pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4712
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 24, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Take on the role of Emyr, probably the realm’s most famous hero. That is, until his career was destroyed by a dreadful wound. Now, Emyr works in the tavern.
Overall rating
3
/
5
35 of 43 found this review helpful
I LOVED THE HUMOR, ESPECIALLY THE PART ABOUT "DEM*** RODENTS" WINK, WINK
PostedMay 11, 2020
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Basically, this is the same as the Delicious series with a Viking theme and a really humorous story. I would have loved this game had it not been simply a replicated format, but all the tasks are the same, the layouts are the same, the quests are the same, they have just been converted into Viking days of Olde with grogs of ale, bowls of stew, slices of homemade bread and brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite....oops, sorry, I got carried away.
Customers walk up to the counter or sit at the tables and order via a thought bubble. You wait on them by delivering the correct orders, clean tables after they leave and then you collect payment at the register which has teeth?? Then you throw in a voodoo priestess??? Some orders require multi-steps by adding ingredients or sides in the correct order as shown in their thought bubbles, grog must be clicked on when the meter is in the green zone indicating a full cup, and some inventory items require restocking. Carl the Mouse is a little rougher around the edges and quite evil-looking with red glowing eyes, but nonetheless, he's still worth extra points in this tavern as well, which clearly has an infestation problem as one of the characters says something hilarious but rather shocking, so pay attention to the quote in the opening cutscene where he states "dem ___rodents" ;)
All this sounds very familiar, doesn't it? It should because if you replaced all these characters with Emily and her family members, you'd never know the difference. Those were awesome games, and I own most of them, especially the earlier versions which definitely had an "IT" factor, but they continually develop spin-off games where all they are really doing is replacing the characters.
If you are creating a new series genre, why can't you take the time to give it some genuine character to change things up a bit? How difficult is it to imagine a new TM scenario? Do they all have to have a counter and a register and a table in the exact layout as all the other spinoff games? Do they all have to have the same food combos, the same restocking item, the same "catch the mouse" the same diamond upgrades scenarios? Even I could make one of these games at this point if all I have to do is replace the characters and make up a story. With a Viking Tavern theme, this could have been something incredibly unique, the likes which have never been seen before...but it isn't, and it has, hundreds of times!
You can play in an Easy, Normal, or Hard Mode of difficulty and there are 12 levels over 5 different Taverns. There are 120 Cutscene Movie Videos and 22 Achievement Trophies available in several categories. You are awarded points for completing levels, serving customers quickly, and multi-tasking, and yes, even catching Carl the Rat, which hasn't yet evolved into Carl the sophisticated Mouse.
Each level has an optional side quest such as repairing a table or fulfilling several orders w/o restocking the serving tray, etc. which has to be done in several stages or multiple times, between the normal tasks. You will earn up to 3-Stars which in this case is 3-Grogs, and you will earn a Gold Crown as well when you complete the additional Task which converts into Diamonds. The Diamonds are used to upgrade Gwen's living quarters which also upgrades the tavern.
It's a decent TM game, it's fun enough, I just don't think developers are going out on a limb very much or using much creative imagination when all they are doing is using the same format with different characters and themes?...especially when you are talking about a Viking theme!
When Leitan Keyes, a famous inventor, finishes his latest invention a sudden visit from the future will shatter his world.
Overall rating
4
/
5
59 of 68 found this review helpful
YES, THE 1ST CHAPTER IS BORING BUT STICK AROUND FOR A WILD ADVENTURE!
PostedMay 10, 2020
pennmom36
fromI can assure you that the demo doesn't do this game justice, perhaps a lesson learned by the developer? BUT, please, at least try to pick this game up during a sale and get past the demo, I played the entire game and I know it is one unique game!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed Game approximately 5.5 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
28 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate-Expert
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
28 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate-Expert
I know I have complained a lot lately about games with the same old unimaginative cliche tasks, boring plots, Hidden Object Scenes without the "hidden object" aspect, repetitive mini-games and above all, ridiculous storylines told so many times in so many ways that you know what's going to happen when it will happen, and why. You know who the bad guy will be, where the HOS locations will be the second you enter a new location, and you know what inventory item you're going to need for every problem that arises. Thank you, Brave Giant, you made me think, you made me solve problems, you kept me guessing, you surprised me with the plot several times with "I didn't see that one coming" you entertained me with creative hidden object scenes, you confused me as to what I was supposed to do (that's a good thing, folks!) but mostly, you kept me engaged from beginning to end...you went back to the drawing board and created a masterpiece!
This game won't be everybody's cup of joe, first of all, you'll have to be a sci-fi fan, or perhaps a computer geek to appreciate it. Yes, the story is similar to a popular Arnold movie series...but it's a great plot and to the best of my knowledge, it's a plot that hasn't been turned into a HOPA before. I haven't played a game with such an interesting plot since my Phavorite original Phantasmat! With the exception of a few logic fails (hey, that's just HOPA world) the story is credible. I loved that most of the tasks weren't obvious, that solutions had to be thought about versus clicking here, clicking there, always on auto-pilot because you've done it a thousand times. I will admit that it started out a little slow, but once the plot unfolded, they had me hook line and sinker. IF you are looking for a game with a great storyline and very creative Hidden Object Scenes, I think you will love this game. As I said, it starts out a little slow, so stick with it, the real fun begins at chapter two :)
웃G.A.D.G.E.T웃
I gotta tell ya, I was completely annoyed by a Watch Gadget that appeared in the first scene. This watch allows you remote access to A.R.N.O.L.D. but every time this feature becomes available it's I.C.O.N would start making the most incredibly annoying N.O.I.S.E. until you clicked on it to pick it up and clicked a second time on the screen to use his services. Within the first 3-4 scenes, it was used 7 times and I was ready to turn the sound completely off by this point, thankfully, the watch went M.I.A shortly after. There wasn't any game or HOP attached to its use so hang in there, it's only used 7 times and only at the beginning of the first chapter.
I gotta tell ya, I was completely annoyed by a Watch Gadget that appeared in the first scene. This watch allows you remote access to A.R.N.O.L.D. but every time this feature becomes available it's I.C.O.N would start making the most incredibly annoying N.O.I.S.E. until you clicked on it to pick it up and clicked a second time on the screen to use his services. Within the first 3-4 scenes, it was used 7 times and I was ready to turn the sound completely off by this point, thankfully, the watch went M.I.A shortly after. There wasn't any game or HOP attached to its use so hang in there, it's only used 7 times and only at the beginning of the first chapter.
☽☾Morphing Objects/Collectibles: (CE version only)☼
There is a Digital Article in each scene, some of which are very nicely hidden. There are only 14 Morphing Photo Fragments that morph at a great pace. I loved the collectibles but I HATE the fact that they don't allow you to return to the scenes to pick up any missed collectibles! I missed both collectibles in one scene when I exited out of the game for a bit, and when I returned, I simply forgot that I hadn't looked for the morph. So now I have no idea what the outcome of these two features are unless I replay the entire game again all because I missed a single digital article and a single morphing photo fragment :(
There is a Digital Article in each scene, some of which are very nicely hidden. There are only 14 Morphing Photo Fragments that morph at a great pace. I loved the collectibles but I HATE the fact that they don't allow you to return to the scenes to pick up any missed collectibles! I missed both collectibles in one scene when I exited out of the game for a bit, and when I returned, I simply forgot that I hadn't looked for the morph. So now I have no idea what the outcome of these two features are unless I replay the entire game again all because I missed a single digital article and a single morphing photo fragment :(
◔Hidden Object Scenes◕
There are 18 Hidden Object Scenes +3 in the CE Bonus Chapter. If you have read my reviews in the past, you'll know that HOP's don't ever challenge me. I can usually click on all the objects without looking at the list because they stick out like a sore thumb. Brave Giant just ruined my track record with some of the most creative, and challenging HO scenes I've ever seen! There are a few somewhat average scenes, but Boris put on his thinking cap for these HO scenes folks, every one of them is incredibly interactive, and/or Progressive, and include at least one object that morphs and can only be clicked on when it is in the correct object form. There are Interactive List Finds, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, or Spot The Difference Finds. There were two in particular that I went bonkers over. The first type I fell in love with, was a bunch of symbols and icons located on a Honeycomb Grid, some icons morphed, some were cleverly blended between cell outlines, others required rotating 3 cells to recreate a particular symbol (another variation required swapping a single cell or group of cells for the same scenario) My absolute favorite (in HOPA history) were 2 different HOP's, both were located on a computer screen and required several not-so-obvious progressive interactions. They were very similar to a Rube Goldberg type of puzzle where you have to fiddle with several aspects and use discoveries to unlock the next interactions. Simply genius, Boris! I may be the only one who appreciates the thought process but you really thought outside the box with these! If you don't appreciate the huge entertainment factor of some of these HOP's, there is an alternate Associated Pair game available where you flip two tiles at a time and match objects that are similar such as a Horse & Car.
There are 18 Hidden Object Scenes +3 in the CE Bonus Chapter. If you have read my reviews in the past, you'll know that HOP's don't ever challenge me. I can usually click on all the objects without looking at the list because they stick out like a sore thumb. Brave Giant just ruined my track record with some of the most creative, and challenging HO scenes I've ever seen! There are a few somewhat average scenes, but Boris put on his thinking cap for these HO scenes folks, every one of them is incredibly interactive, and/or Progressive, and include at least one object that morphs and can only be clicked on when it is in the correct object form. There are Interactive List Finds, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, or Spot The Difference Finds. There were two in particular that I went bonkers over. The first type I fell in love with, was a bunch of symbols and icons located on a Honeycomb Grid, some icons morphed, some were cleverly blended between cell outlines, others required rotating 3 cells to recreate a particular symbol (another variation required swapping a single cell or group of cells for the same scenario) My absolute favorite (in HOPA history) were 2 different HOP's, both were located on a computer screen and required several not-so-obvious progressive interactions. They were very similar to a Rube Goldberg type of puzzle where you have to fiddle with several aspects and use discoveries to unlock the next interactions. Simply genius, Boris! I may be the only one who appreciates the thought process but you really thought outside the box with these! If you don't appreciate the huge entertainment factor of some of these HOP's, there is an alternate Associated Pair game available where you flip two tiles at a time and match objects that are similar such as a Horse & Car.
♙Mini-Games♙
There are 32 Mini-Games +11 in the CE Bonus Chapter, most of which are mechanical, digital, or computer-related, and some of the most creative, and entertaining games I've played in a long time. That seems like a ton of games, but don't freak out if you aren't a mini-game fan, because a lot of the mini-games are 3-part puzzles that have a few different variations, they aren't brain-burners, but do require a bit of thought. The only ones I wasn't a fan of are the ones where clicking on one affects others because to me, they are annoying and frustrating (I want to solve a puzzle using logic not trying to guess the correct combination of moves a developer decided upon!) My only complaint with the mini-games is that out of 43 mini-games, only 8 can be replayed in the extras menu??!!?? Here's a list of a few of my personal favorites:
There are 32 Mini-Games +11 in the CE Bonus Chapter, most of which are mechanical, digital, or computer-related, and some of the most creative, and entertaining games I've played in a long time. That seems like a ton of games, but don't freak out if you aren't a mini-game fan, because a lot of the mini-games are 3-part puzzles that have a few different variations, they aren't brain-burners, but do require a bit of thought. The only ones I wasn't a fan of are the ones where clicking on one affects others because to me, they are annoying and frustrating (I want to solve a puzzle using logic not trying to guess the correct combination of moves a developer decided upon!) My only complaint with the mini-games is that out of 43 mini-games, only 8 can be replayed in the extras menu??!!?? Here's a list of a few of my personal favorites:
1-Several variations of connecting color-coded wires. (including connecting the left to the right via path connectors) ♡♡♡
2-Select directional arrows to move 3 nodes to their slots, using obstacles as bumpers. ♡♡
3-Assemble items in the correct sequence by solving various math equations (loved the clever use of equations, but up the ante next time with some real brain-burner math problems to solve!) ♡♡♡
4-Move to every spot along tracks without backtracking. ♡♡
5-Shoot several Drones moving at various speeds when the target is located within the "zone" and briefly turns green---harder and more fun than you'd expect! ♡♡♡
6-Select points on columns & rows according to clues in the descriptions. ♡
7-Move characters by selecting a chosen path at the correct time to avoid capture (3 different variations, one of which has drones that move 2 spaces each time you move 1 space) ♡♡♡
8-Untangle wires (a somewhat challenging version for once!) ♡♡
9-Rotate the central hub and select outer fragments to lock onto the central hub when they align. (I would love to have 2-3 outer layers to make this more challenging!!) ♡♡♡
2-Select directional arrows to move 3 nodes to their slots, using obstacles as bumpers. ♡♡
3-Assemble items in the correct sequence by solving various math equations (loved the clever use of equations, but up the ante next time with some real brain-burner math problems to solve!) ♡♡♡
4-Move to every spot along tracks without backtracking. ♡♡
5-Shoot several Drones moving at various speeds when the target is located within the "zone" and briefly turns green---harder and more fun than you'd expect! ♡♡♡
6-Select points on columns & rows according to clues in the descriptions. ♡
7-Move characters by selecting a chosen path at the correct time to avoid capture (3 different variations, one of which has drones that move 2 spaces each time you move 1 space) ♡♡♡
8-Untangle wires (a somewhat challenging version for once!) ♡♡
9-Rotate the central hub and select outer fragments to lock onto the central hub when they align. (I would love to have 2-3 outer layers to make this more challenging!!) ♡♡♡
✯Bonus Chapter (Collector's Edition version only)✯
I'm not going to say much about the storyline folks, to say anything would give away the awesome plot of the main game. The only thing I'll say is that the show continues and it's a good one at that. There are 8 Scene Locations in this decent-length bonus chapter with an additional 11 Mini-Games and 3 Hidden Object Scenes, however, there are no Collectibles or Morphing Objects.
I'm not going to say much about the storyline folks, to say anything would give away the awesome plot of the main game. The only thing I'll say is that the show continues and it's a good one at that. There are 8 Scene Locations in this decent-length bonus chapter with an additional 11 Mini-Games and 3 Hidden Object Scenes, however, there are no Collectibles or Morphing Objects.
♕Collector's Edition Extra's♕
16 Wallpapers (none of which have characters on them, whoo-hooo! 5 Music Soundtracks, 8 Cutscene Videos, 24 Achievements, 8 Replayable Mini-Games, 8 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Morphing Photo Fragments, 28 Digital Articles, 4 Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
16 Wallpapers (none of which have characters on them, whoo-hooo! 5 Music Soundtracks, 8 Cutscene Videos, 24 Achievements, 8 Replayable Mini-Games, 8 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Morphing Photo Fragments, 28 Digital Articles, 4 Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
FAMILY MYSTERIES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Poisonous Promises (December 1-2019) 3.4
2-Echoes of Tomorrow (May 10-2020) n/a
2-Echoes of Tomorrow (May 10-2020) n/a
by: Brave Giant
I recommend this game!
Investigating your sister's inexplicable vanishing you discover a plot that threatens more than one world!
Overall rating
5
/
5
206 of 230 found this review helpful
MY JOURNEY LOOKS FOR THE UN-ORDINARY PATH NOWADAYS & WHEN I HAVE TO USE THE HINT BUTTON CUZ I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT, THAT'S A HUGE ✔
PostedMay 9, 2020
pennmom36
fromAhriman is the evil spirit & source of human confusion, disappointment, & strife also known as Angra Mainyu whose opposition is Ahura Mazda the bright spirit in Early Iranian Religion
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed Game approximately 7.5 Hours
(including completion of all puzzles & Bonus Chapter
32 Scene Locations +20 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Did I mention I had to use the hint button several times?
(including completion of all puzzles & Bonus Chapter
32 Scene Locations +20 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Did I mention I had to use the hint button several times?
There used to be a time when I couldn't get enough of my fill of HOPA games, I didn't really care about the story or about how I got from point A to point B. I never really paid attention to the detail of the graphics or the way the characters moved or whether their lips were in sync with their voices. I didn't care about logic, (sometimes I still put that one off to HOPA-world magilogic) But then I started to realize that back in the day, games were better and I didn't really have to worry about those things because the developers worried about them for me...until they didn't.
Now that they don't, I have to! Now my HOPA journey looks for things that are unusual, and creative, that have interesting stories, and above all, makes me think, not just click my way through it. If I don't know what I'm supposed to do next, that's a sure-fire sign that the developer has done their job well. That is exactly what this developer has done for me today (to me? lol) This was an extremely long game, but at no point in time did I feel any task was repetitive, at no point did I become bored, I was interested from beginning to end, I felt I got my money's worth and for that alone, This developer makes me believe that I can let them take care of all those above details so all I have to do is worry about playing again (well, technically, paying & playing) so for that, I give this developer an A+++++
Gadget/Helper:
If you don't like Gadgets AND cutsie Helpers don't even bother with the demo folks because this game has enough cutsie-helper-gadget's to overload your brain for the entire 29-year Twin Moon Cycle alignment phase! There are actually 3 different helpers known as Moonlings, the Flame Moonling is gifted to you by your sister Yasmin for your Birthday in the first scene. He eats any source of fire, and therefore can also light any source of fire, assuming he has a full belly. Towards the end of Chapter 2, you are joined by the Frost Moonling whose source of food is ice and is able to freeze any liquid. In the beginning of the third chapter, you are joined by the final Moonling, the Chrono Moonling who feeds on energized time-sand which allows him to levitate objects with ease. As each Moonling is introduced, you will play a series of 3 mini-games to gain his trust (a bit cheesy but decent puzzles) but that is the only time a mini-game is associated with its use. The Flame Moonling is used 19 times, the Frost Moonling is used 13 times, and the Chrono Moonling is used 7 times, this includes the times they are used to feed and use their "skills" and other than dragging them to light a candle, move an object or freeze water, they just sit in the inventory bar and don't make any noise or move for that matter.
Gadget/Helper:
If you don't like Gadgets AND cutsie Helpers don't even bother with the demo folks because this game has enough cutsie-helper-gadget's to overload your brain for the entire 29-year Twin Moon Cycle alignment phase! There are actually 3 different helpers known as Moonlings, the Flame Moonling is gifted to you by your sister Yasmin for your Birthday in the first scene. He eats any source of fire, and therefore can also light any source of fire, assuming he has a full belly. Towards the end of Chapter 2, you are joined by the Frost Moonling whose source of food is ice and is able to freeze any liquid. In the beginning of the third chapter, you are joined by the final Moonling, the Chrono Moonling who feeds on energized time-sand which allows him to levitate objects with ease. As each Moonling is introduced, you will play a series of 3 mini-games to gain his trust (a bit cheesy but decent puzzles) but that is the only time a mini-game is associated with its use. The Flame Moonling is used 19 times, the Frost Moonling is used 13 times, and the Chrono Moonling is used 7 times, this includes the times they are used to feed and use their "skills" and other than dragging them to light a candle, move an object or freeze water, they just sit in the inventory bar and don't make any noise or move for that matter.
Morphing Objects/Collectibles
There are 32 Rose-Tinted Morphing Moons (1 per scene) some are very small and some are fairly large. I wasn't very impressed with most of these which were missed opportunities because they had all kinds of nooks and crannies available to hide them in but they chose to stretch them out in the middle of the scene where they practically screamed: "Hey, look at me, here I am!" This would have been an awesome non-linear morph the way they had several scenes available to explore versus 1-2 like most developers offer nowadays, so I'd really like to see this up-and-coming developer stretch their comfort zone a bit, I think they could pull off a tricky feature like non-linear morphs, and this developer would be unstoppable I was a little bummed that I didn't look for a collectible in one scene before clicking the "lips" for the conversation which unbeknownst to me would prevent me from returning and therefore it prevented me from collecting that particular Morphing Rose-tinted Moon and there is no feature that allowed me to return to the scene to pick up any missed collectibles! :(
There are 32 Rose-Tinted Morphing Moons (1 per scene) some are very small and some are fairly large. I wasn't very impressed with most of these which were missed opportunities because they had all kinds of nooks and crannies available to hide them in but they chose to stretch them out in the middle of the scene where they practically screamed: "Hey, look at me, here I am!" This would have been an awesome non-linear morph the way they had several scenes available to explore versus 1-2 like most developers offer nowadays, so I'd really like to see this up-and-coming developer stretch their comfort zone a bit, I think they could pull off a tricky feature like non-linear morphs, and this developer would be unstoppable I was a little bummed that I didn't look for a collectible in one scene before clicking the "lips" for the conversation which unbeknownst to me would prevent me from returning and therefore it prevented me from collecting that particular Morphing Rose-tinted Moon and there is no feature that allowed me to return to the scene to pick up any missed collectibles! :(
There are no other CE collectibles and one might argue that this game isn't very CE-worthy, but let me argue that I have played this entire game...and this is one of the longest games I have EVER played. I will go one step further to elaborate, there is another developer who has lengthy games but with their games, you are doing the same thing over and over, picking up a tool, losing the tool only to need the tool again in the next scene, mini-game after mini-game, HOP after HOP. This isn't the case with this game, there are over 50 scenes and only 35 mini-games and 16 HO's, I didn't repeat any task, most of the time I was at a loss as to what I was supposed to do next, I had to stop and THINK! Isn't that how it's supposed to be?
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 12 Hidden Object Scenes, +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Hidden Object Scenes have to be pretty creative or pretty challenging to grab my attention nowadays because the objects have become so blatantly obvious in these newer HOPA versions that they have become downright ridiculous These HO scenes immediately grabbed my attention with the beautiful purple glowing mushrooms, Floating Magical Books, Glyphed Shards, Night Blossoms, Oily Flowers, Glowing Vials, etc. I'm not saying they were super challenging because they weren't, but at least they were interesting to look at for a change! One of my favorite HO scenes was finding enchanted objects that were glowing such as wands and lamps, I thought it was different and rather creative.
There are 12 Hidden Object Scenes, +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Hidden Object Scenes have to be pretty creative or pretty challenging to grab my attention nowadays because the objects have become so blatantly obvious in these newer HOPA versions that they have become downright ridiculous These HO scenes immediately grabbed my attention with the beautiful purple glowing mushrooms, Floating Magical Books, Glyphed Shards, Night Blossoms, Oily Flowers, Glowing Vials, etc. I'm not saying they were super challenging because they weren't, but at least they were interesting to look at for a change! One of my favorite HO scenes was finding enchanted objects that were glowing such as wands and lamps, I thought it was different and rather creative.
Mini-Games:
There are 24 Mini-Games +10 in the CE Bonus Chapter. They are decent puzzles that are mostly mechanical-based that I refer to as "tinkering" kinds of puzzles. None of them are really mind-blowing but they are enjoyable enough and easy enough to give yourself a sense of accomplishment that you could tinker thru them without feeling the need to hit the skip button :), Below are a few examples of the puzzles you'll encounter during the game:
There are 24 Mini-Games +10 in the CE Bonus Chapter. They are decent puzzles that are mostly mechanical-based that I refer to as "tinkering" kinds of puzzles. None of them are really mind-blowing but they are enjoyable enough and easy enough to give yourself a sense of accomplishment that you could tinker thru them without feeling the need to hit the skip button :), Below are a few examples of the puzzles you'll encounter during the game:
1-Untangle the wires.
2-Find matching pairs by flipping over 2 spheres at a time.
3-Place various angled mirrors to direct each beam of light to its color-coded slot.
3-Connect matching sets of gears without crossing lines.
4-Find a way to fill a cup with 4 oz. using two cups ( a 5 oz & a 3 oz) using a drain to discard unused liquid.
5-Color segments of an hourglass so that adjacent colors are different patterns.
6-Adjust several springs w/various patterns until each spring aligns with the blue arrow.
7-Adjust the hands of each lens (similar to clock hands) to refract color-coded light beams.
2-Find matching pairs by flipping over 2 spheres at a time.
3-Place various angled mirrors to direct each beam of light to its color-coded slot.
3-Connect matching sets of gears without crossing lines.
4-Find a way to fill a cup with 4 oz. using two cups ( a 5 oz & a 3 oz) using a drain to discard unused liquid.
5-Color segments of an hourglass so that adjacent colors are different patterns.
6-Adjust several springs w/various patterns until each spring aligns with the blue arrow.
7-Adjust the hands of each lens (similar to clock hands) to refract color-coded light beams.
Bonus Chapter: (CE version only)
Ahriman, home of the Moons is still unstable because of the damage sustained to the Moonlight Veil by unknown forces. I was delighted to be playing as one of my favorite characters from the Main Chapter, Bahktak, although admittedly, I had suspected he would at least play as a sidekick because he is such a likable character This is by far one of the longest Bonus Chapters I've played in a long time, spanning over an additional 19-20 scene locations, so honestly, what this game lacks in CE Bling content, it more than makes up for with actual gameplay! When I say gameplay, I mean just that, there are no collectible moons and just 4 Hidden Object Scenes and 10 Mini-game within those 20 scenes.
Ahriman, home of the Moons is still unstable because of the damage sustained to the Moonlight Veil by unknown forces. I was delighted to be playing as one of my favorite characters from the Main Chapter, Bahktak, although admittedly, I had suspected he would at least play as a sidekick because he is such a likable character This is by far one of the longest Bonus Chapters I've played in a long time, spanning over an additional 19-20 scene locations, so honestly, what this game lacks in CE Bling content, it more than makes up for with actual gameplay! When I say gameplay, I mean just that, there are no collectible moons and just 4 Hidden Object Scenes and 10 Mini-game within those 20 scenes.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
12 Wallpapers, 24 Concept Art Pictures, 10 Music Soundtracks, 7 Cutscene Movie Videos, 31 Achievements, 15 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 32 Collectible Morphing Rose-Tinted Moons, a Moonling Manual, 4 Main Chapters (very lengthy) +Bonus Chapter (above-average length) and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
12 Wallpapers, 24 Concept Art Pictures, 10 Music Soundtracks, 7 Cutscene Movie Videos, 31 Achievements, 15 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 32 Collectible Morphing Rose-Tinted Moons, a Moonling Manual, 4 Main Chapters (very lengthy) +Bonus Chapter (above-average length) and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
PERSIAN NIGHTS SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Sands of Wonders SE only (May 21-2018) 4.3
2-Moonlight Veil (May 9-2020) n/a
by: So Digital
& Artifex Mundi
2-Moonlight Veil (May 9-2020) n/a
by: So Digital
& Artifex Mundi
I recommend this game!
Can you live up to your family’s legacy in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
52 of 56 found this review helpful
BACK IN THE DAY THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A TON OF AMULET MANUFACTURERS
PostedMay 8, 2020
pennmom36
fromWouldn't it be cool if a developer would pick up some of the one & done "one hit wonders" games for a sequel such as Infected: The Twin Vaccine?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Infected: The Twin Vaccine Collector’s Edition
(228)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game approximately 5.0 Hours
(including completion of all puzzles & Bonus Chapter
21 Scene Locations +7 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
(including completion of all puzzles & Bonus Chapter
21 Scene Locations +7 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
The most exciting part of this game is the beauty of Taleworld, a world created entirely by human imagination. The storyline is the same Nevertales scenario with different characters...Grandma falls ill, grandson discovers a well-kept family secret (via letter, naturally) and gets whisked to Taleworld where he meets an evil, cloaked and masked man, surrounded by black mist, boy saves both worlds, everyone lives happily ever after, The End...sound familiar?
Gadget/Helper:
Granny's Family Heirloom Amulet is technically a gadget but it's only used to find hidden symbols in the room in the first scene, and then to find hidden caches in the final chapter. Because it's basically unobtrusive, I'll give this gadget a pass, but one has to wonder why MHG can't seem to let go of these "gadget" features altogether?
Granny's Family Heirloom Amulet is technically a gadget but it's only used to find hidden symbols in the room in the first scene, and then to find hidden caches in the final chapter. Because it's basically unobtrusive, I'll give this gadget a pass, but one has to wonder why MHG can't seem to let go of these "gadget" features altogether?
Morphing Objects/Collectibles (CE version only)
Each of the 28 Scenes, throughout the Main Game and Bonus Chapter, has a Morphing Object and Collectible Mask/MHG Swirl Symbol. There is also a Morphing Object in all of the Hidden Object Scenes, and surprisingly, they have done a great job blending the collectibles and morphs into the scenery, a few of which were quite challenging to spot! Any missed Hidden Object Scene Morphs can be picked up by playing replaying the HO's in the extra's menu, which also allows you to better your star or accuracy score. After finding all the Collectibles, there is a Jigsaw Puzzle available as well as a tab that allows you to return to each Location to find a hidden object.
Each of the 28 Scenes, throughout the Main Game and Bonus Chapter, has a Morphing Object and Collectible Mask/MHG Swirl Symbol. There is also a Morphing Object in all of the Hidden Object Scenes, and surprisingly, they have done a great job blending the collectibles and morphs into the scenery, a few of which were quite challenging to spot! Any missed Hidden Object Scene Morphs can be picked up by playing replaying the HO's in the extra's menu, which also allows you to better your star or accuracy score. After finding all the Collectibles, there is a Jigsaw Puzzle available as well as a tab that allows you to return to each Location to find a hidden object.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes, 5 Zoom Zone HOP's, +4 Main & 2 Zoom Zone HOP's in the CE Bonus Chapter. This is the one area that MHG's shined, the HO scenes were colorful and located in interesting locations. I found some of the objects to be challenging to spot because objects weren't blatantly obvious, they did a wonderful job blending items into the scenery. Most of the scenes are Silhouetted Shape find variations but there are Matching Pairs Finds, Interactive & Listed Item Finds, Symbol Finds (MHG loves their symbols!) Swatches Finds, Multiples Finds and Find & Replace as well. Each of the Main HO Scenes has a Morphing Object that can be picked up within the CE Extra's menus as well. There is no alternate puzzle offered.
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes, 5 Zoom Zone HOP's, +4 Main & 2 Zoom Zone HOP's in the CE Bonus Chapter. This is the one area that MHG's shined, the HO scenes were colorful and located in interesting locations. I found some of the objects to be challenging to spot because objects weren't blatantly obvious, they did a wonderful job blending items into the scenery. Most of the scenes are Silhouetted Shape find variations but there are Matching Pairs Finds, Interactive & Listed Item Finds, Symbol Finds (MHG loves their symbols!) Swatches Finds, Multiples Finds and Find & Replace as well. Each of the Main HO Scenes has a Morphing Object that can be picked up within the CE Extra's menus as well. There is no alternate puzzle offered.
Mini-Games:
There are 25 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. The puzzles are easily solved, some of which can be solved in just a few moves. These are basically the same games offered in all MH games, absolutely nothing new, and certainly nothing challenging. I don't mind easily solved puzzles, but I do appreciate a little bit of originality, otherwise, they are just another boring task.
There are 25 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. The puzzles are easily solved, some of which can be solved in just a few moves. These are basically the same games offered in all MH games, absolutely nothing new, and certainly nothing challenging. I don't mind easily solved puzzles, but I do appreciate a little bit of originality, otherwise, they are just another boring task.
Bonus Chapter: (CE version only)
Step into the shoes of Grandma's attorney, Milton Harris as he struggles to maintain a normal life in the real world. This is a somewhat short Chapter taking place over 7 additional scene locations with 4 Hidden Object Scenes + 2 Zoom Zone HOP's and 7 Mini-Games available. There are 4 Hidden Object Scene Morphs, 7 Scene Morphing Objects, and 7 Collectible Masks remaining. After completing the CE Collectibles you can access a Jigsaw Puzzle, and after completing this Bonus Chapter you can access a Treasure Hunt to search for 16 Souvenirs.
Step into the shoes of Grandma's attorney, Milton Harris as he struggles to maintain a normal life in the real world. This is a somewhat short Chapter taking place over 7 additional scene locations with 4 Hidden Object Scenes + 2 Zoom Zone HOP's and 7 Mini-Games available. There are 4 Hidden Object Scene Morphs, 7 Scene Morphing Objects, and 7 Collectible Masks remaining. After completing the CE Collectibles you can access a Jigsaw Puzzle, and after completing this Bonus Chapter you can access a Treasure Hunt to search for 16 Souvenirs.
Collector's Edition Extra's:
12 Wallpapers, 3 Concept Art Pictures, 10 Music Soundtracks, 17 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 28 Collectible Mask/Spiral Symbols, 28 Scene Morphing Objects, 17 HOP Morphing Objects, Treasure Hunt (return to the scene to search for Souvenirs) a Jigsaw Puzzle, 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
12 Wallpapers, 3 Concept Art Pictures, 10 Music Soundtracks, 17 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 28 Collectible Mask/Spiral Symbols, 28 Scene Morphing Objects, 17 HOP Morphing Objects, Treasure Hunt (return to the scene to search for Souvenirs) a Jigsaw Puzzle, 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
NEVERTALES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Beauty Within (November 22-2013) 4.6
2-Shattered Images (August 17-2014) 3.3
3-Smoke And Mirrors (December 8-2014) 4.3
4-Legends (October 11-2015) 4.5
5-Hidden Doorway (October 23-2016) 3.4
6-Forgotten Pages (July 23-2017) 3.8
7-Creator's Spark (April 8-2018) 3.6
8-The Abomination (March 24-2019) 3.8
9-Hearthbridge Cabinets (May 8-2020) n/a
2-Shattered Images (August 17-2014) 3.3
3-Smoke And Mirrors (December 8-2014) 4.3
4-Legends (October 11-2015) 4.5
5-Hidden Doorway (October 23-2016) 3.4
6-Forgotten Pages (July 23-2017) 3.8
7-Creator's Spark (April 8-2018) 3.6
8-The Abomination (March 24-2019) 3.8
9-Hearthbridge Cabinets (May 8-2020) n/a
by: Mad Head Games
Return to Rosemount to stop the Ice Queen in this updated classic!
Overall rating
4
/
5
159 of 178 found this review helpful
PROOF THAT OLDER GAMES HAD THE "IT" FACTOR?
PostedMay 7, 2020
pennmom36
fromIn the 19th century as the City Park movement was trying to gain momentum, they introduced Grey Squirrels for 3 reasons, they are a N. American native species, they can deal w/human interactions & have characteristics of "begging" to attract attention
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game approximately 5.5 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
35 Scene Locations +14 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
35 Scene Locations +14 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Gerda and Kai's love was strong enough to withstand the test of time, but they had a weakness that was stronger than their love for one another. Their love may have been strong enough to melt the icy temper of the Queen, but they were too weak to destroy her. What is the bond between these ghostly lovers and what does the Ice Queen have to do with the disappearance of your beloved Edward who suddenly vanished as the Ice Queen arose?
Collectibles/Morphing Objects: (CE version only)
Each scene has an Opaque Collectible Squirrel that is incredibly well-blended into the scenery! This is one of my personal favorite collectibles overall. (my all-time favorite CE feature is the non-linear morphs from the original DP series) There are 49 Opaque Squirrels total which unlocks 5 Crystal Squirrels when you find 5-10-25-37-48 Opaque Squirrels. Each scene also has a Morphing Object which is also fairly well-hidden, but not as challenging as those squirrels! There is an available pull-out Tab that tells you how many morphs & collectibles remain in each scene.
Each scene has an Opaque Collectible Squirrel that is incredibly well-blended into the scenery! This is one of my personal favorite collectibles overall. (my all-time favorite CE feature is the non-linear morphs from the original DP series) There are 49 Opaque Squirrels total which unlocks 5 Crystal Squirrels when you find 5-10-25-37-48 Opaque Squirrels. Each scene also has a Morphing Object which is also fairly well-hidden, but not as challenging as those squirrels! There is an available pull-out Tab that tells you how many morphs & collectibles remain in each scene.
Gadget/Helper:
In March of 2012, Ice Rose had no Gadget that required collecting crystal tears so she could tell you a sad and tragic background story about how the evil-doer rose to power. In 2012 The developer relied on a Journal to fill the player in on any missing links of the story...and I am happy...ecstatic to report that not only is there no Gadget in this Remastered version of Ice Rose, but that my beloved Journal is still there, after all these years, waiting patiently for my return to Rosemount! Oh, how I have missed a good Journal! A good journal fills in the background story of each character you meet as you progress, jots down clues, codes, and diagrams you come across during the game, and even keeps track of your gameplay time. My only complaint is that the journal has a slightly annoying shake-shift feature whenever there is a new entry that won't stop until you click to open it, but I love the journal so I'm willing to give it a pass this time (don't get rid of it!) I've always wished the journal could do more, like perhaps have a youtube kind of hint or walkthrough puzzle strategy guide feature, etc??
In March of 2012, Ice Rose had no Gadget that required collecting crystal tears so she could tell you a sad and tragic background story about how the evil-doer rose to power. In 2012 The developer relied on a Journal to fill the player in on any missing links of the story...and I am happy...ecstatic to report that not only is there no Gadget in this Remastered version of Ice Rose, but that my beloved Journal is still there, after all these years, waiting patiently for my return to Rosemount! Oh, how I have missed a good Journal! A good journal fills in the background story of each character you meet as you progress, jots down clues, codes, and diagrams you come across during the game, and even keeps track of your gameplay time. My only complaint is that the journal has a slightly annoying shake-shift feature whenever there is a new entry that won't stop until you click to open it, but I love the journal so I'm willing to give it a pass this time (don't get rid of it!) I've always wished the journal could do more, like perhaps have a youtube kind of hint or walkthrough puzzle strategy guide feature, etc??
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 20 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter and a handful of smaller zoom zone hop's. Most of them are Interactive List Finds, but it appears that the "Remastered" touch inserted some modern-day Silhouetted Shape Find HOP's where you are tasked with finding 3 silhouetted images that match the image shown in the center (X 3) but in my opinion, the original Listed Item Finds were very well done, the objects were challenging to find at times, and the Silhouetted Shape finds proves that today's improvements are a step in the wrong direction. The items in the Silhouetted Shape Finds couldn't have been more obvious, this is one of the reasons so many people are recommending OLDER games during the stay-at-home-orders, to pass the time. Think about it, tons of reviewers have been telling people how they have been replaying their games from 2012 or 2013, even at ponfriends, everyone talks about the oldies but goodies...nobody says "hey last week's game was the best game of all time" because they are just forgettable kind of games nowadays!
There are 20 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter and a handful of smaller zoom zone hop's. Most of them are Interactive List Finds, but it appears that the "Remastered" touch inserted some modern-day Silhouetted Shape Find HOP's where you are tasked with finding 3 silhouetted images that match the image shown in the center (X 3) but in my opinion, the original Listed Item Finds were very well done, the objects were challenging to find at times, and the Silhouetted Shape finds proves that today's improvements are a step in the wrong direction. The items in the Silhouetted Shape Finds couldn't have been more obvious, this is one of the reasons so many people are recommending OLDER games during the stay-at-home-orders, to pass the time. Think about it, tons of reviewers have been telling people how they have been replaying their games from 2012 or 2013, even at ponfriends, everyone talks about the oldies but goodies...nobody says "hey last week's game was the best game of all time" because they are just forgettable kind of games nowadays!
Mini-Games:
There are 20 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. In the latest version of Living Legends, I spoke about how repetitive their mini-games have become and it was mainly because they had decided to add a similar Gadget feature to all of their different series with basically the same repetitive game associated with equipping the gadget with crystal tears. My fear was that this Stigma would haunt them, that all of their games would be referred to as "the ones with the cheesy tears gadget" and the super simplistic puzzles that accompanied them. Ice Rose was this developer's first game (See Series List below March 22-2012) and it proves that you don't need the gadget to tell the back story, the Journal fills it it for us whenever we want to read it...and I MISS this feature! These are decent mini-games, they are varied with different styles, such as slider tiles, fragmented puzzle pieces, mechanical type puzzles where you connect fuses, manual dexterity types, and recreating images. They also come in a wide range of difficulty modes, some are easily solved, others are multi-layered and take a little more thought process, but my point is, they are all doable, they are all enjoyable, and they were all fairly creative, unlike the games of late, which have been made so fool-proof that it's almost insulting.
Bonus Chapter: (CE version only)
Continue your quest to save Edward who is in a catatonic trance as you must decide whether or not to make the devel a deal in this lengthy bonus chapter that takes place over a whopping additional 14 Scene Locations. There are 7 Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes, which does seem a bit skimpy considering the size of the chapter, but I suppose the fact that you get more collectibles and morphs makes up for that. (14 Opaque Squirrels/unlocks the final Crystal Squirrel and 14 Morphs)
There are 20 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. In the latest version of Living Legends, I spoke about how repetitive their mini-games have become and it was mainly because they had decided to add a similar Gadget feature to all of their different series with basically the same repetitive game associated with equipping the gadget with crystal tears. My fear was that this Stigma would haunt them, that all of their games would be referred to as "the ones with the cheesy tears gadget" and the super simplistic puzzles that accompanied them. Ice Rose was this developer's first game (See Series List below March 22-2012) and it proves that you don't need the gadget to tell the back story, the Journal fills it it for us whenever we want to read it...and I MISS this feature! These are decent mini-games, they are varied with different styles, such as slider tiles, fragmented puzzle pieces, mechanical type puzzles where you connect fuses, manual dexterity types, and recreating images. They also come in a wide range of difficulty modes, some are easily solved, others are multi-layered and take a little more thought process, but my point is, they are all doable, they are all enjoyable, and they were all fairly creative, unlike the games of late, which have been made so fool-proof that it's almost insulting.
Bonus Chapter: (CE version only)
Continue your quest to save Edward who is in a catatonic trance as you must decide whether or not to make the devel a deal in this lengthy bonus chapter that takes place over a whopping additional 14 Scene Locations. There are 7 Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes, which does seem a bit skimpy considering the size of the chapter, but I suppose the fact that you get more collectibles and morphs makes up for that. (14 Opaque Squirrels/unlocks the final Crystal Squirrel and 14 Morphs)
Collector's Edition Version Extra's
6 Wallpapers, 23 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 12 Movie Video Cutscenes, 25 Achievements,14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 28 Replayable Mini-Games, 49 Opaque Squirrels, (1 per scene) 49 Morphing Objects (1 per scene) 6 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
6 Wallpapers, 23 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 12 Movie Video Cutscenes, 25 Achievements,14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 28 Replayable Mini-Games, 49 Opaque Squirrels, (1 per scene) 49 Morphing Objects (1 per scene) 6 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
LIVING LEGENDS SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Ice Rose (March 22-2012) 4.2
2-Frozen Beauty (June 13-2013) 4.5
3-Wrath of the Beast (January 22-2015) 3.4
4-Bound By Wishes (March 3-2016) 4.5
5-Beasts of Bremen (February 16-2017) 4.5
6-Uninvited Guests (November 2-2017) 4.6
7-Fallen Sky (September 26-2018) 4.3
8-The Crystal Tear (January 30-2020) 4.0
9-Ice Rose Remastered (May 7-2020) n/a
by: Friendly Fox Studios (formerly 4 Friends Games)
2-Frozen Beauty (June 13-2013) 4.5
3-Wrath of the Beast (January 22-2015) 3.4
4-Bound By Wishes (March 3-2016) 4.5
5-Beasts of Bremen (February 16-2017) 4.5
6-Uninvited Guests (November 2-2017) 4.6
7-Fallen Sky (September 26-2018) 4.3
8-The Crystal Tear (January 30-2020) 4.0
9-Ice Rose Remastered (May 7-2020) n/a
by: Friendly Fox Studios (formerly 4 Friends Games)
I recommend this game!
Join Ellia on a magical match 3 quest to find the Astral Crystal and restore the fairy village!
Overall rating
1
/
5
123 of 139 found this review helpful
(⊙ˍ⊙) THIS IS MY DISBELIEF FACE. DIDN'T I JUST TALK ABOUT REELING IT BACK IN? (⊙ὃ⊙)
PostedMay 6, 2020
pennmom36
fromOnly 4 out of 44 games showing on this page were NOT from a series: 18-HO's. 8-TM's, 7-Puzzles, 9-M3's, 1-Solitaire, 1 Marble-popper
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Two days ago, I talked about how BF needed to get some fresh bait and recast the fishing line because lately, all they are doing is using the same old bait to catch the same old games in the same series over and over again. We aren't getting a "New Game Every Day" we're just getting a 10th, 20th, 30th sometimes even 40th addition to an old series every day! The game selection has become pretty narrow lately, and at times it seems like BF is scraping the bottom of the barrel...perhaps I gave the wrong advice Felix, maybe recasting the line with new bait simply isn't enough at this point. Perhaps it's time to find a new pond with deeper waters because it l⊙⊙ks like the old one has been overfished!
This is 100% the same game as all the other "The Enthralling Realms Games" The level layouts are 100% the same as they are in the 4 games before this game, not to mention all the other games they offer, such as "The Chronicles of" series and a few of their newest Match 3 games, Murder By..and The Legend of... The features are the same, exactly the same, drop the Magical Sphere to the bottom of the board, and it's always introduced on the 3rd level, Spiders that spin webs unless you make matches under them, and always introduced on the 7th level, Morphing Bubbles to pop, large Matches to fill the Manan Meter, the Same Power-ups that do the same thing (only the names have been changed) When features are so identical from one game to the next, that they are introduced on the SAME LEVELS, isn't that a legitimate reason to call foul?!!
You can play in a Relaxed Untimed Mode or Timed Mode and once again, this is a Swap type of Match 3 game, where you swap tiles to make matches of at least 3 identical elements. You must make matches over all of the Gold Cells (and eventually Red cells that turn Gold) and make the required number of matches of each Element shown to the right of the screen. Elements inside of Bubbles, Morph (I think they appear when you make large matches, but I'm not positive) which allows you to pop the bubble when the desired element appears inside the bubble...but you probably already knew that!
There are the usual Obstructions of Chained or Double Chained Tiles that require one or two matches of whichever element is chained, or pesky Spiders that will spin Webs over the tiles if they aren't removed by making matches on or under them. (webbed tiles will remain blocked until you make a match of whichever tile is within the web) Some levels require you to collect Magic Spheres by dropping them off of the board as you make matches under them...but you probably already knew that!
You must purchase all 4 Upgrades to the Fairy Kingdom to progress to the next Chapter, with the Stars you earn playing the Match 3 levels. The upgrades are neither interesting nor are they colorful and certainly not what you'd expect to see in a magical Fairy Kingdom? It completely defeats the purpose of an upgrade, the purpose is to keep the player enthusiastic about playing so they want to finish building the kingdom. If everything looks bland and unappealing, the player is left with a "who cares" attitude, eventually, the Match 3 game itself will have no purpose and it will become just another unfinished game sitting in the GM until it gets the trash can click!
Large Matches allow you to use any of the Power-ups once the Mana Meter recharges. The larger the match, the quicker the Mana Meter fills. Once the Mana meter fills, Power-ups become available (included as you progress with upgrades)
Here's a list of the available Power-ups (they are the same power-ups that do the same things in ALL of the Match 3 games by this developer, but you probably already knew that too!):
*Hammer: destroys a single tile and/or chain.
*Fairy Bomb: destroys a 3 x 3 range of tiles cells/chains.
*Forest Dagger: destroys an entire horizontal line, cells/chains.
*Magical Dagger: destroys an entire vertical line, cells/chains.
*Fairy Shiels: destroys all of the same tiles.
*Pumpkin Bomb: destroys a 7 x 7 cluster of tiles, cells/chains.
THE ENTHRALLING REALMS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
*Fairy Bomb: destroys a 3 x 3 range of tiles cells/chains.
*Forest Dagger: destroys an entire horizontal line, cells/chains.
*Magical Dagger: destroys an entire vertical line, cells/chains.
*Fairy Shiels: destroys all of the same tiles.
*Pumpkin Bomb: destroys a 7 x 7 cluster of tiles, cells/chains.
THE ENTHRALLING REALMS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Curse of Darkness (August 30-2017) 4.3
2-An Alchemist's Tale (May 28-2018) 3.6
3-Blacksmith's Revenge (January 29-2019) 2.7
4-The Witch And The Elven Princess (May 1-2019) 3.7
5-The Fairy's Quest (May 6-2020) n/a
2-An Alchemist's Tale (May 28-2018) 3.6
3-Blacksmith's Revenge (January 29-2019) 2.7
4-The Witch And The Elven Princess (May 1-2019) 3.7
5-The Fairy's Quest (May 6-2020) n/a
by: e-FunSoft Games
I don't recommend this game.
The universe is on the verge of collapse! Help Ariadna and Seuss as they travel through space and time to save all that they love!
Overall rating
3
/
5
47 of 55 found this review helpful
MAYBE IT'S TIME TO RECAST THE LINE?
PostedMay 4, 2020
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game is perfectly fine, although it seems to me they are either running out of storylines or they are just riding the waves of the only two stories that anyone was showing any interest in (Witches & Ariadna) The genre playing field is becoming pretty slim-pickings nowadays, is it just me, or is anyone else noticing that BF keeps offering the same game genres by the same handful of developers, over and over? Surprise! There's no surprise, it's just game # 40 in the series? Perhaps it's time to reel it in, Felix, put on some fresh bait and recast the line! Who knows, maybe you'll net a whopping brand new genre or catch an elusive new Word Game, a point-and-click Adventure, Marble-popper or maybe even a mind-blowing game by a developer no one's ever heard of before...be brave little worm, be brave :)
This has got to be the easiest Hiddenverse to date, there is not much of a challenge, even on the Hard Times Mode because the objects are very large and the clutter is pretty sparse, the levels are over in a flash. There are a couple of new Clutter styles, one of which requires catching the correct Flying Object that is shown on one of four cards at the bottom of the board, and each group of objects gets a tad bit faster and more than one available object will fly by at any given time.
DIFFICULTY MODES:
You can choose between three difficulty modes, a Timeless mode, a Normal Timed mode, and a Hard Times mode (bwahaha) which gives you 20% less time than the Normal Mode. You can also choose between a male or a female Avatar. Each Chapter has 9 Clutter Levels and one 3-part bonus mini-game level, and collecting crystals during clutter levels will fill the available Hint Meter.
You can choose between three difficulty modes, a Timeless mode, a Normal Timed mode, and a Hard Times mode (bwahaha) which gives you 20% less time than the Normal Mode. You can also choose between a male or a female Avatar. Each Chapter has 9 Clutter Levels and one 3-part bonus mini-game level, and collecting crystals during clutter levels will fill the available Hint Meter.
MINI-GAMES:
Every fifth level contains an optional Match 3 game, a Flip-Card Memory game, and a Pipe Connection Alchemy game (rotate pipe sections to complete the path to fill the vial) You will earn a Star for completing the mini-games, but individual puzzles or the entire level can be skipped without penalty. These are the same 3 game variations offered in the previous 13 Hiddenverse games, and they aren't even that interesting...how about changing it up from game to game with a word search, a crossword, a marble-popper...anything different?
Every fifth level contains an optional Match 3 game, a Flip-Card Memory game, and a Pipe Connection Alchemy game (rotate pipe sections to complete the path to fill the vial) You will earn a Star for completing the mini-games, but individual puzzles or the entire level can be skipped without penalty. These are the same 3 game variations offered in the previous 13 Hiddenverse games, and they aren't even that interesting...how about changing it up from game to game with a word search, a crossword, a marble-popper...anything different?
STAR UPGRADES:
You can earn up to 3-Stars per Clutter Levels as well as for completing the Bonus Mini-Game Levels. The Stars are used to upgrade your Mind's Fortress, a place you can go to hide and rest, after clearing the fogginess. Most upgrades are achieved in 2-3 stages and once an upgrade has been completed you will earn 3 Puzzle Fragment Pieces to assemble an image that is required in order to progress to the next Chapter...the upgrades are never very interesting, how about something with vivid colors, potions, colorful dart frogs, different houses or villages, gardens, trees, even steampunk can be wild and crazy... my "Mind's Fortress" seems to have way more creative imagination!?
You can earn up to 3-Stars per Clutter Levels as well as for completing the Bonus Mini-Game Levels. The Stars are used to upgrade your Mind's Fortress, a place you can go to hide and rest, after clearing the fogginess. Most upgrades are achieved in 2-3 stages and once an upgrade has been completed you will earn 3 Puzzle Fragment Pieces to assemble an image that is required in order to progress to the next Chapter...the upgrades are never very interesting, how about something with vivid colors, potions, colorful dart frogs, different houses or villages, gardens, trees, even steampunk can be wild and crazy... my "Mind's Fortress" seems to have way more creative imagination!?
CLUTTER VARIATIONS:
❄Flying Objects: Click on objects whose pair is shown on the bottom as it flys over the top section.
❄Morphing Objects: Some of the objects morph into a different object.
❄Flashlight Mode: Find matching pairs of objects in the dark with a flashlight beam.
❄Frozen Ice Blocks: Find 3 red crystals to charge the cannon to shoot ice blocks that have frozen objects inside.
❄Train Matching Pairs: Click an object on the train and its match on the field. (it will continue making laps to refill empty slots) moves way too chug a-chug a-choo-choo-slooooow!
❄Card Matches: Find the single object that appears on both cards. (once found the next card flips over)
❄Dissemble Heaping Piles: Drag objects out of junkpiles to find matching objects.
❄Listed Objects: Remove pairs of objects as they appear on the Texted List at the bottom of the field.
❄Paint Object Pairs: Paint pairs of objects to match the colors shown on cards. (use the color palette to paint white objects on the field)
❄Associated Pairs: Find objects that are associated with the pictures shown at the bottom.
❄Battle Modes: Remove more pairs of objects from the field than your opponent within the allotted time.
❄Big & Small Matches: Remove pairs of 1 large & 1 small identical object.
❄Odd Object Association: Remove pairs from the field of the single object that doesn't belong in each group of pictured items. (if the card shows 4 pairs of gloves and a dress, you would find 2 dresses on the field to remove)
❄Odd Object Color Mode Cards: Remove the item on the card that doesn't have the same color or the same pictured item.
❄Associated Placement: Place objects into 2 category Chests. (such as Food groups vs. Animal groups)
❄Matching Pairs or Triple's: Remove either pairs or triples of identical objects.
❄Fragment Matches: Remove both halves of each object.
❄Black & White: Remove both the colored and colorless version of an object
❄Silhouetted Shapes or Silhouetted Shape Fill: Remove objects that match the silhouettes or until the silhouettes have been completely filled.
❄Shifting Clutter Piles: Remove double or triple objects from a constantly shifting clutter pile.
❄One Black-One White: Find the single object that has 1 black and 1 white identical object.
❄Exploding Dynamite: Click to detonate which reshuffles the clutter. (doesn't necessarily help)
❄Card Battle Mode: Remove the single item on the left card that matches the object on the middle card before your opponent finds and matches the single object on his right side card with the object in the middle card you share.
❄Flying Objects: Click on objects whose pair is shown on the bottom as it flys over the top section.
❄Morphing Objects: Some of the objects morph into a different object.
❄Flashlight Mode: Find matching pairs of objects in the dark with a flashlight beam.
❄Frozen Ice Blocks: Find 3 red crystals to charge the cannon to shoot ice blocks that have frozen objects inside.
❄Train Matching Pairs: Click an object on the train and its match on the field. (it will continue making laps to refill empty slots) moves way too chug a-chug a-choo-choo-slooooow!
❄Card Matches: Find the single object that appears on both cards. (once found the next card flips over)
❄Dissemble Heaping Piles: Drag objects out of junkpiles to find matching objects.
❄Listed Objects: Remove pairs of objects as they appear on the Texted List at the bottom of the field.
❄Paint Object Pairs: Paint pairs of objects to match the colors shown on cards. (use the color palette to paint white objects on the field)
❄Associated Pairs: Find objects that are associated with the pictures shown at the bottom.
❄Battle Modes: Remove more pairs of objects from the field than your opponent within the allotted time.
❄Big & Small Matches: Remove pairs of 1 large & 1 small identical object.
❄Odd Object Association: Remove pairs from the field of the single object that doesn't belong in each group of pictured items. (if the card shows 4 pairs of gloves and a dress, you would find 2 dresses on the field to remove)
❄Odd Object Color Mode Cards: Remove the item on the card that doesn't have the same color or the same pictured item.
❄Associated Placement: Place objects into 2 category Chests. (such as Food groups vs. Animal groups)
❄Matching Pairs or Triple's: Remove either pairs or triples of identical objects.
❄Fragment Matches: Remove both halves of each object.
❄Black & White: Remove both the colored and colorless version of an object
❄Silhouetted Shapes or Silhouetted Shape Fill: Remove objects that match the silhouettes or until the silhouettes have been completely filled.
❄Shifting Clutter Piles: Remove double or triple objects from a constantly shifting clutter pile.
❄One Black-One White: Find the single object that has 1 black and 1 white identical object.
❄Exploding Dynamite: Click to detonate which reshuffles the clutter. (doesn't necessarily help)
❄Card Battle Mode: Remove the single item on the left card that matches the object on the middle card before your opponent finds and matches the single object on his right side card with the object in the middle card you share.
HIDDENVERSE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Spirit of the Ancient Forest (June 29-2017) 4.1
2-A Plot Story (September 21-2017) 4.0
3-Witch's Tales (October 31-2017) 3.7
4-Dream Walker (December 15-2017) 2.9
5-Hiddenverse: The Iron Tower (February 7-2018) 3.7
6-Hiddenverse: Tale of Ariadna (May 14-2018) 3.1
7-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 2 (August 29-2018) 3.2
8-Hiddenverse: Divided Kingdom (October 3-2018) 4.2
9-Hiddenverse: Rise of Ariadna (January 8-2019) 3.5
10-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 3 (April 29-2019) 3.8
11-Hiddenverse: Ominous Opus (August 13-2019) 3.0
12-Hiddenverse: Kingdom Fall (November 5-2019) 4.1
13-Hiddenverse: Ariadna Dreaming (February 11-2020) 4.6
14-Hiddenverse: Fate of Ariadna (May 4-2020) n/a
2-A Plot Story (September 21-2017) 4.0
3-Witch's Tales (October 31-2017) 3.7
4-Dream Walker (December 15-2017) 2.9
5-Hiddenverse: The Iron Tower (February 7-2018) 3.7
6-Hiddenverse: Tale of Ariadna (May 14-2018) 3.1
7-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 2 (August 29-2018) 3.2
8-Hiddenverse: Divided Kingdom (October 3-2018) 4.2
9-Hiddenverse: Rise of Ariadna (January 8-2019) 3.5
10-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 3 (April 29-2019) 3.8
11-Hiddenverse: Ominous Opus (August 13-2019) 3.0
12-Hiddenverse: Kingdom Fall (November 5-2019) 4.1
13-Hiddenverse: Ariadna Dreaming (February 11-2020) 4.6
14-Hiddenverse: Fate of Ariadna (May 4-2020) n/a
by: Shaman Games
Help the Rangers run Pinecreek Hills National Park in the great outdoors.
Overall rating
4
/
5
42 of 49 found this review helpful
WHO'S READY TO GO CAMPING?
PostedMay 3, 2020
pennmom36
fromFYI: The Collector's Edition version was released in April, today's version is the Standard Edition :)
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Vacation Adventures games are so well-loved by fans of all ages that it's become somewhat of a "cult classic" It's one of the few games that still takes me to my gaming Happy Place, a game that always puts a smile on my face and gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling. Vacation Adventures is a trip I look forward to every year, it says Spring has finally arrived and it's time to tag along with the Park Rangers at Pinecreek Hills National Park! (tell me you don't smile when a new VA game releases?)
You can play in a Casual Mode (untimed-faster hint recharge) a Challenge Mode (timed-normal hint recharge) or Extreme (timed-no available hints-all wildlife & recyclables must be found) There are 20 Achievements to earn for completing various tasks such as finding Wildlife, buying souvenirs, or finishing a mini-game quickly. You can purchase 16 Park Souvenir's which are stored in a Display Case tab.
There are seek and find puzzles in scenes all around the park, and even scenes where you find multiples of similar or related objects. Each scene has several wildlife animals to find that are shown as silhouettes in a box to the left of the word search bar and when all the animals have been spotted, the box will close. There is a Wildlife Notebook that allows you to see all 108 illustrations of the wildlife you have found. You will also Recycle cans, bottles, and paper found in each scene, and when all recyclables have been found, the recycle Can icon will be displayed as full. Some Scenes have a Camera Icon that allows you to take a photo for the photo album so don't forget to keep an eye out for those Photo Ops, there is a Photo Album to store these as well (12 total)
You will earn an Eagle Eye achievement if you don't use either the Hint or Mega Hint feature. The Magnifying Glass will show you a hint of one item and the Mega hint will show you the location of every item left to find. You'll earn a Bronze Star for completing the Search, a Silver Star if you find all Wildlife OR all Recyclable Items, and a Gold Star if you find all Wildlife AND all Recyclable items. Words listed in Blue require an interaction of some type, and words in Red are hidden inside or behind things, requiring you to click on an item to Open it or Solve it, which will reveal the hidden item. Many of the scenes have a Zoom Zone (indicated by sparkling stars) that have hidden items and sometimes include Recyclables or Wildlife. Levels can be replayed at any time to better your score or pick up missing recyclable items or wildlife. and the items to find are different each time you replay it.
After each Search Scene, you'll play a variety of Mini Games such as Placing Map Shapes, Spot The Difference, Word Search, or several different types of Jigsaw Puzzles (Rotate Squares, Swap Tile Sections, Flipsaw's, etc) The Collector's Edition version includes a ton of replayable mini-games!
Collector's Edition Extra's:
Extra Levels at the Jurassic Springs National Park, 24 Wallpapers, 20 Music Soundtracks w/player, 20 Achievements, 48 Replayable Mini-Games
Extra Levels at the Jurassic Springs National Park, 24 Wallpapers, 20 Music Soundtracks w/player, 20 Achievements, 48 Replayable Mini-Games
CE EXTRA MINI-GAMES:
*Apache Trail Watering Hole: Find & Place
*Wild Animals: Jigsaws
*Eagle Pass Information Board: Jigsaw
*Eagle Pass Statue: Jigsaw
*Pinecreek's Centennial Railroad: Jigsaw
*Scouting Centenary Window: Jigsaw
*Beautiful Deer: Jigsaw
*Formation Sky Divers: Jigsaw
*Pinecreek Main Gate: Flipsaw
*Cherokee Gorge: Flipsaw
*Pinecreek Control: Flipsaw
*Bluewaters Campfire: Flipsaw
*Gondola Ticket: Flipsaw
^Pinecreek Statues: Flipsaw
*Ranger Volunteers: Flipsaw
*Periodic Table: Flipsaw
*Park Status Board: Rotate Puzzle
*Geyser Information Poster: Rotate Puzzle
*Goldville Junction: Rotate Puzzle
*Colonial Campground: Rotate Puzzle
*Fun Run Medal: Rotate Puzzle
*National Weather Map: Rotate Puzzle
*National Park Certificate: Rotate Puzzle
*Springfield Charities Cheque: Rotate Puzzle
*Flooded Ford Detour: Spot The Difference
*Arrowhead Cafe: Spot The Difference
*Logging Camp At Night: Spot The Difference
*The Poachers Hideaway: Spot The Difference
*Ranger Things: Concentration
*Ranch Things: Concentration
*Gold Things: Concentration
*Sporting Things: Concentration
*Park Activities: Word Search
*Medical Things: Word Search
*Farm Produce: Word Search
*Indian Items: Word Search
*Park Animals: Word Search
*Horse Names: Word Search
*Pinecreek's Orphaned Bears: Word Search
*Speedboat Names: Word Search
*Pinecreek Places: Place Labels & Pictures
*Treehouse Lodge room Keys: Drag Keys Correctly
*The Bike Store: Drag Bike Fragments
*Bluewaters Queen Ticket: Rotate Squares
*Helicopter Cabin: Find Items Shown on Phone
*Heavenly Constellations: Find Shape in Stars
*Pinecreek ATM: Work Out Pin Numbers
*Science Center Lock: Work Out Lock Number
*Apache Trail Watering Hole: Find & Place
*Wild Animals: Jigsaws
*Eagle Pass Information Board: Jigsaw
*Eagle Pass Statue: Jigsaw
*Pinecreek's Centennial Railroad: Jigsaw
*Scouting Centenary Window: Jigsaw
*Beautiful Deer: Jigsaw
*Formation Sky Divers: Jigsaw
*Pinecreek Main Gate: Flipsaw
*Cherokee Gorge: Flipsaw
*Pinecreek Control: Flipsaw
*Bluewaters Campfire: Flipsaw
*Gondola Ticket: Flipsaw
^Pinecreek Statues: Flipsaw
*Ranger Volunteers: Flipsaw
*Periodic Table: Flipsaw
*Park Status Board: Rotate Puzzle
*Geyser Information Poster: Rotate Puzzle
*Goldville Junction: Rotate Puzzle
*Colonial Campground: Rotate Puzzle
*Fun Run Medal: Rotate Puzzle
*National Weather Map: Rotate Puzzle
*National Park Certificate: Rotate Puzzle
*Springfield Charities Cheque: Rotate Puzzle
*Flooded Ford Detour: Spot The Difference
*Arrowhead Cafe: Spot The Difference
*Logging Camp At Night: Spot The Difference
*The Poachers Hideaway: Spot The Difference
*Ranger Things: Concentration
*Ranch Things: Concentration
*Gold Things: Concentration
*Sporting Things: Concentration
*Park Activities: Word Search
*Medical Things: Word Search
*Farm Produce: Word Search
*Indian Items: Word Search
*Park Animals: Word Search
*Horse Names: Word Search
*Pinecreek's Orphaned Bears: Word Search
*Speedboat Names: Word Search
*Pinecreek Places: Place Labels & Pictures
*Treehouse Lodge room Keys: Drag Keys Correctly
*The Bike Store: Drag Bike Fragments
*Bluewaters Queen Ticket: Rotate Squares
*Helicopter Cabin: Find Items Shown on Phone
*Heavenly Constellations: Find Shape in Stars
*Pinecreek ATM: Work Out Pin Numbers
*Science Center Lock: Work Out Lock Number
VACATION ADVENTURES PARK RANGER SERIES
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 1 SE only (July 23-2013) 3.8
2-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 2 SE only (March 31-2014) 3.9
3-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 3 SE only (March 24-2015) 4.5
4-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 4 SE only (March 30-2016) 4.5
5-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 5 SE only (November 15-2016) 4.7
6-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 6 SE only (May 31-2017) 4.6
7-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 7 SE only (March 21-2018) 4.5
8-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 8 SE only (September 24-2018) 4.6
9-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 9 SE (June 2-2019) 3.6
10-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 10 SE (May 3-2020) n/a
2-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 2 SE only (March 31-2014) 3.9
3-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 3 SE only (March 24-2015) 4.5
4-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 4 SE only (March 30-2016) 4.5
5-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 5 SE only (November 15-2016) 4.7
6-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 6 SE only (May 31-2017) 4.6
7-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 7 SE only (March 21-2018) 4.5
8-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 8 SE only (September 24-2018) 4.6
9-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 9 SE (June 2-2019) 3.6
10-Vacation Adventures Park Ranger 10 SE (May 3-2020) n/a
by: Casual Arts
I recommend this game!
Help Hercules catch the fastest creature in the land and put a stop to its wave of destruction in his latest strategy adventure!
Overall rating
2
/
5
52 of 61 found this review helpful
TAKE A SPEED-PILL TO MAKE YOU WICKED FAST LIKE HERCULES, SO YOU PICK ALL THE PRETTY FLOWERS
PostedMay 2, 2020
pennmom36
fromLet me set the mood...cue the dreadful elevator Greed For Speed music...There is a Fruit Bush hidden inside a Crystal....I'm not making any of this up!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Okay, I'm not implying that there's any kind of reality associated with a Time Management game, but this is a game with an animated super-hero that one can assume would attract gamers of a younger audience as well as adults. I'm also not implying that kids can't differentiate between reality and make-believe, but just for the sake of argument, can we agree that perhaps having everyone swallow a massive amount of giant speedballs in every level may not be sending the right message here? Fortunately, I'm probably one of the few people who always manages to see the humorous side in just about every situation thrown my way. Was I the only one who was rolling on the floor at the thought of Herc taking the giant speed pills whilst I was picking every daisy in site searching for a lousy puzzle rune as some cheesy elevator music was playing in the background?
Other than being able to play in a Relaxed, Casual, or Expert Mode, that was about my only positive reflection of this game. On the second level, the tutorial pop-up texts were being over-ridden by dialog boxes which the developer must have thought was more important, or perhaps thought we really did swallow those large pills? I had to restart the level and literally had to pause the game when the tutorial box pop-up appeared, explaining about the hidden puzzle rune, just so I could read it, otherwise, the story dialog boxes would over-ride the explanation! In my opinion, that's a huge oversight!
Now that my emotions are going through a full rollercoaster range between humor and confusion, annoyance joins the ride as a barrage of blue arrows keep redirecting my line of sight all over the screen. I can see if it were a gentle nudge to say "hey, don't forget to grab this cheese wheel that's the size of Herc's giant speedball just in case you may have missed it" but I'm talking about enough flashing arrows to make you want to grab a few speed pills and run as fast as you can towards the exit button....which is exactly what I did!
Collector's Edition Extra's:
3 Bonus Levels, 9 Wallpapers, 6 Movie Cutscenes, Hidden Puzzle Runes to complete 5 Puzzles (Baking Bread-Microcosm-Dynamics-Pastoral Fun-The Lifter) 22 Trophy Achievements, NO Strategy Guide!
3 Bonus Levels, 9 Wallpapers, 6 Movie Cutscenes, Hidden Puzzle Runes to complete 5 Puzzles (Baking Bread-Microcosm-Dynamics-Pastoral Fun-The Lifter) 22 Trophy Achievements, NO Strategy Guide!
12 LABOURS OF HERCULES SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-12 Labours of Hercules SE only (October 30-2013) 4.0
2-The Cretan Bull SE only (July 21-2014) 3.8
3-Girl Power SE only (January 4-2015) 3.9
4-Mother Nature (August 22-2015) 4.2
5-Kids of Hellas (January 23-2016) 4.3
6-Race For Olympus (November 1-2016) 4.2
7-Fleecing The Fleece (June 20-2017) 3.7
8-How I Met Megara (December 22-2018) 4.4
9-A Hero's Moonwalk (September 7-2019) 3.9
10-Greed For Speed (May 2-2020) n/a
2-The Cretan Bull SE only (July 21-2014) 3.8
3-Girl Power SE only (January 4-2015) 3.9
4-Mother Nature (August 22-2015) 4.2
5-Kids of Hellas (January 23-2016) 4.3
6-Race For Olympus (November 1-2016) 4.2
7-Fleecing The Fleece (June 20-2017) 3.7
8-How I Met Megara (December 22-2018) 4.4
9-A Hero's Moonwalk (September 7-2019) 3.9
10-Greed For Speed (May 2-2020) n/a
by: Zoom Out & Jet Dogs Studios
I don't recommend this game.
Can you escape a utopian toy world before it’s too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
49 of 57 found this review helpful
HOO'S GONNA NOTICE?
PostedMay 1, 2020
pennmom36
fromGrace the NON-Owl-Bearer of the Order of the Guardians!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Completed Game a little over 5.0 Hours
(including completion of all puzzles & Bonus Chapter)
21 Main Game Scene Locations +7 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all puzzles & Bonus Chapter)
21 Main Game Scene Locations +7 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
There are very few "Helpers" that I thoroughly enjoy because a lot of them are annoying and more work than enjoyable, however, once a developer has committed to a themed-gadget/helper, why on Earth would they ditch that helper after 8 previous games in the series? I would refuse to play a game in one of my favorite series if Elf or Mr. Jenkins was MIA, they are a key player in the game, they ARE the game! I can understand seeing what works and doesn't work in the first few episodes, but, eventually, you're riding on a successful fan-base?
Even though Grace's sidekick Mechanical Owl was briefly shown at the opening scene, he's ditched for the entire game without a single use! Admittedly, the owl was a bit annoying at times because of his constant wing-flapping that continued as you had to search for an item he needed, to complete the task. That seems like an easy fix or tweak to make? When the entire series is based upon The Order of The Guardians...when the entire 9-game long series is based upon one of its Guardian members, Grace...when the entire series is based upon Grace, whose character, by the way, is based upon being "The Owl Bearer"...KEYWORDS" Owl-Bearer...why would you decide to ditch the entire basis of the game 9 games into the series?????
For me, the story was dull and all over the place, not to mention the fact that it is almost identical to another long-running "mechanical based" game series, so much so that if you weren't shown a title or told who developed this game, you would automatically assume it was a new game in that series, and you probably wouldn't guess it was a Reflections of Life game. I was also surprised, almost shocked by the graphics in Utopia, whats Uptopian about the dull color choices of hues of blue? The past games in this series, like Slipping Hope, Call of the Ancestors, Tree of Dreams, for example, had amazing color hues, exactly what you'd expect in a fantasy genre...Utopia doesn't. Although the tasks are way better than recent games by another developer, Granny chooses to reuse the same puzzles over and over, there's only so many times you want to repeat them, right? I'm still a GrandMa fan, but I want to see the kind of effort they put into WS: Dreadful Beauty, put into all of their games! That game was incredible, it even had choices that actually affected the outcome and a Hidden Chapter almost as good as the main chapter! It can't be a hit or miss scenario guys, it has to be stellar...every time, it has to have an interesting plot...every time! Give me games like that one and I will give you 5-stars...every time!
Collectibles & Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Morphing Objects are one thing Granny excels at, they are smaller, not so obvious objects that morph at a good rate to make them somewhat challenging to spot! There are 27 Morphing Objects (most scenes in the main chapters, as well as the CE Bonus Chapter, include 1 morphing object) that unlock Mechanical Theater Figurines @ 2~6~12~20~27 morphs found. There are 54 Collectible Owl Feathers (most scenes have 1 normal flight feather & 1 round body feather) After completing the game, you can click on any of the missing Owl Feathers to be transported to the scene where you missed a feather...Granny definitely gets this feature right! There are 54 Ancient Coins (that look nothing like a coin) located within Zoom Zones (usually 2 per scene) The coins are used to purchase themed costumes for the Mechanical Theater Figurines, such as a Wizard, Aviator, or Painter. There is a pull-out tab on the left that keeps track of the morphs & collectibles found, but there's no indicator that alerts you as to whether or not the collectibles have been found in that particular scene. Although they allow you to return to the scene to search for missing owl feathers after completing the game, it would be awesome having a collectible/morph indicator, especially when you exit a game and return at a later time, because it's nearly impossible to remember what you've found or haven't after a little time passes!
Morphing Objects are one thing Granny excels at, they are smaller, not so obvious objects that morph at a good rate to make them somewhat challenging to spot! There are 27 Morphing Objects (most scenes in the main chapters, as well as the CE Bonus Chapter, include 1 morphing object) that unlock Mechanical Theater Figurines @ 2~6~12~20~27 morphs found. There are 54 Collectible Owl Feathers (most scenes have 1 normal flight feather & 1 round body feather) After completing the game, you can click on any of the missing Owl Feathers to be transported to the scene where you missed a feather...Granny definitely gets this feature right! There are 54 Ancient Coins (that look nothing like a coin) located within Zoom Zones (usually 2 per scene) The coins are used to purchase themed costumes for the Mechanical Theater Figurines, such as a Wizard, Aviator, or Painter. There is a pull-out tab on the left that keeps track of the morphs & collectibles found, but there's no indicator that alerts you as to whether or not the collectibles have been found in that particular scene. Although they allow you to return to the scene to search for missing owl feathers after completing the game, it would be awesome having a collectible/morph indicator, especially when you exit a game and return at a later time, because it's nearly impossible to remember what you've found or haven't after a little time passes!
Hidden Object Scenes: (Match 3 Game Alternative available)
There are 13 Main Hidden Object Scenes, 10 Zoom Zone Mini-HOP's +2 regular, and 2 Zoom Zone Mini-HOP's in the CE Bonus Chapter. (in Chapters 3-4 a couple of the scenes are repeated with a different hidden object style) They are mostly Interactive List Finds, but they have thrown in several variations, such as, Silhouetted Shape Progressive-Interactive Silhouetted Shape Finds (find an item that matches the Silhouette and use within the scene to expose the next object, etc.) Multiples of the Same Object Finds, Find & Replace, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Swatches Finds (find areas shown as a swatch sample) and a Spot The Difference Find. The scenes are clear but the items aren't very challenging, once again I was able to find 95% of the objects w/o looking at the actual list or shapes because the objects are very obvious. There is an alternate Match 3 game available but I've yet to play a HOPA Match 3 game version that's actually fun by ANY of the developers. There's never any grid variation, goals, obstacles, or power-ups to make them interesting, they are just boring square grids. All that's required is massive clicking skills; you keep clicking till you're done with absolutely no frills! How wonderful would it be to offer a decent (& lengthy) Match 3 game...even better if they teamed up with a developer who specializes in M3 games!!! :)
There are 13 Main Hidden Object Scenes, 10 Zoom Zone Mini-HOP's +2 regular, and 2 Zoom Zone Mini-HOP's in the CE Bonus Chapter. (in Chapters 3-4 a couple of the scenes are repeated with a different hidden object style) They are mostly Interactive List Finds, but they have thrown in several variations, such as, Silhouetted Shape Progressive-Interactive Silhouetted Shape Finds (find an item that matches the Silhouette and use within the scene to expose the next object, etc.) Multiples of the Same Object Finds, Find & Replace, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Swatches Finds (find areas shown as a swatch sample) and a Spot The Difference Find. The scenes are clear but the items aren't very challenging, once again I was able to find 95% of the objects w/o looking at the actual list or shapes because the objects are very obvious. There is an alternate Match 3 game available but I've yet to play a HOPA Match 3 game version that's actually fun by ANY of the developers. There's never any grid variation, goals, obstacles, or power-ups to make them interesting, they are just boring square grids. All that's required is massive clicking skills; you keep clicking till you're done with absolutely no frills! How wonderful would it be to offer a decent (& lengthy) Match 3 game...even better if they teamed up with a developer who specializes in M3 games!!! :)
Mini-Games:
There are 27 Mini-Games +9 in the CE Bonus Chapter. There are a ton of Tasks that could be deemed as a mini-game (they aren't listed as mini-games on the SG and don't include instructions nor can they be skipped) most of which involve matching identical pairs or choosing symbols in the correct order. Most of the games can be played in an Easy or Hard Mode, and they are basically the same puzzles offered over and over in all games by this developer. They aren't necessarily bad games, however, I would caution Granny to come up with new puzzle ideas because most players have played all games by this developer (they have some great games!) and there's a fine line between "familiar" and "repetitive" the latter can make or break a game! I must admit that I became rather bored with the puzzles because they were far too easily solved, especially when I've played them hundreds of times before! Below are some examples of the games you've played multiple times:
There are 27 Mini-Games +9 in the CE Bonus Chapter. There are a ton of Tasks that could be deemed as a mini-game (they aren't listed as mini-games on the SG and don't include instructions nor can they be skipped) most of which involve matching identical pairs or choosing symbols in the correct order. Most of the games can be played in an Easy or Hard Mode, and they are basically the same puzzles offered over and over in all games by this developer. They aren't necessarily bad games, however, I would caution Granny to come up with new puzzle ideas because most players have played all games by this developer (they have some great games!) and there's a fine line between "familiar" and "repetitive" the latter can make or break a game! I must admit that I became rather bored with the puzzles because they were far too easily solved, especially when I've played them hundreds of times before! Below are some examples of the games you've played multiple times:
☠-Rotate tiles to recreate the image (several)
☠-Select items in the order shown. (a gazillion times)
☠-Rotate cylinders to match key shapes & place keys.
☠-Select arrows to maintain balance while avoiding obstacles. (sound familiar?)
☠-Rotate tiles to complete paths for each conduit.
☠-Connect crystal nodes of various shapes.
☠-Drag disk sections until lights appear inside all holes.
☠-Use directional arrows to move gears to the top pockets.
☠-Push bubbles to their matching colored tubes.
☠-Select bubbles to reveal matching runes.
☠-Select 4 colored gems-Blue indicates the gem is the correct color, but wrong placement-Yellow indicates correct color & placement (you get 8 tries)
☠-Rotate groups of tiles correctly (moving one affects others)
☠-Arrange animals to their correct habitats.
☠-Follow a recipe according to pictures.
☠-Shoot when the target turns green (how many times have we played this game!)
☠-Jump birds from left to right to switch sides.
☠-Swap pictures to their correct frames (2 different game variations)
☠-Select 2 symbols that when combined, recreate the symbols shown. (tried and true till you're blue game!)
☠-Select items in the order shown. (a gazillion times)
☠-Rotate cylinders to match key shapes & place keys.
☠-Select arrows to maintain balance while avoiding obstacles. (sound familiar?)
☠-Rotate tiles to complete paths for each conduit.
☠-Connect crystal nodes of various shapes.
☠-Drag disk sections until lights appear inside all holes.
☠-Use directional arrows to move gears to the top pockets.
☠-Push bubbles to their matching colored tubes.
☠-Select bubbles to reveal matching runes.
☠-Select 4 colored gems-Blue indicates the gem is the correct color, but wrong placement-Yellow indicates correct color & placement (you get 8 tries)
☠-Rotate groups of tiles correctly (moving one affects others)
☠-Arrange animals to their correct habitats.
☠-Follow a recipe according to pictures.
☠-Shoot when the target turns green (how many times have we played this game!)
☠-Jump birds from left to right to switch sides.
☠-Swap pictures to their correct frames (2 different game variations)
☠-Select 2 symbols that when combined, recreate the symbols shown. (tried and true till you're blue game!)
Bonus Chapter: (CE version only)
Play Elenor's husband Arthur Lumiere as he desperately searches for his wife and daughter after they vanish mysteriously. This is an average-length chapter that takes place over 7 Scene Locations with an additional 9 Mini-Games, 2 Hidden Object Scenes, and 2 Mini Zoom Zone HOP's. You will continue collecting 2 Feathers and 2 Ancient Coins in each of the 7 scenes, as well as a single Morphing Object per scene which allows you to unlock the final 2 Mechanical Theater Figurines (each figurine can also be "dressed in themed costumes) which then unlocks the Bonus Puzzle Chapter which is an additional Hidden Object Scene.
Play Elenor's husband Arthur Lumiere as he desperately searches for his wife and daughter after they vanish mysteriously. This is an average-length chapter that takes place over 7 Scene Locations with an additional 9 Mini-Games, 2 Hidden Object Scenes, and 2 Mini Zoom Zone HOP's. You will continue collecting 2 Feathers and 2 Ancient Coins in each of the 7 scenes, as well as a single Morphing Object per scene which allows you to unlock the final 2 Mechanical Theater Figurines (each figurine can also be "dressed in themed costumes) which then unlocks the Bonus Puzzle Chapter which is an additional Hidden Object Scene.
Collector's Edition Extra's:
9 Wallpapers, 9 Concept Art Pictures, 24 Movie Cutscene Videos, 8 Music Soundtracks ♪, 9 Replayable Mini-Games♙, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Achievements, 54 Collectible Ancient Coins (used to purchase themed costumes for the Mechanical Figurines) 54 Owl Feathers, 27 Morphing Objects, 5 Theater Mechanical Figurines to Unlock (with 2-6-12-20-27 Morphing Objects) 4 Main Chapters (Fateful Stranger) +Bonus Chapter (Suspicious Invitation) +Hidden Puzzle/HOP (you must find all Collectibles to unlock) and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
9 Wallpapers, 9 Concept Art Pictures, 24 Movie Cutscene Videos, 8 Music Soundtracks ♪, 9 Replayable Mini-Games♙, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Achievements, 54 Collectible Ancient Coins (used to purchase themed costumes for the Mechanical Figurines) 54 Owl Feathers, 27 Morphing Objects, 5 Theater Mechanical Figurines to Unlock (with 2-6-12-20-27 Morphing Objects) 4 Main Chapters (Fateful Stranger) +Bonus Chapter (Suspicious Invitation) +Hidden Puzzle/HOP (you must find all Collectibles to unlock) and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
REFLECTIONS OF LIFE SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Tree Of Dreams (July 20-2014) 3.6
2-Equilibrium (May 17-2015) 3.9
3-Dark Architect (February 12-2016) 4.2
4-Call Of The Ancestors (September 11-2016) 3.6
5-Hearts Taken (June 11-2017) 3.7
6-In Screams And Sorrow (May 25-2018) 3.7
7-Slipping Hope (January 27-2019) 4.0
8-Dream Box (September 15-2019) 4.1
9-Utopia (May 1-2020) n/a
by: GrandMa Studios
2-Equilibrium (May 17-2015) 3.9
3-Dark Architect (February 12-2016) 4.2
4-Call Of The Ancestors (September 11-2016) 3.6
5-Hearts Taken (June 11-2017) 3.7
6-In Screams And Sorrow (May 25-2018) 3.7
7-Slipping Hope (January 27-2019) 4.0
8-Dream Box (September 15-2019) 4.1
9-Utopia (May 1-2020) n/a
by: GrandMa Studios