camerashyinma's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:114
- Reviews Submitted:14
- First Review:February 14, 2013
- Most Recent Review:October 15, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Can you navigate an alternate timeline and find Rick Rogers?
Overall rating
2
/
5
Ouch. Not what I was expecting at all
PostedOctober 15, 2024
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Having just written a very enthusiastic review for Paranormal Files Ghost Chapter, I was looking forward to playing this. Dunno what happened at Elephant, but they definitely didn't have the same team working on this one.
I only played the demo, and I didn't even finish that. I usually give a game a longer chance to capture my interest, but in this case, since things didn't seem to work properly, I gave up. I was supposed to use a gas burner, according to the strategy guide. Nowhere was there a gas burner. Even the hint feature couldn't find a gas burner.
Glitchy programming not withstanding, this has the unsophisticated kind of graphics that I dislike, with interactive objects plunked down in an indifferent landscape. Not even two chapters into the game you are presented with totally random objects to work with--objects that have nothing to do with the storyline. Who gets a rifle award for playing darts? (You actually don't even play darts.) Sorry, Elephant... to me all this indicates that the game was rushed through production; it completely lacks the quality that its predecessor had.
I thought I wanted to find out what happened to Rick Rogers, but I'm not willing to put myself through this game to find out.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you find an elusive shop to save your long-lost partner?
Overall rating
5
/
5
Elephant is back on form!
PostedOctober 14, 2024
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I stopped playing several years ago when these casual HOPA games seemed to all get lame and sloppy and far too easy. Elephant was one of my favourite developers back in the day, but they went through a period when the games all disappointed me; they lacked quality. On holiday this week; it has been raining for several days... I decided to give them a try again. Glad I did!
I'm not sure why this game got such meh reviews. The graphics are utterly gorgeous, and the puzzles are not the same ones you've worked dozens of times if you've played HOPA games for any length of time. (I don't want to admit how long I've been playing them. Let's just say it's pretty hard to stump me.) I didn't have a problem solving any of these, but they were challenging enough that I had to work at it.
I've missed the story arc for the Paranormal Files series, so I only know what I was told in this episode: Principal partner Rick Rogers disappeared thirteen years ago and no one has been able to find him. This has me intrigued enough to buy the next one just to find out what happens next. The last Paranormal Files game I played didn't impress me; I thought the story was underdeveloped, the animation was blah, and the voice acting was mediocre, so I gave the series a miss after that. I'm happy to say that the story for Ghost Chapter was outstanding, and the voice acting was credible. (I write dialog for a living, so I'm more critical than most people.) The animation was awesome.
The only thing that detracted from my enjoyment was that the game kept closing unexpectedly for some unknown reason. I never lost any progress when that happened, but on one HOP it happened three times. I'd subtract half a star for that, but would round up rather than down. So it gets five stars.
I recommend this game!
The most perfect town in the world hides a terrible secret!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Phoning it in?
PostedMarch 6, 2021
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I used to love this series. Maybe I wouldn't have been so harsh with this review if Elephant's games hadn't once been so good, but this game represents the decline in quality that we've seen in Elephant games over the past few year.
While their games used to have beautiful, intricate graphics that you could get lost in, an interesting story (at least), and relatively challenging puzzles, this game has none of those things.
The story is lame. It barely holds together. It's called 'Phantoms of the Past' but there are no phantoms (so James is pretty superfluous), and barely any past; it's as if they threw that in there to give Anna something to do. The bonus content doesn't even feature the detectives, who, really, are the reason I bought the game.
The graphics are mediocre. They're not bad, but they're a great comedown from what used to be Elephant's high standards.
Finally, the puzzles are so simple that they can't even really be called puzzles. Just tedious activities that you have to do to advance the story.
Sorry, Elephant, but this is the last one of these games I'm going to buy.
I don't recommend this game.
You're a young vampire passionately in love with a human. However, the burning desire for blood is in you. Remove the curse and become human again!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Missed this one first time around...!
PostedApril 30, 2015
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Huh. I haven't played a sim game since Virtual Villagers, and I never managed to complete that game since a virus-protection software package decided it was a Trojan horse and deleted it. So I was pleased and surprised when I tried this game and found it... strangely addicting. Must be one of those influence spells.
In my experience of this type of game there's a lot of repetitious activity, and this isn't all that different except something compelled me to keep repeating activities until I completed all the quests and finished the game. Nice bonus in that you can continue to play as your character and keep collecting skills, advancing your employment and your influence and decorating your room even after you've reached your objective, Or you can create another character and start over.
I enjoyed the visual and sound quality of this game. There are a LOT of character appearance options to choose from. They all look sort of like Calvin Klein underwear models, but if you can get into that sort of thing it's fun. (I guess I can get into that sort of thing. By the end of the game I think I kind of had a crush on my character.)
The sound was not annoying unless the recurrent rain gets on your nerves. There was an eerie melody that repeated from time to time, but that didn't bother me. It was... atmospheric. And since there are no voiceovers you can turn the sound off if it bugs you. Of course no voiceovers means that you have to read dialogue to get your quests. But I read fast.
Anyway, I recommend you give the game a try. I may just play it again tomorrow.
I recommend this game!
A simple job protecting a bumbling professor becomes a nightmare when a masked figure threatens to kill him!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
meh.
PostedApril 29, 2015
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Great visual quality and good storyline, but much too easy. Other than that it's an okay game. Worth a trial; you decide whether it's challenging enough for you.
I don't recommend this game.
Track down the truth about your grandfather's death!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Not a challenge, but enjoyed it nonetheless
PostedMarch 26, 2015
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game is much more elegantly executed than "Blackhill Manor" was... the visual quality is excellent and the voice actors are what I would expect from a top quality game -- they didn't use somebody's best mate's sister to provide the voices. I personally enjoyed the storyline. It was much less in the gothic melodrama style than its predecessors. I am actually looking forward to the next game to find out what happens to Viggo.
The one area where I thought it didn't perhaps live up to the other titles in the series was in level of challenge. As I recall, the mini-games were more challenging in "Blackhill Manor." #I cant remember as far back as the others#. The find-and-use narrative was at pretty much the same level as most H/O Adventure games. I was seldom at a loss regarding where to go or what to use next.
I recommend this game!
Princess Selene's vivid dreams warn that her marriage foretells disaster – but only you can break the magical spell threatening both your lives!
Overall rating
4
/
5
11 of 11 found this review helpful
A challenging game
PostedSeptember 23, 2014
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
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
Based on the demo:
I'll begin by saying that this game is unusual in that it doesn't provide the player with a lot of hand-holding options. If you want that in a game you'll find this one frustrating. I usually play on one of the more difficult levels anyway, so it didn't bother me that much. I used the hint feature once while playing the demo, and it was really a hint, not a freebie! Still, it was enough information to make me say, "Oh, DUH!" and get me back on track. #Still, I wouldn't mind a black-bar message now and then...#
The visual and sound quality are both nice. I found the HO scenes clear and not overly easy, as is often the case with these games recently. VO's are good; the characters' lips don't move when they speak, but as far as I know only Eipix has mastered that technique. Another reviewer said there were no captions so you didn't know what the characters were saying if you weren't playing with sound; I played on the intermediate level and it had captions.
The story is intriguing enough to keep me playing. What is causing the princess' dreams, anyway, and how could Prince Regis' proposal cause her to fall into a fatal sleep? #And where did those spectral chains come from...?# Queen Mom is a termagant... glad she's not going to be MY mother-in-law! Good luck, Prince, baby.
Not a lot a bells, whistles or flash-bangs. If you're looking for morphing objects, puzzle pieces or collectible fairy eggs you won't find any. There are cards hidden in scenes... maybe if you find them all you can play crazy eights.
I'll probably buy this one. Again, I might wait for sale.
I recommend this game!
You’re about to uncover the secret that’s been haunting Blackrow!
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
On the fence
PostedAugust 29, 2014
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Review of the demo.
Graphically this game is nicely done. The characters are rather cartoon-y but interesting enough to make me curious as to what is going to happen. Each scene so far has been very nicely detailed. Especially so if you have a thing for skeletons. My screen name is MacAbre, so I guess you could say that applies...
Elf is back, and Elf happens to be the only "helper" that I've ever particularly liked. Most are hyper-cutesy and a tired twist on the find-and-use function, but I can tolerate Elf. I might even become attached to him.
I played the game in "Formal" mode, but if I were to start over I might switch to "Black-tie," which is the most difficult. I finished the demo in a little under an hour without skipping anything or using any hints #both functions are disabled in Formal mode anyway#. Makes me think this game might not be that challenging.
My greatest problem with this game so far is that it is a huge anachronism. People might have died of a cholera epidemic in 1815, but plague and alchemy belong in the 16th century. Of course, then the developers couldn't use those creepy plague masks, which are a symbolic Mystery Trackers device. Oh, and alchemy had more to do with chemistry than witchcraft, but how sexy is chemistry on its own...?
Not sure if I will buy the game or not. I probably will, and in the CE, too, but I will wait for a sale.
I recommend this game!
Was Veronica West’s death an accident… or a cold-blooded murder?
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 9 found this review helpful
Beautifully crafted game!
PostedJuly 17, 2014
camerashyinma
fromwhere once the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I don't have a lot to add to what the other reviewers have said, apart from the fact that I hope Detective Daniels recovers and plays a more collaborative role in the sequel! ; )
Another winner -- great work, Eipix!
Guests keep disappearing from a gimmicky haunted hotel. Is there someone pulling the strings, or are these ghosts actually real?
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
Sloppy!
PostedMay 30, 2014
camerashyinma
fromwhere the embattled farmers stood
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I wanted to like this game, but the overall mediocrity and frankly, sloppy quality makes me think they should send this one back to development. Or at least fire the QC guy.
From a developer of this caliber, I would expect them to at least identify the objects in the HO games correctly. They asked for a "pen" when the object they wanted me to find was piece of jewelry -- a pin or brooch, a "comb" that was actually a hairbrush, a "shackle" which turned out to be an earring, and an "angel" which I discovered was a representation of Ra or Horus!
The graphics are nothing special and I know that several of the other developers out there are doing much higher quality animation, so it isn't as if it's not possible. Even the individual scenes felt rather shallow and one dimensional. There's no complexity here. I enjoyed the visual quality of Haunted Manor: Painted Beauties much more.
I only played the demo, but the "haunts" at this haunted hotel were not even particularly interesting, much less scary. Maybe it gets better if you play the entire game, but I doubt it.
Can't make any further judgment about the story, apart from the fact it didn't make me feel compelled to buy it.
Can't make any further judgment about the story, apart from the fact it didn't make me feel compelled to buy it.
Sorry James, you're on your own on this one. I'm going back to Dupin.
I don't recommend this game.