sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,084
- Reviews Submitted:812
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:March 6, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
A couple's fixer-upper is haunted by a fierce creature.
Overall rating
5
/
5
151 of 221 found this review helpful
RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH SOME MUCH-NEEDED RENNOVATION BY EIPIX
PostedJanuary 3, 2019
sunnyglow
fromThis house is now featured on a new reality show - “Paranormal Fixer Upper,” a new show dedicated to renovating haunted houses by removing rotten lumber, old appliances, demented inhabitants and hard-to-remove ghosts.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 44 Pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 44 Pages
OVERVIEW: Welcome to The Old Curiosity Shop, a shop dedicated to the sale of peculiar items with strange tales attached! As a new customer, you receive a key to open a box, a box containing an old doorknob. This doorknob opens a door – a portal unfolding a story of the newlywed couple, Mark and Martha Spencer, and their entrance into a world of danger. Martha, a real estate agent, found this house, a fixer-upper with a reputation for being haunted. Mark, a novelist of horror stories, saw this as an opportunity for this crumbling structure to provide some much-needed inspiration to cure his writer’s block. The history of this ramshackle house will come to life to haunt this couple. Now relive this tale. Just remember as you play this game - don’t go down in the basemen! There is always something in the basement!
OPINION: This is a great first game from a new series from EIPIX. The story is well-written and for me, it is more of a mystery than a horror game. I found the dark graphics added to the suspense of the game. It is “lights out” for many of the scenes. Most of the game is set in some room within this house. Nevertheless, I found some parts of the game rather snail-paced. There are sections which fall flat due to lack of activities. The back-and-forth motion searching for inventory items could have been replaced with a few more puzzles or HOP scenes. You play a tag team couple, alternating roles with each new chapter. A couple of times in the game, you must make choices between two paths. If you choose the incorrect one, you will be sent back to the curio shop; however, you will not have to restart the game. Although I do not feel this is one of this developer’s best games, for me, this game is a much-needed improvement from some of their recent ones. Although I would normally give this game four (4) stars, I awarded an extra star for improvement.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are thirteen (13) achievements. Collect sixteen (16) morphing objects), thirty-four (34) moths and ten (10) cassettes. At the end you will collect sixteen (16) souvenirs. To collect the souvenirs, you must collect all the moths and get a number illustrated by the moths to unlock the puzzle. I had a hard time reading the number. For me, it was blurry. The souvenirs are well- hidden, and you will need to uncover items to locate them. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections and video sequences. You can replay fourteen (14) HOP scenes and twenty (20) puzzles.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Return to the house and follow the paranormal crew from the hit reality show “Paranormal Hour” who disappeared while shooting a segment within the house. Discover what happened to them within this “haunted” house. Most of the scenes are the same as within the main game. You continue to collect the same collectibles as in the main game. There are four (4) mini-games and four (4) HOP scenes within this chapter. To me, what makes this chapter is the ending! You will not want to miss this surprise ending!
HOP SCENES: There are twenty (20) HOP scenes within the game. I found them well-constructed with a variety of different styles. Most of the scenes are silhouette or lists of items. There is one replacement scene and some of the scenes are multiple-step. There are some creative backgrounds for the scenes which include searching for items on mannequins, cobwebs, and even scratched up doors.
ITSY, BITSY CREEPY SPIDER! There is one creatively designed storybook scene. You listen to the nursery rhyme, “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” while searching or highlighted items in a storybook scene – all spoken in a creepy, demonic-sounding voice. Then, enjoy a revised version of this nursery rhyme while searching for more of those highlighted items. For me, this is the best HOP scene within the game.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-nine (29) mini-games within the game. I found them creatively designed and with most of easy or middle difficulty. There are quite a few mathematical puzzles. Surprisingly there are also quite a few physical puzzles in which you must climb up a wall, keep your balance, hit a bullseye, or keep a marker within a circle. I feel there are too many of these within this game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Connection puzzle. Connect the dots on a sheet of paper without crossing over the drawings upon the paper. You may cross over lines already drawn.
B. Mathematical puzzle. On a series of five (5) tubes, using up-and-down arrows, combine three numbers at the sides of the tubes, either adding or subtracting them, so they total the number next to an orange line on each tube.
C. Maze puzzle. Using arrows, navigate through ventilation tunnels. You are completely in the dark and the exit is not designated. You must locate it on your own.
D. 1000 Rooms puzzle. Move a doll by using arrows to double doors within a dollhouse. The doll and the rooms move and there are ladders to climb to move up to the next level. 2X
E. Tangram puzzle. A variation of this puzzle. Place pieces of attic junk into position so that all pieces fit and there are no gaps between the spaces.
BONUS CHAPTER
F. Moving tiles puzzle. Move four colored disks in three columns from the left column to the right column so the disks are in the proper colored slots. Use the middle column to help move the disks. Disks cannot move around other disks
G. Connection puzzle. On a net, connect each thread with its opposite side so that the threads intersect in the middle of the net.
H. Sequence puzzle. Bar removal puzzle. Remove bars in sequential order to open an entrance to a cave
B. Mathematical puzzle. On a series of five (5) tubes, using up-and-down arrows, combine three numbers at the sides of the tubes, either adding or subtracting them, so they total the number next to an orange line on each tube.
C. Maze puzzle. Using arrows, navigate through ventilation tunnels. You are completely in the dark and the exit is not designated. You must locate it on your own.
D. 1000 Rooms puzzle. Move a doll by using arrows to double doors within a dollhouse. The doll and the rooms move and there are ladders to climb to move up to the next level. 2X
E. Tangram puzzle. A variation of this puzzle. Place pieces of attic junk into position so that all pieces fit and there are no gaps between the spaces.
BONUS CHAPTER
F. Moving tiles puzzle. Move four colored disks in three columns from the left column to the right column so the disks are in the proper colored slots. Use the middle column to help move the disks. Disks cannot move around other disks
G. Connection puzzle. On a net, connect each thread with its opposite side so that the threads intersect in the middle of the net.
H. Sequence puzzle. Bar removal puzzle. Remove bars in sequential order to open an entrance to a cave
I recommend this game!
Return the Guardians to slumber to keep evil from the universe!
Overall rating
5
/
5
87 of 161 found this review helpful
GRANDMA HAS AWAKENED ITS CREATIVE GENIUS WITH THIS SLEEPER HIT
PostedDecember 29, 2018
sunnyglow
fromHappy New Year! Open portals to new worlds as you enter into a new year!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter- Strategy Guide: 36 Pages (This is a long game)
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter- Strategy Guide: 36 Pages (This is a long game)
OVERVIEW: Enter a world where dreams protect the fairytale world from evil spells. Five (5) Sleepers are entrusted with the task, protecting the five (5) worlds which make up this kingdom. The Order of the Guardians, to which you belong, has been given the responsibility of safeguarding the Sleepers. Each Sleeper is tasked with guarding each of the five (5) pieces of the evil Malum within their dreams. However, an evildoer, with the help of a traitor from the Guard, is plotting to awaken the Sleepers and reunite the pieces to destroy the kingdom. Now you must travel to each world to find the pieces of the Malum and locate the one item which can destroy it once and for all!
OPINION: What a fantastic game! Get prepared to play a long, well-designed game. GrandMA has done an outstanding job in providing an exceptional game. The demo does not do justice to this game. The game is much better after the demo. It is a fast-paced game with plenty of activities set against a riveting story in which you visit five worlds of this kingdom. The game is beautifully illustrated with some amazing graphics. There are a couple of new HOP scenes which I have never seen in other games. The puzzles are also creatively designed. This game is a must-have for all fantasy game lovers.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are thirteen (13) achievements. Collect gold, emerald, and ruby coins to purchase ten (10) statues. Collect thirty-six (36) spying bats. There are fourteen (14) wallpapers along with music selections and video sequences. There are twelve (12) morphing objects within the HOP scenes. I found most easy to locate. You can replay sixteen (16) HOP scenes and fourteen (14) mini-games. There is an interactive hidden puzzle which can be played at the end of the game; however, you must locate all the spying bats to play this puzzle.
GIMMICKY HELPER: This is my only disappointment with this game. You get an owl to help you reach high places. I don’t like helpers in games; however, this one just flies to places you cannot reach. It may be a logical addition to this game; however, I do believe the game would be better without this nuisance.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story set in the same fairytale kingdom. Play a young warrior who must prove himself worthy to be admitted into the Order of the Flameborn. You have three (3) trials you must perform during the Night of the Red Star. You revisit the scenes from the main game. You lose the helper owl; however, you still continue to search for all the collectibles within this chapter. This chapter is long with nine (9) puzzles and five (5) HOP scenes along with several mini-HOP scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are nineteen (19) scenes within the game. There are also thirteen (13) mini-HOP scenes throughout the game in which you must locate a small number of items or pieces of some item. They are interactive and creatively designed. They include lists of items, silhouette, storybook and matching scenes. There are some wonderfully designed interactive search and replace scenes as well. There is one scene with rebus clues. You also have the option to play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scenes.
There are three which I found outstanding! In once you must rotate rings to create the items to be removed. In another, you use sliders to position items into their proper slots in the scene before removing them. There is another unique one in the bonus chapter in which you must place silhouette shaped items based on patterns, not shapes, into an area where you find the pattern. I have never seen this HOP scene before.
PUZZLES: There are thirty-five (35) puzzles within the game. They vary in difficulty and style. Whenever you enter the portal to a new world, you play a variation of a picture puzzle. These puzzles have the option to be played in either a “hard” or “easy” mode. Most of those are switch puzzles in which you switch pieces to restore an image. However, one of those requires rotating the pieces to restore the image. I found the puzzles creatively designed.
HIDDEN PUZZLE: There is an awesome puzzle at the end of the game which is an interactive sequential puzzle. You must interact with the scene in steps by locating items and interacting with the scene in order to reach a cabinet containing a scroll. I have never seen a puzzle like this before in a game and enjoyed playing this multiple-step puzzle.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Mathematical puzzle. Moving two or three spaces clockwise and counterclockwise, push in spears jutting out from a circular disk. You must plot your sequence mathematically to push in all spears.
B. Assembly puzzle. Move five (5) bars with images on them so they match up with a bar at the bottom of the screen. Every image on the bottom bar must have at least one image which matches up with it.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect gems with numbers on them so that the number of lines connecting each gem with others is equal to the number upon the gem.
D. Corral/Fence puzzle. Surround an evildoer by using a sword to defeat it. Land on spaces to surround it. However, landing on a square will only last for 3 turns. Rather tricky puzzle.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Connection puzzle. Place crystals with light beams emanating from them into the proper position so that they all connect and connect with a larger middle crystal.
F. Connection puzzle. Connect the hands of elves around a circle. All of them must touch hands with another elf.
G. Colored sand puzzle. Just as with the arts and craft project – place colored sand in a jar so that no color is next to itself.
B. Assembly puzzle. Move five (5) bars with images on them so they match up with a bar at the bottom of the screen. Every image on the bottom bar must have at least one image which matches up with it.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect gems with numbers on them so that the number of lines connecting each gem with others is equal to the number upon the gem.
D. Corral/Fence puzzle. Surround an evildoer by using a sword to defeat it. Land on spaces to surround it. However, landing on a square will only last for 3 turns. Rather tricky puzzle.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Connection puzzle. Place crystals with light beams emanating from them into the proper position so that they all connect and connect with a larger middle crystal.
F. Connection puzzle. Connect the hands of elves around a circle. All of them must touch hands with another elf.
G. Colored sand puzzle. Just as with the arts and craft project – place colored sand in a jar so that no color is next to itself.
I recommend this game!
Survive a fictional horror turned real-life nightmare in a creepy hotel!
Overall rating
2
/
5
126 of 198 found this review helpful
A MONSTROUS BORE
PostedDecember 27, 2018
sunnyglow
fromWhile playing this game, I found myself searching for the portal to escape its monstrous grasp.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 Pages
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 Pages
OVERVIEW: Are you ready for some true horror? You are off to the Prime Hotel to interview the noted horror novelist, Michael Carpenter. Within this hotel, Carpenter has created his own world of horror, bringing to life pages out of his own novels. Monsters from his books are everywhere within this hotel. Now the author, a prisoner within his own hotel, is being held captive by an otherworldly entity, the Creature. Learn the complete story behind this famed novelist’s success while battling the Creature and his fellow monsters, all while freeing those locked within the Creature’s monstrous grip.
OPINION: I purchased this game and then regretted it. I love the games in this series; however, this one, to me, is neither scary nor of the same quality as the other games. I found this game a “monstrous” disappointment. It is a SHORT game which I found boring. The demo is not reflective of the true nature of the game. Most of the game is slow-paced, centering around chasing down monsters and running to-and-fro searching for inventory items. And although it is short, the game also has some filler. I got tired of all the monsters and remembering all the various classes of monsters within this game. It is overkill of monstrous proportions.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are eighteen (18) achievements. Collect fourteen (14) morphing characters from the game, twenty (20) picture parts, and thirty (30) morphing objects. I found most easy to locate. You can replay twelve (12) mini-games and fifteen (15) HOP scenes. There is a secret room in which you search for more morphing objects within the rooms of the hotel. You can earn more achievements if you complete this activity within a certain amount of time. The number of items to be located within the scenes increases with each new item you search for. In addition, there are ten (10) wallpapers long with concept art and music selections.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Return to the Prime Hotel to help the author, Michael Carpenter, with another monstrous problem. Carpenter found a stray animal wandering the grounds and decided to adopt it. Now the monster, named Musketeer, is grown, craving more hearty food and releasing more monsters into the hotel. Now you must stop another monster invasion. I found this chapter to be a carbon copy of the main game. There are five (5) puzzles and five (5) HOP scenes within this chapter. To me, it felt as if I were replaying the same game. The bonus chapter is long, but, to me, not worth the extra price for the collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are only nineteen (19) HOP scenes within the game including the five (5) from the bonus chapter. This number also includes four (4) mini-HOP scenes which contain a small number of items to be located. Except for two scenes, all the scenes are either lists of items or silhouette. They are standard fare with little, if any, interaction within the scenes. The other two scenes are matching in which you match up pairs of items by uncovering items within the scene. I found the scenes extremely boring.
PUZZLES: There are only twenty-one (21) puzzles within the entire game including the five (5) from the bonus chapter. Most of the puzzles are easy – some ridiculously easy. Switching three (3) books to restore an image of a monster from the images on its spines is NOT a puzzle. Creating a medicine by combining only four (4) items in the right sequence is also, to me, NOT a puzzle. However, there are several puzzles which I did consider of medium difficulty. All the puzzles have been seen in some variation in other games.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Maze puzzle. Navigate an air duct by referring to a given map and choosing the proper path to exit the maze. Make choices by clicking directional arrows. Making an error requires you to reset the game.
B. Logic puzzle. Plan a route for three tokens to reach their place on the other side of the grid. You can only move a token to a space which matches its image and the spaces change to another image after landing upon them. Strategize your moves so that you do not run out of places land upon.
C. Alignment puzzle. As per a given diagram, move four tokens so they are in the same order as shown as per a given diagram.
D. Sliding tiles puzzle. Using arrows, slide tiles up-and-down and sideways to restore an image.
E. Beat the Computer. Fill up a grid with your chips before the evildoer fills up the board with his chips. Move a “James” chip within a square. If you land next to a token of the evildoer, it will change to your token and vice versa.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Go down a wall. Match up like symbols on wooden boards. You move down when you match up a series of symbols for each of three (3) scenes.
G. Match-3 game. Connect 3 or more like tokens to remove them. You are given the required number of each token to remove at the bottom of the screen. You are limited to a specific number of moves to accomplish this task.
B. Logic puzzle. Plan a route for three tokens to reach their place on the other side of the grid. You can only move a token to a space which matches its image and the spaces change to another image after landing upon them. Strategize your moves so that you do not run out of places land upon.
C. Alignment puzzle. As per a given diagram, move four tokens so they are in the same order as shown as per a given diagram.
D. Sliding tiles puzzle. Using arrows, slide tiles up-and-down and sideways to restore an image.
E. Beat the Computer. Fill up a grid with your chips before the evildoer fills up the board with his chips. Move a “James” chip within a square. If you land next to a token of the evildoer, it will change to your token and vice versa.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Go down a wall. Match up like symbols on wooden boards. You move down when you match up a series of symbols for each of three (3) scenes.
G. Match-3 game. Connect 3 or more like tokens to remove them. You are given the required number of each token to remove at the bottom of the screen. You are limited to a specific number of moves to accomplish this task.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save Christmas before it’s too late?!
Overall rating
5
/
5
149 of 221 found this review helpful
SPRING SANTA FROM JAIL AND RELEASE SOME YULETIDE CHEER – ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
PostedDecember 20, 2018
sunnyglow
fromWhere are they now? After a stint in the “Andy Griffith Show”, it appears Barney Fife left Mayberry, changed his name and became a police officer in this quiet little burg.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME:
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 64 Pages (This is a very long game)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 64 Pages (This is a very long game)
OVERVIEW: As Brigitte Woolf, Yuletide detective, you are hoping for a peaceful, crimeless holiday season. However, your wishes are dashed when Mr. Claus informs you that Santa has been accused of stealing presents from a local mall. The local police believe that Santa is not who he says he is. Instead, they feel he is a criminal dressed up in a Santa suit. Coupled with this tragedy, Santa has lost his voice, stolen by same thief who stole the presents. Can you find the thief and save Christmas? Time is of the essence! Santa must be freed before Christmas eve or his reindeer will not be able to fly until next Christmas!
OPINION: I LOVED playing this game! This is a glistening snow-filled delight for children of all ages (including the grownup ones). The graphics abound with snowmen, Christmas trees, candy canes, elves, and, of course, toys and gingerbread men. There are Christmas songs throughout this game which should get the player into the Yuletide spirit. This is a fast-paced game with plenty of activities in which to keep the player engaged. It is a long game as well, which, to me, is reminiscent of the quality games from yesteryear. Its vintage style is well-worth the investment of time and money.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twenty (20) achievements. Collect twenty-eight (28) collectibles – eight (8) characters from the game, eight (8) gingerbread cookies and twelve (12) puzzle pieces. There is a collectible within each scene. A present located on the inventory bar will light up if you have not found the collectible within the scene. There are also morphing objects within the HOP scenes. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with casual art, cut scenes, and music selections. You can replay eight (8) mini-games and eight (8) HOP scenes.
BONUS CHAPTER: Santa is suffering from the flu. Can you locate a special healing tonic to cure him before Christmas? Play Tinsel, the elf, and locate the unlikely thief who stole this cure for Santa. The story is not related to the main game. There are six (6) mini-games and four (4) HOP scenes. It is a decent addition to the game; however, I do like the story from the main game better than the one from this chapter. There are no collectibles within this chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-five (25) HOP scenes in the game. These are some of the most creative HOP scenes I have seen in some time. They are thematic and highly interactive. All the scenes require manipulating items in some way to remove them from the list. They remind me of the caliber of HOP scenes from yesteryear. Some scenes have mini-puzzles and most have morphing objects. You can play a matching game in lieu of the scenes. Most of the scenes are lists of items or silhouettes. However, there are a couple of FROGs as well.
PUZZLES. There are thirty-two (32) puzzles within the game. Many are thematic, adding to the Yuletide spirit of this game. For the most part, they are easy and ones which older children can solve by themselves. There are quite a few storybook puzzles in which the player must locate items and replace them back within the scene.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Connection puzzle. On a grid, connect like-colored tokens without crossing lines. 3X Increases in difficulty.
B. Physical puzzle. Ride a glider to Santa’s village avoiding obstacles within the path.
C. Maze puzzle. Find the correct path through the mountains. Locate the right path by interacting with the scene, searching for items to placing them back into the scene.
D. Balance puzzle. Cross a snowy ravine by using a candy cane pole to steer you across an icy log. Use arrows to stay in balance.
E. Matching puzzle. Using arrows, click on parts of a sine wave so it matches a given one.
F. Beat the computer. Match-3 puzzle. Connect and remove 3 or more of your tokens to fill up three tubes before the evildoer fills his up.
G. Spot-the-Difference. Spot 10 differences between two scenes.
H. Weights and Balances puzzle. Place hour glasses with weights assigned to them between two sides of a scale so both sides balance.
I. Connection puzzle. On a grid, rotate lines to create a line from Jack Frost to a crystal.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. Ye Old Stacking puzzle. Move rings between 3 poles to create a Christmas tree. You cannot place smaller pieces on top of larger pieces.
K. Fence/corral puzzle. Encircle a gingerbread man so he cannot escape by creating a boundary around him.
B. Physical puzzle. Ride a glider to Santa’s village avoiding obstacles within the path.
C. Maze puzzle. Find the correct path through the mountains. Locate the right path by interacting with the scene, searching for items to placing them back into the scene.
D. Balance puzzle. Cross a snowy ravine by using a candy cane pole to steer you across an icy log. Use arrows to stay in balance.
E. Matching puzzle. Using arrows, click on parts of a sine wave so it matches a given one.
F. Beat the computer. Match-3 puzzle. Connect and remove 3 or more of your tokens to fill up three tubes before the evildoer fills his up.
G. Spot-the-Difference. Spot 10 differences between two scenes.
H. Weights and Balances puzzle. Place hour glasses with weights assigned to them between two sides of a scale so both sides balance.
I. Connection puzzle. On a grid, rotate lines to create a line from Jack Frost to a crystal.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. Ye Old Stacking puzzle. Move rings between 3 poles to create a Christmas tree. You cannot place smaller pieces on top of larger pieces.
K. Fence/corral puzzle. Encircle a gingerbread man so he cannot escape by creating a boundary around him.
I recommend this game!
Mother Goose has gone missing, and Christmas is in danger!
Overall rating
5
/
5
181 of 253 found this review helpful
A FANTASTIC MOTHER GOOSE ADVENTURE TO USHER IN CHRISTMAS - ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
PostedDecember 13, 2018
sunnyglow
fromChristmas is coming! The goose is getting fat Put more pennies and gold in Ole King Cole’s hat
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 (It is a long game) – Strategy Guide: 50 Pages
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter (It is a long game) – Strategy Guide: 50 Pages
OVERVIEW: Enjoy Christmas with your favorite nursery rhyme characters! The Fairytale Kingdom is under siege by the reign of the tyrannical Ole King Cole. Mother Goose is missing, and Cole has usurped the throne. He has become greedy, confiscating everything of value from the kingdom’s subjects. Now he has even forbidden Christmas! Since you have a pure soul, you have been chosen to save this kingdom! You are off to save King Cole from the curse of greed, locate Mother Goose, the rightful ruler, and restore Christmas to this kingdom.
OPINION: Hey diddle-diddle! Find that cat with a fiddle and prepare to celebrate the holidays with another sugarplum delight from Domini! Despite only having three chapters, this is a long game. Domini always provides more game for the money. It is jampacked with activities to keep the player busy. Nursery rhyme characters are brought to life in a well-written gaming script. This is a delightful game for children and adults of all ages! The graphics glisten with images of gingerbread, Christmas trees, candy canes and other holiday items. This is the perfect game to get you into the holiday spirit!
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. You have the choice between playing a female or male character. There are thirty-one (31) achievements. Collect fifteen (15) nursery rhyme characters and fifteen (15) gingerbread men. Collect forty-five (45) candy canes which are used to purchase fifteen (15) ornaments for a Christmas tree. I found most easy to locate. There is an indicator on the inventory bar which alerts you when there is a collectible within the scene. You can replay eighteen (18) HOP scenes and twenty (20) puzzles. There are fifteen (15) wallpapers along with concept art and video and music selections. My only Christmas wish is that more of the puzzles would have been made available for replay. With twice the number of puzzles as compared to the HOP scenes, it is surprising to me that so few are offered for replay.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Tommy, the Baker’s Man, is on an eating rampage. His uncontrollable appetite stems from a curse caused by eating berries from a magic cornucopia. Locate an antidote before he eats all the goodies for the kingdom’s Christmas feast. This a long chapter and worth the extra purchase price of the collector’s edition. There are five (5) HOP scenes and eleven (11) puzzles within this chapter. I found the story humorous and loved the activities.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty (20) HOP scenes within the game. You can play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scenes. The scenes are full of Christmas goodies and are creatively designed. There are many storybook scenes with nursery rhyme characters. Most of the others are silhouette and lists of items. There are some matching scenes as well. My favorite is a silhouette scene in which you must move sliders to position the silhouette of an item over the item itself to remove it.
PUZZLES: There are forty (40) puzzles within the game! You have the choice of playing the puzzles in an “easy” or “hard” mode for some of the puzzles. This can be designated within the main menu or individually for each puzzle. I found the puzzles excellent with a variety in style and difficulty. There are some new creative approaches in some of the puzzles, which I enjoyed.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. 3 Blind Mice: Choice between Easy and Hard modes. Maze puzzle. Lead three blind mice through the dark in a search for a door seal within a maze. You must overcome obstacles by picking up items to help you navigate this maze in the dark. It must be completed in sequential order.
B. Mush you huskies! Map puzzle. Plot a path for some huskies to lead a sled through the snow to McDonald’s farm. You must plot the course by placing arrows in sequence before pressing start to see if it is correct.
C. London Bridge. Tangram puzzle. Create a bridge by placing boards on a grid so that they interlock with no spaces between the boards.
D. Gingerbread twins! Maze puzzle. Move two gingerbread men simultaneously through a maze so they both land in the center of the maze at the same time. They both must be able to move at the same time as well. If one is blocked from moving, the other will not move either.
E. A piece of cake! Assembly puzzle. Create cakes by choosing the shape, color, frosting and layers on an assembly line. 3X
F. Pretty maids all in a row. Mathematical puzzle. On a grid, click on numbered tiles so the numbers in each row and column equal the number at the top and sides.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Choice between Easy and Hard modes. Logic puzzle. Using a skating cat and using three colors, color sections of a circular maze so that no two colors are next to each other.
H. Choice between Easy and Hard modes. Mathematical/logic puzzle. Move colored balls into columns and rows so that the number of each colored ball within each column and row equals a number at the sides and top of the grid.
B. Mush you huskies! Map puzzle. Plot a path for some huskies to lead a sled through the snow to McDonald’s farm. You must plot the course by placing arrows in sequence before pressing start to see if it is correct.
C. London Bridge. Tangram puzzle. Create a bridge by placing boards on a grid so that they interlock with no spaces between the boards.
D. Gingerbread twins! Maze puzzle. Move two gingerbread men simultaneously through a maze so they both land in the center of the maze at the same time. They both must be able to move at the same time as well. If one is blocked from moving, the other will not move either.
E. A piece of cake! Assembly puzzle. Create cakes by choosing the shape, color, frosting and layers on an assembly line. 3X
F. Pretty maids all in a row. Mathematical puzzle. On a grid, click on numbered tiles so the numbers in each row and column equal the number at the top and sides.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Choice between Easy and Hard modes. Logic puzzle. Using a skating cat and using three colors, color sections of a circular maze so that no two colors are next to each other.
H. Choice between Easy and Hard modes. Mathematical/logic puzzle. Move colored balls into columns and rows so that the number of each colored ball within each column and row equals a number at the sides and top of the grid.
I recommend this game!
Dark Reapers kidnapped your mother and aunt! Will you be next?
Overall rating
2
/
5
104 of 175 found this review helpful
A WHISPER OF THE PAST? MORE LIKE ANOTHER BOMB FOR AMAX
PostedDecember 8, 2018
sunnyglow
fromComing soon! – Black Hoodie Friday-the 13th! A sales event allowing gaming developers to outfit their evildoers in style! All robes feature hypoallergenic black billowing smoke to add a little pizzazz to those evildoers!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
OVERVIEW: Play Airrin, heir to the Fire Lion Kingdom. As children, your mother, Queen Lilith, and your Aunt Sylvia saw their sister, Miranda, kidnapped by the Dark Reapers. Now these evildoers have returned, kidnapping your mother and your Aunt Sylvia as well. Someone wants retribution against these three sisters, but who? Discover the evildoer behind the kidnappings, assess their motives for the kidnappings, and save your family before the kingdom is lost.
OPINION: No whisper from the past here – just another bomb for AMAX! This is the same cookie cutter game repackaged with three princesses for the price of one! Despite the beautiful graphics, this is another game I will not purchase. This game should appeal to those who like fantasy games about fairy tale kingdoms fraught with danger from smoky hooded evildoers. I found the demo snail-paced and the story behind the game a rehash of the other games in the series. In an encore performance the irritating baying of wolves can be heard in the background. With little interest in the subject matter, added to the same boring activities seen in so many of this developer’s games, I was counting the minutes until the demo was finished.
GIMMICKY MAGIC LENS: Returning in yet another game, is the “magic lens” which helps you locate invisible symbols within the scene. It is used three times in the demo. I wish this developer would create some new “gimmicks” to use in their games. It would be even better if this developer would stop using gimmicks altogether.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There fifteen (15) achievements. Collect fifteen (15) cards and twenty-six (26) morphing objects. As far as wallpapers and other extras, I was not able to access them because of an “error violation” notice I received while trying to enter the “extra” section of this game.
HOP SCENES: I found the HOP scenes standard fare seen in most of this developer’s games. There are several mini-HOP scenes in which the player searches for a small number of some item or pieces of some item. There is one scene in the demo which is somewhat creative. After locating items to create a potion, place those items (now silhouetted) into a boiling pot. Placing them within the pot opens a storybook scene in which you must locate four (4) items per page of this storybook.
PUZZLES: They vary in style and difficulty; however, I found most of the puzzles easy. However, there are two puzzles in the demo which can be played in either a “casual” or “hard” mode. Returning are the tracing puzzles, which I find boring. Staying within the lines is reminiscent of kindergarten. I wish AMAX would get rid of these puzzles.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE THE PUZZLES FROM THE DEMO:
A. Use the magic lens to locate symbols.
B. Matching puzzle. Move a series of three (3) clock hands so that each hand matches up and points to an identical phase of the moon.
C. Once is not enough. Use the magic lens to locate symbols
D. Matching puzzle. Pair up identical masks.
E. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles to restore an image.
F. Tracing puzzle. Move a bucket through a path without touching the sides. 3X
G. Matching puzzle. Pair up symbols. They must be paired in sequential order.
H. Choice between “casual” and “hard” modes. Moving tiles puzzle. Slide tiles into position on a grid so they match up with a given code.
I. Hopefully, three times is the charm. Use a magic lens to locate symbols
J. Matching puzzle. Rotate a disk with slots for four animals and place the four animals at the side of the disk into the proper location.
K. Choice between “casual” and “hard” modes. Switch puzzle. Rotate bars between three images to restore them. Rotating one affects the others.
B. Matching puzzle. Move a series of three (3) clock hands so that each hand matches up and points to an identical phase of the moon.
C. Once is not enough. Use the magic lens to locate symbols
D. Matching puzzle. Pair up identical masks.
E. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles to restore an image.
F. Tracing puzzle. Move a bucket through a path without touching the sides. 3X
G. Matching puzzle. Pair up symbols. They must be paired in sequential order.
H. Choice between “casual” and “hard” modes. Moving tiles puzzle. Slide tiles into position on a grid so they match up with a given code.
I. Hopefully, three times is the charm. Use a magic lens to locate symbols
J. Matching puzzle. Rotate a disk with slots for four animals and place the four animals at the side of the disk into the proper location.
K. Choice between “casual” and “hard” modes. Switch puzzle. Rotate bars between three images to restore them. Rotating one affects the others.
I don't recommend this game.
The Christmas spirit is vanishing all over the world, but why?
Overall rating
5
/
5
174 of 283 found this review helpful
A WINTER WONDERLAND FULL OF WHIMSY AND CHRISTMAS DELIGHT!
PostedDecember 6, 2018
sunnyglow
fromThe residents of Wonderland now love the holidays. After appearing in this Christmas game, the White Rabbit is returning in the spring as the new Easter Bunny along with the Mad Hatter who is bringing with him a new fashion line of Easter bonnets.
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: 41 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 Pages
OVERVIEW: Alice! Santa has granted your Christmas wish for adventure by requesting your help in saving Christmas! Throughout the world, people have lost their Christmas spirit. The inhabitants of Wonderland have entered the real world, spearheaded by their ruler, the Red Queen. Entering through a magic mirror, the arrival of these Wonderland inhabitants has upset the balance between the two worlds. Since Wonderland fuels dreams, with the Red Queen now in the real world, imagination is evaporating. The Christmas star is fading, and people no longer believe in Santa Claus. Follow Santa’s emissary, the White Rabbit, and find enough Christmas spirit to restore the Christmas star, revive the Christmas spirit, and convince the Red Queen to return to Wonderland.
OPINION: Enjoy another fun-filled Elephant Christmas game, all wrapped up in whimsy and Christmas cheer. The graphics are all decked out for Christmas with scenes filled with glistening Christmas trees, twinkling lights, and decorations galore. It is a light-hearted romp which the whole family can enjoy. The gaming script is well-written, and the graphics are creatively designed. My only complaint is that I wish there were more Christmas music selections as in the past games.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twenty-two (22) achievements. Collect forty-eight (48) jigsaw pieces – twelve (12) each for four puzzles. Collect twelve (12) figurines of the characters from the game and twenty-seven (27) morphing objects. There are eighteen (18) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections. You can replay twelve (12) mini-games and eleven (11) HOP scenes.
CHRISTMAS HELPER: The Cheshire Cat will sit at the side of the inventory bar and help you by performing various tasks. He is not used frequently and does add a seasonal element of whimsy to the game.
BONUS GAME: The bonus game is unrelated to the main game. It is based on the Dicken’s classic, “The Christmas Carol.” As the nephew of Ebenezer Scrooge Cat, you return to his past. Visit three (3) time periods in his life to change the course of his miserable, unhappy life. Can you create a past which is “picture perfect?” I found this chapter is in some ways better than the main game. It is truly the “cat’s meow,” with all the characters portrayed as cats. Dealing with the original “grumpy cat” is well-worth the price of the collector’s edition. You get a new helper, the Christmas Spirit cat, to aid you in your visit to the past. It is a long chapter with seven (7) puzzles and six (6) HOP scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-three (23) in the game. The scenes reflect the theme of the game with beautifully designed scenes full of Christmas goodies – pastries, toys, twinkling colored lights, and Christmas trees all aglitter. Although most are lists of items or silhouette scenes, they are creatively designed. My favorite scene is one in which you must choose two items to be removed which, when combined, are related in some way to the item listed. All the items in this scene are related to Christmas.
PUZZLES: There are thirty-one (31) puzzles within the game. They are varied in design with most being easy. However, there are a few puzzles of middle difficulty. Some, but not all, are thematic, reflecting the Christmas spirit. There are a couple of multiple-step puzzles. I found the best puzzles within the bonus chapter.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Riding a one-horse open sleigh: Moving tiles puzzle. Move a horse from the left to the right end of a grid by moving tiles out if its path. You must move two tiles at a time in most cases.
B. Sugar plum fairies danced in their heads. Matching puzzle. Choose the correct sweets for eight characters based upon given clues.
C. Connect with Christmas! Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored squares on a chalkboard to remove them without passing through other colored squares until the board is completely cleared. 3X
D. Nutcracker “sweet!” Switch puzzle. Switch different colored Santas, penguins, and nutcrackers, placing them into position according to a given code. You can only exchange tokens next to each other and each must share some feature – either by color or by the item itself.
E. Light up your life this Christmas! Rope puzzle. Untangle a string of lights so that no wires cross each other.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Watch out for reindeer! Arcade game. Shoot Christmas-like tokens to get 70 points. The smaller the object you shoot – the more points.
G. All roads lead to Christmas! Map puzzle. Lead Alice on a path, crossing a river while removing obstacles in her path.
B. Sugar plum fairies danced in their heads. Matching puzzle. Choose the correct sweets for eight characters based upon given clues.
C. Connect with Christmas! Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored squares on a chalkboard to remove them without passing through other colored squares until the board is completely cleared. 3X
D. Nutcracker “sweet!” Switch puzzle. Switch different colored Santas, penguins, and nutcrackers, placing them into position according to a given code. You can only exchange tokens next to each other and each must share some feature – either by color or by the item itself.
E. Light up your life this Christmas! Rope puzzle. Untangle a string of lights so that no wires cross each other.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Watch out for reindeer! Arcade game. Shoot Christmas-like tokens to get 70 points. The smaller the object you shoot – the more points.
G. All roads lead to Christmas! Map puzzle. Lead Alice on a path, crossing a river while removing obstacles in her path.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the city from an otherworldly predator?
Overall rating
5
/
5
121 of 175 found this review helpful
A DARK JOURNEY THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
PostedNovember 29, 2018
sunnyglow
fromUsually, breaking a mirror causes seven years of bad luck. Not in this game. Get ready to smash some glass! Breaking a mirror in this game will be the luckiest thing you can do.
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 MAIN GAME:
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 pages
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 37 pages
OVERVIEW: Through the looking glass you go to investigate your next case, Nathaniel. As a paranormal detective, you are off to Lyon, France to investigate a case involving a series of mirrors. These mirrors are evil, revealing disturbing and twisted information to their owners. They have a devastating psychological effect on those who possess them. You will get more than you bargained for in this case. With each mirror you deal with, you will pick up its negative energy, manifesting it upon your hand. Prepare to smash a few mirrors and restore the lives if their victims.
OPINION: I found this a creatively designed game with a well-written gaming script. For me, this is a vast improvement from the previous games in this series. The pace is excellent with plenty of activities to keep the player engaged. The graphics are cartoon-like with some realistic imagery. I found the main part of this game enjoyable with some new twists in the HOP scenes and in some of the puzzles as well.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are fourteen (14) achievements. Collect fifty-four (54) pieces of jewelry. There are two (2) pieces of jewelry in each scene. I found the pieces easy to locate. You can replay some HOP scenes and puzzles. There are ten (10) wallpapers along with concept art, music and video selections.
GIMMICKY TATTOO: Activate a tattoo on your arm when you wish to investigate a scene via the paranormal. You will see illusions and manifestations from this unseen world. This will open a HOP scene in which you must search for items from the real world and from the dream world and exchange them within the scene.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. It involves the love story between Vivien, a young ballerina and her beau, Louie. I did not finish this chapter. However, I found the activities from first part of this chapter being of the same quality as those from the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are sixteen (16) HOP scene within the main game. You can play a Match-3 puzzle in lieu of the scenes. Most of the scenes are either lists of items or search-and-replace scenes. The search-and-replace scenes are creatively designed and, to me, the best part of the game. You will play one of these scenes for each of the victims from this game. You search for nine (9) to twelve (12) items within a split scene (one depicting reality and the other, a dream state). After locating those items, you will then place them back into the scene in the proper location.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-four (24) puzzles within the main game. I found most easy – some a little too easy for my taste. However, the developer did provide a couple of puzzles in which you have the choice to play the puzzles in either an “easy” or “hard” mode. Although most of the puzzles are standard ones seen before, this developer has provided some creative new approaches to some of the puzzles.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SAMPLES OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Assembly puzzle. Using four (4) arrows, move reflections of five (5) items onto a central figure, a monkey. Once it reaches the monkey, you will need to center each item to onto the appropriate part of the monkey. Unique puzzle never seen before.
B. Rope puzzle. Untangle vines so they do not intersect.
C. Choice between “easy” and “hard” modes. Domino puzzle. Place dominoes on a grid, creating a path so that the pips on each end match up with the domino abutting it.
D. Choice between “easy” and “hard” modes. Logic puzzle. Reading descriptions concerning a dog’s toy preference, place toys on a circular disk according to the given clues.
E. Connection puzzle. On a grid, connect city landmarks by visiting each one only once. All landmarks must be visited, and you must end at a certain designated location.
F. Matching puzzle. Place the owners of the various mirrors within their proper location on a bulletin board.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Switch puzzle. Switch hanging shards of glass to match the patterns underneath them.
H. Switch puzzle. Switch ballerinas by color according to a given code.
B. Rope puzzle. Untangle vines so they do not intersect.
C. Choice between “easy” and “hard” modes. Domino puzzle. Place dominoes on a grid, creating a path so that the pips on each end match up with the domino abutting it.
D. Choice between “easy” and “hard” modes. Logic puzzle. Reading descriptions concerning a dog’s toy preference, place toys on a circular disk according to the given clues.
E. Connection puzzle. On a grid, connect city landmarks by visiting each one only once. All landmarks must be visited, and you must end at a certain designated location.
F. Matching puzzle. Place the owners of the various mirrors within their proper location on a bulletin board.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Switch puzzle. Switch hanging shards of glass to match the patterns underneath them.
H. Switch puzzle. Switch ballerinas by color according to a given code.
I recommend this game!
What lies within the depths of the pitch-black mirror?
Overall rating
5
/
5
87 of 197 found this review helpful
ENTER A WORLD OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS - ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
PostedNovember 20, 2018
sunnyglow
fromMirror, mirror on the wall – I am staying away from you after all – seeing all the problems you caused this family! However, perhaps not! I am replaying this fantastic 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:
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 Pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 41 Pages
OVERVIEW: Detective! You are off to the Codington estate to locate your missing friend, Eleanor Codington. The estate has lay idle for two centuries and rumor has it that an evil entity resides within its walls. Now Eleanor is trying to restore its grandeur. You are greeted by Camille, the interior and exterior designer for the estate. However, you discover her whole crew has been kidnapped - sucked into an abyss behind a mirror by a lady in black. When Camille is also abducted by this same demonic entity, you enter this mirror as well, venturing into a mirrored version of reality. You will need to defeat this dark entity, all while discovering some dark secrets about this family as well.
OPINION: Kudos to EIPIX for a fantastic game! I was absorbed into the walls of Codington mansion and did not wish to leave. The story-line is superb. There are some somewhat shocking revelations concerning this family. The graphics are dark, setting a rather spooky mood. The dark lady with her demonic countenance is truly creepy. The game is fast- paced with many activities to keep the player entertained. This is a puzzle lover’s delight. I found the entire game a series of puzzles – one right after another. I do believe most who love this series, will love this game. Unfortunately, I do not believe the demo truly reflects the quality of this game. It is well-worth the collector’s edition price. This is the first MCF game in years which I truly enjoyed playing and one I will replay.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twelve (12) achievements, some with three parts. Collect thirty-seven (37) mirror shards and thirty-seven (37) morphing objects. I found most easy to locate. You will need a notepad in this game. Not all the codes you need to unlock items will be handed to you on a sheet of paper. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with casual art, music and movie selections. You can replay eighteen (18) HOP scenes and twenty-four (24) puzzles. Nevertheless, I wish EIPIX had provided more puzzles to replay.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a prequel. Gordon Codington wishes to discover why his parents sent him away when he was a child. He returns to Codington Manor in search of clues. I found the bonus chapter excellent. There are four (4) HOP scenes and four (4) puzzles within this chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes. All, but one, are lists of items. This is the only part of the game in which I am somewhat disappointed. I found the scenes repetitive, with little creative design. There is one storybook scene in the demo; however, after that, the rest are straight lists of items. I wish EIPIX had provided a little more creativity and variety in the scenes.
PUZZLES: There are thirty-three (33) puzzles within this game. However, this number includes four (4) Rube-Goldberg mini-games, which contain five to six individual puzzles within each mini-game. There are also several mini-games with several variations of the same puzzle, each, increasing in difficulty. The puzzles are creatively designed and vary in difficulty. There are some which are difficult. For the Rube-Goldberg mini-games, you have the option to skip each individual puzzle within this mini-game. There are also activities which are puzzle-like but are not deemed as puzzles. Some of those are not easy. There was one in which I needed to check the strategy guide to figure out how to proceed.
SPOILERS: HERE IS A SAMPLE OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Sequence puzzle. Using a hammer on a circular disk, calculate the number of moves the hammer must move – either three or four spaces, until all seven tiles are cracked. You must calculate your moves. Hitting a cracked tile will restore it to its original state.
B. Moving tiles puzzle. Move tiles so they change from gold to silver on a 3 x 3 grid. Each move only changes the color of half the tile.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect pipes so that all flames within the grid are connected to a pot in the center of the grid.
D. Rube-Goldberg mini-game. (1) Find the correct fuse connected to a light which is lit. You will go back to this puzzle when you complete each one of the puzzles. (2) Maze puzzle. Move a token to the center of a grid opening red blockers along the way. (3) Sequence puzzle. Move a fly along a path to the end while avoiding a spider who will zap you. There is only one correct sequence. (4) Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate triangular tiles to restore a cameo image. Rotating one tile affects the others. (5) Matching puzzle. On a grid, use arrows to rotate tiles with lines on them so they match up with a given diagram. (6) Gear puzzle. Move gears so they mesh with each other.
E. Switch puzzle. Rotate and switch spools of thread with parts of a path imprinted on the top to create a path from one crack at the left to another on the right.
F. Assembly puzzle. Using a guide, create three constellations using chess pieces
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Pipe puzzle. Position faucet handles to stop the flow of water on four (4) spigots.
H. Assembly puzzle. Assemble the image of a knight by increasing and decreasing the dimensions for four parts plus moving those parts into place.
B. Moving tiles puzzle. Move tiles so they change from gold to silver on a 3 x 3 grid. Each move only changes the color of half the tile.
C. Connection puzzle. Connect pipes so that all flames within the grid are connected to a pot in the center of the grid.
D. Rube-Goldberg mini-game. (1) Find the correct fuse connected to a light which is lit. You will go back to this puzzle when you complete each one of the puzzles. (2) Maze puzzle. Move a token to the center of a grid opening red blockers along the way. (3) Sequence puzzle. Move a fly along a path to the end while avoiding a spider who will zap you. There is only one correct sequence. (4) Rotating tiles puzzle. Rotate triangular tiles to restore a cameo image. Rotating one tile affects the others. (5) Matching puzzle. On a grid, use arrows to rotate tiles with lines on them so they match up with a given diagram. (6) Gear puzzle. Move gears so they mesh with each other.
E. Switch puzzle. Rotate and switch spools of thread with parts of a path imprinted on the top to create a path from one crack at the left to another on the right.
F. Assembly puzzle. Using a guide, create three constellations using chess pieces
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. Pipe puzzle. Position faucet handles to stop the flow of water on four (4) spigots.
H. Assembly puzzle. Assemble the image of a knight by increasing and decreasing the dimensions for four parts plus moving those parts into place.
I recommend this game!
When Hector, Demon Hunter for hire, agreed to save a lost tourist from the haunted Museum of Mysticism and Monstrosity, he never imagined that he could be the one in need of saving.
Overall rating
5
/
5
120 of 179 found this review helpful
HAVE A DEVILISH GOOD TIME BATTLING A DEMON
PostedNovember 17, 2018
sunnyglow
fromThis game proves that even demons can get a “charge” out of broadcasting over the airwaves!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 44 Pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 44 Pages
OVERVIEW: As the noted Demon Hunter, Hector Cole, you are off to The Museum of Mysticism and Monstrosity to battle another demon. You have been contacted by Edmund Strange, curator for this museum. A tourist entered the museum but never came out and all efforts to locate him have failed. It appears the museum has been a hotbed of increased paranormal activity. There is a demonic force which has been unleashed by a tragic circumstance. Get ready to battle this demon before it descends upon the entire world.
OPINION: This is my favorite series from Brave Giant. The game is long, and I feel the quality of this game is excellent. I did not find the game scary; however, I feel it has a well-written storyline. The pace is excellent with plenty of activities to keep the player engaged. I feel the graphics are greatly improved from past games from this developer. The scenes are cartoonish, but the dark ambiance adds to the flavor of this game. There are only a few minor things which I did not enjoy about this game. In my opinion, some of the dialogue is a little hokey and melodramatic. I also feel that more of the mini-games should have been made available for replay.
MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are twenty-four (24) achievements. Collect twenty-eight (28) morphing scrolls and twenty-eight (28) crystals. Every scene has one of each of the collectibles and all are easy to locate. There are also some morphing objects within the HOP scenes. You can replay eight (8) mini-games and eight (8) HOP scenes. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with concept art, music selections and cutscenes from the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. After solving this case, you are asked for an interview by an up-and-coming journalist. Go back in time to relive a momentous camping trip with your fiancée. Learn the story why Hector Cole entered the field of the paranormal. I found this chapter somewhat weak in comparison to the main game. There are no collectibles within this chapter. There are four (4) HOP scenes and four (4) mini-games. I feel the story is excellent but am not impressed with some of the activities. I also feel that the pace bogs down in some of parts of this chapter.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-one (21) scenes within this game. Most of the scenes are lists of items and silhouette. I feel they are standard fare seen in other games. There are some scenes in which the player searches for a small number of one item. There is one FROG. There are morphing objects within some of the scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-one (21) scenes within this game. Most of the scenes are lists of items and silhouette. I feel they are standard fare seen in other games. There are some scenes in which the player searches for a small number of one item. There is one FROG. There are morphing objects within some of the scenes.
PUZZLES: There are forty (40) puzzles within this game. They are varied in difficulty and style. In my opinion they are the best part of the game. Nevertheless, I am dismayed that Brave Giant only offered eight (8) to replay. I planned to replay some of these, but that would require replaying this entire game. There are three (3) storybook puzzles, which to me are more like HOP scenes than puzzles. In these puzzles, the player must locate three (3) items for each scene within the pages of a book. There are also some activities which are not listed as puzzles but should have been listed as such. There are several instances of searching throughout a scene to get numbers or symbols to open locks or some device.
SPOILERS: HERE IS A SAMPLE OF SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Sequence puzzle. Move four (4) levers on a generator up-and-down until all the lights above them turn green. Moving one affects the others.
B. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate three rings with purple and green marbles so that the purple marbles are on the left and green on the right.
C. Chess puzzle. Move the knight on a chess board with its “L” shaped moves until all squares on a chessboard are covered.
D. Storybook puzzle. Locate silhouette items within the pages of a book (There are three of these within the game).
E. Mathematical puzzle. Using two dials which can rotate two spaces counterclockwise and three spaces clockwise, move around a disk with an image upon it to light up parts of the image on the disk.
F. Assembly puzzle. Climb up a telephone pole by placing rungs in the proper location on a telephone pole while ascending.
G. Balance puzzle. Cross a river by balancing yourself across a log. If you are out of balance you will fall into the river.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Sequence puzzle. On a grid, move your token across a lake while avoiding monsters within your path.
I. Mathematical puzzle. Switch fuses until the combination of each pair of fuses equals a number between them.
J. Connection puzzle. Connect like tokens with chains without crossing paths.
B. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate three rings with purple and green marbles so that the purple marbles are on the left and green on the right.
C. Chess puzzle. Move the knight on a chess board with its “L” shaped moves until all squares on a chessboard are covered.
D. Storybook puzzle. Locate silhouette items within the pages of a book (There are three of these within the game).
E. Mathematical puzzle. Using two dials which can rotate two spaces counterclockwise and three spaces clockwise, move around a disk with an image upon it to light up parts of the image on the disk.
F. Assembly puzzle. Climb up a telephone pole by placing rungs in the proper location on a telephone pole while ascending.
G. Balance puzzle. Cross a river by balancing yourself across a log. If you are out of balance you will fall into the river.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Sequence puzzle. On a grid, move your token across a lake while avoiding monsters within your path.
I. Mathematical puzzle. Switch fuses until the combination of each pair of fuses equals a number between them.
J. Connection puzzle. Connect like tokens with chains without crossing paths.
I recommend this game!