laurakay76's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.6
- Helpful Votes:723
- Reviews Submitted:154
- First Review:November 16, 2011
- Most Recent Review:February 13, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Whenever heroes gather, villains are sure to follow...
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
An excellent followup
PostedJuly 27, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Arcade & Action, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I liked the first Detectives United game so much, I bought this one without even playing the demo. Turns out that I like this one even more. Everything that was good in the first game returns, and this time the mystery is even deeper and more engrossing. The characters are likable, their interactions with each other are a lot of fun, and the plot will keep you guessing all the way. If you liked the first one, you're sure to like this one too. I hope Elephant continues this series because it's a good one!
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a dangerous cloaked assailant before it’s too late?
Overall rating
4
/
5
25 of 26 found this review helpful
The Phoenix rises
PostedJuly 26, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Arcade & Action, 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
5
/
5
I have been a longtime player of this entire series, so when I saw that the sixteenth game was being released, I dropped two credits immediately to purchase it without the demo. Ligeia is a great addition to the series!
The story is rich and engaging, and full of twists and turns. It's got all kinds of details that are just right for a Poe game - hidden crypts, angry ghosts, secret passages, and a murder most foul. The puzzles are challenging but not overly so; I managed the entire game without using the hint or skip buttons once. Without spoiling the reason for it, we actually get to play as Dupin for part of this game, which is a really great change of pace.
The bonus chapter is also a nice piece of storytelling and an interesting addition to the events of the game. Dupin's final line made me laugh as he all but invokes Poe himself by name.
All in all, a very fine installment!
I recommend this game!
Enter the enchanted realm of the Snow Kingdom!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Very middle of the road
PostedJuly 24, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is based strictly on the demo. I found this game to be interesting enough to actually finish the demo, which is more than I can say for many others I've tried - including the previous Dark Strokes, which I absolutely hated!
The story is a little confusing; it's unclear just how much time passes in the beginning. An Ice Knight chases down and crashes a carriage, which turns out to have a beautiful princess inside. Alan, a hunter, defeats the Ice Knight and rescues the princess, giving her shelter in his nearby cabin. Almost immediately she receives a suspicious present. Judging by the fact that the broken carriage and its horse are still where they were left, it implies that this is all happening on the same night; yet exploring Alan's cabin has him remark about how ever since she arrived, Adele has made his home warmer and more inviting, which seems to imply that she's been there for a while. She even calls it "our home," rather than his.
Adele herself is my least favorite aspect of the game. She's a cookie cutter princess, bland and uninteresting, and a bit annoying to be honest. (However, she's a huge improvement on Clair from the previous game, whom I couldn't stand because she was so dull.) Alan is more likable. The voice acting apart from Adele's is enjoyable, and the lady pirate in particular seems like an interesting character. The graphics are lovely and the music is pleasing. Puzzles are interesting and a little challenging, but the game has quite a bit of hand-holding going on.
It's not a bad game by any means, and I might pick it up on a sale sometime. For those who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing that they will like.
Three legendary detectives join forces to solve a horrible crime!
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Remarkable and engaging
PostedJuly 24, 2019
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
5
/
5
I'm entirely unfamiliar with all three of the series which converge in this game, so I downloaded the trial with some trepidation. But the reviews were so good that they had me curious.
Turns out that you don't really need to have much of an understanding of any of the disparate series in order to enjoy this. The game does a credible job of helping you understand who these characters are, and their backstories are of minimal importance for this story. You play as each of the three united detectives at different times, depending on which of them is best suited for the current task.
The story is interesting, well-conceived, and well-executed. I was emotionally invested by the end of it and wanted the best possible outcome - which is exactly what it delivers. The bonus chapter was slightly less engaging, as it's a separate case which isn't fleshed out quite as well, but it was still worth playing. The three detectives are very interesting in their own rights and I'm considering trying out their individual series so I can get to know them better.
But first, there's a sequel to this game that I need to play.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the infamous Crows League before they strike again?
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
This doesn't make any sense.
PostedJune 8, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I have played all the DT games, having been a fan since game 3. I have a list of where I rank them in order from worst to best, and this is down at the bottom. It's visually stunning, the sound quality is good, and the puzzles are decently challenging.
But who ARE these people? This game is indicated to be a sequel to the previous game, "The Raven," and yet I can't see too many connections. We've got a *different* Alan and Lenore, and a *different* White Crow, and the two stories have some slight overlap but that's about it. This one raises more questions than it answers, just like Tell-Tale Heart. They're my two least favorites in the series. Their stories just don't make any sense.
I'm sorry, devs - I love these games and your take on Dupin, but this one was a disappointment. (I loved the next one though!)
I don't recommend this game.
Save a missing family from an infamous haunted house!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
New favorite in this series
PostedMay 26, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I fell way behind with my Dark Tales gaming and I've been trying to catch up lately. I really didn't like The Tell-Tale Heart; Metzengerstein was better; but I found The Raven and especially Lenore super disappointing because their stories (to me) didn't make a lot of sense, and I am here for the story. So I didn't know what to expect from Morella.
This is my new favorite game in this series.
It was engrossing from start to finish. Compelling story, excellent animations, creepy and emotional voice acting, challenging puzzles... it had everything I wanted. Plus Dupin got returned to his earlier handsome appearance, which was nice. The ending was lovely and just a little bit romantic and it made me terribly happy. (Furthermore, I have long suspected that Anna from Nightfall is the player character, and there's something in the bonus chapter that suggests I'm right!)
All in all, this is a quality game and it reminded me why I loved the Dark Tales in the first place.
I recommend this game!
Princesses have a tendency to be kidnapped, and a service for lost royals is in high demand. Start your own Lost Princesses Agency and find your one and only!
Overall rating
1
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
I guess we don't speak about this one
PostedMay 1, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The first three games in this series were a lot of fun. I don't normally play TM games, but I really enjoyed those three. I don't know what happened with this one but it's like it was supposed to have been part of a different series and got the wrong title slapped on it.
The first three games had a cohesive, continuing story about the same characters, so I presumed the fourth would pick up where the third left off. Nope. New guy, no idea who he is or where he came from. I could forgive that if they kept to the same formula in terms of gameplay, but they did not. Having to click multiple times on the same resource in order to get all of it was confusing. The graphics are pretty, but so different from the first three games that, again, it feels like this belongs in a different series. The "sliding feature" was obnoxious, but at least they gave us the option to turn it off.
One thing I did like and am willing to praise - this game allows you to click on some tasks ahead of time to form a work queue, so you don't have to wait for the workers to return to their hut before giving them their next assignment. That's something I would have liked in the first three games.
I lasted a total of eight minutes into the trial before giving up and uninstalling. If you aren't familiar with the first three games, you can probably get more enjoyment out of this one than I did - but if you're looking for a proper installment in the series, this isn't it.
I don't recommend this game.
Wait no more! The adventures of My Kingdom for the Princess continue. It's time to defeat the traitors and rebuild the kingdom!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Did not see that coming
PostedApril 29, 2019
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
5
/
5
I'm enjoying this one just as much as I enjoyed the first two (I'm only about halfway through as I write this), but I'm genuinely startled by the story. How did two people as nice as Arthur and Helen end up with these kids? At first I thought maybe I would be playing as each prince in turn, and whichever one I played while getting the best score would be the one to win Princess Elizabeth's hand. (That would have been interesting. If the devs see this, please consider it for a future game.) But the way it's being handled instead is still enjoyable and challenging. Can't wait to find out how it all works out, and then I'll be picking up #4.
I recommend this game!
Help Arthur clear the land, stop invaders, and work with magical beings to save Princess Helen from a terrible dwarf!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Even better than the first
PostedApril 29, 2019
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
5
/
5
I enjoyed the original game so much that I bought this one sight-unseen. I found it even more challenging but also even more interesting. The twist about Longbeard at the end of the game was something I definitely did not see coming. I had to play until I reached the end because I wanted to see how it would be resolved, and I was not disappointed. I'm on the third one now!
I recommend this game!
It's up to you, Arthur, a brave knight, to restore the land and escort Princess Helen back to her father, King Olgert.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Oh this was silly!
PostedApril 29, 2019
laurakay76
fromLehigh Valley, PA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I had never tried this series before, but I enjoyed this first game so much that I also bought the next two without even trying them. Its story is a little silly, but in a fun and endearing way. The graphics are rich and sweet, the time management is genuinely challenging, and overall it was just a lot of fun.
I recommend this game!