HeavenBound7729's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:26,774
- Reviews Submitted:964
- First Review:June 6, 2017
- Most Recent Review:September 27, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you stop the paranormal from terrorizing an award-winning winery and hotel?
Overall rating
2
/
5
42 of 46 found this review helpful
What A Disaster!
PostedJuly 1, 2022
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
If interested in more of my opinion, please see my 2 star review in the CE reviews, submitted there in error today. Paranormal Files used to be a great series until someone got the not-so-bright idea to remove Rick Rodgers. As my other review exclaims, "What Were They Thinking??".
Just a great big mistake no matter how you slice it. This game is so packed with ridiculous, senseless tasks it is hard to make any progress into the actual story. And when you add that irritant to the bad voice acting, poor animation and awful characters, this a sorry, sorry game!
Rachel evidently wasn't paying attention when Rick was still here, so she learned nada about ghost hunting. And her young team of wannabe investigators are useless. They just stand there looking clueless and laughable. It all adds up to no action, no solid storyline and no purchase for me. Watch out for glitches! I had several to deal with in the demo and the most aggravating was the cursor. The game hasn't many puzzles or HOPs, they were pretty easy and some were fun, but nothing new to speak of. I wonder what's happened to Elephant Games? Great devs are falling left and right and it is so disappointing. I just don't get it!! What do they have to gain by lowering the quality of their games?
If you love paranormal games, this one might appeal to you if Rick's absence doesn't matter. It has minimal challenge so it may be pleasing for beginners. But I strongly suggest playing the demo first on this one. For me, very boring, too many tasks, weak story, awful characters. But you might love it, we all have different tastes.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop the paranormal from terrorizing an award-winning winery and hotel?
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
What Were They Thinking??
PostedJuly 1, 2022
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Why replace such a popular character? Rick Rogers disappearing is the worst thing that could've happened. Rachel and her inept team of investigators have made a bad situation even worse. Fictional characters, yes, but they manage to spoil this series. And it's 2034, didn't Rachel learn anything from Rick while he was here? She definitely is not doing a good job.
Her young, inexperienced group of ghost hunters are laughable. Their looks, their movements, their reactions all are just plain bad. Add this to the other shortcomings of this game and I doubt the series will survive. There were so many tiring tasks, things to fix, replace, find in ridiculous places. Non-stop, no fun and a plethora of emblems that really was maddening. I was surprised that Elephant Games didn't deliver a better quality game. They've always been one of the top devs but looks like they may be joining the other lazy or don't care enough devs that we have to contend with these days.
Not many puzzles or HOPs, they were all pretty easy but I did enjoy them. In the CE the collectibles and morphs were just so-so, some were too easy to spot, but the Eyes which assemble a jigsaw were more difficult. You won't miss any extra fun by purchasing the SE. The game was not very challenging which may please beginners.
Graphics were not great. The voice acting and animation was poor and the story was weak. Characters mostly just stand around with a blank look on their faces, doing nothing. There were too many tasks, some with multiple steps that I found annoying. Since Rick disappeared so did the quality and the fun. I had a few glitches in the demo. The cursor was the biggest issue, a couple of sound problems, difficulty placing items in inventory. I recommend definitely taking time to play the demo. The series has been popular but it has changed quite a bit with the removal of Rick. If that doesn't matter and you love anything paranormal, this game will work for you.
Defend the realm from the evil ambitions of a powerful villain!
Overall rating
2
/
5
34 of 47 found this review helpful
Do Games Should Be Named Don't Games
PostedJune 30, 2022
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I did not like this game, the demo seemed to go on forever because the pace was so slow and boring. I feel that Domini has forgotten how to create quality games or they just don't care anymore. Domini has become the low man on my totem pole! Every game used to be so awesome, not anymore.
The demo was full of tasks that for some reason didn't even make sense and the items I needed were hidden in the stupidest places! For instance, why in the world would I use a vine locked in a box when I'm surrounded by them in a forest thicket? And why is a wingnut, not yet invented, in this story? I know it's just a game, but gee whiz, can't the devs give us some logic to work with sometimes??
Animals in a beautiful flower kingdom are victims of a disease that changes them into vicious (?) creatures. Someone is deliberately contaminating the food system with a toxin that mutates them. I saw a beautiful bird thrashing about and a mean looking wolf, an ugly gargoyle statue all of which were infected, but nothing really that I saw as vicious. The handy Bestiary returned the creatures to normal. There is a mini-game that comes with, as usual. I don't like this gimmick but the games were pretty easy, so it didn't waste much time.
The characters were very nicely rendered, good facial features, excellent lip-syncing and the voices weren't bad at all. I didn't detect very much emotion considering the dilemma at hand but the voices fit the characters. I thought the graphics were pretty, not spectacular as in other Domini games. Not as sharp and I expected them to be more interesting because of the storyline. The locations had lots of dark areas, the scenes weren't as colorful as I expected them to be. The collectibles were very small and hidden in the shadows which added some challenge. But the helpful indicator kept track of them which is a great feature.
The HOPs weren't impressive, I didn't care for the storybook one because items were faded and didn't seem to match their description very well. There were just a few HOPs in the demo and I didn't enjoy them all that much. I liked the puzzles better, Easy and Hard Modes. Easy was much too easy so I found a better challenge, more fun with Hard Mode. I've been favoring the puzzles over the HOPs in recent games, highly unusual for me. HO scenes are not as creative and interactive anymore which is a shame because, after all, it is a HOPA game!
The collectibles included enchanted trees, magical creature statuettes, colored orbs, all very little but not impossible to eventually spot, and plenty of notes. Some of my finds were purely accidental. The orbs were needed to decorate a bedroom. The wallpapers all had a character and print which I think ruins them. I would prefer just story-related scenery to beautify my PC screen. Custom Mode allows Hint and Skip to be reduced to zero seconds which I love, the music was nice, the demo played with no glitches.
As I always gripe about in my reviews, the demo is so laden with find this, repair that, banish insects, assemble items with ridiculous makeshift tools, dig something up. Every Domini game contains the same old stuff and the gameplay is always sparse due to all the "chores". Focusing more on the story and less on all these annoying things makes more sense to me. How can a person know if the game is a good purchase if they can't experience the adventure? Just a small peek into it isn't enough for me to make a sound decision. It will always be a pass unless Domini gets back to delivering more than a puzzles and tasks game. And gives us a NEW story that is interesting and entertaining. It takes more than a new title and new characters!
Take a scenic road trip across beautiful Central USA!
Overall rating
4
/
5
27 of 32 found this review helpful
No Gas $$ Makes For A Fun Trip!
PostedJune 29, 2022
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I usually like Road Trip games but this one was a little off, for me. Graphics weren't sharp, they were hazy, also when using the magnifier they became more faded. There was a good variety of HO styles, the usual for this type of game, I love switching to the different ones as I play to keep the interest up and I like the choices in setting up the game.
The shield, robot and cat were easy to find no matter what game mode I used. There wasn't that much difference in the various difficulties but I enjoyed playing each one every time I went to a new location. Being able to choose my challenge just makes it all more fun and eliminates boredom. The timing up, as well as down, was a good option. Keeping track of my time always inspires me to do better in replay.
Some of the items were difficult to see because they were in dark areas and very small, plus the hazy graphics didn't help. I agree with JeansLady1 about the magnifier. It was a bit small and it was annoying when it disappeared after just one use. It should remain with you until you are ready to let it go. I like visiting the different states in the Road Trip games and the midwest is scenic and mainly overlooked, as so many favor the beaches and big cities. It would be nice to learn more about these states, see more than just cluttered HO scenes. The game would be more appealing but maybe it's too much extra work for the dev in this kind of HO game. Also, I get tired of seeing flying saucers, balloons, toys, etc in scenes where items related to the state would make it more interesting. But I found only a few cons, not enough to keep me from buying the game.
Road Trip is perfect for kicking back and enjoying some down-time. It keeps your mind engaged without the annoyances that some games put upon us with timers, too much detail, not enough variety, senseless dialogue. Just nice and simple is sometimes the best. I still enjoy my old Road Trip games and I think the graphics are better in those.
I enjoyed the demo, no glitches, plenty of options, great replay value and I think it will be a fine addition to one's HOG collection. It is especially good that it is an SE so I am more inclined to purchase today. I'm not in favor of CEs for this type of game. Road Trip is plenty full of HO fun without the extra expense.
I recommend this game!
Complete masterpieces to create a world of unbelievable art!
Overall rating
5
/
5
36 of 43 found this review helpful
What A Great Way To Start My Day!
PostedJune 28, 2022
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I guess we just have to realize that the robot isn't going away, but today it really doesn't matter because I am loving all the other pics too much to care. Number 14 is full of images that hit the jackpot ! They are a perfect mix of whimsical, unusual, vintage, intricate, standard. Just a great variety in my opinion, this time, so I purchased immediately!
There are more of the larger images, some of which are spectacular in color and design, packed to the max with all those tiny areas that I love to hate. But with this batch of pics the end result is so beautiful and rewarding, it matters not. I loved the animals, especially the cats. I wish there was a larger variety of animals but we are treated to more of them than usual. Each one is unique, from simple to complex and the kitty on the bench is a sweet example of basic art. I love that more vintage style pieces are included, they usually feature cats or just rooms but they are delightful. I'd like to see more but maybe with the addition of children or old postcards, etc.
Art By Numbers is a fabulous paint by number game that definitely tops all the others. The pictures are so interesting and the variety of subject matter is not stuck in a dead zone. Each game offers something different and appealing, not just a bunch of swirls and patterns and circles that don't form an image nor justify the time and effort. The completed picture is always awesome. I appreciate that it doesn't disappear instantly and that I can redo it with my own creative imagination in the Free Paint option. So much fun!
The range of colors is immense and the colors are gorgeous. There are so many shades and tones of each one and that makes such a huge difference in the quality of the paintings. It eliminates that flat, drab look that ruins the pics in other games. The texture, the shading, the detail, all is affected when bright and beautiful color is applied. The features and options are very helpful and I see no need for anything more, except maybe the ability to change the background color. My only complaints with this game, lately, have been with too many pics not featuring a full background. But Number 14 seems to be back on track. I still think MORE images would be wonderful and more variety with animals and people.
Art By Numbers is by far the best and the replay value is never ending, thanks to the Free Paint feature. Let your imagination soar and create your own spectacular masterpiece. I think even the kids will love it, not having to "follow the rules". If you haven't yet tried this lovely game, you may be pleasantly surprised at the beauty and enjoyment it contains. It always cheers me up and relaxes my mind. Try the demo, maybe it will be just what you need to de-stress and appease the artist in you.
I recommend this game!
You won’t need to call her three times… She’s already here!
Overall rating
3
/
5
37 of 49 found this review helpful
Do Games? Typo? Silly New Name?
PostedJune 25, 2022
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Whatever, it's still Domini and it still is the same sluggish, dull game content. I found nothing at all entertaining or interesting or different about this game. The Bloody Mary storyline has been done before but this time it didn't live up to its scary name and, at least in the demo, it was quite boring.
The game started right off with the usual silly tasks, beginning with a lock issue, of course. I even used a smoker's pipe to lift the seat in the cab, a rose stem to push a key from a keyhole, a metal ruler which wasn't even invented in Mary's day to open a cabinet, found a blue jewel eye which was described as ruby, frightened a tiny bird with a whistle when just my presence should have scared it away, dug in a pile of dirt with a shoehorn. The list goes on. These things may not bother many of you, but they drive me nuts!
The graphics were not as sharp and beautiful this time and the colors were darker than usual, a hazy effect. I didn't see many animated items, but they usually disappear early into the game so they weren't missed. Graphics seemed hazier in the HOPs and it made the items look vague and they were hard to distinguish. In one HOP, placing items into the scene, it was too dark and blurred to see the locations so I switched to M3 just to hurry things along. I hated the very unnecessary and annoying lock and chain feature!
The mini-games could be played in Easy or Hard Mode and I actually enjoyed them. It was an interesting variety and I skipped none of them. Easy was a bit too much so, and I switched to Hard Mode which provided a good challenge. The HOPs were just okay, the poor graphics made them less fun. However, the variety was good. The characters were very nicely rendered, movement not too stiff or whacky looking. Facial features were nice and the lips moved perfectly to the words for a change. The voice-overs sounded appropriate to each character, no exaggerations in pitch or poor accents.
The demo again had too many things to hinder my advancing into the story quickly enough. Yes, I actually got inside the adventure but it was also full of tasks that wasted valuable time. So this is another Domini game I will not be buying.
Domini, IMO, does not produce fantastic games, not anymore! They do not offer more than other devs with their CEs and their games are always the same old stuff, over and over. There is never more game for the money, as one reviewer keeps mentioning in every review. The collectibles are not abundant either, always the same 15, 15, 70 all easy to find which don't make the game more fun. Their games are lengthy only because of all the tedious tasks and more games than story/adventure. Sure, we all have our favorite developers but something feels fishy here. Just my long-time observance!
Anyway, Domini always has its steadfast fans but they've dwindled over the years. It would be nice to see them rise to the top again but laziness has taken over and as long as the $$ keeps rolling in, I seriously doubt that we will see any constructive changes.
Embark on a high-altitude adventure with Mia Faircroft!
Overall rating
4
/
5
35 of 52 found this review helpful
First Time I've Enjoyed A Faircroft Game
PostedJune 23, 2022
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I liked this one more than previous Faircroft games. The graphics were super sharp and colorful, the scenes were pretty and busy, and the HOs weren't teeny-tiny. The game ran smoothly. There were Easy, Medium and Hard Modes from which to choose your challenge. The Hint recharge times were a bit too lengthy, for me. I'm the impatient type!
There was too much dialogue for this type of game as usual, Faircroft favors talkative characters. It can all be clicked through or skipped entirely, but why should I have to bother? Also, the interruptions during my searching was unneccesary jibberish that was annoying because it broke my concentration. I enjoy stories in games if they are of value to the gameplay, but not so in this case.
I did enjoy the mini-games, especially Spot the Difference because it had lots to find and the challenge was good. I think the variety of games was decent and I didn't feel the need to skip, and the HO styles kept the boredom away. It doesn't make sense, to me, that there is an option to lock puzzle pieces in their correct positions. Who wants to spend time trying to get them to fit properly? It creates annoyance, not challenge. An Unlimited Mode becomes available after unlocking the locations in the Main Game.
I don't know if the CE would be a good deal or not. Even with extra levels, chapters or whatever. For me any hidden object game of this type is entertaining enough as an SE except for a rare few. Faircroft Antiques isn't significant enough to warrant the extra $$, in my opinion, but many players love to extend a game to keep the fun flowing as long as possible. I always get the CE for the "Ranger" HO games for exactly that reason.
The demo was fun and I will likely purchase the SE. It's been quite a while without buying a hidden object game, other than a couple of the cat-finding ones. The pros outweighed the cons and you'll probably be nicely entertained with this new Faircroft Antiques.
I recommend this game!
Help Tristan build Atlantis and make it the greatest kingdom on Earth!
Overall rating
3
/
5
23 of 32 found this review helpful
An Improved "Stage Complete"
PostedJune 22, 2022
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I enjoyed this one more than the others of this type. Most Stage Complete games I have played were tedious because of the board design and tiles were often difficult to clear. But I regret playing the demo in Relaxed Mode only, as now I think challenge would be the key to making it more fun.
The graphics were really nice as were the colors. The characters had no spoken dialogue which means you have to do a bit of reading, but it wasn't enough to make me want to skip. Besides, I thought the story was okay and I don't mind reading if it is a reasonable amount. Another reviewer mentioned having difficulty matching tiles, but I had no problems with that, everything was fine in my demo.
The tools were very useful and a couple of bombs were earned when large matches were made. I thought the bombs could have done a better job but I liked that they didn't create tremendous flashes. I think the fireworks in some M3 games is just way too overboard and pointless, but many really love the light shows. Maybe later in the game it will become more spectacular with bigger power-ups. The tiles were big and bright, easy to distinguish. I always like the morphing tiles, they add more interest to the game.
The stars weren't as difficult to earn as in past "Stage Complete" games and that made it easier and not so frustrating to accomplish the building. Also, it didn't require a huge amount of earnings to build each stage of the project so that made it more fun, being able to progress without being stuck forever in one spot. Each level required removal of large numbers of particular tiles but it was a piece of cake since I played in Relaxed Mode. I'm sure Timed would have been a better choice, for me. After several levels, the icons that need to drop to the bottom of the board made their appearance and that also was less challenging than in previous games. But that is partly due, I think, to the boards not being designed as cleverly as before.
I will likely pick this up with a coupon. We don't get many M3 games these days that are even slightly entertaining. This one had enough pros to make it seem worthwhile, so I'm going to take that leap of faith and hope it's the right decision.
I recommend this game!
Experience Edgar Allen Poe’s dark poem through classic solitaire gameplay!
Overall rating
2
/
5
26 of 35 found this review helpful
This Raven Should Just Fly Away
PostedJune 21, 2022
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Here we have another of the Mystery Solitaire series that is no different than all the other ones from this dev, which means it is the usual poor quality, meaningless story and gold card annoyance. There is nothing fun or challenging or different, just always the same and doesn't warrant spending a penny nor a coupon on it, no matter how desperate I may be for a new game!
Everything this dev puts out is really under par, they are never open to any suggestions or requests from the reviewers. As Pennmom stated, "We like what we like" and it's not right to attack our opinions. In the very beginning they produced some very good jigsaw games and I still enjoy them. But then everything just went downhill and stayed there. It has been years now and nothing ever improves.
I love solitaire and there are some really great ones at BFG, so Mystery Solitaire can be passed up with no regrets. However, if you like picking up every solitaire to build your collection, it will suffice. If you enjoy letting the game clear the board for you with the gold cards, if you don't mind the "phantom" achievements and don't mind the Newbie and Pro Modes then this game will fine. It has lots of levels, the graphics and card artwork are okay. Usually there are no tech issues.
I always play the demo for these games hoping for a new, improved "something" but seems this dev is bound and determined to not budge an inch because it's easier to be lazy and ignore the issues. After all, they still make $$ on even poor quality games. What a shame!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you take on Goldilocks’ mantel and protect the kingdom?
Overall rating
5
/
5
49 of 63 found this review helpful
Three Cheers For Friendly Fox!!!
PostedJune 16, 2022
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This remaster is extremely well done. Its quality is evident right away. I really enjoyed the original but this one exceeds it with lots of extra touches that make it a game you won't want to pass up. You can always count on Friendly Fox for something special!
The graphics were gorgeous then but the quality has been bumped up in today's game, as well as the sound, and the music is not an irritating noise that requires turn-off. I can't recall all the details that made me love the first edition so much but I was pulled in right away with the story and the great extras, and again this dev is being very generous with the goodies!
I was so delighted to find more HOPs this time and even though I'm not a great puzzle fan, seeing more of them was also great. With these extra games and all the collectibles and morphs, this is a spectacular CE package. It's been ages (except for Tearstone) that I have purchased a CE because they just aren't worth it anymore!
The demo has a good sampling of what I needed to persuade my decision to purchase. Usually, I am not happy with the demo because of too many stupid tasks and not enough story but this time all was good. I'm now at the beginning of Chapter 3 and it is moving along famously with no disappointments. Imagine that! Enjoying a game with no let-downs for a change!
The HOPs and puzzles are of good variety, the kind I like. Haven't skipped a puzzle yet, which is unusual for me! I love that the collectibles and morphs are not right in your face. They were a bit challenging due to being very well blended or just quite small. I welcomed the extra effort I had to put forth, it made the game even more fun.
Nothing to complain about here, it's a lovely game! I hope you find it very entertaining, as well. We've been in need of quality games at BF for a terribly long time. Hopefully more will follow this gem from Friendly Fox!
I recommend this game!