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:
Help Inspector Magic track down a faceless villain and save the world of magic in this solitaire mystery game!
Overall rating
1
/
5
40 of 55 found this review helpful
THE GHOST AGENCY NEEDS MY HELP?
PostedNovember 9, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
SAME scene graphics as the previous Detective Solitaire games, SAME board layouts as the previous Detective Solitaire games, and the SAME features as the previous Detective Solitaire games, and I do mean EXACTLY the same. I'm pretty sure this Detective "Ghost Agency" does NOT need my help, but the game itself DOES need help because it's just another replica of all their other solitaire games designed to make you think they have offered a new game just so they can take your hard-earned money!
Once again, there are 9 Card Graphic Themes to choose from and 3 Font sizes (traditional, themed, and large font) The music isn't bad, but yes, it too is the same, not to mention that at times the music pauses and you're left with awkward silence.
As usual, the game begins with a tutorial in Newbie Mode which allows you to replay any level. After completing the tutorial or opting out by clicking on the tutorial X, you can choose the Professional Mode which only allows you to play the entire 10 level pack.
This is a Higher/Lower style Solitaire game where the only goal is to remove all of the Gold Cards. Once the gold cards have been collected, you will earn the maximum amount of points and the game ends even if other regular cards remain. If you remove all gold cards you'll get a perfect score and the points of that level are added to the next level similar to bowling scores. You must earn the required amount of points to unlock the next location and there are 20 Locations with 10 levels per location.
When you remove cards with a round blue gem, you will receive either +499 points, a Joker, a Shuffle, or Mulligan (undo) and you can buy Jokers, Shuffles, and Mulligans within the Shop with the points you have earned, at a ridiculous price point of 2500-8000-5000. Exactly the same Shop items that are available in every single solitaire game by this developer...but then again, you probably don't need any other bonuses, what's the point when their idea of a "Perfect Score" doesn't involve removing all cards?
Once again, this game states that there are Achievements to earn, but I've yet to earn one, but then again, I didn't play further than the demo because I have no desire to waste money on a game that has nothing new to offer, and never gives me the option to continue playing after removing all Gold Cards. I refuse to even use a PCC. When and if they decide to change something other than the title, I may consider it, but only if they make an option that allows me to remove all of the cards, not just the Gold Cards because that is what a Perfect Score means to me!
Let's have some real fun, join me at my new nature-themed forum, and reminisce about the good ole days when BF had amazing games thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Join a crafty dwarf on his quest to find the legendary craftsmen, solve challenging nonogram puzzles, and uncover hidden pictures!
Overall rating
3
/
5
27 of 42 found this review helpful
THE 1ST GAME HAD BRIGHTER, MORE INTERESTING "BUILDS"
PostedNovember 8, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a decent Mosaic Griddler game and I do enjoy the building aspect where you use the Gems collected to purchase repairs and upgrades. Father's Home, however, was a much brighter game, and rebuilding the Dwarves' homes was much more appealing to me than repairing random items within a dark and dreary cave. The game itself runs smoothly but the puzzles are pretty easy to solve without having to switch colors to narrow down the cell selections.
You can play in a Casual Mode which crosses off tiles one by one, or Advanced Mode which only crosses off tiles once an entire row or column has been completed.
The Hint feature will fill in one random cell and the Bonus will fill in a cross-shaped area of your choice, but they must refill after each use.
The completed images are easily recognized and they are labeled, which is always a good thing but after filling in the final cell of a puzzle, the completed image pops up and the music blares loudly and it really takes you by surprise every time. I think it would be nice to make this transition a bit more zen, perhaps change the music for completion a bit softer, and gently pull up the completed image before the score pops up. I only mention this because Mosaics are supposed to be relaxing and this current transition snaps you out of your zen enjoyable moment pretty quickly!
Speaking of Zen, come to The Woods Forum and feed the bears at my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Momonga is a unique, pinball puzzle game, where you bounce through different worlds, team up with friends, and defeat sinister enemies!
Overall rating
1
/
5
5 of 8 found this review helpful
IT MAY NOT REQUIRE A JOYSTICK BUT IT DOESN'T WORK WELL WITH ARROWS EITHER...OR ON LARGE DISPLAYS
PostedNovember 7, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I read several reviews that stated a joystick was required to play this game, but several reviews also stated that the arrow keys worked well for them. I decided to give it a try and yes, I was able to use the arrow keys but every time I did this I got a warning from my NVIDIA display that the game itself was changing my computer's resolution to a poorer quality, then it would exit me out of the game before I could try to adjust the game's actual settings.
This game has either the world's worse graphic settings, or it's a super old game that isn't compatible with newer, high-resolution, large-screen monitors?
The bigger question is, why does Big Fish offer games with such archaic controls? Obviously, a ton of people were having issues with this game, I thought BF vetted the games before releasing them?
Come join some real fun at my new forum in The Woods thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Help Ashley and Scott grow the restaurant of their dreams!
Overall rating
1
/
5
10 of 12 found this review helpful
PS: WE NEED MORE DUCT TAPE!
PostedNovember 7, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I have now played both versions (CE & SE) and both games have issues at times accepting my click, especially when it involves the Fries. This is a disastrous feature in a Time Management game that requires multi-clicking and the Need For Speed! I can't tell you how many times I would click to give a plate of potatoes to the prep cook to prepare french fries only to move on to the next task and discover the potatoes were still attached to my hand as if they had been duct-taped. The same thing would happen when I would click the fryer, I'd see the checkmark but then they would be stuck to my hand as I moved on. The same thing would happen when I clicked on a customer, and more so when I clicked on the tips so I know it's not my issue when I had to click 3-4 times just to pick up tips!
This kind of issue should never happen, especially in a Time Management game, especially in a TM game where the goal is to wait on customers in a restaurant Diner-Dash scenario at a break-neck speed before they get so angry, they turn beet-red and bail on you without paying! If the bugs aren't worked out...don't release the game, I'm not the only one who complained about this clicking issue in the CE version!
If you don't care about the clicking issue, you can play in a Timed or Untimed mode, I tried both, and fair warning, the customers still get angry when they see you running around with raw french fries duct-taped to your hands and can't deliver them coffee...but it seems the old man doesn't care what happens at the table next to him, he's still going to do a stupid jig before he leaves every single time...I could use some duct tape for this guy, do we have any extra?
This is apparently a really short game, there are 12 levels in each chapter which has a different style of food for each chapter. The Bar & Grill, Coffee & Pastries, Mexican Restaurant, Trattoria, and Festival. Surely, I will run out of Duct Tape by the time the Festival rolls into town?
After each level, you will use your Tips to purchase Upgrades, it sure would be nice to be able to Upgrade the Prep Cook! I'm running around with french fries duct-taped to my hands and making a little old lady turn beet red, meanwhile, the Prep Cook stands there barely breaking a sweat, chopping up food as he awkwardly stands sideways with a big ole evil grin on his "I don't have a care in the world cuz I have big knives" face whilst doing a tapdance and never looking at the food he's madly chopping up! For all I know, those potatoes are still duct-taped to my hand while he's obliviously slap-chopping away? The only good thing about these upgrades was the fact that they Pre-Warn you about the upgrade that will be the most useful in the preceding level by adding a ribbon next to it. Too bad none of the upgrades include a better cursor clicking option?
This CE version has 6 Wallpapers, 6 Music Soundtracks, Character FAQs, 10 Achievements, 5 Chapters with 12 Levels each, 1 Bonus Level, and a whole lotta angry customers who apparently don't appreciate duct tape!?
Come join us at The Woods Forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Help Ashley and Scott grow the restaurant of their dreams!
Overall rating
1
/
5
92 of 106 found this review helpful
IT HAS ISSUES ACCEPTING THE CURSOR CLICK WHICH MAKES THE GAME WORTHLESS ON THE TIMED MODE
PostedNovember 7, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I have now played both versions (CE & SE) and both games have issues at times accepting my click, especially when it involves the Fries. This is a disastrous feature in a Time Management game that requires multi-clicking and the Need For Speed! I can't tell you how many times I would click to give a plate of potatoes to the prep cook to prepare french fries only to move on to the next task and discover the potatoes were still attached to my hand as if they had been duct-taped. The same thing would happen when I would click the fryer, I'd see the checkmark but then they would be stuck to my hand as I moved on. The same thing would happen when I clicked on a customer, and more so when I clicked on the tips so I know it's not my issue when I had to click 3-4 times just to pick up tips!
This kind of issue should never happen, especially in a Time Management game, especially in a TM game where the goal is to wait on customers in a restaurant Diner-Dash scenario at a break-neck speed before they get so angry, they turn beet-red and bail on you without paying! If the bugs aren't worked out...don't release the game, I'm not the only one who complained about this clicking issue in the CE version!
If you don't care about the clicking issue, you can play in a Timed or Untimed mode, I tried both, and fair warning, the customers still get angry when they see you running around with raw french fries duct-taped to your hands and can't deliver them coffee...but it seems the old man doesn't care what happens at the table next to him, he's still going to do a stupid jig before he leaves every single time...I could use some duct tape for this guy, do we have any extra?
This is apparently, a really short game, there are 12 levels in each chapter which has a different style of food for each chapter. The Bar & Grill, Coffee & Pastries, Mexican Restaurant, Trattoria, and Festival. Surely, I will run out of Duct Tape by the time the Festival rolls into town?
After each level, you will use your Tips to purchase Upgrades, it sure would be nice to be able to Upgrade the Prep Cook! I'm running around with french fries duct-taped to my hands and making a little old lady turn beet red, meanwhile, the Prep Cook stands there barely breaking a sweat, chopping up food as he awkwardly stands sideways with a big ole evil grin on his "I don't have a care in the world cuz I have big knives" face whilst doing a tapdance and never looking at the food he's madly chopping up! For all I know, those potatoes are still duct-taped to my hand while he's obliviously slap-chopping away? The only good thing about these upgrades was the fact that they Pre-Warn you about the upgrade that will be the most useful in the preceding level by adding a ribbon next to it. Too bad none of the upgrades include a better cursor clicking option?
The CE version has 6 Wallpapers, 6 Music Soundtracks, Character FAQs, 10 Achievements, 5 Chapters with 12 Levels each, 1 Bonus Level, and a whole lotta angry customers who apparently don't appreciate duct tape!?
I don't recommend this game.
Can you rescue a child with magical powers in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
87 of 100 found this review helpful
RE-ENTER THE WORLD OF DRAWN: THE PAINTED TOWER *A 5-STAR GAME WITH A 3-STAR REMASTER*
PostedNovember 6, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed Game approximately 5.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
24 Main Game Scene Locations +7 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Intermediate-Expert (but doable for beginners because of the Strategy Guide)
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
24 Main Game Scene Locations +7 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Intermediate-Expert (but doable for beginners because of the Strategy Guide)
Review Based on Comparison of Drawn versus ReDrawn:
This is the first installment of the Drawn series that tells the heartbreaking tale of Iris who has been locked away in the painted tower. Iris and her family have a special gift, they can draw their way into magical doors and enchanted worlds, they are only limited by their imagination! Katherine had sent Iris to live with Franklin, to protect her from the King and his evil Chancellor, now Iris is a prisoner, Franklin has been turned to stone and Iris is the sole survivor of her family! You must rescue Iris one drawing at a time as you desperately try to reach the painted tower!
NOTE:
My 5-star review was submitted early Thursday morning but somehow it posted with only 4-stars (I screenshot all reviews before submitting and my screenshot clearly shows I clicked all 5-stars) I felt so strongly about this that I asked BF to withDRAW my original review so I could PAINT a better picture! To be clear, I gave this game 5-stars because the game itself is incredible, I played the entire original Drawn series and no other game has utilized this much creativity. Certainly, none of the games released over the last couple of years have had such an incredible story with such unique graphics! I was willing to rewrite my review because I didn't want anyone to pass on playing this amazing game because of the mistaken star rating... and the game itself deserves 5 stars! My issue is with the RE-Mastering features as explained below.
My 5-star review was submitted early Thursday morning but somehow it posted with only 4-stars (I screenshot all reviews before submitting and my screenshot clearly shows I clicked all 5-stars) I felt so strongly about this that I asked BF to withDRAW my original review so I could PAINT a better picture! To be clear, I gave this game 5-stars because the game itself is incredible, I played the entire original Drawn series and no other game has utilized this much creativity. Certainly, none of the games released over the last couple of years have had such an incredible story with such unique graphics! I was willing to rewrite my review because I didn't want anyone to pass on playing this amazing game because of the mistaken star rating... and the game itself deserves 5 stars! My issue is with the RE-Mastering features as explained below.
I have RE-entered the world of Drawn....hello old friend...it reminds me how amazing these games used to be! When I first played the Drawn series, I was blown away by the uniqueness of this game. Even though I considered myself an expert player, I found the original Drawn to be quite challenging but it also gave me a sense of accomplishment when I completed my adventure through Iris' imaginative drawings. Although the gameplay is still somewhat challenging, I felt that Friendly Fox did the game a disservice when they revamped some of the mini-games to make them really simplistic, and the fact that they felt the need to add HOP's. What really made my heart sink was when I discovered that they had ReVamped the original Hint feature! We aren't the cowardly Scarecrow, we already have a brain...so next time give us some credit because the "old" Hint system was really cool and made us think for ourselves with just a point in the right direction...besides if we had to, we could use the newly added Strategy Guide!
In the original Drawn, Franklin had still been turned to stone, but he was still able to assist, without the normal hand holding hint system that we see in today's remastered ReDrawn. Instead, you could choose which objective you needed help with from the list provided to the left of Franklin's portrait and he would give you a nudge with the first of three vague clues. If you couldn't figure out what to do next, you simply asked Franklin for another clue. Usually, you could figure it out by the third and final clue. This is the kind of gameplay that made older HOPA/Adventure games fun, nowadays they are so fool-proof that they are downright boring...REMASTER---don't REVAMP a masterpiece!
There were no Hidden Object Scenes in the original Drawn game, unfortunately, ReDrawn was ReVamped, not ReMastered, to include Hidden Object Scenes...there was a reason the original Drawn got 138 amazing 5-Star reviews, so why would you assume we wanted another lame HOPA game like they are today versus games of the past that received ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-EIGHT FIVE STAR reviews? I haven't figured out if it's Big Fish that doesn't "get it" or if the developers are the ones who are clueless? Everyone LOVEs older HOPAs, we replay them daily because back then they had amazing storylines, and they made us use our brains to figure them out versus playing on auto-pilot! How many times do we have to complain about how lame HOPAs are nowadays before Big Fish and the developers finally see the light? When a game gets 138 Five Star reviews and it doesn't have a single Hidden Object scene, that should be your first clue that HO scenes aren't necessary...just look at the HOPAs today, you'll be hard-pressed to find one that received 4-stars much less 138 Five-star reviews...think about it!
Because this game still has some of the original aspects...it is still a Fantastic game and lightyears better than HOPAs lately. My only complaint here is that FF felt the need to "add" to an already amazing game versus simply remastering a 5-star Classic?? (the original cannot be played on today's newer 64-bit computers)
They have added 62 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces and 62 Morphing Red Scarves as well as a pull-out tab that tells you how many collectibles remain in each scene. I don't have an issue with the collectibles because the SE version will not include them if someone wants a version without these added collectibles. If they truly wanted to remain true to game features of the past, the morphs would have been much smaller and slower.
This adventure is like no other, yes you will still collect a few inventory items here and there, these items are to help you find the clues that Iris has left you within her drawings. First, you have to find the missing fragment of the torn picture, then you enter the picture and solve the puzzles within, usually in the form of a Progressive-Interactive puzzle where you may need to find a knife first and then use the knife to expose an item within a pumpkin, and so forth until you have found the last item that will help you to progress to the next door in the Painted Tower.
If you are a puzzle fanatic like me, listen up, cause there are so many clever puzzles you're going to love. Some are simple such as swapping tiles to create a picture or rotating disks, some are a little more difficult. My favorite one was replacing window fragments by rotating and placing the glass geometrical shapes, the pieces have to go into specific slots and at first, it seemed as though there weren't enough pieces no matter what I tried. Then I realized that a space will be empty to create a specific shape! (I won't tell you what that shape is) HOWEVER, in ReDrawn, they dumbed it down and took away the Rotating feature so all you had to do was snap pieces into place...it doesn't get any easier than this folks, the question once again is WHY would you take a great challenge and make it so simple a 6-year old could complete it???
Bonus Chapter (CE Version only):
Follow Iris on the day before she is taken to the tower as she is quested with 3 tasks to prove her worthiness as Queen. There are 7 additional scene locations with 14 additional Puzzle Pieces and 14 Morphing Scarves. There are 7 Mini-games but just one Hidden Object Scene within the Bonus Chapter.
Follow Iris on the day before she is taken to the tower as she is quested with 3 tasks to prove her worthiness as Queen. There are 7 additional scene locations with 14 additional Puzzle Pieces and 14 Morphing Scarves. There are 7 Mini-games but just one Hidden Object Scene within the Bonus Chapter.
Collector's Edition Extra's:
7 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art Pictures, 7 Screensavers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 14 Movie Videos, 9 Replayable Mini-Games, 4 RePlayable Hidden Object Scenes, 62 Morphing Scarves, 62 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces (you can return to the scenes to pick up any missed collectibles) 25 Mini-Games, 4 Hidden Object Scenes, 4 Main Chapters, Bonus Chapter, Strategy Guide.
7 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art Pictures, 7 Screensavers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 14 Movie Videos, 9 Replayable Mini-Games, 4 RePlayable Hidden Object Scenes, 62 Morphing Scarves, 62 Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces (you can return to the scenes to pick up any missed collectibles) 25 Mini-Games, 4 Hidden Object Scenes, 4 Main Chapters, Bonus Chapter, Strategy Guide.
As I stated in my title, the original Drawn was as amazing as amazing games can get! I loved this series so much that I simply have to give it 5-stars for the uniqueness it presents...as far as the ReMastered ReVamped ReDrawn scenario, I would only give that 3-Stars. I had to turn off the Wide Screen option and play in a smaller screen because the edges were cut off and I couldn't see any of the features like the pull out tabs, the Hint, Diary (LOVE diary features of games from the past, don't you?) or the inventory bar. I hated that they added HOP's that didn't really fit in with the "painted" graphics and I hated that they dumbed-down the mini-games and took away the awesome Riddle/Question Hint Feature...still love the unique story...please keep remastered games the same, just remaster the graphics and make them work on new computers...especially when the original game is so fantastic that it earns 138 Five Star Reviews!!!!!
Come join the Woodsey's at my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Help Robin Hood pursue and defeat the villainous Gisbourne!
Overall rating
5
/
5
58 of 83 found this review helpful
OO-DE-LALLY, OO-DE-LALLY, GOLLY WHAT A GAME!
PostedNovember 6, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I loved the first Robin Hood and the second one was good but it was crazy-difficult to earn all 3-stars. I had given up all hope by the time Hail to the King rolled around because it seemed the developers had nothing left to offer and were just rolling out new games without putting forth any effort, probably just to keep up with the demands (and contracts lol). Robin Hood: Spring of Life, on the other hand, is absolutely perfect and has me singing the Oo-de-lally, Oo-de-lally, Golly What A Day song once again!
You can play in an Easy (untimed) or Normal Mode and each level has 3 Hidden Objects that unfortunately aren't so hidden. Some of them are partially hidden but they are too large and too colorful to miss! I love collectibles but these are more like clickables, they are supposed to be an added challenge so it would be amazing if they were blended better into the scenery on the next game, it would be even more fantastic if they morphed! Each level has different objects but you can see which collectibles are available by looking at the level map. The clickable-collections include Crowns, Potions?, Crystal Balls, Banners, Torches, Chests, Maps, Swords, and Gems.
There are the usual Time Management tasks of Clearing Paths of weeds, Wooden Logs, Boulders, and stakes used to guard the Gold Taxes collected from the peasants. You will harvest Berry Bushes, Apple Trees, Walnut Trees, Food Caches, and go Fishing for food, Repair Rope Buildings, Sawmills, Farms, Bridges, and Ladders. Shearing the sheep will allow the posse to make even more rope which is used to repair bridges and concoct traps to capture the sheriff's guards!
Robin Hood and his merry men steal Gold from the Rich to Give to the Poor so you will be required to set up elaborate traps and snares, and of course, shoot arrows at the watchmen guards. These guards are either pretty resilient, or they have some kind of awesome superpower because Robin Hood's arrows only "stun" the guards temporarily in this game! This feature is puzzling, why do the arrows only stun the guards, are the arrows defective? Has Robin Hood lost his toxophilite, marksmen edge? Are the guards wearing some kind of arrow-proof or magical armor? Is Robin Hood having a "woke" change of heart? Did the developers get a lot of complaints about arrow violence in the Robin Hood TM series? Or, did the developers just have a hard time coming up with a better scenario than allowing the Merry Men to gather resources in guarded areas only after being "stunned" by an arrow? Oo-de-lally, golly what a stun!
All good deeds will help to fill the Bonus Bar. You will receive permanent bonuses for each hero when you fill the good deeds bar. Before starting the level you can choose which Hero's will be joining the quest and the order in which they will arrive to join the posse! The hero's abilities can be Upgraded to last longer, recharge faster, etc. These bonuses will make them run faster, add extra outlaws, produce more resources, and even add more good deed points.
Robin Hood and his outlaws can be equipped with new bandit outfits as you progress but this wasn't really a feature that interested me personally. I did, however, love the Heist Levels which allows you to rob the sheriff's people to earn more gold with a slightly different type of gameplay than the normal, resource-collecting levels.
This Collector's Edition has 6 Wallpapers, 4 Music Soundtracks, 3 Hidden Collectibles on each level, 38 Main Levels, 12 Bonus Levels, 10 Heist Levels, 17 Achievements, 8 Character Outfits, and a built-in Strategy Guide.
Come to The Woods and check out my new forum where you'll find game talk, series lists, what's on deck, general chit chat and so much more! thewoodsforum.boards.net :)
I recommend this game!
A trio of hoax hunters get the shock of their lives!
Overall rating
3
/
5
55 of 68 found this review helpful
NO ONE'S EVER GOING TO FEEL THE NEED TO RE-DRAW THIS GAME LOL
PostedNovember 5, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game approximately 4 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +7 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
Yesterday's masterpiece, Drawn: The Painted Tower was ReDrawn because it no longer worked on the newer 64bit computers. I had to laugh because I thought, 10 to 15 years from today, no one would care if they could no longer play this game on their computer so no one would ever bother to remaster The Neglected Dead. In fact, I can't think of a single newer HOPA that would be worthy enough of a remaster because none of them are as good as they were back in the 2013-2018 timeframe! I'm not saying all HOPAs are garbage nowadays, but when compared to the quality, the gameplay, the amazing storylines, and challenge of the older games, none of the newer ones roll off anyone's tongues when asked what their favorite HOPA game is...what is your all-time favorite HOPA? I'm bettin' it's a game that was developed between 2013 and 2018!
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +7 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
Yesterday's masterpiece, Drawn: The Painted Tower was ReDrawn because it no longer worked on the newer 64bit computers. I had to laugh because I thought, 10 to 15 years from today, no one would care if they could no longer play this game on their computer so no one would ever bother to remaster The Neglected Dead. In fact, I can't think of a single newer HOPA that would be worthy enough of a remaster because none of them are as good as they were back in the 2013-2018 timeframe! I'm not saying all HOPAs are garbage nowadays, but when compared to the quality, the gameplay, the amazing storylines, and challenge of the older games, none of the newer ones roll off anyone's tongues when asked what their favorite HOPA game is...what is your all-time favorite HOPA? I'm bettin' it's a game that was developed between 2013 and 2018!
I wouldn't mind the fact that all HOPA games have become so blatantly foolproof if Big Fish would just offer more Adventure games, but they rarely do! (even tho there are far more adventure games available than HOPAs) There are only a handful of beginner players, the majority are at least Intermediate players, most of us have been playing this genre for over a decade! In a sense, we are the ones who put this genre on the map thus, the reason HOPA developers exist today so why not throw us a bone every now and then with a game befitting our skillset?
HELPER/GADGETS:
There are NO gadgets or Helpers in Halloween Stories: The Neglected Dead, however, you'll play a different character in each Chapter. The first Chapter is played as George O'Leary, then you can choose to play as Shen Lee or Catherine Garcia-Gonzales in any order.
There are NO gadgets or Helpers in Halloween Stories: The Neglected Dead, however, you'll play a different character in each Chapter. The first Chapter is played as George O'Leary, then you can choose to play as Shen Lee or Catherine Garcia-Gonzales in any order.
AUDIO/VIDEO/GAMEPLAY:
I fell in love with the graphics when I first discovered Mystery Trackers: The Void. No other developer has mastered the creepy, abandoned town scenario like Elephant Games has, the characters are lifelike and move fluently. Although they have had issues with the audio soundtracks in the past, lately I haven't noticed any freeze-ups or awkward silence moments.
The game mechanics seem to be flawless but the story itself seems to have a few hiccups. In the first scene, Cathrine writes a note to tech guru, George O'Leary, that if he can get her safe open he can have anything inside, his prize is Catherine's camera. George even makes the comment that he hopes the safe isn't empty, yet a few scenes later he uses the camera for the first time, and due to unforeseen circumstances, the camera gets broken...of course! Then he complains that Dullaham broke HIS favorite camera? How can it be HIS favorite camera if prior to this single use it belonged to Catherine? Moving on to the next scene, an old, half-blind man is kidnapped by the evil-doer and George makes the comment that he has to save this victim because it's the only way to find out what he did to deserve being kidnapped...say what???
I fell in love with the graphics when I first discovered Mystery Trackers: The Void. No other developer has mastered the creepy, abandoned town scenario like Elephant Games has, the characters are lifelike and move fluently. Although they have had issues with the audio soundtracks in the past, lately I haven't noticed any freeze-ups or awkward silence moments.
The game mechanics seem to be flawless but the story itself seems to have a few hiccups. In the first scene, Cathrine writes a note to tech guru, George O'Leary, that if he can get her safe open he can have anything inside, his prize is Catherine's camera. George even makes the comment that he hopes the safe isn't empty, yet a few scenes later he uses the camera for the first time, and due to unforeseen circumstances, the camera gets broken...of course! Then he complains that Dullaham broke HIS favorite camera? How can it be HIS favorite camera if prior to this single use it belonged to Catherine? Moving on to the next scene, an old, half-blind man is kidnapped by the evil-doer and George makes the comment that he has to save this victim because it's the only way to find out what he did to deserve being kidnapped...say what???
MORPHING OBJECTS/COLLECTIBLES: (CE version only)
Less is More, right? I mentioned falling in love with Mystery Trackers: The Void because of the graphics, but the reason I started to play the series in the first place was that it had Morphing Objects. Originally, Elephant Games had amazing Morphing Objects that were challenging to spot because the morphs were slow and the objects that morphed were things that weren't obvious, such as paintings, windows, or sections of a building that morphed into a similar object. Then they started making the Morphs huge and they were so obvious when a mushroom started flashing at a break-neck speed into a giant, out-of-proportion, and out-of-place white baseball which took away all of the challenge and all of the fun. Now they have just abandoned ship, instead of putting forth more effort, they decided Less is More. I sure do miss the old Elephant Games tradition :( There are 12 Collectible Cards with descriptions of various Halloween evil-doers, and 24 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble a Single Screensaver.
Less is More, right? I mentioned falling in love with Mystery Trackers: The Void because of the graphics, but the reason I started to play the series in the first place was that it had Morphing Objects. Originally, Elephant Games had amazing Morphing Objects that were challenging to spot because the morphs were slow and the objects that morphed were things that weren't obvious, such as paintings, windows, or sections of a building that morphed into a similar object. Then they started making the Morphs huge and they were so obvious when a mushroom started flashing at a break-neck speed into a giant, out-of-proportion, and out-of-place white baseball which took away all of the challenge and all of the fun. Now they have just abandoned ship, instead of putting forth more effort, they decided Less is More. I sure do miss the old Elephant Games tradition :( There are 12 Collectible Cards with descriptions of various Halloween evil-doers, and 24 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to assemble a Single Screensaver.
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
There are only 8 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter, and a handful of smaller zoom zone HO's that usually precede the main HO scenes. What I am noticing from this developer in the last few games, is a marked improvement in the Hidden Object Scenes. The objects are smaller and less obvious they are clearly making an attempt to blend the objects into the scenery and choosing objects that will blend into the scene rather than stick out like a sore thumb, why can't they apply this method to the Morphing Object scenario? There are Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pairs, Find & Replace Scenes, Keywords in Sentence Finds, and Multiples of the same Item Finds. There are no alternate games available in lieu of the HOs.
There are only 8 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter, and a handful of smaller zoom zone HO's that usually precede the main HO scenes. What I am noticing from this developer in the last few games, is a marked improvement in the Hidden Object Scenes. The objects are smaller and less obvious they are clearly making an attempt to blend the objects into the scenery and choosing objects that will blend into the scene rather than stick out like a sore thumb, why can't they apply this method to the Morphing Object scenario? There are Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pairs, Find & Replace Scenes, Keywords in Sentence Finds, and Multiples of the same Item Finds. There are no alternate games available in lieu of the HOs.
MINI-GAMES/PUZZLES:
There are 18 Mini-Games +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter. They did a good job putting twists on standard games to make them Halloween-themed or at least character-related. There seems to be an excessive amount of puzzles that involve moving tiles along a track, such as moving tiles along tracks to complete an image, choosing letters in the correct order so that when the letters slide along a loopy track it spells a specific word, etc. If it wasn't a sliding track puzzle, it was a swap tile scenario which is disappointing because usually, Elephant Games offers a lot of Mechanical type puzzles which are my favorite.
There are 18 Mini-Games +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter. They did a good job putting twists on standard games to make them Halloween-themed or at least character-related. There seems to be an excessive amount of puzzles that involve moving tiles along a track, such as moving tiles along tracks to complete an image, choosing letters in the correct order so that when the letters slide along a loopy track it spells a specific word, etc. If it wasn't a sliding track puzzle, it was a swap tile scenario which is disappointing because usually, Elephant Games offers a lot of Mechanical type puzzles which are my favorite.
BONUS CHAPTER: (Collector's Edition version only)
Turn back the hand of the clock to debunk the infamous Mothman. Because I am from Ohio, the Mothman legend is very familiar so I kind of enjoyed the Bonus Chapter! There are only 7 Scene Locations so it's on the shorter side but I'm okay with short, I'd just prefer to have quality over quantity. There are 4 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes, and you will continue your search for the remaining 3 Halloween Cards and 6 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces which allow you to complete your Screensaver. After completing the Bonus Chapter the Mystery Room (replay 12 Mini-Games & 13 Hidden Object Scenes) and Expedition Room (return to scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces) are unlocked.
Turn back the hand of the clock to debunk the infamous Mothman. Because I am from Ohio, the Mothman legend is very familiar so I kind of enjoyed the Bonus Chapter! There are only 7 Scene Locations so it's on the shorter side but I'm okay with short, I'd just prefer to have quality over quantity. There are 4 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes, and you will continue your search for the remaining 3 Halloween Cards and 6 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces which allow you to complete your Screensaver. After completing the Bonus Chapter the Mystery Room (replay 12 Mini-Games & 13 Hidden Object Scenes) and Expedition Room (return to scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces) are unlocked.
MOTHMAN FUN FACTS:
The Mothman is a cryptid that lives in the area around Point Pleasant, West Virginia, some believe he is a Harbinger of doom, that his presence signifies or warns of an impending disaster, others say the Mothman causes the horrific disaster.
The Mothman is a cryptid that lives in the area around Point Pleasant, West Virginia, some believe he is a Harbinger of doom, that his presence signifies or warns of an impending disaster, others say the Mothman causes the horrific disaster.
The Mothman is also known as Indrid Cold, or “The Grinning Man” which is a supernatural entity/alien that grins at people who see him. The first known sighting of the Mothman was in November 1966 in Point Pleasant, W.Va., a town of 4,300 people at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha rivers, just southeast of and across the river from Gallipolis, Ohio.
The sightings continued for the next 13 months from over 100 credible witnesses, such as couples, firefighters, and larger groups of people culminating in the collapse of the Silver Bridge, a disaster that killed 46 people. Afterward, The Mothman vanished as quickly as he arrived!
Since 2002 the town of Point Pleasant has celebrated the “Mothman Festival” on the third weekend of every September, they even have a 12-foot tall statue of the Mothman in Point Pleasant! To this day people claim to have seen the Mothman before disasters like 9/11 and the collapse of the 35 west bridge in Minneapolis.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRA'S:
5 Wallpapers, 1 Jigsaw Puzzle Screensaver, 4 Music Soundtracks, 21 Achievements, 12 Collectible Halloween Cards (with descriptions) 24 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces, Mystery Room (replay 12 Mini-Games & 13 Hidden Object Scenes), Expedition Room (return to scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
5 Wallpapers, 1 Jigsaw Puzzle Screensaver, 4 Music Soundtracks, 21 Achievements, 12 Collectible Halloween Cards (with descriptions) 24 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces, Mystery Room (replay 12 Mini-Games & 13 Hidden Object Scenes), Expedition Room (return to scenes to search for missed Collectibles & Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
I'd love to see you at my new forum, thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Join Hercules and Iolaus to complete the 12 tasks demanded by Hera in this fun Match-3 game!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A NEW GAME TO ME?
PostedNovember 3, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I haven't been bothering to download the games that are by this developer lately because nothing ever changes, they spew to one game after another, several every single month, yet all they do is change the story and the graphics while the Match 3 game remains EXACTLY the same!
Today, I decided to give the New Chronicles of Noah's Ark a try and rather enjoyed it so I decided to give this one a try as well. Hopefully, The New Noah is an indication that they are trying to make them better than games in the past...past games like this one!
These Match 3 games may have an interesting story, amazing graphics, challenging obstacles, smooth Match 3 mechanics, interesting bonus power-up tools, clever builder aspects required to progress, and obtainable goals, but who cares about all that if it's the SAME game as the previous releases? If you have only played one or possibly two games by this developer this will probably be a 5-Star game and certainly worthy of a purchase, but for those of us who have purchased or played several e-FunSoft Match 3 games, we see an obvious pattern, a pattern where the story changes, but the Match 3 levels and gameplay do not!
This is a swap type, Match 3 game that requires you to swap two adjacent elements to create a group of at least three tiles. The goal of each level is to make matches over all of the Brown filled-in Cells as well as matching a specified number of specified Tiles as shown. Some levels also require you to collect Artifacts by dropping them to the bottom of the board.
Large Matches prompt a Morphing Tile Bubble which allows you to pop the bubble when the desired tile appears. Large Matches will fill the Energy Orb, the larger the match, the faster it charges. The good thing about this feature is that any of the power-ups can be used on any level, but the Bonus Tools must be purchased first.
TOOLS:
Hephaestus's Hammer-destroys a single tile or chain.
Sword of Ares-destroys a 2 x 2 group of tiles or chains.
Hera's Dagger-destroys 5 Horizontal Tiles or obstacles.
Demeter's Sickle-destroys 5 Vertical Tiles or Obstacles.
Poseidon's Trident-destroys an entire Horizontal Row & obstacles.
Zeus's Thunderbolt-destroys an entire Vertical Row & obstacles.
Bow of Artemis-destroys an entire Horizontal & Vertical Row,
Athena's Shield-destroys all tiles on one type.
Aphrodite's Girdle-shuffles the board.
Appolo's Winged Arrows-destroys 20 Random Tiles.
Caduceus of Hermes-destroys a 9 x 9 Square.
Hestia's Fire-destroys a Massive number of Tiles.
Hephaestus's Hammer-destroys a single tile or chain.
Sword of Ares-destroys a 2 x 2 group of tiles or chains.
Hera's Dagger-destroys 5 Horizontal Tiles or obstacles.
Demeter's Sickle-destroys 5 Vertical Tiles or Obstacles.
Poseidon's Trident-destroys an entire Horizontal Row & obstacles.
Zeus's Thunderbolt-destroys an entire Vertical Row & obstacles.
Bow of Artemis-destroys an entire Horizontal & Vertical Row,
Athena's Shield-destroys all tiles on one type.
Aphrodite's Girdle-shuffles the board.
Appolo's Winged Arrows-destroys 20 Random Tiles.
Caduceus of Hermes-destroys a 9 x 9 Square.
Hestia's Fire-destroys a Massive number of Tiles.
There are the normal obstructions as found in most Match 3 games of Chained tiles, Double Chained tiles, Spiderwebs, Wooden Crates, etc. As usual, you must purchase 4 uninteresting Upgrades to Hercules' World to unlock the next chapter and you can purchase equally uninteresting Clothing with the Elements collected while playing the Match 3 levels.
This is a decent Match 3 game IF you are new to this developer's Match 3 games, but for those of us who have already purchased more than one game by e-FunSoft Games, it feels like they are trying to take advantage of the consumer who may not realize that nothing has changed except for the story.
I'd love to chat with everyone, join us on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Join Hercules on his quest to defeat Kronos and Gaia in the latest match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 10 found this review helpful
UNINTERESTING GEMS AND BASICALLY THE SAME AS ALL THE OTHERS!
PostedNovember 3, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemembering You Is Easy, I Do It Every Day-Missing You Is A Heartache That Never Goes Away ~ Forever in my heart, Loki ❣
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I haven't been bothering to download the games that are by this developer lately because nothing ever changes, they spew to one game after another, several every single month, yet all they do is change the story and the graphics while the Match 3 game remains EXACTLY the same! Today, I decided to give the New Chronicles of Noah's Ark a try and rather enjoyed it so I decided to give this one a try as well. Hopefully, The New Noah is an indication that they are trying to make them better than games in the past...like this one!
These Match 3 games may have an interesting story, amazing graphics, challenging obstacles, smooth Match 3 mechanics, interesting bonus power-up tools, clever builder aspects required to progress, and obtainable goals, but who cares about all that if it's the SAME game as the previous releases? If you have only played one or possibly two games by this developer this will probably be a 5-Star game and certainly worthy of a purchase, but for those of us who have purchased or played several e-FunSoft Match 3 games, we see an obvious pattern, a pattern where the story changes, but the Match 3 levels and gameplay do not!
This is a swap type, Match 3 game that requires you to swap two adjacent elements to create a group of at least three tiles. The goal of each level is to make matches over all of the Brown filled-in Cells as well as matching a specified number of specified Tiles as shown. Some levels also require you to collect Artifacts by dropping them to the bottom of the board. Large Matches prompt a Morphing Tile Bubble which allows you to pop the bubble when the desired tile appears.
Large Matches will fill the Energy Orb, the larger the match, the faster it charges. The good thing about this feature is that any of the power-ups can be used on any level, but the Bonus Tools must be purchased first.
TOOLS:
Hammer-destroys a single tile or chain.
Sword of Ares-destroys a 2 x 2 group of tiles or chains.
Hera's Dagger-destroys 5 Horizontal Tiles or obstacles.
Demeter's Sickle-destroys 5 Vertical Tiles or Obstacles.
Poseidon's Trident-destroys an entire Horizontal Row & obstacles.
Zeus's Thunderbolt-destroys an entire Vertical Row & obstacles.
Bow of Artemis-destroys an entire Horizontal & Vertical Row,
Athena's Shield-destroys all tiles on one type.
Aphrodite's Girdle-shuffles the board.
Appolo's Winged Arrows-destroys 20 Random Tiles.
Caduceus of Hermes-destroys a 9 x 9 Square.
Hestia's Fire-destroys a Massive number of Tiles.
There are the normal obstructions as found in most Match 3 games of Chained tiles, Double Chained tiles, Spiderwebs, Wooden Crates, etc. As usual, you must purchase 4 uninteresting Upgrades to Hercules' World to unlock the next chapter and you can purchase equally uninteresting Clothing with the Elements collected while playing the Match 3 levels.
Hammer-destroys a single tile or chain.
Sword of Ares-destroys a 2 x 2 group of tiles or chains.
Hera's Dagger-destroys 5 Horizontal Tiles or obstacles.
Demeter's Sickle-destroys 5 Vertical Tiles or Obstacles.
Poseidon's Trident-destroys an entire Horizontal Row & obstacles.
Zeus's Thunderbolt-destroys an entire Vertical Row & obstacles.
Bow of Artemis-destroys an entire Horizontal & Vertical Row,
Athena's Shield-destroys all tiles on one type.
Aphrodite's Girdle-shuffles the board.
Appolo's Winged Arrows-destroys 20 Random Tiles.
Caduceus of Hermes-destroys a 9 x 9 Square.
Hestia's Fire-destroys a Massive number of Tiles.
There are the normal obstructions as found in most Match 3 games of Chained tiles, Double Chained tiles, Spiderwebs, Wooden Crates, etc. As usual, you must purchase 4 uninteresting Upgrades to Hercules' World to unlock the next chapter and you can purchase equally uninteresting Clothing with the Elements collected while playing the Match 3 levels.
This is a decent Match 3 game IF you are new to this developer's Match 3 games, but for those of us who have already purchased more than one game by e-FunSoft Games, it feels like they are trying to take advantage of the consumer who may not realize that nothing has changed except for the story.
I'd love to chat with everyone, join us on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.