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:
Each clue pulls you deeper into the darkness between the stars.
Overall rating
3
/
5
85 of 117 found this review helpful
RELAX & PAY A DOMINI HOG
PostedAugust 8, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I have a feeling that Domini Games abandoned ship and sold to Relaxgames. It's possible they just sold out the HOG division, but more than likely, Domini couldn't keep up the pace of releasing two HOPA games every week. (and who could blame them?) Everyone noticed their decline; they went from "Oh wow, a new Domini Game!" to "Oh no, another Domini Game" as they released a ton of cookie-cutter games, back-to-back. If you played any of their new releases without reading the title, you probably couldn't tell which series the game belonged to because they are all basically the same game with the same MO.
As for Connection of Worlds, if you like HOGs, I see no reason why you wouldn't love this game because it is a high-quality game with amazing graphics and flawless game mechanics. Although it doesn't have a HOPA kind of story, it does have a storyline, which is usually MIA in most simple HOGs. The Mini-games are no different than they offer in a HOPA and leaps & bounds better than any other basic HOG offered nowadays! It even has Collectibles and a Strategy Guide that shows their location.
The problem is that it's not the typical HOPA game that we have come to expect from Domini and Big Fish. If a different, non-HOPA developer offered this exact game, I'm pretty sure it would get better ratings because no one would be expecting a Hidden Object Puzzle Game from them...which is probably why Domini Games chose to change their name!
The problem is that BF is requiring developers to release games at a pace that clearly isn't sustainable. The result is that we get the same games in the same series by the same developers, over and over. Developers eventually lose their mojo and desire to create or imagine because they are too busy trying to fulfill contract quotas.
Here is what they refuse to factor into this equation...Big Fish truly believes that we want quantity over quality. They believe that the HOPA market has dwindled because of poor ratings and sales, especially when compared to sales from the birth era of the HOPA craze. BF fails to recognize that they have forced developers to cut corners to keep up with unrealistic contract demands.
BF refuses to believe that HOPA fans still exist! We haven't gone anywhere; we are right HERE, and we want to spend our money on your games! We haven't lost interest in the genre; we've just lost interest in THESE easy-breezy, cookie-cutter games that have absolutely no challenge whatsoever.
How many of you have replayed older HOPAs multiple times from your library? I know I do!
Those older games never locked previous scenes behind you and limited you to three scenes at a time. We had to roam every scene location from start to finish and try to remember where we saw a clue, a task, or an area that required the tool you just stumbled across. Heck, trying to remember where you saw something, traveling back and forth through multiple scenes to find secret passages, and jumping through hoops was the greatest challenge of all. Nowadays, it's impossible to get lost, and even more impossible NOT to know exactly what inventory item goes where because there are only 2-3 scenes open at a time; oftentimes you'll find and use an item in the same scene!...No wonder why we have lost interest in this type of gameplay!
But, instead of putting on the brakes and going back to the drawing board, BF keeps pushing the same narrative of quantity over quality. They won't even try to test this theory by giving the reins back to a HOPA developer and allowing them to make a creative game with features we loved. All it would take is ONE incredible HOPA with Dire Grove kind of features and gameplay to prove that HOPA fans still exist. If I had to pay a few extra bucks for a "Golden Edition" quality game, I'd gladly do so. I'd rather have one amazing HOPA per month than 4 boring, cookie-cutter games.
The bottom line is that I don't blame the developer for switching over to simple HOG games; they have to be exhausted, and they have to be as bored with their games as we are. BF is obviously asking the wrong questions to the wrong people and the developers suffer because of it. In fact, we are all victims! I can't imagine that BF is pulling in anywhere near the sales that they were when HOPAs were first created...and that fact should speak volumes.
Wanna talk about the perfect HOPA at my new forum? thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Step in and test your skill with a stunning collection of challenging puzzles!
Overall rating
4
/
5
30 of 51 found this review helpful
JUST FIND IT • • •JUST DO IT!
PostedAugust 6, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I just got back from a wonderful vacation on Myrtle Beach and it looks like there have been some decent games this past couple of weeks, including Just Find It 2!
I LOVE the hidden Lion mascot available in some of the scenes. They are really fun to search for because each one is slightly different. Scenes with a hidden Lion will have a Lion Icon on the right side.
There are seven categories:
•Click To Cycle (4)-click on various shaped pieces to create the correct picture.
•Difference (28)-spot the differences between two or more scenes.
•Detail (17)-search for areas in each scene that matches the swatch.
•Match (6)-find identical pairs of various objects. (Butterflies was my fav!)
•Memory (2)-flip over two cards at a time to find matching pictures (would love more of these!)
•Montage(9)-find objects that match a portion of the image.
•Swap (9)-swap shaped pieces between images.
•Click To Cycle (4)-click on various shaped pieces to create the correct picture.
•Difference (28)-spot the differences between two or more scenes.
•Detail (17)-search for areas in each scene that matches the swatch.
•Match (6)-find identical pairs of various objects. (Butterflies was my fav!)
•Memory (2)-flip over two cards at a time to find matching pictures (would love more of these!)
•Montage(9)-find objects that match a portion of the image.
•Swap (9)-swap shaped pieces between images.
Collector's Edition Extras:
14 Music Soundtracks, 15 Wallpaper, 2 bonus levels of Click To Cycle, 8 bonus levels of Differences, 7 bonus levels of Detail. 2 bonus levels of Match, 2 bonus levels of Memory, 2 bonus levels of Montage, and 1 bonus level of Swap.
14 Music Soundtracks, 15 Wallpaper, 2 bonus levels of Click To Cycle, 8 bonus levels of Differences, 7 bonus levels of Detail. 2 bonus levels of Match, 2 bonus levels of Memory, 2 bonus levels of Montage, and 1 bonus level of Swap.
Come visit the best place in town for BF gamers at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Step in and test your skill with a stunning collection of challenging puzzles!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 15 found this review helpful
JUST FIND IT • • • JUST DO IT - ONE MORE TIME
PostedAugust 6, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I just got back from a wonderful vacation on Myrtle Beach and it looks like there have been some decent games this past couple of weeks, including Just Find It 2!
I LOVE the hidden Lion mascot available in some of the scenes. They are really fun to search for because each one is slightly different. Scenes with a hidden Lion will have a Lion Icon on the right side.
There are seven categories:
•Click To Cycle (4)-click on various shaped pieces to create the correct picture.
•Difference (28)-spot the differences between two or more scenes.
•Detail (17)-search for areas in each scene that matches the swatch.
•Match (6)-find identical pairs of various objects. (Butterflies was my fav!)
•Memory (2)-flip over two cards at a time to find matching pictures (would love more of these!)
•Montage(9)-find objects that match a portion of the image.
•Swap (9)-swap shaped pieces between images.
•Click To Cycle (4)-click on various shaped pieces to create the correct picture.
•Difference (28)-spot the differences between two or more scenes.
•Detail (17)-search for areas in each scene that matches the swatch.
•Match (6)-find identical pairs of various objects. (Butterflies was my fav!)
•Memory (2)-flip over two cards at a time to find matching pictures (would love more of these!)
•Montage(9)-find objects that match a portion of the image.
•Swap (9)-swap shaped pieces between images.
Collector's Edition Extras:
14 Music Soundtracks, 15 Wallpaper, 2 bonus levels of Click To Cycle, 8 bonus levels of Differences, 7 bonus levels of Detail. 2 bonus levels of Match, 2 bonus levels of Memory, 2 bonus levels of Montage, and 1 bonus level of Swap.
14 Music Soundtracks, 15 Wallpaper, 2 bonus levels of Click To Cycle, 8 bonus levels of Differences, 7 bonus levels of Detail. 2 bonus levels of Match, 2 bonus levels of Memory, 2 bonus levels of Montage, and 1 bonus level of Swap.
Come visit the best place in town for BF gamers at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Get ready to immerse yourself in the joy of puzzling while basking in the warmth of the season!
Overall rating
4
/
5
30 of 45 found this review helpful
HI RIGHT BACK ATCHA!
PostedJuly 25, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
As most of you know, I'm a Jigsaw Puzzle geek so I'm very picky about my puzzle games. Most of the pictures are really interesting, although I prefer the sci-fi & fantasy pictures Graphium Studios offers in previous games.
There are two Jigsaw Modes available, Classic, and Mosaic which have a ton of different puzzle shapes. (my favorite was one with an Elephant-shaped piece) The Classic Jigsaw mode has 5 different puzzle cuts and puzzles range from 6 pieces to 1488.
There are 5 Categories, (36) Cozy Time, (33) Fresh Breeze, (33) Sunshine, (33) Radiant Horizons, (36) Warm Days, and a Mystery Puzzle which I assume has a daily puzzle?
I did turn the music off because the whistling started to annoy me after a couple of puzzles. I did like the feature that snaps puzzle pieces to the board when correctly placed, and the ability to select edge pieces. I do recommend this game. However, it still lacks the one "must-have" feature for me personally...a feature to organize remaining puzzle pieces with the click of a button.
All are welcome at The Woods Forum so have a seat at the campfire and chat a while thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Brave the horrors of a villain's lair and conquer evil in this Time-Management epic!
Overall rating
4
/
5
35 of 52 found this review helpful
A TIME MANAGEMENT CLASSIC THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME
PostedJuly 24, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I've always loved Hermes and I'm glad they didn't feel the need to ratify this classic Time Management series! It still has new features, but the game feels like a Hermes classic through and through.
I love the Olive Trees & Groves (it is kind of hilarious to pick up some grapes & cheese along the path, too bad it doesn't come with a bottle of wine) I love the Centaurs too, the graphics are really, really good, especially the centaurs!
Apparently, this SE version still has 15 Collectible Treasures and Bonuses to unlock with Stars/points...who cares about Wallpaper etc? I bought the entire Hermes series bundle for the price of one CE...full steam ahead I say!
All are welcome at my nature-themed game forum! If you love to talk about games or real life, The Woods Forum is the place to be: thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you navigate three chilling stories and find a new path?
Overall rating
4
/
5
46 of 57 found this review helpful
I'M AT A CROSSROADS...AGAIN!
PostedJuly 21, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I was a fan of this series from the beginning. I think this series appeals to me because it reminds me of the earlier Elephant Games. They need to get a bit edgier like games were in HOPA-past, but I'm really noticing signs that elephant is trying to return to their roots...better late than never, right?
I was pleasantly surprised when I got stumped a few times in the game, kudos to the devs! The graphics are amazing; scenes are dark when they should be dark, yet they still managed to include bright & colorful HO's.
There are 12 Collectible Egyptian Mythology Books and 24 Crossroads Symbols that convert to puzzle pieces in the Secret Room. (and they aren't easily spotted)
My favorite Hidden Object Scene was a brand new variation where you had to choose two notes that were related, and then click "find the connection", if they match, a checkmark appears, and you continue matching all of the notes. There was an HO where you had to find areas (swatches) and the scene was idyllic and so beautiful.
Yes, there are still several cookie-cutter tasks but the gameplay is definitely enjoyable. I thought it was hilarious when my character was determined to go to the underworld, but wimped out when the atmosphere turned dark. Was he expecting rainbows & unicorns in the underworld?
Give this game a try, I think you may be pleasantly surprised as well! Full steam ahead ;)
Join me on my forum for more great review information thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a forgotten god before it’s too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
181 of 221 found this review helpful
GRANDMA'S HEART IS STILL BEATING STRONG
PostedJuly 20, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
While other developers are shrinking the contents of their Collector's Editions HOPAs. Grandma Studios throws in the kitchen sink. Lately, the other two developers have even shrunk the Custom settings available. The last few E games I played had about 4 different settings available in the custom mode, I couldn't even choose to have sparkles on the Hidden Object Scenes, a feature that makes the game seem more nostalgic for me personally... but not Grandma!
It's pretty obvious that Grandma pours their heart and soul into their games; they still have pride in their work and it shows. Purrfect Horror may not knock everyone off their computer chair, but it's well worth playing, and they definitely deserve our support so they can continue giving us the whole kitchen sink for years to come!
I love Egyptian-themed games and cats so they had me at Purrfect Horror! Each scene has a Static collectible and a Morphing Collectible, not to mention Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle pieces that unlock a 3rd Chapter Mini-game called A Game of Wits.
Thank you Grandma Studios for continuing to give us More while other developers have resorted to a new motto of Less is More! Full Steam ahead!
Join me at my nature-themed Forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Unleash your creativity and paint your way to pixel perfection!
Overall rating
4
/
5
36 of 59 found this review helpful
SCRAPING AWAY PAINT ONE PIXEL AT A TIME
PostedJuly 19, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Instead of painting individual pixels, you chisel the pixels off to reveal the color beneath. If you don't like the colors, you can change the color, tint, and hue of each individual pixel number!
The pictures are available in Small, Medium, Large, and Huge..., all of which are unlocked and available to color in any order! These are interesting images with beautiful colors and a ton of landscapes available, which are my favorite. My apologies to everyone who is expecting a "full report" on my review but I'm not going to put forth a lot of effort just to be slammed by fraudulent No votes for a company that can't seem to block votes from one individual. Thank you to all those who have supported me over the years, full steam ahead! :)
The pictures are available in Small, Medium, Large, and Huge..., all of which are unlocked and available to color in any order! These are interesting images with beautiful colors and a ton of landscapes available, which are my favorite. My apologies to everyone who is expecting a "full report" on my review but I'm not going to put forth a lot of effort just to be slammed by fraudulent No votes for a company that can't seem to block votes from one individual. Thank you to all those who have supported me over the years, full steam ahead! :)
Visit The Woods Forum for chats, game discussions, and of course, my full review at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Have a "paw"some adventure finding cats and pups!
Overall rating
4
/
5
76 of 96 found this review helpful
DO YOU LIKE APPLE PIE?
PostedJuly 11, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Here's an analogy; I sell pies, all kinds of pies. My top seller is Apple Pie. Not everyone likes Apple Pie, but the majority of my customers want my Apple Pie. Some have had their fill of my Apple Pie, but it's still my best seller because most of my customers love my Apple Pie. Should I stop selling my Apple Pie because some of my Apple Pie lovers are tired of it? Why would this developer stop selling their Apple Pie, isn't that how they make money (psst: developers make games as an income)
Now, as for the Dev's pets. (a feature in the game) I wonder how many people work for Boomzap the publisher? I wonder how many people work for Tiny Little Lion the developer? I wonder how many of those delightful pets were pets that have passed away? Can you imagine how devastated they would be to hear someone telling them their pet isn't real? Two years ago, I lost everything I owned in a fire, none of it keeps me up at night, they were just material things. What does keep me up at night is the fact that I lost my beloved 4# dog, Loki, it was devastating.! So please, let's be kind.
I have given developers poor star ratings in the past, BUT, it's because those developers had fantastic features in the beginning and started cutting corners, or they weren't adding features that the majority of people were asking for. That isn't the case with Tiny Little Lion, they offer fantastic features.
If you loved their Apple Pie in the past, but you grew tired of Apple Pie lately, that's not the pie maker's fault. I am giving this game 4 stars because I don't want others to be afraid to say they like Apple Pie!
Visit The Woods Forum for chats, game discussions, and of course, my full review at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Complete incredible works of art, and let your creativity shine!
Overall rating
4
/
5
90 of 151 found this review helpful
POPPING WITH COLOR!
PostedJuly 10, 2023
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away. Rest in Peace დ Loki 07/02/2021
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I've been a critic of this developer's games lately but I have to give credit when credit is due. Pop Art pops with color in multiple shades; the images are way more interesting and most of the images cover the entire page, versus a small area in the center of the page as in previous games.
Wouldn't it be cool if BF offered series bundles? I know everyone is expecting a "full report" on my review, but I'm not going to put forth a lot of effort just to be slammed by fraudulent No votes. Thank you to all those who have supported me over the years :)
Wouldn't it be cool if BF offered series bundles? I know everyone is expecting a "full report" on my review, but I'm not going to put forth a lot of effort just to be slammed by fraudulent No votes. Thank you to all those who have supported me over the years :)
Visit The Woods Forum for chats, game discussions, and of course, my full review at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!