KeysPirate's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:353
- Reviews Submitted:49
- First Review:May 8, 2012
- Most Recent Review:September 7, 2016
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Your librarian friend wants your help as a journalist – he’s found an ancient book that is still unfinished. Can you save the world in the book before their story ends?
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Big, bright, colorful, FUN!
PostedSeptember 12, 2014
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I gave this game 5 stars because I enjoyed playing it enough that I actually would play it again. It is not perfect, and I generally reserve a 5 rating for a game that has no flaws. However, I thought the mini games were challenging but fun and VERY creative. The music was monotonous and frankly annoying; I should have turned it off. Loved the rabbit; wasn't crazy about the people, whose mouths did not move when they spoke, but still I prefer that over the balloon-like swaying things that try to be 3D but just look stupid. The artwork was excellent, nice and clear, and there were some great little effects.
I recommend this game!
Stop the bitter Spirit of Cold from killing your ancestors!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Great artwork, terrible story and gameplay
PostedFebruary 25, 2014
KeysPirate
fromFlorida
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
OK, this is from a "senior citizen" point of view, and this game is obviously written for children. So feel free to ignore my review if you're buying this for your kids or grandkids. I should also mention that I just finished playing Fate's Carnival, which is soooo good that I'm kind of spoiled.
From a visual perspective, it is lovely, but the scenes are not very detailed, and there are usually only a few things to find.
The intro was cheesy. Music a big YUCK! Nicely drawn characters but since their lips don't move when they talk, it seems phony.
HO scenes are big, bright and colorful. Easy on my tired old eyes, but really way too easy.
The story line strikes me as silly, and it is irksome that the bad woman keeps waiting for me and saying she can kill me, but she doesn't. There should be a reason. The ice wolf could kill me, too, but he just stands there panting and making very unwolflike sounds.
Objects are often hidden in very unreasonable places -- a metal object in a loaf of bread???? Am I expecting too much logic?
There are some clever HO scenes and puzzles, but they are also pretty simple and silly. OK for kids, I guess. And there are some adorable animals, like the mouse, but getting him out of the cat's grasp was not logical.
To give you an idea of how silly the narrative is, I'll include a sample quote. I don't consider this to be a spoiler because if you play the game you'll hear it.
"It's my beloved Margaret. We ran away against my parent's [sic] wishes, but she fell on the train tracks and... and... and I couldn't save her! I beg you, please help my beloved Margaret."
And later, when you find Margaret on the tracks, the situation becomes even more dire: "Margaret's medicine! She needs it as soon as possible." Well, not if the train runs her over, which I'm thinking it should have because I only had 10 minutes to throw the switch, and time was up quite a while ago. Oh, and she also needs "warmth" to stay alive.
If that's not enough to alienate a serious gamer, trust me, there are plenty more things that defy logic. In one scene, I can't reach a bag on a high shelf, but somehow I manage (without climbing) to reach something at the top of a street lamp post!
And then there's the music. I turned it way down at the beginning, but can still hear what sounds like Hawaiian music playing. It's winter and snowing! C'mon guys.
I will plod through the rest of the game because I don't like wasting my money, but I sure do wish I hadn't bought the CE.
I don't recommend this game.
Something wicked has taken over Fate’s Carnival!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
An Epic Masterpiece worthy of 10 stars
PostedFebruary 24, 2014
KeysPirate
fromFlorida
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Brilliant! Amazing! Challenging! Thrilling! Immersive!
This is unquestionably the best and the longest game I have ever played. It truly exceeds the normal rating system because it is at least 2 or 3 times as long as most games, not even counting the extras such as solitaire and decorating Isis' room.
CAUTION: If you are one of those gamers whose goal is to "beat the game" (I hate that term... you don't "beat" a game, you complete it) as fast as you can, beware... this game will "beat" you.
Not only is this a superb adventure with all the wonderful old carnival locations and characters and games, it includes several incredibly clever, colorful, puzzling, delightful multi-part games that are so much fun! Most are sort of steampunk style, with mechanical devices that you have to get working. I really had to put on the old thinking cap to solve them, and many took me more than an hour. I especially loved the Shark Fishing and the Juke Box.
[Note: I played in "Swallow Hard" mode and did not use the SG, but did have to resort to a few hints and check the Forums a few times. It is so much more rewarding to figure things out for yourself, even if it takes a very long time.]
The HO scenes (not very many) were very good, far better than in most other games but they pale in comparison to the multi-part puzzles.
Other great stuff:
NOTEBOOK. More than just notes. Don't neglect to open it from time to time. You will need it for many different purposes.
MAP: You don't really need it for transportation because you can get to almost anywhere from anywhere with just a few clicks and no scene-change delays, and you may encounter new things along the way. If you are stuck, it can be helpful to guide you to places where there are things to do, but don't take that to mean you can do them NOW. And there are a couple of glitches, where places that have no available action are shown as active.
CLICKS: Clicking on things that don't appear to be active can reward you with surprises and humorous comments. Sometimes you have to click multiple times before anything happens. Be aware that you must be precise in where you click in certain scenes, so if you don't get a response, click nearby.
BOBBLEHEADS: Be on the lookout in all places. I missed one and while I don't care much about Achievements, I am disappointed that I didn't find them all. Before you get too far along in the game, you should check out the Bobblehead room. It might give you a clue as to locations.
MUSIC: Not on all the time, but when it comes in, it is dramatic and adds to the excitement. And it does NOT repeat indefinitely. That drives me crazy.
ARTWORK: I love this style... mostly realistic but with a drawn, artistic look. Amazing detail, and many truly beautiful scenes amidst the ruins of the old carnival. The animals are so real... loved the rabbit and was so glad I got to interact with him more than once. I stared at the blue hole in the grotto for a long time, just because it was pretty.
TASKS: All fun, no drudgery or frustration (except that one mixed up mask puzzle in one of the later multi-part games that made me a little crazy but I finally got it). Shooting galleries are one of my favorite attractions, so I was real happy that I got to go back a few times. There was a perfect balance of finding things that you wonder where and when you might use them vs. finding things that you've been looking for. "Oh boy, another dart!"
BONUS CHAPTER was as long as most regular games. And when I thought I was finished, there was more! And then more... What seems like the end is not all there is. Don't miss the Secret Room.
A must buy! I hope there will be more like this.
I recommend this game!
A wonderful story of the citizens of Joyville. Can you change their destiny? You will see – nothing is impossible!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Clever clever clever!
PostedFebruary 14, 2014
KeysPirate
fromFlorida (It's not snowing here but it is freezing)
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I have great admiration for game designers who create innovative and clever stories, puzzles, surprises and "extras" that amuse and entertain. All of the Puppet Show games that I've played so far have these characteristics, and they are among my favorites.
DeDe129's review was very thorough, so I'll just add some miscellaneous comments.
REALLY GOOD STUFF
Mechanical puzzles and puppet shows. Not too hard but you do need to apply some logic and retry a few times. (A lot more than a few retries on the train puzzle but it was fun and very clever.)
Amusing things, like the Tres Hombres Cats. I laughed out loud.
Surprising stuff, like a new passage opening from an HO scene.
Find-and-use HO scenes, mostly big and bright. Yes, there were several misnamed objects, though some were actually rather cleverly named, and a few places where there was a moveable thing that didn't change the cursor.
Beautiful graphics (very important to me) that are not overly gaudy and are drawn rather than photographic.
I had fun with the hats. Very simple to put them together but better than just having a collection of things that you look at. I let my little helper wear several different ones. Cute!
I ran into one glitch near the end on a puzzle with rings. Apparently I started it prematurely (it shouldn't have allowed me to do anything, but it did, and it couldn't be reset so I had to skip it). If anyone is still out there thinking of buying the game, don't hesitate to get it, but try to remember not to start that puzzle before you go to the shack. I was able to replay the puzzle in the Extras, and it worked perfectly. Good puzzle; too bad about the frustrating glitch.
I recommend this game!
Play as both Ellie and Ian, two scientists stranded on Botanica. Can you save your friends and find your way home?
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Pretty flora and fauna but not much else to recommend it
PostedJanuary 29, 2014
KeysPirate
fromFlorida (It's not snowing here)
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Like Vicki, I had just finished A Christmas Carol, and this game is nowhere near as good. I might have given it another star if it had just been the SE, but as a CE, definitely not worth it. And as good as A Christmas Carol was, I wish I had not bought the CE of that one either. The main game was great, the BC was juvenile.
I played the earlier Botanica but it was so long ago I couldn't remember much about it except the basic premise of people stuck in a world of fantastic flora and fauna.
PROS:
Some very nice artwork, but generally only really good in the closeups. Most of the time you are viewing things from a distance, and they are not well defined. This game was very hard on my eyes.
A few of the mini games were fun. Others, such as putting together broken pieces of things or matching feathers and such were just plain tedious.
The map was pretty good. I used it quite a lot because I was tired and bored and wanted to get through the game.
CONS:
Characters looked and acted goofy. For me, it is much harder to get into a game when I am playing as some cartoon character rather than experiencing the adventure through my own eyes. The characters weren't very likable, especially Queen Kassandra, a real arrogant you-know-what.
The CE Extras weren't worth a dime to me. While the bonus play had some pretty scenery, it was more of the same back and forth, pick up this and that, go back, do a puzzle, get an item, go back again. I mentioned some pretty flora and fauna. Well, I might have wanted something pretty for a wallpaper, but NONE of the wallpapers had the pretty stuff! Every one had a goofy character! Nor did I care about the collectables or achievements. Yawn.
Music did not add anything and did not match the scenery and situations.
Special effects weren't very special and the animations were pretty ho hum, compared to what we get in most new (and even a lot of the older) games.
This game was not mysterious or exciting, two things that are most important to me in a game. Maybe okay for young children. Not my cup of tea. For some really great adventure, try the Weird Park games.
I don't recommend this game.
Everyone deserves a second chance – even the stingiest of them all.
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
5 Stars for main game, downgraded for bonus play & extras
PostedJanuary 14, 2014
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Superb graphics and animations, interesting story, good mini games (some very easy, others quite challenging). It was fun to play, and up until the game ended, I would have rated it a 5 because I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery, especially all of the beautiful Christmas decorations, and the animated toys. Even for an old curmudgeon like me, the children in the story were loveable.
It didn't bother me that the traditional story was altered. I thought it was great that your tasks were to complete acts of kindness, for which you were rewarded. It felt good, even though it's just a game.
Finding the morphing penguins was fun, but I did miss a few and you are not given a chance to go back and find them at the end, nor are the locations indicated on the map. Even if they would just highlight the map to show where I had found a penguin, that would have encouraged me to go to other locations and look harder. Oh well. Perhaps in future games.
Here's what I didn't like:
BONUS GAME: Unless you are about 3 years old and/or REALLY love cats, I think you'd agree with me that the bonus game trivialized the main game and was quite silly. Cute, yes, captivating, no.
CE EXTRAS: If you like the challenge of finding hidden objects real fast, you'll be pleased with the Achievements. I scored pitifully low on achievements because I like to enjoy the scenery and take my time looking around. Don't care about those sorts of achievements or music or concept art. Sometimes I like to capture scenes to use as backgrounds, but this game does not allow you to use the snipping tool in windowed mode. Well, you can, but there is a giant PAUSED in the middle of the screen. None of the 12 backgrounds that are offered appealed to me. I want pretty scenery, not pictures of armored things or a closeup of the not very attractive Scrooge. It sure would be nice if the game developers would add a little feature to let you select any scene to capture as a background. I don't care if there's a title in the corner.
The whole CE concept kind of bothers me. Every game should be complete and come to a logical conclusion without a bonus chapter. In this game, it did, so I can't complain about that. But the problem is that you won't know if the bonus content is worth it until you've already bought it. Wouldn't it be great if you could just buy "the game" and then if you really loved it and wanted the extras, you could get them as an add-on for a few more bucks?
Finally, I will ask Elephant again to NOT have the RESET option. What is the purpose? I already said I wanted to PLAY, and if I want to restart I can create another name. Does RESET do what it sounds like it would and wipe out all of your progress? I haven't tried. If it simply returns to the main screen, then please call it return, or better yet, eliminate it. If I want to quit, I can click Menu and Quit. Am I missing something?
This is a wonderful game, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Christmas. But think carefully before you choose the CE over the SE.
I recommend this game!
You’re on a train in the middle of nowhere, and a band of dangerous thieves demand you tell them where to find the Hope Diamond’s shards. As the newest Hidden Expedition recruit, you’ve got to find the shards before they do…
Overall rating
2
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
Fooled by all the 5 star ratings
PostedJanuary 4, 2014
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I really don't understand why so many folks loved this game. It was one of the worst games I've ever played. The first word that comes to mind to describe it is "stupid." I disliked the characters and dialogue, the repeated and unrealistic escapes and captures, the music and most of the scenery. Puzzles were generally way too easy, and the HO scenes were HO-hum. I got tired of looking for cards and symbols and morphs, and switched from the hardest mode to the easiest just to get through it faster. Thankfully, it was a short game. I don't think I will bother to play the bonus chapter. What a sad waste of money. My New Year's resolution is to NEVER again buy a game when it first comes out. Seems to me that for some reason the early reviewers are way too eager to post glowing reports.
I don't recommend this game.
You were just about to relax with a good book when a stranger leaves a baby on your doorstep.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Amazing game!
PostedJanuary 1, 2014
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
There's not a whole lot I can add to what other reviewers have said. It is a masterpiece. A very LONG masterpiece, with incredible attention to detail and a lot of very clever and different twists and turns. I don't give out many 5 star ratings these days, since there are so many very good games out there, and I think a game should be truly exceptional to warrant the highest rating. There are games that I personally liked more than this one, particularly the Weird Park games because they had that extra WOW factor and everything was logical and sensible. It spoils my enjoyment of a game when objects or tasks are thrown in that don't make sense in the context of the game.
So, while this game did not have the excitement and suspense factors that I like, I have to give it a 5 because it had so much in it and it was so well planned. It made you think, and it pretty much forced you to look over the gorgeous scenes very carefully. I always take my time when playing a game, and like to stop and admire the artwork, but even so, I missed a ton of roses and morphing objects.
I absolutely recommend this game, and would advise everyone to look at the Extras before you get too far into the game. That will give you a little heads up on what you need to look for and (if you're seriously into achievements) achieve.
I recommend this game!
Take on Time Mysteries: The Ancient Spectres, a challenging Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game! Stop the evil witch Viviana!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Disappointing... poor ending, too many HOs
PostedDecember 15, 2013
KeysPirate
fromFlorida
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
For most of the game, I thought it was pretty good, but toward the end it got really bogged down with HO after HO. It seemed to me that they needed to wrap things up but ran out of places to locate needed objects, so they just threw in a ton of HO scenes. My eyes are shot. I played the match games many times when I just couldn't keep looking, but even those were a strain on the eyes.
Some things, such as the fireflies/cocoons, were never explained or resolved. The story didn't hold together very well, and the ending! Unacceptable. I guess I was supposed to have bought the CE, or I am now supposed to buy the sequel. Well, even if I had loved the game, I wouldn't do that on principle.
Maybe some fishies want every game to be lengthy, but I look for quality over quantity and LOGIC over incongruity. This game got very tiring, made even more so by the extreme back and forth, and the constant need to find multiples of the same object, with each one strewn all about in unrealistic locations.
I don't recommend this game.
These nursery rhymes are cursed, and your sister’s been taken by the Crooked Man!
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
Too much bling, puzzles repetitive
PostedDecember 5, 2013
KeysPirate
fromFlorida
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game was close to a 4, but since I try to reserve a 5 rating for truly exceptional games with outstanding graphics, sound and story line, and a real "wow" factor, I can only justify a 4 rating for games I like a lot but that have a few flaws. "Cursery" had too many negatives, notably:
PUZZLES were the same few "styles" over and over. I liked the cardboard cutout ones but got very tired of doing symbol swaps and string burning. Each to his/her own, but I am not good at the revolving ring games and had to skip several out of frustration at getting so close but not quite there.
BEAUTIFUL OBJECTS were lovely to look at, but they were everywhere! Too much of a good thing tends to overwhelm, and all the glitz and glitter did not seem to fit with the game's dark theme.
SCENERY was often quite pretty, but not very crisp.
I really liked the map! Very different and clever. Unfortunately I didn't notice it was there until I'd almost completed the main game. It would have decreased my usage of hints when I (frequently) couldn't figure out or remember where to go.
BONUS game was quite good, though Humpty was rather disgusting.
I'll recommend the game, but only if you've run out of 4 and 5 star games to play. And if you like those swapping-turning-burning type of puzzles.
I recommend this game!