phatkhat's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:1,517
- Reviews Submitted:70
- First Review:February 4, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 7, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Step into the shoes of investigator Frances Keegan and track down a tax evader suspected of murder.
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Good concept, poor execution.
PostedOctober 28, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The storyline is good. Forget the rest.
This game looks and feels very 2005. It has the flat, cardboard characters that pop in while you read the dialog. Very awkward for 2014. And it's junkpile after junkpile. As well, it only presents ONE thing at a time on the find list, mostly the heroine's costume items. And if there is anything I despise, it is dress-up games. HOs in other locations are the find x number of whatevers.
No glitches, play was smooth. But please. I really liked Mysteryville back in 2005, but I don't think I'd like it now, and I certainly don't like this one, either. And the music is AWFUL.
I don't recommend this game.
Get ready for the fur to fly in this wild and crazy matching game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
16 of 20 found this review helpful
The most addictive game in a long time!
PostedSeptember 18, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I NEVER spend a PCC except on Mondays. Except this time. I used up the demo and couldn't wait to play more. So I got it, and have played all afternoon.
There is a story, sort of, but it doesn't matter. The characters and sound effects are cute. The music is okay - a little repetitive, but it doesn't bother me. You can turn the sound off in options. The graphics are colorful and cartoony, which fit the theme.
But this is no match-3. This is a puzzle/strategy game, pure and simple. You have goals for each level, but you need not meet them to move on, as long as you free all the chicks. Some levels are timed, but only for the golden egg - you can still progress if you don't make the time.
If you've ever played Harvest Mania, this one is very similar, except that no new birds appear as long as you keep making matches. And the mechanics are simple - drag the birds to open spaces to make matches. However... it gets harder and harder to do!
If you are looking for something fun and different, and like strategic thinking games, try it! It may look like a kids' game, but it is not. This is no mindless clickfest - it will give your brain a workout.
Warning: Highly, highly addictive!!!!!
I recommend this game!
Follow our intrepid investigators as they explore this unique Paris setting that combines fantasy and the Crazy Years.
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
I love this game... but I can't play it! :o(
PostedSeptember 18, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I played this a couple of months ago at another site. I loved the quirkiness, the art, the characters, the story, and the cat! It reminded me of City of Fools a bit. The puzzles and riddles are fun, and the music upbeat and cheery.
BUT. I cannot catch the films you need to progress. They appear and disappear way too fast for my reflexes. I could hit them a few times, but not in the right spot, so got stuck and couldn't move on.
If the developers would adjust that one aspect of the game, I'm sure it would sell a lot better. I know I would buy it if I could only play it!
I highly recommend the game if you have fast reflexes and love quirky indie games.
I recommend this game!
The shadow of the Jabberwocky, a terrifying fantasy creature glides above Wonderland! Help Alice restore peace and harmony back to the land!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Not my cuppa...
PostedSeptember 1, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Kind of cute, I suppose. But the conversations were dreadful, the "puzzles" too easy, the music had to go, and waaaaaaay too many HOS. Not to mention the HOS were junkpiles, the objects way too small, often tone-on-tone, and not always what was asked for. If you want scrub brushes, say so, not just "brush" when there is a paintbrush obviously present.
IMHO, the only redeeming feature is the snippets about Lewis Carroll that the Cheshire Cat gives when you click on him.
Maybe for precocious children, but wasn't for THIS adult.
I don't recommend this game.
Earth has been invaded by The Monsters and they have exploited the whole planet! Save the world and free Earth!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 9 found this review helpful
You'll love it or hate it!
PostedAugust 7, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Put me in the "love it" category. It is, simply, fun and addictive.
Graphics are simple and cartoonish, which works for this type of game. The music is kiddish and repetitive - I turned the sound off. Need separate controls for music and sounds. If there is a storyline, I fail to find it, but story is not needed. Meh.
There are no written directions. For the most part, this is okay - they are saving the hassle of localizing for different countries, as well as the cost. HOWEVER. I worked at it until I had all gold, thinking that was required to move forward in the game. Then, I couldn't move forward, anyhow. A nice fishie in the forum told me to drag the screen, and Voila! There is an arrow to move the screen to the right, or go back to the previous screen, but not to move to the next screen. Instead, there is a button to replay the "cut scenes", as if anyone would want to! I also didn't realize you could place multiple bombs until someone mentioned it in a review.
If the Devs are listening, please make some updates and a tutorial that shows how to place multiple bombs and move the screen! People will not buy what they cannot figure out how to play...
Now, having said all that, I think it's a smashing good game, as far as the gameplay itself is concerned! There are 129 levels, and it will take quite some time to finish them all, let alone get gold. Each group of levels gets trickier, and it's very addictive. The principle is simple - place bombs to dump all the monsters. The execution is not so simple, past the first couple of levels. And you will do a lot of experimenting. I do wish the replay was quicker, I hate waiting for the puzzle to reset once I know I've missed the mark.
Definitely a buy come Monday! ;o)
I recommend this game!
Embark on your fantasy journey to distant lands and experience this new and exciting collection of mosaic puzzles through 100 custom built levels.
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
I'd like to give it 3.5 stars.
PostedMay 6, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This is not a bad game, but it surely isn't one of the better griddlers out there, either. It is also not a new game. It's been out for some time - in fact, there is a Fantasy Mosaics 2.
So, I'm addicted to griddlers/nonograms/picross - whatever you call them! This is a good basic game, using the usual conventions and I have not seen any ambiguities, so well-constructed. But it is easy, compared to World Mosaics, and good for relaxing when you are not up for much challenge.
Graphics are sharp and colorful, you have some animal friends, and a garden to "restore". Music is on a short loop, and gets old fast - I turned it down. The main challenge is that you are allowed few mistakes, so don't be careless!
Coming fairly close behind Mystery Riddles is not good for this one, as it suffers by comparison. Mystery Riddles has a truly awesome soundtrack (except for the drumming in the last location), somewhat of a story, and a lot more challenge - though not as much as World Mosaics.
If you have a coupon, this isn't a bad game to spend it on. I don't think I'd pay full price, though.
I recommend this game!
Select the right pieces to complete pictures set in the world of Deponia
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 10 found this review helpful
A new twist for Deponia!
PostedMay 1, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
There is a series of adventure games that take place on Deponia, a planet that has devolved into a garbage dump, basically. The puzzles in this game are actually screenshots from the adventures. Though they are not offered here, they are worth playing, for sure.
This game is certainly a new twist on jigsaw puzzles. I finished the first level during the demo, and it looks like there are plenty more. The mechanics are a bit different, and the square pieces make it more challenging. Some levels have round puzzles, which are much easier!
You are to find the piece that goes in the highlighted box, which is not easy most of the time. You must complete the puzzle before time runs out, though if it does, you can try again.
The graphics are cartoonish, as they are in the original games, of course, but well drawn, clear and sharp. The music is actually quite nice, and you can adjust the volume of the music and ticking timer separately - kudos on that!
It isn't hard to figure out, but it would have been helpful to have a short tutorial to explain the flip feature, as well as to explain the scoring. I still have not totally figured out how the stars are calculated.
There is no storyline at all, so I didn't rate that.
This is a challenging game, and an original one. If you like a challenge, try it! I'm not a fan of timers, but it does add to the difficulty, and so far, I've only had trouble with a couple of puzzles. Definitely a buy for me on Monday, LOL.
I recommend this game!
Can you carve a path of light through the darkness in this marble shooting adventure?
Overall rating
5
/
5
39 of 44 found this review helpful
What a great surprise for today!
PostedApril 25, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
While I think it's waaaaay too good to be a mere soft release, I'm just happy to see a new marble popper, since they are few and far between!
What a marble popper it is, too! I think this is definitely the best of the Sparkle series, and here's why...
The shooter is not a rotating (Zuma style) one, but a sliding one, ala Luxor! This I personally much prefer, though it is definitely a personal preference.
In addition, there are new powerups, and you get to upgrade them to increasingly powerful levels.
I am not going to rate the storyline, as it is weak, but so what? These games are not story-driven. But the narrator from Sparkle 2 is back, with the "Shakespearean" intonation of the story, which is charming. The music is Sparkle, but is fine at low volume. Graphics are the most colorful yet, and very sharp.
The game features braziers to light this time, similar to the checkpoints in the other games. The levels grow harder as you go, of course, and there are survival levels to play as a side quest.
I have to admit, I never finished Sparkle. Like Zuma, the last levels were simply too fast and I couldn't do them, especially with the rotating shooter. I loved Sparkle 2, which was challenging but doable. This one is much the same. I'm looking forward to many hours of pleasurable play here, because it is absolutely a buy!
I recommend this game!
Uncover why Lisa's uncle is hiding information about her father's disappearance and help her discover the truth.
Overall rating
5
/
5
52 of 55 found this review helpful
Huge kudos to this new developer!
PostedMarch 25, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a fantastic game, from the opening cutscene on - but you will need to be patient, because it starts a bit slowly. This looks like it might have intended to be a CE, and it certainly has the length, complexity, and quality to be. It's far better than this weekend's crop of CEs, that's for sure.
A little steampunk, a little sci-fi, a little reminiscent of Myst, and a bit of mystery - complete with startling plot twists and revelations.
Pros:
- Graphics are sharp and clear, though some scenes are (appropriately) a little dark.
- Voiceovers are excellent, and I liked the music, though some won't.
- Cutscenes are absolutely superb, and give you a sense of "being there".
- Storyline involves a missing relative, but the twists and turns take it far from "same-old, same-old"
- Some real "gotcha" moments, surprises, and suspense
- Hard mode doesn't hold your hand, though I'd prefer no black bar tips
- NO cute helpers! (Thank you!!!!!)
- I'm not done, but it seems to be quite long - LOTS of territory to cover
- Adventure-heavy, and actually pretty challenging on the adventure side :-)
- Graphics are sharp and clear, though some scenes are (appropriately) a little dark.
- Voiceovers are excellent, and I liked the music, though some won't.
- Cutscenes are absolutely superb, and give you a sense of "being there".
- Storyline involves a missing relative, but the twists and turns take it far from "same-old, same-old"
- Some real "gotcha" moments, surprises, and suspense
- Hard mode doesn't hold your hand, though I'd prefer no black bar tips
- NO cute helpers! (Thank you!!!!!)
- I'm not done, but it seems to be quite long - LOTS of territory to cover
- Adventure-heavy, and actually pretty challenging on the adventure side :-)
Neutrals:
- Has maps, but I don't use them, so can't comment on their usefulness
- HOS can be traded for a very simple solitaire game if you like - I found it too easy to be fun, though I'm no fan of HOS
- Even on hard, the hint charged quickly, but I didn't need to use either it or the skip so far
- No tutorial that I saw, but I don't use them anyway. I will say I didn't know there was a soli game until I read other reviews
- Has maps, but I don't use them, so can't comment on their usefulness
- HOS can be traded for a very simple solitaire game if you like - I found it too easy to be fun, though I'm no fan of HOS
- Even on hard, the hint charged quickly, but I didn't need to use either it or the skip so far
- No tutorial that I saw, but I don't use them anyway. I will say I didn't know there was a soli game until I read other reviews
Cons:
- Fairly linear, but you will have enough stuff going on that it really doesn't seem all that linear
- Mini games were insultingly easy, at least as far as I got
- Too many HOS for me, but that is really subjective, I know
- Fairly linear, but you will have enough stuff going on that it really doesn't seem all that linear
- Mini games were insultingly easy, at least as far as I got
- Too many HOS for me, but that is really subjective, I know
This game was kind of a pleasant surprise, and a breath of fresh air. I am soooooo burnt out on "cute", and this one is NOT cute at all! It is an adult-level game, actually. Try it for sure, and keep at it until you get to the end of the mansion chapter - it seems slow and simple up till then, and then it suddenly picks up and takes off like a runaway airship!
I recommend this game!
World Mosaics Chroma
Stop a mysterious criminal from turning the world gray!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Would have been better as a stand-alone
PostedFebruary 17, 2014
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I am a picross addict. Can't get enough of them. And having almost finished WM7 - working through the bonus puzzles - I was surprised and happy to see this - until I realized it was F2P. Nevertheless, I DL'd the sneak peek, and have been playing it. Meh.
The story is the usual WM type story, but a little more complex.
The music is the usual WM music, turn it off!
The graphics are okay, good enough for this type of game.
The gameplay is a mixed bag. The conventions are the usual. It defaults to "right click to swap", but you can uncheck the box and right click to place pins or left click to paint. What is NOT conventional are the grids, which have odd numbers of rows/columns, and are sometimes irregular. Okay, you really have to count - those heavy lines don't mean 5 squares!
Then there is the fact that there are TWO colors to work with. Once a square is painted, it stays put, but the pins are color specific, and disappear for that color when you change to the other. Not as confusing as it sounds, but you need to pay attention! On some puzzles, you have to unlock the second color by clearing squares with keys, either by painting or pinning. Thumbs up for this twist.
You also will have 3 lives to start. Losing a level will lose you a life. You will also lose a life if you exit in the middle of a puzzle to the menu. Big thumbs down on that. There are four power-ups:
Palette: paints a 3x3 grid
Cross: paints a row and column
Bucket: paints all of one color
Eraser: cancels your mistakes
Of course, if you use them up (tutorial demands to use don't actually use any) you have to buy more. And you will either be a lucky guesser or use them. More on that below. (The lives do seem to regenerate overnight, but I'm not sure how many or how many hours it takes.) 'Nother big thumbs down.
Palette: paints a 3x3 grid
Cross: paints a row and column
Bucket: paints all of one color
Eraser: cancels your mistakes
Of course, if you use them up (tutorial demands to use don't actually use any) you have to buy more. And you will either be a lucky guesser or use them. More on that below. (The lives do seem to regenerate overnight, but I'm not sure how many or how many hours it takes.) 'Nother big thumbs down.
There are three stars per level - one for completion (and if you abandon a puzzle in progress, you lose a life), one for filling the rainbow bar with a specified number of points, and one for no mistakes. You will have to get a certain number of stars to advance to the next location. And believe me, the stars are HARD to get - especially the one for points.
Ah, the points. You get the most points for dragging the paintbrush/pinner, and singly clicking squares will NEVER get you the star. So on harder levels, the ONLY way to get the star, ta-da, is to use power-ups - or snip the screen and work it on paper first. No way I'm going to that much trouble. Buy, buy, buy those power-ups! 'Nother big thumbs down.
HUGE, ginormous thumbs down for the fact that THIS game, unlike any other WM, has - wait for it! - the dreaded AMBIGUITIES. Yes. You will have to guess. Or use power-ups. THIS, this one fact, KILLS the game for me. No dedicated picross fanatic likes a game with ambiguities.
Plus, there's the horrible tutorial that cannot be turned off. Thumbs down on that.
IF this were made as a regular purchase and play, it would be awesome, because it is challenging, with the two colors and unconventional grids. Having the progressive allowable mistakes with difficulty, as they usually do. Having no ambiguities. Having an on-demand tutorial. And having attainable points. Being able to buy additional mistakes with your stars, and not having the game shut you out if you make too many mistakes.
As it is, I can't recommend it. It's constructed pretty much to force you to buy powerups if you want to progress. F2P is a big ripoff in general, but some games let you pretty much play on without a purchase. Not so for this one - at least as you progress to the more difficult levels.
I don't recommend this game.