9otters's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.1
- Helpful Votes:1,898
- Reviews Submitted:63
- First Review:November 24, 2014
- Most Recent Review:February 22, 2016
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The Queen of Creatos is missing, and if you don't get her back soon... the entire world will crumble!
Overall rating
5
/
5
19 of 22 found this review helpful
Worlds Of Fantasy, Fears, and Fantastic Fun!
PostedApril 23, 2015
9otters
fromsomewhere in the midwest
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED GAME
Brilliant imagination and fabulous detail on every level, Grand MA Games/Studios certainly brought their A-game to the table with this one! It is truly unfortunate that Game Of The Year is determined by sales and not reviews, because I think this one definitely belongs in the running.
At the start, I thought that the fanciful artwork and sheer number of things to do might be a bit overwhelming. NOT SO! After relaxing into the flow of the game I didn't feel that way AT ALL.
We begin in a world created by pure fantasy, so I found the look of that world to be very appropriate. As we travel to the world of fear, and later, the "real" world, the graphics change to reflect those themes.
I was also concerned that the "time ring" might be overused, not being a fan of "contraptions". I found that NOT to be the case. I felt that the devs had us in "practice mode" in the first world, so when we encountered the clocks where the ring was used further on, we would be familiar with the mechanics. Not overused in the least. Thankfully, no overuse of the "helper", even though he WAS very handsome.
I LOVE a game of puzzles and I found plenty! Simple to complex, quite a few that LOOKED harder than they actually were. I had to laugh when the game was over. I don't play for achievements, but when I looked, I got the one for spending more than 15 minutes on one puzzle. I'd be willing to bet that I spent that amount of time on MORE than one of them!
There is an option to change the difficulty of the puzzles! That almost makes it an entirely different game when replayed! Great fun as well as money well spent!
I LOVED the variety of HOS and that, for the most part, we were looking for unique items. Not the standard fare of horseshoes, mirrors, etc.
There are three glass shards to be found in each scene. When all are found and a mirror puzzle reassembled, an extra bonus game is unlocked. After discovering that we could go back to find any we missed, I decided to play that as a separate game so I wasn't distracted from regular gameplay. Unexpected fun!
The jump map was useful for keeping track of places with things to do, especially if you have to take a break and need to get back on track. I didn't find it absolutely necessary for going from one place to another because most of the action was confined to two or three places. Of course, a strategy guide is included, but I only used it a couple of times, mostly because I didn't absolutely NEED it. Lately, I like to try to get along without it. Just personal preference.
The CE offers a bonus game that starts in the fantasy world and continues to a totally new and different world. It has a UNIQUE extra HOS bonus game, HOS to replay, puzzles to replay, music, "movies", and some surprisingly lovely wallpapers. Concept art, as well.
Reflections of Life: Equilibrium is a game I will delight in playing again! If you choose to play, be sure to set aside plenty of time because this is a LONG one! If you're like me you might just find yourself glued to the screen, not wanting it to end!
Sorry if this review is over-long! There is just SO MUCH to say about this excellent effort. Thank you so very much, Grand MA and BFG!
I recommend this game!
Is your husband-to-be guilty of betrayal – or even worse?
Overall rating
1
/
5
18 of 44 found this review helpful
Nothing Special Here
PostedApril 4, 2015
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I had enough time left from playing the demo to play it AGAIN. I kept wondering if it was ME. I normally LOVE Mad Head Games. Well, except for the last Nevertales. There just isn't anything special here. Great graphics do NOT make a great game. I spent more time WATCHING than DOING.
Sorry Mad Head. Looks like the romance is over.
I don't recommend this game.
A mysterious Owl Man is terrorizing citizens!
Overall rating
5
/
5
41 of 43 found this review helpful
VERY GLAD I Gave This Game A Second Look!
PostedApril 2, 2015
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED GAME
After playing the demo I was kind of on the fence about purchasing this game. Because of a good sale and the aspects of the game that I DID like, I purchased it and ended up playing an EXCELLENT game!
At first, I viewed "the sight" as a device to prolong gameplay. The more I got into the STORY, the better I enjoyed it. It ended up being a unique way to "see" the actions of the crime and give hints as to the identity of the true culprit.
It was very easy to immerse myself in the world and story of this game, mainly due to the excellent graphics. Very atmospheric! If you choose to play, take a look at the individual townspeople. It was good to see people that looked like REAL people. Everyone was definitely not perfect and pretty.
The HOS weren't difficult, but were definitely in keeping with the theme. The mini-games and multi-layered puzzles were a big plus for me. Not as hard as they first seemed and SO much fun to do. If I had the choice, I would liked to have seen MORE of those.
I appreciated the truth of the story beneath the kidnapping story. The true "horror" is the difficulty that people who are "different" find in this world.
Always a sucker for a good monster, I LOVED finding the morphing, collectible mythic monsters. The vending machine was interesting. After purchasing the figures of the main characters, you could click on them and see the story themes they each represented.
The bonus game was a story unto itself! A bit more supernatural, I'd really like to see an entire game created around that story and those characters!
All in all, Mystery Trackers: Nightsville Horror ended up being my favorite of the bunch! Not everything is at it seems on the surface. I hope you give this game a chance too. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
You thought this would be just like any other investigation. But now you find yourself lost in a mysterious mansion brimming with strange creatures, comatose colleagues, and mysterious tentacles around every corner...
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
What A Crazy, Quirky, Wild, Fun Ride!
PostedApril 2, 2015
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED GAME
I see that several people were disappointed that this game didn't have the creep factor of the previous Haunted Halls offerings. I haven't played the previous games so they weren't an issue for me.
Didn't find it to be too creepy. Well, there WAS that one teddy bear...I just KNOW you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it!
Anyway, the graphics were FABULOUS. The creatures were NUTS! The brains that came up with this game must have VIVID imaginations! They also MUST have had a blast creating it because it IS a bit "out there".
This is a lengthy game but I just COULDN'T STOP playing. Its not really difficult but you may have to think a bit for the "out of the box" solution. GREAT PUZZLES with the option of playing "easy" or "hard". All in all a FUN game.
I got Haunted Halls: Nightmare Dwellers with a game credit but would have been DELIGHTED to pay for this one. Hope you get the chance to enjoy it too!
I recommend this game!
A stay at a peaceful hotel turns into a nightmare when a witch from the Twilight World takes your daughter!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
Excercise Your Puzzle Muscles w/o Painful Side Effects!
PostedMarch 30, 2015
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on Completed Game
Plenty of reviews here on story and gameplay. I just wanted to say that I found this to be a good, solid game with lots to do that I quite enjoyed playing.
IMO, a game can never have too many puzzles and this game has plenty. Nothing here to make you want to tear your hair out or yell at the computer screen. Just enough to keep your puzzle muscles flexed.
I also found the HOGs to be fun, some a bit different. Never a bad thing to have a few surprises and I found a few here.
Add to that the colorful graphics, the "light" and "dark" worlds, and it turned out to be a game that I will probably play again. And that, fishes, is my definition of a good game.
I recommend this game!
Find the cure to save your brother from the Others.
Overall rating
5
/
5
88 of 92 found this review helpful
I Was WOWED!
PostedMarch 29, 2015
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED GAME
This is the absolute BEST HOPA I've played this year! Friends4Games has created a detailed and complex world with SO much to do, its almost like they squeezed TWO games into their competitors' one!
Bridge to Another World: The Others is almost like an interactive movie. But you won't just be watching, you'll be DOING. Every animation is there for a reason. High quality voice-overs added to the atmosphere. It was so much FUN taking part in the show and I loved the world and its inhabitants.
The HOS had UNBELIEVABLE variety and, with the mini-games, were incorporated into the story in such clever ways.
They created a momentum that continued through the entire game. Every time I thought I might be coming to the end, there would be another twist and off I'd go again. A good, lengthy game.
The CE has replayable mini-games and HOGs, achievements to attain and VERY well hidden raven forms to collect. You will unlock a bonus MONDO HOS after finding them all. Not to worry. You can go back to search again in case you missed some when the game is done.
The bonus game was more along traditional lines but enjoyable, as well.
I've never seen anything like this game! These devs are thinking outside the boring box and, in my opinion, have set the bar up a notch. I'm afraid, with what I've seen so far this year, it might be awhile before I see a game of this caliber again. Don't miss it!
Thank you BFG and Friends4Games!
I recommend this game!
A UFO is rumored to have landed in the small town of Tundel and the mayor is trying to conceal it. Run your own journalistic investigation and learn the truth behind the event!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
IMPOSSIBLE To Stop Playing this WONDERFUL Game!
PostedMarch 24, 2015
9otters
fromsomewhere in the midwest
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
There are over 200 reviews here to tell you all about the features of this game so I won't do that too.
I just want to say that I think this game is timeless. It doesn't matter when this game was issued. If you love puzzles, appreciate a quirky sense of humor, and like a game that will provide a fun challenge, then click BUY NOW!
You will HAVE to think. You will HAVE to laugh out loud. You will NOT want it to end! Don't miss this gem.
I recommend this game!
Trapped in the past, Sarah must find a way home.
Overall rating
1
/
5
25 of 34 found this review helpful
Excruciating!
PostedMarch 22, 2015
9otters
fromsomewhere in the midwest
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Another game that looks and plays like something taken out of the back room, dusted off, and presented as new. It may very well BE new, but if so, this one needs work!
Graphics so grainy it was hard to tell what I was looking at. Wooden characters in cut-scene after cut-scene after cut-scene. Waiting for the deadly "black screen" to end after EVERY scene change. I enjoy taking my time and looking around but every action was performed in slo-o-ow motion.
I made the mistake of picking something up in a hidden object search and COULD NOT let it go no matter where I went on the screen. Had to shut down the whole thing via my keyboard.
The final straw was when I came upon the helper. The mighty Egyptian god Anubis, nicknamed "Nubi" and shrunk down to the size of a...toddler? NO thank you!
Please try the demo before you buy this one. You'll also find many more reviews as well as other info in the game forum. You can access it at the extreme upper right hand corner of this game page by clicking "get game tips". Happy gaming!
I don't recommend this game.
The Big Secret of a Small Town
Find out what is hidden behind the mysterious disappearance of the Mayor.
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
PUZZLE LOVERS WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS GAME!
PostedMarch 9, 2015
9otters
fromsomewhere in the midwest
Current Favorite:
The Big Secret of a Small Town
(47)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Puzzle lovers! Please don't miss out on this game! Non-puzzle people? This might be the game that turns you into a fan!
What a wonderful surprise! Chock full of exactly the stuff that makes a happy brain. And, a happy brain makes everything else better!
LOVED the whimsical art style. Just fun and made me happy to be in that world. I think the detailed graphics of the bigger devs would have been unnecessary for this type of game. There were some items that were a bit small but some diligent searching took care of that.
LOVED that there is no extreme "hand-holding". Everything you need to progress is there for you to discover. Sometimes obvious. Sometimes not. ALWAYS satisfying to find the answer.
LOVED that if you ARE stumped, the hint system is just enough to get you started again without giving you the answer outright. Although, when I needed an outright answer to find one of those smaller items I mentioned, it helped me in that way.
If achievements are for you, you will find that this game has them. If you enjoy a search beyond the actual game elements, you will find abstract elephants that "trumpet" when you collect them. I had to smile every time I found one.
Sometimes challenging. Never totally impossible. I've been waiting for a game such as this! I can't believe that I got it with a game coupon because I ABSOLUTELY would have been happy to pay for it!
If you think you'd enjoy this game, but like hidden object searches with your puzzles, I'd like to recommend Graven: The Purple Moon Prophecy. It has both, as well as achievements, collectibles, and a graphic style that I enjoyed. Unbelievable that it, too, can be gotten with a game coupon!
One more thing. If you have a problem you cannot solve, please don't forget the games forum. Its kind of hard to find since the BFG site format change. You'll find it in the right-hand corner at the very top of the game page, above the game video area. Just click "get game tips". You'll be surprised at all the info you'll find there as well as a bunch of other people enjoying this fun, fun, FUN game.
Thank you BFG and kudos to this game development team! I am greedy and I want MORE! Lol!
I recommend this game!
Was Marion Ashworth murdered? Uncover the victim's true identity!
Overall rating
2
/
5
26 of 29 found this review helpful
WOW. And Not In A Good Way.
PostedMarch 4, 2015
9otters
fromsomewhere in the midwest
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Eipix. Creating Worlds. That is the logo. Well, they certainly are brilliant when it comes to detailed graphics. For me, they are dropping the ball when it comes to creating interesting games,
I finished the 90-minute demo with 63 minutes to spare. I was definitely taking my time so it came as a total surprise.
Lots of pauses to show off mini-animations and cut-scenes. Clever animations to actually get to the hidden object scenes. Puzzles and mini-games SO simple that they were just boring. Nothing new.
Not once did I have to refer to the strategy guide. I didn't even LOOK for the map because I didn't have to use it.
This is the perfect example of what has become the Eipix formula game. I've said it before. I wish I didn't have to. Lots to look at. Little to do. No challenge. No surprises. No sale. Again.
I don't recommend this game.