pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4709
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:March 15, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Join our penguin on a journey to the parallel universe of mosaic puzzles!
Overall rating
5
/
5
109 of 180 found this review helpful
A Whole New World For Mister Penguin To Explore
PostedJanuary 6, 2016
pennmom36
fromI hope this new world is safe, I don't want anything to interfere with FM13
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Mr. Penguin has found a parallel universe! He sure does get around, I'm just glad he didn't get eaten by those hungry dinosaurs, but what happened to the Mrs. and baby penguin?
This is a griddler or mosaic type puzzle game where you fill in and cross of cells on various sized grids, using logic. There are groups of numbers located on each column and row of the grid, each group of numbers must be separated by at least one blank or crossed off cell. Sometimes it's easier to figure out where numbers can't possibly fit to reduce the amount of cells and narrow the playing field down a bit. Some cells contain bonuses such as extra hints, extra mistakes allowed or an extra pickaxe which allows you to choose which cell you want a hint on. There is a Sun icon as well that when fully charged, will give you a mega hint, filling in or crossing off a 3x3 area of your choice.
The one feature that makes Fantasy Mosaics stand out from the rest of the griddler games, is the vibrant array of colors available. It can also help you solve the puzzle when you get stuck, because you can switch to another color which ultimately narrows down the available cells. Unlike many griddler games, these pictures actually make sense, because they have three different colors you know what image you have created, such as a kitten, a flower or even a molecule.
If you make no mistakes, you will earn a Gold Trophy regardless of the time it takes to complete the puzzle, a Silver Trophy is earned if you make one mistake, and a Bronze Trophy is earned if you make 2 mistakes. You can replay the grid as often as you want in order to improve your trophy status. This series is one of the best available, and certainly the most colorful. This is a must have game for griddler geeks and an immediate purchase for this geek, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
A dangerous journey into the ruins of an ancient city awaits our hero. Help him find the treasure in Gems of the Aztecs!
Overall rating
3
/
5
65 of 75 found this review helpful
Just An Average Match 3 With No Pizazz
PostedJanuary 5, 2016
pennmom36
fromTechnically, the pauper will be buying the kings daughter when all's said and done!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Everything about this game is just average. The story is the same average story, pauper falls in love with princess, daddy the king says no way, pauper sets off on an adventure to find riches beyond imagination to make himself worthy of the princess. There is only one average option for the Match 3 game mode, Limited moves, where you must make matches of at least 3 identical tiles by swapping them in a specific number of moves. Same goals, break stone tiles, chained tiles, gold tiles etc. by making matches next to them or match tiles chained up, as you progress, diamonds are introduced that cannot be moved, they must be removed by making matches underneath them until they drop off of the board.
There are a few things that really annoyed me, my biggest complaint is the time it takes after completing a level, (there's enough time to cook a large breakfast and do the dishes) When you have met the goal requirements it tells you the level is complete. At that point the computer finishes playing any leftover moves you have, and then finishes all the bonuses you had left over or acquire during the leftover moves, then a window pops up giving you the talled score and up to three gold stars (which brings up another gripe later on) It doesn't end there, there's still plenty of time to waste as you are then taken to the level map, where the coins and stars you earned are shot up to the top of the screen, and you have to wait until the pauper soon to be not so pauperis moves to the next level spot, whew..! The next complaint I have is the fact that I was able to play 26 levels within the demo hour and received 3 gold stars on every level on the first attempt, way too easy! Other than the tiles being unappealing, my final complaint is the fact that sometimes, my cursor had a mind of it's own and when I would click on a regular tile to move it up, down, left or right to be able to make my match, the tile would go in different direction then I was going to move it to, not only did it move in a different direction, it would move the instant I clicked on it one time, it didn't even wait for me to move my cursor!
There are bonuses to earn as well, but again, they are the same bonuses they just have different names. Some bonuses can be purchased before you begin the level, such as 5 extra moves, the first bonuses are free because you have no choice but to use them as part of the tutorial. There are bonuses you will eventually unlock, Chief's Aid, puts three bombs into play, the Power of the Ancestors activates all bonuses in play, the Hunters Arrows hits several random tiles, the Wrath of the Gods removes several columns of tiles and the Power of Nature removes several rows of tiles.
Large matches will put bonuses on the board, most of which require matching the same gem as the bonus to activate it. The Color Hurricane bonus is given with a Match 5 and is a rainbow tile that is the only exception to the rule because it can be used with any color of gem and destroys all of the same gems as matched with. Matches of 4 tiles will give you the Shaman's Dagger bonus which is a directional, gem specific tile that when matched will destroy tiles in the direction shown. Combination matches (vertical and horizontal match in one move) will earn you the Chef's Strike which gives you a bomb to destroy tiles in the surrounding area.
I would recommend this game to beginners or if you're looking for a stress free game to pass the time, however, there are Match 3 games out there that are far superior, try Cradle of Rome or Cradle of Egypt, or any Jewel Match episode for a quality Match 3 experience, they are entertaining and much more interesting.
Help Marcus Victorious save its citizens and bring back life to its previous glory.
Overall rating
5
/
5
183 of 204 found this review helpful
So Much To Do Yet So Little Time To Do It
PostedJanuary 4, 2016
pennmom36
fromDon't send any extra workers to a task if you send a worker to do the final task because the clock doesn't stop until all workers return to camp!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I haven't played any of the other three Roads of Rome that were released in 2011-2012, but after enjoying this game so much, I'm going to check those versions out as well! This is a Time Management game based on strategy because you need to do things in a certain way in order to achieve expert status on each level. I found myself replaying many levels to change the order in which I queued a task, or built a building, so I could finish the level before nightfall which indicates expert goals have been achieved. There are several modes of difficulty available: Relaxed, Easy, Normal and Hard, I chose Normal but was unable to queue tasks when no worker was available.
An Earthquake has left the Roman citizens in dire need of help restoring their villages and livelihoods, so Cesar has sent Marcus Victorious to help them on his behalf. There are roads to clear of trees, boulders and floods, wooden and stone bridges to repair, fishing piers to restore, lighthouses to fix and houses to build and repair. To complete all these repairs, pig farms need built to feed the workers, Sawmills need built to produce the wood needed for repairs, and Storage Building will increase and permanently increase resources. Many of the buildings can be upgraded, such as the workers camp to gain more workers. There are Nomadic Traders that will make exchanges of goods for a necessary resource such as bombs needed to clear huge boulders, and Cobblers will produce speed boots that allow the workers to move faster. If you find a pair of boots hidden or a clock, they will increase speed or freeze time once the path is cleared to them.
Before each level, a new goal is given to you from a citizen who life has been affected by the earthquake such as rebuilding a fishing pier or clearing obstacles between him and the rest of his family. If wolves appear, you will need to click on them several times to scare them away because the workers are afraid of them. There are several weather effects during the game such as rain, but these effects can be turned off in the options menu if they are too distracting, and day will turn to night, the goal is to complete the level before the sun sets to achieve an Expert gold score, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Final Cut: Fade to Black
The rivalry between two movie studios escalates into deception and murder!
Overall rating
4
/
5
48 of 61 found this review helpful
The Series Is Fading
PostedJanuary 3, 2016
pennmom36
fromMartha isn't very good at keeping secrets, she even told me Bernard's safe code over the phone!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This may be a final Final Cut with a mind boggling Who-dun-it mystery as you are landed smack dab in the middle of Detective Bernard's ongoing investigation. Bernard got his hands upon the famous projector that has practically ruined the dysfunctional Wolf family, only this one's small and portable and is capable of changes anyone's appearance! What a perfect way to ruin your competition, Horizon Studios!
This edition of Final Cut isn't spectacular, perhaps it's just time to lay the story to rest and move on. I know many gamers love the golden hues with slightly grainy graphics to give the game a touch of reality and make it seem as if it were an older film. They have even attempted to use this to their advantage with some of the cutscenes with a deliberate film reel effect, but I prefer the crisp virtual reality of computer generated graphics. Many of the inventory items you collect will have plus signs indicating the need for further investigation, like combining that item with another. You are equipped with the Projector Camera that can be used to change your appearance temporarily to look like another person, which requires a simple mini game of focusing the camera and then outlining key focal points. (can I change my appearance to look like thing other than people?) The Collector's Edition has 41 Collectible Signs that actually look like a face, Several Achievements to earn, and even collectible Candy Canes and Christmas Stockings which unlock HOP's and Puzzles from Final Cut: Homage CE and Final Cut: Fame Fatale CE.
The Hidden Object Scenes are fairly decent, some of which have a Morphing Object to find within. There are Multiple's of objects, Silhouetted Shape finds, Interactive List finds, and items to find that will give you an item that is used to unlock the texted list finds, there are even HOP's where you find items that match the descriptive riddles given. You can switch to a Match 3 game if you're not into Hidden Object Puzzles.
The Mini Games were simple, and easy to solve, below is a list with brief descriptions of some of the puzzles you will come across in the demo:
1) Arrange cards so they match the photos shown on an evidence board, using the color coded pins as a reference.
2) Focusing a camera lens and outlining a face in a single line that doesn't overlap.
3) Press directional arrows to move a ball from one magnet to another until it reaches the indicated hole.
2) Focusing a camera lens and outlining a face in a single line that doesn't overlap.
3) Press directional arrows to move a ball from one magnet to another until it reaches the indicated hole.
The Collector's Edition has 16 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, 18 replayable Puzzles, Collectible Christmas Stockings that unlock additional Puzzles from Fame Fatale CE, a Souvenir Room, 17 replayable HOP's, Collectible Candy Canes that unlock additional HOP's from Homage CE, 41 Collectible hidden Signs, 5 Music Soundtracks, 12 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, 16 Videos, a Tribute Video, 15 Achievements, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Delicious: Emily's Hopes and Fears Collector's Edition
Join a father on an epic journey to save his little girl's life!
Overall rating
5
/
5
185 of 214 found this review helpful
Baby Paige Has A Strange Illness!
PostedJanuary 2, 2016
pennmom36
fromShouldn't Paige go to the hospital?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The beloved O'Malley family has returned, but poor baby Paige has become ill and the doctors are stumped and cannot find a cure! Dr. Allison Heart from Hearts Medicine has made an appearance in this episode of Delicious which takes place at a picnic area beside the lake with Evelyn and Francois running the show.
You can choose from three modes of difficulty, Beginner, Normal or Expert, there is an excellent tutorial as well as a how to play section to help you get started. The gameplay is simple, wait for the customers to decide what they want at either the picnic areas or the snack counter, click on the items they want as indicated inside the thought bubble, click on the customer to serve the food and click on the register when they are ready to pay, and finally, click on the picnic area to clean up the mess. The cute little mice have returned as well and if you click on the mice when they pop up in random places, you will earn extra money. As you progress, more food items become available, and foods that require several ingredients to be combined before serving become available. Some food item require restocking as indicated by a quantity number, and the juices require you to click on the glass when a meter reaches the green zone, if you wait longer, the juice will overflow and you'll have to start all over. Any level can be replayed to try to earn a perfect 3 gold star status, and there are optional Challenge levels to earn diamonds, with harder goals such as clicking on all the mice that pop up while you are trying to serve several customers, sounds simple but there's a ridiculous amount of mice! Each level has a different challenge to achieve such as clicking on Patrick to hear an entire story being told while continuing to serve customers.
You can use the money you earn to purchase upgrades, new Chairs and Tables, improved Kitchen Blocks and Snack Counters, a new Barbecue grill, faster Juice Taps, and decorative items or entertainment to keep the customers happy and patient and willing to pay more. You get to choose menu items before each level, and as with all the Delicious games, you get to take 14 pictures of the O'Malley's to display in Emily's scrapbook. Diamonds that are earned playing challenges and bonus levels can be used to purchase presents to give to Paige, and there are 20 different Achievements to earn as well, enjoy, it's simply Delicious!
I recommend this game!
Eventide: Slavic Fable
Experience an authentic Slavic legend! Save the creatures from destruction!
Overall rating
3
/
5
121 of 148 found this review helpful
This Game Would Be More Appealing If The Creatures Were Cute
PostedJanuary 1, 2016
pennmom36
from"Our fate hangs on the balance" which way will the scales tip?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Grandmother is adored by all creatures big and small, and when she asks for your help as a botanist, to save Heritage Park, you know something must be terribly wrong. Your arrival in Moorland isn't welcomed by all, you've always been suspicious of your Grandma's assistant Boruta, turns out your instincts are spot on! Boruta has kidnapped Granny, known affectionately as Baba, and plans on taking over the world once he gains the knowledge of her magical and very powerful potion. This is no ordinary potion, this potion can temporarily transform the magical Slavic creatures, into humans!
I noticed that in this Standard Edition, the absence of the glowing Ethereal Flowers, made the graphics less appealing. I wasn't all that impressed with this game as a CE, and I'm even less impressed with this SE, the Slavic creatures aren't very cute, the gameplay is predictable and far too simple. The Collector's Edition has 30 beautiful Ethereal Flowers to collect, and 30 Slavic Mythology Beast Cards to find throughout the game, and also has plenty of Achievements to earn as well.
The Hidden Object Scenes are not as impressive as the storyline however, in my opinion, the scenes are blurry and lack imagination or challenge. Most of the HOP's are either interactive silhouettes, or progressive silhouetted shape finds where you find the first item that matches the silhouetted shape and use the item back in the scene to expose the next item and so forth. Very basic, and very easy to complete, to make matters worse, the scenes aren't vivid or colorful, this is supposed to be a fairytale right?
The Mini Games aren't bad, but they are way too easy, therefore, it seemed to be a chore rather than an enjoyment. I've listed brief descriptions on some of the games you will encounter:
1) Connect identical symbols with an uninterrupted line.
2) Switch tokens until the image is complete.
3) Place the hands so they are connected by the same color on all sides.
4) Put parts in the proper places.
5) Move sections of the figure to make it resemble the picture shown.
2) Switch tokens until the image is complete.
3) Place the hands so they are connected by the same color on all sides.
4) Put parts in the proper places.
5) Move sections of the figure to make it resemble the picture shown.
The Collector's Edition has 12 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 23 replayable Mini Games, 5 Music Soundtracks, 6 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art pictures, 20 Cutscenes, Achievements, 30 Ethereal Flowers to collect, 30 hidden Mythical Creature Cards, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
Sable Maze: Soul Catcher Collector's Edition
After 20 years, you're ready to make peace with your brother's disappearance. But the spirit world has other plans for you... Welcome to the other side!
Overall rating
5
/
5
251 of 368 found this review helpful
Who Do You Want To See In The Underworld?
PostedDecember 31, 2015
pennmom36
from"How do you want to leave this world?" hopefully alive!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
July 27, 1995. This is a date the Warren family will never forget. It's been 20 years since young Darren disappeared from summer camp at Sullivan's River, his body was never found! Lately, Darren has been trying to reach out to Aaron in his dreams, he desperately needs his brother's help escaping the underworld. Aaron must return to Sullivan's River and enter the Maze to the underworld, but someone doesn't want him there and the spirits are restless, will Aaron make it through the maze, or join his brother in the underworld for the rest of eternity?
It seems like Sable Maze is getting creepier with each new release, but none of them seem to compare with the original.....until now! This game has some of the most clever Puzzles I've ever seen. Let's face it, the mini games can either make or break the game, and this one should earn an award for creativity! There are Morphing Jigsaw pieces, one in each scene to collect and assemble to create 4 different Screensavers. There are plenty of Achievements to earn, and several Plus Sign inventory items requiring some type of interaction with before using the item, some of which have puzzles to tinker with as well. There are also 10 Collectible Character Figures throughout the game.
The Hidden Object Scenes are just average, one of which is repeated in the same scene which really bothers me every time. There are only a few available in the demo itself, the first requires you to find 5 alike items on the left of the bar, and 5 different items on the right. When all 10 items have been found they will unlock two separate list columns. The next HOP is a progressive interactive list find followed by finding several Fragments in the same scene.You can opt to play a Match 3 game instead of the HOP's.
The Mini Games are either new or have a whole new twist on an older version, they are refreshing and entertaining, by far some of the best puzzles I can remember playing in a long time. Below are brief descriptions of some of the Mini Games you will encounter during the demo:
1) Restore the image by rotating the tiles but one tile affects other tiles.
2) Restore the map by choosing one of the three tiles on the left that fit into the next puzzle space and then choosing what column it belongs in.
3) Rotate the 3D image until it comes into focus then place the pieces correctly.
4) Slide the tokens into the slots matching the same color as the outlines.
5) Swap the skulls to complete the design behind them.
6) Raise all tiles to illuminate all tiles, one affects others.
7) Repair a net using thread of three different lengths.
8) Remove roses by jumping one another until only one remains.
9) Drag the Chain lock through a maze landing on buttons to open various gates blocking the paths.
10) Complete the center medallion by maneuvering the four jeweled tokens.
This Collector's Edition has 15 Developer's Diary pictures, 11 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, 10 Collectible Character Figures, 6 Match 3 levels, 6 Music Soundtracks, 37 Achievements, Collectible Morphing Puzzle pieces which will create 4 different Screensavers, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Travel to Greece, the home of western civilization and uncover the secrets of this beautiful country!
Overall rating
5
/
5
132 of 150 found this review helpful
Just Returned From Italy And I'm Off To Greece!
PostedDecember 30, 2015
pennmom36
fromThere's no riddle here, it's time to travel!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I really enjoyed playing this Match 3 Game tour through Greece. You can even read interesting facts about some of the well known attractions throughout the country. Most of the features are the same as Travel Riddles: Italy and Travel Riddles: India, the goal is to collect artifacts by "dropping" fragments off of the board as you make matches of at least 3 identical tiles. You can choose to play in a Timed mode or Relaxed mode, however you will not earn stars in the Relaxed mode.
Most of the levels have goals of matching a specific amount of a specific tile type, but some of the levels require you to make a specific amount of points or collect a specific amount of gold coins. Matches of 4 tiles will give you a diamond that can be used to match any other tile, and removing all diamonds will give you a better score. Matches of 5 tiles will earn a Mighty Bomb which clears a group of tiles on the board, and as you progress, other powerups will be available. You can purchase Power ups in the Shop with the coins you earn playing as well, and most of the bonuses have the capability of destroying blocked tiles such as chains or wooden crates. Time to check out Athens, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Go on a journey which will take you everywhere from damp prehistoric forests to the sultry deserts of ancient Egypt!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 8 found this review helpful
Green Moon
PostedDecember 30, 2015
pennmom36
fromI kinda need the ring AND the gemstone!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I admit that I gave up on this extremely challenging game about 15 minutes into the demo. Why? Because my brain hurts, there's barely a tutorial, there's no hint system whatsoever, there's not even a feature to point you in the right direction, and I couldn't figure out what to do within the zoomed in zones. The tutorial explains a few very basic features in the beginning. You can pick up certain items, but you must place them into the inventory bar yourself. The tutorial also shows you how to pick up the item from your inventory bar and use that item in the scene. The last thing it shows you is how to combine items, by placing one item into the inventory bar, then picking up the second item and placing the second item onto the same square as the first item which automatically combines the two items. (there's no indication marker on items that can be combined) That's it as far as the tutorial goes, everything else you must figure out on your own. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what to do once I found the item the zoom zone indicated I need. For example, the note in the zoom zone says the gemstone to the ring (also shown) is missing somewhere in the bedroom. I found the key to unlock the bedroom door, and I eventually found the gemstone in the bedroom but when I returned to the zoom zone I realized that the inventory bar isn't available, so I tried picking up the gemstone before I zoomed into the scene but that didn't work either. Finally I tried to pick up the empty ring itself to no avail, frustrated, I moved on to discovering new scenes. As soon as I came across the next zoom zone with the same dilemma, I cried Uncle and deleted the game!
I don't recommend this game.
Find hidden objects and follow the pages of Leonardo da Vinci`s diary which are full of secrets, knowledge, and codes!
Overall rating
1
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Great Secrets: DaVinci
PostedDecember 30, 2015
pennmom36
fromThese items weren't even available in the days of DaVinci
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This game is the same as Great Secrets: Nostradamus, there's nothing exciting about this Hidden Object Puzzle game, the graphics are grainy, the story is merely written pages of a diary, and the same scene is repeated four times before you get to move on to another scene. Granted each time you revisit the scene it's a different type of puzzle, the first is a typical listed item find, the second time you have to find 10 birds or 10 apples, the third time is a "spot the difference" puzzle where you find 10 differences between a split screen and the fourth and final time you revisit the scene you must flip over two cards at a time in a memory game where you must match identical images. This game was too boring to even finish the demo.
I don't recommend this game.