ninja226's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.1
- Helpful Votes:1,277
- Reviews Submitted:359
- First Review:July 23, 2016
- Most Recent Review:April 26, 2021
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The twinkling lights in the marsh look pretty, but they hold a mysterious power. Whatever you do... do not follow them!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Bounder defeats Lantern Man of Souls and Saves the Whispering Marsh
PostedSeptember 27, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Story: you play Bounder on a journey through the Whispering Marsh to confront the Lantern man. You have to use the Magic Lantern (lower left corner) as you encounters ghosts along the way, but the lantern has to be filled with fuel (resin, lighter fluid etc) before you can use and the ghosts are defeated by connecting the lighted triangles to form a circle of sorts without intersecting lines (more challenging as the game progresses).
Graphics: this is an Eipix production, so there is a cinematic trailer. Graphics are good, but not outstanding. Would be better if everything were high resolution. Characters speak a bit slow in some parts.
Level of challenge: easy to mildly challenging, good mix of HOS and puzzles, not too easy to be boring and not too hard to be frustrating.
Gameplay: this is the most intuitive series of tasks I've seen in an HOG, which makes it fun to play without resorting to hints or blog walkthrough. This is also a pretty long game to play. The ending is a bit anti-climactic, as if the devs seem to have lost steam on how ramp up an already long game/journey.
Overall, I would recommend this game for the long gameplay, intuitive nature of tasks for 90% of the game, good mix of HO and puzzles, well developed storyline, and good graphics. It is not outstanding in my book, but highly enjoyable to play if you like playing detective and finding hidden objects on the journey to defeat the forces of darkness.
I recommend this game!
Mystery Tales: Alaskan Wild
Call on the animal spirits to help find your sister.
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
Evil or well intentioned mother? You decide
PostedSeptember 25, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Story: your sister invites you to visit Alaska. You accept and go to meet your sister's fiance's mother. Before you know it, your sister Claire is whisked away by the prospective mother-in-law in a gust of ice. You are given a paw amulet that animates totem poles (bottom right corner)--use it any time you come across an animal totem pole.
Graphics--outstanding. Everything is high resolution, sharp, clear, crisp, beautifully done. The Alaskan landscape and Indian/Eskimo motifs are present everywhere and captivating. All the characters are good looking and look like real people. VOs are good. The screenshots for this game don't do justice to actual game.
Music--good, but not memorable.
Level of challenge--very easy to easy to mildly challenging. If you like challenging HOS or puzzles, you will be turned off by lack of challenge presented in this game. This game would have been perfect if the puzzles and HOs were a bit more challenging and not run-of-the-mill. You can play match 3 instead of HOS.
I LOVE this game for the graphics and storyline. Would play it again just to be immersed in the beautiful setting of Alaska (without wearing 5 layers of clothing and facing frostbite). It's also a decently long game and most tasks are intuitive.
I recommend this game without reservation.
I recommend this game!
Discover the secrets of Riverside, the abandoned town without memory. Save your love and avert the catastrophe facing the doomed town!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Hidden object game without the piles of junk to sort through
PostedSeptember 22, 2016
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The reviews on this game are confusing so I played the demo, and I'm pretty sure I have played/own this game before.
1- this is a hidden object game. The only difference is you will not encounter scenes with a pile of junk to find objects in a list.
2- the hidden objects you need to find are blended in with the scenes you encounter as the character in the story. You will come across an item and when you click on it, it pops up 3-5 items in a bubble that you need to find either at that spot or elsewhere to accomplish a certain task or object to move on.
3- graphics are pretty good and similar to Marvel comic books, but basic and lack the snazzy special effects seen with newer HOGs on offer these days. There are no cinematic effects.
4- puzzles and mini games in between are the kind you see in standard HOGs.
5- No strategy guide or BFG walkthrough, but you can use the Hint button or consult the journal at bottom of screen to give you clues of what you need to do or need to know.
Yes, I would recommend this game. Length of game depends on how you play (with or without hints) and how long it takes you to solve puzzles. I don't think it's nearly as long as the file size listed suggests, but this may be due to my playing the demo and not full game.
I recommend this game!
Voyage through a wondrous match-3 adventure as Luna, a recent graduate of the Magic University. Search Varanah for the missing wizard, Ludovic!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Match 3 jewels with real story and hidden objects to find
PostedSeptember 22, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This installment is quite different from the others before it.
The graphics are HIGH RESOLUTION and stunning. I don't like the way the characters are drawn as much, but the HR quality makes it less of a deficiency.
The levels are quite challenging when played in timed mode. There is a lot to accomplish on just one match 3 board, and there are MULTIPLE boards to finish within time limit. This game would suit match 3 experts who like a challenge. Lesser players can opt for an extra lifetime for the cost of 3000 coins or trade in extra minutes for hundreds of coins or play without time limit.
In between match 3, there is a story to follow, hidden objects to find for extra coins, building items acquired from finishing the match 3 levels, and acquiring buildings/locations from your coin stash. There are no castles to build.
Based on the demo, this is a much more involved game of match 3 with HO and adventure tasks thrown in between and stunning high res graphics to soothe the eyes.
Definitely download the free trial to get a sense of the game.
I recommend this game!
Return to a mesmerizing match-three wonderland with this remaster of Jewel Match 2!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Match-3 jewels and create stunning castles
PostedSeptember 22, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This is a basic match-3 game where you match jewels, acquire coins/gold, and build castles from coins you have. In between match-3 levels you can play mahjong to acquire more coins.
There is no storyline to speak of.
The fun factor for me is building the castles, which are really well done and in good taste.
Definitely download the free trial to see if it's your cup of tea. You will have a good idea of whether you like or not within one hour.
A good break from HOGs.
I recommend this game!
Travel to France and uncover the secrets of this beautiful country!
Overall rating
5
/
5
54 of 59 found this review helpful
Travel to France without hassles and zero money
PostedSeptember 22, 2016
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a FUN relaxing match-3 game. Graphics are BEAUTIFUL. Your hostess is well drawn and reminds me of those vintage paper dolls when people actually knew how to draw.
Each level is preceded by a little tidbit fact about France. Then you do a match 3 level. Highest you can get is 3 stars. The match 3 items can include fragments of a French souvenir (Eiffel tower key chain, handbag, etc) to finish out the level. In between match 3, there are jigsaw puzzles.
Very simple concept, but great if you are a fan of match 3, learn trivia about France, and appreciator of beautiful graphics.
Definitely download the Free trial, which downloads quickly, to see if you like. Based on the demo, I was hooked. A good way to take a break from HOGs.
I recommend this game!
The lighthouse fails and darkness invades Willow Ridge. Your husband runs into the forest for answers, unaware of the shadow hunting him.
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
A bit overrated--rescue child from clutches of dark forest
PostedSeptember 21, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
If you like dark, spooky, and eerie storylines, this is right up your alley.
The SE version does indeed have collectibles (an acorn in each scene), but you don't get anything for finding all of them--just bragging rights I guess.
Graphics--a lot of hand drawn settings, trees, etc. that range from being moderately crude to superb. The lady on the cover of the game is very attractive, but she turns out to be sinister and she makes an appearance about 5 times in the entire game. A lot of the graphics veer toward the dark, sinister, and eerie, but there are spots of brightness and beauty interspersed (too little in my opinion).
Puzzles--on the challenging side, and instructions are pretty cryptic to make it even more challenging (or annoying, depending on your point of view).
Storyline--original, imaginative. Gets better towards the end.
Music--can't remember the background music, but the child of the forest does sing a rather haunting, but beautiful, little song that dovetails nicely with the entire story.
All in all, a nice little SE game, but not the fantastic game described by some of the rave reviews, but this may be because I like bright, cheerful, and non-spooky storylines. Hope this review balances the over-the-top reviews out there.
I recommend this game!
The town of Green Hill has really gone to the birds!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
EPIC JOURNEY to restore amulet & rescue the 3 guardians
PostedSeptember 21, 2016
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is an incredibly long game (epic journey describes it to a tee) normally seen with CE games. There are no collectibles, achievements to earn, bonus chapter or morphing objects, but the LENGTH of the game is what you would get with many CE games...and yet it is an SE game. If you are a value shopper, the SE version is like getting a CE for the price of an SE. It is better than many CE games out there IMHO.
There is lots to do in your journey to restore the amulet and rescue the 3 guardians, whose story is illustrated in animated re-enactments as you make your journey toward the castle.
Constellations feature big in the puzzles and powering up the amulet, which is at bottom left corner. The mini games range from easy to moderately challenging, with a wide variety that includes connect the dots to form a picture, marble popping, press the buttons until all lights become green, slider games, and the standard variety seen with many HO games.
Although the amulet is not complete until the very end, you will use the amulet when it glows brightly against a foe you need to vanquish before making the next level.
Gameplay is mostly intuitive, but you often acquire objects that are not used until much much later in the story, so losing track is fairly easy. There is a custom mode to get hints and skip but without sparkles on HOS.
Graphics are excellent for objects, interiors, cute animals encountered along your journey, setting etc, but the computer generated people look unnatural and in many instances, fuzzy.
Not much in the way of music, but there are effective sound effects for an immersive experience. Also a plus if you find background music annoying.
Storyline is quite elaborate, but creative and original. The devs could have a 2nd life as fiction writers.
The genre is fantasy, myth-making, and a riff on classic fairytales, ie not dark, gloomy, and spooky.
I strongly recommend this game. Would have given 5 stars were it not for the fuzzy and computer-fake-looking people in the game. Everything else about this game is superb and probably the best value for an SE game I have seen so far.
I recommend this game!
Ghostly warnings in the water are terrifying a grieving family. What's causing them, and what really happened to Julia White?
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Water, water, water everywhere
PostedSeptember 18, 2016
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is an excellent game for the genre--detective who dunnit in modern setting.
It truly plays out like a movie of the week.
Long, long, long game play, many HOS with option for jigsaw puzzles, engaging plot and sympathetic characters, excellent graphics and VOs.
I liked all the mini puzzles except one.
I hope to see more games like this one.
It is well executed in almost every aspect.
If you like detective style mystery plots in a contemporary setting, you will not be disappointed by this one.
It truly plays out like a movie of the week.
Long, long, long game play, many HOS with option for jigsaw puzzles, engaging plot and sympathetic characters, excellent graphics and VOs.
I liked all the mini puzzles except one.
I hope to see more games like this one.
It is well executed in almost every aspect.
If you like detective style mystery plots in a contemporary setting, you will not be disappointed by this one.
I recommend this game!
This was supposed to be the happiest day of your life. But instead of walking down the aisle, you're in another dimension, battling a mad inventor to save your family!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Rescue your fiance from clutches of evil mad scientist
PostedSeptember 18, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This story takes place in 1910-1920s (not very common).
Graphics are so-so, but long gameplay and engaging plot rescues this game from being average.
There is a lot to do, many HOS and mini puzzles along the way to keep you playing and rescuing the fiance and his mother from evil intents of the mad scientist.
I recommend this game!