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:
Why has the Everlast returned after twenty years at sea?
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 20 found this review helpful
Beware The Tides of May
PostedMay 2, 2015
steve_san
fromCity of Brotherly Love, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Setting: Twenty years ago your parents were lost on a sea voyage when the ship Everlast disappeared. Just you and your brother escaped. All of a sudden your father's compass, which he gave you just before disappearing, is emitting a strange glow and the Everlast has reappeared in the harbor! Is it possible your parents are still there? And, is that a mermaid?
The drawing is colorful with lots of blues, browns and grays. The style is typical of most games, rooted mostly in realism but with enough stylization to remind you that you are playing a game. Voices are well acted and the characters are believable - which is a nice change. The play is fun, but there is a certain seriousness about the story that I found to be refreshing. Music is presented on a grand scale, with large orchestral arrangements accompanied by chorale singers, but it does not overpower.
There are 13 HOPs and an undetermined number of mini games. The HOPs are straightforward and well drawn, but not too exciting. Mini games are more numerous and also more interesting. While not necessarily new or difficult, they were well suited to the story and the overall settings. Also, there is a transportable map.
Difficulty: I seem to always choose Custom because I like to turn off the sparkles but leave map indicators on and it is rare for a developer to include that as a standard setting. Hint and Skip refills can be set between 15-90 seconds.
CE Extras: 37 collectible seashells (hidden well), 13 morphing objects, 37 "collectibles" (i.e. souvenirs) achievements, bonus level, strategy guide (2 chapters in demo) and the pseudo extras like wallpapers.
I enjoyed playing the demo more than the recent Amaranthine Voyage game. While the quality of the the two are similar, and like AV game there is a "device" that is used over and over (here it's the compass), since this compass performs only one function it seems less contrived. This appealed to me more also because of the more serious tone and the impression that this game is aimed more towards adults . Finally, the story and game play also made more sense.
So, what do you say we go for a swim and see if we can spot any mermaids?
I recommend this game!
Enter the role of Eve Glover, one of the best CCPP's agents, sent to investigate the lack of radio communication from your scientific team on Iceland, researching harmonium radiation.
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 14 found this review helpful
Obsidian Book Is Best Left Unread
PostedMay 1, 2015
steve_san
fromCity of Brotherly Love, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Setting: Professor Bennett has gone to Iceland in search of harmonium (aren't we all in search of harmonium?) because it has properties having to do with paranormal phenomenon. You're off to assist her. While flying to Iceland in a single engine plane, (not the best idea) an arriving helicopter causes an avalanche. Who else is pursuing Professor Bennett and why?
Palette/Sounds/Voices: My eye did not detect a clear color scheme, making the palette hard to define. While there are a lot of colors used, none of them really dominate. Nevertheless, the overall look was not inviting to me. Sounds and voices were well done and there is a fair amount of dialog, at least in the early going.
Play: Hidden objects scenes (13) were mostly easy to solve even with some having two or three stages. Likewise, the mini games (20) present very little challenge and were a disappointment owing to a lack of inventiveness.
Difficulty settings: the usual 3 plus Custom. Hint refill adjustable between 10-120 seconds, Skip refill between 10-400 seconds.
CE Extras: 40 collectible books, 21 achievements, souvenir room, alternative HO, bonus level, strategy guide and the usual assorted pseudo extras.
I generally don't care for games with portals or ones with amulets and powers (this has both). However, in this reviewer's opinion Obsidian Book does not stack up well against others in the AV series anyway. While nothing about the game is egregiously bad, neither is anything particularly good. The extras are not really much either, so if you are inclined to buy, I would recommend trying the SE.
Three hunks of harmonium
I don't recommend this game.
A simple job protecting a bumbling professor becomes a nightmare when a masked figure threatens to kill him!
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
"Vacancy"
PostedApril 25, 2015
steve_san
fromCity of Brotherly Love, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Setting: The year is 1978. Kevin Reynolds is a wealthy investor/philanthropist who has backed various research projects. He has hired you, a private detective, for additional protection along with his regular security detail. An attempt is made on his life and you are duty (and contract) bound to protect him. So why is someone trying to kill him?
Most of the early action takes place in the eponymous hotel. The place is dark and dreary as expected, but the scenes contain an extremely large amount of detail. They are wonderfully rendered and create an engrossing environment. Most of the scenes are full of blues and grays with sparks of other colors here and there.
Voices are not on the same high level as the artwork. Mr. Reynolds voice is fine, but the voice of the villain was just OK. The developer seems to poke fun at this as at one point your character refers to him as sounding like a "B" movie actor. Sound effects are better, especially in the beginning, though the game does not have a lot of effects.
Play consists mostly of finding or creating objects to fit into locks, or repairing broken items to make them functional. There were only three HO scenes in the trial and none were difficult. One of them was a riddle style scene, another one used silhouettes. For mini-games, there was a slider puzzle (I solved!) a complex lock puzzle and a few drawings to piece together.
There are many short cut scenes which consist of dialog with the villain. Despite the number of them, I found them interesting because they are how the story is told. With each one, more is revealed about the man you are supposed to protect, Mr. Reynolds, and also his activities. Probably your opinion of the game will depend on whether on not you like this aspect of the play.
Difficulty: the usual three plus my choice, Custom. The difference here is not knowing the number of seconds for Hint and Skip refill as the sliders do not indicate that. Otherwise you can configure active zones, hints, skip, (transportable) map indicators, context help, tutorial, sparkles etc. as on or off.
CE Extras: 20 morphing objects, 12 Masks, 18 Achievements (I earned 10 just during the trial) a Secret Room, Bonus Level, Strategy guide and the usual pseudo extras.
This game breaks no real new ground, nor does the play seem to present a challenge. However, I found myself interested in the story even though I think I know where it is leading. The variety of the things to interact with and the constant array of puzzles and locks more than make up for the cartoon-ish villain with the B movie voice. I'll recommend reserving a room for a few nights at the Haunted Hotel.
I recommend this game!
Unlock the mysteries shrouding the creatures of Oxbridge University!
Overall rating
3
/
5
31 of 39 found this review helpful
A Bit of A "Grind" Until You Get Used To It
PostedApril 22, 2015
steve_san
fromCity of Brotherly Love, 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
This is an adventure-lite game. Your character, Declan, is a professor and investigator of myths and legends at Grind City University (not Oxbridge University as stated on the main page). The Book of Emissaries is an ancient compilation of the wise and also "mad men" whose pages are missing.
The game opens with a narrated cut scene about the Book, but I doubt that anyone could explain what its all about after viewing it. The narration contains many unfamiliar terms and a disjointed account having vaguely to do with animism. If you understand it, PM me.
Once play begins there is an objective at the lower right. After you complete the objective you will get another one. And so on. For an adventure-style game, it is actually very linear. Clicking on the objective reveals a hint.
The drawing style is somewhat comic book-ish, but with a little more detail. It is very heavy on the browns. You have to have a careful eye for detail as objects are small and not always easy to identify. Pages of the Book are scattered about. Initially, when you click them you are told you can't pick them up yet. This becomes a problem when (SPOILER ALERT) you have to pick up a "handkerchief" which looks exactly like the pages you can't pick up. So players *ahem* may get frustrated because they won't know what to do.
The story is actually very quaint and appealing. There are several different characters and, although there are no voices and a lot of dialog to click through, they are each interesting, though a little simplistic.
Puzzles are fairly easy, like rotating pieces of a drawing or electric circuits. The biggest puzzle is finding what you need to complete the current objective. Look closely for clues on the screen, sometimes they are very subtle.
For an older style game, once I got used to the play it was not bad. This Book may be a little worn around the edges, but it should provide a few hours of entertainment.
The Queen of Creatos is missing, and if you don't get her back soon... the entire world will crumble!
Overall rating
2
/
5
18 of 34 found this review helpful
I Could Hardly "Espera" To Exit Out of This Game
PostedApril 19, 2015
steve_san
fromCity of Brotherly Love, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I do remember that there was a little Princess Espera that I did not care about saving, and a Queen that I didn't care about rescuing.
I disliked this so much that I did not even write down any notes on the game. However, the only fun I had was finding the glass shards in each scene. There are a total of 114, which means there are 38 scenes - a fairly large number. You also have a Vision Ray thing that is supposed to let you look into the future.
There is a lot to do in each scene all right. But the color palette, style of drawing, nature of the characters, and the fairy tale story line were 100% unappealing to me. So, "besides that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"
It is my opinion, based on the elements noted above, that this game is aimed mainly towards our FFF's (fabulous female fishes). And based on the other reviews I've read, it seems to be a success in that regard.
As for me, I'll be Espera-ing for the next game to be released and using my Vision Ray to see if it might be a more likely purchase.
I don't recommend this game.
Renegade Bowling Pins are on the loose! Smash groups of pins with super-powered bowling balls in this fast-paced arcade game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 8 found this review helpful
The 80's called and they want their music back
PostedApril 15, 2015
steve_san
fromCity of Brotherly Love, USA
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I would describe this as a combination of bowling, match 3 and tetris. Bowling because there is a ball and pins, match 3 because you take out the matching pins together, and tetris because the pins gradually advance toward the foul line.
Each ball has a color corresponding with the pins and can only take out pins of the same color. There are three different points on the lane where the ball can be launched and (I can't stress this enough) it is very important to quickly choose the one with the best angle to take out the most pins at once.
Each game has at least two goals (i.e. number of balls used, minimum time to complete, number of "strikes" etc.). The first goal must be met to complete the level, while the other awards you extra points for purchasing things like better bowling balls. While playing you can earn special "bonuses" like a ball that takes out all the remaining pins of the color you choose, extra money, a small ball, and on and on. There are also challenges like bouncing pins, pins that parachute in, and a penalty for gutter balls.
The music is right out of the 80's but the play is so fast paced you probably won't notice it. Arcade style games are not my style and this one does not have much going for it, but the play could be right up your alley nevertheless. Give it a try, you might just strike out - in a good way, that is.
It was supposed to be a routine mission. But when a dragon attacks your plane, crash-landing in a lush valley, you're drawn into the adventure of a lifetime!
Overall rating
2
/
5
34 of 45 found this review helpful
I Really Wanted To *Heart* Heart of Desolation
PostedApril 11, 2015
steve_san
fromCity of Brotherly Love, 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
1
/
5
Yes, I did. It's got a lot going for it. But in the end, well... read on.
Setting: You are a pilot assigned to make a drop of food and supplies to a village deep in the Himalayas. (side note - when a game starts with a plane flight or impending wedding, it's not hard to predict what will happen next). Your plane is hit by what appears to be a dragon and crashes. You survive, but something very strange is going on and you decide to investigate.
This game has beautiful and almost realistic cut scenes. The drawing style is very pleasing to look at and has a colorful simplicity. The music is light, haunting and ethereal in an upbeat Chinese style. On the down side, the voices are just OK. They sound like non-Chinese actors attempting Chinese accents.
There are four difficulty settings including my choice, Custom, where Hint refills can be set between 10-120 secs and Skip between 10-400 secs. All the sparkles, hints, tips and glints can be turned on or off as well.
The mini games (21) and hidden object (HO) scenes (17) are clever. The HO scenes (with mahjong option) are the more difficult of the two and some include riddles at the end. The special device in this game is the Golden Heart. Each time you use it you'll have a series of numbered stations and need to connect each station with the same number of lines. All of these were fairly fun to do and did not get tiring for the duration of the trial (mine ended with 8 minutes left).
What DID get tiring was the story. And it happened pretty quickly. To me, it seemed like they were making it up as they went along. I began to lose interest as it got more and more ridiculous. I'd describe it as a child's fairy tale on steroids. The devs seem to acknowledge this, as at one point your character says "I think I'm actually starting to believe all this." Well for me, Not.
CE Extras: 42 collectible bamboo strips (fairly well hidden), 17 morphing objects, souvenirs, golden heart puzzles, 13 achievements, mahjong game, bonus level, strategy guide and the other pseudo extras.
I normally love Chinese themed games but can't see buying this in either version because the story just doesn't work for me. My heart is aching because I can't feel the love for Heart of Desolation.
I don't recommend this game.
Is your husband-to-be guilty of betrayal – or even worse?
Overall rating
4
/
5
21 of 25 found this review helpful
Kiss of Death, "Muah!"
PostedApril 4, 2015
steve_san
fromHappy Easter from the City of Brotherly Love, 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
4
/
5
This is the second in the Cadenza series, the first being the excellent Music, Betrayal and Death. Like the first, this is set in New Orleans and the time period is the 1930's.
Setting: You are Ella Johnson. Three months ago you got engaged to Anthony, a jazz musician. As you prepare for the wedding, one of Anthony's ex-band members shows up at the scene and mumbles some incoherent warnings. A few minutes later he is found dead in the parking lot with a black lipstick kiss on his neck. Has the famed Black Widow killer struck again?
In keeping with this series, the drawing palette is very strong in reds with some yellows and oranges (the color, that is) to complement. It's high quality and detailed, but not overly so. The character voices are well done, with the New Orleans accents being at least somewhat convincing. Music, as expected, is jazz style but it remains in the background as it should. Sound effects are minimal but the car's hand brake sounds real.
There is a "click to converse" aspect to the game that, in my opinion, would have been better left out. Some conversations require clicking on a single response to continue. Not sure why, it just slows down the play.
The hidden object scenes (15) are where this game really shines. They're quite interactive, yet not at all difficult. The manage to make "easy" interesting by having several stages to them. So, while not complex, they do keep your mind engaged.
I encountered a little difficulty with the inventory. It is quite easy to think you are clicking an item in the inventory but actually close a scene. This happened more than once to me. There is a nice transportable "street" map.
There are five difficulty settings: Novice, Artist, Virtuoso, Maestro and Improviser, the last being customizable and everything can be turned on or off. Hint and Skip have separate controls and refills can be set between 15-90 seconds.
CE Extras: There are 42 gilded tickets (somewhat hard to find), 15 morphing objects, 14 achievements, strategy guide, and bonus chapter which, after completing, you can play a Ticket Hunt and a Treasure Hunt.
The story does move rather slowly in the beginning but the first Cadenza had a slow beginning too. I did like the hidden object scenes, and there is enough bonus content to consider making the purchase. This could be worth a kiss, at least on the cheek.
four muah's out of five
I recommend this game!
After investigating a series of ritual murders on the foggy streets of London, detective James Voodoo discovers a supernatural conspiracy on a global scale.
Overall rating
3
/
5
22 of 33 found this review helpful
Sherlock Holmes Meets Star Trek
PostedApril 1, 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: London, September 11, 1899. You are a detective with the London police. Twenty years ago there was a string of gruesome murders in the city but finally, the culprit was caught. However, today murder was just discovered near the Tower Bridge which may be connected to the earlier killing spree.
I had no actual tech issues. I say actual because while playing the demo I thought my PC was going to crash each time there was a long pause between scenes. However, it did not.
This is an adventure game with some hidden object scenes tossed in. As a distraction, some of the objects morph. Despite this, these scenes are fairly easy because the objects are large and the scenes are not cluttered.
There are no difficulty levels to choose. but no matter what your level of experience, I recommend you accept the tutorial. Otherwise you won't know how to use your detective tools, especially the ultraviolet light (which I thought was a strange pen). You also have an Evidence Analyzer, an Evidence Board, and a camera - which looks like an 1899 camera, though it produces instant pictures which did not arrive until the 1970's.
Problems: This is supposed to take place in 1899. So why is there an 35mm SLR camera in one of the HO scenes? Also, later on you pick up a tube of "super glue." Really? There is also a submarine in the Thames river which looks very modern.
Submarine, you say? Yes, the story is all over the place, with robotic spiders, disembodied spirits, strange flowers, and all kinds of technical gadgetry. This is not A. Conan Doyle. Does it work? It might for you.
Special features: Throughout, you collect rollers with which you can purchase items from the Shop of Researchers. There are also 30 achievements.
Play is not very intuitive. This is important because the story is actually very linear and you will find yourself completely lost very frequently. In one instance, you cannot progress until you add something to the evidence board. In another, the game won't let you leave the scene until a certain action is completed.
Finally, the game has an old feel with navigation arrows all over the place. By the end of the demo I was exasperated with the slow transitions, confusing play, and story elements which just did not come together. This could have been good, but this game needs a bloodletting to strip out the nonsense.
Two and 1/2 magnifying glasses.
I don't recommend this game.
Find the cure to save your brother from the Others.
Overall rating
3
/
5
19 of 22 found this review helpful
The Opinion of An Other
PostedMarch 29, 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
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Setting: You are Jane (...and I am Tarzan - no that's another story) and are a hunter of Others. The Others are witches from a portal world - Mysteria - who used to help humans but now seek to harm them. Years ago, one of the Others was cursing a young boy named Jace, but you protected him and he became your adopted brother. People are now disappearing from Mistville and you and Jace believe the very same Other is behind it.
The drawing style is woodsy-fantasy, good quality with a lot of greens and yellows along with the usual blues. Voices are well acted. Music and sound effects are good but minimal.
Play consists of 16 HO scenes and 12 mini games. There are many silhouette style puzzles in the trial.The mini games were very simple to solve, most only required three steps to complete. One item you'll use over and over is a magic compass. After each use it has to be refilled with a blue powder. Another is a spell book from which you will gain special powers like the ability to levitate objects.
There are four levels of difficulty; Casual, Advanced, Expert and Custom (which I usually choose) where active zones, click penalty, tasks, and tutorials can be turned on or off. Hint and Skip refill are separately configurable for 10-180 seconds and 10-320 seconds respectively.
CE extras - there are 28 hidden ravens, replay of HOS and mini-games, 20 achievements (I earned 10 during the trial) a bonus chapter, strategy guide and the pseudo extras like wallpapers, music, and movies.
I really did not care for the story as it is really nothing new and it is not done especially well. Besides that, I wonder if anyone else felt as I did that his game is primarily directed towards female fishes? (yes, I said it) I got that impression from the very beginning of the demo based mainly on the story, appearance of the characters and the artistic style. Mind you, that is not a knock on the game, just my impression - and if true its understandable since most players here are female. That doesn't necessarily mean that all females will like it either, or there won't be some males who will.
I had played 60 minutes when the trail ended. It was not unpleasant, but the combination of the unoriginal story line, easy play, and elements that did not appeal to me helped make my decision easy. I'll take my magic compass and navigate across the Bridge to anOther game.
Three ravens *caw!*
I don't recommend this game.