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:
You'll die in three days if you can't uncover the truth!
Overall rating
4
/
5
31 of 36 found this review helpful
LOVED THIS GAME FROM START TO FINISH (but I definitely prefer the CE version)
PostedJuly 1, 2018
pennmom36
fromLook, I'm gonna need 73 hours, this place is a mess!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
There are so few games nowadays that have a decent storyline to go along with fantastic graphics and decent puzzles, not to mention, worthy Hidden Object Scenes. This game held my interest from beginning to end, in fact, I thought it became more interesting as the story progressed. I wish the plot had more twists, but other than that, I was more than satisfied with my purchase of the CE version. My personal preference is with the CE because it had a lot of decent extras, and they didn't stick out like a sore thumb like most games. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either is right for you:
Rick Rogers was determined to make a fresh start after a rocky relationship and betrayal by his best friend. Everything he owned was packed into his car, and the road home seemed unusually long. Route 39 was a lonely stretch of highway, there wasn't a soul in sight for miles, until a hitchhiker appeared around the bend. Rick knew better than to pick up a stranger, but after all, they were in the middle of nowhere, and she was quite beautiful, what could possibly go wrong? Everything goes wrong! Rick should have kept driving that fateful day because now his time is limited, just 3 days, Rick has been given a mere three days to live or 3 days to survive! Tick, tock!
Welcome back Elephant! Just a few weeks ago I was writing about how disappointed I was that this dev had seemingly abandoned the creepy graphics style that drew me in hook, line, and sinker when I first discovered their popular series with the tiny little Elf dog (can I say the title?) So now I can say once more "NOBODY does creepy, abandoned, paranormal like this dev!" <insert handful of peanuts> This is the kind of plot that keeps you on the edge of your computer seat, one that you can't stop playing because it keeps leading you along with teasers, twists, and turns. Personally, I haven't felt this excited about playing a game after the demo in a long, long time because they usually fizzle after the climactic demo ending as if they had run out of ideas. <insert more peanuts because they deserve royal treatment> Thank you for providing this Masterpiece! This game deserves an award for its genius storyline, and creepy graphics! <so here's more peanuts>
In the Collector's Edition version there are Hidden Eyes or Hidden Ravens in each scene and each scene has a Morphing Object. My only complaint is that the cursor turns to a hand when it scans across an item, but I worked around that by not moving my mouse until I found the collectibles.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Pictured Items, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Sketches Finds and Multiples of the Same Item Finds. Many of the HOP's are smaller Zoom Zone's, and most are located in interesting scenes. I really liked the HOP where you had to find Sketches on a wooden door that had been partially scratched out, I haven't seen that style done before.
The Mini-Games are fairly decent and most are doable on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Choose the correct symbols that spell the Latin word shown.
2) Swap destination stickers to correct country locations then input numbers into the lock.
3) Rotate the wheel to show matching symbols on the walls.
4) Swap picture frames to their dust outline shapes on the wall.
5) Place torn tapestry fragments using arrows to scroll up and down.
6) Recreate symbols by selecting rotation buttons.
7) Select pairs of ghosts to find matching symbols.
2) Swap destination stickers to correct country locations then input numbers into the lock.
3) Rotate the wheel to show matching symbols on the walls.
4) Swap picture frames to their dust outline shapes on the wall.
5) Place torn tapestry fragments using arrows to scroll up and down.
6) Recreate symbols by selecting rotation buttons.
7) Select pairs of ghosts to find matching symbols.
The Collector's Edition version has 10 wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 1 Screensaver, 5 Music Soundtracks, 10 Achievements to earn, 13 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 re-playable Mini-Games, 12 Hidden Ravens, 12 Hidden Eye (Personal Items: Hunter, Car, Graduation Cap, Caricature, Supernatural Magazine, Rick's Photo, Shooting Trophy, Wedding Ring, Broken Phone, Cufflinks, Coffee Mug, Lighter) 26 Morphing Objects, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy...for 3 days!
I recommend this game!
Solve exciting solitaire puzzles while relaxing in beautiful flower gardens!
Overall rating
4
/
5
43 of 50 found this review helpful
VISUALLY THIS IS A 5 STAR GAME BUT HAS A COUPLE OF FEATURES I DISLIKE
PostedJuly 1, 2018
pennmom36
fromKudo's to Deyteris Studio for another beautiful Solitaire game!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Ancient Tripeaks II
(4)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Flowers Garden Solitaire is a visually stunning game, the card choices are beautiful and the backgrounds are simply gorgeous. You can choose from 5 Flower Themed Cards and 2 Font styles, and there are 12 Trophies to earn. When you earn an award, a pop-up window appears to tell you why you earned the trophy, but they aren't labeled, either the ones you earned or what you have to do to earn the others, for future reference.
This is a Higher/Lower type of Solitaire game and the goal is to earn 3 Stars. This is where the "cons" play a part in my decision to deduct a star from my rating. The game ends once you remove the Special Cards, even if other cards remain. This feature drives me absolutely bonkers because I want to be able to remove all of the cards from the board to win. I've never understood why the devs don't have an option to continue playing for points once the special cards have been collected, in fact, I think I only remember 1 Solitaire game of this type that offered this feature!
The second issue I have with this game is with the Star scoring, which is confusing, to say the least. If you don't remove all the Special cards, you lose and have to replay the level. You can also remove all of the Special cards but only earn 1-2 Stars, and carry on? The only way to earn all 3 Stars, is to NOT remove the last Special card until the Star Meter at the top of the screen fills to the 3rd Star, but that requires taking a big chance that you'll be able to remove the last Special card, confused? Me too!
You can use the Points or Coins you earn to buy Booster Cards in the Shop, but they are rather pricey in my opinion. You can purchase the option to show the amount of Deck Cards Remaining, Reveal 10% of Face Down Cards, the option to Remove a Card from the board, Purchase more Undo & Shuffle Features, and buy Wildcards. In order to use most of these features, you must first purchase the Right to do so, such as the opportunity to Discard a Card from the board.
The Stars you earn can be used to purchase Flowers in the Garden Room as well as unlock new Packs. I couldn't figure this option out, every time I clicked on the Flower that I had enough Coins to purchase, it would activate a Level pop-up window that kept taking me to whichever level I clicked on, and when I'd return to the Garden Room, the flower I chose was still available and hadn't been added, so good luck trying to figure that out.
If this game had the ability to continue playing after the Special Cards were removed, it would definitely be a 5 Star game, but that's just my personal preference. If you don't mind this style of Solitaire it's a really good game otherwise.
I recommend this game!
Can you escape a madman on the Island of Fog?
Overall rating
3
/
5
89 of 122 found this review helpful
THERE'S A FOGG IN THE FOG AT FOG ISLAND
PostedJune 30, 2018
pennmom36
fromDid you know that there are different types of fog, Radiation, Advection, Upslope and Evaporation Fog. The foggiest place in the world is Grand Banks, near the Canadian island, Newfoundland which has over 200 foggy days a year!
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 this 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.
This 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***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Crimson Dawn SE ONLY (September 22-2012) 3.4
2-House on The Hill (May 17-2014) 3.5
3-Estate of the Heart (February 13-2016) 4.0
4-Art of Horror (March 30-2017) 3.7
5-The Fog of Madness (June 30-2018) n/a
2-House on The Hill (May 17-2014) 3.5
3-Estate of the Heart (February 13-2016) 4.0
4-Art of Horror (March 30-2017) 3.7
5-The Fog of Madness (June 30-2018) n/a
by: Deep Shadow
I don't recommend this game.
Enter the enchanted 'Netherworld' where your destiny was written in blood and which whispers of true love.
Overall rating
5
/
5
81 of 92 found this review helpful
YOU GET YOUR MONEYS WORTH FROM THIS GAME! for a change
PostedJune 28, 2018
pennmom36
fromA HOPA worth full price, and a must play game!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
You simply can't go wrong when choosing between the Standard Edition or the Collector's Edition version of Darkarta: A Broken Heart's Quest. Personally, I loved the Morphing Objects and Cursed Memory Items that are available within the Collector's Edition version. They are really well-done features and not always easy to spot, so I strongly recommend the CE version. Otherwise, both versions are phenomenal, the storyline is really intriguing, the graphics are wicked good, the Mini-Games are excellent and believe it or not, I even loved the Hidden Object Scenes, which is something a rarely say nowadays. I'll take that one step further, I looked forward to the Hidden Object Scenes!
It seems like the games lately are getting shorter, and offering less, but that isn't the case with Darkarta! There are 7 lengthy chapters (+Bonus Chapter in the CE version) and those chapters aren't lengthy because they are filled with a lot of back and forth nonsense, they are chapters filled with meaningful tasks to get from point A to point B, refreshing puzzles to solve using logic, and HOP's that make you think. You will feel like you actually get your money's worth out of this game, and if you've had the privilege of speaking with this dev, I'm sure you'll understand why this game is so incredible, because they poured their heart and soul into this game, and I'd be very disappointed if Felix didn't make arrangements for the next installation of Darkarta! Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version is right for you (notice I didn't say "if either" this time?:
Everyone who lives here knows these Isles are cursed by The Master of Dark Arts. During a full moon, Darkarta the immortal rises once again to search for the One with a pure soul, an innocent heart he so desperately needs to complete his never-ending Quest. A cast Spell of Immortality by the hands of his dying lover has cursed Darkarta to an eternity of mourning, an eternal Broken Heart. His Broken Heart's Quest is the reason you have returned to this place, of which you have little memory of. The Master of Dark Arts has deceived you and your family, and your daughter Sophia is now in grave danger. Can a mortal defeat that which is immortal?
The Hidden Object Scenes are some of the best I've ever seen! It's no secret that I'm not a huge HOS fan because nowadays the devs simply aren't creative with them. Usually, the objects aren't "hidden" they are just scattered around the scene. This dev, however, proves that HOP's are still relevant, and if done correctly, can be quite entertaining! I loved how interactive each HOP was, and found the puzzles within to be really fun. There are Interactive List Finds (if you hover the cursor over the word it will show you the items Silhouetted Shape) My favorites were the Interactive Progressive Silhouetted Shape Finds, they were highly interactive with lots of puzzles and clues to apply. There is an alternate Match 3 game if you aren't thrilled about the HOP's.
The Mini-Games range from, fairly easy to solve, to more detailed and complex, yet doable. This is a puzzle-heavy adventure game, but there are still plenty of HOP's to keep everyone happy. Most of the puzzles are within the highly interactive HOP's, many of which are very entertaining and creative puzzles! One of my absolute favorite Mini-Games was in the second chapter I believe, and you had to make it past several armored guards by interacting with each row, applying clues and solving their puzzles to figure out which path to take, if you chose wrong, you had to start over! Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Choose items in the drawing to logically fill in the sentence.
2) Rotate the positive & negative charges to complete the circuit.
3) Spot 7 differences between the split screen pictures.
4) HOP puzzle: Swap symbols correctly according to the clues.
5) HOP puzzle: Select gems correctly by trial and error.
6) HOP puzzle: Guide the gem to 2 symbols shown in the clue.
7) Restore the painting by guiding tokens to the correct slots.
8) Select the correct animals based on their silhouette shape.
9) Select 2 hand positions used to create each animal silhouette.
10) HOP puzzle: Swap tiles to complete the image.
11) HOP puzzle: Rotate or swap tri-colored gem to match base.
2) Rotate the positive & negative charges to complete the circuit.
3) Spot 7 differences between the split screen pictures.
4) HOP puzzle: Swap symbols correctly according to the clues.
5) HOP puzzle: Select gems correctly by trial and error.
6) HOP puzzle: Guide the gem to 2 symbols shown in the clue.
7) Restore the painting by guiding tokens to the correct slots.
8) Select the correct animals based on their silhouette shape.
9) Select 2 hand positions used to create each animal silhouette.
10) HOP puzzle: Swap tiles to complete the image.
11) HOP puzzle: Rotate or swap tri-colored gem to match base.
The Collector's Edition version is crammed full of extra's: 12 Concept Art pictures, 33 Wallpapers, 27 Movie Cutscene Videos, 12 Music Soundtracks, 35 Achievements to earn, 17 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 32 re-playable Mini-Games (WOW!) 30 non-linear Cursed Memories, 28 Morphing Objects, Collectible Elixir Flowers, a Comic Book Story-Nagina: An Untold Love Story (a comic book style story about Anantha's childhood and early adult life) 7 Main Chapters (A Broken Heart's Quest) +Bonus Chapter (Rising of the Phoenix) and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you save your brother before your kingdom is destroyed?
Overall rating
4
/
5
75 of 106 found this review helpful
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CASTLE JOURNEY
PostedJune 28, 2018
pennmom36
fromThe F2P version "Castle" was designed to be an endless adventure with endless possibilities where the players actions actually make a difference!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Gravely Silent: House of Deadlock Collector's Edition
(22)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
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 him where you found him! Although I'm not a fan of most helpers (Elf, Tom & Mr. Jenkins are the exceptions) I still chose to let him tag along for 2 reasons. I wanted to be able to report how intrusive or annoying she was, and she was barely noticeable, plus I thought she was rather cute and unusual looking. There are Morphing Objects to find but not in every scene, and most of the scenes also have Stained Glass puzzle pieces. There are 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 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.
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.
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.
This Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 9 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 1a 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 journey!
MIDNIGHT CALLING SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
*Midnight Castle (December 20-2018) 4.0
1-Anabel (February 17-2015) 3.9
2-Jeronimo (June 11-2016) 4.1
3-Valeria (January 19-2017) 3.6
4-Wise Dragon (August 17-2017) 4.5
5-Arabella (June 28-2018) n/a
1-Anabel (February 17-2015) 3.9
2-Jeronimo (June 11-2016) 4.1
3-Valeria (January 19-2017) 3.6
4-Wise Dragon (August 17-2017) 4.5
5-Arabella (June 28-2018) n/a
by: Elephant Games
I recommend this game!
Join Alicia on her latest time management quest to find the Sword of the Seven Seas!
Overall rating
4
/
5
42 of 46 found this review helpful
THE GRAPHICS AND FUN FACTOR ARE AMAZING
PostedJune 26, 2018
pennmom36
fromSo much for R & R Alicia, a woman's work is never done!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
One thing's for sure, Alicia Quatermain is one of the better Time Management games available, and this third addition to the series does not disappoint The HD graphics are amazing, and it's really fun to play. I'm still not sold on the Collector's Edition value for a TM game, because a few wallpapers and extra levels just don't appeal to me personally, but I'll definitely purchase this game once the Standard Edition version comes along!
You can play in an Easy untimed mode, Normal or Expert mode, and if you earn expert status of 3 stars, you can repair Mr. Gringrays Museum. You can replay any level to try for a better star rating, and if you click on the Question Mark Icon, located on the bottom left of the screen, it will access the built-in Strategy Guide with a step by step walkthrough for that particular level, and also shows the location of the Puzzle Piece, in this Collector's Edition version.
The level goals are shown on the top right of the screen, and there is a meter on the left of the screen shows your level status and how much time you have left before losing a star rating. There are a ton of Achievements to earn, and each chapter has specific achievements available. Collecting items such as a pair of Shoes will speed up the workers versus a Bonus meter.
I'm usually a fan of the games this dev offers, and I feel horrible that I hated the last TM game they offered, but Alicia Quatermain proves that they are back on track! Again, I'm personally not a fan of CE version for a TM game, but if you're okay with the price tag, this game won't disappoint most TM fans.
This Collector's Edition version has 6 Wallpapers, Achievements to earn, a Hidden Jigsaw Rune in each scene, items to restore the Museum and a built in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
This Collector's Edition version has 6 Wallpapers, Achievements to earn, a Hidden Jigsaw Rune in each scene, items to restore the Museum and a built in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
ALICIA QUATERMAIN SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Secrets of the Lost Treasures (May 16-2017) 3.8
2-The Stone of Fate (November 28-2017) 4.3
3-The Mystery of the Flaming Gold CE (June 26-2018) n/a
2-The Stone of Fate (November 28-2017) 4.3
3-The Mystery of the Flaming Gold CE (June 26-2018) n/a
by: JetDogs Studios
I recommend this game!
Who killed the bride at her wedding? Find clues and interrogate suspects to solve the puzzling case of a murdered bride at her own wedding.
Overall rating
2
/
5
46 of 51 found this review helpful
SOLITAIRE GONE WRONG....and at a sloth's pace
PostedJune 26, 2018
pennmom36
fromSo the bride's feeling so ill that she leaves her own reception, yet nobody bothered to stay with her or check on her? in sickness & in health hubby dude!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Ancient Tripeaks II
(4)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I too was actually super excited when I saw a Murder Mystery Who-dun-it Solitaire game, how awesome is that I say to myself! Honestly, this game only has two cons, but those two cons are biggies for me personally. The levels themselves are quite short and filled with a ton of Gold Cards that that only require a single to click to remover them (versus an actual card value) but there's no option to replay a failed level, and everything moves at a sloth's pace. If the devs could tweak these two issues, this would be a 10-star game, and I'm "dead serious" about it. I know how hard most devs work to bring us new games, and I really hate to be negative, but I hope the devs actually read our reviews to get honest feedback!??
The Murder Mystery theme is excellent, and it is an actual storyline that progresses by playing Solitaire to Investigate the scene and witnesses followed by a Hidden Object Scene or Mini-games to draw a conclusion, which is a fantastic concept. You can choose a Themed Card Deck or a Simple Font Card Theme, and then you get to choose the type of Solitaire Game you prefer OR you can choose a mix of all 3.
There are 3 investigators shown and under their profile picture are several icon boxes to Investigate each scene or solitaire level. Because I chose the mixed solitaire feature, each investigator was a different type of Solitaire:
*Match 2 Cards Solitaire-click on matching pairs of Cards to remove them.
*High/Low Solitaire: click on cards that are either 1 card higher or 1 card lower to remove.
*Sum of 14 Solitaire: click on 2 cards whose sum equals 14 to remove them.
*High/Low Solitaire: click on cards that are either 1 card higher or 1 card lower to remove.
*Sum of 14 Solitaire: click on 2 cards whose sum equals 14 to remove them.
The goal on all the Solitaire levels is to remove all of the Gold "evidence" Cards, but those gold cards have no face value, you simply have to click them to remove them. If you fail a level, you are told to try harder, but there's no option to replay that particular level, it just moves along to the next scene.
Combos begin when 4 consecutive cards are removed which will increase the Multiplier index, and card specific Wildcards that are uncovered during the game can be saved for use later by clicking on the card. Every Solitaire level has at least one Luck Card, either Good or Bad, and this feature alone drove me bonkers, this is a feature they need to ditch altogether. If you get a Good Luck Card it pays out coins from an informant who gives you viable information, Bad Luck Cards take away coins when your police car has a fender bender. This feature takes way too long, it halts the gameplay while you are forced to watch the informant whisper secrets or listen to screeching tires and the sound of a car crashing, it takes way too long, and it's a stupid feature that has no option to pass up, it would be better if you could just click on the card a second time to end the theatrics and get it over with instantly.
There are 4 Power-up Boosters available on the bottom left, and once used, will take a while to recharge before it can be used again. The Power-ups can Remove any Gold Card, Remove any Closed Card, Remove any Open Card or Add 2 Random Wildcards. As you progress, Locked Cards are added that require finding the Key Card before they can be removed.
After completing a round of Solitaire games or Investigations, you will draw a conclusion by playing a Hidden Object Scenes using a special lens to reveal items hidden within the scene, or a mini-game such as a Memory game where you find matching pairs of items by flipping two cards over at a time.
In a nutshell, if the Solitaire Levels were longer and the Gold Cards had actual face values that needed to be removed by including them for whatever face value rather than just clicking them, it would make the levels more challenging. They need to do away with the Luck Cards or hasten up the process, and they need to speed up the mechanics to allow a more fluid movement because there's a slight pause after clicking on each card. There should also be a way to replay levels you failed or didn't earn all 3 stars on. These seem like minor fixes, and if they find a way to tweak this game a bit, it would definitely be a super Solitaire Game!
Accompany Kat on a rainbow-colored mosaics adventure as she tries to help a stranger in need!
Overall rating
5
/
5
51 of 54 found this review helpful
BEAUTIFUL COLOR CHOICES
PostedJune 25, 2018
pennmom36
fromA blue penguin lol?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This series just keeps getting better and better, in fact, I really do prefer Rainbow Mosaics over the penguins. The colors are so much more vibrant and the tileset choices are more appealing, not to mention that this series includes an actual storyline as you progress.
One of my favorite features in Rainbow Mosaics is that you can choose the style of Tiles that fill in the squares. The previous games had 10 to choose from, and now there are 12 to choose from in Strange Thing! (my personal favorite is the Lego style and the newer round tiles) When you cross off the tiles, the X's are dog bones which I thought was pretty cool, and once you complete the puzzle, the completed image is shown and labeled so you'll never have to guess at what the end result is. You can also choose to play in an Expert mode which only crosses off the numbers once the entire row or column has been correctly filled in, AND the power-ups are disabled.
There are 120 levels, and as you play each level, they will be available in the Free-play section. As you correctly fill in squares, you will earn coins that can be used to purchase decorations in the Trophy Room or purchase upgrades for the Power-ups which are hint forms that will increase in the size of coverage with each upgrade. There are 9 Achievements to earn in the form of a Trophy, and you can read about the story by selecting the Book Icon.
*The Eye Power-up will reveal the status of a Random Square
*The Lightning Power-up will reveal a Chosen Square
*The Grid Power-up will reveal a Chosen Grid Area
*The Lightning Power-up will reveal a Chosen Square
*The Grid Power-up will reveal a Chosen Grid Area
For those of you who have never played this type of game before, don't let it intimidate you. When I first started playing games I passed them up because they looked so complicated but they really aren't, however, they are extremely addicting. I like the fact that as you are solving the puzzles, not only does the row and column you are working on become highlighted, but each individual square the cursor is hovering over becomes outlined with the color you have currently selected so it's less confusing and you're less likely to make a mistake, enjoy!
RAINBOW MOSAICS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Christmas Lights (December 23-2015) 4.3
2-Treasure Trip (May 9-2016) 4.2
3-Blooming Garden (September 14-2016) 4.6
4-Christmas Lights 2 (December 12-2016) 4.4
5-Love Legend (March 14-2017) 4.6
6-The Forest's Guardian (November 20-2017) 4.6
7-Treasure Trip 2 (February 5-2018) 3.6
8-Strange Things (June 25-2018) n/a
2-Treasure Trip (May 9-2016) 4.2
3-Blooming Garden (September 14-2016) 4.6
4-Christmas Lights 2 (December 12-2016) 4.4
5-Love Legend (March 14-2017) 4.6
6-The Forest's Guardian (November 20-2017) 4.6
7-Treasure Trip 2 (February 5-2018) 3.6
8-Strange Things (June 25-2018) n/a
by: Alwigor Studio Games
I recommend this game!
Wield powerful relics and stop a book from releasing the ultimate evil!
Overall rating
3
/
5
39 of 45 found this review helpful
NOT MY FAVORITE GAME IN THE SERIES
PostedJune 25, 2018
pennmom36
fromI need to go find a hacksaw now to remove this bracelet
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Maggie Cook has been working undercover infiltrating the Dragon Clan for months now, and she has finally discovered the horrible truth of their nefarious plans. The Clan possesses important components of a very powerful Almanac, an artifact that when intact, can allow pure evil to rise to power once more! The race is on now, to find the 7 Relics of the Armament. The Dragon Clan desperately needs the artifacts to resurrect the evil Odessa, and Sarah knows all too well that if she doesn't find the artifacts first, the world will be at their mercy. (if you're not first you're last Bobby!)
I've always enjoyed the ongoing saga between the Griffin Order and the Dragon Clan as Sarah follows her father's footsteps to become a vital part of the secret Order. I've seen "gadgets and helpers" come and go, throughout the six previous games, but I must admit, I slightly gasped in horror when Shadow Breach introduced the Bracelet of Fire :( and in the first scene at that! It seems that once a gadget is released in one series game, the others follow their lead, and now every game has some variation of a magical bracelet, wbtw can't be removed. (why not call it the shackles of fire or burning handcuffs?)
If the bummer bracelet isn't enough to deter you from playing, the over-abundance of blue and purple haze just might. I don't understand why devs are pouring on the paint lately, this dev has always had amazing, life-like graphics, using "in your face" colors aren't going to make the game more memorable, well actually, it does, but not in a good way! The CE version has Collectible Scrolls in each scene in 3 different categories, Creatures, Nature, and Artifacts, and each scroll has a brief description of the item. There are also 25 Morphing Objects in the CE, however, the objects in question are a little too large and morph a little too fast, which make them too obvious. There are also 7 Relics to find which is actually related to the story itself, relics of the Armament.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Interactive List Finds, and Fragment Finds. The HOP's are scarce in the demo which gives one the impression that this game is more of a puzzle adventure than a hidden object game. The scenes are fairly clear but lack pizzazz, perhaps because the scenes themselves aren't in interesting areas, or the items to find and related interactions aren't interesting? You can opt to play a Pair Matching game where you turn over two cards at a time to find identical pairs. Once again I'll ask: "why don't they offer an alternate mini-game instead of the HOP & an alternate HOP instead of the mini-games?" It would be even better if they gave you a choice of say 3 to pick from, such as a M3 game, a Solitaire game, or a Mahjong/ Mosaic game. Even cooler, a jigsaw puzzle that was available in small, medium or large sizes! (w/o the highlighted lines) These devs could even team-up with devs from those genres (such as the "penguin" series or the dev who offers all the jigsaw games without naming names wink-wink) This would be a genius marketing strategy and would pique the interest of HOPA lovers and the various puzzle genres!
The Mini-Games are very simplistic and many of them are related to symbols. Because there is a "gadget" Bracelet of Fire, there are repetitive games associated with its use, and most of them are related to symbols and runes. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Repeat the sequence of symbols on drawers x3.
2) Swap tiles to complete the image.
3) Place colored gems together to equal the swatch when mixed.
4) Place colored runes onto the same colored gems in a story.
5) Drag lock parts to the correct positions.
6) Drag Armament parts to the correct areas in a book.
7) Use arrows to navigate through a map according to oral clues.
8) Adjust the numbers on tumblers according to math equations.
9) Find and place the correct symbol shown in 3 sections.
10) Swap symbols to connect related pairs.
2) Swap tiles to complete the image.
3) Place colored gems together to equal the swatch when mixed.
4) Place colored runes onto the same colored gems in a story.
5) Drag lock parts to the correct positions.
6) Drag Armament parts to the correct areas in a book.
7) Use arrows to navigate through a map according to oral clues.
8) Adjust the numbers on tumblers according to math equations.
9) Find and place the correct symbol shown in 3 sections.
10) Swap symbols to connect related pairs.
The Collector's Edition version has 15 Concept Art pictures, 15 Wallpapers, 9 Music Soundtracks, re-playable Movie Videos, Hidden Object Scenes, and Mini-Games, 12 Skill-based and 20 Story-based Achievements to earn, 25 Morphing Objects, Collectible Scrolls with descriptions (8 Creature Scrolls, 8 Nature Scrolls, 8 Artifact Scrolls) 7 Relics to find with the Bracelet of Fire that will restore the Armament, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide.
THE SECRET ORDER SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-New Horizon SE only (December 17-2011) 4.1
2-Masked Intent (April 20-2013) 4.0
3-Ancient Times (May 25-2014) 4.3
4-Beyond Time (April 19-2015) 3.8
5-The Buried Kingdom (June 19-2016) 3.9
6-Bloodline (July 16-2017) 3.6
7-Shadow Breach (June 24-2018) n/a
By: Sunward Games
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-New Horizon SE only (December 17-2011) 4.1
2-Masked Intent (April 20-2013) 4.0
3-Ancient Times (May 25-2014) 4.3
4-Beyond Time (April 19-2015) 3.8
5-The Buried Kingdom (June 19-2016) 3.9
6-Bloodline (July 16-2017) 3.6
7-Shadow Breach (June 24-2018) n/a
By: Sunward Games
Embark on a journey through 180 totally new levels full of dragon scales magic!
Overall rating
5
/
5
54 of 57 found this review helpful
THE BEST DRAGONSCALES GAME OF THE SERIES!
PostedJune 24, 2018
pennmom36
fromIf this dragon's eyes turn blue and starts breathing blue ice flames, it signals that winter is here! At least for us GOT fans!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
DragonScales is an incredible Match3 game series because you don't have to make mindless matches at a break-neck speed. This is a Strategy-based Match3 game, so you can take your time and plan the placement of each Dragon Scale tile, and plan for the placement of the next set of Scales. It's not a difficult game to learn, but it may take some time to actually master the technique. The only issue I find faulty is that the tutorial is very basic and doesn't give you enough detailed explanation of the features, or tell you exactly what the bonuses do, or how to achieve the goals.
You are given 3 Scales at a time, of 3 different colors, to place onto a honeycomb grid, you can place the first Scale anywhere on the grid but the following two can only be placed around the first tile upon the highlighted areas. If you don't like the placement of the first or second Scale, you can click on them to send them back to the box, but once you place the third Scale, they can't be removed, but you can replay the level.
Once you have made a match of at least 3 of the same colored Scales, those Scales will be removed (after placing the third Scale) Ideally, you'll want to strategically place the Scales to make combination matches consecutively. Each level has different goals such as making a specified number of matches for each color of Scales, including each color specific Special Tile in a match, or including Stars, Coins or Symbols in a match to remove them, and naturally, those cells are located in hard to reach areas to add some challenge.
As you progress, Bonuses become available for purchase with the Coins you collected or earned, such as, Pre-Science which allows you to choose a different color combination set of Scales, and the Blade slashes through a Scale.
There are 3 different Modes available, Basic, Normal (unlocks after completing Basic) and Heroic (unlocks after completing Normal) Each Mode has 6 Realms with 10 Levels, so it should be a lengthy game and well worthy of purchasing, enjoy!
DRAGON SCALES SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Chambers of the Dragon Whisperer (November 12-2014) 3.8
2-Beneath a Bloodstained Moon (February 24-2016) 4.4
3-Eternal Prophecy of Darkness (June 23-2017) 4.5
4-Master Chambers (June 24-2018) n/a
2-Beneath a Bloodstained Moon (February 24-2016) 4.4
3-Eternal Prophecy of Darkness (June 23-2017) 4.5
4-Master Chambers (June 24-2018) n/a
by: IKI Games
I recommend this game!