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:
Build up Birds Town using incredible powerups, gorgeous gems, and more in this incredibly fun Marble Popper game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Fly The Coop Little Birdies!
PostedOctober 8, 2016
pennmom36
fromFly be free little buddies!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love marble popping games, and Bird's Town is a hoot (sorry for the pun) This game is similar to Evy: Magic Spheres, but instead of shooting at balls, you shoot at colorful birds. I love everything about this game and I purchased it the second the demo ended.
The object of the game is to make matches of at least three identical colored birds before they reach the cage at the end of the line where the hungry cats await their tasty dinner! Your "shooter" is actually one of the good guys because he's trying to save his friends from becoming dinner. The shooter is sitting in a cargo trailer at the bottom of the screen and you shoot the colored bird he is holding (Left clicking) at the continually growing line of birds, hopefully making a match of the same colored birds, which allows them to fly away and be free. You can switch to the next color by right clicking.
Some of the birds have gems that fall to the ground, and if you catch the falling gems in your cart you will earn more money which allows you to build Bird Town with houses, lakes, schools, banks and shops. As you progress, the paths the birds travel on get more twisted, the line moves quicker and more birds are added. Making matches next to an egg will cause the egg to hatch, and matching birds with shields will cause the line to slow down, or freeze for a short while, or they give you special abilities to help you aim or shoot better. Even though this is an older game, the graphics are really good, and it's definitely a big fish keeper, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you escape your fate as a human experiment, or will you comply?
Overall rating
5
/
5
234 of 275 found this review helpful
CONGRATULATIONS RESIDENT YOU HAVE BEEN MARKED WITH A COMPLIANCE MONITOR!
PostedOctober 8, 2016
pennmom36
fromIt's a good thing S.A.R.A sprayed air freshener in the elevator, I'm sure that will help with the mess!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Mad Head proves once again that they are a force to be reckoned with. They have released fantastic games such as, Cadenza, Shadowplay, Nevertales, Beyond, Shiver, Rite of Passage, Sable Maze, Witches Legacy, Where Angels Cry, Dark Realm, Haunted Hotel, Dark Dimensions, House of 1000 Doors, Empress of the Deep, Twisted Lands, The Secret Order, and of course, Maze Subject 360.This game centers around technology gone rogue, but the technologies Mad Head games use are cutting edge and almost always computer generated with real actors. If I'm not mistaken the voice of the main character in this game is by Lani Minella, and she does a fantastic job, she's very believable.
When the Gehenna Towers were built, they were equipped with a highly advanced artificial intelligence technology called S.A.R.A. Unfortunately, she took on a mind of her own, residents started disappearing, and now the Towers are slated to be demolished! You and your boss Ted are about to do a walkthrough of this magnificent building, when Ted unknowingly steps into the elevator after Liz awakens S.A.R.A. Now your only hope for survival is compliance!
This game reminds me of a novel that was made into a movie in the 70's called Demon Seed. Similar to S.A.R.A, an artificial intelligence took over an entire house. That movie wasn't all that great, but this game is fantastic, and certainly a worthy sequel to Maze: Subject 360. Like most Mad Head games, this game is very realistic, and the music does a great job of controlling your emotions. The only "prop" you have other than a journal, are Night Vision Goggles" to help you see in the dark, there's even an HOP that requires you to use them! There are 29 Hidden Signs (those well known spirals) and a whole slew of Achievements to earn in gold silver and bronze categories in this Collector's Edition. My only complaint is that they decided to put the Morphing Objects in the HOP's, a feature I really hate. I think most gamers want Morphs in each location NOT in the HOP's, but I'm sure it's easier to remove Morphs from the HOP's when they release the Standard Edition. One thing I have noticed in many of the games by this dev is that they like to add Easter Eggs, and they will often have newspaper photos or pictures hanging that are from one of their other games, so keep your eyes peeled to see if they have done that in this game as well.
The Hidden Object Scenes offer nothing new so far, but I will admit that some of the items are very well blended into the scene, so kudo's on stumping me, I liked the challenge. There are Interactive List finds, Keywords during an orientation, Silhouetted Shape finds, item that you take from the inventory bar and place into the scene correctly, and even smaller Zoom Zone HOP's where you just need to find a handful of items.
The Mini Games are unique, and appropriate for the theme of the game. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Drag a line between two or more identical colored dots, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, to turn them all white.
2) Fill the energy cell to the indicated level using directional arrows to fill and drain cells.
3) Repeat the sequence of two fist lighting up.
4) Place torn newspaper fragments correctly.
5) Arrange the shapes so they point to their matching colored lights, using the center wheel to move and rotate the tracks.
6) Find misplaced items within three different scenes and place them correctly.
7) Select and drag flags so that they match the picture clue, moving one may affect others.
This Collector's Edition has 28 Collectible Hidden Signs, 18 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Achievements to earn, 16 Wallpapers, downloadable Music Soundtracks, Jigsaw Puzzles, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Adventure, enjoy, but only after you comply with S.A.R.A!
I recommend this game!
What secrets are hidden in the legendary McCordan Library?
Overall rating
4
/
5
67 of 78 found this review helpful
Knowledge Is The Key
PostedOctober 7, 2016
pennmom36
fromHe should have put them on a kindle.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Rumor has it that the McCordan Library contains a hidden library somewhere amongst Lars McCordan's vast collection of fine literature. This secret bunker allegedly contains 5 very valuable Tomes, deemed too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands! Lars was a member of The Secret Society Of Tomb Keepers, who vowed to protect the Tombs, but Lars has been missing since 1930! The McCordan estate was eventually auctioned off, and purchased by Colin Englund, who will stop at nothing to find the secret library, and the 5 dangerous Tomes! Mr. Englund has hired you, an accredited literary historian, to witness the unveiling of this magical library. Mr. Englund has been unsuccessful at disarming the vast locks and traps that protect the secret library, but Mr. Englund may be just as dangerous as the Tomes themselves!
I really enjoyed this game and bought the Collector's Edition immediately after the demo ended, and I might add that the game will hold your interest after the demo as well. The graphics are very realistic, at least as realistic as it can be considering the book's characters have just come to life. The Collector's Edition version offers Collectible Coins that are used to purchase different storybook characters (and game characters) Morphing Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces, that you can assemble and set as a Screensaver, and of course, Achievements to earn for different milestones.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, nothing really new or exciting, but they aren't bad either. You can opt to play a Match 3 game if you're not into the hop. There are Interactive List finds, Interactive Progressive Silhouetted Shape finds, and even FROG's, one of my personal favorites. There are also several Zoom Zone's that have Multiple Item finds and each time you "travel" to a new book genre, you must first find several torn picture fragments within the entire scene, and reassemble them together. This is super simple because there are outlines of each piece displayed.
The Mini Games are pretty good. I will admit that several of them have a feature that drives my bonkers (moving on one affects others) but for the most part the games aren't too difficult. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo as well as a few memorable ones from the main game:
1) Arrange the symbols in the correct order.
2) Spot the difference in three different pictures.
3) Turn over the stones so that all symbols are visible, clicking on one stone may affect others.
4) Place items in the scene correctly.
5) Select the bells until the image on the bells are the same as the image above them, selecting one bell may affect others.
6) Rotate the circles to the
correct positions and then select the tiles to position them.
correct positions and then select the tiles to position them.
7) Help the horseman reach the castle by finding and using the correct items to overcome obstacles along his path.
8) Pull the chains to the correct heights, pulling one chain may affect others.
9) Rotate the circles to their correct positions.
10) Paint the image according to the clue. Select the areas you want to paint and then select the color at the top. Only adjacent selected areas will be painted.
11) Move the token to the other side, you can only move forward to a highlighted area.
12) Move every token to it's correct place. (lengthy but fun)
13) Restore the image by sliding puzzle squares to an empty slot.
14) Reconstruct figurines by selecting free fragments and moving them to either an empty space or stacking them.
The Collector's Edition has 19 Developer Diary pictures, 16 Concept Art pictures, 10 Wallpapers, Morphing Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to create 6 different Screensavers, 5 Music Soundtracks, Collectible Coins to purchase 8 Character figures, 6 levels of Tome-Maze puzzles, 15 Achievements to earn, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Phantasmat: Reign of Shadows Collector's Edition
There's more to this resort than meets the eye.
Overall rating
5
/
5
215 of 255 found this review helpful
PHINALLY! BIG PHISH PHEATURES ANOTHER PHANTASTIC PHANTASMAT (I'm doing my happy dance can you tell?)
PostedOctober 6, 2016
pennmom36
fromDON'T drink the water!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Valerie and her PHATHER were never very close, nonetheless, your sister needs to be informed that he has passed away. Tracking her down hasn't been easy, especially during a blizzard. It seems that Val has been working PHOR Doctor Edward Corvine at his private compound in the Oregon mountains, but something seems PHISHY about this whole research scenario. The compound itself was once a booming hotel known as the Arcadia, and was built by the good doctor's PHATHER Christopher. Who knows what happened to Dr. Corvine as a child growing up in this huge hotel, whatever it was, it inspired him to dedicate his life researching all the things that go bump in the darkness! Your sister and her colleague Jordan seems unusually nervous, could it be because of the sinister shadows you thought you saw? Are you being used as a guinea pig in their research, an experiment? Should you stand your ground and PHIGHT or should you take PHLIGHT?
It's no secret that the original Phantasmat is my all time PHAVORITE game, and today's release of Reign of Shadows has had me doing my happy dance PHOR sure! The number one reason I love this series is because of the creative storylines. The PHACT is, no other game has ever duplicated the plot from the first Phantasmat, and every time I play a new game in this series I'm constantly trying to PHIGURE out if I'm alive or dead, and what twist the plot will take, because they always do, and I love it!
This Collector's Edition has the usual Achievements to earn as well as collectible Diary Pages disguised as Morphing Objects. There is also a Morphing Object within the Hidden Object Scenes. The graphics are amazingly well done and the detail is incredible. There are actually 9 different music tracks that seem to align perfectly with the pace and theme of each location.
The Hidden Object Scenes are also very well done and offer several varieties. There are the tried and true Interactive List PHINDS, Keywords to PHIND the associated item during a story, Morphing Object PHINDS, and even Progressive Silhouetted Shape PHINDS where you PHIND the first item that matches the silhouetted shape and then use that item back into the scene interactively to expose the next item and so PHORTH. There is an alternative Match 3 game available if you're not into HOP's.
The Mini games present a very nice challenge without being too PHRUSTRATING. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Place the gears into the correct slots based on color by moving mechanisms' elements to guide them.
2) Move cash register buttons to correct the equations shown.
3) Move the silver PHUSE into the correct position by selecting a PHUSE to move it, and small lights to restrict it's movement.
4) Arrange the square tiles to create a path for the ball to travel from point A to point B.
5) Move the receptionist through the sliding room sections to get to the double door exit.
6) A Super Puzzle or multi layered puzzle requiring you to configure lights and wires.
This Collector's Edition has 12 Achievements to earn, 19 replayable Puzzles, replayable Match 3 games, 13 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 4 Collectible Character pictures, 8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art pictures, 9 Music Soundtracks, 13 Videos, 21 Morphing Diary Pages, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy my PHELLOW PHRIENDS!
I recommend this game!
Young archaeologist Anna Windsdoe learns that her missing father, a great explorer, was looking for a secret city. Can you help her find him?
Overall rating
4
/
5
87 of 101 found this review helpful
Searching For Dad
PostedOctober 5, 2016
pennmom36
fromHow is it possible to release a game without checking for grammatical errors first?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a decent Time Management game, but there's nothing new offered. You can choose between three different modes of difficulty, Relaxed, Normal and Professional, any of the 45 levels can be replayed, and there is a high scores feature. The graphics are okay, but the music is annoying, in fact after completing each level the music becomes uncomfortably loud for no reason.
Ann Windsdoe's father embarked on an archaeological expedition in Madagascar when she was just a child, but never returned. It has been 20 years since that fateful day and Ann has put together a team of her own to explore the same locations as her father before her, and hopefully, find the answers she's been looking for all those year's.
The tasks are the same as most other TM games, gather resources, repair bridges, clear paths, construct and upgrade buildings. There is a bit of strategy to apply, if you don't you will waste valuable time waiting for the right resources to progress, as you become stuck. Really, the only thing different with this TM game is that a helicopter drops unlimited amounts of food onto the landing pad. There is a bonus bar on every level that can be used once charged, to make the workers faster, give you an extra worker, freeze time or add resources, but these features only last for about 15 seconds. One of the locals joins your team as a guide, and he comes in handy to scare away any wild animal that wanders into your camp, once his tent has been erected that is.
As I said earlier, this is a decent Time Management game, but there's nothing different about it, even the story is the same. There's nothing that sets this game from the rest and really no incentive to purchase this game over any other Time Management game. Compared to a game like Incredible Dracula which is spooktacular, this game doesn't stand a chance. It certainly is worthy of a credit, but because I have so many other TM games, I'll probably pass on purchasing the game but I did enjoy playing the demo and hopefully you will too!
I recommend this game!
Find out what mysteries his peaceful village is hiding.
Overall rating
4
/
5
114 of 135 found this review helpful
Brought Back A Little Bit Of Retro Nostalgia
PostedOctober 4, 2016
pennmom36
fromIs the detective imitating Dupin?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Okay, I'll admit that this game is very retro, and very old fashioned, but I was kinda diggin' it. It brought back some nostalgic memories of yesterdays games, when Hidden Object games were a bit lame but we couldn't get enough of 'em and then the games began to evolve. There isn't a lot of logic presented at times and the graphics are mediocre but that's okay, the storyline is lame, but that's okay too. What I did like about this game was the abundance of HOP's and Puzzles, not the hard, rip out your hair to solve kind, the old school kind that are easy, relaxing and entertaining.
The Hidden Object Scenes are in abundance in the first few scenes, but then they dwindle a bit as more and more puzzles are introduced so don't get discouraged. There are a variety of types, Interactive List, Interactive Progressive Silhouetted Shapes, Matching Pair finds, and even Multiples of one type. They are actually pretty decent.
The Mini Games soon take over the game and as I said before, they are fairly easy to figure out, but entertaining. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Put plates into the correct order similar to matching up dominoes.
2) Put the fragment pieces onto the broken dragon.
3) Set the clock hands according to the clue.
4) Open the lock by inserting the correct keys into the keyholes.
5) Prepare the smelling salts by mixing ingredients in the correct order.
6) Move items to slide the crowbar to the exit in a game similar to blocks.
7) Select pairs of matching tiles in a game of mahjong.
8) Reassemble a torn picture.
9) Enter the correct code on the lock.
10) Place the tokens in the correct order inside the lock according to the shapes.
11) Place color coded gears and nuts correctly.
12) Move the petals to the correct positions, which light up when placed correctly.
13) Slide the objects around to find something useful.
This game certainly won't win any awards, but it certainly is worthy of a credit voucher if you are looking for an easy but relaxing game to play. My first thought was that this was an old game revamped on this site, however from what I can tell this game was released in August of this year so I think the devs intended for this to be a retro game, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you bring peace to the kingdoms in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
76 of 87 found this review helpful
Let There Be Peace
PostedOctober 2, 2016
pennmom36
fromWhat do you think will happen if I kiss Arthur the frog?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I love Mad Head games, you can always count on them to offer unique games that are highly entertaining such as, Cadenza, Shadowplay, Nevertales, Beyond, Shiver, Rite of Passage, Sable Maze, Witches Legacy, Where Angels Cry, Dark Realm, Haunted Hotel, Dark Dimensions, House of 1000 Doors, Empress of the Deep, Twisted Lands, The Secret Order, or Maze Subject 360, just to name a few. These devs clearly put a lot of time and effort into their games and Dark Realm: Lord of the Winds is a perfect example. The game gets way better after the demo, and the locations have gorgeous graphics. Clearly this is a fantasy based game, and the graphics reflect that very well.
In my last few reviews, I talked about how lame some of the games from the well known producers have been lately. In my opinion they are releasing games at a wicked fast pace and seemingly not caring about the quality of entertainment the games provide. I've also stated that some of the "lesser known" series devs are ramping up their game as they try to compete with the big dogs, and they are producing some really good games that are highly entertaining. Dark Realm: Lord of the Winds by Mad Head games, reflects EXACTLY what I've been saying, quality through and through! Is this game perfect? No, there's always room for improvement, but it is very entertaining, has really good graphics, and offers a variety of HOP's and Mini Games. Nuff said, on with my review:
Queen Valera has made a very important decision, one that could endanger the entire Kingdom and it's peaceful citizens. Queen Valera has offered a Peace Treaty with it's long time rivaling neighbor kingdom ruled by the ever so handsome King Harlon. She knows how dangerous it is, but she must lower the protective shield to allow King Harlon to enter so the treaty can be signed. King Harlon offers Queen Valera a gift, but as soon as she opens the chest, a powerful force attacks the Queen, taking her breath away, literally, removing her life force! Both sides panic, both sides begin blaming each other, but the Queen is dying! Queen Valera's best friend and right hand man, Nathaniel, offers to exchange places with the Queen, giving her his breath, so she may live, and save the Kingdom. A local healer is able to exchange the curse, and slow down the process on Nathaniel to buy some time, until the cure can be found. Queen Valera must travel to the Wind Colossus, to reverse the affects of this powerful orb, to save not only Nathaniel, but hopefully, stop the war between the two Kingdoms and establish peace going forward!
Nathaniel has given the Queen his Bow, this is no ordinary Bow, this Bow has unlimited and powerful abilities. The first of many Arrows you have, allows you to retrieve anything the arrow hits. The Arrow will return along with the item that the arrow hit, but of course, there's a Mini Game involved with each use. Each time you use the Bow, you will play a variation of "Blocks" where you move blocks until the arrow has a clear path, each game becomes increasingly more difficult to solve as more blocks are added to the board. Eventually, you will find other arrows that have special abilities, an Arrow that has explosives, and one that freezes it's target, others are added after the demo. In the Collector's Edition the bonus features include 35 Hidden Feathers, one in each scene, Achievements to earn and a Morphing Object in each Hidden Object Scene.
The Hidden Object Scenes are fairly entertaining, which Mad Head is well known for. They have very interesting scenes with Silhouetted Shape finds, Interactive List finds, and even Keywords or Symbol find during a story. One of my favorite scenes is finding shapes that are carved on the Ship's Wheel, turning clockwise or counterclockwise to steer the ship by finding the symbols shown in the center, one at a time. Another among my favorites was finding two different symbols that when combined would create the symbols from the inventory bar,
The Mini Games are also entertaining, not to easy, but not too difficult either. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo, and a few notable puzzles from the main game:
1) The Bow and Arrow game of Blocks requiring you to move blocks until the arrow has a straight path to travel from the bottom to the top.
2) Select and rotate the blue rings to create a continuous line for the energy to flow through. Selecting one ring may affect the others.
3) Move sliders to aim the cannon both up and down and left and right, that select the fire bottom to shoot.
4) Find and fill in the shapes indicated on the pillars with corresponding colors. Select the stone shapes to enable or block flow of color. Fill shapes with color by pressing gems.
5) Guide the light through the maze by selecting empty highlighted circles to move the beam of light.
6) Select and guide the ball through the maze without touching the path walls.
7) Find three of each shape hidden within the illustrations of a storybook.
8) Reorder the fish from biggest to smallest by swapping the fish located on the top. You will need to follow the tangled lines to figure out where each fish will land at the bottom.
9) Fill the spiral with the three types of water by selecting from the puddles. No two touching fields can be the same.
The Collector's Edition has 14 Concept Art pictures, 4 Wallpapers, 10 Music Soundtracks, 17 replayable Hidden Object Scenes to earn Gold, Silver or Bronze time awards, Collectible Hunt games, Constellations Mini Games, 14 Achievements, 35 Hidden Collectible Feathers, Morphing Objects within the Hidden Object Scenes, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
What secrets are hiding in the European countryside?
Overall rating
5
/
5
166 of 189 found this review helpful
If You Fail The Challenge Of The Labyrinth You Stay With The Shadows For Eternity!
PostedOctober 1, 2016
pennmom36
fromHelen: "Leave me alone!" Me: "No problem, you're floating in midair and your glowing eyes are freaking me out!"
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
It'd been 40 years since Edgar and his fiance Helen disappeared mysteriously. Edgar's sister Veronica Johnson, fears she might be losing her mind, because she just took a picture of Helen peeking out of a window from her family's home, which has been abandoned and boarded up for years! Once she compared this picture to a picture of Helen taken just before her disappearance, she is utterly shocked, because the pictures are practically identical! Helen hasn't changed in the least bit, Helen, hasn't aged in over 40 years! Emma has her hands full with this, now you see it, now you don't case, but all roads seem to lead to Helen's friend, Ben Carmer, who just so happens to be the last person to see the couple before they disappeared without a trace.....or was there?
Fear For Sale has always been a hit or miss type of game, it's either really awesome, or kind of a dud, but I have only two complaints with The Dusk Wanderer. First of all, the storyline is nothing new, in fact, I was able to figure out the plot within about 20 minutes, not just the plot, but exactly who, what, where, when and pretty much how. Secondly, the graphics are very poor. One of the features I have always loved in Fear For Sale is that they always seem to have top notch crystal clear computer generated graphics, they just didn't impress me this time. As with all other games in this series, you earn points for just about everything you do. As you earn these points, you will progress in rank status starting as a Cub Reporter then advance to Reporter, Investigative Journalist and so forth for a total of 8 rankings. For me personally, it doesn't thrill me one way or the other, I have no intention of competing with my friends to acquire a better score. This series is also known for their Collections that are in Categories, this time the categories are: Against the clock, Damsel in distress, Adam's legacy, Timepieces, and Hope and redemption, each category has 5 collectibles. This Collector's Edition also has 34 Beyond Objects and the usual Achievements to earn as well, which make this CE well worth the extra money because of the extra CE bling.
The Hidden Object Scenes are fairly typical scenes for this series, however, they are breaking out of their shell a little bit, offering keywords in sentences to find, replacing items back into the scene,finding items using your phone, interactive list finds, and silhouetted shape finds. There are also several smaller zoom zone HOP's as well as the one's requiring you to find a handful of fragments or parts scattered around the entire scene.
The Mini Games are entertaining, some are super simple, others a little more intense, but all seem to be doable. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Dress a mannequin to replicate the picture shown.
2) Move the Edgar's figurine next to Helen's by selecting directional arrows to move Edgar. Helen's character moves in the opposite direction of Edgar's.
3) Place torn picture fragments in a book.
4) Use the cypher to enter the correct code.
5) Follow tangled hoses to their matching color coded valves.
6) Find matching symbols to climb up the rope by selecting 2 rocks at a time.
7) Connect the stars to make a constellation using the given number of lines.
8) Pick the colored parts of the picture and place those colored items to their correct places in the scene.
9) Adjust levers according to the picture clue.
10) Turn the fragments of the image in such a sequence as not to block each subsequent step.
11) Select the blue symbol parts to create a symbol that the compass points to.
This Collector's Edition has 9 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art pictures, 3 Screensavers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 25 Collectibles (5 collectibles in 5 categories) 9 Achievements, 26 Hidden Object Scenes, 28 Mini Games, 35 Beyond Objects, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy the Fear!
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover the secret of the Qin dynasty?
Overall rating
4
/
5
99 of 111 found this review helpful
I'm Focusing My Review On This Fascinating Emperor
PostedSeptember 30, 2016
pennmom36
fromWhy do I do all the work and risk my life while Sam gets all the promotions?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
As you may already know, I wasn't very impressed with this edition of Hidden Expedition when I first played the Collector's Edition. Then my curious side emerged and I began to search for more information on the Emperor, and he really is an interesting and important figure. I thought I would share 10 facts that I found to be the most interesting, if you're not interested just skip this paragraph to get to my review of the game itself.
#1-Qin Shi Huang became the king of the state of Qin at the ripe old age of 13 (and he accomplished this feat without a cellphone, can you believe it!) His real name was actually Ying Zheng.
#2-Throughout China it was widely believed that the Emperor was illegitimate and his mother Zhao Ji was already pregnant when she married Yiren. Historians now theorize that this story was fabricated by Chinese Scholars to defame the Emperor, 2 fold because not only would that have made him an illegitimate child, but it would also mean that he was the son of a merchant and not of royal descent.
#3-The young Emperor was responsible for the unification of China when he conquered the remaining 6 kingdoms. For the first time in history, China was a united centralized state. (again without the use of a smartphone!)
#4-After he conquered the 6 other kingdoms Ying Zheng declared himself Qin Shi Huang. Translated, Qin means "of Qin" Shi means "first" and Huangdi was a new term meaning Emperor. (so technically he was responsible for a new word as well)
#5-To avoid political chaos after the unification, the Emperor unified the Chinese Script.
#6-The Great Wall of China was then constructed to keep the states safe. The famous wall actually connected various existing state walls.
#7-The Emperor was also responsible for the construction of the Lingqu Canal and the Sichuan Dujiangyan irrigation system. Along with the Great Wall, these three constructions are considered to be great feats of ancient Chinese engineering.
#8-Throughout most of Chinese history, the first Emperor of Qin (there were only 2 Emperors of Qin) was considered to be unpopular and inhumane. This opinion didn't change much until the late 19th century. Now it is believed that because the Emperor ordered books burned and had over 400 scholars executed, Confucian Scholars began to portray their ruler as a brutal tyrant.
#9-I'm almost finished I promise but the good stuff centers around the tomb! He was afraid of death and became obsessed with finding the elixir of life to become immortal.
#10-His tomb took 700,000 men 38 years to construct! The Emperor's mausoleum was larger than any city in the entire world at the time, and was intended to be paradise. The Emperor's tomb is protected by about 6,000 of the famous life sized Terracotta Army of Warriors, among the army are Chariots and 40,000 real bronze weapons! Their mission, was and is, to protect the Emperor in the afterlife from evil spirits.
After all these accomplishments, the first Emperor of Qin trusted his alchemists who created his "elixir of immortality" Ironically, the Emperor died during his visit to Eastern China after swallowing the mercury pills they created to give him eternal life. See I told you he was a fascinating person, so on to the review....
I have played thousands of games and lately I've been left to ponder an important question. Am I getting bored with these games or are they getting lame? The answer I can assure you is that I'm not bored playing a GOOD game, an interesting game. There have been some real duds lately by some of the top ranking series titles, because, in my opinion, the devs are working at lightning speed to release one game after another. I get it, I'm a business owner, and the bottom line is net profit, as long as a series is selling like hotcakes, you keep offering them until they aren't. Here's another thing I realized lately, the Lesser Known series (the one's who aren't working at breakneck speeds) are putting out REALLY GOOD games that are interesting and fun, such as Shadowplay and Bridge To Another World.
Your mission, should you decide to accept, is to babysit a really annoying character! H.E.L.P. will spare no expense to keep Professor Huang Son Jiang and his colleague Anna Chan happy, safe and secure. You will be expected to solve all of the intricate puzzles and locks located throughout the Emperor's Tomb, unassisted, while everyone rushes you from behind. The Tomb is full of Mercury and booby traps (that's latin for you're going to get killed by something you'll never see coming, yet they all seem to go off in front of you?) All's going well, then Sam gets hurt AGAIN, seriously, I think he does it on purpose to get promotions. Then out of nowhere, BAM, the unthinkable happens, bet you didn't see that one coming? Of course you saw that one coming because it's the same story, just with different characters!
No agent would be complete without lugging around a huge H.E.L.P Box. It's a good thing I lugged this 40 pound box down the mine with me because believe it or not, there are actually Fact Cards hidden in the Emperor's Tomb! Can you believe it? This tomb has been closed for thousands of years! Surely this is Ancient Alien work, how is that possible? With the Collector's Edition version, there are also 40 Hidden Signs and 22 Achievements to earn.
The Hidden Object Scenes are always the same in the HE series. That's not necessarily a bad thing, at least they are familiar. There are the typical Silhouetted Shape Finds that are usually presented in at least a couple of phases where once you find all the items, another set of shapes is presented and then a third set with a final object to find. There are also Interactive List finds and finding Keywords in a story being told. Each HOP has a Morphing Object available.
The Mini Games are the reason I continued the demo, they aren't bad at all and most are doable on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Move levers until all of the arrows are in the green zone.
2) Complete the circle by selecting and dragging the animal shapes to the correct position.
3) Create paths for the dragons heads to fall onto it's matching body by using directional arrows to move rows of blocks below them.
4) Move the pieces to the center of the board to form a complete symbol, pieces must be selected in the correct order.
5) Arrange bells from the largest to the smallest animals shown on the bells.
6) Select the arrows to move the figurine to the yin-yang which stops whenever it encounters an obstacle.
7) Move the coins to the correct side of the board based on color, select arrows to select pairs of coins at a time.
8) Create a path for the mercury to flow from the pearl to the empty circle in a labyrinth.
The Collector's Edition has 17 replayable Puzzles, 15 replayable HOP's, 8 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, 9 Music Soundtracks, a Souvenir Room, 40 Hidden Signs, 11 Videos, 22 Achievements, 15 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
Can you escape the mirrored world to save your love?
Overall rating
1
/
5
58 of 63 found this review helpful
Polar Opposites
PostedSeptember 29, 2016
pennmom36
fromThe only reason I want to get back to the real world is to get away from those annoying dolls!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
After losing her sister, Alex became very critical of herself. Time and time again she would look into the family mirror and imagine what it would be like if she were "different" and had more self esteem. All that changed once she met Ryan, and soon they would be married. Fate however had different plans in store for Alex, because a strange key has mysteriously appeared. Even stranger, the family mirror mysteriously reveals a keyhole, and naturally Alex places the key into the mirror and voila! Xela appears and Alex disappears, only to reappear inside the mirror world where she is forced to watch her more brazen doppleganger take over her life. Well, after all, Alex did create Xela, so be careful what you wish for, it may come back to bite you!
I'm being generous by giving this game a one star rating. The graphics are dreadful, the story is stupid, the mechanics are painfully archaic and don't even get me started on those annoying dolls, Red and Blue, ridiculous to say the least. It took me three days to finish the demo. The jest of the game is to search the mirrorworld for shards of memories and fight your way back into the loving arms of Ryan, who probably likes Xela's personality better anyway! Each scene has a large obtrusive wine glass to find and other than a few Achievements, that's about it, and certainly not worthy of the Collector's Edition price.
The Hidden Object Scenes are boring and just not fun, to make matters worse, most of the scenes are repeated at least once which is boring. They are mostly Interactive list finds but there are also matching pairs, multiple finds and even spot the difference. The scenes are cartoonish and child like in my opinion.
The Mini Games aren't impressive either. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Start with the red key and press piano keys in order according to the color clue shown.
2) Arrange the pages so they form the notes shown.
3) Move all books to the far right shelf, books cannot be rotated.
4) Reassemble the glass door by placing shards correctly.
5) Separate the roses from the leaves by drawing only 3 straight lines. Select two pins to draw line that can't cross leaves or roses.
6) Light up all the pins by traveling to each pin only once.
This Collector's Edition has 13 Achievements, 4 Music Soundtracks, 5 Wallpapers, 8 Sketches, 40 Collectible Wine Glasses, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.