sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,084
- Reviews Submitted:815
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:March 25, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
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!
Save your cousin and his new bride from a horrible beast!
Overall rating
3
/
5
64 of 130 found this review helpful
TAME FARE FROM A BEASTLY FAIRY TALE GAME
PostedNovember 2, 2017
sunnyglow
fromThis bride and groom are perfect for the reality show “Shedding for the Wedding.” Instead of losing a few pounds, our groom Leo needs to tidy up the castle and shed the “hair” from the “hairy beast.”
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter
OVERVIEW: Is your favorite Disney delight “Beauty and the Beast?” Then, you will love this game! All decked out in hearts, roses, and love eternal, this game is ready to march down the aisle of romantic fantasy gaming! Play Kate Petite, off to see your cousin Leo as he weds doting Beatrix. High within their castle sprinkled with love and pixie dust, you soon discover that all is not well for Prince Charming and his dear doe-eyed bride. A beast has entered the castle and imprisoned all the guests within it. You are the last guest to arrive! With everyone within the castle now enchanted by the beast, you are the only one who can save the castle and cousin Leo. Hurry! Everyone is waiting to get a piece of the wedding cake! Oh! I almost forgot - Get prepared for a surprise ending at the end of the demo!
This is a fantasy-delight which should appeal to those who love fairy tales and believe in love eternal. This is one which children would enjoy playing as well. It is an easy-breezy game with easy puzzles and standard HOP scenes. The graphics are beautiful. The story is somewhat creative in its presentation. I did not purchase this game, so I have no idea if it is long, short or if the game is better after the demo. I don’t usually purchase fairy tale games unless they are exceptional. I found the demo somewhat boring to play; however, if you prefer this genre of game, I do believe you will love it!
NO MAGIC SPARKLE! As stated, there was no fairy dust to enchant me to purchase this game. I try to adjudicate a game by its quality, if possible. This game is NOT as good as fairy tale games from other developers. However, although it does have its faults, it is decent. However, to me, this game does NOT merit 5 stars. The HOP scenes lack creative design. In the demo, most are noninteractive boring lists of items. The puzzles are rehashed ones seen many times before in other games.
MIRROR, MIRROR ON MY INVENTORY BAR. You get a gimmicky mirror who speaks to you after it has been recharged by a magic crystal. It will give you some information you need to know to proceed in the game.
HOP SCENES. I found them very disappointing. They lack creativity, and most are standard lists of items. There is some interactivity in one of them. In the demo there is a storybook scene in which the items to be located surround the page of a storybook.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are all easy. There is not one puzzle to stump the newlyweds’ guests. Ooh and Ah! - There is a logic problem with “cutesy” BIG EYED baby animals which must be placed within the grid so that only one of each animal appears in a row or column. This is an old chestnut which has been around for some time; however, our developer made it cute and adorable. There is a switch puzzle to restore the pictures of the bride and groom. There is also another switch puzzle to restore the animal faces of seven (7) tokens. Finally, it is hearts and flowers for you as you match up some frozen roses with each other.
FAVORITE PUZZLE: There is a Match-3 game with three parts in which the player must connect like tokens and remove them from the grid so that none remain. This is the only puzzle which I enjoyed in the game.
LEVELS: Casual, Advanced, Expert, Custom
Hints: 10 to 180 seconds Skips: 10 to 320 seconds
Hints: 10 to 180 seconds Skips: 10 to 320 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is given to you as you play the game.
Replay 11 puzzles and unknown amount of HOP scenes
24 Achievements
Collect 68 owls and morphing objects (unknown number)
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, 4 Screensavers
Map is given to you as you play the game.
Replay 11 puzzles and unknown amount of HOP scenes
24 Achievements
Collect 68 owls and morphing objects (unknown number)
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, 4 Screensavers
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) Storybook scene. Choose among items surrounding the book which fit the description indicated in the book. (C) Locate 13 living things (D) List of items. (E) Multiple step. (1) List of items (2) Search only for numbers within a wall with many other items.
(A) List of items (B) Storybook scene. Choose among items surrounding the book which fit the description indicated in the book. (C) Locate 13 living things (D) List of items. (E) Multiple step. (1) List of items (2) Search only for numbers within a wall with many other items.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. You look beastly! Switch puzzle. Switch pieces of 7 tokens to restore them to the animal face on the token. The picture of the animal Is next to the token it represents. Rating: 2
B. Hearts and flowers! Matching puzzle. Find the matching roses and remove them. Rating: 1
C. Nothing will break us apart! Switch puzzle. Restore two pictures of ye bride and groom by switching pieces back-and-forth between the two pictures.
D. Remove them all! Match-3 Puzzle. Remove all tokens from the grid by connecting 3 or more like tokens to remove them. 3X Rating: 2
E. You are just so adorable, cutie pie! Logic problem. In a 5 x 5 grid, place 25 animals in the grid so that no two are in the same row or column. Rating: 1 or 2 depending if you have played this game before. For me, years!
A. You look beastly! Switch puzzle. Switch pieces of 7 tokens to restore them to the animal face on the token. The picture of the animal Is next to the token it represents. Rating: 2
B. Hearts and flowers! Matching puzzle. Find the matching roses and remove them. Rating: 1
C. Nothing will break us apart! Switch puzzle. Restore two pictures of ye bride and groom by switching pieces back-and-forth between the two pictures.
D. Remove them all! Match-3 Puzzle. Remove all tokens from the grid by connecting 3 or more like tokens to remove them. 3X Rating: 2
E. You are just so adorable, cutie pie! Logic problem. In a 5 x 5 grid, place 25 animals in the grid so that no two are in the same row or column. Rating: 1 or 2 depending if you have played this game before. For me, years!
I recommend this game!
An earthquake reveals a hidden palace full of deadly secrets!
Overall rating
1
/
5
57 of 107 found this review helpful
ANOTHER EXPEDITION INTO BOREDOM
PostedOctober 27, 2017
sunnyglow
fromI wish Mithridates had developed an antidote for poorly constructed games.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
REVIEW BASED ON THE DEMO.
OVERVIEW: H.E.L.P.! After an earthquake in Turkey, two fellow archaeologists have discovered the palace of King Mithridates. However, they have disappeared! You and your cohort are off to locate these two fellow operatives. However, upon arrival, you discover both have been poisoned and it will be a race for you to discover the antidote. King Mithridates was an expert in poisons, so the recipe for this antidote is somewhere within this palace. Race against time because not only must you save your fellow members, the poison from this palace has found its way into the water supply of the surrounding community. You have only five (5) days to stop the poison from destroying the water supply!
H.E.L.P.! Get me out of this game! Do I care if half of Turkey has contaminated water? Not after playing the demo for this game! This game is one of the most boring games I have played this year. It may not be after the demo, but I don’t want to purchase it to find out. This game may appeal to history buffs or those who like Indiana Jones type fiction. However, for me, the gameplay drags at a snail’s pace. My question is – how can any developer take a riveting story such as this one and create a game which puts the player to sleep?
I must admit, however, half way through the demo, the pace does pick up a little. Like all those intrepid investigators from H.E.L.P., should I venture further into this game and break down and purchase it? Not me! I am not that brave because, if this game is like other games from this developer, the game is not as good after the demo. EIPIX is known to put all their goodies in the demo.
Still interested in playing? Here are more facts to add to those “fact cards.” The graphics display high-tech graphics as usual for this game series. You collect fact cards giving factual historical tidbits about this king and his kingdom. There are also morphing objects within the HOP scenes and you collect signs as well.
I’VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO YOUR FACE! Is it déjà vu? Do you have the sneaky feeling you have seen the faces of those characters before? Well, glory be – you have! The same actors are in every one of their games. Please, EIPIX, find some new actors or even better - use your imagination to draw new characters for your games.
FINAL CUT: It may be that this game is coming out at the wrong time of the year. After playing so many fantastic games lately dealing with Halloween, I have no desire to play this one, even with the more difficult puzzles.
HOP SCENES: I am not impressed with the HOP scenes. In the demo they are primarily lists of items. There is one multiple-step on which does include a scene utilizing rebus clues. There is not even a game to play in lieu of the scenes. These nondescript scenes just add to the slow pace of the game.
PUZZLES: There are some difficult puzzles within this game. Again, some of the directions are missing satisfactory explanation of what to do within the puzzle. However, as a puzzle fan, I was happy to play the two brain crushers in the demo. Most of the puzzles are easy, however. There is a physical puzzle in which you cross a mountain pass via rope. When your vision becomes blurry, you must align tokens to sharpen the image within the scene. There are also a simplistic rotating rings puzzle and an easy maze puzzle leading a marble to the center of the maze. There are two difficult logic problems. In one you must maneuver bear claws through a series of paths which change direction. Figuring out how to maneuver those paths is tricky. In the other you must move a sun by swinging it from one location to another turning off blue lights as you proceed. You will need to spend some time on the two logic problems.
INCOMPLETE DIRECTIONS FOR PUZZLES: Am I a voice crying in the desert? Hello EIPIX! Again, EIPIX does not provide adequate directions for the challenging puzzles within their games. Challenging puzzles require more direction than easier ones. I figured them out; however, it would it would have been nice to have been given a little more direction.
IS THERE AN ANTIDOTE TO BORING GAMES? EIPIX needs to develop an antidote for the recent production of mediocre games. What once was a pillar of a gaming empire, this developer is declining in the quality. They need to up the pace within their games.
LEVELS: Explorer, Adventurer, H.E.L.P. Operative, Custom
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 – Some with 3 sections
Collect Fact cards giving history about this site and 37 signs
Replay 15 HOP scenes and 17 puzzles
15 Morphing objects (Within HOP scenes)
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Music, Souvenir Room
Map is provided as you play the game
13 Achievements – Some with 3 sections
Collect Fact cards giving history about this site and 37 signs
Replay 15 HOP scenes and 17 puzzles
15 Morphing objects (Within HOP scenes)
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, 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) List of items (C) Multiple step. (1) Locate 12 of one item – lions (2) Rebus items. (D) List of items.
(A) List of items (B) List of items (C) Multiple step. (1) Locate 12 of one item – lions (2) Rebus items. (D) List of items.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Physical puzzle. Glide along a rope to make you way across a chasm. You will experience double vision. Maneuver one to two tokens to restore your vision back to normal. 2X Rating: 1
B. Switch puzzle. Switch four mosaics into proper sequence to tell a story. Rating: 1
C. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate rings on a column until they spell the Greek word for lion. Rating: 1
D. Maze/strategy puzzle. Maneuver two bear paws in a maze so they reach a space at the bottom which has them interconnected with each other. You can only maneuver one of the paws which moves the other as well. You must go back and forth and up and down on the paths provided. Rating: 3
E. Maze puzzle. Lead an amphora to the middle of a maze. You must pick up two other items before reaching the center. Rating: 1
F. Logic problem. Move a sun through a maze of traps and devices to its destination - out of a door. Rating: 3
A. Physical puzzle. Glide along a rope to make you way across a chasm. You will experience double vision. Maneuver one to two tokens to restore your vision back to normal. 2X Rating: 1
B. Switch puzzle. Switch four mosaics into proper sequence to tell a story. Rating: 1
C. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate rings on a column until they spell the Greek word for lion. Rating: 1
D. Maze/strategy puzzle. Maneuver two bear paws in a maze so they reach a space at the bottom which has them interconnected with each other. You can only maneuver one of the paws which moves the other as well. You must go back and forth and up and down on the paths provided. Rating: 3
E. Maze puzzle. Lead an amphora to the middle of a maze. You must pick up two other items before reaching the center. Rating: 1
F. Logic problem. Move a sun through a maze of traps and devices to its destination - out of a door. Rating: 3
I don't recommend this game.
Can you solve an old murder case and save your sister?
Overall rating
5
/
5
88 of 154 found this review helpful
ANOTHER “SPOOKTACULAR” GAME FOR THE HALLOWEEN SEASON
PostedOctober 25, 2017
sunnyglow
fromIs this family related to the Dalimar family? Are Alistair and Charles and those crazy twins, Charlotte and Gwendolyn, hiding somewhere in this "family tree?"
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: Game Play Time: 5 Hours
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter: Strategy Guide: 44 Pages
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter: Strategy Guide: 44 Pages
OVERVIEW: Seems like old times, doesn’t it Rick? It is a cold “blast from the past” as you return to memories and old haunts from the 1980’s. Return to an abandoned house you and your sister Dana visited as a child. Now your sister Dana is suffering from an illness, the same illness that affected your mother. Lying in her bed, your sister murmurs something about this house. She is seemingly being affected by events which happened at that house. You are off to the city of Portland to investigate what elements of this house could be affecting your sister. This house is chuck full of ghosts from the Wantley family who were murdered within this home. Learn about the ghosts, Alleta, her twin sons, and her philandering husband, Garth. What happened in that “home, less-than-sweet home,” to cause it to become haunted by its former inhabitants? Get prepared for more twist and turns and a surprise ending in this game! The ending may haunt you for years – well maybe not – but it is still a little unsettling!
Boo! to you from Daily Magic. What a great game! This game is LONG with many activities. The game is BETTER AFTER THE DEMO! The HOP scenes are rather blasé; however, the FORTY-FIVE (45) puzzles become more difficult within the game. There are also instances of puzzle-like activities which are not identified as such. Many of these are creatively designed. This is a wonderful creepy frightfest for the Halloween season. The story is well-written. Whoever writes the gaming scripts for this developer is excellent! The graphics are perfectly created to put a chill down your spine. You collect coins to purchase arcade games. Search for morphing objects – jigsaw pieces for puzzles to be played after the game. Is this the last chance to stock up on those Halloween gaming goodies? It may be. I purchased this game knowing this is probably the last one for the Halloween season.
CASUAL VERSUS HARD PUZZLES: Toward the end of the main game, you get a few puzzles with the choice between playing them in a casual or hard mode. I hope this developer will continue down this path. This makes the game more enjoyable for those of us who want some challenging puzzles.
THE GHOSTS OF INVISIBLE OBJECTS: We have yet another game in which we must search for items invisible to the naked eye. (I guess all the developers got the memo that “invisible items” are now the new WOW factor in HOP games along with runes!) We have another gimmicky device to locate objects not visible to the naked eye. This time you use the camera on your cell phone to see those items. This is another great developer who should throw out all the gimmicks in their games. You will use your phone excessively in this game - in BOTH the HOP scenes and puzzles as well.
BONUS GAME – HALLOWEEN EYE CANDY: Find yourself in Vermont with a group from the reality show, “Paranormal Hunters.” Investigate another haunted abode to flesh out the history of the main game's haunted house. I am not finished with this bonus section; however, it is a long chapter filled with more great puzzles and HOP scenes! Zane, your guide in this chapter, is very handsome – so you won’t want to miss this Halloween eye candy!
HOP SCENES: The main game has twenty (20) scenes. The HOP scenes are somewhat of a disappointment to me. They are the same generic ones we experience in other games. Most of the scenes are lists of items. There are storybook scenes in which you either look for items listed in highlighted letters or silhouette scenes, both relating to the rather long story about the family in question. There is one unique scene which features a bookcase with emblems along the sides. These items are to be located within the books. Pull out books and interact with the scenes within the books to get those items. Nicely done! However, this is the ONLY scene which I felt was creative.
PUZZLES: “MAN – THAT’S A LOTTA PUZZLES! There are forty-five (45) puzzles in the main game! The puzzles are easy in the demo; however, they become more difficult afterward. There are so many I will only list those which give some indication of the types of puzzles within the game. You will have puzzles which are more like HOP scenes than puzzles.
A. Matching puzzle. Match up pairs of tokens on a rotating circle. After matching two pairs, the circle will rotate to mix up the tokens.
B. Sock it to the ghost! Bullseye. Face some target practice as you try to hit crates being thrown by a ghost before they hit you. Try to hit that ghost to stop his onslaught.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles to restore a picture. Only one-half of the puzzle will be lit at a time.
D. Con-‘fuse’-d! Connection puzzle. Move four sets of fuses to connect with wires using arrows at the bottom of the screen.
E. My brain is out of focus. Tricky puzzle. Use an updated camera with four dials to change the size of the objects but also their positioning in a photograph. Adjust the dials until the items fit perfectly into the photo.
F. Ye old book switch puzzle. Switch books to restore an image created by placing them in the proper place and click on disks under the books to match up with highlighted images on the books.
G. Maze puzzle. On a wheel, rotate 7 tokens, choosing the correct winding path to lead it to its silhouette.
H. Phone puzzle. Using you phone search for 5 hidden ghosts within the scene. (You will use your phone for many of this type of puzzle throughout the game.
I. I wish I could “switch” my crazy family! Switch puzzle. Switch pieces within two separate grids to restore two family pictures
J. You bug me! Physical puzzle. Using your cursor, direct nasty bugs into a container.
K. Stop bugging me! Logic problem. Multiple step. (1) On a “bug” poster, move bugs so they match up with the descriptions given. (2) Perform the mathematical problems to get the code to open a lock.
L. Follow directions puzzle. Antidote puzzle. Create an antidote to a poison by following directions given.
M. My Crazy Family Tree. Switch puzzle. Switch members in a family tree so they are in the correct location.
N. Checkers puzzle. Jump over thistles until only one remains.
O. Simon Says puzzle. Casual vs. hard. Follow the sequence. Click on flasks according to a given sequence until only one remains. 3X
B. Sock it to the ghost! Bullseye. Face some target practice as you try to hit crates being thrown by a ghost before they hit you. Try to hit that ghost to stop his onslaught.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles to restore a picture. Only one-half of the puzzle will be lit at a time.
D. Con-‘fuse’-d! Connection puzzle. Move four sets of fuses to connect with wires using arrows at the bottom of the screen.
E. My brain is out of focus. Tricky puzzle. Use an updated camera with four dials to change the size of the objects but also their positioning in a photograph. Adjust the dials until the items fit perfectly into the photo.
F. Ye old book switch puzzle. Switch books to restore an image created by placing them in the proper place and click on disks under the books to match up with highlighted images on the books.
G. Maze puzzle. On a wheel, rotate 7 tokens, choosing the correct winding path to lead it to its silhouette.
H. Phone puzzle. Using you phone search for 5 hidden ghosts within the scene. (You will use your phone for many of this type of puzzle throughout the game.
I. I wish I could “switch” my crazy family! Switch puzzle. Switch pieces within two separate grids to restore two family pictures
J. You bug me! Physical puzzle. Using your cursor, direct nasty bugs into a container.
K. Stop bugging me! Logic problem. Multiple step. (1) On a “bug” poster, move bugs so they match up with the descriptions given. (2) Perform the mathematical problems to get the code to open a lock.
L. Follow directions puzzle. Antidote puzzle. Create an antidote to a poison by following directions given.
M. My Crazy Family Tree. Switch puzzle. Switch members in a family tree so they are in the correct location.
N. Checkers puzzle. Jump over thistles until only one remains.
O. Simon Says puzzle. Casual vs. hard. Follow the sequence. Click on flasks according to a given sequence until only one remains. 3X
LEVELS: Casual, Advanced, Hard, Custom
Hints and Skips: 5 to 300 seconds
Hints and Skips: 5 to 300 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
17 Achievements
Your mobile phone which provides a means to locate those hidden objects not visible to the naked eye.
Collect coins to purchase arcade games
72 Morphing objects (jigsaw puzzle pieces for 6 puzzles)
14 Wallpaper, 24 Concept Art, Music
Map is provided as you play the game
17 Achievements
Your mobile phone which provides a means to locate those hidden objects not visible to the naked eye.
Collect coins to purchase arcade games
72 Morphing objects (jigsaw puzzle pieces for 6 puzzles)
14 Wallpaper, 24 Concept Art, Music
I recommend this game!
Can you stop an otherworldly force before it’s too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
130 of 213 found this review helpful
ANOTHER STELLAR SCI-FI GAME – ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR!
PostedOctober 21, 2017
sunnyglow
fromPlaying HOP games is educational. Today, I learned that I can blow up an inflatable raft by using a leaf blower. Next time I go rafting, I will remember to pack my leaf blower! Maybe not! Gaming leaf blowers are under “more pressure” to perform in games
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: 5 Hours Minus the Bonus Chapter
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 43 Pages
OVERVIEW: Sci-Fi fans! Enjoy a “stellar” game by Mad Head! What a great game, and to me, one of their best! The fright chasers are back taking you to a whole new world of adventure! Get ready to enter the world of quantum mechanics and traverse through the time and space. However – be warned - once you open that portal, you have no idea what will be lurking on the other side. You and your friend Lisa are off to the Kilbourn Observatory in Fell Oaks to investigate a mysterious story concerning a famous astronomer, Ryan, and his wife, Anne. This happy scientific duo had so much in common and were both working on a project to open the door to an alternate universe. However, tragically, Anne died in a motorcycle accident and then Ryan disappeared. However, once you enter the observatory, you discover that missing Ryan has kidnapped Lisa – but why? Expect some surprises which may seem alien to you! You must battle whatever forces are in that house to free your friend.
This game will appeal to sci-fi fans out there. It is a LONG game so get your refreshments in line as you go into battle mode to fight to get your friend back. I have been waiting for this game to appear. I don’t believe the demo truly reflects the excellence of this game. The game is much better after the demo. The graphics are incredible and do give a modern (drones) and sci-fi flavor to the game. The pace is excellent with an interesting story and plenty of activities. The puzzles are varied and there are some very easy ones intermingled with a couple difficult ones to smack down even the ‘brainiacs’ out there! With an unexpected revelation at the end of the demo, the story changes drastically. You collect swirls, treasures and morphing objects. You can replay the HOP scenes from the games but NOT puzzles. At the end you get a blog with jigsaw puzzles as a device to give more information on the characters.
WHY NOT A REPLAY OF PUZZLES? I have few complaints about this game; however, I wish I could replay some of the puzzles within this game. They were difficult for me and I would like another chance at them. I have addressed this with Mad Head and hope in future games they will make this option available.
LOCATE HIDDEN ITEMS WITH A GIMMICKY SPIRIT CAMERA. What would a HOP game be today without some special device to locate hidden items? They are in almost all games now. Get into the “spirit” of the game with your very own “spirit camera.” This camera is used throughout the game to locate those special white energy orbs. This is my only other complaint about this game. This game stands on its own merits. There is NO need for any gimmicks to sell this game.
HOP SCENES: There are seventeen (17) scenes in the main game. The HOP scenes include the usual lists of items and silhouette scenes. Some are creatively designed. Mad Head does provide some unusual backgrounds for their scenes including a clock face, a wine cellar, and a rock. There is a creative scene in which you replace items back into the scene as well as search for silhouette items as well. Of course, what would any current game would not include some runes? There are a couple of scenes in which you locate runes.
PUZZLES: There are twenty-seven (27) puzzles in the main game. They are varied in style and difficulty with some difficult ones. In my opinion, a sci-fi game should have a few puzzles which are challenging. They are like ones we have seen in the past. Included are switch puzzles, many - many lock puzzles (too many for my taste), moving tiles puzzles to restore pictures, matching, and sequence puzzles. However, they do reflect the theme of the game: Here are a few of my favorites:
A. Fly a drone. Yeah! Maneuver settings to fly a drone to its location behind a rock. Not hard but so much fun. You also fly it to retrieve a key as well.
B. Connect-the-dots. Constellation puzzle. Connect dots on a star map to match given constellations. Use arrows to locate the proper star alignment before connecting those dots
C. Diversity in gaming! Logic problem. Move 4 each of 4 different types of tokens so that there are no more than one of each for each row and column. Rating: 2
D. Truly a-maze-d. Maze puzzles. Move a blue marble from one end to the other end of the maze in three different geometric shapes.
E. Runes, runes, and more runes! Assembly puzzle. Using an amulet choose two runes which, when combined, create a symbol in the center of the screen. (Use this each time you must use the amulet to fight the evildoers)
F. Row, row, row your boat! Navigation maze puzzle. Navigate your boat through the water while avoiding police boats (and so loud when they catch you) and other obstacles in your path.
G. Truly a BIG FISH puzzle. Checkers puzzle. Using adorable blue and gold Big Fish, reverse their positions on a grid by having them jump over each other until all those fish are reversed.
H. Turn the lights off! On a grid with 9 buttons, push them until they all are turned off. Pushing one affects the others.
I. Monkey shines! Ye old Evolution of Man puzzle. Switch tiles so that the natural state of evolution is shown.
J. Get your degree in wine physics! Valve puzzle. Move wine from bottles through tubes in a Mad Head designed contraption in exact amounts by using valves to regulate the flow of the liquid.
B. Connect-the-dots. Constellation puzzle. Connect dots on a star map to match given constellations. Use arrows to locate the proper star alignment before connecting those dots
C. Diversity in gaming! Logic problem. Move 4 each of 4 different types of tokens so that there are no more than one of each for each row and column. Rating: 2
D. Truly a-maze-d. Maze puzzles. Move a blue marble from one end to the other end of the maze in three different geometric shapes.
E. Runes, runes, and more runes! Assembly puzzle. Using an amulet choose two runes which, when combined, create a symbol in the center of the screen. (Use this each time you must use the amulet to fight the evildoers)
F. Row, row, row your boat! Navigation maze puzzle. Navigate your boat through the water while avoiding police boats (and so loud when they catch you) and other obstacles in your path.
G. Truly a BIG FISH puzzle. Checkers puzzle. Using adorable blue and gold Big Fish, reverse their positions on a grid by having them jump over each other until all those fish are reversed.
H. Turn the lights off! On a grid with 9 buttons, push them until they all are turned off. Pushing one affects the others.
I. Monkey shines! Ye old Evolution of Man puzzle. Switch tiles so that the natural state of evolution is shown.
J. Get your degree in wine physics! Valve puzzle. Move wine from bottles through tubes in a Mad Head designed contraption in exact amounts by using valves to regulate the flow of the liquid.
LEVELS: Intern, Field Reporter, Star Columnist, Editor-in-Chief, Freelancer
Hints and Skips: 1 to 95 seconds
Hints and Skips: 1 to 95 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
Spirit Camera. Use the camera to find ghostly white orbs.
Replay 17 HOP scenes
10 Achievements – Some with 3 parts
Collect 29 swirls and 31 Treasures
17 Morphing objects
4 Wallpapers, 9 Concept Art (switch scenes), Soundtracks, Blog (with jigsaw puzzles)
Map is provided as you play the game
Spirit Camera. Use the camera to find ghostly white orbs.
Replay 17 HOP scenes
10 Achievements – Some with 3 parts
Collect 29 swirls and 31 Treasures
17 Morphing objects
4 Wallpapers, 9 Concept Art (switch scenes), Soundtracks, Blog (with jigsaw puzzles)
I recommend this game!
Can you find out what's targeting young men in Paris?
Overall rating
5
/
5
131 of 185 found this review helpful
BLINDED BY LOVE FOR THIS GAME AND MENTALLY PARALYZED BY SOME OF THE PUZZLES
PostedOctober 18, 2017
sunnyglow
fromHelen of Troy has nothing on Adalinda! Helen had a face to launch a thousand ships! However, Adalinda blinds her suitors with her beauty and paralyzes them with just a glance at her face!
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
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 36 Pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 36 Pages
OVERVIEW: Love is in the air Detective – as you find yourself at a Parisian circus investigating a bizarre love story in this Harlequin-esque romance game. You have been contacted by Marie, a spurned mother, whose son, Julien, has been enchanted by the wiles of a masked, dancing chimera, Adalinda. Lovesick Julien is obsessed with this creature. Blinded and paralyzed by her stunning beauty, he is now physically blinded and paralyzed as well. His mother fears this woman is somehow behind her son’s misfortune. Investigate Adalinda, the dancing chimera, her protector, a hunchback named Jean-Pierre and discover the underlying cause for Julien, along with many other men, to become physically blind and paralyzed. All of them have ties to Adalinda. However, is she to blame or are there other forces behind all these transformations?
This is a puzzle-intense game! The main game is SHORT; however, the bonus chapter is lengthy. However, for me, it is always quality over quantity and this is a QUALITY GAME! I feel the game is better after the demo. The plot takes a twist and the story branches off in another direction. This is a great game for those who love romance novels. The graphics well-reflect the imagery of the circus and romantic pinks and purples abound in the graphics. Even if you hate these colors, the scenes are beautifully illustrated. There are quite a few collectibles including morphing flowers, cards about chimeras, and jigsaw pieces for three (3) puzzles to be played at the end of the game. I found them easy to locate. With an excellent pace, creative story line, and plenty of activities within the game, this is another great game for Elephant. My only complaint is the lack of the ability to replay the puzzles and HOP scenes. I enjoy replaying puzzles and wish the developer would include this within their games. A few of these puzzles are DIFFICULT!
BONUS CHAPTER: The bonus chapter continues the story but with a different cast of characters and a different storyline. In this case, the detective must help return a spellbook to the Chimera Society which has been stolen by the Cobra Society. I am still playing this chapter, so information about the puzzles and HOP scenes is not included.
HOP SCENES: There are only eleven (11) HOP scenes in the main game. The game has the usual scenes found in Elephant’s other games. They are somewhat interactive. They include the usual storybook scenes, lists of items and silhouette items. There are two multiple-step ones which has you locating four of one item which opens a list of items. This scene has been used in many games by many developers. There is one unique one which has you searching for musical notes.
WHAT WAS ELEPHANT THINKING WITH THIS HOP SCENE? FEED THE ANIMALS: Returning to pre-school, locate items and then feed them to the proper animal. I could not believe they put this HOP scene within this game. Really, Elephant?
PUZZLES: There are thirty-one (31) puzzles in the main game. The puzzles are varied in style and difficulty. There is good mix of easy puzzles with more difficult ones. I found the puzzles better designed than the HOP scenes. Elephant always provides many jigsaw puzzles in their games and this one is no exception. There is one super puzzle as well with three consecutive puzzles. Here are a few which I found within the main part of the game:
A. Maze puzzle. Place 8 directional arrows on a grid with 42 squares so that a sun token passes through every square of the grid. All arrows will be used to direct the token.
B. Memory puzzle. Look at a spread of 8 cards uncovered. Once they are covered you will be given another card face up. You must remember and choose the covered card to match with that card.
C. Locate the differences puzzle. Locate the differences between two seemingly identical pictures.
D. Paint-by-number puzzle. Paint a picture by matching up colors to symbols.
E. Maze puzzle. On a large wheel with many twisting paths, choose the correct path for each of 7 tokens so they end up with the matching token at the end of the path.
F. Map puzzle. Chart a route through the forest by choosing the right path and locating objects to help overcome obstacles in your path. 3 Map scenes.
G. Super puzzle. (1) Maze/Logic puzzle. Move a spider through his web by rotating four circles to create a path for him to escape the web. Spider can only move on certain spaces so you must strategize your moves. (2) Sequence puzzle. Choose flower buds in sequence so they all stay bloomed. (3) Matching puzzle. Push aside leaves to match up items.
H. Modified Chess puzzle. Move a knight on a 16-tile board in the usual “L” shaped moves until the knight has landed on all of them. This one is easy as you can retrace your steps. You can land on a square as many times as possible to light up the square.
I. Logic puzzle. Place 10 statues in a case with 10 openings. Using a given guide, place them into the right position by color.
J. Awesome Brain Crusher! Gear puzzle. In a large grid, switch gears so that there is a continuous line from upper left to upper right on the grid. 2X This puzzle is a little toughie! My brain is now fried!
K. Rope puzzle. Untangle rope so none cross each other.
L. Maze puzzle. Using envelopes, move a coin from upper right to lower left by rotating the envelopes so that the open side receives and dismisses the coin.
M. Variation of a Match-3 Puzzle. Remove like tokens by 3’s and 4’s. Removal of four of the same token will leave a pink stone. Remove the pink stones. Each time you remove 3 pink stones, part of a picture in the middle of the grid is filled in.
LEVELS: Casual, Detective, Super, Custom
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds
B. Memory puzzle. Look at a spread of 8 cards uncovered. Once they are covered you will be given another card face up. You must remember and choose the covered card to match with that card.
C. Locate the differences puzzle. Locate the differences between two seemingly identical pictures.
D. Paint-by-number puzzle. Paint a picture by matching up colors to symbols.
E. Maze puzzle. On a large wheel with many twisting paths, choose the correct path for each of 7 tokens so they end up with the matching token at the end of the path.
F. Map puzzle. Chart a route through the forest by choosing the right path and locating objects to help overcome obstacles in your path. 3 Map scenes.
G. Super puzzle. (1) Maze/Logic puzzle. Move a spider through his web by rotating four circles to create a path for him to escape the web. Spider can only move on certain spaces so you must strategize your moves. (2) Sequence puzzle. Choose flower buds in sequence so they all stay bloomed. (3) Matching puzzle. Push aside leaves to match up items.
H. Modified Chess puzzle. Move a knight on a 16-tile board in the usual “L” shaped moves until the knight has landed on all of them. This one is easy as you can retrace your steps. You can land on a square as many times as possible to light up the square.
I. Logic puzzle. Place 10 statues in a case with 10 openings. Using a given guide, place them into the right position by color.
J. Awesome Brain Crusher! Gear puzzle. In a large grid, switch gears so that there is a continuous line from upper left to upper right on the grid. 2X This puzzle is a little toughie! My brain is now fried!
K. Rope puzzle. Untangle rope so none cross each other.
L. Maze puzzle. Using envelopes, move a coin from upper right to lower left by rotating the envelopes so that the open side receives and dismisses the coin.
M. Variation of a Match-3 Puzzle. Remove like tokens by 3’s and 4’s. Removal of four of the same token will leave a pink stone. Remove the pink stones. Each time you remove 3 pink stones, part of a picture in the middle of the grid is filled in.
LEVELS: Casual, Detective, Super, Custom
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
24 Achievements
Collect 12 collectible cards recounting the history of chimeras and 36 jigsaw puzzle pieces for 3 puzzles at the end of the game
27 Morphing objects – flowers
11 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art, 3 Screensavers, Music, Secret Room
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
24 Achievements
Collect 12 collectible cards recounting the history of chimeras and 36 jigsaw puzzle pieces for 3 puzzles at the end of the game
27 Morphing objects – flowers
11 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art, 3 Screensavers, Music, Secret Room
I recommend this game!
A dangerous spirit has returned from the past!
Overall rating
5
/
5
117 of 181 found this review helpful
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LET AN EVIL “GENIE OUT OF THE BOTTLE!”
PostedOctober 14, 2017
sunnyglow
fromFright Night at the Museum! Playing this “phantasmatic” game has inspired me to spend my Halloween evening at the museum “digging up” the ghosts of bygone eras. However, I am leaving my crystal jewelry at home!
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: 5 Hours
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 49 Pages
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 49 Pages
OVERVIEW: Puzzle-lovers! Get prepared for another wonderful adventure from our “puzzlemeister,” Domini. Detective! - Moro, an evil magician, has escaped! Olivia, the museum curator, has contacted you for help. He is now turning everyone he meets into stone. As a physician during the Black Plague, Moro lost his family and now he has lost his mind as he plots to resurrect them from the dead! Using black magic in the past, Moro was imprisoned by a secret order and the crystals which gave him his power were hidden away by this secret order. Unfortunately, the museum custodian broke a vase and “let this evil genie out of the bottle.” Moros is now scouring the countryside searching for crystals to place within his amulet to restore his power to bring back his deceased family. Stop him before he destroys the barrier between the two worlds of the living and the dead.
This is a LONG game and WELL WORTH THE PRICE! The game is fast paced with plenty of activities to keep you occupied. The graphics are decent. Domini provides those little extras which most developers do not provide. Added in this game is the optional choice of playing a “Hard game” versus a “Casual game” when you customize your settings. There are three collectibles – morphing cursed objects, coins to purchase items for your secret room, and diary pages. They are easy to locate. There are butterflies attached to the inventory bar to indicate if you have located all the collectibles within that scene.
This game will not appeal to everyone. As in all this developer’s games, it is another puzzle-intense, HOP lite game. You can replay some of the puzzles and HOP scenes. I am looking forward to replaying some of these. In the hard version, some of these puzzles are difficult and some I skipped hoping to replay them this weekend.
GIMMICKY WINGED GLASSES: Does wearing glasses makes you smarter or more observant? Maybe not, but these gimmicky glasses will return you to the past to observe past events. This is the only part of the game I dislike. Domini - this is a gimmick which would make the game better if it were removed! Hopefully you will stop using this gimmick in this game series.
BONUS CHAPTER: Get ready for the dead to rule the world! Well maybe not – if you have anything to do about it! You are off to help Olivia again in this chapter. This time Olivia has located the Necronomicon and, by reciting a spell, has brought a mummy back to life. It jumped out of the sarcophagus and is now causing havoc and took the book as well! Help get that mummy laid to rest and get that book out of its bony fingers! I have not played the bonus chapter in its entirety. The main game took me hours to complete. However, from what I have played, it appears to be an excellent sequel to the main game. I also like the Bonus Chapter BETTER than the main game.
HOP SCENES: In the main game there are thirteen (13) HOP scenes. There are not as many scenes as puzzles; however, they are standard scenes which you see in most games. They are not as creatively designed as the puzzles. There are no mini-puzzles within the scenes as in other games by this developer. Most of the scenes are very interactive. They include lists of items and silhouette items. Some of the scenes require you to replace them back within the scene after they are located and some require searching for more than one of the items. There are a few storybook scenes in which you search for items listed in RED letters. In one you replace them back within the scene.
PUZZLES: In the main game there are twenty-nine (29) puzzles. This is a puzzle-intense game with some well-designed puzzles. As stated, most of the puzzles have the option between the designations of “Hard” and “Casual.” You can also play a Match-3 game in lieu of the puzzles. Here are a few of the game’s puzzles:
A. Matching puzzle. For a center bar in a grid with protruding jigs, move twelve (12) jigs above and below this center bar so that they mesh with it.
B. Maze puzzle. Light up buttons on a maze as per a given diagram. Move a token through a maze with four clocks with hands which block your way. Both move the hands of the clock to allow access to the maze and move the tokens back and forth until the lights on the maze match that of a diagram.
C. Mahjong puzzle. Remove tiles by pairs until all are gone. It is rare to find this puzzle in a HOP game.
D. Paint-by-Number. Paint a picture using two tubes of paint. Direct the flow of the paint from the two tubes so that only certain sections contain that color paint.
E. Easter eggs at Halloween! Moving tiles puzzle. Move decorated eggs along paths until the rune on each egg matches up with the rune beneath it.
F. Connection puzzle. On a grid, rotate 36 stones with arrows upon them to plot a route so that when you press a start button, you will pass through every stone. The kicker is that there are red directional stones which cannot be moved. This is a brain cruncher in the hard mode.
G. Ye ole book puzzle! Switch puzzle. Switch books so the number on the book matches with the number below it.
B. Maze puzzle. Light up buttons on a maze as per a given diagram. Move a token through a maze with four clocks with hands which block your way. Both move the hands of the clock to allow access to the maze and move the tokens back and forth until the lights on the maze match that of a diagram.
C. Mahjong puzzle. Remove tiles by pairs until all are gone. It is rare to find this puzzle in a HOP game.
D. Paint-by-Number. Paint a picture using two tubes of paint. Direct the flow of the paint from the two tubes so that only certain sections contain that color paint.
E. Easter eggs at Halloween! Moving tiles puzzle. Move decorated eggs along paths until the rune on each egg matches up with the rune beneath it.
F. Connection puzzle. On a grid, rotate 36 stones with arrows upon them to plot a route so that when you press a start button, you will pass through every stone. The kicker is that there are red directional stones which cannot be moved. This is a brain cruncher in the hard mode.
G. Ye ole book puzzle! Switch puzzle. Switch books so the number on the book matches with the number below it.
FAVORITE PUZZLE: Come fly with me! Hang glider puzzle. Soar with the birds as you maneuver a hang glider over a mountain pass. Yippee! However, you must avoid a murder of crows using arrows at the side to dodge them, or you will need to start all over again. This can be “murder” in the hard mode!
LEVELS: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore, Custom
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds
EXTRAS:
Optional “Hard” and “Easy” settings for the game
Map is provided as you play the game
Magic glasses. Allow you to see the past.
35 Achievements
Collect 51coins to purchase cursed objects and 12 diary pages
15 Morphing cursed objects
Replay 17 HOP scenes and 16 Puzzles
14 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, Music
Optional “Hard” and “Easy” settings for the game
Map is provided as you play the game
Magic glasses. Allow you to see the past.
35 Achievements
Collect 51coins to purchase cursed objects and 12 diary pages
15 Morphing cursed objects
Replay 17 HOP scenes and 16 Puzzles
14 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, Music
I recommend this game!