bluesycat's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.9
- Helpful Votes:1,094
- Reviews Submitted:151
- First Review:July 25, 2012
- Most Recent Review:August 2, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
While visiting your uncle, you stumble upon a curious case. Men are vanishing, reappearing dead days later. Who killed them?
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
A Solid Three
PostedJuly 22, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed main game. I was so exhausted by the end of the main game that I lacked both the energy and the inclination to attempt the bonus game.
I played at the easiest level, which proved to be too difficult. Even with the strategy guide there were parts of this game that I could not figure out. First off, the tutorial did not provide enough information to help play the game. For example, I stumbled across the hidden collectibles quite by accident about ¾ of the way through the game, when several of the locations were locked out. There had been no mention of these in the tutorial.
The mini-games got progressively more difficult as the game advanced. This is OK, but the last few were so hard that I had to skip even with help from the guide. Same for the HOS. Most had easy to find items, but there was almost always one item (or two) late in the game that I couldn't find.
On the plus side, the graphics were striking for most of the game with lots of interesting details that just completed the settings, even though not used in the game. The "uncle's" Robert DeNiro angst was a bit much but forgivable because of the technical quality. The music was only so-so, but I don't always care about the music.
There's a good interactive map. The diary is mostly not helpful. I missed a few of the achievements, but since they are not described, I'm not sure what I didn't do to not get them - a flying pig??
Anyway, I recommend the game. It just wasn't all that fun for me, but others who like a very hard game should really enjoy this one.
I recommend this game!
Your favorite professor summons you to the island of Castle Rock. He wants you to find the philosopher's stone and save the world!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Thoughtful Story
PostedJuly 22, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the completed game.
This game is the classic story of the hero's quest, but the main character is a woman, which is a little different. There are lovely and complex settings, lots of locations. Most of the puzzles and HOs are easy to solve - a plus for me. The graphics are beautiful, and the music haunting. Sometimes I just sat there staring at the screen and listening to the music.
Each part of the story is complete in itself, so I could go away and come back without losing my mind.
The game is not perfect, however. The lack of a map was frustrating on oh, so many levels. There are many locations that a revisited late in the game that had not been visited in a l-o-n-g time. Remembering what was where for those was tough. There is also a lot of back and forth for which a jump would have been nice.
There is also a rather fair amount of "unfinished business." Early in the game the main character jumps to a kind of dream world "nexus" at which there are four doors. Only one of them is visited in the game and we never go back there. Although complete in every rational sense, I had a feeling of incompleteness when I finished the game. These issues might be dealt with in the CE, but I didn't buy it.
But overall the game is enjoyable and moves right along.
I recommend this game!
A legendary secret agent has gone rogue and Intrigue, Inc. needs you to track him down. Uncover Raven’s diabolical plan!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Let me count the ways I hate glints and sparkles
PostedJuly 8, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game is quite easy, which is OK. I not sure if it's so easy because every puzzle, every hidden object, every move, every thought is highlighted with glints, or because it's just easy. Admittedly, I played the easier mode of the two, but that's because when I want a hint, I don't want to wait forever for it to recharge. But not only do actions have sparkles, things that need to be done are outlined in lights in the shape of the item you need to use. I like easy, but this was annoying.
I don't recommend this game.
Explore a haunted amusement park in Weird Park: Broken Tune! Investigate a rash of “accidental” deaths and solve the case!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Mixed Bag
PostedJune 29, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is a mixed hidden object and puzzle game. The protagonist is supposedly investigating strange things happening at a closed amusement park. But the developers apparently forgot that there was a story here.
The HOs are many, mostly easy and often revisited. There is a misclick penalty, which is unfortunate because some scenes have more than one of an object, some have a misidentified object (e.g., find a "Fern" when the scene had both a fern and a palm tree and the item wanted was the palm tree), and some required very precise clicking on certain objects.
The puzzles were either very easy (find the differences, unscramble tiles), or so hard I couldn't do them: too many create a picture when each click moved many items. (That is not a reason for my low rating on this game. I can't figure the logic of these types of puzzles and just skip them, no harm, no foul.) There are a LOT of puzzles.
The problem here is that about a third of the way into the game, they forgot there was a story. Then when to all intents and purposes, the story was complete, you suddenly find yourself in a brand new universe with all kinds of different rules and tools. I actually thought the second half of the game was more fun to play, but I play for story and there wasn't one in the second half.
You also collect huge numbers of items in inventory (which does not lock). and it is often unclear when and where to use them, and some items you know you have to use can't be collected until the game decides it's time - but the time is also often lacking any logical connection to anything. I needed to use the hint repeatedly to tell me where the next scene to play was (there is no map), and I had to consult the walkthrough once, because the hint thought I had an item in inventory that I had not yet collected.
I found the ending is totally unsatisfying. But if you like lots of puzzles and easy HOs, and don't care about the story and lots of back and forth, you should have fun playing.
I recommend this game!
Diagnose and treat patients while growing your small clinic into a thriving hospital! Earn awards for hospital excellence to protect your land from the greed of an evil tycoon!
Overall rating
1
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
Yup, It's As Bad As Everyone Said
PostedJune 25, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
When I see reviews as negative as this game received, I just have to check it out. How could anything be this bad? This game is that bad. I lasted about 5 minutes before imploding and wishing someone would kill me. I didn't have the exiting problems. If I moused up to the top of the screen (on a Mac) I got my top level menu bar and was able to quit the game from there. Altho everyone who said they couldn't quit were right. Oh well, it's uninstalled now.
I don't recommend this game.
When a new romance blossoms, the door to mystery opens in Love Alchemy!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
I Don't Know How to Rate This. . .
PostedJune 19, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the "completed" game. The game is not long - for slow players like me maybe 2-3 hours, which is fine with me. Easy game play, flows right along. Lots of easy HOS and mostly easy puzzles.
The settings are beautiful and well drawn and the storyline was suitably creepy. While the heroine essentially repeats her rescue of others seven times, each rescue has a slightly different premise and contributes to the story. Each rescue opens a piece of the puzzle of why things are happening. I like this.
Here's the problem. This game has an alternate ending. I chose unwisely. Partly because I didn't really have a clue that this was the ending! I have chosen unwisely in the past, but at least I knew what I was doing. NOW, I have to go back and play the whole game AGAIN! Not happy. So you can choose for yourselves.
Uncover the mysterious past of a sleepy seaside village and find your missing son in Whispered Secrets: The Story of Tideville!
Overall rating
2
/
5
10 of 14 found this review helpful
Just short of Awful
PostedJune 16, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Review based on the complete game. Why I waded through this mess to complete it is beyond me. It had promise, starting out with main character's child disappearing from his room before her eyes. It was all downhill from there.
Mom never expressed ANY emotion about losing her child! None! Makes you wonder. Nothing in the game provided any information about why the bad guy was doing what he was doing. No rhyme or reason.
This game NEEDS A MAP! It extremely NEEDS A MAP! Endless, mindless back and forth, collecting this and that, using this and that, but there so much stuff and the game is so large that you have to write down everything, and the logic is very flawed, not letting you get something you know you need until the game decides it's time, but then letting you get something you don't need and carry around for 20 scenes. By the way, it also needs a LOCKING inventory. And if you walk away for a day, you can't remember where anything is or where anything came from.
The HOs are fuzzy and fussy. The tedium is saved by the very easy option of using a Match-3. Unfortunately for me, most of the time, I forgot it was there and waited for the endless time it took for several hints to renew.
Sound was not glorious, kind of crackly and repetitively annoying. I usually keep music on low. This time I shut it off. The only reason this game gets 2 stars is for the art work. Except for the HOs, this game is drawn with beautiful detail. Even the scenes that you visit for one second and never return to are fully detailed. This was nice, but I wish I'd never bought this one.
I don't recommend this game.
Find the woman who disappears in the Hall of Mirrors. Investigate two worlds: the Carnivals of Good and Evil!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Good Game
PostedJune 9, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game was a lot of fun to play. A good mix of HOGs and puzzles. Most of the puzzles were very easy - either easy or impossible! The HOGs were also easy - I rarely had to use a hint. Most of the action/story was intuitive and rational.
Gorgeous settings, particularly in the mirror world. There were many glorious locations that were never explored, but it sparked imagination. There is a helper, who is not really useful, but cute. And this SE has a bonus chapter which satisfyingly wraps up the loose ends from the main game. I was very pleased with this game.
So if you don't like very easy puzzles, this is not the game for you. But if you want a game that flows right along and is easy enough for old people and kids to solve, it's great. Go and enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Play as a small goldfish with an insatiable appetite. The more you eat, the bigger you get!
Overall rating
5
/
5
103 of 128 found this review helpful
Tasty Planet Revisited
PostedJune 9, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I LOVED the Tasty Planets. This is that game over again, and I love it too. Comic, fun, silly, eat, eat, eat, eat. You get the idea. Good mouse skills needed for the highest scores, but so what? Fun is fun. This is so much fun, it doesn't even need a story.
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Not Enough Fun
PostedMay 6, 2014
bluesycat
fromAlbany, NY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on completing the Demo, I will not be buying this game.
The story is OK and the settings are suitably creepy for the game to be interesting. BUT, the HOS are too fuzzy and tiny for my old eyes to be able to see well. But that's the least of this game's problems. If this were all I would be OK with it.
Here's why I won't buy: (1) Very large setting and the map is NOT interactive. There is WAY too much back and forth from one distant location to another to obtain a single item and then go back (and forth). (2) The game is not particularly intuitive. I had to use the hint many times to get direction to the next location. (3) The inventory does not lock open. Again a failing for an old person, who can't remember what's in there, so lots of unnecessary clicking to look at the inventory. (4) And then there's this "Case" tool - that is just silly.
All that extra clicking makes this game a no go for me. (But I wish I could find out what happened in the end.)
I don't recommend this game.