cathybobcat's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:2.5
- Helpful Votes:2,025
- Reviews Submitted:149
- First Review:May 18, 2018
- Most Recent Review:May 25, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
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
Current Favorite:
Mr. Biscuits: The Case of the Ocean Pearl
(5)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.
Revived Legends: Titan's Revenge
Stop a vengeful Titan from destroying Athens – and the world!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
THANK GOODNESS FOR THE MAP
PostedJuly 27, 2018
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The graphics are excellent and story is filled with interesting facts regarding Greek Mythology. The theme is different and refreshing. BUT you do so much traveling in this, I don't know what I would have done without a map, which is transportable, thank goodness. You travel to scenes from the past to the present, and although the tasks are not complicated, it is too busy at times with all of the going back and forth.
The puzzles outnumber the HOS...some of the puzzles were too time consuming, so I skipped them, and others I just did not care to do. The HOS were mediocre and could have been better....and more of them, for sure.
You have the choice of modes of play...I used Custom. Hint refills in 15 seconds. I thought that the hint could have been more directional when I had inventory to be used. It only pointed me to the place I needed to be, but not what to do when I got there. I didn't use the hint too often and this only happened to me once where I had to figure out what to do myself.
This game has an older feel to it than the year it was released, and other than the excessive going back and forth, for the most part I found it to be relaxing and enjoyable. It also appears to be a good length. I think it is well worth a sale price and I have purchased it.
I recommend this game!
Can you and your beloved escape a mad composer in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 24 found this review helpful
A PERFORMANCE NOT WORTH IT
PostedJuly 26, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The graphics are excellent and colorful. This game had so much potential, but falls short due to the excessive amount of inventory that needs numerous parts to fix before you can use them, the going back and forth, and too many puzzles.
It wasn't enough to have to find 3 parts of a statue, you then have to find glue....parts for a clipper, including the screw.....parts, parts, and more parts. You feed animals, you sew a bagpipe back together, first having to find the food and needle and thread. This sort of activity goes on and on, and was wearing me out to the point where I lost interest in the entire game. By the time I did find all of the inventory I needed, I forgot where I was supposed to go and put it. Also, in the inventory, you will see either a red cross next to an item indicating it needs a part, then when you find the other part or parts, the cross turns green to alert you that you have found the necessary item needed. This was both in the Custom and Casual mode because I wanted to see if I could eliminate that by changing modes. The parts are also outlined that you need when you go to place them. I don't care for that.
You're so busy with nonsense, wandering around scenes trying to place everything and find out what is needed and where to find it that there is no story to be had or enjoyment in the gameplay. It was just too much. It's not a positive sign when I begin using the hint and that is exactly what I began doing because I was tired of all the senseless activity.
There is a "ting a ling" sounding pop out from the upper right that occurs every time you find a collectible or gain an achievement. It is totally unnecessary, distracting, and annoying. I ended up having to go and mute this in the options.
Your collectibles are crystals to buy things to decorate a room, posters, and musical instruments. These all have indicators above your inventory on the left. They glow when there is one to be found. You can replay HOS and puzzles, however there are so many puzzles in this that they surely will not all be replayable. You take what they decide to give you.
The puzzles outnumber HOS in excess which is another reason I did not care for this game. This is not a balanced game. I have most of the others in this series and am very disappointed in this one. This is definitely not a performance worth dying for or buying at all.
Find the double agent in H.E.L.P. before it’s too late!
Overall rating
2
/
5
61 of 78 found this review helpful
HELP....THIS IS ANOTHER SHORT AND PUZZLE HEAVY GAME
PostedJuly 21, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Started out promising.....then went downhill FAST. You begin in the jungle of the Honduras with very atmospheric and defined graphics and from there you end up in a diner connected to a car repair garage area where you begin to perform one of too many mechanical tasks. I am not interested in being in a garage or junk yard pretending to be a mechanic....finding a power washer and nozzle along with grease remover to clean off an engine, nor dealing with jumper cables, car batteries and the like. I felt like taking a shower.
Once again, we have story HOS where you have to find the items to match the words. There are also mini hos which are a complete turn off. Art work was decent in them, but there was one HOS that was so dark, I could hardly see to find the items needed, which was a very interactive HOS. It was in the store and was more like a puzzle than a hos. It even had puzzles in it, too....which you can skip...as all of them in this game.
There are 36 signs to find that have an indicator in the lower right and a morphing object in the hos which also has an indicator in the lower right that glows and then there is a check mark when you find it. I think there are only 12 morphs which is the number of HOS listed in the Extras. No big deal for Extras.
There are many technical and mechanical tasks in this that are more like a "guy thing" to do. Some of the tasks are ridiculous.....like running from 2 police officers in the garage while the officers just stand there like statues....yeah, sure. Then in the metro area, you scare the officers off with a loud clock chiming noise that distracts them. Who would want that kind of security? Are they serious?
One of the most annoying things in this is the clanging noise that you will hear every time you click on your mouse to place an item, which has to be placed exactly right or you just keep hearing the irritating noise until the item is placed correctly. I kept trying to place items that I was putting in the right place because I used a hint that directed me to the exact place I was trying to put it. You know how it is when you are experimenting with what item goes where. The noise every time I clicked was extremely distracting and I had to mute the Effects volume in the Options so I wouldn't have to listen to it anymore. Then when you do that, you can't hear any of the environmental effects and it takes away from the gameplay. I have found this to be common in many games.
This is also puzzle heavy. Puzzles always outnumber the HOS....and although it is indicated you can replay both, there are more puzzles in the game than they give you for replay. Isn't that always the way? You can always bet there are more puzzles in a game than what you can replay. I doubt that puzzle enthusiasts will be impressed with them, anyway. I wouldn't care to replay anything in this.
Graphics and story were decent, as well as some of the HOS. Because of the gameplay, I lost interest. This is an unforgiveable short game and should have been much longer. It is definitely not worthy of a CE price.
The killer from an unsolved case returns for more blood!
Overall rating
1
/
5
21 of 28 found this review helpful
GRIM INDEED
PostedJuly 20, 2018
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This game makes the last one (Time Traveler-Feb 2018) look like a masterpiece, even the graphics. I could only last 20 minutes and that was it. Maybe I am missing something (other than the time I wasted), but I did not see any replay for HOS or puzzles. The collectibles are a complete joke. There are only 3 chapters, plus a BC. How short is this one going to be for a CE price? Then there is the "buy before you try" tactic of having things locked in the extras so you don't know what you're getting beforehand. If they don't capture me in the demo, it is a done deal and a no buy.
I could hardly endure the first 2 scenes going back and forth collecting an item for this and an item for that, wondering if I was ever going to move on. When I finally did enter the 3rd scene it was more of the same...over and over...going nowhere. The gameplay is so boring and monotonous, I couldn't even get into the story, and frankly didn't care.
More and more I am beginning to absolutely loathe HOS where you have to find items to match words....storybook trash. Then there are the teeny tiny box hos where you find a few items, that is all! I was ready to exit the game right then and there in the first scene upon encountering these. I don't care to be spending my time with these types of what they consider HOS, anymore. It's like they just don't care, so why should I? Enough is enough of these types of garbage HOS. I wouldn't want to replay any of it if they gave it to me or this game which is supposed to be a CE??????
What has happened to QUALITY ? From what I played, there is none in this.
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
5 of 10 found this review helpful
NO THANK YOU
PostedJuly 18, 2018
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Not as described. There were no collectibles...no extras that I saw. The graphics are colorful and rich, though dark at times. The characters and story are completely juvenile. It's like a cartoon. The tasks are tiring and boring. One thing that was really a negative is that there is way too much mixing of potions and making things that you have to go back and forth finding all the ingredients and necessary items for. I do not enjoy doing these things at all and this game is overwhelmed with them.
There was a fair amount of hos which I liked....the more the better for me, but unless there was a replay for them, it is not enough to warrant a buy for this. The demo was not long enough and I think this is another very short game and not one I would want to play again.
As Cruise Director in charge, enjoy a truly sensational Cruise of a Lifetime aboard the fleet’s super luxurious flagship, USS Liberty of the Waves.
Overall rating
5
/
5
36 of 44 found this review helpful
DELIGHTFUL
PostedJuly 16, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I have all of the Casual Arts games of Christmas Wonderland, Halloween Trick or Treat, Easter Eggztravaganza, VA Park Rangers and Cruise Director. They are wonderful, relaxing and an absolute enjoyment. It is always a delight when a new one is released and I got this one right away.
Although the game is similar to all of the others, there is a great deal of effort and care put into each one of them. Graphics are excellent and colorful....and items are often very well hidden. It is always a challenge finding all of the trash items. There are a variety of things to do...no time for boredom in any of these games. It is a welcome delight to just relax and play this game while enjoying the trip on this brand new VA Cruise Director 5.
Keep them coming~