stephanie_press's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.5
- Helpful Votes:133
- Reviews Submitted:29
- First Review:May 30, 2016
- Most Recent Review:May 24, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Solve this maritime mystery to reunite a pirate with his lost love.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Relaxing Play and Interesting Unfolding Story
PostedJune 3, 2017
stephanie_press
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Puzzles for this one flow nicely with the unfolding story of lost love.
Visually appealing as well, mysterious without being creepy or overly scary.
Nice length of play. I found some of the HOGs a bit redundant after awhile.
Had lots of fun spotting the coins and I like the feature of the collected objects necessary to unlock treasure chests.
I recommend this game!
Can you win the battle between Darkness and Flame?
Overall rating
2
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
Great Concept, Weak Execution
PostedJune 3, 2017
stephanie_press
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is one of those games that's particularly frustrating for me, because they suggest lots of interesting plot details, but don't really show them. The puzzles and endless amounts of objects collected to open boxes have no logic as to why they ended up there. Do people really store an average gardening gloves in complicated lock boxes? No, they do not.
And honestly, I don't enjoy cutscenes in these types of games at all? I don't really understand why they're in them? Maybe for the final battle stuff? Or for a good jump scare? But I much prefer the illustrative style to this type cutscene that looks like it's from the early aughts.
And there are lots of cutscenes here. There are many cutscenes of driving from one location to another, that really have no emotional impact at all. It's just lazy storytelling. They also use the characters in the same poses for all the dialogue scenes, like they only wanted to design them once.
The detail of the scenes were nice, the colors, the design of all of the objects. The premise is cool. I really want to like this series, but it's just not well-executed. Too many corners cut.
I don't recommend this game.
Search the Siberian forests for your missing husband.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 4 found this review helpful
Good Visuals Weak Storyline
PostedMay 28, 2017
stephanie_press
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Good visuals (sometimes even stunning) and some pretty clever puzzles do not save from the redundant storyline and game play.
While I appreciate the attempt at denser folklore, the characters accents are all over the place, and the story drags on and on, until the game ends with mind-numbing puzzle play. I think less would've been more here.
The setup of the story hinging on the main character saving her husband also falls really flat.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save reality from the Imaginary World?
Overall rating
2
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
Boring Villain and Story Runs Off the Rails
PostedMay 27, 2017
stephanie_press
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The game starts out promising enough with a familiar premise and good voice work, graphics, music, atmosphere.
About halfway into the game (about the time the villain is revealed), the story undermines the whole premise of the game, and it's almost like they didn't know how to finish it after that? The ending and final chapter of the game lack any imagination whatsoever.
To sum up: what starts out as an interesting twist on mythology turns into a pseudo-science-themed game that does it no favors.
The puzzles also start to likewise get boring/absurd with things that don't make sense (like a children's toy that sets things on fire) I guess because they can use the excuse that anything can happen given the nature of the device in play.
Started out liking this and then couldn't wait for it to be over.
I don't recommend this game.
What will you do when a fairy tale curse shows up on your doorstep?
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
Better Storytelling Makes This Stand Apart
PostedMay 25, 2017
stephanie_press
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I wouldn't describe the play in this game as difficult at all. I had it on the casual setting (because I don't want a massive time suck when I play these games), but I suspect the puzzles would've been more challenging, not more intriguing?
It's the story arc and the general atmosphere of the world building here that made this one of my favorites in this genre as of late. I actually paused a few times just to appreciate the characters and graphics, which has been pretty rare with this type of game in the last six months.
These are all familiar themes, of course, but I enjoyed the fact that the story arc makes absolutely sense within the context of the world they created (what a relief), and it's not a straight twist on a fairy tale, it's more imaginative and there's an element of it that reminds me at times of the film Labyrinth in how it mixes familiar ideas in a different way, and also elements of Japanese anime (Studio Ghibili) and games (Zelda: Twilight Princess). It captured my imagination for sure.
The voice acting is really well done and I found the main character likeable and not neurotic/annoying like they often do in games where the story is about a character that is a mother and her family is in jeopardy and she always seems to be in a constant state of anxiety.
I would say the CE is worth it just because there's a cute twist to having a "helper" that I found pretty delightful, as well as some fun additional characters.
The music is quite complimentary, although nothing stands out, but it contributes a lot to the atmosphere.
My one HUGE gripe is that Spectra is really a terrible name for the world and the game series.
I recommend this game!
Explore a world of magic to stop an ancient evil!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Already can't wait for the sequel!
PostedAugust 21, 2016
stephanie_press
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
All of the installments in this series are beautifully rendered with gorgeous music and intriguing characters with their own mini-plot lines.
I really enjoy also how the puzzles are interesting yet not purely nonsensical like a lot of HOA games. The developer really thought through the world and the experience.
Can't wait to see how this storyline ends? This is one of the few HOA games whose storyline I actually think would make a great all-ages film.
It's worth playing the CE on these games because it adds more to the story.
I recommend this game!
Use a mystical locket to explore a magical world and save a young girl in Otherworld: Spring of Shadows!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Breezy games and beautiful worlds with unique characters
PostedAugust 21, 2016
stephanie_press
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I really like the way the story unfolds in this series. The games are not frustratingly challenging, and the characters are always interesting.
I enjoy the aspect of your character having "the Sight" via her young charge and the way the real world and the fay worlds connect.
I recommend this game!
Return to your hometown to save your father and uncover Midnight Castle's secrets!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Midnight Calling: Anabel has a great story hook
PostedJune 18, 2016
stephanie_press
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love adventure games with HO, but oftentimes, the stories are really just kind of...meh? Especially the endings?
I loved the story in this game. I was so involved, and all the puzzles were pretty easy, but I was interested in the resolution and the characters and it made me want more of this world.
I also play Midnight Castle, which is free, and I find it a bit tedious compared to this. Because It doesn't have a storyline.
I recommend this game!
It's up to you and your canine companion to save the city!
Overall rating
4
/
5
19 of 24 found this review helpful
Perfect game for a short play.
PostedMay 30, 2016
stephanie_press
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game has an involving story that kind of falls apart at the end (like a lot of these games do), but I liked that it had a shorter playing time and the puzzles weren't too challenging.
It was like getting to be a part of a movie, and it's exactly what I wanted.
I recommend this game!