sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,084
- Reviews Submitted:812
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:March 6, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The bad kids are taking over the Polar Express!
Overall rating
5
/
5
134 of 248 found this review helpful
GET ON BOARD FOR A GOLDEN HOLIDAY ADVENTURE
PostedDecember 9, 2021
sunnyglow
fromHere's what we know about Santa. He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good. I think he's with the NSA.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 64 pages (My Time: 7 Hours)
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 64 pages (My Time: 7 Hours)
Were you good or bad this year? If you were good (and we know you were), then board the Polar Express for a trainload of Christmas good cheer! Here is your golden ticket to experience an excellent game, one to usher in the holiday season. It is decked out in holiday cheer with snow, elves, reindeer, glistening Christmas trees, oodles of toys, and Santa, of course. This is a game which can be played by the entire family. Your help will be needed by Santa this year. He will have more than his share of headaches within this game as he battles some mean boys and a disgruntled elf. And always remember - Santa knows if you've been bad or good, "so be good for goodness sake!"
As usual, Domini does not disappoint with this game. They always provide more game for the money and this one is no exception. The graphics and musical background provide a game rich in the Christmas spirit. Bright and cheerful Christmas music (repeated "12 Days of Christmas" serenades throughout the game) sets the background for this game. The game has the same format as their previous games. There are three collectibles. The collectibles are morphing Christmas items, Christmas cards, and gingerbread cookies. After the game is completed, the player can read about holiday traditions in other parts of the world on the cards. I found this a nice touch. Upon completion of the game, the gingerbread cookies can be exchanged for items to decorate a boudoir with Christmas regalia.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 20 achievements.
• Collect 15 Christmas cards relating information about Christmas celebrations around the world
• Collect 15 morphing Christmas items
• Collect 70 gingerbread cookies to exchange to items to decorate a boudoir
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 19 mini-games
• 20 achievements.
• Collect 15 Christmas cards relating information about Christmas celebrations around the world
• Collect 15 morphing Christmas items
• Collect 70 gingerbread cookies to exchange to items to decorate a boudoir
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 19 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: Become Santa’s helper as you try to save Christmas from being destroyed by one of Santa’s disgruntled employees, an elf named Georgie. Time is of the essence as you try to keep Georgie from destroying elements which create Christmas magic. There are eight (8) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. I found this chapter a nice Christmassy addition to the game. For me, it is a worthy addition to make this game a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. The scenes are jam packed with Christmas items. They are varied in style. In my opinion, Domini provides some of the most ingenious and creatively designed HOP scenes. My favorite is one in which the player reads children’s letters to Santa Claus and then chooses the present alluded to in the letter. I also enjoyed searching for holiday desserts from around the world in one of the scenes. And as in previous games, a thematic Match-3 games can be played in lieu of the puzzles.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-eight (28) mini-games, nineteen (19) which can be replayed upon completion of the game. The majority can be played in either an easy or hard version. As in all their games you can choose the difficulty level in the menu; however, the difficulty can be changed while playing the puzzle. They are also varied in style, and the puzzles have been created to reflect the Christmas spirit of the game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE 12 MINI-GAMES OF CHRISTMAS APPEARING AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy: H = Hard)
1. Partridge in a pear tree. Map puzzle. Lead a balloon through the air avoiding birds within the path. Choose between 4 paths at the proper moment
2. Turtle Doves. E/H. Block puzzle. Move a red candy to the right end of a lock. Open the blocked paths by moving green candies to create a path for the red candy. The hard version has 2 scenes to solve.
3. French Hens. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch boards to restore a sign. In the easy version, the player can switch the 8 boards in any order while in the hard version, the boards can only be switched with adjoining boards.
4. Calling Birds. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Press on piano keys with notes imprinted on them so they match up sequentially with those on a sheet of music. The hard version has a longer sequence of notes
5. Gold rings. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Remove interconnected bars in sequential order. The easy version has 10 bars, and the hard version has 12.
6. Geese-a-Laying. Open 4 doors to 4 rooms and search for items which are out of place, then place them into their proper locations.
7. Swans-a-Swimming. E/H. Connection puzzle. Connect snowflakes in the proper sequence until all are connected. The harder version has more snowflakes to connect
8. Maids-a-Milking. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move keys along 5 different paths so each colored key matches up with is same-colored lock. The easy version has 4 keys and hard version has 5.
9. Ladies Dancing. E/H. Matching puzzle. On a circular grid with 3 rings, match up sets of 3 lights each which are the same color until all are lit. In the hard version, the rings of lights rotate after each move
10. Lords-a-Leaping. E/H. Checkers puzzle. Capture all your opponent’s tokens. Capture them by jumping over them. The hard version starts out with one more of your opponent’s token.
11. Pipers Piping. Sequence puzzle. Enter a 5-digit code using a dial on a circular grid to point to the items. The dial can be moved 3, 5, and 7 spaces either clockwise or counterclockwise.
12. Drummers Drumming. E/H. Sequence/Assembly puzzle. Select arrows to rotate and center crystal pieces to create a flower. Pieces must be placed in the proper sequence so all fit. The hard version has more pieces to assemble
2. Turtle Doves. E/H. Block puzzle. Move a red candy to the right end of a lock. Open the blocked paths by moving green candies to create a path for the red candy. The hard version has 2 scenes to solve.
3. French Hens. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch boards to restore a sign. In the easy version, the player can switch the 8 boards in any order while in the hard version, the boards can only be switched with adjoining boards.
4. Calling Birds. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Press on piano keys with notes imprinted on them so they match up sequentially with those on a sheet of music. The hard version has a longer sequence of notes
5. Gold rings. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Remove interconnected bars in sequential order. The easy version has 10 bars, and the hard version has 12.
6. Geese-a-Laying. Open 4 doors to 4 rooms and search for items which are out of place, then place them into their proper locations.
7. Swans-a-Swimming. E/H. Connection puzzle. Connect snowflakes in the proper sequence until all are connected. The harder version has more snowflakes to connect
8. Maids-a-Milking. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move keys along 5 different paths so each colored key matches up with is same-colored lock. The easy version has 4 keys and hard version has 5.
9. Ladies Dancing. E/H. Matching puzzle. On a circular grid with 3 rings, match up sets of 3 lights each which are the same color until all are lit. In the hard version, the rings of lights rotate after each move
10. Lords-a-Leaping. E/H. Checkers puzzle. Capture all your opponent’s tokens. Capture them by jumping over them. The hard version starts out with one more of your opponent’s token.
11. Pipers Piping. Sequence puzzle. Enter a 5-digit code using a dial on a circular grid to point to the items. The dial can be moved 3, 5, and 7 spaces either clockwise or counterclockwise.
12. Drummers Drumming. E/H. Sequence/Assembly puzzle. Select arrows to rotate and center crystal pieces to create a flower. Pieces must be placed in the proper sequence so all fit. The hard version has more pieces to assemble
I recommend this game!
When Santa’s sleigh is damaged as he’s leaving the North Pole on Christmas night, only one person can save the holidays. You!
Overall rating
5
/
5
108 of 169 found this review helpful
WRAPPED UP WITH THE MAGICAL PRESENCE OF CHRISTMAS
PostedDecember 2, 2021
sunnyglow
fromAt the North Pole searching for reindeer, elves, toys, and children’s letters- all well hidden within Santa’s state of the art robotic workshop!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Merry Christmas! Get ready to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of Christmas. This is a festive game chock full of Christmas goodies. If this game does not get you into the holiday spirit, nothing will!
I do not play most HOP games, preferring HOPA games instead. I played my first game from this developer last year and became a “Winter Wonderland” aficionada. This game is as good as the one I played last year and has a similar format as well.
It is a long game jam-packed with all the beauty and merriment of the holiday season. One thing I like about this game are the extra goodies which are provided such as the wide array of Christmas songs and Christmas wallpapers. I love the Christmas songs playing in the background. The menu allows you to choose between twenty (20) Christmas songs to listen to. Do you want to add Christmas wallpaper to spruce up your computer? There are eighteen (18) beautiful wallpapers to choose from. This year there is an advent calendar with twenty-five (25) numbered slots to open throughout the game, each containing a present.
The game consists of a series of HOP scenes in which you search for items within a festive Christmas environment including Santa’s headquarters at the North Pole As you locate items, you are rewarded coins which can be used to purchase Christmas presents.
Within the HOP scenes there are gold angels and lost objects to locate. A photo must be taken within some of the scenes. There are also many interactive activities to engage in to find some of the items. The scenes are jam packed with items and I found some difficult to locate. You can earn three (3) stars for each scene played - one for finding all the angels, one of finding all the lost items and one for finding all the items listed. You can also earn eighteen (18) achievements.
Alternating between the HOP scenes is a puzzle. The puzzles are varied. There are various types of picture puzzles - jigsaw puzzles, flipsaw puzzles, and rotating tiles puzzles. There are also other puzzles such as matching, word searches, concentration puzzles, and spot-the-difference puzzles. There are forty-eight (48) additional puzzles which can be played at the end of the game. In this game you are timed.
MECHANICS:
• Three levels of play – Casual, Challenge, and Extreme
• 48 additional puzzles to play
• Collect coins to purchase 16 Christmas presents.
• Collect gold angels and lost items
• 18 Lost and Found items within the scenes
• 18 Achievements
• 18 Wallpapers
• 20 Christmas songs to choose form as background music
• Advent calendar with 25 days, each hiding a present
• 48 additional puzzles to play
• Collect coins to purchase 16 Christmas presents.
• Collect gold angels and lost items
• 18 Lost and Found items within the scenes
• 18 Achievements
• 18 Wallpapers
• 20 Christmas songs to choose form as background music
• Advent calendar with 25 days, each hiding a present
FINAL NOTE: This game provides a lot of gaming pleasure for the price. Kudos to Casual Arts for another fantastic Yuletide delight.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a merciless arsonist from destroying San Francisco?
Overall rating
5
/
5
122 of 209 found this review helpful
A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING WEEKEND SURPRISE!
PostedNovember 27, 2021
sunnyglow
fromWhat a happy Thanksgiving weekend surprise! No turkey here – just a fantastic holiday treat.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 52 pages (My Time – 10 Hours)
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 52 pages (My Time – 10 Hours)
Enjoy sleuthing your way through a new crime mystery series from Domini Games. Play a budding crime reporter out to get the scoop on bizarre and seemingly unsolvable cases, all while helping solve the crime. In the premiere episode, find yourself in San Francisco where an arsonist known as the Plague Doctor is out to exact revenge upon those whom he feels escaped punishment. This game will not only test your detective skills, it will also test your endurance skills as you solve numerous puzzles and tackle many HOP scenes as well.
Domini again provides an exceptional game and one which I feel is worth every penny I paid for it. I do not mind paying for quality and this game is a good example of what a HOPA game should be. This is a very long game chock full of puzzles and HOP scenes. This game is one of the longest HOPA games I have ever played.
The framework for this game is the same as in most of their games. Most of the puzzles have the option to be played in either a hard or easy version. The difficulty of the puzzles can be set in the menu but can be changed while playing the puzzle if it seems too easy or too difficult. There are three collectibles, one of which is exchanged to outfit some room or office. There is a sidebar which lights up when a collectible is within a scene.
The story is excellent; however, there is a lack of surprise as to the evildoer. The player will know who the evildoers are before the end of the game. The game is a period piece with graphics reflecting San Francisco in the early 1900’s. The three collectibles are newspaper clippings, morphing building figurines and stone tokens. Two of the collectibles alternate between scenes. The stone tokens can be exchanged for items to outfit a newspaper office.
FINAL NOTE: There were two HOPA games out this week, something rare nowadays. If I were going to choose only one to play, it would be this one. It is far superior in my opinion than the other game. It is another little gem from this developer. This is my favorite developer for HOPA games, and this game is illustrative of what a HOPA game should be.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 38 achievements.
• Collect 15 newspaper clippings and 15 morphing building figurines
• Collect 70 stone tokens to exchange for items to furnish an office
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 19 mini-games
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 38 achievements.
• Collect 15 newspaper clippings and 15 morphing building figurines
• Collect 70 stone tokens to exchange for items to furnish an office
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 19 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story with the same crime reporter. This time you will travel to Quietown, New York to investigate the death of a recently divorced woman who finds herself in dire financial straits. After she borrows money from an unscrupulous moneylender, she ends up dead. Get some help from her ex-husband as you both try to discover who murdered her. This is a long chapter with five (5) HOP scenes and ten (10) mini-games. Continue to collect the three collectibles. This is an exceptional chapter and worthy of a collector’s edition designation.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes within the entire game. All can be replayed upon completion of the game. There is a variety of different styles. All are highly interactive, with some having puzzle-like aspects to them. For a developer who is best known for their mini-games, it should be noted they also provide some fantastic HOP scenes as well. Most of the scenes are standard lists of items, silhouette and those items which are located within a storybook setting. However, there are also matching scenes, cryptic clues scenes, spot the differences scenes, and search-and-replace scenes. My favorite is a scene in which items are located in sequential order, after which they are returned back within the scene to locate the next item on the list. And for those who dislike these scenes, Domini provides a thematic Match-3 game in lieu of the scenes.
MINI-GAMES: Domini does not disappoint in puzzle design. It always amazes me their genius in constructing puzzles which can be played in two different versions, easy or hard. Amazing! I counted thirty-four (34) puzzles within the game. However, there are a few instances when there are sequential puzzles, which I counted as one puzzle. Unfortunately, only nineteen (19) of these can be replayed upon completion of the game. I truly wish all could be replayed but understand the need for brevity in design.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE 34 MINI-GAMES FROM THE GAME: (E = EASY; H = HARD)
A. E/H. Weights and Balances Puzzle. Place weighted spheres on pedestals arranging them from lightest to heaviest. The easy version has 4 spheres and the hard has 6.
B. E/H. Sequence Puzzle. Open drawers in a cabinet to locate items which are then placed back into the scene in slots on the drawers. Upon placing an item, the drawer opens to disclose another item. Continue until all items are placed. Find items in the hard version in the dark with only the light of a flashlight.
C. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch pharmaceuticals and place them into the proper position on two shelves based upon clues on scraps of paper on the side. The easy version has 6 to switch and the hard has 8.
D. Map puzzle. Two-part puzzle. (1) Lead a horse through a path avoiding obstacles within its path. (2) Cross a street by moving the horse through oncoming car traffic.
E. E/H. Matching puzzle. Uncover leaves to match like symbols. The hard version has more leaves than the easy version.
F. E/H, Maze puzzle. Move an amulet to the other end of a grid by pressing piano keys – each one representing a direction and number of spaces it will move the amulet. The hard version has a more twisted path than the easy version.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Jigsaw puzzle. Assemble a picture by placing fragments into position. Fragments turn green when placed correctly. The easy version provides an outline of the image the hard version does not have.
H. E/H, Rope puzzle. Untangle a rope so no parts cross each other. Move knots.
I. E/H, Sequence puzzle. Press levers up-and-down to match those on a given diagram. Moving one lever affects the others. The hard version has 6 levers and the easy has 4. 3X
B. E/H. Sequence Puzzle. Open drawers in a cabinet to locate items which are then placed back into the scene in slots on the drawers. Upon placing an item, the drawer opens to disclose another item. Continue until all items are placed. Find items in the hard version in the dark with only the light of a flashlight.
C. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch pharmaceuticals and place them into the proper position on two shelves based upon clues on scraps of paper on the side. The easy version has 6 to switch and the hard has 8.
D. Map puzzle. Two-part puzzle. (1) Lead a horse through a path avoiding obstacles within its path. (2) Cross a street by moving the horse through oncoming car traffic.
E. E/H. Matching puzzle. Uncover leaves to match like symbols. The hard version has more leaves than the easy version.
F. E/H, Maze puzzle. Move an amulet to the other end of a grid by pressing piano keys – each one representing a direction and number of spaces it will move the amulet. The hard version has a more twisted path than the easy version.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Jigsaw puzzle. Assemble a picture by placing fragments into position. Fragments turn green when placed correctly. The easy version provides an outline of the image the hard version does not have.
H. E/H, Rope puzzle. Untangle a rope so no parts cross each other. Move knots.
I. E/H, Sequence puzzle. Press levers up-and-down to match those on a given diagram. Moving one lever affects the others. The hard version has 6 levers and the easy has 4. 3X
I recommend this game!
Pendle Tower was once a lavish high-rise hotel, but a new renovation has awakened a long-dormant secret within its foreboding halls.
Overall rating
4
/
5
85 of 144 found this review helpful
HOTEL RENNOVATION CAN BE A “PHANTASMIC” EXPERIENCE
PostedNovember 23, 2021
sunnyglow
fromHappy Thanksgiving and Black Friday! After playing this game, I have found the perfect holiday gift for my cat – telekinetic white mice! Floating through the air, I want to see him try to get those mice!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 38 pages (My Time: 6 Hours)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 38 pages (My Time: 6 Hours)
Welcome back Master Detective! In this year’s case, you will be in for a “phantasmic” time as you make repairs to a hotel suffering from a distortion in the time/space continuum. The paranormal energy is out of control, the result of an experiment performed by a misguided scientist in 1920. The spirit world has infested this building and with the help of a spirit medium, hopefully you can restore this building to its normal state.
As with other games within this series, your wit and puzzle skills will be tested by a series of mini-games, many of which are either two-part or Rube-Goldberg puzzles. Nevertheless, Her Majesty has all the confidence in your skills to follow through. Keep calm and carry on. This game is not challenging. This is not the best game within this series; however, it is an enjoyable one, especially those who like games with a lot of easy puzzles.
One element I find helpful in this developer’s games is the sidebar on the left side of the screen which indicates how many collectibles are within the scene and the number remaining to be located. There are two collectibles, jigsaw puzzle pieces and stain glass shards. I found the collectibles difficult to locate, especially the jigsaw puzzle pieces. They are well-hidden in the game. I needed to consult the strategy guide a few times to find where they were hiding. For me, locating the collectibles was the most difficult part of the game!
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 15 achievements.
• Collect 52 pieces of stained glass (some morphing) and 20 jigsaw puzzle pieces
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 14 mini-games
• 15 achievements.
• Collect 52 pieces of stained glass (some morphing) and 20 jigsaw puzzle pieces
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 14 mini-games
BONUS GAME: Return to 1920, and as the medium, Millicent Keaton, relive the events which led to you being trapped in the spirit world. I feel this prequel provides a little more clarity to the story behind the main game. The setting is the same; amble around the hotel trying to stop Dr. Corman’s experiment which has gotten out of control. It is a short chapter with only two (2) HOP scenes and five (5) mini-games. However, the mini-games include a couple two-part puzzles and a lengthy Rube-Goldberg puzzle.
HOP SCENES: There are not many HOP scenes in this game, only thirteen (13), all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Most of the scenes are standard lists of items. However, the scenes are highly interactive and involve manipulation of items within the scenes. There are also a few silhouette scenes and a scene set within the pages of a storybook.
MINI-GAMES: As with other games in this series, this game is puzzle-laden. There are seventeen (17) mini-games. However, these include several two-part mini-games and two (2) Rube-Goldberg puzzles. There is a wide variety of mini-games. Most of the puzzles are easy. Since this series is known to be more challenging than other HOPA games, I would have liked a few more brain crushing, thought provoking puzzles.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE A FEW OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Two-part puzzle: (Repeated throughout game)
1. Sequence puzzle. Click on 4 planetary bodies in the proper sequence according to given riddles to open a cache.
2. Sequence puzzle. Press on hanging weights in sequential order so all are aligned with each other.
B. Rube Goldberg puzzle:
1. Logic puzzle. Move clock hands into position on two clocks based on clues given beneath them.
2. Maze puzzle. Move balls within two mazes on both sides of a central panel so that each ball reaches its destination. Player will need to open gates to enter new paths to complete the puzzle.
3. Move a group of 4 large circles, each with smaller colored circles within them, so that each small colored circle is within the larger circle with a planetary body of the same color. Four of the smaller circles will have two colors – each half is to face the same color as the large color it faces.
C. Matching puzzle. On an oscilloscope, turn knobs so that two sine waves match up with each other. 2X
D. Switch puzzle. Switch mirror fragments to restore an image.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Connection puzzle. Draw lines from 3 geometric shapes to their matching counterpart within the grid. Lines cannot cross each other
F. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate rings to restore an image of the building. Rotating one ring affects the others
1. Sequence puzzle. Click on 4 planetary bodies in the proper sequence according to given riddles to open a cache.
2. Sequence puzzle. Press on hanging weights in sequential order so all are aligned with each other.
B. Rube Goldberg puzzle:
1. Logic puzzle. Move clock hands into position on two clocks based on clues given beneath them.
2. Maze puzzle. Move balls within two mazes on both sides of a central panel so that each ball reaches its destination. Player will need to open gates to enter new paths to complete the puzzle.
3. Move a group of 4 large circles, each with smaller colored circles within them, so that each small colored circle is within the larger circle with a planetary body of the same color. Four of the smaller circles will have two colors – each half is to face the same color as the large color it faces.
C. Matching puzzle. On an oscilloscope, turn knobs so that two sine waves match up with each other. 2X
D. Switch puzzle. Switch mirror fragments to restore an image.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Connection puzzle. Draw lines from 3 geometric shapes to their matching counterpart within the grid. Lines cannot cross each other
F. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate rings to restore an image of the building. Rotating one ring affects the others
I recommend this game!
A vengeful monster has found a way to stop Christmas!
Overall rating
4
/
5
157 of 218 found this review helpful
A JOYOUS START TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON
PostedNovember 18, 2021
sunnyglow
fromNo matter what the language or customs – from Gleðileg jól (Icelandic) or Merry Christmas (English) – Happy Holidays to everyone no matter where you are!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 29 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 29 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
OPINION: Start the Christmas season with the first of the BFG Yuletide games. Elephant Games has again filled our stockings with another Christmas festive delight, this time based upon an Icelandic tale. It is a filled with the Christmas spirit with a message of redemption, reminiscent of “The Christmas Carol.”
I enjoyed playing this game. For me, this is another great family game and a great way to usher in the Christmas season. I found the game an easy play, smooth flowing with a good pace. I discovered no errors within the game nor in the strategy guide. Players can play three of the chapters in any order they choose. I found this a nice touch. There are plenty of activities within the game. However, some of the puzzles might be a little challenging for younger children without adult assistance. Nevertheless, the graphics are chuck full of Christmas items and snow-covered scenes. The game has some beautiful, glistening graphics set to festive seasonal background music making it a great one to play with children. I found it to ve a decent game; however, not as good as previous ones from this series.
There are two collectibles, cards with information on each of the Icelandic Yulemen and jigsaw puzzle pieces. Upon completion of the game, the puzzle pieces are used to create four puzzles. To add a little extra challenge, the pieces must be rotated before placing them into position. I found most easy to locate. Many of the scenes contain multiple jigsaw puzzle pieces. There is an exhibition room which allows the player to return to scenes to locate missing collectibles. As in many of the developer’s games, there is a secret room which allows the player to search for more items within the scenes. As with past games, the searches are timed.
I do not like game helpers; however, the helper, the dwarf, Glu, is a natural fit for a game such as this one. He provides a little Christmas whimsy to the game. He is used frequently in the game to retrieve hard-to-reach items. However, I do wish he had been made an optional helper. And although he is amusing and delightful, he takes some time to perform his duties.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 puzzles
• Collect 13 cards describing the Yulemen.
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Helper Yuleman, Glu – used to retrieve items
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 13 Mini-games
• Secret Room opened upon completion of the game, allowing the player to locate more items within the scenes. Player is timed.
• Expedition Room which allows the player to search for any collectibles missed within the game.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 puzzles
• Collect 13 cards describing the Yulemen.
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Helper Yuleman, Glu – used to retrieve items
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 13 Mini-games
• Secret Room opened upon completion of the game, allowing the player to locate more items within the scenes. Player is timed.
• Expedition Room which allows the player to search for any collectibles missed within the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is sequel. Play Hans, the evildoer from the main game. After being redeemed you, as Hans, are off to save the Yulemen from the Snow Queen. I found this a decent chapter. There are five (5) HOP scenes and five (5) mini-games. I found it a nice addition to the game. The activities, to me, are exactly like those from the main game. There is one HOP scene I thought very creatively designed; however, most of the chapter is just a continuation of the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are fifteen (15) scenes, fourteen (14) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. They are chuck full of Christmas items. My favorite was the last one in the game. In the bonus chapter, there is a scene in which pages from several books are flipped back and forth to locate and combine two halves of an image before it is removed. I have seen this type of HOP scene in other games, but I found the one in this game easier to play. The other scenes include the usual lists of items, silhouette, storybook (with highlighted letters in the text), and matching.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-one (21) mini-games, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. For the most part, I found the mini-games somewhat challenging for a Christmas game. They are thematic and and creatively designed. I enjoyed playing them. However, I wonder how school-aged children would fare with some of these puzzles?
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Merry Christmas! Lock Puzzle/Switch puzzle. Switch lock pieces on the top and bottom of a grid to that the pieces mesh with those in the center which are either directly above them or below them
B. Feliz Navidad! Maze puzzle. Move the dwarf Glu through a maze with hallways to locate a stash of items. Use arrows to move Glu back-and-forth through the maze
C. Joyeux Noël! Checkers puzzle. Remove blue cupcakes on a grid by having them jump over each other until only one remains.
D. Buon Natale! Gear puzzle. In this case use snowflakes instead of gears to create a continuous connection from the bottom left to the upper right of the grid. Once connected, they will rotate
E. Hyvää Joulua! Marble popper puzzle. Remove 3 or more marbles at a time by shooting marbles at a group of 2 or more to remove them.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Frohe Weihnachten! Map puzzle. Move a reindeer sleigh down a lane while avoiding obstacles in your path You will restart if you get hit by obstacles too many times
G. God Jul! Jigsaw puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to restore the Queen’s portal.
H. Gleðileg jól! Strategy Puzzle: Plot your moves. Click on like- tokens to move them so they hit each other and are removed from the board. All tokens must be removed from the board. Strategies your moves.
B. Feliz Navidad! Maze puzzle. Move the dwarf Glu through a maze with hallways to locate a stash of items. Use arrows to move Glu back-and-forth through the maze
C. Joyeux Noël! Checkers puzzle. Remove blue cupcakes on a grid by having them jump over each other until only one remains.
D. Buon Natale! Gear puzzle. In this case use snowflakes instead of gears to create a continuous connection from the bottom left to the upper right of the grid. Once connected, they will rotate
E. Hyvää Joulua! Marble popper puzzle. Remove 3 or more marbles at a time by shooting marbles at a group of 2 or more to remove them.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Frohe Weihnachten! Map puzzle. Move a reindeer sleigh down a lane while avoiding obstacles in your path You will restart if you get hit by obstacles too many times
G. God Jul! Jigsaw puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to restore the Queen’s portal.
H. Gleðileg jól! Strategy Puzzle: Plot your moves. Click on like- tokens to move them so they hit each other and are removed from the board. All tokens must be removed from the board. Strategies your moves.
I recommend this game!
An investigation into a disappearance reveals ghostly secrets in a mountaintop hotel!
Overall rating
5
/
5
134 of 234 found this review helpful
A PICTURE PERFECT FIRST GAME IN A NEW SERIES
PostedNovember 11, 2021
sunnyglow
fromTravel by Mirror! Mirrors are wonderful vehicles to transport to other dimensions and other worlds. This game opened another travel destination - Spirit World! Just post some symbols with any old lipstick you may have – and off you go!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 pages (My time – 7 Hours)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 pages (My time – 7 Hours)
Grab your camera and travel to the Snowy Creek Hotel to battle a disgruntled ghost in the first game in a new series from Domini Games. As a paranormal detective with your own agency, Mystic Riddles, your journalistic friend needs help in investigating the reports of ghostly attacks and disappearance of the hotel’s guests. With camera in hand, travel back-and-forth between the spirit world and the real world sleuthing the cause of all the ghostly activity.
This is a very long game! Domini always provides more game for the money and this one is no different. There are a lot of activities within this game. Logistically, it is a cookie cutter game, cut from the same mold as their other games. There are three thematic collectibles, rolls of film, morphing hotel items and door signs. The rolls of film can be exchanged for items for a dark room upon completion of the game. The player carries a gimmicky camera with a magic lens to take pictures of the paranormal. I wonder why Domini included this gimmick as it seldom is used in the game.
Most of the puzzles can be played in either hard or easy version. However, this game does not have as many puzzles with this option as in previous games. I loved this game. This game is creatively designed, with a good storyline and is chuck full of puzzles and HOP scenes.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 59 rolls of films to exchange for items to deck out a dark room.
• Collect 15 door signs and 15 morphing hotel items
• Gimmicky camera to take pictures of the paranormal activity
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 19 Mini-games
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 59 rolls of films to exchange for items to deck out a dark room.
• Collect 15 door signs and 15 morphing hotel items
• Gimmicky camera to take pictures of the paranormal activity
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 19 Mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story. The solicitor to your grandfather’s estate has contacted you and asked you to sign documents for you to take possession of it. However, upon arrival at this mansion, Albert Hall, you find yourself the victim of deceit. Now you must save yourself from a ghostly possession while helping your grandfather’s ghost reunite with your grandmother. I found this a nice addition to the game and worthy of a collector’s edition designation. It is a lengthy chapter with five (5) HOP scenes and eleven (11) mini-games.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Domini is best-known for their puzzles; however, there are some creatively designed HOP scenes in this game. There is wide variety of styles. There are lists of items, silhouette scenes, matching scenes, a spot-the-difference scene, and search and replace scenes. However, I had difficulty with one scene in which halves of items must be combined to remove them. I found it difficult trying to rotate the circle and then maneuver the two pieces together to create the item to be removed. Hopefully Domini will not use this format again.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Domini is best-known for their puzzles; however, there are some creatively designed HOP scenes in this game. There is wide variety of styles. There are lists of items, silhouette scenes, matching scenes, a spot-the-difference scene, and search and replace scenes. However, I had difficulty with one scene in which halves of items must be combined to remove them. I found it difficult trying to rotate the circle and then maneuver the two pieces together to create the item to be removed. Hopefully Domini will not use this format again.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-five (35) mini-games, nineteen (19) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Many have the option to be played in easy an easy or hard version. Amazing! There is a Rube-Goldberg puzzle within a maze puzzle. As you traverse a maze, the player must solve several other puzzles. My only complaint are the numerous lock puzzles within this game. To me, entering a numeric combination to a lock is NOT a puzzle.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES FROM THE 35 MINI-GAMES WITHIN THIS GAME
A. Switch Puzzle. Switch springs so that each one is level with each other. The easy version has 6 springs, and the hard version has 8.
B. An Amazing Maze Puzzle. Using a lantern, find a way out of a maze. Along the way, solve these puzzles
(1) Bullseye Puzzle. Break spheres within a revolving circle to defeat a ghost
(2) Sequence Puzzle. Locate magic flowers in sequential order to defeat a ghost
(3) Rotating Rings Puzzle. On a circle, place 6 spheres within 6 skulls sequentially so that with each turn, each skull matches with an empty skull
C. E/H. Connection Puzzle. Connect tokens in one continuous line. The hard version has more tokens to connect.
D. E/H. Assembly Puzzle. On a square mosaic, click on segments to change their color so that no 2 of the same color are next to each other. The hard version has fewer color options
E. Sequence Puzzle. Set 6 valves to move a ball from one end of a pipe to the other without exiting into holes next to each valve.
F. E/H. Assembly Puzzle. Create a solvent by following directions. The hard version has more ingredients to use.
G. Gear Puzzle Place gears into position so they mesh with each other. The easy version has 6 gears, and the hard version has 10
H. E/H. Escape Puzzle. Create a fence around an evildoer by landing on cells to block him in so he cannot escape. The easy version has more natural blockages such as trees.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. E/H. Connection Puzzle. Connect like-colored gears with chains without crossing other chains. The hard version has one extra pair of gears to be connected.
J. Sequence Puzzle. On a grid, place letters into position by sliding them in the proper sequential order to spell out My Dear Alma. The easy version only has the player spell Alma – the Hard has 3 grids with all three words.
K. Assembly Puzzle. Transfer liquid between flasks using arrows at the side so 11 units is within the flask in the center
L. E/H. Rotating Tiles Puzzle. Rotate colored cameras on a grid so each on is on a square of a matching color. The easy version has 5 cameras, and the hard version has 6
B. An Amazing Maze Puzzle. Using a lantern, find a way out of a maze. Along the way, solve these puzzles
(1) Bullseye Puzzle. Break spheres within a revolving circle to defeat a ghost
(2) Sequence Puzzle. Locate magic flowers in sequential order to defeat a ghost
(3) Rotating Rings Puzzle. On a circle, place 6 spheres within 6 skulls sequentially so that with each turn, each skull matches with an empty skull
C. E/H. Connection Puzzle. Connect tokens in one continuous line. The hard version has more tokens to connect.
D. E/H. Assembly Puzzle. On a square mosaic, click on segments to change their color so that no 2 of the same color are next to each other. The hard version has fewer color options
E. Sequence Puzzle. Set 6 valves to move a ball from one end of a pipe to the other without exiting into holes next to each valve.
F. E/H. Assembly Puzzle. Create a solvent by following directions. The hard version has more ingredients to use.
G. Gear Puzzle Place gears into position so they mesh with each other. The easy version has 6 gears, and the hard version has 10
H. E/H. Escape Puzzle. Create a fence around an evildoer by landing on cells to block him in so he cannot escape. The easy version has more natural blockages such as trees.
BONUS CHAPTER:
I. E/H. Connection Puzzle. Connect like-colored gears with chains without crossing other chains. The hard version has one extra pair of gears to be connected.
J. Sequence Puzzle. On a grid, place letters into position by sliding them in the proper sequential order to spell out My Dear Alma. The easy version only has the player spell Alma – the Hard has 3 grids with all three words.
K. Assembly Puzzle. Transfer liquid between flasks using arrows at the side so 11 units is within the flask in the center
L. E/H. Rotating Tiles Puzzle. Rotate colored cameras on a grid so each on is on a square of a matching color. The easy version has 5 cameras, and the hard version has 6
I recommend this game!
Can you rescue a child with magical powers in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
77 of 153 found this review helpful
A REMASTERED GAMING WORK OF ART
PostedNovember 4, 2021
sunnyglow
fromIf the paintings in this game create worlds, can’t this game do the same? If so, I went over my exercise goal of 10,000 steps today by going up-and-down tower steps and zipping in-and-out of paintings - all without leaving my chair!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Enjoy a wonderful, remastered gem from the past! This game is puzzle lover’s delight, and one which is more of an adventure game than a HOPA game. There are only a few HOP scenes in this game. The game takes the player to a dark, dismal world, one which is devoid of color and light, to save Iris, a little girl, who is the only hope to save this world from evil. The setting is a tower in which Iris is imprisoned. Move through winding staircases and enter the worlds created by Iris’ paintings as you attempt to reach her at the top of this tower. You need to find the source which will save her and the world from an evil king
Since I did not play the original game, I am uncertain what alterations were made to this game. However, I can understand why this game was remastered. It is an artistic masterpiece, and much better than many of the current games being offered. The game is set in the background of a dark fairytale. It is a beautifully illustrated game, somewhat surrealistic with a touch of arte noire. I thought it was spark of genius to have the player enter Iris’ paintings which are vibrant and full of color and light, contrasted that to the drab world of the tower. It is evident a lot of work went into this game, and it appears many scenes were hand-drawn.
The game consists of entering the imaginary worlds created by Iris through her artwork, getting help from her friends within each of these works of art to reach the tower in which she resides. Most of the activities involve art in some way. The collectibles are morphing red scarfs and puzzles pieces which are used to play a jigsaw puzzle upon completion of the game. As in their other games, the developer provides an indicator on the left side of the screen indicating how many collectibles are within each scene. It also keeps track of how many have been found and how many remain to be located. Unlike other HOPA games, this one has no achievements.
Are there missing jigsaw pieces? I found some of the puzzle pieces extremely difficult to locate. Two I never found and believe they were omitted from the game. I researched the strategy guide for the location but never found them. One is supposedly on a gear system and the other is supposedly located on the side of an elephant. Upon completion of the game, the player can return to the scenes to locate the jigsaw pieces if they are missed while playing the game.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• There are no achievements.
• Collect 60 jigsaw puzzle pieces (most scenes have 2 per scene)
• Collect 60 morphing red scarfs (most scenes have 2 per scene)
• 7 wallpapers and 7 screensavers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 4 HOP scenes and 9 mini-games
• There are no achievements.
• Collect 60 jigsaw puzzle pieces (most scenes have 2 per scene)
• Collect 60 morphing red scarfs (most scenes have 2 per scene)
• 7 wallpapers and 7 screensavers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 4 HOP scenes and 9 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. It is the day prior to the beginning of the main game. The Griffin prepares Iris for her future responsibilities as queen by giving her three tests to assess the qualities she must possess. They are solving problems, saving lives, and being wise. Play Iris as you accomplish three (3) sets of tasks to prove your worthiness as a future queen. I found this chapter well-crafted and equal in quality to the main game. However, I do believe this chapter was not part of the main game. The puzzles created are much different. There is only one HOP scene and seven (7) mini-games. Upon completion of the game, the player will discover the character he or she plays in the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are only four (4) HOP scenes within this game. All can be replayed upon completion of the game. There are also several mini-HOP scenes with a small number of items to be located. There is one within the bonus chapter which I found very confusing. It consists of locating qualities based upon mythical creatures on a tapestry. For me, the qualities to be located did not match up to the mythical creatures to which they were assigned. For example, I don’t understand how the quality of bravery is related to a minotaur.
MINI-GAMES: This is a puzzle-oriented game and there are some challenging puzzles within this game. Luckily, some of the puzzles have two versions in which they can be played – casual or hard. Some of the puzzles have multiple steps or sequential puzzles to solve. There are twenty-five (25) mini-games, only nine (9) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. I do wish this developer had included more of the mini-games to be replayed. I do not want to replay the entire game to replay some of the puzzles which I found somewhat difficult. There are several tracing activities (not considered puzzles by this developer) which I found tedious. In one chapter, I became tired of tracing a sun and a moon to change the time of day. I did feel this was excessive.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SAMPLE OF SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Assembly puzzle. Locate pieces of Roman numerals for a clock and then set the time based on clues within the scene.
B. Checkers puzzle. On a grid with one blue token and several red ones, have the tokens jump over each other to remove them leaving only the blue token centered in the middle of the grid.
C. Casual/Hard. Jigsaw puzzle. Place glass shards into the correct position to assemble a broken hourglass. In the hard version, the pieces must be rotated. 2X
D. Mirror puzzle. Rotate mirrors to center a beam on a seed to grow a tree during the day and then repeat to make a flower bloom at night.
E. Sequence puzzle. Move the teeth on two lions by clicking on their whiskers so the upper and lower set of teeth intermesh with each other. This puzzle is somewhat confusing on how to proceed after the player is finished.
F. Casual/Hard. Jigsaw puzzle. Create a dragon by placing pieces into position on a grid. In the hard version, the pieces are clear – no color until they are placed within the scene.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Casual/Hard. Matching. Uncover tokens to reveal pictures to match. The tokens move after each match. The hard version has two more tokens to match.
H. Rope puzzle. Switch knots on a rope so that rope segments do not intersect with each other.
I. Lock puzzle. Set the combination on a cryptex following a given clue.
J. Paint by number (symbol). Paint a picture on a piece of cloth according to a guide which assigns a symbol for each color.
B. Checkers puzzle. On a grid with one blue token and several red ones, have the tokens jump over each other to remove them leaving only the blue token centered in the middle of the grid.
C. Casual/Hard. Jigsaw puzzle. Place glass shards into the correct position to assemble a broken hourglass. In the hard version, the pieces must be rotated. 2X
D. Mirror puzzle. Rotate mirrors to center a beam on a seed to grow a tree during the day and then repeat to make a flower bloom at night.
E. Sequence puzzle. Move the teeth on two lions by clicking on their whiskers so the upper and lower set of teeth intermesh with each other. This puzzle is somewhat confusing on how to proceed after the player is finished.
F. Casual/Hard. Jigsaw puzzle. Create a dragon by placing pieces into position on a grid. In the hard version, the pieces are clear – no color until they are placed within the scene.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Casual/Hard. Matching. Uncover tokens to reveal pictures to match. The tokens move after each match. The hard version has two more tokens to match.
H. Rope puzzle. Switch knots on a rope so that rope segments do not intersect with each other.
I. Lock puzzle. Set the combination on a cryptex following a given clue.
J. Paint by number (symbol). Paint a picture on a piece of cloth according to a guide which assigns a symbol for each color.
I recommend this game!
Piece together some visual Halloween treats with this incredible set of jigsaw puzzles!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
FAN-TASTIC JIGSAW PUZZLE FROM A NEW GRAPHIUM FAN
PostedOctober 31, 2021
sunnyglow
fromHappy Halloween! Playing these jigsaw puzzles is much easier than trying to piece together a costume!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a fan-tastic game from a developer who has a devoted fan base, including me! I usually never play most of the BFG daily games, being an aficionada of HOPA and adventure games. However, in days of yore, I did play massive jigsaw puzzles from Ravensburger, but playing them on a computer is better – no lost pieces to salvage and no need to deal with jigasaw glue to paste all those pieces together. I have never been one to play jigsaw puzzles online as I have found most boring and lacking any creativity. However, Graphium has developed ones which are unique and can be as challenging as the player wishes.
There are several elements I love about this game. I love the fact that the player can customize the picture puzzles from 30 puzzle pieces to 1,024 pieces. Also, there are various shapes for the connections on the puzzles pieces. I also love the fact that some of the pictures are not just related Halloween. I found this game user friendly with useful features as outlined below.
MECHANICS:
• 36 Puzzles
• Choice of 10 different backgrounds
• Choice of puzzle pieces – 30, 49, 108, 165, 252, 306, 572, 700, 810, 961, 1024
• Shuffle feature – allowing payer to shuffle the pieces
• Zoom function – Zoom in and zoom out of the pictures.
• Feature which shows only the edge pieces
• Preview feature which shows you the finished picture
• Auto-solve to place some pieces into place to help solve the puzzle
• For an extra challenge – a function to add extra non-related pieces into the picture to be solved
• Choice of 10 different backgrounds
• Choice of puzzle pieces – 30, 49, 108, 165, 252, 306, 572, 700, 810, 961, 1024
• Shuffle feature – allowing payer to shuffle the pieces
• Zoom function – Zoom in and zoom out of the pictures.
• Feature which shows only the edge pieces
• Preview feature which shows you the finished picture
• Auto-solve to place some pieces into place to help solve the puzzle
• For an extra challenge – a function to add extra non-related pieces into the picture to be solved
Personally, I try to buy from people not companies. This developer is a frequent guest to our forum ,Pond Friends, interacting with us, asking for our input on his games. He sends us screenshots on his games and answers questions concerning his games. To be honest, usually I just ignore most of the developers on our forum; however, I was hooked by the beautiful pictures from his games and his creative genius. An extra bonus to me is that this developer is a nice guy and like me, an avid mushroom hunter! He sold me on his games with his first mushroom picture! I do love the skeleton under the mushroom as one of the pictures. I cannot wait until the Christmas game appears!
Thanks Graphium - you sold me on the first mushroom picture! Hope to see many more of your games!
I recommend this game!
Can you rescue your daughter from her puppet look-alike?
Overall rating
4
/
5
102 of 200 found this review helpful
UNCOVERING FAMILY SKELETONS BY CREATING FAMILY ATTACHMENTS
PostedOctober 28, 2021
sunnyglow
fromFamily attachments. The Gray family has close family ties. In this game, Great-Auntie Alexandra Grim proves that is the case. She is certainly attached to her grandniece Alice.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 35 pages (My Time: 6 Hours)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 35 pages (My Time: 6 Hours)
Enjoy another family reunion for Anna Gray and her ever expanding brood. Family secrets are revealed in the latest chapter of this neverending family drama for our time bending heroine. In this episode, Anna and her teen daughter, Alice, discover more family skeletons hiding in their attic – this time Anna meets a new family member, an aunt, her mother’s sister - someone her mother just forgot to tell her about. Auntie has been hanging out in the attic as a puppet for years. When auntie literally attaches herself to Alice, Anna must travel through time to save her daughter and restore familial harmony.
I liked, but did not love, this game. To me, this is a decent game; however, in my humble opinion, it is not worthy of a collector’s edition designation. To me, it is a carbon copy of the other games within this series. I cannot see anything within this game which is any different from every other game in this series. I found the pace slowed in some segments of the game. My general feeling is that this is standard fare providing very little in the way of exceptional content or creative design.
There are only two collectibles and there are not many of them within the game. Collect screensaver fragments and theater props. I found all easy to locate. As the game progresses, Anna’s mother, Anastasia, becomes your helper, sitting on the inventory bar, giving you needed materials to defeat the evildoer. As in their other games, there is an expedition room which allows the player to return to scenes to search for missing collectibles. There is also a secret room as in other games which allows the player to locate more collectibles within the scenes from the game. As in other games, this activity is timed. An Archives room contains the HOP scenes and mini-games which can be replayed.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 24 screen saver parts and 12 theater props
• 5 wallpapers along with 2 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 13 mini-games hidden within the Archives room.
• Expedition room allows the player to return to scenes to search for missing collectibles
• Secret room allows players to return to the game scenes and collect more items. This is timed.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 24 screen saver parts and 12 theater props
• 5 wallpapers along with 2 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 13 mini-games hidden within the Archives room.
• Expedition room allows the player to return to scenes to search for missing collectibles
• Secret room allows players to return to the game scenes and collect more items. This is timed.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Go back in time and learn how Anna’s mother, Anastasia, met her father, Richard Gray. Also learn some more history concerning Anna’s mother, her sister, and Richard as they try to stop smother mother, Eleanor, from resurrecting her son, Lars. I found this a decent chapter and did enjoy the storyline within this chapter. There are four (4) HOP scenes and six (6) min-games. There are also several mini-HOP scenes with six (6) items to locate. One element I did like in this game was the last part of the game in which symbols are collected to accumulate power used to defeat the evildoer.
HOP SCENES: There are thirteen (13) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. There are also several mini-HOP scenes with six (6) items to be located. I was somewhat disappointed in the HOP scenes. I found most boring, lacking the creative design seen from other developers. They are not very interactive, and most are either straight lists of items or silhouette. There are some matching scenes and there is a replacement scene in which items are returned to the scene. However, overall, I was not wowed by the HOP scenes.
MINI-GAMES: To me, they are the best part of the game. There are twenty-one (21) mini-games, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. Most of the puzzles have been seen in other games; however, I do feel they are much better than the HOP scenes. There are some creatively designed puzzles within this game.
SPOILERS: HERE IS A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Connection puzzle. Awesome puzzle in which fans are connected so that the patterns on the fans match with at least one pattern on connecting fans.
B. Switch puzzle. On a circular wheel, switch tokens with symbols on them so they are placed on the wheel matching the color and the symbol posted at the top of the wheel
C. Maze puzzle. In a fog-filled grid, find your way out of a maze You must set up your path in 12 moves and press a button to check if it is correct.
BONUS CHAPTER:
D. Sequence puzzle. Play a melody by pressing on pictures sequentially on a piano keyboard which pictures are somehow related to the pictures on a musical score.
E. Paint-by-Number puzzle. Paint a mask so that adjoining areas are not the same color
F. Bullseye Puzzle. Shoot ‘em’ up. In an arcade shooting game, shoot symbols portrayed on sacks which are the same as those posted on a sideboard. There are 8 symbols to shoot.
B. Switch puzzle. On a circular wheel, switch tokens with symbols on them so they are placed on the wheel matching the color and the symbol posted at the top of the wheel
C. Maze puzzle. In a fog-filled grid, find your way out of a maze You must set up your path in 12 moves and press a button to check if it is correct.
BONUS CHAPTER:
D. Sequence puzzle. Play a melody by pressing on pictures sequentially on a piano keyboard which pictures are somehow related to the pictures on a musical score.
E. Paint-by-Number puzzle. Paint a mask so that adjoining areas are not the same color
F. Bullseye Puzzle. Shoot ‘em’ up. In an arcade shooting game, shoot symbols portrayed on sacks which are the same as those posted on a sideboard. There are 8 symbols to shoot.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop dangerous specters from destroying the city in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
76 of 149 found this review helpful
ELECTRIFYING MAIN GAME – POWER OUTAGE IN THE BONUS CHAPTER
PostedOctober 21, 2021
sunnyglow
fromSay watt? I was shocked by bonus chapter in the game. Currently, the bonus chapters leave me less than ex-static – and that hertz!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 72 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 72 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
Mon amis! Agatha, our Victorian era sleuth, returns in another case. This time our detective has become a ghostbuster – investigating an infestation of them at the 1899 World Exposition in Paris. Joining you in solving this case is Nikola Tesla, who will help you assist in dealing with an evildoer out for revenge.
I found this a decent game; however, I did not find it as enjoyable as previous games within this series. The game is electrifying (with bolts of lightning throughout), along with a touch of Steampunk. A mini-Tesla Tower is lurking in the background in one scene and the Eiffel Tower, built for this exposition, is featured throughout the game. The graphics are colorful, depicting late 19th century Paris. For me, it is a light-hearted spookfest, an easy peasy game which is a decent addition for Halloween.
I found this a decent game; however, I did not find it as enjoyable as previous games within this series. The game is electrifying (with bolts of lightning throughout), along with a touch of Steampunk. A mini-Tesla Tower is lurking in the background in one scene and the Eiffel Tower, built for this exposition, is featured throughout the game. The graphics are colorful, depicting late 19th century Paris. For me, it is a light-hearted spookfest, an easy peasy game which is a decent addition for Halloween.
The collectibles are morphing objects and drawings of ghosts. I found most easy to locate; however, I found some of the morphing objects so miniscule that I needed to consult the strategy guide to locate some of them. There is a bar on the left side of the scene which indicates how many collectibles are within the scene. It also indicates when all collectibles have been located. Most of the scenes have one of each type of collectible. Previous games from this developer have had two of each per scene.
DEDUCATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: A nice touch within this game are scenes in which conclusions and deductions are made after collecting enough evidence. Those involving conclusions require placing photos into a narrative to develop a conclusion about the story up to that point. Those scenes providing deductions, require locating four items within a scene. After locating the items, Agatha provides her input on what she feels is transpiring within the game. There are five (5) each for both the conclusions and the deductions within the main game and one in the bonus chapter for each as well.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 24 achievements.
• Collect 24 collectibles which, when all are collected, allow the player to play a rotating rings picture puzzle upon completion of the game.
• Collect 24 morphing objects
• 9 wallpapers along with 7 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 17 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games
• 24 achievements.
• Collect 24 collectibles which, when all are collected, allow the player to play a rotating rings picture puzzle upon completion of the game.
• Collect 24 morphing objects
• 9 wallpapers along with 7 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 17 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: The bonus chapter is a sequel. After dealing with a ghostly outbreak at the World Expo, the government minster asks Agatha to investigate the Louvre. Exhibits are coming to life and attacking visitors at the museum. I do not feel this chapter is of the same caliber as the main game. It seems as if the chapter was just tacked on, rushed through with repeated HOP scenes and some ridiculously easy puzzles. There are ten (10) mini-games and six (6) HOP scenes. It is a long chapter, but to me, not as creatively designed as the main chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-one (21) scenes, seventeen (17) of which can be replayed upon completion of the game. There are also some mini-HOP scenes in which four to six items or fragments of items must be located. Scenes are repeated with the game; however, I found them interactive and creatively designed. They include lists of items, silhouette, rebus clues, cryptic clues, and replacement of items back into the scenes. There are some creatively designed scenes in this game.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty (30) mini-games, twelve (12) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. I wish more were offered to be replayed; however, the developer does offer the most enjoyable ones for replay.
SPOILER ALERT: HERE IS A SAMPLING OF THE MINI-GAMES OFFERED AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Mathematical puzzle. Work out 3 mathematical calculations on a paper to discover the number associated with each of 3 letters of the alphabet. Afterward, enter those numbers to open a safe.
B. Sequence puzzle. Tell a story in sequence by placing 16 picture frames in the proper sequential order.
C. Maze puzzle. Traverse over rooftops looking for items to use in a search to locate an evildoer.
D. Morse code puzzle. For ham radio operators! Using 2 knobs on a transmitter – enter the Morse Code for a 4-digit number. Learn Morse code for numbers as well!
E. Connection puzzle. Using an airship, move over all cells on a map without retracing your steps.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Using an arrow to point to letters on a dial on a safe, spell out the name MARSEL
G. Block puzzle. Move blocks within a grid to create a path for a key to move from the left to the right to exit the grid.
H. Sequence puzzle. Pull colored ribbons on a book as per the order on the side of the book.
I. Enter numbers on a cryptex in the proper order as shown on a given guide.
B. Sequence puzzle. Tell a story in sequence by placing 16 picture frames in the proper sequential order.
C. Maze puzzle. Traverse over rooftops looking for items to use in a search to locate an evildoer.
D. Morse code puzzle. For ham radio operators! Using 2 knobs on a transmitter – enter the Morse Code for a 4-digit number. Learn Morse code for numbers as well!
E. Connection puzzle. Using an airship, move over all cells on a map without retracing your steps.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Using an arrow to point to letters on a dial on a safe, spell out the name MARSEL
G. Block puzzle. Move blocks within a grid to create a path for a key to move from the left to the right to exit the grid.
H. Sequence puzzle. Pull colored ribbons on a book as per the order on the side of the book.
I. Enter numbers on a cryptex in the proper order as shown on a given guide.
I recommend this game!