pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4700
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 15, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Treacherous villains attempt to deprive the world of the Christmas spirit!
Overall rating
3
/
5
157 of 184 found this review helpful
HOLIDAY GUARDIANS ARE COMING... TO TOWN
PostedDecember 15, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game in less than 6 hours
(including all mini-games & Bonus Play options)
23 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Oh Holy Night, if ever there was a time to Believe, tonight's the night! I may have seen something I shouldn't have seen and I'm not talking about Grandma kissing Santa Claus, this is much more serious! Seems the Elves have taken sides and it's not sitting well with Ambrus who has vowed to stop Christmas forever. (does someone need a Candy Cane?) It's a good thing Santa put together a fantastic team...no, not the Reindeer, the Guardians of Christmas, problem is, one of the Guardians may not be on board with all the Ho Ho Ho's this year!
(including all mini-games & Bonus Play options)
23 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Oh Holy Night, if ever there was a time to Believe, tonight's the night! I may have seen something I shouldn't have seen and I'm not talking about Grandma kissing Santa Claus, this is much more serious! Seems the Elves have taken sides and it's not sitting well with Ambrus who has vowed to stop Christmas forever. (does someone need a Candy Cane?) It's a good thing Santa put together a fantastic team...no, not the Reindeer, the Guardians of Christmas, problem is, one of the Guardians may not be on board with all the Ho Ho Ho's this year!
It's almost Christmas so I won't let the Do Games Grinch out, the story is cute, although it seems like it was taken directly from an episode of Tim Allen's Santa Claus movie. Yup, the tasks are still the same, you'll still be thawing out ice, using hairpins, magnets, wire & tape (and you'll know exactly what you'll need the second you come upon a task) It's really hard to play a simplistic Do Game right now because I'm currently playing Lost Lands, 7 hours logged in and I'm only halfway done which says a lot about a game doesn't it? Lost Lands is a thinking kind of game and this is just an autopilot kind of game, it may have more chapters but it won't take you an entire day to complete it.
Collectibles/Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Still has the same ole collectibles with a different name. There are 14 Morphing Christmas Stuff (that's the best name you could come up with Do..."stuff"), 14 Christmas Stockings, and 70 Zoom Zone Candy Canes that are used to purchase 14 Bedroom decorations. I wonder how that works for currency, is everything priced at an even candy cane number or does the recipient get to take a few licks off one of the candy canes?
Collectibles/Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Still has the same ole collectibles with a different name. There are 14 Morphing Christmas Stuff (that's the best name you could come up with Do..."stuff"), 14 Christmas Stockings, and 70 Zoom Zone Candy Canes that are used to purchase 14 Bedroom decorations. I wonder how that works for currency, is everything priced at an even candy cane number or does the recipient get to take a few licks off one of the candy canes?
Hidden Object Scenes:
I will admit, the Hidden Object Scenes were better than usual with some well-blended objects. Right off the bat, you use Santa's Christmas list to figure out which presents go into which box according to the descriptions followed by a scene where you must read letters to Santa and find Keywords from each letter. There are also Find & Replace HOs, and the usual Interactive Lists, etc.
I will admit, the Hidden Object Scenes were better than usual with some well-blended objects. Right off the bat, you use Santa's Christmas list to figure out which presents go into which box according to the descriptions followed by a scene where you must read letters to Santa and find Keywords from each letter. There are also Find & Replace HOs, and the usual Interactive Lists, etc.
Alternate Match 3 Game:
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available. It's the same M3 game, the same boards, and the same icons offered in every game, they didn't even bother to make it Christmassy.
MINI-GAMES:
You can play the mini-games on Easy or Hard but honestly the hard version mostly adds more "one affects others" scenario which in my opinion is just an annoying time-waster and not necessarily harder. None of the puzzles were strategy-based "thinkers" in fact, some were so easily solved I'd be taken by surprise when it was suddenly over. I twisted sections of a magic staff and "tested it" and got it right on the first try. I led a mouse thru a maze while picking up inventory items to progress, keep in mind I was using a flashlight so I couldn't see the path ahead but I still managed to take the correct route on the 1st attempt. I'm not claiming to be a mini-game wiz, I'm just saying the puzzles are way too easy. I will say that I enjoyed the mini-game where I had to repeat the order of Rats arriving by clicking on the correct rats, but with each click, the rats would do a shuffle of positions and each level added more Rats.
BONUS CHAPTER (CE version only)
Kevin! Oops, wrong missing kid on Christmas...This time it's Goldilocks that's missing, in fact, she's been missing for a few years just waiting for someone with a pure heart to find her medallion and reunite the King with his beautiful daughter...anyone else suspicious of those beady-eyed bears? She probably broke a few household items while the bears were out foraging and they probably worked up a big appetite, just saying, it seems logical to me! I know its fairytale magic world at play here, but did it really take years for the King to find someone with a pure heart? Did he interview anyone else or did he think no one was good enough to look for his daughter? If I were the King and my daughter went missing in the forest, I'd be sending in every single townsfolk one at a time, if they don't return you just assume they had an unpure heart, and move on down the line, "NEXT!" This seems like a much better option than sitting around for years waiting on the purest of heart to come strolling into town.
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available. It's the same M3 game, the same boards, and the same icons offered in every game, they didn't even bother to make it Christmassy.
MINI-GAMES:
You can play the mini-games on Easy or Hard but honestly the hard version mostly adds more "one affects others" scenario which in my opinion is just an annoying time-waster and not necessarily harder. None of the puzzles were strategy-based "thinkers" in fact, some were so easily solved I'd be taken by surprise when it was suddenly over. I twisted sections of a magic staff and "tested it" and got it right on the first try. I led a mouse thru a maze while picking up inventory items to progress, keep in mind I was using a flashlight so I couldn't see the path ahead but I still managed to take the correct route on the 1st attempt. I'm not claiming to be a mini-game wiz, I'm just saying the puzzles are way too easy. I will say that I enjoyed the mini-game where I had to repeat the order of Rats arriving by clicking on the correct rats, but with each click, the rats would do a shuffle of positions and each level added more Rats.
BONUS CHAPTER (CE version only)
Kevin! Oops, wrong missing kid on Christmas...This time it's Goldilocks that's missing, in fact, she's been missing for a few years just waiting for someone with a pure heart to find her medallion and reunite the King with his beautiful daughter...anyone else suspicious of those beady-eyed bears? She probably broke a few household items while the bears were out foraging and they probably worked up a big appetite, just saying, it seems logical to me! I know its fairytale magic world at play here, but did it really take years for the King to find someone with a pure heart? Did he interview anyone else or did he think no one was good enough to look for his daughter? If I were the King and my daughter went missing in the forest, I'd be sending in every single townsfolk one at a time, if they don't return you just assume they had an unpure heart, and move on down the line, "NEXT!" This seems like a much better option than sitting around for years waiting on the purest of heart to come strolling into town.
As for the Bonus Chapter's glitter, there are 10 Mini-Games and 5 HO scenes across 10 additional scene locations. You will continue your search for 5 Christmas stockings, 4 Morphing Christmas Stuff, and 9 Zoom Zone Candy Canes as well.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 29 Movie Video Cutscenes, 41 Achievements, 21 Replayable Mini-Games, 23 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Christmas Stuff, 15 Christmas Stockings, and 70 Zoom Zone Candy Canes that are used to purchase 15 Bedroom Decorations, 7 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 29 Movie Video Cutscenes, 41 Achievements, 21 Replayable Mini-Games, 23 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Christmas Stuff, 15 Christmas Stockings, and 70 Zoom Zone Candy Canes that are used to purchase 15 Bedroom Decorations, 7 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
If you miss the BF forums then come to my new forum which has even more features to enjoy, Rudolph's Presents are now available for Christmas so stop on by and maybe throw a snowball or two thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Catch the Christmas spirit through more than 20,000 engaging puzzles!
Overall rating
5
/
5
67 of 81 found this review helpful
THIS DEVELOPER'S ROAR JUST GOT A LITTLE LOUDER! Thanks for listening & improving!
PostedDecember 14, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I never doubted that this up-and-coming developer would take our reviews to heart and make some adjustments! Tiny Little Lion entered the Jigsaw Puzzle market with a tiny little roar but this time they came in with a mighty ROAR!
What's Improved since Puzzle Vacations: Ireland:
❄They have added Background Colors (8 colors total)
❄The puzzle pieces are brighter and easier to see
❄They added 3 Opaqueness shades to the preview picture (ghosted image)
❄They added a Save File to easily access puzzles in progress or completed
❄They added more shapes including rectangles (my personal favorite)
❄Border pieces option, they stay bright, while other pieces darken.
❄They added a "hide pull-out tabs" option.
❄They have added Background Colors (8 colors total)
❄The puzzle pieces are brighter and easier to see
❄They added 3 Opaqueness shades to the preview picture (ghosted image)
❄They added a Save File to easily access puzzles in progress or completed
❄They added more shapes including rectangles (my personal favorite)
❄Border pieces option, they stay bright, while other pieces darken.
❄They added a "hide pull-out tabs" option.
What's Stayed The Same: (options I'd still love to have)
❄I still need a way to organize pieces neatly & quickly.
❄I still want an option for puzzles larger than 400 pieces.
❄I still want to be able to add my own images.
❄I'd like fewer staged images, an option to add my own images solves this.
❄I'd like the window to remain open while I "test" the 27 different shapes. Perhaps the window could close only when I click outside that box?
❄I would love to have an option to "send" edge pieces to a Storage Box
❄I would love to be able to neatly organize puzzle pieces within the boxes.
❄I still need a way to organize pieces neatly & quickly.
❄I still want an option for puzzles larger than 400 pieces.
❄I still want to be able to add my own images.
❄I'd like fewer staged images, an option to add my own images solves this.
❄I'd like the window to remain open while I "test" the 27 different shapes. Perhaps the window could close only when I click outside that box?
❄I would love to have an option to "send" edge pieces to a Storage Box
❄I would love to be able to neatly organize puzzle pieces within the boxes.
FANTASTICAL OPTIONS (Jigsaw Puzzle Mode)
❄There are 7 Christmas/Winter-themed Picture Categories, Nature (18 puzzles) City (18 puzzles) Warm (18 puzzles) Pets (18 puzzles) Decor (18) Gifts (18 puzzles) Treats (17 puzzles), and a tab for "ALL" puzzles shown.
❄There are 27 different shapes, each shape is previewed on the right.
❄Puzzles are available in different sizes, depending on the puzzle style but the largest seems to be only 400 pieces.
❄Rotation options: Easy, Medium, Hard, or Off. (45°-90°-180°)
❄Hints can be disabled or you can select Plenty, Moderate, or Minimal.
❄Fun Facts & stats when the puzzle is completed.
❄Puzzles can be set as a Wallpaper.
❄There are 4 puzzle piece Storage Boxes
❄Tabs in-puzzle for Timer (counts up) Home, Settings, Preview, Pop-up Preview picture, Recenter, Shuffle (why? it should be a re-organize setting) Specialty piece selection (edges, right/left top/bottom, etc) Hint, Guide (instructions) Table Style (colors) Zoom (you can also use the mouse wheel) Hide (hides all pull-out tabs which is helpful when trying to grab pieces near pull-out tabs)
❄There are 7 Christmas/Winter-themed Picture Categories, Nature (18 puzzles) City (18 puzzles) Warm (18 puzzles) Pets (18 puzzles) Decor (18) Gifts (18 puzzles) Treats (17 puzzles), and a tab for "ALL" puzzles shown.
❄There are 27 different shapes, each shape is previewed on the right.
❄Puzzles are available in different sizes, depending on the puzzle style but the largest seems to be only 400 pieces.
❄Rotation options: Easy, Medium, Hard, or Off. (45°-90°-180°)
❄Hints can be disabled or you can select Plenty, Moderate, or Minimal.
❄Fun Facts & stats when the puzzle is completed.
❄Puzzles can be set as a Wallpaper.
❄There are 4 puzzle piece Storage Boxes
❄Tabs in-puzzle for Timer (counts up) Home, Settings, Preview, Pop-up Preview picture, Recenter, Shuffle (why? it should be a re-organize setting) Specialty piece selection (edges, right/left top/bottom, etc) Hint, Guide (instructions) Table Style (colors) Zoom (you can also use the mouse wheel) Hide (hides all pull-out tabs which is helpful when trying to grab pieces near pull-out tabs)
PUZZLE SHAPES AVAILABLE:
Artistic Cut, Animals, Blobs, Circle Jumble, Circles & Squares, Concentric, Concentric Hearts, Fans, Irregular Pentagons, Knobbed Arrows, Knobbed Hexes, Knobbed Triangles, Rectangle Jumble, Rectangles, Regular Traditional, Ripples, Saji, Shard Box, Shards, Split Circle, Sunburst Squares, Traditional, Twisted, Warped Concentric, Warped Regular Traditional, Warped Traditional, Wriggle Boxes.
Artistic Cut, Animals, Blobs, Circle Jumble, Circles & Squares, Concentric, Concentric Hearts, Fans, Irregular Pentagons, Knobbed Arrows, Knobbed Hexes, Knobbed Triangles, Rectangle Jumble, Rectangles, Regular Traditional, Ripples, Saji, Shard Box, Shards, Split Circle, Sunburst Squares, Traditional, Twisted, Warped Concentric, Warped Regular Traditional, Warped Traditional, Wriggle Boxes.
SWAP TYPE PUZZLE MODE:
❄If jigsaws aren't your cup of tea, no worries, there are a ton of Swap Puzzle styles...some are very creative! You can choose the number of pieces, each style has a different amount of pieces available, ranging between 10-150 pieces.
❄Rotation can be enabled/disabled.
❄Shapes available: Bands, Circles & Half Squares, Circles & Quarter Squares, Circles & Squares, Circles & Stars, Concentric Circles, Concentric Rectangles, Double Bands, Double Split Squares, Double Strips, Down-Stacked Circles, Four Squares Rectangles, Octagons & Stars, Octagrams & Crosses, Rectangles & Stars, Quarter Circles & Stars, Rectangles Landscape, Bands, Rectangles Portrait, Split Rectangles, Squares & Crosses, Strips, Triangles, Triple Bands, Triple Strips, Up-Stacked Circles.
❄If jigsaws aren't your cup of tea, no worries, there are a ton of Swap Puzzle styles...some are very creative! You can choose the number of pieces, each style has a different amount of pieces available, ranging between 10-150 pieces.
❄Rotation can be enabled/disabled.
❄Shapes available: Bands, Circles & Half Squares, Circles & Quarter Squares, Circles & Squares, Circles & Stars, Concentric Circles, Concentric Rectangles, Double Bands, Double Split Squares, Double Strips, Down-Stacked Circles, Four Squares Rectangles, Octagons & Stars, Octagrams & Crosses, Rectangles & Stars, Quarter Circles & Stars, Rectangles Landscape, Bands, Rectangles Portrait, Split Rectangles, Squares & Crosses, Strips, Triangles, Triple Bands, Triple Strips, Up-Stacked Circles.
This is a great puzzle game and leaps & bounds better on just their second attempt so I can't wait to see what's next. I will give them 5-Stars because obviously, they are purring their heart and soul into this new genre...my favorite genre, however, I really, really think the game needs the option to straighten up and organize the puzzle pieces with the click of a button (that would be a 10-Star Puzzle game in my opinion)
Do you miss the BF forums? If you do, I think you will love my new forum whether you are a hardcore gamer or you just want a place to chat, we've got you covered. Hurry, there's still time to give & receive Rudolph's Presents! thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
38 of 62 found this review helpful
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR EARNING THE THIRD STAR?
PostedDecember 12, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I'm pretty good at Match 3 games but I can never seem to earn the 3rd Star on ANY Match 3 game by Ironcode Gaming. I've tried playing on The Limited Moves and Limited Time Modes of difficulty, I've even tried the Expert Challenge setting while playing on both the Limited Time & Limited Moves modes but every time I earn just 2/3 stars on each level. I've completed levels with several moves remaining, and I've had a couple of minutes remaining on the Timed Mode. I've certainly finished all the level goals, so how exactly do you earn the third star? I stopped buying games from this developer because of this particular issue, which is really a shame because they always have fantastic features!
You can play in a Casual or Expert Mode and then choose between a Timeless Mode, a Timed Mode, or a Limited Moves Mode. There are 14 Achievements to earn and you can use the Coins earned to purchase 16 different decorations for the Christmas Tree...but the decorations aren't very thrilling! (mostly just different colored ornaments & ribbon) The only thing exciting about the decorations is that you can drag the decorations wherever you want, including the empty room the tree sits in.
Large Matches award you with a Small or Large Bomb, or Dynamite as well as Column/Row Destroyers, or Triple Column/Row Destroyers (depending on the direction the original match was made, either vertically or horizontally) as well as a Column & Row x3 Destroyer. There are 3 Bonuses available for unlimited use but they have to recharge between uses, a Hint to show you an available move, a Shuffle feature, and a Hammer to destroy a single chosen tile.
You can play in a Casual or Expert Mode and then choose between a Timeless Mode, a Timed Mode, or a Limited Moves Mode. There are 14 Achievements to earn and you can use the Coins earned to purchase 16 different decorations for the Christmas Tree...but the decorations aren't very thrilling! (mostly just different colored ornaments & ribbon) The only thing exciting about the decorations is that you can drag the decorations wherever you want, including the empty room the tree sits in.
Large Matches award you with a Small or Large Bomb, or Dynamite as well as Column/Row Destroyers, or Triple Column/Row Destroyers (depending on the direction the original match was made, either vertically or horizontally) as well as a Column & Row x3 Destroyer. There are 3 Bonuses available for unlimited use but they have to recharge between uses, a Hint to show you an available move, a Shuffle feature, and a Hammer to destroy a single chosen tile.
OBSTACLES:
-Covered & Doubly Covered Tiles: requires a single/double match on the tile to remove.
-Stone Covered Double/Triple: requires 1-3 adjacent matches to destroy.
-Locks: requires dropping keys off the board to unlock the giant Lock.
-Star Essence/Covered Essence: requires 1-2 adjacent matches to collect.
-Weights/Dynamite: requires dropping weights to trigger the dynamite explosion.
-Exploding Tiles: requires an adjacent match to detonate.
-Exploding Rune Locks: requires matches of the selected Rune.
-Rune Locks: locks some tiles, requires matches of selected tiles.
-Defended Exploder: requires an adjacent match on unprotected sides.
-Levers: require an adjacent match to change areas of the board.
-Chain/Double Chain Generator: converts nearby tiles to chained tiles.
-Infinite Exploder: requires adjacent matches to explode, again & again.
-Frozen Tiles: requires spreading fire with adjacent matches.
-Fire Source: spreads by making adjacent matches.
-Fire Source Spawner: requires an adjacent match on any unprotected side.
-Chained/Double Chained Tiles: requires a match of the chained tile.
-Dart Thrower: adjacent match shoots a dart in the direction shown.
-Fire-Breathing Tiles: requires a manual adjacent match to explode,
-Rainbow Tiles: matches any tile matched manually.
-Achilles Heel: requires an adjacent match on the unprotected side.
-Covered & Doubly Covered Tiles: requires a single/double match on the tile to remove.
-Stone Covered Double/Triple: requires 1-3 adjacent matches to destroy.
-Locks: requires dropping keys off the board to unlock the giant Lock.
-Star Essence/Covered Essence: requires 1-2 adjacent matches to collect.
-Weights/Dynamite: requires dropping weights to trigger the dynamite explosion.
-Exploding Tiles: requires an adjacent match to detonate.
-Exploding Rune Locks: requires matches of the selected Rune.
-Rune Locks: locks some tiles, requires matches of selected tiles.
-Defended Exploder: requires an adjacent match on unprotected sides.
-Levers: require an adjacent match to change areas of the board.
-Chain/Double Chain Generator: converts nearby tiles to chained tiles.
-Infinite Exploder: requires adjacent matches to explode, again & again.
-Frozen Tiles: requires spreading fire with adjacent matches.
-Fire Source: spreads by making adjacent matches.
-Fire Source Spawner: requires an adjacent match on any unprotected side.
-Chained/Double Chained Tiles: requires a match of the chained tile.
-Dart Thrower: adjacent match shoots a dart in the direction shown.
-Fire-Breathing Tiles: requires a manual adjacent match to explode,
-Rainbow Tiles: matches any tile matched manually.
-Achilles Heel: requires an adjacent match on the unprotected side.
SPECIAL RUNES:
-Rainbow Power Gem: can be matched with any tiles
-Blue Cubes: requires a minimum Match 4 to release a Gold Coin (double-click to collect or drop coin off the board)
After playing a few levels, a puzzle or mini-game becomes available, varying between Jigsaw Puzzles, Slider Blocks, Pipe Connections, or Memory Match Games.
It's a fun match 3 game as is the case with most of the Match 3 games by this developer but once again, I will pass on purchasing the game for the simple fact that it seems impossible to earn all 3 stars!
-Rainbow Power Gem: can be matched with any tiles
-Blue Cubes: requires a minimum Match 4 to release a Gold Coin (double-click to collect or drop coin off the board)
After playing a few levels, a puzzle or mini-game becomes available, varying between Jigsaw Puzzles, Slider Blocks, Pipe Connections, or Memory Match Games.
It's a fun match 3 game as is the case with most of the Match 3 games by this developer but once again, I will pass on purchasing the game for the simple fact that it seems impossible to earn all 3 stars!
Rudolph's Presents are available again this year so stop by to give and/or receive your presents at my forum, thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Solve a series of tough cases full of intrigue and drama!
Overall rating
1
/
5
54 of 62 found this review helpful
THE UPDATE FIXED SOME, NOT ALL OF THE ISSUES
PostedDecember 11, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
"This time you will discover many stories, meet many people of (should be "from" not "of", btw) all walks of life – good, bad, just minding their own business, meet new friends and change the story by making your own choices!"...THIS TIME...Did I miss something? Have we played this game before?
So there I was...I chose the option of "special features only" on the tutorial and when I started the game a window popped up to tell me to pick up the morphing object...while the cutscene was still playing! I couldn't get rid of the popup window no matter how many times I clicked on it even when the first scene finally showed up and the morphing object appeared. I was completely stuck so I started the game over with a new profile after deselecting any tutorial option and it finally worked...or so I thought!
Off to a rough start but now I'm smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation. I had finished all the tasks and found all the collectibles and I chose to "Unlock the Chain" option by choosing the side quest but then I got stuck. The Strategy Guide shows that I'm supposed to get whisked away to scene 2 but I had no idea how to get there. I couldn't even use the jump map because you don't get a map until scene two!
So once again, I restarted the game under yet another profile and this time I skipped the side quest...still nothing happened, still can't progress to scene two. I uninstalled & reinstalled the game under yet another profile and sure enough, this time I was whisked away to scene two automatically so if you experience these glitches, reinstall the game!
After forcing myself to finish the first chapter I exited the game and honestly, I have no desire to go back and finish the game! The storyline is boring, the tasks are boring (how many broken zippers must we endure, how many objects must we pluck out of a crack or fish out of a sewer, how many dead bodies must we play a HOP on?) and the graphics are just blue and unappealing. Some of the mini-games left me scratching my head as to how to solve them logically so can you blame me for losing interest, especially when I had to restart & replay the first scene 3-4 times?
EXTENDED PLAY OPTION:
You will come across conversation options, referred to as Chains to unlock. There will be two conversation options, if you choose the first option, it unlocks a side quest with additional scenes along with mini-games and hidden object scenes that aren't offered in the main game quest. There are 4 optional quests per chapter (+4 in the CE Bonus Chapter) which give you an additional 6 mini-games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes total (including the CE BC) To be clear, these are just optional extras and won't affect the main game's story or its outcome.
You will come across conversation options, referred to as Chains to unlock. There will be two conversation options, if you choose the first option, it unlocks a side quest with additional scenes along with mini-games and hidden object scenes that aren't offered in the main game quest. There are 4 optional quests per chapter (+4 in the CE Bonus Chapter) which give you an additional 6 mini-games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes total (including the CE BC) To be clear, these are just optional extras and won't affect the main game's story or its outcome.
COLLECTIBLES/MORPHS (CE version only)
There are 14 Morphing Crime Photos, 14 Collectible Foods (wtf?), and 70 Zoom Zone Coupons (that are described as Coupons but clearly say Ticket) that are used to purchase 14 Boudoir Items (the Boudoir is actually a loft) Does anyone else think it's funny that we have asked Domini to change the same ole collectible feature so they started offering 14 of each collectible instead of 15?
There are 14 Morphing Crime Photos, 14 Collectible Foods (wtf?), and 70 Zoom Zone Coupons (that are described as Coupons but clearly say Ticket) that are used to purchase 14 Boudoir Items (the Boudoir is actually a loft) Does anyone else think it's funny that we have asked Domini to change the same ole collectible feature so they started offering 14 of each collectible instead of 15?
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
The Hidden Object Scenes include a HOS where you click the correct chain of events being narrated once you find 5 pieces of evidence. I must say that I was quite impressed with one of the side quest HO scenes where you are tasked with finding Anagrams for each listed word. I don't remember this type of HO being offered by Domini and I hope they offer more like this because it was really fun trying to figure out the alternative word!
The Hidden Object Scenes include a HOS where you click the correct chain of events being narrated once you find 5 pieces of evidence. I must say that I was quite impressed with one of the side quest HO scenes where you are tasked with finding Anagrams for each listed word. I don't remember this type of HO being offered by Domini and I hope they offer more like this because it was really fun trying to figure out the alternative word!
ALTERNATE MATCH 3 GAME:
An alternate Match 3 game is available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene. Unfortunately, it's the same M3 game, with the same boards, and the same icons offered in every game. Why not at least change the icons or the M3 type once in a while???
An alternate Match 3 game is available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene. Unfortunately, it's the same M3 game, with the same boards, and the same icons offered in every game. Why not at least change the icons or the M3 type once in a while???
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS (CE version only)
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 29 Movie Video Cutscenes, 36 Achievements, 22 Replayable Mini-Games, 21 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Morphing Crime Photos, 14 Food Items, and 70 Zoom Zone Tickets that are used to purchase 14 Boudoir Items, 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 29 Movie Video Cutscenes, 36 Achievements, 22 Replayable Mini-Games, 21 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 14 Morphing Crime Photos, 14 Food Items, and 70 Zoom Zone Tickets that are used to purchase 14 Boudoir Items, 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Like most of you, I too missed the BF forums so I created The Woods Forum so everyone could enjoy all the benefits of a community built by like-minded gamers. Reconnect with friends, join group play games, check out the Game Series Lists, find gaming help & share tips, or just chillax by the campfire and enjoy nature at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop a magical artifact from destroying the realms?
Overall rating
4
/
5
55 of 68 found this review helpful
IS GRANDMA TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING ON A DEEPER LEVEL?
PostedDecember 9, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game: a little over 5.0 Hours
(including completion of all puzzles & Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +6 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all puzzles & Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +6 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Reflections of Life...at one point or another, everyone eventually pauses to Reflect on their Life here in this world. If you read the heartfelt posts on Grandma Studios' social media pages when Ukraine was first invaded, then you have a better understanding of the devastation they are enduring. Maybe I'm just reading between the lines, but Spindle of Fate seems to have a deeper message this time!
Perhaps the Moral of the story is that no one should have supreme power. Perhaps the Moral is about the threat of using weapons capable of mass destruction. Perhaps the Moral is about allies or protectors of a peaceful society...or maybe it's just a Message about Fate.
When you play this game, I hope you see how hard the developers had to work to create a game during these circumstances. They deserve recognition, whether the game blew you off your computer chair or not, the fact that they created a game during these circumstances is awe-inspiring in itself...thank you Grandma!
HELPERS/GADGET
They brought back the Owl Helper which I believed was a key component in this series, he was there from the start, therefore he should always be included. He does flap his wings a lot while in use but he isn't used after the first chapter.
They brought back the Owl Helper which I believed was a key component in this series, he was there from the start, therefore he should always be included. He does flap his wings a lot while in use but he isn't used after the first chapter.
There is a Gadget that is used to enter 3 different worlds on your quest to find the 3 Spindle Parts but it doesn't require anything more than placing 3 pearls, one at a time.
Collectibles & Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Morphing Objects are one thing Granny excels at, they are smaller, not-so-obvious objects that morph at a good rate to make them somewhat challenging to spot! There are 23 Portal Pearls, one that morphs, and one that is static.
Morphing Objects are one thing Granny excels at, they are smaller, not-so-obvious objects that morph at a good rate to make them somewhat challenging to spot! There are 23 Portal Pearls, one that morphs, and one that is static.
There are 23 Zoom Zone Music Sheets (rolled up so that just the end of the paper is visible, a circle with swirls)
There is a pull-out tab on the left that keeps track of the Pearls & Music Sheets found. They allow you to return to the scene to search for missing collectibles after completing the game.
There is a pull-out tab on the left that keeps track of the Pearls & Music Sheets found. They allow you to return to the scene to search for missing collectibles after completing the game.
Hidden Object Scenes: (Match 3 Game Alternative available)
Most of the HO's are scenes with a story that require finding objects shown as Keywords but there are also Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shapes and Find & Replace scenes as well.
Most of the HO's are scenes with a story that require finding objects shown as Keywords but there are also Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shapes and Find & Replace scenes as well.
Mini-Games:
I gotta give credit to Grandma, some of these games are quite challenging and most are lengthy puzzles that you have to think about, unlike most puzzles that just require swapping tiles or following a track.
I gotta give credit to Grandma, some of these games are quite challenging and most are lengthy puzzles that you have to think about, unlike most puzzles that just require swapping tiles or following a track.
Bonus Chapter: (CE version only)
This prequel takes us back to the origin of the Spindle of Fate, played as Maestro Rodicas, the inventor of the powerful device that was disassembled in the Main Game. This is a fairly short Bonus Chapter that spans over 6 scene locations, with just 4 Mini-games and 3 Hidden Object Scenes (not including tasks such as entering sticky note codes) You will search for the final 12 Portal Pearls and 6 Zoom Zone Music Sheets as well.
This prequel takes us back to the origin of the Spindle of Fate, played as Maestro Rodicas, the inventor of the powerful device that was disassembled in the Main Game. This is a fairly short Bonus Chapter that spans over 6 scene locations, with just 4 Mini-games and 3 Hidden Object Scenes (not including tasks such as entering sticky note codes) You will search for the final 12 Portal Pearls and 6 Zoom Zone Music Sheets as well.
Collector's Edition Extras:
7 Wallpapers, 7 Concept Art Pictures, 24 Movie Cutscene Videos, 8 Music Soundtracks ♪, 10 Replayable Mini-Games♙, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Achievements, 46 Collectible Portal Pearls (1 Morphing-1 Static) 23 Collectible Music Sheets, 4 Main Chapters (The Call of Fate) +Bonus Chapter (Forged Fate) +Hidden Puzzle/HOP that unlocks once you have completed the Portal Pearls Collection (Different Futures) and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
7 Wallpapers, 7 Concept Art Pictures, 24 Movie Cutscene Videos, 8 Music Soundtracks ♪, 10 Replayable Mini-Games♙, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Achievements, 46 Collectible Portal Pearls (1 Morphing-1 Static) 23 Collectible Music Sheets, 4 Main Chapters (The Call of Fate) +Bonus Chapter (Forged Fate) +Hidden Puzzle/HOP that unlocks once you have completed the Portal Pearls Collection (Different Futures) and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Like most of you, I too missed the BF forums so I created The Woods Forum so everyone could enjoy all the benefits of a community built by like-minded gamers. Reconnect with friends, join group play games, check out the Game Series Lists, find gaming help & share tips, or just chillax by the campfire and enjoy nature at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a soul-stealing monster from terrorizing the kingdom?
Overall rating
3
/
5
107 of 130 found this review helpful
ONE OF ELEPHANT'S BETTER GAMES
PostedDecember 8, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game in about 4 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
I happen to love twisted fairytales and I was looking forward to this second game in the Cursed Fables series. This time we have a soul-sucking monster who seems to prefer draining the life from the men of the village and sending them back home clueless, not a shred of memory from their past...oh well, they probably didn't have anything important on their mind anyway lol.
Here's my issue with this game and most of the new releases by Elephant Games, they aren't making CE's very worthy lately! They aren't even bothering to put Collectibles in the Bonus Chapter lately, and the collectibles are pretty lame. I don't mind a short game, in fact, I prefer a short game over a game with a gazillion repetitive tasks. I felt that the story was interesting enough, and the tasks weren't as boring as they tend to be in games by this developer. Unless you just have to have the game asap, I would suggest waiting for the SE version next month!
MORPHING OBJECTS/COLLECTIBLES: (CE version only)
There are no Morphing Objects, just 12 Tarot Cards, and 12 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble a Jigsaw in the Secret Room after completing the game. Another member stated there were 24 Puzzle Pieces to collect but that isn't the case, there are two 12-piece jigsaw puzzles, but the first jigsaw puzzle has all the pieces right from the start and the puzzle can be assembled before you even start the game. (there are no video sequences available in the extras menu either)
There are no Morphing Objects, just 12 Tarot Cards, and 12 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble a Jigsaw in the Secret Room after completing the game. Another member stated there were 24 Puzzle Pieces to collect but that isn't the case, there are two 12-piece jigsaw puzzles, but the first jigsaw puzzle has all the pieces right from the start and the puzzle can be assembled before you even start the game. (there are no video sequences available in the extras menu either)
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
The Hidden Object Scenes are rather disappointing, once again, I was able to find most of the objects without looking at the list because they were so obvious. There are Listed Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Find & Replace, Swatch Finds, and a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's. There are no alternate games available in lieu of the HOs.
.
MINI-GAMES/PUZZLES:
The mini-games were just okay, some were fun, some were boring, and they did put a little bit of a twist on some older games, such as a game of "Blocks" where you are moving sheep out of your path. They seem to be offering a lot of labyrinth-style puzzles lately, which gets kind of boring after a while.
The Hidden Object Scenes are rather disappointing, once again, I was able to find most of the objects without looking at the list because they were so obvious. There are Listed Item Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Find & Replace, Swatch Finds, and a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's. There are no alternate games available in lieu of the HOs.
.
MINI-GAMES/PUZZLES:
The mini-games were just okay, some were fun, some were boring, and they did put a little bit of a twist on some older games, such as a game of "Blocks" where you are moving sheep out of your path. They seem to be offering a lot of labyrinth-style puzzles lately, which gets kind of boring after a while.
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
Leonard Harold's Royal Envoy has been tasked with negotiating peace with a neighboring kingdom, unfortunately, a cabinet member is trying to sabotage the relationship between the two kingdoms. There are 4 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes within 8 additional scene locations. After completing the Bonus Chapter the Expedition Room becomes available which allows you to search for any missing collectibles, and you can complete the jigsaws in the Secret Room.
Leonard Harold's Royal Envoy has been tasked with negotiating peace with a neighboring kingdom, unfortunately, a cabinet member is trying to sabotage the relationship between the two kingdoms. There are 4 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes within 8 additional scene locations. After completing the Bonus Chapter the Expedition Room becomes available which allows you to search for any missing collectibles, and you can complete the jigsaws in the Secret Room.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
4 Wallpapers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 22 Achievements, 12 Tarot Cards Collections, 12 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces, 2 Jigsaw Puzzles, 13 Mini-Games & 13 Hidden Object Scenes, an Expedition Room which allows you to return to the scenes to search for missed collectibles, a Secret Room to assemble Jigsaws, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
4 Wallpapers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 22 Achievements, 12 Tarot Cards Collections, 12 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces, 2 Jigsaw Puzzles, 13 Mini-Games & 13 Hidden Object Scenes, an Expedition Room which allows you to return to the scenes to search for missed collectibles, a Secret Room to assemble Jigsaws, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Miss the forums and familiar friends? Come join us at my new forum for game talk, general chats, and great company at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Join Jake Everest for a match-3 adventure of discovery and intrigue!
Overall rating
1
/
5
58 of 72 found this review helpful
THE LEVELS & GAMEPLAY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE GAME RELEASED LAST MONTH!
PostedDecember 7, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I don't understand, why is it okay to offer the same game with the same exact level layouts while only bothering to change the graphics and story? People are getting duped into believing they are buying a brand new game from this developer only to discover they have already played the game a month earlier under a different title!
On November 21, 2022, I played Amanda's Magic Book 6: Aladdin's Magic Lamp, and now, just 2 weeks later they release this game which has identical levels, identical goals, and identical gameplay....they don't even bother to mix up the level order to throw the consumer off, they just blatantly update the graphics and title and call it a day! This isn't right, they should be held to some kind of standard or Big Fish should add a "warning" to the synopsis!
Some icons are trapped under Spiderwebs or Ropes that require making matches of whatever tile is blocked within them, but most of them are just filler features, and unblocking the tiles is never a necessity to progress unless they block other areas of interest. They also got rid of the spiders that everyone seemed to hate but I actually liked them because at least it was a challenging feature.
The only goal really is to make matches over all of the Gold, Silver, or Blue Cells and make the required number of matches of each specified element tile. Some levels have Crystals that can be collected by dropping them off the board when you make matches under them...they will appear in the same levels as the last game...go ahead and compare the 2 games, I'll wait...
Powerups with various abilities are added at the start of each level, two at a time. Each powerup comes with a limited amount but I have no clue if you can purchase more when it runs out because I've yet to need a powerup to beat the levels in games by this developer. (because I've played this game over and over, just under different titles) The powerups are the same in every e-FunSoft game, they just change the name, such as a Stone Axe to clear a single tile, a Knife to clear a 5-tile radius horizontally, a Badik Knife to clear a 5-tile radius vertically, or a Tifa Drum to clear a 2x2 square radius.
Bonus Bombs are added to the board as well, a Match 5 awards you with a Medium Bomb on the board to clear a 9-tile radius, and a Match 6 awards you with a Large Bomb that clears a 12-tile radius (I have never received a small bomb on any of these games so I'm not sure if it even exists??)
You must purchase all 4 World Upgrades with stars earned to progress to the next Chapter, 5 Chapters total, (with the single Star you earn for completing each level) There are no options for the upgraded worlds, such as which building to construct, nor does it allow you to place the building where you want, so it's a boring and meaningless feature for me personally because basically it just allows you to read more text about the saga at hand, they don't even have a feature that tells you when an upgrade is available.
Have you been to The Woods Forum yet? It's free to become a member and always so much to see & do! Stop by and chat with fellow BF gamers thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Embark on a daring rescue through time!
Overall rating
5
/
5
136 of 153 found this review helpful
DRAGONSEYE DOES IT AGAIN!
PostedDecember 6, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Just when I was convinced that the HOPA genre was ruined and would never be the same, along comes a new game from Dragonseye to restore my faith! This is a thinking kind of game and very similar to Moontrain as far as the game mechanics, you'll know this game is special right out of the gate. I wasn't expecting much when I read the synopsis but once I started the game and saw the Dragonseye Ltd. logo popped up I immediately exited the game and purchased it. This is an incredible game with a fantastic story, the kind of game where you feel a sense of pride and accomplishment every step of the way!
INTERACTIVE ITEMS:
Objects with a + Sign require combining 2 inventory items which is nothing new, however, items with an Eyeball require you to click the eyeball (not the item itself) you may need to select a specific key on a ring, or fiddle with the object to manipulate its shape or function because these items are usually used multiple times with slightly different functions. After setting the item correctly the item can then be used by clicking on the item (not on the eyeball) and then placing it on the item in the scene.
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHING OBJECTS
There are 12 Morphing Objects, 27 Symbols of Luck, and 7 Gnomes to search for, all of which are blended into the scenery with the perfect amount of challenge!
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
If you played Moontrain you know that the Hidden Object Scenes are fantastic. Some are easy, some are difficult just figuring out what you're supposed to do! In the first HO you have to scroll through images until both halves create an image and then search for the item and repeat the process for each item. One of my favorite HOs was finding coins to use in a bubblegum machine one at a time. After inserting a coin you turn the handle and a ball rolls out with an image X3. Once you find all 3 of the objects, you find another coin and repeat the process...super fun!
MINI-GAMES
The mini-games aren't difficult and they are fun enough that you won't feel like skipping them. Games include turning pipes to make 4 connections to the central disk, flipping buckles to find matching pairs, etc. Some of the games require entering codes or patterns previously found in the game scenes so you may have to sift through notes in your journal!
If you need game help for this or any other game, swing by my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
INTERACTIVE ITEMS:
Objects with a + Sign require combining 2 inventory items which is nothing new, however, items with an Eyeball require you to click the eyeball (not the item itself) you may need to select a specific key on a ring, or fiddle with the object to manipulate its shape or function because these items are usually used multiple times with slightly different functions. After setting the item correctly the item can then be used by clicking on the item (not on the eyeball) and then placing it on the item in the scene.
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHING OBJECTS
There are 12 Morphing Objects, 27 Symbols of Luck, and 7 Gnomes to search for, all of which are blended into the scenery with the perfect amount of challenge!
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
If you played Moontrain you know that the Hidden Object Scenes are fantastic. Some are easy, some are difficult just figuring out what you're supposed to do! In the first HO you have to scroll through images until both halves create an image and then search for the item and repeat the process for each item. One of my favorite HOs was finding coins to use in a bubblegum machine one at a time. After inserting a coin you turn the handle and a ball rolls out with an image X3. Once you find all 3 of the objects, you find another coin and repeat the process...super fun!
MINI-GAMES
The mini-games aren't difficult and they are fun enough that you won't feel like skipping them. Games include turning pipes to make 4 connections to the central disk, flipping buckles to find matching pairs, etc. Some of the games require entering codes or patterns previously found in the game scenes so you may have to sift through notes in your journal!
If you need game help for this or any other game, swing by my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Help the Walker family find the best items in Black Friday madness!
Overall rating
1
/
5
8 of 11 found this review helpful
I'LL SAVE MY MONEY FOR WHEN THE REAL CLUTTER GAMES ARE OFFERED
PostedDecember 5, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I played the entire demo to make sure I gave it a fair chance to impress me...it did not. I can honestly say that quite a few levels left me feeling agitated and annoyed. Several items wouldn't recognize that I was clicking on them and half the time it would select an item behind the one I was clicking on when it finally did recognize the click (after multiple attempts) which of course was the wrong selection so I'd have to re-select the 2 objects. What do any of the objects have to do with Black Friday sales...Basketball Jersey's, stuffed animals, Smiley emojis, tennis balls, etc?
The levels where you are tasked with clicking 2 pastel-colored items are just ridiculous, why would anyone want to play a level void of color or detail, especially when 80% of the silhouettes were those stupid Suns? Then there are the infamous Transparent Object scenes, Objects that spin in a circle and reset every couple of seconds or the annoying Giant Bubbles that you have to pop just so you can get to the board! One of the levels literally only had 4 different objects to remove in "same size pairs"...a Basketball, a Basketball Jersey, a stuffed Monkey, and a stuffed Elephant!
I wish at the very least that they would use some logic when developing these games. Under the category "Sweets" they don't count a bowl of what appears to be honey, nor do they count pineapple as a sweet but they do count several shaped treats that are unrecognizable in any category much less as a sweet. When I got to the category "Round Objects" it became super annoying when a plate was acceptable, but not a plate with food on it, or a round bowl of cereal, a bowl of noodles, and most confusing of all...a round whole pizza is not considered to be a "round object"! Just wait till the level where you have to sift through a heaping pile of junk in search of 1 large and one microscopic sized pairs!
My questions still go unanswered...Why do I have to erase "player" before putting my name in the profile? Why can't I skip the conversations? Why are there more Sun Hints than objects to find on each level? Why does the developer feel the need to show his Fancy Bear scores with twice the amount of points as everyone else on every single level? (Isn't it a given that the creator of the levels would automatically know the best strategies?) Why does the Walker Family name their kids whatever species they are, such as Squirrel, or Hare? (Let's hope they never have twins!) Why do I not know where Canadian Geese migrate to after leaving Ohio for the winter...do they migrate north to Canada where it's colder or do they migrate south like a normal bird? Why are there Canadian Geese in Ohio in the summer in the first place, were they just too lazy to make the final flight to Canada? (has nothing to do with the game but the question remains unanswered) Why is it that when I try to submit a review, I'm instantly taken to the "sign in" page but once "signed in" the page says "redirection" for an eternity, and by eternity I mean forever, so you have to manually click on the BF website to go back to the sales page?
There are only two modes of difficulty, Easy Mode which has no time restraints, and Difficult Mode with a time limit that gives you 500 extra points for not using Hints, and 10 extra points for time remaining.
There are only two modes of difficulty, Easy Mode which has no time restraints, and Difficult Mode with a time limit that gives you 500 extra points for not using Hints, and 10 extra points for time remaining.
There are 140 Clutter knockoff levels and 20 mini-games. The puzzles are always the same puzzles, most of which are simple square swap variations with complicated mechanics, such as swapping adjacent squares, and each time you swap a square the orientation changes. (I'm convinced that the finished pictures are rehashed over & over!)
Do you know the answer to the Canadian Geese question or any of my other questions above? Awesome, swing by my new forum and put these age-old questions to rest! thewoodsforum.boards.net
Do you know the answer to the Canadian Geese question or any of my other questions above? Awesome, swing by my new forum and put these age-old questions to rest! thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Can you restore your town's faith in the spirit of Christmas?
Overall rating
3
/
5
44 of 54 found this review helpful
HELPING 3 PEOPLE WITH NORMAL HOPA TASKS CONSTITUTES A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE?
PostedDecember 4, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game in a little over 3 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
I think it's only fair to state that Taxi of Miracles was created by the same developers as Christmas Stories: Nutcracker which received a 4.7 average rating with 5-Star reviews submitted from 272 individuals! This was the first game in this series and it was stunningly beautiful, incredibly imaginative, and highly entertaining, the kind of game you never wanted to end!
I'm trying to make a point here so bear with me...
Take a look at just a few of the Titles from fellow reviewers of Christmas Stories: Nutcracker:
You Had Me At Nutcracker
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL !!!!
FANTASTIC, BEAUTIFUL, OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!
Breathtaking!
YAY DEVELOPER, YAY BFG 100000,00000,00000 STARS!
Beautiful & Imaginative Holiday Puzzler for All!! Well Done!!
One of the best games ever
BRAVO & KUDOS TO THE ELEPHANT TEAM!!!!
A Deliciously Delightful Experience
Charming, beautiful, endearing
I hated that it ended...
Bought this as soon as I saw it was an Elephant Game!
When was the last game by ANY developer that inspired players as much as Nutcracker did? How can a developer go from Nutcracker to Taxi of Miracles in a single decade? If your heart isn't in it anymore why continue? We are the reason Elephant Games rose to fame, we are the reason Nutcracker has a 4.7 average star rating, do we not deserve your best effort? We deserve the Nutcracker kind of Elephant Games, but nowadays, all we get are Taxi of Miracles kind of Elephant Games! Perhaps a real Christmas Miracle will happen next year?
MORPHING OBJECTS/COLLECTIBLES: (CE version only)
There are 12 Collectible Snowglobes and 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble a 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room section...a single 12-piece puzzle, really? How old do you think your targeted audience is? Reminds me of a jigsaw meme..."I don't mean to brag but I just completed a puzzle in 1 week and the box said 2-4 years"
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL !!!!
FANTASTIC, BEAUTIFUL, OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!
Breathtaking!
YAY DEVELOPER, YAY BFG 100000,00000,00000 STARS!
Beautiful & Imaginative Holiday Puzzler for All!! Well Done!!
One of the best games ever
BRAVO & KUDOS TO THE ELEPHANT TEAM!!!!
A Deliciously Delightful Experience
Charming, beautiful, endearing
I hated that it ended...
Bought this as soon as I saw it was an Elephant Game!
When was the last game by ANY developer that inspired players as much as Nutcracker did? How can a developer go from Nutcracker to Taxi of Miracles in a single decade? If your heart isn't in it anymore why continue? We are the reason Elephant Games rose to fame, we are the reason Nutcracker has a 4.7 average star rating, do we not deserve your best effort? We deserve the Nutcracker kind of Elephant Games, but nowadays, all we get are Taxi of Miracles kind of Elephant Games! Perhaps a real Christmas Miracle will happen next year?
MORPHING OBJECTS/COLLECTIBLES: (CE version only)
There are 12 Collectible Snowglobes and 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble a 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room section...a single 12-piece puzzle, really? How old do you think your targeted audience is? Reminds me of a jigsaw meme..."I don't mean to brag but I just completed a puzzle in 1 week and the box said 2-4 years"
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES: (no alternate game available)
The Hidden Object Scenes should have been more creative with a Christmas atmosphere, after all, it IS a Christmas HOPA! (we look forward to the Christmas games for an entire year!) The HO scenes include a lot of variety, however, they are all located in the usual, boring places. The only scenes that were actually Christmas-related were some of the small Zoom Zone HOs where you are tasked with finding 6 items, most of which were items that spilled out of a Christmas bag of ornaments, inside a gift box under the tree, or a dumped out bowl of candy, clearly, they dropped the ball again.
The Hidden Object Scenes were no different than they are in normal games offered throughout the year, for example: Find Pairs of Items that are located in the trunk of a car. an Interactive List find located on the shelves of a cabinet, Find 12 Toys located inside of a delivery truck, Find items matching Swatch Samples located inside a clothes closet, an Interactive List find using a flashlight to locate items under a bed, Listed items that require aligning items pictured on a parchment paper using vertical & diagonal slider buttons, turning rings of a disk to align two halves of an image, or finding Silhouetted Shape items located inside of a wooden chest...none of these scenes have anything to do with Christmas!
MINI-GAMES/PUZZLES:
I'm usually a fan of the mini-games & puzzles from Elephant Games and these were not necessarily bad, but they are pretty easy and just like the HO scenes, most of the puzzles were void of anything associated with Christmas other than snow or ice!
-Rotate Pipes & Swap valves to match the valve shapes at the bottom
-Untangle Ropes
-Move a scoop along all tracks without backtracking
-Rotate squares until all wires are connected in the same colored wire
-Swap spark plugs in order from 1-6 (how old/young do they think we are?)
-Remove identical snow clumps in groups of at least 2 (vert/horiz/diag) on a grid (I actually liked this game)
-Swap & rotate gears to create an image
-Rotate disk rings and push segments into the center of the image
-Click directional arrows located an all 4 sides of the board to push squares into place
-Follow instructions to mold a new bell
-Swap nameplates to the correct mailbox number slots according to the pictured hints
-Guide a snowflake thru a labyrinth, passing over metal disks to open gates(difficult to make the snowflake move)
-Move pins on a key into the correct position & select the keyhole to test the positions
-Follow the ball under a cup and select after the shuffle
-Select pairs of identical ice clumps
-Move a ball thru the maze by swapping figurines of various weights to move the labyrinth
-Use directional arrows to guide Jacob who keeps swimming until he meets an obstacle)
-Color the embroidery (paint by numbers)
-Recreate the image by sliding square tiles using the empty slot
-Place presents correctly according to the shaped bases
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
The Bonus Chapter is way better than the main game and it absolutely felt more Christmas-themed than the main game. Perhaps I wasn't paying attention, perhaps Elephant Games never explained it but somehow Jacob wakes up in Catstown, a town filled with sophisticated, well-dressed, walking, talking cats! Since I'm already here, I agree to help Mayor Meows capture the bad kitty who has been stealing Christmas...he even stole the town's Christmas Tree and presents!
The Hidden Object Scenes should have been more creative with a Christmas atmosphere, after all, it IS a Christmas HOPA! (we look forward to the Christmas games for an entire year!) The HO scenes include a lot of variety, however, they are all located in the usual, boring places. The only scenes that were actually Christmas-related were some of the small Zoom Zone HOs where you are tasked with finding 6 items, most of which were items that spilled out of a Christmas bag of ornaments, inside a gift box under the tree, or a dumped out bowl of candy, clearly, they dropped the ball again.
The Hidden Object Scenes were no different than they are in normal games offered throughout the year, for example: Find Pairs of Items that are located in the trunk of a car. an Interactive List find located on the shelves of a cabinet, Find 12 Toys located inside of a delivery truck, Find items matching Swatch Samples located inside a clothes closet, an Interactive List find using a flashlight to locate items under a bed, Listed items that require aligning items pictured on a parchment paper using vertical & diagonal slider buttons, turning rings of a disk to align two halves of an image, or finding Silhouetted Shape items located inside of a wooden chest...none of these scenes have anything to do with Christmas!
MINI-GAMES/PUZZLES:
I'm usually a fan of the mini-games & puzzles from Elephant Games and these were not necessarily bad, but they are pretty easy and just like the HO scenes, most of the puzzles were void of anything associated with Christmas other than snow or ice!
-Rotate Pipes & Swap valves to match the valve shapes at the bottom
-Untangle Ropes
-Move a scoop along all tracks without backtracking
-Rotate squares until all wires are connected in the same colored wire
-Swap spark plugs in order from 1-6 (how old/young do they think we are?)
-Remove identical snow clumps in groups of at least 2 (vert/horiz/diag) on a grid (I actually liked this game)
-Swap & rotate gears to create an image
-Rotate disk rings and push segments into the center of the image
-Click directional arrows located an all 4 sides of the board to push squares into place
-Follow instructions to mold a new bell
-Swap nameplates to the correct mailbox number slots according to the pictured hints
-Guide a snowflake thru a labyrinth, passing over metal disks to open gates(difficult to make the snowflake move)
-Move pins on a key into the correct position & select the keyhole to test the positions
-Follow the ball under a cup and select after the shuffle
-Select pairs of identical ice clumps
-Move a ball thru the maze by swapping figurines of various weights to move the labyrinth
-Use directional arrows to guide Jacob who keeps swimming until he meets an obstacle)
-Color the embroidery (paint by numbers)
-Recreate the image by sliding square tiles using the empty slot
-Place presents correctly according to the shaped bases
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
The Bonus Chapter is way better than the main game and it absolutely felt more Christmas-themed than the main game. Perhaps I wasn't paying attention, perhaps Elephant Games never explained it but somehow Jacob wakes up in Catstown, a town filled with sophisticated, well-dressed, walking, talking cats! Since I'm already here, I agree to help Mayor Meows capture the bad kitty who has been stealing Christmas...he even stole the town's Christmas Tree and presents!
There are 8 additional scene locations with 7 Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes available. The Puzzle Pieces were all collected within the main Game and there are only 3 Snowglobes remaining which was a big letdown as far as I'm concerned. After completing the Bonus Chapter the Expedition Room can be accessed to search for any missed Collectibles.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
5 Wallpapers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Achievements, 12 Collectible Snowglobes, 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble a single Screensavers, 13 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 replayable Mini-Games, a Secret Room which allows you to assemble the Jigsaw, an Expedition room to search for missed Collectibles, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
5 Wallpapers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Achievements, 12 Collectible Snowglobes, 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble a single Screensavers, 13 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 replayable Mini-Games, a Secret Room which allows you to assemble the Jigsaw, an Expedition room to search for missed Collectibles, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
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I don't recommend this game.