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 an ancient evil from breaking free?
Overall rating
2
/
5
16 of 21 found this review helpful
WHEN WILL THE COOKIE-CUTTER ASSEMBLY LINE END?
PostedFebruary 21, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromDoes anyone need a glass of milk to go with their cookies?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Jump on the conveyor belt to another cookie-cutter game in the Redemption Cemetery series - The Cursed Mark. The premise of this game is the same now as it was in 2010 when the first game was offered. The storyline is only different in that this time there are two demons duking it out for supremacy - one good the other the bad guy who needs to steal souls in order to flesh out his skeletal form and take dominion over, yes you guessed it guys, the entire world.
Is it BFG or is it the lack of creativity with a developer that keeps bringing us this assembly line of games over and over and over? Honestly if this continues to be what I have to look forward to with games from the same handful of BFG developers, then it is a bleak gaming outlook indeed.
There is nothing remotely interesting in "The Cursed Mark" that would entice me to even complete the demo of the game. It was boring from the get-go with the same storyline, the same tasks, and the same gameplay. HOPA games are now littered with mini-HOP scenes since they probably require less work to create and serve to act as game fillers so that a game with three chapters might seem much longer. IMHO anytime I see an in-game strategy guide that shows a game has only 3 chapters, then I am not going to spend my hard earned dollars to purchase the game - even if it is on sale.
Those of you who haven't been around long enough to play the previous thirteen games in the series might possibly enjoy this game. This developer creates some of the most realistic characters in gameland and their artwork is probably enough to entice you to having a go at Redemption Cemetery The Cursed Mark. As for me, I've been there/done that over and over and over again so this one is definitely a pass for me. As always, please try the demo to see if you will enjoy The Cursed Mark. Happy Gaming!
Is it BFG or is it the lack of creativity with a developer that keeps bringing us this assembly line of games over and over and over? Honestly if this continues to be what I have to look forward to with games from the same handful of BFG developers, then it is a bleak gaming outlook indeed.
There is nothing remotely interesting in "The Cursed Mark" that would entice me to even complete the demo of the game. It was boring from the get-go with the same storyline, the same tasks, and the same gameplay. HOPA games are now littered with mini-HOP scenes since they probably require less work to create and serve to act as game fillers so that a game with three chapters might seem much longer. IMHO anytime I see an in-game strategy guide that shows a game has only 3 chapters, then I am not going to spend my hard earned dollars to purchase the game - even if it is on sale.
Those of you who haven't been around long enough to play the previous thirteen games in the series might possibly enjoy this game. This developer creates some of the most realistic characters in gameland and their artwork is probably enough to entice you to having a go at Redemption Cemetery The Cursed Mark. As for me, I've been there/done that over and over and over again so this one is definitely a pass for me. As always, please try the demo to see if you will enjoy The Cursed Mark. Happy Gaming!
I don't recommend this game.
Get lost in a haunted house that keeps changing!
Overall rating
5
/
5
127 of 162 found this review helpful
NO ESCAPE – ONE OF THE BEST GAMES IN THE MYSTERY OF THE ANCIENT SERIES!
PostedFebruary 21, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromMystery of the Ancients keeps getting better all the time. No Escape is wonderful!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Mystery of the Ancients returns with No Escape, the 8th game in the series. No Escape is an excellent game that kept me engaged from the very first scene. 2019 seems to be getting off to a great start with several good HOPA games being offered already and Mystery of the Ancients No Escape will most likely be at the top of my list for best game of the year. I’m always excited when I play a HOPA game that grabs my attention with gameplay features that I love and keeps up the pace from the first scene until the game ends. For me at least No Escape is that sort of game!
No Escape begins with the usual call from friends who need our help and then when we arrive to find them we must go through the same mundane tasks to get started. Yes, we have seen this scenario over and over again but the difference here is that rather than being a frustrating do this and then that situation, I found the game so well designed that it wasn’t simply boring gameplay to get started. Yes, in many ways the game is the same as others that we have seen over and over again but there is something different about No Escape that sets it apart from run-of-the-mill cookie-cutter games.
Even though I generally prefer HOPS over puzzles, I loved the puzzles in No Escape. In fact, I enjoyed the puzzles far more than I did the HOPS. In some of the HOPS many items were so tiny and indistinct that it made the scenes seem tedious more than fun. Although the scenes varied in style and were at times interactive, I found the puzzles to be far more entertaining. There were a couple of Rube-Goldberg puzzles in the game that were more difficult to complete and I admit that I had to reset them to try again.
If you enjoy the Mystery of the Ancients series or if you are looking for a top-notch HOPA game to play then I highly recommend Mystery of the Ancients No Escape. For me No Escape is probably the best game in the series although most of the others are good as well. Even though I love this game, as always, please try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Dark secrets loom in the hidden corners of the human mind, will you dare to find them?
Overall rating
5
/
5
34 of 40 found this review helpful
I WOULD NEVER FALL ASLEEP DURING THIS AMAZING GAME!
PostedFebruary 17, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromKudos to House of Fables for creating such a terrific game. Please, please let there be another like this one.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Dreamwalker Never Fall Asleep is one of those amazing games that comes along every once in a while here at BFG and takes all of us by surprise. Everything about this game is what I like to find in a HOPA game and the fact that it is an SE is even better. The game itself is so excellent that I don’t miss all of the bells and whistles that I look forward to in CEs.
From the beginning my attention was riveted to the storyline and the gameplay. Never Fall Asleep contains very well-crafted HOPS of the type that seem to be sadly missing from other HOPA games. My favorite types of HOPS are the original list style and this game has plenty of those. The items listed are easy to read but not always so easy to find. Even the interaction required to find some items is not always apparent. The puzzles seem necessary and not simply thrown in as game stretchers. Some of the puzzles are my favorite style such as the untangle type and many are multi-layer puzzles. When trying to open a hatch I thought I had it solved when I found the door rings but they only led to another few layers in the puzzle. House of Fables and Artifex Mundi created a HOPA lovers delight and wrapped it up in a psychological thriller.
Dreamwalker Never Fall Asleep captured me from the first scene which is something that doesn’t often happen with most of the games I play now. Even though I think that this a perfect HOPA game, as always I recommend that you try the demo to see if Never Fall Asleep is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
The shapeshifting detective, and hero of Netherfall, is once again called to the capital to help king Robert investigate a series of kidnappings!
Overall rating
3
/
5
45 of 51 found this review helpful
A FANTASY GAME WITH DRAGONS AND POTIONS
PostedFebruary 17, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromI wish the potion making instructions were better so I could be a better alchemist. I will never get my wings at this rate.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
If you like fantasy games and mixing potions then Queen’s Quest V: Symphony of Death is sure to be a game that you will enjoy. To be honest I have never been a huge fan of the series but I do think that Symphony of Death is a very good game.
You play the game as an alchemist who has assisted the royal family in the past and as Symphony of Death begins you have been called to the court once again. However before you can be on your way you must go through those mundane tasks that all HOPA games seem to require before you get to the gist of the story. In this game we have several missing children who have been kidnapped as well as the traitorous queen now escaped from prison. Will you be able to find the children before it is too late?
The graphics appear at times to be quite sub-par and hazy while at other times they are excellent, crisp, and clear. Although I can live with the hazy graphics I did have difficulty with the potion instructions as we don’t see them in close-up and the numbers are very indistinct and tiny. I couldn’t distinguish between the numbers 1 and 2, or 2 and 3 as they were so small. On the plus side Brave Giant gives us a Custom setting that is more realistic with the lowest hint and skip times being 5 seconds rather than 10 or 15. Thank you for setting a lower bottom time that I can live with!
I love HOP scenes and there are some creative and well-designed ones in Symphony of Death. I enjoyed the way the scenes were set up and that you need to pay attention to find some items or you might need to use a hint. The puzzles seem to be more related to the mixing of potions which is okay but some of the instructions are difficult to follow. The major issue I had with the potion instructions is that they are really non-existent and I would not have known what to do on the first one without a lot of frustrating trial and error. Fortunately the light bulb clicked and it was easier to then complete the potions.
Queen’s Quest V Symphony of Death might really appeal to some gamers but for me it was rather boring and couldn’t hold my attention. Perhaps on another day when I am not struggling with a potion puzzle this game will move along at a faster pace, at least one can hope! Something that jumped out at me was the out of place voice acting for the sheriff who sounds like he was plucked from an old TV western rather than being a sheriff in a European country that actually had a royal family. That accent and my boredom with getting started in the game rather left me feeling blah about what most likely is a very good game. As always, I encourage you to play the demo since Queen’s Quest V: Symphony of Death might be a game you will love. Happy gaming!
Can you save the city from the dangerous criminal Quasimodo?
Overall rating
4
/
5
33 of 61 found this review helpful
A TERRIFIC GAME WITH SOME GREAT PUZZLES
PostedFebruary 14, 2019
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Dark Romance the Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a surprising game that has some good news and then some bad news. In the past year I have become very tired of HOPA games that have become heavy on the “P” while cutting down on the “HO” aspect of my favorite genre. Recent games have been top heavy with nothing more than puzzle after puzzle BUT the great news about The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is that the puzzles are terrific and seem to fit well into the storyline. I am not overly fond of finding more puzzles than HO scenes but I loved the puzzles this time around. The puzzles were not simply gratuitous and thrown in because some gamers have been very vocal about wanting more puzzles, but they actually made sense to have them in the game.
When I first started playing the Hunchback of Notre-Dame I didn’t think it was a game I would like for several reasons, primarily the dialogue and voice acting were terrible and really put me off. Esmeralda who should have been portrayed as sensuous with a smoky voice sounded more like a squeaky child. The next thing that I didn’t care for is the soundtrack where the music is awful. This is the first time that I have ever turned off the music in a game and it is unfortunate because the sound is something that I feel adds to the entire experience of playing a HOPA game. I would be very surprised if some of the beta testers did not complain about the music when they did the survey but of course it would be too late to ditch it and begin again with different music.
The HOS in the game did not really seem as good as they generally are in games from this developer. Domini is one of my favorite game developers and their HOPS have always been some of the best. However, I was not swept away by the HOS in this game primarily because of the style and that the items were very difficult to find in the first two HOS. There were a few scenes that I thoroughly enjoyed while others left me feeling quite ho-hum about the game.
For a gamer who does not like puzzles I was surprised by how much I loved the puzzles in the Hunchback. This is a CE game where I actually look forward to replaying some of my favorites in the bonus content for the game.
All in all even though the game is not a five-star game, I do feel that it deserves a solid four-star rating. Even though Dark Romance the Hunchback of Notre-Dame is one that I enjoyed, as always, please try the demo to see if this is the game for you. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you save your brother and the worlds in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
42 of 48 found this review helpful
LABYRINTHS OF THE WORLD LOST ISLAND HITS THE MARK!
PostedFebruary 8, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromAlthough it is still early 2019, I predict that this will be one of the best games of the year
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Labyrinths of the World is back with Lost Island the ninth game in the Labyrinths series. This has been a series that is somewhat on and off for me but fortunately, to start 2019, this is one of the better games. In Lost Island Margaret who is fairly new at this seeker business will have to go it alone without her brother and fellow Seeker Simon has gone missing. Not only is Simon missing Earth is facing cataclysmic disaster from Dietrich who has managed to escape from a Seeker prison. Yes folks this is another game with yet another madman bent on destruction and control but in spite of the “we’ve been there, done that” storyline it is an excellent game with some great HOS and puzzles.
The HOS in the game are very creative and well-integrated into the storyline as are the overabundant puzzles. Lately I’ve been on a rant about far too many puzzles in HOPA games and even though Lost Island has an almost two to one ratio between HOS and puzzles I found that this game “worked”. Recently it seems that puzzles have been slapped into a game by developers in order to stretch the game when in reality they have, at least for me, taken the fun out of playing. However, in Lost Island the HOS and puzzles worked together to create an excellent game and with the puzzles fitting seamlessly into the storyline and gameplay.
While other developers seem to be cutting down on game size, Domini always creates long games and Lost Island is no exception. There is no skimping on the content or the extras with this developer and if you love the series then Lost Island is a game you will most likely enjoy.
As is the case with most games now there is a Custom Mode of gameplay in Lost Island. It is another of my pet peeves that if a developer offers a Custom Mode then it should be FULLY customizable otherwise the gamer can select one of the other modes. It rather irritates me that developers set the hint and skip bottom time limit for us. If a game is customizable then the hint and skip ranges should begin at “0” seconds rather than “15” seconds. Since I tend to be rather impatient I hate to wander aimlessly for the hint meter to reset when I need a hint to move forward. PLEASE developers allow the gamers to select their own hint and skip times in the Custom Mode of gameplay.
The HOS in the game are excellent and very well-designed and because I don’t want to spoil your fun I will simply say that Lost Island has some of the best HOS that I have seen in a long time. Even though I dislike having far too many puzzles in a game, I really enjoyed those in Lost Island. This developer offers an option to select between the “Easy” and “Hard” setting for playing most puzzles. If you select the hard setting at the beginning of the game you still have to option to change it for each puzzle you play. One of my favorite puzzles was early in the game where we had to align crystals with their matching positions. The puzzle seemed to set the tone of the game and I found myself thoroughly enjoying each one I encountered.
Thank you BFG and Domini for bringing us a great new Labyrinths of the World game. Lost Island is one of the best HOPA games I have played in quite some time. I’ve been looking forward to this game since playing the beta, and the final game does not disappoint. This is a beautiful game with a good storyline and a lot of entertainment value. Even though Labyrinths of the World Lost Island is a perfect game for me, please try the demo to see if it is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you save the city from a dangerous magic-wielding criminal?
Overall rating
2
/
5
71 of 118 found this review helpful
ANOTHER DARK AND BORING GAME
PostedFebruary 7, 2019
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Chris Andersen and his magic tattoo are back this time chasing down a wannabe Pinnochio. Although the storyline could be interesting I found the graphics to be cartoonish at times and then dull and dark. Some of the HOP scenes were so dull and washed out that it was difficult to spot the required items. IMHO, EIPIX needs to return to its roots and emulate some of its earlier series and put more color and beauty into its games. To me the Andersen Accounts is simply another in a long string of EIPIX failures. End of story. Some of you might like this type of game but it certainly isn’t my cup of tea. As always, please try the demo before you buy since this game might be one you want to play. Happy gaming!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop a madman from using puppets to take over the island?
Overall rating
4
/
5
76 of 105 found this review helpful
THIS PUPPET SHOW IS ONE I CAN FINALLY “SMILE” AT
PostedJanuary 31, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromWhat a surprise because I was prepared to dislike this game but it is much better than I anticipated!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Puppet Show: Porcelain Smile is the 15th game in this long-running series from AMAX/ERS, another that has fallen victim to this producer’s love for ENDLESS series. That being said I did decide to give the demo a try, promising myself I would do so with an open mind as I am predisposed to dislike the interminable series that are simply cookie-cutter games. As it turned out, even though there are some things I dislike about the game, I found myself involved in the storyline and the gameplay. Okay, I realize that some long-time players of HOPA games will find the game far too easy for their tastes but at least for me the game did require some thought.
When beginning to play we select our game profile from an array of either male or female photos. There is a “Custom” game mode available that is better than what we find in most games. The hint and skip times provide a better time range with the lowest being 5 seconds, which is more to my liking than the usual low of 10 – 15 seconds. IMHO, there is no other developer that creates such beautiful and realistic characters for their games, which is what attracted me back in 2009. Sadly the voiceovers have not always been the best and those in this game are downright awful, from the wanna-be cowboy voice of Otis to the squeaky high-pitched voice of Dee Dee. Unfortunately the soundtrack was not that good either and I had to mute the sound while playing one of the HOPS because it drove me batty.
When beginning to play we select our game profile from an array of either male or female photos. There is a “Custom” game mode available that is better than what we find in most games. The hint and skip times provide a better time range with the lowest being 5 seconds, which is more to my liking than the usual low of 10 – 15 seconds. IMHO, there is no other developer that creates such beautiful and realistic characters for their games, which is what attracted me back in 2009. Sadly the voiceovers have not always been the best and those in this game are downright awful, from the wanna-be cowboy voice of Otis to the squeaky high-pitched voice of Dee Dee. Unfortunately the soundtrack was not that good either and I had to mute the sound while playing one of the HOPS because it drove me batty.
This might not come as a surprise to those who have read my reviews in the past but I loved the HOS in Porcelain Smile. I have become bored by all of the storybook scenes that developers now use in most of their games and I find it quite refreshing that this developer used mostly the “original” list style HOS in Porcelain Smile. The HOS are interactive and one of the early scenes had me using the hint button – something I rarely do in HOS.
The mini-games were a bit easy but I did enjoy almost all of them that were in the demo. A lot of my favorite puzzles were used such as the one where we move tiles on a board to create an opening large enough to remove an item. For me the puzzles seemed to flow well in the game and did not seem to be thrown in simply to extend the gameplay time.
Although Porcelain Smile is far from the best game in the Puppet Show series, I found it enjoyable and one worth adding to my gaming library. In the past several years I had more or less given up on the Puppet Show series as many of the games were quite dark, and although there is a warning at the beginning of Porcelain Smile that some of the scenes might be disturbing or contain violence, I’ve not seen anything in the game that was out of the ordinary or even bothered me. Even though I might have found some things in the game that I did not like, in the end I found it to be a very good game and one that is a buy for me. As always, please try the demo to see if Puppet Show Porcelain Smile will be a game you enjoy. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Return the Guardians to slumber to keep evil from the universe!
Overall rating
4
/
5
44 of 46 found this review helpful
THIS GAME ALMOST "SLIPPED" OFF MY RADAR
PostedJanuary 27, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromA wonderful game but still far too many puzzles for a HO game
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Reflections of Life returns with Slipping Hope and game number seven in the series. When I first played the demo I didn’t like the game but I determined to plod on through and something happened along the way when I realized that I actually loved the game. The Reflections of Life games were at one time among my favorite games but somewhere along the line they “slipped” off the rails. However this game might actually breathe new life into the series. The first couple of games in the series were excellent and then they became terrible sometime around game four but perhaps when our Sleeper awoke with this game so did my interest.
My one peeve with this game is I feel that there are way too many puzzles in a game that is more of a puzzle game than a HO game and I would like to see some balance returned to the formula. In talking with a lot of my gaming friends the one complaint they have and the reason they no longer buy HOPA games is because they are far too puzzle oriented. There are many who only speak with their pocket book who hate puzzles and when the games started becoming so puzzle intense I suspect it definitely hurt sales of the genre.
Yes, the game is rather puzzle intense as far as this reviewer is concerned because I play HO games for the “hidden object” scenes and would like to see far fewer puzzles in the game. However, that being said as I gave the game another look there are some puzzles I really enjoyed. Since 2008 when the HOPA Collectible Editions were first released, this gamer has purchased all of them until this year because my love of the CE HOPA games dwindled as the games became more puzzle-intense.
In spite of my dislike for games saturated with puzzles Reflections of Life Slipping hope is a surprisingly good game. The developer has gone back to the format of the series and has included a few HOS that are consistent with what made the first games in the series so good. As I played through the game and looked at some of the early rave reviews I saw what I missed earlier. The developer has created an absolutely beautiful game with some great gameplay as I became involved in a storyline of love and sacrifice.
Even though I initially didn’t care for the game, I hope you will give this game a chance and maybe you too will find that this is an excellent game. I became so swept away with the storyline and the gameplay that for me the game became an addition to my collection and it is one that I will play again in the future. As always, please try the demo because Reflections of Life Slipping Hope may be a game you will love. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
The shapeshifting detective, and hero of Netherfall, is once again called to the capital to help king Robert investigate a series of kidnappings!
Overall rating
3
/
5
48 of 76 found this review helpful
A FANTASY GAME WITH DRAGONS AND POTIONS
PostedJanuary 26, 2019
biscuitsmama
fromI wish the potion making instructions were better so I could be a better alchemist. I will never get my wings at this rate.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
If you like fantasy games and mixing potions then Queen’s Quest V: Symphony of Death is sure to be a game that you will enjoy. To be honest I have never been a huge fan of the series but I do think that Symphony of Death is a very good game.
You play the game as an alchemist who has assisted the royal family in the past and as Symphony of Death begins you have been called to the court once again. However before you can be on your way you must go through those mundane tasks that all HOPA games seem to require before you get to the gist of the story. In this game we have several missing children who have been kidnapped as well as the traitorous queen now escaped from prison. Will you be able to find the children before it is too late?
The graphics appear at times to be quite sub-par and hazy while at other times they are quite crisp and clear. Although I can live with the hazy graphics I did have difficulty with the potion instructions as we don’t see them in close-up and the numbers are very indistinct and tiny. I couldn’t distinguish between the numbers 1 and 2, or 2 and 3 as they were so small. On the plus side Brave Giant gives us a Custom setting that is more realistic with the lowest hint and skip times being 5 seconds rather than 10 or 15. Thank you for setting a lower bottom time that I can live with!
I love HOP scenes and there are some creative and well-designed ones in Symphony of Death. I love the way the scenes are set up and that you need to pay attention to find some items or you might need to use a hint. The puzzles seem to be more related to the mixing of potions which is okay but some of the instructions are difficult to follow. The major issue I had with the potion instructions is that they are really non-existent and I would not have known what to do on the first one without the help of the Strategy Guide. I know it was supposed to be a puzzle but I couldn’t even get a hint and could only skip the entire puzzle.
All in all even though the game might really appeal to some gamers it was just too boring and couldn’t hold my attention. Perhaps on another day I will really be able to get into the game but today was not that day for me. One thing that jumped out at me was when I was on my mission to visit a suspect in the kidnappings I met the sheriff who sounds like he was plucked from an old TV western rather than a sheriff in a different country that actually had a royal family. That accent and my boredom with getting started in the game rather left me feeling blah about what most likely is a very good game. As always, I encourage you to play the demo since Queen’s Quest V: Symphony of Death might be a game you will love. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!