TimeKilla's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:898
- Reviews Submitted:31
- First Review:December 4, 2011
- Most Recent Review:June 26, 2022
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Journey into the world of imagination and recreate sumptuous Japanese woodblock prints by moving the shadows in this innovative puzzle game for players all ages!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
A delightful, pretty little puzzler
PostedMay 17, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
What a pretty little surprise! This game is a charmer. I almost gave it a pass because it seemed like it might be boring but I was wrong.
The premise is simple, turn shapes around until they all come together to make a silhouette of specific image. Once you've got it right, the picture comes up in full color. It reminds me just a little of my favorite puzzle in Drawn 3 - painting in the Easter egg.
It sounds almost too easy to be challenging but the devs found a very nice balance. There are enough visual clues that each puzzle rewards you with an aha! moment as it all comes together. Before that happens, there's a zen-like quality to moving shadows that is enhanced by a light traditional soundtrack.
This game is a dreamy little escape with enough challenge to keep it interesting. Because there is no story and a repeated mechanic, it will appeal to some but not others. I highly recommend giving it it try rather than overlooking it.
I recommend this game!
Rescue a young girl from the Penumbra Motel. Solve puzzles, unravel a long standing mystery of death and disappearances in this heart-pounding adventure game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 9 found this review helpful
Close but no cigar
PostedMay 14, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The devs, Ers, are know for their gorgeous, rich environments, fairy tales with a spooky edge, lots of H0 scenes & pretty little details. They excel at fantasy escapism
I applaud their courage in making a game that is such a complete departure from their norm. It took guts but sadly, it doesn't really work. It almost felt as if they resented having to make such a muddy, gritty, adventure.
This is a solid adventure game with many different environments, a ton of puzzles and mini-games, no H0 scenes. Basically, you find items and use them to advance the rather thin story. This worked well if there were a chain of items to use within just a few scenes. There were a few tricks and surprises. But too often it was pixel hunting, backtracking tedium. I almost missed H0 scenes because they would have provided a nice rest.
Hardcore mode does not include black bar hints which is a great idea, something I love about Ers games. But it was poorly executed here. No black bar information was shown, so it often seemed as if there was something left to do in an area that was completed. For example, in the very first scene there are three places where the black bar text describes the environment (the gas pumps, the crows, the sign). In hard core mode, you just get the magnifying glass icon. This makes the game less immersive because you're missing out on interesting little descriptions and spending too much time figuring out that there isn't actually anything to do. Descriptive black bar dialog should be put back in.
Few of the mini-games have a reset button. Many of them involve lots of parts which need trial and error to figure out. Dragging them all out of the way to restart gets boring.
There were two glitches - one (the matches) meant that I needed to restart under another name. The other was a pipes puzzle that I could skip but only after changing modes and waiting. Very boring. This should have been fixed before release.
The bonus content was rather short which was fine because I wasn't very invested in finishing it.
I'll give the devs credit for trying to do something new but I wish they would have spent more time trying to make the game better instead of just different.
I don't recommend this game.
The Dark Piper unleashes infested rodents into the town of Hamelin! Defeat him before he leaves a trail of destruction all across Europe!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
A lovely game with a few disappointments
PostedMay 12, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
As a stand alone, this is a terrific game with gorgeous art and decent puzzles. Compared to previous work by this developer, it's a let down and feels too formulaic.
It is visually stunning with lovely music and decent voice over. A few of the puzzles are better than average, one logic puzzle in the first chapter is sublime. H0's scenes are interactive with some extra interactive items that are a red herring and can't be used, a nice little layer of challenge. Morphing objects appear at different times and require a sharp eye. Using inventory items is sometimes tricky.
As the game progresses you are given powers and this is where the game shines. In hardcore mode, you are not told when to use them, the game lets you figure it out for yourself.
But compared to previous games like Macabre Mysteries: Curse of the Nightingale, this game falls short. The art is detailed but not as lush. There are H0 scenes instead of the fractured objects broken into pretty pieces. Sound effects are occasionally jarring and out of place. New areas open up regularly but after the middle of the game, these feel perfunctory with little variation and little to do. With Nightingale each new area was different, detailed and involved.
I was most disappointed by the mini-games and puzzles. There is one at the beginning that is genius but it was never repeated. Instead there are sliders, discs to match up, jigsaws. All the usual games. Inventory items were mostly straight forward. it was more a matter of wandering back and forth to use them,
The bonus game is fairly long. The puzzles and inventory items are a bit harder. Although the story is a little cramped, I enjoyed the game-play more than main game so the CE price wasn't a total waste. But I will be wary of CE's from this dev in the future.
I recommend this game!
In this adventurous romance, outwit powerful villains and break an evil curse inflicted upon your love, Hari, while saving your best friend’s life!
Overall rating
4
/
5
It's all about the puzzles.
PostedMay 8, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is a thin story wrapped around a cornucopia of puzzles. Non-stop mini-games from start to finish with a few scattered inventory use puzzles. There are no traditional zoom-in junk-pile H0 scenes, pieces to various puzzles are found in the environment. All of which is a nice change from the usual H0/adventure, if you like puzzles.
The puzzles are varied. it's like a review of every mini-game ever used and then some. While a few mechanics repeat, they've been tweaked to make them different both times. Difficulty level is occasionally a bit too easy but most are intermediate. Many use logic instead of repetitive tasks (suduko vs sliders.)
if you like that sort of thing, you'll like this game. If you prefer a more well-rounded experience, it may not be for you. People who generally skip puzzles will find this game very short.
My biggest problem was with the hint system. Many of the pieces needed for puzzles are very small. The hint tells you what your current task is("Maybe I should put out the fire in the fireplace") instead of pointing to that last tiny piece that you've spent 10 minutes searching for. This made the game drag a bit at times.
I recommend this game!
How did the attacker escape a room locked from the inside?
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
A fun little game based on a classic mystery? Bravo!
PostedApril 17, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love a good mystery and quite enjoyed playing through this one. It's a pretty petite bouchee of a game, a sweet little nibble.
The art is lovely and the story is captivating. Puzzles, inventory items and mini-games are well-done. Not particularly challenging but fun. It was a terrific escape that kept me entertained for a few hours.
I do like a huge bombastic, super-challenging game sometimes. other times, after a hard day, I just want to wander through a well-written story and admire the view. This game is absolutely ideal for that.
I recommend this game!
Reunite the Dragon and Phoenix Kingdoms to stop the evil witch!
Overall rating
4
/
5
32 of 35 found this review helpful
Ers are listening! Much better than expected
PostedApril 14, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I almost didn't try this game. The developer, Ers, has become so formulaic that I didn't want to bother. But the reviews were good so I gave it a shot and was pleasantly surprised.
In addition to a new storyline, atmosphere, music, and voice talent, Ers threw in a surprise - fully interactive H0 scenes which are small logic puzzles. Find an object and use it within a scene to uncover other objects. These aren't particularly challenging but they do take a bit of thought and are great fun. One scene in particular - a puppet show stage - was absolutely charming. I could play an entire game based on that scene alone. I wish there had been more of them, they are about half of the H0 scenes. The regular H0 scenes were a little monochromatic which made them more frustrating than fun but they were spread out.
The rest of the game is fairly standard hidden object adventure with areas to explore, inventory to use and an evil witch to banish. Ers has always been very good at dressing up the standard mini-games or giving them a new twist. This game was no exception - the mechanics were familiar but the presentation was fresh.
Even on hardcore mode, there were a few too many back box hints. Worse, there were hints for every item in the puzzle H0's. Since that was my favorite aspect of this game, I wish they hadn't done that.
The animals in this game are just wonderful. I won't buy a game just because it has a really adorable fairy-mouse, or perfect hedgehog nose twitches but it does add quite a lot.
The bonus game was more of the same. It only took about 30 minutes.
In hindsight, I wish I had waited for the SE but I thought there would be as many of the puzzle H0's in the main game as there were in the demo. There are not and that was a bit disappointing.
I recommend this game!
20 years ago a terrible accident destroyed most of Cyan City. Now, Monica returns to uncover the secrets of her childhood!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
The best SE in a very, very long time
PostedMarch 26, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Wow, I really wasn't expecting this much quality in an standard release H0/adventure. This game is packed to the brim with fantastic logic puzzles, interactive, layered H0 scenes, really inventive inventory puzzles and plenty of challenge.
I love a game that makes me think and this game had me at hello. There were a few times when I almost used the built in strategy guide. You do need to keep a sharp eye on every scene but the art makes running around worth it.
It's the mini-games which set this game apart, there are quite a few that are unique puzzlers, a bit like the complicated locks in MCF Ravenhurt. The rest turn the usual fare completely inside out. All of the puzzles are very well done. Inventory items are a far cry from the usual wrenches, crowbars and disappearing screwdrivers. It takes a bit of concentration to work them out.
I have a few small complaints - The very amateur voice acting of the main character, the final chapter seemed a bit rushed, and it would have been nice to have an expert level without black bar hints. But the game really felt like the devs were focused on game play instead of flash, so these are merely quibbles.
All in all, it's a terrific game that also has a built in strategy guide. What's not to love? I can't wait to see what these developers come up with next.
I recommend this game!
The Heart of the Kingdom has been destroyed and now it’s up to Munchausen to save the day in this fun Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
106 of 108 found this review helpful
Brilliant! Every moment a treasure!
PostedFebruary 19, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
An absolute gem. An astounding amount of imagination and detail went into making this game.
I adore puzzles especially when there is the right balance of challenge, logic and fun. They need to blend with and enhance the story. There needs to be challenge but it shouldn't get annoying and the answer should seem obvious as soon as you figure it out.
This game succeeds at all of that while pulling you into a delightful, colorful and witty world. A world where the hero can ask for a loaded cannon, a cat, a fishing pole and a model sailing ship while still making perfect sense.
I was a little worried that my dear old fictional friend would be mistreated. But no, the developers stayed true to the outrageous tall tales of Baron Munchausen and filled this story with the same sort of comical braggadocio.
The art style works well with this 18th century story. The voice-overs are near perfect. The wizard sounds a bit like a grandfather reading the parts in his "evil villain" voice which makes this fairy tale cozy from the beginning.
Honestly, I could just go on and on. Every aspect of this game is beautifully crafted. If I had to find a flaw, it would be the length because I didn't want it to end. I have played games which were twice as long but much of that was filler, repetitive tasks, reworked mini-games and a lot of boredom. Every single minute of this game was just pure fun. I can't wait for the sequel!
I recommend this game!
A missing girl has been lured away by evil music! Stop the young prodigy and save everyone from the evil Maestro!
Overall rating
4
/
5
27 of 32 found this review helpful
It's an Ers game, but a bit better than I expected
PostedFebruary 11, 2012
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
If you haven't played games by this developer, you're in for a treat. This game is gorgeous, has a beautiful soundtrack, a story about saving a child, some interesting mini-games and inventory puzzles.
If you have played a dozen Ers games, you get the same lost Keane painting kid, the same music, the same art, the same redesign of common mini-games AND a few tricky inventory puzzles. Plus a hard core option that takes out text hints, which makes some inventory items positively befuddling.
In the demo, there are a few too many hidden object scenes and inventory items are pretty obvious. As the game progresses, H0's are paced better and items get more tricky.
This is not fully satisfying game, it's an entertaining nibble. More like a snack than a meal.
I recommend this game!
Journey into the mythical Snowfall Kingdom and investigate the disappearance of children in Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Gorgeous, simply gorgeous!
PostedDecember 26, 2011
TimeKilla
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
The main purpose of hidden object/adventure game is to be looked at, every little detail scrutinized for clues, items or lists. Blue Tea games understands this, all of their games are lovely. Even with a history of beautiful illustration, this one is exceptional. It is well worth taking the time to pause and appreciate. Everything is just gorgeous.
Using fractured objects instead of junk-pile lists means that you're searching for a gilt curlicue or gleaming gem, instead of an out of place horseshoe or hammer. Mini-games are based on visually appealing logic puzzles instead of the usual pipes and jigsaws. There are a few types of puzzles which repeat throughout the game but each version needs a different approach so they remain challenging.
Inventory items are related to the fairy tale story. There are collections of globes and goblets, useful medallions, coins and magical items. This makes for a nice change from the usual keys and crowbars with obvious uses. There is some trial and error and a bit of backtracking, adding to the challenge.
Every mode includes morphing objects. In a game this pretty, it's wonderful to have a reason to stop and appreciate every little element of each new scene.
The story is based on traditional fairy tales but great care has been taken to make even the villains empathetic. The story doesn't try to scare or shock, it unfolds around you, filled in by little bits of back-story that are worth reading.
There is plenty of challenge for any level of player but no pressure to rush through. This is a game to relax with, to sink into.
The bonus chapter of the CE is a stand alone. It is not necessary for the main story. The artwork and atmosphere are also different, making it a lovely little desert after the main course. It takes about an hour to complete.
I recommend this game!