sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,084
- Reviews Submitted:826
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:September 4, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Mr. Jenkins is back to help you uncover the mystery of the haunted armor!
Overall rating
5
/
5
66 of 133 found this review helpful
FOR THERE IS SIMPLY NOT, A LESS CONGENIAL SPOT – THIS IS NO CAMELOT!
PostedApril 27, 2017
sunnyglow
fromDon’t look for your knight in shining armor in this game!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: All noble lords and ladies! Welcome to a ghostly kingdom of the Evil Knights of the Round Table headed by a mad king in this 5-star game. You will probably not be singing “Camelot” in this kingdom. Each of these four knights carries a cursed armor, used to subjugate the kingdom. After they are all vanquished by a good king, their armor is scattered to the four corners of the earth. Years later, and avid collector of armor, Duke Bergenweit and his son search the world to locate all the armor belonging to these knights. Unbeknownst to them, the reunion of the four pieces of armor will resurrect the four evil knights and their evil king. You, as Leia, have been summoned by the Duchess to stop her crazed husband and son.
Despite the inclusion of the annoying helper, Mr. Jenkins, I LOVE this game. The story is well-written. The game has a good pace. There are plenty of activities in this game. There are cleverly created puzzles within the inventory. The graphics are bright and colorful as usual for Daily Magic. There are morphing objects (cats) and cards to collect.
HOP SCENES: The scenes contain some creativity and are extremely well-done. There are two mini-HOP scenes in which you search for parts of one item to create an inventory piece. There are lists of items, silhouette and one storybook sequence with items listed in BOLD letters. You have an option to play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scene.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are the best part of the game. Most are very creative. In two of the puzzles in the demo, you get the option to choose between Casual and Hard settings. I love this option because it allows some of us to have a little more challenge in this game. One of these is a physical puzzle requiring a balancing act on a log and the other is a tangram puzzle.
Additional puzzles include an a-“maze”-ing puzzle in which you rotate a maze to create a path. There is also an easy sequence puzzle and a fiendish moving tiles puzzle in which you must rotate pieces to restore a picture.
NEW PUZZLE: Hurrah! We have a new puzzle developed by this developer. Using an eraser and pencil, erase and draw in items in a storybook puzzle. You will be given a sentence as a clue and then must either add or subtract items in the scene to continue the story. Very creative!
SUPERCAT MR. JENKINS: Yes, that adorable little fur ball is back! In one scene, he can leap up to the top of a tower and back again in a single bound! However, being a lazy cat, our Siamese is only used twice in the beta. And, that is a good thing. Unfortunately, he does NOT do his business quickly and he does tend to screech at you if you pick him up when he is not used.
LEVELS: Casual, Advanced, Hard Custom
Hints and Skips: 5 to 100 seconds.
Hints and Skips: 5 to 100 seconds.
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
14 Achievements (Hard to count)
Collect Cards
Collect 40 Morphing objects: Jigsaw puzzle pieces (2) are given to you at the beginning of the game)
6 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, Music, Developer Diary, Dots Game
Map is provided as you play the game
14 Achievements (Hard to count)
Collect Cards
Collect 40 Morphing objects: Jigsaw puzzle pieces (2) are given to you at the beginning of the game)
6 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, Music, Developer Diary, Dots Game
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES:
HOP SCENES: You have the choice to play a Match-3 game instead.
A. Locate a specific number of one item – rope pieces
B. Storybook. Locate items list in BOLD letters.
C. List of items to locate
D. Silhouette
E. Mini-HOP scene – Locate a specific number of one item.
A. Locate a specific number of one item – rope pieces
B. Storybook. Locate items list in BOLD letters.
C. List of items to locate
D. Silhouette
E. Mini-HOP scene – Locate a specific number of one item.
PUZZLES: - Include a series of inventory puzzles as well
A. Choice between Casual and Hard. Manual Dexterity puzzle. Go across a log with a stick to steady your balance. In the hard version you go faster across the log.
B. Maze puzzle. Move two parts of a medallion to the center of the door. The maze rotates to create paths. Rating: 2
C. Storybook puzzle. Search and replace. Locate items and place them into the correct position. Beautiful scene. Rating: 2
D. Storybook puzzle. Interact with a scene moving items into the proper location.
E. Choice between Casual and Hard. Tangram puzzle. Place metallic pieces into the correct position on a door. Casual puzzle puts some positions into place for you.
F. Moving tiles puzzle. Restore a picture by rotating tiles. Rating: 3
G. Sequence puzzle. Pull on four swords to remove them. Moving one affects the others. Rating: 1
H. A NEW PUZZLE: Storybook puzzle. Using an eraser and a puzzle, change a scene by adding and subtracting items. Rating: 2
A. Choice between Casual and Hard. Manual Dexterity puzzle. Go across a log with a stick to steady your balance. In the hard version you go faster across the log.
B. Maze puzzle. Move two parts of a medallion to the center of the door. The maze rotates to create paths. Rating: 2
C. Storybook puzzle. Search and replace. Locate items and place them into the correct position. Beautiful scene. Rating: 2
D. Storybook puzzle. Interact with a scene moving items into the proper location.
E. Choice between Casual and Hard. Tangram puzzle. Place metallic pieces into the correct position on a door. Casual puzzle puts some positions into place for you.
F. Moving tiles puzzle. Restore a picture by rotating tiles. Rating: 3
G. Sequence puzzle. Pull on four swords to remove them. Moving one affects the others. Rating: 1
H. A NEW PUZZLE: Storybook puzzle. Using an eraser and a puzzle, change a scene by adding and subtracting items. Rating: 2
I recommend this game!
What happened to the Wolfgrin family?!
Overall rating
5
/
5
102 of 171 found this review helpful
A STATEMENT NECKLACE WHICH TELLS A TALE OF TERROR!
PostedApril 22, 2017
sunnyglow
fromThis necklace is the perfect piece of jewelry to complement the clothing you would wear to a horror show.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
6 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 50 Pages
OVERVIEW: Are you ready for a creepfest? Be warned! This game has scenes with creepy clowns, rivers oozing with blood, fanged snake jumping out at you, blood dripping statues, large spiders, and bats - essentially, your worst nightmare! Detective! Keep a stiff upper lip and return to 1880 London in a period piece of horror! Professor John Wolfgrin, archaeologist, returned from an expedition in search of a lost temple, bringing back with him a mysterious moonlight necklace. He died shortly after his return, and his family has now disappeared as well. However, is the professor dead? What mysteries are tied to the moonlight necklace he brought back? Each bead holds a hidden portal to a world of horror! First stop on your destination– Terror world! Be careful of that necklace! It seems to feed on the fears of the people involved.
This is an excellent, frightful game with a wonderful story reminiscent of the English horror novels of that period. If you have a phobia about clowns, blood, snakes or other denizens of the world of horror, you will probably not want to play this game. However, if you like a mildly scary horror game, this should fill the bill. The HOP scenes and puzzles are excellent. The collectibles are numerous and include moons and morphing objects. The moons are easy to locate, the morphing objects I found more difficult. The graphics are beautifully rendered and realistic looking, although in some places the scenes are somewhat blurry.
HOP SCENES: They are varied; however, there are more lists of items than any other format. There is a cleverly created multiple-step one which has a storybook format. First you search for items listed in in BOLD letters, followed by a FROG scene, after which is a search and replace scene and finally a search and replace scene in which items are in sequential order. Quite creative! One of the scenes is FRIGHTENING! It involves searching for items on a scary clown. Very creepy! There is no game to play in lieu of the scenes, which is something this developer should consider for future games.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are all easy. They vary in type. There are several sequence puzzles in which locating items or performance of activities must be in correct order. There are two physical puzzles which involve some hand-eye coordination in either shooting a door or balancing yourself on a tightrope. These puzzles require clicking on a moving bar when it enters a “green” zone. There are a couple of chestnuts (age-old puzzles which have been around forever!). One of these is an assembly puzzle in which you move pieces of a statue from left to right using a middle pole to place the pieces. The other is a switch puzzle in which you must place five (5) statutes so that only one of each is in each row and column.
LEVELS: Dream, Nightmare, Night Terror, Custom
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds
LEVELS: Dream, Nightmare, Night Terror, Custom
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds
EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
12 Achievements
Moonlight necklace
Collect 37 Moons – Very easy to locate
37 Morphing objects
10 Wallpapers, 10 Sketches, Music
Map is provided as you play the game
12 Achievements
Moonlight necklace
Collect 37 Moons – Very easy to locate
37 Morphing objects
10 Wallpapers, 10 Sketches, Music
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. Multiple step. (1) Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD letters. (2) FROG scene to create 3 inventory items. Very creative scene. (3) Search and replace. Search for items then replace them back into the scene. (4) Locate items and interact with the scene using them in sequential order.
C. List of items
D. Storybook sequence. Locate items listed in BOLD letters. Replace them back into the scene to interact with the story.
E. Silhouette. Locate items on a terrifying clown figure.
F. List of items. Reuse former scene.
A. List of items
B. Multiple step. (1) Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD letters. (2) FROG scene to create 3 inventory items. Very creative scene. (3) Search and replace. Search for items then replace them back into the scene. (4) Locate items and interact with the scene using them in sequential order.
C. List of items
D. Storybook sequence. Locate items listed in BOLD letters. Replace them back into the scene to interact with the story.
E. Silhouette. Locate items on a terrifying clown figure.
F. List of items. Reuse former scene.
PUZZLES: Puzzle Rating: (1) Extremely easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Assembly puzzle. An old chestnut in which you must reassemble a puzzle by moving 4 pieces of a statue from one pole to another (in this case the middle pole) so that no lower piece of a puzzle is on top of and upper piece of the statue. Rating: 2
B. Sequence puzzle. Open a safe by pressing on symbols in the correct order. Rating: 1
C. Sequence puzzle. Press on 5 family portraits in the proper sequence to open a casket. Rating: 1
D. Manual Dexterity puzzle. Bullseye! Shoot open a door by clicking on two sliding bars when they reach a green area. 3X Increases somewhat in difficulty. Rating: 2
E. Sequence puzzle. By trial and error, move notes up-and-down on a scale until the note turns green. Rating: 1
F. Manual Dexterity puzzle. Bullseye. Click on the green section of two sliding bars to balance yourself with a pole on a tightrope. 3X Rating: 2
G. Sequence puzzle. Move a belfry of bats using cords to close their wings. Closing one affects the others. Rating: 1
H. Switch puzzle. In a 5 x 4 grid, move 20 statuettes so that each row and column does not have more than one of each type of statuette. Rating: 2-3 (Depending if you have played this puzzle before)
I. Switch puzzle. Switch five (5) masks so they match the outline underneath them. Rating: 1
A. Assembly puzzle. An old chestnut in which you must reassemble a puzzle by moving 4 pieces of a statue from one pole to another (in this case the middle pole) so that no lower piece of a puzzle is on top of and upper piece of the statue. Rating: 2
B. Sequence puzzle. Open a safe by pressing on symbols in the correct order. Rating: 1
C. Sequence puzzle. Press on 5 family portraits in the proper sequence to open a casket. Rating: 1
D. Manual Dexterity puzzle. Bullseye! Shoot open a door by clicking on two sliding bars when they reach a green area. 3X Increases somewhat in difficulty. Rating: 2
E. Sequence puzzle. By trial and error, move notes up-and-down on a scale until the note turns green. Rating: 1
F. Manual Dexterity puzzle. Bullseye. Click on the green section of two sliding bars to balance yourself with a pole on a tightrope. 3X Rating: 2
G. Sequence puzzle. Move a belfry of bats using cords to close their wings. Closing one affects the others. Rating: 1
H. Switch puzzle. In a 5 x 4 grid, move 20 statuettes so that each row and column does not have more than one of each type of statuette. Rating: 2-3 (Depending if you have played this puzzle before)
I. Switch puzzle. Switch five (5) masks so they match the outline underneath them. Rating: 1
I recommend this game!
Explore the dangerous landscape of Drummond Island as you hunt for a kidnapper!
Overall rating
5
/
5
141 of 205 found this review helpful
DESTINATION TRUTH: EXTREME SURVIVAL AS A PARANORMAL WITNESS ON THE ISLAND.
PostedApril 20, 2017
sunnyglow
fromLatest scoop! After this game, Emma Roberts is leaving the “ragazine” and going to Hollywood to star in her own reality show, “The Survivor of Ghost Adventures.”
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter
OVERVIEW: What is the scoop on Drammond Island? Inquiring minds want to know in this superb 5-star edition of this series! You, Emma Roberts, investigative journalist, are off on another assignment for the sensational “ragazine,” “Fear for Sale.” Drammond Island is an up-and-coming site for a reality adventure theme park “Abandoned House.” Contestants are given only six hours to search for a hidden treasure. However, within that short time, they disappear! Could the manager, Clarissa Marlow be behind these disappearances or is there a dark sinister plan behind all of this? It seems you may have gotten a little too close to the truth when your brakes are tampered with, sending you crashing into the bay. Tread carefully in this case. Someone is trying to thwart your attempt to get the truth. You will need your survival skills handy when uncovering the truth behind this paranormal case.
This is another well-designed game for the series with a cleverly written gaming script. It should appeal to those who love ghost stories, frightening tales of mad scientists and the occult, and those who read the weekly grocery store tabloids. I purchased the game immediately. It is far more entertaining than reading the latest “hit pieces” on the Hollywood stars while standing in the grocery store check-out line. There are an equal amount of HOP scenes and puzzles. There are many extras in this game. You collect twenty-five (25) items – five (5) each of five (5) different themed items. You also collect Beyond Objects (morphing objects) as well. Again, you have a chance to advance through eight (8) ranks of journalistic excellence throughout the game. The graphics are cartoon-like and fit the theme of this paranormal thriller.
HOP SCENES: There are 24 in the game. You can play a jigsaw puzzle in lieu of the HOP scenes. They are standard fare and most are lists of items. However, there are a couple of unique ones. In one scene, you locate items in a crime scene, and upon clicking on them, they return to their original position. In a storybook scene, you locate items within the scenes and then place them items within blanks in the storybook which changes them to words.
PUZZLES: There are 30 in the game. The puzzles are all easy except one which I found slightly more difficult. There are quite a few of what I call manual dexterity puzzles requiring you to drive a boat while avoiding obstacles in your path, moving a large green circle to avoid it being attacked by red circles, and moving dials to restore a picture. Other puzzles include a “spot the differences” puzzle, an assembly puzzle and a maze puzzle. The difficult puzzle involves connecting numbered buttons in a continuous line. Each button contains either a number one or two to indicate how many spaces the line will be moved.
LEVELS: Casual, Normal, Hard, Custom
Hint: 10 to 35 seconds Skips: 10 to 50 seconds
Hint: 10 to 35 seconds Skips: 10 to 50 seconds
EXTRAS:
Strategy Guide: 45 Pages
Map is provided as you play the game
11 Achievements
Collect 25 items (5 each) for Greed, Spiritualist, Freelancer, Magic, Lust for Power
33 Morphing objects
8 Journalist ranks
24 HOP scenes and 30 Puzzles
9 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art, 3 Screensavers, Music
Strategy Guide: 45 Pages
Map is provided as you play the game
11 Achievements
Collect 25 items (5 each) for Greed, Spiritualist, Freelancer, Magic, Lust for Power
33 Morphing objects
8 Journalist ranks
24 HOP scenes and 30 Puzzles
9 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art, 3 Screensavers, Music
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES: You can play a jigsaw puzzle in lieu of the HOP scenes.
A. Silhouette. Locate items in a crime scene, click on them and they return to their original locations.
B. List of items.
C. List of items.
D. Multiple step. Locate 5 of the same item opening a list of items to locate.
E. Storybook. Replacement. In a book, fill in the blanks with the correct items.
F. List of items.
A. Silhouette. Locate items in a crime scene, click on them and they return to their original locations.
B. List of items.
C. List of items.
D. Multiple step. Locate 5 of the same item opening a list of items to locate.
E. Storybook. Replacement. In a book, fill in the blanks with the correct items.
F. List of items.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Spot the differences. Locate differences between two pictures. Rating: 1
B. Logic Puzzle. Calculate the sequence of numbers to open a lock based on a given code. Rating: 2
C. Manual dexterity puzzle. Drive a boat to avoid obstacles in your path. Rating: 2
D. Manual dexterity puzzle. Move a VERY LARGE green circle avoiding red dots. 2X Rating: 1
E. Manual dexterity puzzle. Move dials on a control unit to move two segments to restore a picture. Rating: 1
F. Assembly puzzle. Combine symbols on fingers to match up with those appearing on the hands. Rating: 2
G. Connection puzzle. Connect all numbered buttons on a grid in a continuous line. The number indicates (1 or 2) how many buttons will be connected. Rating: 3
H. Maze puzzle. Create route for a soul vessel to leave the maze being certain to pick up every soul along the paths. Rating: 2
A. Spot the differences. Locate differences between two pictures. Rating: 1
B. Logic Puzzle. Calculate the sequence of numbers to open a lock based on a given code. Rating: 2
C. Manual dexterity puzzle. Drive a boat to avoid obstacles in your path. Rating: 2
D. Manual dexterity puzzle. Move a VERY LARGE green circle avoiding red dots. 2X Rating: 1
E. Manual dexterity puzzle. Move dials on a control unit to move two segments to restore a picture. Rating: 1
F. Assembly puzzle. Combine symbols on fingers to match up with those appearing on the hands. Rating: 2
G. Connection puzzle. Connect all numbered buttons on a grid in a continuous line. The number indicates (1 or 2) how many buttons will be connected. Rating: 3
H. Maze puzzle. Create route for a soul vessel to leave the maze being certain to pick up every soul along the paths. Rating: 2
I recommend this game!
Can you save your friend from a frozen fate?
Overall rating
5
/
5
108 of 189 found this review helpful
UNTHAW A NORDIC MYSTERY “FROZEN” IN TIME
PostedApril 15, 2017
sunnyglow
fromDid our “ice maker” take advice from another “Frozen” Nord, deciding to - Let it go, Let it go - Not to hold back anymore?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter
OVERVIEW: Where has Peter gone? While investigating Norse mythology in an abandoned mine, he has disappeared, simply vanished! Contacted by his wife, you are off to a Nordic country to take on not only this case, but also deal with a Nordic myth which may be behind the events. Someone is trying to put a “freeze” on your investigation along with everyone and everything else in the town. Who is behind Peter’s disappearance and why is he putting everyone into a deep freeze?
This game should appeal to all types of gamers, those interested in Nordic mythology, or those of Nordic descent! Skol! I LOVE this game and it was an automatic purchase for me. The story and graphics are not spectacular; however, they are decent. To me, what elevates this game from the abyss of mediocrity are the cleverly designed HOP scenes and puzzles. This developer has spent a great deal of time in the development of both. Twenty-one multi-colored, furry little “flamblings” make an encore appearance as the collectibles in this game plus possibly seven more in the bonus game. They are easy to locate. There are twenty morphing objects.
HOP SCENES: The HOP scenes are very interactive. Most of the scenes in the demo are lists of items; however, they require the player to search for items, interact with them, and in one scene, you must move and combine items to locate the listed item. One scene is a FROG.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are superb. There is a variety in both type and difficulty with some challenging ones as well. My favorite is a fiendish, multiple-step puzzle at the end of the demo in which the player must move tangram pieces into proper position on a grid. After that fete, then the player must move a token from the right to the left end of a maze-like grid, all while passing through gears which change the path of the maze.
LEVELS: Casual, Advanced, Expert, Custom
Hint: 5 to 90 seconds Hints In HOP scenes; 5 to 60 seconds Skips: 5 to 120 seconds
Hint: 5 to 90 seconds Hints In HOP scenes; 5 to 60 seconds Skips: 5 to 120 seconds
EXTRAS:
Strategy Guide 63 Pages
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
21 Achievements – 12 Skill based and 9 story based. (Appears there are 7 more in the Bonus Game)
Collect 28 flamblings - 7 each of 4 different colors
Replay HOP scenes and Puzzles
20 Morphing objects
18 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art, Soundtrack
Strategy Guide 63 Pages
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
21 Achievements – 12 Skill based and 9 story based. (Appears there are 7 more in the Bonus Game)
Collect 28 flamblings - 7 each of 4 different colors
Replay HOP scenes and Puzzles
20 Morphing objects
18 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art, Soundtrack
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES: You can play a matching game in lieu of the HOP scene.
A. Interaction scene. Interact with the scene until you locate an inventory item.
B. FROG. Locate pieces of a watch.
C. List of items – locate more than one of each item. Highly interactive
D. List of items.
A. Interaction scene. Interact with the scene until you locate an inventory item.
B. FROG. Locate pieces of a watch.
C. List of items – locate more than one of each item. Highly interactive
D. List of items.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored tokens without crossing lines. Rating: 2
B. Manual dexterity puzzle. Ready, aim, shoot a bunch of icicles on a roof with a sling shot. Rating: 1
C. Matching puzzle. Match up keys. Rating: 1
D. Sequence puzzle. Open all latches in the proper sequence. Clicking on one affects the others. Rating: 2
E. Matching puzzle. Open a cash register by following a given code. Rating: 1
F. Logic puzzle. Using 4 numbered dials, light up a series of lights. Each numbered dial moves the dial a specific number of spaces either clockwise or counter clockwise. Rating 3
G. Rotating tiles puzzle. Restore a picture by rotating tiles. Rating: 3
H. Connection puzzle. Place mirrors so that beams of light match up with their same-colored fuses. Rating: 3
I. Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD letters Rating: 1
J. Sequence puzzle. Remove bars on a window in proper sequence. Rating: 2
K. Sequence puzzle. Remove pieces of debris from a mine entrance in proper sequence. Rating: 1
L. Superb puzzle. Multiple-step puzzle. (1) Move tangram pieces into proper position by color on a grid. (2) After completing step 1, then proceed to move a token from right to left moving through gears which change the direction of the paths. Rating: 3
A. Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored tokens without crossing lines. Rating: 2
B. Manual dexterity puzzle. Ready, aim, shoot a bunch of icicles on a roof with a sling shot. Rating: 1
C. Matching puzzle. Match up keys. Rating: 1
D. Sequence puzzle. Open all latches in the proper sequence. Clicking on one affects the others. Rating: 2
E. Matching puzzle. Open a cash register by following a given code. Rating: 1
F. Logic puzzle. Using 4 numbered dials, light up a series of lights. Each numbered dial moves the dial a specific number of spaces either clockwise or counter clockwise. Rating 3
G. Rotating tiles puzzle. Restore a picture by rotating tiles. Rating: 3
H. Connection puzzle. Place mirrors so that beams of light match up with their same-colored fuses. Rating: 3
I. Storybook. Locate items listed in BOLD letters Rating: 1
J. Sequence puzzle. Remove bars on a window in proper sequence. Rating: 2
K. Sequence puzzle. Remove pieces of debris from a mine entrance in proper sequence. Rating: 1
L. Superb puzzle. Multiple-step puzzle. (1) Move tangram pieces into proper position by color on a grid. (2) After completing step 1, then proceed to move a token from right to left moving through gears which change the direction of the paths. Rating: 3
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover the Logan Family's terrible secret in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
82 of 161 found this review helpful
A PHANTASMAT GAME WHICH IS A SPECTRE OF ITS FORMER SELF
PostedApril 13, 2017
sunnyglow
fromWelcome to the EIPIX month-long marathon. Where are the games from the other developers?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
OVERVIEW: Beware the ghosts of Logan Castle! As an archaeologist, affiliated with a renowned university, you care off to the castle to investigate the Logan family, their ancestral castle, the loch surrounding the castle, and an ancient family relic in this 4-star game. Upon arriving in Scotland, you are welcomed by a highland fling into the loch surrounding the ancestral estate. When your boat capsizes, you wash up at the shore of the estate. Was your accident truly an accident or were there other forces involved? Like Macbeth, beware those rascally Scottish ghosts! They can be harbingers of doom!
This spook fest should appeal to most gamers, paranormal investigators, ghostbusters, or Scots. The graphics and story are the usual EIPIX fare. There is nothing exceptional about this game; however, it does have a good pace and interesting story. The collectibles are morphing objects. The symbol at the bottom of the screen on the inventory bar swirls around when there is one in the scene. You can play a Match-3 game in lieu of the HOP scenes and you can also replay HOP scenes and puzzles.
Based on the demo, I find this game a mediocre entry into the “Phantasmat” series. I feel it is not as good as others in the series; however, it is still better than many of the current EIPIX games. It could be that since we have been “treated” to so many EIPIX games lately, that the games appear to be cookie cutter variations of each other. There are some creative elements in this game; however, I am tired of playing EIPIX games. Nothing excites me about the game – neither the story (same old repackaged ghost story) nor the repackaged HOP scenes, puzzles, and the Match-3 game to play in lieu of the HOP scenes. The only new element in the game are the collectibles – morphing objects. However, as usual, judge for yourself!
HOP SCENES: The scenes are the usual ones seen in most EIPIX games. They include a couple of multiple-step ones which include a list of items followed by a silhouette sequence. In one scene, you look for morphing objects. And, of course, there is a storybook scene in which you locate items listed in BOLD letters.
PUZZLES. There are more puzzles than HOP scenes. They are modified versions of puzzles we have seen in other games by this developer. There are some easy puzzles including an assembly puzzle to combine symbols to create a larger symbol. There is a Simon Says sequence, a matching puzzle and a jigsaw puzzle as well.
There are some puzzles of middle difficulty. I did not see any challenging puzzles in this game. There is a matching puzzle to create a picture according to a given image. There is a slider puzzle in which you uncover three pictures using four sliders. Returning from a previous game is a puzzle in which you use a telescope to locate items. In this case, you uncover a series of dots and trace the picture associated with the dots. The last puzzle in the demo is a multiple-step one using a skeleton and its teeth.
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
12 Achievements – Some have 3 parts
Collect 21 Morphing objects – A swirl gyrates when there is one in a scene
Replay 15 HOP scenes and 16 Puzzles
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Videos, Music, Souvenir Room
Map is provided as you play the game
12 Achievements – Some have 3 parts
Collect 21 Morphing objects – A swirl gyrates when there is one in a scene
Replay 15 HOP scenes and 16 Puzzles
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: You have the option to play a Match-3 game instead
A. Multiple-step. (A) List of items (B) Silhouette
B. Locate 12 morphing objects.
C. Multiple-step. (A). Locate 8 faces of different types. (B). Silhouette.
D. Storybook with items listed in BOLD letters.
A. Multiple-step. (A) List of items (B) Silhouette
B. Locate 12 morphing objects.
C. Multiple-step. (A). Locate 8 faces of different types. (B). Silhouette.
D. Storybook with items listed in BOLD letters.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy (2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
A. Matching puzzle. Using arrows, move tokens to create a picture according to a given diagram. Rating: 2
B. Assembly puzzle. Combine symbols to create 3 larger symbols. Rating: 1
C. Slider puzzle. Slide four sliders until you uncover three pictures listed at the side of a grid. Rating: 2
D. Simon Says. Repeat a sequence of lights on a gargoyle. Rating: 1
E. Location puzzle. Using the controls on a telescope, locate 3 series of dots to uncover an image to transfer to a sheet of paper. Rating: 2
F. Multiple-step puzzle: (1). Sequence puzzle. Turn three wheels to match up with the symbols on a code you got from the last puzzle. Rating: 1 (2). Logic puzzle. Move teeth on a skeleton using a conveyor which can remove up to two teeth at a time. Teeth should be placed under the correct color of silver or gold. Rating: 2
G. Matching puzzle. Turn stones to match up with the symbols in a diary. Rating: 1
H. Sliding tiles puzzle. Slide a set of tiles into position to recreate a picture. Move the rows and columns up and down and right and left as a group. Rating: 2
I. Jigsaw puzzle. Place pieces into correct position to create several creatures. Rating: 1
A. Matching puzzle. Using arrows, move tokens to create a picture according to a given diagram. Rating: 2
B. Assembly puzzle. Combine symbols to create 3 larger symbols. Rating: 1
C. Slider puzzle. Slide four sliders until you uncover three pictures listed at the side of a grid. Rating: 2
D. Simon Says. Repeat a sequence of lights on a gargoyle. Rating: 1
E. Location puzzle. Using the controls on a telescope, locate 3 series of dots to uncover an image to transfer to a sheet of paper. Rating: 2
F. Multiple-step puzzle: (1). Sequence puzzle. Turn three wheels to match up with the symbols on a code you got from the last puzzle. Rating: 1 (2). Logic puzzle. Move teeth on a skeleton using a conveyor which can remove up to two teeth at a time. Teeth should be placed under the correct color of silver or gold. Rating: 2
G. Matching puzzle. Turn stones to match up with the symbols in a diary. Rating: 1
H. Sliding tiles puzzle. Slide a set of tiles into position to recreate a picture. Move the rows and columns up and down and right and left as a group. Rating: 2
I. Jigsaw puzzle. Place pieces into correct position to create several creatures. Rating: 1
I recommend this game!
Only you can save the kingdom from a mysterious disease!
Overall rating
3
/
5
115 of 232 found this review helpful
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE
PostedApril 6, 2017
sunnyglow
from@Domini. Stop the “tweeting.” Remove canaries and all helpers from games. #StopAnnoyingGameHelpers
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
OVERVIEW: Get ready for a game of wizardry with white magic battling black magic in this 3-star game. Play the role of a certified magician, a Master Healer. In this kingdom, where white magic rules the kingdom under the auspices of Queen Patricia. However, dark forces are working to dethrone her. When a disease breaks out in the kingdom, everyone is affected, slowly turning those infected by the disease into trees. One of the black magicians is behind all this chaos, trying to steal the queen’s medallion to release the black magicians. You will need to be on your magical toes to defeat the evil behind the plot to overthrow Queen Patricia.
This game is designed for all levels of gamers. The inclusion of the “hard” and “easy” versions of the puzzles provides both an easy breezy version of the game and a more challenging one for experienced gamers. I found the story a weird misadventure. The whole concept of people turning into trees is somewhat absurd to me. You are accompanied by a chirpy little birdie as a helper. There are still the numerous assortment of collectibles including the consumption of fourteen (14) cupcakes! Yum! You are also given tokens on the inventory bar to indicate how many collectibles you need to locate per scene. However, even with all the sugary delights by Domini, for me, the game is ruined by the inclusion of the helper. The puzzles are somewhat time consuming and with the addition of the antics of the helper, the pace of the game is slow-paced. Domini is one of my favorite developers – but I truly DISLIKE this game!
HOP SCENES: This game has more HOP scenes than in previous games by this developer. They are creative and include the usual silhouette items, list of items, and replacement of items back within the scene.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are creative. It is evident that Domini put forth a great deal of effort to provide exciting and innovative puzzles. Most of the puzzles are creatively designed. There are quite a few assembly puzzles (including creating potions) and switch puzzles.
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE: You will receive a Healer Kit to prepare potions to stop people from becoming trees. You will also get a Diagnostic Kit to analyze patients.
A SINGING CANARY IN THE COAL MINE: Hopefully this songbird is not singing a death knell of the stellar games by this developer. What bird brain convinced Domini that their games need a helper? This golden-feathered warbler “tweets” more than a famous golden haired world leader who will remain anonymous. You also get to name your bird. I called mine “Twitter.” This canary in the coal mine suggests that Domini may be gasping for more innovative elements to add to their games. However, Domini should remember that “less is more."
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
35 Achievements – A little excessive?
Collect 15 Artifacts, 10 Busts, and 69 Crystals
Eat 14 cupcakes (comes with a subscription to Weight watchers)
Collect coins to purchase 10 animals.
Healer Kit and Diagnostic Lens
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, Music
Map is provided as you play the game
35 Achievements – A little excessive?
Collect 15 Artifacts, 10 Busts, and 69 Crystals
Eat 14 cupcakes (comes with a subscription to Weight watchers)
Collect coins to purchase 10 animals.
Healer Kit and Diagnostic Lens
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, Music
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES: You can play a Match-3 game instead.
A. Multiple-step. (A) Locate 4 gems. (B) Storybook with items listed in BOLD letters.
B. Search and replace. Search for items and then use them interacting with the scene. There is a puzzle within this scene.
C. Mini-HOP scene. (A) Silhouette. Locate 6 flowers.
D. Silhouette. Locate items within a picture.
E. Multiple step. (A). Locate 6 labels. (B) Replace the labels onto the bottoms from which they came. (C) Silhouette. Using an herbicide, locate plants to remove.
F. Silhouette. A variation in which you are given a piece of a scene which you must return to the proper location of the scene.
A. Multiple-step. (A) Locate 4 gems. (B) Storybook with items listed in BOLD letters.
B. Search and replace. Search for items and then use them interacting with the scene. There is a puzzle within this scene.
C. Mini-HOP scene. (A) Silhouette. Locate 6 flowers.
D. Silhouette. Locate items within a picture.
E. Multiple step. (A). Locate 6 labels. (B) Replace the labels onto the bottoms from which they came. (C) Silhouette. Using an herbicide, locate plants to remove.
F. Silhouette. A variation in which you are given a piece of a scene which you must return to the proper location of the scene.
PUZZLES: Option between easy and hard settings for most puzzles.
A. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles to restore an emblem on a carriage.
B. Sequence puzzle. Push buttons in the correct order as per a given diagram. to open a drawer.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch portraits on the wall as per their engraved silhouettes in the wall
D. Moving tiles puzzle. Move pills clockwise to recreate given pattern.
E. Search puzzle. Using a diagnostic lens, locate diseased areas on a patient.
F. Variation of a Match-3 puzzle. On a box with a maze-like trail, link up two of the same type of design using a middle button as a link. Proceed until all buttons are gone. Once matched, they will be removed from the scene.
G. Assembly puzzle. Locate items and interact with them to create a potion. Items must be put in the correct position or you will need to begin again.
H. Maze puzzle. Position arrows into place so that every space on a board is covered.
I. Search puzzle. Use a diagnostic lens to locate diseased areas on a patient.
J. Assembly puzzle. Locate items and interact with them to create a potion. Items must be put into the correct position or you will need to restart the puzzle.
K. Switch puzzle. Switch and rotate tiles to restore a picture.
L. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens of the 12 signs of the Zodiac into the proper places on the Zodiac.
M. Assembly puzzle. Assembly pieces to create the image of a griffin.
N. Slider puzzle. Slide bars out of the way to move a piece to the center.
A. Switch puzzle. Switch tiles to restore an emblem on a carriage.
B. Sequence puzzle. Push buttons in the correct order as per a given diagram. to open a drawer.
C. Switch puzzle. Switch portraits on the wall as per their engraved silhouettes in the wall
D. Moving tiles puzzle. Move pills clockwise to recreate given pattern.
E. Search puzzle. Using a diagnostic lens, locate diseased areas on a patient.
F. Variation of a Match-3 puzzle. On a box with a maze-like trail, link up two of the same type of design using a middle button as a link. Proceed until all buttons are gone. Once matched, they will be removed from the scene.
G. Assembly puzzle. Locate items and interact with them to create a potion. Items must be put in the correct position or you will need to begin again.
H. Maze puzzle. Position arrows into place so that every space on a board is covered.
I. Search puzzle. Use a diagnostic lens to locate diseased areas on a patient.
J. Assembly puzzle. Locate items and interact with them to create a potion. Items must be put into the correct position or you will need to restart the puzzle.
K. Switch puzzle. Switch and rotate tiles to restore a picture.
L. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens of the 12 signs of the Zodiac into the proper places on the Zodiac.
M. Assembly puzzle. Assembly pieces to create the image of a griffin.
N. Slider puzzle. Slide bars out of the way to move a piece to the center.
I recommend this game!
In the midst of a battle for the Academy of Alchemy, a young promising student, Eliana, is sent on a dangerous mission of retrieving three powerful artifacts, the Dragon Crystals.
Overall rating
5
/
5
99 of 183 found this review helpful
A MAGICAL DELIGHT FROM BRAVE GIANT
PostedMarch 25, 2017
sunnyglow
fromA game which has magically inspired it me to dust off my Harry Potter novels hidden under some cobwebs.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
4 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter
OVERVIEW: Congratulations Eliana Marcius! You are now a full-fledged alchemist! Unfortunately, your first assignment will require you to save the magical world in this 5-star game. The Dragon Lord has resurrected and is using his gargoyles to attack the kingdom. To save the kingdom you need to locate three Dragon Crystals. However, that won’t be easy as they are protected by an evil queen.
Since I don’t play this type of game, I am assessing this game based on the quality of its construction. This game should appeal to beginning and intermediate gamers, children, those who love Harry Potter books and movies, fantasy games, or those who love magic. The story is based on a “Harry Potter” theme with your base of operation the Zora Academy of Alchemy. You will create potions and use an amulet to give you powerful magical abilities. Fight gargoyles, a dragon and a witch as you try to restore the kingdom. The graphics are breathtaking. There are quite a few collectibles including crests, hats, and figurines. There are morphing objects as well.
HELPERS: You do get a helper fairy, Dahlia, from the Fae Realm. She has a high-pitched nasal voice which I found irritating. However, in the demo, she is used infrequently. This is my only complaint about the game. You will also use your graduation present from your mentor, a magic amulet, frequently in the game. Each time you use it you will play a Simon Says puzzle. It will help defeat the evildoers in the game.
HOP SCENES: The are creatively designed. The scenes are lists of items and silhouette in the demo. There is a scene which has the player search for items in a stain glass window (used frequently by another developer in most of their games). In at least one scene there are morphing objects. You can play a matching game in lieu of the scenes.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are easy. I found none which was even slightly difficult. They include several types of matching puzzles. There are several storybook puzzles which are more like HOP scenes than true puzzles. In those puzzles, you search for items while listening to a tale about the kingdom. There are a couple of assembly puzzles in which you create a potion.
PUZZLES: The puzzles are easy. I found none which was even slightly difficult. They include several types of matching puzzles. There are several storybook puzzles which are more like HOP scenes than true puzzles. In those puzzles, you search for items while listening to a tale about the kingdom. There are a couple of assembly puzzles in which you create a potion.
LEVELS: Casual, Advance, Expert, Custom
Hints in HOP scenes: 5 to 50 seconds Hints within the game: 5 to 90 seconds Skips: 5 to 120 seconds
Hints in HOP scenes: 5 to 50 seconds Hints within the game: 5 to 90 seconds Skips: 5 to 120 seconds
EXTRAS:
Strategy Guide: 57 Pages
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
21 Achievements
Collect 42 crests, 16 hats and 8 figurines (ghosts)
Morphing objects
Replay of HOP scenes and Puzzles
6 Wallpapers, 6 Concept Art, Music,
Strategy Guide: 57 Pages
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
21 Achievements
Collect 42 crests, 16 hats and 8 figurines (ghosts)
Morphing objects
Replay of HOP scenes and Puzzles
6 Wallpapers, 6 Concept Art, Music,
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES: You can opt to play a matching game in lieu of the scenes.
A. List of items located on a stain glass window. At least one morphing object in this scene
B. List of items.
C. Silhouette. Interactive and there is a morphing object as well.
A. List of items located on a stain glass window. At least one morphing object in this scene
B. List of items.
C. Silhouette. Interactive and there is a morphing object as well.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
Amulet puzzle. Every time you need to fight an entity you must charge your amulet by playing a Simon Says game. Follow the sequence of lights on the amulet.
A. Matching. Match up symbols on a door as per directions given. Rating: 1
B. Assembly. Follow directions to create a potion. Rating: 1
C. Matching puzzle. Match up tokens on a large wheel by color and number of flames on the token. Rating: 1
D. Maze puzzle. Move your balloon high into the sky to the Sun while avoiding clouds and eagles in your path. Must do this twice to reach your destination. Rating: 2
E. Matching puzzle. Get Dahlia, the fairy helper to choose the right symbols so that thorns release you. Rating: 1. More of a HOP scene than a puzzle. rating: 1
F. Storybook puzzle. Locate 3 symbols within 4 scenes while hearing the tale of the Dragon King. Rating: 1
G. Assembly puzzle. Assemble items to create a potion. Rating: 1
H. Same as F. Another storybook sequence locating symbols within a scene. Rating: 1
B. Assembly. Follow directions to create a potion. Rating: 1
C. Matching puzzle. Match up tokens on a large wheel by color and number of flames on the token. Rating: 1
D. Maze puzzle. Move your balloon high into the sky to the Sun while avoiding clouds and eagles in your path. Must do this twice to reach your destination. Rating: 2
E. Matching puzzle. Get Dahlia, the fairy helper to choose the right symbols so that thorns release you. Rating: 1. More of a HOP scene than a puzzle. rating: 1
F. Storybook puzzle. Locate 3 symbols within 4 scenes while hearing the tale of the Dragon King. Rating: 1
G. Assembly puzzle. Assemble items to create a potion. Rating: 1
H. Same as F. Another storybook sequence locating symbols within a scene. Rating: 1
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the townspeople from mysteriously aging?
Overall rating
5
/
5
140 of 234 found this review helpful
LIKE THE AGELESS SPHINX – THIS GAME IS A RIDDLE WRAPPED IN A MYSTERY INSIDE AN ENIGMA
PostedMarch 23, 2017
sunnyglow
fromA true masterpiece of gaming for EIPIX. This is a game which will never grow old.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
7 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter
OVERVIEW: Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Scottish town of Dreadmond! Enjoy your stay within this 5-star plus game. Enjoy the dark mysterious ambiance of the Galloway Estate. As you play this game, you may begin to feel a little drained of energy. Take warning! Residing in this game may affect your longevity. Many dark secrets reside in this town all centering on the mysterious Richard Galloway.
Play a game with many twists and turns, with many puzzles to solve before you reach the final curtain. Or is there a final curtain in this sequel? Just remember, by entering this game, you are entering a world where your concepts of time, life, death, and immortality will be questioned. Magnetic anomalies abound and can distort your perception – at least in the demo. What is the story of Richard Galloway? That is for you to discover. This is an automatic purchase. I surveyed the beta and have been looking forward to the actual game!
Kudos to EIPIX! This game is a vast improvement from last year’s game, “The Broken Hour.” The story is excellent – so good, I could see a movie based on this game. I like the puzzling aspect of this game, the various subplots within the game, the pace, and the well-constructed puzzles. The dark, brooding graphics in the stuffy Scottish estate within the small town, add to the ambiance of this game. Death and decay just ooze from this game. The themes of Death and Immortality are well depicted in this game from the symbols, items, puzzles, to the quickly aging people.
HOP SCENES: They are principally lists with puzzles inserted within them. I do feel that if the HOP scenes were varied and included silhouette or matching pairs, etc., it would overkill. The use of simplistic lists of items lends itself to the inclusion of some innovative puzzles. I do like that there are several puzzles incorporated into the HOP scenes. This tends to break up the monotony of just searching for items within a scene.
PUZZLES: I am in awe of the amount and quality of puzzles. More kudos to EIPIX for providing not only quite a variety, but also varying degrees of difficulty in these puzzles.
PLAYING ON THE MOBIUS STRIP. My favorite part of the demo is the interactive gameplay in the first part of the game between three statues – all related to death and immortality. Looking for items, interacting with them and replacing them on the three statues of the Egyptian mummy, the Aztec warrior, and Death itself, is exquisite. This sequence illustrates the creative genius of the EIPIX. I hope to see this type of gameplay in more of their games. This sequence is so creative and well-done.
LEVELS: Casual, Hard, Insane, Custom
Hint: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
Hint: 10 to 120 seconds Skips: 10 to 400 seconds
EXTRAS:
Strategy Guide: 42 Pages
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
19 Achievements – Some with 3 parts
Collect 39 jigsaw puzzle pieces
Morphing objects
Quill (feather) used throughout the game
Wallpapers, Concept Art, Screensavers, Music, Videos
Strategy Guide: 42 Pages
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
19 Achievements – Some with 3 parts
Collect 39 jigsaw puzzle pieces
Morphing objects
Quill (feather) used throughout the game
Wallpapers, Concept Art, Screensavers, Music, Videos
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE:
NONE. You should discover this game yourself!
FINAL THOUGHT: Enter at your own risk! This is a game you should enter blind. Half the fun of this game is navigating your way through the maze of puzzles and enigmas never knowing what is around the corner. However, I will give you a little information about the game - It is a masterpiece! Despite all of their faults, no developer on BFG can compare to the production of outstanding classic games as EIPIX - that is, when their heart is in it!
I recommend this game!
Travel with the penguins and solve new pixel art challenges!
Overall rating
5
/
5
30 of 85 found this review helpful
A ROYAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE PENGUINS
PostedMarch 20, 2017
sunnyglow
fromA great way to start the work week. Color me royally happy!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Large File, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
OVERVIEW: What a wonderful 5-star Monday surprise from my favorite dev for this type of game! The adorable Penguin family has returned for another much anticipated visit. This time, Mr. Penguin and Uncle Aaron are off to an ancient castle looking for more colors. A BIG THANK you to BFG for offering a game in one of my favorite genres. This is another excellent game from Match Gems. I have been anxiously awaiting a new game from this developer. I have played every one in the series and this game displays the same excellence as the others in the series.
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. There are new colors in this game as well, at least that is what is stated.
• 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 an item to place in your garden.
• Pressing on the sun at the right side of the screen, you can see the figure without the grid. Rather cool! No other developer provides this feature.
• Levels: Casual and Advanced.
• Colors: The game has up to six colored screens which can be switched at any time while playing the puzzle. There are new colors in this game as well, at least that is what is stated.
• 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 an item to place in your garden.
• Pressing on the sun at the right side of the screen, you can see the figure without the grid. Rather cool! No other developer provides this feature.
I highly recommend this game if you like Sudoku games or any type of mathematical puzzle.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a stone-cold monster before it's too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
80 of 160 found this review helpful
ANOTHER BORING EXCURSION INTO THE MYTHS OF EUROPE
PostedMarch 18, 2017
sunnyglow
fromThe basilisk affected me while playing this demo. Playing this game left me “stone cold” and “petrified” that there may be a sequel!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
OVERVIEW: Hey “pumpkin!” Congratulations! You are now a commander – all decked out in shiny armor in this boring cookie cutter 3-star game. Get ready to kick down a few doors and perhaps shatter a few glass ceilings as you, a female commander, take on your first assignment, defeating a shapeshifting basilisk. This is no ordinary shapeshifting lizard, he also petrifies people, turning them into stone. Armed with a supercharged hammer, the Protector, you are off to stop this beast. Act quickly! You only have two days, during a solar eclipse to stop this beast intent on revenge.
This game will appeal to all levels of gamers, those who love European myths and legends, hiking and yodeling through the Alps, and perhaps lizard lovers. The graphics are nicely done as usual for this developer. The story is another assembly line version of a dozen other of this developer’s games. However, the puzzles and HOP scenes are creatively designed.
HOP SCENES: The HOP scenes are the best part of the game. They are well-crafted and include scenes in which you locate items and then interact with them within the scene. There is an impressive story book scene in which you locate items using a potion book as you answer questions about the beast.
PUZZLES: THE EASY: The puzzles vary in design and difficulty. In the demo there are several easy puzzles. There is a matching puzzle involving keys. There are two puzzles which are more HOP scenes than puzzles. There is a storybook scene in which you locate items and place back into the proper position within the scene. There is also a puzzle in which you use a telescope to locate items hinted at within the story.
THE MODERATELY CHALLENGING: For those more experienced gamers, there are two challenging puzzles. One is a maze puzzle in which you must pop up three crowns using worms. You must angle them into position which requires some strategy on your part. The other puzzle is one you must move a wheel from one end to the other. The difficulty here is that although some keys may be numbered as to spaced moved; there are others which are not. You need to figure out the space sequence logically.
THE MODERATELY CHALLENGING: For those more experienced gamers, there are two challenging puzzles. One is a maze puzzle in which you must pop up three crowns using worms. You must angle them into position which requires some strategy on your part. The other puzzle is one you must move a wheel from one end to the other. The difficulty here is that although some keys may be numbered as to spaced moved; there are others which are not. You need to figure out the space sequence logically.
SUMMARY: Ho-hum! Sorry to say I am disappointed at the direction of this series. The series is named “Myths of the World;” however, a more apt name would be “Myths of Europe.” With most of these myths being centered in Europe, they are now becoming cookie cutter versions of each other. It is yet another lackluster werewolf tale – in this case the wolf has been replaced by a basilisk, a were-basilisk no less. Although the graphics, HOP scenes, and puzzles are beautifully created, to me, it is still a boring game.
POTION WEARY! I dislike the weird theme of this game. I also am tired of creating potions in all the games recently. This will be a pass for me. For those love this series – enjoy!
LEVELS: Animal Tracker, Beast Hunter, Monster Expert, Adventure Seeker (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
Your helper is a hammer “The Protector” used throughout the game.
27 Achievements
Replay 13 HOP scenes and 23 Puzzles
Collect 39 lizards
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Video, Music, Souvenir Room, Skipping Stones game,
Map is provided as you play the game
Your helper is a hammer “The Protector” used throughout the game.
27 Achievements
Replay 13 HOP scenes and 23 Puzzles
Collect 39 lizards
8 Wallpapers, 4 Concept Art, Video, Music, Souvenir Room, Skipping Stones game,
HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE
HOP SCENES:
A. Multiple step. (1) List of items. Locate 3 of each item. (2) Silhouette (3) Replace items back into the scene.
B. List of items. You must match up two items to remove them. Rather unique
C. Storybook. Quite creative. Use a potion book to find the items. You are asked questions as to the description of the beast.
D. Silhouette. Search, replace and interact with the scene. Mini-HOP scene – list of items is within the scene.
A. Multiple step. (1) List of items. Locate 3 of each item. (2) Silhouette (3) Replace items back into the scene.
B. List of items. You must match up two items to remove them. Rather unique
C. Storybook. Quite creative. Use a potion book to find the items. You are asked questions as to the description of the beast.
D. Silhouette. Search, replace and interact with the scene. Mini-HOP scene – list of items is within the scene.
PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult
When you use “The Protector” hammer you will play a matching game. Match up symbols, followed by a tracing puzzle.
A. Matching/Sequence. Match up keys connected by strings in sequence. Rating: 1
B. Manual dexterity game. Ready, aim, fire. Center a crossbow to fire at the beast. Rating: 1
C. Storybook. Search and replace. Look for misplaced items and return them to the proper location.
D. Maze puzzle. Lead mechanical worms into the proper position through a type of maze to pop up three crowns. Requires some strategical moves Rating: 3
E. Sequence/Logic puzzle. A little toughie in which you must figure out the amount of moves to move a wheel from one end to the other. The difficulty is that some of the keys are not marked as to the spaces. Rating: 3
F. Sequence puzzle. Remove a string from a parcel through a series of holes in the package. They must be pulled in order through the parcel. Rating: 1
G. HOP puzzle. Using a telescope, look for items hinted at In the story. Rating: 1
B. Manual dexterity game. Ready, aim, fire. Center a crossbow to fire at the beast. Rating: 1
C. Storybook. Search and replace. Look for misplaced items and return them to the proper location.
D. Maze puzzle. Lead mechanical worms into the proper position through a type of maze to pop up three crowns. Requires some strategical moves Rating: 3
E. Sequence/Logic puzzle. A little toughie in which you must figure out the amount of moves to move a wheel from one end to the other. The difficulty is that some of the keys are not marked as to the spaces. Rating: 3
F. Sequence puzzle. Remove a string from a parcel through a series of holes in the package. They must be pulled in order through the parcel. Rating: 1
G. HOP puzzle. Using a telescope, look for items hinted at In the story. Rating: 1
I recommend this game!