Lainie221's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:81
- Reviews Submitted:6
- First Review:January 5, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 11, 2014
- Featured reviews0
Lainie221's Review History
Uncover dark forces emanating from the heart of Old Town and be spellbound by this adorably ghoulish horror-themed puzzle game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Year-Long Humorous Horror M3 Game
PostedJanuary 11, 2014
Lainie221
fromUSA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Despite it's being long past Halloween, I am still playing this game. The visuals and sound effects are perfectly suited to this seasonally-themed M3 game. I've played timed and un-timed by switching at will and have not become bored yet. The controls make swapping quite smooth and speed can be achieved since matches can be made during cascades.
Power-ups earned by making long matches are enhanced with decorative items the player can buy with game money to adorn his or her home. Placement is done by the game, but it's a nice addition, viewing your home as it is decorated.
I cannot add more to what the previous reviewers have already said except to say that I highly recommend this game for short (10--30-minute) bursts of play as it's a good way to revive your energy without using caffeine.
I recommend this game!
Take an enchanted journey through mystical lands in this exciting match-three puzzler!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
Tranquil Battle of Magic
PostedJune 10, 2012
Lainie221
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Mahjong, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Druids boasts large M3 boards, New Age-like background music, and animated elements to match in order to free the entrapped denizens of this magical world.
There are various impediments to clearing each board—at my present level, 20, there are metal and wooden tiles that need more than one match to destroy, and the beings trapped within might descend while still trapped, creating an obstacle in the new space it occupies. Some obstacles render the tile impervious to the player’s clicks and must be cleared by making nearby matches or by using the elemental power-ups. I play in untimed mode, so there’s no rush to clear the board, but sometimes it’s hard to see what kind of being is in the prison to match it to others of its kind because the prisons distort the being within.
I don’t imagine that the story is particularly gripping since I cannot recall any of it, but I don’t generally play games of this type for the plot. Each of these boards takes a while to clear because the boards are so large and have so many impediments to clearing. How anyone plays this game timed is a mystery to me (smile).
I recommend this game!
Sophie wakes up in an empty room with no idea who she is. Help her regain her memories and uncover the truth in this unique Match 3 experience.
Overall rating
3
/
5
23 of 25 found this review helpful
Lackluster
PostedJune 5, 2012
Lainie221
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
My review of this adventure match-3 game is based on the one hour trial.
The graphics for the opening loading screen are gorgeous, with vibrant colors and sharply-rendered objects. On the top-level option menu, there are two language options: English and Magyar. The player may also choose to keep the music and sound on or off. Once the start game button is pressed, more options appear to play in adventure mode timed or relaxed or play arcade or puzzle (I did not check to learn if arcade and puzzle were available before completing the game or a level).
STORY
The story begins when the protagonist awakens in an unfamiliar setting. She is alone in a room when a wild-haired guy (scientist?) addresses her. This guy promises to explain all to Sophie at a later time and urges her to run through a series of tasks (carrying out those tasks are done by the player completing M3 boards and puzzles). I cleared the 3 door screens (which must be clicked on in order from left to right for each M3 level or the game will not progress. I kept “inspecting” the door, trying to get rid of the dialogue to begin the M3 play before accidentally clicking on the leftmost screen which *did* produce the game board), repaired the broken screen, and completed the tasks in one room off the corridor outside the main room. I saw about 6 rooms in that corridor. I don’t know how many more there are in that clinic.
GAMEPLAY
One plays in swap mode. Each task requires several (mostly) non-challenging M3 levels before progressing to the next task. The M3 action became repetitive even after only 52 minutes on relaxed. There is a pattern similar to the following: match several elements, then match fewer random elements, then get one special element from top to bottom of the board, then match only the special elements, then complete a M3 puzzle where you make matches in a certain order, then make matches over the bright tiles. With the rapidity and frequency of hints (yes, even on the puzzles!), I doubt the game would be much of a challenge for most even on timed mode. There appears to be a complete lack of power-ups or true obstacles during the M3 gameplay. There are boulders on the board that can be removed only by making matches near them with bombs, but those bombs proliferate frequently, and the boulders don’t have to be eliminated on most boards. There are some trophies for large matches and for completing story elements, but they weren’t all that impressive.
I’ll most probably purchase this game to support the M3 adventure-designing effort, but unless the story and M3 gameplay picks up, I can only offer lukewarm endorsement for this game.
The graphics for the opening loading screen are gorgeous, with vibrant colors and sharply-rendered objects. On the top-level option menu, there are two language options: English and Magyar. The player may also choose to keep the music and sound on or off. Once the start game button is pressed, more options appear to play in adventure mode timed or relaxed or play arcade or puzzle (I did not check to learn if arcade and puzzle were available before completing the game or a level).
STORY
The story begins when the protagonist awakens in an unfamiliar setting. She is alone in a room when a wild-haired guy (scientist?) addresses her. This guy promises to explain all to Sophie at a later time and urges her to run through a series of tasks (carrying out those tasks are done by the player completing M3 boards and puzzles). I cleared the 3 door screens (which must be clicked on in order from left to right for each M3 level or the game will not progress. I kept “inspecting” the door, trying to get rid of the dialogue to begin the M3 play before accidentally clicking on the leftmost screen which *did* produce the game board), repaired the broken screen, and completed the tasks in one room off the corridor outside the main room. I saw about 6 rooms in that corridor. I don’t know how many more there are in that clinic.
GAMEPLAY
One plays in swap mode. Each task requires several (mostly) non-challenging M3 levels before progressing to the next task. The M3 action became repetitive even after only 52 minutes on relaxed. There is a pattern similar to the following: match several elements, then match fewer random elements, then get one special element from top to bottom of the board, then match only the special elements, then complete a M3 puzzle where you make matches in a certain order, then make matches over the bright tiles. With the rapidity and frequency of hints (yes, even on the puzzles!), I doubt the game would be much of a challenge for most even on timed mode. There appears to be a complete lack of power-ups or true obstacles during the M3 gameplay. There are boulders on the board that can be removed only by making matches near them with bombs, but those bombs proliferate frequently, and the boulders don’t have to be eliminated on most boards. There are some trophies for large matches and for completing story elements, but they weren’t all that impressive.
I’ll most probably purchase this game to support the M3 adventure-designing effort, but unless the story and M3 gameplay picks up, I can only offer lukewarm endorsement for this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Children have been kidnapped! Track them down as a forensic investigator in this realistic Large File Adventure game.
Overall rating
4
/
5
27 of 28 found this review helpful
Look Ma; I'm a Detective!
PostedMay 26, 2012
Lainie221
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I just finished playing the first episode of Casebook and must report that I enjoyed the experience very much. I’m used to playing 1st-person perspective games with the 360-degree line of sight, so that aspect of the game was no problem for me. Among the many features I liked include the following:
• The immersive feel to the game with the game’s camera moving smoothly with your mouse’s movement,
• the mini-games that represented your collection and processing of evidence,
• how the player can look away slightly (to view the road while driving or to admire a topiary while walking) while Burton talks directly to him/her; a really clever idea to further simulate the sense of being there,
• and the sheer simplicity of “nodding” or “shaking” your “head” to indicate the method by which Burton (your partner in the game) should interrogate persons of interest—no “guessing” how much to intimidate or psych out the person (and being penalized for guessing incorrectly).
There were a few items that displeased, but not to the point of entirely spoiling the game experience for me.
A log that actually kept more details on the evidence gathered would have been quite helpful. Towards the end, there was so much stuff to try to link to other evidence that the process became tedious (the print was awfully small as well). As a result of the confusion and exactness of relating evidence, linking evidence was my least favorite aspect of this game. The game automatically links some items for you, but the player must ensure that, say, a bomb that links to a cigar through a matchstick ALSO links to the bomb explosion that is linked to a city and suspect. Those examples don’t exist in game, but it’s exasperating to check items singly for all their related links.
Gathering evidence by peering through the camera at fuzzy images often strained the old eyes (smile). The other problem I had was with the mirrors puzzle. Sometimes, the mirrors and the target would disappear. I had to take a “skipped game” hit when that happened because the puzzle would be unplayable.
Nonetheless, I plan to replay for a higher ranking (ranked as a case supervisor, not an expert), and look forward to playing the entire trilogy. Adventure game fans, do give this a try.
• The immersive feel to the game with the game’s camera moving smoothly with your mouse’s movement,
• the mini-games that represented your collection and processing of evidence,
• how the player can look away slightly (to view the road while driving or to admire a topiary while walking) while Burton talks directly to him/her; a really clever idea to further simulate the sense of being there,
• and the sheer simplicity of “nodding” or “shaking” your “head” to indicate the method by which Burton (your partner in the game) should interrogate persons of interest—no “guessing” how much to intimidate or psych out the person (and being penalized for guessing incorrectly).
There were a few items that displeased, but not to the point of entirely spoiling the game experience for me.
A log that actually kept more details on the evidence gathered would have been quite helpful. Towards the end, there was so much stuff to try to link to other evidence that the process became tedious (the print was awfully small as well). As a result of the confusion and exactness of relating evidence, linking evidence was my least favorite aspect of this game. The game automatically links some items for you, but the player must ensure that, say, a bomb that links to a cigar through a matchstick ALSO links to the bomb explosion that is linked to a city and suspect. Those examples don’t exist in game, but it’s exasperating to check items singly for all their related links.
Gathering evidence by peering through the camera at fuzzy images often strained the old eyes (smile). The other problem I had was with the mirrors puzzle. Sometimes, the mirrors and the target would disappear. I had to take a “skipped game” hit when that happened because the puzzle would be unplayable.
Nonetheless, I plan to replay for a higher ranking (ranked as a case supervisor, not an expert), and look forward to playing the entire trilogy. Adventure game fans, do give this a try.
I recommend this game!
Travel around the UK with Julia and solve the mystery of her grandfather’s old diary in Julia’s Quest: United Kingdom!
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 13 found this review helpful
LEARNING ABOUT UK LANDMARKS ON THE FLY
PostedMarch 25, 2012
Lainie221
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong, Strategy
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I played through 52 minutes of the trial hour, through the 5th city, the Tower of London. Julia’s Quest: United Kingdom has a storyline that takes Julia to landmarks in the UK, a journal that provides tourist information on the sites and records of the awards the player can earn, or has earned, high game scores to date, and features some different M3 gameplay elements like catching the falling stones removed by the player’s matches—tricky, but doable; however, you’ll have the stone on your cursor to place back on the board somewhere, so if you are working towards a time bonus, you’ve got to think quickly,—and music that is repetitive but not unpleasant (“The Blue Bells of Scotland”). Your time is recorded, but only for winning bonuses and awards; if you don’t wish to rush, you don’t need to hurry. Still, the presence of awards is incentive enough to try to complete those levels quickly by making matches beneath puzzle pieces to free them to fall to the bottom of the screen.
Coins to increase your time score and other similar perks appear occasionally, though not for any feat performed by the player, such as making large matches. Perhaps I haven’t played long enough to figure out why they appear. There was one very easy jigsaw puzzle to complete, no HO scenes seen yet.
There are 5 levels per city and 20 cities total visible in the journal. Also, the player can replay any completed city at will; this feature turned my initial nay into a yay! The initial levels are short: I was able to complete most levels in well under 2 minutes, two were completed in 40 secs! I received a gold cup for the levels completed in under 60 seconds. My only two real gripes with the game are as follows: you must buy the power-ups repeatedly; they don’t recharge, and those annoying Big Ben ticking sound effects at the Westminster Palace site truly got right up my nose! Decent replay values for the awards and scores.
Coins to increase your time score and other similar perks appear occasionally, though not for any feat performed by the player, such as making large matches. Perhaps I haven’t played long enough to figure out why they appear. There was one very easy jigsaw puzzle to complete, no HO scenes seen yet.
There are 5 levels per city and 20 cities total visible in the journal. Also, the player can replay any completed city at will; this feature turned my initial nay into a yay! The initial levels are short: I was able to complete most levels in well under 2 minutes, two were completed in 40 secs! I received a gold cup for the levels completed in under 60 seconds. My only two real gripes with the game are as follows: you must buy the power-ups repeatedly; they don’t recharge, and those annoying Big Ben ticking sound effects at the Westminster Palace site truly got right up my nose! Decent replay values for the awards and scores.
I recommend this game!
Long banished from Fogmere for the practice of dark magic, an evil wizard now holds the kingdom under a reign of darkness!
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 14 found this review helpful
A Good M3 Adventure
PostedJanuary 5, 2012
Lainie221
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Magicville: Art of Magic in untimed adventure mode is relaxing Match 3 game play. The graphics are clearly defined, and the music is soothing to me. I didn’t find the subdued color palette “dark” or somber, simply soothing to the eyes. I’ve played about 25 minutes of the demo and plan to purchase as a DD. Observations are as follows:
• The load time for the M3 screens is a bit slow, but there is a loading bar that runs across the bottom of the screen that looks a bit like a sideways shooting star for the 3 seconds it takes the game to load the next screen. Nice touch.
• I haven’t gotten too far, but the 3 mini-games encountered were pleasant (I plan to skip the pipe puzzles should they appear as I detest those; fortunately, thanks to the responsiveness of the developer, the skip button is now included in the game), and I completed them with no trouble. Hints were even available for these puzzles.
• I particularly enjoy the fact that the items discovered upon completion of a board have been used in the mini-games, and the “use,” “look,” mode is indeed reminiscent of the style of my much-loved parser-based adventure games of the 90s.
• The M3 boards are small (so far) and easily cleared. I’m tempted to start a timed game (smile).
• This game is a buy for me at $3.
• The load time for the M3 screens is a bit slow, but there is a loading bar that runs across the bottom of the screen that looks a bit like a sideways shooting star for the 3 seconds it takes the game to load the next screen. Nice touch.
• I haven’t gotten too far, but the 3 mini-games encountered were pleasant (I plan to skip the pipe puzzles should they appear as I detest those; fortunately, thanks to the responsiveness of the developer, the skip button is now included in the game), and I completed them with no trouble. Hints were even available for these puzzles.
• I particularly enjoy the fact that the items discovered upon completion of a board have been used in the mini-games, and the “use,” “look,” mode is indeed reminiscent of the style of my much-loved parser-based adventure games of the 90s.
• The M3 boards are small (so far) and easily cleared. I’m tempted to start a timed game (smile).
• This game is a buy for me at $3.
I recommend this game!