MSBAM100's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.7
- Helpful Votes:8,578
- Reviews Submitted:240
- First Review:January 11, 2013
- Most Recent Review:January 27, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Haunted Legends: The Stone Guest Collector's Edition
Someone is stealing the hearts of children – literally! Is it a brilliant inventor, seeking to cure his ailing son? Or has dark magic taken over the village...
Overall rating
5
/
5
36 of 53 found this review helpful
The Evil Dwarf is back!
PostedNovember 15, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The Haunted Legends series always has interesting story lines, plus the evil dwarf to irritate you and thwart you! This time your friend Dr. Leporello needs your help. He is accused of kidnapping orphan children and cutting out their hearts to save his son. It is not clear if he is in cahoots with the dwarf and his "Stone Guest" statue that he brings to life to wreak havoc all over town.
To help you in your quest, there is an amulet with slots to fill, plus a Magnifier that helps you solve puzzles and remove the Knot Spell. All the missing children have masked hoods, plus a voodoo-like doll that holds the spell imprisoning the children. You get to rescue two children during the demo, and each requires multiple steps to solve the puzzles and undo the spell.
The HOPs are all find "X" items type, unless you want to play a bubble shooter type game. The mini-puzzles are not too hard, but multi-faceted and quite cool. The teleporting map helps you get around.
There are not any collectible items, but the achievement awards fill in creatures in a large fountain. The achievements are not just time or hint based, but also game solution based.
This is a great story that keeps your interest, despite the lack of bling. Try it for yourself and see.
I recommend this game!
You've been called to investigate a strange purple tide. And that's when the mermaid shows up...
Overall rating
5
/
5
43 of 49 found this review helpful
Dead fish, a sea monster, and a mermaid!
PostedNovember 13, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The Dark Parable series is one of my favorites, This one about the Little Mermaid adds on to the list about Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and others. All are quite good and a bit "twisted."
So you are once again a detective tasked with looking into a Purple Tide - which doesn't appear in the demo! Here in Florida we have a Red Tide, which kills fish, so perhaps it is related? What you do find is the lost city of Prasimo and a beautiful mermaid with a grumpy king for a father. It takes you a while to work your way to the Palace, but you meet the King - and the demo ends! I played for 82 minutes and enjoyed it thoroughly.
The CE bling includes 40 crescent moons to find, with an icon to let you know if you've missed one. I also found one of the 6 tea cups in plain sight. There is also a souvenir chest, and 19 achievements that are time and hint based. A nice touch in these stories are the Parables, which get revealed after you find the four objects for the parable, and advance the story for you.
There are four modes of difficulty, including custom. The teleporting map is nice, and activities are marked in casual mode. The HOPs are all FROGs, where you find lots of pieces that eventually make up something you need, like a key. The mini-games are interesting -- I enjoy the ones where you have to interact with a scenario, or move pieces around in order to solve the puzzle.
As usual in these games, the art is gorgeous, and the voice-overs have lips that move. I do miss the "Making Of" extra, but the video preview after the demo ends is pretty cool. You should try this one -- and the others in the series if you haven't played them!
I recommend this game!
You’re the only one who can save Taleworld from an evil queen.
Overall rating
5
/
5
49 of 70 found this review helpful
Alice is now a grown-up
PostedNovember 8, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the third in a very good series, so if you haven't played the previous ones, you don't need to, but you will probably enjoy them also.
You are the grown-up Alice, who was abandoned as a baby and rescued by Belle and adopted by Belle and Pierre. You are an intern at White Rabbit Marketing, when your old electronic owl friend Gears shows up with a message that your father is to be executed and your mother is wanted dead or alive by the Queen of Hearts!
You are also a "Mirrors Traveler", which means you can open up Portals using mirrors, so you get yourself back to Taleworld and eventually find your parents' home, which has been upended and practically destroyed. You find a message from your mom, fight a heart soldier, and open another mirror portal -- and the demo ends! Pretty exciting!
Besides a great story, this game has unique mini-games, that are not hard but make you think. You get to repair Gears, by finding the parts, then finding the tools, then repairing his wires, and finally pressing buttons correctly to reboot. Or to repair a belt, you get to use a sewing maching by matching stitch designs to sew onto the belt.
The HOPS are also very interesting - finding gears, then placing the gears; find items to get the lists; and the storybook - my favorite - which tells the Queen of Hearts story while you find hidden items to advance the pages of the story.
The CE bling includes collectible cards in each scene, with an icon to tell you if you've found it or not. Plus each HOP has a morphing object - also with an icon. The Treasure Hunt requires you build a Tower of Cards. The Smoke and Mirrors puzzle and the Red Heart Casino are available after the main game is finished, along with the Bonus Chapter.
With four modes of difficulty, including custom, this game should appeal to you. Try it and see!
I recommend this game!
A shadow from the Gray family's past has returned for revenge. Can you save your family from their worst nightmares?
Overall rating
5
/
5
80 of 97 found this review helpful
Welcome back to Gray's Castle!
PostedNovember 6, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The poor Gray family have certainly had their ups and downs in the Grim Tales' games! You are once again Aunt Gray who returns to Gray's Castle for the traditional family dinner but finds your relatives all gone, with some challenging notes left for you. You quickly figure out the crazy adopted brother Thomas has escaped from the mental institution, taken the family and turned Luisa - his love - and her husband John back into wolves.
Thomas is a painter, and you find his magic painting set that lets you connect the dots to finish the drawing, and then paint it, so it comes to life and helps you.
A new concept with this game that takes a bit getting used to, is the left and right panning that makes each scene into a kind of panorama. Every time I got stuck, it was because I forgot to pan to find some new clues. There are also some nice touches with objects like fish food and fountains that will bring a smile to your face, even if they aren't necessary to the game!
The HOPs are quite clever and multi-faceted. Find some keys to open up the lists, then find the items in the list to make yet another item you need. The mini-games are unique -- you open up a contraption that you have to figure out what to do next to bring up the next item you need. Luckily, there are hints within the mini-game so if you get stuck, you don't have to skip, you can use a hint instead.
This developer certainly gives us our CE bling. There's the secret room, 24 Monsters with cute names to fine, collectible treasures - so far relating to Luisa's wedding - plus morphing objects. There are 18 achievements, almost all time/hint/skip related.
There are only 3 modes of play, but there is a gamma option to lighten up the screen -- one I use because my large screen gets darker near the top. Try this one -- and the previous ones if you haven't played them!
I recommend this game!
When minotaurs attack, only you can save the day.
Overall rating
5
/
5
81 of 101 found this review helpful
What is causing the Minotaur's drought?
PostedNovember 1, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The Awakening series always has beautiful graphics and a great story. You don't have to have played any of the previous game to thoroughly enjoy this one, but you might want to go back and try them -- they are all quite good.
This story precedes Princess Sophia and her family. You are the human, Sasha, who escapes your city before the Minotaur Army arrives. With your friend Caity and Prince Cedric, you investigate what a captured Minotaur Longhorn, the healer - with a wonderful voice! - tells you about their drought. It seems the minotaurs believe Prince Cedric has blocked their shared river with a building, that has caused all the minotaur crops to die. You free the minotaur, and go to investigate the blockage. When you free the river, strange trees suck up the water, a dragon arises -- and the demo ends!
Each human has a magical trait -- you have a magical pendant that brings up hidden elements you need to solve. You find a map that you need to "draw" following clues. The HOPs are lists with embedded mini-games, or easy FROGs, or find the items in the story type. Not hard, but the variety certainly adds to the fun. The mini-puzzles are unique, but quite doable -- I do not think I had to skip any.
There are 46 fairy collectibles, but I only found one so they are well-hidden. You have 9 achievements as well, and 3 modes of play. The game is filled with nice touches, like the "Squabbit" - a cross between a squirrel and a rabbit - that you give a carrot to, in order to get a clue.
This is a charming game, with no violence so far, but the story and the puzzles keep you quite occupied. Try it and see if you like it!
I 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
30 of 38 found this review helpful
Save your Children from Draco and the Master!
PostedOctober 30, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game has an interesting premise, but one that we've seen before. Talented artists, in this case your children, are kidnapped and force to play their musical instruments until they are drained, in order to heal someone. You are Yvette Deux, whose virtuoso children Amelie and Bernadette have been taken in order to play their music.
The story is a good one, but rather easy to follow. The HOS are varied -- a list, "find and use" silhouettes, or replace misplaced objects. The mini-games almost all have a musical theme involving manipulating various musical items. One of my favorites - not musical - involves guiding a villager to his house while using items within the scene to overcome obstacles. None of the mini-games are difficult.
An interesting twist is you must record and transcribe music you hear, in order to get the code to open various gates or other items. You also have 5 stories to decrypt by finding the items needed to play the story, which gives background information to move the story along.
You have a nice teleporting map, and the lips move during the voice-overs. There are three game modes, including an option for Extra Brightness.
The reason this is four stars instead of five, is the CE bling only includes the standard stuff and a bonus game. No collectibles, or souvenir rooms or extra puzzles to solve.
I like this game, but it is more of an SE than a CE.
I recommend this game!
Track down a vampire hiding on a Mississippi riverboat cruise.
Overall rating
5
/
5
44 of 54 found this review helpful
Vampires vs the vampire hunter!
PostedOctober 25, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a great way to spend your weekend -- hunting vampires! From the opening upside down bat for sound, to Rose getting bit, you are immersed in the world of vampires and hunter. You and your fellow vampire hunter Simon are looking for Benjamin Brooks, turned into a vampire by his beloved Rose. You are on the Hope Steamboat Hotel but after opening Benjamin's casket, you track him to the town of Eastmire, which seems to be under the control of Rose, now called Black Rose.
You have so many tools to help you. Besides your teleporting map, you have your Vampire Hunter's Manual that helps you remove curses, and the Vial of Light, which collects wisps of light and removes fog left by vampires.
There are 14 morphing items embedded in the HOPs, and 43 collectible roses, both of which have glowing icons to remind you to look for them. There are four modes of play -- Fledgling, Ascendant, Elder, and Custom. The achievements are all time and skill related.
Each HOS is different -- either a list, a silhouette that "suggests" the item, or find the missing pieces. You can play a bubble shooter instead. The mini-games are multi-tiered. To open the gate you have to solve 4 puzzles to get the gears, then create a path, then match runes -- all fun and not too difficult. In fact, I didn't skip one puzzle during the demo and I played for 80 minutes!
The CE bling includes a souvenir box, a making of video, and a roses puzzle, in addition to the bonus game, bubble shooter and normal bling.
And just when you rescue Simon, he turns against you, shoots you, and Benjamin is about to bite you -- the demo ends! What a treat! Even if you don't like vampires, you will probably like this game! Try it and see.
I recommend this game!
You are the key to solving a chilling supernatural mystery!
Overall rating
5
/
5
82 of 100 found this review helpful
Haunted Hotel?
PostedOctober 23, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
You are Emma Roberts, reporter and paranormal investigator, who is summoned to the Hotel Berkeley by one of the owners, Caroline. Caroline and Sam inherited the hotel from Sam's parents, but Sam is now confined to a wheelchair while Caroline runs the show. There are lots of ghosts and abnormal activities, including the ghost of Sam's father!
The atmosphere of the game is great. Emma stays overnight in Room 13, and it transforms into a spooky, decrepit room complete with a one-armed doll and an eye blocking the cupboard. Quite a clever transformation!
There is a lot to do in this game, with 5 collections of 5 objects each, plus one morphing object per scene. Your teleporting map not only keeps up with what actions are available where, but which rooms still have objects to be found -- something I definitely need! The graphics and special effects are realistic, along with voice-overs with the character's lips moving.
The puzzles are interesting and varied. No two HOS are alike, from completely interactive silhouettes to changing channels on the TV to find more items. There are also the instant "floating piece" puzzles to assemble as well. If you don't like the HOS, you can choose to play a Jigsaw puzzle instead.
The mini-games are clever and add to the atmosphere. There are four modes of play, including custom. Just when you think you have rescued Caroline, she captures you instead. Your nightmare will evidently fuel the 13th key to cure Sam. And the demo ends!
This game is a lot of fun -- try it yourself and see!
I recommend this game!
Warriors of darkness have just attacked your people. Now you alone can defeat them and save your fellow Healers!
Overall rating
5
/
5
37 of 41 found this review helpful
Wolf - Human - Healer!
PostedOctober 19, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the 6th in the series but it doesn't matter because they don't seem to tie together except maybe with a witch, who is not yet visible in this game except as the commander of the warriors who attack you and your healer comrades.
These stories are always clever, with interesting premises. In this case, you are a healer who is helping young Mira rescue her father Sirius, another healer. Healers can alternate between humans and wolves, assuming they have the crystal in the bracelet that allows them to do this. So you spend some time finding your crystal, or finding a second crystal after you break your first one!
What makes this game fun are the HOPs, which are mainly find an item and place it in a book. Or find where an item goes into a vignette that explains the history of the healers and Mira. The mini-puzzles are interesting -- as a wolf, you sniff out the rat, then match the rats to find your gem so you can become human again.
You get to make a complex potion to save an injured wolf, who helps Mira then turns against you right as the demo ends. You then get to preview scenes from the rest of the game -- looks pretty exciting!
There are 10 achievements to earn -- not your typical time vs hint ones. They include things like Potion Master, True Wolf, Fearless. You get to collect 32 glass bubbles that make up 4 planets. The map is teleporting, with objectives marked.
This is a very satisfying gaming experience. Try it and see!
I recommend this game!
Death needs help from the only detective he trusts – you!
Overall rating
5
/
5
101 of 121 found this review helpful
Help Death!
PostedOctober 16, 2014
MSBAM100
fromTampa, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a unique premise this game has! Your job is to help Death remove those evil souls who have somehow cheated death and are still alive. Otherwise, others cannot be born!
Your first assignment is to travel to Paris, discover which soul needs to die and why.
Your first assignment is to travel to Paris, discover which soul needs to die and why.
You have many tools available to you. Death's magic sphere gives you a teleporting map. Death's amulet lets you talk to the dead. You have a cool key-making machine which needs a picture of the key and something to carve. Plus another cool item -- a developing table, that lets you develop photos, develop paper, and reveal writing -- as long as you have developing fluid, that is!
This game is so much fun, as you try to discover who the bad guy is - the one with the red eyes, HA! Then you have to PROVE he's bad. The HOS are lists with twist -- assemble a puzzle, or find items to uncover the list first. The mini-games are easy, but stay within the theme of the game.
There is plenty of CE bling -- the bonus game, collectible cut-outs of main characters, diary pages to find. Plus 52 playing cards to discover that will eventually allow you to play solitaire, a Key Master, and a Secret Room.
There are 3 modes of play, plus the Gamma option that allows you to set the light on your monitor -- something I need as my monitor tends to obscure HOS items in the corners! Great game -- try it and see!
I recommend this game!