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:
A Halloween party becomes a spine-tingling fight for survival!
Overall rating
4
/
5
33 of 37 found this review helpful
MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY, THOSE BEYONDERS WILL MAKE US SING LIKE CANARIES!
PostedNovember 1, 2017
pennmom36
fromDoesn't everyone's car have a picture of the remote control plastered to the hatch window?
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
Halloween Stories is an awesome introductory game that I'll look forward to playing next year's release. It is a bit on the short side, offering only 3 chapters, but that doesn't bother me as long as it has a good plot, and this one certainly does. I agree with kerith90angel's statement that it would be nice if the devs would offer replayable videos as a standard option, or at least a play by play storyline journal to refer to. I too always wait for a good CE sale, and I usually don't finish playing the game until the SE is released, and by that time you usually forget many of the details. I highly recommend this game as a Collector's Edition because this is one of the few games that's truly CE worthy with Morphing Objects, Puzzle Fragments, and cleverly hidden spooky dolls. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version if either is right for you:
Haunted Hotel move over! This is the big leagues baby, and this will be an evening Jane and Joe will never forget, unless they die of course. Halloween costume, check. Huge pumpkin head mask, check. An extra pair of clean underwear, ugh, prolly not, but this looks like the most awesome Halloween costume party ever! That's because it's real, these guys are the real McCoy's, and these two orphans are in for an unforgettable evening, as they try desperately to find each other first, and then a way out, before the Beyonders do terrible beyonder things to them!
This is my favorite kind of game, filled with creepy Ninja dolls that climb the walls, evil sadistic looking clowns (I couldn't stop making the clown do his creepy eye laughing thing, I spent more time interacting with the weirdness than playing the game) Just when I thought this game was going to be the first game to push the limits of the horror genre games here at big fish, they backed off and added some pretty comical features. I'm pretty sure they weren't doing this intentionally, but for once I want to play a game that doesn't hold back, and I'm bettin' a game like that would skyrocket sales. I know a lot of people don't like dark games with things that go bump in the night, and I'm okay with glittery games filled with unicorns occasionally, but there's way more horror genre fans than not, otherwise there wouldn't be so many games like this offered. I say, make me show proof of age (cause I can double it!) and make me tremble with fear!
In the Collector's Edition version, there are Morphing Beyonders Objects to find in each scene, Album Picture Fragments to collect and assemble 4 eight piece puzzles, and 12 Rare Halloween themed Dolls to find.(love the dancing skeleton) I'm glad I don't have to hang on to them for real, everyone knows creepy dolls are always possessed just like Annabel!
Right at the get go, Joe suspiciously disappears, and come to find out, he's been taken hostage. Surely it will be difficult to find Joe in this huge mansion filled with things that go bump in the night, right? Oh look, here's your sign..Hostage This Way, written in blood...red paint. That was easier than I thought it was going to be! So once I find a map leading to THE very room I need to find, I decide to investigate my surroundings, while trying my best to be stealth like so as not to alert the Beyonders.
First things first, fix the broken wire to the lights so I can see, I'm sure a light won't alert the bad guys to use as a beacon to find me. (why are wires always on the outside of the wall, and always frayed in half just shy of the switch?) By this point, I've already removed the famous broken skeleton key from the door lock, found away to open the ole "trap door hidden under a rug with a missing handle, used a coin as a screwdriver, solved a mini game to open a ridiculously complicated purse lock, used a rag as a tourniquet to compress solid iron pipes, found and used a razor blade to find a hidden treasure inside a sewn up patch, and of course found and replaced every emblem ever made since the beginning of time, to open up every trinket box and hidden caches I've come across, and this is just the third room!
Moving on to the hostage situation, I enter an underground maze of complicated tunnels, most of which lead to a dead end. At one point did this lead somewhere? Did they scrap this passage mid-way during construction? It's a good thing I have a map to follow, don't all mansions come stock with a map? Did I mention there's a horseshoe shaped magnet just out of reach that I simply must have, because I need it to remove an important object inside a Spider cage? Did I mention the bars on the cage are so wide I could stick my hand through them, if it weren't being guarded by an attack steroid ridden spider? He's still just a spider, I'm pretty sure he can slip through the bars with no problem!
By now I've had several close encounters with a ghost who seems to just float back and forth, with seemingly no rhyme or reason, surely it's a trick? Finally I reach the bedroom where Joe is being held hostage, bummer, the door is locked with a keypad. It's a good thing the code is written on the glass next to the lock. (the keyword is glass, Joe could have easily busted the glass and escaped) In all fairness Joe's hands are bound with magic rope? It's okay though, he knows they hid the special Magic Knife in the same room he's in, he just doesn't know where??
In order to find this knife, I need to look for some anti-rust remover, this stuff impresses me more than a Magic rope does hands down. But wait, first I need to find a drawer pull because its missing one, and simply placing a new drawer pull on the opening always seems to do the trick! While I'm searching for a way to free Joe, I may as well place these fragments on the picture and do a little Hidden Object searching. Man, this picture suddenly does seem larger up close, it's so big I have to look at it in 5 different sections as I practically do a 360 degree panoramic viewing!
I'm totally exhausted at this point, this is a big house after all. On a serious note, although it sounds as if I was unimpressed with this game from my review, I'm not. Quite the opposite, I just like to look at unrealistic things with a sense of humor. I loved the creep factor, and even though all of the tasks are predictable and obvious, I still had a blast playing it, in fact I've already bought it!
The Collector's Edition mostly has a bunch of creepy dolls and clowns speaking Latin, Spiders and cobwebs, shadows and objects that come to life and some even jump out at you. It also has 8 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 24 Achievements to earn, a Secret Room, Collectible Fragments to assemble 4 Album pictures with 8 pieces each, 12 Collectible Halloween themed Doll Figurines, and Morphing Objects, enjoy the escape!
I recommend this game!
Solve the most mystical layouts you've ever seen!
Overall rating
3
/
5
47 of 59 found this review helpful
IF SOLITAIRE GAMES WERE MADE ON AN ASSEMBLY LINE THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE
PostedOctober 31, 2017
pennmom36
fromThree items for sale in the Shop, how creative!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The graphics are really good, some of the board layouts are interesting, and there's a nice selection of creepy Raven themed card styles available, but that's about all this game has going for it. There's no mystery to this solitaire game, The Black Raven is just another cookie cutter version of all the other solitaire games by this dev. They never change a single thing, not one single feature is different, well, technically they change the title and the backgrounds. The main feature with these games, are that the game ends once you find all of the Gold cards, and it drives me bonkers! I'm way too OCD for this feature, I want to be able to remove ALL of the cards on the board to receive a perfect score, not just some of them! I will play a hand over and over until I achieve my goal of what I consider to be a perfect score.
This is a Higher/Lower type solitaire game, and the only goal you have, is to remove all cards that are Gold, it doesn't matter how many regular cards remain, and you don't get the option to continue playing after the Gold cards are removed. You can choose from 9 Raven themed card backs, and 3 different face cards, one of which is a large font. You begin the game in Newbie mode, which allows you to replay any hand, Professional mode only allows you to replay the entire pack of 10 levels. There are 12 different Packs, and each pack has 10 levels, you need to earn the specified amount of points to unlock the next pack, and the scoring is similar to bowling.
Another feature I don't like in this devs games, is that the tutorial makes you click another card off of the deck even though there are several more cards available on the board. I'm reluctant to skip the tutorial just in case they have added a new feature, which never happens, but one never knows, and I remain hopeful. I also hate that when you remove a card with a Wax Seal, it takes forever to explain what the card gives you, as it freezes continued game play to tell you what you won. Most of the time it gives you +499 extra points, but occasionally, a Joker, Mulligan or a second deck deal, finding two of these cards back to back is agonizing!
If you have purchased any of the other holiday themed solitaire games by this dev, then this game will just be a waste of money because there just isn't anything new, different or exciting offered. As my title says, if Solitaire games were mass produced on an assembly line, this is what I picture they would look like. I had high hopes when I saw another solitaire game being offered because the last few have been awesome, but I guess the run on really entertaining solitaire games had to end sooner or later. I'll go back to playing Jewel Match Twilight Solitaire, now that's a really good solitaire game!
I don't recommend this game.
An evil witch turned the famous prince into a frog! Help the poor prince remove his curse and find his princess in this hidden object adventure.
Overall rating
5
/
5
63 of 66 found this review helpful
EVEN BETTER THAN THE LAST ONE!
PostedOctober 31, 2017
pennmom36
fromKiss the frog Alice, it works every time!
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
I'm really digging these "Clutter" type games by Shaman, in fact, I'll go as far as to say that I like them even more than the Clutter games by Joe! A Plot Story was really good, but Witch's Tale is even better, because they have a very unique way of presenting the storyline, one sentence at a time. You can choose between 3 different modes of difficulty, Very Casual with no time limits, Casual with just enough time (well, not always) or Hard which gives you 20% less time than casual.
Alice is a young witch who must find a mentor after graduating from the Academy, and she has chosen Circe, a very powerful witch, whom she has always admired. Looks can often be deceiving, and Alice soon finds out that Circe has turned the Prince into a frog, when he wouldn't accept her marriage proposal. Now it's up to Alice to find a way to break Circe's evil curse, but will she live Happily Ever After?
Although most of the puzzles are Clutter type games, there are also the occasional jigsaw puzzles or slider type puzzles available as well. These jigsaw type puzzles will earn you an extra hint to use in the clutter puzzles, and the hint feature will recharge faster when you click on the crystals, located within each clutter puzzle. If you've never played Clutter, these are HOP's where you must find matching pairs, triple matches or both, in a huge pile of clutter. Crystals can be collected with a single click. My favorite Clutter puzzle was finding a black and white match to a colored match, and I will admit, this one got me and I had to make several attempts before finding all the matches within the specified time!
At the end of each Clutter round, your score is tallied with the number of items found, hints used, crystals found, and even your longest run of matches without mistakes. As soon as the demo began, I realized that this was the same kind of game as A Plot Story and by the same devs, and I have enjoyed playing that game over and over. This game is even better, the storyline is interesting, and it looks like the graphics have improved a bit, to make it easier to see the junk. I'm definitely going to take advantage of today's sale and add this game to my collection, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
It was a dark and stormy night... for Solitaire! Jewel Match gets spooky in this new Solitaire adventure! Play 200 levels and build 5 eerie castles!
Overall rating
5
/
5
85 of 97 found this review helpful
I BOUGHT THIS GAME 10 MINUTES INTO THE DEMO!
PostedOctober 30, 2017
pennmom36
fromWho knew Jewel Match could create such fun solitaire games?!?
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
Jewel Match delivers once again with a spooktacular Solitaire game! This is one of the few games that I actually get into when it comes to building things with the coins you earn because they are always beautiful castles, but in this case, they are spooky castles. There are several features that probably go unnoticed for the most part, but I love the fact that after each level, all 3 stars (or however many you earn) immediately pop into place at the same time as a group. I hate it when you have to wait for an eternity as one star appears, after it's placed, the second one arrives and finally the third. To me, it's equivalent to dial-up as you sit there waiting for what seems like an eternity, for all of the stars to make their appearance. I also loved the colony of bats that fly into the night sky after each level, and the fireworks that form creepy spiders.
This is a Higher/Lower Solitaire game, which is my favorite type, but it is also a Mahjong game because as you progress through the Solitaire levels, you unlock groups of Mahjong Games (50 total) that can be played anytime, to earn more gold. Personally, I think that part was a big mistake, they should have offered different types of Solitaire Games such as Spider or Tri-Peaks. You can choose from 4 different card backs and 2 front card styles, and you can play in Relaxed mode which allows for more than one deal, Normal mode, or Hard mode which is a timed mode. If you want to earn all of the 24 available Trophy Achievements, make sure you click to choose the custom cursor because this option is one of the trophies! You can choose to replay a level immediately from the score tally window or by choosing a particular level at anytime from the level map, which is a must have feature for me personally.
Some cards are blocked with obstacles that require finding the tool card, such as a Key Card to open Locked cards, Hammer cards to break the Chained cards, Scissors to snip the Ribbon cards (some cards have multiple ribbons) and Scythe Cards to whack down Throned cards. Frozen cards require 2 plays to remove them, Wax Sealed cards require playing a specific colored card, red or black, and some seals have specific suits that require you to include the specified suit and color from the board.
Some of the cards on the board have Jewels under them, the collected jewels are what you will use to buy Castle sections with. Some cards have hidden coins under them which allows you to purchase items in the shop to help you win. Combo's begin at a 5 card chain which will raise the coin index, and allow you to buy even more power-ups. Items in the Shop include a remaining card counter,additional undos and shuffle's, remove a specific or random card on the board, reveal a percentage of face down cards, more deck cards, earn more gold per level, specific numbered Wildcards, Jokers or increase the chance of getting jokers and wildcards.
OTHER JEWEL MATCH GAMES AVAILABLE
*Jewel Match 1: (Match 3)
*Jewel Match 2: (Match 3)
*Jewel Match 2: Reloaded (Match 3)
*Jewel Match 3: (Match 3)
*Jewel Match 4: (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Winter Wonderland Match 2 (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Snowscapes (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Twilight (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Royale Collector's Edition (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Solitaire Collector's Edition (Solitaire)
*Jewel Match 2: (Match 3)
*Jewel Match 2: Reloaded (Match 3)
*Jewel Match 3: (Match 3)
*Jewel Match 4: (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Winter Wonderland Match 2 (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Snowscapes (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Twilight (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Royale Collector's Edition (Match 3)
*Jewel Match: Solitaire Collector's Edition (Solitaire)
This is a Halloween themed Solitaire game, but it's a game that in my opinion can be enjoyed throughout the year because other than a few bats and spiders during the scoring section, there's nothing more than a few creepy looking haunted mansions, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover the secrets hidden in the Alexander Valentine Hotel?
Overall rating
4
/
5
45 of 51 found this review helpful
aleXander Valentine
PostedOctober 29, 2017
pennmom36
from"ouch, I think my leg is broken" What? it took you 10 minutes to figure this out?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I just finished playing The Evil Inside, and it was a fantastic game from beginning to end. (not yet finished with BC but seems equally as interesting) I've always been a huge Haunted Hotel fan, which was an original Big Fish Games Studios production until Elephant games took over its production in 2013 with their first release of Haunted Hotel #5 Eclipse. Elephant Games, formerly known as White Elephant also took over production of the Mystery Case Files, which in my opinion, is when these games really began to take root. I preferred the Collector's Edition over this Standard Edition, because of the CE bling, which is why I'm only giving this game 4 stars. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either is right for you:
The Ghost Seekers have invited a special guest host on their latest paranormal investigation of the Alexander Valentine Hotel. Rachael Collins didn't have to pull any strings to have her cousin join the team however, because James is certainly no stranger to the paranormal field, especially when it comes to Haunted Hotels! By the time James arrives, the entire team has disappeared, and he soon realizes that this Hotel holds many secrets, and even more haunted ghosts. The XV Hotel gained a seedy reputation long before it became a Hotel, dating back to 1927, when the entire Valentine family was found viciously slaughtered! Now James is left with no choice but go it alone, to save his cousin from the Evil Inside!
I was a tad bit disappointed with this 15th edition of one of my favorite series, Haunted Hotel. I own every game in this series, including the 3 original Haunted Hotel games that are only available in Standard Editions. I was disappointed that after the last 2 incredibly epic storylines, they took a step backwards, with just a run of the mill plot. I still love this game, but it pales in comparison to the last two games in the series. The second disappointment I have with The Evil Inside, is that for some reason, these devs decided to offer a stupid gimmicky device called Patrick, an acronym for Paranormal Activity TRacker & Interactive Computing Kernel. Why oh why, oh why did they have to do this to my beloved Haunted Hotel???????
At least they didn't mess with the CE bling, HH never disappoints, because I can count on the fact that they offer some type of Morphing Objects, and always in the game locations NOT within the HOP's which is a feature I loathe.The CE version also has 20 hidden Puzzle Pieces that will form 4 different Screensavers when all have been found, Morphing Collectible Business Cards to find as well the usual Achievements to earn.
The Hidden Object Scenes vary with each one, with Interactive List Finds, Interactive Silhouetted Shape Finds, Listed Items that uncover Fragments, and one of my personal favorites, where you move objects two at a time, to Match 2 of the same items hidden within. There isn't an alternate to the HOP's, but they are fairly well done HOP's with decent graphics.
The Mini Games are all doable, although a few of them are fairly time consuming. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Reveal only the symbols that are shown on the left by flipping tiles, clicking on one tile may affect others.
2) Use Patrick to scan the scene for 7 orbs that can't be seen with the naked eye. (this is me shaking my head <<O>>)
3) Move the knobs on Patrick to focus the image. <<0>>
4) Align the image shown on Patrick with the correct location in the scene. <<0>>
5) Place metal pieces on the disk so that all of the cells are filled, using the rotation button to correct the angle of the pieces.
6) Use directional arrows to guide the ball through the maze.
7) Restore the image by moving horizontal and vertical puzzle strips on Patrick's screen.
8) Find 7 more hidden orbs using Patrick <<0>>
9) Swap adjacent tiles to restore the image shown on Patrick.
10) Swap adjacent tiles in yet another Patrick game <<0>>
11) Direct arrows so that the 3 balls will land on the top spaces at the same time.
12) Move picture pieces into the correct spots using arrows to rotate the pieces that will rotate each time they move over a circle.
13) Move the tiles to adjacent empty slots to reveal the compartment.
HAUNTED HOTEL GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Haunted Hotel (SE only March 2008) 2.9
2-Believe The Lies (SE only January 4-2009) 2.7
3-Lonely Dreams (SE only August 27-2010) 3.2
4-Charles Dexter Ward (June 10-12) 3.9
5-Eclipse (October 10-13) 4.1
6-Ancient Bane (May-29-14) 3.9
7-Death Sentence (December 18-14) 4.1
8-Eternity (April 25-15) 3.7
9-Phoenix (August 20-15) 3.7
10-The X (November 12-15) 4.3
11-The Axiom Butcher (April 30-16) 4.1
12- Silent Waters (September 17-16) 3.7
13-The Thirteenth (December 24-16) 3.6
14-Personal Nightmare (May 25-17) 4.1
15-The Evil Inside (September 30-17) 3.6
2-Believe The Lies (SE only January 4-2009) 2.7
3-Lonely Dreams (SE only August 27-2010) 3.2
4-Charles Dexter Ward (June 10-12) 3.9
5-Eclipse (October 10-13) 4.1
6-Ancient Bane (May-29-14) 3.9
7-Death Sentence (December 18-14) 4.1
8-Eternity (April 25-15) 3.7
9-Phoenix (August 20-15) 3.7
10-The X (November 12-15) 4.3
11-The Axiom Butcher (April 30-16) 4.1
12- Silent Waters (September 17-16) 3.7
13-The Thirteenth (December 24-16) 3.6
14-Personal Nightmare (May 25-17) 4.1
15-The Evil Inside (September 30-17) 3.6
The Collector's Edition has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 18 Achievements to earn, Collectible Business Cards, 25 Morphing Objects, 20 hidden Picture Fragments that give you 4 different Screensavers when complete, a Secret Room, 12 replayable Mini Games, 15 replayable Hidden Object Puzzles, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter to return to the Hotel, assuming you make it out alive! Enjoy your stay!
I recommend this game!
An earthquake reveals a hidden palace full of deadly secrets!
Overall rating
2
/
5
78 of 106 found this review helpful
R.I.P HIDDEN EXPEDITION
PostedOctober 28, 2017
pennmom36
fromHe's been poisoned and there's no known antidote, let's give him a vitamin shot!???????
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Close your eyes and picture what it would look like if a recent earthquake uncovered an ancient, centuries old palace. Now open your eyes an gaze upon Hidden Expedition's version of what the palace would look like, beautiful pristine waters gently sloshing against the cliffs edge exposing the sharp contours of the palace entrance etched into the massive rocks. It's as if the earthquake never happened, no structural damage, no fallen debris, in fact not a stone out of place, inside or ou! Once again, H.E.L.P needs help, when two of their best agents go m.i.a during an archeological expedition of this long forgotten palace of King Mithridates....zzzzzzz
King Mithradates was known as the Poison King, a king that became completely obsessed with poison after his father died from poison. The mad king ingested small amounts of poison daily, which gave him an unprecedented resistance to most poisons. Eventually, King Mithridates met his demise, and Hidden Expedition should be laid to rest as well, R.I.P.
This Collector's Edition has 37 of those famous HE not so hidden signs to click on, Morphing Objects within the Hidden Object Scenes and all the usual CE bling. Nothing new or different, and probably never will be, in these cookie cutter Hidden Expedition games. Epix should revisit the past, and see that when they collaborated with Smithsonian, the games were top notched, award winning games, remember Hope Diamond?
The Hidden Object Scenes are boring,. Most are Interactive List finds but there are also Multiple finds and Combination finds where you find the item described by two different pictures. In this Collector's Edition version, there is a Morphing Object in each of the main HOP's.
The Mini Games are the only reason I gave this game two stars rather than one. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Drag and drop the hand token to find the right spot on the screen that will bring the transparent contoured arm directly over the normal one and restore your vision. (lather, rinse, repeat)
2) Swap mosaic plates to restore the story.
3) Press each of the cylinders to form the ancient Greek word for lion in the center from top to the bottom.
4) Bring both paw tokens to the paw shaped indentations at the same time.
5) Drag the amphora to the center of the maze, picking up the ingredients along the way.
6) Swing the sun token from the eagles to the door by releasing the ropes holding the token and interacting with the mechanisms. The tokens must swing over each sapphire button to remove the blocks from the board. (lather, rinse, repeat twice)
HIDDEN EXPEDITION GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Titanic (Standard Edition only) (July 22-2006) 3.6
2-Everest (Standard Edition only) (June 1-2007) 3.4
3-Amazon (Standard Edition only) (June 20-2008) 3.7
4-Devil's Triangle (Standard Edition only) (October 24-2009) 3.6
5-The Uncharted Islands (August 14-2011) 3.3
6-Smithsonian Hope Diamond (December 20-2013) n/a
7-The Crown of Solomon (July 3-2014) 4.1
8-Smithsonian Castle (December 24-2014) n/a
9-Dawn of Prosperity (August 27-2015) 3.7
10-The Fountain of Youth (January 7-2016) 4.3
11-Midgard's End (June 2-2016) 4.1
12-The Eternal Emperor (September 1-2016) 3.5
13-The Lost Paradise (December 22-2016) 3.7
14-The Pearl of Discord (April 8-2017) 3.9
15-The Curse of Mithridates (October 28-2017) n/a
2-Everest (Standard Edition only) (June 1-2007) 3.4
3-Amazon (Standard Edition only) (June 20-2008) 3.7
4-Devil's Triangle (Standard Edition only) (October 24-2009) 3.6
5-The Uncharted Islands (August 14-2011) 3.3
6-Smithsonian Hope Diamond (December 20-2013) n/a
7-The Crown of Solomon (July 3-2014) 4.1
8-Smithsonian Castle (December 24-2014) n/a
9-Dawn of Prosperity (August 27-2015) 3.7
10-The Fountain of Youth (January 7-2016) 4.3
11-Midgard's End (June 2-2016) 4.1
12-The Eternal Emperor (September 1-2016) 3.5
13-The Lost Paradise (December 22-2016) 3.7
14-The Pearl of Discord (April 8-2017) 3.9
15-The Curse of Mithridates (October 28-2017) n/a
This Collector's Edition has 13 Achievements to earn, 17 replayable Mini Game puzzles, 15 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 11 Movie Videos, 15 HOP Morphing Objects, 8 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, a Souvenir Room, Collectible Fact Cards, 37 not so Hidden Signs, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you solve an old murder case and save your sister?
Overall rating
5
/
5
135 of 159 found this review helpful
BLOOD IS CALLING
PostedOctober 26, 2017
pennmom36
fromWhy do I need to find paper and a pencil to write down a code when I have a cell phone???
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
Plagued with heliacus nightmares stemming from her childhood; Dana's psychiatrist suggests she revisits the past; where it all went horribly wrong. Dana and her brother Rick were just innocent kids when they entered the abandoned house on Maple Street, but their innocence shattered like a fragile piece of glass that fateful day. Today, Dana has found the strength to return to the house where the entire Wantley family was murdered. Whatever it was that she seen all those years ago must still be in there, and like a thistle in her side, her nightmare's thorns have only begun to dig in. Now Dana's only hope of salvation, lies within her baby brother Rick, but will he suffer the same consequences when he returns to 23 Maple Street?
I was a fan of this new series when Lakeview Lane was released last year, and (censored...H-e double L's) Thistle has exceeded my expectations! The graphics are some of the best I've seen in a long time, and although the story isn't exactly new per se, it does leave room for plot thickening and a few twists and turns. I love games that are based upon modern day events, and even though I'm not a fan of "ghost catching" devices, I'm willing to overlook the gimmicky device, because a cell phone is exactly what you'd expect someone to be using in current times. This edition has a whopping 72 Morphing Puzzle pieces (the beta only had 44!) that allows you to assemble Jigsaw Puzzles and save as Screensavers. You will also collect Coins throughout the game, that can be used to purchase Video Arcade and Billiards to decorate your virtual mancave garage, which also has a section to store your collectibles.
The Hidden Object Scenes are at times more like a mini game, but for the most part, they are variations of Interactive List finds. There are also Keywords in Sentences, Multiple Symbol finds and of course, the ghostbusting app HOP's that require you to find specific items using your cell phone, which I might add, wasn't a bad feature, quite the opposite, it's not a dreaded repetitious game like most gimmicky tools.
The Mini Games are in abundance, and many are available in a Casual or Hard difficulty mode, some of which are unique, and I enjoyed almost all of them. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Create a path between the stages of the moon in the correct numbered order.
2-Use the phone to scan the room and search for the items listed.
3-Interact with the scene by finding and replacing items that are relevant to the story.
4-Find matching pairs under tiles by selecting two tiles to see their images. The circle will turn 90 degrees with each match found.
5-Select the correct key sections to to replicate the locks mechanism.
6-Assemble the picture by finding and rotating picture fragments.
7-Shoot down the boxes being thrown at you, shoot when the target turns green, using brief moments to fire at the unguarded ghost to defeat him. (oh yeah, I'm a sharp shooter)
8-Move the tokens to the correct shaped slots by moving to highlighted spots without intersecting paths within a specified amount of moves.
9-Move fuses to connect the wires by selecting switches to chose colors and directional arrows to move them.
10-Swap tiles to restore the picture, select switches to toggle between halves.
11-Select correct code numbers and scroll through cylinders to replicate the symbol shown.
12-Arrange the spheres according to the clue shown, selecting a central circle to rotate the spheres surrounding it.
13-Guide the large vertical bar to the bottom of the safe, by rotating the dial to move the bar in either direction, and selecting rows to rotate.
14-Select and drag knobs to change the positions, and size of each character.
15-Swap books to restore the image, then change the tokens to reflect the images on the books.
16-Restore the faces by swapping parts from the same section of each mask using directional arrows.
17-Extinguish the fire by selecting highlighted sections next to each extinguishers, starting from the fire's origins.
HARROWED HALLS GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Lakeview Lane (October 20-2016) 3.6
2- (H-e-double L's) Thistle (October 26-2017) n/a
(?????? Why do they give these games a name that you're not allowed to write on a review??????)
2- (H-e-double L's) Thistle (October 26-2017) n/a
(?????? Why do they give these games a name that you're not allowed to write on a review??????)
This Collector's Edition has 20 Developer Diary pictures, 14 Wallpapers, 24 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 6 Jigsaw Puzzle Screensavers, 72 Morphing Jigsaw Puzzle pieces (to assemble the screensavers) 17 Achievements to earn, Collectible Coins (to buy virtual arcade and billiards) a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy the nightmare!
I recommend this game!
The sea is calling! Dive on in for an underwater mahjong adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
88 of 93 found this review helpful
GRAB YOUR BEACH TOWEL MAHJONG FANS
PostedOctober 25, 2017
pennmom36
fromI love the solitaire type mahjong!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
There are very few Mahjong games that I love because I find traditional Mahjong games to be boring after a few levels. Ocean Mahjong is different because there are 7 different types of Mahjong available to pick and choose from. These devs are the same ones that created Winter Mahjong, Forest Mahjong and my personal favorite Flowers Mahjong which has gorgeous graphics.
You can choose to play in Casual mode for a relaxing, untimed game, Normal mode or Expert, and you can tweak all of these features in Custom Mode. In Custom mode you can chose whether you want to play in timed mode or not, set the amount of time you want it to take to recharge hint and shuffle features, (10-120) whether you want free tiles highlighted, and if you want a bonus for remaining time.
MAHJONG TYPES AVAILABLE
*Traditional: same ole same ole match two identical tiles with the goal of removing all Special Gold tiles.
*Non-Pair: Find the only 2 tiles that don't have matches in each layer.
*Bottom Tiles: find tiles on the board that match tiles shown on the bottom.
*Great Wall: match two identical tiles, one tile on each side of the wall.
*Balance: select 2 tiles of the same color, preferably alternating so that the balance bar doesn't reach the max.
* Solitaire: remove pairs of same suit that equal the sum of 14.
*Memory: click 2 tiles at a time to see its picture, and memorize them to find matches.
Although I personally liked Flowers Mahjong better than this version of Mahjong, Ocean Mahjong has some very entertaining types of Mahjong available. There's sure to be a type that suits you, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director is back with the ultimate 5 star cruise of a lifetime aboard the luxurious USS Liberty of the Waves!
Overall rating
5
/
5
255 of 290 found this review helpful
I TAKE THIS CRUISE EVERY YEAR
PostedOctober 25, 2017
pennmom36
fromHurry up, the cruise leaves at 10 am sharp!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I have no idea why Vacation Adventures games are so appealing, but once you start playing, it's hard to stop! These are the same devs who offer Christmas Wonderland, Halloween Trick or Treat, Easter games, Ultimate Puzzles and my personal favorite Vacation Park Ranger.
The USS Liberty has pulled into the Big Fish port once again, a cruise you really should board. Just like the previous Vacation Adventures, this is purely a HOG with Puzzles and Mini Games available between each Hidden Object Scene. There's no voiceovers, so you'll have to read dialog boxes, if you want to follow the storyline, which is more of a what's next then a plot. Sounds old school, and you're right, but it's a really good old school HOG!
You can choose either Casual or Challenge modes (faster vs. slower hint and puzzle skip recharge) as well as which gender of cruise director you want. The best part about this game is that it's relaxing, there's no timer so you have all the time in the world, and some of the items to find are tiny, so it's a good thing there's no time restraints.
Each scene has Lost items that need found, the portal on the bottom left will show these items one at a time as silhouetted shapes, when all have been found the portal will close. Each scene also has recyclable items that need to be found such as paper bags, cans, and bottles, when all recyclable items have been found the lid will close. You earn coins as you play and the coins can be used to purchase 16 different Souvenirs, but this feature doesn't really float my boat.
The items to find are list finds, items in red are hidden in or behind something, items in blue are tasks to complete such as finding and dragging the captain's suit to the hanger. There are 18 trophies to earn and you are scored a bronze star if you find all items, a silver star if you find all lost items OR all recyclable items and a gold star when you find all lost items AND recyclable items. You will also receive an eagle eye bonus if you don't use the hint, there is a Mega Hint feature that will briefly show you all available items on the list.
After each HOG you will get to solve a puzzle or mini game such as rotating puzzle tiles to complete a picture, Match 2 identical items by flipping over two cards at a time, Spot the Difference between two almost identical pictures, finding cruise related words in a word search, or putting together a jigsaw type puzzle of the ship's layout. Grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy the cruise!
I recommend this game!
Help Rose Riddle solve the mystery of her missing parents and uncover the secrets of her past during a wild road trip through a fairy tale realm!
Overall rating
5
/
5
90 of 111 found this review helpful
I'VE A FEELING WE'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE!
PostedOctober 24, 2017
pennmom36
fromFizzy soda's are important in Fairytale world too!
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
I haven't played a TM game this fun for quite some time. I love everything about this game with the exception that I could care less about the CE extras and the price tag that comes along with it. If there's a good sale however, I'm on it! This is a hard game to describe, it's different, but the same!?
The storyline actually pulls you in, which is really quite exceptional for a TM game. Rose Riddle was abandoned at an orphanage when she was just a baby, so she never knew her parents, who they were or even if they are still alive. One fateful day she receives a letter telling her to search for the answers she seeks on Route 66. So off she goes on a trip in search of her parents, but things suddenly get real when she's swept away by a tornado in Kansas. Rose Riddle has found herself in a strange world full of fairytale creatures!
Fairytale characters you meet along the journey will help you once you help them of course. The story is kept in your journal and with each level, you first collect resources, repair bridges, build farms, all the usual TM tasks. Once you have found the items and completed the tasks, you refer to the journal to investigate.
Some of the levels switch from outdoors, to inside the palace with several rooms to investigate, on several levels, which was actually kind of different and unusual. The fairytale characters you meet are interesting and it's fun to read what they have to tell you.
This Collector's Edition has 24 Trophies to earn, 5 Music Soundtracks, 4 Wallpapers, 17 Character Bios, Bonus Levels and a built in Strategy Guide. For me personally, these things don't interest me enough to warrant the price for a TM game, but if there's a sale before the SE is released, I'll definitely buy it, enjoy!
I recommend this game!