DrDavid's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:2,837
- Reviews Submitted:246
- First Review:November 24, 2011
- Most Recent Review:July 12, 2022
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Escape an underground vault of clockwork wonders with the help of its mysterious and eccentric inventor in Fantastic Creations: House of Brass!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Very polished and refined
PostedApril 26, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
House of Brass is a very polished and refined game that is a load of fun to play. The artwork is great, the voices very good, and the cut scenes very polished. The plot has a sci-fi character and is pretty good. The HOS are well drawn and different. In the HOS you find 12 things that are alike, for example 12 pointed things: I usually got 9 easily and hunted for the last 3. I even played most of the puzzle games, which is unusual for me, and enjoyed them.
My biggest complaint was that the house is underground, full of engineering marvels, but largely vertical. Therefore, when you go forward and backward, there is the elevator ride to wait for; repeatedly. That did get a bit tedious. Otherwise, there is little to criticize.
My biggest complaint was that the house is underground, full of engineering marvels, but largely vertical. Therefore, when you go forward and backward, there is the elevator ride to wait for; repeatedly. That did get a bit tedious. Otherwise, there is little to criticize.
I recommend this game!
A recently unearthed artifact proves a dark legend to be true! Follow the trail of a group of missing graduate students.
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 26 found this review helpful
What a Dog.
PostedApril 22, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Dire Grove is a HOG that is mired in mediocrity. Along the way there are 14 ‘video tapes’ or cut scenes to watch that went on and on and on and on ad nauseam; I got tired of watching them and started cutting them short. Lots of HOS but most were poorly drawn. The last one was the worst; I used the hint on 5 items and was not sure what any of them were supposed to be. Very poor artwork. For one thing, they had a penchant for hiding 50 to 90% of the objects in the HOS to make it harder to find them without actually blending them into the scene. They frequently repeated objects in the HOS. After the first time you played a HOS you would get it again and half of the objects were repeats. In game play, if you clicked on the wrong place on the right item, because there was only a tiny spot to hit, you got an insult when it was really poor scripting at fault. But the weakest part of the story was that you had to find items well before you needed them or knew why you were collecting them. You will use the walkthrough at every single step. Boring. The final scene is a joke. For story they get a C-. For repeats and sloppy artwork, their HOS get a D. For cut scenes they would rate an A if they had half as many or shorter ones; give them a C. For continuity of story, an F for sure. For fun I think a D+ is about right. Who let the dogs out? Forget this puppy and buy one of the better games; just about all of the other games out there are better.
I don't recommend this game.
Investigate a military hospital that hosted a variety of terrifying experiments in The Agency of Anomalies: Mystic Hospital!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Very good game
PostedApril 19, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Mystic Hospital is a very good game. There is a lot of back and forth and at times it causes confusion which the walk-through can clear up. The HO scenes are usually very bright and clear with well hidden objects and a small number of HOS involve putting objects back into the scene. Odd, but it works. The cut scenes are very well done and the voices are not overplayed. I enjoyed the game even with the back and forth. The puzzles were another story. The majority of the puzzles were boring rote games with only a few real bright spots, but then I dislike puzzles. I did not find this game quite as good as its running mate, Cinderstone, but the differences were minor. Both were very good or better for me. The story line was a bit farfetched and weak, but at least somewhat interesting.
I recommend this game!
Save the souls of prodigy children and their caretaker who disappeared during the fire in The Agency of Anomalies: Cinderstone Orphanage!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Extremely good.
PostedApril 19, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Cinderstone Orphanage is an extremely good game. The HO scenes are well drawn and usually not too dark. I will admit that I feel funny solving a HOS by returning to the scene objects which have been presented to me in a reverse HO, but little wrinkles like this make game play more fun because of the difference. The reverse HO scenes are occasional but regular HOS dominate. The puzzles are mainly those solved my rote, so I skipped most of them, but otherwise this was a fun game. I have finished the game and am playing the extra part; given the plot twist I am glad I have the CE. I believe that while Mystic Hospital is also a very good game sharing much play style with this game, Cinderstone Orphanage is the better of the two; very good versus extremely good. There is a lot of moving back and forth in this game, so be forewarned. I recommend the CE.
I recommend this game!
Uncover a dark scheme in Entwined: Strings of Deception and solve an elaborate murder mystery!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
HOG with high quality graphics
PostedApril 14, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Strings has a lot going for it. The art work is excellent and the detail great. In many scenes the artwork includes motion within the frame. The HO scenes are never dark but are still difficult to complete because the deception is so good. Many objects are hidden in plain sight, but fit so well where they are located that they seem to belong there. This makes a far better challenge than just making things too dark to see. The plot is a murder mystery. You investigate and arrive at a suspect and finally prove that the suspect is guilty. The hints are very explicit when you are lost, so no walkthrough is needed. The only downside to excellent graphics is that when a window with motion opens inside another window, the cursor may have a delayed response and make some puzzles difficult to work; those were easier to just skip. I suspect that a high end gamers computer would not have that problem. The cut scenes are a bit long in some cases and the voices are a bit overplayed. The objects to find in the HOS are rarely duplicated from one scene to another, the way some games ‘cheat’. The objects also span a wide range of subjects and in some cases exceeded my knowledge of the English language, although I am familiar with British use of clothes pegs rather than clothes pins, but I still found words outside my vocabulary. One complaint is that after you select a suspect, you have to revisit almost all of the previous areas and do more HOS to gather what you need for proof of guilt. There is a map to assist you, but you cannot move to another location using the map.
I recommend this game!
Can a mysterious tattoo cure a phobia or will it turn a patient into a victim and make him crave for death?
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 7 found this review helpful
A mediocre game
PostedApril 11, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The authors appeared to have an original idea and may be on to something, but the execution left something to be desired. The end result was a mediocre game with little going for it other than originality. The original part is that the HOS can be played normally or through the application of matching silhouettes to portions of the scene; after the silhouettes are placed, the HOS will have sparkles showing exactly where everything is. One may switch back and forth between modes if needed. That is original but flawed in execution; it just did not seem quite “finished”. There are very many puzzles, which I abhor; fortunately several of the puzzles are solved by the application of intelligence while the rest are rote puzzles which I skipped. The graphics are a bit crude and the cut scenes are good, but long. Dialog is always written and not spoken. The plot is weak, but just interesting enough to make you follow it. The game is certainly not bad, and is probably, for most people, worth buying, it just doesn’t stand out as an excellent game or even as a very good game. It is mediocre, not particularly good but certainly not bad.
I recommend this game!
Stop a mechanical monster before it destroys an entire town in Depths of Betrayal! Uncover the truth and stop the terrifying machine!
Overall rating
4
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Confusing but good HOG
PostedApril 10, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Depths of Betrayal was an interesting game. I would categorize it as a Sci Fi fantasy with a plot that was, at least, interesting to follow. That makes the game play much better. The HOS involve finding an object which then opens 3 to 5 silhouettes of additional items which need to be found there or in another area. Completing that allows you to have the item originally found. That style is different and different in a good way as it prevents boredom with games being too much alike.
I found myself relying on the Guide far more than I like to because I was often confused about what to do next. Fortunately, the CE has a very good guide. It disrupted my enjoyment of the game somewhat to have to refer to it so often, however. I dislike puzzles, but in this game I played almost all of them. At least many of them required one to think; I like games that are intellectual.
I found myself relying on the Guide far more than I like to because I was often confused about what to do next. Fortunately, the CE has a very good guide. It disrupted my enjoyment of the game somewhat to have to refer to it so often, however. I dislike puzzles, but in this game I played almost all of them. At least many of them required one to think; I like games that are intellectual.
I recommend this game!
Take a wonderful trip to the magic kingdom, where you will meet three beautiful princesses, symbolizing seasons.
Overall rating
5
/
5
45 of 49 found this review helpful
An absolute hoot
PostedApril 2, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
So far I have played the first 100 levels and the game is an absolute hoot. It has all the good stuff, sound effects, rockets, bombs, and rich graphics. I love blowing things up. I found myself smiling while I played and I was all alone. I just had to smile. Season Match has great fun. Season Match has great graphics. The game has two levels, timed and “no lose” which is still timed but if you go over time you just don’t get any bonus points. I play relaxed, or no lose, and run out of time more than half the levels. Levels generally take between 45 seconds and 3 and a half minutes to play. I tried playing the timed mode but I kept stopping to watch the action and enjoy the scenery and then I would run out of time. If you like to make everything a challenge and play the timed mode, I might suggest that you at least play a few levels in relaxed mode just to appreciate the beauty. Season Match is a great game.
I recommend this game!
After a group of young students go missing, the Mystery Trackers are called in to search the city of Raincliff!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
A very solid HOG
PostedMarch 31, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I read the reviews of Raincliff and was impressed. I bought it. The game is well drawn with good HOS, a rather interesting plot (if impossible) and is thoroughly worth playing. I liked everything except the puzzles, which were largely those solved by rote, but skip charges quickly. The CE has hints which are very good, sometimes a bit too specific, but at least it gets you back on track in a game with lots of moving around. Occasionally I would either have lapses of memory or simply come to a dead end and really need the hint. The artwork was very good and the cut scenes were above average. I decided on a 4 rather than a 5 based on the amount of wandering back and forth that was necessary. There is a walkthrough that I needed only twice. I highly recommend the game to those who are not put off by a lot of back and forth. If you really hate the “to and fro” you might want to avoid this game.
I recommend this game!
Help Anna unravel an intriguing mystery that reaches as far back as ancient Egypt, all the way up to Victorian France.
Overall rating
1
/
5
12 of 18 found this review helpful
Bottom of the barrel
PostedMarch 31, 2012
DrDavid
fromRaleigh, NC
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This game is not fun. I was compelled to buy the Strategy Guide because the game play is so fragmented and confusing. You are given a number of things to find in a HOS, but not all of them are in that HOS. Come on, that just isn’t fair and isn’t good game play. How can you know when you are done? Without the guide the game becomes very confusing and is unappealing to me. The artwork is uncommonly bad, objects are often hidden in areas so dark that they are indistinguishable. I did not detect any semblance of a story line. Lacking a plot, it has license to skip all over . You cannot skip puzzles. Solve them or die. The music is grating. The voices are even worse, with their fake accents. I played this without any sound. Did I like anything about the game? My answer has to be not much except the spot the differences scenes.
I don't recommend this game.