LadyRubella's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:48
- Reviews Submitted:10
- First Review:March 25, 2013
- Most Recent Review:February 19, 2016
- Featured reviews0
LadyRubella's Review History
Boyle Wolfbane wanted to rule the world. He failed miserably, but it's okay. Things could have been worse. He could have been born a hero.
Overall rating
4
/
5
19 of 20 found this review helpful
Lots of fun despite some setbacks
PostedFebruary 19, 2016
LadyRubella
fromMiddle Earth
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Aveyond 4: Shadow of the Mist is the fourth installment in the well-known RPG series. It follows Boyle Wolfbane—a retired villain who almost ruled the world but was foiled by a band of no good heroes and forced to move to Wyrmwood where all washed up baddies go. After his trusted wolf Fang is held hostage by the queen of the Mist, Boyle is forced to mount a rescue mission for the queen’s son who was kidnapped for an evil ritual that threatens the fate of the world. So if Boyle wants to save Fang he must do the unthinkable—become a hero. He’s joined by a cast of eccentric characters, including a witch who has cursed him into marrying her, a mist wraith with a wicked sense of humor that can shape-shift into a fox, and a starry-eyed young knight who’s looking for adventure.
Plot wise, this is my favorite of the Aveyond series. The previous installments were far more predictable, making repeated use of the prophecy tropes so often seen in fantasy RPGs. Although I still found those games enjoyable, Shadow of the Mist was more engrossing. While the “villain to hero” trope has most certainly been done before it was such a surprising departure from previous installments that I couldn’t help but find it endearing. The main character is also very well developed, although there are certain questions about his backstory that were never satisfactorily explained. The side characters also get a fair amount of development with exception to the last few who enter the party. Overall, Shadow of the Mist continued on the trend of using humorous cut-scenes to further the story that was implement so well in the previous installment in a very effective way.
In regards to graphics, Amaranth games definitely worked very hard on creating clever animations, cut scenes, and in increasing the overall amount of detail in their backdrops. I was, however, disappointed that there were not more diversified environments. While I appreciate the efforts made to make different trees, flora, and fauna for each area, the majority of the map was very green whereas previous installments have used more fantastical color schemes. Furthermore, some long time Aveyond fans might not like the way the icons appear during battle. I personally did not mind, but I can imagine how it would look out of place to other fans.
So what’s not to like about this charming game? Well, for starters there is no map—or if there is I could never find it or it glitched and never appeared. And when I say no map, I mean there’s nothing at all—no world map and no maps for individual areas. This is absolutely baffling, as maps are a staple of this particular genre of gameplay. As a result I found myself getting lost more often that I usually do in these games, and it did not help that most areas were designed in a very twisty-turvy way. There were also instances where NPCs would give directions to a certain location in order to further a quest but give a slightly different name (like Windy valley for windy hills), a fact made more confusing when you take into consideration that there’s no map. I’ve read on the Aveyond forums that maps for this game are currently in the works, but I believe that the game never should have been released without them. Did I eventually figure out where everything was? Yes. It was still frustrating however and I had to seek help on forums more than once—which is something I almost never have to do with one of these games.
There are also some issues with lag in this game. My laptop may not be the best on the market, but it is certainly capable of handling for advanced graphics than Shadow of the Mist. However, the walking speed of my part changed drastically depending upon the location, with small areas like caves being lightning fast but places like the Dragon Wastelands being painfully slow. Naturally, there’s a lot of backtracking in this game—one comes to expect that in RPGs. But having backtrack one area to area where your progress is constantly changing because of lag issues is really tedious!
Now, the game does try to make backtracking easier with the use of Mist Realms which allow players to easily go from the entrance of one area to another—or at least in theory. The Mist Realm itself is a little bit confusing to navigate at first, and it only connects realms on the same continent so if you want to go back to Wrymwood for example from Helania, you have to go back to the continent that Wrymwood is on before you can use your Mist portals. This isn’t terrible, but it was an odd choice to leave the realms unconnected. They’re portals! What does a little bit of ocean matter?
There are a few other middling issues I had with the game, like how certain enemies would be harder than others but somehow yield less XP or how some bosses gave less XP than regular enemies. The quest journal feels half-finished as it doesn’t actually record information pertaining to the quest so if you talk to someone who tells you to go to A, you’d better remember what A is because you won’t be told again and it won’t be written down. I have a pretty decent memory but even I struggled with this one, especially on the rare occasion when I would accidently exit a dialogue before I meant to. Like I mentioned earlier, part of the cast is pretty well developed and part isn’t. This is due to the fact that you recruit members at different points of the game. I feel like there could have been a couple more quests made available once the party was full in order to provide more development for the late recruits. There’s also the matter of where this fits in the scheme of Aveyond—we know that this clearly happens in the same realm, and we even get a surprise cameo from two long-lived members of the franchise (although we never get good resolution for their cameo!). I’m torn between liking and disliking the fact that we don’t hear about what happened to Mel and co. directly. It might bother other fans though.
At the end of this lengthy tirade there is a perfectly good game. Its loads of fun, the main cast is great, the comedic timing is spot on, and the ending scene is hilarious and very much in the Aveyond tradition. Despite all of the problems that I had with it I still really liked it, but the issues I had keep this from being my favorite in the series over all.
I recommend this game!
These nursery rhymes are cursed, and your sister’s been taken by the Crooked Man!
Overall rating
4
/
5
There is a crooked man, he walks a crooked mile.
PostedApril 14, 2015
LadyRubella
fromMiddle Earth
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Long ago, a shy, artistic nobleman fell in love with a common girl. However, something went awry an the girl lost her life. Years later, a strange man with a crooked hat and a crooked cat starts abducting traveling women, and they are never heard of again. You play the sibling of one such woman, who is taken before your eyes. As you rush to save her, you uncover the secrets behind the death that occurred long ago, and you learn all of the dark secrets that trail the crooked man.
Visually, this game is very pretty. The voice acting is above average for this type of game, and the music—while not too memorable—is not repetitive. The puzzles are fairly easy, but at least they’re mostly intuitive. For the most part every item makes sense, and I never felt the need to randomly drag items across the screen in a vain attempt to figure out where they were supposed to go. The story is really interesting, and you’re allowed to piece it together a little bit at a time before the big reveal. The length is decent. I’m pretty partial to long games, so while I think this one could have been longer its length is average for most games of this genre. The ending did feel a little bit unrewarding. I had been hoping that the collector’s edition would solve that problem, but the bonus game really didn’t continue the plot of this game. That having been said, the bonus game isn't bad, but it just wasn't as relevant as it could have been.
Overall I think this is a nice entry in what will hopefully be the first in a new series by Blue Tea Games. As much as I’ve enjoyed the Dark Parables series, I’ve found some of the recent entries to be a little bit rushed and repetitive, and I think the Cursery games could serve as a nice break between Dark Parable releases.
I recommend this game!
Your enemy imprisoned your father, but now he’s forcing you to marry him! Can you escape and save your father?
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Decent but not Amazing
PostedApril 14, 2015
LadyRubella
fromMiddle Earth
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
A long time ago a great wrong was committed, leading a once kind and gentle boy to grow into a vengeful, wicked man. It’s up to Princess Eleanor to right the wrongs of the past while at the same time dodging the wrath of Dolmorg and freeing her father from his clutches.
This game got off to a good start. The plot was intriguing and I was invested enough to see how it ended that I bought the collector’s edition during the recent developer sale. However, in hindsight I wish I would have saved my money and waited for the standard edition to come out instead. This game has a lot of attractive features—the plot is initially very interesting, the graphics are pretty, them music is nice, and some of the puzzles are pretty neat. However, as the game goes on the plot begins to weaken, and even with the bonus game it felt very incomplete. During the first hour or so, when our heroine is being actively pursued, the game is more interesting—there’s a sense of panic and needing to hurry, but after the secrets of the past are revealed the pursuit is non-existent, and the remainder of the game is too leisurely without any real sense of climax. The voice acting is also pretty abysmal in some areas, especially where the King is concerned. I managed to complete this game in about three hours, which is far too quickly for my tastes. It ended very abruptly, and even the bonus game felt really incomplete.
Like I said, it’s a pretty game. Most of the puzzles and HOS are too easy, so they probably won’t appeal to someone who likes to play these sorts of games for the challenge. For a younger player or someone who just wants an easier, relaxing game that’s easy on the eyes then I’d say go for it! Just make sure to wait for the standard edition, because the Collector’s really wasn’t worth it.
Investigate strange goings-on in the eerie town of Fort Nightingale!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Alien, Spaceships, and Conspiracies--oh my!
PostedNovember 13, 2014
LadyRubella
fromMiddle Earth
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is one crazy ride.
You're an investigator sent to a small town, supposedly overcome by some strange disease. Not everything is at it appears however, and you quickly find yourself faced with something that is clearly not of this world. Strange, creepy orphans, frozen townsfolk, and paranoid adults hiding behind barricades--what could possibly be causing all of this mayhem? And what is with the freak alien-themed carnival that came to town and never left?
The plot of this game is really bizarre, but not in a bad way. Science fiction games are pretty rare on this site, so I was pleasantly surprised with this one. The gameplay was pretty average--nothing too mind-bendingly hard, and nothing too easy either. Some of the morphing objects were pleasantly hard to find, and I actually enjoyed collecting all of them. The map lets you jump from location to location, which really helps when you need to backtrack. The voice acting isn't bad, though the children are all strangely British. It didn't bother me too much however, because it actually helped the story in that it made the children stand out even more--which in turn made them more suspicious.
There were a few things in the story that didn't quite hold-up to scrutiny, and it could have been a longer game--I think it took me a little over four hours to complete this, but It wasn't a bad length, I just feel like it personally could have been a bit longer.
If you're looking for a game with a different story, look no further. This game is one big, crazy, fun ride.
I recommend this game!
The rat catcher's after more than rats this time. He's kidnapping fairy folk!
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
There's Magic in the Air
PostedNovember 13, 2014
LadyRubella
fromMiddle Earth
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Something foul is afoot. You play the grand daughter of a famous writer who has since passed away. As you try your best to follow in his footsteps, suddenly you find yourself dragged into a magical battle that threatens to destroy life on Earth as you know it. As it turns out, your grandfather's fantastical stories were based on truth, and it's up to you to help finish what he started and ensure the safety of your realm and the fairy realm.
The story is fun and engaging, the voice acting is great, and the graphics are nice,crisp, and charming. The puzzles are fun--not too difficult but not too easy. It probably took me over four hours to finish this game on my first play through, which is a pretty decent length considering how short a lot of these games are nowadays. I bought the SE during a sale, but I would definitely say that it would be worth it to buy at regular price.
I recommend this game!
Death needs help from the only detective he trusts – you!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 9 found this review helpful
Death Investigations
PostedNovember 13, 2014
LadyRubella
fromMiddle Earth
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Who wouldn't be charmed by a game where you help Death catch criminals committing life fraud? The story is simple yet interesting, and you get to play through three different cases to keep you from getting bored.
The graphics are nice, and I especially like Death's character design. The voice acting is pretty good for this type of game, although there is one character who awkwardly bobbles back and forth between a French and an American accent. The delivery is rushed at times as well, but it's a far cry from some of the awful VO's out there.
The music is there. It's not annoying and not mesmerizing. In fact, it's altogether unmemorable, but I'll take unmemorable over annoying any day.
I do, however, have two chief complaints about this game. Firstly, it's too easy. There were many opportunities throughout the game where more of a challenge could have been offered, such as adding mini-games to the creation of keys and the creation of potions. I don't usually mind games that aren't too difficult(I do want to enjoy myself after all), but I shouldn't be able to cruise through a game this easily. This brings be to my next point: the game is too short.
It took me no more than three hours to beat it, which in my mind is far too short. I feel like the game needed a couple more suspects, throughout Europe and maybe even in some of the other continents. Three cases just wasn't enough, and the last case felt like the most rushed out of all them, possibly because it also had the burden of being the case where Chaos' endgame was revealed.
Overall I like this game. I like the story and the graphics, and I like a lot of the ideas and tools. I am very glad that I bought this during a sale, because had I paid full price for such a short and easy game I think I would have been terribly disappointed.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Backtracking Galore
PostedApril 29, 2013
LadyRubella
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
If you hate backtracking, avoid this game. The last segement is entirely based on backtracking to every HOS that you've played throughout the game, and this game is chock full of them!
The basic story is okay. It's good for a player who likes a little morbid fancy but doesn't want anything to gorey. I prefer a little more horror in dark HOG games, but this one finds a happy medium between too much and too little. The puzzles are very simple--too simple for an experienced player. For those who like more variety in gameplay, you may find this title wanting. There are puzzles, and then there's HOS. The latter is really abundant, and the former could stand to appear more in between the frequent HOS.
Overall, this game is good for a beginner or someone who wants a tame horror game. If you're thinking of buying it, I recommend waiting until it's on sale. I did, and I'm really glad that I didn't pay full price for this.
I recommend this game!
After awaking from a century long slumber, Princess Sophia finds a world that is devoid of people! Help her find her friends!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Good for Children and Novices
PostedApril 29, 2013
LadyRubella
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a great game for young children and players new to the HOG genre. The graphics are pretty, the story is pleasent and engaging, and the storybook quality of the game is pretty and nostalgic.
However, this is not a game for skilled HOG gamers. The puzzles are painfully easy, and there's little to no challenge at all for an experienced player. The music can be a tad repatative, especially when you try to play the game in one setting. There were times where it began to wear on my nerves so much that I had to mute the sound. I got this game as a Catch of the Day, and I'm glad I did. It isn't something I would pay full price for personally, though the story and art are charming.
If you're new to this genre or you have small children and you're looking for a family friendly game, this is a great title to keep in mind. If you like a challenge, look elsewhere.
I recommend this game!
Olivia has been kidnapped by the mysterious Lonely Hearts Killer who murders those suffering from a shattered love. Save her!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Better than the first
PostedApril 29, 2013
LadyRubella
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I've always had mixed feelings about the first game in the series. While I liked the overall story and the voice overs, the amount of backtracking was beyond frusterating. Furthermore, though the voices were good I found that the dialogue could be a little too much at times. Because the villain spoke most of the lines, the game felt like one big monologue at times.
Brink of Conciousness: The Lonely Hearts Killer solves many of the problems of the first. While it still would be nice to have a map that can teleport you to different locations, the amount of backtracking required in this game was reasonable and not grating. Instead of the previous title, BOC:LHK seperates the game into different chapters, thus limiting the amount of scenes you have to revisit. While there is still a hearty amount of dialogue in this game, it is interactive and diverse. You don't always have to listen to the same speaker, and the dialogue is a lot more relevant to the game play. Additonally, this game has more of a "who's done it?" vibe, which makes the dialogue more critical and enjoyable. In BOC:DGS, the player knows exactly who the culprit is, and we have to hear him go on and on about why he's done it. This removed some the suspense from the game, and BOC:LHK managed to avoid this by allowing the players to discover the culprit themselves. One thing that did dissapoint me about this game was the lack of clues regarding the killer. It would have been nice if there were cryptic clues scattered throughout that allowed us to figure out the mystery before the game reveals it. I also found this game to be a little bit too short for my liking, though a bonus chapter is included in the Collector's edition.
Overall, this is an enjoyable game. I bought it on sale and I'm glad I did. I loved the story, and found the gameplay to be far less frusterating than its predecessor. It ran a little short, and I wish that they had included more clues during the game in order to make it feel more like a genuine mystery and less like a mystery movie. If you don't like a lot of dialogue, you may not like this game. Fortunately, you can skip dialogues though they often contain details important to the story. It isn't quite as frightening as the BOC:DGS, but the gameplay is far less tedious. If you liked the previous title, I think that you'll probably enjoy this one. It's flawed, but definately playable.
I recommend this game!
You’ve been invited to the long abandoned Paris Opera House. Find the phantom and discover the torment of this tragic hero!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
A Beautiful Game with A Few Minor Kinks
PostedMarch 25, 2013
LadyRubella
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Playpond’s Mystery Legends: Phantom of the Opera is a visually stunning game. The art alone is enough to move a player to want to buy the game. The incredible amount of detail that went in to bringing the Palais Garnier to life is amazing, and the artists should be commended for their fine work. That having been said, there is more to a game than graphics.
In terms of gameplay, ML:POTO is a standard hybrid of a HOG and a PAC(Point and Click). While the HOG scenes are junkpiles, the option of being able to see the silhouette of the object you’re looking for makes them far less aggravating than junkpile scenes in other games. The puzzles are very straightforward—in fact, I would argue that they’re a bit too simple. One of the biggest problems with this game is that you cannot choose a level of difficulty. This makes replayability not as desirable, though I have to admit that I’ve replayed this game several times. Still, it would have been nice to have been given a greater challenge, especially as the game wound to close. Which brings me to another point: time.
This game is too short, which is a shame because it has a lot going for it. If I can finish a HOG game in around three hours without any help from a walkthrough, then the game is too short. The story could have been easily stretched out. The game already does a wonderful job at incorporating elements from the Leroux novel as well as the Webber play, and I feel as though the writers could have delved even deeper, perhaps even taking a cue from the famous Susan Kay novel.
I also find the theme of this game to be a bit confusing. In the beginning, it seems like a suspense thriller. In fact, it seems to carry-on as such until the ending. And it is a TERRIBLE ending, because it doesn’t END anything. It switches to this odd, romantic vibe that just doesn’t fit in with the dark atmosphere of the game. Additionally, the bonus level on the Collector’s Edition does not clear-up anything, making spending the extra money irrelevant.
Overall, I do really love this game. I love the art, I love the atmosphere, the voice acting is excellent and the basic story is okay. As a big nerd for everything Phantom of the Opera related, I appreciated how many book references were sandwiched into this game, and I only wish that they had added a little bit more. I would recommend this game to Phans and to people who are just getting into HOG games. The gameplay is too easy for HOG veterans like myself, but really good for newcomers to the genre. Now if only they’ll make a sequel!
In terms of gameplay, ML:POTO is a standard hybrid of a HOG and a PAC(Point and Click). While the HOG scenes are junkpiles, the option of being able to see the silhouette of the object you’re looking for makes them far less aggravating than junkpile scenes in other games. The puzzles are very straightforward—in fact, I would argue that they’re a bit too simple. One of the biggest problems with this game is that you cannot choose a level of difficulty. This makes replayability not as desirable, though I have to admit that I’ve replayed this game several times. Still, it would have been nice to have been given a greater challenge, especially as the game wound to close. Which brings me to another point: time.
This game is too short, which is a shame because it has a lot going for it. If I can finish a HOG game in around three hours without any help from a walkthrough, then the game is too short. The story could have been easily stretched out. The game already does a wonderful job at incorporating elements from the Leroux novel as well as the Webber play, and I feel as though the writers could have delved even deeper, perhaps even taking a cue from the famous Susan Kay novel.
I also find the theme of this game to be a bit confusing. In the beginning, it seems like a suspense thriller. In fact, it seems to carry-on as such until the ending. And it is a TERRIBLE ending, because it doesn’t END anything. It switches to this odd, romantic vibe that just doesn’t fit in with the dark atmosphere of the game. Additionally, the bonus level on the Collector’s Edition does not clear-up anything, making spending the extra money irrelevant.
Overall, I do really love this game. I love the art, I love the atmosphere, the voice acting is excellent and the basic story is okay. As a big nerd for everything Phantom of the Opera related, I appreciated how many book references were sandwiched into this game, and I only wish that they had added a little bit more. I would recommend this game to Phans and to people who are just getting into HOG games. The gameplay is too easy for HOG veterans like myself, but really good for newcomers to the genre. Now if only they’ll make a sequel!
I recommend this game!