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:
A malevolent monster is causing accidents in Universe City!
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 17 found this review helpful
More of the same.
PostedFebruary 5, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the demo only: As with the previous game in this series, my actual rating is 2.5, meaning it isn't horrible, but by no measure is it great. On the plus side, the collectible masks can be very difficult to spot at times, some of the mini-games (so far) are quite fun, & the graphics are sometimes great. On the minus side, the HO scenes (so far) are mostly somewhat interactive lists, the storyline, based on what could actually be a truly fascinating premise, fails to fulfill it's promise, & the dog appears to be nothing more than something thrown in as a response to the positive response of players to a dog being featured in the first game. A neutral to me was the inclusion a device, which, on the one hand, you end up using a LOT, but which, on the other hand, doesn't require a constantly recurring mini-game to "recharge" it; though there is at times a mini-game presented in association w/ it, that isn't a constant. This can't really be seen as a drawback, imo, as this series was presented as one which would revolve around some such artifact. There is, however, one last potential negative for me, in that I got through the trial (like most folks) w/ time to spare; as the trial apparently consists of the first two chapters, & the game only has five, I'm concerned that this game may be on the short side. All up: I was hoping this game would be an improvement on the last one, & in some ways, it is, but not enough so to persuade me to purchase it at this time. I'll wait for more full reviews, & more comments in the forums, but even if those are outstanding, this is likely only a game I would purchase as the hind end of a BOGO sale. I do recommend you do the trial, particularly if you're beginner; this might be the game that lures you in & sets you on the path of HO addiction. :D As a somewhat more seasoned player, I'll pass, at least for now. Either way, good gaming. :)
The twinkling lights in the marsh look pretty, but they hold a mysterious power. Whatever you do... do not follow them!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
A very enjoyable game. :)
PostedJanuary 1, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the completed game: Normally, I would rate this game 3.5 stars, as it's not all that challenging, & those who crave logic in their games may want to tear their hair out at times; but I simply enjoy playing it too much to rate it any lower. This is a good length game, & one I enjoy replaying from time to time when I have a few hours to spend, & want something more on the fun & relaxing side. The graphics are excellent; the play of moonlight on clouds & water, in particular, are among the best I've seen. There's a high degree of variety in the HO scenes; many are "layered" a/o interactive, & most include morphing objects (the locations of these aren't shown in the Strategy Guide, so you have to find them on your own, but there is an indicator that appears when one is present in a scene, so you're spared searching fruitlessly through the scenes that don't have them). There's a good variety of mini-games, plus one recurring mini-game associated w/ the use of a lantern gadget; both increase in difficulty as the game progresses. Collectibles consist of ornate acorns; most are fairly easy to spot, but some are blended into the surrounding scenery quite well. They are found in both the main game & bonus chapters, & you can go back after completing both & collect any you may have missed. The storyline has a sort of "Sherlock Holmesian" flavor to it; I like the manner in which it's told, as well as the characters it incorporates, although there's not that many of them (also, the notion of being something called a "County Bounder" is just absurd enough to tickle me; I can't help wondering what hat they pulled THAT out of). Gameplay is fairly linear, but good in that it keeps one moving forward, as opposed to endlessly backtracking; the map shows active areas & transports, but I rarely find myself using it for the latter, as you're generally only moving back & forth between 3-5 areas at a time. The bonus chapter is enjoyable, but somewhat on the scant side; if you don't care so much about the other CE extras, you'd do just as well to get the SE. Overall, this game is fun, relaxing, & charming to me, & I've played & replayed it enough to have more than gotten my money's worth. I very much recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think. :)
I recommend this game!
After awaking from a century long slumber, Princess Sophia finds a world that is devoid of people! Help her find her friends!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Actual rating, 2.5...maybe.
PostedDecember 26, 2016
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: This game suffers from an extreme degree of repetitiveness. Far too many of the mini-games are puzzles of some sort, & many of them are the sort where you have to click on the pieces to rotate them, which means a LOT of clicking. I rarely skip mini-games, but in this case, I made an exception, because I simply wasn't enjoying them any more (this may not be as much of an issue if you prefer to play games "piecemeal", as opposed to all at one go, as I do). It's really too bad, because some of the mini-games are fairly creative, & if that had been the case overall - or even just more so - this would probably be a 4 star game in my book. The repetitiveness also carried over into the HO scenes, where one is frequently asked to find multiples of one item (stars, moths, etc.), but I didn't really mind that, as the items varied in appearance, & were sometimes quite well concealed. The graphics are fine, but it's worth mentioning that the items one needs to find, both w/i HO scenes & w/o, are sometimes very small. There's no map, & a fair amount of running around to do, so there's that. Also, the gameplay was unintuitive enough at times that I ended-up having to consult the walk through, something I'm not keen on. I played the game through twice before submitting this review, just to sure my first impression wasn't overly harsh, but both times, the redundancy & other factors I've mentioned reduced my enjoyment considerably. I probably will play this game again, as there are aspects of it I find quite charming, but it will be w/ the understanding that beyond a certain point, I'll probably be skipping a lot.
Can you stop the malevolent Siren in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
17 of 18 found this review helpful
Maybe if I could've drank the wine. :)
PostedDecember 21, 2016
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the demo (which took all of 45 minutes to complete): Maybe if I could've drank the wine instead of pouring it into that jug, I would've found something to recommend about this game. Simply put, top to bottom, this is the most ludicrous demo I've ever seen. When you have your first "you're kidding me" moment w/i the first few minutes of a game, that's never a good sign, eh? ;) I have two of the previous games in this series, & based on those, I expected better (not to mention, I've a coupon burning a hole in my pocket, & was seriously hoping to get a new game!). I can only even recommend doing the demo for this if you're in need of a good bellylaugh, as the zombies chasing the cart gave me the best laugh I've had all day, & it's well past my bedtime. :D As for the rest: The graphics weren't good; the mini-games weren't challenging; there was one full HO scene & one mini-scene (ie, a little window w/ six or so objects to find); & the one full scene was only minimally interactive, & visited twice. The production values here are just flat low, which surprises me, as this dev has done much better on previous efforts. More than anything, though, the entire story so far has just been too loopy for words...fantasy is my genre, but this is just NUTS! But I guess I will recommend doing the demo after all. It won't take long, & that zombie/cart scene alone is worth it! :D
I don't recommend this game.
Solitaire Mystery: Four Seasons
Time has come to a stand-still for the citizens of the City of Magic Cards. Solve dozens of unique and exciting solitaire puzzles and lift the curse that’s stopped the seasons from changing!
Overall rating
1
/
5
Solitaire Shell Game
PostedDecember 20, 2016
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the completed game: If you play this game through, you will soon observe a pattern, re the solitaire hands. There are four hands played per location. Of those four, the first two will be absolute giveaways you will win the first try; the third hand might take a time or two; the fourth hand will be a stinker that you can actually spend upwards of an hour trying to beat, if you lack the sense to skip at some point. The mini-games & HO scenes are a nice addition in my opinion; the story neither adds nor subtracts from the game; the graphics, while mostly poor, don't really make much difference. But this is primarily a solitaire game, & the solitaire aspect is a complete shell game. Once you realize that, there's no reason whatsoever to play this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Myths of the World: Bound by the Stone Collector's Edition
Can you stop the evil beasts before it’s too late?
Overall rating
4
/
5
28 of 31 found this review helpful
O.O
PostedDecember 18, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the demo: Those are my eyes after playing the recurring mini-game associated w/ the use of an artifact gadget in this game, which is why my actual rating for it is 3.5 stars. The mini-game itself is one I think I'd enjoy; unfortunately, for me, the way it was presented - w/ a rotating background & figures that wobbled - was very hard on my eyes. I got through the first iteration okay, but on the second one, it was actually making me headachy, so I had to skip...something I'm not keen on. In that respect, imo, the devs blew it big time. As regards everything else: The graphics so far have been fine; the palette is on the more subdued side, but w/ enough color, texture, & so forth to still be quite lovely. The HO scenes have been nicely interactive, & as usual w/ this dev, include morphing items. The mini-games (aside from the one) have been entertaining w/o being overly challenging. Inventory items have been used, for the most part, quickly, & there's been about as much back-&-forthing as one (unfortunately) sees in any game these days; gameplay itself has been fairly brisk, in that actions are completed quickly, which is always my preference. The storyline is fairly standard fare, but I personally like the context of it; I also like the collectible wolf fangs, although so far, they haven't been at all difficult to spot. Overall, as HO games go, this one, like the storyline, is pretty standard fare; a solid enough game, but nothing to make it particularly outstanding. Still, I enjoyed the demo enough that I know I will likely buy this game when I can afford to (read: after Christmas), & hope that I still get enough bang for my buck even if I have to keep skipping that darn mini-game. If you're considering this as a purchase also, I recommend doing the demo first, & seeing what you think. O.O
Yuletide Legends: The Brothers Claus Collector's Edition
Can you save the holidays before it's too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
FINALLY!!
PostedDecember 16, 2016
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo only (can't afford to purchase it 'til there's a sale, or I would've already): I've been looking for a Christmas-themed HO game my granddaughter & I can enjoy playing together, & w/ this release, I believe I've finally found it. :D The graphics are lovely, & richly themed; the HO scenes are also richly themed, w/ interactions which are not so complicated as to prove too frustrating for her (also, the hint can be set to recharge in a single second, which is great, considering that patience isn't always said child's forte). ;) The mini-games, other than the recurring one associated w/ the "magic star", offer some variety, including in terms of difficulty, so there will be things for each of us to do; the skipping stones game associated w/ using the star is one my granddaughter enjoys, so that's another plus. She probably won't be interested in looking for the collectibles at this point, but the fact that they're included will give granny an excuse to go back & play the game on her own, & I know she'll enjoy working the resultant jigsaw puzzles if I can find all the pieces (as others have noted, there are two types of collectibles, one of which consists of morphing puzzle pieces; if you find all the pieces, you will then have four jigsaw puzzles to work at the conclusion of the game). This is also a game I believe my granddaughter can "grow into", in terms of being able to complete it entirely on her own. The storyline is nothing revolutionary, but I don't have a problem w/ that, as "saving Christmas" is a recurring theme in some of our favorite seasonal shows, & the theme of good vs. evil is one my granddaughter never seems to tire of. All said, I found this to be a truly delightful themed game, & the high marks I've given it are due in no small part to the fact that I believe the devs have succeeded in achieving the delicate balance required in crafting a truly "all ages" game. If you're an adult who intends to play this game sans little helpers, you may not find it challenging enough, but I think many folks will find it more than charming enough. I sincerely hope this game marks the beginning of an annual series from these devs.
I recommend this game!
It was supposed to be a routine mission. But when a dragon attacks your plane, crash-landing in a lush valley, you're drawn into the adventure of a lifetime!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Late To The Party...Again :)
PostedDecember 14, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
So, this isn't exactly a new game, but I just got done replaying the main game in the CE, & wanted to point this game out as one I think makes a good SE purchase, as well (I try to do that for folks like myself, who always seem to have coupons coming up on their expiration date). ;) This is a long game, w/ a goodish amount of variety in the HO scenes, & a good range of difficulty in the mini-games. The one recurring mini-game (which is tied to the use of a device) increases in difficulty each time you play it, & I enjoy it enough to have replayed it in the bonus features, something I normally don't do. The graphics are fine, & some are lovely enough that I pause to enjoy them each time I play. The storyline, imo, is somewhat garbled, & a little on the lame side (I get really tired of being a pure in heart hero sometimes), but it isn't so bad as to keep me from enjoying the game. The "end round" is also pretty tame, but after spending hours on a game, particularly one w/ some head-scratching mini-games, I'm generally okay w/ that...I really prefer to have the more challenging elements of a game spread throughout, as opposed to all lumped together at the end, & this game does that. All in all, this is a game I enjoy enough that I've replayed it a number of times, & that in itself makes it a solid choice for me, as I set store by replayability. If you've a coupon in need of a game, I recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think. :)
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the Brotherhood of Stone Masks in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 18 found this review helpful
This is their story, & they're sticking to it.
PostedDecember 9, 2016
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo only: As the title of this review indicates, this dev has found a formula that works for them, & which they adhere to w/ very little variation at this point. I know they have a following, so the rule, "If it isn't broke, don't fix it" probably applies here. So far in the demo (SPOILER ALERT), I've had to escape from both a dangling wagon & a burning building, & had to put out the fire w/ a fire hose that was locked up tight as Fort Knox. These activities have done nothing to advance the storyline, they've simply filled time, as has the overabundance of cut scenes. I have also acquired a cute little animal helper whom I know from past experience will not prove annoying. There have been the usual two collectibles per area, this time in the form of puzzle pieces, & a tab on the side that lets you know if you've cleared the area or not. The HO scenes have been moderately interactive; the mini-games include one I recall from Frozen Beauty which I know I will prove enjoyable, & another I recall from Frog's Fortune which I know will prove moderately annoying (I skipped them both in the demo for times' sake); there have also been some matching & trial & error games. The graphics so far have struck me as being average or somewhat below, as I found some, such as the tavern interior, quite drear. The storyline is good vs. evil; you acquire a gadget in the form of an artifact which gives you powers which were possessed by others who previously had contact w/ it. Each power has been used only once apiece so far. I personally will probably pass on this game, as I found the last one I purchased from this dev boring to the point that I've only played it the once, & w/ a limited budget for CEs (happily, even more so this month!), replayability is a big thing w/ me; I still replay Frozen Beauty & Ice Rose (also from this dev), but lately, they haven't hit the mark for me. Still & all, I'll recommend doing the demo if you're unfamiliar w/ their efforts. If you like this game, you will probably like all their games, & there's nothing wrong w/ that. :)
Can you stop a destructive scientist before it's too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 16 found this review helpful
Curiouser & Curiouser ;)
PostedDecember 7, 2016
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the demo only: As strange as this may sound coming from someone whose preferred genre is fantasy, I think this game may just be too silly for me. For example, the lenses I need to keep replacing on my presumably unique anti-grav device just happen to be lying around all over, including in someone's yard? This is the kind of thing which signals lazy, uncreative storytelling to me. (A more fun option might have been to have the device come w/ a limited supply of lenses, w/ the player being given the choice of when & whether to use them, & the storyline impacted by the choices made.) The graphics in this game incorporate an abundance of saturated jewel tones, which I actually think fits the storyline well, as the latter strikes me as being a hybrid of some older 'B' movies of the sci fi & "noir gumshoe" varieties. The game starts out proceeding at a fairly brisk pace, but soon becomes bogged down w/ endless back-&-forthing between the three or so areas that have opened to that point; which is where, for me at least, boredom sets in. As I've probably mentioned before, I think the pacing of a game of this sort is VERY important; when a madman w/ insanely powerful artifacts & abilities is running amok, & it's your mission to stop him, I think the gameplay should attempt to maintain that energy, rather than frittering it away. The HO scenes are fine, though few, at least in the demo; the mini-games are abundant, which I love, but that wasn't sufficient compensation for what I found to be a lackluster gaming experience overall, & I would have preferred a better balance between those & HO scenes, which I enjoy immensely so long as they're not junkheaps. I ended-up feeling as though the devs in this case thought it was enough to throw a bunch of random, outlandish ideas together, add a bunch of mini-games, & call it a day. I do applaud their efforts in including the ability to select either an easy or hard level of difficulty on some of the mini-games (& being able to change your choice "midsolve"); this is an innovation I would like to see ALL devs incorporate. As well as potentially adding to a game's replayability, it might make more games more appealing to a broader range of folks. Lastly, as regards the collectibles, they do offer some variety, & they do include morphs. All up, my actual rating for this game is 2.5 stars. I'll do the demo again when the SE comes out, & see if I think a plethora of mini-games is worth the price of a coupon; likewise, I'll settle for recommending doing the demo, & seeing what you think. Being unfamiliar w/ this series, I'm willing to concede that the devs may intend a tongue-in-cheek humor which eluded me. ;)