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:
Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival
Something wicked has taken over Fate’s Carnival!
Overall rating
5
/
5
214 of 236 found this review helpful
Can You Escape The Curse At Fate's Carnival?
PostedDecember 20, 2013
pennmom36
fromIsis reflection got stuck in the mirror!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Mystery Case Files knows how to do creepy right, and this is a perfect example of a game that can draw you in until you feel alone, as if you are actually investigating this abandoned carnival of years gone by. Madame Fate has made her curse your own and you must figure out who the sinister and twisted being is that is trying to kill all of the carneys. Your journey will take you on wild goose chases and fixing almost every piece of machinery in the Carnival. The HOS are interactive list finds full of clowns, top hats wands and magic. The mini games can be a bit frustrating, but they are really cool. It's kind of hard to describe but you will come across several boxes that you need to interact with in the correct order. You may need to flip a switch to expose a feather then you need to release valves to make air blow the feather towards a giant nose until the nose sneezes etc. they are really time consuming but you become so engrossed in the puzzle that you don't notice. The game itself is fantastic, I love the creepy dark vibe of the game. It is a super long game even without the bonus, so it's well worth the money because this is a game you will want to own. I personally love the CE which has a secret room and morphing cards, collectible money to buy luxury items for your helper Isis, Madame Fates cat. I am actually hooked on the solitaire game available in the CE, I love the theme of the cards. There are several modes of difficulty, Easy Kinievel, Swallow Hard, Difficult Detective, Monstrously Tough, and Allister's Watch which has time limits and isn't unlocked until after completing the main game. Surely this is enough to convince you so enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Mahjong Christmas
Get into the holiday spirit with this festive Christmas-themed Mahjong game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
95 of 109 found this review helpful
Mahjong Christmas Everybody
PostedDecember 19, 2013
pennmom36
fromHo Ho Ho
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Spectacular amount of options with this mahjong. You get to pick which layout you want for the tiles and you can choose timed or not. There are actually 15 different backgrounds to choose from such as winter wonderland, snowy day (personally I have had too many snowy days of late), Santa, Gingerbread and more. You also get to choose the theme for the tiles themselves and choose a random game or a winnable game. Gotta love all those options, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
You’re on a train in the middle of nowhere, and a band of dangerous thieves demand you tell them where to find the Hope Diamond’s shards. As the newest Hidden Expedition recruit, you’ve got to find the shards before they do…
Overall rating
5
/
5
328 of 364 found this review helpful
My Hope's And Expectation's Have Clearly Been Met!
PostedDecember 19, 2013
pennmom36
fromTime to feed Baby, your it!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I just returned from a trip to the Smithsonian and the Hope Diamond was one of the first items we visited. It is stunningly beautiful and consists of 45.52 carats, has an Antique cushion cut which was re-cut and reshaped several times. If this diamond is exposed to ultraviolet light it will actually glow red but to the naked eye it appears blue. With that being said this game is centered around that very same diamond valued today at approximately 250 million dollars! This is an action packed game that will have you jumping out of fast moving trains and escaping from thieves! There are 49 Smithsonian "suns" to collect, morphing items and 20 fact cards which tell you very interesting facts about people, places and things. The HOS are very interesting. At first I thought they were going to be too easy because it simply showed gems of different cuts, but after finding those, it went on to finding interactive list finds and more! You will earn achievements such as not using a hint or not skipping a puzzle. This game is well produced, has stunning graphics and nice voice-overs. Each scene has multiple areas of interest and nice mini games. The game I thought was the most fun was placing the correct bobblehead on the body with name labels. You surely can't go wrong with this game, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Awakening Kingdoms
You are chosen by Queen Sophia to restore her kingdom back to its former glory through fun mini-games and beautiful hidden object scenes.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1,162 of 1,286 found this review helpful
What's Not To Love About Awakening?
PostedDecember 18, 2013
pennmom36
fromAt least I have an owl for company!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Admittedly I am the number one fan of the Awakening series, so naturally I was super excited to be able to play a never ending game. Queen Sophia has left me in charge of the Kingdom, presumably because of my fan status lol! Basically you are given quests, you accept them and get rewarded with money, or resources. When you upgrade buildings you have to wait or pay with elusive crystals to speed up the process. The Hidden object scenes are easy but fun and you do have to re-visit the scenes 5 times each. There are a bunch of things you have to do in between and it does tend to make the game a bit confusing. At this point in the game I cannot go to a HOS because my energy is low and the store is locked with every energy source so after this review I need to figure that predicament out. If I had any complaints there would only be two, the fact that you have to find the same items over and over and a hint button to tell me what to do now would be nice!
I recommend this game!
Mystery of Sargasso Sea
Solve the mystery of the island of abandoned ships in a new classic Hidden Object Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
95 of 105 found this review helpful
You Have Until Midnight!
PostedDecember 18, 2013
pennmom36
fromRemind me not to board the Sea Pearl!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
You are sailing your small boat when you come across an eerie graveyard of ships, there is a strange green fog surrounding everything, is that an abandoned cruise ship? Suddenly out of nowhere green lightning strikes, you are tossed about and knocked out cold. When you finally open your eyes you are gazing into the cold green eyes of a sinister man, "you have 24 hours before you die!" Well that gives you plenty of time to snoop around the abandoned cruise ship in search of clues and inventory and possibly escape this madman. The HOS are very well done, they are interactive and I for one had a hard time finding a few hidden objects! They do double up on the scenes so be sure to backtrack occasionally. The music is good and the atmosphere is creepy although some of the graphics could have been better. There are a lot of HOS but not a lot of mini games. Nothing new pick a lock with a file and hairpin, or tune a piano one key at a time by turning the wrench, the key you are tuning will turn red if incorrect, yellow if close and green if good to go. The map doesn't show areas of interest at least in hard mode it doesn't but you can use it to travel. A really interesting game for a stand alone standard edition, it is well worth the buy, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Farmington Tales 2: Winter Crop
Explore snowy Dahlia Farms in this unique hidden object/farming sim hybrid! Build greenhouses and keep the farm going throughout the winter.
Overall rating
5
/
5
97 of 116 found this review helpful
Let Me Tell You a Story....
PostedDecember 17, 2013
pennmom36
fromD for Don't go?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Floyd and Dahlia have come out of retirement to find that their land is full of oil! Problem is, they only own the land 6 inches underground and the city is taking over the farm in 30 days! This game is the same as Blue Lagoona but farm themed. You need to complete the HOS in different areas of the farm in order to find items to sell at the market. Each HOS has several things to do such as finding 3 gems which will unlock another scene, or finding items that are in your quest's written in riddles and finally at the top of the scene, goals such as finding items that are closest together or locating an item before the hint bird does. As the market items are automatically sold you use those funds to upgrade greenhouses etc, plant and water crops, and feed the farm animals before harvesting the wool, milk and eggs. There are a ton of mini games like matching keys by drawing a line between them with no more than 2 corners. This is an entertaining game with plenty to keep you busy, but I will admit I liked the underwater amusement park theme better, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Alex Hunter: Lord of the Mind
Stop a madman from taking over a city using a mind control device!
Overall rating
5
/
5
262 of 286 found this review helpful
This Case Was Supposed To Be A Piece Of Cake!
PostedDecember 17, 2013
pennmom36
fromWhy do games end in the middle of solving a puzzle?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Instead It is a case riddled with magic symbols, codes and puzzles. Finding the Professor would not be a piece of cake case after all! I have always said that this developer was one of the best with detailed graphics, just look at the opening scene and watch the dove taking a bath in a puddle on the street. Although there is nothing special about the story, a detective searching for a Professor, the game does keep your interest with the tricky puzzles and many gadgets to figure out. The HOS are interactive, and you can interact with items that aren't on your list such as starting a perpetual swinging ball gadget on the desk. Some may be disappointed because they do double up on the scenes, but the search items were different each time. I will admit some of the mini games are frustrating, I hate the puzzles where you have to click on 1-4 buttons to move a group of four tiles to complete a picture. There are magic symbols to collect and the interactive map will show which scenes have a symbol located, but, they are pretty well hidden. The only complaint I have is with the music, to me it sounded like the same music from Golden Trails, it didn't fit and at times became annoying. This is a lot of game, didn't see that coming, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Golden Ticket: An Amusement Park Sim Game
Rebuild the legendary Golden Ticket amusement park and restore it to its former glory in this simulation game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
85 of 98 found this review helpful
A Quest For the Golden Ticket!
PostedDecember 16, 2013
pennmom36
fromCan I find golden tickets in candy bars?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Big Fish has got to stop doing this to me, I'm becoming addicted to these Sim games and this one's no exception. It took me forever to get hooked on My Singing Monsters but this one grabbed me hook line and sinker from the get go. You are restoring your Grandfathers Amusement Park and you start out with a handful of run down tents. First you restore the existing buildings then you post a listing for available jobs. You can build rides or shops, hot dog stands, balloon carts, all kinds of things to build. You buy different items to sell in the shops either souvenirs such as keychains or food items such as hot dogs and brats. Each items costs are different as well as the times before an item is available and you can either wait or spend a golden ticket to speed up the times. And of course the golden tickets are the elusive and key item here, they are hard to obtain and as you progress, almost all items require golden tickets! You get to decorate with shrubs and pathways and various decor and as you run out of space, other plots are available to purchase so expansion is not a problem. Your progress can be saved via your e-mail address if desired. I for one loved this theme, who doesn't want to own an amusement park? Sit back, eat a few hot dogs and enjoy the show!
I recommend this game!
In Search Of Treasure: Pirate Stories
The ship of the Henry Morgan is stranded on the reefs, and buried treasures are hidden on the island!
Overall rating
5
/
5
84 of 92 found this review helpful
Arrrrr Tis A Great Match 3
PostedDecember 16, 2013
pennmom36
fromCan ye find ye buried treasure mates?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Excellent match 3 game with a shiver me timbers pirate theme! First of all there are 3 modes of difficulty, casual is match at least 3, and then at least 4 and at least 5, this is really cool. The match games themselves can be switched to clicking on a group such as a square of 4, clicking and dragging a chain of tiles, clicking a line of tiles, and of course clicking a match 3 or more. There are the usual blocked tiles and tiles with ropes etc and you can earn bonuses to destroy tiles. Some gems will glow and you must make a match with that particular gem. I loved the pirated voice when you switched modes or beat the level and hopefully you will too, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Punished Talents: Seven Muses
Life imitates art with deadly results in this thrilling whodunit!
Overall rating
5
/
5
125 of 130 found this review helpful
A Murder Novel Is Becoming A Murder Reality!
PostedDecember 15, 2013
pennmom36
fromDo all detective's keep a jar of morphine handy?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol Collector's Edition
(124)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Somebody is using Russell's murder novels as a real life manuscript! It's a good thing that Russell's best friend is a detective, together the two of you will have to prove his innocence and find the real murderer. This game is centered around the fine arts, theater, music and art, with plenty of musical and theatrical gadgets to figure out. The HOS are interactive list finds but the mini games are what keeps this game interesting. A puppet show that requires you to act out each scene, placing statues from largest to smallest, and four circles with 4 tiles each that need to be rotated to correctly place the 4 tiles are just a few of the puzzles you will encounter. Graphics are detailed and crystal clear, characters are lifelike, and although I wasn't completely sold on the CE, I really think this standard edition is the better choice, enjoy!
I recommend this game!