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:
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!
My Kingdom for the Princess IV
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.
My Kingdom for the Princess III
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!
My Kingdom for the Princess II
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!
My Kingdom for the Princess
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!
An ancient evil awakened in the kingdom. Travel through the four valleys on a strategy adventure and
save the kingdom on the brink of destruction.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Worth the wait!
PostedApril 23, 2019
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
I was very fond of the original game in this series, and (mostly) enjoyed the second, so when I learned that they were making a third I was looking forward to it. I bought it without bothering to test, and I don't regret it at all.
Everything I loved about the first game is back, and the few things I didn't enjoy about the second (like the contrived coincidences and the romance that came from out of nowhere) are not. They even improved on some of the game mechanics here by eliminating the need for some of the equipment, specifically the containers for herbs and potions and things like that; you no longer have to find or buy empty vessels in order to acquire these things.
If you enjoy adventure and hunting for things hidden in plain sight, this is a great series to try. If you liked the others in this series, you'll love this one.
I recommend this game!
Build-a-Lot: Mysteries
Get ready for some spine-tingling fun as you work with eccentric members of the Graves Family to build, buy and flip houses.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Could have been worse
PostedApril 23, 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
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I was introduced to the BAL series with the Elizabethan Era, which I enjoyed very much. This one had an interesting premise and I went ahead and spent a coupon on it. I'm not a big fan of the horror genre, so I wasn't sure how I'd like this. Turns out... eh.
Pros: The various nods to the genre were fun to identify. The Colonial house looks like the one from the Amityville movies; the character of Joseph is a blatant nod to Psycho, including all the references to his mother and the fact that they have you establish a hotel for him and his mom to run; Uncle Frederick is clearly a werewolf and godfather Sebastian is obviously a vampire. The ambiance and music are appropriate to the game, and there are clues to spot throughout each part of the campaign which hint at what's really going on with each of the characters you're helping. It's challenging and I wanted to see where it went. The in-game animations of the various buildings being constructed and upgraded were very neatly done, and I liked being able to choose the colors of the houses I built.
Cons: The story is kind of meh. The premise is great and it had a lot of potential, but the story itself falls flat. The characters are dull; I think they would have been more entertaining if they had been voice acted, but their lines as written text come across rather dry and uninspired. I found Uncle Frederick the most likable of the bunch, as there's something very friendly in the way he was drawn, but that's probably just me.
It's not a bad game, on the whole, and I'm not sorry I played it. I just feel like I could have enjoyed it more than I did.
Viking Saga: Epic Adventure
Go on an epic adventure around the globe in the name of love! Visit 4 continents and test your skills by completing 40+ cleverly designed levels!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
A good time-killer.
PostedApril 23, 2019
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
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I bought this game, and a few similar ones, for a very peculiar reason: I'm recovering from a nasty bout of poison oak and the games keep me distracted from how itchy I am. This particular game killed several hours for me. I've never played any of the other games in this series, so I can't comment on how this one compares to those.
Pros: The graphics are adorable and the sound quality is excellent. The story is all right; it's a decent tale. Not the best I've encountered in a game, but by no means the worst. Ingolf is a likable character and I wanted him to get his happy ending.
Cons: I actually found this one a little TOO hard - I ended up having to play it on easy mode, where there are no time limits, because I absolutely could not meet the goals in the allotted time. I also didn't understand the point of the three bonus levels. You don't seem to get anything for them except an increase to your overall score, and they were even more challenging than the main game.
I know the game is a few years old at this point, so I hesitated to leave a review, but I thought it was worth the trouble. If you enjoy time management games, this is a good one to try.