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:
A famous painter finds herself in over her head!
Overall rating
5
/
5
195 of 206 found this review helpful
FULL ON ADVENTURE WITH PLENTY TO DO
PostedFebruary 7, 2015
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, Bonus and Extras.
In the main game you help Lisa Steiner, a painter. In the Bonus you help Felix, her boyfriend.
There is:
* Casual, Expert, Insane and Custom modes of play.
* Voiceovers (together with dialogue);
* Achievements Room;
* Interactive map;
* Find 42 paint tubes in Game and Bonus;
* Find 17 letters in Game only;
* Find 14 morphing objects in HOS games.
* Voiceovers (together with dialogue);
* Achievements Room;
* Interactive map;
* Find 42 paint tubes in Game and Bonus;
* Find 17 letters in Game only;
* Find 14 morphing objects in HOS games.
I played on Custom mode and turned off Hint and Skip to make it more challenging.
The graphics are very good - nothing dark or blurry and I enjoyed navigating around the scenes. There is good colour to the graphics and easy to see everything.
Sound is good. Music is adventure style - loud in some places and quiet in others.
The story line is easy to follow.
The hidden object games are interactive and are straightforward and silhouette. There is one morphing object to each HOS. These are not hard to do and don't take long.
There were a lot of mini-games which were fun. Some of these includes sliding puzzles, folding paper, turning lights on, matching pairs, rotating cylinders and pushing orange cubes onto the X mark. A couple I really enjoyed were getting two skiers down the mountain at the same time with obstacles in the way and another with hitting troll thingies with a hammer. Most of them were easy to medium to do, but a few of them took me a while to do - one about 20 minutes.
If you don't want to collect the paint tubes during the game, you can do this later in the Extras. I did miss a couple during the game and collected those later on. You can also collect 42 objects which go into the Souvenir Room at the same time as well.
It is possible to get most of the achievements. A few were watching the credits, using the interactive map, finding all the morphing objects, doing a HOS in so many seconds, etc.
All up, the Game, Bonus and Extras took me about 7 hours to do.
Overall, I really enjoyed the game. Its light hearted with plenty of action and tasks to do, without being over bearing or too dark. It even made me laugh a couple of times. With the Custom mode you can decide what you want, with the option to change any time.
Definitely recommended. Happy playing fishies.
I recommend this game!
Explore the stunning city of Rome through 360-degree photographs in this great hidden object mystery.
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 11 found this review helpful
ROAMING AROUND ROME
PostedFebruary 6, 2015
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I remember years ago playing the London game many times and thought I would buy Rome and Paris as well.
There are no voiceovers in this game but there is plenty of chatter and noise in the background - almost like being there really.
Now, playing these Travelogue 360 games are very different to playing your normal HOS games. You have a ball at the bottom of the screen which can move in any direction. You also have a zoom in and out function as well to get closer to objects. I enjoyed playing with these.
The hidden objects are extremely cluttered and hard to find. Remember to check everywhere - all around the floor, on the ceiling and, if you are outside, check the sky and ground. You just never know where objects are going to be.
Graphics are not that great and, because scenes can be very cluttered, especially inside shops, etc, items can be quite blurry and hard to see. I would really love to see these games updated by the developer. I reckon then that these games would become very popular. I think the London game came out about 2007. They are challenging, fun and so educational. It seems such a waste to not update these games to the latest graphics because the developer had something so unique.
Sound and music are excellent. I liked all the background chatter and noise and the music was very apt for the game.
The game took me a while to complete - about 5 hours I think. I decided to just play on Tourist which has no time limit so I could have a good look around. Next time I play I will play on Explorer which does have a time limit.
I definitely recommend this game because there is something very special about it - and London and Paris as well. If you can get passed the graphics, then you will definitely enjoy yourself.
Happy playing.
I recommend this game!
The Missing: A Search and Rescue Mystery Collector's Edition
A group of college students have gone missing from a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. You are called in to rescue them, but nothing is as it seems.
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 9 found this review helpful
SEARCH AND RESCUE ON TOTO ISLAND
PostedFebruary 3, 2015
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is not a bad game and filled an afternoon. There is:
* Regular and Expert modes of play;
* NO voiceovers (huh!);
* Map (but not interactive);
* Journal;
* Find 56 blue crystals.
* NO voiceovers (huh!);
* Map (but not interactive);
* Journal;
* Find 56 blue crystals.
The graphics are just okay. Considering that we were on an island, I thought it would be more colourful - lots of greens and blues. But it was mostly gray and dark.
Sound is good. I kept the music on loud throughout the game and bonus.
There are a variety of hidden object games - straightforward and silhouette. There are some where you have to find objects with a torch, so you can only see part of the screen at a time. These were easy to medium to do. Just be careful when you click on an item. You have to click on it just in the right place or it won't work. That got annoying after a while.
There are a few mini-games and these were all very easy - you know the ones - putting gears in the right place, etc.
At each scene you have a couple of tasks to undertake but I felt that I needed to do more. It seems such a waste only doing one or two minor tasks and then moving on.
All up the game and bonus took me about 5 hours or so. I wasn't in a hurry to finish it and just took my time.
I think most fishies would give this game a second glance. Its a bit old and the graphics could be better but the story line is quite good.
When I finished the game, I restarted and checked out the hint and skip functions, which filled back up very quickly.
Happy playing fishies.
I recommend this game!
Sinister thrills await you in this gorgeously dark and unsettling real-life ghost story from New Orleans’ shadowy history!
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
VOODOO AND SPELLS - HIDDEN OBJECT GALORE
PostedFebruary 1, 2015
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Review of completed game.
Well, this has to be the most different and unique game I've played in a while.
There are voiceovers, however there is only one mode of play. There is also a recipe book to make potions and a flower book to find particular flowers for the potions.
The graphics are okay - vividly coloured - sort of cartoony but darker.
Sound is good. I loved the accents of the characters - like in the deep south of the USA but with french tones - I could listen to it all day. I didn't really notice the music which played quietly in the background.
There are a lot of straightforward hidden object games to play and you play each one twice. They are not too hard but not as easy as they first look. Each one took me a good 5 minutes or so each as some items were hard to spot behind others.
There are a great variety of mini-games. Some of these I thought would be easy - boy was I wrong. One particular game of getting the dove in the bird box and then tying up the holes so it couldn't escape to get a feather took me ages to finally figure it out. I slowly made my way through the puzzles but some of them really had me stumped for a while.
All up the game took me a good 5-6 hours. I was fed up in the end and was glad to finish the game.
I don't think this game is for everyone - it can be hard and frustrating. However, you can skip the mini-games to make this game a lot shorter. I couldn't do that though - I will not let a mini-game beat me EVER.
I think the best option is to trial the game first to see what you think before buying. Happy playing fishies.
Enter Ravenwood Park and discover the secrets hidden in the mists...
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 7 found this review helpful
HOW GOOD ARE YOUR DETECTIVE SKILLS?
PostedJanuary 29, 2015
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a great game and definitely worth playing. I absolutely relished playing a 'proper detective'.
There is:
* Voiceovers;
* Casual, Advanced and Expert modes of play;
* Journal;
* Interactive map;
* Achievements trees (about 35 I counted);
* Find 30 morphing objects and 30 butterflies (in game only);
* Good story line.
* Casual, Advanced and Expert modes of play;
* Journal;
* Interactive map;
* Achievements trees (about 35 I counted);
* Find 30 morphing objects and 30 butterflies (in game only);
* Good story line.
The graphics are superb and I really enjoyed travelling around all the scenes. They are quite colourful but very clear.
I loved playing all the hidden object games which are straightforward, interactive and silhouette. They are not hard to do and you don't need to spend too much time on them.
The mini-games are great and a few were quite challenging which I just loved. There are lots of sliding tiles and the like but they are not too hard or frustrating. A couple of them had me going there for a while, but a glass of wine to help me do them did the trick.
The story line is easy to follow with lots of twists and turns and a few surprises. I enjoyed that because I never knew what was going to happen next.
All up the game and bonus took me about 7 hours or so which I think is good value for money for a very enjoyable experience.
Definitely recommended. Happy playing - you will enjoy this.
I recommend this game!
A stay at a peaceful hotel turns into a nightmare when a witch from the Twilight World takes your daughter!
Overall rating
4
/
5
20 of 24 found this review helpful
DEFEAT THAT WITCH AT THE SILVER LAKE INN
PostedJanuary 26, 2015
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Review of completed Game and Bonus.
There is:
* Casual, Advance, Hardcore and Custom modes of play;
* Voiceovers;
* Achievements Room;
* Interactive map;
* Find 40 cats, 14 rabbits and 16 postcards;
* Use the magic box;
* Use the magic sphere to travel between parallel worlds.
* Voiceovers;
* Achievements Room;
* Interactive map;
* Find 40 cats, 14 rabbits and 16 postcards;
* Use the magic box;
* Use the magic sphere to travel between parallel worlds.
I played on Custom and turned everything off. You can also turn off the Hint and Skip options as well for all those fishes wanting an extra challenge.
There is such a lot to do in this game. There are a huge - and I mean phenomenal - amount of mini-games and puzzles to conquer.
The graphics are very good - lots of colour and are crisp and clear to see and move around.
The sound and music are also good. Music just plays quietly in the background and I didn't really notice it that much.
The hidden object games are silhouette, straightforward and interactive. These are easy to do and I enjoyed them.
There were such a lot of mini-games and puzzles to do that it made my head spin. Some of these were putting gears in the right place, rearranging statue parts, doing puzzles and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I could go on all day. Most of them were easy to medium but a few made me stop and think which piqued my interest.
You also have a magic box and you accumulate certain items as you go which are inserted into the box. These are an ice bucket, a hammer, a candle, a remote control and a watch. You will use these items frequently to help you.
There is also a magic sphere which you use to travel between parallel worlds. You collect 3 gems and then travel into another parallel world, find items and undertake tasks and things you need to do and then find another 3 gems there to come back.
Finding the 40 cats, 16 rabbits and 16 postcards were pretty easy. They are not really hidden and you just pick them up as you go. When you have found the 40 cats you can play a further mini-game.
All up the game and bonus took me about 9 hours to do - ALL THOSE MINI-GAMES AND PUZZLES!!! So if you are up for a fairly lengthy challenge, then this is the game for you.
I enjoyed the game and believe family members or friends over the age of say 10-12 can play this. The witch is not scary and most of the mini-games and puzzles can be done without too much hand holding. And there is the Strategy Guide if you need help.
Happy playing.
I recommend this game!
The Smithsonian Castle's secrets lie in a Civil War past.
Overall rating
4
/
5
39 of 44 found this review helpful
ANOTHER GOOD TIME TRAVEL ADVENTURE
PostedJanuary 23, 2015
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Review based on completed Collectors Edition game.
Well, you won't be bored here. There is a huge amount to do and it is a fast well-paced game.
There is:
* Voiceovers;
* Agent, Field Agent, H.E.L.P. Operative and Custom modes;
* Interactive map;
* H.E.L.P. box - with educational and interesting facts.
* Agent, Field Agent, H.E.L.P. Operative and Custom modes;
* Interactive map;
* H.E.L.P. box - with educational and interesting facts.
I decided to play on Custom mode and turned everything off. You can also turn Hint and Skip off as well to make it more challenging. However, you can change your mode at any time.
First off, the graphics are absolutely brilliant. The details are crisp and clear and its easy to see everything.
Sound is very good. The music is orchestral and adventure style. I didn't turn it down at all throughout the game.
The hidden object games are interactive, silhouette and straightforward. These are very easy to do.
There are a huge range of mini-games. These are also very easy but I did play them all and enjoyed them.
All up the game and bonus took me about 6 hours to play, so a good length.
Overall, a really good game to play with lots to do. Its action packed, with likeable characters and a good story line. There really is not much challenge in it though. However, I thought EIPIX did do a terrific job and you can certainly tell that they put a lot of effort into making the game. Well done.
So do you get the Collectors Edition or standard version?
In the Collectors Edition you get an Achievements Board. You also have to collect 43 time pieces which go into the Souvenir Room. There are also 16 morphing objects in the HOS games to find. If you find them all, then you get an achievement. In the extras, you can replay any mini-games and HOS. There is a small mini-game where you go through each scene to find a souvenir and earn another achievement. Either one you choose, you can't go wrong - this really is a good game.
In the Collectors Edition you get an Achievements Board. You also have to collect 43 time pieces which go into the Souvenir Room. There are also 16 morphing objects in the HOS games to find. If you find them all, then you get an achievement. In the extras, you can replay any mini-games and HOS. There is a small mini-game where you go through each scene to find a souvenir and earn another achievement. Either one you choose, you can't go wrong - this really is a good game.
Happy playing.
I recommend this game!
The Lost Lands are in danger again... There's only one brave soul who can face the four evil horsemen to save it – you!
Overall rating
5
/
5
29 of 32 found this review helpful
CONTENDER AS ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
PostedJanuary 19, 2015
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 played on Game and Bonus.
Wow, where to begin. There is just so much to say. There is:
* Voiceovers;
* Easy, Normal and Hard modes;
* 20 Achievements;
* Diary;
* Interactive map;
* Find 35 parts to the magic machine (game only);
* Find 35 morphing objects (game only);
* Find 20 manuscripts (game only);
* Good long Bonus game.
* Easy, Normal and Hard modes;
* 20 Achievements;
* Diary;
* Interactive map;
* Find 35 parts to the magic machine (game only);
* Find 35 morphing objects (game only);
* Find 20 manuscripts (game only);
* Good long Bonus game.
When I first saw the introduction I was a bit concerned with the graphics, but once the game started it was all perfect. Everywhere is quite cluttered, so you do have to look carefully. There is plenty of colour is some scenes and underground it is more darker and grayer. However, it is very easy to move around and see everywhere that you need to investigate.
Sound and music is very good and I kept it loud the whole time.
The hidden object games are silhouette and interactive. Find one item to use to find another item, etc. There was no deviation from this. There were even little mini-games in them as well, which were good fun. They don't take more than a few minutes each to do and there weren't a huge amount of them. This is more of an adventure game than a hidden object game.
The mini-games I enjoyed. I didn't see anything new that I hadn't played before - like sliding tiles, moving items to their colour, etc. These are fairly easy to do and don't take long.
There are 35 parts to the magic machine to find together with 35 morphing objects. A hand does come over them in the scenes just in case you are worried about missing any. The interactive map also shows icons that they are there to find as well. So if you move on and forget about them or want to do them later, then you have the option to do them all at once. Some were very well hidden and I'm glad a hand did come over them. I found them all except for one morphing object in the cave. I just couldn't find it. In the end I had a look in the Strategy Guide but when I went to grab the morphing object, it wasn't there! Oh well, never mind I didn't get the achievement for that one.
This really is a huge game with lots of locations, so you will probably be using the interactive map a lot. I normally don't use it, but towards the end of the game I was getting a bit tired trying to remember where tasks I needed to do were, so I started using it.
In the Bonus you play Falnor the dwarf and how you meet up with Mom to help her. You do meet him in the main game and he teams up with you in part of the game.
I somehow managed to get 14 of the achievements - so about average. I'm sure there will be fishies out there who will do a lot better than that.
All up the game and bonus took me about 10 hours. It really is worth its weight in gold. You can tell the developers took a long time to make this game and a lot of thought and effort has been taken. Well done developers.
So, if you like a great story, wonderful graphics and feel like an adventure, this game is definitely for you. Happy playing.
I recommend this game!
Search for clues, solve puzzles, and unlock new areas as you visit spooky locations, master mini-games and locate Hidden Objects!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
CREEPY TOWN - GOOD STORY
PostedJanuary 17, 2015
charlene_lane
fromWellington, New Zealand
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Review of completed game and bonus.
I played this game some years ago and decided to get it out again today and give it another whirl.
There is:
* Casual and Advanced modes of play;
* NO voiceovers;
* Diary;
* Find 36 morphing objects (in game only).
* NO voiceovers;
* Diary;
* Find 36 morphing objects (in game only).
There is a certain ambiance about this game and there is definitely plenty to do.
The graphics are just okay. There wasn't much colour in most places and were quite grainy. However, it is a fairly old game and I've become spoiled with the graphics of today, so I really shouldn't complain.
There are a lot of hidden object games to play. Some items really were hard to find as they blended in so well into the background or were at the very top of the screen in the dark where I couldn't see them. I had to use a hint every now and then to locate them.
There weren't a lot of mini-games but I did like the ones I played. There were the usual ones like sliding tiles, getting balls into the right colour corners, etc. We have seen them all before but they were okay to play.
I enjoyed locating the 36 morphing objects in each scene. Some I found straight away and others I had to wait it out and then hunt them down. Is it this side of the screen - nope - I'll try the other side (lol).
The bonus was on the short side and you pretty much cover the same territory as in the game. This is set 25 years earlier when it all started.
Up all the game and bonus took me about 5 hours.
So, if you can get passed the old school graphics, no voiceovers and like lots of HOS, then you will definitely enjoy this game. The story line is good and I know a lot of fishies find this to be the most important part of the game.
Happy playing.
Time Dreamer
Travel back in time with Time Dreamer! Help our hero travel to the past and save his father! Can you help him fix the past?
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
IF YOU LIKE HOS, YOU WILL LOVE THIS
PostedJanuary 16, 2015
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
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Not a bad game. I love the concept of time travel and enjoyed the mini games but there were just far too many hidden object games which drove me insane.
There were no voiceovers and I had to click through all dialogue which was annoying.
There are casual and expert modes of play and you also have a diary.
The HOS were difficult to play. There were a lot of really teeny tiny objects to find like pins, match sticks, silver rings, etc which were really hard to see as they blended in so well into other objects or in the scene. Because there were so many of them, I was struggling to keep focused which led to boredom. Just about every step I took, bang I ran straight into another HOS. Definitely hard on the eyes.
The mini-games were good and I enjoyed those. There is no hand holding and I played a few that I hadn't seen before.
The graphics were good - especially when I was time travelling.
I was mainly playing to silence most of the time and really didn't notice the music - which was very sporadic.
I spent about 3 hours playing the game before I pulled out because I just couldn't take any more.
I would definitely recommend that you trial the game first to see what you think before buying.