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:
The ghostly figure of Amadeus still graces Godesberg - solve riddles and find hidden objects in the Opera House.
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas
PostedSeptember 19, 2015
pennmom36
fromWhy does the Apprentice mode get an alternate ending?
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
3
/
5
This unusual game is just like Forgotten Riddle: Mayan Princess, but for me, the storyline isn't as interesting. The town of Godesberg is where the famous Moonlight Opera House and home to composer Francis von Amadeus, is located. Neighbors can still hear beautiful music coming from the decaying walls of the Opera House which has been abandoned for many decades. When there is a full moon, a ghostly figure can be seen on the second story balcony, so the city has given you access to the late composer's documents including a journal filled with riddles that correspond to the buildings many chambers to unlock the mysteries of the Opera House.
You must choose a location within the building to explore, and click on the treble clef tiles for riddles. Each riddle corresponds to an object within the scene to locate. If you chose the Archaeologist mode of difficulty, you have a limited number of hints and 45 minutes on the timer to solve all riddles within each room for each level. In Apprentice mode, you receive more time, more hints and there is an alternate ending.
Some of the rooms have puzzle type scenes where you have to take items shown on the inventory bar, and place them correctly into the scene. There are also scenes where you solve the riddles by choosing the correct scene either past or present by using a toggling switch. This isn't a typical Hidden Object Game, but it's a nice change of pace to have to think about the item you are looking for, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
A magic bear summons you to help save the neighboring kingdom of Nypha.
Overall rating
4
/
5
46 of 53 found this review helpful
The Princess Popsicle
PostedSeptember 19, 2015
pennmom36
from"Come with us, or else!" Or else what? S&B take a deep breath, this isn't a NO war
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Whenever evil awakens, rare objects challenge the great tide of darkness. If an artifact ends up in the wrong hands, who knows what could happen. An omen has appeared to you in what you thought was a dream, but this wise and magnificent beast was no dream, he's as real as the message he brings! You must restore the balance that has been disturbed, you must save the Princess of the neighboring kingdom of Nypha who has been imprisoned in an icy tower, her fate is connected to the fate of your kingdom as well!
Your Fire-Wielding powers have given you and the bear bearing bad news a unique connection, with a powerful armored claw that gives you the power to recognize magical arcane items and interact with them. The protection bracelet creates a magical barrier around you, and each time you find an arcane item such as the Iron Axe capable of stopping anything, you can activate the item with the bear claw in the form of a Match 3 type game. This game requires you to select and connect at least three gems of the same color, using a continuous line vertically, horizontally and diagonally until you have collected a specific number of each colored gem. The Collector's Edition has the addition of 44 Collectible Hidden Crowns, 15 Achievements to earn and Morphing Objects available within the Hidden Object Scenes.
The Hidden Object Puzzles vary, some require you to find coins which will uncover the interactive list finds, some require key words to be matched in a scene that are given one sentence at a time as a story about the early years in the kingdom of Nypha, and some require finding misplaced items and returning them to the correct place in the scene. There are also small HOS within zoomed in zones where you are tasked with finding 5 keys by opening up cabinets and drawers, and then you match the identical keys which leaves you with the oddball winning key. The Collector's Edition has the addition of a Morphing Object in each HOP.
The Mini Games aren't bad, but nothing new really. Some of the games within the demo are:
1) Opening a drawer by clicking until the correct symbols are displayed.
2) Choosing the correct identical item out of 4 slightly different choices to match the original as shown in the occularium.
3) Building a sled out of a shield, blanket and ropes and guiding the sled down a snow filled embankment by using right and left directional arrows to avoid obstacles. (note: if you crash, you start all over from the beginning)
4) Choosing the correct icon above each of four men that relate to the item they have already told you they love in a roundabout way.
5) Matching symbols on a group of bandits to those found on your Shield and Axe as each man advances towards you.
6) Selecting circles to rotate and align them so that the slots in all circles are vertical.
7) Clicking on a ball to throw a grappling hook when the ball is in the green zone that narrows with each throw, an choosing the correct step to take on a crumbling ledge.
1) Opening a drawer by clicking until the correct symbols are displayed.
2) Choosing the correct identical item out of 4 slightly different choices to match the original as shown in the occularium.
3) Building a sled out of a shield, blanket and ropes and guiding the sled down a snow filled embankment by using right and left directional arrows to avoid obstacles. (note: if you crash, you start all over from the beginning)
4) Choosing the correct icon above each of four men that relate to the item they have already told you they love in a roundabout way.
5) Matching symbols on a group of bandits to those found on your Shield and Axe as each man advances towards you.
6) Selecting circles to rotate and align them so that the slots in all circles are vertical.
7) Clicking on a ball to throw a grappling hook when the ball is in the green zone that narrows with each throw, an choosing the correct step to take on a crumbling ledge.
The Collector's Edition has 44 Collectible Crowns, 19 Morphing Items (within the HOP's) 15 Achievements, 19 replayable HOP's, 9 Music Soundtracks, 27 Characters, the Making Of, 16 Wallpapers, a Jigsaw Puzzle, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter. Although I liked the abundance of the CE better, the graphics and cinematics of this game are stunning with High Definition quality, apparent from the get go which really sets this game apart from others, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
A criminal organization searching for an ancient treasure shot your partner!
Overall rating
4
/
5
175 of 228 found this review helpful
Fantastic Knights Crusaders Storyline
PostedSeptember 19, 2015
pennmom36
fromIf Natalie has Alfred's communicator, how did Alfred send her a message?
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
I beta tested this game several months back, I love the storyline but something about the gameplay itself falls flat. The best way I can describe it, is that it's kind of like a B rated movie with those typical awkward camera angles, like it was filmed with a camcorder. The characters are almost lifelike, but cartoonish at the same time, with not so great lip syncing. I can overlook all of this because I appreciate it when devs think outside the box and try different styles, you make no progress when you don't try. In my opinion, there are too many HOP's and not enough bling to qualify for a decent Collector's Edition.
This is a Detective game that delves deep into secret societies, the Knight's Templar want's to protect the legendary Blue Veil chest, which supposedly contains a map of great importance, and the elusive Shadows want to possess the Blue Veil for it's wealth. When your partner Jason Palmer becomes "unavailable" you are thrust into this investigation not knowing who to trust.....with good reason!
The Hidden Object Puzzles are all the same, and just about every scene has one. They are listed item finds with several of the items requiring an interaction that progresses. For example, you pick up a knife and zoom into a teddy bear that has something sewn inside, you use the knife to open up the threads and expose an item that is used on another item which exposes another item and so forth. They are entertaining but not very challenging. You can opt for a game of Mahjong instead, but Mahjong is too boring.
The Mini Games are not bad, some are old standards, others are either newer or have a new take on an old standard.
1) Swapping square sections of a circuit board so that all the color coded current lines match up.
2) Using arrows to rotate tumblers to find the correct combination of images that has been written in your journal.
3) Turning on a series of lights in order from top to bottom by following the wires from the light to the correct switch.
4) Locating 5 Diamonds, 5 Fleur-de-lis, 5 Spears, 5 Stars, 5 Flowers and 5 Crescent Moons hidden within several sketched drawings. (one of my favorites)
5) Following steps to create a library card, such as taking a photo with a camera, cropping the picture and using items in a specific order.
6) Connecting each Node to as many nodes as indicated on the individual nodes themselves.
7) Swapping Gems into the correct order so that they reach their matching slots when you click to activate the machine.
1) Swapping square sections of a circuit board so that all the color coded current lines match up.
2) Using arrows to rotate tumblers to find the correct combination of images that has been written in your journal.
3) Turning on a series of lights in order from top to bottom by following the wires from the light to the correct switch.
4) Locating 5 Diamonds, 5 Fleur-de-lis, 5 Spears, 5 Stars, 5 Flowers and 5 Crescent Moons hidden within several sketched drawings. (one of my favorites)
5) Following steps to create a library card, such as taking a photo with a camera, cropping the picture and using items in a specific order.
6) Connecting each Node to as many nodes as indicated on the individual nodes themselves.
7) Swapping Gems into the correct order so that they reach their matching slots when you click to activate the machine.
This Collector's Edition has Concept Art, Wallpapers, Original Score, Bonus Movies, a built in Strategy Guide, and a Bonus Adventure, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Solve the riddles surrounding ancient artifacts to uncover what really happened to the last known royal Mayan family.
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
Forgotten Riddles: The Mayan Princess
PostedSeptember 18, 2015
pennmom36
fromI never knew the Mayans had flashlights!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game certainly should not be forgotten! It's a simple but highly entertaining game that makes you think about the Hidden Objects you are tasked with finding. Although the storyline is good, it does seem to wander off a bit when it comes to being realistic. You are the Chief Archaeologist who has been asked by the Embassy to find out the real story of the Mayan Royal Family. During a recent dig, ancient runes were discovered which puts holes in the theory that the royal family met it's demise in in 1536. Artifacts left by the princess however dated in 1556 would have been 20 years after the supposed Royal family tragedy.
Your mission (should you decide to accept) is to decrypt the Runes and uncover the real truth. Here's where the storyline fails a bit...You choose a location to search for Hidden Objects, it would have been nice if the beautiful Mayan locations would have kept true to the Mayans and hadn't cluttered the scenes with modern day junkpiles, but that's not the real problem. There is no "list" or "silhouettes" to search for, no, it's way cooler than that. You need to choose one of seven runes, read a riddle describing the object you are searching for and find the item in the scene that matches the description.You can choose the runes in any order and you can skip any rune and go on to the next one, saving the stumper for last. Unless you choose the easier mode of difficulty (which gives you more time and more hints) you will need to find the items within 20 minutes, but the 20 minutes must last you for the entire level, not just that HOP. If you get stumped you can use a Gem for a hint which tells you what to look for in more depth but doesn't show you where to look. Here's what I had a problem with, an example riddle reads: At the first sign of moisture from the sky, simply open me up to assure you stay dry. Of course it's an umbrella and yes the riddles get more challenging, but if these runes were found in an archaeological dig and dated back to the 1500's I assure you they didn't have a pop up modern day umbrella back then!
Between levels you get to play a Mini Game to unlock the next level, you rotate square tiles to create an image, but it's really easy because the rows lock down once all squares in a row are correctly rotated. Not a bad game, certainly one that can go unnoticed, enjoy!.
I recommend this game!
Return to your hometown to save your father and uncover Midnight Castle’s secrets!
Overall rating
5
/
5
302 of 408 found this review helpful
Midnight Castle Is All About The Journey
PostedSeptember 17, 2015
pennmom36
fromWho ever thought Midnight Castle could get any better?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
MIDNIGHT CASTLE FANS UNITE! Midnight Castle has become a cult classic, it's a journey to fulfil a prophecy and this game has loyal followers like no other game. Anabel has returned to her home town of Rocksville, home of the Midnight Castle, to search for her father who is presumed to be dead. Anabel's father Henry was (or is?) a famous explorer and archaeologist who entered the Midnight Castle 10 years ago and hasn't been heard from since. A prophecy has been foretold by the queen upon her deathbed that when she dies, so shall the magic. She also foretold that every decade at the stroke of Midnight, dragons would awaken and spirits would return, and the last living heir would return to fulfil her prophecy!
Henry was suspicious of danger and began hiding everything of importance behind Midnight Castle symbols. This is where your journey begins, finding the symbols which hide the devices you need to get to and enter the castle. A very cute Bat will eventually join you on this journey and help you retrieve items just out of reach. This game has it all, Morphing Objects, collectible Stained Glass pieces and even hidden Fairies to find, an abundance of Achievements to earn and even Plus Sign Inventory items to tinker with before using, some of which have small puzzles to figure out.
The Hidden Object Scenes are decent but nothing out of the ordinary such as Silhouetted Shape finds, finding Matching Pairs of items hidden underneath a few select items and even finding items that relate to the word in Red text as a story is told about the prophecy of Midnight Castle.
The Mini Games however are everywhere and anywhere, and very entertaining. There are games where you move symbols to their surrounding images and then rotate rings to allow figures to follow paths to their matching silhouettes. Next up is selecting arrows to rotate circles and swap elements in order to place letters and numbers as shown above the elements. Swapping books so that all the shelves hang on the same level. Moving colored disks to a matching ring using empty slots to slide the disks into to solve the puzzle. and even a series of puzzles where you tinker with several devices moving gems to the center of the chain, connecting colored heads together without overlapping lines etc. and using the items each puzzle gives you to move on to the next puzzle until the entire mechanism is working.
This Collector's Edition has 9 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 27 Achievements, Morphing Objects, 32 Stained Glass puzzle pieces, 12 Collectible Fairies, a Secret Room, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter. Don't forget to give Midnight Castle a try as well, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
In Lucky Luke: Transcontinental Railroad, oversee the construction of the historic railroad stretching across the United States!
Overall rating
4
/
5
62 of 68 found this review helpful
Transcontinental Railroad: East Versus Wild Wild West
PostedSeptember 16, 2015
pennmom36
fromDoes anyone care about the Not So Wild East?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love almost everything about this Time Management game, the cowboy themed music, the fantastic graphics, the haphazard characters (especially Jolly Jumper) and the fun factor this game has to offer. The problem came into play with the resources required to complete a project. If you don't have enough resources for example to build a grocery store, it's extremely difficult to figure out what resources you lack because when you hover over the icon the resources you lack are shown in red, BUT the pictures are so teeny tiny (and I have a 27' screen) I ended up guessing at what the resources were. You buy the resources from the post office so you don't want to purchase a bunch of stone when you need iron. Other than that minor detail, the game is super fun!
The usual tasks are given, clear the roadway, fill in the holes, chop down wood, and gather food by clicking on the available unblocked item. Workers can be hired at the local saloon (how funny is that) Banks are built to receive gold, grocery stores provide food and the Undertakers provide wood (that's funny too) and the good ole Post Office is where you order supplies by clicking on the desired materials of Stone, Iron, RR ties etc, and you will need to click on the supply horse when the load is ready to deliver to the Post Office. The Railroad Tracks need constant repair, and Bandits are constantly trying to derail the train with dynamite that needs diffusing before it explodes! The Dalton Brothers are troublemakers and you'll have to have a wild wild west fistfight with them and the bandits from time to time.
Here's what I found the most interesting with this TM game, First you play the game in the Wild West, it's the same scene each time, you're just making improvements to the town each time. After a few levels in the west, you take off to the East and play a few levels there, after all the railroad doe have to meet up somewhere between the East and West, but who will finish first?
This game is educational as well, as Lucky Luke and Jolly Jumper explain some pretty interesting factoids about the Transcontinental Railway. For instance, President Lincoln announced the Pacific Railway Acts which authorized the Transcontinental Railroad Line on July 1st, 1862. Because of the Civil War, the first rails weren't laid until 1865 in the Eastern United States. Because of all the interesting facts Lucky Luke tells us, this game is perfect for Railroad and Train lovers, and Wild West buffs as well, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
This just might be the best Clutter yet! Explore 12 mines filled with clutter, sliders, box quotes and more!
Overall rating
5
/
5
249 of 281 found this review helpful
Clutterrific
PostedSeptember 16, 2015
pennmom36
fromClutter or Collections?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Clutter has returned with a whole lot of junk! I still find this game fascinating after five episodes, everything seems the same yet I love searching through the enormous piles of junk to find the matching pairs (and sometimes similar item matches)
It's a pretty simple game, you have to find a specific number of matches in a pile of clutter, the matches go onto a conveyor belt, and you have to find all matching items within a specific amount of conveyor belt revolutions. As you progress, more clutter is added and the clutter is denser and deeper, and more items are added that look similar but are different such as a bright red apple vs. a slightly less red apple. Every game also has letters, coins and puzzle pieces that you collect with a single click, for every five coins you collect, you get an extra hint, and the puzzle pieces and letters are used to complete a mini game at the end of the level. Finding matches quickly will earn bonus points, double and triple points, but finding the matching items isn't always so easy. The items are of different sizes, and most are partially hidden, sometimes it's difficult to find matches of items that are right in front of you! At the end of each round, your score is tallied with the bonus points you earned, the points you earned finding letters and coins, the amount of time left over and it even gives you points and percentages from your clicking accuracy. Most of the Mini Games are variations of jigsaw puzzles, such as sliders sections, jigsaw, and even square tiles, but the fun is actually in the clutter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Match the zen stones and travel through exotic locations to restore harmony to nature!
Overall rating
5
/
5
190 of 214 found this review helpful
Finally.....A Mahjong Game That's Interesting
PostedSeptember 15, 2015
pennmom36
fromThose rainbow tiles are harder to match than I thought!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Lost Amulets is one of the most interesting and entertaining Mahjong games I've ever played. The graphics are stunning, colorful and crystal clear, the tiles are actually round stones which are way better visually than the usual Mahjong tiles. The game itself has a unique style that keeps your interest because you clear the board by making matches with the stones shown at the bottom. Some of the stones have several available matching stones, and you can keep collecting them for double, triple, quadruple points. If you collect the Gold stones, you win the game even if other stones remain.
Each level has Jade Pearls underneath the stones that you can collect and use to purchase Power-ups. The Hint icon will cost a single pearl, the Shuffle icon costs 2 pearls, and there are Fire power-ups, one of them removes 10 stones and costs 4 pearls the other removes 15 stones and costs 5 pearls each time it is used. There is also a Kitty of good fortune stone that will appear at random times that allows you to match any stone or stones with him. There are several tile options to choose from, and even a Random tile option that goes through all of them, Flowers and Animals, Mixed Tiles, Traditional, Icon tiles, Rainbow tiles, and Number tiles. You can also choose to add specific colors to the tiles to make it easier to match.
You can play the game in a Relaxed or Timed mode, and there is a Traditional Mahjong game with traditional tiles called Zen Mahjong that will be unlocked after a few short levels in the Main story mode. I loved the Mini Games that are available after each set, you can choose which game you want to play or spin the wheel and take your chances. BINGO was my favorite, this is played with numbered tiles on a bingo board with different colored number tiles. The balls with numbers travel down the right side and bottom in a Zuma style and it backs up with every number you match, otherwise the numbers will eventually travel off the screen and become unavailable. There is a MEMORY game where you uncover two stones at a time and match identical images. A MATCHING game where you have to choose the only available matching symbols on three different boards. The last available mini game is the TILING game but I ran out of time before getting to play this game but I'm assuming it's probably a traditional timed game of Mahjong. Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Welcome to the ultimate arcade puzzle challenge! Enjoy eye-popping 2D graphics, simple point-and-click gameplay and dozens of exciting levels across seven chapters. Slingshot Puzzle offers hours of satisfying fun!
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 10 found this review helpful
Slingshot...... Engaged!
PostedSeptember 14, 2015
pennmom36
fromSome of these puzzle seem impossible, are ya sure it's doable devs?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love physics based games, and when I saw that this game was only available on Mac I had to borrow a MacBook Pro from my son so I could check it out! There are several levels that start out in an easy, tutorial mode and gradually advances you to more difficult levels until you wanna pull out your hair in frustration. (Novice, Amature, Follower, Professional, Expert, Master, Champion and a Bonus Level which I'm sure I'll never get to lol)
The goal of the game is to click and drag back the ball launcher, aim and shoot the ball so that the ball will pass over and collect all three gems and then land directly into the hole. Sounds easy right? Well, the further you pull back the ball, the tighter the spring tension is on the launcher thus the ball will have more momentum. Sometimes that works, sometimes it causes the ball to ricochet uncontrollably and go in the opposite direction of the hole! Each level introduces a new scenario or obstacle, There are Pits (wicked holes of darkness with teeth) that will cause you to lose the ball if the ball falls into the pit, there are Moving Objects that can be helpful at times, but can also just get in your way, there are objects that are laying in greasy oil patches that can be knocked out of the way when the ball hits it, and there are even several Fans that cause the ball to drop it's trajectory because of the turbulence they create!
The goal of each level is to receive all 3 blue gems available in each level, and you have the ability to replay any level as often as you want to try for a perfect score. The tutorial is very thorough and easy to understand. This can be a frustrating kind of game, especially if you're like me and you have to play the level over again until you get it right and get all three gems, but it's also very entertaining and fun, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Walk the razor's edge between fantasy and reality as you stop a lunatic from gaining power over death!
Overall rating
5
/
5
188 of 234 found this review helpful
I'm Impressed!
PostedSeptember 14, 2015
pennmom36
fromMrs. Maisy, everyone's heard of neverland!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
For a Standard Edition, this game is quite impressive because of the very creative puzzles and Hidden Object Scenes! Mrs. Maisy is a Child Psychologist who is trying to find out why several children from the local orphanage have gone missing. All of these children were complaining about recurring nightmares, all of the nightmares seem to have a stranger wearing a hat. A troubled young boy named Denny, somehow seems to know about the other kids nightmares, and once you fall asleep, you discover this strange phenomenon as well, because you're there too!
The computer generated graphics are actually pretty decent, and the game mechanics seem to be flawless. There aren't any bells and whistles available, but the characters have voices and you get to choose the dialog questions you want to know about. Towards the end of the demo, Denny will join you as the Hint Icon, replacing your character as the hint system.
There are only a couple of Hidden Object Scenes during the demo, but I found them to be somewhat different and entertaining. The HOP I thought was the most interesting was finding several kids drawings, and using those drawings as a reference to assemble the toys they drew.
The Mini Games were very cool! 1) Guiding a satellite through every square without getting stuck 2) Using class roll call cards of the kids who were Present or Absent, and a class photo showing the seating arrangement, to check off the list of student names who were present or absent for each of the school days shown. 3) Assemble a hurdy-gurdy in the correct order as shown by a blue outline, 4) Moving items around a suitcase to uncover the hand fan, but the items have to fit in the exact grid spaces they came out of, items cannot overlap. 5) my favorite Mini Game was placing parts onto several sticks to recreate a figure shown as a silhouette.
Kudo's to the developers on this game which is worthy of a credit or cold hard cash, enjoy!
I recommend this game!