drustorm's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.5
- Helpful Votes:233
- Reviews Submitted:29
- First Review:December 30, 2011
- Most Recent Review:March 28, 2021
- Featured reviews0
Curse House is back with a new property to cleans and some frighteningly clever puzzles that will haunt your dreams!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Wow
PostedMarch 28, 2021
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Superb game. Starting with the cursed house itself and continuing with the match icons, this game has detailed and beautiful graphics. It's a pleasure to look at.
Then, they've taken the match puzzles we know so well and given them a few tweaks and twists, presenting a new level of 'how the heck do I solve this?' in the game. Tired of firing cannons? Well, how about mirrors and electricity instead?
Filling an amulet and seeing its fiery arcs destroy the evil bursting out of the Cursed House continues to be a very satisfactory game mechanic.
Kudos to the devs for another richly enjoyable game.
I recommend this game!
Solve dark mysteries and master battles against enemy creatures within the Forgotten Land. Break the evil forces' dark spell.
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 10 found this review helpful
Unbalanced
PostedSeptember 27, 2020
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
There's a lot to like here, especially during the first few hours of gameplay. The snag comes at the higher levels. Even on casual the boss combat nodes are punishing, your enemies having much better attack and far greater health. You have to be very lucky to win these matches, which will require a lot of repetition.
Since you cannot sort your heroes in a order that makes sense, you are stuck with the default arrangement. Your best, highest health hero will go down first, no matter what you do. You are then left with your much weaker heroes who, once your main is down, go rather quickly.
I really like this game. It's fun and engaging. But the unbalanced nature of the boss combats ruined it for me. Since you cannot go on without defeating each node in turn, the game ends rather sooner than it should with a hard stop.
For this reason, I don't recommend this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Complete more than 100 challenging levels and earn enough gold to build a worthy Tomb of the Pharaoh!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Enjoyable Game
PostedAugust 9, 2020
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Among the things other reviewers have mentioned, it's important to know how to open blocks. Take a look at the Help to make the game go faster.
Just beautiful graphics on the main scene. Rich, detailed and lush. This made this otherwise ordinary building game very special.
The occasional puzzle offers no added bonuses, so if you don't like them, just skip.
Making bigger matches offers no advantage. Unlike the Hellas games, for instance, you'll not receive extras for making long matches, it just eats up your time.
I finished the game (105 levels) and had no trouble building all the items for the tomb. Other than that, the game has no story.
Follow penmom's strategy advice and you'll have no trouble completing the game.
I recommend this game!
The Spellarium series is back with a magical new puzzle adventure and Eric needs your help to restore order to the world!
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 12 found this review helpful
Superb
PostedMarch 17, 2020
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The Spellarium games are intriguing puzzles solved through 3 matches. This is another superb entry. The mechanics of solving the puzzles are sometimes obscure, but figuring out how it works is part of what sets this series apart from other 3 match games.
Icons are beautiful and carefully crafted. The story has evolved overtime, but is basically the same. Help the wizard solve his problem and keep the world in balance.
A perfect game for keeping you engaged for hours.
I recommend this game!
Play Solitaire to collect resources and construct buildings to help you in your mission to create a bustling new province.
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 9 found this review helpful
Simple, Relaxing Game
PostedFebruary 10, 2020
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a relaxing game with zero stress level. You earn resources for every hand you play and use those resources to build buildings to meet each stage's target.
Gameplay is uncomplicated higher/lower solitaire, with the occasional key unlock, bad luck that locks one of your special moves and wild cards.
Some things that are a little different here.
1. The game doesn't alert you to missed moves. I liked this, I tend to feel if I missed a card, I missed it. There is one free undo with the ability to buy more with resources
2. Unlimited wild cards. There's no limit to the number of wild cards you can collect and you can collect wild cards for every card in the deck.
3. Useful specials. There are two specials, removing an unknown card (not turned over) or removing one that is known. Both specials are random. There's no limit to the number of these specials you can collect (I think I had 50 of one when I finished the game) and you collect them either from buildings or by finishing a perfect hand.
You can either play the game using the specials and wildcards or attempt to finish without using them. Some hands are quite slim on the deck, so using specials and wild cards for some will be a must. Eventually, I got the knack of when to use these to the best advantage.
For instance, once I learned that if two cards were left on the board, the game would count that as 3 stars and not allow me to repeat the hand, I would use wildcards and specials to clear the board.
It wasn't necessary to upgrade buildings to complete every stage. Resources carry over from stage to stage so it isn't even necessary to build all the buildings in a stage if they are not required for the stage goals.
There are a couple of things that were less than satisfactory:
1. I never understood what the multiplier bonus in the screen at the conclusion of a hand meant. I couldn't see that it had any effect on anything.
2. The game was buggy in spots and froze up half a dozen times, requiring a restart.
3. There's no map and no way of going back to any hand you've hit the "Proceed" button on. The game will automatically advance you once you receive 3 stars on a hand.
4. It doesn't tell you when the game is over. Like others, I got to the XIII stage and the game simply stopped advancing. There was no The End or final story dialogue. That was quite a let down. But, considering the freezing bugs, I can't be sure this isn't just another bug preventing advancement. In either case, as it currently is, the game ends abruptly.
Despite these drawbacks, I recommend the game if you're looking for a pleasant, relaxing time.
I recommend this game!
Match cards, rescue mystical Faeries, raise Magical Pets, and explore many enchanted worlds!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 8 found this review helpful
Okay Game for Some
PostedJanuary 9, 2020
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
With many fun features this game has the potential to be a lot of fun and some players will find it so. For me there were a few downsides. Talents were extremely expensive, meaning that you'd have to be incredibly lucky to accumulate enough gold to buy more than one or two. For example, first level skill for one talent tree cost 10,000 on another tree it was 50,000. If you try the game you'll see that unless you are very skillful, these amounts are quite high.
Then, you cannot replay a hand. There is no option to replay a hand until you finish all 10 hands. If you want to replay a section, meaning all 10 hands, it will cost you 1,000 gold. You can easily burn through all your gold attempting to get gold stars on every hand.
While the card designs are fanciful and fun, they are just a bit too small for easy playing. Moreover, several of the cards are very close in design and color (the 2 and 9, and jack and 10, for instance) to make it easy to tell them apart. I found this slowed down gameplay.
This is a difficult game with some side features to make it a bit more fun. I wouldn't recommend this game to casual solitaire players. But if you want a challenge, this game should provide it.
I recommend this game!
Get ready for the most exciting Un-Hidden Object games you will ever play!
Overall rating
5
/
5
A Story in Pictures
PostedApril 21, 2019
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Another beautiful, challenging Clutter game from Joe. This time, he does away with verbal storytelling and instead gives us a visual story. Pictures from all over the world come after each Clutter task, creating an amazing kaleidoscope of our diverse, lovely world and the people who inhabit it. Very striking.
This Clutter allows you to customize games to get exactly what you enjoy. Buttons! Smiley faces! Dogs! Cats! And Shoes! And every kind of clutter match. Finished the game and was sad when it was over.
Well done.
I recommend this game!
Help Trito, son of Poseidon, save the entire underwater kingdom in this match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
1
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
Terrible Game
PostedNovember 28, 2018
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
You can't finish it because you can't get enough gems and boosters to do so as the limited moves become more and more ridiculous the farther into the game you go. You won't notice this during the hour demo and only becomes apparently as you get into the higher levels.
(This was originally a mobile game with a cash shop that allowed you to buy more gems, but that feature has been removed in this version. I believe this is the cause of the game's lack of resources to allow you to finish.)
I don't recommend this game.
Get Immersed in an unforgettable Las Vegas atmosphere while mastering fun match 3 puzzles!
Overall rating
4
/
5
0 of 2 found this review helpful
Good Puzzler
PostedSeptember 22, 2018
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It looks like a mobile game ported to PC. You can't name yourself. Some important things (like how to get rid of the people blocking your path) are left out of the tutorial popups. The music has just enough Cole Porter riffs to keep real melodies running through your head. It has roulette spins every 15 minutes for perks. It has blocks that don't allow you to progress without clearing them. There are no options to turn off tutorial or match hints. And it employs the thoroughly cheesy fake-players' ranking, showing other scores for non-existent players.
But underneath all this cheesy overkill is a good 3-match puzzle game. Think of Montezuma without the frantic matching to make powerup combos. The limited moves requires you to strategize, putting the emphasize here squarely on puzzle over 3-match.
I'd rate this a 5-star game if it had a few more options for customize your game and a few less cheesy tropes. As it is, it plays well and will give puzzlers some fun challenges.
I recommend this game!
Solve exciting solitaire puzzles while relaxing in beautiful flower gardens!
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 11 found this review helpful
Beautiful, but Not that Fun
PostedJuly 1, 2018
drustorm
fromSan Francisco
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Marble Popper, Match 3, Strategy, Time Management
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I agree with Pennmom here, the game is visually beautiful, but the mechanics are not enjoyable and they are not explained. It is completely hit or miss as to whether you finish a hand with 1, 2 or 3 stars. If you want 3 stars, you're going to be replaying levels for a very long time.
As beautiful as the game is, I passed on buying it. It seems designed to be frustrating rather than enjoyable.
I give it a neutral 3 stars.
I don't recommend this game.