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:
Mystic Legacy: The Great Ring
Uncover the dark legacy hidden within a Romanian castle to save your friend from an evil spirit!
Overall rating
3
/
5
37 of 59 found this review helpful
Simple HOG
PostedSeptember 2, 2012
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I found this game uninspiring. There is nothing new and the dialogue attempt to be funny falls short (for which I downgraded). That being said, the graphics are good and I will admit that the storyline has a slightly different twist in that the vampire is a fake. It might appeal to those who prefer straight HOGs with only a little adventure. The hint system works good, going so far as to tell you what should be done and where – just like having a built-in guide. More games would benefit with this attribute so that we don’t have to prowl the web to find out what to do when we are irretrievably flummoxed. I might play this game if I had nothing better to do, but I don’t see that happening with all the games I have. It’s not a bad game, it’s just that there are so many better. 2.8 stars.
I recommend this game!
Join Steve the Sheriff in an all new Hidden Object Adventure crime saga set in the zany town of Neptuneville.
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Such a cute adorable game for the young and young-at-hearts
PostedAugust 31, 2012
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
3
/
5
Nothing new in this game, but it can be enjoyed equally by adults and children because it’s just so darn cute.
Storyline: When he’s not eating pie, Steve the lobster has to find out who pilfered a valuable painting from the town’s museum. He has to search all over the wonderfully hand-drawn and colorful undersea town to find the culprit. Each location has a HOS, a cigar and a mini-game. Searching the HOS is delightful – everything is bright and large. The object list is alphabetical. Each HOS also has a bubbling area which requires special attention (i.e., special objects not in the list). Mini-games are varied, and are not very difficult.
Dialogue is light and humorous. There are 36 environments to explore, with no backtracking. There’s a really cute bonus game available (chariot racing) once you’ve completed the game, provided you found all 36 cigars. [You can go back if you miss any.] You can play the bonus game as long as you want. Whether you’re a kid-at-heart or have the grandchildren to entertain, if you’re looking for a light-hearted fun game you all can enjoy, give this one a try.
It’s been 3 years to get the sequel out. The ending did promise one! Don't recall how long it was because it was so fun I didn't keep track.
I recommend this game!
Investigate a military hospital that hosted a variety of terrifying experiments in The Agency of Anomalies: Mystic Hospital!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 8 found this review helpful
Solid Game of Paranormal Beings
PostedAugust 31, 2012
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Storyline: You play a paranormal investigator. Other reviewers already gave details; I'll just add that capturing the paranormal energy generated by the monsters in “nexus” capsules was kind of fun. Game on casual mode this time took me 4 ½ hours.
Gameplay: It was fairly easy to remember where the rooms were - for example: wards were off the vestibule, lake was past the garage. What you needed to do seemed straightforward (although I don't know if that's how I felt the first time I played it some time ago). Game is not linear. There are plenty of HOS and puzzles.
HOS are crisp and fairly sized and puzzles are varied. The scenes in which you place items where they belong is particularly fun, as some pairings produce animated results, such as boots were cleaned after placing a brush on dirty boots. Difficulty of puzzles varied - you have the option of skipping them if you don't mind 30 minutes added to your playtime. Hints recharge fairly quickly (police whistle signals the hint has recharged).
Graphics fully create the atmosphere of an abandoned hospital so don’t expect much color in the artwork. Music and sound added to that environment. A solid game all around.
I recommend this game!
Help Jenny & Robert experience an exciting honeymoon in this unique Hidden Object adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
16 of 18 found this review helpful
DD HONEYMOON - FOR HOG LOVERS
PostedAugust 30, 2012
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The game is colorful and the HOS very detailed. Each chapter ends with a mini-game. At first, I liked the music - thought the upbeat tempo refreshing, but later it started to grate on me. The mini-games aren't challenging. There isn't really a story, but that's okay for this type of game. The Dream Day games follow the same format, but I prefer Dream Day - First Home better. Items seem harder to find in Honeymoon and I got tired of the eyestrain. Still, it's not a bad game if you like straight HOGs and have a large screen (that's large, not just a widescreen) or perfect eyesight, in which case, I would recommend as worth a trial at least.
I recommend this game!
Rescue your daughter, Hannah, from the clutches of an evil witch before it's too late in this chilling Hidden Object adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
53 of 57 found this review helpful
Stunning Game that Sucks You In
PostedAugust 30, 2012
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
There is nothing run-of-the-mill in this game. It’s a very spooky adventure in an old school, trying to get your daughter back and save other children captured by a witch. Excellent production values - the developers did a fantastic and creative job in making this one of the creepiest games around. There’s so much to do. Even with a map (not interactive) to tell you where actions are required, a pen and paper will come in handy.
Uses real actors with voices and natural-sounding dialog that is spot on. Soundscapes (especially the background screaming and wind storm sounds) add to the already eerie atmosphere. Graphics are a visual delight - beautifully drawn and detailed environments, befitting the story perfectly. Little roving eyes found everywhere add to the creepiness. Wide variety of innovative and brilliant puzzles that are a lot of fun.
This game just sucks you in from the beginning and is the perfect game to play at night with the lights low and no one around.
I recommend this game!
Help Brunhilda explore a mystical world blooming with magic and humor in this fun and exciting Hidden Object Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Charming Game to Play with Your Grandkids or Your Inner Child
PostedAugust 29, 2012
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
Storyline: Brunhilda must save a magical realm. A crystal is sucking up the magic and she must complete the crystal and to trap it forever. Otherwise, the magic will be concentrated in the hands of a few powerful wizards. Game length was slightly over 8 hours, casual mode. This is a good game to play with your young children or grandchildren. There are 10 chapters which are convenient breaking points. Since each is a stand-alone chapter, you won’t have to think about what has happened or still needs to be done just to continue your game.
Your quests are listed at the bottom of the screen and you normally have one quest at a time. Some of the items you are looking for are rather tiny, but you do get a magnifier. A demon accompanies you to help out when needed - and he provides a lot of funny commentary. [Example: In one scene, villagers are out in the fields, leaving their homes unattended. Fires break out, and Brunhilda must collect the chickens to save them. The demon doesn’t see why they should because “the villagers will surely appreciate roasted chicken.”] If you don’t like his sense of humor or find his voice grating, you can mute him. I must say he isn’t very cute; all the other characters are.
You can’t be at a loss of what to do next. There are 3 or fewer scenes per chapter. Doors with possible action on the other side or people you need to speak to are highlighted. I don’t normally like to have my hand held so closely, but then I forgive the developers because the animation more than made up for it. In fact, it was a pleasure watching Brunhilda.
The graphics and animation are artistic and creative, not to mention very colorful. Some people say it’s cartoonish. I disagree - it plays like an animated movie featuring a magical kingdom. Music is okay. You can choose a panoramic screen. The voice of Brunhilda was very pleasant and the demon’s voice fit him perfectly. It sounded like the same person was the voice of most of the remaining characters, but his dialogue seemed forced. End: A beautifully crafted, charming and enjoyable adventure-HOG game for the young at heart.
I recommend this game!
The Otherside: Realm of Eons
Travel back and forth between mysterious worlds and help to unravel the mystery of a brother and sister torn apart!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Maybe for novice HOG lovers
PostedAugust 29, 2012
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
There are a lot of games out there where you step through portals and are transported into a new world. This game falls deep in their shadows. I have Otherworld: Spring of Shadows and was expecting a storyline and gameplay along that line. Story is ho-hum, done numerous times but better. Artwork is okay. HOS and dialogue were uninspiring. It's not a bad game. Novices might like it as the searches and puzzles are not difficult, which is why I'm giving it a recommendation. But I don't recommend it for avid HOG players - you will find no challenge and you are pretty much led through the baby steps.
Checking widescreen and full screen modes give you a little screen more suited to a tablet. Unchecking widescreen helped make the screen larger.
I recommend this game!
Explore the Portals to the Unknown with rescue pilot Veronica Rivers in this mysterious Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 18 found this review helpful
Fun Game
PostedAugust 27, 2012
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
Story: Veronica is a rescue pilot who goes in search of an Alaskan geologist expedition gone awry, but she is so multi-talented, she may actually be a former Navy Seal. There are 14 chapters, each in different locations and with 3-5 scenes and mini-games. She travels through harsh winters, hot deserts, outer space, humid jungles and underwater as she visits the 14 separate locations (there is no backtracking). I played this game a little over a year ago and it still is a fun and entertaining game – not too easy but not so challenging as to get exasperated.
Variety of well-done HOS: list of objects, silhouettes, photos, collect hidden evidence, etc. Nice thing about the silhouettes is that they appear in the scene the same way they show up on the PDA. Everything that you find has some relevance to the story and a little commentary appears at the bottom of the screen as items are found, You also have to copy runes and find differences (but the differences are things are added to only one picture - no different colors or shapes to find).
Puzzles are nothing new and although not too challenging, they are fun and they do become a little more complicated as the game progresses. They include several variations of stone games and untangling lines in order to connect to navigation satellites to know where Veronica is going next. Hints are useful and recharge rapidly, but each chapter adds a few seconds to the recharge time. There appears to be no penalty for misclicks (maybe there are if you go wild).
The developers put a lot of thought into this game; it does everything very well from the story to the gameplay. Artwork, animation and sound effects are fantastic and work together to create a terrific atmosphere for the storyline. Once you’ve completed the game, you can play any portal (i.e., chapter) in any order.
If there is one negative, it's that you cannot control the dialogue (written) and it sometimes goes too fast; you cannot repeat it so you could miss a small part of the story if you read too slow. Also, some people may find that each chapter follows a pattern of presentation too closely. The good side is that the end of each chapter presents a good breaking point for picking up the game a few days later.
I recommend this game!
Your friend, Mary, disappears and it's up to you to save her. Uncover an exotic land with unearthly secrets as you find and help your friend leave the flying island.
Overall rating
3
/
5
13 of 19 found this review helpful
Inbetween
PostedAugust 26, 2012
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
An interesting story with interactive FROGs and relaxing music. FROG objects were well defined and fairly sized. At times, I felt like a mechanic or machinist (or at least a talented handyman) when finding and putting things together.
With the hand drawn art, the island had an idyllic quality; music was relaxing and narrator was pleasant to listen to. Although the overall concept has been done, the aliens taking a spiritual presence while awaiting your help makes it somewhat unique. Puzzles and mini-games were not too hard. The hardest part was determining what to do next as there were many places to explore and things to do. A pleasant way to idle your afternoon away.
I recommend this game!
Help Hero and Ann wake up all of mankind in Lost in the City: Post Scriptum! Put an end to the curse and save the entire world!
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
Post Scriptum
PostedAugust 25, 2012
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This has got to be one of the weirdest games I’ve ever played. The best puzzles and minigames came toward the very end. In fact, I thought the best part of the game was the last ½ hour. But on the way there, I had trouble following the surreal story (or was it just a dream) at times and I felt it occasionally dragged. I think Lost in the City is a much better game; I was a little disappointed in Post Scriptum. Still, it is a good game I could continue playing even if I didn’t think it always made sense.
PROS:
- you can read through the dialogue at your own pace.
- there is a magnifier
- HOS – there are small items hidden behind other objects and there are a few dark or shadowy spots, which is where the magnifier comes in handy
- artwork establishes the atmosphere, which is mostly desolate
- you collect butterflies which instantly recharge the hints and open “presents” which you can access at the end of the game. The presents are concept art for each of the chapters or locations, something usually found only in CEs.
- sometimes, you can choose among 3 actions to be taken. The actions cannot be wrong. Whichever one you choose, you will get a bit of story incorporating it. You continue choosing until you get to the action that will move the story forward. I thought it was a rather interesting concept and well handled by the developers.
CONS:
- objects had to be pointedly clicked on hard to get them to stick to the cursor. They should just firmly attach with a normal click.
- Hint system takes a minute to recharge and the second are counted down. But finding a butterfly can speed up the recharge.
- you can read through the dialogue at your own pace.
- there is a magnifier
- HOS – there are small items hidden behind other objects and there are a few dark or shadowy spots, which is where the magnifier comes in handy
- artwork establishes the atmosphere, which is mostly desolate
- you collect butterflies which instantly recharge the hints and open “presents” which you can access at the end of the game. The presents are concept art for each of the chapters or locations, something usually found only in CEs.
- sometimes, you can choose among 3 actions to be taken. The actions cannot be wrong. Whichever one you choose, you will get a bit of story incorporating it. You continue choosing until you get to the action that will move the story forward. I thought it was a rather interesting concept and well handled by the developers.
CONS:
- objects had to be pointedly clicked on hard to get them to stick to the cursor. They should just firmly attach with a normal click.
- Hint system takes a minute to recharge and the second are counted down. But finding a butterfly can speed up the recharge.
You will need to decide whether this is your cup of tea. I would have liked to see a version of the last puzzles earlier in the game to spice it up.
I recommend this game!