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:
After being contacted by a secret organization of elite mystery solvers, you're sent out in the field to prove your skills. This job interview may be your last!
Overall rating
2
/
5
122 of 147 found this review helpful
Only A Total Eclipse Can Help This Game
PostedDecember 27, 2015
pennmom36
fromWait a minute....is this supposed to be a comedy? Now it makes sense!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The storyline is certainly creative, it's based upon the fact that you saved the neighbors baby from a burning house, yea! Then a mysterious man in a fedora and cloak, hands you a business card, with little information other than your heroic deed qualified you for a position in their secret society, The Curio Society! Of course we show up to the undercover society building disguised as an antiquity shop and a woman resembling the detective from New York Mysteries greets you and welcomes you to the "society" I must now prove my worthiness, (probably for the HR dept) I find several items in a HOP, play a simple Mini Game, and viola! I've just nailed this interview, and I'm a full fledged agent.....where's my gargoyle cannon?!? It gets better, I discover a "special" suitcase that can tell me everything I want to know about anything and everything (technically only things that will fit into the suitcase) after solving a quick jigsaw variation puzzle, the suitcase spits out a polaroid picture. So that tells me nothing about the item, I put in a gargoyle figurine, and I get a picture of an angel figurine in return. I thought it was supposed to tell me everything about that object. Oh well, good thing I recognized the angel statue as the same angel statue hanging on the wall of the Curio Society, so I place the picture upon the statue and low and behold, my ride has just been activated! Is it a sweet batmobile? Nope, it's a Hot Air Balloon! Do I arrive at my destination in time to save the world? Who knows how long it's gonna take on this puppy, do I even know how to operate one of these? The answer is no, because I have to make a crash landing, luckily, it landed me smack dab in the middle of Mesina, exactly where I needed to be(which btw I was able to find with my handy constellation map, good thing it was nighttime) helping Lara Croft rid the world of gargoyles with a diamond fueled cannon! (why didn't I get one of those, did I not pass the same test, are we not Curio Brethren? ) Let's fast forward to the evil dude Ignotus, with an evil agenda, who glides through the air just like Peter Pan with one leg slightly bent. This guy is as scary as it get's, after all he was the most powerful magicians of Ancient Rome, and he's got a thing for gargoyles. For whatever reason, he chooses only gargoyle statues to bring to life. Did ancient Romans even know what a gargoyle was, wouldn't it make more sense to work his evil magic on that lion statue?
I have no desire to purchase this game, there's nothing to set this game apart from all the other games, archaeologists mistakenly awaken an ancient evil magician, evil magician brings statues to life to help him conquer the modern world, average joe is the only person who can stop him etc etc etc.
I don't recommend this game.
Reclaim a stolen artifact to crush the threat to your kingdom!
Overall rating
5
/
5
136 of 147 found this review helpful
Hero Has A Brand New Adventure!
PostedDecember 26, 2015
pennmom36
fromDid the Moai have backpacks?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
While traveling the world in a hot air balloon, Hero crashed into the island of Tapa-tui, where he met and married, Bright Light the Chieftain's beautiful daughter. Hero's adventures continued when he himself became the Chieftain of Tapa-tui after the death of Bright Lights father. Tapa-tui is a peaceful and tranquil village, but Hero must establish trade with the nearby territory of Mata-fiki, in order to keep up with the resource demands of his people.
I love the Moai series, the graphics are exceptional (for a TM game of course) the tasks are clear and obtainable, and there's always a nice variety of features, however, I don't see the need to present a Time Management game as a Collector's Edition. The only feature even remotely beneficial would be the built in Strategy Guide, but it's very difficult to get "stuck" on a TM level, after all you can replay any level as often as you want, so to me, it's really a waste of money unless you've just gotta have a few wallpapers and a few extra levels. (100 levels total throughout the game. That's just my opinion, but personally, I'll wait for the Standard Edition to be released to purchase.
There are two modes of difficulty available, Easy mode which is untimed for a relaxing experience the other is Casual which is designed for gamers familiar with TM games. There are a whopping 56 Achievements to earn, including the Tikku-ana Locket which is activated when you complete every level with a gold medal. Each level has tresure chests available which contain valuable artifacts and bonuses such as the Sandals of Speed which give the moai a little more speed to get the job done. There are 24 different Artifacts to earn that increase resources by a specific percentage. The Artifacts are kept in your backpack and you can choose a handful to apply before each level if you choose.
This Collector's Edition has 4 Wallpapers (which are cartoonish in style) 9 Music Soundtracks, 14 Character Biographies, Bonus Levels, and a built in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
When an age spell drains your vitality, will you save your family?
Overall rating
5
/
5
279 of 339 found this review helpful
A New "Age" Of Darkness
PostedDecember 24, 2015
pennmom36
fromSpirit of Oblivion, that goes hand in hand with that age curse don't ya think!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Witches' Legacy has turned the page, giving us a new chapter and a whole new adventure. The devs have done a wonderful job morphing the saga of Lynn Watson into a completely new storyline, without straying too far from the original plot. Jack has just arrived at his mom's house for dinner, only to find utter chaos. Her exotic plants have become somewhat intimidating, with big eyes and even bigger teeth, poor mom has been cursed with an aging spell (me too!) and little sister Nikki has been stolen by Cassandra the witch! Cassandra has no use for you, so you too receive the curse that causes your body to rapidly deteriorate until you're merely dust in the wind! You must find the strength to defeat this darkness before your frail aging body can no longer function......
I really appreciate the fact that the features from the previous games have remained, there are 36 Collectible Puzzle Pieces that will form four different jigsaw puzzles that can be set as screensavers, and there are 34 Morphing objects to discover as well. I also enjoyed how the story intertwined with the original story, linking them together flawlessly. The graphics aren't over the top fantastic, but, they are decent, and the cinematics are very well done. Since the Imp (once family dog) belongs to Lynn, we get Bertha the ferret (once human) to help us out during the adventure, and there are several Achievements to earn as well.
The Hidden Object Scenes are quite entertaining, there are several "zoom zone" puzzles, typical in this series where you are tasked with finding six fragments, items, or six symbols needed in the zoom zone, by searching the scene outside of the zoom. The HOP's are presented in several stages, first you may need to find four items that match the shapes shown, which will open up an interactive list, and when each list section has been found there will be fragments given to assemble, almost every section will give you bits and pieces of the story's background. You can also opt for a game of Mahjong if you're not into Hidden Object Puzzles.
The Mini Games were a bit of a disappointment for me because they all seem way to easy with no complexity at all, but they aren't bad puzzles, they're just easy puzzles to solve. I've listed brief descriptions on some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Place gears to form a continuous chain reaction, then select the gears in the correct order lit as demonstrated.
2) Melt skull tokens using amber tokens with directional arrows.
3) Place square tiles correctly to form two separate pictures.
This Collector's Edition has 9 Wallpapers, 4 Screensavers, 9 Concept Art pictures, 3 Music Soundtracks, 12 Achievements, 36 Hidden Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces, 4 Jigsaw Puzzles, 34 Morphing Objects, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Why would anyone want to stop Christmas from coming?
Overall rating
5
/
5
116 of 131 found this review helpful
Puss In Boots Is Just Misunderstood!
PostedDecember 23, 2015
pennmom36
fromOnce you feed a kitten, it's yours, so what happens after Christmas?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
It's Christmas Evening, not a creature was stirring, except for that cute cuddly kitten shivering on your doorstep! Aaahh, but magic is in the air, and you soon find out that Simon is no ordinary cat, he is one of Santa's helpers, he can talk, and he can walk just like you and I, and he needs help saving Christmas! A thief has stolen the Magic Christmas star in Catstown, without the star, the magic of Christmas won't happen!
Christmas Stories has delivered a purrfect game this year. Puss-In-Boots will tug at your heartstrings and engulf you in a fantastical storyline, like a good book, you won't be able to stop until the very end. My only complaint, is with the graphics, although they are decent, they are nowhere near the quality of the Nutcracker eye candy. Simon will join you on your investigation to nab the star thief, and proves himself invaluable when it comes to retrieving items only a walking, talking cat could accomplish. Some inventory items have Snowflakes above them, indicating some type of interaction is required before the item can be used, some of which involve solving a puzzle of some sort. The Collector's Edition has the addition of 12 Morphing Objects that morph between a cat and a mouse, and there are 36 Hidden Puzzle pieces that will create 3 different Screensavers once completed.
The Hidden Object Scenes cover just about every different type, Interactive List finds, Multiples of each item finds, Silhouetted Shape finds, finding items that match keywords in a story, and even scenes that require you to pick up items from the inventory bar and place them into the scene where they belong.
The Mini Games are a delight, however, they are all really easy to complete, but keep in mind that Christmas Stories games are intended for family fun, a game that can be enjoyed by young and old. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you will encounter:
1) Find pairs of matching constellations in three sections.
2) Put torn photo fragments together.
3) Select ring sections and use directional arrows to complete an ornament.
4) Spot the Difference between a photo and the scene.
5) Throw snowballs when the indicator is in the green zone.
6) Use weights to move clock hands to the correct time.
7) Move a feather duster around to clear dust.
8) Color the image to match it's twin.
9) Guide a ball through a maze using directional arrows in an allotted amount of moves.
10) Press cash register buttons in the correct order by trial and error.
11) Use a Looking Glass to find tools hidden in each scene.
2) Put torn photo fragments together.
3) Select ring sections and use directional arrows to complete an ornament.
4) Spot the Difference between a photo and the scene.
5) Throw snowballs when the indicator is in the green zone.
6) Use weights to move clock hands to the correct time.
7) Move a feather duster around to clear dust.
8) Color the image to match it's twin.
9) Guide a ball through a maze using directional arrows in an allotted amount of moves.
10) Press cash register buttons in the correct order by trial and error.
11) Use a Looking Glass to find tools hidden in each scene.
The Collector's Edition has 24 Achievements, 12 Morphing Objects, 3 Screensavers, 36 hidden Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces, a Secret Room, 17 Concept Art pictures, 15 Wallpapers, 5 Music Soundtracks, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
After the Smiths' naughty kitten gets carried away and accidentally damages the Christmas tree lights, it's up to you to return them to their former glory in this colorful mosaics puzzle game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
48 of 57 found this review helpful
It's No "Fantasy" But It Beats Yesterday's Mosaic
PostedDecember 23, 2015
pennmom36
fromOh what fun it is to grid....
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Merry Christmas griddler fans! This game doesn't hold a candle to the Fantasy Mosaic games, but it does have some interesting features. For starters, there is an Expert mode, and it does allow you to switch between three different colors. There are also several power-up bonuses available, the Eye will open up a random right square, the Hammer allows you to choose a single tile to open, and the Grid feature allows you to choose a grid area to open without a negative outcome. The completed puzzles will create a Christmas themed image such as a Christmas tree or Santa himself.
With the coins you earn, you can decorate the Christmas Tree starting with ornaments of different colors and eventually other decorations are unlocked as you progress. After a few levels you get to play a game of Mahjong, matching Christmas ornaments, to earn more coins. You can earn up to three gold stars per level and there are 10 different Achievements to earn, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Can you expand Fruits Inc. to become the most impressive fruit company of all time?
Overall rating
1
/
5
24 of 26 found this review helpful
Basic And Generic
PostedDecember 22, 2015
pennmom36
fromGot milk?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Haunted Domains
(48)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
After reading so many poor reviews, I had a hard time making myself play this Time Management game to find out for myself whether or not it was really that bad......yes, it's that bad. It's not fun, there's nothing to keep your interest, it's a generic, game, nothing more! Basically you purchase apple trees, apricot trees, grape and strawberry plants. You drag the desired plant to an open plot (according to the goals) wait till they mature, wait till they produce, then load in the truck to sell at market. As you progress, you will need to buy factories that will be able to convert the fruit to juice, and drag the fruit to the appropriate factory and the juice that's produced gets dragged to the truck. Some fruits are worth more than others and some juices are worth more than others. There are 32 Achievements to earn as well. There are much better TM games available, pass this one up!
I don't recommend this game.
Are you ready to set off on a journey right now? Visit seven famous global tourist cities in Jigsaw World Tour 4!
Overall rating
4
/
5
56 of 65 found this review helpful
Travel The World One Jigsaw At A Time
PostedDecember 22, 2015
pennmom36
fromThe Hawaii pics remind me of the song, Someone to Lava
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I've always been a jigsaw junkie, but my least favorite puzzles are pictures of buildings, therefore I wasn't as thrilled with this game. There are 7 boxes available, each box has 100 different puzzles from Toronto, Berlin, Edinburgh, Hawaii, Moscow, Madrid and Vienna. The puzzles range in size from 12 pieces to 247, however you can modify any puzzle for the number of pieces you want, the shape of the puzzle piece and even whether or not you want to be able to rotate the pieces. You can earn trophies and compete for top scores too. Each puzzle has several tools, a box to store some of the pieces in to keep the board uncluttered, you can choose to have just the border pieces shown until the border is complete and there is a sort button but I prefer to sort the pieces myself. You can choose to ghost the pictures image on the background or hang a picture in three different sizes, as well as the color of the background in blue, pink, green or gray. There are tools to help such as a magnifying glass and you can use the hint icon to show you two pieces that connect together. So, grab a cup of java and relax....you don't have to worry about coffee spills on these jigsaws, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Join Elly Cooper as she is unexpectedly thrown into an adventure that takes her around the world.
Overall rating
4
/
5
34 of 39 found this review helpful
What A Woman!
PostedDecember 22, 2015
pennmom36
fromYahtzee!
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
Returning home from a voyage to England, Elly Cooper receives a mysterious letter from her rich daddy Henry, apologizing for not greeting her but he desperately needs to see her at lunch. Her father gives her a bracelet from her childhood and explains that he needs her to board a locomotive right away to help him out, but he really can't go into details just yet. She doesn't make it to the train station before she's met danger, but Elly Cooper is a strong woman who'll let nothing stand in her way of a good mystery!
This game really isn't that bad, the story is intriguing, and you can choose which locations you want to investigate on the map. There are 55 Collectible O-Coins that unlock special Achievements and games in the "extras" section of the game. I actually played the game Yacht several times which is a game of dice.
The Hidden Object Scenes are simple list finds, and some of the items are indeed small or partially hidden, but I really didn't have any problems finding the items as some reviewers reported. There are also several mini games available such as lock picking, nothing really new, but still entertaining. I suggest you give the demo a try because this appears to be one of those games people either love or hate, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
The ancients have disappeared, leaving behind mysterious mosaics, whose secrets only you can unravel!
Overall rating
2
/
5
65 of 71 found this review helpful
Bah Humbug
PostedDecember 22, 2015
pennmom36
fromThis is a lump of coal
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Fantasy Mosaics 6: Into the Unknown
(20)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
There are two types of mosaics available, pic-a-pix which is your typical mosaic puzzle where you fill in cells based upon the numbers located on each column and row, and fill-a-pix where you are given number values on the grid and you fill in the correct boxes based on logic. There is a story associated with each type and the mosaics do actually form a picture when completed (not on fill-a-pix) such as a tower, a shield, a magic wand and even the devil.
What I disliked about this game was that the cells are peach colored and the colors that fill in the cells are very bland with pale shades that look very similar to the peach colored cells which at times make it extremely difficult to tell which cells have been filled. You don't get to choose a color one by one, they just fill in with several random and unappealing colors. I found myself making mistakes because of the pale color choices, therefore I just didn't get any enjoyment out of this game.
I don't recommend this game.
The time for winter wonders begins with Christmas Mosaic Puzzle! 120 unique and exciting puzzles for any age!
Overall rating
5
/
5
65 of 71 found this review helpful
Winter Wonderful!
PostedDecember 21, 2015
pennmom36
from#Grrrr Mondays
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
I love mosaics, and what could be better than Christmas themed mosaics with so many materials to work with, wood, cloth, paper, stone, metal, glass and gems! I will admit, it can be really frustrating to finish these progressively difficult puzzles within the allotted time and without making mistakes, but there is a Relaxed mode if you're not in the mood for a speed driven game.
The object of this game is to replace the missing mosaic fragments with the pieces offered on the right side. To earn 3 stars you must finish the puzzle without any mistakes and within the allotted time. You can replay the level as often as you want, but the puzzle pieces offered will change each time. You can buy more hints or add 30 seconds to the time with the coins you earn. Another interesting feature with these games is that they have a left hand option, enjoy!
I recommend this game!