robindrake29's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.5
- Helpful Votes:40
- Reviews Submitted:8
- First Review:December 18, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 6, 2016
- Featured reviews0
robindrake29's Review History
A dark shadow has been cast over the fairy realm and King Feodor needs your help cleaning it up in this exciting Match 3 game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
21 of 23 found this review helpful
A literal moving target
PostedApril 6, 2016
robindrake29
fromZionsville IN
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Family
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo.
Story: In this match-3 game by Rokapublish, fairies attempt to clean up a polluted river. Snarky dialogue is initially amusing, but gets old quickly. Some fairies seem rather stupid, making for insipid conversation.
Gameplay: Swap, chain, and group match modes can be changed on the fly. Nice background graphics.
Weirdnesses:
*The game board and tokens are very small, taking up only about half the screen space. Why?
*The tiny wand used for the pointer, although fitting for the story, is difficult to aim. Clicking a square next to the one intended is very easy.
*The background sometimes jumps from side to side repeatedly, particularly during high/low solitaire games played between levels. These jittery movements are quite distracting.
*Matching five in a row leaves one token behind, icon swollen to a larger size (though still within its miniature square), but the icon shrinks again almost instantly. I couldn't match one of these larger tokens fast enough to see whether that would provide some kind of bonus.
*Bombs are distinguished only by a small lightning bolt on the icon. Several times I set off bombs accidentally while trying to make a match.
*The game board and tokens are very small, taking up only about half the screen space. Why?
*The tiny wand used for the pointer, although fitting for the story, is difficult to aim. Clicking a square next to the one intended is very easy.
*The background sometimes jumps from side to side repeatedly, particularly during high/low solitaire games played between levels. These jittery movements are quite distracting.
*Matching five in a row leaves one token behind, icon swollen to a larger size (though still within its miniature square), but the icon shrinks again almost instantly. I couldn't match one of these larger tokens fast enough to see whether that would provide some kind of bonus.
*Bombs are distinguished only by a small lightning bolt on the icon. Several times I set off bombs accidentally while trying to make a match.
Music and sound effects: Annoying, loud, repetitive background music. Match-3 levels end with a strong trumpet blare that sent me scrambling for the volume control.
Overall grade: C-. The weirdnesses, particularly the small game board, made playing the game more like work than entertainment. I'm always on the hunt for a good new match-3 game. This isn't it.
I don't recommend this game.
A deadly secret lurks in the woods of Dire Grove!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 3 found this review helpful
Atmospheric? Engrossing? Pulse-pounding? Sorry, not even interesting.
PostedNovember 22, 2015
robindrake29
fromZionsville IN
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Word, Card & Board
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I finally finished the main game of "Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove, Sacred Grove" almost a year after buying it, and I really had to talk myself into playing the extra chapter and the alternate ending.
Arguments in favor:
a) The Collector's Edition cost me two game credits. Shouldn't I take advantage of the extra "goodies"? (Heavy irony there.)
b) I had loved the MCF mega-puzzles all the way back to the first Ravenhearst game, and I hoped for more in the extra gameplay.
c) Maybe after the extra gameplay was over, the "Extras" section would let me replay the (very few) hidden object scenes and mini-puzzles.
d) I hadn't found all the miniature Dire Grove buildings, and maybe completing that "collection" would let me do something more interesting than just view them in their little model village. (Oh, the lamps, headlights, campfires flash when I click each model! That's... not very exciting, really.)
a) The Collector's Edition cost me two game credits. Shouldn't I take advantage of the extra "goodies"? (Heavy irony there.)
b) I had loved the MCF mega-puzzles all the way back to the first Ravenhearst game, and I hoped for more in the extra gameplay.
c) Maybe after the extra gameplay was over, the "Extras" section would let me replay the (very few) hidden object scenes and mini-puzzles.
d) I hadn't found all the miniature Dire Grove buildings, and maybe completing that "collection" would let me do something more interesting than just view them in their little model village. (Oh, the lamps, headlights, campfires flash when I click each model! That's... not very exciting, really.)
Arguments opposed:
a) Was that extra credit really worth throwing away my time on unenjoyable gameplay?
b) Were the mega-puzzles enough fun to balance the dullness of the rest of the game?
c) Nothing in the "Extras" section even *hinted* at the possibility of replaying hidden object scenes or puzzles - or even finding missing "collection" models or puzzle pieces to complete an "achievement."
d) Finishing the main game took *months*. I would rather do housework I hated than spend time playing this game. Why keep going?
a) Was that extra credit really worth throwing away my time on unenjoyable gameplay?
b) Were the mega-puzzles enough fun to balance the dullness of the rest of the game?
c) Nothing in the "Extras" section even *hinted* at the possibility of replaying hidden object scenes or puzzles - or even finding missing "collection" models or puzzle pieces to complete an "achievement."
d) Finishing the main game took *months*. I would rather do housework I hated than spend time playing this game. Why keep going?
***Spoiler ahead!***
The only persuasive argument for finishing this game came from a different game: While still dithering around in Dire Grove, I played "Mystery Case Files: Key to Ravenhearst," and someone in that game hinted about something that happened in Dire Grove. The Dalimar family history keeps increasing in complexity, and I decided that I couldn't skip the chance to learn a bit more. So I returned to the boring conversations with cardboard characters in Dire Grove, though its "extreme" weather didn't feel the least bit cold, and I kind of wished that the supernatural oogie-boogies would come back and wipe out the whole place - including the cartoon squirrel that apparently could figure out via ESP what useful object needed to be fetched, but couldn't keep itself fed.
The only persuasive argument for finishing this game came from a different game: While still dithering around in Dire Grove, I played "Mystery Case Files: Key to Ravenhearst," and someone in that game hinted about something that happened in Dire Grove. The Dalimar family history keeps increasing in complexity, and I decided that I couldn't skip the chance to learn a bit more. So I returned to the boring conversations with cardboard characters in Dire Grove, though its "extreme" weather didn't feel the least bit cold, and I kind of wished that the supernatural oogie-boogies would come back and wipe out the whole place - including the cartoon squirrel that apparently could figure out via ESP what useful object needed to be fetched, but couldn't keep itself fed.
Other reviewers have said many things that I won't bother to repeat here. But I will echo their sentiments in one way: If you haven't yet played the original "Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove," spend your money or credits on that game and skip this one. Before you do, make sure you're bundled up and have a hot drink nearby, because *that* game offers every quality this review heading asked.
I don't recommend this game.
Follow Jason and the Argonauts though ancient Greek adventures in this exciting Match 3 game!
Overall rating
1
/
5
7 of 11 found this review helpful
A sight to *create* sore eyes
PostedJuly 31, 2015
robindrake29
fromZionsville IN
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
An ancient myth can provide an interesting background story behind a game, but this game's relationship to "Jason and the Argonauts" seemed tenuous at best, and the story was poorly (boringly) told with static images that merely were displayed and then gradually shrank a bit before being replaced by the next panel.
I didn't care much about the story, but that problem wasn't really significant - many games have only the barest connection between backstory and gameplay. What I hated about this game was the actual play visuals. Tiny silvery-grey fish and other muted icons, crammed together on a miniature playing field completely surrounded by a large "ancient Greece" background graphic. Why so very small, game designers? Even positioning the pointer on the correct icon was difficult, which led to some moves going the wrong direction.
Worse yet, constant flashing and glittering of icons, explosions, etc. nag the player to hurry up, select something, make moves! And this was in "relaxed" mode. No timer other than the demo's own, which was no problem for me: I stopped playing after five minutes of visual discomfort and uninstalled this game. I usually give a new game the benefit of at least a half-hour of play. Couldn't stand this game that long.
I don't recommend this game.
Help the ghostly inhibitants of a haunted house as you venture into the beyond and discover the secret of the 6th ghost!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Didn't hold my interest [spoilers]
PostedDecember 26, 2014
robindrake29
fromZionsville IN
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Brain Teaser, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Trying to remember why I bought this game, I think I was influenced by other players' positive reviews and the unusual demo, which featured anime-style graphics, unique characters, and a different overall "feel" from the basic hidden object games to be found on Big Fish. But the game play of "Age of Enigma" didn't sustain that initial enjoyment for me. I didn't get far into the story before becoming bored with repeating the same actions. Also, the first chapter's Kapangya idol was a different kind of tool for these games, but with too much power: "Got a problem - get Kapangya!"
The idea of rescuing distressed and trapped souls isn't new, though I haven't seen many adventure games with that primary goal. Though the moral theme is healthy, I was surprised by the number of reviewers who recommended this game for kids. The overall look of every scene was essentially just filth and destruction. The bits and pieces needed to solve individual puzzles were often nearly indistinguishable from their backgrounds. I also can't imagine kids wanting to find where to put the jagged bits of background images; after the first one, I found the others to be dull and/or frustrating. The final straw for me was the disturbing sacrificial altar scene. Are parents really okay with their kids seeing rivulets of blood coating an altar and pouring across the floor, a deranged-looking man standing over a primary character's wife with a lethal blade and no way for the character to rescue her, and the woman's ultimate cutting remarks? I doubt it.
This game probably suits players who loathe hidden object games (no such scenes in this game); want something unusual; and enjoy Native American, Incan, or Mayan histories. Not for me.
One last comment: It may have been just my rather old equipment, but the game cursor jumped around crazily in scenes, and I usually couldn't get it within the focal point to select things. Many clicks were necessary just to choose an item from the inventory and apply it. Finally I turned off the game cursor, which stopped its jerky behavior, but also removed some of the pleasure from playing the game.
I don't recommend this game.
Experience a deeper magic in this sparkling sequel, brimming with more than 20 puzzle books of classic tales.
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
I won the game! It only took FOUR YEARS!!
PostedJuly 15, 2014
robindrake29
fromZionsville IN
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Quite a few people liked this game and its predecessor, simply titled "Azada." I liked the first one enough to pony up the cash to get this second one, but honestly I remember while buying it that I was mostly thinking, "At least it's different." A fairly quirky reason for choosing a game, considering how many I've purchased from Big Fish over the last few years. I know what I like in a game, and "different"... isn't really a strong recommendation. I was getting pretty tired of the repetitious "junk pile" Hidden Object games that were being premiered month after month at that time. Not much to distinguish one from another, and most of the Hidden Object scenes that I adored just seemed to be filled with leftovers from an end-of-the-galaxy hangar sale.
By contrast, "Azada" and "Azada: Ancient Magic" contain no junk piles at all. In fact, they're the cleanest games I've ever seen, visually striking, with rich colors and true-to-life imagery that would be fascinating if the players ever got to tinker around with all that stuff. But we don't. That's probably my #2 reason for not liking this game as much as I hoped when I purchased it. The designers present carefully crafted, beautiful miniature worlds full of intricate, almost photo-realistic scenes, but in each one we typically get to handle almost nothing. Every kitchen's cabinet doors are strikingly rendered, but we never get to open them. Gardens are verdant with lush florals, but we not only don't get to stop and smell the roses, we don't even get to touch them (unless one is needed as part of a spell or something of the sort). Each page of each book that we explore in Titus' great-uncle's library is an amazing scene, but at most we get to click a few small (often VERY tiny) objects and put them into the inventory bag for use later on some other object or in another scene. We don't get to turn them around and admire their intricacies. Picking up an adjustable wrench? No, you won't get to turn the little wheel and make the wrench fit the bolt, or even turn the wrench to loosen or tighten the bolt. Hovering your pointer over the tool makes the action happen, often so fast that you don't really see anything but lots of those "Something Amazing Occurred!" sparkles and flashes to tell you that you've advanced the game.
So if not being able to check out the merchandise is the #2 reason why this wasn't my favorite game, what's #1? It's the same reason that it took me four years almost to the day from buying this game before I finally finished it. It just plain IS NOT MUCH FUN. I play games as a diversion from the many not-fun parts of my life. I want the games I play to be an enjoyable use of my time and energy; I don't want to finish playing a game only because I have a stubborn streak that prevents me from abandoning an activity that I intended to enjoy (even if I'm clearly NOT enjoying it). "Azada" gave me a moderate level of satisfaction, from puzzles that were interesting and challenging to solve. "Azada: Ancient Magic" wasn't a torture chamber; I didn't hate the game enough to stop playing it completely. But I didn't like it enough to keep playing it regularly, either - even just to finish it. Instead, I played a book or two every couple of months over the last few years, until I finally got to the last book today. I even played the bonus book, and then I searched around in the game window to make sure that I hadn't forgotten to do anything. Now I can contentedly delete this C-level book from my computer and never bother playing another version of it again. If I'm in the mood for really nice graphics, the World Wide Web holds many sites of museums, artists, science fiction producers, and even a wonderful place called Big Fish Games with a burgeoning playlist of very entertaining time-occupiers. Even if most of them have an occasional junk pile or two.
Meanwhile, do I recommend this game? Yes, if you don't mind meandering around wondering what to do next because you don't have any information, and you don't object to solving puzzles just because they're in the way of getting to the next "possibly fun?" thing to do. Otherwise, spend your money or your credits on something else.
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
2
/
5
1 of 4 found this review helpful
When this game stopped at the station, so did I.
PostedFebruary 13, 2014
robindrake29
fromZionsville IN
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Brain Teaser, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
My interest lasted through the first few minutes of the demo. But a seemingly interminable train ride was followed by dumb characters mumbling assignments of pointless errands, and then having to run around cluelessly trying to figure out how to complete tasks I didn't want to do in the first place.
How is this fun?
If I had any interest in being a personal assistant ("gopher"), I'd do it in the real world for money, benefits, etc. I certainly wouldn't go door to door asking what kind of silly chores the dullards inside wanted me to perform.
I tried the demo after reading many glowing reviews, but I don't understand what those folks liked about "City of Fools." Yes, it's different, but not in any way that I liked. I didn't enjoy the 18 minutes I spent playing the demo - and I'm extremely grateful that I quit playing before encountering the "bathroom humor" noted by other reviewers.
Your experience may vary. For me, this game is a "fail."
I don't recommend this game.
The residents of Bitterford, Maine have fallen prey to a terrible curse. It’s up to you to unravel the series of mysterious events that led to the town’s downfall and uncover the evil that was responsible.
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
Surprisingly entertaining, offers some improved gameplay
PostedJanuary 1, 2014
robindrake29
fromZionsville IN
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
After reading several negative reviews of this game, I decided to skip it in favor of other games with better reviews. Later on, learning that my opinion of some games differed wildly from that of other players, I took another look at Shadow Lake and decided to try the demo. I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed playing this game! Out of more than 180 games I've purchased from Big Fish Games over the last few years, this is one of only a handful that I played through without stopping. In addition to enjoying the storyline, I liked several features of the game that I hadn't experienced in other games. I'll try to relate some details without providing spoilers.
First, the downside. Many of the negative reviews focused on Lea Thompson's performance as a medium. I read somewhere that she based her over-the-top portrayal on her mother's work as an actual medium. I don't know whether that's true, or whether real spiritualists actually behave that way. In any case, I didn't think the actors' performances in this game were as poor as some players reported. If you're irritated, make sure the game's captions are turned on, and then turn off your sound whenever "Cassandra" or other bothersome characters are onscreen. Without their voices or background music, the acting doesn't seem (as) crazy, and your eyes and mind will focus on reading the captions and gathering information, so you won't have to pass up this fun game simply because you dislike the live performances.
Gameplay: Although I love the mini-puzzles in many HOPA games, I'm there for the overall story and the hidden objects. Unless a game is just a constant stream of one HOS after another, or it's littered with trash-heap searches for objects (so much dirt!), I enjoy searching. A little anachronism also doesn't bother me; I don't particularly care whether something we have to find (such as a stethoscope) hadn't actually been invented yet when a game is supposed to have taken place. If I worried about issues like that, I'd play history, military, and strategy games instead of hidden object games. I can even tolerate a few inconsistencies and the occasional misspelling or wrong translation, so long as it doesn't happen in every single scene of a game. Shadow Lake has a few of these problems, but not enough to annoy me into quitting the game.
One aspect of Shadow Lake's gameplay I particularly enjoyed is traveling via map. Games often make players backtrack all over - many, many clicks - to move from one place to another. Shadow Lake improves that necessary condensing of game territory by letting the player simply click the desired location on the map. Hooray! This mode of travel helped to minimize my impatience to reach a scene or get an object. It would have been nice to be able to see every building in the town as my character strolled by it, but I gladly traded that pleasure for the easier mode of getting to and from necessary locations.
One hint (not much of a spoiler) if you're reading this review before trying the game: Once you've found the ladder, remember to put it back into inventory after every use. You'll find it to be a very helpful tool, but it's a bit of a hassle to go back repeatedly, looking for the last place you left it. :)
Another favorite new style of puzzle in Shadow Lake is the image-assembly game that takes place in Cassandra's mind. It gets tiresome after the first few instances, but at least the designers vary it from one time to the next. Hint: Be careful not to place parts of the image in a way that creates a hole around a missing block; it causes the puzzle to disintegrate, and you'll have to start over!
From reading the forums, I gather that the Collector's Edition of this game doesn't offer much additional gameplay, which is what I really want from a CE (I'm not very interested in wallpapers and such), so I purchased and played the Standard Edition. I definitely recommend it.
I recommend this game!
You, as Jennifer, have to solve a perplexing mystery and save her only daughter in Silent Scream: The Dancer!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Great graphics, cool starting story, but slid downhill
PostedDecember 18, 2012
robindrake29
fromFishers IN
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I was impressed initially by the story line and the unusual graphics of this game - think "comic book by way of Tim Burton," and that will get you in the right mindset. But about midway through the seven chapters, language translation went far off the mark, and by the end I wondered whether anyone had proofread this game at all before releasing it. That problem would have been annoying, yet not deadly, but the plot grew wacky at the same pace. It was fairly obvious what was happening to the main character, but where had her missing daughter gone, and why? The game concluded much like a kid's adventure tale when something more fun is offered: "So everybody died. The end." New plot points arrived and were handled (or dismissed) in seconds, with the game essentially ending in about 15 minutes (after stringing the player along for a couple of hours), and that 15-minute total includes the bonus play in the "Extras" section - maybe five minutes' worth.
Like that proverbial kid, I was tired of this game by then and eager for a resolution to the story. Certainly I was tired of going back and forth between locations to pick up necessary items I had repeatedly tried to put into inventory, which weren't accepted until they could be used. This approach makes gameplay prolonged and tedious, not exciting and valuable. The last two chapters were a waste of time; they simply introduced new characters, used them to "advance" the story line, and then immediately eliminated or simply ignored them.
Interesting initial characters, a strong starting plot, unsettling music, the occasional scary surprise, and really amazing graphics that lasted through the very last scene, but overall very disappointing follow-through. This game needed a few more hours of development, including good proofreading by someone who really speaks and reads/writes English, and quality testers who would insist on having a plot that made sense all the way through. With at best a C- overall score, I really can't recommend this game. Play the demo and then uninstall the game; you'll get enough of the flavor without having to force yourself to complete it.
I don't recommend this game.