ethan1404's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:987
- Reviews Submitted:54
- First Review:December 10, 2014
- Most Recent Review:April 9, 2023
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Save your friends and escape from a deadly game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
26 of 32 found this review helpful
Good game
PostedDecember 26, 2014
ethan1404
fromPerth, Western Australia, Australia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I bought and played this as a CE game but found this game visually beautiful, ran beautifully on my laptop, but as of late, even in HARD mode, too easy and finished to quickly.
It is an ELEPHANT game so had high expectations, most were realised but are our good DEVS now expected to "push" them out too quickly?
This was way too easy, even in HARD mode. Way too short, enjoyable but all of a sudden, a few hours later, I had finished it!
As this is offered as an SE game well worth buying, as all ELEPHANT games are but was disappointing as a CE game.
Visually, beautiful, ran smoothly, no "bugs" on my laptop, and well worth purchasing.
The Smithsonian Castle’s secrets lie in a Civil War past.
Overall rating
5
/
5
54 of 67 found this review helpful
Must buy!
PostedDecember 26, 2014
ethan1404
fromPerth, Western Australia, Australia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a "breathe of fresh air" this game is. Being an avid CE purchaser, I have found of late, most have been far too short, too easy, given cost and therefore, supposed quality and content finishing them in around 5 hours. However, this game has quality, a good and a little different storyline from fantasy, has all modes including CUSTOM, which I personally use when possible, and best of all, has given me so far, 2 days of gameplay, in fact, still in the middle of the bonus chapter, an absolute treat to finally get "value for money"!
Without giving too much away, you are involved in a time-line and a time-machine but this storyline is almost believable, in context, HOP's are varied with each one having different actions to complete, another breathe of fresh air as my bug-bear with a lot of these games, is HOP, after HOP, just to get that needed object. These are interesting, and whilst the pictures of what to find are occasionally a little hard to decipher, some "accidental" clicking usually then "shows/explains" what you are to find.
I have personally bought and enjoyed all the Hidden Expedition games but this one has to be their best to date. Obviously time, thought and hard work has gone into such a good, well thought-out game, to ensure gamers, whether beginners or seasoned players , enjoy it, can be challenged, and enjoy the new "play" on HOP's.
This game was not too hard, but ran in "sections", avoiding heaps of "too-ing and froing" or finally succumbing to the map so whilst at times wondering what to do, would not use the guide as I knew the solve was at least within a few screens. What I did have to learn and realise with this game was to remember to use items in the inventory on other items in the inventory to progress. This is happening more of good games of late and personally, I find this new way to be great, makes sense and challenges me as I need to remember to constantly now also watch the items I have collected.
The game ran smoothly, not a single "bug", well done Eipix, BFG and BETA testers, it can be played as easy or as hard as you wish, also well done DEV's, and certainly a re-playable game in the future in a harder mode if you had chosen otherwise.
These days we seem to have to find "all sorts of things", such as collectibles, morphing objects, etc. and all too often I find them too hard or stupid to worry about, especially morphing objects however, in this game they were reasonably clear and easy to find and for once, I even did well with the morphing items, still didn't collect them all as I find if a HOP is completed reasonably quickly, either the morphing object is too slow or I didn't see it, or I didn't care, but each players' choice. In this game, most are quite visible and therefore, achievable.
This is a game I would highly recommend, good value for money and even if you don't usually buy CE games, this is worth the extra cost given the bonus play is almost a mini-game in itself, plus the added value of a guide, re-playable HOP's and puzzles.
Congratulations to the DEV's for improving each and every game they produce and to BFG for supporting them, thereby giving us top quality games that are becoming more interesting and challenging with each new release.
I definitely recommend this game, even for experienced, seasoned players.
I recommend this game!
Reveries: Soul Collector Collector's Edition
Your wedding day gets interrupted when your fiancée is kidnapped!
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
A little disappointed!
PostedDecember 14, 2014
ethan1404
fromPerth, Western Australia, Australia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I found this game to be enjoyable, no challenge though, even in HARD mode. Lovely little game, storyline not really unusual, HOP's easy, a little mixed up but too many. Why DEV's insist on so many HOP's is absolutely beyond me! Take some time to make a game where finding and needing an object is part of the mystery of the game, a HOP is an "easy" way out!
Again, this game was so easy and simple I finished it way too quickly and being a CE game, a disappointing outcome. No real need to use my brain as each time you were limited to a few screens so you knew you would be able to find THAT item sooner rather than later.
Puzzles were so easy, finally changed to HARD mode just to make the game last a little longer and be a little challenged.
Lovely graphics, ran smoothly for me, people were handsome and beautiful, and the game was very "twee"! I did love my little helper though! And I notice that is now creeping into most games which is very enjoyable, different and saves looking for ladders, chairs, or having to "stack" boxes!
Was disappointed that at the end of the game I didn't seem to be able to find where all my "feathers" went, was hoping that there would be some sort of extra puzzle to use them but no, nothing! Wasn't even sure if I had collected them all??? But perhaps I missed something???
There is a chance to replay all the puzzle games but as I had successfully and easily, I might add, completed them all, didn't even have that luxury.
All-in-all, poor for a CE game - play only lasted an afternoon, but will be good value to those who wait and only buy SE games, then I do recommend it but play in HARD mode so you are at least challenged a little.
Overall, I recommend this game but not as a CE game but definitely worth purchasing as an SE game.
I recommend this game!
An unexpected invitation sends you to research mythical standing stones in Brittany.
Overall rating
4
/
5
15 of 19 found this review helpful
What a nice surprise!
PostedDecember 10, 2014
ethan1404
fromPerth, Western Australia, Australia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Wow, what a great game for the middle of the week, between CE games! I thoroughly enjoyed this - challenging, interesting, and game-play was of a decent length of time, unlike CE games offered of late. I found the storyline a little different, enjoyed the fact that whilst I knew tasks had not been completed I would have to go back to complete them and this enabled the length of play to be in context with the story.
Unlike other comments, I thought the graphics were of good quality, full screen (again, unlike a few CE games), and whilst the characters didn't actually "talk" to you, the text was done in a way that could be read and then moved along as quickly or as slowly as you wished to read it. The hint system is very user-friendly, but I found I only used it to find out where to go next as completion of tasks often can't happen until much later in the game.
The puzzles were enjoyable, reasonably challenging and with a bit of patience, can be completed without SKIPPING. I played in HARD mode and found it to be challenging but acceptable, not getting frustrated at any time, rather the desire to complete the game as I knew I could "do it"! However, as per another review, I too found finding 70 mistletoes to be a little too much and quite challenging as I do believe more were added as I returned to a screen. I don't usually worry though too much about the COLLECTIBLES!
I am not a great lover of HOP's in games as I feel the DEVS either can't be bothered making the game more challenging and therefore, an easy way to get a needed item or end up introducing a HOP to get that needed item so was pleasantly surprised that this game had very few and those that had to be done, were quite challenging, different and only a few actual HO. I loved this and wished the more renowned DEVS such as Elephant games would start getting away completely from ordinary old HO scenarios, something that was great 20 years ago but players are more sophisticated now and need and want challenges, a good storyline and value for money!
This is a great game, and I believe as good as some CE games of late #and I have purchased every CE game offered# and to "boot", paid for this with a coupon, bonus! Thanks you BFG and I do believe these DEVS could be well on the way to offering a CE game in time given the chance, opportunity and of course, their desire to grow in the gaming world!
I absolutely recommend this game and especially if you have a coupon or two lying around just waiting to be used!
I recommend this game!