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:
When a killer from Parker’s childhood plots a series of murders, she must face her past before it steals her future!
Overall rating
3
/
5
100 of 114 found this review helpful
HATE THE MINI-GAMES LOVE THE DETECTIVE CRIME SOLVING SCENARIO
PostedFebruary 2, 2019
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Why have these games added trivial mini-games that require no skill and are just annoying? There's a repetitive task in this game that requires you to "Rub" a circle by pulling the cursor from the center to the outer circle until it fills up red. That's certainly not rubbing, it's certainly not fun, and the circle interferes with clicking on other tasks at times, depending on its location, forcing you to "rub" before placing another investigator beside the circle first! If that wasn't bad enough, they added: "Focusing a Camera" before clicking to take a picture, where is the skill in that? I must say the mini-games (12 total) are a big turn-off for me, and I doubt I will purchase this game because of them, even though it is slightly discounted this weekend.
There are 60 Levels and 30 Challenge levels available with 16 Trophies to Earn. Each Main Level has a side task to complete which allows you to earn a Diamond to unlock Photographs and the story in Parker's Family Album. You can earn up to 3 Badges per level and the Badges are used to upgrade Hero Abilities for Lily Parker, Victor Lane, Stella, and Vasquez. There are 4 Categories of upgrades for each character, Movement (walk faster) Concentration (slower focus time, more time to solve MG's) Professionalism (lose hearts slower) and Leadership (queues are managed better, hearts slower loss) and each category can be upgraded several times. Carl the Mouse has returned and you will get extra points for finding him in every level.
It is Parker's job to assign the investigator's to their desired posts, by selecting the investigator and then the available station (the yellow evidence cards). Each investigator has a thought bubble with an image of what tools he needs to complete his investigation. (tweezers, magnifying glass, swabs, cameras etc) Some items require you to combine items or complete a mini-game, some items need to be restocked and some items just require a single click. Multi-tasking and fast decisions will earn you more points, and there is a Star meter to tell you when you have reached 2 and then 3 stars/badges.
For me personally, the abundance of mini-games totally ruined it for me, otherwise, I would have loved it!
For me personally, the abundance of mini-games totally ruined it for me, otherwise, I would have loved it!
PARKER & LANE SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Criminal Justice CE only (March 13-2018) 3.2
2-Twisted Minds CE only (February 2-2019) n/a
2-Twisted Minds CE only (February 2-2019) n/a
by: Big Blue Studios
Chaos has emerged from Pandora's Box! Only you can stop the apocalypse!
Overall rating
2
/
5
45 of 49 found this review helpful
IT'S NOT VERY CHALLENGING
PostedFebruary 2, 2019
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
There are plenty of obstacles to overcome on each level but they aren't very interesting and it becomes repetitive and boring very quickly. The only differences between the two versions are the absence of 10 pages of Concept Art picture, 5 Music Soundtracks .and 29 Achievements to earn. The Collector's Edition version didn't have a Strategy Guide so if you like this series, this Standard Edition version is the better choice.
When I played the demo of the CE when it was first released, I wasn't all that impressed and I thought that maybe the Standard Edition version would change my opinion, but unfortunately, it did not. We have been blessed with a ton of amazing TM games lately so it's hard to enjoy just a ho-hum average TM game. One of my biggest turn-offs in this game was the constant Island Hopping chores of going back and forth by boat to retrieve stupid resources like a half a loaf of bread. After 3 or 4 levels of this exhausting chore, I just wanted to craft a grappling hook to save myself some valuable time!
I feel bad for giving this game such negative mojo vibes because it seems that Big Fish is finally realizing that they have a ton of Time Management fans who have been overlooked for eons The graphics are "old-school" and had no curb appeal, everything's just a dull shade of gold, the characters are dressed blandly, the scenery is basically yellowish, the buildings have no color and there are no eye-catching extras, such as colorful trees, graceful butterflies or creatures frolicking about, there's no flora or fauna to make it special.
Everyone has different tastes, likes, and dislikes, and even though I didn't enjoy this game, the next person may find it to be an amazing game. I did really like that you can play in an Untimed, Normal or Hard difficulty mode, which isn't always a given feature. It also allows you to switch back and forth easily before the start of each level with an icon located above the level map. This is a very useful feature because you can play in an untimed mode to figure out what needs to be done, or what resources are important, on some of the more difficult levels, and switch back to Normal or Hard,.
.
Like most TM games, you are tasked with building Farms for food, Sawmills for wood, Gold Mines, Quarries for stone and Markets & banks for trading resources or food There are the usual Berry Bushes for a renewable food source, as well as the usual path blockers of wood, boulders, puddles, holes, and bread that somehow gets left strategically on a blocked path just when you need it the most, not to mention random caches of gold coins. There are also random Minotaurs which at least gets Jason to move from his usual cozy spot, and Levers to toggle bridges and open other areas. There is a bonus icon on the bottom to speed the workers up, and for every 5 stars earned you get to choose 1 of 3 Chests to win a prize that is basically more bonuses that make resources cheaper, increase speed by a percentage etc.
.
Like most TM games, you are tasked with building Farms for food, Sawmills for wood, Gold Mines, Quarries for stone and Markets & banks for trading resources or food There are the usual Berry Bushes for a renewable food source, as well as the usual path blockers of wood, boulders, puddles, holes, and bread that somehow gets left strategically on a blocked path just when you need it the most, not to mention random caches of gold coins. There are also random Minotaurs which at least gets Jason to move from his usual cozy spot, and Levers to toggle bridges and open other areas. There is a bonus icon on the bottom to speed the workers up, and for every 5 stars earned you get to choose 1 of 3 Chests to win a prize that is basically more bonuses that make resources cheaper, increase speed by a percentage etc.
As I said earlier, the only features offered in the Collector's Edition version, are 10 pages of Concept Art pictures and 5 Music Soundtracks. and 29 Achievements to earn. The CE version doesn't even have a Strategy Guide, so I suggest playing the demo to see if you like the game, but this version is way more logical.
ARGONAUTS AGENCY SERIES LIST
Title Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Golden Fleece (November 21-2018) 3.2
2-Pandora's Box (February 1-2019) n/a
2-Pandora's Box (February 1-2019) n/a
by: Workroom7
I don't recommend this game.
Zarya resumes her dragon-filled match-3 journey to the Frozen Tomb. She will face new puzzles and battles to become a master warrior!
Overall rating
5
/
5
73 of 77 found this review helpful
I'M STILL A HUGE FAN OF DRAGONSCALES
PostedJanuary 31, 2019
pennmom36
fromGood news, it has Touch Screen Options! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
DragonScales is an amazing Strategy-based Match 3 game that won't require you to make mindless matches at a break-neck speed. You will want to take your time and plan the placement of each Dragon Scale and hopefully set up the proceeding moves for the next set of Scales. It's not a difficult game to learn, but it may take some time to actually master the technique and become a Dragon Master. There are 16 Achievements to earn, and the famous "Battle Levels" have returned! I really hope BF offers this game eventually in the PC format (as a Mac user I'm not complaining tho!) because I want everyone to get a chance to play DragonScales!
You are given a set of 3 Scales of 3 different colors at a time. You can choose any honeycomb cell to place the first Scale, but the following two can only be placed on adjacent highlighted cell. If you don't like the placement of the first or second Scale, you can re-click on them to send them back to the box, but once you place the third Scale, they can't be removed because the set of Scales immediately drop to the bottom. (told you strategy was a requirement lol) Some of the levels are Anti-Gravity modes, however, and the DragonScales remain where you place them instead of falling to the bottom after placing them, but, in my opinion, this mode is much easier. You can, however, either reset the current level or Replay the entire level if you choose, and there's a Skip button available once it charges.
Each level has different goals such as making a specified number of matches for each color of Scales, including each color specific Special Cross Tile in a match, or including Stars, Coins or Symbols in a match to remove them. They have added Skulls to the mix that must be dropped off of the board by including the Scale that is preventing the skull from falling, in a match, and naturally, all of those obstacles are located in really hard to reach or congested areas.
As you progress, you are rewarded with 16 different Magic Card Bonuses which then become available for purchase with the Coins you collected or earned, such as a Scale Destroyer that removes all Scales on the board, one which allows you to choose a different color combination set of Scales or remove a single pesky Scale.
In the Battle Mode, you are playing against an opponent with a set amount of Arrows available in your Quiver. On your first Battle, the Arrows are Wooden but as you progress, you get arrows made with stronger materials to inflict more damage. When it's your turn it's basically the same scenario where you receive a set of Scales to place or select a set of Scales to shoot with the Arrows.
There are 3 different Modes available, Basic, Normal (unlocks after completing Basic) and Heroic (unlocks after completing Normal) Each Mode has 6 Realms with 10 Levels, so it should be a lengthy game and well worthy of purchasing, enjoy!
DRAGON SCALES SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Chambers of the Dragon Whisperer (November 12-2014) 3.8
2-Beneath a Bloodstained Moon (February 24-2016) 4.4
3-Eternal Prophecy of Darkness (June 23-2017) 4.5
4-Master Chambers (June 24-2018) 4.5
5-The Frozen Tomb Mac only (January 29-2019) n/a
2-Beneath a Bloodstained Moon (February 24-2016) 4.4
3-Eternal Prophecy of Darkness (June 23-2017) 4.5
4-Master Chambers (June 24-2018) 4.5
5-The Frozen Tomb Mac only (January 29-2019) n/a
by: IKIGames
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a madman from using puppets to take over the island?
Overall rating
2
/
5
100 of 154 found this review helpful
NO STRINGS ATTACHED
PostedJanuary 31, 2019
pennmom36
fromReborn dolls made of vinyl are more realistic than it's predessor the porcelain doll. They are so likelike that even police officers mistake them for real babies. Creators of reborn dolls are called reborners & creating of the doll is called reborning. ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
PuppetShow: Souls of the Innocent Collector's Edition
(22)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Alexander was a Master of his craft. He was able to craft Porcelain Dolls that were so beautiful, so perfect, that they almost looked real. His obsession to make dolls as lifelike as possible cost him nearly everything. Alexander did achieve his goal, the last 5 dolls he created just before his disappearance was absolutely perfect in every way. Absolutely lifelike, so lifelike that many people swore they were real. Did Alexander make the devil a deal in exchange for the ability to create a living, breathing doll? What will happen to the town of Smile Island now that the 5 dolls are on on the loose?
I'll be honest, I made it through 3/5 Chapters and could care less about finishing the game! Once again, this is a story about Dolls, fragile porcelain Dolls, not puppets. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it is my understanding that a Puppet must have strings and be controlled by a Puppet Master. wouldn't it be better to create an entirely different series spinoff called DollShow rather than tarnish the good reputation of what was once an amazing series?
This Collector's Edition version has a Morphing Flower in each scene. It also has Collectible Bells with brief descriptions about each of the 15 PuppetShow games in the series. Why Bells? Wouldn't you'd expect a game about Dolls/non-Puppets to have a collectible doll or non-puppet Puppet, a Puppet or non-Puppet from each game? The bottom line here is that this is a short game, each chapter has exactly 5 pages in the SG. (to be honest, the BC is nearly twice as long as any given main chapter) The storyline is boring, predictable from the opening scene, and has some of the most worthless tasks, puzzles, and mini-games I've ever seen all rolled up into 1 game, a typical Amax game of late. I will, however, give them credit for the graphics that are always detailed, but I can't say that I was excited about all the howling dogs and screeching cats that are always in the background of all of their games.
The Hidden Object Scenes were blurry at times, poorly lit and mostly they were boring, in fact, they were all Interactive List Items in the first chapter, they really didn't offer a variety until towards the end of chapter 2. I don't mind Listed items, I usually prefer them but the items were either too easily spotted, so the scene was so dark you couldn't see the item, especially when they were tiny objects. Eventually, they do throw in a Fragment Find, a Keyword in Sentence Find and a Replacement Find where you reverse everything by picking up inventory items and placing them logically into the scene.
The Mini-Games were downright insulting, at times they were nothing more than fillers used to make people believe this game wasn't as short, but it is a short game. The game is filled with meaningless matching games and filler tasks, match balloons or match pillows, drag this through a small curved arc, more items to match. They are so easy to solve that you wonder why they even offered them? Almost all of them had pieces that would lock in or light up to say, "yep that's correct "with each piece, or "keep on guessing" Some of the puzzles have a Casual/Hard difficulty option, but most of them don't. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter throughout the game:
1-Drag disk rings to replicate the image shown.
2-Swap fan sections to complete the pattern.
3-Drag flowers along tracks to their highlighted areas.
4-Click on lock tumblers until the numbers match the paper clue. steady, keep steady, so tricky, so complicated, whew
5-Slide tiles until the cutout tiles encase the heart.
6-Repeat the sequence by touching color-coded brain sections.
7-Arrange the mask's so that each pattern is made up of the patterns above it.
8-Swap colored fuses by following lead lines.
9-Chose flames in the correct order.
10-Rearrange gears so that all gears are turning in the correct direction.
2-Swap fan sections to complete the pattern.
3-Drag flowers along tracks to their highlighted areas.
4-Click on lock tumblers until the numbers match the paper clue. steady, keep steady, so tricky, so complicated, whew
5-Slide tiles until the cutout tiles encase the heart.
6-Repeat the sequence by touching color-coded brain sections.
7-Arrange the mask's so that each pattern is made up of the patterns above it.
8-Swap colored fuses by following lead lines.
9-Chose flames in the correct order.
10-Rearrange gears so that all gears are turning in the correct direction.
This Collector's Edition version has 15 Wallpapers (each one has several pictures of each character, I want pics of the scene, not character cover shots??) 9 Concept Art pictures, 6 Screensavers, 8 Movie Video Cutscenes, 4 Music Soundtracks, 11 re-playable Mini-Games, 14 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Achievements to Earn, 26 Morphing Flowers (1 in each scene) 15 Collectible Bells (a bell with descriptions for each of the PuppetShow games in the series) 5 Main Chapters (short chapters) +Bonus Chapter....trouble typing..hands turning into porceeelainnnnn
PUPPET SHOW SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Mystery of Joyville SE only (October 1-2009) 4.0
2-Souls of the Innocent (May 27-2010) 4.3
3-Lost Town (March 17-2011) 4.1
4-Return to Joyville (April 19-2012) 4.3
5-Destiny Undone (March 28-2013) 4.2
6-Lightning Strikes (August 21-2014) 3.3
7-The Price of Immortality (March 19-2015) 4.4
8-The Face of Humanity (January 21-2016) 3.7
9-Her Cruel Collection (September 15-2016) 3.4
10-Bloody Rosie (November 17-2016) 3.7
11-Arrogance Effect (July 22-2017) 2.8
12-Poetic Justice (October 5-2017) 3.3
13-The Curse of Ophelia (February 3-2018) 3.6
14-Faith in the Future (July 12-2018) 3.7
15-Porcelain Smile (January 31-2019) n/a
by: Amax Interactive
2-Souls of the Innocent (May 27-2010) 4.3
3-Lost Town (March 17-2011) 4.1
4-Return to Joyville (April 19-2012) 4.3
5-Destiny Undone (March 28-2013) 4.2
6-Lightning Strikes (August 21-2014) 3.3
7-The Price of Immortality (March 19-2015) 4.4
8-The Face of Humanity (January 21-2016) 3.7
9-Her Cruel Collection (September 15-2016) 3.4
10-Bloody Rosie (November 17-2016) 3.7
11-Arrogance Effect (July 22-2017) 2.8
12-Poetic Justice (October 5-2017) 3.3
13-The Curse of Ophelia (February 3-2018) 3.6
14-Faith in the Future (July 12-2018) 3.7
15-Porcelain Smile (January 31-2019) n/a
by: Amax Interactive
I don't recommend this game.
Start solving mysteries with this thrilling detective hidden object adventure.
Overall rating
3
/
5
67 of 82 found this review helpful
THEY'RE BACK
PostedJanuary 30, 2019
pennmom36
fromNow how'd that get up on the roof? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger
(84)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I love a good old-fashioned Hidden Object Game now and then, after all, that's where we first fell in love with this new genre before they began morphing into the HOPA games of the present day. They bring back fond nostalgic memories of how exciting it was to finish one game and move on to the next, never seeming to care whether or not it had a good storyline or amazing new features. Developers were jumping on the bandwagon right and left, desperately trying to supply the demand of HO's to hungry fans, I bet a lot of you have a stack full of old HO CD's with Felix on the cover, stuffed in a cabinet somewhere, I know I do lol.
I try really hard to find the good in every game, even the ones I don't like because somebody, somewhere worked very hard on their project. In my opinion, this game has made improvements since the last one was released. The graphics are much sharper and clearer, and the objects are well blended into the scenery even though they aren't proportionate at times and they aren't always the same color or even in the same position shown.
The options are still pretty basic, and once again, there are no Difficulty Mode options available, it's a Timed Game you play for points and try to obtain all 3 Stars. You can't even adjust the music and sound volumes, it's just an on/off button. There are 10 different Chapters or Investigations, and each Investigation has several levels, in fact, I counted 80 scenes in the first Chapter so it should be a fairly lengthy HOG, but on the other hand, I had breezed through 30-40 scenes in the demo alone. There are 18 Achievement Trophies to earn during the investigation. The story or "case" is updated before the start of each level, as a dialog box with no voice-overs, usually a paragraph at a time.
The options are still pretty basic, and once again, there are no Difficulty Mode options available, it's a Timed Game you play for points and try to obtain all 3 Stars. You can't even adjust the music and sound volumes, it's just an on/off button. There are 10 different Chapters or Investigations, and each Investigation has several levels, in fact, I counted 80 scenes in the first Chapter so it should be a fairly lengthy HOG, but on the other hand, I had breezed through 30-40 scenes in the demo alone. There are 18 Achievement Trophies to earn during the investigation. The story or "case" is updated before the start of each level, as a dialog box with no voice-overs, usually a paragraph at a time.
There are Hint Boosters available, you start out with 5 of each booster, and I'm assuming you will get the option to buy more if you run out. You can replay any level, to earn a better star rating score, but the objects to search for are usually different than the first go-round. There is a Booster that will highlight one item from the list, another removes 3 items from the list, one that stops the timer on the level and one that increases the area of illumination in the scenes that are in the dark, which just has a small beam of light available.
Each of the items to find are shown as Pictured Items and one item from each scene will go into the inventory section. That Inventory item must be dragged to the scene where it will logically be used. As I mentioned earlier, many of the hidden objects are way out of proportion or are a totally different color than what is shown, as some of the objects are rather small and not easily recognized.
For me personally, it was fun to play the demo, but towards the end of the demo, I just started to get bored. I think the game is worthy of a sale or coupon code if you are an avid HOG fan.
SECRET INVESTIGATIONS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Secret Investigations (December 26-2016) 2.6
2-Secret Investigations: Nemesis (January 15-2018) 3.3
3-Secret Investigations: Revelation (January 30-2019) n/a
2-Secret Investigations: Nemesis (January 15-2018) 3.3
3-Secret Investigations: Revelation (January 30-2019) n/a
by: Playzzy Games
Return the Guardians to slumber to keep evil from the universe!
Overall rating
4
/
5
31 of 34 found this review helpful
GO TO SLEEP...shhh
PostedJanuary 29, 2019
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
If you like Fantasy-themed games, Slipping Hope will not disappoint! I preferred the CE version because I'm a fan of Morphing Objects, Collectibles and of course the added benefit of a Bonus Chapter, which doesn't always have interesting storylines, but in this case, the BC is decent. The BC has a whopping 12 remaining Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes, and it also continues to offer the Morphs and Collectibles (I wish they were all this way!) There are 14 adorable Hidden Spy Bats, 14 Zoom Zone Collectible Gold, Ruby and Emerald Coins (to complete your Magical Creatures menagerie) and a couple of Morphing Owls remaining in the BC. One feature included that I really appreciated was the ability to return to a scene to pick up any missed Spy Bat or coin once the Chapter was completed because many of the scenes had more than one Spy Bat. The Zoom Zone Coins were a little harder to miss though because the window doesn't close until you click on the available coin. Not all CE's are worth the extra money, but in this case, I think it's definitely worthy.
There are five Worlds in this Universe and each of those Worlds has a Sleeping Guardian to defend our worlds against evil Malum. The Sleepers are the last defense between Peace and Chaos, and they must remain asleep at all cost if one awakens, the others will arise as well. The Sleepers protect our worlds from evil, and the Order of Guardians protect the Sleepers. Grace is one of those protectors, a Guardian sworn to protect the Sleepers, just as her father before her. Unfortunately, one of the Guardians has broken the sacred vow and has awoken a Sleeper, a Sleeper who happens to be his own sister! The balance between peace and chaos has been disturbed, and as other Sleepers begin to awaken, Grace must find a way to restore the fine line of balance before the evil of Malum spreads out of control.
GrandMa has clearly worked hard on this fantasy-themed edition of Reflections of Life! I will admit that I haven't been crazy about the last few games by GrandMa Studio's but I have to give credit when credit is warranted, and Slipping Hope has revived my faith in GrandMa once again. They clearly poured their hearts and souls into this game, the quality is superb, the quantity is money-worthy, the entertainment value is off the charts and it's by far the best Reflections Of Life game in the series. I'll go one step further and say that it's one of the best fantasy-themed games I've played in quite some time!
There is a Gadget/Helper, a Mechanical Owl used to retrieve and interact with objects out of our reach. He isn't used that often and as far as Helpers go, this one actually fits in nicely because it is a fantasy game. My only complaint is that he's a tad bit noisy during his "downtime" as he who-hoots a bit too much, and he does get rather annoying when he continues to flap his wings if the task you're using him for is a lengthy puzzle. I think if they tweaked the owl to stop flapping his wings once he arrives at the destination, he wouldn't be an issue.
I highly recommend the CE version over this SE version because of the Hidden Spy Bats, I absolutely LOVED them! Only the tips of their tiny ears and tail poke out from their hiding places, but once you click on them they take flight to get out of Dodge quickly. They definitely add the "awe" factor because they are adorable (and should be in a fantasy-themed game!) I wish they were a little bit smaller so they would be harder to spot. The CE version also features Hidden Coins of Gold, Emerald, and Ruby, within most of the Zoom Zones. The Coins are used to purchase Magical Creatures AND you get the chance to return to the scenes after completing the Main Game and Bonus Chapter, to pick up any missed coins or bats! Personally, I find this feature very appealing and for going the extra mile, I give this opportunity an A+ and a thumbs up!!! The CE version also has a Bonus Hidden Puzzle which is one of the most creative puzzles I've ever seen, again, GrandMa has gone the extra mile and they raised the HOPA bar for those to come :)
The Hidden Object Scenes are well designed and their locations were interesting. In the Collector's Edition version, each main HOP (not zoom zone HOP's) have a Morphing Owl to spot, or is it a spotted owl to morph? Most of them are Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds or Multiple Silhouetted Shape finds such as finding 12 stone fragments. I really enjoyed the repetitive Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape HOP's that require Finding & Replacing the Objects within 3 different scenes by clicking on 3 different emblems to change locations (once you found the emblems) There are also several Zoom Zone HOP's where you are tasked with finding groups of 3 silhouetted shapes such as 3 eyes, 3 bones etc. Many of the HOS's include a small puzzle to solve such as placing stone fragments into highlighted sections. You can opt to play an Alternate Match 3 Games instead of the Hidden Object Scenes.
The Mini-Games range from super quick and easy to somewhat complex, but I was able to solve all of them without having to skip them, nor did I want to because I enjoyed this game immensely. Below are brief descriptions of some of the puzzles available in the demo and main game:
1-Align 4 image sections by adjusting rotation, size, and width.
2-Use the Magic Lens to locate 3 images shown on each page x3.
3-Strum the Harp cords in the order shown on the clue.
4-Swap hexagonal puzzle pieces to restore the image.
5-Shoot identical color/position Bats
6-Rotate sections to place all 4 stones into center matching slots.
7-Select 3 partial symbols to create each symbol shown.
8-Navigate the boat to each lighthouse to clear the fog while avoiding obstacles.
9-Stretch out all of the snakes, clicking one may affect others.
10-Draw a continuous line between all gems.
11-Rotate Hexagonal pieces to restore the picture.
12-Choose the correct flowers that match the riddle descriptions.
13-Swap feathers from longest to shortest.
14-Move the central symbol & attach other symbols to reproduce the silhouette (loved this one)
2-Use the Magic Lens to locate 3 images shown on each page x3.
3-Strum the Harp cords in the order shown on the clue.
4-Swap hexagonal puzzle pieces to restore the image.
5-Shoot identical color/position Bats
6-Rotate sections to place all 4 stones into center matching slots.
7-Select 3 partial symbols to create each symbol shown.
8-Navigate the boat to each lighthouse to clear the fog while avoiding obstacles.
9-Stretch out all of the snakes, clicking one may affect others.
10-Draw a continuous line between all gems.
11-Rotate Hexagonal pieces to restore the picture.
12-Choose the correct flowers that match the riddle descriptions.
13-Swap feathers from longest to shortest.
14-Move the central symbol & attach other symbols to reproduce the silhouette (loved this one)
The Collector's Edition version has 14 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, re-playable Movie Cutscene Videos, 14 re-playable Mini-Games (out of a whopping 35) 16 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes (16/19) 19 Morphing Owls within the HOP's, 14 Achievements to Earn, 48 Hidden Coins (16 Gold, 16 Emerald, 16 Ruby) 10 Magical Creatures (to purchase with the coins) 36 Hidden Spy Bats (only the tips of their ears & tail are visible) 5 Main Chapters (Finding The Truth) +Bonus Chapter (Testing And Trials) Hidden Puzzle Chapter (Interactive Progressive super-puzzle) a built-in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, sleep well, enjoy!
REFLECTIONS OF LIFE SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Tree Of Dreams (July 20-2014) 3.6
2-Equilibrium (May 17-2015) 3.9
3-Dark Architect (February 12-2016) 4.2
4-Call Of The Ancestors (September 11-2016) 3.6
5-Hearts Taken (June 11-2017) 3.7
6-In Screams And Sorrow (May 25-2018) 3.7
7-Slipping Hope (January 27-2019) n/a
2-Equilibrium (May 17-2015) 3.9
3-Dark Architect (February 12-2016) 4.2
4-Call Of The Ancestors (September 11-2016) 3.6
5-Hearts Taken (June 11-2017) 3.7
6-In Screams And Sorrow (May 25-2018) 3.7
7-Slipping Hope (January 27-2019) n/a
by: GrandMa Studios
I recommend this game!
Help Ara to forge the legendary weapon in this challenging fantasy match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
60 of 63 found this review helpful
MUCH BETTER THAN THE LAST ONE
PostedJanuary 29, 2019
pennmom36
fromHope you don't have arachnophobia! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
4 Elements II
(156)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It looks like they decided to scrap the whole "potion making" scenario that was in the last Enthralling Realms game which didn't go over so well with most reviewers. I'm glad the developer didn't give up on us and decided to go back to the drawing board to make a few adjustments. Blacksmith's Revenge is a really good Match 3 game with interesting board layouts that present a good challenge, and I did enjoy playing the demo, but there's a good reason I deducted a star from my rating. If you own any other M3 game by this developer, you may find that it has too many similarities, and I saw no option to select Difficulty Modes such as Relaxed, Normal or Hard.
Once again, a pop-up window appears before the game begins warning you that you may have to play the game in Windowed Mode if you are playing on Windows 10, however, I didn't select the windowed option and I didn't have any issues whatsoever, but then again, I didn't have any issues with the last game.
This is a Swap type of Match 3 game, where you swap tiles to make Matches of at least 3 identical elements. You must make matches over all of the Gold Cells, and make the required number of matches of each Element shown at the top of the screen. Elements inside of Bubbles, Morph (I think they appear when you make large matches, but I'm not positive) which allows you to pop the bubble when the desired element appears inside the bubble.
There are the usual Obstructions of Chained or Double Chained Tiles that require one or two matches of whichever element is chained, or pesky Spiders that will spin Webs over the tiles if they aren't removed by making matches under them. Some levels require you to collect Treasure Chests by dropping them off of the board as you make matches under them as well. A new feature has been added called Boss Stage, and it requires you to make matches of tiles directly above a Giant Spider that shuffles right and left, to fill up the meter to destroy it before time runs out.
There are Four different types of Power-ups available, and each one requires a Mana Meter refill after each use. The Mana Meter is refilled by making any Match, but larger matches will fill the meter more quickly. The Axe destroys a single element or chain of your choice. A Potion Bomb creates an explosion to covers a 4 tile range (becomes more powerful eventually) that will destroy tiles, gold cells or chains. The Lightning Crystal clears an entire Horizontal Line including gold tiles or chains. The Blade clears an entire Vertical Line including gold cells and chains.The Crucible removes all of the same kind of tile element (whichever tile you place the power-up on)
When you have acquired enough resources, you can restore the Village. (a star will appear on the right side when a restoration is available) There are 5 Chapters and 20 Upgrades available, and you are required to complete 4 restoration upgrades to unlock the next Chapter. You will earn a Gold, Silver or Bronze Trophy on each level and you can replay the levels to earn a better score.
It's a good Match 3 game, especially if you haven't played other e-FunSoft M3 games, but from what I can tell, there's only one mode of difficulty. I could be wrong on that, perhaps I just couldn't find the options tab, so if it is available, let me know :)
THE ENTHRALLING REALMS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Curse of Darkness (August 30-2017) 4.3
2-An Alchemist's Tale (May 28-2018) 3.6
3-Blacksmith's Revenge (January 29-2019) n/a
2-An Alchemist's Tale (May 28-2018) 3.6
3-Blacksmith's Revenge (January 29-2019) n/a
by: e-FunSoft Games
I recommend this game!
Travel the world from the savannah to the arctic, collecting nature photos on this match-3 safari adventure!
Overall rating
2
/
5
60 of 68 found this review helpful
SAY CHEESE
PostedJanuary 28, 2019
pennmom36
fromNow if I could only get these animals to start cheesing! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
4 Elements II
(156)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Animal Drop Safari is just another cheesy, Limited Moves, cutesy Match 3 game. The levels give you so many available large matches on the board that it practically plays itself! It isn't a fast-paced game either because you can't quickly make consecutive matches, after each individual move you have to wait for all the tiles to regenerate and go through the motions of activating power-ups. I'm not a fan of Limited Moves games in the first place and I prefer a Match 3 game to be more Challenging, but if you enjoy these features, I'm sure you will love this game.
There are 200 Match 3 Levels and there are 35 Animals along the way to take Photographs of. You are trying to win a contest that will feature your photographs each month for a year on the cover of a prestigious magazine. The BF synopsis claims that you'll visit 9 Natural Environments, including the land of Unicorns lol.
You can earn up to 3 Stars on each level and there is a Star Meter on the top left of the screen and you can replay any level from the Level Map. Most level Goals require you to make matches on all Yellow Cells, as well as Collecting a specified number of specified Animal Tiles. Some levels may require you to earn a specific number of Points as well. Any remaining Moves are played through by the computer, including bonus moves, so once again, progress comes to a screeching halt while you wait for an eternity watching the board play itself, just to move on to the next level. The scoring seems rather random though, on one level you may earn nearly 100k points and earn a Highest Score Award, but only earn 2 Stars, the next level you may only earn 60k points yet earn all 3 Stars. I'm assuming the score is based upon the number of moves remaining, but to me, it seems that the score is at the computers mercy and luck of the draw?
Large Matches will earn Bonuses on the board that must be included in a match of the same type of animal. I noticed several times that you aren't always awarded a bonus when you clearly should have, and the bonuses don't clear yellow cells. A Match 4 creates a Super Animal Vertical or Horizontal Line Buster depending on which way the original match was made. A match made in a T or L shape will give you a Super Animal Bomb that will explode when matched to take out a small group of tiles. A Match 5 will give you a Rainbow Gem that can be exchanged with any Animal Tile to remove all animals of the same kind. Combining 2 Bonuses will create a bigger explosion, and when you swap a Rainbow Gem with Super Animal tile it will apply that animals power to all animals of the same kind.
During the demo, there was only 1 Obstacle presented, Caged animals that require a single or double match made of whichever animal was inside of the cage. There are 5 different Power-ups added such as a Hammer to remove a single tile of your choice, but they need to recharge after every use.
It's a cute game, but for me personally, it has too many features I dislike, moves at a snail's pace, and doesn't have anything different than all the other cutesy Match 3 games offered lately.
I don't recommend this game.
Pursue a snow-white deer through an enchanted forest and uncover a mystery in the days of King Arthur! Answer the call of a king and begin the hunt!
Overall rating
5
/
5
38 of 42 found this review helpful
NO NEED TO HUNT ANY FURTHER FOR A TOP NOTCHED TIME MANAGEMENT GAME!
PostedJanuary 27, 2019
pennmom36
fromCan't we just take a picture of this beautiful elusive magical creature and call it a day? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
New Yankee is quickly winning our Time Management hearts, and I'm so glad they finally stopped offering them as a Collector's Edition version first! The graphics keep getting better and better, the tasks keep getting more interesting and I love John's sarcastic humor.
You can play in a Relaxed, Normal or Expert difficulty mode, and there are 30 Achievement Trophies to earn. There are 50 Levels and 32 Hidden Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to search for, some of which are quite obscure. As you progress, you are given the option to choose a between 3 Bonuses that will help you with the tougher levels by allowing Mary to Walk and Cast Spells Faster, John to Walk and Fight Faster or help Max the dog to Run Faster, or at least as fast as his poor little short bulldog legs can move.
Like most TM games, you must gather resources such as food, wood, gold and mana, clear boulders, logs, and weeds from the paths, fill in potholes, chop down trees, repair bridges, and construct or repair sawmills, Mills to produce more food, workers houses (Max needs a house too) The workers do almost everything, John is the Knight in Shining Armor and does the fighting, Mary is skilled in Witchcraft and takes care of Casting all the Spells to instantly regrow trees that have been cut down, construct Altars that magically speed up the process by restocking food sources and even conjure up Druid Bridges, but she needs a constant supply of Mana from the wells or an occasional bottle abandoned along the paths, to work her magic.
I can't imagine what this series could possibly add to make it any better. Each game in the series seems to just keep getting better and it has all the features a TM game should have and none of the features it shouldn't. The games in this series can be played and enjoyed by beginners just as much as it is by TM experts!
NEW YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT SERIES LIST
Title*** Release Date***Average Rating
NEW YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT SERIES LIST
Title*** Release Date***Average Rating
1-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 1 SE only (May 7-2012) 3.9
2-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 2 SE only (January 30-2013) 4.2
3-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 3 SE only (December 24-2013) 3.5
(Santa's Service Christmas Edition)
4-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 4 CE (December 19-2017) 4.3
New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 4 SE (February 14-2018) 4.8
5-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 5 CE (April 10-2018) 3.8
New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 5 SE (June 13-2018) 3.7
6-New Yankee In Pharaoh's Court 6 SE only (September 12-2018) 4.9
7-New Yankee 7: Deer Hunters SE only (January 25-2019) n/a
2-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 2 SE only (January 30-2013) 4.2
3-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 3 SE only (December 24-2013) 3.5
(Santa's Service Christmas Edition)
4-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 4 CE (December 19-2017) 4.3
New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 4 SE (February 14-2018) 4.8
5-New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 5 CE (April 10-2018) 3.8
New Yankee In King Arthur's Court 5 SE (June 13-2018) 3.7
6-New Yankee In Pharaoh's Court 6 SE only (September 12-2018) 4.9
7-New Yankee 7: Deer Hunters SE only (January 25-2019) n/a
by: Yustas Games Studio
I recommend this game!
The shapeshifting detective, and hero of Netherfall, is once again called to the capital to help king Robert investigate a series of kidnappings!
Overall rating
3
/
5
108 of 145 found this review helpful
MY "KING'S" QUEST BECAME RATHER REPETITIVE
PostedJanuary 26, 2019
pennmom36
fromAlchemy is an ancient practice of trying to to turn lead into gold. Not only did spiritualism play a significant role but it was believed that metals were not only alive but that they grew inside of the Earth ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
As a world-renowned Alchemist, the King has requested your services (shouldn't it be King's Quest V?) investigating the Missing Children case. One suspect has already been arrested, but it's highly unlikely he's responsible because he doesn't fit the profile. In fact, no one fits this particular profile because all the evidence collected points to something not human, at least not completely human!
I quickly became bored with this game because not only did the storyline seem to drag on and on, but it was very predictable, I suspected where the plot was heading as soon as I met with the King. Not only did the storyline drag, but the mini-games were the same mini-games for each chapter, you would play the same game every time you entered a portal, the same game to leave the portal and the same types of games during each chapter. There is a Gadget which is a staple feature in this series, a Potion Cube to make Transformation Potions, it too is repetitive and used an average of 2 times per chapter. The good news is that there is a good ratio of Mini-Games: Hidden Object Scenes and the hand-drawn graphics are beautifully illustrated.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, and Multiples of the Same Object Finds. Most of the scenes are very interactive requiring moving other objects out of the way or finding and replacing missing parts. Each Hidden Object Scene has a Morphing Object that must be clicked when in the correct Form. There is an alternate Matching Pairs game available where you click on 2 Related Items such as a Broom and a Dustpan.
The Mini-Games are okay but rather easy and very repetitive because you have to complete the same puzzles for each chapter. The puzzle to access each of the portal locations is the same, the puzzle to return to the King is the same each time, and I've never been a fan of recipe puzzles because there's no skill involved and you have to repeat the Potion Cube Recipes 6 different times! Even the puzzles that aren't repeated, only slightly change from chapter to chapter but they are all puzzles that have been offered in other Brave Giant games. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the first 3 chapters, the point I gave up:
1-Follow the picture diagram to create potion recipes x6.
2-Turn over clouds to find matching symbols, not all symbols have pairs.
3-Rotate & place fragments into highlighted slots each time you enter the portal.
4-Choose the single token that doesn't have any symbols on the beasts tokens.
5-Find and replace misplaced items to progress the story.
6-Slide tokens along the tracks to their correct matching slots.
7-Swap figurines according to the clue shown.
8-Move figure the specified number of squares in the correct direction.
9-Find 3 DNA markers that are located on each slide.
10-Find 6 pairs of related objects.
11-Rotate rings on a disk to recreate the image shown, moving one ring affects others.
12-Arrange the images in chronological order.
13-Turn all flowers purple, selecting one affects others.
14-Find 3 symbols in each scene to progress the story.
15-Drag pawprints through the labyrinth.
2-Turn over clouds to find matching symbols, not all symbols have pairs.
3-Rotate & place fragments into highlighted slots each time you enter the portal.
4-Choose the single token that doesn't have any symbols on the beasts tokens.
5-Find and replace misplaced items to progress the story.
6-Slide tokens along the tracks to their correct matching slots.
7-Swap figurines according to the clue shown.
8-Move figure the specified number of squares in the correct direction.
9-Find 3 DNA markers that are located on each slide.
10-Find 6 pairs of related objects.
11-Rotate rings on a disk to recreate the image shown, moving one ring affects others.
12-Arrange the images in chronological order.
13-Turn all flowers purple, selecting one affects others.
14-Find 3 symbols in each scene to progress the story.
15-Drag pawprints through the labyrinth.
This Collector's Edition version has 6 Wallpapers, 6 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, replayable Movie Video Cutscenes, re-playable Mini-Games, and Hidden Object Scenes, 16 Hidden Magic Wands (with origins) 16 Hidden Puzzle Pieces, 8 Hidden Ghosts (crystal ball to show when a collectible is available purple if available, grey when all collectibles have been found) 21 Achievements to Earn, 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (very long chapters and extremely long BC) and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
QUEEN'S QUEST SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Tower Of Darkness SE only (October 7-2014) 4.1
2-Stories Of Forgotten Past (September 20-2016) 4.3
3-End Of Dawn (March 25-2017) 3.4
4-Sacred Truce (June 12-2018) 3.9
5-Symphony of Death (January 26-2019) n/a
2-Stories Of Forgotten Past (September 20-2016) 4.3
3-End Of Dawn (March 25-2017) 3.4
4-Sacred Truce (June 12-2018) 3.9
5-Symphony of Death (January 26-2019) n/a
by: Brave Giant Games