pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4726
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 21, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Reflections of Life: Equilibrium
The Queen of Creatos is missing, and if you don't get her back soon... the entire world will crumble!
Overall rating
4
/
5
56 of 61 found this review helpful
Guardian Of Dreams
PostedMay 21, 2015
pennmom36
fromHope the Princess doesn't sleepwalk!
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
Your services as Guardian of Dreams are required immediately by the King and Queen of Creatos! Princess Espera has been imprisoned by thorny vines and has fallen into a deep coma, only an evil sorcerer could be responsible for this madness! The people of Creatos use their vivid imaginations to create beautiful palaces and giant towers, over time they have even learned to master the chaos of human fantasies. The Queen, blinded by the love of her beautiful Princess, has been lured into the sorcerers evil world! Without their beloved Queen, all worlds will fall into dire despair! Grace must encounter some of the most spectacular and breathtaking fantasy worlds that ever existed, as she tries to rescue the Queen and save all of humanity before it's too late!
Prepare yourself, this fairytale fantasy has beautiful graphics, soothing soundtracks and mystical creatures fit for a King, or at least a Princess! It's just what you'd expect from a Kingdom where fantasy and reality are one and the same. As the saying goes, you're only limited by your imagination, but in this game, the sky's definitely not the limit! No fantasy themed game would be complete without a sidekick, so Grace has brought her majestic Owl to join this adventure as well. The Owl can soar to heights you simply cannot, so whenever your cursor icon changes into a pair of wings, it's time to call upon his services. Some of the Owl's tasks are a tad bit interactive, but from what I can remember, not as interactive as the last episode. You will eventually receive a magical ring, the Vision Ring, capable of revealing hidden treasures. The ring is used once you have restored magical timepieces, but in reality it's a glorified magnifying glass that allows you to search the room until you locate four symbols. Once the symbols have been found you are rewarded with an image that needs placed onto the correct area within that scene. The biggest feature difference between the Collector and Standard Edition's are with the Mirror Shards. In the Collector's Edition, every scene has hidden mirror shards that will alert you when all pieces have been found in that location. When you have found all of the mirror shards, you will unlock a Hidden Chapter, which is a chapter above and beyond the Bonus Adventure!
I was surprised that there weren't a whole lot of Hidden Object Scenes in this game. They did however, try to mix it up with scenes requiring you to find hidden images in a book and replace them where they belong, or smaller HOP's where you find 4 swords, 4 flowers etc. My favorite HOP was extremely interactive, requiring you to interact and toggle between 3 different scenes as you tinker with tasks to receive an item that belongs in one of the other scenes. The Mini Games were decent, AND, you can choose to make the Mini Games more difficult if you use the Custom Difficulty setting mode before starting the game! Most of the games are puzzle type games where you swap tiles, but I was very intrigued with one such puzzle that in my opinion was unique. You need to swap tiles to create an image and some tiles need to be rotated, however when you click on the start button to check your solution, the tiles follow a directional path, which means that what you thought was a completed picture isn't because of the twists and turns the tiles follow!
The Collectors Edition has Achievements, Collectible Shards, re-playable Hidden Object Scenes and Mini Games, Music, Movies, Wallpapers, Concept Art, a built in Strategy Guide, a Bonus Chapter AND a Hidden Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Dark Parables: Queen of Sands Collector's Edition
Team up with the Red Riding Hood Sisters to defeat the nightmares!
Overall rating
5
/
5
328 of 373 found this review helpful
Shackled By One Man's Dreams
PostedMay 21, 2015
pennmom36
fromI feel so sleeepy...zzzzz
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
I have always been a fan of the Dark Parable series, purchasing each and every parable that was released sight unseen.....until everything changed including the devs. Dark Parables has always been a nonlinear type game, where an action in one scene activates a feature with a previous scene. DP are famous for their clever Morphing Objects, and they were difficult to "see" because you had to complete an action in one scene and then return to previous scenes to look for the Morphs, but you never knew which action would actually trigger the reaction! Dark Parables are also famous for their FROG's, beautiful scenes with fragments of three sections of an item that will combine to complete a single inventory item. This part hasn't changed, but the music that accompanied each fragment found has changed, and I missed it dearly, it was a recognizable and distinguished sound. Queen of Sands is an excellent game, but it just doesn't feel like a Dark Parables game because the devs are straying away from all the features that made DP such an enjoyable series.
Collectible Parables are another famous feature of this series, several items are required to complete each parable story. When a group is complete, you will get to play a short tale about that parable. The parable items can Morph, so keep alert. There are collectible Herald of Montafleur's, hidden throughout the game, for a total of 39, one in each scene. This Collector's Edition also has 12 Achievements to earn, mostly the usual achievements such as using the map or finding objects quickly in the FROG's.
Dark Parables is all about the Emblems. Every door, and just about everything else will require at least one emblem to open it. Therefore, you will scour each location looking for the correct emblem, often traveling back and forth several times as you try to accomplish each objective. Several inventory items are plus items requiring you to combine that item with another item or putting broken pieces back together.
This Collector's Edition has Concept Art, and Wallpapers (within the Art Gallery), replayable Mini Games and FROG's (play against the clock for a better score) collectible Parables (morphs), collectible Herald of Montafleur's, a Souvenir Room, Bonus Video's, Movies, beautiful Music, Achievements, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter (The Seven Ravens) Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
I Know a Tale
Discover and collect all of the videos to uncover the collector’s mystical story!
Overall rating
3
/
5
67 of 83 found this review helpful
Not Great But Not Horrible Either
PostedMay 20, 2015
pennmom36
fromBees don't bite, they sting sheriff!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
A young couple are seen taking a leisurely drive through the country as they enjoy some tunes on the car radio. Breaking news informs the couple that a nearby collector has discovered a rare crystal during an archeological expedition of an abandoned temple. The young woman excitedly turns to the young man and says this is the place we should go! I won't ruin the story for you, but what happens next is totally unexpected, I didn't see that coming!
Unfortunately, the game takes a drastic downhill spiral after the introductory video! I wasn't expecting much so it didn't really bother me, but this is just a run of the mill type game, a take it or leave it, unforgettable game, that isn't horrible, but just isn't worth playing it to the end either.
There aren't any "frills" or extras, no unusual features, no companions (other than a camera to watch video tapes) no collectibles, and only two modes of difficulty to choose from, Casual or Expert. This is an easy game that can be mastered on Expert mode no matter how inexperienced you are.
There is one feature that I loved in this game, so I have to give credit when credit is due. One of the Hidden Object Scenes required you to find several Morphing Objects, however, it would have been really cool if the objects morphed a bit slower and was less obvious. The other HOP's were slightly interactive list finds. The Mini Games are almost non existent, and the only memorable one within the demo was using your mouse to outline a pattern on a board with a pencil. After repeating this process several times as the shapes became smaller, I was ready to skip the puzzle out of sheer boredom! Good luck getting thru the demo on this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Travel the world completing games of Mahjong that suit any taste.
Overall rating
5
/
5
67 of 87 found this review helpful
Beautiful Mahjong With Creative Patterns
PostedMay 19, 2015
pennmom36
fromTime to Shuffle!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Mahjong is one of my least favorite game genres, but the beautiful artwork and amazing mahjong patterns really sold me on this game! There are six different mahjong locations, and 20 games per location, so there are plenty of games to keep you busy for hours. There are only 3 tile patterns to choose from which is a bit disappointing, but what I enjoyed the most was the unusual layouts, my favorite was the stiletto.
The object of this game is to remove matching tiles that aren't blocked by tiles either on the sides or on top, the faster you remove the tiles, the higher the score you earn. There are flower tiles and season tiles that can be matched to any other tile of that category even if they look different. Removing Silver tiles will restore the Shuffle feature, and all Gold tiles must be removed to win the level.
Each level will have several goals that must be completed to achieve a three star game. You must remove every gold tile, (gold tiles can be matched to regular tiles if they are the same pattern) and you may also have to complete the level within a specific amount of time, or within a specific number of moves, or earn a specific amount of points. The more regular tiles that are left on the board gives you a higher score, and any level can be replayed if you want to achieve a higher score, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Detective Riddles: Sherlock's Heritage
Immerse yourself in the exciting world of the true detective! Solve all the villain's riddles! A True Detective Griddlers!
Overall rating
3
/
5
57 of 64 found this review helpful
Did I Solve The Case? What Case Did I Solve?
PostedMay 19, 2015
pennmom36
fromWhat's with the howling wolf, does it have anything to do with my mystery case?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
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 don't understand why these games of late are making it sound as if you are solving a mystery of some sort. From what I can tell, there isn't a storyline of any kind, just dark backgrounds with a chimpanzee who can apparently fly because he has a set of wings. As far as the tutorial goes, I experienced the opposite of what Logiebaby commented on. I didn't find an option at all for the tutorial, I usually opt for the tutorial so I can critique it. I played both the Beginner training levels and the Expert training single level and neither one showed me how to play this Griddler puzzle, it just gave me 5 x 5 easy grids to play. If I didn't know how to play this type of puzzle, I would have to figure it out on my own, so why bother? If you are new to this type of game, I would suggest passing on this one, the tutorial isn't very informative and the grids progress quickly, the storyline is nonexistent, the grids only have one basic color, and the final picture often leaves you scratching your head as you try to figure out what it represents.
Griddlers or Mosaic puzzles require you to fill in squares on grids of different sizes. There are numbers on each column and row, and each set of numbers must be separated by at least one empty cell. If the grid is a 5 x 5 grid and the number on the first row is 2 2, you would fill in the first two cells, the third would be left blank (or crossed off with a right click) and the final two cells are filled in. You continue this process of deduction until all cells are filled in, if you get stuck, there are hints available that will fill in a random cell for you. Some cells contain hints or coins when filled in correctly, the coins can be used to purchase 2 starting hints, the right to make 3 mistakes instead of 2, or you can refill the available hints on that level.
I really don't recommend this game for beginners, most grid lovers choose the Fantasy Mosaic series, or the World Mosaics, which have brilliant and vivid colors that really pop, enjoy!
Grim Tales: The Final Suspect Collector's Edition
There’s a corpse in your house, but who killed him?
Overall rating
5
/
5
198 of 223 found this review helpful
The Gray Family Turmoil Continues!
PostedMay 17, 2015
pennmom36
fromOh no, not the pruners!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Anna Gray has amnesia! Jackie quickly fills in the blanks for her Aunt Gray who has no idea who's responsible for the death of Howard Kelly, the man she found dead in her own house! The police seem to think Anna Gray killed this man in self defense, but there's only one way to find out. Anna never thought she would have to solve her own murder mystery, but she knows the only way to find out the truth, is to visit her past and find out who, what, where, when and why this murder took place!
Grim Tales has given us another fantabulous episode of the Gray family saga. This game has just about any feature you can imagine, Morphing Objects, an Evidence Panel, Panoramic Scenes, Dialog Options to choose, Plus Sign interactive inventory items and a whole bunch of Achievements that will make you feel downright proud of your gaming efforts! Stuff all those features into a top notch game with excellent graphics and one of the best whodunit, time traveling, mysteries available!
The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly Silhouetted Shape finds, and they are a bit scarce, at least within the demo time. There are however, a ton of entertaining Mini games and puzzles, ranging from simple tasks, swapping tiles or clicking on gems to change colors, others are longer and slightly more complicated. My favorite was the Fishing game where you attempt to catch fish by dropping the hook upon the desired fish, but, a frog protects the fish and you must either be faster or outwit him. The goal is to score 100 points, large and slow blue fish are worth 8 points, Orange fish are worth 10 points and the small Red fish are worth 15 points.
This Collector's Edition has Concept Art, Achievements, Morphing Objects, Collectibles, Wallpapers, Music, a Secret Room, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Ominous Objects: Phantom Reflection
A mysterious mirror is causing havoc in your client's house!
Overall rating
4
/
5
60 of 70 found this review helpful
The (Phantom) Man In The Mirror
PostedMay 15, 2015
pennmom36
fromOk Patrick, let me just whip up a quick sketch of the butler!
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
Lilith Armstrong thought the antique mirror she purchased at the auction was a bargain. (10k seems over the top to me) Unfortunately, she got way more than she bargained for, because this mirror has a Phantom reflection that came along with the deal! When the Phantom begins to prey upon the Armstrong household, they turned to Leia Gofford for help. Leia is a detective who specializes in cases dealing with Ominous Objects, because she experienced paranormal phenomena herself, and has dedicated her life to helping others with similar problems. Leia arrives just in time to witness this dark Phantom in action, the butler narrowly escapes the possessed mirror, but young Patrick isn't so lucky! Can you save the Armstrong family and stop this madness before it's too late?
This game just didn't knock my socks off. The graphics are overwhelming shades of blue and purple, (Blurple) which made the game seem too fairytaleish, and certainly no where near Ominous! There are Plus Sign's on almost every inventory item, requiring you to perform some type of interaction with the item before using, such as opening up packages or combining with another inventory item. You are also equipped with special Goggles that allow you to see through the Ominous Object's mist and reveal it's true nature. Some areas require the feline services of Mr. Jenkins, as you gently guide him from his comfy throne to the areas you can't seem to reach on your own. The Collector's Edition allows you can equip Mr. Jenkins' posh abode with over the top decorations and toys with the Collectible Cat Coins that are located throughout the game, in not so hidden places.
The Hidden Object Scenes add a new color, bright gold! Not very challenging, mostly list finds or progressive finds with an occasional interactive game such as placing items into the scene correctly. You can opt to play a Match 3 game instead of the Hidden Object Puzzle by making matches of a least 3 mirrors of the same design. The Mini Games are on the easy breezy side as well, such as sliding a mirror around a shadow box to collect all figurines. The mirror moves forward three cells at a time or until it hits an obstacle, and you can only visit a cell once.
The Collector's Edition has a Developer Diary, Game of Dots, Collectible Cat Coins, Concept Art, Wallpapers, a Cat Room, Music, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Sable Maze: Twelve Fears Collector's Edition
Your daughter's lost in the Maze of Fears, but you'll face more than her disappearance if you dare to enter.
Overall rating
5
/
5
184 of 226 found this review helpful
Facing Your Fears
PostedMay 14, 2015
pennmom36
fromDo you want to play a game?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A fun day at the amusement park turns out to be a nightmare! When your daughter enters the Maze of Fears, that's exactly what she receives, ALL 12 FEARS! This attraction seems to be more of an experiment than an amusement, invented by a psychologist, and he's holdin nothin back, fear of water, fear of fire, fear of snakes, you name it you'll face it! Can you face each fear head on.......and survive?
There are 12 Fears to "collect" throughout the game and plenty of Achievements to earn. Some of the inventory items have plus signs indicating further action is needed before that item can be used such as combining that item with another inventory item.
I hope you like a lot of of puzzles and games because this game has a ton of them! The Hidden Object Scenes are mostly progressive, interactive list finds where you find the first item on the list and use it somewhere in the scene to obtain the next item and so forth. There are also silhouetted shapes, and you have the option to play a Match 3 game instead. The Mini Games are around every corner, clever puzzles requiring you swap panels to allow a path for a ball to drop, or turn disks to match up color coded paths. My favorite game required you to swap disks so that the multi colored ring around the disks match all disks around them, left, right, top and bottom.
This Collector's Edition has Wallpapers, Concept Art, Developer's Diary, Achievements, Music, Mini Games, Collections, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Escape the Museum
Solve a series of puzzles, find hidden objects, and search for a way back to your daughter in this great Adventure game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
Escape The Museum
PostedMay 13, 2015
pennmom36
fromDid I just hook up a cordless drill to live wires?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
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 would be a decent game if the graphics weren't grainy and dark! To make matters worse, the game has nothing to do with the movie which is what I thought the game was about. Your daughter Caitlin is waiting patiently for you in the security room of the museum so you could investigate the damage done by an earthquake. The quakes become stronger and you have to figure out a way to escape each room of the museum and reach your daughter. The museum curator, Marcus, has other plans, he wants you to collect specific items of value to keep them safe as you make your way through the debris!
Marcus sends you Lists on your phone of the items he wants from each room you clear, which is basically a Hidden Object List Scene. The first thing you must do is figure out how to escape the room, by finding 3 items to accomplish that task and then figure out how and where those items can be used. You can visit any room in any order to complete the HOP, once the room has been escaped from. The scenes are all very grainy, and dark, and the items are so small that it's difficult to figure out what the items actually are! Each item you find is worth specific amounts, and you are scored with accuracy percentages as well. Good concept, but the game becomes frustrating when you can't distinguish one item from the next.
I don't recommend this game.
Monument Builders: Big Ben
In Monument Builders: Big Ben, oversee the building of the famous clock and discover the many legends which surround it!
Overall rating
5
/
5
55 of 63 found this review helpful
Let The Bells Toll
PostedMay 13, 2015
pennmom36
fromThe leaning Clock Tower?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I absolutely love Monument Builders because of all the interesting facts you learn about the building. This edition takes us step by step through the production of Big Ben the Clock Tower whose 16 chimes was heard for the first time in Westminster, July 11, 1859! This is a Time Management game which requires strategy as you strive to achieve each level's goals and earn three stars.
The first step is to clear debris from the road to allow the mules to deliver their loads. The roads may also need to be repaired by clicking on the repair and then on the improvement icon. Trees will need to be cleared, for resources, stray dogs need fed, and criminals need to be chased away. Banks need to be built to earn pounds sterling, Quarries to produce stone, Factories for winches, and Tea Rooms for food. Each building requires you to deliver the resources by clicking on the mules each time they are loaded.
This is a really good game for beginners because of the excellent tutorial, but seasoned TM players will like it as well. What better way is there to learn interesting facts about the world's great monuments, than playing a game? Enjoy!
I recommend this game!