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:
Guide Ethan Black as he attempts to rescue his bride-to-be from a terrifying menace known as the Faceless Ones!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
if you've never played HOPAs before, THIS is the game you want
PostedJune 22, 2012
GrrlScientist
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
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
in this hidden object puzzle mystery, you are Ethan Black. you and your soon-to-be bride, Clair, have postponed your wedding and have just arrived in your hometown to visit your father, a prominent judge, on short notice. suddenly, Clair disappears, kidnapped by a violent group known as "the Faceless Ones". as you uncover clues to Clair's disappearance, you discover your father is next on the list: this group has targeted him for murder -- why? you also find that Clair and your father are somehow connected; but how? in this stunning game of the supernatural, your task is to locate and rescue Clair and your father before it's too late.
graphics: absolutely stunning. the artwork is beautifully detailed, carefully designed and includes some scenes with truly innovative angles. the hidden object scenes are interactive, the objects are crisp, not fuzzy, and the scenes are fun -- challenging but not TOO difficult. this game is so well-planned: i especially love how the objects that are added to your inventory "tell" you what you should be doing next. there are almost as many puzzles and mini-games as hidden objects scenes -- just the way i like it! further, it's not difficult to figure out what is the goal for each of these puzzles but at least some of them are novel and they do require some thought to solve -- just the way i like it! cutscenes (scripted only) are interesting and actually develop the story.
music and sound effects: the musical score is understated, minimalistic, evocative and haunting -- perfect for setting the mood for this sombre and engrossing game. the sound effects are fresh and some of them are really amazing -- how'd the developers get them? unfortunately, this game doesn’t have any voiceovers.
storyline: i thought this type of story -- family secrets, kidnapping and the supernatural evil themes -- had been done to death. but it's a real credit to the developers' care in plot development that i found myself absolutely engaged and wanting to know what happens next!
gameplay: this game has two play modes: casual and expert. there is no overclick penalty, and on casual mode, hints recharge after 2 minutes and all puzzles and mini-games have skip buttons after 2 minutes. hints can also be used during the game and are actually useful, too. the game provides a (rather useless) map and a journal as well as having an embedded strategy guide (although it does not follow you through the game so you have to click through to your chapter). i found the white screens that appear as auditory cutscenes to be extremely annoying. the sound effects only made me more anxious -- was this the developers’ intention? perhaps, although this may have been a clever way to hide slow scene transitions.
my interaction: one hour demo, casual mode. i purchased this game.
despite the dark theme, this game is absolutely captivating. it's a near-perfect blend of carefully-rendered graphics, gorgeous music, powerful story telling, interesting characters, and more-or-less smooth gameplay. i HIGHLY recommend this game. if you've never played a hidden object puzzle game before, then THIS is the game you should get because it is so amazing at so many levels -- it will form the standard against which you compare and judge all others.
many thanks, big fish, for this bringing this gorgeous game to us!
I recommend this game!
Track down your real parents in The Keepers: Lost Progeny! After growing up an orphan, a mysterious photo showing your parents arrives!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 17 found this review helpful
gorgeous graphics rescue this nightmare
PostedJune 21, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
imagine growing up as an orphan and then being given a photograph of your family taken when you were a baby -- when your parents were still alive. that’s how this hidden object thriller starts out. on the reverse of this photograph is the name of the town where your family lived, so that’s were you go, to learn more about what happened to your parents. when you reach your home town, you realise what a strange place it is: loud demonic-looking ghost-dogs threatening you, demonic-looking children telling you to “go away!”, a demonic-looking concierge at the hotel telling you to “go away!” ... notice a theme here? but none of this deters you: you begin exploring the town, which is mostly an abandoned ruin at this time, and you begin to unearth a tale of murder and mayhem and secret societies with secret (bloody) rituals. you begin to suspect ... no, it’s not possible, is it? is it possible that your parents still alive? if so, why were you separated from them as a child? (although the reason seems rather obvious to me.)
graphics: superb graphics and stunning, detailed artwork. the style of the artwork reminds me of tim burton’s “nightmare before christmas”, which made me WANT to love this game. the hidden objects scenes are generally well drawn, most hidden objects were reasonably easy to find (there were a few that kept me busy looking) and some items required extra interactions (opening a drawer, for example). i was a bit annoyed with the nit-picky hidden objects that required you to click on *precisely* the correct spot, especially since there is an overclick penalty. other important objects are scattered through town. beautifully drawn puzzles and mini-games are familiar fare for puzzlers, although a few of them are novel and required some extra thought to solve (and the hints were useful for this.) the cutscenes are quite cinematic in their feel and appearance.
music and sound effects: the music is fortunately not overstated, and the sound effects are ... effective.
storyline: compelling, creepy and well-plotted although some events were a bit melodramatic. oddly, all the action in this game happens at night -- does the sun EVER rise on this town?
gameplay: three modes of play, casual (35 second hint recharge, skip button and sparkles), advanced (2 minute hint recharge and skip button but no sparkles) and hardcore (no hints, no skip, no sparkles). there is no map but the game has a journal that keeps track of the story and also provides helpful hints. there’s a lot of back-and-forth, which became quite annoying because the game consistently gives a black screen when shifting scenes, which lasted as long as 15-20 seconds (yes, my computer is fully updated.)
my interaction: one hour demo. the game appears to be quite short since i ran out of game during chapter two (there’s four chapters) before i ran out of demo time.
gameplay stutter is incredibly annoying and the graphic murder scenes are, in my opinion, gratuitously graphic, and may bother children (and even some adults). for these reasons, i gave this game 3 stars.
I don't recommend this game.
Fiona Finch and the Finest Flowers
Fiona Finch is out to win the Finest Flowers competition! Help her grow fantastic flora and walk away with the prize!
Overall rating
5
/
5
36 of 37 found this review helpful
no green thumb needed to grow these gorgeous flowers!
PostedJune 21, 2012
GrrlScientist
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
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
in this time management strategy game, you are the charmingly-named Fiona Finch, and you are immersing yourself into gardening, beekeeping and home-baked foods to forget a tragic past event. Your goal is to win the Finest Flowers competition held annually in Fiona's fanciful home town, Beeville. The competition is extra special this year because it is offering an especially large grand prize in honour of its one-hundred-year anniversary.
graphics: colourful and adorable. the scenery is a delightful little fantasy that i would like to immerse myself into, and the flowers -- !! gorgeous. and adorable. and the bees -- OMG, they are so SO adorable!!
music and sound effects: bright and light, not at all like the typical "hurry hurry rush rush" score that accompanies so many TM games. voiceovers are well-done and the narrator has a lovely voice to listen to.
storyline: the story line is a bit unfocused, but real life tends to be like that too. i actually enjoy the story and am interested to learn how it develops throughout the game.
gameplay: it's a bit complex if you've never played a game like this before, so definitely do use the tutorial (which is excellent) to make sure you are familiar with all the details of gameplay. basically, you are growing flowers, keeping bees and making baked goods to sell to the public, and purchasing necessary equipment and supplies. fortunately, you can queue tasks -- LOTS of them! -- and the task queue appears as tiny icons in the upper left of the screen so you can keep tabs on them. There are timed and relaxed aspects to this game, and the mini-games actually contribute to the story development. this game also has a unique feature, Fiona's "hybrid machine" that creates new plant varieties. (i know it’s a bit far-fetched, but it’s all good fun.) the game also features smooth loading with no stutters or freezes.
my interaction: one hour free demo, and i purchased this game the minute my free demo ran out.
this game is similar to the "ranch rush" series of time management games, all of which i own (and enjoy), but it has elements that are unique and set it apart from them (the hybrid machine, and an interesting story line, for starters). in my opinion, these special details make this game even more enjoyable than any of the “ranch rushes -- and that’s saying a lot! overall, this game is totally engaging and is fun for the entire family. if you enjoy time management and strategy games, then you will definitely love this one! thank you big fish for offering this game as the “daily deal” -- which in the case of this game, should be known as the “daily steal”!
I recommend this game!
Travel from the Dark Middle Ages to the present to save the inhabitants of the Orion kingdom in Echoes of the Past - The Citadels of Time!
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 12 found this review helpful
lovely graphics and novel puzzles make this a "MUST have"!
PostedJune 20, 2012
GrrlScientist
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
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
in this hidden object puzzle fantasy, a witch has cursed Orion Castle, trapping its residents in time by damaging the great clock in the castle’s central hall. this is a very thorough witch; since you have assisted the House of Orion in the past, you also are cursed, trapped in the museum that is the former Orion Castle. but the witch may be thorough, but she’s not detail-oriented: she has forgotten that you can move through time. so you once again are helping the castle’s former residents and you are seeking pieces from the great clock that the witch has hidden in time. in this game, your goal is to restore five residents of Orion Castle to their proper lives by locating five clocks and repairing them. in return, these residents provide missing pieces to the great clock so you can restore Orion Castle (and the museum).
graphics: the art is absolutely gorgeous; detailed, clear and crisp. hidden objects are generally not random items, and usually are period-appropriate. some hidden objects require additional interaction before they can be collected. an interesting twist is after you've found all the hidden objects on your search list, you then "earn" a final item -- which is added to your inventory. the game includes a nice blend of hidden objects scenes with lots of fun and thought-provoking mini-games and puzzles, some of which i've not seen before. (as an added bonus, completing the CE version unlocks unlimited play for most puzzles.) the cutscenes advance the story but the acting is so silly that it’s almost comical.
music and sound effects: some scores from the soundtrack were nice to listen to, others... not so nice. good voiceovers during cutscenes.
storyline: a witch has cast a spell on a castle and stopped all its clocks, which has trapped the residents in time. to set everything right, you must travel through time to collect missing clock pieces to restore the great clock. generally, i am not a big fan of time travel stories, but this game made it fun.
gameplay: game hints tell you when there's nothing left to do in a particular scene. there is no overclick penalty and HO scene hints recharge reasonably fast. items in your inventory are used fairly quickly. HO scenes are often visited more than once, and there's a bit of back-and-forth, which can become confusing since there's no map. there is a journal, but i didn't think it was especially helpful since it only tells you what you've already done rather than providing any interesting insights into what you are trying to accomplish. puzzles, many of which are novel, can be skipped. the game has smooth scene transitions and cursor movement without any stutters or freezes.
my interaction: one hour demo, casual mode. i’ve added this game to my “must purchase” list.
overall, i think this game rates almost 5 stars based on the quality of the graphics and artwork as well as the gameplay. i think this game is engaging enough -- and the puzzles especially are interesting enough -- that this game has good replay value. highly recommended!
I recommend this game!
Embark on a space pirate adventure, puzzle your way through the universe and loot plenty of gold!
Overall rating
1
/
5
65 of 76 found this review helpful
yikes! how did this one sneak in, Big Fish?
PostedJune 20, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
oh wow, where to start with this one? um ... maybe i'll just skip any introductory comments since it's quite challenging to think of what to say.
graphics: passable. but the game is so terrible that the art is the best part about it!
music and sound effects: passable. absolutely confused as to how irish jigs are related to space-traveling pirates, but "whatever floats your boat" as swashbuckling pirates like to say.
gameplay: you are given coins that you use to purchase game piece swaps. astonishingly, you can swap pieces from anywhere on the gameboard to anywhere, regardless of whether this swap produces a three piece match. such swaps do cost you one coin from your "booty" but how did those coins get there to begin with? can you earn more coins, or are you stuck with whatever you start out with? what happens when you run out of coins? these mysteries remain unsolved.
my interaction: very looooong one hour demo.
it's possible that someone somewhere will really love this game, but i am not that person: i wouldn't add this to my game library is if was offered free of charge. (sorry fishes!)
I don't recommend this game.
Journey through the wonderful world of Geisha! Help Ichisumi to reopen the temples and restore a world of beauty and passion.
Overall rating
3
/
5
17 of 18 found this review helpful
relaxing fun
PostedJune 20, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
this is a fun little match three adventure with a cultural twist. in this game, you help a geisha, Ichisumi, restore the ancient art of the geisha. to do this, you must match three or more game pieces to win pieces of a larger puzzle that you solve. there are four of these larger puzzles, each of which depicts a temple that you must reconstruct.
graphics: the background for the game boards are lovely japanese style art, and the colourful game pieces also maintain that japanese art theme. different levels of play have different game pieces, too.
music and sound effects: i enjoyed the music, which has an appropriately japanese theme, and the voiceover (also scripted) was nice to listen to.
storyline: the story line makes no sense to me, but honestly, this is a match three game, so i really don’t think it matters -- the game would be just as fun if there was no story line at all!
gameplay: there are two modes of play: timed and untimed (relaxed). you have a variety of play styles (swap, pop clusters, matching chains, etc. -- one style per temple) and this game is unique amongst match threes that i’ve played because, by clicking on the arrows at the upper corners of the screen, you can rotate the gameboard by 90 degrees. not only does this help you make more matches but gameboard rotation is an essential feature for the later part of the game where you must move a golden key towards a chest to unlock it. if you manage this, you receive points and a piece of the temple puzzle. you earn power-ups along the way and you can reshuffle all the pieces -- and the game actually tells you when you’ve no more moves and must shuffle the pieces. gameplay is smooth with fairly rapid loading of scenes, although there are small but noticeable pauses at certain times, such as after you’ve progressed from the basic “match three” to the “golden key” stage of play.
my interaction: one hour demo, relaxed mode.
this relaxing little game will provide hours of fun for the entire family.
I recommend this game!
Time Dreamer
Travel back in time with Time Dreamer! Help our hero travel to the past and save his father! Can you help him fix the past?
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
you CAN make a difference in the world -- in this game
PostedJune 19, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
in this hidden object mystery, you awaken from a seven year long coma in hospital. you return home and find a few surprises -- for example, the place is a boarded up ruin and your father is dead. why? what happened? then a strange man turns up and reveals that you can time-travel when sleeping in the same room as a functioning timepiece. in this game, you use this unusual ability to solve the mystery of your father's death -- and to make a few positive changes in the world along the way.
graphics: detailed and crisp. the hidden object scenes usually cluttered, and the objects on your search list (at least some of them), are very tiny and REALLY well hidden. you have to be very careful to make sure your cursor is actually ON the object you are trying to click on, too. the developers included amusing dialogue at times, particularly after hidden object scenes were solved. mini-games are interesting and require some thought but none are especially difficult or novel.
music and sound effects: music and sound effects were minimalist, but this seemed appropriate for setting the mood. no voiceovers, dialogue was scripted.
storyline: the plot revolves around a mystery and you use time travel to get around.
gameplay: there are two modes of play, casual and expert. on casual mode, HO scenes have a click penalty and hints take a long time to recharge (several minutes). smooth gameplay, with no stutters or freezes.
even though the story and characters are formulaic and the graphics are just above average (but nothing special), i am still drawn to this game. after playing the one hour demo, i am curious to learn how this particular story progresses and turns out. you may also share this feeling. additionally, the game certainly looks like good fun for the family.
I recommend this game!
Help a Bennet sister find a husband as you take a starring role in Jane Austen’s most popular novels in Matches & Matrimony!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
write your own Jane Austen novel
PostedJune 19, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
this choose-your-ending strategy game is actually an amalgam of several novels by celebrated writer and social satirist, Jane Austen. in this graphic novel, you are the second-oldest Bennett sister, Elizabeth, from Jane Austen's famous novel, Pride and Prejudice. in this game, you make choices that affect whether or whom you marry, whether it is the gentle Mr. Bingley (whom your older sister is smitten with), or the aloof Mr. Darcy, or any one of a number of other suitors.
graphics: static comic-book style drawings. but this is not a graphics-driven game anyway.
music and sound effects: i liked the music, it was sweet and light and in fact, part of the musical score sounded like it came from the Harry Potter 7a movie ...
storyline: this is a story- and character-driven game, as you might expect. there are nine possible endings, with six potential husbands, all of which are protagonists in Jane Austen's novels. i enjoy that the option to remain single is also an outcome. the mechanics of which outcome your character ends up with are rather like a chess game where a seemingly small move now can have large consequences much later. of course, this game has plenty of replay value as you work your way through it again and again, trying to discover which choices or combination of choices give rise to each of the possible endings.
gameplay: there is a lot of reading in this game, and most of the dialogue comes directly from one or another of Austen's novels, so it can be quite witty. the story is designed so your weekly activities and social interactions cause the story to develop in particular directions, based on your gameplay choices.
this could be a five-star game, except for its disappointing graphics, thus, my four star rating. since this game makes good use of Jane Austen's novels and does quote dialogue from several of her novels, i wonder if the developer created this game as his master's thesis in English Lit? for this reason, this game will certainly be enjoyed by those who love Jane Austen's oeuvre. i also think this game is good fun for the family and can be quite thought-provoking for showing the potential far-reaching consequences that may result from daily choices.
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
3
/
5
14 of 15 found this review helpful
mechanical monsters running amok
PostedJune 18, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
in this hidden object puzzle adventure, your scientist friend has appealed to you for help with a mechanical creature he created. unfortunately, this creature has become a monster that is seeking to destroy everything in its path, including an entire town. but you did promise to help your friend, so to save the town, you must first learn what triggered this mechanical creature’s career of murder and mayhem. will you unravel the source of this "monster's" behaviour before it's too late? can you save the town from your friend's rampaging creation?
graphics: detailed and above average, but sometimes not detailed enough to see what you are seeking! hidden objects are scattered throughout the game, not located in specific scenes. clicking on an object opens up a mini-game where you have to first find 2-5 random objects somewhere in the game to complete that mini-game before you obtain the original object you are trying to get.
music and sound effects: music is strangely upbeat for such a dark game.
storyline: it takes the same old plot and reformulates it slightly -- for example, instead of starting with a car crash, this story starts with a train crash. this is a functional but well-worn storyline, and neither the plot nor the characters are anything special.
gameplay: no click penalty and hints are incredibly UNhelpful. honestly, the developers shouldn't have offered any hints at all since they were so useless. i was also peeved to discover that inspecting a particular item half a dozen times was meaingless: it could have something that wasn’t there before that is vitally important to the game progress the NEXT time you looked at it -- irritating!
weather report: the weather in this game is surprisingly bright and sunny for such a dark game.
although this game is passably functional, i did not like it at all and would not accept it even if it was given to me, so i gave it 3 stars. in my opinion, if you like the mechanical-monsters-running-amok theme, you'll probably enjoy either "puppet town: lost town" or "fantastic creations: house of brass" much more than this game!
I don't recommend this game.
Find mystery, magic, and romance in this Hidden Object game! Play as Dela Reese and escape China with the love of your life.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
hidden romance
PostedJune 18, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
in this hidden object puzzle mystery, you are psychically-gifted Dela Reese and you are exploring China. the story begins when Dela purchases an ancient riddle box, only to discover that this teeny tiny box contains a 7-foot tall warrior named Hari who has been imprisoned inside for 2000 years. Hari has been cursed to be enslaved to whomever calls him forth from the box, and Dela was the lucky girl. in this game, you must help Dela and Hari escape would-be murderers who want to possess the box (and Hari).
graphics: comic-book style art. although there weren't any junk piles to dig through, some of the hidden objects were difficult to find because they were not well defined. the item search lists were easy to remember because they took the form of "find ten of ....". many hidden object scenes included mini-games where you used items you found to assemble another item. the game also included a large variety of puzzles in a variety of forms -- puzzle boxes, doors, drawers -- and they varied in their level of challenge. some of these puzzles were new spins on old puzzles, which was fun.
music and sound effects: nice, but not extraordinary. voiceovers are above average and the dialogue is realistic.
storyline: although i am not a fan of romances, i am curious to know how this story progresses. i especially enjoy how Dela, our heroine, is no push-over!
gameplay: there is a click penalty. hints are added by collecting hidden objects, solving puzzles and are also at the end of each level that you complete. if you manage to collect 50 or more unused hints, you unlock extras. i didn’t notice any freezes, stutters or hiccups whilst playing this game.
my interaction: one hour demo.
this is an interesting game in the sense that it includes scenes and words that some parents may deem inappropriate for young children. (although -- seriously -- kids see and hear far worse on TV and on the schoolyard every day!) however, that said, this game’s main strength is the storyline, so if you are a fan of romantic mysteries, then this just may be the game for you!
I recommend this game!