WispofWist's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4
- Helpful Votes:272
- Reviews Submitted:10
- First Review:January 27, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 29, 2012
- Featured reviews0
WispofWist's Review History
Help Valdo find The Secrets of Da Vinci by exploring the mysterious Cloux Manor in this fun Large File Adventure game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
32 of 39 found this review helpful
If Only I Could Recommend It.
PostedApril 29, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
But I can't.
I believe Secrets of DaVinci is by the same company as Nostadamus. This being said, as much as I tried not to, I could not help but compare Secrets of DaVinci to Nostradamus: The Last Prophecy. I am sad to report, Secrets of DaVinci definitely was the less enjoyable of the two.
The puzzles were much less interesting and in-depth than I was expecting. They were also themed around machines and science more versus astrology and potion making, like they were in Nostradamus. You were still mixing things, but they were mostly rather mundane, such as ink, brandy, perfume etc. This is a matter of taste, but the quality of the game is not. The whole game seems rather confused, and though the complexity of the plot is excellent (though behind Nostradamus, I am still afraid) the execution of it is not. Possibly because I related less to the main character, Valdo, than I would have liked. His motive, which becomes your motive, for doing everything you do in the game just is not very good. He is a thieving, rather selfish sort, but not as clever as I would have liked him to be. I often figured things out long before Valdo did, which became very irritating. The minigames were also simple, conventional and few. Now that I think of it, he just was not really a character I would like to become, which is a major problem in a first person adventure. I did not have to suffer long, as this game is not very long. Secrets was maybe six hours, maximum.
There are a few features that are unique, but they do not benefit the game much as a whole. For example, there is a “conscience”: two meters in the inventory screen, one being demonic and one being angelic, which sounds interesting, right? You need to keep them balanced, which I fortunately did, but from what I’ve read on walkthroughs, if you don’t then your conscience can prevent you from doing something necessary for the plot to progress. There is also, if you can believe it, a bit of a dating sim in this game. This is destined to either be ridiculously well laid-out and potentially start a craze among adventure games, or to fail horribly and serve as a severe distraction from more interesting things. Sadly, it was the latter of these two results. The romantic aspect just did not work.
At the end of the game, there was a cutscene with text on the bottom, that implied there was replay value, but there were only two changeable features that I am aware of, and both are rather obvious, and would not change the result much.
There were some cutscenes, which were probably the highlight of the game, and the voice acting was good, but not great. The animation was excellent.
In conclusion the whole game seems to have an identity crisis. Is it a strategic game, or a stat-based, an alternate ending , an adventure, or a dating simulation game? A few days after completeing it, I still really don’t know. As much as I tried to love this game, it is miserably disjointed and despite the plot’s potential to be enchanting, it just never is achieved because of so many other distractions.
The puzzles were much less interesting and in-depth than I was expecting. They were also themed around machines and science more versus astrology and potion making, like they were in Nostradamus. You were still mixing things, but they were mostly rather mundane, such as ink, brandy, perfume etc. This is a matter of taste, but the quality of the game is not. The whole game seems rather confused, and though the complexity of the plot is excellent (though behind Nostradamus, I am still afraid) the execution of it is not. Possibly because I related less to the main character, Valdo, than I would have liked. His motive, which becomes your motive, for doing everything you do in the game just is not very good. He is a thieving, rather selfish sort, but not as clever as I would have liked him to be. I often figured things out long before Valdo did, which became very irritating. The minigames were also simple, conventional and few. Now that I think of it, he just was not really a character I would like to become, which is a major problem in a first person adventure. I did not have to suffer long, as this game is not very long. Secrets was maybe six hours, maximum.
There are a few features that are unique, but they do not benefit the game much as a whole. For example, there is a “conscience”: two meters in the inventory screen, one being demonic and one being angelic, which sounds interesting, right? You need to keep them balanced, which I fortunately did, but from what I’ve read on walkthroughs, if you don’t then your conscience can prevent you from doing something necessary for the plot to progress. There is also, if you can believe it, a bit of a dating sim in this game. This is destined to either be ridiculously well laid-out and potentially start a craze among adventure games, or to fail horribly and serve as a severe distraction from more interesting things. Sadly, it was the latter of these two results. The romantic aspect just did not work.
At the end of the game, there was a cutscene with text on the bottom, that implied there was replay value, but there were only two changeable features that I am aware of, and both are rather obvious, and would not change the result much.
There were some cutscenes, which were probably the highlight of the game, and the voice acting was good, but not great. The animation was excellent.
In conclusion the whole game seems to have an identity crisis. Is it a strategic game, or a stat-based, an alternate ending , an adventure, or a dating simulation game? A few days after completeing it, I still really don’t know. As much as I tried to love this game, it is miserably disjointed and despite the plot’s potential to be enchanting, it just never is achieved because of so many other distractions.
I don't recommend this game.
Investigate the threat shrouded in the approaching fog. Plunge into danger to bring a mysterious island's secrets to the surface!
Overall rating
5
/
5
23 of 25 found this review helpful
Fully Enjoyable
PostedApril 27, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This was an excellent game, even by the very high Nancy Drew standards. I would say the difficulty is about average for an ND game; not frustrating, but not easy like I found Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake to be. The puzzles did not have an overlying theme like history or science, but they do tie together very well and have no appearance of being fillers.
The biking between areas was a bit monotonous once you had been to all of them but after you become used to it this aspect makes the game more realistic. I only have two complaints about it. The first complaint being that this is one of the ND games where you do not have a portable note taking system-you have to go back to your laptop which is on the boat to see your tasks. This was very minor though. I thought it would annoy me, but it was barely noticable. You also still have your cellphone with you at all times.
My second cadveat is there is one task where you have to have everything set up in a certain way and then call. I may have taken longer than most people to figure this out, as there were no walkthroughs that mentioned only being able to call when things were layed out. Whoops.
This game was a satisfying length. I always forget to time myself, but this took about six periods of four to six hours to finish, and it never felt drawn out.
The best part of this game was definitely the plot! It was so complex, and the culprit really thought everything out in this. The ending was the most unexpected in any Nancy Drew game I have played. Very well done, developers. You certainly were inventive in this.
I recommend this game!
Trail a wild pack of dogs rumored to have risen from the dead in this haunting Adventure mystery game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
38 of 42 found this review helpful
A Fantastic Game
PostedApril 15, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Either I suddenly became better at figuring out how Nancy Drew games work, or what you have to do is alot more clear in Ghost Dogs over other Nancy Drew games. Although at the very beginning I found myself wandering around not sure what to do, after I did the instigating tasks what came next became quite easy to figure out. Not to the extent where the plot's predictable, but of course. I had begun to think that wandering around aimlessly was a necessary part of Nancy Drew games. Fortunately, Ghost Dogs proved me wrong. I sigh in relief.
This is one of the Nancy Drew games without much of a theme, which has its good points aswell as bad. Basically, if you hate mythology, you do not have to worry about hating the game because of the reliance on mythology, but the game tends to be weakened in intensity because of this lack of a focal point for all the puzzles to revolve around.
On the topic of puzzles, there is more of an adventure theme to this game than puzzles. Not that it is bare of puzzles, but they are more directly relevant to the game than they are minigames. In my opinion this is a good thing because the "puzzles" in the latest Nancy Drews bare a most peculiar resemblance to fillers.
Basically, this is not the most engrossing Nancy Drew there is, but it is excellent. It has no sub plots, and is not of epic length. #Although some adventure games are# If you were lying in bed thinking about this game, it would be more of a "Hmm, that game is really interesting. I wonder what happens next?" instead of a "What just happened there was awesome! How did they even think of that? What do I do next? What happens next? Oh, who cares about sleep! I need to know who did it!" It's enjoyable and makes you look at things a different way #like all Nancy Drew games#, but it is not something with so much atmosphere you cannot stop having dreams about it. Is it the best game ever? No. Is it a fantastic game? Absolutely.
I recommend this game!
Uncover a secret that lies beneath the surface of a traditional ryokan! Stop the terrifying ghost before it has its revenge!
Overall rating
3
/
5
15 of 22 found this review helpful
What Happened?
PostedFebruary 28, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I have played two Nancy Drew games before this (Waverly and White Wolf) and I found the quality of storyline to be lacking in this one compared to the others.
There was a very confused atmosphere in this game. I think it was because the developers attempted to cover all of Japan-both the hyper-traditional and hyper-modern versions. In the end, all that happened was that you got a very small portion of each as well as a feeling of being limited. As in, you feel a bit taunted, because there are so many train stations and you want to look at what they lead to-but! Nope. You are limited to the ryokan (mostly hallways leading to rooms you cannot enter), the garden (the most enjoyable destination, but nothing more than pleasant), the expo centre (sounds huge right? fully explorable in four clicks.), Yumi's apartment (consists of one room# and a miniature arcade where you can play games #after you make enough money to buy two things, you're done there).
This Nancy game is practically raved about on here as being creepy and awesome. Maybe I was expecting too much from it, or maybe I'm just rebelling against popular opinion, but it was not creepy. There was one timed puzzle where my heart was pounding in a rhythm that sound somewhat like: "You do not want to know what happens next so get out of here!" You were in a small room. The door locked behind you. There was rattling coming from the wall, along with hissings, whispering and banging; all growing louder by the second. You had to unlock the door to get out by completing a puzzle.
I failed to complete it. Guess what happened next.
Did the ghost slither in, grab her throat and squeeze the air from Nancy's lungs?
A piece of wood I could have been sure was not there before fell on her head. And killed her. Not to doubt the dangers of chopped up trees, but?
Now we get into the really important stuff:
There were no subplots. None at all. One of the main, if not the main, reason I love Nancy Drew games. I love finding out about things you would never expect because you're focusing on the main plot line. And Shadow at the Water's Edge was completely bare of them. I seriously, severely hope this is not going to be standard in new Nancy Drew games.
Also, the characters were not very engaging for me. They weren't ridiculously unrealistic, but they were kind of annoying. Not that I don't know anyone who is annoying in real life, but you are in contact with the other characters alot in this game for questioning's sake-even versus other Nancy Drew games. I think, this being considered, the character's personalities should have been made more complex than usual-not simpler.
Usually Nancy culprits have far better motives than the culprit did in this one. When they went on their usual 'this is why I did this and I am fully justified because of it' speech I was sure it had to be a cover. And, -I cringe as I write this!- not a very good one. Yet it was real.
Now, I have saved the worst thing about this game (in my case) for last-THE. MATH.
If you do not enjoy math, I absolutely do not recommend this game to you. Puzzles are integral to Nancy Drew games and the game focus in Shadow at the Water's Edge is graphs, math and numbers. I had to constantly use walkthroughs for the games, and many of the puzzles were still extremely frustrating for me.
I wish I wasn't, but...I am really dissapointed in this game. It just is not the Nancy and I have quickly some to love.
I don't recommend this game.
Play as Nancy Drew and do double duty as a maid and detective as you clean for clues.
Overall rating
4
/
5
12 of 14 found this review helpful
An Excellent Nancy Drew
PostedFebruary 26, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Now, I may be biased to this game because not only does it take place in Canada, it takes place in Alberta! It also is about wolves and the (highly inaccurate) mythology surrounding them. Poor things!
This aside, I found the game to be very enjoyable. I'm trying to think of something about it I did not like, but I really can't seem to. Sometimes I was not sure what to do, but I have come to expect that with Nancy games.
You were not required to know a ridiculous amount about any subject, as you have had to in other Nancy Drew games.
Another thing that I cannot help but be happy about is the accuracy about Canada! Actually, it may have been a bit too accurate. I began to want the culprit to be one character because he reminded me of a few too many people I know...
Ahem. Anyways, I would definitely recommend this game, even if there aren't any castles to unlock secret passageways in. The characters are very believable and the 'go out there and you'll freeze your head off' warning is definitely accurate. No exageration, tragically.
I recommend this game!
Help Nostradamus`s daughter lift a deadly curse from a powerful family.
Overall rating
5
/
5
47 of 49 found this review helpful
If Only There Were More Games Like This!
PostedFebruary 14, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I. Loved. This. Game!!!!
I keep trying to think of something negative, but I really can't. Except, perhaps, for the rather out of place reference to the Sidhe (spelt 'sidh' in this#. That seemed kind of odd to me, because the Sidhe #and forgive me if I mess up, I am not an expert on them# are Celtic fairie/ almost god-esque things that are very powerful, particularily when it comes to time.
I didn't really get how it tied in. But, it was a small thing.
Now we go back to the good~~!
I got to make potions. Not only did I get to make the potions and grind up the ingredients and boil them in a pot and track down the recipe and hunt for the herbs; I got to use the potion afterward! I would play this game again just for the expertly designed potion and elixir making aspect.
There are also alot of other types of puzzles in it, and all of them involve thinking. If you do not like having to figure out what to do next, you will not enjoy Nostradamus. If you, however, hate being told exactly what to do where, then you will adore Nostradamus.
One thing that I must mention is the severe lack of accuracy regarding historical ways of life in fiction would push me to insanity if I did not avoid it. In Nostradamus:The Last Prophecy I had no problems. At all. I was shocked. This is the first time I have never had any complaints about historic inaccuracies in something other than a book. This is miraculous.
The only reason I gave it Good instead of Excellent on level of challenge is because I had to look up some things. I was not sure what I had to do on the final puzzle.
This game is amazing. I, for one, cannot recommend it enough.
I recommend this game!
Help Detective Bridget Brightstone crack the case and reveal the great mystery that lies behind high walls of the Bellevue Hotel!
Overall rating
4
/
5
22 of 24 found this review helpful
Good, yet I'm Torn!
PostedFebruary 13, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
First of all, I should start by saying this is the first adventure game I have purchased from Big Fish. Second of all, to be fair, I should say the second I played after it was my first Nancy Drew. So. It is hard not to compare.
This game was good. It was fun. These are things a game is supposed to be, so it should be an enjoyable game.
But it has a problem: it's a good game. Definitely NOT horrible, but it's NOT stay-up-till-3:58-trying-to-figure-out-who-did-what-why fantasticalness either. It is good; nothing more, nothing less.
I found myself wanting more...well, everything. What they have is good, the issue is not having enough of it. A lot of this is due to the length of this game-very short for an adventure. As in about 3 hours from start to finish short.
The characters were built well in the time given, yet I kept on wanting to get to know them better. Even with the lead, who was sassy and expressive, I felt like I was never really in touch with her. Which made me sad, because I WANTED to get to know her. She seemed complex, real, and well developed- the perfect ingredients for a lovable main character. She could have been someone you wanted to win, someone you wanted to defeat enemies with!
But. Uh-unh. Nope. She wasn't. Not enough time.
But. Uh-unh. Nope. She wasn't. Not enough time.
My biggest problem with it? I did not feel like I had accomplished much by the end. It was not challenging. Fun and simple, not fun and invigorating. (That statement could pretty much sumarize it.) Your conflicts were easily dealt with (generally by other people or happy accidents). Seriously, you would start to think "Oh no, I'm going to die!" Then POOF!
Problem solved.
Problem solved.
Over all, this game is good if you want to spend a few hours on something rather non-commital, but if you want something much at all immersive then I would suggest looking elsewhere.
I recommend this game!
Go undercover at a prestigious girls’ boarding school to discover the culprit behind threatening notes and dangerous accidents!
Overall rating
5
/
5
31 of 38 found this review helpful
I am Irretrievably In Love with Nancy...
PostedFebruary 5, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
...and I could not be happier with our relationship!
I solve mysteries as her, she takes me to places I would never go and not just tolerates, but encourages me to over-analyze anything that comes within a 10 foot radius of my nose. It may seem girlish of me to be so deeply taken after such a brief acquaintence(I mean, it has only been one game!) but I cannot restrain myself! She allows me to do things I have been told not to for as long as I can remember. (Ex: breaking into fellow student's rooms, sneaking around campus at two in the morning, following kleptomaniac squirrels up giant trees...) Needless to say, I hope to continue our romance Nancy, even if you do make me do somewhat ridiculous tasks involving tiny cutlery. I promise to spend more time with you soon my love!
Well, when I become less broke that is.
Forever yours,
Melissa
Melissa
P.S. Can't you find a way to be in more promos?
I recommend this game!
Take on the role of a lowly stagehand in an opera company tasked with solving a deadly mystery in an isolated village!
Overall rating
1
/
5
50 of 91 found this review helpful
Worst. Ending. Ever.
PostedJanuary 27, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
This game did indeed have the worst ending I have ever seen or heard of.
It often took me much too long to figure out what to use things for. I thought it could of have just been me, but reading the other reviews, it obviously was not. Good for my self confidence in the fact that I am indeed an intelligent being, ba-a-d for this game.
I felt alot like it tried to be darker than it actually was. I know of no better way to make a game, or actually, I know of no better way to make ANYTHING pathetic faster than trying to portray it as devastatingly dark when it is just a bunch of confused gore.
I am going to put a bit of a spoiler in, although this game is much too rotten for most anyone to care for spoilers. A character jumps off a cliff in plain sight of your character, then comes back at the end alive as if nothing happened.
Well, the music is kind of nice if you like highly edited opera.
I don't recommend this game.
Save your sister from the grave! After receiving a troubling phone call from your brother-in-law, you’re off on an adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Unique Plot
PostedJanuary 27, 2012
WispofWist
fromAlberta, Canada
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
At first I was not sure about this game, but after I tried the demo I knew I had to buy it!
I was afraid it would be a typical "throw as many skulls and screaming ghosts at the player as possible" game, but it was one of the few games on Big Fish that relies on having an wonderfully eerie story versus having monsters with big, sharp teeth.
The ghosts are not evil (for once!), the artwork is painted in a style that is a touch dark, but rich in detail and colour. The story is unique for a game; it kind of reminds me of a gothic novel. There are a few inventive games and alot of gemstone/amulet collecting. The main character is smart and the adventure is focused on the goal of freeing your sister.
I played on the harder of the two modes, and the misclick penalty was kind of ridiculous. Three misclicks in a row and your mouse freezes for a long time. Well, you know, for a misclick penalty. There are also, as another reviewer pointed out, multiples of the same object, so the penalty can get very annoying very fast.
Fortunately, the game focuses more on the puzzles than the HOs, so this isn't as troubling as it would be in a lot of other games.
There was also a mess up in Richard's age that really threw me off. I won't name it because it might be a spoiler, but pay attention to the dates of his wives' deaths and his age.
The ending was also a little bit disapointing, and I felt like it needed elaboration. They may be considering a sequel that tells Richard's side of the story, or they could just have not felt like explaining everything.
Other than those two minor flaws and one rather confusing ending (it's all about the conflict anyways), this game is very enjoyable and very unique. I definitely recommend it.
I recommend this game!