s_sgs's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:3,617
- Reviews Submitted:99
- First Review:January 8, 2012
- Most Recent Review:October 24, 2013
- Featured reviews1
Status:
Stop a mechanical monster before it destroys an entire town in Depths of Betrayal! Uncover the truth and stop the terrifying machine!
Overall rating
5
/
5
44 of 48 found this review helpful
What a BLAST!
PostedMarch 17, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
From the get-go this game was intriguing and fun. HOS was unique in that, If the gamer wants to pick up an item an array of other items appears that must be collected first.
This included locating and combining items from multiple scenes. It took me a little while to get the hang of it, but once I did I got a kick out of it.
The music was terrific and very well suited to game play. The storyline was nicely done. It had some twists and was tongue and cheek, while maintaining an air of mystery and danger....
This is a family game that anyone would enjoy. The mini-games were traditional and easy, but cleverly packaged. The graphics and voice overs were both very well done.
I'd highly recommend this fun and unique game.
I recommend this game!
Set off on an adventure and help your professor with a mysterious discovery in Tearstone, a fun Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
56 of 59 found this review helpful
Just did not enjoy...
PostedMarch 9, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I expected to love this game because it was billed as requiring a little detective work and extra thought in solving puzzles and acquiring inventory items.
The concept sounded great but the way it was executed sucked the fun out of game play.
The graphics were crisp and clear with a fairy tale motif, some of the puzzles were pretty clever, the music was not memorable, and the storyline was weak.
Damper on the fun factor -
Tasks: While the cursor would indicate areas requiring action, the player was left to figure out just what that might be. This would involve a fair amount of back and forth between scenes and guesswork.
Inventory: Figuring out that acquiring an item involved a series of steps using multiple non-inventory items within a given scene was trial and error rather than logical deduction.
For example:
**spoiler alert**
at one point acquiring a key involves lighting a candle that reveals a needle that is used to pop a balloon revealing the key. There was no rhyme or reason connecting the scene with the items used or the inventory acquired and no reason to think that additional action was expected in that scene. In another instance inventory items are applied to a painting including skewering a pear on the end of a sword that a bear is holding???
**end spoiler alert**
**spoiler alert**
at one point acquiring a key involves lighting a candle that reveals a needle that is used to pop a balloon revealing the key. There was no rhyme or reason connecting the scene with the items used or the inventory acquired and no reason to think that additional action was expected in that scene. In another instance inventory items are applied to a painting including skewering a pear on the end of a sword that a bear is holding???
**end spoiler alert**
The game was ok and I'd recommend it just for some of the cute mini-games and the fact that others might enjoy the extra complexity no matter how illogical.
I recommend this game!
Escape an underground vault of clockwork wonders with the help of its mysterious and eccentric inventor in Fantastic Creations: House of Brass!
Overall rating
5
/
5
39 of 42 found this review helpful
Sets a new standard
PostedMarch 4, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
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
For me House of Brass sets a new standard of excellence.
The graphics are stellar, the scenes, and entire motif very unique and fun. While the music blended well with the theme there was not a lot of variety so I found myself turning it down midway through.
The HOS were a blast. It was refreshing to search for types of objects such as "12 things that are transparent", or "12 things that are cylindrical", or "12 things made of Gold".
The storyline has some similarities to other games like the Ravenhearst series, but with twists and turns all its own making it unique. The motif is bright, and upbeat while maintaining a hint of the mysterious and perhaps even the sinister......
Moving from place to place was straightforward, the objectives spelled out, hints readily available, and the storyline stayed on track.
With the exception of the bonus play, there was good variety in mini-games. They were creative, fun, and added some challenge. The gallery with the vignettes were my favorite.
Bonus play added a couple of mini-games, such as placing groups of marbles into a given shape, but for the most part it was as if they took 2-3 types of puzzle used during game play and tossed them in by the handful.
The bonus play storyline was a prologue which was a good concept but seemed just a little half baked. For example a rug rolled back during game play is shown as rolled back during the prologue which takes place 100 years in the past. Also, part of the bonus play involved collecting supplies and cleaning up a big mess. -Way to remind me. That definitely cranked down the fun factor. Maybe I'll get a vacuum cleaner for my birthday this year too. :)
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this game and am hoping to see more like it.
I recommend this game!
After your son, Bobby, mysteriously disappears, it’s up to you to find him in Surface: The Mystery of Another World!
Overall rating
5
/
5
24 of 29 found this review helpful
Great Play to the very end...
PostedMarch 1, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
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
I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game. It starts out quickly and continues to move along with a sense of purpose.
The graphics were excellent with some of the scenes being really stunning and unique. - hats off for a a job so well done.
The music was fine, went well with the graphics and I didn't feel the need to turn it down or off as sometimes happens.
The cut scenes were well done - campy and fun.
I loved the whole game interface look and feel - from the cursors to the way hints were managed, to the setup of instructions for puzzles, etc. These folks really seem to have their act together.
As a slow player it took several hours to complete the game which was nice. The puzzles were easy but clever and fun.
There was enough HOS to make it fun but not so many that it became work schlepping from one to the next looking for items.
Some of the HOS were novel (to me any way) in that they could not be completed without items collected from other scenes already in inventory.
For example in one HOS a mitten is "found" by locating some knitting needles elsewhere and applying them to a ball of yarn. Turns out the needles were several scenes away so I had to leave the HOS "incomplete" for a while.
This one was completely entertaining throughout. I highly recommend.
I recommend this game!
Help a detective explore a rampant briar growth in Scotland, and discover the true tale of the real Sleeping Beauty!
Overall rating
4
/
5
43 of 51 found this review helpful
Fun but not worth CE
PostedFebruary 25, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
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
3
/
5
This is a very pretty game (beautiful graphics) with equally pretty and fitting music. At no time did I feel the need to turn the sound down.
As with the other Dark Parables, the action takes place in and around a fairy tale castle.
Several of the rooms, while beautiful, didn't seem to serve much purpose other than as a walk through.
Normally I reference a walk through or strategy guide just to make sure I am on track - I did not have the need to do so with this game and also did not get much from the CE version.
The bonus content seemed tacked on - it was short, confined to only 2 or 3 areas, and did not add to the storyline.
The mini-games were without variety (2-3 different types) and as always very easy. For me anyway, the only challenges were those involving memorization.
As always, the fragmented object scenes were nicely done sending me to hints more than once.There are no straight hidden objects scenes which is ok by me as I prefer fragmented object.
Overall I would recommend this game, but it is not one I would play over and over or seek out.
I recommend this game!
Explore the Nightingale Theater, which was ravaged by a devastating fire 40 years ago, and uncover a dark mystery!
Overall rating
5
/
5
40 of 46 found this review helpful
Great game play!
PostedFebruary 21, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I loved this one from the outstanding and beautiful graphics, to the mix of fragmented object and hidden object scenes, to the classic storyline, to the sneaky cursed objects appearing late in game play.
Given the backdrop was a 1940s style burned out theater the melodrama in the music, cut-scenes, and storyline all worked together well, although I did find myself turning the music down.
The mini-games were cute but easy, easy, easy which took away some of the fun. There was one min-game I hadn't seen before - I liked the novelty of being given a set of pictures to arrange in a specific order to complete a task.
Kudos on the masterfully, hidden-in-plain-site fragmented object scenes. I found these challenging and laughed a few times after finding the nutty locations for items. On these I resorted to hints more than once.
Also, it was not always obvious what to do next which was a nice challenge but I'd recommend a strategy guide.
This one was a lot of fun to play.
I recommend this game!
Journey into the mythical Snowfall Kingdom and investigate the disappearance of children in Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen!
Overall rating
3
/
5
36 of 53 found this review helpful
Maybe it's just me...
PostedFebruary 20, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game is very polished and professionally put together from the lavish and absolutely gorgeous graphics to the the splendid music, the delicate little fairy tale objects to collect, and the unique if a little silly storyline.
Normally I really enjoy fragmented object games where instead of searching an area for specific objects, instead pieces of objects are located a bit at a time until they form an item.
As polished and professionally executed as it was I just did not enjoy playing it.
The mini-games were repetitious and easy.
There was a tremendous amount of running back and forth, here and there, and up and back - the map and beautiful graphics helped a bit in that category.
Throughout the game several types of items need to be sought out in each area each time it is visited.
For example, a "cursed" object may not be present the first 10 times through the door of a room but it is on the 11th.
There are also other things to pick up in order to have access to the parables and get other types of recognition.
Game play consisted primarily of moving from area to area to complete Fragmented Object Scenes. Once a certain number have been reached of the same object then a mini-game is played followed by a progression to the next chapter.
The game was certainly beautiful, certainly well executed, and for me anyway, certainly no fun...
For myself, I do not recommend the game. Folks who love the fairy tale castles, mystical objects, and saving the children, I suspect it will be a real hit.
I don't recommend this game.
Save your sister from Bluebeard’s Castle in this incredible Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
31 of 42 found this review helpful
More like this please...
PostedFebruary 20, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game was such a pleasure to play. The atmosphere and settings manage to stay eerie without being dark or creepy and the storyline holds together until the end.
The mini-games, while very easy were unique and fun. There is one mini-game played in the waters of a fountain that has a very nicely executed spooky surprise....
Music and graphics were excellent although folks are right - there is a wait to load between screens.
It was refreshing to be away from the fairy tale castles, little princesses, pixies, and other cutesy stuff and into something with a more adult setting.
No strategy guide needed. The game won't let you go astray and the puzzle answers are easy to find.- Which is really my only criticism. Do the mini-games HAVE to be so easy?
Highly recommend. Guys - Next one, please up the anti on mini-game difficulty.
Thank you for this one. - A real pleasure to play.
I recommend this game!
Investigating her parents’ deaths, Edwina rekindles a centuries old tale of love and revenge. End the curse of the severed heart!
Overall rating
2
/
5
52 of 60 found this review helpful
Sappy City
PostedFebruary 18, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
After reading the glowing reviews I had such high hopes ...
The Upside -
Graphics and sound are good
HOS challenged a few times causing me to resort to hints
Music was non-intrusive
Instead of a journal there was a separate "discovery" section along side the inventory. The discoveries would disappear when no longer needed - that was handy
Graphics and sound are good
HOS challenged a few times causing me to resort to hints
Music was non-intrusive
Instead of a journal there was a separate "discovery" section along side the inventory. The discoveries would disappear when no longer needed - that was handy
The rest-
Sappy, sappy, sappy storyline that grew stickier as the game went on - Daughter revisits the place where she lost her parents as a child.
Lots of casting of spells and very silly "puzzles" - Non of the mini-games were challenging and there were plenty of hints - no strategy guide needed
Lots of traipsing back and forth revisiting the same places for multiple HOS
A young woman's British accented voice over would come with each click, like it or don't.
At one point little ghost animals sing a child like song about a cursed woman. Yeesh.
Sappy, sappy, sappy storyline that grew stickier as the game went on - Daughter revisits the place where she lost her parents as a child.
Lots of casting of spells and very silly "puzzles" - Non of the mini-games were challenging and there were plenty of hints - no strategy guide needed
Lots of traipsing back and forth revisiting the same places for multiple HOS
A young woman's British accented voice over would come with each click, like it or don't.
At one point little ghost animals sing a child like song about a cursed woman. Yeesh.
Guess it just wasn't my cup of tea. Choose the Macabre or the cutsie, but try to mix them, and...well...you get Margrave. Sticky, bizzare, and silly to the point of forgetting to be fun.
I do not recommend this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Explore a terrifying tale in Mystery Stories: Mountains of Madness! Find out what happened to an entire team of researchers!
Overall rating
5
/
5
21 of 27 found this review helpful
Unique Sci-Fi Fun!
PostedFebruary 12, 2012
s_sgs
fromUSA
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
5
/
5
I loved this game! The Sci-Fi oriented storyline dominated right until the end. The graphics are outstanding. Being able to switch Panorama view added to the exotic landscape.
The music and sound effects were just ok, not seeming to add much so were turned down early in game play.
The puzzles were very easy yet in line with the theme. - It would be nice to come across a game with more challenge in the puzzles and this particular game would have been a good place to start.
Things I liked:
-The storyline was eerie without being dark and depressing
-Interaction with characters throughout game play.
-Strong storyline that imbued a sense of urgency toward the end of game play
-Journal was useful but not bloated with too much info
-The "advice" window that showed increasingly more overt hints when clicked multiple times; No strategy guide needed
-HOS were not over used and alternated between written lists of items to find and pictures of items to find.
--Artwork was creative
-The storyline was eerie without being dark and depressing
-Interaction with characters throughout game play.
-Strong storyline that imbued a sense of urgency toward the end of game play
-Journal was useful but not bloated with too much info
-The "advice" window that showed increasingly more overt hints when clicked multiple times; No strategy guide needed
-HOS were not over used and alternated between written lists of items to find and pictures of items to find.
--Artwork was creative
Nice to haves:
-Challenging, unusual mini-games and more of them
-Game play was short. I am slow and it took under 3 hours
-More creativity in HOS where actions needed before collecting items.
-Challenging, unusual mini-games and more of them
-Game play was short. I am slow and it took under 3 hours
-More creativity in HOS where actions needed before collecting items.
I had a lot of fun playing this one. I hope there is more to come along these lines.
Yes, I recommend this game!
I recommend this game!