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:
Experience a new and exciting solitaire adventure with magician Knoxford in the land of elves!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Really fun, and magical game!
PostedMay 12, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I was pleasantly surprised by this game, which has a little bit of everything--sprinkled by a little magic.
The storyline is excellent, not overly verbose. No voiceovers, so you read at your own pace. Mercifully, the characters don't speak in long paragraphs.
The artwork is a bit simplistic-think Disney's Frozen. Still, it has a lot of charm that grows on you.
The background music is nice and appropriate to the story.
The game starts with the characters who talk a bit. Then you enter the forest maze and play the games. Each stepping stone has 7 levels.
There are 4 solitaire games: GOLF, matching pairs of the same value cards, make pairs of 13, and makes pairs of 10.
In between each stepping stone level, you get mini games such as rotate the rings to form an image, jigsaw puzzles, find differences between 2 pictures, find magic toads/octopus/etc, solitaire card games, mahjong, etc.
There are milestones/achievements and table of items acquired.
You can shop for upgrades with dollar coins.
There is only one mode of play--there is no time limit or timer. Each level can be replayed until you get 3 stars for the level. There is no choice of different face cards.
There is only one mode of play--there is no time limit or timer. Each level can be replayed until you get 3 stars for the level. There is no choice of different face cards.
This is a fun and relaxing game to play without getting frustrated. It's a nice break from HO games.
One thing I wished is the ability to play the mini games on their own at any time after completing the game or any time you want. Other than that, this is a darn good game.
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Embraceable game
PostedMay 10, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I thoroughly enjoyed this game. The story has a Wrinkle in Time feel to it and completely captured me. The voiceover actors are excellent and fit the drawn character. The artwork is fantastic and interior scenes are beautiful.
This game is somewhat different compared to usual BFG offerings, but whatever perceived deficiencies, this is more than compensated by an excellent story and artwork.
Yes, there are many typos, but the voiceover actors speak perfect English. The newspapers and pamphlets encountered along the way are written with all manner of grammatical errors, funny, but does not detract from overall game. You understand what they are getting at.
I did not find the game slow, unless people are referring to the pace of the game. The 1st part of game you are wandering around aimlessly getting adjusted to the flow of the game because there are no glimmers over active areas. Otherwise, it has the same functions as all other HO games.
HOPs are standard variety. Items are small, so beware for a challenge.
PUzzles are just right amount of challenge and not frustrating to solve.
There is only one mode of play (no casual, advanced, hard core), but Hint & Skip is allowed for all aspects of game. No glimmers, but there is a tutorial at beginning. There is no strategy guide, but this is not needed. The Task book is not helpful at all. There is a transportable map, but no active task indicators.
The game ends abruptly and it is a rather short game, which normally would make me deduct a star, but I had such a good time playing the game, this does not bother me as much.
Two thumbs up from me.
I recommend this game!
Save the citizens of Rivershire from a terrible plague!
Overall rating
3
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
Thy name is Healer
PostedMay 8, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is not a bad game. It's just not a great game.
If you like getting value for your money, this game fills the bill. This is a long game with lots of puzzles and relatively few HOPs. The puzzles can be played on hard or easy mode, and the Hard mode is quite vexing and a pain to solve. Expert mode disables Hint & skip, which increases the frustration level.
The story revolves around a Healer (you) who has to diagnose (with diagnostic lens, bottom left) the infectious symptoms of inhabitants in the Tar Kingdom, find ingredients for the healing potion (HO quest), make the potion (Healer Kit, bottom left). The healed person is restored to health and gives an item to continue your quest.
Not a bad story, but also not original, and kind of boring, maybe because no love interest (romance).
The artwork is very good. Voiceovers are appropriate. Background music is nice, but uninteresting story and pain in the bee puzzles makes for a slow torture.
I recommend a demo to judge for yourself.
I recommend this game!
Can you save your friend from a frozen fate?
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Nordic inspired HO game
PostedMay 6, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The artwork for this game is so-so for the most part, and improves a little towards the end, but it is highly playable for those who like to solve mysteries and hidden objects throughout the game.
Expert mode allows for Hint & skip, and retains helpful messages, which is all that's needed for expert players. The puzzles are on the easy side. There are multiple dial puzzles where rings are adjusted until the correct image forms, that can be a bit frustrating.
The story takes its inspiration from Norse mythology, which is a refreshing change, and the background story is well done and not too boring to follow. It would have been really good if the artwork had been better.
The game deserves a look, and a buy with a credit or on sale.
I recommend this game!
Can you save your friends from the sins of their past?
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 10 found this review helpful
Fantastic journey through the Middle East
PostedMay 6, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I absolutely loved the artwork for this game. It is the Middle East like we do not see very often. Very colorful, bright colors, gorgeous interiors, a wedding reception circa 1920s with flowers everywhere, catchy Middle Eastern music in the background.
Granted, it is not high def throughout, but the artwork is such irresistible eye candy, that I am willing to forgive.
The story is a little bit hokey, but easy to follow and developed enough to give just the right amount of suspense as to what will happen next.
This is a long game, with many puzzles and HOPs. Expert mode allows Hint & Skip, but no helpful messages and will be challenging, except for the eagle eyed observer on the look out for subtle clues for objects to pick up.
The game is extremely well done and should be in the collection of any HO devotee.
I recommend this game!
These free TVs may be too good to be true...
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
Too much TV could kill you
PostedMay 4, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
But playing video games will exercise your mind. LOL.
This is a really well done game. The story is told in flashbacks by putting on your magic glasses (bottom right) when you encounter a ghostly blue glow around a character.
The game is really long with an equal mix of HOPs and puzzles. You can opt for match 3 instead of finding HOs. No morphing objects, but lots of interactions in each HOP. The puzzles are varied, and manageable except for a couple.
Each puzzle has option of easy or hard.
Each puzzle has option of easy or hard.
Expert mode disables Hint and Skip, but helpful messages and active task areas on the map remain. I really enjoyed playing detective in this game, as the actions to take are easy to intuit (unlike some games).
Following the story is straightforward, but the leitmotif is pretty stale (the bad character makes a Faustian pledge with a demon to gain unlimited power, wealth, beauty etc by selling their soul or capturing innocent souls as sacrifice to the demon).
The artwork is very well done and excellent, just shy of being super high def.
Not sure why this game doesn't have better reviews. I think it is fantastically well done and a real value.
A mysterious exhibit sends a young woman into a parallel world!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Mayan mysteries
PostedMay 1, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The game is well done, even though the artwork is just OK. It's not a pretty, pretty game, as it takes place in Mayan relics. For some reason the Mayan ancestors all have piercing blue eyes while the female protagonist has brown eyes.
This game has a lot of puzzles, which makes for a long game. The HOPs consist of silhouetted objects, which you must interact in order to obtain each .
You can still get Hint and Skip in expert mode. The transporting map is very useful,as there is a lot of back and forth among old and new scenes.
Basically you get trapped in lava island and need to escape with the help of a shaman, who gets kidnapped mid journey, so you have to rescue him in order to learn what is needed to escape. Of course, there is a happy ending.
The background music is quite good. There are 8 collectable scrolls to find in the SE.
This game is recommended for those who like puzzles, long games, and Mayan civilization.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a mystical murderer in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Excellent paranormal detective story
PostedApril 30, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game is really for mature audiences, as it features a murderer who flays his victims of their skin and leaves the body intact. Aside from this gruesome bit, this is an excellent detective story about a supernatural killer.
The game has a good mix of puzzles and HOPs, which are 90% easy. Expert mode allows Hint, skip, and helpful messages, but no glimmer over active areas.
The story is fairly original and easy to follow. The protagonist is a guy, which some guys should relish. Voiceovers are good. Artwork is excellent, a bit too purple, but very clear and high def. Special effects really add to the ambience.
The background music is one of the better ones out there for these games.
This is a gem of a game, if you can stand a little blood curdling here and there.
I recommend this game!
Ghosts, necromancers and dangerous man-eating wolves lie in wait on the Forsaken Isle. Will you still go and save Lady Annabel?
Overall rating
4
/
5
Forsaken love dooms an island
PostedApril 29, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A very nice game, but really short, even with extras thrown in.
Expert mode allows Hint, Skip, map indicators of sites with active tasks, and tutorial. Even so, it had enough challenge to make it interesting.
Most of the puzzles are easy, but the steering wheel one really stumped me. Also aligning the wolf head so the beams of light point in the center was such a pain, I skipped.
HOPs are standard variety and not terribly imaginative, but there weren't enough of them. That would have extended the game a bit.
For a standard game, it comes with extras normally seen with collector editions. There are three collectables (claw marks, tormented souls, and Annabel's diary pages). You also get wallpapers, replayable music clips, concept art, and Stories. The "stories" is actually pretty good and sums up each character's biographies and the overall story framework, illustrated beautifully and not too long to read.
The artwork and voiceovers for this game are outstanding.
The story is haunting, but easy to follow. The Lady Annabel is a sympathetic figure and your guardian in your journey.
Really liked this game, wish it had been longer.
I recommend this game!
Can you beat the clock and get your life back?
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
This game really ROCKS!!!!
PostedApril 29, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
It's not often that I can say, "Love this game", but this game is exceptional in all regards.
The artwork is fantastic. Everything is in high def, sharp, clear. Colors are bright, but not too blue or too pink or too purple. Even the video cut scenes are fantastic and high def throughout. Special effects are fantastic and appropriate for the mood and gels with the overall storyline.
For once, the story is easy to follow and not completely implausible.
The characters are attractive, but look like real people. The voiceover actors are good and match the characters they play.
The puzzles are mostly easy, but that's OK with me, as it makes for a fun gaming experience. The HOPs are varied and tiered on multiple levels, combining interactions with finding objects based on silhouettes or objects highlighted in red as part of the story narrative. In other words, it's a list of objects, but up two notches of creativity.
I played on expert mode, which disables tutorials, hint, and skip, but helpful messages remain, and are plenty of guidance to progress without any help. I think this is how expert mode should be. You need some helpful messages or it is just too much of a pain to navigate.
This game was so much fun to play.
I have played other games in the Cadenza series, but this game is outstanding and exceptional. The other games in the series pale in comparison.
Mucho kudos to the devs for this game.
I recommend this game!