ReneThePig's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.4
- Helpful Votes:383
- Reviews Submitted:61
- First Review:May 25, 2013
- Most Recent Review:August 22, 2015
- Featured reviews0
Status:
You’re about to uncover the secret that’s been haunting Blackrow!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Trial Review - Looks to be a good one!
PostedSeptember 26, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I've been disappointed in the offerings from this developer for some time. They've felt more like long distance relay-races than well thought out games. Not this time.
The demo was a lot of fun! Here's what I liked that stood out:
The game was just a little bit creepy without being gross - I liked the combined craziness of spirits, spells, the plague, and alchemy...go figure. With Halloween in the near future, it sort of fit my mood.
The "magnifying glass" comments were entertaining. While sometimes helpful, they were occasionally simply silly or contained interesting bits of information. I also liked the crazy little plague-masked help guy...he made me laugh.
The gameplay - which is always the make or break aspect for me, flowed really smoothly. While things don't need to be easy - I generally do insist that they make some sort of sense and they did. I could use things in a realistic if odd manner and that's all I ask. The insane running back and forth was kept to a minimum (my pet peeve with this developer) and it was limited enough that I recalled where I needed to go.
I liked the story, too. At the end of the demo, the mystery of why these people wanted the poor little actress was still unresolved of course....but I found myself wanting to know the answer.
I'm pleased that I've found an Elephant game to dig my teeth into, even if it turns out that - as other reviewers have complained - the game is short.
I'll be purchasing the S.E. this time - and will review the completed game on that page. I would say try this one...the demo was pretty cool.
I recommend this game!
Tragedy strikes a popular Parisian cabaret when their star dancer is murdered! Gather the suspects and unmask the killer.
Overall rating
3
/
5
15 of 35 found this review helpful
Trial Review - Simplistic Gameplay
PostedSeptember 26, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I played the full trial for Danse Macabre: Moulin Rouge and there were aspects that were quite nice. The art and music were well done...but that's about all.
The gameplay itself was just too simplistic for my taste. I don't require every game to be a brain-teaser but this didn't challenge me at all. The puzzles and HO scenes were so simple that for pretty much all of them, I was was almost confused to realize I had completed them. I found myself waiting for another, more complicated step...but no, I was finished.
I cannot comment about the adventure aspect because I didn't really see much of that. Whether that is developed well in the main part of the game is yet unknown...but I didn't see it very well in the trial. It was mostly running around touching the surface of the story but not getting to the meat.
And that leads to the story which seemed somewhat disjointed. There was a flow missing and I never felt connected to the story or the characters. A character would be introduced but not developed before you raced off to meet the next person, or rather, to sort of meet another person...
The trial was not dreadful but it didn't capture my attention. I'll pass on the CE and revisit the SE when it's released.
I don't recommend this game.
Leonardo da Vinci needs your help! A tyrant has conquered Florence and he is destroying all works of art and science!
Overall rating
3
/
5
16 of 18 found this review helpful
Trial Review - How Disappointing...
PostedSeptember 19, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This could have been a fabulous game and it's really sad that from what I saw in the trial, it doesn't appear to be fabulous at all.
What makes it worse is that there were things I really liked about it:
- The artwork is just fabulous. Each scene is beautifully done.
- The basic premise of the game had such potential. With Leonardo da Vinci and his art and inventions at the core, it seemed full of promise for an amazing adventure.
- There were interesting bits that gave the game some fun sideline stuff to do - the store, the secret chamber and the information about da Vinci's work.
- I sort of liked the idea of choosing an action, was curious about how the choices would affect the future events.
- The basic premise of the game had such potential. With Leonardo da Vinci and his art and inventions at the core, it seemed full of promise for an amazing adventure.
- There were interesting bits that gave the game some fun sideline stuff to do - the store, the secret chamber and the information about da Vinci's work.
- I sort of liked the idea of choosing an action, was curious about how the choices would affect the future events.
What I did not like about it, however, overshadowed the positive aspects by a long shot:
- The storyline which could have been really fabulous was turned into an over the top ridiculous mess.
- The voices were simply atrocious! They were so awful they made me laugh.
- The dialog, too, was just pitiful. It was corny and ridiculous.
- The voices were simply atrocious! They were so awful they made me laugh.
- The dialog, too, was just pitiful. It was corny and ridiculous.
I almost felt like I was playing two different games. One by a talented game designer and artist and another by an insane writer with a bunch of his goofy friends reading the corny dialog.
Could have been a really great game but they really missed the mark in my opinion.
I don't recommend this game.
Investigate a mysterious, medieval monastery and reveal the terrifying truth!
Overall rating
2
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Trial Review - Yawn.
PostedSeptember 15, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've seen this game recommended by so many people in other reviews that I thought I would give the game a try to see if I might use a coupon for it. Nah.
The storyline itself was interesting and the artwork, etc., is all decent...the game play is where it falls short in my view. Going back to one scene over and over because new items are available - that kind of stuff drives me nuts. If I can pick something up...let me just pick it up! Don't make me run back there over and over with the same stuff sitting around only this one "special" time, I can grab the thing I knew I needed the last time...sheesh.
The trial was really short but I was just about to bail anyway.
At least now I don't have to wonder whether I might want to add this game to my collection.
I don't recommend this game.
An amulet purchased in an antique shop has awakened an ancient and terrible evil. Help rescue your beloved and save mankind from the coming eternal frost!
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 7 found this review helpful
Really tried to like this, but I couldn't.
PostedSeptember 11, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
When the game started, I thought - another blast from the past style game - but also thought that it might end up being kind of cool. The music - I just loved it. So plodding and mournful...found myself swaying to it!
At first I didn't mind the bizarre and very slow cut scenes, they kind of added to the weird feel of the game but after a while I was just wanting to move things along a little bit. Even the inventory box - which does not lock open - took it's own sweet time to open.
Then I just got bored.
Still looking for a way to use my coupon.
I don't recommend this game.
When entering another's dreams, you'll have to play by a different set of rules.
Overall rating
1
/
5
2 of 6 found this review helpful
Where did they find this one?
PostedSeptember 10, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The trial is already off my computer. I got about 5 minutes into it and that was it for me. This game has got to be 10 years old and if it really is a new game, Big Fish needs to find some new developers.
It didn't open wide screen. After you use an object, there's an hourglass going around, I kid you not. An hourglass.
The story is old and overdone. The art work was just OK but nothing really special. There just wasn't anything to get me interested enough to overlook the apparent old age of the thing. I need something better than this, even to just use a coupon.
I don't recommend this game.
Dark things bubble to the surface when the past invades the present!
Overall rating
2
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Dreary and Depressing - Trial only
PostedSeptember 9, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
With all the rave reviews, I thought I might use a coupon for this game. It's by one of my favorite developers...but, no.
The game play itself is O.K. The puzzles I ran into in the trial were on the easy side, the HO scenes somewhat difficult. The adventure component seemed all right for the amount of time I played.
But, oh...the scenery is dark, dreary, and depressing. The individual scenes were dark, dreary, and creepy.The story is depressing. The music is dreary and monotonous.
I don't mind scary - that's always fun. But this was just sad. I'll pass on this one.
I don't recommend this game.
Was Veronica West’s death an accident… or a cold-blooded murder?
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Completed Game - Good One!
PostedSeptember 8, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This was a good solid game. The story was a nice, simple murder mystery but getting to the solution was a lot of work. Lots to keep track of and do as you make your way through the lovely scenery. All around enjoyable time.
While Dead Reckoning: Silvermoon Isle. wasn't a drop your jaw great game, I'm glad I purchased it and definitely recommend it.
For the first time I played the marble popper that was a HO alternative...and that was kind of addicting! I'm keeping the game on my computer so I can play that occasionally. I'd buy one like that if they released it!
Give this one a try - I would give it 4-1/2 stars if I could.
I recommend this game!
Journey across Italy as best-selling novelist Dana Knightstone in Death Under Tuscan Skies: A Dana Knightstone Novel!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Nice one!
PostedAugust 20, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This was a really enjoyable game and I spent a few pleasant hours with it.
I liked the flow in the adventure aspect, it was not a wild ride back and forth and there was logic to the items you needed and how you used them. The mechanics of the game were great, transitioning from scene to scene and working on the puzzles was really smooth.
The art and stuff was all really well done - as is always the case with this developer. The the music got a little boring after a while, that could have been better but I liked Dana's voice. It was clear and crisp and pleasant.
While I wouldn't call this a great, fabulous, must have game of the century- it was certainly a good one and I definitely recommend it!
I recommend this game!
Stop a madman from taking over a city using a mind control device!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 14 found this review helpful
Finished Game...Pretty Good
PostedAugust 18, 2014
ReneThePig
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
As others have stated, for a Standard Edition, Alex Hunter: Lord of the Mind comes with a lot of extras. The guide, collectibles and it is a nice long game with a bonus chapter.
For me, the adventure aspect was fairly well done, but it sort of got lost at some point and never really came back together. I found myself using the map exclusively to hop over to an active spot - just to do one thing and hop somewhere else to, well, do one thing.
The puzzles were not my favorite type for the most part, lots of moving things around until they're in the right position. I skipped most of them.
But, despite the things I didn't care for, I plugged along through the whole thing and didn't throw my mouse across the room once! I do recommend this game for a coupon purchase or something. Better than no game at all on a rainy day.
I recommend this game!