dancemom1's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:13,287
- Reviews Submitted:871
- First Review:April 15, 2012
- Most Recent Review:November 26, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Uncover the identity of a mysterious woman with a message from the past!
Overall rating
4
/
5
What's up with Granny?
PostedNovember 26, 2024
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Family, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hello friends! Well, we have another addition to this wonderful collection. I love this series, but I don't have them all. I mostly review on the game play and not the story line, as others do a much better job of that than I. This addition has very nice graphics, with a lot of detail. Animation is well done, and the movements are very smooth. The colors are clear and nice, not too bright. Game play was excellent, with no problems during the demo and the scene fit my large screen quite nicely. Voices are very well done, with some emotion and somewhat normal conversation. The voices are age and character appropriate. You can skip through dialog if you read faster than they speak. The music was quiet and not annoying. The sound FX aren't too bad, but not really that much.
HOPs are nicely done as well and are a combination of interactive lists, interactive silhouettes and some scenes have morphing objects as well. They morph quickly, so be on the lookout. I did not see that you can switch to another game. The puzzles were more challenging in this addition. I found that I had to stop and think more often than usual. Again, you can skip all or part of a puzzle if you get stuck. Hint system is very helpful and it does transport to longer locations. However, the transport feature did not show up until the demo was almost completed. You don't really do that much back-tracking. There is a jump map and of course, the strategy guide does who you where the collectibles are located in case you can't find them on your own.
Collectibles weren't too bad in this one...more challenging. We needed to find 20 puzzle pieces that blend well into the background. Not easy to spot. I also saw that we have two "watchers" in each scene, on of which morphs. These are fairly large, but easy to miss.
The story is not all that different, but does have me stumped right now. I found that I was drawn in from the opening scene, which was very well done. However, as soon as we got to Granny's room, the game seemed to slow down considerably and there was very little character interaction after that. Most of the challenge is in the puzzles, but I still think most all levels of players would find this one to be a very nice game and worth the price of a CE. I downgraded the game because of the few things I mentioned above. Even so, I still think it's worth a 4.75, only because this is one of the few that I have not figured out already. I find that I have the need to play this one out and see who is doing what to whom. Yes, I am adding this one to my collection.
Try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Play on!
I recommend this game!
Dig into a crime of corruption, betrayal, murder, and revenge!
Overall rating
3
/
5
Disappointing...
PostedNovember 24, 2024
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Family, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hello, friends! As usual, I review mostly on the game play and leave the story to others to tell. Graphics are very well done in this game, not crystal clear, but nice. Game play was excellent, with no problems during the demo. Animation is good, but somewhat slow movements. Very nice facial movements. Colors are clear and bright, but not over powering. Voices were age and character appropriate, but not much character interaction, which makes a game more realistic and engaging. You can click through the dialog without missing any clues or additional useful objects. We do have the occasional "choose the dialogue." Sound FX were almost nil in this addition to this series. Background SFX were none, which made the game a bit boring and slow.
HOG's are very well done, with place the item, silhouettes and highlighted words. Items are not difficult to find and the scenes pretty clear. You can switch to a Match 3 game if you prefer. Puzzles are not really challenging, but okay. Some take some time, but not much. Hint system is helpful and we do have the transport feature for longer locations. This is very helpful, as we do a lot of backtracking to all of the locations for one thing or another. We do have a jump map, which does show you where a collectible is found, or missed.
Collectible are good. We have 10 morphing objects (various ritual items) that are large enough to spot without difficulty. We also have 10 stone that are fairly large and plenty easy to see...they look more like crystals than stones. Of course, we have what they call the boudoir, but it's actually purchasing animals for a farm area. We need to find 70 feed bags to accomplish this. Quite easy to forget to pick them up.
This story is nothing new, but okay. You are constantly on the move, although the game moves quite slowly. Mostly backtracking. The game was much too quiet to keep me really interested, but might be an okay game for a rainy day when you have nothing better to do. I was disappointed in this addition. Didn't care for the fact that someone forgot something in the very beginning...where is the icon to change the pointer to a hand? When you find an area to be explored or an item, the pointer adds moving gears and changes to a hand, but changes right back to the overly large pointer. Very annoying. I gave this one a 4.0 on my scale, only if you are a beginner. For the experienced gamer, I gave it a 3.0. Unless there is a serious upgrade to this one, it is a no buy for me. I recommend this one only for beginners.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may find this one to be exactly what you are looking for today. Play on!
I recommend this game!
Detective Amber’s greatest villains are back, and they have a surprise!
Overall rating
4
/
5
We are related?...ugh!
PostedNovember 14, 2024
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Family, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hello friends! Another addition to this very long series. As always, I review mostly on the game play and leave the story line to others. However, I usually always say something about the story as well. The graphics are very well done, very clear, with no blurring when going in and out of close ups. Game play was very nice, with no problems during the demo. Colors are very nice, clear and true. Animation is very well done, with very smooth movements and appropriate facial movements, depending on what is happening at the time. During the demo, Elf was the most active character, but as usual, it did pick up when the demo ended. The voices are well done when we have them, being age and character appropriate. Music is mostly very quiet unless something is about to happen, but did get monotonous. Sound FX were okay, but not much.
HOPs are interactive lists. Scenes are fairly clean and items are not difficult to find. I did not see where you could switch to something else if you did not care for the HOPs. Needed more variety and not just a list to find. Puzzles weren't bad, some were simple and others too more time and thought to complete. I did run across a couple that I ended up skipping...too tough for me. Hint system is very helpful and it does transport to longer locations, which comes in quite hand, as we do a lot of back tracking in this one. You have a jump map, but transport if quicker. The map does who whether you missed a collectible or not and the strategy guide shows where it is, in case you can't find it on your own.
Collectibles were okay, but a bit disappointing. They were large and quite easy to find. We had to find 12 elf dogs and very large red gems that were actually puzzle pieces. Really could have used something more challenging.
As much as I like this series, I was a bit disappointed. The story was predictable and moved slowly. We didn't have as much character interaction as we could have, it was fairly quiet, and the HOGs were few and far between during the demo. I didn't find this one particularly challenging, and it just didn't grab me enough to make me want to purchase it. That said, naturally, it started to pick up at the end of the demo. Gave this one a 4.0, mostly due to the lack of any real challenge. I'll hold on to this one and probably add it to my CE list, when a good sale comes along. It's a good game for a beginner or someone who doesn't want a lot of challenge. I sometimes purchase games just to rest my brain.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may this one to be exactly what you are looking for today. Play on!
I recommend this game!
One way or another, the past always comes back.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Thanks for the help, David!
PostedOctober 17, 2024
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Family, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi, friends! As usual, I review mostly on the game play, but do review the story as well. This is the usual game that you would expect from Elephant Games. Color is very well done, bright but not over-powering, nor is it hard on the eyes. Graphics are well done, but I did note that we had a few choppy movements during the demo. Music is okay, but gets monotonous after a while. Voices are very well done and we have quite a lot of character interaction, which helps draw you into a game. David sounded a bit more realistic than our absent son, who sounded a bit bored with it all...no excitement, no interest. Game play was excellent. SFX were disappointing. This is a spooky old house with ghosts...where is the storm, thunder, lightning, creaking doors, etc?
HOPs were a combination of interactive lists, match and highlighted words during the demo. Scenes were busy, but items not difficult to find. Did not see that you could switch to a match 3 or something else if you didn't want to play the HOP. We do a lot of backtracking, so the transport feature comes in quite handy. The map does show if you have missed a collectible. Puzzles were not difficult at all, but then, I always demo a game in easy mode to get a feel for it.
Collectibles were okay...could have easily added at least one more to make it more interesting, but okay. We need to find 26 puzzle pieces, which are actually books. We also find 12 miniature buildings that look like haunted houses. These are a bit small and can easily be missed, as the features run together, so you aren't sure what it is.
As usual, we are looking for a lost relative, but this story is a little different. It isn't really challenging, but I found it interesting enough to make me want to buy it and see where it goes. Who is that smirking guy in the mirror? I was really into the story when the demo ended. I feel this game will appeal to all levels of players, even with it's few faults. I down graded this one mostly because of the lack of SFX that would truly have made it a Halloween game. Still, I gave it a 4.5 on my scale.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may find that this one just isn't for you after all. Play on!
I recommend this game!
A literature professor is recruited to help a master of horror!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Edgar Allan Poe...Yes!
PostedOctober 3, 2024
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Family, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hello friends! As usual, I review mostly on the game play and leave the story line to others. Graphics are well done, very clear. Game play was excellent, with no problems during the demo and it fit my large screen quite nicely. Animation is well done when we have it, which isn't that often really. Colors are excellent, very bright and true, but not overpowering. Voices aren't bad, but we don't have too many different people talking in this one yet. Sound fx are few and far between. Could have been much better without much more work. Music was annoying, same few notes and not build up for a suspense effect.
HOPs aren't too bad. Fairly clean and clear and items not difficult to find. So far, only interactive. Did not see that you could switch to something else if you wanted a variety. The puzzles weren't really challenging, but did take some time and thought to complete. Hint system is very helpful and we do have the transport feature. We do a fair amount of back tracking for one item or so in this one. Transport feature really comes in handy here and is a time saver. Jump map is very helpful and and shows you if you miss a collectible.
Collectibles aren't bad at all. We have to find 12 various items related to Poe and/or his stories. None of the collectibles are easy to spot. They are well placed in the scene, so you really have to look for them. There are a number of puzzle pieces that do not look like a puzzle at all, so be on the lookout for them.
This game was not bad at all, but then I love Edgar Allan Poe. I really got into it before the demo ended, so I'm really looking forward to playing it out to see where it goes. It looks like we will play parts of a few of his stores to compete this game. As quiet as it was and as non-challenging as it was, I still found it interesting and a bit different. The real challenge was finding the collectibles. I would have rated it much higher if there had been more character interaction and the kind of SFX a story like this should have. That said, I still gave it a 4.25. I feel most levels of players would find this one interesting and worth the price of the CE.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not find this one to be exactly what you are looking for. But then again, you just might. Play on!
I recommend this game!
The delicate balance has been shaken: The Others and the Humans are in big trouble!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Not a bad game...
PostedMay 25, 2024
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all! As always, I review mostly on the game play and leave the story line to others. Graphics are clear and quit good in this game. Colors are really nice bright without being over powering. Voices were very well done, but we didn't have many. For the most part, you read dialogue rather than listening to a character speak. Don't really care for that lack of interaction. Sound FX were almost non-exhistant, except for the music, which was monotonous. Game play was good, with no problems. Animation, when we have it, is done well.
HOP's are a very nice combination of highlighted words, find the differences, pairs, fill in missing picture piece and silhouettes. We could switch to a match 3 if you wish, but the HOP's were so well done and varied, I didn't find the need to. The scenes are clean and uncluttered and items are not difficult to find. I did find that the puzzles were somewhat challenging and took time to complete. Wasn't a lot of HOP's or puzzles in this game. There is a jump map that indicates where a collectible may have been missed and we do have a transport feature for long distances.
Collectibles are not many and quite easy to find, so far. We need to find 10 carnival masks (they morph), 10 photos and 70 tokens to buy antiques. A bit disappointing for me.
This game is not really challenging, and was really too quiet since we didn't have character who actually spoke during the game. Maybe that changes as the game progresses. The story is nothing new and didn't really draw me into it or make me want to continue playing. Personally, I feel it is geared more to the beginner than to a seasoned gamer. I will put this in my maybe stack and might get it if a really good deal comes along. For now I gave it a 4 only because the HOP's were so well done.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may find this one to be exactly what you are looking for. Play on!
I recommend this game!
Can you save your beloved Ruby before it’s too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
That's a really big wolf!
PostedMarch 14, 2024
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Family, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all! Well, we have another addition to this series. Don't know which number we are at, but they just keep coming. As always, I review on the game play and not the story, even though I do comment on it. Others do a far better job on the story than I. This game has very nice graphics, very clear for the most part. Colors are bright and true, but not over-powering. Occasionally we have a little fading of color, but it's only for a second as we change scenes. The animation is very well done, with facial and body movements being very smooth. Game play was excellent, with no problems or glitches. Voice overs are nice and are age and character appropriate, with some emotion, fear, urgency and not just someone reading a script. Could have used a little more in the sound FX department, but what we have is nicely done. Outdoor sounds are done quite nicely. Music was soothing and unobtrusive when we had it, but was very little during the game.
HOG's are nothing new and I didn't see that you could switch to something else if you get bored with them. We have interactive lists, riddles and highlighted words. Scenes are fairly clear and items are easy to spot. Puzzles were not difficult, but did take some time and thought to complete. The hint system is very helpful, but it does not transport you to longer locations. Fortunately the map does jump and areas are clearly identified by name and picture and areas of interest are marked. It even tells you if there are collectibles to be found in a location. You don't do a lot of long distance backtracking in this game, but there is some.
Collectibles is where the real challenge comes in. We have various morphing items that are often quite small. Some that I found I couldn't identify what they actually were, but they morphed so I picked them up. The flowers are many, 50, and are a little opaque, making them a bit harder to see.
This game is not all that challenging, and the story was really nothing new, but I found myself being drawn into it. You are constantly on the move and have something to do, find, fix or pick up, so you don't get bored. I do enjoy this series and have most of them in my ever growing collection. I think this will appeal to all levels of players. I have the need to play this one out and see what happens. Gave this one a 4.75 on my fun scale. Of course, I am adding it to my collection of CE games.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Play on!
I recommend this game!
Who says the impending tsunami isn't a case for a detective?
Overall rating
4
/
5
A really big wave?
PostedJanuary 29, 2024
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi all! Been a while since I found a game I wanted to play, so here goes. This game has a lot of blue and purple, not overpowering, but still quite a lot. It does clear up now and then. Voices not bad when we have them, but few and far between. Wish developers would understand that its much easier to get into a game if the game interacts with you...speaking really help. There is some need to choose dialogue. Not a fan of this, but fortunately, does not show up very often. Animation not too bad, but not much of it. Graphics are very nice, fairly clear. Sound FX are okay, mostly birds when outside. Could have used ocean sounds too. Music very annoying.
HOP's not bad at all. Actually quite different than we are used to and varied. We have finding and placing objects; pairs, and matching colors. We can switch to a Match 3 as well. We have a jump map that sends you where you need to go next...it also shows you where a collectible has been missed. Very nice, since we do a lot of back tracking in this one. Hint system is very helpful. Strategy guide is very clear and easy to follow if needed.
Collectibles aren't bad. They aren't as easy to spot as you may think, so pay attention. We have to find 10 siren artifacts (varied Items); 10 posters and 70 makeup brushes so we can decorate our dressing room. Some items morph and are either quite small or somewhat opaque.
This story line is nothing new, but it keeps you interested. Not a lot of character interaction and constant back tracking to pick up or use one item. In other words, not very challenging, except for the collectibles, and I loved the HOP's. I like this one well enough to want to play it out and see where it goes, plus, I like to see if I can collect all the collectibles without cheating and looking at the strategy guide. Gave this one a 4.5 on my scale. Yes, I will be adding this one to my ever growing collection.
Give this one a try and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Play on!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the rampage at the Halloween party?
Overall rating
5
/
5
No bobbing for apples at this party!
PostedOctober 12, 2023
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hello, friends! As usual, I review mostly on the game play, and a bit on the actual story. Game play was very nice, with no problems during the demo. This addition has bright, true colors, but they are not over powering. Excellent, graphics. Very nice animation when we have it. Voices, are well done, being age and character appropriate. We had more than expected. We do have the "choose dialog" feature in this one, but they are few and far between. They say that your choice determines the game play. Guess I'll have to play it again and choose the weird choices to see what happens instead. Music was a bit low key for a game that is supposed to be a Halloween party. Same with the lack of sound FX. Would have been nice to have some.
HOP's are quite well done and varied with riddles, interactive HOP's and silhouettes. You can choose to play a match 3 as well. The puzzles are challenging, even in the easy mode, and some were even different. I always demo in the easy mode to get a feel for the game. The map shows that a collectible has been missed, if you choose to have that hint. There is a lot of backtracking, but when in doubt, the hint system is quite helpful, and there is a jump feature.
Collectibles are somewhat challenging, sometimes small and well hidden. We have 15 masks, 14 Halloween dishes of various foods and 70 tickets to purchase items for a room. None of these jump off the page at you, so be on the lookout.
Same story line...someone goes missing and we have to find them. It all begins at a Halloween party. This game had a fair amount of character interaction, but was disappointing in the sound FX department. Could have been great with some spooky music and sounds. The challenge was in finding the collectibles and playing the puzzles. That being said, I really got into the game fairly quickly, so now I have to buy it and see what happens. It was fun and, as I said, challenging. I think most all levels of players will find it worth the price of a CE. Yes, I am going to add this one to may ever growing list of CE games. Gave this one a 4.75....I liked it.
As always, try it out for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Play on!
I recommend this game!
All's fair in love and investigation.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Self-defense?
PostedSeptember 10, 2023
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Family, Hidden Object, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hello, friends! As usual, I review mostly on the game play and leave the story to others to tell. Graphics are very well done in this game, minor blur. Game play was excellent, with no problems during the demo. Animation is excellent, with realistic body and facial movements. Colors are clear and bright, but not over powering. Voices were age and character appropriate, and we did have a fair amount of character interaction, which makes a game more realistic and engaging. You can click through the dialog without missing any clues or additional useful objects. We do have the occasional "choose the dialogue." Sound FX are well done when we have them, but background SFX are almost non-existent. Made the game move slower for some reason.
HOG's are very well done, with interactive lists, pairs and place the item. Items are not difficult to find and the scenes pretty clear. You can switch to a Match 3 game if you prefer. Puzzles are challenging for most of them, even on easy mode. Some take some time and real thought to complete. Hint system is helpful and we do have the transport feature for longer locations. Not a lot of back tracking, but enough to keep you moving. We do have a jump map, which does show you where a collectible is found, or missed.
Collectible are very well done. We have 10 morphing objects (newspaper clippings) that are large enough to spot without difficulty. We also have 10 flower pots that are fairly large and plenty easy to see. Of course, we have a room that we have to furnish with, yep, more flowers. In order to do this, we need to find 65 "badges" that look like coins to me. Quite easy to forget to pick them up.
This story is nothing new, but okay. You are constantly on the move, although the game moves quite slowly. There is enough challenge in the puzzles and collectibles to keep you going. I was surprised at how many errors there were in this game, e.g. detectives watch was upside down on his wrist (the knob is always on the opposite side) and when we used the coin to unscrew the plate on the fountain outside the skyscraper, it wound clockwise, which is tightening it up. Couple other minor things, but mistakes nonetheless. Not sure where this game was produced, maybe they do things differently than we do. The one thing that really got me, was when the detective was behind bars. He was cleared because he shot in self-defense...really? The old man had his hands up and no weapon. He pulled the trigger when the other guy tried to stop him from shooting the man outright. Did I miss something? Right now, I'm not too sure about this one. I will probably end up adding it to my collection, but I need to think on it a bit. I gave this one a 4.0 on my scale, which is a downgraded score, only because of the errors and the lack of background SFX.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for this one at all. Play on!
I recommend this game!