mrm2006's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.5
- Helpful Votes:10,688
- Reviews Submitted:813
- First Review:April 8, 2013
- Most Recent Review:August 22, 2023
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Relaxing match 3 with a good story to go with it.
PostedSeptember 7, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It's not often you find a good story line to go with any game these days, but you will find both here in Alchemist's Apprentice.
You are an apprentice at Magic and Alchemy when you are called upon by your Uncle to manage his Kingdom while he's away. Unfortunately, his Kingdom is in ruins do to his obsession with the Sorcerer's Stone. It's up to you to clean things up a bit.
This is a typical match 3 (or more) games by matching jewels/gems vertically or horizontally in matches of 3 or more. Sometimes they will be iced over and you have to make suitable matches to unfreeze the gems. You earn bonuses along the way which will explode, etc. as needed. You don't have to do a thing!
That's about it. Graphics are good, music ok. Nothing special about the background. But, this IS a timed game.
The Bonus Level drove me nuts. I'm not very good at collecting coins that fall from a tree. Your cursor is supposed to guide the leprechaun to catch them (and not the leaves) off the tree but mine failed horribly. LOL
Collecting coins and more in this fun match 3 should be a game everyone can enjoy. Not a purchase for me as I own too many match 3 games i have yet to play.
Happy Gaming!
I recommend this game!
Save the luminous Pearl Reef from the evil Sea Dragon in 200 levels of Match 3 Puzzle excitement!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Oh No! The Big Black Sea Dragon!!!!!
PostedSeptember 7, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
You play the brave little octopus who is going to free the underwater territory from the big black sea dragon with the help and advice from the Gogglefish (who wear the cutest glasses to make them look smart).
To do this you play the quirkiest and cutest match 3 game ever devised. You, as the little brave octopus, are on the right side of the game board. To your left are conveyor belts of colored pearls. In your 2 hands, you hold 2 colored pearls. Toss one of the colored pearls into the rows of conveyor belts in order to make groups or matches or 3 or more colored pearls. Sounds easy? Yeah, I thought it was entertaining and fun too.
You can earn bonuses in the form of additional coins (which you earn through completing levels), extra lives (which I assume will be needed as the levels get harder) and ones you purchase (as they become available). Each bonus you purchase can be upgraded 9x. The 9th time giving that particular bonus the maximum power available - and those bonuses are helpful. There are also 3 mega bonuses that I believe you can only purchase once - no upgrades.
Along the way of playing the game, the Gogglefish will show up between levels warning you of the Big Black Sea Dragon's next wily move against you as well as offer you tips and tricks of defeating the levels facing you. Pay attention. These Gogglefish, they know some stuff. LOL.
One thing you AREN'T told. The conveyor belts will periodically move closer to you. Don't let them or I believe you will lose a life. They start off small - 6 pearls each row and grow and grow as you level up. Every so many levels, not each level.
There are also bonus levels where you shoot at bomb carrying sharks (of all sizes) - I hadn't missed one yet.
I was on the end of the 2nd level of the snaky looking "map" when the demo timed out and I believe I was at Level 12-something so the game is substantial in length IMO. Also, it appeared that at the very top of the map (as you work your up from the bottom) the Big Black Sea Dragon waits for you. Big Boss Challenge?
This isn't a purchase for me yet because I own many match 3 games I have yet to play but it's on my wish list. Try it yourself. If anything, you have to smile your way through the hour.
Happy Gaming!
I recommend this game!
Travel the world as Emily King, an adventurer with a yearning for knowledge. Help her win the Grand Adventurers Expedition!
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Excellent Game with Lots of Promise ................... then
PostedSeptember 7, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
it flops.
This is a game meant for a certain small group of people: those who have an incredible knowledge of politics, geography, country flags and miscellaneous trivia.
The storyline is excellent. The scene opens up at your father's grave. You, he and your goofy uncle have been building the fastest airship to enter a once in a generation chance to win the World's Greatest Adventurer race. You, as it's now your legacy, are the new pilot since your father's passing. Dumb and Dumber, along with goofy uncle, are your crew.
You have 10 days to finish the race. You get clues as to which country to go to next. And, herein lies where the game COULD have been nice for everyone, but it flops.
You are given a clue regarding the country in question. Generally, it seems politics. If you cannot guess it by going to the map and pinpointing it, you have a choice of 3 games to play - one will show you a not-quite-knowledgeable site, another will show you the country's flag and the third will be another clue in the form of miscellaneous trivia.
3 clues you can earn. 3 games you can play. The first is to string the same colored beads into triangles so you can eventually shoosh out the flag underneath. The 2nd game is a typical match 3 wherein you must match like colors and get rid of stones containing letters. The 3rd game is matching groups of 3 but not horizontally, etc. but in a group.
That's the game. I got all but the first country right. Airship disappeared or crashed or got eaten by aliens, whatever happens after you've wasted your 10 days trying to figure where to go.
Experts - this one's for you. Definitely not a purchase nor a recommend.
I don't recommend this game.
Restore the paintings of great artists that have been spoiled by mysterious thieves! Expose their plans and free the world of art!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Original Game SOOOO Much Better
PostedSeptember 7, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
If you don't believe me, read my review. LOL.
Truly, this game had little to offer. No story line worth mentioning. Apparently, our grown up Lana has gone away on an extended vacation and is now back in a brand new ugly apartment that you get to fix up with the money you earn on your jobs.
Your jobs consist of .... you guessed it ..... restoring paintings. Except now she's working undercover for the FBI to catch these thugs. There are a variety of characters, who look worse than the paintings. At least Lana's character looks quite nice.
What I Dislike:
No variety in the HOGs (hidden object games). Just one itemized list after another. The original game had such a wide variety of games - why did the Developer lose that aspect? It made the game so much more entertaining.
No variety in the HOGs (hidden object games). Just one itemized list after another. The original game had such a wide variety of games - why did the Developer lose that aspect? It made the game so much more entertaining.
The music was enough to put me to sleep.
The paintings were horrible. You couldn't tell where one thing started and another ended. Which brings me to .....
The HOGs themselves. You could only find items through hunt and peck until you cleared quite a few off the painting. If they weren't hidden in the painting by being the same dark and dreary colors, they were impossibly small.
Graphics - The paintings were horrible, the characters were horrible, everything was horrible.
What did I Like?
Lana's character looked much better.
Lana's character looked much better.
The demo ended.
If I were to purchase this game, I'd definitely go for the original. This game is an artist's worst nightmare. If you have a need to see some beautiful art .... go visit your nearest museum.
I don't recommend this game.
Lana was the best student in art school and now she is swamped with customers!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Wow! So many different kinds of hidden object games!
PostedSeptember 6, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
From the time she was a young girl, "restoring" a painting with a marker in an art museum, Lana has known her lifelong profession. After graduating art school, she is now meeting clients and working on "real" artwork.
This is an amazing game you can't get bored with. There are so many different HOGs (hidden object games)! From an itemized list to silhouettes to find the differences and many more, you can't get bored.
Earn money in each level so you can furnish Lana's tiny, ugly apartment. With each thing you purchase, an upgrade appears which, of course, costs more. LOL.
You meet different characters who offer you work and learn more and more about each one with each new job you get.
The graphics are a bit grainy, as one would expect in older art, I suppose and, therefore, my eyes have problems finding some of the objects. If not for that one issue, this would definitely be a purchase for me.
If you love HOGs, you will LOVE this game too.
Happy Gaming!
I recommend this game!
Margaret's soul has been broken into fragments and strewn across multiple worlds. Can you find them all and save her?
Overall rating
5
/
5
32 of 39 found this review helpful
Finally, a Game I Can Sink My Teeth Into.
PostedSeptember 6, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
After ages of not having anything worthwhile as a CE or as a purchase to engage me, we finally have a game that is worthy of playing.
Margret, a kind, pure of heart soul has had her soul taken and broken into several other worlds by her boss, a scientist. Why other reviewers call him "mad" is beyond me. Perhaps he's overly zealous or overly obsessed with his latest invention. But, that doesn't make him "mad". The hero of the story is her brother, who not only has to restore her soul from these other worlds but save the worlds as well. A story within a story. Plus, there's this whole damsel in distress thing going on. Yeah, I'm a romantic at heart.
The graphics come across as a little too bright gold and orange for me but I hope that improves as I thoroughly enjoyed playing the demo.
There are 4 modes of play including "custom". You get the usual diary/journal that has a special section for each character in the story. A transportable map that shows not just one objective area but several at a time - love that. Your sister leaves you her "assistant" in the form of a Harlequin she's invented. She fixes things. She's not a pet, is kept in the inventory and was only used twice in the demo.
There are several unique things about the game as well. For instance, periodically, there is this optometrist looking contraption that shows up and seems to take a picture. It's not something you actively do yourself. Also, as you enter the portal for each world there is, apparently, a "power" you accrue that is denoted in one of 4 circles located around the hint button. The first being "levitation" so you can to things too high to reach.
CE bling consists of the usual music, wallpaper, etc., plus bonus game and strategy guide. BUT, there is also a Boudoir and a Museum. Other reviewers have complained that they are not accessible in the demo but I like that. I think it lends a bit of mystery to the game. What is it all about????? What fun is knowing EVERYTHING before you play the game. Achievements indicate collectibles in the form of coins (find 100 and find them all) and masks. No morphing objects - so sad. I like morphing objects.
So, those are the mechanics of the game. Now, the guts of the demo. It was fun, enjoyable, an old story told in modern times. I was mesmerized, intrigued and wanted to know more at the end of the demo. How was the hero to save his sister? How was he to save each and every world? If he saves that part of his sister's soul entrapped in the world, doesn't he then destroy the world? How did the scientist rig that up? Guess all the answers are in the game.
I hope everyone will take the time to at least try the demo. I enjoyed it an I think you will too. Gamers are expecting too much these days. Yes, we want fun, entertainment and this and that and the other. Fine. If you don't like what's being offered, go build a game and market it yourself. Just, chill out, sit back and enjoy the game. IT IS JUST A GAME - but lose yourself in the fantasy. Isn't that what it's all about?
Happy Gaming!
I recommend this game!
Do you suffer from Recyclomania?! Build your own recycling plants and become a recycling master in this incredible Match 3 game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 7 found this review helpful
This Game had really Good Prospects..................
PostedSeptember 4, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
and failed miserably.
The concept was good. A game about recycling. Match the items to be recycled to clear the level. That's the best and only part of the game that's saveable.
What I Disliked:
Let's start off with the "canned" hoots, hollers, laughter and hand-clapping every time you cleared a level. Actual "canned" hoots, hollers, etc. would have been 1,000 x better than the "real" life hoots, etc. of probably the Devs and their friends and families. And because of very VERY distinctive WHOO-HOOs, you can tell it's a short loop. At least have 3 or 4 different ones to break it up.
Nothing changes. Basically, you are matching the same items forever. Although there are bins for glass, paper, plastic and other. I THINK the premise is to fill the GIANT recycle bin for that one item then move on. It's boring.
There is a timed and relaxed mode. I played both. You CAN'T LOSE! There is no challenge in this game.
I was bored, annoyed and unimpressed. It really could have been a great game with a few tweaks. Because of how some of the recycles look (very filmy, difficult to see) I can't even recommend it to teach children about recycling.
So sad, too bad. Better luck next time guys.
I don't recommend this game.
Challenge your linguistic wit by combing words, pictures, and letters in this fabulous Word game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
Can you make sense out of pictures and letters?
PostedSeptember 4, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Yeah, me to. Or so I thought. LOL. I mean, seriously, how hard can it be? Who hasn't picked up a paper or "rag" magazine and done one or two? It ain't that easy folks.
You are given a short tutorial. WATCH AND LEARN!
You are given several pictures (don't worry, they start you off with one or two) and some letters (again, don't worry, they start you off with one or two). Now, make words - that make sense. Or, a string of words - that make sense. And not just one. To pass the level, there might be 6 or more.
For instance, D and "rain" = drain. BUT, C and "rain" does NOT = crane. Get it?
I LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT. A real challenge.
Unfortunately, due to an urgent telephone call I didn't get to play as much as i would have liked. Purchase it???? I don't know if I'm that brave cuz I sure know I ain't that smart - LOLOL.
I recommend this game!
Flip Words
Exercise your mental muscles with this phrase solving puzzler!
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 11 found this review helpful
Can you guess the phrase?
PostedSeptember 4, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Marble Popper, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Don't worry. It's easy. Not just the game play - everything about this game is easy and I never play word games. I'm usually not very good at them.
Connect letters together to form words. Double letters, free letters, blah, blah and more blah. The bigger the words, the fancier the words, the more letters used, the higher your point value. If you care about that sort of thing.
The GOAL is to complete the phrase that randomly comes up at every level before the game completes it without you. Complete the phrase - ta da - game over.
No choices of difficulty or timed or relaxed mode. No options for really anything substantial. I found this game highly boring and not entertaining at all. 3 stars is a B - I - G stretch for me. Not a purchase.
Have fun if you want a sleep aid.
I don't recommend this game.
Save your cats and investigate a series of leopard attacks.
Overall rating
3
/
5
57 of 74 found this review helpful
Defeat the Snow Leopards of ..... Snowville.
PostedSeptember 4, 2014
mrm2006
fromBelton MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I have to admit, I'm not very sure where to go with my review of this demo. TWO very uncomfortable things stand out immediately and I would normally add these at the end of my review but my brain just needs to let it out.
ONE. A GLARING fact. I finished this demo with 40 minutes to spare. That's including taking a look at the "Extras" before game play. That's also including fading in and out last night because I was so sleepy, turned it off and came back for the final 15 minutes this morning. A HUGE hesitation in purchasing this game will obviously have to do with my fear it's a very short game.
TWO: In the "Extras" section there is a "Cat" area that looks like a place where cats would love to play. 25 to be exact. Yet, the collectibles I found during game play were bits of paper to tell more of the story of Snowville. Did I miss something? I hope so. Because if 25 pieces of paper eludes to the "cat" area in extras, this game is NOT CE worthy.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest.
I love wild animals, especially the wild cats (lions, cheetahs, etc.) and Snow Leopards are beautiful creatures so I was hoping to love this game. Unfortunately, IMO there was no flow to the story. A lot of "acts" thrown together to try to imitate a story does not a story make.
The graphics, while better than most these days, left much to be desired in our characters' voices. The Zookeeper or Wild Animal Behaviorist or whatever he was -- could he have sounded more fake? And why, after being confronted by several snow leopards, did none even threaten you, until the end of the demo? Nope, your character is walking around like they're taking a walk in the park. A definite "hmmm" moment for me.
There is a map - transportable. A diary of sorts. 4 modes of difficulty including "custom". So far, no pets to help. No bright pinks or purples or fairies. The hint button will also transport you when necessary which makes the map ... repetitious?
I want to like this game, a lot. I'd love to own a game with those beautiful animals in it. But, really, given the time I took AWAY from the game without pausing it and STILL have 40 minutes left? And, are there morphing objects or collectible cats I missed? That would have added much to the game.
As much as I enjoyed the first in the series, the 2nd and now 3rd seem to be getting progressively worse than better. 3 stars was a b-i-g stretch in rating but the graphics were good and I love the animals. I'll be back to read other reviews, maybe I can be swayed. I hope so.
Happy Gaming!
I recommend this game!