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:
Murder, She Wrote
Help the world-renowned author, Jessica Fletcher, solve murders! Piece together the clues to crack cases in Murder, She Wrote!
Overall rating
5
/
5
71 of 112 found this review helpful
very enjoyable
PostedJune 3, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
wow, i am surprised that the developers got the rights to replicate this once-popular television program in a video game.
that said, in this hidden object murder mystery, you follow mystery writer, Jessica Fletcher, as she helps local authorities solves murders. i know the theme sounds depressing, but, like the TV program, this is the most pleasant and least bloody way to enjoy a murder mystery. (tellingly, the weather is always sunny in this game.) the game focuses on the clues and motives and introduces you to a cast of potential murderers as the story develops.
graphics: the quality of the images is above average, but not spectacular. each hidden object scene starts out with a typewritten list of items you must find on the left sideboard, starting with the missing keys from jessica's typewriter (which re-types the item list to include the formerly missing letters). you can still find the missing items without finding all the letters first, but your task is a lot more challenging if you try to do it this way. each hidden object scene includes mini-games and puzzles to solve, too. these are not too difficult, but do require some thought. most of the items in these scenes pertain, at least peripherally, to the storyline. some objects in these scenes are shifted around from one interaction to the next, just to keep you looking with fresh eyes. randomly clicking on items invokes a cursor/time penalty. i didn't need to use the hint button but clicked on it anyway to see how quickly it restores itself, and i thought it was fast.
music: not intrusive, but the program was never about the music anyway, was it?
storyline: dialogue scenes develop the story as it progresses from one scene to the next. the voiceovers are accompanied by text and can be sped up with a click. each story scene provides useful information by summarizing clues and posing questions that help move the story along nicely. the plot is simple but effective and works very well with a video game.
my interaction: one hour demo, timed mode. each game has five books (i think i counted them correctly) that you click on to solve. you cannot open a new book until you've solved the one you're working on. the adventures are either casual or timed modes.
my only complaint: when will this game be available for iPhones?? (i am specifically thinking of playing this game whilst traveling.)
in short, this is a fun and relaxing way to enjoy solving murder mysteries! if you were a fan of the TV series, then you will love this game. if you haven't had the opportunity to watch this program, i expect this video game will help capture more fans for Jessica.
I recommend this game!
Who is this Woman in White and what is her secret? Explore Victorian mansions, search for clues, and discover the truth!
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
engaging but not difficult
PostedJune 2, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
in this hidden object game, you are Walter Hartright, an artist who finds himself in the middle of a mystery after accepting a job in a Victorian mansion as a private art teacher. it seems that where ever Walter goes, an elusive "woman in white" inexplicably pops up. why? who is she?
graphics: not as nice as i'd like since small items were difficult to see. the mini-games and puzzles were interesting and required some thought but weren't super-challenging.
music: repetitious but not annoying.
my interaction: one hour demo mode, casual play (there's two modes).
the characters and the story are presented in such a quietly interesting way that i am now genuinely curious to know more about the woman in white and what her connection is to Walter -- and i am especially curious to how this game ends.
I recommend this game!
Discover a wonderful Love Story in this fantastic Hidden Object game! Travel back in time and relive a beautiful tale.
Overall rating
5
/
5
38 of 39 found this review helpful
and now, for something entirely different!
PostedJune 2, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
in this hidden object adventure, a grieving widow returns from her second husband's funeral and discovers a package in her mailbox. the package contains love letters that were written 30 years ago by her first husband, who had died during the war. as mary opens the box, a wind blows them all over the house, so she must find them.
note that i mentioned this is an adventure game, too. even though the widow, mary, doesn't leave the house (well, in demo mode!), and even though no one dies or is kidnapped and there are no ghosts, demons or evil spirits lurking anywhere, this game is an adventure of the mind, where mary's POW husband's letters that detail his life and escape from his wartime captors are re-enacted as a series of interesting and captivating mini-games.
i love this game because the developers wrote and designed it with a novelist's eye for detail, character and plot. everything about this game is absolutely outstanding; the beautiful graphics, the sophisticated music, the wonderful characters ... and this is one of the best, most realistically and carefully plotted video games i've EVER played. i think this video game (and its companion game, the beach cottage, which i plan to play next) define a whole new genre of video gaming, and i can hardly wait to see where this genre goes next!
even though i only played this game on demo mode, it is MOST DEFINITELY on my purchase list.
in short, it's clear that a lot of love and thought went into the creation of this game. i highly recommend love stories: letters from the past -- if for no other reason than so you can experience what another way of designing video games can be like.
I recommend this game!
Embark on an exciting journey to uncover the secrets of Crowberry Woods
Overall rating
5
/
5
23 of 26 found this review helpful
insanely fun and addictive!
PostedJune 1, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
the game takes place in Crowberry Woods which has been blanketed with a mysterious blackness. your job is to prevent colourful orbs from moving along their track and being sucked into black holes. you have an "orb slinger" that shatters the orbs when you match the color of the orb you're slinging to those it lands next to. winning a level is rewarded with an amulet of power and extra life that help you along the way.
storyline: honestly, i have no idea how popping marbles has anything to do with anything, especially crowberry woods, but the game is such addictive fun that i don't much care.
graphics: quite simple, really, but the orbs move very smoothly and quickly with no stutters or pauses.
music: bold, loud, enthusiastic and fun, the music is the perfect fit for this game!
my interaction: one hour demo, but i knew within the first few minutes i was going to purchase it. even though i've got entirely too many video games already.
i have never played a marble popping game before but if all marble poppers are this much fun, i am certain i'll be playing more! this game is insanely and addictively fun to play! and it's totally silly! three thumbs up!
I recommend this game!
Explore the city of London through 360-degree photographs and investigate it`s notorious past in this great Hidden Object mystery.
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 12 found this review helpful
nice prep for your london visit!
PostedJune 1, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
so you've been planning your dream holiday to fabulous LONDON! you've read all the travel guides out there, you've got your AZ map book in your rucksack, you've planned a dozen or so walking tours and your camera is ready, so what will you do whilst on that long airplane flight to heathrow? play this game, of course!
this game has a map of london with a number of locations that you visit. when at each location, you have lists of items to find and click on and after you've found everything, you then play a mini-game, such as word searches, go and other games. you also meet strange old gentlemen who are trying to learn the identity of jack the ripper ...
one thing that surprises me is how much you can learn about a place simply by looking carefully at things, and that is what this game does really well.
graphics: really nice: they certainly take me back to london. in fact, playing this game makes me want to go back AGAIN!
there are a number of mini-games between destinations that are nice, and add interest to an otherwise rather passive game experience.
soundtrack: the music is quiet and sombre, but those cash registers? um ...
my recommendation: apparently, i own this game, although i certainly don't remember ever purchasing it. in fact, if i had it to do over again, i would NOT purchase this game because it's too passive for my taste (i am an adventure/hidden object/game-playing/interactive gamer), although i do think it's a nice relaxing game for those who are eagerly anticipating their london visit, especially if you've never been before.
I recommend this game!
Challenge yourself in the role of the scientist-historian-scholar of ancient civilizations and mystical legends and save your friend from the Demon of Darkness!
Overall rating
3
/
5
53 of 73 found this review helpful
"meh!"
PostedJune 1, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
this hidden object adventure game takes place in a deserted town in a part of the world i am passionate about. in this game, i am searching for a friend who was kidnapped to be a sacrifice for some dark nefarious purpose and i am being helped along the way by monks that had been turned to stone by the same evil creatures who now hold my friend.
graphics: generally very nice; smooth and well done. however, i was surprised to see what appears to be an african elephant in the thai rainforest.
music and audio: it's appropriate and not annoying.
complaint: i do not like that "change the lighting to change the scene" effect. on one hand, it's a great way to reduce all the clicking around, which this game has too much of already, but on the other hand, it just feels kinda hokey, as if the developers hadn't put much thought into the game design. and in fact, the game felt rather poorly planned out. the fact that it's necessary to visit the same scenes many times made the game a bit boring.
my interaction: one hour demo on casual mode (there's three modes).
although i will not be purchasing this game, i recommend it with reservations -- it's an okay game that is playable, i just think it could have been better designed. but just because i didn't like this game doesn't mean other people will share my opinion.
I recommend this game!
The Dark Piper unleashes infested rodents into the town of Hamelin! Defeat him before he leaves a trail of destruction all across Europe!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
gorgeous graphics
PostedJune 1, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
at a town festival in the town of hamelin one evening, someone questions the existence of the pied piper, which seems a reasonable thing to do, especially when trying to make casual conversation. except someone else overhears and doesn't appreciate this skepticism. this mysterious someone else uses the pied piper's magical flute to unleash his wrath -- in the form of a plague of plague-infected rats -- upon the town. you are a famous inspector, summoned by the duke of hamelin to investigate what's happening and to stop this mysterious figure.
graphics: i really enjoyed the graphics and the mini-games. the graphics are generally well done (the horses left something to be desired, however, and seriously, rats really DO NOT have fangs!). you can interact with a number of objects in the scenes -- crows, rats, etc. the hidden object scenes included objects that needed some assembly, but the scenes were often kind of junky looking. interestingly, other items in these scenes could be interacted with but were not included in the immediate list of items to be found. why: are these items assembled in later searches of the same scene? i really enjoyed the mini-games, which required some thought, but were not overly difficult to figure out -- especially important before that first cup of coffee in the morning. the game also includes morphing items and the hint button is, appropriately enough, a housecat.
there is a map, and it shows you were you are and whether there's something of interest for you to investigate at each location. the journal, which i rarely use anyway, had the annoying habit of popping up unexpectedly.
although i was supposed to investigate the mysterious bad-tempered flautist and his evil motives, i found myself wondering why it is always nighttime in hamelin.
warning: if you are creeped out by rats or large very hairy spiders, you may wish to skip this game, cuz they're everywhere (especially the rats!).
my interaction: one hour demo, causal mode.
my four-star rating is due to the quality of the graphics, which are superb. the story itself is ok, but nothing that will keep me awake at night, not even with all the spiders in the game.
I recommend this game!
Prince Theseus has been captured by cruel Amazons and it’s up to you to help Ariadne on her dangerous and exciting journey!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 15 found this review helpful
it's alright for a match three game
PostedJune 1, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
this is an interesting way to generate interest in greek myths. in this match three game, Ariadne must rescue Theseus who has been captured by Amazons. your mission is to help Ariadne to save him.
graphics: the art is probably the nicest feature of this game. i especially like how the markers changed appearance when you mouse over them. i also like the special features that popped up on various levels, like balls of yarn, purses with jewels in them, various power-ups and whatnot.
music: repetitive, simple, but not annoyingly so.
my interaction: one hour demo mode, playing both the adventure mode and ariadne's loom mode.
my recommendation: nothing special but if you like match three games, then you may like this one.
I recommend this game!
Black Isle was supposedly abandoned after an earthquake but the truth is much more sinister! Join the Mystery Trackers and learn the truth!
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
wonderful game (but it did not resonate with me)
PostedJune 1, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
this hidden object story starts out in a dramatic way: whilst on the air, a TV journalist is kidnapped by a mysterious hooded figure. the journalist was reporting on the mysterious black isle that had been struck by an earthquake that, oddly, left the island abandoned but otherwise (mostly) undamaged. what happened to the residents? how can an earthquake that depopulates an entire island not damage anything? when you go to find the journalist, you discover that her colleague had already set out to find her and he, too, disappeared.
graphics: wonderful. i was especially impressed by the waves as the boat approached black isle. the developers also include live actors and live animals, which is different. interestingly, there is no notebook, which is fine with me since i never use those things anyway!
puzzles: not at all difficult. interestingly, the hint button was as good as any walk-through i've ever read, although it probably was not necessary for this game since it is not difficult, as i already mentioned. the hint button recharges quickly, and you can skip puzzles, although ... why would you want to?
music & sound: wonderful, crisp, clear and appropriate. voiceovers were decent, not annoying or intrusive as they tend to be. i was a bit weirded out by all the rain and thunder and lightning -- they were constant! has global warming finally reached the gaming world too?
storyline: it's a bit fantastic/dramatic, but ok, i'll go with it to see where the story leads me.
my interaction: one hour demo, casual mode (there's also advanced and hardcore modes).
now this is silly, but my favourite part of this game was spotting the 50 owls throughout the game. (yes, i am a bird watcher, what can i say?)
my complaint: the cursor "jumps" around, which was annoying and sometimes frustrating. BUT the hardest part of this game was getting myself to actually like it. i tried and tried to like it, and then i tried to understand why i didn't like it, and i still don't know what it is. sorry, just being honest!
despite my reservations, i recommend this game. i think most people will really enjoy it.
I recommend this game!
Travel to Red Lake Falls to track down the latest Dark Dimension!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
stunning graphics, but otherwise ho-hum
PostedMay 31, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
this hidden object game takes place in Red Lake Falls, in a wax museum (or maybe the entire town has been turned to wax?). the "star" of this game seems to be a teen girl who was seeking to escape this little "cow town" by competing in beauty pageants, much to her twin brother's consternation. but she disappears and your job is to find her and to "save" the town. but from what? and from whom?
graphics: gorgeous! this game uses some of the highest quality graphics and animations i've seen yet in a video game on this site. i enjoyed the use of actors for the storyline, which adds to the overall realism and quality of the game. also, in the hidden object scenes, at least some of the objects must first be assembled.
puzzles: pleasant but not at all difficult or challenging.
music: ok, but not inspirational.
complaints: the voiceover soundtrack was not synchronized with the actors, which was really distracting. the scenes were often dark (as in "poorly lit" or "with little contrast") which made it difficult to see things (brightening the computer screen didn't help). although there is a notebook, there isn't a map, so lots of clicking around is necessary.
my interaction: one hour demo, casual mode.
although i will not purchase this game (unless there's an SE that is offered for a special reduced price), i do recommend it -- with reservations. those who liked "City of Fog" will like this game (this is the sequel), those who are new to hidden object-mystery games will like it and those who are fans of video game art will particularly enjoy this game. those who have played several hundred of these games and are looking for something new and different probably won't be as impressed.
I recommend this game!