jane and Mike are separated in Sea Legends: Phantasmal Light!
Overall rating
5
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
Arrrgh. This be a good game.
PostedJuly 4, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The terrific atmosphere and storyline is filled with lots of HO scenes and fun (but not terribly difficult) puzzles. Nicely drawn artwork adds a lot to a game, and this one has it. The tasks and tools are logical and you get to use most of them in fairly short order. A very well built game.
I recommend this game!
Explore a haunted amusement park in Weird Park: Broken Tune! Investigate a rash of “accidental” deaths and solve the case!
Overall rating
5
/
5
A BIG Game!
PostedJuly 1, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a very robust game with lots of HO scenes and puzzles. And just when you've reached what would be the end in most games, you portal through to another world that is as robust as the one you just completed.
My low score on Visual/Sound Quality should be explained. The Visuals couldn't be better and deserve a 5. The sound though is annoying for one reason: this is one of the few Mac games I've found where the sound won't play through the external speakers. In the MacPro it only plays through the tiny speaker or through headphones. As a veteran Mac user I can't explain or correct this issue - nor can Big Fish, it seems. Annoying, though only mildly so.
Other than that, this is an extremely well done game, and I recommend it.
I recommend this game!
After crashing his ship, Columbus sees a beautiful apparition. Now, he must explore a mysterious island and battle for survival!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Calling all HOG hogs!
PostedJune 25, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
If you like Hidden Object Games, this one's for you. Practically every scene is another one. Finish one HO scene, and then one click away is another. There are some puzzles interspersed and the objects you put in inventory are used almost immediately. No deep thinking required for that. Very little backtracking either. The hidden objects are often extremely well hidden. For my taste, I'd rather have fewer HO scenes and more puzzles and cut scenes. For me, it got rather weary after awhile - just too many HO scenes.
I recommend this game!
Explore The Dark Hills of Cherai and find The Regal Scepter in this unique Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Deceptively Difficult
PostedJune 22, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Great backgrounds and game design with lots and lots of puzzles. The puzzles start out relatively easy but get progressively more difficult. I even gave up and skipped one. I had to skip two others even though (according to the blog walkthru) I did indeed solve them. For some reason the game didn't acknowledge it, so "skip" was necessary. Regardless, I thought the game was great. Having to go to the Meeting Place constantly to exchange tools was a little annoying until I started using the map. The navigation is quite sophisticated, so don't hesitate to click on things. You will enjoy this game.
I recommend this game!
Help Anna find her way to the mystical floating cloud city, seek out the Children of Light and save them from the Evil Empress!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Fun and attractive game
PostedMay 29, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
EotD2 has some wonderful graphics and is a visually satisfying game with lots of puzzles and HO scenes. Not terribly difficult puzzles, but different and satisfying. The HO scenes are well constructed and get a little more difficult as the game progresses. I love it when I am searching, searching for an object and then I discover it was really obvious! The Pandora's hands puzzle had me going for quite a while until I discovered the secret. Doh! All and all, a really good game that made me want to return.
I recommend this game!
Appraise Malgrey Castle, learn about it’s enigmatic inhabitants, save your boss, and learn what drove your co-worker mad!
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
Undead
PostedApril 5, 2012
CowboyDenver
fromDenver, Colorado
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is one game that I recommend you try the first hour for free. I don't know if I would have bought it had I done the demo round. Several times I wondered why I bought a game called Vampireville. From the reviews here, I guess. Some people like it a lot. I found it rather tedious in the beginning, but less so as I progressed. Maybe I just stopped being annoyed and plowed ahead.
The character animation is just awful. It was better for me to not look at their faces and just listen to the story (or read the text). There are lots and lots of puzzles of a variety of skill levels. Only two did I give up on, and they were towards the end. Were they more difficult, or had my patience just run out? Dunno.
It's a LONG game, and that's either a good thing or a bad thing. As I said, be sure to TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.
I don't recommend this game.