BudSmellman's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.4
- Helpful Votes:271
- Reviews Submitted:7
- First Review:December 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:May 8, 2016
- Featured reviews0
BudSmellman's Review History
Our penguin family just discovered the fourth color! Enjoy mosaic puzzles in more colors than ever!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Forced to Use Hints ...
PostedMay 8, 2016
BudSmellman
fromCanada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I was enjoying the series, up until the later levels. Too often, towards the end of a game, you're forced to use a hint. And no, this isn't just missing the logic somewhere. These are situations where you have four spaces left, two more blocks to fill, and the two could go in anyone of the four spaces to match up with the block numbers. I'm on the 17th level now, and it seems almost every puzzle gets to this point now.
Picross games, if done properly, should be able to be solved purely on logic, never by guessing. I've bought a few of the Fantasy Mosaics series and never had this problem before. Designers are either getting lazy, or they think it would be "fun" for players to use have to use their hints.
Either way, last game in this series I'm going to buy.
I don't recommend this game.
Defend the fortress from trolls who have come to raid your lands! Build towers, earn money, collect crystals and upgrade your spells – the enemy shall not pass! Repel the aggressor!
Overall rating
4
/
5
24 of 24 found this review helpful
Hard. Really hard. Did I mention it was hard?
PostedJune 12, 2013
BudSmellman
fromCanada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
For those who, like myself, finished the first Royal Defense, you will look back on that experience as rather easy compared to this new version. I've played many TD games, this one is designed for you to fail, at least at first.
Many people are complaining about the invisible monsters, and not without reason. After playing for a while, I believe it is possible to get three stars on each level, but requires some real grinding to get enough gems to buy the upgrades. You need the patience to replay levels many times to do this.
Sadly, the game does suffer from poor help documentation. I would have thought that if the developers had listened to people's comments from the first version, they would have at least created a repository of some kind. Would not be a great effort to implement and the lack of it again in this new version kind of smacks of an attempt for quick turnaround for a buck.
Still, I remain a fan of the game and have made the purchase. I do like the pursuit of achievements, even with the punishing difficulty and lengthy grind needed.
I recommend this game!
Stop the undead from ruining the holidays with this snowball mash-up of a game!
Overall rating
1
/
5
11 of 15 found this review helpful
Game To Buy For People You Despise
PostedDecember 26, 2012
BudSmellman
fromCanada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Well @texfrog, I lasted a grand total of 7 minutes. Believe me, I sure don't feel like a better person.
Absolutely pointless.
I don't recommend this game.
Ravensburger Puzzle Selection
Solve a Ravensburger Puzzle in this amazing Puzzle game! Choose from tons of beautiful puzzle pictures today!
Overall rating
5
/
5
16 of 17 found this review helpful
A Definite Favorite
PostedAugust 28, 2012
BudSmellman
fromCanada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Great detail and pics. Lots of puzzles to choose from, some even animated which is an interesting touch.
Some complaints about having to search for pieces? Really? You do know the mouse scroll wheel zooms in and out, right? Once I figured that out, and the "lasso" function, no problems with scattered pieces here.
One thing I would have liked is an auto-arrange type function. That and a way to hide/unhide the non-edge pieces. I don't think I've ever used those sorting boxes, little too awkward.
I've had this for almost a year now and I still play the puzzles on a regular basis. Just love the classic jigsaw shapes, which are very well done and defined. Thankfully none of those silly abstract piece shapes that so many other puzzle games do.
Highly recommend.
I recommend this game!
A chance discovery sends Arizona Rose on a new life of adventure and it’s up to you to help her decipher Blackbeard's treasure maps!
Overall rating
3
/
5
132 of 145 found this review helpful
Almost a 5 star, but breaks a cardinal rule ... sadly
PostedJuly 5, 2012
BudSmellman
fromCanada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I love picross games. While playing this one, I found the layout, color scheme, and controls to be really well thought out. And fun to play to boot. There are a few HOG games inserted in here, I guess to appeal to that genre too. I would have preferred to have strictly picross gameplay, but the HOG games are short and easily done.
So as I was playing, I was gearing up to give this a 5-star review for a well made game, but then discovered they broke one of the cardinal rules of a picross game: puzzles that you have to guess to complete. Totally disappointing and heartbreaking.
Now I know what the veteran picross players are thinking "yeah sure, you just didn't apply the right logic". But no, this I discovered when solving a puzzle down to only a few squares left. It required pure guesswork to solve, or using one of the hints. No way that pure deduction could solve the 4 squares I had left.
So to sum up,
Pros:
- Great controls, graphics, and color scheme
- Story applied to a picross game is somewhat interesting
- Great controls, graphics, and color scheme
- Story applied to a picross game is somewhat interesting
Cons:
- Have to guess to solve some of the puzzles. Unforgivable!
- HOG games mixed in, but that's more of a personal preference than a fault.
- Have to guess to solve some of the puzzles. Unforgivable!
- HOG games mixed in, but that's more of a personal preference than a fault.
Still would recommend.
I recommend this game!
Toy Defense
Test your courage and skills as a military leader at the height of World War I Toy Defense!
Overall rating
5
/
5
49 of 56 found this review helpful
Don't Underestimate this one :-)
PostedJune 20, 2012
BudSmellman
fromCanada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
First, I'll chat a bit about some complaints, agreeing with some.
Yes, there are NO instructions. However, if you're well versed in Tower Defense games, you'll pick it up quick. Some trial and error required here.
Regarding the war theme and "disturbing sounds" the soldiers make when dying, you do know that's supposed to be kids making those sounds as they're playing toy soldiers, right? That's the whole point of the simulation, and why it's called "Toy Defense".
So gameplay. Don't let the "Toy Defense" title fool you, this game presents a real challenge, even to veteran tower defense players like myself. The early stages were pretty easy, but I'm really struggling with levels above 10. Still, I can't stop playing it :-) !
I was disappointed by a few things, and believe many of the shortcomings are due to this being a port of a mobile game. It's unfortunate that most developers don't take the time to re-tune games like this for the PC market.
Pros:
- Great challenge, even for skilled TD players
- Nice upgrade system
- Some nice touches on the graphics
- Addictive
- Great challenge, even for skilled TD players
- Nice upgrade system
- Some nice touches on the graphics
- Addictive
Cons:
- No option to reset your skill tree
- No keyboard shortcuts. At all. A few simple ones would have been nice.
- Harder levels can't be "intutively" beat, you need to know exactly what's coming in certain waves to prepare for them i.e. requires multiple play throughs.
- No option to reset your skill tree
- No keyboard shortcuts. At all. A few simple ones would have been nice.
- Harder levels can't be "intutively" beat, you need to know exactly what's coming in certain waves to prepare for them i.e. requires multiple play throughs.
Summary: A great edition to the genre, especially if you're an expert at TD games. Definite recommendation.
I recommend this game!
After restoring the Atlantis World Museum you have been accepted into the Grand Pelasgian University to become an apprentice in Chronology!
Overall rating
3
/
5
36 of 44 found this review helpful
Some nice improvements, but same problem as WM4
PostedDecember 27, 2011
BudSmellman
fromCanada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Time Management, Card & Board, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I have to keep going back to World Mosaics 3, which in my opinion was the best for one simple reason: color scheme of the tiles. Everything was bright and clear, which tiles you selected, which were etched out, and which sets of tiles were done on a row.
Again now as in WM4, WM5 has a poor colour scheme. I just spent about 30 minutes playing the demo and found that quick play wasn't possible, again. The colors between the free tiles and pegged tiles is almost the same, and tends to blend in as you're scanning the puzzle. I kept having to re-check lines and numbers over and over again just to make sure I was clicking the right thing. Am I the only one who has an issue with this? Maybe it's just me.
It's a real shame too, since there's some great new content here, nice puzzles and very interesting background trivia once the puzzle is solved. I really wanted to buy the game just for that, but knew frustration with the tile colors would keep tripping me up. I was on the fence as to whether to recommend, but I think in the end I will. There was a lot of great work that went into the content. Based on that I'll recommend.
I recommend this game!