Laflamme's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:1,743
- Reviews Submitted:109
- First Review:November 28, 2011
- Most Recent Review:July 5, 2013
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Help Santa deliver presents! Can you help Santa find all the toys scattered around Wonderland? Deliver his presents in time!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Cleaning up for Santa
PostedDecember 14, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Review based upon completion of the game.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree. And so on, because you will collect all 78 things over the course of the game.
The Good:
+ 12 Days items is a unique touch
+ mostly items to find fitting with the theme
+ pleasant music (swooning along)
+ mostly items to find fitting with the theme
+ pleasant music (swooning along)
The Neutral:
o items not true to size
o junk piles
o mini games repetitive
o junk piles
o mini games repetitive
The Bad:
- short game
- some items not appropriate, and who would litter up a church like that?
- limited appeal outside of Advent and Christmas
- some items not appropriate, and who would litter up a church like that?
- limited appeal outside of Advent and Christmas
Bottom Line: Yes, it's short, but it's great to sit down with the kids and have fun with it. It's very easy (save for the sliders, they are mildly challenging) and it doesn't take that long to get through. Limited appeal outside the cuteness factor for adults playing alone.
Uncover the dark side of Charles Dickens’ famous Christmas Carol story! Help Marley get revenge on the old miser, Scrooge.
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
'Eezer Goode, 'Eezer Goode, he's Ebeneezer Scrooge
PostedDecember 8, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Review based upon completion of the game.
I got this in a bundle sale, and actually anything outside such a sale or a Daily Deal is overpaid. I have never read the Dickens book, but know it from TV adaption and the Muppets take. This version is, hm, interesting.
The Good:
+ dark take on the classic tale
+ items not placed back into HO scenes
+ items not placed back into HO scenes
The Neutral:
o graphics adequate at best (I mean this came out in 2010 and looks like 2001)
o game is very, not to say too easy, especially the mini puzzles
o game is very, not to say too easy, especially the mini puzzles
The Bad:
- game is short, can be solved in about 90 minutes
- hint system mostly useless outside of HO scenes
- some items minuscule
- for the longest time you are only searching keys
- hint system mostly useless outside of HO scenes
- some items minuscule
- for the longest time you are only searching keys
Bottom Line: Buy it for the storyline, but wait until you get it cheap.
I don't recommend this game.
Murder, She Wrote 2: Return to Cabot Cove
Take on the role of beloved murder-mystery writer Jessica Fletcher and return to lovely (but lethal) Cabot Cove!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Move over, Causton, Midsomer - Cabot Cove, MN is back in the game!
PostedDecember 5, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Review based upon completion of the game.
Jessica Fletcher has been retired in 2003, but she is back for three more cases. Two of them occur in her home town of Cabot Cove, Maine, while the third takes her to Ireland. Anybody familiar with the long running series should feel at home again instantly.
The Good:
+ Indian Summer beautifully captured
+ a little popup what happened to a closed location
+ the typewriter keys are back!
+ voiceovers very well done (still not the original actors I presume)
+ the three cases have a decent length each
+ items are not put back into HO scenes
+ varied minigames
+ a little popup what happened to a closed location
+ the typewriter keys are back!
+ voiceovers very well done (still not the original actors I presume)
+ the three cases have a decent length each
+ items are not put back into HO scenes
+ varied minigames
The Neutral:
o only three cases instead of five (but they are longer in general)
o of those only two in Cabot Cove (the game title would suggest all three of them there)
o of those only two in Cabot Cove (the game title would suggest all three of them there)
The Bad:
- few character, no lip animations
- not all scenes "voice-overed" (they spared themselves the work for the little repeating comments)
- not all scenes "voice-overed" (they spared themselves the work for the little repeating comments)
Bottom Line: If you liked the first game and / or the series, definitely get this game!
I recommend this game!
Help Monica solve the deadly mystery of an experiment that has gone wrong!
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
Seing through others' eyes
PostedNovember 29, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Review based upon completion of the game.
I bought this during a daily deal because it looked like a different concept from the standard HOG that was common back in 2010. The twist is that you will have to find 10 letters on the object list to insert them into the "description" of some items. What the screenshots did not tell me was that the game was horribly repetitive.
The Good:
+ colourful backgrounds
+ most items true to size and fitting with the environment
+ lamp puzzle
+ letter search and the piecing together of the final clue
+ most items true to size and fitting with the environment
+ lamp puzzle
+ letter search and the piecing together of the final clue
The Neutral:
o main character looked reasonably attractive
o hint refilled reasonably fast
o hint refilled reasonably fast
The Bad:
- disappointing ending
- story only told through clippings that you find
- repetitive mini puzzles
- for the "find the shapes puzzle" (that you repeat like 12 times) I had to find a personal "additional challenge" (like insert all three items at once) in order to not fall asleep
- story only told through clippings that you find
- repetitive mini puzzles
- for the "find the shapes puzzle" (that you repeat like 12 times) I had to find a personal "additional challenge" (like insert all three items at once) in order to not fall asleep
Bottom Line: Only bother with it if you are still into straight HOGs, and then only while it's on daily deal.
I don't recommend this game.
The residents of Bitterford, Maine have fallen prey to a terrible curse. It’s up to you to unravel the series of mysterious events that led to the town’s downfall and uncover the evil that was responsible.
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
MCF Bitterfeld, ahem, Biddeford, MN
PostedNovember 23, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Review based upon completion of the game. (Yes, I took my sweet time.)
No Ravenhearst storyline this time around. The Master Detective is summoned to Maine to do some in-depth search for spirits and malevolent ghosts, assisted by a medium. However, as soon as you arrive in Bitterford, the Ghost Patrol TV team skips town. Guess you are on your own...
The Good:
+ storyline
+ HO scenes stretch multiple screens, the game tells you when there is nothing more to find in a given popup location
+ Lea Thompson
+ mostly subtle scares in the beginning (they tend to make me jump more than blunt stuff)
+ map (no more running around through 30+ screens to get to the next location)
+ NO DISGUSTING SCENES! (Yay!)
+ 50 morphing objects (most of them easy to find)
+ cables and live video puzzles
+ "How much is that Doggie in the Window" (unfortunately you can only listen to it once)
+ HO scenes stretch multiple screens, the game tells you when there is nothing more to find in a given popup location
+ Lea Thompson
+ mostly subtle scares in the beginning (they tend to make me jump more than blunt stuff)
+ map (no more running around through 30+ screens to get to the next location)
+ NO DISGUSTING SCENES! (Yay!)
+ 50 morphing objects (most of them easy to find)
+ cables and live video puzzles
+ "How much is that Doggie in the Window" (unfortunately you can only listen to it once)
The Neutral:
o not much interaction between actors, some videos cheesy
o later on more blunt horror scenes (not scary at all)
o you have to pick up and carry the ladder around between three locations
o later on more blunt horror scenes (not scary at all)
o you have to pick up and carry the ladder around between three locations
The Bad:
- not many puzzles
- some locations very small (Lake: one screen, Railroad: two screens)
- being told that "you are on your own here" is a NO-GO when paying extra for a Strategy Guide
- some locations very slow when loading (especially Downtown)
- some locations very small (Lake: one screen, Railroad: two screens)
- being told that "you are on your own here" is a NO-GO when paying extra for a Strategy Guide
- some locations very slow when loading (especially Downtown)
Bonus Content: 1 location (3 screens) that is solved in about 10 minutes, but unlocks the 50 morphing objects. When all of them are found they give you one hint for the next game. Other than that you get a Behind the Scenes video (~5 minutes) and some of the usual promo stuff. The Strategy Guide is in pictograph style and was helpful for me, save for the one occasion mentioned above. Overall, the bonus content is not worth it, unless you are into the morphs.
Bottom Line: I liked the laid back, gloomy but non-disgusting ghost town style, that still had its place for a bit of subtle humor. I could have done with more puzzles though. Thanks for making the "reading screen shots" that you have to find in the screens less sensitive compared to the last game. Since the game didn't really feature the lake it should have rather been named after the town. Overall I recommend the game, but rather as a regular edition.
I recommend this game!
Can you solve the mystery of the ghostly violinist?
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
Who called again? Dana Knightstone's cousin!
PostedNovember 17, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Review based upon completion of game and epilogue with 5 achievements missing.
I had high hopes for this game, since it features my home country. The story is good as usual, but the "Austrian" part irks me.
* How can you set a story about classical music in Salzburg and fail to mention Mozart even once? And what about the other famous sites?
* There is no way that this is Salzburg city (could be the province) - while there are hills in the city and the Feste Hohensalzburg on a mountain, there are no mountains and ski lifts that close.
* Austrian phone numbers have 5 digits for the area code and 4 or 5 digits for the person. (Mobile ones 4 for the provider and 7 or 8 for the person.) The one you have to type is clearly American.
* Supposing this game is set in modern times, we don't use Schilling anymore, our currency is the Euro.
* Also, there are no steam trains left in daily usage.
* There is no way that this is Salzburg city (could be the province) - while there are hills in the city and the Feste Hohensalzburg on a mountain, there are no mountains and ski lifts that close.
* Austrian phone numbers have 5 digits for the area code and 4 or 5 digits for the person. (Mobile ones 4 for the provider and 7 or 8 for the person.) The one you have to type is clearly American.
* Supposing this game is set in modern times, we don't use Schilling anymore, our currency is the Euro.
* Also, there are no steam trains left in daily usage.
The Good:
+ storyline
+ decent game length (but only in combination with the epilogue - 3:53)
+ achievements (see "The Bad" below)
+ diverse puzzles and HO scenes
+ voiceovers now featured during the whole game, not just act breaks
+ decent game length (but only in combination with the epilogue - 3:53)
+ achievements (see "The Bad" below)
+ diverse puzzles and HO scenes
+ voiceovers now featured during the whole game, not just act breaks
The Neutral:
o most puzzles easy
o Skiing animations could have been done better
o Skiing animations could have been done better
The Bad:
- Austrian location not accurately pictured at all
- games are getting shorter and shorter (2:51 for the main game, shortest in the series)
- Tutorial achievement not working, too easy to miss others, some don't make sense (goat)
- games are getting shorter and shorter (2:51 for the main game, shortest in the series)
- Tutorial achievement not working, too easy to miss others, some don't make sense (goat)
Bonus Content: The Epilogue tells a different follow up story and took me about an hour, bringing the total game time up to decent. Puzzles did not increase in difficulty. The rest is the usual soundtrack, wallpapers and concept art. Strategy Guide is detailed.
Bottom Line: This entry is another good story, but I would have liked the developer to do a bit more research about Austria.
I recommend this game!
Journey across Italy as best-selling novelist Dana Knightstone in Death Under Tuscan Skies: A Dana Knightstone Novel!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Who you gonna call? Dana Knightstone! (again)
PostedNovember 14, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Review based upon completion of the game with all achievements gained.
This is the second installment of the Dana Knightstone novels, a fiction writer who can see ghosts and is helping them, then writing up their story. As we learned at the end of the first case this one takes place in Italy, at a university. A student wanted to create a cure for his loved one, but got murdered first. Why and by whom? This is for you to find out.
The Good:
+ decent game length (3:19)
+ storyline
+ HO scenes tie in with the story, but this time it's more like "find the items that don't belong"
+ achievements (but most of them are earned automatically)
+ lots of puzzles...
+ storyline
+ HO scenes tie in with the story, but this time it's more like "find the items that don't belong"
+ achievements (but most of them are earned automatically)
+ lots of puzzles...
The Neutral:
o ...but, again, most of them are already solved by the time the skip bar is filled
o voice overs only during act breaks
o voice overs only during act breaks
The Bad:
- as usual for later releases of this developer, the used font can be unreadable sometimes
- some riddles could have been explained better (organ at the end)
- some riddles could have been explained better (organ at the end)
Bottom Line: Very well done little game, good for beginners as it's not too complicated. Not much to-and-froing since you only have to manage a maximum of about 7 screens at one time.
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Who you gonna call? Dana Knightstone!
PostedNovember 11, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Review based upon completion of the game.
This is the first installment of the Dana Knightstone novels, a fiction writer who can see ghosts and is helping them, then writing up their story. In this case the starts out in a Scottish house during a storm, and a murdered ghosts makes his presence known. Who has murdered him and why?
The Good:
+ decent game length (3:55)
+ storyline
+ HO scenes tie in with the story and "make sense"
+ lots of puzzles...
+ storyline
+ HO scenes tie in with the story and "make sense"
+ lots of puzzles...
The Neutral:
o ...but most of them are already solved by the time the skip bar is filled
o voice overs only during act breaks
o voice overs only during act breaks
The Bad:
- English phone box in France
- finding people in HO scenes was a bit unnerving
- finding people in HO scenes was a bit unnerving
Bottom Line: Very well done little game, good for beginners as it's not too complicated. Not much to-and-froing since you only have to manage a maximum of about 7 screens at one time.
I recommend this game!
Once again black powers have seized the kingdom of Orion. The entire city is gripped by fear and it's up to you to save them, and yourself!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Rinse and repeat
PostedNovember 8, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Review based upon completion of game and bonus chapter.
This is the 4th installment of this series and there will be a fifth. This is the first time I bought the CE. Again we go to the kingdom of Orion to fight the same witch. This time around she creates evil versions of perfectly harmless things that you have to normalise again using magic powder. All of which are trapped in a box that you open with the same puzzle.
The Good:
+ very decent game length
+ graphics
+ varied puzzles
+ excellent hint function (and you will need it!) and good strategy guide
+ varied puzzles
+ quite interesting storyline
+ graphics
+ varied puzzles
+ excellent hint function (and you will need it!) and good strategy guide
+ varied puzzles
+ quite interesting storyline
The Neutral:
o this game series used to be spider free, this time you get a giant one (no interaction, it's only there for a while until you powder it away) - 6 small ones as amulets in the bonus game, but if you can stand the ginormous one those are a piece of cake
o I did not care for the peggle jump and molecule placement puzzles
o items are placed back into the HO scenes
o I did not care for the peggle jump and molecule placement puzzles
o items are placed back into the HO scenes
The Bad:
- item distribution not wise: you get some items early that you drag around for a long while until you finally get to use it
- same goes for the opening of rooms - you open too many rooms with too many riddles at once...
- ...so in short words: you always have too many riddles but not the items you need for them
- no quick travel -> lots of senseless to and fro
- some puzzles are repeated ad nauseam: light up the lines 10 times, place molecules 6 times, peggle jump 3 times
- not many different HO scenes, some of them repeated up to 3 times
- same goes for the opening of rooms - you open too many rooms with too many riddles at once...
- ...so in short words: you always have too many riddles but not the items you need for them
- no quick travel -> lots of senseless to and fro
- some puzzles are repeated ad nauseam: light up the lines 10 times, place molecules 6 times, peggle jump 3 times
- not many different HO scenes, some of them repeated up to 3 times
Bonus Content: The Epilogue starts immediately after the showdown and took me 90 minutes. It seems to build a bridge to EotP V, which apparently will play in the present. The overly dramatic introduction ("Be the first to find the book!") doesn't hold up to its promise, there is no race. The other boni are a repetition of the mini games and a level creator for a open door puzzle. You can chose the level layout and the symbols you want to use. Then just press play and you have created your own puzzle. It's not much, but kudos to the developer for bringing up something different than the usual extras.
Bottom Line: The tried something different and the game fits well with the series. However, the negative points tainted my enjoyment of the game. If you don't mind the repetitions it's okay. The bonus content doesn't seem necessary for the full picture.
I recommend this game!
Pin the killer in this page-turning murder mystery by novelist James Patterson, and find hidden objects within nine distinct investigations.
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
It used to be good... 4 years ago
PostedNovember 1, 2012
Laflamme
fromAustria
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This seems to be the first game in the series, so my main point of critique is not valid. With the series, you know what you get: Three (later four) women, a Detective, a Forensic and a Journalist, solve murders in the San Francisco area; you play all three of them in turn.
The Good:
+ very decent game duration
+ engaging, not run-of-the-mill storyline
+ math and logic puzzles
+ cartoons
+ engaging, not run-of-the-mill storyline
+ math and logic puzzles
+ cartoons
The Neutral:
o items are put back in HO scenes, which you will solve over and over again
The Bad:
- it seems that they recycled a LOT of stuff for later games, it feels like I saw most main rooms again
- the same minigames (sort chemicals, microfiche) over and over and over and over again
- minuscule items, sometimes in dark rooms
- the same minigames (sort chemicals, microfiche) over and over and over and over again
- minuscule items, sometimes in dark rooms
Bottom Line: It might have been good in 2008, but 4 years later you can say that it hasn't aged well.