Pilot1's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.8
- Helpful Votes:2,264
- Reviews Submitted:127
- First Review:October 22, 2015
- Most Recent Review:November 26, 2022
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you save a young heir from Saint Germain in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 15 found this review helpful
It's time to kill St. Germain!
PostedSeptember 23, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Once again I am at a loss to understand the high rating some other reviewers have given this game.
I have several of the Haunted Legends games and despite having already come to the conclusion that it was way past time for St. Germain to be killed off, decided to give that annoying little man one more chance. This was not the first wrong decision that I have made!
Okay, the graphics are as to be expected in this series. The music is moody, fitting for the game's ambiance, but of such slow tempo that it was an annoyance not, as background music should be, a game enhancer.
The voice-over narratives were trite, corny, and banal. They certainly didn’t add much to game enjoyment.
The HO sequences and mini-games had been lifted from so many other games that it was hard to remember which game I was currently playing.
The map is totally useless. It shows where you are —okay, thanks for that— and shows where there are things to be done, but if you go to any of those locations, why, there's nothing to do! Hit the hint when you get there and an arrow appears at the bottom of the screen directing you away from that location.
The story is yet another re-hash of other and, in many cases, much better produced games —son has an ‘incurable’ illness for which only you can find the cure while, at the same time, thwarting that evil St. Germain’s attempts to steal the kids gift —whatever that may be.
The only circumstance that would induce me to buy another game of this series is if the developer guaranteed that I could kill that grunting gnome!
Don’t even bother wasting your download capacity with this one!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you break free from your nightmares in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
9 of 13 found this review helpful
A very poor offering from an otherwise good game developer.
PostedSeptember 12, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The demo really wasn’t long enough to get a complete feel for the game, however it was long enough for me to know that this would not be a game I’d be putting on my ‘must buy’ list.
Once again we find a long-fanged, red-eyed, wraith-like creature with well-clawed hands —nothing new or exciting there.
The graphics are somewhat muddy, indistinct around the edges; the characters were okay, but only that. The background music was moody, as befits the overall aspect of the game, but neither its tempo nor orchestration quite added up to a game enhancing effect.
Speaking of effects, again, nothing new here. Same old sounds, same old this, same old that.
The HO sequences were a mix of find bits and pieces of things to put said things together; standard find an object shown on a list. And so on, and so on.
I can’t really comment on the story line since the demo was, as I said, too short to get a complete feel for the game. Right at the end of the demo, after having taking some ‘psychological’ tests —actually, mini-games of a more or less standard type— and after undergoing an evaluation by a psychologist —another standard mini-game— you are told that you are going to be sent to a school for troubled boys. Well, I guess you could call that foreshadowing of what the rest of the game holds in store.
This demo, such as it was, just didn’t make me want to continue playing, didn’t engender in me any empathy for the protagonist, and it certainly didn’t make we want to buy the game.
As always, though, my caveat is that you play the demo and decide for yourself.
Journey into your nephew’s mind to save him from a nightmare!
Overall rating
5
/
5
40 of 43 found this review helpful
If you never buy another game, buy this one!
PostedSeptember 10, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
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
I have Maze-Subject 360 and Maze-The Broken Tower, great games both, but this newest addition to the series blew me away!
The play-by-play has been, or will be well described by other reviewers, so I won’t duplicate that good work.
The graphics, music, background and effects sounds, as well as the voice-over narratives were outstanding. The voice-actors did a great job making the spoken dialog realistic and dramatic, without falling over the edge into melodrama. Taken all in all, these definitely add to the already great game experience.
The HO sequences and mini-games were no run-of-the-mill offerings. Mad Head has made the extra effort to give these enough of a difference to set them apart from almost every other game you’ve ever played. The challenges are sufficient to satisfy any player, but not so tough as to make you constantly reach for the hint or skip buttons.
I’m not going to give you my usual caveat —play the demo and decide for yourself— instead I’m going to do something I have never done for any of the many dozens of games I’ve reviewed and recommend that you just go ahead and buy this game!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the infamous Crows League before they strike again?
Overall rating
2
/
5
40 of 46 found this review helpful
Poe must be rolling over in his grave!
PostedSeptember 8, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is going to be short and not too sweet for the developer!
Apart from the name in the game’s title, there’s not really any connection to Poe’s poem.
This game is classified as a hidden object game, but given the ratio of mini-games to HO sequences in the demo, it’s not.
Despite the rave reviews some others gave the CE version of this game, I simply cannot understand why they did so, and I’m convinced that they must have played a different game than I did, and I am just as convinced that they will rate this SE version just as highly! The graphics are muddy, the action is slow, the music is dull, the voice-over narratives are trite.
I have a few of the other games supposedly based on works by Edgar Allan Poe, and this game is an insult to that great writer!
I’m not even going to give my usual caveat —play it and decide for yourself— rather, I’m just going to say don’t waste your download limit, your time nor, most definitely, your money!
I don't recommend this game.
Explore the streets of Paris as you track down the Strangler!
Overall rating
5
/
5
85 of 95 found this review helpful
C'est tres bien!
PostedAugust 27, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
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
I don’t usually rave over a game, but this one deserves it!
Let’s start with the stunning graphics, the excellent and game enhancing background music, the almost perfect lip-sync, the very useful map, realistic and well articulated dialog, the absolutely appropriate and spot-on background and effects sounds.
The story line pulls you along and, when combined with all of the other assets of this game, well, it just makes you play!
The HO sequences and mini-games, typical of Madhead games, are all sufficiently challenging for even the most ardent aficionados while, at the same time, not so difficult as to make you constantly reach for the hint or skip buttons.
It is very rarely that a game impresses me as much as this one has —it’s a solid-gold winner!
As always, though, my caveat is to play the demo and decide for yourself
I recommend this game!
Can you stop an ancient darkness before it’s too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
17 of 22 found this review helpful
Ho hum, here we go again!
PostedAugust 25, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
First I’ll give you the good news —the graphics, music, background and effects sounds, and the voice-over narratives are all well done. Although the text of the narratives is more than a little hokey and contrived.
The HO sequences, such as there were in the demo, were quite a departure from the normal ‘spot it, grab it’ variety. The mini-games should be sufficiently challenging for you aficionados, of which I am not one.
Now for the rest of the stuff, well, once again you’re faced by an evil entity and its minions; once again your daughter’s been kidnapped by evil entity and et cetera; once again you’ve got a magic amulet with which to fight the minions.
Oh, and let’s not forget the bag with the broken zipper —excuse me while I yawn.
Frankly, I am at a loss to understand the raves this game garnered from some of the other reviewers.
When you come right down to it, this game is nothing but more of the same old stuff we have seen and played countless times. It doesn’t matter how nicely you dress up a trite, tired story line with dazzling graphics; when all’s said and done, nothing’s changed.
My recommendation is that you save your download limit, and your money, and give this one a miss.
As always, though, my caveat is that, if you must, play the d
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save a young heir from Saint Germain in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
21 of 23 found this review helpful
Let's kill the little grunt-meister!
PostedAugust 24, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Once again I am at a loss to understand the high rating some other reviewers have given this game.
I have several of the Haunted Legends games and despite having already come to the conclusion that it was way past time for St. Germain to be killed off, decided to give that annoying little man one more chance. This was not the first wrong decision that I have made!
Okay, the graphics are as to be expected in this series. The music is moody, fitting for the game's ambiance, but of such slow tempo that it was an annoyance not, as background music should be, a game enhancer.
The voice-over narratives were trite, corny, and banal. They certainly didn’t add much to game enjoyment.
The HO sequences and mini-games had been lifted from so many other games that it was hard to remember which game I was currently playing.
The map is totally useless. It shows where you are —okay, thanks for that— and shows where there are things to be done, but if you go to any of those locations, why, there's nothing to do! Hit the hint when you get there and and an arrow appears at the bottom of the screen directing you away from that location.
The story is yet another re-hash of other and, in many cases, much better produced games —son has an ‘incurable’ illness for which only you can find the cure while, at the same time, thwarting that evil St. Germain’s attempts to steal the kids gift —whatever that may be.
The only circumstance that would induce me to buy another game of this series is if the developer guaranteed that I could kill that grunting gnome!
Don’t even bother wasting your download capacity with this one!
I don't recommend this game.
Journey into your nephew’s mind to save him from a nightmare!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 18 found this review helpful
I gotta have it!
PostedAugust 14, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
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
I have Maze-Subject 360 and Maze-The Broken Tower, great games both, but this newest addition to the series blew me away!
The play-by-play and CE extras have been well described by another reviewer, so I won’t duplicate that good work.
The graphics, music, background and effects sounds, as well as the voice-over narratives were outstanding.
The HO sequences and mini-games were no run-of-the-mill offerings. Madhead has made the effort to give these enough of a difference to set them apart from almost every other game you’ve ever played. The challenges are sufficient to satisfy any player, but not so tough as to make you constantly reach for the hint or skip buttons.
I’m not a big fan of CE games, as you know if you’ve read any of my other reviews, and don’t usually buy them, but I’m going to have to make an exception for this one!
I recommend this game!
Someone’s attacking the Witches’ University!
Overall rating
2
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
No amount of magic can make this worthwhile!
PostedAugust 11, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
After playing the CE demo I wrote a review, and now having played the SE demo I find that my opinion hasn't changed. Here's what I wrote then, and which is equally valid now.
This game is annoying on so many levels that I’m hard-pressed to find a place to start.
Okay, let’s start with the graphics —pastel colors so soft as to make every scene washed-out, indistinct.
Next, the music, background sounds, and voice-over narratives —the music is the best of this bad lot, although it is draggy and, by being so, slows down the game play. The background sounds are quirky, to say about them the nicest thing that I can think of. As to the voice-over narratives, well, it would be better if everyone just kept their mouths shut. The word that comes to mind is campy.
In nearly every one of the hundreds of games that I have, when you move from one location to another you just go there in a smooth transition. In this game, every location change gets a pop-up ‘loading’ notice, even within the same room or site.
I’m not even going to talk about the morphing ferret-girl.
The story? Well, let’s just say it’s more of the same old stuff —evil magician wants to take over/destroy the world, and you, of course, are the only one who can stop him. Even though, as I’ve often said, there are a finite number of plots that work with these types of games, many developers try to give it enough of a twist so as to make it at least a little different. The developer of this game did not make any effort to do so.
The blurb for the CE said that this was an editors choice game —Big Fish needs to get some new editors!
Don’t waste your download limit, or your money on this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop the infamous Crows League before they strike again?
Overall rating
2
/
5
29 of 34 found this review helpful
RIP, Edgar Allan Poe!
PostedAugust 10, 2017
Pilot1
fromTaos, NM
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is going to be short and not too sweet for the developer!
Apart from the name in the game’s title, there’s not really any connection to Poe’s poem.
This game is classified as a hidden object game, but given the ratio of mini-games to HO sequences in the demo, it’s not.
Despite the rave reviews some others have given this game —I simply cannot understand why they have done so, and I’m convinced that they must have played a different game than this demo— the graphics are muddy, the action is slow, the music is dull, the voice-over narratives are trite.
I have a few of the other games supposedly based on works by Edgar Allan Poe, and this game is an insult to that great writer!
I’m not even going to give my usual caveat —play it and decide for yourself— rather, I’m just going to say don’t waste your download limit, your time nor, most definitely, your money!
I don't recommend this game.