DiDi212's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.6
- Helpful Votes:1,067
- Reviews Submitted:181
- First Review:October 14, 2013
- Most Recent Review:March 27, 2015
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Haunted Manor: Painted Beauties Collector's Edition
A peaceful day at the park becomes a journey into the surreal when you become the latest victim of a troubled artist's deal with Death!
Overall rating
2
/
5
20 of 31 found this review helpful
Won't Be Buying This.
PostedMay 24, 2014
DiDi212
fromLockhart, TX
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is based on 36 minutes of the generous 90 minute demo in the casual mode.
While the visual and sound quality are very nice the lag between each key stroke, whether it be to change scenes or move out of an area where you've just picked up an item, is distracting and so the shortness of playing this game.
The hint system is great. It points to the item you need in game play and in the HOS. It also gives directional hints and it recharges very quickly. In some cases it gives free hints.
The skip button recharges quickly as well.
The map is interactive but there is no hint as to where there is action -- you just pick the scene and you'll be transported (after a long pause).
I didn't see any morphing or collectible items, although the game description says there are morphing items.
There is an object to collect in 5 pieces, however you may play them one at a time -- wasted a hint finding out about that.
There is a strategy guide, but I didn't see a chapter on morphing items.
I would normally jump at the chance to buy such a beautiful game with nice voice overs and when BF is having a 2 for 1 sale, but not this one. The lag time was just too distracting.
Play the demo for yourself. Here is where I usually say "read some reviews" but this is the first so...
I don't recommend this game.
Time Mysteries: Inheritance
Vivien Ambrose has just discovered how to travel through time! Set off through history in Time Mysteries: Inheritance!
Overall rating
1
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
Wasted my Time!
PostedMay 21, 2014
DiDi212
fromLockhart, TX
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I played about 30 minutes of the demo, so you may think this is an unfair review, but I'll keep it short.
The visual was very nice, but no voice overs. I got bored really fast. This game offered none of the things I have come to expect. Maybe I would have liked it 2 years ago, but not now.
Read some reviews and please play the demo. This might be the worst this developer has produced because they have some really great games out there -- I just bought another of theirs.
I don't recommend this game.
Brink of Consciousness: The Lonely Hearts Murders
Olivia has been kidnapped by the mysterious Lonely Hearts Killer who murders those suffering from a shattered love. Save her!
Overall rating
5
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
A Very Different Game.
PostedMay 20, 2014
DiDi212
fromLockhart, TX
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Wow, I can't believe I've only heard of this game today. After playing the demo I just had to have it. That was this morning and I've just completed it in the casual mode.
This game is very different in that there is an enormous amount of dialogue, but I loved that part the best. All the back stories, the lies, the searching, the interviews -- I could go on and on. I've never played a game where the story was told with some much dialogue, which I could have skipped but I just loved it.
It has a map, but I didn't find it very useful as it doesn't transport you to where you want to go, so I stopped using it early on.
I didn't even mind the music, which I usually turn off, but this was kind of dreamy and relaxing.
I thought the visual was excellent.
This is a very easy game, so a beginner would not find it challenging. It sure did get a lot of 5-star reviews from expert players who probably played in the most difficult. I never play in the difficult mode as my attention is easily swayed so I'm sure I would not like the game as much.
It's a great story of love, suspense, a real who-done-it! This is probably not suitable for children as there is some swearing now and again. It didn't bother me one bit, after all these are very passionate men and women.
There are not too many HOS and the same scene is visited twice. However there are some nice twists in some of them. Otherwise they are list type with a bunch of junk, albeit pretty junk. The hint button recharges fairly quickly.
There are a lot of great puzzles. Some a little different from the usual. I think I only skipped a couple as they were pretty easy.
There is a great walk through if you get stuck, which I did in a couple of the puzzles, but the walk through got me back on track in no time.
The hint button is directional outside of the HOS or zooms in to the object if it's in the scene. I love directional hints and use them a lot to make sure I've cleared the current room and to guide me if I get a bit lost (I step away from game play a lot).
I had so much fun playing this game and am going to try the other Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray next. Play the demo and read some reviews. I hope you read mine and it's helpful.
Good gaming!
I recommend this game!
Hidden Mysteries®: Salem Secrets
Help Constable Hawthorne investigate the rumors of witchcraft in Hidden Mysteries – Salem Secrets, a fun Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
1
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
I Give Up!!!
PostedMay 18, 2014
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This review is based on about half the game -- I can't go on. I'm so bored, lost, frustrated, mad, and anything else one could say about bad feelings -- that I don't freaking care whether or not I find any more girls or find out what finally happens. Get it? I played in the casual mode.
I bought a bunch of these Hidden Mystery games after playing the demos. I fear I have made a huge mistake as this is the first one I've actually played!
The visual is depressingly dull, gray, washed out, -- just plain uninteresting. The sounds went from soft to LOUD while showing the same thing, e.g., a waterfall, as if they hadn't decided which sound sounded better (so we'll just give 'em both). The music was just unpleasant so I turned it off.
The hint button works only in the HOS and you'd better be quick to see where it is or you'll miss it! There is no hint outside of the HOS. I expect at least directional arrows but nothing.
The skip button works in puzzles after a timely charge. (This is the only positive thing about the game.)
There is a map which is crudely drawn roads and buildings -- all are unlabeled. There is nothing indicating where you should go next and there is no transporting. Sometimes, but only occasionally, there is the tiniest of flicker indicating a HOS -- it's not constant, so stare for awhile. This map is absolutely USELESS IMHO.
I spent so much time going back and forth I was lost all the time. Finding an object usually meant I had to travel many clicks to get to its place of need. I don't mind this when there is a transporting map, but since this map was useless I soon became frustrated.
There is also a USELESS journal. No hints. It didn't even keep up with where I was in the game. ABSOLUTELY USELESS.
There is a walk through for this game but it doesn't really tell you how to get around in the game, i.e., no "back out 3 times and go right to...." It does tell you where to find objects and where to use them, but you are on your own finding the location. Directions would have greatly helped.
This game is flat. I hated it and hate that I've wasted time playing it and money buying it. Please read the reviews and play the demo.
I don't recommend this game.
Mystery Case Files: Shadow Lake
The residents of Bitterford, Maine have fallen prey to a terrible curse. It’s up to you to unravel the series of mysterious events that led to the town’s downfall and uncover the evil that was responsible.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
I'm Going to Try It!
PostedMay 17, 2014
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
After playing and watching the entire demo in casual mode, which took 44 minutes, I've decided to buy it today for $2.99. It seems like a bargain. This is the first game I've ever played where I actually jumped when something scary happened! It was fun.
While I can see why Cassandra might get on some folks' nerves, I found her amusing and funny, after all she's a physic. What do you expect?
The sound and visual are great, especially the cut scenes of things that have happened in the past (Cassandra is able to see into the past!).
The HOS are interactive and can happen in multiple rooms. The list of items to find appears in rooms where some of the objects might be but it disappears when there are no objects from the list in that room.
The hint button shows where an object is within a HOS. In game play the hint button tells you what you can do where. I prefer the directional hint, but this works okay here too.
Towards the end of the demo there is a puzzle I had trouble with. I used the skip button and it worked perfectly and since this puzzle was the beginning of a cut scene, it presented the cut scene in its entirety. I read one review who stated the skip button didn't work, but it does in casual mode. I don't know about other modes. You have the opportunity to change modes in this game.
I didn't see any down sides to this game and am perplexed by the over whelming amount of 1-star reviews. Although I consider myself an expert, as I know pretty much what to do in all the HOGs I play (and that's a lot!), I always play in the easy/casual mode and use hints and sometimes walk throughs to complete my journey. This game seems to have a good hint system, skips (when fully charged) and even a walk through. I can't imagine anyone passing up this amazing opportunity.
Try the demo, read some reviews, look at the walk through, and even read the forum. I hope you read mine and it's informative.
Great gaming and thanks to Big Fish for providing great games, with hour-long demos, and an opportunity to view our opinions of their games.
I recommend this game!
Mystery Trackers: The Four Aces
Save Brightfield from a shocking plot by a dastardly organization!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Elephant has done it again with another great Mystery Tracker!
PostedMay 16, 2014
DiDi212
fromLockhart, TX
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love this series of games. They are fairly easy and have a great flow which moves you right along from beginning to end. I played in the casual mode and my review is based from that point of view. This game is suitable for anyone but the hard-core-don't-give-me-any-information-to-complete-the-game player LOL!
The HOS are lists type with no surprises. The scenes are basically junk piles but everything is easily found, you just might have to look a little harder for some. There are no repeating a HOS. The hint shows you where the object is. There is no penalty for miss-clicks.
There is an interactive map showing areas requiring action and it does transport you there. It's not a bad map at all, but I've seen better. I used this map constantly as there is some back and forth between scenes.
The hint button, outside of a HOS, tells you where to use an object in your inventory. I prefer directional arrows, but this worked very well for me. I didn't use it often but was very glad I had it.
There is a walk through for this game but I didn't use it. This game flowed so smoothly, I just never got lost so there was no need to use it.
I enjoyed most of the puzzles but there weren't any that stood out. There is a skip button which I also used towards the end.
All in all I think this is a fun game and highly recommend it. Read some reviews and play the demo. Have fun.
I recommend this game!
Surface: Mystery of Another World
After your son, Bobby, mysteriously disappears, it's up to you to find him in Surface: The Mystery of Another World!
Overall rating
1
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
Just Awful.
PostedMay 12, 2014
DiDi212
fromLockhart, TX
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is based on only completing half the game. I was so frustrated and when I began getting angry I stopped and deleted the game. I wish I could give this a huge warning label: BEWARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR ANYONE WHO MAY BE SLIGHTLY ADD OR WHO HATES GOING BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND FORTH AND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE A SIMPLE HOS BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T YET FOUND THE ITEM TO PUT IN YOUR INVENTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Phew, now I feel a little better and will go on with my review.
This is the 2nd Surface game I've played in the last week and gave a review unfavorable to the game. (You'd think I'd learn!) The other was Surface: The Soaring City. Both games had similar issues, i.e., HOS which use a couple of inventory items. That isn't a bad concept; I've seen it in other games. The issue is I hadn't yet collected the item and it would be many scenes later when I found it and by then I'd already forgotten where to use it. Did I mention I'm ADD? Not only that, but things you need for your inventory are not always available the first time you see and click on it, or the 2nd, or the 3rd.... It doesn't allow you to pick it up until you need it.
I relied on the hint and skip button all the time.
The hint button is very good but it doesn't give any arrow directions, which is what I prefer. What it does gives you is what you need to do next and where.
There is an interactive map showing picture icons with the names of the location. It does show you where on the map you currently are but not areas with a current action. Some maps have an exclamation mark showing this, this doesn't.
I turned down the sound, so unfair to comment.
I usually recommend the demo before purchasing the game. Playing the demo won't help you make the right decision. I loved the demo and played both the CE and the SE before making my decision. I couldn't wait to purchase this game. I was so excited to find little Bobby. Ha! -- don't care what happens -- not playing another minute. Game is deleted from GM never to be opened again. (I always look back at reviews of games I've played -- when I see this review I won't ever open it again.)
Read lots of reviews and check out the Forum and then make a decision to buy it or not. I don't recommend it.
I don't recommend this game.
Surface: The Soaring City
Your brother is kidnapped during an air show. Search for him in a beautiful world where the sky is as wide as your imagination.
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Did those 5-star reviewers play the same game as me?
PostedMay 11, 2014
DiDi212
fromLockhart, TX
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This review is based on completing the SE.
Okay, you've probably already read the premise of the story so I won't repeat it. This game started out very interesting but soon I became frustrated.
This game has an interactive map which shows areas where objectives need to be met. It does not show areas where you can actually do the objective like most so you have to know exactly where you want to go. This isn't a bad feature but not as helpful as most interactive maps.
The hint button takes 45 seconds to charge and the countdown is shown which I thought was neat. In game play It tells you which area to go to on the map but doesn't transport you there. I personally like directional hints instead.
There seemed to be more puzzles than HOS. Some of the puzzles were so simple they could be solved in 1 mouse click, while others were so complicated I had to skip them. The instructions are brief and even with the help of the walk through I was unable to complete the puzzle.
The HOS were pretty good. Some items were quite clear while others needed the hint, which I normally don't use. However, because I was very anxious for this game to end I did use it. This HOS not only uses the list but things from your inventory. In one HOS I didn't have the item in my inventory so I had to return to the game to find it. I don't think it's a good idea to open a HOS if not all items are available.
Like I mentioned there is a nice walk through which I returned to many times. Love the alt-tab feature!
I also noticed I had to return to some scenes twice to pick up items for my inventory. One area I remember was an oil pool where there was a saw blade and a can of gold paint. I either didn't click just the right spot or it was unavailable the first time. This just added to my frustration!
A little annoying were the lips that didn't sync with the voice overs. I read in another review this game was translated from Russia into English. That knowledge helped a little, otherwise I would have thought the developers lazy.
I know this is fantasy, but tell me how a person hanging on for dear life off the side of a cliff can put on a parachute? They also have the strength to hang by a rope from a hot-air balloon! Ridiculous IMHO! With this kind of fantasy strength you'd think they could pull out an ax from under some rubble!
I really didn't enjoy playing this game. But play the demo and read some of the reviews. However the demo was the best part of the game, so....
I don't recommend this game.
Myths of the World: Stolen Spring
The rich folklore continues with this exciting tale set in an old Slavic land. As Child of Spring, can you save the world from eternal winter?
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
A Little Disappointed.
PostedMay 9, 2014
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I played the SE to the end.
This game was okay, but I think it could have been so much better IMHO.
This game has a walk through, which I used, however, I didn't find it in the Walk Through section, but in the Forum there is a link to it.
The inventory items remain there even when you pick it up. Once it's placed it goes away, but it was annoying. In the beginning of the game I kept trying to pick it up, not realizing it was also stuck to the end of my cursor. Just a little nit-picky thing.
I hated the last puzzle where you had to use the Spring Branch to go through a maze in one movement! Tried it several times and failed so I skipped it. I'd love to meet the person who was able to do it!
What I did like was the hint button which showed items in both the HOS as well as game play, plus it gave free directions in game play. It seemed to charge quickly in the casual mode.
There is an interactive map that also shows an exclamation point where there is a task that can be done and then transports you there. I switched between using the map and the hint button.
There are no collectibles or extra game play as I've read there is in the CE.
I always recommend reading some of the reviews, both good and bad. Also play the generous 1-hour demo provided by BF. Don't forget to check the Forum for a link to the walk through.
Good gaming fellow fishes.
I recommend this game!
Dark Strokes: The Legend of the Snow Kingdom
Enter the enchanted realm of the Snow Kingdom!
Overall rating
5
/
5
37 of 48 found this review helpful
I Like Cutesy Animal Helpers!
PostedMay 9, 2014
DiDi212
fromLockhart, TX
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is based on the hour-long demo, however I am going to buy it today and can't wait to finish the game.
Okay, so this game is not the best I've ever played; there's lots of hand holding; and certainly a game for beginners and children (not too young). However, I'm a grandmother and I still enjoyed playing it.
The visual is beautiful; the music is soothing and fits the game nicely; and the voices are okay.
I liked the storyline, which you can read in other reviews as well at the top of the buy page.
It has an interactive map which shows where there are things to do and transports you there.
The hint button recharges quickly and points to things to do in the HOS and game play plus it also gives free directions.
There is a cute little lynx who you name and helps you in tight and high spaces.
There is a walk through if you really get stuck.
Play the demo and read some reviews before making up your mind. On occasion I really like a fast-paced, easy game. I totally played without any frustration! Aaaa. So nice after so many extremely frustrating ones!
I recommend this game!