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:
Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts Collector's Edition
After Sara inherits a home, she discovers that a restless spirit can speak to her! Help her sooth Emily’s soul in Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts!
Overall rating
4
/
5
64 of 72 found this review helpful
Interesting little game
PostedDecember 15, 2011
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
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Ghostly and mildly spooky this game has a few interesting features and some novelties -though nothing truly extraordinary- which I will not unveil here to let you discover them. The intro is rapid and simple, the music, very dramatic at first, becomes softer but tends to get irritating at times. The artwork is well crafted, neat, skilfully colored. Equally good are the voice-overs and the cutscenes. All the HOS's are neat, the items clear and not difficult to find except, maybe, a couple per scene. But the friendly Hint System recharges fast, random clicking is not penalized, thus making each search a pleasant task even for players like me who are not crazy about pure HOs. Hunting the useful objects is also quite pleasant and easy. For most of them, their use is pretty logical and natural, but many actions are unusual due to the element of novelty mentioned above. You sometimes have to think out of the box in order to successfully perform a task. The puzzles are very easy, and I know that some of you are going to growl because of that... as I did, even though I find it relaxing to have something easy to tackle every now and then. The locales are interesting, you don't have to backtrack an awful lot, the objectives are clearly stated but reside in the SG, and the game lets you know when an area has been cleared. There isn't a map; however, the game being fairly linear, no one should lose his way to the point of despair. You have 3 different modes; I played the demo on Casual; the other two modes will slightly increase the difficulty for the searches and should not affect the minigames. Even on Hardest, the game should remain very manageable. All in all a decent release, quite enjoyable, but which, unfortunately does not offer a high challenge level. I have no information as to how long the game will last, probably around 6 hours as a wild guess. Sadly enough, I have the feeling that Realm of Ghosts will be fine as a SE but not as a CE since, in my opinion, it's difficult to award this game anything above 4 stars. The best is to play the demo before making any decision.
I recommend this game!
Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen Collector's Edition
Journey into the mythical Snowfall Kingdom and investigate the disappearance of children in Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen!
Overall rating
2
/
5
17 of 25 found this review helpful
All that glitters is not gold
PostedDecember 15, 2011
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships
(21)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 huge lure without much substance. Apart from the usual hunt for useful objects that spices things up a bit, neither the HOS's nor the puzzles are enticing. At least in the first two chapters since the demo doesn't give access to the rest. There are too many HOS's anyway, highly detailed but boringly repetitive. In fact you spent most of your time finding fragmented objects. Even though these are very well crafted, having to go through the same sort of thing again and again rapidly becomes very tedious. There seems to be very few puzzles; those of the first two chapter failed entirely to enthrall me even though they have a slight aura of originality; and they are not difficult. So, where is the challenge in all this ? Nowhere. As for the storyline, nothing off the beaten tracks either. To me, and in spite of the impressive amount of 5 star ratings already awarded, the quality of the game does not justify a purchase.
I don't recommend this game.
The Island: Castaway 2
Discover The Island’s past as you travel back in time! Explore the familiar paths and take on new quests in The Island: Castaway 2!
Overall rating
2
/
5
12 of 29 found this review helpful
Good training for a marathon
PostedDecember 14, 2011
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships
(21)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
I've never done so much running around as on that island. No wonder the poor kid (the hero) is always hungry. That set aside, I didn't find anything interesting to do during the whole of the demo which I decided to download out of pure curiosity since I never tried this type of game before. To be blunt, that game bored me to tears. No exciting action whatsoever, only repetitive tasks, not the slightest bit of challenge and far too much blah blah. I spent half the time listening to endless dialogues. The objectives are not all that clear, the ultimate goal is fairly obscure - I suppose it gets clearer as you progress in the game, no puzzle to solve, just talk, run, talk, run, and perform menial tasks....... Though clear and pleasantly colored, the graphics are not in the least sophisticated. Yet I was stunned by the quality of the script and the voive-overs. They are truly professional. Still, the whole "adventure", which is mainly a matter of public relations - why is it in the strategy category ? - is so oversimplistic as to be unlikely to satisfy gamers - especially grown-ups - used to more substance, true adventure and tougher nuts to crack. I guess you need to be a real fan of the genre to appreciate it. However much I would like to please those who like it, I cannot possibly recommend this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Chicken Invaders: Ultimate Omelette Christmas Edition
The Chicken Invaders are back and it’s up to you to stop them in this Christmas themed Action & Arcade game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
89 of 100 found this review helpful
Hilarious to the 10th power
PostedDecember 14, 2011
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships
(21)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
If you have never played any of the Chicken Series, try this one. You will ROFLYHO (H for "head"). Guaranteed. This latest installment is actually a bit more difficult than the previous ones, thus offering a good level of challenge. I am certain you will appreciate the developers' sense of humor because it is just irresistible. First the concept which is not only original but also totally zany; one might even say "ridiculously funny": hordes of chickens from outer space invading the Earth ! A simple idea but very effective. Then the introduction which I will not unveil lest I spoil your fun in so doing. I loved the cute little spaceship, the reactions, comments, and behavior of its pilot, the voice-over, and the stupid happy look of those chickens ballet dancing before being turned into burgers. Even the title: Ultimate Omelette ! LOL. It's a shoot'em up, and, obviously, like in all shoot'em ups every sequence is but one variation on a theme. This means that the degree of repetitiveness is high, but the fairly wide choice of weapons, the different types of crazy ballets, the powerups and collectibles, combined with the fact the game doesn't take itself seriously, and above all the omnipresent humor, turn what could have been a bore into a highly enjoyable experience that brought tears to my eyes of too much laughing. Now, of course, it is true there isn't much difference between this edition and the previous ones, basically. Just a few new twists. So, if you have played the others in the series you might not be tempted by this one. Nonetheless, there are so few hilarious games around that why not have a real good laugh for a few hours ? I own the Easter Edition -although I usually never go for arcade games- and I think I'll get this one too, simply beacuse it is very funny.
I recommend this game!
The Keepers: Lost Progeny
Track down your real parents in The Keepers: Lost Progeny! After growing up an orphan, a mysterious photo showing your parents arrives!
Overall rating
3
/
5
60 of 81 found this review helpful
Did you say gloomy ?
PostedDecember 14, 2011
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
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
If that game was to be turned into a movie, it would probably fall into the horror category. The hint-giver skull says it all. So, expect a Close Encounter of the Eerie Kind with corpses, skeletons, sinister locales, dark rooms, and somber scenes. The morbid atmosphere is actually well rendered by a superb artwotk displaying all shades of blue solely brightened up by small doses of contrasting redish colors in the right places, and the action taking place at nightime. HOS's items are not difficult to find for these scenes are neatly drawn. Same thing for the useful objects. In fact, there is no real difficulty in this game. The puzzles didn't fry my brain and all are pretty classic except a couple which are a bit out of the ordinary. There is one I liked, but I didn't find the others very interesting. The Hint System recharges fast and also tells you what to do next whenever you are at a loss. The music isn't bad at all, fairly soft at times, and never disturbing. A few things are somewhat bizarre, like what happens to the dog in the introduction, or using a motorcycle bulb on a table lamp. But, well, it's a game after all, isn't it ? Not a great deal of originality in the tasks either; they are, let's say, traditional. The voice-overs aren't bad, but I didn't really like the way the characters have been drawn; the concierge is ugly, the kids look diabolical -maybe they are ? The demo didn't let me find out, it stopped after 45 mns of play. Which takes me to the gamelength: by that time I was at the beginning of Chapter 2. So 4 chapters at that rate give a total of 180 minutes. Quite a short game, unless the other 3 are longer ! So, I have a dilemna. Shall I recommend this game or not ? Yes to those who want something easy and quick, no to those who don't. As for me it's a no-buy.
I recommend this game!
Mountain Crime: Requital
Someone is killing the guests at a mountain resort, and you could be next if you don't figure out the mystery and solve a Mountain Crime!
Overall rating
5
/
5
58 of 65 found this review helpful
Payback can be nasty !
PostedDecember 14, 2011
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
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
The developers have sucessfully managed to devise a rather machiavelic plot full of suspense and unexpected twists, which holds the road quite well and thickens as it slowly unfolds. The introduction is neither particularly original nor outstanding, but what seems to start off as a routine job rapidly turns into a surprising investigation. Requital is a very good adventure that kept me glued to my comp for a good 6.5 hours non-stop. More than just a game for rainy days, it has a lot to offer. The artwork is varied and very pleasant to the look, though not overly sumptuous, with quite a few scenes to explore and re-explore. The voice-overs are not bad at all in the form of comments or interactive dialogs, and always come up at the right time. The same applies to the cutscenes. So does the incidental music which is played at certain moments only, and never lasts very long. Here the music is used to emphasize. Although there's a fair amount of bouncing from here to there, that's never a hassle thanks to three aids: a map giving your current location and where you have to perform some action, the detailed objectives and the Hint System that not only helps you find hidden items but also shows you where to go next if you've lost your way. All HOS's are fairly neat, only a few items are a bit difficult to find, and they are all given as drawings (not silhouettes) of what they look like, in sets of circular boxes. You will have plenty of useful items to look for and no less actions to perform; none are so far-fetched as to get you desperately stuck; in fact they are all moderately difficult. Puzzles and minigames are plentiful too, all of them good fun, highly solvable, except three that are a bit tricky, and with a few innovations. The only criticisms I could make would bear on the replayability factor since half the enjoyment lies in not knowing "who dun it and why", the playtime which I found a bit too short and the level of diffficulty which was somewhat low for me. Yet I enjoyed Requital very much and I do hope you will share the pleasure I had playing it. It's a 4.5 star rating from me.
I recommend this game!
Time Mysteries: The Ancient Spectres
Take on Time Mysteries: The Ancient Spectres, a challenging Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game! Stop the evil witch Viviana!
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 8 found this review helpful
Spectrally disappointing.
PostedDecember 13, 2011
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice
(23)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This game is loaded with difficult HOS's, a feature that should ravish all fans of the genre, including those who, like me, are not crazy about them -I often say I wouldn't be certain to spot an elephant in a well-lit corridor... LOL. That's not quite true. The reason it might appeal to less seasoned HO hunters is that the Hint System doesn't need recharging; it's permanent, hence overgenerous. A judicious idea because every HOS is a monster clutter filled to the brim with junk items, lots of which are tiny and eye-straining. Now, if you want to skip them, a super exciting minigame awaits you as a substitute: "blocks of balls busting" (or whatever it's called). The puzzzles are few and far between and hardly impressive. The accent is placed on hunting useful objects -something that suits my adventurous tastes a lot more- scattered through different eras which you travel to and fro by means of a time device. I rather liked that feature; makes a nice change to the usual routine. The rest is okay with decent graphics, a fairly atmospheric music and even a couple of funny things like the scene where a fire is burning; click on it and hear the voice-over say... "FIRE !" Not everything in this game is highly logical though, and the amount of entertainment you will derive from it largely depends on your taste for and skills at finding small HOs. Easier are the puzzles and I would have been a happier camper had they been a wee bit more challenging. I must confess I bought it on impulse after playing the demo, believing the game would become more and more exciting as I would go along. Well, that was a disappointment, I'm sorry to say. The Ancient Spectres is a true rainy day game which I should have kept for that occasion instead or never purchased in the first place. But since it is not bad, 3 stars seem a fair rating to me. However, I suggest you try the demo first and see for yourself.
I recommend this game!
9: The Dark Side Collector's Edition
End a centuries-old war between the Guardians and the Clan of the Nine in 9: The Dark Side!
Overall rating
5
/
5
33 of 39 found this review helpful
A festival of puzzles
PostedDecember 13, 2011
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
I see I am not the only one being hooked up upon completion of the trial version. This one is a definite buy for me too. I agree the voice-overs sound a bit weird 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 crafted graphics, not that many locales but all of them splendidly rendered, neat HOS's with objects not too difficult to find, a generous hint system, objectives clearly stated, a decent stroyline, a mildly eerie atmosphere and, of course, the traditional useful-object-hunt. But the application of these utilities seems to always respond to logic, at least in the demo. With five chapters, three game modes, lots of awards to earn, and a good level of challenge, gameplay is bound to be fairly long provided one doesn't sneak peek into the SG too often. But that's not all ! What about the puzzles/minigames then ? As my title suggests, there is a multitude of them, of all kinds, classics or innovations, 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 and are skippable. Patience is often the key to the solution, anyway. I particularly appreciated the fact that the CE's demo gives you access to the entire SG and all the extras, thus providing all the information we need prior to a purchase to determine why we should buy the CE rather than the SE. 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 and c) I have a weakness..... I love parking lot type slider puzzles #available only in the bonus chapter). "Play Favorite Games" did very well indeed for a first-timer and I gladly give them a 4.5 star rating (rounded up to 5).
I recommend this game!
Temple of Life: The Legend of Four Elements Collector's Edition
After an archeologist releases the element of water, it’s up to you to restore the balance of the elements!
Overall rating
4
/
5
50 of 62 found this review helpful
Does Archeology appeal to you ?
PostedDecember 11, 2011
Rescue_helo
fromLondon (UK) - French Alps
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice
(23)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Having the trial version as sole foundation to this review, and the trial giving access to the first chapter only, my rating concerns solely that chapter in the absence of all the rest. I hope the other chapters will justify my appraisal. The story isn't new since you play the role of a lovely young female archeologist embarked on an Indiana Jones type quest.... guess where ? In Egypt ! But never mind. Even on the harder of the two available modes, this adventure isn't a difficult one. I cannot tell at this stage whether the storyline is gripping no more than I can assess the level of difficulty of the subsequent chapters. There is no voice-over, only scripts, and the music is pretty insignificant though not at all obtrusive. Now the goodies ! No skeleton, I'm sorry, but plenty of... no I won't tell you because it would be a spoiler; all I can say is that it's a kind of new feature that acts like a permanent minigame and rewards you with extra hints and trophies.There are trophies for all sorts of achievements; we are starting to get used to that as more and more games seem to offer this little extra and this too is part of the fun; it's nice to see your panel filled up. But the strength of this adventure lies in the HOS's, the hunt for useful objects and the puzzles. Like the rest of the artwork, the HOS's are clear, neat, lively colored, uncluttered, interactive and with items easy to find. Hints are limited to 5, but they are not really necessary. The puzzles are good, some are classics, others are innovative, all are challenging yet not frustrating. The objectives are clearly stated. There doesn't seem to be a profusion of scenes to explore per chapter, but there's plenty to do in each. With four chapters for the main story plus a "secret mission" as a bonus, I would estimate the total playtime to about 8 hours. The game is relaxing and quite good. Is it good enough to justify the extra expense on the CE, especially if, like me, you are only interested in the bonus chapter ? I'm not sure..... but I am tempted.
I recommend this game!
XIII - Lost Identity
Help XIII find his true identity in this mysterious Adventure game! With a host of enemies and danger at every turn, XIII needs your help!
Overall rating
1
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
A Zero Star Beauty
PostedDecember 11, 2011
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
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
You actually have to download the demo to realize how bad that game (if you can call it that !) really is and how right all the reviewers who awarded it one star have been. In fact it's worth no star at all. It's not a game, it's a farce, the perfect example of what an adventure should never be like. Not exactly a booster for the image of Dargaud-Lombard (Dargaud-Benelux#, the famous belgian publisher, specialized in comics, mentioned in the credits section #alongside with the belgian developers of the game#, and who published the original comic book this flop is based on. I first got irritated by the constant blah-blah in the form of scripts popping up every 10 seconds. Then I wondered how on earth anyone can produce such lame graphics which actually seem to be hastily shot photos, and I don't call that artwork. I was gratified with the same two pitiful scenes #the house and the street# during the first 30 minutes of the trial, without any possibility of getting out of either until the game decided I could; I hate being babysitted ! Many items in the HOS's are just impossible to find without hints, especially in the fourth scene #street#, where you get the black silhouettes of what you are supposed to find; only snag, these silhouettes represent nothing identifiable. In all cases, listed or silhouetted, the items are given one by one, a feature I don't really like. And how exciting these searches are !.... find, cotton pieces, towels, laundry, 10 mussels #on the beach#, 10 roaches.... ! Wow ! Don't count too much on the hint system either: not only is it stingy but it also fails to work half the time. Now, you might think the disaster is limited to only that, and that something, somehow, somewhere will sparkle your interest. Forget it. I haven't told you the worst. Puzzle #1: the most difficult jigsaw puzzle ever invented !.... You have to place ONE large piece in the right spot.... there is only ONE spot ! Then a FPS minigame in which you have to kill 9 or 10 bad guys...click, click and you're done. Pathetic ! The cherrry on the cake ? Puzzle #2: slide the taxi out of the parking lot; sole problem, the cab doesn't face the exit #it's not on the same axis, but above it) and can only be moved left or right, not up and down. No way to solve it, you have to skip it ! Do I need to add that I exited after 40 minutes of this nonsense ?
I don't recommend this game.