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:
1001 Jigsaw Home Sweet Home: Back from Vacation is an exciting puzzle game filled with themes to help you relive your favorite vacation memories.
Overall rating
1
/
5
36 of 46 found this review helpful
WHO CARES ABOUT A PUZZLE WITH A BUNCH OF HANDS GRABBING PIZZA SLICES?
PostedApril 6, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Wait a minute, wasn't the last game in the series about a Wedding, did I miss complaining about an episode before this one? If I didn't miss one, wouldn't a topic about a vacation be better than one after a vacation?
Nothing new to see here folks, once again there are 5 different boxes, and once again the pictures are uninteresting staged You can also earn Trophies for reaching goals such as playing a certain amount of hours, joining up to a million pieces, scoring a certain amount of points, solving a puzzle without making a mistake, solving variously sized puzzles, or solving a puzzle without using hints, sorting, or pocket features. There are also Top Scores and personal Best score tallies.
Any of the puzzles can be modified with the number of pieces, the cut shape of the pieces, and whether or not you want the pieces to rotate. There are 4 different backgrounds to choose from, pink, green, blue, and grey, a box to store extra pieces until needed, a Sort option a Border only option, a Hint option, and an available Magnifying glass to enlarge pieces. You can also ghost the image of the puzzle to the background or hang a picture in three different sizes.
They never bother to change or add features that puzzle geeks want so I won't bother to purchase yet another puzzle clone by this developer.
Come and join us at my new forum at thewoods.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Join Jake and his loyal companion Zoran as they set off on a summer-time journey full of brain-teasing mosaic puzzles!
Overall rating
3
/
5
9 of 14 found this review helpful
JUST A BOY AND HIS DOG
PostedApril 4, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Although I enjoyed the theme of the last Adventure Mosaics better (Granny's Farm) the puzzles seem a little more challenging this go-round, and it does have an Advanced mode so that should make it a tad more challenging if the puzzles seem too easy. My biggest complaint is that the game doesn't save your progress if you don't complete the level :(
You can choose from 6 various Tilesets and there are two different Hint options, one that fills a single random cell, and one that fills in a cross-formation (your choice) You can earn up to 3-stars and replay any level as well.
As you complete the levels, you'll earn sections of famous landmarks that have to be dragged into the silhouetted shape. You will build the Eiffel Tower in France, the Tower of Pisa in Italy, Stonehenge in Great Britain, Big Ben in England, and lastly, you'll find The Way Home. Each monument requires 8 sections and each chapter has 30 mosaic puzzles of various sizes. After completing the monument, that scene becomes available as a downloadable Wallpaper (5 total)
I'm still not a fan of the whole dragging sections to the silhouette because it makes the game seem more like a mobile app than a PC game feature. I would have preferred to "buy" a repair with points earned solving the mosaics.
Kick-off your hiking boots, and pop a squat by the campfire at my new forum, the bears will keep your seat warm till ya get there... thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Help Granny and Ellie get the farm in order while you complete colorful nonogram puzzles!
Overall rating
3
/
5
9 of 16 found this review helpful
GRANNY'S FARM AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE!
PostedApril 4, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge one day. დ Loki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Actually, I would give this game a 3.5 if we could give partial stars and for someone who just wants to play a relaxing Mosaic versus a brain-teaser, this game is 5-stars easily!
Yes, the mosaics are easy as some have stated, but on the other hand, it does have an Advanced mode so that should make it a tad more challenging for most. My only real complaint is that the game doesn't save your progress if you don't complete the level...because of this, I just couldn't click another full star!
The mosaics themselves have brilliant colors that are bright and vibrant and of course, they are all farm-related with everything from critters to corn. Although some of the finished puzzles made me take a second look to "see" what I actually created, they are all labeled, a must-have feature for me personally.
You can choose from 6 various Tilesets and there are two different Hint options, one that fills a single random cell, and one that fills in a cross-formation (your choice) You can earn up to 3-stars and replay any level
As you complete the levels, you will get a section of the repair you are making on Granny's Farm, such as a new roof. Each chapter focuses on a different repair, starting with the Barn, then moving on to fixing the Lake Windmill, the Garden, the Field & Tractor, and the Road to Town. After completing the repair, that scene becomes available as a downloadable Wallpaper (5 total) Each of the 8 repairs requires you to drag the puzzle piece/repair to the highlighted object, and each chapter has 40 levels so you do get a lot of bang for your buck!
I wasn't crazy about the whole dragging a roof or a bale of hay to the barn silhouette, if I'm being honest, because it makes the game seem more like a mobile app than a PC game feature. I would have preferred to "buy" a repair with points earned and I would have been super excited if after repairing the barn I could purchase various farm animals...even better if I had to repair various Paddocks afterward, and then stocked the finished Sheep Paddock, Cow Paddock, Horse Paddock, etc. with adorable farm animals! Awe man, if I only knew how to develop a game...
I don't know anything about coding games, but I do know how to make a great forum, so come sit with us by the campfire and chat a while at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover who's trying to destroy the Osmont family in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
30 of 46 found this review helpful
DETECTIVE FIXIT ON THE JOB!
PostedApril 3, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy, I do it every day. Missing you is a heartache that never goes away, until we meet again on the Rainbow Bridge someday. დLoki
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game in approximately 3.5 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
19 Main Game Scene Locations +6 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
19 Main Game Scene Locations +6 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
Sorry GrandMa but this story has been told a thousand times! The fact that I could find items and place them in the same scene before moving on to the next was really boring. It took me two days to complete this game, not because it was lengthy, and certainly not because it was difficult, it just didn't hold my interest.
It doesn't have a well-written story, there were gaps that were never explained, not even by the numerous notes scattered about the mansion...as if someone would write a lengthy note explaining in detail about the crime(s) they just committed and left it lying around for anyone to read, you don't have to be a detective to read a confession?
The HOS were not puzzle-like, they only consisted of two types, Interactive Lists or Silhouetted Shapes. If this lack of variety doesn't bore you, the fact that they were located in boring locations, such as the bottom of a fountain inside a large chest, on a shelf, in a closet, laying on a table, inside a crypt, within a sketchbook...surely you realize these are all typical HO locations, and surely you realize we are tired of "typical" and just want you to use your imagination and show us how creative your team can be? We shouldn't enter a new location and know with 100% certainty that the HO scene will be located in that fountain!
The tasks for the most part were non-sensical and some were downright ridiculous. I glued a metal pressure valve that had snapped into several pieces, how does a metal pressure valve snap into several pieces in the first place? How would regular white paste glue instantly dry and bond the pieces together so strongly that I was able to use the valve instantly...seriously, I used the valve to turn the "air-pressure" off & on in the next zoom zone!
Okay, I can chalk that one up as a make-believe HOPA-world miracle, but what about the broken phone...Victor asks me to fix his phone and hands me the central number dial hub plate and I still have to hunt down the receiver which is located in a ridiculous place (no spoiler :) Please tell me under what circumstances would an old-fashioned, dial-phone be purposely or accidentally dismantled and then it's parts scattered about the house? Even IF it were done intentionally by an evildoer (no explanation was actually given) why would he take the time to dismantle it, wouldn't he just cut the cable so you couldn't make any calls on any phone? At the end of the game, I have to dress yet another wound...by inserting a tampon!
I loved The Incident at Pendel Tower, the story was interesting, the game mechanics were creative, and the HOPs were unique, such as finding items as everything in the scene morphed between past & present!
I feel like this game was created just to offer a new game while putting forth as little effort as possible. It's still way better than the games being spewed out by the same developer twice a week, but I also feel that GrandMa is capable of better and when they pour their heart and soul into the game, they create masterpieces...the effort has to be consistent, I'd rather play a masterpiece occasionally than to play a lame game weekly!
GADGETS/HELPER
There are no helpers or gadgets.
There are no helpers or gadgets.
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHS (CE Bonus Chapter only)
There are 48 Collectible Flowers (1 Morphing & 1 Non-morphing), and 20 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble 1 Jigsaw/Screensaver. There is a pull-out tab on the left of the screen to check availability in each scene. GrandMa Studios always lets you revisit the scenes to pick up any missed collectibles by going to the CE Extra's menu under the Collectibles or Jigsaw tab, then simply click on the collectible or jigsaw piece that is shown as missing and you will be taken to that scene. I LOVE დ this feature and hope GrandMa Studios never changes it!
There are 48 Collectible Flowers (1 Morphing & 1 Non-morphing), and 20 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble 1 Jigsaw/Screensaver. There is a pull-out tab on the left of the screen to check availability in each scene. GrandMa Studios always lets you revisit the scenes to pick up any missed collectibles by going to the CE Extra's menu under the Collectibles or Jigsaw tab, then simply click on the collectible or jigsaw piece that is shown as missing and you will be taken to that scene. I LOVE დ this feature and hope GrandMa Studios never changes it!
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES
There are 12 Hidden Object Scenes +2 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Most of the HOs are Interactive List Finds, the only other variation is Shilloutted Shape Finds. Although both variations have a ton of Interactions (find & use items within the scene) they just aren't located in interesting locations unless you enjoy junkpiles on a table or shelf. I thought the HO on stained glass was the most colorful, but the objects were easily spotted and the HO scene can be finished within a few seconds.
There are 12 Hidden Object Scenes +2 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Most of the HOs are Interactive List Finds, the only other variation is Shilloutted Shape Finds. Although both variations have a ton of Interactions (find & use items within the scene) they just aren't located in interesting locations unless you enjoy junkpiles on a table or shelf. I thought the HO on stained glass was the most colorful, but the objects were easily spotted and the HO scene can be finished within a few seconds.
MATCH 3 ALTERNATIVE:
There is a Match 3 game available if you don't want to play the HOS. The goal is to remove matching colored marbles, however, I had a hard time swapping marbles at times and ended up having to click the desired marble and then click the marble I wanted to swap with individually versus dragging to swap. I think it just needs some fine-tuning.
There is a Match 3 game available if you don't want to play the HOS. The goal is to remove matching colored marbles, however, I had a hard time swapping marbles at times and ended up having to click the desired marble and then click the marble I wanted to swap with individually versus dragging to swap. I think it just needs some fine-tuning.
MINI-GAMES
There are 17 Mini-Games +3 in the CE Bonus Chapter. The mini-games themselves are decent but GrandMa has always had difficulty explaining the directions in an uncomplicated way.
There are 17 Mini-Games +3 in the CE Bonus Chapter. The mini-games themselves are decent but GrandMa has always had difficulty explaining the directions in an uncomplicated way.
Here are a few examples of puzzle instructions that are far too complicated:
*Connect three pairs of tokens according to the clues on the right. Place star frames onto the tokens on the board. You can move a frame 1/2 if you need, only adjacent tokens of 1st and 2nd order can be connected...say what??
*Match the lock parts so they fit into each other when combined. Press arrows to rotate the inner lock parts. Select outer lock parts to combine it with the inner lock part next to it...These instructions would make more sense "Rotate tokens until you align 2 lock sections"
*Connect all knots in a continuous line by selecting a knot and an adjacent one to connect them. They can only connect along lines and each line can only be crossed once...in a nutshell, how about saying this "click all knots without backtracking"
Nearly every game instruction had a lengthy explanation that made the game sound way more complicated than it actually was. I'd be more than happy to help with this GrandMa :)
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
To have and to hold...Hold up all your business assets that is! Annabell thought her new husband Count Victor Osmont, would help sort out her family's business after her father's untimely death. It turns out the Count couldn't be counted on and Annabelle's daddy is probably rolling in his coffin in this prequel titled "Coffin Breathing" There are only 5 additional Mini-Games and 2 Hidden Object Scenes, that take place over 6 additional scenes. You'll continue your search for the final 12 Collectible Flowers and 3 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you'll gain entry to the Hidden Chapter titled "The Beginning of the Nightmare" which is a Find & Replace Story-based Hidden Object game.
To have and to hold...Hold up all your business assets that is! Annabell thought her new husband Count Victor Osmont, would help sort out her family's business after her father's untimely death. It turns out the Count couldn't be counted on and Annabelle's daddy is probably rolling in his coffin in this prequel titled "Coffin Breathing" There are only 5 additional Mini-Games and 2 Hidden Object Scenes, that take place over 6 additional scenes. You'll continue your search for the final 12 Collectible Flowers and 3 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you'll gain entry to the Hidden Chapter titled "The Beginning of the Nightmare" which is a Find & Replace Story-based Hidden Object game.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS
10 Wallpaper, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, 16 Movie Cutscenes, 15 Achievements, 9 Replayable Mini-Games, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 48 Collectible Flowers (1 Morphing & 1 Non-morphing), 20 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble 1 Jigsaw/Screensaver, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (Coffin Breathing) a Hidden Chapter (The Beginning of the Nightmare) which is a "Find & Replace" Hidden Object Scene that reveals the fate of the characters from the main game, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
10 Wallpaper, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, 16 Movie Cutscenes, 15 Achievements, 9 Replayable Mini-Games, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 48 Collectible Flowers (1 Morphing & 1 Non-morphing), 20 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble 1 Jigsaw/Screensaver, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter (Coffin Breathing) a Hidden Chapter (The Beginning of the Nightmare) which is a "Find & Replace" Hidden Object Scene that reveals the fate of the characters from the main game, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Take a stroll through The Woods and join us in a new group adventure game at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Fresh technical drawing aesthetics meet elegantly designed logic challenges in this minimalist puzzle title with just a dash of color.
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 3 found this review helpful
SIMPLE LOGIC PUZZLES THAT ARE SIMPLY CHALLENGING
PostedApril 2, 2022
pennmom36
fromI'm looking forward to this developers upcoming adventure, The Minims
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Playing the tutorial levels will definitely be worth your time because I'm pretty sure it would be impossible to just wing it otherwise! At first glance, the game's Home page seems confusing with little to guide the player on what to click & where to go, but I believe this was intended to be part of the puzzle and once you start clicking it all makes sense.
This is a puzzle game based on physics & logic. every puzzle can be easily solved on the first attempt when you apply a little logic but that doesn't mean you're going to solve it with all 3 Diamonds because chances are you made a ton of unnecessary moves to figure out the solution...fortunately, there is a replay button located on the bottom left. My only complaint is that the game would be more enjoyable if there was a reset & undo button located next to the puzzle because it was a pain having to scroll to the bottom left, click a button, and wait for the controls to show up, then hit the reset button. If the reset button was more accessible, it would be easy to work out the mechanics as you go along versus waiting for your score to click the replay button!
The game itself is pretty simplistic, click & point to move the ball to the exit portal. Getting to the exit portal is of course, where the challenge begins! There are missing sections of pipe that the dot can't cross so you will have to move Cubes into position so they bridge the gaps...and of course, moving the cubes, or moving the right cubes at the right time is a whole new challenge.
Cubes slide when you click the left or right side of the box, some move vertically, some mover horizontally, and some move up & down depending on where the gaps are located. (think 3D) Here's the catch, only the colored cubes can be moved! To change an ordinary white cube into a colored cube, you first have to move the dot to the colored cube and then click the top of the dot (while located on top of the cube) This changes the dot's color and consequently changes that cube to white.
Once you change the dot's color, you can change the color of any of the white cubes by reversing the steps mentioned above. Eventually, puzzles will have several white cubes and portals, not to mention several gaps so you'll have to figure out the correct sequence of events.
Just remember that you click on the sides of cubes to slide them, when the dot is on a cube it won't slide, and to change the color of a box, you have to transfer the color to the dot first and then click the top of the cube with the colored dot.
You will earn all 3 Diamonds if you complete the puzzle within a specific number of Dot Jumps, for example, scoring a 25/25 will earn all 3 diamonds but if it took you 35/25 jumps, you would only earn 2 diamonds.
Come join us on my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the paranormal from terrorizing an award-winning winery and hotel?
Overall rating
2
/
5
105 of 132 found this review helpful
THE ONLY TASKS INVOLVE PLACING SHAPED EMBLEMS & ALL OF THE TASKS ARE COMPLETED BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SCENE
PostedMarch 31, 2022
pennmom36
fromWhy would you ditch Rick Rogers and bring in a whole slew of Mystery Trackers kids to run the show, are you trying to end all the series you offer?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4.5 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
16 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
Like everyone else, I'm desperate for new HOPA games nowadays but after playing Tearstone last week it's hard to revert back to the games developed by the usual 2 developers! By the time I made it to the 3rd and final chapter I thought I'd lose my mind if I had to place another missing figurine, emblem, or monogram initials because I'm not kidding when I say that the only tasks in the entire game were finding and replacing hundreds of missing emblem motifs on every object I came across, purses, chests, various boxes, locks, and every imaginable hidden cache!
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
16 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
Like everyone else, I'm desperate for new HOPA games nowadays but after playing Tearstone last week it's hard to revert back to the games developed by the usual 2 developers! By the time I made it to the 3rd and final chapter I thought I'd lose my mind if I had to place another missing figurine, emblem, or monogram initials because I'm not kidding when I say that the only tasks in the entire game were finding and replacing hundreds of missing emblem motifs on every object I came across, purses, chests, various boxes, locks, and every imaginable hidden cache!
To make matters worse, you are stuck in a single scene location until these emblems are placed. You certainly don't have to worry about a lot of back & forthing, in fact, you don't have to worry about any "to & fro" repetitiveness because you will find everything you need to complete your tasks in that same scene for 90% of the game, if not more!
If it's a well-known HOPA cliche, it is offered in this game, feed animals to make them move, scare animals away, beehive preventing access to a much-needed inventory item, pesky ants taking up residency on everything else! Boards missing from a bridge, power cords MIA, items stuck in wax, handles missing from absolutely everything, moss covering several items, wells missing hooks & buckets, objects sewn into clothing, sofas, even canvas portraits, broken glass, thorny bushes, broken keys, missing cart wheels, statues requiring their adornments before they "hand over" the goods as IF a stone statue can bend in any way, shape, or form, missing valves, etc. just to name a few. I visited 1 zoom zone to find a massive hoard of ants and low and behold the very next zoom zone had a convenient bottle of spray...buried in a hole for safekeeping...is this what HOPA fans want, a predictable game with boring, ridiculous tasks and a meaningless story because there's a certain sense of familiarity of knowing what to do and when to do it for every task?
There are a whole slew of glitches, including a glitchy cursor (had to switch to the system cursor which is listed as "Custom Icon" ain't that confusing) conversations that repeat the same conversation twice on some scenes, back to back, plus item inventory objects that won't accept the added object unless you click on a specific spot, object placement that takes several clicks before being accepted...so many times that I would think I was trying to add the wrong item so I would click the Hint button out of frustration only to discover I was right so I'd keep clicking until it was finally accepted, at one point the game just exited me out while watching a cut scene and not even touching the mouse or keyboard...but we are getting quite used to glitches & freezing issues with games by this developer, right?
I still wish Elephant Games would change the way they list their Achievements. It's impossible to tell how many achievements they have because they are scattered around a scene invisibly, they only show up if you scan your cursor over the scene and happen to scan over a silhouetted shape, they are never organized, and they are usually just scattered about. I still have no idea how many achievements this game has and which ones I didn't earn, for those of us who want to earn all achievements, it's aggravating to try to find each achievement to figure out what my goals are, achievement-wise! Oh, how I'd love to be a quality control tester for the big Elephant :(
GADGETS/HELPER:
There are no helpers or gadgets because once again, Rick Rogers is MIA...you know, the character this game was created about with the Paranormal Tattoo...now it's just another game where you can't see a difference from one series to another because it has nothing particularly special about it. It would be similar to removing Anna from Grim Tales and never mentioning time travel...oh wait, they kind of DID do that towards the end!
There are no helpers or gadgets because once again, Rick Rogers is MIA...you know, the character this game was created about with the Paranormal Tattoo...now it's just another game where you can't see a difference from one series to another because it has nothing particularly special about it. It would be similar to removing Anna from Grim Tales and never mentioning time travel...oh wait, they kind of DID do that towards the end!
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHS (CE Bonus Chapter only)
There are 12 huge cartoon character dolls that look so out of place you can't help but see them the second you enter a location. The 23 Hidden Eyes on the other hand are very well-blended into the scenery and added a nice challenge to an unchallenging game! The Eyes convert into Puzzle pieces to assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room.
There are 12 huge cartoon character dolls that look so out of place you can't help but see them the second you enter a location. The 23 Hidden Eyes on the other hand are very well-blended into the scenery and added a nice challenge to an unchallenging game! The Eyes convert into Puzzle pieces to assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room.
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
There are 9 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter with 6 Zoom Zone HO's throughout the game. I will admit that the objects blended into the scene better than in games of the past. There is a nice variety with Interactive List Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Silhouetted Shape Combo Finds (__+__=?) Horizontal & Vertical Sliders to match 2 halves of each item, and Swatch Finds. Some of the Zoom Zone HOs were more interesting than the main HOs with Matching Pairs, Silhouetted Shapes of various Flowers shown 1 at a time, or Finding pictured Rock Formations.
There are 9 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter with 6 Zoom Zone HO's throughout the game. I will admit that the objects blended into the scene better than in games of the past. There is a nice variety with Interactive List Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Silhouetted Shape Combo Finds (__+__=?) Horizontal & Vertical Sliders to match 2 halves of each item, and Swatch Finds. Some of the Zoom Zone HOs were more interesting than the main HOs with Matching Pairs, Silhouetted Shapes of various Flowers shown 1 at a time, or Finding pictured Rock Formations.
MINI-GAMES:
There are 13 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Usually, I found the games to be either super simplistic or super frustrating with confusing directions. I did enjoy a few puzzles such as rotating multi-colored pipes Grabbing spheres to recreate the silhouetted pattern (spheres would stick if they came in contact with other spheres so you had to move in a specific pattern) Placing angled mirrors to reflect light beams to their matching colored slots, and arranging labels & bottles according to city & type,
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
Just when she settles in back home, Rachael gets a letter in the mail from Rick Rogers himself! The letter contains clues that convince Rachael to jet back to the island in search of a partner that has evaded the Paranormal Agency for the past 13 years! There are 6 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes that take place over 8 additional locations. You'll continue your search for the final 3 Character Dolls and 8 Hidden Eyes that will allow you to complete the Jigsaw Puzzle in the CE Secret Room.
There are 13 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Usually, I found the games to be either super simplistic or super frustrating with confusing directions. I did enjoy a few puzzles such as rotating multi-colored pipes Grabbing spheres to recreate the silhouetted pattern (spheres would stick if they came in contact with other spheres so you had to move in a specific pattern) Placing angled mirrors to reflect light beams to their matching colored slots, and arranging labels & bottles according to city & type,
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
Just when she settles in back home, Rachael gets a letter in the mail from Rick Rogers himself! The letter contains clues that convince Rachael to jet back to the island in search of a partner that has evaded the Paranormal Agency for the past 13 years! There are 6 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes that take place over 8 additional locations. You'll continue your search for the final 3 Character Dolls and 8 Hidden Eyes that will allow you to complete the Jigsaw Puzzle in the CE Secret Room.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
5 Wallpaper, 1 Screensaver, ZERO Concept Art pictures, ZERO Video Movie sequences, 5 Music Soundtracks, ?? Achievements, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 13 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes,12 Character Dolls, 23 Hidden Eyes to assemble a 23 piece Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
5 Wallpaper, 1 Screensaver, ZERO Concept Art pictures, ZERO Video Movie sequences, 5 Music Soundtracks, ?? Achievements, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 13 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes,12 Character Dolls, 23 Hidden Eyes to assemble a 23 piece Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Grab your backpack and come on down to The Woods today, you're sure of a big surprise... let's play a group game together! Join us won't you? thewoodsforum.boards.net
Join Tim as he sets out on a Match-3 quest to protect the fairies and put an end to a new menace.
Overall rating
5
/
5
104 of 121 found this review helpful
MEWOW-PAWSITIVELY CLAWSOME!
PostedMarch 29, 2022
pennmom36
fromOh what a Feline! Fureal, I'm not kitten when I say this is a pawsitively clawsome game. pawlease give it a try & stay pawsitive! დ
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is an incredibly unique Match 3 game that seems confusing at Furst glance but once you start playing you Litterally become addicted! The main goal is to get Tim the cat to his ball of yarn while collecting Purrfectly tasty fish along the way. Getting from Point A to B is indeed a Furtastic journey and overcoming the Obstacles is where the fun begins. Every level has a unique Pawstacle to overcome, such as creating your own pathways.
Unfurtunately, I wasn't crazy about the storyline, in fact, I barely Tailerated the characters. Lord Devious has broken through the Fairies Seal to the magical forest which puts Tim in danger...what does this have to do with Cats? I would expect this kind of plot in a HOG, but it just seems lame in a Match 3 game centered around Max the Cat. Suddenly Meow is a cutsie title that implies the game is family-oriented and all about cats, so for me, the story was a Catastrophe. Furtunately, the story can be skipped or clicked thru quickly, and has no effect on the gameplay!
You can play in a Relaxed Mode, or choose to play in Limited Moves, or Limited Time Modes of difficulty. You will earn one Star when you complete a level, the other two Stars must be earned by making adjacent matches on the "open" side of the Star Icons, which should be your Furst clue of how unique this Match 3 game is! If you earn all 3 stars you will receive a random Powerup Bonus at the end of the level. The powerups accumulate and can be used anytime by dragging them from the powerup bar on the top, to the desired location on the board.
Most levels have a dedicated path that requires you to make adjacent matches next to all Crates blocking Max's path to the ball of Yarn at the opposite end. Some levels require you to create a Stone Path to collect fish along the way by making adjacent matches in the desired direction. Some levels have pipes in need of repair by guiding the Hammer to the pipes. This was a bit confusing to me, why a hammer? Who uses a hammer to fix pipes, shouldn't it be a pipe wrench? Exactly where are these pipes located, are they in the forest? Is this the method Max uses to travel to and from the forest, if so, why am I creating a path?
Large Matches will reward you with a Morphing Powerup on the board:
Bomb-destroys all icons on the same Column & Row.
Dynamite-destroys adjacent icons
Tile Target-destroys a single icon that can be placed on the tile of your choice
Mask-swaps with a regular tile
Dynamite-destroys adjacent icons
Tile Target-destroys a single icon that can be placed on the tile of your choice
Mask-swaps with a regular tile
Obstacles:
Crates-destroy with adjacent match
Gray Cells-new icons generate at a source & push others
Magnets-charges blocks after an adjacent match
Horns-charge horn to push blocks with the airflow
Water Tiles-Timm cannot walk on water!
Electric-disable the current with blocks
Padlock-icons with padlocks are blocked
Lock & Key-guide key to lock
Brick Walls-destroy with an adjacent match
Purple Buttons-make matches over them to reveal hidden icons
Tan Buttons-make matches over them to reveal icons (reverts after 7 moves)\
Grass Cells-make matches on grass cells to remove grass
Bushes-destroy with adjacent matches
Anglerfish-remove by enclosing with Lava tiles (lava disappears in 15 moves)
Piranha-enclose with Lava tiles (they move their position after being enclosed)
Puffer Fish-destroy with adjacent match
Crates-destroy with adjacent match
Gray Cells-new icons generate at a source & push others
Magnets-charges blocks after an adjacent match
Horns-charge horn to push blocks with the airflow
Water Tiles-Timm cannot walk on water!
Electric-disable the current with blocks
Padlock-icons with padlocks are blocked
Lock & Key-guide key to lock
Brick Walls-destroy with an adjacent match
Purple Buttons-make matches over them to reveal hidden icons
Tan Buttons-make matches over them to reveal icons (reverts after 7 moves)\
Grass Cells-make matches on grass cells to remove grass
Bushes-destroy with adjacent matches
Anglerfish-remove by enclosing with Lava tiles (lava disappears in 15 moves)
Piranha-enclose with Lava tiles (they move their position after being enclosed)
Puffer Fish-destroy with adjacent match
Coins or points collected during the match 3 games can be used to decorate Tim's Hideaway and each purchase has a different ability that will help Tim during the Battle Modes.
If ya get stuck you can always join our daily game discussions! The weather's warming up and the Bears are starting to stir, so ya might wanna bring an extra bag of mallows just in case...we'll save you a seat by the campfire thewoods.boards.net
I recommend this game!
In this turn-based role-playing adventure, plunge into tactical battles where your decisions mean either resounding victory or a crushing defeat!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 7 found this review helpful
SURPRISINGLY ADDICTING RPG!
PostedMarch 28, 2022
pennmom36
fromRemembering you is easy Loki დ I do it every day დ Missing you is a heartache დ that never goes away დ
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a genre that scares a lot of players because they look complicated and the gameplay is so much different than the typical games BF usually offers. You really should step out of your comfort zone though, I think most would enjoy this type of game once they start playing, and Royal Adventure is really easy to figure out.
You can play in an Easy, Normal, or Hard difficulty mode, and the tutorial is pretty good at teaching you the basics. The game is easy to figure out, but planning the right strategy can be challenging as you progress.
In a nutshell, you are tasked with moving your character to any of the green-highlighted squares which are considered to be "safe" zones, Yellow Squares are "danger" zones where an attack is possible. You will face various "enemies" by approaching their square and the enemies move a specified number of squares each time you move your character. When an enemy is "hit" initially, they become stunned and can't attack you on your next move so you can use this to your advantage when multiple enemies are in play.
Some enemies are easily destroyed while others take several attacks or move several squares per move. Mummies and Skeletons, for example, are slow and move one space at a time and can be destroyed with a single blow. Wolves move 2 spaces at a time and may require a couple of attacks, while Lichs move several spaces per move and require several attacks. Keep in mind that after each attack you make, the enemy attacks you as well and there are times when you have no choice but to move to a yellow square which means the next move is made by the enemy who will attack you first!
There are Obstacles throughout each level, such as Barrels, or Boxes. You can select these obstacles and slash them open, some contain inventory items, new Equipment, Healing Potions, and valuable Coins.., but they may also contain an enemy who attacks you when revealed. Nonetheless, you need Potions and you definitely need coins!
After a few battles, your equipment gets damaged so you'll need to visit the locate Blacksmith, and that requires money! If you don't find new equipment, the damaged equipment must be repaired but unfortunately, repaired equipment isn't as strong or powerful, and new equipment is usually too expensive when you first start out.
You will earn "experience points" for defeating various enemies which gives you more lives. During battles, if you are hit too many times, you start flashing red and must quickly use a Healing Potion to continue. If you don't have potions in your inventory, you will lose a life, when all are depleted, you will be returned to the Town and must restart the level. This will give you a chance to adjust your inventory, repair equipment, and figure out which items to apply before facing new enemies...good luck :)
If ya get stuck you can always join our daily game discussions! The weather's warming up and the Bears are starting to stir, so ya might wanna bring an extra bag of mallows just in case...we'll save you a seat by the campfire thewoods.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Feed the hungry masses on a tropical luxury cruise!
Overall rating
3
/
5
15 of 17 found this review helpful
THE FOOD ITEMS ARE DIFFICULT TO DIFFERENTIATE AT TIMES & THE DELIVERY SYSTEM IS CONFUSING
PostedMarch 28, 2022
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
On the first tutorial level, the customer wanted the "blue" cereal when in reality they needed the normal flavored cereal so I was confused right from the get-go. The waitress doesn't carry a serving tray, the food is shown on the inventory bar and at times I could have sworn I had the right combinations but by the time I got to the customer, I'd realized something was wrong.
As others have stated, this game can be a little glitchy which is a pity because it seems like it would be really fun. I gave up on it after just a few levels because I was getting frustrated with the game mechanics, freezing issues, and clicks not being recognized, particularly when trying to add milk or fruit to the cereal!
Speaking of cereal, Yustas needs to work on making dishes more colorful and not so identical in appearance. It's hard to tell the difference between cereals the customers are requesting which are identical in shape and way too similar in color (very pale tan, or very light blue color variation), and it's hard to tell what ingredients are supposed to be added to some of the special requests because they aren't bright and colorful, and they don't have detailed graphics, in fact, every food item is similar in color. In my opinion, there needs to be a sharp contrast that allows the player to immediately know which condiments to add, we shouldn't have to waste time trying to figure out if we need to add this or that!
You can play in an Easy, Normal, or Hard difficulty mode, the higher the difficulty mode, the more money you will have to earn to finish levels in Gold (3 stars). There are 50 Main Levels and a handful of side quest levels as well. You can earn more points when you multi-task, such as, serving complete orders in one trip or checking out multiple customers.
The points allow you to purchase upgrades to the kitchen to help you with automation, ease of cooking or serving, or speeding up characters or cooking processes.
The Collector's Edition version has 30 Reward Trophies to ear, 3 Wallpapers. 7 Character Bios, 50 Main Levels, and 10 Bonus Levels (+side quest levels) The BF synopsis claim to have downloadable Soundtracks but I certainly didn't see any? This SE version still has 50 Main Levels and 7 Character Bios.
There's always something interesting going on at my new forum! If you miss chatting with fellow fishies from the Big Fish Forum days then grab a thermos full of coffee, throw on your favorite jeans & t-shirt, and lace up your hiking boots...ah who are we kidding...just keep your comfy fuzzy slippers on, and come chillax with us by the fire at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
There's a gold rush coming, and it's your job to lead the way!
Overall rating
4
/
5
48 of 55 found this review helpful
YAY, THE HIDDEN OWLS ARE STILL AVAILABLE IN THIS SE VERSION!
PostedMarch 27, 2022
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I purchased the CE version because I love the Hidden Owl & Shooting Range features and honestly didn't think they would be available in this SE version. I was really surprised that they included not only the owls and shooting range, but you still earn reward trophies! (1 less than CE version) The only benefit to the CE version is the built-in Strategy Guide which I had to refer to several times because some of the levels are really tricky as you progress!
Yustas always knows how to create amazing Time Management games with unique themes, and interesting features that are just downright fun to play! Golden Rails is one of my personal favorites but I would like to see something different added to each new release so it doesn't feel like I'm just playing more levels from the last game because a TM game can get boring if the game mechanics are always the same from game to game.
You can play in an Easy Untimed Mode, a Normal Mode, or Hard Mode with tighter Time-limits. This is definitely a strategy-based game and you'll have to queue tasks strategically in order to complete the level goals within the allotted time frame to earn all 3-stars. So far I've just played in the normal mode and find myself having to replay several levels to earn all 3 stars until I figure out the perfect queue selection method.
The goals are basically the same as the last two games, you'll have to repair railway sections and stations in order to unload train cargos full of much-needed supplies, such as Ore, Wood, or food, Trade merchants for tools needed for the job at hand, rescue Settlers, repair, and upgrade houses, and collect rent. Banks must be constructed or repaired, and of course, you'll have to repair bridges, and Sawmills after clearing obstacles, mine gold veins, harvest food crops, remove traps, and chop down lots of trees that regrow when it rains. You'll need to hire extra workers because some tasks require two or more available workers at the same time, while some have dedicated assignments at mills to cut wood or mine ore.
Each scene has a hidden Yustas owl that peeks out from behind a bush...my favorite part of the game! TIP: Before the start of each level, scan the scene for the popup owl which is hidden behind clumps of bushes. As long as you don't click on any resources, the timer won't start so you won't waste precious Time on the meter searching for the collectible owl. If you forget to search for the owl, you can simply replay the level, search for the owl, and exit the level, your original score will be intact and the owl icon will be added! There are 50 "Wanted Owls" total or one per level (The CE version has 10 extra Owls within the 10 Bonus Levels)
After completing level 5, you can use your stars earned to purchase Train Upgrades that speed up workers or speed production of resources.
The Collector's Edition version has 50 main levels and 10 CE levels, 60 Collectible "Wanted" Owls, 4 Wallpapers, 5 Music Soundtracks, Train Upgrades, 30 Reward Trophies, and a Built-in Strategy Guide that also shows where the Collectible Owls are located. There are also Shooting Range levels available.
This Standard Edition has 50 main levels, 50 Hidden "Wanted" Owls, 29 Reward Trophy Achievements, and 5 Shooting Range Levels. Because this is definitely a strategy-based game, I do recommend the CE version because of the built-in Strategy Guide, although not as convenient, chances are you can find help online at this point.
If ya get stuck you can always join our daily game discussions! The weather's warming up and the Bears are starting to stir, so ya might wanna bring an extra bag of mallows just in case...we'll save you a seat by the campfire thewoods.boards.net
I recommend this game!