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
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    0
 
 
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pennmom36's Review History
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Two people are in danger and are awaiting you to help them!
 
Overall rating 
Disliked it.
2 / 5
57 of 67 found this review helpful
D̶A̶R̶K̶ ̶R̶O̶M̶A̶N̶C̶E̶ OOPS, I MEANT TO SAY CONNECTED HEARTS?
PostedFebruary 4, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
fromHow many times do reviewers have to say "I'm going to play my older HOPAs because the new ones are dreadful?
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
Poor
2 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
OK
3 / 5
Level of Challenge 
Awful
1 / 5
Storyline 
OK
3 / 5
Completed Game approximately 5.0 hours
(including completion of all Mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
25 Main Game Scene Locations +3 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
Is this a brand new game series or just another chapter in the Dark Romance series? Does anyone else have a case of Deja Vu after playing Connected Hearts? I thought this was supposed to be a brand new series, can you make this claim when the format is exactly the same, the mechanics are identical, and the storyline is a mirror image to a game in the Dark Romance series??? Does anyone else think this is deceitful and wrong? IF this was a one-time occurrence, I could cut them some slack, but the second their overall average ratings started to plummet, this developer started releasing a whole slew of new series games, TEN new games to be specific, and every single one of those 10 new releases has had games with the same MO as Spirit Legends, Enchanted Kingdoms, Fatal Evidence, Labyrinths of the World, Secret City, or Dark Romance. Did you know that Domini had exactly 10 different game series prior to this tidal wave of new games?... Coincidence????
I was actually excited about playing a game about a Silver Wolf whose bite causes humans to turn into werewolves but that excitement waned by the time I reached the end of two out of three chapters which basically had little to do with wolves or werewolves! Coincidentally, you play as two characters, just as you do in the Dark Romance series! I'm pretty sure Domini realized their ratings were tanking on all of the older game series releases so they used a genius strategy...pretend this is a new series by re-Titling all the games moving forward because a new series will automatically grab people's attention!
What they are failing to realize is that their games are getting poor to average ratings because they are making the games fool-proof nowadays. I realize they are under a lot of pressure lately due to the fact they are basically the "last dev standing" but I'd rather have one game a month that blew my socks off than 4 games a month that are boring clones from one game to the next!
If need be, perhaps Domini should opt to create a series of smaller HOGs (Hidden Object Games) to offer in between HOPAs to allow their team to concentrate on a few really good series games while still pumping out smaller HOGs to fund the larger HOPAs (Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure). We know they are capable of it, their games used to be really good and fans couldn't wait for Big Fish to offer a Domini Game even if it came from an older series! Go back to your roots Domini and get your untarnished reputation back...try to "Spot The Differences" between your Old Domini Games & the New Domini Games, and the ratings will soar through the roof once again! BTW: Congratulations on becoming your own publisher Domini, now make us Domini fans again... we all clearly NOTICE the decline!
Gadgets/Helper:
There are no Gadgets but technically, you have a helper as you play both Riviera the Healer, and her beloved Mark, the Alchemist which is a feature in their Dark Romance games.
Audio/Visuals:
I can never really find fault with the audio or graphics in a Domini game, the graphics are really good but they do tend to be overzealous with the color palette. Lately, this is the only aspect of their games that really shines with superior quality, the stories are unimaginative and the tasks are so repetitive that surely even a beginner would take notice? Domini is also known for adding items that can be interacted with but as you'll soon discover, these interactions become a rarety after the demo portion!
Collectibles/Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Is my game broken or did Domini finally realize we don't care about finding a gazillion notes? As far as the Collectibles go, surprise...there is no surprise because once again there are 15 Morphing Monster Statuettes and 15 Magic Dreamcatcher Feathers. There are 70 Zoom Zone Potions that are used to break the Curse on 15 Witch's Hut items to turn things like a Crow into a Bluebird. I actually liked the cursed items and thought they were much more interesting than the uncursed items! There is an optional Collection Icon Tab that can be enabled or disabled in the settings menu which will light up when there is a collectible in the current scene. You can also choose to show/hide the availability of collectibles on the Map.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 14 Hidden Object Scenes +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter which includes a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's. The Hidden Object Scenes range from simplistic Listed Item Finds to variations such as Keywords in Sentence Finds, Swatch Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Replacing items into the scene. I did enjoy a couple of the HO's, one where you had to turn disks in a circle to align various objects. and one where you changed colored lenses to find areas to Place items from the inventory bar, some of which weren't very obvious and somewhat challenging.
Alternate Match 3 Game:
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene, which still doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match which makes the game super boring. The M3 icons are always the same and the boards are always the same, not to mention they are always simplistic square boards and they never add obstacles or new features to make it progress in difficulty. FYI: one of the achievements requires you to play the alternate Match 3 game in place of the HOS. (just once)
Mini-Games:
There are 14 Mini-Games +8 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) I enjoyed several of the mini-games, particularly the mechanical types such as turning valves to fill several water tanks to the fill line. I also liked the Map puzzle where you had to find and use items to progress, it was far too easy to navigate through the streets, so easy that it would have been a worthless mini-game, however, it had several puzzles to solve which I thought was really cool.
Bonus Chapter (CE Version Only)
Fast-forward several years, Mark and Riviera's only child Carissa has found herself in a "hairy" situation when she is kidnapped by a wolf on her wedding day! There are 7 additional Mini-Games and 4 Hidden Object Scenes in this unusually short Bonus Chapter that takes place over a scant 3 scene locations. You will continue searching for the final 2 Morphing Monster Statuettes, a single Dreamcatcher Feather, and 2 Zoom Zone Potions that allow you to finish uncursing the items in the Witch's Hut.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
11 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 29 Movie Video Cutscenes, 39 Achievements, 17 Replayable Mini-Games, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Monster Statuettes, 15 Dreamcatcher Feathers, 70 Zoom-Zone Potions, 15 Witch's Hut Items (uncurse cursed items with the potions) 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
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.
+47points
57of 67voted this as helpful.
 
A celebration turns dangerous when someone threatens to reveal the magical world!
 
Overall rating 
It was OK.
3 / 5
145 of 189 found this review helpful
SECRET CITY ALWAYS HAD GREAT STORIES LOL
PostedFebruary 3, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
OK
3 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
OK
3 / 5
Level of Challenge 
Poor
2 / 5
Storyline 
Good
4 / 5
Completed game approximately 6.0 hours
24 Main Game Scene Locations +10 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner...always is
S̶e̶c̶r̶e̶t̶ ̶C̶i̶t̶y̶ I mean Magic City Detective is about a human/magical creature hybrid detective in P̶a̶r̶i̶s̶ I mean Venice. Today is the day that Magic Creatures can be themselves...by wearing Venetian Masks at the annual Venice masquerade. Unfortunately, there is a group of brave Magic Creatures who are tired of hiding in fear of humans so they have decided everyone must be exposed!

Gadgets/Helper:
There are no Gadgets or Helpers
Secret City or a new Series?
There are no coincidences here, Domini has been trying to boost their plummeting ratings lately by slapping a shiny new series label on every new release. Clearly, they didn't wake up one morning and announce to their team that they were going to create 10 new game series this month! Anyone who has played Domini Games over the years can surely recognize the familiar themes here and realize that one new series is exactly like the old "Fatal Evidence" series, the next one is exactly like "Dark Romance" or "Enchanted Kingdom" "Spirit Legends" and now we have a "Secret City" knockoff. The only thing Domini is doing here lately is grabbing finished games from series that were tanking, and putting a new title on it because everyone knows that a new series gets more attention (and better ratings) just because it's shiny-brand new!
Clearly, they are aware that there is a problem, clearly, they know the ratings are tanking but instead of addressing the root problem, they are choosing to play a Cup & Shell game to trick us. I used to think that they couldn't figure out why their fans were turning against them, but clearly, they just don't care if they are willing to use deceptive practices. They want to make money without putting forth any effort, they have a format and they aren't willing to stray from this format so they continue to copy/paste formats from one game to the next, all of which are geared towards Beginner players even though 90% of their audience has been playing Domini Games for 10 to 15 years!
Audio/Visuals:
In the past, I could never really find fault with the audio or graphics in a Domini game, the graphics are really good even though they tend to be overzealous with the color palette, especially when it comes to the blue & purple hues. The last several games, however, have been very glitchy, with missing Strategy Guide items, collectibles that are missing, Hint buttons that don't actually hint, etc. Magic City Detective had some major glitches, by the time I reached the 3rd scene, the Manticore was growling and making all kinds of beastly noises and then it suddenly got quiet for at least 30-40 awkward seconds, then it came back on and kept doing a weird audio loop of growling, silence, grumbling, growl, quiet, grumble, lather, rinse repeat...you could actually hear where the loop started and ended which is normally a seamless feature for Domini Games. In that same scene, Vmir tried to toss me her purse, but the scene immediately re-looped and reset as she repeated her response (something to the effect of "here take my purse it may come in handy"), and then she tossed me her purse again, the second time it went into my inventory. A couple of scenes later, the game froze completely and I had to restart my computer because I couldn't get the exit button to work, and I can honestly say that I've never had a freeze-up issue in a Domini Game!
Before Domini started cranking out new series games at a break-neck speed, the audio/video was the only aspect of their games that really shined with quality and perfection. With the exception of games created at the beginning of their career, which were always superior (and I used to get excited about a rare, new Domini release) the stories are now just a hit or miss, they are usually unimaginative and the tasks are so cliche, and repetitive. If you've played a lot of Domini Games you will start to see an obvious trend because the game mechanics are the same, they copy/paste the base game and insert a new story & graphics (and now a new title for every new release) the HO's will always be queued in the same area, in the same scene, the mini-games may be different from game to game but they will always be in the same location because every game is a carbon copy! Domini is also known for adding items that can be interacted with but as you'll soon discover, these interactions become a rarety after the demo portion!
Collectibles/Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Once again, there are a gazillion Missing Notes to discover which is the most worthless and uninteresting feature of all time. There are 15 Morphing Creature Statuettes, 15 Venetian Masks, and 70 Zoom Zone Mask Tokens, used to purchase 15 really uninteresting Studio Items such as bags of plaster or wooden skids?? There is an optional Collection Icon Tab that can be enabled or disabled in the settings menu which will light up when there is a collectible in the current scene. You can also choose to show/hide the availability of collectibles on the Map.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 12 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. The Hidden Object Scenes range from simplistic Listed Item Finds to variations such as Silhouetted Shape Finds, Morphing Symbol Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Swatches Finds, or Riddled Description Finds. I didn't find any to be breathtaking, many of the scenes were located in dark corners and the interactions were very cliche.
Alternate Match 3 Game:
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene, which still doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match which makes the game super boring. The M3 boards are always square and they never add obstacles or new features to make it progress in difficulty. FYI: one of the achievements requires you to play the alternate Match 3 game in place of the HOS. (just once)
Mini-Games:
There are 20 Mini-Games +9 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) Here are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter:
1-Untangle Locks on chains.
2-Rotate Petals to match the icons above.
3-Tap to move 4 puppets until their hands are touching, moving 1 affects others (My 4th puppet didn't move even though the SG says it does...the SG shows steps that aren't possible as well!)
4-Match names of customers with their orders.
5-Move a figurine along a track so the gears move to allow a clear path to the finish line.
6-Enter a 3 digit lock code that is shown on the hint.

Bonus Chapter (CE Version Only)
Yaksu, the Venetian Mask Master, hires the Magic Detective to help him recover the stolen Mask of Stealth that has the unique ability to change the appearance of Magical Creatures...for obvious reason! There are 9 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes with 10 additional scene locations. You will continue searching for the final gazillion notes, 3 Morphing Magical Creatures Animal Statuettes, 3 Venetian Masks, and 13 Zoom Zone Mask Tokens which allows you to purchase the final Studio items...cuz everyone wants to finish their collections by buying bags of plaster sitting on the floor in a corner.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 26 Movie Video Cutscenes, 39 Achievements, 17 Replayable Mini-Games, 17 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Animal Statuettes, 15 Venitian Masks, a gazillion Missing Notes, 70 Zoom-Zone Mask Tokens, 15 Studio Items (purchase using Mask Tokens) 9 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
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
+101points
145of 189voted this as helpful.
 
Explore incredible new artwork and let your creative side shine as you complete these colorful paint-by-numbers puzzles.
 
Overall rating 
It was OK.
3 / 5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
GLITCHY
PostedFebruary 2, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
OK
3 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
OK
3 / 5
Level of Challenge 
OK
3 / 5
Storyline 
OK
3 / 5
I love that these images are so bright and colorful but I was a little disappointed with the glitchiness of the game as reported by another reviewer as well. I also had issues where the paintbrush kept leaving a trail of paintbrushes and there was a partial image of the full image on the sides of the game where it doesn't adjust to my large screen. Otherwise, I love how beautiful the colors always are in this series!
When they added a Freeplay section a couple of games back I couldn't have been more excited! This is by far one of the best features offered in a coloring game. This feature allows you to choose your own colors from a complete, full-scale color palette so you can be as creative as you want to be. My second favorite feature is that each color tells you how many cells you'll need to fill in and it keeps track of the ones you've filled in so you know exactly how many remain unfilled.
The cursor is an actual Paintbrush and they also have a Wide Brush option that allows you to fill in larger areas. You can choose from 4 different Background Textures that will compliment your completed works of art (72 total) You can also choose the color of shading for the numbered areas, and the type of painting style, either Flat or a textured Watercolored effect that looks more like a real paint by numbers painting effect.
The Current Number is much easier to see than in the "other" painting game and the black lines are much smaller so the pictures are much crisper. The difference between the two painting series games is like day versus night, this game is quality through and through and the "other" one seems outdated and old-school! These images have a transparent background, unlike the other painting game which has an ugly gray background. These works of art, however, will be displayed on the background you have chosen, and they will be embossed with a blue & gold frame when completed, sometimes it's the little touches that make or break a game!
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!
0points
2of 4voted this as helpful.
 
This is more than just a painting game – explore incredible artwork and let your creative side shine as you complete these colorful paint-by-numbers puzzles.
 
Overall rating 
Loved it!
5 / 5
57 of 83 found this review helpful
MORE PICTURES THAT ALLOW US TO PAINT THE WHOLE SCENE PLEASE!
PostedFebruary 2, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Fun Factor 
Excellent
5 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
Excellent
5 / 5
Level of Challenge 
Excellent
5 / 5
Storyline 
Excellent
5 / 5
I love that they are finally offering pictures that cover the whole scene versus the small images slapped in the middle of the scene. This is a painting game and it only makes sense to give us pictures that cover 100% of the scene although they have included more like this, the majority of the images are smaller circular images in the center of the scene and they don't include coloring the outer parts or the background. :) There are also several uninteresting pictures that most people could care less about (including the dreadful Helper Robot) if you took a poll, I'm certain everyone would rather have images like the beautiful fox in a field versus a popsicle with a few scant designs to color...or the ugly robot!
I also love that I can choose ANY of the images right from the start, unlike the "other" painting series. When a painting game shows me the number of cells available for each color, I'm even more impressed! When a painting game has incredible colors, interesting images, tons of options, and saves my progress mid-stream...I'm impressed enough to purchase the game and give it a 5-star rating, having a Freeplay section is icing on the cake! The Freeplay section is by far one of the best features offered in a coloring game. This feature allows you to choose your own colors from a complete, full-scale color palette so you can be as creative as you want to be. My second favorite feature is that each color tells you how many cells you'll need to fill in and it keeps track of the ones you've filled in so you know exactly how many remain unfilled.
The cursor is an actual Paintbrush and they also have a Wide Brush option that mimics the real McCoy, as if you were filling in areas a little at a time. You can choose from 4 different Background Textures that will compliment your completed works of art (72 total) You can also choose the color of shading for the numbered areas.
The Current Number is much easier to see than in the "other" painting game and the black lines are much smaller so the pictures are much crisper. The difference between the two painting series games is like day versus night, this game is quality through and through and the "other" one seems outdated and old-school!
The colors are beautiful with carefully chosen hues of yellows, purples, pinks, fuchsias, teals, oranges, etc. whereas the "other" painting series has unappealing colors with a ton of brown and black variations, their colors just don't pop like the ones offered in Art By Numbers games! A butterfly might have 5 different variations or shades of pink on its wings which is something I have complained about several times on the "other" painting game. It's not very pretty when the same blue color is used on an entire butterfly and simply separated by really thick black lines in an attempt to make it look more dimensional. Every artist knows that you have to use shading variations to give a painting depth, and that is exactly what Awigor has done. This game was created by the same developer who brings us Rainbow Mosaics, so they are masters of color, in my opinion!

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!
+31points
57of 83voted this as helpful.
 
Help Amanda and Prince Charlie repair a classic fairy tale and find true love in this match-3 adventure!
 
Overall rating 
It was OK.
3 / 5
21 of 29 found this review helpful
IT WASN'T LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT FOR ME
PostedFebruary 1, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
OK
3 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
OK
3 / 5
Level of Challenge 
OK
3 / 5
Storyline 
OK
3 / 5
Colorful just isn't enough, having a good story is perfect for a HOPA game but neither of these features makes a Match 3 game great? If you are new to this developer's games then you will probably enjoy the game, but if you've played any more than 3-4 games by e-FunSoft then you will probably be bored senseless because it's always the same game mechanics, the same board-level layouts, etc.

There are the usual wooden crates that require an adjacent match that may or may not expose a golden tile, Spiderwebs, and Ropes that require making matches of whatever tile is blocked within them, but most of them are just filler features, and unblocking the tiles is never a necessity to progress. They also got rid of the spiders that everyone seemed to hate but I actually liked them because at least it was a challenging feature. (and they were fake spiders, it's just make-believe folks lol)
The only goal really is to make matches over all of the Gold Cells (wooden cells this time) and make the required number of matches of each specified element tile. Some levels have Chests that need to be dropped off the board by making matches under them.
Two Powerups with various abilities are added at the start of the level, They changed this feature slightly, and not necessarily for the better, by not allowing you to purchase the powerups you want, instead, they are added with each level with a limited amount versus unlimited uses of any powerup once purchased, and/or recharged by filling the Mana Meter. The powerups help by removing a single tile, a 2x2 area, 5 tiles horizontally, 5 tiles vertically, etc.
You must purchase all 4 World Upgrades to progress to the next Chapter, 5 Chapters total, with the single Star you earn for completing each level. There are no options for the upgraded worlds, such as, which building to construct, nor does it allow you to place the building where you want, so it's a boring and meaningless feature for me personally because basically it just allows you to read more text about the saga at hand, this particular story takes place after Prince Charlie and Amanda have their first spat and they are whisked into a fairytale book when Amanda loses her temper and throws the book on the ground.
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.
+13points
21of 29voted this as helpful.
 
Follow Helga’s match-3 adventure and help her to find allies and strike back at her enemies!
 
Overall rating 
Disliked it.
2 / 5
58 of 90 found this review helpful
AT LEAST THEY OFFER A TIMED MODE!
PostedFebruary 1, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
Poor
2 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
Poor
2 / 5
Level of Challenge 
Poor
2 / 5
Storyline 
Poor
2 / 5
The graphics on the last few e-FunSoft Match 3 games have declined lately, not only are the icons cartoonish, the icons themselves are rather boring and not at all eye-catching. Although they added a Bomb on the board feature for making large matches, there's really nothing new, it's just another e-FunSoft Match 3 game. If you haven't played many of their games you will probably enjoy this game, but it's hard to tell one game from another when you have played a bunch of them because they don't get creative and they never think outside the box to create new concepts or add interesting features each time so they just get boring after a while. You may be saying "it's a Match 3 game, there isn't much to add or change" but the developers of Cursed House don't have issues coming up with amazing new concepts every single time!
There are the usual wooden crates that require an adjacent match that may or may not expose a golden tile, Spiderwebs, and Ropes that require making matches of whatever tile is blocked within them, but most of them are just filler features, and unblocking the tiles is never a necessity to progress...again, it's just a pointless feature! They also got rid of the spiders that everyone seemed to hate but I actually liked them because at least it was a challenging feature. (and they were fake spiders, it's just make-believe folks lol)
The only goal really is to make matches over all of the Gold Cells and make the required number of matches of each specified element tile. Some levels have Amulets that need to be dropped off the board by making matches under the amulets.
Two Powerups with various abilities are added at the start of the level, They changed this feature slightly, and not necessarily for the better, by not allowing you to purchase the powerups you want, instead, they are added with each level with a limited amount versus unlimited uses of any powerup once purchased, and/or recharged by filling the Mana Meter. The powerups help by removing a single tile, a 2x2 area, 5 tiles horizontally, 5 tiles vertically, etc.
You must purchase all 4 World Upgrades to progress to the next Chapter, 5 Chapters total, with the single Star you earn for completing each level. There are no options for the upgraded worlds, such as, which building to construct, nor does it allow you to place the building where you want, so it's a boring and meaningless feature for me personally because basically it just allows you to read more text about the saga at hand, this particular story is about a Viking named Helga who is seeking revenge on the man who captured her village and claimed the throne.

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.
+26points
58of 90voted this as helpful.
 
Bring an end to the Swamp Witch’s terror!
 
Overall rating 
Disliked it.
2 / 5
13 of 17 found this review helpful
THEY DID A BETTER JOB COPYING & PASTING THE FORMAT OF THE LAST GAME INTO THIS GAME???
PostedJanuary 31, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
Poor
2 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
Poor
2 / 5
Level of Challenge 
Poor
2 / 5
Storyline 
Good
4 / 5
Completed game approximately 5.5 hours
24 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner...always is :(
I did enjoy the storyline of this supposedly new series (I still believe they are just revamping games from existing series and giving them a new title series to make us like them more) The problem is that the gameplay is identical from one game to the next, they never bother to create a new format, hidden object scenes and mini-games will always be queued in the same spots in the same scenes. The Collectibles are just renamed but they are always located in the same areas too because they are simply copying/pasting the same format, only bothering to insert new graphics and of course a new plot (sometimes...it's not always a new plot!) The tasks never change, you'll always know what "tool" will be required for every problem that comes along and what every inventory object will be used for, from that infamous hairpin down to the "heavy object" and everything in between. This isn't "getting your money's worth from a Domini Game" it's nothing more than a scam!
Gadgets/Helper:
There are no gadgets or helpers in Royal Legends: Marshes Curse!
Audio/Visuals:
I can never really find fault with the audio or graphics in a Domini game, the graphics are really good but they do tend to be overzealous with the color palette. Lately, this is the only aspect of their games that really shines with superior quality, however, they did a horrible job with Lip-syncing this time! Clearly, the words were not matching their lip movements but it was really annoying when the characters would finish speaking but their lips kept moving awkwardly several seconds later. This makes me wonder why they had so many close-up shots of the characters speaking if they couldn't get the lips to match what they were saying and when they were saying it?? This is a rare occurrence from Domini, proving they are just throwing out games without caring about the quality... or their reputation!
Collectibles/Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Once again, there are a gazillion Missing Notes to discover which is the most worthless and uninteresting feature of all time. There are 15 Morphing Amulets, 15 Witch's Belongings, a gazillion Missing Notes, 65 Zoom-Zone Witch's Coins, 15 Witch's Garden Items (purchase using coins. There is an optional Collection Icon Tab that can be enabled or disabled in the settings menu which will light up when there is a collectible in the current scene. You can also choose to show/hide the availability of collectibles on the Map.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Domini obviously concentrated on the HO scenes in this new series because they varied each time and I found them to be more creative than usual! The HO Scenes range from simple Interactive Listed Item Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Finding Listed Ingredients, Paired Item Finds, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, etc.
Here are a few of my favorite HO Scenes:
1-Finding extremely colorful Butterflies that match the Swatches (small circles showing the pattern & color or a portion of the actual butterfly)
2-Using arrows to scroll through 3 different Scenes to find Pictured Items that match vague descriptions or riddles.
3-Place sections of canvas puzzle pieces correctly.
4-Finding Listed Items in a scene with Morphing Objects (had to click on the item while in the correct form)
5-Read a book that gave riddled clues about which objects to find and where to place them on a numbered ritual board.
6-Change sections of the scene by pulling 3 different ropes to find Listed Items.
Alternate Match 3 Game:
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene, which still doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match which makes the game super boring. The M3 boards are always square and they never add obstacles or new features to make it progress in difficulty. FYI: one of the achievements requires you to play the alternate Match 3 game at least once, in place of the HOS.
Mini-Games:
There are 20 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) I've always wondered why they don't offer a Hidden Object Scene as an alternative to mini-games. They offer an alternative Match 3 game for the Hidden Object Scenes, so why not offer a HOP alternative for those who don't like mini-games, or at the very least offer a simple Jigsaw Puzzle as an alternative?
Here are brief descriptions of some of the mini-games I personally enjoyed the most:
1-Press stones with animal pawprints in the correct order according to the clues shown.
2-Use vertical arrows and swap gems (horizontally only) to recreate the colored pattern (very challenging!)
3-Choose the correct starting point and follow the pattern of which stone to press (2 arrows to the left, 3 arrows up, or 1 arrow diagonally as an example) until all stones have been pressed.
4-Place bas-relief pieces correctly. This would have been an excellent puzzle if you couldn't see the pattern layouts on the board)
5-Swap colored gems on 2 discs so they are connected to the matching-colored chains.
6-Slide amulet sections to the "rotate" square until it will align with the other half at the top of the board. Amulet sections have to move along a set track.
7-Collect all magic flames on the board within 54 moves. Some paths are blocked so you must use strategy (I didn't realize at first that you could start at different points next to a previously collected magic flame, shown as a white circle) I love puzzles that require strategy, or when you have to plan several steps ahead so I really enjoyed this puzzle!
Bonus Chapter (CE Version Only)
Fire! Seriously, another local merchant has a fire that I have to douse...after solving a few repetitive tasks and completing a mini-game, of course. The worse part is that I am the King's Advisor sent on a mission to a town called Rainville, and you've probably already guessed that the town is plagued with perpetual rain due to a witch's curse, hence the creative name, "Rainville" so the fire can't get too out of control if everything is soaking wet, right? There are 7 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes with 9 additional scene locations. You will continue searching for the final gazillion notes, 2 Morphing Amulets, 3 Witch's Belongings, and 9 Zoom Zone Witch's Coins which allows you to purchase the final uninteresting Garden Items.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 22 Movie Video Cutscenes, 38 Achievements, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Amulets, 15 Witch's Belongings, a gazillion Missing Notes, 65 Zoom-Zone Witch's Coins, 15 Witch's Garden Items (purchase using coins) 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
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.
+9points
13of 17voted this as helpful.
 
Overall rating 
It was OK.
3 / 5
4 of 8 found this review helpful
ANOTHER GREAT STORY RUINED BY LAME REPETITIVE TASKS!
PostedJanuary 31, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
OK
3 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
OK
3 / 5
Level of Challenge 
OK
3 / 5
Storyline 
OK
3 / 5
Completed game approximately 5.5 hours
24 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner...always is :(
I did enjoy the storyline of this supposedly new series (I still believe they are just revamping games from existing series and giving them a new title series to make us like them more) The problem is that the gameplay is identical from one game to the next, they never bother to create a new format, hidden object scenes and mini-games will always be queued in the same spots in the same scenes. The Collectibles are just renamed but they are always located in the same areas too because they are simply copying/pasting the same format, only bothering to insert new graphics and of course a new plot (sometimes...it's not always a new plot!) The tasks never change, you'll always know what "tool" will be required for every problem that comes along and what every inventory object will be used for, from that infamous hairpin down to the "heavy object" and everything in between. This isn't "getting your money's worth from a Domini Game" it's nothing more than a scam!

Gadgets/Helper:
There are no gadgets or helpers in Royal Legends: Marshes Curse!
Audio/Visuals:
I can never really find fault with the audio or graphics in a Domini game, the graphics are really good but they do tend to be overzealous with the color palette. Lately, this is the only aspect of their games that really shines with superior quality, however, they did a horrible job with Lip-syncing this time! Clearly the words were not matching their lip movements but it was really annoying when the characters would finish speaking but their lips kept moving awkwardly several seconds later. This makes me wonder why they had so many close-up shots of the characters speaking if they couldn't get the lips to match what they were saying and when they were saying it?? This is a rare occurrence from Domini, proving they are just throwing out games without caring about the quality... or their reputation!
Collectibles/Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Once again, there are a gazillion Missing Notes to discover which is the most worthless and uninteresting feature of all time. There are 15 Morphing Amulets, 15 Witch's Belongings, a gazillion Missing Notes, 65 Zoom-Zone Witch's Coins, 15 Witch's Garden Items (purchase using coins. There is an optional Collection Icon Tab that can be enabled or disabled in the settings menu which will light up when there is a collectible in the current scene. You can also choose to show/hide the availability of collectibles on the Map.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Domini obviously concentrated on the HO scenes in this new series because they varied each time and I found them to be more creative than usual! The HO Scenes range from simple Interactive Listed Item Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Finding Listed Ingredients, Paired Item Finds, Multiples of the Same Object Finds, etc.
Here are a few of my favorite HO Scenes:
1-Finding extremely colorful Butterflies that match the Swatches (small circles showing the pattern & color or a portion of the actual butterfly)
2-Using arrows to scroll through 3 different Scenes to find Pictured Items that match vague descriptions or riddles.
3-Place sections of canvas puzzle pieces correctly.
4-Finding Listed Items in a scene with Morphing Objects (had to click on the item while in the correct form)
5-Read a book that gave riddled clues about which objects to find and where to place them on a numbered ritual board.
6-Change sections of the scene by pulling 3 different ropes to find Listed Items.
Alternate Match 3 Game:
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene, which still doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match which makes the game super boring. The M3 boards are always square and they never add obstacles or new features to make it progress in difficulty. FYI: one of the achievements requires you to play the alternate Match 3 game at least once, in place of the HOS.
Mini-Games:
There are 20 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) I've always wondered why they don't offer a Hidden Object Scene as an alternative to mini-games. They offer an alternative Match 3 game for the Hidden Object Scenes, so why not offer a HOP alternative for those who don't like mini-games, or at the very least offer a simple Jigsaw Puzzle as an alternative?
Here are brief descriptions of some of the mini-games I personally enjoyed the most:
1-Press stones with animal pawprints in the correct order according to the clues shown.
2-Use vertical arrows and swap gems (horizontally only) to recreate the colored pattern (very challenging!)
3-Choose the correct starting point and follow the pattern of which stone to press (2 arrows to the left, 3 arrows up, or 1 arrow diagonally as an example) until all stones have been pressed.
4-Place bas-relief pieces correctly. This would have been an excellent puzzle if you couldn't see the pattern layouts on the board)
5-Swap colored gems on 2 discs so they are connected to the matching-colored chains.
6-Slide amulet sections to the "rotate" square until it will align with the other half at the top of the board. Amulet sections have to move along a set track.
7-Collect all magic flames on the board within 54 moves. Some paths are blocked so you must use strategy (I didn't realize at first that you could start at different points next to a previously collected magic flame, shown as a white circle) I love puzzles that require strategy, or when you have to plan several steps ahead so I really enjoyed this puzzle!
Bonus Chapter (CE Version Only)
Fire! Seriously, another local merchant has a fire that I have to douse...after solving a few repetitive tasks and completing a mini-game, of course. The worse part is that I am the King's Advisor sent on a mission to a town called Rainville, and you've probably already guessed that the town is plagued with perpetual rain due to a witch's curse, hence the creative name, "Rainville" so the fire can't get too out of control if everything is soaking wet, right? There are 7 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes with 9 additional scene locations. You will continue searching for the final gazillion notes, 2 Morphing Amulets, 3 Witch's Belongings, and 9 Zoom Zone Witch's Coins which allows you to purchase the final uninteresting Garden Items.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 22 Movie Video Cutscenes, 38 Achievements, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Amulets, 15 Witch's Belongings, a gazillion Missing Notes, 65 Zoom-Zone Witch's Coins, 15 Witch's Garden Items (purchase using coins) 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
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.
0points
4of 8voted this as helpful.
 
Can you save the Northern Woods in a race against the clock?
 
Overall rating 
It was OK.
3 / 5
43 of 55 found this review helpful
A LITTLE ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES
PostedJanuary 31, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
OK
3 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
OK
3 / 5
Level of Challenge 
OK
3 / 5
Storyline 
OK
3 / 5
I found this game to be quite glitchy but mostly, I was disappointed that the CE content was not available in the demo. If I can't access the CE content while trying a demo to see if I like the features a game offers...why would I buy the CE version? Do you expect me to pay twice as much for the game and just keep my fingers crossed hoping I like the extra features in a game that has no previous versions to judge the worthiness of its CE content by?
Speaking of CE content, 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)
Maybe these CE extra's are something I'd enjoy and would eagerly pay the extra money for, but I won't buy a CE version if I don't know what I'm getting for the extra cost...why the need for secrecy? You may think it was a "teaser" feature to entice people into purchasing the game to find out what they get. I see it as a huge mistake, it's almost deceptive, in fact, it makes me think that you, the developers aren't very confident in its worthiness either and hope to get sales simply from customers who are curious about the feature. 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?
I also had to switch to the System Cursor because my Custom Cursor kept disappearing or was wildly jumping all over the screen.
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 some unique features such as cutting down trees & replanting insta-grow trees, activating Portals to hop from area to area, restoring plants that make magic elixirs or repairing compost bins for materials.
Come on down to The Woods to my new Forum and talk about games and so much more at thewoodsforum.boards.net
+31points
43of 55voted this as helpful.
 
Visit 28 cities across Europe on an unforgettable trip!
 
Overall rating 
It was OK.
3 / 5
34 of 53 found this review helpful
A BIG "VACATION ADVENTURE" TO EUROPE
PostedJanuary 30, 2022
Customer avatar
pennmom36
from"Sometimes the Smallest Things Take Up The Most Room In Your Heart" ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
  • Top Reviewer
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor 
OK
3 / 5
Visual/Sound Quality 
OK
3 / 5
Level of Challenge 
OK
3 / 5
Storyline 
OK
3 / 5
This is a fun Hidden Object Game that is very similar to my beloved Vacation Adventure series. Truthfully, the game features are basically identical, it just has a different family and they travel throughout Europe visiting 17 Countries and 28 Cities while telling us some interesting fun facts about the places they visit.
Really my only complaint is that there are numerous Collectibles that are impossible to miss because of their large size or how and where they are placed. This is what I refer to as Clickables versus Collectibles because collectibles are supposed to be an added challenge to find, (above and beyond the listed items) but these clickables are hard to miss!
There is a Raccoon (AvexGames mascot logo), a Jigsaw Puzzle Piece, a Postage Stamp, and 3 Silhouetted Shape items to find in every scene but they made no attempt to blend these items into the scenery so they are just another object to find and may as well be on the list. I get that the Raccoon is the company's mascot but he is out of place in every scene as he desperately tries to mingle with humans so he sticks out like a sore thumb. This could easily be solved by substituting him for the Company Logo which is also a raccoon but the logo could be made opaque and easily blended into the scenery (this is great PR as well and would eventually make the company logo easily recognized by tons of people)
You can only play in a Relaxed Mode, there are no Timed options to search for 12 Listed Items, as you progress there are also Descriptive Item Finds and scenes where you have to drag items from the Inventory Bar to the correct location in the scene where they belong logically. Items in "pink" text are hidden in or behind other objects, while items listed in blue are objects that require a task such as putting ingredients together to make a cheeseburger. There are a couple of Zoom Zones in each scene that will appear and disappear as the objects shown on the list are found or added.
There are 3 Silhouetted Shape items, shown one at a time, and each scene has the company's Raccoon mascot to find for bonus points. Speaking of Points...what's the Point? There's nothing to buy so why do I need them? Each item has a Postage Stamp to add to a Collection Album and a Jigsaw Puzzle Piece that allows you to assemble a 30 piece Jigsaw Puzzle once all pieces have been found.
You will earn a Red Star for completing the Hidden Object location, a Blue Star for finding all of the Silhouettes, and a Yellow Star for finding all of the Postage Stamps and Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces. There are 30 Scene locations that can be replayed but the objects to find remain the same each time which doesn't give it a good replay value. The Hint Feature will show you a single random object while the Super Hint briefly shows you all remaining available items.
After each Hidden Object Scene, you will play a mini-game such as Swapping sections of a picture, dragging a white pool ball along tracks so that it touches all the pool balls without backtracking, swapping puzzle strips, and then sliding them right or left to recreate an image, sudoku, spot-the-differences, dominoes, memory matching pairs, billiards, or a flower game where you place pots on shelves according to the clues.
The Collector's Edition version has 8 Extra Hidden Object SceneLocations, 8 Extra Mini-games, 8 Extra Postage Stamps, 12 Wallpapers, and 20 Music Soundtracks.
This Standard Edition version still has 30 HO scenes, 30 collectible Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces (to assemble a 30 piece jigsaw), 14 mini-games, 30 Postage Stamps (placed in an Album) 30 Raccoons for mega-points (1 per scene), and 3 Silhouetted Shape items to search or in each level.
If you go down in The Woods today, you're sure of a big surprise. If you go down in The Woods today, you'd better go in disguise. For every bear that ever there was, will gather there for certain because,,, everyone loves our forum!... thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
+15points
34of 53voted this as helpful.
 
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