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:
Journey across Italy as best-selling novelist Dana Knightstone in Death Under Tuscan Skies: A Dana Knightstone Novel!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
PLEASURE TO PLAY
PostedMarch 25, 2014
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
Game is a pleasure to play because of its flawless gameplay. Mostly adventure, with quite a few clever and innovative puzzles that have varying degrees of difficulty that are a lot of fun to play. Great graphics with gorgeous color palette to add dimension. Good voice over for Dana's character, but others seem to be merely written dialogue. Love the Dana Knightstone games.
I recommend this game!
Uncover why Lisa's uncle is hiding information about her father's disappearance and help her discover the truth.
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 22 found this review helpful
AVERAGE ADVENTURE
PostedMarch 24, 2014
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
PROS:
Good graphics
Special effects
Voice overs are pleasant
Well-developed story
Mysterious villian
Variety of puzzles with varying difficulty
Crowded HOS - list and picture based
Plenty of cutscenes
Good graphics
Special effects
Voice overs are pleasant
Well-developed story
Mysterious villian
Variety of puzzles with varying difficulty
Crowded HOS - list and picture based
Plenty of cutscenes
CONS:
Inventory tray can't be locked; keeps getting in way
Clicking in lower 2" of scene causes you to back out
Nothing outstanding
Slow-moving story
Inventory tray can't be locked; keeps getting in way
Clicking in lower 2" of scene causes you to back out
Nothing outstanding
Slow-moving story
I recommend this game!
An imprisoned soul will never be free until you clear his name!
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 10 found this review helpful
OUTSTANDING
PostedMarch 23, 2014
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
Intriguing well thought-out story with twists and turns. Awesome artistry with beautiful color palettes and graphics are crisp and clear. The Dana Knightstone games are such fun to play. So much to do, but you don't have to travel too much because the teleportal map will take you where you need to go. Unique method of playing HOS, besides the traditional list. Puzzles are varied and sometimes complex. Fantastic voice overs. Great music. Interesting nonlinear gameplay. This is one of the outstanding series around.
I recommend this game!
An imprisoned soul will never be free until you clear his name!
Overall rating
5
/
5
OUTSTANDING
PostedMarch 23, 2014
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
Intriguing well thought-out story with twists and turns. Awesome artistry with beautiful color palettes and graphics are crisp and clear. The Dana Knightstone games are such fun to play. So much to do, but you don't have to travel too much because the teleportal map will take you where you need to go. Unique method of playing HOS, besides the traditional list. Puzzles are varied and sometimes complex. Fantastic voice overs. Great music. Interesting nonlinear gameplay. This is one of the outstanding series around.
I recommend this game!
Something pulled your son into a shimmering portal. Dive into a magical world to find him!
Overall rating
4
/
5
18 of 23 found this review helpful
WELL DONE AND SOLID HOG-ADVENTURE
PostedMarch 23, 2014
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Good well-developed story. 3 difficulties - Hard mode allows you to only set the time to charge hints and skips. HOS are silhouettes, put items where they belong and list-based - but scenes are quite crowded and it's difficult to find everything easily. Many more puzzles than HOS and they vary in degree of difficulty and type. Mostly adventure game. Graphics are very pretty, although sometimes they are hazy (which the developers probably intended, but I didn't think it was necessary or worked that well). Cutscenes were many and well done. A nice afternoon of gameplay.
I recommend this game!
Something pulled your son into a shimmering portal. Dive into a magical world to find him!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
WELL DONE AND SOLID HOG-ADVENTURE
PostedMarch 22, 2014
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Good well-developed story. 3 difficulties - Hard mode allows you to only set the time to charge hints and skips. HOS are silhouettes, put items where they belong and list-based - but scenes are quite crowded and it's difficult to find everything easily. Many more puzzles than HOS and they vary in degree of difficulty and type. Mostly adventure game. Graphics are very pretty, although sometimes they are hazy (which the developers probably intended, but I didn't think it was necessary or worked that well). Cutscenes were many and well done. A nice afternoon of gameplay.
I recommend this game!
Soul and machine are one in Motor Town, where a stunning mystery awaits!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
SOLID RUN-OF-THE-MILL
PostedMarch 22, 2014
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
STORY: As a reporter, you're looking for your big break in interviewing the inventor of the first automobiles (imagined with souls by the inventor). And he's a little on the weird side and you have to save him from supernaturals. Why he is involved with them remains a mystery.
MISCELLANEOUS STUFF: Graphics are hand-drawn but not too crisp. So-so music and voice overs. Game sort of ends without explanation or resolution.
GAMEPLAY: Mildly challenging solid gameplay. Lots of list-based interactive HOS that are somewhat crowded; good variety of mini-games with varying degrees of difficulty. Most objects needed to solve puzzles are found nearby. Journa (which can help with puzzles) and map. Some back and forth, but trips are not too long. Hint system points you in the right direction.
SUMMARY: A run-of-the-mill HOG with nothing new to add to the genre, but it is still a solid game.
I recommend this game!
Will you heed the director’s final casting call?
Overall rating
5
/
5
50 of 71 found this review helpful
GOOD AS IT GETS
PostedMarch 22, 2014
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
Since others have told the skillful story, I'll skip the details. Customizable. Creative. Fun to play. Non-linear. Flawless gameplay that is quite challenging. Silhouette progressive HOS as well as lists; objects are very well hidden but with good visibility. Good variety of puzzles with varying degrees of difficulty. Many require more than one step. Objects found to help you progress are used fairly close to where they were found. Many locations with a fast-travel map. Diary with pictures and notes. Clapboards are well-blended into their surroundings. Well-developed and carefully crafted environments - graphics are crisp, colorful and finely detailed. Good length.
I recommend this game!
His mother escaped her murdering husband just before he was born. Now the son of Bluebeard must break his father's curse.
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
FIND THE HEART
PostedMarch 22, 2014
rosekaufmann
fromLos Angeles
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The special effects were spectacular; voice overs were good; music was appropriate to set the mood; hint system works good (shows you what inventory tool to use in what location); sound effects were apropros to the atmosphere. Good production values. I wasn't particularly taken in by the storyline. When searching the HOS and doing the mini-games, I often wondered what they had to do with the story. Sometimes, I was wondering why I was doing something.
I liked the stylistic artwork (and I don't understand why almost everytime a developer chooses to use stylistic artwork, there are some who think it's low-budget instead of determining if the look is what they were after. It takes a special type of artist to make those looks. Everything else like voice overs, effects, et al do NOT point to a low-budget production.) What I didn't like is that the demo only runs to a certain point before it's over. [At least, it was close to the hour trial.] Overall, a good game; it's just not me.
I recommend this game!
Your sister disappears the night of her star debut – and there are ghosts in the theater! Will this dance ever end?
Overall rating
5
/
5
68 of 74 found this review helpful
MORE FUN THE LONGER YOU PLAY
PostedMarch 21, 2014
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
At first, I thought this game was just a middle-of-the-road production, but the longer I played, the more engrossed I became. The story and events became more interesting - love mysteries. Your sister who is the lead ballerina is not in front of the theater as you had planned after her performance. The mystery increases from there.
BASICS: customize your level of difficulty; good voice overs; play bubble shoot instead of HOS; unintrusive music; diary; map with objectives and active areas shown and good sound effects.
GAME PLAY: The special effects are good, though not abundant. For some locations, you need to use several pieces of inventory in succession (ex: a ribbon, then an empty doctor's bag to hand on it and finally bricks to put into the bag in order to crash a door open). You combine objects where they are used, not in the inventory tray.
HOS are list or silhouette-based and puzzles are different and can be figured out with a little thought. Well thought out story and gameplay. Game is a lot of fun and full of entertainment, the deeper you get into it.
The CE vs. SE: CE has morphing objects, making of, replay puzzles and HOS, play new HOS, movies, souvenir shop, pictures (wallpapers, context etc), collectibles and the bonus game.
I recommend this game!