pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4701
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:February 1, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
An unexpected invitation sends you to research mythical standing stones in Brittany.
Overall rating
4
/
5
86 of 97 found this review helpful
Seven Hours To Save Two Worlds!
PostedDecember 10, 2014
pennmom36
fromWhere is Avalon?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The Druids have prophesied that a comet will hide in the dark side of the moon, the skies will turn purple and an evil demon (is there such thing as a nice demon?) entombed by the Druids long ago, will escape to create havoc and bring an end to the world as we know it. Against the will of the brotherhood, Michael has risked everything, including his own life, to ask for an outsiders help, a very well known archeologist. Liz boards a plane and heads for Brittany, France to investigate the menhirs standing stones, according to the prophecy, there are only 7 hours left!
I found this story to be refreshingly new, in spite of what other reviewers have stated, the only feature I found fault with was the fact that there weren't enough areas of interest in each scene. The graphics depict perfectly what you would expect from a town that has been forgotten for way too long. Even though we have grown accustomed to seeing all the "extras" a game has to offer, only in Collectors Editions, this game treats us with 70 collectible mistletoes, which I believe refills the hint icon (at least that's where they go) and you collect 40 mosaic pieces to complete a mosaic bas relief. Keep your eye's open, many of the collectibles are in the Hidden Object Scenes, and almost always tucked away somewhere within zoomed in areas!
The Hidden Object Scenes are pure delights, some are interactive, progressive silhouettes where you find items and use them in the scenes to find other objects, others are list finds and even fragmented finds, and very entertaining. The mini games are fun, but nothing new such as "Blocks" where you move different shaped blocks, some move up and down, some move left and right, and you need to expose all four corners. My favorite game required you to position green and gold tokens onto their matching colored discs, using handles to rotate the discs, and the handle to swap the tiles between the two discs.
This is just a stand alone game but it has some really nice features such as, 70 collectible mistletoes and 40 hidden collectible mosaic puzzle pieces that will allow you to assemble a mosaic tile puzzle once you have found all of the pieces. Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
The evil wizard Moramor has captured the Happy Empire! Help Princess Leya overcome difficulties, banish the evil wizard and restore the empire!
Overall rating
3
/
5
53 of 57 found this review helpful
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PostedDecember 10, 2014
pennmom36
fromHappy, Happy, Happy!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'm a huge Time Management fan, and I was positive I was going to love this game when I looked at the description and screenshots. The graphics are very good, that's certainly a plus, but between each level, I had to stare at a log cabin with a banners saying, loading........for what seemed like an eternity! I'm not a patient person when it comes to computer games, and I bet I'm not the only person who has a need for speed, dial up days are so yesteryear! With that complaint out of the way, I did love the vibrant colors and realistic items available such as the "food" which is a whole turkey beautifully basted and realistic enough to make you hungry. I felt there was way too much dialog which took up a lot of precious demo time. The game is available in Timed or Relaxed mode and it does give you an option to skip the tutorial. The story that this TM game is based upon is about a Happy Empire, the Empress Laya has just returned from a voyage where she was seeking new discoveries of resources and knowledge to make the people even happier. When she returns from her voyage she is unhappy to discover that the evil wizard Moramor has returned to create chaos even though he has been banned from Happy Empire. There are goals to meet in each level such as collecting food and resources, repairing roads and bridges and constructing buildings that will allow you to achieve your goals and earn 3 gold stars, all within the allotted time given (in timed mode) I'm not as critical as some of the other reviewers, the game itself isn't all that bad, it's just sluggish and really has nothing new to bring to the table, however if you like a slower paced game and play in a relaxed mode, this might be ideal for you.
I don't recommend this game.
The Rat King's wand has fallen into the hands of a vengeful baron. Team up with your new friend, the Tin Soldier, to stop him!
Overall rating
5
/
5
146 of 167 found this review helpful
Animated Christmas Wonderland
PostedDecember 10, 2014
pennmom36
fromToyland
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The Nutcracker has once again been turned into a toy, by now he's probably used to it, but this time his sister Nina and her fiance Charlie have become toy victims as well! Charlie and Nina were childhood sweethearts and were about to be wed when Charlie was called into war, Nina vowed to wait for him. Several suitors pursued Nina, but her heart remained true and she waited for Charlie's return, no matter how long it took. The Baron also wanted Nina for his own, and ordered his servants to do whatever it takes to assure Charlie never returns to Nina's loving arms. Charlie was severely wounded and lost his leg as a result of his injury, his love for Nina gave him the will to fight for his life! The Baron became filled with rage and turned everyone into teeny tiny toys when he saw that Charlie had returned, the Nutcracker managed to escape just before the Baron threw poor Charlie into the fireplace and kidnapped Nina!
It's a good thing Charlie is now made of tin because you are able to meld a new tin soldier using Charlie's original crystal heart, a little bit of paint and he's good as new and available at a moments notice to fight those nasty Box Trolls! The Nutcracker joins us in the adventure as a hint icon. There are 36 collectible puzzle pieces that fit into three different pictures, when completed they become animated screensavers, and there are 15 Christmas packages throughout the game that contain miniature cat collectibles. Some of the inventory items you find are complex items as indicated by a snowflake, which means some type of interaction is required before using that item such as opening the package or combining the item with another inventory item.
The Hidden Object Scenes are beautiful, with Christmas themed items, some are silhouetted shapes to find, interactive list finds that expose puzzle pieces that you swap to complete a picture and even moving items two at a time trying to find matching pairs. The mini games aren't difficult but certainly fun such as guiding soldier Charlie through a re enactment scene from the war, you have Charlie shoo away a crow, the crow drops the key into a haystack, charlie pushes the cow out of the way to search the haystack to find the key that opens a chest containing an axe to chop down the door of a burning house and so forth.
This Collectors Edition has Wallpapers, Music, Concept Art, Animated Screensavers, Collectible jigsaw puzzle pieces, Collectible miniature Cats, Achievements, a built in Strategy guide and two Bonus Chapters, enjoy!
This Collectors Edition has Wallpapers, Music, Concept Art, Animated Screensavers, Collectible jigsaw puzzle pieces, Collectible miniature Cats, Achievements, a built in Strategy guide and two Bonus Chapters, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
You’re the only one who can save Taleworld from an evil queen.
Overall rating
5
/
5
112 of 131 found this review helpful
The Queen Is Breaking Hearts
PostedDecember 9, 2014
pennmom36
fromWhy did they leave Argos chained up with no food or water?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Taleworld hasn't been the same since Alice went to the big city with dreams of becoming the CEO of a large corporation. The Queen of Hearts was a kind and generous ruler, she loved her subjects so much that the Queen of Hearts became the motto and her loyal army proudly displayed a heart upon their armor. Lately all that has changed, the Queen locked the castle gates allowing only her new advisor to enter the castle. The Queen now rules with an iron fist and has sentenced Pierre to be executed for speaking out against the Queen's injustice! Belle has gathered several of the brave townspeople to rebel against the Queen, and are patiently waiting for Gears to deliver their dire message to Alice. Can Alice return to Taleworld in time to save Pierre?
This is a fairly easy game to play with several areas of interest in each scene. Gears has returned to help Alice reunite with her parents, anytime you need assistance with objects too high or out of reach, Gears is your right hand man! Some of the inventory items need further interaction before using like combining that item with another item or using a code to open. Some of those items even have a small mini game to solve.
The Hidden Object Scenes are interactive, some list finds and some silhouetted shape finds. You may have to find flowers to open up the list or pick the correct books to make bookshelves recede to expose a stained glass HOP. My favorite HOP was finding gears that matched their silhouette shape in a scene filled with hundreds of gears, then you used those gears in a mini game where you choose the correct gear to go in the correct spot so that all the gears would turn. The mini games weren't complicated but really fun such as swapping stone tiles to complete a pattern or choosing several patterns that when combined, matched the sample shown.
The Collectors Edition has Concept Art, unlockable Wallpaper, Soundtracks, HOS, Smoke and Mirrors puzzles, Red Heart Casino games, Collectibles, Morphing Objects, a Bonus Chapter, and a built in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Shed some light on the murky circumstances surrounding the death of journalist Jack Olsen, who was investigating the assassination of the famous 35th President of the United States.
Overall rating
2
/
5
71 of 72 found this review helpful
Interesting Story But Uninteresting Gameplay
PostedDecember 8, 2014
pennmom36
fromI man needs his cigars, right!?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Jack Olsen was a journalist who died in a fatal car accident while investigating the JFK assassination for an upcoming 50th anniversary article. FBI agent Jane Sully, must now investigate this accident which seems to be no accident at all, has Jack Olsen been murdered? What information did he discover that couldn't be made public?
This sounds like a very interesting subject, however the game mechanics were so outdated that I had no desire to even finish the demo. This is a click and drag style game allowing you to zoom into any section of the scene, even the inventory items you use have to be dragged to the desired location, you cannot simply click on the item and then click again to use that item. Everytime you click to move to another location or even a zoomed in area, you have to wait an eternity for the game to load while you stare at a book.
There are a ton of Hidden Object Scenes, they are all list finds, but you have to open up several drawers, cabinets and boxes to find all of the items. There are several opaque file folders in eas HO scene that will give you an interesting factoid about President John F. Kennedy, some of which I have never heard. JFK apparently purchased an emergency stock of 1000 cigars before issuing an embargo upon Cuba (Coober) Mini games were less abundant but actually aren't that bad, such as swapping sections of wave length lines on three different sections so that the wave lengths made a continuous and connected line.
The game states that the situations described in this video game are partly inspired by real events and real people, living or dead, they remain purely fictional. My only question would be, does that mean the factoids are fictional or non fictional? Personally, I wouldn't even use a credit on this game, perhaps the game improves as you progress.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Meredith retrieve the ancient tomes and stop the Wizard’s wrath in this hidden object adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
115 of 127 found this review helpful
The Books Of Knowledge
PostedDecember 7, 2014
pennmom36
fromWho cares about the books, they hurt my dog!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
In the realm of Orion a powerful wizard spent all of his time collecting knowledge from around the the world. He kept that knowledge within the pages of 3 books, and he used that knowledge to create chaos in the world! To put an end to the chaos, a brave sorceress named Salina, stole the wizard's three books of knowledge and fled into the night with her baby daughter Meredith, to the edge of the world where her sister Ariel lived. Salina tried for many years to read the books of knowledge that were written in an ancient text that only the wizard could translate. The years passed by and Salina succommed to an illness, Aunt Ariel raised Meredith and taught her everything she knew about magic. Eventually the wizard figured out where the books of knowledge were hidden, and his minions were ordered to set Aunt Ariel's house ablaze before they returned with the greedy wizards books. Now it's up to Meredith to finish what her mother started all those years ago!
This game was totally unexpected, the HD graphics are very well done, in a cartoonish fashion that actually works. The characters are extremely well done and there are some quality features within the mechanics of the game, which are usually reserved for the big boy games. There are 12 Enchanted Crosses and 8 Witch's Talisman's to collect as well as an abundance of available Achievements. Some of the items you come across require you to add other inventory items before using, several circles will appear with items shown as silhouettes and when you find those items you click and drag them to the correct silhouette. (I like this feature way more than plus sign indicators)
The Hidden Object Scenes are list finds, and in my opinion the items were very well placed, some were smack dab obvious and other items kept you searching the scene over and over forever to find them! The mini games are on the easy side, turning all symbols blue using levers on the left to rotate the symbols and the lever on the right to switch the colors of three adjacent symbols at a time, or rotating rings to line up slots which allow a ball to drop to the bottom.
This game may not be able to compete with the exclusive big named games we are accustomed to, but it is a very entertaining game with a handful of extras. This game proves that you don't always need all the bells and whistles to make a story pop with excitement, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Another bloodcurdling tale ripped from the pages of history. This time, the horrifying legend of Elizabeth Bathory is yours to discover!
Overall rating
5
/
5
175 of 207 found this review helpful
I've Always Wanted To Be A Gypsy
PostedDecember 6, 2014
pennmom36
fromMy Grandparents were from Hungary, were they vampires???
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The horrors of a war torn nation pales in comparison to the horrors enacted by Elizabeth Bathory! Legends of vampires have been passed down for centuries, but few people have survived long enough to shed light upon the true horrors that have taken place within Elizabeth Bathory's estate.....until now! Lord Istvan hasn't heard from his daughter Agnes since she was invited to sing for the Countess, in fact, none of the young women who entered her house have been seen or heard from since! The King has refused to investigate the disappearances, leaving Lord Istvan no choice but to seek the help of the "finders" also known as the traveling Gypsy's!
You are a traveling Gypsy and your wagon contains everything you need to "find" Agnes, and help those in need along the way. Inside the wagon is your herb garden which will need replenished with seeds that you will find during your investigation. Once the herbs are harvested, they will be stored in the herbarium, awaiting use in different potion recipes you come across. This wagon can be accessed anytime, just click on the wagon icon to the right of the inventory bar. There are Morphing Tarot Cards, one in each scene, which are blended into the scenery very well, with just the right amount of morphing pace. Naturally, you have psychic abilities that can be used on certain objects to "see" an event that has taken place recently. Once you use your psychic powers, a jumbled up picture will be revealed and you must slide sections of the puzzle left and right until the picture is complete allowing your vision to come to life. Some of the inventory items require repairs or another inventory item to be combined with before using that item as indicated by a plus sign.
There are three different types of Hidden Object Scenes, searching for objects by names listed, searching for objects that match their silhouetted shapes, and searching for objects that are associated to the words given. Most of the scenes require you to toggle between the object list and the inventory list, you may have to use matches from your inventory to light a lantern to get a lit lantern! The mini games are easy, besides the puzzles in your psychic readings, there are recipe mini games where you simply follow the instructions to make the potion, and well known games of guiding the gold button to the red buttons location making sure you pass each button shown.
This Collectors Edition has VAMPIRES, Wallpapers, Screensavers, Music, Achievements, Morphing Tarot Cards, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus chapter. Happy Vampire hunting, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
A shadow from the Gray family's past has returned for revenge. Can you save your family from their worst nightmares?
Overall rating
5
/
5
141 of 156 found this review helpful
All Your Nightmares Are Coming True!
PostedDecember 5, 2014
pennmom36
fromWhy does Luisa's name plate say Louise?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Aunt Gray was running a little late for the Annual Gray Family Reunion, it's a good thing because adopted brother Thomas has escaped from the mental institution! Thomas never felt close to his adopted family, with the exception of Luisa who loved watching Thomas paint, a truly talented artist. Little did she know, Thomas was able to turn his paintings into reality, and today he has used this unique ability to seek revenge on every Gray family member for institutionalizing him. Thomas has planned a surprise, the Gray family members will relive their nightmares, exposing each of their darkest family secrets! John and Luisa will once again bare the werewolf curse, Jackie will once again face Bloody Mary and James was found innocent of his sister Elizabeth's murder, or was he? The Gray's seem to have more than their fair share of drama, can Aunt Gray help every family member at the same time and put an end to Thomas' irrational behavior?
The graphics just keep getting better and better with each new Grim Tales release, and the interactive features are the icing on the cake! Every scene has several items to interact with in an attempt to make the game as real as possible, feed the fish and watch them gobble up the food, play with the pond's fountains and watch the water dance, move branches out of your way and turn on the lamps, even better, most of the scenes allow you to scroll left and right seemingly flawless! Some of the inventory items require you to interact with them as well such as repairing that item or combining that item with another inventory item before using.You will also come across Thomas' painting kit that allows you to paint unfinished sketches you come across, and bring them to life just as Thomas does.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly interactive list finds and some of the HO objects you find will reveal a fragmented piece that can be assembled when all pieces are found. One of my favorite mini games required you to interact with different elements to solve the puzzle such as, clicking on flower petals to receive a moon emblem which is then placed above the wolf who begins to howl causing stars to twinkle in a specific sequence that you repeat. The wolf disappears and a Bichon Frise dog appears, you place the dog with Elizabeth and click on him several times to chase away her murderer and you continue this process with each family members personal nightmare.
The Collectors Edition is so much more fun with Morphing Objects, Collectible monsters, a Secret Room, Achievements, Wallpapers, Concept Art, Screensavers, Music, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
When minotaurs attack, only you can save the day.
Overall rating
4
/
5
87 of 94 found this review helpful
Wake Up!
PostedDecember 4, 2014
pennmom36
from"It's a good thing we didn't get caught" ya think?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Give this game a chance, it starts out slow but picks up the pace, especially when you pair up with the Minotaurs healer. I liked the Collectors Edition better because of the very well hidden Fairies, which made the game more fun. This story takes place long before Queen Sophia was born, when the humans lived in prosperity, which they called the Golden Age. The Golden Age will soon be an era of the past, the leader of the Minotaurs, General Blacktail, has declared war against the humans because he believes Prince Cedric is responsible for starving their kingdom of their most precious resource, water! Sasha is the only human that believes the Minotaurs and works diligently to expose the truth and find out who built the dams that have left the Minotaurs Kingdom barren.
Sasha has magical powers (seems Sophia truly was the only one born without magic after all!) throughout the human kingdom are magical barriers that are marked with an Eye symbol. Sasha's amulet, the "All Seeing Eye" will reveal hidden passages and hidden caches such as Hidden Object Scenes. Once Sasha meets up with Prince Cedric whose magical power consists of creating fire with his bare hands, the two of them hatch a Hoopoe bird which is nothing more than a hint icon and really doesn't do anything. You also get to name your Hoopoe bird but the name doesn't appear anywhere that I noticed making this feature kind of worthless in my opinion.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly interactive list finds which exposes a fragmented piece of a crest with each object found, to finding multiples of several items within a hand drawn sketch such as 10 flowers, clouds, shields etc. which was actually quite entertaining. The mini games are numerous in this game which is typical in most Awakening games, my favorite was constructing a map by selecting icons of buildings, crops and mountains, and placing them in the appropriate slots on the map with the clues that are given like, there are crops to the left of the Mill and mountains north west of the crops.
The Collectors Edition has hidden Fairies, Wallpapers, Soundtracks, replayable Mini Games, Cutscenes, Achievements, Concept Art, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Solve crosswords to find the hidden objects! Enjoy the sequel to one of the most successful mix of word and hidden objects game genre!
Overall rating
4
/
5
114 of 121 found this review helpful
It's Different
PostedDecember 3, 2014
pennmom36
fromI think this game was supposed to be a Christmas release
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Put on your thinking cap crossword puzzle lovers, this is a hidden object game that will require you to think outside the box. Each level has it's own crossword puzzle and a hidden object scene. You can choose to guess any word that has at least one letter already shown, each word has a different mode available to solve the word such as a mini game to solve, a match 3 game to drop the letters to the bottom, a riddle to solve, or three cards describing the object. You can always choose to type in the letters if you know what the word is, or simply find the item in the hidden object scene without playing any of the games. When you are given three cards describing the item, you can choose the cards one at a time to narrow down your search, for example the card description may say black or white and when you click on the card, the description will narrow down to say white, or tall or short will narrow down to say tall. Some of the words have pictures of a moth and when you fill in the letter or word that covers the moth, the moth will escape from the hint jar and if you catch him, you will get a random letter filled in the word. The object of the game is to earn 3 stars by not making mistakes, but you can replay any level as often as you want to earn a better score. If you cannot find the object in the scene, you may spell out it's name one letter at a time or click on the crystal to highlight the search area, or click on the bottle to release the moth and open one of the letters, if you click on the red button, you can pass on the current word and move on to the next word temporarily. This game is unusual, therefore you will have to have an open mind, enjoy!
I recommend this game!