LunaNik's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.8
- Helpful Votes:12,435
- Reviews Submitted:670
- First Review:November 2, 2012
- Most Recent Review:August 19, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you save the young starlet from the wicked doll's curse?
Overall rating
1
/
5
11 of 20 found this review helpful
1½ stars...endless jigsaws and matching pairs
PostedFebruary 11, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This series jumped the shark ages ago, and this 13th episode isn't even about puppets, but dolls. Graphics are inconsistent, music is reused from previous games, voiceovers are awful, the plot is predictable, and gameplay is simplistic and repetitive.
The demo include 26 mini-games, of which only 3 presented any challenge. There were 9 jigsaw puzzles, 7 matching pairs, and 3 "copy the clue that's right in front of you." This is not gameplay for adults!
Half of the 14 HO scenes in the demo were zoom box mini-scenes. Of the 7 full-sized scenes, only two were challenging: a pictorial list of patterns to find, and a list of items to replace in the scene.
The storyline...honestly, I'm really sick of supernatural revenge schemes. This genre is cluttered with them, and they're nearly always silly. Resorting to the supernatural to fill the holes in your plot is just lazy.
Overall, this game is a hot mess. The plot is shallow, the production is subpar, and the gameplay is childish. A typical cookie cutter game. Devs can do better than this, as proven by the fact that they have. If they want my hard-earned money, they'll have to earn it. Offering a zillion jigsaw puzzles and matching pairs pasted onto an inane story won't cut it.
I don't recommend this game.
Save the town and free your husband from a witch's vengeance.
Overall rating
2
/
5
31 of 47 found this review helpful
Some improvement, but still fairly cookie cutter.
PostedFebruary 8, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
It's no secret that I haven't been a fan of this series. The world's cultures include a rich history of mythology. Eipix mostly ignores it to create their own mythology, which isn't that interesting. The stories always seem shallow to me, populated by characters that lack personality. And the gameplay is consistently either illogical or too easy. While this episode shows some improvement in game design, it's still mostly a cookie cutter game.
The story doesn't connect to any myth I've ever read, and it moved slowly, which contradicted the urgency of the situation. At the end of the demo, I was no closer to my goals, and numerous complex story elements had been added for no real reason. That is to say, they didn't advance the plot.
Exploration consisted of running back and forth to either find shaped keys (or parts thereof) or fixing broken devices. At the same time, it wasn't remotely intuitive, since many inventory items were used illogically: oar as crowbar, wooden clamp as jack, letter opener to cut thick rope, and so on.
The 6 HO scenes in the demo seemed to show that Eipix is beginning to be a bit more thoughtful about hiding objects. The scenes were in their usual presentations, so nothing new here.
The 11 mini-games ranged from "not even a puzzle" to moderately difficult. Only 2 presented any challenge:
• Rotate and place the Tetris-shaped pieces to repair the bridge.
• Move 3 marbles to the center of the maze, using each marble to open its matching gates.
4 others were throwaways, involving either copying the given clue or just clicking through the story. And the remaining 5 were easy: Simon Says and versions of matching pairs mostly. These are games for children, not adults.
• Rotate and place the Tetris-shaped pieces to repair the bridge.
• Move 3 marbles to the center of the maze, using each marble to open its matching gates.
4 others were throwaways, involving either copying the given clue or just clicking through the story. And the remaining 5 were easy: Simon Says and versions of matching pairs mostly. These are games for children, not adults.
Production was spectacular, as usual, and the CE bling is fairly comprehensive. However, for me, the most important elements of a game are an immersive storyline and challenging gameplay, and this game had neither. It's an improvement, but not enough for me to purchase. I recommend you try the demo, as it may be your cup of tea. Happy gaming!
Wake up your sleeping brain with this unique mix of puzzle games and trivia questions.
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 13 found this review helpful
...and now for something completely different!
PostedFebruary 7, 2018
LunaNik
fromWhy must New England try to evoke every season in one day?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I actually have mixed feelings about this one. While I loved the trivia, I didn't care for the way it was presented. For every question, you must choose one of two answers. If you're a trivia fanatic, it's not too challenging.
The "choose one of two answers" presentation was also used for the HO scenes, the word searches, and the "stacked disks" matching pairs puzzles. Constantly darting my eyes back and forth during these gave me a headache.
I definitely would have preferred the traditional word search and HO scene format. (I didn't reduce my rating based on this reason, since it's personal. The design wasn't bad; it just wasn't my cup of tea.)
The graphics vary from realistic to cartoon, and the palette is fairly bright and colorful, but not garish.
My rating is based on two things:
• This game is completely different from what we usually get, and I'd like to encourage more variety.
• It's a well-designed game with a variety of gameplay, most of which is engaging.
• This game is completely different from what we usually get, and I'd like to encourage more variety.
• It's a well-designed game with a variety of gameplay, most of which is engaging.
I'll recommend that you try the demo. Happy gaming!
Save the kingdom by casting down it’s evil dictator in this imaginative hidden object game set in a steampunk world.
Overall rating
3
/
5
19 of 20 found this review helpful
3½ stars...Very similar to the last one, Spirits of the Hidden Forest.
PostedFebruary 7, 2018
LunaNik
fromSnow, rain, sleet, more snow, freezing rain, and more snow...all in one day.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This is a Clutter-style game with the addition of a few "rearrange the strips" jigsaw puzzles, and bonus levels that offer a choice of gameplay: a Clutter scene, match the hidden pairs (Concentration), or Match-3. You can skip the bonus levels, play only one, play two, or play all three.
The Clutter scenes are presented in a variety of formats:
• find pairs
• find triplets
• find both pairs and triplets
• find pairs where one is monotone and the other is in color
• drag items from piles to find pairs
• find large and small versions of the same item
• find pairs, moving the giant leaves aside to reveal more
• find pairs
• find triplets
• find both pairs and triplets
• find pairs where one is monotone and the other is in color
• drag items from piles to find pairs
• find large and small versions of the same item
• find pairs, moving the giant leaves aside to reveal more
If you've played Namariel Legends: Iron Lord and/or Kingdom of Aurelia: Mystery of the Poisoned Dagger, then the storyline will not be new to you, since it's merely yet another retelling. Not that a story is crucial in this type of game, but if you're going to have a story, at least make it an original one.
The graphics are realistic and well-rendered and the music is lovely. There are no voiceovers, and the text contains numerous translation errors, but none that affect gameplay.
I won't purchase this one, since I already have Spirits of the Hidden Forest, and this game is extremely similar to that one. Honestly, I wish this dev would continue the adventure series in this fictional universe instead. If you like the Clutter style of gameplay, give the demo a try. Happy gaming!
At last! The latest installment of the beloved Cubis franchise is here!
Overall rating
3
/
5
16 of 18 found this review helpful
3½ stars for the CE, but I would purchase the SE.
PostedFebruary 6, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Gargoyles have ravaged the kingdom, and its up to you to restore it to its former glory, region by region. In order to do so, you must gather the required elements for each region, as well as elixirs to transform statues and monuments.
BASIC GAMEPLAY
Cubis is a three-dimensional cross between Match-3 and Bubble Shooter. The game board is presented in an orthogonal viewpoint, and cubes may be "shot" onto the board from the two nearest sides of the board. Hitting a single cube will move it one space in its row or column; double (or more) cubes together will not move. Each level must be completed within the allotted moves.
Cubis is a three-dimensional cross between Match-3 and Bubble Shooter. The game board is presented in an orthogonal viewpoint, and cubes may be "shot" onto the board from the two nearest sides of the board. Hitting a single cube will move it one space in its row or column; double (or more) cubes together will not move. Each level must be completed within the allotted moves.
GATHERING ELEMENTS
Each element is represented by a different color of cube, and each level has requirements for how many of each must be collected.
Each element is represented by a different color of cube, and each level has requirements for how many of each must be collected.
GATHERING ELIXIR
Once you've gathered the required numbers of elements, you have the opportunity to clear the board, which will earn you an elixir.
Once you've gathered the required numbers of elements, you have the opportunity to clear the board, which will earn you an elixir.
POWER-UPS & OBSTACLES
As the levels progress, obstacles will be added to the board, and power-ups will be offered to help overcome the obstacles. A cube sizzling with lightning will clear all cubes of its color when matched. Blocking stones can be removed by shooting a phoenix egg power-up along their row or column. There are 6 power-ups in total.
As the levels progress, obstacles will be added to the board, and power-ups will be offered to help overcome the obstacles. A cube sizzling with lightning will clear all cubes of its color when matched. Blocking stones can be removed by shooting a phoenix egg power-up along their row or column. There are 6 power-ups in total.
MOVING FORWARD
To complete each chapter and advance to the next, you must beat the Boss Level, in which a gargoyle will curse the board, adding obstacles to your goal. There are a total of six chapters which include 150 levels.
To complete each chapter and advance to the next, you must beat the Boss Level, in which a gargoyle will curse the board, adding obstacles to your goal. There are a total of six chapters which include 150 levels.
EXTRAS
The CE bling includes 50 bonus levels and the dev's portfolio: wallpapers, concept art, soundtracks, and avatars. I would wait for the SE, personally, but give the demo a try and see if it floats your boat. I think Cubis is a unique take on the Match-3/Bubble Shooter genre, and I enjoyed being challenged by having to think in three dimensions. Even the soundtrack is lovely, which is unusual for a puzzle game. Happy gaming!
The CE bling includes 50 bonus levels and the dev's portfolio: wallpapers, concept art, soundtracks, and avatars. I would wait for the SE, personally, but give the demo a try and see if it floats your boat. I think Cubis is a unique take on the Match-3/Bubble Shooter genre, and I enjoyed being challenged by having to think in three dimensions. Even the soundtrack is lovely, which is unusual for a puzzle game. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you survive the island and save your brother?
Overall rating
1
/
5
45 of 58 found this review helpful
1½ stars is generous for this cookie cutter game.
PostedFebruary 1, 2018
LunaNik
fromI miss the truly excellent HOPAs from 2012 and earlier, when objects were hidden, mini-games were challenging, and storylines were engaging.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I have the SE versions of the first two episodes in this series, Darkness Incarnate and Whispers of the Past. Both got only ★★ from me, based on the completed games. This is supposed to be a horror series, but none of the episodes has been horrifying, including this latest one. The plots had potential that was never realized, and gameplay was the usual cookie cutter tasks, really easy puzzles, and HO scenes with objects in plain sight.
Based on the file size, The Forsaken Island is a quite short game, just like its predecessors. And it's just as dull. Exploration consisted of all the usual ridiculous tasks: bees to be smoked, rust to be oiled, vines to be clipped, wildlife to be bribed. The only challenge was in figuring out the insanely irrational use of inventory items. For example, I variously used a dinner fork, an arrow, a metal ruler, and a letter opener as crowbars, none of which would ever work IRL.
The 9 HO scenes in the demo were all completed quickly. Presentations included 2 words in the narrative, 2 zoom boxes with silhouette lists, 2 interactive word lists, and 3 combination scenes:
• outlined silhouettes followed by interactive list
• find 4 cards to unlock interactive list, then find 4 lock pieces to open box
• outlined silhouettes hiding fragments of the final item
• outlined silhouettes followed by interactive list
• find 4 cards to unlock interactive list, then find 4 lock pieces to open box
• outlined silhouettes hiding fragments of the final item
The 12 mini-games in the demo were childishly easy: 3 copy the clue, 2 move tokens to the correct spots, 2 matching pairs, 1 Simon Says sequence of four, 2 simple lock-picking puzzles, and 2 copy the clue by solving the puzzle. The first required copying a combination by moving the dial using buttons: right 3 spaces and left 2 spaces. The second required matching the code by making a path from start to finish keypad with keys that either added to or subtracted from the total. That last was the only challenging mini-game in the demo.
Production was ok, but not Madhead's usual spectacular job. The "creatures" were cartoonish, poorly animated, and not remotely frightening. Graphics lacked detail, texture, and appropriate shadows. Extras fell short of what a CE should offer, IMO. The collectibles are, again, the easy-to-spot Madhead spiral, and no effort was put into hiding them. Morphs in the HO scenes were large and couldn't be missed. You can replay HO scenes, but not mini-games. And the portfolio was sparse, offering only 4 wallpapers, 6 soundtracks, and some concept art.
I can't help but wonder why these cookie cutter games continue to get high ratings when they clearly don't deserve them. You couldn't pay me to give five stars to this game, or to any game exactly like it. Every one has the same simple gameplay, an uninteresting storyline populated by shallow characters, and illogical nonsense that is unrealistic. We all know devs can do better than this, because they have. But they never will again as long as they're rewarded for being mediocre.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you find your sister and save the kingdom?
Overall rating
1
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
1½ stars...predictable and easy.
PostedJanuary 30, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I had hope that this dev's name change hearkened a new approach to game development. Sadly, every AMAX game has played exactly like an ERS game: shallow storyline, ridiculously easy gameplay, and gross departures from logic.
Your parents, the king and queen, buried your infant twin sister under ice and sent you away to be raised by a blind nanny. Frankly, that would be my cue to depart this kingdom ASAP, and find a place to live where there aren't sociopaths. But you obey your nanny instead, and set off to rescue your twin sister and "save the realm." Which, apparently, involves lots of running back and forth in the castle to find shaped keys and solve simplistic mini-games.
Exploration mostly involves finding an obstacle, then finding the item to overcome the obstacle. This isn't remotely difficult, since the solution is always a step or two away from the problem. The one HO scene I played was an exceedingly easy "replace the objects in the scene."
This is a puzzle-heavy game, but don't worry: none of the puzzles is remotely challenging. Most don't even qualify as puzzles, being in the "copy the clue" category. There's far too much hand-holding, and the custom difficulty setting offers too few options to increase the difficulty. Translation errors abound.
The graphics are dark and gloomy, mostly grey with a few desaturated colors here and there. While this is light years better than the usual glowing neon palette of today, the monotonous palette made every scene look similar. Cutscenes are cartoonish. The music is rather repetitive, but voiceovers are decent.
You might like this if you prefer extremely easy gameplay. Experts will be bored to tears. This isn't a five-star game by any stretch of the imagination.
I don't recommend this game.
The Kingdoms of Lanceya and Winterhelm are in peril!
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
3½ stars...This is a HUGE improvement.
PostedJanuary 30, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is NOT a run-of-the-mill Domini game. While the graphics are still garish and the animation is still pixellated, the challenge level and originality of the gameplay has been stepped up immensely and the storyline is a unique riff on the Snow White story.
Exploration still involves a laundry list of tasks, but the tasks are not silly; they have a purpose. You don't feel like you're just wandering around gathering items and fixing stuff for no reason; there's always a clear goal.
HO scenes were much better than usual, with most of them being at least a medium challenge. Quite a lot of thought and innovation went into the puzzles. I played with all puzzles on hard mode, and most were of medium difficulty.
Graphics were a mixed bag. On the one hand, the rendering was professional and quite beautiful with realistic textures. OTOH, the palette is still much to saturated and garish, and the in-game animation is extremely pixellated and blurry. Also, there was just too much animation that interfered with gameplay, including a multitude of slowly-moving cutscenes, banners for every little thing, and a complex animation every time an item was picked up.
The soundtrack is quite lovely and evokes the game themes well. Voiceovers were mostly excellent, although I disliked the fairy's artificially high-pitched voice. Environmental sounds could have been more evocative, and I found the game sounds rather intrusive…lots of loud whooshing that was unnecessary.
The CE bling is comprehensive: a bonus chapter about Nivella's childhood, the SG, numerous performance achievements, three types of collectibles (with indicators atop the inventory panel), replayable HO scenes and puzzles, wallpapers, concept art, soundtracks, and videos.
Overall, I'm impressed that Domini has stepped up innovation in gameplay, the level of challenge, and attention to plot. I think there's still room for improvement, especially with the palette and animation, and with getting rid of the annoying banners and too slow cutscenes. I haven't decided whether to purchase yet, so I'll recommend that you play the demo. Happy gaming!
When a Myth Seekers agent goes missing, you’re called in to discover the truth in this hidden object adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
31 of 38 found this review helpful
Finally! A well-written storyline and interesting gameplay.
PostedJanuary 30, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
We are the Myth Seekers, an elite agency of experienced specialists who act to protect humanity from the gods. You may believe that myths are fictional, but we know the truth. My name is Amelia, and I'm the agency's newest member. I'm an expert on Roman mythology so, naturally, the agency assigned me to recover Vulcan's hammer…and it won't be an easy task.
Not only is Il Duce after the hammer to consolidate his power, but also the goddess of War, Bellona, twin sister to Mars, is searching for it. She seeks revenge on Vulcan for bringing shame to her brother, and cares not what the cost is to humanity. If she finds the pearl of Venus, which will enhance the power of the hammer, she will unleash another destructive eruption of Mount Vesuvius. And I have to find the hammer before either of them do!
———
I honestly can't remember the last time I played a game in which the gameplay was so well-integrated with the storyline. The tasks during exploration were quite intuitive. I never had to perform an action that was illogical.
———
I honestly can't remember the last time I played a game in which the gameplay was so well-integrated with the storyline. The tasks during exploration were quite intuitive. I never had to perform an action that was illogical.
I'd be hard-pressed to categorize some of puzzles as either HO scenes or mini-games; they combined both, but not in a contrived way, including interacting with a scene and figuring out the sequence of actions required to get a needed item, and arranging a table setting to match the cartoon clue.
Obvious HO Scenes included finding items in the scene that were misplaced and returning them to their groupings, and a fragmented object pictorial list. Obvious mini-games included:
• Swap books to restore the image on the bindings. Three levels.
• Rotate the hexagons to restore the mythical images. Five levels.
• Move the fireball to the exit, lighting all altars along the way. No backtracking.
• Manipulate the music box pegs to match the drawn clue (a version of All Lights On).
• Rotate three concentric circles until the background is restored. Then, swap the centers of the smaller circles so their designs match the correct frames
• Rotate the maze to move the ball to the hole. Three levels.
• Solve the jigsaw; the pieces may be rotated.
• Slide the pieces to their correct places, a combination of a jigsaw and Parking Lot.
• Swap books to restore the image on the bindings. Three levels.
• Rotate the hexagons to restore the mythical images. Five levels.
• Move the fireball to the exit, lighting all altars along the way. No backtracking.
• Manipulate the music box pegs to match the drawn clue (a version of All Lights On).
• Rotate three concentric circles until the background is restored. Then, swap the centers of the smaller circles so their designs match the correct frames
• Rotate the maze to move the ball to the hole. Three levels.
• Solve the jigsaw; the pieces may be rotated.
• Slide the pieces to their correct places, a combination of a jigsaw and Parking Lot.
You'll also gather some powers along the way, starting with Maia's Cornucopia, which makes plants grow.
———
The graphics were beautifully detailed and textured, not only in zoomed scenes, but also in the general backgrounds of the scenes. If you check out the screenshots above, you'll see that it looks like you can walk right into the scene. The palette was realistic, but with quite a bit of variety.
———
The graphics were beautifully detailed and textured, not only in zoomed scenes, but also in the general backgrounds of the scenes. If you check out the screenshots above, you'll see that it looks like you can walk right into the scene. The palette was realistic, but with quite a bit of variety.
Characters were a touch cartoonish, and their animation was somewhat unnatural. If there was music, it didn't make an impression on me one way or another. Voiceovers were done well, as were environmental sounds. I did like both the user interface and the map.
———
Extras were a bit sparse, IMO. In addition to the bonus chapter and strategy guide, there are performance achievements, collectible rune stones, morphing objects (not done very well), replayable HO scenes and mini-games, and a somewhat scanty portfolio of wallpapers, cutscenes, and concept art.
———
I enjoyed the demo and was surprised when it was over. The storyline had depth and moved along at an excellent pace, and gameplay was intriguing with a nice variety of difficulty. While I won't spring for the CE, I'll most likely grab the SE when it's released. Happy gaming!
———
Extras were a bit sparse, IMO. In addition to the bonus chapter and strategy guide, there are performance achievements, collectible rune stones, morphing objects (not done very well), replayable HO scenes and mini-games, and a somewhat scanty portfolio of wallpapers, cutscenes, and concept art.
———
I enjoyed the demo and was surprised when it was over. The storyline had depth and moved along at an excellent pace, and gameplay was intriguing with a nice variety of difficulty. While I won't spring for the CE, I'll most likely grab the SE when it's released. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Donna’s childhood friend is overwhelmed by a cursed tree that poisons everything it touches!
Overall rating
1
/
5
20 of 23 found this review helpful
1½ stars...everything is broken, missing parts, or locked with shaped keys.
PostedJanuary 29, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Run back and forth fixing broken stuff, replacing missing parts, and using shaped keys. Incredibly monotonous. Feed a magical box with treasures, then wave a lens around to find invisible stuff. *yawn* Five "unhidden object" scenes in the demo, all completed quickly: (1) silhouettes, (2) silhouettes again, (3) zoom box find five, (4) straight list, (5) replace objects in the scene.
Eight mini-games in the demo, all ridiculously easy:
(1) Rotate the tiles to create an unbroken path.
(2) Swap five shoes, matching them to their footprints.
(3) Swap animal figurines, matching them to their continents.
(4) Rotate a wheel of petals to match them to their flowers
(5) Find matching pairs of smoking pipes.
(6) Move four chess knights to their matching positions.
(7) Play the piano, following the given clue.
(8) Place arrows to guide the ball to the exit, avoiding hidden traps.
(1) Rotate the tiles to create an unbroken path.
(2) Swap five shoes, matching them to their footprints.
(3) Swap animal figurines, matching them to their continents.
(4) Rotate a wheel of petals to match them to their flowers
(5) Find matching pairs of smoking pipes.
(6) Move four chess knights to their matching positions.
(7) Play the piano, following the given clue.
(8) Place arrows to guide the ball to the exit, avoiding hidden traps.
No logic whatsoever. A complex series of actions would end with finding an everyday item locked up like Fort Knox. However, it does give me an idea for getting rid of all "mouse over the scene to find hidden items" gadgets…
Place all gadgets in a box and lock it with a shaped key. Break the key into four pieces, then toss one down a well, sew one inside a cushion, place one in a purse with a broken zipper pull, and feed one to alligators. Next, set the box on fire and put the ashes in an urn locked with a "swap the pieces" jigsaw. Bury the urn inside the basement of a house haunted by demonic ghosts. Plant vicious, anthropomorphic, thorny vines around the house. Warp the entire mess into an alternate universe and seal the breach with a deadly curse that can only be broken by brewing a potion of frog's hair, daffodil toenails, and kangaroo scales in a base of absinthe distilled in London in March of 1892. The potion must be brewed in the shell of a basilisk egg at exactly 9:47 pm on a cloudy day in June, over a fire of exotic wood chopped at midnight and set alight with a flamethrower. Casual game logic at its finest.
I really wish devs would start paying attention to their reviews. I've lost count of the number of times the term "cookie cutter" has been used by various reviewers to describe the games of late. But devs must believe the kind of nonsense in this game is what gamers want, because they keep trying to feed it to us. No thanks.
I don't recommend this game.