sfr8rfan's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.4
- Helpful Votes:5,257
- Reviews Submitted:171
- First Review:July 20, 2012
- Most Recent Review:March 25, 2023
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Solve the mystery that spooked a young girl into silence!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
This Spirited Game is Cursed! But You'll Love it Anyway
PostedAugust 14, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromEvil Dad rips young lovers apart. Evil Mom? She's finally getting what she deserves. The view from on top the castle doesn't look so good anymore I bet!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I know, you're wondering "what's with this guy? He's given 5 stars across the board only to give an overall score of 4/5. What gives?"
First, let me say this game is among the finest I have ever played. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. The fun factor is off the charts IMO. So there's no mystery about it, YES, I highly recommend this game and urge you to buy it.
The visual/sound quality is superior. 5/5: Characters are well drawn. Objects are are well drawn. There's nothing fuzzy. Nothing unclear. The use of the color palette is exceptional. What you see pops off the screen. HOGs are so well presented that I can say they are the most challenging I have ever played. This isn't a result of sleight of hand, but rather excellent placement of objects blending in so perfectly that, once you capture the image, you realize what it is, but until that point it's hard to find the item...even though it's perfectly described in the list of "to finds."
What you hear is well done also: the voice acting is very good. This counts for characters and the narrator as well. There is lip synching. It is not noteworthy but it doesn't matter.
The Level of Challenge is Superior. Another 5/5: HOG I explained above. The variety of HOS certainly earns bonus points. If there is an alternative way of doing an HOS the developer used it. There are list finds, progressive list finds, silhouette placements, progressive silhouette placements...there's probably another version of an HOS that I'm forgetting. If it can possibly be done it is.
Puzzles/Mini games are not particularly challenging. the 5/5 score is a function of the superior HOS, not the puzzles. I didn't notice anything new...not even a fresh, interesting take on an old idea. The puzzles weren't disappointing, they just weren't special. That's OK. The HOS more than made up for it.
Storyline: An evil Lord tries to keep young lovers apart. Sadly, his meanness causes the death of his daughter. Undaunted she and her love will be united in death no matter what. The current occupants of the castle, however, will not enjoy their new digs until the fated lovers find each other in the afterlife.
OK, so why the 4/5 overall? There was a glitch which caused me to have to reload the game many times. Finally, in frustration, I not only reloaded the game but gave in and changed my profile. Effectively, this meant I was starting from scratch. The Good News: My memory is strong. I finished the 1/3 game I had already played in record time, caught up to where I was and moved on. The bad news: I wasted a lot of time on this glitch and that made me very unhappy. So the 4/5 is purely punitive...and frankly it doesn't mean much. I've already told you...
...THE VERDICT:
Buy this game. As a CE it's perhaps a little thin on the "bling" but it does have "morphing items," re-playable games and music, a bonus chapter and a strategy guide. There is a collectible, jigsaw puzzle pieces. There is no challenge to this. As a matter of course, playing the game you will find them all. There are five series of jigsaw pieces. When all the pieces of one are collected you may assemble them. When all five series are assembled you will have unlocked the ability to play more jigsaw games. This is not a challenge either. The morphing items are such a delight, I urge getting the CE for them. If this is not something you enjoy...well, I still urge you to buy the CE now just because I don't think you'll want to wait to play this game. Do the trial hour for free and you'll confirm for yourselves what I'm telling you now.
Buy this game. As a CE it's perhaps a little thin on the "bling" but it does have "morphing items," re-playable games and music, a bonus chapter and a strategy guide. There is a collectible, jigsaw puzzle pieces. There is no challenge to this. As a matter of course, playing the game you will find them all. There are five series of jigsaw pieces. When all the pieces of one are collected you may assemble them. When all five series are assembled you will have unlocked the ability to play more jigsaw games. This is not a challenge either. The morphing items are such a delight, I urge getting the CE for them. If this is not something you enjoy...well, I still urge you to buy the CE now just because I don't think you'll want to wait to play this game. Do the trial hour for free and you'll confirm for yourselves what I'm telling you now.
This is a first rate game worthy of your attention.
I recommend this game!
Crack codes, pick locks, comb crime scenes for clues and solve clever puzzles in this thrilling retro detective drama!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
I've Got a Big Secret For You...
PostedJuly 6, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromSsssssssss
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
...With the really high quality games that are available to us these days, this one doesn't measure up.
This game has been in my library for several months now. I don't remember buying it. I'm guessing it's a desperation move with a fast-expiring free coupon.
I played this game for about 2.5 hours on a MacBook Pro with Mavericks operating system. I'n not sure how much I completed. Well that's not true. I'm finished with it.
Fun Factor: Because I've played games like Fright, recently (and it is now my favorite game) 9 Clues suffers in comparison on every level. I couldn't stop thinking about that as I played and that robbed me of what little fun I was having.
Visual/Sound Quality
Sights: This is what suffers the most. The quality of the graphics is poor. Have you watched a tv show where the camera has a filter on it to cover up blemishes on the actors...and as a result everything has gauze-like fuzziness to it? That's what everything looks like in this. It's surprising to me that this is from late 2013. It seems more like something from 2011.
Sights: This is what suffers the most. The quality of the graphics is poor. Have you watched a tv show where the camera has a filter on it to cover up blemishes on the actors...and as a result everything has gauze-like fuzziness to it? That's what everything looks like in this. It's surprising to me that this is from late 2013. It seems more like something from 2011.
Sound Quality: Better, technically, than the video quality. A couple of voice actors do their jobs admirably. The background music is suitably creepy.
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE:
Both the HOS (too many of them) and the mini-puzzles (not enough of them) are way too easy and present no challenge at all. The HOS particularly are downright bad. They're already not good to look at, as I mention above. Subtract from that anything resembling a challenge or clever disguise or sneaky "blending" of an item with other items and you're left with a 30 second HOS.
Both the HOS (too many of them) and the mini-puzzles (not enough of them) are way too easy and present no challenge at all. The HOS particularly are downright bad. They're already not good to look at, as I mention above. Subtract from that anything resembling a challenge or clever disguise or sneaky "blending" of an item with other items and you're left with a 30 second HOS.
Storyline: A woman is summoned to Serpent Creek by her friend. When the protagonist arrives her friend is missing, she's lied to by a hotel clerk who says he's never heard of her (even though her name is written in the hotel log). The friend, it turns out, is locked up in jail and missing an amulet, along with a few brain cells. That's about as far as I got.
This developers have tried to add what they hope is an interesting "twist" to the game: a "trail" of clues. Something, I'm not sure what, queues up a segment wherein you move around a room searching for sparkles....NINE of them....and when you get to the epicenter of each of the sparkles you click on your mouse and the location is locked as a clue, After you find all nine the heroine of the story walks you through these clues. It's not exciting at all. In fact it's a big bore. You learn nothing interesting as a consequence of this clue collection. It's just a gimmick. So this proves the point that if you haven't anything really good, ya gotta have a gimmick.
My advice? Slither away from this. Not to be disrespectful of beginners...but...it's very easy and perhaps a good first game for a beginner. A pro of almost any level of experience should find this game too easy.
I don't recommend this game.
Once upon a time in the small, undistinguished town of Silentville people started disappearing. Help uncover the mystery behind these disappearances and save the town from a curse!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
I Need a Moment...
PostedJuly 1, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromWhen asked if he'd recommend the game, he responded with deafening silence.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I played the hourlong trial period on a MacBook Pro with the Mavericks operating system.
OK. I had my moment. The game was OK. Nothing more but possibly less.
The description of the game refers to the town of Silentville wherein people were disappearing. This is the mystery we are charged with solving. Oddly, I don't think anyone disappeared in the hour I played.
The game's description also referred to the town as undistinguished. This fairly well describes the game itself. Nothing much happened in the hour I played. Really. NOTHING MUCH happened except some interactions with a couple of characters who appeared on screen, standing silently (appropriately), as a narrator read their script (which several times referred to this or that "unusual" phenomenon which I think was the motivation for the protagonist to act).
The game wasn't unpleasant. This is mainly owing to the good background music and the rich tones of the narrator. As far as the game play, much was left to be desired, IMO:
a. I found the sets to be very dark, making it very difficult to identify items...
b. ...this became an issue particularly during HOS, which I played several of in the trial period. Not only was it dark on screen, but items were drawn in very small scale, I thought. So, objects weren't cleverly hidden or disguised to blend in so much as they were just too dark or too small to identify.
c. Another annoyance: in the second or third HOS, I was to find a bottle of anti-rust acid. This wasn't difficult. It wasn't tricky. It was just...annoying: there were several bottles on screen. Nothing recommended one over another so I had to go through every bottle to get the one that was acid. As luck would have it, it was the last bottle.
d. If I played a mini-game or puzzle, I don't remember it. That doesn't speak well for the game for me. I like puzzles over HOS, typically, so I'm not looking at a good Puzzle:HOS ratio.
b. ...this became an issue particularly during HOS, which I played several of in the trial period. Not only was it dark on screen, but items were drawn in very small scale, I thought. So, objects weren't cleverly hidden or disguised to blend in so much as they were just too dark or too small to identify.
c. Another annoyance: in the second or third HOS, I was to find a bottle of anti-rust acid. This wasn't difficult. It wasn't tricky. It was just...annoying: there were several bottles on screen. Nothing recommended one over another so I had to go through every bottle to get the one that was acid. As luck would have it, it was the last bottle.
d. If I played a mini-game or puzzle, I don't remember it. That doesn't speak well for the game for me. I like puzzles over HOS, typically, so I'm not looking at a good Puzzle:HOS ratio.
When my hour was up I had to re-read the description to find out what the game's story line was. For an hour I walked through doors, down streets, aimlessly, interrupted by several HOS. There didn't seem to be much purpose. It's too bad because before I started I was really looking forward to playing the game and I thought it was going to a ton of fun. It just didn't turn out that way.
The trial ticked down to 00:00 and I had to put up or shut up. I based my decision on the the expiry date of my free game credits. They're good until the end of August.
VERDICT: Not bad. Definitely NOT good. My last game before this was Fright which takes HOS to a completely new level. That didn't help the fate of 1 Moment and I'm sure influenced my decision. But I stand by it. I suggest passing on this game unless you're really scratching the bottom of the barrel for something to play or your credits are about to expire. Sorry guys.
I don't recommend this game.
You've returned from school to visit your father at his famous Jazz Pepper Club during Mardi Gras, but everyone is hypnotized. Have they heard the wrong note?
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
This Game is Music to the Ears.
PostedJune 20, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromGimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer...and a GREAT GAME set in the French Quarter
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game is, indeed, a cadenza, or a virtuoso passage...though it doesn't happen at the end. Instead this is a Cadenza performance from the very beginning. More importantly than what it's called is what it is: a superior game which adds up to far more than the sum of its parts.
Judged on its individual parts the game might not merit a five-star rating. BUT, it would be a mistake to look at Cadenza as anything less than a "whole." A single element ties the entire game together: the music. It's not a mistake and, I'm sure, not unintentional, that the game's name is "Music, Betrayal, and Death" Surely the music is the most important feature of this game.
Frequently I have mentioned that I consider background music essential and integral as it drives a game and sets its tone. This has never been more true than in Cadenza, M.B. and D. I'm always surprised when I read a review from a gamer who turns the sound off when they play. We all have our preferences. I suspect if you did that with this game you'd find it only ordinary...maybe even less than! The music doesn't just set the tone, it crystalizes it. The music doesn't just drive the game, it propels it. This game reaches for the stars and it touches them!!
My rating of 5 is absolutely a function of the totality being far greater than the sum of its parts.
Let me be clear: this game is exceptional because of its original use of music. No other game I'm aware of is so thoroughly moved forward by the soundtrack. Portal of Evil: Stolen Runes is another example of effective use of music to round out the game. In Cadenza, though, music doesn't just round out the game, it is central...and not in a forced way. It is the storyline. In no way am I saying you'll run out to buy the soundtrack. It's not good in that way. It's good in the way that no developer has tried this before and succeeded so brilliantly.
FUN FACTOR: The music is an inescapable part of the fun for me. Music populates most of the game and is a perfect backdrop for action which takes place in the French Quarter of New Orleans. There are lots of characters, lots of games and lots of HOS. The characters are great. As our newest Top Reviewer points out surprisingly correctly, the characters are lifelike and well-detailed. Playing a game where we feel as though we are dealing with real characters is ultimate fun for me: I always prefer a movie to a cartoon. Although there are no live actors, you'll feel as though there are.
VISUAL-SOUND QUALITY:
Sights: The game looks good. Color creates an ambience which is bright when right and dark when appropriate. Not unlike a mint julep, Cadenza can be at once upbeat and ponderous. You visit a cemetery, the salon of a mistress of the dark arts, a jazz club, of course (the central locale). All of these are distinctly New Orleans. Each is presented perfectly on point.
Sights: The game looks good. Color creates an ambience which is bright when right and dark when appropriate. Not unlike a mint julep, Cadenza can be at once upbeat and ponderous. You visit a cemetery, the salon of a mistress of the dark arts, a jazz club, of course (the central locale). All of these are distinctly New Orleans. Each is presented perfectly on point.
Sounds: Have I gone on enough about the sound? Even if you're not a jazz hound you'll enjoy this. It's not heavy jazz which only an aficionado will enjoy. It's inviting to the uninitiated. The voice overs are great...actors who portray the characters do so brilliantly and with, what I consider to be, accurate bayou accents. Sadly, the lip synching is poor but who cares. Have a julep or three while you play...you won't notice.
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE:
Of course, this is where the game would suffer if you look at individual parts. While the game as a whole will impress the most veteran of players, the Mini-puzzles will not be satisfying to anyone. An old hand will find the games a waste of time. A new player will be happy to achieve success but realize it was cheaply earned.
Of course, this is where the game would suffer if you look at individual parts. While the game as a whole will impress the most veteran of players, the Mini-puzzles will not be satisfying to anyone. An old hand will find the games a waste of time. A new player will be happy to achieve success but realize it was cheaply earned.
The HOS are a great improvement over the mini-games. There are several variations which are fun. A result of the superiority of this game, visually, is the very clear and crisply drawn HOS. They are not difficult to solve, though at times they require a little thought.
STORYLINE:
The music, the locale, the script, the characters and the actors who portray them come together to present a storyline which is perfect. This is the Garden....Good and Evil indeed. There is Death and Betrayal, as promised. There are notes of the dark arts as I mentioned earlier...but always there's a dose of reality. One character perfectly explains the birth/berth of the darkly spiritual world, where it comes from and where it resides.
The music, the locale, the script, the characters and the actors who portray them come together to present a storyline which is perfect. This is the Garden....Good and Evil indeed. There is Death and Betrayal, as promised. There are notes of the dark arts as I mentioned earlier...but always there's a dose of reality. One character perfectly explains the birth/berth of the darkly spiritual world, where it comes from and where it resides.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
As is roadmap is drawn for some time now, the CE arrives first. Is it worth it?
There are the typical "who cares" appointments of a CE. Even though I've gone on about the music, a true Jazz field will have his or her own collection and not depend on the soundtrack to this to augment it. In addition:
a. The first round of collectibles, treble clef symbols, 44 of them are spread throughout the game. They can be difficult to find! Unfortunately, other than the symbolic reference of a treble clef, they have nothing to do with the game other than adding a task. This is, perhaps, the most difficult achievement in the entire game.
b. There are morphing items which are in each of the HOS.
c. There is an additional collectible group. I couldn't access it because I didn't complete one extra feature (which didn't come with an explanation): While I correctly answered a lengthy-ish quiz regarding the relationships between characters. I did not place a symbol, which depicts each of the relationships, onto a template. The completed template is the gateway to the last collectible. If you leave the game area without completing the template the symbols disappear and you can't get them back without replaying the whole game...base game first, unlocking the bonus chapter, which unlocks the game in which you complete the template in order to search for final set of collectibles.
As is roadmap is drawn for some time now, the CE arrives first. Is it worth it?
There are the typical "who cares" appointments of a CE. Even though I've gone on about the music, a true Jazz field will have his or her own collection and not depend on the soundtrack to this to augment it. In addition:
a. The first round of collectibles, treble clef symbols, 44 of them are spread throughout the game. They can be difficult to find! Unfortunately, other than the symbolic reference of a treble clef, they have nothing to do with the game other than adding a task. This is, perhaps, the most difficult achievement in the entire game.
b. There are morphing items which are in each of the HOS.
c. There is an additional collectible group. I couldn't access it because I didn't complete one extra feature (which didn't come with an explanation): While I correctly answered a lengthy-ish quiz regarding the relationships between characters. I did not place a symbol, which depicts each of the relationships, onto a template. The completed template is the gateway to the last collectible. If you leave the game area without completing the template the symbols disappear and you can't get them back without replaying the whole game...base game first, unlocking the bonus chapter, which unlocks the game in which you complete the template in order to search for final set of collectibles.
Reviewers from the user forums indicate that the developer of the game identifies the inability to re-acquire the template symbols as a glitch. These same reviewers report that many requests for help from BFG in the forums have gone unanswered. This really nullifies the value of paying for a CE, frankly. Unless you're very careful, you will not be able to access what you've paid for in terms of extra material. Buyer Beware.
THE VERDICT:
After all is said and done, this is a five-star game because the negatives don't come close to outweighing the positives. Get the game. You'll be happy you did. It's music to the ears. Literally.
After all is said and done, this is a five-star game because the negatives don't come close to outweighing the positives. Get the game. You'll be happy you did. It's music to the ears. Literally.
I recommend this game!
Haunted Manor: Painted Beauties Collector's Edition
A peaceful day at the park becomes a journey into the surreal when you become the latest victim of a troubled artist's deal with Death!
Overall rating
2
/
5
6 of 10 found this review helpful
This game is Haunted for sure. I hoped it would be haunting but that was expecting too much.
PostedJune 7, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromAbout three miles east of a trailer park on the Kentucky border. You'll want some moonshine to get through this!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The over all rating is actually about 2.25. This is a poor game. If the developers were treating this like a baby they should be arrested for child abuse.
I played the entire main game in about 6 hours total. I skipped the bonus so I can't comment on it.
FUN FACTOR: If you consider going back and forth in excess of 100 times throughout a game, with no particular rhyme or reason, a good time, you might think this is fun. I doubt you will. If you want to skip the walking around and use the "go to" map to get from one place to another, good luck. The map is useless. The location you are in is circled. All other locations are shown with a miniscule scene provided for you to view. From this you are to choose where you want to go. Sadly, a magnifying glass doesn't come with, for surely it's required unless you have the vision of Superman.
Visual/Sound Quality: Not particularly well done, honestly. If animation is part of visual quality then it's worse than bad. When there's an action taking place...something simple, like pouring liquid from one vial to another, I like to see the progress being made...i.e., I think good animation is entertaining and I like to see the liquid being poured, the receptacle filling up...all of this is part of animation. You won't find it here. Even after the action is supposed to be complete you see the original scene first and only after a delay do you see the finished scene. The end product would embarrass a professional animator.
Level of Challenge: Again with all the walking back and forth, the challenge in this game is finishing it.
a. Mini-games/Puzzles: ridiculously easy. What was puzzling is how they could be considered challenging at all. You couldn't get it wrong if you tried. Go through all the possible solutions and you'll absolutely solve whatever the task is. Not one is so confusing as to require cycling through all the possible solutions. Certainly nothing resembling imagination is required. You will NOT break a sweat solving the puzzles. I'm going to guess that there are about 18-25 puzzles but I'm not certain of the number.
OK. I have exaggerated a teeny weeny bit: there are two puzzles that are pretty good. One is a standard-issue drawing requiring you to move tiles into the correct position with only one free space for flexibility. A second puzzle is quite fun and it requires you to find 4 paths emanating from the center of a grid to end points North, South , East and West. Don't confuse this with challenging. It's busy work, but it's still fun.
b. HOS: Nothing more than ordinary. There are 23 of them. They are very straightforward with a few requiring an extra smidgeon of work.
Storyline: Somehow, magically, just drawing a portrait allows a painter, pining for his love, to capture the soul of his subject which he trades with Lady Death for the promise of the return of his aforementioned "love." If wishing made it true...I can think of some perfect subjects for these paintings.
CE Bling:
a. Collectibles: there are 33 rosary beads to collect. Finding them presents no challenge whatsoever. Although there is some idea that finding all the beads will protect you (it's a first person game and you're the female protagonist who has, foolishly, allowed yourself to be painted) nothing about how that happens is ever fleshed out. Once again, I'm sure you can think of a few people you'd hope really struggle to find the rosary beads. In all seriousness, though, this isn't hard. I do think sometimes I missed the beads. I'm not completely convinced that they weren't slipped in after the first go 'round (but I'm afraid this sounds too much like a conspiracy theory and that's giving the game way too much credit for imagination).
a. Collectibles: there are 33 rosary beads to collect. Finding them presents no challenge whatsoever. Although there is some idea that finding all the beads will protect you (it's a first person game and you're the female protagonist who has, foolishly, allowed yourself to be painted) nothing about how that happens is ever fleshed out. Once again, I'm sure you can think of a few people you'd hope really struggle to find the rosary beads. In all seriousness, though, this isn't hard. I do think sometimes I missed the beads. I'm not completely convinced that they weren't slipped in after the first go 'round (but I'm afraid this sounds too much like a conspiracy theory and that's giving the game way too much credit for imagination).
b. Morphing Items: Well, morph really means changing from one thing to another. That isn't what happens. An item disappears for an extraordinarily long time and then reappears. It would be a little more challenging if images of two items went back and forth in your view. Then you'd have to watch a couple times to make sure that it's a morph and not just your imagination. In this game you just have to watch for a LONG time waiting for something to disappear and then reappear.
c. I am guessing that "achievements" are received for the CE version only. The achievements are kind of a joke: One is for finishing all the mini-games. As mentioned earlier these games are far too easy. Other achievements include completing an HOS in less than one minute, in less than 30 seconds, finding three items in less than a second, 5 in less than 3...a little silly.
The Rosary Beads and the Disappearing Items are what makes this a CE (along with bonus material). Honestly, I couldn't play the bonus material. I couldn't wait for the regular story to end so i was certainly NOT going to scramble to get to the bonus material. The real bonus is being able to skip it.
This game is gothic in the truest sense of the word: upon the coming of the Renaissance, the Gothic period which preceded it was seen as a time of ignorance. Indeed. This game is Gothic and a horrendous waste of time and money. If you must buy it, wait for the Special Edition or use a coupon.
I don't recommend this game.
The town of Green Hill has really gone to the birds!
Overall rating
5
/
5
111 of 129 found this review helpful
WOW!! You're gonna LOVE Three Guardians!!
PostedFebruary 28, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromThere's no mystery here: This game is GREAT!!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I played this game from start to finish on a Mac Book Pro, latest OS. It took me maybe 10 hours over a few days.
I’m NOT a fast player at all. I like it that, honestly. I like to take my time with a game and enjoy it as much as possible rather than race to the finish. (Not that I have any other choice…but this is the type of game that makes me appreciate my own pokey play).
Overall, this is an exceptional game worthy of your consideration. It is jam-packed with fun. I think it’s a 5-star game with one particular deficiency that I’ll discuss in a bit.
Rather than follow my normal script in a review I want to do things a little differently: I’m going to point out some spectacular features which I think make this game stand head and shoulders above the rest (and, unfortunately, a couple of deficiencies which keep this game from uncontested greatness.
What is GREAT?:
a. This game is absolutely the very definition of HIGH DEF. It is crystal clear. It's like looking at a perfect photograph of an object.
a. This game is absolutely the very definition of HIGH DEF. It is crystal clear. It's like looking at a perfect photograph of an object.
b. The developers didn’t short cut the fun, even when you choose the wrong object to use in a certain situation, there was, what I will call, “follow through.” An example (not from the game, so as not to spoil it for you): Imagine you pick the wrong key open a door. Typically the key would just fall back into your inventory and you’d get a message “I guess that's not quite right.” In this game even the wrong key would slip into the door and an effort would be made to turn the key. Only then would you discover that it doesn’t work. In other words, there’s MYSTERY and DISCOVERY along the way.
c. Every character, “human” or animal has depth of personality. This creates humor (in one particular instance I’m thinking of)…but much more than that, for the first time in a game, I felt like I had a relationship with the characters. It’s a very interesting perspective with a game of fantasy…and I enjoyed it immensely.
The best way to create personality is through the use of the voice over. In this game they are the best, incomparable, IMO.
e. There is A LOT OF back and forth. Usually this is a big pain. Not so here. It was all productive movement and, typically, along the way you still picked up something of use. This indicated to me that the developers are sensitive to the problems of "back and forth" and did something to remedy the monotony.
f. The HOGs, were a great challenge. The regular list-pick HOGs were good. The silhouette-progressive usage HOGs were unbelievably good,
And now, the NOT SO GREAT parts of the game:
a. The mini-games were absolutely a huge disappointment. Unfortunately, the worst of them (an “outline by numbers” game that you’ll recognize immediately) was repeated 5 times. Sadly, I cannot think of one, good, challenging game.
b. Another disappointment: One of the achievements was for solving puzzles/mini-game without instructions. Well, that's no achievement in this game. It would be almost embarrassing having to admit needing directions for many of the games.
One note: When the original CE was introduced, many reviewers mentioned that the majority of mini-games are within HOS. That's not true. At the beginning there are several mini-games as part of HOS but that is by no means the only place you find them. There were many, many games (as bad as they were) that were completely independent of HOS... the majority, in fact.
c. There is one exception to the great voice over artistry. I wonder if you’ll notice it!?!? OMG. It is the single most annoying voice I've ever heard in a game. I wanted to muzzle the character. (I’ll post this review in the forums. Please send me a PM and let me know if you recognize the character I’m referencing here!!)
SO: The only major disappointment for me is the quality (or lack thereof) of the mini-games. Aside from that Three Guardians is an overwhelming hit in my opinion.
Unfortunately, the sorry nature of the games cannot be overlooked, no matter how good everything else was.
Some have referred to this as the game of the year. I think that’s a bit premature…especially because of the mini-games.
In my opinion, when the awards go out for game of the year 2014, what's going to stand in the way of Three Guardians and a trophy is the inadequate challenge presented by the mini-games. Given the general excellence of this game, I think that’s a real shame.
Of course I still strongly recommend this game. I will guess that a year from now I'll look back on this and it will be in my top 10 for the year...top 5 maybe. But it will not be number one. And you know why.
There is a choice to be made between the CE and SE. I don't think you can go wrong either way. The CE is a great value. The SE, because of the quality of the game is a SUPERB value. I heartily recommend both.
I recommend this game!
Help Alex and Lisa return to the present, and each other, before a rumbling volcano spews its contents in this Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
1
/
5
9 of 12 found this review helpful
...More like the Gates of...
PostedFebruary 26, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromAnywhere but here!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Sometimes we characterize bad games as easy and suggest that they might be good for beginners. I think that's insulting to beginners or very casual gamers. A bad game is bad Period. I'm sure the developers weren't thinking they'd make a game for beginners. But then, I'm not sure what they were thinking at all.
If this game is valuable, it's because:
a) It shows us how good we have it now.
b) It really demonstrates the importance of the free hour trial BFG gives us.
a) It shows us how good we have it now.
b) It really demonstrates the importance of the free hour trial BFG gives us.
I played about 20 minutes of the free trial on a Mac Book Pro.
This game shows the earlier history of hidden object games, and not much more. It must have been quite something when it first came out, inasmuch as it has a very solid 4+ rating from the reviewers who, by in large, raved about it. If you rave about it today you've been hitting the sauce!
Visual/Sound Quality:
Sight: Quickly you will notice how unsophisticated the graphic techniques are. I'd draw the analogy (so to speak) of a very early cartoon, where the characters are so simply drawn they have no personality or detail. Movements are extremely limited and display no fluidity at all.
Sight: Quickly you will notice how unsophisticated the graphic techniques are. I'd draw the analogy (so to speak) of a very early cartoon, where the characters are so simply drawn they have no personality or detail. Movements are extremely limited and display no fluidity at all.
Sound: Aside from the monotonous soundtrack of island-themed elevator music playing the same few bars over and over again, there is no sound. The dialog is written. No....don't even wonder about lip-synching. There are no voices overs.
Level of Challenge:
Overall, the challenge is sticking with the game. I couldn't.
Overall, the challenge is sticking with the game. I couldn't.
HOGs: The first thing about the HOGs is this: when you are finding things in their environment, the placement should make sense...not a dead giveaway, but not a logical impossibility either.
There are FROGs and Multiple Finds: Both are very basic and except where they are so small as to be indecipherable, or ridiculously placed, they are not hard to find.
Mini-games: Maybe these were special back in the day, but not anymore. Here's an example:
One early game resembles the current pipe puzzles where you need to correctly orient and then place 15-20 pieces of pipe from one end of a grid to the other using every piece. It's not pipe here...but that's unimportant. In this puzzle the orientation of the individual pieces is already set and unchangeable. Having to re-orient the pieces is where I find the challenge in this type of puzzle. No challenge here.
Storyline:
Honestly, I have no idea. I couldn't stick with it long enough to tell you anything more than what I read in the description of the game.
Honestly, I have no idea. I couldn't stick with it long enough to tell you anything more than what I read in the description of the game.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE use the free trial before spending any money on this game. I'll be very surprised if you end up purchasing.
I don't recommend this game.
Free Emmett from an evil spell and save the townspeople from murderous demons.
Overall rating
3
/
5
80 of 91 found this review helpful
Hope Floats!
PostedFebruary 23, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA...But I can see Reagan from my front porch!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
First, in terms of value, this is a timely production: for a while now, the only option for The Lost Hope was the Collector’s Edition. It is not a great value proposition.
This SE, conversely, is.
This SE, conversely, is.
FUN FACTOR:
It's middle of the road. After playing superior games like Stray Souls, Nevertales, Portal of Evil: Stolen Runes, and my longtime favorite, Angelica Weaver: Catch Me When You Can, it's clear this game doesn't occupy the same rarified space. Three stars only, not five.
It's middle of the road. After playing superior games like Stray Souls, Nevertales, Portal of Evil: Stolen Runes, and my longtime favorite, Angelica Weaver: Catch Me When You Can, it's clear this game doesn't occupy the same rarified space. Three stars only, not five.
Visual/Sound Quality: The sights and sounds are good. I think the "set design" is adequate. Items are well drawn. Background music is also good, albeit a bit repetitive.
The Voice actors are good. While the location of the game is not finally indicated, beyond being in the mountains somewhere, it seems it's in the British Empire for British accents abound.
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE:
There are two types of HOGs totaling 20 scenes. First, there is the traditional “list pick” with each having a couple of interactive items. If you opt out of this you can play a JIGSAW puzzle game. Bonus Fun Factor points for this: I was so thrilled with the opportunity I eschewed a couple HOGs to play the jigsaws.
There are two types of HOGs totaling 20 scenes. First, there is the traditional “list pick” with each having a couple of interactive items. If you opt out of this you can play a JIGSAW puzzle game. Bonus Fun Factor points for this: I was so thrilled with the opportunity I eschewed a couple HOGs to play the jigsaws.
The second HOG format requires placing an item in its environment (for instance, putting Skull and Crossbones on a bottle of poison). As an alternative to playing this form of HOG you may choose a Match 3 instead. The HOGs, both types, are of average difficulty. The assortment keeps it interesting. While the HOGs are not junk piles they don't have signs saying "I'm an ACORN" either.
The Mini-games are familiar and also total 20 (there are a couple which are not "officially" listed as games but the only thing that keeps them from being a mini-game is that they aren't referred to as such by the developers in the course of play. Call them what you will, they are mini-games. They are fun and in some cases a little more challenging than others of the same type you’ve seen elsewhere. What challenge there is results from the intricacy of the details. Directions are straightforward (not to be taken for granted these days).
STORYLINE:
You've received a letter from your Brother in-law asking you to visit the town of Reagan where your sister lived and died. Anxious to find out why and how, you visit Emmett. Something is going on in this town and the easy answer that your brother in law is to blame for the strange happenings and several deaths is just a little too easy. So you go to investigate.
You've received a letter from your Brother in-law asking you to visit the town of Reagan where your sister lived and died. Anxious to find out why and how, you visit Emmett. Something is going on in this town and the easy answer that your brother in law is to blame for the strange happenings and several deaths is just a little too easy. So you go to investigate.
TO CE or NOT TO SE...
...That is the question. You must decide whether you'll invest in the Collectors Edition or stick to the SE. For your ready reference, the CE includes:
A. A Bonus Chapter
B. The "Who Cares Assortment" of Wall Papers, Concept Art, and Music
C. Re-playable HOGs and puzzles
D. Three Collectibles: a) Mythic Creature Statues which you bring to life (transform) with b)Crystals; And, lastly, c) coins which you use to upgrade the scenery.
E. 18 unremarkable achievements.
...That is the question. You must decide whether you'll invest in the Collectors Edition or stick to the SE. For your ready reference, the CE includes:
A. A Bonus Chapter
B. The "Who Cares Assortment" of Wall Papers, Concept Art, and Music
C. Re-playable HOGs and puzzles
D. Three Collectibles: a) Mythic Creature Statues which you bring to life (transform) with b)Crystals; And, lastly, c) coins which you use to upgrade the scenery.
E. 18 unremarkable achievements.
The CE "bling," as my friend Just The Facts refers to it, does not warrant the asking price which is more than twice the SE. Stick with the best value proposition on this good, not great, game.
I recommend this game!
The wolf spirit still haunts... will you heed its call?
Overall rating
5
/
5
68 of 86 found this review helpful
Magically Delicious!
PostedFebruary 21, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromLet Your Imagination Run Wild....Like a Wolf in the Forest
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is an excellent game from Eipix. It's been out for awhile in CE form and now is released as an SE. I think Eipix recent history is ho-hum but Spirit Wolf is quite another story.
An old friend has called you to help him sort out strange happenings from last night at the North American Heritage site. As you travel there an amulet that has been in your family for generations begins to glow...just as strange symbols appeared at the Heritage Center and began glowing as well. You use your expertise in the study of symbols to solve the mysterious events of the distant past that revolve around love and betrayal...and the epic myth of the wolf.
FUN FACTOR:
Dan Brown and the Da Vinci Code meet Native American Mythology. This game is stunningly beautiful to the senses and will thrill you as you play. That Amulet that's been in your family proves to be an invaluable tool...And you'll find out how if you decide to play. No mystery here: for me this game rates a BIG YES.
Dan Brown and the Da Vinci Code meet Native American Mythology. This game is stunningly beautiful to the senses and will thrill you as you play. That Amulet that's been in your family proves to be an invaluable tool...And you'll find out how if you decide to play. No mystery here: for me this game rates a BIG YES.
I thought the FUN FACTOR was off the charts because of…
…THE VISUAL/SOUND QUALITY:
Visuals: Grand Canyon at night is a "cavalcade of color" with rich hues. The developers created something very special and the painters knew what they were doing.
Visuals: Grand Canyon at night is a "cavalcade of color" with rich hues. The developers created something very special and the painters knew what they were doing.
Sounds: From the first second of the intro music you're immersed in sound. Both background and special effects are very well executed.
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE:
HOGs: There around 25 HOGs in two formats: regular HOGs and Mini-HOGs. The first is the usual "list pick. The second is silhouette matching (and no more than six items). Both styles provide very challenging HOGs. In fact, the most difficult I'd encountered in game playing at the time.
HOGs: There around 25 HOGs in two formats: regular HOGs and Mini-HOGs. The first is the usual "list pick. The second is silhouette matching (and no more than six items). Both styles provide very challenging HOGs. In fact, the most difficult I'd encountered in game playing at the time.
The scenes are richly packed with items. They are NOT junk piles. Items are very clear and distinct but they blend with the background so perfectly they are very difficult to see.
Mini-Games: YES. Some brand new games (HOW, I WISH EIPIX would come up with some brand-new puzzles for their most recent offerings.) There are approximately 20 mini-games ranging in difficulty from "do it with your eyes closed" to "I think I need the Strategy Guide." Don't give in. You'll solve the puzzles. Look out for the one with the beads later in the game. The directions aren't perfect, but the gaming and fun is.
General Gaming:
Spirit Wold provides a great combination of HOG/MINI-GAMES/STORYLINE. If I tell you more than I did above I'll be taking away some of your fun. The storyline drives the game and it's very engaging.
Spirit Wold provides a great combination of HOG/MINI-GAMES/STORYLINE. If I tell you more than I did above I'll be taking away some of your fun. The storyline drives the game and it's very engaging.
I think you can tell that my overall recommendation is a YES for this game. The decision, then, is whether the SE is sufficient or if you should go the direction of the CE.
Here’s what the CE provides that you won't get with the SE:
1. Achievements (including one that's actually good: finishing HOGs without any over-clicking penalty). Now that's an achievement!
2. Re-playable AND BONUS HOGs.
3. Concept art, re-playable music, movies.
4. The Making of the game video which is VERY interesting and something that Eipix typically provides. It's always fascinating to me.
5. A Souvenir shop (a piece of Eipix Candy that’s really a penny candy “find it.”
6. A Bonus Chapter that’s all about the amulet. The bonus chapter adds around 10 HOGs and 3-4 mini games.
7. Integrated Strategy Guide (that includes a game play clock!!).
1. Achievements (including one that's actually good: finishing HOGs without any over-clicking penalty). Now that's an achievement!
2. Re-playable AND BONUS HOGs.
3. Concept art, re-playable music, movies.
4. The Making of the game video which is VERY interesting and something that Eipix typically provides. It's always fascinating to me.
5. A Souvenir shop (a piece of Eipix Candy that’s really a penny candy “find it.”
6. A Bonus Chapter that’s all about the amulet. The bonus chapter adds around 10 HOGs and 3-4 mini games.
7. Integrated Strategy Guide (that includes a game play clock!!).
In my early playing days (not that long ago) I used to gravitate toward CEs. Now I find myself being fully satisfied with SEs more often than not. In this case, I think there’s ample reason to move to the CE: (SORRY IF IT SEEMS LIKE I CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIND!)
Typically, "Achievements" as a CE extra are nothing more than what you accomplish in the normal course of game play. Here there is the one I mentioned that I think is worthwhile. It takes a lot of discipline to complete all the HOGs without over-clicking even just once. This is a point in favor of buying CE. Yes, you will know if you did it or not, but the visual confirmation and having the goal right there in front of you is worthwhile.
I also think the bonus HOG is worthwhile, especially because the quality is so high. Finally, I think the bonus chapter is is a good value, providing a couple handfuls more of HOGs and mini-games and about 20% additional gameplay overall.
Totaling all this up, I lean toward the CE. If you don't agree that the value proposition is found in the CE, you will NOT be disappointed with your purchase of an SE.
As always, I suggest taking advantage of the free hour of game play. I think you'll want to finish what you started!
I recommend this game!
Your sister disappears the night of her star debut – and there are ghosts in the theater! Will this dance ever end?
Overall rating
3
/
5
91 of 125 found this review helpful
Not Particularly Macabre; Definitely NOT Adagio!
PostedFebruary 20, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromAddress: 100 Rue de Ambigue, Quelque, France. It's anywhere, yet nowhere at all.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I played this game for 4 hours on an Apple Macbook Pro.
As you can guess, I'm sure, Danse Macabre is the Dance of Death. Adagio in ballet, more than just the "slow" of music also means a gentle unfolding. Well, this game doesn't play deadly...it's not at all scary or frightening. Actually, the only fright is the lightening fast pace. So, not really adagio either. The first thing I think Eipix needs to do is change the title!!!!!
FUN FACTOR:
This game, like the other offerings from Eipix is a high-powered object acquisition game. In fact, among the "achievements" is the acquisition of 100, 150 and finally 200. The Last Adagio moves at a rapid pace and the player collects item after item pushing the game along.
This game, like the other offerings from Eipix is a high-powered object acquisition game. In fact, among the "achievements" is the acquisition of 100, 150 and finally 200. The Last Adagio moves at a rapid pace and the player collects item after item pushing the game along.
If collecting "things" is what you're about in hidden object gaming then you will love Danse Macabre. It's what you do start to finish. It's not fun for me, but I know quality when I see it and this is a quality game.
VISUAL/SOUND QUALITY:
Sights:
Eipix might also change its own name to Eicandy. This is a very richly designed game. It's a beautiful thing to behold. Lot's of color (lots of gold!) and very brilliant. Visually it doesn't get much better than this.
Sights:
Eipix might also change its own name to Eicandy. This is a very richly designed game. It's a beautiful thing to behold. Lot's of color (lots of gold!) and very brilliant. Visually it doesn't get much better than this.
Sounds:
The music is appropriate for the balletic theme: classical and orchestral. It's not my cup of cognac, but again, if it's the style you like, you'll be very pleased with this game.
The music is appropriate for the balletic theme: classical and orchestral. It's not my cup of cognac, but again, if it's the style you like, you'll be very pleased with this game.
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE
HOGs: There are 17 HOGs throughout the game and they are either list-pick or silhouette finds. As usual, the list pick is pretty easy with each one having a couple of interactive items. The silhouette presents much more of a challenge but not daunting by any means.
HOGs: There are 17 HOGs throughout the game and they are either list-pick or silhouette finds. As usual, the list pick is pretty easy with each one having a couple of interactive items. The silhouette presents much more of a challenge but not daunting by any means.
Mini-games: This is the weakest part of any Eipix game. The mini-games are way too easy. Someone who prefers to avoid puzzles will suffer through 28 of them but without breaking a sweat. Conceptually they are simple. Again, no new ground is broken. The most difficult puzzle came very early and, I think, quite by accident: there's a safe opening game. It's not meant to be difficult, it just turns out that the dialing the combination is very touchy. You'll know what to do, that's not the issue. It's just the execution is very delicate. As a result, this puzzle, in particular, is just an annoyance because of needing to retry the same thing over and over again.
General Play: This is not a challenging game by an stretch of the imagination. Beautiful to behold, uninteresting to play.
STORYLINE;
You guessed it: an ages old curse. Love, unrequited, interrupted. Gaspar has imprisoned many souls as revenge for his own pain. (BTW, how do you do that???? If you know, please write me a note in the forums. I'd imprison a soul or two if only I knew how!!). You've shown up to see your sister perform the recital of a life time only to discover her disappearance. Several ghosts, most notably Pierre, will point you in the right direction.
You guessed it: an ages old curse. Love, unrequited, interrupted. Gaspar has imprisoned many souls as revenge for his own pain. (BTW, how do you do that???? If you know, please write me a note in the forums. I'd imprison a soul or two if only I knew how!!). You've shown up to see your sister perform the recital of a life time only to discover her disappearance. Several ghosts, most notably Pierre, will point you in the right direction.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION ENHANCEMENTS
As a Collector's Edition, you certainly get your money's worth!!! For the extra lucre, you get:
a. Bonus Chapter
b. A VERY INTERESTING video about the making of the game. There are dancers practicing moves you'll see in the game. It's the most fascinating extra I've ever seen in a game.
c. Re-playable HOGs and Puzzles.
d. BONUS HOGs.
e. Re-playable Music/Reviewable Pics and Cut Scenes.
f. Achievements. Nothing spectacular. Some particularly weird ones, including one for SKIPPING 5 Puzzles and one for finishing 3 HOGS with the alternative Bubble Shoot game instead of the HOG itself. I understand offering the alternate, but to make it an achievement? That seems strange in wha is overall a hidden object game.
g. 15 morphing objects.
h. 44 collectible golden roses that are not at all sneakily hidden.
i. A souvenir room which I haven't quite reached yet.
j. Last but not least: I KNOW this isn't a CE feature, but there is no SE yet so I'll include the map here. As per usual for Eipix, IMO the format of the map is useless. There's all the regular information inconveniently organized.
As a Collector's Edition, you certainly get your money's worth!!! For the extra lucre, you get:
a. Bonus Chapter
b. A VERY INTERESTING video about the making of the game. There are dancers practicing moves you'll see in the game. It's the most fascinating extra I've ever seen in a game.
c. Re-playable HOGs and Puzzles.
d. BONUS HOGs.
e. Re-playable Music/Reviewable Pics and Cut Scenes.
f. Achievements. Nothing spectacular. Some particularly weird ones, including one for SKIPPING 5 Puzzles and one for finishing 3 HOGS with the alternative Bubble Shoot game instead of the HOG itself. I understand offering the alternate, but to make it an achievement? That seems strange in wha is overall a hidden object game.
g. 15 morphing objects.
h. 44 collectible golden roses that are not at all sneakily hidden.
i. A souvenir room which I haven't quite reached yet.
j. Last but not least: I KNOW this isn't a CE feature, but there is no SE yet so I'll include the map here. As per usual for Eipix, IMO the format of the map is useless. There's all the regular information inconveniently organized.
So, two conclusions from me:
a. If this is the type of game you like, you will love this offering from Eipix. You'll recognize it also. It's the same as virtually everything else they do now....different storyline but same actions. Final Cut was fun 8 months ago but this is just another book in the same prolific series.
a. If this is the type of game you like, you will love this offering from Eipix. You'll recognize it also. It's the same as virtually everything else they do now....different storyline but same actions. Final Cut was fun 8 months ago but this is just another book in the same prolific series.
b. If you prefer a game that's got you biting your nails, giving you white knuckles as you hang on for dear life, scared to death of what's just around the corner, you will not enjoy this game. I'm in this camp.
No matter what type of game you prefer, I think you'll have grown tired of the same old-same old from Eipix. I suggest they back off for a bit and perhaps come up with a new twist. Maybe they can hire someone to develop a completely new puzzle. That would be exciting!!!
Until then, I think I'll be taking a sabbatical from Eipix.
I don't recommend this game.