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:
1001 Jigsaw World Tour: Great America provides a fantastic opportunity to feel the true American spirit through beautifully crafted jigsaw puzzles!
Overall rating
1
/
5
49 of 55 found this review helpful
FELLOW PUZZLE GEEKS...MAKE A STATEMENT..."WE WANT MORE!"
PostedFebruary 21, 2018
Anonymous
fromMore features please!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Jigsaws Galore
(121)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
I'm a puzzle geek, I can't get enough of them, real puzzles, virtual puzzles, it doesn't matter, in fact, I've even completed the World's largest puzzle consisting of 32,000 pieces! (I had to tape four 6 ft. tables together just to fit one 8,000 piece section!)
If you are a puzzle geek, please make a stand here at Big Fish, to encourage them to give us more. I have nothing against 8 Floor LTD. but they are all the same, nothing ever changes. The features are the same, the music is the same, the puzzles are basically the same, and never offered in larger sizes, and they give us NO OPTIONS whatsoever!
Great puzzle games with great customizations exists, they're out there, why aren't they offered here? I did find a couple of puzzles here on BF, that have awesome pictures and custom features available. Yes, I'll admit, at first they seem intimidating because there are so many features to choose from, but after a few minutes of exploring the features, you soon realize that it isn't difficult, and your angst turns into excitement from all the possibilities.
In 1001 Jigsaw World Tour: Great America, you can choose puzzles from 5 different boxes, the pictures are once again, mostly staged pictures, and not very appealing. You can also earn Trophies for reaching goals such as playing a certain amount of hours, joining up to a million pieces, scoring a certain amount of points, solving a puzzle without making a mistake, solving various sized puzzles, or solving a puzzle without using hints, sorting, or pocket features. There are also Top Scores and personal Best score tallies.
Any of the puzzles can be modified with the number of pieces, the cut shape of the pieces and whether or not you want the pieces to rotate. There are 4 different backgrounds to choose from, pink, green, blue and grey, a box to store extra pieces until needed, a Sort option a Border only option, a Hint option and an available Magnifying glass to enlarge pieces. You can also ghost the image of the puzzle to the background or hang a picture in three different sizes.
These are the EXACT same features offered in all puzzle games by this dev, and trust me, there are better features available! For example, in Jigsaws Galore, you can assemble a puzzle with up to 64,000 pieces! And there's so many more unique features, so I've included some bullet points of just some of the custom features available in Jigsaws Galore, features which we SHOULD expect from all puzzle games:
*Each category is kept in folders, the pictures inside each folder is shown as thumbnails, choose the size of each thumbnail, create and label as many new folders as you want.
*Capture your own images, or import photos, you can even crop specific sections, you can also share pictures with others who have Jigsaws Galore.
*Change the size, shape or number of pieces, you can even change these features midway through a puzzle without having to restart the puzzle.
*Choose the shape of the pieces, you can even add "fun" or "mystery shaped" pieces to the mixture by %, for example, add 5% of fish shaped pieces randomly into the puzzle, or 0 if you just want normal shaped pieces.
*Ghost the image, AND choose the brightness of the ghosted picture, hang a picture for reference, choose the background color OR the type of material used.
*Open up as many trays as you want to hold puzzle pieces, (not just a single box that can't be sorted, labeled or even easily viewed) choose the color of each tray and label the trays, right click each tray and fetch the pieces you want in each tray, such as blue pieces, or fun shaped pieces, you can choose how to arrange the pieces within each tray, line the trays along the sides, top or bottom, which can be clearly viewed and know what pieces are in which trays (sky, water, land, blue, specific shapes, however you want!)
*Select how you want to sort the puzzle pieces, along the edges, in grid formation, random, you can ever de-arrange pieces, and this option is available inside each tray as well. They will even arrange by grouping the same shaped puzzle pieces together.
*The toolbar can be on the top, bottom or side, and you can hide the toolbar to give you more room.
*There is a zoom feature, a magnifying glass which can be set at different strengths.
*Choose how thick or thin the pieces are, add shadows, turn on/off anti-aliasing (graphics realism) whether you want the outlines to disappear once the pieces snap together to show a smooth image. You can even choose the snap distance of the pieces, and choose puzzle piece rotation preference of clockwise or counterclockwise.
*Auto save the puzzle at specific intervals automatically, such as every 5 minutes, never lose your progress again!
*Use tools such as undo, demo, next piece finds, hints, mystery mode, auto solve, overlay pictures, zoom, or even timers. It even shows you the number of pieces in the puzzle, and how many pieces you have placed.
Now do you want more?? When you know what CAN BE available, it makes a big difference doesn't it? I'm sure there are lots of gamers who don't care about all these features, and just want a relaxing and simple puzzle to while away the time, but if you do want to see more puzzles offered with these kinds of options...make a stand and let your voice be heard....WE WANT MORE!
I don't recommend this game.
This highly anticipated addition to the Cursed House series has you taking your match 3 skills to the next level!
Overall rating
5
/
5
135 of 146 found this review helpful
SWEET STRATEGY BASED MATCH 3 GAME...CURSE THAT HOUSE!
PostedFebruary 21, 2018
Anonymous
fromMy brain hurts!
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
One of the reasons I love this Match 3 series is that I have to use strategy in order to master the levels. This isn't a Match 3 game where you blindly swap tiles at a breakneck speed. This is a game that's all about the coins, nothing else really matters, but getting to the coins is where the strategy comes into play, and the addiction that follows.
You can play in a Relaxed mode as well as Limited Moves or Limited Time, and you can switch between modes on different levels to help you beat difficult levels. Eventually, you will be given the option to skip a difficult level without penalty, after several replay attempts, and in the Bonus Levels, you will receive interactive hints after 10 replay attempts.
The Cursed House is filled with evil spirits, that can only be banished by an ancient Amulet. The Amulet can only be powered by collecting hundreds of coins, so once again, this cursed house needs cleansing of its domain of evil spirits.
Large matches will give you a Power-up, and power-ups are critical, because most coins are blocked by obstacles that require a power-up to destroy them. A match 4 will give you Dynamite to explode by moving it or double clicking. A match 5 will give you a Morphing Power-up to choose either a Rocket which targets obstacles, Lightning which destroys all identical tiles match with, or a Dynamite Barrel. You can choose the power-up by clicking as it morphs, and if you chose the wrong one, you can cancel it by right clicking.
Levels with Trunks require you to collect Trunk Coins, when all trunk coins have been found, you need to make a match adjacent to the trunk or trunks that will vibrate to alert you that all trunk coins have been located. Once the trunks are opened, you receive bonuses and other parts of the board are unlocked.
Some levels have Cannons that require you to make matches next to the wick to fire the cannon to start a chain reaction, some cannons are locked and you must make matches in front of the key to allow the key to move towards the lock. Firing the cannon also opens up other parts of the board.
There are several types of coins besides the gold coins and trunk coins, Dusty coins that need two matches, coins that are split in half requiring matches in front of the pieces to join the two halves. Coins that need filled in by collecting falling drops of liquid or gold by dropping them off the board to fill a vial. Bug coins need to be collected to get rid of pesky bugs that annoy you, and Red bugs need to be pushed off of the board because they are invulnerable to power-ups.
Some tiles have obstacles such as boarded tiles, some boarded tiles have shields that require matches made on the sides without the shield for more challenge. There are Stone tiles, Lava tiles, Chained tiles, ice tiles, Rock tiles and Fog tiles that require either a match adjacent to them, most but not all obstacles can be destroyed with lightning explosions or bombs. There are even Green and Red Hot Stone tiles that require matches on top to destroy them. Torches will spread the flame as adjacent matches are made, which needs to reach frozen tiles or flameless torches. The Ray of Light shoots a beam of light to destroy the Darkness, but a path must be cleared first.....the not so easy scenario!
After playing a few levels, you get to play a Mini Game such as Higher/Lower Solitaire that has an extra slot to store any face up card to use in a match later and unblock cards on the board. There are also Hidden Object Scenes and one of my favorite games, Spot The Difference which has very subtle differences and wasn't as easy as you'd expect.
CURSED HOUSE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
1-Cursed House: 1 (December 15-2010) 4.1
2-Cursed House: 2 (October 31-2012) 4.0
3-Cursed House: Irish Language version (July 15-2014) 4.0
4-Cursed House: 3 (May 23-2016) 4.3
5-Cursed House: 4 (September 11-2017) 4.0
6-Cursed House: 5 (February 21-2018) n/a
2-Cursed House: 2 (October 31-2012) 4.0
3-Cursed House: Irish Language version (July 15-2014) 4.0
4-Cursed House: 3 (May 23-2016) 4.3
5-Cursed House: 4 (September 11-2017) 4.0
6-Cursed House: 5 (February 21-2018) n/a
by: FRH Games
FRH Games:
Cursed House*Spellarium*Floria*Laruaville
Cursed House*Spellarium*Floria*Laruaville
I recommend this game!
Use your knowledge of alchemical arcana to save the young prince from the clutches of dark magic!
Overall rating
2
/
5
51 of 72 found this review helpful
IS IT OVER YET???
PostedFebruary 20, 2018
Anonymous
fromFoiled again!
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
Another game with an evil imprisoned witch trying to escape, another naive Prince all grown up and ruining everything, another Alchemist who whips up potions using recipes that are conveniently laying around, which btw always seems to be THE exact potion at THE right time. Top it all off with Royal Golden hues, repetitive puzzles and and boring tasks, what does that equal? Lost Grimoires 2: Shard of Mystery! (not to mention the fact that # 3 has already been released, but it must have gotten Lost)
In all fairness, I've never been a fan of recipe related games, and the repetitive Match 3 games that come with it. In this Collector's Edition version, there are 31 hidden Roses, which is a nice touch, but I think Crystal collectibles would've been more appropriate. Other than the usual Music, Wallpapers, Concept Art pictures, and replayable Mini Games and HOP's, that's really all that's offered, so I think the Standard Edition version will be the better value, if you can be patient.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, and offer no alternative puzzle types. There are Interactive List finds, Multiples of the same items, Keywords in Sentences, Silhouetted Shapes to open up the listed finds. I will admit, that the HOP within an aviary was colorful and really well done, as you are tasked with finding the birds that match the Silhouetted Shapes shown, followed by finding 10 Feathers.
The Mini Games aren't really bad, but they are too repetitive, and I became bored after the third or fourth repeat of the same puzzle. As I stated before, I really don't like concocting alchemy recipes, there's no skill involved, so it's just a useless task to make ridiculas potions (example "Odor Sleuth" really?) Below are brief descriptions of some of the Mini Games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Manipulate the padlocks to untangle the chains.
2) Recipe Match 3 game (repeated after each potion, progressively more difficult) this is a chain type Match 3 game requiring you to drag chain matches of a specific number of specific tiles, within a specified amount of moves.
3) Find objects in the telescope according to the keywords during a conversation.
4) Interact with the pages by clicking the correct objects pertaining to Keywords in a story.
5) Click gems in the correct order by repeating the sequence shown 3 times.
6) Place the Chasm Mirror pieces in their proper places.
7) Place the guards so that they secure every spot in the castle (vertical and horizontal coverage) on 3 different boards.
8) Swap tiles to create an image.
9) Find 5 differences between 3 different soldiers.
10) Combine 2 elements to create the new element shown at the top (air, water, earth etc.)
11) Swap the tiles to match the clue shown.
12) Move the character to the other side by pushing statues out of the way without getting stuck. repeat 3 times, in between the potion Match 3 games.
This Collector's Edition version has 6 Wallpapers, Concept Art pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, replayable Hidden Object Scenes, Mini Games and Cutscenes, 31 Hidden Roses, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter.
LOST GRIMOIRES GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Stolen Kingdom (March 6-2017) 4.3
2-Shard of Mystery (February 20-2018) n/a
3-The Forgotten Well (????)
2-Shard of Mystery (February 20-2018) n/a
3-The Forgotten Well (????)
by: Artifex Mundi
Artifex Mundi Games:
Lost Grimoires*Noir Chronicles*Endless Fables*Bladebound*Eventide*Modern Tales*The Secret Order*Queen's Quest*Ghost Files*Scarlett Mysteries*
Lost Grimoires*Noir Chronicles*Endless Fables*Bladebound*Eventide*Modern Tales*The Secret Order*Queen's Quest*Ghost Files*Scarlett Mysteries*
I don't recommend this game.
In Travel Mosaics: A Paris Tour, explore the beauty of France while completing colorful and challenging mosaics puzzles.
Overall rating
2
/
5
41 of 45 found this review helpful
A "GUESSER" GRIDDLER WITH HARD TO SEE GRIDS
PostedFebruary 19, 2018
Anonymous
fromIf only.......
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
This game has two major strikes against it..Some of the levels aren't based upon logic, requiring you to either guess or use a Power-up to solve it. The second strike is that the grids start out entirely black, and the crossed off squares are are also black, with a circle. This makes it really difficult to tell which squares are crossed off, and for me it became frustrating, as I tried to figure out where one square stopped and another started.
It's too bad that these two flaws exist, because otherwise this would be an awesome Griddler that has otherwise some good features. The filled in squares are colorful, and look like 3D bubbles. You can play in an Easy mode which crosses off one by one or Difficult mode which only crosses off squares when the entire row or column has been completed. I wasn't crazy about the music, but that's an easy fix.
As you fill in tiles, you will earn coins, or Power-up recharges. Power-ups can be upgraded, and you can also buy Souvenir's. There are Power-ups such asa Hammer, Sun, Lightning and even a Bomb, they start out with very little coverage area which increases with each upgrade.
Each Location has 6 main levels, 1 bonus level and 1 additional puzzle. You must earn at least 2 Stars on each mail level to open the bonus puzzles, and you have to earn at least 1 Star in each of the main levels to unlock the next location.
There is a Book icon that gives a brief description of the locations, which comes in handy if you make too many mistakes, because you will be asked some questions about the locations as a chance to earn another chance.
I don't recommend this game.
The Kingdoms of Lanceya and Winterhelm are in peril!
Overall rating
4
/
5
21 of 28 found this review helpful
A FAIRLY EASY GAME BUT I LIKED IT
PostedFebruary 18, 2018
Anonymous
fromThe agony of defeat: after several failed attempts on the harpoon mini game, I switched to easy mode, wicked game!
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
I think this is probably my second favorite game in this series, but in my opinion, none of them are as good as the first game, Vampire in Love. I also think this game is far too simplistic, I played in the Hardcore Mode, and not once was it necessary for me to consult the SG, because I didn't get stuck, or not know what to do next. I was also able to earn all of the Achievements, one after another. There are 5 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter in the Collector's Edition version, and each chapter is fairly long. If you like a lot of CE bling, Domini Games always includes several different collectibles, I just wish this game included Morphing Objects. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
Queen Nivella has been cursed to age at a wicked rate (me too, curse that princess!) The all revealing mirror has confirmed her diagnosis, wrinkleitis and acute grayhair-syndrome with a touch of baggyskinepidermis. Like most evil witches, the Queen has many powers, she can turn an ordinary dwarf into a stone zombie servant, but she's powerless against mother nature, <sigh>, aren't we all. But wait! If the Queen acts now, she can get two problems solved for the price of one, at the low low cost of only one very young, beautiful princess. Not just any princess, but a princess with a pure heart, (which is almost impossible to find nowadays) a princess the Queen thought she had disposed of long ago, Princess Lily of Winterhelm. There's just one teeny tiny problem....Princess Lily has caught the eye of a very charming man, who just so happens to be King William of Lanceya!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I do believe Dark Romance is back on track with this beautiful adaptation of Snow White! This is the only series I know of that successfully incorporates the feature of playing as both characters, switching back and forth between Princess Lily and King William. In the Collector's Edition version, the bling is plentiful, with hidden Dwarven Artifacts, hidden Chess Pieces and collectible Lily's that allow you to upgrade the Royal Chambers, and there are missing Journal Notes to collect as well.
The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, and some of them are actually challenging! There are Keywords in Sentence finds, Interactive List finds, Silhouetted Shape finds and a newer style that requires you to adjust slider bars to align sections of sketches together. There is an alternate Mach 3 game available as well.
The Mini Games are entertaining for the most part, and most of them are available in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Assemble the image by swapping sections of the disc shaped puzzle.
2) Move animal sections to a highlighted square to match the animal tile to the squares with matching outlines.
3) Land the dial on the correct symbol shown in the clue by choosing the number of moves and the direction of the dial.
4) Shoot down the chains by using 3 directional levers to align 3 sections of the cross-hairs over each chain. Then press the button when the horizontal and vertical bars are in the green zone.
5) Swap adjacent tiles to complete the image.
6) Recreate the symbols shown in the clue by clicking to fill in sections of the board.
7) Find 3 hidden shapes and then place the correct fragments into the snowflake, for each path taken in the forest.
8) Prepare a potion by following the recipe in the correct order.
9) Select arrow buttons on each column and row to place chips correctly according to the clue shown.
10) Move tokens along the tracks to their correct place.
11) Move the symbols to match the image on the clue, select discs to rotate select frames to swap tokens.
DARK ROMANCE GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Vampire In Love (February 8-14) 3.9
2-Heart of the Beast (April 23-15) 4.0
3-The Swan Sonata (October 17-15) 3.4
4-Kingdom of Death (April 21-16) 3.4
5-Curse of Bluebeard ( October 13-16) 4.7
6-Romeo and Juliet (February 25-17) 2.7
7-The Monster Within (September 7-17) 4.0
8-Winter Lily (January 18-2018) 4.1
2-Heart of the Beast (April 23-15) 4.0
3-The Swan Sonata (October 17-15) 3.4
4-Kingdom of Death (April 21-16) 3.4
5-Curse of Bluebeard ( October 13-16) 4.7
6-Romeo and Juliet (February 25-17) 2.7
7-The Monster Within (September 7-17) 4.0
8-Winter Lily (January 18-2018) 4.1
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
The Collector's Edition version has 15 Wallpapers, 20 Concept Art pictures (Domini Games never skimps on the CE bling!) 18 re-playable Mini Games, 18 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 28 re-playable Movie Videos, 5 Music Soundtracks, 30 Achievements to earn, 12 Hidden Chess Pieces, 15 Hidden Dwarven Artifacts, collectible Missing Journal Notes, 48 Lily's to upgrade items in the Royal Chamber's Boudoir, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Travel through alternate realities to restore the fabric of the universe!
Overall rating
4
/
5
126 of 159 found this review helpful
BEING A GUARDIAN OF SPECTRA IS DANGEROUS, THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL ME!
PostedFebruary 17, 2018
Anonymous
fromIf going between worlds is forbidden, why do I keep entering?
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
The Queen of Creation creates the history of the Universe on her Canvases of Eternity, but what if somebody were to steal one of the Canvases? Would you still exist? Would the World still exist? Would a new reality be created to take its place, or would there just be emptiness? These are scenarios Alice Carpenter does not want to see happen in her lifetime, but time is of the essence, or there may be no worlds left for a Guardian to protect!
I have good news and bad news. The famous Elefun Games ....loading...in between all of the scenes and zoom zones, still exists (must be a canvas not yet stolen) the good news is that the time it takes between loading, has decreased significantly (which technically isn't all that great of news) Elefun has also brought back some of the staple features that they were known for, but with a few tweaks.
If you aren't familiar with these features, this dev was the only dev I know of that gave a point system, 500 points for finding a collectible, or finding a Morphing Object, which btw this game doesn't have morphs :(, or even finishing a puzzle or HOP. The point system was used to increase your rank as a Detective (cub reporter to award winning journalist) but since Alice isn't a detective, that doesn't work. You don't get points, but, as you collect Mythical Creatures, you do increase rank until you become the Ultimate Myth Hunter.
There is a gadget, which can be either good news or bad news, depending on your preference. (only used 7 times) Alice is equipped with the Guardian's Bracelet, which is a magic bracelet that possesses powers of 3 elements. The Red Gem invokes a Fireball, the Blue Gem creates a Frost Sphere, and the Green Gem allows you to move heavy objects.
In this Collector's Edition version, there are hidden Feathers to find, the before mentioned Mythological Creatures to increase your rank, and Crystals to collect that allow you to access the Spectra History Room, to learn the secrets of the Spectra World by unlocking parts of the story with the discovered Crystals. This is an okay feature, but I'd prefer Morphing Puzzle pieces.
The Hidden Object Scenes include those famous EleFun scenes where you find a handful of fragments located around the entire scene. There are also Interactive List Finds, Multiple Finds, Silhouetted Shape finds, and several HOP's where you find Keywords in Sentence finds. They do offer an alternate Triangular shaped Puzzle game, if you're not into the HOP's.
The Mini Games tend to be on the easy breezy side, and most of them can be considered HOP's as well. The lack of challenge and creativity within the Mini Games is one of the reasons I only gave this game 4 stars. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Find multiple symbols shown, hidden on pages in a book.
2) Find matching feathers by clicking two spheres at a time. If you choose correctly, the Crow loses 1 life, if you choose incorrectly, You lose 1 life.
3) Drag fragments to recreate the images.
4) Find matching pairs of related objects by turning over 2 canvases at a time.
5) Sift through scenes to find objects and replace them in the correct scene, using arrows to change scenes.
6) Change your clothes to match the outfit on the poster.
This Collector's Edition version has 9 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art pictures, 3 Screensavers, 35 Music Soundtracks, Achievements to Earn, 16 Bestiary Mythological Creatures to help you rank up, 6 hidden Feather's, 20 hidden Crystals that allow you to learn secrets of the Spectra World, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
THE FORGOTTEN FAIRY TALES GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Release Date***Average Rating
1-The Spectra World (May 20-2017) 3.3
2-Canvases of Time (February 17-2018) n/a
2-Canvases of Time (February 17-2018) n/a
by: EleFun Games
ELEFUN GAMES AVAILABLE
The Forgotten Fairytales*Agency 33*Witches' Legacy*Fear For Sale*Mayan Prophecies*Cake Shop*Story of Fairy Place*Puzzle Mania
The Forgotten Fairytales*Agency 33*Witches' Legacy*Fear For Sale*Mayan Prophecies*Cake Shop*Story of Fairy Place*Puzzle Mania
I recommend this game!
When detective Gingertail is called home by ex-girfriend Barbara, he could never imagine it would be the investigation of his life... and her death.
Overall rating
4
/
5
19 of 27 found this review helpful
BARBARA CERTAINLY ISN'T A ONE MAN KINDA GAL
PostedFebruary 16, 2018
Anonymous
fromDoes this town have ANY valves intact?
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
I finally got the chance to finish this latest game by Brave Giant today. There are only 4 main Chapters and a Bonus Chapter in the Collector's Edition version, but the chapters themselves are fairly long. I liked the fact that there were a few twists to the plot, but I do agree with one of the other reviewers, that the ending could have been much more climatic. After investigating Barbara's murder, the CE Bonus Chapter takes you back 5 years prior to Barbara's murder investigation, which involves Alfred Fox, his brothers, and his adoptive father. Detective Fox once again has to prove his innocence, and you'll learn how Fox met a character or two from the main storyline.
There are a couple of features that disappointed me, I missed 3 collectibles, not because I couldn't find them, because they are easily spotted, but because I just forgot to look for them. There is no opportunity to go back and find them, once you leave a scene, you can't go back, and you don't revisit any of those scenes either. There are no collectibles within the Bonus Chapter either, there are no options within the collectible icon either, if you miss finding a collectible, it's impossible to complete the collections, other than restarting the game from the beginning! It's the same scenario with the Achievements, especially given the fact that one of the Achievements is to find all collectibles! The last complaint I have, deals with typo's, or should I say TPYS'o? Brave Giant boasts about having games available in 10 different languages, which is fantastic, but at least have someone that speaks that particular language, check it for spelling mistakes before releasing it! (the spoon is to think? We'll have to crowl?)
Other than these flaws, this is a really good detective game, with some very interesting puzzles to solve from beginning to end. I especially enjoyed the Griddler variation puzzle, and the puzzle where you had to swap tiles that were similar (color, type etc) until it matched the clue shown. BG had originally created this game with animal characters instead of people, but I think it still would've worked, and I'd actually like to play that version! Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:
Detective Fox, aka Detective Gingertail, receives a frantic call in the middle of the night, from his ex-girlfriend Barbara. The detective arrives a little too late to save her, but a little too early for the perp. to escape, at least unharmed. Barbara is just a gossip columnist journalist, who would want to harm her, or more importantly, why?
BraveGiant Studios might be onto something with this new addition,whodunit series. I'm a little curious as to why they apparently changed the characters from originally being animals in the beta, to humans, I kinda like that scenario. After all Tiny Tales by BG was very successful. I love the collectibles available in the Collector's Edition version, footprints, handprints, shoeprints and a single fingerprint! They really fit in with the storyline genre, and they blend in well enough to make it somewhat challenging. There is an eyeball icon located on the top left of the inventory bar, that remains open until you locate the print in each scene. (note: don't leave a scene until you find the collectible, there's no way of returning)
The graphics are very well done, the voice overs are decent, but the character movements are jilted and awkward. There are some logic fails from time to time, but overall, I like where this game is heading, but then again, I've always been a fan of a good detective mystery.
The HOP's are actually pretty good, and I don't often say this because lately they are nothing more than objects scattered around a junkpile, a true hoarders delight, but nothings really hidden. There are Interactive List finds, Silhouetted Shape finds, and Multiples of similar Item finds. Some of the HOP's have small Mini Games or Puzzles to solve, and there is usually at least one object that Morph's between the actual object on the list and something entirely different. In the CE, there is an optional Monaco Card Game to play instead of the HOP, a matching card game that requires you to make matches of identical cards that are next to each other in a row, column or diagonally. When you make matches of cards with a special frame, the meter bar fills, once full, you can use the bonuses or shuffle features available.
The Mini Games range from super easy to medium difficulty, but nothing seems too difficult or too frustrating to temp you to use the skip feature. I actually found the mini games to become more entertaining after the demo! Here's a list of brief descriptions on the mini games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Use directional arrows to lead the tokens through the maze, all 3 tokens will move at the same time.
2) Select the watch pins in the correct order by trial and error.
3) Rotate each dial to the correct numbers according to the clue shown.
4) Find 3 hidden symbols on each photo to hear a story.
5) Repeat the sequence of punches by clicking on the left and right hand icons, repeat the sequence 3 times correctly to win.
6) Choose the correct answers on a lie detector, as conversation choices.
7) Rotate and place torn paper fragments into the highlighted slots.
8) Select and place the correct numbered buttons into the slots on the right to complete the equations that will equal the numbers on the clue. (fun game, but could have been more fun if a tad bit harder)
The Collector's Edition has 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 8 re-playable Movie Cutscenes, 8 re-playable Mini Games, 8 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, (some HOP's have a Morphing Object) 20 Achievements to earn, 33 Collectible Prints (11 footprints, 13 handprints, 8 shoeprints, 1 fingerprints) and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
BRAVE GIANT GAMES AVAILABLE
Noir Chronicles*Ghost Files*Queen's Quest*Hidden Investigations*Tiny Tales*Stories of Forgotten Past*Demon Hunter*Agent Walker*Tibetan Quest
I recommend this game!
Can you stop the townspeople from paying for a dark past?
Overall rating
5
/
5
274 of 329 found this review helpful
THIS GAME HAS SO MANY PUZZLES! THE HOP'S HAVE PUZZLES, THE ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE PUZZLES, EVEN THE PUZZLES HAVE PUZZLES!
PostedFebruary 15, 2018
Anonymous
fromDon't all wild raccoons rub their bellies and point to their mouths to explain that they are hungry? Probably only when asked to go fetch fuses because he's so eager to help you
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
The enemy has breached the castle gates, as they stand at the threshold, they make their demands. "You can't hide in the castle forever, your armies are defeated, and your black magic is useless, we've won, surrender!" The King had no intention of surrendering, and his black magic is anything but useless, in fact, what he does next, may very well, punish the townspeople for generations to come!
Sure, this story has been done before, but I gotta give Mariaglorum credit for putting a fresh perspective aspect to an age old storyline. The graphics for the most part are fantastic, but at times, seem cartoonish within zoom zones or Hidden Object Scenes. But the one thing that stands out in this game, are the abundance of Mini Game Puzzles, not just small easy puzzles, but multi-layered puzzles, puzzles that are creative and FUN! I also fell in love with the fact that this game starts out in Medieval Times, but fast forwards into modern times.
In this Collector's Edition version, there are 23 Hidden Crowns to search for, and 8 Character Figurines to Collect. One feature I've always liked, that's offered by this dev, is that you can refer to the Collections Icon, and see exactly where you missed finding a collectible, because the missing collectible spot glows and tells you which scene the missing collectible is located in. I also like the unique Achievement they always offer, of answering simple questions about the game, to see if you're paying attention to details.
The Hidden Object Scenes themselves aren't that special, but they are highly interactive. What does make them special, is the fact that they have included Mini Games, the keyword here being Game(s) Which I will list in the next paragraph. As I said earlier, I felt like the graphics could have been less cartoonish within the HOP's and Zoom Zones.
The Mini Games, well, quite frankly, I had a blast, this game is a Puzzle Geeks dream come true! There are so many puzzles in this game, so if you're not into a game heavy on the puzzle side, you may want to sit this game out. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:
1) Click on tumbler wheels to match symbols shown on the clue, that automatically posts above the lock. (I do miss the good ole days of having to remember clues or refer to your journal!)
2) Sift through several keys to find the key that matches the image on the clue.
3) A three part super puzzle #1: Move the wires by adjusting various sliders so that none of the wires intersect.
4) #2:Select and drag two colored switches to the tiles of partial symbols so that the two images combined, match the colored symbol shown.
5) #3: Reassemble the image by swapping square puzzle tiles.
6) HOP puzzle: Align the radio waves, by adjusting a slider bar and two different adjustment knobs.
7) Assemble torn picture fragments to complete the image.
8) Use directional arrows on the GPS map to locate the correct destination.
9) Guide the raccoon through the dimly lit maze, to find two fuzes.
10) Create paths between matching colored locks by drawing a line between each lock without crossing paths.
This Collector's Edition version has 18 Wallpapers, 30 Concept Art pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, 6 Movie Videos, 7 Achievements to earn in 3 different categories, (including an achievement for answering simple game questions) Jigsaw Puzzle to assemble, 23 Hidden Crowns, 8 Collectible Character figurines, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
MYSTERY OF THE ANCIENTS GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating
1-Lockwood Manor (September 22-2011) 4.2
2-Curse of the Black Water (November 1-2012) 4.5
3-Three Guardians (January 30-2014) 4.5
4-Deadly Cold (February 5-2015) 4.1
5-Mud Water Creek (April 14-2016) 4.2
6-The Sealed And Forgotten (March 2-2017) 4.0
7-Black Dagger (February 15-2018) n/a
2-Curse of the Black Water (November 1-2012) 4.5
3-Three Guardians (January 30-2014) 4.5
4-Deadly Cold (February 5-2015) 4.1
5-Mud Water Creek (April 14-2016) 4.2
6-The Sealed And Forgotten (March 2-2017) 4.0
7-Black Dagger (February 15-2018) n/a
by: Mariaglorum Company
Mariaglorum Games Available
Mystery of the Ancients/League of Light/Kate Arrow/Bonfire Stories
I recommend this game!
Set off on a time-tripping adventure to the medieval past in this time management adventure!
Overall rating
4
/
5
62 of 70 found this review helpful
I LOVE THE HUMOR
PostedFebruary 14, 2018
Anonymous
fromHappy Valentine's Day ♡
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
Finally! I've waited patiently for the Standard Edition of this game to be released! I waited so long, I forgot to save a PCC, so I'm just going to have to wait a little while longer, but trust me, if you like Time Management games, this one's worth it. The graphics are really good, and it's got a humorous storyline, with likeable characters. You can play in a Relaxed, untimed mode, or Normal mode, but unfortunately, for all you hardcore TM gamers, there isn't an Expert mode. I'm not an expert when it comes to TM games, I've played a ton of them, and I really like them, but Normal mode offers plenty of challenge for my level of expertise.
There are the usual Time Management tasks, of clearing paths, harvesting food, cutting down trees, repairing bridges, and gathering other resources. Mana is gathered to allow Mary to cast spells, which give you Faster Workers, Faster growing Crops, and instant Tree regrowth etc. Buildings of various types must be constructed, such as Sawmills and Foundy's, and as you progress, other buildings become available to help you replenish various resources faster, depending on the level goals. Those dreaded Zombie Skeleton's have returned, (and sooner than I expected) and if you don't pay attention, they can easily mess up your strategy plans. As soon as they are spotted, you'll need to click on them, which sends John to destroy them in his tight, but shining armor. If you aren't quick enough, workers will get scared off, and all of the queued tasks you had selected previously, will have to be re-clicked, once John has won the battle, and cleared the way.
When I first played the Collector's Edition version demo, I wasn't as thrilled as I had anticipated being. I thought that they gave you too many workers, to begin with. Surely having 5 or 6 workers, would make collecting resources less challenging, rather than only having a couple of workers available, or waiting to build up necessary resources to be able to afford upgrading the camp to receive additional workers. I also wished that there was more of a variation of tasks to complete. Having several of the same kinds of tasks, such as 5 piles of gold, 5 of the same kind of trees to cut, 7-10 wheat crops as the only source of food, and particularly, having 5 identical Mana wells, isn't very exciting. I just think it would be more fun, and look more appealing, to have a little variation.
As far as the Collector's Edition version versus this Standard Edition version, this version is the route to take, in my opinion. I personally don't see a need for a Strategy Guide, (although, I would love to see some sort of Hint feature added, to use when I'm not sure what I should do next, on occasion) and I could care less about most of the CE extras offered, such as, Wallpapers and Music. I did however, enjoy finding the hidden Puzzle Piece in each level, which allows you to assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle in the CE, but that's not a feature I'm willing to pay twice as much for!
NEW YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Version***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Version***Release Date***Average Rating
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court #1 (May-7-2012) 3.9
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court #2 (January-30-2013) 4.2
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court #3 (December-24-2013) 3.6
(Santa's Service Christmas Edition)
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court # 4 (December-19-2018) 4.3
(Collector's Edition Version)
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court #4 (February-14-2018) n/a
(Standard Edition Version)
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court #2 (January-30-2013) 4.2
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court #3 (December-24-2013) 3.6
(Santa's Service Christmas Edition)
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court # 4 (December-19-2018) 4.3
(Collector's Edition Version)
New Yankee in King Arthur's Court #4 (February-14-2018) n/a
(Standard Edition Version)
by: Yustas Games Studio
Games Available by Yustas Games Studio:
Weather Lord/The Beardless Wizard/Rose Riddle/New Yankee In King Arthur's Court
Weather Lord/The Beardless Wizard/Rose Riddle/New Yankee In King Arthur's Court
The Collector's Edition version has 30 Achievements to earn, Movies, 10 Music Soundtracks, 5 Wallpapers, Collectible Puzzle Pieces to assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle, a Strategy Guide and Bonus CE levels, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Complete mahjong solitaire boards to collect stone and gold tiles and construct thirty amazing buildings in five different regions!
Overall rating
3
/
5
43 of 53 found this review helpful
MAHJONG MASTERS: TEMPLE OF THE TEN GODS WAS BETTER
PostedFebruary 14, 2018
Anonymous
fromHappy Valentine's Day ♡
Skill Level:Expert
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I really liked the first game in this series, Mahjong Masters: Temple of the Ten Gods, and that's saying a lot, because there aren't many Mahjong games that excite me. Usually, Mahjong games get old and repetitive, very quickly, it isn't a game of skill, it's a game of chance, and the odds of available matches depend on whatever percentage the game has been set at.
Mahjong Masters in my opinion, is the exception to the rules, because of its features, I felt like it had purpose, that there was a reason I needed to match the tiles, because it allows me to construct something for my Mahjong efforts. There are only two different tile sets to choose from, Simple Traditional Mahjong Tiles, and Themed Mahjong Tiles, which are bright and very colorful, but would've been better as an ancient stone slab type. The theme of this game is to master the different types of architecture, across 5 vast lands. You can choose any of the 5 regions to play, but each region requires you to construct 6 buildings, so you will have to play mahjong several times in each region, until you reach 100% capacity to construct the available building.
There are two different types of Mahjong, Building Construction (traditional Mahjong requiring you to uncover all Gold tiles) and Special Build (you make matches of Numbered Tiles whose sum will equal the number shown, which changes after each match, until all tiles have been removed) I actually liked the Special Build number game, I'm not sure why, but it's different, and seems to require at least a small amount of strategy and thinking.
I really liked the first Mahjong Masters game, because it had an amazing storyline, and you played Mahjong games to collect the necessary amounts of resources to construct the Temple. The features were different in this game, some of which I really didn't dig, especially the horizontal split screen, which not only reduced the size of the layout board, but had the main character (cartoon image at that) walking to and fro constantly which was distracting and annoying.
Another feature I could have done without, was having to "pay" to play, a Small layout cost 700, a Medium size cost 1200, and a Large layout cost 1500 coins (you start out with 5000) As if that wasn't bad enough, you had to pay again, each and every time you needed to use the reshuffle feature, and of course almost every game required me to use this feature at least once, so it's difficult to get ahead! You can earn up to 3 Stars on each level, I'm assuming a star is removed for every Gold tile that isn't removed? Gold tiles just require a single click to remove them, and before the start of each game, only the gold tiles are shown for several seconds before the remaining tiles are added, to help you memorize the general area they are located. You don't need to remove all tiles, just all of the Gold Tiles.
Although I'm not a fan of basic Mahjong games, I was interested enough in this game, to finish the demo, and would probably consider using a PCC to purchase it. However, I will say that the first game, Temple of the Ten Gods, was an amazing mahjong game, that I purchased immediately, and thoroughly enjoyed playing, so be sure to check that game out as well!
MAHJONG MASTERS GAMES AVAILABLE
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Title***Release Date***Average Rating
Mahjong Masters: Temple of the Ten Gods (July-3-2017) 3.7
Mahjong Masters: The Amazing Architect (February 14-2018)
Mahjong Masters: The Amazing Architect (February 14-2018)