LilaJane's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:245
- Reviews Submitted:31
- First Review:January 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 17, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Amelie's Cafe: Holiday Spirit
Decorate three Christmas cafes, prepare yuletide favorites for your guests and earn enough money to fill Santa's sleigh!
Overall rating
3
/
5
17 of 18 found this review helpful
Repetitive
PostedDecember 19, 2013
LilaJane
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Large File, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Fashion Fits!
(15)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I recently bought Amelie's Cafe: Halloween, and enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I got tired of this one very quickly.
There are only three different cafe's, and the menu never changes except there's one new dish added in each cafe. Otherwise they keep making the same green salad, turkey and muffins throughout the game. How are green salad and blueberry muffins even christmasy? Couldn't they really come up with anything else?
On top of that, there are 24 levels to each cafe, which is a lot: I got bored around the 12th level in each cafe, because there's no variety, and you basically do the same thing over and over. Simple sometimes is good, but I think there should be at least some progression to make a TM game really fun.
I also didn't understand why the restaurant upgrades were so unnoticeable. The new stuff looked almost exactly like the old stuff. I couldn't help thinking there wasn't really much thought that went into this game at all.
However, the game was cute and fun for a little while. It wasn't a complete waste of money, only it could have been so much better.
I don't recommend this game.
Nancy Drew: The Trail of the Twister
It's important to know when to investigate and when to seek shelter in Nancy Drew: The Trail of the Twister!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
very enjoyable
PostedOctober 21, 2013
LilaJane
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Time Management, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Virtual Families
(88)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love "Trail of the Twister" mainly for its ambiance. I loved the stormy weather. I enjoyed the country feel and learning about tornadoes.
The mystery is about a tornado research team who are trying to win a competition while someone is trying to sabotage them. I was completely surprised to find who the culprit was in the end.
You have to drive around a bit. but not as much as in "Old Clock" for instance. Also you drive pretty fast and you have to dodge other cars, so you can have a bit of fun while driving!
I liked the minigames. They were all integral to the story and not overwhelming like some ND games (hello Ransom of the Seven Ships!) Some were easy even on Senior level, but some were real head-scratchers. They were also nicely paced.
I liked the interaction with the characters. Conversations were mostly to the point and no one went on for ages about their love lives and such. The Krolmeister character on the phone was fun. Other than him, you can only call the Hardy Boys, and there weren't many hints, but you won't really need them.
"Twister" is suspenseful and challenging but not overly hard. I'd nearly lost my taste for Nancy Drew after playing the headache-inducing "Seven Ships". This game was challenging but also fun.
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew: Treasure in the Royal Tower
Join legendary detective, Nancy Drew, as she follows ancient clues to find the mysterious Wickford Castle`s legendary secret!
Overall rating
5
/
5
38 of 40 found this review helpful
One of the best
PostedAugust 29, 2013
LilaJane
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Jo's Dream: Organic Coffee
(143)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is one of the best of the old style Nancy Drew games, and IMO "Royal Tower" even beats some of the newer games in many ways.
Unlike "Castle Malloy", you have a free run around the castle and you're able to snoop and explore everywhere.as you like. I miss this feature in the newer games. Also unlike many newer games, the puzzles you solve are mostly connected to the plot and help you move forward.
Moving outside in the snow reminded me of "White Wolf", but it's done much better here. You can move on naturally, with no awkward walking motion and waiting for the scene to change.
The characters are interesting enough, and the storyline about Marie Antoinette is very well done. You don't have to sleep in this game, but sometimes it's a good idea to move the clock forward, and you'll know when because you're given a cue.
"Tower" doesn't have nearly as many puzzles as some other ND games, so in that way it's a little easier, also you don't have to take a lot of notes. Still you'll need your wits about you to move forward in every turn!
I recommend this game!
Return to Mysterious Island
Use your survival skills to uncover artifacts, solve ancient technologies, and explore the Mysterious Island.
Overall rating
2
/
5
24 of 26 found this review helpful
360 game not for me!
PostedJuly 28, 2013
LilaJane
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Time Management, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
My sole purpose of writing this review is to warn people who can't stomach 360 games. I knew I had a problem with the constant movement, but I was fooled by some reviews that said you can change the motion to "slow" from the options. Indeed you can, but at least for me that didn't make any difference. I didn't notice much difference from the "normal" speed, and though I tried to move at a snail's pace, after awhile I was nauseous to a point that I can't make myself have another go. Pity because it's probably a great game otherwise!
I don't recommend this game.
Nancy Drew - Danger on Deception Island
Investigate the threat shrouded in the approaching fog. Plunge into danger to bring a mysterious island's secrets to the surface!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Sweet game, not too challenging
PostedJuly 12, 2013
LilaJane
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Coconut Queen
(33)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This was surprisingly easy for a Nancy Drew game, and shorter than the ones I've played before. It took me 4 days to finish Phantom of Venice, playing on and off, and only 2 days to finish this one. I hardly needed the walkthrough at all, which is unheard of as I'm not a very experienced ND player!
The storyline is good, there is a killer whale causing confusion just off the coast of a small fishing town, and we are not quite sure what to do about her. This causes friction between members of the community.
Nancy Drew games often have to do with the supernatural, this game not so much. There is some reference to the sea monster "Caddy", but the focus is on the whale and an old smuggling mystery.
Which brings me to one of my disappointments, namely that the whale really doesn't make an appearance until the very end of the game! I thought maybe, all of those (numerous) times I was required to go kayaking, I would catch sight of her, but no. Also, contact with Katie, the reason I went to Deception Island in the first place, and on whose boat I was staying, was really minimal. MINOR SPOILER AHEAD! Even when the ice box in the cabin melted and there was clearly reason to notify Katie, I had no lines to tell her about it at all, I was just sent on my way cycling and kayaking some more...
I did enjoy this game very much. It was fun visiting the whale museum and trying out all of the minigames. The events unfurled in a logical sequence and I pretty much knew what I was supposed to do most of the time. The culprit wasn't all that easy to figure out, and the ending was exciting!
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice
Tour the Sunken City while interrogating suspects to nail the masked thief in this authentic Adventure game.
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Stunning game
PostedJuly 5, 2013
LilaJane
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Time Management, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the second Nancy Drew game I've played, after Message in a Haunted Mansion, which got me hooked. The game has a great plot and fun characters. I enjoyed most of the dialogue and I didn't find it too lenghty because the characters were interesting.
I liked the game so much, once I'd finished, I started a new game straight away! It was even more fun the second time because you could ignore the red herrings (there were a few) and choose different lines in conversations, and change the order you do things.
Graphics were awesome, I only wish more locations had been open to explore the city some more, and I wish you could have moved around the locations a bit more, other than Nancy's house. Having said that, there were quite a few locations open, in some games you just have the one.
There were some truly wonderful minigames, although if you don't enjoy card games be warned. You get to play one a lot. It was a good one though, and one that is actually popular in Italy.
The reason I gave the game four stars is that for some challenges, you need to take tons of notes, in addition to which you are required to learn some Italian. Finishing this game really took some dedication! There's a maze with laser beams to stop you, the layout of which was super hard to figure out without looking it up in an online walkthrough, but after that the game was great fun, so it was worth it.
However at the very end there's yet another maze which was so difficult the only way for me to get through it was to follow a walkthrough step by step. I would advise anyone to save the game just before entering the water pump maze, so when you screw up, you can easily start over. Otherwise you will find yourself going endless rounds trying to figure your way out.
This was a great game though with lots of mystery and intrigue. I couldn't guess the culprit until the very end, although there were clues. I think the stealing of Nancy's locket was maybe the most obvious one, for someone who's into psychology.:)
This game was well worth the money. I played over several days, unlike most PC games that are easy to finish at one go. Thank you Her Interactive and Big Fish!
I recommend this game!
Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion
In a house full of trap doors and secret tunnels and suspicious fires, one misstep means Nancy won't stand a ghost of a chance!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Wow!
PostedJuly 1, 2013
LilaJane
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This was my first Nancy Drew game. I was pleasantly surprised at the level of challenge. In a way I feel sorry because it has nearly ruined all of the current BFG adventure/HO games for me. As I started a current game that received a 5 star rating from the board, I felt bored to tears. You find something, and use it in the next scene... No such thing in a ND game! In fact perhaps the tutorial should have prompted to take notes. Having to go back to find things again made the game considerably longer than necessary, but then again some might enjoy a long game.
The only negatives for me were obviously the old interface - also the greenish blue background is IMO a horrible color, but I was able to get past that. The hint system of calling a friend or colleague was very good, but I wish if they had nothing to say, you'd get a voice message. I felt silly calling someone to say hello and goodbye.
The puzzles were hard enough at Junior Level, and they were unskippable.
IMO there were a couple of glitches - for instance Hannah had just advised me not to mention a secret room to Rose over the phone - but as I went to talk to Rose my lines were to tell her about it anyway. Also the notes on the music sheet found on the attic - the second note is an high e, but on the piano you have to press the lower e...
Anyway, all in all this was an excellent game and an eye-opener for me. I was genuinely spooked a few times! I can't wait to play more ND games. In fact I just made good of a 50% sale and bought a buch of them!
I recommend this game!
Tennis in the Face
Get ready for some hilarious ragdoll-smashing, ball-bouncing action in Tennis in the Face!
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 10 found this review helpful
Really fun
PostedMay 6, 2013
LilaJane
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy
Current Favorite:
Fear for Sale: Nightmare Cinema Collector's Edition
(107)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game had me laughing & giggling to myself for ages. There was also quite a bit of challenge. This was a nice change from the adventure and HO games that I usually enjoy. The whole family can play. I'll definitely buy!
I recommend this game!
9: The Dark Side Of Notre Dame
Find the festivalgoer abducted by the gargoyles of Notre Dame and uncover the cathedral’s dark past in this reimagining of the Victor Hugo’s classic tale.
Overall rating
2
/
5
16 of 22 found this review helpful
Sacre bleu!
PostedMarch 12, 2013
LilaJane
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Otherworld: Omens of Summer Collector's Edition
(125)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I fully expected to like this game, because the first "9" was very good and I've played it several times. This game, however, I found unbearable. Perhaps it was the terrible fake French accents, or the ugly sidekick that made unfunny jokes. There were too many cutscenes, and when I clicked to skip a cutscene, the game lauched directly into another cutscene so I had to skip twice. There was an object clearly lying on the ground. Could you pick it up? No, you had to zoom in to pick it up, again, just useless clicking. For me it got tedious after a while. Nice graphics, and some well- thought-of minigames were pluses.
I don't recommend this game.
Hidden Mysteries: Return to Titanic
After using a secret alias to board the Titanic, things go terribly wrong and you find yourself trapped among the wreckage. In order to earn freedom from your watery tomb you must appease your captor by re-writing history and freeing the spirits trapped aboard the 'unsinkable' luxury liner as well as discover why fate has chosen this destiny for you.
Overall rating
5
/
5
13 of 19 found this review helpful
Excellent HO adventure
PostedMarch 3, 2013
LilaJane
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I wanted to give this game my 5 stars, because the average (just over 3 as we speak) does not do this excellent game any justice. The storyline is captivating and the ambience is great, (albeit a little sombre due to the subject matter). The only thing I didn't like was the music, but you could always turn that off. This game will keep your interest until the end, unlike many more fast-paced games, if you only give it a chance.
I recommend this game!