Rescue_helo's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.2
- Helpful Votes:10,878
- Reviews Submitted:226
- First Review:December 8, 2011
- Most Recent Review:June 25, 2019
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome
Help Sam rescue his love Anna in Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome, an incredible Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
69 of 98 found this review helpful
A fairly interesting Track and Rescue mission.
PostedJanuary 21, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
(18)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
If you've read BFG's presentation summary you have probably already added 2 and 2 together and have surmised the kidnapper was suffering from a mental disorder called DSG. He perpetrated this vile act in an attempt to retain or regain his youth, obsessed as he is by his own appearence. Hence the title of the game.
No ghosts, no skeleton, no grave, nothing paranormal, but expect nevertheless a few corpses here and there.
Sam's investigation starts with a very good intro movie backed up by a solid soundtrack. Later, the in-game music is discreet except when used to enhance a specific event. The cutscenes are of the same quality.
The voice-overs are perfect, very professional, highly natural, and a pleasure to listen to.
The graphics and scenery are quite good, a wee bit blurry, thus befitting the mildly spooky atmosphere successfully.
Not at all overloaded with HO Scenes, the game gives priority to the adventure side. Tasks are multiple and easy to accomplish with useful items also easy to get.
HOs are not difficult to find either as the scenes they're in do not look like awful junkpiles.
Assistance is provided efficiently by the unlimited hints that recharge fast, the clues on screen, the audio, and in the journal, together with a map showing your current location, the areas to explore and were the puzzles are.
Puzzlewise [and minigames] the developers did a good job; all those I played in the demo were fairly tricky, challenging and fairly uncommon. Some are randomized, I am not sure they all reset as I saw a Reset Button in only one, but you can skip them. Click on the Question Mark to get the instructions.
Unfortunately for puzzle lovers like me, the game is not packed with them, but there is enough of them to keep you busy and make you think.
Let's add to that 2 Modes of difficulty, a wide monitor option, and the possibility to replay the kidnapper's verbal comments via the journal.
The demo takes you to the beginning of Chapter 3 only, so it's difficult to estimate the gamelength, or assess how well the storyline unfolds.
Considering that I got to the end of Chapter 2 in just over 56 mns after visiting 9 locales, it is possible the game may be shorter than expected.
Note: DSG: Dorian Gray Syndrome, named after Oscar Wilde's famous novel: The Portrait of Dorian Gray.
No ghosts, no skeleton, no grave, nothing paranormal, but expect nevertheless a few corpses here and there.
Sam's investigation starts with a very good intro movie backed up by a solid soundtrack. Later, the in-game music is discreet except when used to enhance a specific event. The cutscenes are of the same quality.
The voice-overs are perfect, very professional, highly natural, and a pleasure to listen to.
The graphics and scenery are quite good, a wee bit blurry, thus befitting the mildly spooky atmosphere successfully.
Not at all overloaded with HO Scenes, the game gives priority to the adventure side. Tasks are multiple and easy to accomplish with useful items also easy to get.
HOs are not difficult to find either as the scenes they're in do not look like awful junkpiles.
Assistance is provided efficiently by the unlimited hints that recharge fast, the clues on screen, the audio, and in the journal, together with a map showing your current location, the areas to explore and were the puzzles are.
Puzzlewise [and minigames] the developers did a good job; all those I played in the demo were fairly tricky, challenging and fairly uncommon. Some are randomized, I am not sure they all reset as I saw a Reset Button in only one, but you can skip them. Click on the Question Mark to get the instructions.
Unfortunately for puzzle lovers like me, the game is not packed with them, but there is enough of them to keep you busy and make you think.
Let's add to that 2 Modes of difficulty, a wide monitor option, and the possibility to replay the kidnapper's verbal comments via the journal.
The demo takes you to the beginning of Chapter 3 only, so it's difficult to estimate the gamelength, or assess how well the storyline unfolds.
Considering that I got to the end of Chapter 2 in just over 56 mns after visiting 9 locales, it is possible the game may be shorter than expected.
Note: DSG: Dorian Gray Syndrome, named after Oscar Wilde's famous novel: The Portrait of Dorian Gray.
I recommend this game!
House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets
Guide Kate Reed as she solves four mind-bending mysteries that take her to worlds she's never imagined!
Overall rating
4
/
5
104 of 151 found this review helpful
Nice Occult-themed Game, though not Exceptional
PostedJanuary 20, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
(18)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I was a little disappointed by this game which is nicely wrapped up but doesn't contain anything new nor out of this world,.
The intro, backed up by an excellent soundtrack, is very good and so are the cutscenes.
This beginning led me to think the game would be near exceptional. It is simply a straight HOG with traditional tasks and a few minigames.
The artwork is sumptuous though, hand drawn with talent and highly detailed; the voice-overs quasi professional and the narrative well written.
There are many HO Scenes, each very neat, with recognizable objects, although some are not that easy to find; they all request some simple interactivity on your part, and the items are given either as lists or full drawings (not silhouettes).
On the easier of the two Modes, hints recharge very fast, and also help you decide what to do next. The map gives your current location as well as those that remain for exploration or are not yet completed. Clues can also be found in the journal.
There are many locations to visit, all beautiful, with many tasks to accomplish. But, these tasks are simple and the game being fairly linear, traveling back and forth is far from excessive. Finding the useful objects is no Roman task either.
I could have done with more puzzles, but the emphasis has been placed on HOs and tasks. Still, the puzzles the demo allows you to play are easy, #1 is a a piece of cake, #2 quite interesting. They are all skippable.
Considering that the challenge level is okay but not high, and that the trial version takes you into Chapter 3 out of 7, in 60 minutes, I think that playtime is bound to be short and replayability affected accordingly.
What I saw of the storyline did not impress me, as it seemed to me rather secondary and just another variant on a theme: occultism, spritism, haunted house, ghosts.
I think this game is more suited to those who love HOs and/or do not want to lose patience over a tough adventure full of tricky minigames.
The best, as always, is to try the demo and take it from there.
The intro, backed up by an excellent soundtrack, is very good and so are the cutscenes.
This beginning led me to think the game would be near exceptional. It is simply a straight HOG with traditional tasks and a few minigames.
The artwork is sumptuous though, hand drawn with talent and highly detailed; the voice-overs quasi professional and the narrative well written.
There are many HO Scenes, each very neat, with recognizable objects, although some are not that easy to find; they all request some simple interactivity on your part, and the items are given either as lists or full drawings (not silhouettes).
On the easier of the two Modes, hints recharge very fast, and also help you decide what to do next. The map gives your current location as well as those that remain for exploration or are not yet completed. Clues can also be found in the journal.
There are many locations to visit, all beautiful, with many tasks to accomplish. But, these tasks are simple and the game being fairly linear, traveling back and forth is far from excessive. Finding the useful objects is no Roman task either.
I could have done with more puzzles, but the emphasis has been placed on HOs and tasks. Still, the puzzles the demo allows you to play are easy, #1 is a a piece of cake, #2 quite interesting. They are all skippable.
Considering that the challenge level is okay but not high, and that the trial version takes you into Chapter 3 out of 7, in 60 minutes, I think that playtime is bound to be short and replayability affected accordingly.
What I saw of the storyline did not impress me, as it seemed to me rather secondary and just another variant on a theme: occultism, spritism, haunted house, ghosts.
I think this game is more suited to those who love HOs and/or do not want to lose patience over a tough adventure full of tricky minigames.
The best, as always, is to try the demo and take it from there.
I recommend this game!
Witches' Legacy: The Charleston Curse Collector's Edition
End the Charleston Curse before it wipes out an entire family and save a young girl in Witches’ Legacy: The Charleston Curse!
Overall rating
3
/
5
125 of 164 found this review helpful
A standard, not very challenging "adventure"
PostedJanuary 19, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
(18)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
This story, from the developers of the Fear for Sale series, involving a nasty witch [witches are always nasty by definition] is a conventional blend of HOG and simple Adventure.
The games starts off nicely but since the demo doesn't take you farther than the beginning of Chapter 2 [pages 9 to 11], it is [once again] difficult to determine whether the rest gets better or not.
The 1 hour I spent in company of the heroine, the little girl and the witch was nevertheless quite pleasant, easy going and pretty straighforward.
HOGs are a bit crowded as usual but quite manageable and the Hint System helpful although it doesn't recharge fast. It also points at what you need to see or do.
And of course guess what one of the hidden objects is ?... a skull [they're everywhere, LOL !]. Nothing scary however, the game being gentle and the developers conscious not to go to extremes in the field of gloom.
Among the tasks I noted with amusement one very funny invention; you have to do something very special to a door handle. I will not say what, obviously. The rest is similar to the tasks you're used to perform in other games.
The puzzles I saw were interesting though not extraordinary and perfectly solvable without any help. They can be skipped and reset.
Backtracking throughout the demo is reduced to a minimum as the game is rather linear. This may change as of Chapter 2... maybe. As a result, the number of locations to explore seems to be low, but that also may change later on in the game.
I was surprised by the relative poverty of the other features. I expected stunning visuals; they are nice, well drawn and lively colored, but nothing more than that.
Same remark regarding the intro, custcenes and animations; not bad, movie like, but not astounding.
The voice-overs are so-so as they don't sound very natural, except the witch's voice acting which is a little better. They were a lot more convincing in Sunnyvale.
The worst is the music: awful; one theme played on the organ sounds like church music during a funeral, another is simply ridiculous, without any melody. I turned it off.
Let's add to that: 2 Modes, a wide screen option, and a custom cursor.
I am not sure the CE is worth the extra expense; I am waiting for the SE. But one thing is certain: the game would have gained in quality had the artwork been polished and the soundtrack redone from scratch.
Can be recommended in spite of the imperfections.
The games starts off nicely but since the demo doesn't take you farther than the beginning of Chapter 2 [pages 9 to 11], it is [once again] difficult to determine whether the rest gets better or not.
The 1 hour I spent in company of the heroine, the little girl and the witch was nevertheless quite pleasant, easy going and pretty straighforward.
HOGs are a bit crowded as usual but quite manageable and the Hint System helpful although it doesn't recharge fast. It also points at what you need to see or do.
And of course guess what one of the hidden objects is ?... a skull [they're everywhere, LOL !]. Nothing scary however, the game being gentle and the developers conscious not to go to extremes in the field of gloom.
Among the tasks I noted with amusement one very funny invention; you have to do something very special to a door handle. I will not say what, obviously. The rest is similar to the tasks you're used to perform in other games.
The puzzles I saw were interesting though not extraordinary and perfectly solvable without any help. They can be skipped and reset.
Backtracking throughout the demo is reduced to a minimum as the game is rather linear. This may change as of Chapter 2... maybe. As a result, the number of locations to explore seems to be low, but that also may change later on in the game.
I was surprised by the relative poverty of the other features. I expected stunning visuals; they are nice, well drawn and lively colored, but nothing more than that.
Same remark regarding the intro, custcenes and animations; not bad, movie like, but not astounding.
The voice-overs are so-so as they don't sound very natural, except the witch's voice acting which is a little better. They were a lot more convincing in Sunnyvale.
The worst is the music: awful; one theme played on the organ sounds like church music during a funeral, another is simply ridiculous, without any melody. I turned it off.
Let's add to that: 2 Modes, a wide screen option, and a custom cursor.
I am not sure the CE is worth the extra expense; I am waiting for the SE. But one thing is certain: the game would have gained in quality had the artwork been polished and the soundtrack redone from scratch.
Can be recommended in spite of the imperfections.
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses
Join Nancy Drew as she goes undercover to expose the truth behind the calamitous production of a cursed Hollywood remake!
Overall rating
5
/
5
32 of 33 found this review helpful
A Nancy Drew not quite like the others
PostedJanuary 17, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek
(21)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
There is a difference between this "Dossier" and Nancy's other investigations that come in Large Files.
"Lights, Camera, Curses" is much closer to the more simple type of casual games which are released everyday, such as HOGs and mixed games [HO/Adv], except that this is not a HOG like the others as you have to find objects without the help of a list or silhouettes This forces you to figure out what you need and how to use what you've picked up.
This feature is present in the Large File investigations but to a much lesser extent.
The rest is fairly similar and has the same high quality.
The graphics are top-notch, extremely well crafted, detailed, colorful and the soundtrack is perfectly adapted to the story.
Nancy interacts with the different characters by means of dialogs; depending on which phrase you click the reply will be different. But Nancy's replies have to make sense else the other person won't know what she is talking about. Dialogs are important to collect clues and receive information relative to the case. Reading notes and listening to gossip serves the same purpose.
The numerous puzzles and minigames are all good fun to play; they come in a large variety ranging from classics to innovations.
There is an originality which you won't find in her other adventures: you earn points [as a measure of your progess] by giving the right answers in a conversation, doing certain things right, solving the puzzles and playing the minigames. If you obtain enough points, you will unlock a special ending [easier said than done...!].
The relative simplicity, by comparison with the Large Files, as well as the absence of major difficulties makes this game an ideal and accessible introduction to the world of Nancy Drew.
"Lights, Camera, Curses" is much closer to the more simple type of casual games which are released everyday, such as HOGs and mixed games [HO/Adv], except that this is not a HOG like the others as you have to find objects without the help of a list or silhouettes This forces you to figure out what you need and how to use what you've picked up.
This feature is present in the Large File investigations but to a much lesser extent.
The rest is fairly similar and has the same high quality.
The graphics are top-notch, extremely well crafted, detailed, colorful and the soundtrack is perfectly adapted to the story.
Nancy interacts with the different characters by means of dialogs; depending on which phrase you click the reply will be different. But Nancy's replies have to make sense else the other person won't know what she is talking about. Dialogs are important to collect clues and receive information relative to the case. Reading notes and listening to gossip serves the same purpose.
The numerous puzzles and minigames are all good fun to play; they come in a large variety ranging from classics to innovations.
There is an originality which you won't find in her other adventures: you earn points [as a measure of your progess] by giving the right answers in a conversation, doing certain things right, solving the puzzles and playing the minigames. If you obtain enough points, you will unlock a special ending [easier said than done...!].
The relative simplicity, by comparison with the Large Files, as well as the absence of major difficulties makes this game an ideal and accessible introduction to the world of Nancy Drew.
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew - Secret Of The Old Clock
Venture into the past and outwit a cunning criminal before time runs out in Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock.
Overall rating
5
/
5
29 of 32 found this review helpful
Nancy's first investigation
PostedJanuary 17, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek
(21)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Invited by her friend Emily, the legal heir to an Inn which, because she is still under age, is run by Jane, her legal guardian, Nancy sets off to Titusville in her sports car.
As she arrives, she finds Emily quite distraught by the theft of her jewelry and witnesses a suspicious fire in the kitchen.
These events are sufficient for her to decide to stay for investigation purposes.
If you have already played one or two Nancy Drew investigations, you will be familiar with the first person view, the interaction with the different characters in the form of interactive dialogs which are important since they provide valuable information and clues, reading books and notes to the same purpose and picking up useful items.
Naturally, Nancy will have to solve puzzles; they are all interesting, imaginative and challenging.
Minigames come intermittently and are good fun to play. All puzzles and minigames bear some sort of connection with the story.
A story which is clever, solid and rather engaging, like every other Nancy Drew investigation. I have played 13 of them and not once have I been disappointed by the plot. The suspense is complete till the end which is totally unexpected.
I enjoyed all of them, but I found this one particularly interesting and amusing: driving Nancy's sports car around town was good fun and so were the other minigames.
As for the very last part of the ending, that too was fun, but I won't say more lest I'd give too much away.
The visuals are impeccable as usual, highly detailed, drawn with talent and brightly colored.
Nancy's investigations are reputed for their difficulty. The Secret of the Old Clock is among the easiest and hence perfectly suited to anyone who is unfamiliar with Nancy's adventures as well as veterans.
As she arrives, she finds Emily quite distraught by the theft of her jewelry and witnesses a suspicious fire in the kitchen.
These events are sufficient for her to decide to stay for investigation purposes.
If you have already played one or two Nancy Drew investigations, you will be familiar with the first person view, the interaction with the different characters in the form of interactive dialogs which are important since they provide valuable information and clues, reading books and notes to the same purpose and picking up useful items.
Naturally, Nancy will have to solve puzzles; they are all interesting, imaginative and challenging.
Minigames come intermittently and are good fun to play. All puzzles and minigames bear some sort of connection with the story.
A story which is clever, solid and rather engaging, like every other Nancy Drew investigation. I have played 13 of them and not once have I been disappointed by the plot. The suspense is complete till the end which is totally unexpected.
I enjoyed all of them, but I found this one particularly interesting and amusing: driving Nancy's sports car around town was good fun and so were the other minigames.
As for the very last part of the ending, that too was fun, but I won't say more lest I'd give too much away.
The visuals are impeccable as usual, highly detailed, drawn with talent and brightly colored.
Nancy's investigations are reputed for their difficulty. The Secret of the Old Clock is among the easiest and hence perfectly suited to anyone who is unfamiliar with Nancy's adventures as well as veterans.
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew - Curse of Blackmoor Manor
Delve into legends lurking in an English mansion! As Nancy Drew, find out what hides in Blackmoor Manor.
Overall rating
5
/
5
30 of 35 found this review helpful
A difficult investigation, but so immersive and enthralling !
PostedJanuary 16, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek
(21)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
In this 11th release in the series, Nancy is sent to Blackmoor Manor to check on her neighbor's newly wed daughter. Upon arrival she sees red eyes glowing in the night and hears her name being whispered by eerie voices. The creepy atmosphere perpetuates itself inside with stories of curses, witches and werewolves.
The game is non linear. You can explore the Manor at will in any order, and interacting with the inhabitants depends on the time of day or night and on specific actions done in certain places. You can set the clock at a chosen time in order to talk to a particular character if you haven't been able to so so before.
As usual the graphics are extremely well crafted; every room, stairs, corridors, hallway are richly decorated thus making the manor a posh and cozy place to be in... were it not for the enigma and perhaps the latent danger.
Observation is a tool you will need to gather clues and information from the characters themselves, as well a books, documents, coats of arms and other different objects.
Here again, as it is always the case with Nancy, many puzzles await you. They are diffficult, especially if you play on Senior Level. The challenge culminates with the last puzzle which will delight all veterans but might be quite tough for beginners
The voice-acting is superb, with professional changes in tone within one same conversation, and the sound effects perfectly in harmony with the overall creepy atmosphere.
Plenty of things to discover, lots of clues to find, many characters to talk to, fun minigames to play, challenging puzzles, a solid and compelling storyline, several surprises, an unexpected ending, all of it wrapped up in a high quality production in which nothing is left to pure chance but is crafted with detail and talent.
Who could ask for more ?
The game is non linear. You can explore the Manor at will in any order, and interacting with the inhabitants depends on the time of day or night and on specific actions done in certain places. You can set the clock at a chosen time in order to talk to a particular character if you haven't been able to so so before.
As usual the graphics are extremely well crafted; every room, stairs, corridors, hallway are richly decorated thus making the manor a posh and cozy place to be in... were it not for the enigma and perhaps the latent danger.
Observation is a tool you will need to gather clues and information from the characters themselves, as well a books, documents, coats of arms and other different objects.
Here again, as it is always the case with Nancy, many puzzles await you. They are diffficult, especially if you play on Senior Level. The challenge culminates with the last puzzle which will delight all veterans but might be quite tough for beginners
The voice-acting is superb, with professional changes in tone within one same conversation, and the sound effects perfectly in harmony with the overall creepy atmosphere.
Plenty of things to discover, lots of clues to find, many characters to talk to, fun minigames to play, challenging puzzles, a solid and compelling storyline, several surprises, an unexpected ending, all of it wrapped up in a high quality production in which nothing is left to pure chance but is crafted with detail and talent.
Who could ask for more ?
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek
Play as Nancy Drew and do double duty as a maid and detective as you clean for clues.
Overall rating
5
/
5
24 of 28 found this review helpful
Impeccable in every respect
PostedJanuary 16, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek Strategy Guide
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
The developers of the Nancy Drew Series have a repute of consistency in design, quality and writing, which transpires once again in this investigation in Canada.
Icicle Creek Lodge has been the target of a series of explosions aimed at its destruction. Furthermore a white wolf has been sighted nearby several times. Can there be a connection ? Up to our young sleuth to unravel that mystery. In order to do that she has to operate undercover.
She thus needs to perform two jobs simultaneously; one as a maid [that's her cover], the oher as an investigator.
And that poses a few problems because she has to follow a tight schedule as a maid, cleaning rooms, preparing meals and so on and still find time to gather clues.
This aspect of the game may put off some players who care little about menial tasks, are not keen on time management and prefer to concentrate on the investigation. I must admit that playing as a maid interferes somewhat with the undercover tasks, is distracting and makes it more difficult to keep track of discoveries.
Yet, this is perfectly realistic.
Winters in Canada can be very harsh and being outdoors for a long while can lead to hypothermia and even death. There is a temperature gauge in the Lodge which tells whether it is safe to go out or not. When it is not, Nancy has no option but stay inside and wait for a better opportunity. This can actually be frustrating, since Nancy can never stay out for very long each time.
Like all her other adventures, this White Wolf is full of puzzles and minigames of various kinds. None are easy and none can be skipped. But they are all uncommon, challenging and gripping even if at times one wished they had been made easier.
Naturally, Nancy interacts with the characters at the Lodge. And, as always with Nancy, the storyline is top-notch and compelling.
The game is highly polished [again as always], with amazing graphics and well written dialogs.
This 16th installment, which is by no means an easy one, requires a lot of patience and perseverance to complete and may sometimes get on your nerves: one, because of the menial tasks that have to be done repetitively at certain times, two because you cannot go outside at will, only if the gauge indicates that doing so is okay or mildly dangerous, three because in this case all you can do is set your alarm clock to make the time pass, and four because once you have started a puzzle you have to finish it in order to progress.
This White Wolf is one of the most challenging investigations in the series. Completing it provides a deep feeling of satisfaction, that of having overcome all the difficulties.
Icicle Creek Lodge has been the target of a series of explosions aimed at its destruction. Furthermore a white wolf has been sighted nearby several times. Can there be a connection ? Up to our young sleuth to unravel that mystery. In order to do that she has to operate undercover.
She thus needs to perform two jobs simultaneously; one as a maid [that's her cover], the oher as an investigator.
And that poses a few problems because she has to follow a tight schedule as a maid, cleaning rooms, preparing meals and so on and still find time to gather clues.
This aspect of the game may put off some players who care little about menial tasks, are not keen on time management and prefer to concentrate on the investigation. I must admit that playing as a maid interferes somewhat with the undercover tasks, is distracting and makes it more difficult to keep track of discoveries.
Yet, this is perfectly realistic.
Winters in Canada can be very harsh and being outdoors for a long while can lead to hypothermia and even death. There is a temperature gauge in the Lodge which tells whether it is safe to go out or not. When it is not, Nancy has no option but stay inside and wait for a better opportunity. This can actually be frustrating, since Nancy can never stay out for very long each time.
Like all her other adventures, this White Wolf is full of puzzles and minigames of various kinds. None are easy and none can be skipped. But they are all uncommon, challenging and gripping even if at times one wished they had been made easier.
Naturally, Nancy interacts with the characters at the Lodge. And, as always with Nancy, the storyline is top-notch and compelling.
The game is highly polished [again as always], with amazing graphics and well written dialogs.
This 16th installment, which is by no means an easy one, requires a lot of patience and perseverance to complete and may sometimes get on your nerves: one, because of the menial tasks that have to be done repetitively at certain times, two because you cannot go outside at will, only if the gauge indicates that doing so is okay or mildly dangerous, three because in this case all you can do is set your alarm clock to make the time pass, and four because once you have started a puzzle you have to finish it in order to progress.
This White Wolf is one of the most challenging investigations in the series. Completing it provides a deep feeling of satisfaction, that of having overcome all the difficulties.
I recommend this game!
Pathfinders: Lost at Sea
Follow a mysterious signal to the middle of the ocean with Professor John Darby and explore an island that has magically appeared!
Overall rating
3
/
5
71 of 72 found this review helpful
A pure and straightforward HOG.
PostedJanuary 16, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy
(21)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Hidden Objects lovers should be happy playing this typical HOG which doesn't offer any activities and has only a few conventional puzzles.
The emphasis is on the HO Scenes which account for 90 % of the game.
The total linearity prevents any kind of exploration and the only difficulty is to find the tiny hidden objects scattered throughout overcrowded HO Scenes that follow one another without interruption.
The cursor goes whirling around every 3 misclicks, and hints take a bit of time to re-up.
The graphics are nice and bright and the main musical theme rather pleasant save that is turns in loops, and that is irritating.
A game suitable for rainy days that will bring sunshine into your home since the [lack of] action takes place on a tropical island one day the sun was out.
Recommended only in case of bad weather.
Note: Review based on the demo
The emphasis is on the HO Scenes which account for 90 % of the game.
The total linearity prevents any kind of exploration and the only difficulty is to find the tiny hidden objects scattered throughout overcrowded HO Scenes that follow one another without interruption.
The cursor goes whirling around every 3 misclicks, and hints take a bit of time to re-up.
The graphics are nice and bright and the main musical theme rather pleasant save that is turns in loops, and that is irritating.
A game suitable for rainy days that will bring sunshine into your home since the [lack of] action takes place on a tropical island one day the sun was out.
Recommended only in case of bad weather.
Note: Review based on the demo
I recommend this game!
Righteous Kill 2
Explore murder scenes and look for clues to unravel the mystery behind the Poet Killer before he can strike again!
Overall rating
3
/
5
28 of 32 found this review helpful
A lower-end detective story
PostedJanuary 16, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy
(21)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Although inspired by the film of same name starring Al Pacino and Robert de Niro, the game has nothing to do with it. It's simply the sequel of Righteous Kill #1 which... didn't have anything in common with the movie either.
Erika, an NYPD Detective is on the trail of a serial killer who leaves notes behind him on every crime scene.
The game consists in visiting various locations searching for clues, obtaining key items and searching through HO Scenes.
However, various activities are not without interest; they belong to the forensics field, such as taking blood samples, comparing bullets in the lab, identifying a suspect or reconstructing DNA chains.
The game is long with 11 chapters but, unfortunately, awfully repetitive. You keep revisiting the same scenes over and over in search for basically always the same sort of item, and even though ending back on the same scenes is justified by the story, seeing the same decor several times rapidly becomes tedious.
Hints are unlimited but they point at a hotspot and not at the item you're looking for.
The game starts off in quite a nice way but loses steam as the story draws towards the ending which is quite unexpected .
The dialogs don't add much to the storyline, acting more as fillers than as pertinent illustrations of the plot.
Intro and cutscenes are very basic and the graphics are okay but a bit cheap looking.
Far from being as good as the Women's Murder Club series and miles away from the quality of Art of Murder, this game is probably satisfying for HOG lovers [ whom my recommendation is addressed to] but disappointing for aficionados of adventures and detective stories.
Erika, an NYPD Detective is on the trail of a serial killer who leaves notes behind him on every crime scene.
The game consists in visiting various locations searching for clues, obtaining key items and searching through HO Scenes.
However, various activities are not without interest; they belong to the forensics field, such as taking blood samples, comparing bullets in the lab, identifying a suspect or reconstructing DNA chains.
The game is long with 11 chapters but, unfortunately, awfully repetitive. You keep revisiting the same scenes over and over in search for basically always the same sort of item, and even though ending back on the same scenes is justified by the story, seeing the same decor several times rapidly becomes tedious.
Hints are unlimited but they point at a hotspot and not at the item you're looking for.
The game starts off in quite a nice way but loses steam as the story draws towards the ending which is quite unexpected .
The dialogs don't add much to the storyline, acting more as fillers than as pertinent illustrations of the plot.
Intro and cutscenes are very basic and the graphics are okay but a bit cheap looking.
Far from being as good as the Women's Murder Club series and miles away from the quality of Art of Murder, this game is probably satisfying for HOG lovers [ whom my recommendation is addressed to] but disappointing for aficionados of adventures and detective stories.
I recommend this game!
Sea Legends: Phantasmal Light Collector's Edition
After their yacht is sunk by an incredible storm, Jane and Mike are separated in Sea Legends: Phantasmal Light!
Overall rating
4
/
5
26 of 39 found this review helpful
Decent but not phantasmatically fantastic
PostedJanuary 15, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy
(21)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
While on a cruise, our heroes, Jane and Mike, suddenly encounter a mysterious sign in the sky. We don't know what it is but it is bad news as it triggers a storm that causes the boat to capsize and wash the couple ashore. Mike gets abducted. To what purpose ? Up to Jane to unravel that mystery and save Mike.
Under a sky as dark and heavy as lead, on two inhospitable rocky islands, gloom, wrecks, skeletons and graves are from then on going to be Jane's daily bread.
There isn't much novelty in this blend of HO Scenes and adventure. Apart from some puzzles that are slightly different from the sempiternal classics, everything is pretty much standard.
Actions and exploration are fairly limited; there isn't a profusion of locales; finding the traditional useful items [crowbar, hammer, etc...] and using them neither present any difficulty nor require deep thinking, and the same HO Scene is often repeated twice.
All HO Scenes are interactive, messy and filled with useless items, half the hidden objects are difficult to spot without using the Hint System which doesn't re-up very fast and doesn't give any indication as to what to do next, although getting stuck is improbable since the world you're in is rather restricted. However it does let you know when there is nothing more to do for now in a particular area. Misclicking is accepted on the easier level.
The tasks are listed in the journal which also contains the story, the puzzles can be skipped, there is a choice between 2 Modes, no wide screen option apparently, a good intro with very decent voice-overs, equally good cutscenes and a fairly well rendered spooky atmosphere.
The artwork is fine though not extraordinary, dark as required by the circumstances and the decor.
Basing this review on the demo, I cannot tell whether the storyline holds the road all along, whether it is gripping or not and whether the conclusion is satisfactory.
1 hour took me well into Chapter 2 without rushing, out of 6 chapters for the main game + the extra one for the CE. The whole game might be short especially for fast players.
To conclude, nothing in this game impressed me or enthralled me; I have no intent to buy the CE and will skip the SE too. For me this is a 3.5 star game [but I'll round that up to 4] that can be used as a filler.
Under a sky as dark and heavy as lead, on two inhospitable rocky islands, gloom, wrecks, skeletons and graves are from then on going to be Jane's daily bread.
There isn't much novelty in this blend of HO Scenes and adventure. Apart from some puzzles that are slightly different from the sempiternal classics, everything is pretty much standard.
Actions and exploration are fairly limited; there isn't a profusion of locales; finding the traditional useful items [crowbar, hammer, etc...] and using them neither present any difficulty nor require deep thinking, and the same HO Scene is often repeated twice.
All HO Scenes are interactive, messy and filled with useless items, half the hidden objects are difficult to spot without using the Hint System which doesn't re-up very fast and doesn't give any indication as to what to do next, although getting stuck is improbable since the world you're in is rather restricted. However it does let you know when there is nothing more to do for now in a particular area. Misclicking is accepted on the easier level.
The tasks are listed in the journal which also contains the story, the puzzles can be skipped, there is a choice between 2 Modes, no wide screen option apparently, a good intro with very decent voice-overs, equally good cutscenes and a fairly well rendered spooky atmosphere.
The artwork is fine though not extraordinary, dark as required by the circumstances and the decor.
Basing this review on the demo, I cannot tell whether the storyline holds the road all along, whether it is gripping or not and whether the conclusion is satisfactory.
1 hour took me well into Chapter 2 without rushing, out of 6 chapters for the main game + the extra one for the CE. The whole game might be short especially for fast players.
To conclude, nothing in this game impressed me or enthralled me; I have no intent to buy the CE and will skip the SE too. For me this is a 3.5 star game [but I'll round that up to 4] that can be used as a filler.
I recommend this game!