Poodlebear's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:1,374
- Reviews Submitted:45
- First Review:November 19, 2011
- Most Recent Review:May 17, 2021
- Featured reviews0
Status:
After crash-landing on a frozen mountain Raj makes an incredible discovery in Jewel Quest 6: The Sapphire Dragon!
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 16 found this review helpful
WARNING - "Relaxed" still has timed levels.
PostedFebruary 1, 2012
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I have never purchased Jewel Quest games because they had timers. I am disabled and can not move quickly enough to be successful at timed games. So I was very pleased when I saw this one had a Relaxed option that supposedly had no timer. True, it doesn't BUT get deep enough into the game (well past the demo hour) and you will encounter levels that must be cleared quickly to be successful. The aim is to make matches over tiles turning them gold. When the board is all gold you win that level. HOWEVER on some levels tiles turned gold will start to revert over time, so you fail unless you complete the entire level quickly. HOW is this any different than a timer?
I've asked for a refund.
I don't recommend this game.
After waking up on a mysterious island you find yourself cursed by powers beyond your understanding. Escape from the island before it’s too late!
Overall rating
3
/
5
19 of 21 found this review helpful
Started strong but collapsed like a soufle.
PostedJanuary 6, 2012
Poodlebear
fromSeattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Brain Teaser, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Crystal clear graphics, strong initial adventure puzzles and an ok level of HOS (a bit more than I like) but at some point the mechanics get muddy, the logic gets fuzzy, the plot gets downright weird. It was as if a different creative team took over midway through or they lost a key designer. Actually kinda regretting the buy and not yet finished. I got too annoyed w/ yet another "click this and the things around it flip" puzzle, my least favorite of them all, and a sloooow charge on the skip. (granted, playing advanced). Can't recommend.
I don't recommend this game.
After Sara inherits a home, she discovers that a restless spirit can speak to her! Help her sooth Emily’s soul in Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Something New! ...in a familiar guise.
PostedDecember 30, 2011
Poodlebear
fromSeattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This is a *nearly* perfect game! At least how I recon them. With Hidden Object Puzzle Adventures happening so often it is truly wonderful to find one with a new gameplay mechanic - in this case needing to move between realms and find and then hide objects that you will need when you return. I can't recall, in what is likely 100s of these games I've played now, finding this handled just the way it is here. That's a HUGE plus in a saturated genre.
Adding to that we have pleasantly challenging but not difficult puzzles. I imagine some would find it too easy, I did not. Hidden object scenes happened with nice frequency, not too often, but not missing either, and while junk pile in nature they at least were most free of anachronism and were in scale, not gravity defying. Story was interesting, voice acting excellent!
BUT the best bit yet, even though it's a simple mechanic not related to gameplay, is the closing of zoomed in areas and labeling as finished larger areas that no longer have items or puzzles to solve! This is sooo great when having to move through a large map with many rooms to know you've not missed some little thing.
My only complaints were the occasionally picky cursor in Hidden Object Scenes and the Objective that kept popping down anytime my cursor strayed too near the top of the screen. At no time did I find that helpful, just annoying.
Overall a terrific game and I'm very much looking forward to the Sequel which was nicely prologued in the Bonus Chapter in this Collectors Edition.
Adding to that we have pleasantly challenging but not difficult puzzles. I imagine some would find it too easy, I did not. Hidden object scenes happened with nice frequency, not too often, but not missing either, and while junk pile in nature they at least were most free of anachronism and were in scale, not gravity defying. Story was interesting, voice acting excellent!
BUT the best bit yet, even though it's a simple mechanic not related to gameplay, is the closing of zoomed in areas and labeling as finished larger areas that no longer have items or puzzles to solve! This is sooo great when having to move through a large map with many rooms to know you've not missed some little thing.
My only complaints were the occasionally picky cursor in Hidden Object Scenes and the Objective that kept popping down anytime my cursor strayed too near the top of the screen. At no time did I find that helpful, just annoying.
Overall a terrific game and I'm very much looking forward to the Sequel which was nicely prologued in the Bonus Chapter in this Collectors Edition.
I recommend this game!
Return once more to the haunted grounds of Ravenhearst Manor to uncover new details about this poignant saga. What you find could very well be the final chapter of this riveting story-if you escape.
Overall rating
3
/
5
46 of 58 found this review helpful
An old love not aging well.
PostedNovember 24, 2011
Poodlebear
fromSeattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
The original Ravenhearst was my first BFG purchase I believe. I loved the door lock puzzles, the creepy storyline and wonderful graphics. While these aspects are still present they have taken a backset, in my opinion, to cinematics and forced cleverness.
I enjoy a challenge but felt that many of the inventory puzzles (where to find/use which item) were impossible to come by logically, forcing the use of the "Strategy Guide" which itself was not terribly helpful being solely pictures. I would have preferred a Hint system that nudged in the right direction and a clear solution in the guide like many of the better games now have. Was this just an endeavor to offer something different? I felt it failed.
Never having been a fan of the "Morphing Objects" to begin with to replace classic Hidden Object scenes w/ them was a big disappointment for me. To just stare at a scene and wait for something to catch your eye rather than actually look for something feels like a dumbing down and a cheap way of lengthening the game.
The there's the "extra content" of the Collectors Edition. Most of it are additional bits woven into the game that you'd never notice as something special. The only thing that may or may not be worth it was the additional Hidden Object Scenes but I'll never know because to unlock them you must find more morphing in the Casebook and Strategy Guide. This is never made clear in the game at all. Is there Music or Wallpapers? Who knows as I won't spend the time staring at pages waiting for something to morph.
The graphics are great, if perhaps a bit over the top gruesome in this one. The cinematics were fun (LOVED Charles) but I believe less money/time spent on them and more on polishing game play, a few more door puzzles, some real extra content, would have made this a far better product. It is a GAME first of all, right?
To those on the fence save your money until Standard Edition.
I don't recommend this game.
Save the three worlds contained inside of a magical book in Azada: In Libro! Stop a dark magician from conquering Azada!
Overall rating
5
/
5
13 of 18 found this review helpful
A Beautiful Adventure
PostedNovember 19, 2011
Poodlebear
fromSeattle, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This Azada, the 3rd in the series, is a sound evolution to those that went before. It is a pure Puzzle Adventure game, no Hidden Object scenes at all, which is very unusual and much appreciated. The game is comprised of searching for and collecting inventory items to solve all sorts of situations that arise, from clearing blocked paths to opening clever locks, many of the later being puzzles as well. For me the level of difficulty was just about right, enough to challenge but the solution coming pretty quickly. Perhaps a tiny bit on the easy side.
The story is minimal, just a thread to string the adventure together, but the lack of it wasn't noticeable amongst the excellent game play.
The illustration style graphics are impressive and beautifully colored. My *only* complaint was in the Widescreen Mode the image was bounded on all sides by black rather than just pillar boxing which I would expect. This is odd because the field is rectangular so it should have fit well on the orientation of wide screen monitors. Without the Widescreen Mode on some of the image was cut off.
I am pretty picky about what Collector Editions I buy. I bought this one simply because I did not want to wait to keep playing it after trying the demo and I was sorry to see it end when completed. Azada: In Libro is a wonderful game that I would place on a favorites list.
The story is minimal, just a thread to string the adventure together, but the lack of it wasn't noticeable amongst the excellent game play.
The illustration style graphics are impressive and beautifully colored. My *only* complaint was in the Widescreen Mode the image was bounded on all sides by black rather than just pillar boxing which I would expect. This is odd because the field is rectangular so it should have fit well on the orientation of wide screen monitors. Without the Widescreen Mode on some of the image was cut off.
I am pretty picky about what Collector Editions I buy. I bought this one simply because I did not want to wait to keep playing it after trying the demo and I was sorry to see it end when completed. Azada: In Libro is a wonderful game that I would place on a favorites list.
I recommend this game!