pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4710
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:March 20, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The ones who touch the artifact must die. Will you be next?
Overall rating
5
/
5
99 of 118 found this review helpful
Are You Next?
PostedSeptember 16, 2016
pennmom36
fromSeems kinda iffy to shoot a harpoon at the ship you're trying to escape in!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
So far, Myths of the World hasn't disappointed me. You can count on this series to bring their A game to the Big Fish ballpark to provide an interesting storyline and solid entertainment. There have been some really bad games lately but Island of Forgotten Evil is not a forgettable game. I purchased the Collector's Edition immediately after playing the entire demo, but honestly, this Standard Edition is just as entertaining, unless you want the "extras" Hidden Signs. Achievements and Morphing Objects within the Hidden Object Scenes. Enough of my verbal opinions and on with the review :)
When the Romans discovered an artifact that contained pure evil (seriously, Hannibal Lecter feared this entity) two brothers were chosen to restrain the evil within by separating the box and it's key for eternity. Vespasian, the keeper of the box and Sabinus the keeper of the key. One brother was successful, the other was murdered by his own men who were seeking wealth beyond imagination. Time eventually passed and the artifacts were all but forgotten, until Uncle Harry North's curiosity was piqued with the discovery of this ancient artifact, that had been passed down for generations. This curiosity led Uncle Harry to his grave, but, he has left encrypted clues in hopes that his last surviving niece can stop the curse he has initiated, and save the others who have been cursed, before it's too late!
In my opinion this is one of the best Myths of the World games to date. Titus Flavius Sabinus served as legate in Britain under Aulus Plautius, governed Moesia for seven years as well as consul for another eleven years under Nero's reign. His brother Vespasian worked beside his brother in Britain, governed Africa and eventually Judaea. Although the brothers were an important part of history from about AD 45 TO AD 52, there is no mention of them finding nor guarding an evil artifact, but I think it's kind of cool how the devs were able to take actual Roman brothers and incorporate them into a thrilling adventure on an Island with the Forgotten Evil in the year 2016, AND make the story credible and believable to a certain extent.
In my opinion this is one of the best Myths of the World games to date. Titus Flavius Sabinus served as legate in Britain under Aulus Plautius, governed Moesia for seven years as well as consul for another eleven years under Nero's reign. His brother Vespasian worked beside his brother in Britain, governed Africa and eventually Judaea. Although the brothers were an important part of history from about AD 45 TO AD 52, there is no mention of them finding nor guarding an evil artifact, but I think it's kind of cool how the devs were able to take actual Roman brothers and incorporate them into a thrilling adventure on an Island with the Forgotten Evil in the year 2016, AND make the story credible and believable to a certain extent.
The Collector's Edition has all the bells and whistles you could ask for, not to mention fantastic graphics, plenty of Plus Sign Inventory Items to combine, and a really interesting plot. There are 42 very well blended Lyre's, or Apollo's Signs to find in each scene, Morphing Objects hidden in the Hidden Object Scenes and of course, Achievements to earn for achieving game related milestones such as solving a Mini Game quickly, or finding 8 objects within 8 seconds. The only "prop" you have in this game is the Valor's Light, which which reveals hidden caches and can protect you from the Romans who continue to guard in the afterlife, via Mini Games, of course.
The Hidden Object Scenes aren't fantastic, but typical for this series. After playing thousands of HOPA's, I've come to realize that there's not a whole lot you can do to make a HOS exciting. Nevertheless, they aren't bad, but there's nothing proprietary about them either. There are scenes that you first find a berry of a specific type on a branch that will then move aside until you finally get to the real HOP, where you find ingredients and other items and use them back in the scene to whip up an alchemy recipe. Another scene requires you to find 5 of the same items in two groups that will then give you a tool to use to open up the interactive List finds. There are also Silhouetted Shape finds as well as Sketches of two items, tasking you to find the item related to the combination of both sketches. As I mentioned earlier, the CE has a Morphing Object to find in each HOS, and both offer an alternate game of "Skipping Stones" which is basically a Chain type Match 3 game where you click and drag a line that connects adjoining identical tiles.
The Mini Game Puzzles are unique and quite entertaining. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo and a few memorable puzzles from the main game:
1) Valor's Light puzzle, tasking you to scan the scene in search of 4 symbols, using the lighted area to guide you right, left, up or down.
2) Help the caterpillar reach the bottom left corner by selecting and placing items from the board to overcome obstacles.
3) Complete the family tree by placing the portraits strategically, each portrait placed will will move the last previously placed portrait to the next place.
4) Complete the central shield symbol by selecting arrows to change the image on the cubes, selecting the correct image on the cube to place them in the center.
5) Move the gears to the position that matches their pattern. Gears cannot move diagonally and if they collide with a red token, you'll have to start over.
6) Swap and rotate the hexagon tiles to create an image, if the tile is placed correctly it will remain stationary.
The Collector's Edition has 42 Hidden Apollo's Lyre Signs, a Souvenir Room, 12 Morphing Objects in the Hidden Object Scenes, 12 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 24 replayable Puzzles, replayable Skipping Stones games, 13 Videos, 9 Music Soundtracks, 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 13 Achievements to earn, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you save a woman’s fiancé before it’s too late?
Overall rating
2
/
5
93 of 113 found this review helpful
I Can't Understand Why This Game Would Appeal To Anyone
PostedSeptember 15, 2016
pennmom36
from"We can't have you cramping our style" Really? Those guys sure are scary
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
LogieBaby hit the nail on the head, PuppetShow games lost their appeal a long time ago. Her Cruel Collection has nothing to offer, it has the same old storyline (how many cloaked figures have there been wearing the plague era masks in these games?) , it has the same mundane tasks (bet you knew there would be a ladder in the next scene, bet you knew before the cursor changed, to look in the front of the car AND the trunk or to look on the windowsill, right?), and it has the exact same graphics as the Dark Tales series. I kept expecting Detective Dupin to show up and present me with the evidence he found! (btw, Dark Tales has lost it's appeal to most gamers as well!)
You get to choose a gender and then choose between three different profile pictures within that gender. I wasn't impressed by this feature either it's nothing new, in fact I found this feature to make the game play less credible. I chose the female gender and was given the option to choose a blonde woman with braids, a teenager holding a fuzzy kitten or a young brunette who doesn't look like she ever held a job and would be devastated if she were to break a nail, humf, decisions, decisions, which should I choose. (it's not like the game will change according to my choice. I would rather have had the opportunity to choose my Mechanical Cat helper, maybe I wanted a cat with blue eyes and all chromed out! This Collector's Edition isn't very CE worthy either. There are 9 Collectible Puppets, you can't miss them, they aren't hidden, in fact, they are within Zoom Zones and the window doesn't close until you click to collect your prize. Other than Achievements, that's about all that you get. You can also check out the Collectibles and earned Achievements fairly easily because there are large pull down tabs available at the top of the screen. Once the kidnappers give you a deadline to raise their ransom request, a giant Clock is added to the screen as well. I hope there are no more demands because pretty soon my screen won't have any room left, especially if they demand a helicopter!
The Hidden Object Scenes should please just about everyone because each scene has a different type. There are the standard Interactive list finds, Silhouetted Shape finds, Keywords and even replacing items back into the scene where they logically fit.
The Mini Games are decent, but nothing really challenging. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Swap the pins to place them in the correct positions according to their symbols.
2) Fill the field with green chips in order to beat your opponent. Select green chips and the desired space, moving the chips one space duplicates it, moving chips more than one space will just move the chip. The chips turn adjacent chips to the same color.
3) Select two tiles to swap them and restore the stamp, some tiles are stationary.
4) Select the print button and choose matching pairs of money to gather them inside the bag or move them to the side, making sure torn and dirty banknotes don't get placed into the bag.
This Collector's Edition has 9 Collectible Puppet Figures, 9 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 17 replayable Mini Games, 4 Music Soundtracks, 15 Videos, 5 Screensavers, 10 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 12 Achievements, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
Become part of the breathtaking life of an aspiring surgeon!
Overall rating
5
/
5
100 of 112 found this review helpful
Allison's Internship Isn't What She Had In Mind
PostedSeptember 14, 2016
pennmom36
fromGross! Jenny just dumped the medical kit on the floor of the ambulance so she just picks up and uses syringes, bandages, sutures and lamps?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Allison was supposed to intern for Dr. Quinn in the surgical department, but Dr. Quinn refused to train two interns at the same time! Now she has to intern for Michael, which isn't exactly what she had in mind but for now, a job's a job. Allison is friends with Emily who makes an appearance during the Diamond Challenge levels, working in the hospital's cafeteria. Time to heal is the second game in this series which is a really fun Time Management game but when compared to the Delicious series, nothing can take the place of our beloved Emily and her adorable family.
Instead of serving customers food, Allison serves patients a little TLC. When patients arrive at the waiting room, a bubble will appear over their heads (as well as the patients patience hearts) with a picture of what form of treatment they require. You click on the patient and then the area needed such as a hospital bed, IV chair or shower room. If the bubble is Green, that treatment is usually quick but may require another item to finish. If the bubble is Purple, this means an action or set of movements is required, if the bubble is Blue, this means a Mini Game needs to be played to successfully treat the patient. When all treatments have been given, you simply click on the computer (instead of cash register) to check the patient out.
The patients will have a Heart meter above them and they will lose a Heart if you aren't quick enough. If you are fast or perform chain treatments, you will receive bonus points, if the patients Heart Bar is full, their hearts will turn gold at which point they cannot lose their heart score and you'll receive extra points as well.
Points can be used in the shop to purchase extra waiting room chairs, comfy beds and IV chairs. You can also buy decorations all of which keep the patients happy and hopefully keep all their hearts. Some levels unlock Bonus levels (this is where Emily comes in at) that will allow you to earn Diamonds. Diamonds can be used in the Diamond shop to purchase items you can't get with just your earned points. Some of the levels have side goals, such as keeping grumpy patients from getting too grumpy, and each level has a Guinea Pig to catch, just like the mice in the other series.
The goal is to earn 3 stars for each of the 90 + levels and you can replay the levels as often as you want to try for a perfect score. There are 19 Trophies to earn for different milestones along the way. This is a really fun TM game with some interesting features, certainly better than Cathy's Crafts and Angela's Fashion, but nowhere near as fun as the Delicious series, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Participate in a competition for the best garden!
Overall rating
5
/
5
85 of 97 found this review helpful
There's A Rainbow Of Color In Every Puzzle
PostedSeptember 14, 2016
pennmom36
fromI finished helping Charlotte on the last game so I have all the time in the world to help Grandma!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Have you ever been so engrossed in the one hour trial demo of a game that you are surprised by the sudden and abrupt ending to the demo? (and have you noticed it always ends when you are almost finished with your puzzle) Well, that's how I felt when this game ended and I scrambled to hit the "buy now" button so I could get back to the solid entertainment this game provides. I will also admit that I rarely purchase Griddler games outside of my favorite series with Mr. Penguin, so mums the word on this one, lol! This is the third installment of Rainbow Mosaics, and they are quickly becoming my favorite griddler go to game.
There's somewhat of a story as you join Cate who is helping her grandmother restore her garden for the upcoming garden event. In a Mosaic griddler game I don't really care much about the storyline, I just want to be challenged somewhat, and I want bright colors that form a picture a can actually recognize. Rainbow Mosaics delivered all that and more, and even gives me the option to choose from several different types of filled cells, my favorite was the lego style,but there are 7 different styles of cells to choose from.
There are 3 types of bonuses available, the Hammer allows you to open a cell of your choice, the Eye Power opens a random right square of cells and the Grid opens a chosen area without negative outcomes. You can earn up to 3 gold stars for the usual goals of finishing the grid without hints or more than one mistake. Each filled in cell will earn you coins or bonuses that can be used to purchase upgrades of each power-up, or you can decorate Grandma's garden gazebos, flowers and various plants. There are Trophies to earn as well, but I just enjoy the relaxation I receive when playing a good mosaic griddler game where each puzzle is just a tad bit more challenging than the previous one. Now that my game has finished downloading I'm ready to finish the grid I almost accomplished before the trial ended, enjoy!
There are 3 types of bonuses available, the Hammer allows you to open a cell of your choice, the Eye Power opens a random right square of cells and the Grid opens a chosen area without negative outcomes. You can earn up to 3 gold stars for the usual goals of finishing the grid without hints or more than one mistake. Each filled in cell will earn you coins or bonuses that can be used to purchase upgrades of each power-up, or you can decorate Grandma's garden gazebos, flowers and various plants. There are Trophies to earn as well, but I just enjoy the relaxation I receive when playing a good mosaic griddler game where each puzzle is just a tad bit more challenging than the previous one. Now that my game has finished downloading I'm ready to finish the grid I almost accomplished before the trial ended, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Solitaire Beach Season 2 is the perfect summer friend and the perfect escape for beginners and veterans alike.
Overall rating
2
/
5
55 of 60 found this review helpful
Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding-Round Two-Same As Round One
PostedSeptember 12, 2016
pennmom36
fromTry The Chronicles of Emerland or Magic Cards Solitaire if you are looking for really good High/Low Solitaire games.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I just don't understand why they keep offering this Matching type of Solitaire, much less why they keep making them. Apparently people are buying them or using a credit, but to me, this is nothing more than a Mahjong game with cards instead of tiles. To make matters worse, there is nothing different this game offers than the last Solitaire Beach Season, except the spelling! There's just nothing special going on here folks, it's boring!
You can choose from 9 Tropical themed card decks and 3 different types of face cards, and you have no choice but to start the game with a tutorial (at that point you can click on the X to skip the tutorial) in the Tourist mode which allows you to replay any of the 10 levels in a deck as often as you'd like. You can then switch over to the Traveler mode if desired which only allows you to replay the entire 10 level deck, but there's no mention as to whether this mode is more difficult or not. In the case of a perfect score, the points of the current level will be added to the points of the next level similar to bowling.
There aren't many other features, there is an Undo icon, a Mulligan icon and an icon that holds your Jokers at the bottom of the screen. These icons however will have to be purchased with the points you earn playing the game, unless of course you uncover special cards with a star on them. Cards with stars have bonus coins, Mulligan's (undos) Jokers (wild cards) and Shuffles (shuffles the cards and re-deals new ones) The goal of each level is to remove the Gold cards from the board which will give you the maximum amount of points, even if other cards remain on the board.
I just didn't like this game in the least bit, nothing about it was interesting or fun, in fact I hated the music which is repetitive and annoying. If I wanted to play mahjong I would have downloaded a game from that genre, however, give me a decent High/Low Solitaire game and I'll be a happy camper.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save your world from darkness in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
84 of 106 found this review helpful
I'm Not Sure My Sister's Worth All This Trouble
PostedSeptember 11, 2016
pennmom36
fromI have read many reviewers comments complaining about the same old storyline over and over again. If you want to play a game with an excellent and unusual plot, play the original PHANTASMAT, and you'll be amazed!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
If you like Fantasy Themed games, Call of the Ancestor's is a pretty decent game. Recently I have talked about how the lesser known series seem to put much more thought into their games as they strive for perfection, and this game is another perfect example Throughout your adventure, you will visit many realms, (including Loreley's realm of pure souls) on a seemingly never ending quest to catch General Luther, and save your sister.
General Luther tried to enslave the world with the help of his vast army. The Guardian Seers predicted this would happen and imprisoned his army behind the Gates of Oblivion. Unfortunately, the General was too powerful and was able to destroy the Seers (what! They didn't "see" that one coming?) Loreley, the last standing Seer used her dying breath to curse Luther, taking away his physical body. Without a body, Luther cannot open the Gates, and ironically, his soul can only be revived within the body of a natural born Seer. There hasn't been a natural born Seer in over a thousand years, and the General has waited patiently for this day to come. This day is your sister Alice's 21st birthday (or it may be your daughter's 13th birthday according to BF) and Alice is about to get a big birthday surprise, from General Luther himself!
This game held my interest with it's numerous puzzles and HOP's that continued this pace to the end without becoming boring like a lot of games do. Seer, Loreley's spirit is alive and well inside a crystal ball that has been in the family's attic for a while so she's more than happy to assist you with the occasional hexed magical barriers you come across during this adventure. (if she can zap things in the real world, why can't she zap herself out of the glass ball?)
I will admit that this game has many logic flaws as well. There's the description flaw discrepancy, whether Alice is your daughter or sister for starters. Her cake says she's 21, the description says she's 13, and when you wish her happy birthday, she claps her hands in a manner that would lead you to believe she's 13, but she looks 21. Then the bad guys torch the shop and you have to get out the fire extinguisher, the problem is, this life saving device is locked behind a glass cabinet and is missing a gem required to open it, I'm pretty sure that's not up to code lol. The crystal ball was an item Granny had been holding onto for who knows how long, but why? Is the crystal ball a thousand years old? Was the crystal ball passed down from generation to generation just in case one of your descendants turned out to be the "one"? When we finally make it out of the burning building (yep still burning because I didn't get my fire extinguisher out in time) we were fortunate enough to find a grappling hook and a really long ribbon. As luck would have it, we also found a very special alley cat that was able to walk up this ribbon sideways! That's correct, he walked all the way up the ribbon to reach the street light and his delightful prize, as if it were nothing! Fast forward a tad bit and you find a plastic "spork" in mint condition, that is until you use it to successfully remove mortar in between some red bricks!
Not that it's illogical, but I did find it odd that two of the main characters had odd names that will probably ring a familiar bell, Luther and Demien. Speaking of familiar, the Collector's Edition has 66 hidden lumps of fur with eyeballs called Familiars. There is a pull out tab on the left of the screen that that will tell you if you've found all of them in a scene or how many are left to find there.
The Hidden Object Scenes were different variations each time, one of the scenes in the demo are repeated, but it was repeated with a different style the second time around. You can opt for a Match 3 alternative instead. There are small Zoom Zone HOP's with just a handful of items to find, Interactive List finds, Silhouetted Shape finds that you locate and place back and forth with 3 different locations using buttons to switch scenes, finding Misplaced items and returning them to the correct spots, and a Progressive Interactive HOP where you interact with several different items within an entire location (not a small zoomed in area) which exposes other items that are used to progress the scene. I found the HOP's to be entertaining throughout the main game as well, although they were basically variations of the same types offered within the demo. I liked the scenes that were chosen and the tasks to complete in almost all of them!
The Mini Games offer a nice variety as well, some are super simple, others tend to be a bit frustrating but not impossible. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo as well as a few notable ones during the chapters following the demo:
1) Guide both glass shards to their places at the bottom of the board, using directional buttons on each row to allow the shard to fall down to the bottom.
2) Fold the map so the path to the Brotherhood's hideout is visible, folding vertically or horizontally.
3) Match the symbols on the arrows with the symbols on the outer ring by rotating the arrows to move them.
4) Restore the pathways from the 3 orbs in the center to the outer ring by selecting the inner circles to rotate them and the center button to move the orbs.
5) Adjust the dick until the correct tokens match the symbols in the inner circles.
6) Swap the heads and tools on dolls to match their backgrounds.
7) Several games requiring you to follow recipes in the exact order, as well as using the exact amount of each ingredient.
8) A variation of "pipes" where you must connect point A to point B using every vine shape.
9) Fold the picture at 5 different points to create a scene described in a story.
10) Remove all the rays to unlock a portal by selecting only the stones that have the correct number of connections as shown.
11) Using several partial picture clues, place items correctly on each shelf. (one of my personal favorites)
12) Lead all the figurines to their correct places using arrows to move the characters up, down, left or right, but all figurines move at the same time so you will need to use various obstacles to keep some of them from moving.
The Collector's Edition has 66 hidden Familiar creatures, 14 Achievements to earn, replayable Mini Games and Hidden Object Scenes, 8 Music Soundtracks, 10 Wallpapers, a built in Strategy Guide, a Bonus Chapter and a Hidden Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you save your best friend before it's too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
129 of 152 found this review helpful
Human Trafficking?
PostedSeptember 10, 2016
pennmom36
fromDid I just take my BFF's last coin?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Another great series bites the dust! If this game was offered as a new series, I may have felt differently about it, but when compared to other Danse Macabre games, it's just a middle of the road addition, neither bad nor good. I'm sure there will be many rave reviews, but honestly, there's nothing special about this game, and the storyline isn't even very in-depth or interesting, I have to agree with Sunnyglow on this one, as I've been saying, lately the well known series have been releasing one game after another at such a fast pace, they just can't keep up with the demand. It's almost as if they muddled several old games together to rehash the same ole same ole with slightly different graphics. You know what theses devs need? They need to have a panel of BF reviewers that can give them input on what they would like to see in a game, what features we like and dislike, and I bet you the storyline would be Epic if we were able to write the plot, or at least give them our fresh ideas!
Danse Macabre games are all about talented artists who rise and fall usually at the hand of a familiar person who has hidden nefarious plans. When your best friend Maria Reiter is chosen to be cast in a movie by a renowned producer in New York, you accompany her to the docks to say your farewell's. Before the ship even leaves port, you witness a stranger kidnap Maria, using one of the ship's lifeboats! It's now up to you to uncover a nefarious plot, and save your best friend from human artist trafficking!
The storyline is ho-hum and so are the Collector's Edition extras. SURPRISE, there are 39 Hidden Signs, one in each scene to look for. Bet you didn't see that one coming! You have no sidekick, and no props to help you sleuth, but naturally this Collector's Edition has Achievements to earn, and the Hidden Object Scenes have a Morphing Object to find, I love Morphs, but I really don't care for them when they are only offered in the HOP's. In my opinion, they know we like Morphing Objects so they include them in the HOP's of the CE, so that it's easier to "remove" this feature from the SE. I imagine it is difficult to remove them from each scene in the main game, it's almost like creating a second game, but on the other hand, the programmers are geniuses, I bet they can handle it.
The Hidden Object Scenes offered are the same as the other games offered by Epix with the typical "find 5 of this item and 5 of that item" which gives you an item to use as a tool to open up the interactive lists such as a broom to sweep the dust covering the list. There are also Descriptive list, Multiple item finds and matching pair finds where you click items that are covering the matching pairs. Each scene has a Morphing Object and you can opt for a Match 3 game instead of the HOP.
The Mini Games are okay, but most are fairly easy to solve. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Rotate the moveable parts of the gate until the two wings of the gate are identical.
2) Send the ships to the correct ports based on their flags, with the specific number of moves indicated without backtracking.
3) Use the clues from the leaflet to find the exact address of the theater.
4) Select and place the tokens in the correct order to complete the picture, each new token placed will push the previous token to the next slot.
5) Position the note on the right side so they mirror the ones on the left side.
6) Connect the ribbons to all the buttons so that every pattern on the ribbon on the top of the heap matches the pattern of the tile below.
This Collector's Edition has 9 Music Soundtracks, 7 Videos, Match 3 games 22 replayable Puzzles, 16 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 8 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, 39 Hidden Signs, a Souvenir Room, 16 Morphing Objects within the Hidden Object Scenes, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save your new friend before it's too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
74 of 82 found this review helpful
Mr. Jenkins Is Truly The Star Of The Series
PostedSeptember 9, 2016
pennmom36
fromMy favorite feature in the entire game was watching Mr. Jenkins play in the puddle on the very first scene!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I ended up purchasing Lumina Camera in the Collector's Edition when I needed a second CE to take advantage of a 2-4-1 sale. I started to play the full version this morning, but found myself distracted easily, straightening up my computer desk, getting up to pour myself some tea, I even unloaded the dishwasher at one point. The point is, the game just wasn't holding my attention, and to be honest, I'm glad that Morganna (your camera expert) went into the negative world! Her voice annoyed me, really annoyed me! It was so fake sounding, as if the woman who was doing her voiceover was trying to sound like a baby, yet she would pronounce the letter T in words that sounded prim and proper. All in all, this is just an okay game, neither bad nor good. If it weren't for Mr. Jenkins, this series would be nothing in my opinion. I'll stop complaining and get on with the review, lol.
Gerald Dewitt was kicked to the curb and told he lacked talent and his inventions were worthless. As Gerald contemplates his life's work. worthiness, a stranger hands him a camera and tells him that his inventions will be limitless, but the time will come when the stranger returns to collect his dues. Gerald's camera does become famous, but for all the wrong reasons, the Lumina Camera captures peoples souls and traps them in the negative world. Leia Gofford and Mr. Jenkins have been asked to scrutinize the camera before the museum puts it on display, to be sure that the camera is safe for the public, but the Lumina Camera is not safe, it's most definitely an Ominous Object!
My Jenkins is the star of the show, once again, using his four paws to investigate like no human could ever do, and soaring to heights (gently of course) of epic proportions to reach those items that somehow manage to find their way to the top of some really weird places. Equipped with your newest Ominous Object Camera, you will take pictures, and match photos to their original origins, the only way to break free from the cameras grasp is to align the photo with the victims inside to the exact place the photo was taken. In the Collector's Edition, there are 15 Collectible Photos located throughout the game and each scene has a Morphing Object, some of which are very difficult to find which leads me to believe that the game is non-linear and may require an action elsewhere's to activate the morph. There are also plenty of Achievements to earn in the Collector's Edition version.
The Hidden Object Scenes are decent, and include smaller Zoom Zone puzzles where you find fragments that match the silhouetted shapes shown in the scene outside of the zoom zone. There are Multiple Finds, Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pair Finds and even Fragment Finds. You can opt to play a Match 3 game instead of the Hidden Object Scenes.
The Mini Games vary in terms of difficulty, most are doable and entertaining. The following are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Create a patch for the coin to travel from left to right selecting reels to move them.
2) Restore the picture using arrows to rotate the pieces.
3) Restore the photo by swapping tokens and using blue arrows on either side of the frame to make other tokens available.
4) Move the red block to the right, blocks can only be moved in the direction they are facing.
5) Create a path for the bird latch to travel through, by selecting and dragging deadbolts with the red circles to move them, moving one deadbolt affects others.
6) Move the figures so that their hand are touching.
7) Move the camera through all of the buildings within 7 moves.
8) Recreate the ship from the picture using arrows to cycle through your options.
The Collector's Edition has 42 Morphing Objects, 15 Collectible Photos, 6 levels of Dots games, 4 Music Soundtracks, 8 Concept Art photos, 7 Developers Diary photos, 6 Wallpapers, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter. Because I'm not very impressed wit this game, I suggest you try the demo first, maybe it's just not for me, but you may feel differently.
I don't recommend this game.
What secrets are hidden in the legendary McCordan Library?
Overall rating
5
/
5
166 of 183 found this review helpful
"In A World Of Secrets, Literature Is Our Only Truth"
PostedSeptember 8, 2016
pennmom36
fromQuick, read "I Spy and To Catch A Thief" problem solved!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Lars McCordan has been missing since 1930! Who is Lars McCordan? Lars McCordan was a collector of fine literature, his library was filled with books from all genres, but rumor has it that Lars had a secret library, a dangerous library! This secret library is said to contain 5 Tomes, and the first Tome of Truth can activate the other four. Lars certainly knew how dangerous these books would be in the hands of the wrong person, so he and other members of The Secret Society Of Tome Keepers, built a separate and hidden library. This is no ordinary library, this library contains literature's finest genre's hidden within a labyrinth maze, a Fantasy section, a Horror section, Adventure and even a Mystery section. No one knows what happened to the creator of the McCordan library, but when the last known McCordan relative passed away, the Lars McCordan estate was purchased by your newest employer, Colin Englund. Mr. Englund has invited 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 library that can supposedly come to life within the real world! But of course, that's our job right, one mini game lock at a time!
I really enjoyed this game and bought it 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. There are plenty of Collector's Edition extras, 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:
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.
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.
This 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!
Help young Sam save Princess Aurora and stop the villain from seizing control of the Kingdom of Aurelia in this puzzle adventure.
Overall rating
4
/
5
105 of 129 found this review helpful
A MAN OF MANY FACES IS WATCHING YOU
PostedSeptember 7, 2016
pennmom36
fromDid I really have to read Leonard's mind to find out he wanted to be freed from the ropes that bind him?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
When Sam was born twelve years ago, the Royal Kingdom of Aurelia was captured by tyrants, and the entire Royal Family was imprisoned, well, almost everyone. Sam's cousin, Princess Aurora, managed to escape unnoticed for 12 years! With the help of the Great Magician, Pharion who lives in the Ancient Forest, they were able to overthrow the Tyrants and take back the Kingdom. But the young Princess was still naive, and allowed an old man to read her palm. Instead of reading her palm, the stranger sliced open her hand with a poisoned dagger and Princess Aurora fell gravely ill, the old man fled, but unknowingly left behind an amulet. With no cure to save her life the King turns to young Sam asking him to find the person responsible and hopefully the antidote as well. Sam may only be 12 years old, but he is proving himself to be quite mature on this epic journey to save his cousin's life, as he faces many dangers,and learns that no one can be trusted.
This is a strange game, the steampunk graphics to me are cold and impersonal because everything is mechanical yet old fashioned, similar to the Clockwork and Ink games. There are two icons available, the Eye icon will show you all active areas within that scene and the Return icon will take you back to the previous scene, but you can still click the bottom of the screen as usual to go back one scene. Throughout the game you will come across several Diary note pages from the Royal Treasury about their ongoing investigation of stolen dangerous artifacts. Among these artifacts were a Cursed Dagger and the Amulet of Transformation which will give the owner complete control of the victim's mind after a ritual has been performed,so time is of the essence for the Princess. Tim the flying robot is going to be your right hand man on this royal mission, whose ability to fly to unreachable areas will be a tremendous help, but he isn't used as much as you'd think, and he's neither cuddly or cute, and in my opinion unnecessary. The final device you eventually receive is a Mindscope which allows you to read the thoughts of anything, including robots, which don't really have any thoughts, right?
The Hidden Object Scenes are all about the same, most are Interactive, Progressive Silhouetted Shape finds where you find the first item that matches the Silhouetted Shape and then use that item back in the scene interactively to expose the next scene and so forth. I did enjoy the one that had listed items to find on a mechanical mural. When you click on the item that matches the listed word, the item doesn't disappear, but it tilts to the side. If you make a mistake however and pick a wrong item, all of the correct choices reset and you have to start over from the beginning, very clever.
There are a lot of Mini Games some of which are decent, others are too simple. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Rotate the inner circle until the runes match the ones on the outer circle.
2) Set clock hands to the correct time according to the clues you found earlier.
3) Click on the countries in the same order as the flags as displayed in a clue found earlier.
4) Crush all the crabs in the mouth of a mechanical alligator by chasing the crabs towards the gator's mouth by clicking near the crabs to direct them.
5) Repair the mechanical soldiers' head using the part correctly.
6) Swap cats and mice to the opposite sides, cats and mice can only move forward.
7) Move the bulbs so that the red ones match the red circles and the green ones match the green circles.
This game uses the first person aspect as you play as the character Sam, presumably to make it more personable, but for me, the graphics make it hard to get into the game as if you were part of it, but maybe that's just me. I must admit, I was a little baffled by some of the graphics in this game. It seems to take place in "ye olden days" yet there are robots, flying machines, mechanical spies and even a fire hydrant which is near the horse stables that are supposedly used for transportation as you'd expect. This game does have an interesting storyline, and there are lot's of mechanical gadgets to tinker with, and you can even earn Achievements. In my opinion this game is worthy of using a credit or coupon on at the very least, enjoy!
This is a strange game, the steampunk graphics to me are cold and impersonal because everything is mechanical yet old fashioned, similar to the Clockwork and Ink games. There are two icons available, the Eye icon will show you all active areas within that scene and the Return icon will take you back to the previous scene, but you can still click the bottom of the screen as usual to go back one scene. Throughout the game you will come across several Diary note pages from the Royal Treasury about their ongoing investigation of stolen dangerous artifacts. Among these artifacts were a Cursed Dagger and the Amulet of Transformation which will give the owner complete control of the victim's mind after a ritual has been performed,so time is of the essence for the Princess. Tim the flying robot is going to be your right hand man on this royal mission, whose ability to fly to unreachable areas will be a tremendous help, but he isn't used as much as you'd think, and he's neither cuddly or cute, and in my opinion unnecessary. The final device you eventually receive is a Mindscope which allows you to read the thoughts of anything, including robots, which don't really have any thoughts, right?
The Hidden Object Scenes are all about the same, most are Interactive, Progressive Silhouetted Shape finds where you find the first item that matches the Silhouetted Shape and then use that item back in the scene interactively to expose the next scene and so forth. I did enjoy the one that had listed items to find on a mechanical mural. When you click on the item that matches the listed word, the item doesn't disappear, but it tilts to the side. If you make a mistake however and pick a wrong item, all of the correct choices reset and you have to start over from the beginning, very clever.
There are a lot of Mini Games some of which are decent, others are too simple. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Rotate the inner circle until the runes match the ones on the outer circle.
2) Set clock hands to the correct time according to the clues you found earlier.
3) Click on the countries in the same order as the flags as displayed in a clue found earlier.
4) Crush all the crabs in the mouth of a mechanical alligator by chasing the crabs towards the gator's mouth by clicking near the crabs to direct them.
5) Repair the mechanical soldiers' head using the part correctly.
6) Swap cats and mice to the opposite sides, cats and mice can only move forward.
7) Move the bulbs so that the red ones match the red circles and the green ones match the green circles.
This game uses the first person aspect as you play as the character Sam, presumably to make it more personable, but for me, the graphics make it hard to get into the game as if you were part of it, but maybe that's just me. I must admit, I was a little baffled by some of the graphics in this game. It seems to take place in "ye olden days" yet there are robots, flying machines, mechanical spies and even a fire hydrant which is near the horse stables that are supposedly used for transportation as you'd expect. This game does have an interesting storyline, and there are lot's of mechanical gadgets to tinker with, and you can even earn Achievements. In my opinion this game is worthy of using a credit or coupon on at the very least, enjoy!
I recommend this game!