arnold1049's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:4,545
- Reviews Submitted:556
- First Review:February 24, 2012
- Most Recent Review:March 9, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Skymist - The Lost Spirit Stones
Magic has been drained from the enchanted realm of Skymist - find the lost Spirit Stones and restore peace to the kingdom!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
MAYBE 60 MINUTES ISN'T LONG ENOUGH
PostedSeptember 10, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
In the 60 minutes that I played, I saw nothing special about this game and that was disappointing to me. When the game first opened, I was impressed with the 3-D rendering of the castle and that was pretty much the high point for me.
The princess of Skymist is preparing for her birthday celebration, hoping to find a husband. You are roped into helping her prepare for the event by collecting small makeup items for her. Then you are dispatched to take her place in repairing a fountain. At this point, something goes wrong and you find yourself in a Skymist that has lost all the good things. That's about as far into the story line as I got.
The dialog up to that point was not funny as other reviewers have stated, so I didn't get far enough into the game to see this aspect of it. Adding humor to the conversations would certainly add to the game.
Yes, there are a lot of HOG's, and ordinarily I really like games like that. But for some reason, this game just did not appeal to me. I also did not encounter any mini games during the firs hour of play.
If some of the HOs weren't so hard to find, I would have chalked this game up to being for children and not adults, but the difficulty of finding some of the items puts it way past the skill of most kids.
I wonder what I missed when I see a game like this receiving several 5 star ratings. But I'm going to stick with my first impression and pass on this game.
Tornado: The secret of the magic cave
A tornado has separated Amy and Tom from their parents! Now it’s up to you to help Amy and Tom make it home safely!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
TOO MUCH HAND HOLDING
PostedSeptember 9, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I played the one hour demo in the "hard" setting, which only seemed to be that the hint and skip buttons refilled slower. But who needs a hint button, when the game sparkles on everything you need to pickup?
The game practically plays itself. If it takes you too long to find an object, then the game very nicely sparkles to show you where to find another object. Perhaps this is good for a beginner or a child, but very annoying to more expert players.
The game also is slow; in the hour I played, I only got to the cave and fixed something to eat. And, of course, the woman was responsible for tending to the man's wound, finding shelter, helping the man get to the cave, getting the fire going, cooking the food, and finding a way home while all the man did was stand around and look good (not).
Just not my cup of tea.
I don't recommend this game.
Mystic Gallery
Find Hidden Objects on great paintings and train your artistic skills to become the master restorer of a Mystic Gallery!
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
GEM OF A GAME
PostedSeptember 9, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Ordinarily I would rate this game at 4 stars, but I've given it 5 to try to entice other players to give it a test, at least.
Mystic Gallery is a place that educates and trains people to restore paintings. Your restoration work consists of finding hidden objects in a replica of a real, famous painting. Some of the objects are small and some really fade into the background, so this is not a super easy HOG, nor is it exceptionally hard. Hints are available and I found myself using one or two. The hints do not show you exactly where the object is; it only draws a circle around an area of the painting in which the object can be found, another aspect that sets it apart from other games.
Hidden in the pictures are gems that, when collected, allow you to skip a mini puzzle. This game also has a unique approach to mini puzzles.
Some of the objects in the list appear in yellow letters. These objects, when found, add to a counter for mini games to play. Once you have found all the objects, you must play all the mini puzzles to finish the level.
Depending on how many words in the list are yellow, you may have to play several mini puzzles to finish. The neat thing about this feature is that you have to spin a wheel to pick what kind of mini puzzle you will play. I really liked this, as it kept the mini puzzles from getting monotonous. There were also spaces on the wheel that, if landed on, would allow you to skip a mini puzzle.
At the end of each level, your work is judged by 4 other galleries, similar to Olympic Games judging. The score you receive in this round determines what level of ribbon you are awarded. During the one hour of free play, I completed two levels and earned two silver ribbons. I'm thinking you can replay the levels in order to increase your scores.
After completing the game, I immediately purchased it. I thoroughly enjoyed the first hour of play and wanted to continue the game. At the very least, try the free hour of play and see if this little gem of a game hooks you too.
I recommend this game!
Al Emmo's Postcards from Anozira
Help Al Emmo and the locals bring tourists to Anozira! Explore the town and learn about the local stops and interesting areas!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
ARIZONA SPELLED DIFFERENTLY
PostedSeptember 8, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I liked this game and found it harder in places than it looks like it would be on the surface. It does get monotonous as the format is the same throughout the game; HOS then fairly easy mini puzzles of about only 3 or 4 types; straight puzzle, rotate and move puzzle, find the differences and moving pieces about with one blank space to reproduce the picture. The last type of puzzle was the hardest for me.
The game can be played either timed or not. I played it timed and had to use several tokens (see below) to finish the HOS. If you run out of time, on the puzzles, you have to start over. I never ran out of time on a HOS (I used a skip token instead) so I don't know what happens if you run out of time there.
The "story" behind the game is that a group of 5 people are trying to figure out ways to increase tourism to Anozira. Everyone is told to go through the town and come back with ideas. You have to pick a character to use in order to play the game. I haven't tried it yet, but I think I could go back and play 4 more games using the other characters. The HOS certainly contained enough items to support that and never duplicate a single item.
This is also where the game was a little hard, the HOS. Some items are extremely small and others are very well hidden in the background. As you play the scenes, you must find tokens that give you extra points, allow you a hint or add time to the clock. If you use all your token hints, you can't get anymore in that HOS; you must finish or skip that one and go to another to collect the tokens. There is some time penalty for erroneous clicks but you are allowed several before the penalty kicks in. At the beginning of the game, I had no problem collecting the maximum number of hints and time tokens and having them in reserve. But towards the end of the game, either because it got harder or I got tired, I found that at times I came very close to using all my tokens for one HOS.
I enjoyed the graphics; they were sharp and bright and made me think of a perfect town. I played without sound, except for the voiceovers. I chose the Mayor as my character and his voiceover was right on. The Mayor produces postcards for each location he visits with a few facts about the location. This is his contribution to the tourism project. I wonder if the other characters will come up with the same idea.
There were 29 locations for HOS, so if you don't like a lot of HOS, this game is not for you. And the fact that the mini puzzles weren't that hard and were repetitious may make you think twice about getting this game. I recommend getting it on sale or using a coupon because I think it is a good game and a nice relaxing way to get away from the dark, convoluted CE games out there.
P.S. Did you figure out that Al Emmo's name, when said quickly, is Alamo? Cute play on words throughout the game that added to my enjoyment.
I recommend this game!
The twinkling lights in the marsh look pretty, but they hold a mysterious power. Whatever you do... do not follow them!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE
PostedSeptember 5, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game keeps you busy with lots of different things to do. All the puzzles are interlaced within the storyline and add a lot to the game instead of just being fillers.
You play a Bounder, which seems to be something like an investigator of problems sent out by the high rulers of this land. Your job is to stop the disappearance of people in the marsh outside the town. These disappearances seemed to be linked to an old myth about a Lantern Man who hated hearing laughter and would scare people away who were having too much fun. Over the years, it appears that driving the people away was not enough and now the Lantern Man seems to be killing them and turning them into lights.
I played the free trial so didn't get too deeply into the game. I also played at the easiest level of difficulty and watched the complete tutorial. The game has achievements to be earned, morphing objects to be found, acorns to collect and something called signs that are in every scene. These last two items were confusing to me and I wasn't sure I was finding them. I couldn't remember the part of the tutorial where it explained where to find these items and what they looked like. I had hoped the Strategy Guide (built in) would review these items but the General Tips chapter of the guide was of little use.
I like a game that keeps you busy all the time. There was some dialog during the game but it was not long and the voiceovers were well done.
There are also the usual extras found in CE games; screen savers, bonus chapter, ability to replay the HOPs, etc.
This game is another good production in the Myths of the World series from an excellent developer.
I recommend this game!
A unique detective world and new villainous riddles await you! Solve 120 unique griddlers in Detective Riddles 2!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
SEEN ONE, SEEN THEM ALL
PostedSeptember 4, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
This is a fill in the blanks grid game, sometimes called a mosaic game. There are 6 "cases" with 20 riddles (grids) in each case. You are allowed no mistakes, so if you want to achieve 3 stars for all the grids, you might be replaying some of the grids over again to do that. I know I sure did. Replays are unlimited.
The grids start out not too hard, but get harder as you progress through the game. Most of the grids in the harder part of the game were 20 across by 15 down. Unless you don't want to sleep for a week, you cannot finish this game in one setting. I don't know how many times I quit and came back before I finished. If I had settled for only one star, of course, I would have finished more quickly.
Each grid starts with 2 available hints. There is a store where you can purchase additional hints (4 at a time) or 2 other items that help you solve the grid. I couldn't figure out how the other 2 "power-ups" worked, so I just kept buying the hints. Points are needed to purchase items from the store.
Points are won as you play the grid, but aren't credited to you unless you finish the grid. Sometimes I would finish a grid, even though I had already made a mistake, just to get the points. I never ran out of points to buy the hints.
The only thing I wish could be changed in these games is the requirement of making zero mistakes in order to win all the stars for that location. Depending on the sensitivity of your mouse or the steadiness of your hand, you can sometimes click on a box without realizing it and, bingo, you have your first mistake.
I enjoy playing these types of games and it is nice that they take so long to play. I return to them whenever I need a break from the other types of games.
I recommend this game!
Nemo's Secret: The Nautilus
Go on a fun and exciting Hidden Object Adventure and find Captain Nemo’s legendary submarine, the Nautilus!
Overall rating
4
/
5
OLDY BUT A GOODY
PostedSeptember 4, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I really enjoyed this game. So much so, that I went looking for the sequel, Nemo's Secret: Vulcania and bought it right away.
This game is very linear and has tons of HOS. There wasn't a whole lot of reading to do, and it all functioned as moving the story along. There was always something to do and it was hard to find a point at which to leave the game for a later time. It was kind of like one of those books you can't put down until it's finished.
The storyline is about the granddaughter of one of Captain Nemo's old friends being enlisted into a search for and recovery of the Nautilus. Most of the HOS are located in the Nautilus after it has been found.
The graphics were clear and bright; this is not a dark and dreary game and has no supernatural characters. The HOS at times were difficult and so were some of the puzzles. The skip button and hint buttons recharged fairly quickly. There are no extras in this game, but I didn't feel that was a mark against it. I was very satisfied and thought I got my money's worth out of it.
At the end, I was not ready to stop playing and I'm glad there is a sequel that I hope is as good as this one.
I recommend this game!
Black Circle: A Carol Reed Mystery
Help Carol investigate the death of a local resident! Stop a cult before they strike again in Black Circle: A Carol Reed Mystery.
Overall rating
2
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
FRUSTRATING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
PostedSeptember 2, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I played 12 minutes of the free trial and couldn't take it anymore. The game has you going in circles and trying to find something to do.
The graphics were awful; it seemed that the developers wanted to make the locations realistic, so they used pictures of some very depressing rooms and homes.
The dialog that you have to read when Carol interviews a person turned over so quickly that if it was two lines or more, I did not have time to read it.
This game reminds me a little of the older Nancy Drew games that were just as frustrating to me.
The game does not automatically save so periodically you have to exit to the menu to save the game. The hints were in the journal, where you had to click on an objective, which would then show a hint on the opposite page. Very cumbersome to deal with and a time waster.
In the 12 minutes I played, I did not run into a HOS at all.
I usually don't give up on a game this fast, but a few circles through the rooms with no hint of what to do next was enough for me. Even trying to get out of the game was a frustrating experience. I finally figured out that I had to right click to get the menu to come up. If this game is as old as it appears to be, I think it is time to put it out to pasture; a game like this really does not attract new players and members even if it is given away.
I don't recommend this game.
Utterly clueless, but full of good intentions, Robert and Laura set out to save their world in this bizarre and imaginative point and click adventure.
Overall rating
4
/
5
17 of 24 found this review helpful
DIFFERENT STROKES
PostedAugust 25, 2015
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I played the free trial and I did not get a really good feel for the game. There was so much dialog that there was little time left to "play" anything. Perhaps this changes further into the game, but it was really slow going and boring.
I visited 3 locations and the only thing I did was find inventory items, combine some of them, and use them. I went through the 'Help" option and got a short tutorial that wasn't all that helpful.
It took me awhile to find the "Hint" button but when I did, I really liked the way it worked. It was a list of clues that became more specific the farther down the list you went. The list reveals the clues one at a time. It just didn't hand you the solution immediately; you still needed to work on it if you wanted to try to figure it out yourself before you got to the last clue.
The storyline did not get very far in the time I played, so I really can't say a lot about it. It is about a group of "people" who live in the soil and are sustained by wind fountains. At the point you enter the game, only one fountain is working and the civilization is on the brink of extinction. There are the requisite bad guys/good guys although I got a hint that the good guy might not be that good.
At the very beginning, a pigeon swallows a pendant that the good guy wears all the time and as his assistant, you go out to try to find the pigeon and get the pendant back. This is your first visit to the "real" world.
This game is very different from almost all the other games I've played and that was nice. I gave it 4 stars because of this innovation. But the excessive amount of dialog to listen to or read was a deal breaker for me; I would not recommend this game nor will I purchase it. But I would encourage everyone to play the free trial and make their own decision, so I am going to remain silent on the recommendation question.
The Silent Age
Help Joe discover the truth behind humankind's extinction! Can a simple janitor and literally, "the average Joe," save humankind?
Overall rating
2
/
5
19 of 30 found this review helpful
GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES
PostedAugust 18, 2015
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This game has a great description that caught my eye and appeared interesting, so I downloaded the free trial. I played over half an hour of the free trial and all I did was go around in a circle from the basement labs to the floor where the janitorial supply closet is to the management floor. I finally got a message that I should be in another place, at which point I gave up and exited the game.
I met the protagonist, Joe, the janitor. He has been summoned to the management floor to be told that he has been "promoted" to take over all the janitorial work as his partner has quit. No title or pay raise comes with the promotion, however Joe gets an upgraded security card that will allow him complete access to the building.
I'm not going to spend any more time describing the storyline as I'm sure you can read the description and other reviews to get the idea of what the game is about.
This games starts out like no other. There is no menu and therefore, there is no choice of options and no player name. Using your mouse, you can move the character from place to place and there are items to pick up for inventory. I don't enjoy spending my time watching a graphic move from place to place. It is boring and time consuming when I would rather be playing.
There is also a lot of reading in the game and I could not get the game to go full screen (again, no options) so the text was extremely hard to read. Again, a time waster. The text did tell me a couple of times where to send the character, but that was not a lot of help. Sometimes the character had a voiceover and other times just text to read. Very inconsistent.,
No hint button that I could see so no way to get help to figure out how to get out of the circle I was trapped in.
I really can't say anything good about this game, but then I have a low frustration threshold. When I get a game, I want to be playing something, not searching endlessly for the right place to go,
I don't recommend this game.