Howatch's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.7
- Helpful Votes:1,143
- Reviews Submitted:49
- First Review:May 15, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 5, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Experience the romance of Regency England, in this sumptuous solitaire game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
32 of 37 found this review helpful
A wonderful solitaire game
PostedFebruary 14, 2015
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The developer of this game also brought us the original Fairway Solitaire, which was likewise innovative and a great deal of fun. This game does get more challenging as you progress - currently I am playing in normal mode and it's getting trickier - judicious use of power-ups and wild cards is advised. The music is soothing and pleasant to listen to, and the story (yes, there is a story) is reminiscent of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer.
I highly recommend this game; I am really enjoying it. Five stars for a great solitaire game. :-)
Defuse a toxic plot and reveal the truth behind Kate Drew's death!
Overall rating
5
/
5
64 of 70 found this review helpful
A good entry in the Nancy Drew series of games
PostedOctober 22, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
One wouldn't normally use the word "controversial" as a way to describe a Nancy Drew game, but this entry comes closest to it in that Nancy goes to Scotland to try to find out more about the death of her mother - a mother who may have been involved in spy rings and covert operations and the like - which idea differs dramatically from the Nancy Drew series of books in that in the books we know that Nancy's mother died when she was young but little else.
If you can accept that premise, you will find a game that is surprisingly emotionally involving, making this a game unlike any other in the series.
As a game, the storyline is interesting and once again we find numerous puzzles to solve. There are a few timed puzzles in the game, so fair warning on that. There are no repetitive chores, although you can earn extra money by making cookies (which involves a layering process/way of thinking that reminded me of the puzzle involving giving facials in the Nancy Drew Dossier game, Resorting to Danger).
I have played this game twice and will no doubt play it a third time at some point.
Have fun. :-)
I recommend this game!
Leonardo da Vinci needs your help! A tyrant has conquered Florence and he is destroying all works of art and science!
Overall rating
5
/
5
47 of 49 found this review helpful
A very good offering from this developer
PostedSeptember 19, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I'm glad I gave this game a chance beyond the first 30 minutes or so of the trial version. I purchased the game and have played roughly three-fourths of the main game. I think this is a very good offering from this developer. There have been some complaints about animal helpers being in this game, and I am here to tell you that after the very earliest stages of the game that the animal helpers are nonexistent (they aren't really animal helpers, anyway, but rather mechanical inventions of Da Vinci).
The graphics are up to this developer's usual high standards, the mini-games are fun without being frustrating, and the use of inventory items has been logical thus far without all of them being dead obvious; some thinking is required along with a good memory (I prefer to refer to the hints and the strategy guide only as a last resort). I did a jigsaw puzzle which was Botticelli's Birth of Venus, and there are some interesting facts about the life of Da Vinci: this is there for your enjoyment, but the emphasis is on fun and puzzling rather than feeling like an "edutainment" game.
Unless the game takes a rapid turn for the worse in the last quarter of the game, I can give this a very solid recommendation. It's a very nice game and I'm having fun with it. :-)
I recommend this game!
A mysterious artifact has been uncovered, opening a portal to another world!
Overall rating
5
/
5
24 of 34 found this review helpful
A Lovely Game
PostedJuly 31, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This developer knows how to create a lovely, entertaining, and cinematic game. Good visuals, nice puzzles, the ability to combine items in inventory, interesting HOP scenes.
This game will provide me several hours of fun and relaxation, I feel sure. I also find that after a few months have elapsed, I can replay a game like this and it's almost like a new experience, so very good value for money.
Happy gaming! :-)
Expose the fate of Jessalyn Thornton and unveil the truth about a family ghost in Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thornton Hall
Overall rating
5
/
5
50 of 59 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed this game
PostedMay 26, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Nancy receives a call very late at night from Savannah Woodham (if you have played Shadow at the Water's Edge, then you will remember Savannah from this previous game). A girl has been presumably kidnapped from Thornton Hall (located on an island off the coast of Georgia), and Nancy agrees to take on the case.
I really enjoyed this game. It has a very spooky atmosphere and one of the characters that you meet is one of the oddest and creepiest individuals I have encountered thus far in a Nancy Drew game (once met, never forgotten). Compared to the other games in this series, I would say that the puzzles were medium in difficulty. There are different endings to the game, depending on what you choose to do or not do. The game has a "Southern Gothic" feel to it, and for that reason alone I found it quite distinctive. And yes, there is a ghost!
My only real "negative" about the game is that it is quite dark and that you will most likely find yourself turning up the brightness settings in order to be able to see it properly. A small quibble, but it might be an issue for some players, so I felt that it should be mentioned.
Have fun. :-)
I recommend this game!
Set your business back on the track to success! Repair a dilapidated railroad and reroute from the brink of bankruptcy before it’s too late!
Overall rating
5
/
5
61 of 66 found this review helpful
A Delightful Surprise
PostedApril 29, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a fun TM/resource management game that gives you a choice between relaxed and timed modes of play.
You are going to revive a railroad that is in very poor shape, by performing the necessary repairs required at each stop. You assign tasks to workers and collect resources, all the while trying to make sure that you have enough.
The graphics are pleasant and the music is a nice accompaniment to the setting. I enjoyed the first ten levels that I played of the game, and this will be a very nice addition to my TM collection.
Give it a try - I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. :-)
Dark shadows are rising, the spirits are restless and Lord Strix is back! Travel to his hidden lair and defeat him once and for all—but hurry; he grows stronger by the minute!
Overall rating
4
/
5
52 of 61 found this review helpful
A Pleasant Adventure-Lite Game with Puzzles
PostedApril 28, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
First, some background about this developer; they have previously brought us Tales From the Dragon Mountain: The Strix, Where Angels Cry, Hotel, and The Legend of the Crystal Valley, among others. If you enjoyed those games, you will most likely enjoy this game as well.
The focus here is on light adventuring with plenty of puzzles along the way, including jigsaw puzzles, lock puzzles, sliding puzzles, mechanical puzzles, construction puzzles, and more. You will also have the opportunity to combine items within your inventory in order to create a needed item. There are three play modes available: easy, casual, and adventure: and I recommend choosing the adventure level if you enjoy trying to make it through the game with little or no help.
For those of you who are tired of looking at HOG lists, you may well find this game a refreshing change. The visuals are also very nice, and the voice acting seems improved over the first game in this series.
Give the demo a try and see what you think. :-)
I recommend this game!
Destroy artifacts in the past to preserve the world’s future!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 10 found this review helpful
Well worth playing
PostedApril 26, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the third installment in The Secret Order game series. It's not necessary to have played the first two in order to enjoy this one, although some characters are the same as in the prior two games. This is a fun adventure-lite game, with HOPs included for those who enjoy them; and the story is a nice blend of genres. It's clear to me that the developer of this game put a lot of time and effort into it.
I wanted to include this additional note for players: for some reason, the second game in the series, The Secret Order: Masked Intent Collector's Edition, is not included on the Collector's Edition page that lists all CEs that have been released - but if you do a search under all PC games or go to the Hidden Objects Games page, it is listed there. If you play the demo of The Secret Order: Ancient Times and you enjoy it, I would definitely recommend the second game as well (I haven't played the first game in the series - yet).
Give the demo a try and see what you think. Happy gaming. :-)
I recommend this game!
Can you carve a path of light through the darkness in this marble shooting adventure?
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 21 found this review helpful
Review based on first 10 levels of the game
PostedApril 25, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I have played the first two Sparkle games; if you haven't played those, I highly recommend them, particularly if you are looking for a real challenge. I have played 10 levels of this new entry in the series and based on this, I can tell you that the graphics are pretty much up to the standards of the first two games. The voice over is pleasant and tells a fairly interesting story. You can also accumulate power-ups to help you along the way.
Along with the base game, there is also a survivor mode where you just tough it out for as long as you can.
I'm having fun with the game, but the shooter orb seems slow at this point (in fact, everything seems somewhat slow). I am going to continue playing, thinking that perhaps after the first dozen levels or so that the speed will increase. Not being sure of that, though, is why I am awarding the game four stars rather than five. It is also possible that it is because I am playing on a lower level of difficulty, but I haven't been able to find where you can change the level of difficulty, even though the description of the game states that this is offered - maybe that option opens up later on.
By the way, in the Options menu, there is a "Colorblind Assist" feature which can be enabled. I'm not sure I have ever seen this option in a game before, and I think it's pretty cool that this was included.
Give the demo a try and see what you think. :-)
I recommend this game!
The city fears the return of the infamous Fire Knight – but is Rosa Ramirez really responsible?
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 29 found this review helpful
A Pleasant Game
PostedApril 24, 2014
Howatch
fromCoarsegold, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Here we have the fourth installment of the Grim Facade series, and I am finding it a very pleasant way to spend some gaming hours. Other reviewers have already covered the specifics of the game play and what is included in the CE, so I won't repeat that here. I'm enjoying the music, the graphics, and the puzzles which I have encountered so far, and I'm interested in where the storyline is going to take me, so I feel that this game is definitely worthy of four stars - it's good, solid fun. Nothing ground breaking, but it will certainly provide me with several hours of solid entertainment. Give it a try. :-)
I recommend this game!