pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4726
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 21, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Return the Guardians to slumber to keep evil from the universe!
Overall rating
5
/
5
184 of 217 found this review helpful
THANKS GRANDMA, AWESOME FANTASY GAME AND THE BEST REFLECTIONS OF LIFE GAME OF ALL TIME!
PostedDecember 29, 2018
pennmom36
fromSleeping facts: A giraffe only needs 1.9 hours of sleep a day, a brown bat needs 19.9 hours a day. 15% of people sleepwalk, 50% of dreams are forgotten after 5 minutes, 12% dream only in black/white,humans are the only mammals that willingly delay sleep!⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
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. In this Collector's Edition version there are Hidden Spy Bats, and I 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, but I LOVED this feature too. This CE version also features Hidden Coins of Gold, Emeralds, and Ruby, within Zoom Zones. You can purchase Magical Creatures with the coins 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!!! This 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 this 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 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 as well.
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 any of 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.
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.
This 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 Objects 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***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Tree Of Dreams (June 21-2014) 4.2
2-Equilibrium (April 18-2015) 4.4
3-Dark Architect (January 14-2016) 4.3
4-Call Of The Ancestors (August 13-2016) 3.5
5-Hearts Taken (May 13-2017) 3.3
6-In Screams And Sorrow (April 26-2018) 2.6
7-Slipping Hope (December 29-2018) n/a
2-Equilibrium (April 18-2015) 4.4
3-Dark Architect (January 14-2016) 4.3
4-Call Of The Ancestors (August 13-2016) 3.5
5-Hearts Taken (May 13-2017) 3.3
6-In Screams And Sorrow (April 26-2018) 2.6
7-Slipping Hope (December 29-2018) n/a
by: GrandMa Studios
I recommend this game!
Can you save the city from an otherworldly predator?
Overall rating
2
/
5
42 of 50 found this review helpful
THIS IS A GRANDMA KIND OF FEAR
PostedDecember 28, 2018
pennmom36
fromGrandMa kind of fear, once you see it you can't "Unsee" it! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I finished the CE version of this game today, and with each new chapter, it just gets more boring and repetitive because you are doing the same tasks for each and every person the Mirror's have affected. To make matters worse, the Bonus Chapter is a repeat of the same scenario, as a prequel that takes us back to the humble beginnings of young Vivien the ballerina and her lover Louie. There are 9 Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes available within the CE Bonus Chapter, and you'll collect the final 2 Hearts, 3 Large Roses, 2 Small Roses, and the center Heart piece that adorn the Jewelry Box. (The Collectibles are listed as Jewelry, which confused a lot of reviewers, but they are actually porcelain Decorations for a Jewelry Box)
The Collector's Edition version also has a Hidden Chapter, but honestly, it's just a single task of restoring Mirrors. To me, this was just an extra mini-game, not an actual chapter. If you like the storyline of the demo, you'll enjoy this game if you don't mind repeating the same tasks over and over for 6 different people. My advice is to play the demo first, but in my opinion, this Standard Edition version is the better option because there's just 1 type of Collectible, the BC is just more of the same and the "Hidden Chapter" isn't a Chapter at all! Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
I purchased this game only to discover that it's a real sleeper! Nathaniel has returned with the unique ability to "see the Unseen" whenever his Tattoo glows, if this Gadget isn't cheesy enough, his other hand begins to absorb the reflections of the destroyed mirror and becomes encased in sharp glass shards, how he functions at this point is hard to imagine?
The storyline bounces all over the place and leaves huge gaps pertaining to "what just happened, how'd I get here, or how'd I do that?" For example, I see Brigitte's chinchilla scurry out the front door, so I decided to see where the fuzzy little fella was going. In the next scene, I'm outside of the house facing the front door when I suddenly see the chinchilla scurry out of the front door! Did I miss something? I thought he had already scurried out the front door when I was watching him from the front room?
If the obvious gaps weren't puzzling enough, I had to endure a bunch of "that's just ridiculous" scenarios. Right from the get-go, I discover a dead body and call the police, that's a good thing. When the policeman arrives, he doesn't ask me questions about the victim, nor does he ask me who I am or why I'm there, that's not so good. At this point, I'm expecting him to get out the famous yellow police tape to cordon off the crime scene because that's what normal police do to keep the area from becoming compromised, right? Wrong! He offers to give me a ride to my next location, how sweet. Now we are off to see the wizard, er, I mean heading to the location all my brilliant investigative skills point to. Because we have plenty of time and because asking him to turn the radio on so I can sing along, would just be awkward, the nice ride-giving officer asks me to fill out a "standard protocol file" Say What!?! A woman is dead and her sister is wigging out! We left the poor woman all alone with her dead sister and I'm being asked to write down all of her life's true aspirations! I don't even know this woman, the first time I met her she was d-e-a-d, dead, as dead as dead can be, she couldn't get any deader! To make matters worse (well probably not worse than being dead) the nice ride-giving officer asks me to provide a picture of the victim for his "standard protocol file," well alrighty officer, can you give me a ride back to the victim's house so I can get you a recent photo?
Finally, we arrive at the next mirror's victim who's about to fall and impale herself on a wrought-iron fence! I'm thinking to myself, "self, could this case possibly get any worse?" I carefully remove shards of glass from the ground so she won't cut herself...Hello!...she'll land on the fence before she hits the glass coved ground! And the icing on the cake? The Ridiculous Award goes to....the cutscenes of Nathaniel riding a bike from one scene to the next! I'm going to leave this one alone, but tell me you don't want to burst out laughing as you watch this paranormal investigator peddling casually to his next big case...clink, clink, squeak, squeak (insert bicycle bell sound, you know the one I'm talking about, the silver bell that clamps onto the handlebars that you push a lever sideways to ring it, brrringgg. brrringg, does anybody have some cards I can put on my spokes?
The Hidden Object Scenes have 2 categories and most of the normal HOP's are repeated in the same location. The regular Hidden Object Scenes are mostly Interactive Listed Item finds or finding & replacing Items, and occasionally have Silhouetted Shape finds, one of which requires you to find clothes to adorn a few animals. There are also Mirror Hidden Object Scenes for each victim that is being haunted by what could have been, and what actually is. Two images are shown, one front facing the other rear facing, and you use a rotation button to find and replace items. This became very frustrating for me because the items had to be placed on an exact set point where the gears were shown, but the gears disappear once you pick up an item, so you had to keep trying to place items where you thought they should go. Some items would just snap into place, other items were so finicky that I just wanted to skip them (but because it's a HOS, there is no skip feature!) There is an alternate Match 3 Game, but I've never been impressed with Match 3 games that are offered as an alternate game. Maybe I could ask that nice ride-giving officer for some help?
The Mini-Games were kind of boring and repetitive, by the time I reached the 6th Chapter I began skipping most of them from sheer boredom. There's only so many times you want to untangle a rope before it simply becomes a chore. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the game:
1-Click to move origami sections into highlighted slots.
2-Click matching pairs of symbols on a book to open it.
3-Move ballerina parts to match the pose shown.
4-Fill in the missing text by selecting icons to complete the sentences.
5-Complete the image using arrows to rotate rows & columns.
6-Untangle Ropes or Vines several times throughout the game.
7-Arrange flowers so that no flower is repeated in the same column or row.
8-Travel to all landmark set points.
9-Arrange dancers in matching colored pairs by sliding along paths.
10-Select Icon Poses to repeat the sequence of the ballerina.
11-Rotate panels to find 3 identical patterns.
12-Use clues to place the dog toys into like & dislike patterns.
13-Place torn picture fragments.
14-Drag a ball through a maze.
15-Use directional arrows to place items on a monkey correctly.
2-Click matching pairs of symbols on a book to open it.
3-Move ballerina parts to match the pose shown.
4-Fill in the missing text by selecting icons to complete the sentences.
5-Complete the image using arrows to rotate rows & columns.
6-Untangle Ropes or Vines several times throughout the game.
7-Arrange flowers so that no flower is repeated in the same column or row.
8-Travel to all landmark set points.
9-Arrange dancers in matching colored pairs by sliding along paths.
10-Select Icon Poses to repeat the sequence of the ballerina.
11-Rotate panels to find 3 identical patterns.
12-Use clues to place the dog toys into like & dislike patterns.
13-Place torn picture fragments.
14-Drag a ball through a maze.
15-Use directional arrows to place items on a monkey correctly.
The Collector's Edition has 10 Wallpapers, 14 Concept Art Pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, 15 re-playable Movie Video Cutscenes, 10 re-playable Mini-Games, 10 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Achievements to Earn, 54 Collectible Jewelry Pieces-2 available in each scene (You can pick up missed jewelry by re-visiting the scenes in the Jewelry section in the Extra's menu) 6 Main Chapters (Reflected Memories) +Bonus Chapter (Behind the Scenes) +Hidden Chapter (Mirror Maze) and a built-in Strategy Guide.
THE UNSEEN FEARS SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Body Thief (April 14-2017 ) 4.1
2-Outlive (January 28-2018) 4.2
3-Last Dance (December 28-2018) n/a
2-Outlive (January 28-2018) 4.2
3-Last Dance (December 28-2018) n/a
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save Christmas before it’s too late?!
Overall rating
4
/
5
22 of 30 found this review helpful
__-__-__ (insert HO-HO-HO) MERRY CHRISTMAS..cuz they stole Santa's ho, ho, ho's :(
PostedDecember 28, 2018
pennmom36
fromSomeone done stole Santa's HO, HO, HO's that ain't right! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Yuletide Legends: The Brothers Claus Collector's Edition
(56)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Out of the three Christmas-themed HOPA games this year, I enjoyed this one the most because the storyline was good, the characters were more believable and the gameplay wasn't as easy-breezy as the others were. I completely agree with fellow reviewer s_s on his assessment of the game. The characters voiceovers and acting were annoying and over-the-top, especially Tinsel the Elf in the Bonus Chapter.
I too found the BC to be a letdown but most BC's aren't as thrilling as the Main Game. He also mentions that you can't return to the scenes to pick up any collectibles you may have missed after completing the main game. I have asked Brave Giant Studio this same question in the forums several times, why can't they allow us to return to the scenes to search for missed collectibles?
Sometimes RL interferes with gaming and you have to exit the game and when you return you just completely space looking for the collectibles. Allowing you to return to those scenes after completing the main game would be awesome, most other developers have this feature! Another option that would work is to allow us to return to all previous chapters scene locations, in other words, don't lock previous scenes on the Map so we can return to look for them anytime we want.
Holly Jolly Christmas Crimes, Santa's been framed I tell ya! Someone's been mistletoeing around and up to no good and now poor Santa is Jingle-Jangling all the way to the Pokey! As if a criminal record isn't as bad as getting a Lump of Coal for Christmas, they took it one step further and stole his Ho-Ho-Ho's! Never fear for Elf is here... well, he was sitting right on this shelf just a few minutes ago, hmf? ...Never fear for I will Spring Santa from doing serious Time in the Slammer, as soon as I find a way to bake a key into these Sugar Cookies, then I'll go dashing through the snow on a one-horse open sleigh, over the fields I'll go, laughing all the way! Let's just hope my trusty steed doesn't get spooked by that evil Krampus pudding!
The Collector's Edition version bling isn't as impressive as last weeks game and there's only one item per scene which is a little disappointing because I love the Yuletide Legends series the most out of all the Christmas oriented HOPA games. Daily Magic has handed the reins over to Brave Giant on this series so I'm anxious to see what they do with next years Yuletide Legends. The CE version has three different types of collectibles, Characters, Puzzles, and Gingerbread Men Cookies. There is a Present Icon on the Inventory bar that closes when the collectible has been found, and the good news is that there are no Gadgets or Helpers!
The Bonus Chapter (CE version only) takes us on a mission to cure Santa's Christmas Flu, playing as Tinsel the Elf. The BC has 5 Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes but there are no Morphing Objects or Collectibles after the Main Game. (with the exception of the Morphing object available in the HOP's) The Bonus Chapter is pretty long and worthy of the extra price as far as quantity goes, but the storyline didn't thrill me as much as I had hoped.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Interactive List Finds, Progressive-Interactive Silhouetted Shape Finds, Multiple Item Finds and Keywords in Sentence Finds. Most of the scenes have a Morphing Listed Item that must be clicked on in the correct form. The objects are fast-morphing and the listed text morphs on the inventory bar as well which makes it difficult Not to spot. There is an Optional Monaco Card game available, a Brave Giant standard feature.
The Mini-Games are fun but should be more Christmas-themed in my opinion. They are all fairly easy and many of the games are the same type which disappointed me somewhat for lack of originality. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the game:
1-Use directional arrows to navigate & find landmarks on a map.
2-Find matching pairs of keys.
3-Find and replace items within a book.
4-Select pins in the correct order by trial and error.
5-Select colored buttons according to the color-coded number clues.
6-Surround the Elf by trapping him on a honeycomb style grid.
7-Arrange the presents so that no row or column has matching presents.
8-Spot the differences between pictures.
9-Surround the Gingerbread Man from escaping.
This Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art Pictures,5 Music Soundtracks, Movie Cutscene Videos, 8 re-playable Mini-Games, 8 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 20 Achievements to Earn, 28 Christmas Collectibles (8 Gingerbread Men Cookies, 8 Character Figurines, 12 Puzzles) 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
1-Use directional arrows to navigate & find landmarks on a map.
2-Find matching pairs of keys.
3-Find and replace items within a book.
4-Select pins in the correct order by trial and error.
5-Select colored buttons according to the color-coded number clues.
6-Surround the Elf by trapping him on a honeycomb style grid.
7-Arrange the presents so that no row or column has matching presents.
8-Spot the differences between pictures.
9-Surround the Gingerbread Man from escaping.
This Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art Pictures,5 Music Soundtracks, Movie Cutscene Videos, 8 re-playable Mini-Games, 8 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 20 Achievements to Earn, 28 Christmas Collectibles (8 Gingerbread Men Cookies, 8 Character Figurines, 12 Puzzles) 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
YULETIDE LEGENDS SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Brother's Claus (December 26-2016) 4.4
2-Frozen Hearts (December 25-2017) 3.9
3-Who Framed Santa Claus (December 25-2018) n/a
2-Frozen Hearts (December 25-2017) 3.9
3-Who Framed Santa Claus (December 25-2018) n/a
by: Brave Giant Studio (#3 only)
I recommend this game!
Survive a fictional horror turned real-life nightmare in a creepy hotel!
Overall rating
2
/
5
141 of 178 found this review helpful
HMMM, A HAUNTED HOTEL THAT'S NOT EVEN HAUNTED, IT'S JUST A MONSTER MOTEL
PostedDecember 27, 2018
pennmom36
fromMade famous by the movie The Shining The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado has guests that never leave, Oscar Stanley built the Hotel in the Rockies to cure his Tuberculosis, he also established the town’s first bank, sewer, power and water company ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
True Fear: Forsaken Souls Collector's Edition
(324)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Haunted Hotel USED to be one of my top 5 favorite game series. The only thing they got right on this Haunted Hotel was the excellent sound effects! I love creepy games and this series used to push the envelope with images of ghosts briefly popping up in a mirror, a ball coming out of nowhere as it slowly bounces down a flight of creaky stairs, images of dead people flash from the corner of your eyes where they met their demise, ghostly images appeared in windows, paintings that morphed slowly. A lot was left to the imagination, and it was always about ghosts in a Haunted Hotel, but this game is going down the tubes at a break-neck speed. Monsters? Really? Cheesy red-eyed monsters, really??? This isn't a Haunted Hotel, it's a Monster Motel. Why can't anybody develop a truly creepy game? These games are getting more G-rated by the minute. If you want a light-hearted G-rated game, make a Fairytale game series, make a Fantasy-themed game, but don't continue to make games for a HAUNTED Hotel if you are afraid to scare someone and have to compromise the plot! I guarantee you Elephant Games if you make a Haunted Hotel game that is really creepy (not gory, just creepy) people will love it. I realize a lot of you don't like the horror genre, but it's the number 1 genre everywhere else, and the number 1 reason gamers have packed their bags and checked out of this Haunted Hotel!
There are no Gadgets or Helpers in this game, however, it does have ever cliche HOPA feature included. Elephant Games seem to love repeating the same scenarios in every game they offer, and to me, this is proof that they don't have much of an imagination. They don't push the envelope, they don't push themselves to make each game slightly better than the one before.
You can count on using Oil to remove decades of rust instantly, you can count on every zoom zone to have a box missing emblems, a door missing emblems, a statue missing emblems, eyes, and limbs. You can count on something being blocked by a swarm of bees, you can count on thorny vines requiring something to protect your hands, you can count on discarding the hand protectors only to need more hand protectors a few scenes later. You can count on giant spiders and webs to cover those important missing emblems you need to progress. You can count on having to find several torn fragments with the combination to open everything from locked luggage to locked doors in every scene and zoom zone.
The problem with these cliche tasks is that the game is too predictable. You'll know exactly what item is needed and where an item will be used. You know you'll need to use a coin as a screwdriver, you'll know the World Globe tucked in the corner of the room is going to be a zoom zone and you'll know for certain that it will require an emblem or two. You'll know the fireplace is an area of interest, the cabinet is missing a drawer pull or requires a key. This is a game you don't need Black Bar Tips or a cursor to change to a magnifying glass because it is so predictable.
The Hidden Object Scenes are boring and so easy that you won't have to worry about earning all of the HOP related achievements (except for the one that requires you to finish one in over 10 minutes) They are mostly Interactive Listed Items with some Multiples of the same object (3 bones, 3 dogs) The ones that aren't Listed Items are Silhouetted Shape finds. There are 10 HOP's throughout the Main Game and a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HOP's that require you to find items shown as Silhouetted Shapes, one item at a time. There are no alternate puzzles available.
Mini-Games were either so simple a small child could solve them, or so complicated you become maddeningly frustrated. Some of the instructions I would read, then reread, and finally just start fiddling around with the puzzle because the directions didn't do a very good job of explaining what needed to be done and how to go about solving it. There are 16 puzzles throughout the main game, so the balance ratio of HOP: Mini-Games are pretty even. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Slide square symbol tiles using empty space to the sequence shown.
2-Press directional & angular arrows to move token thru the maze.
3-Press arrow-shaped buttons to move blocks to the order shown in clues.
4-Rotate groups of triangles to join all small squares with matching symbols.
5-Move the skeletons parts to match the sketch shown as a clue.
6-Navigate the air shaft using a map, obstacles automatically update.
7-Follow the recipe steps, if you make a mistake you'll have to start over.
8-Rearrange books so the image on their spine creates an image.
9-Follow another stupid recipe in the correct order.
10-Use side buttons to shift skulls & crystals and drag to rotate disks to recreate the image.
11-Rotate tiles using directional arrows to recreate the symbols shown in the middle.
2-Press directional & angular arrows to move token thru the maze.
3-Press arrow-shaped buttons to move blocks to the order shown in clues.
4-Rotate groups of triangles to join all small squares with matching symbols.
5-Move the skeletons parts to match the sketch shown as a clue.
6-Navigate the air shaft using a map, obstacles automatically update.
7-Follow the recipe steps, if you make a mistake you'll have to start over.
8-Rearrange books so the image on their spine creates an image.
9-Follow another stupid recipe in the correct order.
10-Use side buttons to shift skulls & crystals and drag to rotate disks to recreate the image.
11-Rotate tiles using directional arrows to recreate the symbols shown in the middle.
This Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 18 Achievements to Earn, 15 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 re-playable Mini-Games, 14 Morphing Character Figurines, 20 Picture Fragments to assemble 4 Scene Pictures, 30 Morphing Objects, a Secret Room (to locate progressive Morphing Objects in the Hotel) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy your stay at The Prime Hotel!
HAUNTED HOTEL SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Haunted Hotel SE only (March 5-2008) 2.9
2-Believe The Lies SE only (January 7-2009) 2.7
3-Lonely Dreams SE only (August 28-2010) 3.3
4-Charles Dexter Ward (June 10-2012) 3.9
5-Eclipse (October 10-2013) 4.1
6-Ancient Bane (May 29-2014) 3.9
7-Death Sentence (December 18-2014) 4.1
8-Eternity (April 25-2015) 4.2
9-Phoenix (August 20-2015) 3.8
10-The X (November 12-2015) 4.3
11-The Axiom Butcher (April 30-2016) 4.1
12-Silent Waters (September 17-2016) 3.7
13-The Thirteenth (December 24-2016) 3.5
14-Personal Nightmare (May 25-2017) 4.2
15-The Evil Inside (September 30-2017) 3.8
16-Lost Dreams (March 8-2018) 3.8
17-Beyond The Page (December 26-2018) n/a
2-Believe The Lies SE only (January 7-2009) 2.7
3-Lonely Dreams SE only (August 28-2010) 3.3
4-Charles Dexter Ward (June 10-2012) 3.9
5-Eclipse (October 10-2013) 4.1
6-Ancient Bane (May 29-2014) 3.9
7-Death Sentence (December 18-2014) 4.1
8-Eternity (April 25-2015) 4.2
9-Phoenix (August 20-2015) 3.8
10-The X (November 12-2015) 4.3
11-The Axiom Butcher (April 30-2016) 4.1
12-Silent Waters (September 17-2016) 3.7
13-The Thirteenth (December 24-2016) 3.5
14-Personal Nightmare (May 25-2017) 4.2
15-The Evil Inside (September 30-2017) 3.8
16-Lost Dreams (March 8-2018) 3.8
17-Beyond The Page (December 26-2018) n/a
by: Elephant Games
I don't recommend this game.
It's Christmas time and the Queen decided to celebrate!
Overall rating
5
/
5
53 of 64 found this review helpful
STRANGELY, BUILDING THE GARDEN HAS MORE APPEAL THAN THE MATCH 3 GAME
PostedDecember 26, 2018
pennmom36
fromDoesn't everyone plant beautiful flowering plants in the garden covered by a foot of snow? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Queen's Garden has finally released a Christmas edition Match 3 game. I have no idea why, but I found myself more engrossed in planning out the perfect garden than I did playing the actual Match 3 game. The Swap-type Match 3 Game is good, but I have to wonder if I'd pass on this game if not for the Garden aspect? There are 120 Match 3 Levels and I believe 4 different Gardens available, and any Match 3 level can be replayed.
You can play in a Timed Mode, a Relaxed Mode with no timer, or a Piece of Cake Mode which disables the Weed Growth feature as well as the timer. You can decorate the Queen's Garden with the Coins and Jewels you earn playing the Match 3 levels As you progress, new Garden Plants and Decorations become available in 4 Categories: Flowers, Other Plants, Man Made Items and Ground Cover, and eventually several types of stone paths become available. You choose the plant or decoration you want to purchase from the 4 categories and then drag the item to the desired garden grid square. You can flip or rotate the item and it can be moved to different locations as well as remove unwanted items for a minimal fee.
This is a Quest-driven game which rewards you with coins or Jewels for completing the requests, such as buying 2 azaleas. If I didn't like the plant, I'd buy them anyway, claim the reward, and then have it removed because the reward was quite large (+200) but removing them was really cheap (-8) You can also switch between Summer and Winter views of the garden and remove all the inventory bars and icons to see how the garden looks when you click the Eye icon.
The Goals are shown on the Top Left of the Screen, and usually, require you to make matches on all Gold Cells. Large Matches will earn Bonuses on the board. A Horizontal Match 4 gives you a Horizontal Powered Token to destroy an entire Row. A Vertical Match 4 gives you a Vertical Powered Token to destroy an entire Column. A Match 5 gives you a Christmas Ornament Bomb to destroy adjacent toles. A Match 5 in a T or L formation gives you Santa's Sleigh which removes all tiles of whichever tile it's matched with.
There are the usual Obstructions to overcome such as making matches over Gold and Metal tiles to expose the cells under them, Wooden Boxes to break, Chains and Double Chains requiring matches of whichever tile is chained. Quartz Tiles that require 4 Matches next to them. Snowflakes that will explode and freeze adjacent tiles if matches are made next to them. Frozen Tiles which require matches of the frozen tile. Vines that entangle tiles until matched. Weeds that spread to block adjacent tiles if ignored. Rocks cannot be destroyed so you must make matches under them to drop them off of the board. Angry Kabuki Mask requires a specified number of matches before it bursts. Protected Dynamite Belts can only explode once all Gems are collected. The Root of the Stalk will grow when matched next to it, once it reaches the isolated tile, the item will drop. Making 5 matches next to the Sledge Hammer activates it to hit the Dynamite Trigger which causes the Dynamite Belt to explode.
There are also some unusual features such as Daisy Squares that will plant a seed and grow Daisies when matches are made next to them. Presents are collected by dropping them off of the board, and Earth Blocks contain Special Jewels that are collected when an adjacent match is made. There is also a Shuffle feature that allows you to shuffle the tiles on the board whenever you want, but it takes 3 minutes to recharge.
Queen's Garden Series List
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Queen's Garden (November 26-2014) 3.7
2-Queen's Garden 2 (April 6-2015) 4.3
3-Queen's Garden: Halloween (October 15-2015) 4.0
4-Queen's Garden: Sakura Season (November 15-2017) 4.4
5-Queen's Garden: Christmas (December 26-2018) n/a
Queen's Garden Series List
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Queen's Garden (November 26-2014) 3.7
2-Queen's Garden 2 (April 6-2015) 4.3
3-Queen's Garden: Halloween (October 15-2015) 4.0
4-Queen's Garden: Sakura Season (November 15-2017) 4.4
5-Queen's Garden: Christmas (December 26-2018) n/a
by: Seven Sails
I recommend this game!
Mother Goose has gone missing, and Christmas is in danger!
Overall rating
4
/
5
40 of 46 found this review helpful
OLD KING COLE WAS A MERRY OLD SOLE, BUT A MERRY OLD SOLE HE ISN'T NOW!
PostedDecember 25, 2018
pennmom36
fromHow come Old McDonalds Chickens are normal, Pety is a normal pig, but Diddle talks and plays a Fiddle and the 3 Blind Mice can talk? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: Nutcracker Collector's Edition
(324)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hickory, Dickory Dock, Mother Goose has been kidnapped! Hang on to your Hey Diddle Diddle Fiddle's cause this is going to be one Humpty Dumpty Bumpty ride. I've searched high and low, I even searched Up The Hill but all I saw there was Jack Fall Down the Hill and Jill Tumbling After! I searched everywhere and the only thing I found was Three Little Lost Mittens and a couple of Bo-Peeps missing Sheep I keep coming up empty-handed, but somehow I managed to get a Plum stuck on my Thumb? I headed over to Old McDonalds Farm but that crazy Farmer's Wife was chasing after Three poor little Mice! I followed a Star-Light that was Shining so Bright it Blinded the Three Mice and they couldn't see that crazy Farmers Wife chasing after them with a Carvers Knife, I've Never Seen Such a Sight in My Life! This leads me to the conclusion that Old King Cole isn't as Merry as he's leading us to believe. If I can't find Mother Goose soon she's as good as Cooked and Old Mother Hubbard will start to panic wondering if one Cooked Mother Goose is enough to feed all her Children back at the Stinky Shoe. She Has so many barefoot Children She Doesn't Know What To Do, Do you?
Lords a Leaping this is a delightful Christmas-themed game! I played this game in one sitting because it was so enjoyable I didn't want to stop playing. I highly recommend the Collector's Edition version because there are a ton of Christmas-themed collectibles and a very lengthy Bonus Chapter that was almost as good as the Main game.
The Bonus Chapter takes place just before the Christmas Feast King Cole organizes. The Baker's son Tommy eats Cursed Berries from the Cornucopia that gives him an enormous appetite that can't be satisfied. The BC has 11 Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes and has 5 Collectible Candy Canes,5 Nursery Rhyme Characters and 4 Gingerbread Cookies remaining. As I said earlier, the BC is quite long and quite enjoyable which is unusual because Bonus Chapters rarely hit the mark.
One of the features I look forward to in Domini Games is that you can interact with just about anything. Click on presents and a bunny jumps out, turn lights off and on, knock things over, ring bells, etc. Just about anything and everything can be interacted with and I love seeing what happens. To me, this is going the extra mile, they don't have to spend time and money to add these features, but they always do, and I for one appreciate the attention to detail! UPDATE: The first chapter has a ton of interactive objects, the second chapter only has a few here and there, by the third chapter, I couldn't find a single object to interact with! One of the reasons I purchased this game was because the demo portion led me to believe that the entire game would have this feature! (not cool big D)
Another feature you can always count on is the abundance of Collector's Edition collectibles. In the CE version of this game, there are hidden Candy Canes that allow you to buy Christmas Tree Ornaments, Gingerbread Cookies, Fairytale Rhyme Characters and of course a ton of missing journal notes to discover. Each collectible has an icon that alerts you when they are available, depending on the custom settings you choose.
The Hidden Object Scenes are Christmas themed and vary with Multiples of the same objects, Keywords in Storie Sentences, Interactive Listed Items, Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds, Horizontal and Vertical Slider Bars to align silhouettes over the images, and even Spot the Differences. You can opt for an alternate Match 3 game if you're not thrilled with HOP's. (note: one of the CE Achievements requires you to play the Match 3 game at least once)
The Mini-Games are delightful, but they do tend to be on the easy side of the spectrum. As with all Domini Games, you can choose to have them start out in Easy or Hard difficulty modes on the Custom Setting, but you can always switch the difficulty mode on each individual game. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the game:
1-Select flowers in the sequence shown.
2-Collect hidden snowflake sections & then assemble them.
3-Paint the picture according to the corresponding symbols.
4-Find all matching parts of the snowflake.
5-Connect all the dots without retracing paths.
6-Restore the bird by dragging pieces to the silhouetted shape.
7-Enter the symbols shown on the clue by combining symbols.
8-Capture musical notes as they fall by clicking the corresponding buttons.
9-Set the black pointers onto the green dots using + & - buttons.
10-Use up & down buttons to avoid obstacles in the path.
11-Connect blue plates w/ the correct symbols.
12-Navigate the maze by finding and using tools to overcome obstacles.
2-Collect hidden snowflake sections & then assemble them.
3-Paint the picture according to the corresponding symbols.
4-Find all matching parts of the snowflake.
5-Connect all the dots without retracing paths.
6-Restore the bird by dragging pieces to the silhouetted shape.
7-Enter the symbols shown on the clue by combining symbols.
8-Capture musical notes as they fall by clicking the corresponding buttons.
9-Set the black pointers onto the green dots using + & - buttons.
10-Use up & down buttons to avoid obstacles in the path.
11-Connect blue plates w/ the correct symbols.
12-Navigate the maze by finding and using tools to overcome obstacles.
The Collector's Edition version has 15 beautiful Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 36 Movie Video Cutscenes, 5 Music Soundtracks, 20 re-playable Mini-Games, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 31 Achievements to earn, 45 Hidden Candy Canes (to purchase Christmas Tree Ornaments)15 Christmas Tree Ornaments (purchase with Candy Canes) 14 Collectible Gingerbread Cookies, 15 Collectible Character Figurines with Fairytale Rhymes, 13 Missing Journal Notes to find, 3 Main Chapters (very long chapters and well worth the CE price) +Bonus Chapter (very long BC and definitely worthy of CE price) and a built-in Strategy Guide. You'd better be good for Quackness sake, Mother Goose is coming to town! (well hopefully, if we can find her, but the only help I can wrestle up is from 3 blind mice?)
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Trouble in Oz (December 25-2017) 3.6
2-Mother Goose's Untold Tales (December 23-2018) n/a
2-Mother Goose's Untold Tales (December 23-2018) n/a
by: Domini Games
I recommend this game!
Discover what new mosaic puzzles Santa has in store for you!
Overall rating
5
/
5
46 of 54 found this review helpful
HOLY HOLLY AN INTERACTIVE GARDEN FOR CHRISTMAS!
PostedDecember 24, 2018
pennmom36
fromI BELIEVE! .....ho, ho, ho Mery Christmas fellow fishies ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I totally understand why many Mosaic fans have become bored with Fantasy Mosaics after 32 consecutive releases. I played the entire demo today with that same thought running through my head, but I wasn't bored with any of the puzzles, in fact, I found them to have a perfect balance of challenge while still being relaxing. I came to the conclusion that I don't mind if Fantasy Mosaics continues to release games in this series even if they remain exactly the same as they are now.
Fantasy Mosaics puzzles are always colorful, the pictures are always recognizable and labeled, the grids are always easy on the eyes, and above all, they are always solvable using Logic, unlike so many other Guesser Griddlers. Sure, I'd love to see new features added now and then, but once you start adding more bells and whistles, more than likely you're going to end up with a more distracting "flashy" style of Mosaic that won't be nearly as relaxing. If you are like me and you love to solve griddlers because they are relaxing, and Logic-based griddlers always are, then who cares if this is the first release, the 32nd release, or the 103rd release? Ask yourself this, would I like this griddler game if it was presented as a brand new Series? If the Title changed and the Penguins were replaced with Kittens, but all the other features remained the same, I'm betting most Griddler fans would be doing a Monday Morning Happy Dance!
You can choose from 5 different tile sets, ranging in color vibrancy and styles. Locked Colors can be disabled in the Settings menu, otherwise, some of the colors are locked and unavailable until you uncover color specific keys that are hidden beneath some of the filled-in cells The Eye feature allows you to hide the grid to get a look at the puzzle without all the grid lines, and they have added a reset icon as well. You can play in a Casual mode which crosses off the tiles one by one, or Advanced mode which only crosses off tiles when the entire row or column has been filled in.
Fantasy Mosaics 1-4 only offered monochrome, single colored puzzles, in FM 16 additional colors were added to the standard six colors we see today, Stars for not using Hints, were added on Fantasy Mosaics 15. Locked colors and an Eye feature that allows you to remove the grid-lines were added on FM 27, 5 different Tile Styles to choose from were added on FM 29 and on this version, Fantasy Mosaics 32, they have made the "Garden" slightly interactive (open the door etc)
You can earn a Gold trophy if you make no mistakes, a Silver trophy if you make one mistake and a Bronze trophy if you make two mistakes. You will also earn up to three gold Stars if you don't use any hints, one star is deducted each time you use a hint. Therefore, it is possible to make a mistake or two but still earn 3 stars as long as you don't use any available hints.
Mosaic Griddlers may seem overwhelmingly complicated at first glance if you've never played a game from this genre, but please don't let these games intimidate you because they are really fun puzzles to solve. After a few levels, you'll get the hang of it and wonder why you waited so long to try one! (and I would suggest starting with an earlier version (#16 offers 6 colors and is a great place to start) There are groups of numbers located on each column and row of the grid, each group of numbers must be separated by at least one blank or crossed-off cell. Sometimes it's easier to cross-off cells that can't possibly contain a filled-in cell, to reduce the number of cells and narrow the playing field down a bit.
Some of the cells contain bonuses such as extra hints, extra mistakes allowed or an extra pickax which allows you to choose which cell you want a hint on, and some cells contain keys to unlock colors (unless you disable this feature in settings) There is a Sun icon as well that when fully charged, will give you a mega-hint, filling in or crossing off a 3x3 area of your choice.
FANTASY MOSAICS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Fantasy Mosaics (May 6-2014) 4.0
2-Fantasy Mosaics (May 27-2014) 4.1
3-Fantasy Mosaics (July 2-2014) 4.2
4-Fantasy Mosaics: Art Of Color (September 2-2014) 4.2
5-Fantasy Mosaics (December 1-2014) 4.1
6-Fantasy Mosaics: Into The Unknown (January 19-2015) 3.9
7-Fantasy Mosaics: Our Home (March 3-2015) 4.1
8-Fantasy Mosaics: New Adventure (April 21-2015) 3.7
9-Fantasy Mosaics: Portal In The Woods (July 8-2015) 4.0
10-Fantasy Mosaics: Time Travel (October 7-2015) 4.8
11-Fantasy Mosaics: Fleeing From Dinosaurs (October 7-2015) 4.0
12-Fantasy Mosaics: Parallel Universe (January 6-2016) 4.3
13-Fantasy Mosaics: Unexpected Visitor (February 16-2016) 4.5
14-Fantasy Mosaics: Fourth Color (March 29-2016) 4.6
15-Fantasy Mosaics: Ancient Land (May 17-2016) 4.3
16-Fantasy Mosaics: Six Colors (July 6-2016) 4.0
17-Fantasy Mosaics: New Palette (August 31-2016) 4.5
18-Fantasy Mosaics: Explore New Colors (December 5-2016) 4.1
19-Fantasy Mosaics: Edge Of The World (January 19-2017) 3.8
20-Fantasy Mosaics: Castle Of Puzzles (March 20-2017) 4.7
21-Fantasy Mosaics: On The Movie Set (May 8-2017) 4.6
22-Fantasy Mosaics: Summer Vacation (June 12-2017) 4.4
23-Fantasy Mosaics: Magic Forest (July 24-2017) 4.7
24- Fantasy Mosaics: Deserted Island (September 18-2017) 4.2
25-Fantasy Mosaics: Wedding Ceremony (November 13-2017) 3.8
26-Fantasy Mosaics: Fairytale Garden (January 22-2018) 4.0
27-Fantasy Mosaics: Secret Colors (March 5-2018) 3.6
28-Fantasy Mosaics: Treasure Map (April 23-2018) 4.1
29-Fantasy Mosaics: Alien Planet (June 11-2018) 3.7
30-Fantasy Mosaics: Camping Trip (August 13-2018) 3.9
31-Fantasy Mosaics: First Date (October 15-2018) 4.1
32-Fantasy Mosaics: Santa's Hut (December 24-2018) n/a
2-Fantasy Mosaics (May 27-2014) 4.1
3-Fantasy Mosaics (July 2-2014) 4.2
4-Fantasy Mosaics: Art Of Color (September 2-2014) 4.2
5-Fantasy Mosaics (December 1-2014) 4.1
6-Fantasy Mosaics: Into The Unknown (January 19-2015) 3.9
7-Fantasy Mosaics: Our Home (March 3-2015) 4.1
8-Fantasy Mosaics: New Adventure (April 21-2015) 3.7
9-Fantasy Mosaics: Portal In The Woods (July 8-2015) 4.0
10-Fantasy Mosaics: Time Travel (October 7-2015) 4.8
11-Fantasy Mosaics: Fleeing From Dinosaurs (October 7-2015) 4.0
12-Fantasy Mosaics: Parallel Universe (January 6-2016) 4.3
13-Fantasy Mosaics: Unexpected Visitor (February 16-2016) 4.5
14-Fantasy Mosaics: Fourth Color (March 29-2016) 4.6
15-Fantasy Mosaics: Ancient Land (May 17-2016) 4.3
16-Fantasy Mosaics: Six Colors (July 6-2016) 4.0
17-Fantasy Mosaics: New Palette (August 31-2016) 4.5
18-Fantasy Mosaics: Explore New Colors (December 5-2016) 4.1
19-Fantasy Mosaics: Edge Of The World (January 19-2017) 3.8
20-Fantasy Mosaics: Castle Of Puzzles (March 20-2017) 4.7
21-Fantasy Mosaics: On The Movie Set (May 8-2017) 4.6
22-Fantasy Mosaics: Summer Vacation (June 12-2017) 4.4
23-Fantasy Mosaics: Magic Forest (July 24-2017) 4.7
24- Fantasy Mosaics: Deserted Island (September 18-2017) 4.2
25-Fantasy Mosaics: Wedding Ceremony (November 13-2017) 3.8
26-Fantasy Mosaics: Fairytale Garden (January 22-2018) 4.0
27-Fantasy Mosaics: Secret Colors (March 5-2018) 3.6
28-Fantasy Mosaics: Treasure Map (April 23-2018) 4.1
29-Fantasy Mosaics: Alien Planet (June 11-2018) 3.7
30-Fantasy Mosaics: Camping Trip (August 13-2018) 3.9
31-Fantasy Mosaics: First Date (October 15-2018) 4.1
32-Fantasy Mosaics: Santa's Hut (December 24-2018) n/a
by Match Gems
I 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
5
/
5
64 of 73 found this review helpful
UNIQUE LEVEL LOCATIONS MAKE IT REALLY INTERESTING AND FUN TO PLAY
PostedDecember 22, 2018
pennmom36
fromWeird Christmas Traditions Around the World: The Swedish Yule-Goat*Japan's KFC Feast*Norway's Hide-the-broom from Witches tradition*Venezuela's Roller Skate to Christmas Mass*Toronto's Cavalcade of Lights & Austria's Krampus, a beast-like demon creature ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
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! I haven't completed the game yet, but every level is so different, 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 it 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)
This 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***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's 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 (August 22-2015) 4.2
5-Kids of Hellas (January 23-2016) 4.3
6-Race For Olympus (November 1-2016) 4.2
7-Fleecing The Fleece (June 20-2017) 3.7
8-How I Met Megara (December 22-2018) 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 (August 22-2015) 4.2
5-Kids of Hellas (January 23-2016) 4.3
6-Race For Olympus (November 1-2016) 4.2
7-Fleecing The Fleece (June 20-2017) 3.7
8-How I Met Megara (December 22-2018) n/a
by: JetDog Studios
I recommend this game!
The Christmas spirit is vanishing all over the world, but why?
Overall rating
3
/
5
45 of 58 found this review helpful
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT HAS GONE POOF!
PostedDecember 21, 2018
pennmom36
fromWere all the devs for the Christmas-themed games on the same page this year?⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: Nutcracker Collector's Edition
(324)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Wonderland's Queen of Hearts has found a way to enter our world, and with no Wonderland to feed our dreams, we have no imagination! Without imagination, we can't believe, without believing, we can't imagine Santa! Without believing in Santa, we can't have Christmas! Without Christmas, people all around the world have become grumpy non-believers, breaking Santa's jolly 'ole heart ღ But then Alice made her Christmas wish, and Santa knew exactly what to do! Alice didn't wish for a present, she wanted to go on an adventure filled with danger, magic, and of course, a cunning villain! Santa has put all of his trust into Alice if she can't restore the Christmas spirit, Christmas will never be, Santa will never exist!
Note of explanation to clear up any confusion of why I speak highly of the game throughout my review yet only gave it a 3 Star rating: This would make a wonderful Christmas game to share with the family, however, I don't think seasoned HOPA players will enjoy it as much. My rating is simply based on my personal playing experience, but I do believe this game would be fun for the kids and even for those who just want to...Believe ღ
As with most Christmas-themed Adventure games, we get a Helper, the Cheshire Cat. (in the CE & SE versions) What this game lacks the most for me personally, is the Awe factor, because, in my opinion, the characters aren't very cute or adorable, in fact, the only cute or appealing character is the Queen's Knave because he's a kid. The Cheshire Cat is just creepy looking and he repeats the same thing every time you use him (7 x's in the Main Chapter) In the Collector's Edition version, there are 27 Morphing Hats (why a hat instead of something Christmassy like Santa's, Presents, Elves or Reindeer?) and 48 Hidden Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble Four 12 Piece Puzzles to set as Screensavers, and there are 12 Collectible Character Statues.
This game is designed to be played by kids or as a family because it is extremely easy. The Mini-Games are simplistic, The HOS's are whimsical and light-hearted and if you've played HOPA's before, you'll know exactly what is used where, when and why, but that's okay, it's Christmas and a Christmas game SHOULD be a family-oriented game that isn't frustrating, or contain questionable material. This is a game in which I'm confident recommending for children (or the child within) of just about any age.
The CE Bonus Chapter is a different story that takes place after Tom receives a letter from Uncle Ebenezer Scrooge declining his offer to visit him for the holidays. The characters are all cats, and again, it would be more appealing if the characters had more of an awe factor. The CE Bonus Chapter has 6 Mini-Games and 7 Hidden Object Scenes and you will pick up the remaining 3 Character Statues, the last 12 Puzzle Pieces to assemble the final Screensaver and there are 10 Morphing Hats remaining (I didn't see an option to go back and search for missing morphs or collectibles but I hadn't missed finding any either) There are 2 Gadgets within the BC, a Magic Camera (used 3 x's) and Christmas Spirit (used 3 x's)
Some of the Hidden Object Scenes had well-hidden objects, and a few of the scenes were fairly unique. Most of the HOS were Interactive Listed Item finds, but there are also scenes where you Replace Items into the Scene logically, Uncover Matching Pairs hidden behind other objects, Silhouetted Shape finds, Rotate Dick Rings to align objects and one that I found rather clever, even though the logic was a little absent, finding two objects where one object + another object = a Snowball. There are also several Zoom Zone HOS and Achievements associated with finding objects quickly, w/o using hints, w/o making mistakes etc.
The Mini-Games are purposely designed for the younger audience and for the kid in everyone. They aren't intended to cause stress or frustration, they are just easy-breezy lighthearted puzzles that can be enjoyed as a family together, and that's alright by me. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter throughout Alice's Christmas Adventure:
1-Place mirror shards into the frame correctly.
2-Spot 6 differences between 2 images.
3-Rotate snowflake parts to match the snowflake on the left.
4-Repeat the sequence of ringing bells x2.
5-Swap charms along paths to match the order shown.
6-Rotate bumpers & interact with the scene to guide the snowball.
7-Match 4 tiles to create a Heart, then match Hearts to fill the meter.
8-Find 12 footprints using a magnifying glass.
9-Arrange character sections on dowels from large to small.
10-Rotate tiles to recreate the image.
11-Fill the board with more hearts by eliminating your opponent's pieces.
12-Move frames to 3 sweets that resemble features of each kid.
13-Press Defend or Attack buttons when the dial is w/in the green zone.
14-Drag a line to connect all tiles that aren't blocked.
15-Swap ornaments that share similar traits to match the clue shown.
16-Set up a sequence of directional moves for the train to follow.
17-Draw lines to connect matching colored clouds w/o crossing paths.
2-Spot 6 differences between 2 images.
3-Rotate snowflake parts to match the snowflake on the left.
4-Repeat the sequence of ringing bells x2.
5-Swap charms along paths to match the order shown.
6-Rotate bumpers & interact with the scene to guide the snowball.
7-Match 4 tiles to create a Heart, then match Hearts to fill the meter.
8-Find 12 footprints using a magnifying glass.
9-Arrange character sections on dowels from large to small.
10-Rotate tiles to recreate the image.
11-Fill the board with more hearts by eliminating your opponent's pieces.
12-Move frames to 3 sweets that resemble features of each kid.
13-Press Defend or Attack buttons when the dial is w/in the green zone.
14-Drag a line to connect all tiles that aren't blocked.
15-Swap ornaments that share similar traits to match the clue shown.
16-Set up a sequence of directional moves for the train to follow.
17-Draw lines to connect matching colored clouds w/o crossing paths.
The Collector's Edition version has 18 Wallpapers, 13 Concept Art Picture, 4 Screensavers (collect 12 jigsaw puzzle pieces for each screensaver) 5 Music Soundtracks, 12 re-playable Mini-Games, 11 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 20 Achievements to Earn, 48 Hidden Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces (to complete 4 screensavers) 27 Morphing Hats, 12 Collectible Character Statues, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy saving Christmas Alice!
CHRISTMAS STORIES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Nutcracker (December 22-2012) 4.4
2-A Christmas Carol (December 22-2013) 4.2
3-Han's Christian Andersen's Tin Soldier (December 22-2014) 4.5
4-Puss In Boots (December 23-2015) 4.0
5-The Gift of the Magi (December 18-2016) 4.1
6-A Little Prince (December 22-2017) 4.0
7-Alice's Adventures (December 21-2018) n/a
2-A Christmas Carol (December 22-2013) 4.2
3-Han's Christian Andersen's Tin Soldier (December 22-2014) 4.5
4-Puss In Boots (December 23-2015) 4.0
5-The Gift of the Magi (December 18-2016) 4.1
6-A Little Prince (December 22-2017) 4.0
7-Alice's Adventures (December 21-2018) n/a
by: Elephant Games
I recommend this game!
What lies within the depths of the pitch-black mirror?
Overall rating
4
/
5
82 of 92 found this review helpful
ONCE UPON A TIME...
PostedDecember 20, 2018
pennmom36
fromIt's no Ravenhearst, but I loved the puzzles ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Escape from Ravenhearst™ Collector's Edition
(897)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The biggest reason I love the MCF series is because of the type of mini-games they include. It's a hard thing to describe, but I love puzzles that you tinker with, such as setting gauges or set points, puzzles that require logic or some sort of complex thought process, without being frustrating. The kind of puzzles that have you thinking 5 steps ahead because you know what logical steps need to be taken to get from point A to point B. I don't like manual dexterity puzzles because it doesn't require much thought process at all, I loathe "clicking one may affect others" puzzles which never seem to have any rhyme or reason to them, and I hate fight scene puzzles (probably because my logic-craving brain isn't located in my fists?) I really enjoyed most of the games here, so I was completely satisfied with my purchase. (I chose the CE version because the collectibles and morphs alone were worth the price difference to me)
Master Detective, the Queen has granted her permission to allow you to investigate the disappearance of your dear friend Lady Codington. After reclaiming the family Estate against her father's wishes and warnings, not only has she mysteriously vanished, but the interior design team has vanished as well. It isn't long before the Master Detective comes face to face with evil itself, The Black Countess, the mirror alter-ego image of grandmother Gloria Codington!
As far as the CE bling, I must admit that Eipix has done a wonderful job with the Morphing Objects and Collectible Mirror Shards, and I'm not usually impressed by this particular developer. I found myself staring intently on several scenes (especially the bathroom scene) to spot the mirror shard. The Morphs changed at a slower pace than usual, and for once they didn't choose an obvious item to Morph, (cuz it's pretty hard to miss a baseball sitting in the middle of an upper-scale Manor right?) Most of the time I know which item will morph the second I enter a new scene because they always chose an object that looks out of place in the scene. Even the Mirror Shards were somewhat challenging because they located them in unusual areas of the scene. I liked the graphics much better this time because they made them a tad bit darker and slightly more detailed.
The Hidden Object Scenes were rather unimpressive and far and few between. They clearly poured all their effort into making this a puzzle adventure rather than a Hidden Object adventure, adding just enough scenes to qualify it as a HOPA. Most of the scenes are Interactive List finds or Keywords in Sentence finds but there are also Multiple finds and Silhouetted Shape finds. I found many of the scenes to be lacking clarity, therefore, some of the items were hard to find because you just couldn't make out what an object you were looking at actually was!
I hope you like Mini-Games because there are a ton of them and they are back to back most of the time. Although I found the instructions to be confusing at times, the puzzles themselves aren't that complicated. The Super Puzzles once again make an appearance as they always do in this infamous MCF series. If you're new to this series, Super Puzzles are multi-layered puzzles, but in my opinion, these weren't as interesting because they were just made up of several mini-games, not the usual Rube Goldberg style puzzles that this series is known for. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter before and after the demo:
1-Swap pie-shaped sections to create a path for the sword.
2-Select & rotate the correct key that matches each shape.
3-Select & drag tiles vertically or horizontally to match the central piece.
4-Drag left & right ribbons to match center symbols when combined.
5-Press directional arrows to move a beam of light through a maze.
6-Super Puzzle #1: Press books to receive the first clue.
7-Super Puzzle #2: Drag tiles until their symbols match the pattern.
8-Super Puzzle #3: Place the heart between the two lovers.
9-Super Puzzle #4: Rotate tiles to create a path.
10-Super Puzzle #5: Press directional arrows to cover entire grid with ink.
11-Super Puzzle #6: Rotate overlapping circular discs to create an image.
12-Super Puzzle #7: Drag books over numbered tokens to deduct numbers to 0.
13-Rotate dials to correctly point to the direction of the symbol.
14-Rotate petals to complete flower images.
15-Swap cubes to match the flowers in the correct order.
16-Click the moving figurine to guide it to the mirror.
17-Direct the beam of light to the end by adjusting mirrors.
18-Drag a line to flip all tokens to the Black Countess in 2 moves.
19-Push side tabs to match the numbers revealed on the book.
20-Drag a line to connect identical gems passing through all holes.
21-Place dominoes correctly according to the equations.
22-Choose 4 symbols that create the symbol shown when combined.
2-Select & rotate the correct key that matches each shape.
3-Select & drag tiles vertically or horizontally to match the central piece.
4-Drag left & right ribbons to match center symbols when combined.
5-Press directional arrows to move a beam of light through a maze.
6-Super Puzzle #1: Press books to receive the first clue.
7-Super Puzzle #2: Drag tiles until their symbols match the pattern.
8-Super Puzzle #3: Place the heart between the two lovers.
9-Super Puzzle #4: Rotate tiles to create a path.
10-Super Puzzle #5: Press directional arrows to cover entire grid with ink.
11-Super Puzzle #6: Rotate overlapping circular discs to create an image.
12-Super Puzzle #7: Drag books over numbered tokens to deduct numbers to 0.
13-Rotate dials to correctly point to the direction of the symbol.
14-Rotate petals to complete flower images.
15-Swap cubes to match the flowers in the correct order.
16-Click the moving figurine to guide it to the mirror.
17-Direct the beam of light to the end by adjusting mirrors.
18-Drag a line to flip all tokens to the Black Countess in 2 moves.
19-Push side tabs to match the numbers revealed on the book.
20-Drag a line to connect identical gems passing through all holes.
21-Place dominoes correctly according to the equations.
22-Choose 4 symbols that create the symbol shown when combined.
The Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, Concept Art pictures, 6 Movie Video Cutscenes, 7 Music Soundtracks, 12 Achievements to earn, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 24 re-playable Mini-Games, 37 Morphing Objects, 37 Collectible Mirror Shards (Eipix Signs) 4 Main Chapters (average length) +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy, just don't look in the mirror!
MYSTERY CASE FILES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Huntsville SE only (November 14-2005) 3.6
2-Prime Suspects SE only (April 6-2006) 3.8
3-Ravenhearst SE only (December 15-2006) 3.6
4-Madame Fate SE only (November 7-2007) 4.0
5-Return to Ravenhearst SE only (November 26-2008) 4.2
6-Dire Grove (December 11-2009) 4.6
7-13th Skull (January 7-2011) 4.1
8-Escape From Ravenhearst (December 21-2011) 3.3
9-Shadow Lake (December 25-2012) 2.8
10-Fate's Carnival (December 20-2013) 4.1
11-Dire Grove, Sacred Grove (December 19-2014) 3.7
12-Key to Ravenhearst (December 9-2015) 3.9
13-Ravenhearst Unlocked (December 26-2015) 3.5
14-Broken Hour (December 23-2016) 3.2
15-The Black Veil (April 21-2017) 2.9
16-The Revenant's Hunt (January 19-2018) 3.5
17-Rewind (June 20-2018) 3.2
18-The Countess (December 19-2018) n/a
2-Prime Suspects SE only (April 6-2006) 3.8
3-Ravenhearst SE only (December 15-2006) 3.6
4-Madame Fate SE only (November 7-2007) 4.0
5-Return to Ravenhearst SE only (November 26-2008) 4.2
6-Dire Grove (December 11-2009) 4.6
7-13th Skull (January 7-2011) 4.1
8-Escape From Ravenhearst (December 21-2011) 3.3
9-Shadow Lake (December 25-2012) 2.8
10-Fate's Carnival (December 20-2013) 4.1
11-Dire Grove, Sacred Grove (December 19-2014) 3.7
12-Key to Ravenhearst (December 9-2015) 3.9
13-Ravenhearst Unlocked (December 26-2015) 3.5
14-Broken Hour (December 23-2016) 3.2
15-The Black Veil (April 21-2017) 2.9
16-The Revenant's Hunt (January 19-2018) 3.5
17-Rewind (June 20-2018) 3.2
18-The Countess (December 19-2018) n/a
by: Eipix Entertainment
WHEW! THAT'S A LOTTA GAMES
PS: WE NEed more ink
PS: WE NEed more ink
I recommend this game!