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:
Ruin
You friend, Sandra, has asked you to help find her missing sister! Rebuild two houses to uncover a shocking mystery!
Overall rating
5
/
5
27 of 27 found this review helpful
A brain teasing puzzle quite different from the norm.
PostedJanuary 4, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion
(29)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
You never know what may come out of BFG's treasure trove, and that's why I am always on the lookout for novelties and puzzles they may release. Seek no further...for now... Ruin is a true little gem.
The aim of the game: arrange a set of colored marbles in disorder to reproduce the pattern given as a model..... in a minimum of moves.
Each marble moves only left or right, up or down; some move in both directions.
So, shouldn't be much of a problem, should it ?
Not quite. The game is easy to learn, difficult to master.
There is no timer but you get a kudo for every level completed in the strict minimum of moves.
If you get stuck you can restart [reset the board] without penalty. You can also undo a move if you think it's the wrong one.
You must complete each level before moving on to the next one.
And as you probably have guessed, the difficulty increases with each level.
The interface is very pleasant, the graphics are very simple but neat and vividly colored and gameplay is very fluid.
The New Age style music is quite good and very relaxing.
It is a brain teaser based on a very simple yet very novel concept. Something that needed to be invented. That's done, for our pleasure.
Highly recommended, suitable for anyone, kids and grown-ups alike.
Note: this review is based on the trial version
The aim of the game: arrange a set of colored marbles in disorder to reproduce the pattern given as a model..... in a minimum of moves.
Each marble moves only left or right, up or down; some move in both directions.
So, shouldn't be much of a problem, should it ?
Not quite. The game is easy to learn, difficult to master.
There is no timer but you get a kudo for every level completed in the strict minimum of moves.
If you get stuck you can restart [reset the board] without penalty. You can also undo a move if you think it's the wrong one.
You must complete each level before moving on to the next one.
And as you probably have guessed, the difficulty increases with each level.
The interface is very pleasant, the graphics are very simple but neat and vividly colored and gameplay is very fluid.
The New Age style music is quite good and very relaxing.
It is a brain teaser based on a very simple yet very novel concept. Something that needed to be invented. That's done, for our pleasure.
Highly recommended, suitable for anyone, kids and grown-ups alike.
Note: this review is based on the trial version
I recommend this game!
9: The Dark Side
End a centuries-old war between the Guardians and the Clan of the Nine in 9: The Dark Side!
Overall rating
5
/
5
184 of 215 found this review helpful
A great blend of HO, Adventure and Puzzles
PostedJanuary 4, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
9: The Dark Side Collector's Edition
(104)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I have been hooked up by this game, immediately upon completion of the trial version, purchased the CE on BFG's Special Offer and I am now in the process of playing it.
The voice-over is quite good though sounding a bit weird at times, giving the impression the text is being read too cautiously, hence a lack of natural flow, and the repetitive music becomes rapidly tedious.
But these are mere trivia largely made up for by everything else in the game: well worded script, good sound effects, well crafted graphics, detailed, vividly colored and very artistic, not that many locales but all of them splendidly rendered, neat HO Scenes with objects not too difffcult to find, a generous hint system, objectives clearly stated, a decent storyline reminiscent of Templar, a mildly eerie atmosphere and, of course, the traditional useful-object-hunting.
Tasks are interesting and putting the useful items to use always responds to logic. No special difficulty here, but enough to make you think.
With five chapters, three game modes, lots of awards to win, and a good level of challenge, gameplay is fairly long provided one doesn't sneak peek into the SG or the walkthrough too often.
But that's not all ! What about the puzzles/minigames then ? Well, there is a multitude of them, of all kinds, classics or innovations [some are unique], random or logical, easy or...not so easy. The less seasoned players among us will be happy to find that all the puzzles in this game can be reset [a plus] and are skippable, although they can all be solved with a bit of patience and ingenuity. Instructions for the puzzles are clear. Another plus
In this case I have chosen the CE because a] I think the game is worth it, b] the bonus chapter offers a better conclusion although the ending of the core game is very satisfactory, and c] I have a weakness..... I love parking lot type slider puzzles (available only in the bonus chapter). Besides, BFG's Special Deal was so good it would have been a shame to miss it.
The developing company did very well indeed for a first-timer, putting in a great deal of effort, work and talent to offer us one of the best games presently available. I gladly give this game a 4.6 star rating [rounded up to 5] and I am definitely looking forward to playing more games by this company.
The voice-over is quite good though sounding a bit weird at times, giving the impression the text is being read too cautiously, hence a lack of natural flow, and the repetitive music becomes rapidly tedious.
But these are mere trivia largely made up for by everything else in the game: well worded script, good sound effects, well crafted graphics, detailed, vividly colored and very artistic, not that many locales but all of them splendidly rendered, neat HO Scenes with objects not too difffcult to find, a generous hint system, objectives clearly stated, a decent storyline reminiscent of Templar, a mildly eerie atmosphere and, of course, the traditional useful-object-hunting.
Tasks are interesting and putting the useful items to use always responds to logic. No special difficulty here, but enough to make you think.
With five chapters, three game modes, lots of awards to win, and a good level of challenge, gameplay is fairly long provided one doesn't sneak peek into the SG or the walkthrough too often.
But that's not all ! What about the puzzles/minigames then ? Well, there is a multitude of them, of all kinds, classics or innovations [some are unique], random or logical, easy or...not so easy. The less seasoned players among us will be happy to find that all the puzzles in this game can be reset [a plus] and are skippable, although they can all be solved with a bit of patience and ingenuity. Instructions for the puzzles are clear. Another plus
In this case I have chosen the CE because a] I think the game is worth it, b] the bonus chapter offers a better conclusion although the ending of the core game is very satisfactory, and c] I have a weakness..... I love parking lot type slider puzzles (available only in the bonus chapter). Besides, BFG's Special Deal was so good it would have been a shame to miss it.
The developing company did very well indeed for a first-timer, putting in a great deal of effort, work and talent to offer us one of the best games presently available. I gladly give this game a 4.6 star rating [rounded up to 5] and I am definitely looking forward to playing more games by this company.
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion
In a house full of trap doors and secret tunnels and suspicious fires, one misstep means Nancy won't stand a ghost of a chance!
Overall rating
5
/
5
94 of 100 found this review helpful
One of Nancy's first hits.
PostedJanuary 3, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
(13)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
The title may lead players to think the Mansion is loaded with ghosts lurking in creepy corners and sinister basements. Not at all. The spookiness is limited to such things as a faint sound or something moving briefly somewhere. There is nothing frightening here and the game is perfectly suitable for younger players..... as well as adults.
Message in a Haunted Mansion is an older game, Nancy's third investigation actually. It has this lovely old fashioned atmosphere that emanates from those cozy Victorian style houses built early in the century, and the scent of leather and persian carpets.
The graphics convey this old fashioned ambiance quite successfully with a chinese bedroom full of red, tapestries, and antiques, a library with its collection of old books that have sustained the assaults of time, a nicely decorated kitchen, corridors and stairwells.
The action takes place in this closed-up surrounding, from room to room until the conclusion.
Rose, the tenant of this house, wants to convert it into a B & B. Much to her worry, a series of unfortunate events and accidents puts a stop to her plans. Up to Nancy to elucidate the enigma.
Which she actually does with brio, as always.
One thing I like in the Nancy Drew series, and this one is no exception, is how you intereact with the various characters, dialoguing with them, thereby obtaining important clues and some direction and learning a little about the background story of the house and its inhabitants. But in all her conversations, Nancy has to be careful and diplomatic lest Rose might take umbrage and dismiss her. But if something goes awry there is always a "Try Again" in the form of a Second Chance Button.
Inevitably, Nancy has to solve intriguing puzzles; they all are nicely integrated in the storyline, require only common sense, but no puzzle is triggered unless she has gathered all the clues pertaining to it.
These puzzles are classics and based on logic. Nothing far-fetched, nothing out of this world, nothing left to the trial and error method, no place for random. Some are trickier than most, although perfectly solvable, and make you think deeply, others a lot easier.
Details have been pushed quite far to contribute to the rendering of an oldish and semi-eerie atmosphere: floors crack, stairs creak, doors squeak on their hinges; you hear muffled voices, footsteps and rain.
Like in another of her investigations, Nancy can set the time on her clock as certain tasks can only be performed at specific times. Nice feature.
Saying the game is easy would be wrong. It's very challenging, non-linear, and extremely immersive. The story is solid, engrossing with a fair degree of complexity, and a good ending.
Finally, the professionalism of the developers also transpires in the quality of the voice-overs, the well-worded dialogs, and the right sounds at the right moments.
A superb adventure, not overly difficult, ideal as an introduction to the world of Nancy Drew for those who do not know her yet
Message in a Haunted Mansion is an older game, Nancy's third investigation actually. It has this lovely old fashioned atmosphere that emanates from those cozy Victorian style houses built early in the century, and the scent of leather and persian carpets.
The graphics convey this old fashioned ambiance quite successfully with a chinese bedroom full of red, tapestries, and antiques, a library with its collection of old books that have sustained the assaults of time, a nicely decorated kitchen, corridors and stairwells.
The action takes place in this closed-up surrounding, from room to room until the conclusion.
Rose, the tenant of this house, wants to convert it into a B & B. Much to her worry, a series of unfortunate events and accidents puts a stop to her plans. Up to Nancy to elucidate the enigma.
Which she actually does with brio, as always.
One thing I like in the Nancy Drew series, and this one is no exception, is how you intereact with the various characters, dialoguing with them, thereby obtaining important clues and some direction and learning a little about the background story of the house and its inhabitants. But in all her conversations, Nancy has to be careful and diplomatic lest Rose might take umbrage and dismiss her. But if something goes awry there is always a "Try Again" in the form of a Second Chance Button.
Inevitably, Nancy has to solve intriguing puzzles; they all are nicely integrated in the storyline, require only common sense, but no puzzle is triggered unless she has gathered all the clues pertaining to it.
These puzzles are classics and based on logic. Nothing far-fetched, nothing out of this world, nothing left to the trial and error method, no place for random. Some are trickier than most, although perfectly solvable, and make you think deeply, others a lot easier.
Details have been pushed quite far to contribute to the rendering of an oldish and semi-eerie atmosphere: floors crack, stairs creak, doors squeak on their hinges; you hear muffled voices, footsteps and rain.
Like in another of her investigations, Nancy can set the time on her clock as certain tasks can only be performed at specific times. Nice feature.
Saying the game is easy would be wrong. It's very challenging, non-linear, and extremely immersive. The story is solid, engrossing with a fair degree of complexity, and a good ending.
Finally, the professionalism of the developers also transpires in the quality of the voice-overs, the well-worded dialogs, and the right sounds at the right moments.
A superb adventure, not overly difficult, ideal as an introduction to the world of Nancy Drew for those who do not know her yet
I recommend this game!
Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen
Journey into the mythical Snowfall Kingdom and investigate the disappearance of children in Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen!
Overall rating
2
/
5
43 of 82 found this review helpful
All that glitters is not gold
PostedJanuary 3, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
(13)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Clad in a wonderful, shiny armor of sumptuous graphics, with a pleasant soundtrack and stunning cutscenes, this game is in fact a highly decorated iceberg without much substance.
Apart from the usual hunt for useful objects that spices things up a bit, I haven't found anything in either the HO Scenes or the puzzles which might induce me to buy this game. At least in the first two chapters since the demo doesn't give access to the rest.
There are too many of these HO Scenes anyway for my taste, all highly detailed, yes, but boringly repetitive.
Spending a whole hour trying to find bits and pieces of items scattered all over the place, despite their being well crafted, having to go through the same sort of search over and over again rapidly becomes very tedious, for there isn't much difference, basically, between those different scenes as they all look alike more or less. This is not at all my idea of a fun game.
Fragments, yes, that's fine, provided they are not hardly recognizable and come in small amounts.
There seems to be very few puzzles; those of the first two chapters, by far too simple, failed entirely to enthrall me even though they have a slight aura of originality .
There isn't a profusion of tasks to perform either and all are simple, not requiring much mental effort.
I would probably have liked the game better had it offered a lot less of this type of HO scenes, switched between them and interactive scenes in which you need to combine items and open or move objects, added more interesting tasks, and supplied us with a set of good puzzles and minigames.
So, where is the challenge in all this ? I didn't find it.
As for the storyline, nothing off the beaten tracks either.
A sheer pity, really, for the game has a true potential that, unfortunately, hasn't been fully exploited.
To me the quality of the game as it is does not justify a purchase nor a high rating.
Apart from the usual hunt for useful objects that spices things up a bit, I haven't found anything in either the HO Scenes or the puzzles which might induce me to buy this game. At least in the first two chapters since the demo doesn't give access to the rest.
There are too many of these HO Scenes anyway for my taste, all highly detailed, yes, but boringly repetitive.
Spending a whole hour trying to find bits and pieces of items scattered all over the place, despite their being well crafted, having to go through the same sort of search over and over again rapidly becomes very tedious, for there isn't much difference, basically, between those different scenes as they all look alike more or less. This is not at all my idea of a fun game.
Fragments, yes, that's fine, provided they are not hardly recognizable and come in small amounts.
There seems to be very few puzzles; those of the first two chapters, by far too simple, failed entirely to enthrall me even though they have a slight aura of originality .
There isn't a profusion of tasks to perform either and all are simple, not requiring much mental effort.
I would probably have liked the game better had it offered a lot less of this type of HO scenes, switched between them and interactive scenes in which you need to combine items and open or move objects, added more interesting tasks, and supplied us with a set of good puzzles and minigames.
So, where is the challenge in all this ? I didn't find it.
As for the storyline, nothing off the beaten tracks either.
A sheer pity, really, for the game has a true potential that, unfortunately, hasn't been fully exploited.
To me the quality of the game as it is does not justify a purchase nor a high rating.
I don't recommend this game.
Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull
Play as Nancy Drew and find an unearthly artifact before it falls into the wrong hands!
Overall rating
5
/
5
36 of 38 found this review helpful
Brilliant
PostedJanuary 3, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Hallowed Legends: Templar Collector's Edition
(135)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
This 17th title in the Series takes our famous sleuth in company of Bess to New-Orleans on a long weekend that was planned as a relaxing one, going shopping, sight-seeing, night-clubs and enjoying the local cuisine. Relaxing ? Hmmm, not for long.
Having decided upon arrival to visit a friend's uncle, recently deceased, she is assaulted by a weird character who throws a smoke grenade at her. Some people have no manners....!
And thus ends this relaxing weekend before it started. Nancy decides to investigate. Once a sleuth, always a sleuth, especially when directly concerned.
Like in all her other investigations, this Legend is pure adventure. NO HOG. Notes and clues are stored in her diary as well as hints for puzzle solving.
And this is what I enjoy most, true adventure, in which linearity is kept down to a minimum
I like the interaction with the other characters in the story, the questions/answers that provide you with info and valuable clues. For this reason they should not be skipped.
In this Legend, you will actually sometimes play as Nancy or Bess, her best friend, whom Nancy asks to go downtown run various errands for her, all of which related to the investigation.
The action is not limited to exploring the mansion, but extends to its surroundings.
All locales are professionaly rendered; the details in the various rooms of the house, the gardens, the mausoleums....
Professional too, are the music, sound effects, voice-overs, dialogues, the attitude and reactions of the characters, thus endowing this investigation with a high degree of realism.
But don't think for one second Nancy has an easy task. Not only does she have to put clues gathered here and there together to be able to come up with something coherent and solve the mystery, but she has also to tackle puzzles which, for some, range from non-obvious to tricky. In addition, several minigames spice up the whole adventure.
The storyline, as always with Nancy, is pretty solid and most engaging. I caught myself totally absorbed in the plot to the extent that I forgot to have a decent meal and resorted to quickly made sandwiches.
I like the way she makes you think out of the box, always challenging your wits, always stimulating your own skills as a wannabe investigator. Especially on the hardest of the two levels: Senior Detective.
With a creepy atmopshere, and plenty of things to do and find, never being led by the hand but free to explore at will in any order, free also to talk to characters even if it is not the right moment and they have nothing to add to what hey told you before, this Legend is one of the best production from the developers, totally immersive and brilliantly compelling.
Highly recommended.
Having decided upon arrival to visit a friend's uncle, recently deceased, she is assaulted by a weird character who throws a smoke grenade at her. Some people have no manners....!
And thus ends this relaxing weekend before it started. Nancy decides to investigate. Once a sleuth, always a sleuth, especially when directly concerned.
Like in all her other investigations, this Legend is pure adventure. NO HOG. Notes and clues are stored in her diary as well as hints for puzzle solving.
And this is what I enjoy most, true adventure, in which linearity is kept down to a minimum
I like the interaction with the other characters in the story, the questions/answers that provide you with info and valuable clues. For this reason they should not be skipped.
In this Legend, you will actually sometimes play as Nancy or Bess, her best friend, whom Nancy asks to go downtown run various errands for her, all of which related to the investigation.
The action is not limited to exploring the mansion, but extends to its surroundings.
All locales are professionaly rendered; the details in the various rooms of the house, the gardens, the mausoleums....
Professional too, are the music, sound effects, voice-overs, dialogues, the attitude and reactions of the characters, thus endowing this investigation with a high degree of realism.
But don't think for one second Nancy has an easy task. Not only does she have to put clues gathered here and there together to be able to come up with something coherent and solve the mystery, but she has also to tackle puzzles which, for some, range from non-obvious to tricky. In addition, several minigames spice up the whole adventure.
The storyline, as always with Nancy, is pretty solid and most engaging. I caught myself totally absorbed in the plot to the extent that I forgot to have a decent meal and resorted to quickly made sandwiches.
I like the way she makes you think out of the box, always challenging your wits, always stimulating your own skills as a wannabe investigator. Especially on the hardest of the two levels: Senior Detective.
With a creepy atmopshere, and plenty of things to do and find, never being led by the hand but free to explore at will in any order, free also to talk to characters even if it is not the right moment and they have nothing to add to what hey told you before, this Legend is one of the best production from the developers, totally immersive and brilliantly compelling.
Highly recommended.
I recommend this game!
Timeless: The Forgotten Town Collector's Edition
Escape from a town that is lost in time and space! Explore the mysterious city and solve its riddles to make it home!
Overall rating
4
/
5
56 of 58 found this review helpful
A HO/Adventure with many new twists
PostedJanuary 3, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Haunted Manor: Queen of Death Collector's Edition
(140)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I am wondering why this game hasn't received a warmer welcome, being seemingly ignored by the majority. It is full of ingenuity and imagination.
Not only does it offer many HO Scenes - a feature that should delight the aficinados of the genre, and even ravish those who are not too keen on them, for they are all very pleasant to play, although at times a bit cluttered - but also many puzzles and minigames you don't find in other games; some are very original, others are classics with a twist [except one].
I had fun playing them as I had fun performing the tasks and visiting the various locations well crafted with taste and talent.
The HO Scenes do not always come with the usual shopping lists, but also with silhouettes, and with objects you need to move aside in order to find the items buried underneath. Interesting !
I particularly liked the beginning, the voyage in the french bullet train that suddenly turns into an old choo-choo.
And for once I didn't have to mute my speakers: the music is not bad at all and there is even a very nice piece that would do well as the main theme of a western or a war movie.
Still, the game is not perfect and one could deplore its shortness [4 hours for the SE] without skipping anything, the absence of voice-overs, the amount of bactracking which increases half way through the game, the lack of a map [although the Hints show you where to go if you get stuck], and the very last part of the ending which is quite unecessary.
The storyline is another classic, a ghost story mixed with an evil magician who stops time in and around a town.
It's a full 4 star game which I can only recommend, on account of its novelties, several challenging puzzles, good minigames, and many interesting actions to perform.
Not only does it offer many HO Scenes - a feature that should delight the aficinados of the genre, and even ravish those who are not too keen on them, for they are all very pleasant to play, although at times a bit cluttered - but also many puzzles and minigames you don't find in other games; some are very original, others are classics with a twist [except one].
I had fun playing them as I had fun performing the tasks and visiting the various locations well crafted with taste and talent.
The HO Scenes do not always come with the usual shopping lists, but also with silhouettes, and with objects you need to move aside in order to find the items buried underneath. Interesting !
I particularly liked the beginning, the voyage in the french bullet train that suddenly turns into an old choo-choo.
And for once I didn't have to mute my speakers: the music is not bad at all and there is even a very nice piece that would do well as the main theme of a western or a war movie.
Still, the game is not perfect and one could deplore its shortness [4 hours for the SE] without skipping anything, the absence of voice-overs, the amount of bactracking which increases half way through the game, the lack of a map [although the Hints show you where to go if you get stuck], and the very last part of the ending which is quite unecessary.
The storyline is another classic, a ghost story mixed with an evil magician who stops time in and around a town.
It's a full 4 star game which I can only recommend, on account of its novelties, several challenging puzzles, good minigames, and many interesting actions to perform.
I recommend this game!
Princess Isabella: Return of the Curse
Defeat the witch for the last time with the help of your trusty Fairy sidekick and a brand new friend you recently met!
Overall rating
4
/
5
17 of 20 found this review helpful
A cute sequel of a lovely fairy tale.
PostedJanuary 2, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Hallowed Legends: Templar Collector's Edition
(135)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Although not quite as spectacular as the first installment, Isabella #2 is still a pretty good blend of HO and adventure, which would, perhaps, appeal more to younger players than grown-ups. After all it's a fairy tale. But I am a grown-up -at least I think I am- and I liked what I saw in the demo.
The graphics, bright and detailed are very well crafted, yet they lack the sumptuosity of the original.
The little fairy and the baby dragon are cute, with perhaps a bit of a chirpy voice each, but their high pitch fits in the context, and in any case the voice-overs can be muted..
It is obvious that the developers have put in a great deal of time and effort to produce a quest that is both lovely and engaging,
Many features are good fun; I loved the fairy's and dragon's special abilities that enable them to break and bonk various things, the evil laughing puppets, the numerous locales, the interaction with the animated characters, the puzzles which although they are classics still provide good entertainment, considering also that some can be tricky in advanced mode as you get no instructions, and, basically, the whole concept which even though it opposes good vs evil never slides towards the morbid side exploited by too many recent -and older- games.
Hints are generous, and the game helpful in that it tells you when an area is clear. Navigation is no problem.
All in all a nice little game that deserves a good 4 star rating and which in spite of a few minor imperfections is rather addictive
The graphics, bright and detailed are very well crafted, yet they lack the sumptuosity of the original.
The little fairy and the baby dragon are cute, with perhaps a bit of a chirpy voice each, but their high pitch fits in the context, and in any case the voice-overs can be muted..
It is obvious that the developers have put in a great deal of time and effort to produce a quest that is both lovely and engaging,
Many features are good fun; I loved the fairy's and dragon's special abilities that enable them to break and bonk various things, the evil laughing puppets, the numerous locales, the interaction with the animated characters, the puzzles which although they are classics still provide good entertainment, considering also that some can be tricky in advanced mode as you get no instructions, and, basically, the whole concept which even though it opposes good vs evil never slides towards the morbid side exploited by too many recent -and older- games.
Hints are generous, and the game helpful in that it tells you when an area is clear. Navigation is no problem.
All in all a nice little game that deserves a good 4 star rating and which in spite of a few minor imperfections is rather addictive
I recommend this game!
Autumn's Treasures: The Jade Coin
Help Autumn find her grandfather’s treasures in this Hidden Object Adventure game! Follow his clues across the globe!
Overall rating
5
/
5
61 of 64 found this review helpful
Good Ol' Vintage
PostedJanuary 2, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Hallowed Legends: Templar Collector's Edition
(135)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
One of the features I liked in this quest is the absence of pure HO Scenes, those junkpiles that pop up in most games and make you find a multitude of useless, too often invisible, thingies in order to get the one useful item that you need in order to progress.
Here you search for fragments of useful objects only.
Another nice feature is the amount of tasks you have to perform. They are all interesting, even funny at times like what you need do in the Mayan Ruins, as one instance, and there are so many of them that you don't have time to get bored.
Tasks and object use are neither far-fetched either, nor the result of the figment of a developer's imagination; they all respond to logic; some of them, being quite unusual and not all that obvious, require good thinking and being creative.
The emphasis being placed essentially on actions, the number of puzzles is limited; all of them are simple, not overly tricky, yet enjoyable. The first minigame in Sri Lanka is good fun, the second original.
From Seattle to Boston via different countries through 9 long chapters, there are many locations to visit, each artistically hand-drawn, lively colored, at least equal in quality, if not superior, to the graphics of several recent releases.
The Jade Coin is an older game which offers enough inventiveness and challenge to compete with newer ones and provide many hours of enjoyment.
The one hour demo is not enough to truly appreciate this adventure as it gets better and better with every chapter. A 4.6/4.7 star game [rounded up to 5] that deserves to be played till the end.
Here you search for fragments of useful objects only.
Another nice feature is the amount of tasks you have to perform. They are all interesting, even funny at times like what you need do in the Mayan Ruins, as one instance, and there are so many of them that you don't have time to get bored.
Tasks and object use are neither far-fetched either, nor the result of the figment of a developer's imagination; they all respond to logic; some of them, being quite unusual and not all that obvious, require good thinking and being creative.
The emphasis being placed essentially on actions, the number of puzzles is limited; all of them are simple, not overly tricky, yet enjoyable. The first minigame in Sri Lanka is good fun, the second original.
From Seattle to Boston via different countries through 9 long chapters, there are many locations to visit, each artistically hand-drawn, lively colored, at least equal in quality, if not superior, to the graphics of several recent releases.
The Jade Coin is an older game which offers enough inventiveness and challenge to compete with newer ones and provide many hours of enjoyment.
The one hour demo is not enough to truly appreciate this adventure as it gets better and better with every chapter. A 4.6/4.7 star game [rounded up to 5] that deserves to be played till the end.
I recommend this game!
Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny
A mysterious package begins an epic duel of minds between FBI agent Nicole Bonnet and a ruthless serial killer!
Overall rating
5
/
5
75 of 77 found this review helpful
Another Art of Murder Hit
PostedJanuary 2, 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 Phantom of Venice
(23)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Art of Murder Investigations are never simple but always enthralling. This installment is no exception to the rule. The storyline is, again like always in the series, quite gripping and realistic.
What I like in those investigations is not solely the investigation per se, that you conduct virtually as you would conduct one in real life, but also the logic behind everything little thing.
I also like them because they never babysit you, they never lead you by the hand and tell you "You need to go there". No. You are alone with your intelligence, your wits, your logic.
I like visiting locations in any order and thinking deeply about what I need to do next, about how I am to use this or that object.
I also like the absence of these sempiternal HO Scenes in which you are tasked with finding artichokes, rubber ducks, umbrellas and other useless nonsense of like kind.
In Cards of Destiny, the graphics are superb, the atmosphere gloomy, the tasks numerous, the locales to explore in good number and diversified, and the puzzles original and challenging. The high quality of the voice-overs and soundtrack turn this investigation into a truly immersive one.
Yes, I am a fan of Nicole, as I am a fan of Nancy [Drew] and an adept of Large Files. And no, I am not exaggerating when I assert that the Art of Murder Series is top-notch and worth playing.
Highly recommended.
Note: I didn't see any bugs or glitches.
What I like in those investigations is not solely the investigation per se, that you conduct virtually as you would conduct one in real life, but also the logic behind everything little thing.
I also like them because they never babysit you, they never lead you by the hand and tell you "You need to go there". No. You are alone with your intelligence, your wits, your logic.
I like visiting locations in any order and thinking deeply about what I need to do next, about how I am to use this or that object.
I also like the absence of these sempiternal HO Scenes in which you are tasked with finding artichokes, rubber ducks, umbrellas and other useless nonsense of like kind.
In Cards of Destiny, the graphics are superb, the atmosphere gloomy, the tasks numerous, the locales to explore in good number and diversified, and the puzzles original and challenging. The high quality of the voice-overs and soundtrack turn this investigation into a truly immersive one.
Yes, I am a fan of Nicole, as I am a fan of Nancy [Drew] and an adept of Large Files. And no, I am not exaggerating when I assert that the Art of Murder Series is top-notch and worth playing.
Highly recommended.
Note: I didn't see any bugs or glitches.
I recommend this game!
Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls Collector's Edition
After being summoned to a mysterious manor, you must unravel the story of an ancient evil and discover your destiny before it’s too late!
Overall rating
3
/
5
54 of 78 found this review helpful
An Average Game with Nice Graphics
PostedJanuary 1, 2012
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew - Curse of Blackmoor Manor
(23)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
The storyline is simple and unoriginal. Your mission: escape a manor in which an evil spirit has trapped you and take Sarah [a ghost] with you.
Just as unsophisticated is the intro, although the voice-over isn't bad and sounds fairly natural.
The in-game music is soft and not unpleasant.
The graphics, though not exactly outstanding, are well drawn and nicely colored.
The game is more an adventure than a HOG as the emphasis is placed on tasks. These are all simple, unimaginative, similar to those you see in many other games such as.... fixing a broken bridge.
Most useful objects come in fragments scattered all over a scene; you need to find them and assemble them. There are not that many per scene and none present any real difficulty.
HO Scenes are few and far between, something much to my liking. They are a bit cluttered but neat enough for you to be able to spot the objects without trouble.
You can collect gold coins [which actually look like copper coins !], 4 per scene. Their purpose ? each set of coins gives you a photo of the location which is then stored on the map. The advantage is that this avoids backtracking as you can navigate from one locale to another just by clicking on the photos. However, collecting them is not compulsory as you can backtrack if you wish.
There is a total number of 28 locations to explore.
Hints recharge fast on the easier Mode and show you what to do next. However indications are a bit blurry so I had to keep my eyes peeled to see where I was being directed.
Puzzles and minigames are unimaginative, too, and not particularly challenging. There's no instruction but they can be skipped. I didn't see a Reset button.
The SG lets you have a glimpse at its 7 Chapters, but the Bonus Chapter is locked. Navigating from page to page is awkward; you have to use a slider at bottom left which does not respond very well.
I also noted that gameplay was not fluid, even jerky at times, which is astonishing for a 125 MB game running on my Quad Core.
And something weird: in order to access the dungeon cell and then the grotto you have to go through....the first floor of the manor ! Huuuuh ???
Playtime seems short as one hour of the demo took me almost to the end of Chapter 2 without rushing and even taking time to sneak peek into the SG to see if the CE was worth it.
This easy game is well suited to younger players or beginners, but may not satisfy seasoned players. In my opinion it is only worth between 3 and 3.5 stars, the CE not interesting enough to justify the extra expense and the SE should be sufficient. I suggest you try the demo and see how you like it. As for me, Curse at Twilight is not enthralling enough to be on my shopping list.
Just as unsophisticated is the intro, although the voice-over isn't bad and sounds fairly natural.
The in-game music is soft and not unpleasant.
The graphics, though not exactly outstanding, are well drawn and nicely colored.
The game is more an adventure than a HOG as the emphasis is placed on tasks. These are all simple, unimaginative, similar to those you see in many other games such as.... fixing a broken bridge.
Most useful objects come in fragments scattered all over a scene; you need to find them and assemble them. There are not that many per scene and none present any real difficulty.
HO Scenes are few and far between, something much to my liking. They are a bit cluttered but neat enough for you to be able to spot the objects without trouble.
You can collect gold coins [which actually look like copper coins !], 4 per scene. Their purpose ? each set of coins gives you a photo of the location which is then stored on the map. The advantage is that this avoids backtracking as you can navigate from one locale to another just by clicking on the photos. However, collecting them is not compulsory as you can backtrack if you wish.
There is a total number of 28 locations to explore.
Hints recharge fast on the easier Mode and show you what to do next. However indications are a bit blurry so I had to keep my eyes peeled to see where I was being directed.
Puzzles and minigames are unimaginative, too, and not particularly challenging. There's no instruction but they can be skipped. I didn't see a Reset button.
The SG lets you have a glimpse at its 7 Chapters, but the Bonus Chapter is locked. Navigating from page to page is awkward; you have to use a slider at bottom left which does not respond very well.
I also noted that gameplay was not fluid, even jerky at times, which is astonishing for a 125 MB game running on my Quad Core.
And something weird: in order to access the dungeon cell and then the grotto you have to go through....the first floor of the manor ! Huuuuh ???
Playtime seems short as one hour of the demo took me almost to the end of Chapter 2 without rushing and even taking time to sneak peek into the SG to see if the CE was worth it.
This easy game is well suited to younger players or beginners, but may not satisfy seasoned players. In my opinion it is only worth between 3 and 3.5 stars, the CE not interesting enough to justify the extra expense and the SE should be sufficient. I suggest you try the demo and see how you like it. As for me, Curse at Twilight is not enthralling enough to be on my shopping list.
I recommend this game!