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:
Witch Hunters: Full Moon Ceremony
Defeat the evil witches and save the world from eternal darkness!
Overall rating
5
/
5
107 of 129 found this review helpful
New Moon Rising
PostedAugust 31, 2014
pennmom36
fromWhy are the termites glowing green after they ate?
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
Every century a Witch's Ceremony is held during the full moon in order to choose a new Moon Queen. (the quarter moon witch ceremony is a different game entirely!) The Moon Queen brings hope and light to the world, but that wouldn't be a very interesting story, so if the ceremony doesn't take place, despair and darkness will rule the world, now that's more like it! A group of evil witches will do anything to stop this ceremony and are wreaking havoc in your new abode. The evil witches have sent an annoying little goblin to your house to destroy your Aunt Isabella's antique mirror, he seems to be having a goblin of a time breaking things, freezing entire rooms, turning sticks into giant snakes and has used the power of the moon to cause thorny roots to bust through your house, he's just kinda grouchy!
The graphics are very nicely done, in fact, I loved the way the devs were able to manipulate a droplet of water that puddled on the ceiling and gushed downward to transform into that mischievous little gremlin and even the way that simple objects morphed into a living breathing creature. The Hidden Object Scenes are interactive list finds and I found some of the items a wee bit too small, but the items are well defined. There are mini games that are on the simple side such as rotating circular shaped discs to complete a picture, and more complex puzzles where you need to choose the correct triangle piece so that it will match 3 separate shapes as shown as the example.
The Collectors Edition has one of my favorite features, 35 morphing objects as well as wallpapers, concept art, music, puzzles, a built in strategy guide, and a bonus chapter from your sisters perspective. Either edition is entertaining, but I prefer the Collectors Edition because of the morphing objects, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Witches' Legacy: The Ties That Bind Collector's Edition
Lynn’s wedding is interrupted by a ghost from Edward’s past.
Overall rating
5
/
5
73 of 94 found this review helpful
Trouble With The In-Laws
PostedAugust 18, 2014
pennmom36
fromDon't worry sweetie, I'll be back for the Wedding, are you kidding?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Mr. Biscuits: The Case of the Ocean Pearl
(5)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
After you rescued Lynn from Elizabeth the big bad witch she used her powers to help others and fell in love with a young man named Edward only to find out he was working for a group of Witch Hunters who maliciously hunted and killed any witch regardless of their intentions. Edward was hopelessly in love with Lynn and his heart told him that Lynn was a kind and gentle witch who not only deserved to live, but live the rest of her life as his bride. Edward and Lynn are to be married this weekend, but fate just might have other plans because Edward has just learned that his parents are alive and he has an older sister as well! Trouble in paradise has already planted it's sinister seed and big sister Abigail may not be the in-law Lynn would grow to love.
That devilish mischievous little half pint Imp will join you once again as you help Lynn find Edward and discover the truth about his adoption from Oldhills Orphanage. Why this Imp doesn't have a name by now perplexes me but you will find 10 collectible items to delight your little helper such as yo-yo's, and spinning tops. There are also 35 morphing objects and 35 hidden puzzle pieces that will unlock mini games too. Some of the inventory items have + sign indicators which will require you to either fix the object or combine the object with another inventory item before using. As with all of the Witch's Legacy games, there are plenty of achievements to earn, including using your Imp to help you, which is redundant if you think about it because you don't have an alternate option but to use his help reaching items beyond your capability lol.
The Hidden Object Scenes are very well done, you have to find a broom first to sweep leaves away from the list on one scene, another scene reveals pieces of a meld behind each listed item which assembles the meld in order to make a key for the drawer which contains the final object! You can switch to a game of matching paired items by flipping over cards two at a time, and I honestly forgot to read all of the achievements to find out if playing the alternate game earns an achievement so you may want to see if that's the case. I was a tad bit disappointed with the mini games because unlike the other games in this series, they were way too simple and basic, almost fool proof (as I sometimes feel when playing some of those frustrating ones) The games involve swapping tiles to complete a path from point A to B, or using arrows to turn an inner gold ring and an outer blue ring as you slide alike colored marbles either in or out with a center space to free up space. They aren't bad, just too easy in my opinion.
This Collectors Edition has Wallpapers, an Art Gallery, Screensavers, Soundtracks, Achievements, Morphing Objects, Collectible Puzzle pieces, 35 Puzzles, an Imp room, a built in Strategy Guide and of course a Bonus Chapter which certainly makes this edition worth a close look, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Hoyle Illusions
There is malice afoot on the eve of the awaited Battle Royale between two famous illusionists. Will you get to the theater on time and save the day?
Overall rating
3
/
5
15 of 20 found this review helpful
Battle Royale
PostedAugust 14, 2014
pennmom36
fromAlakazam One Alakazam Two Alakazam Three and Poof, Sophies gone!
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
The battle for the greatest magician is on, Merlin the Amazing vs. Johanne the Great but there's just one problem....Merlin has just kidnapped Johannas' assistant Sophie in hopes that her fiance Peter will work for Merlin as his engineer. If you can't win, cheat (sounds a little familiar here at the bakery)
There are 52 Mysterious Hoyle cards to collect which will unlock mini card games such as Klondike solitaire, 3 card Monte, Spider, and golf solitaire and Capture the Ace. When you see a top hat you can use your magic wand to create a useful inventory item such as matches to light the stage lights. Each scene has a Hidden Object Scene and these are simple but not so easy to find listed items. There are no voiceovers, so you will have to read a lot of dialog boxes as you take on dual roles of both Sophie and Peter with different goals and objectives for each character.
Personally, I didn't think this game was all that bad, it doesn't have the wow factor that we have grown so accustomed to in the BF Collectors Editions, but it's a simple game with simple tasks that was a refreshing change. I wasn't so thrilled with the music that seemed so loud even at the lowest settings, and turning off the sound was way too quiet, but other than that, you may want to try this game out for yourself especially if you like solitaire games, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Dead Reckoning: Silvermoon Isle
Was Veronica West's death an accident... or a cold-blooded murder?
Overall rating
5
/
5
66 of 90 found this review helpful
The Final Performance of Veronica West
PostedAugust 10, 2014
pennmom36
fromIf my partner can't figure out how to open the door to the engine, how's he going to be able to fix the engine?
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
A birthday celebration turns deadly when Veronica's body washes ashore. This troubled young actress had apparently jumped to her death from Silvermoon Isle's beautiful lighthouse, ending her career and her life, but something's just not right here, did someone push Veronica? Epix has gifted us with another wonderful Who-dun-it mystery which allows the player to take on the role of a detective (better than the victim right?) interrogating the suspects in the form of Dialog Deduction . As you question family members, maids and attorneys that attended the birthday gala, you must scrutinize their account of the events leading up to Veronica's death. If they state that they are distraught and have been crying all night, you look for clues that they are truthful, do they appear as if they were crying, click on signs that they were such as mascara smeared, was money a motive, by the looks of the expensive jewelry, probably not. There is an icon to access your evidence board where important information and observations are kept. Images of the suspects you interrogate is in this folder which allows you to click and drag the picture to the correct location of relationship to the victim such as Veronica's sister, fiance, attorney etc. and when you click on the photo, a brief summary and bio will be available. Just an example of how small changes in a game can make a huge difference!
The Hidden Object Scenes are are very well done, each HOS has a mixture of different styles to search for items such as the typical and slightly interactive list finds which is followed by silhouetted shape finds and then the final item which you need for inventory, is a brief description of the item. There is an option to play a Bubble Shooting game instead, which I thought was extremely fun. The goal is to shoot bubbles of different colors out of a cannon at the bottom of the screen to make matches with the bubbles at the top of the screen of at least 3 alike colors, each golden symbol that drops, represents an item on the Hidden Object list. In my opinion, it didn't seem that there was much thought put into the mini games, most were very short, simple and not very challenging, not bad, just not complex enough for my taste. There are picture pieces to drag into places already outlined for matching the shape, locks to pick by turning the outside disc until the pick drops into the middle disc opening, then into the inside disc, some of the mini games were a tad bit longer but most were easy. Some of the inventory items will have a plus sign indicator, unless you opted out of the + indicator in either the custom difficulty setting or the hardcore setting, and if you try to use the map to find out which scene has an area of interest, it will not be indicated until you complete the tasks required on the plus sign items.
The Collectors Edition has 44 Hidden Collectible Stars, Achievements, Pictures, a Souvenir Room, Music Tracks, re-playable Movies, the Making Of, re-playable HOP, more Bubble Shoot games, a built in Strategy Guide and of course a Bonus Chapter. I'm usually a real fan of the CE because I love all the bells and whistles, but in this case I think this SE is an excellent choice unless you want achievements and star collections. The graphics are beautiful, the game is easy enough to figure out without a SG and you still get the benefit of the dialog detection, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Spirit of Revenge: Cursed Castle Collector's Edition
Solve the mystery that spooked a young girl into silence!
Overall rating
5
/
5
54 of 158 found this review helpful
The Family Curse
PostedAugust 9, 2014
pennmom36
from"Things are not always as they seem", She seems like a ghost to me!
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
No doubt, this is the way a game should be, with hauntings, curses, creepy dolls, red eyed houndbeasts, and a dab of possessions. I knew this game would be special right from the get go when a mysterious voice commanded me to tell him my name, I panicked a wee bit and quickly typed in my name hoping it would be sufficient! The Flatsbury family has had it's share of tragedies starting with the castles original owner, Francis who died in the castle along with 3 of his wives (poor fella) Agnes fell to her death, Catherine took her own life, Mary died in a fire, Elizabeth succumbed to fever, Robert was lost in the swamps after being chased by hounds, Eugene fell to his death and his wife Laura vanished after her husbands death, and Stuart drowned! You play the role of Brenda Gale, investigating the disappearance of Lord and Lady Flatsbury, little Jessie is the only person left and she's not talking, she just wants her momma. Has the family curse claimed more victims?
There are some really good Hidden Object Scenes and they are in abundance, at least one in every scene so if you aren't a fan of HOS you may want to steer clear of this game. There are interactive list finds, progressive interactive silhouetted shapes, where you find the first item that matches the silhouetted shape shown and then use that item somewhere in the scene such as replacing the battery in a camera, and that will reveal the next item, there are also HOS where you replace items into the scene in it's proper place. I really enjoyed the HOS where you first placed parts of a lamp together in the correct order, then you turned the lamp on to reveal shapes that the lamp projected and once you found all the shapes you had to use the key under the lamp to open a chest for the final item. Every HOS has a small puzzle such as finding codes within the scene and using that code to open a box or drawer. The mini games weren't really new, but they were good, ranging from simple tile swapping to create a picture to more complex games such as replicating two puppet dancers by moving arms and legs into the correct positions. My favorite game was building a model of the castle, one section at a time, you use arrows to scroll through the different selections until you found the correct match and eventually replicated the castle to match the picture.
This Collectors Edition has collectible picture pieces (jigsaw style) and when you find all of the pieces of a portrait, you can visit the gallery and assemble the portrait (several different portraits) which will give you insight of the Flatsbury family. There are wallpapers, concept art, music, mini games, portraits of the devs, a built in strategy guide and of course a Bonus chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Pyro Jump
Pyro, the little flame, is burning with love for the princess! Leap from one wheel to another and try to catch Princess Paper!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
Jump!
PostedAugust 8, 2014
pennmom36
fromI would run from the little flame ball too if I were made of paper!
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 passed on playing this game when it was first released because it didn't look interesting or challenging. I decided to give it a chance and it's not a bad little game. The goal in each level is to "jump" the little fireball from one wheel to the next, with various obstacles, to try and catch Princess Paper (this relationship is destined to fail) You can replay the level as often as you want to try and win the gold time. There are four separate worlds to visit and 70 locations not including the bonus levels available to unlock. It's certainly worth a credit to pass away some time, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Witchcraft: The Lotus Elixir
Dear Witch Apprentice, are you ready to meet your fate? Win the magical ingredients needed to save your world!
Overall rating
2
/
5
12 of 27 found this review helpful
Spiders And Snakes Ain't Got What It Takes....
PostedAugust 8, 2014
pennmom36
fromDo I get to graduate or not?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I didn't find anything in this game that held my interest, let alone make we want to waste a coupon on it. The story is loosely about a Witch Apprentice about to take an exam and somehow save the world. The game promises beautiful hand painted items, and they are nice, but hidden behind the dark atmosphere to add a creep factor to the game, which has lot's of spiders and snakes and things that go bump in the night! I found too many items that were unrecognizable in the HOS which made for some frustrating gameplay. The game is basic with no map, no difficulty setting, and slow hint recharge times. I'm not a hard person to entertain, I can usually find entertainment value in just about any type or genre of game, but I just couldn't find much entertainment value in this game. Perhaps you will.
I don't recommend this game.
Beyond the Unknown: A Matter of Time
It’s time to solve the secret of this mysterious island!
Overall rating
5
/
5
88 of 129 found this review helpful
The Golden Sarcophagus
PostedAugust 8, 2014
pennmom36
fromWhat happens if I meet my younger self?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Fright Collector's Edition
(127)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is certainly a difficult story to wrap your head around. Grandpa found an ancient sarcophagus adorned with 4 golden eagles belonging to the Lord of Time, unfortunately their ship ran into a giant rock formation that unleashed a massive time warp when the eagles became dislodged! Now you must go back to your childhood home on this very island where time of past has clashed with time of present, and search for the missing eagles to stop this tragedy or you will never exist!
Your faithful Jack Russell Terrier is at your side and you get to name him as well. Any inventory item that has pawprints above them indicate that you can click and drag that item to him for his expertise in sniffing out the related items, and you can click on him and drag him onto different places in the scene. Some of the scenes will have a camera icon indicating that you can use your camera to take a picture of that scene for your gallery. You will come across sketches occasionally and you will need to match that sketch to the original item to reveal a clue.
There aren't a whole lot of Hidden Object Scenes, they are interactive list finds and you have the option to switch to a Match 3 game instead. My favorite mini game was selecting different fuses to rotate until the correctly colored fuse was in direct contact with its matching colored slot and it would automatically engage once in the correct slot. There is also a mini game that requires your dog to travel a labyrinth (with your guidence of course) until he reaches the end, but there is just a wee bit of light so you can't see the entire maze.
This is a really entertaining game with a fantastic story and great graphics, you don't want to pass this one up folks, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 9 found this review helpful
Dark Tales: Edgar allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue SE
PostedAugust 7, 2014
pennmom36
fromWhat happened to Dupin's top hat?
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
Dark Tales are certainly one of the best series of adventure games out there, and Edgar would be proud of the wonderful transformation from novel to game. As with all of the Poe games, this is an adventure where Detective Dupin must solve the who-dun-it crime of murder, and things are never as they seem at first glance.
I hope you love Hidden Object Scenes because there are a ton of em, one in every scene, and they are slightly interactive list finds. The mini games are fairly simple, most are entertaining and I haven't come across any that make you want to pull your hair out of frustration. Because this is an older game, there are no voiceovers and no hint button outside of the HOS. There is a map feature that allows you to click and drag the map and choose which locations to search for clues.
I recommend the Collectors Edition mostly because of the Strategy Guide feature, but there are also 4 extra scenes in the Bonus chapter, 3 new mini games and 3 new HOS, lock and key puzzles, the original EAP novella, artwork, soundtracks, wallpapers, and a sneak peak at the next game in the series, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue Collector's Edition
Use your Hidden Object and Adventure game talent to solve a dreadful Murder in the Rue Morgue!
Overall rating
5
/
5
14 of 20 found this review helpful
Dark Tales: Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue CE
PostedAugust 7, 2014
pennmom36
fromWas Madam L' Espanaye holding a black cat?
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
I have fallen in love with Dark Tales all over again, I decided to re-play the Dark Tales series one by one and was really surprised that even the first few games, though basic, have stood up to the test of time. My favorite so far is the Black cat, and Murders in the Rue Morgue is really an entertaining game. Because this is an older game, the adventure part revolves mostly around the Hidden Object Scenes, there is at least one HOS in every scene and some have two different scenes!
One feature that is missing in this game as well as some of the other older Dark Tales games is a hint button, there is a hint button in the hidden object scenes but none in the adventure part of the game. You should probably consider this Collectors Edition over the Standard edition because of the available Strategy Guide, which is accessed through the menu button, my how games have changed!
The Collectors Edition has Concept art, wallpapers, artwork, soundtracks, a Bonus chapter, a sneak peak at the next game in the series, and the original Edgar Allan Poe novella, enjoy!
I recommend this game!