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:
Was Veronica West’s death an accident… or a cold-blooded murder?
Overall rating
5
/
5
28 of 74 found this review helpful
Move over, "New York Mystery!"
PostedJuly 12, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Oh, goodie! A really good storyline combined with a solid game format is a winner in my book every time. This is a really enjoyable trial; so much so that I'm buying this game as soon as I'm done typing!
Storyline: Is it murder or suicide? The victim was on a private island with family and guests when she was drowned. You are one of the detectives sent to investigate.
There are four levels of game play, collectibles, varied HOS, also a variety of mini-games, and the rest of the usual CE goodies - but no cutsie animal helper, thank heaven.
You have to question the suspects, organizing evidence and pictures into your evidence file and picture board. You look for visual clues as you speak to the suspects to determine if they are telling the truth. You take photos and examine them for more clues.
There is an interactive map, the new custom game play level, and excellent artwork.
I really enjoyed this one, mostly for the storyline. So if you'll excuse me, I have to check on my suspects!
Storyline: Is it murder or suicide? The victim was on a private island with family and guests when she was drowned. You are one of the detectives sent to investigate.
There are four levels of game play, collectibles, varied HOS, also a variety of mini-games, and the rest of the usual CE goodies - but no cutsie animal helper, thank heaven.
You have to question the suspects, organizing evidence and pictures into your evidence file and picture board. You look for visual clues as you speak to the suspects to determine if they are telling the truth. You take photos and examine them for more clues.
There is an interactive map, the new custom game play level, and excellent artwork.
I really enjoyed this one, mostly for the storyline. So if you'll excuse me, I have to check on my suspects!
I recommend this game!
Beyond the Unknown: A Matter of Time Collector's Edition
It’s time to solve the secret of this mysterious island!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 29 found this review helpful
Confusion
PostedJuly 11, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I am suspect of any game that has a storyline so confusing I get more of it from the reviews than the game itself. Luckily I read the storyline, or a good guess at it, in a review before I played or I would have given up sooner.
This game has all the usual CE stuff - Collectibles, extra chapter, wallpaper, screensaver, but are they enough to make me slog through the confusion to get to them?
I doubt it.
There was real potential here. The story could have been great, but in their zeal to be mystifying, the Devs overdid it.
I like elements of the game itself, the choice of match three or HOS, the photo and watch collectibles, the four levels of play.
I'm just not sold on the necessity of trying this hard to follow a murky storyline.
I can't recommend I game I won't buy. I may try again when the SE comes out.
This game has all the usual CE stuff - Collectibles, extra chapter, wallpaper, screensaver, but are they enough to make me slog through the confusion to get to them?
I doubt it.
There was real potential here. The story could have been great, but in their zeal to be mystifying, the Devs overdid it.
I like elements of the game itself, the choice of match three or HOS, the photo and watch collectibles, the four levels of play.
I'm just not sold on the necessity of trying this hard to follow a murky storyline.
I can't recommend I game I won't buy. I may try again when the SE comes out.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you bring Maria back from a shadowy realm?
Overall rating
2
/
5
12 of 21 found this review helpful
HOPs - Happens Only Painfully slowly
PostedJuly 6, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Secrets of the Dark has been an interesting series, until now. I don't begin to understand why they thought this fell into the same place as the previous games in the series.
So let's pretend it is a stand alone effort.
The same old "rescue my child from evil" storyline meets standard CE fare, featuring collectibles, SG, and the usual stuff. Game content is OK. Artwork is OK. Animation is pretty. Sound is OK. There are four levels of play including the new custom setting. But game play is like slogging through quicksand. After awhile you just get tired of making the effort - I fell asleep over the game!
This game needs to have more - more story, more connection to the previous games in the series, more effort on the developers part to engage the player. Better yet Developers, please just start a new series next time.
This is not my cup of tea. Please be sure to try it for yourself.
So let's pretend it is a stand alone effort.
The same old "rescue my child from evil" storyline meets standard CE fare, featuring collectibles, SG, and the usual stuff. Game content is OK. Artwork is OK. Animation is pretty. Sound is OK. There are four levels of play including the new custom setting. But game play is like slogging through quicksand. After awhile you just get tired of making the effort - I fell asleep over the game!
This game needs to have more - more story, more connection to the previous games in the series, more effort on the developers part to engage the player. Better yet Developers, please just start a new series next time.
This is not my cup of tea. Please be sure to try it for yourself.
I don't recommend this game.
Twenty years ago, the children of Greystone were taken by a mysterious fog - only you escaped. It’s time to find out why...
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 16 found this review helpful
Dance of Joy!
PostedJune 12, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I'm doing the dance of joy right now.
All the best things are here - great story line, artwork, innovative game elements, and you just want all games to be like this.
HOS have different ways to find items, mini-games are interesting and somewhat different, characters are well done.
The new and different gambits include super powers from a scar on "your" hand. The multiple playing levels include the new custom setting. I like this option more each time I find it in a game.
I've only tried the trial so far, but I have great hopes for the rest of this game.
Try it for yourself and see if you agree.
All the best things are here - great story line, artwork, innovative game elements, and you just want all games to be like this.
HOS have different ways to find items, mini-games are interesting and somewhat different, characters are well done.
The new and different gambits include super powers from a scar on "your" hand. The multiple playing levels include the new custom setting. I like this option more each time I find it in a game.
I've only tried the trial so far, but I have great hopes for the rest of this game.
Try it for yourself and see if you agree.
I recommend this game!
In a race against time, Emily and company must solve the riddle of the book or Emily will be forever lost within its confines!
Overall rating
1
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Seriously Bad
PostedJune 9, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Too Dark, too grainy, too bad. After the criticism of the first Antique Shop game, I was hoping that the developers would try harder with this one. They did - they made things worse. I can't even get out of the game without forcing computer shut down; at least with the first one, I could close it through the task manager.
I like Hidden object games and have often enjoyed playing games that were not five star material, just on the storyline.
For this game, the story had potential, which was cruelly choked out of existence with the endless reading, lack of detail and character development, as well as the dark HOPs and badly working "magnifying glass." If only there had been something, anything.
I like Hidden object games and have often enjoyed playing games that were not five star material, just on the storyline.
For this game, the story had potential, which was cruelly choked out of existence with the endless reading, lack of detail and character development, as well as the dark HOPs and badly working "magnifying glass." If only there had been something, anything.
I don't recommend this game.
The rat catcher's after more than rats this time. He's kidnapping fairy folk!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Finally, some quality!
PostedJune 8, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I've enjoyed most of the Myths of The World series and this is one of their best. This game is so much better than most of what we've seen lately, that it shines by comparison.
It's all here once again, folks. A great story line, clean artwork, good VOs, some challenging mini-games, a variety of HOPs (or a bubbleshooter option), and four difficulty levels including the new custom setting, as well as an interactive map, are all you could wish for in a game.
You are the granddaughter of a writer of fairy stories and trying to follow in his footsteps. Your adventure begins when you rescue a pixie. You are told that an evil witch is ready to sell out our world to the fairy king by opening a portal for his army. Your job is to stop the witch in time as she captures fairy folk to harness their magic to open the portal.
Along the way there is humor as well as adventure. There will only be as much hand holding as you wish, thanks to the custom difficulty setting.
There are several interesting twists here. You have a magic tool that detects magic spells on objects with various results from the objects talking to you to minigames to dispelling spells. You also get to “talk” to some characters with a choice of responses that invoke some humor. There are collectable fairy shoes in the scenes also.
The trial period was just enough to make me want to buy this game immediately and the sale this weekend is a further incentive.
If you enjoy a good fairy story and some challenge, give this one a try. I’m glad I did!
It's all here once again, folks. A great story line, clean artwork, good VOs, some challenging mini-games, a variety of HOPs (or a bubbleshooter option), and four difficulty levels including the new custom setting, as well as an interactive map, are all you could wish for in a game.
You are the granddaughter of a writer of fairy stories and trying to follow in his footsteps. Your adventure begins when you rescue a pixie. You are told that an evil witch is ready to sell out our world to the fairy king by opening a portal for his army. Your job is to stop the witch in time as she captures fairy folk to harness their magic to open the portal.
Along the way there is humor as well as adventure. There will only be as much hand holding as you wish, thanks to the custom difficulty setting.
There are several interesting twists here. You have a magic tool that detects magic spells on objects with various results from the objects talking to you to minigames to dispelling spells. You also get to “talk” to some characters with a choice of responses that invoke some humor. There are collectable fairy shoes in the scenes also.
The trial period was just enough to make me want to buy this game immediately and the sale this weekend is a further incentive.
If you enjoy a good fairy story and some challenge, give this one a try. I’m glad I did!
I recommend this game!
After a long journey, Queen Sophia faces her enemy for the last time - but will she succeed in saving her parents?
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 9 found this review helpful
Game outlook: Sunny with few clouds
PostedMay 31, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I love the Awakening series and have all of them. I've always enjoyed both the main game and the Bonus content. But I am having a hard time getting into Sophia's latest adventure. We know the villain, the objective, and we have the desire to get there. So this game needs a twist to pull me in. I haven't found that twist yet, but I'm an optimist.
So all the good news: vibrant artwork, good VO, interactive HOP, mostly good characters, interactive map, three levels of play, and decent mini-games.
Bad news: Uninteresting collectibles, storyline, and slow start.
About that start - You get knocked off your mechanical dragon by a boulder thrown by an ogre. You land in the forest, confused and daze. You awaken to find a centaur handing you a stick to get your own bag out of a tree. In a time of castles, dragons, and wizards, chivalry is dead!
I know all these little things we do make for greater game length, but surely he could have handed over the bag - at least I would have been more interested in helping both him and his village with the ogre.
Bottom line: I'll buy this game to complete my Awakening set and because my Grandchildren like them too, but I hope BoomZap works harder on the storyline for their next game.
So all the good news: vibrant artwork, good VO, interactive HOP, mostly good characters, interactive map, three levels of play, and decent mini-games.
Bad news: Uninteresting collectibles, storyline, and slow start.
About that start - You get knocked off your mechanical dragon by a boulder thrown by an ogre. You land in the forest, confused and daze. You awaken to find a centaur handing you a stick to get your own bag out of a tree. In a time of castles, dragons, and wizards, chivalry is dead!
I know all these little things we do make for greater game length, but surely he could have handed over the bag - at least I would have been more interested in helping both him and his village with the ogre.
Bottom line: I'll buy this game to complete my Awakening set and because my Grandchildren like them too, but I hope BoomZap works harder on the storyline for their next game.
I recommend this game!
Guests keep disappearing from a gimmicky haunted hotel. Is there someone pulling the strings, or are these ghosts actually real?
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
One more okay game
PostedMay 29, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Haunted Hotel:Ancient Bane comes to us with three levels, mildly interactive HOPs, okay mini-games, well-done VO's, and an okay storyline.
You are the assistant to a detective, who has been called in to investigate the disappearance of guests at a"Haunted" hotel. Is it a publicity stunt or a real haunting? The owner is acting suspiciously, there are strange machines and happenings around every corner and you start out investigating.
I think there is potential here and, if the story had drawn me in more, I would have bought it. As it is, I'll wait for an SE.
I'll recommend it as an okay game.
Please try before you buy.
You are the assistant to a detective, who has been called in to investigate the disappearance of guests at a"Haunted" hotel. Is it a publicity stunt or a real haunting? The owner is acting suspiciously, there are strange machines and happenings around every corner and you start out investigating.
I think there is potential here and, if the story had drawn me in more, I would have bought it. As it is, I'll wait for an SE.
I'll recommend it as an okay game.
Please try before you buy.
I recommend this game!
Haunted Manor: Painted Beauties Collector's Edition
A peaceful day at the park becomes a journey into the surreal when you become the latest victim of a troubled artist's deal with Death!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
Almost there
PostedMay 24, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
So close and yet so far! The artwork is lovely but dark and grainy. The dark is understandable considering the subject; the grainy, not so much.
A young woman (you) is approached by an artist and asked if he might paint your portrait. During the painting of the picture you are transported to a dark and scary mansion. You must escape before death claims you, while hopefully rescuing other victims of the artist along your way.
The okay: Music brooding but not stupefying, The HOS were acceptably clear and of two different types with some interaction. The different levels of play were clearly defined and the mini-games were average, with reasonably clear instructions. The ninety minute demo cuts off where the writers think you are hooked. The ninety minutes just ensures everybody gets to that place in the game.
The Bad: the map, which will transport you, tells you nothing else.
Some of the translation is interesting at best - a scapula turns out to be a spatula -not the same thing at all.
You have to find a lighter to light candles, but a dead torch you find shortly after the lighter disappears, comes to life and burns on its own.
The morphing object do not morph into something else - they disappear, only to reappear a few seconds later.
**Spoiler Alert**
I managed to rescue one of the artist's other victims, only to have death arrive and claim her as she stood near me. Now why would I try to rescue people who will be killed after I do so?
The whole game has such potential, it's a shame they didn't finish it upscale.
Give the demo a try, this may be more your cup of tea than it was mine.
A young woman (you) is approached by an artist and asked if he might paint your portrait. During the painting of the picture you are transported to a dark and scary mansion. You must escape before death claims you, while hopefully rescuing other victims of the artist along your way.
The okay: Music brooding but not stupefying, The HOS were acceptably clear and of two different types with some interaction. The different levels of play were clearly defined and the mini-games were average, with reasonably clear instructions. The ninety minute demo cuts off where the writers think you are hooked. The ninety minutes just ensures everybody gets to that place in the game.
The Bad: the map, which will transport you, tells you nothing else.
Some of the translation is interesting at best - a scapula turns out to be a spatula -not the same thing at all.
You have to find a lighter to light candles, but a dead torch you find shortly after the lighter disappears, comes to life and burns on its own.
The morphing object do not morph into something else - they disappear, only to reappear a few seconds later.
**Spoiler Alert**
I managed to rescue one of the artist's other victims, only to have death arrive and claim her as she stood near me. Now why would I try to rescue people who will be killed after I do so?
The whole game has such potential, it's a shame they didn't finish it upscale.
Give the demo a try, this may be more your cup of tea than it was mine.
I don't recommend this game.
Find your sister and escape from a terrifying haunted house!
Overall rating
4
/
5
19 of 29 found this review helpful
Quirky and scary
PostedMay 17, 2014
Granny_Gruff
fromLouisville, KY
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
If you like a good story, this game will be right up your alley. The actors are very good, the music was only playing occasionally, the HOS and games were also good as was the art work.
There is an extra chapter of bonus play, as well as wallpapers, concept art, and a place to view collectibles and statues of the characters you've seen. There is no SG, not necessarily a bad thing. The map will transport you. Somehow, though, it seems more like an SE than a CE, but I can't explain why.
I do really like the actors and cut-scenes. They are very well done. The storyline draws you into game. As I have to have a good story, I really enjoyed this game!
There is an extra chapter of bonus play, as well as wallpapers, concept art, and a place to view collectibles and statues of the characters you've seen. There is no SG, not necessarily a bad thing. The map will transport you. Somehow, though, it seems more like an SE than a CE, but I can't explain why.
I do really like the actors and cut-scenes. They are very well done. The storyline draws you into game. As I have to have a good story, I really enjoyed this game!
I recommend this game!