sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,084
- Reviews Submitted:821
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:June 27, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
A detective meets a mysterious stranger in her first case!
Overall rating
5
/
5
192 of 308 found this review helpful
SLEUTHING THROUGH SOME STRANGE INVESTIGATIONS
PostedJanuary 28, 2021
sunnyglow
fromWhat can it "bee?" A bee in my bonnet? Did I miss something? My mind is still buzzing around trying to figure out the significance of all the swarms of bees in this game.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 32 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 32 pages (My Time: 5 Hours)
STORY: Welcome to Rainville, home of a new series! Play Dana Strange, a detective whose career was influenced by the abduction of her sister by the Artist, a crazed serial killer. Fifteen years later, after capturing the crazed madman, she feels she is free from the nightmares of those childhood memories; however, those memories will come to haunt her in this first game in this series.
Return to Rainville. where a young girl, Isabelle Arquette, is missing. The actions of the abductor are similar as those of the Artist, but that is not possible - that madman is incarcerated! Could there be another copycat killer on the lose? Join your new partner in crime, Mal, as you sleuth your way through your hometown to discover who is behind this kidnapping.
OPINION: Love detective novels and solving whodunits? If so, you will love this game. Although the game is short, I feel it is a quality game and a good start to a new series. It is also somewhat different than the other detective games published on this site. I feel it is more intense, dealing with a more mature subject matter. Some may find this game somewhat unsettling.
I found the pace excellent with an engaging story and many activities to keep a player busy - busy as a bee. In this game, the player will be swatting away swarms of those little stingers! Little is seen of Dana Strange’s partner, Mal, in this first game; however, I feel the developer may be using this first episode to flesh out the main character with background information. The game also alludes to a future love interest for Dana Strange as well. I expect that the game will include these and more characters in future games. (Hopefully, those future characters will not include more swarms of bees)
The collectibles are puzzle pieces for four (4) jigsaw puzzles and pages of a book which tell the story of Dana Strange. I found some of them difficult to locate. However, if any are missed, upon completion of the game, the player can return to the game scenes by entering the Expedition Room to search for them. As in all their games, Elephant has provided a Secret Room in which to locate more items within the scenes.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 jigsaw puzzles to be played at the end of the game.
• Collect 12 pages out of a book about the life of Dana Strange.
• 5 Wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences.
• Expedition Room to locate missing collectibles from the scenes.
• Secret Room to search for more objects with the game’s scenes.
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 11 mini-games.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 jigsaw puzzles to be played at the end of the game.
• Collect 12 pages out of a book about the life of Dana Strange.
• 5 Wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences.
• Expedition Room to locate missing collectibles from the scenes.
• Secret Room to search for more objects with the game’s scenes.
• Replay 13 HOP scenes and 11 mini-games.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Enjoy a haunting tale of a headless ghost who is frightening the community. A shop owner, Denzel Freeman, has spotted this headless ghost within his store. Is a ghost haunting the town or is the perpetrator more human than ghostly? This chapter is a nice addition to the game. There are six (6) HOP scenes and six (6) mini-games. I found the mini-games much better in this chapter than in the main game. It is a nice addition to the game and worthy of the collector’s designation.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scene, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. There are also a few mini-HOP scenes with a small number (5 to 7) of items to be located. Most of the scenes are lists of items, silhouette, and matching. There are a couple of storybook scenes, searching items which are highlighted within a story and there are a couple of pattern scenes in which items are identified by a small sampling of the item. I found most mediocre, lacking the creative design seen in other developers’ game. They are decent, but I found nothing exceptional in their design.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-one (21) mini-games, eleven (11) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. I found the mini-games better designed than the HOP scenes. They vary in design and difficulty; however, I found none challenging.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Sequence puzzle. Repeat a given sequence of notes as they are played. 3X
B. Connection/Gear puzzle. Place gears into a grid so all interconnect with each other.
C. Connection puzzle. On a 7 x 9 grid (63 squares) press on specific squares with horseshoes which change direction, to create a path for a rider to travel from left to a destination point on the right. All 63 squares should be visited once.
D. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens with musical instruments on them so each one is situated in the proper location upon a circular grid.
E. Connection puzzle. Create a circuit by placing fuses in the proper location to lead a charge from one end of the circuit to another.
F. Connection puzzle. Recreate 6 given images by connecting bees in a circular grid. If you make a mistake you must restart the puzzle.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Block puzzle. Move blocks out of the way to create a path for a token to move from left to right.
H. Chess puzzle. Move a pawn to retrieve a golden helmet and a golden sword avoiding rooks in its path.
I. Play a piano by pressing on notes as indicated on a sheet of music.
J. Connection puzzle. Connect lines between pictures so that the number of lines emanating from each one matches the number on the picture.
B. Connection/Gear puzzle. Place gears into a grid so all interconnect with each other.
C. Connection puzzle. On a 7 x 9 grid (63 squares) press on specific squares with horseshoes which change direction, to create a path for a rider to travel from left to a destination point on the right. All 63 squares should be visited once.
D. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens with musical instruments on them so each one is situated in the proper location upon a circular grid.
E. Connection puzzle. Create a circuit by placing fuses in the proper location to lead a charge from one end of the circuit to another.
F. Connection puzzle. Recreate 6 given images by connecting bees in a circular grid. If you make a mistake you must restart the puzzle.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Block puzzle. Move blocks out of the way to create a path for a token to move from left to right.
H. Chess puzzle. Move a pawn to retrieve a golden helmet and a golden sword avoiding rooks in its path.
I. Play a piano by pressing on notes as indicated on a sheet of music.
J. Connection puzzle. Connect lines between pictures so that the number of lines emanating from each one matches the number on the picture.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the worlds from a deadly creation in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
163 of 275 found this review helpful
A FANTASTIC DRAGON-FILLED ADVENTURE
PostedJanuary 21, 2021
sunnyglow
fromWhat makes the world go round? It may be love, but this game gets to the “heart” of the matter.
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: 48 pages (My Time: 7 Hours)
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 48 pages (My Time: 7 Hours)
STORY: Enjoy a chilly reception as you and fellow Seeker, Davona, answer a distress signal from the Frostwind World. Your adventure will take you to three different worlds to stop an invasion of dragons; an invasion caused by a lovesick ice elemental, Zul, in his quest to be reunited with his beloved creator, Astrid. His quest is destroying all three worlds and your home planet may be next! Can you stop him in time?
OPINION: This is fantastic game! It is one of the best games I have played by this developer! Domini always provides more game for the money and this one is no exception. The story is well-written and the pace is excellent with plenty of activities. The change of location from one world to another also provides an active pace within the game. The graphics are phenomenal! I am glad to see less of the bright purple and neon green which permeate many of this developer’s games. There are some incredibly beautiful scenes in this game. Many of these include the HOP scenes.
The game includes some much-needed humor to break up the somber mood of the game. There is a whimsical little dragon – draggin’ along in your inventory to light up candles and other items. One of the prized items by a resident of the Woodhart Kingdom is a “selfie stick” which is valued as a rather strange and humorous element from the world of humans. Does reading a book put you to sleep? Well in this game, the book is asleep – making a rather loud snoring noise while you play a HOP scene. I found all these instances somewhat amusing.
The collectibles are morphing butterfly/dragons. The butterflies morph into dragons. There are also constellations to collect. I found the descriptions of the butterflies and constellations interesting. The developer provides some background information for each of these collectibles. Collect crystals to exchange for items for the Frozen Garden. I found most of the collectibles easy to locate within the scenes. The scenes also alternate between collecting a constellation and collecting a morphing dragon.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 38 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing butterfly/dragons and 15 constellations
• Collect 70 crystals to purchase items for the Frozen Garden
• 21 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 38 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing butterfly/dragons and 15 constellations
• Collect 70 crystals to purchase items for the Frozen Garden
• 21 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: Should you let sleeping dragons lie? In this chapter you will find out! It is a prequel. Play the character Astrid, from the main game. A dragon migration has intensified in the Woodhart Kingdom, and Leila from the kingdom has contacted you for help. A misguided inhabitant of the kingdom has summoned the dragons in hope of keeping other worlds from invading the kingdom. However, he is misguided in his attempts and now you must stop him and the dragon invasion. I found this to be an excellent bonus chapter and worthy of a collector’s edition designation. The chapter contains eight (8) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. It is a long chapter. Continue collecting all the collectibles within this chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes in the game, and all can be replayed. Many of these scenes are incredibly beautiful - works of art. There is a wide variety of styles as well. I found very few styles repeated within this game. Every HOP scene has something unique about it. They include lists of items, silhouette scenes, matching scenes, pattern scenes, rebus clues, spot-the-differences scenes, morphing objects, and a silhouette scene with sliders which match up the silhouette with the actual item before it is removed. A Match-3 game can be played instead of the scenes; however, these scenes are so creatively designed – who would want to miss playing them? I found two HOP scenes in this game which I felt were breathtaking; one is a scene with butterflies and the other with fish and other creatures living within a pond. Just gorgeous!
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-nine (29) mini-games, eighteen (18) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. Most of the puzzles can be played in an “easy” mode for a casual game, or in a “hard” mode for those who want more of a challenge. The level of difficulty can be set in the menu but can also be changed while playing the game. I loved the puzzles in this game and although the game contains many classics, there are a couple of new puzzles I have not seen before.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces between two columns. In the easy version, group same-colored pieces together on each column. In the hard version create pictures of flowers with the pieces.
B. E/H. Gear puzzle. Slide gears into position so all connect with each other. The hard version has 7 gears and the easy has only 5.
C. E/H. Assembly/Connection/Map puzzle. Rotate and place gold connectors onto a map so they connect all parts of the map and all are placed within the grid. The harder version requires placing more connectors and the map is more complex.
D. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Turn off lights in the proper sequence so that each section of a hexagonal shape is turned off. The grid rotates after you choose each piece to turn off. Must be done sequentially. The harder puzzle has more pieces to be turned off. If you press on a piece which has already been turned off, you must restart.
E. E/H. Slider puzzle. Slide crystals at the top of a grid so that they are in the same row as their matching counterpart. In the hard version moving one slider affects the others.
F. E/H. Picture puzzle. Place ice shards into position as you scale up an icy cliff. Use arrows to change the scene up-and-down to place the pieces. In the hard version you must rotate the pieces.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch 6 tokens, 3 on each side, with each other so that they reverse sides. Move the tokens to free spaces to move them.
H. E/H. Block puzzle. Move a token from left to the exit at the right by moving blocks to create a path. The hard version has one more block to move to create the path.
I. E/H. Tangram puzzle. Place bridge pieces into position so all are used and interconnected. The easy version allows you to rotate the pieces.
J. Picture puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into a grid to create a crystal figure. All the pieces rotate at the same time.
B. E/H. Gear puzzle. Slide gears into position so all connect with each other. The hard version has 7 gears and the easy has only 5.
C. E/H. Assembly/Connection/Map puzzle. Rotate and place gold connectors onto a map so they connect all parts of the map and all are placed within the grid. The harder version requires placing more connectors and the map is more complex.
D. E/H. Sequence puzzle. Turn off lights in the proper sequence so that each section of a hexagonal shape is turned off. The grid rotates after you choose each piece to turn off. Must be done sequentially. The harder puzzle has more pieces to be turned off. If you press on a piece which has already been turned off, you must restart.
E. E/H. Slider puzzle. Slide crystals at the top of a grid so that they are in the same row as their matching counterpart. In the hard version moving one slider affects the others.
F. E/H. Picture puzzle. Place ice shards into position as you scale up an icy cliff. Use arrows to change the scene up-and-down to place the pieces. In the hard version you must rotate the pieces.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch 6 tokens, 3 on each side, with each other so that they reverse sides. Move the tokens to free spaces to move them.
H. E/H. Block puzzle. Move a token from left to the exit at the right by moving blocks to create a path. The hard version has one more block to move to create the path.
I. E/H. Tangram puzzle. Place bridge pieces into position so all are used and interconnected. The easy version allows you to rotate the pieces.
J. Picture puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into a grid to create a crystal figure. All the pieces rotate at the same time.
I recommend this game!
Rescue your sister and uncover the truth behind the Queen's trial!
Overall rating
5
/
5
175 of 296 found this review helpful
AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS OLD AGE AWAY IN A CLASSIC WHICH STANDS THE TEST OF TIME
PostedJanuary 14, 2021
sunnyglow
fromMirror, mirror on the wall, in this game I do not want to be the fairest one all!
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: 47 pages (My Time: 7 Hours)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 47 pages (My Time: 7 Hours)
STORY: Be prepared to enjoy a game which is a blast from the past - a blast of arctic air that is. Enter a frozen kingdom where its cold-hearted Queen uses an enchanted mirror to locate the fairest maidens and then steals their youth. After your sister, Elizabeth, is contacted by the Queen, she is whisked away in front of your eyes and now you must save her from this evildoer. Along the way meet others who have met the same fate including one victim which will be somewhat of a surprise. As a word of caution – stay away from the Queen’s apple tree! Taking a bite out of an apple from that tree can be deadly!
OPINION: Enjoy some fond memories as you play this remake of a 2013 classic. This should bring back fond memories for those who are long-time BFG members. The developer did an excellent job in updating this game with improved graphics and some new features as well. There are a lot of collectibles within this game – two morphing objects per scene (106 in total) plus 263 coins scattered throughout the scenes as well. I found most of the collectibles easy to find. The coins purchase items and upgrades for your pampered squirrel helper. The squirrel is used a couple of times to retrieve items; however, he is not used often. The morphing objects are exchanged for roses. The roses hide an extra picture puzzle which can be played at the end of the game. I feel it has a good pace in the main game; however, I did feel the bonus chapter dragged a little, mainly because of the ho-hum carbon copy HOP scenes.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 35 achievements.
• Collect 106 morphing objects which are exchanged for roses. Behind the roses is an extra picture puzzle which can be played at the end of the game.
• Collect 263 coins which are used to purchase items for your pet squirrel (which you name) and his tree house.
• 7 wallpapers and 4 screensavers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 24 mini-games and 13 HOP scenes.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 35 achievements.
• Collect 106 morphing objects which are exchanged for roses. Behind the roses is an extra picture puzzle which can be played at the end of the game.
• Collect 263 coins which are used to purchase items for your pet squirrel (which you name) and his tree house.
• 7 wallpapers and 4 screensavers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 24 mini-games and 13 HOP scenes.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Not again! When your sister, Elizabeth is kidnapped again, this time by a wizard, you are off to save her. He will set her free only if you bring him the Flower of Life from the Labyrinth of the Gnomes. I felt this chapter dragged in some places. Remember the junkpile searches from the days of yore? They return in this chapter. I believe the snail pace can be attributed to the eight (8) HOP scenes, all of which are lists of items with a treasure trove of junkpile items to make any garage sale aficionado ecstatic. I do wish this developer had added some of the variety within the scenes as witnessed in the main game. There is also too much running back-and-forth between the worlds behind two mirrors in this chapter. I feel this chapter is too long and packed with time filler. There are seven (7) mini-games within the chapter. It is a long chapter which I feel would be better if it were shorter.
HOP SCENES: There are thirty-one (31) scenes, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. Since this is a remaster of an older game, most of the scenes are lists of items, silhouette, and matching. They are interactive. The developer did provide some creative touches to some scenes in the main game. My favorite scene in the game is one in which items must be located within a story box and then returned to the proper location between two different scenes. Go back and forth between the scenes.
MINI-GAMES: This is a puzzle-lover’s delight! There are twenty-seven (27) mini-games, twenty-four (24) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. For once, we have developer who has provided more puzzles to replay rather than the HOP scenes. Kudos to the developer for this! They are a variety of ones seen in many other games. I found most of the puzzles easy.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Locate all the hidden apples on a tree.
B. Connection puzzle. On a grid with twisted, interconnected snakes, place 5 sets of colored gems into position, so that for each snake, one is located at its mouth and the other at its tail.
C. Assembly puzzle. On a 4 x 4 grid with 16 colored squares with animals imprinted on them, switch the squares to that no two of the same color or animals, are within the same row and column.
D. Matching puzzle. Match up owls on a tree.
E. Switch/Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate marbles on a hexagonal grid so the image matches a given diagram 3X. The puzzle increases in difficulty.
F. Alignment puzzle. Align 7 gnomes sliding them up-and-down so all are aligned in the center of the grid. Moving one affects the others.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Sequence puzzle. Press on snake head fountains so they pour water at the same time. Pressing on one snake head affects the others.
H. Map puzzle. Follow a map to get to the center of a maze. Arrows provide the directions in which the player can go.
I. Assembly puzzle. As per a guide, turn 6 sets of tokens on a cryptex, so they are identical to those on the guide. Moving one affects the others.
B. Connection puzzle. On a grid with twisted, interconnected snakes, place 5 sets of colored gems into position, so that for each snake, one is located at its mouth and the other at its tail.
C. Assembly puzzle. On a 4 x 4 grid with 16 colored squares with animals imprinted on them, switch the squares to that no two of the same color or animals, are within the same row and column.
D. Matching puzzle. Match up owls on a tree.
E. Switch/Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate marbles on a hexagonal grid so the image matches a given diagram 3X. The puzzle increases in difficulty.
F. Alignment puzzle. Align 7 gnomes sliding them up-and-down so all are aligned in the center of the grid. Moving one affects the others.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Sequence puzzle. Press on snake head fountains so they pour water at the same time. Pressing on one snake head affects the others.
H. Map puzzle. Follow a map to get to the center of a maze. Arrows provide the directions in which the player can go.
I. Assembly puzzle. As per a guide, turn 6 sets of tokens on a cryptex, so they are identical to those on the guide. Moving one affects the others.
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover a murder victim's past and find her killer?
Overall rating
4
/
5
148 of 260 found this review helpful
USHER IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A BRAND-NEW MURDER MYSTERY SERIES!
PostedJanuary 9, 2021
sunnyglow
fromNorth Atlantic! The victim in this game made a “titanic” discovery in the quest for ageless beauty, not aging a day for over 100 years. If you are in a shipwreck or just jump overboard - by spending days in icy waters, you too will never age!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
**4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 50 pages (My time: 6.5 hours)
**4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 50 pages (My time: 6.5 hours)
STORY: Start the new year with a new murder mystery series from Domini Games. Play Randall and Eleanor Jones, a brother/sister duo of paranormal detectives who possess “twin magic.” Randall is the logical one in the duo and sister Eleanor possesses paranormal abilities. Be prepared for some paranormal sleuthing with this first entry as you play both characters in a tag-team approach.
Some actors remain immortal in the eyes of their fans, but Adaline Salfield is literally immortal, a stunning beauty who has not aged a day for over 100 years. However, when she dies from cardiac arrest while performing on stage, there is some evidence it was foul play. Was her death the result of old age or murder? Investigate the circumstances of her demise. There are a few suspects who may be involved. Was it her jealous boyfriend Andreas, her jealous understudy Ingrid, a crazed fan, or someone else? Get out your Ouija Board, crystal ball, and hone in on your sixth sense for this game!
OPINION: Domini is my favorite developer and always provides more game for the money. This one is no exception. I loved the storyline behind the game. It is a fantastic whodunit with a surprise ending. The motive for the crime was not what I expected. The game has a good pace with plenty of activities. This game, as others from this developer, can be played in either a casual mode by choosing to play the mini-games in the “easy” mode or by choosing to play the puzzles in a "hard" mode for a more challenging experience. This puzzle option can be set in the menu; however, it can be changed while playing the game. However, I do believe this game was rushed through and not proofed before it was published. I found a few minor errors.
GAME ERRORS: The collectibles are coins, morphing pieces of evidence, and inkblots. I enjoyed reading the analysis of the inkblots and what they signify. However, the strategy guide has some errors as does the game as far as the collectibles are concerned. The pictures in the strategy guide for the collectibles are reversed with the scenes in “B” coming before those in “A” and then those in “D” coming before “C.” The letter sequence is out of sync. Also, some of the collectibles are not within the scenes. I went to the strategy guide and where collectibles were indicated, they were not in those scenes. However, these minor errors did not diminish my enjoyment of the game as I am not an avid fan of collectibles.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing pieces of evidence and 15 inkblots
• Collect 70 coins to purchase items for a forensic lab
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay of 18 HOP scenes and 17 mini-games
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing pieces of evidence and 15 inkblots
• Collect 70 coins to purchase items for a forensic lab
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay of 18 HOP scenes and 17 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story. As Eleanor, go it alone by solving a case involving a serial killer. As a blonde, you will be safe in your investigation as the killer is targeting brunette, blue-eyed women. What is the story behind this crazed stalker and who is he? Be prepared for a surprise ending to this case! I found it a nice addition to the game and worthy of a collector’s edition. I found the story behind the game well-written, somewhat unsettling, and creepy. The only collectible in this chapter are coins. There was one scene which I believe was missing a coin. There are six (6) mini-games and (5) HOP scenes along with a mini-HOP scene with a search for six (6) items.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed at the end of the game. For a developer who is best known for their puzzles, Domini does a fantastic job with HOP scenes. They are varied and highly interactive. I am not a great lover of playing HOP scenes, but I do enjoy the ones from this developer. They are always very creatively designed. They include the usual lists of items and silhouette items. One of the silhouette scenes is a search-and-replace one in which items are found and returned to the scene where they are placed in the proper location. There is also a list of items with shapeshifting morphing objects! I found it humorous to see all the items popping and bopping from one shape to another. And in one, poof! - a cocoon changes into a butterfly when clicking on it. Other scenes include placing given items into the scene, storybook scenes, rebus clues, and spot-the-differences.
MINI-GAMES: Our “puzzlemeister” amazes us again with more fantastic puzzles. There are twenty-four (24) mini-games, seventeen (17) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. With the exception of two in the demo, the other mini-games can be played in either an “easy” or “hard” mode.
MINI-GAMES: Our “puzzlemeister” amazes us again with more fantastic puzzles. There are twenty-four (24) mini-games, seventeen (17) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. With the exception of two in the demo, the other mini-games can be played in either an “easy” or “hard” mode.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Lock puzzle. Enter numbers to open a lock with a given code which translates symbols into numbers. In the hard version, changing one number changes the other numbers on the lock.
B. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Slide lines of cars into positions which match those within a book. The easy version has 3 lines of cars and the hard version has 5.
C. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Place magical spheres upon a map to create routes which lead away from an intersection and do no cross other landmarks in the process. The easy version only has 5 spheres to place. The hard version has 8.
D. E/H. Ye Olde Tower of Hanoi Stacking Puzzle. In this case, stack suitcases so the largest is at the bottom and the smallest at the top. Move the suitcases between 3 locations, but no suitcase can be placed on top of a smaller one. The harder version has 5 suitcases; the easy version has only 4 suitcases.
E. E/H. Matching puzzle. Match up tiles within stacks to remove them. The hard version has 8 stacks and the easy has only 6.
F. E/H. Physics puzzle. Angle ping pong paddles so that a ball ends up at a designated pocket on the court. The hard version has more paddles to angle into position.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Picture puzzle. Place mirror shards into position to restore it. In the hard version the pieces must be rotated to fit into the scene.
H. E/H. Block puzzle. Slide blocks to create a path for a yellow tile to move from one end to the other. The hard version has one more block to move.
B. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Slide lines of cars into positions which match those within a book. The easy version has 3 lines of cars and the hard version has 5.
C. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Place magical spheres upon a map to create routes which lead away from an intersection and do no cross other landmarks in the process. The easy version only has 5 spheres to place. The hard version has 8.
D. E/H. Ye Olde Tower of Hanoi Stacking Puzzle. In this case, stack suitcases so the largest is at the bottom and the smallest at the top. Move the suitcases between 3 locations, but no suitcase can be placed on top of a smaller one. The harder version has 5 suitcases; the easy version has only 4 suitcases.
E. E/H. Matching puzzle. Match up tiles within stacks to remove them. The hard version has 8 stacks and the easy has only 6.
F. E/H. Physics puzzle. Angle ping pong paddles so that a ball ends up at a designated pocket on the court. The hard version has more paddles to angle into position.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Picture puzzle. Place mirror shards into position to restore it. In the hard version the pieces must be rotated to fit into the scene.
H. E/H. Block puzzle. Slide blocks to create a path for a yellow tile to move from one end to the other. The hard version has one more block to move.
** I removed one star from the rating due to the minor errors in the game. This is fantastic game otherwise.
I recommend this game!
A sinister revenge plot is tearing a kingdom apart!
Overall rating
5
/
5
184 of 308 found this review helpful
A GAME WHICH CAPTURES THE SPIRITS OF NATURE
PostedJanuary 7, 2021
sunnyglow
fromCapture the spirit of nature by hugging a tree! Just remember to hug gently and then release that spirit (the Dryad) out into the world
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
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 47 pages (My time: 7 Hours)
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 47 pages (My time: 7 Hours)
STORY: Get ready to tromp through the dense foliage and murky swamps of the Dryad Forest, battling monsters and evildoers along the way. As a new member of the Guardians of Harmony, you have been asked by King Lydius to investigate strange happenings within this magical forest. The residents of the kingdom are being attacked and spirits are being kidnapped. A cauldron of witchy trouble is brewing in this kingdom, fomented by the spirit of revenge, and only you can stop it.
OPINION: This is another example of gaming excellence from this developer. Domini is my favorite developer, providing a quality game with extras most developers do not provide within their games. It is a long game with excellent graphics, an active pace, and oodles of activities to keep a player entertained. The story behind the game is superb and got me into the spirit to go into the forest and hug a tree.
There are three (3) collectibles - coins, morphing artifacts, and spirited items. I found most easy to locate. At the end of the game the player can use the coins to purchase items for a laboratory. Personally, I dislike collecting coins or any other item to exchange for items to decorate or supply some location. I would rather see another collectible or morphing object offered instead. There are three indicators on the inventory bar which alert the player when there is a collectible within the scene. This is a feature I wish was available on other developers’ games. I prefer this method to the sidebars which other developers use in their games. To me, they are harder to navigate. There is also a gimmicky Bestiary book which is used to destroy monsters lurking in the forest.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 23 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing artifacts and 15 spirited items
• Collect 70 coins used to purchase items for a laboratory
• 38 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• A gimmicky Bestiary book to zap and destroy creatures encountered on your walk through the woods.
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 23 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing artifacts and 15 spirited items
• Collect 70 coins used to purchase items for a laboratory
• 38 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• A gimmicky Bestiary book to zap and destroy creatures encountered on your walk through the woods.
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER. Play Illian, a character from the main game. Queen Magret, the latest wife of King Lydius, is on a royal rampage, trying to expel all the spirits and nyads from the Dryad Woods. You, as the heir to the throne, are a threat to this queen, and now you must battle her and her partner in crime, the Spirit of Revenge. Can you save the Dryad Forest from her jealous rage? The survival of the forest beings depends on you. I found this a nice addition to the game. There are nine (9) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. There is also one mini-HOP scene with a list of six items. I found it a decent chapter with an engaging story and well worth the price of a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed at the end of the game. One of the reasons I love this developer’s games is the wide array of creatively designed HOP scenes. Although Domini is best known as a “puzzlemeister,” they have some amazing HOP scenes. There are highly interactive lists of items, silhouette, storybook scenes which advance the storyline, and matching scenes. There is also a scene with rebus clues, a spot-the-differences scene, matching pairs, and pattern scenes in which an item is located based on a small sample of it. As in their other games, Domini provides a Match-3 game to play instead of the scenes.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty (30) mini-games, eighteen (18) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. I am again begging for this developer to provide more puzzles to be replayed at the end of the game. There are some I would like to play again; however, I am not replaying the entire game to do so. Most of the puzzles can be played in an easy mode to provide a more laid-back, casual game or in the hard mode for those who want a little more challenge. The level of difficulty can be set in the menu but can be changed while playing the game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Logic puzzle. On a 5 x 5 grid located on a harp, move musical notes so that each row and column have the same number of notes as written at the top of each column and sides of each row. Easy version has a 4 x 5 grid with less notes to place.
B. Assembly puzzle. Create acid by following a 3-step process as per a given set of instructions. Place items in the proper bins, grind them and then place in the proper order to get 3 bowls of the right color powder.
C. E/H. Lock puzzle. Switch inner plates in the center of a lock so they mesh with those on the outside. Easier version has less plates which need to be switched.
D. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move two amulets, following a path to red slots at the top of the grid. In the easy version, move one amulet at a time – in the hard version – move both at the same time.
E. E/H. Bullseye puzzle. Get some target practice by using a slingshot to hurt rocks to the center of targets. The hard version has 5 targets and the easy 3 targets. Use 3 levers to center the stones toward the bullseyes and press to release.
F. E/H. Picture puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to create a map. The easy version has less pieces.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Rotate 4 arms and hands attached to a skull so each hinged hand is on a matching slot.
H. E/H. Connection puzzle. On a cube connect two like -colored squares. Lines cannot cross.
I. E/H. Map puzzle. Lead a balloon up a mountain avoiding obstacles within its path.
J. E/H. Trap an evil spirit within a grid by blocking his escape. Fence him in by moving from space-to space within the grid creating a wall to block his escape.
B. Assembly puzzle. Create acid by following a 3-step process as per a given set of instructions. Place items in the proper bins, grind them and then place in the proper order to get 3 bowls of the right color powder.
C. E/H. Lock puzzle. Switch inner plates in the center of a lock so they mesh with those on the outside. Easier version has less plates which need to be switched.
D. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move two amulets, following a path to red slots at the top of the grid. In the easy version, move one amulet at a time – in the hard version – move both at the same time.
E. E/H. Bullseye puzzle. Get some target practice by using a slingshot to hurt rocks to the center of targets. The hard version has 5 targets and the easy 3 targets. Use 3 levers to center the stones toward the bullseyes and press to release.
F. E/H. Picture puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to create a map. The easy version has less pieces.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Rotate 4 arms and hands attached to a skull so each hinged hand is on a matching slot.
H. E/H. Connection puzzle. On a cube connect two like -colored squares. Lines cannot cross.
I. E/H. Map puzzle. Lead a balloon up a mountain avoiding obstacles within its path.
J. E/H. Trap an evil spirit within a grid by blocking his escape. Fence him in by moving from space-to space within the grid creating a wall to block his escape.
I recommend this game!
The most perfect town in the world hides a terrible secret!
Overall rating
3
/
5
103 of 228 found this review helpful
LOOKING AT THE WORLD THROUGH BLUE ROSE COLORED GLASSES
PostedDecember 31, 2020
sunnyglow
fromHappy New Year! I wonder if Restville has a yearly Blue Rose Bowl parade with floats covered with pollen-heavy blue roses? Each rose spewing out sprays of rose dust should povide for a truly mind-altering “happy” new year.
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
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 34 pages (My time: 4.5 Hours)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 34 pages (My time: 4.5 Hours)
STORY: More family drama erupts for our detective trio in this game; however, this time it is not Anna Gray with family problems, it is Agent Dorian Brown. After returning to his childhood home in Restville, Agent Brown has disappeared. His disappearance may be linked to his twin brother, Mortimer, who is engaged in misguided nefarious activities. Now, his detective cohorts, Anna Gray and James Blackthorne, are off to Restville, a town where everyone sees the world through rose-colored glasses. What is happening in Dorian’s childhood home where his brother is mayor and his brother’s flower child girlfriend keeps blue roses in bloom all year long?
OPINION: Hope you are wearing those rose-colored glasses while playing this game. Meandering around the blue roses in this game did not alter my perception of it. I found this game short and lacking the creativity and activities of many of this developer's other games. It has an engaging storyline, however, to me it has the feel of an assembly-line game. I found the pace dragged in spots throughout this game. Although this is one of my favorite series from this developer, to me, this game is not of the same caliber. However, I feel that the quality of most of Elephant’s recent games have decreased in size and quality as well. One thing the blue roses did accomplish for me within this game – it has made it forgettable.
OPINION: Hope you are wearing those rose-colored glasses while playing this game. Meandering around the blue roses in this game did not alter my perception of it. I found this game short and lacking the creativity and activities of many of this developer's other games. It has an engaging storyline, however, to me it has the feel of an assembly-line game. I found the pace dragged in spots throughout this game. Although this is one of my favorite series from this developer, to me, this game is not of the same caliber. However, I feel that the quality of most of Elephant’s recent games have decreased in size and quality as well. One thing the blue roses did accomplish for me within this game – it has made it forgettable.
There are only two collectibles in the game, morphing hats and pictures fragments with which to create four screensavers. There are only thirty-three (33) to locate within the game. Most scenes have only one collectible, and there are scenes without any collectibles. They are easy to locate. The secret room at the end of the game has forty (40) additional items to locate within the game’s scenes. I thought this activity was one of the better activities within the game.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 20 puzzles pieces which create 4 screensavers.
• Collect 13 morphing objects (hats)
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 13 mini-games
• Secret Room opened at the end of the game to collect 40 more objects within the scenes
• Expedition room (allows you to return to the rooms to get collectibles)
• Tag Team between the 3 detectives playing each one within the game.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 20 puzzles pieces which create 4 screensavers.
• Collect 13 morphing objects (hats)
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 13 mini-games
• Secret Room opened at the end of the game to collect 40 more objects within the scenes
• Expedition room (allows you to return to the rooms to get collectibles)
• Tag Team between the 3 detectives playing each one within the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. After the damage caused by the previous mayor, a new mayor, Andrew Stevens, has been elected. Play both the mayor and the flower girl from the main game as they investigate reports of a new type of rose whose pollen could be deadly to the town. This is a short chapter with six (6) mini-games and four (4) HOP scenes plus two (2) mini-HOP scenes with a small number of items to locate. It is consistent in quality to the main game. Two of the mini-games are picture puzzles (one appearing right after the other) which I feel were dumped into the game to provide filler to the game. To me, this chapter is not worthy of the extra price of the collector’s edition designation.
HOP SCENES: There are only fourteen (14) HOP scenes within the entire game and all of them can be replayed. There are also mini-HOP scenes in a small number items (six to eight) are to be located. Most of the mini-HOP scenes are silhouette with items located sequentially. There are only three styles of scenes – lists of items, silhouette items, and matching. They can all be replayed at the end of the game.
MINI-GAMES: There are only twenty-one (21) mini-games, thirteen (13) of which can be played at the end of the game. The ones within the game are decent, there are just not enough of them to keep an active pace within the game.
SPOILERS: THERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Sequence puzzle. Pull on 4 cords so all are of equal length in a straight line
B. Maze puzzle. Lead James Blackthorne throughout Restville, while avoiding pop-up sheriff tokens 2X
C. Switch puzzle. Switch jagged lock pieces so they mesh with matching jagged pieces on a center bar.
D. Question/Answer. Something new. As Dorian Brown, answer questions Anna Gray asks you. Choose between two answers for 4 questions
E. Battle scene puzzle. Choose 3 symbols within the scene to match those shown at the bottom of the screen. More of a HOP scene 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Switch puzzle. Switch 4 books on a bookcase so their spines match in sequence to those on a given diagram.
G. Strategy puzzle Fill in a grid with different colored flowers by clicking on different colors, changing the first rose and others surrounding it to that color. Continue until all roses in the grid are the same color. You have 25 moves
H. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate 3 rings with symbols along the edge so that each of the 4 symbols on each ring matches those along the sides.
B. Maze puzzle. Lead James Blackthorne throughout Restville, while avoiding pop-up sheriff tokens 2X
C. Switch puzzle. Switch jagged lock pieces so they mesh with matching jagged pieces on a center bar.
D. Question/Answer. Something new. As Dorian Brown, answer questions Anna Gray asks you. Choose between two answers for 4 questions
E. Battle scene puzzle. Choose 3 symbols within the scene to match those shown at the bottom of the screen. More of a HOP scene 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Switch puzzle. Switch 4 books on a bookcase so their spines match in sequence to those on a given diagram.
G. Strategy puzzle Fill in a grid with different colored flowers by clicking on different colors, changing the first rose and others surrounding it to that color. Continue until all roses in the grid are the same color. You have 25 moves
H. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate 3 rings with symbols along the edge so that each of the 4 symbols on each ring matches those along the sides.
**I recommend this game with reservations. It has an excellent story but lacks the usual creativity usually seen in most of this developer's games.
I recommend this game!
Can you save him and the Secret City from destruction in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
110 of 185 found this review helpful
ARTIFACTS, ARTIFACTS, AND EVEN MORE ARTIFACTS IN THE BONUS CHAPTER WILL PUT YOU TO SLEEP
PostedDecember 26, 2020
sunnyglow
fromGlad I did not play this game on Christmas Eve! I might have fallen asleep and missed Santa!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 pages (My Time: 6 Hours? Not certain. I fell asleep while playing it)
STORY: Detective! Return to the Secret City to investigate mysterious artifacts which are causing havoc within the city. Since arriving at the local museum, these strange items are affecting the local citizens, causing them to lose their willpower, entering a zombie-like trance. A vengeful social misfit may be behind the chaos affecting the city and it will be up to you to stop him before he can use these artifacts to charge a powerful device to suppress the will of the people.
OPINION: Domini Games is my favorite developer; however, this series is not. This creature feature is another game in which some evildoer tries to destroy the inhabitants of this city hidden away from human folk. I found the game monotonous. There is a great deal of back-and-forth motion within the game. There is not much of story behind the game – just running to-and-fro from one scene to another searching for the culprit behind the chaos while collecting inventory items. The graphics are decent with the Domini’s signature neon green and purple splattered throughout the scenes.
There are three (3) collectibles. Collect morphing objects and photos. The photos practically jump out at you within the scenes. The morphing objects are better hidden, but still obvious within the scenes. Collect coins to purchase items for a private jet. The coins are easily seen as well. I hate collecting coins to purchase items for some room or other locale. This is one collectible I wish this developer would eliminate from their games.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing artifacts and 15 photos.
• Collect 70 coins to purchase items for your private jet
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing artifacts and 15 photos.
• Collect 70 coins to purchase items for your private jet
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another game. You have been asked to investigate another case involving - you guessed it - even more artifacts. A well-known criminal within the city has been sending artifacts to the city’s residents with disastrous consequences. Upon receipt, the residents are falling into a deep sleep and not waking up (like me playing this game). This human evildoer has plans to capitalize on selling these magical artifacts to humans causing untold havoc between the two kingdoms. Now you must try to stop him.
I found this bonus chapter a rehash of the story from the main game. It is the same story with another villain. Ho Hum! To me this is just more of the same from the main game. There are eight (8) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. There are also two mini-HOP scenes in which the player locates 6 items. I did not think the mini-games were as creatively designed as those from the main game. The chapter seemed as if it were rushed through without any creative thought or design. To me this chapter is not worth the price of a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes; all can be replayed at the end of the game. I do like the variety of the HOP scenes with Domini Games; however, these scenes are not as creatively designed as in many of their other games. They include the standard lists of items and silhouette. However, there are some spot-the-difference scenes, rebus clue scenes, and some pattern scenes in which an item is chosen based upon a small piece of it or its pattern. My favorite is a search-and-replace scene in which items are located then used within the scene to find the next item.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-eight (28) puzzles within the game; eighteen (18) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. Most of them can be played in either an “easy” mode for an easy/breezy game or in a “hard” mode which provides a more challenging game. There are some “puzzles” within this game which I would hardly call “puzzles.” Entering a code written on a piece of paper is NOT a puzzle.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move a ball through a maze using arrows to direct its motion. Move it until it reaches a hole within the maze. The ball will keep moving until it hits a blocker in its path. The harder version has a more complex route to follow to the hole. 3X
B. Switch puzzle. Switch icons on a computer screen to match that on a given code
C. Gear puzzle. Switch gears so that all mesh with each other.
D. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch a pair of tokens at a time so that each token is in its proper location. The harder version has a space between the pair of tokens to be switched
E. Lock puzzle. Enter a given code into a vending machine to get a ticket. (This is NOT a puzzle)
F. E/H. Map puzzle. Choose between 3 paths at the right time to move through a scene without being caught by the patrolling police. The harder version has one more policeman 3X
G. E/H. Switch/Connection puzzle. Switch tokens with lights emanating from them so the lights from the tokens connect with each other and create a design.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Assembly puzzle. Move 4 pieces of a medallion into position by rotating the pieces and pushing them into the center. 2X
I. Lock puzzle. Enter 4 numbers to open a lock.
J. E/H. Map puzzle. Place arrows on a grid to lead a token to a shop. Avoid soap traps. Test your results after placing the arrows. The harder version has more arrows to place.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch icons on a computer screen to match that on a given code
C. Gear puzzle. Switch gears so that all mesh with each other.
D. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch a pair of tokens at a time so that each token is in its proper location. The harder version has a space between the pair of tokens to be switched
E. Lock puzzle. Enter a given code into a vending machine to get a ticket. (This is NOT a puzzle)
F. E/H. Map puzzle. Choose between 3 paths at the right time to move through a scene without being caught by the patrolling police. The harder version has one more policeman 3X
G. E/H. Switch/Connection puzzle. Switch tokens with lights emanating from them so the lights from the tokens connect with each other and create a design.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Assembly puzzle. Move 4 pieces of a medallion into position by rotating the pieces and pushing them into the center. 2X
I. Lock puzzle. Enter 4 numbers to open a lock.
J. E/H. Map puzzle. Place arrows on a grid to lead a token to a shop. Avoid soap traps. Test your results after placing the arrows. The harder version has more arrows to place.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Santa prepare for the most wonderful time of the year!
Overall rating
5
/
5
74 of 205 found this review helpful
MANY HOURS OF HOLIDAY CHEER TO HOPEFULLY USHER IN A HAPPIER NEW YEAR
PostedDecember 19, 2020
sunnyglow
fromMerry Christmas and may your search for the numerous items within this game help you find the hidden joy of this holiday season!
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. With the pandemic keeping most of us from our usual holiday plans, this game helps brighten the darkness of the times in which we are living. This is a festive game chock full of Christmas goodies. If this game does not get you into the holiday spirit, nothing will!
I never play retro-HOP games and have never reviewed this type of game before! However, after being homebound for months, this game with its glistening graphics beckoned to me. I enjoyed this game. 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 Christmas songs playing in the background. I enjoyed singing (in my horrible voice – so bad my cat covers his ears in torment) “Jolly Good Old St Nicholas” and other Christmas melodies. The menu allows you to choose between twenty (20) Christmas songs. Do you want to add Christmas wallpaper to spruce up your computer? There are 18 beautiful wallpapers to choose from.
The game consists of a series of HOP scenes in which you search for items within a festive Christmas environment within the town of Springfield or the North Pole. I think Springfield may be in Texas with all the references to the Tex-Mex culture and maps of Texas and state flags, but, at the same time, I saw many California license plates on the cars. However, it is not unusual nowadays in Texas to see California plates as many Californians are moving here in droves.
Alternating between the HOP scenes is a puzzle. The puzzles vary with a variety of different styles. There are picture puzzles - jigsaw puzzles, flipsaw puzzles, and rotating tiles puzzles. There are also others such as word searches, concentration puzzles, and spot-the-difference puzzles. I found the jigsaw puzzles challenging as there many pieces, and they must be rotated as well. As an added present - you can play forty-eight (48) additional puzzles at the end of the game.
Within the HOP scenes there are gold Christmas trees to be found, a bunch of lost objects, a photo to be taken of the scene, and interactive activities to be performed. 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 trees, one of finding all the lost items and one for finding all the items listed.
This game provides a lot of gaming pleasure for the price. I have not even begun to play the additional puzzles; however, I have already spent more time on this game than most of the HOP games I usually play. Kudos Casual Arts for a fantastic game! I am now an aficionada of your games!
MECHANICS:
• Three levels of play – Casual, Challenge, and Extreme
• Play 48 additional puzzles
• Collect golden Christmas trees and lost items
• 18 wallpapers
• 20 Christmas songs to choose from as background music
• Play 48 additional puzzles
• Collect golden Christmas trees and lost items
• 18 wallpapers
• 20 Christmas songs to choose from as background music
I recommend this game!
Something is terribly wrong in the toy world, and only you can help!
Overall rating
5
/
5
182 of 342 found this review helpful
CRACK OPEN THE DOORS TO A BATTLE IN A MAGICAL KINGDOM
PostedDecember 17, 2020
sunnyglow
fromMerry Christmas to all and to all a good fight! (against the evildoers in this game)
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: 45 pages (My time: 7 Hours - a long game)
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 45 pages (My time: 7 Hours - a long game)
STORY: After many years, you, Marie, are off to see your godfather, Drosselmeyer, and childhood friend, Fritz, for the Christmas holiday. Your godfather is a famous toymaker and your friend, Fritz was his apprentice and is now a toymaker as well. You have many fond memories of you and Fritz playing with a toy castle which, through its doors, whisked you away to the enchanted kingdom of Speilland. Upon arrival, you learn Fritz has disappeared into this kingdom. Help your old friend who is engaged in a battle to save the kingdom from an evildoer out to destroy both the kingdom and your godfather.
OPINION: Loosely based on characters from the “Nutcracker,” the story behind this game is not related to the Christmas classic. I enjoyed this game; however, it does not have the Christmas flavor of the two previous Christmas games. You will not be singing Christmas carols in this game. Instead, you will be decked out in battle gear and shouting a war cry. It is decked out with toy soldiers, battling mice headed by the Mouse King, and an evildoer out for revenge. It is a fast-paced game in which you spend most of your time battling one evildoer after another. It is a long game with oodles of activities. It is decked out in Christmas attire; however, there is little peace and good will in this game.
The collectibles are snow globe symbols and morphing items. There are two(2) of each within each scene. I found them easy to locate. The snow globe symbols are traded in for seven (7) ornate snow globes at the end of the game. The morphing objects can be traded for mechanical toys. The graphics are superb and there are some creatively designed HOP scenes and mini-games. A lot of work went in to designing this game. It is a fantastic game – but be prepared for more of a fantasy game rather than a soft, quiet Christmas delight.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 27 achievements.
• Collect 54 collectible snow globes symbols to exchange for 7 snow globes
• Collect 54 morphing items which you exchange for mechanical toys
• 7 wallpapers along with 5 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Claus, a mouse who will give you background information about the story behind the game if you give him sweets
• Extra puzzle played after collecting all collectibles. It is a maze puzzle in which a mouse collects presents and ornaments
• Replay 25 HOP scenes and 14 mini-games
• 27 achievements.
• Collect 54 collectible snow globes symbols to exchange for 7 snow globes
• Collect 54 morphing items which you exchange for mechanical toys
• 7 wallpapers along with 5 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Claus, a mouse who will give you background information about the story behind the game if you give him sweets
• Extra puzzle played after collecting all collectibles. It is a maze puzzle in which a mouse collects presents and ornaments
• Replay 25 HOP scenes and 14 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. You, as Marie, have been invited to a Christmas party at the bequest of the Mouse King in Speilland. Gepetto’s assistant, Pinnochio, has a strange artifact which is causing more havoc for the kingdom. This misguided puppet wants to become human; however, he is being deceived in his quest and is destroying the kingdom in the process. Now you must stop him. I found this chapter a nice addition to the game. There are fourteen (14) mini-games and seven (7) HOP scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-five (25) HOP scenes in the game; all of which can be replayed at the end of the game. There is a chubby, adorable mouse, Claus, who will provide background information on the story if you feed him some sweets. Up pops a storybook scene in which you must place given items back within the scene. He pops up five (5) times within the game. There are also the usual lists of items, matching, and silhouette scenes. Some of the scenes have puzzles within them. My favorite scene was a creatively designed one in the bonus chapter in which you flip the room upside down and back again to search for items and interact with them within the room. However, turning the room upside down did cause me to become dizzy!
MINI-GAMES: There are forty-three (43) mini games in this game! They are creatively designed. However, you can only replay fourteen (14) of them. I wish this developer, along with others as well, would offer more mini-games to replay. There are many I want to replay but I am not going to replay the entire game to do so. There are also a few puzzles which can be played in either a casual or hard mode. At the end of the game there is an extra mini-game provided in which the player must run a mouse through a maze to collect presents and ornaments.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Queens 8 puzzle. In this case – Queens 4. Move 4 queens on a modified chessboard to that no two queens are in the same column, row or diagonal.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens on a 3 x3 grid to restore an image
C. Casual/Hard. Rotate and place puzzle pieces into position to restore an image. The harder version has more pieces to place within the grid.
D. Maze puzzle. Go through a circular maze while avoiding tin soldiers. If a soldier sees you, you return to the beginning
E. Assembly puzzle. Click on stars from a constellation map to create a constellation which matches that on the map.
F. Connection puzzle. Fill in hexagons by connecting them based on given numbers on the grid. All spaces will be used within each grid and all spaces for each number must connect with each other. 2X
G. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate 3 rings to restore an image
H. Rope puzzle. Untangle lines so they do not cross each other.
I. Domino puzzle. Rotate gears with images on them so that adjacent gears have the same image.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. Assembly puzzle. Find the symbols which comprise a more complex symbol. If correct, the symbol will light up if all parts are located 3X
K. Switch puzzle. Switch triangular pieces with similar oriented ones to restore an image
L. Connection puzzle. Switch mice in a grid so that the pieces of rope they are holding connect with each other.
M. Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored wires with each other by creating paths. Rotate squares to create a connection with the squares surrounding it.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens on a 3 x3 grid to restore an image
C. Casual/Hard. Rotate and place puzzle pieces into position to restore an image. The harder version has more pieces to place within the grid.
D. Maze puzzle. Go through a circular maze while avoiding tin soldiers. If a soldier sees you, you return to the beginning
E. Assembly puzzle. Click on stars from a constellation map to create a constellation which matches that on the map.
F. Connection puzzle. Fill in hexagons by connecting them based on given numbers on the grid. All spaces will be used within each grid and all spaces for each number must connect with each other. 2X
G. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate 3 rings to restore an image
H. Rope puzzle. Untangle lines so they do not cross each other.
I. Domino puzzle. Rotate gears with images on them so that adjacent gears have the same image.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. Assembly puzzle. Find the symbols which comprise a more complex symbol. If correct, the symbol will light up if all parts are located 3X
K. Switch puzzle. Switch triangular pieces with similar oriented ones to restore an image
L. Connection puzzle. Switch mice in a grid so that the pieces of rope they are holding connect with each other.
M. Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored wires with each other by creating paths. Rotate squares to create a connection with the squares surrounding it.
I recommend this game!
A mysterious abduction and a strange hospital lead to a terrible secret!
Overall rating
3
/
5
81 of 197 found this review helpful
WELCOME TO THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
PostedDecember 12, 2020
sunnyglow
from'Twas the nightmare before Christmas and all through the house, mutated creatures were stirring, even a chimera mouse.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 33 pages (My time: 4 Hours)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 33 pages (My time: 4 Hours)
STORY: Welcome to a monstrous nightmare world! Play Rosalee Franco. After being stalked and kidnapped, you awaken to find yourself handcuffed to a bed in a hospital. Your memory is waning and soon discover you are part of an experiment being conducted by a beastly, mad scientist. Now, after escaping, you, along with a friend and a misguided doctor, must locate this fiend and stop his research. If not, your inner beast will break free and you may find yourself in a beastly mood!
OPINION: Take a break from the sugary sweet Christmas games and get prepared for a dark, psychological thriller. Santa will not be making his rounds in this research hospital! Leaving Santa’s reindeer in front of this hospital could see them morph into psycho killer deer out to bring holiday mayhem! This game is dark with a story delving into the dark side of genetic research. I did like the story behind the game; however, I found the game itself a monstrous bore.
After last week’s creatively designed Christmas game from this developer, I found this one just the opposite. The game is short and mediocre, lacking the creativity and quality of that game. I found it snail-paced. There is a lot of back-and-forth movement throughout the game with few activities to keep up the pace. There are only two collectibles – puzzles pieces for four (4) puzzles to be completed at the end of the game and cards about medical disorders. I found most easy to locate but some I found somewhat challenging to find. At the end of the game, there is a secret room which allows the player to locate more items within the scenes of the game. This activity is timed.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 jigsaw puzzles (12 each)
• Collect 12 cards with information about medical conditions
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Secret room in which you locate additional items within the scenes. Return to the scenes from the game and search for new items. You are timed.
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 jigsaw puzzles (12 each)
• Collect 12 cards with information about medical conditions
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Secret room in which you locate additional items within the scenes. Return to the scenes from the game and search for new items. You are timed.
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Play Rosalee’s friend, Adalina. When a chimera breaks into your home, you are off to find the doctor from the main game, Brian. You all believed that the mutation gene which created the chimeras had been destroyed, but obviously not. Now, by poring over research notes, you must find out why this happened and see if you can destroy the genetic link between you and the chimera. I found this chapter to be equal to the main game. It is a short chapter with five (5) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. To me, this chapter is not worth the extra cost of a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are nineteen (19) HOP scenes, fourteen (14) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. There are several mini-HOP scenes with six or less items to be located as well. Most of the scenes consist of lists of items and silhouette items. Although they are interactive, I found most boring, lacking variety and creativity. I found the ones in the demo better designed than those within the main game.
MINI-GAMES: There are sixteen (16) mini-games, twelve (12) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. I found the mini games more creatively designed than the HOP scenes. However, like the HOP scenes, there are just not enough of them within the game to keep up the pace.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Maze puzzle. Rotate 4 pieces of a maze to create a pathway to lead a square to the exit point. All the pieces must be position and the square must pass over 4 dots (one in each segment of the maze) before exiting.
B. Switch/connection/sequence puzzle. Switch squares with parts of wire on them so that a continuous flow of electricity flows between numbered lightbulbs in sequential ascending order.
C. Jigsaw puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to restore an image
D. Match -3 Game. Fill your 3 power bars before your opponent does. You gain power by matching 3 or more of your colored tokens assigned to you. If you cannot match your tokens, you are forced to match those of your opponent.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Maze puzzle. In a smoky maze, plot a path to reach the abandoned factory.
F. Logic Problem. Turn all lights green on a grid. Clicking on one, lights it and all lights surrounding it, or if lit, turns them off. Plot your moves in the proper sequence to get all to light up and stay lit.
G. Two part. (1) Moving tiles puzzle. Slide 4 tokens along paths so each token representing earth, wind, fire, and air are next to an associated figure (2) Matching. Uncover and match tokens
B. Switch/connection/sequence puzzle. Switch squares with parts of wire on them so that a continuous flow of electricity flows between numbered lightbulbs in sequential ascending order.
C. Jigsaw puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to restore an image
D. Match -3 Game. Fill your 3 power bars before your opponent does. You gain power by matching 3 or more of your colored tokens assigned to you. If you cannot match your tokens, you are forced to match those of your opponent.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Maze puzzle. In a smoky maze, plot a path to reach the abandoned factory.
F. Logic Problem. Turn all lights green on a grid. Clicking on one, lights it and all lights surrounding it, or if lit, turns them off. Plot your moves in the proper sequence to get all to light up and stay lit.
G. Two part. (1) Moving tiles puzzle. Slide 4 tokens along paths so each token representing earth, wind, fire, and air are next to an associated figure (2) Matching. Uncover and match tokens
**I recommend this game with reservations. It is a short, mediocre game with few HOP scenes and mini-games. Nevertheless, the story behind the game is excellent
I recommend this game!