pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4700
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 15, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Dreampath: The Two Kingdoms Collector's Edition
Your sister, the Queen, has fallen deathly ill. Now you must travel to a faraway kingdom to find the cure.
Overall rating
5
/
5
240 of 391 found this review helpful
The Elixir of Life
PostedJune 14, 2014
pennmom36
fromDo not fear, I will not harm you Princess, take this key and....
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
Legend has been told of a land with no pain, no suffering, only happiness and well being because the dragons who created this world knew the secret of the Elixir of Life. This blissfulness couldn't last forever for the Onyx dragon was filled with twisted hate and despair and vowed to destroy the Silver and Gold dragons, but the Silver and Gold dragons would be victors, imprisoning the Onyx dragon in chains. This victory was costly, the Gold and Silver dragons lost their immortality, they became human and each of them ruled in a different dynasty, the Gold King and the Silver Queen, each holding the key to the onyx dragons chains and passing the responsibility down from generation to generation. Your mission is to find the dragons in Goldthorn and find the Elixir of Life, the only cure known to save your sister, the Queen!
This is a beautifully crafted, well detailed, fantasy themed adventure with some of the best animations I have seen in a long time. The characters are very lifelike and the story will captivate you, the cinematics will make you feel like you're actually watching a top grade movie. (that feeling you get when you're watching a fantasy world sci-fi movie and you feel like you're actually in that world, not just watching that world). You will rescue a talking educated and sophisticated cat named Muir who was the towers servant, but for unexplained reasons seems to have annoyed the strange man wearing a mask who seems to be calling the shots or at least taking orders from the person in control of Goldthorne. After you rescue Muir, he will be the go to guy for all the things you need help with because they are out of your reach. he is also full of information on the history of the dragons and will tell you a few occasional stories to fill you in. You will find 30 Gold and 30 Silver coins hidden throughout the game which can be used to purchase luxury items for Muir in the cat room. There are plenty of achievements to earn and I will tell you that one of the achievements is to finish the complete tutorial, so you may want to opt for the tutorial if you want to earn all achievements. (the tutorial is actually brief) Some of the inventory items you find have plus signs above the item which means they need to be combined with another inventory item such as a hammer handle needs to be joined with the hammer head.
The Hidden Object Games are a mixture of interactive list items, finding items that match the silhouetted shape shown (also interactive but not progressive) and finding multiples of an item such as 15 insects and some of the insects are hidden or require an interaction such as picking up a net to catch a fluttering butterfly. There is a really good mixture of mini games and puzzles, some I haven't seen before and some were revamped older puzzles with a newer flair added. A few of my personal favorites were guiding a ball out of a labyrinth by using arrows, placing different shaped circular tiles with arms that point in different directions with the goal being to connect all of the circles so that each arm connected with each circle in a continuous pattern, and my all time favorite was using arrows to guide a retractable claw to remove blocks in 15 moves, the blocks were stacked upon each other both vertically and horizontally, and you had to remove only the blocks that were obstructing the crown below, very fun game!
This Collectors Edition has all kinds of bell and whistles attached besides the achievements and collectible coins and before mentioned cat room, there is a bonus game, a built in Strategy Guide, Concept Art, Videos, Music, Posters (wallpaper) Mini Games and a Media section which has even more categories within. Another cool feature with this game is that after you finish the demo, a video will play showing you all upcoming scenes and then it takes you back to the start which allows you to access these categories to play HOS, and mini games or access the cat room, AND if you want you can create a new profile and replay the demo, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
114 of 135 found this review helpful
Love Those Bug Eyed Animals
PostedJune 13, 2014
pennmom36
fromIf somebody figures out how to rotate the fences, let me know before the dog gets loose!
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
I could play this game for hours (I already have a couple of hours unaccounted for!) I do however, have a couple of major complaints but perhaps I just haven't figured it out yet. The first complaint is the fact that this is a windowed game it doesn't fit my full screen. The second complaint I have is that when I purchase decorations for my farm, I cannot rotate the item, and I cannot move the decorations once I place them. Surely I'm not stuck with the placement of the item! I wanted to decorate my farm with fencing around the perimeter, but the fence can only be placed left to right in a line formation, I cannot place the fence pointing up and down (the entire farm is based on a grid formation) With the complaints out of the way, here's the basics of the game, which btw is a very relaxing game, no rushing or really any mistakes to make. You plow land for planting in small, medium, large and comfort sizes, large being a 2x2 grid. You can place the plowed land plots anywhere there is room and then you click on the land to plant lettuce, carrots, wheat, corn, and hay, each have a different amount of time before they are ready for harvest. You can then fertilize and water the crops to speed up production, there are super growth formulas available as well. When the crops are ready you click to harvest and replant more. You can go to the store to buy seeds for the crops, and you can purchase decorations, trees, pets, farm animals etc. Some items cost country coins and other items and upgrades cost the elusive treasure chest bucks. You visit the carpenter to have him build you a chicken coop or other animal enclosure, and once you have animals you need to visit the mill to produce the farm animal feed such as chicken feed, dog and cat food, mole and mouse food, dove, owl and stork food and even fox, raccoon and hedgehog food. Everything takes time, time to produce apples time to produce eggs etc. you can either be patient and wait or use up your elusive (can purchase more at anytime) bucks to speed things up. You can create your farm family crest by selecting the shape and color and you can put a letter on the crest or a picture of a flag from different countries. All of the animals are cute, and I love the huge bulging eyes. As you gain experience as a reward along with other bonuses you level up which will open up more animals, decorations and equipment. Have fun down on the farm and don't forget to feed the animals, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
When his sister is murdered, you must prove your nephew's innocence!
Overall rating
5
/
5
144 of 167 found this review helpful
Vengeance or Evil Entity?
PostedJune 13, 2014
pennmom36
fromGray vs. McGray
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
James McGray makes a frantic call to his Aunt, "Elizabeth is gone, and they are accusing me of murder"! Because she is able to move to the past, James' Aunt will be valuable to the case and she travels back in time to the McGray family mansion to search for clues, to prove either his guilt or his innocence! Time stands still and there shouldn't be anything moving in this mansion, but an evil entity has shown his presence and his intention are clear, leave or else! As you search for clues and fix everything that seems to be broken you find clues that are conflicting. James always loved animals, and he was clearly training his Doberman Pinschers with a dog whistle and Elizabeth was killed by Dobermans. On the other hand, James vowed to do anything to protect his family which is an honorable family tradition. Your job is to bring evidence back to the Judge to allow him to make the decision.
You need to find 5 pieces of evidence as shown in a separate inventory bar to the right of the screen, and each piece you collect will show a short clip about the lives leading up to the point of the murder. Each location you travel to will require these pieces of evidence to complete that part of the investigation. The Hidden Object Scenes are well done, interactive list finds. The mini games range from simple puzzles, such as replacing the stained glass pieces, and there are more complex puzzles too. My favorite was placing dominoes around 6 different animal pictures in a figure 8 shape, the dominoes had to match each other as well as the animal pictures they touched.
The Collectors Edition has morphing objects, and collectible family statues with a quick description about each family member and most of them seemed to have a sordid past! There is also a built in Strategy Guide, but the game itself isn't that hard to figure out and you can always use the hint button which will show you exactly where to go next or what to do and which item you use. (not in the hardcore mode) The graphics are stunning, typical of the Grim Tales, so put your sleuthing cap on and solve this murder mystery, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Explore The Dark Hills of Cherai and find The Regal Scepter in this unique Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
The Dark Hills of Cherai: The Regal Scepter
PostedJune 12, 2014
pennmom36
fromJust gotta move 12 snakes from the gate entrance, no biggie!
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
This is actually a decent Hidden Object Game. The items are small because they are in perspective to the room size not bunched together in a smaller scene. Even though the items are small (small not tiny), they are easily recognizable because the graphics are pretty good. There are two difficulty settings to choose from, Relaxed or Timed and you can choose Easy or Advanced. Narjun, Tara, Maya and Rahul listened quietly as their Grandmother told them the story of a great treasure hunter named Wyatt. He had found the treasure of Cherai and the evil magician, Digambar was after the same treasure. Wyatt fell to the curse of the legendary treasure of Cherai, he began suffering from a strange illness and died a slow and painful death! Shortly before his death, he hid the treasure in his house so that no one could find the treasure and fall into the same curse as he did. The children snuck out in the middle of the night because they wanted to go to Wyatt's house and look for the treasure, and now they are being held prisoners by the evil magician and it's up to Myra to find her cousins and perhaps the famous treasure!
You will travel to several locations both outside on the path to Wyatt's house and in several rooms inside Wyatt's house. Each room or location has a hidden object scene with listed finds and occasionally finding multiples of an item such as 6 gems and 6 parchments. Some of the items you find will be used as inventory, each HOS has an interaction available such as finding matches and lighting the fireplace. There are also items that require you to complete a puzzle or mini game such as moving tiles one by one to an empty slot with the goal being to move the snake tile to the flashing tile in the center of the board. There are also games such as swapping tiles with ancient hieroglyphics to match the written code shown.
The story isn't really pertinent to the game, this is mostly just a Hidden Object game with a few mini games along the way. If you are looking for a relaxing game with mostly HOS then give this one a try, it's really not a bad little game, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Twenty years ago, the children of Greystone were taken by a mysterious fog - only you escaped. It’s time to find out why...
Overall rating
5
/
5
295 of 349 found this review helpful
Be Careful What You Say! Choose Your Words Wisely!
PostedJune 12, 2014
pennmom36
fromShould I be nice or sarcastic??
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
20 years ago you were playing Hide & Seek with your little brother and and your friends when an orphan girl appeared out of nowhere and asked to play. Instead of counting she wants you to read a poem she wrote: I count one two three, better hide while I can't see. Four and five and then comes six, my friend has a lot of tricks. After seven, eight then nine, hide or run you'll be mine. A fog falls as I count ten, you can't ever leave again! Just like that poof, everyone is gone except for you. You are told that your brother and father have died and your mother takes you far away from your childhood home, but now she's gone. As you rifle through your mothers belongings you realize that your father is alive and well still searching for the missing children in Greystone, the memory of that frightful day comes flooding back in waves. It's time to return to Greystone, will you be welcome?
So many things about this game are new and exciting, to start with there are 43 handprints to collect and 43 alchemical ingredients to eventually discover. When you meet a character you are given a choice of answers, one is nice the other sarcastic, you have a karma meter as well and the answers you give will affect the outcome of the game, so choose your words wisely! You have a scar on your hand from the day you chanted those words and now you are beginning to find out what it's all about. You will learn new ways to use this scar, at first you find out that it can melt the weird icy fog that surrounds the town, and then you learn to translate ancient text and so forth. Some items have a plus sign indicating that some type of interaction must be made with that item.
The Hidden Object Games are unique as well. Each HOS has a morphing item, some may require you to find 6 matching pairs and the listed items are interactive. Each item you find will reveal a telephone number button which you replace onto the phone in a phonebooth. When all the numbers are complete you call the number given and receive a phone book. I didn't notice anything new on the mini games so far, but they are doable and fun such as sliding balls on different bars in different positions so that all bars light up green, when you move one ball, others are affected.
This Collectors Edition offers lot's of bells and whistles, definitely worthy of a Collectors Edition. There are soundtracks, imaginings, backgrounds, reels, storybook, cast, achievements, unlimited HOS which are cleverly called Hide and Seek Games. There is a Forest runner feature which you need to find all handprints and assemble the hide and seek model, find all alchemical ingredients and make the magic potion to give to the wolf. What more could anyone ask for? Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Your favorite professor summons you to the island of Castle Rock. He wants you to find the philosopher's stone and save the world!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Dark Heritage: Guardians of Hope SE
PostedJune 11, 2014
pennmom36
fromIf the Professor was in such danger why did he send a letter?
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
Dr. Gordon Child's research has lead him to the discovery of 17th century manuscripts of the Order of Cannon Rock. These manuscripts prove the Arthur rosen, the founder of the Order, created the Philosopher's Stone! He hid the stone because Arthur knew that the stone would be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. Now Gordon is in great danger, pleading for your help, his best student, "the key to the Philosopher's Stone is in the Medallion" The next thing you know is that you have been magically transported to the island of Cannon Rock but everything seems a bit hazy. You're not alone on this island, a madman responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, seems to be stalking you, is he after the Stone as well?
You will eventually find 9 ancient prophecy scrolls which will tell you how only the chosen one will be able to find the stone after passing the tests of morality given by the Guardians of the stone. The Hidden Object Scenes are interactive list finds and the mini games range from simple, such as moving stones one at a time until you find the special stone. There are more complicated games as well such as clicking on the red buttons to move three large discs with 3 smaller discs each with 3 different colored tiles until each colored tile is in the correct slot.
The Collectors Edition has a built in Strategy Guide and a bonus game, but in my opinion this Standard Edition is the better value because there isn't anything above and beyond in the CE, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Your favorite professor summons you to the island of Castle Rock. He wants you to find the philosopher’s stone and save the world!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 10 found this review helpful
Dark Heritage: Guardians of Hope CE
PostedJune 11, 2014
pennmom36
fromHey it's a talking crow!
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
Dr. Gordon Child has requested your help, "I'm in great danger, remember everything I've taught you, the key to finding the stone is in the medallion"! Dr Child's research lead him to the discovery of the 17th century manuscripts of the Order of Cannon Rock. The manuscripts prove that Arthur Rosen, the founder of the Order, created the legendary Philosopher's Stone. Rosen knew the stone would be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands, so he hid it. Indeed it landed in wrong hands, a madman has come to the island, hundreds have died by his hands including the Grand Master of the Order!
You will find 9 prophecy scrolls throughout the game (not exactly well hidden) and these scrolls will enlighten you with facts surrounding the Philosopher's Stone. Only the chosen one can locate the stone and will bring forth light to the land after seeking the help of the guardians. The Hidden Object Scenes are interactive list finds, some of the items require interactions such as finding a rubber stamp and placing the stamp onto an inkpad and then onto a piece of paper which will stamp a picture of a rose which is on the list. Most of the mini games are fun, some are a bit frustrating. There are games that require you to flip the breaker levers until all fuses are lit but each lever you flip also affects other levers (frustrating) One of the games I thought was fun was deciphering a code by matching symbols and letters.
This Collectors Edition has wallpapers, the making of the game, a built in Strategy Guide and a bonus game. There are different Amulet Chapters, The Water Amulet/The Earth Amulet/The Fire Amulet/The Air Amulet. I actually own this game and have played it a couple of times and the story is interesting from start to finish, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Travel to Red Lake Falls to track down the latest Dark Dimension!
Overall rating
5
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
Dark Dimensions: Wax Beauty SE
PostedJune 11, 2014
pennmom36
fromDid they really have beauty pageants in 1918?
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
According to the Einstein-Cartan Theory, large areas of the Earth can be absorbed into the eye of Dark Dimensions which can displace them from space and time. It takes a horrible tragedy to bring forth a Dark Dimension which harbors demons and ghosts as they search desperately for a way to reverse the tragedy that has ensued. This Dark Dimension takes place in Red Lake Falls, Michigan a city that disappeared after an earthquake in 1918. When you arrive on the outskirts of town you quickly realize that you have found the right place when a dark dreary fog transforms the area into a mirror image of the town consumed by the quake. A beautiful apparition appears pleading with you to save them from the wax! This is the beauty queen Luciana Costello, still wearing her pageant gown, sash and crown, from that horrible day. Somebody has gone a bit too far with the wax creations seen throughout the town, they are just too lifelike, almost real! Who is responsible for these atrocities? Could it be Lucy's twin brother Sebastian who has always been jealous of his sisters successes? Could it be Zoe, the troubled girl who thinks she's ugly and that no one will like her because she didn't outshine Lucy? Could it be the master wax artist herself whose need for perfectionism went one step too far? You can feel the cold and suffocation presence of evil closing in, can you right this wrong before it's too late?
This is a quality game with beautiful yet transforming graphics, no detail has been overlooked or under compensated. The only thing that's missing is a map but it certainly does make the game more personalized when you put your virtual sweat into the game as you travel back and forth from different locations trying to fix everything that's broken and finding missing pieces to all those intricate locks. The HOS are well and interactive. You will be required to find pieces such as a mirror glass, and place that mirror glass back into the mirror handle to complete the item. Most of the mini games are puzzles that require you to slide tiles along different paths until they are in the correct place to complete a picture.
The only reason I would suggest the Collectors Edition over this Standard Edition is for the built in Strategy Guide. The guide is very helpful and will show you step by step exactly what to do in order to figure out things when you're stumped. However, the hint system in the game is very good as well, it will show you which direction to go and then the item you need to use in a specific location. Either edition is a solid choice, you will not be disappointed, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Travel to Red Lake Falls to track down the latest Dark Dimension!
Overall rating
5
/
5
28 of 31 found this review helpful
Dark Dimensions: Wax Beauty CE
PostedJune 11, 2014
pennmom36
fromThey waxed the dog!
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
Dark Dimensions has done it again! This is the second game in the series and this game does a nice job of referencing the original game City of Fog. The book of black magic suggests that the next Dark Dimensions will take place in Michigan at Red Lake Falls, a town that disappeared after an earthquake in 1918. Your own parents and brother died in a tragic car accident, you were the only survivor, and you are hopeful that someday you will find your family in the Dark Dimensions. As soon as you arrive you realize that you have indeed found the Dark Dimensions, a beautiful and ghostly apparition wearing a beauty pageant gown, sash and crown pleads for you to save us from the wax! Somebody is immortalizing people in wax but who is responsible? Could it be the beauty queen's twin brother Sebastian, or his stalker girlfriend?
This is a game with beautiful yet dark graphics, what else would you expect from the Dark Dimension? The Hidden Object Scenes are a bit different than on City of Fog, there are no separate tabs on the inventory bar, but they are still interactive. Some items are in yellow requiring you to find a brush, then you click on the dirty shoes which will be cleaned by the brush which will then be clean boots listed in white. The mini games are mostly puzzle where you slide tiles along a path until they are in the correct slots. Most of them are easy but some take a little finagling to complete.
The only thing I believe this game is missing is a map, there are several locations to travel back and forth to and at times it becomes difficult to remember where everything is at. This Collectors Edition has concept art, and HD wallpapers, the usual things, the only thing this version has that is pertinent to the game and very useful is the built in Strategy Guide. I'm very fond of the SG feature therefore I usually opt for the CE, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Uncover the true cause of the disturbances and track down the disappeared townspeople before darkness falls on Middleport forever!
Overall rating
5
/
5
158 of 190 found this review helpful
The Dark Shadow
PostedJune 11, 2014
pennmom36
fromSomebody wants that pirate booty mates
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
Well done BF you're thinking outside of the box! I'm referring to the custom setting option that allowed me to choose harder HOS and harder mini games. Please note that this is an option you choose in the custom difficulty, you don't have to check that box. This made the Hidden Object Scenes more challenging, but, the items weren't teeny tiny, they weren't partially hidden by another object, the scene wasn't blurry making the items hard to identify, they were simply hidden and well placed making the items seem as if they belonged there, and for the first time in a very long time I had to pay attention to every detail in order to spot the items. Not only that, I had to find the interactive parts by actually looking because my cursor didn't change over the items I needed to complete something such as finding sails for a sailboat! The mini games started out kind of easy making me doubt that the hard mini game mode had been activated, switching angels and demons to opposite sides without occupying a space next to each other, piece of cake! The arcade style shooting gallery where you aim at ducks with targets on them with different colors and sizes swimming by, I knocked down nearly every one, then they got a bit more difficult and by the time I got to the anchor gate puzzle I began to realize just how frustrating a hard mini game can be lol.
This is just a stand alone game but there are collectibles to find which is always a treat. There are 18 busts or statues, 11 animals (they are a tad bit cartoonish compared to the rest of the game) and 44 posters of missing people to collect. You will come across tarot cards throughout the game, which you will take to the traveling Gypsy cart so she can read your tarot card and explain it's meaning, this seems to be her sole purpose in the game, she doesn't give you anything, there's nothing in her cart that you take or need, she just reads those occasional cards. I noticed that the bottom of my screen was cut off a wee bit in fullscreen but nothing major.
You are summoned from London as an Inspector from the Royal Society of Skeptics to dispel rumors of dark magic. Middleport was always known as a safe harbor for pirates back in the day. It is believed that countless treasures are hidden beneath the city, but the pirates have warned that their booty has a hex and anyone who touches ye gold will unleash evil spirits upon the town. Even though that was many years ago, the people of Middleport believe that the curse is real, several people are missing and an evil entity has been seen by the few citizens that remain! A stranger in a mask has warned you to cease your investigation, he calls himself Ombrascura, the Dark Shadow, and the evil entity seems to be under his control! Is all this real, is the town cursed? It is up to you to figure out if the hex is real or if the entire town is being scammed, enjoy!
I recommend this game!