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:
Free the terrified balls from Roboto, the Evil Carnival Master, who has subjected them to a life of slavery in his traveling carnival!
Overall rating
5
/
5
16 of 25 found this review helpful
I Think the Bouncer was SIPPING!!
PostedFebruary 11, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Beginner
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 wanted a change of pace and this was it. What a fun, low-stress way to spend, wait...the time flew by, almost as fast as the balls.
As you progress in the game so to do the levels of interesting targets, from the very basic "hole in the wall," to far more intricate designs ending up with multiple walls.
Take aim and fire. If you play racquetball or handball, you can easily see the fun in this game.
One complaint only: the music is absolutely the right tempo...very upbeat...but it's way too repetitive and the only alternative is to mute it.
Aside from that minor complaint, I'd say, if this is your thing, then this is your game.
I recommend this game!
Help Eden Hunt win a mysterious treasure hunt and finance her future adventures! Find the treasure of Akua first to win!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
What I Know is Fun. It's What I DON'T Know that Concerns Me.
PostedFebruary 11, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA. The land of truces, please. I'm sorry. All my fault.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This review is based on completing the "free trial" period on a Mac. I don't know how long I played. I think it was about 30 minutes.
This is strictly a puzzle game (I think you figured that out by now).
Despite a couple of problems with the strict application of logic, the majority of what I played was fun. It was not really challenging, but it was fun. As for paying for the whole game, I'm not sure. I think I will:
Here are a couple of problems I encountered in the trial period:
(Spoiler Alert: From a certain perspective, I'm going to spoil here...but this is a game with "problems to solve" not a mystery or a whodunnit that I'm going to ruin for you).
(Spoiler Alert: From a certain perspective, I'm going to spoil here...but this is a game with "problems to solve" not a mystery or a whodunnit that I'm going to ruin for you).
A. In at least one logic problem ("what statement can be made that will save you?") and one math-logic problem (how many miles did a bird accompanying a boat fly) there was either not enough information to arrive at the conclusive answer or the answer (what would save you?) was logically impossible.
1. So, regarding which statement will save you from death: A correct answer results in death by drowning and false answer results in death by stabbing. That's really all you need to know. The statements are unimportant because the array of options has already been given. Your answer can only be right, wrong or both right and wrong. The results of a right answer and a wrong answer are both death. Therefore, the results of an answer that is both right and wrong, unless said situation was previously agreed upon to be a disqualifying factor for death, will be death.
2. The other one I THINK I remember is about the distance a bird flies. The boat sails at a speed of 9 MPH for a distance of 9 Miles, the distance between the two points. The boat may or may not be sailing in a straight line but that isn't salient. We know the length and speed she sailed. The bird flies at a speed of 34 MPH. The question was how many miles did the bird fly. There's not enough information to answer that question. We know the bird flew to the same place. We were not told if both the bird and the boat arrived at the same time. The answer, based on the information we are given, is unknowable.
For a logic problem to be soluble, the facts must be exact. My concern about the whole game is how many of the problems will fail the test of the rigorous application of logic?
B. I don't know what other types of puzzles there are and if they become more difficult. Consequently, I don't know how long the game is. The combination of a game that's short and a logic game that's flawed could be fatal.
IF THE GAME can get righted, it would be MORE fun...it certainly would activate a few synapses. Also, if you're not a rigorous logician the game can also be fun: you can draw conclusions, just not fool-proof ones. If the presentation of a logic problem gets your logic juices flowing, you might have several difficulties with the game. Or, from a different perspective, finding the logical inconsistencies in the questions themselves may also provide some pleasure.
(I think I just happened on my conclusion. I will buy the game because even the opportunity to conclude that the logic of some of the question or some of the various answers is faulty will be fun as well.
(I think I just happened on my conclusion. I will buy the game because even the opportunity to conclude that the logic of some of the question or some of the various answers is faulty will be fun as well.
I recommend the game with the above caveats.
I recommend this game!
Charon's train has left the station, and you'll never believe who's on board!
Overall rating
2
/
5
83 of 117 found this review helpful
The Little Train That Couldn't
PostedFebruary 9, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromDestination: Hades. This must be your train?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
My review is based on completing the game on a Mac and then studying the strategy guide again to prepare for this review. I purchased the CE version but this review is of the main game with references to the CE .
I didn’t care for the game and I’ll try to explain why as fairly as possible. Of course I wanted to like it. I spent the money on it but it just didn’t work out.
There were some positives:
A. The Sights: It was a winner artistically. Throughout the game you progress through a variety of cities beginning in Western Europe and ending in Eastern Europe. Each one of the locales had a particular European feel to it. So, props to the environment, or "set design" people.
A. The Sights: It was a winner artistically. Throughout the game you progress through a variety of cities beginning in Western Europe and ending in Eastern Europe. Each one of the locales had a particular European feel to it. So, props to the environment, or "set design" people.
B. The Sounds: The voice actors were good and the lip-synching was as well. (Just a little editorializing here: how come this bad game has great lip-synching while some great games recently have no synching or terrible synching? It doesn’t make sense to me.)
C. The other thing that was good was…er… Wait. I'm sorry. That's all I can say about the game that is positive.
Two schools of thought now:
1. If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all.
2. If you can't say anything nice come sit by me.
1. If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all.
2. If you can't say anything nice come sit by me.
Come sit by me and I’ll tell you about the game…:
A. The animation was very poor. Here are a couple of examples to illustrate:
1. In one scene a lemon was being squeezed into a cocktail shaker. The lemon hovered over the shaker, there was no "liquid" going from the lemon to the shaker. After a moment the lemon was gone. Big deal? Maybe it’s not, but we have certainly seen games where you'd know that liquid was being poured into a container from another source.
2. An item, fallen between the cracks of a grate on the ground needs to be extricated. I had a hook in my inventory. As the hook neared the grate, but before it actually reached it, the grate mysteriously rose. Hmm, maybe the grate was haunted.
A. The animation was very poor. Here are a couple of examples to illustrate:
1. In one scene a lemon was being squeezed into a cocktail shaker. The lemon hovered over the shaker, there was no "liquid" going from the lemon to the shaker. After a moment the lemon was gone. Big deal? Maybe it’s not, but we have certainly seen games where you'd know that liquid was being poured into a container from another source.
2. An item, fallen between the cracks of a grate on the ground needs to be extricated. I had a hook in my inventory. As the hook neared the grate, but before it actually reached it, the grate mysteriously rose. Hmm, maybe the grate was haunted.
These don't seem like fatal flaws, but they are very typical of the play throughout the game. There is a serious lack of attention to detail.
B. The story line that propelled us through Europe was preposterous: A bride has been murdered by the evil Count Orlock on her wedding day. The husband (whom you play in this first-person adventure) mentions that it’s supposed to be the best day of their lives and he thought all their troubles were behind them. RUH ROH!! There was already trouble in Paradise and this trip hadn't even begun yet!!
Somehow the Mrs. boards Charon’s train to Hades and the undead husband gets on as well. In the “old days" Charon ferried across the river Styx but now he prefers to travel by train. Life is so complicated since the invention of the wheel…but I digress. Earlier, several souls who weren’t too keen on Hades as a destination ganged up, revolted and escaped. Charon is searching for these malcontents. In the meantime the souls headed to Hades are stuck on the train (STUCK????, depending on the quality of the food and service, the train seems like a much better deal than Hades any day of the week). It turns out that Charon release your (dead?) wife IF YOU HELP HIM CAPTURE THE EVIL COUNT ORLOCK. In other words, Charon has the power to release your wife's soul to you, but he won’t do it unless you help him. That’s just NOT COOL!!!
C. It's a hidden object game and there are many items to “collect” that move the game forward. I think most gamers are looking for HOGs and/or mini-games when they buy a Hidden Object/Puzzle/Adventure. If it’s HOGs you seek, you’re not going to be happy: There are 10 total. They are of the list-pick variety. There are 20 mini-games/puzzles. The HOGs are uninspired. The mini-games never leave the train station. Here are some examples:
1. 5 times you play a game in which you place tokens on the map that details your path. You’ll play this game on your way to France, Italy, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Transylvania. The tokens represent various aspects of the locale to which you're headed. On your way to France for example, the first set of tokens might include Croissant, Borscht, pasta and, Paella. OK. Guess. Yes! Croissant. The next set of tokens might be famous buildings. Place the Coliseum instead of the Louvre and it's back to the start for you. (I'll save you time: this is the first puzzle of the entire game, of course, and it's not the best. Nothing about it is fun. It's pedestrian).
2. Three times you’ll complete puzzles which require no more skill than a trip to your journal. There you’ll find out how to properly accessorize french characters on a poster; properly arrange the limbs of two mannequins, and later on, correctly position two armored knights. (The accessorizing one is the second puzzle of the game. It, too, is boring and requires no skill. The answers "are out there.)"
3. The final puzzle of the main game of Spirits of Charon asks you to align concentric circles with symbols on them in a way that will form a path to the center. Uhm, no.
As I mentioned, I purchased the Collector’s Edition and tried to access the bonus chapter. I couldn't retrieve any inventory nor could I access the monocle (a tool that allows you to "see" para-normal things the ordinary eye cannot grasp). This monocle is part of the main game as well. Without inventory or monocle it's really "game over.” So, the game was over for me.
TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY. TO CE OR SE.
Your first decision is whether you want the game at all. If the answer is yes, you need to decide on the CE or SE. If you buy it this weekend you’re going to get a good price no matter which one you buy. Too bad this is the featured game.
Your first decision is whether you want the game at all. If the answer is yes, you need to decide on the CE or SE. If you buy it this weekend you’re going to get a good price no matter which one you buy. Too bad this is the featured game.
Here’s what I think about the Collector’s Edition: I don't know why there is one. I have no idea what the value proposition is. Maybe you can figure it out: This is what you get (and don't get) if you purchase it:
A. The “who cares” assortment of wallpaper, concept art and music that's re-playable.
B. A bonus Chapter that I couldn’t play. I can only tell you that the strategy guide says there are 8 HOGs and 5 mini-games/puzzles.
C. An ok strategy guide.
D. There are no morphing objects, collectibles or achievements in the main game of the CE (or in the bonus, I imagine).
B. A bonus Chapter that I couldn’t play. I can only tell you that the strategy guide says there are 8 HOGs and 5 mini-games/puzzles.
C. An ok strategy guide.
D. There are no morphing objects, collectibles or achievements in the main game of the CE (or in the bonus, I imagine).
While I think gamers make too big of a deal about these things, the reality is, if we are asked to pay more than twice the price of an SE for a CE, there better be some pretty good features for all that extra money.
I don't recommend this game as a CE for sure and if you're even contemplating buying it as an SE make well sure you use a coupon or it's on serious sale (like right now). This isn't a full game. I don't think you should pay full price.
Sorry Ladies and Gentlemen. IMO this game does not deserve a recommendation. I do recommend trying the hour-long trial (the one I didn't take advantage of).
Caveat Emptor.
I don't recommend this game.
Can a vampire and an ordinary girl be together, if the vampire's father opposes this?
Overall rating
2
/
5
57 of 94 found this review helpful
I am NOT in love with this game.
PostedFebruary 8, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromDon't let the closing coffin hit you in the....
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I played the hourlong free trial on a Mac.
There are so many "features" to this game and so much "stuff" thrown together in every scene, I'm not sure one can ever get to playing the game and really knowing what's going on. I breathed a sigh of relief when the hour was over so I could get to something else.
Yes, there are many "things" which my friend, JustTheFacts, calls CE Bling. To me they stood in the way of having fun and don't at all contribute to this game. Fun Factor: One Bar for not so much fun.
Visual/Sound Quality:
Sights: As I said, it's very crowded. Every scene has so much thrown in it (and I'm not just talking about HOS, I mean every scene) that I couldn't really distinguish anything. It was too busy. I don't think the drawn articles are particularly crisp and the ambience is very dark. Given the subject matter dark is right, but it's just too dark to see things clearly.
Sights: As I said, it's very crowded. Every scene has so much thrown in it (and I'm not just talking about HOS, I mean every scene) that I couldn't really distinguish anything. It was too busy. I don't think the drawn articles are particularly crisp and the ambience is very dark. Given the subject matter dark is right, but it's just too dark to see things clearly.
The HOGs were not good IMO. They are truly junk piles. It was hard to recognize objects and not because they were cleverly hidden but because they defied description.
Sounds; This was the high point of the game. I'd love to hear this scary, intense music used in another game of quality. I think it provides a great background. Music is not, however, enough to justify buying a game.
Because the sights were bad and the sounds were better, I'm going to give this three bars for Visuals/Sounds.
Because the sights were bad and the sounds were better, I'm going to give this three bars for Visuals/Sounds.
Level of Challenge: Just because an item is difficult to see doesn't mean it's challenging. It could mean it's not well drawn or well described. This is what I think is the case here.
HOGs: Crowded and poorly described. It was a challenge to identify items but not the right type of challenge. I've played enough of these games, and played the good ones to know what a superior game is. This is not that. There are 26 of these not-so-good HOGs.
Mini-Games: I only played a few of the 24 that are presented throughout the game. So far the "answers" are in the journal. Consequently there's absolutely no challenge at all (well, it was a challenge to try to remember what I just read in the journal and then apply it to the mini-game but I think that's a function of my age and faltering memory not the quality of the challenge.
HOGs and Mini-Games: It was a challenge to pay attention. 2 bars for Level of Challenge.
Storyline: Dracula's son wants to be a good guy. The old man isn't so happy with this. The vengeful old bat kidnaps the son's (Enron's) girlfriend with a promise to turn her into a vampire as well, thus forcing the Boy Bat to return to the ways of the undead.
Story Line is Preposterous. One bar.
Story Line is Preposterous. One bar.
While it's difficult to garner the will to want to do anything, there is a LOT to do:
a. 24 Puzzles/Mini games.
b. 26 HOGs of the list pick variety.
c. 20 achievements with nothing very special to achieve among them.
d. There are three collectibles:
1. 24 Bats
2. 23 Garlic Cloves which you can use to purchase items.
3. 15 "Collection Items" which are basically objects related to vampires and vampire-dom.
e. Wallpaper, Concept Art, Music
f. Finally, you play the game both as the Boy Bat and as the Girlfriend. One more thing to decide...instead of just playing the game.
b. 26 HOGs of the list pick variety.
c. 20 achievements with nothing very special to achieve among them.
d. There are three collectibles:
1. 24 Bats
2. 23 Garlic Cloves which you can use to purchase items.
3. 15 "Collection Items" which are basically objects related to vampires and vampire-dom.
e. Wallpaper, Concept Art, Music
f. Finally, you play the game both as the Boy Bat and as the Girlfriend. One more thing to decide...instead of just playing the game.
Do yourself a favor and play the hour-long trial for as long as you can and see what you think. I don't think you'll play the full hour.
I don't recommend this game.
Witch hunters have kidnapped Lynn! To save her, you'll have to team up with an old foe and storm their castle.
Overall rating
4
/
5
74 of 103 found this review helpful
Which Witch is Which? And Which Do You Want? The CE or the SE? I'll tell you what I think inside...
PostedFebruary 7, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromAnother witch bites the dust? That's the strategy apparently. Which witch will be missed?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Imagine my surprise!
I was well prepared to dislike this game. And then, suddenly, I liked it. I didn't buy the Collector's Edition when it was first introduced. I signed on for the hourlong trial (as I always recommend others to do) of the newly introduced SE. As another prolific reviewer suggested would happen, I was moved to purchase the Collector's Edition within 15 minutes of play. I didn't wait for the trial to end.
I was well prepared to dislike this game. And then, suddenly, I liked it. I didn't buy the Collector's Edition when it was first introduced. I signed on for the hourlong trial (as I always recommend others to do) of the newly introduced SE. As another prolific reviewer suggested would happen, I was moved to purchase the Collector's Edition within 15 minutes of play. I didn't wait for the trial to end.
Fun Factor: I'm playing way too many HOG/Adventure/Puzzle games. What was remarkably fun for me was this: I recognized the voice of one of the actors. (Yes, I liked the mini-games and the HOGs. But, I'm being honest here. I bought it because of an actor!)
VISUAL/SOUND QUALITY
Sights: I think this is game is very well conceived and executed. It's not a movie and it's not a video, so I'm not sure why everyone expects these games to have the same clarity as one. As games go, I think this one is just fine. As far as "realism" goes, I think the people are drawn so well as to look life-like.
Sights: I think this is game is very well conceived and executed. It's not a movie and it's not a video, so I'm not sure why everyone expects these games to have the same clarity as one. As games go, I think this one is just fine. As far as "realism" goes, I think the people are drawn so well as to look life-like.
Sounds: As I said, I recognized a voice actor!! Elizabeth, a once young, but now old hag witch is voiced by the actress who played the nutty dead mayor's wife in Phantasmat. I loved her voice acting in that and I love it here. She has an old, whiny, shrill, at times high-pitched voice. It's perfect for the role she plays. But not just her, everyone else in this game is really good at the voice acting thing.
One technical issue with the sounds: I wasn't playing the HOGs particularly quickly (not like I play anything really fast) and there were large gaps in the background music while playing. It's like there's a 5 minute tape and then the music stops and a little while later it re-starts. Not a fatal flaw but it shouldn't happen.
As for the background music in general: it's OK. Not great shakes but we're not listening to the San Francisco Symphony!
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE:
HOGS: I was surprised by the quality of them. They are very well drawn IMO and nicely blended in with the other "stuff" in the scenes. Not easy to find but not impossible either. I think it presents a good challenge. They are nicely interactive. And, there's plenty of them: 22 in the game.
HOGS: I was surprised by the quality of them. They are very well drawn IMO and nicely blended in with the other "stuff" in the scenes. Not easy to find but not impossible either. I think it presents a good challenge. They are nicely interactive. And, there's plenty of them: 22 in the game.
If the challenge is not fun for you, you can switch to a matching game (I actually like these a lot) where you identify pairs and, thus, remove them from the competition as you come closer to completing the task).
Mini-Games: There's nothing new here, but there are really good twists on familiar games. It's a broad assortment, with 21 mini-games spread throughout the SE. All the typical games are represented, including gathering like colors together in a three-part rotating wheel; differently shaped keys which must fit into particular holes; precision movement games, trying to follow and item across a grid. There are many more.
Story line: If you have read the description you know the story line. If you have played the other games in this series, I gather, from the reviews, that this is a true sequel. The bottom line is a girl-witch lost her mater-familias. This happened at the hand of the hag whose voice i recognized from Phantasmat. The girl is adopted and turning into quite a nice person who's well-liked by the townspeople who appreciate who she applies her "talents" so to speak. She's even found a very handsome boyfriend. Unfortunately, the BF is a traitor and part of a witch-hunting group that has now captured Lynn.
Oh yeah: while you try to recapture Lynn from the bad guys, you can use her "imp" to help you retrieve items from small places you or your hand can't fit.
So the conclusion is this: I like the game. It's not Stray Souls or Portals of Evil. It's not a classic. It's just good. The question is, do you want the CE or will this SE suffice?
Here's what you're missing by not having the CE:
1. A bonus chapter with and additional 8 HOGs and 7 mini-games.
2. The "who cares" assortment of wall-papers, screen savers, music and art gallery.
3. 16 ordinary achievements which you'll accomplish just by playing the game carefully but with speed.
4. 35 morphing items. Some of them are very difficult to pick up.
5. 40 collectible puzzle pieces which you can use later to play, well, puzzles. These are also, at time, difficult to find. They could be very, very small. This is not to be confused with well-hidden. They aren't. They are in plain sight, if you walk around with a magnifying glass everywhere you go.
1. A bonus chapter with and additional 8 HOGs and 7 mini-games.
2. The "who cares" assortment of wall-papers, screen savers, music and art gallery.
3. 16 ordinary achievements which you'll accomplish just by playing the game carefully but with speed.
4. 35 morphing items. Some of them are very difficult to pick up.
5. 40 collectible puzzle pieces which you can use later to play, well, puzzles. These are also, at time, difficult to find. They could be very, very small. This is not to be confused with well-hidden. They aren't. They are in plain sight, if you walk around with a magnifying glass everywhere you go.
Do you need to pass by the SE in favor of the CE? No. you'll do just fine with the SE and that's what I recommend you get.
I recommend this game!
Stop the disaster caused by the Sky Kingdom and save the day!
Overall rating
3
/
5
75 of 86 found this review helpful
This is like an Encore, a Curtain Call, A Remembrance of Things Past
PostedFebruary 6, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromBeen here, done that.
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
The sixth edition of Dark Parables makes its appearance nine months after The Final Cinderella, its predecessor in this prolific series. Stephen Zhao, the president of Blue Tea Games, spoke of his inspiration and said he wanted to merge strong stories with great game-play experiences.
The Dark Parables lineup stands head and shoulders above the competition. The problem is, they stand together. I’ve used the analogy in the past of a prolific novelist who writes love stories, for instance (or crime novels, whatever), one after another. Each has its own title, cast of characters and story line, but each is essentially the same book. It’s a formula...a very successful formula, to be sure...but a formula nonetheless. That's the downfall of Jack and the Sky Kingdom.
This series has lost its pizzazz for me, and not just because of the formulaic nature. To me, the whole genre lacks sufficient intrigue and edge. I like murder and mayhem and maybe a little of the paranormal for spice. This game has none of that in my opinion.
Jack and the Sky Kingdom is written in the first person and you are the detective-protagonist. Don’t be confused by that. Detective or no, this is a fairy tale. Period. In addition to that, whether or not I like the “genre” is of little importance. This game will be judged as among the best and most highly anticipated games of 2014 by many of you. I just can't agree.
FUN FACTOR
This game is pretty pure Hidden Object...and little else. As a result, I don't find it very fun at all.
This game is pretty pure Hidden Object...and little else. As a result, I don't find it very fun at all.
VISUAL/SOUND QUALITY
This is the best part of the game.
This is the best part of the game.
Visuals: It’s very beautiful to look at. The visuals are unparalleled. I prefer live acting in games (I think I'm in the minority). While there isn't any of that here, the characters are so well drawn as to look live!
The objects are brilliantly drawn. I’ve seen complaints in the past about the quality of the artwork of Blue Tea Games. The complaints are way off target. This is great visual craftsmanship IMO.
Sounds: The music SOARS. That was the first note I wrote as I was playing. Splendid music. As for the voice-overs, they are very well done also.
Sight and Sound come together with well-executed lip-synching. Unfortunately, you won't find it here. There’s no synchronicity between the voices and the moving lips and that shouldn’t be the case these days. This is my only technical complaint about the game.
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE:
The whole game is about the acquisition of hidden (or not-so-hidden) objects. In addition to this regular game play you will also have the task of completing HOGs and mini-games.
The whole game is about the acquisition of hidden (or not-so-hidden) objects. In addition to this regular game play you will also have the task of completing HOGs and mini-games.
HOGs: If you’ve played predecessors of this game, you’ll recognize the HOG format. There’s a triptych of objects to collect. Upon completion of each section of the triptych you’re awarded an item. Complete all three parts of the triptych and the three awarded items merge together to become one item which is almost immediately used and pushes the story forward.
The HOGs need to be a lot tougher. There are between 25 and 30 HOGs and they are WAY TOO EASY. Items are pictured, not listed. That’s a problem. Your job is to find their twin in context. The items are SO OBVIOUS that several times I completed the HOG without once looking at the prompts. I could just tell what needed to be collected (and believe me, I'm no psychic). Since the game is primarily an HOG, I think this needs some serious upgrading to be considered a challenge, much less fun.
Mini-Games: There are 15 or so mini-games. They are old faithfuls with some new twists. There is the puzzle where you have to create a link between two items using a specific number of spaces. There is the puzzle where you move individual items to their own nesting spots but the items move in tandem. There are memory games where you need to remember the position of and then eliminate pairs. The puzzles are familiar and they are also WAY TOO EASY. In the three and a half years Blue Tea Games has been developing stories, I'd have thought someone could have been inspired to create a new game.
STORY LINE: (you can read this in the description, but here you go...)
A mysterious floating island is the Sky Kingdom. It appears from behind clouds. (While playing the game, I thought "This looks SO COOL.") As soon as this floating metropolis can be seen it begins to fall apart and pieces of the island fall to the ground. A number of citizens are injured and people are desperate to stop the destruction. Enter the swashbuckling Jack. Rumor has it that he was in/on the Sky Kingdom once and he can provide guidance. He has a past. And like all who have a past, he has enemies. Maybe don't get so chummy with this guy!
COLLECTOR'S EDITION:
This is a Collector’s Edition and has the following features:
a. The “Who Cares” assortment of Wall Paper, Concept Art, Music and Cut Scenes.
b. 20 morphing objects
c. Parable Notes (if you played previous versions of this series, you’ll recognize this: there are five or six stories divided into 4 or 5 parts. When you gather the “notes” you can see the whole “parable” or “fable.”
d. A bonus chapter with an additional 8 HOGs and 3 mini-games.
e. Bonus puzzles.
This is a Collector’s Edition and has the following features:
a. The “Who Cares” assortment of Wall Paper, Concept Art, Music and Cut Scenes.
b. 20 morphing objects
c. Parable Notes (if you played previous versions of this series, you’ll recognize this: there are five or six stories divided into 4 or 5 parts. When you gather the “notes” you can see the whole “parable” or “fable.”
d. A bonus chapter with an additional 8 HOGs and 3 mini-games.
e. Bonus puzzles.
Doing this review is like being the sports writer for a newspaper who’s told to review the ballet Saturday night after you spent the whole day at the ballpark. How do you do it? Well, you do your best to be objective and grade it as though you loved ballet and were an expert. You make honest judgments about what you see and experience and you communicate them. That is what I’ve done here.
I can tell you this: If I liked this style of game, I would also LIKE, NOT LOVE, this game. It has its deficiencies. Although there are parts which are really good, this series needs an overhaul in my estimation. It's getting stale. This book has been written before, so to speak.
I will recommend this game, but with an asterisk. I think you should try the free trial period and then determine whether you want to buy this game or just replay one of its predecessors that you already own. If it's different enough for you and the re-tooled story line is fun, then by all means get it.
I recommend this game!
The gates to another world will open soon! You can stop the impending disaster - if you track down the stolen runes!
Overall rating
5
/
5
67 of 73 found this review helpful
Walk Through This Portal to Steal Some Fun Times for Yourself
PostedFebruary 5, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromWill you be happy with this SE or should you get the CE. Find out inside this review!!
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 exceptional game. Answer a few questions and we’ll see if you’re going to share my opinion.
1. Did you read and enjoy The Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons?
2. Do you like a game that is weighted more toward puzzles than HOS? The ratio is about 2:1 with 30 Mini-games and 18 HOGs.
3. While the puzzles and HOS are plentiful, do you enjoy games that are heavy on “telling the story?"
2. Do you like a game that is weighted more toward puzzles than HOS? The ratio is about 2:1 with 30 Mini-games and 18 HOGs.
3. While the puzzles and HOS are plentiful, do you enjoy games that are heavy on “telling the story?"
If you answered yes to those questions, you will LOVE Portal of Evil.
I have never played a game with such an engrossing story line and such unbelievable attention to detail. By now you've read reviews that have told you the story so I won't belabor it. But I will talk about what I think sets this game apart from EVERY OTHER GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED:
1. Visual/Sound quality:
a. When I first started the game I said to myself "this is seriously HD." It is. I also said to myself that the items were a little difficult to see because they are small. This is true, but not long into the game I got used to the size. It turns out that this visibility problem had more to do with background lighting in the first couple of scenes than anything else. It worked itself out quickly.
a. When I first started the game I said to myself "this is seriously HD." It is. I also said to myself that the items were a little difficult to see because they are small. This is true, but not long into the game I got used to the size. It turns out that this visibility problem had more to do with background lighting in the first couple of scenes than anything else. It worked itself out quickly.
b. The game is brilliantly designed. Visually, it's like watching a movie. One example of detail (it may seem insignificant, but it's indicative of the whole game): you're riding in an elevator. You can see a grate at the top of the elevator and as you're riding up and down you see the background behind the grating pass by as if you're in a real elevator shaft. It's completely REAL. Another example: there is a scene with live suits of armor. The suits of armor cast shadows that are absolutely correct in terms of visual perspective. Oh yeah, another example: The drawn people look LIFELIKE.
c. I always say that background music is important because it drives the game and sets the tone. That has never been truer than with this game. At certain points the music sounds like monks chanting...totally appropriate for the storyline of this game. At other points, the music is orchestral and creates an environment of "spookiness" and urgency that I've never heard in a game before.
d. The sound effects are incomparable: listen to the water in a fountain early on and you'd swear you were in Italy at one of the many flowing fountains.
Level of Challenge
a. The HOGs are the best I've ever played. They are hard. There are regular "seek and find" items from a list. There is the more interesting "Place items in their context” format. Brilliantly executed.
b. Some of the puzzles are retreads and some are brand new. Old or new, they are great. In this case there is one extra challenge: read the mini-game directions EXACTLY and interpret them literally. Here’s what I mean: In one mini-game I was told to use every "item" in the game. I took this to mean use every item once…only. That’s not what it said. Luckily, I discovered my error. I could use an item more than once, but I had to use every item at least once. Down to the directions, every detail is though of and dealt with brilliantly.
One last time: I've never played a game like this before. I am so appreciative of the amazing dedication and attention to detail that these developers invested in this game. I’m not a fast player and this is one of the games that makes me appreciate being a slow-poke. I enjoyed every little detail of this game.
Do yourself a favor: If you answered yes to the questions at the beginning of this review, buy the game. I PROMISE: YOU will love it. Do yourself another favor: if your foot is heavy on the gas pedal, lay off a little bit and enjoy the scenery as you travel through the Portals of Evil.
I think the only remaining question is whether this SE will suffice or if the CE is a better call.
The CE includes the basic “who cares” assortment of wallpapers, concept art and music (in the case of the music in this game, I actually do care, but only in context).
There are also re-playable cut scenes and mini-games.
Finally, there is a bonus chapter that is about 1/3 the length of the main game.
There are also re-playable cut scenes and mini-games.
Finally, there is a bonus chapter that is about 1/3 the length of the main game.
The main game and the bonus game have a similar 2:1 ratio of Mini-games to HOGs. There are 10 of the former and 5 of the latter in the CE.
In the main game there is a “collectible” but it’s not an “object” like you’re used to collecting. Instead, you collect “messages.”
The CE doesn’t include achievements or morphing items or “object collectibles.” It does have a comprehensive Strategy Guide.
Honestly, I don’t see the purpose in spending all the extra money for a CE that doesn’t possess much of what we’ve come to expect in a CE. Yes, there’s a significant amount of bonus game play…but it’s not really a bonus if you have to pay more than twice the amount of the standard game to get it.
Now that the urgency of getting this great game NOW has passed and you have an option to exercise between the SE and CE, I think the value proposition falls heavily on the side of the SE. You can't make a bad decision as long as it's to get some version of this game, but the smart money is on the SE.
I recommend this game!
A monster lurks in the fog of Victorian London. He seems to be related to the individual staying at Dr.Jekyll’s house: Mr. Hyde!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
I Liked It!
PostedFebruary 3, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromSan Francisco...or Late 19th Century London?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I've never played anything like this before so of course, I didn't know what to expect. The game is very different. This review will be as well.
I think games typically fall into one of these two categories: they're driven by the storyline or they're mini-games and HOGs which are loosely connected through the story.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is faithful to Robert Louis Stevenson's Novella and the HOGs lead you through the story. In this unusual case, I don't think games or storyline predominate. They go hand in hand. Without the HOGs the story wouldn't progress. Without the story line the HOGs and mini-games would be nonsense.
HOGS and Mini-Games:
In H and J, the assortment of HOGs is large and the format is unusual. The mini games are fewer in number, more familiar in format and with few exceptions (maybe one, as I think back on it) present little challenge.
In H and J, the assortment of HOGs is large and the format is unusual. The mini games are fewer in number, more familiar in format and with few exceptions (maybe one, as I think back on it) present little challenge.
Maybe because I've not played anything like this before I found it fun. It was just really refreshing to play something completely off the hook.
How was it off the hook? How were the HOGs and their formats unusual? In most cases you entered a room and found a variety of items. These items were spread throughout the room, not dumped in a pile. While you could affect a "close up" it wasn't really very close so you had to make reasonable guesses and deduce, based on the item and where it should be in the scene. Along with the list pick there were multiple- gets: find 11X this or 15X that.
So, as the actions were similar to all list-pick HOGs, it was the ambiance that was different and which I appreciated. I had the feeling of really being in a big room and searching high and low for the appointed items.
Among the various mini-games were "finding the differences." This is always a favorite of mine so I appreciated it.
Visual/Sound Quality:
Visuals: While many have complained that the graphics are very grainy I have a different perspective. It felt like late 19th century London. I wasn't put off by the visuals at all.
Visuals: While many have complained that the graphics are very grainy I have a different perspective. It felt like late 19th century London. I wasn't put off by the visuals at all.
Sound quality: Here, I think, is where most people will have their most pronounced problem: there's is no voice over, only written dialog. In this era we're used to hearing voice actors and the lack thereof is jarring to us. With the exception of slightly scary background music, the game is very silent. Maybe we're uncomfortable with silence. I was not.
When all is said and done, I can't convince you that this game is great. I liked it. I think that the style of the game matches the subject matter of the game and in a world of glitz I understand that this game and its ilk just can't compete.
I, for one, have already purchased other games made by this developer, that are very similar in style. I'm looking forward to the intrigue of a Vatican thriller and to the depression era thuggery of the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
As always, the trial is FREE. Try it out. Ya never know. Just try to keep an open mind.
I recommend this game!
The town of Green Hill has really gone to the birds!
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 12 found this review helpful
Three Guardians=Three Cheers!!!!
PostedFebruary 2, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromA VERY strong entry with one very big problem.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I'm the 38th reviewer. I don't think I need run down every feature that you must know by heart already.
Instead, I'd like to highlight a few things that I thought were just amazing:
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. Some very fun "follow-throughs." For instance, if you recall the brackets/huge staples on the basement door (I think it was the basement). I don't know about you, but i tried the pliers and was certain they were the key to getting the brackets out. They didn't work!! The game let you go through the motions of using the pliers, though. It was like a planned failure! Instead of the item just bouncing back into the inventory, it went though the action. I loved it.
c. And another: there was a rusty lock. I forgot that the oil can was empty. They game went through the motions, even shaking the can a few times over the rusty lock before the script said that the oil can needed to be filled. This is a little detail: the art of discovery. The designers didn't short circuit this process, the made realized it. They didn't remove one bit of the fun and possibility that this game held.
d. The cutest thing of all, in the ENTIRE GAME: the feisty little hamster or whatever he was/is that was scared by the whistle the first time, but not the second time. Did you catch that the animal raised his hand and wiggled his finger at you in that "no no no you don't" motion? It is PRICELESS. It happens early enough in the game that I will absolutely replay it just so I can see that scene again.
e. There was significant back and forth, no doubt about it. But it was never annoying to me. Going back over the frozen pond/lake time after time was no problem. It was just part of the game.
f. The HOGs, unlike the mini-games which I'll refer to shortly, were a great challenge. The regular list-pick HOGs were good. The silhouette-progressive usage HOGs were unbelievably good,
And now, I want to point out a few things that were less than amazing:
a. The mini-games were not good. In fact, they were absolutely a huge disappointment. The "outline" game...punching numbers from one to fifty-five or whatever to draw a bat, a bear, a whatever...was a total waste of time.xxxTIMES SIX. (I believe the game was repeated 5 times). One of the achievements was for solving puzzles/mini-game without instructions. Well, that's no achievement. It would be almost embarrassing having to admit needing directions for many of the games.
Sadly, I cannot think of one, good, challenging game.
One note: I'm not at all sure what people are referring to when they say the majority of games are within HOS. That's absolutely not true. At the beginning there several mini-games as part of HOS but that was by no means the only place you found mini-games. There were many, many games (as bad as they were) that were completely independent of HOS... the majority, in fact.
b. The one exception to the great voice overs was the girl in the tower. OMG. That was the single most annoying voice I've ever heard in a game. I wanted to muzzle her.
c. The collection of squirrels was not annoying as some collectible can be. I like the "challenge" of a GOOD collectible, as this was. At times, however, the squirrel was so small as to have been un-viewable and it just incited a mad click session by me to find them.
SO: Aside from the mini-games, Three Guardians was an overwhelming hit in my opinion. Unfortunately, the sorry nature of the games cannot be ignored, no matter how good everything else was.
It's not only premature to call this the game of the year, it's wrong. (Now, I can only speak for myself. I understand that this is absolutely subjective and this may certainly be the game of the year for anyone. I respect that and do not discount it. We look for different things in games, surely.) BUT, 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 a real shame.
Of course I strongly recommend this game. And I'm gonna 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.
I recommend this game!
You came to the town of Brownville, Louisiana hoping to find a new job. But you weren't expecting to stumble upon a strange adventure in a world filled with beauty and danger!
Overall rating
5
/
5
202 of 232 found this review helpful
You're Destined for Adventure!!
PostedJanuary 31, 2014
sfr8rfan
fromDoes the difference between Comparative and Superlative confuse you too? It could be worse.
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
When I bought the CE I was trying to fill out my punch card and earn a free game. (Smart, hunh? Spend more money to make less...oh well).
Then I thought, "serves me right." The reviews that I read were of a pretty mundane game that wasn't particularly challenging; a game that seemed dated; a game that's OK for a beginner but not a pro (like me, harrumph!!).
These reviews were wrong, wronger, wrongest. This is a very complex game that deserves your attention. And, by the way, I just read the wrong reviews. Most of them were great reviews by those whom you trust the most.
You know the basic beginnings of the story. You're called into Brownville, Louisiana by a friend who can broker a deal to get you the one thing you most need: a job. You meet the owner of the company, the very strange Simon. Before you "talk shop" Simon invites you to relax by playing cards. OK. Unusual, for sure. Next step: out of reality and into surrealism. The card game you're playing turns out to be less fun than fright.
You become a prisoner of the game, as the title says and only victory at the end will set you free. I'll say this, you're gonna think twice the next time a friend offers to set you up with a job.
FUN FACTOR:
It's a different kind of fun, but yeah, absolutely. This is a high-stakes game you're playing so if you can get into the mind of the protagonist, fun wouldn't be the right word. Whatever you want to call it, this game is nothing if not engaging.
It's a different kind of fun, but yeah, absolutely. This is a high-stakes game you're playing so if you can get into the mind of the protagonist, fun wouldn't be the right word. Whatever you want to call it, this game is nothing if not engaging.
VISUAL/SOUND QUALITY:
Visuals: I've seen this referred to as cartoonish...as a negative. The word may be right. The intent to criticize is not. The "drawings" are simply, yet very clearly executed and with a great deal of definition. It's also a very bright and colorful game to look at. This stands in relief from the dire nature of the goings on.
Visuals: I've seen this referred to as cartoonish...as a negative. The word may be right. The intent to criticize is not. The "drawings" are simply, yet very clearly executed and with a great deal of definition. It's also a very bright and colorful game to look at. This stands in relief from the dire nature of the goings on.
The "people" do look more real that the background and non-live objects (think the Warren Beatty/Madonna in Dick Tracy). It's splendid artisanship. This game reminds of Dick Tracy; but also of Logan's Run with a bit of Midnight in Garden of Good and Evil thrown in for dark kicks, (visually). It's a very complex story and the visuals do an extraordinary job of capturing the complexity.
Sounds: Exceptional. I think the varieties of music chosen are perfect for the urgency and danger you're a part of. And, at the right time the music is pretty light-hearted. You'll appreciate a break from the heart-pounding intense stuff.
Sights and Sounds come together in these games in Lip Synching. This is the one part of the game that's really poor. There is a stab at lip synching but it's just mouths moving at 50 MPH. Would have been better skipped. Would have been best done well, but it wasn't. Don't let that ruin it for you.
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE:
The HOGs are crowded but the items are very distinct. So, they're like piles but not of junk. Make any sense? They aren't overly challenging but not nursery school stuff either. The items are well-described.
The HOGs are crowded but the items are very distinct. So, they're like piles but not of junk. Make any sense? They aren't overly challenging but not nursery school stuff either. The items are well-described.
The MINI-GAMES: There's some pretty simple stuff, like directing streams of water to the right cup. Believe me, it get more interesting than that. I've always liked the game where you move separately placed items into different slot while both objects make the same moves. You use bumpers and walls to achieve your goal. You'll find this in Prisoners, but even much more than this. I was pleased with the assortment of newish and old, easy and challenging and you will be as well.
At the same time as these mini-game and HOGs, there's a not-so mini game going on the whole time. You're playing a game within a game. And in true Bayou form, it seems there's more than a little witchcraft going on around you. Tarot card light? The cards help you achieve your purpose which is to keep ascending levels until, hopefully, you're free of the game. You have a fuzzy friend who helps you along the way also. Not nearly the Charisma of Elf:)
Now that the SE is being offered, I guess the only question is if you need the CE (and the higher price) or if the SE will do.
If you get the CE you're getting the normal assortment of items.
a. The "who cares" collection of Wall papers, Concept Art, Re-playable Music, etc.
b. Achievements. Not many, one noteworthy: Use no hints the whole game.
c. Collectibles: The 30 collectibles are are actually used later in the "hidden" game offered as a CE extra...a not-complicated jigsaw puzzle.
d. A bonus Chapter.
e. A strategy guide.
I think there's one more thing I'm forgetting. Sorry.
a. The "who cares" collection of Wall papers, Concept Art, Re-playable Music, etc.
b. Achievements. Not many, one noteworthy: Use no hints the whole game.
c. Collectibles: The 30 collectibles are are actually used later in the "hidden" game offered as a CE extra...a not-complicated jigsaw puzzle.
d. A bonus Chapter.
e. A strategy guide.
I think there's one more thing I'm forgetting. Sorry.
What i didn't forget is this: It is not necessary to spend the extra money to get the full experience. The real meat of the game is in the regular game not in the bonus stuff. I think the value proposition rests with the SE this time.
A post script: I really want to tell you about the end of the game but I can't. I strongly recommend this game. I haven't played anything like it before. It doesn't remind me of anything else. I didn't get an accurate feel of the game from the one-hour trial but I am a slow poke player and extra slow at the beginning. For instance, I always do the tutorial because I don't want to miss learning about special features. (Now that I think of it, I could skip the tutorial in the trial period, create a new profile and do the tutorial the second time around so I can maximize my game play in the trial. Wow. Thanks for the suggestion!!!) :)
Seriously, I think you'll like this game a lot.
I recommend this game!