talisman018's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:411
- Reviews Submitted:10
- First Review:May 12, 2015
- Most Recent Review:October 15, 2015
- Featured reviews0
talisman018's Review History
It's Halloween time and the Queen wants to celebrate! Help the Queen and her loyal assistant Jack decorate the garden in this unique match-3 game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
96 of 108 found this review helpful
Cute Match-3 for Halloween
PostedOctober 15, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi Fishies! :)
When I first saw this, I thought "hmmm... yet another soft release, rushed through for a holiday". I decided to give it a try anyway. The Queen needs her garden planted in a spooky theme and you are requested to help! So, I got to work.
GRAPHICS: 4.5 out of 5. Good graphics. Crisp and clear. The backgrounds for the M3 scenes are hand-drawn and seem to be a bit rushed to me. The rest of it is excellent.
SOUND: 2 out of 5. Okay, I admit it. I'm not a fan of high-pitched sounds. They give me an earache, especially when under headphones. The music contains the classic whine of most haunted house music. If you know what a theramin is, you know what I mean. (Classic Star Trek theme if you don't.) There are sliders for adjusting the music and the effects, but you kind of need the music to really give it a feel for Halloween. So I just turned it down to a bearable level. It is also rather repetitive, IMHO.
GAMEPLAY: 5 out of 5. Excellent tutorial (hint mode) that can be turned on and off. There are boxes to click for windowed play plus another couple of options including relaxed, very relaxed, timed modes. You can play fast or slow with this game.
FUN FACTOR: 5 out of 5. I thought I would play for a couple of minutes and drop off a fast review that it was just average. I got sucked into it hard once I started playing. You get to design the garden however you want. That's a huge plus for the artist in me! As you progress, you earn coins and gems for buying everything you need to make the garden come alive, both in daytime and at night. As you gain experience levels, you unlock more and more plants and features for your garden. This made the game fun and exciting to me.
OVERALL: 16.5 out of 20. Definite thumbs up! As always, try before you buy, but this is a cute little gem of a game if you love Match-3 and the artistry of designing your own spooky Halloween garden. Ahem... for the Queen, of course. Enjoy! :)
I recommend this game!
Match the zen stones and travel through exotic locations to restore harmony to nature!
Overall rating
5
/
5
54 of 71 found this review helpful
Round Mahjong Fun!
PostedSeptember 15, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi, Fishies! :-)
This is a lovely game with a nice little storyline to it. The five elemental amulets of Wind, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth have gone missing and it's up to you to find them! Each amulet has sub-parts that you need to find as well. Collect jade pearls to pay for helper abilities when you get stuck. Don't take to long to choose what to do in Story Mode: there is a timer you must work against or you'll have to start the level over again.
GRAPHICS: 5 out of 5. Lovely, crisp and clean. So far, I haven't come across anything too small to see. The instructional text is easy to read. There is a slight fuzziness to everything but the tiles which gives it a dreamy quality that I rather enjoyed.
SOUND: 5 out of 5. Relaxing music with a strong Asian flavour. There are sliders for both music and effects so you can have it blaring or silent or anywhere in between.
GAMEPLAY: 5 out of 5. There are full instructions and it starts you off with a basic tutorial that you can refer to in brief at any time from the Main Menu. Also in the Main Menu are options for changing your tileset patterns, having each tile with a coloured background or not, and the option to play windowed or full screen. (There is no option to change the cursor, though.) Lastly, you can unlock the Zen Mode once you've progressed far enough into the main story.
FUN FACTOR: 4.5 out of 5. Okay, it's mahjong. That can get a little boring. But wait! There are bonus levels that are chosen at random on a "wheel of fortune". I happened to get Bingo, which was like a cross between bingo and marble popper. Fun! There were several different bonus games, like memory (you have to open little doors on the tiles to see its pattern and keep that in mind while you search for others like it). Seriously, the wheel spun far too fast to see the others types of games, but I'm sure they'll all be fun. (Note: bonus levels also have timers, at least in Story Mode.)
OVERALL: 19.5 out of 20. Highly recommended! The only reason I gave it less than perfect was because I really hate timers. This means that I'll be looking forward to unlocking that Zen Mode! Always try before you buy, but this one is a keeper if you want something you can pick up and play for a few minutes or a few hours. Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
The Silent Age
Help Joe discover the truth behind humankind's extinction! Can a simple janitor and literally, "the average Joe," save humankind?
Overall rating
4
/
5
33 of 39 found this review helpful
Time-traveling Adventure!
PostedAugust 17, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi Fishies!
This is a point & click adventure game where you need to discover how to change the future so that the world doesn't end in 2012! You are Joe the Janitor from the year 1972 and although you have no idea how this groovy time traveling thingie works, you must use it to go back and forth to stop the greedy industrialists from creating a world-ending disaster!
GRAPHICS: 4 out of 5. Crisp and clean, simplistic, yet charmingly so. No super small objects and the text is slightly grainy, but easily read. Animations are smooth. At the outset, you can choose screen resolutions and windowed play or full screen.
SOUND: 4 out of 5. There are no volume controls at all. That said, the music and ambient sounds are well balanced and fitting for the game. There is some subtitled voice-over acting which is well done.
GAMEPLAY: 4 out of 5. There are no instructions. You are dropped right in at the deep end. That said, it's a very simple point-click interface and intuitive gameplay. Click where you want to go. Click where you want to interact. Click an item in your inventory to pick it up and click again where you want to use it. Simple and easy. (You can choose to play with a joystick and do some basic configuration of that when the game boots up.)
FUN FACTOR: 4 out of 5. I never noticed the hour go by. My only complaint is how slow the main character, Joe the Janitor, walks everywhere. Otherwise, this is a great chance to exercise those little gray cells and figure out where to go, how to get there, and what to do once you're there.
OVERALL: 16 out of 20. Two thumbs up. Give the demo a try! You won't be disappointed.
I recommend this game!
Story driven rpg-adventure where guns and magic act together! Explore strange worlds, defeat monsters and complete quests.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Magical Match-3 Adventure
PostedJuly 29, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi Fishies! :)
Gunspell is much like Puzzle Quest. It's a jump into Match-3 with RPG (Role-Playing Game) elements. Your sister is missing and you have to go find her. She seems to have gotten herself involved in a sinister supernatural situation (how's that for alliteration!) and it's up to you to battle your way to her and figure out what's going on at the same time.
GRAPHICS: 4 out of 5. Excellent. Crisp and clear. Large fonts for us sight-challenged persons. There are no options for brightness, size, windowing or anything. You get what you see. Change anything you don't like in your computer's settings or get used to the darkness.
SOUND: 3 out of 5. There is only an off/on button for sound effects and for music. That's it. Not very good, people. Otherwise, the music (once you turn your own speakers down) is sufficiently eerie for the subject.
GAMEPLAY: 2 out of 5. There are five languages to choose from and I suspect that the spelling and grammar in one of those (likely Russian) will be better than it was in English. Sorry, but that's important to me to get me to want to play. The cursor seems smooth and all, but the instructions on how to understand the inner workings of the RPG aspect are lacking at best. How do the upgrades to your magic schools work? Doesn't say. What exactly are the buttons here and there for? Doesn't say. Trial and error, frankly, is not good enough. You and your computer opponent take turns on the same board, making moves. The strategy is in trying to block your opponent from making damaging moves against you while finding good moves for yourself. Think ahead and watch everything your opponent does carefully.
FUN FACTOR: 3 out of 5. I love RPGs. I love Match-3. Does this combination work? Yes. As well as Puzzle Quest? No. The graphics are better, but the in-depth play isn't. Sorry, but this could be better. It's good, but not quite enough. The isometric (diagonal) style of the Match-3 is interesting and fun and can be quite challenging.
OVERALL: 12 out of 20. Limited thumbs up. If you really love Puzzle Quest 1 & 2, then give this a shot. If you like unusual twists to Match-3, try it out. If you're desperate to try anything RPG, load up the demo. Otherwise... I very much recommend the demo first. This is really only for hardcore fans of quirky M-3/RPG mash-ups.
I recommend this game!
Return to a mesmerizing match-three wonderland with this remaster of Jewel Match 2!
Overall rating
5
/
5
95 of 106 found this review helpful
The best in the series returns in glorious HD!
PostedJuly 20, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Card & Board
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Ah, where to begin? I have loved the Jewel Match series from the start with it's gorgeous music and dazzling gems. This is, in my humble opinion, what a truly awesome Match-3 game should be. Now, there are even more levels to play and castles to create plus the added fun of re-playable mini-games. When you're done, you can keep the castle views as wallpapers. Lovely!
GRAPHICS: 5 out of 5. They were nice before, but now with the quality of HD to push it to the next level, there is little more than Bravo! to be said.
SOUND: 5 out of 5. The music is perfectly matched (excuse the pun). Delicate and ethereal, you can have no better soundtrack than this one for this game. There are options for adjusting the sound to your tastes.
GAMEPLAY: 5 out of 5. There is a full tutorial as you play and nothing really difficult to learn about it. It's all quite straight-forward and well explained. The movement of the cursor is smooth and easy.
FUN FACTOR: 5 out of 5. Excellent game to relax to if you choose to play that mode or you can up the pressure by playing against a timer. There are bonuses to save up for, such as the hammer and deluxe hammer for breaking difficult tiles and chains. Or you can challenge yourself by not using anything than you matching skills to get the job done.
OVERALL: 20 out of 20. Perfection! As always, try before you buy. *two massive thumbs up!*
I recommend this game!
Minion's Inn: Jewel of the Crown
Match tokens and build the highest Inn for your minions in this amazing match-3 game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
40 of 46 found this review helpful
Interesting Match-3 - Time Management Hybrid
PostedJune 24, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Current Favorite:
Monopoly ®
(75)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi Fishies!
This is not your typical Match-3 game. A little bit Time Management (TM), a hint of casino, and M-3 all wrapped into one. You need to keep an eye on many things in order to manage this hotel and keep your guests happy. Build new floors with the money they give you and what you win from M-3 games. Use gold bricks to continue play (when you lose a level) or buy things like extra power-ups in the store. The M-3 is task driven within a set number of moves, so plan carefully and try to get as much done in as few moves as possible. You can replay levels to get higher scores and more gold bars (I think). Oh, if there are Despicable Me fans looking for yellow Minions - this isn't them. *lol*
This is not your typical Match-3 game. A little bit Time Management (TM), a hint of casino, and M-3 all wrapped into one. You need to keep an eye on many things in order to manage this hotel and keep your guests happy. Build new floors with the money they give you and what you win from M-3 games. Use gold bricks to continue play (when you lose a level) or buy things like extra power-ups in the store. The M-3 is task driven within a set number of moves, so plan carefully and try to get as much done in as few moves as possible. You can replay levels to get higher scores and more gold bars (I think). Oh, if there are Despicable Me fans looking for yellow Minions - this isn't them. *lol*
GRAPHICS: 4.5 out of 5. I personally don't like the huge head on small body style, but the colours are bright and everything's big enough for us glasses wearers to see.
SOUND: 4.5 out of 5. There are sliders to control the overall sound level as well as the music. Nice little background tune.
GAMEPLAY: 4 out of 5. It starts you out with learning how to play and keeps it up until pretty much everything's covered. It just didn't make clear that you do NOT have to wait for the maid to finish cleaning before you move on. There doesn't seem to be anywhere to recap the instructions, so pay attention until you know what you're doing. In Options, you can choose custom cursor or your regular one and can choose between full and windowed screen.
FUN FACTOR: 4.5 out of 5. I'm not a big fan of task-driven M-3. There are no timers, though, so that's a plus. You can take your time to plot your M-3 moves, though it does suggest moves for you. You don't have to take the hint, though. I find my own moves to work out better.
OVERALL: 17.5 out of 20. Solid thumbs up. Fun, challenging and if you like more than one genre in a single game, try this one out. Enjoy!
SOUND: 4.5 out of 5. There are sliders to control the overall sound level as well as the music. Nice little background tune.
GAMEPLAY: 4 out of 5. It starts you out with learning how to play and keeps it up until pretty much everything's covered. It just didn't make clear that you do NOT have to wait for the maid to finish cleaning before you move on. There doesn't seem to be anywhere to recap the instructions, so pay attention until you know what you're doing. In Options, you can choose custom cursor or your regular one and can choose between full and windowed screen.
FUN FACTOR: 4.5 out of 5. I'm not a big fan of task-driven M-3. There are no timers, though, so that's a plus. You can take your time to plot your M-3 moves, though it does suggest moves for you. You don't have to take the hint, though. I find my own moves to work out better.
OVERALL: 17.5 out of 20. Solid thumbs up. Fun, challenging and if you like more than one genre in a single game, try this one out. Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Venture through more than fifty different meadows and defeat the enemy! Can you lead the army of mushrooms to victory?
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 16 found this review helpful
When Mushrooms Go To Spore.... I mean war.
PostedJune 17, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Current Favorite:
Monopoly ®
(75)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Hi, fishies!
Okay, this is really cute. Not the easiest to grasp right away, but not as hard as some make it out to be: just start with the tutorial. Essentially the good mushrooms need water. Try to grab stars on the way. Avoid obstacles and enemy toadstoods.There is no story here.
Okay, this is really cute. Not the easiest to grasp right away, but not as hard as some make it out to be: just start with the tutorial. Essentially the good mushrooms need water. Try to grab stars on the way. Avoid obstacles and enemy toadstoods.There is no story here.
GRAPHICS: 4 out of 5. Bright, colourful, easy to see. Slightly harder to make out the details when the playing field gets bigger, but that's a minor quibble. You have three screen sizes you can choose from at the options screens.
SOUND: 4 out of 5. Not overwhelming; has volume levels for both music and effects. Nothing exciting.
GAMEPLAY: 2 out of 5. Here's where it has a problem. The instructions are the bare minimum and it might take a little trial and error to figure your way. Remember this is a puzzle game and not everything is handed to you on a silver platter. Otherwise, it's basic point and click.
FUN FACTOR: 4 out of 5. Once you get through the 30 second tutorial, you're on your own. Plant mushrooms in horizontal or vertical lines from "the commander" to get to the water drops. Each drop = 3 more mushrooms. Advance to higher levels through gaining stars. You don't have to grab them to end a level, but you should try to. Grabbing all the drops ends the level. You can replay a level to try new strategies and get those stars you missed. There's tons of achievements to be had. A good little puzzler that really makes you plan ahead to conserve your forces.
SOUND: 4 out of 5. Not overwhelming; has volume levels for both music and effects. Nothing exciting.
GAMEPLAY: 2 out of 5. Here's where it has a problem. The instructions are the bare minimum and it might take a little trial and error to figure your way. Remember this is a puzzle game and not everything is handed to you on a silver platter. Otherwise, it's basic point and click.
FUN FACTOR: 4 out of 5. Once you get through the 30 second tutorial, you're on your own. Plant mushrooms in horizontal or vertical lines from "the commander" to get to the water drops. Each drop = 3 more mushrooms. Advance to higher levels through gaining stars. You don't have to grab them to end a level, but you should try to. Grabbing all the drops ends the level. You can replay a level to try new strategies and get those stars you missed. There's tons of achievements to be had. A good little puzzler that really makes you plan ahead to conserve your forces.
OVERALL: 14 out of 20. *thumbs up* Try the demo. It's not another HOG, so if you're tired of those (not matter how awesome they might be), you should at least give this one a shot. Enjoy! :)
I recommend this game!
Embark on a thrilling journey through an underground world to save its inhabitants.
Overall rating
3
/
5
15 of 19 found this review helpful
Catch A Falling Gem
PostedMay 26, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Mahjong, Card & Board
Current Favorite:
Elements
(21)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi fishies!
The gnomes need your help! They and the spirits of the caves have been turned into rocks. You are given an amulet in which to catch "flying gems" which will help you to free them. (At least, that's what the opening says.)
GRAPHICS: 3.5 out of 5. Pretty. Nothing too small to see. Clear writing in the instructions and intro screen.
SOUND: 3.5 out of 5. Nice music, quite relaxing. There are sliders to control music volume as well as sound effects in Options.
GAMEPLAY: 3 out of 5. Somewhat Tetris-like. They give you instructions that are clear and concise when you get past the introduction. There is also a help button on the Main Menu in case you need to review. In the Options, you have extra controls for your mouse as well as a fullscreen mode toggle. Mouse action is smooth and fast, and there are some controls in the Options menu to help you set your mouse as you like for speed and rotation. Also, there are Achievements you can pick up along the way.
FUN FACTOR: 3 out of 5. Challenging and looks like the speed will ramp up pretty quickly. You have to catch gems by rotating the amulet and matching colours. The longer the string, the higher your score. Not for me, but others will surely find the game exciting.
SOUND: 3.5 out of 5. Nice music, quite relaxing. There are sliders to control music volume as well as sound effects in Options.
GAMEPLAY: 3 out of 5. Somewhat Tetris-like. They give you instructions that are clear and concise when you get past the introduction. There is also a help button on the Main Menu in case you need to review. In the Options, you have extra controls for your mouse as well as a fullscreen mode toggle. Mouse action is smooth and fast, and there are some controls in the Options menu to help you set your mouse as you like for speed and rotation. Also, there are Achievements you can pick up along the way.
FUN FACTOR: 3 out of 5. Challenging and looks like the speed will ramp up pretty quickly. You have to catch gems by rotating the amulet and matching colours. The longer the string, the higher your score. Not for me, but others will surely find the game exciting.
OVERALL: 13 out of 20. Recommended for people who like action/puzzle games. There are two modes of play, the Trial version is unlocked after the normal game is done.
Enjoy! :)
I recommend this game!
Travel the world completing games of Mahjong that suit any taste.
Overall rating
4
/
5
27 of 29 found this review helpful
Pretty little mahjong game
PostedMay 18, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Hi, fishies!
This is a nice game for mahjong enthusiasts. There's not much of a story, just get through a bunch of games, collect masks, and become the king of "Carnaval".
GRAPHICS: 5 out of 5. Very pretty. 3 tilesets to choose from (I love the glass-like alphanumerical). Excellent for those of us without perfect eyesight.
SOUND: 5 out of 5. Lovely music, changes often enough not to get boring. Individual level controls for music and sounds.
GAMEPLAY: 4 out of 5. Not a lot of how-to instructions, but it's fairly intuitive. You have an option to change cursors.
FUN FACTOR: 4 out of 5. If you like mahjong, this is a great little game. Challenging for those who must have all the gold stars, but no timers for those who want to relax.
OVERALL: 18 out of 20. Very nice game overall.
GRAPHICS: 5 out of 5. Very pretty. 3 tilesets to choose from (I love the glass-like alphanumerical). Excellent for those of us without perfect eyesight.
SOUND: 5 out of 5. Lovely music, changes often enough not to get boring. Individual level controls for music and sounds.
GAMEPLAY: 4 out of 5. Not a lot of how-to instructions, but it's fairly intuitive. You have an option to change cursors.
FUN FACTOR: 4 out of 5. If you like mahjong, this is a great little game. Challenging for those who must have all the gold stars, but no timers for those who want to relax.
OVERALL: 18 out of 20. Very nice game overall.
Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Join Margaret to complete mahjong puzzles, help her get rid of the family curse and find her stolen love!
Overall rating
2
/
5
32 of 51 found this review helpful
Dull and uninteresting
PostedMay 12, 2015
talisman018
fromBritish Columbia, Canada
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Hi, fishies!
Let's get right to it. Your fiance has gone missing. You have to play mahjong games in order to get money to buy bonuses while searching for clues. This is based on only ten minutes, I admit, because I was totally bored after two mahjong screens. The good point is that there are no timers.
GRAPHICS: 2.5 out of 5. Clean and clear, nice tiles, but the "animation" in the cut scenes were pitiful and the overall look could have been much better.
SOUND: 3 out of 5. Adjustable sounds and music. Soft and pretty, but boring with time.
GAMEPLAY: 2.5 out of 5. There are no written instructions as to what each of the large buttons mean. You have to actually click on them to find your way around. While this might be easy for some to memorize quickly, others might not find it so. As for the actual mahjong, it was easy to figure out what to do.
FUN FACTOR: 1 out of 5. It got boring very fast.
OVERALL SCORE: 9 out of 20. Only for die-hard mahjong players.
GRAPHICS: 2.5 out of 5. Clean and clear, nice tiles, but the "animation" in the cut scenes were pitiful and the overall look could have been much better.
SOUND: 3 out of 5. Adjustable sounds and music. Soft and pretty, but boring with time.
GAMEPLAY: 2.5 out of 5. There are no written instructions as to what each of the large buttons mean. You have to actually click on them to find your way around. While this might be easy for some to memorize quickly, others might not find it so. As for the actual mahjong, it was easy to figure out what to do.
FUN FACTOR: 1 out of 5. It got boring very fast.
OVERALL SCORE: 9 out of 20. Only for die-hard mahjong players.
I don't recommend this game.