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:
Christmas Eve: Midnight's Call
Do you have what it takes to save Christmas?
Overall rating
3
/
5
40 of 46 found this review helpful
Who Did You Say Was Calling?
PostedDecember 24, 2014
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: The time is present day - but you won't spend too much time there. Back when you were about 7 or 8, you and your twin sister Odri were ice skating in NY's Central Park. You opened a portal in the ice and she fell through, never to be found. Fast forward to the present day and you're now an adult. The portal-opening medallion is mysteriously delivered to your doorstep. So you return to Central Park and enter the portal to a place called Snow Hill in search of Odri. Later, we are told that on Christmas Eve, the portal will open and.... well, you get the idea.
I had the benefit of a sneak peek of this game a while back so this was my second time through the demo. Not much is known about your character except you have dreams about Odri, you leave your violin on the floor, and you drive a red sports car. This game has the easily identifiable look of this developer. The portal world is done in a fantasy style with the seasonal colors you would expect. Voices are good, an improvement over the beta version. However,the story is fairly simplistic, and the "surprise twist" at the end of the demo was not really unexpected.
According to the game menu in the Collector's version, there are only 10 HOS and 4 mini games. There are a lot of other items that can only be opened with the right key. So expect to do a lot of backtracking. The map is transportable - it is a large map and the kind that you have to click and drag to move to the desired location. In addition, game play involves finding and identifying items which belonged to your sister by using a magnifying glass to search for clues on the items.
There are four levels of difficulty, all of them being fully customizable for features including sliders for hint and skip recharge. Some mini-games have a Casual and Hard setting within the game.
For comparison, the CE has achievements and the usual array of pseudo extras like soundtracks, wallpapers, concept art, etc. And of course a strategy guide and bonus level.
Based on the small number of HOS and games, I have concerns about game length. Also I do not see much in the way of extras to induce me to buy this as a CE. Now that the SE is here though, I may take the midnight call.
Three an 1/2 snowflakes.
The old historic mansion in Istanbul is being renovated into a hotel and when the owner summons you to fix the grand clock you discover that there are dark secrets contained within.
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Drop The "Magnificent" Part
PostedDecember 17, 2014
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: a seal was given to an ancient sultan as a gift. It was rumored to have the power to grant any wish to its owner. But the seal was stolen and though the thief was caught, the seal was not recovered. The sultan's Grand Vizier was suspected of taking the seal, but this was never proven. You have been called to repair the clock at the Vizier's mansion.
Compared to most recent games, the artwork in this one is fuzzy, not sharp at all. It is a pity because it becomes an issue when searching for objects. The regular scenes are wide and you must pan left and right to view the entire area. The instructions tell you that you can use a webcam to do this if you have one installed. However, a mouse works just fine as well.
Play consists of mostly hidden object scenes one after another. They are indicated by sparkles. There is very little else to explore anyway. There are also a few spot the difference. All of these are somewhat challenging, but mostly because of the fuzzy drawing, not because of skill in design.
Music is predominantly piano with other string instruments supporting. I found it to be fairly relaxing. Sound effects were seldom used but appropriate. There are no voices other than the opening narrator, just text for dialog.
I ran into a problem after playing most of the demo. I had collected eight of the nine clock gears, but there was no apparent pending action for me to complete for the ninth gear. In vain I searched all the rooms several times, then finally gave up. The Hint would not recharge as apparently you have to play an HO for that to happen.
Until the point I got stuck, I would have recommended this to lovers of hidden object games. Despite the somewhat fuzzy artwork and slightly clumsy navigation, the game seemed to have potential entertainment value. However as it stands I'll have to pass. I will change my mind if I find out I missed something I should have seen.
Two stars for the potentially, but not Magnificent Seal.
I don't recommend this game.
Reveries: Soul Collector Collector's Edition
Your wedding day gets interrupted when your fiancée is kidnapped!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 6 found this review helpful
Beware of Ugly Guy Looking For Human Heart
PostedDecember 13, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Setting: You are a princess of the Misty Islands kingdom and you're betrothed to King Richard of the White Lion kingdom. But there's this bad guy see, name of Dark Wing. He's really ugly too. Naturally, he wants to open the Gate of Chaos to unleash all sorts of evil 'cause that's what bad, ugly people do. One problem though. He needs a "true heart" (from Richard) to pacify one of the Gate's Guardians. "Stop him you must" as Yoda might say.
Speaking of little green beings, you have a green tree-like helper to do the climbing and getting for you. As the play progresses, you'll hear many fairy tale lines like, "if X happens, then Y will happen unless you get Z and use it to stop ABC.
This is a fantasy style game, the drawing is nicely done with a lot of grays and greens. Voices were well done as well, the evil characters especially so. The trouble is, the story is so simplistic that it is hard to get excited about it.
There are four fully customizable difficulty levels. The Hint and Skip sliders are adjustable for as low as seven seconds for the truly impatient, to a maximum of 200 seconds for those who can wait for paint to dry. For your player name, unfortunately there are only eight characters available so my preferred name of Babalooey will not fit .
The menu shows only nine HO scenes and 17 mini games. I believe there were only two HO's during the trial time, and they were actually pretty well done. They will take a little bit of time to work out because of all the interaction. On the other hand, the mini games were very easy, and not very clever or interesting in my opinion.
This is not my idea of a reverie. It may be yours, but the Soul Collector will collect only 2-1/2 hearts.
I don't recommend this game.
Christmas Eve: Midnight's Call Collector's Edition
Do you have what it takes to save Christmas?
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Midnight's Calling But Who's There?
PostedDecember 11, 2014
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
3
/
5
Setting: The time is present day - but you won't spend too much time there. Back when you were about 7 or 8, you and your twin sister Odri were ice skating in NY's Central Park. You opened a portal in the ice and she fell through, never to be found. Fast forward to the present day and you're now an adult. The portal-opening medallion is mysteriously delivered to your doorstep. So you return to Central Park and enter the portal to a place called Snow Hill in search of Odri. Later, we are told that on Christmas Eve, the portal will open and.... well, you get the idea.
I had the benefit of a sneak peek of this game a while back so this was my second time through the demo. Not much is known about your character except you have dreams about Odri, you leave your violin on the floor, and you drive a red sports car. This game has the easily identifiable look of this developer. The portal world is done in a fantasy style, with the seasonal colors you would expect. Voices are good, an improvement over the beta version. The story is fairly simplistic, and the "surprise twist" at the end of the demo is not really unexpected.
According to the game menu, there are only 10 HOS and 4 mini games. There are a lot of other items that can only be opened with the right key. So expect to do a lot of backtracking. The map is transportable - it is a large map that you will have to click and drag to move to the desired location. In addition, game play involves finding and identifying items which belonged to your sister by using a magnifying glass to search for clues on the items.
There are four levels of difficulty, all of them being fully customizable for features including sliders for hint and skip recharge. Some mini-games have a Casual and Hard setting within the game.
This CE has achievements and the usual array of pseudo extras like soundtracks, wallpapers, concept art, etc. And of course a strategy guide and bonus level. There are no collectible items, which I found to be disappointing.
Based on the small number of HOS and games, I have concerns about game length. Also I do not see much in the way of extras to induce me to buy this as a CE. Before answering Midnight's Call, I'll check caller ID to be sure it's the SE calling.
Three and 1/2 snowflakes.
I don't recommend this game.
An unexpected invitation sends you to research mythical standing stones in Brittany.
Overall rating
3
/
5
15 of 20 found this review helpful
"Same Old Story" Is Saved By Nice Package
PostedDecember 10, 2014
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
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Setting: I won't go into great detail here because there is not much original about the story - an evil demon (but I repeat myself) who has been imprisoned for years will be unleashed at the purple moon unless you stop it. *yawn*
Fortunately, the rest of the game is good, on par with anything else you'll find on this site. The drawing is top notch, very heavy on the deep, dark blues and greens - and of course, purple - which projects a deep, dark mood.
The use of perspective deserves mention. The developers have made a point of drawing many of the scenes from an unusual or disjointed perspective (example: the opening scene is viewed from ground level). This helps to project a sense of unease as if something is terribly out of whack. The background music adds to this sense as well, which creates an excellent environment for the somewhat ordinary story.
The collectible mistletoe (these are small and dark) adds a nice amount of complexity. Be prepared to use objects you collect - and there are many - in non-standard ways. You may have to think out-of-the-box a little bit here. This game does not seem to be too HOS heavy so be prepared for that as well.
A nice surprise SE worthy of 3 and 1/2 moons - even if they are purple.
I recommend this game!
Another bloodcurdling tale ripped from the pages of history. This time, the horrifying legend of Elizabeth Bathory is yours to discover!
Overall rating
4
/
5
21 of 28 found this review helpful
Bathory's: You Can Check Out Any Time You Like...
PostedDecember 6, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
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: you are an early 17th century gypsy woman who has been hired by a man whose daughter has vanished after visiting the noble Bathory estate. Elizabeth Bathory is an actual historical figure so you may find it helpful to investigate her on your own if you are unfamiliar with her name. This is a mature themed story which touches on unpleasant things like torture and murder.
As you are a gypsy, prepare to do gypsy things like concoct potions in your wagon and conduct readings based psychic impressions from physical items. Normally I dislike these sort of actions, but the wagon link permits you to transport back and forth easily and quickly enough so as not to interrupt play excessively.
The drawing style was pleasingly realistic if not historically accurate. The voice acting is good, but unfortunately the voices are very American sounding which is quite out of place in the setting (Hungary) and therefore prevent the player from becoming more fully immersed in the story. The character's lip synching is good, however.
Aside from the potions (made with herbs that you've grown) most of the play is standard. Hidden objects are varying types, well drawn, clear, and won't cause anyone eyestrain. Puzzles are easy and fairly standard as well.
This collector's edition has collectible tarot cards which are also morphing objects, as well as the standard array of pseudo-extras, bonus level and strategy guide.
I enjoyed playing this trial and will probably purchase one of the versions because I like the story and game play enough to overlook some of the less-than-fine points.
Four stars for the other Lizzy B.
I recommend this game!
The Rat King's wand has fallen into the hands of a vengeful baron. Team up with your new friend, the Tin Soldier, to stop him!
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 18 found this review helpful
Tin Soldier Rings Hollow
PostedDecember 5, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I liked the original Nutcracker game quite a bit. Visually the two games are remarkably similar. In fact, in that respect this one surpasses the first. However, not only did I not like this game, I actually disliked playing it and that is quite rare. I did not connect with any of the characters. As some have noted, the story line deals with some mature themes which is fine, yet the game play itself seemed to be aimed towards children.
There are plenty of things to do and find: cats, puzzle pieces, etc. though I found nearly half the 36 puzzle pieces by the end of the demo. The drawing and cut scenes are excellently done and there is an immersive atmosphere. But the characters and game play I found to be just too silly - even for a fantasy style adventure. And the puzzles were beyond tedious, particularly the one where you mix a potion. That seemed to be designed only to take as long as possible.
I won't be buying this as a CE or even SE. There are plenty of things in real life that can be annoying without purchasing one more. Sorry Tin Soldier, you're on your own this time.
I don't recommend this game.
A fire breaks out during a concert, and now your daughters are both missing. Hurry to track them down – their music may hold the key to life and death!
Overall rating
4
/
5
31 of 32 found this review helpful
Bland Recital "Sparks" A Hot Pursuit
PostedNovember 28, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The setting: You are at the North Italy Music Festival listening to your daughters, Amelie and Bernadette Deux, play in the children's orchestra. Suddenly, a fire breaks out in the theater and your children are led away by a mysterious masked man. I do not want to give away too much, but this all has to do with "the healing power of music." (Note: this is the second in the series - the first is The Pianist which I have since played and is a good game.)
In somewhat of a paradox, though you play the girls' mother (who is also a musician), you perform a lot of non-musician, dare I say non-feminine tasks. You'll shoot machine guns, repair tractors as well as other mechanical and physical tasks. One thing that you will do as a musician is transcribe music into written form. This is repeated over to help you to progress (don't worry, it's not too hard).
Throughout the game there are small symbols to collect which, when you have the set of three, will unlock a "secret file." These files fill in the back story about why your children are in danger. There is a jump map, a journal and three fixed difficulty levels.
Hidden objects scenes are infrequent as this game presents more puzzles than HO's Types encountered were simple list with interaction, put back in place, and progressive. Puzzles and mini-games were a nice twist, none were very difficult but every one fit nicely into the arts-and-music theme of the story.
The drawing was a little grainy in style. But this is a dark story - bright, shiny and clear would not be appropriate. A nice touch by the developers has a scene change from day to night as time passes. There's plenty of detail in the surroundings, but I thought it was somewhat lacking in the faces of the other characters. Voices were mostly good except for the masked man's who was not frightening enough for my tastes. There is also a noticeable delay between scenes.
I enjoyed playing the demo, liked the puzzles and was interested in the story. I will be in attendance when this orchestra plays.
I recommend this game!
A deadly secret lurks in the woods of Dire Grove!
Overall rating
4
/
5
24 of 32 found this review helpful
MCF Series Goes "Sacred"
PostedNovember 25, 2014
steve_san
fromPhiladelphia PA USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
sa·cred - adjective
1. worthy of religious worship : very holy
1. worthy of religious worship : very holy
Setting: you are a detective this time. You've been summoned back to Dire Grove because a severe chill has descended, as well as the occurrence of wolf and bear attacks. Mystical druid "Mistwalkers" roam the woods. What is the cause of these events? Well that's why you're here.
I am usually a somewhat hard "grader" when it comes to these games. And besides, this is a MCF (*may it live forever*) game. Yes, I have a higher standard for MCF (*may it live forever*) games because this series is the one by which all others are measured.
Having said all that, I liked the the trial. It was fun to play. Is this a five star game? No, in my opinion, but only because it is a MCF (*may it live forever*) game. The story is simply too derivative for this to be a five star game, and we cannot forgive derivative in this series (the one by which all others are measured). Especially because this is back at Dire Grove, the location of one of the better games in this series (*may it be...etc).
Naturally, the artwork is great. The sounds and music are good. Hidden objects are very interactive but not difficult. The puzzles are good to great. You will have to think about these puzzles - they are similar to the "Ravenhurst" type, but not quite as clever. The voices are good. So everything is good - except the story is just OK. That makes it not quite "Dire Grove -worthy," but fortunately neither is it "Shadow Lake -like."
You will also gather sets of clues. When you have completed each set, you will make a "deduction" and more of the story will be revealed. There are five (5) difficulty levels, the last of which is timed. And there is a jump map which is an actual map (yay!)
This CE has 84 collectible jigsaw puzzle pieces, morphing objects (buildings), a bonus level, strategy guide and the other usual pseudo-extras.
Sacred Grove falls short of being "worthy of worship" but it is a solid entry. Rating: four cold beers...I mean bears.
I recommend this game!
Track down a vampire hiding on a Mississippi riverboat cruise.
Overall rating
4
/
5
23 of 24 found this review helpful
Vampire Hunting in the Bayou - update based on completed CE
PostedNovember 23, 2014
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
3
/
5
In the latest installment in the Myths of the World series, you are a vampire hunter. You have a partner, Simon. The assignment is to travel to the Louisiana bayou after the vampire Benjamin Brooks.
The story moves to several different locations so there is not one overriding theme to the artwork, except it is heavy on the reds as you might expect in a game dealing with vampires. The musical tracks are very subtle, just enough there to play with your mind and add a bit of tension where needed. The voices are suitable to the characters and well acted.
For game play, it seems the developers decided to bring out everything in their "bag of tricks." There are hidden objects - most quite large - lists, progression, riddles, puzzles, mini-games within mini-games, potions, spells, runes, symbols, ancient rites, you name it and it is in there. Oh, and there is a bubble shooter option for the hidden objects should that be your preference. There is something here to satisfy the tastes of all types of players.
There are three fixed levels of play and one custom, where there are sliders to set hint and skip recharge times and other settings.
For comparison, the CE version has 43 collectible roses, 14 morphing objects, an undetermined number of golden goblets, 21 achievements, a souvenir room, bonus level, strategy guide and the usual other pseudo extras - *none of these extras are in this Standard Edition (SE).*
There is not a whole lot happening in the beginning. There is little "chemistry" between you and your partner Simon. And generally, vampire stories do not particularly interest me. Despite that fact, I very much enjoyed playing this demo due to the varied and engaging mini-games and puzzles. They were well thought out and I found them fun to play. *The story does improve later on in the game.*
Four and 1/2 Black Roses.
Update: I purchased and played the CE version and it was a very enjoyable game. I'll stick with my original rating. The bonus play is a decent addition to the story, but is not critical to the original. So I recommend either version, it just depends on how much you are into the non-pseudo extras.
I recommend this game!