pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4721
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:June 22, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Who is trying to destroy the Kingdom of Barsia?
Overall rating
4
/
5
70 of 85 found this review helpful
Goldilocks And The Mechanical Bear
PostedDecember 20, 2015
pennmom36
fromThis game is just right
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Well Detective, you've managed to get yourself involved in a war between two kingdoms! It looks like the little boy didn't cry wolf when he told the story of finding an ancient artifact, a malevolent queen controlling mechanical beasts, and the beautiful Princess Leda who has a golden touch! Queen Valla of Barisa, has rallied her people for the eminent war at hand, but she may have an ulterior motive, is this truly a righteous war? Jack has beat you to the scene this time, but he's looking for something entirely different, a Shooting Star to grant wishes.....is this a fairytale or a reason for war?
I am disappointed, one of my favorite features in Dark Parables, have been the Morphing Objects. These were the really cool morphs, morphs that are triggered by a non-linear action that may not begin to morph until you are several scenes ahead, so you never knew! For whatever reason they have abandoned this feature, perhaps it's too difficult to program? At least they still have Parables! Parables are collectibles that tell a tale once all three sections of a Parable has been collected. The Collector's Edition has the addition of some very well hidden Snowflakes, 40 of them, and some of them are nearly impossible to find, the good news is that you get a chance to go back and find the ones you missed!
The Hidden Object Scenes are actually FROG's, a feature these games are famous for. The items you search for are actually fragments scattered cleverly about the scene. There are three different sections, and once you have found all the fragments the three sections will combine to give you the completed inventory item.
The Mini Games are always a treat, almost everything in the land of Dark Parables requires finding emblems, including the puzzles. Below are brief descriptions of the puzzles you will encounter during the game:
1) Rotate ruin stones correctly, turning one stone affects others.
2) Interact with the scene of the story Goldilocks.
3) Move tokens to designated spots at the bottom of the board using only spaces with the same shape.
4) Rotate cylinders to create a path for three different shapes from right to left.
1) Rotate ruin stones correctly, turning one stone affects others.
2) Interact with the scene of the story Goldilocks.
3) Move tokens to designated spots at the bottom of the board using only spaces with the same shape.
4) Rotate cylinders to create a path for three different shapes from right to left.
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 6 Concept Art pictures, 9 Music Soundtracks, 21 replayable Puzzles, 20 replayable FROGS, 14 Movie trailers, 11 Achievements, 40 Hidden Snowflakes, Collectible Parables, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Adventure (with bad boy Jack!) Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Your long-lost relatives are excited to welcome you to the family… or are they?
Overall rating
5
/
5
316 of 377 found this review helpful
Am I Dead?
PostedDecember 17, 2015
pennmom36
fromHello.......I'm at the bottom of this well.......oh noooo, don't close the lid!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Cousin Patrick has put together a family reunion to be held at the deteriorating Ward Estate. A storm front is fast approaching this gargoyle adorned creep fest, but the Ward family inside might prove to be just as tempestuous. Meet Claude Ward, the famous composer, Norman Ward the burly hunter, Lisbeth Ward a painter, and a very good one, and Abigail Ward, an Herbalist. You've never met these family members before, where have they been all these years? The closer it gets to midnight, the weider these relatives become, you begin to hear voices whispering and when you follow them into a room, they simply disappear! Patrick is acting stranger by the minute too, what's going on here?
I'm still a Phantasmat fan, the games in this series just get better and better, (but I still love the original story the best) This game will not disappoint you, the graphics are stunning, and what a great story! There are 42 Collectible Rocking Horses, 20 Morphing Objects, and plenty of Achievements to earn. This CE has all the goodies you could ever want.
The Hidden Object Scenes are just as creepy as the Ward family, with a variety of styles to please just about any HOP fan. There are multiple finds that open up a tool of some sort to be used upon the item shown which will then open up a listed item finds. Some have small puzzles to solve, silhouetted shape finds and even progressive interactive finds where you find the first item and use that item interactively in the scene to expose the next item and so forth. There is an optional Match 3 game as well.
The Mini Games are decent, but tend to be on the side of easy and not very complex. Below is a list with brief descriptions of some of the games you will encounter within the demo:
1) Drag tiles and rearrange them to form a complete image on three cylinders.
2) Select symbols and bells in the correct order.
3) Spin outer and inner circles to form an image.
4) Put moths in their correct places to match their descriptions, then select the numbers on the panel to match the result of each equation.
5) Drog all matching plates into the correct areas based on their symbols, using arrows.
6) Select a clock hand and select any of the two rotation buttons to move it, and arrange them so that the hands are in the correct quarters based on the picture.
2) Select symbols and bells in the correct order.
3) Spin outer and inner circles to form an image.
4) Put moths in their correct places to match their descriptions, then select the numbers on the panel to match the result of each equation.
5) Drog all matching plates into the correct areas based on their symbols, using arrows.
6) Select a clock hand and select any of the two rotation buttons to move it, and arrange them so that the hands are in the correct quarters based on the picture.
This Collector's Edition has 10 Music Soundtracks, 16 Videos, 7 Characters, a Souvenir Room, 8 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art pictures, 42 Collectible Rocking Horses, 20 Morphing Objects, 14 Achievements, 20 replayable Puzzles, 18 replayable HOP's, replayable Match 3 games, Bonus Videos, a Bonus Chapter and a built in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Enjoy 120 unique levels of holiday solitaire! Ho-ho-ho Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Overall rating
3
/
5
61 of 75 found this review helpful
Santa Doesn't Like Match Two Solitaire
PostedDecember 16, 2015
pennmom36
fromI will give this game credit, it's difficult to get enough matches for a perfect score.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
The Chronicles of Emerland Solitaire
(147)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Matching two identical cards in a solitaire game is nothing more than a Mahjong game, and it's just not that much fun. Everything is the same, nothing has changed other than the title of this game. You can choose between two modes of difficulty, Newbie which allows you to replay any hand and Professional which only allows you to replay the entire 10 level pack. There are 12 Rooms available and each room has 10 levels, and you must score enough points in order to progress to the next room. The goal is to remove all Gold cards which will give you a perfect score even if other cards remain. Some cards are bonus cards which give you 499 points, a Joker, Shuffle or a free undo, but you can always purchase these bonuses in the Shop. There is a Multiplier bar which fills with every pair of cards matched to give you more points, and the scenes and music are Christmas themed for the holidays. This type of solitaire isn't my favorite, I prefer the Higher/Lower solitaire game, however if you like this Match two type solitaire then this might be your cup of tea.
Travel with Ben in his journey through dreams and unravel the mystery of his late wife Elizabeth.
Overall rating
5
/
5
184 of 206 found this review helpful
Sometimes Dreams Influence Our Lives
PostedDecember 16, 2015
pennmom36
fromThis cat needs a vet appointment, and soon!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The games that we are offered every Thursday and Saturday, seem to be getting easier and easier. It feels like I'm just going through the motions and able to solve the HOP's and Mini games without giving them much thought. Half the time I know what the plot is and how it will end, perhaps it's because I have played so many games, perhaps it's because the devs are becoming lax. What I liked about this game, was the challenge it offered me, no map to tell me where I have an active task, and the mini games seems to challenge me without frustrating me. The Hidden Object scenes are actually progressive FROG's and I must say, they too were surprisingly challenging! This isn't going to win the game of the year award, the graphics are really good, not fantastic, the storyline isn't new, but it hasn't been played to death.
This game is about The Last Dream. A mourning husband has recurring dreams about his wife Elizabeth who died in a car accident. He is contacted by Elizabeth who is trying to connect with the love of her life, explaining she has found a way for them to be together, that the journey will be difficult, and that Love always has obstacles to overcome. (a powerful message to say the least) The game can be a bit weird at times, for starters, you befriend a talking cat (alice and wonderland?) and the game shifts between his dreams and his realities. There are 23 Achievements to earn including 10 Dreamcatcher achievement moments, 7 items to make your talking cat's life more comfortable and 10 Collectible Photo's.
Play this game with an open mind, I think you might enjoy the change of pace and a little bit of a challenge to boot, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Friends always manage because they stick together, no matter what!
Overall rating
3
/
5
38 of 39 found this review helpful
Repetitive Game That Quickly Grows Old
PostedDecember 15, 2015
pennmom36
fromThe crane operation made me dizzy
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I had no problems with the navigation controls using a magic mouse so I cannot elaborate on the problems other reviewers had. To move the characters through the maze, you have to Right Click, and Left Click when you want the character to pick up something or use their individual skill set. The first level is a mandatory tutorial, but it walks you step by step, and shows you what skill set the characters have that will allow all of them to escape the maze. The problem is, you have to guide each character one at a time through the level, and if one character dies, you have to start all over, so if 3 characters have made it through and the fourth one dies, you have to go back to the beginning and start with the first character again.
Each character has a particular skill set that the others do not, you will have to choose which characters to start with so that they all make it through the level. The Mouse (you can choose either the male or female mouse at the beginning) is the only character that can operate the levers that open doorways. Louis the Rooster has a shield that allows him to protect everyone from flying projectiles, but once he leaves, the projectiles can harm the others. Eurofant the Elephant can blow obstacles away with his powerful trunk, and Bockli the goat can jump over pits and traps, then he can activate some traps to be filled in when he finds a Swiss Army knife. You will have to first move the character into position, then click on the character and the task at hand to activate their skills.
The graphics are awesome, but the game has complicated navigations and repetitive tasks which makes the game not so fun.
I don't recommend this game.
Get ready for an exciting journey to visit Santa Claus! 120 fun griddlers await you in Christmas Griddlers: Journey to Santa!
Overall rating
3
/
5
35 of 42 found this review helpful
Why Can't These Grids Depict A Picture Of Something, Anything?
PostedDecember 15, 2015
pennmom36
fromAt this rate, I'll never find Santa!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Gizmos: Spirit Of The Christmas
(17)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The only feature this griddler game has going for it, is the level of challenge, which becomes quite difficult within a few levels. Other than that, this game has nothing to offer, no vibrant colors, there's only one single color, there's no option available to automatically mark off correct cells or auto fill cells, and above all, the finished puzzles are just random shapes, there's no storyline here folks!
There are two Training rooms available, Beginner which has 7 levels and is designed for people who have never played this type of game, and an Expert single level refresher course for those who haven't played this game in a while. The Adventure itself (where's the story?) has 6 Rooms, and each room has 20 grids within. You can purchase three different bonuses to help you, Two starting hints, The right to make a mistake X3, and Refill the hints on this level. You can earn up to three stars per replayable level, a star is deducted for each mistake you make, and correctly filled cells yield coins or bonus hints. There's just nothing exciting about this game, try Gizmo or Fantasy Mosaics games which are fantastic.
I don't recommend this game.
Join our heroines Lily and Madison as they follow a series of clues about a recent string of chilling murders.
Overall rating
4
/
5
129 of 152 found this review helpful
At First I Hated This Game.....
PostedDecember 15, 2015
pennmom36
fromCompare apples to apples, this isn't a CE and won't hold a candle to a CE
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
When I began playing this retro Click and Drag game, I thought to myself, "self, this is another horrible HdO game with poor graphics" But that quickly changed once I discovered how challenging the game actually was. You play the part of Madison, the sister of the Natural History museum's curator, Dr. Lily Avery who was murdered after discovering a pendant that allows you to travel back in time. You must switch back and forth in time as you are tasked with finding items that will allow you to reach your sister Lily to warn her of the upcoming danger she faces.
Yes, the graphics aren't very good, the Hidden Object scenes are very simple, and the mini games are easy too, but I found myself challenged with what to do next or where to find items I needed, and I really liked the challenge. All of the scenes can be zoomed into, as well as drug around so that you can find arrows leading to a different scene. You will be given blueprints of the items to find in order to progress, and then you need to figure out where to use the items.
I know most gamers will hate this old style game, but you might change your mind if you ignore the simplistic graphics and get into the storyline and the challenge it presents, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
A Christmas atmosphere on every level! Are you ready to dive into a winter fairytale? Complete 120 unique levels of Mahjong!
Overall rating
3
/
5
51 of 55 found this review helpful
Same Ole Same Ole
PostedDecember 14, 2015
pennmom36
fromMERRY MAHJONG
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Well there's not a whole lot you can change about a classic Mahjong game, and this game is no different than the hundreds of other Mahjong game available. This game has 6 different rooms from Novice to GrandMaster with a total of 120 different levels. You can choose from 3 Tile settings, one of which has a Christmas theme.The goal is to match identical tiles that aren't blocked by other tiles, and all gold tiles must be removed. You score points for each pair you remove, the faster you remove tiles the more points you receive. Removing silver tiles will refill the Shuffle bonus immediately and there is an icon that allows you to shade unavailable tiles. You must remove all gold tiles, score a specific amount of points and remove all gold tiles within a specific amount of moves or within a specific amount of time, allowing for a three gold star achievement on a perfect score.
I recommend this game!
Help friendly ghosts celebrate Christmas! They don't know how to do it and have less than a month to get prepared!
Overall rating
5
/
5
134 of 148 found this review helpful
It's Christmas Time In Laruaville!
PostedDecember 14, 2015
pennmom36
fromTime to build a snowman!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Those friendly ghosts have returned and they want to learn how to celebrate Christmas. First things first they need the Scientist's help, and he will need a place to stay. You'll need to earn money to decorate Laruaville by playing Match 3 games.
The goal of every level is to collect coins by making matches next to them. Some coins are covered in fog, some blocked by stones, some blocked by wood, and some coins are covered in dirt. Making matches next to the obstacles at least once will clear them away. Matches of 3 earns you a star bomb, larger matches give you a bigger explosion to help clear the board. After a few levels you will play a game of Mahjong where you can place a tile of your choice into a holding slot to unblock tiles.
You can play this game in a Relaxed mode, a limited Time mode or a limited Moves mode, either way this is a very entertaining Match 3 series and I highly recommend all four Laruaville games, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Enjoy this classic game in new 3D environment! Play against the machine or friends. Ludo Master is fun for all ages guaranteed!
Overall rating
1
/
5
19 of 22 found this review helpful
Some Games Just Don't Convert Well To The Virtual World
PostedDecember 13, 2015
pennmom36
fromWho's Ludo?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I remember playing this classic board game when I was a kid, my mother was a pro, and won every time, but that's okay, it taught me that you can't always win, it taught me to think more strategically. I enjoyed playing this board game as a kid, but this virtual game version is boring! Perhaps it's because I was just a kid the last time I played it, but whatever the reason, this game has nothing exciting going for it, it's just a simple board with a few colorful pegs and a poor tutorial.
There are 8 different Backgrounds available, 4 Board layout options, 4 Cursor styles to choose from, a Fixed camera setting and you can disable the GFX for a smoother running game. Players take turn (or computer) in a clockwise order, you must roll a 6 on the die before your player can move. If no legal move can be made, you forfeit your turn, if your player lands on another player's spot, that player's piece must start over. The person to whose four pieces reach home first wins. My recommendation is to dust off the original board game, call all the kids to the table and play a good old fashioned game of parcheesi, while you're at it try the game of life, sorry, ladders and chutes, or even twister!
I don't recommend this game.