chasseur's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:131
- Reviews Submitted:24
- First Review:December 23, 2011
- Most Recent Review:August 14, 2014
- Featured reviews0
After being invited to the Christening of your sister’s son, you arrive to find a deserted estate! Save your sister before it’s too late!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
The Allure of Grim Tales: The Legacy CE
PostedFebruary 4, 2012
chasseur
fromFair Oaks, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File
Current Favorite:
Syberia
(55)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
If you enjoy games that are elegant, engrossing, and long playing, take a peek at "The Legacy" . Of course the graphics are wonderful, right down to redefining "tired puzzles". This is an Elephant production. What I found so enjoyable about this game is that everything appears so normal, when in reality nothing is the least bit normal. Conversely, that which is not normal is weird, such as "breathing paintings".
Elephant games has raised the Casual Game bar with this release by leaving much to the players imagination, and thus it seductive allure. The use, or in this case the lack of a music bed, is plain wonderful. It is the ambient sounds, creaking chandeliers, dripping water, and complete silence, which creates a subtle uneasy atmospheric game play. The use of a musical score is limited to the intermezzo of cut scenes. For once, the voice over roles match the characters they are meant to represent.
The HO scenes are never repeated. Imagine! There is some to and fro-ing but never to an HO area, which are labeled simply as "Stuff", "Pile" or "Boat". As "The Legacy" does not make use of a journal, it is up to the player to recall what and where to use found and collected inventory. The map is works efficiently to reduce useless backtracking. As it took this gamer several days to play "The Legacy", the hint system was very helpful as a "reminder".
The Legacy is a prime example of excellence in the classic "seek, find and fix" genre. It is understated, refined, and never annoying. There is much to enjoy playing "The Legacy" and not very much to gripe about, at all.
I recommend this game!
After being summoned to a mysterious manor, you must unravel the story of an ancient evil and discover your destiny before it’s too late!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Curse at Twilight: Totally Amaranth Beauitiful
PostedJanuary 21, 2012
chasseur
fromFair Oaks, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File
Current Favorite:
Syberia
(55)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
If you know and love Amaranth Games then you will be delighted with "Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls" CE. It contains all the good things at which Amaranth Games excels. It has their way above standard graphics, a lovely music score that is not intrusive, and of course wonderfully done "magic moments".
This is a typical Amaranth romancing of "Save the (_________) from the evil (___________)" plot line. While the plot is not new, the Amaranth twist is to combine many styles of story telling, mixing frags, ho's, adventure and puzzles that contribute reaching one's goals.
There are some rather disorienting Dali-esque scenes, such as searching for eyes, that young ghoulish players will relish. There is a nod to Dicken's "A Chritmas Carol" with a glass snowball, and a charmingly executed double entendre a la Carroll.
As this game does not feature a journal containing clues, useless to and fro-ing can be avoided by "taking note of" WHAT was last seen and where it WAS, thus using the map to its best advantage.
The puzzles are not difficult though I did delight in the Amaranth twist on "Melody Memory". This version contains a very satisfying smashing of an object after each correct rendition. That in itself, is actually quite clever!
About the coins as has been mentioned by others: my advice is to locate them first. You will need them for more than activating map locations.
If you are a "Blood and Gore" devotee, or "slash and burn" player, "Curse at Twilight" will probably not give you much satisfaction. OTH if you delight in well executed games, that are as pleasing to the eye as they are to play, then you will be enchanted with "Curse of Twilight" which is what Amaranth had in mind,
I recommend this game!
After Sara inherits a home, she discovers that a restless spirit can speak to her! Help her sooth Emily’s soul in Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Visuals light up "Ghosts" CE
PostedDecember 29, 2011
chasseur
fromFair Oaks, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This may not be one of the most difficult games recently released, but it is one of the best. Realm of Ghosts has a seductive quality not often found in the latest round of HO/ADHO being offered.
"Ghosts" does not rely on ghastly blood drenched scenes to get one's attention. There is no looking for HOs in decomposing bodies or the innards of garbage cans or revolting graves. The chill factor is achieved through a great sound track combined with beautiful and fully fleshed out scenes. There was no skimping on the finest detail in these carefully and artfully rendered graphics.
It is the use of lighting techniques used in the HO scenes to distract the eye that is amazing. One scene will be overflowing with visuals and another so spare that it is hard to believe there are any HOs to be found. It is this slight of hand visual distortion and manipulation that sets "Ghosts" apart
IMHO the game play is up to the player. One can easily race through "Ghosts" or one can choose to stroll along enjoying the artwork, reading the story as the game progresses, and actually looking at what is being presented visually.
Frankly, easy puzzles can be precisely the right thing when "headbanging" puzzles get tedious. The ease of the puzzles will appeal to those who "just don't want to think about another thing".
The linear story line is works in "Ghosts". It does not make the game less engrossing, just less taxing. Moreover, there are many clever little surprises that keep moving the story and player along.
This is a perfect "beach book" game, made for engaging play on a gray dreary day.
I recommend this game!
Strange figures have taken over a small town in Hallowed Legends: Templar! Stop the Knights of the Templar!
Overall rating
3
/
5
23 of 35 found this review helpful
Two Thumbs down for Templar CE
PostedDecember 23, 2011
chasseur
fromFair Oaks, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This is the first time I have submitted a review of and game on BF. I was alerted to this game by a postcard invite from BF. I was under the impression that this would be a spectacular game given the dollars spent on its promotion. What an utter disappointment.
I just could not get pass the revisionist pov of Templar's plot line. This made it impossible for me to enter into the spirit of the plot line or the game. I found it utterly ridiculous to see 2 or 3 knights armed with everything possible have trouble breaking down and smashing through doors. The game, for me, quickly became tedious and boring. I did not even bother with the bonus play. The musical score meant to drive the action and create a sense of urgency was undermined by having to run hither and thither collecting stuff to "save" the day. This contributed to the over all sense of "slowness" of Templar.
In addition, many of the puzzles were "tired" and should have been retired for a game of this supposed caliber. I was playing expert mode, when I ran across one these oldie moldies, I would switch to casual mode in order to skip them.
The saving grace of Templar was the bright and colorful graphics. I, for one, am getting v/ tired of wandering around in the dark, as seems to be the fashion at the mo in HO/ADV games. This is one reason I would recommend playing the SE game.
The other reason I would recommend it: not all players will be bothered by the altered history of the Knights of Templar, and therefore not find it as irksome as I.
Happy Gaming!
I recommend this game!