nextgengranny's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:1,479
- Reviews Submitted:129
- First Review:May 1, 2016
- Most Recent Review:October 14, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you save Netville from a dangerous artifact before it’s too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
26 of 38 found this review helpful
Looks kinda fun, but no real challenge (so far).
PostedAugust 31, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo: I should start by saying the two stars I've given for challenge are based on what I've seen so far; being unfamiliar with games by this dev, I don't know if the level of challenge will increase as the game progresses. For more info on that account, I recommend either sticking to reviews based on the completed game, or looking at reviews for previous games in this series. That said, this looked like it might be a fun game to play, particularly for those who enjoy HO scenes more so than mini-games. The HO scenes in the demo are varied in type, including interactive, progressive silhouette, & finding the items in bold-face print while a story is related. Mini-games have also varied in type, but as mentioned, all have been easily solved. You do use a gadget in this game, but the manner in which you use it varies somewhat each time, so it's not as monotonous as it would be otherwise. The storyline is one of the things that seems like it might be fun, so I'll say no more about that. ;) There are the usual leaps & bounds of illogic, but they're not the type that make gameplay unintuitive; if anything, I would say there might be too much handholding for some. There are two types of collectibles, plus one morph per area. Most of the collectibles have been fairly obvious, but some have been small &/or obscured enough to be more difficult to spot. There's a feature on the map that indicates when you've found all the collectibles in any given area. The map also transports & shows active areas. Options for customizing game play seemed fairly standard, though fewer than some devs offer; hint & skip can be set as low as ten seconds, & you choose your options regarding the tutorial once you commence playing. As regards the length of the game, I can only offer that the demo took me 70 minutes to complete, skipping nothing & finding all morphs & collectibles. All in all, while this isn't a game for me, I can see where many folks will enjoy it, so I'll recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think. Happy gaming, all. :)
Step into the shoes of detective Sarah Green and solve the mystery of Dr. Magnus' disappearance in this beautiful Hidden Object adventure game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
Don't quit your day job. ;)
PostedAugust 24, 2017
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the completed game: I have to agree w/ other reviewers that Our Sarah is perhaps not particularly suited to being a detective, as you could see the conclusion of this story coming from about a mile off. ;) You, as Sarah, are the only actual character in this game, though others are intimated via notes & such. The storyline itself, imo, is quite threadbare; it has the feeling of something that was given a bare minimum of thought. HO scenes are frequent, visited twice, & consist entirely of non-interactive lists; the challenge posed by them relies largely on those items which are tiny, poorly drawn, etc. I found myself growing tired of them by about midway through, due to the need to squint & peer while variously raising or lowering the brightness of my screen. There are very, very few mini-games, & none of them require more than an iota of thought. There is no map, & I believe there were only two choices of setting; the hint/skip functions take 60 seconds to charge in casual mode. There are collectibles to find (all of one type), but the longer I played this game, the less I enjoyed it, so I eventually stopped caring whether I found them or not. There are also achievements to earn. In summary: I completed this game because it was something I haven't played before, but having done so, find no reason to either play it again or recommend it.
I don't recommend this game.
Princess Selene's vivid dreams warn that her marriage foretells disaster – but only you can break the magical spell threatening both your lives!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Lacks the polish of the sequel.
PostedAugust 23, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: My actual rating is about 3.5 stars, give or take. While I enjoyed most aspects of this game, there were some I found distinctly irritating, & by the time I finished (played it all in one go), I was somewhat relieved to be done. One of my pet peeves when playing HOPA games is HO scenes where some of the objects are ridiculously out of scale, & this game has instances of that, such as an easel the size of two toothpicks; there is also one scene where some of the items you're looking for are so faintly etched, they're very difficult to see (since all HO scenes in this game are visited twice, I found this doubly irritating). ;) Mini-games cover a range of both type & degree of difficulty, but lean more heavily toward the difficult end of the spectrum, & there's one point where you get hit w/ two fairly intense mini-games, one hard on the heels of the other. While I enjoy challenging mini-games, I don't like playing them back to back like that; I like a bit of a breather in between. ;) There are also some activities thrown in which really only serve to add padding. The storyline wasn't entirely predictable, but some of the characters used to flesh it out weren't as interesting or involved as I'd hoped they'd be; one of the characters shown in the trailer at the end of the CE demo just gives you a few words of advice, then disappears altogether. The graphics are mostly quite good, w/ the noted exceptions in the HO scenes. All in all, you can see a lot of effort went into making this game, but a bit more could have made it more enjoyable to play. I'm still glad I got it, but if choosing between the two, I'd probably recommend the sequel over this one...or better still, get both on a BOGO sale. ;) Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!
Travel through time with Mahjongg Dimensions Deluxe: Tiles in Time! Restore the different time periods to their original splendor!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
A very enjoyable game. :)
PostedAugust 20, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Since discovering HOPA games about a year & a half ago, I mostly play those, but I do still play M3 & mahjong as a change of pace, which is where this game comes in. I chose it primarily for the 3-D aspect, though I do find it visually appealing, as well. Since I don't enjoy ANY type of timed play (I leave that to my TM-addicted daughter), I found my own way to challenge myself w/ this game, which is trying to clear the field w/o rotating it. At the lower levels, that's easy, but as you progress, it becomes more & more difficult to do. I can easily while away a pleasant hour or two this way, being challenged in a way that suits me, as opposed to one that stresses me. For those who crave timed play, the one time I selected "Play" at the menu instead of "Untimed", it did strike me as being quite challenging (I managed to get gold on all levels of the first "era", but just, & only managed to complete two of the "bonus boards" I earned before throwing in the towel & switching back to untimed mode). Playing this game in my preferred manner provides me w/ a type of challenge that differs significantly from the two other mahjong games I play, & since I crave variety, that matters to me. I surely recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think; & if you're a "casual" gamer, like me, perhaps trying your hand at playing it as I do, as you might enjoy that, too. :) Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!
Princess Selene's vivid dreams warn that her marriage foretells disaster – but only you can break the magical spell threatening both your lives!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Mind = Blown. O.O
PostedAugust 19, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the demo: I'm feeling a little addle-pated right now, thanks to a mini-game that I just spent over a half hour beating my brains in over (& just when I was getting close to solving it, my demo ended). :'( That's okay, though, because this game is a definite buy for me, though not as a CE, as I didn't care for the collectibles. Most of the mini-games so far haven't been anywhere near as brutal (to me) as the one, but there was one other that took some doing. HO scenes haven't been overdone, & there's one, used to convey part of the storyline, that flips the switch. As to the storyline, a lot of times the conclusion is something you can see coming from about a mile off, but this time, I have no clue. The "trailer" showed some interesting characters, as well, so I look forward to seeing where this one goes. The five-star rating I've given for graphics is based in part on the fact that this dev does the best animal graphics I've seen in a game to date (except for dragons, but they come close). The human characters are also very well drawn, & the graphics overall range from acceptable to excellent. One last note: I've read a number of reviews stating this game is unplayable w/o the strategy guide, & so, just wish to note that though I rate myself an intermediate-level player, I never used it. If I run-up on something later in the game that I can't dope out, I guess I'll be stuck consulting an online walkthrough, but what I've seen so far has been doable, so long as it's the sort of thing that you enjoy doing. Most of my games are on the more moderate tip, but every now & then, I like to give my brain a good workout, & I believe this game will cater to that. With all that said, I highly recommend doing the demo, & seeing what YOU think...but maybe put some tea or coffee on first. ;) Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!
Only the wearer of the ruby ring can claim the crown as king.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Answer: "With any luck, the bards won't sing about that folly."
PostedAugust 18, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Question: What's the best response I've gotten to a misapplied item in a HOPA game. :D Quirky little things that, particularly when they make me laugh, tend to make games stand out for me. I've only done the demo for this one so far, but given it's the "Daily Deal" & made a sufficiently good impression on me, I'll be purchasing it before the day is out. The HO scenes have mostly been moderately interactive junk heaps, but there's one where you find the objects in bold-faced print that I liked, mainly because I thought the "storytelling" involved was better than per usual. There's been quite a few mini-games, w/ a range of variety & difficulty, though only one took much doing. Gameplay has been fairly straightforward, w/ no confusion as to what to do when...though I obviously became confused at least once about what to use. ;) You have a device (the ruby ring) the use of which entails playing a mini-game, but the game differs each time you use it, which I generally prefer to playing the same game over & over again. The graphics, for the most part, are quite good, but on the blurry side in the HO scenes; the storyline is yet another iteration of "save the (fill in the blank)", but differs from most games of this sort in that it features a male protagonist, as opposed to the more typical female. Overall, my actual rating for this game, based on the demo, is 3.5 stars; that might be on the high side, but admittedly, I tend to rate higher when something about a game is memorable to me, such as w/ this one. BTW, if you're unfamiliar w/ the "Daily Deal", you can find it by clicking on the PC Games page; it's listed right beneath "Tomorrow's Game Today". I've gotten in the habit of checking it daily now, & I've picked up some real little gems that way. :)
I recommend this game!
When your father is arrested, it's up to you to save him and the city of Prague from sinister forces.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Solid 4-star game. :)
PostedAugust 17, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on completed game & bonus: This is the first game I purchased from BFG. I had already purchased Chinese Healer elsewhere, & enjoyed it enough that when I came across this Myth, I purchased it "sight unseen", except for the sales media. Playing it reinforced three things: (1) my interest in this series, (2) my interest in this dev, & (3) my interest in HOPA games in general. I had very little experience w/ CEs at the time, so having two kinds of collectibles + morphs in the HO scenes to look for, on top of the regular gameplay, seemed like a lot, but I eventually got the hang of it. ;) I've just now been replaying it (for about the 5th or 6th time), which is what prompted me to pop in & leave a quick review. As you expect w/ this dev, the graphics range from acceptable to excellent. I like the storyline, including the observations made of humankind in the telling of it. I also enjoy the sly humor Eipix often slips into their games, such as a dark alley being identified w/ a street sign that reads, "Dark Alley". :D The HO scenes offer a fair amount of variety, & many are cleverly done (this was the first time I encountered a "progressive" HOP, & I probably would've swooned w/ delight if I hadn't had to pick my jaw up off the keyboard first). O.O There's an indicator that appears when there's a morph in one. The mini-games offer a broad range of both variety & degree of difficulty, & while plentiful, never struck me as overshadowing the HOPs; both HO scenes & mini-games are well-integrated w/ the overall gameplay, as opposed to seeming "wedged in". The collectibles range from being easy to difficult to spot, & are found in both the main game & the bonus chapter. As w/ other games from this dev, you can go back & collect any you miss, & get any morphs you may have missed by replaying the HOPs. The bonus chapter is of a good length, & absolutely maintains the level of quality present in the main game, something that matters a lot to me. All up, this is a game I've gotten a lot of pleasure (& miles) out of, & I'm very happy I found it when I did. I therefore highly recommend doing the demo, & seeing what YOU think. ;) Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the infamous Crows League before they strike again?
Overall rating
2
/
5
9 of 14 found this review helpful
Yakkity-yak.
PostedAugust 16, 2017
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the demo: I'm not a follower of this series, but I was intrigued enough by the idea of a HOPA game based on Poe's "Lenore" to give this a go. Unfortunately, as reviewers before me have pointed out, the only resemblance to said is in the title. I could have maybe gotten past that if other aspects of the game had made up for it, but, in my estimation, too little did. There was far too much "yakkity-yak" (remember that one?) for my taste, & far too much hand-holding. There were more little windows where one finds 4-6 of the same item than there were fully developed HO scenes, & there was a lack of challenge (for me, at least) in the mini-games. I particularly regret the former, as at least one of the HOPs was quite good. The collectibles were too easily spotted to pose any challenge, but I did enjoy the morphs, which blend in better, & which I thought were cleverly done; as for the graphics, they seemed suited to the game. Overall, this demo just wasn't "meaty" enough for me to be interested in playing further, but I saw enough "gleams of goodness" that I will probably investigate (no pun intended) other games in this series. As for this offering, I will stick to recommending doing the demo, & seeing what YOU think. Happy gaming, all. :)
Journey into your nephew’s mind to save him from a nightmare!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 9 found this review helpful
Dang. :(
PostedAugust 15, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the demo: My actual rating thus far, based on the demo, is 2.5 stars. The premise for this game, while not original, hasn't been done to death, & has the potential to prove interesting if it's well-developed. Gameplay has been mostly linear, though there is one point where you get to branch off a bit & explore, something I enjoy; I would also say it's been fairly intuitive, as I never found myself wandering around, wondering what to next, while trying to resist the Siren song of the hint &/or interactive map. :D Unfortunately, the level of challenge, in the gameplay, HO scenes, & mini-games, left much to be desired in my book (I earned two achievements, "Brainiac" & "Speedster", on the first mini-game I played). I don't always want a game to be super-challenging; there's times when I just want to mellow out & have a bit of fun. BUT: With this game being presented as one that's supposedly "intense", I wasn't looking for a stroll in the park here, I was looking for something that would challenge me, & the demo failed to deliver that. About the only real challenge presented lay w/ the collectibles (sometimes VERY hard to spot) & the morphs in the HO scenes (sometimes obvious, but mostly not). I will probably revisit this game as an SE, as there were things about it I did like; the potential of the storyline, for one, & the graphics for another, which were suitably creepy w/o veering into campy. I just wish this had been a game I thought was good enough to purchase as a CE. To the devs: Re-up your game.
Open a puzzle box to unlock four extraordinary worlds!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
One of the most enjoyable HOPA games I've played. :)
PostedAugust 15, 2017
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: When I reviewed the CE version of this game for the sales page, I rated it 4 stars, which I amended to 5 stars in the forum once I'd actually played the complete game & bonus. Although I personally purchased the CE (& thought it an excellent value), I wanted to review the main game on this page as well, because this game is just that good. It bears pointing out that Boolat has a very unique, distinctive style they bring to their fantasy genre HOPA games, so I do advise doing the demo to see if it's a style you enjoy. I myself love it, because it's so creative (& in some cases, so outlandish &/or outrageous) that I invariably find myself laughing out loud at various things, just because I'm so tickled by them. There are many, many HOPA games I've enjoyed greatly since I began playing them, & for a wealth of reasons, but for just plain fun, this dev has been #1. I did notice they raised the bar slightly in this game, in terms of challenge. Though the mini-games start out being cake walks, that changes as you progress. Most of the mini-games are easy to medium difficulty, but there are some that will really get you going. The HO scenes were also more challenging to me; I was surprised I got the "10 HOPs w/o a hint" achievement. This dev's way w/ HO scenes is one of the reasons I enjoy their games so much, as they manage w/o fail to make them fun from the start of the game right through to the finish, & they include enough of both HO scenes & mini-games to satiate fans of each. This is also a good length game, w/ many areas to explore, & each "realm" you visit is very distinctive. The "dark realm" in this game was especially interesting to me, as I haven't seen as much of that sort of thing from this dev, & what they made of it, to me, was just great (that's where you encounter the "many eyes" HO scene shown in the sales media). Long story short, this game packs major value, & I honestly can't recommend it highly enough. I'm glad I got the CE, because of the high quality of the bonus chapter, collectibles, morphs, & other extras, but if you just want an excellent fantasy genre HOPA game to play sans the trimmings, you will make out like a bandit w/ this one. :D Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!