Granny_Gruff's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.6
- Helpful Votes:22,850
- Reviews Submitted:883
- First Review:December 23, 2011
- Most Recent Review:November 23, 2022
- Featured reviews0
Status:
You’re about to uncover the secret that’s been haunting Blackrow!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
Mystery Trackers never disappoints!
PostedAugust 30, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This new addition to the Mystery Trackers series does not fail to entertain.
As the detective, you are assigned to protect an actress who has received death threats. She is abducted while in you are escorting her through an area that was long ago closed and barricaded during a plague scare. You set out in pursuit of villain and victim, accompanied once again by your canine companion, Elf. (I don't like cutesy animal helpers normally, but Elf has been on so many adventures with us, he's more of a friend!)
There are four levels of game play, all cleverly titled, excellent graphics and VOs, an interactive map, and a new tool. The new tool detects energy fields and clicking on them gives you background info for the storyline. There are hints of ghosts, alchemy, and magic involved in the dark story of those left behind during the plague scare and the disappearance of your charge.
The HOPs and minigames are reasonably good, the storyline intriguing, but, frankly, this is not the best game of the series.
But since I love the Mystery Trackers and will enjoy all I can get out of this new chapter, it’s a definite buy for me.
As the detective, you are assigned to protect an actress who has received death threats. She is abducted while in you are escorting her through an area that was long ago closed and barricaded during a plague scare. You set out in pursuit of villain and victim, accompanied once again by your canine companion, Elf. (I don't like cutesy animal helpers normally, but Elf has been on so many adventures with us, he's more of a friend!)
There are four levels of game play, all cleverly titled, excellent graphics and VOs, an interactive map, and a new tool. The new tool detects energy fields and clicking on them gives you background info for the storyline. There are hints of ghosts, alchemy, and magic involved in the dark story of those left behind during the plague scare and the disappearance of your charge.
The HOPs and minigames are reasonably good, the storyline intriguing, but, frankly, this is not the best game of the series.
But since I love the Mystery Trackers and will enjoy all I can get out of this new chapter, it’s a definite buy for me.
I recommend this game!
PuppetShow: Lightning Strikes Collector's Edition
The women of Paris are being turned into puppets! Can you find out who's pulling the strings?
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 10 found this review helpful
Woe is me!
PostedAugust 23, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I did not find the PuppetShow games till after the third one was out. I loved it so much I went back for the first two and have since gotten the others as they came out.
Not this one.
The story had potential, but the hand holding never stops, the characters are ridiculous, the accents are indeterminate, and only the artwork redeems the game a little.
I tolerated the seemingly endless dialog as I hoped it would pull me into the story. Nope.
I hoped the HOS would be challenging, at least interactive. Nope.
I hung on through the end of the trial hoping for a challenge in the mini-games. Nope.
As the trial took me less than an hour, I knew there was little for me to look forward to. Another fail, another bleak review.
I so wanted this to be my new favorite.
Not this one.
The story had potential, but the hand holding never stops, the characters are ridiculous, the accents are indeterminate, and only the artwork redeems the game a little.
I tolerated the seemingly endless dialog as I hoped it would pull me into the story. Nope.
I hoped the HOS would be challenging, at least interactive. Nope.
I hung on through the end of the trial hoping for a challenge in the mini-games. Nope.
As the trial took me less than an hour, I knew there was little for me to look forward to. Another fail, another bleak review.
I so wanted this to be my new favorite.
I don't recommend this game.
There's a new sheriff in Meadows Town – and it's you! Can you stop a vengeful Viking spirit before she strikes again?
Overall rating
1
/
5
22 of 37 found this review helpful
Why is everyone being so kind?
PostedAugust 16, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is so bad I don’t know where to begin.
Vikings in a Midwestern town? Hot wiring a car using a nail? Tarantulas in a sealed case? Using a game device to repeatedly be threatened? Collecting runes for little storyline help?
Every reviewer has been too kind. I’ll just suggest this as the joke of the day. Download it for the amusement value of making fun of it and let it go at that.
Please forgive me, but I found No redeeming value here. Not even enough to run over the good (none) and bad (lots) points for you.
Ugh.
Vikings in a Midwestern town? Hot wiring a car using a nail? Tarantulas in a sealed case? Using a game device to repeatedly be threatened? Collecting runes for little storyline help?
Every reviewer has been too kind. I’ll just suggest this as the joke of the day. Download it for the amusement value of making fun of it and let it go at that.
Please forgive me, but I found No redeeming value here. Not even enough to run over the good (none) and bad (lots) points for you.
Ugh.
I don't recommend this game.
Solve the mystery that spooked a young girl into silence!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 19 found this review helpful
Almost Nap Time
PostedAugust 9, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Dear Devs:
It is truly all about the story. If you can not grab me with the story, I will not buy your game. If I will settle for any story, I can replay a game I already own. You can rehash an old story, with better characters, new details, a twist or two, and I will want to continue playing your game for those crumbs. If you do not give me minimal reasons to care about your story, I won't - care, that is.
For this game, I fell asleep while trying to get into the castle. And I still finished the trial with 21 minutes to spare.
There are family members missing, a child left behind and alone in the castle. The police have called you in to help. But everything is oh so familiar about the game play and the storyline.
Please try this for yourself. Perhaps you will see something I never found.
It is truly all about the story. If you can not grab me with the story, I will not buy your game. If I will settle for any story, I can replay a game I already own. You can rehash an old story, with better characters, new details, a twist or two, and I will want to continue playing your game for those crumbs. If you do not give me minimal reasons to care about your story, I won't - care, that is.
For this game, I fell asleep while trying to get into the castle. And I still finished the trial with 21 minutes to spare.
There are family members missing, a child left behind and alone in the castle. The police have called you in to help. But everything is oh so familiar about the game play and the storyline.
Please try this for yourself. Perhaps you will see something I never found.
I don't recommend this game.
A Mayan god is turning people into jaguars! Can you stop him before the world falls into chaos?
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 5 found this review helpful
Rerun
PostedAugust 9, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Once again we save the world, this time from the Jaguar God, who apparently has had this grudge on for hundreds of years.
To further the meager storyline, we find children's drawings along with our clues that unfold to tell us another bit of the characters' history.
The game includes the four levels of play including the custom setting, HOS that are interactive, as well as an interactive map, decent music, nice artwork, OK VOs, and mini-games.
The mini-games had minimal directions - I finished one by clicking randomly.
There are morphing objects as well as bird collectibles.
I was astounded - not in a good way - by some of the "logic" in the game. I watered a plant to get car keys when the flower opened. I did a bit of fancy pruning when getting a figurine out of a small tree inside a house. I got a starfish off the side of a manatee.
I finished the trial in half the time allowed - not that I'm that clever, but that it was that easy.
I'm just not convinced I want to save the world again today!
To further the meager storyline, we find children's drawings along with our clues that unfold to tell us another bit of the characters' history.
The game includes the four levels of play including the custom setting, HOS that are interactive, as well as an interactive map, decent music, nice artwork, OK VOs, and mini-games.
The mini-games had minimal directions - I finished one by clicking randomly.
There are morphing objects as well as bird collectibles.
I was astounded - not in a good way - by some of the "logic" in the game. I watered a plant to get car keys when the flower opened. I did a bit of fancy pruning when getting a figurine out of a small tree inside a house. I got a starfish off the side of a manatee.
I finished the trial in half the time allowed - not that I'm that clever, but that it was that easy.
I'm just not convinced I want to save the world again today!
Witch Hunters: Full Moon Ceremony Collector's Edition
Defeat the evil witches and save the world from eternal darkness!
Overall rating
1
/
5
23 of 28 found this review helpful
What Storyline?
PostedAugust 3, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I'd recap the story here, if I had one.
The closest I can come is that the good and bad witches are apparently fighting and your house is the battleground - aren't you lucky! Various bad witches show up boasting and challenging you, while the only good witch in the demo is an aunt of yours whom you did not know had that talent. She mostly spouts platitudes - not helpful in the middle of the night when you are under attack by the forces of evil. Oddly there are several comments by your character that lead me to suppose that things were cut and pasted at some point eliminating pertinent dialogue and muddying the minimal storyline.
Beyond the lack of story, there are all the usual components to the game: lovely artwork, a variety of scenes from castle to Victorian-style house, irritating background music, more irritating ambient sounds, stilted characters, junk-pile mildly interactive HOS, and mini-games with frustrating instructions.
I spent half the alotted time to get to the end of the trial game and am sorry I battled that long.
This turkey needed to roast a lot longer before being served up!
The closest I can come is that the good and bad witches are apparently fighting and your house is the battleground - aren't you lucky! Various bad witches show up boasting and challenging you, while the only good witch in the demo is an aunt of yours whom you did not know had that talent. She mostly spouts platitudes - not helpful in the middle of the night when you are under attack by the forces of evil. Oddly there are several comments by your character that lead me to suppose that things were cut and pasted at some point eliminating pertinent dialogue and muddying the minimal storyline.
Beyond the lack of story, there are all the usual components to the game: lovely artwork, a variety of scenes from castle to Victorian-style house, irritating background music, more irritating ambient sounds, stilted characters, junk-pile mildly interactive HOS, and mini-games with frustrating instructions.
I spent half the alotted time to get to the end of the trial game and am sorry I battled that long.
This turkey needed to roast a lot longer before being served up!
I don't recommend this game.
Your investigative report on the Weeping Woman of San Cristobal turns personal after you witness a kidnapping. Is the legend true?
Overall rating
5
/
5
68 of 77 found this review helpful
Jackpot!
PostedJuly 26, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OK, I can see the eye rolling even as I type! How can I be so enthusiastic over another "save the child" story?
Because it is and it isn't - or is it?
True to CE tradition, there are collectibles, both hidden and morphing, along with the usual expected bling. There is music, color, interactive HOS's, fair mini-games, and good animation and VOs.
But it's all about the story here. You arrive to report breaking news on a local festival with a tragic twist. The festival was started to appease a spirit that snatched children in revenge for a past injustice. For years the spirit appeared to be at peace, but now has returned with a vengeance. As you have witnessed the latest kidnapping, you are more than a disinterested observer.
Are you being followed? Is it a spirit or an all too real villain?
Please try this one for yourself. I can guarantee no cute animal helpers and a really good story!
Because it is and it isn't - or is it?
True to CE tradition, there are collectibles, both hidden and morphing, along with the usual expected bling. There is music, color, interactive HOS's, fair mini-games, and good animation and VOs.
But it's all about the story here. You arrive to report breaking news on a local festival with a tragic twist. The festival was started to appease a spirit that snatched children in revenge for a past injustice. For years the spirit appeared to be at peace, but now has returned with a vengeance. As you have witnessed the latest kidnapping, you are more than a disinterested observer.
Are you being followed? Is it a spirit or an all too real villain?
Please try this one for yourself. I can guarantee no cute animal helpers and a really good story!
I recommend this game!
A strange and deadly pollen is spreading around the world, and you've been hired to track down its source. But the secrets you discover in the fabled kingdom of Floralia are much darker than you imagined...
Overall rating
4
/
5
30 of 34 found this review helpful
Dark Parables - Always a good story!
PostedJuly 26, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Yes, I said it - this is a good story! I have been waiting for another enticing and and enthralling tale and here it is.
I appreciate the Dark Parable series not only for their greatly twisted fairy tales, but also for the collectibles present in the SEs.
I am not as fond of the fragmented HOS as I would like, but the mini-games are varied enough to compensate.
The game has three levels of play, interesting orchestrated music, decent background sounds, and the beautiful detailed artwork we've come to expect from this series. The VOs were well done and the animation was good.
The only thing I am disappointed in is the static map. If only it would save me all those steps back and forth, I'd be a really happy camper. And for those opposed to reading, be forewarned, there are a lot of notes for you to find. I enjoyed them, but do with that as you will.
This is a definite buy for me .
I appreciate the Dark Parable series not only for their greatly twisted fairy tales, but also for the collectibles present in the SEs.
I am not as fond of the fragmented HOS as I would like, but the mini-games are varied enough to compensate.
The game has three levels of play, interesting orchestrated music, decent background sounds, and the beautiful detailed artwork we've come to expect from this series. The VOs were well done and the animation was good.
The only thing I am disappointed in is the static map. If only it would save me all those steps back and forth, I'd be a really happy camper. And for those opposed to reading, be forewarned, there are a lot of notes for you to find. I enjoyed them, but do with that as you will.
This is a definite buy for me .
Sable Maze: Forbidden Garden Collector's Edition
Your parents always told you to stay away from the mysterious maze behind their house…. and you’re about to find out why.
Overall rating
3
/
5
9 of 15 found this review helpful
Maze of lost hopes
PostedJuly 24, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This time there was a storyline, minimal but still there.
You return home for your wedding in time to see your fiance kidnapped by fairies and you go after him.
This would be someone's unsuccessful attempt to cross a fairy tale with a romance.
There are three levels of game play, decent but over colored artwork, not totally annoying music, and a cute animal helper.
There are the usual CE add ons and the usual HOS and mini-game mix. HOS are interactive and mini-games are simplistic. There is nothing new, exciting, or even faintly innovative here.
For a really good storyline, interest in the ending would have carried us through the "OK" game. Better luck next time!
As usual, I can't recommend a game I won't buy.
You return home for your wedding in time to see your fiance kidnapped by fairies and you go after him.
This would be someone's unsuccessful attempt to cross a fairy tale with a romance.
There are three levels of game play, decent but over colored artwork, not totally annoying music, and a cute animal helper.
There are the usual CE add ons and the usual HOS and mini-game mix. HOS are interactive and mini-games are simplistic. There is nothing new, exciting, or even faintly innovative here.
For a really good storyline, interest in the ending would have carried us through the "OK" game. Better luck next time!
As usual, I can't recommend a game I won't buy.
I don't recommend this game.
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait Collector's Edition
A father returns home to find his children missing - all but one, who refuses to say a word...
Overall rating
3
/
5
25 of 39 found this review helpful
Ominous?
PostedJuly 18, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Where's the storyline? Mostly MIA. (Please remember I'm all about the storyline.),
This game is similar to a LOT of other games. It has good graphics, some HOS, lots of mini-games, background sounds, poor VOs, three levels of play, and not enough storyline to pull you in.
This game is similar to a LOT of other games. It has good graphics, some HOS, lots of mini-games, background sounds, poor VOs, three levels of play, and not enough storyline to pull you in.
Note to developers: With so many games out there, there has to be a reason I pick your game to play. Lots of games have your features. What sets you apart will be the storyline, character development, and atmosphere you inject into your game. The atmosphere with the swirling, charging smoke held promise, which you lost with the barely concerned parents and rather calm child. (Wasn't she supposed to be terrified a few minutes earlier?)
Add to that a glaring lack of logic in the story's progression - Dad comes home and finds a picture painted presumably by one of the missing kids featuring the "ghost," who also appears as a figurine in the little girl's dollhouse. As the kids have not been seen since they found the ghost's painting, how would these items have gotten there? How does he know how to combat the haunted paintings?
Mom gets up from a dead faint caused by a devil dog jumping out of a painting. She's as calm as a still pond. Child relates siblings' disappearing in an equally calm manner.
I just did not care enough about these characters to want to slog through the game.
I refuse to even comment on another cute animal room to decorate. How about good collectibles or some morphing objects instead?
Sorry, guys, I can't recommend a game I won't be buying at CE prices.
Once again so much promise and no delivery!
Add to that a glaring lack of logic in the story's progression - Dad comes home and finds a picture painted presumably by one of the missing kids featuring the "ghost," who also appears as a figurine in the little girl's dollhouse. As the kids have not been seen since they found the ghost's painting, how would these items have gotten there? How does he know how to combat the haunted paintings?
Mom gets up from a dead faint caused by a devil dog jumping out of a painting. She's as calm as a still pond. Child relates siblings' disappearing in an equally calm manner.
I just did not care enough about these characters to want to slog through the game.
I refuse to even comment on another cute animal room to decorate. How about good collectibles or some morphing objects instead?
Sorry, guys, I can't recommend a game I won't be buying at CE prices.
Once again so much promise and no delivery!
I don't recommend this game.