sabrinac925's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.2
- Helpful Votes:541
- Reviews Submitted:25
- First Review:November 23, 2011
- Most Recent Review:December 25, 2013
- Featured reviews0
Status:
4 Elements
The survival of an ancient kingdom has been threatened. Restore the four elements with help from an adorable fairy in this enchanting Puzzle game.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
A nice entertaining 3 match game
PostedDecember 25, 2013
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a lovely game. It never gets so challening as to become frustrating. The graphics are pretty the story is interesting and it's visually very pleasing. The music is not overly annoying - it's not bad. But I'm the type that usually mutes most music on all games I play pretty quickly. The levels can get a bit monotonous - otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. The las few levels require fast enough play that I would recommend a mouse instead of using a touch-pad on a laptop. Although, I did use the touch-pad successfully for 98% of the game. I would recommend this game for anyone who is looking for a moderate to mild challenge and escape for the evening who like stories in the fantasy genre.
I recommend this game!
Dark Dimensions: City of Fog
Search for a town consumed by fog! Unlock forbidden doors and uncover mysterious items!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Illogical flow to game made this frustrating
PostedJanuary 12, 2013
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game had good potential but illogical and nonsensical game flow ultimately reduced the enjoyment for me and created a somewhat frustrating experience. The graphics are good. The music is acceptable. There are not a great deal of voice overs and scenes to watch which is nice. The scenery is generally good if a bit dark and uninteresting. there are several mini-puzzles some relatively easy to quite difficult. The HO scenes had two levels - you had to find certain items that were used to create or uncover the second level of items. This is not a bad format in general and can make HO scenes more interesting and complex. In general, I like this type of variation however the pairs of items (how one item relates to and/or uncovers or creates the second item) must make sense and be logical pairs. Otherwise, it's very frustrating and you just end up randomly clicking on various things because there is no logical link from the object you are holding to the object you are supposed to pair it with. For example, in one HO, I picked up gift wrap. This was supposed to be placed on another item to make a wrapped present. After a ridiculous amount of time I essentially clicked on everything until a present finally appeared. What was the item I clicked on? It was the bottom of a coat rack. Can someone explain how the bottom of a coat rack plus gift wrap gets you a wrapped present? Nonsense. The flow of the game is also not ordered or logical. The diary that records your actions, keeps notes and desribes the story. However, it discusses places and objects you have not necessarily seen or found yet even though it talks as though you've already discovered them (counterweight in treehouse by butcher shop#. This is pretty frustrating. The Hints are for the most part useless if there is an unfinished task in a given scene. For example, when you hit the hints button, it will circle a mini puzzle you haven't completed yet. However, you can't even start the mini-puzzle until you find the missing tile. It would be helpful if the hints actually pointed you in the right direction to find the tile instead of just pointing out a mini-puzzle that you obviously know you have to solve but can't do that until you find the tile. End result = useless Hint function. This resulted in several instances where you had no idea what to do next and ended up either randomly walking around hoping something would suddently present itself #time consuming and annoying) or, in my case, I finally gave up and resorted to finding the walkthrough on BFG's website. Any time I'm forced to leave a game and find hints to continue immediately reduces the quality of the game and my enjoyment. I'm not saying it should be ridiculously easy but a certain logical and intelligent game play should be enough to continue progressing through the game. This game has a few redeemable qualities but overall was not a satisfying experience for me. If you can get it for free or on sale I'd buy it but would not recommend it as a full price purchase.
I don't recommend this game.
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart
Dive into an epic journey as a museum owner in pursuit of an undead pirate who has kidnapped your daughter in Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
I don't give many 5 stars
PostedJanuary 11, 2013
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I have to agree with many other reviewers. This is a genuinely good game. Worth the money on many levels. The play time is long. The story is interesting and the pirate theme is a nice change from the usual ghosts and vampires. The graphics are EXCELLENT and the scenes are interesting and beautifully done. The only negative for me was the large number of voice overs and scenes you are asked to view. Normally this would drop my rating to 4 stars but you can not only speed up the text if you read faster than they speak but you can also skip them all together if you are really not interested. I liked the variety, quality and appearance of all of the HO scenes. There are not a great deal of mini-puzzles (fine by me!) so this might be diappointing if those are your favorite parts of HO games. The mini puzzles they did include were, for the most part quite easy so the difficulty level may not be challenging enough for an expert player. I also really liked the map. It not only helped you navigate but also indicated where you had actions that could be completed. This eliminated wandering around aimlessly if you got to a point where you weren't sure what to do next. The flow of the game and the order in which you need to play was very logical and well thought out. This is important to me. If the game does not follow a logical and intelligent sequence I get quickly frustrated. You do need to go back and forth quite a bit between rooms/locations. I don't mind this if it makes sense but if you don't love back tracking to get objects you may not like this particular aspect. The music was also quite good - I usually turn it off but didn't this for this game. The voice overs are also of high quality - if a little bit hokey. But then again, all voice overs are a bit hokey. This is definitely worth the money and I would recommend it for anyone who likes, well thought out, high quailty graphics, nice story, good map function, quality HO scenes and a few easy mini puzzles thrown in.
I recommend this game!
Empress of the Deep: The Darkest Secret
Explore beautiful underwater temples! Search for artifacts to uncover the dark secrets of the Evil Empress and her hideous plans.
Overall rating
2
/
5
8 of 10 found this review helpful
Disappointing....
PostedJanuary 1, 2013
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This game is disappointing. Not sure I will bother finishing it. The graphics ae pretty bad. The voice overs are truly horrible, slow and poorly acted. The story had potential but it's weird, disjointed and doesn't make a great deal of sense. The HO scenes are uninspiring and difficult only because the the poor graphics make it difficult to see the objects and edges. The map is a good idea but is essentially useless as it shows none of the areas you have not explored yet and every ten feet seems to be a different area. They do give you an indication when an particular area is "completed" which is a positive I suppose. The greatest frustration is that there are no instructions given for the mini-puzzles. You are either expected to click mindlessly until you are able to hopefully figure out what the objective is or actually use the Hint button to tell you what you what the goal of the puzzle is. The scenery could be more interesting if the graphics were better. Overall, not worth the time or money. Unfortunately, I also bought the second installment in this series - but that's a lesson for me. Don't buy #2 until you've played #1.
I don't recommend this game.
The Fool
Help The Fool become a hero and save the beautiful princess Catherine from the jaws of a terrible dragon!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Very enjoyable game
PostedJanuary 1, 2013
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a lovely Hid Obj game. The difficulty level was perfect for some thoughtful play without being overly frustrating. The puzzles got a bit harder as the game progressed with the final strategy game being the hardest - but do-able. There was a decent mix of hidden object and puzzles throughout. The graphics were good and the storyline interesting. It was fun progressing through completely different worlds/kingdoms to accomplish the game goals. There were very few times that I was at a loss as to what to do next and I never had to use the Hint button. If I found I was stuck with no inventory items I just re-visited the available rooms/areas and something always popped up or it became obvious I missed something I was suppposed to pick up. The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because I'm not a big fan of hidden object scenes that include objects that are out of time and place for the period the story is set it. For example, this was essentially a medieval period game but I was asked to find things like blow dryers and computers in the hidden object scenes. Not a big fan of that kind of incongruity. I also would have liked an option to go through the talking/story scenes faster by clicking on the screen after I was done reading the text instead of having to wait for the narrator to read the text. I didn't want to skip them all together as I like following the story within a game but I would have liked to be able to read it at my own pace. Other than that, I very much enjoyed this game.
I recommend this game!
Spirits of Mystery: Song of the Phoenix
Reunite the Dragon and Pheonix Kingdoms to stop the evil witch!
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 21 found this review helpful
Too many puzzles, not enough HOS!
PostedJuly 4, 2012
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Mystery of Mortlake Mansion
(87)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I bought this game because so many people gave it 5 stars. However, if your favorite type of game is hidden object this is not the game for you. There are WAY too many mini-puzzles and very few HOS. The puzzles vary in difficulty from very easy to borderline ridiculous. And some of the most difficult did not have a reset button (although other puzzles did, which I found odd). I did not enjoy this game because I felt like I was solving a puzzle every 3-4 minutes and had to solve one every time I wanted to progress in the game. I don't mind a nice mix of the two but the HOS should be the dominant form of puzzle if that's the genre the game claims to be. Regarding other elements of the game - I agree that the graphics and animations were lovely. The scenery was very well done. The voice overs were of high quality and the story, although not very original was interesting and engaging enough. The hints button is not incredibly useful although it will tell you if a particular area has no tasks you can complete. There is no map of where you are going or have been - which I think is a very nice feature on many games - and there were a few times it was not clear to me how to progress. If you like mini-puzzles then I would recommend but i don't think this is a true 5-star game.
I don't recommend this game.
Shaolin Mystery: Tale of the Jade Dragon Staff
Travel across ancient China and help Yu as she searches for the mythical Jade Dragon Staff. Save your wrongly imprisoned friend!
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
Couldn't wait for it to be over
PostedJuly 1, 2012
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Mystery of Mortlake Mansion
(87)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I found this game to be disjointed and frusrating. There is a ton of back and forth with no map or real direction. The mini-games were OK but some were downright ridiculous (weighted puppets on top of levers - seriously?) in the number of permutations you had to go through to figure them out. I almost never skip puzzles but I did several times out of sheer boredom and frustration. The directions were often vague and obtuse so much so that you had to spend frustrating minutes just figuring out how the puzzle worked before you could starting thinking about how to solve it. There were numerous English language errors in the directions as well. Really? Find a native English speaker to proof your work - pretty basic quality control - if your audience is English speakers. I played it until the end because I just hate to leave a game un-done but I could not wait for it to be over. Graphics were decent - I've seen better and worse. The story was hokey and not very engaging. It was also annoying to have to stop and talk to so many characters in order to have a clue what the next step in the game was. I won't be buying the other installment in the Shaolin series and I don't recommend buying this one.
I don't recommend this game.
Blood and Ruby
Use ancient magic, alongside your wits, as you hunt for your missing brother in a haunting city possessed by vampires!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
A little simplistic but not bad
PostedJune 26, 2012
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Mystery of Mortlake Mansion
(87)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is a nice straight forward relatively easy hidden object adventure game. The graphics are fine - I've seen better and worse. The story is a bit hokey but not completely ridiculous and at least you can read through it and not be forced to listed to horrible voice overs. The mini-puzzles are for the most part pretty easy with a few I would classify as intermediate. The map and locations are simple and laid out in a way that is easy to navigate through. The hidden object scenes were nicely done but I wouldn't call them difficult. It was a nice low stress game that overall, I enjoyed playing. I would recommend it but go for a sale or use a credit.
I recommend this game!
Hidden Mysteries ®: Buckingham Palace ™
Peel back the curtains and search for treasure in one of the grandest buildings in the western world – Buckingham Palace!
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 11 found this review helpful
Not a very good game
PostedMay 25, 2012
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This game was really uninspiring. I've played many Hid Obj games on BF and this is one of the worst. The graphics are quite poor. The story is non-existent. The facts and history about each of the rooms in Buckingham palace are mildly interesting but the entire game should not revolve around these. The Hid Obj scenes are not only very easy but really quite ridiculous. Imagine any room (in this case it happens to be in Buck. Palace) with a huge selection of random junk just thrown inside. This describes the scenes perfectly. There is no rhyme or reason as to why the objects are placed in the rooms as there is no context for them to be there. You end up looking for everything from a trout to a hand held phone in the middle of ball room. You are also asked to collect a few objects along the way and use them for various tasks. But the objects collected don't seem to make sense for most of the tasks you are asked to complete and these steps in the game seemed to be added as an afterthought. There are no mini-puzzles to solve so if that's your thing, avoid this game. Overall, it's not worth the money at any price and I would save your free game credit for a much better game.
I don't recommend this game.
Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles
Charles Baskerville is the latest victim of a centuries-old curse! Help Holmes break the curse before the next murder occurs!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Excellent game over all
PostedApril 4, 2012
sabrinac925
fromNew Jersey
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Mystery of Mortlake Mansion
(87)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I agree with the other reviewers - this is really a strong overall game. It's challenging but not too frustrating. The interactive map is really great and super helpful. The multi-layered tasks that include collecting coats of arms, earning medallion pieces, switching between past and present to complete tasks and finally completing HOS. There was a great mix of HOS and other puzzles. Some of the puzzles are easy, some medium, some hard. Nice mixture and none so ridiculously difficult that you got overly frustrated but some definitely took more time and made you think. My only complaint and it was a small one is there were ALOT of spoken scenes between the 3 main characters but.... I didn't downgrade the overall game because you can skip them if you don't want to listen to them all. The voice overs were very good quality at least. It's a great buy even at full price.
I recommend this game!