pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4724
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:July 6, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The Story of Gimli
Embark on a mysterious journey with Gimli! Help him find treasure in the ancient caves and prove to his kin that he is the best warrior!
Overall rating
2
/
5
65 of 72 found this review helpful
Worse Match 3 Game I've Ever Played
PostedSeptember 23, 2014
pennmom36
fromYou're on your own Gimli!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I'm usually not a difficult gamer to please, but no matter how hard I tried to enjoy this game, I just didn't have fun playing. With that being said, I'm sure there will be players out there who will like this game so here are the basics. You can choose to play the Campaign mode with a story or Free Mode in easy, medium or hard without the burden of the story. There are several different quest such as Classic, where you have a limited time to clear the board, Arcade where you make matches and pull special crystals to the bottom of the board, Archeologist where you match special tiles on the board, Digger where you move down and destroy ground tiles, and Puzzle where you match all of the tiles and clear the field.
There are only two types of blocked tiles or obstacles, Ice and block tiles which can be destroyed by making matches near them. There are Bonuses to earn such as Bombs by matching red tiles, Fairy by matching violet tiles which will destroy tiles from one end to the other, Lightning by matching blue tiles which will destroy tiles horizontally, Strikes by matching green tiles which will destroy tiles vertically, Spectrums by matching yellow tiles which will destroy same color tiles, Rockfalls by matching orange tiles which will destroy randomly, Crystals with coins give you extra points when matched and Crystals with timers add more time to the timer.
The tutorial is pretty much void, the crystals aren't appealing, there aren't enough matches available at times and the game mechanics seem to be archaic and clunky in my opinion but perhaps you will have better luck.
I don't recommend this game.
Word Explorer
The biggest Word Game on the planet! Collect thousands of photographs around the world with this epic word game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
55 of 61 found this review helpful
I'm Addicted!
PostedSeptember 23, 2014
pennmom36
fromYou really can teach an old dog a new trick!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is by far one of the most fun and addicting word games I have ever played. You can choose to play a continuous game which requires you to earn enough points to progress, or Quick play which will allow you to earn some of those points required. You can purchase coins as well as hints and passes, and there is an airplane that passes by constantly to allow you quick access to the store. This is a game similar to scrabble but not quite, there are honeycomb grids which represent a word you must complete by choosing any grid that is sparkling. You are then given a clue such as "To be" and you must slide given letters around until you form the correct answer in this case the word is Exist. Some letters are already in the correct spot and cannot be moved, you will get more points the fewer moves you make, but there is a timer so don't wait too long to give the answer. The grids shown in gold are picture clues, a picture is shown with a brief description and when you finish the word that picture will be added to your photos that can be viewed as a slide show. If you cannot figure out the word or it has been spelled wrong, those incorrect letters will be shown briefly in red so that you can try again. At the end of each round you get to earn extra points with a bronze question, silver question and then gold question. You can choose areas such as Canada, Western U.S., Central and Eastern U.S, Central America or Jamaica which will have questions pertaining to that geographical area. You start out with easy questions and progress to medium and hard, it's a very easy game to learn and very educational, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Grim Facade: The Artist and The Pretender Collector's Edition
Leonardo da Vinci needs your help! A tyrant has conquered Florence and he is destroying all works of art and science!
Overall rating
4
/
5
91 of 110 found this review helpful
Leonardo da Vinci vs. Censorship
PostedSeptember 18, 2014
pennmom36
fromI wonder if Leonardo named the mechanical lion Leo?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
A Mage has convinced the citizens of Florence that he is the true Messiah, taking control of the government and ordering all works of art and science destroyed! That's really bad news for a person such as Leonardo da Vinci, can you imagine his artwork as well as inventions way beyond it's time being destroyed, even worse, some inventions could be used as weapons against the citizens if someone with evil intentions uses them. Leonardo's own apprentice Lisa seems to be helping this evil mage, or is she simply trying to gain the trust of the enemy so that she can save the priceless works of art?
As with most Grim Facade games, you will need to find fans within the Hidden Object Scenes to use as hints, otherwise they will not be available, with the exception of using the hint icon for directions to the correct location. Some of Leonardo's inventions will join you, a mechanical dove to retrieve items too high to reach, and even a mechanical sheep that can chew through just about any kind of vegetation that obstructs your path, and you get to name him as well. There is a special room called the Sheep's room that will allow you to furnish this room with different items for the sheeps pleasure, but these are simply achievements earned throughout the game. You will also collect items that can be placed into a pop up book called Leonardo's Tales, when all items have been found you will get to read a short tale he has written. There are sections in the game that allow you to choose from two different scenarios as to which answer you choose to give a character you meet such as Lisa, do you want to hide from the mage or confront Lisa about her loyalty?
The Hidden Object Scenes are both list finds as well as progressive silhouetted shapes where you find the first item that matches the silhouette shape shown and then use that item back into the scene to expose the next item and so forth, some scenes are repeated twice. There are going to be all kinds of mechanical gadgets to find parts for because of his many inventions and most of the mini games are theme related such as entering the correct code onto the cryptex scroll by using clues shown on a diagram.
This Collector's Edition has Wallpapers, Concept Art, Screensavers, Movies, Music, Mini Games, HOS, Leonardo's collectible Tales, Achievements also known as the Sheep's Room, a built in Strategy guide and of course a Bonus Chapter. Anyone who is a fan of the great da Vinci will probably enjoy this game although I'm not sure how much of it is fact or fiction, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Get ready for the fur to fly in this wild and crazy matching game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
101 of 109 found this review helpful
This Match 3 Game Is Simply Delightful!
PostedSeptember 17, 2014
pennmom36
fromWho's responsible for laying the golden eggs?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Loved everything about this game, a Match 3 game that requires strategy. Like any other Match 3 game the idea is to match at least 3 birds of the same color, but, you have to click on the bird you want to use as a match and drag him to the desired location, and there has to be a cleared unobstructed path. If you cannot make a match 3, you will try to set up a match for your next move and every time you don't make a match, more birds will hatch wherever there are eggs. Each level requires you to find a key, this key or keys will be hidden by cats, to get rid of the cat you must make a match of the same colored bird on each side of the cat so that the birds can pick him up and fly off with cat in tow which will expose the key. This key is then used to unlock the baby birds from their cage, most levels have several keys and several cages and sometimes the cages require more than one key. Some of the birds are chained and you will need to make a match first to break the chain and then another to remove those birds. There are walls that can only be destroyed with bombs or fireworks which need to be combined with a match 3 against the wall to destroy. All of this sounds easy but when paths get obstructed and more and more cats and birds are added to the board it requires strategy ( try to anticipate the hatching of eggs) and you may clear a path to the key but then can't get to the cage etc. I'm definitely buying this game, with 50 re-playable levels this game will be worth hours of fun, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
9 Clues: The Ward
Discover the secrets that lie buried in the eerie, crooked halls of Mnemosyne Asylum!
Overall rating
5
/
5
120 of 141 found this review helpful
FANTASTIC!
PostedSeptember 17, 2014
pennmom36
fromScarecrow meets Freddy?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Even better than Serpent! The Mnemosyne Asylum has a bunch of skeletons in their closets, starting with a fire in 1949 started by a pyromaniac patient, which took the innocent life of a young girl named Ginger. The asylum has had financial troubles since, causing the degradation of the building and the care the patients receive, now something more sinister seems to be at hand, Jonathan Crow has been murdered! The murderer could be just about anyone, Klaudia Kreuz, the cold mannered director, Gordon the alcoholic groundskeeper, any number of patients could fit the profile as well. It's up to you and Detective Owens to solve this case one clue at a time before it's too late for everyone...
Just as the title suggests, this game is based upon finding 9 clues in each crime scene, and even HOS you come across. When you enter a crime scene you will see question marks indicating it's time to search for clues. If you chose casual or advanced settings your cursor will flash when upon a clue and you simply click on 9 separate clues around the room. After all clues have been collected, 9 picture boxes will appear and you will need to rotate the clue boxes until they are in sequential order, this is called Retrospection.
The Hidden Object Scenes are slightly interactive list finds that are repeated once, and you can choose to play a game of mahjong instead. The mini games are actually interesting, simple puzzles such as guiding an ambulance along tracks, making sure you stop at all of the intersections once. I liked the game where you had to disarm a bomb with a number code by connecting color coded wires to two different symbols to form the correct numbers.
This game is just a stand alone standard edition, don't expect a lot of frills, but you can expect an outstanding story and unique features, certainly worth a coupon in my opinion, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
9 Elefants
Follow our intrepid investigators as they explore this unique Paris setting that combines fantasy and the Crazy Years.
Overall rating
3
/
5
52 of 62 found this review helpful
I Feel Stupid Now
PostedSeptember 16, 2014
pennmom36
fromIs it a trick question or not?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Some of the riddles and puzzles were awesome, some of them made me feel clueless. I hope you enjoy reading dialog boxes because there are so many to read that it becomes frustrating.
You basically use a map to figure out which locations to go to, then you have to solve a riddle or puzzle and you earn gears that will be used to progress. If you answer the riddle incorrectly, you will need to earn 3 camera films to retry the question which means you go back to the map and search for a location that allows you to try to "catch" the film that randomly pops up for a split second and I found it quite difficult to do so at times. Once you have the correct film numbers, you can retry the same question, some of which are extremely difficult which will leave you back to the drawing board of trying to catch more films, there are no available skip buttons and no alternative puzzles so put on your thinking cap for this one folks!
You basically use a map to figure out which locations to go to, then you have to solve a riddle or puzzle and you earn gears that will be used to progress. If you answer the riddle incorrectly, you will need to earn 3 camera films to retry the question which means you go back to the map and search for a location that allows you to try to "catch" the film that randomly pops up for a split second and I found it quite difficult to do so at times. Once you have the correct film numbers, you can retry the same question, some of which are extremely difficult which will leave you back to the drawing board of trying to catch more films, there are no available skip buttons and no alternative puzzles so put on your thinking cap for this one folks!
I recommend this game!
Dino R-r-age Defense
Fight off hordes of dinosaurs! Build defensive towers and survive in the Ice Age!
Overall rating
4
/
5
34 of 39 found this review helpful
Love The Challenge, Those Dino's Are Wicked Fast!
PostedSeptember 15, 2014
pennmom36
fromRun dino run!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Personally I loved the change of pace and the Dinos in this not so easy Tower Defense game. The object of this game is the same as most TD games, protect the castle from the enemy but in this case, protect the time machine! There are existing tower platforms that you build the weapon of choice upon such as Crossbows, Cannons or Catapults. You earn loot for each dino you kill and use that loot to build or upgrade the weapons. You will also earn I-volve helix points according to how well you do in each of the several waves of attack. These Helix points will be used to purchase upgrades to each weapon such as more damage, more range or even lower costs. You can also purchase common upgrades such as stronger time machine health, larger starting budget or more loot collected from each dino. As you progress you earn bonuses such as meteor showers, earthquakes or poison to take out large groups that are not being killed by the weapons but these bonuses take a while to recharge.
There are different types of dinosaurs, Fast-OH-saurus a fast dino but fast to die, Spinesauraus is also fast but with medium health, Necrosarus can restore his health overtime and is immune to poison, Bulldoggysaurus who is slow moving but has lots of health, Crabosaurus can restore the health of his allies, Chamelonos summons bulldoggysaurus and can disable towers, Carnotaurus improves the character of his allies and even more as you progress. IMO this is a really fun and challenging game, see what you think, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Vacation Adventures: Cruise Director
Travel the world as a Cruise Director, in charge of the super luxurious S.S. Liberty of the Waves!
Overall rating
4
/
5
86 of 100 found this review helpful
All Aboard!
PostedSeptember 15, 2014
pennmom36
fromI was hoping for a vacation in the Bahamas
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
If you enjoyed Vacation Adventures: Park Rangers (I certainly did) then you will be thrilled with this Adventure which takes place aboard the S.S. Liberty. You are the cruise director responsible for all activities and helping out the passengers, but, this isn't really an adventure game, it's a Hidden Object Puzzle game with just enough of a story to keep you interested.
The Hidden Object games are packed full of items, some of which are blended into the scenery or within other items making them very difficult to spot, so don't expect a cake walk! Each scene has several items not on the list that are recyclable such as cans, paper or plastic bottles that you receive extra coins for when you click on them, and there is an icon that will show you which items you have found and which items need to be found (shown as silhouettes) Each scene also shows silhouettes of lost and found items in the porthole on the bottom left and you receive coins for those items as well (also an icon that shows items found and items that still need to be found as silhouettes) Some items listed in red are not in the open, for instance a fragile vase is actually inside of a crate simply stamped with pictures of breakable items. The coins you collect in each HOS can be used to buy souvenirs such as a Statue of Liberty replica. You are awarded coins and points are tallied up with the number of recycle items you found in that scene, the lost and found items found and if you don't have to use the hint, you get Eagle Eye points too.
After each HO you get to play a mini game which is in the form of a puzzle, jigsaw puzzles, rotating several different sized squares to complete the picture and even a puzzle layout of the cabin placement that requires you to correctly place the shaped sections onto the outline of the cabin cruiser. You have to take this game for what it is to appreciate it, it's not the elaborate adventure games where you walk around a giant mansion picking up inventory items and using them to open secret compartments and hidden passageways, but it HOG heaven if you like to search for hidden objects at your own pace, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Sable Maze: Forbidden Garden
Your parents always told you to stay away from the mysterious maze behind their house... and you're about to find out why.
Overall rating
4
/
5
27 of 32 found this review helpful
Things Your Dad Should Have Told You Sooner!
PostedSeptember 14, 2014
pennmom36
fromI'm pretty sure I closed the hamster ball on that cute little mouse's tail!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Turns out your father is actually from another world, Fairy World! He neglected to tell you this vital information, and now the Fairies are taking revenge by taking your fiance Ryan Wedgwood. A long time ago Fergus Fay was engaged to marry Queen Mab, but Fergus met a beautiful human, Laura who stole his heart and would eventually become your mother. To keep Queen Mab from following him into the human world Fergus stole the other fairies magic and stored the magic in a scepter and sealed the portal between their two worlds with 5 seals. Somehow Queen Mab has found your father and she's not exactly happy with him, so she kidnapped Ryan out of revenge, "say goodbye, he belongs to me now"!
I was really disappointed with the Fairy Tale theme this Sable Maze edition took on. It's a complete 360 degree turn from the genre that I loved with the previous editions, mysterious and creepy! Don't get me wrong, I like Fairy tale fantasies too, just don't put them where they don't belong! Not only do I have to deal with pink and purple glitter, but mom just got zapped by the scorned Queen and now she's a cute white fluffy Ermine, even worse, dad doesn't seem a bit concerned about her new look! There are a lot of inventory items to pick up and use in every scene and some of the items require repairs or need to be combined when indicated by a + sign above the item.
The Hidden Object Scenes are what you would expect from a fairy tale such as this, lot's of bright girly colors, peaceful doves, jewelry boxes, hats and kittens. They are all basically interactive, progressive list finds requiring you to find one item on the list and use that item in the scene to find the next item on the list. The mini games are mostly forms of puzzles where you slide tiles around a board with only one empty space, or slide tokens on a rail to form a picture. I really enjoyed the movie camera slides game where you had to place color coded slides into the correct compartments, slides could only go into an empty space or on top of a slide of the same color.
The Collector's Edition has a bonus game available, a built in strategy guide, jewelry collections, wallpapers, concept art, a diary, music and match 3 games, but IMO, this edition is probably the better choice, I don't think the CE has enough extras to tip the scales, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Statue of Liberty: The Lost Symbol
The Statue of Liberty is missing! Investigate the disappearance of one of the most important symbols of the United States!
Overall rating
3
/
5
18 of 19 found this review helpful
Her Flame's Been Doused!!
PostedSeptember 14, 2014
pennmom36
fromThere might be a reason Susan Pierce got this case.
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Phantasmat Collector's Edition
(101)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Another game from the makers of Alice: Beyond The Mirror and Les Miserables with the exact same features and game mechanics. Although I thought the graphics on Statue of Liberty were a little better, they are still pretty basic with few details and even fewer activities available in each scene. This story is about the mysterious disappearance of Lady Liberty's eternal flame. As with the other two games, this game has 50 fun facts available whenever you click on the opaque replica of the Statue of Liberty that you will find throughout the game, such as her true name, Liberty Enlightening the World. As I said before, there is very little to do in each scene, either a HOS consisting of non-interactive list finds, a simple mini game, and if you're lucky an inventory item to pick up or use. I will say that I loved the mini game where you have to push crates out of the way by using directional arrows but you have to be careful not to block yourself in or you will have to reset and start over at the beginning. You will get an automatic tutorial due to the lack of options available at the start, but you can click the X to exit the tutorial window which will ask if you agree or if you don't agree with leaving the tutorial. These games also have an older feature that will allow you to use your mouse to click on an area on the scene, and zoom into that area which is really nice for the Hidden Object Scenes because some of the items are really difficult to locate.
I'm not a big fan of this style of game, I need more interactions in the game to keep me interested, however the story seems okay if you don't get easily bored. Some of the characters look like plastic dolls and their lips move about a hundred miles an hour which is really stupid because there are NO voiceovers in the entire game! This would make a good choice for a coupon you may have lingering but I'm not sure it's worth cold hard cash, but you never know!