pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4712
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 24, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Echoes of the Past: The Revenge of the Witch
Once again black powers have seized the kingdom of Orion. The entire city is gripped by fear and it's up to you to save them, and yourself!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Echos of the Past: The Revenge of the Witch SE
PostedMarch 9, 2015
pennmom36
fromWitches and Wizards...
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
You must save Orion once again from the evil Witch. This time she has scattered 10 gems belonging to the Wizards powerful staff. These gems are scattered throughout the kingdom, without them the staff is useless. It's up to you to search for the enchanted spells cast by the witch, and dispel the curses in order to complete the daunting tasks at hand and recover the gems before it's too late.
The graphics just keep getting better and better with each new Echos, but the Collectors Edition still needs more substance to persuade me over the Standard Edition. The best features in this game are the abundance of activities available and the abundance of clever Mini games.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly interactive list finds, but there are the occasional scenes with several pieces to find for a bas relief or replacing items back into the scene where they belong. In my opinion, Echo's games are best known for their very entertaining puzzles, such as turning on all crystal lights, with the correct number of connections, or placing domino tiles onto a grid so that the images on both sides of the domino match up.
The Collectors Edition is still a bit weak with it's extras, the Standard Edition is a better value. The CE features re-playable Mini Games, Wallpapers, a Bonus Chapter, a built in Strategy Guide and Game Designer which peaks my interest, a feature that will allow you to create your own game levels that you can then access to play, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Echoes of the Past: The Revenge of the Witch Collector's Edition
Once again black powers have seized the kingdom of Orion. The entire city is gripped by fear and it's up to you to save them, and yourself!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
Echos of the Past: The Revenge of the Witch CE
PostedMarch 9, 2015
pennmom36
fromThat witch is relentless!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
That evil witch has returned to Orion, and once again it's up to you to save the kingdom from her powerful magic. She has scattered the 10 gems of the Wizard's almighty staff, rendering it useless. that is until you recover the gems and use the staff to counteract her magic.
The graphics just keep getting better and better with each new Echos, but the Collectors Edition still needs more substance to persuade me over the Standard Edition. The best features in this game are the abundance of activities available and the abundance of clever Mini games.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly interactive list finds, but there are the occasional scenes with several pieces to find for a bas relief or replacing items back into the scene where they belong. In my opinion, Echo's games are best known for their very entertaining puzzles, such as turning on all crystal lights, with the correct number of connections, or placing domino tiles onto a grid so that the images on both sides of the domino match up.
The Collectors Edition is still a bit weak with it's extras, re-playable Mini Games, Wallpapers, a Bonus Chapter, a built in Strategy Guide and Game Designer which peaks my interest, a feature that will allow you to create your own game levels that you can then access to play, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Off the Record: The Art of Deception
A famous painter finds herself in over her head!
Overall rating
4
/
5
122 of 130 found this review helpful
Lela's Blight
PostedMarch 8, 2015
pennmom36
fromWhy would anyone leave threats recorded on audio tapes?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Leda's Blight, is a stunning masterpiece that has been missing for years. Recently, to the delight of art enthusiasts everywhere, this incredible painting has resurfaced! With the auction coming up, collectors are chomping at the bit for the opportunity to place a bid on this beautiful work of art, but first the painting must undergo a serious restoration. Lisa Steiner agrees to return to this quaint little town in Austria, after 20 long years, to masterfully restore this original painting, but is it truly the original? Felicity Adams is the only journalist who has been able to interview Lisa, a known recluse. Your journalistic instincts are telling you that Ms. Steiner is being deceptive, or perhaps manipulated...this is clearly an art of deception!
I will admit that this game starts out too slow and cheesy, but it really does improve. If you're looking for more than this Standard Edition has to offer, consider the Collectors Edition which has an abundance of Achievements available to earn, Morphs, and 17 hidden letters to find which unlock special features. Both Editions have inventory items with plus signs indicating further action is required before using that item, including some very intriguing puzzles!
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, some are your typical interactive list finds, and even scenes that scroll one scene to the left or one scene to the right as you are tasked with finding 12 flowers, 6 birds and 3 cats, but I found this HOP too easy and scrolling left and right constantly became a tad bit annoying. There are even mini HOP's within zoomed in areas where you find a few items that match a sketch or silhouette. The Mini Games were pretty decent, although some were mind bending puzzles where you had to use directional arrows to slide half sections of different sizes to the middle, stacking the sections from the smallest to the largest. I enjoyed the mini game where you had to click on every honeycomb section to light them up, but there are several red honeycombs which require you to click on them twice without backtracking!
The Collectors Edition has Movies, Music, Behind the Scenes, replayable HOP and Mini Games, Pictures, a Souvenir Room, a Painters Den, Achievements, Morphs, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, either one is packed with entertainment, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
WMS Slots: Jade Monkey
Experience all the exciting sights and sounds of real WMS Slots!
Overall rating
5
/
5
109 of 128 found this review helpful
It's As Close To A Real Casino As Possible
PostedMarch 8, 2015
pennmom36
fromI just won 9,750 dollars from 10 free spins, if only it were real!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the first virtual slots game I have ever played that tried to replicate that "casino" vibe, and it's awesome. You can choose the quality of graphics you think will be best supported on your computer, and the colors are so vivid and crisp that it resembles the newer slot machines just like the casinos have. You have a handful of slot machines to choose from, others will be unlocked once you have earned enough achievements or enough money. Once you choose the slot machine, you can choose Dream Odds or Casino Odds, the amount of money you want to insert, and the denomination for your bet such as 1-5-10-25 cents per spin. At random times, you will receive three coins, you can pick any one of the coins that will reveal a special bonus of up to 3x the payout. Each slot machine has it's own unique features such as winning extra free spins, so you will want to try all of them, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Echoes of the Past: The Citadels of Time
Travel from the Dark Middle Ages to the present to save the inhabitants of the Orion kingdom in Echoes of the Past - The Citadels of Time!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Echos of the Past: The Citadels of Time SE
PostedMarch 8, 2015
pennmom36
fromAnd you thought this would be just another trip to the museum!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I played both versions of this game, the Collectors Edition and the Standard Edition, to see if there were any significant differences. In my opinion, unless you want wallpapers, this game is the better option. It is easy enough to complete without the Strategy Guide, and the Hint system is very good
The witch is still refusing to let you leave the museum, seeking revenge upon the inhabitants of the Royal House of Orion for spurring her powers, oh so long ago! The witch has bound you to the house with a clock, dismantled the clock, and then hid all the pieces of the clock around the kingdom! You must travel the citadels of time, and repair the clock within each era or become trapped eternally in time!
The graphics and mechanics have made a remarkable improvement since the first episode, and the hint system is now available everywhere, not just in the HOP, like before. There is still a lot of back and forth traveling as you find items in one era and use them in another or from one scene to the next.
The Hidden Object Scenes are slightly interactive list finds with the final inventory item found in the form of a description. The Mini Games are old school, but I loved em, such as selecting different levers to control stairs as you try to engage every step to appear.
The Collectors Edition doesn't offer much, Mini Games to replay, Wallpapers, a Bonus Chapter and a Built in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Echoes of the Past: The Citadels of Time Collector's Edition
Travel from the Dark Middle Ages to the present to save the inhabitants of the Orion kingdom in Echoes of the Past - The Citadels of Time!
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 12 found this review helpful
Echos of the Past: The Citadels of Time CE
PostedMarch 8, 2015
pennmom36
fromAnd you thought this would be just another trip to the museum!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The witch is still refusing to let you leave the museum, seeking revenge upon the inhabitants of the Royal House of Orion for spurring her powers, oh so long ago! The witch has bound you to the house with a clock, dismantled the clock, and then hid all the pieces of the clock around the kingdom! You must travel the citadels of time, and repair the clock within each era or become trapped eternally in time!
The graphics and mechanics have made a remarkable improvement since the first episode, and the hint system is now available everywhere, not just in the HOP, like before. There is still a lot of back and forth traveling as you find items in one era and use them in another or from one scene to the next.
The Hidden Object Scenes are slightly interactive list finds with the final inventory item found in the form of a description. The Mini Games are old school, but I loved em, such as selecting different levers to control stairs as you try to engage every step to appear.
The Collectors Edition doesn't offer much, Mini Games to replay, Wallpapers, a Bonus Chapter and a Built in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Small Town Terrors: Galdor's Bluff Collector's Edition
You're cordially invited to attend the world's greatest magic show! Thurman the Magnificent will give a performance no one will forget!
Overall rating
4
/
5
133 of 145 found this review helpful
Master Of Flames
PostedMarch 8, 2015
pennmom36
from"I hope, you'll consider a generous tip" Yep, let me just fish it out of the storm drain first.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Perhaps Thurman the Magnificent Master of Flames should have stuck with the disappearing act, or pulled a bunny out of a hat, because he really hasn't mastered the flame. Galdor's Bluff will never be the same now, best known for it's rivals between two young apprentices, Joseph Thurman and Roger Addington, who were trained by the Master of all time, Charles Galdor. Thurman's suspicions might be true, detective, perhaps someone is trying to sabotage the Master of Flames!
Although this game isn't receiving rave reviews, it really isn't all that bad. It is an extremely short demo, it is an extremely easy game, there are a ton of Hidden Object Scenes, but it's not a horrible game. The story is interesting (yes, there have been a slew of illusionist games as of late) the graphics are decent, not fantastic, but the games mechanics are flawless, with no noticeable glitches. I love Morphing Objects, but this game made a grave mistake with this feature, because the 37 (more available within bonus game) Morphing Crystal Balls are all round, all you have to do is search for the one and only round object in the scene.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly list finds with just a few items requiring interactions, but there are also scenes where you find the items and replace them where they belong in the scene. Usually I stick with the HOP, but in this case I opted for the alternate game of Solitaire for two reasons. The HOP's are basic and the items can all be found instantly, and the Solitaire game is very unique. The object of the solitaire game is to select two cards from the pyramid and/or the deck, so that the total sum of the two cards equal 13. Kings are worth 13, therefor they can be removed by themselves, Queens are worth 12, Jacks 11, Ace 1, all other cards are face value. The Mini Games are variations of the classics, such as memorizing the patterns of flashing lights and repeating or turning discs to complete a picture.
This Collectors Edition has Concept Art, Wallpapers, Achievements, Morphing Crystal Balls, Solitaire Games (several variations available) a Bonus Chapter and a built in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Mystery of the Ancients: Deadly Cold
Ice giants are attacking citizens as a deadly blizzard arrives.
Overall rating
4
/
5
98 of 110 found this review helpful
Baby, It's Cold Outside
PostedMarch 6, 2015
pennmom36
fromBurrr, this game reminds me of something, winter in Ohio!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Kira has invited her best friend to Baumholder to meet her new husband, Victor Allen, A.K.A Victor Snow. Victor seems quite the prize, he's handsome, quite muscular and he's also apparently 7 foot tall according to his ID card! There's no time to get acquainted though because this seemingly quiet town is about to get really crazy! It appears that Victor has been keeping his true identity from Kira, which has caused a wickedly cold assault upon Baumholder as Icy Giants invade this newlywed couples honeymoon and turn everything into a freezing tundra....and it's in the middle of summer!
Some of the inventory items have plus signs indicating that something needs to be done to that item before it can be used such as putting pieces together or combining that item with another inventory item.
The Hidden Object Scenes are well done, most are progressive silhouetted shape finds where you find the first item that matches the silhouetted shape, and use that item in the scene which will then expose the next item and so forth. One HOP had silhouetted shapes that required you to find two of the same type, the first item found would only fill in the shape 1/2 way. The Mini Games were very entertaining, some easy, some a little more frustrating such as clicking on frozen ice patches in a specific order or more ice patches would form.
In case you are on the fence between the CE or this SE, there are 25 Hidden Hares and 6 Collectible Character Figurines throughout the Collectors Edition adventure, and plenty of Achievements to make you proud of yourself for not using the hint button and muddling through that frustrating puzzle! The Collectors Edition has Achievements, Concept Art, Wallpapers, Music, 25 Hidden Hares, 6 Collectible Figurines, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Echoes of the Past: Royal House of Stone
Reveal an ancient curse and save the kingdom and its inhabitants. The last prince of Orion is waiting for your help!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Echos Of The Past: Royal House Of Stone
PostedMarch 6, 2015
pennmom36
fromWhy me?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
A trip to the Royal House Museum turns out to be more educational than you thought. Somehow you managed to time warp yourself smack dab in the Middle Ages, you have no choice now, the only way you can make it back to civilization is to break the curse that has rendered the Royal Family into stone!
This is an older game that would be fantastic with the features offered in todays game (did I just timewarp?) It tends to be on the difficult side at times due to the fact that there is no Hint feature available outside of the HOS. The only advice I can give you is to try all inventory items on areas that are blocked, as indicated by a red slash on cursor, some actions don't seem logical, but they work.
The Hidden Object Scenes are simple list finds, but there are Magic Mirrors available in each Hidden Object Scene that will give you an extra hint for each one found. The Mini Games can also be difficult at times, some require you to find clues before playing. My absolute favorite puzzle requires you to use blocks and gears to allow a lock mechanism to work, a frustrating but totally entertaining game that I have never seen done before, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Redemption Cemetery: The Island of the Lost Collector's Edition
You crash-land on an island populated by ghosts. Like them, are you trapped here forever?
Overall rating
5
/
5
217 of 246 found this review helpful
Lost Souls Looking For Redemption
PostedMarch 5, 2015
pennmom36
fromHang on Mattie, I gotta finish this puzzle first!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Crash landings are never good, but this airplane just crashed onto an island swarming with lost souls! Plagued with turmoil and guilt, these dearly departed souls have been long forgotten. Ruled by an evil ghost who who feasts upon their suffering only adds to their pain and grief, perhaps this island is your destination after all. If you have the courage and the strength to find the one thing the evil entity fears, the Ancient Amulet, perhaps you can rid this island of evil, and free the long lost souls who are searching for Redemption.
This island's too small for an entire story to take place, naturally you must enter the portals of the undead, to right the wrongs that are responsible for their restlessness, one soul at a time. You won't have to go it alone, a friendly crow from the island has nothing better to do so he's along for the ride and is willing to help you retrieve all those inventory items that mysteriously made their way to the most unlikely and out of reach places! You will be happy to learn that the crow has both of his eyes and they don't even glow! Some of the inventory items have plus signs that indicate further action is required before that item can be used. You must combine that item with another inventory item by simply clicking on one item and dragging it to the other item. There are Collectible items located around the island, and each set of Collectibles will shed some light upon the story.
I was a bit confused with the fact that not every Mini Game gave you the option to choose Casual or Hard modes which is a feature that is unique to this devs game. Sometimes I love a challenge, other times I just want to chill and have some fun. Most of the Mini Games were puzzle types such as swapping picture tiles or putting together torn pieces of a picture, but there are also games such as finding two identical letters by flipping two tiles at a time, but if you guess incorrectly all the tiles scramble around quickly to throw you off and make it more challenging.
This Collectors Edition is loaded with goodies, Screensavers, Concept Art, Movies, Music, Chronicles, re-playable HOP's and Mini Games, Collections, Achievements, a built in Strategy Guide, a Bonus Chapter and you can even take a Test to see how well you paid attention to the details, enjoy!
I recommend this game!