LogieBaby's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:12,354
- Reviews Submitted:375
- First Review:December 24, 2011
- Most Recent Review:July 5, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Assemble patchwork mosaics while you travel with Alice and the famous characters of Wonderland and Looking-Glass Land!
Overall rating
2
/
5
8 of 14 found this review helpful
Alice's Patchwork needs more than a patch to fix this mess
PostedNovember 9, 2015
LogieBaby
fromThe best part of the game was leaving it
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The games created by 8 Flor are generally poor with their grid games being among the worst available. This form of jigsaw puzzle is not much better. One can presume the theme has something to do with Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. There is nothing telling us what the ultimate goal is as far as making progress for Alice. The game play became annoying really fast. For starters, the game has a timer which most folks would rather avoid, particularly in a game of this ilk which should be unencumbered and soothing. I was ticked off by the thudding noise whenever I placed a puzzle segment in the wrong location. The worst part of the game is that there are only 5 or 6 puzzle parts given to the player and there is no ability to scroll in the
piece section to pick up the part of my choosing. There is a hint in the form of a question mark which outlines a piece and the placement of said piece. After 1/2 hour of the demo I got annoyed and was pleased to end this mini-torture. I cannot endorse this game at all.
piece section to pick up the part of my choosing. There is a hint in the form of a question mark which outlines a piece and the placement of said piece. After 1/2 hour of the demo I got annoyed and was pleased to end this mini-torture. I cannot endorse this game at all.
I don't recommend this game.
You're the last hope to stop the ancient curse!
Overall rating
5
/
5
32 of 37 found this review helpful
One of the better fantasy games to arrive in quite awhile
PostedNovember 7, 2015
LogieBaby
fromFair warning: Do not touch anything gold.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Lost Lands is a superb adventure. The main character, Susan, is somehow transported into the Lost Land for reasons unknown. She rescues a child named Fiora who provides insights about the Lost Land. The girl takes Susan to her grandfather who is a powerful druid. He explains how sinister forces have decimated their realm and that somehow Susan is a chosen one, she who will vanquish the evil entities and remove a curse which turns beings to stone for touching gold items.
During the demo, there are no traditional word list hidden object segments. Rather silhouetted things must be acquired and interactively used within the scene to obtain one item which will assist Susan in her quest. One such item is a pair of gloves which protects her from the cursed gold. These segments demand some thought, no hand holding here.
Most of the puzzles are variations of well established themes, lots of them being very clever indeed.
Most of the puzzles are variations of well established themes, lots of them being very clever indeed.
Documents interspersed in the Lost Land provide information about the creatures living in this mythical world and also geographical data. This gives the player much needed facts about Lost Land. The feature expands the story line which might otherwise seem confusing.
Lots of things to pick up. At one point I had at least a dozen items in the inventory. The jump map is useful since there is much travelling involved. The map could have been a bit more user friendly though.
We get to create healing potions, find lots of keys and dig and scrape all over this land. Typical fantasy genre fare.
As the demo ends, we still don't have a clue as to why Susan is the chosen one. This is another strong point in the story line.
As the demo ends, we still don't have a clue as to why Susan is the chosen one. This is another strong point in the story line.
For those who cannot be without them, there are figurines to collect and about 3 dozen morphs.
This game gives the player lots more to do than most HOPAs. I am intrigued by it and will acquire it. Nice to have a good weekend sale to whet the appetite. I give Lost Lands an enthusiastic THUMBS UP !!!
This game gives the player lots more to do than most HOPAs. I am intrigued by it and will acquire it. Nice to have a good weekend sale to whet the appetite. I give Lost Lands an enthusiastic THUMBS UP !!!
I recommend this game!
Can you find the key to Ravenhearst's resurrection?
Overall rating
5
/
5
73 of 105 found this review helpful
WOW !! A brilliant game on every level !!
PostedOctober 27, 2015
LogieBaby
fromGetting a new Ravenhearst game is Christmas, birthday, anniversary presents etc. all rolled into one
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Just yesterday I thought that we were just a few weeks from obtaining the newest MCF entry thinking it would arrive close to the date of the American Thanksgiving Day. What a pleasant surprise to get it a month earlier. Last year's return to Dire Grove was somewhat of a downer. Key to Ravenhearst is stupendous. Knowledge of prior Ravenhearst games is practically a must so any players unfamiliar with the series ( if there are any out there ) ought to go back in time and familiarize themselves with the entire package of games.
Eipix has done an outstanding job of reuniting players with so many of the scenes and games we enjoyed so much in the past. The domino game and Whack-a-Troll are just 2 examples. Reminding us all about the evil Dalimars, Charles and his loony son Victor and recalling Rose Somerset and the girls certainly brought back memories of superb prior games in the Ravenhearst series. There are so many more remembrances of things past just in the demo is one of the reasons I encourage newcomers to play the earlier games before tackling this one.
As to gameplay in KEY it is at a level of perfection. The HO segments are brilliant and require thought as there is significant interaction to complete them. I loved the Rube Goldberg like puzzles reminiscent of those found in the 2 Madame Fate entries. We get to collect ravens and there are morphs in the HO sections.
As to the story itself, someone has decided to recreate the Ravenhearst mansion in the form of a museum. Why this is done is not detailed during the demo. Whetting the appetite for things to come is great story telling.
I cannot heap enough praise for KEY. I know that lovers of the Ravenhearst series will enthusiastically agree. I've got to end this review now so I can buy what promises to be one of the best games in years. YAHOOOO!!!!
Eipix has done an outstanding job of reuniting players with so many of the scenes and games we enjoyed so much in the past. The domino game and Whack-a-Troll are just 2 examples. Reminding us all about the evil Dalimars, Charles and his loony son Victor and recalling Rose Somerset and the girls certainly brought back memories of superb prior games in the Ravenhearst series. There are so many more remembrances of things past just in the demo is one of the reasons I encourage newcomers to play the earlier games before tackling this one.
As to gameplay in KEY it is at a level of perfection. The HO segments are brilliant and require thought as there is significant interaction to complete them. I loved the Rube Goldberg like puzzles reminiscent of those found in the 2 Madame Fate entries. We get to collect ravens and there are morphs in the HO sections.
As to the story itself, someone has decided to recreate the Ravenhearst mansion in the form of a museum. Why this is done is not detailed during the demo. Whetting the appetite for things to come is great story telling.
I cannot heap enough praise for KEY. I know that lovers of the Ravenhearst series will enthusiastically agree. I've got to end this review now so I can buy what promises to be one of the best games in years. YAHOOOO!!!!
I recommend this game!
Toxic flowers have been claiming victims and withering plant life in the Netherlands. Can you cultivate the answers to this mystery?
Overall rating
5
/
5
55 of 76 found this review helpful
This 3rd installment of European Mystery passes the sniff test
PostedOctober 24, 2015
LogieBaby
fromHold your breath, don't take a whiff of the flowers. It is not healthy to do so
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The initial European Mystery came out nearly 2 years ago and it was an excellent game. The second version, though not quite as good was also a very playable game. Flowers of Death is the best of the series without a doubt. The setting is the Netherlands and by the looks of it we are transported back at least a couple centuries. Someone or some group has botanically engineered some exceedingly sinister flowers which have the ability to capture and totally neutralize individuals. A detective is summoned to determine who is behind the nefarious goings on and foil their ambitions. There are scenes wherein one of the "bad guy " flowers have captured townsmen, one being a banker. The detective can use a pollen detector to amass 3 items which when used in the correct order develops a spray which dissolves a fog cast by the flower. Then the detective can examine the room containing the victim. As the story develops, it seems there is a cabal attempting to corner the market on certain types of flowers and their seeds or bulbs. The demo does not render enough information about the villains but it certain whets the appetite to continue the investigation. Too many times in HOPAs the story is laid out rather quckly and the player need not use investigative skills. Flowers of Death allows the gamer to decipher the mystery piecemeal, something all games should do to reach a level of greatness.
All of the hidden object segments are interactive and demand a bit of thought. None of the puzzles break new ground, yet again Blam Games forces us to put on thinking caps to complete the puzzles. There are flower cards to collect as well. For me, this game satisfies on all levels. The story interests me, it is well drawn, the cut scenes and voice overs are top-notch, and the gathering of items and information is very well done. I give Flowers of Death an overwhelming approval and it shall become part of my own game collection.
I recommend this game!
The eyes are watching... and they're everywhere.
Overall rating
3
/
5
53 of 83 found this review helpful
Weird game, just passable
PostedOctober 22, 2015
LogieBaby
fromA misguided story line messes up what might have been a decent murder mystery
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Some of the paranormal games are excellent, some are awful, and others are OK. This effort is in the latter category. A young
girl, Amelia, is accused of murdering Evelyn a wealthy woman who was a mentor to the girl. This would be alright in and of itself but for the fact it is quite apparent that Evelyn's husband Frank might very well be the slayer and might have been helped by his new wife. Add in a bizarre addition to the story and the game loses its way in my opinion. When the town of Eastwood decides to demolish a sculpture ( is it of Amelia? ) to replace it with a playground, statues ghoulishly come to life and torment Eastwood residents. Emma ( that's us folks ) is a journalist sent by Fear for Sale magazine to investigate the goings on. She meets the sheriff and Sophia ( Amelia's mom) . The sheriff is another law enforcement boob so often seen in HOPAs . Why this is so is getting tedious to say the least. Emma is a writer and not a detective. I can understand why Sophia seeks Emma's aid in righting the injustice toward Amelia since the cop is rather dense. This aspect of the story loses it for me. It becomes another in a large series of games we have all seen too many times and in lots of ways done much better. I did enjoy most of the HO segments and some of the puzzles are clever. There are morphs and collectible items but they are a distraction which is often the case in games. I wish developers would make collections relevant to games rather than merely being items to place on a shelf.
I own too many fine games that I would rather replay than immerse myself in that which is mediocre. I'll pass on City of the Past and let it become part of my past.
girl, Amelia, is accused of murdering Evelyn a wealthy woman who was a mentor to the girl. This would be alright in and of itself but for the fact it is quite apparent that Evelyn's husband Frank might very well be the slayer and might have been helped by his new wife. Add in a bizarre addition to the story and the game loses its way in my opinion. When the town of Eastwood decides to demolish a sculpture ( is it of Amelia? ) to replace it with a playground, statues ghoulishly come to life and torment Eastwood residents. Emma ( that's us folks ) is a journalist sent by Fear for Sale magazine to investigate the goings on. She meets the sheriff and Sophia ( Amelia's mom) . The sheriff is another law enforcement boob so often seen in HOPAs . Why this is so is getting tedious to say the least. Emma is a writer and not a detective. I can understand why Sophia seeks Emma's aid in righting the injustice toward Amelia since the cop is rather dense. This aspect of the story loses it for me. It becomes another in a large series of games we have all seen too many times and in lots of ways done much better. I did enjoy most of the HO segments and some of the puzzles are clever. There are morphs and collectible items but they are a distraction which is often the case in games. I wish developers would make collections relevant to games rather than merely being items to place on a shelf.
I own too many fine games that I would rather replay than immerse myself in that which is mediocre. I'll pass on City of the Past and let it become part of my past.
I don't recommend this game.
Your wedding day goes dark... and your fiancée has no idea who's behind it all.
Overall rating
5
/
5
35 of 56 found this review helpful
5 stars for the ladies, for us guys I'm on the fence
PostedOctober 17, 2015
LogieBaby
fromA game very much oriented toward the female player
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I'd imagine romance novels are mostly read by the gals. This game is a HOPA version of a romance novel. It is very well done. In a story line synopsis Prince Siegfried meets and falls in love with a beautiful gardener named Odette. A wedding is planned but is foiled by the evil wizard Rothbart who performs tricks to enable a marriage between Siegfried and Rothbart's daughter Alana ( who to me looks exactly like the female rapper Nicki Minaj ) . The game is very nice on the eyes as Domini Games has created a visually stunning effort. One of the better features has the player performing both as Odette and Siegfried as the pair have been separated and they must work individually to reunite and foil the nefarious plans of Rothbart and Alana. Gameplay itself is interesting as some clever interactive HO segments requiring a bit more thought than is seen in lots of games are provided. The puzzles ( demo only ) are rather routine and easy to complete. Some have 2 parts, such as matching identical animals and then unravelling knots to progress to another part of the game landscape. There are feathers to collect which end up in a boudoir that I chose not to visit. Figurines of game characters are there to pick up also.
The demo ends as Odette frees herself from bondage in a prison cell after she realizes Rothbart's plan to wed his daughter to the prince.
The demo ends as Odette frees herself from bondage in a prison cell after she realizes Rothbart's plan to wed his daughter to the prince.
I own lots of fantasy HOPA's and Dark Romance 3 is of that ilk. As stated earlier, the ladies should find this game quite appealing. I'll need to think a bit before deciding if I want the game. I give a 5 star rating for the superb development of the game. I personally need to overcome the romance novel aspect of the story before I elect to take a plunge. All in all, Swan Sonata is a fine effort.
I recommend this game!
Help Emma restore her grandparents' old house! Hidden Object, Match-3 and decoration all in one game.
Overall rating
2
/
5
24 of 39 found this review helpful
Home makeover needs a makeover
PostedOctober 13, 2015
LogieBaby
fromHome Makeover fails on just about every level
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
In its promo of the game, BFG tells us this is an extraordinary hidden object game significantly better than the average ones you have been playing all this time. Who's zooming who??
This game is merely a rehash of all the other buying games introduced over the years. Just because a match 3 makes an occasional appearance does not make for extraordinary game play. IMO, only folks who are totally enthralled by junkpile after junkpile can appreciate this effort. There is nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but junkpile HOGs satisfy a limited audience. As in prior games of this ilk coins are readily introduced to be amassed along with the items the buyers want. By the way, who would want to buy a walnut for $25?? There are also collectible origamis interspersed, all of which look like a laurel wreath. This just is not my cup of tea, a game to be avoided.
This game is merely a rehash of all the other buying games introduced over the years. Just because a match 3 makes an occasional appearance does not make for extraordinary game play. IMO, only folks who are totally enthralled by junkpile after junkpile can appreciate this effort. There is nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but junkpile HOGs satisfy a limited audience. As in prior games of this ilk coins are readily introduced to be amassed along with the items the buyers want. By the way, who would want to buy a walnut for $25?? There are also collectible origamis interspersed, all of which look like a laurel wreath. This just is not my cup of tea, a game to be avoided.
I don't recommend this game.
Journey through time to an amazing land of dinosaurs and help the penguin meet unpredictable ancient creatures.
Overall rating
5
/
5
12 of 27 found this review helpful
This series continues to be the gold standard of the genre
PostedOctober 7, 2015
LogieBaby
fromNothing compares to the Fantasy Mosaic series, absolutely NADA!!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I have given detailed accounts of the Fantasy Mosaic games in prior reviews. This time I'll make it short and sweet. Anybody who enjoys grid puzzles need look no further than the FM group. There is no hand holding, tough grids appear immediately, these are still the only multi-colored gridders out there, the music is soothing, hints available ( personally I never use them.) Need I say more??
An enthusiastic 5 stars from me!!
A visitor arrives through Prof. Bennett's portal, seeking help.
Overall rating
3
/
5
98 of 148 found this review helpful
If Harmonium is the objective, why is this game so disjointed?
PostedOctober 1, 2015
LogieBaby
fromNothing at all pure in the Orb of Purity
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I was pleased to see another Amaranthine episode is in the offing. Unfortunately, the game started. The story is rather preposterous even for a combination sci-fi + fantasy theme.
Professor Samantha Bennett needs help with her harmonium project so she calls in Eve Glover ( that's us ) who is the acknowledged expert re harmonium. Upon arrival at Bennett's lab Eve encounters Kraixx, a Watcher from another world called Medea. It seems Kraixx's planet is facing destruction since black harmonium has somehow overtaken it. Kraixx via a portal has arrived on Earth and summoned Bennett for help. Bennett though a leading experimenter is as useful as a screen door on a submarine so Glover must do all the work. This part of the story really bothered me. If Bennett is so extraneous to the goings on, why even introduce her? I also found that Kraixx being totally humanoid and speaking perfect English a bit perplexing.
Glover must initially cure the alien of some illness by conducting tests to find the medicine. Should not Bennett have already done so? I realize full well that in all HOPAs certain tasks must be performed by the main protagonist. For some reason it bothered me ( in this game ) that so many things needed to be solved just to find a cure. Why must cabinets always be locked or need to be opened by procuring the correctly shaped objects? This is supposed to be a well organized lab yet in reality it's a jumbled mess. Developers really need to stop doing this in every game. Gets boring when we get the same old same old time after time. At any rate the alien is finally fixed and he and Glover are teleported to his realm. Here the game does improve somewhat. The objective is finding a balance between light and dark harmonium to save Medea. The bad guys are the Watchers who arrest Kraixx as a traitor at the end of the demo. The only part of gameplay I found interesting were the puzzles, some of which were quite inventive. There are no traditional word list HO segments in the demo. There are owls called Freyy's apprentice to be collected, Freyy being some hotshot scientist on Medea.
For me Orb of Purity doesn't come close to the entertainment value of prior Amaranthines. The series has stand alone games and unfortunately his one fails on too many levels to warrant consideration of purchase.
Professor Samantha Bennett needs help with her harmonium project so she calls in Eve Glover ( that's us ) who is the acknowledged expert re harmonium. Upon arrival at Bennett's lab Eve encounters Kraixx, a Watcher from another world called Medea. It seems Kraixx's planet is facing destruction since black harmonium has somehow overtaken it. Kraixx via a portal has arrived on Earth and summoned Bennett for help. Bennett though a leading experimenter is as useful as a screen door on a submarine so Glover must do all the work. This part of the story really bothered me. If Bennett is so extraneous to the goings on, why even introduce her? I also found that Kraixx being totally humanoid and speaking perfect English a bit perplexing.
Glover must initially cure the alien of some illness by conducting tests to find the medicine. Should not Bennett have already done so? I realize full well that in all HOPAs certain tasks must be performed by the main protagonist. For some reason it bothered me ( in this game ) that so many things needed to be solved just to find a cure. Why must cabinets always be locked or need to be opened by procuring the correctly shaped objects? This is supposed to be a well organized lab yet in reality it's a jumbled mess. Developers really need to stop doing this in every game. Gets boring when we get the same old same old time after time. At any rate the alien is finally fixed and he and Glover are teleported to his realm. Here the game does improve somewhat. The objective is finding a balance between light and dark harmonium to save Medea. The bad guys are the Watchers who arrest Kraixx as a traitor at the end of the demo. The only part of gameplay I found interesting were the puzzles, some of which were quite inventive. There are no traditional word list HO segments in the demo. There are owls called Freyy's apprentice to be collected, Freyy being some hotshot scientist on Medea.
For me Orb of Purity doesn't come close to the entertainment value of prior Amaranthines. The series has stand alone games and unfortunately his one fails on too many levels to warrant consideration of purchase.
I don't recommend this game.
Redemption Cemetery: Clock of Fate Collector's Edition
Can you undo the past and set the trapped souls free?
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 24 found this review helpful
Better than the previous Redemption but the series is getting old with not much new
PostedSeptember 25, 2015
LogieBaby
fromAnother series which needs either an overhaul or be sent to the HOPA graveyard
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Word, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The initial couple of RC offerings given by ERS were really good games. The story involves dead people who cannot achieve their final and hopefully peaceful resting place until we the players perform tasks which relieves the departed of their own dilemna. Clock of Fate is another of the same ilk. The one difference in this game is that time can be reversed in order to alter the fates of certain individuals. We meet Rupert Lee, a train station master and his daughter Ivy who meets her death by disobeying dad who elects to sacrifice the girl in order to save hundreds from certain death in a railway disaster. We then learn that reversing time enables us to save Ivy which is accomplished in the demo , however the train crash becomes inevitable. As the demo ends, we learn from another ghostly character that all can be reversed with the proviso that the player must put his own life on the line in a game of chance. If successful everyone lives. Given the fact that all games end with a happy ending, any intrigue is already sucked out of the game.
A couple of problems I have with Clock of Fate are the repeats of actions when time is temporarily altered. The story suggests the game is set in 1940's England ( place names and an award from the queen suggest so ) yet all characters speak with decidedly American accents.
Other than that the game is OK. Hidden object segments are routine as are the puzzles. There are lots of collectible skulls in each scene. Were this the initial Redemption Cemetary I would be totally enthralled with it. The sameness of the series as it continues brings Clock of Fate down a peg. I now rarely buy other than CE's and am very judicious in my selections. This game will be a pass for me although I do endorse it for those who feel it is a must have.
A couple of problems I have with Clock of Fate are the repeats of actions when time is temporarily altered. The story suggests the game is set in 1940's England ( place names and an award from the queen suggest so ) yet all characters speak with decidedly American accents.
Other than that the game is OK. Hidden object segments are routine as are the puzzles. There are lots of collectible skulls in each scene. Were this the initial Redemption Cemetary I would be totally enthralled with it. The sameness of the series as it continues brings Clock of Fate down a peg. I now rarely buy other than CE's and am very judicious in my selections. This game will be a pass for me although I do endorse it for those who feel it is a must have.
I recommend this game!