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:
A family reunion at the Sweet 18 hotel turns into a night of terror!
Overall rating
4
/
5
37 of 47 found this review helpful
ENJOY YOUR STAY, WE'LL LEAVE THE LIGHTS OFF
PostedNovember 29, 2019
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4 Hours
(including completion of all puzzles & CE Bonus Chapter)
*18 Scene Locations +7 CE Bonus Chapter*
Difficulty Range: Intermediate
(including completion of all puzzles & CE Bonus Chapter)
*18 Scene Locations +7 CE Bonus Chapter*
Difficulty Range: Intermediate
The Blackthorn Brothers aren't the sharpest tools in the Haunted Hotel Shed. After receiving their Family Reunion Invitation, they head to the Sweet 18 Hotel long before any other family member arrives. They don't seem to notice the dreadful condition of this establishment, nor do they put two and two together to draw a haunted hotel conclusion until it's too late. The concierge hands them a key to a very special room, Room 18. The boys soon find out that Room 18 has roots that intertwine deeply into their family's past, discovering how and why is the easy part, escaping Room 18 is a whole different ballgame!
What a perfect game for Halloween! The graphics are creepy, the sounds are haunting, and they remind me of the perfection this developer insisted on back in the day. I LOVED the Keyhole Hint graphics, well done! Okay, so the Morphing Objects are the Elephant in the room, literally, they are the size of a baby Elephant, but I am so happy to see that these guys are slowly returning to their roots. They are abandoning the "Emblem" for every single door, window, box, cabinet, and drawer scenario, they have returned to their original graphics style that was superior to all other developers back in the day. They lost sight of what made them special, honestly, they got lazy because we allowed them to be lazy by not noticing or complaining once we did notice. Room 18 isn't perfect but they are obviously trying to improve, and I will show my appreciation by giving them 5-Stars for the first time in a long time!
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 10 main Hidden Object Scenes and 4 smaller Zoom Zone HOP's +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. They are mostly Interactive Listed Item Finds and Silhouetted Shape Finds but there are also Symbol Finds, Multiples of the same Object Finds Keyword Interactions Finds, Uncovering Pairs, and Finding 2 Related Combo Items that match the Listed Words (_+_= Mermaid) There are no alternate puzzles offered.
There are 10 main Hidden Object Scenes and 4 smaller Zoom Zone HOP's +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. They are mostly Interactive Listed Item Finds and Silhouetted Shape Finds but there are also Symbol Finds, Multiples of the same Object Finds Keyword Interactions Finds, Uncovering Pairs, and Finding 2 Related Combo Items that match the Listed Words (_+_= Mermaid) There are no alternate puzzles offered.
Mini-Games:
There are 21 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Although they are decent puzzles, they do tend to be fairly easy to solve, and there are several "clicking one may affect others" which are my personal nemesis. Below are a few of my personal favorites during the game:
There are 21 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Although they are decent puzzles, they do tend to be fairly easy to solve, and there are several "clicking one may affect others" which are my personal nemesis. Below are a few of my personal favorites during the game:
1-Drag the frame over a tile & press directional arrows to align paths to allow energy to flow.
2-Move blocks horizontally or vertically to clear a path for the key.
3-Rotate groups of bottles until the colored corks match the pattern shown.
4-Press the 'jump" button on an arcade to avoid moving rows of skeletons, pumpkins, and ghosts, then jump on logs to the exit.
5-Drag clock weights that move the clock hands in different increments to set each time shown.
6-Remove all blocks by dragging and droppping them to matching colored blocks.
2-Move blocks horizontally or vertically to clear a path for the key.
3-Rotate groups of bottles until the colored corks match the pattern shown.
4-Press the 'jump" button on an arcade to avoid moving rows of skeletons, pumpkins, and ghosts, then jump on logs to the exit.
5-Drag clock weights that move the clock hands in different increments to set each time shown.
6-Remove all blocks by dragging and droppping them to matching colored blocks.
Bonus Chapter:
Uncle Samuel insists on returning to Sweet 18 to rescue Caroline who he claims has been begging for his help in recurring nightly dreams, so it's back to the Haunted Hotel for some more ghostbusting work. This is an average-length chapter that takes place over 7 Scene Locations with 6 Hidden Object Scenes and 6 Mini-Games. You will continue to search for 7 Morphing Objects, 4 Morphing Character Statues, and 5 Puzzle Fragments to complete the final Bonus Scene Image as well.
Uncle Samuel insists on returning to Sweet 18 to rescue Caroline who he claims has been begging for his help in recurring nightly dreams, so it's back to the Haunted Hotel for some more ghostbusting work. This is an average-length chapter that takes place over 7 Scene Locations with 6 Hidden Object Scenes and 6 Mini-Games. You will continue to search for 7 Morphing Objects, 4 Morphing Character Statues, and 5 Puzzle Fragments to complete the final Bonus Scene Image as well.
Collector's Edition Extra's:
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 18 Achievements, 13 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Replayable Mini-Games, Secret Room, 14 Morphing Character Statues, 26 Morphing Objects (25??), 20 Puzzle Pieces (to complete 4 Scene Images) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 18 Achievements, 13 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Replayable Mini-Games, Secret Room, 14 Morphing Character Statues, 26 Morphing Objects (25??), 20 Puzzle Pieces (to complete 4 Scene Images) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
HAUNTED HOTEL SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Haunted Hotel SE only (March 5-2008) 2.9
2-Believe The Lies SE only (January 7-2009) 2.7
3-Lonely Dreams SE only (August 28-2010) 3.3
4-Charles Dexter Ward (July 14-2012) 3.9
5-Eclipse (November 8-2013) 4.3
6-Ancient Bane (June 27-2014) 3.9
7-Death Sentence (January 16-2015) 3.9
8-Eternity (May 29-2015) 3.8
9-Phoenix (September 13-2015) 3.9
10-The X (December 11-2015) 4.3
11-The Axiom Butcher (May 29-2016) 4.3
12-Silent Waters (October 16-2016) 3.3
13-The Thirteenth (January 22-2017) 3.4
14-Personal Nightmare (June 23-2017) 4.3
15-The Evil Inside (October 29-2017) 4.0
16-Lost Dreams (April 6-2018) 3.5
17-Beyond The Page (January 20-2019) n/a
18-Room 18 (November 29-2019) n/a
2-Believe The Lies SE only (January 7-2009) 2.7
3-Lonely Dreams SE only (August 28-2010) 3.3
4-Charles Dexter Ward (July 14-2012) 3.9
5-Eclipse (November 8-2013) 4.3
6-Ancient Bane (June 27-2014) 3.9
7-Death Sentence (January 16-2015) 3.9
8-Eternity (May 29-2015) 3.8
9-Phoenix (September 13-2015) 3.9
10-The X (December 11-2015) 4.3
11-The Axiom Butcher (May 29-2016) 4.3
12-Silent Waters (October 16-2016) 3.3
13-The Thirteenth (January 22-2017) 3.4
14-Personal Nightmare (June 23-2017) 4.3
15-The Evil Inside (October 29-2017) 4.0
16-Lost Dreams (April 6-2018) 3.5
17-Beyond The Page (January 20-2019) n/a
18-Room 18 (November 29-2019) n/a
by: Elephant Games
I recommend this game!
Cooking Trip: Back on the Road — show the world you’re the best and discover new culinary secrets!
Overall rating
2
/
5
67 of 79 found this review helpful
"GUEST WANTS LEMONADE, GRAB SOME CHERRIES" ????
PostedNovember 28, 2019
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
New Graphics, Same Layout. New Foods (sort of) Same Tasks. New Story, Same Plot. New Achievement Names, Same Achievements. New Bonus Names, Same Bonuses. Basically, this was a fantastic game when it was presented several years ago as Katy & Bob. I own all of the Katy & Bob games so no, I don't need another game that's an exact replica of those games, disguised as a new TM series because they changed the Title and renamed the characters!
I also don't appreciate having to "wait hand and foot" on customers who seem to have a "tude" (and alligator arms) why would I want to play a game with angry hotheads, or with people that leave poor tips no matter how quickly they are served? We may as well have a Waitress Attitude option to make it an even playing field, such as a "refusal to serve" or "here's the door, don't let it hitcha in the..." option, that oughta make things more interesting!
If you played the last Cooking Trip game (or Katy & Bob games) the first thing you'll notice is that the restaurant layout is the same. The familiar three, standing room only tables on the left, a fence around the entire tiki hut restaurant, a prep area where John continuously waves his hands in front of the actual food station, as if he was sprinkling fairy-dust or conjuring a potion, a condiments station to the left, rectangular tables for fruits of various types on the bottom portion of the screen, a freezer on the right-hand side to turn those cherries and blueberries into a frosty cold lemonade?? and eventually, 2 different restaurants with similar Katy & Bob themes. Does any of this sound familiar? Of course, it does, because this is the MO for all games by this developer, all they ever do is change the Title and the Characters names and roll with it for years and years!
This is a Point & Click, Time Management game where you serve customers for tips. You simply click the customer to give them a menu when they arrive and then click on the items they order, (pictured items are shown in their thought bubble) and re-click the customer to deliver those food items (exactly as pictured) The good news is that you don't have to drag anybody or anything, an annoying feature some TM games incorporate. When the $ sign appears, you click the customer a final time to accept payment and then scan the cursor over the coins to receive the tips they apparently throw on the ground for you to fetch. (Coins? I don't think a few coins add up to a 20% tip!?!) Each customer has a Green Smiley over their head which turns Yellow, and eventually, Red if the service is too slow because they are hotheads with no respect for servers. Their patience level also directly affects the amount of tip they are willing to leave, with either Gold, Silver, or Bronze Coins. The "Expert" Goal amount is shown before the start of each level, and there are Bonus Goals available (but not required) which are shown at the bottom, such as collecting money from three consecutive customers simultaneously.
As you progress, the Menu items increase and become more complex. The tips you earn are used to purchase Upgrades from the Shop to help you achieve level goals, such as Extra Serving Stations, Decor to help stabilize the customers' mood or earn more money by Increasing the cost of food items.
There are 60 Levels and 12 Trophy Achievements to earn.
There are 60 Levels and 12 Trophy Achievements to earn.
The Collector's Edition Extra's include 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, and a Walkthrough Strategy Guide, none of which make this game worthy of twice the price.
COOKING TRIP SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Cooking Trip 1 (April 16-2019) 3.0
2-Cooking Trip 2: Back on the Road (November 28-2019) n/a
2-Cooking Trip 2: Back on the Road (November 28-2019) n/a
by: GameOn Productions
I don't recommend this game.
Join the gods of Greek legend and bring peace to an ancient world on the brink of war in this match 3 epic!
Overall rating
4
/
5
39 of 49 found this review helpful
HMMM, SOMETHING'S JUST A LITTLE OFF THIS TIME ><(((('>
PostedNovember 27, 2019
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I'm not a huge Chain Match 3 fan but I've always loved Heroes of Hellas games. Origins Part 1, however, seems far too easy this time, something's a little off yet I can't quite figure out what it was that made it less fun to play than the previous games?? The graphics seem muted, less Picasso Clownfish vibrant than before, and large chains were either available in abundance or scarcer than a guppy during shark week. The instructions left a lot to one's imagination, they explain The What's but not The How's and Why's. For me, it was a Red Sea Bannerfish kind of game, but I was expecting a Mitratus Butterflyfish kind of game with cutting edge features and challenging gameplay.
You can play in a Relaxed Mode without a Timer, a Normal Timed Mode or Advanced Mode with less time available. There are a whopping 63 Achievements to earn in increments (0/60) and there are 60 Shells to find on the seafloor before the start of some levels. The Shells will piece together the Shell of Great Wisdom eventually.
Large Chain matches will reward you with Gold Coins that can be included with any preceding Chains of any tile type as long as there are at least 2 matching tiles. Treasure Chests, Gems, Laurels, etc. are collected by dropping them off the honeycomb-shaped board, other collectibles such as Flowers and Hearts are collected by making adjacent matches.
Power-ups will appear on the board such as Amphora Bombs and directional Lightning Bolts, which are activated when you include them within a Chain Match. Other power-ups such as Poseidon, will shuffle the tiles, once you select the Icon on the top-left of the board (requires recharging after each use) Winged Tiles will reveal hidden sections of the board, once they are activated by including in a chain.
Adjacent matches are required to dissipate Dark Storm Clouds, Ropes and Chains require including the blocked tile with at least two identical tiles. Stone Monoliths can only be removed when you include the tile with the same symbol on each monolith, and Steel Monoliths can't be removed.
HEROES OF HELLAS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Heroes of Hellas 1: (April 15-2009) 4.2
2-Heroes of Hellas 2: Olympian (January 13-2010) 4.5
3-Heroes of Hellas 3: Athens (October 26-2011) 4.6
4-Heroes of Hellas 4: Birth of Legend (February 12-2018) 4.2
5-Heroes of Hellas 5: Origins Part 1 (November 27-2019) n/a
2-Heroes of Hellas 2: Olympian (January 13-2010) 4.5
3-Heroes of Hellas 3: Athens (October 26-2011) 4.6
4-Heroes of Hellas 4: Birth of Legend (February 12-2018) 4.2
5-Heroes of Hellas 5: Origins Part 1 (November 27-2019) n/a
by: Jaibo Games
I recommend this game!
A visit to Manchester Asylum takes a dangerous turn into madness!
Overall rating
5
/
5
387 of 471 found this review helpful
PATIENT # 11 HOLDS THE KEY TO THE BLACK CROWN
PostedNovember 26, 2019
pennmom36
fromRube Goldberg earned an engineering degree from UC Berkley but quit his job to become a cartoonist one of which won a Pulitzer Prize & the Rueben Award was named after him He wrote a film for the 3 Stooges, was on a stamp and became a sculptor at 80
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed Game approximately 5.5 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
29 Main Game Scene Locations +15 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
29 Main Game Scene Locations +15 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Intermediate
Locked away in a tiny, dark cell of the Manchester Asylum is patient #11. She doesn't know who she is or where she's from. She has spoken, she hasn't responded to any treatment, she has made no progress for years, until now. Patient 11 has been obsessively drawing images of the Black Crown all over the walls of her cell while uttering randomly. Patient 11 may be mentally unstable, but she seems to be connected to the Black Crown, the same Mystery Case Files you solved 8 years ago, in Louisiana!
Gadgets/Helpers:
In Chapter 1, you will use a pocket watch that reacts when a new scene is discovered. You must drag the watch around the scene until it turns green, indicating you have discovered the right location. This gadget is only used 5 times and only in the first chapter. Why didn't they use the Mechanical Moth from the last MCF game?
In Chapter 1, you will use a pocket watch that reacts when a new scene is discovered. You must drag the watch around the scene until it turns green, indicating you have discovered the right location. This gadget is only used 5 times and only in the first chapter. Why didn't they use the Mechanical Moth from the last MCF game?
Collectibles & Morphing Objects:
There are 42 Hidden Crabs and 42 Morphing Objects, one of each in every scene, including the CE Bonus Chapter. The Crabs are way too big to miss and the Coral is too brightly-colored to blend into the single color hues of most locations.
There are 42 Hidden Crabs and 42 Morphing Objects, one of each in every scene, including the CE Bonus Chapter. The Crabs are way too big to miss and the Coral is too brightly-colored to blend into the single color hues of most locations.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 17 Hidden Object Scenes +3 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Although there aren't a lot of variances, the scenes were well thought out and located in interesting scenes. They are mostly Listed Item Finds that are multi-layered and pan towards the back with one scene following the next. There are several Interactive List finds, Matching Symbol Finds, Matching Constellation Finds, and Pictured Item Finds as well. There are No Alternate Games Available.
There are 17 Hidden Object Scenes +3 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Although there aren't a lot of variances, the scenes were well thought out and located in interesting scenes. They are mostly Listed Item Finds that are multi-layered and pan towards the back with one scene following the next. There are several Interactive List finds, Matching Symbol Finds, Matching Constellation Finds, and Pictured Item Finds as well. There are No Alternate Games Available.
Mini-Games:
There are 42 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter, including my beloved Super Puzzles which are Rube Goldberg variations of complex door locks that require solving multiple layers of puzzles to open and proceed to the next chapter, and it's what makes MCF games so unique. below are a few of my personal favorite games:
There are 42 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter, including my beloved Super Puzzles which are Rube Goldberg variations of complex door locks that require solving multiple layers of puzzles to open and proceed to the next chapter, and it's what makes MCF games so unique. below are a few of my personal favorite games:
1-All 3 Rube Goldberg puzzles
2-Drag various angled clock hands to point to every hour on a clock.
3-All versions of Untangle the Ropes games.
4-Trace the lines without repeating a direction.
2-Drag various angled clock hands to point to every hour on a clock.
3-All versions of Untangle the Ropes games.
4-Trace the lines without repeating a direction.
Bonus Chapter (Collector's Edition version only)
Jumping jambalaya, Momma Aimee has discovered that Phineas Crown is one determined pirate. Phineas placed 12 segments of his soul within ordinary items and hidden them in the swamps of Louisiana. I loved this 13th Skull revisit to Absolute Voodoo which is an average-length chapter that takes place over 8 familiar Scene Locations. There are 6 Mini-Games and 3 Hidden Object Scenes and you will pick up the final 8 Hidden Crabs, and 8 Morphing Coral.
Jumping jambalaya, Momma Aimee has discovered that Phineas Crown is one determined pirate. Phineas placed 12 segments of his soul within ordinary items and hidden them in the swamps of Louisiana. I loved this 13th Skull revisit to Absolute Voodoo which is an average-length chapter that takes place over 8 familiar Scene Locations. There are 6 Mini-Games and 3 Hidden Object Scenes and you will pick up the final 8 Hidden Crabs, and 8 Morphing Coral.
Collector's Edition Extras:
8 Wallpapers, 8 Video Movie Cutscenes, 11 Music, Case Files Journal,15 Achievements, 19 Replayable Puzzles, 20 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 42 Collectible Crabs, 42 Morphing Coral, 20 Souvenirs, 5 Chapters (listed as Chapters 0-4) +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
8 Wallpapers, 8 Video Movie Cutscenes, 11 Music, Case Files Journal,15 Achievements, 19 Replayable Puzzles, 20 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 42 Collectible Crabs, 42 Morphing Coral, 20 Souvenirs, 5 Chapters (listed as Chapters 0-4) +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
MYSTERY CASE FILES SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Huntsville SE only (November 14-2005) 3.6
2-Prime Suspects SE only (April 6-2006) 3.8
3-Ravenhearst SE only (December 15-2006) 3.6
4-Madame Fate SE only (November 7-2007) 4.0
5-Return to Ravenhearst SE only (November 26-2008) 4.2
6-Dire Grove (November 25-2009) 4.7
7-13th Skull (November 25-2010) 4.4
8-Escape From Ravenhearst (November 23-2011) 3.6
9-Shadow Lake (November 20-2012) 2.6
10-Fate's Carnival (November 26-2013) 4.4
11-Dire Grove, Sacred Grove (November 25-2014) 3.6
12-Key to Ravenhearst (October 27-2015) 3.6
13-Ravenhearst Unlocked (November 24-2015) 3.5
14-Broken Hour (November 22-2016) 3.5
15-The Black Veil (March 23-2017) 3.0
16-The Revenant's Hunt (November 21-2017) 3.0
17-Rewind (June 21-2018) 3.4
18-The Countess (November 20-208) 3.1
19-Moths to a Flame (August 22-2019) 3.9
20-Black Crown (November 26-2019) n/a
2-Prime Suspects SE only (April 6-2006) 3.8
3-Ravenhearst SE only (December 15-2006) 3.6
4-Madame Fate SE only (November 7-2007) 4.0
5-Return to Ravenhearst SE only (November 26-2008) 4.2
6-Dire Grove (November 25-2009) 4.7
7-13th Skull (November 25-2010) 4.4
8-Escape From Ravenhearst (November 23-2011) 3.6
9-Shadow Lake (November 20-2012) 2.6
10-Fate's Carnival (November 26-2013) 4.4
11-Dire Grove, Sacred Grove (November 25-2014) 3.6
12-Key to Ravenhearst (October 27-2015) 3.6
13-Ravenhearst Unlocked (November 24-2015) 3.5
14-Broken Hour (November 22-2016) 3.5
15-The Black Veil (March 23-2017) 3.0
16-The Revenant's Hunt (November 21-2017) 3.0
17-Rewind (June 21-2018) 3.4
18-The Countess (November 20-208) 3.1
19-Moths to a Flame (August 22-2019) 3.9
20-Black Crown (November 26-2019) n/a
by: Eipix Games
I recommend this game!
Help the Walker family sort through the clutter and find everything they need to prepare the perfect Thanksgiving Day!
Overall rating
2
/
5
45 of 54 found this review helpful
A PERFECT DISASTER
PostedNovember 25, 2019
pennmom36
fromBF has a backlog of games waiting to be released so why do we keep getting the same games by the same developers?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The graphics are dreadful and every level has the same huge objects to match over and over. These are basically the same unappealing images from the three previous games, not to mention the "clutter" of a million sun's. There's no challenge, no eye appeal, and definitely no fun involved in these piles of clutter. The transparent levels are just a disaster, a perfect disaster. Why does BF offer just a handful of series games by the same handful of developers when they have games backlogged in their queue waiting for their moment to shine? It gets really boring only being able to play the same genres by the same developers when there are millions of different types of games available??? I just don't get it Felix, at least offer 2 games a day so we have some choices!
They added an Easy Difficulty Mode again, but the difficult mode is worthless when the objects to match are the size of a small house, right? The Easy Mode is an Untimed mode and the Difficult Mode is simply a Timed Mode that gives you extra points for completing the level, +10 points for every second remaining on the timer, and +500 points for every unused Hint feature. There are 140 Clutter-type levels that can be replayed if you want to earn a better score. After playing 7 Clutter levels, you can play a Puzzle variation such as Square Tile Swaps or Sliders (20 Total Puzzles) and they are always the same images.
The Clutter Styles vary from level to level. Some may require finding Identical Matching Pairs, Triple Matches, Related Items (such as Furniture, Berry or Dessert-related objects=boring) Related Pairs, or Transparent Object levels.
Each scene has a gazillion Sun Emblems scattered among the junk, which I believe recharges the hint meter, but I'm not certain because the only game features explanations given are the type of Clutter and the point system. I only played the demo portion but I didn't use the hint feature, and I can't imagine it would be necessary for any of the levels because the objects are so large they are impossible not to see.
Each scene has a gazillion Sun Emblems scattered among the junk, which I believe recharges the hint meter, but I'm not certain because the only game features explanations given are the type of Clutter and the point system. I only played the demo portion but I didn't use the hint feature, and I can't imagine it would be necessary for any of the levels because the objects are so large they are impossible not to see.
SHOPPING CLUTTER SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Best Playground (November 7-2018) 3.1
2-Christmas Square (December 12-2018) 2.4
3-Blooming Tale (September 2-2019) 2.8
4-A Perfect Thanksgiving (November 25-2019) n/a
2-Christmas Square (December 12-2018) 2.4
3-Blooming Tale (September 2-2019) 2.8
4-A Perfect Thanksgiving (November 25-2019) n/a
by: Jet Dogs Studio
I don't recommend this game.
Match cards, rescue mystical Faeries, raise Magical Pets, and explore many enchanted worlds!
Overall rating
3
/
5
91 of 108 found this review helpful
SWEET FAERIE CONCEPT POOR EXECUTION
PostedNovember 24, 2019
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Why, oh why, did they have to make this a Match 2 Cards type of Solitaire game? Right from the get-go, this had some really cool features and tutorials starting with a clever Random Name Tab and a satirical caution notification against the forces of Dark Magic. There are Hidden Mysterious Eggs to discover and Faeries to rescue, Talents and Valor achievements to unlock too, sounds amazing right?
Unfortunately, the Solitaire game itself was rather dull and boring, they were stingy with the deck cards and steep with the prices you have to pay for almost every move you make!
This is a Match 2 Solitaire game that doesn't reward you with much unless you match 2 cards of the same suit back to back, which doesn't happen a lot. Matching multiple pairs of the same color fills the Mana Meter which is how you earn most of the points, very few points are added for making mismatched colors, this is great in theory, but waiting for those perfect pairs is too risky given the fact that you'll most like lose a perfect score (removing all cards) after running out of deck cards. Deck cards are turned over on to 3 slots and there is a 4th slot to place a card of choice to be used later, BUT, there is a cost for taking advantage of the slot. There are a ton of cards on the board to remove, but you only get a handful of deck cards, you do get one Redeal once the deck has been depleted IF you made a combo of +7 on the previous round, otherwise, it will cost you a whopping 1000 points.
The feature that piqued my interest the most was uncovering Mysterious (and very colorful) Eggs during gameplay. Once discovered, you must "Activate" the Egg and wait patiently for the notification that you are the proud parent of a bouncing baby ??? once the egg Hatches and evolves. You will also randomly discover Lore, unlock Talents, and activate Valor to make the game more difficult (which probably means you'll only get 10 deck cards instead of 12??)
I loved the concept, I love fantasy games about fairies, dragons, elves, etc. and I probably would have instantly purchased this game if it wasn't a Mahjong style match 3 game. Everything about this game was right up my alley except for the solitaire levels :(
Reprise your role as Cruise Director and enjoy a worldwide cruise of a lifetime while finding hidden objects and completing clever mini games.
Overall rating
4
/
5
77 of 94 found this review helpful
DO I HEAR SLEIGH BELLS? WINTER'S COMING!
PostedNovember 24, 2019
pennmom36
fromIf you were wondering where the extra chapters were on the CE version, they were weaved into the standard levels, rather than a separate chapter.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Fall has officially arrived when the USS Liberty pulls into the Big Fish port. I love my summer vacation at the park more, but there's just something about these cheesy, old-fashioned HOG's that has me scrambling to hit the "Buy Now" button, and I truly look forward to them.
You can choose either Casual, Challenge or Extreme modes as well as which gender of cruise director you want. The best part about this game is that it's relaxing, there's no timer so you have all the time in the world, and some of the items to find are tiny and very well blended, so it's a good thing there are no time restraints. I will say that a few of the scenes seem a bit blurrier than usual.
Each scene has Lost items that need to be found, the portal on the bottom left will show these items one at a time as silhouetted shapes and when all have been found the portal will close. Each scene also has recyclable items that need to be found such as paper bags, cans, and bottles, when all recyclable items have been found the lid will close. You earn coins as you play and the coins can be used to purchase 16 different Souvenirs.
The items to find are list finds, items in Red are hidden in or behind something, items in Blue are tasks to complete such as finding and dragging a flag to the pole. Most scenes have a couple of sparkling zoom zones as well. The CE version has 16 Photo Shoot opportunities available when you spot the Camera Icon, and the pictures are stored in your Photo Album. There are 18 Trophy Achievements to earn and you will earn a bronze star if you find all items, a silver star if you find all lost items OR all recyclable items and a gold star when you find all lost items AND recyclable items. You will also receive an eagle eye bonus if you don't use the hint. There is a Mega Hint feature that will briefly show you the location of all available items on the list.
After each HOG you will get to solve a puzzle or mini-game such as rotating puzzle tiles to complete a picture, Match 2 identical items by flipping over two cards at a time, Spot the Difference between two almost identical pictures, finding cruise-related words in a word search, or putting together a jigsaw type puzzle of the ship's layout.
*Note about the CE versions extra excursions* Many of us were confused about the CE version's extra content that seemed to be MIA, thanks to a pond friend who contacted them, they responded that it was "Built into the mainstream of the game -- The Tall Ship Adventure in the Caribbean Queen which sets off from Miami, goes through the Bermuda Triangle, the Coastguard rescue, visits St Nicholas and Paradise Islands"
The Collector's Edition version Extra's include:
24 Wallpapers, 22 Music Soundtracks, 48 Replayable Mini-Games, and a new Cruise Adventure on the Caribbean Queen. which is integrated into the game rather than being a separate individual chapter.
24 Wallpapers, 22 Music Soundtracks, 48 Replayable Mini-Games, and a new Cruise Adventure on the Caribbean Queen. which is integrated into the game rather than being a separate individual chapter.
VACATION ADVENTURES CRUISE DIRECTOR SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 1 SE only (September 15-2014) 3.8
2-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 2 SE only (July 1-2015) 4.2
3-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 3 SE only (August 8-2016) 4.5
4-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 4 SE only (October 25-2017) 4.5
5-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 5 SE only (July 16-2018) 4.3
6-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 6 SE (November 24-2019) n/a
2-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 2 SE only (July 1-2015) 4.2
3-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 3 SE only (August 8-2016) 4.5
4-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 4 SE only (October 25-2017) 4.5
5-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 5 SE only (July 16-2018) 4.3
6-Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director 6 SE (November 24-2019) n/a
by: Casual Arts
I recommend this game!
Rainbow Pixel is a colorful puzzle game where you create your own gallery of beautiful images!
Overall rating
5
/
5
53 of 99 found this review helpful
5-STARS AS PROMISED
PostedNovember 23, 2019
pennmom36
fromNow, about those jigsaw puzzle options, just 1 game?? Please...I'll give ya 10-stars and say I was wrong on FB
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I've been quite outspoken about this developer's games and have refused to give them anything over a 1-Star rating for a long time now because they never added or changed features on any of their games. I've added comments that I'd give them 5-stars when and if they did add features we were all asking for, and my jaw dropped to the floor when I played this game because they added ALL the features I asked for (ok, so I asked for them on a recent review for another devs games, but who cares!)
BACKGROUND COLOR:
I asked for a full color-scale option when choosing a background color instead of a simple gray-scale, and voila!
I asked for a full color-scale option when choosing a background color instead of a simple gray-scale, and voila!
CANCEL LAST MOVE:
I asked for an option to cancel or undo your last move if you made a mistake, and voila!
I asked for an option to cancel or undo your last move if you made a mistake, and voila!
HIGHLIGHTED NUMBERS:
I asked for the current numbers to be highlighted so you could easily see the numbers on the picture that you were you were currently filling-in, and voila!
I asked for the current numbers to be highlighted so you could easily see the numbers on the picture that you were you were currently filling-in, and voila!
Everything else is perfect, there's also a Replay Button, a Zoom and Resize option, a Finished Puzzle Time, as well as the Puzzle Timers Score (how do I apply for that job?) and you, can play any of the Categories at any time (but you must unlock the levels in order within that category)
There are 20 Levels within Wild Nature-Characters-Surroundings-Food and Hobbies. I said I would, so I did :)
I recommend this game!
A young elven princess and her faun friend fight against the rebellious gremlins in this time management adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
79 of 93 found this review helpful
KEEP AWAY FROM LIGHT, NEVER GET THEM WET AND NEVER FEED THEM AFTER MIDNIGHT
PostedNovember 23, 2019
pennmom36
fromGremlins are a mischievous creature that causes malfunctions in machinery & we bikers have a tradition to ward them off The Gremlin bell traps them in the hollow & the ringing infuriates them to leave It must be gifted not purchased by the owner to work
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Elven Legends is, and probably always will be on my top personal favorite Time Management Games list. It has one of the few storylines I actually read and enjoy (on TM games) I've followed a young Princess Aerin as she discovered her magical abilities and grew up to lead her Kingdom's people. She met and married Tillian and eventually, they became proud parents to Princess Sonja who is now a somewhat rebellious teenager. I was a little upset that this wonderful story took a hard right and practically erased Queen Aerin from the plot, so I am delighted that she has returned to try to tighten the reigns on her mischevious daughter.
Most Collector's Edition versions of TM games aren't worth the extra price tag, but I დ LOVE დ all the collectibles this one has to offer and for me, the collectibles make the CE $ well worth the price! There are 60 Gears and 60 Puzzle Runes to collect and my personal favorite, 60 Now-You-See Them, Now-You-Don't Morphing Gremlins! What's even better is that you can replay any level to just search for the collectibles without messing up your star-rating (you can finish the level and then re-enter the level to just click on the collectibles w/o actually re-playing the level, and then exit to the map, the stars you earned the 1st time will stay the same) I just wish there was an indicator on the map to show which collectibles have been found, or not found.
Elven Legend games are strategy-based Time Management games requiring you to queue your tasks in a specific order. You can play in a Relaxed mode with no timer, a Normal, or a Professional Mode of difficulty, and you can replay the levels as often as necessary. There are 38 Achievements to earn across 50 Levels +10 in the CE Bonus Chapter (Elven Capital-Gremlin Dimension-World of Forest-Elven Kingdom-Star World & CE Land) Bonus Icons become available that help you beat the levels, such as Worker's Speed, Add Workers, Double the Production of Resources, Speed up Work Production or even Increase the number of Existing Resources.
There are the normal TM tasks of collecting food, water, wood, stone crystals, etc. and the same tasks of clearing the roads by repairing bridges and filling in pits along the way. Princess Sonja has the ability to animate non-living objects and her best friend Napej the faun is her mischevious sidekick. On each level, the girls meet various new allies to help them overcome the level obstacles, like Griffins and Goblins.
There are several Altars of Resources that continually produce resources of food, lumber, crystals, and water, over a period of time. Magical Trees produce wood, but they will first require Water before they will regrow and produce lumber, Waterwells can be constructed on most levels or reproduced on altars, and some levels have Water towers that produce a limited amount of water You will need to construct different buildings as well as upgrade them to produce various resources such as Farms to produce food, Workers House's to hire extra workers, Sawmills for wood, Mines to produce magic Crystals, Labs to produce Philosopher's Stones as a source of Princess Sonja's magic.
Collector's Edition Extra's:
8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art Pictures, 38 Achievements, Top 10 Scores, 60 Puzzle Rune Stones (10 purple, 10 yellow, 10 blue, 10 orange, 10 green, 10 pink) 60 Gears, 60 Morphing Gremlins, 5 Chapters with 50 Levels, Bonus Chapter with 10 Extra Levels, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art Pictures, 38 Achievements, Top 10 Scores, 60 Puzzle Rune Stones (10 purple, 10 yellow, 10 blue, 10 orange, 10 green, 10 pink) 60 Gears, 60 Morphing Gremlins, 5 Chapters with 50 Levels, Bonus Chapter with 10 Extra Levels, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
ELVEN LEGEND SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Elven Legend 1: SE only (February 4-2015) 3.2
2-Elven Legend 2:The Bewitched Tree SE only (February 3-2016) 3.3
3-Elven Legend 3: The New Menace (July 26-2016) 3.4
4-Elven Legend 4: The Incredible Journey (February 28-2017) 3.1
5-Elven Legend 5: The Fateful Tournament (November 14-2017) 4.8
6-Elven Legend 6: The Treacherous Trick (September 1-2018) 3.8
7-Elven Legend 7: The New Generation (March 2-2019) 3.9
8-Elven Legend 8: The Wicked Gears (November 23-2019) n/a
by: Growing Grass Studio
2-Elven Legend 2:The Bewitched Tree SE only (February 3-2016) 3.3
3-Elven Legend 3: The New Menace (July 26-2016) 3.4
4-Elven Legend 4: The Incredible Journey (February 28-2017) 3.1
5-Elven Legend 5: The Fateful Tournament (November 14-2017) 4.8
6-Elven Legend 6: The Treacherous Trick (September 1-2018) 3.8
7-Elven Legend 7: The New Generation (March 2-2019) 3.9
8-Elven Legend 8: The Wicked Gears (November 23-2019) n/a
by: Growing Grass Studio
I recommend this game!
A trio of masks could bring about an era of nightmares!
Overall rating
3
/
5
41 of 55 found this review helpful
BOX OF FEARS, THE ULTIMATE HALLOWEEN TRICK
PostedNovember 22, 2019
pennmom36
fromWhat do these folks do for a living when it's not Halloween?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game approximately just under 6 Hours
(including completion of all puzzles and CE Bonus Chapter)
*25 Scene Locations +11 in the CE Bonus Chapter*
(including completion of all puzzles and CE Bonus Chapter)
*25 Scene Locations +11 in the CE Bonus Chapter*
NEVER open up Pandora's Box of Fears, you never know if urban legends are true, so why risk it? After receiving a video chat from Uncle Oswald and your father trying to scare you on Halloween, you realize that they are both in dire straits after donning a cursed masked. Uncle Oswald ordered the masks for his Sheer Horrors Shop but didn't take the cursed mask warning seriously until it was too late. Unfortunately, the masks are just a tiny piece of the puzzle, the real danger is Pandora's Box of Fears that will summon the Boogeyman and release the fears of every single human!
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 18 HO Scenes that are all Halloween related and located in interesting locations. Most of the scenes are highly interactive, some of which require switching between scenes. They vary with Interactive List Finds, Pictured Related Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Interactive-Progressive Silhouetted Shape Finds (Find and use the item back in the scene to uncover the next item) Matching Pairs Finds, and Multiples of the same Item Finds. There is an alternate Match 3 Game available and one of the achievements are earned for playing a HOP in this alternate puzzle offered.
There are 18 HO Scenes that are all Halloween related and located in interesting locations. Most of the scenes are highly interactive, some of which require switching between scenes. They vary with Interactive List Finds, Pictured Related Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Interactive-Progressive Silhouetted Shape Finds (Find and use the item back in the scene to uncover the next item) Matching Pairs Finds, and Multiples of the same Item Finds. There is an alternate Match 3 Game available and one of the achievements are earned for playing a HOP in this alternate puzzle offered.
Mini-Games:
There are 29 Halloween-themed Mini-Games that are available in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode. They are decent puzzles but they have been recycled from previous games, so much so that you probably won't need to read the instructions. Below are brief descriptions of some of my personal favorites:
There are 29 Halloween-themed Mini-Games that are available in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode. They are decent puzzles but they have been recycled from previous games, so much so that you probably won't need to read the instructions. Below are brief descriptions of some of my personal favorites:
1-Read the clue and click on the various grid pattern buttons to guide each token to the correct slot.
2-Place beads to complete the patterns on each necklace.
3-Find the right sequence of moves to avoid the traps, you can move forward, backward, or make no move at all for each turn.
4-Select buttons to move ice cream cone sections between columns to complete both cones from bottom to top.
5-Move token to fill all honeycomb-shaped cells.
6-Place gears by aligning symbols.
2-Place beads to complete the patterns on each necklace.
3-Find the right sequence of moves to avoid the traps, you can move forward, backward, or make no move at all for each turn.
4-Select buttons to move ice cream cone sections between columns to complete both cones from bottom to top.
5-Move token to fill all honeycomb-shaped cells.
6-Place gears by aligning symbols.
Bonus Chapter (Collector's Edition Version Only)
The Bonus Chapter is an above-average length prequel that takes place over 11 scene locations. Pandora's Box of Fears is stolen by a father who believes that he can summon the Boogeyman to cure his daughter's fears and subsequence nightmares. There are 5 Hidden Object Scenes and 7 Mini-Games and the CE Extra's continue with the final Book of Monster Page, 3 Morphing mythical Figures and 9 Collectible Coins which allows you to purchase the final Trophies in the Trophy Room.
The Bonus Chapter is an above-average length prequel that takes place over 11 scene locations. Pandora's Box of Fears is stolen by a father who believes that he can summon the Boogeyman to cure his daughter's fears and subsequence nightmares. There are 5 Hidden Object Scenes and 7 Mini-Games and the CE Extra's continue with the final Book of Monster Page, 3 Morphing mythical Figures and 9 Collectible Coins which allows you to purchase the final Trophies in the Trophy Room.
Collector's Edition Extra's:
20 Wallpapers, 20 Concept Art Pictures, 31 Movie Video Cutscenes, 5 Music, 33 Achievements, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 20 Replayable Mini-Games, 15 Morphing Figures, 15 Book of Monster Pages (15 Monster Descriptions) 60 Collectible Coins (purchase 15 items in Trophy Room) Trophy Room (purchase 15 items with Collectible Coins) 7 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
20 Wallpapers, 20 Concept Art Pictures, 31 Movie Video Cutscenes, 5 Music, 33 Achievements, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 20 Replayable Mini-Games, 15 Morphing Figures, 15 Book of Monster Pages (15 Monster Descriptions) 60 Collectible Coins (purchase 15 items in Trophy Room) Trophy Room (purchase 15 items with Collectible Coins) 7 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
HALLOWEEN CHRONICLES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Monsters Among Us (November 16-2018) 4.0
2-Evil Behind A Mask (November 22-2019) n/a
2-Evil Behind A Mask (November 22-2019) n/a
I recommend this game!