TnT_TJ's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:1,756
- Reviews Submitted:76
- First Review:May 20, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 15, 2012
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Drag your mouse across chains of identical items in this captivating blend of Match 3 gameplay and city-building fun!
Overall rating
4
/
5
12 of 16 found this review helpful
A Bigger Hero - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 20, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
*review based on completing the full game in normal mode*
Well, after playing the first Heroes of Hellas, I will have to say that this was much more entertaining. So a big step in the right direction
There is a whole lot more going on this time. Next to building your palace, this time you get to build a whole city, which was actually surprisingly enjoyable. There's many achievements to collect as well.
Not only that, but there is much more variety to the boards and goals of each level in the M3 game, which made it less monotonous than what we had in the first installment. Most of them are time based, but there are some puzzle ones that are based on number of moves instead. Next to that there are mosaic puzzles and fragment puzzles between the various "heroes". All this helps keeping the game interesting, and for the motivation to continue. That part was excellent in this game.
I complained about the power ups being too random in the first game, and at least some of them are equally random in this game. I don't care for that at all. Both the game itself and said power ups is too much based on randomness, and less on skill. That could have been done much better also here.
The graphics are colorful, crisp and nice. A bit corny and stiff maybe, but nothing too bad. The little voice-overs done in the game is actually quite good. They try to make a little story out of it, but it really isn't much at all to brag about on that part. Music didn't feel intrusive, but I suspect most will turn it down eventually.
There are 3 different levels of difficulty (easy, normal, hard). I only played on normal setting so I do not know the differences. Most likely based on time and how many elements needs collecting to charge a power-up.
Even with the randomness of it all, I found the game quite entertaining, especially with everything going on. I had a blast. I would recommend it to everyone who likes some goals to their M3 games and it could also be a good starter game for people unfamiliar to the genre.
As for advanced players, I do not think this game offers much. There is nothing based on skill here. I wouldn't really know though, as I am definitely not an advanced M3 player myself.
Uncertain about it? Then try before you buy!
TJ
I recommend this game!
Find the woman who disappears in the Hall of Mirrors. Investigate two worlds: the Carnivals of Good and Evil!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Surrealistic, Short and Sweet - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 17, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*review based on completing the full game in advanced mode*
I'm a bit fond of Carnival themed games, plus I like surrealistic/out-of-worldish settings. This game fulfills both of those, so therefore my enjoyment was secured. I'd like to compare it with "Weird Park: Broken Tune" for those who have played that. It has several similarities, especially with the settings and locations. That it is made by one of my absolute favorite developers also helps quite a lot.
The graphics are top notch and crisp and colorful. Everything is beautifully hand drawn. The world you travel in is beautiful and surrealistic. Animations too are done very well, at least at most times. There are cut-scenes ever so often that brings the story forward.
The story itself is quite good, though I felt there could be much more to it. It has some surprising moments. Everything is voiced. Both your character and characters you meet. Most of them are done very well, and make the whole thing feel more alive. They even did an ok job at lip-syncing which is rare to see in games so far. It's not always totally on cue, but it is definitely not off putting.
I found the game play itself quite creative and entertaining. Some new adventure elements I haven't seen before. It was quite logical and clean cut, and there wasn't too much back and forth traveling.
There were a handful of puzzles to solve, and some of these seemed quite new and original too, at least to me. A few of them force you to pay attention to some details. None of them offer too much brain twisting though, and I would say the game all over is on the easier side.
The HO scenes too were colorful, non too cluttered, clutter scenes. Even though some scenes had some darkness to them they never felt hard on the eyes. There were very few items that were particularly small as well. They also offered some interactivity. Nothing too fancy though. Most of them you had to return to for a second go, but while some offered a little different view, others did not have you looking for the same things. Items already picked up were gone.
For those who could do without the HO scenes there is an option of playing "Monaco" instead. I haven't done that yet, so I can't go into details on what that is all about.
There are three levels of difficulty to choose from:
Casual:
-Hint/skip recharges quickly
-Every active zone and item sparkles
-HO scenes sparkles
-No misclick penalty in the HO scenes
-Active locations indicated on the map
-Every active zone and item sparkles
-HO scenes sparkles
-No misclick penalty in the HO scenes
-Active locations indicated on the map
Advanced:
-Slow hint/skip recharge
-No sparkling on active zones and items
-HO scenes sparkles
-Misclick penalty in the HO scenes
-Active locations indicated on map
-No sparkling on active zones and items
-HO scenes sparkles
-Misclick penalty in the HO scenes
-Active locations indicated on map
Expert:
-Very slow hint/skip recharge
-No sparkling on active zones and items
-No sparkling on HO scenes
-Misclick penalty in HO scenes
-Active locations not indicated on map
-No sparkling on active zones and items
-No sparkling on HO scenes
-Misclick penalty in HO scenes
-Active locations not indicated on map
I never got to use the hint/skip function, so I can't tell how long the recharge was set. The 3-layered map was clever and easy to follow. There is barely any use for that either, seeing the game world is rather small. I had some misclicks, but not enough to set off any penalties.
You also have a journal, but there is no real use for it.
One of the cutest thing is a trusty sidekick that you pick up and have to get help from during the game.
There is also achievements to collect, and that makes some of us motivated for a replay. Surprising to see this in a SE game, but kudos for that.
I'd love to give this game 5 stars, but because it is rather easy and also rather short, I can not give it more than 4. I still think it is worth the SE price, just because of the novelty of the game. It is highly enjoyable the time it lasts. I'd definitely recommend this game to beginners and newcomers to the genre. It should be a nice introduction to this type of games. Of course I'd recommend it to experienced players as well. Just don't expect too much of a challenge.
For the guys:
The most of the story you do play a female detective (which sounds eerily familiar to the detective from Enigmatis), but end up playing a guy as well. There is some romance to this story, but not enough to scare most guys away. If you are insecure about it, get the free trial before you decide.
TJ
I recommend this game!
Easy to learn and challenging to master, Heroes of Hellas offers an unforgettable adventure through a magical time.
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 11 found this review helpful
Heroes of Randomness - A Guy's review
PostedNovember 17, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
*review based on completing the full game in normal mode*
I'm starting to warm up to Match 3 games after playing Azkend and Ancient Quest of Saqqarah and a couple more. Seeing my wife love this "Heroes of Hellas" series, I thought I'd give it a go.
Well, it is almost good. It plays similar to Azkend in the way you play the boards. You can from long chains with elements connected to each other. I like that. I love to see how long chains I can be able to make.
And there are power-ups. But here the games fall really short compared to the other similar games I've played. The power-ups don't feel like power ups. You can't select which to use where, it is all pre-selected for you. And most of them are making totally random changes to the board. You spend a quantity of time to select enough elements to use one, and then it might not be helpful at all. I can't start to explain the frustration I had with this. What bad game design, well, IMO.
I do not care much for things that acts totally on random, because that is basically like playing the lottery. Things should be solvable, and, in this case, power-ups should be beneficial.
That being said, I did to some degree enjoy the game, and did manage to finish it. It has other things included in it that ups the grade.
I liked the mosaic puzzles in between the levels.
Along the way you collect coins, which you can use to build your own palace step by step, even with some freedom of choices. Even though it was rather basic I found that I kinda enjoyed that part. There are also achievements to collect, and I always like that. If it wasn't for the bad randomness that would have made me replay the game to collect the rest.
The graphics are perfectly ok for a game like this, and considering the age of it. It stretches for widescreen, but I had no problem with it. The music is not intrusive, but it serves best when it is set (very) low.
There are three different difficulty levels to choose from. Easy, Normal, Hard. I only played on normal, so I can't elaborate on the differences. Again, it is the randomness of it all that somewhat kills it, and I don't see that changing between the difficulty levels. It is probably just the time limit and maybe the amount of elements needed collecting to use power-ups that change.
The game is ok as a time filler, and has a little extra that might make it more enjoyable for some. I think the safest bet is to try it out before buying it if you are insecure about it. I have both its sequels, and hope that they play better than this first one. Look for a daily deal on this one.
TJ
I recommend this game!
Find a kidnapped teenage girl and save yourself in Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek, a fun Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
16 of 17 found this review helpful
Enigmatic - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 15, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
*review based on completing the full game in expert mode*
This game is made by the developer of one of my absolute favorite games, namely "Nightmares from the deep: The Cursed Heart". This too is an amazingly well created game, and this developer is quickly becoming my favorite one.
You play as a female detective that starts off with a bit of amnesia. You have to retrace your steps and figure out why you are there in the first place, and then solve the mystery at hand. It is lovely set up and I have only praise to how this story is written and how the game progress. It is elite.
The story is told through inner voices of your character, and through clues, visions and of people you meet. It is all very engaging and you truly feel that you are a part of the story. Top notch stuff.
The graphics are beautifully hand drawn even though it is rather dark and gloomy in character. The characters you meet and their animations are mostly really well done. The lip-sync is not however, and other animations are not that grand.
Voice-overs vary in quality but are mostly just fine. The music is never intruding though a couple of sound effects can be.
The game offers a lot of game play. It introduces something called an "evidence wall" and it truly makes a difference. You actually feel like a real detective that has to gather and compare evidence found and connect them with the right parts. Loved it.
The game has a lot of adventure elements to it, and to me that is a big plus. It does cause for some running back and fourth through locations, but there is a map to help you out on that part. That doesn't mean that it is transportable or interactive, but the layout is rather well done, so you won't get easily lost.
There is a handful of puzzles as well, and though not of the most brain twisting kind, they force you to pay attention to details. A couple of them are even layered. I don't think they offer any brilliant new ones, but add their own twist to it, and it is of the kind I like the most.
Of course there is also a heap of HO scenes. They are all clutter scenes. Some of them very much so. They are also hand drawn, but that means that sometimes it can be hard to recognize some items. Especially seeing several scenes are rather dark and/or grey. Some items are hidden in the darkest areas and looks more like shadows than anything else. There are a few mildly interactive ones, but they are very basic. You will have to revisit at least most of them, maybe all. Luckily it seems like items you've already found does not return to the scenes.
There is two levels of difficulty to choose from:
Regular:
- Hint/skip recharges quickly
- All active zones sparkle
- There is no misclick penalty in the HO scenes
- Player character offers more direct hints
- Locations with available action is indicated on the map
- All active zones sparkle
- There is no misclick penalty in the HO scenes
- Player character offers more direct hints
- Locations with available action is indicated on the map
Expert:
- Slow hint/skip recharge
- No sparkles except for HO scenes
- Misclick penalty in HO scenes
- Player character offers less direct hints
- Locations with available action not indicated on map
- No sparkles except for HO scenes
- Misclick penalty in HO scenes
- Player character offers less direct hints
- Locations with available action not indicated on map
If you like some challenge you should go for expert. You will still get hints and be able to skip. The recharge is somewhat slow, but not extreme. I think the game would be rather easy on the regular level.
I feel this game a must to anyone who appreciate this genre of games. It is rather lengthy so it is well worth the buck.
It has a "to be continued" ending, but the story itself comes to a conclusion. If not I would have given it one star less as I hate games that has no conclusive ending. And just knowing that there is a follow up coming makes me really excited. I can't wait.
For the guys:
You do play as a female detective, but it shouldn't be of much trouble for the most of us. The story itself is too good to miss out on either way so get over it and buy it ;o).
TJ
I recommend this game!
Save Brightfield from a shocking plot by a dastardly organization!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Back on Track - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 14, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*review based on completing the game in advanced mode + bonus chapter*
This is the 4th installment in the Mystery Trackers series. I played them in sequence. After thoroughly enjoying the first two games of the series (The Void and Raincliff) i got a bit disappointed in the third (Black Isle). Therefore I did not know what to expect in this one.
I can say right off the bat that I was more than pleasantly surprised. This was a highly enjoyable game, maybe the best one of the 4 and also probably one of the best of all HOPA's I've played so far.
The graphics in this game is astonishing. Both in quality and aesthetically. Walking from one location to the next was a pure pleasure. Everything is wonderfully crisp. They have used real location pictures puzzled together and added some elements of their own. Animations too are neatly done, and the only complaint (and it is a slight one) is the integration of the real life actors into the scenes which at times seems a bit off.
The story is engaging and interesting as they have been on the most part through the series. It is remarkably told through narration and voice overs of a high caliber. Very suiting to the detective theme as well. Wonderful. But, again, as many times before, they do a lousy job with the lip-sync. I can not believe that this can be so difficult in the year 2012!?
A tip to the devs.: I understand that you want to make the game in your native language, but seeing you have a world wide market you should make the effort for the rest of us. All you need to do is double take the scenes with voice and make the actors do one in English as well. At least just to lip them. It's not that much extra work to replace those scenes for the international market, and it would make a world of difference.
I wish to see better actors as well, but that is not a main issue.
I have to praise the music in this game as well. I usually turn that down or off shortly after starting the game. Sometimes even before I start. The music here is well done and changes well with what is happening on the screen. Sound effects too are done very well.
Well, we have established that the wrapping is of high standard, but the wrapper means little if the candy inside doesn't taste good. In this aspect that would be the game play. Luckily the candy is as good if not better tasting than the wrapping looks, and most of the other candies in the bowl to boot.
As with its predecessors it has a lot of adventure elements that I highly enjoy. A good selection of creative and moderately challenging puzzles, and of course a fistful of HO scenes.
The Mystery Trackers games are maybe the best ones when it comes to the HO scenes. They are clutter scenes, but not too cluttered. They are crisp and clear. They have nice and creative interactive elements to them. They are thematic to the scene you are in and the best of all: You only need to do each single one of them one time. That is a great dedication from a developer, as proven by many others who take the easy way out and have you revisit them up to several times, most often to find several of the same items. Oh, and there are no micro objects that you need to find either.
The puzzles seemed really thought through as well. They seemed both creative and original (at least to me) and make you have to use your brain. I got through all of them without skipping, but there was a couple of them in there that took me some time to solve.
The adventure elements as well are both creative and fun. Not all of them original, but most of them interesting to say the least. They do cause a bit of traveling back and forth through locations, but was to me less frustrating than previous games in the series. I longed for an interactive map in those (got a clunky one in Black Isle), but even though there is a good, helpful and interactive one here, I actually never used it.
I still miss having a journal in this game, even though there is little use for one. It just helps sort things out, and easier to get back to information you might want to get. They log the cut-scenes instead, but I'd rather see that as a bonus feature.
Speaking of bonus features. The CE does not really offer much for the extra bucks, but then again they rarely (never) do. There is a slightly short chapter of extra game play which is as enjoyable as the main game, collectable morphing animals and poker chips (I don't know if they are both excluded in the SE). The poker chips can be used to buy items for your best friend "Elf". I love that he is back in this game and that you need his help as much as you do. There is the other typical wallpapers, music, art, that is only interesting to the true collectors. But what happened to the achievements? Isn't there a law against making games without achievements these days??? ;o). I miss them already and vote for their return in MT5.
I'd still recommend the CE though, if you have the extra dough. It adds to the enjoyment of the game, and something I missed out on in "Black Isle". The high quality of the game itself grants the higher price. So throw some money at these developers so that the next game in the series will keep shooting this series towards the stars.
Almost forgot...
There are 4 difficulty levels to choose from when playing this game:
Casual: All active zones and elements sparkle, quick recharge of hint/skip.
Advanced: No sparkles except for on HO scenes, slower recharge of hint/skip.
Hardcore: No hints, no skip, no sparkles.
Detective: Same as hardcore, but now your pointer won't change either.
I played it in advanced, but only used the hint once to check if it worked outside the puzzles/HOS and to check how slow the recharge was. I guess I could have played it in hardcore, but I don't like taking the risk of getting stuck somewhere with no chance to get further. I might have ended up breaking something ;o).
Don't waste more time reading this review! Gather your credits and get this game today and have a wonderful time :o).
For the guys:
The detective you are playing is "genderless" so it should be of no issue. There is a slight touch of romance in this story, but not enough that it makes you want to shave your legs ;o).
TJ
I recommend this game!
Use your Hidden Object skills to follow the trail of a group of missing graduate students in Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 18 found this review helpful
Way TOO Hyped - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 14, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
*Review based on completing the full game in normal mode*
It looks like this game has been an introduction into HO games for many people, and therefore serves as a special game for many. My first one was "Palm of Zoroaster", so I can see how this is. If this is your first experience with the genre, then it will probably blow you away, but if it isn't I can not understand that it will be special in any way.
I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but I can not understand how else this game has such a high rating if one compares with games today (2012). I have played several that is much better than this, including its follow ups in the franchise. But, luckily we have different tastes and preferences.
This is how I experienced this game:
The graphics are just fine, and by the time of release probably top notch. Comparing it to today's standards it is nothing special. Don't get me wrong though, it is still good. They use live actors in cut scenes to bring the story forward, and a few times they come to life in the game world as well, though this is not very well integrated. Looks rather sloppy to be honest.
The story is well written and they do well to make you feel you are a part of it all. The actors do an ok job and seem believable on the most part. The story in itself is both interesting and engaging, and cleverly mysterious. So much so that I considered looking it up to see if it is any truth to it all. If I was grading this game on the story alone I could easily see myself giving it a 5.
It is mostly in the game play I feel a bit disappointed, and this is much because of personal preferences. I am an adventure freak and like that aspect of games the most. I found very little adventure elements in this game, though there were some. You progress through the game mostly by items found in HO scenes. This is of course great if that is what you prefer. But I find it a bit boring and repetitive.
It certainly does not help that you have to visit most of these HO scenes twice, and have to find several of the same items over again. That, to me, is just lazy. Neither is there a motivation to go to these HO scenes. You just have to stroll around all of the map to find which one is active. They have no interactive elements either. To top it off they are overly cluttered and you have to find several small items. Really not my cup of tea in a game like this. They are pretty crisp, so nothing is blurry, but several scenes are rather dark and/or grey.
There is very few puzzles in this game as well. And several of them are rather similar. It doesn't offer much variety. I didn't find them as challenging either, as MCF usually presents. I guess I would call them moderately.
I have read reviews saying this game is lengthy and well worth the CE price. I do not agree. I did not find the game particularly lengthy at all. What made it feel lengthy is basically all the back and fourth traveling you need to do, and because of little direction, all the time you try to figure out what you can do where. I tend to like the latter part of those, and usually don't mind the first either, but it got ridiculous at times in this game.
There is no map to help you out, so you'll be clicking yourself blue through the labyrinth of locations. The Journal on the other hand is very useful. In the CE you can also access the strategy guide through the menu, which seemed a bit clumsy to me, but I rarely use it anyway.
I might not have figured out the way MCF does their difficulty levels? As with "13th Skull" you can change "attitude" settings in options, but it doesn't state what it changes, so I didn't dare to touch them. They might change the difficulty, but I really don't know. I suspect they do change the difficulty though as I had sparkles on all items and scenes I could interact with. I like to play without that.
As for the bonus content being worth the double price: Not a chance! I have played SE games with more content than this. You get to collect morphing items (50 of them), there are some achievements, and you get to "tour the office" if you collect them all. Oh, and of course the strategy guide. It offers a little extra enjoyment, but not enough to warrant a CE price. Get it on an offer, or get the SE is my advice.
I will recommend the game to newcomers to the genre and to the ones who like a "spooky" story. Beware that it might be challenging for beginners, but it all depends on how much of a challenge you want. Get the SE, or the CE at a discount. Save the extra money/credits for something else. The game is perfectly ok but nowhere as good as the ratings might lead you to believe. If in doubt try it out before buying.
For the guys:
You are just referred to as detective/master detective, and there is no gender bias. The story should suit all who like a bit of "campfire horror story".
TJ
I recommend this game!
Journey through the center of the Earth on a fantastic adventure in Azkend 2 - The World Beneath, a captivating ride to remember.
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Beneath its Predecessor - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 12, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I am not really a big fan of Match 3 games, and most often find them as ok time fillers when I have no time or want to play anything else. But earlier I came across this game's predecessor (Azkend) and I highly enjoyed it. It was actually the first M3 game I ever completed.
This game is in many ways similar to that and they do an attempt at improving on it. To some they might have just done that, but to me they didn't. Graphics is good and there is more of a story this time, plus they've added power-ups and new challenges.
In the beginning this seemed very promising, but I soon found out that the game works to much on random and the time limit is strict. I don't like a game like this to be too stressful, but to me a time limit next to the randomness of it all just leaves me frustrated. There are no options to turn off or lengthen the timer either. In modern games I find that a bit lazy, as when I buy a game I want to be able to decide how I want to play it. That kind of ruined it a bit for me.
There are however power-ups to collect over the course of the game that both lengthen your time and make things easier. There is one problem though, you don't really know what the next board is going to be and do not know what power-ups suit it best. You have to do it by trial and error, and change it after failing the board. That was too tedious for me.
The voice over during the "cut-scenes" is not done very well either. She sounds very little engaged in the story, and was to me just irritating to listen to.
Now, these are just my personal opinions. I think that people who enjoy a little challenge in their M3 games would enjoy this one, and seeing that I am not a seasoned player in this genre I don't really know enough of what makes a game like this good or bad. It is however rather short (the adventure mode) and shouldn't last long for the better M3 players out there.
Surely worth to consider on a daily deal or something similar, or if you are really into M3 games. To me personally, I'd rather replay the first Azkend.
TJ
I recommend this game!
Help Sara find her missing husband and stop an evil pirate's ancient curse in Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Skullbreaker - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 9, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*review based on completing the full game*
This game seem to be on a higher budget than most games in this genre. The reason I say that is that it actually has live actors that seem capable of acting. I can only assume that these are real actors and not amateurs and family members that is often used in similar games. Professional or not, they do a great job in making you feel part of the story and help make you believe that you are on scene in the bayou somewhere in southern Louisiana.
The graphics and animations in this game is top class. Everything is really crisp and highly detailed. The live actors are integrated in the back drops almost perfectly. Never did it feel out of place. The use of voice-overs are superb. You actually communicate with the characters in this game, and even though there are only a handful of them, this game feels more alive than most (if not all) games I've played so far. Sound effects, ambient sounds and background music all fits the game and adds to the atmosphere.
The story too is clever, interesting and makes you want to solve it to figure out what has happened. There are some clever twists and turns. I wish there was a bit more to it, but all in all they did a great job.
I have mixed feelings about the game play though. Some parts were truly brilliant, while other things were almost directly off putting. There is quite a bit of adventuring, and it is mostly done in a very clever way. You face a good selection of puzzles and a handful of HO scenes.
Now, this game forces you to pay attention to details and make use of what you have in your inventory and also encourages you to use the journal. You are seldom told what to do in a puzzle (meaning there is no info), so if you have no clue what is going on, you have probably not come by or overseen some details elsewhere. Keep your eyes open and if you see something that looks like something somewhere it probably is. Take notes. It makes the goals of the puzzles much clearer, though sometimes it doesn't take away the brain twisting needed to solve them. I find this absolutely brilliant.
This does not mean that only advanced players can get through this game, but it does offer challenging moments even for the experts. Luckily there is a very clever hint system in this game. You can select three levels of hints to help you along. After choosing the first it needs recharging before you can choose the second etc. And they are hints that reveal more and more on how to solve it. Or you can simply skip it all together. But if you do the latter you will not get to see how it is solved.
When it comes to the HO scenes they are a bit disappointing. They are very cluttered and there are several small items that you need to find. The worst though is that you have to do most of them twice. Not only that, but you have to find several of the same items both times. That is just plain lazy of the developer. None of them are interactive either.
Another thing that was a bit disappointing was that you have to do some errands for the characters you meet for them to reveal some more information. Clever idea and fun a couple of times, but this happens so often that you feel more like an errand boy/girl than a detective.
Towards the end the game is great though, both story wise and game play wise. It is truly a grand finale.
I could not find a difficulty setting in this game, so I can only assume it is just the one. I did find something called "attitude setting", but I figured that had to do with language.
There is both a journal and a map. The map is not very helpful, but it is still a cool map. The journal is almost totally necessary in this game. The hint button recharges rather quickly, but isn't always available. There was a couple of times in the game where I really wish it was. Specially seeing you don't get any information on what is going on and what you need to do with certain puzzles and tasks.
This game should ensure some entertainment for the advanced and expert players out there, but also beginners should at least try it out. It is challenging and engaging even with the few setbacks it carries. I would dare to say highly recommended. I would have given it 4.5 if possible, but ended up on 4 because of the "flaws" described earlier. Not much more would have to be done to make this a clear 5.
For the guys:
No gender bias in this game as you are only referred to as "detective". Also the story should be appealing to both genders.
TJ
I recommend this game!
Black Isle was supposedly abandoned after an earthquake but the truth is much more sinister! Join the Mystery Trackers and learn the truth!
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 10 found this review helpful
Back in Black - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 8, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
*review based on completing the full game in advanced mode*
I started this game right after finishing "The Void" and "Raincliff", the two first games in this series. The first one was good and the second one was great, so I had a lot of expectations coming into this game. I sit left with a big question: What happened? This seems lazy compared to the other two. It's still a good game, but seeing that it is a third in a series and is worse than both of its predecessors, something must have gone wrong somewhere.
Let us start with the graphics. I can not see any improvements in graphics compared to "Raincliff". Actually this seems more grainy and blurry. It might be my imagination, but it really does. They have live actors in this as well and they seem more out of place. That might have lots to do with the lip-sync being way off and bad acting, but still. Integrations doesn't seem as well done as it was in its predecessor.
I did not get as caught up in the story either in this one. It seemed like a lousy spinoff of "Raincliff". Both previous games had suspense that held your interest. This one not as much. Still not totally bad, just not as good as before. At least they moved on to giving some voice overs. The voice overs themselves are well done, though as mentioned, the lip-sync is horrible.
Now, both of these letdowns would not mean that I would not like the game, because from my experience with Mystery Trackers, I know they hold a lot of game play and adventure elements. That is most important to me. How disappointed I was when I realized that too was minimized compared to the other games. I finished this game in half the time I spent on "Raincliff". I didn't believe my eyes when the game was over.
Well, when it comes to game play, you can expect much the same as the previous games in the series, just a little less of everything. There's a nice selection of puzzles ranging from pretty easy to mediocre. So a bit easier than before. There are lots of adventuring still, but this too seems thinned out.
The HO scenes are also in the same vein as before, but this time they have added interactive elements to them. Even taking use of your inventory items. I like when they are interactive, so for me that is a plus. The scenes are crisp and colorful, though feel a bit grainy at times.
One thing that was quite annoying in the previous two games were all the back and forth between locations. There is still a lot of that, but this time they have given us an interactive map. This makes it much less annoying and is a BIG plus in my book. I do forgive that the map is a bit clunky and clumsy. There is still no journal though, not even video clips this time around.
They have kept the same 3 levels of difficulty as they had in "Raincliff" which are:
Casual: Sparkles on active zones and items, quick recharge of hints/skip
Advanced: No sparkles except on HO scenes. Slow recharge of hints/skip.
Hard: No hints, no skips and no sparkles.
The hints were at least more "hints" than clear answers this time, but could still be more vague to my taste. Also recharge seemed a little slower that before in advanced mode.
You see a whole lot of owls all over the place and I suspect that they are collectible in the CE version. Not so in SE. Achievements were in place in the SE of "The Void", I do not know about "Raincliff" as I only have the CE of that one, but there are no achievements to collect in "Black Isle". I suspect those are limited to the CE as well.
3 stars might seem a bit strict on a game like this. I would have given it 3.5 if I could. The reason for this is that I expect to see some improvement as a series develops through time, but this is more like a step back. Hugely disappointing. It is still a good game that I would recommend to players who likes these types of games. Though if you are new to the series I would actually recommend playing this before the other two to get a better progressing experience.
I truly hope that "Four Aces" is a big step forward compared to this, or I might lose faith in this franchise.
For the guys:
There is no gender bias. Should suit all.
TJ
I recommend this game!
After a group of young students go missing, the Mystery Trackers are called in to search the city of Raincliff!
Overall rating
5
/
5
17 of 18 found this review helpful
Two words: "GET IT!" - A Guy's Review
PostedNovember 8, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*review based on completing the full game in advanced mode + bonus chapter*
I started this one right after completing its predecessor (The Void) and expectations were rather high. Right at the beginning of the game I got quite worried as I came across something that was almost identical to the previous game (an HO scene that was the same scene and basically the same objects in mostly the same places), thinking the devs were just being lazy. Luckily I was wrong. Apart from the beginning there are several references to "The Void", but way more subtle.
The graphics was good in "The Void", but even better here. Everything is highly detailed, crisp and colorful. They have integrated real actors into the hand drawn back drops which actually seems to work quite well in this game. There is a few times it seems a bit out of place, but never a bother.
The story is both interesting and intriguing, and I found myself really wanting to figure out what was going on. I missed voice-overs to make it feel more alive, but the story is progressing in a clever way, delivering messages to you in creative ways.
The game play is what really has wowed me in this series so far. "The Void" had a lot of it and "Raincliff" has even more. For adventure fans like myself this game can actually rival full blown adventure game titles in locations to go to, things to interact with and items to find. I'm actually quite amazed. It is definitely one of the longest lasting games I've come across so far in the casual games scene. Tons of locations with several things to do in most of them.
The game hosts a wide variety of puzzles/mini-games to solve, and they vary from rather easy to quite hard. A wonderful mix in my eyes. Some are familiar ones, some new, most creative. I ended up having to twist my brains a couple of times, which for me adds to the fun and experience of the game. Well done.
There is also many HO scenes. All of them are crisp and clear, but they are creatively colored and makes it challenging to find all items fast. Some items are quite small and others are quite large. A lot of the typical things to find, some you need to find several of, but there is no interactivity to them (which I prefer). The best part with Mystery Trackers so far is that you only have to visit each HO scene once, so they always seem fresh. They are also partly thematic to where they are located, which I also find as a plus.
You can play the game in three difficulty modes:
Casual: Sparkles on items and zones you can interact with, quick recharge of hints/skip.
Advanced: No sparkles (except for HOS), slower recharge of hints/skip.
Hard: No hints, no skips and no sparkles.
I found the hint/skip recharge in advanced mode still a bit fast, and the hints were not hints but clear instructions on what to do next. I feel hints should point you in the right direction and be a bit vague, not a clear instruction. I did get stuck a couple of times and found myself having to resort to it 3 or 4 times.
Another thing. The difficulty level in the bonus chapter does not seem to be affected by what you chose for the main game. It was sparkling all over the place for me there.
Two things this game lacks is a journal and a map. There is a lot of back and forth going through the locations, many times long distances, to the extent that it becomes an annoyance eventually. I am used to adventure games, and I actually don't usually mind the typical back and forth, but towards the end of this game I got rather sick and tired of it. The game's "map" is extensive and especially further out in the game I started losing track of where things were. This game should have a map, and it should even be fast-travel possibilities. It could also use a journal to help you with sorting things out and remember things.
In the collector's edition you also collect frogs throughout the game as an extra, and there are several achievements to collect. This too adds to the enjoyment of the game for me. (I do not know if they also appear in the SE)
The bonus chapter is interesting too, but not very long and doesn't add much to the value, neither does the other extras. That being said, I think the main game alone warrants the CE. The work the devs have done with this series makes me just want to throw money at them.
This game is a MUST for all adventure fans, and most others too. One should not miss out on a game like this. There is room for improvement and I would rate it 4.5 if I could, but it is still among the best ones I've played so far at Big Fish. Recommended to everyone and their mom too!
For the guys:
You play as a genderless anonymous detective and there is no gender bias going on anywhere. The story should be compelling to all.
TJ
I recommend this game!