saralestes's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:25
- Reviews Submitted:7
- First Review:June 23, 2013
- Most Recent Review:January 18, 2023
- Featured reviews0
saralestes's Review History
Build a magnificent city in ancient Egypt and free the Pharaoh from the clutches of the creature in this incredible match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
Mixed feelings
PostedJanuary 18, 2023
saralestes
fromNorth Carolina
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I own several games in this overall series and this one has the same major flaw and issue for me that the earlier ones have, namely that it's just way too hard to see which tiles have been cleared and which ones haven't. Aside from that, I like the graphics in general. The game play is similar to the others ones, but I also have to say that I don't like the look of the tiles. I was a big fan of Jewel Match games, but tired of them, and like the look of the tiles and the ease of seeing them in "Legend of Egypt: Pharoah's Garden 2 "much better than the ones in this game, so I'll won't be buying this one.
I don't recommend this game.
An exciting new adventure in ancient Egypt awaits! Help the sacred crocodile break the curse to save the oasis!
Overall rating
5
/
5
12 of 12 found this review helpful
Finally the way I like it to be!
PostedJanuary 18, 2023
saralestes
fromNorth Carolina
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I play games for relaxation and have bought several titles in this series, but even though I selected "relaxed" mode every time, that darned timer would run and keep me from getting perfect scores without having to stress over game play. The timer in this one is actually turned off in relaxed mode, so I get perfect scores every time and can concentrate on the moves I want to make without feeling pressured at any time.
Another problem I had with the earlier games in this series was that it was very hard to tell which tiles still had to be cleared, but in this game the graphics are great and in the regular game boards, I can easily see what needs to be done and do it. The only one that isn't easy to see is the one with the drawings to decorate the buildings. The ones that are needed are very similar to another tile, so that one is hard to see.
I really like the animations in the scenes in this one. The power-ups are also much better in terms of being able to see them and use them. I had to write down what everything is and does, because there are so many options, but once I had done that, I could pick and choose and play the way I wanted to. I like being able to rack up points without using power-ups except when I want to, and now I can play the way I want to.
I hope further games in this series will be as good as this one is. If you like match-3, I highly recommend this game!
I recommend this game!
Explore an entire world of wonderful art as you decide how to complete each masterpiece and become the painter!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Finally! Pixel Art meets Paint by Numbers, but so much better!
PostedMarch 29, 2022
saralestes
fromNorth Carolina
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I had bought the first 3 Paint by Numbers games and the first 12 of Pixel Art, but Paint by Numbers was too flat, like working with stained glass, especially with those black separator lines between the sections. Pixel Art was nice to work in because I could paint across the sections, but the final result was too "pixelated" when I was done.
THIS game is breathtaking in the detailed textures and renderings. It's like watching magic take place when I touch an area. Even the same color looks different in different places, so the result is quite beautiful. I really appreciate the "hint" button so I don't have to spend a lot of time searching for the last tiny bits.
Game play is seamless and glitch-free. I tried being more painterly by using the fine brush and my drawing tablet, but finally went back to just clicking on the areas to completely fill them in. It was nice to be able to choose between the brush sizes.
My only complaint about the game is that once I complete a picture, it snaps back to thumbnail size and there is no way to look at it bigger again other than to do it all over again, so I now stop just short of the last item left and zoom out to screen size before clicking that last item to finish it. It would be nice to have the option to enlarge the thumbnails in the gallery so they can be looked at full size without having to totally redo the puzzle.
My other complaint is with Big Fish's policy of only offering one new game a day, so it can take months for the next game in this series to be available here. This particular developer already has at least two more games of this type, so I may have to buy them somewhere else when I finish this one. I would rather get them from BFG, but they are just too slow in making them available and I don't want to wait.
I recommend this game!
Help a fairy save a village in this enchanting solitaire adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Even better than the first one!
PostedNovember 9, 2019
saralestes
fromNorth Carolina
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I really like this game. I play it in easy mode because I play games to relax at the end of a day of doing mentally demanding work. I like some challenge so that it's not boring, but no so much I have to think a lot. This game hits that sweet spot for me.
The first reason I only gave it 4 stars was because I couldn't control the ambient sound level separately from the sound effects. (I always turn off the music in every game I play, so I can concentrate on the game itself.) I rely on the sound effects to tell me when a bonus becomes available and I enjoy hearing the cards move. Much of the ambient sound at the beginning is nice -- birds tweeting and the like, but later on there are some annoying sounds that I would like to turn off, such as wind howling, which really grates and sets my teeth on edge.
The other reason for the lower rating is that there is no explanation for how the bonuses work except for how much you have to pay for them. It took me until the second time through Dreamland Solitaire (the first one in the series) to discover that I got more opportunities to create long combos when I bought the "increase combos" bonus, for example. In other solitaire games, there is a bonus that starts the combos at either a lower number of cards or at a higher level of multiplier, but this one works differently.
The graphics are okay -- nothing as beautiful as in the Jewel Match series, but good enough and the cards were easy to see. The story line was a little better and not intrusive, which I liked about it. The game play was perfect for me and never hung or malfunctioned, which is a big factor on a Windows 10 computer with a 27" inch monitor!
I really enjoyed the changes the developer made in terms of the kinds of obstacles one has to overcome. I think the scythes and burning walls added a lot, and were in keeping with the overall "dragon" theme.
I enjoyed the bonuses and there was enough strategy involved in choosing which bonuses to buy and when to buy them to satisfy me. I liked the game play overall, and really had fun past the middle of the game when I had so many bonuses to choose from. I expect to play this one over and over again!
If the developer would put the ambient sounds in a separate channel with its own control, I would be very happy to buy whatever they come up with next!
I recommend this game!
Escape to a dreamy world of wonder while you delight in a magical new twist on the Solitaire you love!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Like it a lot!
PostedNovember 9, 2019
saralestes
fromNorth Carolina
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I really like this game. I play it in easy mode because I play games to relax at the end of a day of doing mentally demanding work. I like some challenge so that it's not boring, but no so much I have to think a lot. This game hits that sweet spot for me.
The reason I only gave it 4 stars was because I couldn't control the ambient sound level separately from the sound effects. (I always turn of the music in every game I play, so I can concentrate on the game.) I need the sound effects to tell me when a bonus becomes available and I enjoy hearing the cards move. Much of the ambient sound at the beginning is nice -- birds tweeting and the like, but later on there are some annoying sounds that I would like to turn off, such as wind howling, which really grates and sets my teeth on edge.
The other reason for the lower rating is that there is no explanation for how the bonuses work except for how much you have to pay for them. It took me until the second time through to discover that I got more opportunities to create long combos when I bought the "increase combos" bonus, for example. In other solitaire games, there is a bonus that starts the combos at either a lower number of cards or at a higher level of multiplier, but this one works differently.
The graphics are okay -- nothing as beautiful as in the Jewel Match series, but good enough and the cards were easy to see. The story line was also okay and not intrusive, which I liked about it. The game play was perfect for me and never hung or malfunctioned, which is a big factor on a Windows 10 computer with a 27" inch monitor!
I enjoyed the bonuses and there was enough strategy involved in choosing which bonuses to buy and when to satisfy me. I liked the game play overall, and really had fun past the middle of the game when I had so many bonuses to choose from. I expect to play this one over and over again and liked it so well that I bought the second one in the series (Dragon's Fury). If the developer would put the ambient sounds in a separate channel with its own control, I would be very happy to buy whatever they come up with next!
I recommend this game!
Call of the Ages
Embark on an exciting journey through time to save the world from destruction in this unique Match 3 game.
Overall rating
2
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
Very disappointed!
PostedOctober 25, 2013
saralestes
fromNorth Carolina
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3
Current Favorite:
Fishdom 3 Collector's Edition
(98)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I am a great fan of Playrix and my favorite genre is Match 3, so when I saw that they were bringing out a new M3 game, I immediately downloaded and tried the demo. On the basis of that experience, I bought the game, but once I got beyond those first two levels, I regretted having done so.
First of all, I don't like to be pushed by the clock, which is why I don't play any games that are timed anymore. I play games to relax and like to take my time to figure out what I want to do and don't mind getting fewer points or taking longer to "build" something as the price I pay for playing at my own pace.
I was therefore really annoyed when I discovered the introduction of "mined" chips further along in the game that one had to match within a very short time or the whole game would explode. I also don't like to listen to music when I play, so I can concentrate on the moves in the game. Therefore, when a constant background sound of marching feet was introduced after I got past the demo levels and I couldn't turn it off without cutting out ALL sound, that was extremely irritating and spoiled the game for me. (I think that's what another reviewer was talking about when they referred to the music they couldn't turn off)
Finally, although I expect games to become more challenging as one proceeds, this game just got harder and harder until "play" became "hard work," and I finally decided it wasn't worth doing anymore. I also didn't like the fact that all one did was retrieve pieces of artifacts, unlike Fishdom 3 (which I really love) and The Path of Hercules, both of which allow you to do other things, such as find pieces of objects or build aquariums with fun, interactive fish to lighten things up.
If you enjoy the challenge of fighting back sand that fills up the cells or like playing against a clock and you don't mind hearing marching feet the whole time, you might like this game. The graphics are excellent, the pieces easy to see and tell apart, it's fun to use the "amulet" to destroy tiles, and there are other powerups one can collect and use.
Playrix usually brings out games that I enjoy playing over and over and I have purchased many of them, but this one did not do it for me. Because the things that bothered me were not introduced until after I got past the demo levels, I asked Big Fish for some relief and they provided it quickly, saying that they did not want me to be unhappy with my purchase, so that took away most of the pain.
I hope they bring out more games like Fishdom 3 and Path of Hercules!
I don't recommend this game.
Viking Saga
The exciting adventures of the young Ingolf await you in this magical Time Management game.
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
Annoying and confusing
PostedJune 23, 2013
saralestes
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I agree with the other reviewer about the voices becoming rapidly annoying. In addition, I found the game to be confusing, rather than fun. Even with the directions turned on, it was not always clear what to do, how to use the power tools, or what building to build. I really enjoy Road to Rome #1 and #2, but would not buy this one. I clicked out of the demo before getting halfway through it.
I don't recommend this game.