pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4728
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 31, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
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
(101)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
(101)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
(101)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
(101)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
(101)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
(101)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.
Snow, Ice and the deadly wind blowing from the Frozen Mountains! The Lost Lands have been overtaken by ice in the middle of summer!
Overall rating
5
/
5
233 of 272 found this review helpful
SUSAN HAS BEEN SUCKED THROUGH THE PORTAL TO THE LOST LANDS TO SAVE THE DAY IN HER PAJAMAS!
PostedSeptember 12, 2017
pennmom36
fromDid I just look through Maaron's underwear drawer?
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
Susan has once again been summoned to the Lost Lands by Maaron the Alchemist Mage, and she's still wearing her pajamas and slippers! Winter has arrived way too soon (winter is coming if you're a GOT fan lol) and Maaron needs the warmaidens help to find the source of the sudden freeze, emanating from the Frozen Mountain. Foinor the dwarf has returned to escort Susan through the tunnels leading to the mountain, to join forces with Maaron to stop the freeze, before its too late.
Lost Lands is a fantastic adventure game, however, I've never understood why the graphics of the scenes aren't as stunning as the videos. The videos are CG but the scenes themselves are hand drawn, and at times are cartoonish in nature, with very little color. The lip movements are horrible, the lips are moving, but they certainly don't match up to the words being spoken. There's also a discrepancy in the storyline, the introduction video shows a museum SECURITY GUARD twirling a nightstick while on duty, which becomes airborne, and causes an undesirable chain of events to occur. The video then switches over to show Susan watching the news on television, and the news anchor says he was a JANITOR, when clearly he was a security guard. Why would a janitor have a nightstick?
Other than those minor complaints, my favorite feature in Lost Lands, are the abundance of extra's offered in the Collector's Edition versions. You can even choose whether or not you want the cursor to change when it scans across a collectible or morph. They are actually on the small side, but in my opinion, that's what makes them more challenging to find. In this CE version there are 30 Morphing Objects and 13 Lost Lands Manuscript Pages to find. There are several Collectibles in different categories, Mittens, Icicles, Owls, Stained Glass, and Golden Horse Statues, all of the above, will unlock Bonus Puzzles when completed, as well as Achievements. Eventually you will use a Magic Wand to cast spells that can repair or damage items, make items smaller or larger, or make invisible items visible. Each time you use the wand, you'll have to play a game of "connect the dots"
The Hidden Object Scenes are all Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds, where you find an item that matches the silhouetted shape shown, and then use that item interactively in the scene to expose the next silhouetted shape item, until complete. Most of the HOP's include a small Mini Game to solve.
The Mini Games are somewhat on the easy side, I'd prefer something a bit more challenging, but at least they are entertaining. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Shovel the snow into the pit, by selecting directional arrows to push snow piles. Adjacent snow piles move one cell away, and if you push a pile against the border it can't be moved and you will have to start over.
2) Make your move to the next location when the wolves aren't looking.
3) Rotate the pointers to the required symbols.
4) Use the hint to select the correct symbols
5) Arrange the statues arms to resemble the picture.
6) Connect the dots to recreate the image using the wand.
7) Rotate the dials to the correct number using a picture as a reference clue.
LOST LANDS GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Dark Overlord (February 22-14) 4.4
2-The Four Horsemen (January 15-15) 4.6
3-The Golden Curse (November 7-15) 4.5
4-The Wanderer (October 25-16) 4.3
5-Ice Spell (September 12-17) n/a
2-The Four Horsemen (January 15-15) 4.6
3-The Golden Curse (November 7-15) 4.5
4-The Wanderer (October 25-16) 4.3
5-Ice Spell (September 12-17) n/a
This Collector's Edition version has 14 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art pictures, 17 replayable Movie Videos, 8 Music Soundtracks, 21 Achievements to earn,19 replayable Mini Games, 5 Bonus Puzzles, 30 Morphing Objects, 13 Lost Lands Manuscripts to discover, 7 collectible Mittens, 8 Icicles, 8 Owls, 7 Stained Glass pieces and 12 Golden Horse Statues to collect, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
This once magnificent mansion has been a haven of evil spirits. Banish the evil spirits in this match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
109 of 129 found this review helpful
THE MOST CHALLENGING GAME OF THE SERIES!
PostedSeptember 11, 2017
pennmom36
fromWow, challenging from the first level!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Cradle of Egypt
(92)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a way to start the week! Cursed House 4 is by far the most challenging game of the series! Did you know that this series has an Irish Language version available? I wasn't aware of this until today, I'll have to check that one out too. If you are looking for an easy breezy Match 3 game, this probably isn't the game you want, however there is a Relaxed mode available as well as Limited Moves or Limited Time, and you can switch between modes on different levels to help you beat difficult levels. Eventually, you will be given the option to skip a difficult level without penalty, after several replay attempts, and in the Bonus Levels, you will receive interactive hints after 10 replay attempts.
The Cursed House is filled with evil spirits, that can only be banished by an ancient Amulet (where do you get these ancient amulets, it seems to be all the rage, every game has one nowadays) The Amulet can only be powered by collecting hundreds of coins, therefor, the only object of this game is to collect coins, coins that are difficult to collect at that!
Large matches will give you a Power-up, and power-ups are critical, because most coins are blocked by obstacles that require a power-up to destroy them. A match 4 will give you Dynamite to explode by moving it or double clicking. A match 5 will give you a Morphing Power-up to choose either a Rocket which targets obstacles, Lightning which destroys all identical tiles match with, or a Dynamite Barrel, these power-ups do not move when you make matches beside or below them.
Levels with Trunks require you to collect Trunk Coins, when all trunk coins have been found, you need to make a match adjacent to the trunk or trunks that will vibrate to alert you that all trunk coins have been located. Once the trunks are opened, you receive bonuses and other parts of the board are unlocked.
Some levels have Cannons that require you to make matches next to the wick to fire the cannon to start a chain reaction, some cannons are locked and you must make matches in front of the key to allow the key to move towards the lock. Firing the cannon also opens up other parts of the board.
There are several types of coins besides the gold coins and trunk coins, Dusty coins that need two matches, coins that are split in half requiring matches in front of the pieces to join the two halves. Coins that need filled in by collecting falling drops of liquid or gold by dropping them off the board to fill a vial. Bug coins need to be collected to get rid of pesky bugs that annoy you, and Red bugs need to be pushed off of the board because they are invulnerable to power-ups.
There are several types of coins besides the gold coins and trunk coins, Dusty coins that need two matches, coins that are split in half requiring matches in front of the pieces to join the two halves. Coins that need filled in by collecting falling drops of liquid or gold by dropping them off the board to fill a vial. Bug coins need to be collected to get rid of pesky bugs that annoy you, and Red bugs need to be pushed off of the board because they are invulnerable to power-ups.
Some tiles have obstacles such as boarded tiles, some boarded tiles have shields that require matches made on the sides without the shield for more challenge. There are Stone tiles, Lava tiles, Chained tiles, ice tiles, Rock tiles and Fog tiles that require either a match adjacent to them, most but not all obstacles can be destroyed with lightning explosions or bombs. There are even Green and Red Hot Stone tiles that require matches on top to destroy them.
After playing a few levels, you get to play a Mini Game such as Higher/Lower Solitaire that has an extra slot to store any face up card to use in a match later and unblock cards on the board. There are also Hidden Object Scenes and one of my favorite games, Spot The Difference which has very subtle differences and wasn't as easy as you'd expect.
This game is by the same devs that created Laruaville 1-6, Floria and Spellarium, which are super fun Match 3 games as well, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Journey into your nephew’s mind to save him from a nightmare!
Overall rating
4
/
5
27 of 33 found this review helpful
NO MORE TV TIME FOR THIS KID!
PostedSeptember 11, 2017
pennmom36
fromI think this kid suffers from cynophobia!
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 series because I love creepy games, the creepier the better. Yes, I love a lot of different series, I'm addicted to HOPA games for sure, but I suppose that if I didn't love most of the games offered, there'd be no need of a membership lol. When I rate a game, my biggest consideration is whether or not the demo held my attention. If while playing the demo, I feel distracted, bored or know how the story develops and wonder if it's ever going to end, I'm probably not going to buy the CE or SE version. If I'm so engrossed in a game, that the abrupt ending of the demo takes me by surprise, or I just gotta know how the story ends, I know I have a winner, (for me personally). I wait until a there's a sale that makes the CE the same price as an SE, and buy the game, but I usually wait until the SE version is released to finish playing it. I then play the demo again but in the SE version, then I finish playing the game in the CE version. This way, both versions are fresh in my mind, and I don't confuse the current game with other games I've played. I do love the extra's offered in most games, particularly Morphing Objects, so I usually prefer the CE over the SE in most cases. I deducted a star on this version of Maze, only because I felt that after the demo, the nightmares were all pretty much the same, and didn't hold my interest at all times. However, I have played a ton of HOPA games, so I've pretty much seen it all, several times over. So here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
Welcome to Timmy's nightmare, welcome to another creepy Mad Head game! I don't think this game is as epic as Subject 360, and the storyline is very similar to Stranded Dreamscapes: The Prisoner, but MH knows how to put the mad into madness with just a touch of twisted insanity and warped visions of a nightmarish realm!
Timmy's father is a doctor who specializes in dreams, but has been unable to bring Timmy back to reality. Aunt Christine however, specializes in nightmares, and has agreed to enter Timmy's nightmare, and help him fight the demons that are haunting him. There's just one problem, Jimmy doesn't want to leave, until he completes his "dare"
In the Collector's Edition version, there are 31 Collectible Hidden Signs, some of which are very well hidden. There are also 19 Morphing Objects in the CE, one in each of the Hidden Object Scenes. I prefer the Morphs in each location, not in the HOP's, but Mad Head games seem to only offer them within the HOP's on all of their games. Honestly, the CE game doesn't have enough of a wow factor as far as the extra's go, to warrent the price difference, so this Standard Edition is probably the better choice.
The Hidden Object Scenes are far and few between, and consist of Multiple finds, (one of which allows you to earn several achievements) there are Keywords in Sentence finds and Listed items as well, and in the CE version, each HOP has a Morphing Object to find. The Morphs are very well done, and not very obvious, making them a fairly decent challenge.
The Mini Games range from easy to medium difficulty, so far nothing really frustrating offered. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Press buttons in the correct sequence, according to the clue located somewhere in the room.
2) Select a token to move it to an adjacent empty slot, to arrange tokens in the correct rows.
3) Select misplaced objects and return them to the scene correctly.
4) Stop the crosshairs when it passes over the window handle.
5) Select the numbered tiles on the board to light them up, so the sum of the lit up tiles equal that shown on each column and row.
6) Swap and rotate tiles to complete the image on three different puzzles.
7) Select and jump coins into an empty slot to remove them.
8) Repeat the sequence of statues lighting up.
MAZE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Subject 360 (August 1-15) 4.6
2-The Broken Tower (October 8-16) 4.1
3-Nightmare Realm (August 12-17) 4.0
The Collector's Edition has Wallpapers, 8 Character pictures, 31 Collectible Hidden Signs, 19 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 10 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, 10 Achievements to earn in several categories, 34 Mini Games, 5 Music Soundtracks, Jigsaw Puzzles to assemble, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
2-The Broken Tower (October 8-16) 4.1
3-Nightmare Realm (August 12-17) 4.0
The Collector's Edition has Wallpapers, 8 Character pictures, 31 Collectible Hidden Signs, 19 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 10 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, 10 Achievements to earn in several categories, 34 Mini Games, 5 Music Soundtracks, Jigsaw Puzzles to assemble, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!