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 natural nemesis from destroying our land?
Overall rating
3
/
5
55 of 60 found this review helpful
A DISAPPOINTING ENTRY FOR A POSSIBLE NEW SERIES
PostedDecember 16, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Spirit Legends The Forest Wraith is a new offering from Domini Games and is possibly the first of what might be a new fantasy game series and although I love fantasy games the Forest Wraith simply didn’t grab me. In the past this developer has created some wonderful and entertaining games but unfortunately the Forest Wraith has fallen victim to the recent cookie-cutter format that we see more and more often.
The Forest Wraith is nothing new or even very imaginative and I was bored right off the bat when the first HO scene was the storybook type where I had difficulty reading the print. Fortunately the print is read to us but I have a 34” monitor so I can’t imagine how much difficulty others might have had with seeing the script on smaller screens. My struggle with the print set the tone for the game and every time I encountered another storybook HO, I immediately switched to the alternate Match 3 game that is provided. I love HO scenes and they are often the most enjoyable feature in playing a HOPA game at least for me.
Yes, the game has another of those gimmicks that I believe are used as opportunities to throw more puzzles into the games. At the beginning of the game we must find our father’s diary that is a “bestiary” or manual of spells to deal with the forest monsters that we encounter. Each time we need to tame a beast we must play a puzzle from the bestiary before moving forward. I had hoped that gimmicks were being laid to rest but that is not the case in this and other games from this developer.
Something I do appreciate in this developer’s games is that they allow us to choose either the “Easy” or “Hard” setting when we solve a mini-game. We have the option of selecting which mode we want for solving puzzles at the beginning of the game when we choose “Custom Mode” when setting up our gameplay. Even though I select the Hard option at the beginning of the game I will change it to Easy if I am having a difficult time solving a puzzle. I found the puzzles to be far more enjoyable than the HOPS even though there was really nothing new with the puzzles.
Because I love fantasy games I had very high hopes for the Forest Wraith but it turned out to be a disappointment. So many of the games now are the same thing (I know it is difficult to always come up with something new) and lack the imagination that was found in games before they all became carbon copies of previous games. In the end, Spirit Legend the Forest Wraith is a pass for me but, as always, please try the demo because you might love this game. Happy gaming!
I don't recommend this game.
The woods hide a frightening mystery only you can solve!
Overall rating
5
/
5
28 of 35 found this review helpful
PARANORMAL FILES DOES IT AGAIN!
PostedDecember 14, 2018
biscuitsmama
fromI love my new found abilities so I can now become a bonafide ghost hunter
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Elephant Games has done it again with the second game in the Paranormal Files series. The Tall Man has a very good storyline that is sure to keep you involved as you play the game as Rick Rogers who recently found his abilities to hunt ghosts and subdue evil entities. What really grabbed my attention right from the beginning is the mystery aspect of the game as you try to sort fact from fiction and find out what happened to Tina Rice. Hopefully you will be able to prevent the events of that fateful night a year ago from recurring as the same group of friends has once again gathered on the edge of the forest for yet another house party.
IMHO, this is a very entertaining and well-crafted game. As we go through the numerous tasks that make this a HOPA game we will play some excellent HOPS as well as the Puzzles that I thoroughly enjoyed. Both the HOPS and the Puzzles fit the storyline and they made progressing in the game a bit more seamless. Of course, we still have the missing keys to find and then that zipper pull that will inevitably make most of us groan. Hey, what would a hidden object game be without them? Personally, I don’t care if we have to go through several steps to open a first-aid kit or to unlock a door. For me, playing a game with a good storyline and well-designed HOPS is what I enjoy so I tend to not put too much energy into the minutiae because if I did it would be too much like work instead of fun.
The team at Elephant knows what it takes to create a game that makes sense and tells a story in a way that happens to keep me involved. The further I progressed in the game the the more I enjoyed the storyline. Thank you BFG and Elephant for bringing us this second Paranormal Files game. The Tall Man is everything that I love in a great HOPA game and one that I was happy to add to my gaming library since this is one of those games that I will play each year during the Halloween season or at any time that I want a great game to play. Even though this game is perfect for me and the way I like to play, as always, please try the demo to see if the Tall Man is one you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Mother Goose has gone missing, and Christmas is in danger!
Overall rating
5
/
5
68 of 96 found this review helpful
STORYBOOK CHARACTERS COME TO LIFE IN THIS AMAZING CHRISTMAS GAME
PostedDecember 13, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love Christmas themed games and Domini has provided an absolutely wonderful and beautiful game with The Christmas Spirit Mother Goose’s Untold Tales. What could be better than to celebrate the season with colorful and terrific graphics as you are surrounded with the younger members of the family all?
Mother Goose has gone missing and King Cole has turned into a real bah humbug piece of work as he cancels Christmas. Humpty Dumpty comes into the real world and asks you to please help find Mother Goose since she is the only one who can stop King Cole and save Christmas.
Travel through the Christmas landscape as you meet some of your favorite characters and interact with them as you search for Mother Goose. This is one of the best Christmas games from Domini and, IMHO, is much better than their previous Christmas games. Maybe I am simply a big kid who loves Christmas but this game is so much fun with all there is to do as I search for Mother Goose.
There is no need for me to go through all of the spoiler details as others have provided that information. Personally, I would rather play a game and find those special details for myself because discovery is most of the fun. The only thing I will say is that I enjoyed the HOP scenes, even the storybook ones. I was fun to search through the Christmas themed scenes to find the tools I would need to progress in the game. The puzzles although easy (even on the “Hard” setting) still added a lot to my enjoyment. After all since the game can be shared with the family, this is a great game to let the young ones try to solve the puzzles.
As a note and it is only a personal comment, if developers can create such beautiful games at Christmas then why do they need all of the evil demons and glowing eyes in most of the games throughout the year? I think it is time that the devs stretch themselves to come up with storylines that don’t rely on past games and get rid of smoky figures with glowing red eyes.
If you love Christmas themed games, then I think you will enjoy this one. It is a game that can be shared with the family as you enjoy the season together. As always, please try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
When Hector, Demon Hunter for hire, agreed to save a lost tourist from the haunted Museum of Mysticism and Monstrosity, he never imagined that he could be the one in need of saving.
Overall rating
5
/
5
29 of 35 found this review helpful
ASCENDANCE IS AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO THE DEMON HUNTER SERIES
PostedDecember 9, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Welcome to the Museum of Mysticism and Monstrosity Mr. Cole. In the fifth game of the Demon Hunters series Ascendance you will play the game as Hector Cole a well-known and excellent Demon Hunter. You have been hired by the Director of the Museum Edmund Strange to investigate and above all find a missing tourist who never left the museum at closing time. You are the last hope Hector so get to work and delve into the mystery and find that missing tourist.
The Demon Hunters series is one that I have always enjoyed but to be honest as I played the demo I was skeptical that this was a game from the same series as it seemed to be somehow a comical parody but it might have been the corny dialogue. However, as I progressed in the game and got to the point where the demo ended things really heated up and I was hooked.
The HOPS are much the same as we always see so there is nothing new but there is a bit of a catch with some of the HOP scenes so you will need to keep your eyes open. Where I had the most fun with the game is the Puzzles that for me were excellent. Although we have seen them before they seemed a bit different and even a tad more difficult.
Once the storyline developed it became very good and made sense which often doesn’t seem to be the case with some games. As I moved forward I felt like I was part of the mystery and knew there was more to the story of the missing tourist. Was it all a hoax or is there truly something strange going on at the museum. For me the game became one that I enjoyed playing and it kept me involved as I moved forward. Thanks Brave Giant you created an awesome game with Demon Hunters V. Ascendance is entertaining and held my interest throughout the game. I now hope to see more of this series in the future. As always, please try the demo to see if you will enjoy Ascendance as well. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Dark Reapers kidnapped your mother and aunt! Will you be next?
Overall rating
5
/
5
109 of 138 found this review helpful
WHISPER OF THE PAST HAS REVIVED MY INTEREST IN THE SPIRIT OF MYSTERY SERIES
PostedDecember 8, 2018
biscuitsmama
fromWay to many puzzles is a way to sink a good HOPA game!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Spirits of Mystery is back with game twelve of the series – Whisper of the Past. I had fairly much burned out on the series but decided to give this game a try, and although there are some mixed reviews on the game I actually think this game is better than several of the previous games. Yes, we have the same evil entities trying to make trouble for the Kingdoms but in many ways this is a much milder game that I could play instead of a game that was becoming quite violent in its storylines.
Before I go much further, I have to say that I think no other developer can beat the graphics and the artistic renderings of the characters than those that are created by AMAX. Along with the characters being mostly beautiful, they are so realistic. As a doll artist I am swept away by the characters created by this artistic team. When I first began playing HOPA games ERS/AMAX created the games that I loved the most, and their game created my passion for playing HOPAS. The sound track is good and I found that there was only one scene that had howling wolves. The soundtrack with the baying wolves is one from the Shadow Wolf series but developers do reuse the tools they have!
Our storyline finds Princess Airrin of the Fire Lion Kingdom in a fight to save her mother and aunt after they have been kidnapped by the Dark Reapers. With the help of the Oracle, Airrin will need all of her strength to overcome the Reapers and free her family from the unseen power that is controlling the Reapers.
In spite of a series that I thought was long past retirement, I found that I really liked this game. Whisper of the Past is a great improvement, IMHO, over some of the more recent games in the series and although we have the smoky cloaked Dark Reapers the tone of the game is not as dark as the past four games. I enjoyed the storyline and the gameplay, even the gimmicky Song of the Moon looking glass was still fun to use.
A disappointment for me is that the game did not have as many HOPS as I would like but the ones that were in the game were excellent. As is the current trend after gamers began to demand more puzzles, this game is buried in puzzles. Want to move forward – play a puzzle; need a tool – play a puzzle, and the list goes on, and on, and on. I think the reason so many games are now considered cookie cutters is that the puzzles replace the creativity of storyline and HOS. Puzzles cut into my enjoyment of a good storyline and quite frankly, I am becoming very tired of playing a HO game to find that they are really becoming puzzle games. I would prefer more HOS than puzzles and would like to see more of a balance. I do enjoy puzzles but when they become the game that is where I begin to lose my interest.
After playing only a small portion of the demo this morning I decided to purchase the full game and have been pleasantly surprised. Although there is nothing really new, I still have enjoyed the game. The puzzles have been my least favorite part and even with skipping many of them I think the game is longer than the three chapters would indicate. I have been playing the game for over four hours and have only stopped to write this review. My guess is that in another hour I will be moving on to the bonus chapter. For me the game has been quite enjoyable and I recommend that you try the demo. I’m happy that I did and even happier that I purchased the full game. Hopefully you will enjoy the game as much as I do. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Munich’s Oktoberfest hides a dark secret – werewolves are afoot!
Overall rating
3
/
5
32 of 41 found this review helpful
AND THE AWARD GOES TO . . .
PostedDecember 7, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Dark City: Munich gets my vote for one of the most ridiculous games that I have played this year. The previous game in the series was so good that I looked forward to playing Dark City: Munich but somehow the game fell far short of my expectations. Personally, I found the game plodding and filled with more than enough of those simplistic storybook HOPS to end my romance with HOP games. There were puzzles in the mix but the game seemed like it was all about those storybook HOPS. I was so sick of playing through those very simple scenes that I finally quit the game.
For me it was surprising that this game came from 4Friends who has developed some of my favorite games over the years. I automatically purchase every game they release since they are always wonderful but somehow Dark City: Munich didn't ring my gaming bell. The storyline was excellent and I loved the whodunit theme with the premise of a hidden, sub-culture that lives among the citizens of Munich. That part of the game was terrific but it was the execution of the game that couldn’t hold my attention. Even though I didn’t make it to the end of the game, it still seemed very short. I am generally a very slow player but I was able to march through almost the entire game in under three hours.
When I played one of the first HOP scenes in the game I loved it and thought that Dark City Munich would be terrific, however that great HOP was followed by numerous mini-HOPS and then far too many of those silly storybook scenes for my liking. The Puzzles in the game were at least better than the HOPs but they still seemed generally too easy with only a few requiring much thought to complete.
The beauty about playing games is that here at BFG there are many terrific game developers and even with all of that talent, not all games are the same in the way that they are received by individual gamers. We all have differing tastes in games and what I might like, you might not. In the end, for me Dark City: Munich was a bust but, as always, I recommend that you try the demo because this might be the perfect game for you. Happy gaming!
I don't recommend this game.
The Christmas spirit is vanishing all over the world, but why?
Overall rating
5
/
5
46 of 76 found this review helpful
JOIN ALICE AS SHE GOES BACK TO THE REAL WORLD TO SAVE CHRISTMAS
PostedDecember 6, 2018
biscuitsmama
fromI am so ready for Christmas games and all I can say is let the fun begin!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Christmas Stories Alice’s Adventures is a breath of fresh air after months of the darker games that came out to celebrate the fall season and Halloween. Thankfully, or perhaps I should say hopefully, we are now past that as we celebrate a more festive and happier time of year. I eagerly await Elephant Games Christmas Stories each year since I loved the Nutcracker that came out in 2012. Since then each year we get another colorful and wonderful Christmas game from this developer.
Alice’s Adventure is a family game and one that can be played with younger members of the family to celebrate the Christmas holidays. I’m not going to rehash the storyline since you will see that for yourself but I will tell you that this is a beautiful and colorful game full of the magic that I look forward to in this series. The graphics are beautiful and the characters are terrific. The gameplay is entertaining and filled with wonderful HOPS and great puzzles even though they are fairly easy. This is a light-hearted game intended to lift your spirits and to bring some festive moments to your life.
There is variety in the HOPS and some are quite well-crafted. Most of the puzzles are familiar and when you play as many HOPA games as I do, you don’t expect that there will be much that is new. I love searching scenes that are filled with Christmas themed items and playing puzzles that are related to the season as well. For me this is a relaxing game filled with wonder and fun that brings out my inner child.
Although many might not like this sort of game, I love Christmas games and look forward to them each year, so for me this is perfect. Alice’s Adventures is a fun-filled romp through snowy and festive scenes as she tries to restore the luster to the Christmas Star. Even though this is the perfect kick-off to the holiday season for me, as always, please try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
A sizzling take on the classic tale of greed, yearning, and redemption.
Overall rating
5
/
5
73 of 85 found this review helpful
A DARK PARABLES GAME THAT IS EXCELLENT AND CLOSE TO WHAT I LOVED IN THE ORIGINALS
PostedNovember 30, 2018
biscuitsmama
fromYou don’t want this little match girl to light your fire or you might disappear
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Dark Parables The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise is the fifteenth game in the series and is the eighth one developed by EIPIX with the first seven games coming from Blue Tea Games who is the original developer of the series. Although this game was completely developed by EIPIX, it is in my humble opinion one of the closest to the original series aside from The Little Mermaid and The Purple Tide. After a rash of very short games that have only three or four chapters I am finding this game to be quite long with six chapters plus the Bonus Game. I have played for several hours and still have quite a long way to go in the game.
As I played the game I was swept away by the touches that reminded me of what I loved in the original series. Although the HOPS might not have had the complete glitzy appeal of the originals they were close enough that I truly enjoyed them. The Puzzles are great and started off with a mechanical maze puzzle where you move the pieces by selecting arrows and moving a central bar. I found more HOPS early in the game than I did puzzles but I found both the HOPS and the Puzzles enjoyable and well done. I think the instructions for solving the Puzzles were a bit better in this game and it was easier to understand what needed to be done.
Since I don’t believe in giving away all of the details of the game I will only say that if you loved the original Blue Tea developed Dark Parables, then I think you should enjoy The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise. What EIPIX brings to the table with these games is a functionality that I found missing in the originals. I was never able to get the maps to work correctly even when I was told they would be “jump” type where I could immediately move to another location. I also find the storylines a bit more compelling.
If you happen to prefer the CE version of the game this one has morphing objects and collectible parables that are located in various scenes in the game. There are also the other goodies to be found that we all love in CEs such as Wallpapers, Concept Art, Achievements, Music, a Bonus Game, a Strategy Guide and we also get to replay HOPS and Puzzles.
In the past year or two I have fairly much lost interest in the Dark Parables series as I missed the beauty of the original games. That being said, I must say that EIPIX has done an excellent job with creating The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise. As always I recommend that you try the demo to see what you think about the game but I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you catch the kidnapper in time to save your brother?
Overall rating
5
/
5
35 of 37 found this review helpful
A LONG AWAITED AND EXCELLENT PUNISHED TALENTS GAME
PostedNovember 25, 2018
biscuitsmama
fromIt might take a while but I will find out who is trying to even the score by kidnapping my brother
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Punished Talents Dark Knowledge is the long awaited third game in the series as the last one was developed over two years ago. Since I thought that both of the previous games were excellent, I knew this would be a game that I would enjoy. That being said, the rather gory opening scene put me off and I almost didn’t bother with the game, but I am happy that I decided to give it a try.
I found the game to be a great mystery and one that I enjoyed as I put together the clues to save my kidnapped brother and solve the murder that was committed to get my attention. For me at least the game was very entertaining since we don’t often have a good mystery game come our way here at BFG.
Although some might find the HOPS and Puzzles a bit old-school, I loved them. I happen to like HOS where I can identify the objects to be found particularly when they are not hidden in dark closets or corners where they are barely visible. Even though most of the scenes are the standard list type they don’t bother me at all. Sometimes I become tired of all the interactive scenes and long for a bit more simplicity where I can search for items without having to figure out what I must do before I find the one object I am trying to find. The Puzzles were not difficult and some are old favorites that I haven’t seen in a while.
Even though the game might seem old-school I still think it is an excellent game. I loved it when I had my “aha” moment in the game and figured out what to do with a wet dollar bill. It has been fun trying to determine my next move and what I needed to do to progress in the game. At least for me this is a great game and I encourage you to try the demo to see if it is a game you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a natural nemesis from destroying our land?
Overall rating
1
/
5
62 of 83 found this review helpful
A DISAPPOINTING FIRST ENTRY FOR A POSSIBLE NEW SERIES
PostedNovember 24, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Spirit Legends The Forest Wraith is a new offering from Domini Games and is possibly the first of what might be a new fantasy game series and although I love fantasy games the Forest Wraith simply didn’t grab me. In the past this developer has created some wonderful and entertaining games but unfortunately the Forest Wraith has fallen victim to the recent cookie-cutter format that we see more and more often.
The Forest Wraith is nothing new or even very imaginative and I was bored right off the bat when the first HO scene was the storybook type where I had difficulty reading the print. Fortunately the print is read to us but I have a 34” monitor so I can’t imagine how much difficulty others might have had with seeing the script on smaller screens. My struggle with the print set the tone for the game and every time I encountered another storybook HO, I immediately switched to the alternate Match 3 game that is provided. I love HO scenes and they are often the most enjoyable feature in playing a HOPA game at least for me.
Yes, the game has another of those gimmicks that I believe are used as opportunities to throw more puzzles into the games. At the beginning of the game we must find our father’s diary that is a “bestiary” or manual of spells to deal with the forest monsters that we encounter. Each time we need to tame a beast we must play a puzzle from the bestiary before moving forward. I had hoped that gimmicks were being laid to rest but that is not the case in this and other games from this developer.
Something I do appreciate in this developer’s games is that they allow us to choose either the “Easy” or “Hard” setting when we solve a mini-game. We have the option of selecting which mode we want for solving puzzles at the beginning of the game when we choose “Custom Mode” when setting up our gameplay. Even though I select the Hard option at the beginning of the game I will change it to Easy if I am having a difficult time solving a puzzle. I found the puzzles to be far more enjoyable than the HOPS even though there was really nothing new with the puzzles.
Because I love fantasy games I had very high hopes for the Forest Wraith but it turned out to be a disappointment. So many of the games now are the same thing (I know it is difficult to always come up with something new) and lack the imagination that was found in games before they all became carbon copies of previous games. In the end, Spirit Legend the Forest Wraith is a pass for me but, as always, please try the demo because you might love this game. Happy gaming!
I recommend this game!