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:
In the midst of a battle for the Academy of Alchemy, a young promising student, Eliana, is sent on a dangerous mission of retrieving three powerful artifacts, the Dragon Crystals.
Overall rating
3
/
5
38 of 44 found this review helpful
Dragon Crystal Quest
PostedApril 23, 2017
pennmom36
fromSo sayeth the Queen?
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
This certainly was a short demo! I normally love fantasy games about dragons and gargoyles, but End of Dawn just didn't hit the five star mark with this game. It's just more of the same, baby is saved from evil, grows up at the Zora Academy of Alchemy, sixteen years later, baby passes Alchemy exam just in the nick of time, baby now must save the Academy because for some reason, all other students and professors don't qualify for the job. It's probably because baby (guess she's no longer a baby, she's Eliana Marcus) Elaina was the only student who received a personal assistant in the form of a fairy Dahlia, and a magical Alchemy Amulet, talk about favoritism! I liked the demo, I just didn't love it, I just wish it had some backbone to it.
The Magic Amulet allows you to use it's powers of protection after playing a game of "repeat the sequence" and the Fairy will help you reach items only a fairy can accomplish. In the Collector's Edition version, there are are 42 hidden Crests, 16 collectible Hats, and 8 Ghosts to find, all of which give you stories about their origins and background. There are also 7 different Achievements to earn Gold, Silver and Bronze star categories, in the CE version.
The Hidden Object Scenes are basic Interactive List finds, each containing a Morphing Object in this CE version. I did enjoy the Stained Glass Hidden Object Scene, but there's nothing new or out of the ordinary so far.
The Mini Games are decent, but tend to be on the easy breezy side. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Use the clue to figure out the lock combination.
2) Follow the recipe instructions correctly to unfreeze the fairy.
3) Alchemy Amulet puzzles require you to repeat increasingly more difficult sequences.
4) Match the color of the symbol tokens with the color of the lines, using the flame points as reference.
5) Use directional arrows to move the balloon through the map, avoiding obstacles.
The Collector's Edition has 6 Wallpapers, 6 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, replayable Mini Games and Hidden Object Scenes, Morphing Objects within the HOP's, 7 Achievements to earn gold, silver and bronze awards, 42 Hidden Crests, 16 Collectible Hats with origins, 8 Collectible Ghosts with origins, Cutscenes, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Adventure, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
What happened to the Wolfgrin family?!
Overall rating
5
/
5
179 of 210 found this review helpful
This Is What Happens When You Collect Artifacts And Hide Them In A Secret Room!
PostedApril 22, 2017
pennmom36
fromDo the local police keep maps of all the houses?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
After the death of John Wolfgrin, his entire family vanished. The only person left to tell a tale is the maid, and the things she's witnessed within the mansion, has left her nearly insane. John may have unwillingly released an evil entity when he discovered the key to unlocking a powerful Mayan tribal necklace, powered by the moon. This is what happens when you dabble with the unknown, but the bigger question is, can you restore the Moonlight Necklace in time to save the Wolfgrin family?
The Moonlight Necklace will allow you to travel through portals of each family member's imagination, their own personal little shop of horrors imaginations. These are worlds made up of their deepest fears, and let me tell you, little Chloe's fears are over the top, I'm almost afraid to move on to brother Ben! I have to tell you, I was totally bored with this game in the beginning few scenes of the mansion, but once I entered Fear Fest, it was game on! Each scene has a Hidden Crescent Moon, and they have done an incredible job blending them into the scenery. Each scene also has a Morphing Object, and again, they aren't at all obvious, you will have to concentrate to find most of them.
The Hidden Object Scenes vary with different types such as Interactive List finds, Keywords in Sentence finds, Progressive Interactive finds and Silhouetted Shape finds. Some were very interactive and layered, the only downside was that some scenes are repeated.
The Mini Games are far too easy in my opinion, and many seem to be the same variance. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Assemble the totem on the center pole, lower parts can't be placed on upper totem parts.
2) Rotate circle discs to complete the image.
3) Choose symbols in the correct order.
4) Choose portraits in the correct order.
5) Select the crosshairs when they are in the green zone.
6) Move notes into correct positions, red is incorrect, yellow is close, green is correct.
7) Select circles when they are in green moving zones.
8) Close all of the bats' wings, clicking on one may affect others.
9) Swap masks to match their silhouettes.
10) Arrange dolls so that their are no matching ones horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
This Collector's Edition has 12 Achievements to earn, 37 Morphing Objects, 40 Collectible Crescent Moons, 4 Music Soundtracks, 10 Wallpapers, 10 Sketches, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the townspeople from mysteriously aging?
Overall rating
5
/
5
89 of 109 found this review helpful
This Is One Veil You Don't Want To Lift!
PostedApril 21, 2017
pennmom36
fromThere are some games that you gotta have, this is one of 'em!
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
An abnormal magnetic field under Deadmond has spiked since the time of the Druids, but yesterday's spike has made up for lost time. Time that these townsfolk no longer have, because time has fast forwarded their lives. The Queen has asked you to investigate this crime against mortality, because almost everyone has aged rapidly (I say almost because little Henry is still little Henry?!?) Joined by Alison Sterling, from Dire Grove, your investigation becomes increasingly difficult with every road you take, but all roads seem to lead to the town's benefactor, Richard Galloway. Time won't be on your side for long, Master Detective, this case must be solved before everyone perishes from old age!
Incredible! Mystery Case Files has never released a dud (Shadow Lake may be the exception lol) This one might even top my beloved Ravenhearst series, but I do have to voice my opinion on one flaw. It seems they opted to put the Morphing Objects within the HOP's in the Collector's Edition version, instead of the main game, and for that, I say BOO! I fell in love with this series once I discovered that they all offered Morphing Objects within each scene, and I played them one after another because of the morphs. I always forget to look for the morphs within the HOP's, especially when they are as engrossing as the one's offered in this game. Also available in the Collector's Edition version, are 39 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces and Achievements to earn, which normally isn't really all that much, but I had to have this game asap, so I didn't hesitate to buy the CE version.
The Hidden Object Scenes are so interactive, and oh so fun! There are only 2 offered in the demo however, the first is an Interactive List find, the second is an Interactive, Progressive, Silhouetted Shape find that allows you to pan between 3 different scenes. As I stated earlier, in the CE version, each of the 12 HOP's have a Morphing Object to find and they include at least one Mini Game puzzle.
The Mini Games seem to be easier than the usual games offered by MCF, even the 8 part Super Puzzle seem easier, but they are simply fantastic, some of which are offered in the HOP's. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Use the clue to dial the correct phone number.
2) Guide the car to the finish line by selecting parts of the road, fueling is equal to one square of road, traffic lights need two fuel units.
3) Shoot the required number of colored spheres at matching colored spheres to make matches of three or more identical spheres.
4) Move the weights so that both sides of the scale are balanced.
5) Position the red tokens according to the picture in the center.
6) Swap the battery tiles to complete the pattern.
7) Use directional arrows to move the snake to eat all fruit.
8) Flip switches according to the hint provided.
9) Use clues to figure out the correct amount of money needed to withdraw, and select the correct money icons to enter.
10) Select the correct symbols on the cylinders shown on the parking meter.
11) Create a path that divides the empty dots from the solid dots.
The Collector's Edition has 12 replayable Hop's with 12 Morphing Objects, 36 replayable Mini Games, a Knight's Dire Fate, 39 collectible Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces, Case Files, a Trophy Room, 19 Achievements to earn, 11 Music Soundtracks, Wallpapers, Concept Art pictures, 12 Movies, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Adventure, enjoy lifting that veil!
I recommend this game!
Enter a fairytale world and set off on a journey to 5 fantastic worlds with Little Red Riding Hood and the Lumberjack to help find Red Riding Hood's missing parents.
Overall rating
2
/
5
30 of 40 found this review helpful
Doesn't The Girl Wearing A Red Riding Hood Have An Actual Name?
PostedApril 21, 2017
pennmom36
fromYou know the second Red gets back home, Granny will be an imposter!
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
4
/
5
I liked the storyline and music in this "Japanese Crossword" but I hated the fact that the rows and columns lit up in a green hue whenever your cursor rested on them. This was annoying and made it difficult to see the options, especially when the filled in cells were green as well. It's just a habit I have to use the cursor to count cells, so this probably won't annoy anyone else like it did me.
There is an actual storyline on this griddler as you solve griddlers alongside little Red Riding Hood. Her parents were taken by massive wolves called Grey Avengers, when she was a child. Now that she's no longer "little" Red Riding Hood (Red is apparently her first name) all grown up Red, is heading for the castle on top of the highest mountain, to fetch herself a pail of water, or in this case, her parents. I've a feeling she's not going to win a battle with massive wolves armed with only a single key (what was granny thinking?) and she'll fall straight over that wall and break her little crown. You can be as brave as you can be, but shaking a key at these terrifying wolves is only going to make them madder, in fact she can shake that key at them till the cow's start jumping over the moon, and it just isn't going to accomplish much. Perhaps she should just sit down on a tuffet and eat some curds and whey, and think this plan through, but it's just a suggestion.
There are no settings available to allow rows and columns to be marked off automatically, but there are a few interesting features. There is a Bonus Meter that fills a hint meter, the faster you fill in cells, the faster you will receive a hint. You can also buy hints in the shop with the coins you earn playing. You can buy upgraded hint features that begin with filling in a single cell, a string of cells or a 5x5 block of cells, and you can upgrade allowed mistakes of 3, 4 or even a whopping 6 mistakes allowed.
You can earn up to 3 stars per level, and you must earn at least one star to unlock the next level, one star is deducted for each mistake. On the map, there are wooden markers that show how many stars are required to unlock the next chapter. If it wasn't for the distraction of the green highlighted rows and columns, I may have enjoyed this griddler, give it a try before you buy!
I don't recommend this game.
Help Maggie keep the show running, stay out of the Hollywood drama and follow her dream!
Overall rating
4
/
5
49 of 53 found this review helpful
Not As Epic As Mary Le Chef But Certainly Better At A Standard Edition Price
PostedApril 19, 2017
pennmom36
fromAt least she's not trying to produce a film next to Bessie the cow!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Haunted Domains
(48)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
After playing the Collector's Edition of this Time Management game, I was left feeling like I had just played a knock off Delicious game. A really good TM game, but not epic, and really not worthy of the Collector's Edition price. In my opinion, this Standard Edition is way better, the extra's offered within the CE won't effect how this game plays, and you won't miss them.
This is a Time Management game that follows the trials and tribulations of Maggie, whose love for the cinema has led her to Louisiana, working as an assistant director. Unfortunately, she reports directly to the producer, Susan, and she's a little out of touch, and not all that likeable. To make matters worse, Clyde the director, is a bit quirky and allows his dog Hitchcock, to run the show.
You can play in Beginner, Normal or Expert modes of difficulty, and there are about 60 regular levels. The goals are easy, but fast paced, and just like in the Delicious series, that pesky mouse pops up in each level, catching the mouse will earn you an extra 100 points. As people arrive, you click on the products they want, which is shown above them in a thought bubble. When they are finished you click on the register to complete the sale. Some items require a single click, others require combining a couple of different items, and you will have to clean some areas before another person can access it such as dressing rooms.
With the money you earn, you can purchase upgrades to help you, such as more dressing rooms, tables and counter areas, or items that keep the people happy with more patience. Some items need restocked, but most items seem to have a never ending supply, and I don't understand why they need multiple watches or purses to help them act.
Challenges are offered as well which will earn you Diamonds which can be used to buy trophies. Each trophy tells you a background story about one of the characters. There are 22 Achievements to earn in the CE version, and 18 Challenge trophies available.
In the Collector's Edition you get a few extras that in my opinion just aren't worth the extra price point. They include Achievements, Wallpapers, Concept Art pictures, 18 Challenge levels, and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Since his departure from Olympus, Angelo has overcome many trials and enemies. However, he is about to face his greatest challenge yet, as threats assault the kingdom of Greece from all sides.
Overall rating
5
/
5
76 of 90 found this review helpful
Storyline 5 Stars-Being Able To Differentiate The Tiles 4 Stars
PostedApril 19, 2017
pennmom36
fromI'm pretty sure the Queen isn't going to be impressed by a lighthouse!
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
In the first episode of The Trials of Olympus, we followed Angelo, an archaeologist who constructed magnificent palaces for the Gods. He fell in love with a mortal, Princess Amara, angering the gods who then exiled him to live his life on Earth as a mortal.
In the second episode, the young newlyweds have angered Ares, the god of war. (probably the last god you would want to anger) Ares journeyed to bowels of the underworld to release the mighty Titans. They became allies of the "Order of Ares" an unstoppable force determined to destroy Angelo, and perhaps even Earth itself.
In this final episode, King Angelo's people are prospering, but their arrogance has led them to believe they no longer need their gods. They are wrong, and Poseidon has released a wrath of godly proportions. Now the Persians are evading Greece to seek revenge for the death of their King Darius, and to make matters worse, Angelos' relationship with Queen Amara has weakened. Can Angelo, now a mere mortal, appease the Persians, Poseidon, and he beloved Queen?
I will say this, the storyline of this trilogy are fantastic, the music is surprisingly relaxing, and the gameplay itself is fun. Once again, I was slightly disappointed with the tile elements on the board because the elements were either too similar to tell them apart from one another quickly, or perhaps there were just too many different types all at once. Whatever the reason, I found it difficult at times to find matches of 3 or more identical elements, much less being able to spot all of the gold tile borders you must make matches over.
You can play in a Timed or Relaxed untimed difficulty mode, you must swap tiles to make matches of at least 3 identical tiles, and you must clear all gold cells and the required number of resources. As you match elements, the mana meter will fill and allow you to use the bonuses. A Golden Axe clears a single tile, the Potion Bomb clears a 4 tile range, and the Magic Pendant collects all of the same tiles you choose, eventually there will be 6 total Bonuses to choose from. Matches of 6 tiles will earn you a Sun icon on the board to destroy tiles with a single click.
Some tiles have chains or double chains that require matches of the same tile that the chains bind, once or twice for double chains, then again to clear the gold cell. Spiders need to be destroyed by making matches under them or they will build webs on several tiles. Some icons have bubbles around them and the image inside is constantly changing. You must click on the bubble to pop it before you can make a match, but you can wait for the desired image to appear before clicking which can help you win.
After each level, you will get the opportunity to build buildings that appease the gods or Queen Amara, after all, Angelo is an architect. This can be a challenging and frustrating Match 3 game because the tiles are so hard to tell apart, the boards just seem too busy at times. This is a decent Match 3 game with a fantastic storyline, but it still doesn't hold a candle to my beloved Cradle of Rome series, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Discover a new cooking game from the creators of the award-winning Delicious series
Overall rating
5
/
5
105 of 121 found this review helpful
Mary Is Cooking In This Fun Time Management Game
PostedApril 18, 2017
pennmom36
fromDon't forget to Kiss the Cook!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Haunted Domains
(48)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I will probably be singing "Kiss the Cook" all day now, because of this game's catchy little tune! This game is very similar to the Delicious series, they all seem to be lately, some aren't all that fun, but this one's a Big Fish keeper for certain.
Just like all the other restaurant themed TM games, the object is to prepare the food items each customer desires, some require a single click, other items require you to click several items to combine them. Click on the customer to serve them the food, click the register to check them out and clean the table after the leave. Sounds simple, but with each level, there are more customers, and the dishes become more complex. The faster you serve them, the more money they pay and the money is used to buy upgrades that will help you, such as keeping the customer happy, serving food faster or extra service stations.
You can play this in Beginner, Normal or Expert levels and you can earn 21 Achievements as you progress. Challenges earn diamonds which allows you to open up decoration presents given to Mary by friends and family, and you can unlock new recipes as you progress. Bon Appetit, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
14 of 20 found this review helpful
Cute Game For Young Kids, Boring For Adults
PostedApril 17, 2017
pennmom36
fromWhy are there so many mines in the water, Frank might want to find another fishing spot!
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 pretty sure this game would be adored by young kids, probably in the 5-8 year old category, but for me, it was slow and boring. You are given goals at the start of each level, to catch a specific number of a certain type or types of fish. A picture is shown of the goal fish, which is nice because the kids can see which fish to catch without a reading assistant. There are several types of fish and lots of debris that can be accidentally caught, if you catch a mine, it will explode and kill the surrounding fish! You can earn up to 3 stars per level, and there doesn't seem to be a time limit. The fish you catch are displayed in the "Collection" section and each level has bonuses that can be bought with the coins you earn, such as a 3 prong hook, clear debris, freeze fish for 30 seconds or add a lure. You can upgrade your rod to make it react quicker, get a faster boat or upgrade the hook. My 6 year old granddaughter loves playing Tasty Blue, but that is a fast paced game. This game may not keep their attention for very long, but who knows?
A puzzle fantasy, inspired by the classic word search game.
Overall rating
3
/
5
64 of 71 found this review helpful
I Love Word Games But I Want To Take My Time And Spell The Most Creative Words Possible
PostedApril 17, 2017
pennmom36
fromI'll stick with that intelligent little worm :)
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
This is Bookworm with a timer, and I love Bookworm because I can search for words that are unusual, uncommon and large. You just don't get the chance to do that with this game because it is battle based, and you only get a couple of minutes to find the specified amount of words, while at the same time, clicking your power ups to fight a battle every time the meter fills. I just wished that this game offered an untimed mode, or at least gave you more time per level. I like word games that are relaxing not intense, and although I understand some gamers have a need for speed, I just wasn't diggin' this game. I wasn't even interested in finishing the demo, however, it was really nice seeing a Word game offered today, hopefully Big Fish will continuing offering Word type games, it been way too long of a wait!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop a stone-cold monster before it's too late?
Overall rating
2
/
5
71 of 89 found this review helpful
Giant Lizard On The Loose
PostedApril 16, 2017
pennmom36
fromKeep your intentions pure, who knows what the protector will do if you don't!
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
Your assignment as Commander has brought you to your hometown and Dad couldn't be more proud of you all dressed up in shining armor! The Baron has issued martial law, because a giant basilisk has been selectively petrifying the townsfolk. When the giant lizard turns your very own father into stone, you immediately take action as commander instead of daddy's little girl. Further investigation reveals that your father and a few other men followed questionable orders given to them by the Baron himself, on a hunting trip over 20 years ago. After a rare occurrence of the Black Moon Eclipse, the basilisk was transformed into a bipedal monster by night and by day, takes the form of a human! His gaze turns its victim to stone, with no known reversal cure. To defeat the Basilisk, you must first figure out what happened on that hunting trip, but the answer may not be the answer you want to learn about your dad.
Before dad turned to stone, he gave you an important gift, a weapon he used in the war, and had modified by an alchemist with a powerful gem. The newly forged "Protector" is capable of battling foe, and shielding the innocent, after playing a mini game naturally. I was utterly bored with this game and couldn't wait until the demo ended. I found the graphics to be cartoonish at times, the tasks at hand monotonous and the storyline ridiculous. Each scene in the CE version has a hidden Lizard, but none of them look like a lizard in my opinion. There was nothing about this game that make me want to play it after the demo.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Multiples of the same item finds, finding Pairs of items that are Associated, and Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds, some of the HOP's offer a small puzzle or Mini Game. At least this game offers a variety that will suit just about everyone's taste, the scenes are clear and the items are recognizable. In the Collector's Edition version, each of the HOP's have a Morphing Object to find.
The Mini Games were good, but nothing really impressive. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Select pairs of keys that are connected by the same string to remove.
2) Assemble a mosaic picture offered in a Hidden Object Scene.
3) Shoot the arrow when several bars are in the green zone.
4) Select and place items in the scene where they belong.
5) Select a symbol on the item and then on the Protector until all have been removed. (this game is played each time you use the Protector)
6) Drag the energy ball along the pattern without going outside of the lines. (this game is played each time you use the Protector as well, with different symbol designs)
7) Raise all of the crown tiles by selecting snakes to move along the rails to open and close compartments until all sections of the crown are raised.
8) Press all the keys to move the wheel to the other side. Keys can only be used once, numbers and arrows show distance and direction, wooden knobs adjust the number of moves on blank keys.
9) Pull out the string by selecting the correct holes.
10) Find evidence of the basilisk, according to the clues. Select arrows to move the telescope, move the eye slider to adjust the focus and then select the evidence found.
The Collector's Edition has a Souvenir Room, Skipping Stones Games, 13 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 23 replayable Puzzles, 19 Videos, 7 Music Soundtracks, 8 Concept pictures, 8 Wallpapers, a Terrarium, 27 Achievements, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.