charlene_lane's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:7,522
- Reviews Submitted:475
- First Review:March 13, 2013
- Most Recent Review:January 29, 2022
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you save your boyfriend before it's too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 11 found this review helpful
KINGDOM OF BOOKS
PostedJanuary 1, 2017
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Paranormal State: Poison Spring
(60)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME AND BONUS
This is an okay game with gorgeous graphics, but the story line is weak and a little dull.
In the main game you play Helen to rescue your boyfriend Ian. The bonus is all about Ian. There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Casual Writer, Experienced Writer, Master Writer and Critic modes of play;
* Journal;
* Interactive map;
* 9 Achievements (Bronze, Silver and Gold);
* Find 32 Collectibles.
* Casual Writer, Experienced Writer, Master Writer and Critic modes of play;
* Journal;
* Interactive map;
* 9 Achievements (Bronze, Silver and Gold);
* Find 32 Collectibles.
The graphics are stunning, very colourful and fitted well with the game. The music is orchestral and piano.
The hidden object games are interactive straightforward, silhouette and finding one item to use to find another, etc. These are all exceptionally easy to do and only take a couple of minutes each. There is one morphing object per HOP. Most of these are easy to spot, but there are a couple that took me a while to find.
There are lots of mini-games to play. These are all very easy to do and I didn't see any unique or different ones that I haven't played before from this developer, which was a bit disappointing.
I didn't need to use the interactive map at all because you are only going a couple of steps forwards or backwards and you stay in the same scene until everything is done.
There is plenty to do in the Extras. You can find all the collectibles that you may have missed or wanted to do later in the game and then do a simple puzzle. There is also a Treasure Hunt to be done. You can also replay the gardening and defense puzzles as well. You can also replay the hidden object games to better your score.
All up the game and bonus took me about 5 hours or so. Its a nice game to play if you just want to chill out and don't fancy a challenge and also would be great for kids as there is nothing in the game that is frightening or violent.
Overall, a pretty and colourful game designed for a chill out afternoon or for younger members of the family.
I don't recommend this game.
Acting as a private detective, resolve supernatural cases and follow the trail to your sister.
Overall rating
5
/
5
16 of 17 found this review helpful
ACTS 3 AND 4 - THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES
PostedDecember 28, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
These two games carry on from the timeline of the first two games. You play Adam Wolfe, a supernatural detective. In these two cases you will find your sister Allie, who went missing 2 years ago, but there are lots of twists and turns. There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Easy, Medium, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map.
* Easy, Medium, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map.
You continue to have the revolver, intense focus and a watch which turns back time to help you throughout both games.
The graphics are dark and gritty, but very clear to see around. Sound is good and the music is orchestral which plays quietly in the background.
The hidden object games are straightforward, silhouette, finding one item to use to find another, etc and putting items back in their right place. These are all very easy to do cause items are clear to see and you can get back to the game quickly.
There are a few mini-games to play. These don't take long and are all logical and fit well to carrying on with the game.
Once again, Adam Wolfe gets shot at, tazered, knocked out and generally thrown around. Yet he's a hard nut and never gives up.
All up, both games took me a couple of hours each. I took my time with these games because I didn't want them to end.
I loved this entire series and really hope Mad Head Games comes out with a couple of episodes each year. The ending kind of left me feeling that more stories could continue which will give us something to look forward to. Well done devs.
Definitely worth playing. Happy playing fishies.
I recommend this game!
Act as Adam Wolfe, an investigator of the paranormal. Discover an occult world hidden in modern San Francisco!
Overall rating
5
/
5
14 of 15 found this review helpful
ACTS 1 AND 2 - A NEW ADVENTURE BEGINS
PostedDecember 5, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What fabulous games - I absolutely loved them. There are four games in total so far, and these are two of them. You play Adam Wolfe, a supernatural detective. Each case you solve gets you closer to finding Allie, your sister, who went missing 2 years ago. There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Easy, Medium, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map.
* Easy, Medium, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map.
You have a revolver, intense focus and a watch which turns back time to help you throughout both games.
The graphics are dark and gritty, but very clear to see around. Sound is good and the music is orchestral which plays quietly in the background. I loved Adam Wolfe's voice.
There are only a few hidden object games which consisted of one straightforward, find one item to use to find another, etc and one where there is a narrator and you find the clues. These are all pretty easy to do and don't take long.
There is a lot of fighting to be done in this game - yes, you be shot at, punched around a lot and knocked out a few times. And for some reason Adam always ends up in a dumpster! I really enjoyed it all cause I never knew what was going to happen next. There's bit of cussing and swearing, but nothing offensive. It fits well with the game because Adam does come up against some pretty evil doers. Its sort of tongue in cheek really.
All up, both games took me a couple of hours each. I took my time with these games because I didn't want them to end.
I really hope Mad Head Games comes out with a couple of these each year. They are so out of the norm and something we can look forward to. Well done devs.
Definitely worth playing. Happy playing fishies.
I recommend this game!
Travel beyond our galaxy to bring your lost son back home.
Overall rating
5
/
5
19 of 21 found this review helpful
TRAVEL TO ALL THOSE WONDERFUL PLANETS
PostedDecember 2, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME AND BONUS
If you love a sci-fi, then you're in for a treat. The main game is about Sarah to rescue Thomas from Kaine and the bonus is a preclude of how it all began from the beginning. There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Planet, Nebula, Galaxy and Cluster modes of play;
* Interactive map;
* Journal;
* 14 achievements (some with 3 stars)
* Find 31 rockets in game and bonus.
* Planet, Nebula, Galaxy and Cluster modes of play;
* Interactive map;
* Journal;
* 14 achievements (some with 3 stars)
* Find 31 rockets in game and bonus.
The graphics are stunning - very colourful and crisp. Travelling through the different scenes and planets was a real treat. Sound is good and the music is mainly orchestral.
The hidden object games are interactive straightforward, silhouette, matching pairs and spot the difference. These are fairly easy to do and doesn't take long to get back to the game. There is one morphing object per HOP which always has a good challenge.
There are huge variety of mini-games to play. Most of these are pretty easy, but a couple had me playing for a while. I enjoyed them all and did them without any frustration or boredom.
I found I didn't need to use the interactive map at all because you are only going a couple of steps forwards or backwards, so it wasn't necessary to use it.
There are 31 rockets to find throughout the game and bonus. Some of these are really hard to spot. Down at the bottom on the right hand side of your screen, the rocket glows brighter when you have found one in that scene, just in case you miss it and go back to that scene later. You can do these altogether later if you wish. When you have found them all, you can play a bonus super HOP.
As usual, I didn't get all the achievements. I didn't finish the game in 4, 5 or 6 hours - never have, never will. I like to take my time and play the game without feeling rushed just to get an achievement. There is an achievement about royalties which I didn't get either, but I'm sure many fishies will get them all.
There is also a puzzle to do in the extras which will take a few minutes. And of course you can replay the HOPs to better your accuracy and time.
All up the game and bonus took me about 8 hours to play during the course of the week. I enjoyed it, but found it just needed just a bit more of a challenge. Still, we can't complain cause we don't get many sci-fi games to play.
Definitely comes recommended. Happy playing fishies.
I recommend this game!
It's time to begin your journey to help a ghost captain and save the world.
Overall rating
5
/
5
39 of 53 found this review helpful
SUSAN TO RESCUE CAPTAIN STULBORN
PostedNovember 23, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW FROM COMPLETED GAME AND BONUS
This game is absolutely unbeatible. You play Susan who has to rescue Captain Stulborn.
There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map (essential);
* Diary.
* Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map (essential);
* Diary.
I loved that you could turn off Hint and Skip in the Custom mode to make it more challenging. Also, the cursor does not change into a hand when finding morphing objects and collectibles as well - only in Custom mode I think.
The graphics are beautiful and crystal clear - its just like being there. Sound is good and the orchestral music is the same as in the other Lost Lands games.
The hidden object games are highly interactive silhouette - find one item to use to find another, etc. I loved these. None are too hard or challenging and there are little mini-games in them as well. Each one takes about 5 minutes or so to do.
Well, where to begin with the mini-games! There are a huge variety to play. Some are easy and I got back to the game quickly and others took me AGES. There are mini-games there for everyone.
Make sure that you check your diary as it has the answers to some of the mini-games, etc.
You will definitely need the interactive map. This is a huge game with lots of locations. I don't normally use it, but in this instance it is virtually impossible to remember where tasks are to be performed without it. I played about 50% of the game without it, but then the locations just got too big, so I started using it.
So do you get the CE or SE? The CE has the bonus where you play Corko the beaver to rescue Susan from the ocean, 21 Achievements; finding 8 skulls, 8 bottles of rum, 8 fish statues, 8 map pieces; 15 masks and 20 pages of the manuscript and finding 32 morphing objects. And of course you get all the extras from the CE. The bonus is a different story, but does tie in with the main game. In all honesty, it really doesn't matter which version you get - just as long you play it because it really is a fantastic game.
Definitely comes recommended. This game would be perfect to play over the Christmas holidays or a long weekend where you will have more time to play this massive game. Well done devs. Happy playing fishies.
I recommend this game!
You've been dealt a deadly hand...
Overall rating
5
/
5
15 of 17 found this review helpful
SORRY, FRIEND I'M DEAD
PostedNovember 18, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME AND BONUS
This is such a fantastic game and so worth playing. The main story is about Evan trying to find Melissa in a Deck of Fates card game. The bonus is about Melissa rescuing Evan where she collects cards through three different portals.
There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Easy, Medium, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Journal;
* Interactive map;
* 14 Achievements (each with three accomplishments);
* Find 29 collectible symbols (dog paws) in game and bonus;
* Lots of extras.
* Easy, Medium, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Journal;
* Interactive map;
* 14 Achievements (each with three accomplishments);
* Find 29 collectible symbols (dog paws) in game and bonus;
* Lots of extras.
The graphics are colourful and crystal clear. It was fun roaming around, never knowing what I would find next.
Sound is good and the music is orchestral.
Sound is good and the music is orchestral.
The hidden object games are interactive straightforward, moving the slides across and down to find the item, matching colours and shapes of birds, finding keys, etc. These all had a good challenge to them and I really enjoyed them. There is one morphing object per HOP which I always do first so I don't forget about it, cause you can't go back.
There are a great variety of mini-games to play. Some of these are really challenging. You think to yourself "this one won't take me long" - WRONG. Some of them are much harder than you first think. However, none of them are frustrating or boring and I did them all without help, so they can't be too bad.
There are 29 dog paws to find throughout the game and bonus. Some are easy to spot and others are well hidden. If you prefer to do them altogether later or you miss any, then you can do this in the Extras.
I found I didn't need to use the interactive map as you are only going a couple of steps forwards or backwards, so there was no need to use it. You pretty much stick around the same area until everything is done.
Every time you use a card you will play a small mini-game of getting the ball into the hole while it is rotating and playing a memory game of matching 3 runes in a grid. These are not too tricky but does take some co-ordination and remembering which runes go where.
All up the game and bonus took me about 7 hours to play, which I did during the course of the week. I had started the game over the weekend, but just after midnight on Sunday we had a very large 7.8 earthquake here and I spent the better half of 2 days clearing up here at home and at work, so sometimes I forgot where I was at because I was just so tired.
In the extras you can do an Ultimate HOP, a jigsaw puzzle, replay the HOPs and mini-games, find any dog paws that you missed or wanted to do later, as well as all the other extras like wallpapers, music, etc.
Overall, a fabulous game and definitely worth putting in your collection. Happy playing fishies.
I recommend this game!
It's time to begin your journey to help a ghost captain and save the world.
Overall rating
5
/
5
26 of 26 found this review helpful
SUSAN DOES IT AGAIN
PostedNovember 6, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME AND BONUS
What an amazing game which took me nearly 2 weeks to complete playing a bit each night. In the main game you play Susan to rescue Captain Stulborn. In the bonus you play Corko the beaver and how he rescues Susan from the ocean.
There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map (essential);
* Diary;
* 21 Achievements;
* Find 8 skulls, 8 bottles of rum; 8 fish statues, 8 map pieces; 15 masks and 20 pages of the manuscript;
* Find 32 morphing objects.
* Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map (essential);
* Diary;
* 21 Achievements;
* Find 8 skulls, 8 bottles of rum; 8 fish statues, 8 map pieces; 15 masks and 20 pages of the manuscript;
* Find 32 morphing objects.
I loved that you could turn off Hint and Skip in the Custom mode to make it more challenging. Also, the cursor does not change into a hand when finding morphing objects and collectibles as well - only in Custom mode I think.
The graphics are beautiful and crystal clear - its just like being there. Sound is good and the orchestral music is the same as in the other Lost Lands games.
The hidden object games are highly interactive silhouette - find one item to use to find another, etc. I loved these. None are too hard or challenging and there are little mini-games in them as well. Each one takes about 5 minutes or so to do.
Well, where to begin with the mini-games! There are a huge variety to play. Some are easy and I got back to the game quickly and others took me AGES. I'm hopeless with sliding tiles to get in their right place or colour, etc, so these ones took me a while. The instructions are clear.
Make sure that you check your diary as it has the answers to some of the mini-games, etc.
You will definitely need the interactive map. This is a huge game with lots of locations. I don't normally use it, but in this instance it is virtually impossible to remember where tasks are to be performed without it. I played about 50% of the game without it, but then the locations just got too big, so I started using it.
The 21 achievements are hard to get. I got about 14. I didn't accomplish a HOP in under 2 minutes and I missed a few of the morphing objects. There is so much to do in every scene that I sort of forgot about them (that's my pitiful excuse), so when I play again I'll have another go at getting them all.
Overall, the game took me a good 20 hours or so to play, not skipping any mini-games or hinting - so very good value for money.
Definitely comes recommended. This game would be perfect to play over the Christmas holidays or a long weekend where you will have more time to play this massive game. Well done devs. Happy playing fishies.
I recommend this game!
Can you escape your fate as a human experiment, or will you comply?
Overall rating
5
/
5
66 of 72 found this review helpful
YOU WILL NOT COMPLY AS A HUMAN EXPERIMENT
PostedNovember 6, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW FROM COMPLETED GAME AND BONUS
What a fabulous game. There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Easy, Medium, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map;
* Journal.
* Easy, Medium, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map;
* Journal.
The graphics are gorgeous - crystal clear and easy to see everywhere. Sound is good and the music is orchestral.
The hidden object games are interactive straightforward, silhouette, putting items back and listening to the story to find items. These all had a very good challenge to them. There is also one morphing object per HOP. These are always hard to spot, so I always tried to do them first in case I forgot about them before the last object was found.
There are a huge variety of mini-games to play ranging from fairly easy to very hard. I spent many hours tackling these and loved all of them. There were a few mini games I had never seen before, so I was in heaven.
I found I didn't need to use the interactive map at all because you are only moving a couple of steps forwards or backwards, so there was no need to use it.
So, do you get the CE or SE? In the CE there are 28 swirls to find in the game and bonus. A hand DOES NOT come over them, so finding them was a good challenge. There is also 15 Achievements (with 3 stars each to accomplish) and the usual extras we always get in a CE. In all honesty, it doesn't matter which version you get - just so long as you play the game because it is so worth it.
Overall, a fantastic game with lots of bells and whistles. It has a great challenge and I honestly felt quite mentally drained when I had finished the game.
Definitely worth putting in your collection. Happy playing fishies - this is a gem.
I recommend this game!
Grim Facade: The Red Cat Collector's Edition
When the Red Cat is upon your door, you're next!
Overall rating
2
/
5
20 of 27 found this review helpful
TIME TO PUT THIS CAT DOWN
PostedOctober 23, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Review of completed game but have yet to play the bonus.
Sorry fishies, but I really disliked this game. I thought the story line was poor and just far too easy. However, this would be perfect for beginners. I did like that you can turn off Hint and Skip for the more experienced fishies.
There is:
* Voiceovers with dialogue;
* Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map;
* 24 Achievements;
* Find mechanical spiders throughout the game;
* Memory fragment machine to use.
* Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map;
* 24 Achievements;
* Find mechanical spiders throughout the game;
* Memory fragment machine to use.
The graphics are very colourful and crisp. Items are clear to find. Sound is good. I really didn't notice the music.
The hidden object games are interactive straightforward. These are very easy to do and only take a couple of minutes for each one.
There are the usual array of mini-games that we see in all games. I didn't see anything new or exciting. Most of them are easy to do, with some taking longer to get the right colour or shape into their spots (yawn!).
There is a memory fragment machine which glows when you need to use it. Just wave it around the screen and you will see what look like bubbles to grab (5 in total each time you use it). Afterwards you see silhouettes of an event which happened to a particular person who was murdered. Couldn't contain my excitement with that!
You will find coins to use to buy at the jewellery shop which gives you items to use. Very mundane stuff.
You will also collect mechanical spiders throughout the game and then use them to play a game in the Extras. These are very easy to see - they are quite big and you just grab them as you go.
All up the main game took me about 4 hours. I don't think I will bother playing the bonus. I grew more bored as each hour passed and couldn't wait to finish it. However, you may like it - please give it a trial first. I went by the first reviews and got burnt again!
I don't recommend this game.
Crime Secrets: Crimson Lily is a captivating blend of hidden object challenges, puzzle solving and daring detective work.
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
YOU WERE ON VACATION ...
PostedOctober 20, 2016
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME
Well, what a ride you are in for at the Scarlet Rose Hotel. This is a fabulous game. If you have played the 9 Clues games before, this game is very similar - but I think this is the best of them all. There is:
* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Casual, Advanced, Expert and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map;
* Diary;
* Find various origami, snowflakes and other items.
* Casual, Advanced, Expert and Custom modes of play;
* Interactive map;
* Diary;
* Find various origami, snowflakes and other items.
The graphics are very colourful and clear. Everywhere is easy to see - even from long distances. I loved roaming around and clicking on things to see what they did.
Sound is very good and the music is kind of orchestral which fitted with the game well.
The hidden object games are find the clues to see what happened and how each person was murdered. A question mark comes up on certain places, so you know where to click. There are also straightforward and silhouette HOPs as well. These are all fun to do and I really enjoyed them. However, you can play Mahjong if you fancy a change.
There are a huge variety of mini-games to play. Some of these have a good challenge and others are reasonably easy to do. There are a few potions to make as well. I enjoyed them all and never felt bored or out of my depth.
There are origami, snowflakes and other items to find throughout the game. However, there is no achievement or anything for finding them, so I'm not really sure why they were there. Still, it was fun looking for them, even if they disappeared never to be seen again.
The game is quite long and I played for a good 6 hours, not skipping or hinting anything, so excellent value for money.
Overall, a fabulous detective game and definitely worth putting in your collection. I will certainly be playing this game again. Well done developers.
I recommend this game!