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:
Dip into a world of puzzle delights, treasures and adventures in this unique take on classic matching games!
Overall rating
3
/
5
39 of 42 found this review helpful
Merry Christmas!
PostedJuly 13, 2015
pennmom36
fromDoesn't float my boat!
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
Either this Christmas themed Match 3 game is an early gift from BF, or it's left over from last year! There aren't any unique features available, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there were a few things I wasn't thrilled with in this game that inclined me to give the game three stars instead of four or five. I hated the music, it is repetitive and annoying, and the gem tiles are very bland, and unappealing. The music I can always turn off, but the gems are basic, and not colorful at all which made it difficult to identify them when trapped inside the frozen icy tiles. I can deal with both of those things, but I got annoyed with the sluggish movement of the tiles. At times it's difficult to drag one tile to it's destination, I found that clicking the tile I wanted to move and then clicking on the tile I wanted to swap it with was easier than trying to drag the tile into place, but that was just as slow. To make matters worse, you cannot match ANY tiles if your last move caused a chain reaction, until all chain reaction matches are complete! You can choose to play in Relaxed mode with no timer, or Adventure mode which is timed and has somewhat of a story. There are 11 Trophies to earn, but they are quickly earned within the first few levels, in fact I earned 7 Trophies within the one hour demo!
Every level requires you to collect or remove all gold tiles on the board by making matches on top of them, some tiles are blocked with stone, wood or even ice etc; that require multiple matches on or near them. There is a Totem Pole on the right side of the board that raises as you make large matches or several matches quickly, when it reaches the top, you will receive extra points, and this action will repeat itself within the same level, as long as you continue matching quickly. The bonuses are earned by making matches underneath the bonus icon until it falls off the board, you can have several bonuses in each level, and you have several of each bonus because they carry over to the next levels. There is a Hammer that can be used to destroy a single tile of your choice, an Hour Glass Timer that will add 30 seconds to your Timer, a Re-Coloring bonus that re-colors a group of 6 tiles and a Bomb that destroys a 9 square area of your choice. (there are more bonuses available as you progress)
There are several games in each level, and when the entire level is completed, you play a Mini Game that progresses in difficulty. At least in the demo, the mini games are the same kind, matching two identical gem symbols by flipping over two cards at a time, you start out with only four cards to memorize, and each game thereafter adds two more cards to the board. The gems to match in the card memorization game, are the same gems that are in the Match 3 game. Get your Christmas spirit on and give it a try.
Can you help the City of Artists find their lost inspiration?
Overall rating
3
/
5
61 of 73 found this review helpful
Calliope Crashed To The Ground
PostedJuly 12, 2015
pennmom36
fromThis game makes about as much sense as the song
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
Calliope, the patron muse has been blinded by the light. A dark force has torn Calliope's essence into three pieces, sealing them behind magical barriers within the town's fine arts buildings. This once delightful muse inspired her people to become talented artists, who are truly passionate about their gifts. She graciously provided them with magical tools to enhance their God given talents, and people adored Calliope. With Calliope's essence torn to shreds, the creativity of these talented people have hit a brick wall! Who is responsible for stifling such talent, and why is Calliope so angry? Solve this case detective, and you are guaranteed a permanent position in the agency!
This is a very uninspiring game, I had a difficult time getting into the storyline much less keeping up with all the weird features. The strangest feature by far is the Harlequin Doll helper which is just a generic barbie doll. I'm supposed to be a detective (Essence Detective?) why on earth would I have a barbie or a "harlequin" doll, it makes no sense! It becomes even more ridiculous when you come across several teeny tiny outfits so you can play dress up . Why are there doll outfits in an art gallery? Why does Harlequin have to change her outfit to fix a leaf blower and then again to ring a bell?
The Collector's Edition has collectible Olive Branches that will allow you to upgrade Harlequin's not so humble abode with tapestries, statues, fireplaces and other random decorations. The Collector's Edition also has Coins hidden throughout the game inside vases you must bust open to access. If you think about it, one of the artists Calliope inspired, worked hard on those beautiful vases, can't I simply turn the vase over and shake the coins out? The collected coins can be used in the Interface shop to purchase upgrades to make your inventory bar and icons a wee bit frillier. (this will come in handy for my detective credentials) Both editions have a special abilities feature such as a Magic Palette to paint a sketch which brings the painting to life, and eventually two other Magical Objects in the full version. When the baby dragon came to life, I got excited, at least he was cool, especially when he made himself at home in the pigeons nest, but he didn't stick around.
The Hidden Object Scenes are basically the same type, either Sketches or Silhouetted Shapes to find in a Progressive manner, such as finding one item and then using that item back in the scene to uncover the next item that matches the shapes shown. The Mini Games are way too simple, most can be figured out without even reading the directions. To mention a few, a labyrinth that requires you to use directional arrows to guide the ball to the end of the maze, pressing a "play" button to see the correct positions to swap nymph statues to. If I have to pick a favorite it would be the scales game where you equally balance each side by choosing connected numbers on both the left and the right, using all the numbers and the numbers cannot jump over other numbers.
The Collector's Edition has Wallpapers, Concept Art, Music, an Interface Shop, a Gallery, Collectible Olives and Coins, 23 Achievements, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
Subliminal Realms: The Masterpiece Collector's Edition
Albert's worst nightmare becomes reality when a creature from his grim paintings kidnaps his family. What does she want?
Overall rating
3
/
5
75 of 97 found this review helpful
Saturday Morning Letdown.......Again!
PostedJuly 11, 2015
pennmom36
fromShould've named him Zorro
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
Thankfully, Thursday's game was a masterpiece because this game doesn't even come close to being a masterpiece! The storyline isn't exciting, the main character is difficult to relate to, the graphics are unappealing, the tasks are mundane, the Hidden Object Scenes are bland and uneventful, and for some bizarre reason, there is a magical, winged helper that looks like a cartoon coyote with a spanish/french accent. To sum it all up, this is just an okay, take it or leave it kind of game that will pass some time, but not the kind of game you can't wait to purchase.
Albert's nightmares have become reality, his memories now deceive him. Painting images from his nightmares begin to consume his every thought. The images have become dark and terrifying, he finds them impossible to to finish because he believes the paintings are just too frightening! (don't worry guys, nothing in this game is scary) One stormy night, Albert's nightmare kicks into overdrive when his painting called "Road to Solitude" comes to life. He watches in disbelief as two mannequin dolls grab his wife Elizabeth, and only child Iris, and takes them into his very own nightmare! This isn't a dream, it's a nightmare begging the artist to finish his work, his Masterpiece!
I suppose when the storyline is all about what dreams and nightmares are made of, you can create a helper that can do just about anything. In this case, there's Smudge (what a name eh?) the flying coyote complete with fairy wings and a sultry voice. Not only can he fly, he can levitate entire trees and make them disappear into thin air! He would actually be cool in a fantasy type game, but it just doesn't make sense in this genre. You will eventually acquire 7 paintbrushes, one at a time, dark blue, cyan, red, green, yellow, pink, and purple. You use these brushes to finish painting the masterpieces of the dream world, but at least within the demo, there's no challenge or mini game associated with this daunting task. There are 30 Slides to Collect throughout the game, 5 slides for 6 different canvas images. When all 5 slides have been found in a category, it will complete a picture on canvas that you can "paint" using paint brushes with 7 available colors. There are Plus Sign indicators on some of the inventory items indicating that some type of interaction is required before that item can be used. There are also 18 Achievements to earn, 6 of which are your Paintings from the collected slides.
The Hidden Object Scenes are kind of weak and boring. The colors within the scenes themselves are no work of art, with little detail and very basic colors. Most are slightly interactive list finds, some multiples of a single item and a handful of silhouetted shape finds. The Mini Games are actually this games saving grace, such as, placing dual colored figurines in the correct spaces using color coded rows and columns as a clue, placing tiles to create an image, strategically placing tiles to bumper the tile to stop on a continuous path, or helping the princess token escape the monsters on a honeycomb grid but every move the princess moves, the monster tokens move as well, surrounding and blocking the princess until she can't escape.
This Collector's Edition has Concept Art (18) Posters (9) Videos (8) Music (3) replayable Mini Games (5) Achievements (18) a Secret Card Game, Collectible Slides (30) Workshop (paintings) a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
You stop a crazy fan, but when he dies, who’s responsible?
Overall rating
4
/
5
46 of 55 found this review helpful
Very Thin Ice
PostedJuly 10, 2015
pennmom36
fromAnother secret worth dying for
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
Ruth Fisher is a talented young woman, an up and coming figure skater and the star of the show. There's just one small problem, her life is being threatened by an overzealous fan with not so good intentions! Ruth's manager, Christopher Chardy, has requested your services to provide security and keep her safe, but safe from whom? Perhaps her partner Walter is a bit disgruntled, after all Ruth did publicly humiliate him during a lovers spat, perhaps someone from the show who is clamoring for her star status, maybe even her manager Christopher Chardy?
Once again you have an electronic but slightly archaic Evidence Board that keeps track of information on each suspect you meet and any important information you find during your investigation. Some of the inventory items have plus signs indicating some type of interaction is necessary before that item can be used such as combining that item with another inventory item. The Collector's Edition has 42 Snow Globes to Collect, and 14 Achievements to earn, some of which have 3 stars per achievement. My biggest complaint with this game, is that the graphics are all that great, I don't recall the other Danse Macabre games having this poor of graphics.
The Hidden Object Scenes are different every time, some are progressive, interactive silhouettes where you find an item and use the item in the scene to uncover the next item, there are combination silhouettes where two silhouettes combined would make a particular item, even finding 6 shovels and 6 pick axes to receive the correct tool to uncover a list find! In the Collector's Edition, 14 of the HOP's have a Morphing Object within them, and you can opt for an endless game of Match 3. The Mini Games are in abundance, there are a lot of quick matching games but also longer more complex puzzles. My two favorite was rotating circuit boards of different shapes and placing the correctly into a patterned grid, and driving the snowmobile and "steering" it safely between rocks.
The Collector's Edition has 14 Achievements, 42 Collectible Snowglobes, 14 Morphing Objects, replayable Match 3, replayable Puzzles and HOP's, Souvenirs, Movies, Music, Pictures, Behind the Scenes, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
It's the end of the world... at least in Oakville.
Overall rating
5
/
5
298 of 373 found this review helpful
Snap Out Of It Man, You're Dead!
PostedJuly 9, 2015
pennmom36
fromNo wonder these people are missing, nobody wants to find people who have solid black soulless eyes!
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
Aunt Mae warned the entire town of the coming apocalypse but nobody believed the rantings of a feeble old lady. You were running late for a book signing when you find yourself trapped in the tiny town of Oakville. This town is as creepy as it gets, and missing person fliers are everywhere, but you don't seem to have a problem finding these people, man they're everywhere! Something's just not right with these people, they don't seem to know people are searching for them, and what's wrong with their eyes, they're pitch black! Are all these people dead? Am I dead?
It's no secret that the original Phantasmat is my all time favorite game, and this game is teetering for that pole position, because it's simply phenomenal! The creep factor is certainly there, the storyline is intriguing enough to keep you glued to your computer chair, and the entertainment factor is off the charts. There are 43 Hidden Morphing Signs, Plus Sign Inventory items with puzzles, and plenty of Achievements to earn. There aren't any cuddly puppies, fire breathing dragons or curious kittens in this game folks, so turn off the lights and get your game on! (With Mr. Nightingale's permission, of course)
The Hidden Object Scenes are all over the board, and there are several smaller HOP's within zoomed in locations. Some require multiples of items found to unlock a tool which in turn unlocks listed items, there are sketches of items to find, and even multiple morphing item finds. You can even opt for a Match 3 game in place of the HOP. My only complaint is that the graphics are rather poor in the HOP's, which I just can't seem to understand from such a great series.
I hope you like Mini Games because there are a ton of 'em, ranging from simple puzzles where you turn rings or swap tokens to complete an image or more elaborate puzzles such as placing several round puzzle pieces with arm extensions of various degrees until all arms connect to the round tokens properly.
This Collector's Edition has replayable Match 3 games, HOP's and Mini Games, the Making Of, Achievements, 43 Morphing Objects, Music, Videos, Pictures, Collectibles, a Souvenir Room, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Fix the errors in time in this Hidden Object game! Explore historical sites and find misplaced objects scattered through time.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Flux Family Secrets: The Ripple Effect
PostedJuly 8, 2015
pennmom36
fromStill doesn't explain why Jessie's family ditched her.
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
Jessie has been trying for years to piece together her past with nothing more to go on than a baby photo. Out of the blue a woman named Veronica contacts her with the promise of enlightenment of her past, that all will be explained when she arrives at the Flux Family Manor. After a series of tests, Veronica tells Jessie she's a Flux and they travel through space and time collecting fragments that have been torn apart from the constant tug of war, space and time create.
The first assignment is to restore art, DaVinci (1518) needs fragments to restore the Mona Lisa, Hatshepsut (1458 B.C) needs fragments to restore a bust of the Queen, and Shakespeare (1616) needs fragments to restore his self portrait. You can choose any artist at any time or even go back and forth. You find several fragmented items hidden throughout each room, once an item has been restored, you will use that restored item within the scene to activate some type of mini game, or reveal the next fragment. There is a Zoom feature magnifying glass that can be accessed for searching up close.
There are a lot of Mini Games, some very simple, some lengthy and some frustrating, if you choose to skip any puzzle, there is a 20 minute penalty added to your overall game completion time. Some require you to line up 4 matching symbols once you figure out which symbols are available on all 4 slots, sliding puzzle tiles with one empty space to complete an image, or figuring out a lock combination by slowly turning dial until the light turns green, and, if you rotate the dial too fast you have to start over. This isn't a bad game if you enjoy a lot of mini games and FROG type Hidden Object Scenes, and this is the first game in the Trilogy, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
To avoid imprisonment, a deal is made to retrieve an artifact in Flower of Immortality!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Flower of Immortality
PostedJuly 8, 2015
pennmom36
fromSo the authorities want you to do something illegal to get out of illegal trouble?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
You are an archaeologist who never returns artifacts to the government of where the artifacts are found. This has gotten you into a lot of trouble with the authorities, who are now offering you a deal in exchange for your help. The British authorities have asked you to travel to an island in the pacific, Tapa-Tui, locate another archaeologist, Anna Stevens and steal an artifact from her! This artifact contains The Secret of Immortality!
The graphics are decent, but old school, there are no voiceovers, and there are a lot of dialog boxes to read through. I did enjoy some of the sarcastic humor that was used, but there is way too much dialog in my opinion. One of the features I disliked the most was that it's difficult to see objects that need to be picked up, and at times the tasks aren't logical.
The Hidden Object Scenes are list finds, the items in green require some type of interaction to complete, the items listed in blue are the inventory items you will keep. If you find both inventory items listed in blue, you have the option of skipping the HOS at that point. Some of the HOS are repeated in the same area, which is another feature I dislike because it's boring the second time around. There aren't a lot of Mini Games, but they are doable such as rearranging domino type tiles so that no two alike numbers are in the same column, row, or two by two square.
I don't recommend this game.
Follow the penguin through the portal in this colorful mosaics adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
76 of 94 found this review helpful
Looking For A Way Back Home
PostedJuly 8, 2015
pennmom36
fromOoohhh no Mr. Penguin! Quick, does anyone have a plunger?
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
Poor Mr. Penguin and his family have been sucked through a portal to another world, and they need our help to find their way back home! As with the other 8 FM's, every step you take in the game will help the Penguin family explore this new world, and help them find a way back home (yes, this game has an actual storyline)
This is a griddler or mosaic type game where you fill in and cross of cells on various sized grids, using logic. There are groups of numbers located on each column and row of the grid, each group of numbers must be separated by at least one blank or crossed off cell, using logic. Sometimes it's easier to figure out where numbers can't possibly fit to reduce the amount of cells and narrow the playing field down a bit. Some cells contain bonuses such as extra hints, extra mistakes allowed or an extra pickaxe which allows you to choose which cell you want a hint on.
The one feature that makes Fantasy Mosaics stand out from the rest of the griddler games, is the vibrant array of colors available. It can also help you solve the puzzle when you get stuck, because you can switch to another color which ultimately narrows down the available cells. These pictures actually make sense because they have three different colors you know what image you have created, peppers, clovers, eclipse, and even Alice in Wonderland!
If you make no mistakes, you will earn a Gold Trophy regardless of the time it takes to complete the puzzle, a Silver Trophy is earned if you make one mistake, and a Bronze Trophy is earned if you make 2 mistakes. You can replay the grid as often as you want in order to improve your score. This series is one of the best available, and certainly the most colorful. This is a must have game for griddler geeks and an immediate purchase for this geek!
I recommend this game!
A series of shocking – and otherworldly – murders has struck New York City, and you're the only one who can solve them!
Overall rating
5
/
5
59 of 71 found this review helpful
Prison Break Paranormal Style!
PostedJuly 7, 2015
pennmom36
fromHugo Brodie certainly is "HOT" headed
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
What do these people have in common, Colin Smith, Macy Gilberg, Carolina Oldrich, Paul Kimberely, Moira Dyson, Frederick Davis, Henry Tyler, Lucas Bishop and Tony Thornes? They were all Sing Sing prison guards when an incident took place during the execution of an inmate, Hugo Brodie. No one knows for sure whether this was an elaborate prison break, or paranormal phenomenon, but the prisoner vanished into thin air....and a ball of lightning! Five years later, the prison guards present that fateful night have begun to disappear in that very same manner, a ball of lightning and poof! Nothing left but ashes and outlines! Laura has a new assignment from Dr. Bishop, and another New York Mystery to solve!
New York Mysteries has done it again, this will be a series known for it's fantastic mysteries, unbelievable cinamatics and over the top extra features. Personally, I prefer the Collector's Edition because of the 35 slow Morphing Beyond Objects, 9 Collectible Waving Kitties, 11 Collectible Statue of Liberties, 8 Secret Organization Capacitors, 7 Ball and Chains, 20 Diascope Slides, and all the Achievements you could ever want, or need!
The Hidden Object Scenes are a wee bit scarce, but very entertaining, progressive, interactive silhouette shape finds where you find the first item that matches the silhouette shown and then use that item back into the scene as you uncover clever puzzles, codes and mini games within the Hidden Object Scene! The Mini Games are fairly common puzzles such as a game of "Blocks" or Spot The Difference (actually spot the same) or arranging eagles on shelves so that the metal spheres are adjacent to each other and you can see a spark between them.
The Collector's Edition has Wallpapers, Concept Art, Videos, Music, replayable Mini Games and Puzzles, Achievements, Beyond Objects, Collectible Statues, and Collectible Diascope Slides, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Serve delicious smoothie combinations, prepare appetizers and spread your brand across the globe!
Overall rating
3
/
5
70 of 77 found this review helpful
Impossible To Get A Perfect Score
PostedJuly 7, 2015
pennmom36
frommouse or touchpad?
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
I love Time Management games, however, with the exception of the first couple of levels, it's impossible to achieve a perfect score! To achieve a perfect score of 3 gold stars, you need to be flawless, 2 silver stars are earned when you are too slow serving less than two customers, a bronze star means you served more than two customers too slow. Here's the problem: you click on the customers one at a time to see what fruits they want in their smoothie. You then choose those fruits by rotating through the fruit menu and clicking on the correct combination of fruits. Once you have chosen the fruits, the baristas automatically make the smoothie.....and it takes so long that you immediately lose a star on the customers patience meter! Even if I click wicked fast on the fruit selections, the barista's take too long! You also need to add appetizers to some orders, and then click on the customer to serve the order. When they are finished, you click on the money and click on the glass, and click on the dishwasher to clean the glass. There are bonus points and coins that swirl and fly around the room that can be earned by clicking on them when they appear. The money you earn can be used to purchase employees, and entertainers for the customers. From time to time, you will have special customers that must be served, such as celebrities, press, food inspectors, critics and even the mayor! This TM game offers 100 levels in 10 worlds, there are 40 characters and trophies or achievements to earn as well. I'm sure many gamers will go bonkers over this game, but for me, it's a no go for the impossibility factor.
I don't recommend this game.