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 uncover the truth behind a string of strange thefts?
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 14 found this review helpful
Hot ice & wondrous strange snow. ;)
PostedAugust 9, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on completed game & bonus: Actual rating 3.5 stars, though that might be too high...it's hard to say w/ this game. The storyline definitely seems to be a case of our being the kinder to give them thanks for nothing. Eipix has, in the past, proved themselves able to incorporate a large cast of characters to good advantage, & based on the demo, I was hoping that would be the case here. As it turned out, I think they would have done better to go w/ either the team from Order Zero OR Captains Ahab & Nemo, as opposed to mashing both together into one somewhat disharmonious storyline. As for the rest: The graphics are excellent, & quite creative in places. Unfortunately, the "period lighting" utilized in this game isn't always conducive to finding what needs to be found. The balance between HO scenes & mini-games is heavily slanted toward the latter, something I'm personally not in favor of; I'm a fiend for my mini-games, but I'm a fiend for well-constructed HO scenes, as well. As far as the particulars of the HO scenes, there's nothing new presented, & not much variety, either, but there is a degree of challenge, as some objects are quite well concealed, & some of the scenes, such as the search for many amphibians, are just kinda fun. :) There IS a new challenge presented in the morphs in the HO scenes, as they differ significantly from previous offerings, in a way that makes them more challenging to spot. Not everyone will be a fan of this innovation, but I for one salute the dev for doing something truly NEW. The mini-games, of which there are such a plethora, offer both a range of degree & variety, but it bears noting that a lot of them are games you will have seen before if you've played many Eipix games. It was so obvious & overdone at one point that I started to wonder if they had done it w/ intention, w/ a wink & a nod to their followers...I would guess it was either that, or a product of budget & time constraints. As for gameplay, you do have to PAY ATTENTION, & realize that no piece of information provided you is to be treated lightly, as it's often a clue to something you need to do. This game doesn't spoon feed you, but if you PAY ATTENTION, you will be suitably rewarded. ;) As for the collectible stars, the biggest challenge is probably not to forget to look for them. ;) On balance, I like this game, despite it's faults, which unfortunately includes a fair number of mini-games (& one HOP) which require you to click & drag (didn't we leave that behind, a century or two ago?), which is not very user-friendly to those of us w/ arthritis. There's also a number of things which either function poorly or not at all, such as a collectible in the bonus chapter which can only be obtained via the "extras" menu, as it's impossible to collect it while playing (seriously, Eipix...???). There were times when playing this game made me want to bang my head against a wall (I wisely settled for exclaiming long & loud against the game instead), but that's largely because I've become so accustomed to playing milquetoast games that didn't require me to think that much beyond the context of a mini-game or two. This game requires you to think ALL the time, & for that, despite the crazy-quilt, muddled-up, cobbled-together storyline, it deserves to be commended. Do the demo, & see what you think...but don't think for a moment that the demo is any indicator of what you're actually in for. ;) Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!
Can you free Prometheus from Zeus's eternal punishment?
Overall rating
4
/
5
52 of 54 found this review helpful
Casually entertaining. :)
PostedAugust 4, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo: My actual rating at this point would be 3.5 stars. I enjoyed this demo quite a bit; the pace has been fairly brisk, as is my preference, & gameplay has been pleasant w/o being particularly challenging. Items didn't pile up in my inventory, gameplay has been mostly intuitive, & there hasn't been an excessive amount of minutiae to deal w/ or "back-&-forthing". The HO scenes, unfortunately, have been a weak point, as I found them to be bereft of creativity. There's a fair amount & variety of mini-games presented in this demo, & while I found none to be especially challenging, I did find some quite fun, & this dev usually ups the ante in that regard as the game progresses. Graphics, as usual w/ Eipix, are excellent; the storyline seems kind of thin so far, but I do like the fact that it's an actual myth this time, making the presence of chimeras & suchlike perfectly normal. ;) All in all, this looks like a good game to play on a lazy afternoon when I just want to lose my myself in pleasant surroundings & have some fun for a few hours...so this will be a purchase for me (though I will have to wait for a sale...it's my granddaughter's birthday this month, so all other budgetary considerations are secondary). ;) As always, I recommend doing the demo, & seeing what YOU think...you probably won't be blown away, but for a bit of fun & relaxation, this might be just the thing. Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!
Can you save your world from darkness in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Excellent game...just too darn short. :'(
PostedAugust 2, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: This is a great, fun game in my opinion. The HO scenes, for the most part, are clever & offer variety. There's a good range of both type & level of difficulty in the mini-games. The "adventure" aspect incorporates some fun activities, & the back-&-forthing never gets out of hand. The graphics are well done, including the character art (w/ the exception of kid sister, who doesn't look like 21 does in any realm I'VE visited O.O), & in many instances, are very creative; the "dark realm", in particular, is an absolute kick. :D The team at GrandMA excel at creating "realms" of every type when they put their shoulders to it, which is one of the reasons I've enjoyed some of the games in this series so much. The storyline represents nothing new, but it's fairly well told, w/o being belabored, w/ some interesting characters used to flesh it out. In short (no pun intended), this would be a 3.5-4 star game in my book...if it weren't so short. It took me only 3-1/2 hours to complete, including demo time, & skipping nothing. This was in "casual mode", but that's all I ever play in, & a good game usually lasts me at least an hour longer. I still recommend this game, as I truly enjoyed playing it, but have a realistic expectation about the length of it if doing the demo prompts you to part w/ your copper. ;) Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!
Who broke the agreement between good and evil?
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Coffee up for this one. ;)
PostedJuly 31, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: There's a lot going on in this game. My biggest complaint about devs these days has generally been a trend towards games that are long on looks but short on content..."all hat, no cattle", as they say. ;) Ironically, w/ this game, I had moments of tending in the opposite direction: So many HOPs, so many-mini-games, such a convoluted storyline, so much to do! I think it's safe to say I chose to throw keeping up w/ the storyline out the window at some point, as I've played this game through twice now, & I'm still not clear on some points in that regard...but my brain was feeling a tad overtaxed at times, so SOMETHING had to go. :D My only real bones of contention would be w/ some of the HO scenes, & "the intensely subdued" palette that prevails throughout most of the game. While I think the choice of palette was an effective one, it did make things hard to see at times, particularly in HO scenes where you're relying on tiny little sketches (I really wish you'd quit that, Eipix). It also feels a little overwhelmingly drear at times, & I think a think the judicious application of a few bright touches here & there could have gone a long way toward offsetting that (keep in mind, though, that these are the musings of someone accustomed to playing almost 100% fantasy-type games). The storyline is something of a mishmash, but I thought the characters were fairly well done. Beyond those few criticisms, I have nothing but admiration for this offering. I personally think it was presented w/ a degree of style I haven't really seen from this dev before, or many devs in general, for that matter. As for the bones, there's plenty of HO scenes for HO fans, & plenty of mini-games for mini-games fans (very few of which are of the "phone it in" variety); one also needs to pay close attention to one's surroundings, as there's plenty that doesn't shout, "Here I am!" at you. The division of chapters is very distinct, & as gameplay at any given point is confined to about five or so areas, all in proximity to each other, the back-&-forthing doesn't get out of hand; one rarely needs to use the map to transport (I used it mainly to reorient my brain after spending 15 minutes or more on one or the other of the more advanced mini-games O.O). Detective games aren't my particular cup of tea (a polite way of saying I never, ever play them :D), but the setting for this one piqued my interest, & the quality of the content assures me that I'll enjoy playing it again. I'm still not sold on detective games per se, but even if you're not, either, you might enjoy this, as I did, as a solid game that makes a nice change of pace. I therefore highly recommend doing the demo, & seeing what YOU think. :)
I recommend this game!
Become a Firewielder and prevent the Dark Lord's rise!
Overall rating
2
/
5
11 of 15 found this review helpful
Tedious.
PostedJuly 30, 2017
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the demo: To me, the gameplay in this demo was tedious. The activities engaged in thus far haven't been particularly interesting (to me), & the only time they've proved challenging is when they've tended toward the unintuitive. The only challenge in the mini-games presented thus far has been in figuring out either (a) what exactly you're supposed to do, or (b) the order in which you're supposed to do it. HO scenes have mainly revolved around moving things to find other things, though there's one of the "find & replace" variety that was a bit more fun. The graphics are about average; the storyline (save the world) suffers, in my opinion, from a lack of interesting characters to support it. The latter is something I think is a weak point for this dev, which is unfortunate, because interesting characters can be a rehashed storyline's saving grace. All said, even the "hook" presented at the end of this demo doesn't provide reason enough for me to want to play further, & nothing I've seen so far makes me think that, were I to play it through, I'd ever want to go back & replay it. As always, though, I recommend doing the demo, & seeing what YOU think. ;) Happy gaming, all. :)
I don't recommend this game.
An unexpected invitation sends you to research mythical standing stones in Brittany.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
PostedJuly 29, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: If this game had held up as well in the latter half as it did in the first, I probably would have rated it five stars. During the first half or so of the game, the "HOPA balance" is excellent in my opinion, w/ just the right amount of HO scenes, mini-games, & "adventure". Unfortunately, the deeper you go, the more HO scenes start cropping up, & in such a way that it feels as though they exist to add length to the game, as opposed to content (such as playing a FROG to assemble a blowtorch to light some coal & some candles, whereas earlier in the game, you simply would have found some matches or lighter). HO scenes are visited twice, & there is a good amount of variety; list, silhouette, interactive, progressive, & the afore-mentioned FROGs. There is a broad range of type & difficulty represented in the mini-games, w/ some being new, & some older ones being given a bit of a twist to tweak them a bit. There's a lot of running around, & as it's a long game, a lot to keep track of, & unfortunately, while the map transports, it doesn't show active areas, so I did find myself relying on the hint at times. The map also doesn't label locations, just shows small sketches, but I personally was able to manage fine w/ that. The graphics range from somewhat muddy to gorgeous, especially in Avalon; the storyline is yet another "par for the course" good vs. evil scenario. The collectibles are a very nice extra, given this is an SE; I particularly enjoyed looking for the mistletoe, as it can show up anywhere, including in HO scenes. Overall, this is a truly substantial offering, & I definitely recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop an ancient darkness before it’s too late?
Overall rating
2
/
5
13 of 22 found this review helpful
An intense search for a zipper pull & a charging device! WILL YOU FIND THEM BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT??
PostedJuly 28, 2017
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the demo: A below-average offering, in my opinion. The HO scenes are well done, but the mini-games are slanted toward what I think of as the arcade variety, as many of them rely more on eye/hand coordination & reflexes than wit. The graphics are good, the storyline is rehashed (there hasn't been any real "character development" to this point, something which I often find to be a rehashed storyline's saving grace). The little symbols you collect are easy to spot; also, there's an icon that fills in once you've found it in a given location, which helps in keeping track of that. Gameplay in the demo involves a lot of back-&-forthing & dealing w/ minutiea. There was a modicum of creativity on display here, but only a modicum, & not enough to sell me on this as a CE...probably not as an SE, either. But that's just my opinion; as always, I suggest you do the demo, & see what YOU think. ;) Happy gaming, all. :)
I don't recommend this game.
The Emperor’s son has a mysterious illness. As legendary healer Daiyu, you’re called to the palace to save him, but you end up having to save yourself!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Possibly not an entirely objective review. ;)
PostedJuly 26, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the completed game & bonus chapter: This game has a special place in my heart, as it's one of the first HOPA games I ever played, something I did w/o benefit of the interactive map or strategy guide, as I was clueless about those things at the time (I don't recall how I eventually figured it out about the cranes...I was clueless about collectibles, too :D). It therefore has sentimental value for me, & every now & then, I still dust it off & play it. The HO scenes I so appreciated for their improved graphics & fun interactions now look more like junk heaps to me, but they're far from the worst I've seen, & I still find many of the listed items challenging to find. I still enjoy the frequency, variety, & range of difficulty of the mini-games, even though the ones I found challenging have grown less so w/ experience. I still like very much the way the story is told, & enjoy the cut scenes...& while I've played the game enough times at this point to know the locations of all 41 cranes by heart, I initially found a number of them quite challenging to spot. The one sore point for me was what I felt to be an inexcusable drop in quality in the HO scenes in the bonus chapter; as the bonus chapter was the only reason I opted for the CE over the SE, I was pretty unhappy about it. :'( Still & all, even though this game, as a somewhat older one, doesn't include all the current bells & whistles, I still find it to be a enjoyable game to play. Based on the bonus chapter, I'd probably recommend the SE over the CE, unless you hit a good sale, but if you're looking for a CE to cut your HOPA teeth on, or just a more relaxed experience, this isn't a bad choice at all. Happy gaming, all. :)
I recommend this game!
In the midst of a battle for the Academy of Alchemy, a young promising student, Eliana, is sent on a dangerous mission of retrieving three powerful artifacts, the Dragon Crystals.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
PostedJuly 25, 2017
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: This is a fun, relaxing, charming game that it's just a pure pleasure to play. The graphics are lovely, the storyline acceptable, the characters well done. The HO scenes are interactive, & some include morphing items; the mini-games, for the most part, pose little to no challenge, but most everything else about this game was so enjoyable that I was able to overlook that. (Part of the fun lies in clicking on various critters & such, as many of them respond, & while most of the responses are predictable, some of them are quite unexpected.) If fantasy is your preferred genre, as it is mine, I highly recommend doing the demo for this game, & seeing what you think. :)
I recommend this game!
Namariel Legends: Iron Lord
Escape prison, defeat an army of mechanical soldiers and destroy the Iron Lord’s dark power!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Interesting game for a change of pace.
PostedJuly 25, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the completed game: It's possible I would rate this game higher if the aesthetic were more in keeping w/ my personal preferences, & I have to admit, playing this game made me realize how much I enjoy well done HO scenes (though just for the record, there IS one HO scene in this game...but just the one). ;) For those who enjoy straight adventure games, this game is likely an excellent choice, particularly if one enjoys the steampunk aesthetic. The highlights, for me, were primarily a number of fun, original mini-games; however, it bears pointing out that they're largely the type that only tend to prove challenging the first time you play them. I do think this game suffers somewhat from the lack of a map, as there were areas where I found myself getting turned around, & forgetting which item I had seen a use for where. There are also about as many mundane tasks to complete as one sees in any game, & between that, the need to find a lot of things "just setting around", & the back-&-forthing, I found playing this game growing somewhat tiresome after a point. I tend to play games all in one sitting, but having done so, I think this game would probably be more enjoyable spread out over two or more sittings; it is a fairly long game, so you do get good value for your gaming dollar. The quality of the graphics ranged from good to cartoony; the storyline, which seemed to have potential based on the "lead in", didn't actually end-up amounting to much; the robot helper was a nice, complimentary addition; the pet, by contrast, seemed like an afterthought. All in all, I found this to be an okay game to play, but found that the lack of HO scenes ultimately detracted from my enjoyment of it. Doing the demo should give you a good idea of whether this game will be to YOUR taste...so as always, I'll recommend doing that. ;) Happy gaming, all. :)