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:
Can you help stop an ancient evil in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
21 of 30 found this review helpful
MOST BORING AND SLOWEST GAME OF THE YEAR
PostedAugust 16, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I miraculously survive a hot air balloon crash without a scratch, while conveniently landing on my destination of Polynesia where everyone is speaking with an American accent. All of the scenes look the same and there is a constant going back and forth for the same you know what.
In the first HOS, my hands are bound by rope, and I find a piece of cheese to lure a mouse closer to me so that he can chew the ropes and set me free. Now that was different.
Upon the encounter of a story type HOS, even though it was with the sliding blocks, for the first time, I used the alternative of a skipping stone game which I liked, but it got tedious after a while. The other HOS were nothing to get exited about. They were bland and the fastest part of this game.
Puzzles were ridiculous. You have to match totem pole parts twice with no skip. It's no big deal, but not fun either, so why be forced to do it? The rest of them are not even worth mentioning.
It was the last straw when I acquired a gadget sea shell that enables me to speak to the elements when it glows. I ACTUALLY got to speak to the wind.... and decided to blow this one off for good.
The most interesting and exiting thing to do in this demo was to feed the chickens with some seed I found.
You are sent to a remote island to solve a simple case that quickly turns into a cat and mouse game between you and the culprits.
Overall rating
3
/
5
13 of 21 found this review helpful
GAMEPLAY....THE DOWNFALL
PostedAugust 11, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed the demo. The graphics are excellent as well as the story and characters....liked their accents. There is a great deal of conversation to read and a set of three questions you have to go through when encountering the numerous suspects you are investigating. It was almost like watching a movie rather than playing a game because it was so lengthy.
There is a camera (gadget) that you use to take pictures for evidence you are collecting. It was used excessively at the beginning of the game, but given the nature of this being a murder mystery, the camera gadget is acceptable.
This game had so much potential and for me fell short because of the gameplay. There was way too much going back and forth, collecting inventory. I became so bored with it, that I began using the hint (never a good sign) because there were just too many things that needed something and too many different places to put them. It slowed up the game more than the conversations. The tedium of the gameplay caused me to lose interest.
I really enjoyed the traditional list HOS and their artistry. Even though they didn't take very long to complete, I enjoyed viewing them and thought they were well done. It was refreshing to see them because there was an effort put into them artistically. It was also a GREAT relief not being bombarded with puzzles in excess. That alone may just spur my interest in trying the SE when it is released.
The collectibles are morphing bears....forget how many. They don't fit in with this at all and aside from them being so easy to find, I wasn't even paying much attention to them because the story and everything else had my attention instead. I thought they were a waste, really.
You can replay 16 HOS and 18 mini games. I didn't use the SG....the hint is very efficient. I skipped the puzzles. I don't think this is CE worthy and will wait until the SE is released to be able to see a walkthrough. It isn't the worst, but isn't the best either and did leave something to be desired, which was a disappointment.
Work with new puppet allies to uncover the true puppet master!
Overall rating
3
/
5
36 of 42 found this review helpful
MEDIOCRE AND SHORT
PostedAugust 10, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I have all of these, some in CE and some in SE and think this was the most disappointing of them all, as well as the shortest. There were parts I enjoyed and many I did not. The characters are very cartoonish, shallow, and unconvincing. They came across in an extremely juvenile manner. The voices are the biggest turn off about them, especially Miriam's, whose was so whiney and phony. I got sick of listening to her. It was like finger nails on a blackboard, so I muted the voices.
There are only so many story lines that can be used, so I didn't mind the story and dealing with the duos, even though I thought it was lacking and childish. The dynamics of gameplay is what takes precedence over the story for me.
The graphics are excellent and atmospheric and typical of this series. You are not overwhelmed with the collecting of inventory for everything. You have the option of choosing your character. There is the clicking on of conversations, which is an annoyance because it is senseless and makes no difference in this game and is also time consuming. The going back and forth was not in excess. There didn't seem to be that many scenes, so maybe that is why they added all of the conversation and puzzles, so it would lengthen what should have been a longer and more quality game had they put more effort into this.
There were some full HOS that were quite good, but they were outnumbered greatly by all of the mundane mini games. There were a few mini hos that are nothing but a waste....finding a few items. There are only a few items in them to begin with, so they are right there in front of you. It cheapens a game.
Too much of the gameplay is taken up with the mini games, which I highly disliked having an overabundance of. You're either doing them or skipping them. It was too many, often one right after another, taking up so much time in what is a very short game. Even though many of them are quick and doable, it was still excessive. It takes away from the story as well as the gameplay, creating an imbalance.
Your collectibles are very limited in the CE version. There are piggy banks to find that deliver coins that you can use to buy mechanical toys for a mechanical cat. It is not very impressive. There are also some morphs which I care nothing about. Unless you can see them, you spend your time staring at a screen becoming almost hypnotized, which is not my idea of a good time. I neglected to even try to find them.
Probably the biggest disappointment of all is the incredibly short length of the Bonus...unbelievable. It is not CE worthy nor worth the price for it. It is a cheat. The BC was nothing but a few new scenes....nothing new or different to add to the story....had a few added hos (one was a stencil that was very interesting and creative). There were too many mini games... one where you are mixing a multi potion, which I hate. It consumed even more of that short BC time.
The SE is sufficient just fine as the main story ends well without the unnecessary BC in the CE, which to me was just a continuation of the same story and ending. There isn't anything adequate to warrant this as a CE worthy game, particularly the lack of a proper length for the entire game, so I think the SE is a better buy.
There are better games and worse games. I think this one falls in between the two. Graphics and atmosphere alone do make it enjoyable.
Three legendary detectives join forces to solve a horrible crime!
Overall rating
1
/
5
41 of 61 found this review helpful
UNBELIEVABLE
PostedAugust 9, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The gameplay is absolutely horrendous in this with utterly boring tasks that you have done hundreds of times. The story is a drag and shallow. It is so slow moving....back and forth...back and forth. Of course, you have to find batteries for the device gadget (yes, there is another beloved gadget that is going to be used to pan around a scene finding things). There is rust remover x2 to use. I retrieve an item from a fireplace with a violin bow??? I have to scare off a crow with a whistle I had to find in order to get a ladder to get a screwdriver from a rooftop. I could hardly contain myself when having to repair a chainsaw and elevator where I have to tape up wires, unscrew a panel with the screwdriver I acquired and replace a button in that elevator....and there is much much more for your complete entertainment. It's just what I don't want to spend time with.
The graphics are shady and could have been much better and more defined. You can adjust brightness which I had to do in order to see more clearly. The HOS are one big disaster. Mini hos with a few items to find in most of them. One full HOS was finding pairs by moving other items which I don't like....and the tiny story book one with sketch type items. There was nothing....nothing to them at all! They were disgracefully poor as is this game. I skipped the puzzles because I simply didn't care to be aggravated any more than I was already with this demo.
I could not complete the demo and exited upon finding scum remover, which is what this game needs....big time.
Can you and your sister escape the deadly history of Reed Valley?
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
UNIQUE IN ITS OWN WAY
PostedAugust 9, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Did the demo for the SE and also the CE and decided to go for the CE. I don't really like to compare games because they all have differences in their own way. This is in a class by itself, adding much to the imagination if one is open to it. I thought the story was far out and convoluted, but that's part of what distinguishes it. It is the gameplay that matters to me more than the story and I liked the way this game flowed, as well as the challenge factor....not too easy....not too hard. For the most part, it held my interest until the end of the game, including the Bonus Chapter.
The graphics are atmospheric and typical of this series, adding to its eeriness and mystery. Even though dark and foggy, they were excellent. I became immersed in it.
There is a fair amount of a variety of HOS which I really enjoyed. Effort went into some of these both in artistry and challenge. I would have liked more of them.
There are more puzzles than HOS, but it was in balance with the rest of the game. Some of them I liked and some I skipped. One thing I never like with many puzzles is when they are very time consuming (pain in the brain), which can make a game appear longer than it really is. I don't care to be spending too much of game time with puzzles, anyway.
You can replay 19 HOS and 21 puzzles....and some of these, I feel are replay worthy. You collect 36 brains in a jar...humorous. There are 16 morphs to collect...and there was a morph hos in the main game that was different, not taking up too much time. I never care for waiting around forever for something to morph.
The bonus chapter was short, but enjoyable. It is not necessary to the main game, which I thought ended abruptly, but either version of this is fine and stands on its own. I liked having the extra gameplay and don't buy too many CE's. With the addition of the SG, as well as the additional extras, I am pleased to have the CE version and think it is worth it.
Can you and your sister escape the deadly history of Reed Valley?
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 13 found this review helpful
UNIQUE IN ITS OWN WAY
PostedAugust 7, 2018
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Did the demo for this SE and also the CE and decided to go for the CE. I don't really like to compare games because they all have differences in their own way. This is in a class by itself, adding much to the imagination if one is open to it. I thought the story was far out and convoluted, but that's part of what distinguishes it. It is the gameplay that matters to me more than the story and I liked the way this game flowed, as well as the challenge factor....not too easy....not too hard. For the most part, it held my interest until the end of the game, including the Bonus Chapter.
The graphics are atmospheric and typical of this series, adding to its eeriness and mystery. Even though dark and foggy, they were excellent. I became immersed in it.
There is a fair amount of a variety of HOS which I really enjoyed. Effort went into some of these both in artistry and challenge. I would have like more of them.
There are more puzzles than HOS, but it was in balance with the rest of the game. Some of them I liked and some I skipped. One thing I never like with many puzzles is when they are very time consuming (pain in the brain), which can make a game appear longer than it really is.
You can replay 19 HOS and 21 puzzles....and some of these, I feel are replay worthy. You collect 36 brains in a jar...humorous. There are 16 morphs to collect...and there was a morph hos in the main game that was different, not taking up too much time. I never care for waiting around forever for something to morph.
The bonus chapter was short, but enjoyable. It is not necessary to the main game, which I thought ended abruptly, but either version of this is fine and stands on its own. I liked having the extra gameplay and don't buy too many CE's. With the addition of the SG, as well as the additional extras, I am pleased to have the CE version and think it is worth it.
Can you stop a malevolent force from stealing souls in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 21 found this review helpful
ONE PUZZLE AFTER ANOTHER
PostedAugust 4, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Is there supposed to be a story here? Let me tell you that there are MANY more puzzles in this than the indicated 18 that you can replay. It is so excessive. It was practically all I was doing....one right after another. I didn't finish the demo because of it. I do not care to be spending all of game time with puzzles. How about having one HOS after another for a change?
It's too bad because the graphics in this are excellent and even though the story has been done before, I surely would have considered this otherwise. The over abundance of puzzles did it for me.
Summer Adventure
Join Mary’s family and visit lovely places such as nearby beaches and landmarks in this hidden object adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
20 of 23 found this review helpful
COULD BE BETTER....COULD BE WORSE
PostedAugust 3, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This was originally released on 6/27/18 and the developer is Ivan Dimitrijevi, which is why the names of items are different from those of the Americans. This must always be taken into consideration when encountering these situations in games. Everyone is not American and has a different way of describing and naming items.
It is a basic HOG and the graphics rather bland, but it is an ok game even though it can get repetitive. After each hos there is a jigsaw or match 3, word search (which I really like) and different sorts of puzzles which adds some variety. From what I remember, they do all have skips.
I could never compare this to VA. There is no comparison to the quality of VA games even though the play of this may be similar. If anything, it is a compliment to the developer to compare it. I would have never thought to because there just is none to compare with the intricacies of VA games. This is a game of its own.
I do have this. It does get repetitive, which is why I probably have only played it a couple of times...but it does have a uniqueness of its own and is a good way to relax without a brain strain (except for those hard to find items, which you do have a zoom feature for). I appreciate foreign developers and just wish I would have waited to be able to use a pcc on this or buy at a sale. I never thought it would be released here and am glad to see it on BF.
There are plenty worse HOGs out there and a lot better ones....and I would say that this one is in between and can be played by all.
Can you save escaped magical creatures before it’s too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 22 found this review helpful
CUTESY...CUTESY....AND JUVENILE
PostedAugust 3, 2018
cathybobcat
fromChicago, IL
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The graphics are excellent, game is easy going and player friendly which is typical of this developer.
I just couldn't get into this and even though I tried, I could not finish the demo. It did not hold my interest after a while. It seemed very slow moving.
I am first met with having to rescue the drowning Corgi with a life saver, and having to acquire a rope to do so. Then I have to find something to dry him off with....of all things a cutesy sweater. Then I encounter someone pointing a double barrel shotgun at me, filling up the whole screen...not so favorable, even though it was private property. I didn't appreciate it at all and think it is not necessary, particularly if young people are playing this...which is really who this game seems to be geared for.
No matter how cute, I am not a fan of animal helpers or any helpers at all. It slows up the game even more than it is already.
It is rather out of season to be looking for eggs, which reminded me of Easter, particularly with the cutesy bunnies in one scene. You have 64 to collect and the only indicator for them is a tab in the upper left hand side alerting you to how many there are in a scene. You can click on it at anytime to find out if you have collected them all or not. Most of them were fairly easy to see, but they appear more like shadows of eggs than solids. These eggs are the only collectibles I saw, which to me does not warrant this to be CE worthy.
There is also a magic cube gadget. Need I say more? This is like a comic book, cartoon story, which is fine at times and for those who are attracted to that and the cutesy, cutesy. I am not really into dogs and found it disgusting having a dog tongue licking big time filling up the screen.
You can replay HOS and puzzles, but there is no total as this info is locked in the Extras. I don't care for it when they do that. I like to know what I am getting in a CE, rather than having to buy it first, then find out.
There weren't enough HOS, and even though the puzzles are considered easy, there were too many for me, slowing up the game even more.
I have the other games in this series, although not all in CE, and enjoy this developer for the most part, but I feel this game falls short for a CE and I was disappointed in it. I will wait for the SE to come out and have a look then.
Turn back the hands of time to free the Lost Lands!
Overall rating
1
/
5
21 of 54 found this review helpful
LOST AND ONE BIG MISTAKE
PostedJuly 28, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Lasted 30 minutes in this demo which was too long. First, I am greeted by a gigantic mechanical spider that I have to blind with hot coals, then knock him out with something heavy that you have to find first, of course. Didn't anyone think that hot coals would do the job? How absurd. Then to get out of the room, I have to build steps by placing boards correctly....the first of MANY MANY puzzles. I am then in a cemetery and I acquire a hexagon to transport me to the past and back, but it must be fed with "ashes" first to activate it.
All I am really doing in this game is skipping puzzles one right after another....so much so, that no other tasks really need to be mentioned because this whole situation is DEAD, big time... with arrogant and self righteous looking characters to top it off.
There was also a disturbing scene I came across where a woman is given something to drink to put her to sleep. Whether or not it is thought that this is "just a game", I found this action to be suggestive and inappropriate, to say the least.
I always look at the Extras before I begin a CE and find that here we have a replay of 21 mini games (there are sure to be more than that) and 7 puzzles. No HOS. There are 30 morphs to find and when you have found them all, you get a big surprise in the bonus, another puzzle... and there will be another bonus mini game in addition with "a lot of levels" so it stated.
The only good thing I can say is the graphics were excellent. Other than that, this can go into the ashes from whence it came and should remain. I have better things to do with my time than to be overwhelmed with such an obsession with puzzles one right after another.