pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4700
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 15, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
What happens when someone manipulates an ongoing investigation?
Overall rating
2
/
5
23 of 41 found this review helpful
ANOTHER LETTER...ANOTHER LETTER...ANOTHER LETTER
PostedMay 23, 2023
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Honestly, the only thing that bothered me was having to hear "Another Letter" after every friggin level! Although I don't see the value of the CE extras in this particular game, I don't think it's as bad as everyone is rating it; I just think they are disappointed that this isn't a Domini HOPA. I will probably give the SE version an extra star.
At the rate Domini has been releasing HOPAs over the past few months, there's no way it could remain sustainable! Who can blame them for wanting to ease the deadline burden of releasing two HOPAs per week? They need to release a few simple games in between their HOPAs which takes a huge amount of production time. The quality is waning on those HOPA games because it's simply impossible to create a decent game at such a maddening pace.
The Hidden Object Scenes vary with Interactive List Finds, Matching Pairs, Silhouetted Shapes, Combination Finds (this + this = ?), Related Pairs, Matching Swatches, etc. They are very colorful, and some require several interactions or finding & replacing items which can be challenging. After completing the HO scene, you will earn a Star that is used to decorate several different Boudoirs.
What I enjoyed more than the HO scenes were the mini-games and puzzles. I found the mini-games to be better than most HO games offer. They are quality puzzles and really no different than the ones offered in a typical HOPA by Do Games.
The bottom line is that the CE is not worth the price. The only extras you get are 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 15 Collectible Flowers, and 24 Bonus Levels.
Stop by my new forum and chat with fellow gamers at thewoodsforum.boards.net
At the rate Domini has been releasing HOPAs over the past few months, there's no way it could remain sustainable! Who can blame them for wanting to ease the deadline burden of releasing two HOPAs per week? They need to release a few simple games in between their HOPAs which takes a huge amount of production time. The quality is waning on those HOPA games because it's simply impossible to create a decent game at such a maddening pace.
The Hidden Object Scenes vary with Interactive List Finds, Matching Pairs, Silhouetted Shapes, Combination Finds (this + this = ?), Related Pairs, Matching Swatches, etc. They are very colorful, and some require several interactions or finding & replacing items which can be challenging. After completing the HO scene, you will earn a Star that is used to decorate several different Boudoirs.
What I enjoyed more than the HO scenes were the mini-games and puzzles. I found the mini-games to be better than most HO games offer. They are quality puzzles and really no different than the ones offered in a typical HOPA by Do Games.
The bottom line is that the CE is not worth the price. The only extras you get are 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 15 Collectible Flowers, and 24 Bonus Levels.
Stop by my new forum and chat with fellow gamers at thewoodsforum.boards.net
Overall rating
5
/
5
98 of 147 found this review helpful
BANISHING DEMONS IS HARD WORK!
PostedMay 20, 2023
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I've been trying to exorcize the demons from this house for 13 years...maybe 13 will be my lucky number!?! Perhaps this time, I will be able to banish this evil and send it back to the bowels of He[insert double L's] I've got to make a quick trip to Walmart to stock up on supplies. Wooden Stakes are sold in the garden center, right?
This is one of my favorite Match 3 games of all time because it requires tasks to be completed in a specific order; it's a thinking kind of game! Thanks, Igore, for including a Hint button, lol. You can play in a Relaxed Mode, a Limited Time Mode, or a Limited Moves Mode, and this is one of the few games that I play in Limited Moves Mode versus Limited-Time because of the Strategy involved; it just makes more sense to be able to plot your next move.
A Match 4 will give you Dynamite and a Match 5, 6, and 7 will give you a Morphing Power-up (just click when it's on the desired power-up) The Morphing Power-up choices include a TNT Barrel, Lightning which removes all of one kind of tile (whatever it is swapped with), or a Rocket which targets objects from most important to least important depending on what obstacles remain. The chosen morph can be canceled within 10 seconds by right-clicking. Power-ups are usually a critical component because most coins are blocked by obstacles that require a power-up to destroy them, and most often by a specific power-up.
This is one of my favorite Match 3 games of all time because it requires tasks to be completed in a specific order; it's a thinking kind of game! Thanks, Igore, for including a Hint button, lol. You can play in a Relaxed Mode, a Limited Time Mode, or a Limited Moves Mode, and this is one of the few games that I play in Limited Moves Mode versus Limited-Time because of the Strategy involved; it just makes more sense to be able to plot your next move.
A Match 4 will give you Dynamite and a Match 5, 6, and 7 will give you a Morphing Power-up (just click when it's on the desired power-up) The Morphing Power-up choices include a TNT Barrel, Lightning which removes all of one kind of tile (whatever it is swapped with), or a Rocket which targets objects from most important to least important depending on what obstacles remain. The chosen morph can be canceled within 10 seconds by right-clicking. Power-ups are usually a critical component because most coins are blocked by obstacles that require a power-up to destroy them, and most often by a specific power-up.
Collecting Coins is always the goal, and there are several different types of Coins that can be collected with an adjacent match, but they are usually blocked by an obstacle that requires a specific power-up:
$~Gold Coins: adjacent match
$~Dust Coins: adjacent match twice
$~Frozen Coins: direct Fire to melt
$~Trunk Coins: adjacent match (collect all to open Trunks)
$~Locked Coins: move the key to the lock$~Coin Molds: move gold drops to fill the molds.
$~Half Coins: clear a path between halves until they adjoin.$~Bug Coins: destroy the bugs to unlock the coin.
$~Cursed Coins: destroy with light.
$NEW-Coins & Cursed Coins that drop and are invulnerable to Rockets!
$~Gold Coins: adjacent match
$~Dust Coins: adjacent match twice
$~Frozen Coins: direct Fire to melt
$~Trunk Coins: adjacent match (collect all to open Trunks)
$~Locked Coins: move the key to the lock$~Coin Molds: move gold drops to fill the molds.
$~Half Coins: clear a path between halves until they adjoin.$~Bug Coins: destroy the bugs to unlock the coin.
$~Cursed Coins: destroy with light.
$NEW-Coins & Cursed Coins that drop and are invulnerable to Rockets!
There are Obstacles that require using strategies to overcome. Lots and lots of Obstacles, some old, some new, but always challenging:
☆~Magnets: will magnetize all rocket power-ups and lightning
☆~Bombs: requires an adjacent match, Lightning, or Cannons to detonate.☆~Darkness: requires a direct ray of light (light is reflected by mirrors, etc.)
☆~Trunks: collect all Trunk Coins then make an adjacent match near Trunk to open.
☆~Crates: adjacent match or power-up.☆~Shielded Crates: adjacent match near unshielded sides or power-up.
☆~Cannon: adjacent match next to the wick.
☆~Shields: place shields in front of cannonball fire to ricochet the ball (shields have directional arrows showing the direction the ball will travel)
☆~Bugs: use power-ups or cannons to destroy them.
☆~Vials: move liquid drops to fill vials that block areas.
☆~Papyrus: make matches in the sequence shown on the papyrus to remove it.
☆~Ground Tiles: make an adjacent match.
☆~Lava Stones: use power-ups or cannons to destroy them.
☆~Fog: adjacent match or cannons.
☆~Ice: make a match with the tile inside the Ice.
☆~Snow: adjacent match or fire
☆~Chains: adjacent match or cannons.
☆~Crests: remove the required number of specified tiles shown inside the bubble.
☆~Red & Green Cells: adjacent matches or power-ups.
☆~Red & Green Hot Stones: remove all Red & Green Cells.
☆~Locks: create a path for the Key towards the Lock.
☆~Electricity Emitters: create a continuous path of Blue tiles from Emitter to Bulb. (single adjacent electricity tiles can be moved into place)
☆~Magnets: will magnetize all rocket power-ups and lightning
☆~Bombs: requires an adjacent match, Lightning, or Cannons to detonate.☆~Darkness: requires a direct ray of light (light is reflected by mirrors, etc.)
☆~Trunks: collect all Trunk Coins then make an adjacent match near Trunk to open.
☆~Crates: adjacent match or power-up.☆~Shielded Crates: adjacent match near unshielded sides or power-up.
☆~Cannon: adjacent match next to the wick.
☆~Shields: place shields in front of cannonball fire to ricochet the ball (shields have directional arrows showing the direction the ball will travel)
☆~Bugs: use power-ups or cannons to destroy them.
☆~Vials: move liquid drops to fill vials that block areas.
☆~Papyrus: make matches in the sequence shown on the papyrus to remove it.
☆~Ground Tiles: make an adjacent match.
☆~Lava Stones: use power-ups or cannons to destroy them.
☆~Fog: adjacent match or cannons.
☆~Ice: make a match with the tile inside the Ice.
☆~Snow: adjacent match or fire
☆~Chains: adjacent match or cannons.
☆~Crests: remove the required number of specified tiles shown inside the bubble.
☆~Red & Green Cells: adjacent matches or power-ups.
☆~Red & Green Hot Stones: remove all Red & Green Cells.
☆~Locks: create a path for the Key towards the Lock.
☆~Electricity Emitters: create a continuous path of Blue tiles from Emitter to Bulb. (single adjacent electricity tiles can be moved into place)
After playing a few Match 3 levels, you can play a Mini-Game that does include a Skip feature & can be replayed. My personal favorites are the Spot The Differences scenes; in my opinion, nobody does a better job with this mini-game because they do an incredible job of making the obvious not-so-obvious. I love the Diamond Push game, where you use a ladybug to push diamonds into place, hopefully without getting stuck in a corner. The Hidden Object Scenes have incredibly well-blended objects as well.
Need help with a game or have a tip to share? Come and join us at my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Find tons of super cute furbabies in this furry and fun hidden-object game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
18 of 33 found this review helpful
I STILL LOVE FINDING GAMES!
PostedMay 19, 2023
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Turns out, I still DO love Finding these adorable animals! The scenes are beautiful, the animals are adorable, the mini-games are fun, and the features are top-notch. Some of the items are hidden very well, which gives it a little challenge.
The quality of the HO games by this developer is in a different league than most other HOGs, and I enjoy them...still!
I will still ask that the developer adds a strategy guide or hint button for the hidden collectibles & butterflies!
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
23 Wallpapers, 14 Developer's Pets, 13 Music Soundtracks, 18 Main Scene Locations, +6 Extra Bonus Locations, 12 Extra Mini-games, 20 Adoptable Furbabies, 456 Furbabies in total to find (16 per scene), Morphing Butterflies (3 per scene) and Scene Location Fun Facts.
Join the fun at my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I will still ask that the developer adds a strategy guide or hint button for the hidden collectibles & butterflies!
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
23 Wallpapers, 14 Developer's Pets, 13 Music Soundtracks, 18 Main Scene Locations, +6 Extra Bonus Locations, 12 Extra Mini-games, 20 Adoptable Furbabies, 456 Furbabies in total to find (16 per scene), Morphing Butterflies (3 per scene) and Scene Location Fun Facts.
Join the fun at my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Create beautiful works of art one pixel at a time!
Overall rating
5
/
5
17 of 45 found this review helpful
SUCH A COOL GAME!
PostedMay 16, 2023
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This isn't an ordinary Pixel Painting game! This is a game you have to play for yourself to "get it" because it's so unique that it's hard to describe other than to say it's an addicting game. This is one series I hope gets spewed out at a break-neck pace. Keep 'em coming, Tiny Little Lion!
Instead of painting individual pixels, you chisel the pixels off to reveal the color. There's just something gratifying about watching the boxes tumble and cascade downward; so much more fun than simply clicking hundreds of numbered cells.
Instead of painting individual pixels, you chisel the pixels off to reveal the color. There's just something gratifying about watching the boxes tumble and cascade downward; so much more fun than simply clicking hundreds of numbered cells.
The pictures are available in Small, Medium, Large, and Huge..., all of which are unlocked and available to color in any order! These are interesting images with beautiful colors and a ton of landscapes available, which are my favorite. Unlike the "other" Pixel Art game, you get to paint the entire image, not just a tiny bowl of fruit in the center of a gray page! You can use the Zoom Tab or scroll the picture larger with the mouse wheel. There are several tabs on the right side that allow you to change the cell color, the background color, and even the size of the paintbrush.
My first suggestion to players would be to change the color of the cells to a bright color that is easy to spot. I chose the teal color, which made it very obvious, but I change that color if the image has similar colors. I found that the color stood out so well that I didn't even have to zoom the picture larger.
Remember, you are scraping the boxes off; you aren't filling them in, so it really doesn't matter how small or how large you make the picture because you aren't having to find a single cell to fill in with color. Don't worry; you may not be painting individual pixels, but there is an incredible amount of detail AND shading.
Remember, you are scraping the boxes off; you aren't filling them in, so it really doesn't matter how small or how large you make the picture because you aren't having to find a single cell to fill in with color. Don't worry; you may not be painting individual pixels, but there is an incredible amount of detail AND shading.
I would also suggest using the largest brush size; again, you are scraping the cells off versus filling them in. Go big and swipe away! Using the large brush size is especially helpful when doing the landscape pictures because, in my opinion, there is a ton of detail in sections.
The best feature, hands-down, is the Grid Lines! The outside edges around the image itself have grid lines. The number of cells remaining (for the current numbered cell) will be shown within those grid lines. If you do miss a cell or two, their location is easy to spot by simply following the path of the vertical & horizontal grid (where they would intersect is the area the missed cells are located.
After completing the picture, you can sit back and admire the detail; it doesn't whoosh away as most Pixel games do. You can even adjust individual colors afterward by clicking the color wheel on the bottom right!
My only complaint is that some of the smaller pictures didn't have much detail, and the background sections were just large patterns. A smaller picture can still have detail, right?
My only complaint is that some of the smaller pictures didn't have much detail, and the background sections were just large patterns. A smaller picture can still have detail, right?
Come join us at The Woods Forum; we always have wonderful guests of honor to chat with at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Something evil is trapped between two worlds.
Overall rating
5
/
5
96 of 115 found this review helpful
CUSTOMER'S HAVING ISSUES DOWNLOADING A GAME ON A SITE THAT SELLS GAMES YOU HAVE TO DOWNLOAD???...THAT'S NOT DOMINI GAMES' FAULT!
PostedMay 15, 2023
pennmom36
fromI'm not going to screw Do Games with a low star rating when it's clearly not their fault, it's a BF issue!! დ Loki
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I was on vacation when this game was released, and I was looking forward to playing a new HOPA game today. I haven't read any reviews yet, so I had no idea so many people were unable to download, much play this game!
Here we are almost four days later and the game still can't be downloaded! The installation begins and almost immediately turns gray, saying "download error." I tried using the email download link and the link on the receipt, I went to the website and downloaded it via Purchase History, and I also tried the Game Manager's purchase history link.
How can this possibly be a glitch that Do Games overlooked? This isn't the developer's fault; this is an issue with Big Fish Games. The link to download a game is the responsibility of BF, the develioper has no control over the site or mechanics of the site! I find it utterly ridiculous that Big Fish can't figure out how to solve an issue with the download link in almost four days! Really?!
Just to add salt to the wound, Big Fish is still allowing people to pay for a game that can't be downloaded; not to mention costing Do Games thousands of dollars!
Check out my new forum and meet some fantastic people at thewoodsforum.boards.net
Here we are almost four days later and the game still can't be downloaded! The installation begins and almost immediately turns gray, saying "download error." I tried using the email download link and the link on the receipt, I went to the website and downloaded it via Purchase History, and I also tried the Game Manager's purchase history link.
How can this possibly be a glitch that Do Games overlooked? This isn't the developer's fault; this is an issue with Big Fish Games. The link to download a game is the responsibility of BF, the develioper has no control over the site or mechanics of the site! I find it utterly ridiculous that Big Fish can't figure out how to solve an issue with the download link in almost four days! Really?!
Just to add salt to the wound, Big Fish is still allowing people to pay for a game that can't be downloaded; not to mention costing Do Games thousands of dollars!
Check out my new forum and meet some fantastic people at thewoodsforum.boards.net
Welcome to Ukraine! Match your way through stunning landscapes!
Overall rating
4
/
5
31 of 69 found this review helpful
THANKS FOR SHOWING US THE BEAUTY OF UKRAINE!
PostedMay 15, 2023
pennmom36
fromI'm still standing with you, hopefully, others will too! დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Over the past year, we have been flooded with images of a war-torn country on a daily basis. Before the invasion, most of us knew very little about Ukraine, its citizens, or its culture. It's difficult to envision what the country looked like when all we see are pictures of destruction and devastation. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for the Ukrainian people.
Alexander (Graphium Studios) gives us a glimpse into the beauty of his country in this Match 3 Game. I love the fun facts and the beautiful puzzles featuring various landmarks. Thank you for all you do, Alexander; stay safe, stay strong!
You can choose from 3 different difficulty modes, a Relaxed Mode with no obstacles, stop signs, or move limits. The Normal Mode has no move limits or stop signs but does include obstacles. The Hard Mode has Limited Moves, Stop Signs, and obstacles.
There are 24 Ukraine Destinations that can be unlocked with tickets earned playing the Match 3 levels. The goals for each level may vary; some levels require you to remove a specified amount of specific tiles, and others may require you to make matches on all cells with a symbol.
There are various Obstacles, such as Suitcases that hide symbols requiring an adjacent match, Barricades that require matches of whichever tile is barricaded, Metro Tokens, and Globes & Maps that require a specified number of adjacent matches. Stop Signs hide symbols as well but they will multiply with each turn if adjacent matches aren't made (only available on Hard Mode)
Boosters recharge as you make matches. The Hammer removes a single tile, Rockets destroys a 3 x 3 area, Swap allows you to swap positions of two tiles, and there is a Shuffle feature. Large matches of 4 or more tiles will add horizontal & vertical line busters to the board.
The graphics are a bit rough, but the game mechanics seem to work decent enough. I have no idea what the conditions are that this developer is dealing with, so I'm not going to complain because he is still trying to earn a living despite the situation!
Let's show our support, folks! Come join us at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
1
/
5
66 of 83 found this review helpful
THAT'S ODD, THE SE VERSION PICKS UP RIGHT WHERE I LEFT OFF IN THE CE VERSION...AND IT STILL HAS THE GLITCHES!
PostedMay 12, 2023
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Everyone seemed to run into several glitches in the CE version that made this game impossible to finish. I had 3 or 4 different glitches, artifacts that were not actually there, I even had pop-up windows that were completely blank! Okay, that was the CE version, so I thought surely the developer made a few changes to fix the glitches in this SE version. NOPE! This SE version not only picked up right where I left off in the CE version, but all the glitches remain, including the blank popup windows! Really!?!
Gnome pun intended I used to like this Time Management series back in the day. Although they have added a few new features to the game, most of the resources and tasks are the same as the previous eight Gnomes Garden games. It's so generic they may as well start selling them at the Gnome Depot?
Gnome pun intended I used to like this Time Management series back in the day. Although they have added a few new features to the game, most of the resources and tasks are the same as the previous eight Gnomes Garden games. It's so generic they may as well start selling them at the Gnome Depot?
Before I played a single level on the CE version, I checked out the features and discovered that I had already earned the Trophy for "collecting the entire collection," which I am assuming was the Artifacts, huh? Speaking of Artifacts...apparently, there are 5 different artifacts that require finding 6 pieces to complete each one. During the second level, a drop-down banner appeared with a countdown timer telling me I had 20 seconds to find the artifact. What artifact? What am I looking for? What happens to the artifact after the time ends? I played with the tutorial hints, so you'd think they would explain this mysterious feature! The CE Strategy Guide doesn't show them either! Did I not have artifacts because the game already thought I completed my entire collection? (note to developer: why is it spelled Artefacts in the main menu and then spelled as Artifacts during the game?)
Collector's Edition Extras:
15 Trophies, 49 Levels (both versions), 5 Different Artifacts with 6 parts each (supposedly), 6 Music Soundtracks, and Wallpapers (if you click on the wallpaper icon, it goes to an automatic download, so you can't pick & choose which ones you want) and a built-in Strategy Guide (that doesn't show where the artifacts/artefacts are located!
15 Trophies, 49 Levels (both versions), 5 Different Artifacts with 6 parts each (supposedly), 6 Music Soundtracks, and Wallpapers (if you click on the wallpaper icon, it goes to an automatic download, so you can't pick & choose which ones you want) and a built-in Strategy Guide (that doesn't show where the artifacts/artefacts are located!
There's gnome place like gnome. Join us at my new forum where you'll feel right at gnome. It's good to be gnome with gnome worries
@ thewoodsforum.boards.net :)
@ thewoodsforum.boards.net :)
I don't recommend this game.
Help the Walker family sort, clean, and prepare for a spectacular fashion show!
Overall rating
1
/
5
9 of 19 found this review helpful
STOP THE CONVEYOR BELT; I WANT OFF THIS RIDE!
PostedMay 12, 2023
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I've gotta be honest, I don't usually write a review until I play at least the entire demo portion, if not the entire game. This game was so annoying that I bailed on the third level! In level two, I was tasked with matching pairs of clothing in a moving circle that shuffled every 10 seconds. Level three required me to remove pairs of random objects constantly moving on a conveyor belt. If I had to guess, the pastel silhouettes and neon-colored objects levels were not far behind!
The objects are nothing more than uninteresting clip art pictures lately: and now every level involves some type of movement. This feature isn't enjoyable or challenging; it's just annoying!
The objects are nothing more than uninteresting clip art pictures lately: and now every level involves some type of movement. This feature isn't enjoyable or challenging; it's just annoying!
JetDogs: my intentions aren't to take a jab at you by bashing a game that you worked hard on. I'm trying to give constructive criticism to help you succeed. Reviewers are trying to send a message, and they were fans of this series in the past, so take it to heart and make a few changes.
• Why do I have to erase "player" before putting my name in the profile?
• Why can't I skip the conversations?
• Why are there more Sun Hints than objects to find on each level, and why do they have to be so dang big?
• Why does the Walker Family name their kids according to their species, such as Squirrel or Hare? (Let's hope they never have twins, the developer may have to resort to naming them Thing 1 and Thing 2!)
• Why can't I skip the conversations?
• Why are there more Sun Hints than objects to find on each level, and why do they have to be so dang big?
• Why does the Walker Family name their kids according to their species, such as Squirrel or Hare? (Let's hope they never have twins, the developer may have to resort to naming them Thing 1 and Thing 2!)
When you finish clearing the Clutter, swing by my new forum for some rest & relaxation by the campfire at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop a cosmic catastrophe from destroying your world?
Overall rating
3
/
5
77 of 90 found this review helpful
SOMEONE IS GIVING ELEPHANT GAMES BAD ADVICE!
PostedMay 12, 2023
pennmom36
fromWhose idea was it to show an aging Elf in a doghouse, outside, with no water and a backstory history of being harassed by a dumpster cat? დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Let me start by saying that I actually enjoyed playing this game. The storyline isn't difficult to keep up with as long as you don't skip reading notes and the plots that unfold via the Keywords in Sentence HO scenes. I enjoyed most of the mini-games, and there was a good variety of Hidden Objects Scenes that were more challenging than in most HO's by this developer...but, there's always a but, eh?...
Whoever is in charge of the scripts in these once beloved series by Elephant Games must be getting mixed messages, or they don't bother to read reviews! The only reason there are multiple games in any given series is that fans of the game have made a connection with the main characters PERIOD!
Grim Tales has 23 games in the series which is quite impressive. What do they decide to do? Why they ditched Daddy Richard, of course! In Paranormal Files, they ditch the main character, Rick Rogers, who started the Paranormal Investigation Agency in the first place! Mystery Trackers has 19 games in the series. What did the writers decide to do? Ditch our beloved Elf, of course. To make matters worse, they gave Elf a cameo spot in this game, sitting inside a doghouse in the alley with no food or water, being harassed by a dumpster cat daily while being left outside alone to defend himself in the elements! (not to mention that they brought in a whole new MT team of tweenagers) Now I'd love to tell you what happens to this episode of Detectives United, featuring Anna Grey from Grim Tales, James Blackthorn from Haunted Hotel, and Dorian Brown from Mystery Trackers, but I don't want to ruin the disappointing moment for you.
Obviously, the writers are attempting to draw in a younger HOPA fan base by phasing out the original, aging investigative teams and replacing them with a much younger group. Newsflash...our age bracket is the reason HOPAs are a genre in the first place. Do you really think Gen X plays or wants to play a HOPA game? Do you really think our generation purchases 20+ games in a series while secretly hoping the beloved characters get replaced? Do you think maybe, just maybe, it might be a better idea to ask for advice and input from the generation who put you on the map?
GADGETS/HELPER:
There are no gadgets! Not even Agent Brown introduces a new gadget. They talk about safe cracking skills in the first scene, but even that scenario was "old-school" safecracking basics 101. Usually, you play as all 3 characters, Agent Dorian Brown from Mystery Trackers, James Blackthorn from Haunted Hotel, and Anna Grey from Grim Tales. However, as mentioned above, it's out with the old and in with the new generation as they eventually introduce a fourth Detective, a young boy named Ewan Florence who seems to have a lot of family baggage.
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHS (CE Bonus Chapter only)
Morphing Objects in an Elephant Game is a thing of the past. That feature walked out the door when they booted poor little Elf to the street curb! There are 24 Zoom Zone Puzzle Fragments that allow you to assemble a Screensaver. There are 12 Collectible Personal Items available as well, none of which are particularly interesting.
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
The Hidden Object Scenes were more challenging than usual, or perhaps the instructions were just pretty vague? I liked that they had a small Zoom Zone HOP just prior to the main HO scene, some of which were pretty darn good, such as finding 2 halves of each picture, shown as silhouetted shapes, or finding sections on an Astrology Map via swatches. The main HO scenes included Interactive List Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, and Silhouetted Shape varieties.
MINI-GAMES:
I really enjoyed the puzzles because they were all doable, with the exception of one mini-game towards the end that I was just clueless as to how it was solved. The directions said to press buttons on a spiderweb formation in the correct order and maybe I was just having a duh moment but the clues seemed pretty vague to me.
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
The Bonus chapter focuses on young Detective Ewan Florence who is anxious to visit the past with his mentor Anna Gray. His enthusiasm and lack of control over his newfound Magical skills may prove to have deadly consequences when they travel to the past and things don't go quite as planned. There are 6 additional Mini-Games and 4 Hidden Object Scenes that take place over 8 additional locations. You'll continue your search for the final 6 Zoom Zone Puzzle Fragments and 3 Collectibles. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you'll gain entry to the Expedition Room which allows you to return to the scene to search for missed Puzzle Pieces and Collectibles.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRA'S:
I'd like to mention that most of the CE content is blocked from view until the entire game, including the BC, has been completed. This is a deceptive practice and the only reason they are hiding the content is because they no longer offer decent CE content. They no longer offer Concept Art pictures, Movie Video Sequences, (contrary to the information stats in another review) no Morphing Objects, etc. When a developer hides their stuff, there's always a reason!
There are 6 Wallpaper, 1 Screensaver, 8 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 9 replayable Mini-Games, 4 Music Soundtracks, 22 Achievements, 24 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Fragments, a single Jigsaw to assemble, 12 Collectible Personal Items, an Expedition Room (return to scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Jigsaw Puzzle Fragments) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Are you disappointed in the direction these beloved series are heading? Lets talk about games at my new forum! thewoodsforum.boards.net
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Let me start by saying that I actually enjoyed playing this game. The storyline isn't difficult to keep up with as long as you don't skip reading notes and the plots that unfold via the Keywords in Sentence HO scenes. I enjoyed most of the mini-games, and there was a good variety of Hidden Objects Scenes that were more challenging than in most HO's by this developer...but, there's always a but, eh?...
Whoever is in charge of the scripts in these once beloved series by Elephant Games must be getting mixed messages, or they don't bother to read reviews! The only reason there are multiple games in any given series is that fans of the game have made a connection with the main characters PERIOD!
Grim Tales has 23 games in the series which is quite impressive. What do they decide to do? Why they ditched Daddy Richard, of course! In Paranormal Files, they ditch the main character, Rick Rogers, who started the Paranormal Investigation Agency in the first place! Mystery Trackers has 19 games in the series. What did the writers decide to do? Ditch our beloved Elf, of course. To make matters worse, they gave Elf a cameo spot in this game, sitting inside a doghouse in the alley with no food or water, being harassed by a dumpster cat daily while being left outside alone to defend himself in the elements! (not to mention that they brought in a whole new MT team of tweenagers) Now I'd love to tell you what happens to this episode of Detectives United, featuring Anna Grey from Grim Tales, James Blackthorn from Haunted Hotel, and Dorian Brown from Mystery Trackers, but I don't want to ruin the disappointing moment for you.
Obviously, the writers are attempting to draw in a younger HOPA fan base by phasing out the original, aging investigative teams and replacing them with a much younger group. Newsflash...our age bracket is the reason HOPAs are a genre in the first place. Do you really think Gen X plays or wants to play a HOPA game? Do you really think our generation purchases 20+ games in a series while secretly hoping the beloved characters get replaced? Do you think maybe, just maybe, it might be a better idea to ask for advice and input from the generation who put you on the map?
GADGETS/HELPER:
There are no gadgets! Not even Agent Brown introduces a new gadget. They talk about safe cracking skills in the first scene, but even that scenario was "old-school" safecracking basics 101. Usually, you play as all 3 characters, Agent Dorian Brown from Mystery Trackers, James Blackthorn from Haunted Hotel, and Anna Grey from Grim Tales. However, as mentioned above, it's out with the old and in with the new generation as they eventually introduce a fourth Detective, a young boy named Ewan Florence who seems to have a lot of family baggage.
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHS (CE Bonus Chapter only)
Morphing Objects in an Elephant Game is a thing of the past. That feature walked out the door when they booted poor little Elf to the street curb! There are 24 Zoom Zone Puzzle Fragments that allow you to assemble a Screensaver. There are 12 Collectible Personal Items available as well, none of which are particularly interesting.
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
The Hidden Object Scenes were more challenging than usual, or perhaps the instructions were just pretty vague? I liked that they had a small Zoom Zone HOP just prior to the main HO scene, some of which were pretty darn good, such as finding 2 halves of each picture, shown as silhouetted shapes, or finding sections on an Astrology Map via swatches. The main HO scenes included Interactive List Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, and Silhouetted Shape varieties.
MINI-GAMES:
I really enjoyed the puzzles because they were all doable, with the exception of one mini-game towards the end that I was just clueless as to how it was solved. The directions said to press buttons on a spiderweb formation in the correct order and maybe I was just having a duh moment but the clues seemed pretty vague to me.
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
The Bonus chapter focuses on young Detective Ewan Florence who is anxious to visit the past with his mentor Anna Gray. His enthusiasm and lack of control over his newfound Magical skills may prove to have deadly consequences when they travel to the past and things don't go quite as planned. There are 6 additional Mini-Games and 4 Hidden Object Scenes that take place over 8 additional locations. You'll continue your search for the final 6 Zoom Zone Puzzle Fragments and 3 Collectibles. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you'll gain entry to the Expedition Room which allows you to return to the scene to search for missed Puzzle Pieces and Collectibles.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRA'S:
I'd like to mention that most of the CE content is blocked from view until the entire game, including the BC, has been completed. This is a deceptive practice and the only reason they are hiding the content is because they no longer offer decent CE content. They no longer offer Concept Art pictures, Movie Video Sequences, (contrary to the information stats in another review) no Morphing Objects, etc. When a developer hides their stuff, there's always a reason!
There are 6 Wallpaper, 1 Screensaver, 8 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 9 replayable Mini-Games, 4 Music Soundtracks, 22 Achievements, 24 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Fragments, a single Jigsaw to assemble, 12 Collectible Personal Items, an Expedition Room (return to scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Jigsaw Puzzle Fragments) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Are you disappointed in the direction these beloved series are heading? Lets talk about games at my new forum! thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Take a trip on the wildest rails in the west!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 14 found this review helpful
I HOPE WE DON'T TAME THE WILD WEST TOO SOON!
PostedMay 9, 2023
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Golden Rails hits the mark again! I absolutely love this series, and Valuable Package is just as good, if not better, than its predecessor. Yustas Games has done a great job adding new features while keeping the soul of the game intact! I loved having to deliver packages to the correct houses and upgrading to allow letters to be sent as well...a little bit of a different scenario, but still Golden Rails to the core! You can use the stars earned to rebuild the town as well.
You can play in an Easy Mode with no timer, a Normal Mode with moderate time limits, or Hard Mode with tighter time limits. This is definitely a strategy-based game, and you'll have to queue tasks strategically in order to complete the level goals within the allotted time. I love TM games like this, where my decisions matter, where my choices may be the difference between earning 3 stars or completely tanking the level...it makes me think versus just collecting resources along a well-beaten path! It's a game where I don't mind replaying the levels and trying different strategy methods to see what works and what doesn't.
What sets this game apart from other TM games is the Wild West scenario of repairing Train Stations, loading & unloading cargo, repairing train tracks, guiding trains to the correct stations with switches, putting out fires, herding cattle, and even chasing away bandits! Now we get to deliver packages & letters...I hope we don't Tame the Wild West too soon!
Each scene has a hidden "Wanted" Owl (60 Total) that peeks out from behind a tree...my favorite part of the game! Normally, I would search for the owl before clicking on anything which starts the timer. However, they changed this feature recently, and the timer now starts when you finish the conversation texts :( This is my only complaint; I liked being able to take my time to find the owl before the timer started so I could "manage" my time achieving the goals without wasting my time searching for the owls!
This Collector's Edition version has 45 main levels and 15 CE Bonus levels, 60 Collectible Wanted Owls, 3 Wallpapers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 24 Reward Trophies, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
Need help with the game or have tips for others? Join us on my new forum: thewoodsforum.boards.net
What sets this game apart from other TM games is the Wild West scenario of repairing Train Stations, loading & unloading cargo, repairing train tracks, guiding trains to the correct stations with switches, putting out fires, herding cattle, and even chasing away bandits! Now we get to deliver packages & letters...I hope we don't Tame the Wild West too soon!
Each scene has a hidden "Wanted" Owl (60 Total) that peeks out from behind a tree...my favorite part of the game! Normally, I would search for the owl before clicking on anything which starts the timer. However, they changed this feature recently, and the timer now starts when you finish the conversation texts :( This is my only complaint; I liked being able to take my time to find the owl before the timer started so I could "manage" my time achieving the goals without wasting my time searching for the owls!
This Collector's Edition version has 45 main levels and 15 CE Bonus levels, 60 Collectible Wanted Owls, 3 Wallpapers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 24 Reward Trophies, and a Built-in Strategy Guide.
Need help with the game or have tips for others? Join us on my new forum: thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!