pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4711
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:March 30, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Antiques from Rosen's Workshop are coming to life!
Overall rating
2
/
5
79 of 110 found this review helpful
I GAVE IT TWO STARS BECAUSE I DID ENJOY A COUPLE OF PUZZLES
PostedSeptember 21, 2017
pennmom36
fromWhy do I have to fetch my clients medicine in every Spirit of Revenge game???
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Brenda Gale has another angry ghost to appease, but this time she's not alone. After rummaging through her new client's home thoroughly, she finds spare parts, and of course instructions, to assemble the latest and greatest Kiwi Bird mechanical helper. At first this amazing bird can only open jars, but after a few amazing upgrade adjustments, he can fly! This is amazing considering a Kiwi Bird is a FLIGHTLESS bird native to New Zealand! (fun fact: the kiwifruit wasn't called kiwi until around 1970, as a marketing strategy. Before that, kiwi was called gooseberry and was native to China, but adored by New Zealanders.) I'm tempted to just add more amazing fun facts about the Kiwi and the fruit, because this Spirit of Revenge is anything but amazing!
In this unamazing episode of Spirit of Revenge, Thomas finds Pinocchio, a puppet created by his great grandfather, Finn Rosen, a.k.a Gepetto. The next thing ya know, the whole town is being hexed by a revengeful spirit, and Thomas goes off the rails of the crazy train. His wife Emma knows exactly what to do, call the expert, Brenda Gale. Ms. Gale begins the investigation by snooping through everyone's personal belongings, including the neighbors. There's all the aspects we HOPA fans adore, the missing zipper pull, finding oil that instantly removes 20 years worth of corrosion instantly, finding the exact wrench needed to turn off the spewing hydrant (which btw is laying right next to it) and plenty of HOP's with feathers, bells, lions, watches, etc. to find before finding the one and only item we can actually use! None of this would be possible in my opinion without the help of our little buddy, the Kiwibird you get to name. ( I can't tell you what I named my little buddy, it's inappropriate)
In this Collector's Edition version, there are Morphing Objects to find in each scene that will give you a hint for each one you find. There are supposedly only 10, so what happens when you need 11 hints? There are 4 Tubes of Paint to find that unlock a bonus mini game, and after the demo there are collectible Musicians and Actors to find that unlock two more bonus mini games. In my opinion, this game is CE unworthy.
I HOPe you love HOP's because there's a ton of em! Lot's and lots of junk to rummage through, Interactive List finds, Multiple Silhouetted Shape finds, and Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds, some of which have small puzzles to solve. There are no alternate games available in lieu of the Hidden Object Puzzles.
The Mini Games I will admit, have some entertainment value, because I actually enjoyed some of them which were kind of new, especially the parallel parking game. Some, not all, are available in an easy or hard difficulty mode.Below are some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Select and replace missing items in a town scene.
2) Move two gears along all of the lines only once to an empty slot.
3) Block the darts by moving the paddle left or right until the meter fills.
4) Position the left wing to match the right wing, by moving sections with directional arrows, this is a 3 part puzzle with more sections added each time.
5) Parallel park a van using DNR modes, directional steering and the gas and brake pedals.
6) Position the doorknockers according to the matching eye colors that appear when swapping, then select them in the correct order according to the clue shown.
7) Select arrows to rotate and swap disks to their matching related symbols.
8) Select 8 matching pairs of Symbols.
9) Move the token along all lines without crossing, to all items except the one's Chloe doesn't like.
10) Turn all hands to point down, selecting one hand may affect others.
SPIRIT OF REVENGE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Cursed Castle (August 9-14) 4.5
2-Elizabeth's Secret (June 25-15) 3.7
3-Gem Fury (December 12-15) 3.6
4-Florry's Well (June 25-16) 3.8
5-A Test of Fire (January 14-17) 3.4
6-Unrecognized Master (September 21-17) n/a
2-Elizabeth's Secret (June 25-15) 3.7
3-Gem Fury (December 12-15) 3.6
4-Florry's Well (June 25-16) 3.8
5-A Test of Fire (January 14-17) 3.4
6-Unrecognized Master (September 21-17) n/a
This Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 6 Concept Art Pictures, 20 Movie Videos, 11 Music Soundtracks, 10 Morphing Objects that give you extra hints, 4 collectible Tubes of paint, Musicians and Actors to unlock 3 Bonus Mini Games, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
Young archeologist, Ann Windsdoe, is on a journey to find an ancient device that will help locate her father.
Overall rating
4
/
5
39 of 44 found this review helpful
WHERE ARE YOU DAD?
PostedSeptember 20, 2017
pennmom36
fromWhy do all devices need to be ancient?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
In Chase for Adventure: The Lost City, Ann Windsdoe retraced her father's archaeological expedition in Madagascar, where he disappeared over 20 years ago. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to locate her father, and returned to the university empty handed. Ann is eager to embark on another adventure, this time, to locate The Iron Oracle, an ancient device that could be the key to finally locating her beloved father.
The graphics are fairly decent, and I love the different tasks that are required in each level. I still don't see a need for a Collector's Edition in a Time Management game, but I did enjoy finding the Morphing Chameleons and the red, blue and purple Jewels (one morph and one jewel in each level)
As I stated earlier, most of the tasks are kind of different, for example, you have to first find a Shovel to dig up piles of sand, and you have to find a Lantern before you can explore the Ancient Barrows. Some of the sites have a few Camera Icons that are located near important landmarks or other discoveries, and you have to place the camera first, then you have to take the picture, and if there is more than one object to photograph, you'll have to click on the camera again, in order to move it. There are giant stone door disks to move, Sphinxes to explore and even ancient Tombs to explore, so far, I haven't repaired a single bridge!
As I stated earlier, most of the tasks are kind of different, for example, you have to first find a Shovel to dig up piles of sand, and you have to find a Lantern before you can explore the Ancient Barrows. Some of the sites have a few Camera Icons that are located near important landmarks or other discoveries, and you have to place the camera first, then you have to take the picture, and if there is more than one object to photograph, you'll have to click on the camera again, in order to move it. There are giant stone door disks to move, Sphinxes to explore and even ancient Tombs to explore, so far, I haven't repaired a single bridge!
There are still the familiar tasks of gathering resources such as food and water, or clearing paths of debris such as stones and boulders or fallen trees. You will need to strategically construct the correct buildings that will give you the resources you need such as Tents for more Workers, Sawmills for Wood,Canteens to supply Food, or Pumping Stations for Water. Some supplies are constantly being delivered in small amounts by helicopter, mostly food and water.
There is a Bonus Meter at the bottom of the screen that has to fill up before you can use the power-up icons such as, Faster Workers, Extra Resources etc. There is also a meter at the top, which shows you your level Star position, but any level can be replayed from the map.
Although this isn't one of my favorite Time Management games, I really enjoyed the change of pace tasks available. Personally, I don't have enough interest in the CE extras offered, so in my opinion, this Standard Edition is the better game, unless you take advantage of a good sale like the one offered today.
Games Available in this Series:
-CHASE FOR ADVENTURE: The Lost City 10-5-16 (3.2)
-CHASE FOR ADVENTURE 2: The Iron Oracle 8-1-17 (2.5)
-CHASE FOR ADVENTURE 2: The Iron Oracle 8-1-17 (2.5)
The Collector's Edition offers 34 Photo Album pictures, 55 Morphing Chameleons, 45 Collectible Jewels (15 red, 15 blue, 15 purple) a High Scores leaderboard, 34 Achievements to earn, 8 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, a built in Strategy Guide and 10 Bonus CE levels, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Join the penguins on a mosaic filled journey to a deserted island! Help them explore the island and solve new challenges.
Overall rating
5
/
5
31 of 45 found this review helpful
IS MR. PENGUIN GOING SOLO?
PostedSeptember 18, 2017
pennmom36
fromI've got my eye on you Mr. Penguin!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The Penguin family has returned from their Magic Forest trip and are looking forward to a change of scenery. Supposedly this is a family trip, but all I noticed was Mr. Penguin climbing aboard the boat headed towards a Deserted Island. Hopefully there's not a little trouble in paradise, only one way to find out, one griddler at a time!
As usual Fantasy Mosaics 24 has 6 different color bubbles to work with, some of which are newer, one of which reminds me of bubble gum. You can switch between the color bubbles to help you solve these colorful griddlers, and you can earn a Gold trophy if you make no mistakes, a Silver trophy if you make one mistake and a Bronze trophy if you make two mistakes. You will also earn up to three gold Stars if you don't use any hints, one star is deducted each time you use a hint. Therefore, it is possible to make a mistake or two but still earn 3 stars as long as you don't use any available hints.
This is a griddler or mosaic type puzzle game (japanese crossword) where you fill in and cross off cells on various sized grids, using logic, so you'll never have to guess. (unlike some griddler games) They aren't easy puzzles to solve at times, but I love the challenge. If you are new to mosaic games, I suggest trying one of the earlier versions of Fantasy Mosaics. There are groups of numbers located on each column and row of the grid, each group of numbers must be separated by at least one blank or crossed off cell. Sometimes it's easier to figure out where numbers can't possibly fit to reduce the amount of cells and narrow the playing field down a bit. Some cells contain bonuses such as extra hints, extra mistakes allowed or an extra pickaxe which allows you to choose which cell you want a hint on. There is a Sun icon as well that when fully charged, will give you a mega hint, filling in or crossing off a 3x3 area of your choice.
The one feature that makes Fantasy Mosaics stand out from the rest of the griddler games, is the vibrant array of colors available, and now with six different colors used to make the pictures, it's even better. In this version, I think the pictures are really interesting, and I really love the way the colors pop. It can also help you solve the puzzle when you get stuck, because you can switch to another color which ultimately narrows down the available cells. Unlike many griddler games, these pictures actually make sense, because they have six different colors you know what image you have created.
This is my favorite Mosaic Griddler series and is one of the best mosaic griddlers available, and certainly one of the most colorful. This is a must have game for griddler geeks and an immediate purchase for this geek. I'm looking forward to my adventure to the Deserted Island, enjoy
I recommend this game!
Can you stop history from repeating itself?
Overall rating
3
/
5
59 of 69 found this review helpful
IT'S CERTAINLY DIFFERENT
PostedSeptember 17, 2017
pennmom36
fromI'll save the world, let me just play a little tune on this piano first!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'm going to continue giving Amax kudos for the fantastic job they are doing. These guys are clearly putting on their thinking caps, to introduce fresh new ideas in a stale environment. Think about it, when is the last time you saw a different or unusual feature in a HOPA game? Amax has got mojo, and my prediction is these devs are going for the gold, I can't wait to see what's to come, I'm betting they have many more tricks up their sleeves, and perhaps a new series or two in store for us. They still need to correct the widescreen issue however, none of the Amax/ERS games automatically support widescreen, I have to either play their games in windowed mode, or adjust my screens resolution, otherwise, the game stretches out too far and cuts off everything on the sides, hopefully, they hear my pleas and fix this annoying issue.
Why a low star rating when I just sang praises of how Amax has raised the bar on HOPA games? Well, it's because in my opinion, they should have started an entirely new series with this game, it's anything but a Spirits of Mystery storyline! SOM games are supposed to be about the 5 kingdoms, and the 5 princesses who rule. It's about the evil sorcerer Isa, and the sorceress who pulls his strings, it's supposed to be about Nanny the immortal mentor of princesses. Other than a brief appearance from Nanny at the start, everybody else is a no show, the black panther doesn't even make an appearance. The Moon Crystal should have ditched the princess, gave the heroine a rebellious tough girl attitude, and developed a brand new series, a series where the heroine's personality becomes more brazen and rebellious with each new adventure. (if I could only write these storylines...wouldn't it be cool if BF allowed each reviewer to submit a storyline plot, and comprised a game that featured our ideas?)(think about it, there are only a handful of top developers, and even fewer team members who write the storylines, and there are thousands of reviewers, with even more amazing ideas swirling around!)
I also have a problem with the Collector's Edition extras, or lack thereof. Other than a dozen and a half Achievements to earn, there are only statues to collect. They completely ditched the collectible portraits that gave you insight into each character, and I actually liked the royal crown collection that was introduced in The Fifth Kingdom, so I'm not sure why they decided to abandon these features, again, if they are doing away with all key ingredients of its predecessors, they should have opted for an entirely new series.
At the start of the game, Nanny gives you an Amulet that will protect you from harm, but for some reason, you need to whip up a freezing potion to either temporarily freeze several minions or destroy fewer. Throughout the game you'll be given several "choices" such as how you will use the limited amount of potions you have, but I'm not really sure how your decisions will affect the outcome, really the only way to find out, is to play the game twice, using different choices.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Interactive List finds, Silhouetted Shape finds, and Interactive Progressive Silhouetted Shape finds where you must find an item that matches the silhouetted shape and then use that item interactively in the scene to expose the next item and so forth. Many of the HOP's are repeated in the same scene, another annoying feature I hope Amax decides to ditch, it's plain ole boring a second time around.
The Mini Games are fairly good, and there seems to be a ton of them, which is totally awesome. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Follow the beetle as it shuffles between other beatles.
2) Use your amulet to find and select runes on the door in numerical order.
3) Select no more than 3 lures to take, the player who takes the last lure wins.
4) Select the triangles when they are all in the green zone.
5) Connect all the dots in a continuous line only once.
6) Create the outfits shown in the mirror on the mannequin using arrows to move through the options.
7) Use your bracelet and a lever on the conveyor belt to free yourself.
8) Create the symbols shown using rune markings.
9) Rotate and swap disks to conduct the three rays of light from the colored crystals to the center, light rays can only pass through crystals of the same color.
SPIRITS OF MYSTERY GAMES AVAILABLE IN ORDER
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Amber Maiden (January 5-12) 4.2
2-Song of the Phoenix (April 12-12) 4.7
3-The Dark Minotaur (December 27-12) 4.4
4-The Silver Arrow (December 12-13) 4.2
5-Chains of Promise (August 13-15) 3.5
6-Family Lies (March 24-16) 3.5
7-The Fifth Kingdom (January 12-17) 4.2
8-Illusions (June 15-17) 3.0
9-The Moon Crystal (August 19-17) 3.3
The Collector's Edition has 18 Achievements to earn, Collectible Statues, 10 Wallpapers, 14 Concept Art pictures, 6 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, replayable Mini Games. Hidden Object Scenes, and Movie Videos, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
2-Song of the Phoenix (April 12-12) 4.7
3-The Dark Minotaur (December 27-12) 4.4
4-The Silver Arrow (December 12-13) 4.2
5-Chains of Promise (August 13-15) 3.5
6-Family Lies (March 24-16) 3.5
7-The Fifth Kingdom (January 12-17) 4.2
8-Illusions (June 15-17) 3.0
9-The Moon Crystal (August 19-17) 3.3
The Collector's Edition has 18 Achievements to earn, Collectible Statues, 10 Wallpapers, 14 Concept Art pictures, 6 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, replayable Mini Games. Hidden Object Scenes, and Movie Videos, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you defeat dangerous creatures and find your grandfather in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
83 of 106 found this review helpful
FOUR STARS FOR THE STORYLINE-FIVE STARS FOR THE ABUNDANCE OF FUN PUZZLES!!!!
PostedSeptember 16, 2017
pennmom36
fromThis sword is getting heavy.
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The Nightcrawlers are attacking! Oh, I guess that's supposed to be a Night Caller, you know, the ladies of the evening, nope that's not it either. It's a giant creature that comes calling at night, whose energy comes from symbols??? Where do the symbols come from, they didn't appear until the nightcrawler appeared? Are you as confused as I am? It all boils down to one thing, it's Grandpa's fault and I've gotta fix it! I've got to get rid of these Nightcrawlers before it rains, cause ya know what happens when it rains! (I should write these stories)
I love Mad Head games, but all their stories lately seem to be about the same thing, and they all center around symbols. The Collector's edition versions have the same Spiral Symbols to collect, and the same HOP Morphs. I do however love the abundance of puzzles offered, which aren't necessarily challenging, but they are fun.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly Interactive List finds, but there was an Interactive Progressive Silhouetted Shape one that had a bunch of puzzles, and was really quite fun. Each of the HOP's have a Morphing Object to find, some of which are difficult to spot.
The Mini Games are really entertaining, in my opinion. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Use all wires to connect lights by rotating connectors.
2) Drag symbols to align them with the stationary symbols.
3) Navigate through the maze using directional arrows and using items you find to progress through obstacles.
4) Rotate grate sections to allow an open path to retrieve the saw. Because there's always something of great importance in the sewer.
5) Adjust lock sections to create an open bath to the button, clicking on one section may affect others, because they always do.
6) Swap tiles to complete the picture, click on the button to change the available tile sets.
7) Match the symbols to the shape of the buttons, click until desire shape appears.
8) Swap tiles to assemble the picture. Doesn't anybody have a normal picture to enjoy?
9) Click sections in the correct order.
10) Slide puzzle sections to complete the image, because no picture seems to be normal.
11) Swap the painting to match the outlines on the wall. Finally normal pictures, just not in normal spots!
12) Press arrows to move spheres to their matching colored spots, no picture involved.
13) Swap and rotate triangle puzzle pieces to......you get the picture.
14) Find and replace items on the pages of the book, it's sort of like a pop-up only different.
RITE OF PASSAGE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Perfect Show (June 7-12) 4.5
2-Child of the Forest (May 16-13) 4.7
3-Hide and Seek (June 12-14) 4.6
4-The Lost Tide (May 2-15) 3.7
5-Heart of the Storm (January 16-16) 4.0
6-Deck of Fates (October 27-16) 4.0
7-The Sword and the Fury (September 16-17) n/a
2-Child of the Forest (May 16-13) 4.7
3-Hide and Seek (June 12-14) 4.6
4-The Lost Tide (May 2-15) 3.7
5-Heart of the Storm (January 16-16) 4.0
6-Deck of Fates (October 27-16) 4.0
7-The Sword and the Fury (September 16-17) n/a
This Collector's Edition has 4 Wallpapers, 10 Music Soundtracks, 17 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 17 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, Characters, 32 Collectible Spiral Signs, 10 Achievements to earn, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you find the Wise Dragon and save your people?
Overall rating
4
/
5
64 of 78 found this review helpful
A VERY WISE DRAGON INDEED
PostedSeptember 15, 2017
pennmom36
fromThere's only one mother of dragons, breaker of chains....
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I'm a fan of the castle journeys, although none of the Midnight Calling games come close to the never ending journey of the original cult classic Midnight Castle. The reason I have been giving the last couple of games in this series only a four star rating, is because of the graphics. Obviously the storylines are enchanting, and I don't expect realistic graphics in a fantasy based game, but these graphics aren't good at all, and way too cartoonish in nature to take seriously, which is a shame, because with better graphics, this series would be a force to reckon with!
Diana's father Benedict is a well known magician, who has apparently discovered the secrets of the Wise Dragon, but may not be alive to talk about it! After the entire town was obliterated by a dragon, Diana learns that her father suspected foul play, and left behind clues so that she could continue the journey her father began. Only the worthy, who pass the Wise Dragon's test, are able to see the elusive and of course wise dragon. Could the Wise Dragon be responsible for the town's demise, or are more sinister forces at play here?
The Collector's Edition version has some good "frill" extra's, such as Morphing Objects, Achievements, Fresco Fragments and Collectible Dragons. I was a little disappointed however, that the cursor changes to a hand whenever you come across one of the CE bling offerings, and even more disappointed by the raccoon helper!
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Interactive List finds, Silhouetted Shape finds and Multiple finds. One HOP in particular, I actually found to be entertaining, and rarely offered, which required you to find the exact areas shown inside square tiles. It would be nice to see more of this type.
The Mini Games are fairly easy, and some are multi-layered. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Rotate disks to complete the image.
2) Select tokens from the top and bottom that create the symbol shown in the center.
3) Swap disks and select the bottom symbol to change which disks are available.
4) Select and drag circles to rotate and select again to lock into place.
5) Select the outer symbols that make up the symbols in the center.
6) Drag 3 or more identical tiles in several Match 3 games.
6) Drag 3 or more identical tiles in several Match 3 games.
7) Move animal tokens along the lines to their matching spaces.
8) Destroy all but one chip by selecting a chip located between two matching chips.
MIDNIGHT CALLING GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1--Anabel (February 17-15) 3.9
2--Jeronimo (June 11-16) 4.1
3-Valeria (January 19-17) 3.6
4-Wise Dragon (August 17-17) 4.5
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 24 Achievements to earn, a Secret Room, Collectible Dragons, Fresco Puzzle Fragments, Morphing Objects, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy the castle journey!
2--Jeronimo (June 11-16) 4.1
3-Valeria (January 19-17) 3.6
4-Wise Dragon (August 17-17) 4.5
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 24 Achievements to earn, a Secret Room, Collectible Dragons, Fresco Puzzle Fragments, Morphing Objects, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy the castle journey!
I recommend this game!
Can you delve into a dangerous past and escape in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
199 of 236 found this review helpful
THIS IS NO DREAM IT'S A NIGHTMARE
PostedSeptember 14, 2017
pennmom36
fromI sure do miss Codeminion!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
It's no secret that this is my favorite series of all time, and that the original Phantasmat game is my all time favorite HOPA game. There has never been a game that has a better storyline, or more entertaining. The reason the original Phantasmat is so good in my opinion is that it was produced by Codeminion.
Phantasmat games are not about life or death per se, they are about whether or not you are alive or dead, or just somewhere in between the phantasmal realm of reality. In Insidious Dreams, Ashley probably wishes she were dead, after a car accident that leaves her with a severe concussion and amnesia. Is her mind playing tricks on her, or does this old farmhouse really have otherworldly residents? Ashley tries to fit the missing pieces of the past together, but whose past is it? More importantly, what's in her future?
This isn't one of the best Phantasmat games in the series, but I love the creepy, psychotic vibe, of not knowing who to trust, similar to The Town of Lost Hope. In this Collector's Edition, there are 35 collectible creepy Dolls (should have been clowns) and there are Morphing Objects within 9 of the Hidden Object Scenes (you know how I feel about morphs only being in the HOP's!) I'm not convinced this game is CE worthy, so I'll wait until there's a $6.99 sale on CE's, even though I'm anxious to find out more of the storyline.
The Hidden Object Scenes are really lengthy and entertaining, something I rarely say about HOP's nowadays. Most offer two types per HOP with Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds, Interactive List finds, and Multiple Object finds, some even have smaller Zoom Zone HOP's within the main HOP. There is a Morphing Object within 9 of the scenes, a feature I'm never thrilled about in the first place, and why only 9? There is an optional Match 3 game to play if you're not into hidden object finds.
The Mini Games are decent as well, they aren't really difficult, but some of them are difficult to complete on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
The Mini Games are decent as well, they aren't really difficult, but some of them are difficult to complete on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Place sliders on the corresponding disks by selecting buttons to rotate the sliders around the board. Select the slider when it's at the beginning of the inside rail to move it to the disk at the end of the rail.
2-Use directional arrows to move the slider to pick up 2 tokens at a time and place them on their corresponding slots, by retracing tangled wires.
3-Select left and right flippers in a game of pinball.
4-Remove all but one sphere by jumping spheres to remove them.
5-Place the padlock pins into the four center spaces using directional arrows to move the chains in the direction indicated.
PHANTASMAT GAMES AVAILABLE
Title Collector's Edition Release Date Average Rating
Title Collector's Edition Release Date Average Rating
1-Phantasmat (February 8-2011) 4.5
2-Crucible Peak (December 6-2012) 3.8
3-The Endless Night (January 10-15) 4.0
4-The Dread of Oakville (July 9-15) 4.2
5-Behind The Mask (December 17-15) 4.4
6-Town of Lost Hope (April 7-16) 3.5
7-Reign of Shadows (October 6-16) 4.3
8-Mournful Loche (April 13-17) 3.7
9-Insidious Dreams (September 14-17) n/a
2-Crucible Peak (December 6-2012) 3.8
3-The Endless Night (January 10-15) 4.0
4-The Dread of Oakville (July 9-15) 4.2
5-Behind The Mask (December 17-15) 4.4
6-Town of Lost Hope (April 7-16) 3.5
7-Reign of Shadows (October 6-16) 4.3
8-Mournful Loche (April 13-17) 3.7
9-Insidious Dreams (September 14-17) n/a
This Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 8 replayable Movie Videos, 9 Music Soundtracks, 12 replayable Puzzles, Alternate Hidden Object Scenes, a Souvenir Room, 35 hidden Dolls, 9 Morphing Objects within the Hidden Object Scenes, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Jigsaw Puzzle: Beach Season 2 - a puzzle game with 500 photos celebrating summer.
Overall rating
2
/
5
34 of 38 found this review helpful
WHERE'S THE BEACH?
PostedSeptember 13, 2017
pennmom36
fromIt's a bad time for beaches right now, hope all are safe after Irma!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Jigsaw Mania
(5)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I'm with HeavenBound on this one, with a title proclaiming to be about beaches, you'd think at least the majority of pictures would be beaches! Let's face it, if the pictures aren't interesting the puzzles are worthless. In the first edition of Beaches, there were a ton of underwater scenes, beautiful sea turtles, colorful saltwater fish, coral, and of course, lots of palm trees, and sandy beaches. I especially loved the underwater puzzles with vivid colorful schools of fish with coral reef backgrounds. Although the Nature picture category in this edition has some similar scenery, the other categories, Gaiety, Food, Shopping and Romance are pretty much unappealing to me personally, and very few of the puzzles within those categories are beach related.
Not much has changed as far as the features go, there are 5 different puzzle groups and each box has 100 different puzzles for a total of 500 puzzles. You can Ghost the image on the background or hang a picture with 3 different sizes, and you can change the resolution and the background colors, green, pink, blue or gray.
Not much has changed as far as the features go, there are 5 different puzzle groups and each box has 100 different puzzles for a total of 500 puzzles. You can Ghost the image on the background or hang a picture with 3 different sizes, and you can change the resolution and the background colors, green, pink, blue or gray.
There is a Box to store extra pieces in, and you can Sort the pieces into the general location, and choose just Border pieces. There is a Magnifying Glass and a Hint feature as well as a Top Score tracker. My favorite feature allows you to Modify any puzzle with the number of pieces you want, the shape of the puzzle pieces and whether or not you want the pieces to rotate. I use the Modify feature with every puzzle so I can choose how many pieces I want to assemble.
I don't understand why these devs present these cookie cutter versions, over and over, without EVER changing a single feature. There are 3 features I would love to see offered or changed, all of which seem like easy fixes:
1-WALLPAPERS....why on earth isn't there a feature that allows the player to set any of the finished puzzles as wallpapers. Instead, they are one and done, don't look back puzzles, there's not even an option to look at the puzzle once they have been completed.
2- SORT....when you select the sort option, the puzzle pieces shuffle around into little random piles that seem to have no rhyme or reason, and definitely not what I'd consider sorted, the only thing I can figure, is that they are sorted to the area they belong (top right, bottom right) Wouldn't it be cool if there were options within the sort option, to be able to choose if you want the pieces sorted by area, color or shape, and above all, sorted so the pieces were sorted on the outside edges, not smack dab in the middle of the border and around the edges!
3-PUZZLE STYLE.....this is a biggie folks, how about an option for puzzle style such as squares. Last year I bought an older puzzle game called Jigsaw Mania, and I play this game just about everyday. This game allows you to customize every aspect of the puzzle, including the ability to list to your own music, You can download pictures from the internet, and your own photos as well. You can save them and use as wallpapers, you can even e-mail them to a friend so they can do the puzzle as well. The feature I love most of all, is the availability to choose each puzzle style, wavy, shaped, regular jigsaw pieces in small, medium and large, flower shaped pieces that are the same on every piece etc. I never expected that I would become addicted to doing puzzles where every piece is a small square, approximately 1/4" squared. It makes the puzzle challenging and way more interesting!
If you don't really care about the pictures themselves, then you'll probably be okay with this puzzle, however, if you're a puzzle geek like me, and you want something different, check out Jigsaw Mania (it's an older game, so the first thing you'll want to do is click to download all new pictures from the internet, there's hundred of them) and don't forget that you can use your own photos as pictures that actually mean something to you, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Check out a huge variety of new puzzles in what may be the best Clutter game yet!
Overall rating
5
/
5
180 of 203 found this review helpful
JOE: HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO UNCLUTTER MY LIFE IF YOU KEEP SENDING ME ALL THIS JUNK?
PostedSeptember 13, 2017
pennmom36
fromHow does he make finding matches so difficult, most of the time they're right in front of you?!?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Got Junk? Well Joe certainly does, and a whole lot of it! Clutter has returned with something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. If you've never played Clutter, this game will blow your mind, yea, it's that good, and we Clutter fans can't seem to get enough of this junk. This is the only game I know of that has so many customizable options, wanna skip the story, ok, wanna turn off the timer, have no clicking penalties, and unlimited hints? No problem! Do you want to save your game mid-way, exit from any screen or or skip the results page, no sweat! Would you like to skip mini games, or remove letters and puzzle pieces? Sure thing. You can even adjust a slider bar for the level of difficulty you want, now what other game offers that feature? Want Joe to play the game for you? Well maybe that's a problem, I didn't see that option, but you can choose your music style, classic, country, acoustic, oldies, N'Awlins, happy, Piano, Leigh's Best or random.
It's a pretty simple game, you have to find a specific number of matches in a pile of clutter, the matches go onto a conveyor belt, and you have to find all matching items within a specific amount of conveyor belt revolutions or time (unless playing in relaxed mode) As you progress, more clutter is added and the clutter is denser and deeper, and more items are added that look similar but are different such as a bright red apple vs. a slightly less red apple, one item may be huge and its mate tiny. Every game also has letters, coins and puzzle pieces that you collect with a single click, for every five coins you collect, you get an extra hint, (unless you select unlimited hints) and the puzzle pieces and letters are used to complete a mini game at the end of the level. Finding matches quickly will earn bonus points, double and triple points, but finding the matching items isn't always so easy.
The items are of different sizes, and most items of course, are partially hidden by other junk, sometimes it's difficult to find matches of items that are right in front of you! At the end of each round, your score is tallied with the bonus points you earned, the points you earned finding letters and coins, the amount of time left over and it even gives you points and percentages from your clicking accuracy. Most of the Mini Games are variations of jigsaw puzzles, such as sliders sections, jigsaw, and even square tiles, but the fun is actually in the clutter.
There's classic matches where you find 2 pairs of items, sometimes 3 matching items. Almost every game has a different feature, and a new feature where every match made, makes an item without a match fall off. After each Clutter round, you can read a famous inspirational quote, and Joe takes you on a journey with his own story. In this game, he shares his life story, each snippet reflects one year of his life, from the year he was born, to the birth of his Clutter creations. You don't have to read any of this information for the game to make sense, but oddly, it's interesting reading.
Joe always tells us to unclutter our lives, but with so much junk, it's going to be a while, enjoy the clutter!
I recommend this game!
Braveland is back with new characters and classic turn-based gameplay. Help our hero through perilous times.
Overall rating
2
/
5
27 of 30 found this review helpful
I WASN'T IMPRESSED WITH THE FIRST BRAVELAND AND THIS GAME IS JUST MORE OF THE SAME
PostedSeptember 12, 2017
pennmom36
fromThey need more likable characters, and more color!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is a RPG with turn based strategic battles, but the graphics are old school, there's too much dialog in between battles, and you don't get to choose battles, you just move along the board in a TM fashion. It doesn't seem that much different from the first Braveland other than offering a new storyline. I will admit that I enjoy a good RPG, but I'm really not into the turn-based battles, all that much, so you should definitely try the demo for yourself.
The story begins with Diana passing her Wizard exam and receiving her Wizard Staff, but she won't earn her title until she fulfils one final task. She must travel outside of the realm to the Great Library, and its been a long time since anyone has traveled there, in fact, there hasn't even been communications between them. As Diana sets off on her journey, she joins forces with other travelers, who use their special abilities to win battles against unforeseen enemies.
Each battle shows the number of fighters each unit has, from both sides, the more fighters there are, the more dangerous the battle is. You can move your players to any highlighted cell, in a honeycomb grid arena. Some units are faster than others, some have special abilities, and that's where the strategy comes into play. Once you are close enough to fight, you click on your opponent to battle them, (in some cases it may involve shooting an arrow for example if the player is an archer) Eventually, you will be able to use special abilities, that will have a cool down period after each use. Targets that are marked with a solid circle, deal damage without penalty, and with each battle you win, you will gain experience points.
If you enjoy battle type RPG, then you'll probably enjoy this game. For me personally, I found the game to be monotonous, and the graphics less than desirable.
I don't recommend this game.