vezzettj's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:123
- Reviews Submitted:5
- First Review:November 14, 2011
- Most Recent Review:March 2, 2014
- Featured reviews0
vezzettj's Review History
World Mosaics Chroma
Stop a mysterious criminal from turning the world gray!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
No Money Required
PostedMarch 2, 2014
vezzettj
fromDC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This review is based on 150 completed levels with 314/450 available stars.
I LOVE the new twists they added to the standard Mosaic game play! There are up to 4 colors to flip between; when you get stuck on red, you can move to blue, and so on as long as that color has been unlocked. And the placement of the keys actually become great hints because they are ALL solvable before things get desperate. i.e. if you are really stuck, focus on the key areas... there is a way to continue hint free! And it later levels, they add another "twist", I hope they release World Mosaics 8 with some of these variants!
Speaking of WM7, I did NOT write a happy review of that game but after playing Chroma I can see where my issues arise... if you are looking at a board that only has 1 and 2 boxes to fill in, and only 1 "color" to work with, you get WM7 #which I can NOT recommend#. However, this is KEY to how Chroma works... I don't forgive, but at least I can now understand what they were thinking for WM7.
Back to Chroma, my only current gripe is that I completed all 150 levels in ~ 10 days and now I'm waiting for more. You do NOT need to spend money on this game... even more so than the standard World Mosaics, this game is completely solvable with logic! Yes, it can take forever flipping between each of the colors to find the ONE square you need to allow you to find the NEXT square you need but it is doable.. there was only 1 time I needed to give up and use a hint and they give you quite a few to start. If they were to provide a way to "earn" more hints #with out money#, maybe when you complete a zone you should get a few freebie hints or something, this would be even better. I can see hints being necessary as new levels are added.
As other reviewers mentioned, you start with 3 lives. There are 3 possible stars that can be earned on each level: board completed, no mistakes, and earn x many points. Scoring is not timed, take as long as you like. High points are earned by coloring or pinning as many tiles in a single move as possible. If you can, mark all the pins and then all the colors or vice versa. If there is a grouping of 5, try to select all 5 at the same time #the cursor counts for you#. In larger boards it is very easy to find the 1 color in a row / column and the drag the pins over the rest of the row / column for max points... and bonus if you have a 2x -5x bonus square too! If you make 3 mistakes, the level is over and you lose a life. It takes 90 minutes to regenerate BUT, that 90 minute timer started when you started the level so if you take your time then 10, 15, 20 minutes have already been regained when you error out.
There was ONE other thing that caused me heartache... the boards are NOT 10x10 or even 10x15... some are 7x7, 9x9... and the "thick lines" that we are used to at the 5 square mark are now at 3, 4, 6, or 7 depending on the board. So if you are used to the thick line being 5 you can really miss count!
Overall, I love the challenge and the variants on one of my favorite puzzle games. I don't like the FTP model, especially when there is nothing you can do to "earn" hints without money, but it isn't necessary to have hints to finish these levels. Waiting for more!
I recommend this game!
Stop a rogue agent and travel the globe as you repair the fabric of time in World Mosaics 7.
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Next World Mosaics needs to go in a different direction!
PostedJanuary 27, 2014
vezzettj
fromDC
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I have completed every World Mosaic puzzle and bonus game prior to playing #7 and I have to say this one is a let down. If you want the completed mosaic to have any resemblance to the puzzle you finished then you need to look elsewhere. Half the time, I can't even make out the mosaic even after they tell me what it is. Famous people are in grey scale and Famous places are a blur... but that would just be an annoyance if there wasn't so much dependence placed on having to "guess" the next move... NOTE: in addition to the WM games, I've completed every level on GOLD in the World Riddles games and completed Gemsweeper with minimal replays... I am not used to having to "guess" this much! Yes, the hints are helpful #usually# but I've come to expect so much more from this series... As another reviewer stated, the larger grids don't benefit from having have the rows empty and only 1-3 selections per line!
Confirming what some other reviewers have stated: the background does blend in very well with the puzzle area so it can be difficult to see what is open or not causing mistakes that didn't need to happen. Yes, this game allows for lots of mistakes and hints are usually refilled just as I need them so I haven't had to replay anything yet. And yes, this series is still better than some of the recent "Riddles" games of the same type.
Mosaics are one of my "go to" puzzle favorites and World Mosaics has always been an instant purchase in the past. They need to take care not to ruin the loyal fan base they have created!
#story only 1/2 completed at the time of this review#
After he falls down a hole in your basement, you must Save Rex from a City of Secrets in this incredible Adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 11 found this review helpful
Judge for Yourself
PostedFebruary 24, 2012
vezzettj
fromCalifornia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
First, a comment on some of the other reviews: you can NOT adequately review this game (really any game) with a 10 minute trial! Yes, the Narriator talks a lot but he is very amusing and is trying to explain the game. After the first task or so he doens't say a peep. Yes, this game is NOT something you can play on auto pilot, you actually have to think and pay attention. Yes, the hint system is "non-traditional" but it is multi layered so you can get just a nudge or the specific directions as you need.
On to my review: This game is very reminisent of classic point and click adventures. Half the game is figuring out what to do next. Nothing is timed, humor abounds, and solutions may not always be obvious... but that is the genre! The characters do talk a bit much but the voices are great and they give clues on what to do next; you can always click through the dialog if you choose. I love the hint system: Step 1: shows you active zones... and this was usually enough for me to continue. Step 2: in the dialog area, you can advance the arrows for a more detailed hint, and Step 3 #or maybe 4# spells out exactally what to place where or what to do next with no riddles at all.
The graphics are animated #almost clay-mation# 3-D so you can walk around in your environment, behind objects, around rocks, over bridges, and so on. The map is an instant travel map, at least once you get the map and have non-player characters start marking locations.
I found a walkthrough on another site that said there were 5 "chapters" and I hadn't even completed the first one during my demo so this should be a descent length game #much better than the standard 3 hr HOG that I usually get from BFG#.
The graphics are animated #almost clay-mation# 3-D so you can walk around in your environment, behind objects, around rocks, over bridges, and so on. The map is an instant travel map, at least once you get the map and have non-player characters start marking locations.
I found a walkthrough on another site that said there were 5 "chapters" and I hadn't even completed the first one during my demo so this should be a descent length game #much better than the standard 3 hr HOG that I usually get from BFG#.
Please don't judge this game by a few "limited" reviewers. If you like Adventure games #no Hidden Object scenes anywhere, and I don't recall any sparkles either# give this a try for at least 30 minutes before you decide. Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Build your own town in Woodville Chronicles, a fun Match 3 game! Collect resources and build your city from the ground up!
Overall rating
3
/
5
13 of 17 found this review helpful
Nice, but lacking something...
PostedDecember 27, 2011
vezzettj
fromCalifornia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Chose you style of M3 play: swap, chain, or group. Clear all the covered tiles to complete a level. After each level you have the OPTION to play a bonus game of moving the key to the key hole, rotating the board as necessary. It appears you can change the play style / rotation at any time but it isn't really necessary during the main game as the boards are always square. As the game progresses, chains and boxes (and more?# are added to increase difficulity but with all the options, it isn't really difficult at all.
Lots of bonus options, a different one for each color #area bomb, random remove, row clear, color remove, and shuffle). Combo matches seem to "charge" a random tile and large matches add a localized explosion effect... neither of these seem to clear the covered tiles, just remove the tokens so new ones can be generated. Occasionally, a "bonus offer challenge" will be given: make 3 matches of the same color (in time limit on timed mode) to insta-refill a color based bonus.
Earning gold lets you upgrade your town... but there is no story driving this and no appearent change to game play as you add more buildings. I made it into the 2nd stage and the only change was the background...
I like the variety (although I stayed in the standard swap mode) and I like the bonuses and the way the tokens moved... it was very smooth. But, there is no incentive to progress in the game. Upgrading the town just adds buildings, in pre determined locations, and 4 buildings completes a stage. The buildings don't change anything: no bonus points, or stronger bonuses, or variation in the token style... it is the same game from start to finish (granted I only played Stage 1 in the demo) and it gets repetative quickly...
I don't recommend this game.
Journey through the mesmerizing world of Nevernear in this exciting Match 3 adventure! Match dazzling gems in Jewel Match 3!
Overall rating
4
/
5
94 of 109 found this review helpful
M3 Swap with a "twist"
PostedNovember 14, 2011
vezzettj
fromCalifornia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Hidden Object, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Basic Description: M3 Swap where the object is the clear all the tiles on the boards. Use your collected gems to restore the wizard castles and set them all free. Can play timed or untimed.
The "twist": Each level has several boards and some are locked until the correct color key is dropped to the bottom. On some levels you can move between boards in any order, in others it can be "maze-like" to unlock / move through all the boards.
In addition to upgrading each castle, you can also plant a garden with seeds that are found in the M3 levels. Clearing these plants of pests and watering them progresses the story faster.
In addition to upgrading each castle, you can also plant a garden with seeds that are found in the M3 levels. Clearing these plants of pests and watering them progresses the story faster.
Bonuses: There are two types of "clear bonuses": your magic (takes mana / energy) or the wizard's power (timed recharge). Mini games (HOG or Puzzle) are played to upgrade your magic abilities. These abilities are standard: clear fog, break tiles, destroy a single tile, destroy tiles in a pattern (row, X shape), create random "special" tiles, etc.
Game Complete: The game is 110 levels (if I remember correctly). If you complete all the castles early then you get bonus levels up to 110. Afterwards, the game will reset and you start back at level 1 (all wizards back in ice). In addition, there is a "Manic Mode" that is a never-ending, timed, increasing in difficulty, mode where a few minutes are added to the time for each level you complete... until you run out of time. That mode can be "suspended" and will restart where you left off when you return.
Overview: Lots of gameplay. Good graphics overall but I'd go for Great on the M3 boards. Can get repetative at higher levels but the board "mazes" and spell upgrades are nicely spaced with mini games. (but almost everyone seems to ask "does this ever end")
I recommend this game!