sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,084
- Reviews Submitted:821
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:June 27, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Face the legacy of mythical sunken city of Ys!
Overall rating
4
/
5
86 of 152 found this review helpful
SAVE PARIS BEFORE THE POWER GOES OUT!
PostedMarch 30, 2019
sunnyglow
fromTired of the high price of electricity? Instead of power lines, search for ley lines near your home and with an amulet – collect enough power to control the whole world!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 67 Pages
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 67 Pages
OVERVIEW: As part of the Myth Seekers, you, Amelia, are off to help your friend, Marlene. After discovering an amulet during an expedition, Marlene’s colleague becomes comatose and is returned to the Myth Seekers headquarters in Paris. This amulet contains hidden power and secrets tied to an ancient civilization, Ys. Now you and Marlene are off to learn the history of this sunken kingdom and its rival, Lutetia. Along the way, you will save Paris and the world from an evildoer out to harness this power for personal reasons.
OPINION: The story behind the game is excellent. The demo does not go into much depth concerning the story. There are more characters added and more history disclosed after the demo. The pace is decent although there is a great deal of back-and-forth action between scenes retrieving inventory items. The game is beautifully illustrated with some breathtaking scenes. Despite the number of chapters and lengthy strategy guide, the game is of average length.
MECHANICS:
• There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• There are twenty-eight (28) achievements – eighteen (18) for story and ten (10) for skill.
• Collect twenty-seven (27) masks - one per scene (Very large and easy to locate)
• Eight (8) wallpapers along with concept art and cutscenes.
• Replay eight (8) HOP scenes and eight (8) mini-games
• There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• There are twenty-eight (28) achievements – eighteen (18) for story and ten (10) for skill.
• Collect twenty-seven (27) masks - one per scene (Very large and easy to locate)
• Eight (8) wallpapers along with concept art and cutscenes.
• Replay eight (8) HOP scenes and eight (8) mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Join a young apprentice baker with a pet ferret, Miffy, as he plans his escape from the island of Ys. Continue collecting the masks in this chapter. There are four (4) mini-games and two (2) HOP scenes in this chapter. The whimsical style of this chapter (with the inclusion of the “cutey” ferret) provides a contrast to the life-and-death struggle from the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are only thirteen (13) HOP scenes in the game. Two of these are questionable as to whether the developer considered them HOP scenes. Most of the scenes are lists of items or silhouette. They are somewhat interactive. There is one FROG scene. A matching puzzle can be played in lieu of the scenes.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-one (31) puzzles within the game. They vary in difficulty and style. Most of the puzzles are those seen in other games. However, for the most part, they are creatively designed and thematic to fit the theme of the game. There are some puzzles which involve interacting with pages within a storybook which seemed more like HOP scenes than puzzles.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Sliding tiles puzzle. Slide Druids into position so that the emblems on their torches match the two emblems on both sides of them.
B. Dot-to-dot puzzle. Connect dots on a grid without retracing steps.
C. Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate triangular tiles to restore an image.
D. Map puzzle. Follow instructions to lead a ship to its port.
E. Logic puzzle. Choose between 3 musical notes (each of which has a specific number of spaces assigned to it) to move a bird to a space with an amulet. There are only 8 moves.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Map puzzle. Move through the streets of a town to a bakery while avoiding wolves.
G. Paint-by-number: In this case, color the icing on a cake according to given directions.
H. Physical puzzle. Navigate through water to shore while avoiding rocks. Use left-and-right arrows to steer the boat.
B. Dot-to-dot puzzle. Connect dots on a grid without retracing steps.
C. Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate triangular tiles to restore an image.
D. Map puzzle. Follow instructions to lead a ship to its port.
E. Logic puzzle. Choose between 3 musical notes (each of which has a specific number of spaces assigned to it) to move a bird to a space with an amulet. There are only 8 moves.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Map puzzle. Move through the streets of a town to a bakery while avoiding wolves.
G. Paint-by-number: In this case, color the icing on a cake according to given directions.
H. Physical puzzle. Navigate through water to shore while avoiding rocks. Use left-and-right arrows to steer the boat.
I recommend this game!
A series of museum robberies leads to a shocking discovery!
Overall rating
3
/
5
100 of 150 found this review helpful
A NEW GENERATION OF GRAY FAMILY DRAMA
PostedMarch 28, 2019
sunnyglow
fromLocation? Traveling back in time when Elephant provided a variety of creatively designed HOP scenes.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 34 Pages (It is a short game)
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 34 Pages (It is a short game)
OVERVIEW: Anna Gray is back with more family drama. Anna’s sister, Louisa, needs help in retrieving a valuable artifact, stolen from a local museum. CCTV cameras have not been able to identify the culprits, only that they appear to be in their teens. Using her unique abilities to travel back in time, Anna discovers some shocking family secrets related to this crime. Return to the past with Anna to stop a wayward family member from entering the world of crime.
OPINION: I love this series; however, I was somewhat disappointed by this game. There are some good aspects of this game. The story is well-written with Anna’s ghostly father, Richard returning to provide some comic relief. The graphics are consistent with the previous games.
There are aspects which I feel are not of the same quality as the previous games. The game is shorter. There are fewer activities making the game slow paced in some parts. Unlike previous games, there is a great deal of time filler with back-and-forth movement searching for items in one scene to be used in yet another scene. There are fewer HOP scenes and mini-games, with the HOP scenes lacking variety and creativity.
I recommend this game with reservations. It is one which may appeal to those who like HOP scenes with straight lists of items and/or do not like a game with lot of puzzles. I bought this game and then regretted my decision.
MECHANICS:
• There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• There are twenty-two (22) achievements.
• Collect twenty-seven (27) morphing objects and twelve (12) figurines of the characters from the game. Easy to locate
• Collect forty-eight (48) jigsaw pieces which create 3 screensavers. Easy to locate
• There are eight (8) wallpapers along concept art, and music selections
• There is a Secret Room available at the end of the game in which the player searches for morphing objects from the scenes of the game.
• There are Archives which contain 13 HOP scenes and 13 Mini-games which can be replayed.
• Richard Gray, Ana’s father, makes an encore appearance providing comic relief and assistance to his daughter in the case.
• There are twenty-two (22) achievements.
• Collect twenty-seven (27) morphing objects and twelve (12) figurines of the characters from the game. Easy to locate
• Collect forty-eight (48) jigsaw pieces which create 3 screensavers. Easy to locate
• There are eight (8) wallpapers along concept art, and music selections
• There is a Secret Room available at the end of the game in which the player searches for morphing objects from the scenes of the game.
• There are Archives which contain 13 HOP scenes and 13 Mini-games which can be replayed.
• Richard Gray, Ana’s father, makes an encore appearance providing comic relief and assistance to his daughter in the case.
BONUS CHAPTER: Time for a new generation of Grays to display their talents! Join Jared Gray, who, with his power to create illusions, has found himself in a world of distorted reality. Enter three periods of his life which he must correct in order to return to the real world. Returning in this chapter is Vincent to help Jared. The story is excellent. There is a good pace with the addition of three different stories within the chapter. There are six (6) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. It is consistent in style and content as the main game.
HOP SCENES: The HOP scenes should appeal to those who love straight searches for items. They lack variety and creative design. There are only twenty-one (21) in the entire game. Most of the scenes are either lists of items or silhouette. Search for items within messy junkpiles in drawers, cabinets, cellars, tool boxes, chests or closets. They lack creativity and most are not interactive. Many of the scenes only have a few items to locate. I found them boring. I only found one I enjoyed, a scene in which jewelry items are returned to a jewelry box.
MINI-GAMES: The mini-games are better designed than the HOP scenes. Nevertheless, there are only twenty-four (24) in the entire game. There are few scenes which offer a series of puzzles in a row. They vary in style and difficulty.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
Rube-Goldberg puzzle (3 sequential puzzles – A to C)
A. Jigsaw puzzle. Restore an image by placing the pieces in the proper location.
B. Paint-by-Number puzzle. Paint a picture according to numbers which each represent a color.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch slats of a picture to restore the image.
D. Sequence puzzle. Turn gears to uncover three to four symbols which, when combined, create a picture in the center of the screen. You must turn each gear before seeing the symbol associated with it. The gears must be turned in sequential order or you must start again. 5X
E. 3-Part Map puzzle. Restore a road to save a family from a car accident. (1) Jigsaw puzzle. Place pieces back into the proper position. (2) Assembly puzzle. Click on pieces of a road sign until it presents the proper image. (3) Sequence puzzle. Push down barriers to shut down parts of roads which have obstacles. Pushing one affects the others.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Switch puzzle. Switch plates to create 3 given keyholes on a diagram.
G. Matching puzzle. Place tokens onto a grid according to a guide – which is upside down!
H. Rotating tiles puzzle. Using four circles, rotate 4 tokens with figures upon them so they align with the same figure on the side of the grid.
A. Jigsaw puzzle. Restore an image by placing the pieces in the proper location.
B. Paint-by-Number puzzle. Paint a picture according to numbers which each represent a color.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch slats of a picture to restore the image.
D. Sequence puzzle. Turn gears to uncover three to four symbols which, when combined, create a picture in the center of the screen. You must turn each gear before seeing the symbol associated with it. The gears must be turned in sequential order or you must start again. 5X
E. 3-Part Map puzzle. Restore a road to save a family from a car accident. (1) Jigsaw puzzle. Place pieces back into the proper position. (2) Assembly puzzle. Click on pieces of a road sign until it presents the proper image. (3) Sequence puzzle. Push down barriers to shut down parts of roads which have obstacles. Pushing one affects the others.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Switch puzzle. Switch plates to create 3 given keyholes on a diagram.
G. Matching puzzle. Place tokens onto a grid according to a guide – which is upside down!
H. Rotating tiles puzzle. Using four circles, rotate 4 tokens with figures upon them so they align with the same figure on the side of the grid.
I recommend this game!
Can you find out who’s kidnapping jurors before it’s too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
143 of 203 found this review helpful
THE RESURRECTION OF AMAX IN A KILLER GAME!
PostedMarch 23, 2019
sunnyglow
fromThis game has revitalized my interest in playing AMAX games. Let’s hope AMAX will never resurrect those animal sounds which are missing from this game.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 35 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 35 Pages
OVERVIEW: Detective! Join forces with Auguste Dupin to solve another case. A hooded evildoer has emerged and is on the prowl. This time, the jurors from the trial of a scientist, Dr. Brian, have been kidnapped. Witnesses believe Dr. Brian himself is involved with these abductions; however, how can that be possible when he was executed? Now, as a juror in the trial, Dupin is a target as well. Help him escape the clutches of the person(s) involved and investigate the motive behind these kidnappings and apprehend the culprit(s).
OPINION: What a fantastic game! I almost did not purchase this game do to the lackluster demo. This game is much better after the demo. This is one of the best games I have played from AMAX in some time. The story is superb. The story in the bonus chapter is even better. The pace is excellent. Instead of time-consuming HOP scenes, this game has many mini-HOP scenes which help maintain a good pace within the game. The game is well-illustrated with beautiful graphics. There are some wonderful puzzles and fantastic HOP scenes within this game. However, all these goodies appear AFTER the demo.
MECHANICS:
• 4 Levels of Play including a customized version.
• 12 Achievements
• Collect twenty-six (26) feathers and twenty-six (26) morphing objects
• Nine (9) Wallpapers and five (5) Screensavers – Casual Art, Music and Movies
• Replay fourteen (14) mini-games and fourteen (14) HOP scenes
• 43 mini-games (10 of these are in the bonus chapter)
• 38 HOP and mini-HOP scenes (12 of these are in the bonus chapter)
• 4 Levels of Play including a customized version.
• 12 Achievements
• Collect twenty-six (26) feathers and twenty-six (26) morphing objects
• Nine (9) Wallpapers and five (5) Screensavers – Casual Art, Music and Movies
• Replay fourteen (14) mini-games and fourteen (14) HOP scenes
• 43 mini-games (10 of these are in the bonus chapter)
• 38 HOP and mini-HOP scenes (12 of these are in the bonus chapter)
BONUS CHAPTER: This is one of the best bonus chapters I have played. The bonus chapter is long and to me, more creatively designed than the main game. It is a prequel with the story set three (3) years before the main story. Brian Marsh is on trial for murder. In a court of law, review the scene of the crime as seen by three (3) witnesses, one of which is Dupin. There is some comic relief provided by the character of Jerome Smith, a soothsayer, along with some whimsical scenes with an adorable cat. There are ten (10) mini-games along with twelve (12) HOP scenes and mini-HOP scenes. There are three puzzles in the bonus chapter which can be played in either a “casual” or “hard” mode. The best puzzles, in my opinion, are in this chapter.
HOP SCENES: Most of the scenes are lists of items. They are somewhat interactive. There are also storybook scenes, silhouette scenes, matching, and a few pattern scenes in which items are removed based on their pattern. My favorite is one in the bonus chapter which contains scenes on three different levels of a cabinet. This scene uses up-and-down arrows to change from scene-to-scene to not only remove items but to also move items to another level to be combined in some way.
PUZZLES: Most of the puzzles are superb. They vary in style and difficulty. There are some extremely easy puzzles as well as a few difficult ones. Most are creatively designed.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES FROM THIS GAME:
A. Sequence puzzle. Strategize moves as you try to light all the lights on a hexagon-shaped grid. Choose between arrows to light all the lights in the direction the arrow points. Continue until all lights are lit or until you are blocked when there are no free cells to light. When arrows disappear, you must start over.
B. Sequence puzzle. Remove 4 horizontal bars by moving vertical bars with openings within them - up-and-down until all the openings center on each bar so it can be removed. Moving one vertical bar affects the others.
C. Assembly puzzle. Place tokens with curved ends into a jewel box so that all tokens are connected. Awesome puzzle.
D. Map puzzle. 2-dimensional puzzle in which you plot a course to reach a destination in six (6) moves while avoiding obstacles in your path. Press start to test your plotted course.
E. Assembly puzzle. Using buttons at the side, move, rotate and increase and decrease the size of segments of the image of a raven until they align with the bird.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Choice between Casual and Hard. Maze puzzle. Plot a path through a honey-combed maze moving from square to another while avoiding evil hooded ghostly specters in your path.
G. Choice between Casual vs. Hard. Matching. Uncover cards and match like cards. If you make a mistake, the cards will move to other locations.
B. Sequence puzzle. Remove 4 horizontal bars by moving vertical bars with openings within them - up-and-down until all the openings center on each bar so it can be removed. Moving one vertical bar affects the others.
C. Assembly puzzle. Place tokens with curved ends into a jewel box so that all tokens are connected. Awesome puzzle.
D. Map puzzle. 2-dimensional puzzle in which you plot a course to reach a destination in six (6) moves while avoiding obstacles in your path. Press start to test your plotted course.
E. Assembly puzzle. Using buttons at the side, move, rotate and increase and decrease the size of segments of the image of a raven until they align with the bird.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Choice between Casual and Hard. Maze puzzle. Plot a path through a honey-combed maze moving from square to another while avoiding evil hooded ghostly specters in your path.
G. Choice between Casual vs. Hard. Matching. Uncover cards and match like cards. If you make a mistake, the cards will move to other locations.
I recommend this game!
Can you find Gulliver and escape Lilliputia in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
132 of 202 found this review helpful
CROSING THE BRIDGE INTO A GIANT WORLD OF DISAPPOINTMENT
PostedMarch 21, 2019
sunnyglow
fromGulliver should be wary of burning his bridges with others; however, he many wish to make an exception with the residents of Lilliputia.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 Pages (This is short game)
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 Pages (This is short game)
OVERVIEW: After suffering from Gulliver Syndrome, (a malady in which you experience being a giant in a world of miniature people), you seek the help of a therapist, Dr. Thumble. After the doctor puts you into a hypnotic trance, you find yourself in the land of Lilliputia surrounded by a group of antagonistic miniature people. Your only hope to escape this world is to locate Dr. Gulliver, a famous therapist from your world who is now trapped and imprisoned within this tiny kingdom. Your future, as well as his, rests in rescuing him from this tiny world.
OPINION: This is a very short game. I purchased the game based on the demo and then regretted doing so. In my opinion, the game falls short after the demo. All the creative elements of the game are in the demo. There are the same number of mini-games in the demo as in the remainder of the entire game, including the bonus chapter. The HOP scenes are disappointing as well, most being straight lists of items. The story is disjointed with threads going off in different directions without being tied together. The ending of the main game is shockingly abrupt. I also found the story from the bonus chapter not in sync with the facts from the main game. On the positive side, the graphics are well-designed in their portrayal of the miniature world of Lilliputia.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twenty-one (21) achievements. Collect thirty-three (33) morphing objects and twenty-seven (27) keys. At the end of the game, if all keys are collected, a chest is unlocked providing a few switch puzzles to play. There is a bar at the side which indicates if all the collectibles have been collected within each scene. There are twelve (12) wallpapers and four (4) screensavers, along with concept art, music and movie sequences. There is a replay for fourteen (14) mini-games and twelve (12) HOP scenes.
GIMMICKY ORGAN: There is an organ which requires cylinders to be placed within it. These are collected throughout the game and once placed within the organ, a video plays providing background information about the characters.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Play two characters, Gulliver and Rose, a Lilliputian. In this chapter, Gulliver is a prisoner, shackled so he cannot escape. Rose must enter the human world to locate a plant to create a potion to free him. The chapter is short. Collectibles are still collected within this chapter. There are seven (7) HOP scenes and four (4) puzzles, with the final two puzzles interconnected with each other.
HOP SCENES: There are only twenty-one (21) scenes in the entire game. There are also a few mini-HOP scenes as well. After the demo, most of the scenes are straight lists of items with a couple of silhouette scenes, a couple of matching scenes and one scene in which you must replace items back into the scene. They lack creativity and most contain junk piles.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-one (21) mini-games within the entire game. After the demo (which contains eleven mini-games), there are only eleven (11) puzzles within the rest of the game. This number also includes the four (4) puzzles from the bonus chapter. They vary in difficulty, and to me, although there are few within the game, most are well-designed.
SPOILERS: THESE ARE SAMPLE OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Sequence puzzle. Press down buttons on a lock mechanism so that all are pushed down. Pushing one affect the others.
B. Matching puzzle. Match up pairs by turning over cards to reveal the pictures underneath. Match up items which are related to each other. If you make the wrong choice, the cards will switch places.
C. Logic/Sequence puzzle. In an underwater scene, locate a seal hidden beneath some seaweed. You begin with 5 moves. You must collect all seaweed before you run out of moves. Each time you uncover seaweed you receive more moves. Strategize your moves before you run out of moves.
D. Escape puzzle. Get to the top of a segmented grid while avoiding cannons shooting at you. If you get hit, you must restart the puzzle.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Assembly puzzle. Create a series of potions by following a given recipe.
F. Sequence puzzle. Follow a sequence of numbers from top to bottom repeating the sequence as you descend the grid.
B. Matching puzzle. Match up pairs by turning over cards to reveal the pictures underneath. Match up items which are related to each other. If you make the wrong choice, the cards will switch places.
C. Logic/Sequence puzzle. In an underwater scene, locate a seal hidden beneath some seaweed. You begin with 5 moves. You must collect all seaweed before you run out of moves. Each time you uncover seaweed you receive more moves. Strategize your moves before you run out of moves.
D. Escape puzzle. Get to the top of a segmented grid while avoiding cannons shooting at you. If you get hit, you must restart the puzzle.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Assembly puzzle. Create a series of potions by following a given recipe.
F. Sequence puzzle. Follow a sequence of numbers from top to bottom repeating the sequence as you descend the grid.
I don't recommend this game.
Get ready for the most exciting Un-Hidden Object games you will ever play!
Overall rating
5
/
5
54 of 74 found this review helpful
BEST CLUTTER GAME TO DATE BY THE CLUTTERMEISTER
PostedMarch 20, 2019
sunnyglow
fromCongratulations Joe Kazz on another fantastic game for your increasing fan base.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Get prepared to enjoy the “champagne” of clutter games. What fantastic game! This is what a clutter game should look like! If you like this genre of games, this one you will not want to miss. This developer provides those extra touches and creative genius not seen in the copycat games from other developers.
Always innovative, this developer has provided some new features within this game. The slats puzzles have been modified with more and skinnier slats making them somewhat nerve racking to solve. If you are a shoe addict, like me, you will love matching up like-shoes from dozens of them. Many of those shoes are very similar in design and color. If you opt to be timed while locating those shoes, it might take you several attempts to locate them all! However, I do believe shoe aficionados will have no problem grabbing up all those pairs!
Seeing double? The “eyes” have it – within the cat scenes. If you are a cat lover, you might be amazed by the different variety of cats – many with different colored eyes. Being a cat person, I enjoyed these scenes; however, there are some with dogs as well for all the dog lovers out there! Another one which have you do a double take are the whirling circular matching scenes. Matching items while two interconnected circles are quickly whirling around each other might have you seeing double!
Returning are the scenes we have grown to love in previous clutter games. There are matching of two or three items by size and color. There are also scenes matching halves of two items. My favorite scenes are matching up items which are amassed in the center and must be moved to locate them.
For the money, this is a steal. This game is also a keeper, which cannot be said bout many games. Between HOP games, I replay some of these timed puzzles. This is a game you can replay and never feel it loses its sense of newness!
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover the hidden city and save your mom in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
123 of 182 found this review helpful
SAIL OFF INTO AN ADVENTURE WITH SHOWBOAT COLLINS
PostedMarch 16, 2019
sunnyglow
fromAs a seafaring adventurer, I have a joke for Collins to add to his repertoire: What do you get when you cross a parrot and a shark, matey? - A bird that will talk your head off.
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: 43 Pages (This is a long game)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages (This is a long game)
OVERVIEW: After receiving an urgent request from your mother, Isabella, you are off to the City of Mists to take her an amulet she desperately needs. Your mother has spent her entire life in search of this mystical site, and now that she has discovered it, she wishes you to share in its secrets. As you sail away to join her, you will encounter another seeker of this city, the devilishly handsome, rapscallion Collins, who will torment you throughout the trip – mainly with his irritating personality and bad jokes. However, once on the island, you will both need to work together along with your mother and Collins’ professor, to learn the secrets of an ancient civilization who hid their treasures within a vault guarded by the monstrous Iron Protectors.
OPINION: What a fabulous game! The story is exquisite. The character Collins, with his self-aggrandizing, devil-may-care attitude provides comic relief. He creates an atmosphere of levity which adds to the enjoyment of the game. The tongue-in-check repartee between the roguish Collin and Rebecca is priceless. Although the game has only three (3) chapters, it is a long game. The graphics are cartoon-like. It is a fast-paced game with many activities, including many well-designed puzzles and three collectibles to locate. My only disappointments are the HOP scenes and the inability to replay the mini-games.
MECHANICS: There are five (5) levels of play including a customized version. There are ten (10) achievements, most with three (3) parts. Collect twenty-seven (27) morphing objects within the scenes and eighteen (18) morphing objects within the HOP scenes. Also collect twenty-seven (27) pillars. There are indicators on the inventory bar to indicate if a collectible is within the scene. There is an ultimate puzzle offered at the end of the game. It requires placing colored stones in a grid without any column nor row having more than one of each color. There are four (4) wallpapers along with concept art, music and video sequences. Replay eighteen (18) HOP scenes.
TOOL BELT. A tool belt is provided with an assortment of tools to be used within the game. One of these is a “remote control” (amulet) to maneuver the iron robots. The other two tools are a knife and a pair of needle-nose pliers.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Return to the week before the expedition. In this chapter, play Collins. After receiving a letter informing him that he has not been inducted into the Adventurer’s Guild, Collins is off to find fame and fortune by searching for the City of Mists. Join him on a comical adventure as he prepares for this trip. Continue to collect the collectibles within this chapter. The tool box is gone, replaced by a joke button, which, when pressed, provides an endless array of Collins’ terrible jokes. There is also another button called “Break the Wall.” There are five (5) HOP scenes and fourteen (14) puzzles. This is a long chapter which I found comical and worth the price of a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: This is the only part of the game which I did not like. I found the HOP scenes disappointing. There are eighteen (18) scenes in the game along with some mini-HOP scenes with a small number of items to be located. For me, this could have been one of the best games of the year if Mad Head had provided a little more variety and creativity in the scenes. Most are either lists of items or silhouette. Most contain junk piles.
MINI-GAMES: There are forty-one (41) mini-games. They vary in style and difficulty. With such well-designed puzzles, why didn't Mad Head provide for a replay for some of them? There are puzzles I wish I could replay from this game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SAMPLES OF PUZZLES WITHIN THIS GAME:
A. Tangram puzzle. Place irregular-shaped pieces onto a grid so that all pieces are used and there are no spaces between the shapes.
B. Mathematical puzzle. Figure out the number of drops needed for each of 3 vials of colored liquid by solving a mathematical puzzle involving the liquids
C. Connection puzzle. Connect the dots. Move a gem through a circular grid by visiting each node (dot) once. You cannot retrace your steps.
D. Logic puzzle. Paint a figure with three different colors so no two of the same color are next to each other.
E. Super-duper maze puzzle. Set up a 3-part maze (by using arrows at the side of each section) so that a ball at the top can proceed freely from the top to the bottom of the 3-part maze when a start button is pushed. Awesome puzzle
F. Physics puzzle. Bullseye. Complex puzzle in which you must first turn a wheel to set the strength and another to set the angle before releasing an arrow to hit a target. 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Assembly puzzle. Look at five sections of rope under a magnifying glass. Choose three pieces, which, when combined would produce each section of rope
H. Colorful creature. Sequence puzzle. Place scales on an armadillo’s tail as per a given diagram.
I. Maze puzzle. Move two gems out of a maze by using arrows. The gems do not move at the same time.
J. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens so that four rows are created with 4 items each in ascending order from smallest to largest.
B. Mathematical puzzle. Figure out the number of drops needed for each of 3 vials of colored liquid by solving a mathematical puzzle involving the liquids
C. Connection puzzle. Connect the dots. Move a gem through a circular grid by visiting each node (dot) once. You cannot retrace your steps.
D. Logic puzzle. Paint a figure with three different colors so no two of the same color are next to each other.
E. Super-duper maze puzzle. Set up a 3-part maze (by using arrows at the side of each section) so that a ball at the top can proceed freely from the top to the bottom of the 3-part maze when a start button is pushed. Awesome puzzle
F. Physics puzzle. Bullseye. Complex puzzle in which you must first turn a wheel to set the strength and another to set the angle before releasing an arrow to hit a target. 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Assembly puzzle. Look at five sections of rope under a magnifying glass. Choose three pieces, which, when combined would produce each section of rope
H. Colorful creature. Sequence puzzle. Place scales on an armadillo’s tail as per a given diagram.
I. Maze puzzle. Move two gems out of a maze by using arrows. The gems do not move at the same time.
J. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens so that four rows are created with 4 items each in ascending order from smallest to largest.
I recommend this game!
Can you find the truth hidden behind the castle walls?
Overall rating
5
/
5
196 of 258 found this review helpful
FAMILY CAN BE MURDER! A "PHANTASTIC" WHODUNIT!
PostedMarch 14, 2019
sunnyglow
fromAfter the success of this game, the Mason family will be starring in their own television sitcom, “Family Can be Murder.” Mary, as the “ghostwriter” for this light-hearted romp, will detail all the murder it can to be live at the Mason estate.
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 Chapters – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapters – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages
OVERVIEW: After receiving a letter from your friend Lord Abel Mason, you are off to his estate to help solve the murder of his wife, Mary. Mary’s sister, Giselle is seen as the likely culprit; however, she pleads innocence. With a host of suspects on Mason’s estate, you will have a daunting task figuring out the culprit behind her death. Sleuth around the estate and gather evidence to locate Mary’s killer.
OPINION: This is an excellent whodunit. It is a long game with a well-written story. It is fast-paced with plenty of activities. Most of the activity centers around collecting evidence which is placed in an evidence box and then analyzed. I found the scenes well-illustrated with a more muted color scheme. This game should appeal to beginning as well as experienced players with the puzzles and the HOP scenes providing variety in both style and difficulty.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are fifteen (15) achievements. Collect twenty (20) puzzle pieces and twenty (20) morphing skulls. Collect fifty-two (52) sins cards representing the seven deadly sins. There are indicator bars which indicate if there are one or more collectibles within the scenes. You can replay twelve (12) HOP scenes and eleven (11) mini-games. You must locate all the sins cards to unlock the hidden chapter. There are nine (9) wallpapers along with concept art, music and video sequences.
EVIDENCE BOX: There is an evidence box to place evidence collected within the game. Background information is given after a series of items are collected. That information is provided via a video which provides more details about the case. After the video, a photo is provided to place over Mary’s ghost to banish her from the scene.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Nicholas is possessed by the previous owner of the estate. Search for the reason behind this possession and deal with the perpetrator. There are six (6) puzzles and three (3) HOP scenes along with a couple of mini-HOP scenes. The chapter is long with some creatively designed HOP scenes and mini-games.
HOP SCENES: There are fourteen (14) HOP scenes within the game along with several mini-HOP scenes with a small number of items to locate. Although there are few HOP scenes, every HOP scene is creatively designed with an array of different formats. A Match-3 game can be played in lieu of the scenes. In the bonus chapter there is a scene which is unique. The scene contains several books in which multiple pages must be flipped in order to locate the items. In addition, the pages of several of the books must be flipped to the proper page, which, when combined, create an image to be removed. It is a new format for a HOP scene which is well-designed. I found this a challenging scene to play.
MINI-GAMES: I loved the mini-games within this game! There are thirty-two (32) of them. They vary in difficulty from extremely easy to moderately difficult. The developer included a couple in the demo which can be played in either a “hard” or “easy” mode. After the demo, this option is not available for the remaining puzzles within the game. There is a Rube-Goldberg mini-game at the end of the main game. I found this mini-game well-designed with three creative puzzles.
SPOILERS: HERE IS A SAMPLE OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Map puzzle. Plot a route to escape a dungeon by clicking on directional arrows. Upon completion, the character will proceed via the plotted route. There are a limited number of moves within this puzzle.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch 15 pots on a grid so that each one is placed according to color and content. The color is given at the top and the content is given at the sides of the grid.
C. Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate and move tokens so that they match up by color and content with images along the sides of a heart-shaped grid.
D. Switch puzzle. On a grid with 3 women on one side and 3 men on the other, slide the figures to open spaces, switching the positions of the men and women
E. Rube-Goldberg mini-game. (1) Tangram puzzle. Place odd-shaped parts of a shield into position so that all pieces fit within the shield (2) Circular maze puzzle. Move a token through a rotating circular maze – through open slots until the token reaches the center. (3) Match-3 puzzle. Match up two or more like-tokens to remove them until a score of 20 is reached.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Maze puzzle. Traverse a dark maze picking up statues to open doors all while avoiding obstacles.
G. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces of two gems placing them in the proper position for each gem.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch 15 pots on a grid so that each one is placed according to color and content. The color is given at the top and the content is given at the sides of the grid.
C. Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate and move tokens so that they match up by color and content with images along the sides of a heart-shaped grid.
D. Switch puzzle. On a grid with 3 women on one side and 3 men on the other, slide the figures to open spaces, switching the positions of the men and women
E. Rube-Goldberg mini-game. (1) Tangram puzzle. Place odd-shaped parts of a shield into position so that all pieces fit within the shield (2) Circular maze puzzle. Move a token through a rotating circular maze – through open slots until the token reaches the center. (3) Match-3 puzzle. Match up two or more like-tokens to remove them until a score of 20 is reached.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Maze puzzle. Traverse a dark maze picking up statues to open doors all while avoiding obstacles.
G. Switch puzzle. Switch pieces of two gems placing them in the proper position for each gem.
I recommend this game!
Enter an immersive world in the clouds and restore balance to your civilization!
Overall rating
2
/
5
121 of 207 found this review helpful
SKYLAND - THE HEART OF A BORING GAME
PostedMarch 9, 2019
sunnyglow
fromThose bleating stubborn old goats (who will not allow you to collect them), remain within this game to give you this message: This is a “baa-d” “baa-d” game!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 48 Pages
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 48 Pages
OVERVIEW: You are off to the penal colony, Nightingale, accompanied by your sister, Adriane, and your Uncle Leo. Drones have been spotted draining the life essence from humans and then encasing them in a crystal. The kingdom Seer has informed you that a tortured mind is behind this chaos – one who has turned evil. However, who could that evildoer be? Is it the recently escaped prisoner, Bel de Sole or some other person? And what is this evildoer doing with the energy he or she collects? The fate of mankind rests upon your shoulders! Time is of the essence!
OPINION: To me, this game does not demonstrate the quality of a collector’s edition game. It reminds me of a Hollywood B movie. On the plus side, the graphics are phenomenal and well-depict a technologically advanced civilization. The story is excellent with a twist at the ending as to the culprit behind the drone attacks. Nevertheless, I found the game slow-paced and boring. There is little dialogue within this game. The game consists of running to-and-fro collecting inventory items in one scene to use in yet another scene. I got tired of trekking back-and-forth between the various scenes.
There are not many puzzles nor HOP scenes. The game is simplistic, lacking the creativity seen in other developers’ games on this site. And please inform me how to retrieve those collectible goats? According to the strategy guide there are goats to collect. However, when you click on the goat it will just bleat at you and not allow you to collect it. In addition, some of those collectible goats are not featured in the strategy guide. I don’t recommend this game. I could not wait for it to end. To me, this is one of the worst games this year.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are sixteen (16) achievements. Collect twenty-nine (29) morphing zeppelins. There are six (6) wallpapers along with concept art, music and cutscenes. Replay thirteen (13) HOP scenes and twenty-two (22) mini-games. You get a gimmicky gauntlet to fight off enemies by playing a series of mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is called “Apprentice at Heart.” It is a sequel. People from the kingdom are now trying to recover from the destruction from the drones. However, the drones continue to materialize out of nowhere attacking and terrorizing the citizens. You must now deal with them before disaster befalls the city. I found this chapter very short and as boring as the main game. There are four (4) mini-games and four (4) HOP scenes (all straight lists of items). There are no collectibles within this chapter; however, the gimmicky gauntlet accompanies you.
HOP SCENES: They are a disappointment. There are only fifteen (15) HOP scenes in the entire game. There are also three mini-HOP scenes in which you collect six (6) pieces of some item. After the demo, almost all the scenes are straight lists of items or silhouette. They lack creativity and many contain high-tech junk piles.
MINI-GAMES: They are a disappointment as well. There are twenty-two (22) mini-games and all are easy – too easy for my taste. Many of the puzzles are golden oldies rehashed from older games. Every time you engage in some battle, you must use a gimmicky gauntlet and play a puzzle. There are six (6) of these within the game. The gauntlet puzzles vary somewhat, with all based on some type of rune or symbol. Most also have two to three instances of the same puzzle, increasing in difficulty.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES WITHIN THIS GAME:
A. Sequence puzzle. Rotate three valves until all are centered in the green area of their perspective meters. Moving one valve affects the others.
B. Ye Olde Pipe puzzle. Rotate and connect pipes so that water flows from the spigot to a fire at the other end of the grid.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles to restore an image
D. Gauntlet puzzle. Connection puzzle. Place runes into position so they don’t overlap each other. 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
A. Rope puzzle. Untangle ropes so none intersect with each other.
B.C. Connection puzzle. Move a drone along a path full of gems, so that all gems are visited without retracing steps.
D. Connection puzzle. Connect pairs of tokens with a line so that all pairs are connected without crossing paths.
B. Ye Olde Pipe puzzle. Rotate and connect pipes so that water flows from the spigot to a fire at the other end of the grid.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles to restore an image
D. Gauntlet puzzle. Connection puzzle. Place runes into position so they don’t overlap each other. 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
A. Rope puzzle. Untangle ropes so none intersect with each other.
B.C. Connection puzzle. Move a drone along a path full of gems, so that all gems are visited without retracing steps.
D. Connection puzzle. Connect pairs of tokens with a line so that all pairs are connected without crossing paths.
I don't recommend this game.
Only you can stop the crystals raining down on Tar and stealing energy.
Overall rating
5
/
5
151 of 239 found this review helpful
A MAGICAL GAME PROVIDING AN ANTIDOTE FOR THE WINTER DOLDRUMS
PostedMarch 7, 2019
sunnyglow
fromI love this developer’s games! Domini Games always provides more gaming value for the money spent!
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: 53 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 53 Pages
OVERVIEW: The Tar Empire is once again in peril. After 700 years, the flying elven kingdom has returned, inflicting humans with a deadly plague. As a healer of the Medico Imperium, you must find an antidote to save your kingdom. With an impending battle re-emerging between the elves and humans, you must not only find an antidote, but also find the party responsible for the conflict. Confront an evildoer who will stop at nothing to destroy mankind and the elf kingdom to rule the Tar Empire. Can you defeat this evildoer and bring peace between both kingdoms?
OPINION: I LOVE Domini games. I always feel I get more game for the money than from some other developers. Although this is not my favorite series from this developer, this is an outstanding game! The pace is excellent with plenty of activities to keep a player involved in the game. The story is well-written. The graphics are realistic, although I wish Domini would tone down the overuse of purple and neon green in their games. Most of the game centers on diagnosing illnesses and then creating antidotes for those illnesses.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twenty-one (21) achievements. Collect fifteen (15) cards which deal with illnesses, fifteen (15) morphing elven artifacts, and fifty (50) metal leaves used to purchase items for your laboratory. There is a bar at the side to indicate if there are one or more collectibles within a scene. I found the items easy to locate. As in all their games, Domini provides an option to play the puzzles in either an “easy” or “hard” mode within the menu. There are ten (10) wallpapers along with concept art and music and video sequences.You can replay seventeen (17) HOP scenes and twelve (12) mini-games. In this game you have the option to play a Match-3 game in lieu of not only the HOP scenes, but the mini-games as well. This is a new feature I have not seen before in any other HOP game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a different story. Surprisingly, I like this story better than the one from the main game. Play Jarolia, another healer within the realm. You are off to save the Elven people from an evil elf healer, Il Lydia. She is out for revenge, turning all the elves into nocturnal creatures, night elves, making them her servants. I feel this chapter is worth the extra money for the collector’s edition. You continue to collect all the collectibles within this chapter. There are nine (9) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are nineteen (19) of some of the most creative HOP scenes I have played in some time. They are very interactive and vary in design. They include scenes with only morphing objects. There is one with sliders in which you must align two silhouettes to remove an object. There are rebus clues, storybook scenes with items which must located and then returned to their proper location. There are very few straight lists of items. However, even within the lists of items, there are creative touches within the scenes. Some of the scenes have puzzles within them.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty-three (33) mini-games within this game. This includes seven (7) Rube Goldberg mini-games which contain three (3) puzzles each. You will play a Rube-Goldberg puzzle with each diagnosis you make. In lieu of the puzzles you can play a Match-3 game instead. Most of the puzzles have the choice to be played in either a “hard” or “easy” mode. You can change this designation while playing the game even if you have opted for one or the other within the menu.
SPOILERS: THESE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Diagnostic mini-game: (1) Switch puzzle. On a grid, switch tokens so they are placed in the same row as a matching one at the side the grid. (2) Assembly puzzle. Move four hands attached to a skeleton so that each hand is placed squarely on an imprint of a hand at the sides. The hands are jointed. (3) Variation of the bar removal puzzle. Move green gems within a grid to create a path so that a red gem can move from the left to the right side of the grid.
B. Itsy Bitsy Spider. Sequence puzzle. On a grid move colored spiders up-and-down until they are situated in a row with a matching colored gem. Moving one spider affects the others.
C. Maze puzzle. Lead a griffin through a maze to the elven castle using the wind power of tornadoes to guide it through the paths. Avoid falling rocks as you cross.
D. Beat the computer. Move your tokens so you end up with more tokens than the evildoer. Jumping over them or abutting them changes them to your color and vice versa.
BONUS CHAPTER
E. Connection puzzle. Connect stars with lines so that the number of each star matches the lines emanating from it.
F. Sequence puzzle. Put out 4 fires using buckets of water. All flames must be extinguished at the same time
G. Mathematical puzzle Move a horse to the middle of a grid by pressing numbered buttons indicating the direction and number of steps you can proceed. You must not land on obstacles in your path.
H. Logic puzzle. Place flower seeds in a row so that there are at least three of the same type of flower in each row and column.
B. Itsy Bitsy Spider. Sequence puzzle. On a grid move colored spiders up-and-down until they are situated in a row with a matching colored gem. Moving one spider affects the others.
C. Maze puzzle. Lead a griffin through a maze to the elven castle using the wind power of tornadoes to guide it through the paths. Avoid falling rocks as you cross.
D. Beat the computer. Move your tokens so you end up with more tokens than the evildoer. Jumping over them or abutting them changes them to your color and vice versa.
BONUS CHAPTER
E. Connection puzzle. Connect stars with lines so that the number of each star matches the lines emanating from it.
F. Sequence puzzle. Put out 4 fires using buckets of water. All flames must be extinguished at the same time
G. Mathematical puzzle Move a horse to the middle of a grid by pressing numbered buttons indicating the direction and number of steps you can proceed. You must not land on obstacles in your path.
H. Logic puzzle. Place flower seeds in a row so that there are at least three of the same type of flower in each row and column.
I recommend this game!
The Abomination threatens to erase all worlds from existence!
Overall rating
4
/
5
85 of 149 found this review helpful
THE ABOMINATION OF WRITER’S BLOCK
PostedFebruary 28, 2019
sunnyglow
from“Writer’s block” can take on other meanings other than the one in this game. It can also refer to blocking out overexposed plots and locations along with hackneyed characters from one’s novels.
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: 37 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 Pages
OVERVIEW: Enter the literary world where the characters from a book series struggle to keep their world, Ballard, from being destroyed. Play Anea, an adept who has been given the responsibility to save this world. The Abomination is encroaching on all four (4) realms comprising this world. Once the last realm, Inspiria, is destroyed, the world of Ballard will cease to exist. You are off to visit the fifth realm, where the Author, the Creator of your world resides Only he can save it from this Abomination. However, due to personal problems within his own life, the Author has other plans for this world he created. Will you be able to save your world from the Grand Finale, the End of Realms?
OPINION: I found this game better than the previous ones in the series. The story is ingenious. It is based on the conflict an author faces in discontinuing a series and the characters within that series. The graphics are colorful, and beautifully portray the four (4) realms which comprise the world of Ballard. The game is action-packed as you travel to a different realm with each new chapter of the game. There is a great deal of time spent in locating ingredients to create eight (8) spells which are used frequently within the game. This is a nice easy breezy game. Most of the puzzles are easy, although there are a few which are moderately difficult.
MECHANICS: There are five (5) levels of play including a customized version. There are eleven (11) achievements. Collect thirty-two (32) morphing objects within the game and fifteen (15) morphing objects within the HOP scenes. You also collect twenty-nine (29) fiery comets. I found some of the collectibles difficult to locate. There are four (4) wallpapers along with concept art and music and video sequences. You can replay eighteen (18) HOP scenes. Play a jigsaw puzzle and the ultimate HOP scene after completing the game. All collectibles must be located to play the ultimate HOP scene. There is also a more difficult version of the pigeon puzzle from the bonus chapter offered for replay as well.
GIMMICKY SPELLS. You receive a book in which to collect 8 spells as you play the game. You must collect and combine items to produce those spells. The spells are: (1) Levitate Objects, (2) Portals, (3) Talk to Animals, (4) Fire Resist, (5) Antidote, (6) Open Door, (7) Mermaid Shapeshift and (8) Muse Shards. The game devotes a great deal of time in creating and using these spells. I feel the spells are overused within the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Play Jason Ballard, the son of the author. While your parents are on vacation, you are whisked away into one of your father’s books. Confront a witch who wishes to steal your essence, the essence of the creator. I found the bonus chapter somewhat short, and to me, not worth the price of the collector’s edition. The developer crammed ten (10) puzzles and four (4) HOP scenes into this short chapter. There are also two mini-HOP scenes as well. For most of the chapter, it seemed as if I were playing one puzzle after another.
HOP SCENES: From what I could assess, there are twenty (20) HOP scenes along with several mini-HOP scenes. I am disappointed in the HOP scenes. Most of the scenes are straight lists of items lacking creativity. There are morphing objects to locate within most of the scenes with those straight lists of items. There are four (4) repetitive storybook scenes in which you must locate items and place them back into their proper location within the scene. There are a couple of matching scenes. There is one pattern scene within the bonus chapter.
PUZZLES: There are only twenty-nine (29) within the entire game, with ten (10) of those from the bonus chapter. Most of the puzzles are easy. There are a few moderately difficult ones. There is a new puzzle within this game I found creatively designed. It requires switching rows and columns of two grids so that when combined, a new grid is created with every square containing a stud.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Escape puzzle. Sequence puzzle. Move through a series of traps (aimed to kill you) by copying the sequence in which four arrows light up within 3 scenes.
B. Checkers puzzle. Jump over marbles on a triangular board until only one marble remains.
C. Maze puzzle. With only the light from a lantern, traverse a maze until you reach the exit.
D. Gear puzzle. A variation of a sliding tiles puzzle in which you must slide squares with gears on them, so the gears mesh together from one end to the other.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Connection puzzle. Begin with a hexagon-shaped tile in a honeycomb grid lighting up all cells of the grid without retracing steps.
F. Matching puzzle. Rotate the parts on a raven to match a given one.
G. Logic puzzle. Place pigeons on a grid so that the number of them in each row and column matches the number at the top and sides of each column and row. (You can replay a more difficult version of this puzzle after the game is completed).
B. Checkers puzzle. Jump over marbles on a triangular board until only one marble remains.
C. Maze puzzle. With only the light from a lantern, traverse a maze until you reach the exit.
D. Gear puzzle. A variation of a sliding tiles puzzle in which you must slide squares with gears on them, so the gears mesh together from one end to the other.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Connection puzzle. Begin with a hexagon-shaped tile in a honeycomb grid lighting up all cells of the grid without retracing steps.
F. Matching puzzle. Rotate the parts on a raven to match a given one.
G. Logic puzzle. Place pigeons on a grid so that the number of them in each row and column matches the number at the top and sides of each column and row. (You can replay a more difficult version of this puzzle after the game is completed).
I recommend this game!