This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
The Chronicles of Emerland Solitaire
(147)
Fun Factor
1/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
1/ 5
Level of Challenge
1/ 5
Storyline
1/ 5
Normally, I love solitaire games and can't get enough of 'em. Two of my favorites are The Chronicles of Emerland and Seven Seas Solitaire. Take my word on it, this game isn't even in the same ballpark! I'm probably not giving this game a fair assessment because my least favorite type of solitaire is this type where you match two cards of the same value. To me, this game qualifies as a Mahjong game with cards instead of tiles. There's just nothing special going on here folks, it's boring!
You can choose from 9 Tropical themed card decks and 3 different types of face cards, and you have no choice but to start the game with a tutorial (at that point you can click on the X to skip the tutorial) in the Tourist mode which allows you to replay any of the 10 levels in a deck as often as you'd like. You can then switch over to the Traveler mode if desired which only allows you to replay the entire 10 level deck, but there's no mention as to whether this mode is more difficult or not. In the case of a perfect score, the points of the current level will be added to the points of the next level similar to bowling.
There aren't many other features, there is an Undo icon, a Mulligan icon and an icon that holds your Jokers at the bottom of the screen. These icons however will have to be purchased with the points you earn playing the game, unless of course you uncover special cards with a star on them. Cards with stars have bonus coins, Mulligan's (undos) Jokers (wild cards) and Shuffles (shuffles the cards and re-deals new ones) The goal of each level is to remove the Gold cards from the board which will give you the maximum amount of points, even if other cards remain on the board.
I just didn't like this game in the least bit, nothing about it was interesting or fun, in fact I hated the music which is repetitive and annoying. If I wanted to play mahjong I would have downloaded a game from that genre, however, give my a decent High/Low Solitaire game and I'll be a happy camper.
I don't recommend this game.
+34points
35of36voted this as helpful.
Flux Family Secrets: The Book of Oracles
Delve deeper into the secret world of a time traveling family trying to fulfill the prophecies in the Book of Oracles.
Overall rating
4/ 5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Flux Family Secrets: The Book Of Oracles
PostedSeptember 7, 2015
pennmom36
fromShouldn't we try to get Jesse's mom out from underneath all that rubble before saving the world?
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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
In the First episode of Flux Family Secrets: The Ripple Effect, we followed Jesse in her quest to find her real family. She was contacted by a mysterious woman named Veronica Flux, who explained that she might be a long lost Flux family member. When she arrives at the Flux Mansion, she is given several tasks to complete that would prove whether or not she is indeed a Flux, and she passes with flying colors! Veronica explains that her family has the ability to travel through time, and "fix" history that has already happened in our past. She asks for Jesse's help fixing the latest history mishap caused by an unexpected Ripple Effect, but finds herself trapped in the past because Veronica had betrayed her! She learned of a device that would thwart her family's betrayal and return her to the Flux Mansion, however, the device returned her 30 years in the past! Together with the help of her own self 30 years younger, she must seek the help of her grandfather, to find him means she must enter The Rabbit Hole. This is the third and final Flux Family adventure, and Jessie must try to fulfil the prophecies foretold in The Book of Oracles to stabilize the Ripple Effects of time itself!
I must admit, I'm a little sad this trilogy has come to an end, because the Flux Family has really grown on me. All three episodes have an intriguing storyline and some very unique features of gameplay. Your inventory bar will show pictures of several fragmented parts that will combine as a whole inventory item once all fragments have been found. Some of the fragments are faded out, meaning you must look in another location to find them, keep in mind that these frags are located all over the scene, not in just a zoomed in puzzle area. (the fragments are very well blended into the scenery, finding them can be quite challenging) There are 30 hidden Flux Family Factoids hidden throughout the game that gives you a brief bio on each member of the family.
There's usually a Hidden Object Puzzle in just about every scene, and most are List Finds, the items written in blue text require some type of interaction. If you get stuck, you can click on the listed words themselves and a silhouette of that item will be shown inside the Hint icon. The Mini Games are the usual type of puzzles, swapping tiles to complete a picture, turning rings to complete an image but clicking one ring may affect other rings, or matching two identical Greek Letters as you turn two cards over at a time and try to remember where each symbol card is located.
I have really enjoyed playing this trilogy, and it really is an interesting storyline, the three games in order are, (all start with Flux Family Secrets) The Ripple Effect, The Rabbit Hole (available in Collector's & Standard Editions) and The Book of Oracles, enjoy!
Help Henri, a high-spirited baker with a penchant for pastries, arrange scrumptious ingredients into groups of three or more to make colorful confections.
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Cradle of Rome
(33)
Fun Factor
3/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
3/ 5
Storyline
3/ 5
This Match 3 game is kinda boring, there's nothing special about it and every level just seems to be more of the same thing. I was actually surprised to find out that this was a Match 3 game because it's listed as a Time Management game, which would have made a great TM theme. It's all about making french pastries as you help Henri collect the necessary ingredients by matching 3 or more matching tiles at a time.
Each Match 3 category has 4 levels that require you to make a specific number of matches of ingredients such as cherries, chocolate, kiwi, cupcakes, pies and cakes. When all of the ingredients are collected for each pastry, the sweet treat will automatically combine the ingredients and the finished product appears in one of the available slots at the bottom of the screen. You will need to click on the finished product to have it boxed up, so I guess that's where the Time Management scenario comes into play. You are also required to earn a specific number of Quality Stars that can be used to purchase helpful items in the Shop.
There are only a few unimpressive Bonuses in the form of special directional tiles that appear on the board when you make larger matches. These tiles can be activated by clicking on them, they can't be moved or matched with other tiles and they destroy or collect tiles in rows, columns, 3x3 squares and even random blasters and a chocolate lovers tile that temporarily turn all the tiles into chocolate.
The only feature I thought was interesting was the Arcade Mode. In the Arcade mode you still play Match 3 levels with the same features as the original game, however, you must make matches of the ingredients to assemble each pastry before they reach the end of the conveyor belt. You have to unlock the Arcade mode by playing the Main game, and as you progress, more levels are unlocked in the Arcade. I think this game would have been more interesting if the main game was the Arcade mode.
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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
The Mystery Trackers agency has received an emergency distress call from fellow agent Shade at the Winterport Station in Alaska. Professor Lloyd had made an amazing discovery there, when he excavated a man from an ancient civilization. The bitter cold and frozen ice kept this cadaver in a perfectly preserved state, ideal for the professor to examine and study the body of one of the oldest known civilizations, often referred to as the "Cold Stalkers" The problem is, this man wasn't dead, and this man is sabotaging the Winterpoint Station!
Elf has pinned on his badge, donned his warmest parka and slipped on his fuzzy little booties to join us once again, as we try to track down a shapeshifting entity on a deadly mission. Never fear, Elf's ready, willing and most definitely able to lend a paw at a moments notice, bravely going where no dog has gone before. The Agency has equipped us with the latest gadget available, a Visor capable of detecting heat and energy sources as well as identifying damage and detecting signs of life support systems. Each time you use the Visor, you are prompted to find 6 lightning bolts or various other symbols. Some of the inventory items are complex Plus Sign items that require some type of interaction before using them, and the Collector's Edition has the addition of 24 Achievements to earn and two different types of collectibles, Characters, like the boss, a photographer and a snow mobile driver, as well as brightly lit Stars that are stored on your Starry Sky constellation map. The Collector's Edition also has Morphing Objects to find in each scene, a feature Mystery Trackers made famous!
The Hidden Object Scenes vary, which isn't the norm in this series known for it's detailed scenes with interactive list finds. There are still some listed item finds, one of which require a flashlight to find items in a dark room. There are also interactive silhouetted shape finds, multiples of one item and one where you click to move an item aside revealing a hidden item that needs to be matched with it's partner. The Mini Games are way too simple in my opinion, the only one's that aren't are the Rube Goldberg style puzzles where you interact with several small and quirky puzzles on a panel or board. There are simple puzzles of swapping or rotating tiles, clicking on buttons in the correct sequence, punching in code numbers to crack safes and a somewhat confusing game where you use security cameras to pinpoint the correct area that the power is blocked and then you connect the power lines to restore the flow of energy.
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 6 Music Soundtracks, 24 Achievements, a Secret Room, a Starry Sky constellation map that houses 40 Collectible Stars, Morphing Objects, Collectible Characters, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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
The Cardinal has chosen you to travel to the village of Portonero Spain to stop a mad man. Inquisitor Augustine has become obsessed with hunting down the witch Miguela the Wolf Queen. It does indeed appear that Augusta has gone stark raving mad resulting in nearly the entire town to flee from his relentless persecution! What happened to the Inquisitor Augustine that constitutes the cruel and unusual punishments he bestows upon his people?
I was a huge fan of the first installment of Where Angels Cry, and I love the computer generated graphics that have been masterfully accomplished here. This is one of those games you either love or hate, because it has unusual features. For starters, some items require the use of a feature called a Combiner that appears when certain items are clicked on. The Combiner will display silhouetted shapes around it that need to be found and then placed upon it's silhouetted shape, and when all items have been found the item task can be completed. Another cool feature unlocks videos whenever you spot a falcon, and there are 15 Collectible Doves throughout the game. You can choose an Icon feature that will show feet wherever there is a different available exit to move to, and of course the usual Achievements associated with a Collector's Edition.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with either listed items or silhouetted shape finds, and most of the HOP's will continue with a few progressive interaction tasks after the list is completed, such as finding and using rocks on a catapult to bust open a stone castle which will expose a key which is used to open a box and so forth. My only complaint is that they didn't stick with period related items, I'm pretty sure they didn't have spring loaded clothespins in the 1300's.
The Mini Games are actually decent but on the easy side such as, swapping Maltese Crosses on a board within their color coded slots and from smallest to largest. Arranging buttons to complete an image by swapping and rotating, and even getting into a battle with Augustine where you have to click on the shield while the crosshair icon is inside the shield to defend yourself, if you misclick it results in your damage not Augustines.
This Collector's Edition has replayable Mini Games and HOP's, unlockable Background stories, 5 Wallpapers, 9 Concept Art pictures, Music Soundtracks, 15 Collectible Doves, 16 Achievements, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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
Bill Turner has been working in the mines of Rockshire for quite some time, but when he mysteriously disappears, the entire town denies he was ever there! Bill's wife Bonnie has asked for your help investigating his disappearance and it appears as if Bill himself, has systematically hidden clues throughout the town with the hope that someone, anyone might be able to stop the evil that lurks within the town! What happened in Rockville that constitutes such secrecy, such Golden Silence?
This game starts out a wee bit slow, but picks up a nice pace as you progress, drawing you into the story. There is a Customizable mode, with a feature that makes the Mini Games more difficult, I highly recommend this option to seasoned players because even with this feature turned on, I felt the Mini Games were kind of easy. One of my favorite features of this series, is the Collectible Hidden Crystals, however, they are only available in the Collector's Edition. There are a total of 72, and each location has a specific number with a convenient pull tab on the left of the screen to show you how many there are in your current location. Once all of the crystals have been found, the downlow on the city's mystery will be revealed, so consider that edition over this Standard Edition. Many of the inventory items are complex items that require some type of interaction before the item can be used, and the CE has the addition of several Achievements to earn as well. The Red Panda has eaten his bamboo and as ready willing and able to help you once again to retrieve items in places only a panda would dare to venture! Another cool feature this series has are Picture Hints. When you uncover hidden pictures, you match the picture to the correct scene and location and wherever the X is on the picture, that's where you will find the next clue.
The Hidden Object Scenes weren't bad, one in particular felt awkward, as you are tasked with finding interactive list finds whilst struggling with an attacker the entire time, and after the items are found, you had to trace a few jagged lines with a hand and knife cursor, just weird in my opinion. There are multiple finds, and silhouetted shape finds as well, and you can opt for a Match 3 game instead. A big disappointment for me came with the realization that most of the HOS are repeated, and that makes it boring so at least there's an alternate game available.
The Mini Games are in abundance, I know some gamers loathe that but I love the Mini Games, in fact I would love to play a game that had nothing but Mini Games! I will list a few of the games available in the demo but keep in mind, I opted for more difficult games so I'm not sure if they are different. The first game has you flip over two tokens at a time to make a match followed by circular discs with sections to be swapped to create a picture. A lantern game where the goal is to light all lanterns. when one lantern is selected, others are affected. A picture on a wall with arrows on each column and row to nudge picture sections to the correct slot, a safe cracking code where you swap stained glass sections to create a mirror image, and a classic game of sliding tokens along designated paths so all silver tokens are on the top and all gold tokens are on the bottom.
The Collector's Edition has Achievements, 72 Collectible Crystals, Music Soundtracks, replayable Hidden Object Scenes and Mini Games, Movies, Wallpapers, a Workshop (dev. diary and Concept Art) a built in Strategy Guide and TWO Bonus Chapters (Sister's Spell and Eternal Love) So get your HO game on and break this town's Golden Silence, enjoy!
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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
The Lantern Man has always been a legend surrounding the Whispering Marsh. It's been said that if you can hold your breath long enough when he shines his lights upon you, you will be spared! But the Lantern Man is just make believe, a fable told to keep children from the dangerous marsh, right? Well, as the County Bounder, you're going to find out if this soul collector is simply a Myth or if he's real, and if he is real, why has he returned?
I love the graphics in this game, they are crisp and well defined, and the cinematics are top notch theater quality as well. There are complex inventory items that require some form of interaction before they can be used, and there are 18 Achievements to earn, 42 Hidden Acorns AND one of my favorite features, 16 Morphing Objects within the HOP's!
The Hidden Object Scenes are pretty lengthy, some have interactive list finds followed by duel pictures that require you to find the item associated, and my favorite was an extremely interactive and progressive silhouetted shape find where you find the first item matching the silhouetted shape and then use that item in the scene to expose the next item and so forth. There are also small HOP's within zoomed in zones where you find a handful of the same type of item such as 6 petals. Each HOP has a Morphing Item and you can opt for a game of Mahjong if you're not into HOP's.
There are a ton of Mini Games in this game folks, Navigating through obstacles on a map using directional arrows, Sliding 4 shells to open a bookshelf but one shell affects others, Matching pairs of symbols by turning over two symbols at a time, Using a lockpick to open 3 tumblers, Connecting gears using chains of different lengths and even an increasingly difficult game involving your new found Lantern to scare away the Lantern Man's lights, the idea is to connect different symbols so that identical symbols are never directly connected and that no lines cross each other.
This Collector's Edition has 13 Achievements, 42 Hidden Acorns, 16 Morphing Objects, 18 Puzzles, Mahjong, a Souvenir Room, Lore Book, 10 Soundtracks, the Making of, Videos, 8 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, 16 replayable HOP's, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy before the Lantern Man steals your soul.
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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
Legends surround the tiny town in Slovakia about the Cachtice Castle whose mistress, Elizabeth Bathory was said to have murdered hundreds of young women in her never ending quest for youth and vitality. You are playing the part of a gemologist whose sister Rose Woods invited you to Slovakia to study a gem that Rose found on an archaeological dig.
This game really confuses me, the graphics are hand drawn, not my favorite and not all that great. The Hidden Object Scenes are plentiful, in fact everytime you return to an area, there is another HOP in the same place with the same items to find. The listed items are in huge print, and you have to click on doors and drawers that aren't indicated to click on in the first place, confusing to say the least. Sometimes the HOP's give you an inventory item, other times it rewards you with coins that can be used to skip the puzzles.
It took me a while to figure out that some of the scenes could be zoomed in and out by clicking and dragging or scrolling, which would have been helpful when I was trying to complete the Mini Game where you had to swap letters on a mirror so that the sentence makes sense, however, the last word wasn't in view and I had to skip the puzzle, a few minutes later I discovered you had to click and drag the scene to be able to visit the merchant.
This game seems like it's designed for kids because it's such a simple game with cartoonish features. On the other hand, I wouldn't want my kids to play a game with this type of storyline! The extremely large print makes me believe that the game was meant for people who have difficulty reading smaller print and for beginners of this genre, but the tutorial is horrible, and the game mechanics are clunky, so I'm not sure if beginners would appreciate this game either????
I don't recommend this game.
+60points
71of82voted this as helpful.
The Silent Age
Help Joe discover the truth behind humankind's extinction! Can a simple janitor and literally, "the average Joe," save humankind?
Overall rating
5/ 5
74 of 81 found this review helpful
Average Joe
PostedSeptember 1, 2015
pennmom36
fromAverage Joe just got an average promotion in the form of a demotion
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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
This is an excellent game for those of you who want a game that challenges you and makes you think about every move you make. As a matter of fact, I couldn't find a hint feature anywhere in this game so there won't be any handholding, you're on your own! Joe is a janitor for a large corporation, and no sooner does he reach level 2 security, he finds himself tangled in a web of a conspiracy. A dying man Joe comes in contact with tells him he's from the future (2012, vs. 1972) and gives him a solar powered time machine device.
The is a pointandclick game so you will have to gently nudge Joe where you want him to go by pointing and clicking. If the crosshair icon turns to a circle, you can click on that item to either pick it up or investigate that area further, and Joe will tell you if something is needed in order to complete that area such as finding a key to unlock a door. There is a lot of back and forthing in this game, mostly because you missed something you didn't think was there or important enough. You will have to read or listen to the dialog to figure out what you are supposed to be doing, or just try using inventory items everywhere if you get stuck. If there seems to be nothing left to do, most likely you need to activate the time machine to travel back and forth, finding items and tasks in 2012 and using them in 1972 and vice versa. I think the game The Inner World is a much more interesting pointandclick game, but this is a game that grows on you, enjoy!
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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
If you do not like repetitive quest driven Hidden Object games, steer clear of this game. This game is similar to games like Midnight Castle, Awakening Kingdom, Found and Dark Manor, where you are given quests to complete by the characters you meet on your journey. These quests involve finding several inventory items within different HO scenes that are given as list finds, silhouetted shapes, and some scenes are in the dark requiring you to find items with a small light. You need to find items that will complete other quests such as finding gold or items to repair a boat, which in turn is usually used to barter with people so that they will help you in a different quest.
Once you accept a quest, (which requires a certain amount of gold, gems, or items) you will be directed to the area that items needed are located. Once you complete the Hidden Object Scene, you collect your rewards and complete the task. Each scene will require you to revisit the scene several times, to complete a mastery level, usually 10-15 times, and as you progress, more items are added to search for, but it is very repetitive in the beginning especially when there are only a few items to find at a time, and only a few scenes are available. As you progress, more scenes are unlocked and more items are available to find. You can choose Easy, Normal and Hard modes of difficulty for the HOP's but many of the items are very well hidden at times. You will earn up to 3 stars for each HOP completed, depending upon the time it takes you to find the items as shown on the meter located on the top of the screen. Inventory items are stored in your knapsack and to access them for use, you will play an increasingly difficult Mini Game of connecting chips of the same color without overlapping the lines.
There is a Shop that allows you to purchase items to help you achieve these goals better or faster such as: Chests that contain various collections that you may need. Amulets that can increase your XP to level up quicker, or allow you more time in a HOP. Access gives you coins, meat, arrows, ladders, coal, and even potions that you need during the adventure. Tools such as Fireflies for extra hints, hourglasses that freeze time during a HOP, lanterns for more light during an HOP in the dark, and other things to help you find items quickly. Weapons such as spears, swords, pickaxes, flails, arrows etc. Miscellaneous contains items that help you deliver your collections. There are 86 Achievements to earn as well, and most of the Achievements have several goals to achieve within the main achievement.
You have to be a fan of this type of HOP to enjoy this type of game. In my opinion, quests give the HO meaning and makes you scour the scenes to hopefully get rewarded with the items you need. This may sound complicated, but there is a tutorial that will take you step by step, it will take you a while to catch on so you're going to have to give this game a fair amount of time to understand what you are supposed to be doing. Enjoy!