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:
Return to the skies and visit incredible destinations in Airport Mania 2 - Wild Trips, a fun time management game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
30 of 43 found this review helpful
there's no TSA at these airports!
PostedJune 8, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
this time management game is set in a number of airports in exotic and interesting locales, ranging from the North Pole to the moon! you even make water landings with seaplanes on tropical islands.
graphics: adorable. who knew aeroplanes could be so cute?? in this game, you manage the landing, un/loading passengers, and departures of each plane as well as un/loading luggage, painting planes and washing them (they shake like dogs when they are done being washed). each level also has mini-games, such as shooting at helium-filled balloons or threatening sea monsters. there are nine different aeroports and there are a number of levels you must master at each, usually 10-15 levels, each of which is progressively more challenging than the last. you are awarded anywhere from 0-4 stars per level, depending upon how well you do.
music and sound effects: bright but simple piano tunes with orchestral background. each aeroplane has its own voice and hums different tunes in a child’s voice, especially when they are happy. the sound of landing and taking off aeroplanes is also easily heard.
storyline: well-imagined and silly but good fun.
weather report: it's always sunny in this game!
my interaction: i own this game and i play it more often than i probably should admit. i've played this game on and off for months and have earned a perfect score on almost every level now. this game is great fun for the entire family -- a bit addictive, actually. it’s mighty fun to replay, too: after you finish the game, you'll start over just because it's so much fun to play. five thumbs up!
I recommend this game!
Follow a romantic story, explore barbarian lands, win recognition, and achieve success in Roads of Rome, a fun Time Management game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
35 of 43 found this review helpful
clear your schedule because this one's an all-nighter!
PostedJune 8, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
in this time management game, you are helping victorius, caesar's most trusted general, build a road across the roman empire. but why -- after winning a zillion wars -- does victorius get stuck building a bunch of *infrastructure*? because he fell in love with caesar's daughter, and she also loves him. rather than allow his daughter to marry a warrior, caesar decides to distract his most valued soldier from pursuing true love by forcing him to rebuild the entire empire. so in this game, you help victorius by supervising workmen as they (re)build roads, bridges, farms, quarries, forts and such, and you also direct your workers to collect crystals, gold and scrolls along the way.
graphics: wonderful. cartoonish, yes, but in a nice way. adorably-drawn characters, lovely scenery, and rich colours. i especially loved the feeling of depth in this game through the use of shadows, and especially as the eagle/vulture flew over the game board. it made me feel i was standing on a cliff overseeing the actual work being done. further, there is no sluggishness in this game, neither when it loads each level nor when your cursor is zooming rapidly around the screen as you direct your workmen to their respective tasks. after level eight or so, accomplishing all the tasks in time to earn an "expert" rating requires some planning and strategy.
music: lovely, solo guitar in places, otherwise "orchestral". frenetic pace to the music, but not annoyingly so. good sound effects too.
storyline: absolutely believable.
my complaint: you cannot queue tasks! grrr!! seriously, this is incredibly annoying -- SO annoying that i actually would give this game 4.5 stars if i could.
my interaction: one hour demo. i most definitely plan to purchase this game. (as if i don't already have too many in my collection!)
in summary: this is a fabulous time waster ... er, time management game with goals that are challenging but not impossible to accomplish. if you are a time management game fan, like i am, then this game is definitely worth adding to your collection. if you are new to time management games, this is an excellent one (“excellent” as in, “addictive” in this case) to introduce you to the genre.
I recommend this game!
When Houdini’s promises of contact from beyond go unkept, his wife comes to you in a final plea to unravel his mysterious passing.
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
a truly magical game on so many levels
PostedJune 8, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
in real life, Harry Houdini did die a peculiar death. but in this hidden object puzzle thriller, the game developers' idea is that Houdini was actually murdered. so your goal in this game is to find the truth behind Houdini's death -- and to reunite the spirits of Houdini and his wife, Bess, in the afterlife.
graphics: detailed and beautifully rendered. nice cutscenes and a few startling moments that may set you back in your chair. instead of writing a story solely to string together a series of hidden objects scenes, the hidden objects scenes are an integral part of the overall story and it’s obvious that the items in these scenes were carefully chosen. the hidden object scenes are visually pleasing and interesting to look at; few of them were HO junk piles that are so overdone in so many of these games. some of the hidden objects required some imagination and a little more effort, such as combining two objects to make a third. one annoyance: some of the objects inexplicably popped up in a small window in the middle of the screen when you clicked on them so you had to click on the pop-up to get the item into your inventory -- what is that about?
this game gives you a nice blend between hidden objects scenes and puzzles. the puzzles and mini-games were different than usual -- varied, interesting and sometimes challenging. the game also includes card and magic tricks, which are a lot of fun, even when you know how the illusion is done.
most scenes have ravens in them which, when clicked, add hints to your hint meter (1 hint per raven). if you are a hidden object addict, you will be pleased to learn that most scenes have clovers hidden in them too and when you collect 40 or more of the 70 total, you unlock unlimited hidden objects scenes for a gratifying HO overdose.
there is no map, although there is little opportunity to get lost, and there is a useful diary. this game is unique amongst non-CE games that i've played thus far because it includes a very helpful strategy guide, which is what "deluxe" is all about, i guess. not only is a strategy guide a fabulous feature that is more typical of the more expensive CE versions, but it's embedded in the game, so it’s accessible with just one click. the strategy guide really opens up this game to all skill levels, from first-time game players to jaded pros. further, i've always enjoyed looking at game strategy guides -- i imagine they look a lot like the game developers' storyboards, so it was interesting for me to shift between the game and the strategy guide. another fun feature of this game is that you can earn "achievements" during gameplay, which adds replay value.
music and sound effects: the music is haunting but non-intrusive and adds to the ambience. the sound effects are realistic and help create the illusion that you are actually *there*.
storyline: well-plotted and developed. it’s ironic that the developers chose to have ghosts and the afterlife as subjects of this game when in real life, Houdini devoted his later years debunking these sorts of hocus-pocus.
my interaction: one hour demo, casual mode (this game has three modes of play; casual, advanced and hardcore). i am so impressed with this game at so many levels that i have added it to my "must purchase" list. whilst i wait for a sale (i don't totally destroy my games budget), i am going to play the other midnight mystery games to see if i enjoy those as much as this one!
I recommend this game!
Gather ingredients and manage your budget while preparing gourmet meals in this Hidden Object sizzler.
Overall rating
1
/
5
16 of 21 found this review helpful
i've had more fun taking a vision test
PostedJune 8, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
in this hidden object time- and budget-management game, you are a chef who is taking part in the Chef`s Challenge contest in Foodville`s Restaurant Row. in this game, you have to find various hidden items to create your culinary delights. you are given a total budget of $100 and a time limit of 10 minutes for each of four menu items.
graphics: poorly done; often incredibly tiny, sometimes with similar colour as the background, made it difficult see some of the items in the search list. there is a click penalty. hints cost $20 each.
music and sound effects: the only acceptable aspect of this game.
before i start complaining, let me point out that i enjoy both hidden object games and time management games (i own and play these two game genres quite often, too), so i was looking forward to trying out this combination of these two themes.
my complaints: in the demo, you start at the Chop City Steakhouse on Restaurant Row. i started by trying to make the dessert (a chocolate cake), which required me to find a number of random hidden items in the kitchen in less than ten minutes. i then moved on to find a wine, which required me to search out a bunch of random hidden items in a wine shop. by the time i had finished these two searches, i had purchased 4 hints, and had earned $2 for finishing before my time ran out, which left me with a total budget of $22 and i still had two more menu items to assemble! at this point, i gave up because it was clear i would be repeating this part of the game (perhaps forever), and i hadn't enjoyed it the first time around!
my interaction: one hour demo. there is only one mode of difficulty, which i think qualifies as “hardcore”. i found this game very stressful, and not in a good way, either.
I don't recommend this game.
Cruise to exotic ports, making matches by day and creating romance by night, to earn your promotion to Cruise Director!
Overall rating
1
/
5
12 of 14 found this review helpful
YIKES! is love REALLY this tedious and uninspired?
PostedJune 7, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
in this time management game, you are the social manager (?) or director (?) on a cruise ship and your job is to get people of the opposite gender to mingle, drink, dance, walk around the ship together and yes, even marry. to do this, you match their interests, such as favourite sports, favourite fruits (?!!) and the pets they keep.
graphics: average, uninspired. the biggest challenge for this game is maintaining one’s interest long enough to finish it.
sound effects: silly and uninspired.
storyline: tedious and uninspired.
my interaction: one hour demo. also tedious and uninspired.
my complaints: oh gee, where to start? um, maybe i'll instead tell you what i found amusing instead. first, the characters look absolutely ridiculous whilst dancing -- which is worth a giggle, i suppose. second, the kissing noise they make after getting married is barf-inspiring. third -- and this is probably my inner cynic talking now -- i was particularly amused by getting the passengers intoxicated and watching them run for the loo (or for the side of the ship?). in fact, whilst playing this game, i also wanted to bolt for the loo!
weather report: always sunny. except at night.
i assume this is a video game spoof of that truly horrible television programme, "love boat". even though i am a fan of time management games, this is really an awful game for so many reasons that i am convinced it's a rather cruel parody. i mean, something this awful HAS to be a tongue-in-cheek parody, right?
I don't recommend this game.
Help The Fool become a hero and save the beautiful princess Catherine from the jaws of a terrible dragon!
Overall rating
5
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
a modern day version of an age-old fairy tale
PostedJune 7, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
in this hidden object puzzle adventure game, you are helping an unlikely hero, known as "the Fool", to rescue the beautiful princess Catherine from a very angry dragon that is missing one long fang (or will be soon, if you succeed in your first mission)!
graphics: lovely. hidden object scenes are a peculiar blend of modern items (microwave oven) and antiques (gramophone). your hint button (a small owl) only is "awake" during hidden object scenes, but hardly is necessary. there's neither a map nor a journal, but the storyline is well-developed enough that there's probably no need for these items. interestingly, even though there is a narrator, there are no voiceovers (although each character's script is in text form). each character has three different lines, one of which pops up when you click on him/her. i was especially amused by the knitting knight (reminds me of a linebacker i knew in university who filled up almost two bus seats -- all muscle, mind you! -- who was a knitter). this is a carefully thought out game -- there is refreshingly little back-and-forth.
puzzles and mini-games: nothing that is outrageously difficult, but they are are varied and challenging and thus, engaging and quite enjoyable.
music and soundtrack: quite nice. each scene has its own special sounds (all well-done) that provide appropriate ambience (for example, my birds especially enjoyed the bird song echoing in the stone castle.)
storyline: a traditional “boy falls in love with princess” fairy tale except the “boy” is a dorky guy. the beautiful princess, as usual, barely notices him ("are you my new servant? i don't remember ever seeing you before" -- ha! priceless!!). well, at first. she does notice him later. ;)
my interaction: one hour demo, casual mode (there are two modes) and this game is DEFINITELY on my purchase list!
weather report: mostly sunny with scattered rainstorms.
this game is good fun for the entire family and the developers managed to translate some of their humour into the game -- not as easy as they make it look! five thumbs up!
I recommend this game!
King Arthur
Follow Arthur’s rise from boy to king! Listen to Merlin’s story and meet an amazing cast of characters as you live a classic tale!
Overall rating
1
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
king arthur’s online vision test
PostedJune 6, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
how did young wart grow up to become Arthur, the most famous king of Britain? this hidden object game promises to tell you about the legend, including Arthur’s early years, how he pulled the sword from the stone, his long reign, his conflicts with the evil witch, Morgana, and with the appropriately named Mordred, who tried to steal the throne from Arthur at the end of his life.
graphics (and complaints): those objects that are big enough to be seen are lovely. the first hidden objects scene of the game (merlin’s chambers) is one that you search twice, but for different items each time. why didn’t the developers combine these two searches into one? fortunately there is no click penalty since you are not provided with a hint button so completing the scene will keep you frustrated (especially trying to find the lizard). speaking of the hint button, after you leave merlin’s chambers, you FINALLY do get a hint button, although it is quite different from what you are familiar with. in this case, the developers give you FOUR different hint buttons, each of which does different things, and each of which is recharged by finding and clicking on ancient runes. why isn’t one hint button isn’t good enough? why do we need FOUR variations on this theme when they all give the same result in the end? anywho, i decided that the developers were just being annoyingly clever by overcompensating for the lack of a hint button at the beginning of the game. i was also annoyed by the sword scene since there were many many dozens of swords to look at, and roughly one dozen of them (one-third or so) are meant for you to find, but the differences between each sword is very minor and difficult to spot because, of course, the swords are all so tiny. further, if you click on an object before it pops up in your item list, nothing happens, so you may end up clicking on the same object three or four times during your search.
music and voiceovers: the music is appropriate. Merlin’s voice makes me think of a grandfather who is falling asleep whilst telling a bedtime story to his grandkids.
my interaction: one hour demo. absolutely NO plans to purchase this game.
i am very passionate about the King Arthur legend and have read everything i can get my hands on about it, so i was quite pleased to run across this game. but my happiness was short-lived because i was very disappointed with this game. further, i suspect this game is targeted to kids, but the hidden objects are so tiny (or so well hidden in some cases), that even kids may end up needing eyeglasses if they spend too much time with this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Take on Time Mysteries: The Ancient Spectres, a challenging Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game! Stop the evil witch Viviana!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
hello? hello? what year is this?
PostedJune 6, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
in this hidden object adventure puzzler, you are esther, a young heiress who has claimed the family mansion. unfortunately, the evil witch viviana (the same viviana who locked the wizard, merlin, in a crystal cave for all time) has fixated on ruining the ambrose family -- YOUR family. why? in this game, you use time travel to find out what is viviana's problem and you travel back in time to fix whatever wrong your ancestors committed to outrage her so.
graphics: truly beautiful. the hidden object scenes were well done and the objects were beautifully drawn, although shedding a little more light on some of these scenes would have been helpful. a few of the items on the hidden objects list required some form of interaction or assembly first. one weird and incredibly annoying “feature” of these interactive/assembly objects was that you could not put down a piece once you’d picked it up, so you were stuck finding whatever other item it was supposed to be used with before you could continue finding the other hidden objects. the puzzles are interesting and varied but not exceptionally difficult to solve. fortunately, most of the game was smooth and loaded quickly, although time-traveling took a little longer to shift scenes.
soundtrack: really lovely music. beautiful voices. but oddly, the voiceovers (which actually are nice to listen to) were frequently drowned out by the music.
storyline: whilst playing this game, i realised i am not as enthralled with time travel as i thought i'd be. basically, the same scenes (with minor variations) appeared again and again, except one version of each scene was much tidier than the others. however, a time travel device-map is provided to help you pop from one location to another, thereby reducing all that annoying back-and-forth. a journal is also provided so you don't forget what you're supposed to be doing -- easy to do with such an intricate game.
in summary: a very nice game with wonderful graphics and music, both of which TEMPT me to purchase this game. however, the time travel aspect is just not appealing, so it's unlikely that i'll ever purchase this game.
I recommend this game!
Shaolin Mystery: Tale of the Jade Dragon Staff
Travel across ancient China and help Yu as she searches for the mythical Jade Dragon Staff. Save your wrongly imprisoned friend!
Overall rating
1
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
great idea but the execution was terrible
PostedJune 6, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
in this hidden object puzzle adventure, you are in ancient china. you are helping a chinese woman, Yu, rescue her childhood friend who was jailed for claiming to be the true emperor of china. to do this, you travel around the country and help Yu search for fragments of the mythical jade dragon staff.
graphics: art is average, but nothing special.
soundtrack: it's possible that my version was corrupted somehow because there was no music or voiceovers. the game was virtually silent, although the sound effects -- animals calling, gates opening, water flowing, etc. -- worked just fine. adjusting the sound in game options was ineffective. downloading a fresh version of the game also was ineffective.
storyline: the story is the most attractive feature of this game, and i do want to find out how it ends. however, there's lots of wandering around trying to figure out what to do next, which is not at all appealing.
in summary: since i am fascinated by china, i wanted to enjoy this game, but it is nothing special, and unresolvable technical issues only lowered my opinion. five thumbs down.
I don't recommend this game.
Help put together 5 different theaters and create your very own Megaplex! Keep your customers happy and succeed!
Overall rating
5
/
5
43 of 47 found this review helpful
avoid moviegoing crowds by staying home & playing megaplex madness
PostedJune 6, 2012
GrrlScientist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
it's summer and there are not enough theatres in town to meet the public's entertainment wishes (and air-conditioning needs, i assume). in this time management game, you are putting together five cinemas and creating your very own film megaplex. each cinema has its own theme and decorations, but they all have similar customers and mini-games (arcade games) that award prizes that are used to upgrade your cinemas so you can attract more customers.
graphics: nicely rendered. there are four levels of difficulty (relaxed, normal, hard and insane) and each level has one of three rankings you can earn based on how quickly and how competently you complete that level. these features add to the challenge since, if you're like me, you'll want to earn the top ranking for every level before you move on to the next one. during gameplay, you can also win coins to play arcade games and the arcade prize winnings are upgrades to your cinema.
music/soundtrack: appropriately Hollywood-sounding, catchy, somewhat frenetic, as one might expect from a game such as this.
storyline: believable, but not really important to the gameplay.
my interaction: in the past, i've played this game as a demo on my iPhone, repeatedly deleting and uploading it since the demo won't let you progress beyond level eight. this was thanks to the astonishing incompetence of iTunes, which made me unable to purchase the iPhone version, so i came to Big Fish specifically to purchase this game for my laptop. this is the one of the first, if not THE first video game i ever purchased for my laptop. since i am still here at Big Fish nearly one year later and i’ve amassed a respectable video game library (which is still growing!), i guess one could say this game was a very successful interaction.
in summary: so much fun wrapped up in one silly and addictive game! it's great fun for the entire family and the short individual levels are well-suited for entertainment whilst traveling, waiting in line at the cinema or when trying to look busy whilst goofing off at work.
I recommend this game!