ooakPlayer's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:43
- Reviews Submitted:12
- First Review:January 1, 2016
- Most Recent Review:October 8, 2016
- Featured reviews0
Discover the secrets of Olympus in this match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
One of my favorites!
PostedOctober 8, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromBeautiful California
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I really enjoy this game a lot and play it frequently. It is not difficult, but requires some strategy and understanding of how the special tokens work. For those who have found it to tough to get through, I hope my review can help.
To start, I’d like to address the Levels that require projectiles to destroy the Roman soldiers [Levels 6, 12, 18, etc.]: these levels are NOT mandatory and can easily be skipped. You do not even have to click on them to play through and get the “skip” message. It is very simple. Once you have cleared Level 5, Level 7 becomes available to play so just move down to the next row and continue.
Most Levels are “limited moves” but a few are timed. Timed was more difficult for me, but really, really fun trying to beat the stingy timer!
I have read in the Game Forum for SoO2 that many people seemed to have difficulties with this game and some Levels in particular were mentioned multiple times [Level 56 , Level 110]. I am here to tell you that it will not require more than one or two tries to clear if you know how the special tokens work.
First the “Fireball with Arrows” [I have to make these terms up as the game does not have names for them, and it’s true there is no tutorial, another common complaint]. You get this token when you match 5 same-color tokens. The token looks like a red fireball with arrows in it and when you get that token and swap it with an adjacent token, the fireball releases its arrows to destroy all [or most] of the tokens of the same color as the one you swapped it with. Yay! You can strategically use this token to release troublesome chained or iced tokens that are impeding your progress! The trouble is that the tokens rarely align themselves properly to get 5 in a row, especially on boards where there are a lot of little alcoves or no large open spaces. That is where you need to rely on your TOOLS over on the right-hand side of the board. The Swap Tool is the first available so using it to swap a couple of tiles to get the opportunity to swap for five-in-a-row (and the wonderful Fireball token!) is often the only way to release the troublesome chains or icicles. Fortunately, once you do that, so many tokens are destroyed that you almost always get your Swap Tool back, so keep looking for opportunities for using Swap Tool to create a five-in–a-row opportunity to get the precious Fireball!
But the real secret is swapping the Fireball with another upgraded Token, like the ones you get when matching 4-in-a-row, which is much easier to get. See what happens when you swap a special “Glowing Token” and a Fireball! EXPLOSIONS start happening everywhere! Whoosh, whoosh! It destroys nearly half the board, your tools power back up and you get more opportunities to create Fireballs and sometimes it almost feels like cheating, lol. If you’re lucky enough to get 2 Fireballs next to one another and you swap a Fireball with a Fireball, all of their arrows shoot up in the air and come down randomly on the board multiple times!!!
It just comes down to a little strategy, figuring out how to align the special tokens so they can work their magic. When I started the game and before I realized this, I thought it was really hard and worried that I wouldn’t be able to complete the higher and highest Levels. But by the time I was in the [last] Minotaur section, I was easily getting through each level at first try, I only had to do it over if I had a bad board where you have little or no swap opportunities to begin with. It happens. The hardest Levels for me were the timed Levels, in particular Level 118. But I have managed to get three stars on that level many times now, and I am slow so it is probably easier for you fasties, lol. But definitely a fun game and one of my favorites! I hope they come out with another version soon!
I recommend this game!
Mystika 3 is a new and original match-3 game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Loved It, Just Loved It
PostedAugust 22, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromBeautiful California
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I have the 1st Mystika, which I liked. In fact, I have played that one many times. I demo'd the 2nd, but found it a little 'cutesy' as I recall, so I didn't buy. I missed the dark, haunting feeling and the beautiful music in the first. Well, I am happy that this new version has gone back to the feeling of the original. The music is exceptional as well, although after playing through all 200 levels, I could see it getting a little monotonous. But I LOVE the music so for me it's a plus. I wouldn't say this is the most challenging Match 3 I've played, but it is fun. There is a little variety in the Match 3 rounds: sometimes you have to play Challenge rounds, sometimes you have to free the Luminos from their cages, sometimes its a straightforward Match 3 with a few frozen or locked tiles thrown in just to keep it interesting. I'll say this, if you like the demo, you'll like the game in its entirety. I really enjoyed it.
A dragon has awoken after a hundred years - and it's after your son.
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Entertaining and Interesting
PostedMarch 30, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromHelp! My son's been kidnapped by a Dragon!
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I will admit that this is only the second game in this genre that I have played all the way through. The game is played first-person through the eyes of a mother whose son turns out to be an Emberwing, a rare being that can communicate with Dragons. So rare and valuable in fact that he gets kidnapped by a Dragon! So I set off to find him and save him. At first you think the Dragon is evil and the Elves that you almost immediately encounter are good… but things are not always as they appear… Along my journey I must follow some Elves and accept their help, but also dupe them to get to where my son is. And then I need to enlist help from some Bear Dwarves. In order to accomplish all this, I must unearth tools and locate other objects for assistance, the most unique of which is an Armored Guinea Pig! So darned cute, this little creature would gnaw through ropes and retrieve objects from tight crawl-spaces! There are some really interesting puzzles in the mix which when solved, relinquish a tool or other useful object. Typical HOG.
My problem with the game is the sensitivity of the Cursor's 'live' area. In many parts of the game the 'live' area is quite broad. A little too broad in my opinion. But that is not as bad as the seemingly smallest of small 'live' areas in some of the small scenes. Example: there is one small scene where I have to crack some Star Nuts with the dragon-shaped Nutcracker. It was obvious that this was my next step, however I tried and tried to put the Nuts in the Dragon Nutcracker's mouth and it would not take it. I kept getting the message "That's not the way" or "You should try something else". So I went online and followed someone who had posted a play-through of this game and yes indeed, that is what had to happen. So I went back and finally got my Cursor in the exact right position when I clicked and of course, the Nutcracker broke up the Star Nuts to yield my much-needed seeds. This happened several times within the game, making me feel really really stuck, especially when the solution to the scene might not have been as obvious as in my example. So there were areas of frustration for me. Maybe I just have to get more used to games in this genre, but that level of difficulty was not fun. When I know absolutely that this is the next piece of the puzzle that needs solving and I cannot get it to work, I have to say… I'm not havin' fun! Hence the lower rating, imho.
The other thing that detracted from my experience was the fact that most small scenes closed after they were solved so I knew I didn't have to go back to get any more objects, solve any more puzzles or retrieve any additional information. But many were left open… I could still click on them and they would open [a scene within a scene] and in one particular small scene, I could repeatedly retrieve an object I had already retrieved! Obviously that area was a glitch. Now maybe that's the way most of these games work, leaving some small side-scenes open to keep you on the hunt… I don't know. But I kept going back to a few of them thinking maybe I was supposed to do something there. Which was not the case. And a little exasperating in hind-sight.
Overall the graphics are well-done and the story-line is good. The creatures and characters are all very interesting. And a few of the tools [like the Guinea Pig] were quite unique. I found it engaging and interesting. It was a great buy as a Daily Deal and I'm glad I got it.
I recommend this game!
Dive into an epic story of honor and courage to help preserve ancient Japan in this Match-3 adventure.
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Beautiful and Relaxing
PostedFebruary 28, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromValencia, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game is lovely, in terms of graphics design and display quality. Also, the music is so beautiful… Japanese-influenced, very melodic and calming [5 stars for the music!]. Considering that my favorite games are what I would call more action-type Match 3s or Shooters (Luxor, Treasures of Montezuma, 4 Elements), I find that I enjoy this game immensely despite it's slower pace. Scratch that… SLOW pace. This is not a beat-the-clock game. It is a limited-moves game. So you can take your time and strategize. Three match modes are available: Swap Mode, Pop Mode [click on groups] and Chain Mode. All 3 options are presented at the beginning of each board along with your "tasks" for that level. I have tried all play modes and Swap works best for me, but obviously that would be a matter of preference as I don't think one mode would have any advantage over another.
100 Levels, each consisting of one game board.
THE TWIST: …and it's a good one: the board can rotate! This is the first game I've tried that does that and what a help! Not only does it help you to see Moves that you may have missed, but once you swap, blank spaces and tiles are often opened up in the corners, making any more possible matches in those areas impossible. The board-rotation will fill all those in. Not only that, but while "filling in", matches are often made (and tiles cleared) inadvertently so you don't have to use a Move. Since Moves are limited, that's a good thing.
TASKS: In addition to the usual clearing of wood crates and collecting golden tiles, there are additional fulfillments necessary before the level is complete, like making a minimum number of matches of a particular type of Token.
SHUFFLE: It takes some time to power up but once available, Shuffling not only presents new available matches, but can also make matches inadvertently without using a Move. I use Shuffle a lot and will try that before using a move that won't break any tiles just to get things moving on the board and open up match possibilities.
TOOLS: There are 4 Tools (each works differently) and they are powered up by making matches of particular Tokens. This takes a while, so Tools need to be used sparingly. However, they are carried over from Level to Level so you don't have to start from scratch each each time.
DRAWBACK: Rebuilding and fortifying the village. Yes, it's one of those. So many games do this, and I frankly don't get it. I find nothing challenging or interesting about it but at certain points, you are forced to select buildings to buy, then wait while the villagers madly go to work and viola, Village! But the story and the actual game don't seem to have much to do with one another, other than the obvious representations used for Tokens and Tools. But until story and gameplay are truly integrated in the conceptual sense in any game, this will always be a complaint from me.
I recommend this game!
Return to the Enchanted Cavern in this fantastic Match 3 game! Clear the colored jewels as quickly as you can!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Thoroughly "Enchanted"!
PostedFebruary 28, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromValencia, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3, Marble Popper, Arcade & Action, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
…or perhaps I should have titled this "Thoroughly Addicted"! I have played this through several times now and for all who have commented on the difficulty of particular levels (in timed "Casual" mode), I'm here to say it can be done. If I can do it, anyone can!
I like the fact that this is a bit different for a Match 3. Instead of swapping Tokens to make matches, you click on groups of a particular color to eliminate them. There are 7 Chapters containing a total of 50 Levels. The beginning Levels are easy, the higher Levels get more challenging and sometimes seemingly impossible. Each time you complete a Level, you are awarded up to 3 Gold Stars, depending on your performance. I really like the fact that you can go back to improve your time for a particular Level and it's all measured by the number of Stars. This is different (and IMHO a great improvement) from the original version of this game. You can play "Casual" (timed) or "Relaxed" (un-timed). I do not like Relaxed mode. Racing against that Timer makes it exciting and for me, and it's the point of the challenge.
The object of the game is the usual: clear all Tiles, collect all Highlighted Tokens and move all Special Objects off the board by destroying Tokens. And of course, there are the usual deterrents: Stone Tiles (sometimes chained), locked Tokens, Fog, Frozen Tiles (the worst because they freeze everything around them!), segmented Game-boards and a stingy Timer.
Adventure mode must be completed before you can access the Puzzles and Endless mode. I am only halfway through the Puzzles and when I got stuck on one, I went to see if there was any help on YouTube. There wasn't. Endless mode isn't really "Endless"… it is timed. In Endless mode, each game board that you complete in under a certain amount of time adds 30 seconds to the next Board but the Boards get increasingly more difficult and very soon, at least for me… time runs out. But here's the weird thing: whether I complete 1 or 4 Boards, the message at the end is always the same: "Congratulations! You've completed every Endless mode level!" I doubt that highly.
Each time you start a Level, the Tokens are all in EXACTLY the same position on the Board each and every time. BUT, from there they behave differently from game to game. You can restart a Level at any time and your clicking strategy will yield different results. In other words, you can start a particular Level and utilize the exact same initial 6 moves and the result is a different Board to work with than the last time you played that Level with those exact same 6 moves. Example: in Level 7-1, the first thing I do is eliminate the big gap in the middle of the Board by clicking the Silver-metallic Tokens down to merge. It doesn't always work the same way because within the game, Token behavior seems to be independently dynamic. So I know if I cannot merge that gap in a timely fashion, I've lost before I've started and I need to restart.
There are no Tools or Power-ups in this game. You are randomly presented with Bonus Tokens like the Whirlwind Bonus which when clicked on in a lilke-colored Group will destroy all Tokens of the same color on the entire Board. Or the Lightening Bonus, which destroys all Tokens in its row and column. I found that using those strategically was the only away to get through the higher Levels. But I wish there was at least a "Shuffle" option. And a "Swap" tool to get out of a jam. Really, we are at the mercy of chance once those Tokens start doing their independent-dynamic thing. Factor into that the occasional mistake or missed move and it compounds to a point where there is sometimes [often] nowhere to go. I am hoping for some Tools in the next version.
Overall, I love this game. LOVE! Yes, I really, really enjoy it and have found it entertaining for hours.
I recommend this game!
The moon has vanished from the sky. Help the friendly ghosts return it!
Overall rating
1
/
5
7 of 11 found this review helpful
Not for me, sorry
PostedJanuary 26, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromValencia, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Match 3, Marble Popper, Arcade & Action
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I admit to playing only 20 minutes of the free trial. I don't usually like to comment on a game, especially in a negative way, without playing it most or all the way through. Therefore I tend to write reviews on only those games that I have purchased. But this might save someone the trouble of downloading the demo, that's my goal anyway. Don't do it! You'll probably just have to uninstall!! This is a very cutsie game [not my style] and if you're thinking what was I expecting… you're right… I should have known from the cover art. My favorite games are Treasures of Montezuma, Luxor and 4 Elements, so Larauville 2 in no way thrills me as there is no "action" whatsoever. There is no timer, limited moves, etc. so I found myself wondering what I am competing against. But the most irritating part is there is no way around (as far I can tell, and here is where a premature judgement can be incorrect) having to stop between levels to purchase the buildings or what not to rebuild their home, town or village [you see?! there is no way I am even going back to determine the correct way to describe where these cutsie ghosts reside!]. There seems to be no way to skip past that and their little talkie-bubbles. Too much time in between playing!!!! I just want to play, not buy buildings!! You can see why strategy, hidden object and time management are generally not my choices for games, but this is a Match 3!! I just want to swap and destroy! Sorry, this one was a big miss for me.
I don't recommend this game.
Match tokens to unlock incredible riches in The Treasures of Montezuma 3! With 160 levels to beat, you could be in the jungle for months!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
SO MUCH FUN!
PostedJanuary 25, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromValencia, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Match 3, Marble Popper, Arcade & Action
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Fast gameplay, a one-minute Timer, Puzzles to help earn Magic Stars to buy power-ups, lots of Tokens to smash… what's not to love about this fantastic Match 3…? It's right up my alley and I have to admit, it's just surpassed 4 Elements II as my favorite game. I look to be wowed by a game the way this one has wowed me and it most certainly does. The graphics and audio are spectacular. And it's quite challenging. It gets more difficult as you progress but the power-ups help you. I would recommend doing every Puzzle to get the bonus stars to buy as many of the available power-ups as possible. The Puzzles are not timed, but get progressively more difficult too and I have gotten stuck a few times. So I look for help online as a lot of experienced gamers post videos of the solutions that they have so cleverly figured out. Thanks to all you smarties. But back to this game… it is so much fun, there are times when I can't resist playing and then I'll lose all track of time and realize it's gotten way late and I should have gone to bed hours earlier. Many reviewers have used the word "addicting" and I have to say that yes, I think I am addicted too!
TIP: Read the "Tips" to really understand how the power-ups work. That will help you to get the seemingly astronomical goals in a mere minute. Also, I know this may sound funny and contrary to the purpose of my gorgeous 27-inch iMac, but even though this game displays perfectly at that huge size, I actually play it in a smaller window (click off "Full-screen" in Options) so my mouse hand doesn't have to cover so much distance. I can work faster when the board is a little smaller.
If I could have given it 10 stars, I would have! FUN, FUN, FUN, FUN, FUN!!!!!
I recommend this game!
Travel ancient lands to find artifacts that will help you locate the mysterious sunken kingdom.
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
The Game I Hate to Love
PostedJanuary 24, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromValencia, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Match 3, Marble Popper, Arcade & Action
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
…or love to hate, whichever way you want to look at it. If you like the Match 3 genre but find that they are often too easy, this might be worth a try. I find Atlantis Quest challenging, but in a good way. In fact it starts out extremely easy but gets incrementally more difficult as you move on to higher levels. In my free trial, I don't remember if I was able to get completely through the first level. I was lame… I made a lot of mistakes, took too long to make decisions and often missed some (now obvious) moves. Since my purchase, I have played it on and off for the past month or two. I struggled with certain levels but made it through somehow to Level 4 (Egypt II). Then I got completely stuck on level 4-4 (Egypt II, Asyut) and could not get past for what seemed like ages. I kept going through all my current lives on it, used every available tool I had collected and would still get demoted down to the beginning (4-1), so I must have replayed it a dozen times, maybe more. Probably more. Definitely more. So I started over from scratch and I was amazed at how easy it was to breeze up to and though my sticky level with ease (with time to spare, no tools and a "Well Done" commendation!). My point here is that it may be a frustrating game for some (as it was for me, and truthfully still is since now my sticking level is 5-8!) but be patient with yourself and keep trying. I have found that my persistence has paid off and I am finally "getting it"! Also, I find that taking time off from it and playing different games somehow helps me when I return to it. It's one of those games I would consider to be experiential over time. I would recommend to disregard any reviews that dismiss the game having played only the trial. That's just not enough time to get the hang of the game. Frankly, I am surprised at the level of challenge for a Match 3. I get stuck often. And frustrated. But I keep going back to it, even after declaring that I have had enough! No more! Yep, I hate to love it so. But I do.
I recommend this game!
Complete a massive variety of puzzles, recover the missing ancient amulets, and restore nature's harmony!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
Good game, but very similar to the first one
PostedJanuary 12, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromValencia, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Full disclosure: I have only played the demo of this game. I don't feel it's necessary to purchase because it's so similar to the first version, "Stone Garden", which I own, play and enjoy from time to time. But there is a new addition to this one: "Hidden Object" sections (which are not really hidden as everything is out in plain view) where you have to look through a lot of objects to match the ones you're looking for. So for me, a person non-plussed by HOGs, this addition does not interest or attract me. I do however like the matching challenges and the bonus games.
The music and graphics in this game are gorgeous! I find it very relaxing to play. However it even has the exact same music and graphic illustrations of the amulets themselves as the first version. So I don't feel compelled to buy. I say, demo both versions and choose one or the other based on your own personal tastes.
I recommend this game!
The magic world of Lumina needs a new hero! It's up to you to face Tenebria, the queen of the dark world in the original Match 3 game, Mystika!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
I wanted to give it 5 stars, but...
PostedJanuary 11, 2016
ooakPlayer
fromValencia, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
My less-than-stellar rating belies the fact that I absolutely LOVE playing this game! It has many things going for it. For one thing, the music (very important to me): it's beautiful, melodic and haunting. Even though it is repetitive, I don't mind because it is eerily mesmerizing to me. And it goes with the action/"story" of the game. Also the sound effects are terrific, it sounds like you are slashing through the objects/tiles with a sword! I found this game challenging for a Match 3. There is a timer and in the beginning, I always seemed to get down to the wire with it and sometimes even had to re-do a level. But that's good, if I can get through every level easily, I won't find it challenging enough. And then there are the evil creatures (bats, spiders and turtles) that crawl in to wreak havoc on your work by re-chaining tiles. So between the Creatures and the Timer, I found plenty of challenge. There are "power-ups" that are incrementally made available to assist with these challenges. But they take a long time to power up and so you have to use them sparingly, again just adding to the challenge. Plus, once you go through all the levels, you can then play through again in "Expert Mode". I'm not sure if it's really any more difficult because by that time, I had really gotten the hang of the game and so I'm sure my experience made me a better player by that point. So it's hard to tell if Expert Mode is actually more difficult.
My complaints about this game start with the graphics display. They are okay in the design and illustration sense, but when I play Mystika full-screen on my big beautiful 27-inch iMac, sadly the graphics are fuzzy. There is no way to select a higher resolution in the Options. So I play this game in a smaller window and it looks okay at that size. My second issue is with the "story". It could have been developed a little more. You never see anyone, [the sister, the dark queen or any people at all] and I just think that's kind of strange. You are periodically presented with a book, written in first-person by a young mage on a quest to master six ancient spells and free the Luminos, a unique source of magic and rescue it from the queen of the dark world. The book unfolds the story between levels which turns out to be not that interesting. And lastly, there are a number of Hidden Object challenges sprinkled in. Which I don't like. In this game, the objects are often obscured in the shadows. The art is very dark and I had to use a lot of Hints to figure out where some of these things were. I'm not a big fan of the Hidden Object genre, so these areas were rather lost on me, I just wanted to get past them so I could start swapping and slashing objects and tiles!
I know they have come out with a second Mystika which I have demo'd... however, I found Mystika 2 to be too easy for me. Although in that version the interface graphics have been greatly upgraded, it lacks the eery dark feeling that this first one has. Which I like. Correction, love. I play it a lot. Love, love! It would have gotten 5 stars from me if it had better graphics display and story.
I recommend this game!