pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4706
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:March 1, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Follow a mystical story full of secrets and puzzles after a severe storm forces you to seek refuge in an old wax museum!
Overall rating
5
/
5
94 of 121 found this review helpful
YOU HAD ME AT WAX MUSEUM BUT I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PANORAMIC VIEWS!
PostedMarch 2, 2022
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a good old-fashioned Hidden Object Game with features that are really entertaining. It's the kind of game people will love or hate, but I knew this was my kind of game when the demo ending took me by surprise...I wanted to keep playing, and I was disappointed that the game ended so I will definitely be purchasing this game today!
After an automobile accident, you set out on foot to seek shelter and stumble across an old abandoned Wax Museum. Naturally, you are curious and have lots of time to kill so you start snooping around and uncover a full-fledged mystery!
The first couple of levels weren't very exciting so I was prepared to play "just another ordinary Hidden Object Game" Once I encountered the 360-degree panoramic levels it was a game-changer and this ordinary Hidden Object Game just became extraordinarily unique!
The goal is to find all Listed Objects to earn 3-Stars, which is achieved by finding objects consecutively to earn points. After completing a level you will earn one, two, or three stars, and up to 4 trophy rewards, which is an incentive to Replay the level until you earn all four. (The Level Map shows all statistics, including the rewards earned on each level) The first award is achieved for Completing the level and earning a star, the second one is earned for Replaying the level, the third is for earning all 3-stars, and the fourth is earned for completing the level within 45 seconds, which BTW is the only Timed Level. (there is still no pressure, the timer is shown on the top right and stops the timer after 45 seconds while you complete the level, you'll just have to replay that mode if you want to earn the trophy)
Each Level is a Wax Museum Room, and each room has a theme, such as World War II, Revolution, Medieval, and the Stone Age...eventually, you will uncover 22 Rooms by finding inventory items to open or unlock the doors to gain access to the rooms. There is a Hint button that must recharge between uses that will show you the location of whichever object you click on in the List. There is also a Camera feature that will show a picture of the object selected from the list which is very helpful if you don't know what the Listed Object is, or when an object could be multiple variations such as a Bow. There is a limited number of "camera features" but you will earn more as you play the HO levels.
Some of the objects are blended into the scenery quite well, and when you replay a level, the items to find are different each time and new objects are added to the scene. The Panoramic scenes made the game interesting, and it added a unique challenge trying to find all the objects within 45 Seconds when replaying the scene to earn the last trophy. I know it's a Keeper for me personally when I get surprised by the demo's abrupt ending, it means I was totally engrossed and totally entertained!
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 recommend this game!
Embark on an electrifying adventure to save the world from a robotic menace in the latest Time Management adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 6 found this review helpful
I MISS THE STRATEGY WOW FACTOR!
PostedFebruary 28, 2022
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The original Rescue Team games were amazing TM games and on my top 10 favorites list, but I haven't enjoyed them as much lately because they seem easier and they don't seem to require a lot of strategies to complete them with all 3-Stars. They are still unique games with unique features, but in the past, you had to queue tasks strategically or risk having to replay levels because you couldn't continue due to a lack of specific resources, and I loved that!
You can play in a Relaxed Mode (untimed mode), a Normal Mode (referred to as Easy), or a Hard Mode.
There are the usual tasks like most TM games, collecting resources such as food, money, and wood, and you'll have to fill cracks and pits, cut befallen trees, repair bridges, and damaged buildings, construct Sawmills, Burger Cafe's, fix Light fixtures and restore power to communication towers. Of course, you will eventually use all kinds of power equipment, depending on the terrain, such as cranes, boats, power pumps, etc.
There are the usual tasks like most TM games, collecting resources such as food, money, and wood, and you'll have to fill cracks and pits, cut befallen trees, repair bridges, and damaged buildings, construct Sawmills, Burger Cafe's, fix Light fixtures and restore power to communication towers. Of course, you will eventually use all kinds of power equipment, depending on the terrain, such as cranes, boats, power pumps, etc.
Because this is a Rescue game, however, it's all about rescuing people from natural and manmade disasters, in this case, there is a chemical leak from a damaged fertilizer plant. Barry and Larry the Saint Bernards dogs will do their own type of rescue, searching demolished buildings and debris to find any trapped people, and dolphins have a rescue role as well. People aren't the only ones that need to be rescued, you will be tasked with rescuing cats, dogs, and other trapped or endangered animals too, which always gives this game the awe factor ;)
If you earn 3-Stars on a level, you will receive coins that can be used in the Shop to purchase Bonuses in 4 different categories:
Swift As The Wind
-speeds up workers
-speeds up construction
-speeds up debris removal
-speeds up the flame thrower
First Aid
-slows down freezing
-slows the spread of fire
-slows the spread of disease
-drains floods faster
Turbo
-speeds up all machines
-speeds up all first responders
-speeds up the dog rescues
--speeds up the space biologist
911
-speeds fire suppression
-speeds arrests
-speeds healing
-speeds chemical reactions
Swift As The Wind
-speeds up workers
-speeds up construction
-speeds up debris removal
-speeds up the flame thrower
First Aid
-slows down freezing
-slows the spread of fire
-slows the spread of disease
-drains floods faster
Turbo
-speeds up all machines
-speeds up all first responders
-speeds up the dog rescues
--speeds up the space biologist
911
-speeds fire suppression
-speeds arrests
-speeds healing
-speeds chemical reactions
The Collector's Edition version has 50 Main Levels, 15 Bonus Levels, 7 Encyclopedia, 13 Character Bio Folders, 8 Concept Art pictures, 12 Music Soundtracks, 20 Experiments (complete levels & unlock new things) 49 Trophy Achievements, and a Level Strategy Guide.
Come take a stroll thru The Woods at my new Forum and get to know fellow Big Fishies at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Embark on an electrifying adventure to save the world from a robotic menace in the latest Time Management adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
I GUESS I JUST DON'T ENJOY THE NEW VERSION OF RESCUE TEAM :(
PostedFebruary 28, 2022
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The original Rescue Team games were amazing TM games and on my top 10 favorites list, but I haven't enjoyed them as much lately because they seem easier and they don't seem to require a lot of strategies to complete them with all 3-Stars. They are still unique games with unique features, but in the past, you had to queue tasks strategically or risk having to replay levels because you couldn't continue due to a lack of specific resources, and I loved that!
You can play in a Relaxed Mode (untimed mode), a Normal Mode (referred to as Easy), or a Hard Mode.
There are the usual tasks like most TM games, collecting resources such as food, money, and wood, and you'll have to fill cracks and pits, cut befallen trees, repair bridges, and damaged buildings, construct Sawmills, Burger Cafe's, fix Light fixtures and restore power to communication towers. Of course, you will eventually use all kinds of power equipment, depending on the terrain, such as cranes, boats, power pumps, etc.
Because this is a Rescue game, however, it's all about rescuing people from natural and manmade disasters, in this case, there is a chemical leak from a damaged fertilizer plant. Barry and Larry the Saint Bernards dogs will do their own type of rescue, searching demolished buildings and debris to find any trapped people, and dolphins have a rescue role as well. People aren't the only ones that need to be rescued, you will be tasked with rescuing cats, dogs, and other trapped or endangered animals too, which always gives this game the awe factor ;)
If you earn 3-Stars on a level, you will receive coins that can be used in the Shop to purchase Bonuses in 4 different categories:
Swift As The Wind
-speeds up workers
-speeds up construction
-speeds up debris removal
-speeds up the flame thrower
First Aid
-slows down freezing
-slows the spread of fire
-slows the spread of disease
-drains floods faster
Turbo
-speeds up all machines
-speeds up all first responders
-speeds up the dog rescues
--speeds up the space biologist
911
-speeds fire suppression
-speeds arrests
-speeds healing
-speeds chemical reactions
This Collector's Edition version has 50 Main Levels, 15 Bonus Levels, 7 Encyclopedia, 13 Character Bio Folders, 8 Concept Art pictures, 12 Music Soundtracks, 20 Experiments (complete levels & unlock new things) 49 Trophy Achievements, and a Level Strategy Guide.
If you earn 3-Stars on a level, you will receive coins that can be used in the Shop to purchase Bonuses in 4 different categories:
Swift As The Wind
-speeds up workers
-speeds up construction
-speeds up debris removal
-speeds up the flame thrower
First Aid
-slows down freezing
-slows the spread of fire
-slows the spread of disease
-drains floods faster
Turbo
-speeds up all machines
-speeds up all first responders
-speeds up the dog rescues
--speeds up the space biologist
911
-speeds fire suppression
-speeds arrests
-speeds healing
-speeds chemical reactions
This Collector's Edition version has 50 Main Levels, 15 Bonus Levels, 7 Encyclopedia, 13 Character Bio Folders, 8 Concept Art pictures, 12 Music Soundtracks, 20 Experiments (complete levels & unlock new things) 49 Trophy Achievements, and a Level Strategy Guide.
Come take a stroll thru The Woods at my new Forum and get to know fellow Big Fishies at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
The most challenging and fun Clutter yet!
Overall rating
4
/
5
20 of 23 found this review helpful
I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR THIS VERSION
PostedFebruary 28, 2022
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Honestly, I wish I would have waited and purchased this SE version because most of the same features and extras are still available in this SE version. After playing the game for days I still didn't make a dent and I will probably never complete over 1700 levels!
I know a lot of you feel intimidated by the massive amounts of features and the recently changed Main Menu. Joe has added a Help Book that covers tips & Tricks as well as How To Navigate. Just click on the Book icon on the top right of the screen :)
You Can Choose from 3 Cursor sizes in Red, Green, and Blue and you can also customize the following:
*Timer: enable/disable timer.
*Starter Hints: enable/disable Match Hints if you stall a little too long.
*Unlimited Hints: enable/disable unlimited hints mode.
*Click Penalty: enable/disable penalties for misclicks.
*Slider Puzzles (in Quest Mode) allow you to bypass Slider Puzzles.
*Tips & Tricks: enable/disable commentary w/ tips & tricks.
*Colorize Toggle: de-color your clutter world.
*Shadow Toggle: enable/disable Silhouettes in pop-up boxes.
*Story: enable/disable the Story Joe has worked so hard on?
*Tall & Wide: enable/disable the latest Clutter variation, never!
*Chaos Toggle: enable/disable the hectic chaos of moving objects, demons begone!
*Timer: enable/disable timer.
*Starter Hints: enable/disable Match Hints if you stall a little too long.
*Unlimited Hints: enable/disable unlimited hints mode.
*Click Penalty: enable/disable penalties for misclicks.
*Slider Puzzles (in Quest Mode) allow you to bypass Slider Puzzles.
*Tips & Tricks: enable/disable commentary w/ tips & tricks.
*Colorize Toggle: de-color your clutter world.
*Shadow Toggle: enable/disable Silhouettes in pop-up boxes.
*Story: enable/disable the Story Joe has worked so hard on?
*Tall & Wide: enable/disable the latest Clutter variation, never!
*Chaos Toggle: enable/disable the hectic chaos of moving objects, demons begone!
There are over 1700 puzzles with some old and new Clutter styles such as See 2, Match 2 (match 2 identical objects) Stackers-in Easy & Hard Modes (variations of buttons), Coin Matches, Cartoony Animals, Spinning Buttons, Classic Clutter, Spinning Spirals, Rotation Madness, Meet The Singletons. Clutter Jong, Picture Quest and so much more!
EXTRA CLUTTER VERSIONS (CE & SE version)
*Box Quotes: Reveal quotes by changing letters
*Spinning Spirals: Find matches in Spirals that Spin.
*Rotation Madness: Find items with identical rotations.
*Singletons: Find the 1 item without a match (nearly impossible)
*Clutter Jong: Mahjong style of Clutter
*PotPouri: Stackers, Fuzzies, Voids, and Accordions.
*Clutter Gaps: Swap squares to match halves
*Cartoony Craziness: Clutter with cartoon characters and animals
*Clutter pics: Clutter matching pictures, hexagons, circles, oblongs, etc.
*Sliders: Infamous Clutter slider puzzles, drag to create images.
*Picture Quest: recreate pictures with the frags w/o a story
*Box Quotes: Change letters to create inspirational quotes
*Box Quotes: Reveal quotes by changing letters
*Spinning Spirals: Find matches in Spirals that Spin.
*Rotation Madness: Find items with identical rotations.
*Singletons: Find the 1 item without a match (nearly impossible)
*Clutter Jong: Mahjong style of Clutter
*PotPouri: Stackers, Fuzzies, Voids, and Accordions.
*Clutter Gaps: Swap squares to match halves
*Cartoony Craziness: Clutter with cartoon characters and animals
*Clutter pics: Clutter matching pictures, hexagons, circles, oblongs, etc.
*Sliders: Infamous Clutter slider puzzles, drag to create images.
*Picture Quest: recreate pictures with the frags w/o a story
*Box Quotes: Change letters to create inspirational quotes
The only extra's you really get with the CE version is 3 extra lands to discover, and a Hidden 4 Page Story by Joe. As I said above, I will probably never complete over 1700 levels, the next game will be released before I could ever complete them so I wish I had opted to purchase this SE version.
Come join the fun at my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
A vengeful monster has found a way to stop Christmas!
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 11 found this review helpful
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE!
PostedFebruary 28, 2022
pennmom36
fromYulemen, or Yule Lads, are a group of thirteen mischievous creatures of Icelandic origin. Children of trolls/ogres Gryla and Leppaluthi.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Every year just before Christmas, the 13 Yulemen arrive to spread Good Cheer...by causing lots of Mischiefs! When the Yulemen didn't arrive in this sleepy little town of Iceland this year (why do they have Australian accents?) Asdis and Yonas grew concerned. The two brothers are about to embark on an unforgettable Christmas journey and soon discover they have an Ancient Power running through their veins that have been kept a secret for their entire lives!
Once again, I encounter an annoying glitch with the Custom Cursor that caused it to be jerky, slow to respond, and was constantly disappearing when idle. I searched all the settings and to my surprise, there are NO system cursor options! In fact, there are hardly any options available in the Custom Difficulty mode. You can opt for black bar hints, Plus Item indicators, and slid a bar to select recharge & skip times but that's the only custom options available!
GADGETS/HELPER:
There is a Magic Ball Gadget but it simply pulls up the 3 different locations you will visit on your Christmas Quest.
There is a Magic Ball Gadget but it simply pulls up the 3 different locations you will visit on your Christmas Quest.
You will team up with a Yulemen Elf named Glu (who made the decision to name him Glu?) Glu is used 7 times in the Main Game and 2 times in the CE Bonus Chapter for the usual helper quests that only a tiny helper could do. Sometimes you will have to equip Glu with accessories to turn him into Sharpshooter Glue, or Climber Glu after playing "dress up" lol He is quite fidgety and mischievous between assignments which can be distracting at times. Although a lot of reviewers stated Glu was kind of creepy, I thought he was adorable and he fits well into this particular Christmas fantasy theme, not to mention the CG animations were very well done!
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHS (CE Bonus Chapter only)
There are 12 Collectible Yulemen Christmas Cards that give a brief descriptive Bio about each of the Yulemen. There are 48 fairly well-blended Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that will create Four 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzles to assemble with rotational tabs.
There are 12 Collectible Yulemen Christmas Cards that give a brief descriptive Bio about each of the Yulemen. There are 48 fairly well-blended Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that will create Four 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzles to assemble with rotational tabs.
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
There are 9 Hidden Object Scenes +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter with a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's requiring you to find 6 items from a List or Silhouetted Shapes that are shown one at a time. There are Interactive List Finds, Keywords in a Sentence Find, Matching Pair Finds, Find & Replace, and a scene where you find both halves of various objects located over several pages in a book. The locations have lots of Christmassy items with lots of good cheer!
There are 9 Hidden Object Scenes +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter with a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's requiring you to find 6 items from a List or Silhouetted Shapes that are shown one at a time. There are Interactive List Finds, Keywords in a Sentence Find, Matching Pair Finds, Find & Replace, and a scene where you find both halves of various objects located over several pages in a book. The locations have lots of Christmassy items with lots of good cheer!
MINI-GAMES:
There are 13 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Elephant Games did a nice job converting ordinary puzzles into Christmas-themed puzzles, and they do a decent job describing the instructions for each puzzle.
There are 13 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Elephant Games did a nice job converting ordinary puzzles into Christmas-themed puzzles, and they do a decent job describing the instructions for each puzzle.
Mini-games I enjoyed the most:
1-Move family portraits along the lines to their matching shaped frames.
2-Swap the lock sections located in the center so that they align with the top & bottom sections.
3-Jump cupcakes until only one remain.
4-Remove all tiles by strategically plotting your moves (removed when bumped)
5-Shoot to remove 3 or more identical marbles.
1-Move family portraits along the lines to their matching shaped frames.
2-Swap the lock sections located in the center so that they align with the top & bottom sections.
3-Jump cupcakes until only one remain.
4-Remove all tiles by strategically plotting your moves (removed when bumped)
5-Shoot to remove 3 or more identical marbles.
Least Enjoyable Puzzles:
1-Defeat your opponent by eliminating all of their pieces. Moving directly to a highlighted adjacent square will create a duplicate piece.
2-Finish painting sections of a Shield correctly. (each part was already partially painted as a clue...is this a Kindergarten assignment?)
3-Another infamous Elephant Games Navigation puzzle variation.
4-Place snowflakes correctly to create a continuous line from one end to another of moving gears/snowflakes
5-Guide a reindeer while avoiding obstacles...offered in every Elephant Game, they just change the animal or vehicle, almost always a motorcycle or some type of flying device!
1-Defeat your opponent by eliminating all of their pieces. Moving directly to a highlighted adjacent square will create a duplicate piece.
2-Finish painting sections of a Shield correctly. (each part was already partially painted as a clue...is this a Kindergarten assignment?)
3-Another infamous Elephant Games Navigation puzzle variation.
4-Place snowflakes correctly to create a continuous line from one end to another of moving gears/snowflakes
5-Guide a reindeer while avoiding obstacles...offered in every Elephant Game, they just change the animal or vehicle, almost always a motorcycle or some type of flying device!
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
It's a Christmas Miracle, Hans Tripp is trying to redeem his past mistakes as he goes on a mission to save the Yulemen from the evil Snow Queen who was responsible for all his woes of the past! There are 8 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes that take place over 9 additional scene locations. Glu the Yulemen returns as Hans Tripp's personal assistant (used two times in this Bonus Chapter) and you'll continue your search for the final 4 Collectible Yulemen Cards with Bio's and 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble the final 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzle. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you'll gain entry to the Secret Room and the Expedition Room.
It's a Christmas Miracle, Hans Tripp is trying to redeem his past mistakes as he goes on a mission to save the Yulemen from the evil Snow Queen who was responsible for all his woes of the past! There are 8 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes that take place over 9 additional scene locations. Glu the Yulemen returns as Hans Tripp's personal assistant (used two times in this Bonus Chapter) and you'll continue your search for the final 4 Collectible Yulemen Cards with Bio's and 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble the final 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzle. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you'll gain entry to the Secret Room and the Expedition Room.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
5 Wallpaper, 5 Music Soundtracks, 23 Achievements, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes,12 Collectible Yulemen Cards with Bios, 48 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that will create Four 12 piece jigsaws to assemble with rotational tabs, a Secret Room (timed HO within the scene locations) an Expedition Room (return to scenes to find any missed collectibles) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
5 Wallpaper, 5 Music Soundtracks, 23 Achievements, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes,12 Collectible Yulemen Cards with Bios, 48 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that will create Four 12 piece jigsaws to assemble with rotational tabs, a Secret Room (timed HO within the scene locations) an Expedition Room (return to scenes to find any missed collectibles) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise...join us at my new forum! thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
A vengeful monster has found a way to stop Christmas!
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
THE LAST YULEMEN
PostedFebruary 28, 2022
pennmom36
fromYulemen, or Yule Lads, are a group of thirteen mischievous creatures of Icelandic origin. Children of trolls/ogres Gryla and Leppaluthi.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
Every year just before Christmas, the 13 Yulemen arrive to spread Good Cheer...by causing lots of Mischiefs! When the Yulemen didn't arrive in this sleepy little town of Iceland this year (why do they have Australian accents?) Asdis and Yonas grew concerned. The two brothers are about to embark on an unforgettable Christmas journey and soon discover they have an Ancient Power running through their veins that have been kept a secret for their entire lives!
Once again, I encounter an annoying glitch with the Custom Cursor that caused it to be jerky, slow to respond, and was constantly disappearing when idle. I searched all the settings and to my surprise, there are NO system cursor options! In fact, there are hardly any options available in the Custom Difficulty mode. You can opt for black bar hints, Plus Item indicators, and slid a bar to select recharge & skip times but that's the only custom options available!
GADGETS/HELPER:
There is a Magic Ball Gadget but it simply pulls up the 3 different locations you will visit on your Christmas Quest
GADGETS/HELPER:
There is a Magic Ball Gadget but it simply pulls up the 3 different locations you will visit on your Christmas Quest
You will team up with a Yulemen Elf named Glu (who made the decision to name him Glu?) Glu is used 7 times in the Main Game and 2 times in the CE Bonus Chapter for the usual helper quests that only a tiny helper could do. Sometimes you will have to equip Glu with accessories to turn him into Sharpshooter Glue, or Climber Glu after playing "dress up" lol He is quite fidgety and mischievous between assignments which can be distracting at times. Although a lot of reviewers stated Glu was kind of creepy, I thought he was adorable and he fits well into this particular Christmas fantasy theme, not to mention the CG animations were very well done!
COLLECTIBLES & MORPHS (CE Bonus Chapter only)
There are 12 Collectible Yulemen Christmas Cards that give a brief descriptive Bio about each of the Yulemen. There are 48 fairly well-blended Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that will create Four 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzles to assemble with rotational tabs.
There are 12 Collectible Yulemen Christmas Cards that give a brief descriptive Bio about each of the Yulemen. There are 48 fairly well-blended Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that will create Four 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzles to assemble with rotational tabs.
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
There are 9 Hidden Object Scenes +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter with a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's requiring you to find 6 items from a List or Silhouetted Shapes that are shown one at a time. There are Interactive List Finds, Keywords in a Sentence Find, Matching Pair Finds, Find & Replace, and a scene where you find both halves of various objects located over several pages in a book. The locations have lots of Christmassy items with lots of good cheer!
There are 9 Hidden Object Scenes +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter with a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's requiring you to find 6 items from a List or Silhouetted Shapes that are shown one at a time. There are Interactive List Finds, Keywords in a Sentence Find, Matching Pair Finds, Find & Replace, and a scene where you find both halves of various objects located over several pages in a book. The locations have lots of Christmassy items with lots of good cheer!
MINI-GAMES:
There are 13 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Elephant Games did a nice job converting ordinary puzzles into Christmas-themed puzzles, and they do a decent job describing the instructions for each puzzle.
There are 13 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Elephant Games did a nice job converting ordinary puzzles into Christmas-themed puzzles, and they do a decent job describing the instructions for each puzzle.
Mini-games I enjoyed the most:
1-Move family portraits along the lines to their matching shaped frames.
2-Swap the lock sections located in the center so that they align with the top & bottom sections.
3-Jump cupcakes until only one remain.
4-Remove all tiles by strategically plotting your moves (removed when bumped)
5-Shoot to remove 3 or more identical marbles.
1-Move family portraits along the lines to their matching shaped frames.
2-Swap the lock sections located in the center so that they align with the top & bottom sections.
3-Jump cupcakes until only one remain.
4-Remove all tiles by strategically plotting your moves (removed when bumped)
5-Shoot to remove 3 or more identical marbles.
Least Enjoyable Puzzles:
1-Defeat your opponent by eliminating all of their pieces. Moving directly to a highlighted adjacent square will create a duplicate piece.
2-Finish painting sections of a Shield correctly. (each part was already partially painted as a clue...is this a Kindergarten assignment?)
3-Another infamous Elephant Games Navigation puzzle variation.
4-Place snowflakes correctly to create a continuous line from one end to another of moving gears/snowflakes
5-Guide a reindeer while avoiding obstacles...offered in every Elephant Game, they just change the animal or vehicle, almost always a motorcycle or some type of flying device!
1-Defeat your opponent by eliminating all of their pieces. Moving directly to a highlighted adjacent square will create a duplicate piece.
2-Finish painting sections of a Shield correctly. (each part was already partially painted as a clue...is this a Kindergarten assignment?)
3-Another infamous Elephant Games Navigation puzzle variation.
4-Place snowflakes correctly to create a continuous line from one end to another of moving gears/snowflakes
5-Guide a reindeer while avoiding obstacles...offered in every Elephant Game, they just change the animal or vehicle, almost always a motorcycle or some type of flying device!
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
It's a Christmas Miracle, Hans Tripp is trying to redeem his past mistakes as he goes on a mission to save the Yulemen from the evil Snow Queen who was responsible for all his woes of the past! There are 8 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes that take place over 9 additional scene locations. Glu the Yulemen returns as Hans Tripp's personal assistant (used two times in this Bonus Chapter) and you'll continue your search for the final 4 Collectible Yulemen Cards with Bio's and 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble the final 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzle. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you'll gain entry to the Secret Room and the Expedition Room.
It's a Christmas Miracle, Hans Tripp is trying to redeem his past mistakes as he goes on a mission to save the Yulemen from the evil Snow Queen who was responsible for all his woes of the past! There are 8 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes that take place over 9 additional scene locations. Glu the Yulemen returns as Hans Tripp's personal assistant (used two times in this Bonus Chapter) and you'll continue your search for the final 4 Collectible Yulemen Cards with Bio's and 12 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that allow you to assemble the final 12-piece Jigsaw Puzzle. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you'll gain entry to the Secret Room and the Expedition Room.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
5 Wallpaper, 5 Music Soundtracks, 23 Achievements, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes,12 Collectible Yulemen Cards with Bios, 48 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that will create Four 12 piece jigsaws to assemble with rotational tabs, a Secret Room (timed HO within the scene locations) an Expedition Room (return to scenes to find any missed collectibles) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
5 Wallpaper, 5 Music Soundtracks, 23 Achievements, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 14 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes,12 Collectible Yulemen Cards with Bios, 48 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces that will create Four 12 piece jigsaws to assemble with rotational tabs, a Secret Room (timed HO within the scene locations) an Expedition Room (return to scenes to find any missed collectibles) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise...join us at my new forum! thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Help Jane restore her house in time for Halloween!
Overall rating
1
/
5
9 of 15 found this review helpful
TROUBLE IS BREWING ALRIGHT!
PostedFebruary 27, 2022
pennmom36
from❥ Loki ❥ "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart" -Winnie the Pooh
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Double, double, toil, and trouble. Fire burn and, cauldron bubble. The title is befitting, were we not worth the trouble? I actually liked the first two games in this series but this one looks like someone slapped it together just before Halloween to make a few bucks.
I have a large 38" Alienware curved monitor and if a game can't convert to this resolution it usually centers the screen and places a black bar on both sides but this game just stretched the entire screen until everything was out of proportion, even when I chose the "higher graphics" versus the "fast graphics. I can appreciate the fact that developers can't code every possible resolution nowadays, but screens are getting larger because everyone wants to see the "bigger picture", so this certainly needs to be mentioned for future games.
I can live with a stretched appearance, but that's just one of many issues this game has. The storyline was so boring I couldn't skip through it fast enough and the characters were downright creepy looking but I couldn't figure out if they used a claymation type of graphics or a computer-generated program, either way, it didn't do the characters any justice whatsoever!
The Music soundtrack didn't loop seamlessly, in fact, it didn't loop at all. At the end of the track, the music just stopped playing for several awkward seconds, for such a long time that it left you wondering if the game froze up, but then a new track would start playing.
Every level seemed to have a gazillion new features to explain, they literally threw the kitchen sink into this game. The problem is that the tutorial levels were so numerous that they had to disappear almost instantly to get through all of the feature explanations so you could barely finish reading one popup before the next one would appear. The end result is you had to just figure them out on the fly or do some speed reading and hope you absorb everything that's being thrown your way. This issue was addressed by several reviewers on Halloween Trouble 1 AND 2, so does the developer not care?
The points earned allow you to Repair your house. Everything was a drab brownish color and the end result wasn't any better than the drab, one-room "house" you started out with. If you are going to offer a decorating/repair feature, the purchases have to be interesting! The whole point of this feature is to give the player an incentive to keep playing the levels because they want to earn enough money to finish decorating. I guarantee you that absolutely no one will feel this way about these repairs/decorations, seriously, they are dreadful...and not in a cool Halloween ghoulish way!
You can play in an Endless Level Limit (Relaxed Mode) a Limited Moves or Limited Timed Mode, and you can choose a Casual or Expert difficulty Mode. There are 14 Achievements to earn and 17 House Repairs to make as well. You can earn up to 3 Spiders per level and they did add a replay feature that wasn't available in the previous games.
Large Matches will give you a Pumpkin Bomb of various strengths on the board which must be swapped to create an explosion. There is a Hammer Booster that destroys a single chosen tile/chain and a Shuffle Boosters to mix up the tiles when you have trouble finding meaningful matches (which happens a lot)
As you progress, various Obstacles are added for a challenge, such as Chained Tiles, Locked cells that require making a specified number of matches, Fog covered cells and Invisible Tiles that hide parts of the board until you make adjacent matches over the tiles! Cauldrons located at the bottom of the board can be collected by making matches directly above them, and some of the green fog-covered cells will trigger a chain reaction explosion that usually unlocks a section of the board after the explosion.
This SE version still offers 14 Achievements and 17 House Repairs, the only features not available are the Wallpapers, extra Puzzles and 50 Bonus Levels, but trust me, you won't want to play 50 more levels of this particular game!
If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise...join us won't you? thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Help Jane restore her house in time for Halloween!
Overall rating
1
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
A HALLOWEEN NIGHTMARE
PostedFebruary 27, 2022
pennmom36
from❥ Loki ❥ "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart" -Winnie the Pooh
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Double, double, toil, and trouble. Fire burn and, cauldron bubble. The title is befitting, were we not worth the trouble? I actually liked the first two games in this series but this one looks like someone slapped it together just before Halloween to make a few bucks.
I have a large 38" Alienware curved monitor and if a game can't convert to this resolution it usually centers the screen and places a black bar on both sides but this game just stretched the entire screen until everything was out of proportion, even when I chose the "higher graphics" versus the "fast graphics. I can appreciate the fact that developers can't code every possible resolution nowadays, but screens are getting larger because everyone wants to see the "bigger picture", so this certainly needs to be mentioned for future games.
I can live with a stretched appearance, but that's just one of many issues this game has. The storyline was so boring I couldn't skip through it fast enough and the characters were downright creepy looking but I couldn't figure out if they used a claymation type of graphics or a computer-generated program, either way, it didn't do the characters any justice whatsoever!
The Music soundtrack didn't loop seamlessly, in fact, it didn't loop at all. At the end of the track, the music just stopped playing for several awkward seconds, for such a long time that it left you wondering if the game froze up, but then a new track would start playing.
Every level seemed to have a gazillion new features to explain, they literally threw the kitchen sink into this game. The problem is that the tutorial levels were so numerous that they had to disappear almost instantly to get through all of the feature explanations so you could barely finish reading one popup before the next one would appear. The end result is you had to just figure them out on the fly or do some speed reading and hope you absorb everything that's being thrown your way. This issue was addressed by several reviewers on Halloween Trouble 1 AND 2, so does the developer not care?
The points earned allow you to Repair your house. Everything was a drab brownish color and the end result wasn't any better than the drab, one-room "house" you started out with. If you are going to offer a decorating/repair feature, the purchases have to be interesting! The whole point of this feature is to give the player an incentive to keep playing the levels because they want to earn enough money to finish decorating. I guarantee you that absolutely no one will feel this way about these repairs/decorations, seriously, they are dreadful...and not in a cool Halloween ghoulish way!
You can play in an Endless Level Limit (Relaxed Mode) a Limited Moves or Limited Timed Mode, and you can choose a Casual or Expert difficulty Mode. There are 14 Achievements to earn and 17 House Repairs to make as well. You can earn up to 3 Spiders per level and they did add a replay feature that wasn't available in the previous games.
Large Matches will give you a Pumpkin Bomb of various strengths on the board which must be swapped to create an explosion. There is a Hammer Booster that destroys a single chosen tile/chain and a Shuffle Boosters to mix up the tiles when you have trouble finding meaningful matches (which happens a lot)
As you progress, various Obstacles are added for a challenge, such as Chained Tiles, Locked cells that require making a specified number of matches, Fog covered cells and Invisible Tiles that hide parts of the board until you make adjacent matches over the tiles! Cauldrons located at the bottom of the board can be collected by making matches directly above them, and some of the green fog-covered cells will trigger a chain reaction explosion that usually unlocks a section of the board after the explosion.
If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise...join us won't you? thewoodsforum.boards.net
If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise...join us won't you? thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save the Northern Woods in a race against the clock?
Overall rating
3
/
5
46 of 64 found this review helpful
IT WAS A TAD BIT BORING AT TIMES & THE GRAPHICS UNAPPEALING BECAUSE OF THE FOREST FIRE SCENARIO
PostedFebruary 27, 2022
pennmom36
from❥ Loki ❥ "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart" -Winnie the Pooh
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I wasn't crazy about this new series from the developers who created the beloved Alice's Wonderland series. I had a hard time getting into the game because the storyline and associated goals were the "after effects" of a forest fire which made for some very gloomy and unappealing graphics. I refused to even consider purchasing the CE version because none of the CE content was available...really?? Are they just expecting us to buy it to find out what we purchased and hope we're good with what we got for the extra price?
In the demo of the CE version, the tutorial pointed to the puzzle pieces which disappeared before I could click on them, but then showed that I had found them. I thought it was just a tutorial glitch where it gave you the collectibles automatically in order to explain the feature but this same scenario happened 3 other times, and I didn't bother clicking on them because I couldn't access the CE features like the puzzle room, the painting room where you supposedly paint a picture with the palettes you collect or upgrading the house with the stars (pop up window says the bonus content is only available in the purchased game)...so much for "try before you buy"
Maybe those CE extra's are something I'd enjoy and would eagerly pay the extra money for, but I wasn't going to buy a CE version not knowing what I'm getting for the extra cost...why the need for secrecy? The developers may have thought it was a "teaser" feature to entice people into purchasing the game to find out what they got, but I see it as a huge mistake on their part, it seems almost deceptive, in fact, it makes me think that the developers aren't very confident in its worthiness either and were just hoping to get sales simply from customers who were curious about the features. Perhaps it was because I didn't purchase the game, but I didn't see any indicators to tell me if I had found the Puzzle Pieces or the Morphing Palette, either in-game or on the level; map, maybe that is in the purchased version as well? Anyway, those extra's seemed to be glitchy, and I also had to switch to the System Cursor on the CE demo because my Custom Cursor kept disappearing or was wildly jumping all over the screen. I didn't have this issue on the SE version so I think this SE version is the better option!
As for the game itself, it seems to have the standard tasks of gathering food, clearing debris such as weeds and trash from the paths, repairing bridges, etc. It also has a unique insta-grow feature after cutting down and replanting trees! You'll have to use Portals to hop from area to area, restore plants that make magic elixirs, or repair compost bins for materials.
I hope Ellie decides to visit a real farm next time with tasks that involve animal husbandry versus simply growing & harvesting crops. It would be awesome to have unique features, maybe collecting chicken eggs every morning, milking the cows, and going for a ride on the horses...yee-haw that would be amazing!
In the meantime, take a stroll through The Woods and feed some friendly bears 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 come as you are...keep your comfy fuzzy slippers on, and come chillax with us by the fire at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
There's a gold rush coming, and it's your job to lead the way!
Overall rating
4
/
5
44 of 54 found this review helpful
NOTHING REALLY NEW BUT STILL AN AWESOME SERIES
PostedFebruary 27, 2022
pennmom36
from❥ Loki ❥ "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart" -Winnie the Pooh
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
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 if that makes sense, 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.
.
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.
.
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.
.
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, you can scan your cursor over the bushes and trees until you see the Hidden Owl Banner pop up, (he is hidden behind bushes or trees) 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 60 "Wanted Owls" total or one per level (including 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.
This Collector's Edition version has 50 main levels and 10 CE levels. There are 60 Collectible 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.
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 recommend this game!