arnold1049's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:4,545
- Reviews Submitted:555
- First Review:February 24, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 24, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Help Audrey find her missing husband! After disappearing mysteriously, the only clue left behind are the Letters from Nowhere!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
LOTS OF CHALLENGING HOS
PostedMay 26, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Patrick has disappeared and his wife is trying to find him. She begins to get letters to help her in the search. The letters are not coming from her husband. At the end of the demo, the source of the letters had not been revealed.
There are lots of HOS and they are challenging. There is also a trophy room and, after playing a couple of the HOS, some of them are going to be hard to win. Two specifically caught my attention; using no hints and no misclicks in the scenes.
The items are often small and dark. They also don't always look like what the name of the item indicates. Some are on top of other items and hard to pick out. I used lots of hints and had lots of misclicks, which elicited my comment about the trophies.
Hints are available and recharge neither slow nor fast; about medium, I guess. There are no levels of difficulty, so there is no way to change the speed of hint recharge.
In fact, this is a pretty bare bones game, with lots of things that aren't explained and have to be figured out during play. I ran across a mini game when my cursor moved over an item and it glowed. Thinking it was one of those items that needed to be combined with another one, I ignored it. Then I decided to click on it, and it took me to a very easy jigsaw puzzle. That was the only mini game I ran into during the demo.
Points are awarded for every item found. With the accumulated points, you can buy power ups, like a thermometer, or items hidden in the HOS that, when found and clicked on, awards more points. The thermometer glows red when it gets close to an item, but it doesn't last very long. The jack-in-the-box, when found and clicked on, added 10,000 points.
To get more points, there are 3 stamps in every scene that must be found and clicked on.
You have to be a died-in-the-wool HOG lover for this game to appeal to you.
I recommend this game!
Mortimer is back for an all-new, eye-popping adventure in Mortimer Beckett and the Time Paradox! Join Mortimer for a trip through time in this great hidden object game.
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 15 found this review helpful
FALLING THROUGH TIME
PostedMay 25, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Mortimer's uncle needs his help in closing portals that open access to different time periods with the potential to change things with catastrophic results. The uncle has attempted to build a machine to close the portals but needs Mortimer's help to find all the pieces to complete it.
This is a challenging HOG with lots of locations and lots of HOS in each location. Items found in one scene need to be used in other scenes in order to find other items. However, the back and forth was not excessive and once a location was finished, there was no reason to go back.
The items were sometimes small, dark and very hard to find. Hints are unlimited and recharged very quickly, at least the way I had the options set.
I found that you have to pay close attention to the map, as it tells you what needs to be done in each scene, puzzles to play, items to place back into the scene and items left to find. Even if you find the time machine part but haven't finished all the scenes, you will not be able to move on to the next location.
This is my second Mortimer Beckett game I've played and I will be playing the next two very soon.
I recommend this game!
Play as Mortimer Beckett and uncover the secrets of your uncle's ghostly mansion in Mortimer Beckett and the Secrets of Spooky Manor!
Overall rating
5
/
5
45 of 49 found this review helpful
TOUGH BUT FUN
PostedMay 23, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Mortimer's uncle needs his help in ridding his manor of ghosts. The uncle has attempted to build a machine to send the ghosts packing, but needs Mortimer's help to complete it.
This is a challenging HOG with lots of locations and lots of HOS in each location. Items found in one scene need to be used in other scenes in order to find other items. However, the back and forth was not excessive and once a location was finished, there was no reason to go back.
The items were sometimes small, dark and very hard to find. At the beginning of each location, a set number of hints are available to finish the level. There is no way to get more hints, so they must be used wisely. I never came close to using all of them, as I saved them for the very end of the location.
If I had trouble finding something in a scene the first time around, I did not use a hint. I waited until I had found as many items in all the other scenes first. Often an item in another scene would unlock something in the scene I was stuck on.
I found that you have to pay close attention to the map, as it tells you what needs to be done in each scene. I thought I was done with the game, but couldn't get the Ghost Machine to activate. I even put a question in the Game Forum for help. I needed a battery from the Indian Room and couldn't figure out how to get it. I went back to the map and found a couple of locations that I thought I had finished, but still showed things that needed to be done. Once I completed all the locations, then I was able to get the battery and complete the game.
I'm looking forward to playing the other games in this series.
I recommend this game!
Turn off the lights, turn up the sound and play the scariest hidden object game ever!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
LIVING A NIGHTMARE
PostedMay 21, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Women are sitting around a campfire telling scary stories. When one of the campers finishes a story, another one speaks up and says that wasn't exactly how it happened. Despite the annoyance of the original storyteller, she begins to tell her version.
Christine ends up at her parents' cabin for the weekend alone because her boyfriend is late showing up. Strange things start happening immediately. After restoring the electricity, she finds that the cabin has been ransacked. One thing she does right away is to fix the radio. Using it, she finds that a very dangerous man has escaped the local sanitorium. The demo ended as she tried to find the pieces of the phone to call the police.
The HOS are woven into the story in an excellent fashion. For example, when you find the phone, you immediately get a visual list of parts that you must find to fix it. These parts can be anywhere in any of the scenes. I like this better than picking up something that sits in inventory forever until you finally get to the point in the game where you need to use it.
The storyline is the center of the game, as opposed to just a vehicle to move among HOS. That makes me want to finish the game to see how it turns out. Considering there are 2 more games in the series, maybe it is a cliffhanger?
Hints are acquired by finding and clicking on fireflies. A maximum of 6 can be accumulated. Using one firefly will give you a hint like telling you that you need to be in the bedroom. There is no map. You can exchange hints to purchase "tips" which I'm thinking are like mega hints, maybe taking you to the right location and pointing to the exact item you need to get. That's just a guess as I never found myself in a situation where I felt I needed a mega hint.
This is an intriguing game to me, but always try before you buy.
I recommend this game!
Edna & Harvey: The Puzzle offers a completely new puzzle-experience and will challenge the players' skills by combining various pieces of 90 puzzle backgrounds.
Overall rating
2
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
WHERE IS THE SUPPORT FOR THIS GAME?
PostedMay 21, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
During the demo, I stopped and exited the game and went looking for help. I was amazed that there is next to nothing in the BF forums, with the last postings dating back to 2015, I guess when the game first came out. This game has zero instructions, tutorials, settings, etc. so there is no way to figure anything out.
I didn't do a Google search on it, because I didn't like the game enough to put in that extra time.
I kind of liked the game, even though it is timed and that is not my thing. But the lack of support makes me think BF knew this game was a dude.
Try it, though, because it is different.
I don't recommend this game.
Take a journey through medieval times. Help Joan of Arc to build a new kingdom and change the fate of the people in this epic story of honor and courage.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
BOREDOM SET IN
PostedMay 17, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I purchased this game, but I'm not sure why. Usually I play the demo and write a review at that time. Since I had not written a review already, then I guess I didn't play the demo. Never a good idea.
This is a Match 3 game combined with building and fortifying a town. Nothing I've seen so far in the game remotely pertains to Joan of Arc.
In order to construct buildings, you must earn x-number of gold coins during the Match 3 play. The problem is, the boards take a long time to play, especially when I used the chain type of matching. And the number of coins earned for the completion of a board was not that much, so it took playing a lot of games to be able to construct a building.
Various goals needed to be completed before a board was cleared. Maybe something as simple as dropping a treasure chest off the board. But other boards might add collecting
x-number of 3 or 4 types of tiles, removing all the golden tiles, removing all the chains, etc.
x-number of 3 or 4 types of tiles, removing all the golden tiles, removing all the chains, etc.
Constructing buildings was the way to increase the number of coins earned for certain matching actions. For instance, after one building, the number of coins won for matching the steak tiles was doubled.
Power ups were pretty standard; an axe removed one tile, a bomb cleared one area, a crossbow cleared a row and column, etc. The crossbow was very hard to control and I wasted several of them before I learned that it could not be dragged across the board to the row/column I wanted cleared. I had to keep the crossbow off the board until it was next to the row or column before I moved it to the board. As soon as it touches the board, it releases its arrow.
There were bombs and a special tile in the boards themselves. The bomb had to be uncovered by matching the tiles next to it. But you have no control as to where or how the bomb goes off. It explodes 2 seconds after it is uncovered.
Various achievements could be earned, but even they were not interesting or challenging.
The game seemed to drag and nothing changed. Maybe the demo would not have been long enough to reveal this issue.
I just got bored.
I don't recommend this game.
Anka is a playful boy living in a small village, but he’s about to be thrust into a big adventure that will change his life!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
STYMIED AT THE VERY BEGINNING
PostedMay 17, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I played the demo and about the third task was to find 40 eggs. I found 39 and spent the rest of my hour trying to find the last one. I even exited and checked the walkthrough, with no success.
After my time ran out, I went to the forums and found that a lot of people were having trouble finding the last egg. The problem was that the last egg was not the same for every player. Too funny.
I really didn't get far enough into the game to have a good idea about it, but now that I know where to find that last egg, I'll probably use a coupon or wait for a sale to purchase it. I'm always looking for HOGs that aren't dark and dreary. The other reviews are positive and some of the comments I read on the forums supported the opinions that this is a fun game.
I recommend this game!
Join the penguin family on a journey to an ancient land and discover the mysteries of the penguin ancestors in the latest mosaic adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 22 found this review helpful
DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT TOO LONG
PostedMay 17, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Another Fantasy Mosaics game so soon after the last one? How wonderful!
I have every one of the games in this series and I love them. I buy them immediately and start playing them almost exclusively until I'm finished. And then I am sad that the game is over and wondering how long I will have to wait for the next one to be released. In this case, not very long, and that is great!
The storyline finds the penguins traveling back to Egypt to find their ancestors and learn about how and where they lived.
This is a multi-colored griddler with all the standard features of the previous games. Each game in the series is a logical progression from the previous games. However, this game does not bring in any new elements.
There are 20 locations with multiple grids in each location. The first couple of grids are easy, but then start to quickly progress into harder ones. With the completion of all grids in a location, an Egyptian item is added to the garden.
Another great game in a great series.
I recommend this game!
Look after and feed fun 3D fish and watch them play and interact with each other as you complete exciting match-3 levels to earn money for decorating your aquarium!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
THE ONLY GAME YOU WILL EVER NEED
PostedMay 17, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I wonder if there is ever an end to this game.
This is the second game in the series that I have played and both times I had to decide how many achievements I wanted to earn before I finally quit playing. I played a lot of hours over weeks to get to that point.
There is so much to do in this game. The Match 3 grids are complicated with lots of obstacles to remove, specific tiles to release, power ups to be used, etc. Many of these actions in the grids also relate to earning various achievements.
Completing the Match 3 grids earns coins of various amounts (1500 to over 6000) based on actions completed, like uncovering gold/diamond tiles and freeing artifacts and "pieces".
These coins can then be used to purchase items to build an aquarium from the ground up. First is the purchase of the aquarium, then a background, adding fish, ornaments and plants to decorate it.
The variety of fish, ornaments and plants is amazing. Some of the ornaments are funny and are grouped to fit into an aquarium with a specific background. There are 8 backgrounds in all, my favorite being the farm one and the Japanese one. There is one background that offers a moon-like theme that is very unique.
Adding fish, ornaments and plants earn XP points and "beauty" points. The accumulation of beauty points earns the aquarium gold trophy cups for beauty. Each gold cup increases the aquarium's capacity for fish by 3. The maximum level of an aquarium is 12 fish and 3 gold cups.
That doesn't mean the aquarium is finished, it just means that is the highest level that results in achievements. You can continue to work on any given aquarium endlessly; selling fish, ornaments and plants, replacing them with different ones, changing backgrounds, etc., etc. One of my stopping points was to earn the achievement of having 7 aquariums at the maximum level.
There is an inventory where you can put fish, ornaments or plants to transfer to another aquarium, hold for future sale, or just earn an achievement, the maximum being having 50 items in inventory.
When you purchase a fish, and there are lots to choose from, you can select the between male or female and a name for it. The fish talk to you and among themselves and the dialog is witty and fun.
The fish need to be fed and the aquariums cleaned periodically, earning XP stars. Once a certain number of stars have accumulated, you level up and receive an additional 10,000 coins. Some of the achievements are based on how many levels you complete in total and in a given amount of time. I was at level 77 when I quit. One of the achievements based on completing levels had 3 stages, the final one being completing 1,000 levels. Imagine how many weeks I would have had to play to reach this point.
There are so many achievements that I can't imagine the time it would take to earn all of them. I created 10 aquariums, another achievement level, but then that achievement increased to 20 aquariums, which was just too much time I wanted to devote to one game.
And on top of all of this, you can select to play the timed mode of the game. I never play a timed game if I have a choice, so I can't begin to imagine how adding a time restriction to gameplay would complicate things and extend the time needed to complete various actions.
Have I forgotten any of the aspects of the game in this review? Absolutely. There are so many things, so many that are interrelated, that any review covering all of the aspects would be pages long.
If you only buy one game in your life, buy one of the Fishdom games as you can play it endlessly. It is so entertaining that you would never get bored and would never need another game.
I recommend this game!
Master this fun and challenging Match-3 game inspired by the magical world of witches and wizards!
Overall rating
4
/
5
20 of 25 found this review helpful
A CREEPY, CRAWLY GAME
PostedMay 16, 2016
arnold1049
fromApache Junction, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Match 3
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Although it's not Halloween, this game is full of witches, spiders and other ghoulish things.
The storyline is great; an orphan must train to be a witch and learn magic in order to save her parents from an evil witch. Spells are learned, powerups used and upgraded, coins earned, all while playing bright and colorful Match 3 grids. Spider webs and doors are some of the obstacles that must be overcome. Awesome graphics and so many things to do that there is no boredom. The demo hooked me; this is a must buy.
I recommend this game!