RowanGolightly's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4
- Helpful Votes:205
- Reviews Submitted:14
- First Review:October 21, 2012
- Most Recent Review:September 17, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Can you uncover and stop a dangerous menace terrorizing new cadets?
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
Fun but not quite up to prior games.
PostedSeptember 17, 2020
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I did enjoy this very much. But I found it a bit simplistic both in story line and in game play. There was no interaction with the cute little side-kick which I missed a lot; I mean just using him 3 times to retrieve an object is quite lame.
Thinking this was a quickly done CE to bring in income and play on the great history of this game. Could be a whole lot better.
I recommend this game!
You're on a train in the middle of nowhere, and a band of dangerous thieves demand you tell them where to find the Hope Diamond's shards. As the newest Hidden Expedition recruit, you've got to find the shards before they do...X
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 14 found this review helpful
Great and Gorgeous Game, but...
PostedJanuary 21, 2014
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is based on the completed SE.
I gleefully downloaded this game and couldn't stop playing. The sepia-to-artwork, the quality of the characters and voices, the levels of detail to the HOGs, the educational aspects of this game were all very pleasing.
I gleefully downloaded this game and couldn't stop playing. The sepia-to-artwork, the quality of the characters and voices, the levels of detail to the HOGs, the educational aspects of this game were all very pleasing.
I played it in the casual level and will probably go back and play it in a harder level to see what the differences are.
Really WELL-done game...until the ending. Perhaps it's just the SE (please don't tell me that the CE ends so perfunctorily!) but the ending was abrupt, unsatisfying and I felt short-changed. *SPOILER ALERT* But having the bad buy suddenly have an abrupt change of heart is just the lamest way to end an adventure that I can imagine. Surely the writers could do better than that? It really felt as if they were under pressure to complete it and so, rather than spending the time doing a spectacular end, they just chopped it off the easy way. Bother!
I will probably purchase the CE for the additional features; I guess I should have determined if there was a CE before I purchased the SE. Perhaps I'm expecting too much, but I really have high expectations and have seen far better endings from this Game Developer.
I recommend this game!
King Arthur
Follow Arthur’s rise from boy to king! Listen to Merlin’s story and meet an amazing cast of characters as you live a classic tale!
Overall rating
1
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
PostedOctober 6, 2013
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I adore the King Arthur story, I do. But if any game could ever make me hate it, this would be the one. Such great hopes for this one from the hype, none of which was realized.
How do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways.
1) Slow HOGs with no click penalty and badly designed hints to frustrate one half to death.
2) Fuzzy scenes with tiny objects, making them next to impossible to find.
3) A boorish Merlin who speaks so slowly and in such a repetitive manner as to make one want to bash him over the head. If he said, "Oh my, this IS exciting" just one more time, I was going to scream.
4) Inaccurate facts about the legend and badly written diary entries made it even more agonizing.
2) Fuzzy scenes with tiny objects, making them next to impossible to find.
3) A boorish Merlin who speaks so slowly and in such a repetitive manner as to make one want to bash him over the head. If he said, "Oh my, this IS exciting" just one more time, I was going to scream.
4) Inaccurate facts about the legend and badly written diary entries made it even more agonizing.
Really, nothing to love about this game except for the subject matter. PLEASE, someone, do a good game on the Arthurian Legend, please? Some other game developer which has two original thoughts to rub together. Pretty please? I feel as if I lost brain cells on this one. I dragged it out of my purchase history, wondering why I hadn't ever gone past the first chapter. Oh yeah, it didn't take me long to remember: so bloody boring that I nearly took my broadsword to my laptop just to make it stop. I surely hope I didn't spend any money on this one.
I don't recommend this game.
The fate of the magical world is in your hands – free it from evil!
Overall rating
5
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
Charming Fairy Tale
PostedSeptember 11, 2013
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This review is upon completion of the game. First, I've never lingered over opening credits before beginning the game. The beginning sequence artwork is so lovely, I watched it several times through, just enjoying the 'ride' through the sequence.
Not a new storyline by any means, but drawn so charmingly and with memorable characters, it engages one's sympathy and brings involvement into the game. The voices are well done, the music adding rather than distracting from the charm.
Fey is a worthy guardian and Jane a dedicated searcher and heroine. The quizzes and puzzles are not very challenging but the entire tone of this game is to relax and de-stress rather than to challenge or invigorate so it's well-worth the time if one is looking to spend some enjoyable time chilling out in a lovely fantasy with a guaranteed happy ending.
One could wish there were some accomplishments or rewards to be on the look out for but I won't quibble. The game takes long enough to be fulfilling and enjoyable. I don't know what the CE would add over the SE but I found it enjoyable enough that I'm sure I will play it again.
Well done; it's nice to find games that aren't full of vampires and witches and curses but lovely artwork, characters and satisfying storyline.
I recommend this game!
20 years ago a terrible accident destroyed most of Cyan City. Now, Monica returns to uncover the secrets of her childhood!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Had a lot going for it until...
PostedMarch 28, 2013
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Just having finished the other Phenomenon game, I was really looking forward to this one. On the whole, it is of the same great quality, great puzzles, wonderful artwork and terrific story line and pretty good characters.
Not as good as Phenomenan: Meteorite Collectors but I'm guessing this one came out earlier? If so, good for them for stepping up their game.
Worth buying but I had two major quibbles: first, the lead female was a whiney wuss with no gumption and a grating voice that made me want to slap her. Bad character and voice choice, really offputting. Second, having the father character introduced so close to the end speaks to poor story writing; totally unnecessary. I'm one that likes scenes with the story and the play but if you're going to add them, please do it with consistency.
Ok, three things and the one that led me to write this review is that the game is so short and the ending is so abrupt, jarring, lackluster that I was left yelling "WHAT, that's all???" Leaving a cliffhanger is one thing but jolting your players with a poorly written ending is bad form. This turned a really good game into a frustrating and annoying take away experience.
Worth playing and I do recommend it but with huge caveats.
I recommend this game!
Discover the secrets of your family’s past on a mystical island!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
WONDERFUL game!
PostedMarch 28, 2013
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
At the very beginning of play, I thought this was simply going to be a variation on the "looking for lost parents" theme. It didn't take me long to realize that this is a cut above; lovely graphics, skillful, voice-overs, clever and inventive HOGS with variations in solving them. I do like the clock/back in time idea which allows the artwork to show old/shabby vs. new/elegant views of the same setting. I like the map and the strategy guide, moving the game without either making the player feel stupid or too led-by-the-nose. Some different variations on puzzles made this very enjoyable; I love the printer puzzle in particular...nice for us artist types.
I also enjoy the additional game play to find the artifacts and another level of word play. Well done, devs.
Very enjoyable, indeed. My only quibble is that I wish it had a longer playing time and a few more characters.
There's going to be a sequel, right?
I recommend this game!
A mysterious man in red summons you, sending you to a flying ship where a little girl needs your help!
Overall rating
2
/
5
8 of 11 found this review helpful
Glad I didn't use a credit.
PostedMarch 3, 2013
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This game had great potential but didn't live up to it.
From the number of "where's this" and "how do you find that" in the pages and pages of comments on the Forum, one can guess that this game doesn't have much of a logical story or progression.
One would be correct.
It begins with some great graphics but such a specious story premise that I should have been warned. There wasn't enough story given as to why someone would grab a plane to dash across the ocean to save a worthy individual. Oh COME ON, you can do better than that! The artwork and graphics were lovely but not enough to overlook huge gaps in logic and story-telling.
Then the HOGs were hazy and objects too tiny for middle-aged eyes to be anything but annoyed by. And having to run back and forth from room to room doesn't bother me but not having any logical progression did; having to stop play to consult a walk through that I had to Google to find also annoyed me. It was bad enough that my game play was interrupted so frequently that I didn't enjoy it.
I won't be trying any of this series and probably not anything else by this game company.
Certainly glad a had a nearly expired game code to waste on it.
I don't recommend this game.
During the finale of The Maze, the transmission is mysteriously stopped. Now it's up to you to find the missing contestants!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Gripping Game!
PostedFebruary 27, 2013
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a different sort of game for Elephant but still great and well developed.
Likes:
Interactive map making it easy to move between areas (just wish it was labeled)
Exciting and well-written story-line
Fun and challenging puzzles
Gripping action keeping one interested in playing
Interactive map making it easy to move between areas (just wish it was labeled)
Exciting and well-written story-line
Fun and challenging puzzles
Gripping action keeping one interested in playing
Dislikes:
Muddy quality of HOGs making objects very hard to find
Cliff hanger ending (understand the desire for plugging a sequel but it could have been written differently.)
Muddy quality of HOGs making objects very hard to find
Cliff hanger ending (understand the desire for plugging a sequel but it could have been written differently.)
I recommend this game!
After finding an artifact, you're whisked away to a dying world. Can you save it from the darkness?
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
Great Game!
PostedJanuary 30, 2013
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management
I just finished Amaranthine Voyage: The Tree of Life CE and thoroughly enjoyed it. The visuals, HOGs, story-line and artwork were superb. Play level at casual was simple enough to not frustrate but complex enough to engage. I even liked the music which is unusual for me to say. The only annoyance was the fidgeting of the actor playing the Prince; OMG, just stand there! Don't look around like an idiot child (my apologies to idiot children) 'cause you certainly don't look regal that way.
The Bonus chapter was very well done and finished off the story nicely.
I particularly enjoyed the amusing end notes; it's probably the first time I have ever stayed to read the entire credits. I even enjoyed the footage of the origins of the game, very enlightening.
Very well done, devs! I will go watch for your other games, most definitely
I recommend this game!
Look after and feed fun 3D fish and watch them play and interact with each other as you complete exciting match-3 levels to earn money for decorating your aquarium!
Overall rating
5
/
5
63 of 80 found this review helpful
Great fun!
PostedDecember 19, 2012
RowanGolightly
fromKansas City, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I demo'd this game and really loved it! When the CE came out I didn't buy it because I didn't really think the play-time and the story-line justified a CE so I'm really please to see this come out as a regular game.
One of my favorite things about the demo game was the interaction with the fishies; really cute humor.
I'll buy this one.
I recommend this game!