GrrlScientist's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:2,517
- Reviews Submitted:124
- First Review:March 28, 2012
- Most Recent Review:February 15, 2013
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Elementals: The Magic Key
Plunge into the captivating world of magic inhabited by elementals. Help Albert, a young magician, restore the Key of Eiron.
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
There are so much to love about this game
PostedFebruary 15, 2013
GrrlScientist
fromin your computer
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
in this lovely adventure game, you are a young wizard, albert, whose sister, lily (also a wizard), was kidnapped by the evil sourcerer, sibelius. lily possesses the powerful magic Key of Eiron and your job, assisten by your familiar, felly, is to retrieve this key and rescue lily.
pros:
-- stunning, detailed and colourful graphic art
-- adventure storyline
-- many tasks to do (hidden objects, puzzles, games)
-- adventure storyline
-- many tasks to do (hidden objects, puzzles, games)
cons:
-- slow loading time; also slow loading between scenes
graphics: truly gorgeous; rich, detailed and colourful. the graphics are so beautiful that they alone are worth the price of this game.
sound: both the sound effects and the background music are appropriate.
gameplay: i was so disappointed by the length of time it took for this game to load that i almost uninstalled it before starting the demo. there is only one level of difficulty. hints are available and recharge quickly. all games and puzzles can be skipped. scenes include at least a few hidden objects, and active sites are indicated with sparkles only after you've clicked around for a minute or two. you can only add hidden objects to your inventory after you've completed necessary tasks in the correct order.
my interaction: i enjoyed this game so much that i purchased it before the one hour demo had concluded.
this is a well-designed and graphically pleasing magical adventure that the entire family will enjoy.
I recommend this game!
Help Trey the Tribloo save his village from a destructive storm by embarking on a journey across the land in The Tribloos!
Overall rating
1
/
5
9 of 21 found this review helpful
how did this game sneak in, Big Fish?
PostedJanuary 8, 2013
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
in this donkey kong-style strategy game, you help Trey Tribloo and his friends by rebuilding their villages after they've been destroyed by a storm that devastates Tribloo island.
graphics: pixelated cartoons.
sound: interesting because it is a combination of old-fashioned computer alert sounds superimposed over some high-quality birdsongs. although the birdsongs repeat, they're the best part of this game, actually.
storyline: boring. wait, let me rephrase that: booooooooOOOring!
gameplay: slow, slow slow. jerky movements. excessive amounts of clicking around. the tutorial is good, though, so you know what your goals are and what you need to do to accomplish them. achievements are awarded, so there is some replay value -- but only if you like this game at all (i didn't). you can win medals for each level, which may also increase replay value (i earned gold on all levels, so not sure how motivating these awards are.)
my interaction: one hour demo. i've absolutely no plans to purchase this game and even if it was given to me for free, i'd not accept it.
overall, i have no idea what attracts people to this game. it's primitive, the graphics are poor, the storyline is uninspired and it looks almost the same as donkey kong.
I don't recommend this game.
Get land to build cities with houses, schools, markets, farms and a network of roads to improve the quality of life and the economy of the Roman Empire.
Overall rating
2
/
5
64 of 88 found this review helpful
excellent fun for anyone who dreams of being a city planner
PostedJanuary 7, 2013
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
this builder game is excellent for anyone who dreams of being a city planner for ancient Rome. basically, your task is to construct Roman towns filled with all the structures necessary for the residents to thrive -- homes, farms, businesses, markets, warehouses, firehouses, schools, theatres and roads ... LOTS of roads.
pros:
- lovely graphics
- lay out and construct your town as you see fit
- clicking on a structure reveals which additional resources they need to upgrade
- lovely graphics
- lay out and construct your town as you see fit
- clicking on a structure reveals which additional resources they need to upgrade
cons:
- tutorial isn't very thorough and leaves a lot to the imagination
- tutorial isn't very thorough and leaves a lot to the imagination
graphics: so crisp, clear and surreal that sometimes you just want to look around.
sound: chorale music.
storyline: practical and down-to-earth, the story is quite believable.
gameplay: no timer, achievements, different levels of difficulty nor modes of gameplay. the game becomes progressively more challenging from one level to the next. 30 levels in total and up to seven different players/accounts can play this game. after you complete each level, you play a mini-game where you add structures to your own pre-planned villa, which you are building from the ground up. loads quickly, no freezes.
my interaction: one hour demo. i've no plans to purchase this game.
although this game did not resonate with me, it looks like it could be fun for the entire family. it will may also appeal to fans of builder games.
I don't recommend this game.
Bookworm Deluxe
Link letters and build words to earn big points in this wild word puzzler for all ages.
Overall rating
3
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
who would have ever thought spelling lessons could be so much fun?
PostedJanuary 2, 2013
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
similar to boggle and reminiscent of scrabble, the game consists of columns of lettered tiles that can spell out words. in this game, your job is to create as many correctly spelled words as possible by clicking on letters in the correct sequence. if the word is spelled correctly, points are awarded. how long can you maintain your winning streak before the library burns down?
pros:
- educational
- learn how to correctly spell words
- letter arrangements not repeated
- intuitive gameplay (also comes with tutorial)
- points awarded to provide motivation
- educational
- learn how to correctly spell words
- letter arrangements not repeated
- intuitive gameplay (also comes with tutorial)
- points awarded to provide motivation
cons:
- dictionary is out-of-date
- not all words are defined
- most words are very short
- small screen
- dictionary is out-of-date
- not all words are defined
- most words are very short
- small screen
graphics: cute, cartoonish, but nothing special.
sound: annoying and repetitive soundtrack that's best turned off, actually.
gameplay: traditional boggle-type game where your motivation is to preserve your winning streak for as long as possible. titles and points are awarded. new levels begin using the same gameboard after you have earned a particular number of points. correct spellings are essential; abbreviations, technical/scientific/medical words and human names not allowed. some letter tiles are different colours indicating they are worth extra points. flaming letter tiles pop up at times and must be made into words before they burn their way to the bottom of the gameboard and set fire to the library (at which point, the game ends and you must start over).
my interaction: one hour demo. i plan to purchase this game if it's on special offer or if i have a credit i don't have plans for.
overall, this game is engaging and fun to play, and is especially useful for learning proper spelling. however, if you are studying for the school spelling bee, be aware that few words in this game are longer than 6 letters. but it is a fun resource for learning the definitions of some obscure short words.
I recommend this game!
Rescue the princess, defeat the villain and save your homeland!
Overall rating
5
/
5
18 of 22 found this review helpful
smooth fast game with lovely graphics
PostedDecember 31, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
in this time management/strategy game, you are john brave, just returned from a voyage only to find his homeland has been captured by a band of zombie thieves, and their mercenary and cyclops sidekicks. in this game, your job is to figure out how to manage your workers, your soldiers and your resources (food, wood, stone, gold) well enough to rescue the princess and to recapture your homeland, and restore it to its former glory.
pros:
- beautiful graphics
- achievements
- tasks can be queued
- levels can be completed after time runs out
- beautiful graphics
- achievements
- tasks can be queued
- levels can be completed after time runs out
cons:
- lots of clicking
- lots of clicking
graphics: i love the artwork in this game; crisp, clear, easy to see and (dare i say this?) adorable. the graphics are so good that i was sometimes distracted, wanting to look around rather than get down to business!
music: frenetic flamenco-style guitar music. appropriate, but you may want to skip that third cup of coffee before listening to the soundtrack whilst playing this game.
storyline: silly but believable, and the graphics are cute enough that you don't care about plotline holes.
gameplay: you can mouse-over items to see how much of each resource you need to complete that task. tasks can be queued. achievements are awarded, which greatly adds to replay value. gold, silver or bronze medals are awarded for fast gameplay, and individual levels can be replayed to win a gold medal. smooth fast play, no stutters or freezes.
my interaction: i own this game (along with several other versions of the "kingdom chronicles" games).
overall, this is a fast-paced and engaging game that (eventually) requires some advanced planning as well as lightning-fast fingers. the first ten levels are easy enough to win gold medals on your first try, but after that, the game becomes more complicated, and the villains, more numerous. great family game, although you may end up fighting over who gets to play it first.
I recommend this game!
Take on the role of Joan Jade, archeologist of the year and mother extraordinaire, in her quest to save her children!
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
relaxing time-waster
PostedDecember 28, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
in this hidden object puzzle adventure, you are joan jade, an archaeologist, and you've brought your son and daughter with you into the South American jungle as you investigate ancient ruins. however, your children disappear and it is up to you to match your wits against puzzles, to seek out missing items that provide either useful tools or clues to your children's whereabouts. will you find your son and daughter?
graphics: colourful, crisp, and generally easy to see. the graphic artist does a nice job capturing the style of maya artwork. static cartoon-style cutscenes provided most of the storyline.
sound: no background music that i recall, although there were "generic" bird songs and other stereotypical "jungle sounds" at times. joan's "hrm" (made whenever she finds a useful item) became a bit annoying after a few minutes.
storyline: reasonably believable, not too far-fetched, although joan's use of a cell phone in the middle of a jungle was unbelievable to me. but overall, the story holds the entire game together, giving it some coherency. interestingly, there isn't any tension created by joan's missing children, no overt threat to their health or safety: they're just ... missing.
gameplay: a straight hidden object game with mini-games interspersed throughout. the mini-games were mostly spatial or memory puzzles that were extremely easy to solve. the same types of mini-games were repeated throughout the entire game, removing any intellectual challenge. achievements are awarded, increasing replay value. hints provided, skips allowed. journal provided, map allows you to pop quickly from one scene to another.
my interaction: one hour demo. i've no plans to purchase this game.
personally, i found it quite boring and repetitive (thus, my 2 star rating) but you may disagree: it is a slow-paced hidden object puzzle game that may be fun for those who are new to video games and for those who simply want to unwind and relax for awhile.
I don't recommend this game.
Plan the ultimate dream day in the Big Apple by hunting for hidden objects in this modern day Adventure.
Overall rating
2
/
5
11 of 19 found this review helpful
"meh!"
PostedDecember 23, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
in this hidden object puzzle game, your job is to plan the perfect Manhattan wedding for your upscale clientele.
pros:
- no ghosts, time travel or violence
- choose variations of each bride's story
- choose the bride's flowers, cake and gown
- no ghosts, time travel or violence
- choose variations of each bride's story
- choose the bride's flowers, cake and gown
cons:
- hidden objects and scenes are repeated
- some objects are incredibly tiny & difficult to see
- puzzles are not challenging
- hidden objects and scenes are repeated
- some objects are incredibly tiny & difficult to see
- puzzles are not challenging
graphics: most were reasonably easy to see, but some items were small, grainy and very difficult to see. hidden object scenes were cluttered but fortunately, they were not junk piles. many of the hidden object scenes are repeated.
music: traditional wedding music -- vivaldi mostly.
storyline: probably the most attractive feature of this game is the ability to create different stories for your characters through the choices you make for them -- a chance meeting, a conversation had (or missed) ... that sort of thing. this greatly improves replay value, although i don't think the ensuing hidden object scenes vary much based on choices made.
gameplay: each chapter is timed and has several scenes that you must search for hidden items. you are given a search list for each scene and you must find a certain number of objects in all the scenes combined (usually one less than the total number). each scene has five "bluebirds of happiness" that, when you find them, give you an extra hint. some scenes include an extra item to find (a ring box or a fancy pen) or you must "answer" a cell phone when it rings to add an extra minute to the timer. there is an overclick penalty. after completing the hidden object scenes, you then play a mini-game to win a gift for the happy couple. puzzles include assembling pipes and creating guest seating arrangements at tables. these puzzles are neither challenging nor novel, so the only reason to skip them is because they've become repetitive.
my interaction: one hour demo.
although this game did not appeal to me, it is playable, relaxing and may be fun for beginning or young gamers.
I don't recommend this game.
A classic Christmas tale tail, with a whole new twist! Help the Nutcracker rescue the princess from the evil Rat King!
Overall rating
4
/
5
32 of 36 found this review helpful
classic love story for the young and the young-at-heart
PostedDecember 22, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
tired of ghosts, ghouls and zombies? then this is the game for you! this retelling of the famous nutcracker suite is a delightful hidden object puzzle game. in this fantasy, you help the prince overcome the wicked rat king's curse that transformed him into a nutcracker so he can then save the princess mary, who was kidnapped by the rat king.
graphics: beautifully rendered; detailed, clear and sharp. although cluttered, most hidden object scenes are not random junk piles that drive me crazy. nice blend of puzzles and hidden object scenes. most of the puzzles are fairly easy (but still fun) and the hidden object scenes are non-repeating. lovely cut scenes, no voice overs.
sound: this is one game where you'll want to turn the sound UP whilst playing it because it features Tchaikovsky's classic ballet score, "Nutcracker Suite", so the music is without parallel when it comes to video games.
storyline: really could have been tightened up: i was annoyed by the maya calendar, the kitten and the puppy (but at least the candle made sense). i am probably a purist, but i didn't like how the game strayed from the storyline, and this is the reason i gave this game four instead of five stars.
gameplay: there are three difficulty modes -- casual (sparkles and rapid hint/skip recharge), advanced (no sparkles and slow hint/skip recharge), and hardcore (no sparkles, no hint/skip) -- the difficulty mode can be changed at any time during the game without creating a new profile. each scene has a map that allows you to quickly jump to other game locations, no overclick penalties and the puzzles have a reset button. the game is somewhat short, but for SE, this isn't a problem.
my interaction: i own the CE version and wanted to see what was different between CE and SE, so i played this game on demo mode. basically, the differences are SE lacks the bonus chapter, there are no collectible dolls, no achievements and none of the wallpapers, music and other falderol (i never use wallpapers, anyway).
overall, this is a delightful and engaging game. lots of fun for the entire family and the seasonal theme is a lovely bonus. if you thought the CE version of this game was too expensive or may not be worth the price, then the SE version is just the one for you!
I recommend this game!
A classic Christmas tale tail, with a whole new twist! Help the Nutcracker rescue the princess from the evil Rat King!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
classic love story for the young and the young-at-heart
PostedDecember 22, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
tired of ghosts, ghouls and zombies? then this is the game for you! this retelling of the famous nutcracker suite is a delightful hidden object puzzle game. in this fantasy, you help the prince overcome the wicked rat king's curse that transformed him into a nutcracker so he can then save the princess mary, who was kidnapped by the rat king.
graphics: beautifully rendered; detailed, clear and sharp. although cluttered, most hidden object scenes are not random junk piles that drive me crazy. nice blend of puzzles and hidden object scenes. most of the puzzles are fairly easy (but still fun) and the hidden object scenes are non-repeating. lovely cut scenes, no voice overs.
sound: this is one game where you'll want to turn the sound UP whilst playing it because it features Tchaikovsky's classic ballet score, "Nutcracker Suite", so the music is without parallel when it comes to video games.
storyline: really could have been tightened up: i was annoyed by the maya calendar, the blue kitten and the dog (but at least the candle made sense). i am probably a purist, but i didn't like how the game strayed from the storyline, and this is the reason i gave this game four instead of five stars.
gameplay: this game has 8 chapters. you collect 25 dolls (but no nutcrackers, which would have made more sense), and replay value is enhanced by achievements. there are three difficulty modes -- casual (sparkles and rapid hint/skip recharge), advanced (no sparkles and slow hint/skip recharge), and hardcore (no sparkles, no hint/skip) -- the difficulty mode can be changed at any time during the game without creating a new profile. each scene has a map that allows you to quickly jump to other game locations, no overclick penalties and the puzzles have a reset button.
my interaction: i own this game.
overall, this is a delightful and engaging game that will appeal to even the most expert gamer. excellent fun for the entire family, and excellent replay value, and the seasonal theme is just another bonus.
I recommend this game!
The Atlantis World Museum has risen from the depths of the ocean! Solve pictographic puzzles to restore the lost artifacts!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
excellent logic game for young children
PostedDecember 22, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
this game combines logic, travel and ancient artifacts into a lovely story. this is a picross game that relies on numerical/logical thinking to solve picture puzzles. by solving these puzzles, you obtain artifacts and restore them to their rightful places in the Atlantis World Museum.
graphics: bright and colourful -- they appear to be targeted to young children.
sound: the background music is clear and well-done.
i own a number of the world mosaics games and enjoy them, but this one is far far too easy for adults and experienced gamers. however, that said, this game will appeal to young children and could serve as a good introduction to logical thinking and to ancient history (and to video games).
I recommend this game!