synergistician's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.2
- Helpful Votes:109
- Reviews Submitted:38
- First Review:January 31, 2014
- Most Recent Review:January 25, 2016
- Featured reviews0
Mystery Trackers: The Void
Help the secret organization of Mystery Trackers find 3 missing celebrities in the mysterious Void family mansion!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Disappointing
PostedApril 29, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Generally, as an intermediate player, I found this game disappointing. I play intermediate because I want challenge and enjoyment without stress and strain at the same time but this game provided little challenge and enjoyment was sporadic. The HOGs were numerous and a variety of types, however, generally, they were fairly easy with only a couple presenting any challenge for a couple of the objects on the list. I did enjoy that the HOGs consisted of multiple numbers of the same objects, some easily identified and others not so much so, resulting in up to 20-25 objects in a single HOG. As far as scene interaction, there was minimum back and forth activity between close scenes and somewhat far apart scenes. As far as the story line, it was borderline logical but somewhat of a letdown.
The inventory list was almost always at a bare minimum and there was little challenge in terms figuring out what to do. There was almost no long distant scene travel and all activity usually occurred within one or two scenes of each other. There were a number of puzzles sprinkled throughout the game but most were incredibly simple and elemental. There was no map and no names provided for the various scenes so tracking location was problematic at times.
The graphics were generally good, however, the game did suffer from numerous technical discontinuities. In one scene, looking through a peep hole depicted a room scene in one configuration but when entry was made into the room from the left side, the room configuration was reversed. In another scene, the dialog prevented opening of a side door for a subway car due to water flooding the car but there was no opposition to opening the door on the other end of the subway car even though water was all around. In a few scenes, action statements remained even though actions had been executed. In another scene, a sparkle indicator remained even though all actions had been completed for the scene. Near the end of the game, the game cycled back to some of the earlier beginning scenes but when moving from one scene to the next, such as going through an entry door, the encountered next scene layout was completely different than what was encountered the first time. All of these technical discontinuities were more nuisance than anything else as they did not materially affect game play.
Overall, I consider it a mediocre game that is little challenge but good enough to pass time. I never used a skip and I never used a hint which is a rarity in and of itself. For those that have played other Mystery Tracker games, I consider the Raincliff, Raincliff Phantoms, Black Isle, and Four Aces better games (in that order). I do recommend the game as it was a modicum of fun to play but only for the less accomplished gamer.
I recommend this game!
Sea of Lies: Mutiny of the Heart
What happens when the heart turns against itself?
Overall rating
1
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Excruciating for the accomplished gamer, fun for the amateur.
PostedApril 21, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I’ve read some of the 4/5 star reviews and I just don’t see it. It is a simple game for simple players without any degree of challenge either in the HOPs, the mini-games, or even the scene travel. A majority of the activity is just picking up objects to be used within a scene or two. While there are a lot of scenes, there are only 1-2 actions per scene and they are generally simple and straightforward; no real challenge. To me, the game was ho-hum and uninspiring either in play or in story line. I played to the end because I have never stopped a game without finishing it but it was with a sense of agony just wanting to get it over with. If you like a game that is just a simple walk thru, then this game is for you. If, on the other hand, you like a challenge when you play a game, this one will really disappoint you. I’ve never not recommended a game and I’m not starting now but as in the old saying – buyer beware. I just wish they had a 'neutral' on recommendation as that is what I would rate this one.
I recommend this game!
Mystery Trackers: Black Isle
Black Isle was supposedly abandoned after an earthquake but the truth is much more sinister! Join the Mystery Trackers and learn the truth!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Very challenging and enjoyable game once a technical difficulty was resolved.
PostedApril 19, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
MT – BI
Made it through the game (the first try) to the Crossroads and recovered the coin. Entered the phone booth, scratched the ticket for the phone number, and dialed. The video played but nothing else happened. I dialed it the second time and the Raven feather popped out at the bottom of the phone but the screen froze. I could not do anything except close the game and that was only with the CNTR-ALT-DEL action since I was in full screen mode. When I restarted the game, it returned to the same frozen screen. The screen had a black bar across the top and the bottom so that no commands were visible or available. I checked the forum and saw a similar message but saw no solution returned. Using the help topics, I checked the video card driver and according to my software, all drivers were up to date. SO, as instructed, I deleted/uninstalled and reinstalled the game. When I resumed play, it returned to the same frozen screen. SO, I deleted/uninstalled the game again, rebooted the computer, and reinstalled the game again but when I resumed play, it again returned to the same frozen screen.
Made it through the game (the first try) to the Crossroads and recovered the coin. Entered the phone booth, scratched the ticket for the phone number, and dialed. The video played but nothing else happened. I dialed it the second time and the Raven feather popped out at the bottom of the phone but the screen froze. I could not do anything except close the game and that was only with the CNTR-ALT-DEL action since I was in full screen mode. When I restarted the game, it returned to the same frozen screen. The screen had a black bar across the top and the bottom so that no commands were visible or available. I checked the forum and saw a similar message but saw no solution returned. Using the help topics, I checked the video card driver and according to my software, all drivers were up to date. SO, as instructed, I deleted/uninstalled and reinstalled the game. When I resumed play, it returned to the same frozen screen. SO, I deleted/uninstalled the game again, rebooted the computer, and reinstalled the game again but when I resumed play, it again returned to the same frozen screen.
After contacting Big Fish customer service, I went through a series of iterations and recommended actions to try and resolve the problem. Nothing helped. Finally, I was provided sequence instructions to not only delete/uninstall the game, but to also go into the system and delete the resident file folder that documented game progress (saved status when exiting the game). Once that file folder was deleted, I essentially was able to reinstall and replay the game from the beginning.
Once I restarted the game, I played the game thru to the end with no further problems. Overall, I found it a very challenging game and was glad I took the time to address the issue rather than abandoning the game when the problem developed. The map is interactive although it doesn’t provide areas where activity actions are available. There is a wide variety of puzzles with a wide range of difficulties in addition to the HOPs which, in and of themselves, are fairly challenging with many objects cleverly blended into the scene and difficult to find. There is a reasonable degree of scene travel and retention of certain inventory objects until some later time when they are needed. The game is fairly lengthy with multiple actions in many scenes and a couple of scenes have cleverly placed actions that can be missed if careful attention isn’t paid. One criticism involves a couple of objects that were named in such a manner as to interpret that they needed to be used on a particular object when in fact, they were used on another object that was not related in any way; somewhat misleading to say the least.
In my judgment, an interesting game with a reasonable storyline that played at the intermediate level was one of the more interesting and challenging games that I have played. MT-BI is another game that demands patience, perseverance, and shrewd thinking. It is not a walk in the park and someone looking for a breeze through game is going to be both frustrated and disappointed. As an intermediate player, this one took me an extended period of time and quite a bit of thinking before I was successfully able to complete the game. I never used any hints or skipped a puzzle but that is because I was willing to go back through multiple scenes to see what I missed and twice, I missed an action that stymied my progress until I figured it out. Not all players are willing to do that.
I recommend this game!
Bridge to Another World: Burnt Dreams Collector's Edition
Can you defeat the mist and find your lost brother?
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 7 found this review helpful
Farfetched storyline and minimally challenging
PostedApril 9, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The story, the graphics, and the challenge of BtAW-BD(CE) were decidedly ‘underwhelming’. I rarely pan a game and I won’t this one, but just barely. While it isn’t the worst I’ve encountered, it is a far cry from the best. Overall I’d give it a 2+/- because it does have some degree of challenge, the story is a fantasy of a fantasy (although a little weird and somewhat farfetched even for a fantasy), and I didn’t run into any significant problems playing the game although there was one annoying detail of the game. In a number of instances, even after an object was retrieved or a particular action was executed, the graphics display reverted to the original configuration or the dialog failed to change from the original dialog stating what needed to be done. Not a fatal flaw but somewhat of a nuisance. I played it at the Intermediate level, never used any hints, and only used the strategy guide once when I was really stuck. I liked the interactive HOPs with active progression of objects to get to the end as it increases the challenge of solving the puzzle. I disliked the directly obvious and sometimes sarcastic clues and the simplicity of a majority of the puzzles as it decreases the challenge of figuring it out and it detracted from the overall persona of the story. At times, the vocal dialog was appropriate for the story line and at other times, it was way ‘off base’ for the situation which detracted from any flow the game had.
The extra bonus chapter was a real disappointment and not worth the extra money. There was little challenge and the story seemed like a poor afterthought appendage. The bonus chapter was short and was of little interest or fun. Additionally, the ending was short and abrupt leaving a bit of a hollow feeling. While I usually recommend a game unless it has significant flaws, I do so on this with caution to anyone who chooses to play as it will likely not meet most gamer’s expectations.
I recommend this game!
Mystery Trackers: Raincliff's Phantoms
Return to Raincliff, where what you see isn’t always what you get!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Good but doesn't measure up to the predecessor MT-Raincliff
PostedApril 2, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
While an enjoyable game, I didn’t find it as good as the predecessor MT-R. The HOGs are much simpler and easier to complete and the puzzles are varied but only of moderate difficulty. I enjoy the application of PIP (puzzle in a puzzle) aspect and the use of a video cam with polaroid photos to match to scenes for additional objects/clues is a novel twist. While the game does have a map, I never had occasion or need to use it. The biggest challenge of the game is its use of unconventional solution actions requiring the gamer to think a little outside the box. As an intermediate player, I seldom use hints (none for this game) and it is sometimes a challenge to figure out the next move when conventional wisdom doesn’t fit the challenge. However, though it will frustrate many gamers, I enjoy (the challenge of) pondering and going back through the various scenes to see what I may have missed or didn’t think of. I found the story line a little cumbersome and the ending was abrupt considering the buildup of the story line during the game. As I have commented before, like any game, the like/dislike factor is a function of the expectations and the whims of the individual player. Not every game suits every player. For me, MT-RP was a fairly enjoyable and moderately challenging game but not to the caliber that MT-R was. While there were fewer scenes and it seemed a shorter game than MT-R was, there was, on average, more actions to be performed in the scenes (5-15). Travel between scenes was much shorter than MT-R which, in my view, lessened the challenge. Like MT-R, MT-RP is a game that demands patience, perseverance, and shrewd thinking. It is not a walk in the park and someone looking for a breeze through game is going to be both frustrated and disappointed.
I recommend this game!
Mystery Trackers: Raincliff
After a group of young students go missing, the Mystery Trackers are called in to search the city of Raincliff!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Terrific Game but it requires patience, perseverance, and moderate skill to be enjoyed
PostedMarch 29, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the third Mystery Trackers game I have played. I enjoyed the first one (MT-TFA) and was enjoying the second one (MT-BI) until I ran into problems where the game froze about half way through it. Despite trouble shooting, uninstalling and reinstalling the game, and dialog with Big Fish, the problem was never resolved and I ended up deleting the game. The third game, MT-R, is perhaps the best game I have played so far out of the 20 or more games I have played in the last few months. There are numerous HOGs and puzzles that range in difficulty from pretty easy to somewhat difficult. Each HOG is a combination of both objects that are easy to find and objects that are cleverly and sometimes deviously hid or blended into the puzzle such that finding the last one or two objects can take as much time as finding the rest of them. There is also a wide variety of other clever puzzles that also range in difficulty from easy to pretty difficult. In fact, one puzzle was so difficult that I never solved it and ended up going online to learn the solution from two different sources, each of which had a different solution along with a different explanation of how to solve the puzzle; unfortunately, neither of the solutions worked and I was never able to understand the logic of the solution leading me to believe it is a variable solution puzzle. Increasing the difficulty, the puzzle had no reset feature allowing you to start over. In the end, it was the only puzzle that I was unable to solve, and I had to use the ‘skip’ feature to move on.
It is a fairly lengthy game. It has numerous scenes that individually have numerous actions ranging from as few as 1 to as many as 8 actions in the scene with an average of about 3-4 actions per scene. There is a lot of interaction among the scenes that ranges from close at hand to extensive travel back and forth. One negative for me was that there is no map provided with the game. Admittedly, that makes the game more of a challenge but it also is a bit of an inconvenience, however, I learned a long time ago to keep my own map complete with needed scene actions even when a map is provided with the game. On the positive side, each forthcoming or prior scene is highlighted by the cursor when placed on that area or scene. Some of the actions and solutions are borderline weird but as unconventional as they may be, they are founded with some logic. It just requires that the player think a little more ‘outside the box’ when figuring out the next action. Another clever feature is that there are key actions that are added to a particular scene or enhancement shot that are not very evident and can be easily overlooked unless the player is both cautious and thorough on each visit. Overall, the story line, while not realistic, is actually quite good and the build up to the ending is logical with a reasonable conclusion.
In summary, like any game, the like/dislike factor is a function of the expectations and the whims of the individual player. Not every game suits every player. For me, MT-R was an extremely enjoyable and highly challenging game. MT-R is a game that demands patience, perseverance, and shrewd thinking. It is not a walk in the park and someone looking for a breeze through game is going to be both frustrated and disappointed. I almost always play games as an intermediate player and this one took me an extended period of time and quite a bit of thinking before I was successfully able to complete the game. I never used any hints and only once skipped a puzzle but that is because I was willing to go back through multiple scenes to see what I missed. Not all players are willing to do that. Of all the games I have played and recommended so far, this one definitely would be at the top of my list.
I recommend this game!
Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen
Journey into the mythical Snowfall Kingdom and investigate the disappearance of children in Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen!
Overall rating
3
/
5
Overall a fun game IF....
PostedMarch 24, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Overall, DP-RotSQ is a fun game IF you enjoy 3-part HOPs and not too difficult puzzles. While I do enjoy such games to a degree, I also enjoy a little more challenge and variety in the games I play. On the positive side, there were copious amounts of story dialog that accompanied the game to keep it interesting and the HOPs used reorientation and color variation of the individual parts to increase the challenge of solving them. There was also a reasonable amount of scene interaction across the breadth of scenes although the number of scenes was limited. The graphics and sound were of reasonable quality, and the map is of some assistance although it doesn’t have transportation capability. On the negative side, there were only a few types of other puzzles presented, they were used multiple times, and the level of difficulty was only slightly above easy. In addition, the story, although understandable, was somewhat of a jumble at times. Further, the number of scenes and the length of the game was somewhere between short and average while the number of actions per scene ranged from 1-4 with an average of 2. Normally, I would expect more scenes and more actions per scene than DP-RotSQ presented. Overall, an average game with average fun and average challenge for those not to intellectually challenged.
I recommend this game!
Mystery of the Ancients: Lockwood Manor
There's a terrible secret hidden deep within Lockwood Manor!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Fun but only moderately challenging
PostedMarch 16, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
MOTA-LM is a fairly fun game to play. Not too challenging or difficult but enough so that it will keep you interested. On the positive side, it has a variety of puzzles of varying degrees of difficulty in addition to the HOGs which are challenging but not overly so. It only has two modes, casual and advanced and the advanced mode is approximate to the ‘intermediate mode’ in other games. There is a fair degree of scene to scene interaction although certain segments are closed out after going through them never to be returned to again. One of the more challenging aspects of the game on a few occasions is determining what action is needed next since at times, it is not obvious to any degree and some degree of search is needed to determine what action to take. On the negative side, there is no map to refer to and the scenes are not individually named making it a little more difficult to track paths and progress. There is a little dialog along with the story but it is non-verbal and can only be read from the screen. The story line is reasonable although the ending is quick once the end is reached. All-in-all, fun to play, just not very challenging.
I recommend this game!
Dark Parables: The Exiled Prince
Investigate the disappearance of the chancellor's daughter and uncover the long lost kingdom of the exiled Frog Prince!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Mundane, convoluted, and monotonous
PostedMarch 13, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
DP-TEP is a somewhat convoluted gaming experience. There are a number of pros and cons to this game. It is a fairly long game so you certainly get what you pay for in length, however, most of the puzzles are 3-part assembly HOGs that utilize certain scenes over and over leading to monotony and play which seems ad infinitum. Most of the objects in the HOGs are fairly easy to spot but in almost every HOG, there is an object or two that is so well concealed or blended into the scene that as a rule, you spend as much or more time looking for that last one or two objects as you do for the rest of them. That at times becomes somewhat frustrating. None of the scenes have location names and although there is a map, it is general in nature and not interactive; i.e. you can’t use the map to jump from one location to another. The game path is somewhat confusing in that it doubles back on itself a couple of times so it is a challenge to follow as the story unfolds. You revisit scenes multiple times to the point of ‘not again!’. As for the HOGs, the objects are sometimes abstracts or of a different color which does increase the difficulty of the puzzle. There are a few other puzzles beside the HOGs, but the few there are aren’t much of a challenge. The ending is fairly abrupt and although one knows the overall plot of the story line, the story seems to trudge along without much excitement; you sort of go through the motions and it becomes a repetitious exercise. In fact, as I progressed through the game, I did so wanting to get it over with and to claim completion success as opposed to quit failure. Generally, I support recommendation of most puzzle games as entertaining and I do so in this case but only for those that enjoy a monotonous convoluted game play consisting mostly of object assembly HOGs.
I recommend this game!
Mystery Trackers: The Four Aces
Save Brightfield from a shocking plot by a dastardly organization!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Generally, a fun game to play
PostedMarch 10, 2014
synergistician
fromAtlanta Proximity, Georgia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Generally, as an intermediate player, I enjoyed this particular game. I play intermediate because I want challenge and enjoyment without stress and strain at the same time. The game was of average length and the HOGs were a variety of types that were moderate in difficulty with a range from easy to somewhat difficult. I especially enjoyed the HOGs where there were multiple numbers of the same objects, some easily identified and others not so much so, resulting in up to 20 or more objects in a single HOG. I also enjoyed the OWO/PWP (object within object/puzzle within puzzle) aspect which sometimes went 3 levels deep in iterations. Some were simple, some not so much so. Another likeable aspect of the game was the multiple action sequences where one action led to another needed action in order to solve that particular scene or location and in some cases, opened new actions not previously available at that location. As far as scene interaction, there was good back and forth between close scenes and somewhat far apart scenes. As far as the story line, it was somewhat of a letdown. While in most cases, a good story line only minimally benefits the game, a bad or weak story line can damage the fun of the game. In this particular case, the story line was mediocre but the ending quick and disappointing; sort of like a quick let down after a long buildup of anticipation. Not only that, but the game has one imagining during the course of the game the reason why various characters meet their demise during the game. Unfortunately, the ending fails to address that aspect of the game and one is left wondering 'what happened and why?'. In the end, I enjoyed the challenges of the game but was left somewhat unfulfilled in terms of the story itself.
I recommend this game!