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 series of museum robberies leads to a shocking discovery!
Overall rating
4
/
5
74 of 100 found this review helpful
THOSE POOR DYSFUNCTIONAL GRAY FAMILY MEMBERS
PostedMarch 28, 2019
pennmom36
fromAnna's first name & appearance was revealed in #8 & shown younger in the bonus chapter-#10 She & Louisa had the same hair style at one point, Anna's hair was dyed brown in #7. Randy Hames is the voice of Richard in all games except #14 by Matthew Curtis ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed game approximately 3.5 hours
(including Bonus Chapter, & all mini-games)
(including Bonus Chapter, & all mini-games)
The museum where Louisa Gray, works at has been robbed of a valuable artifact, in broad daylight during normal business hours, yet no one seems to remember any details! Louisa has asked her sister to investigate the crime scene after the police come up empty-handed because the robber seems to have a unique paranormal ability to create vivid illusions. Anna Gray can travel back in time, with nothing more than a personal item, she can manipulate time itself to stand still. This particular case, however, hits a little too close to home as she makes a surprising discovery linking the robbery to none other than a Gray family member!
I liked this game, and it's leaps and bounds better than The Hunger! Grim Tales has always been one of my all-time favorite series, even though it got a bit weird with the whole daddy-Richard-skull in my purse scenario. Most of the scenes have a Morphing Object, and the staple Grim Tales Character statues and Jigsaw Puzzle pieces within Zoom zones have returned in this CE version. The Morphs are a bit too large and morph a bit too fast to make them challenging, and the puzzle pieces aren't very challenging either because the zoom zones they are located within won't close automatically until you click on it. I don't see the point in having to find jigsaw puzzle pieces to get 3 Screensavers if you don't actually get to assemble the jigsaw? Other than those CE extra's issues, I think this game is perfectly fine, although I do wish Elephant would give us the option to do away with the time-consuming, extremely annoying, "Task Completed, New Task" Banner that shows up constantly throughout the game!!!! PLEASE :)
I think Elephant did a fantastic job with the Mini-Games. They have included games for all levels of players and I enjoyed most of them. I do prefer to solve mini-games that make you think, especially ones that make you strategize or plan several steps in advance. Games don't have to be mind-boggling, to be fun! Below are brief descriptions of some of the games I liked during the game:
1-Use direction arrows and rotation gears to place dinosaurs correctly.
2-Swap & rotate pipes to allow liquid to flow through all points.
3-Recreate 3 different shapes by rotating each partial shape to change the projection.
4-Click directional arrows on each token to slide into the color-coded slots using other tokens as bumpers.
5-Flip 2 gears at a time to reveal matching pairs for each symbol shown in the center.
6-Use directional arrows & push all lock pins up by selecting rods in the middle.
7-Swap small tiles until each large tile displays a complete image & use arrows to move the finished tiles to their matching symbol.
2-Swap & rotate pipes to allow liquid to flow through all points.
3-Recreate 3 different shapes by rotating each partial shape to change the projection.
4-Click directional arrows on each token to slide into the color-coded slots using other tokens as bumpers.
5-Flip 2 gears at a time to reveal matching pairs for each symbol shown in the center.
6-Use directional arrows & push all lock pins up by selecting rods in the middle.
7-Swap small tiles until each large tile displays a complete image & use arrows to move the finished tiles to their matching symbol.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly Listed or Interactive List Finds but there are also Silhouetted Shape Finds while scrolling through 3 camera monitor scenes, Keywords in Sentence Finds on 3 different book pages, Uncovering Matching Pairs, Multiples of the same Object Finds and Returning Objects into the Scene. There are only 9 Main Hidden Object Scenes, but there are 7 Smaller Zoom Zone HOP's of various types within the main game and 4 regular and 1 zoom zone HOP's in the CE Bonus Chapter.
The CE version Bonus Chapter takes place shortly after the main game's time-frame. You play as Jared who finds himself trapped by his own souls' dark side. Richard tells him to visit 3 distorted personal memories to collect 3 soul shard's which will let him return to the real world. There are 5 Mini-Games, 4 main Hidden Object Scenes and 1 Zoom Zone Hidden Object Scene within the somewhat long Bonus Chapter. There are 9 Morphing Objects, and 4 Character Statues remaining, and you'll complete the final Screensaver when you pick up the last 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces.
This Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, (why do they always plaster a character on them, can't we just have the scenery view?) 8 Concept Art pictures, 3 Screensavers (collect Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to reveal 2-12 piece jigsaws and 1-24 piece jigsaw) 5 Music Soundtracks, 23 Achievements to Earn, an Archive Room with 13 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes and 13 re-playable Mini-Games, a Secret Room to search for Morphing Objects in the scenes, 12 Collectible Gray Family Character Statues, 48 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to get 3 Screensavers (auto-complete, you don't get to assemble them!?) 27 Morphing Objects, 6 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide.
GRIM TALES SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Bride (August 4-2011) 3.9
2-The Legacy (January 5-2012) 4.6
3-The Wishes (July 12-2012) 4.5
4-The Stone Queen (January 3-2013) 3.9
5-Bloody Mary (August 1-2013) 4.3
6-The Vengeance (May 15-2014) 4.5
7-Color of Fright (November 6-2014) 3.7
8-The Final Suspect (May 16-2015) 4.0
9-Threads of Destiny (October 7-2015) 3.9
10-The Heir (February 25-2016) 4.3
11-Crimson Hollow (August 25-2016) 4.1
12-Graywitch (February 2-2017) 4.0
13-The White Lady (August 3-2017) 4.0
14-The Time Traveler (January 25-2018) 3.5
15-The Hunger (July 19-2018) 3.6
16-The Nomad (March 28-2019) n/a
2-The Legacy (January 5-2012) 4.6
3-The Wishes (July 12-2012) 4.5
4-The Stone Queen (January 3-2013) 3.9
5-Bloody Mary (August 1-2013) 4.3
6-The Vengeance (May 15-2014) 4.5
7-Color of Fright (November 6-2014) 3.7
8-The Final Suspect (May 16-2015) 4.0
9-Threads of Destiny (October 7-2015) 3.9
10-The Heir (February 25-2016) 4.3
11-Crimson Hollow (August 25-2016) 4.1
12-Graywitch (February 2-2017) 4.0
13-The White Lady (August 3-2017) 4.0
14-The Time Traveler (January 25-2018) 3.5
15-The Hunger (July 19-2018) 3.6
16-The Nomad (March 28-2019) n/a
By: Elephant Games
I recommend this game!
Unhappy souls suffer under the cruel reign of an ancient vampire. Do you have enough courage to defeat the monster?
Overall rating
3
/
5
45 of 51 found this review helpful
LOVED THE CREEPY VIBE, LOVED THE STORY, BUT THE MAHJONG LEVELS ARE TOO EASY
PostedMarch 27, 2019
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
A Mahjong game has to be really good or offer unique features to hold my attention, and this one has some really good, creepy atmospheric graphics and a decent plot to go along with. The only issue I have with the Mahjong levels is that they are far too easy, even on the Hard Mode. In all fairness, I only completed the demo portion so it may very well get more difficult after the demo, so I'm on the fence with this one, folks.
You play a series of Mahjong rounds per level as you progress towards and then through the Haunted Mansion, and each game you play has a different layout, I liked this multi-game per level scenario. It has 70 Levels and I believe 10 Achievements and the tiles themselves are antique in appearance with symbols you'd expect from a haunted theme, skulls, ravens, axes, sickles, shovels, jack-o-lanterns, bats etc. (although I'd expect to vampire's and fangs as well?) There is a Hint and Shuffle feature available and none of the levels are Timed, which I also like, because I play Mahjong to relax, not work up a sweat from an adrenaline rush. I realize that what I'm saying sound contradicting, I want to relax while playing, but I still want somewhat of a challenge, otherwise, what's the point?
As you progress through the creepiness, you'll come across an occasional Hidden Object Scene that is mostly the JetDogs Clutter versions, but they can be Skipped. If you don't mind that the Mahjong Levels are really easy, everything else about this game is pretty interesting.
I recommend this game!
Help the heroine find her family in this action-packed prehistoric arcade adventure!
Overall rating
1
/
5
9 of 12 found this review helpful
I CAN ONLY MOVE FORWARD~IMMEDIATE TURN OFF!
PostedMarch 27, 2019
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I love coin collection types of games, but this one only has the one-speed mode and only allows you to go forward, so it was an immediate turn off for me right from the start! If I could slow down the character and go back to catch the coins I missed, I would have given this game 5-Stars because it would have been a super-fun game!
There aren't a lot of customizable features, there are 2 Language options and you can turn the music on or off, but that's it, no character selections, no difficulty options, and no way to turn off the tutorial. The graphics are rather flat and colorless and the animations had huge potential because of the theme, but they just didn't take advantage of it.
The goal is to move the character forward to collect Coins and jump over obstacles by either left-clicking the mouse or pressing the space-bar. (holding the click or space-bar=higher distance) On several occasions, I had to use the space-bar instead of the mouse because I just couldn't jump high enough to get over some hills. Specific level goals are given before the start of each level and you must collect 3 keys by jumping on the Cavemen you encounter, which opens the Treasure Chest and gives you a new piece of the Map to continue your journey. After each level, you get to Spin the Wheel and win prizes, mostly just more coins.
As your progress, obstacles are added that can hurt you, but sometimes helps you, such as Giant Mushrooms that help you jump higher like a trampoline. You can also get Club upgrades that allow you to bust through anything and everything instead of having to jump. You can replay the levels as often as you'd like, but as I said earlier, it would be much more fun to be able to go backward as well as forward.
The Coins are used to purchase items in the Shop. You can purchase Weapons like hammers, a screw nut on a stick, an ax, spear, sea urchin staff, trident, and even a Pirate's cutlass to help you with the level goals. You can also buy Costumes and various clothing for the Bad Girl. You can purchase Power-ups such as Magnets to attract coins, or various side-kicks like a Wild Boar, Pteradactl, Penguin, Tiger, or Crocodile that can either bulldoze their way through obstacles, fly in the air or jump higher, but each one has their limitations and aren't beneficial in every situation.
I don't recommend this game.
Restore the kingdom's mesmerizing castles in this enchanting Solitaire adventure! Travel the lands and collect resources to rebuild majestic monuments.
Overall rating
5
/
5
123 of 142 found this review helpful
THE MEERKATS HAVE POPPED UP WITH ANOTHER SOLITAIRE WINNER
PostedMarch 26, 2019
pennmom36
fromThis is how a Collector's Edition Should be! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
This is one Collector's Edition you don't want to pass up folks, in fact, if you are a Jewel Match Solitaire fan, I'm confident in recommending a buy without a try, yep, it's that good! It has all of the features solitaire fans love, and none of the features solitaire fans hate! This is a Higher/Lower Solitaire, however, as you progress, you will unlock 12 Different Solitaire Versions: Klondike by Twelves~FreeCell Two Decks~Spider Two Suits~Lady Palk~ Ali Baba~ Bakers Dozen~Acme Unlimited~Trusty Twelve~Giant~Lanes~Raglan~Twenty! (You also get CE bonus games Scarab Spanish Patience~Diplomat Double Line~Nestor~Thieves of Egypt)
This Collector's Edition version has so many extra's you practically get another game because it includes 120 new Extra CE Bonus Levels. It also includes 6 Castle Wallpapers +3 Extra Castle Wallpapers, 7 Castle before/after Concept Art, 10 Music Soundtracks, 4 Card Back Graphics, 3 Card Font Graphics, +4 Extra Card Back Graphics, 24 Trophies +Extra Trophy Achievements, 3 Extra Castles to build, 4 Extra Bonus Levels Solitaire types: Scarab Spanish Patience~Diplomat Double Line~Nestor~Thieves of Egypt, 12 Power-ups +4 Bonus Power-ups.
You can play in a Normal Solitaire Mode, a Hard Mode with a Timer, and a Relaxed Mode which gives you more than one deal. There are 24 Achievement Trophies to earn and I do recommend that you read the Achievements before starting the game because there are a few that are awarded for selecting specific options, such as, choosing a Custom Cursor, Watching the Credits, Setting a Wallpaper, Replaying a Level, and even for Removing 5 Cards in 5 Seconds.
The goal is to Remove Cards that are either one Higher or one Lower than the Deck Card, and you get to remove all of the cards, not just special cards like some games! Each level requires you to Collect Emeralds which allows you to purchase Castle Sections. When a Castle has been completed, you can set it as a Wallpaper. If you don't have enough Emeralds to purchase a Castle section, this step is bypassed. The Level Map will show you how many Emeralds are available on each level. Some Cards contains Coins that can be used in the Shop to purchase Power-ups and Wildcards. Combo's start at 5 Cards and each level gives you 1 Undo. You can earn up to 3 Stars per level and you can Replay the levels as often as you want to try to remove all of the Cards.
There are several types of Obstacles, Locks that require you to remove the Key Card, Frozen Cards that require two Plays, Chains that require removing the Hammer Card, Ribbons that require removing Scissor Cards, Vines that require removing the Sickle Cards, Red and Black Seals that require removing Red and Black Cards, and Red and Black Suit Specific Cards that require removing Specific Suit Cards.
There are several types of Obstacles, Locks that require you to remove the Key Card, Frozen Cards that require two Plays, Chains that require removing the Hammer Card, Ribbons that require removing Scissor Cards, Vines that require removing the Sickle Cards, Red and Black Seals that require removing Red and Black Cards, and Red and Black Suit Specific Cards that require removing Specific Suit Cards.
The Coins can be used in the Shop to purchase a Deck Card Counter~Remove a Random Card~Remove a Specific Card~Reveal some Face Down Cards~Extra Shuffle and Undo features~Card Specific Wildcards~Jokers, and the Chance to Receive Wildcards and Jokers during the Levels.
My only complaint is that I wish the Star Scoring pop-up window wouldn't bounce a few times when it appears because I have to wait for the bouncing to stop before I can click the Re-play tab. It would also be nice if they didn't require you to double click the Deck after making a Combo. These are just a couple of minor annoyances I found during the last couple of Jewel Match Solitaire games because I like these processes to be seamless and I want to be able to move on to the next level or replay the existing level quickly.
JEWEL MATCH SOLITAIRE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Jewel Match Solitaire CE (October 17-2017) 4.2
-Jewel Match Solitaire SE (December 13-2017) 4.5
2-Jewel Match Solitaire: Twilight (October 30-2017) 4.8
3-Jewel Match Solitaire: L'Amour (January 21-2018) 4.7
4-Jewel Match Solitaire: Winterscapes (February 5-2019) 4.2
5-Jewel Match Solitaire 2 CE (March 26-2019) n/a
-Jewel Match Solitaire SE (December 13-2017) 4.5
2-Jewel Match Solitaire: Twilight (October 30-2017) 4.8
3-Jewel Match Solitaire: L'Amour (January 21-2018) 4.7
4-Jewel Match Solitaire: Winterscapes (February 5-2019) 4.2
5-Jewel Match Solitaire 2 CE (March 26-2019) n/a
by: Suricate Software
I recommend this game!
They’re cute, their fluffy and they love to play! Care for a flock of adorable little sheep in this excessively cute and charming sandbox game.
Overall rating
2
/
5
64 of 75 found this review helpful
CUTE GRAPHICS BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH SHEEP-ROLLING I CAN HANDLE
PostedMarch 25, 2019
pennmom36
fromHow do I take a screenshot of a rolling sheep if he rolls quicker than my camera pops up? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
This is a Virtual Sheep Farming game but it doesn't have a lot of actual virtual farming quests. It's mostly chock full of gimmicky and cutesie features, but there's only so much sheep-rolling I can handle. Once you get past the tutorials that throws everything at you at once, it quickly becomes boring and the cuteness wears off.
The Quests are attached to floating balloons that are constantly in the way, as you finish the quests, you level up and even more balloon quests are added until balloons fill the entire screen and take away from the cutesie scenery. They can be moved around and they remain opaque until the quest is completed, but for me, it was just an annoyance and I just wanted to pop them all!
You begin the game with one pre-named Sheep, it would have been nice to be able to name him whatever I wanted, or at least choose the pre-named sheep I wanted. Eventually, the bachelor pre-named sheep decides to settle down and search for greener pastures and Mr. and Mrs. pre-named sheep decide to share the pasture, I'm sure you can guess where this scenario is heading. It's not long before you have a full-fledged herd of pre-named sheep!
You can tell each individual sheep which direction to move in, and you can drag them to tufts of grass or flowers to feed them. You can bounce them, send them leaping through the field, roll them all over the field, you can even pull and snap their tails. For some odd reason, this makes the sheep happy, and happy sheep reward you with a Happy Star which is used to buy various items from the random Treasure Chest on the bottom right of the screen. The more quests you fulfill, the faster you will level up, and leveling up rewards you by unlocking more cutsie sheep related and non-sheep related items, including seeds, grooming equipment, paint, farm equipment, and even more pre-named sheep.
You can collect Wool from the sheep, logs from trees, petals from flowers, and expand the pasture's parameters. To grow more grass, and water purchased seed to grow trees and flowers, you need to grab clouds and merge them to create rain, small puddles will grow grass and water plants, larger puddles will allow the sheep to drink from them. Eventually, you can combine large clouds that create thunderstorms (snow in winter scenes) to create lightning which will destroy dangerous items such as poisonous mushrooms.
There are 26 Achievements to earn and several different Worlds to unlock as you progress. Winter Wonderland, Treasure Island, City Park, and the Prairie. As I said before, this is a cute game with adorable sheep that need some basic virtual needs. Unlike other Virtual games, it doesn't continue on in real time, and I don't believe anything will die if not cared for properly, so after a while it just becomes boring.
I don't recommend this game.
The Abomination threatens to erase all worlds from existence!
Overall rating
3
/
5
49 of 60 found this review helpful
The Collector's Edition Is Better
PostedMarch 24, 2019
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The Abomination is an evil force threatening the very existence of the 4 Realms artistically created by the famous author, Michael Ballard. Each of the four realms represents the Arthurs successful novels, every detail, every aspect he envisioned, gave birth to and created these fantasy-worlds and its people page by page. When Michael Ballard's personal life begins to crumble, evil begins to take root within the realms as well. There's still hope for Michael, there's still hope that lies within a simple mage-in-training who must now embark on a journey to save 4 imaginary realms whose fate can be determined by a simple stroke of the Creator's pen!
Yes, there is a gimmicky Gadget of Spell-Casting, however, it does NOT involve following recipes (other than finding specific ingredients for each spell the first time only to "learn" the spell) and it does NOT involve any repetitive Mini-Game prior to using a spell, so I'm totally okay with this scenario! During the Main Game (it isn't used during the CE BC) you will use the Portal Spell 6 times, the Object Levitation Spell 8 times, the Talk to Animals Spell 4 times, the Fire Resistant Spell 3 times, the Antidote Spell 3 times, the Open Door Spell 3 times, the Mermaid Shape-shifting Spell 1 time, and the Muse Shard Spell 1 time as well. Once you acquire the spell-book page and the 3-4 ingredients associated with each spell, that spell becomes available w/o any having to complete a step-by-step recipe game or a mini-game to activate, you simply choose the spell you want to use.
Most of the 18 main Hidden Object Scenes are simple Listed Item Finds but the smaller Zoom Zone HOP's available vary with Silhouetted Shape Finds, Finding & Replacing Items, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Sketched Picture Finds and Swatch Picture Finds (items that match fabric samples) I actually prefer a no-frills, old-school Listed Item HOP so I was perfectly happy with these HOP's. The scenes are colorful and the graphics are crystal clear, even the objects themselves are recognizable and some items were well blended and not easily spotted. Some of the scene locations were excellent, such as finding items sketched into a grey-bricked wall, finding intricate shapes sketched on 3 different pieces of paper or items stuffed between branches in a beaver dam. In the CE version, each of the 18 main HOP's has a Morphing Object to find and they are quite challenging to spot because they blend well and morph slowly.
The Mini-Games are fairly decent and vary in difficulty. There are 22 mini-games within the Main Game and I'm a little disappointed that none are offered for re-play within the CE version's Extra's menu because I really liked some of the more difficult ones. Below are brief descriptions of some of my favorite puzzles throughout the entire game:
1-Select elephant tusks to match the lengths shown on the clue.
2-Remove tiles between identical tiles that shift positions when a tile is removed.
3-Rotate and swap triangles so they share corners w/identical numbers of dots.
4-Jump gold balls until only one ball remains.
5-Use directional arrows to navigate in the dark.
6-Overlay segments strips so that every hole is filled with a gem.
7-Turn wheels and adjust arm segments to grab all circular knobs. LOVED IT!
8-Move tiles to adjacent empty slots until all gear tiles connect.
2-Remove tiles between identical tiles that shift positions when a tile is removed.
3-Rotate and swap triangles so they share corners w/identical numbers of dots.
4-Jump gold balls until only one ball remains.
5-Use directional arrows to navigate in the dark.
6-Overlay segments strips so that every hole is filled with a gem.
7-Turn wheels and adjust arm segments to grab all circular knobs. LOVED IT!
8-Move tiles to adjacent empty slots until all gear tiles connect.
In the Collector's Edition Bonus Chapter, you play as Jason Ballard, son of the Author Michael Ballard, who gets swept away to Tale World to fight an evil witch. Because you aren't playing as an Adept, you won't use any Spells within the BC. There are 10 Mini-Games and 4 Hidden Object Scenes within the BC and you will pick up the remaining 7 Mage Citadels, 7 Scene Morphing Objects and 4 Hidden Object Morphs.
The Collector's Edition version has 12 Wallpapers, 9 Concept Art Pictures (w/before-after slider bars) 10 Music Soundtracks, 0 replayable Movie Video Cutscenes, 18 replayable Hidden Object Scenes (you can pick up missing HOP Morphs, improve accuracy and earn 3 stars as well as pick up missing HOP achievements) 29 Hidden Mage Citadel's (one per scene) 29 Morphing Objects (one per scene) 18 Hidden Object Scene Morphs, Character Bios (after completing the BC) Jigsaw Puzzle to assemble (after completing the BC) Pigeon Puzzle (after completing the BC) Ultimate HO (after completing Collectible Hunt) 11 Achievements to earn (6 of which are available in 3 parts) 5 Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-in Strategy Guide. The End
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) 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) n/a
by: Mad Head Games
I recommend this game!
Can you find out who’s kidnapping jurors before it’s too late?
Overall rating
2
/
5
133 of 176 found this review helpful
SAME OLE COOKIE-CUTTER GAME, IT EVEN HAS THE SAME CHARACTERS AS THE PREVIOUS GAMES!
PostedMarch 23, 2019
pennmom36
fromPoe was America’s 1st well-known professional writer, his brother William was also a poet, his sister Rosalie a teacher of penmanship. In 1849 Poe vanished for 5 days, he returned ill & was taken to the hospital where he died of congestion of the brain? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Completed Game: just under 5 hours
I had a CE coupon that expires after today so I used it to purchase this game, because why not, it's free? This game is a perfect example of why the Dark Tales series has run its course. Amax has obviously run out of ideas for a new storyline 10 years later. Yes, I understand that these stories are loosely based upon Edgar Allan Poe's original poems and stories, but these loose interpretations don't translate well as a game. The gameplay is monotonous, the tasks are painstakingly boring, the storyline drags and there are hundreds of uninteresting diary pages and notes to read, after a chapter or two, you just want it to end, there's certainly nothing to keep you on the edge of your seat. I've always said that it's difficult to tell the difference between characters from one game to the next because they all look the same. This time, the game actually does have the same characters!
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes in the Main Chapters and 10 Zoom Zone Hops that are quite frankly boring and unappealing. The scenes lack clarity, color, and creativity. I found the first HOS to be ridiculous on all levels. There's a fire (because there's always a fire in every Amax Interactive game) and the Fire Extinguisher is not only located in an odd place, inside a locked cage but also secured to the cage with 3 more locks! The 3 Keys to unlock the fire extinguisher are bound with 3 separate Chains! (surely the fire has burned out of control by the time I finish this HOP?) Most of the HOP's are either Listed Item Finds or Interactive List Finds, but there are also a few Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, Matching Pair Finds, Replace Items into the Scene Finds, and 10 Zoom Zone HO's where you are tasked with finding a handful of objects. The only one I found to be remotely interesting was finding 12 Keys and then use the correct key to unlock each of the decorated locks. It was only interesting because the locks and keys were colorful and intertwined with green thorny vines.
There are 29 actual Mini-Games, most of which are back-to-back There are mini-games within Hidden Object Puzzles, and even within complex Inventory Items. Most of the time I would be elated because I love the puzzles, however, there are just too many of my nemesis puzzles, where clicking on one will affect others, I like skill based puzzles, not puzzles that seem to have no rhyme or reason. I found myself skipping puzzles the second I read that "one affects" others direction, something I Never do because I want to solve puzzles, I love to solve puzzles, just not that kind. I was also disappointed that only a couple of the games had a Reset button to let you start over. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games I did find interesting during the entire game:
1-Fill your board with more water tokens than your opponent's fire tokens.
2-Arrange beads on each of the rings so they align within the grooves after clicking the start button.
3-Track the movement of the Green Card & select it after the cards shuffle.
4-Use directional arrows to set the Roman Numerals to 12 o'clock.
5-Select directional arrows to turn on all lamps, once lit they can't be unlit.
6-Place shaped puzzle pieces correctly.
7-Spot the difference between a Photo and a Sketched drawing.
8-Use + & - buttons to adjust the size & rotation buttons to align 4 partial images.
2-Arrange beads on each of the rings so they align within the grooves after clicking the start button.
3-Track the movement of the Green Card & select it after the cards shuffle.
4-Use directional arrows to set the Roman Numerals to 12 o'clock.
5-Select directional arrows to turn on all lamps, once lit they can't be unlit.
6-Place shaped puzzle pieces correctly.
7-Spot the difference between a Photo and a Sketched drawing.
8-Use + & - buttons to adjust the size & rotation buttons to align 4 partial images.
The CE Bonus Chapter is more creative than the entire Main Game. It rewinds the clock to take you back to the Courtroom during Dr. Brian's trial. You'll have to examine the evidence and decide a verdict. There are 8 Hidden Object Scenes and 10 Mini-Games and you'll finish finding 7 Morphing Silhouette Shadows and Complete the Rave Feather Collection with the final 7 Feathers remaining.
This Collector's Edition version has 9 Wallpapers, 7 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 10 Movie Video Cutscenes, 14 Re-playable Mini-Games, 14 Re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Achievements to Earn, 26 Collectible Raven Feathers, 26 Morphing Silhouettes, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
DARK TALES SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Murder's In The Rue Morgue (December 17-2009) 3.7
2-The Black Cat (September 9-2010) 4.4
3-The Premature Burial (October 6-2011) 4.5
4-The Gold Bug (January 10-2013) 3.8
5-The Masque Of The Red Death (April 25-2013) 4.4
6-The Fall Of The House Of Usher (March 20-2014) 4.0
7-The Mystery of Marie Roget (February 19-2015) 4.1
8-The Tell-Tale Heart (November 14-2015) 2.7
9-Metzengerstein (July 21-2016) 3.5
10-The Raven (December 29-2016) 3.2
11-Lenore (August 10-2017) 2.9
12-Morella (December 16-2017) 3.7
13-The Pit and the Pendulum (April 5-2018) 3.2
14-The Oval Portrait (August 30-2018) 3.0
15-Speaking With The Dead (March 23-2019) n/a
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Murder's In The Rue Morgue (December 17-2009) 3.7
2-The Black Cat (September 9-2010) 4.4
3-The Premature Burial (October 6-2011) 4.5
4-The Gold Bug (January 10-2013) 3.8
5-The Masque Of The Red Death (April 25-2013) 4.4
6-The Fall Of The House Of Usher (March 20-2014) 4.0
7-The Mystery of Marie Roget (February 19-2015) 4.1
8-The Tell-Tale Heart (November 14-2015) 2.7
9-Metzengerstein (July 21-2016) 3.5
10-The Raven (December 29-2016) 3.2
11-Lenore (August 10-2017) 2.9
12-Morella (December 16-2017) 3.7
13-The Pit and the Pendulum (April 5-2018) 3.2
14-The Oval Portrait (August 30-2018) 3.0
15-Speaking With The Dead (March 23-2019) n/a
by: Amax Interactive
I don't recommend this game.
Get lost in a haunted house that keeps changing!
Overall rating
5
/
5
63 of 70 found this review helpful
THE MORE I PLAYED THIS GAME, THE MORE I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT!
PostedMarch 22, 2019
pennmom36
fromWe all make mistakes, I made a big mistake when I didn't give this game 5 stars when first released! ღ ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Welcome, weary traveler to the Infinity Motel, It has been anticipating your arrival! But how could anyone have known you just received a distress call from your friends Bob and Sarah? Your gut feeling tells you to run, everything about this scenario is wrong, but these are your friends and they are inside, and they are in serious danger, it's check-in time! Once the door closes, you quickly begin to realize that The Infinity Motel's sole purpose is to find your deepest fears to use them against you, to drive you completely mad! Finding your friends will become the easy part of this personal nightmare, escaping with your sanity intact is a whole different ballgame.
There is a Gadget/Helper, a tiny Robot. At first, I didn't like him and couldn't understand why they had to include this feature. After a couple of chapters, however, I came to the conclusion that No Escape has such an interesting storyline and some of the most amazing graphics, that this tiny little helper couldn't possibly ruin the game for me or anyone else for that matter! I felt so bad that I had deducted a star on my review of the CE version for such a minuscule feature, that I contacted Mariaglorum Games to apologize!
The Hidden Object Scenes are actually very good and are located in interesting scenes. They are varied each time with Interactive Listed Finds, Multiples of the same Item Finds, Pictured Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, and Sketched Picture Finds. Two of my favorites was an Interactive-Progressive-Silhouetted Shape Find where you had to find one item that matched the Silhouetted Shape and then use that item within the scene interactively to expose the next object and a Related Picture Pair Find where you had to find two pictures or images on a blackboard that related to the Listed Items shown. This isn't a new concept but I found it to be quite challenging because the images they chose required you really had to think about which items combined would relate to the word. I'm rarely impressed or challenged by HOP's nowadays, so well done @Mariaglorum!
The Hidden Object Scenes are actually very good and are located in interesting scenes. They are varied each time with Interactive Listed Finds, Multiples of the same Item Finds, Pictured Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, and Sketched Picture Finds. Two of my favorites was an Interactive-Progressive-Silhouetted Shape Find where you had to find one item that matched the Silhouetted Shape and then use that item within the scene interactively to expose the next object and a Related Picture Pair Find where you had to find two pictures or images on a blackboard that related to the Listed Items shown. This isn't a new concept but I found it to be quite challenging because the images they chose required you really had to think about which items combined would relate to the word. I'm rarely impressed or challenged by HOP's nowadays, so well done @Mariaglorum!
The Mini-Games are decent, but they do tend to be on the less complicated side of the spectrum, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Puzzles don't always have to be brain-teasers to be enjoyed. Below are brief instructions of some of the games you'll encounter:
1-Swap tile strips to complete the image.
2-Click to move tiles into place in the correct order on a 4 part puzzle. (loved it!)
3-Scoop fireflies into a jar.
4-Click when lines are within the circle.
5-Guide the girl along every path w/o retracing paths.
6-Drag puzzle sections into the frame.
7-Arrange the trophies according to the labels on the shelf.
2-Click to move tiles into place in the correct order on a 4 part puzzle. (loved it!)
3-Scoop fireflies into a jar.
4-Click when lines are within the circle.
5-Guide the girl along every path w/o retracing paths.
6-Drag puzzle sections into the frame.
7-Arrange the trophies according to the labels on the shelf.
The Collector's Edition version has 16 Wallpapers, 30 Concept Art Pictures, 24 Movie Video Cutscenes, 8 Music Soundtracks, 5 Re-playable Mini-Games (w/limited re-plays) 10 Achievements to Earn, 7 Character Figurine Collectibles, 23 Hidden Keys, 1 Fresco Jigsaw Puzzle (assemble to earn an achievement) 6 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-in Strategy Guide. Enjoy your lengthy stay, IT only gives you one checkout option!
MYSTERY OF THE ANCIENTS SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Lockwood Manor (November 15-2011) 3.8
2-Curse of the Black Water (November 30-2012) 4.6
3-Three Guardians (February 28-2014) 4.6
4-Deadly Cold (March 6-2015) 4.1
5-Mud Water Creek (May 13-2016) 4.0
6-The Sealed And Forgotten (March 31-2017) 3.5
7-Black Dagger (March 16-2018) 3.9
8-No Escape (March 22-2019) n/a
2-Curse of the Black Water (November 30-2012) 4.6
3-Three Guardians (February 28-2014) 4.6
4-Deadly Cold (March 6-2015) 4.1
5-Mud Water Creek (May 13-2016) 4.0
6-The Sealed And Forgotten (March 31-2017) 3.5
7-Black Dagger (March 16-2018) 3.9
8-No Escape (March 22-2019) n/a
by: Mariaglorum Games
I recommend this game!
Can you find Gulliver and escape Lilliputia in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
108 of 133 found this review helpful
HELP! THERE'S TINY PEOPLE AFTER ME!...and I liked this storyline ;)
PostedMarch 21, 2019
pennmom36
fromThe oldest lock found is over 4,000 years old & similar to the Egyptian pin lock 3,000 years ago. In 1818 Jeremiah Chubb invented an unpickable lock until 1854 when one of his employees succeeded ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed game approx. 4.5 hours
(btw: this is an awesome storyline with plenty of plot twists!)
(btw: this is an awesome storyline with plenty of plot twists!)
Dr. Thimble must be really good at hypnosis techniques because this session seems incredibly real. One minute I'm at the shrink's office, the next, everyone else shrunk! I hope the good doctor doesn't expect me to pay for this office visit, what a nightmare! I wake up to find myself shackled and held prisoner by little tin soldiers the size of the rice crispies I ate for breakfast. To make matters worse, the shrink keeps telling me to find Gulliver if I want to wake up from this jolly green giant fairytale nightmare and some smart-donkey (if only lol) just stole my compass, I am not paying for this shrinking giant session, I'm not even the only giant on the block!
There's yet another Gadget, (only used 5x's) for some strange reason, gadgets seem to come in waves, every game will have them at one point and then none of the games will have them. I can't understand why they add a gadget or helper which automatically cuts the targeted audience in half. Most gamers won't choose a game because it HAS a gadget, but they will choose to NOT play a game because it has a gadget!...just saying...
This Collector's Edition version has Morphing Objects and Hidden Key Silhouettes in most of the scene locations. I found myself staring at some of the scenes quite intently searching for some of those keys, so kudos my 4Friends! The Morphing Objects morph at a decent enough speed to make them fairly challenging to find, however, I wish devs would be a little more creative with my all-time favorite feature, and hopefully, they will read my suggestions here (as a general overall scenario) The location of the morphs always seems to be located in obvious places, I shouldn't be able to anticipate where it will be the second I enter a new scene (and of course, it's always there) They always morph too fast and the flashing grabs your attention before you even start to look for them in the usual spot. Lastly, but most importantly, don't have a mushroom morph into a white baseball or any other object that isn't related to the mushroom or the scene's surrounding theme! If all you have to do is glance at the scene to scan for an out-of-place fast-flashing object what's the purpose?
There are 14 Hidden Object Scenes in the Main Chapters and 6 within the CE Bonus Chapter. Most of the HOP's are just average Listed Item Finds with an occasional slight interaction to perform on one or two objects. I felt like the scene locations could have been a bit more colorful and more thought should have been applied to their creativity. Towards the last few chapters, the Hidden Object Scenes are repeated in the same location which didn't impress me, but in all fairness, I'm rarely impressed by HOP's nowadays. There are also Multiple's of the Same Object Finds, Pictured Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, and Related Pair Finds. One HOP I did find creative required using a magnet to locate items you couldn't see until the magnet picked it up, and that same scene was repeated shortly after to find several colorful flowers.
There are 17 Mini-Games in the Main Chapters and 5 within the CE Bonus Chapter, and 4Friends got it right. The mini-games start out easy and uncomplicated but become increasingly more complex as the game progresses. Not to the extreme extent of being mind-boggling frustrating, just more intricate. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games I found interesting:
1-Prevent the donkey from escaping by destroying bridges to trap him.
2-Adjust segments of arms & legs until they land on letters.
3-Select blue buttons to flip over the indicated stained-glass pieces.
4-Find related pairs by flipping over 2 cards which swap if incorrect.
5-Use directional arrows to gather seaweed in a specified number of moves, using portals.
6-Swap pie-shaped pieces in groups of 3 to complete the image.
7-Swap tokens to their matching image by changing path directions.
8-Move the sphere through a honeycomb grid & avoid cannonball shots.
2-Adjust segments of arms & legs until they land on letters.
3-Select blue buttons to flip over the indicated stained-glass pieces.
4-Find related pairs by flipping over 2 cards which swap if incorrect.
5-Use directional arrows to gather seaweed in a specified number of moves, using portals.
6-Swap pie-shaped pieces in groups of 3 to complete the image.
7-Swap tokens to their matching image by changing path directions.
8-Move the sphere through a honeycomb grid & avoid cannonball shots.
The CE Bonus Chapter goes back in time slightly and is centered around the timeframe when Gulliver was imprisoned by the Lilliputians. The main characters are Gulliver and Rose, and it helps to fill in the blanks of the Main Chapter's storyline gaps. There are 6 Hidden Object Scenes and 5 Mini-Games within this average chapter consisting of 8 Scenes (about the length of any of the main chapters, not too long, not too short, in my opinion) You will pick up the remaining 8 Key Silhouettes which unlocks the Treasure Chest to award you with a handful of mini-game puzzles. You will also find the remaining 8 Morphing Objects that unlocks the final 2 Pond decorations as well.
This Collector's Edition version has 12 Wallpapers, 16 Concept Art Pictures (before/after) 4 Screensavers, 6 Music Soundtracks, 29 Re-playable Movie Video Cutscenes, 12 Re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Re-playable Mini-Games, 21 Achievements to Earn (12 achievements have 3 categories) 27 Hidden Key Silhouettes, 33 Morphing Objects, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
BRIDGE TO ANOTHER WORLD SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Burnt Dreams (March 29-2014) 4.2
2-The Others (March 28-2015) 4.0
3-Alice In Shadowland (August 4-2016) 4.4
4-Escape From Oz (June 1-2017) 4.2
5-Through The Looking Glass (June 7-2018) 4.4
6-Gulliver Syndrome (March 21-2019) n/a
2-The Others (March 28-2015) 4.0
3-Alice In Shadowland (August 4-2016) 4.4
4-Escape From Oz (June 1-2017) 4.2
5-Through The Looking Glass (June 7-2018) 4.4
6-Gulliver Syndrome (March 21-2019) n/a
by: 4Friends Games
I recommend this game!
Mosaics Galore is back with 100 new glorious mosaics! Solve unique puzzles and save the realm from a wicked curse!
Overall rating
3
/
5
39 of 42 found this review helpful
AT LEAST THE PICTURES ARE MORE APPEALING THIS GO-ROUND!
PostedMarch 20, 2019
pennmom36
fromLooking at the bright side, look at how many trees I save by not wasting paper taking notes! (cuz everything's the same AGAIN) ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Jigsaws Galore
(121)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I must admit that the pictures offered in this latest installment of Mosaics Galore are back on track. The last installment had some of the most uninteresting and unappealing pictures that offered very little incentive to want to play it much less buy it!
For those of you who haven't played this type of Mosaic Puzzle game before, the goal is to complete the partial images by selecting fragments from the toolbar on the Right Side, (Left-Handed Mode Available) and placing them where they belong on the Mosaic Picture, without making mistakes and within the allotted time. If those criteria have been met, you will earn 3 Keys per picture, and you need to earn a specified number of Keys to unlock the next Location. There are 5 Locations and each Location has 20 Puzzles each. The Locations can also be unlocked with Coins you earn (25k-155k) but how is it possible to earn that many coins without playing the previous levels, to begin with?
You can add +30 seconds to the timer or refill the Hints on that level for a whopping 5000 points per use. In my opinion, they don't give you enough time to complete these puzzles, with the exception of the group of puzzles in the first Location. There is a Relaxed Mode available, but that defeats the purpose of the game and makes it nothing more than a Jigsaw Puzzle with very large pieces.
If you have played any of the Mosaic Puzzle Games by this developer, it probably won't surprise you that nothing has changed except the images themselves. The music is always the same, the features are always the same, the design is always the same, the background images, the instructions, the font style, and even the title is basically the same. They simply never bother to update or change anything to make their games more appealing to those who already own one game from them. It gets so repetitive having to listen to the same music and visuals when it's not only the same as other games in the same series but also the same across all other genres.
Because these devs offer so many games yet make no effort to add or change features, I cannot see giving them more than 3 stars, and that's only because these pictures were more interesting than the last game.
MOSAICS GALORE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
MOSAICS GALORE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Mosaics Galore 1 (November 25-203) 4.0
2-Mosaics Galore 2 (May 3-2016) 4.6
3-Mosaics Galore 3: Challenging Journey (November 27-2018) 2.6
4-Glorious Journey (March 20-2019) n/a
2-Mosaics Galore 2 (May 3-2016) 4.6
3-Mosaics Galore 3: Challenging Journey (November 27-2018) 2.6
4-Glorious Journey (March 20-2019) n/a
by: Somer Games
(8 Floor Producer)
(8 Floor Producer)