This contributor'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 survive the island and save your brother?
Overall rating
4
/
5
42 of 48 found this review helpful
IT GETS EVEN BETTER AFTER THE DEMO
PostedMarch 2, 2018
Anonymous
fromDidn't Stephen Hawking warn these guys not too fool with Mother Nature?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game has a really interesting plot that thickens after the demo, which is really rare nowadays! I find that most games lately, have a pretty decent demo that peaks right at the end of the demo, but then just drags until the very last chapter, and sometimes it doesn't ever get better. But The Forsaken Island held my attention, in fact, there were several times, that I kept playing just a little bit longer, when I had other things I had to get done other than playing a game, because I wanted to learn the how's and why's! I'm a fan of the Collector's Edition bling, so I prefer the CE version over this Standard Edition version. Here's a recap of my review, to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
Three years ago, there was an accident at the Corp Tex facility on Ambrose Island, rendering the environment extremely toxic. Drones deployed to search for survivors, were unable to detect any signs of life, so everyone is presumed to be dead, including your brother Mark, that is, until an emergency beacon was activated less than 12 hours ago! How was anyone able to survive for three years in a toxic environment? Better question is, who or what is the survivor!?
Welcome back Mad Head Games!! Thanks for returning to your Shadowplay roots, with another amazing game that tops the creep charts. At one point in the game, I actually jumped because I was startled by an action in this game. This has NEVER happened to me before EVER! I will even go as far as to say that this game has by far, the best cliffhanger demo ending, an ending that leaves you hanging, an ending that entices you to click the "buy now" icon as fast as you can.
The Hidden Object Scenes are decent, but nothing special, nothing new is offered, then again, I'm rarely impressed by HOP's anymore, because the objects seem to be less and less hidden as time goes by. There is a Morphing Object within the main HOP's in the Collector's Edition version, a feature that would make me jump for joy, IF they were offered in each location scene of the main game, NOT within just the HOP's Some of the HOP's require you to locate 4 items that will then open up an Interactive List find, and some where the items found move aside to expose a puzzle fragment, as well as Silhouetted Shape finds, or combinations of both types of HOP's. There are several Zoom Zone HOP's that have just a handful of Silhouetted Shape finds, but at least in the demo, there are no alternate puzzles offered to play instead of the HOP's. There are also Keywords in Sentence finds, but they are categorized as Mini Games not HOP's.
The Hidden Object Scenes are decent, but nothing special, nothing new is offered, then again, I'm rarely impressed by HOP's anymore, because the objects seem to be less and less hidden as time goes by. There is a Morphing Object within the main HOP's in the Collector's Edition version, a feature that would make me jump for joy, IF they were offered in each location scene of the main game, NOT within just the HOP's Some of the HOP's require you to locate 4 items that will then open up an Interactive List find, and some where the items found move aside to expose a puzzle fragment, as well as Silhouetted Shape finds, or combinations of both types of HOP's. There are several Zoom Zone HOP's that have just a handful of Silhouetted Shape finds, but at least in the demo, there are no alternate puzzles offered to play instead of the HOP's. There are also Keywords in Sentence finds, but they are categorized as Mini Games not HOP's.
The Mini Games are actually entertaining, and for the most part, are fairly easy to solve on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Select a button to move the dial either 3 spaces clockwise or 2 spaces counterclockwise, to land on each symbol shown on the clue.
2) Select arrows to move the spheres into their matching colored disks.
3) Repeat the sequence of images lighting in the order shown.
4) Select a series of numbers that equal the sum shown, by clicking highlighted available numbers, and ending with the highlighted red button on the bottom right corner.
5) Swap fragments to fit correctly into their matching patterned slots.
6) Select matching pairs of symbols (MH does love their symbols)
7) There are several story based puzzles that require you to find items that match the keywords shown in each paragraph of the story.
The Collectors Edition version has 4 Wallpapers and Concept Art pictures, 6 Music Soundtracks, an Ultimate Puzzle, replayable Hidden Object Scenes, a Showcase Room, 10 Achievements to earn, 32 collectible Spirals to find, 18 Morphing Objects within the Hidden Object Scenes, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy your stay on Fantasy/Forsaken Island!
SHADOWPLAY GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Darkness Incarnate (August 20-2016) 4.1
2-Whispers of the Past (July 27-2017) 3.4
3-The Forsaken Island (February 1-2018) 3.8
2-Whispers of the Past (July 27-2017) 3.4
3-The Forsaken Island (February 1-2018) 3.8
by: Mad Head Games
MAD HEAD GAMES AVAILABLE
Shadowplay*Wanderlust*Adam Wolfe*Rite of Passage*Nevertales*Dawn of Hope*Cadenza*Donna Brave*Fright Chasers*Beyond*Maze*Dark Realm
Shadowplay*Wanderlust*Adam Wolfe*Rite of Passage*Nevertales*Dawn of Hope*Cadenza*Donna Brave*Fright Chasers*Beyond*Maze*Dark Realm
I recommend this game!
It’s the find of a century, but will you live to tell about it?
Overall rating
4
/
5
83 of 106 found this review helpful
ITS ALIENS I TELL YA! ANCIENT ALIENS
PostedMarch 1, 2018
Anonymous
fromDid you know that Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt? They have between 200-255 known pyramids, built by members of the Kingdom of Kush, an ancient civilization from 1070 BC to 350 AD. Egypt has only around 138!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
In 1935 a strange pyramid erupted from the earth's surface in Cairo Egypt, the very next day it vanished as quickly as it arrived. This incident was nearly forgotten until 1943 when yet another mysterious pyramid tore through the hadalpelagic zone of the Atlantic Ocean, and disappeared without a trace. Two days ago, another massive pyramid made a grand entrance in the Amazons! Is someone, or something trying to make contact? Only one thing's for certain, the Archaeological Race is on, pitting two competitive sisters against one another, each one eager to find the answers to this ancient alien mystery, before the other!
Somebody's been listening! After a brief slump, Mad Head Games has clawed its way back to the top of the HOPA pile, with a brand new "ancient alien" themed sci-fi series. Because we are now a seasoned Archaeologist, we are equipped with gadgets, tools of the trade of course. I did find this feature a bit humorous because when I first opened my archaeologist tool kit, out rolled a couple of brushes, a hatchet, a trowel, and of course a Glyph Book for deciphering codes. First off, what does an archaeologist do with a hatchet, aren't they supposed to be extremely careful so as not to damage the precious findings? So then I pick up my tools that I rolled onto the ground, but not all of them, just 1 brush and the hatchet, as well as the Glyph Book, so now my kit consists of 1 book, 1 hatchet and 1 brush, as well as a picture of dear father. and not one of my rival sister who is also an archaeologist like their father. The good news is that the hatchet doesn't need sharpened by a whetstone OR oiled to remove the rust, it doesn't even need a new handle!
They're back! No, not the aliens, the famous Mad Head Games Collector's Edition hidden Spirals, 30 of them to be specific! I will say though, they seem to be a tad bit more hidden than usual, but perhaps it's because the scenery graphics are similar. Other than Morphing Objects within the Hidden Object Scenes, that's about all the bling you're going to get with this CE version.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, but kind of scarce with only 2 offered within the demo! The first demo HOP is an Interactive List find, the second one was very impressive, requiring you to find sections within the landscape of places to avoid on the map. The symbols are reference marks, and I found it to be very entertaining, and HOPe to see more of this unique twist.
The Mini Games are in abundance, some of which are new, which personally I prefer puzzles over HOP's but I know many HOP fans will be disappointed. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Rotate all 4 corner Mazes to allow the ball to travel along the path around the entire board.
2) Click to stop the target when it's inside the circle. repeat x2
3) Place symbols in the correct slots created by combining 2 partial symbols.
4) Use directional arrows to rotate the lever to corresponding symbols in the correct order according to the clue.
5) Select to stop the boot as it overlaps the beam.
6) Rotate knob to match symbols with the symbol in the center.
7) Use buttons to lower all the flaps marked with an X, clicking one button may affect others.
8) Match symbols at the bottom so they activate the circles at the top (2 puzzle shapes that interlock)
9) Adjust mirrors to direct the beam of light from the bottom left to the top right.
10) Stop the red arrow when it's in the zone of two different angles.
11) Click the buttons located around the board to release the ball at the correct moment to allow the ball to roll past the boobytraps,
This Collector's Edition has 10 Achievements, 30 Collectible Spirals, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 18 Morphing Objects within the HOP's, an Ultimate Puzzle, 7 Character Pictures, 4 Wallpapers, Concept Art pictures that unlock once you visit the scene, 10 Music Soundtracks, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
MAD HEAD GAMES AVAILABLE
Wanderlust*Adam Wolfe*Rite of Passage*Nevertales*Dawn of Hope*Cadenza*Shadowplay*Donna Brave*Fright Chasers*Beyond*Maze*Dark Realm
I recommend this game!
The forest fairies are once again in need of help! Use the magic of numbers and logic to free the captive forest creatures.
Overall rating
5
/
5
29 of 37 found this review helpful
BEAUTIFUL NONOGRAM PICTURES-----SOLVED LOGICALLY!
PostedFebruary 28, 2018
Anonymous
fromEver solve a Triddler?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
There have been a lot of these Mosaic, Griddler, Nonograms, Japanese Crosswords, Pic-Cross games available lately, but not all of them adhere to the basic griddler rule of thumb. The rule of thumb, is to ALWAYS use logic, and NEVER guess, to solve this type of Mosaic puzzle, yet they keep offering games that require you to guess or use their fancy fill-in features. If you prefer a classic Nonogram puzzle, this game has you covered, there are 100 multi-colored pictures and 60 mono-chromed puzzles to solve!
You've got nothing to worry about with this game however, because Forest Riddles 2 plays by the rules! There aren't any fancy power-ups, and there aren't any puzzles that can't be solved using logic. The icing on the cake, is that the pictures are colorful, and interesting. Yes, you can see the forest for the trees, for the most part, you can tell where one color ends and the next color begins, as well as distinguish the empty cells from the filled ones, and the numbers don't blend into the background. Even better, you'll have no problem distinguishing what the finished picture actually is!
You will earn 1 Star for completing the puzzle, a second Star if you don't use the Fairy (Fairies are Hints that when chosen will fly down and fill in 2 or 3 cells for you.) and a third Star if you make no mistakes, and any level can be replayed. You can choose an autoremove option that will cross off cells one by one rather than when the entire row or column has been correctly filled.
I loved the variable sized Grids, I loved the colorful, easily identifiable pictures and pleasant music, but most of all, I loved solving the puzzles with logic. This is a definite buy for me, enjoy!
FOREST RIDDLES GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Forest Riddles (August 22-2016) 4.6
2-Forest Riddles 2 (February 28-2018) n/a
2-Forest Riddles 2 (February 28-2018) n/a
by: Puzzlesea Games
I recommend this game!
A young demon hunter finds herself time traveling back to ancient Egypt to wield the Gauntlet of Horus to stop an ancient deity.
Overall rating
3
/
5
55 of 73 found this review helpful
WOULD'VE, COULD'VE, SHOULD'VE
PostedFebruary 27, 2018
Anonymous
fromDid you know that in later Egyptian times, Ra was merged with the god Horus, as Ra-Horakhty. meaning Ra who is Horus of the two Horizons?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I love the Demon Hunter series, a paranormal themed game centered around Dawn, the last of her kind, a Demon Hunter! Her father was killed by an Archdemon named Ragner, and then the man who raised her, Professor Ashmore was killed. I bought this game sight unseen, because the 3 previous games were really good. After playing the demo, I was devastated, because it just doesn't seem like a Demon Hunter game. Other than the main character being Dawn, it's nothing like it's dark and creepy predecessors.
If this had been an introductory game to a new series, I may have felt differently about Riddles of Light, if it would've been an Egyptian themed game series, it could've been a really good series theme, and they really should've stuck with the dark and dreary Demon Hunter plot.
Because this game centers around the Egyption gods, Horus and Seth, you will soon become the proud owner of the infamous Gauntlet of Horus. The Gauntlet is used as a weapon to defeat the evil spirits and eventually allows you to talk with the dead in the demo, and of course this usually entails having to solve a puzzle, hidden object scene or mini game of some sort, whenever the Gauntlet begins to glow.
The story itself has several variations, the most popular version is that Horus was the son of Isis and Osiris, having a mans body and a falcons head. Horus is associated with war, light, and the sun, as well as being a patron of young men. After the death of Osiris, Isis hid her son on an island to protect him from his Uncle Set. Once he reached adulthood, Horus avenged his father's death by battling his Uncle Set (not Seth) every day for eternity, to ensure the safety of the world. In this game, Horus has waged an eternal war against Seth, the god of darkness, and Horus has a Gauntlet constructed by 5 different gods, but again, depending on the version of mythology, the magical armour was more than likely a Falcon's Claw.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Interactive List finds, Multiples of the same item finds, Keywords in sentence finds, Fragment finds, and one of my personal favorites, Interactive, Progressive Silhouetted Shape finds where you find the first item that matches the Silhouetted Shape, and then use that item back in the scene logically, which exposes the next item and so forth. Brave Giant Games has a feature in most of their HOP's that I absolutely love, there's always one object on the list that is a Morphing Object, that must be in the correct form, according to the list, before it's accepted. I know I always complain about morphs only offered within the HOP's, and I do prefer them to be offered in each location of the main game, but the reason I hate morphs that are only offered within the HOP's is because they are a separate entity. If you don't remember to look for the morph, you're out of luck because there's no way to go back to look for them. In this game, like most BG games, the morphing item is also a listed item, so you can't forget to look for the morph.
The Mini Games are subpar and too scarce for my personal tastes. Some of the mini games are actually forms of Hidden Object Games such as Keywords in Sentence finds, which make the actual mini game tally even shorter. To narrow the category down even further still, some of the tasks within zoom zones appear to be a mini game, but they don't give you any game descriptions, so I soon realized that these were tasks not puzzles, and they don't require figuring out anything because they are solved by just interacting with items. Below is a very brief list of brief descriptions of some of the Mini Games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Place puzzle fragments into the highlighted spaces correctly, select the piece and then click on the fragment to rotate the piece.
2) Find pairs of images that represent the Keywords on sentences. (repeated throughout the game)
3) Use the clue sheet to convert a 4 digit code into symbols.
4) Gauntlet mini game requiring you to click when the target zone turns blue, repeat 3 x's. (Repeated each time the Gauntlet is used for this particular feature, Keywords in Sentence finds games when using the Gauntlet to speak with the dead)
5) Use the reference clue to convert symbols to musical notes.
6) Use the clues shown to correctly place stone tablet equations.
7) Slide tokens to arrange the flames in a progressive order.
8) Select levers to adjust the levels of acid in each vat to access the items inside the empty tanks.
This Collector's Edition version has 12 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, re-playable Movie Cutscenes, Mini Games and Hidden Object games, 22 Achievements to Earn, 33 Collectible Stars, 4 Collectible Diamonds, a Built In Strategy Guide (which can only be accessed by clicking on the menu icon) and a Bonus Chapter.
DEMON HUNTER GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Chronicles from Beyond (April 30-2014) 3.5
2-A New Chapter (August 25-2015) 4.0
3-Revelation (April 16-2016) 4.0
4-Riddles of Light (February 27-2018) n/a
2-A New Chapter (August 25-2015) 4.0
3-Revelation (April 16-2016) 4.0
4-Riddles of Light (February 27-2018) n/a
by: Brave Giant Games
BRAVE GIANT GAMES AVAILABLE:
Demon Hunter*Noir Chronicles*Ghost Files*Queen's Quest*Hidden Investigations*Tiny Tales*Stories of Forgotten Past*Agent Walker*Tibetan Quest
Demon Hunter*Noir Chronicles*Ghost Files*Queen's Quest*Hidden Investigations*Tiny Tales*Stories of Forgotten Past*Agent Walker*Tibetan Quest
Follow Jonah as he goes from being an ordinary man to a prophet of God in this unique match 3 adventure!
Overall rating
2
/
5
29 of 31 found this review helpful
FIVE STARS FOR JONAH, 2 STARS FOR THE GAMEPLAY
PostedFebruary 26, 2018
Anonymous
fromThe bubble poppin' s kinda fun!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Cradle of Rome
(35)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I appreciate that BF offers the occasional biblical themed game, in fact, I think there should be more (nothing offered since Chronicles of Noah's Ark in 2016) I actually really enjoyed the progressive story about Jonah, an ordinary man, chosen by God to become a prophet, and the turmoils that follow. I also thought it was a unique feature of progressing through Match 3 levels to unlock chapters of the story, instead of constructing buildings or collecting resources and power-ups.
With that being said, the Match 3 game itself, isn't at all challenging, and the tiles themselves are too similar, making them difficult to differentiate from one another. I would probably be willing to overlook this flaw, IF the game allowed you to replay the levels. I hate it when a Match 3 game scores with a 1,2 or 3 Star system, and then doesn't give you an option to replay previous levels to try to earn a better score. It does allow you to restart the current level at any point during the level, but not once you've finished the level, I could be wrong, but I searched everywhere for a map level or replay option, and came up empty handed.
To sum it all up, for my personal preference, although I loved the story, the game features have two major strikes against it, tiles that are too similar, and no replay option. I'll have to pass on this game, but Jonah and the Whale get an A+
I don't recommend this game.
Donna’s childhood friend is overwhelmed by a cursed tree that poisons everything it touches!
Overall rating
2
/
5
62 of 82 found this review helpful
WELL....I DON'T THINK THEY WERE "THINKING" LOL
PostedFebruary 25, 2018
Anonymous
fromDid you know that there is a Spanish Tree called Mancinella (manzanilla de la muerte) which is the world's deadliest tree!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Yep, I bought this dreadful game, (CE version) but fortunately, it was during a BOGO sale. I really enjoyed the first Donna Brave: And The Strangler of Paris, so I thought I'd give this game a fair shake. I can't give a full assessment of the game in its entirety though, because try as I may, I just couldn't make it past the third chapter (5 chapters total + Bonus Chapter in the CE) it's just a whole lot of back and forthing, doing meaningless tasks that offer nothing more than filler tasks. In fact, the entire second chapter from what I can recall, told me nothing more about the plot, I knew as much about the plot entering the third chapter as I did towards the end of the demo! If you're "Brave" here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either is right for you:
Donna Brave could hardly wait to see her friend Kathi, after all she hasn't seen her since they hung out together at school. When Donna arrives, she is greeted by a very nervous Kathi, who explains that she needs Donna's help to solve a deadly mystery. Is it a whodunit murder mystery? Nope, its a killer tree!
Mad Head Games should have made this new series more like an Agatha Christie murder mystery. Instead, they went from a Strangler in Paris to Killer Tree Roots.To make matters worse, the graphics are horrible at times, close ups in some scenes make everything look like it was drawn for a cartoon. I'm more than a little upset that MHG dropped the ball with this uninteresting and ridiculous plot.
There are so many inconsistencies and logic fails, that one is left scratching one's head, trying to keep up with the story. For starters, the game supposedly takes place somewhere around 1923, yet Kathi is spelled with an i not a y, which I can't imagine parents in the 1900's doing. The clothes also don't seem period appropriate. I find a wooden tool box that of course is missing a handle, and I simply can't open the lid until I find a replacement. Oh looky here, an iron handle, I simply place it on the lid, and it lifts the lid with ease. Are there magnets involved here, how did it stay attached? Next up, I've got to melt some ice, do I use my matches, do I use my kerosene lantern, of course not, they won't do the job, but I can use a single match to catch a stick on fire without any fuel! Once I rescue my bestie from the killer tree, and drag her body inside, her father decides to help, so I heave Kathi's limp body into dads arms. Now dad informs me that her wounds are lethal and she has 24 hours to live. Kathi's dad has figured out the solution! I must destroy the vile death tree, or Kathi will die in less than a day! He seemed so sure she would live 24 hours, just a second ago, but now she has less than a day? If the wounds caused by the tree are fatal (and you have 24 hours to live give or take a few hours) how will it fix things if I destroy the tree? Are the wounds one and the same as the tree?
I may not like the story, but I loved the bling available in the Collector's Edition version. Each scene has a Morphing Object to find, and each HOP has one as well, now that's more like it! Each scene in the CE version also has a hidden Magnifying glass to find as well, which unlocks Bonus Content once they have all been collected, some of which are nicely blended into the scenery.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, and each HOP has a Morphing Object to find. There are Silhouetted Shape finds, Matching Pairs and scenes where you place objects into the scene instead of taking them out. There aren't a whole lot of HOP's or MG's for that matter , and there are no alternate puzzles available.
The Mini Games are far too simplistic in my opinion, and there just aren't enough of them, at least not in the demo.(probably because of all the meaningless tasks you have to do) Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Rotate tiles to create an unbroken path.
2) Swap shoes to match their silhouetted shape shoe prints.
3) Choose a card from your hand, then select however many cards necessary to equal the sum of the card in your hand. (if you choose an 8 as your hand card, you must then choose cards whose sum equal 8 such as a 5 and a 3) the first person to take use 15 or more cards wins.
4) Place animals on their correct habitat continent.
5) Rotate disks to align the images.
6) Move knights to their color coded board spots.
7) Play the piano keys in the correct order according to the clue.
DONNA BRAVE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Donna Brave: And the Strangler of Paris (August 26-2017) 4.3
2-Donna Brave: And the Deathly Tree (January 27-2018) 3.0
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Donna Brave: And the Strangler of Paris (August 26-2017) 4.3
2-Donna Brave: And the Deathly Tree (January 27-2018) 3.0
by: Mad Head Games
The Collector's Edition version has 4 Wallpapers, Concept Art pictures, 10 Music Soundtracks, 10 Achievements to earn in 3 categories each, 8 Character Gallery pictures, Card Game to play(once all Morphing Objects have been found), 28 hidden Collectible Magnifying Glasses, 47 Morphing Objects (1 in each scene and 1 in each HOP) 19 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
I don't recommend this game.
A time-traveling killer is taking out the Gray family, one by one.
Overall rating
3
/
5
28 of 35 found this review helpful
BONUS CHAPTER APPEARS TO BE THE BEST PART OF THE GAME, BUT....
PostedFebruary 25, 2018
Anonymous
fromDid you know that William Bickford invented the first Fuse in 1831, which consisted of a tube filled with gunpowder surrounded by a waterproofed varnished jute rope?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Out of all the developer's, I personally love the type of graphics Elephant Games offers. Unfortunately, it's a hit or miss when it comes to the storyline's on some of their series games. I've always enjoyed the Grim Tales series, but after playing The Time Traveler, I have to admit that this is my least favorite out of the series.
The Time Traveler is a very short game, with only 3 Chapters (plus Bonus Chapter in the CE) and the chapters themselves aren't even very long, the SG shows about 6-8 pages per chapter. The first chapter is decent, the second chapter was downright boring, but the third chapter picked back up slightly. The Bonus Chapter, however, started out with an interesting plot, all I can really say is that you and your husband Dorian have discovered that nephew Mike is missing (any more info will ruin the main game's plot) I barely got to play the BC, because I encountered an access violation and the game was terminated, so I'm not sure what that's all about yet, but it looked to be the best plot of the entire game!
My favorite feature offered in a HOPA game, is Morphing Objects, and Grim Tales always offers Morphing Objects (thank you Elephant Games for always including Morphs in your games!) So my personal preference is the Collector's Edition version, but here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either is right for you:
Move over Anna, there's a new Time Traveler in Town, and he's seeking revenge on everyone, well at least the Gray and McGray family members. Anna Gray and her dear ole dad, Richard, were heading to the new McGray mansion, for a family barbecue with James and Elizabeth, when Anna is forced to swerve off the road to avoid hitting a stranger. (I wonder if Anna straps the seat belt over Richard's skull?) After hoofing it to the mansion, Anna discovers a horrifying, grizzly sight, so once again, Anna must perform the sacred family ritual, that allows her to travel back in time, where hopefully, she'll be able to stop a mysterious Time Traveler from destroying her entire family!
I've always been a fan of the Grim Tales series, and I've always loved the realistic graphics that Elephant Games brings to the table. Lately, the Collector's Edition goodies have been diminishing little by little, from some of the devs, but not from this pachyderm proboscidea! Each scene in the Collector's Edition version of The Time Traveler, has a Morphing Object (yea! my favorite CE feature) and some of the scenes have collectible Puzzle Pieces to assemble a Screensaver, as well as collectible Gray & McGray family Statues, that give brief descriptions of who's who to whom.
Every time I play a new Grim Tales, I'm always left with more questions than answers, it seems. As I rummage through my (aka Anna) family photos, one is labeled Anna, Elizabeth McGray and her two sons. I have to label my own name on the photo, yet I can't label the kids names, they are just Elizabeth's two sons? Then when I arrive at the mansion, I immediately say "oh I'm too late" am I psychic as well? Shortly thereafter, I see that the Red Wine has been Cosbeyed (think about it) which turns the red wine to green. Unless I just polished off an entire bottle of wine, wouldn't I notice my red wine was now green?
I pick up a threatening memo left behind by the perp, know how I know it's from the perp? Cause he signed it....a demon from the past. Once I finally make my way inside the mansion, I discover cobwebs in every nook and cranny. They can afford a mansion, but not a maid? The mansion comes with a beautiful pond, stocked with blacktipped sharks? In the backyard, is a fireplace with a pot of boiling water. Okay, after all they were having a picnic, but no matter how many times I return, it never boils and evaporates, again okay. But the real question is, if time supposedly stands still, if everyone is "frozen" in place, and Anna is the only one that can move, why is the water boiling?
The good news is that I use the same screwdriver FOUR times just in the demo! (can't say the same for the net, which is discarded immediately, only to discover the next scene requires something similar) Later on, I come across a spiders web that I simply cannot brush away with my bare hands, but I'm totally down for picking up the wild mouse that's living in the baseboards, right next to the yucky spidersweb? [end confusion]
The Hidden Objects vary, and are nicely done, but there are no alternative games available if you're not into HOP's. There are Interactive List finds, Silhouetted Shape finds and Pair finds where you move two objects at a time to find matches. There are also smaller Zoom Zone HOP's with just a handful of Silhouetted Shape objects to find.
The Mini Games are good, although nothing really new is presented. Most are easy to medium difficulty. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Swap triangles to complete the pattern, swapping vertically will rotate triangles.
2) Rotate inner and outer circles to restore the pattern.
3) Swap lock parts to match the carved dowels.
4) Arrange the fish so they will fit into their matching slots when the you press the play button.
5) Swap the footprint tokens to match their animal counterparts.
6) Swap colored elements that create connections until all connections have been closed.
7) Guide the gold golf ball to make a hole-in-one, by moving the red balls against the gates to create a path (repeat x2)
8) Turn the dial to input the correct code according to the clue.
GRIM TALES GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1- The Bride (August 4-2011) 3.8
2- The Legacy (January 5-2012) 4.6
3- The Wishes (July 12-2012) 4.5
4 -The Stone Queen (January 3-2013) 3.9
5 -Bloody Mary (August 1-2013) 4.3
6 -The Vengeance (May 15-2014) 4.5
7 -Color of Fright (November 6-2014) 3.8
8 -The Final Suspect (May 16-2015) 3.9
9 -Threads of Destiny (October 7-2015) 3.9
10 -The Heir (February 25-2016) 4.3
11 -Crimson Hollow (August 25-2016) 4.1
12 -Graywitch (February 2-2017) 4.0
13 -The White Lady (August 3-2017) 4.0
14-The Time Traveler (January 25-2017) 3.5
2- The Legacy (January 5-2012) 4.6
3- The Wishes (July 12-2012) 4.5
4 -The Stone Queen (January 3-2013) 3.9
5 -Bloody Mary (August 1-2013) 4.3
6 -The Vengeance (May 15-2014) 4.5
7 -Color of Fright (November 6-2014) 3.8
8 -The Final Suspect (May 16-2015) 3.9
9 -Threads of Destiny (October 7-2015) 3.9
10 -The Heir (February 25-2016) 4.3
11 -Crimson Hollow (August 25-2016) 4.1
12 -Graywitch (February 2-2017) 4.0
13 -The White Lady (August 3-2017) 4.0
14-The Time Traveler (January 25-2017) 3.5
by: Elephant Games
The Collector's Edition version has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, Archives, 14 Collectible Family Statues, Morphing Objects in each scene, 18 Achievements to earn, 26 hidden Puzzle Pieces to assemble a Screensaver, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Princess has disappeared, and her statues are under attack!
Overall rating
2
/
5
107 of 133 found this review helpful
LET ME TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT A GIRL NAMED PRINCESS AND A BOY NAMED PRINCE?????
PostedFebruary 24, 2018
Anonymous
fromDid you know that the first statue in the world is the Lowenmensch figurine located in the Swabian Alps in Germany, approximately 30,000-40,000 years old?
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Princess, which in itself isn't all that bad, but Princess meets a boy named Prince, what are the odds of that? Princess has a unique gift, a magical gift, a gift that allows her to turn any statue to life! Stone statues that can walk, talk, think, reason, and yes, they can even fly! These statues are so grateful (implying that they knew about their existence and their circumstance before being brought to life) that they become loyal servants to Princess, who isn't a Princess! One day Princess receives a letter from her secret lover Prince, who isn't a Prince, asking her to meet him in an abandoned part of town called Stone Peaks which we can only assume isn't a Stone Peak. Princess begins to suspect foul play because she has had dreams about Stone Peaks, which gives her an uneasy feeling of doom and gloom. So Princess writes a letter to her good friend Detective, who does indeed appear to be a Detective, asking for help, just in case this rendezvous has dire consequences. Princess doesn't expect you to fly solo, so she has sent along Sheriff, which isn't a Sheriff, the stone dog (shouldn't Sheriff be called Dog?) Together the Detective and the Sheriff begin sniffing out stone clues and chasing stone breadcrumbs, to find the person responsible for the nefarious no good plans, otherwise known as Villain!
I'm usually a huge Elephant Games fan, because in my opinion they have some of the most amazing graphics, and they almost always have Morphing Objects which is my favorite feature in a HOPA game. The Lord of Statues was an amazing game, Queen of Shadows wasn't a bad follow-up, but the last 3 games have really flatlined! I know a lot of people hate helpers, and I will admit that Sheriff becomes annoying and distracting when he starts twirling around in place. However, if he didn't twirl, I think it wouldn't be a bad addition, because he is rather adorable, and I would much rather have Sheriff as a helper, than to have to make potions in a Healer's kit, like the last game offered! This Collector's Edition version has 14 Collectible Dog Statues to find as well as a Morphing Object in each scene (the only reason I gave this game 2 stars instead of 1)
The Hidden Object Scenes are decent, although a couple of them had objects that stuck out like a sore thumb. There are Interactive List finds, Keywords in Sentence finds, and Silhouetted Shape finds. There are also several smaller Zoom Zone HOP's, but no alternate game is offered.
The Mini Games are okay, nothing new, and there are a lot of them, so if you don't like games that are heavy Puzzle games, you're definitely not going to enjoy this game. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Swap tiles correctly based on their images.
2) Select the central clock hand arrows to swap two crown sections to match.
3) Rotate the triangular arrow in the right direction to the correct number according to the clue.
4) Arrange the runes to complete the symbols shown in the center.
5) Move all 4 keys to the slots in the middle of the board, by selecting the buttons on the edge with numbers showing how far it reaches.
6) Drag chains to their matching squares, dragging one chain may affect others.
7) Press the center arrow buttons to rotate triangles to their matching colored slots.
8) Move tokens to its associated picture, selecting one token may affect others.
9) Place bridle sections onto the correct highlighted slots.
10) Repeat the sequence by selecting stones in the correct order shown.
11) Select circle buttons to rotate and change the size of the images and drag the diamond shaped buttons to match the symbols.
This Collector's Edition version has 3 Screensavers, 14 Wallpapers, 14 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks (does anyone ever download this music?) 13 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 re-playable Mini Games, 18 Achievements, 14 Collectible Dog Statues, 30 Morphing Objects, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
Royal Detective Games Available
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Lord of Statues (June 14-2012) 4.7
2-Queen of Shadows (May 1-2014) 3.8
3-Legend of The Golem (February 4-2016) 4.2
4-Borrowed Life (February 11-2017) 3.7
5-The Princess Returns (February 24-2018) n/a
2-Queen of Shadows (May 1-2014) 3.8
3-Legend of The Golem (February 4-2016) 4.2
4-Borrowed Life (February 11-2017) 3.7
5-The Princess Returns (February 24-2018) n/a
by: Elephant Games
Elephant Games Available:
Royal Detective*Grim Tales*Christmas Stories*Surface*Chimeras*Halloween Stories*Haunted Hotel*Midnight Calling*MCF (Dire Grove, Sacred Grove & Fate's Carnival)*Riddles of Fate*Hallowed Legends*Death Pages*Unfinished Tales*Detective Quest*Found*Urban Legends*Lost In The City*Super Granny Run*Quark Attack*Up Balloon Up*Ball Craft*Wise Gal*Love Is*Real Stories*Bloom*RIP Trilogy*Road Rush*Jungle Heart*Avalon*Just Bones*Sir Match A-Lot*Ship of Bones*Masquerade Mysteries*
Royal Detective*Grim Tales*Christmas Stories*Surface*Chimeras*Halloween Stories*Haunted Hotel*Midnight Calling*MCF (Dire Grove, Sacred Grove & Fate's Carnival)*Riddles of Fate*Hallowed Legends*Death Pages*Unfinished Tales*Detective Quest*Found*Urban Legends*Lost In The City*Super Granny Run*Quark Attack*Up Balloon Up*Ball Craft*Wise Gal*Love Is*Real Stories*Bloom*RIP Trilogy*Road Rush*Jungle Heart*Avalon*Just Bones*Sir Match A-Lot*Ship of Bones*Masquerade Mysteries*
I don't recommend this game.
Experience the wonderful world of The Far Kingdoms and complete unique solitaire challenges to retrieve the elixir and save your sister!
Overall rating
5
/
5
67 of 77 found this review helpful
THE FAR KINGDOMS ALWAYS HAVE A NICE STORY TO ACCOMPANY A RELAXING SOLITAIRE GAME
PostedFebruary 23, 2018
Anonymous
fromAnother Princess needs my help, it's exhausting!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Far Kingdoms have always been among my favorite Solitaire games, they have all the features I like, beautiful music, and a somewhat decent story as you progress.
This is a Higher/Lower type Solitaire game that allows you to replay any level. I like the fact that I get to remove all cards from the board, not just those annoying "special" cards. You can earn up to 3 Stars, and there are 10 Trophies to earn. Combos start at 5 cards, and there is a Card Counter icon, and an Undo icon, that starts each level with 1, additional's can be purchased in the shop (located on the bottom right)
In the Shop you can purchase items to help you beat a level, and the good news is that they are cheap to buy, however, you can only use them at that exact moment, they can't be saved.
As you progress, there are obstacles that require special tool cards such as a Sword to cut Vined cards, a Hammer to crush Stone cards, Locked cards that require making a Combo of a specific amount, and Chained cards that require two plays to remove them. (once to remove chains, a second time to remove the card itself)
THE FAR KINGDOMS GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Release Date***Genre***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Genre***Average Rating
1-The Far Kingdoms: November 13-2013 (Hidden Object) 3.1
2-Winter Solitaire: September 9-2014 (Solitaire) 3.6
3-Elements: November 24-2014 (Hidden Object/Match 3) 3.4
4-Age of Solitaire: April 13-2015 (Solitaire) 3.9
5-Sacred Grove Solitaire: December 29-2015 (Solitaire) 4.0
6-Magic Mosaics: April 11-2016 (Mosaic Griddler) 4.0
7-Forgotten Relics: April 4-2017 (Solitaire) 3.5
8-Garden Mosaics: October 2-2017 (Mosaic Griddler) 3.2
9-Spooky Mosaics: October 23-2017 (Mosaic Griddler) 4.3
10-Awakening Solitaire: February 23-2018 (solitaire) n/a
2-Winter Solitaire: September 9-2014 (Solitaire) 3.6
3-Elements: November 24-2014 (Hidden Object/Match 3) 3.4
4-Age of Solitaire: April 13-2015 (Solitaire) 3.9
5-Sacred Grove Solitaire: December 29-2015 (Solitaire) 4.0
6-Magic Mosaics: April 11-2016 (Mosaic Griddler) 4.0
7-Forgotten Relics: April 4-2017 (Solitaire) 3.5
8-Garden Mosaics: October 2-2017 (Mosaic Griddler) 3.2
9-Spooky Mosaics: October 23-2017 (Mosaic Griddler) 4.3
10-Awakening Solitaire: February 23-2018 (solitaire) n/a
by: Lazy Turtle Games
Lazy Turtle Games Available:
The Far Kingdoms*Mystery Expedition*Artifacts of Eternity*The Count of Monte Cristo*Mystery Chronicles*Eternity*Abandoned (Chestnut Lodge Asylum)
The Far Kingdoms*Mystery Expedition*Artifacts of Eternity*The Count of Monte Cristo*Mystery Chronicles*Eternity*Abandoned (Chestnut Lodge Asylum)
I recommend this game!
Save the citizens of Rivershire from a terrible plague!
Overall rating
4
/
5
83 of 119 found this review helpful
DEMONS BEGONE!
PostedFebruary 22, 2018
Anonymous
fromDid you know that kerosene was invented in 1846 as a substitute for whale oil?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Apparently the citizens of the Tar Empire could use a snickers bar, because they are becoming little demons with a big attitude. It's a good thing I'm immune to any and all diseases, because this demonic plague transforms an average adult into a horned beast with green glowing eyes. Six inch horns protruding from almost every inch of their bodies, apparently has no lifelong complications once healed, not even a scar remains, but then again, I am THE Honored Healer!
I've got everything I need to perform this exorcism, Healer's Kit, check! All seeing Diagnostic Lens (aka: magnifying glass, hey, I'm not Wonder Woman), check! A Quill that magically writes and draws pictures with several different colors at the same time without needing ink, check! A Dagger given to me by a warrior guard to defend myself upon this dangerous mission, check....cancel that check, because I discard it after one use, and have to revert to burning ropes when I could have just hung onto the dagger! So now I mount my trusty steed, hoping he doesn't catch the plague, otherwise it's going to be a miserable road trip. I ditched my dagger for some odd reason, but I hung onto a small metal pin, because my healing ability senses told me I'd need to fix a door hinge, and I was spot on, I did indeed need a door hinge pin on my first leg of the journey! After curing a very grateful healer, I wave goodbye and continue my journey, why not, two healers is just a crowd right? My next stop is at the witches hut, which was weird, why? Well, the witch wasn't able to whip up her own witch hazel wellness cure, which was worth wondering about when I realized her witchy witch-hut was locked from the inside...this is going to be a long journey!
Normally, I'm not a fan of recipe making mini games, because there's usually no skill involved, it usually entails throwing ingredients into a cauldron in a specific order, and half the time it doesn't allow you to place the wrong ingredient in the wrong order. However, I don't mind the Healer's Kit mini game as much, because at least you have to make educated guesses. The first step, is to use the Diagnostic Lens to examine the patient, which cannot be done incorrectly, because it glows a reddish-pink to alert you to click on an area you can basically already see with the naked eye. After zooming into the affected area, you have to click once again to select it, which automatically queues that magic quill to jot down the findings in the Healer's Book. Now that you've made a diagnosis, that same magical quill draws some beautifully detailed pictures in every color imaginable, of the ingredients you'll need whip up a demon hex cure. Once you have found all of the ingredients, you open up the Healer's Kit, and play a mini game to complete the potion, which for some reason is different with every patient?
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Silhouetted Shape finds, Interactive list finds, Keywords in Sentence finds, and replacing items correctly back into the scene. There are also several smaller Zoom Zone HOP's, and there is an alternate Match 3 game available.
The Mini Games are available in either an Easy or Hard mode. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Diagnostic Lens games where you find and click on several suspicious areas to determine the illness. (repeated throughout the game)
2) Healer's Kit games where you must place the ingredients into the Kits device, where you think they logically belong, and press the play button to see if you are correct. (repeated several times throughout the game)
3) Guide your horse through a maze while avoiding the monsters.
4) Move the bronze tile through all cells using all arrowed tiles to direct the bronze tile.
5) Connect all the dots without overlapping.
6) Move the center arrow to light all symbols, by clicking the 3 clockwise or 4 counterclockwise buttons to move the arrow that number and direction.
7) Reassemble the symbols by rotating discs.
8) Select buttons to swap tiles to match the clue shown.
9) Choose the correct cup that contains a butterfly wing in a cup shuffle game 3 times.
10) Repeat the sequence of flashes the demon makes.
This Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 17 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 17 re-playable Mini Games, 26 Achievements to earn, 15 Collectible Creature Eggs (click to hatch within the Medico Imperium) 15 Collectible Medallions (represents a different theater personality) 76 Hidden Coins (used to buy 15 Magic Lab items) a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
ENCHANTED KINGDOM GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-A Dark Seed (April 6-17) 3.9
2-A Stranger's Venom (September 28-17) 3.7
3-Fog of Rivershire (February 22-2018) n/a
2-A Stranger's Venom (September 28-17) 3.7
3-Fog of Rivershire (February 22-2018) n/a
by: Domini Games
Domini Games Available
Dark Romance*Labyrinths of the World*The Christmas Spirit*Mystery Tales*Enchanted Kingdom*The Curio Society*Travel Adventures*Island of Death*In Search of the Lost Temple*Mysteries of Ancient Inventors*The World's Legends
Dark Romance*Labyrinths of the World*The Christmas Spirit*Mystery Tales*Enchanted Kingdom*The Curio Society*Travel Adventures*Island of Death*In Search of the Lost Temple*Mysteries of Ancient Inventors*The World's Legends
I recommend this game!