Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Dark Realm: Queen of Flames Collector's Edition
(148)
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
5/ 5
I'm always in search of something 'fast' as a break from the massive HIdden Object/adventure games I buy but find little I really like, Match 3 and poppers and Solitare are basically the same stuff in different packages. But WOAH this is such a fun game! I can't gush enough. Other reviewers gave a great glimpse at the story so I won't repeat.
You're fitting Tetris-like shapes into spaces on a track so mice can jump to cheese without falling. As you progress things are added to the challenge. The tutorial #which you can turn on and off when you want from the menu# is clear and helpful) You can Redo each the level right away as many times as you want until you get it perfect or keep going. The graphics are amazing #I wish they'd make hidden object games!#
Here's the impressive bling that sets the game apart. These folks really put a lot of work into this baby! The customizations! This game will look spectacular on everyone's Anything:
Languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Portugues, Dutch Controls: Mouse & Keybord or Xbox Resolutions to choose from: 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1360x768, 1360x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1080 Screen mode - Windowed or Full Graphics Quality - Low, Medium, High, Custom VSync - Off, Single, Double Antialiasing - Off, 2x, 4x, 8x Textures - Quarter Resolution, Half, Full, Super Graphic Effects - On, Off Map showing locations as you play. Separate volume controls for music and special effects. Unlock videos as you play and earn rewards. Can turn on/off Tool tips and tutorials anytime. Level editor screen to delete levels, show your 'file', rearrange/plan/add/create levels Some of the text screens went by too fast and were impossible to read. Graphics incredile - I wish they'd make Hidden Object games. Placing boxes and other Tetris- shaped objects to fill in holes/ shapes on a track to get mice to cheese and collect crystals on the way. Once you're all set it up and release the mice you can let them run the course or speed the animation up extra-fast so you don't have sit there multilple time watching it if your attention span can't take it after the 5th time of still screwing it up ::raising hand::
Fun! One of those fun games that can be played for 3 hours or 10 minutes and is a good one for the dull winter nights.
I recommend this game!
+28points
30of32voted this as helpful.
City of Fools
A UFO is rumored to have landed in the small town of Tundel and the mayor is trying to conceal it. Run your own journalistic investigation and learn the truth behind the event!
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper
Current Favorite:
Esoterica: Hollow Earth
(29)
Fun Factor
4/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
4/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
4/ 5
I didn't at all like this game when I first tried it, I sat going, "huh?" most of the trial. I had no idea what to do, seemed like a lot of running around aimlessly with no idea why.
This game is one of my top 5 All Time Favorites; even my 80 year old father is hooked. This game is simple in design and you will pop a few brain cells trying to figure out what to do. Remember the old days of playing games and having to draw flowchart on paper and take your own notes on what you were doing? This is one of those. If you really like immersing yourself in a game, this is it. If you want to just click and "play" a game, it's not for you.
You are in a crazy town full of characters, mostly foolish, who want items or items and in order for them to give you the info you want, you have to go find the items and bring them to the proper people. It's a BIG town, full of alleys, boarded up buildings, nasty cops and nice folks, too. Houses are numbered with no actual pattern. There is a map, which you will need! in order to get a directional hint on where to go just hold your cursor over the edge and arrows will show up, flashing the way. Somewhere in the forum someone has written a helpful list of who wants what and where to find it, if you want extra help but half the fun is figuring this out for yourself. There's a lot of little things to look at and notice, a great sense of humor to the whole game. This took me a week to play but it's one you can do a bit at a time. I keep sending Vulcan Brain Beams into the sky to the ONE guy who did this entire game to please make another.
Give it a chance, learn how to play it, get the idea of what is wanted, use the map, get ready to laugh out loud. t's an odd one but it's fun to chip away at irritating people and know you're the smartest person in the whole place!
I recommend this game!
+1point
1of1voted this as helpful.
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
Everyone deserves a second chance – even the stingiest of them all.
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: Nutcracker Collector's Edition
(323)
Fun Factor
3/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
3/ 5
Storyline
3/ 5
I bought this game hoping/anticipating/wishing it was as good as Nutcracker, from last year, and needless to say after playing this game over two nights, I quit and uninstalled. It's not horrible by any means, it's just the same ol' same ol' in my eyes. I feel the game plods along, throwing the occasional HOG at you or some super easy puzzle, while the story is just so uninspiring I don't even care what happens next. Graphics are very nice in places, not so much in others. Game play is oddly slow, the cursor drags a bit. The morphing penguins take so long to morph, the should have given a big bottle of Visine, free, with this game as you sit with eyes pasted open, waiting for a glimpse.
Yes, it's a Christmas story. Always kinda nice this time of year. It has little to do with the Scrooge story except that this is an excuse for The Scrooge Guy to be mean and nasty #broken heart, don't ya know.# I'm still wondering why I have a Scrooge Angel guy lurking in the left corner, but he's creepy.
IMHO not worth the CE price, and is a nice enough game if you want something to play but nothing special, exciting, new, interesting or Warm and Fuzzy Hey It's Christmas.
Joyous Whatever-Your- Heart- Celebrates to all fellow fishies!
I recommend this game!
+18points
18of18voted this as helpful.
Nevertales: The Beauty Within Collector's Edition
You were just about to relax with a good book when a stranger leaves a baby on your doorstep.
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Brain Teaser, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Urban Legends: The Maze
(106)
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
4/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
4/ 5
I have spent 17 hours playing this game (over 3 days), taking my time as I usually do. The few complaints I'd have - at times the sound track is beyond grating, the "cute baby" stuff is lost on me, uneven artwork at times, confusing SG and it jumps all over the place or seems to at times....I forgive it all due to the creatitivy and obvious effort the Devs put into making this. It took me awhile to warm up to this game and get the hang of all that was required but all I can say is "woah". I just finished and am starting it again, something I rarely ever do.
Neat things: Roses to find in every scene. A bit of whimsy at times; a bit of evilness; a bit of fairy tale at times, Myst-like puzzles at times....in other words, some may see it as jumping all over the place but I saw it as having a bit of every type of anything games ever have. #I even had to come to the forum twice to see how to solve something that didn't make any sense, as usual the BF crowd is the best!#
There are 3 bonus chapters. The best part is that IF you miss finding a rose, at the end you can just go back to the room and find it. There are collectables in every scene and at the end of the game it takes you scene by scene, quickly, to go get them. This is like 3 or 4 games going on at once..much to do! Very interactive HO scenes that are clever at times with new twists, interactive inventory to combine, mini-puzzles within mini-puzzles.
This is really a fun, inventive game. Is it perfect? No, but there is so much to do and see and find here that once I got used to all going on I very much appreciate the energy put into this! This game is like a 10-course meal, and dessert!
I recommend this game!
+3points
4of5voted this as helpful.
Zombie Solitaire
Play your cards right and you might escape the zombie apocalypse! Biting humor and fun card game action await you in Zombie Solitaire.
Fearful Tales: Hansel and Gretel Collector's Edition
(92)
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
5/ 5
I don't usually have tons of fun with solitaire games since they all seem to be the same 'ol same 'ol, but this game was a riot (I wish we could give 1/2 stars...this would be 4.5#
A man is eating a tofu sandwich when he is turned into a zombie. Serves him right. You go home and find the map your dad left for you for just these occasions #this becomes your game map# and make your way around the city to get to the harbor, jump a ship and get out of there.
Maybe I've played Plants vs. Zombies way, way too much #like, a LOT) but these graphics kind of remind me of that game. There is a good sense of humor throughout and creative graphics showing tangled vines around locked cards, "infected raven" cards who look well, infected. Everything is zombie.
~ Game Options are: ~ Adjust music ~ Adjust Sound ~ Window can be set at 16:6 or 4:3 or windowed ~ Can be set to system cursor, game cursor or touch pad ~ Bounce coins, or don't
You win gold coins as you remove cards, and you can set those to bounce around on the bottom of the screen like ping pong balls. It is incredibly distracting when they do, but then again it makes it harder to concentrate which might be a good thing.)
Music is actually good with a magnificent, rousing and robust classical piece when you clear all cards in a game, creepy-corny zombie music or music with a slightly hip 50s flavor. I actually left the music on which is rare.
There looks to be about 95 different game set ups/screens. If you clear the game you earn 3 stars. Using the map you can go back to or jump around to any game you want. Each game will tell you how many Zombies you have to "kill" to win the hand, so every one doesn't require that you clear the board.
Power ups are earned along the way and include things like extra coins, extra cards to use on the side if you get in a jam, cards that explode, tombstone cards that can be used if there are no matching cards, Zombie Slap cards that remove any card of your choice. You get the idea.
Graphics are large and clear. I really liked this game! Lots going on and funny to play. Good for when your brain needs a break - just be sure to hold on to it :)
I recommend this game!
+57points
64of71voted this as helpful.
Dark Cases: The Blood Ruby Collector's Edition
Your father was murdered while he was investigating a crime. Travel back through time to save him!
Fearful Tales: Hansel and Gretel Collector's Edition
(92)
Fun Factor
3/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
2/ 5
Storyline
2/ 5
"Puzzles are very straightforward.
Graphics are good with clear HOSs, music is appropriate, characterisation is quite good, but they speak SO slowly!
All in all, I found the pedestrian and lengthy cut scenes tedious. With the easy gameplay and lack of challenge in puzzles or HOSs, it was more frustrating than relaxing. With neither collectibles nor achievements, this is not a CE I would recommend. Hopefully those of you who do not rate these features will be able to confirm that the main game comes to a satisfactory conclusion and I can wait for the SE, though even then the lack of challenge is likely to be a deal breaker"
To add to this, the music was driving me nuts - it's basically a 5 chord song played over and over and over, or sad, sleepy violin music better served for a funeral# l I turned it off# The sound track in one early hidden object scene was a fly bussing for a second, over and over and over until I turned the sounds off# As said so well above, I quickly tired of the endless cut scenes interrupting very short game play in between; the tutorial pop ups even though I said I didn't want them, and endless black bar tips that are the bane of my game playing - "Oh, a trunk with a big gaping hole for a lock! I bet something goes here!" "Oh, a big tumbler on a safe with numbers! I'll have to find the code!" The extras weren't anything exciting but I for one don't care about concept art, the soundtrack or screen savers - this always struck me as Developer Vanity =:o There are no collectables.
Even my double espresso mocha with Ovaltine thrown in couldn't keep me awake on this one. Wait for the SE and use a PCC.
See for yourself, as always!
I recommend this game!
+1point
4of7voted this as helpful.
Skeleton Pirates
Get ready for the ultimate battle against vicious skeleton pirates.
Nightmares from the Deep: The Siren's Call Collector's Edition
(114)
Fun Factor
4/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
4/ 5
Storyline
3/ 5
My name is JadedBlonde and I am a Plants vs. Zombies addict. Hopelessly. That said, it is impossible to review this game without making PvZ references, as everything in this game has an exact part, title or feature that PvZ has. Exactly, down to even the set up of the playing field, the inventory, the catalog of weapons and the slots to place items you use for each round.
This review is based on the entire demo. During that time I got to level 1-10. They don't give you a heck of a lot as far as info until you get going, so the beginning is mostly a tutorial as you're introduced to the weapons and features one at a time. It is slow going, so playing for an hour didn't make much of a dent in the game but is good to learn on.
You have a ship and Zombie Pirate Skeletons are invading it, trying to steal your Stuff. What you have to work with - you need coins - gold ones and silver ones. Cute Little birds fly by at random times dropping coins to you which you collect (during the Daylight Round), and you buy chests to put on the deck which burp up gold or silver coins. Silver coins are your currency to buy items, gold coins buy your ammo - each time one of your weapons fires, you're deducted a gold coins. As far as I played, I had plenty at all times, though that might change in later levels. The silver coins go away at the end of the round; the gold coins accumulate and carry over.
I ran into 4 types of Nasty Pirates during the trial that have varying levels of tenacity and endurance but it wasn't until the demo was almost over that you get a catalog to explain the traits of what you have so far. There is also a Pirate Parrot who also flys by at random times, dropping little bombs on your stuff, trying to destroy it. You hit him on the head with a mallet and then get his head. Yes, his head. When you collect 10 heads, you get a new weapon in the next round and Level "up"
As with PvZ, you get to choose the weapons you want to use for each round, tailoring them to your level of play. There are, all told, 40 weapons, 13 types of Zombie Pirates and 2 Helper Birds. I assume from the screen shots there is a fog level, rain level, etc, just like PvZ.
Other things you can choose to fight your battle are: planks to cover bomb holes that appear before some rounds; barrels or crates to block and slow the Skeletons as they walk; a shovel to dig up things you want to replace; a catapult, a cannon, a mini cannon, a bomb that blows up a 3x3 area.
There is one song for the music which gets tedious fast. There's a progress bar at the bottom which shows how long each round is, but it lacks any indication of when a "wave" of skeletons is headed your way. The other thing I found really lacking was any indication as to how much damage you've done to each skeleton Thing- they walk towards your Stuff but you don't know if they are almost defeated, merely slightly wounded, or how much "life" they have in them yet. All of a sudden they just collapse, deader than dead, but you have no way to tell how the time is passing or battle is going. I think, makes it hard to plan where to place your things to reinforce or defeat them.
I had to install this game twice, the first time it locked up solid. There were 2 little black "DOS" screens that loaded in the back and closed. Just mentioning this in case yo uhave a problem, it seems others are too so you might just want to try again if you do. The second time worked fine.
This is a fun game, I'm sure many will like it. I am ruined by the ever-changing complexity and humor and levels of PvZ but this game is fun, and for sure worth a PCC or rainy day time passer.
I would have given this game one more star but I'm not sure taking an awesome existing game, copying everything about it and making an exact clone merits getting overly excited about but it's nice to have another game in this genre.
I recommend this game!
+4points
8of12voted this as helpful.
Namariel Legends: Iron Lord
Escape prison, defeat an army of mechanical soldiers and destroy the Iron Lord’s dark power!
Surface: The Noise She Couldn`t Make Collector`s Edition
(190)
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
4/ 5
Storyline
5/ 5
I can't add to the great reviews of those who posted before me, but just stopped by to post because I just finished this game and what a GREAT game! There were many times I'd stop and look at the scene and go "woah" because the graphics were so amazing. There were many times I laughed out loud (those Woobies are a riot!#. I never bother with cut scenes which I find annoying but these were a well done mini-movie that really told a great story. I like Hidden Object games but was SO relieved not to find ONE in this game, but instead I found many new, creative puzzles #the maze with the bugs! Another LOL moment!# This is a great story and almost reminded me of Azada, as far as puzzles go #the original Azada, not the recent uh...I better shut up....). I loved that the game took you from an industrial wasteland to an enchanted forest to other far-flung places, yet it all flowed and made sense. And MAN...I want to see that ending again. What a great perspective and surprize!
I am going to replay this ASAP, which again is rare for me. It was that cool. You'll like it! There's a lot to like! My only issue was that the uncle had the voice of a 23 year old, but hey, can't be overly picky.
I recommend this game!
+5points
5of5voted this as helpful.
Rite of Passage: Child of the Forest Collector's Edition
The lighthouse fails and darkness invades Willow Ridge. Your husband runs into the forest for answers, unaware of the shadow hunting him.
Many others have reviewed this game in detail so I won't repeat or duplicate - just scroll up and read the great reviews on this great game.
I played the trial, reluctantly, because like others here I am just tired, burnt out and "eh" about hidden object games these days. I have bought hundreds here and thought well, I was just getting to know the 'formula" so well that I find myself clicking the hidden object scenes randomly like mad and skipping puzzles just to get the thing over with. Occasionally a game would come along that would make me smile and go "wow, this is cool! Finally!" but I have not had the wonder and awe about them that I had in the beginning. The car in the accident in the rain, the whining child, black bars that say things like "Oh! however do I open this rotting gate?! I must find a key!" yet you are in front of the gate with dynamite, a chainsaw and backloader. Nope, need the key which is in the usual mailbox with the usual vines over it. Yawn. I downloaded this one expecting much of the same.
I said to my sister recently that I would give my first born for a decent game with a creative plot and voice overs that didn't talk to you like you were a 3 year old.
So, if I had a first born he/she/it would be all yours. This is one great game. You have thought of everything and then some. The graphics are incredible, the many extra touches are amazing and yes!....the hidden object scenes are creatively different. You have the jump map, the dock that locks, customizable everything. I haven't even turned off the music or voiceovers, which I do out of self defense in every game.
A big thank you!!! for this wonderful creative effort and listening to what we wish for, complain about, get bored with and would like in a game.
I hope the $13.99 I spent is an even trade to you for the first born I don't have to give you. :)
I recommend this game!
+29points
32of35voted this as helpful.
Lucid
Discover a new way to match blocks in Lucid, a unique Puzzle game with a dream-like atmosphere! Clear the entire area!
Once in a while I look for a non-HO-Adventure-serious game to play and decompress. This one is perfect for "mindless" fun but it is far from mindless. It isn't terrifically polished or crammed with all kinds of bells and whistles, it's just a fun game.
It is not a match 3, but it's a similar idea. You are given boards of glimering jello cube things and must hold and swipe your mouse to trace a line through at least 2 to remove them from the board. It must be a continual line and go through all cubes of that color [usually there are 2-5 but you can set up pretty large ones.] You don't HAVE to do this, but it is your quest so you can earn more points. When you remove cubes, more drop down from the top to fill in.
On the left of your screen is the "quest" you are given...an example would be to remove some red cubes, or to remove 5 blue cubes at a time. It also shows you the next quest coming up to help you with your choice of cube removal. There is strategy, aggrivation, plotting, setting yourself up for a massive color block to remove or just plain grabbing what you can, bright colors, not-bad new age music [don't go by me, to me there is no GOOD new age music? Please don't get me started...:D] you can turn off and simple backdrops for each puzzle. You can turn up/off sounds and/or the music.
Some of the blocks sparkle..these are Lucid blocks. If you remove one the whole board of cubes refreshes #great if you have nothing much to score with#. If they are left on the board at the end of the round they count for massive points. When you finish a round it will show you the scores of that set and you can replay any you'd like.
The colors are bright. I found that playing on full screen blurred the graphics slightly but were crisp on the regular setting. It is all plain to see, regardless. This is very fun, a bit different and can be played either when drooling on yourself after a hard day or wanting a game to play against yourself to see how to think out some strategy.
I would recommend this..just for the sheer fun and a nice break!