laurakay76's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:723
- Reviews Submitted:161
- First Review:November 16, 2011
- Most Recent Review:October 14, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you stop a buried past from destroying your world?
Overall rating
3
/
5
Didn't do much for me
PostedOctober 14, 2025
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I got this game free from the Cove and had never played the previous installment. It was... okay. Really, that's the best word I can offer for it.
The good: Isaac, Harold, and Gunnar are likable characters and the voice acting in the game is superb. The world of the game is an interesting mix of the ancient and the futuristic, resulting in some very unique and fascinating visuals. The puzzles are decent. The twist of who's really a friend and who's really a villain was handled well.
The not so good: This game is SHORT. I played the whole thing, start to finish, in less than three hours - and that was with pausing the game several times to do other things. There isn't even a bonus chapter to flesh out the story farther.
As I said, I got it for free, so I'm not complaining about the value. But if you're considering purchasing this game, go for the standard edition.
A new and unforgettable time management adventure that has you visiting the Louvre, ancient Egypt and even Atlantis!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Who the heck is Cecilia?
PostedOctober 14, 2025
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This was the question I kept asking myself as Alicia was telling us that she was trying to reunite Leonardo da Vinci with "his beloved Cecilia." Who the heck is this woman? Outside of that question which never gets answered, the game is okay. I like a good time management game, and even better when I can play on relaxed mode, so this fit the bill. I got the game for free in the Cove (thanks BFG!) and found it entertaining enough to play all the way through.
I wouldn't call it the best TM game I've played, and it doesn't spark my interest enough to make me want to buy the others in the series. But for a decent way to kill a few hours on a stormy evening, it was altogether satisfying.
Detective Riddles: Sherlock's Heritage
Immerse yourself in the exciting world of the true detective! Solve all the villain's riddles! A True Detective Griddlers!
Overall rating
2
/
5
Not sure what this has to do with Sherlock
PostedSeptember 19, 2025
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I only did the trial, but fifteen minutes of that was enough to bore me. There's no story here, and if you're going to reference Sherlock Holmes in a game, there ought to be some kind of story to go with it. There are no character introductions or anything of the sort. The puzzles also literally do not look like anything, which makes it rather unrewarding to complete one.
The game also has some mild technical errors. I would complete all of the boxes in a specific row, but it didn't check off the number right away, making me wonder if I'd made a mistake. But what really got me steamed was the way the game kept dinging me for "mistakes" that were not mistakes at all. I would right-click to put Xes in a row or column which was explicitly stated to have zero boxes to fill, and I would hear the mocking laughter and be told I had made too many mistakes - even though I hadn't made any. That turned me off big time.
If all you care about is filling in the puzzle, and you don't mind a nonexistent connection to Sherlock Holmes or being told that you messed up where you didn't, you might enjoy this. For me it's a hard pass.
I don't recommend this game.
Druid Kingdom
Travel through the mysterious lands of the Druids in this new hit game from the creators of the groundbreaking My Kingdom for the Princess series!
Overall rating
3
/
5
I like it, but it's NOT FINISHED.
PostedAugust 21, 2025
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Don't buy this game if you're disappointed by getting an incomplete production. There are four full sets of levels to play, but then there's a fifth which is "To Be Continued - Coming Soon!" Except that it's now been twelve years since this game was released, so I think it's safe to say that no, it's not "coming soon." Or ever. Everything about the game is enjoyable and it's worth the purchase price, but if an incomplete story will not satisfy you, steer clear.
Start an unforgettable adventure with this mystical hidden object game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
How was this a CE?
PostedJuly 31, 2025
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is an absolutely beautiful game, let me stress that up front. The visuals are stunning. I loved looking at every scene. The puzzles were interesting and the characters were likeable enough. It was a little on the dark side; I'm somewhat visually impaired, and I had to use the hint button a number of times in hidden object scenes to find things that I quite simply did not stand a chance of finding on my own. (I tried adjusting the brightness, which did help with the dark corners, but then there were things that I couldn't see because the background was too bright. Six of one and half a dozen of the other.)
That said, I don't think it was worth the CE price. There is no bonus chapter, and the game itself is not all that long - I finished it in under three hours. It was a decent game, I'm not sorry I played it, but I wish I had gone for the SE instead.
Thaw out bitter-cold cases in the strange town of Frostwood!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Interesting, though mildly frustrating
PostedJune 28, 2025
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Elephant is one of my favorite developers, so I had high hopes for this new series. In largest part, it did not disappoint. The graphics were as good as they usually are in Elephant productions, the puzzles were often innovative and frequently challenging, and it was certainly long enough to be worthy of CE price, even though it's only SE.
I have two complaints. One was that the lack of voice acting was very disappointing. I know that this is because it was originally released on mobile devices for free, so it makes sense that there would be no voice acting, but I still missed it. The other was the morphs. It left me quite agitated that I found 95 of the 96 morphs! I was missing one in the artist's home, and for the life of me I cannot figure out where it is. So I didn't get to enjoy the bonus content.
Other than that, though, it's a very good game and I am very curious to play the sequel.
I recommend this game!
Join John, Mary and friends in this thrilling adventure and right Merlin’s wrongs!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Another winner with New Yankee!
PostedMay 5, 2025
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is one of my must-buy series, and this latest installment is a great example as to why. I enjoyed this so much! Everything about it is great, and I particularly like how they decided to make Mordred a heroic figure rather than the villain of the legends. He's actually rather adorable! I was hoping we'd get to see him interact with Arthur's other heroic nephew, Culhwch, but maybe a future installment will see them teaming up to help our heroes. Whatever the case, I love this series and will keep coming back for more!
I recommend this game!
Chaos has emerged from Pandora's Box! Only you can stop the apocalypse!
Overall rating
3
/
5
Nice game but not for me
PostedFebruary 13, 2024
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I gave up after about 15 levels. It's a nice time management game - beautiful colors, pleasant music, reasonable level of challenge. But it just didn't do anything for me. The story wasn't interesting enough to keep me going through the very repetitive levels. There was also no way to turn off the tutorial in the first level, which is frustrating to someone who knows what they're doing. But it's a great game for TM beginners or young players.
A couple's fixer-upper is haunted by a fierce creature.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Too scary for me.
PostedJanuary 28, 2024
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I normally enjoy games from Eipix, so when this was being offered as the Catch I took a shot.
Let me be clear - the game itself is, mostly, fine. The puzzles are excellent. The graphics are pretty good. The music is suitably creepy.
The storyline is interesting, but a little unpolished in places. We're not given a particularly coherent background on the family who owned the house or how the monster turned out to be the way that it is. What's driving its bloodthirst? Why does it feel compelled to murder every person who comes into the house? How is it even surviving?
But the hardest part, for me, was just how dang unsettling the whole thing was. I don't enjoy the horror genre in general and in particular I don't like jump scares. This was just way too out of pocket for my tastes, and then the bonus chapter was even worse. If you enjoy genuinely scary games, you'll definitely want to give this one a try, but it's definitely not my cup of tea. A good solid game all around, just not for people who don't like to be scared.
9: The Dark Side Collector's Edition
End a centuries-old war between the Guardians and the Clan of the Nine in 9: The Dark Side!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Wow! I mean... just wow!
PostedJanuary 24, 2024
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This review is based only on the trial, but holy smokes, do I need to play the rest of the game! Not since "The Cabinets of Doctor Arcana" have I played a puzzle game that challenged me so thoroughly. It's positively delightful. There's very little hand-holding, it's got all sorts of achievements to unlock, and it's got a compelling story with a fantastic mythology behind it. The atmosphere is perfect too, with the creepy castle and the occasional sinister chuckle of a disembodied voice. I've gotten a little spoiled by games with interactive maps that show me where I have something to do, so this time I really have to use my wits to keep on top of everything. It's just a great, great game and puzzle lovers will definitely want to try it.
I recommend this game!