gingergal's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:15,535
- Reviews Submitted:193
- First Review:November 19, 2011
- Most Recent Review:July 23, 2013
- Featured reviews0
Status:
To save her father, Bella vowed to stay with the beast, but is he truly evil? Help Bella follow her heart!
Overall rating
4
/
5
196 of 203 found this review helpful
4 stars for a straight SE and quite a good length
PostedDecember 15, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
*All my reviews are on finished gameplay (except for one TM game)*
Big top games (Samantha swift, midnight mysteries) brings us an *old fashioned, charming game – retelling of beauty and the beast. *I mean that in the good sense, what good HOGs used to look like – more cluttered scenes, hardly any junk piles, good plot, nice graphics. And this is mainly a HOG game as it’s quite heavy on the HOS, but there also is a lot of different areas to explore as well.
There are two choice of settings and the hardest does have sparkles for HOS but when you repeat them, I guess you have to have sparkles. You can’t change settings once you start, but you do have skip and hint buttons on the hardest.
There is a transporter map, on hardest setting there is no map tips but I don’t know if there are any on the casual mode. I liked that when you hover and area it brought up the picture of the scene.
I think the plot was good but did prefer mystery legends: beauty and the beast game, but there were some nice added characters and development in the plot.
The voiceovers were mainly excellent although a couple of the female leads sometimes, not as much. You can skip the dialogue if you read faster than the voiceover. There is a journal with objectives in it which also sparkles on every update which I don’t like.
If you prefer harder HOS but easier puzzles then this is the game for you, as some of those items were really hard to find and I did resort to hint buttons. Also some items, more at the beginning were very hard to find in a scene that you had to pick up. The first HOS you come across I nearly gave up with this game, as it was junk pile and not nice to look at it, but it is the worst in the game.
In the demo I thought this would be a very easy game but with a lot of different scenes and backtracking, combined with hard HOS it isn’t although the puzzles are.
One of my pet peeves in games is backtracking purely to see if you have to repeat a HOS. I don’t mind as much if you have to go back to an area to do something else and then discover a HOS but when there is a HOS in an area where there is nothing else to do except do a repeat HOS, it’s irritating to me as how would you guess this, and when to do it and journal wasn't always helpful.
I had to go to a walkthrough a couple of times purely because of this. If the hint button was a mini guide and not the ‘keep going back arrow’ kind it would have been easier. But as you don’t repeat all HOS scenes and there are a lot of HOS, I didn’t have the patience to keep going back over scene multiple times to see if I had to replay it.
HOS (hidden object scenes)
29 in total
1 find “x” amount of same item
7 (one repeat) find the shape/item in a scene
21 list (14 original list scenes) – mildly interactive
7 (one repeat) find the shape/item in a scene
21 list (14 original list scenes) – mildly interactive
There is a random click penalty on mode I played, most scenes were very hard, others not as much but there were a lot of very well blended in items or tiny items. I didn’t mind that so much as most were not junk pile and nice to look at.
17 puzzles
Most were very easy, couple were medium and one took me a while.
Those who don’t like pentagrams there is one which you interact with at the end but it’s not a dark game at all.
My own personal rating, this game is a good solid 3 stars because of how they repeated the HOS and having to go to a walkthrough but for a straight SE which I like to support and good length, good plot, gameplay etc it does deserve 4 stars.
Time 4hrs 30mins on hardest mode (but that was with some hints, and walkthrough a couple of times)
I recommend this game!
Go on a new adventure with Iris and Robin and help them win the Magical Tournament in Magic Farm 2: Fairy Lands!
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
Good game for beginners and seasoned players
PostedDecember 14, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Beginner
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'm useless at TM games so look for casual mode or TM games that don't throw me out of levels, so I picked this up as a DD.
When I initially played it I didn't think it was going to be that good, not many beds and it did take a while to get into the game but once you do, coupled with the achievements I did end up enjoying it and it's very addicting.
There are two levels casual or hardcore (I played casual.) and there is a tutorial. Initially you are taken into a farm and with money you earn from the flowers you grow you can upgrade your farm. There is also a global shop which you can buy things from which does help you. There are also requests but what's good about them (for me) is that they aren't timed you can take as long as you want in doing them. Also it gives the game some story which I thought was good.
You can also manually save your game as well as the autosave which I thought was great but only found that out too late as I made a mistake with the second farm (bought water before plant and couldn't make any more of that type of money) so I had to start again from the beginning.
At the beginning there are a couple of HOS but I don't think there was more than 3. Over time a new farm will open up and then a third one. You have a dragon as your helper and over time his abilities will improve as well as yours so you get quicker at doing things - collecting items that creatures drop and fighting these creatures that try and destroy your flowers. You also make money at the end of each day by making bouquets.
Each farm has completely different type of flowers and landscape and thought some flowers were pure fun in farm 2 and 3. You do have to remember to go to the map and go to all farms and cities in them to see quests and to make sure you haven't missed any.
This is the longest game I think I've played as I was playing for all achievements but it could also be that it took me ages as I am not very good.
I'm giving it 3 out of 5 as it did take a while to get into it and compared to fiona finch and other type games which had more variety of growing and making things it's lacking in that area. But I loved the achievements but if you're not interested in that I think there are better games but still enjoyed it and was addicting. Good bargain for a DD.
I recommend this game!
Join legendary detective, Nancy Drew, as she follows ancient clues to find the mysterious Wickford Castle`s legendary secret!
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
One of the early nancy drew games
PostedDecember 6, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is the fourth in the series and it's over 10yrs old, and if you've played any of the recent games and then play this then it does show. As they have improved on all aspects and if you want a snowed in, stuck in a place mystery game I recommend the white wolf of icicle creek over this one.
It's still worth playing it's just that there are quite a few better ND games. This has the old interface that takes up half the screen, it's 99% set inside this old hotel you are staying at. While I found the bigger plot of Marie Antoinette really interesting and I did learn a lot the smaller plot,/objective/mystery wasn't quite as crystal clear, concise as other games.
Once you get past the deliberate maze type, where am I initial gameplay, then it is quite interesting. I found I had to get a pen and paper and literally draw a map and for the first few hours it's purely exploring and getting bearings. So it depends on your taste if you like that or not.
If you haven't played any ND it's not a 360 game, you have to manually save (which naming the saves is fiddly). To advance game play here you have to put your bedroom clock alarm forward. Like a lot of ND games, there are only four people in it and they all are in the same places but only at certain times. There is something in ND called second chance which means you can die but don't worry if you haven't saved the game as you just hit the second chance button!
You can't skip any puzzles, and here there are no achievements unlike later games(which you don't know what they are until after you finish unless you search online for them.)
There are two modes of gameplay junior and senior. On both levels you can phone a friend for hints but on senior the hints aren't as easy or clear. On later games, the junior mode you get a task list which you can tick when you have finished each 'to do' item. Here there is no list on junior level.
Usually the difference between the two modes is the hardness on puzzles. If you hate puzzles and are worried that this has a lot of puzzles/minigames in it, it doesn't. It has a jigsaw (click on upper left corner to rotate the piece), safe combination (click on triangle to enter each number), click on one move others, and move 'item' around a board to go in a hole.
This game has a lot of back and forth within the hotel and you need a good memory to remember where everything is and what floor it's on.
If you are only going to be playing a couple of ND games then this wouldn't be the one I recommend to you but if you don't mind that it's old and not one of the best then it's still an enjoyable game.
I recommend this game!
A classic Christmas tale tail, with a whole new twist! Help the Nutcracker rescue the princess from the evil Rat King!
Overall rating
4
/
5
185 of 203 found this review helpful
Truly a wonderful fun game - bonus review at bottom
PostedNovember 29, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is going to be my new Christmas tradition to play this wonderful game every Christmas. From the Tchaikovsky music, to the setting and puzzles being part of story and setting. Everything is nearly perfect apart from the length of main game but we’ll come to that later.
This is a game that you can play with your family and of all the games I’ve played all year it’s the one that has the highest fun factor, it’s a joy to play. The nutcracker’s love - a doll has been kidnapped by King rat and his band of followers and you go and help him to find her aided with some truly fun companions along the way. Graphics are stunning and it’s such a beautiful game. I’d say you’d have to be the Grinch that stole Christmas games if you weren’t at least enchanted by the beginning of the game (even if you didn’t like it.)
Gameplay mechanics is exactly the same with any other recent elephant game but just in case you forgot – transporter map with hints on all levels, choice of hardness setting which you can change midgame, no hint or skip on hardcore but as usual black bar hints, no random click penalty on HOS and you never repeat them. There is a lockable inventory bar.
12 HOS (hidden object scenes)
While the graphics are super sharp elsewhere, it’s like they are 95% sharp in some HOS. They are well defined but it’s like they want to go the road of some other devs and blend some in slightly. There are some tiny items but I did find them all. Some are junk, some are very cluttered. They are all list type (as usual from elephant) and no mini games in them just mildy/medium interactive.
14 PUZZLES
There is an info and reset button on them.
I knew as this is more a family game that there wouldn’t be any hard puzzles but on a couple they were clever as a couple were unique and took a while for me to figure out the objective. One of the achievements is not to use the hint/info button on puzzles. By doing that I was OK with the hardness of them, mostly easy to medium. They had your usual (which please I’ve had enough of) rotating rings and rotating circles (here it was squares – put your coloured icons on different parts of the board.) They did have some twists on some – gear puzzle and loved the – click on things in area to accomplish a task (cardboard cutout of girl) and the flag puzzle which took me ages to work out the objective.
I knew as this is more a family game that there wouldn’t be any hard puzzles but on a couple they were clever as a couple were unique and took a while for me to figure out the objective. One of the achievements is not to use the hint/info button on puzzles. By doing that I was OK with the hardness of them, mostly easy to medium. They had your usual (which please I’ve had enough of) rotating rings and rotating circles (here it was squares – put your coloured icons on different parts of the board.) They did have some twists on some – gear puzzle and loved the – click on things in area to accomplish a task (cardboard cutout of girl) and the flag puzzle which took me ages to work out the objective.
CE extras
Achievements
Collectables 25 dolls
4 Music
5 video (some cutscenes)
9 concept art
Screensaver
Cat cave (opens after bonus)
Collectables 25 dolls
4 Music
5 video (some cutscenes)
9 concept art
Screensaver
Cat cave (opens after bonus)
I was disappointed that the cat cave which I thought could be like the dog area in MT:4 aces which you use your collectables to buy things just turned out to be a place you view the cats that where your helpers in the bonus. No interaction, which I thought was weird.
There were no collectables in the bonus (just cat helpers you come across) but the collectables in main game where a nice variety of hard to see and easy, with none being in the impossible range.
Achievements, although not many were good as you didn’t have to replay a game to get them all or have annoying timed elements in it (it’s not a TM game.)
BONUS REVIEW
Every aspect of the plot was completely 100% tied up in main game. The bonus was a pure bonus plot (not needed to finish the plot in main game), completely separate from the main plot. Apart from one of your secondary helpers (the cat) none of the other characters in the main game were in the bonus chapter.
While I’m not really a cat person I thought it was very well done, quality was really there and I really enjoyed it.
Gameplay was about 90% in old area. Along the way you find some cats with different strengths which help you out.
numbers are in addition to above -
4 HOS
4 puzzles (untangle knots, fit correct end into correct slot, click on one thing others move plus another puzzle)
Bonus length
1hr 15mins
1hr 15mins
LENGTH
The only reason I didn’t give this a glowing 5 stars with cherry on top is the length of main game.
I played the whole game hardcore, and playing for achievements (so no puzzle tips or hints or skips) and I just got over 4hrs on main game. I was smelling the roses, and taking my time. Shortest game from elephant at just over 4hrs.
I realise other devs do this and so maybe people are used to this length of game and accept it. Elephant was always known for super long and quality games and this is now the third game from them that’s under 5 hrs.
This isn’t me getting faster as surface, grim tales is still long. If I don’t say something now then my favourite developers will go down the same route of others DEVS and give us shorter and easier (topic for another day) games. So I hope they are listening, please don’t.
I recommend the CE as it had over an hour gameplay as well as all other the extras. And as much as it pains me, and it does as I really love this game, I have to give my new Christmas tradition 4 stars as it way under 5hrs for me. (I have a rating system to try and keep my ratings as objective as possible and time is a big factor in it.)
TIME – Main game – Just over 4hrs
Bonus game – 1hr 15 min
Bonus game – 1hr 15 min
Loved every minute of it.
I recommend this game!
Unfinished Tales: Illicit Love
After the Raven Queen crashes her wedding, Thumbelina must save her prince to reclaim her happy ending!
Overall rating
4
/
5
179 of 188 found this review helpful
Different again a fairytale from elephant - 4.5 stars
PostedNovember 28, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The SE main plot is 100% tied up in the main game as usual with elephant (despite the humour from the narrator the two people in the final scene aren’t in the bonus.)
As elephant is just continually giving us great games, I’m going to be harder on this SE in relation to their other games. I gave the CE 5 stars due to all the extras, and length of bonus – longest bonus I’ve played from them and I actually much preferred the plot of the bonus to the main game. It was unusual and it took a part of a plot that I didn’t even think was unfinished or think about and explored that. So while I recommend the SE game, I actually recommend the CE more and that’s a first from me, giving a CE 5 stars but a SE 4 stars.
If you liked royal detectives you should try this and it has the same length in the main game than royal detectives. It's not one of their mega long games, which is partly due to not many HOS.
I loved this game and yet it’s so different from the live actors and a lot of games that elephants have done which I love and are my favourite.
I’m glad they decide to keep being different and this game is different, a fairy tale and you are Thumbelina fighting against the witch who has put a spell on your prince. The graphics are different also but thankfully they have kept it super sharp and in the HOS and are gorgeous. Changing the seasons was pure fun.
WARNING - phobia alert - there is a scene of a HUGE realistic snake in it which I had to close my eyes for but you do get a heads up beforehand.
I do wish they would do a pure adventure game (not instead of their HOPAs but on top of) and here with only 10 HOS in the whole game and not that many puzzles (compared with boomzap games) adventure lovers will love this as it is very much adventure driven and feels like an adventure game, not even an adventure/puzzle game.
As usual, you have a transporter map (and map tips if you play casual) there are three settings which you can change during the game. There is black bar tips on hardest.
My only nitpicking note was that near the end of the game you had to go back to old areas, even though it was somewhat changed, I would love it if it was like surface and it’s all new areas.
My only nitpicking note was that near the end of the game you had to go back to old areas, even though it was somewhat changed, I would love it if it was like surface and it’s all new areas.
Despite that I did feel throughout there were a lot of new areas to explore like a good adventure game should have.
But that’s where it slightly fell apart for me, at the end where you have to backtrack to old areas felt a little like they were padding the game out and I was ready for it to end. This could also be due to the plot and the old style cutscenes so it depends on your taste, but unusual for them I did find the demo and beginning to be better than the end.
While this is a normal length HOPA this is the second recent new game (royal detectives) that was under 5 hrs for me and this is in comparison with surface and grim tales which are longer. Also the puzzles are quite easy, the same as royal detectives and elephant used to be known for slightly harder puzzles than other developers and I’m a bit worried that they will be going down that route.
Do not take my rating to mean I don’t really recommend it, or that I didn’t love it but elephant is just giving us one great game after another so am going back to being mean with my ratings. If it was 30 mins longer I would have but that combined with near the end gameplay slides to 4.5. (The length of the bonus in the CE made it all round a good length.)
10 HOS
Usual – never repeat their HOS, and there is no random click penalty on them. They are mostly very cluttered scenes or junk piles and I would love it if they could do non junk pile.
In a couple of their recent games their HOS have not been that clear but thankfully it’s back to their normal standard of super crisp lines, really crystal clear items and no tiny items. Even though a lot are quite big, I found it hard to find some so it’s not easy. All list type and they were mostly medium interactive only a couple mild.
17 or 18 PUZZLES (I went back to triple check nos and got another one)
I do wish some were harder but most were medium and some very easy although I enjoyed them. The old school puzzles seemed to be at the beginning (simon says, move one lot of ‘buttons’ to the other side) but even some of the old ones were done well like the dummy. I love the change arrows and icons so when you hit play ‘x’ goes through a path to the end.
To see the differences between the CE and the SE this is what was in the CE that IS NOT in the SE:
CE EXTRAS
Achievements
Collectables – butterflies (at least 50)
4 music
8 wallpaper
8 concept art
SG
Bonus chapter (1hr 30mins)
Achievements
Collectables – butterflies (at least 50)
4 music
8 wallpaper
8 concept art
SG
Bonus chapter (1hr 30mins)
TIME – 4hrs 45mins (or same as royal detectives but they had more HOS so this is longer in adventure) And if you can't afford a CE then don't worry you are still getting a very good game. And for reading this long review you get a prize - go give yourself a treat some chocolate is called for.
I recommend this game!
Use your botany skills to survive the strange new planet of Botanica. Can you find your way back to Earth in this thrilling Hidden Object adventure?
Overall rating
5
/
5
122 of 164 found this review helpful
Whimisical different setting, quality all the way - good length
PostedNovember 24, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I can’t say the plot is 100% tied up in this SE and the bonus in the CE wasn’t vital to the story. Although the bonus plot didn’t follow any main characters from the main story and followed a minor character there was a vital part of the background of the plot, actually the lynchpin of the whole story that happened in the bonus. But when you finish the SE you aren’t left hanging and that part is tied up ready for the next game in the sequel/series which is why I am recommending it.
So they may incorporate the very short part of the bonus plot into the opening scene of the next game or they may just keep this part of the plot for bonus play, either way if they do that SE players won’t feel like they are missing anything. I’m only going into so much detail as I hope the next game they either leave it completely out or tell you what happened.
Boomzap just gets better, this it seems will be their next series. I have never really been a fan of hand drawn graphics although boomzap does it very well. Here I’m glad to see that they have sharpened their pencils and brought some colour to the graphics. This makes a huge difference in HOS as they are sharp and easily recognisable what an item should and nothing is faded or washed out looking like some other DEVs do.
I loved the story a botanist your father finds portals to other worlds and you go and try and find him. It gives the plot originality as it does concentrate on plants and the HOS as well as puzzles are actually part of the game!
Let’s get the two negative things for me out of the way, there is no transporter map and they do what they’ve done in the past and made this game a sequel, there is no finish. I don’t like sequels.
Again boomzap makes all new chapters and you don’t ever go backwards and revisit old areas. I lOVE when that happens and it also cuts down on the time of backtracking so it’s not bad at all!
Don’t select ‘hard’ which is the hardest of 3 choices of gameplay unless you are very confident as you can’t change once you start (and I do wish you could). You don’t get skip or hint buttons and you don’t get info button on puzzles but you do get some black bar tips on them.
There is a journal with a to do list, a non interactive map and some fun ‘encyclopaedia’ on other world plants. You also get a botanical kit (when "i" appears you can do a puzzle in it)
There is a journal with a to do list, a non interactive map and some fun ‘encyclopaedia’ on other world plants. You also get a botanical kit (when "i" appears you can do a puzzle in it)
If you love puzzles, not so much the HOS or just want HOS variety boomzap is your DEV.
16 HOS – Hidden object scenes (to see what I count as a HOS see below)
I never say this but where do I start in saying why I loved them? No junkpile and only one very cluttered scene. This not only makes them lovely to look at but also I always find non junkpile way harder. Graphics, really clear and sharp, no tiny items.
Even though there was no random click penalty on hard (thanks!) I didn’t use it as I wanted to take my time on them, that’s a first! They also never repeated them – so rare but again shows they are not lazy. All but one list HOS were the highest interaction you can have.
9 list
Find items from a narrative 2 (love this)
2 pictures of item you have to find in scene
Reverse (put item back in scene)
Find x amount
Coloured pics at bottom and you find and colour it in the drawing
Find items from a narrative 2 (love this)
2 pictures of item you have to find in scene
Reverse (put item back in scene)
Find x amount
Coloured pics at bottom and you find and colour it in the drawing
Numbers may be out by a couple but I do try my best
41 PUZZLES (due to not having skip button it was hard to count – roughly)
If you do back out of them they will reset (did this once). Thankfully boomzap has listened and actually made more hard puzzles as so many games they give us so many puzzles but are so very easy. Overall it was a great variety mostly about medium. I felt the objectives in all of them were clearer than in the last awakening game.
It was the perfect hardness for me – hard enough as to not be bored by them but easy enough to be relaxing although a lot of them took me a while (perfect). A lot of them were standard fare but I liked how they were done, a couple were unique. Graphics were lovely and sharp and clear.
I did find this game way easier than the last awakening, as it was clearer where to go thus the 4/5 out of hardness rating.
I did find this game way easier than the last awakening, as it was clearer where to go thus the 4/5 out of hardness rating.
Official in game time –
Main game 5hrs 30 min (hard mode, no skipping, no hints)
Main game 5hrs 30 min (hard mode, no skipping, no hints)
I recommend this game!
Murder, She Wrote 2: Return to Cabot Cove
Take on the role of beloved murder-mystery writer Jessica Fletcher and return to lovely (but lethal) Cabot Cove!
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 15 found this review helpful
Good nostalgic solid game - 3.5 rounding up
PostedNovember 23, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I can't comment about the length (as I was taking lots of notes at the time) of this game but I felt for a straight SE it was OK/good. I don't do love or good etc for my ratings so don't panic. I do out of 5. Overall re adventure and puzzles I thought it was 3/5 for hardness (with one very hard puzzle).
Objectively it may be more a three star game but didn't want to give the wrong impression on this as I really enjoyed it.
Murder she wrote was the first game I bought here back in the day I was playing straight HOGs, now I don't want to see another HOS as I've played so many but murder she wrote is one of only three series of straight HOG (hidden object game) I'd buy.
So it was a pleasant surprise to find that 'adventure' has been introduced in this game - scenes didn't auto come up but you have to look for them. If you are used to IHOGs it's a simple/quaint game but for those who wanted a straight HOG may be disappointed.
That doesn't mean there weren't many HOS in fact there were 11 HOS in 1st case, 9 HOS in 2nd and 9 in 3rd case but I felt most were well spaced out and you didn't replay any more than twice (would have been nice if there were no repeats!)
I love old fashioned games like this as they do the HOS well, no junk piles and pleasant looking scenes that you want to stay in, and only a couple of tiny items but they were all so well defined which was great. I enjoyed the couple of 'stumpers' in a scene of so well hidden it's hard to find, this game shows others how to do this well and I do wish modern HOPA developers would see what a good one looks like.
It was the same as the first game you have to find the typewriter keys to fill in the blanks and if you find all 6 you get another hint. If you run out of hints it does replenish itself in both modes.
Puzzles, there were quite a few and some quite unique or you don't see much which was good. I really enjoyed the puzzles. There were a couple of hard ones (that fingerprint computer was hard but loved the challenge!) but I found accidentally that there were a couple of cheats on some, that it wouldn't allow you to click on the wrong tile etc. I thought they could have easily made it harder on the hard setting by not doing this. I thought it was a perfect hardness for a laid back kind of game, mostly easy with a couple thrown in you had to think.
The first puzzle you came across the moving paper one was the least enjoyable one.
The first puzzle you came across the moving paper one was the least enjoyable one.
The first and second case is set in the same location, with some buildings not being available in one case but are open in the other case. The last case is set in Ireland and I was glad as I like different scenery.
The voice overs were the same (I think) as the first one, shame Angela Lansbury herself couldn't do it as she has such a distinctive voice that is hard to match but they were well done as usual.
The first game had a choice of timed or casual and had a grade or evaluation at the end of each case here you don't have that choice. It would have been nice to have this mini achievement to see how well you did at the end of a case.
As much as the HOS here were good they weren't as good as the first game I like the setting of the original game better.
The first chapter I thought was quite long and a good length and I got excited that the other two would be the same but they were shorter.
The stories were pleasant but it wasn't like the real murder she wrote that she smacks herself on the head 'duh' and goes in wait for a trap figuring out the murderer as we've seen slips of speech etc and she remembered. I guess to make it more a game it relies on collecting things and using that as evidence which made it good gameplay and a different kind of story.
Overall I loved this updated blast from the past, and it's clear bright colours. If you are used to just modern HOPAs you may find this just a bit too old-fashioned and don't get it. But for the rest of us who just want a slightly updated version of a classic HOG and love the show it's the perfect prescription. Some tweaks (as mentioned above) would have been great.
So for those who are wanting that type of game (which I don't normally play anymore) try it out.
I recommend this game!
The residents of Bitterford, Maine have fallen prey to a terrible curse. It’s up to you to unravel the series of mysterious events that led to the town’s downfall and uncover the evil that was responsible.
Overall rating
3
/
5
321 of 353 found this review helpful
Review is on finished gameplay - skip the CE and get the SE, overall very disappointing
PostedNovember 20, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The ratings are for the CE as, as per sadly usual the only real extras were 50 morphs that actually aren't unlocked till you do the 'bonus' area which took me 15 mins. Bonus area was 2 puzzles -one click on one square type to get them all lit up was very easy and can be done in under 10 secs, and the other puzzle took me under 10 mins to work out and I think I'm slow on that! The whole area I did in 10 mins, yes a ten minute bonus chapter - any other DEV doing that would be ripped to shreds. (there might be some easter eggs in that area but playing time was that)
If you buy the CE for the SG then you're out of luck, as if you thought last year's SG was unhelpful then this takes it up a notch. No instructions on puzzles, all pictures and if you forget where the picture is tough! The hint button was also unhelpful when I tried to use it! And warning in the bonus area, there is no hint or even SG.
If you buy it for extras, then again you'll be disappointed, no achievements, no unlocking of puzzles, just morphs and "making off" which while interesting doesn't justify the price as there isn't a decent bonus chapter like other CEs.
Back to gameplay, the demo is good, gameplay as usual is hard for a HOPA but after demo things began to fall apart. It was so forumlaic/repetitive as in at the end of each chapter you are called by the psychic to get 'drawings' (small clip of a scene you have visited and you have to find it - reverse HOS) then after you backtrack all over areas you've just been to, to place them you get a tumbling arcade type jigsaw. You have to play 7 of these jigsaw getting progressively harder each time.
While I hate arcade type games I do try but by the time the fifth one came and I couldn't move the main blocks out of the way (some are stuck) and tried connecting a mini smaller block but because of proximity they wouldn't turn so I had to skip it then thought all the rest would be the same so skipped them as well. I'm just glad that on hardest there was a skip button (I just don't want sparkles or black bar tips)
I counted 12 puzzles (ones you could skip there were others I'd class as puzzles but had no skip button) but out of those 12 - 7 of them were the repeating jigsaw type!
None were different (but the fuse one I hadn't seen for a while so enjoyed that) and about half of them were arcade type. I skipped another arcade type as well.
None were different (but the fuse one I hadn't seen for a while so enjoyed that) and about half of them were arcade type. I skipped another arcade type as well.
13 HOS ( different ones but as they were over more than one scene it felt a lot more!)
Oh how I miss the morph different kind of HOS, here it just dragged on as a lot were over multiple areas. This isn't new as old HOGs used to do this. All but one were list type, and all but one were not junk pile. Items were tiny and very well blended in so you better have perfect eyesight. There sadly is a random click penalty (on hard, don't know about casual)
Graphics were a weird mix, of sharp and well done scenes to looking like they were compressed and so dull, so many monochromatic scenes - a lot has a green hue on them.
WARNING for some (slight spoiler)
While I'm sure that people who don't like dark, summoning spirits know this about MCF games it's really ramped up here sadly.
-There is an exorcism on an object
-Throughout there is a psychic communicating with the dead and others
-There is a demonic worship act, mumbling in latin to summon demons
-There is an exorcism on an object
-Throughout there is a psychic communicating with the dead and others
-There is a demonic worship act, mumbling in latin to summon demons
I do wish they would do a different type of storyline, I like dark but don't think it needs to involve child abuse (last game) or demons and spirits. I'm actually fed up with those kind of stories in MCF games, but this has taken it one step further.
Even if you want the CE and think morphs alone are worth double the price, I'd wait until big fish release a walkthrough (which they did last year a few days after the CE release as they realised their mistake, shame they didn't learn their lesson but I suspect there will be one released in a few days) or at least a sale.
I was so done by the game at the end, when I did finally unlock the morphs the thought of backtracking yet again through all the scenes, filled me with dread and for the first time in a game didn't bother with most of them. Yes there is a transporter map but it's only on main locations and sometimes you are backtracking 9 scenes within an area, and clicking on the area you are in doesn't work sadly.
Live actors, I usually love and sometimes it did hold the game together, but sorry the 'named actress' came across as melodramatic, and frankly bad especially at the end.
Personally I think it's the 2nd worst MCF with 13 skull being the worst. Does that mean they are bad games? NO! Just in comparison with the others and my rating is on that and waiting a year for this. Sorry as much hype big fish tries to drum up, so not living up to it.
This is a case of demo is much better than the game.
While I appreciate some of it, and the mild 'scare' factor (very mild) and some different interactions, I just didn't like this game but I do objectively see that it is a good game so I do recommend the SE version, just not the CE.
I don't recommend this game.
Scratches Director's Cut
Help writer Michael Arthate explore the Blackwood house! Follow mysteries through the house and dive into secrets of the past!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 13 found this review helpful
An atmospheric game so only for a certain type of adventure gamer
PostedNovember 16, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
My reviews are of finished gameplay
I demoed this game years ago and as I was playing quickly as you do in demos I didn't 'get' this game. The plot wasn't well defined at the beginning and just hadn't a clue what I was doing or what I was supposed to be doing. But after finishing the game I appreciate the different type of game, and the plot which was slow to start but was fleshed out well.
When I say it's an atmospheric, spooky game I mean that, it's not that that is the background to the game that is the game.
The character you play is Michael and you are a writer who needs to be alone to finish his book and your friend found you this old victorian house in England. It's set in 1976 and as you investigate the house - clicking on everything and reading everything you slowly learn the history of one of the last inhabitants of the house and the adventure begins.
When you progress in gameplay the clock in the hall will move forward (or just save game it will tell you) and certain things are only available at certain times or when you have done certain things as that will trigger other things. So it's a very patient type of player that will keep going back over everything. If you can't get past a point it's because you haven't clicked on something to trigger something else.
The slowest and thus the hardest is the beginning where basically for one real day all I did was investigate and click on everything as you can't progress beyond a certain point if you don't and it is frustrating finding out what you missed!
There is a phone in the hall which you will use and sometimes I needed to phone again immediately the same person so keep phoning or try to often. You will also need a paper and pen to record numbers and things you come across.
This game doesn't support windows 7 but I managed to play through the glitches and couple of crashes by saving a lot. To access main menu hit escape and save to save in one of ten slots available.
Under setup if you don't want to play 360 which is default mode you need to do two things or it doesn't really work.
Under slideshow set it to enabled AND ALSO alternative control set to ENABLED. If you only do slideshow it moves like 2mms a time but if you also do the alternative control it's how you expect a game to work. I did play a lot that way but it is a lot harder to scan a room and not miss anything out by doing it that way. I turned my camera to slow, kept the cursor in the middle and I was OK.
Two things to note - if you don't like occult or dark things this game isn't for you and spoiler ahead - you have to do something to a crucifix which I'd have prefered if they used something else. (you put a nail in Jesus feet). It made me uncomfortable but dialogue and everything was respectful.
Graphics and some parts reminded me of rhiannon but I much prefered this story and I never get creeped out or scared in games but this managed to do that to me a couple of times!
By the end of the game you will never want to see or open another door in a game ever but that part alone had the suspense part! This isn't a game I'd recommend to beginners or the easily bored or for those wanting a syberia or return to mysterious island type game, it's not that type. There are no puzzles in this game.
It surprised me as I ended up enjoying it and the mystery despite the slow beginning. I took one point of the plot as personally I didn't like one aspect of the ending.
DON'T FORGET TO CLICK ON PLAY AFTER YOU FINISH TO ACCESS THE BONUS CHAPTER.
So if you want a spooky game this is a must have and if you don't mind playing through a couple of access violation or crashes check it out.
I recommend this game!
Help Annie restore a once glorious mansion and return an old farm to life, all the while earning enough money for her impending wedding ceremony.
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 10 found this review helpful
Good sequel, good for beginners
PostedNovember 15, 2012
gingergal
fromoutside Seattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This follows on from farm tribe nicely and a different type of environment - a wedding in an old mansion which is also used to hold all your achievements you can earn.
It's quest based - you get an order or request from someone and you either grow it and sell it or find something for someone. That part is good as it's not timed, and I don't know why this is under the TM section where it would better under the strategy one.
I do miss a few things from the first game
- there is no open shop you can go and choose where to plant things or even what to buy instead here a $ sign pops up to let you know you can buy it.
-there is less areas that open up in fact there are only a couple. In the first one you can put your scientist on it and a whole area would open up here it's mostly figurines.
It was good that they tried to address the so tiny artifacts in the first game by putting sparkles on it although it would have been nice to have the option of sparkles or not.
There were a good amount of achievements - find "x" amount of 3 different things which throughout the game was deposited in intervals so you always had to moving the screen to find them. Re achievements screen at end, I did do all challenges and quickly and yet I was missing the ship and a couple of other things that I did accomplish so I don't know if you have to replay the game to get all of them?
You can move the screen by using your arrow buttons.
The first game I was left with nothing to do for a couple of hours while waiting my last thing I needed, here it's not like that there were more things to do.
If at the end of the game you haven't found all the pieces you can collect it goes into freeform mode so you have time to find them all (although I found them all way before the game finished) or you can just continue playing. Because I couldn't change the placements of buildings or buy new things the free form didn't hold any interest for me but it's good that it is there.
It's a very good relaxing different type of game and I love the no timer aspect on it. It's also a good length. I do out of 5 hardness so it's not that it's poor, it's just not hard which I appreciate!
I recommend this game!