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:
Travel through the history of industry, creating colorful mosaics and watching them come to life!
Overall rating
5
/
5
47 of 54 found this review helpful
TURNS OUT YOU CAN REINVENT THE WHEEL!
PostedJanuary 15, 2019
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I wasn't in a hurry to play Time Twins Mosiacs today because quite frankly the Big Fish synopsis doesn't do this game justice. The first reviewer nailed it, this is a very fun and cool Mosaic game and I hope there are more to come!
I wasn't crazy about the music, and some of the color choices were rather difficult to see, such as the color White on White cells or the fact that the Red Numbers would lay on the top of Red Background Graphics and were a bit too small in my opinion. Other than that, anawiki has reinvented the wheel so to speak, by adding some really fun features to make this more than just another Mosaic game.
You begin by choosing from 12 different profiles and then you play a series of Themed Mosaics, the first one being a Railway theme with pictures of Locomotives, Water Towers, Coal Carriages etc. The puzzle Grid sizes are different every time and the completed pictures are recognizable and labeled. You can play in an Easy or Hard Mode which crosses off numbers immediately or when the entire row or column has been completed. I really liked that as you move the cursor to each cell, not only does it highlight the row and column, but it places a colored dot on the cell of whichever color you are currently on. There are 32 Achievements to earn, and I actually liked the pop-up awards, a feature that is rare in a Mosaics game.
After completing a few levels you get to use the Money you earned to unlock 6 Different Bonus Games. I've only played the first Bonus Game, Naval Battle, which is basically a game of Battleship on a Mosaic Grid, but it was oddly just as much fun. You begin by placing your "ships" of various lengths onto the grid cells, a single 4-celled ship, two 3-celled ships, three 3-celled ships, and four 1-celled ships. You take turns with your opponent (computer) to choose three cells each turn. Once you actually "hit" your opponents ship, you then have to figure out which direction the ship is in to sink it. The first one to sink all their opponent's ships first wins the game.
If you're looking for a Mosaic game that's got some cool features, look no further because other than a few minor flaws, anawiki hit the mark on this one!
I recommend this game!
Complete wonderfully photographed jigsaw puzzles and feel the festive mood surrounding the timeless wedding celebration!
Overall rating
1
/
5
130 of 147 found this review helpful
IF YOU LIKE STAGED PICTURES OF WEDDINGS AND THE SAME EXACT FEATURES AS ALWAYS...
PostedJanuary 14, 2019
pennmom36
fromThese are some of the most uninteresting pictures yet! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Jigsaws Galore
(121)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Another jigsaw puzzle added to 8 Floor Games long list of games, the only feature they ever change is the title! What's not to like, you ask? Well, there are 5 boxes of uninteresting puzzle pictures, the music is the same, and every feature they offer in every puzzle is the same, their puzzles offer practically no customization whatsoever. They do exist, there are puzzles out there that have tons of custom features available, really cool features, features you may not know you wanted until you do a puzzle that includes them, then there's no looking back!
The only way we're ever going to get decent puzzles is to make a stand here at Big Fish, to encourage them to give us more. I have nothing against 8 Floor Games or Somer but nothing ever changes with their games, except for the title. The features are always the same, the music is always the same, the puzzles themselves are basically the same. They don't even have options for larger sized puzzles, (with the exception of slight modification features) and after you complete a puzzle you can't see your finished product afterward or set it as a wallpaper (prolly for the best because they aren't very cool pictures, to begin with)
In 1001 Jigsaw Home Sweet Home Wedding Ceremony, you can choose puzzles from 5 different boxes, the pictures are once again, mostly staged pictures, and not very appealing. You can also earn Trophies for reaching goals such as playing a certain amount of hours, joining up to a million pieces, scoring a certain amount of points, solving a puzzle without making a mistake, solving variously sized puzzles, or solving a puzzle without using hints, sorting, or pocket features. There are also Top Scores and personal Best score tallies.
Any of the puzzles can be modified with the number of pieces, the cut shape of the pieces and whether or not you want the pieces to rotate. There are 4 different backgrounds to choose from, pink, green, blue and grey, a box to store extra pieces until needed, a Sort option a Border only option, a Hint option, and an available Magnifying glass to enlarge pieces. You can also ghost the image of the puzzle to the background or hang a picture in three different sizes.
I did find a couple of puzzles here on BF, that have awesome pictures and custom features available. Yes, I'll admit, at first they seem intimidating because there are so many features to choose from, but after a few minutes of exploring the features, you soon realize that it isn't difficult, and your angst turns into excitement from all the possibilities!
In Jigsaws Galore, for example, you can assemble a puzzle with up to 64,000 pieces! And there are so many more unique features, so I've included some bullet points of just some of the custom features available in Jigsaws Galore, features which we SHOULD expect from all puzzle games:
*Each category is kept in folders, the pictures inside each folder is shown as thumbnails, choose the size of each thumbnail, create and label as many new folders as you want.
*Capture your own images or import photos, you can even crop specific sections, you can also share pictures with others who have Jigsaws Galore.
*Change the size, shape or number of pieces, you can even change these features midway through a puzzle without having to restart the puzzle.
*Choose the shape of the pieces, you can even add "fun" or "mystery shaped" pieces to the mixture by %, for example, add 5% of fish-shaped pieces randomly into the puzzle, or 0 if you just want normally shaped pieces.
*Ghost the image, AND choose the brightness of the ghosted picture, hang a picture for reference, choose the background color OR the type of material used.
*Open up as many trays as you want to hold puzzle pieces, (not just a single box that can't be sorted, labeled or even easily viewed) choose the color of each tray and label the trays, right-click each tray and fetch the pieces you want in each tray, such as blue pieces, or fun shaped pieces, you can choose how to arrange the pieces within each tray, line the trays along the sides, top or bottom, which can be clearly viewed and know what pieces are in which trays (sky, water, land, blue, specific shapes, however, you want!)
*Select how you want to sort the puzzle pieces, along with the edges, in a grid formation, random, you can ever de-arrange pieces, and this option is available inside each tray as well. They will even arrange by grouping the same shaped puzzle pieces together.
*The toolbar can be on the top, bottom or side, and you can hide the toolbar to give you more room.
*There is a zoom feature, a magnifying glass which can be set at different strengths.
*Choose how thick or thin the pieces are, add shadows, turn on/off anti-aliasing (graphics realism) whether you want the outlines to disappear once the pieces snap together to show a smooth image. You can even choose the snap distance of the pieces, and choose puzzle piece rotation preference of clockwise or counterclockwise.
*Auto-save the puzzle at specific intervals automatically, such as every 5 minutes, never lose your progress again!
*Use tools such as undo, demo, next piece finds, hints, mystery mode, auto solve, overlay pictures, zoom, or even timers. It even shows you the number of pieces in the puzzle, and how many pieces you have placed.
*Capture your own images or import photos, you can even crop specific sections, you can also share pictures with others who have Jigsaws Galore.
*Change the size, shape or number of pieces, you can even change these features midway through a puzzle without having to restart the puzzle.
*Choose the shape of the pieces, you can even add "fun" or "mystery shaped" pieces to the mixture by %, for example, add 5% of fish-shaped pieces randomly into the puzzle, or 0 if you just want normally shaped pieces.
*Ghost the image, AND choose the brightness of the ghosted picture, hang a picture for reference, choose the background color OR the type of material used.
*Open up as many trays as you want to hold puzzle pieces, (not just a single box that can't be sorted, labeled or even easily viewed) choose the color of each tray and label the trays, right-click each tray and fetch the pieces you want in each tray, such as blue pieces, or fun shaped pieces, you can choose how to arrange the pieces within each tray, line the trays along the sides, top or bottom, which can be clearly viewed and know what pieces are in which trays (sky, water, land, blue, specific shapes, however, you want!)
*Select how you want to sort the puzzle pieces, along with the edges, in a grid formation, random, you can ever de-arrange pieces, and this option is available inside each tray as well. They will even arrange by grouping the same shaped puzzle pieces together.
*The toolbar can be on the top, bottom or side, and you can hide the toolbar to give you more room.
*There is a zoom feature, a magnifying glass which can be set at different strengths.
*Choose how thick or thin the pieces are, add shadows, turn on/off anti-aliasing (graphics realism) whether you want the outlines to disappear once the pieces snap together to show a smooth image. You can even choose the snap distance of the pieces, and choose puzzle piece rotation preference of clockwise or counterclockwise.
*Auto-save the puzzle at specific intervals automatically, such as every 5 minutes, never lose your progress again!
*Use tools such as undo, demo, next piece finds, hints, mystery mode, auto solve, overlay pictures, zoom, or even timers. It even shows you the number of pieces in the puzzle, and how many pieces you have placed.
Now, do you want more?? When you know what CAN BE available, it makes a big difference doesn't it? I'm sure there are lots of gamers who don't care about all these features, and just want a relaxing and simple puzzle to while away the time, but if you do want to see more puzzles offered with these kinds of options...make a stand and let your voice be heard...WE PUZZLE GEEKS WANT MORE
I don't recommend this game.
Embark on an incredible prehistoric time management adventure and stop Doctor Terrible before the timeline is ruined!
Overall rating
1
/
5
39 of 44 found this review helpful
AT FIRST I WAS ELATED, THEN IT ALL WENT SOUTH
PostedJanuary 13, 2019
pennmom36
fromHow about a real TD game BF? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Roads of Rome III
(95)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
When I saw that a new Day D was released I was thrilled because I really enjoyed the last Day D: Time Mayhem, which was a rare Tower Defense game. To my surprise, this wasn't a TD game but rather a Time Management game, and NOT a very good one at that.
After my initial disappointment that I wasn't getting to play a TD game (what happened to all of the TD games anyway?), I started playing this game to see what was in store for me. It's certainly Green, says I to myself. I discovered quickly that there are 2 modes of difficulty, and it automatically starts out in a "very difficult" mode, so you get to play Hot or Cold, no normal or in-between!
Next up I decided to check out the Collector's Edition bling, after all, the first Day D wasn't offered in a CE version. You get 20 Achievement Trophies to earn, but I'm bettin' those are available within the SE version as well. There are 5 Music Soundtracks and 10 Concept Art, who cares, pictures offered but that's about it, and certainly not CE worthy, it doesn't even have a Strategy Guide.
Time to dive right in and start Managing my Time. Huge disappointment! The first level has a ton of resources and empty plots to build on but for some reason, none of that is necessary, the level can be completed in about 3-4 moves. Second level, same scenario, and after several painstaking, boring levels I gave up.
To sum it all up, this is a below average, subpar TM game that really isn't fun to play at all. The graphics are boring, the resources are boring, the robot is boring, the story is boring. If you feel differently about the demo, I would still strongly urge you to hold off for the SE version because there is nothing offered here that is worth paying twice as much for.
DAY D SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Time Mayhem (April 1-2014) 2.5 *TD*
2-Through Time CE (January 12-2019) n/a *TM*
2-Through Time CE (January 12-2019) n/a *TM*
by:8 Floor Games
I don't recommend this game.
Hercules is back and he's about to embark on a time management adventure that leads to love and romance!
Overall rating
4
/
5
53 of 61 found this review helpful
THIS VERSION HAS ALMOST EVERY FEATURE INCLUDED AS THE CE VERSION!
PostedJanuary 11, 2019
pennmom36
fromExcellent partnership, it works JD & ZOG!⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Dragon Keeper
(26)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Not that I'm complaining, but for the life of me I can't understand why the Standard Edition versions of TM games still offer most of the bells and whistles as the Collector's Edition versions at half the price? Really the only thing you don't get is Wallpapers, a few Bonus Levels and a Strategy Guide. You still earn Achievements, you still get Hidden Puzzle Runes, you still get an amazing TM game, so hopefully, you were able to hold out for the version which in my opinion is well worth the wait!
12 Labours of Hercules has always been on my top 10 favorite Time Management Games List because I love Roman and Greek Mythology, and they always have just the right amount of Strategy to make it challenging but still fun to play. I wasn't crazy about the last one, Fleecing the Fleece, because it just seemed to be a repeat of the ones before, but How I Met Megara has upped the ante! Every level is so unique, it's almost like playing an entirely different TM series with every level! You aren't just running back and forth on a clear-cut path collecting resources and removing obstacles like hundreds of other TM games. One level you are on a boat, the next on the back of a serpent, and even being chased by mummies in a Pyramid, it's just a really cool theme in my opinion.
There are three different modes of difficulty, Relaxed, Casual and Expert, and every level that is completed within Gold Time reveals what's inside the Great Egyptian Pyramid, my only complaint is that the pyramid has kind of bland graphics.
Each level has a Hidden Puzzle Piece to find which looks like an Ancient Rune Tile and it allows you to assemble 5 different puzzles. I always look for the puzzle piece before clicking on anything which starts the game, that way I don't forget about the puzzle piece or waste time searching for it. You can replay any of the levels to try to get a better score or if you forgot the puzzle piece. There are 22 Achievements or Trophies to earn for tasks such as collecting a resource after completing the level tasks, completing the level without using bonuses or finding 10 puzzle pieces etc. Each Chapter has a Bonus Level or sub-level to play as well (5 Bonus Levels total)
The Collector's Edition has 9 Wallpapers, 22 Trophies or Achievements to earn, (which can be viewed on the level map) Hidden Rune Puzzle Pieces, 5 Puzzles to complete once all the pieces have been collected, 5 Bonus sub-levels, 6 Movie Video Cutscenes, and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy
12 LABOURS OF HERCULES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-12 Labours of Hercules SE only (October 30-2013) 4.0
2-The Cretan Bull SE only (July 21-2014) 3.8
3-Girl Power SE only (January 4-2015) 3.9
4-Mother Nature (September 20-2015) 3.9
5-Kids of Hellas (February 21-2016) 4.7
6-Race For Olympus (November 30-2016) 4.5
7-Fleecing The Fleece (August 2-2017) 3.7
8-How I Met Megara (January 11-2019) n/a
2-The Cretan Bull SE only (July 21-2014) 3.8
3-Girl Power SE only (January 4-2015) 3.9
4-Mother Nature (September 20-2015) 3.9
5-Kids of Hellas (February 21-2016) 4.7
6-Race For Olympus (November 30-2016) 4.5
7-Fleecing The Fleece (August 2-2017) 3.7
8-How I Met Megara (January 11-2019) n/a
by: JetDogs Studio
by: Zoom Out Games
by: Zoom Out Games
I recommend this game!
Can you save your brother and the worlds in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
95 of 129 found this review helpful
WANTED! DEAD OR ALIVE
PostedJanuary 10, 2019
pennmom36
fromThe Masone Labyrinth in Fontanellato, Italy has the world's largest maze spanning 17 acres. With 120,000 bamboo plants in the maze from 25 different species it's the perfect maze plant, 17' tall, evergreen, pest and disease free & absorbs carbon dioxide⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Abandoned: Chestnut Lodge Asylum
(219)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
When Earth's crust began cracking and causing cataclysmic events to occur worldwide, the Seeker's Order organized a special expedition to seek answers. (why wasn't I included in this special Seekers Expedition?) Your brother Simon (who used to be my sis?) stumbled onto something really big but disappeared shortly afterward and the Order has asked you to find Simon (why does a stranger have to tell me my brother is mia? Oh I know, it's because I wasn't in the loop for this "special" Seeker, exclusive, finer things club) and capture the thief who escaped the Seekers Prison and may be responsible for all the dastardly deeds.
It's a good thing my brother left me a note in case he gets lost (at HIS house no less) with instructions to use a special amulet that will lead me to his exact location! (why didn't the exclusive finer things club use it?) As luck would have it, it's a one-and-done kinda gadget. Wait, what? First of all, let's hope he's truly "lost" this gadget looks expensive. Is he actually "lost" just because I don't know where he is? He's probably going to get really mad when I show up with his really expensive lost-brother finder if he's not lost. Isn't this gadget just a glorified GPS locator that I could've downloaded the app on my phone? Secondly, if I can only use it once, how do we get back, do I pitch it when I arrive? Do I Seek a recycling bin? Do I donate it to the Underwater World Goodwill? Do I hang onto it just in case he's wrong about the one-and-done scenario? I'd better start Seeking now. (hmm, now, do I choose the Compass, GPS or gyroscope? I'm a Seeker with commitment issues apparently)
Once again Domini Games has done a fantastic job with some amazing graphic detail (although still a little heavy on the neons) One thing's for certain, Fantasy-themed games are their wheelhouse because they have such skilled graphic designers to help you envision the fantasy worlds, the Labyrinths of the World. Domini never skimps on quality or quantity with a 7 Chapter strong game and a Bonus Chapter nearly as long (a new mission, new world, new prisoner, new theft) There are Hidden Tokens in every scene that allow you to purchase 15 different fantasy Zoo Creatures, and you will find Collectible Cards from each world you visit, and there are Wanted Posters scattered throughout the worlds.
The Hidden Object Scenes were far to easy in my opinion and had little to no challenge whatsoever. They are varied with Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, and Multiples of the Same Object Finds. I really liked the HOP where you had to select ropes to align stained glass panels to search for objects but it too was way too easy and would have been amazing if it were at least a tad bit more challenging. There is an alternate Match 3 game available but it's an extremely easy M3 game that doesn't even allow you to make fast, back-to-back matches because you have to wait for the previous move's tokens to finish dropping which is a super annoying feature to me. FYI: if you want to earn all achievements, you must play the alternate Match 3 game instead of a HOP at least once.
The Mini-Games are decent but they are basically the same ole, same ole just with a different theme. As with most Domini Games you can choose between Easy or Hard difficulty modes. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter throughout the game:
1-Use arrows and rotation buttons to align colored spheres onto their matching tokens.
2-Use directional arrows to move rows to allow colored spheres to drop onto their color coded pedestals.
3-Move crystals to the center at the same time.
4-Move bars to align the correct number of starfish to each column as indicated.
5-Guide the fish token to its matching slot by dragging a token to an empty slot.
6-Color the segments so that adjacent segments are a different color.
7-Move the fish to the center along the circles and lines using directional arrows without making contact with another fish.
8-Align tiles according to the clues shown.
9-Navigate a maze by finding and using items to overcome obstacles.
2-Use directional arrows to move rows to allow colored spheres to drop onto their color coded pedestals.
3-Move crystals to the center at the same time.
4-Move bars to align the correct number of starfish to each column as indicated.
5-Guide the fish token to its matching slot by dragging a token to an empty slot.
6-Color the segments so that adjacent segments are a different color.
7-Move the fish to the center along the circles and lines using directional arrows without making contact with another fish.
8-Align tiles according to the clues shown.
9-Navigate a maze by finding and using items to overcome obstacles.
This Collector's Edition version has 20 Concept Art pictures, 17 Wallpapers (why is the icon for wallpapers a rug on the floor?) 5 Music Soundtracks, 33 Movie Video Cutscenes, 20 re-playable Mini-Games, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 33 Achievements to earn, 15 Wanted Poster Articles, 21 Collectible Cards (7 cards from 3 Worlds) 69 Collectible Tokens (used to purchase Zoo Creatures in the Greenhouse) 15 Zoo Creatures to purchase with Tokens, 7 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
LABYRINTHS OF THE WORLD SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Shattered Souls (September 6-2014) 4.3
2-Forbidden Muse (June 13-2015) 3.5
3-Changing the Past (January 9-2016) 3.8
4-Stonehenge Legend (August 6-2016) 4.1
5-Secrets of Easter Island (January 5-2017) 3.8
6-The Devil's Tower (April 29-2017) 3.8
7-A Dangerous Game (January 4-2018) 4.0
8-When Worlds Collide (June 14-2018) 3.2
9-Lost Island (January 10-2019) n/a
2-Forbidden Muse (June 13-2015) 3.5
3-Changing the Past (January 9-2016) 3.8
4-Stonehenge Legend (August 6-2016) 4.1
5-Secrets of Easter Island (January 5-2017) 3.8
6-The Devil's Tower (April 29-2017) 3.8
7-A Dangerous Game (January 4-2018) 4.0
8-When Worlds Collide (June 14-2018) 3.2
9-Lost Island (January 10-2019) n/a
by: Domini Games
I recommend this game!
Return to the famed and mystical island of Isola and craft, farm, solve puzzles and build a thriving village!
Overall rating
4
/
5
28 of 39 found this review helpful
DAY ONE OF MY PROGRESSIVE VILLAGE...
PostedJanuary 9, 2019
pennmom36
fromI can't get my villagers to forage coconuts, how are they ever going to master Research and technology? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Dragon Keeper
(26)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I think I may have enjoyed this game more if it were a Point and Click game rather than a Drag Everyone Everywhere Until You Get Hand Cramps kinda game. I also didn't like the fact that my screen kept zooming back into a wee little tiny village so I was constantly having to scroll to zoom back in. I had issues "grabbing" villagers on my neverending Dragfest Quest, I'd click on a villager in several places, sometimes I'd get lucky, other times the sneaky little bugger would keep on walking and pretending as though I didn't exist, but I can't really blame him for not wanting to be a puppet on a string.
Basically, your village starts out with 5 villagers of your choosing, but I wasn't allowed to create a Village of all Women, nor was I able to create a Village People Village of all Men (hey it's nearly 2020 now peeps, let go of the past, lol) I chose to go with a Harem instead of 4 Women and 1 Man, so if the Love Shack's a-rockin'...
Now I have fully established my Harem Village only to find out there's work to be done. Well, that's just great, I created a Harem thinking everyone was going to have a great time, wink, wink, but now I'm just making everyone work to death, and with only one man in the village you know who's going to be doing all the work! For now, I'm going to keep my eye on Felipe Rose to make sure he's pulling his own weight in my progressive Harem Village, no work, no play, I've got to establish dominance and position myself on top of the Village Totem Pole as Chief because I'm not quite sure yet if these villagers are cannibals? I didn't see this particular "skill" set on their resumes, however, they are constantly saying they are hungry =o(
Finally! After a few failed attempts of teaching my Harem Villagers to forge for Coconuts to stop them from eyeballing me, they stopped complaining about being hungry. I thought it was safe to teach them how to build and maintain a fire, but now I'm getting suspicious of Felipe Rose again, I think he's putting two and two together? Speaking of putting two and two together, I decided to distract fire-crafting hungry-eyed Felipe Rose with another Harem Villager. They got into a fight almost immediately, making me doubt my role as Chief Totem Pole. A good Chief never gives up, so this time I selected a beautiful Brunette to tempt him, hopefully, she'll be less feisty.
Bingo! I just spotted Felipe Rose and the beautiful brunette sneaking off. I'm bettin' Felipe Rose wants to show the beautiful Brunette how to craft a fire!?
VIRTUAL VILLAGERS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-A New Home (July 15-2006) 3.6
2-The Lost Children (February 14-2007) 4.5
3-The Secret City (May 28-2008) 4.6
4-The Tree of Life (February 25-2010) 4.3
5-New Believers (January 6-2011) 4.2
6-Origins 2 (January 7-2019) n/a
by: Last Day of Work
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-A New Home (July 15-2006) 3.6
2-The Lost Children (February 14-2007) 4.5
3-The Secret City (May 28-2008) 4.6
4-The Tree of Life (February 25-2010) 4.3
5-New Believers (January 6-2011) 4.2
6-Origins 2 (January 7-2019) n/a
by: Last Day of Work
I recommend this game!
Magic creatures are in trouble. Hurricane took the Fuzzy family and he must find them! Can you help the magic creature to save his family?
Overall rating
3
/
5
74 of 82 found this review helpful
IT PRACTICALLY PLAYS ITSELF
PostedJanuary 9, 2019
pennmom36
fromI make match go BOOM! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
4 Elements
(80)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Let me start off by saying that this is a very colorful game with beautiful graphics, but it's a Limited Moves type of Match 3 game, one of my least favorite types. I'm okay with Limited Moves as long as the game is challenging and requires skill to master it, but this one practically plays itself. Because it has so many available matches, it has one explosion after the next, I hardly had to do anything but make a few large matches and BOOM!
The instructions leave a lot to the imagination and after a few levels when the Obstacles started to magically appear it left me with more questions than answers. Wooden Boxes would appear out of nowhere, tiles would randomly turn to Lava etc. it felt as though I was being punished, did I make a wrong choice? Didn't I make a match quickly enough? Should I have made a match over those tiles first so it wouldn't turn into lava? Where's my automatic play bonus BOOMS when I need them the most?
Then there is the scoring issue. I could complete the level goals of making a specified number of matches of specified tiles and clear all Rainbow Cells and have 10-20 moves remaining, yet I'd only earn 1 or 2 Magical Crystals (equivalent to Stars 3=perfect) I'd replay the level, have fewer moves remaining and earn all 3 Crystals! Is the score based upon random luck of the draw tiles available for larger matches thus more automatic play bonus BOOMS?
The Magical Crystals you earn on each level allows you to purchase 4 non-magical Power-ups because 5 would be ridiculous. There's a Hammer to take out a single pesky tile that seems to be immune to the automatic play bonus BOOMS. Lightning which removes all tiles of the same kind, but why do I want to destroy all of the same tiles and miss a golden automatic play bonus BOOM opportunity? The Replace Magic feature allows you to replace any 2 gems on the field so you can hopefully create more automatic play bonus BOOMS. Lastly, there is a Mystery Magic power-up that destroys a random 5x5 area of tiles which may or may not create an automatic play bonus BOOM?
Join Ariadna and help her discover the power within herself. Only she can unite the worlds and save them from falling into chaos!
Overall rating
5
/
5
94 of 112 found this review helpful
THEY ALWAYS ADD NEW FEATURES WITH EVERY RELEASE!
PostedJanuary 8, 2019
pennmom36
fromBecause they add something new each time, and usually several new types of Clutter Matches, it gives you an incentive to buy this game even though you purchased the one before!⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In a gaming world full of cookie-cutter games that never bother to change features from one game in a series to the next, you can always count on Shaman Games to add a new twist to each release. These guys are constantly reinventing the wheel and I think they deserve to be called out for a job well done. Most of the bigger developers spew one game out after the next with little regard to their fans who put them where they are today, but my heart lies with the mom and pop type developers who still care about developing games of quality!
Hiddenverse: Rise of Ariadna has 3 difficulty modes to choose from, a Timeless mode, a Normal mode, and a Hard mode which gives you 20% less time than the Normal Mode. I've only played the demo portion of the game, but I found that there was plenty of time allotted in the Normal Mode. You can earn up to 3 Stars per level and the levels can be replayed, but I would like to see a feature added that allows you to replay the level mid-game when you select the Menu icon, rather than having to go to the main menu which then takes you to the Mansion Room, then you have to click the back arrow to get to the level menu. It needs to be easily accessible as a replay on the pop-up score icon or when you pull up the menu/pause icon.
After completing the Clutter level you will use your earned Stars to upgrade your own Mansion. Some of the items you buy require 2-3 upgrades to complete, others require a single purchase. As you complete the Mansion upgrades, you are rewarded with Puzzle Pieces. You will need to earn all Puzzle pieces and the puzzle must be assembled before you can progress to the next Chapter, so you don't really have a choice when it comes to upgrading the Mansion, but I actually liked this feature. I would like to see the puzzles become a little more challenging, perhaps several smaller pieces rather than 10 large chunks of fragments?
After completing the Clutter level you will use your earned Stars to upgrade your own Mansion. Some of the items you buy require 2-3 upgrades to complete, others require a single purchase. As you complete the Mansion upgrades, you are rewarded with Puzzle Pieces. You will need to earn all Puzzle pieces and the puzzle must be assembled before you can progress to the next Chapter, so you don't really have a choice when it comes to upgrading the Mansion, but I actually liked this feature. I would like to see the puzzles become a little more challenging, perhaps several smaller pieces rather than 10 large chunks of fragments?
The object of this game is to remove items from a heaping pile of junk, but the styles change with each level. Sometimes you have to remove Matching Pairs, Triple Pairs, Big & Small Matches (1 big object and it's identical match in a small version) Half Matches (2 fragments that go together) Black & White (1 object in color its mate colorless) Clutter games that have one or two piles of clutter requiring you to drag the items one by one, from each heaping pile until you find and remove all matching objects.
There are several newer styles available such as finding objects that match Silhouetted Shapes (and Silhouetted Shape finds in multiple's to fill the shapes) Triple or Double Matches that constantly move around and a clever level that shows two Cards at a time and you must select the only item that is shown on each card (and levels where you find the one item on both cards that have 1 black and 1 white identical object) or Dynamite which will explode when you click on it, which reshuffles all the clutter, this can help sometimes, other times it just buries items you need.
They have added Battle Modes where you have to make matches faster than your opponent, a Battle Mode on Cards where you make a match of the single item on the left card that matches the object on the middle card before your opponent finds and matches the single object on his right side card with the object in the middle card you share. They have added an Associated Pair type where you must find 2 different objects that are Associated with the pictured items (oil + lock = a Rusty Lock pictured) this level was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated! They have also added a Clutter Match type where you click on 2 matching objects and then choose which Chest they go into such as Gold or Silver items or Food or Animal items.
The Challenge levels have returned, after playing four Clutter Levels, the 5th Level allows you to play a multi-game level. You can play these challenges in any order, (and you can replay them as often as you want, and each time the variations are slightly different) which includes a Mini-Game such as a "Pipes" variation (rotate pipes to make a continuous path from point A to B) A Pair Match game where you flip over 2 cards at a time to try to find Matching Pairs and a Match 3 game with various strengths of Bombs and TNT earned on the board for making large matches of 4 or more.
The graphics could be a little less bland but this is an excellent Clutter Match game, and once again I will be adding it to my collection!
HIDDENVERSE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Spirit of the Ancient Forest (June 29-2017) 4.1
2-A Plot Story (September 21-2017) 4.0
3-Witch's Tales (October 31-2017) 3.7
4-Dream Walker (December 15-2017) 2.9
5-Hiddenverse: The Iron Tower (February 7-2018) 3.6
6-Hiddenverse: Tale of Arianda (May 14-2018) 3.2
7-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 2 (August 29-2018) 3.5
8-Hiddenverse: Divided Kingdom (October 3-2018) 4.3
9-Hiddenverse: Rise of Ariadna (January 8-2019) n/a
2-A Plot Story (September 21-2017) 4.0
3-Witch's Tales (October 31-2017) 3.7
4-Dream Walker (December 15-2017) 2.9
5-Hiddenverse: The Iron Tower (February 7-2018) 3.6
6-Hiddenverse: Tale of Arianda (May 14-2018) 3.2
7-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 2 (August 29-2018) 3.5
8-Hiddenverse: Divided Kingdom (October 3-2018) 4.3
9-Hiddenverse: Rise of Ariadna (January 8-2019) n/a
by: Shaman Games
I recommend this game!
A mysterious villain is playing with time and it’s up to you to fix the time paradoxes in this fast-paced strategy adventure game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
41 of 45 found this review helpful
DO YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?
PostedJanuary 6, 2019
pennmom36
fromHow about adding some morphing objects to the next CE to spice it up a bit? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Many Years Ago
(10)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The graphics are really bland with hues of grey's and tan's and by the time I reached Level 7, the tasks were the same tasks, just more of them which made the game repetitive. I do think that this is the better version option if you're chomping at the bit to play an ever so elusive Time Management game, but at least BF is beginning to realize that we TM fans are many (and we want more, but we want quality as well)
As far as the differences between this Standard Edition version and the Collector's Edition version, there's not much of a difference. In my opinion, most of the TM games offered in CE versions first, don't have enough extra's to make the game worth twice as much money, like this game for instance. The CE version had no Morphs or Collectibles (some don't even have built-in Strategy Guides!) but it does include 5 Music Soundtracks, 10 cartoon style Concept Art Pictures, and 10 extra Levels, as well as a Strategy Guide, which I believe was a first for this series? (If this had been a HOPA I think everyone would be complaining that the CE version of this game wasn't very CE worthy)
In the first Lost Artifacts game, the archaeological team was able to stop the Dark Priest from doing his Dark deeds, and the team regretfully had to say goodbye to their newfound native friends. Unfortunately, the airplane was no match for a hurricane they encountered, and they crashed on a large but remote island in the middle of the ocean. They discovered a tribe of Atlantean's that had survived when the city of Atlantis was sunk by another evil-doer, and the team had once again agreed to help them return to their beloved city, after defeating the evil-doer of course! In the last episode, the team has to face another evil-doer, a thief who has stolen the legendary Soulstone which possess unfathomable powers. The evil-doer used the stone to awaken a Terra-cotta emperor who was a bigger evil-doer than the thief himself! Now the team is working with a group of scientists who have discovered strange happenings occurring at famous attractions worldwide. Items have been aging at rapid speed and the scientists have invented a device to control time itself, but controlling time has its own set of issues that the team must face, one level at a time!?
There are the usual tasks to perform of clearing paths conveniently lined with happy meals?? (Do you want fries with that?) and wood, as well as constructing, repairing and upgrading Workers Houses, Sawmills for Lumber, Farm Plots to produce various crops, Mills to produce even more happy meals or Blacksmith barns to produce ore? There are also the usual Bridges to repair, Mantraps to dismantle, Holes to patch along the paths, and some levels require that you upgrade certain buildings to a certain level. You may need to build houses to accommodate specialized people to rid the paths from certain obstructions such as Scientists and Hunters to remove Mammoths that block the paths or Living Skeletons (which makes absolutely no sense!
I didn't hate this game, I just didn't find the graphics appealing and the TM tasks are the same tasks offered in hundreds of other TM games. I do actually recommend this Standard Edition version over the Collector's edition version which in my opinion wasn't very CE worthy.
LOST ARTIFACTS SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Lost Artifacts SE (August 30-2017) 3.1
2-Lost Artifacts: Golden Island SE (January 5-2018) 2.4
3-Lost Artifacts: Soulstone SE (June 20-2018) 3.0
4-Lost Artifacts: Time Machine SE (January 6-2019) n/a
2-Lost Artifacts: Golden Island SE (January 5-2018) 2.4
3-Lost Artifacts: Soulstone SE (June 20-2018) 3.0
4-Lost Artifacts: Time Machine SE (January 6-2019) n/a
by: 8 Floor Games
Chaos has emerged from Pandora's Box! Only you can stop the apocalypse!
Overall rating
3
/
5
69 of 75 found this review helpful
PANDORA'S BOX OF PANDEMONIUM
PostedJanuary 5, 2019
pennmom36
fromIt would be quicker to just dive in wouldn't it? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
The Tiny Tale 2
(31)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I hate saying this because TM games are far and few between, but this is a rather mundane and boring Time Management game. There's nothing captivating to keep my attention and having to go from shore to shore just to collect food and logs was painstaking, I didn't even finish the demo! Just like its predecessor, Golden Fleece, this is just an average, middle of the road, Time Management game.
You can play in an Untimed, Normal or Hard difficulty mode and it allows you to switch back and forth easily before the start of each level with an icon located above the levels. I do like this feature because sometimes it's helpful to play the first go-round in an untimed mode to figure out what the requirements are, such as what materials are needed for each task (bridges, boulders etc) and then play the level again in a normal or hard mode, especially when a TM game requires a lot of strategies, but this one doesn't require a whole lot of strategy to earn 3 stars. Once you have collected 5 Stars, you get to open a Treasure Chest located on the bottom left of the Map screen. That gives you 3 small chests to choose from and you can earn extra resources, bonuses to make the workers faster etc.
You can play in an Untimed, Normal or Hard difficulty mode and it allows you to switch back and forth easily before the start of each level with an icon located above the levels. I do like this feature because sometimes it's helpful to play the first go-round in an untimed mode to figure out what the requirements are, such as what materials are needed for each task (bridges, boulders etc) and then play the level again in a normal or hard mode, especially when a TM game requires a lot of strategies, but this one doesn't require a whole lot of strategy to earn 3 stars. Once you have collected 5 Stars, you get to open a Treasure Chest located on the bottom left of the Map screen. That gives you 3 small chests to choose from and you can earn extra resources, bonuses to make the workers faster etc.
There's really nothing different here than any other TM game. Build Farms for food, Sawmills for wood, Gold Mines, Quarries for stone and Markets for trading food for specific materials such as Stone or Gold. 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.
The only features offered in this Collector's Edition version, are 10 pages of Concept Art pictures and 5 Music Soundtracks, and a few extra levels in the Additional Campaign section. There are 29 Achievements to earn, but the trophies are usually still included within the Standard Edition versions. Other than the story, this is about the same as Golden Fleece, so I'm going to pass on this one too.
The only features offered in this Collector's Edition version, are 10 pages of Concept Art pictures and 5 Music Soundtracks, and a few extra levels in the Additional Campaign section. There are 29 Achievements to earn, but the trophies are usually still included within the Standard Edition versions. Other than the story, this is about the same as Golden Fleece, so I'm going to pass on this one too.
ARGONAUTS AGENCY SERIES LIST
Title Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Golden Fleece (October 2-2018) 3.3
2-Pandora's Box (January 5-2019) n/a
2-Pandora's Box (January 5-2019) n/a
developed by: Workroom 7-Creobit
produced by: 8 Floor Games
produced by: 8 Floor Games