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
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Status:
Can you help stop an ancient evil in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
130 of 208 found this review helpful
A BEAUTIFUL ISLAND MYTH SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A POLYNESIAN PARADISE
PostedAugust 16, 2018
sunnyglow
fromWhy does Princess Hina want to marry? Could it be shared parenting? Now her new hubby can help by getting up at wee hours of the morning to play the ocarina to lull that little monster to sleep through the night!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPONTHE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 36 Pages
4 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 36 Pages
OVERVIEW: Up and away you go to partake in an exciting adventure in Polynesia.! Travel by balloon to Tahiti to help Princess Hina from the island of Raiatea. Help her regain a magical ocarina, stolen by her jilted, obsessed lover, Hiro. This special musical instrument calms a monster slumbering beneath the ground of this island. According to the island myth, the princess must play a lullaby nightly on this ocarina to keep the monster subdued. Failure to do so will cause him to awaken in a rage with dire consequences for the island. Now that the ocarina has been stolen, the monster could awaken at any moment! Travel to Hiro’s island, Huahine, recapture the ocarina and the princess’ pearls. May the elementals of earth, water, fire, and wind guide you on your adventure.
OPINION: EIPIX has finally departed Europe, venturing out to other parts of the world. This is a beautiful game with incredibly gorgeous graphics portraying the beauty of the Polynesian islands. The bright tropical colors splashed against a background of aqua blue waters is a refreshing break from the purples, pinks and dark colors from many of their other games. The myth is a beautiful tale explaining the history of a volcano and the origin of its violent eruptions. The pace is excellent with plenty of activities to keep the player engaged. Enjoy the island ambiance while listening to some calming, tropical background music. This is one game I heartily recommend!
MECHANICS: There are the usual four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are thirteen (13) achievements. Collect thirty (30) types of sea creatures plus twenty (20) morphing objects. There are eight (8) wallpapers plus the usual casual art along with music and video selections. At the end of the game, return to game scenes to recover fifteen (15) souvenir items (Polynesian cultural items) to place in your souvenir room as mementos of your time in Polynesia. I found the collectibles easy to locate. You can replay twenty-one (21) puzzles and seventeen (17) HOP scenes.
GIMMICKY SHELL. You get a shell encrusted with pearls. Every time you need to summon an elemental (wind, fire, water, earth), you must play a matching game. Symbols are hidden under the pearls.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Princess Hina is holding a competition called “The Great Challenge in the Crypts of the Elements,” to find a suitable mate. Play a suitor who will overcome all obstacles and tests by the elementals to win her hand in marriage. The chapter is an excellent addition to his game. The quality is as good as the main game with quite a few puzzles and HOP scenes as well.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-one (21) HOP scenes in the entire game. Some of the scenes are breathtaking! They are thematic and vary in style. As usual, EIPIX provides two-step scenes in which you must first search for items in silhouette and then search for a list of items. All the scenes are either lists of items or silhouette. Most are creatively designed and interactive. You have the option to play a Skipping Stones puzzle in lieu of the scenes.
UNIQUE NEW HOP SCENE: There is a scene which I have never seen before. The backdrop for the scene is a three-ring wheel which must be rotated to align symbols from each ring. At the bottom are the combinations of the symbols on all three wheels which you must remove. Very creatively designed.
PUZZLES: There are thirty-three (33) puzzles within the game. Most of the puzzles are of middle difficulty. There is a matching puzzle played four (4) times to summon an elemental god – one each for earth, wind, fire and water. I loved playing the puzzles except for one which involves playing a drum which appears three (3) times. It requires nothing more than choosing between two “notes,” and following a given script. It is ridiculously easy, and I wonder why EIPIX threw this puzzle into the mix. Other than this rather strange puzzle, the rest are excellent.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Tangram puzzle. Place tangram pieces of a net back into position to restore the net
B. Maze puzzle. Lead a fish through currents until it reaches the other side of the maze. Avoid obstacles. There are whirlpools throughout the maze which whisk you to other locations or completely out of the maze, at which time, you must start over.
C. Sequence puzzle. Place sea life into slots according to their ranking on the food chain.
D. Spin your wheels! Spin three circles to ignite all of them on fire making certain they are all lit at the same time.
E. Sequence puzzle. Clever puzzle in which you play an ocarina by choosing finger positionings which match up with sine wave patterns. Each segment of the sine wave corresponds to the holes on the ocarina. 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Assembly puzzle. Push on nine (9) squares in a grid which changes their size until they all combine size-wise to restore the image of a tree.
G. Maze puzzle. In a maze split in half, move a token within each half of the maze so that each reaches its destination point. The two tokens must be moved at the same time.
H. Sliding tiles puzzle. Slide slats with openings and maneuver each of three flames so they drop down three levels landing on a torch of the same color.
I. Maze puzzle. On a maze with water dripping down, choose three plugs within the maze which, when removed, will allow the water to flow from the top to the bottom.
B. Maze puzzle. Lead a fish through currents until it reaches the other side of the maze. Avoid obstacles. There are whirlpools throughout the maze which whisk you to other locations or completely out of the maze, at which time, you must start over.
C. Sequence puzzle. Place sea life into slots according to their ranking on the food chain.
D. Spin your wheels! Spin three circles to ignite all of them on fire making certain they are all lit at the same time.
E. Sequence puzzle. Clever puzzle in which you play an ocarina by choosing finger positionings which match up with sine wave patterns. Each segment of the sine wave corresponds to the holes on the ocarina. 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Assembly puzzle. Push on nine (9) squares in a grid which changes their size until they all combine size-wise to restore the image of a tree.
G. Maze puzzle. In a maze split in half, move a token within each half of the maze so that each reaches its destination point. The two tokens must be moved at the same time.
H. Sliding tiles puzzle. Slide slats with openings and maneuver each of three flames so they drop down three levels landing on a torch of the same color.
I. Maze puzzle. On a maze with water dripping down, choose three plugs within the maze which, when removed, will allow the water to flow from the top to the bottom.
I recommend this game!
You are sent to a remote island to solve a simple case that quickly turns into a cat and mouse game between you and the culprits.
Overall rating
3
/
5
73 of 139 found this review helpful
AN ISLAND GETAWAY WITH MURDER
PostedAugust 11, 2018
sunnyglow
fromShould I play the bonus chapter of this murder most “fowl?” I am too “chicken” to continue. I would need to “duck” out from time-to-time to “gander” out the window to keep from being bored. To me, this game laid a giant “goose” egg!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE MAIN GAME:
7 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 67 Pages
7 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 67 Pages
OVERVIEW: Get out your notepad inspector! As a rookie for the police force, you are off on your first case to a private island owed by millionaire Henry Blackford. The dead body of the security guard, Mark Spector was found washed up upon the beach. Now you must investigate what appears to be a murder. Who committed the dastardly deed and what was the motive? The island is isolated, so the murderer must be one of the residents of this estate. There are plenty of suspects who were residing at the mansion the night of this murder most foul. You will be accompanied by a seasoned pro. You and your “partner-in-crime” will be working in tandem to solve this whodunit.
OPINION: I purchased this game and regretted it. I enjoyed the demo; however, after the demo, I found this game tedious and boring. The story is a fantastic whodunit, keeping you on your toes investigating and speculating the motive(s) behind the murders. The story becomes more complex as you play into the game. However, I found the gaming mechanics less than exciting. To me, this is a poorly designed game. Most of the game involves trekking back-and-forth between scenes searching for clues and inventory items. The player gathers evidence, questions suspects, and then evaluates that evidence. There are few puzzles or HOP scenes. All the HOP scenes after the demo are all lists of items with no interactivity within the scenes.
This game is more of an adventure/detective game than a standard HOP game. This game is an example of quantity over quality. The game just rambles on. This game had the potential to be a fantastic game. In my opinion, this game would be better with the elimination of two chapters which, to me, are filler. More creative HOP scenes and more puzzles would have made this game better as well. This is a great game for those who like HOP scenes which consist of nothing more than searching for items in junkpiles. It may also appeal to amateur sleuths, or those who just love a good mystery. It was “murder” for me to finish the main game; however, I did want to solve the case.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play along with a customized version. There are sixteen (16) achievements. Collect twenty-eight (28) ugly morphing dolls. They are easy to locate - they practically jump out at you. A doll token on the inventory bar turns red when one is within a scene. You have a file in which to place your evidence. Review all evidence when you have enough to do so. You will get notice with a flashing light when enough evidence has been gathered. You get a gimmicky camera to take crime scene photos. There are six (6) wallpapers plus concept art and musical selections. You can replay twelve (12) puzzles and sixteen (16) HOP scenes.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. In this chapter you are off to capture a criminal who escaped your grasp from the main game. He has shady ties to a kidnapping ring, and now you and your partner-in-crime are off to capture him. I did begin the chapter; however, I did not finish it. I probably won’t finish it. It has the same format as the main game. I don’t think I can handle playing another chapter of this boring game.
HOP SCENES: There are sixteen (16) in the main game. As stated, after the demo, they are all straight lists of items. There is one silhouette scene in the demo. The HOP scenes need to have more variety in style. I wish the developer had provided more scenes like the silhouette one in the demo which was creatively designed and involved interaction with the scene.
PUZZLES: There are fourteen (14) in the entire main game. They are better designed than the HOP scenes. There are not many, but there is a nice variety. Most of the puzzles are of middle-difficulty with some easy jigsaw puzzles thrown in. Most of these are variations of ones seen in many other games. The chess puzzle is almost identical to the one played in Thursday’s game.
SPOILERS: THESE ARE ALL THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO IN THE MAIN GAME:
A. Moving tiles puzzle. Move tiles, rotating them as they move along a path to their proper locations.
B. Chess Puzzle. Using a knight from chess, make the usual “L” shaped moves until all squares of the board have been visited at least once. (Did I not just play this a couple of days ago in another game?)
C. Slider puzzle. On a sky globe, slide five (5) slats up-and-down to create a space picture in the center. Moving one slat affects the other.
D. Mathematical puzzle. Using only two beakers with 50-liter and 20-liter markings, get the correct amount for each of three chemicals to formulate silicon.
E. Jigsaw puzzle. Restore a statue’s face by placing pieces into the proper location.
F. Sequence puzzle. Move four handles as per given instructions. Moving one affects the handle next to it. 3X
G. Assembly puzzle. Create given symbols by connecting two wires to symbols, which, when combined, produce the given symbol.
H. Connection puzzle. Connect pipes so they all connect with each other.
I. Assembly puzzle. Spin three wheels with colored marbles upon them so that the marbles are aggregated by color.
J. Sequence puzzle. Arrange statues (which are in pieces) so they stack up from largest to smallest, with the smallest one on the top.
K. Maze puzzle. Navigate two marbles to the center of a maze by rotating a round grid passing through openings to create a path to the center.
B. Chess Puzzle. Using a knight from chess, make the usual “L” shaped moves until all squares of the board have been visited at least once. (Did I not just play this a couple of days ago in another game?)
C. Slider puzzle. On a sky globe, slide five (5) slats up-and-down to create a space picture in the center. Moving one slat affects the other.
D. Mathematical puzzle. Using only two beakers with 50-liter and 20-liter markings, get the correct amount for each of three chemicals to formulate silicon.
E. Jigsaw puzzle. Restore a statue’s face by placing pieces into the proper location.
F. Sequence puzzle. Move four handles as per given instructions. Moving one affects the handle next to it. 3X
G. Assembly puzzle. Create given symbols by connecting two wires to symbols, which, when combined, produce the given symbol.
H. Connection puzzle. Connect pipes so they all connect with each other.
I. Assembly puzzle. Spin three wheels with colored marbles upon them so that the marbles are aggregated by color.
J. Sequence puzzle. Arrange statues (which are in pieces) so they stack up from largest to smallest, with the smallest one on the top.
K. Maze puzzle. Navigate two marbles to the center of a maze by rotating a round grid passing through openings to create a path to the center.
I don't recommend this game.
Three legendary detectives join forces to solve a horrible crime!
Overall rating
5
/
5
160 of 240 found this review helpful
SUPERSLEUTHS UNITED TO SAVE THE UNIVERSE!
PostedAugust 9, 2018
sunnyglow
fromFaster than a speeding police car! More paranormal than a psychic! Able to time travel in a single bound! In a leave of absence, each from their own series, come Brown, James and Anna – Supersleuths United!
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: 42 Pages
3 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages
OVERVIEW: The supersleuths of the detective world are uniting to battle a master criminal, the Collector, bent on bending space and time to rectify a tragedy from his past. Three of Elephant’s finest detectives, Dorian Brown, James Blackthorne, and Anna Gray have joined forces to defeat him. Valuable artifacts are missing, including one from the royal treasury of the Queen. This madman thief is planning on accumulating four artifacts to create the Reality Cube, a cube with immense powers. Even worse, he is gaining new powers with each piece of the cube he locates. Play each detective in this tag-team event and stop this madman before the universe is hurled into chaos. Go Supersleuths! And, by the way, Anna’s dad, Richard will be tagging along from the spirit world to help in the case.
OPINION: Welcome to a fantastic new series from Elephant! This is a detective-style version of the Avengers, with the superheroes replaced with supersleuths. This new series is a brilliant concept for Elephant. The story is excellent. You play all three detectives in a tag-team effort to defeat the evildoer. This is an action-packed game with decent graphics. This is a great game for those amateur sleuths out there who like detective stories, or those who love an action-packed game.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are eighteen (18) achievements. Collect fourteen (14) figurines of characters from the game. Also collect twenty (20) picture parts for four (4) pictures as well as twenty-nine (29) morphing objects. There is a side-bar on the right of the screen to indicate how many you have collected. I found some easy to locate and others not. There are ten (10) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections. You can replay fifteen (15) HOP scenes and thirteen (13) puzzles. There is a secret room which opens at the end of the game, allowing you to search for a variety of detective-oriented morphing objects from the scenes of the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Two of the supersleuths, Dorian Brown and Anna Gray, are off to Louisiana to save the third, James Blackthorne. Be prepared to meet a creepy, deranged ghost of a little girl at the abandoned, ramshackle Danver Mansion. She may have kidnapped James! The chapter is long. The HOP scenes and puzzles are identical to ones in the main game. I am disappointed in the content from this chapter. The storyline is missing relevant information about this case. It seems to have been tacked on leaving many questions regarding the history behind this mansion.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-three (23) HOP scenes within the game. I am disappointed at the lack of variety and creativity of the scenes. Most of the scenes are silhouette and carbon copies of each other. In most of the scenes either you search for silhouette items in junk piles or you search for silhouette items one-at-a-time. Interspersed in the game are a few matching scenes and lists of items. The lists of items are straight searches with little interaction with the scene.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-eight (28) puzzles within the game. They vary in style and difficulty. I feel the puzzles are excellent, most being of middle-difficulty. It surprises me that this developer provided more of the somewhat boring HOP scenes to replay than the puzzles. Most are thematic. There is a creatively designed super puzzle within the game. I want to replay some of the puzzles; however, they are not offered for replay.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Switch puzzle. Awesome puzzle. Switch colored pieces on three owls so that each owl is one color.
B. Chess puzzle. Move a knight (horse) across a chess board, making the “L” shaped move associated with this token, until all squares have been visited once.
C. Maze puzzle. Escape a labyrinth in the dark by following a map while avoiding traps
SUPER PUZZLE: (3 consecutive puzzles – E to G) Extremely well-designed.
D. Assembly puzzle. Rotate a figure upside-down and sideways until a figure is created. Moving it changes the image of the figure. 2X
E. Switch puzzle. Click on the center of a grid consisting of connected pentagons to that a given figure is assembled in the center of the grid.
F. Bubble popper. A variation in which you must remove three (3) or more gems at a time by adding gems to remove them. Eliminate all the gems on a moving snake-like chain before it reaches its destination.
BONUS CHAPTER
G. Maze puzzle. Move a ball through a maze using arrows. Choose between two to four arrows to create a path from top to bottom of the maze.
H. Slat puzzle. Place strips with symbols upon them on a crossword-style grid so that where two slats meet, the symbols are the same.
B. Chess puzzle. Move a knight (horse) across a chess board, making the “L” shaped move associated with this token, until all squares have been visited once.
C. Maze puzzle. Escape a labyrinth in the dark by following a map while avoiding traps
SUPER PUZZLE: (3 consecutive puzzles – E to G) Extremely well-designed.
D. Assembly puzzle. Rotate a figure upside-down and sideways until a figure is created. Moving it changes the image of the figure. 2X
E. Switch puzzle. Click on the center of a grid consisting of connected pentagons to that a given figure is assembled in the center of the grid.
F. Bubble popper. A variation in which you must remove three (3) or more gems at a time by adding gems to remove them. Eliminate all the gems on a moving snake-like chain before it reaches its destination.
BONUS CHAPTER
G. Maze puzzle. Move a ball through a maze using arrows. Choose between two to four arrows to create a path from top to bottom of the maze.
H. Slat puzzle. Place strips with symbols upon them on a crossword-style grid so that where two slats meet, the symbols are the same.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a malevolent force from stealing souls in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
67 of 122 found this review helpful
BRING DEATH BACK TO LIFE IN A DEATH-DEFYING GAME!
PostedAugust 4, 2018
sunnyglow
fromThere is one advantage to being in the spirit world on Day of the Dead. If you dislike some of your relatives you can come back each November 2 in spirit form and “scare them to death.”
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: ¡Feliz Día de los Muertos! (Happy Day of the Dead) Actually not! Celebrants for this Mexican holiday are disappearing within a cemetery. As part of the Myth Debunker Forum, you have been contacted by Santa Muerte for help in preventing Shibalba, the god of death, from rising from the Underworld. His accomplice, Kalaka, is aiding him by locating souls for him to feed upon in exchange for immortality. You are the last hope! Once Shibalba seizes three more souls to feed upon, he will resurrect from the Underworld to claim the world of the living. Only you can stop the world of the living turning into the world of the dead. Enter his caves, find his lair and destroy his ambitions!
OPINION: As a collector of Day of the Dead artwork, I was anxious to play this game. That was before I played the demo. The graphics are just phenomenal in this game. The artists have truly captured the essence and spirit of this Mexican holiday. The story is excellent. Despite that, there are several reasons why it was a non-purchase for me. First, there is the annoying helper raven within the game. Second, I feel it is a snail-paced game. I became bored rather quickly playing the demo. Third, I disliked the animal noises throughout the game. You are told that the game is best played with sound. However, I can no longer stand hearing the background noises of baying of wolves and barking of dogs common in most of this developer’s games.
HELPER: The raven returns in yet another AMAX game. He sits on your inventory bar and performs idiotic, time-consuming stunts. He is neither cute, amusing nor a logical part of the game. He is an unnecessary addition to this game, which, to me, is a time-waster.
MECHANICS: There are the usual four (4) levels of play plus a customized version. There are twelve (12) achievements. Collect eleven (11) coins representing different cultures of the world. There is a replay of eighteen (18) puzzles and thirteen (13) HOP scenes. There are twelve (12) wallpapers, seven (7) screensavers, and the usual music and video selections.
HOP SCENES: The scenes are thematic. They include some mini-HOP scenes as well in which you search for a small number of items. Most of the scenes are lists of items. The demo includes a storybook scene. I did not see any silhouette scenes in the demo. There is a replacement scene (placing items back into their proper place within a scene) which I thought was poorly done. One I did find very creative. It involves an etched window in which you must locate a specific number of four items, with those four numbers being used to open a lock.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are excellent. They vary in style and difficulty; however, most of the puzzles are of middle difficulty. There is one in the demo which can be played in either a “Casual” or “Hard” mode. I found two of the puzzles in the demo very creative. In one you must create a maze by moving assembly-line blocks up-and-down- and sideways to create a path for water to flow. The other puzzle is a slat puzzle in which you must again, move slats up-and-down and sideways to create a picture
SPOILERS: HERE ARE THE PUZZLES FROM THE DEMO:
A. Switch puzzle. Switch gems above three (3) keys so that all four (4) like-colored gems are aggregated together above the like-colored key. Then, place them in numerical order based on the number on the gem.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces to create a button.
C. Bullseye puzzle. Click on four (4) sliders when each slider is in the middle.
D. Tracing puzzle. Slide a skull through a path without touching the sides.
E. Choice between Casual and Hard. Sequence puzzle. Light all candles on an altar. Lighting one affects the others.
F. Slat puzzle. Slide slats sideways and up-and-down to create an image.
G. Sequence puzzle. Using two lenses, search a skull for symbols.
H. Chess puzzle. In this variation, move colored skeletons to their appropriate colored slot by following the knight’s “L” move from chess.
I. Switch puzzle. Switch puzzles pieces to create a picture.
J. Moving tiles puzzle. Move tiles with cut--out sides into position to create an opening for a bird charm to be released.
K. Assembly puzzle. First rotate four pieces then press the check button to see if, when they move, create a circular amulet. The pieces will rotate as they reach the center of the grid.
L. Assembly puzzle. Rotate rings on three columns so that they create the image above each column
M. Maze puzzle. Slide lines of rocks on a grid up-and-down and sideways to create a maze to lead water into the caves.
N. Battle scene. Find matching pairs of symbols to take out an evildoer.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces to create a button.
C. Bullseye puzzle. Click on four (4) sliders when each slider is in the middle.
D. Tracing puzzle. Slide a skull through a path without touching the sides.
E. Choice between Casual and Hard. Sequence puzzle. Light all candles on an altar. Lighting one affects the others.
F. Slat puzzle. Slide slats sideways and up-and-down to create an image.
G. Sequence puzzle. Using two lenses, search a skull for symbols.
H. Chess puzzle. In this variation, move colored skeletons to their appropriate colored slot by following the knight’s “L” move from chess.
I. Switch puzzle. Switch puzzles pieces to create a picture.
J. Moving tiles puzzle. Move tiles with cut--out sides into position to create an opening for a bird charm to be released.
K. Assembly puzzle. First rotate four pieces then press the check button to see if, when they move, create a circular amulet. The pieces will rotate as they reach the center of the grid.
L. Assembly puzzle. Rotate rings on three columns so that they create the image above each column
M. Maze puzzle. Slide lines of rocks on a grid up-and-down and sideways to create a maze to lead water into the caves.
N. Battle scene. Find matching pairs of symbols to take out an evildoer.
I recommend this game!
Can you save escaped magical creatures before it’s too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
84 of 150 found this review helpful
MAGICAL BEASTIES UNBOUNDED WITHIN IN AN IRISH TALE
PostedAugust 2, 2018
sunnyglow
fromBritish Isles Boxing Day: Sojourning to England, the day after Christmas, Ash, the Welsh Corgi from Ireland will duke it out to become the new mascot for Cesar dog food against the current title holder, a white Scottish terrier.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
5 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter
OVERVIEW: Julia Hanson! You are off to Dublin to claim a strange inheritance. Your uncle has bequeathed you a lighthouse. Somewhat perplexed by his bequest, you are off to investigate your new possession. You soon learn that the inheritance includes more than a dark, dreary lighthouse. You are part of a family legacy known as The Hunters, a group sworn to nurture and protect magical creatures. Your uncle has named you as his successor, head of this group. You are given the Cube, a magical device which houses these creatures, keeping them safe from those who wish to use the cube and the animals for evil purposes. Get prepared for some family drama as you attempt to stop an evildoer from using the power of these animals for his/her own evil purposes.
OPINION: This is a great game for dog lovers or those who like easy breezy games. This is also a great game for children. The helper Corgi pup will touch the heartstrings of most players. I don’t like dogs nor helpers in games, so it will be a pass for me. The graphics are beautiful with some breathtaking scenes. However, I found the pace somewhat slow, attributed to the lack of challenge in the activities and back-and-forth movement within the game. The story is a fantasy lover’s delight with a myriad of animals throughout the game. I found it to be a decent, but not stellar game.
MECHANICS: There are the standard four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are fifteen (15) achievements. Collect sixty-four (64) eggs in different designs. After you collect a certain number of the eggs for each design, you open them to discover a surprise. There is a sidebar on the left indicating how many eggs are within each scene. I found them somewhat easy to locate, although in the darker scenes, they are somewhat well-hidden. There are five (5) screensavers, six (6) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections. You can replay some HOP scenes and puzzles.
HELPERS AND GIMMICKS GALORE. One of your helpers is Ash, a Corgi pup who is used excessively throughout the game. He serves no logical purpose except to provide an element of cuteness to tug at heartstrings of dog lovers, which I am not. Ash will even assist you in at least one of the puzzles. His big brown eyes, wagging tail and designer sweater should delight most, except me. Your other helper is a walkie-talkie type device used to communicate with Casey, your uncle’s best friend. Be prepared to receive “powers” from the animals you ensnare in the Cube, including wings to fly and the ability to freeze items.
HOP SCENES: There are only three (3) in the demo. I found them standard ones seen in most HOP games. They include two lists of items (which are somewhat interactive) and a storybook scene in which you locate items in highlighted letters.
PUZZLES: I found all the puzzles in the demo easy, which one would expect in an easy breezy game. There is a repetitive puzzle which is played when the cube is activated to collect a magical creature. It is a variation of a Match-3 puzzle. This puzzle becomes more difficult as you proceed in the game. I found the other puzzles creatively designed, with most reflecting the theme of the game. The graphics are exquisite in some of the puzzles.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE THE PUZZLES FROM THE DEMO:
A. Maze puzzle. Move a dog down a path in a maze with buttons so that every button is visited without retracing steps.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch parts of statues so all parts logically match that of a given picture.
C. Switch puzzle. Beautiful. Switch and rotate pieces of a scene to restore an image.
D. Connection puzzle. A variation of a puzzle in which the lines connecting stars equal a number on the star. However, this time, remove the lines instead so that you do no remove any more attached lines than are on the star. 3X Increases in difficulty
E. Matching. Match up records by flipping them over to see the image on the other side.
F. Cube Puzzle. Skipping stones puzzle. Match up 3 or more like tokens to remove them. You must get a specific amount of each token. Used throughout the game when you need to capture an animal for the cube
G. Maze puzzle. Dog-gone it! Use Ash to help you traverse a maze, searching for items to aid you get through the maze.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch parts of statues so all parts logically match that of a given picture.
C. Switch puzzle. Beautiful. Switch and rotate pieces of a scene to restore an image.
D. Connection puzzle. A variation of a puzzle in which the lines connecting stars equal a number on the star. However, this time, remove the lines instead so that you do no remove any more attached lines than are on the star. 3X Increases in difficulty
E. Matching. Match up records by flipping them over to see the image on the other side.
F. Cube Puzzle. Skipping stones puzzle. Match up 3 or more like tokens to remove them. You must get a specific amount of each token. Used throughout the game when you need to capture an animal for the cube
G. Maze puzzle. Dog-gone it! Use Ash to help you traverse a maze, searching for items to aid you get through the maze.
I recommend this game!
Turn back the hands of time to free the Lost Lands!
Overall rating
1
/
5
114 of 255 found this review helpful
CREMATE THIS GAME, PUT THE ASHES INTO THE TIME HEXAGON AND SEND IT BACK TO THE PAST
PostedJuly 28, 2018
sunnyglow
fromThis demo produced a burning desire within me – heartburn and a desire for the demo to end!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 38 Pages
OVERVIEW: Get ready Susan to zigzag through time to save the kingdom from Cassandra, a powerful sorceress. Dying from a dreadful disease in the past, she asked Maaron, (a powerful wizard and her student) to end her life before an evil force overtook her infected body. Maaron, not heeding her wishes, placed her body into a lethargic sleep, hoping to develop a cure to save her. Now, after five hundred (500) years, she has awoken from her trance and is causing havoc throughout the kingdom, changing her victims into arachnoids (spiders). Maaron has disappeared but he left a time machine, the Time Hexagon. Use this gadget to transport between the past and present to stop Cassandra. However, you need to remember that changing the past will affect the future!
OPINION: Is this game a blast from the past or perhaps, it should be blasted back to the past. Where did they get this game? For me it is a time anomaly. Has it been sitting on a dusty shelf in storage for the last ten (10) years? Although I enjoy many of this developer’s games, this is a non-purchase for me. I find this game old-school - a boring, archaic relic which is reminiscent of games from ten (10) years ago. The gaming mechanics are dated as well as the graphics, which I found blurry. For me, it is snail-paced with quite a bit of back-and-forth movement within the game. After I reduced the size of the screen, I had to restart the game to get the sound to work. When was the last time anyone has had to restart a HOP game for it to function properly? Also grating on my nerves was the high-pitched nasal voice of Fiona. I could not wait until the demo ended. From the humongous squealing spiders to the idiotic story line, I hate this game. I realize I am in a minority, but to me it is one of the worst games I have played this year!
MECHANICS: There are four levels of play including a customized version. There are twenty-two (22) achievements to earn. Collect thirty (30) morphing objects, nine (9) manuscripts, seven (7) posters, eight (8) funeral urns, twelve (12) roses, eight (8) arachnoids and seven (7) bloody palms. There are ten (10) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections. You can replay twenty-two (22) mini-games and seven (7) puzzles. I could not assess if those “puzzles” are HOP scenes.
TIME HEXAGON GIMMICK: There is a gadget which allows you to return to the past using ancestors’ ashes. When the machine runs out of ashes, you return to the present. To me the concept of desecrating graves to get ashes for a time machine is disgusting! I was appalled at a scene in which I was required to throw straw and fuel on a witch’s body, set her on fire and then scoop up her ashes to put into the time device. Desecration of the dead, even in games, to me, should not be tolerated.
HOP SCENES: There are only three (3) in the demo. All the scenes are silhouette items which must be located and then used within the scene. You must locate certain items and interact with them before searching for other items within the scene.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are old-school. There is only one which I found somewhat creative. The last puzzle in the demo is somewhat unique as it has the player transferring a coin from slot-to-slot turning levers. For one of the puzzles in the demo, the directions are not explicit. With a lack of decent puzzles, I found this game not worth the effort.
SPOILERS: THESE ARE A SAMPLING OF PUZZLES FROM THE DEMO:
A. Tangram puzzle. Place boards on a frame to create steps. All the steps should be even with no gapping between the boards.
B. Assembly puzzle. Move human figures into a circle with a sun in the center so that the figures fit around the sun holding hands. without touching the sun. (Directions NOT EXPLICIT)
C. Sequence puzzle. Release clamps by pressing them in correct sequence to keep all open at the same time.
D. Logic puzzle. On the Time Hexagon, set the date according to a given clue.
E. Rotating disks puzzle. Rotate disks to restore an image.
F. Slider puzzle. Slide pieces of a picture into place using two wheels to move the plates.
G. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate three circles with three designs on them until they match up as per a given clue.
H. Magnet puzzle. Use magnet to move an iron bar into the middle of the grid.
I. Moving tiles puzzle. Slide tiles to create a diamond shape (rhomboid) in the middle of the grid.
J. Maze puzzle. Transfer a coin to its final position by switching it from slot to slot by turning levers. Keep switching the coin until it reaches the end.
B. Assembly puzzle. Move human figures into a circle with a sun in the center so that the figures fit around the sun holding hands. without touching the sun. (Directions NOT EXPLICIT)
C. Sequence puzzle. Release clamps by pressing them in correct sequence to keep all open at the same time.
D. Logic puzzle. On the Time Hexagon, set the date according to a given clue.
E. Rotating disks puzzle. Rotate disks to restore an image.
F. Slider puzzle. Slide pieces of a picture into place using two wheels to move the plates.
G. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate three circles with three designs on them until they match up as per a given clue.
H. Magnet puzzle. Use magnet to move an iron bar into the middle of the grid.
I. Moving tiles puzzle. Slide tiles to create a diamond shape (rhomboid) in the middle of the grid.
J. Maze puzzle. Transfer a coin to its final position by switching it from slot to slot by turning levers. Keep switching the coin until it reaches the end.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you and your beloved escape a mad composer in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
112 of 182 found this review helpful
SING THE PRAISES OF ANOTHER AWARD-WINNING DOMINI GAME!
PostedJuly 26, 2018
sunnyglow
fromAfter this game, Isaac, along with his ghostly virtuosos plan to enter the world of reality TV starring in their own weekly music show, “My Haunted ‘Opera’ House.”
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE COMPLETION OF THE MAIN GAME
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 55 Pages
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 55 Pages
OVERVIEW: Plan to spend time underground - beneath the streets of Paris playing a game based upon the “Phantom of the Opera.” In this revised version, as Raul proposes marriage to his love, the young ingénue, Christine, a masked stranger, Isaac, appears and drags her through a mirror into his dark, underground lair. The deranged, obsessed Isaac (the victim of a terrible fire to his opera house) has written an opera, the “Ghostly Opera,” an opera so divine that it can only be sung by the voice of a ghost. He now plans to use a ritual to add Christine to his ghostly production believing he will become the greatest opera director! As you wander through the game, get some help from Isaac’s ghostly victims and his long-suffering relatives as well.
OPINION: Playing a Domini game is like drinking Parisian champagne! It titillates the senses with its beautiful imagery and creative design. They are in a league of their own! Be prepared! This is a very long game! Again, Domini has provided those extra features which set them apart from other developers. This game, as in all their previous games, is a puzzle-lover’s delight. However, it should also appeal to all hopeless romantics or even opera lovers out there. It is a fast-paced game with plenty of activities to keep the player on their toes. With the puzzle options, I recommend this game for everyone. I love this series and this game is a welcome addition. It is another tag-team event. Play both lovestruck Raul and Christine as they take on crazed Isaac.
MECHANICS: There are four levels of play including a customized version. You can choose the level of difficulty, (easy and hard), for the puzzles in the menu. However, you can still change the difficulty level for each puzzle while playing it. There are thirty-six (36) achievements to earn. Collect fifteen (15) opera posters, forty-eight (48) crystals (to purchase items for a dressing room), and fifteen (15) theater props. An indicator on the inventory bar shows if there are any collectibles to be located within the scene. Some of the items are easy to locate and others are more difficult to find. You can also replay eighteen (18) HOP scenes and twenty-four (24) puzzles. There are ten (10) wallpapers along with concept art, music selections and video sequences.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Play Christine, who is now the mother of an aspiring prima donna of her own, Margaret Delacroix. A hooded stranger gives your daughter a wrapped box. Upon opening it, she loses her voice – stolen by this stranger. You are off to find the culprit. I have not completed this chapter, waiting until the weekend to do so. It is a long chapter, well-worth the extra price. From what I have played, the quality of the HOP scenes and puzzles are equal to those in the main game.
HOP SCENES: You have the option to play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scenes. The game has a diversity of HOP scenes. After the demo, there are several mini-HOP scenes. Most of these require searching for a specific number of one item. Be prepared! There is one scene which has you handling cobras! I found most creatively designed. The standard scenes include lists of items, silhouette, storybook, and matching. My favorite is a search and replace scene, locating items and then placing items back into their proper location. This scene also includes some mini-puzzles. There are NO repeated HOP scenes.
PUZZLES: I LOVE the puzzles in this game. The main game contains thirty-seven (37) and the bonus chapter has many as well, which are NOT included in this total. I will need to replay some of these as I found some of the puzzles somewhat difficult and time-consuming. There is a wide-variety, and, unlike other developers, there are no repetitions of the puzzles within this game. Here are few of my favorites after the demo:
SPOILERS: LIST OF SOME PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Pipe puzzle. Move a ball through segments of pipe from the upper left to the bottom right of the grid. Create a path through the pipes using a gold pipe to connect the pipes. Then push a “start” button to see if you are successful.
B. Mahjong puzzle. Match up stacked tiles. After a match, new tiles will be uncovered.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect snakes with eyes of differing colors with a gem of the same color without crossing paths. All spaces must be used in connecting the snakes.
D. Switch puzzle. Switch wigs, bows, crowns, necklaces, earrings and masks on mannequins according to a given guide. (LOVE this puzzle – so much fun)
E. Mathematical puzzle. Open a safe by entering the given code using a dial upon the safe. The dial is only allowed to go either 3 spaces to the right or 4 spaces to the left.
F. Physics puzzle. Place angled tokens into place to direct a beam of light from the top to the bottom of a grid.
G. Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate fourteen (14) wheels so that on each wheel the arrow points up. Moving one wheel affects the others.
H. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate a series of triangles on a grid so the sides of each one matches up with the side of the triangle next to it. (Lengthy and somewhat difficult)
I. Switch puzzle. Switch slats to restore a picture.
A. Pipe puzzle. Move a ball through segments of pipe from the upper left to the bottom right of the grid. Create a path through the pipes using a gold pipe to connect the pipes. Then push a “start” button to see if you are successful.
B. Mahjong puzzle. Match up stacked tiles. After a match, new tiles will be uncovered.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect snakes with eyes of differing colors with a gem of the same color without crossing paths. All spaces must be used in connecting the snakes.
D. Switch puzzle. Switch wigs, bows, crowns, necklaces, earrings and masks on mannequins according to a given guide. (LOVE this puzzle – so much fun)
E. Mathematical puzzle. Open a safe by entering the given code using a dial upon the safe. The dial is only allowed to go either 3 spaces to the right or 4 spaces to the left.
F. Physics puzzle. Place angled tokens into place to direct a beam of light from the top to the bottom of a grid.
G. Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate fourteen (14) wheels so that on each wheel the arrow points up. Moving one wheel affects the others.
H. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate a series of triangles on a grid so the sides of each one matches up with the side of the triangle next to it. (Lengthy and somewhat difficult)
I. Switch puzzle. Switch slats to restore a picture.
I recommend this game!
Find the double agent in H.E.L.P. before it’s too late!
Overall rating
5
/
5
138 of 205 found this review helpful
INVESTIGATE SOME AGENCY MONKEY BUSINESS IN THE RAIN FOREST
PostedJuly 21, 2018
sunnyglow
fromInstead of searching through the dense, snake-infested jungles of Honduras for an artifact, you think these thieves would make a heist on the valuable, vintage cars sitting in that Montana diner and adjoining garage.
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: 39 Pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 39 Pages
OVERVIEW: Agent! You are off to Honduras to locate an ancient artifact with immense powers, the Spear Lord. However, an international group of smugglers, the Noble Scoundrels, want this valuable artifact as well to sell on the black market. Upon arrival at the archaeological site, you and you partner, Sam, are ambushed by this group resulting in what appears to be Sam’s death. Upon your return to the United States, you find yourself in hot water with the agency. You are being framed for Sam’s supposed death and are under suspicion as a mole within the agency. Now you must go undercover to clear your name all while trying to keep the Spear Lord out of nefarious hands.
OPIINION: This is a hi-tech fantastic adventure, one which should keep players in suspense. For me, this game is a matter of quality over quantity. There are not as many puzzles nor HOP scenes as in other developers’ games. Nevertheless, this game demonstrates master craftmanship in gaming. The graphics of the Honduran rain forest are breathtakingly beautiful! Hi-tech devices are incorporated into the storyline including three-dimensional imaging and drones. The storyline is excellent with EIPIX incorporating some lovely Mayan legends into this game. This would be a great game for children (with adult help on the puzzles) to learn about Mesoamerican ancient civilizations such as the Maya. It is a fast-paced game with a myriad of activities to keep the player engaged.
MECHANICS: There are the usual four levels of play, including a customized version of the game. There are thirteen (13) achievements (some with three parts). Collect fact cards which provide background and historical information about places or items within the game. Collect thirty-six (36) Mayan hieroglyphs and twelve (12) morphing objects within the HOP scenes. There are twenty-four (24) souvenirs (jigsaw pieces) which are collected at the end of the game. Surprisingly, you do not use the pieces to play a jigsaw puzzle; rather, the pieces, when gathered, produce a completed jigsaw puzzle. I found all collectibles easy to locate. You can replay sixteen (16) puzzles and fourteen (14) HOP scenes. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with usual concept art. There are musical selections and video sequences as well.
BONUS CHAPTER: The bonus chapter is a prequel. Play Sam and find yourself back in the Honduran rain forest. As in the main game, you are ambushed by the same evildoers. You must overcome danger in your attempt to climb to a higher altitude to be air rescued by a fellow agent. I was not impressed with this chapter, and to me, it is NOT worth the extra money. It is very short. There are only three (3) HOP scenes – two are short lists of items and one is a matching scene. The puzzles are better; however, there are only four (4) in this chapter. I played this entire chapter including all four puzzles in approximately one-half hour.
HOP SCENES: There are fifteen (15) HOP scenes within the game. They are thematic in design and there is a nice variety of them. Many are multiple-step in design, consisting of searching for items in two different formats. Most of the scenes are somewhat interactive. Included are two of my favorite types of HOP scenes – cryptic clues and rebus scenes. There are also silhouette, lists of items, storybook (searching for highlighted items within the script of the story), and matching. There are morphing objects in most of the scenes.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-three (23) puzzles within the game. Although there are not as many as in other developers’ games, they are exquisitely designed. I would rather play fewer puzzles which are enjoyable than numerous ones which are poorly constructed and/or boring. The puzzles range from easy to moderately difficult. There is a wide range of puzzle types as well. My only complaint is the lack of sufficient instruction on solving some of the more difficult puzzles.
SPOILERS: THESE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Connection puzzle. Connect two yellow gems by creating a path through a grid. You must go through four (4) green stones as well. You cannot retrace your steps.
B. Maze puzzle. Move a Mayan hieroglyph through a grid to reach its final exit in the middle of the board. The hieroglyph must knock out all god statues in its path. Once knocked out, the gods turn into boulders. Somewhat difficult
C. Maze puzzle. Move four colored tokens on a grid to their like colored slots by using eight (8) buttons at the side which have established movements upon them. Strategize the proper sequence of moves to get each one into its proper location.
D. Logic problem. On a chessboard-like grid, place ravens so that each row and column contain the number of ravens as indicated at the top and sides of the grid.
E. Three-dimensional puzzle. Move cubes into position on a 3-dimensional slanted grid so you can stack them on top of each other as per a given code.
F. Physics puzzle. Mirror puzzle. Rotate mirrors so that the angles of the beams of light connect like-colored tokens.
G. Beat the computer! Place lines within a grid to create squares. Once you close a square, you add it to your collection. Whoever has accumulated the most squares wins the game.
H. BONUS CHAPTER: Tangram puzzle. Place pieces into proper position to completely fill in an arrowhead-shaped grid.
A. Connection puzzle. Connect two yellow gems by creating a path through a grid. You must go through four (4) green stones as well. You cannot retrace your steps.
B. Maze puzzle. Move a Mayan hieroglyph through a grid to reach its final exit in the middle of the board. The hieroglyph must knock out all god statues in its path. Once knocked out, the gods turn into boulders. Somewhat difficult
C. Maze puzzle. Move four colored tokens on a grid to their like colored slots by using eight (8) buttons at the side which have established movements upon them. Strategize the proper sequence of moves to get each one into its proper location.
D. Logic problem. On a chessboard-like grid, place ravens so that each row and column contain the number of ravens as indicated at the top and sides of the grid.
E. Three-dimensional puzzle. Move cubes into position on a 3-dimensional slanted grid so you can stack them on top of each other as per a given code.
F. Physics puzzle. Mirror puzzle. Rotate mirrors so that the angles of the beams of light connect like-colored tokens.
G. Beat the computer! Place lines within a grid to create squares. Once you close a square, you add it to your collection. Whoever has accumulated the most squares wins the game.
H. BONUS CHAPTER: Tangram puzzle. Place pieces into proper position to completely fill in an arrowhead-shaped grid.
The killer from an unsolved case returns for more blood!
Overall rating
5
/
5
116 of 172 found this review helpful
ZIGZAG THROUGH TIME WITH ANNA GRAY
PostedJuly 19, 2018
sunnyglow
fromLocation? People talk about being in “two places at the same time.” Anna Gray is a person who can be at “two time periods at the same place!”
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: 37 Pages
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 Pages
OVERVIEW: Time traveling Anna Gray is back! As Anna, zigzag through time and space to save your favorite niece, Jackie from a serial killer. Your niece’s murder is identical to a series of killings which occurred seventeen (17) years prior. Jackie’s father, Detective Alexander Gray, and his partner, Chris Lewis, investigated this series of crimes but could never pinpoint the perpetrator. Now it is urgent you go back in time to gather evidence to identify and stop this serial killer before he murders your niece in the current time-period. Flip back and forth through the pages of time solving a cold case which will reveal some surprises.
OPINION: The main game is somewhat short; however, the bonus chapter is lengthy and well-worth the extra money. I feel this game is one of the best in the series. The gaming script is well-written. The story changes somewhat after the demo providing a few surprises. Daddy Dearest, Victor, returns to help Anna. However, he does not appear often in the game. His only function is to give advice and provide some needed inventory item. He adds comic relief to an otherwise dark game. The graphics well-portray the noir element within this game. The game flows smoothly with an excellent pace, providing plenty of activities to move the game along.
MECHANICS: There are the usual four levels of play including a customized version. There are eighteen (18) achievements. Collect twenty-seven (27) morphing objects, twelve (12) photos of the characters from the game, and thirty-four (34) pieces to create three (3) screensavers. Surprisingly, the pieces automatically create the screensavers. You do not play a jigsaw puzzle to create them. Most of the collectibles are easy to locate and many of them are aligned with each other within the scene. There are eight (8) wallpapers plus the usual music selections and concept art. For each segment of the game, you collect five (5) pieces of evidence and then analyze the data which provides a small video detailing more information about the case. You have a section called “archives.” Those “archives” consist of a replay of thirteen (13) puzzles and thirteen (13) HOP scenes.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Play Alexander, Jackie’s policeman father. Rescue your pregnant wife Natalya, who has been kidnapped by an evildoer. When your wife consults a fortune teller, Lily, concerning the fate of her twins, Jackie and Jared, she learns some unsettling news concerning their future. This is a long chapter with a great storyline. There is some beautiful artwork depicting New Orleans during Mardi Gras. There are several HOP scenes, including a few mini-HOP scenes. There are eight (8) puzzles as well. I found some of the puzzles better than those in the main game. There is cliffhanger ending in this chapter. Could this be a hint for a future game?
HOP SCENES: There are thirteen (13) HOP scenes in the game which do not include a series of mini-HOP scenes which consist of searching for a small number of items. As stated, you can replay them once you complete the game. For the most part, the HOP scenes are thematic and fit well into the story of the game. As with most developers nowadays, the scenes are principally lists of items. However, other scenes include storybook (with items highlighted in the script) and silhouette. There is one matching scene. Many are multiple-step ones in which you locate items in different formats.
CREATIVE HOP SCENE: There is one scene I found creatively designed. The scene consists of a bookcase with six books. First you locate items surrounding the books and then place them on the front of the books. Afterward, you open the pages of each book, search for items within each book and then replace them in their logical place in another book.
PUZZLES: There are thirty-one (31) puzzles in the game. I found most of the puzzles of middle difficulty. There are some easy ones, but most of the puzzles require effort to solve them. There is one puzzle which allows the option to be played in a “casual” or “hard” mode. There are two super puzzles within the game (a sequence of puzzles). I love the puzzles in this game, although most I have seen before in other games. Here are some of my favorites:
SPOILERS: SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Choice between Casual and Hard. Map puzzle. Using arrows, plot your course to arrive at your destination. You only have six moves available. When finished, press start. 3X
B. Variation of a connection puzzle. In this case, turn on lights surrounding sixteen (16) numbered tokens so the lights lit surrounding each token equals the number on the token.
C. Switch puzzle. Unique puzzle in which you switch pieces on four (4) masks so that each mask has parts which are the same color. You must rotate the masks to change the items.
D. Rotating tiles. Rotate butterflies and roses until they are in the proper position. Beautiful puzzle. 2 parts to the puzzle.
E. Super puzzle. (1) Switch puzzle. Switch pie shaped pieces to restore an image. (2) Matching. (3) Switch puzzle. Switch two sets of colored tokens from one side to the other. (4) Rotating circles puzzle. Rotate circles to create an image.
BONUS CHAPTER PUZZLES:
F. Mathematical puzzle. Remove a latch by moving it through spaces until it exits at the end. Move the latch based on the number of moves indicated on three buttons. Each button has a different number of moves and you must exit on an even number of spaces.
G. Super puzzle to defeat an evildoer (1) Assembly puzzle. Choose the two (2) tokens which create a larger symbol in the center the grid. 5 X (2) Skipping stones. Remove symbols three or more at a time until none remain on the grid. 3X
B. Variation of a connection puzzle. In this case, turn on lights surrounding sixteen (16) numbered tokens so the lights lit surrounding each token equals the number on the token.
C. Switch puzzle. Unique puzzle in which you switch pieces on four (4) masks so that each mask has parts which are the same color. You must rotate the masks to change the items.
D. Rotating tiles. Rotate butterflies and roses until they are in the proper position. Beautiful puzzle. 2 parts to the puzzle.
E. Super puzzle. (1) Switch puzzle. Switch pie shaped pieces to restore an image. (2) Matching. (3) Switch puzzle. Switch two sets of colored tokens from one side to the other. (4) Rotating circles puzzle. Rotate circles to create an image.
BONUS CHAPTER PUZZLES:
F. Mathematical puzzle. Remove a latch by moving it through spaces until it exits at the end. Move the latch based on the number of moves indicated on three buttons. Each button has a different number of moves and you must exit on an even number of spaces.
G. Super puzzle to defeat an evildoer (1) Assembly puzzle. Choose the two (2) tokens which create a larger symbol in the center the grid. 5 X (2) Skipping stones. Remove symbols three or more at a time until none remain on the grid. 3X
I recommend this game!
Can you solve the mystery of the murderous dolls?
Overall rating
5
/
5
127 of 189 found this review helpful
A GAME ALL “DOLLED UP” WITH A TINY SPLASH OF TERROR
PostedJuly 14, 2018
sunnyglow
fromAfter playing this game, I am now leery of my “My Lookalike Doll” from childhood. My doll twin sits on a shelf smiling at me, holding a bouquet of flowers wrapped with SPRIGS OF IVY! Yikes! Time to put that doll into permanent storage.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages (A very long game)
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages (A very long game)
OVERVIEW: Hi Emma Roberts! “Ring Around the Rosie” you go in search of a puppet master who is targeting members of your writing staff at “Fear for Sale.” After your office is invaded with dolls, you are caught holding a poison-tipped knife in front of the body of a coworker, Jack. Now the police deem you as the prime suspect in this case. Your investigation reveals that the dolls are stabbing their victims with a poison called Black Ivy, causing the victims to die within three days. Escaping as a prisoner chained to a bed in a hospital, you are now off to discover and confront the tortured mastermind behind these attacks.
OPINION: Despite some flaws, I highly recommend this game. This is one of the longest games I have played in some time. It has an excellent storyline centered around the sad, tormented childhood of the evildoer. I feel this game is better than the previous games within the series. The pace is excellent with plenty of movement in the game with a myriad of activities. There are no helpers nor gimmicks in this game, except for a sequence at the end of the game where a doll, Sarah, helps you twice. The puzzles are amazing in this game! Nevertheless, there are a few elements I dislike about this game. The graphics are dated. There is an extended pause between scenes accentuated with a pop-up copy of “Fear for Sale.” Although I found most of the puzzles creatively designed, I found most of the HOP scenes standard fare, with a preponderance of them being lists of items in junkpiles.
MECHANICS: There are four levels of play including a customized version. There are twelve (12) achievements. Collect twenty (20) eyes symbols, thirty-one (31) morphing objects, and fifteen (15) magazines. There are nine (9) wallpapers and three (3) screensavers. There are the usual concept art and music selections. You must locate all the eyes to unlock a secret room. However, I missed locating one eye in the game and could not return to the scene to retrieve it. EleFun, if you are going to tie searching for some collectible to an after-game activity, then allow the player to return to the scene(s) to collect the missing item(s).
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Emma, our paranormal investigator, is out on a date with policeman Michael, reminiscing about how she developed her interest in the paranormal. Emma relives the day her sister disappeared. Enter an abandoned orphanage during a solar eclipse and relive an event from her teen years in 1997. Then fast forward to 2006 to the time she met James Hill, the editor of “Fear for Sale.” The chapter is a long one and well-worth the extra price. I love the activities in this sequel.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-four (24) HOP scenes in the game (from what I could count). This includes the five (5) from the bonus chapter. There are mini-HOP scenes as well in which the player searches for small number of items or pieces of items. You can play a jigsaw puzzle in lieu of the scene for most scenes. I found many scenes rather boring. Most are lists of items with little interaction within the scene. There are many storybook scenes either requiring a search for items and then replacing them back within the scene; or, involve searching for items highlighted in the text. There are a few multiple-step ones and one rebus puzzle which I found creative. There is also one scene in the bonus chapter which I also found creative with the items to be located featured in three children’s drawings.
PUZZLES: WOW! There are forty-eight (48) puzzles within the game. This number includes eleven (11) from the bonus chapter. They are varied in style and difficulty. I found the puzzles BETTER after the demo. There are some fantastic, creatively-designed puzzles within this game. This developer has remastered some standard puzzles making them thematic, fitting well into the game. My only complaint is – if you are going to create so many puzzles – then why not allow for a replay of the puzzles?
SPOILERS: HERE ARE MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Logic puzzle. Using three (3) colors of paint, color sections of a spiral so that no color abuts another in the figure. 3X Progresses in difficulty.
B. Connection puzzle. Connect knots in a rope to light all the rope segments connected to that knot so that each knot is only visited once, and every segment of rope is lit.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch sides for an army of red and blue toy soldiers. Soldiers of different colors cannot stand near each other.
D. Connection puzzle. Connect honeycomb squares on an embroidery piece so that all squares are filled without retracing steps.
E. Physical puzzle. Move a doll up a wall. Rather neat puzzle in which you must choose buttons to have her jump, climb, or use a grappling hook to reach stone ledged until she reaches the top.
BONUS
G. Physical puzzle. Balance yourself while going over a hand-crafted bridge. Move arrows sideways to keep from falling
H. Maze puzzle. Move Emma and her sister through a maze in ten (10) steps. You must place the arrows and set up the route before pushing the “Start” button.
A. Logic puzzle. Using three (3) colors of paint, color sections of a spiral so that no color abuts another in the figure. 3X Progresses in difficulty.
B. Connection puzzle. Connect knots in a rope to light all the rope segments connected to that knot so that each knot is only visited once, and every segment of rope is lit.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch sides for an army of red and blue toy soldiers. Soldiers of different colors cannot stand near each other.
D. Connection puzzle. Connect honeycomb squares on an embroidery piece so that all squares are filled without retracing steps.
E. Physical puzzle. Move a doll up a wall. Rather neat puzzle in which you must choose buttons to have her jump, climb, or use a grappling hook to reach stone ledged until she reaches the top.
BONUS
G. Physical puzzle. Balance yourself while going over a hand-crafted bridge. Move arrows sideways to keep from falling
H. Maze puzzle. Move Emma and her sister through a maze in ten (10) steps. You must place the arrows and set up the route before pushing the “Start” button.
I recommend this game!