Arien1's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.1
- Helpful Votes:309
- Reviews Submitted:27
- First Review:October 21, 2015
- Most Recent Review:March 18, 2023
- Featured reviews0
Who could turn down an opportunity to change the past?
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
Finally, a game that kept my interest all the way through!
PostedMarch 18, 2023
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I really enjoyed this game. For the first time in a very long time, I played straight through to the end without getting bored. Most games lately take me 2-3 days to play through because I get bored and quit the game for awhile, but not this one. Granted, it was shorter than I'd prefer. That's my only complaint. It took me a little under 4 hours to play both the main game and the bonus game, so I do wish it had been longer.
The voice acting was great. The artwork was beautiful. The puzzles were just the right amount of challenge for me and in just the right quantity. The storyline was very interesting to me, which for me is the biggest factor in whether or not I enjoy a game. As others have mentioned, this game felt a lot more like the earlier MCF games rather than the more recent travesties. I love this new twist on an old series favorite! This game has renewed my faith in MCF games!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the paranormal from terrorizing an award-winning winery and hotel?
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 17 found this review helpful
A step up from the previous entry, but not as good as earlier games in the series.
PostedApril 5, 2022
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I played the entire game, plus the bonus game. For the most part, I enjoyed it and found it to be better than the previous entry. I found the storyline interesting and easy to follow (I truly don't understand the reviewers who are saying there was no story or they didn't understand the story). The graphics and music were beautiful. The puzzles were all pretty easy, not really a lot of challenge. You have the usual running back and forth to find objects in the most random, irrational locations that most games seem to employ nowadays. I enjoyed most of the voice work, except for Rachel. I like Natalie Van Sistine's voice, but she sounds so sleepy in this game.
And it's 13 years later. Gabriel and Isaac look older, but no one else does.
One technical problem I had with the game is that I often had trouble when clicking on objects, either in HOPs or in the game world at large. During one HOP I had to use the hint button to find the last item and it turned out I'd been clicking on it the whole time, just not in the one and only microscopic spot that would trigger the find. This happened a LOT throughout the game.
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SPOILER ALERT FOR BONUS CHAPTER:
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The bonus game teases Rick Rogers a little more. We get to hear Jesse Adam's voice again at least (but is he the real Rick Rogers???). Clearly, Elephant Games is trying to get gamers to continue to buy games in the series by stringing us along with hints of Rick Rogers' return. For that reason, I recommend playing this game if you're planning to stick with the series, so you don't fall out of the loop on what is going on with Rick.
Although I liked this game better than the previous entry, without Rick's quirky sense of humor and witty wisecracks, this game falls short of earlier entries and this series becomes just one out of dozens of identical games. I don't believe he's gone for good, but they'd better bring him back soon, in my opinion.
I recommend this game!
Feed the hungry masses on a tropical luxury cruise!
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
Just as good as the first game
PostedFebruary 25, 2022
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I really loved the first Claire's Cruisin' Cafe game and was thrilled to see another one out. I was not disappointed. The second game is just as much fun as the first. All of the same characters are back, and a couple of new ones were introduced. The graphics are crisp and colorful. I found the level of challenge to be just right for me (there is one level I haven't been able to get a full heart on, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time). I had no problems with the functionality of the game. Lots of fun and one I will play over and over.
I recommend this game!
The tenacious trio takes on a master of the occult!
Overall rating
1
/
5
8 of 12 found this review helpful
A confusing mess; what's happened to you Elephant?
PostedJanuary 23, 2022
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I normally love the Detectives United series, as well as all three of the game series these detectives came from. I played the demo of this game and enjoyed it enough to buy the full game, but it all went downhill from there. I have no idea what we were trying to accomplish in this story. It was never really clear what we were supposed to be doing. How were all the victims connected? Why were they being murdered? Having finished the main game and part of the bonus game (which I may not bother to finish), I still really don't know what was going on in this game.
The quality control for this game was atrocious. At one point Agents Shade and Brown were supposed to be having a conversation over the phone, but the audio and captions were of a prior conversation between two other characters. Some of the watches in the collectibles section are clearly mislabeled (you can read the tag, but when you zoom in the writing on the tag changes to that of a different item). Backgrounds and locations would change with no explanation. I had no idea where many of the locations in the game were supposed to be at. We just seemed to hop around randomly.
The voice actors for James, Anna and Dorian were spot-on as always. Their talents are being wasted in a game like this. Agent Shade, as usual in recent games, sounds like she was just woken up in the middle of the night. I don't recall her sounding like that in the earliest games of the series, or in the Mystery Trackers games.
The artwork was beautiful. The music was enjoyable. The puzzles were easy, but tedious and boring for the most part. I skipped many of them just because I didn't care to bother. The overall game was a huge disappointment. The previous game, Phantoms of the Past, was something of a letdown for me and this one was even worse and just a huge waste of time. I'm glad I had two game credits saved up instead of paying actual money for this travesty. This game series was always a definite buy for me because I love the characters of Anna, James and Dorian so much, but after this game, even they might not be able to get me to come back. It's sad to see how far Elephant has fallen.
I don't recommend this game.
Join Noah and his family to complete God’s task and save the world from evil in this epic match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
A fun and relaxing way to pass the time
PostedNovember 10, 2021
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I don't normally like match-3 games, as I usually just find them boring. But, I enjoy Biblical stories and was curious to see how this developer handled the Noah's Ark story, so I played the demo and enjoyed it enough to buy the whole game. I used a free credit and felt it was well spent. I would have been happy to pay the full price for this game.
I liked being able to cash in stars earned to "purchase" upgrades to the ark as the story progressed. I played on the timed setting and found that I could beat most levels with only one or two tries. A few levels did give me a challenge and took multiple tries to beat, which I found to be a good mix of easy and challenging for me. I enjoyed most of the voice acting and found that the actors did a pretty good job of imparting some emotion to their limited dialogue. The graphics are clear and pleasant to look at. I absolutely loved hearing music from one of my favorite composers, Adrian von Ziegler! That was a real treat for me. I just wish they'd used more of his repertoire. It seemed that only the same 3-4 songs were used over and over.
Overall, I felt this was an enjoyable game. It took me a few days to complete it, playing maybe an hour or two a day. I would have liked to see detail on the inside of the ark as we build it, or have each grouping of upgrades broken down into smaller groups, so we have more goals to meet. I definitely would have liked to have heard a larger variety of songs. If those conditions had been met, this would have been a 5-star game for me.
I recommend this game!
Can you solve a sinister mystery in time to save your nuptials?
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
A once great series goes out with a whimper
PostedJune 17, 2021
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I have really loved the Haunted Hotel series. It is one of my absolute favorites and I have played every game. That said, I've noticed that recent games just haven't been on par with earlier games in the series, including this final installment. Part of me is sad to see the series go, but another part is glad they aren't going to beat a dead horse like has been done with so many other series.
The voice acting was excellent. The graphics are beautiful. The tasks are tedious and, as with so many other games today, items are hidden in locations that just make absolutely no sense at all. I understood the plot of the storyline, but the way it played out made very little sense at all. It really felt like 10 different developers were put in 10 different rooms, told "Ok, you have James, wedding to Jessica, Haunted Hotel, go!" and they each came up with something different and then just threw it all together and handed it to us. I think this is actually the first time I have been extremely disappointed in a Haunted Hotel game.
I also really struggled to finish the game because I was so bored. I had to force myself to continue playing. The minigames and hops were ridiculously easy, as if the developers made no effort at all. I'm partway through the bonus chapter and I just don't care. I don't know if I'll ever finish it.
The whole game overall feels like the developers just really didn't care, like an actor who is forced to make a movie they don't want to make because they are under contract to the studio. It's a sad way to end a series that used to be one of the best.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Mr. Jones make millions of dollars in the cemetery business, and retire to paradise with the love of his life!
Overall rating
5
/
5
I'm on my fourth graveyard and having so much fun!
PostedApril 15, 2021
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a really enjoyable, unique take on time management games. Help Mr. Jones build his graveyard while also building his bank account to retire with the woman of his dreams. I find her phone calls to be scarier than the ghosts and zombies that roam the graveyard, ha ha! With three levels of challenge and probably a million different ways that you can build your graveyard, this game is one that I enjoy playing over and over.
I recommend this game!
A frantic distress signal uncovers a mysterious disappearance at Misthill!
Overall rating
1
/
5
53 of 56 found this review helpful
Another great series reduced to cookie cutter garbage
PostedApril 8, 2021
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I love the Mystery Trackers series. I have the CE of every single game. The series definitely started going downhill a few games ago, but this one is the nail in the coffin for me. I forced myself to play the entire main game before leaving a review, and I do mean forced. I will not be adding it to my collection.
Apparently the detective we have played for the past 18 games has retired and so has Elf. This is a major negative for me.
Once again, we have a story we've done to death. Whoever directed the voice acting for this one should be fired. Voice intonations are frequently not correct or not suited to the situation. Also, old captions pop up for earlier scenes, so whoever oversees that should be fired too.
The mini-games were just boring and tedious. I started skipping most of them. And a lot of games in recent years are hiding random objects in completely nonsensical places, but this game is the worst about it. Several times I caught myself tossing up my hand and saying "What?!" or "Why?!!" So many things about this game just made no sense at all.
I had to take frequent breaks because this game just couldn't hold my interest, but I'd spent money on it so I felt I should finish it. But partway through the bonus game I just gave up completely. I just don't care. I really miss the days of Raincliff, Black Isle and Four Aces. Unless this series does an about face and at least brings back Elf, I'm done.
Elephant Games, what happened to you?!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop a dangerous order from abusing time for their nefarious plans?
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 5 found this review helpful
Dull and confusing
PostedApril 3, 2021
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This series has really gone downhill, which is so sad. It used to be one of my very favorite series, but now it's become just another set of cookie-cutter games. I found this entry to be boring. I had a really hard time sticking with it. I skipped a lot of the puzzles because I just didn't care to spend time on them. The story had some plot holes, but that just seems to be par for the course anymore. And my goodness, can we please use some basic common sense and stop hiding needed items in locations that make absolutely no sense at all?! The ending left me confused, especially since it would seem to implicate that events of almost all of the previous games in the series would be affected. At least the voice acting was somewhat improved from the past few games. I'm glad I got this game for a big discount. It was definitely not worthy of being a Collector's Edition and not even worth the price of a standard edition. I don't know if I'll buy any future games in this series.
I don't recommend this game.
Stake your claim in the New World in a swashbuckling time management adventure for every age!
Overall rating
5
/
5
13 of 14 found this review helpful
I find this game to be a lot of fun!
PostedMarch 2, 2021
Arien1
fromArizona
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I'm enjoying this slightly different take on the time management game genre. So far I've only played on the untimed version. Levels are fairly intuitive. The first level tells you what actions you need to perform so that you get a feel for how the game works. Ship battles and treasure chest islands start off easy but get progressively more difficult as the game goes on. You can skip ship battles if you can't beat one, as I've had to do with #10. I'm not sure about the treasure chest islands, as I haven't had to skip any. I don't know if the ability to skip is available on the timed version of the game, but it definitely is on the untimed version. I do wish there were more levels. That is really my only complaint.
I recommend this game!