rosekaufmann's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.2
- Helpful Votes:18,036
- Reviews Submitted:831
- First Review:April 2, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 27, 2014
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Your father was murdered while he was investigating a crime. Travel back through time to save him!
Overall rating
4
/
5
33 of 37 found this review helpful
NOT QUITE A 5 STAR
PostedOctober 13, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Even though the story was extremely interesting and unique, the game just didn't excite me as much as I had hoped. The voice overs were done rather nicely, especially the main character; the HOS were detailed and large enough that you weren't pixel hunting; the puzzles were moderately challenging; the gameplay was pretty straightforward; and the visuals were beautifully done.
The cutscenes were well done - but perhaps it was their frequency that was the undoing. It seemed you were playing just fine when you got another (usually very short) cutscene. It made the gameplay feel a little choppy. Whatever the reason, it is still has good production values and was well thought out and conceived.
Since the CE doesn't have quite enough to compel its purchase, the SE seems the way to go. Overall, this game just doesn't feel like a 5-star to me (a 5-star to me is purchase within the next day or two).
I recommend this game!
The Torment of Mont Triste Collector's Edition
No one dares fall asleep in the village of Mont Triste... for when sleep arrives, so does the mysterious Lord of Nightmares.
Overall rating
5
/
5
52 of 56 found this review helpful
BEAUTIFUL PRODUCTION BUT SEEMS FAIRLY EASY
PostedOctober 12, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A different kind of story - people who fall asleep succumb to nightmares. You must help the coachman, paperboy, Lillian, Henri and Gabriella escape their nightmares by entering into their dreams. It didn't take long to help the coachman. The others appear to take longer. There doesn't appear to be an unsurmountable amount of travel (and you do have an interactive map to alleviate any travel).
You get 4 volume controls, widescreen, interactive map and 3 difficulty modes. The CE has 21 collectible goblins, replayable puzzles-HOS-movies, and 11 music tracks (plus bonus game).
The puzzles are really easy, which is why I gave the game only 3 stars for level of challenge. But the artistry and care with detailing the locations and the special effects more than make up for that. The interactive HOS are very detailed and, although a bit crowded in sections of the scene, you should have no trouble finding most of the objects. The hint recharges fairly fast if you need it to find the last couple items.
The achievements are generally earned by normal gameplay, such as rescuing the 6 sleepers and playing HOS/puzzles without hints.
SUMMARY: I'm not sure that the CE has enough extras to suggest it over the SE when it comes out. Maybe if it had additional types of collectibles. But the special effects and graphics make for colorful if dreadful nightmares.
I recommend this game!
Someone has stolen two powerful magic doves from your kingdom, and the consequences could be disastrous. Embark on an extraordinary journey to stop the thief.
Overall rating
5
/
5
82 of 92 found this review helpful
THOUGHT PROVOKING AND PUZZLER'S DREAM
PostedOctober 11, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This was a definite buy for me within 5 minutes of playing. I bought the CE since BF just had a sale on them. The story is refreshingly unique. The artistry is simply gorgeous and the animation is superb.
HOS are not your run-of-the-mill HOS scenes, although they are list-based. Takes some thought on how to accomplish the interaction. And the gameplay is not always straight-forward. I seldom need to use a strategy guide or walkthru, but will likely be using them with this game.
The fairy and the elf helpers are terrific; each with its own special talents. I especially like the elf's help in the HOS (and even with his help, I still had to think about the interaction). Puzzles are beautifully-drawn and are, frankly, a puzzler's dream. Music is dreamy and fits the atmosphere. And you can customize the settings to your heart's content.
WOW! This was a fantastic job the creators did. Of course, I'd expect nothing less from ERS. They just spoil us.
I recommend this game!
Should anyone ever check in to a place called the Final Journey Hotel?
Overall rating
5
/
5
89 of 110 found this review helpful
FANTASTICALLY SPOOKY GAME + ONE FOR THE GUYS
PostedOctober 10, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Spooky through and through. Investigate monsters (ex: werewolf, vampires and all those lovely creatures we used to be afraid were under our beds or behind the sofa when children) at a hotel. And the monsters are at war with each other. Plus you have a male partner (who likes to give orders, so he must be the boss). Doesn't get better than this!
The animation and special effects for the creatures and their war capades is superb. Scenery is pleasant to look at and, once inside the hotel, the color palette for the atmosphere is perfect. Artistry is gorgeously done. The monsters are given a slightly puppetry look.
Lots and lots to do. Puzzles are tied into the scene and missing pieces are readily assessible within a short walk. It's fun to find the solution. HOS are list-based and, although the objects are very well detailed, are very busy. Still, there was no difficulty in finding objects. Narrator and voices were professional and you could interact directly with characters (including your partner).
You get: achievements, collectibles, 4 volume and a gamma control, automatic widescreen, a secret room (these seem to be the new extra in CEs by top developers), 3 modes of difficulty and a map showing where current tasks are. The hint system is extremely helpful - it tells you what to use and where. Recharge is fairly fast in casual mode.
A really great Elephant game (as usual).
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
VERY SHORT BUT LOVELY SENTIMENT
PostedOctober 9, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Game is better than the original. But it’s got to be one of the shortest games I ever played – barely more than 1 ½ hours. For those who speed through games, it could be done during the trial. A young romance lost and found.
NICE:
- Your key memories are retained in a chest, which you can access at any time
- After clicking on a potential puzzle, you will get sea shells with an imprint of the object(s) you need to find. When you find the object, it will transfer to the imprint in color. They show up where your inventory tray would normally be at the bottom of the screen. You can have an awful lot of sea shells at one time.
- Sound effects are very good: like waves crashing, birds singing, running water. You feel like you’re on the scene.
- Puzzles/mini-games are widely varied and interesting. They range from assembling a really cool map puzzle (by filling in the puzzle with animal shapes) to finding related pairs.
- Nicely-done locations with good color palettes and graphics that sometimes looked like watercolors.
- Animation in the locations were really good. (I especially liked the kitten – felt I needed to find some milk or kibble for it. After all, it’s sitting by its bowl after you’ve rescued it. But apparently, it didn’t want anything.)
- Your key memories are retained in a chest, which you can access at any time
- After clicking on a potential puzzle, you will get sea shells with an imprint of the object(s) you need to find. When you find the object, it will transfer to the imprint in color. They show up where your inventory tray would normally be at the bottom of the screen. You can have an awful lot of sea shells at one time.
- Sound effects are very good: like waves crashing, birds singing, running water. You feel like you’re on the scene.
- Puzzles/mini-games are widely varied and interesting. They range from assembling a really cool map puzzle (by filling in the puzzle with animal shapes) to finding related pairs.
- Nicely-done locations with good color palettes and graphics that sometimes looked like watercolors.
- Animation in the locations were really good. (I especially liked the kitten – felt I needed to find some milk or kibble for it. After all, it’s sitting by its bowl after you’ve rescued it. But apparently, it didn’t want anything.)
NOT SO NICE:
- There are too many cutscenes. Thankfully, they are very short. But they are disruptive - I’d rather they be combined to some degree.
- Occasionally, there seemed to be a glitch in the game involving puzzles. Example: After removing the ball from the clock, nothing happened. So I skipped the puzzle because there didn’t seem to be anymore to do. And still nothing happened until I skipped it 2 or 3 times.
- Ending was rather abrupt and unsatisfying.
- There are too many cutscenes. Thankfully, they are very short. But they are disruptive - I’d rather they be combined to some degree.
- Occasionally, there seemed to be a glitch in the game involving puzzles. Example: After removing the ball from the clock, nothing happened. So I skipped the puzzle because there didn’t seem to be anymore to do. And still nothing happened until I skipped it 2 or 3 times.
- Ending was rather abrupt and unsatisfying.
Would have been 4 stars if it weren't for the short length and abrupt ending.
I recommend this game!
A simple murder investigation in Spain becomes a puzzling whodunit filled with intrigue.
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
FOR THE GUYS: BEAUTIFUL WOMAN & MALE ASSISTANT
PostedOctober 9, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The guys will be happy to know what your assistant in this investigation is a man (Aidan). You will be able to interact with some creatures/objects in the scenes which have nothing to do with your investigation (ex: cursor on the cat and watch him hiss). Your hints are limited, but you can get additional hints by finding fans in the locations, including the HOS (which may easily have 2 and which are not on the object list). You will also be amused by the antics of your fennec fox which you imported from South Africa. He, for example likes to run around in huge masks, causing him to trip.
LENGTH: A little over 3 ½ hours playing very casually.
STORY: Hugo Sanchez has been stabbed in his office and you have been called in to investigate. Your able assistant will compile a file of suspects and clues, as well as voice his admiration for your skills. He will also give you his insights. Hugo’s wife, Gabriela, is almost immediately considered a suspect (no surprise to crime show/books enthusiasts). Had a rather abrupt ending and it was not what you expected when you first were called in to investigate.
GAMEPLAY PROGRESSION: Game is mostly adventure. Your first HOS is about 30 minutes into the game and is list-based. They appear periodically, but not too frequently. The color palette is muted, with variations of one or two basic colors with complementary colors thrown in. Nicely done – not too drab to be uninteresting, not too vibrant to be distracting. After about 1 hour, you encounter an interactive silhouette HOS. They are done as nicely as the list-based HOS. Thereafter, you can get either type. [NOTE: a lady bird is a lady bug.] There are also the Find X number of an object.
Puzzles are rather easy and widely varied. You usually don’t need to go too far to get the missing pieces. Mini-games are also widely varied and differ in complexity. I did not find them too difficult, except for a couple with inadequate instructions.
OTHER STUFF: Voice overs sound really good – not amateurish. And the sound effects are terrific. No map, but none needed. Automatic widescreen. Beautiful graphics – though it Ismeralda either wears the same dress all the time or has several duplicates.
I recommend this game!
A simple murder investigation in Spain becomes a puzzling whodunit filled with intrigue.
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
FOR THE GUYS: BEAUTIFUL WOMAN & MALE ASSISTANT
PostedOctober 9, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The guys will be happy to know what your assistant in this investigation is a man (Aidan). You will be able to interact with some creatures/objects in the scenes which have nothing to do with your investigation (ex: cursor on the cat and watch him hiss). Your hints are limited, but you can get additional hints by finding fans in the locations, including the HOS (which may easily have 2 and which are not on the object list). You will also be amused by the antics of your fennec fox which you imported from South Africa. He, for example likes to run around in huge masks, causing him to trip.
LENGTH: A little over 3 ½ hours playing very casually.
STORY: Hugo Sanchez has been stabbed in his office and you have been called in to investigate. Your able assistant will compile a file of suspects and clues, as well as voice his admiration for your skills. He will also give you his insights. Hugo’s wife, Gabriela, is almost immediately considered a suspect (no surprise to crime show/books enthusiasts). Had a rather abrupt ending and it was not what you expected when you first were called in to investigate.
GAMEPLAY PROGRESSION: Game is mostly adventure. Your first HOS is about 30 minutes into the game and is list-based. They appear periodically, but not too frequently. The color palette is muted, with variations of one or two basic colors with complementary colors thrown in. Nicely done – not too drab to be uninteresting, not too vibrant to be distracting. After about 1 hour, you encounter an interactive silhouette HOS. They are done as nicely as the list-based HOS. Thereafter, you can get either type. [NOTE: a lady bird is a lady bug.] There are also the Find X number of an object.
Puzzles are rather easy and widely varied. You usually don’t need to go too far to get the missing pieces. Mini-games are also widely varied and differ in complexity. I did not find them too difficult, except for a couple with inadequate instructions.
OTHER STUFF: Voice overs sound really good – not amateurish. And the sound effects are terrific. No map, but none needed. Automatic widescreen. Beautiful graphics – though it Ismeralda either wears the same dress all the time or has several duplicates. Other than poor instructions on a couple minigames, length was its only downfall - I play rather slowly, especially with a lot of lovely scenery to look at, so I think it should have been another hour of play.
CE has the usual - up to you if it's worth the additional cost, though I usually like achievements.
I recommend this game!
Down through the centuries, some of the world`s greatest scholars have studied the prophecies of Nostradamus. Now it`s your turn.
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
HOS AND PUZZLES ONLY
PostedOctober 5, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This is a pure list-driven HOS with a wide variety of puzzles of varying difficulty. There is no story and you’ll learn no history. But I like it. You select your HOS from a map; each location tells you the number of HO you need to find and objects are easy to find in the richly-detailed colorful HOS. [Purists will be aghast to learn that not all objects are true to the 16th Century France period.] Objects move around each time you go back to a location. As you progress, you will find a higher number of objects at each of the 15 levels.
There is no inventory. After successfully completing the HOS for each level, you must solve a puzzle to discover a missing element of Nostradamus’s crystal ball. Puzzles have varying degrees of difficulty (easy to challenging) and include Wheel of Fortune, unscramble the pictures, knocking out targets, scrambled cards.
The searches are timed. In timed mode, you get about 40-50 minutes while untimed gives you about 80-90 minutes per level. In other words, there is no hurry. You have a limited number of skips, so I would advise saving them for the puzzles you have difficulty solving. One annoying factor was a “clearing the throat” noise – it adds nothing but irritation. You can silence it by changing the ambient sound to zero.
I recommend this game!
A shipwreck on a volcanic island unearths deadly secrets!
Overall rating
4
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
BEAUTIFUL; GOOD GAME, BUT A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING
PostedOctober 5, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
SUMMARY: This is the sequel to Mayan Prophecies: Ship of Spirits. I loved the original but this sequel left me a little disappointed. But it’s still a great looking game with good gameplay. The artistry was gorgeous and gameplay was similar to the original.
I liked that the “saved” person from Ship of Spirits was included. I think it’s the story line or maybe the interaction between our heroes and the natives – it just isn’t compelling me to feel like I should hurry to save the island. At times, it seemed the story had to be fabricated to add more elements and length to the game.
GOOD:
Morphing objects
Breaking out hummingbirds and collecting them
Beautiful locations with outstanding artistry
Don’t need to play original to understand this one
Gain a little Mayan history (learning about cultures is always a plus to me)
Nicely done HOS
Morphing objects
Breaking out hummingbirds and collecting them
Beautiful locations with outstanding artistry
Don’t need to play original to understand this one
Gain a little Mayan history (learning about cultures is always a plus to me)
Nicely done HOS
NOT SO GOOD:
Voice overs don’t sound professional
Story not as compelling as the original
Sometimes storyline felt fabricated
Voice overs don’t sound professional
Story not as compelling as the original
Sometimes storyline felt fabricated
I recommend this game!
Solve whimsical puzzles, explore worlds of exquisite detail, and keep your eyes peeled for hundreds of cleverly Hidden Objects!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
FOR WHEN YOU NEED CHEERING UP
PostedOctober 5, 2013
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
SUMMARY/LENGTH: This is a cheerful and humorous game. It took me a little over 6 hours to play, but it seemed like only 2 or 3 hours because it was SO MUCH FUN that time flew by. When’s the next one coming out? Aren’t they overdue with a new Snark game? The ending certainly leaves room for more adventures. This is a lovely game to play when you’re down in the dumps. It is so whimsical and eccentric that I wouldn’t even care if it didn’t have a storyline.
GOOD:
- Jack Blair is the world’s greatest current car racer. His grandfather was even better, but he disappeared in a tunnel during his last race. And Jack wants to become a certified Snark Buster.
- 6 brilliant and quirky levels with several locations each before Jack can become an official Snark Buster and race the car they have for him to drive.
- Progress forward by playing very colorful and bright Fragmented HOS. Pieces are easy to find. But some will be unobtainable until later. Once you’ve successfully completed a level, you’ll be given a medallion which will gain you entry into the next level.
- Going to a new location and putting together new fragment objects and solving problems will frequently change a prior location, making additional fragments available. The backgrounds are done in a highly-exaggerated style that fits perfect with the game.
- Although you go into a backwards world, it was not mystifying and it was easily adaptable.
- Jessica Marrey is again in pursuit of Jack. She keeps you updated wherever there is a television on the mystery of Jack. She’s a hoot.
- Superb animation and sound effects. Jaunty music (although sometimes there was no music).
- Jack Blair is the world’s greatest current car racer. His grandfather was even better, but he disappeared in a tunnel during his last race. And Jack wants to become a certified Snark Buster.
- 6 brilliant and quirky levels with several locations each before Jack can become an official Snark Buster and race the car they have for him to drive.
- Progress forward by playing very colorful and bright Fragmented HOS. Pieces are easy to find. But some will be unobtainable until later. Once you’ve successfully completed a level, you’ll be given a medallion which will gain you entry into the next level.
- Going to a new location and putting together new fragment objects and solving problems will frequently change a prior location, making additional fragments available. The backgrounds are done in a highly-exaggerated style that fits perfect with the game.
- Although you go into a backwards world, it was not mystifying and it was easily adaptable.
- Jessica Marrey is again in pursuit of Jack. She keeps you updated wherever there is a television on the mystery of Jack. She’s a hoot.
- Superb animation and sound effects. Jaunty music (although sometimes there was no music).
NOT SO GOOD:
- I’m sure there’s something someone will complain about, but I certainly have nothing.
- I’m sure there’s something someone will complain about, but I certainly have nothing.
I recommend this game!