coffeyfan77's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.5
- Helpful Votes:672
- Reviews Submitted:141
- First Review:November 19, 2011
- Most Recent Review:March 27, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
There's a corpse in your house, but who killed him?
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Beautiful Mystery, But Far Too Short
PostedSeptember 15, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The Grim Tales series of games always looks outstanding, and this entry is no exception. You get extra scrolling on most of the places you'll visit, which is always a nice touch, and the cutscenes are frequent and very well done. From that perspective, it's a pleasure to play.
Unfortunately, looks aren't everything, and this game fails both as a mystery and as something worthy of the price from a gameplay perspective. I found the standard edition to be very short, as you go through a couple of flashback scenes helpfully triggered from objects handed to you in the same place you start the game from.
The HO scenes are capable, not nothing special. There's some interaction but nothing amazing. The game's central mystery is only tangentially explained. I can only imagine it's furthered in the CE. Developers should give you more than a slice of the story no matter which version you play.
All in all, I enjoyed it while it lasted but expected a bit better from a great series like this. There are far better entries.
I don't recommend this game.
The border between life and death is fragile. Restore the course of nature, solve puzzles and search for clues in Frankenstein: Master of Death!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Interesting Take On A Horror Classic
PostedSeptember 15, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I'll give this game major credit that it puts a unique twist on a very old story in Frankenstein. Your character heads to the infamous mansion at the summons of the good doctor himself, but as it turns out that's where this game deviates from the source material. And that's a good thing, in my view, as that tale has been played out by now. The game also starts out strongly with an action sequence from the beginning, and does a good job fleshing out the action as you uncover more of the story through things you find in the estate itself.
Unfortunately, those high expectations don't really work out on the back end. Hidden object scenes look beautiful but have everything at the forefront ready to collect, with a couple minor twists to collect certain items. Likewise, minigames are for the most part straightforward and without challenge. Need to open a safe? Good thing the combination is written on the wall right next to it. Like the character development and sound, everything is just okay when it could be really good.
There's a bit of a technical issue at the end, where you can access an area before you've even opened it, but the ending itself is very strong and makes you think, which I appreciated. It's interesting and engrossing, but ultimately flawed. Much like Dr. Frankenstein himself, actually. Good enough to try.
I recommend this game!
A visitor arrives through Prof. Bennett's portal, seeking help.
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
A Less Than Fantastic Voyage
PostedFebruary 22, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I have to say I was majorly disappointed with this entry in the Amaranthine series. You play a professor who assists her colleague when a stranger from another dimension arrives at the school. And things get less intelligible from there, unfortunately. You'll zip through portals and meet lots of people who end up standing there helplessly while you do absolutely everything, and while the consequences of failure are presented as very great indeed, I can't say you ever feel like anything going on is really that important.
The game looks and sounds reasonable, although the voice of the main antagonist drives me crazy and seems to be featured in everything I play lately. One big source of irritation for me was using the gauntlet you acquire early on to bring in crystal power by playing the same two minigames over and over again. I found myself starting to dread it by the end. Hidden object scenes are prevalent but nothing fancy, and each area features three to four screens where you collect everything you need quickly and then have to blow through about four puzzles in a row to move on.
Overall, this was repetitive and marginal for me. I feel like I've played better versions of this game before. Only for series completists.
I don't recommend this game.
The mind is a powerful enemy in this gripping thriller!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 3 found this review helpful
A Middling Mystery Tale
PostedFebruary 21, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I enjoyed this game, don't get me wrong, but felt that the CE was sort of tacked on. You can collect cursed objects, which is fun as it gives you a bit of backstory, but the pets and puzzle pieces did nothing for me. The story itself is decent enough, as an apparition wreaks havoc through a publishing house. You play a detective with the ability to see into the spirit world, which comes in quite handy in gathering additional objects to help you advance.
The hidden object scenes are well done and varied, but this game is more puzzle-based than anything else. I found them a bit repetitive, and unfortunately the conclusion of the game lacked a little something for me. I also have an issue with small things like asking you to select the pairs and then having pairs in the scene that you can't select. A little more time and effort would have turned this into a can't miss. I would hold off and do the standard edition.
I don't recommend this game.
Is Martha really a werewolf - or has she been wrongly accused?
Overall rating
4
/
5
A Howling Good Mystery
PostedFebruary 14, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've enjoyed the Shadow Wolf series, and I think one of the challenges of trying to continue cranking out new sequels is doing so without making things feel tired and stale. I have to give it to this game that it does exactly that, mainly through the decision of having things happen with or without you. Particularly in the first half of the game, a lot of things happen and there's a great deal of action. It really overshadows the hidden object part of the game in a good way and makes you interested to see the story through to the end.
The solutions to the puzzles found throughout the game are varied and sometimes, frankly, a bit bizarre, but that's part of the fun. Voice acting ranges wildly, but everything is better than average in that regard. Minigames were perfect for me: just the right level of challenge. The story is a bit muddled, as you attempt to discover which character is a werewolf and go through various degrees of cobbled together backstory before the end, but who cares? It's fun anyway.
The analyzer you use to figure out what things are was a cute idea, but a bit odd. Half the time you know what it is before you even put it in the computer, and very often you'd have no way of knowing whether something was artificial or not. But one thing is certain: You'll enjoy playing this game and feel like you wish there was more of it by the time it's over.
I recommend this game!
After being contacted by a secret organization of elite mystery solvers, you're sent out in the field to prove your skills. This job interview may be your last!
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
So-so Start to the Series
PostedFebruary 8, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The Curio Society is sort of like a James Bond meets Indiana Jones type of thing, so there's plenty here to make it interesting for the player. You are recruited by an organization due to your selfless and heroic achievements, and after passing their test you are tossed into your first case. Never dig up old sarcophagi, doesn't everyone know that?
The gameplay is pretty basic, as you'll play each geographic section solving a good amount of hidden object scenes until you move to the next. It's a natural progression, but it never gets more interesting. You do meet a few more agents on the way, and that was the best part of this game for me. You also get a briefcase that allows you to scan certain items to gain more information, which leads to basic extra puzzles and felt a bit unfinished. The game looks pretty good, particularly during the animation scenes, but voice and sound were marginal for me.
Overall this was a pretty good game, although as others have said I did find it a tad short. Challenge level does progress throughout the game, and the final confrontation is a bit underwhelming as seems to happen frequently in these standard versions. Nothing majorly new here but what is here works fine.
I recommend this game!
Underneath the big top, people aren't always what they seem.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
The Circus Is In Town
PostedFebruary 7, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The Twilight Phenomena series has been very good so far in my view, and this entry is no exception. In this installment, you and your long-lost sister decide to attend the circus again, which has been a family tradition, and disaster strikes when she becomes part of the show in more ways than one. You resolve to find her and uncover some disturbing and topical genetic engineering going on until you confront the evildoers.
There is a lot to like in this game. It moves quickly, has a good and diverse amount of hidden object scenes, and difficult minigames that take just the right amount of time. Everything looks pretty good, with animation cutscenes, and the music I quite liked. The only downsides for me was a bit too much backtracking particularly at the end and a couple of logical inconsistencies that didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the story.
And the story is where this game shines. In addition to the standard rescue mission, there's quite a bit being said about science and the responsible way to use it. I really enjoyed this game and highly recommend it.
I recommend this game!
Two serial killers are back from the dead. What is their connection to an infamous vampire, and how can you stop them?
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
The Legend Runs Dry
PostedFebruary 5, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The Vampire Legends series has produced some very solid games, but this entry has some big time flaws that prevent it from being as good as the others. I also found the constant traveling back and forth to get your photos developed, as well as following the same exact process each and every time, to be an annoyance. If nothing changes, why do it seventeen times? Seems like they are artificially lengthening a very short game.
There are some good points, to be sure. The game looks cartoony in a good way, and the voice acting is top notch. The minigames are average in terms of difficulty, and the HO scenes are divided between traditional ones and placing items into a scene. Unfortunately, the technical issues ruined any big positives for me. The story was interesting and not well known, but they didn't do justice here. Pass.
I don't recommend this game.
Uncover the true cause of the disturbances and track down the disappeared townspeople before darkness falls on Middleport forever!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Great Value Game
PostedFebruary 5, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
As other reviewers have mentioned, it's rare to see a lot of features in a standard game, but Whispered Legends delivered. You play an inspector brought into a town to deduce where its missing people have gone, and are immediately opposed by a shadowy masked villain with secrets of their own.
There's plenty to like here. Hidden object scenes are just right in terms of amount and well done, the game looks and sound good if unspectacular, and areas of the game notify you when they are clear to prevent further fruitless searching. There's a little too much going on: tarot cards, pirates, etc. It all gets a little muddled, but it's a darn good if short game.
Collectibles are a nice touch but deliberately placed. Hard to imagine you won't find them all on your first play through. Minigames are also fun but very easy. I think this is a great game especially for new fans of the genre. It does everything well and the story is good enough to keep you guessing.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a devious plot against the Vermillion Watch?
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
Highly Enjoyable Adventure Hybrid
PostedFebruary 3, 2017
coffeyfan77
fromPhiladelphia, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Fleshbound is the sequel to Moorgate Accord, the first Vermillion Watch game, and though you don't need to have played the first to enjoy it you will likely want to in order to dig deeply into the solid back story presented at the beginning of the game. That's a nice touch, by the way, and I wish more casual games would employ it.
First off, this is not a standard hidden object game, although you will get a few of those scenes and they are well designed with a minimal amount of item interaction. It plays more like an adventure, where you'll navigate various areas in pursuit of the shadowy criminal opposition, fending off goons and sabotaging evil plans along the way. I enjoyed the time sensitive nature of this and thought it moved the game along in a way many don't.
I also really liked the literary aspect of this, as you'll meet more than a few familiar faces of authors and their creations in and around Victorian London. Minigames are rather challenging and original, and the voice acting is top notch. Extra points for making the game more interactive than usual. You get to choose where to go first in your investigation and which member of the Watch will help you decipher the clues you find. Nice touch.
All in all, this is super enjoyable. It does move quickly, as others mentioned, but it's because the game is so exciting and fast paced. Really solid work on this second entry.
I recommend this game!