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:
Orphan Evy wakes to find herself in a fairytale kingdom under threat from an evil witch. Help her save the magic kingdom with Marble Popping puzzle duels.
Overall rating
2
/
5
11 of 16 found this review helpful
Great music and graphics
PostedJuly 23, 2013
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
But that's about all I liked.
I enjoyed the opening cutscene, and thought it might be pretty good. But as soon as I got to the play, it was downhill from there. This is NOT a marble popper. It may look like one, but it is not. This is simply a strategic placement of game pieces, and they could have been anything. In short, it's a turn-based strategy game, and I don't like them.
I will give the developers kudos for great soundtrack and nice artwork and graphics. I'm sure the game is very good if you like that genre. And It was good that they had an easy and normal mode - though if that was easy, I don't want to think about normal.
What was the worst is NO tutorial. There are snippets of information about the opponent, and about the spheres, but not enough to learn much. If you play this genre, it probably isn't so bad, but for beginners, it is a real turnoff. I really needed a little handholding, and there was nothing. I was trying to figure it out, and sort of did, but I never figured out what the purple spheres did, even. I got killed in level 3, and deleted the game. It just didn't inspire me to keep trying.
If there was an explanation of all the types of spheres and what they did, I didn't see it. No tutorial round that shows where to put your spheres for the best result. No nothing. Please, Devs, take this back to the drawing board and do an update with a real tutorial. I think a lot more people might buy it if you did.
I don't recommend this game.
Challenge the darkness with your swift orb-matching skills, mighty magical enchantments and earthshaking power-ups!
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
Fast and Furious!
PostedJune 18, 2013
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
Review based on demo. This is a definite buy, but I'm TRYING to hold out until Monday... May or may not make it, LOL!
Like all marble poppers, it's highly addictive. It's colorful, compared to the first Sparkle, and the music is very reminiscent of it. There are extra different play modes to unlock; you start in story mode. I got to the first two extras in the demo, survival and challenge (which gets progressively harder until you fail). I think there are 2 more.
I completed two levels out of 5 in the demo hour, but I'm a pretty good player. The levels get progressively harder, so I am not guessing it will be terribly short. In any case, with the extra modes, there is great replay value.
Sparkle 2 seems to be somewhat easier than the first - I made it to level 22 or 23 I think, and didn't die. I know I didn't get that far in the first one, LOL. However, I wouldn't recommend Sparkle - either of them - for a first time player. They are the fastest marble poppers I've ever played. (Beginners would do well to try Luxor - Amun Rising, Bengal: Game of Gods, or Atlantis/Atlantis Sky Patrol.)
This version gives you helpful powerups, and you accumulate a new set with each level. Most helpful for me are the speed shot and tranquility, which slows down the play somewhat, though you get more strings to defeat per level. If you get stuck on a level, that one may help a lot. I did find it difficult to navigate between powerup boards - each level's are on a separate board - and found out how to do it by accident. (Of course I skipped the tutorial, and it may have told how.)
I wish I could give it 4.5 stars. It isn't the best MP I've played, but it's better than most. There isn't much of a story with this, but one really neat thing is that the "cut scenes" are narrated by an excellent voice actor. It's a nice touch.
Now if I can just hold out until Monday...
I recommend this game!
Confront an ancient evil and uncover your true! After a startling revelation changes your world forever, you must embark on an epic journey to save mankind.
Overall rating
4
/
5
15 of 19 found this review helpful
Wow, I think this is a very good game!
PostedJune 16, 2013
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Namariel Legends: Iron Lord
(107)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This dev also did A Gypsy's Tale: Tower of Secrets, Dark Hills of Cherai, and Zodiac Prophecies: Serpent Bearer - all of which I liked or loved.
I'm joining the minority here. As soon as I saw the bad reviews, I knew I had to try it. LOL, I'm just a contrarian, because my taste in games usually runs exactly opposite of everyone else's.
I really like this one! I think the graphics are fine, and I love the art. The characters are well drawn, and the voiceovers well done. AND I love the music. I like middle eastern and oriental music, so it's very nice for me.
I have not looked at either the map or strategy guide. Playing on hard mode. And I am NOT finding it all that easy. Not too many HOS, but they are well done, and not overly junky. There is a LOT to pick up, it's easy to miss, and in hard mode there are NO sparkles or glints outside of the few HOS. You don't just use your inventory right away, either. The game is not totally linear. And there are a lot of things I need to find, and still have not. The puzzles are not difficult, but were fun so far.
This is primarily an adventure game with a few HOS and puzzles. It hasn't been illogical so far. It has not got all the "bells and whistles" that most are looking for in a CE. And while I enjoy morphing objects, they don't make or break a game for me. I don't care about achievements, collectibles, or trophies. Meh. I'm glad there are no cute animals to dress and play with - or any "assistants" that never shut up.
The game has what I look for in a CE - bonus play. Period. Yeah, it probably would have done better as a SE, but it's fine as it is for me. And it's working fine. I've encountered several games that go square on a widescreen if you don't want the picture stretched. This one doesn't look bad full screen - some do. I'm running an old dual core AMD with XP SP3 on it, so the older or simpler games run great.
This is definitely a buy for me. With the BOGO, I will grab this one and Linden Shade, which I also liked better than most seemed to. I was going to wait for the SE, but with the sale...
So, I give this 4 stars. It isn't GREAT, but it is very, very good. It definitely drew me in and I was shocked when the demo ended. Try it - and don't give up after 10 or 20 minutes. This one definitely gets better as you go along, and the story, confusing at first, is revealed as you find diary pages along your way. Some of the characters are quite funny, and it is fun to interact with them.
I recommend this game!
Seven gnomes wait in silence, holding a secret. Take up the hunt if you dare, and find the path to the Chamber of Fortune.
Overall rating
5
/
5
20 of 22 found this review helpful
A hidden gem!
PostedMay 29, 2013
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
I'm puzzled at all the bad reviews - I'm loving this game! It is quirky and a bit convoluted, and seems like an indie game. It is creepy, sometimes startling, and has a compelling storyline that you uncover bit by bit.
I would actually give it 4.5 stars, but rounded up on the fun factor. For me, it has too many HOS, though they are not particularly difficult - for the most part. But there are some items very hard to find, which made me quickly rethink my hardcore mode choice with no hints. It is also very linear, which I do not like.
Nevertheless, there were enough outstanding features to make me still love it. It has morphing objects to find. The music is fantastic. The ambient sounds are very good - creepy, but not overdone. The puzzles are not original, but are well done, and have their own twists. A tad easy, but not enough to spoil the fun.
And LOTS of adventuring to do. (Still, you will not wear out sneakers, since locations are fairly limited.) Everything has been pretty logical so far, no bizarre uses for things.
I'm a great fan of story driven games, and this one is. You will not, however, understand the story from the beginning. The rather dreamlike opening cutscene asks more questions than it answers, and the story of long ago greed and doublecrossing is revealed in bits and pieces - not always in chronological order. This keeping me guessing is much of the fun!
All in all, if you like a good story, don't mind HOS and linear play, you may find this one to be one of the most underrated games this year! At least give it a try! I hope to see many more from this Dev.
I recommend this game!
In a fading world devoid of color, the ghost of Nikola Tesla reaches through the Ether and invites you on an incredible adventure through time and space.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Actually, quite a good game!
PostedMay 28, 2013
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
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This one is a little different, but I like it! It is almost more of an interactive novel, with all the story-telling by Tesla's ghost. It has a bit of a sci-fi theme, and the story is quite interesting.
The music and voiceovers are quite good, and the graphics are clear and sharp. This is a puzzle adventure game mainly, not a HOG. The puzzles are not overly taxing, but you will spend some time running back and forth looking for things you need to carry out tasks.
Certainly WELL worth the DD price today! Not sure about the length, but only reached the second "chapter" by the end of the demo. It seems it will be a decent length.
I recommend this game!
To save her father, Bella vowed to stay with the beast, but is he truly evil? Help Bella follow her heart!
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Not my cuppa.
PostedApril 6, 2013
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Didn't grab me. The music was quite nice, the voiceovers decent, but that's about it.
First of all, I couldn't get rid of the painfully slow custom cursor. And the cutscenes started and abruptly quit, leaving gaping holes in the story, which the journal didn't fill in. It's also VERY linear, and you find inventory and use it. The HOS were really hard to see, and while not junkpiley, they were overdone. Minigames easy - very easy.
The scenes were pretty static, the artwork very basic. And I didn't get sucked into the characters' realm at all. Not any challenge, just a mediocre, old-looking HOG with a few minigames.
I don't recommend this game.
Azada’s saga continues when its precious elements are stolen!
Overall rating
3
/
5
69 of 99 found this review helpful
Based on the demo for this game...
PostedMarch 7, 2013
phatkhat
fromAsh Flat, AR
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'll give it three stars. Compared to Azada I, it doesn't even rate. They managed to take a franchise that appealed to adventure/puzzle fans and turn it into just another mediocre HOG franchise. Bleah.
Having said that, I suppose as a stand alone game it is just okay. I'm not a fan of ERS, though occasionally they get one right. But the Azada mystique, and even the really great music, are gone. And the challenging, thought-provoking puzzles are gone, replaced by typical ERS HO scenes.
I played on the hardest mode, and there were still sparkles on the HO scenes, though not much other help, thankfully. I don't use jump maps, and there is a lot of backtracking and find this to do that stuff. No real thinking required on the puzzles, though finding items isn't always easy. The minigames are really very easy. I don't like HO scenes in the first place, and these were way too hard on my eyes.
Graphics are decent, though I'm not overly fond of ERS graphics/art. The music is okay, but not memorable. The VOs are good, and in character.
What I do NOT like is the "sidekick". It is just annoying, not cute, and the voice is grating and made me want to banish it for good - even if it was a cat. Right up there with "Tinkerbell" in the Isabella games. And, really! Buying it outfits??? Is this a game for adult humans or silly 10-year-old girls? Please!
I also don't like the magic potion thingy. It's cumbersome. Can't address the SG, and only used hints in the HO scenes, so can't address that, either.
I'll buy this in time - probably when it is a DD, LOL. I'm not excited about it at all. I will, however, recommend it for people who like HOGs, those not looking for a real challenge, and fans of ERS. If you liked Azada I, and even Azada II, you will be sorely disappointed.
I recommend this game!
Atlantis: Pearls of the Deep
Find all of the Power Crystals and save the people of Atlantis in this innovative physics-based marble dropper!
Overall rating
5
/
5
72 of 81 found this review helpful
Jar of Marbles on steroids...
PostedDecember 22, 2012
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
Storyline
3
/
5
I bought this the day it was released at another site, because I am a "Jar" junkie. This sooooo far surpasses the Jar games! It's marble dropping with physics puzzles, and is totally addictive.
The story is just okay, but I only require a story in adventure type games, so, meh. The artwork is true eye-candy. The music is very pleasant and fitting to the scenery. The mermaid isn't cloying and whiny - like some of the fantasy "assistants" in this sort of games.
This adds some challenge to the Jar of Marbles format, in that you must also consider physics challenges, in addition to mere gravity. It's not frustratingly difficult as far as I've gotten, but it gets harder as you go, of course.
There are also mini games that really could have used a little explanation. You just sort of have to learn how to play, and what the goal is, on the fly. But that's a small ding in an otherwise superb puzzle game!
If you like Jar, you will LOVE this one!
I recommend this game!
Prepare yourself to enter the magical world of Twilight School! Save your missing mother and uncover the truth about the school's sinister past!
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 9 found this review helpful
It's really not that bad. Um, I bought it. :o)
PostedDecember 12, 2012
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
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I found it incredibly campy and retro - it's kind of a parody of all the old-style HOGs, with bits reminiscent of many of them! And a send-up of Harry Potter, Twilight, and all the werewolf games. And, (censored), it's actually pretty much fun! Certainly worth the PCC I spent on it.
Yes, there are bits and pieces... The locomotive going to the school, like HP. Also names, Bella (Twilight? or Bella LeStrange from HP?), Lily (HP's mother), and the bully boy is certainly reminiscent of the Malfoy kid, LOL. I think if you keep your eyes open for the "easter eggs", there are plenty.
I was astonished when the screen went blank - trial over! The hour flew by. And the storyline had drawn me in. Yes, it sounds like all the rest, but I keep thinking there may be a surprise somewhere here.
I played on hard, which wasn't very. But I did notice that the puzzles got a little harder, and maybe as I get further, they will get more challenging. At any rate, they were fun, if a little on the easy side. The HOS are not bad - there are not a lot of objects to find, and they are pretty easy to spot. Not overly junkpiley - or not most of them.
It's a good mix of adventure, HOS, and puzzles. The adventuring is pretty intuitive, and it's very linear, so you won't get confused. No sneakers needed - there is a kind of teleporter device that you use to get around.
No voiceovers, just text. I liked the music, myself, but then, I am an oddball when it comes to music. It's kind of jazzy, actually, but pleasant.
All in all, a perfect game for beginners in the genre, or for old-timers looking for a relaxing play and some tongue-in-cheek humor - whether or not it was intentional.
I recommend this game!
Stop an infamous cat burglar as you solve pictographic puzzles and travel through time.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
THANK YOU!!!! :o)
PostedDecember 4, 2012
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
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I didn't know #6 was in the works, so imagine my surprise when I flipped over to BFG at 2:03 cst. I didn't even try it, just went directly to the buy page! Then DL'd and played until about 4 am, LOL. Man, I love these games!
This one has an interesting story, though the story isn't overly important here, nice music - some new, and the familiar gameplay. What surprised me is starting with 10x10 fairly challenging puzzles right off the bat! I had to quit at 2-10, because I was making stupid mistakes. Will have at it again tonight!
If you are a fan of these games, you will be happy with it!
I recommend this game!