MatildaRabbit's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4
- Helpful Votes:118
- Reviews Submitted:44
- First Review:July 1, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 5, 2022
- Featured reviews0
Death needs help from the only detective he trusts – you!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Death Is Just One of the Good Guys
PostedAugust 12, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In a nutshell, that's what this series is about. Death is just trying to enact a bit of justice and set things right. So, when a few culprits cheat him, he calls on the detective to help find these wannabe immortals and prove their guilt. Your investigation involves traveling to different locations.
The map for this one is very simple, and the game didn't seem all that long. There is also a good bit of back and forth to return your apartment so you can perform certain tasks required by your investigation.
Aside from seeming short and the back and forth, the story was good, and Death is a pretty cool guy with glowing blue eyes and some really neat armor.
I recommend this game!
Survive a fictional horror turned real-life nightmare in a creepy hotel!
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
So You Thought This Was An Interview?
PostedJuly 30, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I have enjoyed playing Haunted Hotel games ever since I played Charles Dexter Ward.
In this game, you are interviewing a famous horror novelist. Then you realize that the monsters in his books are in the hotel. But these aren't your Goosebumps monsters. These are widows and wendigos, and you'll have to go to the end of the world to defeat the one who controls them all. Oh, you just thought this was an interview, didn't you? No, the famous author needs help, and the last guy who tried? Well, he's about to turn into a monster, too.
What really excelled here was the story. It had a nice creepy vibe to it, with the real world blending into the world of these foreign creature-monster-entities. The second area of excellence was the illustration for this other world. They were really well done and imaginative, with plants that looked like they might be some kind of succulent or an anemone from the ocean floor, and, yet, they were creepy.
What could have been done better?
Well, for one, it seemed pretty short to me. Then, some of the puzzles seemed generic. I know I've seen a couple of them before. The map was also simple, and there was a good bit of back and forth. In some cases, there was little explanation of what to do and what we were looking for. I never had to resort to the walk-through, but the directions weren't always helpful. Sometimes, I was simply pointing and clicking to see what fit where without feeling that I was immersed in the story. There was a bit of a disconnect. The player does not have a strong character, and there is no real "personality" other than when the author or the friend of the player who set up the interview speaks. I think that with advancements in technology that make creating a game easier, the results aren't always necessarily better. Gameplay will suffer, and gamers will notice the shortcuts. So, it's important that developers use technology to make games better and not simply to make them faster, regardless or quality.
Bottom line: While the game seemed brief when compared to other games I've played recently and the puzzles are rather generic, what stands out in this game is the story and this imaginative land of horror. Because it was so imaginative, I was wondering if this author was actually a real author.
I recommend this game!
Who is trying to destroy the Kingdom of Barsia?
Overall rating
4
/
5
Not Your Usual Dark Parables
PostedJuly 29, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Having just finished Queen of Sands a few days before, Goldilocks did not wow me as much as the earlier Dark Parables. The FROG scenes were both easier and harder, but I really didn't think that they were as good of quality. Most pieces were easy to find, and there was always one fragment that looked almost nothing like the illustration and was nearly impossible to find. There were several repeated puzzles when you found another piece of the artifact, but it was like a standard puzzle crammed into a Dark Parables-like story. The garden scene was really pretty, but there was very little to do in many of the scenes. I felt like they were under-utilized. Because there was so much back and forth, I used the map to hop around more than I normally would. Many of the scenes just weren't up to the usual standard. The quality wasn't there, like they relied on templates and rushed through it. When it came down to robots, it just didn't feel like Dark Parables any more. I hope that the next games are better.
A mysterious Owl Man is terrorizing citizens!
Overall rating
2
/
5
The Horror Is Not What You Think It Is
PostedJuly 21, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
When I finished playing this game, I wasn't sure if I was going to review it. There was so much that I didn't like about it that I didn't know where to start. But, maybe there are other people out there who noticed the same things or feel the same way.
This game is not what I expected. To begin with, when I picked out the game, I was looking for something scary. It's so hard to find good scary games these days. I can't even find honest scary game recommendations. This was one that popped up and had many positive reviews. I own many Mystery Trackers games, and they are, um, were one of my favorite series. I suppose it's been a while. Maybe I'll have to go back and look at one of the games that I really liked to see if I missed something or if this one was just really different.
To begin with, the guy shown on the game thumbnail... I don't even remember him being in the game at all. Like, was he just made up?
As far as the story went, it was so political that it was a turn-off and left me feeling queasy. I didn't have a problem with most of the characters. I didn't have a problem with the main family who was affected by the crime. They were very likable. I had a problem with the sheriff, the negative portrayal of just about all of the white male characters, and the fact that the story was about prejudice. It's just not what I'm going for when I spend money on a casual game. It's 100% the opposite because this is the stuff in the news that I'm trying to ignore and escape by playing a casual game. Not helping. And the negative portrayal of all white men makes me wonder more about the old, blind white man on the thumbnail who wasn't actually in the game. It makes me wonder if that was some sort of symbol. I kept expecting to run into him, but it never happened. It felt like a misrepresentation.
I own over 130 hidden object games on disc and over 200 on Big Fish. I play casually because I don't like things like time limits on games. I don't like to be rushed or feel that I have to close out of a game completely if I need to do anything else. For that reason, I always check the box "intermediate" and not "expert." However, this is no reflection on how much time and money I've actually spent on the genre.
The map was overly simple. I don't remember playing a game that had such a simple map, but, again, it's been a while since I played Mystery Trackers. There were very few places to explore. I was disappointed with how unexplorable the Louisiana mansion was. You got to see two rooms. You also only got to see two rooms and a basement of the main house, although there was clearly an upstairs. I felt like there was a lot that could have been evolved and turned into something beautiful, but the effort wasn't made. The developers took a place with such a rich culture, turned it into something trite, and only seemed interested in the negativity of the area. This wouldn't be offensive if the game was not focused on a specific area of the Country. But it is, and the story only seemed to be about the negativity and not about the positive.
Then, many of the scenes involved using sight to move things ever so slightly to where they had been so that the detective could deduce what had happened. I wasn't excited about this at all. It only seemed to serve the purpose of moving the story forward, but it wasn't extra fun.
The best part about the game was the puzzles. They weren't hard, and I didn't have to use the hint. They were fairly unique, and I enjoyed those.
The game was so overly simple that I was just ready for it to be over. There just seemed to be little more to this game than a political message. I feel like this game probably should have come with a trigger warning for being so political.
I don't recommend this game.
Team up with the Red Riding Hood Sisters to defeat the nightmares!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
I Had Forgotten How Much I Love Dark Parables
PostedJuly 14, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
While my favorite will always be The Exiled Prince, this game made me remember what I love so much about these games. The game was just beautiful, and, with fountains running everywhere, it was kind of like a therapy session. The artwork is spectacular, and the hidden object scenes are even more challenging that they were the last time I played. I found myself looking forward to each fragmented object scene--more than I recall in the past. The soundtrack was also really nice. I played the complete Collector's edition, plus the bonus chapter. Gameplay was pretty long, and I spent several hours playing over the weekend. I found it difficult to stop playing and go to bed. :) I kept thinking, "Just a little further, and I'll stop for the night." There are morphing objects in each scene. In the CE extras, you get wallpaper, the soundtrack, a few concept art images, and collectables.
I recommend this game!
Uncover the mystery of Huxley’s Boarding House before time runs out!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Something Old, Something New
PostedJuly 13, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
What first appealed to me about Broken Hour was that (A) there were geeky ghost hunters on the case, a trope that I kind of love, and (B) there was a British writer involved, which appealed to me because of my love for British mysteries like Poirot, Marple, and Midsomer Murders and because I'm a writer myself. In fact, some of the soundtrack reminded me of Midsomer, and with the odd assortment of characters, some helpful and some up to no good, it reminded me of the characters in a Poirot mystery. That's all good!
Maybe it was just me, but there didn't seem to be as much interaction with many of characters. And, to be honest, I did get a little confused about whether this was a hotel where the guests had rules or if they lived there. I also got a little lost as to what happened to the children. I won't go into detail because I don't want to spoil anything.
The gameplay seemed pretty long, and the puzzles were interesting. Some of them were new while there was one in particular that was a bit like the old MCF puzzles, but not as creepy. I did enjoy the hidden object scenes with the paper models of vintage style human anatomy parts the user had to manipulate. That was pretty cool.
The map of the game was rather complex, although, for the first part of the game, it took a while to break out of the limited area before I was able to explore deeper. It was a tad disappointing that there were very few active areas in the rooms. Some of the rooms couldn't even be explored at all, and they looked like they might have had something interesting to offer.
There are morphing objects to be found in almost every scene with the collector's edition. There are also lady bugs to be collected in the hidden object scenes. Another plus to the collector's edition is that you get to play this marble-like game and earn tokens to open up other extras, like wallpapers and the Developer Hunt, where they have hidden a developer in the scenes. This was a short game, but kind of funny. I had never seen that before, but I don't always get collector's editions.
As for the story, it was interesting, but as I said above, I did get a little confused. That could, in part, be because it was such a long game (which is a GOOD thing!), and I played it in segments over several nights.
The problem with a really successful game or a successful segment of a series of games is that expectations keep getting higher. This forces the developers to try new things and try to please a crowd that wants another game exactly like it, but different and new. You have to admit, that's a really difficult bind for a developer to be in. I kind of have romantic ideas about discovering Ravenhearst and Dire Grove and The 13th Skull, in addition to favorite game series by other developers. Then there's the question of whether all of the reviews are legit. Then you have the aging group of users and the emerging users who have different interests. I am curious what the results would be if developers did a poll on what users want from a game. I'm not sure every gamer can answer that question. For myself, I love a good, scary game with interesting puzzles. The scarier, the better. I'm a sucker for a haunted house and crows and pumpkins and all of the trappings. I'd be interested in what the demographics look like for users and how developers use this information to create their games.
Was the CE worth it? Yes. There are certain games that I feel something is lacking if I don't get the CE. It's just not as fun. MCF is one of those. There are several where I didn't buy the CE and wish I had. While it was a bit slow getting started, overall, it was a fun game.
I recommend this game!
When your world and the supernatural realm collide, can you survive?
Overall rating
5
/
5
16 of 16 found this review helpful
It's the Great Pumpkin, Elephant Games!
PostedJune 29, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
If you're looking for a game that's somewhat creepy without being really scary, then this is one for you. This game is the second in a series that has become one of my must haves. With all of the trappings of Halloween, with pumpkins, skeletons, crows, and spiders, the game is fun with excellent graphics. Clearly, this is not a filler game, and Elephant Games has pulled out all the stops!
The first thing that is apparent that I enjoyed was that each scene had multiple active areas (Man, three "thats" in one sentence. How did THAT happen? :) ). Sometimes, I feel like a pretty scene is just wasted with minimal active areas, but this one keeps you looking all around, even as motions and continuously sparkling zones try to distract you from your mission. There's never a dull moment!
The puzzles in the game are different from the ones I've seen before, but that's a good thing. There are some games that I will play and swear that I've seen this exact puzzle with the same graphics before, but not in this game! They were unique, challenging, and fun. There were several really good ones that involved swapping similarly shaped tiles or rotating discs. If I had any requests about this feature, it would be that I wished that the puzzles and hidden object scenes weren't on the smaller pop-up windows and were larger. I like being able to make things bigger, which is why I invested in the largest laptop I could get. Oh, and it would be nice to give me an extra second or two to enjoy my work of art after completing an image before whisking it away. Perhaps have us lift it to reveal the hidden item? There's so much good art, that it seems a shame to have it just flash by.
The game play was interesting with some scenes becoming puzzles and ghosts popping out at you everywhere. The back-and-forth was limited, and a map wasn't needed. I think I used the hint feature two or three times--once for a challenging puzzle and again where I forgot where I had seen a place to put something.
The graphics are beautiful, very smooth with lots of detail, even in areas that aren't critical. I really appreciate games where the developers have put out so much effort.
I had already bought the SE, but I checked out the demo of the CE afterwards to get a feel for some of the differences in gameplay. As a disclaimer, I did not play the full CE, and I have no idea what extra items or gameplay might be available upon completion of this game. From my limited experience with the demo of the CE, I noticed that you'll collect fragments, characters, and morphing objects in scenes. Although the SE has a couple of puzzles that involve morphing objects, if you're a fan of collections and morphing objects, you'll want to spring for the CE. I also like the challenge of looking for the characters, and it really does add to my experience. In the future, I'll spring for the CE.
To summarize, this game has all of the elements of a traditional hidden object puzzle adventure while also providing creative puzzles with beautiful art. I highly recommend it, no matter which edition you choose!
I recommend this game!
Save Witchville before it's too late in Guardians of Beyond: Witchville, a thrilling Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
Where Are the Witches?
PostedJune 9, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
In all fairness, this is an older game and can't really be measured according to the standards of the newest games. Honestly, had I played this when it was new, I'm sure I would have liked it a lot more. This review is to help buyers in 2019 know what to expect. If you are looking for something with an old-school feel, you might enjoy this.
The most obvious thing that sets this game apart from newer games is the lack of animated characters. Every time you talk to the witch, even if she isn't trying to hex you, it's the exact same image, an she has her hands out like she's cursing you. The same goes for the other characters you speak with. They all have one standard, inanimate image.
Another thing that stood out was the lack of voice over. You had to read the dialogue and press continue for the next statement.
Thirdly, the graphics are nowhere as smooth as newer games. They all look a bit fuzzy like watching an old TV that doesn't have cable. It's not the way they were drawn, exactly. It could be just highly compressed graphics since older equipment didn't have the same capability to handle as large of files as we have today.
I felt that the title was somewhat misleading. Although one of the characters is a witch, most of the story was centered around this inventor and his lighthouse. There is a tiny bit of history about witches in the town in a journal, and she has to create a potion at the end of the game. However, with a name like Witchville, I was expecting something where the theme was more pervasive and witchy objects and paraphernalia in the HOSs. I think, despite the age of the game, that was the most disappointing thing for me. The atmosphere and theme didn't really meet expectations.
As far as game play is concerned, there weren't as many locations, so the map of the game wasn't very complex. Some of the puzzles were interesting. The hint button was different. It told you that you could find the items in this location and that location, and it was up to you to figure out how to get them.
Can you uncover the Logan Family's terrible secret in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
Adding this one to my Wish List
PostedMay 31, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This review is based on the demo of the CE. Sometimes I see the thumbnail for a game, and for whatever reason, it never conveys to me what the game is really like. Which just goes to show, never judge a Big Fish game by its thumbnail. ;-)
First of all, I really liked the finding the morphing objects hidden object scenes. Big thumbs up! Secondly, I loved the soundtrack on this one. It was very atmospheric and top-rate.
Overall, the game had that creepy vibe, although I didn't get far in the demo because I was multitasking and ran out of time. :| Oh well. But based on just the little bit that I experienced, this one looked like a nice one. Tell the site to add a wish list feature so I can keep up with these. :)
I recommend this game!
Deep in the heart of an enchanted forest, a forbidden love blooms. Guide the human Eveline as she sets out to rescue her beloved from the clutches of a tyrant.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Pretty Game
PostedMay 30, 2019
MatildaRabbit
fromMS
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game is about six years old at the time that I tried it. I purchased it a long time ago and am just playing games while I'm on vacation. The format seems older with the boxes for speaking, but the graphics and storyline are really nice. This is not really a a hidden object game. There are no hidden object scenes, although you do have to search for the ingredients for potions. I would call it more of an adventure game. The potions had a lot of tracing, which just became tiresome, but the story was interesting, and the graphics were really nice.
I recommend this game!