laurakay76's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:723
- Reviews Submitted:158
- First Review:November 16, 2011
- Most Recent Review:August 21, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Dark Romance: Vampire in Love Collector's Edition
Can a vampire and an ordinary girl be together, if the vampire's father opposes this?
Overall rating
2
/
5
Bored.
PostedJanuary 21, 2020
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Arcade & Action, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is based strictly on the demo, as I couldn't bring myself to actually buy the game. The concept was interesting - vampire son of Dracula falls in love with a mortal girl, who promptly gets kidnapped by dear old dad.
Likes: I appreciated being able to trade the hidden object scenes for match 3 puzzles, and being able to go back and forth between the two types. I liked the achievements. The ability to purchase stuff for a mini castle and your game interface based on finding things in the different rooms was a nice touch, although it didn't do all that much for me. The graphics were absolutely beautiful and I give them full praise, and the sound effects were appropriately creepy.
Dislikes: Honestly, the story just didn't make much sense to me. I know I only got an hour's worth of it, so maybe some parts were explained better later, but I had no real grasp of who Enron (seriously, Enron?) and Emily were or why they fell in love. I also didn't understand Dracula's motivation, beyond 'my son needs to do what I want him to do'. How did Dracula get a son anyway? Some of the gameplay felt really tedious and some of the puzzles were a bit nonsensical, such as the one where you had to add items to Emily's portrait; who has two identical portraits of themselves hanging side by side in their own home?
Overall, I liked the concept of the game much more than I liked the game itself.
I don't recommend this game.
When the game worlds collapse, help can only come from one place. The real world!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 16 found this review helpful
Good as long as you're not a stickler for details
PostedOctober 6, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I like the idea of devs combining their separate properties into crossover games. The Detectives United series from Elephant Games is a favorite of mine, so when I heard about this one, I was curious. Now, I'm not familiar with Puppetshow, Haunted Halls, or any of the series which get mixed up in this game, with the sole exception of Dark Tales. The main reason I wanted to play was because I knew that my darling Dupin would be in it, and that was enough for me to buy it without even doing the demo. It sucked me in from the start - what fun to be literally playing as myself, brought into the world of the games!
The puzzles are good, but very little has any sort of explanation. You get a question mark icon which indicates that you're going to have to do *something*, but you'll have to figure out what that something is on your own. Some of the instructions on the puzzles didn't really make it very clear what needed to be done. Also, I wasn't too keen on the whole 'gather coins and purchase items for a collection' side quest. It serves no purpose and just gave me one more thing to worry about while I was trying to pay attention to the game.
If you're a continuity stickler, be advised that this game does not figure into the continuity of the individual series. At the very least, it doesn't fit the Dark Tales timeline; at one point in this game, Dupin is given a confirmed birth year of 1865, which is literally impossible for the Dark Tales games because some of them are dated as happening in the 1840s. But as long as you can ignore that sort of thing, you'll have a grand time.
One thing I did find fascinating was the way this game illustrated the character of Death. No Grim Reaper here, no dark mysterious figure - I won't ruin it for those who haven't played yet, but trust me when I say that you will not be expecting what you get.
All in all, this was a really interesting and unusual game and I'll be keeping an eye out for sequels. Nice one, AMAX!
I recommend this game!
Start this madcap quest with Princess and her Lady-in-waiting.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
New favorite TM game!
PostedAugust 3, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I loved everything about this game! It was visually interesting, the music was great, the challenge was present but not overwhelming, and the setting and story were hilarious. I described to a friend as being "sort of a feminist Elizabethan-steampunk hybrid with a dash of Monty Python-esque humor." It was also really neat to see the Princess grow as a person as the game carried on - she went from being almost completely vapid and self-absorbed to really caring about the people and the country, and showing appropriate gratitude to her Lady-in-waiting who helped her. The whole thing was very subtle. It was fun and entertaining and I'm really glad I got it!
I recommend this game!
An exciting time management journey through a fairytale kingdom!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
More of a resource management than a time management
PostedJuly 31, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The premise interested me so I bought it in a collector's edition sale. The management of your resources is increasingly challenging as the game progresses; it's beautifully animated and the background music gets stuck in my head (not in a bad way).
The story is arguably the weakest point. It has a great concept - the princess of the realm is oblivious to the real problems of her people, so a sorceress curses her to live as one in order for her to learn what really goes on in their day-to-day. I love this idea. But it's executed in a rather bland manner; she goes to the different parts of the kingdom, collecting allies who are almost a bit too eager to accept what she's telling them. She looks nothing like her true form, and the opening narration suggests that her kingdom has completely forgotten her, so why is it so easy for her to convince everyone of who she is? I was kind of entertained by the appearance of her companions, though; the way everybody is illustrated, it looks like a mildly annoyed young woman is on a quest with discount versions of Legolas and Gimli from Lord of the Rings, the Weasley twins from Harry Potter, Navi the fairy from the Legend of Zelda games, and Merlin, plus a generic farm boy.
All teasing aside, this is a fun game and it challenged me for days. But I wish I'd gotten the standard edition instead of the collector's edition, because there really aren't enough bonus features to make the CE worth the price.
I recommend this game!
Whenever heroes gather, villains are sure to follow...
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
An excellent followup
PostedJuly 27, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Arcade & Action, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I liked the first Detectives United game so much, I bought this one without even playing the demo. Turns out that I like this one even more. Everything that was good in the first game returns, and this time the mystery is even deeper and more engrossing. The characters are likable, their interactions with each other are a lot of fun, and the plot will keep you guessing all the way. If you liked the first one, you're sure to like this one too. I hope Elephant continues this series because it's a good one!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a dangerous cloaked assailant before it’s too late?
Overall rating
4
/
5
25 of 26 found this review helpful
The Phoenix rises
PostedJuly 26, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Arcade & Action, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I have been a longtime player of this entire series, so when I saw that the sixteenth game was being released, I dropped two credits immediately to purchase it without the demo. Ligeia is a great addition to the series!
The story is rich and engaging, and full of twists and turns. It's got all kinds of details that are just right for a Poe game - hidden crypts, angry ghosts, secret passages, and a murder most foul. The puzzles are challenging but not overly so; I managed the entire game without using the hint or skip buttons once. Without spoiling the reason for it, we actually get to play as Dupin for part of this game, which is a really great change of pace.
The bonus chapter is also a nice piece of storytelling and an interesting addition to the events of the game. Dupin's final line made me laugh as he all but invokes Poe himself by name.
All in all, a very fine installment!
I recommend this game!
Dark Strokes: The Legend of the Snow Kingdom Collector's Edition
Enter the enchanted realm of the Snow Kingdom!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Very middle of the road
PostedJuly 24, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is based strictly on the demo. I found this game to be interesting enough to actually finish the demo, which is more than I can say for many others I've tried - including the previous Dark Strokes, which I absolutely hated!
The story is a little confusing; it's unclear just how much time passes in the beginning. An Ice Knight chases down and crashes a carriage, which turns out to have a beautiful princess inside. Alan, a hunter, defeats the Ice Knight and rescues the princess, giving her shelter in his nearby cabin. Almost immediately she receives a suspicious present. Judging by the fact that the broken carriage and its horse are still where they were left, it implies that this is all happening on the same night; yet exploring Alan's cabin has him remark about how ever since she arrived, Adele has made his home warmer and more inviting, which seems to imply that she's been there for a while. She even calls it "our home," rather than his.
Adele herself is my least favorite aspect of the game. She's a cookie cutter princess, bland and uninteresting, and a bit annoying to be honest. (However, she's a huge improvement on Clair from the previous game, whom I couldn't stand because she was so dull.) Alan is more likable. The voice acting apart from Adele's is enjoyable, and the lady pirate in particular seems like an interesting character. The graphics are lovely and the music is pleasing. Puzzles are interesting and a little challenging, but the game has quite a bit of hand-holding going on.
It's not a bad game by any means, and I might pick it up on a sale sometime. For those who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing that they will like.
Three legendary detectives join forces to solve a horrible crime!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Remarkable and engaging
PostedJuly 24, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I'm entirely unfamiliar with all three of the series which converge in this game, so I downloaded the trial with some trepidation. But the reviews were so good that they had me curious.
Turns out that you don't really need to have much of an understanding of any of the disparate series in order to enjoy this. The game does a credible job of helping you understand who these characters are, and their backstories are of minimal importance for this story. You play as each of the three united detectives at different times, depending on which of them is best suited for the current task.
The story is interesting, well-conceived, and well-executed. I was emotionally invested by the end of it and wanted the best possible outcome - which is exactly what it delivers. The bonus chapter was slightly less engaging, as it's a separate case which isn't fleshed out quite as well, but it was still worth playing. The three detectives are very interesting in their own rights and I'm considering trying out their individual series so I can get to know them better.
But first, there's a sequel to this game that I need to play.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the infamous Crows League before they strike again?
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
This doesn't make any sense.
PostedJune 8, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I have played all the DT games, having been a fan since game 3. I have a list of where I rank them in order from worst to best, and this is down at the bottom. It's visually stunning, the sound quality is good, and the puzzles are decently challenging.
But who ARE these people? This game is indicated to be a sequel to the previous game, "The Raven," and yet I can't see too many connections. We've got a *different* Alan and Lenore, and a *different* White Crow, and the two stories have some slight overlap but that's about it. This one raises more questions than it answers, just like Tell-Tale Heart. They're my two least favorites in the series. Their stories just don't make any sense.
I'm sorry, devs - I love these games and your take on Dupin, but this one was a disappointment. (I loved the next one though!)
I don't recommend this game.
Save a missing family from an infamous haunted house!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
New favorite in this series
PostedMay 26, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I fell way behind with my Dark Tales gaming and I've been trying to catch up lately. I really didn't like The Tell-Tale Heart; Metzengerstein was better; but I found The Raven and especially Lenore super disappointing because their stories (to me) didn't make a lot of sense, and I am here for the story. So I didn't know what to expect from Morella.
This is my new favorite game in this series.
It was engrossing from start to finish. Compelling story, excellent animations, creepy and emotional voice acting, challenging puzzles... it had everything I wanted. Plus Dupin got returned to his earlier handsome appearance, which was nice. The ending was lovely and just a little bit romantic and it made me terribly happy. (Furthermore, I have long suspected that Anna from Nightfall is the player character, and there's something in the bonus chapter that suggests I'm right!)
All in all, this is a quality game and it reminded me why I loved the Dark Tales in the first place.
I recommend this game!