kit1717's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:119
- Reviews Submitted:9
- First Review:January 3, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 13, 2015
- Featured reviews0
kit1717's Review History
Friends always manage because they stick together, no matter what!
Overall rating
1
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
tedium issue with this game
PostedDecember 13, 2015
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Time Management, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy, Word, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I liked the quality of the graphics.
I never play with sound, so I cannot comment on that.
The story line was OK. A strong story line is usually not needed for this type of game. I like this type of game for the challenge of solving each level. The challenge of the game was actually OK for the eight or so levels I played.
First, the tutorial was poor. There were problems with some text overlaying other text. There was no indication that you actually had to scroll to read the rest of the text in each window. There was no information for how to save a game (although it did mention how to load a game). There was some information about each character, but it could have been presented in a much more readable manner. Finally, there was no way to easily look up a specific item you wanted to know about, such as how to pause a game or how to save a game. Overall the game information was poorly presented.
In general, I usually like this type of game. It could have been fun to play. Unfortunately, poor game controls and poor implementation make what could have been a fun game a very poor game indeed.
Basically, the idea of each level is to get the four characters past several challenges to the exit. They have to help each other because each character has different skills and certain skills are needed to get past specific obstacles. Each level seems to have an increasing number of challenges to get around. (I only played for a small number of levels, though, so I have no idea how the challenge would have been farther along.)
I like this type of problem solving. Normally, I would have really enjoyed this type of game. However, there are a few issues making the game unpleasant to play.
Because the four characters are a team, you often have more than one character that needs to move down the same corridor together. However, you have to select and then move each character individually. It takes quite a few clicks to get each character down the corridor, because the character only moves a little way down the corridor for each click. There is no way to get an individual character to the end of the corridor or get that character to a particular location that is farther away with only a small number of clicks. There is also no way to select all of the characters in the same vicinity and move them together. Repeating the same long path for two to four characters individually can get mighty tedious.
Another issue making the game tedious instead of fun is an activity that is done in between every single level. (At least come up with different activities to do in between each level, please!) You have to use a crane to place missing bricks on a bridge. The mouse is used to control the crane in order to pick up each brick and place it in the correct spot on the bridge. However, the controls keep disengaging or losing connection or something. You have to move your mouse over and over again to get the crane to move in a particular direction. Then when the brick is finally to the right location, the fist click to drop the brick into place puts the game into pause (because the cursor had to be moved so far away during the repeated motions to get the crane to move). After clicking on the icon to get back into the game, you have to be very careful because the tiniest movement will move the crane out of place for dropping the brick. If you drop the brick out of place, you have to pick it up again and re-position (again, with the tiniest movement getting the crane out of place). Then, to move the crane back to the pile of bricks to pick up the next one, it is back to the crane not responding very well and having to do the motion over and over again to get the crane to move back to the brick pile. Once there, you have to pick up the next brick. At that point, it is back to even the tiniest movement moving the crane out of position for picking up the next brick. Because of the awful controls, the whole exercise quickly became incredibly tedious.
Unfortunately, this bridge rebuilding exercise has to be done in between every single level of the game, with increasing numbers of bricks each time. The first time this needs to be done is annoying because of the poor controls. After the sixth time, it is maddening. I have no idea how many levels there are to this game, but to be forced to do the horrible brick replacing after ever level -- with an increasing numbers of bricks each time -- is an absolute guarantee that I would never, ever want to have anything whatsoever to do with the game again...even if they fixed the controls to work better!
Finally, if you need to exit for some reason or you make a mistake, you have to start over again from the beginning of a level. I never did figure out how to save a game, so I have no idea if this could be gotten around by having an easy way to save one's current status and position to come back to it later or not.
I do not recommend this game. The core idea is a good one, but the implementation is horrible.
I don't recommend this game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
14 of 15 found this review helpful
enjoyable simulation game
PostedAugust 5, 2015
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Life as a pony takes a little bit of getting used to. Also, the instructions about how to approach a simulation game are lacking. Since I adore simulation games, I am used to having to decide what to do next to move one towards whatever goals one selected when creating your avatar (in this case, a pony). The overall idea is to keep your pony healthy and happy while doing activities that bring you closer to your goals. To figure out what goals you want to go toward, I recommend creating a pony for each and playing around with each one for a while to see what it takes to progress.
I would actually give this game a 4 because of the lack of explanation provided for players who do not have a background in playing simulation games.
I play with all sounds turned off, so I cannot comment about that part of the game.
Wandering around and trying out stuff to see what effect it has is fun for me, but may not be everyone's cup of tea.
As always, try the free minutes to see if you like it. I recommend playing other simulation games first, though, so you get the overall idea of what it is like to play this type of game (because this one does not provide enough guidance for those new to this type of game).
I recommend this game!
Protect the Earth by solving perplexing puzzles and solving tricky problems in Mechanicus, a challenging Brain Teaser game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
23 of 23 found this review helpful
I like this Rube Goldberg type of puzzle game
PostedAugust 3, 2015
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Mahjong, Card & Board, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I like this type of puzzle game. Each puzzle provides some objects that need to be placed in the environment in such a way that the requested goal is achieved. For example, placing some planks in the path of a barrel so it will roll in a certain direction when it hits the plank. The scene is static while you are placing the objects. Then, when the GO button is pressed, gravity takes over and you see what happens!
I have played the demo and then purchased the game. So far, there have been no imaginary objects or magical behavior. I really like that. (I can play around with stuff without going out in real life, finding or purchasing all the items, and then finding the space to set them up.) I like that someone else has thought of the scenarios, and all I have to do is figure out how to make it work out as desired. Since it is not timed, I get to take as long as I want to figure it out. I love it!
I realize that this type of game is not to everyone's style, but I am glad there are a few games out there that appeal to folks like me. I find it immensely enjoyable and relaxing.
As always, give the demo a try and see if you like it. (Even if you only do one scenario every now and then, it will at least be a diversion from other types of games.)
I recommend this game!
Journey through beautiful landscapes as you help untangle bees from spider webs in this original puzzle game.
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
discovered that I need completion satisfaction
PostedJune 29, 2013
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I adore the untangle connected lines types of puzzles. However, I also adore the satisfaction of triumph when I solve a puzzle. This game makes it difficult to obtain the latter.
The music, sound effects, and graphics are OK. They are not fantastic, but not annoying, either. The game concept and story line are in much the same category. Since I play to enjoy the process of playing, all these things are fine for me.
What I found annoying was just how difficult this game makes it to experience the satisfaction of solving each puzzle. First, I have a handicap that makes all timed games out of reach for me, so I was happy to see there was both a timeless mode and a puzzle mode available in this game. (You do have to play some of the classic mode to make them available, however, which was somewhat annoying.)
It turns out that puzzle mode is timed, which was a disappointment. I was hoping it would be scored by how many moves it took to solve the puzzle or something other than timing, but not so. Therefore, puzzle mode did not work for me.
Timeless mode turned out to be annoying in an entirely different way. As you start to untangle the strings, more are added, so you cannot get the satisfaction of completing the puzzle. Just as you are starting to make progress, it adds more! Unhappily, solving the original layout was not in the developer's minds with this mode. (Perhaps infinite frustration, rather than timeless, would be a better title for this mode.)
For those of us who like untimed brain teaser and puzzle type games, there are a number out there that provide plenty of completion satisfaction. If that is what you are looking for, I recommend you play one of them and skip this one.
(Just so you have an idea of some other puzzle-it-out type games to try, here are some of the ones I like: Professor Fizzwizzle, Ruin, Crazy Eggs, Christmas Tale)
I don't recommend this game.
Match groups of bugs and progress through more than 200 levels in this enticing puzzle game.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
A Little Twist To A Match Three
PostedJune 1, 2013
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
You place three or more tokens in a row to form a match. However, to move the tokens you select a four-token square and rotate it. This takes a little getting used to, but is fine once you have switched your thinking around. (More often than not, for example, you move two tokens around to line up with a third.)
Since I always play without sound, I cannot say how the music or sound effects were.
As you match tokens, you accumulate a score. Since I did not play the timed option, I am not sure how it knows you are done with each window (possibly how many matches you have made?).
After each window, it tells you where you rank in the top scores list. Making matches in each window until you are done with that window seems to be the extent of the game. I only played the demo for about 20 minutes, though, so there might be more to the game later.
I recommend trying the demo to see what you think.
I recommend this game!
Help Autumn rescue her fairy friends and stop the Spirit of Gloom in Mother Nature, an exciting Strategy game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
A relaxed game requiring some strategy and imagination.
PostedMay 26, 2012
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Don't let the negative reviews scare you off. This is the type of game I like to play when I want to relax and do some simple strategizing (without being under pressure to hurry up and beat a time deadline). It also requires a little bit of imagination--or perhaps just a little bit of "outside the box" thinking.
How many beehives do I need in order to avoid doing all the watering myself? How many coin-producing flowers do I need in order to keep buying better plants and "tools" (such as a "good" raccoon that picks up garbage)? What mix of plants and animals works best to clear different areas? Which areas do I choose to dig up all the plants (so I do not need to go back there while I am busy clearing new areas) and which do I choose to make my coin-producing gardens? I REALLY LIKE being able to make these types of decisions without being under a lot of pressure.
Also, there is a slight bit of mystery the first time through the game. After rebuilding the sanctuary, you get to rebuild a bridge. When I got to that point, I found myself wondering: What comes next after the bridge?
Finally, I can make cool-looking layouts by digging up and replanting areas I had originally planted some other way in order to clear them. I really enjoy designing nice-looking garden layouts (which include some of the "good" animals) to fit the given geographic restraints found in different areas. This part is, of course, up to your own imagination. It also depends on how many plants and animals you have unlocked at the point you decide to design a layout. (This is also where some "out of the box" thinking comes in, as this may or may not be what the game designers had in mind when they created the game.)
So, for letting me fiddle around with figuring out what works best to clear different areas (different approaches definitely work better than others for different areas) AND for giving me a chance to dig up, re-design and plant my own layouts in a variety of given landscapes, I give it a four.
I bought this game because I want to have several of this type of game around when I feel like dabbling in a relaxed sort of way. (It all comes down to what you want, really.)
P.S. The graphics are simple, but cute, and definitely do not slow down my PC like some games. I cannot comment on the music because I always go to the options and turn the sound off, so I play all my games completely silent.
I recommend this game!
Arrange floating cereal letters before they get soggy and sink. Make words and eat your breakfast!
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 18 found this review helpful
untimed mode is timed
PostedMarch 22, 2012
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This Word Krispies game says it has an untimed mode, but it is most definitely timed! If you are not quick enough to select the letters in the UNTIMED mode, the letters sink. Since I am disabled, so I cannot select the letters fast enough. This makes the game not very much fun for me.
So if you are not quick, this game is not for you.
Gemini Lost
A strange light leads your group to an unfamiliar world! Build a new society, while searching for a way back home!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
A Just Right Strategy Game
PostedJanuary 29, 2012
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Gemini Lost is one of my favorite games. It is "just right" in balancing challenge with figuring out how to get things done. I have a friend who said she never plays this type of game because most are too hard to figure out or are too tedius to keep going. When I gave her Gemini Lost as a gift, she was skeptical, but ended up being pleasantly surprised. She says it provides just the right level of assistance with just enough "automatic behavior" to avoid tedium in directing the characters. This game is now one of her favorites, too. We both find it a fun, adorable, enjoyable game.
I recommend this game!
Gobble up the entire Tasty Planet in this fun and exciting Adventure game! Grow in size and take on even more delectable items!
Overall rating
3
/
5
38 of 51 found this review helpful
Simple and enjoyable ARCADE game
PostedJanuary 3, 2012
kit1717
fromBoise, ID
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This was classified as an Adventure game (which I enjoy), so I tried it. Actually, Tasty Planet: Back for Seconds is an ARCADE game. (What could be more directly ARCADE than a pac man type of game?)
Since I am generally terrible at ARCADE games, I played the casual mode. It was not as hard as I was expecting--and more fun. There is something enjoyable about being able to gobble up things that had only shortly before needed to be avoided.
I suspect the timed mode would be more of a challenging to those who are more skilled at ARCADE games than I.
If you like complicated games, Tasty Planet: Back for Seconds is probably not for you. Game play consists of gobbling up everything smaller than you while avoiding things that could harm you. There is enough challenge to be enjoyable--especially as levels get harder, but not so much as to be totally discouraging to those of use who usually do not play ARCADE games.
I recommend this game!