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:
When the clock strikes, London shall burn!
Overall rating
5
/
5
161 of 233 found this review helpful
A FANTASTIC “TIMELESS” GAME WITH A WONDERFUL SURPRISE BONUS CHAPTER!
PostedNovember 30, 2017
sunnyglow
fromPlaying the chapter in the circus reminded me of “Madame Fate.” I feel she may be lurking somewhere in that circus. I also wonder if the gypsy fortune teller is her daughter.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME – Playing Time: 4 Hours
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter- Strategy Guide: 47 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter- Strategy Guide: 47 Pages
OVERVIEW: Celebrate! Sleuth back in time Detective and return to 1859 Victorian London for the unveiling of Big Ben! Also celebrate this fantastic game from 4 Friends which contains a surprise bonus chapter! This game was an automatic purchase for me. It is a vast improvement for this developer. To me, this game is a HOP lover’s dream game; however, there are quite a few great puzzles within the game as well. The pace is excellent with many activities and movement within the game. Travel throughout London with the realistic look of dark graphics of fog-filled London contrasted with that of the garish colors of the circus chapter. The story is excellent – playing on the theme of the vengeful “Headless Horseman” from Washington Irving. As you delve further into the game, you will uncover some current social issues as well relating to women’s roles in society which makes this game socially relevant as well.
You collect dominoes and morphing objects. Both are easy to locate and there is a bar at the left side of the screen to indicate if you have located all of them in each scene. You also receive a case book in which to place the evidence you collect. This is the first game in some time which has a couple of new puzzles not seen in other games. The HOP scenes are creatively designed. You can also replay some HOP scenes and some puzzles.
NEW IS ALWAYS REFRESHING: This developer provides some fresh approaches within this game. You get a device, an All-Seeing Eye to indicate when you will need to engage in some Sherlock Holmes-esque type deduction. However, unlike playing a puzzle, you play a mini-HIOP scene instead. I feel this was a better fit for this type of game rather than the usual puzzles such as some type of Match-3 game which are just thrown into the mix. The HOP scenes fit nicely into the deduction process of the game. There are some puzzles within this game as well – at least I have not seen them in other games. There are also some new twists to the HOP scenes.
STORY: Celebrate the unveiling of Big Ben. However, fogging up the celebration and dampening the spirits of the London society is the appearance of the “Headless Clockman.” Feeding off their superstitions, a crazed person is creating terror throughout London. The victims of this crazed person are the organizers of the event. Blackmarks appear on the hands in the shape of a skull before some tragic event befalls them. However, are all the tragic events divine inspired or the work of an illusionist? And why? Someone is out for revenge. Someone has engineered and masterminded a plot to destroy the festivities and Big Ben itself – but who and why?
BONUS CHAPTER: HUSH THIS IS A SURPRISE AND WELL WORTH IT! This Bonus game veers into a whole new direction. From what I have played I do believe most will love this little Easter egg and it is well worth the purchase price to play this extra chapter. It may not be an Easter egg, but it will certainly get you into the holiday spirit. Bah humbug you say? No, not really. The story, from what I have played, is well-written and has all the goodies as the main game. And 4 Friends did bless us everyone with this bonus chapter.
HOP SCENES: In the main game there are thirty (30) HOP scenes. They vary in style. You will play a HOP scene when you need to make deductions about a scene. An All-Seeing Eye will light up featuring a HOP scene in which to gather evidence. There are also some multiple-step ones. Many are very creative in design. There are a few panoramic scenes as well in which you must move the scene to locate items. After the demo, most of the scenes in the middle-part of the game are mini-HOP scenes in which you search for a small amount of one item. In many of these scenes, you must also locate pieces to recreate some evidence such as a picture. There are some beautiful storybook scenes in which you search for items within the page of the storybook. My favorite was toward the end of the game. You search for items on two large bells. In one scene you match up Zodiac signs with their symbols and in the other you search for animals. All the scenes are standard ones seen before, silhouette, lists of items, and matching. There is a well-designed one with cryptic clues as well.
PUZZLES: From what I could count there are twenty-five (25) puzzles in the main game. They are creatively designed and vary in style and difficulty. Here are some of the puzzles after the demo:
A. Switching gears. Gear puzzle. Variation of a gear puzzle in which you switch and rotate gears to restore an image. Unique.
B. Where is Daphne du Maurier when you need her? We need help with “Rebecca.” Assembly puzzle. Spell out the name “Rebecca” on a crazy typewriter so that the letters are in the proper position. The order of the letters is not linear.
C. Twist me Turn me - Bas Relief puzzle. Move four (4) parts of a bas relief into position using arrows to turn the figures to line up with their slots. After setting the arrows, push a button to move all four at one time into position If they are not turned to the correct position you must begin again.
D. Where is Chopin when you need him? Complete three (3) bas relief images which contain “holes” where a portion of an image should be. This creative little ditty requires you to press piano keys which have stamped patterns until you complete the imagery for all three images.
E. Digital Age – 1859! Anachronistic tomfoolery! Set a digital code to stop the bomb. Move arrows to create the digital numbers.
EXTRAS:
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
23 Achievements – Some have 3 parts
Collect 28 Dominoes
31 Morphing objects
Replay 20 HOP scenes and 16 Puzzles
7 Wallpapers, 14 Concept Art, Screensaver, Music, Videos
B. Where is Daphne du Maurier when you need her? We need help with “Rebecca.” Assembly puzzle. Spell out the name “Rebecca” on a crazy typewriter so that the letters are in the proper position. The order of the letters is not linear.
C. Twist me Turn me - Bas Relief puzzle. Move four (4) parts of a bas relief into position using arrows to turn the figures to line up with their slots. After setting the arrows, push a button to move all four at one time into position If they are not turned to the correct position you must begin again.
D. Where is Chopin when you need him? Complete three (3) bas relief images which contain “holes” where a portion of an image should be. This creative little ditty requires you to press piano keys which have stamped patterns until you complete the imagery for all three images.
E. Digital Age – 1859! Anachronistic tomfoolery! Set a digital code to stop the bomb. Move arrows to create the digital numbers.
EXTRAS:
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
23 Achievements – Some have 3 parts
Collect 28 Dominoes
31 Morphing objects
Replay 20 HOP scenes and 16 Puzzles
7 Wallpapers, 14 Concept Art, Screensaver, Music, Videos
I recommend this game!
Can you restore balance to the world tree in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
62 of 129 found this review helpful
ANOTHER TEDIOUS JOURNEY TO THE NINE WORLDS
PostedNovember 25, 2017
sunnyglow
fromHopefully Thor will soon arrive, restore the Nine worlds, restore Asgard to its former glory, and close the doors on this boring game series sending it to Valhalla or Fólkvangr.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
OVERVIEW: Skol! Welcome fellow travelers! Return to the nine (9) Worlds of Asgard for a second adventure. This is a beautifully illustrated game, a fantasy game come-to-life. EIPIX put a great of effort in providing graphics which portray a realistic-looking fantasy world. Enjoy a Smorgasbord of numerous characters in this fantasy game. Collect signs and morphing objects as in all their games. Being of Norse heritage, I was pumped up for this new game, full of the promise and excitement – then, in my dream game world of Nordic gods, elves, dwarves, and noble maidens, something happened!
MY SNOOZE ALARM WENT OFF: Dashed from Valhalla, falling to earth, I woke up to the reality of the poor game mechanics behind this game. To me, this game is a real “snooze.” Within the short demo, I found the pace very slow due to the lack of activities. To me, there is too much dialogue and flitting to-and-fro around the first world. It may be better after the demo, however, with the limited amount of activity, the complicated story, and lackluster puzzles and HOP scenes, it will be a pass for me. There is nothing in this demo which inspired me to purchase it. The demo is short; however, I was ready for it to end. I would have given this game only two stars if not for the graphics. However, beautiful graphics cannot compensate for a poorly crafted game. You may enjoy it, but I think I will leave this romp through the trees.
COMING SOON - A CAST OF THOUSANDS. EIPIX has transformed their latest games from single-story to serial ones with new stories developed within the framework of one central theme. This may be fantastic for books, but for HOP games, I am not so certain. At the beginning of these serial games, EIPIX regurgitates all the facts from the previous game. Personally, I really don’t care what happened in the last episode. The characters from the previous games also return and with each successive episode more characters are added. I can envision this series becoming a mega-fiasco. The story line is too complex for a HOP game and for the past two games, the activities are minimal. I hate complex serial games. EIPIX now has two running series which accumulate characters as they continue down the serial primrose path.
STORY: You and your fellow companions will face yet another crisis in this kingdom - the disappearance of the four stags. These are no ordinary stags, they are the foundation of the Tree of Life. Their disappearance has tipped the balance of the Tree of Life and threatens to destroy Asgard. You will enter four of the nine worlds to locate the stags, encountering enemy forces and peril at every turn. This sounds like an exciting adventure, right? Well, maybe not. By the end of the slow-paced demo, I was looking for Odin to open the gates to lead me out of Asgard.
HOP SCENES: It is difficult to assess a game with only four (4) scenes. There are two standard silhouette scenes, one storybook scene with items listed in bold letters and one list of items. They are beautiful in appearance, but are the same ones seen in other games. Nothing sets these scenes apart from others from this developer. They are standard fare.
PUZZLES. Again, with only four (4) puzzles it is difficult to assess the quality of the puzzles. The puzzles are easy within the demo. I found no puzzle which I have not seen a dozen or more times before. The puzzles are standard fare seen in many other games.
LEVELS: Viking, Marauder, Berserker, Valkryrie
Hints: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
Hints: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
13 Achievements
Collect 34 Signs
15 Morphing objects
Replay 116 Puzzles and 15 HOP scenes
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Videos, Music, Souvenir Room
Map is provided as you play the game
13 Achievements
Collect 34 Signs
15 Morphing objects
Replay 116 Puzzles and 15 HOP scenes
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Videos, Music, Souvenir Room
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES:
(A) List of items. (B) Silhouette (C) Storybook. (D) Multiple step. (1) Silhouette. Move to three (3) different scenes to locate animal tracks. (2) Silhouette. Locate plants.
(A) List of items. (B) Silhouette (C) Storybook. (D) Multiple step. (1) Silhouette. Move to three (3) different scenes to locate animal tracks. (2) Silhouette. Locate plants.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Sequence puzzle. Choose between the companions’ pictures as to the correct sequence in which they attack a beastie. Trial and error Rating: 1
B. Connection puzzle. Connect flowers with runes associated with them by ambling through the sinuous path of the stems which connect with the runes. Rating: 2
C. Multiple step. (1) Matching puzzle. Match up roots and stones to ascend to the top of a well. (2) Sequence puzzle. Remove bars in sequential order. Rating: 2
D. Sequence puzzle. Beginning with a given rune, connect the other runes in sequential order. Rating: 1
A. Sequence puzzle. Choose between the companions’ pictures as to the correct sequence in which they attack a beastie. Trial and error Rating: 1
B. Connection puzzle. Connect flowers with runes associated with them by ambling through the sinuous path of the stems which connect with the runes. Rating: 2
C. Multiple step. (1) Matching puzzle. Match up roots and stones to ascend to the top of a well. (2) Sequence puzzle. Remove bars in sequential order. Rating: 2
D. Sequence puzzle. Beginning with a given rune, connect the other runes in sequential order. Rating: 1
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the Revenant before it's too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
213 of 327 found this review helpful
A SOAPY GAME OUT FOR REVENGE AGAINST THE NAYSAYERS
PostedNovember 20, 2017
sunnyglow
fromHappy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the week with the traditional MCF feast! And -there is NO turkey on this year’s menu.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME: Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes Main Game
6 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy guide: 37 Pages
6 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy guide: 37 Pages
Happy MCF Day! For many of us, this is an annual event. It is a bloody red-letter day signaling the end of the creepy avalanche of fall games and beginning of the holiday season with its sugary delights. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving is a day on our calendar marked with a BIG RED X – to mark the advent of another mystery to solve with help from Her Majesty’s oh-so-secret detectives.
In this case, Detective, Her Majesty is sending you to Vermont to investigate murders in a which may be supernatural in nature. Small town American life is hiding behind the scenes of this game. There is a serial killer, the Revenant behind these murders. Revenge has brought forth the Revenant, but why? And who is this supernatural killer? Get ready as well for another American tradition – soap operas! This soapy little game will keep you in suspense until the end. Okay, now you are on your own as to the story. Can’t and won’t give you any more info. Half the fun of playing an MCF game is rambling through the scenes searching for clues to ferret out what is happening.
HOW DOES IT STACK UP? For me this is not the best game in the series, but not the worst either. However, it is better than I expected after playing the beta months ago. After the demo, the game kicks into gear with better puzzles and a story which has some twists and turns as it goes along. And yes, the Soaps have invaded MCF. This game reminded me of “Days of our Lives” sprinkled with a dash of horror. The graphics are realistic and well-portray small-town America. Snoopy Marge Hale is indicative of every small-town gossip. The puzzles get much better after the demo. (See the samples from the game). The only disappointment for me were the HOP scenes. I do believe, there should have been more pizzazz added to the HOP scenes within this game. You collect piles of leaves and lore cards in the main game. Then you search for fragmented letters in the bonus chapter. There are morphing objects and you can replay some of the puzzles and HOP scenes. However, I do not understand why EIPIX would provide so many of the standard lists of items scenes for replay
BONUS CHAPTER: You deserve a break today – so why not get away to Maya’s Roadside Hotel. The bonus chapter has nothing to do with the main story. I did not play the entire chapter, but it is promising and appears as good as the main game. In this game spend a little dad and daughter time together!
HOP SCENES: Boring! Sorry to use this word – would you prefer redundant? There are fifteen (15) in the main game. There are not many within the entire game. The HOP scenes are disappointing. This is the only part of the game I disliked. Most of the puzzles in the main game are lists of items. I got tired of searching for items. The good thing is that there are not many of them. The bad thing is that they are standard- without any interactivity. There were a few silhouette ones. There is also a multiple-step one as well.
PUZZLES: EIPIX put their goodies in the puzzles. There are twenty-six puzzles (26) in the main game. There is quite a variety as well. In my opinion, they are not as masterfully crafted as in other games; however, they vary in variety and difficulty. EIPIX did put some easier ones in this game. And a BIG THANK YOU to EIPIX for providing easy to follow directions on the puzzles. Good job, dev!
HURRAH FOR THE RED, WHITE, AND RUBE-GOLDBERG! Let us salute EIPIX for the inclusion of four (4) Rube Goldberg puzzles. They are easier than in other games from this series. They are well-crafted and are easy to maneuver.
Here are a few samples of what you can expect after the demo:
A. Stuck in 5th gear. Simon Says rev up that engine! Using a stick shift, shift the gear into position according to directions given. Easy
B. Mathematical puzzle. Expecting? Yes, a baby doll in this puzzle. Change the numbers on three markers so that their total equals those on the two eyes of a baby doll.
C. Pinball Wizard! Geometry rocks! Direct a ball through a pinball machine using the side clickers to set the angles for the ball to reach the exit. The object – remove the ball from the machine in a slot at the upper right of the diagram.
D. Dance the night away. Just Dance by following the dance steps without missing a beat!
E. Going in Circles: Maze puzzle. Set up a path for a red pin to go through from one end to the other to unlock a lock. You must move a circular wheel in the middle to establish the paths.
A. Stuck in 5th gear. Simon Says rev up that engine! Using a stick shift, shift the gear into position according to directions given. Easy
B. Mathematical puzzle. Expecting? Yes, a baby doll in this puzzle. Change the numbers on three markers so that their total equals those on the two eyes of a baby doll.
C. Pinball Wizard! Geometry rocks! Direct a ball through a pinball machine using the side clickers to set the angles for the ball to reach the exit. The object – remove the ball from the machine in a slot at the upper right of the diagram.
D. Dance the night away. Just Dance by following the dance steps without missing a beat!
E. Going in Circles: Maze puzzle. Set up a path for a red pin to go through from one end to the other to unlock a lock. You must move a circular wheel in the middle to establish the paths.
LEVELS: Casual, Medium, Hard, Custom
Hints: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
Hints: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
Timer available You are timed
20 Achievements
Collect 10 piles of leaves. There is a bar to indicate if there is this type of item within a scene.
Collect 9 Lore Cards and 5 Fragmented Letters
16 Morphing objects
Replay 15 HOP Scenes and 10 Puzzles
8 Wallpapers, Music, Videos
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
Timer available You are timed
20 Achievements
Collect 10 piles of leaves. There is a bar to indicate if there is this type of item within a scene.
Collect 9 Lore Cards and 5 Fragmented Letters
16 Morphing objects
Replay 15 HOP Scenes and 10 Puzzles
8 Wallpapers, Music, Videos
I recommend this game!
The city is being taken over by dark forces!
Overall rating
5
/
5
121 of 162 found this review helpful
WELCOME TO A MAGIC KINGDOM FILLED WITH PURPLE TREES AND WIZARDRY
PostedNovember 18, 2017
sunnyglow
fromDid a singing Prince ever live in this castle within a forest of purple trees? And If they had purple trees, did they have “purple rain” as well?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: Welcome to a fairy tale land full of magic, potions and purple trees! This is a beautifully illustrated game. This review is based on the quality of the game, not my personal preference. It should appeal to fairy tale game enthusiasts. It is an easy-breezy game which is also easy to navigate. With some adult assistance, this would be a great game for children. As in most games dealing with magic, you accumulate spells and potions to be used throughout the game. In the demo you receive a healing spell which is used consistently throughout the demo to heal people. It appears there will be more spells to collect throughout the game. There are morphing objects which are easy to locate. The collectibles are tokens which appear as blue wisps. This game is full of whimsy with mythical creatures and story based on treachery. As you traverse the game, enjoy a ride on a saddled chicken through a forest of purple trees.
THANKS, BOOLAT - NO HELPERS! From the demo it appears there are no helpers within this game. This game stands on its own merit without gimmicks. There are spells and potions; however, they are a logical addition to the game. I do like this game and I would have purchased it if had more activities and at least one challenging puzzle.
STORY: Apprentice wizard! Your mentor, Regis, Master Wizard and counsel to King Altus has been condemned to death for his attempt to murder the King! However, is he being framed for a crime he did not commit? Discover who is behind the assassination attempt. It is rumored that the king is under the influence of dark magic. The king is a widower with two sons. One of his sons, Valen, killed his brother and was banished by his father from the kingdom. Could Valen be behind this treachery? Locate the source of the treachery all while trying to save Rowena, the guardian of the forest – who is withering away.
HOP SCENES: It appears that there will be either more HOP scenes or an equal number of HOP scenes and puzzles. They are beautifully illustrated and creatively designed. There are quite a variety as well. The demo includes seven (7) scenes. Included is a FROG at the beginning of the game. There are storybook scenes in which you locate items listed in BOLD letters. There are couple of multiple-step ones as well. There is a rebus scene and a few mini-HOP scenes to locate a small amount of one item.
PUZZLES: The puzzles in the beginning are extremely easy. Toward the end of the demo, they were slightly harder, although I did not find any which were difficult. Included in the demo are a matching puzzle, moving tiles puzzle, a slider puzzle, a mathematical puzzle and a weights and balance puzzle. There is an amusing puzzle in which you ride a chicken through the kingdom all while avoiding obstacles in your path.
LEVELS: Casual, Normal, Expert, Custom
Hints and Skips: 10 to 120 seconds
Hints and Skips: 10 to 120 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
Get glyphs to perform magical healing,
20 Achievements
Collect 90 tokens
There are 14 morphing flowers to collect
Replay 21 Puzzles and 19 HOP scenes
9 Wallpapers, 18 Concept Art, Videos, Music
Map is provided as you play the game
Get glyphs to perform magical healing,
20 Achievements
Collect 90 tokens
There are 14 morphing flowers to collect
Replay 21 Puzzles and 19 HOP scenes
9 Wallpapers, 18 Concept Art, Videos, Music
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES:
(A) FROG. Collect pieces to construct an inventory item. There is a mini-puzzle in which you move books to restore an image created by the books. (B) Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD letters. (C) Mini-HOP scene. Locate 7 sticks and twigs (D) Multiple step. (1) Matching. Match up gloves (2) List of items (E) Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD YELLOW letters. (F) Mini-puzzle. Locate 7 pieces to open a chest. (G) Multiple step. (1) Locate 12 pearls and two obscure items in a pond scene. (2) Rebus clues.
(A) FROG. Collect pieces to construct an inventory item. There is a mini-puzzle in which you move books to restore an image created by the books. (B) Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD letters. (C) Mini-HOP scene. Locate 7 sticks and twigs (D) Multiple step. (1) Matching. Match up gloves (2) List of items (E) Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD YELLOW letters. (F) Mini-puzzle. Locate 7 pieces to open a chest. (G) Multiple step. (1) Locate 12 pearls and two obscure items in a pond scene. (2) Rebus clues.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult.
A. Matching. Match up runes. Rating: 1
B. Moving tiles. Move colored tiles so that they end up on a space of the same color.
C. Sequence puzzle. Click on runes on the outside of both sides of a shield, repositioning them so that they are in sequential order – matching the rune which is next to them. Rating: 1
D. Slider puzzle. Slide tiles up-and-down and right-and-left to restore a picture. Rating: 2
E. Weights and Balances puzzle. Distribute weights evenly by moving items of varying weights until the weight balance is equal on both sides. Rating: 2
F. Chicken race. Ride a chicken (I kid you not) and turn right or left according to arrows to arrive at a forest.
G. Geometric puzzle. Switch mirrors to angle light to connect two sets of like colored crystals with each other. Rating: 2
H. Switch puzzle. Move tokens and swap them so that the two pairs of a tree match. Rating: 2
A. Matching. Match up runes. Rating: 1
B. Moving tiles. Move colored tiles so that they end up on a space of the same color.
C. Sequence puzzle. Click on runes on the outside of both sides of a shield, repositioning them so that they are in sequential order – matching the rune which is next to them. Rating: 1
D. Slider puzzle. Slide tiles up-and-down and right-and-left to restore a picture. Rating: 2
E. Weights and Balances puzzle. Distribute weights evenly by moving items of varying weights until the weight balance is equal on both sides. Rating: 2
F. Chicken race. Ride a chicken (I kid you not) and turn right or left according to arrows to arrive at a forest.
G. Geometric puzzle. Switch mirrors to angle light to connect two sets of like colored crystals with each other. Rating: 2
H. Switch puzzle. Move tokens and swap them so that the two pairs of a tree match. Rating: 2
I recommend this game!
After your friend is abducted, can you escape the cemetery?
Overall rating
3
/
5
75 of 155 found this review helpful
AMBUSHING THE KEEPER’S HORSE AND GALLOPING OUT OF THIS GAME
PostedNovember 15, 2017
sunnyglow
fromDing Dong Bell – AMAX fell in the well with this game. This game should have stayed in the land of the dead. I didn’t find anything to “pull” this game out and save it!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: Judge for yourself! Shock! That is the best word to describe my reaction to this demo. Nothing in this game tipped the balance in favor of my purchasing it. The game could be better after the demo; however, the “snooze factor” within the demo did not entice me to purchase it. For me, this is the case of a fiasco snatched from the hands of Victory. This game had the potential to be another outstanding game this series, however, for me, it missed the mark.
There is one element I always loved about AMAX games – the graphics. In the past, no matter how poorly constructed the game, one could always enjoy the eye candy. Pretty princesses, handsome men, gorgeous scenery abound in most of this developer’s games. Not in this game! The graphics are blurry in many scenes and many are poorly illustrated! They seem dated as well. The story behind the premise of the game grabbed my interest. Despite its flaws, I would have purchased the game except for the game helper and endless amount of dialogue. It is not a bad game, it is just a poorly constructed one. This could be an outstanding game without the use of the two overused gimmicks. Sometimes, less is more! This game should appeal to those who love this series, those who love bronco-busting Wild West skeletons, high-pitched, freckled-faced damsels in distress or for the individual whose life hangs in the balance!
STORY: Arriving at your doorstep in the dead of night, your friend, Karen, a budding journalist, asking for help in story she is working on. Lights and noises are emanating from the cemetery along with a skeletal horseman, the Keeper of the Cemetery. Upon arrival, Karen is kidnapped, taken to the realm of the dead. You dive into this case by falling into a well, the portal to this world. You are greeted by Drake, a spirit trying to reconcile himself to his brother’s death. He blames himself for his brother’s death. However, what is the real story behind this brotherly duo? What is Dwayne hiding? You have a limited amount of time to solve the case, save Karen, and both of you leave the world of the dead or you both may be stuck there forever.
RIDDLE ME THIS: WHY DID AMAX ADD A RAVEN HELPER? “BE-CAWS” THEY “KAN”(SAS). Corny enough for you? I just bet AMAX picked up this “BIG old crow” from some Kansas corn field. Kansas corn fields seem to be the latest haunt for our developers nowadays. A murder of crows must have tagged along with Dorothy, Toto and all those other Kansans making their way to Emerald City (Seattle). They now have acting gigs in many BFG games. Our raven is used as the eyes and eyes for the Keeper of the Cemetery. I do believe the Keeper could have restored his sight. This helper raven is not needed, and for me, he detracts from the game
YOU WANT RICE OR NOODLES? Playing this demo made me hungry and created an intense desire for Chinese food. Pick A or B in this game – incessantly! Slowing down the pace of the game is the onslaught of choices of actions and dialogues. You must choose between two options in dialogue and actions to affect the outcome of the game. This is an excellent device which AMAX has used in other games; however, it overused in this game. The choice between options is key to the collectibles in the game. However, I found that pace slows down excessively by this device. I got tired of choosing between two dialogues and two actions repeatedly within the short demo.
HOP SCENES: There are only three (3) in the demo. Most of these involve locating a small number of one item. There is one scene which panoramic giving you a 3-dimensional view of the scene to locate dangerous beasts.
PUZZLES: There are only five (5) in the demo and they are easy. There is not a brain crusher in the bunch. However, it is difficult to assess the game with only five (5) puzzles. Three are physical puzzles involving hand/eye coordination. The other two are a very easy logic puzzle and a moving tiles puzzle which involves bells instead of tiles.
LEVELS: Casual, Advanced, Hard, Custom
Hints and Skips: 10 to 90 seconds
Hints and Skips: 10 to 90 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
12 Achievements
Replay 18 Puzzles and 17 HOP scenes
Collect 50 Order Levels and 50 Chaos Levels – You are being judged on your behavior. Be good!
10 Wallpapers, 20 Concept Art, 9 Screensavers, Music, 19 Videos
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
12 Achievements
Replay 18 Puzzles and 17 HOP scenes
Collect 50 Order Levels and 50 Chaos Levels – You are being judged on your behavior. Be good!
10 Wallpapers, 20 Concept Art, 9 Screensavers, Music, 19 Videos
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES:
(A) Find 12 differences between two photos. Not listed as a puzzle but more puzzle-like than a HOP scene. (B) Locate 12 clock parts. (C) Locate 13 dangerous creatures. Panoramic view. Move the cursor to get a 360 view of the scene.
(A) Find 12 differences between two photos. Not listed as a puzzle but more puzzle-like than a HOP scene. (B) Locate 12 clock parts. (C) Locate 13 dangerous creatures. Panoramic view. Move the cursor to get a 360 view of the scene.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Blind as a bat. Using a circle of light, traverse the scene clicking and picking off nasty bats you see. Rating: 1
B. A skull full of mush. Moving tiles puzzle. Pull down a series of 5 skulls onto a hole in the window within each one’s column. Moving one affects the others. Rating: 1
C. Did you get hit with an ugly stick Mr. Rabbit? Engage in a battle scene with an ugly skeletal rabbit. Follow a light on a diagram and when it turns green on a part of the rabbit’s body, click on the corresponding part of the rabbit.
D. Darn lyin’ bird. Logic problem. Remedy a code to open the cage to a skeletal bird by reading two sentences and then changing the placement of tokens on the locked cage.
E. Go fish. Obstacle course. Use a fishing line to get the key up the wall of the well while avoiding all obstacles in its path. Rating 1
A. Blind as a bat. Using a circle of light, traverse the scene clicking and picking off nasty bats you see. Rating: 1
B. A skull full of mush. Moving tiles puzzle. Pull down a series of 5 skulls onto a hole in the window within each one’s column. Moving one affects the others. Rating: 1
C. Did you get hit with an ugly stick Mr. Rabbit? Engage in a battle scene with an ugly skeletal rabbit. Follow a light on a diagram and when it turns green on a part of the rabbit’s body, click on the corresponding part of the rabbit.
D. Darn lyin’ bird. Logic problem. Remedy a code to open the cage to a skeletal bird by reading two sentences and then changing the placement of tokens on the locked cage.
E. Go fish. Obstacle course. Use a fishing line to get the key up the wall of the well while avoiding all obstacles in its path. Rating 1
I recommend this game!
Help the penguins decorate for a wedding ceremony in this latest mosaic adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
34 of 56 found this review helpful
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE WEDDING OF UNCLE AARON
PostedNovember 13, 2017
sunnyglow
fromDoes Uncle Aaron need to rent a tuxedo for the wedding, or is he properly attired in his own “penguin suit?”
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: All dressed up in his “penguin suit,” Uncle Aaron is ready to tie the knot with the future Aunt Una. You are invited to the wedding; however, your help is needed to help decorate for the wedding. Play a series of nonograms to get all those needed wedding supplies.
What a wonderful Monday surprise! A BIG THANK you to BFG for offering a game in one of my favorite genres. This is another excellent 5-star game from Match Gems. have played every game in the series and this game is designed exactly like the others.
I LOVE these games and Match Gems is one of the BEST developers for this type of game. This puzzle has many different names (AKA O’Ekaki, Griddlers, Paint-by-Numbers, Pic-a-Pix, Nonograms or whatever you call them); however, no matter the name, they are a fun puzzle game.
HOW TO PLAY: This is variety of a Sudoku puzzle. In this puzzle, create pictures by filling in squares in a grid. The grids in this game will vary in size. Each side of the grid will have numbers for each line of squares indicating the number of squares which are to be filled in for that row of squares. Squares are filled in where the squares intersect between the two sets of numbers on each side.
GAME FACTS:
• Levels: Casual and Advanced.
• Colors: The game has up to six colored screens which can be switched at any time while playing the puzzle.
• Autofill: There is autofill so you do not have to fill in the unused boxes. However, you can use your mouse to right click “X’s” for unused spaces.
• Hints: Hints are given as you proceed and are based on the difficulty of the puzzle and how well you perform in solving the grid
• Number of Levels and Puzzles: There are 100 puzzles – 20 levels with 5 puzzles per level in the game.
• Aids: You have a pickax as an aid in the game
• Awards: There are 3 trophies: a gold trophy for no mistakes, a silver trophy for 1 mistake, and a bronze trophy for two mistakes. If you make 3 mistakes, you must start the game over again.
• Collectibles. When you complete one level of 5 puzzles, you receive decorations for the wedding.
• Colors: The game has up to six colored screens which can be switched at any time while playing the puzzle.
• Autofill: There is autofill so you do not have to fill in the unused boxes. However, you can use your mouse to right click “X’s” for unused spaces.
• Hints: Hints are given as you proceed and are based on the difficulty of the puzzle and how well you perform in solving the grid
• Number of Levels and Puzzles: There are 100 puzzles – 20 levels with 5 puzzles per level in the game.
• Aids: You have a pickax as an aid in the game
• Awards: There are 3 trophies: a gold trophy for no mistakes, a silver trophy for 1 mistake, and a bronze trophy for two mistakes. If you make 3 mistakes, you must start the game over again.
• Collectibles. When you complete one level of 5 puzzles, you receive decorations for the wedding.
I highly recommend this game if you like Sudoku games or any type of mathematical puzzle.
I recommend this game!
Can you save your sister on the Day of the Dead?
Overall rating
2
/
5
106 of 173 found this review helpful
HIDING BEHIND THE VEIL OF THE DEMO IS THE FIASCO I PURCHASED
PostedNovember 11, 2017
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME – Time: 4 Hours
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 36 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 36 Pages
OVERVIEW: Can I get my money back? ¡Feliz Día de los Muertos! (Happy Day of the Dead!) - except for me! Yes, I purchased this game and then regretted it! Prepare for a game loosely based on an annual Mexican festival, held on November 2. I love Mexican culture and collect Day of the Dead artwork. I was excited to play this game! I purchased it based on the well-crafted demo. The graphics are incredibly beautiful and truly reflect the heritage of this country. However, after the demo, the mask came off and I soon found myself wondering where the wonderful game went. If I burn copal, is it possible, the spiritual essence of the game might return?
What happened to the promising start to this game? I guess it returned to the Underworld, because out popped one of the worst games I have played this year. The well-crafted puzzles left as did the beautifully constructed HOP scenes. The pace slowed down to a snail’s crawl. You collect the same signs as seen in other games. There are the usual morphing objects within the HOP scenes. You can replay puzzles and HOP scenes. Although it is a SHORT GAME, by the time the main game was finished, I was ready for it to be over.
¡CARAMBA! LOS GIMMICKOS: Did EIPIX go to a Mexican flea market in search of gimmicks? It appears EIPIX decided to throw in a new gimmick for almost every chapter. Throughout the game you use a special knife, the Xolotl knife which will be used to cut through the net cast by the Shadow Fishermen. This would be sufficient; however, EIPIX threw others into the mix. In one chapter you get a gimmicky mirror. Another chapter includes a talking skull. You also get a gimmicky hourglass to accompany you through the bonus chapter.
DIEGO THE TALKING SKULL HELPER. EIPIX has never had helpers within their games -until now. Throughout one whole chapter you get the services of Diego, a chatting skull with a horrible Spanish accent. He talks incessantly, and you will need to use him excessively throughout this chapter. By the end of the chapter I was searching for a sarape to stuff into his big bony mouth. He also makes a farewell appearance at the end of the main game.
BONUS GAME – In the bonus game, you will need to return the island of Alma back to its original state. That will be quite a job. I have not played the complete chapter, nor do I intend to do so. Upon site of a gimmicky hourglass used within this chapter, I declined Death’s offer.
STORY: What price would you pay to have your beloved returned to your life – or death? In this game you will discover love may come with a painful price, destroying everything in its path. Play Elena who has just lost her job and returned to Alma (soul in Spanish), an island off the coast of Mexico. She returns just as the festivities for Day of the Dead are beginning in her home town. However, something has gone awry as the veil between the worlds of the living and dead has been breached. Now, you, as Elena, must help La Muerta (Death) restore order. The Shadow Fishermen have been unleashed, destroying everything in their path. Be careful! Instead of a picnic in a cemetery (traditional for the holiday), you may end up as a tasty “taco pescado - grande” (big fish taco). If you do a good job Elena, you might end up in a new career as well.
HOP SCENES: There are fifteen (15) in the main game. Some are well-designed, and some are not. They are thematic using items associated with this holiday including an Aztec Calendar, calavera (skull), and Maya runes. Most are silhouette items and lists of items. There is one scene with rebus clues and, of course, what would an EIPIX game be without their signature HOP scene? Surprisingly there is only ONE Storybook scene. You can also play a Skipping Stones game in lieu of the scene.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-three (23) puzzles in the main game. The puzzles in the demo are creative. After the demo, they are poorly constructed. AGAIN, THERE IS A LACK OF ADEQUATE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOME OF THE PUZZLES. There is also a Xolotl knife puzzle, which is used every time you must use the knife. Here is a sampling of puzzles from the game.
A. Xolotl Knife puzzle. This is a variation of a rope puzzle. You must maneuver tokens onto an underlying design so the tokens, ropes and underlying design intermesh. It increases in difficulty as you proceed in the game.
B. Mexican Hat Dance! Sequence puzzle. Pick up and absorb a myriad of sombreros until only one sombrero remains.
C. Ye old fence/gate puzzle. Using five lines, separate a rock into sections so that two different symbols are within each section.
D. Physical puzzle. Using arrows center two dots so they center with dots of light within the scene. This puzzle was difficult to maneuver. Not well-designed.
E. Physical puzzle. Move a lever up-and-down to create openings for a ball to move through freely. A waste of space!
F. Snake charmer! Physical puzzle. Calm an ugly, scary snake by moving a token throughout a screen to calm it down? Poorly constructed puzzle. I had no idea what I was doing. I tried working with the token but gave up and skipped the puzzle.
G. Logic Puzzle. Arrange tropical birds on perches according to given instructions.
H. Is this the bridge to a better game? Tangram puzzle. Create a bridge by placing pieces of the bridge into the proper location so there are no gaps.
I. Crossing the bridge to more of the same. Go across the completed bridge from the last puzzle by calculating your steps (from one to three steps) so you end up ending up at the end of the bridge with no final steps remaining.
B. Mexican Hat Dance! Sequence puzzle. Pick up and absorb a myriad of sombreros until only one sombrero remains.
C. Ye old fence/gate puzzle. Using five lines, separate a rock into sections so that two different symbols are within each section.
D. Physical puzzle. Using arrows center two dots so they center with dots of light within the scene. This puzzle was difficult to maneuver. Not well-designed.
E. Physical puzzle. Move a lever up-and-down to create openings for a ball to move through freely. A waste of space!
F. Snake charmer! Physical puzzle. Calm an ugly, scary snake by moving a token throughout a screen to calm it down? Poorly constructed puzzle. I had no idea what I was doing. I tried working with the token but gave up and skipped the puzzle.
G. Logic Puzzle. Arrange tropical birds on perches according to given instructions.
H. Is this the bridge to a better game? Tangram puzzle. Create a bridge by placing pieces of the bridge into the proper location so there are no gaps.
I. Crossing the bridge to more of the same. Go across the completed bridge from the last puzzle by calculating your steps (from one to three steps) so you end up ending up at the end of the bridge with no final steps remaining.
LEVELS: Easy, Medium, Hard, Custom
Hint: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
Hint: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
Replay 14 HOP scenes and 21 Puzzles
13 Achievements (Some with 3 parts)
Collect 35 Signs.
11 Morphing objects (Within the HOP scenes)
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Video, Music,
Map is provided as you play the game
Replay 14 HOP scenes and 21 Puzzles
13 Achievements (Some with 3 parts)
Collect 35 Signs.
11 Morphing objects (Within the HOP scenes)
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Video, Music,
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save yourself and your daughter in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
135 of 211 found this review helpful
WELCOME TO GRAY FALLS - GO PAST THE SIGNPOST AND ENTER ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR!
PostedNovember 9, 2017
sunnyglow
fromEver heard Billy Ocean’s theme song “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car?” This game’s theme song should be “Getta Outta Your Car, Get Into My Dreams”
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME - Time: 4 Hours – Main Game
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages
OVERVIEW: Welcome to one of the best games this year – a psychological thriller which is packed with incredible, creatively designed HOP scenes and puzzles. And although it is a puzzle-intense game, in my opinion, this game contains the BEST DESIGNED HOP SCENE THIS YEAR – a piece of creative genius! Elephant spent a great deal of effort in producing this little gem. The graphics contain surrealistic imagery of a nightmare world. However, the game is not dark as one might expect with a sci-fi/horror theme. The game presents a surrealistic creepy nightmare world with soft tones contrasted with garish colors!
This fast-paced game is frightening and thought-provoking as well. You will ask yourself, “This scenario of a futuristic world of science-gone-amuck could not possibly exist – or could it? You collect the same flowers as in all the “Surface” games. Some are well-hidden and do take some effort to locate. A secret room awaits you at the end of the game to trade in those flowers for 3 additional HOP scenes. You also collect figurines of the twelve (12) characters from the game. You also can replay some of the puzzles and HOP scenes. The game moves quickly from scene-to-scene. I LOVE this game and it was an automatic purchase for me! This is a must-have for those who love sci-fi horror.
MAIN STORY: Wake up Mom! Awaken to your own living nightmare! After experiencing a car crash near the abandoned town of Gray Falls, wake up to the horror that your precious six-year old daughter Maya is missing. Your worst fears will be realized as you enter a town which is not as abandoned as it may appear. Hidden beneath the façade of this town is the lair of a secret facility working on an experimental research project called “Project Dawn.” Unfortunately, your daughter has been lured and ensnared within its web. She has been led into the heart of the project by a lonely boy named Darren. You will need to work feverishly to locate your daughter and escape this futuristic “Village of the Damned.” As you traverse the town, be prepared to meet the ghosts within the town and enter their nightmares as well.
BONUS CHAPTER: I have not finished the bonus chapter. However, it is a prequel with a story reminiscent of the television series, “Under the Dome,” Gray Fall’s residents are also imprisoned under a dome and plot to escape the town. It is a long chapter and, to me, truly worth the additional price. From what I have played, it contains the same quality in puzzles and HOP scenes as in the main game.
HOP SCENES: There are fifteen (15) scenes in the main game. For once, I truly enjoyed playing HOP scenes. They are same ones we have in other games; however, their design puts them in a class of their own. A few of the scenes also contain mini-puzzles as well. Some of the more creative scenes include searching for runes on the many arms of a nurse in a panoramic setting. Another scene involves searching for items on two computer screens. In this scene you must flip back-and-forth between the scenes. There is also a FROG scene in which you locate pieces for a doll.
BEST HOP SCENE THIS YEAR! In a surreal scene, find yourself searching for items on a whirling diorama. The scene is a town which is slanted and 3-dimensional. First locate silhouette items whirling back-and-forth between the two scenes. Then place the items back into the scenes. Finally interact with the scene taking items from one scene and whirling back to place them within the other scene. Go back-and-forth searching for items, replacing them and interacting with the scene. There is also a mini-puzzle within this scene. Hopefully other developers will get inspiration from this creatively designed scene.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-six puzzles within the main game. This is a puzzle-intense game. The puzzles vary in style and difficulty. They are thematic. Here are few of my favorites:
PUZZLES: There are twenty-six puzzles within the main game. This is a puzzle-intense game. The puzzles vary in style and difficulty. They are thematic. Here are few of my favorites:
A. Poof! Where did my snacks go? Match-3 puzzle (variation). Remove all food tokens from a grid by connecting 2 or more like tokens next to each other. By clicking on one, all the others will be removed as well. 3X Increases in difficulty. I truly wanted to keep that popcorn!
B. Me and My Shadow. Choose the animals associated with shadows on a wall. The shadows are formed by the shadows created by the positioning of mechanical hands.
C. What a web we weave! Maze puzzle. Spiders beware. Create a maze for a spider to exit its web by connecting green dots upon the web. The clincher is that you must switch four segments of the web to create the path.
D. Memories of my nightmare! Jigsaw puzzle. A tricky little puzzle which uses three syringes to manipulate pieces of a picture until they forge together.
E. BEST PUZZLE OF THE GAME: Where is an a-maze-ing doctor when you need one? Maze puzzle. Guide a doctor through a maze picking up inventory items for use within the maze, all while trying to get to the exit. Your doctor will also meander back-and-forth within the long maze to interact with objects along its path. Find the doctor engaged in some death-defying activities such as flying on a hang glider or pushing clouds away to help her get through that maze. It Is a LONG puzzle and truly well-crafted.
B. Me and My Shadow. Choose the animals associated with shadows on a wall. The shadows are formed by the shadows created by the positioning of mechanical hands.
C. What a web we weave! Maze puzzle. Spiders beware. Create a maze for a spider to exit its web by connecting green dots upon the web. The clincher is that you must switch four segments of the web to create the path.
D. Memories of my nightmare! Jigsaw puzzle. A tricky little puzzle which uses three syringes to manipulate pieces of a picture until they forge together.
E. BEST PUZZLE OF THE GAME: Where is an a-maze-ing doctor when you need one? Maze puzzle. Guide a doctor through a maze picking up inventory items for use within the maze, all while trying to get to the exit. Your doctor will also meander back-and-forth within the long maze to interact with objects along its path. Find the doctor engaged in some death-defying activities such as flying on a hang glider or pushing clouds away to help her get through that maze. It Is a LONG puzzle and truly well-crafted.
LEVELS: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore, Custom
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
20 Achievements
Collect the usual Surface flowers in 70 locations and 12 Morphing Character figurines
Replay 15 HOP scenes and 11 Puzzles
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, Screensaver, Music, Secret Room
Map is provided as you play the game
20 Achievements
Collect the usual Surface flowers in 70 locations and 12 Morphing Character figurines
Replay 15 HOP scenes and 11 Puzzles
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, Screensaver, Music, Secret Room
I recommend this game!
Take a trip around the world and solve over 100 colorful mosaics puzzles!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 15 found this review helpful
EXPLORE A WHOLE NEW WORLD - ONE FILLLED WITH DIVERSITY OF PUZZLES IN DIFFERENT COLORS AND SHAPES
PostedNovember 6, 2017
sunnyglow
fromThis developer has opened up a whole new world of creativity in nonograms!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: A BIG THANK YOU TO BFG! What a wonderful Monday surprise! Travel the world with a rich diversity of mosaic puzzles differing in colors and shapes. This developer is now the one to beat in the creation of these games. I LOVE this type of game and this one is well-crafted – truly exquisite! As you play each puzzle, you will add to your wisdom about the world. Every puzzle contains a small blurb about some aspect of the country you are visiting. Each level contains fifteen (15) puzzles which can be modified for your enjoyment.
Customize this game to your preference! This game provides some special features not available from other developers in this game genre. There are up to six colors used within the puzzle. There are also puzzles featuring different shapes and some allow you to switch the tiles as well. There are three levels of play with the ability to customize the game. The colors are vivid and the completed pictures are recognizable and well-defined. There is an ample supply of puzzles in all levels of difficulty. The grids vary as well.
Customize this game to your preference! This game provides some special features not available from other developers in this game genre. There are up to six colors used within the puzzle. There are also puzzles featuring different shapes and some allow you to switch the tiles as well. There are three levels of play with the ability to customize the game. The colors are vivid and the completed pictures are recognizable and well-defined. There is an ample supply of puzzles in all levels of difficulty. The grids vary as well.
This is a quality game which is a must have for all lovers of this type of puzzle. It is a steal at the listed price!
HOW TO PLAY: This is variety of a Sudoku puzzle. In this puzzle, create pictures by filling in squares in a grid. The grids in this game will vary in size. Each side of the grid will have numbers for each line of squares indicating the number of squares which are to be filled in for that row of squares. Squares are filled in where the squares intersect between the two sets of numbers on each side.
GAME FACTS:
• Levels: Casual, Normal, Expert, and Custom.
• In the customized version you can choose between 30 to 120 seconds for the hint bar to refill and you can choose between 1 to 5 errors before you must restart the puzzles.
• Choice between whether you cross off the numbers listed at the top and on the sides - either one-by-one or when a row is complete.
• Colors: The game has up to six colored screens which can be switched at any time while playing the puzzle.
• Puzzles vary by colors and shapes. There are puzzles which allow you to swap tiles.
• Autofill: The computer will automatically fill in unused squares with X’s.
• You get up to three stars per puzzle if you meet the requirements by finishing it without errors and within a specific time.
• In the customized version you can choose between 30 to 120 seconds for the hint bar to refill and you can choose between 1 to 5 errors before you must restart the puzzles.
• Choice between whether you cross off the numbers listed at the top and on the sides - either one-by-one or when a row is complete.
• Colors: The game has up to six colored screens which can be switched at any time while playing the puzzle.
• Puzzles vary by colors and shapes. There are puzzles which allow you to swap tiles.
• Autofill: The computer will automatically fill in unused squares with X’s.
• You get up to three stars per puzzle if you meet the requirements by finishing it without errors and within a specific time.
I highly recommend this game if you like Sudoku games or any type of mathematical puzzle.
I recommend this game!
Can you catch a murderer that’s terrorizing a local university?
Overall rating
3
/
5
50 of 130 found this review helpful
STUCK IN A STUFFY OLD UNIVERSITY SOLVING ANOTHER MURDER MYSTERY
PostedNovember 3, 2017
sunnyglow
fromHaving the choice between taking a final exam or playing this game – I opt for the final.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
OVERVIEW: Congratulations Ms. Douglas. Your “Dead Reckoning” novels have been recognized for literary excellence by Discipulus University. You are off to attend the award ceremony and get the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. However, like Jessica Fletcher, the fictional TV detective, you cannot go anywhere without murder following you. This time, the former Head Master, Miles Goldstein, has been found murdered. There is a list of candidates who may have murdered him, including a few faculty members who covet getting this deceased Head Master’s job. Get ready for more sleuthing and more material for yet another novel. By the way, take some time to pick up that award as well!
This game is another cookie cutter game indicative of every other murder mystery game from this developer. The graphics are decent. The story is reminiscent of the “Murder She Wrote” television series. I would have purchased this game except for the time-consuming task of verifying evidence. You spend most of your time in a snail-paced search for evidence on suspects. After you are given statements concerning the suspects, you must search the scene for evidence to substantiate it. I grew weary of searching for this evidence. You collect signs and there are morphing objects within the HOP scenes. You can play a bubbleshooter game in lieu of the HOP scenes. This game may appeal to “Murder She Wrote” fans or those who love murder mystery novels or television shows. Playing both the beta and the demo was painful. Looks my weekend will be spend sleuthing for a decent game to play.
GET OUT THE CHISTMAS SLEIGH - MCF IS COMING TO TOWN. Making a list and checking it twice – ‘tis the season for the annual (let’s make that semi-annual now) BFG flagship game, “Mystery Case Files.” This upcoming flagship game for BFG should appear right before Thanksgiving and right before the Christmas rush. EIPIX announces this upcoming event within this game through a pinball machine puzzle. The voice of Alistair Dalimar from the Ravenhearst series of MCF games jeers at you as you play the puzzle. Of course, the Ravenhearst series with Alistair Dalimar was excellent, so it was amusing for me to listen to his voice echoing through that pinball machine. It also reminds me of a time when EIPIX produced outstanding games! Although it is blatant advertising, this is A GREAT PUZZLE and my favorite part of this rather boring game!
HOP SCENES: The scenes are reminiscent of those from all other EIPIX games. They are conventional lists of items, silhouette, and storybook scenes. You also view statements about each suspect in which you must find items within the scene which validate the statement. As stated, you can play a bubbleshooter game in lieu of the scenes.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are all easy in the demo except the pinball game. Other puzzles include a physical puzzle in which you use a hang glider to plot a path to arrive at the university. Again, there are INCOMPLETE PUZZLE DIRECTIONS FOR THIS PUZZLE! Another puzzle finds the player locating differences between two scenes within a newspaper. Whirl around the world in another cleverly produced sequence puzzle! Rotate a globe back-and-forth, clicking on attached world flags in the proper sequence. There is also a switch puzzle putting trophies in place and a tangram puzzle placing pieces into the proper location to create letters of the alphabet.
LEVELS: Freshman, Sophomore, Senior, Professor
Hints: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
Hints: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game – it is uploaded to your phone
23 Achievements
Replay 10 HOP scenes and 19 Puzzles
Collect 37 Hidden Signs
9 Morphing objects within the HOP scenes
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Screensavers, Music, Souvenir Room
Map is provided as you play the game – it is uploaded to your phone
23 Achievements
Replay 10 HOP scenes and 19 Puzzles
Collect 37 Hidden Signs
9 Morphing objects within the HOP scenes
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Screensavers, Music, Souvenir Room
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES: There is a bubbleshooter game to play in lieu of the scenes.
(A) Silhouette. (B) Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD letters. (C) List of items. – Match two items related in some way to the item mentioned. (D) Find physical signs for 3 observations given to you (E) Locate 3 clues on a table (F) Locate 3 pieces of evidence on a corpse, then, locate 3 pieces of evidence in the crime scene. (G) Locate 3 pieces of evidence on a corpse
(A) Silhouette. (B) Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD letters. (C) List of items. – Match two items related in some way to the item mentioned. (D) Find physical signs for 3 observations given to you (E) Locate 3 clues on a table (F) Locate 3 pieces of evidence on a corpse, then, locate 3 pieces of evidence in the crime scene. (G) Locate 3 pieces of evidence on a corpse
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Map puzzle. Using your phone, map a route for a hang glider to reach the university. Rotate tiles to create the path, avoiding wind currents. Rating 1.
B. Find the differences. Locate differences between two pictures in a newspaper. Rating: 1
C. Maze puzzle. Guide a key through a grid so that it opens all locks within it and does not retrace its steps. 2X Rating: 1
D. Sequence puzzle. Click on flags of the world in the correct sequence until all are green. You must whirl a globe around the locate the flags. Rating: 1
E. The Dalimar Pinball machine of family strife! Mathematical puzzle. Angle bumpers in a pinball machine so that the ball ends up in at a specific hole within the machine. Guide balls in a pinball while listening to voices from the Alistair Dalimar from MCF fame taunt you. Ravens appear when you win. Rating: 3
F. Switch puzzle. Switch trophies so that they are in the proper location Rating: 1
G. Tangram puzzle. Place pieces into a letter grid so that all pieces are used, and each letter is filled with tangrams. Rating: 2
A. Map puzzle. Using your phone, map a route for a hang glider to reach the university. Rotate tiles to create the path, avoiding wind currents. Rating 1.
B. Find the differences. Locate differences between two pictures in a newspaper. Rating: 1
C. Maze puzzle. Guide a key through a grid so that it opens all locks within it and does not retrace its steps. 2X Rating: 1
D. Sequence puzzle. Click on flags of the world in the correct sequence until all are green. You must whirl a globe around the locate the flags. Rating: 1
E. The Dalimar Pinball machine of family strife! Mathematical puzzle. Angle bumpers in a pinball machine so that the ball ends up in at a specific hole within the machine. Guide balls in a pinball while listening to voices from the Alistair Dalimar from MCF fame taunt you. Ravens appear when you win. Rating: 3
F. Switch puzzle. Switch trophies so that they are in the proper location Rating: 1
G. Tangram puzzle. Place pieces into a letter grid so that all pieces are used, and each letter is filled with tangrams. Rating: 2
I recommend this game!