sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,068
- Reviews Submitted:758
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:September 12, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you save the city from the dangerous criminal Quasimodo?
Overall rating
5
/
5
141 of 214 found this review helpful
A VALENTINE DELIGHT TO REJUVENATE YOUR LOVE FOR HOP GAMES!
PostedFebruary 14, 2019
sunnyglow
fromHappy Valentine’s Day! Looking to rejuvenate your appearance? This game provides a new alternative to plastic surgery!
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:
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 51 Pages (This is a long game)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 51 Pages (This is a long game)
OVERVIEW: You, Captain Frederic de Bone, have been summoned by Cardinal Frollo to aid in the apprehension of the criminal, Quasimodo. The Cardinal believes that the street dancer, Esmeralda, is in danger from this criminal and you have been asked to bring her to the court for protection. You are off to Notre Dame Cathedral, the haunt of Quasimodo to try to apprehend him. Be warned! While engaged in hunting down this criminal, you will uncover some unsettling details concerning the Cardinal and his true intentions concerning Quasimodo and Esmeralda.
OPINION: What a sweet surprise for Valentine’s Day! I loved playing this game. I found the game is fast-paced with a well-written story. The Victor Hugo story is an excellent backdrop for this game. As always, Domini has included those little extras which other developers don’t. The game is long with fantastic, well-designed puzzles and HOP scenes. As in their other games, Domini provides an “easy” and “hard” version for most of their puzzles. My only complaint are the graphics. Although they are realistic, I feel the colors are garish with too much purple and neon green. I wish Domini would use more subtle colors in their games.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are thirty-three (33) achievements. Collect fifteen (15) diary pages, seventy (70) golden bracelets (used to purchase items for your boudoir), and fifteen (15) morphing tarot cards. There is an indicator on the inventory bar which indicates when there is a collectible within the scene. You play two characters, Captain De Bone and Esmeralda, switching periodically between them within the game. There are ten (10) wallpapers along with concept art and music and video sequences. You can replay fifteen (15) mini-games and eighteen (18) HOP scenes.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. It is a long chapter well-worth the additional price of the collector’s edition. Esmeralda receives a letter from King Louis XII informing her that she is his illegitimate daughter and heir to the throne. However, the king’s wife, Agatha, has other plans for Esmeralda in her own quest to become queen of France. You continue to collect the collectibles within this chapter. The HOP scenes and mini-games are similar as those in the main chapter. There are nine (9) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are nineteen (19) scenes within the game. You can play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scenes. Domini has upped their game with the HOP scenes. They are innovative with some creative flourishes. They are varied in style. They include scenes with lists of items, matching, rebus clues, spot-the-differences, and silhouette. There are also storybook scenes with items to be removed in highlighted letters. My favorites are the scenes with the rebus clues and those with the sliders in which the player must slide a silhouette over a listed item to remove it.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-four (34) mini-games within the game. They are superb with most having the option to be played in either an “easy” or “hard” mode. My only complaint is that I wish Domini would have offered more of the puzzles to be replayed. Less than half of the puzzles are available to be replayed.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Tangram puzzle. Place tiles with grooves in them for emblems on a grid so that all the tiles cover the emblems with no emblem left uncovered.
B. Switch puzzle. In a variation of dominoes, switch segments with two symbols on them so that the symbols on each segment match up with the segment next to it.
C. Maze puzzle. On a grid, move an incense burner to locate bees hidden underneath a series of cells. You must locate all the bees (by trial and error) in a specific number of moves.
D. Switch puzzle. Switch colored gemstones on the top and bottom of a 3-tiered grid so that the combination of the colors on the top and bottom equal the color of the symbol in the middle.
E. Maze puzzle. Move two gems through a maze at the same time to the middle of the grid. The gems will mirror each other in their moves.
BONUS CHAPTER
F. Connection puzzle. Connect flowers with their matching colored gemstones without crossing lines.
G. Physical puzzle. Move a bucket out of the well clicking on roots to move them out of the way. If a root hits the bucket you must start again.
H. Logic puzzle. Paint a spiral so that no two colors which are next to each other are the same.
A. Tangram puzzle. Place tiles with grooves in them for emblems on a grid so that all the tiles cover the emblems with no emblem left uncovered.
B. Switch puzzle. In a variation of dominoes, switch segments with two symbols on them so that the symbols on each segment match up with the segment next to it.
C. Maze puzzle. On a grid, move an incense burner to locate bees hidden underneath a series of cells. You must locate all the bees (by trial and error) in a specific number of moves.
D. Switch puzzle. Switch colored gemstones on the top and bottom of a 3-tiered grid so that the combination of the colors on the top and bottom equal the color of the symbol in the middle.
E. Maze puzzle. Move two gems through a maze at the same time to the middle of the grid. The gems will mirror each other in their moves.
BONUS CHAPTER
F. Connection puzzle. Connect flowers with their matching colored gemstones without crossing lines.
G. Physical puzzle. Move a bucket out of the well clicking on roots to move them out of the way. If a root hits the bucket you must start again.
H. Logic puzzle. Paint a spiral so that no two colors which are next to each other are the same.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the city from a dangerous magic-wielding criminal?
Overall rating
4
/
5
97 of 160 found this review helpful
PINOCCHIO WITH AN URBAN FLAIR
PostedFebruary 7, 2019
sunnyglow
fromIf Chris Andersen turned into wood, would not his tattoo be tied up in knots?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages
OVERVIEW: Detective Chris Andersen is back on the case! Return to Bay City where tensions are rising between the Marked and Unmarked people. While riding on a subway, a touch by a stranger has caused Andersen to slowly transform into wood. The stranger involved wants justice. Is this stranger out for revenge against the detective? Be prepared to enter the seamier side of the city and deal with a band of criminals engaged in a devious plot. Aiding Andersen again in his investigation will be the power of his tattoo, which allows him to view scenes in a different perspective. Also adding her skills is his girlfriend, Rachel. Can you stop a group of criminals before they cause more havoc for the city?
OPINION: I found this game much better than the first one in the series. Loosely based upon the tale of Pinocchio, the storyline is excellent with a plot which takes some twists and turns along the way. The demo does not go into much detail concerning the plot behind this game. The game is much better after the demo. I found the pace excellent with plenty of activities to keep the player engaged. In a turnaround for EIPIX, I found the HOP scenes much better designed than the puzzles. The scenes are very creative. I am disappointed in the puzzles. Usually EIPIX provides more challenging puzzles within their games. The puzzles are easy – too easy for my taste. This is a great game for those who like easy breezy games. There is not much challenge within this game. It seems as if this game was designed with younger players in mind.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twelve (12) achievements. Collect thirty-five (35) aerosol cans. Also collect (15) morphing objects within the HOP scenes. All are easy to locate. Many practically jump out at you! You can replay nineteen (19) puzzles and fifteen (15) HOP scenes. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences. There is a souvenir room to place the seventeen (17) souvenirs you collect at the end of the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Play Katt who is locked within Rat Tower by an evildoer. Help her plot her escape from this building so she can join her friend to start a new life away from Bay City. It is a decent length for a bonus chapter. There are three (3) puzzles and four (4) HOP scenes within this chapter. After being disappointed in the puzzles from the main game, I found the puzzles more challenging in this chapter. You continue to collect the collectibles and morphing objects within this chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty (20) HOP scenes within the game. Most will have some type of morphing object within the scene. They are creatively designed. Most of the scenes are multiple step ones in which the player searches for items in two or more different formats. There is a wide variety of scenes as well including lists of items, silhouette, matching, and rebus clues. My favorite scene is one in which the player matches striped umbrellas and then searches for items from a list, all while pushing the umbrellas aside to locate them.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-six (26) puzzles within the game. Although most are easy, there are a few moderately difficult puzzles (mainly in the bonus chapter). It astounds me what EIPIX considers a “puzzle” as differentiated from activities within the game they do not consider “puzzles”. Some of the activities in the game are more difficult than their “puzzles.” There is one designated “puzzle” in which you place three (3) cat-shaped pieces into a grid to complete a jigsaw puzzle. To me, this is NOT a puzzle.
CONFUSING DIRECTIONS! Once more, I found the directions confusing for some of the puzzles. More clarification is needed. There is one in which you must track a guide marker through a ventilation system. I could not figure out exactly what to do with that marker. Finally, I just gave up and skipped the puzzle. Upon skipping the puzzle, I was able to figure out what I was supposed to do by watching the solution.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Jigsaw puzzle. Place 3 cat-shaped pieces into a grid to complete a puzzle.
B. Lock puzzle. Move a metal plate with a path grooved upon it around a button until the plate is removed.
C. Paint-by-number. In this case, paid a fox mask according to a given diagram.
D. Connection puzzle. Place dolls on a map so that every path is covered within the sight of all the dolls.
E. Map/Sequence puzzle. Place a series of tokens on a path so they lead from the beginning to the end avoiding police cars on the path. Each token moves a specific number of moves. Place them in a specific order to reach the end.
F. Matching puzzle. On a grid, match up statements with the proper pictures to represent the given statement.
G. Car chase! Follow a car while avoiding other cars within your path.
H. Climb up a rope while avoiding obstacles in your path. Use arrow to maneuver left, right, and up.
BONUS CHAPTER
I. Card puzzle. Blackjack! Place cards onto a table so that each row and column of 4 cards equals 21.
J. Pipe puzzle. Arrange pipes so that marbles can exit.
B. Lock puzzle. Move a metal plate with a path grooved upon it around a button until the plate is removed.
C. Paint-by-number. In this case, paid a fox mask according to a given diagram.
D. Connection puzzle. Place dolls on a map so that every path is covered within the sight of all the dolls.
E. Map/Sequence puzzle. Place a series of tokens on a path so they lead from the beginning to the end avoiding police cars on the path. Each token moves a specific number of moves. Place them in a specific order to reach the end.
F. Matching puzzle. On a grid, match up statements with the proper pictures to represent the given statement.
G. Car chase! Follow a car while avoiding other cars within your path.
H. Climb up a rope while avoiding obstacles in your path. Use arrow to maneuver left, right, and up.
BONUS CHAPTER
I. Card puzzle. Blackjack! Place cards onto a table so that each row and column of 4 cards equals 21.
J. Pipe puzzle. Arrange pipes so that marbles can exit.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a madman from using puppets to take over the island?
Overall rating
2
/
5
72 of 146 found this review helpful
JUST ANOTHER PUPPETSHOW ON A STRING
PostedJanuary 31, 2019
sunnyglow
fromThis game affirms the statement, “all I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.” I knew one day that important skill of staying within the lines while tracing an image would come in handy in playing a mini-game!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
OVERVIEW: You off to visit an old college friend, newlywed Dee Dee Ferguson. Upon arriving, you realize she is in danger. Her new husband, Otis, has gifted her with a special one-of-a-kind doll created by the renown dollmaker, Master Alexander. However, a hooded evildoer is trying to get this doll from her for some seemingly nefarious purposes. She has been receiving threatening letters from this individual demanding she turn over the doll. Can you save your friend? Be prepared for this latest in the string of puppet show games to take some twists and turns. Surprises and danger await both you and your friend.
OPINION: This is an easy breezy game which should appeal to those who like this series and/or want a nonchallenging game. I do like the story behind this game. It appears the story will take some unexpected twists and turns in relation to the plot. Nevertheless, I found the demo very boring. With a few exceptions, I found the puzzles too easy for my taste. The HOP scenes for the most part are lists of items. And, of course, it would not be an AMAX game without animal noises. Be prepared for the wailing of cats within the demo. Hopefully, one day, AMAX will rid their games of all the barking dogs, baying wolves and screeching cats. I found nothing which compelled me to purchase this game. It is the same Puppetshow game containing many of the same puppets with, of course, some hooded evildoer appearing within mounds of black smoke.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. You can choose the appearance of your character within the game. There are twelve (12) achievements. Collect twenty-six (26) morphing flowers. Collect fifteen (15) bells which represent each of the games within the series. Once collected, you can read a summary of that game. I found the collectibles easy to locate. You can replay fourteen (14) HOP scenes and eleven (11) mini-games
HOP SCENES: The scenes in the demo are principally lists of items. They are somewhat interactive. There is one scene in which you take items at the bottom of the screen and place them back into the scene within their proper location. There are also several mini-HOP scenes in which you search for only a small number of some item.
MINI-GAMES: I found the mini-games within the demo easy – boringly easy. There is one within the demo which has a “casual” or “hard” option. However, even the “hard” version is not difficult. The demo contains several sequence puzzles in which you press items in sequential order. There are also a couple of easy switch puzzles. Can you stay within the lines? Returning are those tracing puzzles which require you to trace a path through a symbol without touching the sides. This is one “puzzle” I intensely dislike.
SPOILERS: HERE THE MINI-GAMES WITHIN THE DEMO:
A. Rotating disks puzzle. Rotate three rings to restore an image.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch blades on a fan to restore its image
C. Tracing puzzle. Pass a line through a given path without touching the sides to retrieve a fan.
D. Moving tiles puzzle. Move flower tokens on a track upon a jewelry box, placing them into their proper slots.
E. Moving tiles puzzle. Move tiles within a 3 x 3 grid so that slotted edges of three of the tiles create an opening to release a heart
F. Casual vs. Hard. Matching/Assembly puzzle. Place masks into a grid so that the image on each side of the mask matches up with the mask next to it both up-and-down and sideways.
G. Sequence puzzle. Replicate a light sequence illustrated on parts of a brain.
H. Sequence puzzle. Press on tokens in the proper sequence to disconnect a device attached to a head.
I. Switch puzzle. Switch colored fuses attached to winding wires so that each fuse is connected to another of the same color.
J. Sequence puzzle. Put out a fire by pressing on flames in sequential order.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch blades on a fan to restore its image
C. Tracing puzzle. Pass a line through a given path without touching the sides to retrieve a fan.
D. Moving tiles puzzle. Move flower tokens on a track upon a jewelry box, placing them into their proper slots.
E. Moving tiles puzzle. Move tiles within a 3 x 3 grid so that slotted edges of three of the tiles create an opening to release a heart
F. Casual vs. Hard. Matching/Assembly puzzle. Place masks into a grid so that the image on each side of the mask matches up with the mask next to it both up-and-down and sideways.
G. Sequence puzzle. Replicate a light sequence illustrated on parts of a brain.
H. Sequence puzzle. Press on tokens in the proper sequence to disconnect a device attached to a head.
I. Switch puzzle. Switch colored fuses attached to winding wires so that each fuse is connected to another of the same color.
J. Sequence puzzle. Put out a fire by pressing on flames in sequential order.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop an ancient menace from taking over the city?
Overall rating
4
/
5
85 of 144 found this review helpful
A FRACTURED FAIRYTALE: THE LITTLE MERMAID
PostedJanuary 24, 2019
sunnyglow
fromPoor King Delmar. His children give a whole new meaning to the concept of “behavior problems.”
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 49 Pages
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 49 Pages
OVERVIEW: Detective! You are off to the Secret City on another case. Sakir has asked for your help dealing with a power-hungry mermaid. Tenebris, the princess of the merfolk, is out to destroy the Secret City. Having been stopped in the past, she has re-emerged searching for her generals to vanquish the city. She has a secret weapon this time, a special crystal which she plans to use to gather enough souls to resurrect her army. Only you, as a human, can save this kingdom. Can you save it before this princess resurrects her immortal generals?
OPINION: This is decent but not outstanding game. This game is not consistent with the quality of many of Domini’s other games. It is a long game. The game has a well-written story and the pace is excellent with plenty of activities to keep the player engaged. There are more puzzles than HOP scenes, although the HOP scenes within the game are well-designed and varied.
Nevertheless, there are elements in this game which I did not like. (1) The game has a collectible bar on the right-side of the screen. It is cumbersome and I wonder why the developer changed its location, which is usually attached to the inventory bar. You need to click on it to see if there is a collectible within the scene. I found this annoying. (2) There are fewer puzzles within this game than in previous ones. There are also very few puzzles with the option to be played in either an “easy” or “hard” mode. (3). I found the colors within the graphics intense and garish with the overuse of neon green and purple within the scenes. Hopefully Domini will tone down these intense colors.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are eighteen (18) achievements. Collect fifteen (15) pages, thirty-six (36) starfish, and thirteen (13) morphing statuettes. I found most easy to locate. You can replay eighteen (18) HOP scenes and nineteen (19) mini-games. There are eleven (11) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. You are invited by Cassiopeia, a judge, to partake in the elections for a new leader of the Merfolk Kingdom. However, a malcontent, Hakkar, feels he is the rightful heir to the throne. You must stop him before he performs a ritual to raise a powerful deity to aid him in his cause. It is a long chapter, one well-worth the price of a collector’s edition. There are ten (10) puzzles and four (4) HOP scenes. There are more puzzles which can be played in either an “easy” or “hard” mode toward the end of the chapter. You continue to collect the collectibles in this chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) in the game. You can replay all of them. There are also four (4) mini-HOP scenes in which you locate a small number of some item. The scenes are varied and creatively designed. There are the usual lists of items, storybook, and silhouette scenes; however, there are also matching scenes. There is one with rebus clues and another with cryptic clues. There is a Spot-the-Differences scene, a replacement scene and a search-and-replace scene in which you must locate the items and then replace them within the scene.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-four (34) mini-games within the game. After the demo, there are few which have the option to be played in either an “easy” or a “hard” mode. I was rather disappointed that there were not more of these puzzles. They are varied as well. Although there is not an option for the difficulty in playing the puzzles, they are creatively designed.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-four (34) mini-games within the game. After the demo, there are few which have the option to be played in either an “easy” or a “hard” mode. I was rather disappointed that there were not more of these puzzles. They are varied as well. Although there is not an option for the difficulty in playing the puzzles, they are creatively designed.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Tangram puzzle. Place boards on a grid so that all the boards mesh together with no spaces between.
B. Switch puzzle. Restore a picture by switching pieces. There are two sides in this puzzle which you turn on-and-off. Work on one side at a time until the picture is restored.
C. Maze puzzle. Move an owl to an exit at the right of the maze by pressing arrows. The owl will keep going until it meets a boundary. 3X
D. Mathematical puzzle. Plot a route for a train on a maze of tracks. You only have a specified number of spaces you can move. Calculate the proper number of spaces to move so that you can maneuver around the maze to its end. There are holes within this maze. If you fall into a hole you must restart.
E. Connection puzzle. Connect beams of light between tokens based upon the number of each token. Each token must have beams emanating from it as per the number upon it.
F. Tangram puzzle. Using a crane, place boxes onto a grid so that no spaces remain.
G. Map puzzle. Move footsteps through a scene following a given set of directions to arrive at your destination. You can activate a close-up of each scene to ascertain how to go.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Sequence puzzle. Lead tokens along a path to their designated slots. They must be placed along the path sequentially, so they end up at the proper slot.
I. Assembly puzzle. Paint sections of a grid so that no two colors are next to each other.
B. Switch puzzle. Restore a picture by switching pieces. There are two sides in this puzzle which you turn on-and-off. Work on one side at a time until the picture is restored.
C. Maze puzzle. Move an owl to an exit at the right of the maze by pressing arrows. The owl will keep going until it meets a boundary. 3X
D. Mathematical puzzle. Plot a route for a train on a maze of tracks. You only have a specified number of spaces you can move. Calculate the proper number of spaces to move so that you can maneuver around the maze to its end. There are holes within this maze. If you fall into a hole you must restart.
E. Connection puzzle. Connect beams of light between tokens based upon the number of each token. Each token must have beams emanating from it as per the number upon it.
F. Tangram puzzle. Using a crane, place boxes onto a grid so that no spaces remain.
G. Map puzzle. Move footsteps through a scene following a given set of directions to arrive at your destination. You can activate a close-up of each scene to ascertain how to go.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Sequence puzzle. Lead tokens along a path to their designated slots. They must be placed along the path sequentially, so they end up at the proper slot.
I. Assembly puzzle. Paint sections of a grid so that no two colors are next to each other.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop an ancient evil from breaking free?
Overall rating
4
/
5
87 of 145 found this review helpful
CAN AMAX FIND REDEMPTION WITH THIS GAME?
PostedJanuary 17, 2019
sunnyglow
fromCan AMAX find redemption with this game? They have entered a portal into the past, pulled out the same game and refurbished it with a new story and cast of characters. Nevertheless, the activities and graphics are the same.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages
OVERVIEW: Can you save mankind from the soul devourer, Olaf? You have been informed by the Keeper of the World, Kear, that you have been slated to be one of Olaf’s next victims. A mark on your wrist ties you to Olaf. Now, with the help of Kear, you must go to Redemption Cemetery to stop this evildoer before he escapes into the world. You only have until dawn to stop him from resurrecting the dead and bringing chaos to the world. His defeat lies in you returning to the past to save the first three souls he devoured. Can you stop him in time?
OPINION: For me, this is a decent 4-star game, lacking in quality to be considered a 5-star game. Although it has many mini-games and HOP scenes, I consider it a short game. I played this game in a little over four (4) hours, including the bonus chapter. The dark muted colors provide a nice backdrop to the story. Nevertheless, I wish AMAX would eliminate the mounds of black smoke within their games. The pace is decent. There are three stories set within different locations to maintain the player’s interest. There are only two collectibles. You collect coins, but I have no idea why they are collected since there are no items to purchase for some special room as with most AMAX games.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twenty (20) achievements. Collect twenty-six (26) morphing skull coins and fourteen (14) cards. I found most easy to locate. There are eight (8) screensavers, twelve (12) wallpapers along with concept art, music and video sequences. You can replay eleven (11) HOP scenes and twelve (12) mini-games.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Return to Redemption Cemetery to help your friend, Alex, locate his missing son, Dave. A demon has possessed Alex, using him to search for tablets which will allow this demon to return to the physical world. Return to the past in search of a memento to defeat this demon. I found the HOP scenes and puzzles within this chapter better than in the main game. You continue the search for the two collectibles. There are twelve (12) puzzles and thirteen (13) HOP scenes and mini-HOP scenes within this chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-eight (28) HOP scenes and mini-HOP scenes within this game. I was disappointed in this aspect of the game. They lack variety, with most being lists of items. There are some matching scenes. There are only two scenes which I found somewhat creative, both of which are within the bonus chapter. There is one scene which provides a panoramic view in which to search for items. There is another scene within the same chapter in which you match up items by opening boxes.
MINI-GAMES: There are forty-three (43) mini-games within the game. I found these better than the HOP scenes. There are some mini-games which can be played in either a “casual” or “hard” mode. There are repetitive puzzles (increasing in difficulty) to be played as you enter the past with each new character. However, I feel there are too many jigsaw-like puzzles dedicated to restoring some image. There are also quite a few maze mini-games. However, I found these creatively designed.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Mathematical puzzle. Begin with the number 20. Land on numbers on a grid so as they subtract from 20, you are left with zero (0) at the exit of a maze.
B. Choice between “casual” and “hard” modes. Slat puzzle. Using arrows, move slats up-and-down and sideways to restore a picture (There are several of these within the game)
C. Unique new puzzle. Jigsaw puzzle. Move pictures pieces into position to restore an image. As you move a piece, it will change the image. Adjust those pieces so they combine to produce an image. (There are several of these within the game)
D. Maze puzzle. Move through a maze while avoiding falling rocks. If you get hit by rocks, you must restart the puzzle.
E. Choice between Casual and Hard. Row, row, row your boat. Maze puzzle. Maneuver a boat to the finish line while avoiding whirlpools and ice.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Lock puzzle. Bend a wire to match a configuration within the tumblers of a lock
G. Maze puzzle. Move a rotating flame through a maze to a wolf. What makes this difficult is that the wolf/wolves will keep moving his/their position. Since the flame is revolving you must click on the flame as approaches an opening or it may enter the entrance to another location. Another wolf is added with each level. 3X
H. Matching puzzle. Match up tokens with each other until only one remains. Some of the tokens have two images on them which can be matched. You can jump over tokens; however, you must plot your moves so only one remains. Increases in difficulty with each new level.
B. Choice between “casual” and “hard” modes. Slat puzzle. Using arrows, move slats up-and-down and sideways to restore a picture (There are several of these within the game)
C. Unique new puzzle. Jigsaw puzzle. Move pictures pieces into position to restore an image. As you move a piece, it will change the image. Adjust those pieces so they combine to produce an image. (There are several of these within the game)
D. Maze puzzle. Move through a maze while avoiding falling rocks. If you get hit by rocks, you must restart the puzzle.
E. Choice between Casual and Hard. Row, row, row your boat. Maze puzzle. Maneuver a boat to the finish line while avoiding whirlpools and ice.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Lock puzzle. Bend a wire to match a configuration within the tumblers of a lock
G. Maze puzzle. Move a rotating flame through a maze to a wolf. What makes this difficult is that the wolf/wolves will keep moving his/their position. Since the flame is revolving you must click on the flame as approaches an opening or it may enter the entrance to another location. Another wolf is added with each level. 3X
H. Matching puzzle. Match up tokens with each other until only one remains. Some of the tokens have two images on them which can be matched. You can jump over tokens; however, you must plot your moves so only one remains. Increases in difficulty with each new level.
I recommend this game!
Can you save your brother and the worlds in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
135 of 204 found this review helpful
BECOME “ENTRANCED” ENTERING PORTALS TO OTHER WORLDS
PostedJanuary 10, 2019
sunnyglow
fromI am entranced by this game and mesmerized by its excellence. However, Is the reason I like this game based on its merits or does Dietrich have me under his hypnotic spell?
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: 56 Pages
7 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 56 Pages
OVERVIEW: Margaret! Are you ready to save the world? The earth’s crust has developed a crack, causing chaos and destruction. The evil Dietrich, a master hypnotist, has escaped from the Seekers’ Prison and has kidnapped your brother, a fellow Seeker. He has put your brother into a hypnotic trance, using him to locate the Heart of the World, an artifact which keeps the earth in balance. His plan is to use this artifact along with the three hearts from the other worlds to destroy the energy net of the Seekers, preventing them from using their teleportation abilities. Dietrich will then be able to travel anywhere in the universe, escaping capture. Now you are off traveling to the other worlds to apprehend him. Can you stop him in time before your world is destroyed?
OPINION: This is a long, creatively designed game. As with their other games, Domini provides more game for the money, providing extras not found in many other games including more collectibles, more chapters for a longer game, more puzzles, and a choice in difficulty for those puzzles. The pace is excellent with a decent story and plenty of activities to keep the player engaged. For me, the graphics are better than in previous games. Domini has toned down the vivid purple and neon green evidenced in many of their other games. Some of the graphics are breathtaking, especially in the chapter dealing with the Aerial World. For me, this game is better than the previous ones from this series.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are thirty-three (33) achievements. Collect sixty-nine (69) tokens to purchase strange animals for a Magic Zoo. You also collect twenty-one (21) cards of characters from the various worlds and fifteen (15) “Dietrich Wanted” posters. There is an indicator bar on the inventory bar which alerts you when there is a collectible within the scene. I found most easy to locate. You can choose the difficulty for the puzzles in the menu; a choice between “easy” or “hard” modes. There are seventeen (17) wallpapers along with concept art, music and video sequences. You can replay twenty (20) mini-games and eighteen (18) HOP scenes.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a story not related to the main story. The prison guard at the Seekers’ Prison has asked for your help in retrieving the Portal Brush, a brush used to draw portals to other worlds. Grimmor, a dangerous criminal, has stolen this artifact and you must stop him before he creates a world in which he and other criminals can escape. This is a long chapter. There are nine (9) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes within this chapter. You continue to search for collectibles within this chapter. I found some of the puzzles and HOP scenes better than those in the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) scenes within this game. You can replay all these HOP scenes after you complete the game. There are also several mini-HOP scenes in which you collect a small number of some item. They are some of the most creative scenes I have seen from this developer. They include lists of items, silhouette, and storybook scenes; however, they also include matching scenes and a scene with rebus clues and one with cryptic clues. The bonus chapter has one scene which contains morphing objects. You can play a Match-3 game in lieu of the puzzles.
My favorites include one in which you must rotate three circles to create the items to be removed. For those music lovers out there, there is one in which you search for musical symbols while changing the scene using three colored keys on a piano. In another scene, which is similar, you switch scenes using three colored lenses while searching for items.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-eight (38) puzzles within the game. Most of the puzzles have the option to be played in either an “easy” or “hard” mode. I found most the puzzles also creatively designed. There are quite a few map puzzles and lock puzzles within this game. However, demonstrating the creative talents of this developer, the map puzzles and the lock puzzles differ from each other in some aspect.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Map puzzle. Move a set of footsteps through an unlit labyrinth, picking up items to help you overcome obstacles.
B. Assembly puzzle. Choose a pair of hands, which, when combined, will create a shadow figure of a given animal. Do this for six (6) animals.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect six star-shaped spheres with each other so that the number of connections for each sphere equals the number of the center within the sphere.
D. Mathematical puzzle. Using knobs with plus and minus numbers upon them, use them to move a red line so you end at a designated number on a thermometer.
E. Physics puzzle. Ye Old Mirror Puzzle. In this case, angle 3 beams of light moving crystal lenses so that the light beams hit three lamps on the left side of the screen.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Assembly puzzle. Prepare sausage by following instructions in a book and pressing start to see if the combination is correct.
G. Sequence puzzle. Click on symbols according to pieces of paper which have years written upon them. The symbols must be chosen according to the year from earliest to the latest in sequential order.
B. Assembly puzzle. Choose a pair of hands, which, when combined, will create a shadow figure of a given animal. Do this for six (6) animals.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect six star-shaped spheres with each other so that the number of connections for each sphere equals the number of the center within the sphere.
D. Mathematical puzzle. Using knobs with plus and minus numbers upon them, use them to move a red line so you end at a designated number on a thermometer.
E. Physics puzzle. Ye Old Mirror Puzzle. In this case, angle 3 beams of light moving crystal lenses so that the light beams hit three lamps on the left side of the screen.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Assembly puzzle. Prepare sausage by following instructions in a book and pressing start to see if the combination is correct.
G. Sequence puzzle. Click on symbols according to pieces of paper which have years written upon them. The symbols must be chosen according to the year from earliest to the latest in sequential order.
I recommend this game!
A couple's fixer-upper is haunted by a fierce creature.
Overall rating
5
/
5
151 of 221 found this review helpful
RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH SOME MUCH-NEEDED RENNOVATION BY EIPIX
PostedJanuary 3, 2019
sunnyglow
fromThis house is now featured on a new reality show - “Paranormal Fixer Upper,” a new show dedicated to renovating haunted houses by removing rotten lumber, old appliances, demented inhabitants and hard-to-remove ghosts.
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: 44 Pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 44 Pages
OVERVIEW: Welcome to The Old Curiosity Shop, a shop dedicated to the sale of peculiar items with strange tales attached! As a new customer, you receive a key to open a box, a box containing an old doorknob. This doorknob opens a door – a portal unfolding a story of the newlywed couple, Mark and Martha Spencer, and their entrance into a world of danger. Martha, a real estate agent, found this house, a fixer-upper with a reputation for being haunted. Mark, a novelist of horror stories, saw this as an opportunity for this crumbling structure to provide some much-needed inspiration to cure his writer’s block. The history of this ramshackle house will come to life to haunt this couple. Now relive this tale. Just remember as you play this game - don’t go down in the basemen! There is always something in the basement!
OPINION: This is a great first game from a new series from EIPIX. The story is well-written and for me, it is more of a mystery than a horror game. I found the dark graphics added to the suspense of the game. It is “lights out” for many of the scenes. Most of the game is set in some room within this house. Nevertheless, I found some parts of the game rather snail-paced. There are sections which fall flat due to lack of activities. The back-and-forth motion searching for inventory items could have been replaced with a few more puzzles or HOP scenes. You play a tag team couple, alternating roles with each new chapter. A couple of times in the game, you must make choices between two paths. If you choose the incorrect one, you will be sent back to the curio shop; however, you will not have to restart the game. Although I do not feel this is one of this developer’s best games, for me, this game is a much-needed improvement from some of their recent ones. Although I would normally give this game four (4) stars, I awarded an extra star for improvement.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are thirteen (13) achievements. Collect sixteen (16) morphing objects), thirty-four (34) moths and ten (10) cassettes. At the end you will collect sixteen (16) souvenirs. To collect the souvenirs, you must collect all the moths and get a number illustrated by the moths to unlock the puzzle. I had a hard time reading the number. For me, it was blurry. The souvenirs are well- hidden, and you will need to uncover items to locate them. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections and video sequences. You can replay fourteen (14) HOP scenes and twenty (20) puzzles.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Return to the house and follow the paranormal crew from the hit reality show “Paranormal Hour” who disappeared while shooting a segment within the house. Discover what happened to them within this “haunted” house. Most of the scenes are the same as within the main game. You continue to collect the same collectibles as in the main game. There are four (4) mini-games and four (4) HOP scenes within this chapter. To me, what makes this chapter is the ending! You will not want to miss this surprise ending!
HOP SCENES: There are twenty (20) HOP scenes within the game. I found them well-constructed with a variety of different styles. Most of the scenes are silhouette or lists of items. There is one replacement scene and some of the scenes are multiple-step. There are some creative backgrounds for the scenes which include searching for items on mannequins, cobwebs, and even scratched up doors.
ITSY, BITSY CREEPY SPIDER! There is one creatively designed storybook scene. You listen to the nursery rhyme, “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” while searching or highlighted items in a storybook scene – all spoken in a creepy, demonic-sounding voice. Then, enjoy a revised version of this nursery rhyme while searching for more of those highlighted items. For me, this is the best HOP scene within the game.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-nine (29) mini-games within the game. I found them creatively designed and with most of easy or middle difficulty. There are quite a few mathematical puzzles. Surprisingly there are also quite a few physical puzzles in which you must climb up a wall, keep your balance, hit a bullseye, or keep a marker within a circle. I feel there are too many of these within this game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Connection puzzle. Connect the dots on a sheet of paper without crossing over the drawings upon the paper. You may cross over lines already drawn.
B. Mathematical puzzle. On a series of five (5) tubes, using up-and-down arrows, combine three numbers at the sides of the tubes, either adding or subtracting them, so they total the number next to an orange line on each tube.
C. Maze puzzle. Using arrows, navigate through ventilation tunnels. You are completely in the dark and the exit is not designated. You must locate it on your own.
D. 1000 Rooms puzzle. Move a doll by using arrows to double doors within a dollhouse. The doll and the rooms move and there are ladders to climb to move up to the next level. 2X
E. Tangram puzzle. A variation of this puzzle. Place pieces of attic junk into position so that all pieces fit and there are no gaps between the spaces.
BONUS CHAPTER
F. Moving tiles puzzle. Move four colored disks in three columns from the left column to the right column so the disks are in the proper colored slots. Use the middle column to help move the disks. Disks cannot move around other disks
G. Connection puzzle. On a net, connect each thread with its opposite side so that the threads intersect in the middle of the net.
H. Sequence puzzle. Bar removal puzzle. Remove bars in sequential order to open an entrance to a cave
B. Mathematical puzzle. On a series of five (5) tubes, using up-and-down arrows, combine three numbers at the sides of the tubes, either adding or subtracting them, so they total the number next to an orange line on each tube.
C. Maze puzzle. Using arrows, navigate through ventilation tunnels. You are completely in the dark and the exit is not designated. You must locate it on your own.
D. 1000 Rooms puzzle. Move a doll by using arrows to double doors within a dollhouse. The doll and the rooms move and there are ladders to climb to move up to the next level. 2X
E. Tangram puzzle. A variation of this puzzle. Place pieces of attic junk into position so that all pieces fit and there are no gaps between the spaces.
BONUS CHAPTER
F. Moving tiles puzzle. Move four colored disks in three columns from the left column to the right column so the disks are in the proper colored slots. Use the middle column to help move the disks. Disks cannot move around other disks
G. Connection puzzle. On a net, connect each thread with its opposite side so that the threads intersect in the middle of the net.
H. Sequence puzzle. Bar removal puzzle. Remove bars in sequential order to open an entrance to a cave
I recommend this game!
Return the Guardians to slumber to keep evil from the universe!
Overall rating
5
/
5
87 of 161 found this review helpful
GRANDMA HAS AWAKENED ITS CREATIVE GENIUS WITH THIS SLEEPER HIT
PostedDecember 29, 2018
sunnyglow
fromHappy New Year! Open portals to new worlds as you enter into a new year!
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
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter- Strategy Guide: 36 Pages (This is a long game)
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter- Strategy Guide: 36 Pages (This is a long game)
OVERVIEW: Enter a world where dreams protect the fairytale world from evil spells. Five (5) Sleepers are entrusted with the task, protecting the five (5) worlds which make up this kingdom. The Order of the Guardians, to which you belong, has been given the responsibility of safeguarding the Sleepers. Each Sleeper is tasked with guarding each of the five (5) pieces of the evil Malum within their dreams. However, an evildoer, with the help of a traitor from the Guard, is plotting to awaken the Sleepers and reunite the pieces to destroy the kingdom. Now you must travel to each world to find the pieces of the Malum and locate the one item which can destroy it once and for all!
OPINION: What a fantastic game! Get prepared to play a long, well-designed game. GrandMA has done an outstanding job in providing an exceptional game. The demo does not do justice to this game. The game is much better after the demo. It is a fast-paced game with plenty of activities set against a riveting story in which you visit five worlds of this kingdom. The game is beautifully illustrated with some amazing graphics. There are a couple of new HOP scenes which I have never seen in other games. The puzzles are also creatively designed. This game is a must-have for all fantasy game lovers.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are thirteen (13) achievements. Collect gold, emerald, and ruby coins to purchase ten (10) statues. Collect thirty-six (36) spying bats. There are fourteen (14) wallpapers along with music selections and video sequences. There are twelve (12) morphing objects within the HOP scenes. I found most easy to locate. You can replay sixteen (16) HOP scenes and fourteen (14) mini-games. There is an interactive hidden puzzle which can be played at the end of the game; however, you must locate all the spying bats to play this puzzle.
GIMMICKY HELPER: This is my only disappointment with this game. You get an owl to help you reach high places. I don’t like helpers in games; however, this one just flies to places you cannot reach. It may be a logical addition to this game; however, I do believe the game would be better without this nuisance.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story set in the same fairytale kingdom. Play a young warrior who must prove himself worthy to be admitted into the Order of the Flameborn. You have three (3) trials you must perform during the Night of the Red Star. You revisit the scenes from the main game. You lose the helper owl; however, you still continue to search for all the collectibles within this chapter. This chapter is long with nine (9) puzzles and five (5) HOP scenes along with several mini-HOP scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are nineteen (19) scenes within the game. There are also thirteen (13) mini-HOP scenes throughout the game in which you must locate a small number of items or pieces of some item. They are interactive and creatively designed. They include lists of items, silhouette, storybook and matching scenes. There are some wonderfully designed interactive search and replace scenes as well. There is one scene with rebus clues. You also have the option to play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scenes.
There are three which I found outstanding! In once you must rotate rings to create the items to be removed. In another, you use sliders to position items into their proper slots in the scene before removing them. There is another unique one in the bonus chapter in which you must place silhouette shaped items based on patterns, not shapes, into an area where you find the pattern. I have never seen this HOP scene before.
PUZZLES: There are thirty-five (35) puzzles within the game. They vary in difficulty and style. Whenever you enter the portal to a new world, you play a variation of a picture puzzle. These puzzles have the option to be played in either a “hard” or “easy” mode. Most of those are switch puzzles in which you switch pieces to restore an image. However, one of those requires rotating the pieces to restore the image. I found the puzzles creatively designed.
HIDDEN PUZZLE: There is an awesome puzzle at the end of the game which is an interactive sequential puzzle. You must interact with the scene in steps by locating items and interacting with the scene in order to reach a cabinet containing a scroll. I have never seen a puzzle like this before in a game and enjoyed playing this multiple-step puzzle.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Mathematical puzzle. Moving two or three spaces clockwise and counterclockwise, push in spears jutting out from a circular disk. You must plot your sequence mathematically to push in all spears.
B. Assembly puzzle. Move five (5) bars with images on them so they match up with a bar at the bottom of the screen. Every image on the bottom bar must have at least one image which matches up with it.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect gems with numbers on them so that the number of lines connecting each gem with others is equal to the number upon the gem.
D. Corral/Fence puzzle. Surround an evildoer by using a sword to defeat it. Land on spaces to surround it. However, landing on a square will only last for 3 turns. Rather tricky puzzle.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Connection puzzle. Place crystals with light beams emanating from them into the proper position so that they all connect and connect with a larger middle crystal.
F. Connection puzzle. Connect the hands of elves around a circle. All of them must touch hands with another elf.
G. Colored sand puzzle. Just as with the arts and craft project – place colored sand in a jar so that no color is next to itself.
B. Assembly puzzle. Move five (5) bars with images on them so they match up with a bar at the bottom of the screen. Every image on the bottom bar must have at least one image which matches up with it.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect gems with numbers on them so that the number of lines connecting each gem with others is equal to the number upon the gem.
D. Corral/Fence puzzle. Surround an evildoer by using a sword to defeat it. Land on spaces to surround it. However, landing on a square will only last for 3 turns. Rather tricky puzzle.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Connection puzzle. Place crystals with light beams emanating from them into the proper position so that they all connect and connect with a larger middle crystal.
F. Connection puzzle. Connect the hands of elves around a circle. All of them must touch hands with another elf.
G. Colored sand puzzle. Just as with the arts and craft project – place colored sand in a jar so that no color is next to itself.
I recommend this game!
Survive a fictional horror turned real-life nightmare in a creepy hotel!
Overall rating
2
/
5
126 of 198 found this review helpful
A MONSTROUS BORE
PostedDecember 27, 2018
sunnyglow
fromWhile playing this game, I found myself searching for the portal to escape its monstrous grasp.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 Pages
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 Pages
OVERVIEW: Are you ready for some true horror? You are off to the Prime Hotel to interview the noted horror novelist, Michael Carpenter. Within this hotel, Carpenter has created his own world of horror, bringing to life pages out of his own novels. Monsters from his books are everywhere within this hotel. Now the author, a prisoner within his own hotel, is being held captive by an otherworldly entity, the Creature. Learn the complete story behind this famed novelist’s success while battling the Creature and his fellow monsters, all while freeing those locked within the Creature’s monstrous grip.
OPINION: I purchased this game and then regretted it. I love the games in this series; however, this one, to me, is neither scary nor of the same quality as the other games. I found this game a “monstrous” disappointment. It is a SHORT game which I found boring. The demo is not reflective of the true nature of the game. Most of the game is slow-paced, centering around chasing down monsters and running to-and-fro searching for inventory items. And although it is short, the game also has some filler. I got tired of all the monsters and remembering all the various classes of monsters within this game. It is overkill of monstrous proportions.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are eighteen (18) achievements. Collect fourteen (14) morphing characters from the game, twenty (20) picture parts, and thirty (30) morphing objects. I found most easy to locate. You can replay twelve (12) mini-games and fifteen (15) HOP scenes. There is a secret room in which you search for more morphing objects within the rooms of the hotel. You can earn more achievements if you complete this activity within a certain amount of time. The number of items to be located within the scenes increases with each new item you search for. In addition, there are ten (10) wallpapers long with concept art and music selections.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Return to the Prime Hotel to help the author, Michael Carpenter, with another monstrous problem. Carpenter found a stray animal wandering the grounds and decided to adopt it. Now the monster, named Musketeer, is grown, craving more hearty food and releasing more monsters into the hotel. Now you must stop another monster invasion. I found this chapter to be a carbon copy of the main game. There are five (5) puzzles and five (5) HOP scenes within this chapter. To me, it felt as if I were replaying the same game. The bonus chapter is long, but, to me, not worth the extra price for the collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are only nineteen (19) HOP scenes within the game including the five (5) from the bonus chapter. This number also includes four (4) mini-HOP scenes which contain a small number of items to be located. Except for two scenes, all the scenes are either lists of items or silhouette. They are standard fare with little, if any, interaction within the scenes. The other two scenes are matching in which you match up pairs of items by uncovering items within the scene. I found the scenes extremely boring.
PUZZLES: There are only twenty-one (21) puzzles within the entire game including the five (5) from the bonus chapter. Most of the puzzles are easy – some ridiculously easy. Switching three (3) books to restore an image of a monster from the images on its spines is NOT a puzzle. Creating a medicine by combining only four (4) items in the right sequence is also, to me, NOT a puzzle. However, there are several puzzles which I did consider of medium difficulty. All the puzzles have been seen in some variation in other games.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Maze puzzle. Navigate an air duct by referring to a given map and choosing the proper path to exit the maze. Make choices by clicking directional arrows. Making an error requires you to reset the game.
B. Logic puzzle. Plan a route for three tokens to reach their place on the other side of the grid. You can only move a token to a space which matches its image and the spaces change to another image after landing upon them. Strategize your moves so that you do not run out of places land upon.
C. Alignment puzzle. As per a given diagram, move four tokens so they are in the same order as shown as per a given diagram.
D. Sliding tiles puzzle. Using arrows, slide tiles up-and-down and sideways to restore an image.
E. Beat the Computer. Fill up a grid with your chips before the evildoer fills up the board with his chips. Move a “James” chip within a square. If you land next to a token of the evildoer, it will change to your token and vice versa.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Go down a wall. Match up like symbols on wooden boards. You move down when you match up a series of symbols for each of three (3) scenes.
G. Match-3 game. Connect 3 or more like tokens to remove them. You are given the required number of each token to remove at the bottom of the screen. You are limited to a specific number of moves to accomplish this task.
B. Logic puzzle. Plan a route for three tokens to reach their place on the other side of the grid. You can only move a token to a space which matches its image and the spaces change to another image after landing upon them. Strategize your moves so that you do not run out of places land upon.
C. Alignment puzzle. As per a given diagram, move four tokens so they are in the same order as shown as per a given diagram.
D. Sliding tiles puzzle. Using arrows, slide tiles up-and-down and sideways to restore an image.
E. Beat the Computer. Fill up a grid with your chips before the evildoer fills up the board with his chips. Move a “James” chip within a square. If you land next to a token of the evildoer, it will change to your token and vice versa.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Go down a wall. Match up like symbols on wooden boards. You move down when you match up a series of symbols for each of three (3) scenes.
G. Match-3 game. Connect 3 or more like tokens to remove them. You are given the required number of each token to remove at the bottom of the screen. You are limited to a specific number of moves to accomplish this task.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save Christmas before it’s too late?!
Overall rating
5
/
5
149 of 221 found this review helpful
SPRING SANTA FROM JAIL AND RELEASE SOME YULETIDE CHEER – ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
PostedDecember 20, 2018
sunnyglow
fromWhere are they now? After a stint in the “Andy Griffith Show”, it appears Barney Fife left Mayberry, changed his name and became a police officer in this quiet little burg.
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: 64 Pages (This is a very long game)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 64 Pages (This is a very long game)
OVERVIEW: As Brigitte Woolf, Yuletide detective, you are hoping for a peaceful, crimeless holiday season. However, your wishes are dashed when Mr. Claus informs you that Santa has been accused of stealing presents from a local mall. The local police believe that Santa is not who he says he is. Instead, they feel he is a criminal dressed up in a Santa suit. Coupled with this tragedy, Santa has lost his voice, stolen by same thief who stole the presents. Can you find the thief and save Christmas? Time is of the essence! Santa must be freed before Christmas eve or his reindeer will not be able to fly until next Christmas!
OPINION: I LOVED playing this game! This is a glistening snow-filled delight for children of all ages (including the grownup ones). The graphics abound with snowmen, Christmas trees, candy canes, elves, and, of course, toys and gingerbread men. There are Christmas songs throughout this game which should get the player into the Yuletide spirit. This is a fast-paced game with plenty of activities in which to keep the player engaged. It is a long game as well, which, to me, is reminiscent of the quality games from yesteryear. Its vintage style is well-worth the investment of time and money.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twenty (20) achievements. Collect twenty-eight (28) collectibles – eight (8) characters from the game, eight (8) gingerbread cookies and twelve (12) puzzle pieces. There is a collectible within each scene. A present located on the inventory bar will light up if you have not found the collectible within the scene. There are also morphing objects within the HOP scenes. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with casual art, cut scenes, and music selections. You can replay eight (8) mini-games and eight (8) HOP scenes.
BONUS CHAPTER: Santa is suffering from the flu. Can you locate a special healing tonic to cure him before Christmas? Play Tinsel, the elf, and locate the unlikely thief who stole this cure for Santa. The story is not related to the main game. There are six (6) mini-games and four (4) HOP scenes. It is a decent addition to the game; however, I do like the story from the main game better than the one from this chapter. There are no collectibles within this chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-five (25) HOP scenes in the game. These are some of the most creative HOP scenes I have seen in some time. They are thematic and highly interactive. All the scenes require manipulating items in some way to remove them from the list. They remind me of the caliber of HOP scenes from yesteryear. Some scenes have mini-puzzles and most have morphing objects. You can play a matching game in lieu of the scenes. Most of the scenes are lists of items or silhouettes. However, there are a couple of FROGs as well.
PUZZLES. There are thirty-two (32) puzzles within the game. Many are thematic, adding to the Yuletide spirit of this game. For the most part, they are easy and ones which older children can solve by themselves. There are quite a few storybook puzzles in which the player must locate items and replace them back within the scene.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Connection puzzle. On a grid, connect like-colored tokens without crossing lines. 3X Increases in difficulty.
B. Physical puzzle. Ride a glider to Santa’s village avoiding obstacles within the path.
C. Maze puzzle. Find the correct path through the mountains. Locate the right path by interacting with the scene, searching for items to placing them back into the scene.
D. Balance puzzle. Cross a snowy ravine by using a candy cane pole to steer you across an icy log. Use arrows to stay in balance.
E. Matching puzzle. Using arrows, click on parts of a sine wave so it matches a given one.
F. Beat the computer. Match-3 puzzle. Connect and remove 3 or more of your tokens to fill up three tubes before the evildoer fills his up.
G. Spot-the-Difference. Spot 10 differences between two scenes.
H. Weights and Balances puzzle. Place hour glasses with weights assigned to them between two sides of a scale so both sides balance.
I. Connection puzzle. On a grid, rotate lines to create a line from Jack Frost to a crystal.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. Ye Old Stacking puzzle. Move rings between 3 poles to create a Christmas tree. You cannot place smaller pieces on top of larger pieces.
K. Fence/corral puzzle. Encircle a gingerbread man so he cannot escape by creating a boundary around him.
B. Physical puzzle. Ride a glider to Santa’s village avoiding obstacles within the path.
C. Maze puzzle. Find the correct path through the mountains. Locate the right path by interacting with the scene, searching for items to placing them back into the scene.
D. Balance puzzle. Cross a snowy ravine by using a candy cane pole to steer you across an icy log. Use arrows to stay in balance.
E. Matching puzzle. Using arrows, click on parts of a sine wave so it matches a given one.
F. Beat the computer. Match-3 puzzle. Connect and remove 3 or more of your tokens to fill up three tubes before the evildoer fills his up.
G. Spot-the-Difference. Spot 10 differences between two scenes.
H. Weights and Balances puzzle. Place hour glasses with weights assigned to them between two sides of a scale so both sides balance.
I. Connection puzzle. On a grid, rotate lines to create a line from Jack Frost to a crystal.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. Ye Old Stacking puzzle. Move rings between 3 poles to create a Christmas tree. You cannot place smaller pieces on top of larger pieces.
K. Fence/corral puzzle. Encircle a gingerbread man so he cannot escape by creating a boundary around him.
I recommend this game!