swissuz's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.4
- Helpful Votes:236
- Reviews Submitted:39
- First Review:January 2, 2012
- Most Recent Review:January 18, 2014
- Featured reviews0
Prepare for a mind-bending journey into the realm of the weird in Haunted Halls: Revenge of Dr. Blackmore! Brace yourself for the unexpected in this exciting Hidden Object adventure!
Overall rating
1
/
5
6 of 26 found this review helpful
Awful
PostedSeptember 30, 2012
swissuz
fromTexas, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
It may seem unfair to critique a game I only played for 10 minutes, but there was nothing to interest me and draw me into this game. Dr Blackmore is half man and half octopus....and you start off the game being in what appears to be some confinement chair and mental hospital. The slithering tentacles are disgusting and the noise of the static close circuit TV is like nails on a chalk board. There was no reason for me to waste my time on even a free trial. The storyline or anything hidden couldn't be entertaining enough to discover.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Scarlet Frost outwit evil itself in a dark and mysterious theatre to save an innocent girl’s soul from the most sinister of perils.
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Ignore the title....nothing Absurd here!
PostedJuly 27, 2012
swissuz
fromTexas, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
As crazy as it sounds, I almost didn't play this game because of the title. It made me think of a sideshow at a traveling carnival. Even the first "chapter" was not an indication of how sophisticated this game is.
I feel that anyone critiquing this game just from a demo will not be able to convey the entire brilliance in this game. It is definitely different than most games.....and yes, while it has a voice over, it was professional and not annoying as some.
The CE version is well worth the price....it's challenging and the prompts help in tight spots....but I would rather have a good challenge than speed through a game like this that has so much eye candy in the graphics.
I personally don't like the morose skeletal/psychic/cultish/witchcraft type genre.....which is where I THOUGHT this was leading. I was pleasantly surprised to see more creative uses of hints of Eqyptian remains and other historical/artifact type images, than the worn out "ghoulish" hooded and spell casting characters.
I think this game would make a long run to the top ranked games if it were renamed as something (FKA) "the Theater of the Absurd".
I totally recommend this game!
I
I
I recommend this game!
Enjoy the puzzling beauty of this object inlay game as you match wits with Aztec kings, brave Samurai, and more.
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 13 found this review helpful
Great brain exercise!
PostedJuly 16, 2012
swissuz
fromTexas, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
This is a great game to practice hand eye coordination. It has a lot of variety in play options to help forget the clock is ticking.
This is a great game for those who like puzzles and want to beat the clock. Definitely sophisticated enough for adults needing to unwind or even gear up for some brain activity.
This is a great game for those who like puzzles and want to beat the clock. Definitely sophisticated enough for adults needing to unwind or even gear up for some brain activity.
I personally don't like games where you have to beat the clock to win, but this game has plenty of bonus tokens that take away that tension of running out of time. Loved it!
I recommend this game!
Save the besieged alpine village of Martlet and rescue its residents from the mysterious living statues in this exciting Hidden Object Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Something for everyone!
PostedJune 24, 2012
swissuz
fromTexas, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a delightful game! The collectors edition is a must, but is very well worth it. The statues are reminiscent of the statues in the move "Jason and the Argonauts" from a different time period. There's a little fairytale touch with the gnome narrator and other gnome characters. The graphics were fabulous, and this is the type of game that notches everything up a level. The story was a bit corny, but not so much to detract from the fun. The HOG were challenging and made sense to the story. I loved the wintery scene for this scorching hot summer. The only part that didn't seem to fit almost doesn't seem worth mentioning......but it's the only thing that kept it from being one of the top favorites and that was the music. It seemed a little inconsistent and during some scenes it was almost like a child's music box....but it was not annoying in the least.
I played this all the way through and even the bonus game,
My favorite character was the Archer. You'll have to wait and find out why! Superb game......makes it hard to find more on this level.
I played this all the way through and even the bonus game,
My favorite character was the Archer. You'll have to wait and find out why! Superb game......makes it hard to find more on this level.
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
5
/
5
16 of 19 found this review helpful
#1 in my book so far!!!
PostedJune 16, 2012
swissuz
fromTexas, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I like to try to be balanced with some pros and cons, but this game was truly outstanding. If you're a speed player, this game is not for you. I found myself going back into certain rooms just to look at the astounding graphics. The absolute best I have ever seen in an online game. The CE is a must...sorry to say, but worth every penny. I like the silhouette hints for the HOS as they are excellent, but a bit challenging.
The map in the journal mad the trips back and forth easier.....and after a couple of trips, I was not dreading the scenery....everything to captivating detail and time period were simply fascinating.
This is a great game for those that like to play an hour or so at a time. I really played this one slow and it took me 7 intriguing hours over a week. I couldn't wait to have "me" time and get to the next challenge.
After all that .....I did have one thing that was a minor annoyance. There was a disconnect with the Phantom's voice over as if Evelina wasn't hearing it. It was repetitive and I finally turned it off. Evelina said very few things pertinent to the game, so listening to some nice dark classical music went well for me. The game music was well placed and not overly dramatic if you don't mind that VOICE. It wasn't scary....just harsh.
Really treat yourself to this one ! Absolutely worth every penny!
I just realized this is the first game I gave five stars in all aspects. This is the new gold standard in online games!
I recommend this game!
In this adventurous romance, outwit powerful villains and break an evil curse inflicted upon your love, Hari, while saving your best friend’s life!
Overall rating
3
/
5
Too much going on.....
PostedMay 20, 2012
swissuz
fromTexas, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I really loved the Asian themed items, but was disappointed in the average little town. Sort of seemed mis-matched. I could hardly get into the story because there were so many little puzzles. The graphics were not to the sophistication level that a lot of the games have evolved too these days, but I have to say I was relieved to not see a corpse, skeleton, or hooded creepy villan with no eyeballs. PLEASE DEVELOPERS....enough of the demons and possessed people...and thank you Eye of the Tiger for avoiding that.
However...this was almost too much in the other direction. I made it to the dressing room to unlock the door when my demo ran out. The paper mache stage prop puzzle before that was very annoying.
Lastly...while the change was nice to have a different gameplay format, it was also confusing at times and seemed to slow me down. If you had to use a hint, the recharge was very long.
I would recommend this to players that like a variety of mini games and puzzles.
I recommend this game!
Unlock the secret rooms in the Howard’s mansion and restore a precious antique collection hidden there.
Overall rating
2
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
Glitchy and corny
PostedMay 7, 2012
swissuz
fromTexas, USA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I'll start off by saying that I'm in the antique business so my review is probably jaded because this was so NOT how antiques are typically handles and collected. That aside....the game was very glitchy....did not flow well, the graphics were not sophisticated like many of the great mansion games, and the characters were flat out cheesy. Having connections in Texas also made the fat JR Ewing stereotype even more loathsome.
I really didn't understand the point of the story.....he had blueprints to secret rooms, yet no one new how to find them?
And the antiques themselves were either museum pieces or Hollywood glitter. They did not look like antiques in anyway.
And the antiques themselves were either museum pieces or Hollywood glitter. They did not look like antiques in anyway.
Basically, it could have been passed off as a Scooby Doo mystery. I didn't even finish 1/2 of the demo before I trashed it. Sorry.....but these games aren't inexpensive.....neither is our time.
I don't recommend this game.
After inheriting a manor in England, you begin to explore the Kangale Estate and discover its history!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Kept me interested throughout!
PostedMay 7, 2012
swissuz
fromTexas, USA
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I can't put my finger on why this game captured me so much. There are definitely games with better graphics, music and imagination, but that might be why it liked it. It wasn't over the top in crazy lunatics, or phantoms or impossible puzzles.
It was a little gloomy, but of course...set in England on a dark stormy night....the new owner (game player) is left to explore the estate he/she inherited.
The storyline was ghost ridden, but not silly. The music was classical and fit the setting. Some of the HOS games were hard to see.....but made it just challenging enough.
It was a little gloomy, but of course...set in England on a dark stormy night....the new owner (game player) is left to explore the estate he/she inherited.
The storyline was ghost ridden, but not silly. The music was classical and fit the setting. Some of the HOS games were hard to see.....but made it just challenging enough.
Be sure to play the EXTRA Bonus game....sort of helps sum it up.
It was also a game that made sense as far as using items and not tossing in many items that were illogical for the time span.
If you use the CE help, be sure to note that some help pages have scroll down bars on the left and some do not. I discovered this halfway through the game and wondered how I had missed some key items. I try not to rely on the tips, but the ones that I did need, helped advance the game once I discovered the scroll bar.
There is nothing extreme or violent about this game....good for adults down to PG-13.
I recommend this game!
Guide Kate Reed as she solves four mind-bending mysteries that take her to worlds she's never imagined!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Top notch
PostedJanuary 2, 2012
swissuz
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Brain Teaser, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I agree with all the comments of great graphics, good story, not too macabre. It was very entertaining. I took my time to finish this game over a week to make it last. I'm confused about anyone saying the graphics being awful...compared to other games you purchase online, this was great....as well as the character voice, and ambient music (not annoying or distracting). (Grandma was a bit stuffy though...lol) So...all that good being said....I'll mention a few quirks or items that didn't add to the game. The "beyond" objects were *different* but served no purpose, ie, points or bonus game access. And maybe it was just me....but the strategy guide only has the gamer collecting "11 coins"....which I did. I'm surprised no one mentioned that it needed 12 COINS! Even the photo in the SG showed twelve empty slots ....and my game ended there. Nothing worked after that which was very end of the bonus game.. I was sure it was a glitch with my computer, but I went back and counted every coin to pick up....which still makes no sense that the SG only required 11. No arrows would turn and no button to "skip", no instructions, nada. Maybe one day I'll get around to playing it again....but there is little motivation thinking I won't see the end. Just glad I had the SG to read about it. Hope Tom and Anna are happy! lol.
I recommend this game!