pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4713
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:May 8, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Discover your inner Chef and open the restaurant of your dreams with this fun time-management game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
63 of 71 found this review helpful
JUST AN AVERAGE TM WITH CLICK & DRAG FEATURESAND NOT REALLY CE WORTHY
PostedJuly 31, 2018
pennmom36
fromAt least I didn't have to make a Green Bean Pizza like I did in Happy Chef 2!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Haunted Domains
(48)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've never been a fan of Click & Drag types of Time Management games, so for me, this was just an okay game, neither bad nor good. You can play in a Relaxed or Normal Mode of Difficulty, and there are 100 Achievements to earn. Every time you earn an Achievement you will also earn a Golden Ladle which can be used to purchase various Kitchen Improvements.
In this CE version, there is a Survival Mode feature that allows you to play an Endless Mode. You get 3 Lives in Survival Mode, and you continue to play non-stop for Points (not Coins) until you lose 3 customers. This CE version also has 3 Wallpapers available to download, which isn't really all that special when you consider that this version costs twice as much as the SE version!
Customers arrive at the counter with a thought bubble of food or beverages they desire. The kitchen is a food prep table located in front of the counter, and you need to prepare the food exactly as shown on their thought bubble including appropriate condiments and sides. After the food is correctly prepared, you click the item(s) and drag it to the correct customer, and click the coins they leave on the counter to allow room for other customers. You can replay any level to try for an expert status score, and in the Mini-Game section, you can earn extra coins, by moving the character to collect various food and bonuses before the timer runs out.
There is a Hot Plate for grilling certain meats and veggies, and if you leave the food on the grill too long, it will burn and you'll have to throw it away. In the Workshop prep area, food items need a two-step process. Omelets need to be flipped halfway through cooking, and omelets can also burn if left in the skillet too long or isn't flipped in time. After each level, you can use the coins you earned to buy food items that are more elaborate which customers are willing to pay more for. Each food item can be upgraded 3 times.
Upgrades can be made to the Kitchen's Interior, such as chairs, tables, lamps etc. that will improve customer's patience levels, which ultimately net larger tips. In the Kitchen Aids section, you can use the Ladles you earned with Achievements, to purchase automated features that will help with trivial tasks, such as preparing quick meals, automatically collecting the money, or removing burnt food automatically.
If you like the click-hold-drag type of Diner-Dash Time Management games, I think you will enjoy Happy Chef because it is a well-made game with good feathers otherwise. However, I just don't see a Collector's Edition value and would recommend the Standard Edition version over this Collector's Edition version, if you can wait a month or so for its release.
HAPPY CHEF SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's/Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's/Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Happy Chef 1 SE only (January 9-2012) 3.4
2-Happy Chef 2 SE only (August 6-2013) 3.4
3-Happy Chef 3 CE (July 31-2018) n/a
2-Happy Chef 2 SE only (August 6-2013) 3.4
3-Happy Chef 3 CE (July 31-2018) n/a
by: Nordcurrent LTD Games
Solve the mystery of the Werewolf Shadow in this exciting time management adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
82 of 90 found this review helpful
ROSE RIDDLE ROCKS!
PostedJuly 30, 2018
pennmom36
fromOh noooo...not his gumdrop buttons!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Rose Riddle is a different kind of Time Management game, and I can't wait for the next installment! Not only is this a fantastic TM game that's incredibly fun, but it has a fantastical storyline to boot. I love the way they use the beloved fairy-tale characters of yesteryear as if they were real people. Although you don't have to play the first Rose Riddle to follow the storyline of this game, I highly recommend you do, because it tells how Rose Riddle became the detective in this magical mystery land, plus it's just as good as this edition!
The Gingerbread Man has been attacked! (it's possible they were just looking for a snack) have no fear, for Rose Riddle, is on the case, the problem is, her sidekick partner is quite the Beast (no really, he's a Beast) and it just so happens that he had a horrible nightmare about the attack last night. Did he have a premonition, or did the beast inside cut loose?
There are the usual TM tasks of repairing roads and bridges, clearing debris and puddles from the roads, building farms and cafe's to produce food, Banks to earn money etc. There are also unusual TM tasks like planting magic beans that grow to use as ladders to reach rooftops, magic carpets to fly to inaccessible places, moving cars parked in the way, chasing off flying monkeys and investigating crime scenes for evidence. Soda is a commodity in fairy-land, the more you collect the better everyone works, and by better, I mean faster because collecting soda recharges the bonus icon to speed up workers and make them more productive. There are several different machines available that produce construction materials, money etc, but they eventually run out of resources. There is a number icon above the machines that indicate how many times you can collect resources from each one.
I was really surprised that this second Rose Riddle wasn't offered as a Collector's Edition like the first Rose Riddle was. I suspect that the CE version wasn't as successful as the Standard Edition was, but honestly, I probably would have purchased this game even if it was a CE because I wouldn't have had the patience to wait a whole month to buy it! Don't be afraid of the big bad wolf, this is a must-have game for TM fans, enjoy!
ROSE RIDDLE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Fairy Tale Detective CE (October 24-2017) 4.2
-The Fairy Tale Detective SE ((November 22-2017) 4.5
2-Werewolf Shadow SE only (July 30-2018) n/a
-The Fairy Tale Detective SE ((November 22-2017) 4.5
2-Werewolf Shadow SE only (July 30-2018) n/a
by: Yustas Games Studio
I recommend this game!
Can you escape a madman on the Island of Fog?
Overall rating
3
/
5
51 of 62 found this review helpful
NEVER TRUST FOGG
PostedJuly 30, 2018
pennmom36
fromIt's no house on the hill
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game is so easy you could complete it blindfolded! Not only is this a short game you can complete in about 2 hours or so (3 short chapters) but it also has every cliche HOPA world tasks imaginable. Jug of magical oil to remove 30 years of rust and decay, check. A rusty dull knife that gets discarded after one use once it's sharpened, check. A random item that's been sewn into a pillow, obvious check. A Broken lens that apparently is the standard size for every lens ever made, check, and another check because it's always just a single lens that's cracked. Cobwebs you just can't bring yourself to remove by hand even though you fear for your life, giant check. Wax from a candle to remove because nobody ever uses a candlestick to catch the dripping wax, check. (because the candlestick is always used in the HOS) Flint & Steel to light something just before finding a modern-day lighter, check (usually requiring oil, fuel, fluid and/or a wick). A flashlight with old batteries and/or bulb, check. Important and useful tools discarded only to realize you could have used it in the very next scene, double, check!
Have you ever noticed that when you use an item that gets discarded after it's maiden voyage, that the item just goes poof! and completely disappears into oblivion, even though you haven't moved? Where did it go? Did it join my sock in sock heaven? Did a random animal steal it while I wasn't looking only to hold it hostage until the next random, unsuspecting HOPA player comes along? Will I find the hammer that went, poof! buried in the dirt on the next game I play? Will the saw that just went, poof! show up in the bonus chapter entangled in vines with thorns the size of tyrannosaurus claws? Is there a HOPA cleptomaniac that has an entire shed filled with these discarded items, laughing hysterically as they watch me risk life and limb to find the correct, sturdy hand and footholds to climb my way up a cliffside after falling because I just had to have that backpack slightly out of reach? Would I have this much time to think of all these random thoughts if the game hadn't been so easy and predictable?...check!
The Hidden Object Scenes are downright boring and most of them are the same type. You'll find 4 items to place onto their Silhouetted Shapes that will open the List of items to find. The Silhouetted items are impossible to miss because the cursor turns into a hand when you scan across the items needed. The scenes are repeated shortly afterward with a Matching Pairs HOS. In the CE version, most of the HOS have a Morphing Object, I say most because when the scene is repeated, there aren't any morphs available, and there are no alternate puzzles offered.
The Mini-Games are rather easy for the most part, even though some are available in a Normal or Hard difficulty mode. One of the achievements available to earn is for completing 18 Super Puzzles. This intrigued my interest enough to purchase this game (on a sale of course) but I have completed 2 of the 3 chapters and have yet to see a "super" puzzle. The Hidden Signs claim that finding them will unlock Bonus Content, so hopefully, the super puzzles are still to come?? Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Unlock the handcuffs by dragging the hairpins.
2-Turn all of the tiles red in a limited amount of moves.
3-Use directional arrows to move tokens to their matching slots.
4-Light the correct tiles according to the clue, 1 may affect others.
5-Swap portraits to their matching silhouettes on the wall.
6-Swap adjacent disc portions to complete the image.
7-Move food items into the correct compartments.
8-Light the correct squares on the grid by selecting +,-,x
9-Drop all skeletons off the board in a swap type Match 3 game.
10-Draw a line between each matching gem without crossing the lines.
2-Turn all of the tiles red in a limited amount of moves.
3-Use directional arrows to move tokens to their matching slots.
4-Light the correct tiles according to the clue, 1 may affect others.
5-Swap portraits to their matching silhouettes on the wall.
6-Swap adjacent disc portions to complete the image.
7-Move food items into the correct compartments.
8-Light the correct squares on the grid by selecting +,-,x
9-Drop all skeletons off the board in a swap type Match 3 game.
10-Draw a line between each matching gem without crossing the lines.
The Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 6 Music Soundtracks, 15 Achievements to earn, 32 Hidden Signs (which unlock Bonus Content), 14 Hidden Object Scene Morphing Objects, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide.
TALES OF TERROR SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Crimson Dawn SE ONLY (September 22-2012) 3.4
2-House On The Hill (June 15-2014) 3.8
3-Estate of the Heart (March 13-2016) 3.7
4-Art of Horror (April 28-2017) 3.9
5-The Fog of Madness (July 29-2018) n/a
2-House On The Hill (June 15-2014) 3.8
3-Estate of the Heart (March 13-2016) 3.7
4-Art of Horror (April 28-2017) 3.9
5-The Fog of Madness (July 29-2018) n/a
by: Deep Shadows
I don't recommend this game.
Enjoy an explosive holiday in the tropics with Solitaire Beach Season: Sounds of Waves today!
Overall rating
1
/
5
49 of 53 found this review helpful
OH LOOK, THEY CHANGED THE TITLE, THAT MAKES IT A NEW GAME?
PostedJuly 29, 2018
pennmom36
fromIs anyone else having issues with more than 1 card flipping when you click the deck card pile?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Ancient Tripeaks II
(4)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Here we go again! I don't like to be negative about a game just because I didn't have fun playing it because it's not the dev's fault that it didn't appeal to me personally. But this is an entirely different scenario because the games offered by this particular dev never change, all they do is re-title it or add a number (season 1, season 2) In this case, they offered Solitaire Beach Season 1, 2 and 3 already, so they retitled it to Solitaire Beach Season: Sounds of Waves. The Levels themselves are just recycled layouts taken from the other solitaire games with different backgrounds, how much work does that involve?
That's not even the main reason I dislike these Solitaire Games! My biggest complaint is that #1, they only offer one type of Solitaire game, the Golf type where you play 10 levels with scoring similar to bowling. (in all fairness they also occasionally offer Match 2 cards, Mahjong style solitaire games too, but you still only have to remove the gold cards to win) #2, they only offer the feature of removing the Gold Cards to win and end the level, even if there are a ton of remaining cards on the board. Not being able to remove all of the cards on the board drives me absolutely bonkers! IF this dev would simply tweak this feature to allow for the OPTION of continuing to play after removing all of the gold cards for points, I would be "all in" and I'd climb back on the 8floor train!
You can choose from 9 Themed card decks and 3 different types of face card fonts. You must start the game in Newbie mode until the tutorial shows you all the features or you click to disable the tutorial. Newbie Mode allows you to replay any of the 10 levels in a deck as often as you'd like, and the Professional mode only allows you to replay the entire 10 level pack. In the case of a perfect score, the points of the current level will be added to the points of the next level similar to bowling scores.
The only features offered are Jokers, a Shuffle feature and an Undo feature, that can be purchased in the shop. Cards that have a Star on the top left are special Bonus Cards that usually give you +499 Coins, but sometimes gives you a Mulligan's (undo) a Joker (wildcards) or a Shuffle (shuffles the cards and re-deals new ones) The goal of each level is to remove the Gold cards from the board which will give you the maximum amount of points, even if other cards remain on the board.
I just hate that I can't play until I remove all of the cards from the board. This is just another boring, Golf/Bowling type Solitaire game that is exactly the same as all of the other solitaire games by this dev. I just can't give kudos to a dev that never bothers to change any feature or add features that we continue to ask for time and time again, but if they do, I'll be more than happy to give them a more positive review!
SOLITAIRE BEACH SEASON SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Solitaire Beach Season 1 (September 8-2015) 2.4
2-Solitaire Beach Season 2 (September 12-2016) 1.9
3-Solitaire Beach Season 3 (June 11-2018) 2.2
4-Solitaire Beach Season: Sounds of Waves (July 29-2018) n/a
by: 8 Floor LTD. Games
2-Solitaire Beach Season 2 (September 12-2016) 1.9
3-Solitaire Beach Season 3 (June 11-2018) 2.2
4-Solitaire Beach Season: Sounds of Waves (July 29-2018) n/a
by: 8 Floor LTD. Games
I don't recommend this game.
Turn back the hands of time to free the Lost Lands!
Overall rating
5
/
5
273 of 318 found this review helpful
THIS IS WHAT A 5-BN STAR GAME LOOKS LIKE BRAVO devs!
PostedJuly 28, 2018
pennmom36
fromThe largest spider in the world is the Golaith bird-eating Tarantula. They can reach up to a foot in body length with an 11" leg span & 1" fangs. It's the size of a dinner plate & weighs the same as a newborn puppy. Females can live up to 25 years!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Holy Arachnoids, those spiders are ginormous! Mistakes have been made in the past alright, a deadly Black Widow Spider must have hooked up with Godzilla! Susan has been summoned once again to the Lost Lands, but something's definitely different this time. (did I mention there are ginormous spiders?) This isn't the Lost Lands of the past, and Maaron is nowhere to be seen. If Maaron didn't summon Susan, who did, and why?
Lost Lands is one of my favorite game series, (& my favorite dev) I fell in love with it the moment little Jimmy got swallowed by a tree! Susan is a relatable character, and this dev does an amazing job connecting you emotionally to the storyline. The CG graphic video cutscenes are extremely realistic, but what I like the most about Lost Lands, is that it's not a cookie-cutter game, they never are. You probably won't come across all the standard cliche tasks like wrapping a rag around a shard of glass and finding a smoker to drive away bees, and that's so refreshing and so appreciated! Another cool feature they offer is that for each group of collections, morphs and manuscripts completed, you will earn an Achievement AND you'll receive a new Puzzle or Mini-Game in the Bonus Levels section! (Collector's Edition version only)
The Hidden Object Scenes are Interactive-Progressive Silhouetted-Shape Puzzles. If you are not familiar with this type of Hidden Object Scene, you're in for a treat, because nobody does this style of HOP as well as this developer, and all of their games have it! You must find an object within the scene, that matches one of the Silhouetted Shapes shown in the Inventory Bar. Then you click on various Zoom Zones to find where the item can be used Interactively, which will expose the next Silhouetted Shape item that will be used in the next Zoom Zone until you Progress through all of the items. There is usually a small puzzle to solve as well. I love this type of HOP, they aren't just brainless click-fests, and they are really fun to solve!
The Mini-Games are awesome! Many of the puzzles make you refer to your good old-fashioned Journal, remember those days! I've always thought mini-games were lame when a slip of paper would appear with the solution code written on it. Why do they even bother including a game that has already solved it..it says everything you have to do, right in front of your face! I love the journal aspect, and it would be even more awesome if the entry wasn't needed to solve an immediate puzzle, but rather several pages later, so you'd have to scan through the journal entries to find what you need. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Place various sized boards w/o overlapping to create stairs.
2-Unscramble the stone letter blocks to create the correct name.
3-Enter the correct code you've seen before, or refer to the journal.
4-Open all clamps in the correct order by trial & error.
5-Place figurines so that they are all holding hands around the circle.
6-Enter the correct date and time you heard earlier or refer to your journal.
7-Create a path to get new boards & then to connect 3 dots.
8-Scan the area with a magnet to find the hidden item.
2-Unscramble the stone letter blocks to create the correct name.
3-Enter the correct code you've seen before, or refer to the journal.
4-Open all clamps in the correct order by trial & error.
5-Place figurines so that they are all holding hands around the circle.
6-Enter the correct date and time you heard earlier or refer to your journal.
7-Create a path to get new boards & then to connect 3 dots.
8-Scan the area with a magnet to find the hidden item.
This Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art Pictures, 16 Movie Video Cutscenes, 8 Music Soundtracks, 22 re-playable Mini-Games, 7 re-playable Puzzles, (more are added when you complete the collections, morphs & manuscripts) 22 Achievements to earn, 7 Collectible Posters, 7 Collectible Bloody Palms, 8 Collectible Funeral Urns, 8 Collectible Arachnoid Gold Spiders, 12 Collectible Roses, 9 Collectible Lost Lands Manuscripts, 30 Morphing Objects (Custom mode allows you to turn on/off the option of the cursor changing over collectibles & on/off option of showing collectibles on the Map) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (very long chapters) enjoy the past!
LOST LANDS SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Dark Overlord (February 22-2014) 4.4
2-The Four Horsemen (January 15-2015) 4.6
3-The Golden Curse (November 7-2015) 4.5
4-The Wanderer (October 25-2016) 4.3
5-Ice Spell (September 12-2017) 4.8
6-Mistakes of the Past (July 28-2018) n/a
2-The Four Horsemen (January 15-2015) 4.6
3-The Golden Curse (November 7-2015) 4.5
4-The Wanderer (October 25-2016) 4.3
5-Ice Spell (September 12-2017) 4.8
6-Mistakes of the Past (July 28-2018) n/a
by: Five-BN Games
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save your brother before your kingdom is destroyed?
Overall rating
3
/
5
36 of 40 found this review helpful
TRUE BLOOD
PostedJuly 27, 2018
pennmom36
fromMaybe it's just Vamperina?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Midnight Castle
(465)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It's time for another journey to the Castle. Midnight Castle fans know that it's not about what happens in the Castle, it's all about the journey to the Castle. This is a Castle Calling you might not want to answer on your journey, and especially not at Midnight, but if you're Arabella, the things that go bump in the night are probably just your family members!
Good news! There are NO gadgets involved! Bad news, there is a Kitten Helper! Good news, you can opt to leave her where you found her! Although I'm not a fan of most helpers (Elf, Tom & Mr. Jenkins are the exceptions) I still chose to let her tag along for 2 reasons. I wanted to be able to report how intrusive or annoying she was, and I'm happy to report that she was barely noticeable, plus I thought she was rather cute and unusual looking.
In the Collector's Edition version, there are Morphing Objects to find, but they aren't in every scene, however, most of the scenes also have Stained Glass puzzle pieces. The CE version also features 12 Statue Figurines of all the Midnight Calling Characters from Anabel to the Wise Dragon, which I thought was a cool idea, but the collectibles and Morphs are fairly large and hard to miss.
My only complaint is that I'd love to see more realistic graphics versus the cartoon style graphics this series has. I realize this is a Fantasy Themed genre game, but everything is so large and plain looking, the colors are nice, but if they opted for CG graphics they could totally pull this genre off and appeal to more fans. There are several "logic fails" right from the get-go too, like when the druid disappears through brambles that were so thick it required me to find and use a tool two seconds later! There are also several tried and true HOPA cliche items used throughout the game, the famous container of Magic Oil that removes 30 years worth of rust, a glass shard knife, a hive of angry bees and of course, a vial of green acid that eats through a solid chunk of metal instantly.This dev either has some sort of love connection with cliche,cookie-cutter, staple HOPA features, or lacks enough imagination to think outside the box, because all of their games basically have the same tasks, there's always going to be a key inside of a nest, a cobweb covering a much needed item etc.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Silhouetted Shape finds, Multiple finds, Interactive List finds and Progressive Interactions. Some of the HOP's were quite creative in the way they were presented and the locations themselves were beautiful, but they are much better after the demo where they become more complex. There are several smaller zoom zone HOP's or several objects to find once you open an interactive inventory item. There are no morphs and no alternate games available in either version.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Silhouetted Shape finds, Multiple finds, Interactive List finds and Progressive Interactions. Some of the HOP's were quite creative in the way they were presented and the locations themselves were beautiful, but they are much better after the demo where they become more complex. There are several smaller zoom zone HOP's or several objects to find once you open an interactive inventory item. There are no morphs and no alternate games available in either version.
The Mini-Games tend to be on the easy-breezy side of the spectrum, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, easy can be fun too. Here's a list of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Move the ball through the maze by choosing highlighted areas.
2-Select highlighted areas to move 3 balls avoiding the moving pointers.
3-Rotate disk rings to create the image.
4-Rotate 4 circle wedges until they connect within the circle.
5-Use directional arrows to steer the boat and avoid obstacles.
2-Select highlighted areas to move 3 balls avoiding the moving pointers.
3-Rotate disk rings to create the image.
4-Rotate 4 circle wedges until they connect within the circle.
5-Use directional arrows to steer the boat and avoid obstacles.
The Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 9 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, a Secret Room with 6 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 re-playable Mini-Games, 28 Morphing Objects, 32 Collectible Stained Glass Pieces (Photo Album) 12 Midnight Calling Character Figurines, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (sequel pirate themed game) and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy your Castle journey!
MIDNIGHT CALLING SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
*Midnight Castle (December 20-2013) 4.0
1-Anabel (October 16-2015) 3.8
2-Jeronimo (July 10-2016) 4.1
3-Valeria (February 17-2017) 3.1
4-Wise Dragon (September 15-2017) 4.6
5-Arabella (July 27-2018)
1-Anabel (October 16-2015) 3.8
2-Jeronimo (July 10-2016) 4.1
3-Valeria (February 17-2017) 3.1
4-Wise Dragon (September 15-2017) 4.6
5-Arabella (July 27-2018)
by: Elephant Games
I recommend this game!
Take a romantic summer journey through the Italian countryside while solving mosaic puzzles.
Overall rating
3
/
5
31 of 34 found this review helpful
SPRING IN JAPAN, SUMMER IN ITALY, FALL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
PostedJuly 27, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I loved the first game in this series, Sprind in Japan, but Summer in Italy didn't thrill me as much. It also doesn't seem to work well with my magic mouse which has no buttons so on several occassions I would get the opposite response, mostly as I chose to X a cell by right-clicking, the game would see it as filling in the cell and count as a mistake made.
Both games create images that are reconizable and both games are visually stunning. They use colors that really pop, like jet black next to cherry red, unlike most Mosaic games that tend to use colors like bubblegum pink, chalky blue, purple-nurple, ghastly green grenade, your grandma's yellow stove, and hazle-walnut mocha from the gas station colors.
You can choose from 3 different difficulty modes, Bronze (Easy) which gives you a 30-second refill timer, 5 Lives, 9 Shovels to reveal a single cell and 3 bombs to remove a 3x3 grid. Silver (Medium) gives you a 60-second hint refill timer, 3 Lives, 6 Shovels and 2 Bombs. Gold (Hard) gives you a 120-second hint refill timer, 1 Life, 3 Shovels and 1 Bomb.
They fixed the issue with the cumbersome brush cursor from the last game and made it easier to see the numbers that previously blended into the background, but the numbers are still a bit on the small side which may be difficult for some people to see. Other than a few glitches here and there, this is a decent game but has nothing particularly exciting offered.
They fixed the issue with the cumbersome brush cursor from the last game and made it easier to see the numbers that previously blended into the background, but the numbers are still a bit on the small side which may be difficult for some people to see. Other than a few glitches here and there, this is a decent game but has nothing particularly exciting offered.
Can you and your beloved escape a mad composer in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
79 of 96 found this review helpful
WHERE IS THE DARK ROMANCE?
PostedJuly 26, 2018
pennmom36
fromThe Phantom of the Opera is based upon Erik born w/ a disfigured face, abandoned at 8, helped build the Opera Garnier, & rejected by a performer. During renovations his body was found in a secret room he had built, starved to death & heartbroken!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A Performance To Die For is a Domini adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera, originally a series of articles published followed by a novel in 1911, which incredibly, wasn't popular and went out of print. As my fun fact to the left points out, the character is based upon a real person and a real tragedy. The Phantom of the Opera was a man named Erik who helped to construct the Opera and was given his own Box 5. He was rejected by one of the singers at the opera which resulted in his suicide. From his personal box, he fell hopelessly in love, surely convincing himself that she noticed him as well and that the love was mutual. He certainly must have felt that she was as much a part of his life, as she was his, as he watched her amazing performances day after day, it truly was A Performance To Die For!
So as my title asks the question, Where's the Dark Romance? Isn't the Phantom of the Opera supposed to be starstruck in love with the performer? Shouldn't the story be played as the starstruck Phantom and the singer, not the fiance & fiancee?
Oh well, maybe I should write these stories lol. As usual, Dark Romance is one of the few games that has the feature of playing the game with a split personality (how cool would that be!?) actually as playing the game from both character perspectives, as Christine Burns, the singer who has just gotten engaged, and as fiance Raul Delacroix. Fortunately, that's the only gadget, and it's a good gadget to have! There are Opera Posters and Theater Props to collect as well as not so hidden Crystals to find which allows you to virtually buy virtual items for your virtual dressing room. This game has 6 fairly long chapters and the Bonus Chapter is even longer, you get your moneys worth from this game. I loved the Story (although it shouldn't have included the fiance) and I'm not a fan of the blue-green-purple, blurpuleen color hues they can't seem to curb on their games. I felt the game presented no real challenge either, which kept me from "loving" this game. This is a TO-DO kind of game for me personally. When you can finish the demo without pausing to think about what TO-DO, where TO-DO it, or how TO-DO it, you can pretty much count on being able TO-DO everything easily throughout the game.
Oh well, maybe I should write these stories lol. As usual, Dark Romance is one of the few games that has the feature of playing the game with a split personality (how cool would that be!?) actually as playing the game from both character perspectives, as Christine Burns, the singer who has just gotten engaged, and as fiance Raul Delacroix. Fortunately, that's the only gadget, and it's a good gadget to have! There are Opera Posters and Theater Props to collect as well as not so hidden Crystals to find which allows you to virtually buy virtual items for your virtual dressing room. This game has 6 fairly long chapters and the Bonus Chapter is even longer, you get your moneys worth from this game. I loved the Story (although it shouldn't have included the fiance) and I'm not a fan of the blue-green-purple, blurpuleen color hues they can't seem to curb on their games. I felt the game presented no real challenge either, which kept me from "loving" this game. This is a TO-DO kind of game for me personally. When you can finish the demo without pausing to think about what TO-DO, where TO-DO it, or how TO-DO it, you can pretty much count on being able TO-DO everything easily throughout the game.
The Hidden Object Scenes are a bit scarce, and unfortunately, they aren't very impressive. In the demo, there are only a few, the first was a multi-layered scene with Silhouetted Shape finds and an Interactive Listed item find, followed by a Reversed HO scene where you had to take items from the inventory bar and place them into the scene where they logically fit, which were super obvious and not very challenging. You can opt to play a Match 3 Game if you're not thrilled with the HOP's.
I like the fact that Domini always gives you two difficulty mode options on their Mini-Games, Easy and Hard, but wouldn't it be really cool if you could play the game in both modes? I'd love to be able to solve the game on the Easy Mode, and then turn around and complete the same game on the hard mode if I so desired. I realize this game offers re-playable mini-games, but not all of them are offered, and you don't have that option in the SE version. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Move 4 puzzle pieces to the center in the correct order.
2-Guide a ball through the symbol w/o touching the sides.
3-Use the magnifying glass to locate the numbers shown.
4-Untangle the ghostly chains.
5-Light all handcuff components, one may affect others.
6-Swap tiles to complete image, select the knob to change positions.
7-Swap and rotate tiles to complete the image.
8-Apply make-up to match the mirror's reflection.
9-Flip 2 tiles at a time to find matching pairs.
10-Restore the image by selecting a central tile on a disc to rotate the tiles.
2-Guide a ball through the symbol w/o touching the sides.
3-Use the magnifying glass to locate the numbers shown.
4-Untangle the ghostly chains.
5-Light all handcuff components, one may affect others.
6-Swap tiles to complete image, select the knob to change positions.
7-Swap and rotate tiles to complete the image.
8-Apply make-up to match the mirror's reflection.
9-Flip 2 tiles at a time to find matching pairs.
10-Restore the image by selecting a central tile on a disc to rotate the tiles.
This Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 42 Movie Cutscene Videos, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 24 re-playable Mini-Games, 36 Achievements to earn, Missing Journal Notes to discover, 15 Opera Posters and 15 Theater Props to collect, 15 Dressing Room items to buy with 48 collectible Crystals (note: you can opt to disable the "extra indicator icons" in the Custom Setting Mode, otherwise, icons will glow when a collectible is available in that scene or zoom zone) 6 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (very long BC!)
DARK ROMANCE SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Vampire in Love (February 8-2014) 3.9
2-Heart of the Beast (April 23-2015) 3.8
3-The Swan Sonata (October 17-2015) 3.4
4-Kingdom of Death (April 21-2016) 3.9
5-Curse of Bluebeard (October 13-2016) 4.7
6-Romeo and Juliet (February 25-2017) 2.7
7-The Monster Within (September 7-2017) 3.9
8-Winter Lily (January 18-2018) 4.0
9-A Performance to Die For (July 26-2018) n/a
2-Heart of the Beast (April 23-2015) 3.8
3-The Swan Sonata (October 17-2015) 3.4
4-Kingdom of Death (April 21-2016) 3.9
5-Curse of Bluebeard (October 13-2016) 4.7
6-Romeo and Juliet (February 25-2017) 2.7
7-The Monster Within (September 7-2017) 3.9
8-Winter Lily (January 18-2018) 4.0
9-A Performance to Die For (July 26-2018) n/a
by Domini Games
I recommend this game!
Camelot has found a new ally, but needs your help to secure the alliance!
Overall rating
5
/
5
106 of 115 found this review helpful
CAMELOT STILL AWAITS
PostedJuly 25, 2018
pennmom36
fromFYI: you can unlock an extra mini-game, but first, you have to figure out where it's hidden!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
The Chronicles of Emerland Solitaire
(147)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I waited 3 long years to return to Camelot, but this game was worth the wait! The graphics are decent, but I wasn't blown away by them, but that's not a deal-breaker for me in a solitaire game. You can play in a Normal or Hard difficulty mode and choose from 5 Card Graphic Design themes and 3 Font styles. There are 16 Trophy Awards available, and you can download 16 Wallpapers as you earn Stars playing the Higher/Lower Solitaire Game.
As you play the Solitaire levels, you will earn resources such as Gold, Food, and Building supplies that will allow you to build the Elven city, houses, bridges, gardens, quarries and even markets to trade goods. After each level, you will return to the elven city where you can click on the resources the previous purchases produced for a constant supply of resources that will allow you to build other structures and hire more workers.
You can purchase 32 different Bonuses in the shop to give you extra undo's, wildcards, and even the privilege to see the next deck card, how man cards remain or even a guaranteed playable first card on every level!
There are Obstacle Cards that require you to uncover the Tool Cards such as Lock & Key Cards, Weed & Sickle Cards, Fire & Ice Cards, Rock & Hammer Cards, Ice & Snow Cards. Tangled Vine Cards require you to play the card twice to remove it, and Suit Cards require you to remove specific Suit Cards of a specific number. Blessed Cards counts as double on the Combo Meter, Cursed Cards don't count as a card being played. With the Growth Counter Card, each time you play a card or flip a deck card, the counter will drop by 1, when it reaches 0, a new card will be added to the board so you'll want to remove this card quickly. Bandit Cards are similar, while it is on the board, each card flipped or played will drop by 1, when it reaches 0, the Bandit will steal 1 card from the deck pile, so you will want to remove this card as soon as possible as well.
I'm a solitaire fan, and this game meets all of my personal requirements, Higher/Lower type, Replayable Levels, the ability to remove all cards, not just special cards, good bonuses available at doable prices, great obstacles, and features, and it's fun to play. I'm going to purchase this game for sure. Camelot awaits! Enjoy :)
AVALON LEGENDS SOLITAIRE SERIES
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
AVALON LEGENDS SOLITAIRE SERIES
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Avalon Legends Solitaire 1 (April 19-2011) 4.3
2-Avalon Legends Solitaire 2 (May 4-2015) 4.6
3-Avalon Legends Solitaire 3 (July 25-2018) n/a
2-Avalon Legends Solitaire 2 (May 4-2015) 4.6
3-Avalon Legends Solitaire 3 (July 25-2018) n/a
by: AnaWiki Games
I recommend this game!
Guide Hika-Ri and Kao-Ri on the adventure of their lives and enjoy countless hours of time management fun on the enchanted island of Tapa-Tui!
Overall rating
4
/
5
57 of 63 found this review helpful
THE MOAI SERIES IS GETTING COMPLICATED LATELY
PostedJuly 24, 2018
pennmom36
fromNot as challenging as #5, but not as frustrating either!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Haunted Domains
(48)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The Moai series has always been one of my favorite Time Management games. The graphics are always good, the tasks and goals are interesting and because you have to use strategy, it makes the game more fun to play. My only concern is that the last couple of games have been much more challenging and somewhat complicated because they've added so many different features. I just hope they don't go overboard with it because I like the fact that these game aren't just a click-fest. You can play in Casual Mode which is untimed, or Normal Mode, and there are 45 Levels and 20 Bonus Levels available.
Each level has Treasure Chests available which contain valuable artifacts and bonuses such as the Sandals of Speed which give the Moai a little more speed to get the job done. There are several different Artifacts to earn that will help you progress, and they can be upgraded twice. The Artifacts are kept in your backpack and you can equip up to 6 items to apply before each level. These artifacts increase resources or productivity of food, stone, wood, gold, iron, or workers and some will decrease the time it takes to recharge. Potions can be crafted once you have collected the ingredients such as a Grain Grower Potion to grow grain faster, a Stone Dresser Potion to speed up quarry production, a Woodcutter Potion to increase sawmill productivity, a Blacksmith Potion to increase the speed of the forge, a Goldminer Potion to increase the speed of mining gold, or a Healing Potion to heal settlers near altars.
There are the standard Time Management tasks to remove obstructions and weeds from pathways, fill in holes along the paths, plant crops for food, harvesting breadfruits, fishing for food, building sawmills and cutting trees for wood, quarries to produce stone, gold mines to build, repair destroyed property, fix broken bridges, collect resources, trade goods at the market and from merchants. Some of the building sites give you the choice of which building to construct, and you'll have to build them strategically in order to complete level goals. (and sometimes build for a period of time and then destroy and build a different type) Trading items with merchants also have several options as well as quantities, which are super exciting, especially when playing in a Timed mode, it truly gets the adrenaline flowing!
Normally, my opinion is that a CE version of a Time Management game is a waste of money, however, this game is somewhat complicated and can benefit from the built-in Strategy Guide. This particular SG is actually quite thorough, it gives a recap of the Goals in a suggestive form, tells you the amount of starting resources, gives you tips to help you strategize, and of course, step-by-step instructions for each level. I referred to the SG several times just to figure out the Haystacks and Signs feature that reveal fruit baskets.
This Collector's Edition has 5 Wallpapers (which are actually vivid and colorful for a change) 10 Character Pictures with bios, 11 Music Soundtracks +Main Theme, 62 Achievements to earn, 45 Main Levels +20 Bonus Levels, and a built-in Strategy Guide, (click on the menu button on the top left of each level and select the guide tab) enjoy!
I recommend this game!