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:
Can you stop a criminal you can’t always see?
Overall rating
3
/
5
79 of 90 found this review helpful
THE HUMAN THREAT IS A FRUSTRATING PUZZLE FEST
PostedAugust 9, 2019
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Secret City the Human Threat is an excellent game if you happen to love endless puzzles. I am so tired of wanting to play a good HOPA game only to find that I am short-changed on the HOS and instead find myself mired in one puzzle after another. Not only are there far too many puzzles, the developer decided that wasn’t enough but had to make some of them with five parts or levels to solve. If you are a fan of puzzles, then this is the game for you.
After reading my opening paragraph you probably would think that I am someone who doesn’t like solving puzzles but that is not the case. I love puzzles but I also love HOS and want a game that has a balance between the two. Oftentimes I feel as if developers use puzzles to make game longer. In my case, after playing the game for four hours, I was so frustrated with the true lack of movement in catching the thief that I quit playing. I would get to a scene where I would come face to face with Mortymer only to hit an obstacle that would require running around to find bits and pieces that needed to be used to – yep, you got it – solve a puzzle or two, or even three before I could move on to the next obstacle.
Even though I believe that there are far too many puzzles in the game, the puzzles in The Human Threat are very good. Most are very easy to solve but some are difficult. I appreciate that the puzzles have a choice between solving in either an easy or a hard mode. In my case I selected the hard mode and didn’t find that I needed to change to the easy mode to solve them.
The HOS in the game are creative and very well-designed. I enjoyed the scene where we opened different doors to find the items on the list. There was also a very creative storybook type scene where the story is read to us and we find the objects by looking at the diagrams as well listening to the dialog. All in all the HOS were entertaining and a lot of fun but there simply wasn’t enough of them for the way I like to play.
I’ve been playing HOPA games before the days when the CE was created, and my gaming library is huge. Until a few started to bang the drum of wanting more and more puzzles, there was a balance between great HOS and puzzles or mini games. Then within the past two years we now seem to have hoPa games and, IMHO, that is truly sad.
Secret City the Human Treat could have been far more fun if there had been more HOS. I think that Domini Games creates some wonderful fantasy games and at one time they were my favorite developer. Something that makes this team so great is that they do put a lot of extras into their CE games that make them worth the price point. The Human Threat has morphing objects, coins, and photos to find and not all of them are easy to spot. The Secret City series is one that I have enjoyed, and this game had the potential to be better than the others but when I reached my burnout point of solving too many puzzles, I quit playing the game.
If you don’t mind playing puzzle after puzzle, I can recommend Secret City the Human Threat as a game you will enjoy. For those gamers who happen to love a game that has more than a mere handful of HOS, then I recommend that you skip this one. As always. the key is to try the demo to see if it is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
Can you save your friend before your luck runs out?
Overall rating
5
/
5
70 of 99 found this review helpful
LOOKING FOR THAT POT OF GOLD AS I CHASE DOWN THAT RASCALLY LEPRECHAUN
PostedAugust 8, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromSuch a fun game and far better than having to stop an evil entity with glowing eyes
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
If you ever wondered what that Pot of Gold at the end of a rainbow looks like, then you are sure to love this latest offering in the Labyrinths of the World series. Fool’s Gold is a wonderful and fun game full of the brilliant color that this developer prefers in its games. At least for me this is one of the best games in the series and I loved every minute that I played Fool’s Gold.
In every Labyrinths game you find yourself in trouble of one sort or another, and Fool’s Gold is true to the theme. Your friend Alessa invites you to tag along to the new Leprechaun Museum in Dublin, and it isn’t long before Alessa finds trouble when she throws a coin into a pot that is reputed to be the “true” Leprechaun’s Pot that will grant wishes. Alessa is whisked away through a portal and you must follow to save your friend. The game is a lot of fun as you run into a trouble making leprechaun who is out to steal the Dragon’s Gold and if he succeeds the dragon will exact revenge on the village.
When I was a kid, I spent hours daydreaming about that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow so this Labyrinths of the World appealed to the kid in my and I purchased straightaway.
IMHO, this developer has it right when they create a game since they include the ability to set hints and skips as low as zero. I wish all developers would include that option with the custom setting in all games, but some simply stick to the same old 15 seconds without listening to what we gamers want.
I agree with another reviewer that the HOPS are some of the best I’ve seen in ages. Not only are they creative but they are fun, and I found playing the scenes to be so enjoyable that I didn’t consider using the alternate Match 3 game. The puzzles were not difficult even on the Hard setting and I didn’t need to use the Skip option. For me there are still far too many puzzles in the game but not everyone will agree. I do enjoy some puzzles but would far rather have more HOPS.
Yes, there are those who will complain that the game is the same old thing but that is the nature of HOPA games. In all HOPA games there is the same pattern so yes, they are at times cookie-cutter but, IMHO, Labyrinths of the World is a great game and one that I did enjoy. The pace of the game is just right for me. I felt like the story moved forward without being buried with too many difficult tasks. It is an easy breezy game and just what I wanted today. Even though I love the game and think it is excellent, as always, please try the demo to see if Fool’s Gold is for you. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
1001 Jigsaw World Tour: Australia is an exciting jigsaw puzzle game and tour guide with 500 high-quality photos
Overall rating
5
/
5
30 of 32 found this review helpful
1001 JIGSAW WORLD TOUR IS BACK WITH A WONDERFUL LOOK AT AUSTRALIA
PostedAugust 6, 2019
biscuitsmama
from1001 Jigsaw puzzles has everything I want, need, or look for in a great puzzle game
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I love playing jigsaw puzzles. I love playing them on my dining room table, a lapboard, or even better on my PC where I don’t need to worry about losing pieces that somehow end up chewed up by my pups or the vacuum cleaner. Then I found 1001 Jigsaws that I think are some of the best to be offered. 1001 Jigsaw World Tour: Australian Puzzles offers a great selection of scenes that I can’t wait to begin solving. When life gets a bit hectic it’s time to chill out with a cup of tea and a great puzzle to solve.
Although you can’t save the puzzles to your desktop there is an album in the program where you can see the puzzles displayed. Personally, I like my desktop clean with very few icons, so I rarely use different backgrounds or wallpapers. For me the joy in the 1001 puzzles is having a great variety of puzzles with super tools. I love the box where I can store my unused pieces until I am ready to pull them out. One of the best features in the game is the ability to change the number of pieces that comprise each puzzle so I have the ability for a quick solve if I only have a few minutes available to play, or to make a puzzle more challenging by selecting a higher number of pieces. For me 1001 Jigsaws World Tour Australia is everything I want and need in a great jigsaw puzzle game and I don’t need extra fluff to make the game any better than it already is.
The array of puzzles gives those of us who are “armchair travelers” a glimpse of a gorgeous country that has some of the most beautiful flora and fauna to be found. Although Australia has awesome architecture, I am most fond of the nature puzzles, but no matter what you are looking for in a puzzle I am sure there will be many available that will be what you want. 1001 Jigsaw World Tour Australia is a keeper for me and a game that I’m delighted to add to my inventory. As always, please try the demo to see if you enjoy “Australia” as much as me. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a powerful foe from taking over Paris?
Overall rating
5
/
5
47 of 53 found this review helpful
PARISIAN PURSUIT IS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE BEST GAMES EVER FROM EIPIX
PostedAugust 2, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromBreathtaking, interesting, and overall fabulous!
Skill Level:Intermediate
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Welcome back EIPIX! Vermillion Watch Parisian Pursuit is one of the best games you have produced in recent years. I had all but stopped purchasing EIPIX games but when I tried the beta and then the demo for Parisian Pursuit I was hooked.
EIPIX has raised the bar with Vermillion Watch Parisian Pursuit and has gone back to developing games the way that originally put them at the top of the list of game developers. There was a time I purchased every game this team developed but in recent years their games were so boring and so cookie cutter that I don’t believe I have purchased one of their games in maybe the past two years. With Parisian Pursuit things have changed up and for the better. Gone are those teeny-tiny HO items that were no more than dark blobs in the HOS.
Since I enjoy the HOS in games far more than I do the mini games it is important for me that the items are at least distinguishable where I would at least have some hope of spotting them. For me, the HOS in Parisian Pursuit are more akin to those in their earlier games, which made them perfect. Not only are the items easier on the eyes, the scenes themselves are very well-designed and far more creative. The HO scenes in Parisian Pursuit are some of the most creative I have seen in recent games and most definitely more creative than they have been in recent EIPIX games. What wonderful fun I have had playing this game. I’ve spent hours traveling through the streets of Paris and have enjoyed every moment. Parisian Pursuit is what Vermillion Watch is all about and the game was an instant purchase for me.
If you read my reviews, you probably are aware that I am not a huge fan of all the mini games that are now popping up in HOPA games. I prefer far better quality and more HOS than I do mini games. For a change, the mini games in Parisian Pursuit come with far better instructions than in previous games. I could actually figure out what needed to be done when solving the mini games this time around. Some of the mini games or puzzles in Parisian Pursuit are so integrated into the game that they are not obvious and hardly need instructions. I only had a problem with one mini game and think it should have had a skip button because it took me forever to reach the end because I made a mistake early on and had to continually hit the hint button to get to the end. That being said, all in all the mini games were well-crafted and although some were familiar and easy to complete, others did require some good ole gray matter to figure out. And, although not a fan of the mini games these were entertaining and made the game better.
Vermillion Watch Parisian Pursuit is a game that has it all and seems to flow rather than become bogged down with all of the tasks and mini games. The game had that unique factor where one becomes so involved in the storyline and action that you don’t become bored. I simply loved playing this game and found it to be one of the best that EIPIX has produced in years. The game is thoughtful and didn’t seem cobbled together in order to reach publication. IMHO, this is the way all games should be: well told storylines that have continuity and don’t jump from place to place, dialogue that is well written and not riddled with grammatical errors. Parisian Pursuit is reminiscent of the quality games that at one time came from BFG. Definitely the bar has been raised and this game will be hard to beat. As always, please try the demo to see if you will enjoy what I consider to be one of the best EIPIX games ever! Happy gaming!
Step into the shoes of a Private investigator with short-term memory loss and uncover the shocking truth about his involvement with a serial killer called The Executioner.
Overall rating
5
/
5
124 of 152 found this review helpful
RACE AGAINST TIME TO STOP THE EXECUTIONER
PostedAugust 1, 2019
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
If you are looking for an action-packed great whodunit mystery game with no glaring red evil eyes, then this second game in the Ghost Files series is the one you don’t want to miss. From the very first scene this game takes off on a race to find a killer, dubbed the Executioner, before you (Arthur Christie) are arrested and convicted of crimes you didn’t commit. Memory of a Crime is a game that is sure to keep you involved and playing for hours.
Although I didn’t care as much for the first Ghost Files game, this one seems much better. IMHO, the one downfall in the game (at least for me) is that some of the HOPS rely on barely identifiable silhouettes rather than providing a list or better depictions of the items to be found. Some of those scenes were difficult to complete since I couldn’t figure out what the silhouettes represented. That being said, the HOPS are absolutely genius and very creative. Thankfully, there is more of a balance between the puzzles and the HOPS. The puzzles are well-crafted and fit into the storyline without seeming to be inserted into the game as time fillers. Congratulations to Brave Giant for thinking outside the cookie-cutter box and bringing something interesting to the genre with this game.
Help Private Detective Arthur Christie regain bits of his memory as he races to save his reputation and stop the real Executioner before it is too late. The game takes off quickly and keeps going and at times had me on the edge of my seat as I wanted Arthur to evade imminent danger and solve the crime. Memory of a crime is simply a game that you don’t want to miss. As always, please try the demo to see if this is a game that you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Accompany Mary Jane and Jack on a swashbuckling hidden object adventure!
Overall rating
2
/
5
51 of 79 found this review helpful
SOMEONE FOUND UNCHARTED TIDES PORT ROYAL WASTING AWAY ON A SHELF SOMEWHERE
PostedJuly 28, 2019
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Uncharted Tides Port Royal is another one of those dime a dozen HOPA games that didn’t quite make it. The game was probably sitting on a shelf somewhere until it was decided that BFG needed a CE game to release and nothing of higher quality was available.
What makes this game so unworthy? Well, the list is far too long to go into detail but when early in the game Mary Ann tells me she needs a mop I spent quite a while searching hither and yon to find one until I read the dialogue and discovered that what I actually needed was the map that had been sitting in my inventory while I searched for a nonexistent mop. Perhaps someone at BFG should have done a better job of editing the voice acting for the game. The HOPS had either glaringly large or, in some cases indistinct items to find, which is a deal breaker for me. The list of things I dislike about this game goes on from there.
There really is no point in writing about everything that I think is wrong with Uncharted Tides Port Royal as it’s basically a waste of my time. Instead, why don’t you try the game for yourself and see what you think. Perhaps you will enjoy it far more than me. Happy gaming or in this case maybe not!
Can you stop a dangerous cloaked assailant before it’s too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
51 of 80 found this review helpful
LIGEIA IS A GOOD DARK TALES GAME BUT NOT THE BEST IN THE SERIES
PostedJuly 25, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromWhat has happened to the debonnaire Dupin? He’s looking rather worn out again.
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Dark Tales EAP Ligeia is simply put another of those games in a never-ending series whose characters are culled from the author’s short stories. I didn’t expect much and that’s exactly what I received. At one time the Dark Tales were excellent games and is now the general rule, most CE games are short with providing the gamer not much to look forward to when playing. Recently, when playing the Dark Tales games I am left with a feeling of “been there, done that”.
The good in the game comes from the beautiful graphics but the bad is Dupin constantly repeating the stupid dialog telling me what I must do to proceed. Gone are the days when a developer realized that gamers are smart and if we see a key stuck in a lock, we can figure out what we need to do to fix the problem without Dupin repeating the obvious next move. As much as I love to play my games with the sound, I was ready to turn it off in Ligeia since I found the voiceovers to be very annoying.
Other good things in the game are the HO scenes. I enjoy playing scenes where I can actually see the items that I need to find. Although the items are not always obvious, they are at least visible and not minute unrecognizable blobs on the screen. The other thing I did enjoy are the puzzles although the developer does tend to use the same puzzles in all of its games. Some of the puzzles are quite easy while others take some time to solve. One of my favorite puzzles in the game is the one with the rotating disks that will give a complete picture when all of the pieces are moved to the correct places.
There have been better games in the Dark Tales series but Ligeia is at least a decent game. I felt that the game could have been better and a bit longer. I consider myself a slow player because I have to look at all the details in each scene and I was surprised that I finished the game in six hours. If you love playing a game that has beautiful graphics, fun HOS, and interesting puzzles then Dark Tales EAP Ligeia is a game that you will most likely enjoy. As always, I recommend that you try the demo because you might find that Ligeia is a perfect game for you. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you help three souls escape a deadly amusement park?
Overall rating
5
/
5
56 of 67 found this review helpful
DEAD PARK IS EXACTLY WHAT I’VE BEEN LONGING TO FIND IN A GREAT HOPA GAME
PostedJuly 19, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromEagerly looking forward to the next Redemption Cemetery and other games from AMAX
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Redemption Cemetery Dead Park is without a doubt one of the best HOPA games I have played in a very long time. When I found myself absorbed in the game and was shocked when the demo seemed to end so quickly, I knew without a doubt that Dead Park is a game that has everything that has been missing in so many of the cookie cutter, get them out the door and to market as quickly as possible, HOPA games. In the days when ERS (now AMAX) was the premier developer of BFG HOPA games I purchased every game they produced with no question that I was getting top-notch quality and the best there was to be found as far as gameplay, quality graphics with amazing artwork, and inventive storylines. Then when we began to clamor for more and more HOPA games the cookie cutter was born. Without looking at my purchase history I can’t even remember when I last purchased a Redemption Cemetery game. I don’t believe I have purchased the last four or five at least. Dead Park changes all that and is simply put an awesome HOPA game.
The HOPS in Redemption Cemetery are an absolute joy to play. Dead Park has some very, very creative and well-designed HOPS. Yes, there are a few of what some would call junkpiles, but even those were terrific. HOPS like these are what have been missing from so many HOPA games and now I am hoping that maybe more developers will realize that excellent HOPS are what true HOPA game lovers want. In the past year or so HOPA games have had less emphasis on the HOPS that originally attracted gamers to the genre and have relied more heavily on the “P” aspect with far too many puzzles or mini-games that have often been used as a lazy way to cover weak storylines or very short games. Although there are many puzzles and mini games in Dead Park, there is still more of a balance with an emphasis on quality HOPS. As I played, I found myself saying “wow, awesome, and wow” again and again as I would get to play another excellent HOP scene. The puzzles in the game are very good and most are not overly difficult, so I enjoyed each one that popped up as I played through the game. It has always been my belief that it is somehow not right to detail all of the aspects of what to expect in any given game because it is far better and increases the gamers interest if they see those things for themselves, so I won’t spoil your fun by giving you all of the details about the puzzles or HOS. What I will tell you is that Dead Park has absolutely the best HOPS that I have played in years and I doubt that HOP scene lovers will be disappointed when they play the game.
As many of you may know I am not a huge fan of horror or scary games and I really dislike amusement park or carnival themed games in particular. Redemption Cemetery has changed that with Dead Park. When the beta for the game was released, I immediately deleted it “knowing” automatically that it is a game I no interest in playing. When the full game was released and I decided to at least give the demo a try, I was swept away and knew that this was an amazing game. Congratulations to everyone at BFG and AMAX for a stellar game that I hope will set a new trend for future HOPA games. I should more accurately say that I hope future HOPA games will include those things that originally captured gamers interest and what have been missing in HOPA games for the past several years. Redemption Cemetery Dead Park is a stellar game. AMAX team you “hit the ball out of the park” with this one! Happy gaming everyone.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a criminal you can’t always see?
Overall rating
2
/
5
60 of 81 found this review helpful
THE HUMAN THREAT IS A FRUSTRATING PUZZLE FEST
PostedJuly 18, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromThis game had so much potential to be great but it was overburdened by puzzles
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Secret City the Human Threat is an excellent game if you happen to love endless puzzles. I am so tired of wanting to play a good HOPA game only to find that I am short-changed on the HOS and instead find myself mired in one puzzle after another. Not only are there far too many puzzles, the developer decided that wasn’t enough but had to make some of them with five parts or levels to solve. If you are a fan of puzzles, then this is the game for you.
After reading my opening paragraph you probably would think that I am someone who doesn’t like solving puzzles but that is not the case. I love puzzles but I also love HOS and want a game that has a balance between the two. Oftentimes I feel as if developers use puzzles to make game longer. In my case, after playing the game for four hours, I was so frustrated with the true lack of movement in catching the thief that I quit playing. I would get to a scene where I would come face to face with Mortymer only to hit an obstacle that would require running around to find bits and pieces that needed to be used to – yep, you got it – solve a puzzle or two, or even three before I could move on to the next obstacle.
Even though I believe that there are far too many puzzles in the game, the puzzles in The Human Threat are very good. Most are very easy to solve but some are difficult. I appreciate that the puzzles have a choice between solving in either an easy or a hard mode. In my case I selected the hard mode and didn’t find that I needed to change to the easy mode to solve them.
The HOS in the game are creative and very well-designed. I enjoyed the scene where we opened different doors to find the items on the list. There was also a very creative storybook type scene where the story is read to us and we find the objects by looking at the diagrams as well listening to the dialog. All in all the HOS were entertaining and a lot of fun but there simply wasn’t enough of them for the way I like to play.
I’ve been playing HOPA games before the days when the CE was created, and my gaming library is huge. Until a few started to bang the drum of wanting more and more puzzles, there was a balance between great HOS and puzzles or mini games. Then within the past two years we now seem to have hoPa games and, IMHO, that is truly sad.
Secret City the Human Treat could have been far more fun if there had been more HOS. I think that Domini Games creates some wonderful fantasy games and at one time they were my favorite developer. Something that makes this team so great is that they do put a lot of extras into their CE games that make them worth the price point. The Human Threat has morphing objects, coins, and photos to find and not all of them are easy to spot. The Secret City series is one that I have enjoyed, and this game had the potential to be better than the others but when I reached my burnout point of solving too many puzzles, I quit playing the game.
If you don’t mind playing puzzle after puzzle, I can recommend Secret City the Human Threat as a game you will enjoy. For those gamers who happen to love a game that has more than a mere handful of HOS, then I recommend that you skip this one. As always. the key is to try the demo to see if it is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop a buried past from destroying your world?
Overall rating
5
/
5
41 of 65 found this review helpful
A BEAUTIFUL GAME THAT IS OUT OF THIS WORLD
PostedJuly 14, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromMy world would be perfect if there were far more sci-fi HOPA games to play
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Moonsouls The Lost Sanctum is the 3rd game in the Moonsouls series and this one takes the blue ribbon. This game simply blew me away and I loved it!
The Lost Sanctum is a quality piece of art and yes, even I found the game to be a bit short although it took me almost six hours to complete. I tend to play slowly as I have to take in every detail in the scenes and it did slow me down a bit as I was obsessive about finding the collectibles and the morphing objects. Some of the collectibles were definitely difficult to spot while others more or less jumped out at me.
The gameplay kept me absorbed through the bonus chapter, which isn’t always the case with other games. The storyline was fascinating, and I needed to find out how it all ended. The quality of this game is amazing from the HOPS to the puzzles. The HOPS are beautiful – something that stands out because so many other games have drab junkpiles to sort through by comparison. We have so few sci-fi games offered here at BFG and I think there is a big market for them because many of us who love playing HOPA games are from the Star Trek era and love the Sci-fi genre – just saying.
The HOPS are out of this world, and a developer finally got it right by creating so many wonderful and beautiful HOPS in a game. The styles vary but each HOP stands on its own as being creative and full of details that I love. Even the puzzles are excellent, although there were one or two that I immediately skipped because I disliked the particular type of puzzle. For me it was a wonderful turn of events to have the puzzles take back seat to the HOPS in the game. I love finding hidden objects and that is what drew me to BFG in the beginning all those years ago. BFG was the first company to offer so many wonderful HO games while other companies focused more on puzzles with only an occasional HOPA, which is why I have been a member here since 2006. I have never become tired of the genre and Moonsouls The Lost Sanctum is one of the best and most beautiful games in recent years.
Yes, the game might be short, but it was absolutely perfect for me! Thank you Mad Head Games for creating a wonderful, quality game! Even though this game was an instant purchase for me, I recommend that you try the demo to see if Moonsouls The Lost Sanctum is a game you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!