tuskel's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.6
- Helpful Votes:1,854
- Reviews Submitted:27
- First Review:November 21, 2011
- Most Recent Review:October 9, 2015
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Become a powerful wizard and take part in an ancient tournament! Live a Magic Life in this fun and exciting game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
13 of 14 found this review helpful
Very purple Life Quest
PostedOctober 3, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Harry Potter meets Life Quest. Interesting? Yes. But basically still Life Quest and too pink-purple. I managed only half an hour of the trial, and the brightness of it made my head ache, so I stopped. I also seemed to have much less time and was rushed around too much.
Fun bits: Michael Gambon's Archibald Dumbledore, brooms, dragons, etc, and the famous HP font. Quiddich reference pic in the beginning, I was looking forward to duelling and magic spells
Bad bits: Lousy colours and art quality, really. Clothes could have been much more fun and a bit better designed. That's about as much as I saw of the game before I couldn't take it anymore.
I am sure it's fun and please try it to make your mind up yourself. . I only hope the sequel is bit better executed so that I, too, can enjoy it.
Until then I'll play The Chamber of Secrets ;)
I don't recommend this game.
From Japan to Barcelona, racks of vibrant clothes and lifelike male and female models await in Jojo's Fashion Show: World Tour!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
This one is for budding fashionistas!
PostedJune 7, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
As I have already said in many of my reviews, nowadays I tend to go for games that offer something different. And this one definitely does.
I am not the usual time management games target audience, although I don't mind them per se, so it took me a long time to discover this. But I was hooked from the go.
Jojo's Fashion Show World Tour is a time management game where you have to put the right style clothes on models and collect certain number of points to proceed. Additional points are earned by completing "signature outfits", sending your 3 models all out at once, having a "style chain" - several models wearing the same style in a row and completing "fashion do's" - they are slightly random in the beginning, but you'll soon learn a few. You can also earn a few powerups to help you, and - not a small part at all - design your own outfits, which usually score a lot more than anything you find on the "rack"
Pros:
* Different gameplay - you have to effectively memorise what different styles look like and choose the right clothes off the rack
* Interesting storyline - I was totally captivated and often played an additional level or two just to see what is going on
* You can design your own clothes - I really enjoyed that. I did study kind of art subject (stage - and costume- design) in the Uni so to have a game where I can use those sleeping skills was very refreshing
* Mini-challenges, like halved time; only a few models in a level to get all the "signature outfits"; having to send out pairs (sometimes men and women together - quite hard!) etc
* Loads of replay value - there are 100 levels!
* Optional/skippable things - you don't have to read the whole dialogue in the beginning of each level, or even design your own clothes
* After you beat the game you can see your 8 highest scoring outfits. I am proud to say that with the exception of one (and even that game from the last level, with double points and "supermodel" powerup), all of these were my own designs! :)
* Different gameplay - you have to effectively memorise what different styles look like and choose the right clothes off the rack
* Interesting storyline - I was totally captivated and often played an additional level or two just to see what is going on
* You can design your own clothes - I really enjoyed that. I did study kind of art subject (stage - and costume- design) in the Uni so to have a game where I can use those sleeping skills was very refreshing
* Mini-challenges, like halved time; only a few models in a level to get all the "signature outfits"; having to send out pairs (sometimes men and women together - quite hard!) etc
* Loads of replay value - there are 100 levels!
* Optional/skippable things - you don't have to read the whole dialogue in the beginning of each level, or even design your own clothes
* After you beat the game you can see your 8 highest scoring outfits. I am proud to say that with the exception of one (and even that game from the last level, with double points and "supermodel" powerup), all of these were my own designs! :)
Cons:
* A bit long for my taste. The storyline started feeling a bit dragged out and I really REALLY wanted to finish the game. 80 levels would have been fine.
* I was quite irked that in the later levels, when possible to design your own clothes, it would offer an option in the list, like "plaid" or "cream colour" and then not have them as an option to choose from. I am fine with not having accessories or having opposites listed ("high heels" and "flats" for example) - you can only choose one. But to put something on there and then not even have the option to choose it, is a bit naughty.
* A bit long for my taste. The storyline started feeling a bit dragged out and I really REALLY wanted to finish the game. 80 levels would have been fine.
* I was quite irked that in the later levels, when possible to design your own clothes, it would offer an option in the list, like "plaid" or "cream colour" and then not have them as an option to choose from. I am fine with not having accessories or having opposites listed ("high heels" and "flats" for example) - you can only choose one. But to put something on there and then not even have the option to choose it, is a bit naughty.
Tips:
* Remember, in the second half of the game, to check the fashions by clicking on the name of the style above the model's head. It's especially useful for male models, because their fashions looked much the same to me in the end.
* You can only have 6 powerups at a time. Don't waste the good ones - like refreshing (round arrow), supermodel (purple) or swapping styles on models (blue with two-way arrow) - needlessly, but do use up the other ones from time to time to keep some space free for new ones
* Some styles can be mixed, and they might score a fair bit more than you would think. You can use the magnifying glass powerup to check all the clothes on the rack
* Before refreshing check you don't have any clothes on the rack that belong to the signature outfits. Put them on other models for a moment while you refresh, to keep them.
* If you don't move the mouse while you check signature outfits (click on them), then you can take your time to check whether you have any necessary clothes on your rack. It pauses the time indefinitely, whereas having your own designer "closet" open doesn't.
* Remember, in the second half of the game, to check the fashions by clicking on the name of the style above the model's head. It's especially useful for male models, because their fashions looked much the same to me in the end.
* You can only have 6 powerups at a time. Don't waste the good ones - like refreshing (round arrow), supermodel (purple) or swapping styles on models (blue with two-way arrow) - needlessly, but do use up the other ones from time to time to keep some space free for new ones
* Some styles can be mixed, and they might score a fair bit more than you would think. You can use the magnifying glass powerup to check all the clothes on the rack
* Before refreshing check you don't have any clothes on the rack that belong to the signature outfits. Put them on other models for a moment while you refresh, to keep them.
* If you don't move the mouse while you check signature outfits (click on them), then you can take your time to check whether you have any necessary clothes on your rack. It pauses the time indefinitely, whereas having your own designer "closet" open doesn't.
All in all a great game for people who like clothes. :D I would have given it 5 stars if only it would have been a tad shorter.
tuskel,
sincerely
sincerely
I recommend this game!
Help Arok navigate an underground maze filled with tribal magic and ancient denizens so he may fulfill his destiny.
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
Beautiful Prehistoric Adventure
PostedApril 17, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I like adventure, history and educational games, so when this game was DD few days ago, and I could try it, I knew almost straight away this was for me.
I have played another Kheops game, I believe - Destination: Treasure Island, so the controls weren't as hard for me as some people have said: inventory comes up with right click and menu with Esc. When you see two stones clicking together, it means you have something in your inventory you can use there. Hand shows you can pick things up and two stones with line on them means that you can't manipulate the place yet. Although a tutorial or some kind of help page would be a good thing to have.
I am slightly prone to motion sickness, so the "normal" speed made me a bit dizzy in the first few minutes, but changing it to "slow" and using the mouse carefully helped.
The graphics are gorgeous, beautifully done, with lots of textures and moving things. I love how it is educational and also slightly magical, with cave paintings coming to life, and there is a mini-encyclopedia that can offer you ideas and hints to help you solve the puzzles/tasks. NB: there are no "hint" or "skip" buttons in the game though. I also liked the voices, also I found the dialogue strangely eloquent for stone age. Sure, people need to talk to each other, but it could have been done more simply, not with fancy terms and long words... But that's really my only gripe with this game.
The puzzles are great, they range from well-known and -used "Hanoi Tower" to really unique creative minigames. I loved the painting and music ones. There are lots of places to explore, although none of them are really huge and you only do them few at a time. As usual, pick up anything you can see (hand icon), because you'll be using it before you know it. And don't be afraid to use a walkthrough - I love adventure games, but am usually too impatient/frustrated to take several days to figure a puzzle out myself. UHS walkthroughs are great - they don't spoil other bits of the game for you. (And use Alt+Tab to switch between your game and walkthrough without exiting.)
I didn't read the game description here, so when the direct connection to Lascaux was revealing itself, I was astonished and captivated. The story is great.
I didn't think I would be rating it as highly as I did, but it was an enchating, unique game experience. Give it a go.
tuskel,
sincerely
sincerely
I recommend this game!
Get a perfect score in Gutterball: Golden Pin Bowling! Work your way through different alleys and master this fun game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
33 of 37 found this review helpful
Good Fun for a Novice!
PostedApril 16, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Before I say anything about this game, I have to admit that I am a total newbie to bowling games and bowling itself. I know nothing about it really and I have never gone bowling. So there.
I liked this game. Yeah, you can see straight away that it was designed for iPad/Phone, because of the movements and "tap to skip"-message, but it does work allright on a PC.
It's very easy to play - just swipe your mouse forward or in an arch and the ball is off. You can use your mouse to "steer" the ball after "throwing" it, which makes it nice and easy, although I do understand it doesn't work like that in real life. :)
Some people have said that this game is too easy, but I don't think so. Even with the help I get, I only manage to get strikes and spares about half the time, so I would say this game is good fun start for a newbie.
Every time you knock down a golden pin, you get some points/credits/money to use on balls and alleys, and with every consecutive strike there are more of them among your target. The most I have got so far are 6 (but I didn't manage to knock them all down, and I was very lucky to get there.)
Someone here complained they couldn't find the place where to buy different balls. To buy/swap balls, click on the bowling ball under your name on the screen where you can choose the alleys. I only found it accidentally myself, clicking around. :)
What I Like:
You have seven alleys to unlock and explore, each with their own challenges (weird gravity in space, a gong to hit in the chinese one, slope upwards in the ice dragon one etc); about 30 different balls to buy, some of them with fancy effects (how about a bouncy bowling ball? :D) and some power-ups (bomb, triple ball, bigger ball), but so far I have found that they are very expensive to buy for one-time use, since my "skillz" aren't that good yet.
You have seven alleys to unlock and explore, each with their own challenges (weird gravity in space, a gong to hit in the chinese one, slope upwards in the ice dragon one etc); about 30 different balls to buy, some of them with fancy effects (how about a bouncy bowling ball? :D) and some power-ups (bomb, triple ball, bigger ball), but so far I have found that they are very expensive to buy for one-time use, since my "skillz" aren't that good yet.
Last, but not least, there is a plethora of achievements to get, from getting several strikes in a row to different scores to splits and even a "buzzard" award, when you have managed not to hit anything 5 times! :) Fun and keeps you trying.
I do like the visual side, although I can't manage to use very good graphics - the game slows down too much on my computer. The alleys are fun and the balls very nice as well.
What I Don't Like:
I am not sure how much I like the music. Every alley has a different theme, and some of them are nice, but some are too... "boy racer" for my taste. However, you can turn it off from the options, like the commentator (I didn't like her at all, I turned her off after the first couple of minutes. Maybe she/he is different in other alleys as well, but I don't want to risk it. :D) The last thing I want to complain about is the time it takes to load between the screens. I mean, this is a tiny game compared to some. What is there to load? Different gravity and effects? Even with the lowest graphics and fairly small screen size it's still too long a wait for me.
I am not sure how much I like the music. Every alley has a different theme, and some of them are nice, but some are too... "boy racer" for my taste. However, you can turn it off from the options, like the commentator (I didn't like her at all, I turned her off after the first couple of minutes. Maybe she/he is different in other alleys as well, but I don't want to risk it. :D) The last thing I want to complain about is the time it takes to load between the screens. I mean, this is a tiny game compared to some. What is there to load? Different gravity and effects? Even with the lowest graphics and fairly small screen size it's still too long a wait for me.
All in all, not perfect, but good simple fun to kill a bit of time. Try it!
tuskel,
sincerely
sincerely
I recommend this game!
Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredients
Travel to exotic new locations, source out secret ingredients, and create and sell new chocolate confections.
Overall rating
5
/
5
37 of 59 found this review helpful
One of my favourite game of all times.
PostedMarch 29, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I discovered this accidentally, really, it was a Daily Deal and I thought - hmm, this doesn't look like a HOG! I downloaded it, and was completely hooked after about 10 minutes of playing.
This is the second one of the Chocolatier games and, in my opinion, the best - it has a good story, like the first, and quite complex recipe book, like the third.
You start as a Novice, to help Alexandra Tangye to take over the Baumeister company and find the love of her life, Sean Fletcher (who looks exactly like Orlando Bloom, just ginger! :P). On the way you will buy factories, set them to make different recipes you collect or discover on the way, and, of course, sell chocolates! You'll also need to "overtake" some of the chocolate shops, since that will give you more profit, and discover some secret ingredients in the secret ports.
Every time you acquire or invent (after a while you can buy a tasting laboratory in Buenos Aires) a new recipe, you can start making it in one of your factories. For that, you have to play a minigame, where you shoot ingredients into trays. But beware - all the different types of chocolates have different equipment, and some of them are quite hard to use.
While buying and selling, you can haggle. It's fun to see people's faces change (by default they are always smiling), because if you bother them too much, they will put their prices up (markets) or lower them (chocolate shops), and you'll see their cross face. However, if you manage to make them change prices, they quite often have a serious face, and you can make them smile again by buying from them or selling some chocolates. You'll have much better chance of succeeding though, if you buy or sell a bit before haggling. And then there are the flowers which you can get from Abidjan - sometimes you can give them to the shopkeepers or market stall owners, to put them into better mood for haggling.
The main part of this game is buying ingredients and selling chocolates, because all Chocolatiers are, in the end, resource management games. You will have to travel to different places all over the world (and a few secret places as well) to buy ingredients to use in your chocolates, and sometimes, sell them. But not all places have a chocolate shop, so be sure to keep some money back to be able to come back from those places.
I have to say a few words about the graphics and music as well. Graphics are fairly cartoon-y, but nicely done, and you can see moving vehicles (and, in some cases camels or boats etc). Sometimes there are new buildings being built. I do like that people's faces change, from smiling to serious (be careful!) and cross, if you don't leave them alone. And the music is lovely. I haven't gotten bored or annoyed with it yet. During usual gameplay it's clunky and clicky, like some machine working, during the factory minigame it's quite urgent, and I think it's absolutely marvellous that every port has it's own theme, which you can hear when you arrive. In my opinion, that really adds to the game.
So, with interesting characters, nice music, great storyline and different gameplay, you just HAVE to give it a go. :)
In the end it's a very simple game, all you have to do is buy low, sell high! :)
tuskel,
sincerely
sincerely
P.S. This game makes you want to eat chocolate! Be warned! :)
I recommend this game!
Take a wild ride into terror and trickery to rein in a ghostly secret! Discover the truth from the ghost stories before it's too late!
Overall rating
5
/
5
51 of 56 found this review helpful
SHA - as good as it gets!
PostedMarch 18, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Secret of the Shadow Ranch is one of the "middle" games - tenth one made and a frequent favourite with the fans. And no wonder - treasure hunt, fun characters, interesting minigames, lovely backstory, some spooky moments, vegetables, cake and riding horses - this game has it all!
Nancy is meant to have a nice vacation with Bess and George in their aunt and uncle's ranch, but when she arrives, she discovers that uncle Ed is in hospital, Bess and George stranded in an airport and there are talks of ghosts going on. It's Nancy's job to find out who or what is behind these spooky happenings.
If you are a fan, or even if you are totally new to Nancy Drew adventure games, this is for you. Secret of the Shadow Ranch has finally made it into Big Fish! Get it. Now. :)
tuskel,
sincerely
sincerely
I recommend this game!
Dive deep into the ocean and find treasures that have been lost over the course of history, in Dive: The Medes Islands Secret!
Overall rating
5
/
5
41 of 42 found this review helpful
And now... Something completely different!
PostedMarch 9, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Arcade & Action, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Once in a while, a game appears that is unique, at least from my point of view. This is one of them. As I have said before, I have become bored with most HOGs, and I like looking for something different in gameplay.
In Dive: The Medes Islands Secret, you are a diver trying to find different treasures, while - you guessed it - diving. You control your diver with a mouse and explore underwater mazes. But be careful! There are lots of obstacles and dangerous creatures that won't like you! And watch the diving depth!
Of course, you find lots of little treasures and supplies on the way, plus a few bigger treasures in every level, which help you upgrade your equipment - and you'll need it!
The graphics are nice and simple, in 3D, and music to my liking - although it may become a bit tedious after a few hours.
Also, there are lots of trophies and acievements to get, so it offers lots of replay value as well.
Give it a go, if you like the sea!
tuskel,
sincerely
sincerely
I recommend this game!
The Queen's Hope Diamond is gone. No one is talking. It's up to you to recover the stolen gem. You be the detective.
Overall rating
5
/
5
174 of 192 found this review helpful
My favourite MCF
PostedMarch 5, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is the second MCF game in the series, just before it (and most of the other games) turned dark and gory. I like it for the simplicity, funny characters and the great soundtrack. Lots of replay value - every time the culprit is different! The timed scenes really make this one a challenge, and sometimes you need a flashlight or X-Ray device
I wish they made games like that again, - clever and funny, rather than dark and gory. What's wrong with smart and nice?
tuskel;,
sincerely
sincerely
I recommend this game!
When a friend gets kidnapped in a historic theater, you, as Nancy Drew, are plunged into a desperate race against the clock!
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 11 found this review helpful
FIN - Not my favourite, but I wouldn't miss it
PostedFebruary 21, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
FIN is the fifth game in the Nancy Drew series. As it is one of the earlier games, it doesn't have a lot of puzzles that the later games are famous for, but you do get to do your share of snooping. You don't get a checklist either, so it is essential to take notes - but then again, you always need to in the ND games.
Voice acting and characters are great, and I am not complaining about the graphics - for 2001 they are good, and they are good enough to play the game today. I wouldn't even make the speech skippable - it's one of the trademarks in ND games, which are essentially very realistic (apart from second chances! :)); you can't skip someone's speech in real life, you can interrupt them, yes, but Nancy isn't that rude! :P
Sadly, this is my least favourite ND game - and I am a huge fan of the series - because most of the time I felt like a headless chicken, I didn't know where to go, who to talk to (and how to get them to talk more) etc. It doesn't really help that there is a "deadline" - you have three days until the theatre is demolished, every day you have to accomplish certain things for the game to progress and you can't sneak in during the night to explore the place!
The storylines are very interesting, both modern and the old one, each of the characters has something to hide and the suspense keeps you on your toes until the very end!
So, if you like ND games, do get this one as well, because I know people who think this game is the best one of all the 25 that have come out. But maybe not before you have got used to the format with some later, easier games. :)
tuskel,
sincerely
sincerely
I recommend this game!
Murder, She Wrote
Help the world-renowned author, Jessica Fletcher, solve murders! Piece together the clues to crack cases in Murder, She Wrote!
Overall rating
5
/
5
57 of 70 found this review helpful
Nosey old lady solves mysteries! No spooky stuff! Hooray!
PostedFebruary 20, 2012
tuskel
fromUK
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I bought this game about two years ago, when it first came out, and I really liked it. I must say that I am a fan of the TV series as well, so it was great to "be in it" and try to recognise characters. I am slightly sad to say that Jessica's voiceover isn't very good - Angela Lansbury has a very distinctive voice - but apart from that I have no complain about the characters or sounds.
There are five mysteries to solve, and after two years I can only remeber one of the solutions, so there is some replay value. The Hidden Object scenes are nice and clear, well-lit and realistic, as far as HOGs go. No gore, ghosts, vampires and all that spooky stuff developers try to force on us nowadays. I liked the typewriter keys as an extra challenge, and also how you got to visit the same scenes to find additional clues. Thre was a little problem towards the end for me - some of the objects had white lines around them, making them very easy to find, it seems like the developers had to rush to finish the last mystery and didn't place them correctly. However, that was two years ago and maybe they have fixed it now. it didn't really take anything away from the gameplay.
Overall good clean fun for all Jessica Fletcher fans. Get it!
tuskel,
sincerely
sincerely
I recommend this game!