steve_san's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:5,408
- Reviews Submitted:242
- First Review:November 28, 2011
- Most Recent Review:January 3, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Was Marion Ashworth murdered? Uncover the victim's true identity!
Overall rating
4
/
5
21 of 25 found this review helpful
Marion Simply Vanishes
PostedFebruary 28, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Setting: As investigator Andrea White, you have been called by the well-to-do Mr. and Mrs. Ashworth to investigate the apparent death of their daughter Marion at the Belfort Hall Academy of Dance (or is it Danse?). Upon arriving, the Ashworth's are about to identify the body when the story takes a strange turn.
The drawing palette used is consistent with the earlier Danse Macabre entries, boldly leaning on the reds, yellows and browns. The artistic style also stays true to its earlier roots - scenes are sharp, detailed and realistic.
The background music can be described as jazz-lite, very simple and inconspicuous, but still repetitive. Voices are well acted, but the accents are not consistent. Mr. Ashworth has a definite southern drawl, however it is not as noticeable in other characters. The time and place are the 1920's in Charleston, South Carolina. It's summer, yet Mrs. Ashworth wears a fur collared coat. I've visited there, and trust me that's not a good idea.
The hidden object scenes (there are 13) varied in type but did not break any new ground in their design. One used silhouettes. Most objects were easy to find with the exception of a treble clef. Match 3 is an option if so inclined. The mini-games (15) included rotating tiles, a simple matching game and moving tokens. Nicely done, but again not groundbreaking.
Game play is straightforward but rather linear. The scenes are beautiful to look at, but I found myself looking for more to do. As a result, play proceeded fairly quickly. One plus is that most actions are logical, nothing too far-fetched is required.
There are four levels of difficulty including a Custom one in which everything can be turned on or off. Hint refill can be set between 10 and 120 seconds, Skip refill between 10 and 400 seconds, Glints between 1 and 10 seconds. There is a map which shows objectives and active areas, but these indicators can be turned off as well.
CE Extras: 41 collectible masks (easily found), 10 morphing objects (there is an on-screen indicator), Souvenirs, 14 achievements, bonus HOPs, bonus level and strategy guide (two chapters in demo). There is also replay of HOPs, mini games and match 3. Finally, the "pseudos" - a Making of, wallpapers, music and pictures.
This is a solid, quality game with an interesting story and good "execution" (pardon the pun). The play is pretty easy and linear. But I was not impressed with the CE and I sense I would be just as pleased without the extras. So I'll likely wait for the weather in Charleston to cool down before solving this case.
The legacy of the witches continues when Lynn and her husband are lured into a trap by a mysterious sorcerer…
Overall rating
3
/
5
22 of 32 found this review helpful
Preview of "Taken 4"
PostedFebruary 26, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Setting: Your daughter Elizabeth, the good witch, and Edward, the former witch hunter, have been married almost a year. You're all visiting a country fair when Edward is taken and Elizabeth disappears into a portal after him.
I found the color scheme of red, green, orange and blue to be very unattractive. The voices were average, none of them really stood out as especially good or bad. There is a transportable map which shows collectibles, but no journal. There is also an imp helper. which is typical of this series.
The Hidden Object scenes are well-designed but suffer from being drawn from the same RGOB palette. While they're cluttered, the objects are not difficult to find and there are several steps needed to complete them. Most of the puzzles were integrated well into the story. They've actually dusted off a STD-type puzzle which serves as a recap of the series.
There are four difficulty levels,including Custom. Hints can be adjusted between 10 to 35 seconds for refill and Skips between 10 to 50 seconds.
CE Extras: There are 36 puzzle pieces to collect and assemble into nine jigsaw puzzles. There are 33 morphing objects. There is a bonus level and Strategy Guide and also the "pseudo's."
Unfortunately, I did not have fun playing this game - but I didn't care for the others in this series either, with exception of The Charleston Curse and Ties That Bind. Maybe I'm just not into doing all the witch-like tasks that are necessary.
I wouldn't say this is a poor quality game, it just did not appeal to me. The imp is poorly utilized this time - he's used too many times and he takes too long to do whatever. The story is old hat, and the "Count Dracula" look-alike character borders on silly. Some of the dialog was silly as well. Example: a box is collected and your character says, "this looks like a box to bring a puppet to life." Really? And you knew that how?
While die-hard fans of the series may enjoy this one, I'd prefer to take my very own slumber in the darkness.
I don't recommend this game.
Venture into a magical world and experience the struggle of good versus evil!
Overall rating
3
/
5
25 of 30 found this review helpful
A Little More Magic, Please?
PostedFebruary 24, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Setting: you are Nathaniel. You and your fiancee Gloria are moving into an older home. Gloria is upstairs when you hear a noise and run up - only to watch her disappear through a portal in an old mirror. Compounding the problem, the mirror is first locked and then shattered. We don't know a lot about Gloria, but judging by her appearance alone, she definitely seems worth saving. What to do?
Well calling the police probably won't help, but a call to the game police might be in order. The dashing Nathaniel is unable to rip tape from a box or clear away cobwebs with his hands. The artists evidently do not play golf either as they've drawn his golf bag containing both left-handed and right-handed clubs.
The artistic style of the mirror world is very colorful, whimsical and fairy tale-looking. The "being" that sweeps in to take Gloria away arrives in a floating chariot with pink-jeweled wheels. There is a canoe made of leaves and branches. Butterflies are fluttering everywhere. There's even the obligatory hungry kitty to feed.
There are three difficulty settings, Easy (no penalties), Advanced (no highlights), and Hard (no hints). However, I played on Advanced and the HO scenes were highlighted.
During the trial you are required to make a potion. I had no idea why, or what the ingredients were supposed to be. The way I discovered was by clicking randomly around the scenes and reading the on-screen notes. Depending on where you click, different notes appear. There is also an included journal but it is not very helpful.
The HO scenes are very straightforward - there were only 3 during the trial. There were even fewer puzzles, one consisted of guiding a ship through troubled waters. Most activity can be described as completing tasks, i.e., make a flute, fix a ladder, answer a few riddles.
This game is likely to appeal to players who like to take their time and explore - in other words adventure players. It doesn't appear to be a bad game if you like the style and overlook the logical inconsistencies. It does have that fairy tale feel. And Gloria's pretty easy on the eyes too.
Track down the truth about your grandfather's death!
Overall rating
3
/
5
21 of 24 found this review helpful
Break Out Your Old Cassette Player
PostedFebruary 22, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Setting: You are Christine. Your grandfather Charles Crenshaw has just died in a suspicious fire at his home. Before he passed, Charles had written a note to you warning of impending danger. So you, with your husband Viggo, are determined to find out what this was all about. There are several other characters as well. For example, during the trial we're introduced to Charles' caretaker Lily and her brother Devon, Charles' ex-wife Birdie, and also a man named Greyson.
The drawing style leans more towards realistic, but is short of photo-realism. There is no dominant color palette. I do not recall hearing much music or sound affects.
There are four difficulty settings. Hints and Skip refills can be separately adjusted between 30 and 95 seconds. There is a transportable map (much needed) and a journal.
CE extras: There are 46 collectible theater masks with an indicator in each scene to show if you've collected them. Also, there are a number of journal clues, which are old-style cassette tapes to listen to. The purpose of the tapes is for the various characters to tell their part of the story. There is the bonus level, strategy guide and the usual pseudo extras also.
Summary: I found the game-play to be pretty ordinary, there was nothing particularly memorable or innovative that struck me. But the story is kind of interesting, despite requiring a lot of reading and listening to the tapes.
If you are primarily looking for great game-play you may be disappointed. On the other hand, if you play more for the stories than the puzzles, you may find this one interesting enough to enjoy.
I recommend this game!
Dark Tales™: Edgar Allan Poe's The Mystery of Marie Roget Collector's Edition
A newlywed is threatened, and supernatural forces are afoot!
Overall rating
4
/
5
34 of 40 found this review helpful
Finally, A Promotion!
PostedFebruary 19, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Setting: the story is loosely based on a short story by Edgar Allen Poe, who is erroneously shown writing left-handed in the opening scene. Here, you and Detective Auguste Dupin are summoned to the aid of Dupin's college friend, Jaque. Jaque's wife is Marie Roget and her aunt, Madam Boulangerie, owns the local bakery. Of late Marie has been depressed and there have been strange occurrences at their home. The story's location is not stated, but everyone has a French-sounding name.
To begin this seventh DT adventure, Dupin finally hands you an official inspector's badge - which you sheepishly admit you've always wanted.
The artwork, both in the still and cut scenes, is of the style and quality that is typical of this developer. The scenes tend to be fairly straightforward; that is, each one contains only a few active areas to explore. Despite this, my impression was that the overall play was slightly more complex than the average game.
The voice acting was just adequate. I felt the American accents sounded out-of-place. Dupin's friend is called "Jack." I can't help thinking that the story would have had much more draw-in power if the characters had even nominal french accents.
With the exception of the first puzzle, which was literally as simple as 1-2-3, both the hidden object scenes (19) and mini-games (12) were not quite as easy-peasy as many games have become. Not that they are difficult either, but the brain cells will get at least a little bit of exercise. Hidden objects scenes are standard interactive.
There are four difficulty settings including one Custom. Hint and Skip can be set anywhere between 5 and 200 seconds to refill. There are also game notes and a very nice transportable 3-D map.
CE extras: there are morphing creatures (12, I think) which will inhabit your aquarium. There are also 12 achievements, bonus level and strategy guide - three chapters in trial. Then there are the usual pseudo-extras like wallpapers, music and concept art.
This game is well made like most others in this series. It has an engaging story and the play is refreshing because it is not quite so easy. If the bonus content was better, I would have rated this higher. Even though I've always wanted that badge, I can only award this four stars.
I recommend this game!
Venture beyond time and space in this classic adventure game that will take you out of this world!
Overall rating
3
/
5
20 of 26 found this review helpful
I've Been Stranded With Worse
PostedFebruary 16, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Setting: your Uncle Peter is a sort of kooky explorer with a lot of "alien" ideas. He's asked you to come help investigate a surprising find. Upon arriving, you find that he's already enlisted the help of Nick, who is a writer about your age (est. mid 20's).
There is a LOT of reading of dialog - but by itself that would not be too bad. Two things made it worse. First, the dialog window is a fixed size and is very large, able to show a dozen or so lines. But most communications are only 2-3 lines so there is a big empty space which looks awkward. Second, if there is going to be a lot of dialog, the conversations ought to be interesting. Unfortunately, that is not the case here. About 95% of the dialog is semi-inane and does not advance the story. I found myself clicking through without reading after a few minutes.
As with most adventure games, there is less hand-holding than the typical HOPA. Unless you have a photographic memory, you'll need to refer to the included journal to know which items you're supposed to retrieve for someone or use to complete a task.
The artwork is cartoon style, which actually plays well with the (semi-inane) dialog. There is very little detail, just representative elements in each of the scenes. But it works with the story and overall environment used.
The demo is very short, and so game length is a concern.
My opinion is that for adventure game fans, if the style appeals to you - or you can overlook it - this seems like a light, slightly amusing game that could return some snowy day entertainment value.
You've been asked to cover a highly anticipated competition in New York City when something goes terribly wrong. Can you escape the world of illusions?
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
This Illusionist Could Use a Ventriloquist
PostedFebruary 15, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Setting: You are a reporter covering the World Illusionist Championship held at the Samuel Taylor Hotel in New York City. Twenty years ago, the winner of the championship tragically died in a fire at the same hotel. Now, (the 1920's) the hotel is restored and the competition renewed. All of a sudden the opening act is interrupted when... well, I hate spoilers so you'll have to play the demo to find out more.
There are no illusions regarding color, as there is an over abundance of it. No dominant colors emerge, the full spectrum is used and mostly the brighter shades. The scenes tend to be narrow in scope, though panning is needed at one point. In some scene details, if you look carefully your profile name appears.
Voice acting is not too convincing. Most voices, especially the chief protagonist's, are over dramatic to the point of being either comical or irritating.
The hidden object scenes were cluttered but intersting, though not too original. One scene had a storybook puzzle within. Without giving anything away, they also have an illusionist factor built in. I found the puzzles interesting and playable, and yet I would not consider them difficult. The HO's and puzzles were, I felt, the strongest feature of this game.
There are four difficulty settings including Custom, with Hint and Skip refresh times being adjustable from 15 - 90 seconds.
CE features: morphing Trick Cards (20), Strategy Guide (one chapter in trial) bonus level, and the usual array of pseudo-extras.
The trial is short. I reached the end with 47 minutes remaining with no skipping. Creating a new profile, I was able to play to the end a second time with still 21 minutes left. Coupled with the fact that there are only 20 collectibles, it raises a concern about this being sufficiently long for my tastes.
While the story did not really catch my interest, nevertheless I liked it enough to play through the trial twice - which is rare. I enjoyed the HO's and puzzles that much. But the trick cards were not a challenge to find and did not reveal any magician's secrets. With the CE content being a bit of an Illusion, I'll rate it as 3 stars and wait for the SE to magically appear.
I don't recommend this game.
The Lost Lands are in danger again... There's only one brave soul who can face the four evil horsemen to save it – you!
Overall rating
5
/
5
62 of 69 found this review helpful
Five Stars For Four Horsemen - completed
PostedFebruary 13, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Setting: you are a 30-ish woman in a parking garage having a cell phone conversation with your young son when you are suddenly whooshed away into another world - or rather five worlds. Each world is visited via a portal which must first be unlocked by finding a rune. The characters and story elements bear a strong resemblance to the LOTR series, i.e. a friendly wizard, a dwarf, elves, men, a tower, and most importantly the four horsemen - Fire, Ice, Death and Darkness.
Our heroine is unfazed and seemingly unconcerned about her son as she quite calmly takes up the task to save the world. That aside, the play and story are fairly reasonable in this setting. There is a lot of detail in each scene, so be very active in exploring. The palette consists of a broad spectrum, and the different worlds differ more in style than they do in color or hue.
The puzzles are well designed and not too difficult, though some may take a little persistence - isn't that why we call them puzzles? Many of the hidden object scenes are the silhouette type, and some of those are progressive as well. The developers have managed to make these interesting while keeping them uncluttered.
There is a map which is a tabbed design, one tab for each of the worlds. It is most helpful and really necessary both because of the portals and the high degree of back and forth travel that is required.
Compare - the CE version has collectible character pages (20), machine parts (35), and morphing objects (35), the last two items being very well hidden and a challenge to find. The bonus game is about an hour of additional play, and is a separate story involving a couple of the characters from the main story.
The main game is a good length, I estimate six to seven hours, and the story keeps it's interest until the end without being too complex. The different characters that you'll meet and interact with along the way also help to hold your interest.
After all the ordinary and sub-standard games of late this is a welcome relief. This proves a great game can be made even when using borrowed elements. I highly recommend that you invite The Four Horsemen into your "stable" of games.
I recommend this game!
For years, Barton Mansion sat abandoned, a haunting reminder of an obsession gone wrong. But something sinister still lurked there...and it's stirring.
Overall rating
2
/
5
25 of 33 found this review helpful
I Am The Vine, You Are The Rande's
PostedFebruary 12, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Setting: Your parents, the Rande's, disappeared while investigating strange occurrences at Barton Mansion. The mansion was owned by Robert and Martha Barton (now deceased) and located in Whispering Hollows. Your sister Corinne, a police officer, believes a clue to their disappearance lies there and has summoned you, a dark dimension investigator, to help discover what happened to them..
The palette chosen immediately grabs your attention. Nearly every scene is composed of only two colors, red and blue. I found the bi-chromatic look to be very unpleasant after only a few minutes. That said, the quality of the drawing is high, and there is much detail in the scenes.
You have a helper in a husky named Rocky. The on-screen help informs you when to use him. There are also coins scattered about with which you can purchase various things for him should you choose. I like huskies, but I did not care to explore this feature.
The hidden object scenes carry over the same palette as the rest of the scenes. They are the progressive interactive type, with the difficulty being in the moderate to easy range. Puzzles were much easier, with most of the solutions being shown clearly on the screen.
The story is odd but not original - "something" is causing the house to expand, and thorny vines pop up everywhere to block your progress. Little more is revealed about the Bartons during the trial. While there are ghosts and similar themes in the story, it is done in such a way that I would not consider this to be a scary game except for the youngest players.
Besides buying things for Rocky, there are 10 collectible parts of Barton Mansion. Finishing the main game unlocks 8 match 3 levels. As usual, there is a bonus level, strategy guide and the usual pseudo extras.
I was going to speculate that this was aimed at younger players, but I'm sure there are older players who could find things to like about this as well. Personally, I couldn't so I'm not going to this Homecoming.
I don't recommend this game.
A famous painter finds herself in over her head!
Overall rating
2
/
5
33 of 47 found this review helpful
Logic of Art Defies Deception
PostedFebruary 7, 2015
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Setting - you are reporter Felicity Adams following the story of a long-lost painting that was recently rediscovered, Leda's Blight. You have an interview scheduled with Lisa Steiner, the artist hired to restore the masterpiece.
The artwork has a fuzzy or blurred quality that I did not find too pleasing. The cut scenes looked especially blurry and and the characters' movements were jerky. Definitely not the high quality that is usually delivered. The drawing palette is filled with a lot of yellows and reds. Voice acting was done fairly well, mostly with pseudo-German accents. I also experienced a noticeable delay when each scene loaded. During the trial, the story advances very slowly.
The HOPs are mostly silhouette style, some are find 3 of these and 4 of those, etc. The puzzles are a bit of a challenge and the instructions for some could have been clearer.
Another reviewer, Radgame, wrote:
"Game play was dragged out by too many illogical steps."
"Game play was dragged out by too many illogical steps."
My impression exactly, Unfortunately, there are others besides the ones listed by Radgame. What were they thinking - or were they thinking at all? What a disappointment after the last one in this series which was fabulous.
There are 4 levels of play including custom. Hint settings from 10-120 secs, Skip from 10-400 secs. There are plus items in your inventory requiring extra action for use. No journal, but there is an icon which will show your objectives.
CE Extras: 14 morphing objects, 42 collectible paint tubes, 17 collectible letters, 16 achievements, replay of 14 HOPs and 18 puzzles, souvenir room, strategy guide, bonus level and Painters Den.
I did like the refreshing challenge of some of the puzzles, but I cannot see myself buying this either as a CE or SE. The story was not especially interesting, and there were far too many illogical actions to overlook. I expected better from this developer.
Two paint drops color me disappointed.
I don't recommend this game.