KielaStarcatcher's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:44
- Reviews Submitted:5
- First Review:January 22, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 26, 2014
- Featured reviews0
KielaStarcatcher's Review History
Travel magical lands on a quest to rescue pets from their captor! Follow the villain’s trail by solving puzzles along the way.
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Nothing that stands out...
PostedJuly 26, 2014
KielaStarcatcher
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
27 levels into the trial offered no storyline, no indication of the mystical pets that need rescuing, and no sign of anything beyond the typical griddler monotony. Simple words are misspelled (repeatedly), and there is no option to left-click to mark known empty spaces. The beginning images don't appear to be anything at all, although this is more or less forgivable for small puzzles in general.
The artwork is very nice, and there may well be a story after the initial *60 stages* are complete. It was simply too monotonous with no sign of a forthcoming reward for my efforts.
If you enjoy the zen of completing griddlers/nonograms, you may find it worthwhile. But you should certainly play the trial first before making a decision.
I don't recommend this game.
Enter the world of Drawn. Explore the Painted Tower and unravel its mysteries on your quest to save the hope of the kingdom. Can you reach the top of the tower?
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
A Rare Treasure!
PostedJanuary 30, 2012
KielaStarcatcher
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I just finished the game, and my only regret is not doing it sooner!
The game is filled with magnificent artwork and music (I want the soundtrack!!), an intriguiging and fulfilling storyline, exceptional editing... even the font choices are beautiful! The small amount of voice acting is well done as well.
But the biggest pleasure and surprise of this game is its unique and brilliant idea, which was executed perfectly! Using art as a window to another land is a very old concept, but in Drawn, it's put to very literal use. We go into multiple paintings, find and place drawings that come to life, and help to complete a few pieces of art to further the story. All along the way are interesting puzzles to solve with just the right balance of difficulty and fun.
In many games, the answer to "what to do next" can be questionable and far from intuitive. But every step of Drawn felt like it made sense. The Strategy Guide is unnecessary, as the game offers multiple hints for each objective. These hints are presented in non-spoiler form, and there is no penalty to using them except for the time spent waiting to recharge.
Even after the game is done, the credits roll like a movie, with images of Iris and her pictures scrolling alongside the credits. The ending itself was fulfilling (more so now that followup games are available) and there's a post-credit scene that offers a clue as to where you'll be headed next to explore further.
Drawn is EXTREMELY well done on all counts. I highly recommend it to everyone of all ages. This is a rare gift of a game, worth far more than its BFG price. Support this game developer/designer - you won't regret it!
I recommend this game!
Raise ye olde animals, produce ye olde goods, and beat ye olde clock in challenging time management levels!
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 14 found this review helpful
"Slow" problems resolved?
PostedJanuary 26, 2012
KielaStarcatcher
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I was concerned about this game based on all the negative reviews. The game may have been fixed, because I had no issues with slow load times. I did have to wait through 3 load screens before I got to the first stage, but the total wait time between all three was less than 15 seconds. Load times between stages were no more than 4 seconds each, which I feel is well within reason.
As others have pointed out, this is another frenzy game, which I personally can take or leave (depends on how frenzied I'm feeling on any given day! ~_^). However, I liked the Viking idea. I found it clever, even if it doesn't always make a lot of sense (boars eating hay and digging up ore is a bit of a stretch...). But it's a fun game, and easy to just go along with for the sake of entertainment. It's charming with pretty decent graphics and music.
The game does presume you've played Frenzy games before, since there really isn't a tutorial. And from the beginning, the timers are a relentless challenge. You will have to do stages over again if you want golden stars - my first do-over came on level 2! In some cases, you have to achieve a certain level of mastery before you can move on, because the next stage requires a specific upgrade you must be able to afford. But that's nothing new in the Frenzy series.
Frenzy experts and newcomers alike should be entertained by this one.
I recommend this game!
The Spirit of Wandering: The Legend
Join an adventurous captain`s search for her lost love in this romantic Hidden Object challenge.
Overall rating
2
/
5
19 of 19 found this review helpful
Tedious and punishing
PostedJanuary 23, 2012
KielaStarcatcher
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This game has several problem areas that even the most die-hard Hidden Object fan can't ignore.
Here's how the game is *meant* to work: You unlock 3-5 HO locations at a time and switch back and forth between them freely. When you get stuck, you can spend coins to get a hint. When all locations have been solved, you unlock a new character and another 3-5 areas and start the process again.
In reality, however, the game is riddled with problems that make it little more than a time-consuming, frustrating experience.
The biggest problem is the complete lack of balance. The coin recharge stage doesn't offer enough to make the hidden object part fair. Misclicks come with harsh coin penalties. The coin cost for each hint is too high. To make matters worse, the editing is poor, sometimes sending you on a chase after the wrong item completely!
The unlocked characters are pointless (they don't assist you in any way), the "story" rewards are non-existent and won't keep you entertained, and the ratio of rewards vs punishment is an instant turn-off.
The music and visuals are nice, and the game tries to break up the monotony by offering a little mini-game after every fifth item found in each location (completion of the mini-game gives back a very tiny amount of coins, but not enough to be useful). The game does offer a high level of difficulty, but the real "challenge" is spending hours just staring at the screen afraid to click on anything for fear of being punished for it.
My advice - try the free hour. The rest of the game is exactly like that, only harder (penalties cost more later on).
Come to think of it, it might not really take hours for each level. But it sure feels like it. And you'll never get that time back.
I don't recommend this game.
End a centuries-old war between the Guardians and the Clan of the Nine in 9: The Dark Side!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Great for anyone who likes a real challenge!
PostedJanuary 22, 2012
KielaStarcatcher
fromChicago
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
This game offers a wide variety of puzzles to solve. They are NOT easy, and most certainly not for novices. The blog walkthrough was an absolutely necessary guide for completion, and even then I had to skip a few puzzles (something I NEVER do) simply to keep my sanity intact.
Cons: Several of the later puzzles are extremely time-consuming and tremendously difficult, and some feel a bit repetitive when you have to start over if you don't get it right. Most of the voice acting is all right, but some of it is downright laughable. There are also a few spots that don't give enough direction, forcing you to use hints or go to the walkthrough to see what the heck the game wants you to do next. Once you complete the game, there's really no replay value. That may be different in the SE. I also felt the ending could have offered more of a reward after so many hours playing the game, but again, I completed the plain version, not the SE. (Side note: I can tell exactly where the extra SE content is in the game - there's a section I never gained access to, and I kept expecting to find the item that would open that gate.)
Pros: This is a LONG game that will give you hours of entertainment. The graphics and music are very nice, as is the huge variety of types of puzzles. There are no penalties to using hints, and those hints are (usually) genuinely helpful. The blog walkthrough is very thorough and spot-on, which helps to alleviate any real frustration. The storyline is creative enough to be interesting, and the game overall is "addicting" enough to make you want to play to the end and see how it ends.
If you're looking for a long-term game with a high level of difficulty, you'll enjoy this. If you just want something simple and fun, try something else.
I recommend this game!