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:
It was supposed to be a routine mission. But when a dragon attacks your plane, crash-landing in a lush valley, you're drawn into the adventure of a lifetime!
Overall rating
5
/
5
48 of 54 found this review helpful
Exceptional game...
PostedApril 11, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi all. Well, we now have 7 in this wonderful series. I don't usually tell you how I actually feel about a game until the end of my game play review, but suffice it to say that I very, very seldom give 5 stars to any game. I beta tested this one a while back and have been anxiously awaiting it's release. Yes, I made a note and gave this one 5 stars just for the beta. I have all of the others in this series and have yet to be disappointed. This game has awesome graphics, very clear and clean. Beautiful colors, very true. Excellent game play, absolutely no problems with any part of the demo. Perfect music for setting and action, and I never say that! Excellent voice overs, age and character appropriate, realistic in accent and with emotion. You can click through the dialog if you read faster than they speak.
Map is a little blah, but it works quite well to get me from point A to point B and is clear with locations and places of interest identified. SG doesn't show much, but I really didn't find a need to use it. The game flows extremely well and instructions are very clear. There is a click penalty, so be careful. HOPs are very well done, with interactive lists, silhouettes and riddles included, or you can switch to the Mahjong game. Items are not difficult to find and HOPs are very clean, no junk piles. Puzzles are not as easy as you may think in most cases. They do take some time and thought to complete and some are quite challenging. Hint system is very helpful and it does transport you to a further location.
The only collectibles I found are 17 morphing objects in the HOPs, which are not hard to find, but you do have to remember to watch for them. There is a little butterfly in the bottom right if there is an object in the HOP, which helps me remember to look. There are also 42 bamboo strips that resemble a yard stick. These are not easy to spot in most cases, and some blend quite well. So far, I have found one in each scene, so really take your time looking if you want to find them all. There are a number of achievements, but nothing we haven't seen before.
This is one of the best games I have seen in quite some time. Everything about it is extremely well done. It is challenging, but not impossible for any level of player. You are constantly on the move and you move with purpose, not just to take up time. This one is worth the CE price and the BOGO sale this weekend makes it even better. Yes, I am definitely getting this game for my collection and I recommend it for all levels of players.
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. Although, I would be surprised. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Your enemy imprisoned your father, but now he’s forcing you to marry him! Can you escape and save your father?
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 18 found this review helpful
Very disappointing....
PostedApril 9, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all. Wow, this has got to be the easiest ERS game I have ever played. Yes, colors are nice, but somewhat yellow and gold in tones. Graphics are not as crisp and clear as they usually are for this dev and seem a little cartoon like to me. Game play was good, no problems during the demo. I beta tested this one not too long ago and sort of liked it. I track the betas and score them for myself and had given this one a 4. Not sure why now. The music was okay, but got quite boring very quickly. Voice overs weren't bad, but are few and far between and you can click through the dialog if you read faster than they speak. There is a Phoenix that is supposed to help you, but all he does it fly up, drop a feather and clear a black hole. Actually pretty useless as a helper and totally unnecessary.
There is a jump map, but it is very generic and objectives are not clearly marked. I did not care for the "harp" sound you heard every single solitary time you find something...aaarrrgh. HOPs were extremely simple and made up of primarily lists with some interaction, and the usual "put this part where it belongs." Items are very easy to find. So far, there are not many HOPs in this game. Not many puzzles either, but what I did find was quite simple. Hint system was usually helpful, unless there was nothing left to do in that particular scene. Then it just tells you to move on.
The only collectibles I see are 12 cards, which are not difficult to find, and very large chess pieces. I found 2 chess pieces in the demo. Not sure what these collectibles do for you, but very disappointing for a game from this dev. I did find that if you didn't find the collectibles before you went through the portal, you weren't going back to get it later. Maybe you can pick them up in the extras. Couldn't tell.
This game has absolutely no challenge anywhere. Everything is extremely simple and personally, I feel that a beginner might get bored with it fairly quickly. What I do like is the ability to customize your game play...that's about it. As much as I like ERS, I just can't find any reason to purchase this game. I seldom find a game that I just can't recommend, but this is one of them. No buy for me.
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. Thanks for the reviews.
I don't recommend this game.
Is your husband-to-be guilty of betrayal – or even worse?
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 12 found this review helpful
Interesting story line...
PostedApril 4, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Well, we have number 2 in this series. Graphics are very well done, as is the animation. Colors are bright with some pinks,but not over powering at all. Game play was very good, no problems during the demo and the game fit my large screen very nicely. Voice overs are well done and show fear and emotion. Not sure why there is a "pop out" when you want to ask about someone. That's a bit out of place in this game. Music is nice and moves with whatever is happening at the time. You can click through dialog if you read faster than they speak, unless they are talking to themselves...weird.
HOPs are pretty much the same throughout. I kept forgetting to look for the morphing objects in them, so will have to go back on those. The scenes are fairly clean and items are not hard to find. They consist of lists of items that show you a fragmented item that you need to usually find another item on the list. Nothing else so far. Puzzles are simple and nothing new.
The only collectibles I found other than the morphing objects in the HOPs, are gold cards with stars on them. These are not difficult to find, but you do have to look for them. They are varying sizes and blend quite well. The plus to the star card collectibles is that there is a star in the right lower corner that tells you if you found it or not. If you click on it, it also shows you where all of them are located and if you missed one, so you can go back and find it. Nice feature.
I have the first in this series and really liked that game a lot. This one doesn't seem to be done as well. The story is nice, but the game moves slowly and drags a bit in places. Hopefully, it picks up as you go along. This game is not really challenging, but for some unknown reason, I do find the need to get this one and see how it plays out. So far, the only challenge I have found is remembering to look for the morphing objects in the HOPs! I do feel that all levels of players would like this one for one reason or another. Yes, I am going to get this game for my collection.
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. Thanks for the reviews. Have a happy and fun Easter!
I recommend this game!
In this ghostly continuation of the Fear for Sale series, you've discovered a luxury ocean liner bears an eerie resemblance to a ship that vanished years ago.
Overall rating
4
/
5
24 of 32 found this review helpful
Recommend for all levels of players...
PostedApril 2, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi all. Well, we have number 6 in this series...yep, I got the others too. Graphics are good in this one, just as in the other 5 games. I do wish they would use "true" colors and do away with so much blue, but I guess it is supposed to be night. Animation wasn't bad, although the characters seemed to jump a bit when they spoke. Game play was good, no problems during the demo and the scene fit my large screen. Music would switch at odd times, as though the tape was not cut properly...choppy change over, but did fit the time period. Voice overs weren't bad, but "Emma's" voice was rather quiet compared to everyone else's.
HOPs were nothing new, interactive lists of find this to put that together or open something else. They are fairly clean and items were not too difficult to find. You can switch to a jigsaw puzzle, which I like, if you don't care for the HOP. Puzzles were well done, not difficult, but did take a little time. There is a jump map that you will use. It is set up very well, and shows whether or not you found the collectibles. No guess work there. Hint system worked very well and was very helpful. Found no need to use the SG at all. The hint does not transport to longer locations, but the jump map works for this anyway.
Collectibles I found so far are 34 morphing objects that are not difficult to find, but can be in out of the way places. Also have various items that belong to the Captain, lady, musicians and postcards. In most cases, these items are not hidden, but don't jump off the page either. Not sure what happens when you collect all of these items. You have the usual achievements that you find in other games.
The one thing I didn't care for is that the "press pass" would jump across the page when you looked at it, or when it opened up after finding an item. That was very annoying and distracting. Had to sit a few seconds so it could settle down and go back where it belonged. This is not a deal breaker. I like this game. It was not all that challenging, but enough to keep you moving and interested, with lots of things to collect and do. I do not give 5 stars easily and the jumping press pass is the only reason this one doesn't get it either. I think all levels of players will find this one enjoyable. Yes, I am going to add it to my collection.
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. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
After investigating a series of ritual murders on the foggy streets of London, detective James Voodoo discovers a supernatural conspiracy on a global scale.
Overall rating
2
/
5
24 of 38 found this review helpful
Very diappointing...too many bugs
PostedApril 1, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Hi all. Hmm, a little different game today. Very old school in that you do have a click penalty. Haven't seen that in a very long time. I was all set to use a PCC on this one until I ran the demo. The graphics are very nice and the animation is great. Colors are very clear and bright. Game play is what stopped me. There is a lag between scenes, no "arrow" showing that you have actually hit the back button in any scene...it just sort of changes eventually. No arrow for any movements at all, so you don't know where you are going or if you can go there. Just click and wait to see what happens. There is no jump map, or any type of map. Really liked the voice overs, which are very few and far between. Music is pretty good. Inventory does lock, you just have to look very closely to see the lock in the center of the bar.
HOPs are interesting in that objects morph into something else. I liked this, except that they morph too quickly. The morphing objects are not necessarily what you are looking for either, but some are. I did notice that some of the items are mislabeled, which is quite frustrating when you are trying to find something. Hint recovery is fairly slow, but helpful. You do take pictures, but not sure what you do with evidence you collect yet. I assume it helps determine who the bad guy is. Don't know about puzzles, didn't see any yet.
Collectibles are fingerprints. You use the ultraviolet lamp to find those. Pretty simple, just click on the lamp and the prints show up. When you have collected a few, you can go and buy upgrades to your detective inventory of items.
I don't care for the "hand-holding" type of games, but I do like some guidance when I play. This game could have been a really good SE, but it just seems to lack something...intrigue, smoother movements, a better flow to the story line. I don't know, but something. If you had a PCC that is about to expire, this would be an okay game to use it on, but be ready for a little frustration in movements. This might appeal to beginners more than anyone else. If the bugs are fixed, I may get this one, but for now it goes in my puddle for another day. It's just a maybe.
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. Thanks for the reviews.
I don't recommend this game.
Find the cure to save your brother from the Others.
Overall rating
3
/
5
27 of 32 found this review helpful
Very simple game...
PostedMarch 28, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all. Well, this one is a little different. Graphics were very nice and animation was good. Colors are very bright and clear. Game play was good, no problems at all during the demo. Music was soothing. Voice overs were pretty good, but I felt the "raven" should have sounded a bit more "magical." The voice didn't seem to fit the all seeing, all knowing bird.
HOPs were done a little differently, in that in some, the characters actually participated...well done. They are very clean and quite simple and items are not difficult to find. Other HOPs are puzzles within a HOP. Nice. There is a jump map, which is okay. You don't do that much running back and forth, but it is helpful when needed. One odd thing I did see with the map is that when you needed to finish completing something in a scene, and looked at the map, it would say "impossible to use map at this time," rather than not show that there is something else to do elsewhere. Does that make sense? Hint system is also helpful, no transport that I have seen, but it seems a little slow on the refill.
The only collectibles I found so far are raven silhouettes. There are 28 of them and they are not as easy to spot as you may think. The silhouettes are fairly light and blend pretty well into the scenery, so be on the lookout for them. The lack of something extra was a little disappointing.
This wasn't a bad game, but I'm not sure it is CE worthy. It is quite simple and easy to follow. Looks like I might be odd man out on this one, but there wasn't enough challenge, nor was the story interesting enough to make me want to buy it now. I'm not sure a "seasoned" gamer would find this one worth the price, unless they just wanted something simple. I do that occasionally myself. For now I am going to put this one in my puddle and see what happens when I replay it as an SE. I sometimes change my mind and buy the SE.
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. Thanks for the reviews.
A mysterious Owl Man is terrorizing citizens!
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 15 found this review helpful
Something new for a change...
PostedMarch 26, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Wow, number 8 in this series! This is a great series and yes, I have all of the others already. Graphics are excellent. Colors are true and clear and game play was excellent. No problems during the demo and the game fit my large screen perfectly. Music is very nice and moves with whatever is happening at the time, giving you more "edge of your seat" game play. Voice overs were nice and showed emotion, but this is supposed to be Louisiana...not one single person had an accent. They must have all been educated in the North. Your little dog, Elf, is still here and still helpful in tight places. You gain the gift of foresight in the beginning, which lets you see a scene differently. As you complete tasks in that scene, you are given more "insight" into what is happening in the story and why. This is very well done. You also find clues and items that help in the "deduction" process.
HOPs are somewhat different in how they are set up and quite well done. You have the usual interaction silhouettes, lists and "where does this item go," but there is a twist in what happens once you have achieved the objective. So far, all of the items in the HOPs are used within the game and they are not difficult to find. There are not a lot of HOPs in this one, but you are constantly on the move. Fortunately, you have a useful jump map and the hint does transport to longer locations. Puzzles were not difficult at all and took no time for me to complete.
There are a lot of achievements in this one too. I do like the collectibles. They are not as easy to spot as you may think and you do have to look at everything to find some of them. So far, I have found some creature type statues, various morphing items (owl, lamp, mask, etc) and coins. I understand you use the coins to purchase game characters from a vending machine, but I haven't seen that yet.
This game flows very well and keeps you interested and wanting more. I really like this series and this one has just enough upgrades to give us a new level of play and make it the best so far. The only thing I do not care for in any game is the need to "choose" what you are going to say. It just seems silly and a waste of time to be clicking on the obvious. This is the only reason I downgraded this game. I believe this game will appeal to all levels of players and yes, I am going to get this one to add to my collection.
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. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
When Julia reaches an abandoned laboratory to rescue her sister, she discovers there is more to this mystery than a mere abduction.
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 22 found this review helpful
A good beginner game...
PostedMarch 23, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hi all. Looks like we have number 2 in this series. I beta tested this not too long ago and couldn't even get through the test because of all the problems I ran into. Looks like they fixed those bugs, since I didn't have any problem at all with the demo. The graphics and animation in this one look to be rather old school, but it seems to work with the story line. Colors are bright and true. Music is the usual and is somewhat soothing most of the time. Voice overs are too bad, but the dialog leaves a lot to be desired. It is often silly and unrealistic, e.g. "oh, I better open that box." Well, it has been sitting in a drawer for a week, so I guess you might want to see what is in it. You cannot click through the dialog, or you either listen to it all or skip it completely.
HOPs are quite simple and nothing new, with standard lists, silhouettes and interactive lists. They are fairly clean and items are not difficult to find. Puzzles were very simple, so much so that I would finish the puzzle before the very slow skip button was even half full. Hint system was helpful, but it also filled slower than most. I don't believe I ran across a map that would let you jump either. You do a lot of back tracking in this game, so that would be helpful.
We actually have some collectibles in this one. You need to find 10 oracle emblems and 9 diary pages. These are very easy to find so far. Before the demo ended, I had found 5 of each, which makes me think this is a very short game.
This game is geared more toward the beginner than anything else, but isn't a bad game for those quiet, non-taxing days either. There really isn't any challenge and nothing scary either. Even the aliens look like guys in wetsuits. I do have a credit that I need to use up, so I will get this one for the heck of it and see how it goes. I do recommend it 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. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
PuppetShow: The Price of Immortality Collector's Edition
Your friend vanishes after investigating the mysterious Theater of Emotions
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 15 found this review helpful
Best of the series..
PostedMarch 19, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Well, we have #7 in this series and yes, naturally when they run a special for a series, I already have them all. This one has the same graphics and game play as the other, which is very good. Colors are often faded, as they are in the other games as well, but everything is clear and easy to see. I had no problem with this game during the demo and it fit my large screen very nicely. I usually always turn down the music, but this one helped with the suspense and was a very nice change. Voice overs were very nice, age and gender appropriate, except for the little puppet helper you get to help get into dark, small and high places. Her voice was quite high pitched and very annoying. Fortunately she doesn't say much after the initial meeting. Sound FX are really nicely done and help with the "edge of your seat" feeling you get now and then.
HOPs are fun, a bit different, very well done and fairly clean. You have the "correctly place this item," and "find related items" so far. Items are not difficult to find, but they are not as easy to complete as you may think either. I really like the customizing feature, mostly because I think waiting more than 10 seconds for the hint and/or skip to refill is too long. So far, the puzzles seemed quite simple and nothing new. Hint is very helpful and has the transport ability included. This saves you a lot of time, but you really don't back track as much as in most games. SG only shows 2 chapters, but I seldom us them except to check the collectibls, so I didn't even open this one.
The only collectibles I found so far are dolls that go into a dollhouse. Along the way you collect doll coins and can "upgrade" the dolls from worn and ugly to quite pretty and fun. Sort of disappointed in this, as it's not much of a collectible. Maybe there is something else that I haven't seen yet.
I really enjoy this series, although I am getting a bit tired of the creepy puppets, and I really don't like those spider puppets at all. That being said, this is probably the best of the 7 so far. You are constantly on the move and there is a lot of interaction with the characters, which makes it more realistic. I wasn't happy when the demo ended, but it ended extremely well and definitely made me want more. Am I getting this one...absolutely. I think this game will appeal to all levels of players.
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. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
A murder mystery party turns deadly in real life!
Overall rating
4
/
5
31 of 32 found this review helpful
Love a good mystery!
PostedMarch 12, 2015
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Hi all. Well, we have the second in this series. Because I play so many of these games, I have found it quite helpful for me to track and rate the games I purchase on my computer. That way, I can look back and see how I rated them for just myself. I liked the first game, lots of things to do and this one is about the same. It does have the same set up, but a different story. Graphics are nice and clear and colors are true. Game play was very good, no problems with the demo or fitting my large screen. I really like the voice overs...accents, fear, urgency and all. Very well done. Music was also nice and moved with the suspense and drama of what was happening at the time. Sound FX are well done, even down to the "bubble" sounds in the fish tank. Animation is well done and somewhat realistic. I like the evidence board and how that is set up to make you feel like you are a detective on the job. It doesn't do everything for you.
HOPs are a combo of lists, silhouettes, interactive and include riddles. They are clean and items are not difficult to find. You can switch to the "bubble shooter," which does not appeal to me at all. Puzzles were nothing new, but I found that they do take some time to complete and a little thought doesn't hurt either. Jump map is quite helpful and areas with objectives are clearly marked and easy to follow. Hint system fills fairly quickly and is also very helpful, as it transports you to the location you need, saving a lot of shoe leather and back-tracking.
The usual list of achievements so far. Collectibles are 8 masks #not sure I found any yet# and 42 cards. These cards are very small, but not too difficult to see if you look for them. I got so engrossed in the game, I almost forgot to look and had to back track. There are also 15 morphing items in the HOPs. These aren't as easy to spot as you may think in some cases.
I really like how the extras gives you a souvenir room, and the ability to find the collectibles you may have missed in HOPs or wherever they may be. This makes it worth the CE price for me. I think this game will appeal to all levels of players and yes, I am going to get it for my collection. I found it interesting, entertaining and a game that kept me moving and wanting more.
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. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!