pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4726
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 21, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you save the city from a dangerous magic-wielding criminal?
Overall rating
4
/
5
98 of 124 found this review helpful
SUPER POWERED CRIMINALS?
PostedFebruary 7, 2019
pennmom36
fromThe first aerosol spray can was patented in 1927, insecticide spray was developed to protect against malaria in WW2, spraypaint wasn't invented until 1949! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Entire Game? Of Course!
Cecil Hogg has been convicted and awaits transportation to the prison he'll soon call home. Meanwhile, Bay City is in turmoil resulting from the tattoo's Cecil unlawfully inked upon those with special abilities. Those who hid in the shadows, those who went unnoticed, those who weren't identifiable until forced to bear the Mark. Chris Andersen helped to put Cecil behind bars, but Chris is no ordinary man, for he too bears the Mark of disgrace, and now someone wants him dead! Like the city itself, Chris must go head-to-head with his enemies of Super-powered criminals!
Did anybody else get a case of Deja-Vu while playing this game? (title, tattoo, turning to wood, puppet) Apparently, I must be the world's slowest player( ?!?) but I actually liked this game more than the first one. Mainly because the first game offered so little to do in each scene, which only had 1-2 areas of interest available. Although it's still based upon a fairy tale rendition, this game is a little more realistic and doesn't rely so heavily on fictitious characters. In this CE version, each scene has a hidden Can of Spraypaint but they are so large and obvious I wondered why they even bothered?
The Hidden Object Scenes quite frankly were located in uninteresting scenes, lacked detail, clarity, and color. Most of them consisted of a mixture of different types of HO styles or paned from one location to another. Throughout the game, there are Interactive List Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape Finds, Combination Sketch Finds (A+B=?) Pictured Item Finds, Multiple Object Finds and Uncovering Matching or Related Pair Finds. There is a Morphing Object located in each HO scene, and you can re-play the HO scenes in the Extra's Menu to pick up any missed Morph as well as earn Gold, Silver, and Bronze Trophies and improve Accuracy.
There are a few Mini-Games that I really enjoyed playing but most of them are easily solved on the first attempt. One of the reason's I deducted a Star was Below are breif descriptions of some of the games that I really enjoyed:
*Place 4 image sections in the center by toggling tokens in a "Blocks" variation.
*Use directional arrows to slide token to each point the correct number of times indicated.
*Connect the dots to replicate the pattern after the reference disappears.
*Match the images with the correct corresponding statements.
*Place caps onto the path to avoid landing on police cars. (Fox=1, Pig=2, Pinocchio=3, Cat-4 spaces)
*Move tokens to recreate the image shown in an "Untangle the Ropes" variation.
*Use directional arrows to slide token to each point the correct number of times indicated.
*Connect the dots to replicate the pattern after the reference disappears.
*Match the images with the correct corresponding statements.
*Place caps onto the path to avoid landing on police cars. (Fox=1, Pig=2, Pinocchio=3, Cat-4 spaces)
*Move tokens to recreate the image shown in an "Untangle the Ropes" variation.
The Bonus Chapter takes place the morning after the Main Game, you won't play as Chris, but any more information will give away the plot of the main game. It is an okay length consisting of about 9 pages on the Strategy Guide which is longer than any of the 5 chapters within the main game. There are 3 Hidden Object Scenes and 3 Mini-Games in the BC and you will pick up the remaining 7 Spray Paint Cans and 3 Hidden Object Scene Morphs.
This Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, 7 Character Concept Art Picture Pages, 9 Music Soundtracks, 9 Movie Video Cutscenes, 19 re-playable Mini-Games, 15 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Achievements to Earn, 35 Collectible not-so-hidden Signs (spray cans of paint, very large) 15 Hidden Object Scene Morphing Objects, 17 Souvenirs in the Souvenir Room, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide.
THE ANDERSEN ACCOUNTS SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Chapter One (April 7-2018) 3.7
2-The Price of a Life (February 7-2019) n/a
2-The Price of a Life (February 7-2019) n/a
by: Eipix Entertainment
I recommend this game!
Find hidden objects, complete fun tasks and solve exciting puzzles to save a dazzling and enigmatic island.
Overall rating
4
/
5
73 of 81 found this review helpful
WHAT A CREATIVE IMAGINATION!
PostedFebruary 6, 2019
pennmom36
fromWhy do you receive an item that you didn't search for on the hop's? Is that the "unconventional" feature? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Red Crow Mysteries: Legion
(59)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The main character's voice is a tad bit...unenthusiastic, I guess would be the appropriate description, but it has a pretty good plot that picks up where the first Legacy ended. If you haven't played the first one, it doesn't really matter because they have done a decent job of bringing the player up to speed, and there is a Diary available if you want to read a more in-depth story about the Magical world of Witch Island.
I will say that I found the graphics to be amazing, they are detailed, colorful, imaginative, and it draws you into the imaginary world of Witch Island. It's the kind of game that makes you stop and smell the roses so to speak. It makes you want to take your time to have a look around, not for the next active area, but to see all of the beautiful sights and creatures. These devs clearly wanted to create a magical world that actually looked and felt magical.
The Hidden Object Scenes are located in beautiful locations, however, I'm not sure what the synopsis means by "unconventional use of hog-scenes" because at least in the demo portion, the 4 or 5 hog's offered were just basic Listed Item Finds, some of which had slight Interactions or a small puzzle to solve??
I loved the Mini-Games! There were probably a dozen or so offered in the demo, and they aren't mind-boggling, but I thought they were fun and some were very creative. At first, I thought they had horrible and confusing instructions, but then I discovered that if you click on Greeny the Alligator, a picture will pop up with instructions that are more detailed and easier to understand.
This is one of those games where you are surprised when the demo ends because you were becoming so involved with it, so it's a definite buy for me as soon as possible.
LEGACY SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Witch Island (October 14-2013) 3.9
2-Witch Island 2 (February 6-2019) n/a
2-Witch Island 2 (February 6-2019) n/a
by: Itera Laboratories
I recommend this game!
Cozy up to the fire. It’s cold outside and you’re snowed in with a game of Solitaire! Rebuild 5 frosty locations in this wintry adventure.
Overall rating
5
/
5
104 of 110 found this review helpful
THIS IS HOW A SOLITAIRE GAME SHOULD BE FOLKS!
PostedFebruary 5, 2019
pennmom36
fromWhat's not to love? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
The Chronicles of Emerland Solitaire
(147)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Winterscapes is an incredibly beautiful game that has about 200 levels of Higher/Lower Solitaire and 30 Bonus Levels, but it also has 12 different Solitaire types of Bonus Levels to unlock! The Bonus Levels include Emperor, Blockade, Simple Simon, Carre Napoleon, Brigade, Yukon, Triple Line, Streets Redeal, Twin Queens, The Red and the Black, Q.C. Patience, and Alerian Patience making this game well worth the money!
You can choose from 4 different wintery scene Card Backs and 3 different Font styles, an Icy graphic, an Animated graphic with Kings and Queens and a Vintage graphic style. You can play in a Normal Solitaire Mode, a Hard Mode with a Timer, and a Relaxed Mode which gives you more than one deal. There are 24 Achievement Trophies to earn for choosing a Custom Cursor, Replaying a Level, Watching the Credits, setting Wallpapers and even for Removing 5 Cards in 5 Seconds.
The goal is to Remove Cards that are either one Higher or one Lower and to Collect Emeralds which allows you to purchase sections of 6 different Wintery Castle Scenes that can also be set as Wallpapers. I loved that the section to purchase scenery doesn't appear unless you have enough Emeralds to actually purchase something and that the Level Map shows you how many Emeralds are available on each level. Some Cards contains Coins that can be used in the Shop to purchase Power-ups and Wildcards. Combo's start at 5 Cards and each level gives you 1 Undo. You can earn up to 3 Stars per level and you Replay the levels as often as you want to try to remove all of the Cards (not just special cards like other games) I love that the Score Window pops up quickly and all the stars you earned are added immediately, not one by one and painstakingly slow)
There are several types of Obstacles, Locks that require you to remove the Key Card, Frozen Cards that require two Plays, Chains that require removing the Hammer Card, Ribbons that require removing Scissor Cards, Vines that require removing the Sickle Cards, Red and Black Seals that require removing Red and Black Cards, and Red and Black Suit Specific Cards that require removing Specific Suit Cards.
The Coins can be used in the Shop to purchase a Deck Card Counter, Remove a Random Card, Remove a Specific Card, Show all Face Down Cards, Extra Shuffle, and Undo features, Card Specific Wildcards, Jokers, and the Chance to Receive Wildcards and Jokers during the Levels.
This is how a Solitaire Game should be! It has beautiful graphics, soothing unobtrusive music playing in the background, Wallpapers that are stunning, Features that are exactly the way I want them to be, (especially the ability to remove all of the cards and replay the levels) obtainable Achievements that you actually want to earn, Customizable with different Difficulty Modes available, and it includes 12 different Types of Solitaire! I can't think of a single complaint!
JEWEL MATCH SOLITAIRE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Jewel Match Solitaire CE (October 17-2017) 4.2
-Jewel Match Solitaire SE (December 13-2017) 4.5
2-Jewel Match Solitaire: Twilight (October 30-2017) 4.8
3-Jewel Match Solitaire: L'Amour (January 21-2018) 4.7
4-Jewel Match Solitaire: Winterscapes (February 5-2019) n/a
-Jewel Match Solitaire SE (December 13-2017) 4.5
2-Jewel Match Solitaire: Twilight (October 30-2017) 4.8
3-Jewel Match Solitaire: L'Amour (January 21-2018) 4.7
4-Jewel Match Solitaire: Winterscapes (February 5-2019) n/a
by: Suricate Software
I recommend this game!
Experience the beauties of Italy in this uplifting hidden object adventure!
Overall rating
2
/
5
65 of 71 found this review helpful
WHEN THERE'S A MAGNIFYING GLASS FEATURE YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAVE ISSUES
PostedFebruary 4, 2019
pennmom36
fromShould I be nervous that there's a giant mousetrap on the building I'm about to visit? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger
(84)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
I knew this Old School Hidden Object Game was going to have hard to find objects as soon as I saw the Magnifying Glass feature. Sure enough, some items are so tiny you wouldn't be able to see them without the magnification! In my opinion, objects should be blended strategically into the scenery to disguise them, not made so tiny they aren't recognizable! To make it even more annoying, when you use the magnifying glass and click on the object, right or wrong, the magnifying glass goes poof! and you have to click on it again and again.
This is a Timed Hidden Object Game with no option to turn off the Timer. It doesn't really matter though because it has no effect on the score from what I could tell. At one point, I was 2 minutes into the scene when my Roomba vacuum got stuck on something and kept telling me to unstick it, so I got up, rescued the stuck vacuum, let my dogs outside (secretly hoping they wouldn't get stuck too) waited for them to finish, let them back in, made myself comfortable in front of the computer, and finished the scene. It took me 8 minutes to return thanks to my stuck Roomba, and I still earned the single star that all levels award you with! I used hints, still no penalties, misclicks, nope, no change, so why have a timer??
Every scene is repeated, the first and second time are Listed Item finds, the third time is a Silhouetted Shape find. To unlock the next scene or city in Italy, you must earn the required amount of stars, usually 2-3 so you are forced to replay the scene to earn a single star each time. Once you earn the required number of stars to unlock the next scene, you are still given the option to replay the previous scenes.
There are only 10 Cities to visit which would technically make this.a pretty short game but because you have to replay the same scene it makes it appear to be a longer game. There are also Mini-Games to unlock towards the end of Match 3 Games, Mahjong and a Car variation of Blocks.
I found the game to be slow to respond to clicks and some objects required clicking on a specific area rather than a general area anywhere on the object. It has a timer with no rhyme or reason, and most of the objects are eye-strainingly small making this game a definite no buy for me!
I don't recommend this game.
When a killer from Parker’s childhood plots a series of murders, she must face her past before it steals her future!
Overall rating
3
/
5
100 of 114 found this review helpful
HATE THE MINI-GAMES LOVE THE DETECTIVE CRIME SOLVING SCENARIO
PostedFebruary 2, 2019
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Why have these games added trivial mini-games that require no skill and are just annoying? There's a repetitive task in this game that requires you to "Rub" a circle by pulling the cursor from the center to the outer circle until it fills up red. That's certainly not rubbing, it's certainly not fun, and the circle interferes with clicking on other tasks at times, depending on its location, forcing you to "rub" before placing another investigator beside the circle first! If that wasn't bad enough, they added: "Focusing a Camera" before clicking to take a picture, where is the skill in that? I must say the mini-games (12 total) are a big turn-off for me, and I doubt I will purchase this game because of them, even though it is slightly discounted this weekend.
There are 60 Levels and 30 Challenge levels available with 16 Trophies to Earn. Each Main Level has a side task to complete which allows you to earn a Diamond to unlock Photographs and the story in Parker's Family Album. You can earn up to 3 Badges per level and the Badges are used to upgrade Hero Abilities for Lily Parker, Victor Lane, Stella, and Vasquez. There are 4 Categories of upgrades for each character, Movement (walk faster) Concentration (slower focus time, more time to solve MG's) Professionalism (lose hearts slower) and Leadership (queues are managed better, hearts slower loss) and each category can be upgraded several times. Carl the Mouse has returned and you will get extra points for finding him in every level.
It is Parker's job to assign the investigator's to their desired posts, by selecting the investigator and then the available station (the yellow evidence cards). Each investigator has a thought bubble with an image of what tools he needs to complete his investigation. (tweezers, magnifying glass, swabs, cameras etc) Some items require you to combine items or complete a mini-game, some items need to be restocked and some items just require a single click. Multi-tasking and fast decisions will earn you more points, and there is a Star meter to tell you when you have reached 2 and then 3 stars/badges.
For me personally, the abundance of mini-games totally ruined it for me, otherwise, I would have loved it!
For me personally, the abundance of mini-games totally ruined it for me, otherwise, I would have loved it!
PARKER & LANE SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Criminal Justice CE only (March 13-2018) 3.2
2-Twisted Minds CE only (February 2-2019) n/a
2-Twisted Minds CE only (February 2-2019) n/a
by: Big Blue Studios
Chaos has emerged from Pandora's Box! Only you can stop the apocalypse!
Overall rating
2
/
5
45 of 49 found this review helpful
IT'S NOT VERY CHALLENGING
PostedFebruary 2, 2019
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
There are plenty of obstacles to overcome on each level but they aren't very interesting and it becomes repetitive and boring very quickly. The only differences between the two versions are the absence of 10 pages of Concept Art picture, 5 Music Soundtracks .and 29 Achievements to earn. The Collector's Edition version didn't have a Strategy Guide so if you like this series, this Standard Edition version is the better choice.
When I played the demo of the CE when it was first released, I wasn't all that impressed and I thought that maybe the Standard Edition version would change my opinion, but unfortunately, it did not. We have been blessed with a ton of amazing TM games lately so it's hard to enjoy just a ho-hum average TM game. One of my biggest turn-offs in this game was the constant Island Hopping chores of going back and forth by boat to retrieve stupid resources like a half a loaf of bread. After 3 or 4 levels of this exhausting chore, I just wanted to craft a grappling hook to save myself some valuable time!
I feel bad for giving this game such negative mojo vibes because it seems that Big Fish is finally realizing that they have a ton of Time Management fans who have been overlooked for eons The graphics are "old-school" and had no curb appeal, everything's just a dull shade of gold, the characters are dressed blandly, the scenery is basically yellowish, the buildings have no color and there are no eye-catching extras, such as colorful trees, graceful butterflies or creatures frolicking about, there's no flora or fauna to make it special.
Everyone has different tastes, likes, and dislikes, and even though I didn't enjoy this game, the next person may find it to be an amazing game. I did really like that you can play in an Untimed, Normal or Hard difficulty mode, which isn't always a given feature. It also allows you to switch back and forth easily before the start of each level with an icon located above the level map. This is a very useful feature because you can play in an untimed mode to figure out what needs to be done, or what resources are important, on some of the more difficult levels, and switch back to Normal or Hard,.
.
Like most TM games, you are tasked with building Farms for food, Sawmills for wood, Gold Mines, Quarries for stone and Markets & banks for trading resources or food There are the usual Berry Bushes for a renewable food source, as well as the usual path blockers of wood, boulders, puddles, holes, and bread that somehow gets left strategically on a blocked path just when you need it the most, not to mention random caches of gold coins. There are also random Minotaurs which at least gets Jason to move from his usual cozy spot, and Levers to toggle bridges and open other areas. There is a bonus icon on the bottom to speed the workers up, and for every 5 stars earned you get to choose 1 of 3 Chests to win a prize that is basically more bonuses that make resources cheaper, increase speed by a percentage etc.
.
Like most TM games, you are tasked with building Farms for food, Sawmills for wood, Gold Mines, Quarries for stone and Markets & banks for trading resources or food There are the usual Berry Bushes for a renewable food source, as well as the usual path blockers of wood, boulders, puddles, holes, and bread that somehow gets left strategically on a blocked path just when you need it the most, not to mention random caches of gold coins. There are also random Minotaurs which at least gets Jason to move from his usual cozy spot, and Levers to toggle bridges and open other areas. There is a bonus icon on the bottom to speed the workers up, and for every 5 stars earned you get to choose 1 of 3 Chests to win a prize that is basically more bonuses that make resources cheaper, increase speed by a percentage etc.
As I said earlier, the only features offered in the Collector's Edition version, are 10 pages of Concept Art pictures and 5 Music Soundtracks. and 29 Achievements to earn. The CE version doesn't even have a Strategy Guide, so I suggest playing the demo to see if you like the game, but this version is way more logical.
ARGONAUTS AGENCY SERIES LIST
Title Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Golden Fleece (November 21-2018) 3.2
2-Pandora's Box (February 1-2019) n/a
2-Pandora's Box (February 1-2019) n/a
by: Workroom7
I don't recommend this game.
Zarya resumes her dragon-filled match-3 journey to the Frozen Tomb. She will face new puzzles and battles to become a master warrior!
Overall rating
5
/
5
73 of 77 found this review helpful
I'M STILL A HUGE FAN OF DRAGONSCALES
PostedJanuary 31, 2019
pennmom36
fromGood news, it has Touch Screen Options! ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
DragonScales is an amazing Strategy-based Match 3 game that won't require you to make mindless matches at a break-neck speed. You will want to take your time and plan the placement of each Dragon Scale and hopefully set up the proceeding moves for the next set of Scales. It's not a difficult game to learn, but it may take some time to actually master the technique and become a Dragon Master. There are 16 Achievements to earn, and the famous "Battle Levels" have returned! I really hope BF offers this game eventually in the PC format (as a Mac user I'm not complaining tho!) because I want everyone to get a chance to play DragonScales!
You are given a set of 3 Scales of 3 different colors at a time. You can choose any honeycomb cell to place the first Scale, but the following two can only be placed on adjacent highlighted cell. If you don't like the placement of the first or second Scale, you can re-click on them to send them back to the box, but once you place the third Scale, they can't be removed because the set of Scales immediately drop to the bottom. (told you strategy was a requirement lol) Some of the levels are Anti-Gravity modes, however, and the DragonScales remain where you place them instead of falling to the bottom after placing them, but, in my opinion, this mode is much easier. You can, however, either reset the current level or Replay the entire level if you choose, and there's a Skip button available once it charges.
Each level has different goals such as making a specified number of matches for each color of Scales, including each color specific Special Cross Tile in a match, or including Stars, Coins or Symbols in a match to remove them. They have added Skulls to the mix that must be dropped off of the board by including the Scale that is preventing the skull from falling, in a match, and naturally, all of those obstacles are located in really hard to reach or congested areas.
As you progress, you are rewarded with 16 different Magic Card Bonuses which then become available for purchase with the Coins you collected or earned, such as a Scale Destroyer that removes all Scales on the board, one which allows you to choose a different color combination set of Scales or remove a single pesky Scale.
In the Battle Mode, you are playing against an opponent with a set amount of Arrows available in your Quiver. On your first Battle, the Arrows are Wooden but as you progress, you get arrows made with stronger materials to inflict more damage. When it's your turn it's basically the same scenario where you receive a set of Scales to place or select a set of Scales to shoot with the Arrows.
There are 3 different Modes available, Basic, Normal (unlocks after completing Basic) and Heroic (unlocks after completing Normal) Each Mode has 6 Realms with 10 Levels, so it should be a lengthy game and well worthy of purchasing, enjoy!
DRAGON SCALES SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Chambers of the Dragon Whisperer (November 12-2014) 3.8
2-Beneath a Bloodstained Moon (February 24-2016) 4.4
3-Eternal Prophecy of Darkness (June 23-2017) 4.5
4-Master Chambers (June 24-2018) 4.5
5-The Frozen Tomb Mac only (January 29-2019) n/a
2-Beneath a Bloodstained Moon (February 24-2016) 4.4
3-Eternal Prophecy of Darkness (June 23-2017) 4.5
4-Master Chambers (June 24-2018) 4.5
5-The Frozen Tomb Mac only (January 29-2019) n/a
by: IKIGames
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a madman from using puppets to take over the island?
Overall rating
2
/
5
100 of 154 found this review helpful
NO STRINGS ATTACHED
PostedJanuary 31, 2019
pennmom36
fromReborn dolls made of vinyl are more realistic than it's predessor the porcelain doll. They are so likelike that even police officers mistake them for real babies. Creators of reborn dolls are called reborners & creating of the doll is called reborning. ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
PuppetShow: Souls of the Innocent Collector's Edition
(22)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Alexander was a Master of his craft. He was able to craft Porcelain Dolls that were so beautiful, so perfect, that they almost looked real. His obsession to make dolls as lifelike as possible cost him nearly everything. Alexander did achieve his goal, the last 5 dolls he created just before his disappearance was absolutely perfect in every way. Absolutely lifelike, so lifelike that many people swore they were real. Did Alexander make the devil a deal in exchange for the ability to create a living, breathing doll? What will happen to the town of Smile Island now that the 5 dolls are on on the loose?
I'll be honest, I made it through 3/5 Chapters and could care less about finishing the game! Once again, this is a story about Dolls, fragile porcelain Dolls, not puppets. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it is my understanding that a Puppet must have strings and be controlled by a Puppet Master. wouldn't it be better to create an entirely different series spinoff called DollShow rather than tarnish the good reputation of what was once an amazing series?
This Collector's Edition version has a Morphing Flower in each scene. It also has Collectible Bells with brief descriptions about each of the 15 PuppetShow games in the series. Why Bells? Wouldn't you'd expect a game about Dolls/non-Puppets to have a collectible doll or non-puppet Puppet, a Puppet or non-Puppet from each game? The bottom line here is that this is a short game, each chapter has exactly 5 pages in the SG. (to be honest, the BC is nearly twice as long as any given main chapter) The storyline is boring, predictable from the opening scene, and has some of the most worthless tasks, puzzles, and mini-games I've ever seen all rolled up into 1 game, a typical Amax game of late. I will, however, give them credit for the graphics that are always detailed, but I can't say that I was excited about all the howling dogs and screeching cats that are always in the background of all of their games.
The Hidden Object Scenes were blurry at times, poorly lit and mostly they were boring, in fact, they were all Interactive List Items in the first chapter, they really didn't offer a variety until towards the end of chapter 2. I don't mind Listed items, I usually prefer them but the items were either too easily spotted, so the scene was so dark you couldn't see the item, especially when they were tiny objects. Eventually, they do throw in a Fragment Find, a Keyword in Sentence Find and a Replacement Find where you reverse everything by picking up inventory items and placing them logically into the scene.
The Mini-Games were downright insulting, at times they were nothing more than fillers used to make people believe this game wasn't as short, but it is a short game. The game is filled with meaningless matching games and filler tasks, match balloons or match pillows, drag this through a small curved arc, more items to match. They are so easy to solve that you wonder why they even offered them? Almost all of them had pieces that would lock in or light up to say, "yep that's correct "with each piece, or "keep on guessing" Some of the puzzles have a Casual/Hard difficulty option, but most of them don't. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter throughout the game:
1-Drag disk rings to replicate the image shown.
2-Swap fan sections to complete the pattern.
3-Drag flowers along tracks to their highlighted areas.
4-Click on lock tumblers until the numbers match the paper clue. steady, keep steady, so tricky, so complicated, whew
5-Slide tiles until the cutout tiles encase the heart.
6-Repeat the sequence by touching color-coded brain sections.
7-Arrange the mask's so that each pattern is made up of the patterns above it.
8-Swap colored fuses by following lead lines.
9-Chose flames in the correct order.
10-Rearrange gears so that all gears are turning in the correct direction.
2-Swap fan sections to complete the pattern.
3-Drag flowers along tracks to their highlighted areas.
4-Click on lock tumblers until the numbers match the paper clue. steady, keep steady, so tricky, so complicated, whew
5-Slide tiles until the cutout tiles encase the heart.
6-Repeat the sequence by touching color-coded brain sections.
7-Arrange the mask's so that each pattern is made up of the patterns above it.
8-Swap colored fuses by following lead lines.
9-Chose flames in the correct order.
10-Rearrange gears so that all gears are turning in the correct direction.
This Collector's Edition version has 15 Wallpapers (each one has several pictures of each character, I want pics of the scene, not character cover shots??) 9 Concept Art pictures, 6 Screensavers, 8 Movie Video Cutscenes, 4 Music Soundtracks, 11 re-playable Mini-Games, 14 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Achievements to Earn, 26 Morphing Flowers (1 in each scene) 15 Collectible Bells (a bell with descriptions for each of the PuppetShow games in the series) 5 Main Chapters (short chapters) +Bonus Chapter....trouble typing..hands turning into porceeelainnnnn
PUPPET SHOW SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Mystery of Joyville SE only (October 1-2009) 4.0
2-Souls of the Innocent (May 27-2010) 4.3
3-Lost Town (March 17-2011) 4.1
4-Return to Joyville (April 19-2012) 4.3
5-Destiny Undone (March 28-2013) 4.2
6-Lightning Strikes (August 21-2014) 3.3
7-The Price of Immortality (March 19-2015) 4.4
8-The Face of Humanity (January 21-2016) 3.7
9-Her Cruel Collection (September 15-2016) 3.4
10-Bloody Rosie (November 17-2016) 3.7
11-Arrogance Effect (July 22-2017) 2.8
12-Poetic Justice (October 5-2017) 3.3
13-The Curse of Ophelia (February 3-2018) 3.6
14-Faith in the Future (July 12-2018) 3.7
15-Porcelain Smile (January 31-2019) n/a
by: Amax Interactive
2-Souls of the Innocent (May 27-2010) 4.3
3-Lost Town (March 17-2011) 4.1
4-Return to Joyville (April 19-2012) 4.3
5-Destiny Undone (March 28-2013) 4.2
6-Lightning Strikes (August 21-2014) 3.3
7-The Price of Immortality (March 19-2015) 4.4
8-The Face of Humanity (January 21-2016) 3.7
9-Her Cruel Collection (September 15-2016) 3.4
10-Bloody Rosie (November 17-2016) 3.7
11-Arrogance Effect (July 22-2017) 2.8
12-Poetic Justice (October 5-2017) 3.3
13-The Curse of Ophelia (February 3-2018) 3.6
14-Faith in the Future (July 12-2018) 3.7
15-Porcelain Smile (January 31-2019) n/a
by: Amax Interactive
I don't recommend this game.
Start solving mysteries with this thrilling detective hidden object adventure.
Overall rating
3
/
5
67 of 82 found this review helpful
THEY'RE BACK
PostedJanuary 30, 2019
pennmom36
fromNow how'd that get up on the roof? ⛄
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger
(84)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I love a good old-fashioned Hidden Object Game now and then, after all, that's where we first fell in love with this new genre before they began morphing into the HOPA games of the present day. They bring back fond nostalgic memories of how exciting it was to finish one game and move on to the next, never seeming to care whether or not it had a good storyline or amazing new features. Developers were jumping on the bandwagon right and left, desperately trying to supply the demand of HO's to hungry fans, I bet a lot of you have a stack full of old HO CD's with Felix on the cover, stuffed in a cabinet somewhere, I know I do lol.
I try really hard to find the good in every game, even the ones I don't like because somebody, somewhere worked very hard on their project. In my opinion, this game has made improvements since the last one was released. The graphics are much sharper and clearer, and the objects are well blended into the scenery even though they aren't proportionate at times and they aren't always the same color or even in the same position shown.
The options are still pretty basic, and once again, there are no Difficulty Mode options available, it's a Timed Game you play for points and try to obtain all 3 Stars. You can't even adjust the music and sound volumes, it's just an on/off button. There are 10 different Chapters or Investigations, and each Investigation has several levels, in fact, I counted 80 scenes in the first Chapter so it should be a fairly lengthy HOG, but on the other hand, I had breezed through 30-40 scenes in the demo alone. There are 18 Achievement Trophies to earn during the investigation. The story or "case" is updated before the start of each level, as a dialog box with no voice-overs, usually a paragraph at a time.
The options are still pretty basic, and once again, there are no Difficulty Mode options available, it's a Timed Game you play for points and try to obtain all 3 Stars. You can't even adjust the music and sound volumes, it's just an on/off button. There are 10 different Chapters or Investigations, and each Investigation has several levels, in fact, I counted 80 scenes in the first Chapter so it should be a fairly lengthy HOG, but on the other hand, I had breezed through 30-40 scenes in the demo alone. There are 18 Achievement Trophies to earn during the investigation. The story or "case" is updated before the start of each level, as a dialog box with no voice-overs, usually a paragraph at a time.
There are Hint Boosters available, you start out with 5 of each booster, and I'm assuming you will get the option to buy more if you run out. You can replay any level, to earn a better star rating score, but the objects to search for are usually different than the first go-round. There is a Booster that will highlight one item from the list, another removes 3 items from the list, one that stops the timer on the level and one that increases the area of illumination in the scenes that are in the dark, which just has a small beam of light available.
Each of the items to find are shown as Pictured Items and one item from each scene will go into the inventory section. That Inventory item must be dragged to the scene where it will logically be used. As I mentioned earlier, many of the hidden objects are way out of proportion or are a totally different color than what is shown, as some of the objects are rather small and not easily recognized.
For me personally, it was fun to play the demo, but towards the end of the demo, I just started to get bored. I think the game is worthy of a sale or coupon code if you are an avid HOG fan.
SECRET INVESTIGATIONS SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Secret Investigations (December 26-2016) 2.6
2-Secret Investigations: Nemesis (January 15-2018) 3.3
3-Secret Investigations: Revelation (January 30-2019) n/a
2-Secret Investigations: Nemesis (January 15-2018) 3.3
3-Secret Investigations: Revelation (January 30-2019) n/a
by: Playzzy Games
Return the Guardians to slumber to keep evil from the universe!
Overall rating
4
/
5
31 of 34 found this review helpful
GO TO SLEEP...shhh
PostedJanuary 29, 2019
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
If you like Fantasy-themed games, Slipping Hope will not disappoint! I preferred the CE version because I'm a fan of Morphing Objects, Collectibles and of course the added benefit of a Bonus Chapter, which doesn't always have interesting storylines, but in this case, the BC is decent. The BC has a whopping 12 remaining Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes, and it also continues to offer the Morphs and Collectibles (I wish they were all this way!) There are 14 adorable Hidden Spy Bats, 14 Zoom Zone Collectible Gold, Ruby and Emerald Coins (to complete your Magical Creatures menagerie) and a couple of Morphing Owls remaining in the BC. One feature included that I really appreciated was the ability to return to a scene to pick up any missed Spy Bat or coin once the Chapter was completed because many of the scenes had more than one Spy Bat. The Zoom Zone Coins were a little harder to miss though because the window doesn't close until you click on the available coin. Not all CE's are worth the extra money, but in this case, I think it's definitely worthy.
There are five Worlds in this Universe and each of those Worlds has a Sleeping Guardian to defend our worlds against evil Malum. The Sleepers are the last defense between Peace and Chaos, and they must remain asleep at all cost if one awakens, the others will arise as well. The Sleepers protect our worlds from evil, and the Order of Guardians protect the Sleepers. Grace is one of those protectors, a Guardian sworn to protect the Sleepers, just as her father before her. Unfortunately, one of the Guardians has broken the sacred vow and has awoken a Sleeper, a Sleeper who happens to be his own sister! The balance between peace and chaos has been disturbed, and as other Sleepers begin to awaken, Grace must find a way to restore the fine line of balance before the evil of Malum spreads out of control.
GrandMa has clearly worked hard on this fantasy-themed edition of Reflections of Life! I will admit that I haven't been crazy about the last few games by GrandMa Studio's but I have to give credit when credit is warranted, and Slipping Hope has revived my faith in GrandMa once again. They clearly poured their hearts and souls into this game, the quality is superb, the quantity is money-worthy, the entertainment value is off the charts and it's by far the best Reflections Of Life game in the series. I'll go one step further and say that it's one of the best fantasy-themed games I've played in quite some time!
There is a Gadget/Helper, a Mechanical Owl used to retrieve and interact with objects out of our reach. He isn't used that often and as far as Helpers go, this one actually fits in nicely because it is a fantasy game. My only complaint is that he's a tad bit noisy during his "downtime" as he who-hoots a bit too much, and he does get rather annoying when he continues to flap his wings if the task you're using him for is a lengthy puzzle. I think if they tweaked the owl to stop flapping his wings once he arrives at the destination, he wouldn't be an issue.
I highly recommend the CE version over this SE version because of the Hidden Spy Bats, I absolutely LOVED them! Only the tips of their tiny ears and tail poke out from their hiding places, but once you click on them they take flight to get out of Dodge quickly. They definitely add the "awe" factor because they are adorable (and should be in a fantasy-themed game!) I wish they were a little bit smaller so they would be harder to spot. The CE version also features Hidden Coins of Gold, Emerald, and Ruby, within most of the Zoom Zones. The Coins are used to purchase Magical Creatures AND you get the chance to return to the scenes after completing the Main Game and Bonus Chapter, to pick up any missed coins or bats! Personally, I find this feature very appealing and for going the extra mile, I give this opportunity an A+ and a thumbs up!!! The CE version also has a Bonus Hidden Puzzle which is one of the most creative puzzles I've ever seen, again, GrandMa has gone the extra mile and they raised the HOPA bar for those to come :)
The Hidden Object Scenes are well designed and their locations were interesting. In the Collector's Edition version, each main HOP (not zoom zone HOP's) have a Morphing Owl to spot, or is it a spotted owl to morph? Most of them are Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds or Multiple Silhouetted Shape finds such as finding 12 stone fragments. I really enjoyed the repetitive Progressive Interactive Silhouetted Shape HOP's that require Finding & Replacing the Objects within 3 different scenes by clicking on 3 different emblems to change locations (once you found the emblems) There are also several Zoom Zone HOP's where you are tasked with finding groups of 3 silhouetted shapes such as 3 eyes, 3 bones etc. Many of the HOS's include a small puzzle to solve such as placing stone fragments into highlighted sections. You can opt to play an Alternate Match 3 Games instead of the Hidden Object Scenes.
The Mini-Games range from super quick and easy to somewhat complex, but I was able to solve all of them without having to skip them, nor did I want to because I enjoyed this game immensely. Below are brief descriptions of some of the puzzles available in the demo and main game:
1-Align 4 image sections by adjusting rotation, size, and width.
2-Use the Magic Lens to locate 3 images shown on each page x3.
3-Strum the Harp cords in the order shown on the clue.
4-Swap hexagonal puzzle pieces to restore the image.
5-Shoot identical color/position Bats
6-Rotate sections to place all 4 stones into center matching slots.
7-Select 3 partial symbols to create each symbol shown.
8-Navigate the boat to each lighthouse to clear the fog while avoiding obstacles.
9-Stretch out all of the snakes, clicking one may affect others.
10-Draw a continuous line between all gems.
11-Rotate Hexagonal pieces to restore the picture.
12-Choose the correct flowers that match the riddle descriptions.
13-Swap feathers from longest to shortest.
14-Move the central symbol & attach other symbols to reproduce the silhouette (loved this one)
2-Use the Magic Lens to locate 3 images shown on each page x3.
3-Strum the Harp cords in the order shown on the clue.
4-Swap hexagonal puzzle pieces to restore the image.
5-Shoot identical color/position Bats
6-Rotate sections to place all 4 stones into center matching slots.
7-Select 3 partial symbols to create each symbol shown.
8-Navigate the boat to each lighthouse to clear the fog while avoiding obstacles.
9-Stretch out all of the snakes, clicking one may affect others.
10-Draw a continuous line between all gems.
11-Rotate Hexagonal pieces to restore the picture.
12-Choose the correct flowers that match the riddle descriptions.
13-Swap feathers from longest to shortest.
14-Move the central symbol & attach other symbols to reproduce the silhouette (loved this one)
The Collector's Edition version has 14 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, re-playable Movie Cutscene Videos, 14 re-playable Mini-Games (out of a whopping 35) 16 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes (16/19) 19 Morphing Owls within the HOP's, 14 Achievements to Earn, 48 Hidden Coins (16 Gold, 16 Emerald, 16 Ruby) 10 Magical Creatures (to purchase with the coins) 36 Hidden Spy Bats (only the tips of their ears & tail are visible) 5 Main Chapters (Finding The Truth) +Bonus Chapter (Testing And Trials) Hidden Puzzle Chapter (Interactive Progressive super-puzzle) a built-in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, sleep well, enjoy!
REFLECTIONS OF LIFE SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Tree Of Dreams (July 20-2014) 3.6
2-Equilibrium (May 17-2015) 3.9
3-Dark Architect (February 12-2016) 4.2
4-Call Of The Ancestors (September 11-2016) 3.6
5-Hearts Taken (June 11-2017) 3.7
6-In Screams And Sorrow (May 25-2018) 3.7
7-Slipping Hope (January 27-2019) n/a
2-Equilibrium (May 17-2015) 3.9
3-Dark Architect (February 12-2016) 4.2
4-Call Of The Ancestors (September 11-2016) 3.6
5-Hearts Taken (June 11-2017) 3.7
6-In Screams And Sorrow (May 25-2018) 3.7
7-Slipping Hope (January 27-2019) n/a
by: GrandMa Studios
I recommend this game!