pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4713
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:May 8, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Step into Noah's shoes and build the ark in this touching story of faith, family, and the future!
Overall rating
4
/
5
71 of 83 found this review helpful
Noah's Faith In God
PostedMarch 22, 2016
pennmom36
fromHow long before I get the animals two by two?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I can still remember how engrossed I became in the story of Noah's Ark, the first time I heard it (actually the first story that made me pay attention) at Sunday School. I loved the story so much that I could hardly wait until the following Sunday, only to be disappointed because my Sunday School teacher had moved onto another bible story. Mom saved the day by borrowing the book, and eventually she bought me my own book of children's bible stories. This game brought back all those memories, which made me realize that to my knowledge, there's never been a "faith" or religious based Match 3 game offered here at the pond, so kudos, Big Fish!
This is a Match 3 game where you swap two adjacent elements to create a group of at least three tiles. The story of Noah's faith in God is given between levels, and you collect resources to help Noah and his family build the Ark, starting with a simple home on barren infertile land, and slowly progress as miracles unfold giving way to lush forests that allow Noah to build a boat of biblical proportions! Obviously I love this story, but the game itself has a few features that I disliked. For starters, the tiles are too small and many of the elements you match are the same color which makes it very difficult to figure out which element is behind locked tiles such as a single or double chained tile. There could have been some added features that would give this game more of a "wow" factor, instead, it's just the same as every other Match 3 game.
You can choose to play in a Casual Untimed mode for a relaxing game, or Normal mode which has a timer. The goal is to make matches of identical resources over all Gold tiles, as well as collecting a specific amount of whichever resource is shown at the top. Every match you make fills the Mana Meter and allows you to use bonuses such as an Axe which removes a single tile, a Bomb which removes a 4 tile range, and a Talisman which collects all tiles of 1 element. There are the normal obstructions as found in most Match 3 games, with chains fog and crates, nothing different that I can see so far in the game. You are guided through each level and given a brief tutorial by an Angel, however, I didn't see an option to cancel the tutorial. Once you have collected enough of the required elements, you can purchase upgrades that will eventually build Noah's Ark, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Guardians of Beyond: Witchville
Save Witchville before it's too late in Guardians of Beyond: Witchville, a thrilling Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Guardians of Beyond: Witchville
PostedMarch 21, 2016
pennmom36
fromEven the VHS tape gave those people 7 days, 6 hours, that's rough!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Recently I have been playing a lot of the older games in search of a game comparable to my all-time favorite, the original Phantasmat. Many of the older games are outdated and quite frankly not well made or enjoyable, but every once in awhile I come across a decent game such as this one. The graphics aren't bad considering this game was released in 2011 and technology has made leaps and bounds since then. I would love to see the devs revamp this game with today's advanced technology, and throw in a few frills such as morphing objects!
Alice is a psychic working for The Agency for Paranormal who has been sent to a small town called Witchville, to help fellow agent Ethan, investigate a missing persons case of epic proportion. Half of the town's population has gone missing in Witchville, that proudly proclaims to be liberated from witchcraft since 1690. Alice barely makes it to Witchville when she is startled by the appearance of a ghost that causes her car to crash. She survives the crash, and meets up with Ethan, sort of.....unbeknownst to him, he is now a ghost, BUT, he's not dead. The last thing her remembers is a meeting with Dr. Light, an inventor who informs him that he is alive but only has 6 hours left, or he'll be trapped in Witchville forever! What has the good doctor done to Ethan and all the rest of the people of Witchville?
The Hidden Object Puzzles are all Interactive List finds, some of which are scenes in the dark where you search for items with a flashlight. The items are recognizable and the scenes are well done, finding some of the items was actually a challenge, normally I have no problems finding the items and never need to use a hint. The Mini Games are a little scarce, some are puzzle type games. One game I thought was challenging was trying to hit a jackpot on a slot machine by clicking on the green buttons to move the reels. Each button moves a specific amount of revolutions such as 1 picture up or 3 down, and clicking on some of the buttons would affect others. This game was a sleeper surprise, give it a try, it's really entertaining and has an interesting plot, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Janet and Brad thought they were going on a peaceful holiday until an unfortunate breakdown stopped them outside Frankenstein Burg!
Overall rating
1
/
5
156 of 177 found this review helpful
One Star Is Generous
PostedMarch 21, 2016
pennmom36
fromI gave the game 1 star because it wouldn't accept 0 stars!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Believe it or not, this game is the second Frankenstein game in this series, Frankenstein: The Dismembered Bride was the first, which was offered in 2011. I have a feeling that this game was released shortly after that and is just now being released, the first one got poor ratings so I can't understand why they would release a second one that's so old school. This is an H2O type HOG where you click, drag and scroll into scenes with your mouse, and each scene is cluttered with giant eyeballs indicating a hidden object scene, a giant jigsaw piece indicating a Mini Game or Puzzle, giant footprints indicating all available directions you can move to and Three giant silhouettes of Frankenstein's monster (who btw was never given a name by arthur Mary Shelley) which indicate funfacts can be read about past and current versions of Frankenstein.
Just like the Dismembered Bride, Brad and Janet are the main stars of the show, Brad is portrayed as a bit clueless, while Janet is portrayed with a bit of an attitude. When the couple experience car troubles, Brad enters the nearby village, Frankenstein Burg, to seek help, but when he returns, Janet is MIA. Someone has kidnapped Janet and locked her into a room, the scenes switch back and forth between characters experiencing different types of problems.
The Hidden Object Scenes are all the same, simple Listed Item finds with no interactions other than clicking, dragging and zooming in, as you try to find specific items in scenes that are drab and void of color, with minimal graphics (er, sorry I mean truHD) Some objects are difficult to find because everything's basically the same color, and other items are either disproportionately smaller or larger than the rest of the items.
The Mini Games are far and few between, and to be honest, I didn't stick around for the entire demo. The first game I played was a game of pipes where you had to arrange pipe sections to allow the water to flow from the left to the right, the second game required you to pair up teeth sections on a lock.
There are no frills, no collectibles, no achievements or Morphs available. I'm sure others will disagree with me, but this game is a waste of time.
I don't recommend this game.
The famous Johnny Abilli has been murdered at the Broadbeach Resort. You've been called in to crack the case.
Overall rating
4
/
5
74 of 82 found this review helpful
A Player No More
PostedMarch 20, 2016
pennmom36
fromIt's all in the cards!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Johnny Abilli was a player, he loved gambling and he loved women, he loved living his life on the edge, the riskier the better. He believed the filth was rising around him enough to drown, and he was okay with it. Johnny had everything, good looks, good fortune, good money, but Johnny had a wife, and she wanted out. Johnny's luck has turned south, quite literally, his lifeless body has been found aboard his luxury yacht at the Broadbeach Resort in sunny Florida. The problem is, multiple people have multiple motives in this fabulous whodunit mystery!
There aren't really any gimmicks in this adventure, but you do have an Evidence Board and the ability to interrogate your suspects searching for evidence to nab the killer. The Collector's Edition has a Hidden Sign in each scene, for a total of 40, and there are the usual Achievements to earn as well.
The Hidden Object Scenes are just okay in my book, a little disappointing because the scenes are all junkpiles and tend to be on the blurry side, with substandard graphics. They range from listed items to progressive Silhouetted Shape finds, most are multi-layered. You can opt for a Bubble Shoot game if you're not into HOP's, I chose to play the Bubble Shoot game on this SE and it's a nice change of pace, however, you can't lose, if the bubbles reach the bottom a new board is generated with no penalty.
The Mini Games are good, some really easy, some challenging. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo.
1) Find the roads from the traffic report then place the road signs correctly.
2) Develop negatives by following detailed directions.
3) Move the puzzle pieces from the first road to the third using empty color coded slots.
The Collector's Edition has 11 Achievements, 40 Hidden Signs, 18 replayable Puzzles, 15 replayable HOP's, Bubble Shoot unlimited, 9 Videos, 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 10 Music Soundtracks, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Adventure, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you escape the mysterious musician’s melody?
Overall rating
3
/
5
173 of 201 found this review helpful
Sadly, This Cadenza Falls Flat
PostedMarch 19, 2016
pennmom36
fromI couldn't set up the ladder in the restaurant until I distracted the waitress, where was the ladder when I was ordering, behind my back?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Normally I love this series, but for me, I found this game to be on the edge of boring. I'm sure many gamers will adore Havana Nights, but this game doesn't have the mojo of Cadenza's past. The storyline is decent, Ernesto Ceres has asked his brother to join him in expanding his night club Diamante, but his past is catching up with him when his friend Raul Sanchez returns from the dead to seek revenge. Somehow Raul is able to hypnotize anyone in ears range of his guitar, and the police are not only blaming you, they're trying to kill you! Could these strange events have anything to do with the "red box" Ernesto has kept under lock and key?
This certainly is an easy game to play, there's no challenge to speak of, even the Collectible Diamonds are large and hard to miss! I felt that the graphics were subpar, the neon lights and bedazzle of New Orleans coming to life at night were so impressive you could almost smell the jambalaya, red beans and rice. Havana Nights doesn't do that, it's just another game, there's nothing to draw you in and make you feel as if you were there. There are a few newer features available, Conversation options, the ability to slide items or interact with items as you would do if it was real, Sliding, panning or even flipping zoom zone scenes, and an Awareness Mode designed to make you feel a sense of urgency.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, but again, lacks the creativeness normally found in this series. There are 16 HOP's and each one has a single Morphing Object to find, not my favorite, I prefer Morphs to be in the main game, especially when they are nonlinear and require a particular action in another scene to activate them (I miss the good ol' days...) There are interactive list finds, progressive finds, items in bold print during a tape recording, and even one that switches back and forth between finding an item and placing the item into the scene, which is a feature this series created if I'm not mistaken. Most of them have fragments left behind after finding the items that form a code of some sort to solve a small puzzle.
The Mini Games weren't bad, but they also lack creativity and most are very easy to solve. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Select the ball when it is inside the yellow area, the yellow area moves as well as the ball.
2) Select and move buttons to spaces with the same shape, creating highlighted lines that don't intersect.
3) Select and place horizontal picture tiles to form pictures, as well as a sliding puzzle using one empty space.
4) Press the corresponding trumpet buttons when the bubbles cross into the colored circles. As you progress, pressing the bottom buttons of the correct color mixture will allow you to "play" two notes.
This Collector's Edition has 20 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art pictures, 9 Music Soundtracks, Trumpet Lessons, Character Bios, 40 Collectible Diamonds, 10 Achievements, 16 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, 16 replayable HOP's, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
There's a thin line between the living and the dead.
Overall rating
5
/
5
118 of 139 found this review helpful
These Baby Blues Have Seen It All
PostedMarch 18, 2016
pennmom36
fromI see it all so clear
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Your crystalline eye-lens transplant is a complete success, you can finally see the world in a whole new light! Dr. James warns that you may have a few odd visions while your eyes adjust, but he never mentioned you'd be seeing a ghost, let alone the ghost of Freya Ekkert, the lens donor! Freya is trying to reach out from beyond, pleading for help, her death was apparently no accident. You feel compelled to investigate this mystery, after all, she did give you the gift of sight, and the bond between yourself and Freya might be the edge you need to solve this case where others have failed.
Even though this storyline is similar to a few really good movies of the past, I think it's a first for the gaming world and very refreshing. I'm not sure why, but you will find Freya's special glasses that help you see past events anytime you come across a misty phenomenon, which helps you piece together the events. If Freya had seeing abilities that makes sense, but why the glasses, it's supposed to be because of the eye's themselves, right? There are Plus Sign inventory items to tinker with and throughout the adventure, you will collect notes that for some reason are scattered about Freya's hometown. The Collector's Edition has the addition of several Achievements to earn, Morphing Objects, and even photos of Stupid Deaths that give a brief description about some really odd deaths that have occurred because they didn't use common sense.
The Hidden Object Scenes are creative and varied with Silhouetted Shape finds, progressive interactive silhouetted shapes, interactive list finds and even associations where you must figure out what item relates to drawings of two different items. You can play a game of Match 3 if you're not into HOP's.
The Mini Games are in abundance, but nothing too difficult to figure out. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Select tokens in the correct sequence.
2) Choose the right country and city on a computer.
3) Arrange brass rings in the center, moving one affects others.
4) Navigate through a labyrinth avoiding cameras.
5) Use a magnet to unlock a door latch,
6) Drag sliders to the correct position, moving one affects others.
7) Arrange tokens according to the clue given.
8) Recreate a picture by moving sliders so they stop on the necessary runes, moving one affects others.
9) Enter the correct letters according to the clues.
10) Don't let the beaver leave the garden by pressing on grass clumps to dry them up.
2) Choose the right country and city on a computer.
3) Arrange brass rings in the center, moving one affects others.
4) Navigate through a labyrinth avoiding cameras.
5) Use a magnet to unlock a door latch,
6) Drag sliders to the correct position, moving one affects others.
7) Arrange tokens according to the clue given.
8) Recreate a picture by moving sliders so they stop on the necessary runes, moving one affects others.
9) Enter the correct letters according to the clues.
10) Don't let the beaver leave the garden by pressing on grass clumps to dry them up.
The Collector's Edition has 13 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 35 Achievements, 23 Mini Games, 13 HOP's, 18 Morphing Collectibles, 6 Character photos, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Adventure, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Grim Tales: The Legacy
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
Grim Tales: The Legacy
PostedMarch 17, 2016
pennmom36
fromLook on the bright side Luisa, you can have a husband and a pet!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Anna arrives at the Gray Castle with time to spare before her nephew Brandon's christening, but nobody's home! When she finally makes it inside the castle, she's horrified to find the castle has been ransacked by some type of beast! Even more horrifying, it seems quite clear that someone was doing research on werewolves! Has a werewolf attacked the Gray family, or is a member of the Gray family a werewolf?
This is one of my favorite Grim Tales, I love how the story has evolved over the years. The graphics are so much better than The Bride, and the HOP's and Mini Games are evolving as well. There's a map for traveling, but there's still no inventory lock available, which is really annoying. I do have a complaint about the music, or lack of, because many scenes are awkwardly silent, but that too evolves with time.
The Hidden Object Scenes are still simple Listed item finds with no interactions, but the scenes are very clear. Keep in mind that this is an older game and this is the type of HOP that gamers sought back in the day.
The Mini Games are a bit more abundant in this episode, but still simplistic. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Place picture fragments in the right places to form a complete image.
2) Move the tiles so that there are 3 complete images on the top block by sliding tiles to empty slots.
3) Rotate the shield in the right directions and the correct degrees of turns, as shown on the clue you found.
2) Move the tiles so that there are 3 complete images on the top block by sliding tiles to empty slots.
3) Rotate the shield in the right directions and the correct degrees of turns, as shown on the clue you found.
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Adventure, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Is fear the price or the reward?
Overall rating
5
/
5
274 of 308 found this review helpful
This House Has A Lot Of Fearful Baggage!
PostedMarch 17, 2016
pennmom36
fromGood thing Emma wasn't born a day earlier!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Emma Roberts is on assignment at The House on Black River, to investigate the disappearance of Jack Neilson a freelance journalist, whose last known whereabouts was at this house of horrors. This house has had it's fair share of drama, it's original owner Martin Spencer was thought to be a sorcerer responsible for several deaths that occurred, and a frightened mob burned down the house, killing Martin and his entire family. One year ago, Alex Dean moved into the house, which would allow him the freedom to work on his paintings in seclusion, bad idea! He watched helplessly as a ghostly figure appeared through a doorway that wasn't there before, kidnap his daughter, and return through the door that vanished into thin air! His grief stricken wife, Sarah passed away shortly afterwards leaving Alex alone and desperate. The further Emma delves into the investigation, the more she fears that Alex may be planning some sort of ritual, a ritual that allows ghosts to possess the bodies of living souls who share something in common!
After a few shaky releases, it would appear that Fear For Sale has gotten back on track with excellent visual effects and an equally as impressive storyline. Just about everything in the game can be interacted with, animals react when clicked upon, candles lit, fireplaces ramped up, and paintings that transform into a paranormal freak show. There are complex inventory items to interact with, and several Achievements to earn throughout your investigation. There are 34 Beyond Objects and 5 different Collectibles for 5 different categories. As with all of the Fear For Sale games, finding these extras will earn you points and allow you to Rank up your Journalistic skills.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Interactive List Finds that give you props to open up secret niches, leave behind fragments or puzzle pieces with puzzles to solve, Silhouetted Shapes and Multiple finds of a single object. There are several smaller HOP's that require you to find 5 items belonging to items such as a doll, newspaper or a phone, scattered about the room. There is an alternate Jigsaw Puzzle available if you're not into HOP's.
The Mini Games aren't bad, but tend to be on the easy side. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Join the halves of Dean's portraits by moving blocks out of the way.
2) Drag the three portraits to the house of matching color without letting their paths cross.
3) Assemble torn photo fragments.
4) Restore the painting of Dean's house by clicking on panels until the correct sections are displayed.
5) Rotate the tiles to form a continuous path leading from the mob at the bottom to the manor at the top using all tiles.
6) Restore the picture by locating all missing objects and placing them where they belong.
This Collector's Edition has 9 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art pictures, 3 Screensavers, 3 Music Soundtracks, 25 Collectible items, 9 Achievements, 34 Beyond Objects, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Grim Tales: The Legacy Collector's Edition
After being invited to the Christening of your sister’s son, you arrive to find a deserted estate! Save your sister before it’s too late!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
Grim Tales: The Legacy CE
PostedMarch 16, 2016
pennmom36
fromHe seems like a nice werewolf.
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Anna can hardly wait to see Brandon, her new nephew. She arrives at the Gray castle in plenty of time to attend his christening, but nobody's home! When she finally makes it inside the castle, she's horrified to find the castle has been ransacked by some type of beast! Even more horrifying, it seems quite clear that someone was doing research on werewolves! Has a werewolf attacked the Gray family, or is a member of the Gray family a werewolf!
This is one of my favorite Grim Tales, I love how the story has evolved over the years. The graphics are so much better than The Bride, and the HOP's and Mini Games are evolving as well. There's a map for traveling, but there's still no inventory lock available, which is really annoying. I do have a complaint about the music, or lack of, because many scenes are awkwardly silent, but that too evolves with time.
The Hidden Object Scenes are still simple Listed item finds with no interactions, but the scenes are very clear. Keep in mind that this is an older game and this is the type of HOP that gamers sought back in the day.
The Mini Games are a bit more abundant in this episode, but still simplistic. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Place picture fragments in the right places to form a complete image.
2) Move the tiles so that there are 3 complete images on the top block by sliding tiles to empty slots.
3) Rotate the shield in the right directions and the correct degrees of turns, as shown on the clue you found.
This Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Adventure, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Grim Tales: The Wishes
Be careful what you wish for... A deadly bargain has been made, and it's up to you to set things right before your nephew pays the terrible price!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Grim Tales: The Wishes SE
PostedMarch 16, 2016
pennmom36
fromBrandon should've thought harder on his one wish.
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Luisa Gray has asked big sister to help her out once again when she becomes concerned about Brandon's odd behavior. Not only is he behaving oddly, but he's losing weight and he looks older, but insists he's okay. Turns out he's not okay, he's been cursed by a witch! When a mean black dog grabbed his favorite toy, a wooden puppet, and took off through the woods, trouble soon followed. The dog just happened to belong to a sinister witch who apologized to Brandon on behalf of her dog, and offers to grant him a wish. Brandon thinks this is his mess, and his responsibility to fix, it's a good thing Aunt Anna's here to help her favorite nephew, but can she defeat an evil witch in her own?
I really noticed a remarkable difference in the graphics since Grim Tales: The Bride, although I'm not real crazy about the storyline. This is an older game, but it's not dated or out of style, however, there's not a lot of frills that's associated with Collector's Editions of late. The inventory bar still has no locking mechanism but at least this game has a map with quick transportation to other areas.
The Hidden Object Scenes are still old school, interactive list finds, and many of the items are difficult to find because the items are small and some unrecognizable.
The Mini Games are mostly puzzle types, and all are fairly doable. There doesn't seem to be many in this game, at least not in the demo. One was a stained glass puzzle which requires you to use arrows to rotate the frame instead of the puzzle pieces, and the other requires you to guide the bee around the honeycomb until all cells are filled in. The bee doesn't stop moving until it hits an obstacle, and you cannot cross filled cells.
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!