megwoman25's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:1,465
- Reviews Submitted:285
- First Review:December 20, 2011
- Most Recent Review:December 7, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Solve the mysteries of Stoneville and escape with your life!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Review Of Completed Game
PostedJanuary 2, 2018
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I LOVE this series and within the last few years its a rarity that I actually feel that way as most series have gotten pretty terrible but so far all the games in this series have been soooo fun!! The graphics are great, hidden object scenes are different and none of them repeated and when I say that I mean ALL the hidden object scenes were in NEW locations and NONE of them had repeating lists so I never knew what type of hog it was going to be and I LOVED all the variety!!! The mini games were all doable but some made me think and I like to keep my brain cells sharp so a huge plus.
There are achievements some that I have not seen before like not reading the instructions to mini games and since (lets be real honest here) we have seen almost all these types of mini games before just with a spin off....do we really need to read the instructions? Some I did read but most I already knew what to do...Anyways there are collectibles finding people and owls. I found both those pretty easy to get. IF you get all the achievements you are able to put together a 20 piece fresco and lets just say I didn't get all the pieces because I didn't realize just how many mini games I actually read the instructions too. BOO!
However the most remarkable part to me was the bonus chapter. I rarely play bonus chapters and when I do, I rarely finish them due to sheer boredom. Most devs just put a ton of hidden object scenes and no plot to tack on extra game play. THIS dev actually gave a new game to play. The league was betrayed by someone from inside and its up to you to figure out who it is. Not a new story line but I couldn't believe all the work put into this chapter. There were all sorts of new mini games and new game mechanics that I was not expecting. I wish all bonus games were that good.
Now for a few negatives but keep in mind I am playing this in 2018 and this game is a few years old. There is a custom mode with lots of options but you cannot get rid of black bar hints nor can you get rid of objectives that pop up. But my biggest issue was that the little plus would come up when I either had the adjoining item or I had just 1 piece of 3 I needed. I like to figure that stuff out on my own...but its an older game so I get it. I am sure there newer games probably have all the bells and whistles I am used to. Oh but the inventory bar DOES lock and it not locking is my all time pet peeve as I hate it bobbing up and down. So that's a plus.
This game took me about 5 hours to play give or take. I like to think I am a faster player but that being said I do read all notes, listen to all dialogue and watch all cutscenes so those of you that want to know how long it will take...figure all that in :)
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover what’s causing the strange symptoms in Blackwill?
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Review Of Completed Game...
PostedDecember 16, 2017
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I beta tested this game ages ago and I wrote down "original and new gameplay...cannot wait to play this". Well then it took years for this game to come out after I did the beta. I am not sure what happened to hold them up but I didn't find the game as immersing as the beta. The beta had a lot of choose your own adventure scenes where you got to make the decisions like run left, run right and it was as if you were in 3D but they must have gotten bad reviews on the beta because it is nothing like what I remember. See thing is, I LOVED that beta so much that I saved it and played it over and over again since it took so long for the actual game to be released...
So I will start with what I liked. The hidden object scenes were interactive and each one had a bit of a twist. The mini games were the same we always see but some were a bit of a challenge. Kudos there. The graphics were good and so were the voiceovers. The map was great. There was a lock on the inventory box (thankfully) AND lots of collectibles to collect if that is your thing. There is also a custom level for difficulty although even though I put NO GLINTS, they still appeared for hidden objects scenes.
Now to what I found not so great. Usually I am a person who likes more adventure than hidden object and if you are that person then you will LOVE this game. I actually wanted there to be MORE hog scenes since they were really fun. There was a lot of back and forth yet the game was very linear. Once you left a chapter, it was rare you had to visit those scenes again. That means you only visit each hidden object scene once which is nice. The hidden object scenes were really creative in the beginning but near the end they became just lists. I did like the sound of the objects being clicked though. I probably would have been okay with not having as many hogs IF the adventure game play had been fun but you pick up a few items, you find them right away and that to me isn't fun.
Also, the plot line of this game is a total bore. Its about sirens which has been done wayyy too many times and I can only think of ONE game I actually liked. Also, this series used to be SCARY because of the atmosphere the developers created. The first game, Vanishing Hitchhiker, was sooo creepy so even though I appreciate the effort put into evolving the game, I preferred the vibe from the other games instead.
A note about collectibles and the bonus chapter. The collectibles do go into the bonus chapter. I was not a huge fan of the collectibles or the bonus chapter. I actually didn't even finish the bonus chapter because it was putting me to sleep. The collectibles are black pearls and you use them to remodel a room in a house. There is a fishbowl in that room and you also pick up collectibles that are items that automatically go into the fishbowl. It also has you name your fish which I didn't care for. For some games I do like remodeling stuff like Gardenscapes for example but this one had no reason to have an extra like this. I am not sure how many pearls there are to collect but I was able to upgrade my room how I wanted with what I found. The strategy guide shows where they all are but it doesn't say on the map if there are any left in the rooms like some other games.
This game was a disappointment for me because I had loved the beta so much and thought the developers were going to blow my mind with the changes. Unfortunately that was not the case and this became just another cookie cutter game with the same plot as many games already released. I liked the creepy old style of this series better because it was spooky but they lost all the charm their other games brought that made them feel fresh and new. I think this is a game you need to try before you buy because I don't know whether to recommend it or not. I think some people will really like this especially newer players who aren't familiar with the other games in this series. But for the seasoned gamer, I am not sure this game has enough wow factor to win them over. Shame too because I was really looking forward to this one...
The greatest wealth is health! Join Nurse Holly and pursue an inspiring medical career in this fun time-management game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
VERY GOOD TM!
PostedDecember 13, 2017
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I absolutely LOVED this game! and it took me a longggg time to play so the value for price paid is awesome too. Although I do like the Delicious games, I have been kind of sick of all the new TMs being part of that family of games because it has the same formula. This game however is not apart of any game that I know of and it makes for a fun, challenging game of its own!
There are over 70 levels and at the end of each location you play a bubble shooter game of sorts to banish diseases and earn more coins. The coins upgrade your hospital. There are a few types of upgrades like the usual, making equipment and people go faster and hold more things but also you can buy things that make you earn more money so you can upgrade faster and then there are other upgrades that have more to do with the secondary characters around you. The more you advance the more upgrades appear that really help you out but of course they cost a lot too. NOT all the upgrades are necessary to beat a chapter but choosing the right ones are key to being able to get gold stars.
For me this was the right difficulty. I am better at HOGs then TMs so I found this game easy enough to get the gold stars without pulling my hair out yet hard enough that I had to do some levels more than once. For the more advanced TM player, I can see how this game would be way too easy but then maybe you don't upgrade as much and challenge yourself that way?
I felt the CE was worth it since it had 30 more levels than the standard and they get harder and harder. I really enjoyed playing this game and can only hope the developers will make more like this! I forgot how much I like hospital TMs til I played this! I'd say give this a whirl even if you aren't sure about TMs because the first few levels are easy enough that you'll get the hang of it. Kudos devs!
I recommend this game!
Track down the truth about your grandfather's death!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Review of Completed Game
PostedNovember 14, 2017
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This series is one of my all time favorites and I absolutely adored this game. I will say that the first two in this series are the absolute best ones and even though they are "old school" by hidden object game standards, they have an intertwined plot that is soooooo good. I remember playing it and just being wowed that the sequel tied the two together in a way I was not expecting and I can't think of another game that has done a sequel so captivating to the original story. In fact when I finished the sequel, I had to replay the original because I wanted to see it play out again as the sequel is like a prequel to the original. They are both such good games. I highly recommend them. The 3rd game in this series wasn't as good as the first two but I liked it yet I liked this game sooo much more.
VAST does something in this series I really like and that is finding and playing cassette tapes. It gives the game another dimension and when they first did it in the original game, it was one of those new ideas that no other developers did so I have always liked their creativity and I was psyched to see them integrated throughout the game. It gives the game more depth. I will say that unless you LOVE collectibles and achievements that the bonus chapter is really not needed. The bonus game ends on a cliffhanger but unless the developers do another one of these, it doesn't warrant buying the CE as the story wraps up in the main game. I haven't seen a game from VAST in awhile so even though it ended on a cliffhanger...I really doubt we will ever see a 5th one much to my dismay...but fingers crossed!!!
There are 3 modes of difficulty and a custom mode. I liked that I could turn off black bar tips completely. Also, there are a variety of hidden object scenes and some of the puzzles were a bit tricky or time consuming. I like having my brain cells challenged from time to time. You can still skip a few games without losing the achievement so that is nice too. For people who like a challenge they can do the puzzle and if you don't it won't affect you getting all the achievements. I used to be really caught up in getting all the achievements and collectibles but just because a game has those elements doesn't make it a good game so I'd rather have substance and quality over getting a trophy..
Christine and Viggo are back to solve a mystery. It seems everything in this series is set around an orphanage and an asylum so it stuck to the theme of previous games although it wasn't set directly in them. It was pretty obvious who the bad guy was but I really liked where the game went. I really hope there is another one of these but I won't hold my breath.
I recommend this game!
An unexpected invitation sends you to research mythical standing stones in Brittany.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
More Like This Please!!!
PostedNovember 10, 2017
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Games like this remind me why I fell in love with hidden object games to begin with. Nowadays everything is so cookie cutter with soooo many repeats of the same game over and over again. Instead of making 13 in a series developers need to make games like this one!! A little thought and creativity go a long way. Yes, the plot has been done before but the game mechanics were different and hidden object scenes were special!! This is a game I will remember!
This has all the bells and whistles of a collector's edition but without the hefty price tag. In fact this game is better than half the CE's I've played. There are achievements, collectibles (70 mistletoe to find and good luck finding them all-I got 62 grrr), twists on mini games that made them a bit tricky and every hidden object scene was varied. You did visit them twice but each time visited there was a different theme and they were so fun! Some you found items on a list, others were silhouettes either just finding them or finding an object and using it, others were frogs! I just loved all the variety.
The only drawback I could find was that even though I checked no sparkles, there were sparkles on the hidden object scenes but honestly it didn't bug me! This played like a new game but also like an old school game and what I mean by that is after going through the game and picking up what I needed, using it etc all the locations stayed open which meant I could go back look for collectibles but then as I needed to go back to locations, hidden object scenes would pop up and lead the game and since each hidden object scene was new and varied I absolutely loved coming across so many. In newer games devs tend to remove a lot of hidden object scenes or just have a one time visit which is okay if you have boring object scenes but this game made me remember when hidden object scenes were special and it made me want to play more games like this that were out of the box and special.
I highly recommend this game if you are sick and tired of the cookie cutter, 14 in a series deep games that seem to be sooo boring. This one made me really excited to know there are devs out there coming up with new ideas and I will keep buying them as long as they are creative and set apart from the rest.
I recommend this game!
The head of the Maybard family has been murdered!
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
More Like This Please!!!
PostedJanuary 5, 2017
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
It's not very often I play a game and absolutely love it but this is one of those games. I am a sucker for a good whodunit game and this one is out of this world. You are investigating a death in the family and are invited to the estate to help solve the murder. You are a medium of sorts since you can see ghosts and are able to read their auras. I really liked this part of the game because you learned tidbits of information pertaining to each person in the game and learned all about their dirty little secrets. You also have a fingerprinting kit which you use on various items around the estate to figure out who the murderer is. There are a lot of suspects and I was not quite sure who did it although I had a guess but no idea the motive. You find out who did it and the motive which was kind of cool how it all got pieced together.
The graphics are great. The hidden object scenes are interactive and fun to find the objects listed. There are different kinds of scenes. IF hidden object scenes aren't your fav, then you can switch it to match 3. The puzzles ranged from really easy to moderately challenging although they were all doable in my opinion. The only collectible are pictures that morph of the different characters. I apparently missed some and I am not sure how...they really do pop out at you so they are not hard to miss..or so I thought...
The bonus chapter had nothing to do with the main game and was quite short. In fact I think it took me less than 45 minutes to complete it but it kept my attention enough to keep playing it so that's a plus. Also, the morphing pictures keep going into the bonus chapter. The main game ended well and did not have a cliffhanger so if you don't care about extras, the standard edition would end just fine and you would not miss out on anything.
My only issue with this game was how incredibly SLOW it ran on my computer. However, I do not know if this was the game OR my computer, as my laptop was not meant to play large file games and sometimes freezes or shuts down. Although this game never froze or caused my laptop to crash, it did run slow enough that when clicking dialogue or going scene to scene, I did think from time to time that it froze but it just lagged a bit. Usually this would be a deal breaker for me but like I said before, I am a sucker for a good whodunit game and I loved this one to bits. I wish there were more engaging games like this. Lately I haven't quite liked many games on the market because its the same stuff over and over again. This game although similar to others was a bit different and I appreciated that as well as a new series! I am a bit sick of playing game 10 in a series as by then the series is stale! This was refreshing! More like this please! Kudos! I definitely recommend!
I recommend this game!
Tragedy strikes a popular Parisian cabaret when their star dancer is murdered! Gather the suspects and unmask the killer.
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Review Of Completed Game...
PostedJanuary 5, 2017
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
About 3.5 Stars but I rounded down...
The beginning of this game is sooo boring that I almost fell asleep but good thing I decided to wait it out because as the game progressed, I liked it more and more. I can't say this is a game I thought had won a lot of awards a few years back but it kept my attention for a few hours and I actually reopened it to play again after closing it down the night before. I have a nasty habit of playing a game for a few hours, closing it then never playing it again. But I opened this one back up so it's somewhat good in my book. I also played the entire game and that includes the bonus chapter which I usually pass due to wanting the whole thing to just be over. BUT the developers kept my attention because I wanted all the windmills & morphs and they went into the bonus chapter! Eipix didn't used to have this feature when their first few games came out so its nice to know they listened to their customers. I know I used to mention it during reviews all the time. However, back then I did like their games more...but I digress.. Nevertheless I did collect all the morphs & windmills and finish up the game. I then took a look at the extras which were a bit of a yawner except for the "Making Of" which I have always loved from Eipix.
So to break this down a little. The main game has the usual interactive hidden object scenes & mini puzzles. The puzzles were all really easy I thought. The achievements were different than the norm these days as you only need to play 10 puzzles without skips to get the achievement when its usually all the puzzles without skips. You actually need to skip 3 puzzles in total to get an achievement. I usually don't skip puzzles as they are my favorite part (when they are challenging) but I can't stand slider puzzles and near the end I did just want it to be over faster...haha The theme is pretty basic. Jealous, Envy etc etc I found it lackluster.
The bonus chapter has nothing to do with the main story. The man who called you to solve the murder of his beloved friend Sophie, is now being framed as a diamond thief and you must find out who framed him. There are only a few rooms you visit that you have never seen before so really its like playing the main game all over again. But there are a lot of extras in this game that make up for the not so interesting plot if you like extras. There are morphs in the hidden object scenes and windmills in the main game plus both go into the bonus game. There are all kinds of achievements that aren't the usual fare we see all the time like I mentioned above. There is also a souvenir room and you click on an item and are transported back into the game room by room to locate ONE item. Usually they are standing out like a neon sign, other times are hidden but still the page has the loading sign after each one that takes longer to load than the actual finding of the object. Yawn. For me, I used to really like extras and collectibles but now I find them all fluff and what I crave is a good story which is hard to come by.
The greatest part of this game are the graphics. Some are so lifelike, I felt like I was actually there and could touch the items. The voice overs were pretty decent too as I didn't find the accents ludicrous like some other games. The windmills can be tricky to find although I did find all. The map and hint button transported you to locations. The inventory bar locked. You can change difficulty during the game. All the usual things are there.
I rate this game 3 stars. 1 star for great graphics & voice overs. 1 star for keeping my interest enough to re-open the game and actually play the entire thing & 1 star for the "making of" extra because I find it interesting to see what the developers do and even though this one wasn't as great as some of their other ones, it still was fun to watch. I'd probably even tack on .5 stars for making the collectibles go through the bonus chapter too but I don't have the option to rate it 3.5 stars so am rounding down due to not being thrilled with the plot line. The game has a satisfactory ending in the main game so getting the standard edition would be fine because you are not missing anything.
Explore a new world of pixel art puzzles in more colors than ever in Fantasy Mosaics: Explore New Colors!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Same Ol...Same Ol....
PostedJanuary 5, 2017
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
As much as I like these games and the new colors there are some things that are just unacceptable seeing as though this is #18 in the series. I HATE how when scrolling like 10 in a row, it doesn't stay in line and goes up into the other column making you lose. It happens a lot of the time and I feel like by #18 they should have fixed this problem. I also would like to fix something up rather than just see things appear by a bridge. There are always 20 levels, there are never any puzzles past 20x20 and I wish they would do some harder ones. Or at least release a game that just has levels 15x15 and up because most of us who like these games get really bored with the same boards. Also the new colors are nice but most of the things to fill in now are just face colors and that gets a bit boring. The pictures weren't all that amazing even though I did like the animal ones near the end like the frog. I also wish that there was a way to change the look of the tiles like in other games like this. There is another nonogram game that lets you pick tiles that look stitched or tiled and also has achievements. As much as I like to relax while playing this series I just wish they would raise their standards a bit and fix the things that haven't changed since the first installment. I can live with all my complaints except the tiles not staying in the column when drawing a straight line because that makes me lose my progress and when I am really close to beating a level and then the lines moves...well then its not a relaxing game anymore is it?
I don't recommend this game.
Kathleen’s beloved Danny has been arrested under strange circumstances and accused of murder. It’s up to Kathleen to hold her own investigation and find out what really happened.
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Strange game...
PostedJanuary 5, 2017
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I played the entire game and still cannot figure out what this game actually has to do with witches or warlocks? Yes, there was a spell involved and totems to find but other than that and the traveling of worlds, this seemed to be more of an archaeological game then a fantasy/supernatural one although there were a lot of ghosts you help. I think the developers had too many ideas and it clearly confused the plot.
This game feels old although it is not. The inventory bar does not lock so it bobs up and down which is my pet peeve when it comes to any game. There were a lot of mini games but none of them were all that challenging. The hidden object scenes were interactive sometimes. That means that there would be ONE item that was hidden behind something but that wasn't in all the scenes, just randomly. All the scenes were the same junk pile scenes and there were no other differences between them. I did however like the sound it made when I found an object which is probably why I didn't mind doing such boring lists.
You get a notebook, a map, a hint and a box where you collect the totems. There are 16 totems to find and once you find 4 of them, you get an item that helps you advance in the game. My favorite part of this game was when you found clues like a code or a map, it doesn't just appear over where you need it but you have to actually open the notebook and work it out on your own. Even though this game was not hard, I liked the fact it made have to work those things out. Games nowadays just give you the answers and it makes it sooo easy and boring. I think the main reason I was able to actually finish this game and somewhat enjoy it was because it made me think. Clearly this isn't my favorite game but with a free game coupon to waste away a couple hours, I'd say this game is worth playing. It's also by the developers who have released all the Fantasy Mosaic games. Its nice to see they can do something other than nonograms although I do wish the game were a bit more polished. Overall though, it was okay.
Scour the world uncovering clues and apprehending Interpol`s most dangerous criminals!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Oldie But Goodie
PostedDecember 14, 2016
megwoman25
fromNorthern California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Every once in awhile I crave an old school hidden object scene where you just find objects and then solve some kind of puzzle in-between. I have played most of them but it seems I missed this one along the way. This game is totally old school and if you don't like pure hidden object scenes you probably won't like this one. However its just what I needed. You are an agent of Interpol and have to solve crimes by finding the objects and then solving the mini game at the end. You have 4 hints per chapter and that was plenty for me. I was able to locate most of the objects myself and the only mini game I struggled with was the spot the differences one because well the game graphics are a bit outdated and the blurriness didn't help find the differences. So each round I made sure I saved at least 2 hints in case I stumbled upon that game and then I had enough hints to get me through to the next and so on. There are no voiceovers or anything else fancy about this game except you can play in full screen, with or without a custom cursor and you can turn the volume up or down. These games can be really relaxing and I found that this rainy night was the perfect excuse to play such a game. Kudos.
I recommend this game!