somegeek's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:669
- Reviews Submitted:44
- First Review:September 4, 2021
- Most Recent Review:November 7, 2023
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Return to the sleepy town of Primrose Lake for a new Time Management mystery!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 7 found this review helpful
Does not run well on MacBook
PostedAugust 28, 2022
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This will be a short review based on the demo.
I liked the previous game and purchased it. This one was going to be a purchase too until I got to the General Store and the game started to misbehave. This malfunctioning happened on several occasions so it's alas reproducible and often. The game crashes, but also crashed my computer at one point, all of this with just 40 minutes of play!
It's a shame because this is otherwise a fine TM game. My only other complaint is that the boxes for interacting with the items are sometimes too close to each other, so it's quite possible to click on the wrong item by accident. This is also the case for where the racoon sometimes hides: it can be challenging to click on the little sucker.
I removed one star for the instability and one star for the click boxes. I do not recommend this game on a MacBook. I do not know if the issues I had are present on all Macs, but I thought I would warn others of the issue.
A royally challenging match-3 adventure in time!
Overall rating
5
/
5
15 of 15 found this review helpful
They fixed the problem with smaller screens!
PostedAugust 1, 2022
somegeek
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I am not sure who "they" are in my title, perhaps Big Fish?
On the collector's edition page, I gave a review stating that it is unplayable on smaller screens like that of a 13-inch one. Awesome news: that has been fixed in this version! Thank you to whoever it was!
Though I would have been happier to get the CE version, I'm not going to complain that there is this one! It looks like it is a long game for an SE. Of what I've played, I prefer this one to the previous JM Origins and I really loved that game. You start off straight away with big levels and having to adopt a strategy.
I don't tend to play Suricate games for the castles, so won't comment on that. My only complaint is the music, which I do not like for its monotony and sort of hypnotic effect. Generally the Suricate game music is better than this, at least in the solitaire games.
I'm very happy I can play this now and will be happily breaking little gems for hours and hours.
I recommend this game!
Hundreds of mind-bending Sudoku levels in four challenging variants!
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
Another really nice sudoku game
PostedJuly 20, 2022
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I really like one of this dev's earlier sudoku releases: Sudoku Vacation 2. I play it after stressful days because it's relaxing. This game is very similar: nice lapping wave sounds and, well, sudoku levels, lots of them!
This one is different enough from the game I mentioned above to warrant having both if you're a sudoku fan (I'm a logic puzzle and numbers freak, so I like these). This one has four variants that are completely different from the three variants in the previous game. I like them because I think they could get quite challenging later on.
I admit that sometimes I relax a little bit too much in the Sudoku Vacation 2 game. Sometimes, when I don't pay attention and sleepily plop the wrong number in the wrong place, it makes this really loud alarm bell sound that jars me back to full consciousness. Not so in this game! The wake-up call has been replaced with a button that you can click on to find all errors (and no ringing bells).
Now for the bad. The most annoying thing I came across is that when I turned off the music, like I usually do in these games, there was a really annoying hum for some reason. I turned the music back on, it was that annoying. After a point, the music stops anyway, and the relaxing waves are back thankfully without the hum. I removed one star just for that hum alone.
I also liked less the color choices in one of the variants. There are some colors that I cannot distinguish between very well, so I ended up pretty much solving the Sudoku DG variant just like I would do most other variants. I admit I'm not very good at distinguishing colors, so it might just be me, but maybe I'm not alone. If I am not alone, perhaps the devs should consider choosing some hues with greater differences between them.
One question I have is if the grids ever get bigger? I hope so! The harder the challenge, the funner it is!
If you are out for extreme thrills and frills, consider that this is probably not the game for you. If you adore sudoku, this is probably a safe pick.
I recommend this game!
A treasure hunt across a remote Pacific paradise!
Overall rating
5
/
5
42 of 49 found this review helpful
A nice change!
PostedJuly 9, 2022
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This review is based on the demo. I won't go into deep details what this game offers other than to say that it's not simply just a marble-popper: it also contains a lot of mini-games, clutter-style match-2 levels and HO scenes.
I admit that I never play marble-poppers so I can't say if this is a good representative of that genre. However, the marble-popper levels are fun for me. I could see them getting quite frantic later on, but since I'm currently a slow poke with them, the early levels were challenging enough for me. There are three game modes, so some options for those who are marble-popper wiz kids out there.
I really like the twist on the HO levels. They're a refreshing change from straight-up HOs. Also the graphics, UI and play are very polished so that adds to the fun factor.
I also enjoyed the clutter-style levels though they are nothing as challenging as what one might expect from something like the Clutter games by Joe! Don't go in expecting that type of difficulty in these levels if you are familiar with those games.
The graphics in general are beautiful and I really liked the film-like opening scenes, even though there does not appear to be a way to skip them.
The story is a little silly, but I never play these games for the story. At least so far the Polynesian main character in the game has not been demeaned in any way. There are the usual tiki statues, amulets and other clichés involving Polynesian culture.
I only have two quibbles, one not-so minor and one that is minor.
The thing I like the least in this game is that it's a bit sluggish on my computer, granted my computer is practically a potato in some ways (only 8 gigs of RAM and no dedicated graphics card). However, my cursor moved slowly and I didn't see a means to increase its speed in the game. I'm on a touchpad, so people using a mouse might have this easier.
The second issue I have is very opinionated: I don't like gambling so I do not care for the casino part of the game. They could have left that out and put in some nice regular non-slots mini-games instead in my opinion. I don't know if the casino is an integral part of the bonus content of the game, but I get the impression that it is.
Is the CE worth it? I can't answer that question. The game seems relatively long without considering the bonus content section.
I think the devs did an excellent job, so I recommend the game (I'm sure the future SE will be worth it too, so either as a CE or as an SE). It's also a very welcome break from the Big Fish usual. I actually give this a 4.5 stars but rounded up to 5.
I recommend this game!
A royally challenging match-3 adventure in time!
Overall rating
3
/
5
26 of 27 found this review helpful
Looks good but does not display on a smaller screen
PostedJuly 2, 2022
I loved one of the earlier Jewel Match games (namely the previous episode in this series) but unfortunately it does not display correctly on smaller screens like that of an ultrabook. At least that is my experience on a MacBook Air.
The game area appears as a small overlay in the bottom left part of the screen on top of the Suricate Games loading screen.
If you have a second monitor that is large that you can connect to your ultrabook, you *might* be okay.
I'm throwing this out there in the hopes that the developers will fix this issue because I sure would love to play this.
It's a shame because this looks like a great game. Despite not being able to play it, I gave it three stars even though I'm sure it deserves more based on my previous experience with these titles. The little bit I could see of the game, it looks great: great graphics, tutorial areas and lots of options to customize your game play.
Please be sure to trial before buying! This is a regression from Jewel Match Origins 2, so please don't assume that a new game will work because the old ones did.
Join brave sailors on their quest to find the Fountain of Youth!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Really did not like this one
PostedJune 22, 2022
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I usually like solitaire games, not this one.
The cards without pips are a nightmare for a dyslexic like me because the 6 and the 9 look the same. Yes, I know there's a (very) small bar underneath the 9 to distinguish it from the 6, but that doesn't always pierce through a brain like mine when the cards are in an unusual position. Thankfully, there is a choice and you can have cards with pips, but I still feel that this should be brought up in hopes they change that.
The story was annoying. For me it detracted from the game. I also found that sometimes the Skip button did not work for me.
I also did not like the level of challenge: I found myself having to replay the levels many, many times, even to get one star, let alone three. Sometimes I ended up with most of the cards out still and yet other times I could clear the board easily in one go. I don't particularly care for luck determining everything, in this type of game. You can flatout completely lose in this one over and over again. For example, I had a couple of boards where I had two cards left in the deck before I could make my first move.
I appreciate that they did something different with the obstacles, but it's not enough for me to want to get this.
I don't recommend this game.
Climb the mysterious tower and save your Viking heroes!
Overall rating
4
/
5
36 of 47 found this review helpful
This is a good and challenging Match-3
PostedJune 19, 2022
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I did a short review for the Collector's Edition already and my review is based on the demo of both the CE and this SE. I will restate here what I think the developers should change in any forthcoming title, and I hope they do release more of these!
I really hope they remove the fire on tiles once you no longer need it. That graphic makes it hard to see what is behind the rune, like if it's a tile that still needs to be cleared.
I still don't know how to get three stars, even though I did several boards without using either the hammer, hint or shuffle. I'm guessing it also has to do with time taken to clear the board, the amount of moves and/or the mode of play. It would be nice if the developer would mention how to get three stars in their tutorial.
I had to remove a star from the visual/sound quality because I had a few glitches with the tutorial. It popped up with 'Cannot make a match' in the middle of a solitaire game oddly and I couldn't close the dialogue box. Since it was hiding the cards, I had to restart the level. It glitched a few times throughout the demo. I also removed a star for the sounds. I never particularly liked these and often play without any sound as a result.
Otherwise this is an excellent Match-3 game. There are lots of obstacles to clear and strategies to think up. This series is up there in my favorite M3 games list.
I like this episode in some ways more than the first one in the series. The graphics are a bit cleaner and nicer, and, very important to me since I'm on a small screen, the boards are centered and fit my screen better than in the first. I had a few M3 scenes in the first game that pushed the shuffle, hammer and hint off the board as well as some spot-the-difference scenes with things to click that were off-screen. So far, these have not been an issue in this one.
I can't advise as to whether to get the CE or the SE since I'm on the fence. However, I can recommend this game for the puzzle-style M3 fans out there.
I recommend this game!
Embark on a match-three adventure of breathtaking magic and boundless imagination!
Overall rating
3
/
5
25 of 30 found this review helpful
Could be a Great M3 but Falls Short
PostedJune 18, 2022
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I only played the demo, so my review is based on this. It's not a HOG, it's a Match-3 game, I don't know why 'hidden object games' appeared in the breadcrumbs.
You follow a story that unfolds each time you play an M3 scene. When you clear the scene, you get an item that you plop somewhere in the story scene and the story continues on.
What I liked:
* Good music, decent/polished graphics and animations. The visuals and sound are the best part of this game. The characters are a bit childish without being too annoying in my view. I think the animations of the characters are well done, especially those of the spirits.
* Okay mechanics, nothing super new other than using power-ups recharges the power of one of your spirit buddies. Once they 'awaken', you can use their power. There are objectives to complete in each scene.
What I did not like:
* This game is oddly unstable on my Mac. It kept stalling during the story dialogue scenes and I kept on having to switch out of the game and force quitting it.
* The M3 scenes respond sluggishly: sometimes when I tried to do a swap, the game did not respond. Even when it did, there seems to be no animation showing what tiles are being swapped underneath the cursor, like in 99.9999% of other M3 games I have played.
The neutral:
* Mediocre story that has been done hundreds of times before. It can be skipped, well, if it works properly on one's computer.
* The M3 scenes are pretty basic: there are no cannons, shields or intricate puzzles to solve here. You just match a bunch of runes in order to complete the objective and grab the item you need.
So in all, I'm disappointed in this one since I do usually like M3 games and a lot of polish was put in the artwork and music. The game mechanics are mediocre. Add in the instability I experienced during play and it's not a go for me.
If you are on a Mac, I really recommend trialing this to make sure that it runs well on your machine.
I don't recommend this game.
Help your favorite puzzle-solving wizard build beautiful scenes!
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 18 found this review helpful
A good puzzle Match-3
PostedJune 4, 2022
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I won't go into a lengthy review here because I think other people will do a better job than me.
However, I do want to say that overall I liked this game despite encountering what I think might be a scripting error and a level-design error in one of the levels I played in the demo.
I got stuck the first playthrough of this level. The second time, I followed the order provided in the hints but got a message that there was a problem and the game recommended that I restart the level, so I did. Third playthrough, I did the same order, following the hints again, no message this time. However, I still had to finish the level with missiles rather than by doing a certain order of steps.
If there's only one bum level, okay, but I wonder if there are more later on in the game.
Other than that issue, I think this is a nice and challenging M3 puzzle game so I probably will purchase it.
I recommend this game!
Sit back and take in the antique Japanese setting as you complete beautifully designed nonogram puzzles in Picross Classic!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
No one else reviewed this game?
PostedMay 23, 2022
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I'm a bit surprised that this game was released sometime in the past and no one has reviewed it. I am assuming it was released in the past because it's a Daily Deal. So here's a shot at a review:
The good:
- It's beautiful with an ergonomic and pleasant interface harkening back to Japanese painting/calligraphy. The cursor is a paint brush and the color palette looks like blobs of colored paint. The artistic aspect is the best thing about the game. The music fits the theme perfectly. It feels incredibly polished, with fantastic attention paid to detail.
- It truly is a classic picross and is the closest thing to doing the pencil and paper version. You have an eraser, a way to mark x's and the possibility of making mistakes while doing the puzzle without failing the level. There is also quite a bit of color choices in some of the picross levels.
- The game runs very smoothly and is super responsive. Sometimes mosaics games can have a little lag in them while placing the colors in the grid. Not this one.
The bad:
- For some reason I found this pretty easy. I flew through the first five levels. There aren't all that many levels so this risks being a short game. Looking through some of the later picross levels, I'm not sure the challenge ramps up all that much. Perhaps I'm wrong about that, but that is the impression I get.
- There is only one mode, zen mode and there is only one profile.
The neutral:
- Despite being separated into three chapters, I haven't caught on if there's an actual story to the picross pictures. They aren't all that Japanese in theme, at least not the ones I have done.
- As I mentioned above, this really feels like a pencil and paper picross game and thus there are no mistakes removing stars since there are no stars to gain anyway. There are no bonuses or fancy things to buy. There are some limited hints on each level. In that sense, if you like these aspects to most mosaics games, this one will disappoint.
To summarize, this is a short, minimalist picross game, but one in which each every aspect is masterfully crafted.