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:
The rich folklore continues with this exciting tale set in an old Slavic land. As Child of Spring, can you save the world from eternal winter?
Overall rating
5
/
5
140 of 183 found this review helpful
Amazing Second Game in Myths of the World Series
PostedNovember 7, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
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
Our adventure begins as you are looking out the window at what seems to be the longest winter you can remember when suddenly you hear a voice behind you. You turn to see Vesna the Goddess of Spring who appears in your mirror and tells you that she has been kidnapped by Morana the Goddess of Winter who is turning the world to a land of ice and snow. You play the game as the Child of Spring, the only one who can stop Morana and return warmth to the world. Vesna sends you on a quest to find a wise old woman Baba Yaga who lives in a hut in the distant forest but she can only send you as far as the village gates. After that, you must rely upon your instincts and Vesna’s animal friends to help you on your quest. As she leaves you at the gates, Vesna hands you a magic Spring Brush that will help you on your journey.
Early into the game you rescue an Ermine who becomes your pet and helper. Yes, you have a pet helper that you get to name but don’t despair if you have reached your limit with overly cute animals being added to games, because your Ermine friend does prove to be useful and will assist you when you need it most. As you move through your adventure you also meet many other animals, some of them friendly and useful but others not so much who are only there to hinder you along the way.
I’m not going to say a lot about the technical aspects of playing the game except to note that you have a custom option for gameplay, and it is loaded with choices.
The graphics are excellent being very colorful and crisp. As is becoming the case with Eipix games the sound package is very good including lip-synced voiceovers, excellent music and environmental sounds.
You have a diary that contains your objectives as well as your notes that will help you as you progress on your adventure. The interactive transporter map that indicates where you have tasks to accomplish is located on the lower right of your screen next to the hint flower. The magic Spring Brush that you receive from Vesna at the beginning of the game lives across the top of your inventory box. Be sure to watch for areas where you can use the brush because if it very helpful at times.
There are various types of interactive HOS, some are the standard list type and others are silhouette type. If you would rather play a match 3 game rather than look for items on the list, you have that option as well. During the demo there were not as many puzzles as there were HOS, and I prefer a game that is just the opposite – more puzzles than HOS but that is not the case with Stolen Spring. The few puzzles I did encounter were very easy and there was hardly any challenge.
Throughout the game you will find and collect pet coins to use presumably to purchase items for your Ermine pal. Although there are achievements to be earned, I didn’t notice any morphing objects or other collectibles. The remainder of the CE content is standard fare with nothing exceptional in the package. Early on at BFG, we had to pay $6.99 for the strategy guide and that is the only extra that has true value in the CE at least for me. Oftentimes we now find walkthroughs available at no extra charge so it really boils down to the cost difference and whether or not you can wait a month for the SE version of a game to be released when deciding which version of the game you want.
Overall, Myths of the World Stolen Spring is an excellent five-star game, and maybe is even better than the first Myths of the World – The Chinese Healer. That being said, I’m not sure if I will purchase the CE or wait for the SE to be released but I guess it will depend on what type of sale BFG has in store for us this weekend. As always, I recommend that you try the demo to see if Stolen Spring is a game that you will enjoy.
I recommend this game!
As Sara tries to find a miracle cure for her ailing brother, she unravels the dark events of her own past.
Overall rating
4
/
5
23 of 26 found this review helpful
A Miracle Cure - or Is It?
PostedNovember 5, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
As the game begins we see cutscene of a research facility that is burning out of control after a devastating explosion. We learn that the fire is listed as suspicious since the lead scientist of the lab, Dr. Ralph Goodwin, was soon to announce the development of a miraculous new drug that would cure almost every known illness. Of course, there were no survivors so the cure has been lost forever, or has it? Three days after the fire, we meet Sarah who tells us that Dr. Goodwin had been treating her brother Sam, and she knows that Dr. Goodwin has hidden the formula in the lab. Sarah asks us to help her find the formula since Sam’s life, as well as the lives of countless others, depends on finding the cure. But, all is not as it seems and someone is out to stop you! Will you be able to overcome the challenges and find the cure? You will have to go on this exciting adventure to solve the mystery and find out who is behind all the mystery at Pontoon Research.
The graphics in general are very good but where the graphics become iffy is in the cutscenes as they appear to be quite “grainy”. The voiceovers are very good as is the rest of the sound package. The background music subtle and adds a touch of spookiness game.
On the lower left of your screen you will find your case file. The file includes several tabs for evidence, notes, a map and your diary. Although there is a map, it is not interactive and is quite useless. The best thing I can say about the map is that it is included as a basic directional tool. The rest of the items in the case file do have some value and can be helpful.
The HOS are the standard list type BUT after a period of time a skip button will appear so you may choose to skip the rest of the HOS if you wish to do so. The mini games are fairly standard with nothing too unique but they were enjoyable and none of them were too difficult or frustrating to solve.
Because there are collectibles in the game, I think the developer might have intended it as CE release. However, without an interactive map and some other features the developer probably decided to go ahead with the SE release instead.
Overall, I was quite surprised because I didn’t think this would be a good game but I was so wrong. Greed: The Mad Scientist is an excellent SE game that I found quite enjoyable. After fifteen minutes of the demo I had to stop and buy the game. Although I am not too familiar with this developer, they did an excellent job with this game and I will look forward to more games from them in the future. As always, please try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
Guide little Emmy through her fears and back to the real world!
Overall rating
3
/
5
18 of 22 found this review helpful
Will You Be Able to Save Emmy?
PostedNovember 3, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
As the story begins we learn that your niece has always been a bit different from other children and her mother, Mary, who is a scientist, tried to help her but to no avail and somehow ended up in a coma – trapped in Emmy’s consciousness. Since you share a close genetic link with Emmy, you will risk everything and try an experimental treatment to unlock the hidden secrets of Emmy’s mind to save both Emmy and your sister. This is where your adventure begins.
The graphics are rather creepy and coupled with the ambient sounds and music they set the stage for a good old-fashioned spooky game. There are voiceovers and yes, they are lip-synced and they are very good. My only issue with the sound is that it is loud and I had a difficult time modulating the volume so that I could get the lower music volume and still be able to hear the voiceovers. The game option controls were fairly basic with only two modes of gameplay and two sound control-slilders so there were not a lot of options to set how the game is played and, IMHO, it would have been nice to have more options like we see with some of the recent games.
Early on in the game you meet Barry who will serve as your guide and hint system. There is an interactive map that is located in the bracelet that you receive from Dr. Sullivan at the beginning of the game. The map is interactive and shows where there are tasks available as well as where tasks have been completed.
The HOS are interactive but fairly old school with the traditional junkpile searches and no alternative type of game available so we are stuck searching through the rubble. The puzzles or mini-games are fairly standard but I did find the first one a bit tricky but the others seem to fall in the category of “been there done that before.”
The redeeming factor in this game is that the storyline is interesting and I just had to see how it played out so I purchased the CE. Even though the game is not over-the-top spectacular, it is still a good game that is better than some that are released only as SE versions. As always, I recommend that you try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
I recommend this game!
Journey down a magical road to save two worlds!
Overall rating
4
/
5
74 of 81 found this review helpful
Oh No, Another Evil Wizard Has Escaped!
PostedNovember 2, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
As the game begins we see a cutscene of a farmer who crashes his tractor and is soon enveloped by a thick fog. As an inspector for Scotland Yard, you are called in to investigate when you also encounter the fog and crash your vehicle. You soon come to realize that the strange, foreboding fog is indeed changing the area and you must find a way to stop it. As you move through this entertaining adventure you will travel through forests and mythical castles, all while meeting some interesting creatures who will help you along the way.
The graphics are very colorful and crisp with lovely hand drawn artwork that enhances the beautiful fantasy setting for the game. Even though the graphics do appear a bit cartoonish, they are still very, very good. The game has voice overs and lip-syncing, but one of the things I found annoying was the long, drawn out slow speech of some characters. Some of the spoken dialogue was snail-pace slow and it drove me nuts. The musical score is nice and I didn’t find it too overpowering, at least I didn’t turn the music off as I sometimes do when playing a game.
Your journal and interactive map are located on the bottom left of your screen. The map shows where tasks are available and also where they have been completed. With a lot of back and forth going on in this game, the transporter type map proved to be extremely useful and a big time saver. The strategy guide and hint button are on the lower right of the screen.
Since this is a HOPA game we have the requisite junkpile HOS, some of them extremely overcrowded. Along with the HOS there are lots of puzzles to be solved and some of them can be tricky. Finally we have a game where the puzzles are not the same old run-of-the mill, type puzzles as some of them are quite different. A few of the puzzles require a good deal of dexterity to complete and those are the ones I struggled with the most. I loved the fact that I had to really think about how to solve some of the puzzles because they were a challenge.
The Road of Kings is loaded with all sorts of extras in the CE version. For those who like to earn achievements they are here, as well as varying types of collectibles to find. Include the array of other items generally found in all CEs and you will find that this game is a true CE value.
The storyline is a bit too familiar, with an evil wizard escaping his eternal prison to wreak havoc upon the world. That being said, it is still a lovely game with lots of entertainment value. Some of you may find it the same old thing so I recommend that you try the demo to see if Road of the Kings is a game you will enjoy. Given the great sale today, it was an instant buy for me.
I recommend this game!
A shipwreck on a volcanic island unearths deadly secrets!
Overall rating
2
/
5
39 of 44 found this review helpful
How To Mess Up The Sequel To A Great Game
PostedNovember 1, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
After your harrowing escape from the Ship of Spirits, you and your partner Gregory, along with the rescued cabin boy find yourselves adrift in the ocean. Your boat is swamped by an enormous wave and it seems all might end at that moment but Gregory saves the day. You awaken to find that you are on the beach of a strange island and this is where the adventure begins and probably should end.
When the first Mayan Prophecies was released it was a game that set the bar for what has now become fairly standard in most HOPA games by including a custom mode of gameplay where you can select exactly how you want to play the game – a feature I love. Unfortunately the demo of this game seems to indicate a game that falls short of that innovative, wonderful first Mayan Prophecies game. On first impression, the graphics do not seem nearly as crisp or as intense by comparison. The artwork is very colorful but there is not a lot of consistency with the graphics as some of them seem grainy while others appear very clean and crisp. The sound package is quite nice and there are voiceovers which are lip-synced: something I appreciate in a game as it adds a bit more reality to the characters.
We have a diary that is located on the lower left of the screen along with the interactive map that you will receive shortly after beginning the game. With all the backtracking required in the game, the map is something you will use quite frequently.
The HOS are interactive but have lots of items to sort through to find what you need. What I really like is that we can play a game of mahjong rather than search through the clutter and, since I love mahjong, I found myself just choosing that option at the beginning of each HOS. The mini puzzles are similar to those found in Ship of Spirits and start out easy to solve but they don’t improve much as the game progresses.
The basic mechanics of the game are similar to those in Ship of Spirits and we, once again, have an artifact that helps us in difficult situations. We also have the other artifact that tells us the history of the island as we find its missing pieces.
Well, I wish I could say this game is great but I can’t. By the time the game ended, I breathed a sigh of relief since this was an exceptionally boring game. It almost seemed like a different team worked on developing the sequel to Ship of Spirits. After the first Mayan Prophecies, this game was an overall disappointment. Since I am a big fan of Elefun Games I was sure the game would get better but that didn’t happen. As always, I recommend you try the demo to see if this game is for you.
I don't recommend this game.
To save your father from a hideous monster, you've decided to sacrifice your own freedom. Now you must journey through a strange and magical land before time runs out!
Overall rating
5
/
5
49 of 52 found this review helpful
Another Wonderful Fairy Tale From ERS
PostedOctober 31, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
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
The game begins as you are telling a bedtime story to a young child. You tell her that when you were eighteen your father went on a long sea voyage, and then he arrived at a castle that seemed to be abandoned so he went inside. Once inside the castle he found a beautiful gilded cage with a nightingale, and thinking the bird was abandoned your father took the bird. Of course the castle was not abandoned and it seems a beast living in the castle tells your father that the price for stealing his nightingale is to give him his daughter. Needless to say, your father grabs the bird and heads for his boat, but as he is rowing to his ship a beautiful ring lands in the boat and that is where our adventure begins.
Others have done a great job of listing the game’s technical aspects so I won’t go into those except to mention that ERS has now moved to offering a custom mode of gameplay where you can set the hint and puzzle skip buttons to the time you feel is right for you.
As with all ERS games the graphics are beautiful and colorful. Another reviewer said that they were reminiscent of the graphics used by another developer in their wonderful FROG games and I agree. There are fanciful creatures and critters that are wonderful, with everything from fairies to witches and a wicked beast. Fantasy games and fairy tales are where ERS excels and we are in store for a wonderfully beautiful adventure.
Included with the HOS are the interactive silhouette and list types with the silhouette HOS being progressive, where you need find an object and then use it to find another until you ultimately receive the item you will need on your journey. We also have the type of HOS where we must find a certain number of each type of item. If you choose, you may switch to an interesting type of matching game instead of hunting for items in the HOS.
The puzzles are fun and a bit different. Although some of them may seem difficult, for the most part they are not so challenging that they become frustrating. I really like the puzzles in ERS games because I find that for the most part I understand them and can solve them which adds a lot to my enjoyment of a game.
Throughout your adventure you will find various items to collect to earn achievements or rewards. The other CE items are fairly standard with the wallpapers, artwork, strategy guide, music, movies and bonus game.
Since I am a huge ERS fan, it goes without saying that I really enjoyed this game. The team at ERS knows how to put together a game that holds my attention, tells a great story, and is always visually appealing. Queen’s Tales the Beast and Nightingale is no exception because I was drawn in from the very beginning of the story and captivated throughout the game with all that there is to see and do. Queen’s Tales is another great game from my favorite developer. For me it was an instant purchase but, as always, I recommend that you try the game for yourself.
I recommend this game!
Unlock the mystery of the Sculptor’s tragic fate!
Overall rating
4
/
5
50 of 58 found this review helpful
Will You Be The Next Victim?
PostedOctober 26, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
As an investigative reporter you have been called to a coastal Greek village to investigate the mysterious circumstances in the death of a sculptor Elias Kostas and his wife Maria who were found encased in plaster in his studio. Seemingly it was a horrific accident but Dr. Alexander, who called you, knows the truth and needs your help to prove that this was murder. As the body count mounts up, will you be able to solve the case or will you be the next victim?
The graphics are very good but not always as crisp as I like. The artwork is lovely and does justice to the coastal Greek village setting. There are voiceovers with lip/sync that are generally very good with the exception of one character who speaks so slowly, I wanted to drag the words out of his mouth. The music and ambient sounds are very good and I found the music quite enjoyable. In fact, this is one of the few games where I will enjoy the extra soundtracks that are included with the CE content.
You have a diary located on the lower left of your screen that, unfortunately, lights up with streaming sparkles every time you collect a note which I found extremely annoying. I found myself constantly opening the diary just to make the lights go away. The compass located next to your diary is the interactive map that shows where there is a task available. Shorty into the game you will acquire a feline helper who will be able to reach areas that you cannot. I know some of you hate furry little helpers in a game but give this one a chance because it is cute and you won’t find it annoying in the end.
There are various types of HOS including the interactive list type and the progressive silhouette type. Most of the HOS were done well but in some of the early HOS I had a difficult time locating the items since the scenes were cluttered and the items seemed to fade into the background. The puzzles in Blood and Sand, although somewhat familiar, are good with many of them being fairly easy; however, there are some that are sticklers and a bit tricky.
For those of you who want morphing objects, collectibles and achievements in a CE game, you have them in Blood and Sand. You can earn thirty achievements, most of which are earned simply because you complete tasks in the game but there are also some mystery achievements included. As you move through the game you can find sixty collectibles and twenty morphing objects. The remainder of the CE package is fairly standard with the inclusion of a bonus chapter, strategy guide, wallpapers, artwork, music and replay of HOS and puzzles. Given some of the beautiful scenes in the game, I was surprised that the wallpapers were not that great.
Dark Canvas Blood and Stone is a very nice game that had the misfortune to be released right after one of the most outstanding games we have seen this year and, as a result, it pales in comparison. The game’s storyline is a bit different than the usual fare and is interesting enough that when the demo ended I wanted more. Blood and Stone is not one of the best games in recent months but it is better than most and does have a decent amount of extras to make it a true CE. Given the good sale for game club members this weekend I went ahead and purchased the game. I found Blood and Sand to be an entertaining game and recommend that you at least try the demo.
I recommend this game!
Enter Ravenwood Park and discover the secrets hidden in the mists...
Overall rating
5
/
5
57 of 63 found this review helpful
What is Hiding in the Mists of Ravenwood?
PostedOctober 25, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
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
The story begins as you are following up on a lead to find the elusive and evil preacher who slipped out of your grasp at Maple Creek. While on his trail you come across a wrecked camper and that is where your adventure begins. As you move forward, you will find that the mystery is much larger than you originally imagined, and solving that mystery is sure to provide some hours of fun and intrigue. Who is really behind what is happening in the mist at Ravenwood? Hmmm, could your old nemesis “The Preacher” possibly be back? If you are like me, you couldn't wait to buy the game and find out what is going on at Ravenwood.
“Enigmatis The Mists of Ravenwood” Is a game from, Artifex Mundi, a developer who has emerged in the past year as a force to be contended with in the casual game world. IMHO, every game from them over the past year has been excellent, and “Enigmatis the Mists of Ravenwood” is at the top of the list.
As for the technical aspects, the game supports widescreen automatically. We are offered three modes of gameplay - casual, advanced and expert. The graphics are excellent and full of color. Even though this game has a sinister mystery to solve, the atmosphere is quite beautiful. There are voiceovers and they are really good: even the child’s voice is extremely well done.
As was the case with Maple Creek, you will build an evidence board as you advance through the game to help you figure out who the culprit is behind what is going on at Ravenwood. I don’t want to give anything away but at one point, even though I was expecting a surprise, I almost fell out of my chair. As was the case with Maple Creek, you will build an evidence board as you advance through the game to help you figure out who the culprit is behind what is going on at Ravenwood. I don’t want to give anything away but at one point, even though I was expecting a surprise, I almost fell out of my chair.
There are iHO scenes that are silhouette, list, and FROG types so there is something here for everyone. The mini puzzles, some of which may seem deceptively easy can be quite tricky. IMHO, it is apparent that the team at Artifex Mundi has been checking the forums and subsequently put a lot into this game based on feedback from BFG members.
In the end, Enigmatis The Mists of Ravenwood is an incredible game and an instant buy for me. I purchased the CE version of the game and loved every minute that I played, in FACT, The Mists of Ravenwood is such an excellent game that I have played it 3 times since it was released as a CE. I know that this game will be at the top of my all-time favorite games list. As always, I recommend that you try the demo to see if you will like the game.
I recommend this game!
You were just about to relax with a good book when a stranger leaves a baby on your doorstep.
Overall rating
5
/
5
161 of 187 found this review helpful
Nevertales is a Masterpeice!
PostedOctober 24, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
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
As the game begins you have just wrapped up another successful case by proving your client innocent, and just as you are getting ready to relax with a good book someone starts pounding on your door. You open the door to find a baby along with a note that tells you to return her home but to not go to the police since you are the only one who can save her. So now your adventure begins. Will you be able to return the baby to her rightful home?
Others have done a great job of listing the game’s technical aspects so I won’t go into those except to note that we have another developer who has given us a custom mode of gameplay with a lot of options.
Nevertales is a very visually appealing, beautiful game with excellent graphics that are crisp and colorful. The voiceovers and lip-sync in the game are excellent as is the entire sound package. It is not often that I comment on the music in a game but I enjoyed the music in Nevertales and felt that it added a lot to my overall enjoyment of the game.
Not long after you begin the game you will find your cell phone that contains a journal and all of the information that you might need to check as you progress. Once you have found the cell phone it will live on the lower right portion of the screen in the same area where your interactive map is located. To save steps, you may also access the map through a tab in your cell phone if you prefer.
Okay so here is where we come to the gameplay basics and this is where Nevertales becomes a very different game than same old HOPA games we have come to love. The HOP scenes in Nevertales are quite interesting and the developer has certainly given a new spin on the interactive HOPS. I think many of you will enjoy the way the HOPS play out in Nevertales. Not only do we find classic HOPS, there are also fragmented object puzzles scattered throughout the game. Of course we can expect to find puzzles as well and some of them are quite different, with many of them requiring a bit of thought to solve.
As we travel through our adventure, we will find 45 collectible roses hidden throughout. I don’t want to give anything away so I will only say that there is a very nice extra available if you complete a task with the roses. Aside from the collectible roses we have morphing objects. Again, I don’t want to “spill the beans” but the morphing objects are found a bit differently in this game. There are also achievements in the game and you can earn either a bronze, silver or gold star. The remaining CE extras are fairly standard with the bonus chapter, strategy guide, artwork and music. Nevertales The Beauty Within is truly a CE quality game; not an SE with a smattering of useless perks.
Nevertales The Beauty Within is an excellent game that is different than the more recent run of the mill HOPA games. The developer has given some unique twists and turns that make this a standout, excellent game. For those of you who may be burned out on HOPA games, I would highly recommend that you try this game since it is, IMHO, a masterpiece. If you are a fairly new to playing HOPA games, I would recommend the CE version since it has the integrated strategy guide that you will find very useful during your adventure. I loved the game and didn't want to wait to see if there would be sale this weekend so I went ahead and purchased it right away. As always, recommend that you try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
I recommend this game!
Save your niece from the evil presence haunting her school!
Overall rating
5
/
5
37 of 47 found this review helpful
A Dark, Creepy and Spooky Game for Halloween
PostedOctober 22, 2013
biscuitsmama
fromSacramento, CA
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
Grim Tales Bloody Mary begins with a cutscene as you are driving to Blackhill School at the request of your niece, Jackie, who is very upset because the adults have all disappeared and very strange things are happening. Upon your arrival at Blackhill you see the silhouette of a child with glowing red eyes decapitating a toy bunny with a pair of scissors. From the first scene, I knew this game would be over-the-top creepy. Grim Tales Bloody Mary is a dark tale of demon possessed children - a theme I do not like. Strictly because of the theme, I was tempted to give the game a bad review; however, I have to admit that many of you will like the game and not be bothered by the storyline. I vacillated between buying the game or just trashing it but as I progressed through the game I was drawn in by the story and wanted to find out what was going on. Grim Tales Bloody Mary will not be a game that everyone likes but many of you will find that it has the gritty content and feel that you have been asking for in a game. In the end, I think this installment in the Grim Tales series will turn out to be one of those polarizing games: you will either love it or hate it.
The graphics are crystal clear and excellent with lots of brilliant color. There are voiceovers that are very believable but I still find it annoying that a developer the caliber of Elephant Games will not add lip movement to their characters when they speak. This is one of my favorite developers and they just haven’t gone to the next level by adding lip movement/voice sync to their games. Aside from that complaint, the music and sound effects are very wonderfully intense, and I have to admit that I jumped once or twice as I was playing the game. I found that because of the intense nature of the music, I needed to turn the music volume very low as I was feeling a bit jittery.
The HOS are list type with some interaction required. I found that many objects in the HOS are very small and difficult to find so I resorted to using the hint button. Many of the game's puzzles are the scenario type where you move items around to complete a story but fortunately there are some different type puzzles as the game moves forward.
Overall, I was very disappointed with the dark turn that this installment of the Grim Tales series has taken. Although it does get better as the storyline developes and in the end it is an excellent game. Elephant Games brings us some of the best games on the market so it was sad (at least for me) to see such a dark-themed game. Although the game is not one of my favorites because I don't like games with demon possessed children, I will still give it a 5-star rating based on the game’s mechanics, artwork and challenge. That being said, I would strongly encourage you to try the demo before you buy it. Some gamers may find that Grim Tales Bloody Mary is the game they have been waiting for - a good spooky tale for Halloween.