biscuitsmama's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:67,036
- Reviews Submitted:1148
- First Review:July 13, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 16, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Travel to South America to investigate a deadly cosmic force. Can you uncover the secrets of the missing research team?
Overall rating
5
/
5
37 of 52 found this review helpful
A Beautiful Phenomenon With an Abundance of Challenge
PostedMay 3, 2014
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Let me state right away that I was not a big fan of the first two games in the Phenomenon series. In this most recent game, Phenomenon Outcome, doesn’t seem to be more than a minor connection to the previous stories except that in each of them we begin with a supposedly orphaned child who in early adulthood is drawn to seek the mystery of her/his parent’s disappearance. In this game Sasha, age five, is on a picnic with her parents when they see a glowing orb that seemingly explodes with lightning as Sasha approaches it. When Sasha awakens her parents are gone and the only thing remaining is a golden Homunculus. Now years later, Sasha is having nightmares that are leading her to a strange location and this is where the adventure begins.
The graphics in Phenomenon Outcome are beautiful and even better than they were in the previous Phenomenon games. The characters are drawn to perfection and with the addition of the voiceovers they come to life. One of the things I noticed is that the artists have added a lot of facial expressions to the characters in the game and that seems to make them much more realistic when they speak. In general the voiceovers are quite good but at times the dialogue seems a bit “corny” or vague. Overall, the entire soundtrack is really very good and suits the game perfectly, but I will mention that you may need to fiddle with the volume button since at times the music is quite loud and overwhelming. I happen to love the hint of Celtic undertones that are present in some parts of the soundtrack and I find they are quite mystical and very beautiful.
Your Homunculus amulet will become one of the most important tools in the game, and eventually you learn that it is called a neutralizer. Your other tools include a scroll that is updated with information as you travel through your adventure. Next to your inventory box and right below the scroll is the task button that I found very helpful. There is also a color-coded transporter type map to indicate areas of interest. The map however is very general and really doesn’t hone in on the exact locations where you need to find or do something in order to progress in the game.
In a departure from the norm, the HOPS in this game are presented a bit differently and I don’t want to elaborate on how they work because you will find out soon enough. Once you understand the mechanics of the HOPS, you will see that there is only minor interaction required to find some items. Although I think the developer was quite creative in setting up the HOPS, I found them at times to be jaw-clenching tedious with some objects being extremely difficult to find. Because progress in the game is slow, I didn’t encounter a lot of puzzles in fact I think I found only one that I could do anything with because each one requires missing pieces to activate. I wish the developer had provided a bit more upfront action and in the long-run the slow action might have an effect on the overall sales for the game. A lot of people, myself included, like a bit more movement in the demo hour of a game so they have a far better idea of what the game is like.
There are only seven achievements to be earned and all of them are gameplay related. We do have collectibles to find but other than that the CE content is the standard with wallpapers, artwork and music. Of course we have the SG that, IMHO, might be needed for this game. Since the scenes are so beautiful in Phenomenon Outcome, I may well use one or two of the wallpapers so I’m glad they are included.
IMHO, I found progress in the game to be very slow, which some of you might like, but I prefer a game with a bit more upfront action. Although every scene was lovely to look at and beautifully created, I found it a bit frustrating that when I encountered an object it was almost always missing something and I needed to do or find something else to make it work, which made progress in the game seem exceedingly slow. I might be having an off day, and overall I know I will love the challenge of this game, but feel like it might be better suited to those who love more of the adventure type of game. Again, and this is just my opinion, those who are taking a first dip into this type of game might find it very confusing and frustrating but I would encourage you to give it a chance. Overall the game is visually beautiful and a feast for the senses. Although the game moves slowly, I think it is very well put together and the developer provided us with a lot of challenge that eventually holds out a lot of promise to being and excellent game. As always, I recommend that you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will like.
I recommend this game!
Ghostly warnings in the water are terrifying a grieving family. What's causing them, and what really happened to Julia White?
Overall rating
4
/
5
18 of 22 found this review helpful
An Very Good Game in the Fear For Sale Series.
PostedMay 2, 2014
biscuitsmama
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
We play the game as Emma Roberts who investigates paranormal activity and now we have been called upon by Adrian White whose wife Julia was recently killed in a tragic boating accident to help him find out what is happening in and around his home. The water at Adrian’s home seems to have a life of its own and is out of control with water dripping from the walls and pictures in his home. He implores us to help him find out what is causing this terrifying activity. Shortly after we meet with Adrian he is swept away by a wall of water and locked in his basement, now this is where our investigation and the fun begin. Will we be able to solve the mystery of Julia’s death and discover what she is trying to tell us?
The graphics are generally very good but appear slightly grainy and lack the crisp clarity of some other games by this developer. The previous Fear for Sale Nightmare Cinema was a game with excellent crisp graphics but unfortunately that graphics quality seems to be missing from the current game. In this installment of Fear for Sale, the game uses live actors as well as animated or computerized characters so there are lip-synced voice overs which I always like in a game. The sound package is excellent and I didn’t find the music to be intrusive or annoying.
As far as tools we have a diary that contains our objectives as well as notes that will help us as we progress on our adventure. We also have an interactive transporter map that indicates where we have tasks to accomplish. Another unique tool is acquired shortly into the game and I have found it to be quite helpful when confronted by a soggy situation. I find the seashell adds a new dimension to what we usually do with our “helpers”.
Most of the HOPs are the standard interactive list type and I must say that they were generally piles of junk and that made it difficult to discern the objects to find. If we choose not to look through the piles of stuff, we do have the option to complete a jigsaw puzzle instead – one of my favorite options. As far as the puzzles in the game are concerned none of them are too difficult and some are downright simple. Alas, I guess the new trend in HOPA games is for overly simple puzzles so that the developer doesn’t frustrate those gamers who like easy and don’t want the challenge of solving a difficult puzzle. I wish the devs would include more challenging puzzles in their games because there is always the “skip” option for those who just can’t handle difficult puzzles.
In conclusion, Fear for Sale Phantom Tide is a solid four-star game and is very entertaining. I purchased the CE version of the game and loved it. It basically took me a whole day of playing to get through the game and then the bonus game. I recommend the game but as always, suggest that you try the demo to see what you think. If we happen to have a good sale, I would suggest purchasing the CE version since it is a great value as far as CE content is concerned. Happy gaming - no matter which version you choose it is an excellent game.
I recommend this game!
After searching for five years, Princess found her mother – only to have her kidnapped right before her eyes!
Overall rating
3
/
5
39 of 47 found this review helpful
The Royal Detective Should Have Stayed at Home
PostedMay 1, 2014
biscuitsmama
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
It has been five years since you found out the truth about Princess in the first Royal Detective game, and now Princess is back in quest to save her mother once again. Since you are the only one who can help her, Princess calls on you in her time of need. Wonderful detective that you are, how can you resist helping a damsel in distress? So off you go on what soon becomes a less than exciting adventure to help Princess save her mother.
The graphics are very good as is typical with Elephant Games. The artwork is stunning if somewhat dark at times. In fact the whole game seems graphically much darker than in the first Royal Detective Lord of Statues. There are also excellent voiceovers and live actors. What is odd with this game is that in the beginning cutscene we have lip-synced voiceovers and then the game reverts to the usual no lip movement dialogue. I know this game has been in development a long time and it seems like the artistic team only added the lip-syncing in the initial cutscene after the first beta was released and that it was too much trouble to go back and change all of the programming in the entire game. My comment makes it sound as if I am obsessed with lip-syncing but lip-syncing is included in almost all of the more recent games, and it seems lazy that a leading developer such as Elephant would not add this extra touch to their games. Along with the voiceovers the overall soundtrack is excellent and that includes a terrific musical score.
As you begin the game and arrive at your destination, you will receive a talking skull, whose voice is so resonant and deep that I was thrilled, and he soon becomes our hint button. Again in a move that seems a bit lazy, we do not have a journal, which I miss in a game because I often use it to keep track of some important detail that I might miss. Even though there is no journal we do have a transporter type map that in allows you to teleport to locations of interest. At the beginning of the game we also receive a magic knife that helps us in certain situations.
The HOPS are the traditional list type that the Elephant includes in its games. Nothing too different but I did find some items extremely difficult to find. The puzzles in the game are the ones this developer includes in in all of its games so there was nothing different or new that I saw. This developer has joined with BFG on most of its F2P games and thus their attention has been diverted so it doesn’t surprise me that the quality of this CE is so much less than former ones from this team. It seems like the game has been sitting around for quite some time and the developer finally got some time to finish it and just threw it together at the end and as a result it is a game that is really not up to the standards of the previous game in the series.
Given my previous comments you will not be surprised that I think there is very little worthwhile CE content in the game aside from the included SG. We do have achievements to earn and the some collectible morphing little dragons to find that will earn you an additional achievement.
Overall the game is good but really gets off to a slow start and I reached the end of the demo before it started to grab my attention and even then it wasn’t a game that I felt I had to have. I was amazed by the first Royal Detective Lord of Statues but this second game in the series is much darker in graphics and seems to lack pizazz. I would have to say that in fact I found it boring. As always, I recommend that you at least try the game demo because you might have an entirely different experience than I did with the game.
I recommend this game!
Professor Ashmore, the same man who so kindly took you in and raised you as his own has been murdered. It’s up to you to find out why, but are you prepared for what truths may be uncovered?
Overall rating
4
/
5
26 of 31 found this review helpful
A Good Game But a Slow Start
PostedApril 30, 2014
biscuitsmama
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
In what is yet another game about evil demons who have either escaped from eternal captivity or crossed over from an alternate reality, in Demon Hunter Chronicles from the Beyond you are out to solve the murder of Professor Ashmore who has raised you since he found you wandering alone on Iowa Island. You have returned to Iowa Island to not only solve his murder and find his missing associate but to hopefully learn more about who you are.
Although others have mentioned a grainy graphics quality, on my laptop they are crystal clear and wonderful but that was not my experience since I have an extremely powerful laptop with top-notch HD graphics capability. I love the artwork in the game and the only place I can see where the characters seem cartoonish is in the opening cutscene. The characters are lip-synced with wonderful voiceovers that seem to fit the characters to a T. One of the shortcomings in the sound package is the music. Overall the voices are terrific and the ambient effects are wonderful but the music is repetitive and mind-numbing. With a lack of customizable options my only choice was to turn off the music when I could no longer stand the chords that repeated over and over and over again. Another thing to mention here is that with a lack of customizable options, it takes quite a long time for the hint button to recharge. I guess I have become quite spoiled with developers now offering the customizable gameplay settings that I have come to expect them but unfortunately they are not to be found in this game.
We have the standard tools that are found in most games in this genre such as your diary and a map. Yes the map is interactive and does allow for fast transport from one location to another.
The HOPs in the game seem to be the standard interactive list type but they do include a twist that I won’t mention here. I think it is something that you should figure out on your own to add to your fun in the game. Some of the items are quite difficult to find and until I caught on to the way the HOPs were done, I chewed through quite a bit of demo time. The puzzles are nothing new but they are good and one of the first that I encountered was quite unique.
One of the major complaints I have about the game is that there seemed to be no logic or linear steps in moving forward. I hate it when a game starts with no momentum and when we find location after location where nothing is operating until we find the parts. IMHO, game developers are not doing themselves a favor by making the beginning of a game so slow since we have only one hour demo time. It would be far better to make at least some progress in the game during the first hour. I consider myself an expert in the HOPA genre but I admit that I was at a loss with this game due to the fuzzy logic and slow momentum.
I will most likely purchase the game because there is so much that I do like about it and I believe there is a lot of potential. I suspect the game was meant to be a CE since it has all of the extras we normally find in CEs with the exception of the missing SG. I am not familiar with this game developer but applaud their efforts in what I hope will become an excellent game moving forward. As always, I recommend that you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will like.
I recommend this game!
Dark shadows are rising, the spirits are restless and Lord Strix is back! Travel to his hidden lair and defeat him once and for all—but hurry; he grows stronger by the minute!
Overall rating
5
/
5
56 of 61 found this review helpful
An Excellent Adventure - A Must Have Game
PostedApril 28, 2014
biscuitsmama
fromOff on an adventure to find Lord Strix
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In Tales From the Dragon Mountain our heroine, Mina Lockheart, is off to do battle once again with her nemesis the evil Lord Strix who she defeated several years ago. During the interval, Mina’s powers have grown stronger so she should be able to defeat Lord Strix once again. After all Mina is the granddaughter of Kate the mountain’s most powerful protector and Mina has inherited her powers.
The graphics in Tales From the Dragon Mountain 2 are excellent. I loved having the option at the beginning of the game to select the HD Graphics mode and I almost felt like I was playing the game on my XBOX. Aside from selecting the graphics mode there are three modes for gameplay. There are voiceovers that are very good as is the entire soundtrack for the game.
As far as tools go you have a diary that contains sections for notes, how to play the game, achievements and game statistics. I didn’t find a map during the demo so I don’t believe there will be one but it doesn’t seem needed. Next to the inventory area is a circle with footprints and if you click it you will be able to see directional footprints that do provide some help. I don’t see a strategy guide or walkthrough available but don’t let it throw you off from trying the game. Who knows these items may be available soon. At any rate, try the game to see if you can get along without the additional help.
Since the game is purely an adventure type game we find and collect the objects we need as we travel around the various locations rather than having to hunt through piles of junk to find them. Although there is an absence of the traditional HOP scenes, we do find some pseudo-FROG scenes that help up put things together as needed. Even though we don’t have the HOP scenes the game abounds with puzzles and mini-games and those are what hold my interest in the HOPA genre and always keep me coming back for more. I for one don’t miss the HOPS since I am often bored by having to search for items in way too many of them in some games. I guess I am more of an adventure gamer at heart.
Although the game is not a CE we do have some collectibles to find and achievements to be earned. If we find twenty stone dragons we will unlock additional achievements.
When I checked BFG this morning and saw Tales From the Dragon Mountain 2, I thought that it would be a little nothing game thrown in to satisfy HOPA game lovers until the CEs would be released later in the week. However, after checking the game forum and reading what others had to say I decided to give the game a try and I am so happy that I did since it is right up my alley. I somehow missed the first game in the series but did buy another game from this developer, “Where Angels Cry”, that I thought was excellent. I love everything about Tales From the Dragon Mountain and it is a definite buy for me, along with the previous game in the series. As always, I recommend that you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will like.
I recommend this game!
Can you defeat the mist and find your lost brother?
Overall rating
5
/
5
59 of 73 found this review helpful
Beware the Mist!
PostedApril 27, 2014
biscuitsmama
fromLost in the Mist
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In Bridge to Another World Burnt Dreams we play the game as a man whose brother, Dorian, disappeared into a strange mist twenty years ago, and now our main purpose in life is to investigate strange phenomena in hopes of one day finding out what happened and hopefully to reunite with our brother.
The graphics are terrific and I think very crisp, although sometimes they do appear less than sharp although that may have been intentional for some scenes. It has been a long time since I have heard such wonderful voice overs in a game. Not only are the voice overs excellent but they are lip-synced as well, which is something that all the top developers are now including in their games. The soundtrack is very good and creates just the right atmosphere for the game.
There is a diary that contains objectives as well as notes that will help us as we travel through this mystical and entertaining adventure to find our missing brother. We also have an interactive transporter map that indicates where we tasks to accomplish. I love my dragon that I found shortly into the game and even though some hate their animal helpers, I think that little Drako is extremely cute and useful.
As is the case with the more recent games, we have a variety of HOPs with some being the standard interactive list as well as the silhouette type. I am sure that as I get further into the game there will be other types of HOPs. One thing that is missing though is the option to switch to an alternate to locating the objects in the HOPs. I know that in more recent games we do have match 3 or other types of mini games included in the HOPs if we don't want to find objects. The puzzles are scattered throughout the game and seem to be what we would expect. After all, how many different types of puzzles can game developers think up to keep us entertained. I know there will be moans and groans from those who think games are always the same old, same old but my response to them is that they don’t have to play a game if they don’t like it! I happen to love the HOPA genre and always find something to entertain me even if it is the same old thing - lol.
Needless to say, I find Bridge to Another World a beautiful and entertaining game. I purchased the CE version of the game and found that it was quite a long game; however, I take my time when playing and look at everything. I found the game to be quite beautiful in many scenes and really enjoyed the creativity of 4 Friends and commend them on their efforts. As always, I recommend that you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will like.
I recommend this game!
Destroy artifacts in the past to preserve the world’s future!
Overall rating
5
/
5
85 of 120 found this review helpful
A Sequel That Gets It Right - Excellent Game
PostedApril 26, 2014
biscuitsmama
fromOff Saving the World Again
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The game starts off with a short recap of the previous game in the series and although it isn’t necessary to play the prior game, I would recommend that you do so if for no other reason than it was a very good game. You would also benefit from learning a bit more about the Secret Order and it would bring you nicely into the current game.
The graphics were truly a mixed bag with some of them being extremely clear and others being gritty, grainy and misty in appearance. The closest parallel I can draw is to the graphics in the Empress of the Deep games. The characters in the game are also different at different times. Sometimes they are almost cartoonish and at others they are quite realistic. It is almost as if different parts of the game were parceled out to different artists and studios and were not cohesive or consistent. There are lip-synced voiceovers that are quite good and the lip-syncing just adds to my enjoyment of a game. The music and soundtrack is quite good and at the beginning is almost epic. I quite liked the soundtrack and it did make the game seem larger than life.
We have the normal tools including a diary that contains a section for your objectives and another for your notes that will help you as you progress on your adventure. The map is a transporter type map that shows your objectives and areas where there are tasks available. We have a very, very cartoonish baby griffin that is our helper throughout the game and I have no idea why the developer included it as it just seems so out of character for the scope of the game. There was a time last year where there was a definite trend of having cute, fuzzy animal helpers in games but that soon became old. I think when the trend was “in vogue” this game’s developer maybe felt that it was obligatory to include one in this game – lol.
For the most part the HOPs are list type with very simple interaction necessary to find some items. There are some other types included in the mix but the majority of HOPs are the list type. What I actually dislike about the list type HOPs in this game is that the developer used what is probably an 8 pt. font that is extremely difficult to see. Not only is the list difficult to read, some of the items are small enough that they are almost invisible. PLEASE DEVS USE LARGER FONTS.
Where The Secret Order Ancient Times becomes quite excellent is in the puzzles that are actually a step up from some of the easier puzzles that many developers include in their games. I think many gamers who look forward to the challenge of playing puzzles that are a bit more difficult will enjoy this game.
There are achievements that are earned as you progress through the game and thirty-six collectible objects to be found. The collectibles are three sets of twelve being unicorns, griffins, and dragons. We also have the normal obligatory CE content but nothing earthshaking.
Even with the less than perfect graphics, the gameplay in The Secret Order Ancient Times is excellent and kept me on my toes. I like it when I encounter a game where I have to think instead of simply move through the adventure on auto-pilot. Now it is time to go hit the buy button and put on my thinking cap for a few hours of fun, time travel and world-saving adventure. As always, I recommend that you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will like.
I recommend this game!
The city fears the return of the infamous Fire Knight – but is Rosa Ramirez really responsible?
Overall rating
2
/
5
106 of 155 found this review helpful
There is No Wealth Here - Only Betrayal!!
PostedApril 24, 2014
biscuitsmama
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I am going to make this review short and to the point because Grim Façade Wealth of Betrayal coming from my favorite game developer was a total shock and disappointment. I have noticed in the past few games from ERS they have dropped the lip-synced voice overs, a huge step down the ladder for this developer as they were the first in the industry to add lip-syncing to their games. Now all of a sudden the games have been lackluster and disjointed – almost as if there has been a total house cleaning of the creative team that once brought some of the best casual games to market.
Grim Façade Wealth of Betrayal is one mess of a game. I had difficulty following the story and for the life of me could not find anything cohesive in the game. What on earth is going on?
Recently we have had far better SE games from lesser known game developers that have been really wonderful and to see Wealth of Betrayal come out as a CE left me scratching my head in wonder.
Now, I guess I should go into some of the game’s details just as a matter of form but honestly the gameplay was so bad that I barely made it through the demo. The graphics were actually quite good and very colorful. The game does have good voiceovers however there was no lip-syncing. At the beginning of the game we acquire all of our tools – a map, a diary and of course the ever present signature of the Grim Façade series – our fan. I have to comment here that the inventory and tool area of the game is quite large and takes up a great deal of space at the bottom of the screen.
There is nothing in Wealth of Betrayal that makes it CE worthy. Wait for it, oh yes, we do have a pet bull of all things and we collect butterflies that will earn us coins or tokens so we can purchase items for out pet in the store. Give me a break!!
For the first time ever I cannot recommend an ERS game nor can I give it better than a 2-star rating. I am sure there will be many gamers who will disagree with my analysis, but this game left me with a longing for a return to the glory days of ERS and with a hollow, sinking feeling that ERS has left the building.
I don't recommend this game.
Discover a story of mysterious kidnappings of both children and mafiosi.
Overall rating
5
/
5
104 of 128 found this review helpful
Mafia, Butterflies and a Secret Society in Subterranean New York
PostedApril 19, 2014
biscuitsmama
fromSomewhere in the New York Subway System
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hmmm, mafia and butterflies! It sounds like we are in for a treat with this new game from a developer who gave us the exciting Lost Lands, Dark Overlord earlier this year. This time we are off to solve the disappearances of several mafia bosses and children who have all vanished under mysterious circumstances. The only clues are a green slime and butterflies left behind at the crime scenes. Of course you play the game as a renowned investigative reporter/detective who can solve virtually any mystery that comes your way.
The graphics for the game are very good and at least for me are exceptionally clear and crisp. The game has lip-synced voiceovers that are generally very good. The rest of the soundtrack with music and ambient sounds is very good and creates just the right air of mystery as we move through the game. I am having a bit of confusion though regarding time period since there is one thing I noticed in the game that doesn’t quite seem to fit in with the time-period. That being said, game developers often take liberties with time-period appropriate incidences in games – lol. Sometimes the items jump out at me as this one did but in other games they often go unnoticed.
We have the standard set of tools in the game, a diary or journal and a tag that shows our objectives. We have an interactive transporter type map that can be customized to show the location of the collectibles. It is rather nice to be able to customize the game to include the things we want and it seems that more developers are moving in this direction, so thank you game devs, it is very much appreciated.
The game has great HOPs and it doesn’t seem as if it is top-heavy with them. Because the HOPs are very interactive and are sort of mini-puzzles, I certainly don’t find them tedious or boring to complete. I love having to think about what to do and what to use in order to get through an HOP scene and it is nice to have the extra challenge. All of the HOPs I encountered in the demo are the progressive silhouette type but I can’t say for certain that they will all be like that in the remainder of the game but I hope so. Outside of the HOPs we have puzzles that we encounter on our adventure. I guess that the trend now is for developers to incorporate the normal very easy (almost mind numbing) puzzles in their games to placate those who don’t care for the challenge of a difficult puzzle. I am hoping that as I progress further into the game the puzzles will present at least some progressive level of difficulty. I’ve mentioned it before and will do so again (hopefully the developer reads the reviews), that the games have a skip button for those who are not up to the challenge, so please include some difficult and challenging puzzles in your games.
The CE version of the game is fairly bursting with extras. We have morphing objects, collectibles (several different collections), and achievements to be earned, most of which are earned as we move through the various components of the game. Throw in the SG, the wallpapers and the ability to replay puzzles and mini-games and we have a true CE value.
Because I like the compelling storyline and have found the gameplay to be very enjoyable (also because I loved the game from this developer earlier in the year) New York Mysteries Secrets of the Mafia is an instant buy for me. As always, I recommend that you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will like.
I recommend this game!
Track down the wily Fox’ before he slips away into the beauty of Venice!
Overall rating
5
/
5
71 of 95 found this review helpful
Ah, Mystery - A Great Follow Up to the First Off the Record
PostedApril 17, 2014
biscuitsmama
fromEnjoying a cappuccino somewhere in Italy
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Off the Record the Italian Affair is another outstanding game by one of my favorite game developers. It seems like it wasn’t too long ago that EIPIX became a familiar name in the casual game industry and during that time they have, IMHO, presented some excellent games. Although “The Italian Affair” starts in a similar manner to final cut, another game by this developer, who can blame them from stealing one of their own ideas – lol. Once again we are an investigative reporter after a hot story – this time the target is La Volpe a renowned thief who has stolen a valued treasure. With a mysterious woman popping up now and again this proves to be an interesting adventure.
I always love the exceptional graphics in an EIPIX game and coupled with all the bells and whistles of The Italian Affair, I am not disappointed. Not only are the graphics clear, they are beautiful and coupled with the voice overs and soundtrack we are in for a treat. Another thing I appreciate is that we have a custom mode available for gameplay and it is one that offers a variety of options.
The gameplay tools are those that we normally find in HOPA games but not all of them are readily available. I was very surprised when I was chewing up demo time with the first HOP because I couldn't find something and when I attempted to use the hint button, I was told that it wasn’t yet available. I’ve never seen that before so I had to muddle my way through to find an item that was quite well hidden.
Of course we have the HOPs that this developer normally includes in its games but as I mentioned above some of the items are challenging but the scenes themselves are terrific and have enough variety that they are not boring. I enjoy the incorporation of the progressive silhouette type scenes and those that also include mini-puzzles. We also have puzzles outside of the HOPs that we encounter during the gameplay and I always enjoy these. This developer often includes fairly easy puzzles that do become more challenging as we move forward with the adventure.
The CE content for The Italian Affair is well worth the additional price for the game. We have several areas that are only available after the bonus game is completed – one being the Fox’s Den. There are tons of collectibles to find and many achievements to be earned. Throw in the pictures that we can paint after completing the bonus game and I believe we will find a lot to recommend purchase of the CE. I think that those who only purchase the SE will be missing a lot of what makes this game special.
As much as I enjoyed the first Off the Record game, I believe that this game will be even better. The game has an excellent story and an air of mystery. Where Linden Shades was rustic, The Italian Affair is far more sophisticated. This game is a visual feast and I am sure that I will have several hours absorbed in the atmosphere of Italy as I make my way through the adventure. Although this game is an instant purchase for me, I recommend that you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will like.
I recommend this game!