cathybobcat's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.5
- Helpful Votes:2,025
- Reviews Submitted:160
- First Review:May 18, 2018
- Most Recent Review:October 8, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Survive a fictional horror turned real-life nightmare in a creepy hotel!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 10 found this review helpful
HAS ATMOSPHERE....AND FOR THE MOST PART PLAYER FRIENDY
PostedDecember 28, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is not very characteristic of previous HH games, but that's ok because it is good to have something different and uncomplicated. We still have James to accompany us on our journey and what is not to like about that? He is like an old friend and is a welcomed feature in the games.
The main issue I have is the graphics which are hazy and cloudy rendering it a strain to see at times, particularly in some of the HOS which were too dark in places. It would be much more enjoyable to be able to see clearly instead of being in a fog. I realize it is to create atmosphere, but that can be accomplished by definition instead of obscurity. There is a gamma to adjust the brightness, but it didn't clarify scenes any better. I found it to be distorting when set too high, so just left it in the middle.
Another issue is the tiny screen shots in the SG. Could someone PLEASE make them larger? There is surely room enough for them on the pages.
The game has an eerie atmosphere and is not complicated to play. There is a great deal of going back and forth, combining items and the assembling of items. There is a very useful transport map. After having to find logs to construct a ladder, I was very grateful not to have to look all over for nails. I am not fond of having to find multiple items in multiple places just to assemble something. I also had tons of inventory to keep track of which was rather inconvenient scrolling back and forth to remember what I had collected.
The Extras are not overly impressive. There are 14 Character figurines that are quite large taking up too much space from being crammed in their places in the Bonus section. It's like they jump out at you and are distorted. There are 20 picture pieces that didn't look like picture pieces to me at all. Sometimes they just looked like a slab or mosaic. There are also 30 morphing objects that were large enough to see. The collectibles are indicated in the SG, but the shots are very small to see. For indicators, all you have is a tab sticking out on the right hand side that you can access and it also pops out when you have found one and the numbers of them. It would be more convenient to have the glowing icons for these along with the tab which should not be sticking out so far taking up a portion of your screen. It is distracting and unnecessary.
There is a replay of 15 HOS and 12 Puzzles. There are more puzzles in the game than this, however, some of which I found very annoying and too time consuming. The HOS were decent and other than not being able to see clearly, I did enjoy them. Some effort went into them as well as their atmospheric artistry.
For the most part, this is player friendly and relaxing to play. It is well balanced with an enticing atmosphere and likeable characters. There is always room for improvement, but I think it is a job well done with consideration for those who enjoy a non stressful game that is not exhausting to play.
Can you save Christmas before it’s too late?!
Overall rating
2
/
5
9 of 13 found this review helpful
BAH HUMBUG TO THIS ONE
PostedDecember 21, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is by far the WORST in this series. The story is so ridiculous and shallow. There is not much of a cheery Christmas atmosphere whatsoever. You are performing the same boring tasks over and over, going back and forth. The graphics are like a cartoon and of an inferior quality. They are not warm and inviting. It's just a dud of a demo and I couldn't finish it. As soon as I had to find lighter fluid, that was all she wrote. This was nothing but foolishness.
The HOS are interactive silhouette style and more like puzzles. They were a pain. The art work was so poor and drab. It was bad enough encountering the puzzles and having to perform all of the empty tasks. There is no Christmas spirit .....just dry and bland like the game. Not much effort exerted in this at all.
Now for the unexciting and ungenerous collectibles in an unimpressive Extras section. All you have is 8 gingerbread cookies, 8 characters, and 12 puzzle pieces. There is only one collectible to be found in a scene. There is an indicator of a small gift box in the lower right which is opened if not found, and closes when found. It has just about everything not wanted....even a replay of the hos and puzzles, which they won't allow you to know the amount until you buy...how nice for not being in the spirit of the season. Bah humbug.
Who framed Santa Claus, indeed. What rubbish and gameplay to match.
Can you stop a dangerous stalker’s sinister plan in time?
Overall rating
1
/
5
21 of 42 found this review helpful
DOWN THE LOO WITH THIS ONE
PostedDecember 15, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
After the extremely annoying, constant pop ups taking up the screen space...the shallowness of the game with the chitter chatter and their choices...an achievement for ringing a bell too many times...and the last straw, encountering a dirty bathroom HOS on a luxury train....THAT was it for me. Down the latrine with this waste.
Help the Walker family search through the clutter to find everything they need to create a festive atmosphere in a Christmas square!
Overall rating
1
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
THE ARCADE SHUFFLE... ANTIEMETIC NEEDED
PostedDecember 12, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Nine minutes of this nausea was all I could take. I was shocked to see that 9 minutes was all I played because it felt like so much longer. It was 9 long minutes of misery of item shuffling every 10 seconds in every scene.
There is a timer (you have no choice again), but it doesn't really matter unless you are into scoring points. When the time runs out, it just shuffles you into the next scene where you get more of the same altering of equilibrium every 10 seconds. I never even got to finish a level, and didn't care. You can skip the scenes which I did to see if this sort of torture would develop into something more tolerable, but it didn't, so I decided to skip this entire game and go take a headache remedy as well as an antiemetic.
What in the world were they thinking?
In Christmas Wonderland 9 you visit Santa’s workshop, decorate the house, visit grandparents open presents and more. Have the best Christmas ever!
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 10 found this review helpful
THE MOST WONDERFUL GAME OF THE YEAR
PostedDecember 10, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
It's a Christmas winter wonderland where no one ever ages...a place where dreams can come true and everybody is smiling and happy. There is something for everyone....and no one is left behind. Nothing is too good to be true in this festive and joyful atmosphere. It conveys a message to always stay young at heart.
The graphics are outstanding with brilliant colors to enhance the season and gameplay experience. Some of the scenes are so saturated that it warrants a replay of them....and there is always sure to be different items to find. The more you look into a scene, the more you see. It is so concentrated with exceptional detail. Some times the items can be very difficult to find, but I didn't mind because it was such a pleasure to take the time to enjoy the beautiful scenery. I could visualize myself being right there and was immersed in it.
There is a complete balance of play with different kinds of puzzles between the HOS. There is a variety of things to do. It is not too easy, not too hard. It is just right. It is for the entire family....for anyone and everyone.
Nobody does it better, Casual Arts~ Keep up the WONDERFUL work....and keep them coming. It's a joy.
The Christmas spirit is vanishing all over the world, but why?
Overall rating
2
/
5
8 of 13 found this review helpful
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY
PostedDecember 8, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
There is an overwhelming amount of collecting inventory....and the going back and forth is so excessive, I felt exhausted before the demo was up. I didn't know if I was coming or going at times. I was using the map at every turn and even resorted to using hints because the gameplay became an outright nuisance. I got tired of having to remember where everything was needed and where to go and use it because it was overdone.
The graphics are colorful. The game is cutesy and of course geared for children, but honestly, I don't think even they would find this to be fun because it is just TOO busy. After a while it gets old having to find a million parts for this and that, trucking all over to do it and then having to figure out puzzles. It is a drain and a pain. It hampers the entire game and its enjoyment because it is not balanced.
It is a challenge finding the collectible puzzle pieces as well as morphing objects at times because of the color scheme. Everything blends together and becomes very camouflaged....more work. And to top it off, there are no indicators for them other than the pop out tab which you cannot hover over with your mouse to access....an inconvenience. It would have been more congenial to have indicators in this mess.
The collectibles are designated in the SG....and I would like to say.....HOW small can the shots get????? I could hardly see....and that goes for the mini hos with the teeny tiny items to find. I just about needed an electron microscope to see the SG shots. Are they trying to make us go blind? It's ridiculous and unconscious.
Where are the HOS??? There are hardly any in this brightly colored and cheerful game. The emphasis is on having you on the run collecting multiple parts for multiple needs...and then puzzle parts for too many puzzles. Whew....I was tired of this monotony.
Last, but not least is, what Alice in Wonderland has to do with Christmas is beyond me. It is disjointed. It just does not fit the season and really has nothing to do with Christmas. There are so many other Christmas related stories to make a game out of.
This was far from being a pleasurable adventure. It was downright tedious and a huge disappointment. It started out great, but soon after that, it was all work and no play.
Dark Reapers kidnapped your mother and aunt! Will you be next?
Overall rating
1
/
5
16 of 26 found this review helpful
SENSELESS....A WASTE OF TIME
PostedDecember 8, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This is nothing but a puzzle game, with the collecting of one puzzle part after another. It is empty of play....too much chatter...hazy graphics...and worse than a cartoon. I couldn't last the demo, it's that bad. It is brain dead.
Can you save the city from an otherworldly predator?
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 30 found this review helpful
DISJOINTED....THE WOMAN REALLY DIED OF BOREDOM
PostedNovember 29, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Imaginations were running wild in the making of this one
Although colorful, the graphics are inferior, hazy, and could have been more defined. They lacked clarity. The story is disjointed with a flight of ideas and what sense I could make of it was ridiculous, particularly the woman dead in a bathtub with what looked to be an octopus. And the large bathroom with windows not shaded. Then there was the sister who appeared to have totally lost it....nonsense. And then there is the tattoo gadget and mirror shards accumulating on the hand and arm. It seemed to be going from one thing to another, lacking continuity. Some of it was so ridiculous, it was humorous, which is not a negative.
This is not an overactive game. It is more on the relaxed side, not too much back and forth and appears to have been made for children which is fine. Transport map is helpful. I used it often because I was just getting bored....to death.
There are 54 collectible jewelry items, 2 in each scene to collect that do not resemble jewelry items at all. One looks like a plaque and the other a flower....then there can be a heart to find instead. Some of them are not easy to find. There are no indicators for these other than a pop out tab to inform you when you have found them in that scene. The tab will also pop out when you hover over it on the left hand side. You can also access their whereabouts in the SG. I don't know what they do other than decorate a jewelry box in the Extras. Other than these, I saw no other collectibles. I wasn't impressed with the Extras.
You can replay HOS and puzzles, however the numbers were not indicated. The HOS I came across in the demo were more like puzzles themselves than HOS, except for one....and that one was repeated.....a no no. The replacing of items ones were juvenile. Some of the puzzles were repetitive, adjusting ballerina positions...assembling puzzle pieces in a book....nothing to rave about. They were very simplistic and not time consuming which I have no complaints about.
With phony French accents, the storyline and play, the game really was not holding my interest because of its absurdity and disjointedness. More than that, I found the graphics to be straining and it did not make for an enjoyable atmosphere.
When Hector, Demon Hunter for hire, agreed to save a lost tourist from the haunted Museum of Mysticism and Monstrosity, he never imagined that he could be the one in need of saving.
Overall rating
1
/
5
4 of 13 found this review helpful
CONVOLUTED AND AGGRAVATING
PostedNovember 26, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
There are more puzzles in this than anything else, some of which are small ones that cannot be skipped. The HOS are dark and it is difficult to see, particularly the words or symbols you have to find. Most of the HOS are like puzzle themselves.
There is too much going back and forth, but what is worse is that it is not always clear what to do or what to do it with. It is disjointed and convoluted, as well as the puzzles, which I skipped many. For the most part this is a puzzle game that overrides the story. I don't want to be spending all of game time trying to figure some of them out, as well as the general gameplay. There is an overabundance of codes to find and then having to figure them out. It was to the point where I didn't even care about the collectibles or anything else except forgetting this entire game. It was frustrating and far from being enjoyable. It is hard work more than play. It was one BIG headache.
Can you stop a natural nemesis from destroying our land?
Overall rating
2
/
5
21 of 33 found this review helpful
NO MORE STORY TYPE HOS
PostedNovember 25, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Upon encountering the third HOS which were all story type, I called it quits. I didn't finish that HOS or the rest of the demo.
This is more than disappointing. It is a major disappointment because so much effort went into the artistry and Extras. The game itself has a very inviting atmosphere. The graphics are very colorful and attractive, although could have been more defined. I found them to be somewhat blurry.
The Extras area is impressive. In addition to the usual, there are 37 videos. There are 70 collectible butterflies you use to buy things to decorate an area....nice touch. You collect 15 statues of animals which are like trophies and have explanations that appear in a picture book when you click on them....could have been more of them. You also collect 16 magical seeds which are displayed as plants with explanations. These, thankfully have indicators that glow when there is one available to be found...and also a pop out tab when you do collect the item. If there hadn't been indicators, I would have never been able to find many collectibles on my own because the bright colors of the graphics made everything blend in too well. I would have been looking into a scene forever.
The collectibles are marked in the SG and I would like to mention that those screen shots are so ridiculously small, you need a magnifying glass in order to see them. Would be more helpful to have them made larger.
You can replay 18 HOS and 21 puzzles. I think there are more puzzles in this than that, though. They sure outweighed the number of HOS in the demo...too many for my taste. And the HOS? All three of them, I came across, though well done in artistry were all story type....the third being more like a puzzle than HOS. I really can't stand them and don't even listen to the story or read it because I am too busy trying to find the hi lighted words. They are a waste and lack the effort of a real HOS.
The real downfall of this is the gameplay. It is BORING and mundane.....back and forth, doing the usual. It was monotonous and a drag with too much dialogue. What a shame. It had so much potential. I loved the collectibles and what it had to offer in that manner, as well as the atmosphere, but the rest of it is just a no go.