pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4730
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:August 3, 2025
- Featured reviews1
Status:
Can you stop a crazed kidnapper in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
159 of 192 found this review helpful
WOULD IT KILL YOU TO READ A BOOK?
PostedOctober 4, 2018
pennmom36
fromDid you know that the original Phantasmat was the first Polish developed game to reach the #1 slot on BFG? It also won awards for Best Hidden Object Game and was in production for two years! (it takes time to create a masterpiece!)
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Ron Parks was an aspiring young writer who waited anxiously for a reply from five of the most famous Horror Novelists even known, after all, he was their biggest fan! As the weeks turned into months, it became abundantly clear that none of them had even bothered to read his manuscripts, a blow to Ron's ego that would send him over the edge of darkness. It's a fine line between reality and insanity and an even finer line of Ron's deranged revenge plans. They say the first is always the most difficult, but it looks like Ron has already crossed that threshold many times, and your daughter Joan is his next target!
This has an excellent storyline, however, it's a horrible Phantasmat! I just think they are distancing themselves too far from the creepy vibe of past games to stories about the deranged. If you've played the original Phantasmat and most of the earlier games, you know that the entire time you're playing, you have a nagging feeling that you might actually be dead, and that was so cool! I'd give anything to be able to write the next script for Phantasmat, my favorite series that's slowly going down the tubes :( There are 36 Ghostly Signs located in each scene and a Morphing Object in about half the scenes. There are icons that show the availability of both of these features in each scene, neither is difficult to spot because a white ghost and a piece of paper with a morphing pumpkin are hard to blend in naturally with the scenery.
These games get shorter and shorter, don't they? I was able to complete this game in less than 3 hours without skipping any of the puzzles, not to mention stopping to take notes! The Bonus Chapter is okay, I've never played a BC that was an "on the edge of your seat" thrilling kind of game, but it is a sequel which takes place shortly afterward. You will search for the remaining 8 Ghostly Signs and 4 remaining Morphs, after completing the BC you can return to 20 of the scene locations to find a souvenir.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied and are the typical Eipix style of HOP's, finding 5 of the same objects to receive a tool that will open up the Item List, Silhouetted Shape finds, Multiples of the same object, Sketched Picture finds, Morphing Objects, and Progressive, Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds where you have to interact with the objects in the scene and find items to help you progress. Many of them are multi-layered offering several different types of Hidden Object finds within the same HOP. Most of the HOP's have an alternate Match 3 game available and they can be replayed within the CE Extra's section.
The Mini-Game Puzzles are recycled games that aren't in the least bit challenging which was a huge disappointment for me personally. One feature that I've always liked about the Phantasmat series was that the puzzles were the kind that required tinkering with, such as setting specific water levels in tanks or connecting various wire configurations, games that you had to put some logical thought into. These puzzles, however, were basically the same ones that they include in all of their games lately, some of which required little thought or skill to solve them and they are easily solvable on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo and a few afterwards worth mentioning:
1-Rotate & swap path sections to move gems from end to end.
2-Slide tiles to complete the animal images on a cross-shaped puzzle.
3-Rotate rings to complete the image, slide pins to hold rings in place.
4-Drag the silver ball through a maze, stopping on all white circles first.
5-Rotate & place faces on the box correctly.
6-Use directional arrows to navigate a ball to the hole (tricky)
7-Move chain by selecting numbers, arrows will change the direction of moves.
8-Solve the math clue and change the numbers accordingly.
9-Navigate the swamp using directional arrows & a UV lamp to show hidden paths while collecting items to progress.
2-Slide tiles to complete the animal images on a cross-shaped puzzle.
3-Rotate rings to complete the image, slide pins to hold rings in place.
4-Drag the silver ball through a maze, stopping on all white circles first.
5-Rotate & place faces on the box correctly.
6-Use directional arrows to navigate a ball to the hole (tricky)
7-Move chain by selecting numbers, arrows will change the direction of moves.
8-Solve the math clue and change the numbers accordingly.
9-Navigate the swamp using directional arrows & a UV lamp to show hidden paths while collecting items to progress.
This Collector's Edition has 6 Character pictures with before/after slider bar & dialog recordings, 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 7 Music Soundtracks, 12 Movie Video Cutscenes, re-playable Match 3 Games, 14 re-playable Mini Game Puzzles, 13 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Achievements to earn (some available in 3 categories) 16 Scene Location Morphing Objects (11 in Main Game, 5 in BC) 36 Hidden Ghostly Signs (28 in Main Game 8 in BC) a Souvenir Room with 20 Souvenirs (one souvenir in each of the scene locations) 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy the madness!
PHANTASMAT SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Phantasmat (January 7-2011) 4.5 (Codeminion)
2-Crucible Peak (December 6-2012) 3.8 (ERS Studios)
3-The Endless Night (January 10-2015) 4.0
4-The Dread of Oakville (July 9-2015) 4.2
5-Behind The Mask (December 17-2015) 4.4
6-Town of Lost Hope (April 7-2016) 3.6
7-Reign of Shadows (October 6-2016) 4.3
8-Mournful Loche (April 13-2017) 3.6
9-Insidious Dreams (September 14-2017) 3.8
10-Curse of the Mist (December 23-2017) 3.0
11-Deja Vu (July 7-2018) 2.9
12-Death In Hardcover (October 4-2018) n/a
2-Crucible Peak (December 6-2012) 3.8 (ERS Studios)
3-The Endless Night (January 10-2015) 4.0
4-The Dread of Oakville (July 9-2015) 4.2
5-Behind The Mask (December 17-2015) 4.4
6-Town of Lost Hope (April 7-2016) 3.6
7-Reign of Shadows (October 6-2016) 4.3
8-Mournful Loche (April 13-2017) 3.6
9-Insidious Dreams (September 14-2017) 3.8
10-Curse of the Mist (December 23-2017) 3.0
11-Deja Vu (July 7-2018) 2.9
12-Death In Hardcover (October 4-2018) n/a
by: Eipix Entertainment
I recommend this game!
The Kingdom is in chaos! Lady Sarah, the savior of the kingdom has been poisoned! It's up to you to find the culprit in this exciting hidden object adventure.
Overall rating
5
/
5
128 of 137 found this review helpful
WOW! THEY'VE SHAKEN THINGS UP A BIT!
PostedOctober 3, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Just when you think things couldn't get better in the Hiddenverse World, BAM! Here comes a curveball loaded with lots of new features. You get 3 difficulty modes this time which I believe was offered in the first few games of this series, (scroll down for the series list) There's a Timeless mode, a Normal mode, and a Hard mode. I played the demo in the Normal mode so I could play as many levels as possible, but there wasn't a whole lot of challenge because I earned 3 stars on every level on the first attempt and breezed through the first 3 Chapters, so I'm eager to restart the game in the Hard mode.
Besides offering an extra difficulty mode, they have added several different types of Clutter Matches and they have added a feature where you can use the stars you earned to buy upgrades to the Ship. Some of the items you buy require 2-3 upgrades to complete, others require a single purchase. When you complete an item purchase, you are rewarded with Puzzle Pieces. You will need to buy all Puzzle pieces and the puzzle must be assembled before you can progress to the next Chapter.
The object of this game is to remove items from a heaping pile of junk, but the styles change with each level. Sometimes you have to remove Matching Pairs, Triple Pairs, Big & Small Matches (1 big object and it's identical match in a small version) Half Matches (2 fragments that go together) Black & White (1 object in color its mate colorless) Clutter games that have one or two piles of clutter requiring you to drag the items one by one, from each heaping pile until you find and remove all matching objects. They have added a few new types, Silhouetted Shape finds (and Silhouetted Shape finds in multiple's to fill the shapes) Triple or Double Matches that constantly move around and a clever level that shows two Cards at a time and you must select the only item that is shown on each card (and levels where you find the one item on both cards that have 1 black and 1 white identical object) They have also brought back the Dynamite which will explode when you click on it, which reshuffles all the clutter, this can help sometimes, other times it just buries items you need.
The object of this game is to remove items from a heaping pile of junk, but the styles change with each level. Sometimes you have to remove Matching Pairs, Triple Pairs, Big & Small Matches (1 big object and it's identical match in a small version) Half Matches (2 fragments that go together) Black & White (1 object in color its mate colorless) Clutter games that have one or two piles of clutter requiring you to drag the items one by one, from each heaping pile until you find and remove all matching objects. They have added a few new types, Silhouetted Shape finds (and Silhouetted Shape finds in multiple's to fill the shapes) Triple or Double Matches that constantly move around and a clever level that shows two Cards at a time and you must select the only item that is shown on each card (and levels where you find the one item on both cards that have 1 black and 1 white identical object) They have also brought back the Dynamite which will explode when you click on it, which reshuffles all the clutter, this can help sometimes, other times it just buries items you need.
The Challenge levels have returned, after every fourth level, the 5th Level allows you to play a multi-game level. You can play these challenges in any order, (and you can replay them as often as you want, and each time the variations are slightly different) which includes a Mini-Game such as Pipes (rotate pipes to make a continuous path) A Pair Match game where you flip over 2 cards at a time to try to find matches and a Match 3 game.
I wasn't crazy about the last game, Witch's Tales 2, but I LOVE the new features they have added, and I LOVE the 3 difficulty mode options!
HIDDENVERSE SERIES LIST
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Spirit of the Ancient Forest (June 29-2017) 4.1
2-A Plot Story (September 21-2017) 4.0
3-Witch's Tales (October 31-2017) 3.7
4-Dream Walker (December 15-2017) 2.9
5-Hiddenverse: The Iron Tower (February 7-2018) 3.6
6-Hiddenverse: Tale of Arianda (May 14-2018) 3.2
7-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 2 (August 29-2018) 3.5
8-Hiddenverse: Divided Kingdom (October 3-2018) n/a
2-A Plot Story (September 21-2017) 4.0
3-Witch's Tales (October 31-2017) 3.7
4-Dream Walker (December 15-2017) 2.9
5-Hiddenverse: The Iron Tower (February 7-2018) 3.6
6-Hiddenverse: Tale of Arianda (May 14-2018) 3.2
7-Hiddenverse: Witch's Tales 2 (August 29-2018) 3.5
8-Hiddenverse: Divided Kingdom (October 3-2018) n/a
by: Shaman Games
I recommend this game!
Head the investigation team and help the Argonauts crack the case of the missing Golden Fleece in this fantastic time management adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
63 of 73 found this review helpful
AN AVERAGE TIME MANAGEMENT GAME THAT'S REPETITIVE AND NOT WORTHY OF A COLLECTOR'S EDITION PRICE
PostedOctober 2, 2018
pennmom36
fromWasn't this same exact story offered in the Herc series?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I played the entire demo which gave me enough time to decide that there's nothing here worth the price. I feel bad for saying this because I love the fact that BF is finally realizing that they have a ton of Time Management fans who have been overlooked for years now. However, It wasn't until the 8th Level that a different goal was actually added, for the previous 7 levels the goals were all the same. The graphics are "old-school" and had no curb appeal, everything's just a dull shade of gold. There's nothing special about this game and certainly, nothing offered to qualify it for twice as much money as a CE, there's not even a Strategy Guide!
You can play in an Untimed, Normal or Hard difficulty mode and it allows you to switch back and forth easily before the start of each level with an icon located above the levels. I do like this feature because sometimes it's helpful to play the first go-round in an untimed mode to figure out what the requirements are, such as what materials are needed for each task (bridges, boulders etc) and then play the level again in a normal or hard mode, especially when a TM game requires a lot of strategies, but this one doesn't require a whole lot of strategy to earn 3 stars.
As I stated earlier, the first 7 levels had the same exact Goals of clearing paths, repairing bridges and collecting Papyrus. The only thing that changed for 7 levels was the path directions and the number of items blocking the path, and I was becoming totally bored by the time the demo ended, so much so that I don't think I will purchase this game even when it's released as a Standard Edition.
There's really nothing different here than any other TM game. Build Farms for food, Sawmills for wood, Gold Mines, Quarries for stone and Markets for trading food for specific materials such as Stone or Gold. 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.
The only features offered in this Collector's Edition version, are 10 pages of Concept Art pictures and 5 Music Soundtracks. There are 29 Achievements to earn, but the trophies are usually still included within the Standard Edition version. There isn't even a Strategy Guide offered, it's just not a CE worthy game, there aren't any Morphs, Puzzle Pieces or Collectibles offered to offset the price difference.
I don't recommend this game.
Embark on an epic adventure through medieval times and help protect a medieval village in this match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
15 of 15 found this review helpful
GOOD MATCH 3 GAME BUT SLOW MOVING AT TIMES
PostedSeptember 30, 2018
pennmom36
fromGreat concepts and features, definitely worth buying!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I really like the features available in this Swap type Match 3 game, but I hated how long it took between levels. You have to wait for the power-ups to finish doing their thing, then it takes a while to load the Score Board, then the "loading" page appears, then you have to go to the Village and buy the available building (which btw are priced too high after the demo) then you have to go into the Trophy section to "claim" your award, click the play button once you arrive at the levels map, another brief loading page and finally onto the actual level to play. I guess I don't have enough patience because I'd much rather zip through this scenario, or at least have the option to bypass some of it. Other than that, the Match 3 game itself is really entertaining, and there are 100 Levels available.
You can play in a Relaxed Untimed Mode, a Limited Moves Challenge Mode or a Limited Time Mode and then you get to choose an Expert or Casual Mode of Difficulty within whichever mode of gameplay you chose which is really cool. There are 18 different Trophies to earn and several categories within such as 0/48 % achieved. You have to Claim your trophy whenever you earn one. This is stored inside the Book which has your Goals, Instructions, and Trophies (a number appears inside the trophy tab to alert you when it's available to claim.
Large matches earn a Bonus on the board that can be double clicked on or swapped with another tile to activate. A Match 4 gives you Dynamite with a 1 Tile surrounding radius, a Match 5 gives you a Bomb with a surrounding 2 tile radius, a Match 6 gives you TNT with a surrounding 3 tile radius.
As you progress Power-ups become available to use at your discretion. The Sword destroys a single chosen tile. A Club destroys a chosen obstacle. A Whirlwind shuffles all of the tiles on the board and Lightning destroys all tiles of whichever tile it's swapped with. You can buy extra Power-ups and buy extra Time or extra Moves with Diamonds you earn as you rebuild the Village and earn Trophies.
There are the usual Obstacles such as Crates, and Earth blocked tiles that require a single match next to them to destroy it. Stone Tiles and Ice Cubes require two matches next to them to destroy. Metal Tiles require 3 matches next to it to destroy and Lava Stones can only be destroyed with the Club Power-up. Gold Cells and Grass filled cells require matches made on them to destroy, and some items require dropping them off of the board by making matches under them. When the Key is dropped to the bottom, it will unlock Hidden parts of the board, and some levels have Portals that will morph you to a different area on the board.
Storm Tale is a really fun Match 3 game, I just wish it didn't take so long between levels. Enjoy the Storm!
I recommend this game!
The elven queen and her husband face a new disaster and now must reclaim their crowns.
Overall rating
4
/
5
42 of 46 found this review helpful
GREAT STRATEGY GAME BUT FRUSTRATING AT TIMES
PostedSeptember 30, 2018
pennmom36
fromKeep 'em coming BF, there's a ton of us TM fans ya know!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I purchased the Collector's Edition version of this game and it requires lots of strategies to earn all 3 stars. It can become frustrating at times, but that makes it even more satisfying when you have to work hard to actually earn the Stars. I played the demo of this Standard Edition and I really do prefer all of the collectibles that the CE has to offer. If you can catch the CE version on sale, I strongly recommend grabbing this game because they really are fun to play, I've been a fan of this game from the start. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
Ding, Dong, the wedding bells have already rung for Princess Aerin and Tillian! King Galanius has finally passed the crown, but the wedding bliss begins to fade when word arrives at the Royal Palace that monstrous creatures are causing havoc in the forest. Queen Aerin and her new husband Tillian head to the forest and soon discover that an evil-doer has poisoned the water. The poison is turning ordinary creatures into angry monstrous creatures, looks like the honeymoon's over, but after all, this Royal couple does love a good adventure.
This is one of my favorite TM game series, the graphics are always great, the storyline is always interesting, and it's always fun to play. Elven Legend games are a strategy-based Time Management game, you must queue your tasks in a specific order or you'll find yourself stuck and waiting for enough resources to accumulate. The goals are always obtainable, although some levels may take a couple of replays to earn all 3 stars, assuming you want to.
You can play in a Relaxed mode with no timer, Normal, or Hard Mode, and you can replay the levels as often as necessary. Bonus Icons become available that help you beat the levels, it's nearly impossible to beat the level and earn all 3 Stars without them, at least they are for me. Each level has a different type of bonus such as Speed Boots to make the workers move faster, a bonus to Increase Resources, Double the Production of Resources, Speed up Work Production or even Increase the number of Existing Resources.
There are the normal TM tasks of collecting food, water, wood, stone crystals etc. and the same tasks of clearing the roads, repairing bridges and filling in pits along the way. Queen Aerin does all the magic work, once she has enough magical crystals to charge her staff and hubby Tillian does all the negotiations. The goal is to gather the necessary ingredients to mass produce the cure and change the poisoned animals they encounter back to their former glory, but naturally, they must first help citizens with their dilemmas before the citizens can help them.
There are several Altars of Resources available in each level that will produce renewable resources over a period of time. There are Berry Bushes that produce food and a Magical Tree that produces wood and regenerates, but they will first require Water before they will regrow or produce. You will need to construct different buildings and upgrade them to produce various resources such as Farms to produce food, Workers House's to hire extra workers, Sawmills, Hives etc. Some levels require items to be Crafted such as the Potion to cure the animals, the items you gather will automatically move to the icon, and once all items have been collected you need to click on the icon to complete the task. (it will sparkle when all necessary ingredients have been gathered)
In the Collector's Edition version, each scene has a Morphing Ancient Animal (60) a Crystal Flower (60) and a collectible Magic Crystal (60) for the Vitrage. There are 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 38 Achievements to earn, 10 extra CE levels and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy!
ELVEN LEGEND SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Elven Legend 1: SE only (February 4-2015) 3.2
2-Elven Legend 2: The Bewitched Tree SE only (February 3-2016) 3.3
3-Elven Legend 3: The New Menace (August 24-2016) 4.6
4-Elven Legend 4: The Incredible Journey (March 24-2017) 2.4
5-Elven Legend 5: The Fateful Tournament (December 27-2017) 4.5
6-Elven Legend 6: The Treacherous Tournament (September 30-2018) n/a
2-Elven Legend 2: The Bewitched Tree SE only (February 3-2016) 3.3
3-Elven Legend 3: The New Menace (August 24-2016) 4.6
4-Elven Legend 4: The Incredible Journey (March 24-2017) 2.4
5-Elven Legend 5: The Fateful Tournament (December 27-2017) 4.5
6-Elven Legend 6: The Treacherous Tournament (September 30-2018) n/a
by: Growing Grass Studios
I recommend this game!
A chilling tale of death, deception, and the supernatural!
Overall rating
1
/
5
43 of 47 found this review helpful
EVEN MORE BORING THAN I HAD REMEMBERED
PostedSeptember 29, 2018
pennmom36
fromTime to hang your hat up Dupin and retire.
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Abandoned: Chestnut Lodge Asylum
(219)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I actually bought this game in the CE version during a BOGO sale simply because I needed one more Collector's Edition to go with the game I actually wanted. Wow is this the shortest game ever? It might have 5 main chapters, but if you blink a couple of times, you're finished with the chapter and half-way through the next. I usually scan through the Strategy Guide to get a feel for the length of a game, the average chapter in most games takes up anywhere from 5-9 complete pages. If you look at the SG for this game, each chapter is only 4 pages and those pages are only half used!
It's probably for the best, by the time I reached the third chapter I was bored to tears, the storyline moved at a snail pace and it offers nothing remotely interesting. The dialog was so uninteresting that I just started skimming through them because all it said was blah, blah, blah, soul-stealing, blah, blah, blah, Dupin needs medicine, blah, blah, blah, what kind of medicine, blah, blah, whip up something quick!, blah, hotel, blah, re-sort all drawers, blah, blah, fix all the room number plaques, blah, blah, fix everything in hotel, blah, blah, does anyone work at this hotel? blah, blah, evil red-eyed rat, blah, giant hole in banister, blah, blah, note to self "don't get a room here", blah, blah...chapter 4, blah, blah! In case you're stil interested, here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
A good artist can draw a painting that is almost lifelike, but a great artist can make a painting come to life. Leonard Tussole was such an amazing artist, it was an honor to pose for a portrait from him. His portraits were incredibly realistic, and the women he portrayed were absolutely beautiful. These beautiful women soon discovered the price to have Leonard paint their Oval Portrait was costly, but there's always a price to be paid for immortality, there's always a Price to be paid for Beauty.
Although I found this game to be dull and uninteresting, I have to give Amax credit for a job well done on the Morphing Objects offered in the Collector's Edition version. They are somewhat small (remember the huge paw prints) and they morph at a slower pace to make them somewhat challenging. I can't say the same for the Statues because they stick out like a sore thumb and are located in obvious places. I'm sure die-hard fans will love this rendition of Edgar Allan Poe's The Oval Portrait, but there's nothing here folks if you've played any of the Dark Tales games, you'll find this game to be just more of the same. The scenes all look alike, the people all look the same, the graphics are the same, the music is the same, the mini-games and HOS are all the same. In my opinion, Amax should have ended this series after The Masque of Red Death because it's gone downhill ever since...way down!
The Hidden Object Scenes are better than the mini-games, not great, but better than. They are varied with Interactive List finds, Multiples of the same Object finds, Silhouetted Shape finds, Finding and Replacing Objects, and several Zoom Zone HOP's where you are tasked with finding Matching Pairs of flowers or several pictured items. There are no alternative puzzles available but some of the HO scenes have a small puzzle to solve.
The Mini-Games are mostly just fragments that require placing them onto highlighted slots, and they aren't really interesting or challenging. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1-Place 12 fragments around the ring into highlighted slots.
2-Rotate the rings to create the image.
3-Place torn photo fragments into highlighted slots correctly.
4-Swap pieces to create the correct image.
5-Swap pieces to create the correct pattern.
6-Create a path from point A to B using the pattern shown.
7-Swap books to create the images shown above them.
8-Swap hexagonal tiles to recreate the portrait.
9-Swap tile images to place them into associated categories.
2-Rotate the rings to create the image.
3-Place torn photo fragments into highlighted slots correctly.
4-Swap pieces to create the correct image.
5-Swap pieces to create the correct pattern.
6-Create a path from point A to B using the pattern shown.
7-Swap books to create the images shown above them.
8-Swap hexagonal tiles to recreate the portrait.
9-Swap tile images to place them into associated categories.
The Collector's Edition has 6 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 5 Screensavers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Movie Cutscenes, 12 re-playable Mini-Games, 12 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Achievements (that don't tell you why you earned it after you earn it?) 26 Morphing Objects, 13 Collectible Statues, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide,
DARK TALES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Murder's In The Rue Morgue (December 17-2009) 3.7
2-The Black Cat (October 8-2010) 4.0
3-The Premature Burial (November 4-2011) 4.4
4-The Gold Bug (February 8-2013) 3.5
5-The Masque Of The Red Death (May 24-2013) 4.2
6-The Fall Of The House Of Usher (April 18-2014) 4.1
7-The Mystery of Marie Roget (March 20-2015) 4.2
8-The Tell-Tale Heart (December 13-2015) 2.2
9-Metzengerstein (August 19-2016) 3.5
10-The Raven (January 27-2017) 2.9
11-Lenore (September 8-2017) 2.1
12-Morella (January 14-2018) 3.8
13-The Pit and the Pendulum (May 4-2018) 3.0
14-The Oval Portrait (September 29-2018) n/a
2-The Black Cat (October 8-2010) 4.0
3-The Premature Burial (November 4-2011) 4.4
4-The Gold Bug (February 8-2013) 3.5
5-The Masque Of The Red Death (May 24-2013) 4.2
6-The Fall Of The House Of Usher (April 18-2014) 4.1
7-The Mystery of Marie Roget (March 20-2015) 4.2
8-The Tell-Tale Heart (December 13-2015) 2.2
9-Metzengerstein (August 19-2016) 3.5
10-The Raven (January 27-2017) 2.9
11-Lenore (September 8-2017) 2.1
12-Morella (January 14-2018) 3.8
13-The Pit and the Pendulum (May 4-2018) 3.0
14-The Oval Portrait (September 29-2018) n/a
by: Amax Interactive
I don't recommend this game.
When a notorious poacher steals every animal off a reserve, FEMA calls in the Rescue Team! Save the day in the time management rescue mission.
Overall rating
5
/
5
111 of 137 found this review helpful
SIC 'EM LARRY & BARRY!
PostedSeptember 29, 2018
pennmom36
fromGaining their name by rescuing people in the dangerous St. Bernard Alps pass between Italy & Switzerland, they actually never delivered a keg of brandy to victims. The most famous St. Bernard was named Barry, who rescued nearly 100 people in his life.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The Blooming Forest is a beautiful sanctuary reserve, famous for its rare collection of Flora and Fauna. Tourists and Journalist have arrived from all over the world to attend the opening ceremony, but not everyone has good intentions. That low-life poacher Pietro Mangula and his band of merry thieves have joined the celebration! Their devious plan is to create chaos throughout the reserve and slip out undetected with their cargo of wildlife. There's just one problem...They weren't counting on the fact that Rescue Team was attending the ceremony! I'm on my way!
There's a difficulty mode available for everyone including a Relaxed mode with no Time constraints, as well as a Normal mode that only allows you to assign available workers, and a Multi-click mode which allows you to queue tasks for workers to complete once they become available. There are 27 Achievements to earn, 50 Main Levels and 20 Bonus Levels available in this Collector's Edition version which also has a built-in Strategy Guide. The Strategy Guide is actually quite useful because this is definitely a Strategy-based Time Management game!
If you haven't played any of the previous 7 Rescue Team games before, you're in for a treat because unlike most TM games, Rescue Team is all about rescuing people after Natural and Man-made catastrophes. The people may be trapped simply because the roads are destroyed or blocked by fallen debris, others may be trapped under collapsed buildings, and those jobs call for specialists Larry and Barry who are the Rescue Team's adorable, but hard-working Saint Bernards.
Eventually, the Team will rescue people using boats, ski lifts, ATV's etc. requiring unusual TM equipment like Generators, Pumps, Lighting sources and even Cranes. Naturally, all that equipment uses a ton of fuel, so you need a constant supply of fuel as well as Food sources and Lumber sources. Hospitals, Veterinarian offices, Pet Shops, and Housing need to be built or repaired before Medics, Doctor's or Veterinarians can treat the victims. Because this is a strategy-based game, it may take a replay or two, to determine which tasks and which buildings are more important and in which order they should be queued.
There are still the usual tasks available in most TM games, to collect resources such as food, money and wood, clear roadways of debris, fix potholes, repair bridges and damaged buildings, and strategically construct Sawmills, Cafe's, Houses, Pet Shops to feed Barry and Larry, and Gas Stations that will produce the required resources.
If you earn 3 Stars on a level, you will receive coins that can be used in the Shop to purchase Bonuses. There are also Bonus chips on some of the levels that will make the rescue workers run faster, or produce gas, food, wood etc. faster, but for a brief period of time, so you'll want to decide when to collect a chip to give you the most benefits ant the right time.
If you earn 3 Stars on a level, you will receive coins that can be used in the Shop to purchase Bonuses. There are also Bonus chips on some of the levels that will make the rescue workers run faster, or produce gas, food, wood etc. faster, but for a brief period of time, so you'll want to decide when to collect a chip to give you the most benefits ant the right time.
You can purchase items in the Shop to help you achieve the level goals. These are available in 5 different Categories, Tools which speed up the rescue team workers, speeds up construction or road repair work. Medical supplies help victims remain warm or prevent disease from spreading, and to keep fires from spreading. Emergency items speed up machines such as water pumps, and makes medics treat patients faster, and also speed up Larry & Barry when they search rubble for victims. in the Vehicle category, planes deliver freight faster, makes the Crane and water pumps work faster.
This Collector's Edition version has 27 Achievements to earn, 12 Music Soundtracks, 10 Character Pictures with Bios, 9 Concept Art pictures, 50 Main Levels +20 Bonus Levels and a Built-in Strategy Guide. What are you waiting for? Start rescuing team!
RESCUE TEAM SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Rescue Team 1 SE only (May 6-2011) 4.0
2-Rescue Team 2 SE only (December 14-2018) 3./9
3-Rescue Team 3 SE only (May 6-2013) 2.9
4-Rescue Team 4 SE only (October 5-2014) 4.0
5-Rescue Team 5 SE only (November 3-2015) 3.7
6-Rescue Team 6 CE version (November 8-2016) 3.9
7-Rescue Team 7 CE version (June 13-2017) 4.7
8-Rescue Team 8 CE version (September 29-2018) n/a
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Rescue Team 1 SE only (May 6-2011) 4.0
2-Rescue Team 2 SE only (December 14-2018) 3./9
3-Rescue Team 3 SE only (May 6-2013) 2.9
4-Rescue Team 4 SE only (October 5-2014) 4.0
5-Rescue Team 5 SE only (November 3-2015) 3.7
6-Rescue Team 6 CE version (November 8-2016) 3.9
7-Rescue Team 7 CE version (June 13-2017) 4.7
8-Rescue Team 8 CE version (September 29-2018) n/a
by: Alawar Entertainment
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover the secrets behind the Giants' attacks in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
78 of 96 found this review helpful
FEE-FIE-FOE-FOOEY, WHAT'S UP WITH THE GRAPHICS GUI'S
PostedSeptember 27, 2018
pennmom36
fromJack & the Beanstalk originated from a group of stories known as The Boy Who Stole Ogre's Treasures first told during a split in Eastern & Western Indo-European languages 5,000 years ago!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I just finished playing this wonderful adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk, and I will admit that I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. It's a little bit on the short side, after the demo portion, I completed the main game just shy of a couple of hours and that's taking into account the fact that I wrote extensive notes (go figure lol) and played every mini-game.
As my title suggests, I was somewhat disappointed in the quality of graphics, I don't know if it was a "hazy look" they were trying to achieve to mimic what life would be like living high in the sky, or if they just didn't waste as much time perfecting the graphics as they did in last week's release of IL (not sure if I can say the name of a different series by the same dev?) I went back to the previous games in this series to see if I was imagining awesome graphics, and sure enough, they were indeed. Even looking at the screenshots of Ice Rose from 2012, they looked amazing, so what's up with that?
Unfortunately, there is a Gadget, a Wooden Cat with a Box. Basil will help remove curses so you can collect all the stolen treasures and return them to their rightful owners in the Sky Kingdom of Giants. I found him to be rather creepy, but not a good creepy way, as in wicked scary, just a creepy-creepy way. I really didn't care for him because he wasn't cute so he didn't add an "awe" factor, I just think they should have made him more appealing. The good news is that Basil's services are only used to lift four curses, which isn't the case when it comes to the repetitive Chain type, Match 3 games. The Match 3 games didn't present much of a challenge and because they were so simplistic, it was just a waste of time, including a Hard difficulty mode would have been much appreciated.
Each Location has 2 well-hidden Opaque Cats to find (56 total-40 in the main game and 16 within the Bonus Chapter) that will shatter 7 different Crystal Glass Cats to reveal a different cat breed (5 in the main game, 2 within the Bonus Chapter) Each location also has a Morphing Object to find. There are 28 total Morphs, the final 8 Morphs are located within the Bonus Chapter which takes you back several years earlier to the beginning when Giants were first discovered.
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly Interactive List Finds, especially towards the end, but there are also Multiples of the same item finds, Keywords in Sentence finds, finding areas that match Swatches and Matching Pair finds. Many of the scenes are repeated in the same location. The scenes are clear and the items are recognizable, although one of the scenes had partially hidden objects. There is a total of 17 Hidden Object Scenes throughout the game, 4 of which are offered within the Bonus Chapter.
The Mini-Games are rehashed versions from other games by this dev, and nothing new is offered, however, they are fairly entertaining and they are all "frustration-free" (no puzzles where clicking one affects others, which I really hate) There is a total of 18 Mini-Games throughout the game, the last three are within the Bonus Chapter. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo and afterward:
1-Select & drag feathers to create an unobstructed path for a key.
2-Select various weights to grow all bean stems to the top.
3-Chain type Match 3 game to collect a specific number of each gem. (repeated throughout the game)
4-Adjust joints of metal clock hands to point to specified times.
5-Select Bears to push each other along tracks to their matching slots.
6-Click arrows to select plates to show all symbols correctly.
7- Remove all icons by selecting them in a specific sequence.
8-Swap tiles to recreate 2 pictures using empty slots to move tiles to the opposite picture.
9-Swap fish bones to recreate the image.
10-Swap the order of fish & select play to check your solution.
11-Find the right way through the map in the same order.
12-Select adjacent sections to paint the picture correctly.
13-Swap fan sections to recreate the image.
14-Align the decoder until the correct codes appear inside the holes.
15-Move beans to their matching slots using the beans to recolor other bean paths.
16-Capture opponents pieces by touching or jumping the ball, yellow spaces add more pieces.
2-Select various weights to grow all bean stems to the top.
3-Chain type Match 3 game to collect a specific number of each gem. (repeated throughout the game)
4-Adjust joints of metal clock hands to point to specified times.
5-Select Bears to push each other along tracks to their matching slots.
6-Click arrows to select plates to show all symbols correctly.
7- Remove all icons by selecting them in a specific sequence.
8-Swap tiles to recreate 2 pictures using empty slots to move tiles to the opposite picture.
9-Swap fish bones to recreate the image.
10-Swap the order of fish & select play to check your solution.
11-Find the right way through the map in the same order.
12-Select adjacent sections to paint the picture correctly.
13-Swap fan sections to recreate the image.
14-Align the decoder until the correct codes appear inside the holes.
15-Move beans to their matching slots using the beans to recolor other bean paths.
16-Capture opponents pieces by touching or jumping the ball, yellow spaces add more pieces.
This Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 4 Screensavers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 30 Movie Video Cutscenes, 24 Achievements to earn, 17 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 18 re-playable Mini-Games, 56 Hidden Opaque Cats, 7 Crystal Glass Cats to unlock with the Hidden Cats, 28 Morphing Objects, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy the climb!
LIVING LEGENDS SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
LIVING LEGENDS SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Ice Rose (March 22-2012) 4.2
2-Frozen Beauty (June 13-2013) 4.5
3-Wrath of the Beast (January 22-2015) 3.4
4-Bound By Wishes (March 3-2016) 4.5
5-Beasts of Bremen (February 16-2017) 4.5
6-Uninvited Guests (November 2-2017) 4.6
7-Fallen Sky (September 26-2018) n/a
2-Frozen Beauty (June 13-2013) 4.5
3-Wrath of the Beast (January 22-2015) 3.4
4-Bound By Wishes (March 3-2016) 4.5
5-Beasts of Bremen (February 16-2017) 4.5
6-Uninvited Guests (November 2-2017) 4.6
7-Fallen Sky (September 26-2018) n/a
by: 4Friends Games
I recommend this game!
Katy and Bob are back in their 3rd adventure! Do they have what it takes to run a successful bakery?
Overall rating
2
/
5
49 of 55 found this review helpful
YOU CAN HAVE CAKE AND EAT IT TOO, SE SAME AS CE
PostedSeptember 26, 2018
pennmom36
fromSame as the 2012 version of Katy & Bob!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I hope Katy & Bob fans were patient enough to wait for this Standard Edition version because from what I can tell the only thing you get with the CE version is 10 pages of cartoon Concept Art pictures and 5 Music Soundtrack's to download! In my opinion, the CE version of Katy & Bob: Cake Cafe, was the most unworthy CE I've ever seen! Both versions offer 60 Levels and 12 Trophy Achievements, the CE version didn't even offer a Strategy Guide or Bonus Levels, so if you waited for this version, you'll be glad you did!
This is a point and click TM style game, where you click the customer to give them a menu first, and then click on the item they order, deliver the order to the correct person and click to check them out. You don't have to drag anybody or anything (a feature I really find annoying) After checking the customers out, they will reward you with a tip that requires another click or scan on the coins to collect your tip. The slower you are at doing these tasks, will directly affect your tip, with gold, silver or bronze coins earned. The "expert" goal amount is shown before the start of each level, and there are Bonus Goals available (but not required) which are shown at the bottom, such as collecting money from three consecutive customers. As you progress, more menu items are added and the cake decorations get slightly more complex.
After each level, you can use the money you earn to buy items or upgrades from the shop. You can buy extra serving stations, increase the price of items or upgrade flooring etc. to keep customers happier longer. The graphics are rather flat and not very vivid which makes this game seem a bit old-fashioned when compared to other TM games lately.
After playing several amazing Time Management games over the last couple of weeks, Katy & Bob pales in comparison. It seems like they are stuck in the past.This release shows little progress or improvement over the past 6 years, since Katy & Bob was first released.
KATY AND BOB SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition***Average Rating
KATY AND BOB SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition***Average Rating
1-Katy and Bob: Way Back Home SE only (June 16-2012) 4.0
2-Katy and Bob: Safari Cafe (December 20-2017) 4.2
3-Katy and Bob: Cake Cafe (September 26-2018) n/a
2-Katy and Bob: Safari Cafe (December 20-2017) 4.2
3-Katy and Bob: Cake Cafe (September 26-2018) n/a
by: 8 Floor LTD.
I don't recommend this game.
The hidden village of mages is threatened by a catastrophe. Their only hope is a young mage apprentice!
Overall rating
3
/
5
35 of 39 found this review helpful
WORKED FOR ME
PostedSeptember 26, 2018
pennmom36
fromI haven't played the original, might have to check that one out as well!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Call of Atlantis: Treasures of Poseidon
(40)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I didn't have any issues with the sound or the mouse and it's actually quite challenging as you progress. The only issue for me was that the tiles were too similar in size, shape, and color which made it difficult at times to find available matches. There was no "hint" offered either, in the form of an available match highlighted or a quick shake to alert you. If the tiles weren't so similar I would have given this game a 4-Star rating because I liked the concept and it was fun to play.
This is a Swap type, Limited Time Match 3 game where you can earn up to 3 Stars if you meet all the goal requirements within the allotted time, and there is a Star Meter located on the top right. Any level can be replayed by going to the level map, and if you run out of time before meeting all the requirements, you have to replay the level to earn at least one star.
Large Matches give you a Bonus Tile on the board such as Bombs, Column & Row busters, Rainbows to destroy all tiles of whichever tile it's swapped with etc, nothing really different or out of the ordinary. You can use the Trident or Shuffle features as often as you'd like, but they have to recharge after each use.
There are the usual Blocked tiles and Obstructions such as Chains, Double Chains, Wooden Crates, Steel Crates etc as well as Blue Tiles that require making matches on them to remove. Each level has a different goal of removing a certain number of each type of tile, and that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to destroy all blue tiles if they aren't part of the goals. There are also special items to remove by dropping them to the bottom on some of the levels.
After each level, you can purchase Upgrades to restore the buildings that were damaged by the Earthquake. You begin with the Mages town and eventually move on to other places and rebuild those particular buildings and fountains. Most of the constructions require an upgrade at least once.
As I said earlier, I didn't have any sound issues or glitches and I had no issues with a sticky mouse or slow to respond features on my Windows 10 PC so you may just want to try the demo first to see if there's a compatibility issue. This isn't the greatest Match 3 game out there, but honestly, it isn't all that bad either.
ANGKOR MATCH 3 GAMES
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Angkor (October 1-2010) 3.0
2-Angkor: Runefall (September 26-2018) n/a
2-Angkor: Runefall (September 26-2018) n/a
by: Ironcode Gaming Ltd.