CathyCatfish's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.6
- Helpful Votes:413
- Reviews Submitted:20
- First Review:February 18, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 9, 2013
- Featured reviews0
The Secret Order: New Horizon
Reveal the secret legacy of The Order of the Griffin and restore Sunward City in The Secret Order: New Horizon!
Overall rating
1
/
5
3 of 7 found this review helpful
can't get away from the dreaded *sparkles*!
PostedMarch 14, 2013
CathyCatfish
fromNear (but not *in*) Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
(355)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
so, we can change the level of brightness, but are STUCK with having *sparkles* in the game? i checked the options menu and was disappointed.
i WILL NOT play a game where i cannot turn off the *sparkles*.
devs, take note: many of us do NOT like to be led around by the nose. a very basic option is to turn off the *sparkles*!
I don't recommend this game.
Azada: Elementa Collector's Edition
Azada’s saga continues when its precious elements are stolen!
Overall rating
1
/
5
168 of 235 found this review helpful
A Great Puzzle Classic Has Become Just Another HOPA
PostedMarch 7, 2013
CathyCatfish
fromNear (but not *in*) Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
(355)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
i played the hour trial to the end. i'm glad i did because i found out that i had to click "skip the tutorial" SIX times. why isn't *once* enough??
worse, there were CONSTANTLY things jumping out at me on the screen, interrupting the gameplay.
worse, there were CONSTANTLY things jumping out at me on the screen, interrupting the gameplay.
i loved the original azada games because they were PUZZLE games with some adventure, too. i don't know *why* this was called "azada" because it's *nothing* like the original games!
i don't understand why those of us who love straight puzzle games can't be made happy, too? we had our azada and now even that has been transformed into a run-of-the-mill HOPA. i'm deeply saddened.
so,
*the artwork was OK (standard ERS)
*the music got annoying after 15 minutes (again, standard ERS)
*cursor worked fine
*the "cute" little creature annoyed me to no end, always popping up with gibberish, which added zero to the game play (and we're supposed to name him? dress him? what? are we 10 years old, playing with our barbies? dumb, really dumb)
*a transporter map that makes you VERIFY that you REALLY want to jump to the location you have chosen? how annoying! perhaps there should be a button that says "no, i just clicked on this location for something to do"
*"puzzles" are ridiculously easy, which is sad. i hate seeing these games dumbed down to the point of "click a few times, "puzzle" solved.
*finally, i am hearing in the forums that once again, ERS has put the true end of the game into the bonus chapter in an effort to "force" us to buy the CE version. well, it's a NO BUY for me, not CE, not SE.
*the artwork was OK (standard ERS)
*the music got annoying after 15 minutes (again, standard ERS)
*cursor worked fine
*the "cute" little creature annoyed me to no end, always popping up with gibberish, which added zero to the game play (and we're supposed to name him? dress him? what? are we 10 years old, playing with our barbies? dumb, really dumb)
*a transporter map that makes you VERIFY that you REALLY want to jump to the location you have chosen? how annoying! perhaps there should be a button that says "no, i just clicked on this location for something to do"
*"puzzles" are ridiculously easy, which is sad. i hate seeing these games dumbed down to the point of "click a few times, "puzzle" solved.
*finally, i am hearing in the forums that once again, ERS has put the true end of the game into the bonus chapter in an effort to "force" us to buy the CE version. well, it's a NO BUY for me, not CE, not SE.
if this game had another name, i might have given it more stars, but when you take a beloved classic and change it *completely* so that it's like every other HOPA out there, i'm not happy.
so, one star for the decent graphics.
so, one star for the decent graphics.
those who worship ERS will probably love this game. i have left the altar.
I don't recommend this game.
Timeless: The Lost Castle
A mysterious man in red summons you, sending you to a flying ship where a little girl needs your help!
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
completed game... highly recommended for those who love a challenge!
PostedFebruary 26, 2013
CathyCatfish
fromNear (but not *in*) Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
(355)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
finally!!
a game that actually *challenges* me to think! i LOVE that type of game and will buy every one i can get my hands on!
a game that actually *challenges* me to think! i LOVE that type of game and will buy every one i can get my hands on!
there are no VOs, but that is not a deal-breaker for me. the graphics are quite good, the storyline reasonable... but the puzzles! oh, the puzzles! i LOVE them! some were *very* difficult and made me think for once!
i also love the fact that this is more of an adventure game and light on the HOSs! i do not want HOS after HOS in my games and this one has a good mix.
i do wish that the free trial included getting to the castle, because, imho, that's where the game really starts! and, the length is *excellent*! there are many doors in the castle to open so it took me quite a while (probably about 8 hours total... i didn't skip even one puzzle or go to the forums for help!) to get to the end.
all in all, my kind of game!
good job, devs! if you make another one like this, i guarantee you i will buy it!
I recommend this game!
Drawn: Dark Flight ®
A kingdom’s future rests in the light of three beacons. Can they be lit in time? Will the shadows be cast into light?
Overall rating
1
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
can't get away from the dreaded *sparkles*!
PostedFebruary 23, 2013
CathyCatfish
fromNear (but not *in*) Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Dire Grove™ Collector's Edition
(141)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
incredible! i remember thinking that i needed to try the drawn games and with the BFG sale on their own studio games this weekend, i decided to try one of the games in this series.
i was offered two modes of play: with tutorial or without. so, being as i love a good challenge, i chose without.
i have played MANY games over several years and i am to the point where i *hate* being led around by the hand. so, when i was in the very first scene, there were two sets of *sparkles* and i thought "TWO HOSs in the very first place i go in the game?" only to realize that they were NOT marking HOSs, they were the dreaded *sparkles*! not just a glint or a glimmer... BIG *sparkles*!
why can we not get a mode without *sparkles*??
so, this whole series is a no-buy for me. i will not purchase a game where i have sparkles in every scene. i don't care how good the story, graphics, VOs, music, ambiance, etc.
*sparkles* = immediate no-buy.
*sparkles* = immediate no-buy.
which makes me sad because most everyone seems to love this game!
{sigh}
/rant
/rant
I don't recommend this game.
Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's The Gold Bug
Dupin needs your help solving the mystery of the gold bug. Crack the codes and follow the clues to one man's obsession with an old legend.
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
formulaic HOG
PostedFebruary 17, 2013
CathyCatfish
fromNear (but not *in*) Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
(355)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
i played about 30 minutes of the demo, backed out and deleted.
sorry, ERS, but this is a no-buy for me. i have played all of the puppetshow games, all of the redemption cemetery games as well as all the rest of your "series"-type games and i am now officially tired of the formula. many of these games have the same music, same artwork, even the same FONT! can't you change things up a little?
actually, you can. make another game like "dark alleys: penumbra motel" and you might tempt me. might.
my other complaint is the linear quality of the games. you can go to three scenes at a time, basically, and when you're done, you move onto the next group of three scenes. i like the non-linear games better because there is more challenge to remember where you need to use an inventory item.
all in all, this game was just TOO EASY. i like some *challenge* to the games i buy! i played this one on the hardest mode of the three (no hints, no black bar tips... let alone the hated *sparkles*!) and STILL it was easy. the puzzles i encountered, i didn't even really have to think about how to do them because i've seen them so many times before.
please, ERS, *challenge me*! when you do, i will start buying your games again! and yes, i WILL demo your games to see what you're offering, but if there's no challenge, even on the hardest mode, there's no buy from this fishie.
I don't recommend this game.
Nightmare Adventures: The Turning Thorn
What dark and powerful secrets are hidden within the A.R.C.A.N.E. agency's old research base? Kiera Vale returns to find out.
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
excellent adventure game!
PostedJanuary 30, 2013
CathyCatfish
fromNear Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
(355)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
based on the demo, which i loved and my love for the first nightmare adventures, i bought this game!
i won't be playing the rest of the game for a few days as i have decided to first replay the witch's prison game to jog my memory... and, to enjoy the thrill of a pure adventure game with no HOSs!
i truly wish that the people giving low star ratings, based only on the lack of HOSs, would realize that this game is not *supposed* to have HOSs!
it is listed, correctly, as an adventure game, not a HOG or HOPA.
it is listed, correctly, as an adventure game, not a HOG or HOPA.
please, devs, you have done a GREAT job and i want MORE of this type of adventure game. this game is NOT dumbed-down, it does not hold my hand or lead me around by the nose. i appreciate the more difficult puzzles and the fact that the game makes me think! i have tired of games which, even on the hardest mode, give you SO many "hints" and "clues". i use quotes for those words because they are not really hints or clues, they are outright TELLING you what to use where, or what is required to accomplish whatever.
the only suggestion i would make for improvement would be an upgrade of the graphics quality. i have become very spoiled by the high quality graphics of many games nowadays, and would love to see you take that step forward as well.
i cut my gaming teeth on myst and its sequel, riven (astounding graphics for that time!) and it looks like syberia is in my future... all pure adventure games with NO clues or hints at all!
so, i say to you, devs, BRAVO to you for creating a series of games for those of us who LIKE to think! i hear rumors of a third in this series and, if it lives up to the challenge and storyline of these first two, it will be an immediate buy for me!
I recommend this game!
The Chronicles of Emerland Solitaire
Defeat the forces of darkness and defend Emerland by uniting the races of the world against the evil sorcerer, Sat, in this magical card game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
More like this one, please!
PostedJanuary 5, 2013
CathyCatfish
fromNear Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
(355)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I don't usually write reviews because I'm too busy playing games, but since I have played this one through twice and am working on a third time, I really feel the need to add my two cents.
I played the first time through on the easy mode... and it's not that easy! However, it IS possible to finish the game, but at that last level, you must use your friends' help, you must use wild cards and amulets you purchase from the store with your coins. I completed the game, but didn't do as well as I had hoped. So, like the intrepid gamer that I am, I decided the next round should be on hard mode. Let me tell you... it is HARD. It is NOT TIMED (except in the sense that it tells you how long each hand took both on easy and hard mode), but wild cards, coins and other bonus items are NOT as easy to acquire, as well as the fact that it seemed that the cards were stacked against me.
In the last round, (both easy and hard) you don't get coins for emptying a pile, you get parts of the crystals you need, so when playing on hard mode, be sure to spend the coins that you get early on in the game WISELY in the store because you will need those amulets and certain ones will help you more than others. I didn't know this, and I tried to finish the final level about 10 times and finally gave up and decided to play another round on "easy" mode. I WILL try this game again on hard mode and put my new knowledge to work to see if I can beat that final level! I don't like leaving things undone.
In the last round, (both easy and hard) you don't get coins for emptying a pile, you get parts of the crystals you need, so when playing on hard mode, be sure to spend the coins that you get early on in the game WISELY in the store because you will need those amulets and certain ones will help you more than others. I didn't know this, and I tried to finish the final level about 10 times and finally gave up and decided to play another round on "easy" mode. I WILL try this game again on hard mode and put my new knowledge to work to see if I can beat that final level! I don't like leaving things undone.
As for the game itself, most of the other reviewers have mentioned how visually beautiful the game is! The colors are gorgeous! The cards themselves are gorgeous! I like the added interest of finding morphing objects and 10 of this or that during the adventure breaks between levels. There are also nicely done VOs with the characters you meet along the way. And, our dear Seth, the villain, adds more difficulty to each level with his evil spells!
I normally play HOPAs and have never bought any other genre until this game caught my eye. I played the demo and was HOOKED! I love a challenge when I play, so I was happy that I have two levels to work on.
I normally play HOPAs and have never bought any other genre until this game caught my eye. I played the demo and was HOOKED! I love a challenge when I play, so I was happy that I have two levels to work on.
Others have also mentioned that you can replay a level if you are not happy with your score. This is true, and each level is kept track of on the map with a shield that shows how well you did. I believe there are three different shields as well as a red X if you don't have enough hands with 4 or fewer cards left. You can replay a hand (as long as you click "replay" when it ends) or replay an entire level once it's completed.
One of the best reasons to score this game with five stars is the replay value. When I get tired of the same ol' same ol' from the devs of HOPAs, I can always fall back on this game! And, along with replay value, there is nothing about this game that I didn't like... and that's unusual! As I have played more and more HOPAs, I have become more and more picky. As I tried to find another solitaire game of this caliber, I realized that I was now spoiled for this genre.
I tried to find another "one up - one down" type solitaire game with the magic that this one has and was sorely disappointed. I did end up buying Avalon Legends, but it pales in comparison. I played it through once and that will be that. I will play this game over and over until the devs come up with another one like it.... and... (hint)... what's behind the little doors on the tree in the menu screen??
There might be another story behind those doors waiting to be told.... and I will be one of the first to buy it when you release it!
I tried to find another "one up - one down" type solitaire game with the magic that this one has and was sorely disappointed. I did end up buying Avalon Legends, but it pales in comparison. I played it through once and that will be that. I will play this game over and over until the devs come up with another one like it.... and... (hint)... what's behind the little doors on the tree in the menu screen??
There might be another story behind those doors waiting to be told.... and I will be one of the first to buy it when you release it!
I recommend this game!
Dark Parables: The Exiled Prince Collector's Edition
Investigate the disappearance of the chancellor's daughter and uncover the long lost kingdom of the exiled Frog Prince!
Overall rating
2
/
5
6 of 10 found this review helpful
Do NOT like sparkles!
PostedJune 2, 2012
CathyCatfish
fromNear Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I was able to turn down the offer of a tutorial (but still got one anyway when the map was presented!) but I was NOT offered a more difficult mode of play. Woodjay said that you play on hard mode the second time around... and that's too bad because I won't make it through the first time around.
I refuse to buy any game that leads me by the hand with sparkles on every active area as does this game... with no way to turn them OFF.
This game was just too easy. I play for the brain-exercise and this game offered none. Even the couple puzzles I encountered in the 20 minutes I played were way too easy. The only thing challenging at all were some of the FROG scenes where some of the fractured bits were very hard to see.
This game was just too easy. I play for the brain-exercise and this game offered none. Even the couple puzzles I encountered in the 20 minutes I played were way too easy. The only thing challenging at all were some of the FROG scenes where some of the fractured bits were very hard to see.
That said, the music was nice, the artwork good. I didn't mind the voice-overs or the cutscenes... they were all good, too.
I really wanted to like this game but... those sparkles made that impossible. At 15 minutes into the game, I went to "options" and the main menu to see if I could possibly find a way to change to a harder mode, but there was none, so I didn't spend any more time on this game.
I really wanted to like this game but... those sparkles made that impossible. At 15 minutes into the game, I went to "options" and the main menu to see if I could possibly find a way to change to a harder mode, but there was none, so I didn't spend any more time on this game.
Sorry, devs, but not offering different levels of challenge is a deal-breaker for me unless the game is dang hard to begin with. As I think about it, another pet peeve is encountering a gate that needs a key... the very next puzzle... you GET that key and it's even marked that it's a GATE key so that there is not even a question about where that key gets used. How about a little challenge?
I don't recommend this game.
Phenomenon: City of Cyan
20 years ago a terrible accident destroyed most of Cyan City. Now, Monica returns to uncover the secrets of her childhood!
Overall rating
2
/
5
25 of 31 found this review helpful
sorry to swim against the tide, but...
PostedMarch 27, 2012
CathyCatfish
fromNear Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
(355)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is based on the demo only because I won't buy the game unless it is on DD or CotW.
Pros:
*Beautiful colors and well-drawn.
*Interesting HOSs within HOSs.
Pros:
*Beautiful colors and well-drawn.
*Interesting HOSs within HOSs.
Cons:
*Voiceovers.
*Voiceovers.
The heroine, Monica Dipp (aptly named) could not be more of a wooden board if she tried:
"I. guess. I. should. try. to. find. my. mother. Right. ?" (paraphrased, but close...)
YA THINK? I cringed as i listened to her dumb lines and "acting".
"I. guess. I. should. try. to. find. my. mother. Right. ?" (paraphrased, but close...)
YA THINK? I cringed as i listened to her dumb lines and "acting".
* Puzzles were ridiculously easy with too many instructions.
Let me think and figure things out for myself!
*Tasks were ridiculously easy.
We need to make a potion for dad's eyes... let's see, everything is RIGHT HERE, no "cooking" or finding stuff later to come back and finish the task....just put the petals and berries in the pot of water and VOILA! Same for getting into the city, the necessary items are right there, waiting in plain sight. No thinking or searching required.
I always play on the hardest mode offered (this game offers two) because I like to be challenged, not led around by the nose. I like to think and keep the grey matter functioning, not just look at the pretty scenery.
Sorry, not a buy for me, unless it's on a $2.99 sale. Maybe not even then, it'll depend on what games I have left to play.
I don't recommend this game.
Vampireville
Appraise Malgrey Castle, learn about it’s enigmatic inhabitants, save your boss, and learn what drove your co-worker mad!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 7 found this review helpful
Sorry, going against the tide...
PostedFebruary 18, 2012
CathyCatfish
fromNear Puget Sound...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
(355)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I guess this game is just not my cuppa tea. I played 45 minutes of the hour demo and lost interest.
I like vampire games... and ones with a little cheek are just fine by me (I'm still missing the second half of "Dying for Daylight"... LOVED that game and would GLADLY buy the second half!) but it was just too hard for me to watch the out-of-sync dialogue and the flat faces in this game.
the graphics were pretty good, but I tired of "task completed!" and the music seemed just a little silly.
I don't recommend this game.