jimweinberg's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:1.9
- Helpful Votes:124
- Reviews Submitted:18
- First Review:July 6, 2013
- Most Recent Review:March 3, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Curse House is back with a new property to cleans and some frighteningly clever puzzles that will haunt your dreams!
Overall rating
2
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Same Game Engine, But No Imagination
PostedMarch 31, 2021
jimweinberg
fromDayton, Ohio
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've played all the Cursed House games, and was really looking forward to this one. Boy, was I disappointed!
I can only assume that those players that have given this game 5 stars, haven't played more than 5 or 6 screens. I'm half way thru the game, in limited move mode, and the match 3 screens are laughably easy. With about 5-10 seconds of thought, the screens can be solved with less than a third of the moves allowed.
The game techniques (cannon ball redirectional pieces, tapestries, pyramid blocks, etc.) are way over used, to the point of boredom. And the screens that tell you to choose the right order are ridiculous. There is only one order available to you.
I've even tried to purposely lose one of the match 3 screens. I made dumb moves to the point where solving the screen should have been impossible. Guess what? The game game me what I needed in the last 6 moves.
Thank goodness for the bug and diamond screens. They are the only ones worth playing.
If you've never played a Cursed House game, or are under the age of 12, you will probably like this one. Otherwise, forget it.
I don't recommend this game.
In this latest match-3 adventure, gather up your courage and press on to the haunted mansion on the hill and rid it of evil spirits.
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 5 found this review helpful
Game Misnamed - Should be Cursed House 1
PostedMay 25, 2020
jimweinberg
fromDayton, Ohio
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This was a truly disappointing game. When you can finish the levels in 1/2 to 2/3 the allowed moves, it's not an 8, its a 1! I'm going to replay it in the more difficult mode to see if it's anymore of a challenge, but I seriously doubt it.
In addition, the levels have an annoying way of repeating the same technique over and over. I think the authors got tired of dreaming up new things and just wanted to get this published.
The one thing I did like was the bug-and-diamond puzzles. While not particularly challenging, it was new and a bit fun.
I don't recommend this game.
Your favorite puzzle-solving ghosts are learning about the ancient art of Alchemy in this match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
One word to describe this game
PostedApril 30, 2019
jimweinberg
fromDayton, Ohio
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I was trying to come up with one word to describe this version of Laruaville. Then my grandson, who had been watching me play and listening to my comments said, "Boy, that sounds like a pretty lame game, grandpa". And that's just the right word for it.
I've played Laruaville since its first version and this one is just plain not worth the 5 bucks I paid for it. I play with limited moves, and in most of the levels, I either get down to the last one or two move (with 10 or more coins left), and then in the next move it goes into auto mode and clears everything, or I finish in less than half the allowed moves.
And speaking of coins, they have no use whatsoever!
If you have nothing but time on your hands, this version is okay. But if your looking for a challenging match 3 game, look somewhere else.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Eric match his way to success in this exciting new addition to the Spellarium series!
Overall rating
1
/
5
11 of 14 found this review helpful
They've gone crazy with the stumps
PostedAugust 6, 2018
jimweinberg
fromDayton, Ohio
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've played this series and others with the game engine and always used limited moves. Not only did I have to switch to casual at level 5, I had to play level 9 four times.
This is definitely not a game for beginners and not even for experienced players. They've introduced "stumps" which have to be done (some time in order) with limited objects to fill them.
Way too hard too early. I definitely would not recommend this game, even if you could get it free.
I don't recommend this game.
This highly anticipated addition to the Cursed House series has you taking your match 3 skills to the next level!
Overall rating
1
/
5
5 of 8 found this review helpful
This is a truely awful game. Worst of the series!
PostedMarch 28, 2018
jimweinberg
fromDayton, Ohio
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've played every Cursed House M3 game that's come out, and this one is by far the worst. It's like they rushed it to get it published. It's easier than the first one and far more annoying. Practically every other screen is restoring the house. I'm playing an M3 game, not a house restoration.
Oh, and in case you happen to forget what your supposed to be going after, it tells you ... over and over and over. and over.
I gave this 1 star because it wouldn't let me leave it blank. I expected far more from a 5th level version game.
I don't recommend this game.
Dangerous Games: Prisoners of Destiny Collector's Edition
You came to the town of Brownville, Louisiana hoping to find a new job. But you weren't expecting to stumble upon a strange adventure in a world filled with beauty and danger!
Overall rating
2
/
5
25 of 42 found this review helpful
Pass on this one!
PostedJanuary 2, 2014
jimweinberg
fromDayton, Ohio
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I'll get right to the point -- DON'T BUY THIS ONE!!
I normally don't write game reviews, but I had to on this one. The story line in tired and while the graphics aren't bad, the cut scenes are ridiculous and totally unnecessary. Then, of course there's the mini-games. An hour and a half into the game, the mini-games started employing trial and error solutions, with no logic to them at all. And let's not forget about the HO scenes. I love HO scenes where you have to solve problems, not just find items. What I don't like is where you have to find 3 or 4 things to get what you're looking for and then having to use it to solve another problem.
I normally don't write game reviews, but I had to on this one. The story line in tired and while the graphics aren't bad, the cut scenes are ridiculous and totally unnecessary. Then, of course there's the mini-games. An hour and a half into the game, the mini-games started employing trial and error solutions, with no logic to them at all. And let's not forget about the HO scenes. I love HO scenes where you have to solve problems, not just find items. What I don't like is where you have to find 3 or 4 things to get what you're looking for and then having to use it to solve another problem.
The one good thing about this game is that there are 4 levels of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore and Custom. If you do buy this game, I suggest that you select the Custom option and set it up the way that best works for you. The Casual and Advance settings are pretty much what you'd expect, but the Advance setting is a joke. You get such clues as "I need something here" and "I wonder what goes here".
Awakening: The Sunhook Spire Collector's Edition
Scale the heights of Sunhook Spire, rescue the Enchantress and uncover the tower's mysteries as Queen Sophia's journey continues!
Overall rating
3
/
5
9 of 12 found this review helpful
Not up to Awakening Standard
PostedAugust 18, 2013
jimweinberg
fromDayton, Ohio
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Brain Teaser, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I have to agree with MRSSHARON. I've played a lot of HO games, including the other Awakenings, but this one is just so-so. I had my doubts with the demo, but figured it would get better as it went, so I bought it. It didn't.
I normally don't use hints and almost never use the skip button. I probably skipped as many minis as I played. The ones I skipped were just too confusing. Even with the description it wasn't clear what I was supposed to do. I did think that the hints were pretty clear, but as I said I normally don't use the hint feature of a game and had to use it A LOT with this one.
BTW, the minis that I did play, were mostly time wasters. How to solve them was obvious, but they were structured in such a way that you had to spend a lot of time doing it.
I gave this game a 3 overall. I think that's charitable.
I don't recommend this game.
Stray Souls: Stolen Memories Collector's Edition
Guide a mother who pursues a terrifying apparition into a twisted reality to save her daughter.
Overall rating
4
/
5
39 of 47 found this review helpful
One of those games you must have.
PostedJuly 6, 2013
jimweinberg
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a great game to remind you what it was like to be a beginner. The game not only tells you exactly what you need to solve a problem, in most cases it tells you where you need to go to get it. If that's not enough, there's a map that tells you where you need to go. And I played it in Expert mode :-) In Casual mode the places to look are all highlighted so you don't have to even move your cursor around to figure out what to look at. I think I used the hint once on a HOS, but that was because the item was so dark I couldn't see it ... a complaint on my eye sight, not the game.
For a beginner, this game is excellent. For the more advanced, it's worth the price to remember what it was like to be one. I definitely give it a 4 star rating for pure enjoyment on a rainy day.
I recommend this game!