arnold1049's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:4,545
- Reviews Submitted:555
- First Review:February 24, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 24, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Reprise your role as Cruise Director and enjoy a worldwide cruise of a lifetime while finding hidden objects and completing clever mini games.
Overall rating
5
/
5
18 of 25 found this review helpful
PROVEN FORMULA RESULTS IN ANOTHER GREAT GAME
PostedNovember 3, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
These series of games, Vacation Adventures, both Cruise Director and Park Ranger, have a proven formula that always results in a great game. With the exception of the characters, the best part of the game is the realistic pictures of the various locations that are used for the hidden object scenes. They make you feel that you are right there, experiencing the locations as if you were a part of them. However, the characters still need some work, as they appear wooden and lifeless. The hidden object scenes include two other sets of objects that must be found in order to earn all 3 stars for gameplay. These two additional hidden object sets include trash items that must be found and deposited into the trash bin, and items "lost" by the various vacationers. For each location, there is a minigame and the minigames vary from jigsaw puzzles, to concentration grids, to matching world locations with the appropriate flag and picture of the country's people, and everything in between. The game also includes educational information that increases the game's value and adds to the enjoyment of gameplay. I have purchased and played all the games in these two series and Casual Arts sure knows how to produce a winner time after time.
I recommend this game!
Dive into some underwater fun in this breathtaking match 3 adventure. Help Beatrice decorate a fish sanctuary for Halloween!
Overall rating
5
/
5
12 of 12 found this review helpful
LOADS OF FUN
PostedNovember 3, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I purchased this game after playing the demo and this review is based on playing over 40 levels. This Match 3 game provides endless variety with several difficulty settings, many tile choices and challenging grid layouts. The graphics are very bright and light-hearted, bringing a smile to my face as I play. During play, money and diamonds are earned. The money is used to purchase items to decorate the sanctuary, fish and other items, all appropriately spooky for a Halloween game. The diamonds are used to purchase power ups, but I found I really didn't need the power ups that often. But then I play the game with no timer, so I'm sure this is why. Playing more challenging difficulty levels would probably result in the need for power ups, which are indeed powerful. Just a great, fun game.
I recommend this game!
Go on a spooky match 3 adventure with Annie and her kids!
Overall rating
2
/
5
9 of 12 found this review helpful
VERY POORLY DESIGNED
PostedOctober 29, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
I only played 10 minutes of the demo before I decided this game is not for me.
First, I always turn off all sound (except voiceovers, which this game did not have). But I still heard clicks and other SFX sounds. Second, you could not select a timed or untimed method of play as part of the options; you had to select it for every single grid. This, IMHO, shows a very poor game design. Third, there was no explanation of what needs to be done in order to obtain all 3 stars. I played one grid twice and could not get 3 stars, yet I could not see what I was doing wrong that kept me from getting that third star.
With these kinds of design flaws, I don't need to waste my time or money on a game like this. There are a lot of other, much better games out there.
First, I always turn off all sound (except voiceovers, which this game did not have). But I still heard clicks and other SFX sounds. Second, you could not select a timed or untimed method of play as part of the options; you had to select it for every single grid. This, IMHO, shows a very poor game design. Third, there was no explanation of what needs to be done in order to obtain all 3 stars. I played one grid twice and could not get 3 stars, yet I could not see what I was doing wrong that kept me from getting that third star.
With these kinds of design flaws, I don't need to waste my time or money on a game like this. There are a lot of other, much better games out there.
I don't recommend this game.
As Avenlee Courtwald, a young writer, uncover the mystery behind a tragic murder.
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
SO DISAPPOINTING
PostedAugust 30, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I purchased this game without playing the demo because I have really liked this series. I have purchased and played all the previous games in this series and I've only had one complaint; the storyline was fragmented and hard to follow, having no logic at all. This game solves that problem in a big way, as the storyline inserts itself over and over again. I did like the way you could influence the game by choosing which action to take at various times. Of course, you can skip the narrative, but I'm not sure how that would impact the game flow. Things have been added to the game, like "Items" and "Characters" and collecting blue stars that add nothing to the game. Collecting blue stars during game play that can then be used to repair/build items in the map smacks of a time management game, my least favorite game type. And speaking of the map, I could find no way to see the whole map at once. I had to move around the map to find open areas to play. When I used the blue stars, the map automatically went to the relevant area, but there was no way to see what additional areas needed work. The blue stars and their related action also added nothing to the core of the game. I finished the game but still had various actions uncompleted, like more "Items" to collect, more scenes to play, as well as collecting/meeting the final character. What gives here? There is no explanation about the "Items" at all; what purpose do they serve? How do you collect them? What significance do they have to the game? How are they even related to the storyline? None that I can tell. And how can I finish the game and not get all the "Characters" or "Items"? In fact, I was able to finish the game without having played all the scenes. I was able to go back and finish the scenes, thinking this would complete the "Items", but no such luck. The hidden objects have now become much bigger and the graphics are very bright and well-defined. The price of this change is that fewer items can be shown, thus reducing the complexity of the scenes and making them so easy that they became boring. There was very little challenge to many of the scenes. In fact, in the "piles" scene, the items have become so big, there isn't enough room to spread them out as you search for matches. In addition, the exact same scenes were repeated over and over again. How many times can you combine a metal ingot and a hat to make a metal helmet? Or a bee and a flower to make honey? Or dough and an oven to make bread? These combinations repeated so many times, it became a joke. My impression is that this game has been "dummy downed", and extraneous items added for no reason and no relevance to the storyline or game itself. If you have played the other games in this series, this one should be as disappointing to you as it was to me. If you are new to the Hiddenverse series, then play the demo and see if you like it. For me, this may be the last game in this series I spend my money on. Again, how sad and disappointing.
I don't recommend this game.
A thrilling Hidden Object game full of intrigue and mystery, stunning environments and visual effects, investigative tools and cunning puzzles.
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
HINTS SAVE THE DAY
PostedAugust 26, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
My review is based on playing the one hour demo. This game has a lot of HOS which is what I like when a game is labeled as a HOG. The items are very small, although there is a magnifying glass available for searching. What made me able to meet the time constraints in finding all the items in any given scene was the hint button. I used it a lot, particularly for finding fingerprints and blood samples. I did run out of time once for a scene and had to start over. In another scene, I had less than one minute left by the time the hint recharged and I could find the last HO. If the scenes get harder further into the game, the recharge time for the hint and the time limit for the scene may make it harder to complete any given scene. I liked the characters but had to shake my head at the sargent's harassing attitude towards the female detective. Not sure how old this game is, but definitely not a good thing. The murder and subsequent investigation was believable and the plot seemed complex. Lots of reading, though. If you are a die-hard fan of HOGs, particularly ones without a lot of extraneous things like morphing objects, collections, achievements, etc., then this game fits the bill. I would recommend that you play the demo since my opinion of the game seems to go against the majority.
Agent Sarah, famous police detective, is called by the Chief of Police to solve yet another unsolvable crime in this captivating hidden object adventure game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 16 found this review helpful
SAME OBJECTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN
PostedAugust 25, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is a very simplistic game that provides no challenge at all. Each HOS has only 10 or so HO to find. That would be OK, if you didn't have to play the same scene over and over again to solve each investigation. How many times can you find 12 screws or 12 Christmas balls before you want to tear your hair out? In the case of the screws, I had to find them 3 or more times in the first investigation. Every scene in each investigation recurred many times so it became a joke to "search" for the HO's. All you had to do was click on the same thing over and over again. So the theme of this game is "over and over again" which, IMHO, is a waste of time. Play the demo and you will see what I mean. Or better yet, take my word for it; this game is a dud.
I don't recommend this game.
Dominic Crane's been having recurring dreams about places he's never been to. Uncover the meaning behind the mysterious dreams!
Overall rating
3
/
5
LOTS OF HOS
PostedAugust 23, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'm very ambivalent about this game. The graphics are very old-style and the game itself seems to hark back to the early days of HOGs. The fact that this game contained a lot of HOS is the only reason I stuck with it until the end. The hint function only worked in the HOS's but several times I could have used a hint to figure out where to go and what to do next. There is very little logic to the gameplay. Inventory items are often not used at all, confusing the gameplay. At times, it was very frustrating to see an area with sparkles but no idea what to do with it. Definitely required a lot of thought to progress in the game, particularly when I refused to resort to a walkthrough for it. I quit playing several times out of frustration, but kept going back to it until I finally finished it. So my 3-star rating reflects this ambivalence about the game. It is very challenging but also frustrating. This is one game that you really need to play the demo.
Put on your hiking boots and join Claire on a mosaic puzzle adventure through nature!
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 11 found this review helpful
DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS VERSIONS
PostedAugust 19, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
My review is based on playing the one hour demo. The graphics in this game seem to be more bright and eye-pleasing. As with the previous games, the grids can be solved using logic; no guessing required. I also liked the fact that information and comments were shown with each grid, instead of at the end of several grids, although the description of the game says there will be quotes periodically. The layout of the color selections, hints, power-ups and allowed errors have changed, for the better, IMHO. Five stars are attainable for each grid, with each mistake removing a star; five mistakes, five stars. I did not see anything similar to collecting flowers and souvenir items as in previous games. Perhaps this game could have had us collecting wild flowers as well as animals. However, with 144 levels, it will provide a lot of game play.
I recommend this game!
Join our detective and help recover stolen monuments in this unique logic puzzler.
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
CHALLENGING AND ENTERTAINING
PostedAugust 16, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I played the one hour demo and this is definitely a purchase for me. This game creates pictures by drawing lines connecting the same numbers of the same color. The controls are easy; you don't have to hold the button down to drag from one number to another. Just click on one number, move the "mouse" across the tiles to the next number and click again. The pictures became more complex as I got further into the game and the correct paths from one number to another were not always readily apparent. And here is another good feature of the game; to erase a line, just right click on it. Again, no holding down the "mouse" and dragging, which is a lot easier on the hand. In order to earn three stars for each pic, you must complete the pic within the number of moves and hints allowed. I did not find either of these limits egregious in any way, but this may change as I get further into the game and the pics become harder. Another great feature is the presence of a window that shows what the completed pic should look like. This is a real help in deciding what direction the lines between a set of numbers should go. The colors are vibrant, and the pics and numbers are large, making it easy to play. I didn't play with sound, so cannot comment on this feature. i could not find anything that I did not like about this game. I highly recommend it.
I recommend this game!
Travel around the world and solve beautiful mosaic puzzles across 8 countries!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 9 found this review helpful
EXCELLENT FOR BEGINNERS
PostedAugust 14, 2019
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I played the demo under the Casual difficulty setting with no sounds or music.There are only two difficulty settings and they control how the numbers above the grid are marked off; immediately when a set is completed, or only when a whole row/column has been finished. This game is definitely geared for beginners and children. The grids, tiles and numbers are large and the pics are simplistic. The number of colors used for each puzzle are numerous enough to allow for switching among the colors for easy solution of the puzzle. The colors themselves are varied, ranging from vibrant to muted. There were instances when the difference between two colors was not great, but because of the size of the puzzles, this did not create a problem. As the description indicates, various countries around the world are used to organize the puzzles. I only played the France location during the hour demo, and all the puzzles were associated with France; a mime, the Eiffel Tower, etc., and each puzzle had a "Did you know?" tab that provided information about the puzzle and its relationship to France. This provides some educational benefits along with the game play. However, after being told that lighters were invented before matches in one game, I am now leary of the accuracy of these "facts". Three stars can be earned for each puzzle, with one mistake taking away one star. However, there is an "undo" option within the game that allows you to undo your last move, making it very easy to complete the puzzle with no mistakes and thus earn 3 stars. Each puzzle has 5 of these undo moves available. I find this option a wonderful addition, particularly when my hand moves faster than my brain and my obsessive character makes it mandatory that I earn all three stars. The graphics and backgrounds are clear and crisp with very little clutter. Again, a great appeal for children. With some games, the complexity and challenge of the puzzles increase the longer you play. However, based on my hour of play and the information shown about the game in its description, I do not see that happening with this one. Therefore, I highly recommend this game only for family play and beginners.
I recommend this game!