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:
Venture beyond the kingdom and solve the riddle of an ancient pirate map in this exciting time management game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
31 of 36 found this review helpful
A GREAT GAME FOR BEGINNERS OR SOMEONE WHO JUST WANTS TO PLAY A STRESS-FREE TM GAME
PostedOctober 10, 2018
pennmom36
fromPut your shirt back on your Majesty!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The graphics are really good and I really liked some of the unusual tasks like repairing pirate ships and riding the paths of those pesky Little Shop of Horrors plants. With that being said, this game became a quite maddening click-fest game because there are so many resources available that the tasks at hand require little to no effort or strategy to overcome.
You only get two difficulty mode options, Easy or Challenge, and I was able to breeze through the demo with ease, in fact, I didn't even have to pause the game to take notes, I just started writing notes while I waited for the resources I had selected to be gathered, and just kept on going. You simply can't do something in the wrong order, because there's no strategy involved. This isn't a bad game, in fact, it's enjoyable enough to play if you don't mind that it's a super easy game to complete, and I totally think that this Standard Edition version is the better choice because a Strategy Guide just isn't necessary.
This game is played over 6 Islands beginning at your Native Valley and moving on to Skull Island, Tropical Bay, River Island, Rocky Isle and finally Northern Land. The Collector's Edition version does include a few extra Episodes, Concept Art and a Strategy Guide, but I don't think those things are worth spending twice as much for it. There aren't any Morphs or Collectibles in the CE and this version still offers 31 Achievements to earn.
There are the usual Time Management tasks such as clearing roads, repairing bridges, gathering food and other resources to help you progress. You will build or repair Farms to produce food, Sawmills for wood, Quarries for Stone, Huts and Gold Mines for revenue and various constructions for Markets to trade resources, Docks for Pirate Ships you've repaired and Hunter's Hut's to house hunters to remove wild animals.
I love the Druids and think that some of the tasks were pretty creative. To sum it all up, the graphics are really good, this dev has added some nice details such as an eagle flying gracefully in the sky and some of the trees are colorful and realistic. It would be nice if the Challenge mode was just their Normal mode, and they added a more challenging mode, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
With beautifully photographed images of planet Earth's most wonderous locations, this one is sure to be a pleasant treat for all puzzle lovers.
Overall rating
3
/
5
48 of 51 found this review helpful
I'M GIVING THEM AN EXTRA STAR ONLY BECAUSE THE PICTURES ARE REALLY PRETTY
PostedOctober 9, 2018
pennmom36
fromOn yesterday's game I said "why change a good thing" but there's nothing good about the repetition of useless features, so change it and make it better, please and thank you :)
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Jigsaws Galore
(121)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
As you probably already know, I am a Jigsaw Puzzle Geek, and I used to be a huge fan of the puzzle games offered by this developer. In the beginning, they were new to me, but I caught on to the fact they never change anything but the title. If you haven't purchased any of their puzzle games, this will be an amazing game for novice puzzle geeks, but not for those wanting a challenge, larger puzzles, or customizable features, because there aren't any of those things here! The BF synopsis claims that there are optional game difficulty modes but other than being able to modify a puzzle, I saw no difficulty mode options.
The same features are available once again, but I wasn't expecting anything different from this developer anyway. There is a box to store extra pieces, you can post an image of the picture and chose the size of x1, x2 or x3, or you can ghost the image on the background. There's an available magnifying glass and a hint feature as well as an auto-sort button and border pieces only. You can change the color of the background to pink, green, blue or gray, and any puzzle will be saved if you click that option upon exiting the game. There are also Trophy achievements to earn for completing various tasks and a High Scores leaderboard.
Any Puzzle can be modified with Size options, puzzle shape options and whether or not you want the pieces to rotate. There are 7 different Boxes or categories, Animals, Birds, Flowers, Sea Life, Food and People from around the world. Each category or box has 143 different puzzles for a total of 1001 different puzzles.
In case there's a slim chance that 8 Floor reads these reviews, I'll list a few of my complaints. If they would simply change a few options, I'd be elated to give them 5-Stars once again.
*The music: it's always the same, not just with Earth Chronicles, but with every game they offer, perhaps a second option would be nice.
*The Sort option: the sort option will "sort" the puzzle pieces according to the area they belong. To me, that's practically doing the puzzle for me, when I assemble a real jigsaw (and virtual) I sort the pieces by color and arrange them neatly on the outside of the border, making sure none of them overlap. It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult to have a few different sorting options, perhaps one that lines the puzzle pieces up in rows, one that sorts shapes of puzzle pieces and one that sorts by color, as well as what's available now.
*The Background colors: are somewhat too dark with certain puzzles, perhaps being able to adjust the intensity of the background colors.
*Screensavers: I don't understand why there's never an option to save these pictures to your computer to actually enjoy??? You complete a puzzle, the puzzle gives you a quickie glance and seconds later, the statistics of the completed puzzle takes over the screen.
*Larger sizes: even when you modify a puzzle, the largest you can hope for is on average about 250 pieces. There are so many puzzle games out there that offer larger puzzles and features that people actually want.
*The Sort option: the sort option will "sort" the puzzle pieces according to the area they belong. To me, that's practically doing the puzzle for me, when I assemble a real jigsaw (and virtual) I sort the pieces by color and arrange them neatly on the outside of the border, making sure none of them overlap. It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult to have a few different sorting options, perhaps one that lines the puzzle pieces up in rows, one that sorts shapes of puzzle pieces and one that sorts by color, as well as what's available now.
*The Background colors: are somewhat too dark with certain puzzles, perhaps being able to adjust the intensity of the background colors.
*Screensavers: I don't understand why there's never an option to save these pictures to your computer to actually enjoy??? You complete a puzzle, the puzzle gives you a quickie glance and seconds later, the statistics of the completed puzzle takes over the screen.
*Larger sizes: even when you modify a puzzle, the largest you can hope for is on average about 250 pieces. There are so many puzzle games out there that offer larger puzzles and features that people actually want.
The pictures themselves are getting better, clearer and more beautiful, but the features are so basic and so predictable that the beauty of the pictures simply isn't enough, please 8 Floor, please rise to the occasion :)
1001 JIGSAW EARTH CHRONICLES SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 1 (May 20-2014) 3.5
2-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 2 (August 21-2016) 3.5
3-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 3 (November 30-2015) 4.0
4-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 4 (May 4-2016) 3.7
5-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 5 (October 9-2018) n/a
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 1 (May 20-2014) 3.5
2-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 2 (August 21-2016) 3.5
3-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 3 (November 30-2015) 4.0
4-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 4 (May 4-2016) 3.7
5-1001 Jigsaw Earth Chronicles 5 (October 9-2018) n/a
I don't recommend this game.
After a vicious battle, Emperor Omadan must lead his people to seek a new home. Help them build a new empire in this match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
90 of 96 found this review helpful
WHY DID IMPERIAL ISLAND STRAY SO FAR OFF COURSE?
PostedOctober 8, 2018
pennmom36
fromWhy change a good thing?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I have always loved Imperial Island Match 3 games but this one is vastly different and not in a good way. It's as if this were originally a f2p mobile game converted to a desktop version with very animated cartoon graphics. They have abandoned all the features that made Imperial Island unique such as loading up the locomotive at the bottom of the screen.
There are 120 Levels, 15 Trophy awards to earn (you must "claim" your reward by going into the Trophy section after earning an achievement.) and Collectible Cards to earn in 3 Categories, Obstacles: as you progress you will encounter Obstacles that block you from continuing to the next level such as a Mummy. You are required to replay a specific level or levels to collect items such as Keys (drop them off of the bottom) You will also unlock Character Cards as you help various Characters as well as Cards for each Building constructed.
Although this is a colorful game, it's exactly like all the other Limited Moves Match 3 games that have been released lately, where you choose a bonus to start each level, with the same goals of collecting a specific number of specific tiles. The tiles are large and very cartoonish looking, and it's so easy to make large matches that you're constantly acquiring bonuses on the board which makes it seem like the game is playing itself! Just like the other frequently released Match 3 games, it takes forever for all of the extra moves to be played through at the end of each level. Before the start of each level, you are given the opportunity to use Bonuses such as Combo Bonuses, Balloons which create bonuses when matched with at least 2 other tiles of the same color, or a Pusher to force tiles to drop downward. There are also bonuses to use at your discretion such as a Grenade to destroy all tiles of the same kind, a Hammer to take out a single tile, or a Volcano to remove 5 random tiles.
Large Matches will earn Bonuses on the board and must be included in a Match to detonate such as, a four tile Square gives you a Balloon to create a random bonus, a Match 4 in a row gives you a horizontal or vertical Line destroyer (depending on which direction the match was made originally) a Match 5 in a T or L shape gives you a Bomb, a Match 5 in a row gives you Lightning to destroy several same color tiles, a Match 6 gives you a Barrel of Paint which puts Balloons of various colors on the board. You can also swap 2 Bonuses that are next to each other to create a bigger explosion.
There are the usual Obstructions (not including the Level Blocker Quest Obstacles) such as Gold and Silver Tiles, Stone & Double Stone Blocks, Chains & Double Chains, and one that I did find to be rather creative, Growing Cacti by making matches next to the planter tile, and was the only way to get cactus tiles on the board required as the level goal.
IMPERIAL ISLAND SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Birth of an Empire (August 20-2013) 4.5
2-The Search For New Land (August 20-2014) 3.4
3-Imperial Island 3 (February 15-2016) 4.3
4-Imperial Island 4 (October 8-2018) n/a
2-The Search For New Land (August 20-2014) 3.4
3-Imperial Island 3 (February 15-2016) 4.3
4-Imperial Island 4 (October 8-2018) n/a
by: Quick Click Games Inc.
I don't recommend this game.
Face the fears in Sebastian's Cinema of Horrors!
Overall rating
4
/
5
43 of 52 found this review helpful
CAN WE JUST TONE DOWN THE BLURPLE A TAD BIT?
PostedOctober 7, 2018
pennmom36
fromOh look, a screwdriver just in the nick of time!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Violett
(56)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I'll say one thing, you sure do get your money's worth out of this game! There are a whopping 8 Chapters (plus a Bonus Chapter in the Collector's Edition version) Honestly, I had trouble completing the entire game because it was a little to dragged out. I think the storyline could have been wrapped up in about 5-6 chapters, it still would have been a decent length and I think it would hold one's attention better, but maybe that's just my own personal opinion, you may very well love the length and wish it would never end. The only issue I have is actually an issue with all the games by this dev, Blurple. I just don't get why they feel the need to to go so overboard with the purples and blues, it would be so much more realistic if they just toned it down a teeny tiny bit. I will say that I love the ability to interact with all kinds of props. I find myself clicking on just about everything in the scenes, turning lights off and on, clicking on a window and hearing the sound of footsteps coming closer and seeing a dark shadowy figure appear and then off he goes again, it's super cool that the go the extra mile!
Welcome to Sebastian's Horror Cinema. In its heyday, you could watch some of the best horror-flix ever produced, starring Veronica Sullivan and Lenny Gilmore. Sebastian Fleming was somehow able to capture the true-to-life fear portrayed by the actors, but nobody ever knew his secret to success...until now...now that he's dead! The dead are watching you, so grab a seat and enjoy the greatest fearflix ever filmed, starring your very own fears!
Welcome to the year 2018 Mystery Tales! They have finally stepped out of the Ghostly Dark-Ages and into the Present-Age by dismantling the famous Mystery Tales Glasses and installing the lenses into a Smartphone! (actually, I broke them, my bad) I still find it rather amusing that we are finally equipped with a smartphone yet we still need an old-fashioned paper Map, and at one point I used a pad of paper and a pencil to copy down a clue. Is my smartphone a Jitterbug or did I forget I have a camera and a Maps app? Just when I uprighted my computer chair from all the excitement, I realize that for the first time in the past 9 games I didn't lose my Notes to a rogue wind burst...SAY WHAT?! (you still find notes mysteriously laying around, but I didn't lose them due to a random burst of air)
The Hidden Object Scenes were just mediocre. Because the Ghostly Glasses have finally been replaced with a Smartphone, the first HOS looked promising, but they didn't continue with that concept. That particular HOS required you to investigate the ghostly scene for clues, and as you found the items on the scene, a sentence would appear briefly to clarify the clue such as Veronica looks tired, was Sebastian overworking her? Why didn't they continue with this style is beyond me, it was a cool way to "investigate". There are also Silhouetted Shape finds, Keywords in Sentence finds, Multiple Item finds, and smaller zoom zone finds, all of which usually have several interactions available, some even have puzzles to solve. There is an optional Match 3 game to play instead of the HOP as well.
The Mini-Games are decent and most, not all of the puzzles and mini-games are available in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode. In the Custom Mode, whichever mode you choose will be presented that way at the start of each game, however, you can still opt for the opposite mode at the beginning of each one. I love this feature, but it would be really cool if they had the option to complete them in Both Modes so you could complete the game in the Easy Mode and then try your hand at the Hard Mode if you wanted! Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Navigate the maze finding & using items to overcome obstacles.
(Hard Mode: navigate the maze in the dark with a flashlight beam)
2-Press buttons up & down to turn the correct ones green per clue.
(Hard Mode: Clicking one button may affect other buttons)
3-Click lock tumblers to match the clue shown.
4-Change the color of tokens to match the hints on the sides.
(Hard Mode: Clicking one token may affect others)
5-Turn radio knobs to align the red and white waves.
6-Place the correct symbols in each row and column.
7-Place torn fragments correctly to restore each photograph.
(Hard Mode: navigate the maze in the dark with a flashlight beam)
2-Press buttons up & down to turn the correct ones green per clue.
(Hard Mode: Clicking one button may affect other buttons)
3-Click lock tumblers to match the clue shown.
4-Change the color of tokens to match the hints on the sides.
(Hard Mode: Clicking one token may affect others)
5-Turn radio knobs to align the red and white waves.
6-Place the correct symbols in each row and column.
7-Place torn fragments correctly to restore each photograph.
The Collector's Edition has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 15 Movie Video Cutscenes, 33 Achievements to earn, 19 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 18 re-playable Mini-Games, 15 Cinema Artifacts & 11 Movie Posters to collect, 56 hidden Cinema Tickets which allows you to restore Sebastian's Horror Cinema with 13 Audience Hall items, missing Journal Pages to find, 8 main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
MYSTERY TALES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Lost Hope (February 23-2014) 3.4
2-The Twilight World (February 22-2015) 3.6
3-Alaskan Wild (September 22-2015) 3.9
4-Her Own Eyes (March 18-2016) 4.2
5-Eye of the Fire (October 28-2016) 3.5
6-The Hangman Returns (February 24-2017) 3.2
7-The House of Others (August 6-2017) 3.8
8-Dangerous Desires (November 12-2017) 2.8
9-The Other Side (April 15-2018) 3.3
10-Reel Horror (October 7-2018) n/a
2-The Twilight World (February 22-2015) 3.6
3-Alaskan Wild (September 22-2015) 3.9
4-Her Own Eyes (March 18-2016) 4.2
5-Eye of the Fire (October 28-2016) 3.5
6-The Hangman Returns (February 24-2017) 3.2
7-The House of Others (August 6-2017) 3.8
8-Dangerous Desires (November 12-2017) 2.8
9-The Other Side (April 15-2018) 3.3
10-Reel Horror (October 7-2018) n/a
I recommend this game!
Some evils are too sinister to keep contained for long...
Overall rating
3
/
5
89 of 110 found this review helpful
YOU SHOULD'VE LISTENED TO YOUR WIFE BECAUSE #1 SHE'S ALWAYS RIGHT, #2 IF YOU THINK YOU MAY BE RIGHT, REFER BACK TO #1
PostedOctober 6, 2018
pennmom36
fromAn 1800 year old protective ring was recently found in Croatia, used to ward off The Evil Eye, a look of envy or hate that causes bad luck or even death. The Evil-Eye superstition dates back to 3000BC to the ancient Sumerians!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Return to Mysterious Island 2: Mina's Fate
(22)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
David and Zyrtec (or is it Allegra?) Campari are collectors of Protective Amulets and Artifacts. David was elated to finally add The Black Cube to his museum's collection, but his interpretation of the Cube's powers was vastly different than that of Allegra's. Blinded by a burning desire to possess the elusive Black Cube, David chose to believe that the Cube was nothing more than a benevolent amulet. The Campari's are now in grave danger from those sworn to protect the Cube, and even graver danger from the Cube itself...should've listened to Clariton, turns out she was right! Can the good Detective save Flonase from the evil within the Cube, or will evil prevail?
The good news is that there aren't any Gadget's or Helpers and the hand-drawn graphics are nicely done (although I prefer CG) The bad news is that there are a ton of Symbols and symbol related puzzles, Cloaked secret society members with Masks, Black mists, Evil Spirits, Characters that look the same as every other Amax character, basically a plot that offers nothing new (and a confusing one at that, tell me again who the bad guys are?) and most of all that same ominous sound of a single dog howling in the dark of night, hmf :(
The Hidden Object Scenes are decent but the objects tend to be a bit on the small side which is the only reason they are remotely challenging. One HO scene requires finding items that match circular swatches and I found that some of the colors were nowhere close to the samples being shown, and I have an amazing graphics card! I did enjoy a Matching Protective Charms Pair scene, as you selected a Charm that matched the Silhouetted Shape you could read a short description of the charm's "powers" There are also several Interactive List finds available throughout the game, but no alternative puzzle offered.
I actually enjoyed some of the puzzles and Mini-Games and I will admit that Amax does a nice job of offering a variety of puzzles and a nice ratio of puzzles to hidden object scenes. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo which I believe sets the stage so to speak of what can be expected:
1-Swap fan sections to complete the image.
2-Select all matching symbols on the cube to remove them.
-Hard Mode: select spaces to reveal hidden symbols.
3-Follow the vines and select the end of each one being held.
4-Remove all symbols by tracing lines without crossing twice.
5-Use directional arrows to place tokens based on the clue.
6-Swap identical shaped puzzle pieces to restore the image.
7-Avoid obstacles by choosing numbered directional signs to move the horse.
8-Turn over 2 cards that match each card shown.
9-Select the cloud with the evil spirit after the shuffle x3.
10-Select Symbols in the order shown on the clue.
11-Repeat the sequence of statue heads that light up.
12-Find matching pairs or roses when they opened.
13-Swap tokens to their correct spots based on adjacent images.
2-Select all matching symbols on the cube to remove them.
-Hard Mode: select spaces to reveal hidden symbols.
3-Follow the vines and select the end of each one being held.
4-Remove all symbols by tracing lines without crossing twice.
5-Use directional arrows to place tokens based on the clue.
6-Swap identical shaped puzzle pieces to restore the image.
7-Avoid obstacles by choosing numbered directional signs to move the horse.
8-Turn over 2 cards that match each card shown.
9-Select the cloud with the evil spirit after the shuffle x3.
10-Select Symbols in the order shown on the clue.
11-Repeat the sequence of statue heads that light up.
12-Find matching pairs or roses when they opened.
13-Swap tokens to their correct spots based on adjacent images.
This Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 18 replayable Movie Cutscenes, 12 Achievements to earn, 16 re-playable Mini-Games, 13 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Collectible Protective Amulets (with descriptions & origins) 18 Morphing Roses, 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (sequel) and a built-in Strategy Guide.
GRIM FACADE SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Mystery of Venice (June 23-2011) 4.2
2-Sinister Obsession (July 5-2012) 4.1
3-Cost of Jealousy (February 28-2013) 4.0
4-A Wealth of Betrayal (April 24-2014) 3.2
5-The Artist and the Pretender (September 18-2014) 3.6
6-Hidden Sins (June 18-2015) 4.2
7-Monster in Disguise (May 19-2016) 4.0
8-The Red Cat (October 22-2016) 3.8
9-A Deadly Dowry (September 23-2017) 3.2
10-The Message (December 28-2017) 3.4
11-Broken Sacrament (April 12-2018) 3.8
12-The Black Cube (October 6-2018) n/a
2-Sinister Obsession (July 5-2012) 4.1
3-Cost of Jealousy (February 28-2013) 4.0
4-A Wealth of Betrayal (April 24-2014) 3.2
5-The Artist and the Pretender (September 18-2014) 3.6
6-Hidden Sins (June 18-2015) 4.2
7-Monster in Disguise (May 19-2016) 4.0
8-The Red Cat (October 22-2016) 3.8
9-A Deadly Dowry (September 23-2017) 3.2
10-The Message (December 28-2017) 3.4
11-Broken Sacrament (April 12-2018) 3.8
12-The Black Cube (October 6-2018) n/a
by: Amax Interactive
Can you recover an ancient underwater artifact in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
65 of 72 found this review helpful
CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM?
PostedOctober 5, 2018
pennmom36
fromCan we consider not including rust + oil, tool + no fuel, latch + no slider, spring + no button-lever, drawer /door + no handle or any similar combinations? Isn't there a new task to consider???
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I'd like to point out that Elephant Games have always had some of the best Computer Generated Graphics. After playing Thursday's game by another well-known developer, it's clear to me that there's just no comparison! I've always said that nobody can pull off an abandoned creepy town like Elephant Games because they pay attention to detail. When you look at the location scenes of most other games, the first thing you notice is that objects are large and there's hardly any detail. Sure the colors are vibrant and pretty but it just seems fake, you don't feel like you're actually there. That's the difference here that I'm talking about, with Elephant Games, the scenes are realistic and instead of feeling like you're just looking at a made-up scene in a game, their games make you feel like you're actually there, or at least they make you feel that the scene is believable, that the town is believable or the rooms you enter are real. I just wanted to point out that the Elephant in the room can sometimes be the tiny detail that we often overlook.
Even though this game only has 3 Chapters, I felt that the Chapters were of decent length, and the CE Bonus Chapter was a decent length as well. The CE Bonus Chapter is a sequel that takes place shortly afterword with a similar plot (kidnapping of Dr. Jackman by the Dark Trackers) The BC has 7 remaining Hidden Object Scenes and 5 remaining Mini-Games, and there are 3 Collectibles, 8 Puzzle Pieces, and 8 Morphing Objects to pick up in the CE BC. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either is right for you:
Your mission, should you decide to accept it (do I get a choice?) is to locate DR. Russell Jackman who suddenly went mia shortly after discovering what is believed to be the legendary city of Atlantis. The Order of the Dark Trackers organization is desperately trying to steal the Atlantean Tesseract which gave the Atlanteans the power to control the sea. I have just one question, did anyone know there was an anti-Mystery Trackers Agency?
My little Min Pin has returned to steal the show. I've told the Elf story before, but since it's an interesting story and some may be new to the series, I'll tell it again. Originally, Elephant was developing a dark Fairy Tale with no Hidden Objects, but about 70% through they realized their mistake and scrapped it. Eventually, Mystery Trackers: The Void was created but it didn't include Elf until Black Isles. One of the team members saw a Miniature Pincher and did some research and found that they were often called Elves because of their large pointy ears. That little Elf has been a vital component of Mystery Trackers ever since, in fact, I don't believe I would purchase a MT game in the future if it didn't include my beloved crime-fighting partner Elf!
The Hidden Object Scenes are typical for Elephant Games with mostly Interactive List finds, but many of the scenes are multi-layered. There are Silhouetted Shape Finds, Morphing Object Finds, Replacing Misplaced Item Finds and several Zoom Zone Hidden Object Scenes available. In the game itself, there are more Mini-Games than HOP's but more HOP's offered than Mini-Games in the CE Secret Room re-playable section.
Some of the Mini-Games are simply fantastic. I particularly enjoyed the Fish puzzle (they look like snakes?), the Star and Hook puzzle and the Gears puzzles. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Move triangles along tracks until they fit into the slots.
2-Arrange fish so they aren't touching each other.
3-Drag sphere along tracks through all gears to open portals.
4-Rotate triangle sections to match the picture clue shown.
5-Rotate square tiles to connect all lines continuously.
6-Rotate hooks to grab Stars and arrows to move the hooks.
7-Click when the arrow is in the green zone to catch a fish.
2-Arrange fish so they aren't touching each other.
3-Drag sphere along tracks through all gears to open portals.
4-Rotate triangle sections to match the picture clue shown.
5-Rotate square tiles to connect all lines continuously.
6-Rotate hooks to grab Stars and arrows to move the hooks.
7-Click when the arrow is in the green zone to catch a fish.
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 3 Music Soundtracks, 20 Achievements to earn, a Secret Room with 16 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes & 12 re-playable Mini-Games, an Aquarium with 12 Collectible Sea Critters, 27 Morphing Objects, 32 Hidden Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces (automatically assembles the puzzle, why?) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy Atlantis!
MYSTERY TRACKERS SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Void (November 12-2010) 4.1
2-Raincliff (June 4-2011) 4.0
3-Black Isle (March 1-2012) 4.5
4-Four Aces (November 9-2012) 4.3
5-Silent Hollow (August 30-2013) 4.1
6-Raincliff's Phantoms (March 14-2014) 4.0
7-Blackrow's Secrets (September 26-2014) 3.3
8-Nightsville Horror (April 24-2015) 3.8
9-Winterpoint Tragedy (September 6-2015) 3.3
10-Paxton Creek Avenger (February 26-2016) 3.5
11-Train To Hellswich (August 26-2016) 3.6
12-Queen Of Hearts (January 8-2017) 3.3
13-Memories of Shadowfield (July 21-2017) 3.5
14-Mist Over Blackhill (May 20-2018) 2.8
15-Darkwater Bay (October 5-2018) n/a
2-Raincliff (June 4-2011) 4.0
3-Black Isle (March 1-2012) 4.5
4-Four Aces (November 9-2012) 4.3
5-Silent Hollow (August 30-2013) 4.1
6-Raincliff's Phantoms (March 14-2014) 4.0
7-Blackrow's Secrets (September 26-2014) 3.3
8-Nightsville Horror (April 24-2015) 3.8
9-Winterpoint Tragedy (September 6-2015) 3.3
10-Paxton Creek Avenger (February 26-2016) 3.5
11-Train To Hellswich (August 26-2016) 3.6
12-Queen Of Hearts (January 8-2017) 3.3
13-Memories of Shadowfield (July 21-2017) 3.5
14-Mist Over Blackhill (May 20-2018) 2.8
15-Darkwater Bay (October 5-2018) n/a
by: Elephant Games
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a crazed kidnapper in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
159 of 192 found this review helpful
WOULD IT KILL YOU TO READ A BOOK?
PostedOctober 4, 2018
pennmom36
fromDid you know that the original Phantasmat was the first Polish developed game to reach the #1 slot on BFG? It also won awards for Best Hidden Object Game and was in production for two years! (it takes time to create a masterpiece!)
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Ron Parks was an aspiring young writer who waited anxiously for a reply from five of the most famous Horror Novelists even known, after all, he was their biggest fan! As the weeks turned into months, it became abundantly clear that none of them had even bothered to read his manuscripts, a blow to Ron's ego that would send him over the edge of darkness. It's a fine line between reality and insanity and an even finer line of Ron's deranged revenge plans. They say the first is always the most difficult, but it looks like Ron has already crossed that threshold many times, and your daughter Joan is his next target!
This has an excellent storyline, however, it's a horrible Phantasmat! I just think they are distancing themselves too far from the creepy vibe of past games to stories about the deranged. If you've played the original Phantasmat and most of the earlier games, you know that the entire time you're playing, you have a nagging feeling that you might actually be dead, and that was so cool! I'd give anything to be able to write the next script for Phantasmat, my favorite series that's slowly going down the tubes :( There are 36 Ghostly Signs located in each scene and a Morphing Object in about half the scenes. There are icons that show the availability of both of these features in each scene, neither is difficult to spot because a white ghost and a piece of paper with a morphing pumpkin are hard to blend in naturally with the scenery.
These games get shorter and shorter, don't they? I was able to complete this game in less than 3 hours without skipping any of the puzzles, not to mention stopping to take notes! The Bonus Chapter is okay, I've never played a BC that was an "on the edge of your seat" thrilling kind of game, but it is a sequel which takes place shortly afterward. You will search for the remaining 8 Ghostly Signs and 4 remaining Morphs, after completing the BC you can return to 20 of the scene locations to find a souvenir.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied and are the typical Eipix style of HOP's, finding 5 of the same objects to receive a tool that will open up the Item List, Silhouetted Shape finds, Multiples of the same object, Sketched Picture finds, Morphing Objects, and Progressive, Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds where you have to interact with the objects in the scene and find items to help you progress. Many of them are multi-layered offering several different types of Hidden Object finds within the same HOP. Most of the HOP's have an alternate Match 3 game available and they can be replayed within the CE Extra's section.
The Mini-Game Puzzles are recycled games that aren't in the least bit challenging which was a huge disappointment for me personally. One feature that I've always liked about the Phantasmat series was that the puzzles were the kind that required tinkering with, such as setting specific water levels in tanks or connecting various wire configurations, games that you had to put some logical thought into. These puzzles, however, were basically the same ones that they include in all of their games lately, some of which required little thought or skill to solve them and they are easily solvable on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo and a few afterwards worth mentioning:
1-Rotate & swap path sections to move gems from end to end.
2-Slide tiles to complete the animal images on a cross-shaped puzzle.
3-Rotate rings to complete the image, slide pins to hold rings in place.
4-Drag the silver ball through a maze, stopping on all white circles first.
5-Rotate & place faces on the box correctly.
6-Use directional arrows to navigate a ball to the hole (tricky)
7-Move chain by selecting numbers, arrows will change the direction of moves.
8-Solve the math clue and change the numbers accordingly.
9-Navigate the swamp using directional arrows & a UV lamp to show hidden paths while collecting items to progress.
2-Slide tiles to complete the animal images on a cross-shaped puzzle.
3-Rotate rings to complete the image, slide pins to hold rings in place.
4-Drag the silver ball through a maze, stopping on all white circles first.
5-Rotate & place faces on the box correctly.
6-Use directional arrows to navigate a ball to the hole (tricky)
7-Move chain by selecting numbers, arrows will change the direction of moves.
8-Solve the math clue and change the numbers accordingly.
9-Navigate the swamp using directional arrows & a UV lamp to show hidden paths while collecting items to progress.
This Collector's Edition has 6 Character pictures with before/after slider bar & dialog recordings, 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 7 Music Soundtracks, 12 Movie Video Cutscenes, re-playable Match 3 Games, 14 re-playable Mini Game Puzzles, 13 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Achievements to earn (some available in 3 categories) 16 Scene Location Morphing Objects (11 in Main Game, 5 in BC) 36 Hidden Ghostly Signs (28 in Main Game 8 in BC) a Souvenir Room with 20 Souvenirs (one souvenir in each of the scene locations) 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy the madness!
PHANTASMAT SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Phantasmat (January 7-2011) 4.5 (Codeminion)
2-Crucible Peak (December 6-2012) 3.8 (ERS Studios)
3-The Endless Night (January 10-2015) 4.0
4-The Dread of Oakville (July 9-2015) 4.2
5-Behind The Mask (December 17-2015) 4.4
6-Town of Lost Hope (April 7-2016) 3.6
7-Reign of Shadows (October 6-2016) 4.3
8-Mournful Loche (April 13-2017) 3.6
9-Insidious Dreams (September 14-2017) 3.8
10-Curse of the Mist (December 23-2017) 3.0
11-Deja Vu (July 7-2018) 2.9
12-Death In Hardcover (October 4-2018) n/a
2-Crucible Peak (December 6-2012) 3.8 (ERS Studios)
3-The Endless Night (January 10-2015) 4.0
4-The Dread of Oakville (July 9-2015) 4.2
5-Behind The Mask (December 17-2015) 4.4
6-Town of Lost Hope (April 7-2016) 3.6
7-Reign of Shadows (October 6-2016) 4.3
8-Mournful Loche (April 13-2017) 3.6
9-Insidious Dreams (September 14-2017) 3.8
10-Curse of the Mist (December 23-2017) 3.0
11-Deja Vu (July 7-2018) 2.9
12-Death In Hardcover (October 4-2018) n/a
by: Eipix Entertainment
I recommend this game!
The Kingdom is in chaos! Lady Sarah, the savior of the kingdom has been poisoned! It's up to you to find the culprit in this exciting hidden object adventure.
Overall rating
5
/
5
128 of 137 found this review helpful
WOW! THEY'VE SHAKEN THINGS UP A BIT!
PostedOctober 3, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Just when you think things couldn't get better in the Hiddenverse World, BAM! Here comes a curveball loaded with lots of new features. You get 3 difficulty modes this time which I believe was offered in the first few games of this series, (scroll down for the series list) There's a Timeless mode, a Normal mode, and a Hard mode. I played the demo in the Normal mode so I could play as many levels as possible, but there wasn't a whole lot of challenge because I earned 3 stars on every level on the first attempt and breezed through the first 3 Chapters, so I'm eager to restart the game in the Hard mode.
Besides offering an extra difficulty mode, they have added several different types of Clutter Matches and they have added a feature where you can use the stars you earned to buy upgrades to the Ship. Some of the items you buy require 2-3 upgrades to complete, others require a single purchase. When you complete an item purchase, you are rewarded with Puzzle Pieces. You will need to buy all Puzzle pieces and the puzzle must be assembled before you can progress to the next Chapter.
The object of this game is to remove items from a heaping pile of junk, but the styles change with each level. Sometimes you have to remove Matching Pairs, Triple Pairs, Big & Small Matches (1 big object and it's identical match in a small version) Half Matches (2 fragments that go together) Black & White (1 object in color its mate colorless) Clutter games that have one or two piles of clutter requiring you to drag the items one by one, from each heaping pile until you find and remove all matching objects. They have added a few new types, Silhouetted Shape finds (and Silhouetted Shape finds in multiple's to fill the shapes) Triple or Double Matches that constantly move around and a clever level that shows two Cards at a time and you must select the only item that is shown on each card (and levels where you find the one item on both cards that have 1 black and 1 white identical object) They have also brought back the Dynamite which will explode when you click on it, which reshuffles all the clutter, this can help sometimes, other times it just buries items you need.
The object of this game is to remove items from a heaping pile of junk, but the styles change with each level. Sometimes you have to remove Matching Pairs, Triple Pairs, Big & Small Matches (1 big object and it's identical match in a small version) Half Matches (2 fragments that go together) Black & White (1 object in color its mate colorless) Clutter games that have one or two piles of clutter requiring you to drag the items one by one, from each heaping pile until you find and remove all matching objects. They have added a few new types, Silhouetted Shape finds (and Silhouetted Shape finds in multiple's to fill the shapes) Triple or Double Matches that constantly move around and a clever level that shows two Cards at a time and you must select the only item that is shown on each card (and levels where you find the one item on both cards that have 1 black and 1 white identical object) They have also brought back the Dynamite which will explode when you click on it, which reshuffles all the clutter, this can help sometimes, other times it just buries items you need.
The Challenge levels have returned, after every fourth level, the 5th Level allows you to play a multi-game level. You can play these challenges in any order, (and you can replay them as often as you want, and each time the variations are slightly different) which includes a Mini-Game such as Pipes (rotate pipes to make a continuous path) A Pair Match game where you flip over 2 cards at a time to try to find matches and a Match 3 game.
I wasn't crazy about the last game, Witch's Tales 2, but I LOVE the new features they have added, and I LOVE the 3 difficulty mode options!
HIDDENVERSE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Spirit of the Ancient Forest (June 29-2017) 4.1
2-A Plot Story (September 21-2017) 4.0
3-Witch's Tales (October 31-2017) 3.7
4-Dream Walker (December 15-2017) 2.9
5-Hiddenverse: The Iron Tower (February 7-2018) 3.6
6-Hiddenverse: Tale of Arianda (May 14-2018) 3.2
7-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 2 (August 29-2018) 3.5
8-Hiddenverse: Divided Kingdom (October 3-2018) n/a
2-A Plot Story (September 21-2017) 4.0
3-Witch's Tales (October 31-2017) 3.7
4-Dream Walker (December 15-2017) 2.9
5-Hiddenverse: The Iron Tower (February 7-2018) 3.6
6-Hiddenverse: Tale of Arianda (May 14-2018) 3.2
7-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 2 (August 29-2018) 3.5
8-Hiddenverse: Divided Kingdom (October 3-2018) n/a
by: Shaman Games
I recommend this game!
Head the investigation team and help the Argonauts crack the case of the missing Golden Fleece in this fantastic time management adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
63 of 73 found this review helpful
AN AVERAGE TIME MANAGEMENT GAME THAT'S REPETITIVE AND NOT WORTHY OF A COLLECTOR'S EDITION PRICE
PostedOctober 2, 2018
pennmom36
fromWasn't this same exact story offered in the Herc series?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I played the entire demo which gave me enough time to decide that there's nothing here worth the price. I feel bad for saying this because I love the fact that BF is finally realizing that they have a ton of Time Management fans who have been overlooked for years now. However, It wasn't until the 8th Level that a different goal was actually added, for the previous 7 levels the goals were all the same. The graphics are "old-school" and had no curb appeal, everything's just a dull shade of gold. There's nothing special about this game and certainly, nothing offered to qualify it for twice as much money as a CE, there's not even a Strategy Guide!
You can play in an Untimed, Normal or Hard difficulty mode and it allows you to switch back and forth easily before the start of each level with an icon located above the levels. I do like this feature because sometimes it's helpful to play the first go-round in an untimed mode to figure out what the requirements are, such as what materials are needed for each task (bridges, boulders etc) and then play the level again in a normal or hard mode, especially when a TM game requires a lot of strategies, but this one doesn't require a whole lot of strategy to earn 3 stars.
As I stated earlier, the first 7 levels had the same exact Goals of clearing paths, repairing bridges and collecting Papyrus. The only thing that changed for 7 levels was the path directions and the number of items blocking the path, and I was becoming totally bored by the time the demo ended, so much so that I don't think I will purchase this game even when it's released as a Standard Edition.
There's really nothing different here than any other TM game. Build Farms for food, Sawmills for wood, Gold Mines, Quarries for stone and Markets for trading food for specific materials such as Stone or Gold. There are the usual Berry Bushes for a renewable food source, as well as the usual path blockers of wood, boulders, puddles, holes, and bread that somehow gets left strategically on a blocked path just when you need it the most, not to mention random caches of gold coins. There are also random Minotaurs which at least gets Jason to move from his usual cozy spot, and Levers to toggle bridges and open other areas.
The only features offered in this Collector's Edition version, are 10 pages of Concept Art pictures and 5 Music Soundtracks. There are 29 Achievements to earn, but the trophies are usually still included within the Standard Edition version. There isn't even a Strategy Guide offered, it's just not a CE worthy game, there aren't any Morphs, Puzzle Pieces or Collectibles offered to offset the price difference.
I don't recommend this game.
Embark on an epic adventure through medieval times and help protect a medieval village in this match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
15 of 15 found this review helpful
GOOD MATCH 3 GAME BUT SLOW MOVING AT TIMES
PostedSeptember 30, 2018
pennmom36
fromGreat concepts and features, definitely worth buying!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I really like the features available in this Swap type Match 3 game, but I hated how long it took between levels. You have to wait for the power-ups to finish doing their thing, then it takes a while to load the Score Board, then the "loading" page appears, then you have to go to the Village and buy the available building (which btw are priced too high after the demo) then you have to go into the Trophy section to "claim" your award, click the play button once you arrive at the levels map, another brief loading page and finally onto the actual level to play. I guess I don't have enough patience because I'd much rather zip through this scenario, or at least have the option to bypass some of it. Other than that, the Match 3 game itself is really entertaining, and there are 100 Levels available.
You can play in a Relaxed Untimed Mode, a Limited Moves Challenge Mode or a Limited Time Mode and then you get to choose an Expert or Casual Mode of Difficulty within whichever mode of gameplay you chose which is really cool. There are 18 different Trophies to earn and several categories within such as 0/48 % achieved. You have to Claim your trophy whenever you earn one. This is stored inside the Book which has your Goals, Instructions, and Trophies (a number appears inside the trophy tab to alert you when it's available to claim.
Large matches earn a Bonus on the board that can be double clicked on or swapped with another tile to activate. A Match 4 gives you Dynamite with a 1 Tile surrounding radius, a Match 5 gives you a Bomb with a surrounding 2 tile radius, a Match 6 gives you TNT with a surrounding 3 tile radius.
As you progress Power-ups become available to use at your discretion. The Sword destroys a single chosen tile. A Club destroys a chosen obstacle. A Whirlwind shuffles all of the tiles on the board and Lightning destroys all tiles of whichever tile it's swapped with. You can buy extra Power-ups and buy extra Time or extra Moves with Diamonds you earn as you rebuild the Village and earn Trophies.
There are the usual Obstacles such as Crates, and Earth blocked tiles that require a single match next to them to destroy it. Stone Tiles and Ice Cubes require two matches next to them to destroy. Metal Tiles require 3 matches next to it to destroy and Lava Stones can only be destroyed with the Club Power-up. Gold Cells and Grass filled cells require matches made on them to destroy, and some items require dropping them off of the board by making matches under them. When the Key is dropped to the bottom, it will unlock Hidden parts of the board, and some levels have Portals that will morph you to a different area on the board.
Storm Tale is a really fun Match 3 game, I just wish it didn't take so long between levels. Enjoy the Storm!
I recommend this game!