AverageSizeFish's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.8
- Helpful Votes:2,910
- Reviews Submitted:173
- First Review:June 2, 2014
- Most Recent Review:May 1, 2017
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The Queen's Hope Diamond is gone. No one is talking. It's up to you to recover the stolen gem. You be the detective.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Time is taking its toll
PostedJuly 28, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I love classic HOP games and I've recently been playing the older ones. This one is very fun but its age is beginning to show in the form of somewhat grainy, dark, and stretched graphics. The graphics didn't stop me from enjoying the game but they aren't standing up as well as many of the older games have. Even Huntsville, the game which precedes this one in the Mystery Case File series, looks a bit better on the screen in my opinion.
The game consists of multiple rounds where you do several HOS followed by a puzzle. Each round is timed and you have a few hints you can use during the HOS. If you use up your hints on one HO in a round you will not receive more when you move on to another HO in that round. Some of the HOS require a flashlight or x-ray device which means you view an obscured scene through a lens that only reveals a small portion of the scene at a time. In order to use the flashlight or x-ray device you must first find the battery which is hidden in one of the other HOS in that round.
The puzzles consist of word finds, Concentration-like match games, and tile-swapping picture puzzles. Between the HOS and puzzles you learn about different characters all of whom are suspected of having stolen a diamond from a museum. The information is presented with clever tongue in cheek humor.
This isn't a game for people who don't like HOS and even some who really love HOS might find the graphic quality off-putting. For the true HOP lover though it's still a very fun game.
I recommend this game!
Your investigative report on the Weeping Woman of San Cristobal turns personal after you witness a kidnapping. Is the legend true?
Overall rating
4
/
5
36 of 43 found this review helpful
Something a little different
PostedJuly 26, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The graphics are a nice change from the overwhelming pink and purple present in so many HOPA games currently. They appear sharp on the screen and are done in a palette appropriate to the San Cristobal setting of the story. The voice overs are well done and don't become annoying.
The story is a little different from the usual in that our reporter character is investigating an ongoing mystery involving missing children in a fairly normal setting rather than visiting some completely made up fantasy realm. While there is some element of the supernatural/fantasy to the story there are no outlandish and overused magic portals or elements of that type. Your character investigates a small town rather than a creepy mansion. It was a refreshing, if not dramatic, deviation from the norm.
There is no magic animal helper. Let me repeat that...there is no magic animal helper. There is no fairy helper either. In fact, there is no helper at all. Finally, a game without some cute little character wiggling around in my Hint Box area. This alone sets this game above many others.
There aren't many HOS so people who don't like them will be happy about that. I would prefer to have more but that's a personal preference that doesn't detract from the game. I also found the HOS very easy. There are a few more puzzles than HOS and they were, on the whole creative, fun, and fairly easy.
The adventure component does involve some back and forth action to fulfill a task with an inventory item picked up in another area. Most of the time though you know why you're picking up a given item or at least have some hint that it's needed further along. I rarely felt that I didn't know what I should do next.
Overall, this is a pretty fun game that has creative puzzles, pretty HOS scenes, a nice graphic appearance, good voice overs, and a storyline that differs from the typical. Oh, and it has no animal helper.
I recommend this game!
Sable Maze: Forbidden Garden Collector's Edition
Your parents always told you to stay away from the mysterious maze behind their house…. and you’re about to find out why.
Overall rating
2
/
5
72 of 94 found this review helpful
Gave me a headache
PostedJuly 24, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The artwork is very brightly colored, has extremely high contrast, and is drawn in shades ranging from bright pink to bright purple. As a result the game looks like an eye-searing explosion in a cotton candy factory.
The unpleasant appearance of the game is exacerbated by frequent cut scenes that involve a lot of zooming in and out and jiggling of the picture. Between these two elements I rapidly developed a headache while playing the demo.
As if that weren't bad enough the developer chose to revisit an already worn out storyline and to present it exactly the same way many other developers have already presented it. The story is that our character's fiance is kidnapped by evil fairies and she alone can save him. To do so she must perform all the same silly, random, non-intuitive tasks I've already asked myself why I'm doing in previous games of this quality.
In place of a fairy or a talking cat she has a little ermine helper. He sits in the hint button area swaying back and forth constantly which just adds more visual chaos to an already visually chaotic game.
The HOS are not actual HOS. Instead you find one thing, use it on another to get a third thing, that you use to get a fourth, and so on. The puzzles are insultingly simple if this is supposed to be a game for anyone but a two year old.
While I was able to finish the demo, it was at the cost of a headache and severe boredom.
I don't recommend this game.
Save your daughter from a mysterious mirror-hopping monster!
Overall rating
3
/
5
20 of 31 found this review helpful
Not very interesting
PostedJuly 19, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The graphics were sharp and clear but most of the game is somewhat poorly lit making it seem too dark. The soundtrack is average with the exception of the voiceover for our character. During the opening cut scene the voiceover for her sounded pretty good but later, for some reason, the voice acting became wooden and unconvincing.
The storyline is all too familiar from other games of this type and there were no special details added to spice it up at all. This made playing the game rather unexciting because it feels like I've already played it over and over.
Our character's daughter, having hit that magic age of 12 that game developers have determined is when they fall into a coma or get whisked away by evil doers, is imprisoned in a mirror. The child's father, our character's husband, is, as is so often the case in these games, of absolutely no use whatsoever having become injured and motionless about 5 minutes into the game. It is up to our character to figure out what is going on and save the day.
There aren't many HOS. They are of varying types and all of them were easy. There were more puzzles than HOS and they were of typical type and average difficulty.
The adventure component entails quite a bit of running to and fro. This became somewhat annoying because of the slow load times when changing areas. Having to sit there while a new area loaded over and over broke up the flow of the game.
Overall, the game has a very common story, typical puzzles, the average amount of backtracking for inventory items, and nothing to set it apart from the vast number of HOPA games already out there. For someone unfamiliar with the genre it might seem interesting but for me it was unexciting to the point where I had no interest continuing it once the demo was over.
I don't recommend this game.
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Wonderful game with lots of fun HOS
PostedJuly 19, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The graphics are very well done. The art is lovely and everything is very crisp and clear on the screen. I really liked the music soundtrack and I'd rate it among the best I've heard in any HOPA game.
The storyline is nothing super original but it's well done and it definitely drives gameplay. You play as the assistant to a master detective and you visit various locations to search for clues to a murder. The game is designed so that once you've found everything you need at a given location you move on to the next. This minimizes the pointless backtracking which plagues many other games of this type.
There are many HOS which is why I purchased the game after finishing the demo. The generous amount of HOS persists right to the end of the game. In some areas there are up to 4 HOS all in the same room. I loved this because I buy HO games to do HOS. The HOS generally are fairly easy but most have at least one or two objects that take a little bit of hard looking to find. They are very well drawn and pretty to look at.
The number of puzzles felt just right. There aren't so many you're tripping over one every second but you will find several in each location you visit. The puzzles are mostly easy and fun to do. There aren't any that will make you tear your hair out.
The adventure component flows well most of the time. As stated, it flows linearly and the objectives are very clearly laid out by the storyline. Occasionally, I hit points where the task I needed to perform to complete an objective wasn't clear. There is no hint button so I managed to get through all of these points on my own except for one where I had to resort to an online walkthrough to find out the next step. If it weren't for this I would have given the game a five.
Overall, this is a very well-crafted game that I had a lot of fun playing. People who don't like HOS should not buy this game because it has far more HOS than the average HOPA. For people who like HOS this is a game I would highly recommend.
I recommend this game!
Lost in Time: The Clockwork Tower
Time grinds to a halt when the town’s Clockwork Tower is disrupted. Manipulate time to save the village from its frozen state!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Graphics too poor to play
PostedJuly 18, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
This game was made in 2011 and the graphics have not stood the test of time. I've played older games than this with no problem but this one is unplayable. It won't handle a full screen and the scenes are so dark and grainy it's impossible to see anything...and that's before you get to the HOS.
It's most unfortunate that some games just weren't built to last. This one is among that category of game.
I don't recommend this game.
Resolve a family squabble before the gates to the realm of the dead swing open and horrors beyond imagination pour into this world!
Overall rating
2
/
5
13 of 23 found this review helpful
Black bar tips disguised as "helper" cat tips
PostedJuly 17, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The sound and graphics were acceptable but only just.
The storyline is recognizable from so many previous HOPA games that it just feels absolutely worn out. I would have felt maybe I was replaying something I'd already played except for the game's "special" feature which is an annoying talking cat. I really dislike anthropomorphized animal helpers in general but this one was worse than the norm in that he also serves as a constant source of what are like black bar tips that cannot be shut off even in difficult mode. I don't know why the developer pretends to offer a difficult mode when black bar tips in the form of cat chatter are written into the game.
I felt the game didn't have enough HOS and what was there was not challenging. The "adventure" portion was ruined by the cat telling you every single move to make.
Overall this was an annoying chore and I couldn't finish the demo.
I don't recommend this game.
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait Collector's Edition
A father returns home to find his children missing - all but one, who refuses to say a word...
Overall rating
4
/
5
101 of 188 found this review helpful
Imaginative and easy to enjoy
PostedJuly 17, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The graphics are very well done with richly colored, eye-catching artwork that is very clear on the screen. The music and environmental sounds are also well done and are a good match with the themel. The voiceovers are mostly decent and don't become annoying,
The story is a "family's children stolen by magic evil-doer" ones but instead of the usual mom saves the day routine our character is the children's father. Although this story is very common in the HOPA genre there are enough imaginative details here to make the game stand out from others, provide interest, and keep you wondering what is going to happen next.
Your character enlists the family cat as his helper which may annoy those who aren't fond of animal helpers. This cat though, unlike many kitty helpers, is cute and behaves like a cat should...he doesn't talk and he doesn't wear human clothes. He proves his worth in a variety of situations you encounter. You can collect coins as you play the game and use them to fill a room with things you buy for him also. I thought he made a good addition to the game.
The HOS are interactive and of several types. None of them were very challenging but they are pretty to look at and fun to do. The puzzles were, in general, nicely integrated into the game. They rarely approached even moderate difficulty but they were fun to complete. I personally prefer a game with more HOS, a little bit more challenge in the HOS, and with at least a few that are standard as opposed to interactive but the lack of these features here didn't really detract from the fun of playing this game.
The adventure component generally flowed well. There was little backtracking and the actions of the character usually made sense. There were times when odd things flew into my inventory and it wasn't clear from the story exactly why my character wanted them but usually things made sense. Objectives are clear and the tasks you need to perform to accomplish the objective are relatively straightforward.
Overall, the game is well crafted and easy to enjoy. The fun factor relies heavily on the interesting storyline twists that motivate your character's actions and make this game better than the average HOPA. These imaginative story events invite your suspension of disbelief and draw you into the game. If you're looking for a real brain teaser this isn't it but if you're looking for a fun relaxing game that pulls you into the story this one might fit the bill.
I recommend this game!
Fly to Paris to cover the opening of Paris's hottest new restaurant, Le Roi Soleil! Help discover who murdered the restaurant's famous chef!
Overall rating
2
/
5
20 of 34 found this review helpful
Tedious
PostedJuly 15, 2014
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The graphics are clear but not particularly interesting. The music is pleasant but there is no other soundtrack unless you count the noise you hear when you click an item in a HOS. Even though the character's mouths move when they speak there is no voice over and there are no atmospheric sound effects.
The story is a typical "reporter investigates murder that police are too incompetent to know is a murder" story. It unfolds in a painfully slow fashion as you are directed from one place to another with black bar prompting. There isn't a single thing your character does that isn't first directed by the black bar. You move from location to location using a map. The map rarely shows more than two locations at a time - the location where you are and the location where the black bar has just directed you to.
There is a lot of dialogue between our character and others but, even though at times I guessed this dialogue was supposed to be humorous, it's largely uninteresting. Often this dialogue didn't contribute to the investigation story at all.
The whole effect was almost like I was watching increments of a boring muted movie with clickable subtitles and pauses in between increments to perform a HOS or click the map.
The adventure component often seemed very contrived. For example, the restaurant our character goes to locks its back door with a device that requires two balls to unlock it. Coincidentally, one of these balls happens to be in the dumpster right outside the door. The other is handed to our character by a person sitting on the doorstep.
The HOS were clear enough but very easy. The puzzles were of average type and level of difficulty.
Overall, this game is just very uninteresting in terms of story and appearance. Game play was completely directed by the black bar and very tedious. It isn't the worst game on the planet but the fun factor here is very poor.
I don't recommend this game.
Real estate agent Angie Dee must get her first home ready for sale. Explore, solve puzzles and clean cobwebs to unravel the house’s mystery in this amusing adventure.
Overall rating
2
/
5
33 of 98 found this review helpful
Unacceptably low graphic and UI quality
PostedJuly 14, 2014
AverageSizeFish
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The theme of the game is, apparently, supposed to be a 1970's flashback one. Unfortunately, the graphics, sound, and UI share this theme. They are clunky and not at all user-friendly. Example, I had to hit the Skip button at the end of every cut scene to get back to the game.
The graphics are grainy and the contrast is too high. This problem becomes particularly acute in the hidden object scenes where, after I searched in frustration for an item, the hint button circled an absolutely unrecognizable blur of hot pink and said it was a key. Even compared to many games from years ago this one has unacceptably low graphic quality.
The game began with me searching for the volume control but the game seems to have only two sound settings...on and off. In order to have some idea of what is going on I had to listen to an annoying voice-over at a volume much higher than I wanted to hear it. The game continued with an enforced tutorial that I couldn't get rid of complete with annoying sound effects.
The HOS, as mentioned above, suffer from the poor graphics that pervade the game. They also have this weird device where the list items turn different colors when you have found them making it tough to know what you've found and what you haven't. They also contain items on the list that I had no way to know what they meant. For example, the list wanted "Famous record label" and the answer was an apple. Not being a child of the 70's I had no idea what they meant. People who are children of the 70's are likely to complain that this game is impossible for their older eyes.
I have a fondness for the older style HOP games and am pretty lenient when it comes to judging such a game against current quality standards. I've played/rated many games that are far better than this one although they were introduced years ago. For example, Mystery Case Files Huntsville (2005) is credited as the first HOP game ever made and that game blows this one away in graphics quality and UI.
There is just no excuse for the lack of quality here. It's not worth struggling through a game where the developer couldn't be bothered to allow me to adjust the volume or skip the tutorial. This is especially true given the eye-searing graphics and annoying voice-over voices. I had to quit after about 10 minutes of play
I don't recommend this game.