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:
A mountain observatory is hiding a big secret!
Overall rating
5
/
5
30 of 43 found this review helpful
THE BEST HIDDEN EXPEDITION. A WONDERFUL GAME
PostedSeptember 25, 2015
biscuitsmama
fromOh no, poor Sam is down again. Guess I am on my own.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
You and your old sidekick Sam are off again to solve another case for H.E.LP. A mysterious signal has been noted in an area in Montana where a recent swarm of earthquakes has occurred and some higher power has requested the aid of H.E.L.P. agents. Of course, you have hardly arrived on scene when Sam is disabled so it looks like you are on your own. As you begin to investigate you find that there are some very strange events occurring at a nearby abandoned observatory that is now some sort of secret facility. When you finally jump through enough hoops and make contact with H.E.L.P headquarters you find out your mission is to rescue someone who is being held captive in the observatory and once you finally gain access your adventure truly begins. What is really going on at the observatory and how can you rescue someone who doesn’t seem to want your help?
With this being a game from one of the top developers, we already know the graphics will be exceptional and of course so is the sound package with the voiceovers being excellent. Technical Aspects of the game include four modes of gameplay: Easy, Medium, Hard, and the Custom option where you can set up the game for the way you want to play.
Your tools include the ever-present H.E.L.P. box that contains your video messages, fact cards, and a section that shows your achievements. You also have an interactive, transporter type map that is found early in the game. The thing that I dislike about the recent Hidden Expedition games is that with the H.E.L.P. box we no longer have a journal. It would be very helpful if the developer would add a section for notes that we could review when needed. I don’t want to replay the emails or videos when I need to check back on some information in the diary.
The HOPS are interactive and some are multi-tiered but most seem to be the list type that I enjoy. The mini-games seemed quite good and different than those we normally find, and early in the game they include a lock-pick puzzle, another where we arrange tokens in ascending order, and one where we swap and rotate disks to create a pattern. The puzzle that gave me the most trouble was one where we had to align patterns on an oscilloscope. Maybe I didn’t understand the mechanics but I finally skipped that one. Overall the puzzles seemed fairly easy as is the norm in recent years but I keep holding out hope that the puzzles will become a bit more difficult as the game progresses.
I LOVED this game and purchased the CE. After playing it I think it was one of the best HE games in the series. It was one of those games that captured my attention and held it throughout the game. Everything about it was excellent from the HOPs to the puzzles to the storyline. Even though I loved the game, as always, I recommend that you try the demo for yourself to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
I recommend this game!
Redemption Cemetery: Clock of Fate Collector's Edition
Can you undo the past and set the trapped souls free?
Overall rating
5
/
5
85 of 162 found this review helpful
TURN BACK THE CLOCK OF FATE IF YOU CAN
PostedSeptember 24, 2015
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
All aboard for a subway ride back in time to the 1940s and into this wonderfully creepy and eerie new Redemption Cemetery Clock of Fate. The premise of Clock of Fate is the same as in other Redemption Cemetery games as we help tortured souls find peace and salvation.
The game offers four modes of gameplay: Casual, Advanced, Hard, and Custom. In custom mode you can set your hints and skips to recharge in a range of 10 to 50 seconds. If you decrease the hint time then the time to skip the puzzles increases. IMHO, this is feature that I don’t much care for since I like to set hint and skip times independent of each other. This developer is known for its wonderful hand drawn artwork and exceptional graphics but I find the scenes rather dreary in Clock of Fate. There are excellent lip-synced voiceovers and an appropriately eerie sound package to round out the game.
HOPS include the standard variety of interactive scenes. One of the first is searching for rungs of a broken ladder and rebuilding it. There are also several of the storybook type where we find the highlighted words in the scene. The puzzles were easy and there was nothing exceptional about them in the demo. Unfortunately, due to the subject matter of the game, I went no further than the demo.
Extras in the CE release of the game include collectible skulls that are found in each scene and achievements that can be earned. The other extras are fairly standard and include: Music, Screensavers, Wallpapers, Concept Art, Movies, Hidden Objects, Mini-Games, Bonus Chapter and the Strategy Guide.
The game is certainly creepy and although there were several things I liked about the game, quite frankly, when I had to bargain with Death, that was the end of it for me. I think there is a line in gaming that should not be crossed and bargaining with Death for my soul is that line for me. I play games for entertainment and perhaps my reaction was not one that others will experience. I believe that each of us has to make our own determination on what does or does not work for us in a game. Even though I didn’t care for the game, it is an excellent game in many respects and it might just be your cup of tea.
I recommend this game!
A terrible darkness threatens the land. Travel through Egypt and collect the ancient pieces needed to defeat the malevolent force once and for all.
Overall rating
5
/
5
59 of 103 found this review helpful
A WONDERFUL PUZZLE ADVENTURE TYPE GAME
PostedSeptember 23, 2015
biscuitsmama
fromHappily solving th riddles as I travel through Egypt
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
After 3000 years, in the year 1932 an evil entity has been accidentally released during an excavation in Egypt and now in order to stop the predicted apocalypse, you must find four crystals of energy in order to prevent disaster. With that direction your adventure begins.
The graphics are very lovely and colorful and, at least on my laptop, they are crystal clear. The game automatically opened in the widescreen mode and completely filled my 28” monitor. Yes, the music is a bit redundant and some will find it annoying but there is an option to turn the music off. There are voiceovers but no lip-sync. Aside from the sliders for sound there are no other options to customize or even select a mode of gameplay.
At the beginning of the game the screen shows a map with various areas and to start the game you click on the unlocked area. The game has an in-game strategy guide that is a helpful step by step walkthrough if you get stuck and need some direction. Riddles of Egypt might have originally been intended for CE release because I do see achievements that can be earned but there are no other extras aside from the strategy guide.
The game is more of an adventure/puzzle type game and because I love puzzles, Riddles of Egypt was an instant purchase for me. The first puzzle was a bit tricky but once I figured it out, the solution was easy. Riddles of Egypt might not be for everyone but I suggest that you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
Travel around mysterious Asia with over 100 Mahjong levels to suit any taste in Sakura Day Mahjong.
Overall rating
3
/
5
27 of 35 found this review helpful
A MEDIOCRE MAHJONG GAME AT BEST
PostedSeptember 22, 2015
biscuitsmama
fromHappily playing my other mahjong game that is excellent
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
As far as mahjong games go, Sakura Mahjong is, IMHO, a mediocre game. It is more puzzle than traditional mahjong in that we have goals to meet on each level. Rather than the tiles being placed randomly, they are pre-set in order to be more puzzle-like. I happen to dislike the mahjong games where we have to remove the golden tiles from the board in order to win the level. I see this type of mahjong game frequently from this particular developer so there is nothing new, just the same old game with different music and backgrounds.
Technically, the game does not fill my screen so I guess that these people don’t know how to offer a stretch or widescreen mode. The graphics are faded or washed out and then the music is so bad that I had to turn it off.
There are so many better mahjong games on the market that this one is not a “buy” for me. I love mahjong but my personal taste goes to the more traditional style and play. I have one mahjong game that cannot be beat for gameplay and graphics so I doubt I would waste my time on this one. Even though I don’t care for the game, as always, I recommend that you try the demo because you might really love it.
I recommend this game!
Help zoologist Erwin track down evil poachers and save the animals of the Serengeti National Park!
Overall rating
4
/
5
23 of 30 found this review helpful
A PUZZLE MATCH 3 COMBO GAME THAT LACKS THE WOW FACTOR
PostedSeptember 21, 2015
biscuitsmama
fromSmashing stones to clear the board and save my menagerie
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Safari Venture is a fun puzzle/match 3 type game. I like the fact that it is not only a game that requires matching pieces to remove the stones but that we have the puzzle component that requires some brain power to get through certain levels.
The graphics are okay but nothing spectacular and the music is safari like as one would expect. We can choose to play the game without a timer but if we do then there is no opportunity to earn gold stars. That alone put me off because unless I choose to play against the timer, then no matter how well I do on any particular round of the game, it doesn’t matter and I will earn one gold star. If there is truly no timer, then the gold stars shouldn’t be a part of the award for finishing a round.
If you like puzzles and match 3 type games I recommend that you try the demo. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough oomph in this game to hold my attention.
I recommend this game!
The legendary hero Hercules and his wife Megara are back, ready to embark on their next adventure! Restore the world's beauty and save Mother Nature from destruction!
Overall rating
5
/
5
54 of 64 found this review helpful
BECAUSE OF HERCULES I HAVE A NEW APPRECIATION OF TM GAMES
PostedSeptember 20, 2015
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Let me start by saying that I am generally not a fan of TM games since I have too much TM when working BUT, I have to admit that I did find this game a bit of fun to play particularly since it has a Relaxed mode of gameplay where I don’t have to play beat the clock.
The graphics and sound, aside from the repetitive clock like music are quite good. I really liked the opening cutscene and voiceover that set the stage for the game. I play my games on a 28” monitor that is hooked up to my laptop so I have a nice large screen to view and the graphics are amazingly crisp and clear with gorgeous, brilliant color.
Even though TM games are generally not for me, when there was a 2 for 1 sale, I did end up getting the CE. I play the game frequently and love it. I think I have now found a new interest in TM games and that was something I never thought would happen. For those of you who love the TM genre, I recommend that you give the 12 Labors of Hercules IV a try. I think that now I am going to go back and at least have a look at previous games in the series.
A criminal organization searching for an ancient treasure shot your partner!
Overall rating
5
/
5
108 of 187 found this review helpful
TEMPLAR KNIGHTS, SHADOWY ASSASSINS AND A GREAT MYSTERY
PostedSeptember 19, 2015
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Ahh, a mystery game about Templar Knights and I am one happy girl. I love anything Templar and have devoured every mystery book that even hints at the renowned knights. In Mystery Crusaders Resurgence of the Templars there are secret assassins, the Shadows, to deal with as well as nasty hoteliers so you will definitely need to be on your toes as others try to prevent you from finding the truth. Our story begins as Jason is investigating stories of the Blue Veil, a legendary chest that has been buried under English soil for seven hundred years. The chest is said to contain a map to King Solomon’s mines, so right off the bat we know that everyone is going to want to get their hands on it and some will stop at nothing including murder and kidnapping to gain possession of the artifact. You will play the game as Jason’s friend Natalie who takes up the quest after Jason is shot when she arrives to meet him. Now you will need to step in and follow his leads in solving this mystery game. Even if you manage to obtain the chest, one mistake could be devastating and the map inside could be destroyed forever.
The game offers four modes of gameplay: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore and Custom. In the Custom mode you can set the hint and skip recharge times in a range between 15 – 100 seconds. The graphics are excellent, crisp and colorful. There are lip-synced voiceovers that are quite good and I love the British accent.
There is an interactive transporter type map and it is located on a tab in the journal. Yes, there is a wonderful journal that keeps track of the story as we move through the game. Call me old school, but I love having a diary or journal that gathers my information as I progress.
There did not seem to be much variety in the HOPS with most of them being slightly interactive list type scenes. I had some major issues with getting the interactive, windowed items to place once they were acquired because the programming is so touchy and we must hit the exact spot for an item to take. Maybe it is just me and this won't happen for you. Fortunately there is an alternate mahjong game if we don’t want to search for items and I did switch to that when I had difficulty with getting some items to take. Some of the puzzles are not those that we normally see but even those seem quite easy. I’m not sure they will get any better later in the game but hopefully there will be some challenge ahead.
The CE is very light on extras and is quite bare bones with only the standards such as the strategy guide and bonus chapter. I didn’t see any collectibles, achievements, or morphing objects. If you always prefer the in-game strategy guide then you will want the CE for that reason alone. Unfortunately none of the bonus content is unlocked until the game is purchased so there is not a lot to see in the demo version of the game.
I love the Templar related storyline and the mystery associated with the game and even though the touchy HOPS put me off a bit, because of a great sale this weekend I decided to buy the CE. Although the game is a buy for me, as always, I suggest you at least try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
A magic bear summons you to help save the neighboring kingdom of Nypha.
Overall rating
5
/
5
98 of 117 found this review helpful
FIRE AND ICE COMBINE TO WIN YOUR HEART IN A WONDERFUL GAME
PostedSeptember 18, 2015
biscuitsmama
fromFiguring out how to use my gift from the bear and enjoying every minute
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Dark Realm: Princess of Ice begins with a cutscene that was worthy of any epic big-screen production and most likely one of the best I have seen in a casual game. This icy fantasy begins when you suddenly awaken with a huge `bear in your room who tells you that Princess Marissa has been trapped in a frozen tower and that you must rescue her. I don’t know about you but if a huge bear roars at me in the middle of the night and then swipes at me with a gigantic paw, you can bet I would do what he asks. So begins your journey to the Kingdom of Nypha to rescue the princess.
The game offers four modes of gameplay with catchy names: Frost, Snowfall, Blizzard, and Custom. If you select the custom mode you can choose your own settings. The hint and skip buttons can be set from 15 – 90 seconds. Princess of Ice has wonderful crisp and clear graphics that are a mix of hand drawn artwork scenes along with some live actors for the characters. I think the Mad Hatters must have had an inside joke when your character’s female advisor, Myrina, was obviously a man. Too funny! The overall sound package is excellent with lip-synced voiceovers that are very good. If they give out awards for sound in games then Princess of Ice would have my vote for best sound package in a game this year.
Tools include a bracelet that we acquire from the bear early in the game and it is linked to another “gift” that we receive as well. I don’t want to fill in all the details on what to do with the bracelet but it will help us in iffy situations. The interactive transporter type map that is available at the beginning of the game and it will help us travel quickly from one area to another.
The HOPS are varied in nature with some being multi-level. There is also some interaction required in most HOPS to locate several items. The puzzles also have quite a bit of variety but I have to admit that early on there is one of the type that I dislike where we must avoid obstacles as we speed race along a path. I manage to crash into every obstacle along the way in these types of puzzles so I generally hit the skip button as soon as I can.
Princess of Ice grabbed me from that opening cutscene and there was enough momentum that kept me intrigued and wanting more. I found the storyline to be very good and, although the theme is redundant and has been presented many times, I knew right away that Princess of Ice would be a game that I would love. As always, I recommend that you try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
I recommend this game!
Return to your hometown to save your father and uncover Midnight Castle’s secrets!
Overall rating
5
/
5
50 of 118 found this review helpful
CALLING ALL MIDNIGHT CASTLE LOVERS. THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!!
PostedSeptember 17, 2015
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In a spin-off of the popular Free-to-play game Midnight Castle, Midnight Calling Anabel is the tale of a young girl who is searching for her long missing father, a famous explorer and archeologist. Even though everyone keeps telling her that her father has died, Anabel doesn’t believe them and after ten years she still has hope that he is alive. When he pops up in her dreams she is even more convinced, so after a stealthy escape from her boarding school, Anabel heads off to find the fabled Midnight Castle and her missing father.
Midnight Calling Anabel is from one of the top game devs who always brings us wonderful games including the beautiful F2P game Midnight Castle. The graphics are wonderful and quite beautiful but I think they almost seem a bit cartoonish. There are lip-synced voiceovers that are good; in fact, the entire sound package, including the music sets the tone for the game. The game offers a choice of four modes of gameplay: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore, and Custom. In the Custom mode you can select various settings as well as set the hints and skips to recharge in a range of 15 to 90 seconds.
There is an interactive transporter type map that you find at the beginning of the game when you pack your bag to leave. When you click on the map icon you will find the tabs for your diary, achievements, collectibles and Leadlight. Okay, so there is a sort of animal helper in the game – an adorable bat that even I think is cute. Our little bat friend helps us out once in a while but he is not intrusive or obnoxious. It’s not like I have to constantly feed or dress him or her to get some help.
The interactive HOPs are varied in style and do not seem as plentiful as the puzzles. IMHO, Midnight Calling Anabel is a puzzle lover’s delight and one that I love. Puzzles are my main attraction in HOPA games and I am happy to see that there seem to be more puzzles than HOPS at least in the demo. Some of the puzzles are easy-peasy but some are a bit tough. I love the multi-step Rube-Goldberg type puzzles (often referred to as super puzzles) that the Mammoth team adds to their some games and Midnight Calling has at least one of those puzzles so I am eagerly looking forward to what lies ahead.
The CE release of the game includes morphing objects, collectibles creatures, and stained glass pieces to find along with achievements to be earned. The remaining extras are standard such as the strategy guide, bonus game and a secret room.
Okay so here’s the scoop – I have always been intrigued by Midnight Castle but not being a fan of the F2P games and hating quests, I have always stayed away. Fantasy type games are generally ones that I love and because of the tie-in to Midnight Castle I knew that Midnight Calling Anabel would be an instant buy for me. Now I am one happy gamer because I can finally dip my toes into the whole Midnight Castle theme and who knows what this might lead to in the future. Even though the game was an instant buy for me, as always, I recommend that you try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
I recommend this game!
This just might be the best Clutter yet! Explore 12 mines filled with clutter, sliders, box quotes and more!
Overall rating
5
/
5
49 of 71 found this review helpful
A HOARDERS DELIGHT!
PostedSeptember 16, 2015
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Clutter V: Clutterville is dumpster diving at its best as we search through a myriad of junkpiles to meet our goals and encounter puzzles and mini-games to round out the mix.
Well, another game that does not open in widescreen. I am not sure if this is related to my Windows 7 but I didn’t see any options to adjust the screen size in the game settings. Even though there are no screen settings, the game has lots of other buttons that can be fiddled with so that you can customize the gameplay. I happen to like the fact that the game can be played in a relaxed mode because there is no way I am going to play beat the clock as I search through the clutter. The sound is another story and I had to turn the music to the lowest setting because it drove me nuts after a minute or two. Aside from the black bar sides mentioned above the graphics are quite colorful and crisp.
In between the various clutter boards, that have a variety of tasks, we have mini-puzzles to complete. Not playing the other Clutter games, I have no comparison to the originals but I found that my demo time ran out before I knew it. Even though I am a huge fan of the HOPA games that are story driven, I immensely enjoyed playing Clutter V. The game is a definite buy for me and will be one that I turn to when I am going through HOPA withdrawal. Clutter V is a fun type of game that can be played for a few minutes or longer when there is time to spare.
In the end I found that I really enjoyed the game and now I will take a look at the other games in the series. If you want a fun and quirky game and don’t mind searching through junkpiles then I suggest that you look at Clutter V. As always, even though I really like the game, I recommend that you try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy
I recommend this game!