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:
New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia
Discover a story of mysterious kidnappings of both children and mafiosi.
Overall rating
5
/
5
201 of 227 found this review helpful
Say Hello To My ...Favorite Game
PostedMay 18, 2014
pennmom36
fromHe looks pretty good after a decade long coma!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
There are only a handful of games that can stand the test of time, games that are as exciting to play today as they were a week ago, a month ago and even a year later, this is one of them. This game has superior quality in every aspect, from the high quality graphics and voiceovers to the detail and freshness of the puzzles themselves. The year is 1955 and 5 mob bosses have disappeared, a strange green fog appears out of nowhere and poof! Nothing left but green goo and a butterfly, even stranger is the fact that children have disappeared at that exact moment leaving behind a drawing of the same butterfly as found at the scene of the mob bosses! You play the role of Laura James, a journalist and experienced detective, who has been summoned to the American Museum of Natural History where mob boss Don Luigi had just disappeared. Things take an unexpected turn, you discover a series of tunnels under the city and what appears to be an abandoned operations center. This is the first of many twists in this enthralling mysterious and secretive story. I won't deny that the Collector's Edition has enough bells and whistles to please any player, the story is the backbone of this game but there are 9 collectible briefcases, 9 ties, 9 statues of liberty, and 9 poker chips hidden throughout the game as well as 35 phantom morphing objects available with the Collector's Edition, you can't go wrong with either edition.
The Hidden Object Scenes are progressive silhouetted items to find. You find the first item that matches the silhouetted shape and use that item in the scene to retrieve the next item such as finding a box knife and then using the box knife to cut open a package that will reveal the next useful item. Each HOS has a mini game inside such as finding clues of how much water to place into 5 different glasses and finding the order to play music on the filled glasses, after you figure out how to correctly pour the measured amount of water into each glass, you then tap the correct glass from 1-5. The mini games were fresh and entertaining such as placing a frame over the correct pictured items in each row that would be used to make the item that is shown at the top left and right and repeating that process for each item. There were puzzle type games such as placing masks on 3 shelves in the correct order with only a few clues towards their placement. My favorite mini game involved two large discs, one on the left the other on the right, with 4 tokens on each disc of different objects like fish, bears, trees or birds. There were also 2 smaller discs between the larger discs which are used to exchange the tokens between discs until all tokens were in their correct spots.
The only decision you need to make is whether to purchase the Collector's Edition or the Standard Edition. Don't let this one slip through the virtual cracks, it is the game to stand any test of time, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Coyote's Tale: Fire and Water
Two sisters are about to go on the strangest vacation of their lives. Mischievous Aztec gods strive to make life a little more difficult.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Coyote's Tale: Fire and Water
PostedMay 17, 2014
pennmom36
fromSugar?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition
(82)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a surprisingly, fun hidden object game with a cute sense of humor. The story is about two sisters that are on vacation in Mexico and they are approached by a narcissistic yet handsome man with a talking coyote. The coyote tells them that the end of the world and mankind is approaching unless they can summon all the gods. There aren't any sacrifices in this game, instead you search different locations with an aztec theme for items that are hidden. You can choose to play as one of the sisters, one is timed, the other untimed. You can choose to search for items that are listed or switch to a picture or image of the item, one item at a time and you can click the arrow to scroll through the different images. The HOS start out incredibly easy, prompting me to almost giving up on the game, but each scene seems to get progressively more difficult. After each level of HOS are complete you will play a mini game, again they are really easy so don't sweat it. There are cards to flip over with the goal of matching the correct pairs, and discs to turn until each ring has a different number from 1 to 8. When the puzzle is complete you have summoned that god who will give you a helpful artifact. This is a lighthearted, relaxing game with a tad bit of humor, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Tales of Terror: House on the Hill Collector's Edition
Find your sister and escape from a terrifying haunted house!
Overall rating
5
/
5
278 of 334 found this review helpful
The House That Feeds On Fear
PostedMay 17, 2014
pennmom36
fromIf I do get out, do I get a refund?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition
(82)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A word of advice, if a house suddenly appears out of nowhere, don't go on a haunted tour of said house! This is exactly what Hope and Sophia Aldridge decided to do even though the tour guide warned that the house appeared out of nowhere just three short months ago! (okay, I'd probably go too) As soon as your group arrives, the lights begin to flicker, the house begins to morph and shift and you are instantly shut off from the rest of the group including your sister. As you wander around this terrifying mansion, fixing everything broken and finding keys that open doors, you come across the house's last victim Sam. He and his wife were meeting a broker to purchase this lovely house when the same thing happened to him, "you cannot leave this house no matter how hard you try" he explains that the house thrives and grows larger, feeding on the fears of others. Even if you are able to save your sister, will the house allow you to leave?
I love the story, who doesn't love a haunted house? There are achievements to earn and there is a special room that will house statues of the people you come across, good and evil, including a mysterious red eyed cloaked figure that seems to control the house. There are 46 hidden hearts, one in each scene to collect and some of them are nicely blended into the decor. Even though I love the story, and I think the characters are extremely lifelike, and I like the fact that some of the puzzles are new, I don't think there is enough substance in this Collectors Edition, I think the Standard Edition will be the better value. On the bright side, some games need all the bells and whistles to make them exciting and I think this game will be able to stand it's ground without them.
I know some players will be upset, but the Hidden Object Scenes are doubled up, the first time you find items on the list and that object moves out of the way to expose a pie shaped piece of the final items need, a disc that opens up a secret compartment. The second time has different items to find, which are really easy to find because you just searched this same scene. I was happy to discover that some of the mini games were new and creative such as trying to maneuver a key disc to a lock disc. Some of the discs on the board were stationary, others moved up or down whenever you used the directional arrows to move your key disc. If your key disc touches any other disc you had to start over. Other games were more common such as completing a painting by using the clues already provided.
Hopefully you don't have botanophobia like Sam,or suffer from claustrophobia with panic attacks like our tour guy because you're going to have to remain calm so the house doesn't add a room addition in your name, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Coronation Street: Mystery of the Missing Hotpot Recipe
Help Betty track down the missing pieces of her famous hotpot recipe before they fall into the wrong hands! Visit iconic Coronation Street locations and met up well-known characters from the TV Show.
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Coronation Street: Mystery of the Missing Hotpot Recipe
PostedMay 16, 2014
pennmom36
fromWhy does she need this recipe in a bar anyway?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition
(82)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
All I have to say about this game is, BORING! Betty was afraid that the competition was going to steal her Hotpot recipe so she tore the recipe into pieces and wouldn't you know it a gust of wind blew the pieces all over the bar. The owner offers anyone who finds a piece a free pint of beer. First you have to look for random items thrown into a heap of junk, this is supposed to be a bar yet the bar itself has a cluttered mess of teddy bears, skates, drill bits, parrots, drums and other items that have nothing to do with a bar or any other theme for that matter. After you find everything on the list you are then tasked with finding a single scrap of paper which is part of the recipe. If you click on the hint button, everything in the scene is transformed into shades of grey except the item you are looking for as horrible music is played quite loudly. There is no wow factor or even a remote hint of something exciting to come. The story is stupid, there is an option of freeplay hidden object scenes but they aren't that great either. Sorry for the brutal review but I couldn't even finish the demo.
I don't recommend this game.
Cooking Quest
Gather ingredients and manage your budget while preparing gourmet meals in this Hidden Object sizzler.
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Cooking Quest
PostedMay 16, 2014
pennmom36
fromI could feed my whole family for the same price as that one meal!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition
(82)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is an unusual kind of Hidden Object Game and I will admit that I am not that thrilled with the gourmet cooking scene, after several years of cooking for a large family, I would much rather dine at a restaurant,(gourmet or not) and let someone else do the cooking and definitely the cleaning up. So if you enjoy cooking, this would be an excellent game for you. Foodville (a lot of thought went into the name of this town) is holding their annual Restaurant Row Chef's Challenge. You must gather the ingredients, in the form of hidden object scenes, manage your budget, in the form of deciding how much you are willing to pay for each ingredients from free to imported products, and you must create a multi-course gourmet meal in each of Foodville's best restaurants. You start in one of the restaurants offered such as the steak house or the Italian restaurant. Inside the establishment you choose which area to search for that item until you have the ingredients for all 4 courses. First is wine, and there will be a HOS to search for 15 different listed items. The objects are random and most have nothing to do with cooking, flashlights, traffic lights, footballs etc. which doesn't make sense to me. The items are also out of proportion, the traffic light is the size of mouse and the actual mouse is the size of a traffic light, some items are so tiny that you cannot recognize the item and there is a timer penalty if you random click. At the end of each scene you get a choice of several items in that category (wine for example) with the cheapest being free and the last item the most expensive import which you purchase with the money you have earned from the HOS. After all 4 items of that meal have been purchased you will play a mini game of preparing that meal to be judged. You have to prepare the meal by combining some items in the inventory bar by dragging a corkscrew to the wine bottle, dragging the knife to the lettuce and adding chocolate to the cake mix. Then you drag the completed items to either the glass, or the plates, drag the steak and cake to the oven and grill, and watch for the heat meter to reach the green level and drag the cooked items to the proper plates. Then the meal is judged and a dialog box will tell you how many stars you earned and what the judge's opinion was for this meal. Then of course you visit the next restaurant and repeat this process, bon appetit!
I recommend this game!
Off the Record: The Italian Affair
Track down the wily Fox before he slips away into the beauty of Venice!
Overall rating
5
/
5
161 of 183 found this review helpful
Who's Telling The Truth?
PostedMay 16, 2014
pennmom36
fromNegativity only thrives with negativity!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition
(82)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
My vacation has been aborted, LaVolpe the art thief has struck again in Venice and the boss is sending me there to investigate the Robin Hood of the art world otherwise known as "The Fox"! LaVolpe has been retired for over 5 years, he steals from the wealthy and corrupt to give back to their victims, but why now? Things get even more complicated when a cloaked woman warns that you are being played just as she had been played by the Fox. LaVolpe claims that this woman Gabrielle, was his partner and that she is trying to frame him. can either person be trusted? Are you just a pawn in their latest scheme?
You're going to love this game, even though I liked the Collectors Edition better because of the extras such as 10 travel guide pages to collect, 16 alphabet letters and 52 fox figurines to collect and my favorite, 17 morphs to find. You will store all your important papers and business cards in slots at the top of the inventory bar, and you will eventually find a tape recorder that is used for listening to various tapes that you come across. You will also find a police camera that will be used throughout the game as well as different lenses, to use the camera for clues you place the lens on the camera, turn the dial to the correct setting and adjust the top and bottom sliders then press the button to take the picture.
The mini games are really well done, some easy such as following directions to make a specific ice cream cone or choosing the correct sequence of bells by matching the notes on the bell with the notes on the music sheet. Others are more time consuming such as stamping a bell tower ticket by recreating 3 stamps on the ticket to validate, you have to press red buttons to change the filter in order to line up 2 filters that match the stamp image. This game is best known for the variety of Hidden Object Games. There are progressive silhouettes where you find the first item that matches the silhouetted shape and use that item in the scene to find the next item, there are HOS that progress through 3 different scenes, some that require you to find items that look like the pictures and they also have several zoom in areas that have mini HOS list finds and some of those require you to use in inventory item from the original HOS in order to find all items on the list. There has to be a HOS that will please just about everyone!
This is a very professional game with beautiful graphics and an intriguing story that will captivate you from beginning to end. They have done a wonderful job trying to create new and exciting features into this game. Hop on a gondola and check out the beautiful sights Venice has to offer, ciao!
I recommend this game!
Continental Cafe
Help Laura travel the world solving culinary puzzles and become the most renowned chef of the modern age!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Continental Cafe
PostedMay 15, 2014
pennmom36
fromSure, let me try one of those lottery tickets
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition
(82)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
After winning the lottery, Laura decides to open up her own restaurant. (little does she know that her competition plans on shutting her down just as he did the owner before) She travels around the world to learn from the best culinary chefs available starting in France. The first HOS warns that you can stop at any time after finding the cockpit pass or you could be forced to stop and lose everything and I'm not sure if that means the game would be over or you just replay the HOS. Basically you agree to run errands for the chefs in exchange for a recipe in the form of 5 mini games such as a griddler game with white and dark chocolates or passing by tables with the exact number of passes as indicated. You can play the mini game in normal or hard levels and when you complete a game you are awarded with a recipe and a raincheck which will allow you to skip a mini game, up to 2 per level. The game itself is just okay, the story is simply a lot of dialog boxes to read, this isn't a hidden object game although there are a few HOS this is mostly a variety of puzzles and games that I personally could take it or leave it because there is no wow factor to keep my interest.
I don't recommend this game.
Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition
When his sister is murdered, you must prove your nephew’s innocence!
Overall rating
5
/
5
281 of 342 found this review helpful
Did James Kill His Sister For The Family's Inheritance?
PostedMay 15, 2014
pennmom36
fromHow can I possibly be unbiased?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition
(82)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Who doesn't love a Grim Tale? You received a frantic call from your nephew James McGray stating he has been accused of murdering his sister Elizabeth! The Judge has subpoenaed you to assist in the trial because of your unique ability to to move to the past simply by touching an item. When you travel back in time to the family manor you realize right away that something's wrong, time should be frozen, but a dark entity is clearly able to manipulate time and is trying desperately to halt this investigation. This edition of Grim Tales is a bit different. There are still morphing objects to collect, but you also need to collect several key items of evidence as shown on a separate inventory bar to the right of the screen. After finding one of these pieces of evidence, a short video will play filling you in on bits of the story of James and Elizabeth. Another feature I truly enjoyed was the collectible McGray family statues each with a short bio of that member of the family and they all seem to have a sordid past! The graphics are crystal clear, typical of this series and the characters are very lifelike. Every scene is full of doors to find locks for, boxes that need special tools, and lot's of inventory items to collect. Some items require you to fix them before using that item such as a broken ruler that needs taped. The hidden object scenes are interactive list finds, and very well done. This game in my opinion is all about the puzzles, very entertaining stained glass pieces to put together and my personal favorite game was the Domino game. You have to place all dominoes end to end so that they form a figure eight around a board with several picture discs of different animals. The dominoes must match images where they touch as well as the glowing animal discs. Not a hard game but super fun. You have a journal that contains your map, your Collectibles, and your achievements. This is a very professional game with exciting new features, a must have for Grim Tale fans like myself, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Committed: Mystery at Shady Pines
Escape from Shady Pines and save the other patients! Explore the mysterious hospital and stop the psychotic doctor!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 6 found this review helpful
Committed: Mystery at Shady Pines
PostedMay 14, 2014
pennmom36
fromWelcome to Shady Pines, rest for a while, or 3 years!
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
A 32 year old patient wakes up strapped to a bed in what seems to be an abandoned Mental Hospital. Her chart reveals little other than the fact that she has been in a coma for over three years with no hope of recovering, she is only known as patient number 100! Your first task is to find a way out of the locked room and escape from this asylum, problem is that there is a psychotic doctor calling the shots, and other patients that need help escaping as well.The graphics on this game are grainy and greenish on purpose, it really sets the stage for creepy, psychotic, unorthodox abandonment. There is a map that shows locations that have a mini game or HOS but cannon transport you there, you must old school click and walk, and there is a lot of back and forthing which can be a huge turnoff for some gamers. There is no hint system in the game itself, only available in the hidden object scenes. The hidden object scenes can be difficult because of the grainy dark graphics and some of the items are partially hidden behind other items. There are mini games where you try to enter the other patients minds through a monitor by adjusting the wavelengths in yellow with the wavelengths in green by turning dials. When the wavelengths turn blue you enter their minds dreamworld and solve the riddle of why they are there. You receive audio tapes throughout the game which tells you the story of Shady Pines and the patients, a little at a time. If you are a fan of the demented, abandoned asylums then this is the game for you, enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Mystika 2: The Sanctuary
The village of Lumina is in trouble! Defeat your challengers with the help of powerful spells, and find treasures in more than 10 hidden object scenes.
Overall rating
5
/
5
227 of 251 found this review helpful
Only A Powerful Mage Can Restore The Sanctuary
PostedMay 14, 2014
pennmom36
fromHow do I restore the spirit tree?
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Current Favorite:
New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia Collector's Edition
(100)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Fantastic Match 3 game available in Timed or Untimed modes. Rikou the spirit tree has been struck by lightning and you must help the mage, Alrick restore the sanctuary. The only complaint I have is with a few misspelled words such as lezard. This game has some really unique features in the form of challenges. Some challenges include completing the match 3 by removing yellow tiles within 35 moves, Making matches around 4 chains holding 2 cages to free the cages, making matches to "dig" through the earth and recover statues and my favorite, strategically making matches until all tiles have been matched and fall off the board. The goal of the game is to make matches over all yellow, blocked, frozen and chained cells. You earn coins for matches and if you match the coins themselves you get extra coins which is used to restore the sanctuary with upgrades you purchase. If you make matches of 5 or more you will get bonuses on the board such as potions, bombs, lightning and directional rockets pointed either left, right, up or down. There are also a handful (10) of hidden object games which will also earn you money for each find. I found this game to be on the easy side, relaxing even on timed mode, and with 200 levels this is sure to be a long game worthy of a purchase, enjoy!
I recommend this game!