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 the infamous Crows League before they strike again?
Overall rating
1
/
5
26 of 27 found this review helpful
LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THIS GAME AGAIN, SERIOUSLY, I'LL TAKE IT OUT BACK AND BURY IT, ANY OBJECTIONS?
PostedSeptember 10, 2017
pennmom36
fromYou know it's a bad game when there are reviews with 3 stars on the first page of the CE version!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Amex has obviously tried to breathe new life into ERS' long running Dark Tales series. If I remember correctly, Puppet Show was the first series released by ERS, and then Dark Tales. Detective Dupin looks like he's tired, and is in need of a shave, I'm not sure if this was the look they were going for, but I think he may be getting ready to retire, which might be a good thing, because Dark Tales has been going downhill for quite some time now. There is one good thing with this latest Edgar Allan Poe rendition, Lenore, the collectibles in the CE version are better, and they've added Morphing Raven sketches. They have also revamped the inventory bar, for a cleaner look, and it appears that they have integrated CG graphics along with hand drawn graphics. With all this revamping, the storyline is just getting old, as old as Dupin himself, and to make matters worse, they continued with the same plot as the last game, which wasn't all that great.
Dupin receives a letter from Thomas Guillinger, the town Mayor, because he always receives a letter from the town Mayor. The Mayor suspects that the Crow League is responsible for the recent abductions of the town's children, including his own son. Doesn't it seem that the town Mayor only gets involved when something happens to his own family? As usual, this case has to be solved discretely, so the Mayor asks you to meet him on a specified date, just outside of town. When you arrive, our bright detective fears that the Mayor is a no show, but tells you to ask the seedy character wearing a burlap sack over his head, if he is the person your looking for. Because so many people wear a sack on their head, it could be your employer, it could be just an average Joe out for a stroll. The Mayor is a suspicious man, so he has sent his henchman, wearing a fashionable sack over his head, and he proceeds to tell me (me, not Dupin, because he doesn't seem to do any of the legwork) that I must pass a test before I get hired! That wasn't the deal, there was no mention of a test in the letter, but against my better judgement, I enquire about the test. Turns out he wants me to enter the Smuggler's Tavern, and if I make it out alive, I've got the job. SAY WHAT? They want me to go into a haunted tavern of which I may not make it out alive, just to be able to risk my life doing my detective thing for the Mayor? At this point, I'm thinking I should re-negotiate my fee, but Dupin gladly volunteered my services! Thanks a lot Dup! As you can guess, I make it out alive, and infiltrate the town on my quest to solve the case of the missing children, once again.
Dupin receives a letter from Thomas Guillinger, the town Mayor, because he always receives a letter from the town Mayor. The Mayor suspects that the Crow League is responsible for the recent abductions of the town's children, including his own son. Doesn't it seem that the town Mayor only gets involved when something happens to his own family? As usual, this case has to be solved discretely, so the Mayor asks you to meet him on a specified date, just outside of town. When you arrive, our bright detective fears that the Mayor is a no show, but tells you to ask the seedy character wearing a burlap sack over his head, if he is the person your looking for. Because so many people wear a sack on their head, it could be your employer, it could be just an average Joe out for a stroll. The Mayor is a suspicious man, so he has sent his henchman, wearing a fashionable sack over his head, and he proceeds to tell me (me, not Dupin, because he doesn't seem to do any of the legwork) that I must pass a test before I get hired! That wasn't the deal, there was no mention of a test in the letter, but against my better judgement, I enquire about the test. Turns out he wants me to enter the Smuggler's Tavern, and if I make it out alive, I've got the job. SAY WHAT? They want me to go into a haunted tavern of which I may not make it out alive, just to be able to risk my life doing my detective thing for the Mayor? At this point, I'm thinking I should re-negotiate my fee, but Dupin gladly volunteered my services! Thanks a lot Dup! As you can guess, I make it out alive, and infiltrate the town on my quest to solve the case of the missing children, once again.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly Multiple finds and mostly consist of small Zoom Zone scenes where you are tasked with finding 4 objects of the same kind such as 4 crows, 4 buttons etc. All of these objects are in plain view and impossible not to find.
The Mini Games are basic and simple lacking creativity. Most games are available in a Casual or Hard difficulty mode. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Create a color coded path for each skull, using buttons to swap plate sections, then drag skulls to the other side.
2) Restore the mirror by placing the shards correctly.
3) Swap medal parts until they match the wax seal on the letter.
4) Click on the number code in the correct order according to the clue.
DARK TALES EDGAR ALLAN POE'S GAMES AVAILABLE:
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Murder In The Rue Morgue (December 17-2009) 3.7
2-The Black Cat (September 2010) 4.6
3-The Premature Burial (October 2011) 4.5
4-The Gold Bug (January 10-13) 3.8
5-The Masque Of The Red Death (April 25-13) 4.4
6-The Fall Of The House Of Usher (March 20-14) 4.0
7-The Mystery of Marie Roget (February 19,15) 4.1
8-The Tell-Tale Heart (November 14-15) 2.7
9-Metzengerstein (July 21-16) 3.4
10-The Raven (December 29-16) 3.2
11-Lenore (August 10-17) 2.8
2-The Black Cat (September 2010) 4.6
3-The Premature Burial (October 2011) 4.5
4-The Gold Bug (January 10-13) 3.8
5-The Masque Of The Red Death (April 25-13) 4.4
6-The Fall Of The House Of Usher (March 20-14) 4.0
7-The Mystery of Marie Roget (February 19,15) 4.1
8-The Tell-Tale Heart (November 14-15) 2.7
9-Metzengerstein (July 21-16) 3.4
10-The Raven (December 29-16) 3.2
11-Lenore (August 10-17) 2.8
The Collector's Edition has 9 Movie Videos, 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 5 Screensavers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 16 replayable Mini Games, 21 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 16 Achievements to earn, 32 Morphing Ravens, 66 Collectible Golden Feathers that convert to jigsaw puzzle pieces to assemble EAP's office,a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you break free from your nightmares in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
136 of 163 found this review helpful
DON'T BE AFRAID OF YOUR OWN SHADOW, BE AFRAID OF OTHERS SHADOW
PostedSeptember 9, 2017
pennmom36
fromGuess I'm going to be late for work, there goes my bonus!
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
Our minds tend to block terrifying events as a coping mechanism, to help us survive. Our dreams however, don't always get the memo, and sometimes we're forced to relive horrifying events of the past, events we've tried so hard to forget. On this fateful night, Reynell's nightmares come to fruition, as his dreams open portals of his past from Sullivan River to Norwich Caves, back to where his troubles first began. A nightmare filled with Shadows of those who haunt his life. It is said that a man who cannot find his deepest memories, will wake up, but what happens if he does find his deepest memory?
I remember when Sullivan River was first released, and I bought the game without hesitation, and loved every minute of it. Since then, Sable Maze has had it's ups and downs, but I continue to enjoy this series, and Nightmare Shadows will definitely join my series collection. The characters are very realistic and have fluid movements (unlike the ones in Dark Romance that glide or walk with jilted movements) The graphics are decent, but tend to be a bit on the dark side. In this Collector's Edition version, there are Family Portraits to collect, and hidden Shadows to find. There are also Achievements to earn, some of which require playing HOP"s with the search penalty turned on.
The Hidden Object Scenes are the same ole, same ole, however, I did enjoy some of the locations. There are items to find that match riddles, Fragment finds, Interactive Progressive Silhouetted Shape finds and even smaller Zoom Zones HOP's with Multiples. One of the scene's were repeated in the demo, which is a feature I really don't like, because its boring a second time around, but hopefully not too many scenes are repeated in the main game. There is an alternate Match 3 game available if you're not into HOP's.
The Mini Games are fairly decent, so far nothing that's too difficult, and some are available with an Easy or Hard difficulty mode. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Overlay a colored lens with the clear lens to scan for stepping stones, using the clues shown on each stone to choose the next colored lens.
2) Move figurines to their matching colored doors, moving a figurine will cause the others to move in the opposite direction.
3) Click rotational arrows and swap picture pieces along the lines to restore the 4 pictures.
4) Rotate circle sections until marbles align with all holes.
5) Find and replace torn book fragments correctly.
6) Use arrows to align two glass shards together.
7) Click on items to uncover fragments, if the selection is wrong, the items will shuffle.
8) Place tiles in their matching slots correctly.
9) Fold the map horizontally and vertically using visual clues on the map.
10) Use the map to find your way out of the maze.
11) Create a path for the ball to travel from left to right using directional arrows to move columns of tiles.
12) Arrange labels according to the timetable.
13) Defeat the shadow by selecting symbols in the scene that are shown in the top right corner.
14) Rotate the disks to swap the pieces to complete the picture.
15) Select and place the gears into the correct slots using the clues shown.
SABLE MAZE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Sullivan River (September 30-12) 4.0
2-Norwich Caves (August 29-13) 4.0
3-Forbidden Garden (July 24-14) 3.5
4-Twelve Fears (May 14-15) 3.6
5-Soul Catcher (December 31-15) 3.7
6-Sinister Knowledge (September 8-16) 4.2
7-Nightmare Shadows (September 9-17) n/a
2-Norwich Caves (August 29-13) 4.0
3-Forbidden Garden (July 24-14) 3.5
4-Twelve Fears (May 14-15) 3.6
5-Soul Catcher (December 31-15) 3.7
6-Sinister Knowledge (September 8-16) 4.2
7-Nightmare Shadows (September 9-17) n/a
This Collector's Edition has 13 Developer Diary pictures, 18 Concept Art pictures, 12 Wallpapers, 15 Family Pictures to collect, 15 hidden Shadow People, 4 Music Soundtracks, 15 Achievements to earn, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy the Shadows!
I recommend this game!
Mysterious portraits are causing their subjects to transform into monsters!
Overall rating
4
/
5
105 of 135 found this review helpful
HELLO KITTY
PostedSeptember 7, 2017
pennmom36
fromI'm not a doctor, but shouldn't I remove his coat before applying the bandage to stop the bleeding?
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
Surely everyone knows by now, not to open that last wedding present, that nobody ever knows where it came from. Sure enough, it was a cursed gift, a portrait of the new bride, that's slowly morphing into a beast, and causing Sybil Vane, to morph as well! Nigel and Sybil aren't the only newlywed's hexed by a curse, because this is a very Dark Romance, this couple must work together to find out who and why, they are being targeted, before the beast within takes control, and Sybil is gone forever.
In true Dark Romance fashion, you will solve this mystery by playing both characters, Nigel and Sybil, which gives you a different perspective, from both characters point of view. In this Collector's Edition version, there are 3 different collectibles, with icons above the inventory bar that open up whenever there's an available collectible. You can choose to disable this function in the custom settings, there are 15 Morphing Objects, 12 Cursed Paintings (with a background bio) and 64 collectible Paint Brushes, which allow you to purchase animals for portraits in the Menagerie. I though this game was going to give us a break with the gimmicky tool feature, but it turns out that the only thing papa left, was am Amulet. What does the amulet do you ask? Well, it somehow gives us the ability to turn into a falcon and fly! This part leaves me with so many questions, why do I need a real falcon if I can just turn into one using my amulet? Why can't I find an amulet that turns me into a panther and we can both live happily ever after changing into a cat? How does an amulet such as this work in the first place, voodoo, dark magic, alien technology? How do I return to human form? Do I carry the amulet around my falcon neck? Do I eat rodents when I'm a falcon?
The Hidden Object Scenes aren't all that impressive, and you can opt for a Match 3 game, but these alternate puzzles rarely offer a really good Match 3 game. There are Interactive List finds, Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds, and Keywords in Sentence finds requiring you to find and replace items correctly. There are also Multiple finds in smaller Zoom Zone HOP's as well.
The Mini Games however, I found to be creative and somewhat lengthy. Most games are available with an Easy or Hard difficulty mode option. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Eliminate all but one token by removing tokens located between two matching tokens.
2) Point each dial to one of the symbols shown on the clue, by pressing the blue arrows to rotate the dials the total number of times shown on them. Rotating one dial may affect others.
3) Guide each flower to its matching corner without intersecting paths.
4) Perform first aid on Benjamin logically.
5) Press icons in the correct sequence.
6) Guide Nigel to the gates, avoiding the black hawks.
DARK ROMANCE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Vampire In Love (February 8-14) 3.9
2-Heart of the Beast (April 23-15) 4.0
3-The Swan Sonata (October 17-15) 3.4
4-Kingdom of Death (April 21-16) 3.4
5-Curse of Bluebeard ( October 13-16) 4.7
6-Romeo and Juliet (February 25-17) 2.7
7-The Monster Within (September 7-17) n/a
2-Heart of the Beast (April 23-15) 4.0
3-The Swan Sonata (October 17-15) 3.4
4-Kingdom of Death (April 21-16) 3.4
5-Curse of Bluebeard ( October 13-16) 4.7
6-Romeo and Juliet (February 25-17) 2.7
7-The Monster Within (September 7-17) n/a
This Collector's Edition has 15 Wallpapers, 20 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 10 replayable Movie Videos, 30 Achievements to earn, 12 Cursed Paintings, 15 Morphing Objects, 64 Collectible Brushes to buy 12 Animal paintings in the Menagerie, 19 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 19 replayable Mini Games, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Gather balls of the same color in increasingly difficult levels in this action brain teaser.
Overall rating
5
/
5
74 of 84 found this review helpful
TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU NEED TO CLEAR THESE COLORFUL BALLS
PostedSeptember 6, 2017
pennmom36
fromBy the time I Clear It to level 150, Clear It 3 will be released lol!
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
There's no timer, no limited moves, so you get all the time in the world, to clear the balls! The object of this game is the same as in the first game, Clear It, again! The gameplay is simple, but the game itself isn't so simple. There are unlimited colored balls located on all four sides of the board, all you need to do, is select and click on a ball, which will travel in a straight line until it hits another ball (or power-up) If the selected ball hits a ball on the board that is the same color, they will both be destroyed. Using strategy however, allows you to destroy several balls in a single move.
Each level usually has special balls that when hit with a ball, will be activated, such as a Star that will eliminate several random balls, a Fireball which explodes to destroy nearby balls (created by hitting flashing balls) an Exclamation ball that destroys all balls of the same color, and a Multi-colored ball which can either help you or hurt you by adding more balls to the playing field.
There are 150 levels, and because the only object is to clear all the balls, without time restraints, and without any move limits, there is no score. Because there is no score, the levels continue one after another, so you won't have to wait for the game to load or click several icons just to get to the next level. Each level is slightly more difficult than the previous level, as more colors are added, there's less of a chance of getting the necessary colors. Sometimes you just have to sacrifice a few balls, by adding more to the equation, just to get to the colored balls you need.
Clear It is a very addicting Marble Popping game, with increasingly more difficult levels. With 150 levels, this game will be well worth the price, in my opinion, I just hope I make it to level 150, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Start off as a Rookie and play your way to MVP, travelling to different states across the USA!
Overall rating
5
/
5
82 of 100 found this review helpful
I'M NOT A BASEBALL FAN BUT I'M A FAN OF THIS SOLITAIRE GAME
PostedSeptember 6, 2017
pennmom36
fromTake me out to the ball game.....
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
The Chronicles of Emerland Solitaire
(147)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Too bad this isn't a football themed game, I love football, but I've never really gotten into baseball. Whether you're a baseball fan or not, this is still a really good Higher/Lower solitaire game, and has all the features I look for in a solitaire game. There are 10 different baseball themed card backs and 3 face card options to choose from, you can even choose custom cursors, a baseball, a glove, a giant foam pointer finger, a hot dog or bat. I hate it when you are forced to play a tutorial level that makes you choose specific cards that the arrow points to, because they never let you choose all available cards in a chain combo, but this game allows you to opt out of the arrow hint, yet still continue with the tutorial!. This game can be played in a Casual difficulty with a high chance of special cards, and higher card points. Normal mode gives you a normal chance for special cards and a normal point score, and Hard mode rarely has special cards, gives you less points and playing King to Ace and vice versa is not allowed. There are 40 Achievements to earn, and there is a section that allows you to play Freehand, Tri-Peaks and 5 Peaks Solitaire games.
The goal is to remove cards on the board, either one Higher or one Lower (except on Hard mode) you must remove all Special Cards that have a baseball on the corner, and you can still continue playing until all cards have been removed, unlike other solitaire games that don't let you continue after removing the special cards! Combos start at 6 consecutive cards, and you can earn bonus coins if you play the same suit card. You can earn up to 4 Stars, and there's a meter at the top to see your progression.
This is baseball folks, so if you miss a playable card on the board, it's considered a Strike. Three strikes and you out, you will lose cash and a deck card! There are Bonus Foundation Cards that show up, some give you extra Coins, some are Wildcards that can be used as any card number, but must be played, Jokers however, turn into a specific valued card, and will be held until you use it. Some cards allow you to play a Mini Game such as a Match 3 game or a Pair Matching game. Some of the cards on the board are blocked and can't be removed until you uncover it's counterpart, such as a Home Plate Card that requires a Runner Card to unlock, and Lock Cards require Key Cards.
You can spend the cash you earn at the Shop, passive cards such as Undos, Shuffles, Jokers, Wildcards, Missed and Card Hints, are automatically. Other shop card items need to be assigned before each level, with up to 4 power-ups at a time. There are cards that will reveal a percentage of face down cards or show you how many deck cards remain, cards that will remove cards, or give you playable cards, even cards that will allow you to earn more coins per card, or reduce the combo starting point at 5 cards.
This game has all the features I like, customizable difficulty modes, the ability to choose my own cards during the tutorial, High/Low solitaire type, the ability to continue playing after the special cards have been removed, and a Free Play section. I love the 3 Strikes your out feature too. Although I'm not that into baseball, I am into this Solitaire game, so give it a try, even if you're not into baseball or sports because it's a really good Solitaire game, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you save your sister from her new abilities in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
151 of 186 found this review helpful
STORMBORNE
PostedSeptember 5, 2017
pennmom36
fromIf the Queen rules by day, and the King by night, why is there a Princess?
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
There are two Realms in this world, The Realm of Man and the Realm of Fae which is ruled by a King and Queen. The Queen ruled by day, King Oberon by night, that is, until she left the Fae Realm and escaped to the Realm of Man. An infuriated King Oberon closed the gates between the two worlds, sealing her fate forever. The Realm of Man, is a broken world, a post apocalyptic world, a world that eagerly accepted the stranger who came to rule, to offer its people wisdom and salvation. When a sudden storm produced a deadly tornado, it forces Lynn and Astrid to flee their home, and seek shelter from the stranger, their Mayor. The sisters discover something amazing on their life saving journey, it seems that the storm has awakened powers deep within Lynn, powers she never knew she had, powers that are strengthened by the medallion she's had since birth. This is Dawn of Hope: Daughter of Thunder, this is an amazing journey!
Mad Head games has got game! Dawn of Hope is going to be a series of epic proportion, a stormy force to be reckoned with, one that will rise to the top of the HOPA charts, surely this game will qualify for many gaming awards, so hats off and kudos Mad Head, you've done it again! The only features I'm not crazy about, are that we have yet another Amulet/Medallion gimmicky tool, the same hidden Spirals are located in each scene, and that the Morphing Objects are only found within the Hidden Object Scenes, in this Collector's Edition version. This game would be absolutely perfect if each scene contained a slowly Morphing Object in each location instead of just in the HOP's!
The Hidden Object Scenes are what you'd expect, I've come to the conclusion that there's just not much you can do with this feature to make it more exciting, other than being creative with the location of the scenes. No longer are the items cleverly blended into the scene, perhaps in an effort to make them easy enough for everyone, but if you've ever played an older HOPA game, you'll notice that items were much more difficult to spot than in the newer games. There are Silhouetted Shape finds and Listed Item finds, usually a combination of both, and in the CE version, each of the 20 HOP's have a Morphing Object to find. I had to wonder about the HOP located inside the Cable Car, because one of the items was a bucket full of ice! How long was that bucket of ice in there? Why didn't the ice melt? How did they make ice in a post apocalyptic era in the first place?
The Mini Games are fairly decent, ranging from simplistic and easy, to medium difficulty, so far nothing super challenging. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Click on the symbol that matches the symbol near Lynn's' hand.
2) Select thorny vines that aren't covered by another vine.
3) Use directional arrows to blow wind on the lock and key parts to move them towards each other.
4) Select and drag the colored tiles to fill the entire grid, each tile has a specific amount of tiles it can cover.
5) Match 3 different corresponding items to each character by rotating circle sections.
6) Select misplaced items and place them into the scene correctly to advance the story.
7) Balance the spheres on the orange surface using directional arrows until the meter is full.
DAWN OF HOPE GAMES AVAILABLE:
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Skyline Adventure (November 5-16) 4.3
This Collector's Edition has 8 Profile pictures, a Character Gallery, 20 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 20 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, 30 Hidden Signs one in each location, a Jigsaw Puzzle, 10 Music Soundtracks, 4 Wallpapers, a built in Strategy Guide, an ALTERNATE ENDING, and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy the storm!
I recommend this game!
A once beautiful and bright lagoon has gone dark. Help underwater characters find the culprit in this match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
33 of 41 found this review helpful
SAME AS PENGUIN RESCUE/PRETTY SNAILS/OWL RESCUE
PostedSeptember 4, 2017
pennmom36
fromI'm going to give the worms a break on this one!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Cradle of Egypt
(92)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is another Match 3 game by the same devs of Penguin Rescue, Pretty Snails, and Owl Rescue, I think there were a few others offered, but I can't remember. This is a Limited Moves, swap type Match 3 game, and I'm not really a fan of the Limited Moves feature. If you don't reach the goals before running out of moves, you are forced to buy increments of 5 extra moves that increase in price with each increment, and it's next to impossible to earn all 3 stars when you do. I also hate that I can't make another swap until all tiles are finished doing their matching thing! The Fish Tiles are large, bright and colorful, so there should be no issues with being able to see the tiles or telling them apart from one another. Personally, the cartoonish nature of the game isn't that appealing to me, seems like it's targeted audience would be for kids. The music was cute at first but quickly became repetitive.
Large matches will earn you bonuses on the board to help you beat the levels, a Match 4 gives you a Super Fish, which are eels attached to a fish, that when matched with color specific fish, will clear an entire row or column, depending on the direction you made the original match in. A Match 5 earns you a rainbow colored Octopus which removes all tiles of the same color that it's matched with. A Match in a T or L shape will earn you a Swellfish which is a fish in a bubble that detonates to destroy adjacent tiles when used in a match. Power-ups can and should be combined when possible, especially once the difficult boards are introduced. As you progress, you are given bonuses such as + 5 Tiles, or a Fish Net to grab a single tile. Eventually you will be able to select Bonus items before each level of Timers, the Octopus, Starfish or Shellfish bonus or the Sweet Duo feature.
I did enjoy the Obstacles offered such as Seaweed Tiles that require single or multiple matches made on top of them, Vines that require matches made of the same tile that's trapped within, Ink Tiles that disappear when you make a match next to them, and my favorite are sea urchins? or flowers? that can require single, double or triple matches adjacent to them depending on how many layers there are!
Just as in all the other Match 3 games by this dev, every third level has a new quest offered to earn extra coins. The quests are very simplistic and easy to find items located somewhere on the level map. It also has the same feature that's unique to this series of games, where on some levels, the columns or rows swap places after each turn. I liked Penguin Rescue, and this isn't a bad match 3 game, but it's really no different than all of the other games I mentioned, so I'll hang up my fishing rod for this one.
I recommend this game!
Mystery awaits in this Match-3 puzzle adventure! Special tools transform the board, giving you the power to change your game in new ways.
Overall rating
5
/
5
76 of 89 found this review helpful
FANTASTIC MATCH 3 GAME HOWEVER...........
PostedSeptember 4, 2017
pennmom36
fromFigures, I find an interesting Match 3 game and have issues!
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
I loved this Match 3 game, but I kept having freezing issues. I remember that the first game in this series, Lost Gems Egypt (Jan. 2016) had an issue with losing power-ups in the 3rd city, which was immediately addressed and updated to solve the issue, so if this is a glitch and not my computer's fault, I'm sure it too will be fixed. Don't let that deter you from trying the demo, because it's a really good Match 3 game with very unique features and fantastic graphics. (and it's probably my computer's issue not the game) You can set the graphics with 3 different option choices, I tried the highest, and then the lowest graphics, and I really didn't notice that much of a change, they are still excellent on the lowest setting.
In Lost Gems Egypt, you searched diligently for your missing Cousin Emily, and discovered that she was trapped inside of a cursed book, the Book of Souls. Hiding within the book's binding, was a map that led to her rescue. The sites of the rituals that created the book, manifests dark energy on the map. Using the board to purify corresponding sites, in physical London, will purify the map and weaken the book, one Match 3 at a time.
This is a swap type Match 3 game, available in a Casual mode or Limited Moves mode, and there are several Achievements to earn as well. The level goals are shown at the bottom of the board, and usually consist of clearing all Silver cells and removing a specific number of specific tiles. Matching 4 tiles will earn you an explosive Bomb on the board, which is color specific, and must be used in a match of that color to detonate. A Match 5 will give you a Color Destroying Pearl on the board to destroy all identical colored tiles, of whichever tile it is matched with, on the board.
Some tiles are Locked, and cannot move until they are used in a Match with whichever tile is locked, some of them require multiple matches. As you progress, Power-Ups become available with upgrades. The power-ups can be used several times, but must be refilled after each use by matching special Lost Gems. The Slide Row power-up, allows you to slide the tool up or down to select a specific row, and then you can drag that chosen entire row, to the left or right, to help you line up matching tiles. The Rotate Tile Power-Up allows you to choose a 4 cell area (2x2) by first dragging it to the chosen cell, and then rotating all 4, 2x2 cells, to line up a match. This feature is usually a necessity when a silver or locked tile is being blocked by an unmoveable blockage. Special Lost Tiles must be collected to refill this meter as well.
Because of my freezing issues, I wasted a lot of demo time, and didn't get the opportunity to discover what other power-ups were available, but the two features I mentioned are truly unique and make the game really interesting. I'm hoping I can solve the issue and continue playing this addicting little Lost Gem Match 3 game, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover the truth behind a string of strange thefts?
Overall rating
4
/
5
44 of 50 found this review helpful
IT'S LIKE THREE GAMES IN ONE
PostedSeptember 3, 2017
pennmom36
fromWouldn't acid damage the statue of Ra as well as the net?
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
One of the features I love about Vermillion Watch, is that they have different areas to investigate, and you can choose which areas or chapters you want to play in whatever sequence you choose. In Order Zero, The areas you'll investigate are the Zoological Garden, Ahab's Ship and the Museum, all of them are unique, and even though they are all part of the same investigation, it's like playing three different games! I also love the London factoids they give, when the game is loading, such as the fact that the Victorian London Postal Service ran deliveries 12 times a day! The graphics are really good, and the characters are very lifelike, this is a solid game throughout, one that actually peaks after the demo, in my opinion. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if any, is right for you:
Vermillion Watch doesn't disappoint when it comes to graphics, this game has some of the best graphics I've ever seen! I knew the graphics were going to be good when the opening scene showed a close-up of the raven blinking. (reminds me of the 3 eyed raven from GOT) Far too often, the animals portrayed in these games have jilted movements, and walk without moving their limbs, as they glide across the ground. The Giant Schnauzer in this game actually moves realistically and even runs out of the room like an actual dog would at that pace. The only grief I have with this episode, is with the lame character names, based upon the Wizard of Oz. I get it, the game is all about the introduction of the American, Order Zero or OZ, team, but it seems to me, that this game loosely represents Jules Verne, the Father of Science Fiction, with Captain Nemo and Captain Ahab as characters, so why did they use characters from the Wizard of Oz?
The Red Queen is at it again, always calling the shots from behind the scenes, always one step ahead of Young Hawkes (who will soon be referred to as Old Hawkes) and Phileas Fogg! During the last investigation, there was an unusual amount of robberies, and the Vermillion Watch has been asked to accompany Charles Marlow, the Verne museum curator, as he delivers an Egyptian treasure, a statue of Ra to its unveiling party hosted by the wealthy Lord Kingsbury. Hawkes discovers that the Watch isn't the only secret organization interested in this organized crime ring, when he meets Dorothy and her undercover cohorts, from the US. In the Collector's Edition version, there are 42 Hidden Stars (and eventually Ruby Boots and Souvenir Collectibles)
The Hidden Object Scenes aren't all that creative, but I will give them kudos on the fact that they were able to stump me a few times, because some of the objects are either well hidden or cleverly blended into another object. There are Multiple finds of Objects pertaining to a Riddle, Keywords in Sentences, and Listed item finds. Also in the Collector's Edition version, most of the HOP's have a Morphing Object. I love Morphing Objects, but I hate it when the Morphs are only offered within the HOP's. One of my must have features in a game used to be Morphs, but lately I've had to give up on this feature because Morphs that are available in each scene, seem to be a thing of the past. If you love Morphs, and you love a challenge, you should try some of the earlier Dark Parables, which have non-linear Morphs that don't morph in the scene until it has been triggered by an action in a completely different scene, now that's creativity!
Some of the Mini Games are awesome, but there are far too many Target games where you click when the target is in the green zone. (these are just too easy and not really fun) Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Select and rotate the rings to uncover the correct number of each symbol, as indicated on the clue.
2) Stop the moving circle when it turns a ring green.
3) Select and drag a continuous line between all of the dots without crossing over any flowers.
4) Stop the blue lines when they are on the artifact.
5) Create your disguise by selecting the correct mask pieces based on the photo.
6) Guide the token through the maze using directional arrows. The token will glow green the closer you get.
VERMILLION WATCH GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Moorgate Accord (June 23-16) 3.8
2-Fleshbound (December 31-16) 3.7
3-Order Zero (August 5-17) 3.9
2-Fleshbound (December 31-16) 3.7
3-Order Zero (August 5-17) 3.9
The Collector's Edition has 15 Achievements to earn, 9 Concept Art pictures, 9 Wallpapers, 9 Before and After Dev pictures, 13 replayable Movie Videos, 12 Music Soundtracks, 14 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, 14 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, Collectible item searches and a Souvenir Room, Collectible Ruby Boots, 31 replayable Mini Games, 42 Hidden Stars, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you save your young nephew from an unimaginable fate?
Overall rating
4
/
5
41 of 46 found this review helpful
UNIMAGINABLE FATE? I CAN IMAGE A LOT OF FATES!
PostedSeptember 2, 2017
pennmom36
fromCome on dad, get in my purse, I've got to go save little Billy!
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 review page blurb asks if I can save my nephew from an unimaginable fate, but I have a huge imagination! I haven't finished playing the entire game yet, but I did check out this Standard Edition version, midstream of the Collector's Edition version that I purchased. For me personally, I prefer the CE version, because I love Morphing Objects and collectibles, so if you don't care about those features, this version is perfectly fine. One thing I did notice (both versions) is that the children's characters are really cartoonish, and for the life of me, I can't understand why! I remember playing the beta version of Bloody Mary several years ago, and in one of the scenes, there as a class picture hanging on the wall, that required some type of interaction. On the survey afterwards, I asked why the picture of the children was so cartoonish and fake looking, when all the other characters and animals etc.were fantastically realistic. They actually did change the picture to look slightly more realistic, but it was still cartoonish and looked out of place, it was a photo, not a drawing by one of the kids. That's all worthless information, but after seeing those same cartoonish graphics again in The White Lady, I have to wonder why their graphics department still can't portrait more realistic, lifelike kids after 4 years! Other than that flaw, this is a great game, not the best Grim Tales, but a solid game with good entertainment value. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if any, is right for you:
Aunt Anna to the rescue once again! Little Billy has disappeared yet again, this time, from the boarding school that was once the Evergreen Mansfield Mansion. Rumors of a ghostly apparition have spread throughout the school, shortly before Billy and his friend Sarah went missing. Could this be the Lady in White? Could this be the ghost of Laura Mansfield?
The Grim Tales series is one of my favorite storylines, I own and have played all 12 previous games. Although The White Lady isn't one of the best games in the series, it's still an awesome game. The storyline in this game is just a little too familiar, and the HOP's are a bit dull, but the puzzles are in abundance to help even it out. I'm not sure why they chose to have Brandon's oldest son Billy, as the victim again, but perhaps the two storylines intertwine at some point in the story. In the Collector's Edition version, there are Collectible Emblems, Morphing Objects and Portraits that give a background history about various areas of the former Mansfield Mansion.
Anna Gray is a Private Detective with a unique ability to travel back in time. All she needs is a personal item from the victim, and she's whisked away, back in time, before the tragedy occurred. This part is never fully explained and I have sooo many questions! Does Anna actually disappear when she time travels, or does she just stand there looking all weird? How does Anna always manage to time travel to the perfect time frame, does she ever go back too far or not far enough? If all she has to do is touch a personal item to initiate the time travel, how does she keep from time traveling when she touches other items, does she wear gloves? A trip to the grocery store or museum could be a nightmare for poor Anna! All questions aside, well, there is another unanswered question, does Anna take Daddy Richard's skull with her everywhere she goes, or does she just pop his skull into her purse, only when there's an investigation?
As I stated earlier, the Hidden Object Scenes aren't very creative, but honestly, this is a feature that needs to either be phased out, or reverted back to the good ole days when objects were actually "hidden" Nowadays, the HO's are just huge junkpiles, or random cluttered items that in real life would make us look like hoarders. The objects are all in plain sight, not cleverly blended into a normal scene. The HO's in this demo are mostly Interactive List finds, but there are also Silhouetted Shape finds, and uncovering Pairs of identical objects.
The Mini Games are entertaining, ranging from super simple to medium difficulty. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Assemble a puzzle by correctly placing torn fragments.
2) Move all dowels through their corresponding holes using directional arrows on the dowels.
3) Use clue to enter the code on the panel.
4) Place sliders next to their corresponding images, sliders can only move clockwise along the tracks.
5) Complete the photo album pictures by placing the correct piece from the left and place on the right.
6) Hit the apple target by clicking when the sliders are within the green zone.
7) Light all the circles around the board by matching 3 or more identical tiles in a column to remove them.
8) Reconstruct a diary page by selecting a piece of the page and placing it in an adjacent empty space, pieces can't move over each other.
9) Use the clue shown to land on the correct symbols using left and right directional buttons to look through the different symbols.
10) Select directional arrows to move the character through the maze, searching for levers to open other parts of the maze.
GRIM TALES GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
-Bloody Mary (8-1-13) 4.3
-Color of Fright (11-6-14) 3.8
-Crimson Hollow (8-25-16) 4.1
-Graywitch (2-2-17) 4.0
-The Bride (11-19-11) 3.8
-The Final Suspect (5-16-15) 3.8
-The Heir (2-25-16) 4.3
-The Legacy (1-5-12) 4.6
-The Stone Queen (1-3-13) 3.9
-The Vengeance (5-15-14) 4.5
-The White Lady (8-3-17) 3.9
-The Wishes (7-12-12) 4.5
-Threads of Destiny (10-7-15) 3.9
-Color of Fright (11-6-14) 3.8
-Crimson Hollow (8-25-16) 4.1
-Graywitch (2-2-17) 4.0
-The Bride (11-19-11) 3.8
-The Final Suspect (5-16-15) 3.8
-The Heir (2-25-16) 4.3
-The Legacy (1-5-12) 4.6
-The Stone Queen (1-3-13) 3.9
-The Vengeance (5-15-14) 4.5
-The White Lady (8-3-17) 3.9
-The Wishes (7-12-12) 4.5
-Threads of Destiny (10-7-15) 3.9
The Collector's Edition has 1 Screensaver, 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks 20 Achievements to earn, Archives, 36 Collectible Emblem pieces, Morphing Objects, 14 Portraits, a Secret Room, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!