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:
You've returned from school to visit your father at his famous Jazz Pepper Club during Mardi Gras, but everyone is hypnotized. Have they heard the wrong note?
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 14 found this review helpful
I don't give 5 stars easily, but....
PostedApril 12, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):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. I love the Mardi Gras theme of this game. The graphics are extremely well done, with excellent animation. Game play was perfect, no problems at all. Colors are very bright (some a bit on the red side). Voice overs are appropriate for time and place, as are the costumes. The music was nice, I didn't even turn it down. Sound FX are extremely well done and give you that "edge of your seat" feeling. There is a jump map, but you don't really use it that much. The sites, sounds and voice overs fit the characters very well.
SG is the usual and is clear and helpful if you need it. The hint system is quite helpful as well, so I didn't use the SG much at all. It seemed that the hint recharge took a little longer than usual. HOPs are exceptionally well done, clear and items not difficult to find, but you do have to look in, around and under things to get them. This set up is very different and was quite fun. I liked how you had to find morphing objects within the HOP. They aren't difficult to find, but you do have to pay attention. I liked them so much that I didn't even try the match game.
There are a lot of achievements, as usual. The collectibles, besides the morphing objects in the HOPS, are musical notes. They are not as easy to see as you may think, but can be found. I like that they show you if you have found the note or not, because I frequently get so caught up in a game that I forget to look for the collectible. Same thing with the morphing objects.
The only thing I didn't care for was the location of the map, journal and hint button. They are way too close together. That said, I believe this game will appeal to all levels of players. I was drawn into this game fairly quickly and have the need to play it out, so off to buy.
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 famous actor has literally stepped off the screen to kidnap your niece. Now you must find a way into the dangerous and exciting world of the film to save her!
Overall rating
4
/
5
28 of 33 found this review helpful
Lots to do...
PostedApril 10, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. Why is it that there is always a great special on games that I already have! Yep, got the other 4 in this series and liked them all. The graphics are very nice, with excellent clear colors. Game play was good, but seemed a little slow now and then. Not a lot of music, which is okay with me, but not a lot in the way of sound FX either..a rather quiet game compared to most. Voice overs were well done and changed with the action, which makes a game more exciting and interesting. There is a jump map that is useful, but not necessary.
The SG is the usual, but I did not find it necessary either, because the hint system is quite helpful, fills very quickly and jumps you right to where you need to be. At that point, all you need the SG for is to see what you need to do in that area.
The story is a bit "out there," but it is different and fun. HOPs were clean, clear and items not difficult to find. I liked how you need to use inventory items within the HOP to complete an object/item. There are lots of achievements, as always, and the only collectibles I found so far are the flowers, which are not difficult to find either. A "heads up," there are usually more than one in a scene, so be on the look out for them.
This is not an exceptionally difficult or challenging game, but it was fun and kept my interest throughout the demo. I think gamers of all levels would enjoy this one Yes, I find the need to add this one to my ever growing game 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!
Enter the enchanted realm of the Snow Kingdom!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 14 found this review helpful
Not a bad game...
PostedApril 5, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Hi all. I have the first Dark Strokes and really liked it. This one is a bit different. The colors are very bright and nice to look at , graphics are good for this type of game and game play was very nice, no problems at all. I do like a good fairy tale now and then and this story was right up there. Music was nice and easy to listen to, but a bit loud, so I turn it down. Voice overs are good and seem appropriate for time and setting. Didn't hear a lot in the way of sound FX, but what there was, was well done. Jump map works well, but is very bland.
Did not care for the SG at all. I prefer written directions, not a step by step picture of what needs to be done. I don't need that much hand holding and I find that my eyes get tired faster looking at pictures. Hint system is helpful, except that it only shows you where to go, not what to use once you get there. You learn more of the story as you collect more items and "slides."
HOGs are the usual and are fairly clean with items quite easy to see. Puzzles are a little different, but still no real challenge, just a little more thought. I think a beginner would find this one more challenging than an old gamer like me. However, if you just want a nice easy game, this one would be a good one.
There are a number of achievements and lots of collectibles, e.g., 35 snowflakes, 12 magic scrolls and 10 morphing items that are actually found in the HOGs. None of these items are difficult to find either.
This game is not CE worthy to me, so I will wait until the SE comes out and give it another try. I often like the SE version better, even without the extras, but this one is a no buy for me today.
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 recommend this game!
Ghostly warnings in the water are terrifying a grieving family. What's causing them, and what really happened to Julia White?
Overall rating
4
/
5
20 of 27 found this review helpful
Not quite as fearful!
PostedApril 3, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hello all. Well, another addition to the Fear for Sale series. I have the first 3 and enjoyed them all, with Nightmare Cinema being my favorite. Colors are bright and fairly clear, graphics aren't bad, but not as good as the last one. Game play was good, no problems at all. Music was nice, even changed with whatever was happening in the scene, which makes a game more "edge of your seat." Voice overs were pretty good, but not a lot. Sound FX are very nice as well. This one has a combination of animation and "real." I much prefer animation in my games, but that's my personal preference.
SG left a lot to be desired. The directions were not as clear as most, e.g., "walk down twice and use pruners"...on what, where? "Walk down and place map here"...where #should say enter car and place map#. It leaves a lot to your memory. There is a map, but the pictures are very blurry and you have to play a while before you get it. There is a lot of running back and forth for one item here and one there, so be ready to travel a lot. You collect a shell that is quite helpful "manipulating" water, which has to be done 13 times, but it lights up when you need to use it. The waterworks in this game are very well done.
There are a lot of achievements, as usual and a pile of collectibles. I'm not sure what the "legendary" is, but you need to find 7 and I found a few. You also have tea party, jewelry, make-up, dolls, shells, etc., which are not difficult to see, you just have to remember to look. There are also 36 morphing items, which seem to stand out pretty well. Having multiple items to find makes a game more challenging and fun.
HOGs are pretty standard and items are not difficult to find, but some are very small. You can switch to a jigsaw puzzle if you don't want the HOG, which I really like, since I am a major puzzler. Puzzles are very simple so far. Hint system is helpful but fills very slowly.
The one thing that will make me buy this game, are all the collectibles, not the story. Even with a very disappointing SG and map, I liked this game and will buy it to add to my ever growing list of games. I think this game will appeal to all levels of players.
As always, try it for yourself and see what your 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!
Pinecreek Hills just keeps getting better! Help the Rangers find lost objects, clean up the park and spot the wildlife.
Overall rating
4
/
5
20 of 25 found this review helpful
A fun straight HOG.
PostedMarch 31, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Hello all. Second game in this series today. I didn't care much for the first one and the devs obviously didn't pay much attention to the comments for this one. However, the graphics are very cartoon like, but they seem to fit this game. Colors are bright and clear. Game play was good, except that it seemed to lag between scenes. Music was annoying, so I turned it down low. No voice overs in this one either, but it worked well without them. I think it would have been too much for this game. The map is clear and areas are easy to find. There is a click penalty...how unusual.
I like that you can replay the same area if you miss something. Besides being a straight HOG, there are a lot of items to find outside the HOG. Collectibles are the trash, which are not that easy to find. It would have been helpful if we had a counter to at least tell us how many we needed to find. You need to find animals, which are identified by their silhouette in the bottom left corner. Some blend in too well and are very difficult to find (I'm still missing a frog from the cabin#, and you can't skip to go to the next one #at least I couldn't find a skip). Items are very small and in some cases, you only see a small portion, so you really have to look around in and out of the HOG. Okay, what is the "eagle eye bonus?" I accidentally found one, but don't know what it was. Games were fun, mostly simple.
All that being said, I do sometimes like a straight HOG. Even though I didn't care for the first game, I did like this one and I will get it. My grandson loves these and his eyes are much better than mine. Actually, I think this will appeal to all levels of players, especially if you just like to relax and have a little fun for a change and not be running from some creepy, spooky entity.
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 on at all. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!
Can you defeat the mist and find your lost brother?
Overall rating
4
/
5
20 of 25 found this review helpful
Very nice game!
PostedMarch 29, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Well, I don't recognize the dev, but I don't pay much attention to that detail anyway. We have a little different story line today. None of the sister, Mother, wife, girlfriend, looking for their lost or missing brother, son, husband or boyfriend. Today, we have a brother looking for a brother...nice change. The graphics are very nice, clean, clear colors. Game play was very good, no problems at all. Music was soothing and I usually don't listen to it. Jump map is useful, but I didn't find myself using it that much. I didn't care for the set up. Colors are too muted and washed out and very uninteresting. Plus, you have too many areas that are open for "things to do here," at the same time. Voice overs are very well done and seem to be age and character appropriate...loved "big brother's" voice.
SG is the usual set up, with clear instructions and clear pictures when blown up. I didn't use the SG much either, since the hint system was very helpful and saved me the extra steps of opening the guide and such. Hint seemed to fill a bit slower than we have been use to lately. HOGs are the usual combination of standard and interactive HOG and silhouettes. Items are clear and not hard to find. A few are bit of a junk pile, but mostly very clean. Puzzles are not difficult, but a couple took me a minute to figure out.
There are the usual achievements and some collectibles. I liked the need to find pieces of art to put together to solve another puzzle. That was very different and fun. The other collectibles are morphing object/animals. You need to really look for these, as they are not as easy to spot as you may think. I seem to have a problem remembering to look. I got too wrapped up in the game play.
The intro was very well done and sort of drew me in right away. This game is not particularly challenging, but there is something about it that I really liked. Maybe it was the little dragon #I love dragons#, or the fairies, or just because it was a very nice game. I think this one will appeal to all levels of players and is a definite buy for me. I just wish the CE extras just had a very nice and interesting bonus level and not all the other stuff...I don't much like paying for stuff I don't ever use.
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!
Nightmares from the Deep: Davy Jones Collector's Edition
Escape the cold incarceration of Davy Jones' brig and discover the otherworldly origins of his galleon in this thrilling Hidden Object adventure.
Overall rating
3
/
5
19 of 24 found this review helpful
Not a bad game...
PostedMarch 27, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
A third addition to this series. I have the first 2 and really enjoyed them. This one... Anyway, graphics aren't too bad and the movements are very fluid, not choppy. Game play was pretty good, no problems there either. Very few voice overs, but what there was, was very good and appropriate for the time, setting and character. Music was a bit boring, seemed like it was lacking in the power you should have with pirates and such. Not a lot in the way of sound FX, which would have helped this game a great deal.
Didn't care for the jump map. Very bland, but it worked. I much prefer a map with color and well identified areas. SG was okay, although the pictures were a bit blurry when you expanded them to see the picture better. Pet peeve, an SG that does not stay on the last page you visited when you leave the game and come back. Very frustrating. Hint system is quite helpful and fills fairly quickly. I found that using the hint was easier, faster and clearer than the SG. Cut scenes were long and drawn out and after the first two, I just clicked through and skipped them. Yes, I know, I probably missed part of the story, but I pretty much already know it.
Puzzles were quite simple. HOGs were the usual combo of standard, fragmented items, and silhouettes, and I do like the variety. They were very simple and items were not difficult to find. There are the usual achievements and a lot of collectibles...12 seahorses, 10 cards, 24 puzzle pieces, none of which are as easy to spot as you may think.
The game was a disappointment after the first 1. It wasn't really challenging and to me, was geared more toward the beginner. For this reason, I do not feel that it is CE worthy and will pass on this one today. However, as I have said many times, I may change my mind when the SE comes out, and I have a chance to play it again. If so, I will get the SE, but not the CE.
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!
Will you heed the director’s final casting call?
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 15 found this review helpful
Good, but not the best..
PostedMarch 22, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Another in the Final Cut series. I have the first two and liked them both. This one is similar, but still different. The graphics are well done, but movements are a little choppy. Game play was good, no problems at all. The colors are very well done and seem true to the time and setting of the game. Voice overs are very well done and fit the character. Of course, there is a locking inventory bar. Music isn't too bad.
The HOGs were fun, a combo of interactive silhouettes and standard HOGs. Items were not difficult to find at all and HOGs were fairly clean and clear. If you prefer, you could switch to the match 3 game instead. Puzzles were way too simple, no challenge there at all.
SG is the standard and is helpful if you need it. The hint system is very helpful and fills very quickly. I found that I really didn't use the SG except for a couple of times. There are a number of achievements, which again are the standard you find everywhere else. Collectibles, well, I accidentally found that there are morphing objects (won't say where, in case it is a spoiler#, and clapper boards #not that difficult to find if you look for them).
I was not as kicked out about this game as I was the first two, but it was challenging enough to keep me interested during the demo. I'm just not sure it is CE worthy. Something was missing...can't tell you what, but something. I'm not in any hurry to buy this one, so I will put it in my puddle and think about it.
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 recommend this game!
A serial killer nicknamed “the Toymaker” is wreaking havoc on a sleepy town. Can the lead detective piece together clues left at the scene and stop him before he sets his sights on her?
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
Fun, straight HOG.
PostedMarch 20, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Okay, so I guess I'll be a little different today. This is a very nice game, for an SE. No, there isn't anything fancy, nor is it particularly challenging, but sometimes that's all you want. The graphics and game play are actually pretty good and seem to fit the story line. Voice over not bad, but drags on a bit and sounds like she is just reading. Music okay.
Yes, it is a straight HOG, but occasionally that is all I want. Sometimes a "no brainer" clears your brain for other things and this game does that. It is an interesting story line. HOGs are fairly clean and clear and items are not hard to find. Hint system is quite helpful and fills fairly quickly. You really need to check each area carefully, as some things happen where you least expect.
I enjoyed this game and did purchase with a credit, to add it to my collection. This will appeal to the beginner and, as I said, to those of us who like HOGs and just need a relaxing nice game for a change.
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!
Can you and Detective Dupin uncover the dark secrets of this mysterious estate?
Overall rating
4
/
5
24 of 29 found this review helpful
Excellent game, well worth 4.5 stars!
PostedMarch 20, 2014
dancemom1
fromYakima, WA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Well, another addition to the EAP series. Wasn't too sure about this one, since I had problems with the last one, but this seems to be working well. Graphics are very nice, clean and clear. Game play is good. Only "problem" I had was forgetting to use the pictures, which really wasn't a problem, just my memory. Voice overs were well done and you can click through the dialog for those of us who read faster than they speak.
What's with the rat that sits in the corner and the camera you don't use? Those have me a bit confused. Maybe they get used later. Really like the HOGs, you have a choice between HOG and match 3. This match 3 is not like any other we have played and is not as easy as you may think. HOGs were a mixture of standard and riddles #which I really like#, and were fun. Items were clear and not difficult to find.
SG is the standard, but really wasn't necessary. Hint system is quite helpful and I like that you can adjust to how quickly it refills. Same with the skip button...very nice. Did not care for the set up of the map. Yes, it is a jump map, but you have to go to a main area and then figure out where you go from there, plus the color is monochrome and boring to the eyes. Very disappointed in this map.
The only collectibles I see are the coins, which are used to stock the lab. I sort of like this, but it was very simple and no challenge here. There are a lot of achievements in this one as well. The game as a whole is not really challenging, but the story and game play are very good. Yes, the story is a little different from the original, but still pretty good. Maybe I like it because I have been a Poe fan since middle school and the old Vincent Price movies. I don't give 5 stars easily and even though this is a top notch game, I do not feel it is worth 5 stars. I think because there really aren't any extras in the game, other than collecting coins, plus the boring jump map. All that being said, if you are a Poe fan, you will like this game. It is a definite buy for me and a very nice addition to my every growing 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. Thanks for the reviews.
I recommend this game!