Chase_'s Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.8
- Helpful Votes:257
- Reviews Submitted:12
- First Review:February 9, 2013
- Most Recent Review:September 2, 2013
- Featured reviews0
Hi-End Match-3 game with several gameplay mechanics, amazing handmade graphics and relaxing music
Overall rating
5
/
5
107 of 113 found this review helpful
A gem
PostedSeptember 2, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Reviewed after about an hour of playing.
First thing's first: the art is very nice in his one; even the pieces for the match-3 levels are nice to look at.
First thing's first: the art is very nice in his one; even the pieces for the match-3 levels are nice to look at.
Story: You're given an introductory cutscene (you can skip it) telling you briefly of a city that existed long ago where once people coexisted with dragons but has long since been covered by sea, and now it's up to you to find it again in the present day. Your semi-typical Atlantis story with a cute dragon twist.
How the game plays: Match-3, Chain and Group. You start out being able to only play the Match-3 types, but as you play more levels, the other gameplay types are unlocked for you and you get to choose which way you'd like to play the next level every time, just by going to the menu first. There's also some diagonal match-3, which confused me a lot at first but once you realize it's just diagonal, is pretty fun too. As you match/chain/group gems and artifacts, you are accumulating gold and other resources (mostly gold) with which you can buy items and decorations for your scenery, and upgrade already-purchased items. (Think a mix between Gardenscapes [where you can't choose where to place your decorations] and Aquascapes)There are also five types of power-ups you can gather during each level to help you along, just from matching large amounts of certain pieces.
Extras: There are trophies and achievements to collect! It doesn't seem to be too many trophies, but each are held in a trophy gallery for you and hovering your mouse over the shapes of the missing trophies also tells you how to obtain them.
Sound: I personally enjoy game ambiance and music being turned on, unless it's truly unbearable or overly repetitive. The music and sound effects in Lost in Reefs 2 is quite nice to listen to, and it doesn't annoy after great lengths. The sound effects are generally pleasing as well; the noise made when you break a stone tablet under a matched set is a satisfying, realistic crunch!
I think I will be spending many more hours on this one. Definitely a good buy.
I recommend this game!
Travel across meadows and journey into a dark forest. Work quickly to build properties, earn gold and protect the town from fire-breathing dragons in Build-a-lot Fairy Tales.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Cute and fun!
PostedJune 22, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Now this was a nice change of pace. I like the relaxing kinds of games and this was surely one of them!
You can choose from four different play modes, like beginner, advanced, etc. The beginner one has the extensive tutorial; it's quite the hand-holder, and almost excessively polite, asking you to "please click this and "please" click that for everything you're learning how to do, but hey, that's totally fine with me!
There is plenty to do and the replay value is increased by having more than one mode to play in.
The time limits aren't crazy and you can unlock casual mode as well. The art is pretty and bright (but not blinding!) It reminds me of the Big Bang West game, which I enjoyed a bunch. There are also cute story-like chapters to follow along with some of your levels too, so that's a nice plus, and you've got fairies as your workers. (They look more like butterflies!)
Sounds aren't too bad either. Nothing spectacular but I read that most people just turn them all off anyway. I'm a fan of playing with the music on unless it's totally unbearable; this was rather mild and pleasant.
I definitely like this game and it was worth the discounted price (I'm not sure which coupon I used to buy it, but I used a coupon! Not sure if I would pay full price for this one but I wouldn't mind too much about it either, honestly!)
I recommend this game!
Solve this maritime mystery to reunite a pirate with his lost love.
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
All of the feels
PostedJune 15, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I'm a sucker for a good story and this is definitely one of my new favorites. The narratives you get every so often as you progress through puzzles only deepens the mystery and intrigue surrounding what happened to Isabelle and her beloved William. I will admit to having shed a tear or two (because I'm that much of a sap) from such an enthralling and engrossing story.
As far as gameplay goes it's pretty straightforward; you've mostly got to find useful items to help you explore more of the areas, with a few hidden object scenes in between. The amount of HO's wasn't off-putting either though a handful items were somewhat hard to see and I admit to having used the hint a fair amount of times. The Hint recharges quickly though so this is a plus and the map seems to work pretty well, even telling you such things as if there is still something yet to do in a room, and if there are still coins located somewhere there.
Yes, coins! That's a bonus; throughout the game you'll need to unlock treasure chests with helpful items in them, and to do that, you need coins. There are several coins hidden in almost every scene for you to find, and some are a doozy to locate! But I wouldn't go so far as to say that they were frustrating to find.
The graphics were very nice and the sound and music, fitting. The voices were far from grating too. I liked playing in fullscreen better than in windowed mode. Some scenes looked a little squished if I didn't.
Give this one a go. The gameplay isn't out of this world, but those of you into this genre will have a fun time and the story, while somewhat cliche, I found to be told rather well. In fact, I wish I had bought the Collector's Edition!
Yes, coins! That's a bonus; throughout the game you'll need to unlock treasure chests with helpful items in them, and to do that, you need coins. There are several coins hidden in almost every scene for you to find, and some are a doozy to locate! But I wouldn't go so far as to say that they were frustrating to find.
The graphics were very nice and the sound and music, fitting. The voices were far from grating too. I liked playing in fullscreen better than in windowed mode. Some scenes looked a little squished if I didn't.
Give this one a go. The gameplay isn't out of this world, but those of you into this genre will have a fun time and the story, while somewhat cliche, I found to be told rather well. In fact, I wish I had bought the Collector's Edition!
I recommend this game!
Tame the American Wild West by gathering essential resources to enhance and develop your town in Big Bang West!
Overall rating
5
/
5
42 of 45 found this review helpful
Relaxing and well-made
PostedMay 20, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I haven't finished the game yet (it seems to be fairly long, which is nice; I like to take my time and see how well I can build up the town before going to the next level), but I am having a great time with it so far. The tutorial seems to always be in place with the characters telling you what you need even when you've gotten well into the higher levels, but it's not really very annoying, so it's not a problem to me.
The artwork is very nice; the style matches the "old" west theme perfectly, while still being fairly cartoony.
The goals are different in each level and you can get trophies based on how quickly you achieve them, but you don't NEED to get a trophy to advance, which is perfect for someone like me who likes to do as much as she can on a single level before moving on.
And last but not least, the sounds aren't annoying in my opinion and the music is nice and relaxing while still fitting to the theme; however there only seems to be the one track that plays the entire time.
The artwork is very nice; the style matches the "old" west theme perfectly, while still being fairly cartoony.
The goals are different in each level and you can get trophies based on how quickly you achieve them, but you don't NEED to get a trophy to advance, which is perfect for someone like me who likes to do as much as she can on a single level before moving on.
And last but not least, the sounds aren't annoying in my opinion and the music is nice and relaxing while still fitting to the theme; however there only seems to be the one track that plays the entire time.
Overall, this game is one I am glad I bought; it's nice to relax with after work or while I'm tired before bed, but provides enough of a challenge to make me want to go back and play it again when I've beaten it to try and get the trophies I missed the first time.
I recommend this game!
A murderous figure in a red mask haunts the streets of a small French town, and the mayor needs your help to track him down. But you soon discover that the mysterious Red Masque might not be the real criminal…
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
Best Dark Tales yet!
PostedApril 27, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I've already loved all the previous Dark Tales games (Rue Morgue, Black Cat, Premature Burial, Gold Bug) so I leaped at this one the moment I saw it available.
I admit at the time I'm writing this, I haven't finished the game just yet but I had to pause and write a great review for this newest installment! You will not be disappointed!
For one, it plays much the same (but with longer, more detailed cutscenes this time around!) as previous games, but the best part is that HO scenes seem to be a little clearer now AND there's an entire achievement room for you to collect awards and prizes for. You also get to take photos of the various scenes in the game and the best part, in my opinion, is the adorable addition of getting to find and keep a pet cat, who plays with various items you can find throughout the game.
It's long, beautiful, and just as fun as you would expect from a Dark Tales game, or just from ERS in general! You're getting a lot of bang for your buck in this one with all the extra fun things to do too, so I highly recommend this purchase!
I recommend this game!
Puzzle Quest 2
Use your Match 3 expertise to save the peaceful village of Verloren from the evil clutch of the demon Gorgon in Puzzle Quest 2!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
This game deserves more notice!
PostedApril 13, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Right off the bat, while watching the opening cut-scene, I immediately wished that the game had been named more creatively, because instantly I knew that this game needs more recognition and I don't believe that end is being achieved with such a generic name.
That aside though as it holds little bearing on the games score, the cut-scenes have voices, and the artwork is very nice; it reminds me a bit of the painted looking style from such games as Journey: The Heart of Gaia and Shadow Wolf Mysteries: Curse of the Full Moon. Gameplay seems to be isometric, but the tiled floors are hidden well by the artwork. Think Pokemon meets full-range world explorer; still isometric but too pretty to count against it.
After choosing one of four classes (female or male choices too!) you are traveling through screen-by-screen maps, and once battles are initiated, you play a mini game such as a turn-based match-3 against your opponent in which the colors you match determine what sorts of spells you can charge in the battle or how much HP you hit the enemy for. Leveling up and gaining stats, gold and items like armor and weapons and potions seems commonplace in RPGs today but not always is such level grinding less like a chore and more like fun!
With an engaging story, multiple classes, several difficulty levels, decent instructions, and enchanting artwork, the level of fun brought in by combining the mini-games with RPG gameplay ties it all together into nothing less than a magnificent experience. Some days I found myself impatient to get home from work just to be able to get back to this game, so Puzzle Quest 2 most definitely gets an A+ from me!
That aside though as it holds little bearing on the games score, the cut-scenes have voices, and the artwork is very nice; it reminds me a bit of the painted looking style from such games as Journey: The Heart of Gaia and Shadow Wolf Mysteries: Curse of the Full Moon. Gameplay seems to be isometric, but the tiled floors are hidden well by the artwork. Think Pokemon meets full-range world explorer; still isometric but too pretty to count against it.
After choosing one of four classes (female or male choices too!) you are traveling through screen-by-screen maps, and once battles are initiated, you play a mini game such as a turn-based match-3 against your opponent in which the colors you match determine what sorts of spells you can charge in the battle or how much HP you hit the enemy for. Leveling up and gaining stats, gold and items like armor and weapons and potions seems commonplace in RPGs today but not always is such level grinding less like a chore and more like fun!
With an engaging story, multiple classes, several difficulty levels, decent instructions, and enchanting artwork, the level of fun brought in by combining the mini-games with RPG gameplay ties it all together into nothing less than a magnificent experience. Some days I found myself impatient to get home from work just to be able to get back to this game, so Puzzle Quest 2 most definitely gets an A+ from me!
I recommend this game!
Help desperate daddy bunny fix an Easter mess in this eggciting Match 3 game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
79 of 80 found this review helpful
Cute!
PostedMarch 25, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I played the trial!
You follow the "Easter Bunny" who is the resident bunny to a family, in helping him restore the dining room to full decor after all his rambunctious children run off with it.
The story scenes are in a cute cartoon-drawn style, with text to read, and then you play a hidden object scene where you find some of the bunnies. These are nice and clean scenes too, not the muddy junkpiles most other Hidden Object games like to use, so it's fairly easy for the kids.
Afterwards, you play a Match-3 level or two, and there isn't much instruction here but it's pretty straightforward and has some generous power-ups. What they don't tell you is that you have to use some of those power-ups to complete some of the levels, but once presented with no other answer, it's a bit obvious, so no big deal. The graphics in the match 3 levels are pretty, colorful, and easy on the eyes.
Overall, this game is not hard, but it presents a bunch of fun levels for the kids to keep them out of your hair for a few hours, but I'm 23 and I thought this was adorable and fun!
You follow the "Easter Bunny" who is the resident bunny to a family, in helping him restore the dining room to full decor after all his rambunctious children run off with it.
The story scenes are in a cute cartoon-drawn style, with text to read, and then you play a hidden object scene where you find some of the bunnies. These are nice and clean scenes too, not the muddy junkpiles most other Hidden Object games like to use, so it's fairly easy for the kids.
Afterwards, you play a Match-3 level or two, and there isn't much instruction here but it's pretty straightforward and has some generous power-ups. What they don't tell you is that you have to use some of those power-ups to complete some of the levels, but once presented with no other answer, it's a bit obvious, so no big deal. The graphics in the match 3 levels are pretty, colorful, and easy on the eyes.
Overall, this game is not hard, but it presents a bunch of fun levels for the kids to keep them out of your hair for a few hours, but I'm 23 and I thought this was adorable and fun!
I recommend this game!
Journey: The Heart of Gaia
After being kidnapped, Liz must free the Underworld from the tyranny of Scartaris Umbra.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Simply charming! This really is a work of art.
PostedMarch 23, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I have more than 100 games in my BigFish collection and this is one of the few which keep making its way back to the top of my most-recently-played list.
There aren't any Hidden Object scenes, but everything that you do search for and collect, you will need in order to progress through the story.
There are puzzles aplenty to balance out all the walking and storytelling, some of them wholly challenging and others easy and fun.
The best part in my opinion though, was the absolutely brilliant artwork in every scene. The animations seemed strained, but such vibrancy and fantasy in every scene and character made up for every little quirk (not that there were many). You'll probably need to use the hint button once or twice, but you won't be smashing it the whole journey.
A nice twist is that you get to collect rewards and achievements along the way as you do certain things, and there are voiceovers for the amazing characters.
There are puzzles aplenty to balance out all the walking and storytelling, some of them wholly challenging and others easy and fun.
The best part in my opinion though, was the absolutely brilliant artwork in every scene. The animations seemed strained, but such vibrancy and fantasy in every scene and character made up for every little quirk (not that there were many). You'll probably need to use the hint button once or twice, but you won't be smashing it the whole journey.
A nice twist is that you get to collect rewards and achievements along the way as you do certain things, and there are voiceovers for the amazing characters.
I've played this game over and over to try and beat my time and I just can't get enough of the fantastical world of Gaia.
I recommend this game!
Join Claret and a lovable cast of characters explore, build and battle your way through a tale of magic, metal & mystery!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
My new favorite!
PostedMarch 23, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
If you liked The Tales of Symphonia console game, then you'll like this too.
The stories are a bit similar, in that you and your group of friends are fighting for peace among the warring races, with half-breeds caught in the middle of it all. But with a very alluring twist; it all takes place in a steampunk setting.
With game mechanics and graphics similar to Gameboy systems or most any other handheld console, the game is easy to play and figure out without needing too much instruction. It's a classic strategy RPG, where you level up and equip your team as effectively as you can to gain advantage over the ever-stronger foes coming at you as you progress through an enchanting story with lovable characters and enough sidequests to keep you busy for hours.
There are a few minor bugs but nothing that hinders gameplay; the game plays with either the arrow keys OR the mouse, and there are three levels of difficulty you can choose from.
I'll definitely be playing this game more than once.
The stories are a bit similar, in that you and your group of friends are fighting for peace among the warring races, with half-breeds caught in the middle of it all. But with a very alluring twist; it all takes place in a steampunk setting.
With game mechanics and graphics similar to Gameboy systems or most any other handheld console, the game is easy to play and figure out without needing too much instruction. It's a classic strategy RPG, where you level up and equip your team as effectively as you can to gain advantage over the ever-stronger foes coming at you as you progress through an enchanting story with lovable characters and enough sidequests to keep you busy for hours.
There are a few minor bugs but nothing that hinders gameplay; the game plays with either the arrow keys OR the mouse, and there are three levels of difficulty you can choose from.
I'll definitely be playing this game more than once.
I recommend this game!
Upon arriving in a strange city, you find the citizens ready to burn Menes at the stake in Ghost Towns: The Cats of Ulthar!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
This was good!
PostedMarch 23, 2013
Chase_
fromrochester, ny
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Overall, this game is worth the regular edition price.
If you like cats and can get over that the cutscenes seem a little old, the rest of the game is quite nice. The HOs aren't too muddy and the music isn't annoying, and overall the story is fairly unique.
The level of challenge presented is right in the middle; there were a few puzzle that were pretty challenging and maybe even one or two that I skipped, but not impossible. Most of the other puzzles were pretty easy.
There are tons of items you get to pile up in your inventory and lots of back-and-forth things to do, but this wasn't nearly as annoying as it is in some games because you aren't presented with an entire sprawling world to back-and-forth over. It's just a very small town, so it wasn't anything to cry about.
There's also a fun extra feature for you to collect all 24 cats hidden throughout the non-HO scenes, and while there isn't a reward for finding all the cats, it offers another level of challenge.
Also; the fact that this game worked with my computer to play in windowed mode is another plus in my book.
There are tons of items you get to pile up in your inventory and lots of back-and-forth things to do, but this wasn't nearly as annoying as it is in some games because you aren't presented with an entire sprawling world to back-and-forth over. It's just a very small town, so it wasn't anything to cry about.
There's also a fun extra feature for you to collect all 24 cats hidden throughout the non-HO scenes, and while there isn't a reward for finding all the cats, it offers another level of challenge.
Also; the fact that this game worked with my computer to play in windowed mode is another plus in my book.
I recommend this game!