cathybobcat's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.5
- Helpful Votes:2,025
- Reviews Submitted:145
- First Review:May 18, 2018
- Most Recent Review:January 5, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Some evils are too sinister to keep contained for long...
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 13 found this review helpful
SHORT AND FORGETTABLE
PostedOctober 13, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The best part of this is the graphics which are always atmospheric and inviting in this series. That is as far as it goes and not a game I will want to play again. It was also too short and repeated scenes too frequently.
I have all of these, some CE and others SE, and think this one is the most lacking of all. The story was confusing, particularly the end. Huh???
You can replay 16 HOS and 13 Puzzles. There are many more puzzles in this than that, so you get to replay what they give you. As usual there are always more puzzles than HOS which I would like it to be the other way around.....wishful thinking.
The collectibles are not outstanding....only 12 amulets and 18 morphs, which there are indicators for. Although the Extras section is attractive, there is nothing of interest that I found. There are 12 Achievements which is a very pretty wreath....18 movie scenes....8 wallpapers...12 concept art...4 music tracks....and a not so attractive room where your collectible amulets go that contain info...and where David looks like he is hung over.
The Bonus Chapter is what did me in with repeated scenes from the main game...only one or two new ones. It is utterly loaded with puzzles, and only a few hos which only one was done well to me. If you chore through these annoying puzzles it only makes the game seem longer than it actually is, which I think is the reason for incorporating them into a game. I do not care to be spending time with them. It is not balanced or enjoyable. The main game is sufficient without this garbage or an empty story, so the SE would be quite sufficient.
P.S. I really miss Felix. It isn't the same without him. Bring him back.
Can you stop a crazed kidnapper in time?
Overall rating
1
/
5
9 of 19 found this review helpful
AN ABSOLUTE WASTE
PostedOctober 6, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The worst part of this very short game was the horrendous graphics. FOG and HAZE EVERYWHERE....washed out scenes....eye strain deluxe. It was sickening.
Story was depressing with drab scenery to match. Too many mini hos...and puzzle instructions that didn't make sense at times. This was not enjoyable at all, seeming to go on and on, going nowhere. I couldn't wait to get it over with and didn't even care about the stupid collectibles of 36 ghost signs and 16 morphs or even having replay of hos and puzzles. It was boring and an utter waste of time, even to talk about. No effort put into this and has a definite lack of artistry. With an abrupt ending.... a 35-45 minute bonus if you chore through the puzzles, this is by far the worst Phantasmat of them all. Unbelievable.
The only psychological thrill of this was uninstalling it.
Can you unite the witches and hunters to defeat an unimaginable foe?
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 10 found this review helpful
COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER.....COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE
PostedSeptember 24, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
There isn't much for CE extras to be offered....31 morphs and 31 Tarot cards which there is no indicator for. There is NO replay of HOS and puzzles, which is not acceptable for CE standards. I found this to be a lack of effort to say the least. No care here.
The gameplay was rather slow. You are not overwhelmed with activity or going back and forth in excess. It did hold my interest even though it was lacking in satiety at completion. It just left me wanting for more.
The voices of the females are horrid with the fake, over dramatic desperation, sounding of a dire need for milk of magnesia. It is enough to gag you and I had to mute them. It would be nice to get some real improvement in the acting dept.
There are more puzzles than HOS, as usual. Some of the puzzles were frustrating and time consuming, so I just skipped them as I did not feel like being bothered with them. I was relieved at not having to encounter a rotating wheel puzzle upon finding a wheel ring in the beginning of the game....what a surprise. It was done for us. I hate those where you move one and every thing else moves, too.
The HOS were of a variety, and there were too many story type ones, although I must admit, they were different and creatively done. There was an artistic effort put into the HOS for the most part. I was very disappointed at being cheated of not having replay.
There is also too much mixing of potions. They are no big deal to do, but I found them to be excessive.
The graphics were done nicely with a variety of different scenes. This didn't seem to be a very long game to me. The BC had too many puzzles, some interesting HOS....and wasn't that lengthy either....but we have surely seen shorter ones.
I have all in this series, most SE. I didn't dislike this game. It was relaxing for the most part and I am not sorry to have bought it. I just don't feel that it is one I would want to play again because of my disappointment in the lack of Extras, which are mostly standard for CE's today. It is very lacking in that aspect and this would have been a much more enjoyable game had that effort been put into this.
Head on back to beautiful Pinecreek Hills and use your outdoor experience to help the rangers in this hidden object adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
10 of 13 found this review helpful
ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE...AND NOBODY EVER AGES
PostedSeptember 24, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Even if you played one you have played them all, this is still a very much welcomed edition of another VA...as always. There is a variety of things to do to keep you interested and no scenes are repeated. I own all of these and it's like you just can't get enough of them. What a delight~...a comfort game for sure.
The only thing I did not like in this was the sound effects of some guy clearing his throat and coughing like he has COPD. That was not pleasurable to listen to at all and I went to mute it. It was very distracting....so hope next time they omit this.
Solve the puzzle of the red mist and save a missing camper before they meet a terrifying end.
Overall rating
2
/
5
26 of 40 found this review helpful
A DRAG
PostedSeptember 20, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
There is nothing here that warrants this to be CE worthy. No replay of HOS and Puzzles. Your collectibles are 22 hearts and 12 figurines of the characters....no big deal and leaves much to be desired.
The indicators for your map, the hearts, tasks and SG are located by the hint on the lower right and are hidden unless you hover your mouse over the compass icon. Not very good. You have access to the collectibles in the SG, which I did use because some of the hearts are hard to find because of the cloudy and hazy graphics. There is also a pop up on the left side whenever you gain an achievement or find a collectible.
It is an atmospheric game, but the graphics could have been much more defined with better lighting and less fog. The Gamma can be adjusted in the Options which helped immensely as some scenes are very dark and eye straining.
The map is cheezy, but one plus is it does show you if there is a collectible still to be found in a scene by showing an outline. I found this to be for the hearts and cannot say for the figurines because those were fairly easy to find.
The women's voices have got to go. They are so phony and a chore to listen to. The men's were more professional and convincing.
The gameplay is very slow and boring....wearing a gas mask gadget at times. Uh oh, we need to find a zipper pull. AND after finding a lantern, fuel, I then come across the first HOS and have to find 12 matches in order to light it....that was it for the 1st hos. What a wonder.
The HOS are really cheap and I won't go into the puzzles except to say you are not overwhelmed with them. They were stupid. I hated the one with the buttons where you have to light them all up and touching one affects the others. And how about that horse arcade game? Forget it.
There was another thing I noticed and that is I couldn't find where to change the player mode options. I looked everywhere. Maybe I was missing something, but it looks like once you choose, that is it. I might be wrong, but thought it was worth mentioning because I was playing on custom and it was taking forever for the hint to fill even though I set it to the lowest. I wanted to check it and could not find where to do so.
I quit the demo as soon as I had to sedate a barking dog by finding a can of food, a can opener, then a bowl. And to top everything off, I then was supposed to find something to feed a squirrel. That was it. There are other things I would rather do then ridiculous tasks such as the ones I came across in this game. It was a drag.
Can you rid the city of a malevolent monster in time?
Overall rating
1
/
5
16 of 50 found this review helpful
PUZZLE... AFTER PUZZLE... AFTER PUZZLE... AFTER PUZZLE
PostedSeptember 15, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
There is nothing here but a million puzzles. What a WASTE of a game.
Face the fears in Sebastian's Cinema of Horrors!
Overall rating
3
/
5
28 of 35 found this review helpful
STARTED OUT GREAT......THEN WENT DOWNHILL FAST
PostedSeptember 8, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
What started out to be an exciting and enjoyable game soon turned into an entirely different atmosphere with monotonous and boring activity that was disjointed to the storyline.
Your collectibles are not very impressive in quantity. They are not in every scene. In fact, they were not in nearly enough scenes. There are 11 movie posters that are very creative....but there needed to be more of them. Why? Because you then only collect 15 Cinema Artifacts, as well as 56 movie tickets, so that you can buy things for your Auditorium Hall, which isn't a real big deal. There are moths that are on the top of your inventory and they glow when you need to find these collectibles. The problem is, the collectibles are so few and far in between...even for those 56 movie tickets. You don't see glowing moths as expected. This is a CE and I am used to having more to look for in scenes. I am not a fan of morphing objects, but this game certainly needed them. It was a real let down.
You can replay 19 HOS and 18 Puzzles. Here's a kicker....There are so many puzzles in this game that I would not have bought it had I known. Sometimes they are one right after another. The demo sure wasn't like this. Everything was well balanced in the demo.....not so, later on. You are only going to be able to replay the puzzles they give you....and the number 18 is miniscule compared to what you will encounter in the entire game.
HOS were nicely done, artistically, and were interactive, sometimes a puzzle in them (you can skip). There is also an alternative Match 3. One thing I did not like about the HOS is that there are too many story types. I don't care for them at all, even if these were done well. They are a waste of time and instead of listening to the story, I find myself looking for the irritating items.
This is a long game....8 chapters. I am only on Chapter 6 and had to take a break because of all the going back and forth....and PUZZLES. I looked at this info in the SG. The BC also seems to be a decent length.....loaded with more puzzles.
The SG is right beneath where you can view your posters on the lower left and they were too close together. I kept accessing the posters instead of the SG, which was annoying. Another issue to be taken into consideration is making the screen scenes bigger in the SG. They are incredibly small.....and there is enough space where they could enlarge them. It is difficult to view them properly. There needs to be a zoom feature...or something to lessen eye strain.
The hint is helpful and transports. I found the map to be confusing at times, as well as some of the puzzle instructions.
Even though I have just finished 5 Chapters, I do not know that I will finish the entire game. They lured me in with a fantastic demo....then it was a whole different experience after that...and not a pleasant one. I feel the saying is true, "You win some and you lose some." This is not a game I will be playing again.
Can you solve the mystery of a lost planet and rescue the crew of a spaceship in distress?
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
OUT OF THIS WORLD....AND CHALLENGING
PostedSeptember 8, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game is far out~ It is very different and rather too challenging for my taste, however the atmosphere is at most, ethereal, and quite irresistible with its melodic music. It just carries you away in a most relaxing way...as if you are floating.
The hint is very useful and I had to resort to using it many times as I did not have a clue as to what I was supposed to do or where to go. Scenes were too dark at times, especially in the HOS, making it difficult finding items....adding to the challenge.
It is a quiet game and not hyperactive having to find too many inventory items. There are quite a few HOS, which I like and you are not overwhelmed with puzzles. There is a skip for the puzzles. There is wide screen with great graphics....3 modes of play to choose from. I used casual, which allows you to take all the time you want, making it a pleasurable enjoyment.
One thing that was difficult, is at times you are in a scene and there is not always a hand indicator when you have something to do or an item to pick up. The mechanics in this area could have been more specific. If the hint had not been so helpful and directional, I don't think I would have made it through.
This is a well balanced game and I am glad to have come across it. It has quality and an artistic effort was employed in its development. I will play this one again~
Can you recover an ancient underwater artifact in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
32 of 47 found this review helpful
VERY SLOW MOVING....AND BORING
PostedSeptember 6, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
It was more like being a repairman than anything else....going back and forth fixing this and that with the usual mundane inventory of pliers, bolt cutters, screwdrivers, a wrench, a fuse, insulating tape, scissors...and of course, keys... as well as millions of items to place everywhere, including too many add on items to your inventory. How awesome to put a harpoon together only to use it to knock a box down from a high shelf. I also loved assembling a fishing pole....wasn't enough to find the line for it,...I needed to find the hook, too. Let's just get on with it. I couldn't get into any type of story because you are just overwhelmed with senseless activity. It was a drag and I didn't finish the demo. I think even the dog was bored....which we should have had an option whether or not to use him. He just slows things up even more.
I also have a disdain for small box mini HOS, and almost want to refuse to buy a game that incorporates them. They are cheap.
Even though the graphics were enticing once you get to the outside island, the game still did not inspire interest and it was the same type of mundane activity. I didn't care to have to repair a plane and go around in circles collecting items.
There is nothing here to get exited about. It was disappointing that the dynamics were not better and more enjoyable. This one can stay buried at sea.
Uncover a conspiracy against the king!
Overall rating
2
/
5
23 of 29 found this review helpful
SHORT....AND AN INCREDIBLY SHORT BONUS...NOT CE WORTHY
PostedAugust 20, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The best aspect of this game is the outstanding graphics. They are rich and draw you into the atmosphere. But that is where it ends. There is way too much rain and dampness. I found it to be depressing and cold.
The game is not hyperactive. On the contrary, it is very slow moving and the gameplay is very mundane. The characters and story were not engaging or interesting to me. It was dull.
The HOS were done nicely. I really enjoyed those, but there weren't enough of them. There are too many connect the dots mini's. If there weren't, this game would have been even shorter.
With only some collectible morphing coins, a replay of hos and puzzles.....and an incredibly short BC, this is not a CE worthy game whatsoever. I cannot believe how short the BC is. It's over before you know it. This game is very disappointing, to say the least.