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:
Decipher ancient Persian scriptures to discover the magical Golden Sword and marry the Princess in this stunning Match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
1
/
5
55 of 61 found this review helpful
THIS MATCH 3 IS HARDLY A TREASURE
PostedJanuary 4, 2018
pennmom36
from"Find me that sword, or else!" or else what dad?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Cradle of Rome
(35)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I was completely and utterly disappointed by this Match 3 game, and it looked so promising! The first feature I checked on was the Settings option, and noticed there was an on/off selection for FX. Okay, birds chirping pleasantly in the background, I can live with that, but it turns out that this also includes a round of applause at the end of every level, what? I might also add that the music has nothing to do with Persia, what, what?
Let's back up a bit. This story starts with dialog explaining that Persia is the world's oldest civilization, known to have conquered Europe, Asia and Africa. It continues to say that in the heart of Persia, is Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, yada, yada, yada then something about ancient mythological figures. Then the story then does a complete 180 from where I think the story is leading, to a young Persian couple, excited about their upcoming marriage, until daddy steps in to demand that his daughter's fiance, bring him a legendary sword, as written in the scriptures, or he will not allow him to marry his daughter!. (insert needle scratching on a record here) Okay, so now we have a one on one story line, involving three people tops, so who exactly is doing the clapping?
Before each level, you are shown a single illustration showing you what happens when you make a Match 4, the next level a Match 5, L shapes etc. You can also look at all these pretty pictures when you click on the question mark icon. I say "look at all the pretty pictures" because that's all they are, it shows you what you receive when you make large bonuses, but it doesn't tell you what happen when you use those bonuses. If you go to the page that shows you all of the pretty pictures, it vaguely tells you that you receive a special bonus, but you're on your own to figure out what they do, or how to use them. There are no Power-ups available to use on stubborn tiles either.
Things aren't looking good by this point, but I proceed with caution, only to discover that this is a Limited Moves type Match 3, my least favorite kind. I finished the first level, with 5 remaining moves, and I earned nearly 1200 points, the level goal was to earn a mere 300 points. My reward? Well I earned 2 out of 3 available stars, what, what, what? Carry on, says I, level two. Somehow I earned a measly 540 points, even though this level was longer and slightly more complicated. My reward this time was 3 Stars, I'm still scratching my head on this one!
I knew this game was hitting rock bottom when I was tasked with a Hidden Object Scene, with Limited Moves as well.. I ended up losing all my lives (this is where I first discovered that the Hearts are your lives) I lost them because I kept running out of move clicking on just about everything in the room, trying to find the objects that matched the silhouetted shapes shown. Turns out the first 2 objects are actually jewels that don't match the silhouetted shapes whatsoever! Your reward? Well, you earn a Heart or life, in my case I lost several lives trying to "see" what they see, only to gain 1 life!
Other features that I hate are here as well. You can't make matches consecutively, one after another, you have to wait until the tiles finish falling. On several occasions, I made large matches, but didn't receive the bonus tile on the board. On one level the board is fairly large with large tiles, the next level the board itself is larger and includes twice as many tiles, that have suddenly shrunk in size. After completing the level goals, I have to wait an eternity for all of the bonuses to do their bonus thingy, before my score is finally totaled, isn't it bad enough that I have to wait after every match I make before matching again?
Please, please, please, try the demo before buying this game, even if you use a coupon. It has way too many annoying and unfun features! If you don't mind a Chain type Match 3 game, try Cradle of Persia instead.
I don't recommend this game.
A vacation becomes a nightmare as you’re forced into an impossible game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
212 of 249 found this review helpful
PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE GAME OF THREE WORLDS
PostedJanuary 4, 2018
pennmom36
fromWhew! For a minute there I thought THIS game was dangerous!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A vacation in Greece with your best friend Christine, it just doesn't get any better than this! After a quick tour, the two of you decide to meander through the Sanctuary of Apollo, the site of the ancient Oracle in Delphi. In no time at all, Christine's curiosity gets the best of her when she discovers a hidden cache within the ruins. After a brief lapse of judgement, the dynamic duo discover what appears to be a board game, but this is no ordinary game, this is A Dangerous Game! (:don't roll those dice,Christine, please don't roll those dice, too late, zap!:)
I know that a lot of people don't care for this series, but I really love the story lines they come up with. (;and this one would make Robin Williams proud;) For the most part, they are pretty original, and they choose locations that are real, which is a unique concept, and many of these locations are surrounded with conspiracy theories. A Domini Games Collector's Edition never skimps on the bling either. There are collectible Notes from previous pawns of the game, hidden Artifacts, and lost Deck Cards that give you insight on the characters you meet throughout this wicked game of survival. There are also Gold Nuggets to discover, and can be used to purchase virtual items for a virtual room. There are icons on the inventory bar that light up when one of the collectibles are nearby, and you can click to enable alerts on the interactive map as well.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, the scenes are clear and bright, and are located in interesting locations. There are Interactive List finds, Silhouetted Shape finds, and Multiple finds, as well as several smaller Zoom Zone HOP's available. You can opt to play a Match 3 game instead of the HOP's.
The Mini Games are in abundance, and most are available with an Easy or Hard difficulty mode, which is an awesome feature in my opinion, because you can choose the mode you want on each individual game. There is an option on the Custom Settings page to select either Easy or Hard game modes, but I'm not sure how this works. I didn't select either one, and I was given this option on each game, so I'm wondering if you choose either Easy or Hard on the custom setting page, if you then don't get to choose the mode on each game? Here are some brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Use directional arrows to align the blue tokens so they match the pattern shown.
2) Swap puzzle strips to recreate the image.
3) Light up all points of light from beginning to end without using the same line twice.
4) Choose 3 icons that relate to each character.
5) Use directional arrows to allow each color coded head to drop to its matching colored body at the bottom.
6) Choose the color and then select the puzzle sections to color that must be adjacent to one another. Then click on the sections that need the color removed to match the sample shown.
7) Scan the area to reveal symbols and select the correct symbols in the order shown.
8) Repeat the sequence of flashing eyes by choosing the leaves corresponding to the statue's eyes.
9) Use directional arrows to move the token to the end, if a token passes over a colored cell, the token will teleport to that colors space.
LABYRINTHS OF THE WORLD GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Shattered Souls (September 6-2014) 4.3
2-Forbidden Muse (June 13-2015) 3.5
3-Changing the Past (January 9-2016) 3.8
4-Stonehenge Legend (August 6-2016) 4.1
5-Secrets of Easter Island (January 5-2017) 3.8
6-The Devil's Tower (April 29-2017) 3.8
7-A Dangerous Game (January 4-2017) n/a
2-Forbidden Muse (June 13-2015) 3.5
3-Changing the Past (January 9-2016) 3.8
4-Stonehenge Legend (August 6-2016) 4.1
5-Secrets of Easter Island (January 5-2017) 3.8
6-The Devil's Tower (April 29-2017) 3.8
7-A Dangerous Game (January 4-2017) n/a
by: Domini Games
This Collector's Edition version has 21 Wallpapers, 20 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 27 Movie Videos, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 20 re-playable Mini Games, 32 Achievements to earn, 12 hidden Artifacts to find, 14 hidden Deck Cards (find missing cards to learn about the characters) 63 hidden Gold Nuggets to find (allows you to purchase items for your virtual Beach House room) Missing Note Pages to discover (notes written by previous players) a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
34 of 36 found this review helpful
YEP, BIG BEN HAS BEEN CURSED, IT SAYS SO RIGHT THERE ON THE SIDE, CURSED!
PostedJanuary 3, 2018
pennmom36
fromDo I still get paid for solving this case? After all, the guy who hired me got killed AFTER we shook hands (think I should buy a new detective case, my old one has issues)
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I love this game, the more I played it, the better it got, which is a rare thing nowadays! I love the voice of the detective too, I think its by the same person who did the voice-over in the Enigmatis series. If you love Sherlock Holmes type mysteries, that take place in the Dark City itself, you're in for a treat with Dark City: London, I just hope they continue this series, that this isn't a one and done kind of game. Even though the game is a fairly easy game to play, it never seems repetitive and boring, unlike some games who include a bunch of meaningless tasks to stretch the game out to give it the appearance of being a long game. The only reason I gave this game just 4 stars, is ONLY because I prefer the Collector's Edition version, over this Standard Edition. My favorite feature is finding Morphing Object's, and in the CE version, not only are there collectible Dominoes to find, but there are also two Morphing Objects to find in every location (I'm doing my Happy Dance right now :) Here's a recap of my review, to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you: (you really should give this game a try)
When Big Ben's cursed chimes play, London's sky will burn, the waters of the Thames river will rise and boil, the moon will eclipse to bring forth the Headless Clock-maker to herald the apocalypse of Death! The Headless Clock-maker will spare no one, his fury is fueled by revenge. His vengeance has an unquenchable thirst, a thirst for blood from those responsible for his families demise. But how can you stop a force as powerful as a dead man's sorrow?
Welcome to London Detective, what a case! Not only are you tasked with finding the jealous culprit responsible for the clock-maker and his son's death, but also with solving a supernatural case of a curse as well! Is someone trying to sabotage the unveiling of the iconic Big Ben Clock Tower, or has the clock-maker indeed, risen from the grave to enact the unthinkable?
You're a Detective, one of London's finest, so you won't be needing a puppet on a pillow, a scarecrow kid with glowing eyeballs, a mysterious device that checks the room for glowing orbs, or even a supernatural pair of glasses that let you see past events. Nope, you get to use a case file journal, and good ole' investigative reasoning's and deductions! Hmf, imagine that! You don't even have to trace an imaginary symbol without going outside of the line, to draw a conclusion, hmf, imagine that too! My only complaint is that I wish the categories didn't highlight automatically, to show you where each piece of evidence should be placed. I think it would have been more meaningful, if I had to figure out which category each piece of evidence went, using my own logic skills. (after all, I AM the best detective in London, right?)
Oh, this game is looking better and better to me, 4 Friends has included Morphing Objects and collectible Dominoes in every scene, and sometimes more than one in the Collector's Edition version! There is a pull out tab on the left of the screen that tells you how many of each remain, AND they unlock special bonuses and games. Move over E, I've got a new best Friend 4ever, and they don't think it's too much work to offer Morphing Objects in every scene vs. only within a handful of HOP's, and collecting and playing dominoes is way cooler than finding the same old sign over and over in every single game.
The Hidden Object Scenes are for the most part, multi-layered, creative and far less boring than most, although an alternative would be nice. There are Interactive List finds, Multiples of the same object or Multiples of similar objects such as food items or circus related items. There are several smaller Zoom Zone HOP's and some scenes have a small puzzle to solve. Each time you make a "deduction" you will find items within a black and white scene, to piece together the circumstances leading up to the current deduction as a chain of events.
The Mini Games are well done with clear instructions to help you solve the puzzles. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Find and rotate torn picture fragments to assemble the photo.
2) Move the latch to the round hole by choosing various numbers on the padlock, to move the latch that many moves as directed by the arrows.
3) Walk through the maze using the diagram to check your position and possible paths.
4) Drag a chain of 3 or more identical symbols to collect enough of each color to fill up your tubes. Avoid collecting your opponents colored symbols which will empty your tubes. The first to fill all 3 tubes, will take a punch, 3 punches win the fight.
5) Swap valves so each one matches the hole shape by following the twisted pipes.
6) Follow the twisted lines and rotate the outer ring to align the figures, and click to slide them into the outlined shape.
7) Arrange the pins according to the clue, note that the cards position is upside down.
The Collector's Edition has 14 Concept Art pictures, 7 Wallpapers, 4 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, re-playable Movie Videos, 6 re-playable Mini Games, 20 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 28 collectible Dominoes (unlocks special bonuses) 31 Morphing Objects, 23 Achievements to earn, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Ready to solve a gripping mystery? Tackle ingenious riddles in this hidden object puzzle adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
101 of 122 found this review helpful
THERE'S A MYSTERY COOKING RIGHT WHERE YOUR LOOKING
PostedJanuary 2, 2018
pennmom36
fromMost people inherit a spooky manor, Mortimer inherited an entire museum!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Well, well, well, at least the music is catchy! Mortimer Beckett, he's the best of detectives......It's been a while since MB had a case to solve, but I think Book of Gold is going to be a hit or miss kind of game. I actually enjoyed playing this demo, but it's certainly not worth paying the Collector's Edition price for it. To be quite honest, I'm not sure what criteria this game met, that constituted slapping a CE sticker on it. There was no Strategy Guide included that I could find, and I didn't see any Bonus Chapter Levels either. There are no Wallpapers, Concept Art or Music to download, and the only "collectibles" included are auctions to access with Diamonds earned, to purchase artifacts for Mortimer Beckett's private collection. (I'm assuming the challenge levels to earn diamonds are not available in the SE version?) There are 14 Trophies to earn, again I'm assuming these achievements won't be available in the SE version, but none of these "iffy" features are worth double the money of an SE game, are they?
This is the 5th Mortimer Beckett game in the series, and in my opinion, it's not as good as the earlier games. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the demo, and I will probably use a coupon to buy this game in the Standard Edition, when it's released. This is an old school, click and drag type of Hidden Object Game, that has many of the same graphics and features similar to the Time Management games, such as the Delicious series. In fact, Kate O'Malley joins Mortimer on this adventure, and she is Patrick O'Malley's little sister, or Emily's sister-in-law.
There are no difficulty modes available, which is hard to fathom nowadays, and is one of the reasons I gave this game a lower star rating. You play this game in Levels, and each level is basically a different room or at least has different tasks to accomplish. Each level features Carl the Mouse, that cute little mouse that makes an appearance on every game featured by this dev. If you spot Carl popping his head up (sometimes he's partially hidden with just an ear to catch a glimpse of) you will earn a badge and he will be shown on each level that he's been found. If you don't use a Hint, a check mark will also appear on those levels, and you can replay any level at anytime.
The Hidden Objects you must find in the levels, are shown as Fragments in the inventory bar, with a number that indicates how many fragments you must find to make the object whole. Once you have found all fragments of an object, the completed object slides to the bottom of the (vertical) inventory bar, and can then be used to help you progress. This is usually in the form of a Mini Game. The Mini Games don't have instructions, but you can skip them. I actually liked the fact that I had to figure out how to solve the puzzle. For example, SPOILER ALERT: you use a black light to receive hidden codes to unlock a door, on each of the pictures hanging up, but these are merely clues, so you have to figure out what the clue is suggesting. END SPOILER ALERT
Some of the Levels have Challenge Levels available, but not required. If you complete the challenge, you will earn Diamonds. If you complete the challenge within the allotted time frame, you will also earn am Hourglass achievement. You can replay the challenge levels as often as you want, and include finding several items matching the Silhouetted Shapes shown, assembling a Jigsaw Puzzle, or finding a specified number of Mice within the allotted time. It took me 3 tries on the first Silhouetted Shape find HOP, to find all of the items within the allotted time frame, they were the same items, but each time I replayed it, the items were in a different place, or different items to find were included on the list.
MORTIMER BECKETT GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Original Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Original Release Date***Average Rating
1-Mortimer Beckett and the Secrets of Spooky Manor (July 4-2007) 3.5
2-Mortimer Beckett and the Time Paradox (November 12-2008) 3.3
3-Mortimer Beckett and the Lost King (January 19-2010) 4.1
4-Mortimer Beckett and the Crimson Thief (April 26-2012) 4.0
5-Mortimer Beckett and the Book of Gold CE (October 19-2017) n/a
2-Mortimer Beckett and the Time Paradox (November 12-2008) 3.3
3-Mortimer Beckett and the Lost King (January 19-2010) 4.1
4-Mortimer Beckett and the Crimson Thief (April 26-2012) 4.0
5-Mortimer Beckett and the Book of Gold CE (October 19-2017) n/a
by: Paprikari
*note: BF release dates:
1-May 9-2015
2-May 12-2015
3-May 7-2015
4-May 27-2015
5-January 2-2018
1-May 9-2015
2-May 12-2015
3-May 7-2015
4-May 27-2015
5-January 2-2018
This is one of those games you'll have to see for yourself. If you don't like games you have to drag the screen around, and zoom in and out, in HdO style, you won't like this game. The scenes are bright and colorful, so it should be fairly easy for those with seeing difficulties.
I recommend this game!
Dr. Goodwin's miracle cure is once again under threat in this haunting hidden object adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
83 of 104 found this review helpful
THE MEN IN BLACK ARE BACK
PostedJanuary 1, 2018
pennmom36
fromAll's good, I fixed the construction worker's boo-boos with some band-aids,and he say's he's all better now!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Dr. Goodwin dedicated his life researching to find a cure for his son's illness. He discovered a miracle genetic cure that could potentially cure all illnesses, but someone sabotaged his life's work, when the laboratory was completely destroyed, along with most of the genetic formula, in an explosion, in the first game of this series Greed: The Mad Scientist (November 5-2013)
In Greed: Forbidden Experiments (March 23-2015) we discovered that someone in the Lab was performing unethical experiments on humans, in an effort to create super humans with super human strengths.It appeared that the two storylines had nothing to do with each other, but then again, the Men in Black have been spotted here as well!
In Greed: Old Enemies Returning (January 1-2018) familiar faces enter our lives once more as Sara Goodwin asks Detective Amy Turner for help once more, when old enemies return. Since the explosion, Bura Pharma has been undergoing federal investigations into their connections with the explosion that claimed Dr. Goodwin's death. The government assured Dr. Goodwin's daughter Sara, that her father's Lab would be restored, but she has just discovered they are actually demolishing the Lab!
Those mysterious Men in Black, have been already been spotted snooping around the site, has the government and the giant Pharmaceutical company joined forces? Have they returned to sabotage whats left of Dr. Goodwin's genetic code formula?
This series may seem a bit "old school" to most gamers, it does have voiceovers, but there are no lip sync movements by the characters as they talk. The graphics are computer generated graphics, but personally, I prefer CG over the hand-drawn graphics, because I like the clean, crisp, sharp definition lines they offers, and the characters look the way they do because of the CG graphics. This old school style isn't for everyone, but the storyline should hold your attention, especially if you like government conspiracy theory plots, it reminds me of the Fringe series.
I am disappointed, however in this games lack of collectibles that were available in the other two games. The first game had 14 Radioactive items to find, and 7 pages of Dr. Goodwins awards. The second game had 10 Oracle's Emblems and 9 missing Diary pages to find. I didn't find any collectibles in this game, but I could be wrong. I will use a PCC for this game, because I enjoyed the unusual conspiracy plots of the first two games.
GREED GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Greed:The Mad Scientist (November 5-2013) 3.9
2-Greed:Forbidden Experiments (March 23-2015) 3.8
3-Greed: Old Enemies Returning (January 1-2018) n/a
2-Greed:Forbidden Experiments (March 23-2015) 3.8
3-Greed: Old Enemies Returning (January 1-2018) n/a
by: Urchin Games
by: Interactive Dreamscapes
by: Interactive Dreamscapes
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a dangerous specter from destroying the opera?
Overall rating
1
/
5
61 of 69 found this review helpful
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA WITHOUT A PLOT
PostedDecember 31, 2017
pennmom36
from"no one will keep me from giving Andrea the performance of a lifetime" dude, I hate to break it to ya, but I think your both dead, lifetime's over!?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
When I played the demo in the Collector's Edition version, I was skeptical that the plot would thicken afterwards. I needed another game for a BOGO sale, and since I had already purchased most of the games this month, I decided to take a chance on A Lover's Pledge, after all, many of the games in this series are pretty decent. Well, I'm sorry to report, that after several attempts to finish this game, I simply can't do it!
At first glance, the graphics appear to be stellar, but if you really pay attention to the detail, there isn't any detail. The buildings are plain Jane and basic, the decorations, shrubbery, plants and trees lack definition , the statues, the sky, the rooms, have no texture or intricate patterns to give them depth. A bell looks the same as a vase both in and out of my inventory. The objects within the HOP's are at times difficult to find, not because they are well hidden, but because it's hard to tell the difference between a scoop and a sickle, they are cartoonish looking and blurry.
The biggest problem however, isn't with blah looking graphics, the problem is with the plot. Actually, I should say the lack of a plot, because this storyline is stretch far too thin. This is just another example of how 5 meaningless chapters, are far worse than 3 epic chapters. I kept forgetting what the story was about, and how this character related to that character, which is bad, really bad when playing a game that doesn't allow you to hit a rewind button! I gave up, perhaps too soon, but my intuitions say probably not. Just in case you may be able to stick with it, here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either is right for you:
This game is so boring I don't even know what the story is about! Through sheer boredom, I either muddled through the demo on autopilot, or they have done a terrible job of relaying the plot. A Lover's Pledge? I met two women and a ghost in the demo, Julia Belmont and Clementine Lambert. The third character, Andrea Belmont had already committed suicide, so who pledged their love to whom is a mystery to me! One things for sure, I'm a Master Costume Designer, how exciting.
Danse Macabre is sliding down a slippery slope, one game at a time. The first few games in the series were really good, and they received a 4.4 average rating. By 2016 they slipped under the 4 star ratings, and by the end of 2017 the games are nearing the base of the slope as they dip dangerously close to average ratings below 3 stars. The truth of the matter is that this dev produces nothing but cookie cutter games, same story, same HOP's, same MG's, same Hidden Signs, same features, same graphics.
Lover's Pledge has everything you'd expect, it's predictable, and it's just more of the same with a different title. Of course the Collector's Edition has 30 Hidden Signs, all Eipix games have Hidden Signs, and it's a feature that becomes so boring to look for after just a few scenes, that you don't care if you look for them or not. There's no challenge in finding them, they stick out like a sore thumb, and they aren't used for anything, they don't unlock special features, they just are what they are, "here's your sign". Other than a handful of Wallpapers and a Strategy Guide (which you won't need, it's an easy game) the only bling you get with the CE version are those not so hidden signs, unless you count a Bonus Chapter as a plus. (which surely is just another chapter of boredom)
The Hidden Object Scenes are located in boring scenes with boring items to search for. The only HOP remotely interesting, was finding multiples of objects that pertain to a riddle, at least you have to think about what you're looking for. There are the standard, Interactive List Finds, Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds, Multiples of Objects finds, and Riddle Description finds. Some of the HOP scenes are repeated in the same location, something Eipix never did before, but have been doing so in the last few games offered, a feature most gamers hate because it's too boring a second time around! The good news is that there is an alternative Match 3 game to play, the bad news is that it's not a great Match 3 game.
The Mini Games are just okay, neither bad nor good, and certainly nothing new offered. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Click on pie shaped sections in the correct sequence as demonstrated.
2) Guide the ball through the maze to the center using directional arrows.
3) Complete the decoration by dragging sections of the decoration to empty slots.
4) Move all tokens to the frame located in the center, by selecting numbered buttons on each row and column, to push the tokens a specified number of spaces on the grid.
5) Arrange the four colored switches between their matching circles on the right by dragging groups of switches along the wheel or across the bar.
DANSE MACABRE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1- The Last Adagio (February 20-2014) 4.4
2- Crimson Cabaret (September 25-2014) 4.4
3- Deadly Deception (February 28-2015) 4.1
4- Thin Ice (June 11-2015) 4.1
5- Lethal Letters ( February 11-2016) 4.2
6- Ominous Obsession (April 10-2016) 3.9
7- Florentine Elegy (April 1-2017) 3.5
8- Curse of the Banshee (July 20-2017) 3.0
9-A Lover's Pledge (December 2-2017) 2.7
2- Crimson Cabaret (September 25-2014) 4.4
3- Deadly Deception (February 28-2015) 4.1
4- Thin Ice (June 11-2015) 4.1
5- Lethal Letters ( February 11-2016) 4.2
6- Ominous Obsession (April 10-2016) 3.9
7- Florentine Elegy (April 1-2017) 3.5
8- Curse of the Banshee (July 20-2017) 3.0
9-A Lover's Pledge (December 2-2017) 2.7
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers (no concept art pictures??) 9 Music Soundtracks, 7 Movie Videos, 12 Achievements to earn, 21 re-playable Mini Games, a Souvenir Room, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 30 not so Hidden Signs, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
It's more than your average survival show...
Overall rating
3
/
5
103 of 144 found this review helpful
ANOTHER ANCIENT EVIL ENTITY SEEKS REVENGE BY SUCKING EVERYONE'S LIFE FORCE DRY
PostedDecember 30, 2017
pennmom36
fromI'm pretty sure no newspaper article show's a picture of a murder victim, chalk outlined at that, on the front page, not to mention the fact that the murderer hasn't been caught....details.....
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Nathaniel Wilson is a brilliant detective (he's brilliant, the newspapers say so) with some pretty sweet tatts. (that part isn't in the newspaper, I totally made that part up) What's so sweet about Nathaniel Wilson's tattoos you may ask? Well, for starters, the tattoos give him supernatural abilities. With a quick flick of his wrist (after rolling up his sleeves first of course), zap! The unseen is now visible, ta-dah! It's okay, I wasn't impressed either, but eventually he sees peoples memories (not very newsworthy either) Nathaniel has just finished up his Amsterdam investigation, so he decides to do a little R&R at the Outlive Bar. He doesn't even get the chance to crack open a beer when the next supernatural case lands right in his lap, what are the chances of that!? (cuz he has supernatural abilities and a supernatural phenomena has just occurred at THIS exact place and time, turn the page) Looks like vacation's over Nathaniel, time to roll up your sleeves and start flashing that tattoo all over Los Angeles.
Nathaniel could sure use some Mystery Tales sunglasses, because everyone in the entire city has blinding beams of lights streaming from their eyeballs! These death rays can only mean one thing.......the force won't be with them for much longer at this rate! Nathaniel brilliantly uses his spidey-senses (because he's brilliant, remember?) and picks up a newspaper, where he discovers that strange death's have been occurring for a couple of weeks! After much deliberation, he deduces that the cause of death is because they were all drained of energy. I'm sorry, what???? How exactly does a coroner determine whether or not a person has been drained of energy? Does he have an energy meter? Is there a posthumous test to prove this? Wouldn't ANY dead person be void of energy? Am I the only one who questions these ridiculous statements?
Moving right along to the Hidden Object Scenes, or lack thereof. Granted, I may not have made it as far through the demo as most, because I was taking notes with my life's energy before it depletes, but I only came across one very small Interactive List Zoom Zone HOP, and one regular sized HO Interactive List find puzzle, which was repeated in the same location as a Multiple Item find puzzle! I'm not a huge fan of most HOP's, in fact, I've always wished they would add a skip feature to the HOP's, but shouldn't there be more HOP's in a HOPA game? So I guess this is more of a PAG, but I was HOPAn for a little more. There is an alternative Match 3 game to play, but there are no large matches or power-up boosters available to make it a little more appealing.
The Mini Games are far too easy to master. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Restore the broken TV glass is a 2 part puzzle, by dragging glass shards correctly. The first puzzle has 3 huge chunks, the second puzzle has about 8, slightly smaller chunks of glass.
2) Rotate the small triangles to match the tiles' colors, use the arrows to rotate the large triangles.
3) After finding the balls to the pinball table, you won't become a pinball wizard, because you don't even get to play a pinball game?
4) Select green circles to find the correct route to the TV studio. Or you could use your newfound x-ray vision, if your life energy levels are good to go.
5) Free the ladies from their shackles by finding matching pairs of shackles. Of course you can use a chainsaw to cut through metal shackles, wires, rope and heavy gauge chain links, which btw, are frighteningly close to the "ladies"
6) Rotate the rings of the disks in a two part puzzle in between your chainsaw scenarios, moving one disk may affect others, actually moving one disk will affect others, all of them.
7) Choose the correct answers on the screen based on the clues in the album.
8) Swap the petals to their matching colored masks, using directional arrows to swap adjacent petals.
9) Mix ingredients to create a Curse Antidote. Any curse. Yep, with just a few household items, you too can whip up a batch of Curse Antidote. Does someone you know have a mask stuck to their face? Curse Antidote. Does someone you know have beams of light piercing through their blank eyes? Curse Antidote. Does someone you know have missing life energy? Curse Antidote. It slices, it dices, it even julienne-s fries. Curse Antidote. (available at participating stores, tax, title, fees and licensing are not included) Curse Antidote.
THE UNSEEN FEARS GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Body Thief (March 16-2017) 4.0
2-Outlive (December 30-2017) n/a
2-Outlive (December 30-2017) n/a
by: Grandma Studios
This Collector's Edition has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, replayable Movie Videos, Mini Games and Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Achievements to earn, 72 Collectible not so hidden Masks, a built in Strategy Guide, a Hidden Chapter ( Until it Sleeps) and a Bonus Chapter (Arisen) Curse Antidote!
The challenging sequel to All-in-One Mahjong. Can you complete all 42 levels!
Overall rating
3
/
5
71 of 87 found this review helpful
I DON'T NORMALLY ENJOY MAHJONG GAMES, BUT.....
PostedDecember 29, 2017
pennmom36
fromWhy is this available in so many different languages? The tiles are either in Chinese or Roman Numerals?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
As a general rule of thumb, I usually don't think about playing a Mahjong game when I'm searching for a good game to play. Most Mahjong games require little to no skill or strategy to master, because it's basically a luck of the draw, there are either available matches or there aren't. (an exception to this rule is Legendary slide Mahjong) Because of this, I quickly become bored with the game, but All-in-One Mahjong 2, for some reason, didn't bore me, in fact, I found it to be rather relaxing!
You can choose from several beautiful background pictures, rain on the window, tulips, yellow field, blue sky, autumn leaves, drop of water, grass & sky, sand heart, maple leaves, music notes, purple sky or a random picture. There are three different Mahjong Tile sets to choose from, two traditional tiles and font styles and one modern tile set that has very colorful tiles. You can also choose to play in a Timed Mode or for Points. Timed Mode has a shuffle feature, and you must clear all of the tiles within the allotted time given, or you can play in Score Mode which has no timer or shuffle feature, you either win the game (think solitaire) or lose, clear all the tiles to win, get stuck with no available moves and lose.
When it comes to the Mahjong layouts themselves, this game seems to have the whole enchilada, (well actually everything but an enchilada) none are locked so you can play them in any order you want, as often as you want! The layouts are really interesting designs, such as a puppy, a horse, beetles, jellyfish, an alien, pacman, ruins, flip-flops, and even Aladdin's lamp and Jolly Roger!
Depending on which mode you choose, there are available Hints, Shuffle's and an Undo feature. Available Moves are shown, and there is a Highlight feature that will highlight all open available tiles. This is a simple,Traditional Mahjong style game, the only goal is to remove all tiles by matching two available identical tiles, (seasons and flowers can be matched with any tile in the same group) there are no Gold Tiles to remove, or any hoops to jump through. Although I personally don't get super excited with most Mahjong games, this one is much more enjoyable than most, and certainly worthy of a coupon, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Awakened from centuries of slumber, you must save the future!
Overall rating
3
/
5
20 of 26 found this review helpful
IT'S TIME FOR DARK CREATURES TO RISE!
PostedDecember 28, 2017
pennmom36
from"We can help you, but you must..............loading!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I seldom rate the Standard Edition version the same star rating, because I'm a die hard fan of Morphing Objects and the Collectibles that are only offered in the Collector's Edition versions. Lowering my rating for this game to 3 stars (from 4 on the CE) is ONLY because I prefer the CE version which has Morphing Objects.
The storyline is decent, and I LOVE the fact that Bertha is a no show, and if I'm being perfectly honest, I'm actually glad Jack was injured and has to leave. (he's not real so I don't think its being insensitive?) Witches' Legacy used to be one of my top 5 favs back in the days of Lynn and Edward, with that adorable little Imp as a helper. I'm really not sure why EleFun Games decided it was time to move on, but in my opinion, that was a huge mistake. If you look at the series listing I have included at the bottom of my review, the average ratings, speak volumes about this abrupt character switch.
The earlier games with Lynn & Edward received average ratings above 4 stars, but once Jack & Anabel with their weaselly friend Bertha arrived, the party was clearly over with average ratings only slightly over the 3 star rating mark! Want more proof? In Rise of the Ancients, Jack briefly makes an appearance, Anabel merely pops in with a portal cameo throughout the game, and Bertha is out doing whatever ferrets do in their spare time, and the Collector's Edition version still received a 4.2 average rating! The proof is in the pudding.
I probably would have given the CE version a 5 star rating, if it weren't for 2 really annoying features. The first feature is more of a dislike, than an annoyance, the fact that after 11 games in the series, the graphics are horrible, and never seem to improve. The graphics are fuzzy, some objects are ill proportioned, and nothing stands out because every scene has shades of blue and hues of green. My final complaint, is with the LOADING scenario, this feature drives me absolutely bonkers! For the life of me, I can't understand why this glitchy problem hasn't been addressed, it's nearly the year 2018! I can't think of a single HOPA game that has to load, in-between each and every scene, and in-between each and every zoom zone. It seems to take an eternity to do it's loading thingy, which in my opinion, takes away from the flow of the game. I can handle a slow transition, but I practically have time to run to the store, come back and bake a batch of Christmas cookies, let them cool off, and dunk them in some milk before.......loading! Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either is right for you:
There are two Worlds that exists, our World, which consists of witches' and mankind, and the other World, of evil creatures and dark spirits. Centuries ago, the Lord of the other World nearly destroyed our World, if not for the ultimate sacrifice of the Ancient One, who captured the demon Ezar. But prisons never hold forever, and our World has once again been plunged into a dark war of apocalyptic proportions! Anabel has awakened the Ancient One, once again to help save our World from total destruction, but it may already be too late.........loading........can the Ancient One defeat Lord Ezar and save our World.....loading.....before it's too late?
I think the devs at EleFun Games has also been listening to our complaints, and the average rating plunges, ever since they introduced Jack, Anabel and Bertha. Jack and Anabel only make a brief appearance in the demo (although Anabel does make a reference to return without Jack) Personally, I fell in love with this story line which was all about the trials and tribulations of a kind hearted witch named Lynn, whose entire family was destroyed by evil witches, trying to turn her good intentions into an evil agenda. Even her family dog was turned into an Imp. I just couldn't make a connection with Jack and his girlfriend, now wife, Anabel who happens to be a good witch also. To make matters worse, Jack's good friend Bertha, had only one power as a witch, the ability to turn into a ferret, with an annoying voice. With Jack and Anabel pretty much out of the picture, there's no need for Bertha, so it's a win, win situation, for me, and I'm already enjoying the changes! HOWEVER.....loading.....EleFun still has one HUGE feature that still needs to change.....loading......can you figure out what that might be?.......loading........!
The Collector's Edition version has some decent CE bling, but they have changed some features in all of their games that used to include a point system. There used to be points awarded for earning Achievements, finding Morphing Items and Collectibles. I never really paid that much attention to that feature, but I'm kind of saddened that they aren't offered anymore, because it was a feature only offered by this dev, and I had come to expect those features, when playing one of their games. There are no longer hidden Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to find and assemble pictures as Screensavers, but there are hidden Footprints to find, some of which are within zoom zones, and once you have collected 4 Footprints in each category, you still get to assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle, but with different shaped pieces, and it will give you a small biography of 8 different Monsters. In the CE version, each scene also has a Morphing Object, but unfortunately, they don't provide an option to not have the cursor change when it scans over a collectible or morph.
The Ancient One is a powerful witch that has an Ancient Grimoire Book of spells that contain recipes and various spells. When a spell is needed, the book will open as an indication. New spells first require all ingredients, then requires following the directions in a specific order. The various spells include Restoration Spells, Protection Spells and a Darkness Binder spell to defeat a single monster. You will eventually defeat 8 Monsters using the spell, and of course you must play a Mini Game puzzle to unlock each spell.
The Hidden Object Scenes are just okay, neither good nor bad, and certainly nothing new. There is an alternate Matching game to opt for instead of the HOP's. In the demo, there are Interactive List finds, slightly Interactive Silhouetted Shape Finds, and a ton of Keywords in sentence finds. There are also the famous zoom zone smaller HOP's found in all EleFun Games, where you are tasked with finding several Fragments that are located all around the scene while still zoomed in to zoom zone object. There are a total of 24 Hidden Object Scenes throughout the main game.
The Mini Games are fairly creative, some more difficult than others, and there are a total of 32 Mini Games to solve. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Move figurines to the correct slots by moving them along the tracks to their outlined slots.
2) Light all spheres by selecting the right arrow to move the spheres 1 space to the right or the left arrow to move the spheres 2 spaces to the left.
3) Rotate the rings of a disk to complete the image.
4) Use the Grimoire Spell Book to strike each monster in the head, when they appear. (which btw, required me to use a ladder to reach the room, but I was able to reach the train without any help, on a bridge taller than the rooms window.)
5) Find all hidden fragments and return them to the scene by interacting with the scene.
6) Swap figurines to their correct spaces.
7) Throw the hook when the green crosshairs when they intersect over the bag.
8) Assemble the torn fragments to restore the photos.
9) Swap sides of the real world tokens and our world tokens, without allowing opposing tokens to occupy neighboring spaces.
10) Arrange the inner and outer orbs to match the center symbols using arrow buttons to rotate the orbs.
11) Draw the symbols that appear on the flying objects that appear.
2) Light all spheres by selecting the right arrow to move the spheres 1 space to the right or the left arrow to move the spheres 2 spaces to the left.
3) Rotate the rings of a disk to complete the image.
4) Use the Grimoire Spell Book to strike each monster in the head, when they appear. (which btw, required me to use a ladder to reach the room, but I was able to reach the train without any help, on a bridge taller than the rooms window.)
5) Find all hidden fragments and return them to the scene by interacting with the scene.
6) Swap figurines to their correct spaces.
7) Throw the hook when the green crosshairs when they intersect over the bag.
8) Assemble the torn fragments to restore the photos.
9) Swap sides of the real world tokens and our world tokens, without allowing opposing tokens to occupy neighboring spaces.
10) Arrange the inner and outer orbs to match the center symbols using arrow buttons to rotate the orbs.
11) Draw the symbols that appear on the flying objects that appear.
WITCHES' LEGACY GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Charleston Curse (January 19-2012) 4.3 (Lynn original)
2-Lair of the Witch Queen (June 27-2013) 4.3 (Lynn original)
3-Hunter and the Hunted (January 9-2014) 3.9 (Lynn original)
4-The Ties That Bind (August 16-2014) 3.8 (Lynn original)
5-Slumbering Darkness (February 26-2015) 4.4 (Lynn original)
6-The Dark Throne (July 2-2015) 4.3 (Lynn original)
7-Awakening Darkness (December 24-2015) 4.0 (Lynn original)
8-Dark Days To Come (July 30-2016) 3.9 (Jack spinoff)
9-The City That Isn't There (January 7-2017) 3.4 (Jack spinoff)
10-Covered By The Night (July 13-2017) 3.6 (Jack spinoff)
11-Rise of the Ancient (December 9-2017) 4.2 (Jack spinoff)
by: EleFun Games
2-Lair of the Witch Queen (June 27-2013) 4.3 (Lynn original)
3-Hunter and the Hunted (January 9-2014) 3.9 (Lynn original)
4-The Ties That Bind (August 16-2014) 3.8 (Lynn original)
5-Slumbering Darkness (February 26-2015) 4.4 (Lynn original)
6-The Dark Throne (July 2-2015) 4.3 (Lynn original)
7-Awakening Darkness (December 24-2015) 4.0 (Lynn original)
8-Dark Days To Come (July 30-2016) 3.9 (Jack spinoff)
9-The City That Isn't There (January 7-2017) 3.4 (Jack spinoff)
10-Covered By The Night (July 13-2017) 3.6 (Jack spinoff)
11-Rise of the Ancient (December 9-2017) 4.2 (Jack spinoff)
by: EleFun Games
The Collector's Edition version has 9 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art pictures, 3 Screensavers, 3 Music Soundtracks, 12 Achievements to earn, 31 Morphing Objects, 32 Monster Footprints (to assemble 8 Jigsaw Puzzles with 8 monster bios) a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a dark vision from coming true?
Overall rating
3
/
5
103 of 137 found this review helpful
ALL WE NEED NOW IS A CARNIVAL FOR MADAME FATE....er MADAME ESPERANCE
PostedDecember 28, 2017
pennmom36
from"Dear Friend, although we don't know each other" and apparently are NOT friends????
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Either I'm experiencing Deja-vu or this story is hauntingly familiar, and nowhere near as good either! The Message is loud and clear, Madame Esperance (that's way too long of a name, let's just call her Madame E) is a physic medium who foresees the future, even her own! Unfortunately, things aren't looking too good for Madame E, but at least her vision will buy her some time to contact a detective, to get the ball rolling on her pre-murder investigation..
Once again, I play the role of a Detective, and apparently I'm not very good at it, because I never have a single penny to my name. To make matters worse, I have to resort to thieving coins in order to buy objects from shady vendors. I never get a receipt so I'm assuming these are stolen goods, which is surely another reason I'm not a very good detective. As with most of these games, you get to choose profile picture avatars. There are 3 different male characters and 3 different female characters to choose from. Basically a brunette, blonde and red haired detective available for either male or female avatar. Another unfortunate scenario in my detective career, I once again get equipped with a Spirit Collector. I don't want to talk about it, seriously disappointed, nuff said!
Amax Interactive is definitely digging their claws into these older games, as they desperately try to revitalize these long time standing series' they inherited from ERS. Each game they release lately, are ever so slightly better, it's clear to see they are putting forth great effort, but in the process, they seem to have lost sight of what a Collector's Edition is all about. I expect more collectibles in a CE, not less, and they've never even attempted to add Morphing Objects or any new features, why? Besides looting coins, the only collectibles offered in this Collector's Edition version, are a handful of Madame E's personal belongings! I remember filling out a BF survey a while back that was intended to provide insight from game buyers, as to what they desired within a CE. Did they receive hundreds and hundreds of requests to remove CE bling?
The Hidden Object Scenes are in typical form by this dev, but fortunately, they have called for a cease fire, on doubling up HOP's in repeated locations. There are Interactive List finds, but most of the Hidden Object Scenes are in the form of Keywords in a sentence, which is a very popular way devs use to incorporate more details of the plot. When I say popular, I mean that almost all of the devs use this method, which is why I loved the method used in Phantasmat, of telling the story through unexplained "visions" which is so much more realistic and far creepier. There aren't any alternative puzzles to opt for, but there are some HOP's that have a small puzzle of some kind to solve.
The Mini Games are just okay, neither good nor bad. Most of the games are available in a Casual or Hard difficulty mode. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Move the dial hands so they land on their matching symbols, by selecting a dial and swapping icons to a highlighted slot.
2) Several mini games that require you to click buttons, piano keys etc. in a specific order by trial and error.
3) Move the inner lock pieces so they fit in the outer lock pieces by swapping one key piece from each side.
4) Use directional arrows to guide the ball through the labyrinth to the hole.
5) Assemble the dream-catcher by attaching the string and hanging feathers.
6) Make matches of at least 3 identical tiles by swapping adjacent tiles, in a Match 3 game to collect 12 Fists and 12 Shields.
7) Move the ropes by selecting and swapping 2 rings making sure none of them intersect.
8) Use a map to navigate through the tunnels.
9) Use a magnet to drag a pin through the paths without going outside of the lines.
GRIM FACADE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Mystery of Venice (June 2011) 4.2
2-Sinister Obsession (July 5-12) 4.1
3-Cost of Jealousy (February 28-13) 4.0
4-A Wealth of Betrayal (April 24-14) 3.2
5-The Artist and the Pretender (September 18-14) 3.6
6-Hidden Sins (June 18-15) 4.2
7-Monster in Disguise (May 19-16) 4.0
8-The Red Cat (October 22-16) 3.8
9-A Deadly Dowry (September 23-17) 3.2
10-The Message (December 28-2017) n/a
2-Sinister Obsession (July 5-12) 4.1
3-Cost of Jealousy (February 28-13) 4.0
4-A Wealth of Betrayal (April 24-14) 3.2
5-The Artist and the Pretender (September 18-14) 3.6
6-Hidden Sins (June 18-15) 4.2
7-Monster in Disguise (May 19-16) 4.0
8-The Red Cat (October 22-16) 3.8
9-A Deadly Dowry (September 23-17) 3.2
10-The Message (December 28-2017) n/a
by: Amax Interactive
This Collector's Edition version has 6 Wallpapers, 6 Concept Art pictures, 6 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 11 Movie Videos, 16 re-playable Mini Games and Hidden Object Scenes, 20 Achievements to earn (one of which is to skip a mini game?) 7 Collectible Madame E personal items) collectible Coins, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.