Granny_Gruff's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.6
- Helpful Votes:22,850
- Reviews Submitted:883
- First Review:December 23, 2011
- Most Recent Review:November 23, 2022
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The peace in the White Kingdom is marred by the appearance of the mysterious Black Knight who has stolen your only son! Can you save him in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
9 of 16 found this review helpful
Where Are We and Why? OR Maybe Why Are We Here Again?
PostedJuly 18, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromAnother good illustration of why we don't necessarily need a new game of the day!
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Your son, Nevin is kidnapped by the Black Knight. You must save him by traveling to the rival Black kingdom, overrun by wicked looking vines and darkness. You have only scroll magic from the White Kingdom and aid from a smuggler to help you rescue Nevin.
Good Stuff: You won't spend an excessive amount of time on the Demo - I was done in less than half the allotted time.
Bad stuff: There is a distressingly simple connect-the-dots puzzle each time you use a magic scroll. The art work varies wildly, with the horses expertly drawn and the rest of each scene cartoonish or just rough. The story is trite and confused. The English translation on screen is lacking a good editor.
Gameplay is average at best. There are no collectibles.
Gameplay is average at best. There are no collectibles.
Bottom line: This SE is a confused retread of an overused plot with little to recommend it .
Please play the Demo. You will quickly appreciate its brevity!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you solve the mystery of the murderous dolls?
Overall rating
2
/
5
13 of 20 found this review helpful
Dolls, Time Lag While Loading, Trite Dialogue
PostedJuly 17, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromJust back from vacay and wishing I'd stayed one more day!
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Emma Roberts, star reporter at Fear For Sale magazine is accused in the poisoning attacks on four of her colleagues at the magazine offices. After escaping from her handcuffs and her hospital room, she sets out to find the real culprit.
Good stuff: Usual game elements are here, some done better than others. The game is CE bling light. While there are collectibles, there is little else to recommend the CE version.
Bad stuff: Every scene change involves a loading screen before the next scene appears. You get to stare at a FFS magazine cover while you wait. Any sense of drama, urgency, suspense, or story immersion dies in the meantime.
Emma resorts to talking to herself several times. Unfortunately her monologues are totally unnecessary and cliche-ridden. The story itself is not as involving as we would hope and feels like a retread with many of the usual actions.
Emma resorts to talking to herself several times. Unfortunately her monologues are totally unnecessary and cliche-ridden. The story itself is not as involving as we would hope and feels like a retread with many of the usual actions.
Bottom line: I have nine of the earlier eleven games in the FFS series. Sadly, this will not be my tenth one.
Please try the Demo before you buy.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you and your sister escape the deadly history of Reed Valley?
Overall rating
2
/
5
27 of 39 found this review helpful
Nope, nada, never.
PostedJuly 8, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromThey can do better - we've seen it before.
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is not the Phantasmat we loved. That is not surprising as the series has had a few misses in the past and we were due for another. When Phantasmat is good, it is very good. When it is bad, it is awful!
Matt has journeyed with his traumatized sister, Faith, to Louisiana to find a recommended hypnotherapist so Faith can try a new therapy. And at this point the story is lost in a wave of silly/ominous/disjointed bits and pieces that really add nothing to what you know and presumably want to hint at whatever the Devs don't want to tell players.
Even the HOPs seemed "off."
Any time a reviewer mentions weak game elements and shrugs off their failings as "the norm for this dev lately," I cringe. We will get the games we pay for, so we need to let the Devs know when they are churning out losers.
I can only suggest that you play the Demo, read the reviews, and decide for yourself whether this is a game for your own collection.
I felt it was a miss for me. Maybe the next Phantasmat will be better.
Matt has journeyed with his traumatized sister, Faith, to Louisiana to find a recommended hypnotherapist so Faith can try a new therapy. And at this point the story is lost in a wave of silly/ominous/disjointed bits and pieces that really add nothing to what you know and presumably want to hint at whatever the Devs don't want to tell players.
Even the HOPs seemed "off."
Any time a reviewer mentions weak game elements and shrugs off their failings as "the norm for this dev lately," I cringe. We will get the games we pay for, so we need to let the Devs know when they are churning out losers.
I can only suggest that you play the Demo, read the reviews, and decide for yourself whether this is a game for your own collection.
I felt it was a miss for me. Maybe the next Phantasmat will be better.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you escape the nightmares before it's too late?
Overall rating
2
/
5
13 of 31 found this review helpful
Repetitious, Boring Monotonous, Tedious, Dull, Tiresome, Pedestrian
PostedJuly 6, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromAnother sleep inducing game!
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
To help with the nightmares that he's had since childhood, Ethan Jackson goes to see a "famous" psychotherapist, Naila Moore. The dream catcher she gives him seems to make things worse. Ethan has come to you, as a detective, to help him find a good night's rest.
(I can't figure out why a detective was his next step in treating nightmares.)
This boring rehash of an all too familiar pedestrian plot brings nothing new to the table unless you want to count the long seconds with a black screen as the scenes change. The detective's magnifier and the dream catcher amulet/artifact are your tools and they are just as useful as you would expect. There are shaped key locks on almost everything, deserving or not. There was so much that has been seen elsewhere that I rapidly decided to pass on this copycat.
Please read ALL the reviews and play the Demo so you will know what you are letting yourself in for!
(I can't figure out why a detective was his next step in treating nightmares.)
This boring rehash of an all too familiar pedestrian plot brings nothing new to the table unless you want to count the long seconds with a black screen as the scenes change. The detective's magnifier and the dream catcher amulet/artifact are your tools and they are just as useful as you would expect. There are shaped key locks on almost everything, deserving or not. There was so much that has been seen elsewhere that I rapidly decided to pass on this copycat.
Please read ALL the reviews and play the Demo so you will know what you are letting yourself in for!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save your brother before your kingdom is destroyed?
Overall rating
1
/
5
11 of 21 found this review helpful
ZZZZzzzzzz.....
PostedJuly 3, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromNo previous game has ever made me this sleepy!
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Arabella must rescue her little brother after they are shipwrecked on an island and brother is kidnapped.
I'd like to tell you more, but the game play, plot, HOPs, puzzles, and everything else are so like the last dozen or so games that I promptly fell asleep during the demo and didn't awaken for hours.
I cannot recommend this new entry in the Midnight Calling series as a game, but, as a soporific, it can't be beat. As an insomniac, I can highly praise it for that use only!
I'd like to tell you more, but the game play, plot, HOPs, puzzles, and everything else are so like the last dozen or so games that I promptly fell asleep during the demo and didn't awaken for hours.
I cannot recommend this new entry in the Midnight Calling series as a game, but, as a soporific, it can't be beat. As an insomniac, I can highly praise it for that use only!
Can you escape a madman on the Island of Fog?
Overall rating
2
/
5
26 of 39 found this review helpful
Deja vu
PostedJuly 2, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromSo many trite moments. So much like so many other games.
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Haven't we done this before?
Another foreboding island, another boat that sinks, another madman taking us prisoner, another bunch of similar HOPs and run-of-the-mill puzzles, another story that has us doing the same old things we've done in a hundred other games.
All the usual improbable things happen. The spider that sits in a cup while I find a plate to shut him in - Hey, this sucker was huge! I should have needed a weight on top of the plate.
The mouse that sits waiting for me to feed it. The whistle I whittle to scare a crow. All of the broken bits and pieces I carry around till I find something I can use them on - the saw handle, the charcoal plucked from a newly extinguished fire, the odd wrench, the random wick. And I apparently escape barefooted in a nightgown - or possibly a hospital gown as I was in bed with a IV in my arm when I decided to escape.
And why would someone in an isolated castle have medical equipment in quantity enough to keep more than one person prisoner?
The mouse that sits waiting for me to feed it. The whistle I whittle to scare a crow. All of the broken bits and pieces I carry around till I find something I can use them on - the saw handle, the charcoal plucked from a newly extinguished fire, the odd wrench, the random wick. And I apparently escape barefooted in a nightgown - or possibly a hospital gown as I was in bed with a IV in my arm when I decided to escape.
And why would someone in an isolated castle have medical equipment in quantity enough to keep more than one person prisoner?
The bottom line is that nothing in this game adds up to an intriguing story and good game play that will make you want to add the game to your collection.
Please try the demo.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you escape a madman’s grasp before it’s too late?
Overall rating
2
/
5
17 of 27 found this review helpful
Don't Employ the Sheriff!
PostedJune 25, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromSo much potential, so many trite moments, so sad.
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Jane is driving on a rainy road and sees someone in front of her car. She awakens after the crash in what looks to be a dungeon cell. A man outside her cell door tells her she has received an experimental treatment. Her vision seems blurred at times and she seems to have hallucinations. Jane decides to escape and works to do so.
Good stuff:The artwork was good. There were collectible brains and morphing objects in scenes and morphing objects were also in the HOPs. There were lots of missing puzzle parts to find. You had a sanity meter.
Bad stuff: Not only do you get to collect lots of missing puzzle pieces, you will once again smoke out bees, this time on a larger scale than usual - a reference to the quantity of bees and size of the smoker.
A good bit of the plot is given away by some of the characters' actions.
The story arc had me squirming rather than screaming. I was startled once by a nasty ghost appearing in my face, but was otherwise still looking for the parts of the game that lead to the warning from BFG.
Bottom line: I didn't see any reason to worry about saving Jane from her situation as there was nothing that appealed to me in the game.
As there is a marked divide in the reviews, you will need to play this demo to decide for yourself.
Good stuff:The artwork was good. There were collectible brains and morphing objects in scenes and morphing objects were also in the HOPs. There were lots of missing puzzle parts to find. You had a sanity meter.
Bad stuff: Not only do you get to collect lots of missing puzzle pieces, you will once again smoke out bees, this time on a larger scale than usual - a reference to the quantity of bees and size of the smoker.
A good bit of the plot is given away by some of the characters' actions.
The story arc had me squirming rather than screaming. I was startled once by a nasty ghost appearing in my face, but was otherwise still looking for the parts of the game that lead to the warning from BFG.
Bottom line: I didn't see any reason to worry about saving Jane from her situation as there was nothing that appealed to me in the game.
As there is a marked divide in the reviews, you will need to play this demo to decide for yourself.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you keep the past from destroying the present?
Overall rating
2
/
5
21 of 30 found this review helpful
Ever Wonder What They Do With the Rejected Story Boards?
PostedJune 22, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromThrowing familiar characters and places at us does not a game make.
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
We've found them!
All the simple cartoon drawings from the earliest MCF games have been resurrected into this new entry for the series. Not only has the art reverted to cartoons, the game play has devolved also. You pick a room, a repeating trip down a hallway to an open dark doorway takes you to the next HOP. Characters will talk to you without making much sense. Eventually after a couple of HOPs, you have pieces of a key and after another simple puzzle, you get a "super puzzle," meaning it has multiple stages. And then you do it all again.
What minimal story there is in the opening animation and conversations with the characters is meaningless.
If you like continuous HOPs with a few minor puzzles thrown in, this game is for you.
I would have liked a lot more story - that's why MCF had so many fans from the beginning - we wanted to enjoy the story.
As the plot is MIA in this game, so is any desire to play it!
All the simple cartoon drawings from the earliest MCF games have been resurrected into this new entry for the series. Not only has the art reverted to cartoons, the game play has devolved also. You pick a room, a repeating trip down a hallway to an open dark doorway takes you to the next HOP. Characters will talk to you without making much sense. Eventually after a couple of HOPs, you have pieces of a key and after another simple puzzle, you get a "super puzzle," meaning it has multiple stages. And then you do it all again.
What minimal story there is in the opening animation and conversations with the characters is meaningless.
If you like continuous HOPs with a few minor puzzles thrown in, this game is for you.
I would have liked a lot more story - that's why MCF had so many fans from the beginning - we wanted to enjoy the story.
As the plot is MIA in this game, so is any desire to play it!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you discover the truth about the Queen’s disappearance and save the kingdom?
Overall rating
1
/
5
14 of 22 found this review helpful
Do the Devs Listen to Us? NO!
PostedJune 17, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromWatching weeds grow in my garden is more fun!
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Short synopsis: Princess alone in her room. Message arrives from Malfar, her fiance. (Malfar - the name alone signals MALevolence and MALfeasance.) Kingdom under attack from evil forest spirits. She has the only defense, a magic ring. Bring it to the citadel.
Story: You can see where this one is headed in the first few minutes and most of us have played dozens of better versions of this tired plot line - several of them in this series.
Game play: You will collect multiples of certain items repeatedly in the demo. You will look for a sharp blade several times. You will perform stupid tasks that have nothing to do with the story and a lot to do with filling time. There is nothing here that an elementary school student could not figure out.
Logic: There is none. The princess is alone when the message arrives from Malfar. Seconds later, the SINGLE soldier he sent to escort her through the homelands of the attacking Forest Spirits is wounded by a couple of the enemy IN the princess's room.
After her transformation, the princess is locked in a jail cell with access to the lock on the INSIDE of the door.
She hands Malfar the magic ring even though she can see HER MOTHER on the floor behind him.
After her transformation, the princess is locked in a jail cell with access to the lock on the INSIDE of the door.
She hands Malfar the magic ring even though she can see HER MOTHER on the floor behind him.
Bottom line: This Demo will leave you rejoicing that you can delete it. The whole thing seems a misguided attempt to put a morbid spin on the Spirits of Mystery series. The actual result is to drive players into taking up ANY other diversion.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you navigate new realms to stop an evil conqueror in time?
Overall rating
1
/
5
22 of 31 found this review helpful
A New Low Point for This Series? Domini Games? Or BFG?
PostedJune 16, 2018
Granny_Gruff
fromIf I could, I'd hurry the collision along!
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Short synopsis: another dictator/evil magician, another three worlds to save, another rescue of sister Margaret, over the top colorization, blurry graphics, illogical story, and awful game play.
I don't remember ever seeing artwork and animation this badly done. Ever.
The story is incredibly disjointed and confused - we are at the British library to investigate the disappearance of a librarian from the building. Guess who signed the library pass I am using? The man who disappeared before I arrived!
Or how about this: The bad guy, Aspir, goes through a portal with Margaret. I climb to the top of the tower he left after a plethora of puzzles and "stuff," in time to see him fly off with Margaret laying across the winged beast in front of him. So the portal took him to the roof. But a few minutes later when I fix the portal, it takes me and the girl I've rescued in the tower to her world - where Aspir is waiting for us. (Huh!?)
Or how about this: The bad guy, Aspir, goes through a portal with Margaret. I climb to the top of the tower he left after a plethora of puzzles and "stuff," in time to see him fly off with Margaret laying across the winged beast in front of him. So the portal took him to the roof. But a few minutes later when I fix the portal, it takes me and the girl I've rescued in the tower to her world - where Aspir is waiting for us. (Huh!?)
There are a lot of people trying to tell you that you need to try the Demo first.
Please believe us.
This one is a blurry stinker!
Please believe us.
This one is a blurry stinker!
I don't recommend this game.