rebeccartist's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:294
- Reviews Submitted:19
- First Review:March 21, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 8, 2014
- Featured reviews0
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
Dive into an epic journey as a museum owner in pursuit of an undead pirate who has kidnapped your daughter in Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart!
Overall rating
2
/
5
21 of 30 found this review helpful
Graphically beautiful doesn't equal great game
PostedMay 21, 2012
rebeccartist
fromBay Area, California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This review is based upon the hour long demo, because I did not want to buy the game. I am going way against the tide here on BFG (no pun intended), after looking over the other reviews. But, the gorgeous graphics and wide screen aspect and cinematic cut scenes were not enough to overcome a very simple (and boring) game.
I have a lot of respect for the developers (Artifex Mundi) and have enjoyed more than one of their prior games. They were challenging games with some difficult puzzles and good HO scenes, along with having beautiful, immersive graphics.
This game held my hand way too tightly. Every (non difficult) step was explained to me. Conversations felt like little more than being told what to do. The daughter character was-- well, annoying. The VO actor for her sounded like a 10 year old [something I've been noticing in games with VOs - the women characters often sound like children but that's a whole 'nuther issue....] -- and the strange concept that she would be telling her mother what to do when her mother (me) is the director of the museum..... made no sense.
Incredibly, deeply, supremely disappointing. I was really looking forward to this one. Yes, the graphics are fantastic. The cut scenes are cool and very fun. The game play -- what there is of it -- is so easy it felt tiresome. That's the best description of my gaming experience that I can think of. Tiresome.
I don't recommend this game.
Return a valuable idol in Kate Arrow Deserted Wood! Help Kate travel deep into the jungle in this fun Hidden Object game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
25 of 28 found this review helpful
Good, classic adventure / hog
PostedMay 18, 2012
rebeccartist
fromBay Area, California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It's been a while since I played this game, but I still hold it in my mind as one of the better games I've played at BFG. The graphics are crisp and clear, not to mention bright and sunny (until nightfall :) ) - much more like standard adventure games. (Meaning not casual games). Kate Arrow is a strong woman character, who fixes mechanical things, flies a plane, crashes on an island, and eventually takes on some bad guys. There is interaction with a native population on the island; I liked that part of it. The puzzles were challenging, on the whole, as I remember it. There were some easy ones, but I remember a few that had me going.
I played this on my older XP system and had zero technical problems. I don't know how it would play on Win7. There isn't an option for difficulty level (this was made before that became common in casual adventure games). There isn't a strategy guide in the game.
I've always been on the lookout for a sequel. There is a charm to this game that I really loved, and would jump at the chance to play another by these devs, whoever they are.
I recommend this game!
Use your Hidden Object skills to track down and stop the notorious Sweeney Todd! Find crucial clues to piece together the mystery.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 7 found this review helpful
Creepy, but fun
PostedMay 16, 2012
rebeccartist
fromBay Area, California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Yeah, creepy and gruesome -- that's Sweeney Todd in a nutshell. And this doesn't really back off of the gruesome aspect. It does have musical interludes, which I thought was a kick (I love musical theater). The music itself gets a bit monotonous by the end, but I applaud the effort.
The game is a long, challenging game. That's good. The HOG scenes are plentiful and they really require some concentration -- both in terms of seeing the object and in terms of knowing names of period objects. It did look like most everything was true to period (I think, if I remember rightly).
My only annoyance was the Inspector's constant voice in my "ear." Him, I could have done without. (Why do devs think that having somebody continually mocking your efforts = fun gaming experience?? Am I the only person on this planet who does not think "rude" = "funny" ?) I tried turning the sounds off, but I missed the environmental atmosphere.
Some of the inventory tasks veered into the completely ridiculous, but on the whole, I enjoyed the game play.
I would play another Penny Dreadfuls.
I recommend this game!
Find mystery, magic, and romance in this Hidden Object game! Play as Dela Reese and escape China with the love of your life.
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Great puzzles
PostedMay 16, 2012
rebeccartist
fromBay Area, California
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
From the other reviews, you get the impression that there is a ton of romance in this game, a great storyline re: same, and all in all it's like playing a novel. The story is not to my tastes, but that's a personal judgment. It's okay, as romances go, kind of sweet, simplistic, kind of Harlequin (I assume, I should say, since I've never read one). The VO acting was well done, compared to some games when the VO folks are reading a script and many times reading it poorly. The artwork for the "personal storyline" scenes (as opposed to the game scenes) was kind of crude -- crude in quality, not in content :-).
For me, all of that was irrelevant. The game play was what drew me in. You mostly find a list of 10 of this, 7 of that, over and over, in order that you can play the puzzles. Every scene has puzzles - puzzle boxes, puzzle doors, jigsaw-type puzzles, a variation on the pipes puzzle that gets more challenging as the game progresses. I was very impressed with the puzzles. They were not easy; they were fun to accomplish; they were often variations on standard puzzles, but unique variations.
I had a great time with them, and was sorry that the game was over simply because I wanted more puzzles to solve :).
Had a hard time rating this one. 4 stars because of the game play and the puzzles (a few of which should have received 5).
I recommend this game!
A Magnetic Adventure
Use a small magnet to solve physics-based puzzles that will stretch your gray matter in ways you never imagined!
Overall rating
5
/
5
13 of 14 found this review helpful
Great, unique, challenging game
PostedApril 8, 2012
rebeccartist
fromCalifornia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I, too, thought, "What?" when I saw the name of this game. Then I saw that it was about magnets. And I said, "Huh?" Then I read the reviews. Then I tried it. Then I smiled broadly and became lost in the challenges and the creativity, and fell in love with one very cute magnet! What a great game! My one and ONLY complaint is that it's too short. Too short :)! So much fun, so much brain work, so many smiles, so many "Yes!" hisses when I solve another one.
Great game!! More, please?
I recommend this game!
Save Captain Nemo from the evil Dardell in Nemo’s Secret: Vulcania! After being trapped, it’s up to you and Alice to set Captain Nemo free!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Decent sequel from quality developer
PostedApril 8, 2012
rebeccartist
fromCalifornia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
A Magnetic Adventure
(30)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I played both this and the first game, and though I enjoyed the first one more, this was a very good game. One of the things that sets these games apart from so many is the art direction. The colors are bright, the period details of the environment and the hidden objects is great. The first game felt like there were more interesting environments, but that's because you weren't trapped on one island with pretty much the same of ambiance everywhere, like you are with this game.
The puzzles were good - some were unique, and at least a couple of them were quite challenging. I enjoyed the puzzles, even if they were easy (and some were a piece of cake), they were presented nicely.
My main complaint was that there were times when the action necessary to move through the game was too obscure. I'm all for challenge. I'm not into illogical moves. I don't enjoy having to use a hint because I couldn't figure out that what looks like a drain or a hole to fit something *into* is actually something I'm supposed to fish out of the water and then use in a completely nonsensical way. That's simply not fun for me.
Basically a good sequel. The game developers do quality work. I wish BFG would give us a way to easily find out the names of developers -- say, of games we've played in the past but no longer have on our computers. I don't understand why that information is not on the website.
Thanks, developers, for another fun time!
I recommend this game!
Find the Tomb of Isis and finish the search that Robert's Grandpa started! Travel the globe and find clues that will help you!
Overall rating
4
/
5
29 of 44 found this review helpful
Good sequel, but has its annoyances
PostedMarch 28, 2012
rebeccartist
fromCalifornia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I would rate this a 3.5 rather than 4. I had fun playing it, but had to overcome a major annoyance factor in doing so -- every single time the characters appear onscreen, you must click them away, click them through their dialogue, click them click them click click click. Your finger stays on the button and rarely rests. They appear constantly, whenever you look at something in detail, and why that is? No idea. Felt really silly and pointless (and annoying :) ). And the characters tell you what to do more often than not when it's really not necessary. If I'm looking at a lock, I think I can figure out that I need to find some way to open it without Robert popping up to tell me that ::sigh:: .
That said, I enjoyed switching between the two characters; I loved the HOG scenes; I enjoyed the story and the immersive hunt; the length was good; I loved the artwork and the general ambiance of almost every location. I would have liked to explore the places in Venice more - the movement there was very limited (made me wonder if the game devs were running out of time by that point in the process). Puzzles were sometimes challenging and sometimes very easy. Ending section was too brief, and too easy, imho.
Would have liked a little easier way to deal with the inventory, as well. Click (on exactly the right spot) to open it, click (on exactly the right spot) to look at something, or grab it, and if you miss the inventory closes..... etc.
Mixed feelings about this. Has the bones of a *great* game, and instead it is a good (and annoying) one. Recommend, with reservations.
I recommend this game!
20 years ago a terrible accident destroyed most of Cyan City. Now, Monica returns to uncover the secrets of her childhood!
Overall rating
2
/
5
22 of 31 found this review helpful
Wow
PostedMarch 26, 2012
rebeccartist
fromCalifornia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Cons:
1. Poor writing & storyline - the heroine is both too dumb to know how to get into the city by crossing the bridge and yet has immediate encyclopedic knowledge of the technology surrounding her. Info dump galore, via her mouth. Makes no sense.
2. S*x kitten heroine, as a teenager? Really? Demographics for these games, again? Pre-teen boys? I don't think so.
3. The voice acting is... bad.
4. Easy puzzles.
5. Unduly complex tasks that ultimately make little sense (to me, anyway) in the context of this created environment. Former townspeople need to get through a gate? Good luck, since one must jump through 10 hoops to get the gate open.
6. Pandering to the women gamers (actual demographic of these games from my understanding) by having the scientists be women. As long as they're male-defined gorgeous, that is. Sorry, devs, didn't work on me.
1. Poor writing & storyline - the heroine is both too dumb to know how to get into the city by crossing the bridge and yet has immediate encyclopedic knowledge of the technology surrounding her. Info dump galore, via her mouth. Makes no sense.
2. S*x kitten heroine, as a teenager? Really? Demographics for these games, again? Pre-teen boys? I don't think so.
3. The voice acting is... bad.
4. Easy puzzles.
5. Unduly complex tasks that ultimately make little sense (to me, anyway) in the context of this created environment. Former townspeople need to get through a gate? Good luck, since one must jump through 10 hoops to get the gate open.
6. Pandering to the women gamers (actual demographic of these games from my understanding) by having the scientists be women. As long as they're male-defined gorgeous, that is. Sorry, devs, didn't work on me.
Pros, because I feel the need to find something:
1. Artwork of the river and long shots of the town was nice.
2. Fills my widescreen monitor without losing aspect ratio.
3. Difficulty choice = good.
4. No sparkles = good.
1. Artwork of the river and long shots of the town was nice.
2. Fills my widescreen monitor without losing aspect ratio.
3. Difficulty choice = good.
4. No sparkles = good.
Goodness, I don't understand the positive reviews here. I have not been this disappointed and fed up with a game like this one in a long time.
I don't recommend this game.
Save your sister and uncover the secrets of an ancient organization in Silent Nights: The Pianist!
Overall rating
4
/
5
24 of 25 found this review helpful
Fun, quality game
PostedMarch 21, 2012
rebeccartist
fromCalifornia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Pros:
1) Inventory puzzles are logical (rarely do you use a light saber to slice through a gate, or a potted plant to shove open a window, that kind of "wha?" thing that you would never think of on your own). You use, 90% of the time, what would logically be needed to proceed with an inventory-based task. I liked that.
1) Inventory puzzles are logical (rarely do you use a light saber to slice through a gate, or a potted plant to shove open a window, that kind of "wha?" thing that you would never think of on your own). You use, 90% of the time, what would logically be needed to proceed with an inventory-based task. I liked that.
2) The game progressed in a mostly logical way. In order to ultimately save sister, you have to find her, and in this game that means that you are physically moving through a bombed out city (Paris) geographically toward your sister. There is no maze-like hunting for no reason, even if the reason was forced upon you by the devs. I never felt like I was wandering in a totally aimless manner, like so many games these days.
3) The period design of this game is stellar. *Stellar.* I *loved* it. I loved the HOGs because each and every single item in those scenes was true to period (ca. 1946). At least as far as I could tell. I applaud the devs. for their attention to detail, because I know how hard that must have been and they did a fantastic job. 5 stars alone for that.
4) The VO work was good enough that it wasn't annoying.
Cons:
The only disappointment I felt was in re: the puzzles (mini-games). Some were really fun (meaning hard), but some weren't hard enough for me. The other con was the storyline, which was fine enough, but, I don't know, was maybe not quite developed enough to engage me? Or, it stretched credulity a bit too much? Sorry, I can't put my finger on it, but I wasn't all that engaged in the storyline. Obviously, I didn't care a great deal that I wasn't that engaged, because I still had a lot of fun with this game.
The only disappointment I felt was in re: the puzzles (mini-games). Some were really fun (meaning hard), but some weren't hard enough for me. The other con was the storyline, which was fine enough, but, I don't know, was maybe not quite developed enough to engage me? Or, it stretched credulity a bit too much? Sorry, I can't put my finger on it, but I wasn't all that engaged in the storyline. Obviously, I didn't care a great deal that I wasn't that engaged, because I still had a lot of fun with this game.
Neither pro nor con:
The bonus content was good, in that it was more game play, and had some nice detailed touches in how it referenced the main game, but it was difficult to be engaged in it given the ultimate task. Had one very good puzzle in it. Hard to talk about without spoilerfying. Worth it? Hard to answer.
The bonus content was good, in that it was more game play, and had some nice detailed touches in how it referenced the main game, but it was difficult to be engaged in it given the ultimate task. Had one very good puzzle in it. Hard to talk about without spoilerfying. Worth it? Hard to answer.
Bottom line -- wonderful ambiance; wonderful attention to detail; great idea to set a game in Paris immediately after WWII; nice, logical, immersive progression through the tasks at hand; and fantastic period design work = fun gaming experience.
I recommend this game!