JustTheFacts's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:33,148
- Reviews Submitted:681
- First Review:December 7, 2011
- Most Recent Review:June 4, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The Queen has chosen your sister as her successor.
Overall rating
5
/
5
15 of 16 found this review helpful
Game In Brief + Bonus Content Review
PostedJuly 4, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED CE GAME
This is a thoroughly entertaining and enchanting game. All the necessary PLUSES are here. BEAUTIFUL GRAPHICS, EXCELLENT SOUND, INTERESTING STORY, GREAT CHARACTERS, and of course BALANCED GAMEPLAY.
Others have given you the details on all the above, so let me just add that the things that STOOD OUT for me were:
*the credibly youthful voice of Snow White
*that chilling wind
*the transformations of given locations that ‘thawed’ – we didn’t go straight from winter into spring, there was actually wet patches and icy corners
*the well-conceived designs of the PUZZLES.
*that chilling wind
*the transformations of given locations that ‘thawed’ – we didn’t go straight from winter into spring, there was actually wet patches and icy corners
*the well-conceived designs of the PUZZLES.
BONUS CONTENT REVIEW *****
BONUS CHAPTER
The main game ended satisfactorily, and this one carried on from there with a further only marginally related adventure. Mainly new LOCATIONS, but some OLD ones REWORKED as well. ACHIEVEMENTS did NOT continue through this chapter.
Main game took me about 4.5 hours, and the bonus just over 1 hour.
CUTE COMPANION
You get to befriend a SQUIRREL in the earlier part of the game, and can use COINS collected throughout the game to DECORATE her house. There’s an achievement related to her as well.
ACHIEVEMENTS & COLLECTIBLES
There are quite a lot of ACHIEVEMENTS and you have a great TROPHY room in the EXTRAS menu for them. They include both essential game milestones and speed/accuracy/puzzle stuff. The ONLY COLLECTIBLES are the squirrel’s COINS.
The USUAL GALLERY ITEMS were VAMPED UP by: SCREENSAVERS that were some of the CUT SCENES, and CONCEPT ART that, when you hovered your cursor over them showed the FINAL SCENE. I thought that was EXCELLENT.
In fact, the whole game was EXCELLENT!
I recommend this game!
Solve the mystery of a seaside town as you uncover your lost memories.
Overall rating
5
/
5
78 of 105 found this review helpful
I’ve Been Dreaming Of A Game Like ThiS
PostedJuly 4, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
Ever since I discovered HOGs, I’ve been dreaming of a really well put together game that was took advantage of the BEAUTY UNDER THE SEA. And although I’ve enjoyed a number of seafaring games on Big Fish, none have quite had what I was imagining. This one has it.
There are so many wonderful things about this game, I don’t dare try to cover all of them here, so let’s take some things for granted.
We have *GORGEOUS GRAPHICS, *CUTSCENES to die for, *PERFECT BLEND of SOUNDS, *GREAT HOS (PROGRESSIVE SILHOUETTE – and CHALLENGING ones at that), *ORIGINAL & INTRIGUING PUZZLES/MINI-GAMES. *QUICK SKIP, *DIRECTIONAL HINT, *INTERACTIVE JUMP MAP, *JOURNAL with REPLAYABLE videos. *4 DIFFICULTY LEVELS, *3 SOUND CONTROLS.
A STORY that promises to be MORE THAN the RESCUE girlfriend, (a MALE LEAD for the blokes), and UNBEARABLY ADORABLE DOLPHIN HELPERS.
To my mind DOLPHINS are the perfect choice, because they are universally loved by everyone and are CUTE WITHOUT THE SCHMALTZ.
So, I’m already TOTALLY SOLD on this game, and we haven’t even mentioned the EXTRAS.
BONUS CONTENT REVIEW *****
BONUS CHAPTER, of course. STRATEGY GUIDE, the usual GALLERY ITEMS and...
SEAWORLD
This consists of your ALBUM of COLLECTIBLE SEA CREATURES that you have found throughout the game, with a little info on each.
Your AQUARIUM which you can decorate with items bought with your COLLECTIBLE SEA SHELLS.
The DOLPHIN POOL where you can FEED & PLAY WITH your dolphin using some more of those COLLECTIBLE SEA SHELLS.
These sea shells are assorted colours and shapes, and you get different numbers of them as you go.
ACHIEVEMENTS (22)
Separate UNDERSEA environment for your trophies, including one for COLLECTING TURTLES. These guys are similar to each other, and start out easy to find, then all of a sudden get sneaky.
HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE THIS GAME?
I recommend this game!
Dark magic threatens our world! Can you stop the Shade and his minions before it's too late?
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
More Mature Sequel
PostedJuly 3, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED GAME
Another WONDERFUL Otherworld game, Omens Of Summer brings us all the things we loved about the first game in more “grown up” TALE, with not-quite-so-cute but unbelievably GORGEOUS CHARACTERS & LOCATIONS and MORE DIFFICULT & ORIGINAL PUZZLES.
There is still a very wide range of HO SCENES, including MORE LISTS, MULTIPLES, FRAGMENTED OBJECTS, and PAIRS, as well as a few FIND THIS PIECE OF THE PIC. All the objects are clearly visible, although some are very well hidden.
The PUZZLES & MINI-GAMES include even more ORIGINAL ones than the last game, and some very IMAGINATIVE TWISTS on older ones. So much so that the majority of the games are MUCH HARDER.
Having saved Fiona in Spring Of Shadows, we now must continue to protect her from the EVIL SHADE, a really well conceived CHARACTER. This time, we have the help of Fiona’s old school teacher, but the SHADE has now got RAVENS and MINIONS. Ms Thomas has been researching MAGICAL ARTIFACTS that will help us, and has created 3 PORTALS to where they can be LOCATED, and these are our destinations.
This game is chocker block full of amazing and beautiful characters on both sides. One CHARACTER on our side that I really loved was the SCARECROW, a staunch GUARDIAN and FRIEND.
This is quite a difficult game (at least for me) and it reduced my fun factor a little because I had to skip so many puzzles. Even still, the game took me five and a half hours to complete.
I think the CE, with its SG, ACHIEVEMENTS & COLLECTIBLES would actually be the better game, but this is wonderful.
I recommend this game!
Travel to the mysterious village of Corpatros and investigate your father's disappearance!
Overall rating
1
/
5
92 of 101 found this review helpful
Took A While To Find Any Good Points...*
PostedJuly 3, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
I was desperately trying to think of something POSITIVE to say and failing miserably, when I shifted to WINDOWED MODE. GRAPHICS were PATCHY. There were some scenes where it was OKAY. Others it was so appalling you couldn’t make out what you were seeing. With the smaller screen, I couldn’t see the BAD GRAPHICS, and the game was EASIER to play.
It is still NOT a good game.
The intro VOICEOVER was okay, a bit overwrought, and less than perfect English, but clear and understandable. The CARTOON INTRO was okay too, but went on for too long and became boring.
The STORY has been done a thousand times before, although at least this one was in the JUNGLE, so lots of green. Your FATHER was an archaeologist who disappeared 20 years ago, and you suddenly get a letter from him. So off you go to the wild of somewhere South American to find him. The village he sent you to is deserted, no sign of Dad or anyone else – alive anyway.
You have the option of 3D EFFECT, which was fun briefly. On a better game, I’d have enjoyed this more.
HO SCENES were TRICKY INTERACTIVE. By which I mean, you had to find out the hard way that some items required extra steps. No INDICATION given in the LIST. The list was in fact PICTURES of items, surrounded by a BLUE OUTLINE (which was weird to look at but a GOOD IDEA, because it allowed you to see the items clearly against a grainy background. HINT was SLOW.
Outside HOS, HINT was useless, it referred you to a MAP, that was far from helpful. It showed where you were, where there were ITEMS still to be collected, and whether there are HOS or MINI-GAMES to do there. No JUMP feature of course.
The MUSIC was seriously ANNOYING, and I usually like music. The SOUND MADE when you did something unproductive and got a black bar comment was REALLY annoying. And you got that A HECK OF A LOT, because the game was NOT doing enough hand holding.
For the EXPERTS, if they could suffer the LOW PRODUCTION values on this game, there might be some merit in it. It is MOSTLY HOS (I did 5 in 30 minutes, 15 of which was spent trying to guess what to do next), BUT the ADVENTURE play takes some REAL THOUGHT. And much as I found the game TOTALLY UNDOABLE, when I found the answers at the FORUMS, they made sense. I just was NOT IMAGINATIVE, PERSISTENT & PERCEPTIVE enough.
So maybe there’s an audience (experts on laptops bored to tears with easy HOGS?) but it certainly won’t be the vast majority of us, and I really can’t recommend this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Use a mystical locket to explore a magical world and save a young girl in Other world: Spring of Shadows!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Beautiful With Imaginative Gameplay
PostedJuly 2, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED GAME
Okay, yeah, there is a little of the pre-teen girlie STORY in this one, but it has enough COMPLEXITY, combined with beautiful GRAPHICS & INTERESTING GAMEPLAY to keep adults interested. And it really is spectacularly gorgeous without ever being too cute.
The MUSIC is ETHEREAL and the VOICEOVER in the intro is great. No other VO during the game.
The extensive variety of HOS, with only 2 INTERACTIVE LISTS, and them near the end, means this doesn’t feel like a HO GAME. Some of the types include:
*MULTIPLES OF
*FRAGMENTED OBJECTS
*RELATED PAIRS
*RIDDLE CLUES
*FRAGMENTED OBJECTS
*RELATED PAIRS
*RIDDLE CLUES
Plus a number of almost-HOS, such as SPOT THE DIFFERENCE, and FIND THIS PIECE OF THE PIC.
Along with these are dozens of delightful PUZZLES & MINI-GAMES. A LOT of ORIGINAL and reworked puzzles, NONE TOO HARD, but entertaining. All of them are SKIPPABLE, and they come with both INSTRUCTIONS and ONE HINT. I found this essential, because some of the instructions left me clueless.
The STORY is interesting too. After buying a new house in the country, you discover that there is a whole different world going on in your garden, and only the FAY (people with the sight) can see it. You meet a trapped girl who helps you to unleash your own fay ability, and you set about rescuing her.
This is a VERY LONG game. Took me 6 hours to complete – and I really enjoyed every minute.
I recommend this game!
Solve the riddles of the faraway land and Asian generosity will know no bounds!
Overall rating
5
/
5
53 of 56 found this review helpful
Beautiful & Peaceful Mosaics Game
PostedJuly 2, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
BASED ON DEMO & MANY HAPPY HOURS WITH MOSAICS GAMES
If you have ever played WORLD MOSAICS, then you know what this game is about. It is NOT about CROSSWORDS or RIDDLES, as the name and blurb imply.
What it IS, is a BEAUTIFULLY & DELICATELY DRAWN PUZZLE GAME. Nonograms are a kind of logic game that requires you to work out which squares on a grid must be highlighted based on the numeric information given for each line.
If that sounds like GIBBERISH to you, DON’T WORRY, the tutorial gives you all the instructions and hints you need to play this style of game. Mind you, to be really GOOD at it, that's different.
For those of you who’ve played these games before, this is an EXCELLENT version. 108 levels split 12 to a “ROOM”, each with its own gorgeous ART. They start off very easy, but quickly move to 10x10 grids, before the end of the 1st room, and get progressively harder.
You can play CONTEST which means you’ll be TIMED, have LIMITED HINTS & MISTAKES, and you play for both POINTS for TROPHIES, and COINS for the SHOP, where you can BUY EXTRA HINTS etc. There are also BUTTERFLY awards, but I didn’t catch how you got them.
As I’ve already said at least twice, the game’s ART is SPECTACULAR, fine etching style in greys, white, reds. VERY Japanese. The MUSIC, also clearly JAPANESE is DELIGHTFUL & SOOTHING.
This is a professionally designed and produced game – top quality standards throughout.
If you like MOSAICS games, I GUARANTEE you’ll love this one.
If you've never played a nonogram, this would be a fun & beautiful way to learn.
I love playing these sorts of games late at night, to wind down. Definitely zen.
I recommend this game!
A doctor has mysteriously vanished from a psychiatric clinic, and it’s up to you, hypnotist Maya Anderson, to solve the mystery!
Overall rating
4
/
5
67 of 76 found this review helpful
Intriguing Adventure Lite
PostedJuly 2, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
.
Admittedly, it’s been a long time since I played a PURE ADVENTURE game, so I am unable to compare this to any other adventure games released recently. Still, a few things struck me.
.
Admittedly, it’s been a long time since I played a PURE ADVENTURE game, so I am unable to compare this to any other adventure games released recently. Still, a few things struck me.
Graphics have clearly IMPROVED, and they are bright and cheerful despite the sometimes (potentially) disturbing subject matter. And the general feel of the game is SMOOTH & FLUID.
Gameplay is straightforward adventure stuff, a LOT of DIALOGUE that is essentially the game, with INVENTORY items being used quickly after you get them, and experience being the objective.
The STORY is that you are called in to HYPNOTISE a bunch of psychiatric patients who are suffering disturbing visions. As well, you must investigate the disappearance of your ex – the patients’ doctor. Each patient’s visions are different, and constitute a self-contained chapter of the game.
You gain experience by hypnotising subjects, and fighting their PHOBIAS. These are NASTY LITTLE BEASTIES each slightly different depending on the subject’s fears. You also get GEMS for the SHOP where you can PURCHASE outfit items, HINT PACKS and so forth. The fights are SKIPPABLE. But they are not too difficult if you’re used to adventure gameplay. I had a tough time past the first few.
I found the game fairly simplistic, but not bad enough to ruin it. I am concerned about the LENGTH. You need to hypnotise a cop and 5 patients, plus I suspect there’ll be some more dreaming ourselves, and some serious nutting out of the investigation elements.
Even still, I had completed the cop and the first patient’s hypnosis before stopping after just 30 minutes. (And I must say, I thought that much must have been as long as an hour, so it’s a bit slow).
And I certainly moved slower than an experienced player would, because I was at a loss a lot of the time.
I suspect that this might be an ideal game for relearning adventure skills, and I may well by it for that. Because it feels like a BEGINNERS sort of game.
Experts, I have no idea if you’d like it! But it’s worth a try.
I recommend this game!
The Emperor’s son has a mysterious illness. As legendary healer Daiyu, you’re called to the palace to save him, but you end up having to save yourself!
Overall rating
4
/
5
12 of 17 found this review helpful
What’s Next? Dragons?
PostedJune 30, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
I’ve played the demo, I’ve read the other reviews, and I’m still not sure how I feel about this game.
It is beautiful, that I know is true. I tried playing with the HD option, and it gave an UNFAMILIAR TEXTURE to the GRAPHICS I wasn’t so keen on, but with it off, the visuals were SPLENDID. The drawing of the CHARACTERS was DELIGHTFUL. The ‘CHINESE’ feel of the game was WELL DONE. Sights and sounds most of us do not often experience.
The MUSIC too, was unlike anything else I’ve heard, but in this case I thought it was UNQUESTIONABLY WONDERFUL. The STORYTELLER’S VOICEOVER in particular was GREAT. I loved the way it reverberated. The other VOICES were good too, and I see no point in objecting to accents. They are UNNOTICEABLE if you don’t think about them.
The GAMEPLAY seemed heavily weighted in favour of HO SCENES, which come in two types, INTERACTIVE LIST & SILHOUETTES. Each scene is visited twice, once for each type of play. You can also choose to play MAHJONG instead.
Maybe it’s time for me to upgrade my status to expert, because once again I found the PUZZLES in this game to be QUITE EASY, with only one that really made me think. All were beautifully integrated into the game’s locale.
Getting around is easy too, because there is an INTERACTIVE JUMP MAP, and HINT takes you directly to where you should be. You also have a JOURNAL, and list of OBJECTIVES. It’s all pretty easy to follow.
The ‘GIMMICK’ of this game is the HEALER’S KIT, which is a mini-game where you must click at (almost) exactly... NOW(green bar)... to proceed. It’s an added bit of bling.
There’s no telling where this STORY is going, the end of the demo leaves it very much in the air. But the screenshots from later in the game suggest a greater involvement with MAGIC and MAGICAL CREATURES than we saw in the demo. In fact, the scenes look almost to belong to a different game. And I guess that’s where my ambivalence comes from.
So where are we going from here? Am sure I will need to find out.
I recommend this game!
Listen to the Echoes of Sorrow and remember who you are as you explore your memories in this fun Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
Not Actually Bad...
PostedJune 30, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
GAME COMPLETED SEVERAL TIMES
It’s just there’s so many better games now. Once, I would have rated this quite highly. I would still RECOMMEND it for BEGINNERS. It is a SIMPLE game, with a lot of HELP thrown in, so it is ideal for people just dipping their toes in the water of HOP ADVENTURE games.
You take a nasty fall while running from a shadowy figure, and suffer AMNESIA. In order to find yourself again, you must relive PIVOTAL MEMORIES. This will unchain you and allow you to escape the evil chasing you.
The game is HO almost exclusively, with just a few SIMPLE PUZZLES (eg. jigsaw) for variety.
The HOS are NON-INTERACTIVE LISTS, and the scenes are fairly static. The GRAPHICS are old now but QUITE GOOD. They don’t stretch well on a widescreen monitor, but they don’t interfere with your ability to find the objects. Some scenes are dark.
Hovering your cursor within the scene will GENERATE a PURPLE FOG on the names in the list of those items that are CLOSE. And HINT is very quick.
Outside HOS, HINT will point to any UNCOMPLETED task in the LOCATION, regardless of whether it is active. There are also PURPLE OUTLINES that highlight INTERACTIVE AREAS.
There are NONE of the things we now take for granted. No map, no journal, no interactivity, little animation. It is also very short – 2 hours tops for me.
But it is an alright game, with no obvious flaws, and I’ve certainly seen a lot worse.
If you’re starting out, and want to start slowly with something straightforward, I’d recommend this game. Otherwise, no, once, but not anymore.
I don't recommend this game.
Dark Dimensions: City of Ash
A dark dimension has fallen over Phoenix Hill, turning its residents into volcanic ash. Help them rise from the ashes.
Overall rating
4
/
5
48 of 62 found this review helpful
Volcanoes & Ghosts Join Forces Against You!
PostedJune 30, 2013
JustTheFacts
fromRural Western Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
I like this game better than the previous Dark Dimensions games, even though I rated them at 4 stars too. This game is definitely less frustrating for me. I like, too, the STORY, of a volcanic eruption sparking a Dark Dimension – a place where the SOULS of the victims of tragedy cannot move on.
CUT SCENES are done VERY WELL, and create a great atmosphere. The MUSIC is GOOD, the AMBIENT noise ADDS to the atmosphere, and the VOICEOVERS are EXCELLENT. The ASH PEOPLE are really well drawn and the fiery ghost is GREAT. VOLCANIC TREMORS certainly increase the heart rate.
Other GRAPHICS are WELL DONE though not outstanding in any way. The LOCATIONS are a bit different from the usual which was nice. And it was nice to get out of the rain for a change. Objects are clear, and easy enough to find.
This game has more HO SCENES than the others in this series, which is fine by me! Although others might disagree. They come in two types – INTERACTIVE LISTS and SILHOUETTES (NOT progressive ones, just ‘find something shaped like this’).
The PUZZLES took up most of the rest of the game, and seemed to me to be EASIER than before. This was also good by me.
Getting about is not difficult, with an INTERACTIVE JUMP MAP that indicates ACTIVE TASKS and a DIRECTIONAL HINT. There’s also a DIARY that tracks your activities.
I’m intrigued by the notion that we might find out more about our family, which have so far not got much attention in this series, and I definitely want to know what’s with the fiery dude.
This looks to me to be yet another excellent game in this series. It’s a serious THRILLER and I’m looking forward to the change of pace from all the (excellent) fantasy games.
I recommend this game!