lil_chickadee's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.2
- Helpful Votes:636
- Reviews Submitted:18
- First Review:February 1, 2013
- Most Recent Review:November 3, 2023
- Featured reviews0
Status:
It's up to you to rescue your friend and discover what the dark forces are after!
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
OK game, but not a Secret Order game
PostedJuly 30, 2016
lil_chickadee
fromSilicon Valley, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game is one that the devs had on the trash heap from five years ago that they decided to make a mint on by slapping the "Secret Order" label onto it. All that was needed (they thought) was to change the name of the heroine to Sarah Pennington and make the bad guy the leader of the Dragon clan. WRONG!!!!! There's one mention of the Order of the Griffins, and it's just a threat by the bad guy to destroy them. The mini games are almost all something we've seen before. For those who might not know how they are played, too bad. There is no "info" to tell you how to play the game. You either fiddle about till you figure it out or skip the game. The "journal" is just a list of things to do. What a waste of two credits. Shame. If I had played the original game five years ago and not expected it to advance the Secret Order story line, I might have liked it.
I don't recommend this game.
Puzzle your way through Fill-A-Pix or Pic-A-Pix on your quest to restore the Great Tapestries and save Mysteria from darkness!
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 9 found this review helpful
Just not a challenge.
PostedApril 13, 2014
lil_chickadee
fromSilicon Valley, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I beg to differ with the other reviewers, but I found this game so terribly simple as to be boring. I admittedly have been playing both pic a pix and fill a pix online for 10+ years and am probably quite a bit more practiced at these than the general run of players. If you're not familiar with fill a pix and are in the beginner skill level of pic a pix, this might be enjoyable. I'm used to solving 100 x 100 full-color, beautiful, almost art-quality puzzles elsewhere, so this disappointed me.
I don't recommend this game.
When a new romance blossoms, the door to mystery opens in Love Alchemy!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 5 found this review helpful
My mom would love this.
PostedJanuary 20, 2014
lil_chickadee
fromSilicon Valley, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
She likes those games with easy puzzles that take 30 seconds to solve, unlimited clickity-clicking in the hidden object scenes, sparkles, objects that are used obviously and immediately...and she doesn't much care about storyline. So if you know someone who's been in despair trying to find hidden object games from the I Spy/Huntsville era, steer them in this direction. They'll love it.
Me? I think it's a plus there's no voiceovers (detest them), pets (same) or strategy guide (almost never use them or walkthroughs, either). I don't give a hoot about beautiful artwork. However, I would like a coherent story that I don't figure out 3 1/2 seconds into the opening movie, even though I only got to read about half the opening dialogue. I would like more challenge to the inventory items. I would like puzzles that don't solve themselves so easily that they might as well not have wasted their time drawing the graphics for them. (Make the diamond in the middle red--click all diagonal rows to make the whole thing red. Go back and click the edge rows to turn them back to blue. Voila! Red diamond. Seriously took longer to click than to solve.)
Me? I think it's a plus there's no voiceovers (detest them), pets (same) or strategy guide (almost never use them or walkthroughs, either). I don't give a hoot about beautiful artwork. However, I would like a coherent story that I don't figure out 3 1/2 seconds into the opening movie, even though I only got to read about half the opening dialogue. I would like more challenge to the inventory items. I would like puzzles that don't solve themselves so easily that they might as well not have wasted their time drawing the graphics for them. (Make the diamond in the middle red--click all diagonal rows to make the whole thing red. Go back and click the edge rows to turn them back to blue. Voila! Red diamond. Seriously took longer to click than to solve.)
I don't recommend this game.
My Singing Monsters
Collect, breed, and listen to your monsters sing, you have never seen a game like this before!
Overall rating
5
/
5
348 of 440 found this review helpful
Love it. Playing for 3 months on Android.
PostedSeptember 9, 2013
lil_chickadee
fromSilicon Valley, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I was so shocked to see this out for PC. We just got the first anniversary party update on Android and a new island, so I should have expected it.
This is a fun little world-building game. I have not spent one red cent on it, and I have 4 islands and 4 mini mines. I just play it with my breakfast cereal, then let things happen while I work, then check on stuff when I get home and before I go to bed. Takes less than 10 minutes each time.
It does take a while to get started. I had to babysit the first island for an hour or so an evening for the first week or so to get the money rolling in and figure out how to do things. But that's OK--it's when you're most excited about a game like this anyway.
As for challenge, well just try breeding an Ethereal Monster. You have a 1/500 chance of getting one. And getting monsters fed up to level 15 so you can put them on Gold Island to hear all monsters together can take months. Thank goodness there are all kinds of ways to earn diamonds and gold without money if you just have a bit of patience.
This game reminds me of Symphony in One Movement, because each monster makes a noise and you only really hear the song when you get them all together. It's cute and fun. Try it if you like world-building games. You'll like it.
This is a fun little world-building game. I have not spent one red cent on it, and I have 4 islands and 4 mini mines. I just play it with my breakfast cereal, then let things happen while I work, then check on stuff when I get home and before I go to bed. Takes less than 10 minutes each time.
It does take a while to get started. I had to babysit the first island for an hour or so an evening for the first week or so to get the money rolling in and figure out how to do things. But that's OK--it's when you're most excited about a game like this anyway.
As for challenge, well just try breeding an Ethereal Monster. You have a 1/500 chance of getting one. And getting monsters fed up to level 15 so you can put them on Gold Island to hear all monsters together can take months. Thank goodness there are all kinds of ways to earn diamonds and gold without money if you just have a bit of patience.
This game reminds me of Symphony in One Movement, because each monster makes a noise and you only really hear the song when you get them all together. It's cute and fun. Try it if you like world-building games. You'll like it.
I recommend this game!
Take up the role of True Leader and help your people flourish in a new land by training workers and building structures.
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 11 found this review helpful
Royal Envoy reminds me of this game.
PostedMay 4, 2013
lil_chickadee
fromSilicon Valley, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game is older than Royal Envoy, and I've owned it since 2008. The gameplay is similar, but different enough that if you enjoy RE you should at least give this game a play (and vice versa). You start each level with a list of goals and it's up to you how to meet it. You have different worker types to hire in the "town" to get the job done. You have general workers who build buildings and do low-level work in most of them. You have merchants, who generally earn money wherever you put them. You can upgrade the buildings to hire "experts" in the building task that greatly increase output. You get the ability to build more buildings and hire more types of workers as you go. Along the way, you get to build large structures that advance the story. Yes, the graphics are simple (but pleasant and not distracting). The workers look sort of like those Fisher-Price Little People you plug into the schoolbus. I can lose track of time playing this game.
I recommend this game!
Build your way through six decades of American history, earning cash and buying upgrades in this Time Management biz.
Overall rating
5
/
5
21 of 22 found this review helpful
Addictive, funny, infinitely re-playable
PostedMay 4, 2013
lil_chickadee
fromSilicon Valley, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I've owned this game since it came out (2008). I've replayed it at least a dozen times since then (maybe more). It's really fun, especially if you remember the 50's, 60's, 70's, etc. All characters are dressed in period clothing. Some of them resemble period celebrities. The music in the background changes with each decade, and the house styles reflect the era, as well. You get a "newspaper" at the beginning of each decade to tell you fun facts (like the price of a car, or major news stories). The more stars you get in a decade, the better the hero's life is. It's kind of fun to play to purposely get fewer stars to see the different stories. Kind of a unique goal for a TM game. Yes, there's a lot of clicking, but it escalates so slowly that you don' t really notice until you're well and truly hooked on the game. I'm not usually a click-fest fan, but this one grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go.
I recommend this game!
Travel back in time to the late 19th century and get ready for spectacular adventures on land, sea and air.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
One of my favorite go-to games
PostedMarch 24, 2013
lil_chickadee
fromSilicon Valley, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Bought this game from the devs when it came out (years ago). Bullied my mom into installing it, too. Now it's the go-to game for both of us when we're bored of HOG's and have a lot of time to spend at the computer. Believe me, you can't just sit down and play this for 5 minutes. Some levels take 15 minutes in and of themselves (if you can manage to solve them at all).
There's no "relaxed" mode, it's all timed. All 80-some levels of it (won't ruin it by telling you how many). The most frustrating part of it is waiting for pieces to fall. And they always ruin everything you've so carefully put into place to get that last piece. But that's also what's so addictive. Play it 100 times and it'll still be challenging.
There's no "relaxed" mode, it's all timed. All 80-some levels of it (won't ruin it by telling you how many). The most frustrating part of it is waiting for pieces to fall. And they always ruin everything you've so carefully put into place to get that last piece. But that's also what's so addictive. Play it 100 times and it'll still be challenging.
I recommend this game!
Chuzzle: Christmas Edition
Slide rows and columns of Chuzzles to group them together, watch them burst with joy!
Overall rating
5
/
5
32 of 34 found this review helpful
A Chuzzle addict for 8 years now
PostedFebruary 1, 2013
lil_chickadee
fromSilicon Valley, CA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Just had to weigh in here and tell you all that this is one of the best games I've ever owned. I've owned it since 2005, and it's one of the dozen or so that I simply must re-load on every new computer I get. Everyone will love this non-violent pastime. You can choose timed or untimed, "classic" that ends with no moves left or "zen" that never ends. You can also work brain-teaser puzzles. It does save your game, contrary to another review here. You must choose to resume your game when the game starts or it will be erased, though. No "save slots" to choose a saved game from, but each profile can have a game saved to it.
The music is strictly 70's disco, but the sound effects of the Chuzzles are so cute! (They have separate volume level controls, thank goodness.) They squeal and giggle and cheer. There's sleigh bells in this version when you make a match, which is very cheery.
Don't let the age of the game make you think the graphics are outdated and cheesy. The Chuzzles all have different eye colors, hair color and facial expressions. Their hair waves slowly in a mysterious breeze, and lays back in response to the way you pull the row. They roll their eyes and blink and look at your cursor. Leave the game alone too long and they fall peacefully asleep. Some of the ones in this holiday version wear mufflers or toboggans or Santa hats or mittens.
This is a game you'll find yourself re-discovering on your game list whenever you're in the mood for something light and cheery and not too brain-taxing. Plus I've never seen such a sad "don't quit" face as the one on this game. You just can't leave forever with the image of that face in your mind.
I recommend this game!