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:
Take a trip on the wildest rails in the west!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 7 found this review helpful
GOLDEN RAILS IS A VALUABLE PACKAGE DEAL!
PostedMay 9, 2023
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
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!
A puzzle collection to celebrate nature's revival!
Overall rating
4
/
5
21 of 40 found this review helpful
PICTURE THIS!
PostedMay 9, 2023
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
You know a developer cares when they keep tweaking games to include new or improved features and that's exactly what Graphium Studios does! The images cover several category genres, and the features are easy to use with plenty of custom settings available.
The categories include Landscape (33) Blossoms (36), Macro (30), Birds (27) Still Life (27), Animals (27) Parks (24), Digital Art (24), and Urban (29) There are 4 puzzle shapes to choose from, a Traditional Jigsaw shape, a Round shape with jagged edges, a Wavy shape, and my personal favorite, a Square with no tabs whatsoever! Puzzles can be assembled in sizes from 6 pieces to over 1500 pieces and you can enable Puzzle piece Rotation, as well as an Edge Piece Sort that places all edge pieces around the puzzle board.
There are several in-game option Tabs as well, you can grab sections of puzzle pieces, there's a normalization option to snap the puzzle back to the center, a Ghosted picture option, a Magnifier Plus or Minus tab (or you can scroll the mouse wheel to enlarge) a Features Guide, and my absolute favorite...a Background Color selector that allows you to choose ANY color you want!
I just have a couple of requests:
1-After completing the border, there is a huge gap where the edge pieces were located. Currently, other than manually grabbing sections and aligning the pieces individually, there isn't a feature that will automatically re-organize the remaining puzzle pieces. One of my favorite puzzle games, Jigsaw Mania, has two amazing tabs to organize with just a click of a button- one that aligns all remaining pieces neatly around the puzzle board, and another that organizes all pieces that have been selected by dragging a box around a group of puzzle pieces, which can then be dragged & placed anywhere on the board.
2-I couldn't hear the pieces "snap" into place even when I turned the music volume down considerably. I think most would agree that this sound needs to be heard a bit better to avoid confusion about whether or not two pieces are adjoined.
3-Even though there is a wide variety of pictures, it would be wonderful if we had the option to download our own pictures! I'm picky about the pictures because I opt for the square puzzle pieces. I like a lot of detail because there are no tabs on a square piece. Having the ability to add our own images means it doesn't matter if the available images are appealing to everyone if they can choose to download their own images.
I just have a couple of requests:
1-After completing the border, there is a huge gap where the edge pieces were located. Currently, other than manually grabbing sections and aligning the pieces individually, there isn't a feature that will automatically re-organize the remaining puzzle pieces. One of my favorite puzzle games, Jigsaw Mania, has two amazing tabs to organize with just a click of a button- one that aligns all remaining pieces neatly around the puzzle board, and another that organizes all pieces that have been selected by dragging a box around a group of puzzle pieces, which can then be dragged & placed anywhere on the board.
2-I couldn't hear the pieces "snap" into place even when I turned the music volume down considerably. I think most would agree that this sound needs to be heard a bit better to avoid confusion about whether or not two pieces are adjoined.
3-Even though there is a wide variety of pictures, it would be wonderful if we had the option to download our own pictures! I'm picky about the pictures because I opt for the square puzzle pieces. I like a lot of detail because there are no tabs on a square piece. Having the ability to add our own images means it doesn't matter if the available images are appealing to everyone if they can choose to download their own images.
nicole746 stop by my forum, I'll be more than happy to help you :) thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
38 of 50 found this review helpful
ARE THERE ANY SET STANDARDS FOR A CE VERSION AT BIG FISH?
PostedMay 9, 2023
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
If BF is going to offer CE versions of every genre now, they need to set some kind of standard because the only difference I can see in this SE version from the CE version is 9 Achievement Trophies! Does anyone consider that to be worth twice as much?
Apparently, there are only four types of restaurant patrons, the Rich Lady, the Merry Fellow, the Grumpy Old Man, and the Absent-Minded kid. They all seem pretty needy to me! Why can't they add a "normal" person who orders his food, tips well, and treats the waitress with the respect she deserves? Waiting on customers in real life is extremely hard work, not to mention that most don't earn minimum wage and rely on tips to make up the difference (just $2.13 per hour!) I'd rather play a restaurant game with normal people who aren't stingy OR rude; otherwise, it's just RL.
The gameplay is almost identical to the Katy & Bob series, with the same exact restaurant setup and features. It is a very glitchy game, and some items don't appear when and where they should, not to mention the fact that new customers instantly replace old ones with the same character at the table. One second, you have an old customer; the next, a new customer morphs into their place without any indication that a new customer has arrived.
The gameplay is almost identical to the Katy & Bob series, with the same exact restaurant setup and features. It is a very glitchy game, and some items don't appear when and where they should, not to mention the fact that new customers instantly replace old ones with the same character at the table. One second, you have an old customer; the next, a new customer morphs into their place without any indication that a new customer has arrived.
You can play in a Timed or Untimed Mode. Four restaurants with 15 levels each: Oriental, Mexican, Bistro, and Hawaiian. The tasks are simple, customers enter and place their order via a thought bubble. Most of the food requires a few steps, such as adding rice from a rice cooker or giving a plate of chicken to the chef to cut. Then you place the raw chicken on the frying pan and magically get a prepared dinner back with several ingredients added. After serving the food to the customer, you click the table to receive tips and serve the next customer, lather, rinse, and repeat.
At the end of each day, you will upgrade kitchen equipment which helps by making food faster, freezing time, or adding a premium selection to earn more money. Some upgrades help keep the customer happy, such as playing music to keep them from leaving.
The characters are constantly bobbing up and down when idle, which I found slightly distracting. The bottom line is that this game is no different than all the other restaurant games by this developer. After playing the demo, I had no desire to continue playing; therefore, nothing about this game makes me want to buy it.
The only difference I can see between the CE version and this SE version is that the CE version has 9 Trophy Achievements available. Big Fish needs to start setting a minimum standard on Collector's Editions now that they are throwing out CE versions of every genre known to man. Come on, really? getting 9 achievements is worth twice as much money!?!
Head on over to The Woods Forum and chat with fellow gamers & reviewers at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Overall rating
3
/
5
43 of 67 found this review helpful
IF THE DEVS COULD ADD MY SCREEN RESOLUTION...
PostedMay 7, 2023
pennmom36
fromდ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I have a large monitor, and this is one of the few games that aren't compatible with my resolution. The icons overlap the settings, and other tabs at the bottom and the edges get cut off. Therefore, I have to play in a windowed mode. When I play in the windowed mode, I have to use the magnifying glass feature the entire time because the items are too small to see. If they could add my resolution (3840 x 1600), I think this would be a great game because the graphics are decent, and it has five different HO modes, as well as flags, seals, and 8-ball collectibles.
Otherwise, the developer did an excellent job blending objects into the scenery; even if they weren't so small, I think they would be challenging to spot.
I did feel that the Floridian scenes were pretty generic because most of the locations were beach Camping, Beach Bars, and a Dolphin Show that could literally be anywhere in Florida versus a specific known tourist attraction. Even when they got specific about a location, it was still pretty basic, such as the scene in Clearwater Beach which was just a Hotel room.
Otherwise, the developer did an excellent job blending objects into the scenery; even if they weren't so small, I think they would be challenging to spot.
I did feel that the Floridian scenes were pretty generic because most of the locations were beach Camping, Beach Bars, and a Dolphin Show that could literally be anywhere in Florida versus a specific known tourist attraction. Even when they got specific about a location, it was still pretty basic, such as the scene in Clearwater Beach which was just a Hotel room.
Although the objects were the same objects in every scene, the objects to find would change with each replay or HO mode selected. Some objects had broad descriptions, such as a Mouse, which was really a Gerbil...apparently, there isn't a developer in the world that knows there is a difference between them, lol. I wish the developer would have been a bit more creative with adding features and wildlife that were specifically native to Florida.
There are 5 Variations of HOGs as you replay the scenes. Listed Items, Silhouetted Shapes, Scrambled Letters, Missing Vowels, and Riddled Clues. The Scenes will have either a US Flag or a Seal to find.
Collecting 60 US Flags will unlock the Unlimited Mode, and finding 60 Seals will unlock 60 Bonus Mini-games. Each scene also has an 8-Ball that is worth 50,000 extra points. Items listed in Blue require an interactive task, such as "placing a spyglass on the stand."
I love the extra collectibles, and there are fun facts too, but I would like to be able to buy something or use my points to unlock a bonus feature; otherwise, what's the "point" of earning points?!?
Collecting 60 US Flags will unlock the Unlimited Mode, and finding 60 Seals will unlock 60 Bonus Mini-games. Each scene also has an 8-Ball that is worth 50,000 extra points. Items listed in Blue require an interactive task, such as "placing a spyglass on the stand."
I love the extra collectibles, and there are fun facts too, but I would like to be able to buy something or use my points to unlock a bonus feature; otherwise, what's the "point" of earning points?!?
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
There are 40 levels in this SE version. The CE version has CE-exclusive levels available, as indicated by a red flag icon. There are 19 Souvenirs, which are actually Achievements (available in both versions). There is a Diary of Fun Facts about Florida (both versions), 60 US Flags that will unlock Bonus Mini-Games, 60 Seals that unlock Unlimited Play, and 60 hidden 8-Balls for 50,000 extra points (available in both versions). Other than getting a handful of extra levels in the CE version, this SE version seems to be the better value.
There are 40 levels in this SE version. The CE version has CE-exclusive levels available, as indicated by a red flag icon. There are 19 Souvenirs, which are actually Achievements (available in both versions). There is a Diary of Fun Facts about Florida (both versions), 60 US Flags that will unlock Bonus Mini-Games, 60 Seals that unlock Unlimited Play, and 60 hidden 8-Balls for 50,000 extra points (available in both versions). Other than getting a handful of extra levels in the CE version, this SE version seems to be the better value.
The Woods Forum is perfect for BF game fans. It's free, and all you have to do is pick a screen name and sign in. Check out the Game Series List, Developer information, or get help with games at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you solve the riddle of the dancing men in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
81 of 131 found this review helpful
THE BEST GAME IN THIS SERIES!
PostedMay 5, 2023
pennmom36
fromდ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4.5 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Expert
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Expert
Let me start by saying that I'm really becoming disgusted by the review system here at Big Fish Games. We're not competing for the position of vice presidency at a major corporation here; we're submitting reviews to help others make decisions on purchasing or playing games, right? At least that's what I thought the objective was, yet we have some reviewers who feel the need to "acquire" the games a day early just so they can be the first to submit a review (why, what's the rush?) This option isn't available to everyone, therefore, it shouldn't be an option for anyone.
Then there are those who decide to abuse the voting system to bash individuals with a ridiculous amount of No votes as if they were a seven-year-old elementary school child pushing kids off the monkey bars at recess. (that's fancy talk for "grow up!") Most Reviewers are submitting reviews because they want to help others; we certainly aren't getting paid to do this, and it's certainly easier to just play a game and not worry about writing a review. Reviews are simply opinions; you may disagree with a reviewer's opinion, and there's nothing wrong with that because differences are what make the world go round!
Lately, the reputation of the review process at Big Fish Games has become about as tarnished as tarnished gets! Piracy and Fraudulent Voting were practices that Paul Thelen would never have tolerated in the past; now, they seem to openly support cyberbullying and cyber fraud. Is this what we've become?
As for Ms. Holmes: The Case of the Dancing Men, it is my opinion that this is absolutely the best game in the series. In fact, I would venture to say that it is one of the best quality games Elephant Games has developed in a long time. The plot pushes along at a good pace, and the tasks are fairly non-repetitive. It did have a few dull moments, but for the most part, it held my interest.
DIALOGUE CHOICES:
Throughout the game, you will choose a conversation response with your sidekick, Oscar. Supposedly, the choices you make affect your relationship with Oscar, and you will probably figure out pretty quickly where it is heading. I felt this option didn't add anything to the story, and I could have done without this overused feature. (used 4 times)
Throughout the game, you will choose a conversation response with your sidekick, Oscar. Supposedly, the choices you make affect your relationship with Oscar, and you will probably figure out pretty quickly where it is heading. I felt this option didn't add anything to the story, and I could have done without this overused feature. (used 4 times)
DEDUCTIONS:
Ms. Homes puts the pieces together to make 4 Deductions by playing a repetitive mini-game where you draw an arrow between tokens in the correct time-line sequence. I grew very board with this mini-game quickly!
Ms. Homes puts the pieces together to make 4 Deductions by playing a repetitive mini-game where you draw an arrow between tokens in the correct time-line sequence. I grew very board with this mini-game quickly!
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHS (CE Bonus Chapter only)
This was the only feature in the game that I felt was a letdown. I miss having Morphing Objects in an Elephant game. The Collectibles were not very interesting, and the Magnifying Glasses in each scene are so obvious it's the first thing you see when entering a new room. Each magnifying Glass converts to a Jigsaw Puzzle piece, allowing you to assemble a 25-piece jigsaw puzzle in the Secret Room (what's so secret about it?) After completing the main game, you can return to any of the scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Magnifying Glass Puzzle Pieces in the Expedition Room.
This was the only feature in the game that I felt was a letdown. I miss having Morphing Objects in an Elephant game. The Collectibles were not very interesting, and the Magnifying Glasses in each scene are so obvious it's the first thing you see when entering a new room. Each magnifying Glass converts to a Jigsaw Puzzle piece, allowing you to assemble a 25-piece jigsaw puzzle in the Secret Room (what's so secret about it?) After completing the main game, you can return to any of the scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Magnifying Glass Puzzle Pieces in the Expedition Room.
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
There are only 9 Hidden Object Scenes +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter, however, there are also 6 Zoom Zone HO's throughout the main game that is actually pretty decent. There are Listed Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Spot the Difference Finds, and Swatches (actually quite challenging) Two of my favorites were finding matching Pairs by removing the hats from gnomes two at a time and one where you had to place items on the shelves according to partial images shown on fragments of a photo.
There are only 9 Hidden Object Scenes +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter, however, there are also 6 Zoom Zone HO's throughout the main game that is actually pretty decent. There are Listed Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Spot the Difference Finds, and Swatches (actually quite challenging) Two of my favorites were finding matching Pairs by removing the hats from gnomes two at a time and one where you had to place items on the shelves according to partial images shown on fragments of a photo.
MINI-GAMES:
There are 21 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Elephant Games rarely disappoint me when it comes to their mini-games because they usually have several mechanical-type puzzles which require some tinkering & thinkering to solve. I enjoyed several of the mini-games, such as swapping rings on hands so the chains in between were related to two similar images, and another where you had to use directional arrows to move two emblems along tracks, using them as bumpers to align them with the slots to their matching places. I didn't have any issues completing the puzzles and didn't feel that any of the mini-games were frustrating. I did have an issue with the Reset button that didn't want to work until I exited out of the puzzle and back in.
There are 21 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Elephant Games rarely disappoint me when it comes to their mini-games because they usually have several mechanical-type puzzles which require some tinkering & thinkering to solve. I enjoyed several of the mini-games, such as swapping rings on hands so the chains in between were related to two similar images, and another where you had to use directional arrows to move two emblems along tracks, using them as bumpers to align them with the slots to their matching places. I didn't have any issues completing the puzzles and didn't feel that any of the mini-games were frustrating. I did have an issue with the Reset button that didn't want to work until I exited out of the puzzle and back in.
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
Olivia rushes to the hospital when her friend Elizabeth is hospitalized. There have been an unusual number of teachers and students becoming mysteriously ill, so Olivia calls in the expert, Sharlotte Holmes, of course! There are 7 additional Mini-Games and 4 Hidden Object Scenes across an additional 8 scene locations. You'll continue your search for the final 3 Collectibles and 8 Magnifying Glasses that convert to jigsaw puzzle pieces.
Olivia rushes to the hospital when her friend Elizabeth is hospitalized. There have been an unusual number of teachers and students becoming mysteriously ill, so Olivia calls in the expert, Sharlotte Holmes, of course! There are 7 additional Mini-Games and 4 Hidden Object Scenes across an additional 8 scene locations. You'll continue your search for the final 3 Collectibles and 8 Magnifying Glasses that convert to jigsaw puzzle pieces.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRA'S:
6 Wallpaper, 1 Screensaver, 0 Video Movie Sequences, 0 Concept Art Pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 20 Achievements, replay 13 Hidden Object Scenes, and 13 Mini-games, 12 Collectibles, 25 Magnifying Glasses that convert to Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room, an Expedition Room (return to scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Magnifying Glasses) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
6 Wallpaper, 1 Screensaver, 0 Video Movie Sequences, 0 Concept Art Pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 20 Achievements, replay 13 Hidden Object Scenes, and 13 Mini-games, 12 Collectibles, 25 Magnifying Glasses that convert to Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room, an Expedition Room (return to scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Magnifying Glasses) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise...join us, won't you? thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
A fun and relaxing hidden-object experience!
Overall rating
4
/
5
36 of 59 found this review helpful
WHAT'S WRONG WITH WANTING TO ESCAPE INTO A NATURE-THEMED GAME?
PostedMay 4, 2023
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I enjoy playing this nature-themed game! The scenes aren't really about plants; they are about beautiful nature scenes. Cherry Blossoms, Hydrangeas, Tulips, Petunias, Orchids, and various succulents from the developer plants are hardly exotic, I have all but one of these flowers in my own garden! As for the unprompted Zoom feature mentioned by cbtx, there are several ways to prompt the scenes to zoom, one of which is to scroll the mouse wheel to enlarge the entire scene. You can also prompt a magnifying glass by right-clicking, but I prefer to enlarge & drag the entire scene, which will solve the issue of trying to spot small objects.
Each scene has a Hidden Photo that converts to Coins that allows you to purchase Plants & Flowers in the My Garden Section. You can even choose where to place the plants or select multiple's of the same plant. You can also click the Camera icon to take a picture of your arrangement and set them as wallpaper. I wish you could place the plants in any arrangement versus placing them on preset snap points, such as grouping a set of plants together.
Each scene also has 3 Shapeshifting, Morphing Objects that are incredibly well blended. They morph at a slow pace and can be quite challenging to spot! (morphs can appear in Zoom Zones too) Each Morph found converts to a flower you can plant in the wild in the Nature Album. I agree that the Morphs are difficult to spot. The developer needs to add a Strategy Guide with their location or add a Morphing Object Hint button.
The Mini-games are nature-related as well. I love the Spot The Difference games and the swap-type puzzles that have multiple shapes to swap.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
18 Scene Locations, +6 Bonus Locations, 12 Bonus Mini-games, 24 Wallpapers, 10 Dev Plants, +5 CE Bonus Plants, 13 Music Soundtracks, 3 Shapeshifting Morphs per scene (converts to puzzle pieces to plant flowers in the Nature Album Section), 1 Hidden Photo per scene (converts to coins to purchase flowers in the My Garden Section), 20 Flowers & Plants to purchase & place (multiples of plants can be selected), and Flower Fun Facts.
Come join us at my new Nature-themed forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
Each scene has a Hidden Photo that converts to Coins that allows you to purchase Plants & Flowers in the My Garden Section. You can even choose where to place the plants or select multiple's of the same plant. You can also click the Camera icon to take a picture of your arrangement and set them as wallpaper. I wish you could place the plants in any arrangement versus placing them on preset snap points, such as grouping a set of plants together.
Each scene also has 3 Shapeshifting, Morphing Objects that are incredibly well blended. They morph at a slow pace and can be quite challenging to spot! (morphs can appear in Zoom Zones too) Each Morph found converts to a flower you can plant in the wild in the Nature Album. I agree that the Morphs are difficult to spot. The developer needs to add a Strategy Guide with their location or add a Morphing Object Hint button.
The Mini-games are nature-related as well. I love the Spot The Difference games and the swap-type puzzles that have multiple shapes to swap.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
18 Scene Locations, +6 Bonus Locations, 12 Bonus Mini-games, 24 Wallpapers, 10 Dev Plants, +5 CE Bonus Plants, 13 Music Soundtracks, 3 Shapeshifting Morphs per scene (converts to puzzle pieces to plant flowers in the Nature Album Section), 1 Hidden Photo per scene (converts to coins to purchase flowers in the My Garden Section), 20 Flowers & Plants to purchase & place (multiples of plants can be selected), and Flower Fun Facts.
Come join us at my new Nature-themed forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Complete wonderful works of art, and let your creativity shine!
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 45 found this review helpful
COLOR MY WORLD...PLEASE
PostedMay 3, 2023
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Modern Art Description: The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation.
After reading the definition of "Modern Art," I can see that these pictures match most of this definition. Art, past, traditions thrown aside, experimentation... are keywords that actually do describe the pictures in this game! Whod've thunk!?
One of the pictures in the demo section was a scene with some sort of bridge at the top. Even the small sample picture shown on the level section looked weird because the bridge section at the top looked like the color was missing. This was one screwed-up picture because several sections in the image matched whichever background color I chose, but none of those sections had numbers associated with the color chart. To make matters worse, the background color kept randomly changing color, even when I was filling in sections on the left side of the page! At first, I thought my mouse cursor had accidentally swiped over the tab to choose a color somehow, but after it changed randomly 6-7 times, I was confident it was just a glitch! I finished the entire picture, and those sections were never filled in with any color; they remained the same color as whatever background color I chose, which made the image look strange and...well, unfinished!
Why are the colors used in these games always so ugly? Why are the sections to fill in either huge or so tiny you can't find them? Why can't they offer pictures that are more intricate, using several color hues so that the pictures are more appealing without being microscopic? Other painting games pull this off quite well!
One of the pictures in the demo section was a scene with some sort of bridge at the top. Even the small sample picture shown on the level section looked weird because the bridge section at the top looked like the color was missing. This was one screwed-up picture because several sections in the image matched whichever background color I chose, but none of those sections had numbers associated with the color chart. To make matters worse, the background color kept randomly changing color, even when I was filling in sections on the left side of the page! At first, I thought my mouse cursor had accidentally swiped over the tab to choose a color somehow, but after it changed randomly 6-7 times, I was confident it was just a glitch! I finished the entire picture, and those sections were never filled in with any color; they remained the same color as whatever background color I chose, which made the image look strange and...well, unfinished!
Why are the colors used in these games always so ugly? Why are the sections to fill in either huge or so tiny you can't find them? Why can't they offer pictures that are more intricate, using several color hues so that the pictures are more appealing without being microscopic? Other painting games pull this off quite well!
Why does the completed image disappear the second you fill in the last section...are they hoping you won't notice how unappealing the finished product is if you can't inspect the completed picture?
Why is the custom cursor the size of a quarter, yet you still have to swipe over an area repeatedly to get the color to fill in? How difficult would it be to offer a couple more cursor options?
Why is the custom cursor the size of a quarter, yet you still have to swipe over an area repeatedly to get the color to fill in? How difficult would it be to offer a couple more cursor options?
It's always colorful in The Woods at my new forum; come check it out! thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Never underestimate an angry elf!
Overall rating
4
/
5
51 of 92 found this review helpful
I LOVE THE HIDDEN TOTEM ANIMALS!
PostedMay 2, 2023
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I wasn't able to play the first Elven Rivers game because it wasn't compatible with my 38" Curved monitor. I love Big City Lab games so I asked the developer to add my resolution and they immediately gathered their resources to activate the Magic Elven Tower... and poof! What a fantastic developer, eh?
You can play in a Normal, Hard, or Chill Out difficulty mode. Although some strategy is involved, it's not a super stressful game and the timer seems fair.
My favorite feature is finding the Animal Totems (bear, owl, deer, raccoon, fish) some of which are hidden pretty well. You will receive one Jigsaw Puzzle Piece for each Totem completed per level. To save time, I search for the totems and then hit the replay button because once you find the totem animals you won't be required to find them when you replay the level. There are also Morphing Art Palettes that allow you to paint three different pictures.
You can play in a Normal, Hard, or Chill Out difficulty mode. Although some strategy is involved, it's not a super stressful game and the timer seems fair.
My favorite feature is finding the Animal Totems (bear, owl, deer, raccoon, fish) some of which are hidden pretty well. You will receive one Jigsaw Puzzle Piece for each Totem completed per level. To save time, I search for the totems and then hit the replay button because once you find the totem animals you won't be required to find them when you replay the level. There are also Morphing Art Palettes that allow you to paint three different pictures.
This Collector's Edition version has 6 Wallpapers, Music Soundtracks, 12 Bonus Levels, and Achievement Trophies. Each Level has 5 hidden Totem Animals and a Morphing Art Palette to paint 3 different pictures.
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I recommend this game!
Help Amanda save a lost civilization in an exhilarating match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
31 of 55 found this review helpful
AMANDA'S MAGIC BOOK AMANDA'S MAGIC BOOK AMANDA'S MAGIC BOOK AMANDA'S...
PostedMay 1, 2023
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Nobody likes a repeat of the same thing, over and over.
This is a fantastic Match 3 game, but surely, everyone has played at least one E-FunSoft game at this point. If you have played any other Match 3 game by this developer, you are 100% familiar with the level layouts. Sure, the icons, music, and storyline have changed, but the game mechanics have not. Why would anyone want to buy a new game if they are getting old, repetitive gameplay?
The only goal really is to make matches over all of the Gold Cells and make the required number of matches of each specified element tile. Some levels have Treasure Chests that can be collected by dropping them off the board when you make matches under them. Some icons are trapped under Spiderwebs or Ropes that require making matches of whatever tile is blocked within them.
This is a fantastic Match 3 game, but surely, everyone has played at least one E-FunSoft game at this point. If you have played any other Match 3 game by this developer, you are 100% familiar with the level layouts. Sure, the icons, music, and storyline have changed, but the game mechanics have not. Why would anyone want to buy a new game if they are getting old, repetitive gameplay?
The only goal really is to make matches over all of the Gold Cells and make the required number of matches of each specified element tile. Some levels have Treasure Chests that can be collected by dropping them off the board when you make matches under them. Some icons are trapped under Spiderwebs or Ropes that require making matches of whatever tile is blocked within them.
Powerups with various abilities are added at the start of each level, two at a time. The powerups are always the same; they just change the name, such as a Belaii Axe to clear a single tile, or a Belaii Hunting Knife to clear a 5-tile radius horizontally.
Bonus Bombs are added to the board as well; a Match 5 awards you a Medium Bomb on the board to clear an 8-tile radius, a Match 6 awards you a Large Bomb to clear a 12-tile radius, and a Match 7 awards a Massive Bomb to clear a 20-tile radius.
Once again, you will earn a single star per level. The stars are used to purchase 4 World Upgrades to progress to the next Chapter. There are no options for choosing or placing the upgrades. This scenario takes forever just to get to the "skip" feature. There's a lot of meaningless dialogue between characters which makes it feel more like a chore. It would be more interesting if we could actually "choose" options, such as which building to construct, or where to place them...it would be even more interesting if we could choose between 3 different options of varying styles, but these beloved options may be a coding feature that this developer isn't familiar with??
Have you been to The Woods Forum yet? We all love games and you'll never find a more friendly group of people! Stop by and see for yourself at thewoodsforum.boards.net
Have you been to The Woods Forum yet? We all love games and you'll never find a more friendly group of people! Stop by and see for yourself at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Sometimes there is far more than meets the eye.
Overall rating
3
/
5
40 of 68 found this review helpful
ABC ••• EASY AS 123
PostedApril 30, 2023
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game in about 7.0 hours
22 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
22 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
"Solving this case is as easy as ABC" couldn't be a more accurate statement! Put yourself on auto-pilot and start clicking to figure out why someone is murdering people in alphabetical order. You know what to do, Fix that leaky steam pipe, fix that wheelbarrow blocking your path so you can expose that freshly dug pile of dirt, look for a coin screwdriver, use that cork as a handle, find something to clean up the pile of glass shards, find matching motifs to open drawers, prop up that sofa that is missing a leg, (why would a sofa be missing one leg in the 1st place?) use something to rip out stitches because someone decided to sew something into the lining of a brand new coat. Of course, you will need that hairpin spoke the detective endowed you with! The murderer will be pretty easy to spot in a crowd; just look for someone wearing a cloaked hoodie! When you get finished with all these tasks....don't worry; chapter two will give you another chance to complete the same tasks, lather, rinse, repeat!?!
DIALOGUE CHOICES:
If the game isn't boring you out of your mind, you can opt for extended gameplay via Conversation Choices. The story itself will not be affected if you opt out, but if you opt in, you will get an extra quest with additional puzzles and HO scenes. This option would be fantastic if the tasks weren't so cliché and repetitive. Can you imagine this feature in a game like Lost Lands?!
If the game isn't boring you out of your mind, you can opt for extended gameplay via Conversation Choices. The story itself will not be affected if you opt out, but if you opt in, you will get an extra quest with additional puzzles and HO scenes. This option would be fantastic if the tasks weren't so cliché and repetitive. Can you imagine this feature in a game like Lost Lands?!
COLLECTIBLES/MORPHING OBJECTS (CE version only)
Can't they come up with anything different to add or change? Okay, in all fairness, they did change one of the collectibles in the last game to 14 versus the usual 15 per game! Does that count as a change? There are 15 Miniature Invention items, 15 Morphing Evidence items, and 70 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase 15 uninteresting Boudoir items. I'm sorry, but purchasing 15 Boudoir items such as a hat or a dollhouse just screams, "we don't really care about this CE extra, but BF makes us add them" Is it because you don't care what the player thinks, or you just don't want to have to recode a game to make the collectibles more appealing?
Can't they come up with anything different to add or change? Okay, in all fairness, they did change one of the collectibles in the last game to 14 versus the usual 15 per game! Does that count as a change? There are 15 Miniature Invention items, 15 Morphing Evidence items, and 70 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase 15 uninteresting Boudoir items. I'm sorry, but purchasing 15 Boudoir items such as a hat or a dollhouse just screams, "we don't really care about this CE extra, but BF makes us add them" Is it because you don't care what the player thinks, or you just don't want to have to recode a game to make the collectibles more appealing?
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
WOW! They have really lowered the standards on a lot of these HO scenes! Several of the HO scenes are identical to the scenes offered in their simple HOGs (Connected Worlds & The Intersection of Worlds) This is where they list 3 words at a time, some of which are x3 (multiple's of the same object) and as the player finds an item, another listed word takes its place. If you have played the HOGs mentioned above, you will realize that the objects aren't hidden, and the HO scene is over within seconds! There are also Interactive Listed Items, Silhouetted Shapes, Spot the Differences, Find & Replace, and Keywords in Sentence Finds. Many of the scenes are dark, which makes it difficult to recognize objects...I don't consider this to be "challenging" just because they have poor graphics! The HO scenes are located in uninteresting and very typical locations. They were so boring that I opted to play the Alternate Match 3 game which was slightly less boring.
WOW! They have really lowered the standards on a lot of these HO scenes! Several of the HO scenes are identical to the scenes offered in their simple HOGs (Connected Worlds & The Intersection of Worlds) This is where they list 3 words at a time, some of which are x3 (multiple's of the same object) and as the player finds an item, another listed word takes its place. If you have played the HOGs mentioned above, you will realize that the objects aren't hidden, and the HO scene is over within seconds! There are also Interactive Listed Items, Silhouetted Shapes, Spot the Differences, Find & Replace, and Keywords in Sentence Finds. Many of the scenes are dark, which makes it difficult to recognize objects...I don't consider this to be "challenging" just because they have poor graphics! The HO scenes are located in uninteresting and very typical locations. They were so boring that I opted to play the Alternate Match 3 game which was slightly less boring.
ALTERNATE MATCH 3 GAME:
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene. NOTHING has changed in this Match 3 game for decades! Not only are the icons & features exactly the same in every match 3 game, but you cannot make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match.
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene. NOTHING has changed in this Match 3 game for decades! Not only are the icons & features exactly the same in every match 3 game, but you cannot make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match.
MINI-GAMES:
They did try to add a few new games, one of which I just couldn't figure out why my solution wasn't correct when sliding icons to the correct spot according to the clue shown. I finally referred to the SG where they were showing the placement of one of the icons, which was nowhere near the location of the clue shown. All the other icons were correct and did match the clue shown, so the only thing I can figure out is that it was a glitch of some sort. I really enjoyed the Key puzzle; although there have been several variations of this game in the past, it was still fun to swap key sections on the left & right to align 2 sections because the sections that matched were hidden behind a panel.
They did try to add a few new games, one of which I just couldn't figure out why my solution wasn't correct when sliding icons to the correct spot according to the clue shown. I finally referred to the SG where they were showing the placement of one of the icons, which was nowhere near the location of the clue shown. All the other icons were correct and did match the clue shown, so the only thing I can figure out is that it was a glitch of some sort. I really enjoyed the Key puzzle; although there have been several variations of this game in the past, it was still fun to swap key sections on the left & right to align 2 sections because the sections that matched were hidden behind a panel.
BONUS CHAPTER (CE Version Only)
In the Bonus Chapter, you play as Fred Jones, a character from the main chapter who is being sued by a famous actress who claims Mr. Jones used inferior materials that caused an allergic reaction. There are 10 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes taking place over 9 additional scene locations. You will continue searching for the final 5 Morphing Evidence items, 4 Miniature Inventions, and 9 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase the final items in the Boudoir.
In the Bonus Chapter, you play as Fred Jones, a character from the main chapter who is being sued by a famous actress who claims Mr. Jones used inferior materials that caused an allergic reaction. There are 10 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes taking place over 9 additional scene locations. You will continue searching for the final 5 Morphing Evidence items, 4 Miniature Inventions, and 9 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase the final items in the Boudoir.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS: (CE version only)
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Movie Video Cutscenes, 38 Achievements, 21 Replayable Mini-Games, 23 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Miniature Invention items, 15 Morphing Evidence items, and 70 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase 15 uninteresting Boudoir items, 4 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Movie Video Cutscenes, 38 Achievements, 21 Replayable Mini-Games, 23 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Miniature Invention items, 15 Morphing Evidence items, and 70 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase 15 uninteresting Boudoir items, 4 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
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I don't recommend this game.