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:
Look beyond the edge of usual and find mystical worlds full of magic, imagination, and relaxation as you reveal these incredible places!
Overall rating
5
/
5
139 of 158 found this review helpful
100% PERFECTION!
PostedSeptember 20, 2021
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love this developer dearly because he always strives to create a better version each time, but my adoration for this developer hasn't clouded my judgment. I can honestly say that Puzzle Pieces 5: Fairy Ring is 100% perfection, I loved everything about this game and I have never seen such interesting puzzle images in one game...not to mention a fairy adventure that gently unfolds as you progress!
The graphics have been refined and the developer has paid attention to every detail, if I had to use one word to describe this game, I would probably go with Elegance. My favorite genre of all time is and has always been Jigsaw Puzzles and this my friends has just made it to my number one personal favorite jigsaw game...it just bumped out a game I have played every day for the last 6 years!
Some jigsaw puzzles have features that make you feel stressed with timers or hard to reach goals, the atmosphere is chaotic, frustrating, and anything but zen. Puzzle Pieces 5: Fairy Ring is peaceful, relaxing, and Zen! Each puzzle completed fills the Mana, and each puzzle is 100% customizable with so many different puzzle shapes, the number of pieces desired, background, brightness, pictured images, ghosted images, and more, you even get to choose whether or not you want a Timer. You'll earn points for completing the puzzle with or without the timer, (some puzzles are more difficult than others and worth more points) which fills the mana meter and uncovers the secrets hidden within the Enchanted Forest.
After your trip to the Enchanted Forest, hang a right at the tall oak tree and stop by The Woods Forum and feed the bears at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Embark on a journey across fantastic locations and see why hidden object players love Voyage to Fantasy.
Overall rating
3
/
5
89 of 102 found this review helpful
THIS WOULD BE A FANTASTIC GAME IF IT HAD DIFFICULTY MODE OPTIONS
PostedSeptember 18, 2021
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Not everyone has a need for speed and this game would be awesome if it had a casual mode that had a more lenient scoring system. Not only are you tasked with finding the listed items at a break-neck speed, but you will have to find the listed items with nearly 100% accuracy or there's no way you'll earn all 3 Stars!
I actually enjoyed the demo but afterward, I discovered that it was nearly impossible to earn all 3-Stars even with 100% accuracy because of the speed required to keep the combo meter full. At first, I thought it was a cool feature to replay the scenes several times until I earned all 3 stars but eventually, it just became frustrating and many times I ended up "settling" for 2 stars after deeming a level 3-star impossible.
This is yet another game that was originally a F2P app (released in 2014) converted to a PC version and offered as a "new game" The HO scenes still have the 2014 grainy vibe which makes it difficult to distinguish some of the items, however, they did a really good job of mixing up the HO scenes with a nice variety. One scene I found very creative used just two contrasting colors, red & white to cut out silhouettes of animals making it pretty challenging to find some items. I also enjoyed the scenes where you had to find listed items shown one at a time that were located in a pile of clutter.
Each Hidden Object Scene has level goals that must be achieved, such as earning a specific amount of points, finding 2-3 Combo items (making quick back-to-back matches), or finding at least 15 of the same object, such as 15 Buttons. As you progress, Boosters are added to help you achieve these goals, such as a Magnifying Glass to remove 1 Random Item, Lightning to remove a Needed Item, a Shield Boost to protect you from Misclicks, or an Easy Combo Booster that gives you twice as much time to achieve combos. Additional Boosters can be purchased using the Gems you earn by completing Level Goals.
Everyone wants to earn all 3-Stars, unfortunately, as you progress, earning these stars becomes nearly impossible, particularly in the scenes with grainy graphics. There was one scene in the demo portion that was an underwater Atlantis kind of scene where you are tasked with finding "out of place" items but several of the objects were unrecognizable, I couldn't tell if a blob was a pile of shells or an object that didn't belong so I basically had to memorize the objects by replaying the level several times.
Let's talk! Join me on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Mystery Solitaire: Grimm’s Tales is back with more puzzle challenges set in the worlds of the Brothers Grimm!
Overall rating
1
/
5
16 of 21 found this review helpful
IT'S PRETTY GRIMM WHEN...
PostedSeptember 17, 2021
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
It's pretty Grimm when you know exactly what features a game will have even before downloading the demo. It's pretty Grimm when you know the music and sounds by heart. It's pretty Grimm when you know the Shop will have the same 3 items for the same prices. It's pretty Grimm when you know the levels by heart because they are always the same. It's horribly Grimm when you know for a fact that it will be another Solitaire game that doesn't allow you to remove all of the cards and that the game will end when you remove the Gold cards...it's a Grimm Tale indeed!
The features never change on games by this dev, the features included in the first solitaire game they released will be the same features offered in their latest solitaire game 8 years later! You can choose from 9 uninteresting themed card backs and 3 different face card fonts. You are forced to begin the game in Newbie mode, which allows you to replay any hand, then, if you prefer, you can switch to the Professional mode which only allows you to replay the entire pack of 10 levels.
The features never change on games by this dev, the features included in the first solitaire game they released will be the same features offered in their latest solitaire game 8 years later! You can choose from 9 uninteresting themed card backs and 3 different face card fonts. You are forced to begin the game in Newbie mode, which allows you to replay any hand, then, if you prefer, you can switch to the Professional mode which only allows you to replay the entire pack of 10 levels.
You need to earn the specified amount of points to unlock the next pack, and the scoring is similar to bowling, in the event of a perfect score, the points of that level are added to the next.
The tutorial always makes you click another card off of the deck even though there are several playable card options available on the board. (but then again, you don't really need a tutorial if you have played any other solitaire game by this dev)
When you remove a Bonus card with a Swirly Gem it will take forever as it freezes continued gameplay to tell you what you won. Most of the time it gives you +499 extra points, but occasionally, you'll get a Joker, Mulligan, or a Shuffle, because it takes so long, finding two of these cards back to back is sheer agony!
This game may be boring but you can always stop by my new forum for some real fun at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Help run Pinecreek Hills and the park ranger 25th reunion!
Overall rating
4
/
5
82 of 87 found this review helpful
OPT FOR THE CE VERSION IF POSSIBLE-LOTS OF EXTRA MINI-GAMES & ADVENTURING!
PostedSeptember 17, 2021
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I have looked forward to new releases of Vacation Adventures Park Rangers for the past 8 years because they always give me that warm and fuzzy feeling. There's just something about this series that brings back fond memories, it's like an old friend, familiar enough to bring comfort, yet always a delight to add a new chapter to the relationship when catching up on the latest adventures.
You can play in a Casual Mode (untimed-faster hint recharge) a Challenge Mode (timed-normal hint recharge) or Extreme (timed as to how long it takes to complete the scene-all wildlife & recyclables must be found) There are 20 Achievements to earn for completing various tasks such as finding Wildlife, buying souvenirs, or finishing a mini-game quickly. You can purchase 16 Park Souvenir's which are stored in a Display Case tab.
There are seek and find puzzles in scenes all around the park, and even scenes where you find multiples of similar or related objects. I loved the scene where you were tasked with finding 20 Dollar Bills in the Mall, it was a really challenging scene and it took me forever to find that last dollar bill!
Each scene has several Wildlife Animals to find that are shown as silhouettes in a box to the left of the word search bar and when all the animals have been spotted, the box will close. There is a Wildlife Notebook that allows you to see illustrations of all the wildlife you have found. There are 18 Toads & Frogs, 31 Birds, 27 Insects, 42 Mammals, and 26 Reptiles, for a whopping total of 144 Wildlife Critters to spot.
You will also Recycle cans, bottles, and paper found in each scene, and when all recyclables have been found, the recycle Can icon will be displayed as full. Some of the trash items are located within Zoom Zones as well.
There are 16 Photo Op scenes that allow you to take a photo for your Album whenever you see the Camera Icon so don't forget to keep an eye out for those Photo Ops.
You will earn an Eagle Eye achievement if you don't use either the Hint Magnifying Glass that shows the location of a single random item or the Mega Hint feature which shows the location of all available items from the list. You'll earn a Bronze Star for completing the Search, a Silver Star if you find all Wildlife OR all Recyclable Items, and a Gold Star if you find all Wildlife AND all Recyclable items.
Words listed in Blue are Tasks that require an interaction of some type, and words in Red are hidden inside or behind things. Most of the scenes have a Zoom Zone (indicated by sparkling stars) that has hidden items and sometimes includes Recyclables or Wildlife. Levels can be replayed at any time to better your time/score or pick up missing recyclable items or wildlife. and the items to find are different each time you replay it.
After each Search Scene, you'll play a variety of Mini Games such as Placing Map Shapes, Spot The Difference, Word Search, or several different types of Jigsaw Puzzles (Rotate Squares, Swap Tile Sections, Flipsaw's, Slider Puzzles, etc.)
Collector's Edition Extra's:
3 Extra Scenes, 18 Wallpapers, 20 Music Soundtracks w/player (that familiar Vacation Adventures soundtrack is called Bluewaters Heaven btw) 20 Achievements, 16 Photo Op Screenshots (available in Photo Album) 16 Gift Shop Souvenirs with Display Case, 144 Wildlife Critters to find (available in a Photo Album) 48 Replayable Mini-Games.
3 Extra Scenes, 18 Wallpapers, 20 Music Soundtracks w/player (that familiar Vacation Adventures soundtrack is called Bluewaters Heaven btw) 20 Achievements, 16 Photo Op Screenshots (available in Photo Album) 16 Gift Shop Souvenirs with Display Case, 144 Wildlife Critters to find (available in a Photo Album) 48 Replayable Mini-Games.
EXTRA MINI-GAMES:
8 Jigsaws
8 Flipsaws
8 Rotation
4 Spot the Difference
4 Concentration
8 Word Search
1 Academy Places (place icons & labels correctly)
1 The Bus Trip (rotate hexagonal puzzle pieces & swap tiles)
1 Ranger Backpack (drag items to correct location in a scene)
1 Nacho Supreme (drag & rotate jigsaw pieces)
1 Instrument Panel (simple math puzzle)
1 Float Plane Approach (rotate hexagonal & slider pieces)
1 Pinecreek Transport (drag & rotate pieces onto a map)
1 Treehouse Lodge (drag & place labels correctly)
8 Jigsaws
8 Flipsaws
8 Rotation
4 Spot the Difference
4 Concentration
8 Word Search
1 Academy Places (place icons & labels correctly)
1 The Bus Trip (rotate hexagonal puzzle pieces & swap tiles)
1 Ranger Backpack (drag items to correct location in a scene)
1 Nacho Supreme (drag & rotate jigsaw pieces)
1 Instrument Panel (simple math puzzle)
1 Float Plane Approach (rotate hexagonal & slider pieces)
1 Pinecreek Transport (drag & rotate pieces onto a map)
1 Treehouse Lodge (drag & place labels correctly)
I recently lost everything in a housefire including my beloved 4# dog Loki. I play games because I enjoy them, I review games because I enjoy helping others, even if my reviews only help a single person it's still worth it to me. My world is in turmoil and I'm lost without Loki yet I'm still choosing to help others make decisions about Big Fish games with my reviews so it would be really nice if the "multiple NOs-voter" could just stop and think about other people for a change. There are way more important things in life to accomplish than a petty, hurtful gesture...
Come take a stroll in The Woods and maybe even feed our friendly bears at my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you save the day in your childhood hero's hometown?
Overall rating
3
/
5
80 of 102 found this review helpful
WOULD I BUY THIS CE VERSION? NOPE! WOULD I USE A PCC TO BUY THE SE VERSION? ABSOLUTELY!
PostedSeptember 16, 2021
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
First of all, I haven't discovered any CE extras the BF synopsis refers to which states there are 26 Extra Levels, replayable HO & Mini-Games, Wallpapers, Music, Videos, and more. There is no Settings tab or Menu tab that even mentions CE content let alone allow me to see what's in this CE version, do they really exist? Did I get a download for the SE version? Does this mysterious CE tab appear only after I have purchased the game?
The only Tabs I have are for setting the difficulty of Casual, Advanced, or Hard modes. What exactly are the differences between these modes Brave Giant? These tabs seem to be almost as mysterious as the CE extra content tabs but at least they exist!?!
As for the gameplay, this is another mobile app game converted to a PC game...Brave Giant has apparently gone M.I.A. with the H.O.P.A games lately because they jumped on the mobile market bandwagon...they went to the dark side! I'm thinking the mobile app didn't make them millionaires so they tried to recoup some money with a PC conversion?
The key to success isn't with a hit or miss game app, HOPAs were a huge success but they morphed too far away from the features that sparked the fury. The developers changed the games to become too easy-breezy, just the fact that they lock scenes and only allow the player to visit 2-3 scenes at a time was the biggest mistake of all time. This made the games too simplistic, after all the player would no longer have to remember where anything was, it's hard to get lost in 2 locations! My point is, developers think they need to abandon HOPAs and run towards a mobile app to make a quick buck but the reality is, there are very few "candy crush" craze apps out there. I've said it before, I'm always willing to help developers make a HOPA comeback, producers are giving them horrible advice and they obviously aren't asking true HOPA fans what went wrong, we are still HOPA fans, we are just choosing to replay the oldies but goodies...that should say it all!
This is an escape-the-room game, sort of...the idea is to solve the task at hand in various locations that require some sort of interaction with items you find and use within the scene. You may have to solve puzzles by entering codes you uncover during those interactions. The scene begins with a Play Button of various colors, Green Buttons are Easy, Blue Buttons are Medium, and Red Buttons indicate the tasks are Hard to solve. There is a Hint system that will supposedly nudge you toward the solution if need be.
I actually enjoyed solving many of the tasks and would certainly use a PCC to buy the SE version. Earlier reviews stated the game was too easy, and I would agree that the Green Play Button locations were simplistic, but as you progress, so does the difficulty. I also didn't mind the dialog or the story but the cartoon characters may not suit everyone's taste. I do think this is an adult-themed game because I can't imagine that a kid would be able to figure out some of the more challenging locations?
Come join the fun at my new forum and become an official Woodsey at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
In Swim Out, spend a sunny day by the swimming pool and use strategy to complete turn-based puzzle challenges!
Overall rating
1
/
5
68 of 78 found this review helpful
NO SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMERS HERE!
PostedSeptember 15, 2021
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
All these swimming issues could be solved if the pool put up some swim lane ropes...who swims laps horizontally instead of vertically anyway, especially when there is a swimmer swimming vertically like they are supposed to?
In case you haven't figured it out yet, the goal of the game is to move the Blue-capped swimmer one grid square at a time to the exit ladder while other swimmers are zig-zagging in every direction imaginable. Naturally, this is a turn-based game so the goal is to outwit the Red-capped swimmers, or at least anticipate their moves, one square at a time so there won't be a swimmer collision.
In case you're saying "what else does this game have, tell me more pennmom" you're in for a big letdown because after several levels of zig-zagging across pools of various sizes to avoid colliding into a swimmer who seems heck-bent on cutting me off, I threw in my Beach Towel and bailed...even though I secretly wanted to throw my Blue Goggles & Blue Swim Cap at the Red-capped swimmer!
I don't recommend this game.
Can you stop the frost curse from destroying your home in time?
Overall rating
1
/
5
69 of 93 found this review helpful
BE PREPARED
PostedSeptember 10, 2021
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Completed Game approximately 5.5 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
20 Main Game Scene Locations +7 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
20 Main Game Scene Locations +7 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
It's Coronation Day!... The window is open, so's that door, I didn't know they did that anymore, who knew we owned 8 thousand salad plates...oops, wrong story. Doesn't matter anyway, you've heard this "King dies, Prince must save the Kingdom from a scorned should've been me relative no one knew existed" plot... A shining new era, Is tiptoeing nearer...I know it sounds sordid, But you'll be rewarded...Be prepared, oops another wrong story.
Audio/Visuals:
I can never really find fault with the audio or graphics in a Domini game. Lately, this is the only aspect of their games that really shines with superior quality, the stories are unimaginative and the tasks are so repetitive that surely even a beginner would take notice? Domini is also known for adding items that can be interacted with but as you'll soon discover, these interactions become a rarety after the demo portion!
I can never really find fault with the audio or graphics in a Domini game. Lately, this is the only aspect of their games that really shines with superior quality, the stories are unimaginative and the tasks are so repetitive that surely even a beginner would take notice? Domini is also known for adding items that can be interacted with but as you'll soon discover, these interactions become a rarety after the demo portion!
Gadgets/Helper:
Didn't this series involve a mechanical owl back in the day? Although I'm not a fan of most gadgets or helpers, I really think the game has gone downhill because it's impossible to make a connection with characters that change from game to game. When a series has a main character to relate to every time, the player looks forward to experiencing a new adventure with that relatable hero/heroine, but when that person is different every time, you don't get emotionally attached...especially when the heroine was the same person at the beginning of the series and now they are just random people???
Didn't this series involve a mechanical owl back in the day? Although I'm not a fan of most gadgets or helpers, I really think the game has gone downhill because it's impossible to make a connection with characters that change from game to game. When a series has a main character to relate to every time, the player looks forward to experiencing a new adventure with that relatable hero/heroine, but when that person is different every time, you don't get emotionally attached...especially when the heroine was the same person at the beginning of the series and now they are just random people???
Collectibles/Morphing Objects (CE version only)
Once again, there are a gazillion Missing Notes to discover, and the same collectibles and morphs, only the names have been changed to deceive the innocent! there are 15 Morphing Statuettes, and 15 Herbs to click on. I say "click on" versus collect because they are NEVER hidden or challenging to find! There are the same infamous 70 Zoom Zone Gems that are used to purchase 15 Aquarium Decorations. Because they are always the same items, Domini simply copies/pastes them from one game to the next which is abundantly clear when they forgot to reword the Aquarium Items which still says Boudior Items on the Extra's menu! There is an optional Collection Icon Tab that can be enabled or disabled in the settings menu as well and will light up when there is a collectible in the current scene. You can also choose to show/hide the availability of collectibles on the Map.
Once again, there are a gazillion Missing Notes to discover, and the same collectibles and morphs, only the names have been changed to deceive the innocent! there are 15 Morphing Statuettes, and 15 Herbs to click on. I say "click on" versus collect because they are NEVER hidden or challenging to find! There are the same infamous 70 Zoom Zone Gems that are used to purchase 15 Aquarium Decorations. Because they are always the same items, Domini simply copies/pastes them from one game to the next which is abundantly clear when they forgot to reword the Aquarium Items which still says Boudior Items on the Extra's menu! There is an optional Collection Icon Tab that can be enabled or disabled in the settings menu as well and will light up when there is a collectible in the current scene. You can also choose to show/hide the availability of collectibles on the Map.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. There is an alternate Match 3 Game available, which still doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match which makes the game super boring. The M3 boards are always square and they never add obstacles or new features to make it progress in difficulty. FYI: one of the achievements requires you to play the alternate Match 3 game in place of the HOS. (just once) The Hidden Object Scenes vary with boring scenes with Listed Item Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Objects, and Find & Replace Finds as well.
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. There is an alternate Match 3 Game available, which still doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match which makes the game super boring. The M3 boards are always square and they never add obstacles or new features to make it progress in difficulty. FYI: one of the achievements requires you to play the alternate Match 3 game in place of the HOS. (just once) The Hidden Object Scenes vary with boring scenes with Listed Item Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Objects, and Find & Replace Finds as well.
Mini-Games:
There are 17 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) There were a couple of puzzles I enjoyed such as sliding tiles in a "Pipes" version to allow the ball to travel through the pipes from one dragon to the other, but for the most part, all of the mini-games were just revamped puzzles from the last Domini Game. I used to enjoy the puzzle where you had to place figurines on a chessboard so that they didn't share the same horizontal, diagonal, or vertical line but they highlighted all the spaces in green and the spaces that it would share space within red so all you have to do is move the figurine from space to space until all squares are green so you don't have to use your brain to actually solve the puzzle!
There are 17 Mini-Games +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) There were a couple of puzzles I enjoyed such as sliding tiles in a "Pipes" version to allow the ball to travel through the pipes from one dragon to the other, but for the most part, all of the mini-games were just revamped puzzles from the last Domini Game. I used to enjoy the puzzle where you had to place figurines on a chessboard so that they didn't share the same horizontal, diagonal, or vertical line but they highlighted all the spaces in green and the spaces that it would share space within red so all you have to do is move the figurine from space to space until all squares are green so you don't have to use your brain to actually solve the puzzle!
Bonus Chapter (CE Version Only)
You will play as Captain Martin who is trying to thwart a vengeful Knight who is on a mission to destroy Arcadia. There are 6 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes, and you will continue your search for the final 1/2 gazillion notes, 2 statuettes, 2 herbs (the wacky kind?), and 7 gems of varying amounts to finish decorating the aquarium/boudoir lol.
You will play as Captain Martin who is trying to thwart a vengeful Knight who is on a mission to destroy Arcadia. There are 6 additional Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes, and you will continue your search for the final 1/2 gazillion notes, 2 statuettes, 2 herbs (the wacky kind?), and 7 gems of varying amounts to finish decorating the aquarium/boudoir lol.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 24 Movie Video Cutscenes, 39 Achievements, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 10 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Statuettes, 15 Herbs, a gazillion Missing Notes, 70 Zoom-Zone Gem Dollars, 15 Aquarium Decorations (purchase with gems) 8 stretched out Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 24 Movie Video Cutscenes, 39 Achievements, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 10 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Statuettes, 15 Herbs, a gazillion Missing Notes, 70 Zoom-Zone Gem Dollars, 15 Aquarium Decorations (purchase with gems) 8 stretched out Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Reconnect with long-lost forum friends and become an official Woosdey when you join us on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Can you solve a ghostly mystery to escape a film?
Overall rating
2
/
5
71 of 91 found this review helpful
PERHAPS DOMINI SHOULD HAVE WATCHED A FEW GOOD 'OLE-FASHIONED" WESTERNS BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS THEME?
PostedSeptember 9, 2021
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Completed Game approximately 5.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
22 Main Game Scene Locations +4 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
22 Main Game Scene Locations +4 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
I don't get it! Just because a new series comes out that has a title that sounds like it's a rarely used Western theme, it doesn't automatically get a "pass" Take off the outlaw bandit mask and you'll soon figure out that nothing has changed but the title and the clothes the characters are wearing!
-Missing cart wheel-check!
-Dig up the dirt for an inventory item-check!
-Missing ladder rungs requiring nails & a heavy object-check!
-Feathers needed as a broom-check!
-Broken glass needing gloves-check
-Infamous horse carriage crash-check!
-Plug a hole to stop rushing water with a piece of cloth-check!
-Get rid of an attack scorpion standing guard-check!
-Corkscrews to remove corks-check
-Corks to cork things 2 scenes later-check!
-Tweezers & tongs to remove every item imaginable in cracks-check!
-Hair combs to remove nails-double check!
-Dig up the dirt for an inventory item-check!
-Missing ladder rungs requiring nails & a heavy object-check!
-Feathers needed as a broom-check!
-Broken glass needing gloves-check
-Infamous horse carriage crash-check!
-Plug a hole to stop rushing water with a piece of cloth-check!
-Get rid of an attack scorpion standing guard-check!
-Corkscrews to remove corks-check
-Corks to cork things 2 scenes later-check!
-Tweezers & tongs to remove every item imaginable in cracks-check!
-Hair combs to remove nails-double check!
Does any of this sound like something from a brand new series or does it just sound like the same ridiculous tasks that every single game Domini has ever made has? To make matters more predictable, these were just a few of the tasks that were required in just the first chapter! I may be the only person who is tired of doing the same things over and over in every Domini game but I suspect that a lot of you are growing weary of the laziness Domini has been putting forth lately too! I for one, am not being fooled by a shiny new title!
Audio/Visuals & Game Mechanics:
This is a Western-themed game? If it is, they certainly don't seem to care about authenticity? Perhaps someone should have at least watched an authentic western before sitting down to design this game??? Domini has always had crisp, detailed graphics even though they sometimes struggle with the color palette which tends to have an overabundance of one dominant color for each game. The audio always seems spot on and you'll; probably never notice looped soundtracks, but that's exactly how background music should work, it should go unnoticed while subconsciously stimulating the brain to recognize the ebbs, floes, and climaxes of the storyline. Domini is famous for adding items that can be interacted with, however, they seem to be far and few between lately.
This is a Western-themed game? If it is, they certainly don't seem to care about authenticity? Perhaps someone should have at least watched an authentic western before sitting down to design this game??? Domini has always had crisp, detailed graphics even though they sometimes struggle with the color palette which tends to have an overabundance of one dominant color for each game. The audio always seems spot on and you'll; probably never notice looped soundtracks, but that's exactly how background music should work, it should go unnoticed while subconsciously stimulating the brain to recognize the ebbs, floes, and climaxes of the storyline. Domini is famous for adding items that can be interacted with, however, they seem to be far and few between lately.
Gadgets/Helper:
There are no Gadgets or Helpers in Hidden Motives
There are no Gadgets or Helpers in Hidden Motives
Collectibles & Morphing Objects (CE Version Only):
A brand new series deserves some brand new collectibles, or at least a new feature or two, right? Nope! Once again, there are the same collectibles and the same features where only the names have changed to protect the innocent...developers who don't want to actually work hard by changing the code they wrote 15 years ago??? 15 Morphing not-so Wild West Items, and 15 Wanted Posters (didn't see that coming) and 70 Zoom Zone Dollars that are used to purchase 15 Saloon Items. There is an optional Collection Icon Tab that can be enabled or disabled in the settings menu which lights up when a "clickable" (NOT COLLECTIBLE) is available in the scene. You can also choose to show/hide the availability of collectibles on the Map as well.
A brand new series deserves some brand new collectibles, or at least a new feature or two, right? Nope! Once again, there are the same collectibles and the same features where only the names have changed to protect the innocent...developers who don't want to actually work hard by changing the code they wrote 15 years ago??? 15 Morphing not-so Wild West Items, and 15 Wanted Posters (didn't see that coming) and 70 Zoom Zone Dollars that are used to purchase 15 Saloon Items. There is an optional Collection Icon Tab that can be enabled or disabled in the settings menu which lights up when a "clickable" (NOT COLLECTIBLE) is available in the scene. You can also choose to show/hide the availability of collectibles on the Map as well.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 12 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. There is an alternate Match 3 Game available, which still doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match which makes the game super boring. The M3 boards are always square and they never add obstacles or new features to make it progress in difficulty. FYI: one of the achievements requires you to play the alternate Match 3 game in place of the HOS. (just once) They always give us an option to skip the mini-games so why, oh why can't we skip the world's most boring Hidden Object Scenes??? The Hidden Object Scenes vary with Keywords in Sentence Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pairs, Progressive-Interactive Finds, and scenes that require Finding & Placing items into the Scene...nothing to see here folks, they certainly won't remind you of the Wild West!
There are 12 Hidden Object Scenes +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. There is an alternate Match 3 Game available, which still doesn't allow you to make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match which makes the game super boring. The M3 boards are always square and they never add obstacles or new features to make it progress in difficulty. FYI: one of the achievements requires you to play the alternate Match 3 game in place of the HOS. (just once) They always give us an option to skip the mini-games so why, oh why can't we skip the world's most boring Hidden Object Scenes??? The Hidden Object Scenes vary with Keywords in Sentence Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Matching Pairs, Progressive-Interactive Finds, and scenes that require Finding & Placing items into the Scene...nothing to see here folks, they certainly won't remind you of the Wild West!
Mini-Games:
There are 18 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) This might be a new series but I didn't encounter any new puzzles, nor were they particularly Western-themed which was a huge missed opportunity AND a huge let-down! All of the puzzles were simple revamps we've solved hundreds of times, such as placing highlighted road sections on a map using + & - buttons to adjust the size, putting out flames by drawing a continuous line from flame to flame, entering the correct code in the direction (left or right) shown, placing gems on an eagle so all light beams connect, removing obstacles on a map, navigating horses on a moving trail...how many times have we solved these same puzzles? How many more times will they offer the same exact puzzles? If they can't come up with new puzzles why bother with a new series????
There are 18 Mini-Games +7 in the CE Bonus Chapter. You can choose to play them in an Easy or Hard difficulty mode and you can choose which mode to have them start out in the Custom Setting (you can still switch between modes for each individual game) This might be a new series but I didn't encounter any new puzzles, nor were they particularly Western-themed which was a huge missed opportunity AND a huge let-down! All of the puzzles were simple revamps we've solved hundreds of times, such as placing highlighted road sections on a map using + & - buttons to adjust the size, putting out flames by drawing a continuous line from flame to flame, entering the correct code in the direction (left or right) shown, placing gems on an eagle so all light beams connect, removing obstacles on a map, navigating horses on a moving trail...how many times have we solved these same puzzles? How many more times will they offer the same exact puzzles? If they can't come up with new puzzles why bother with a new series????
Bonus Chapter (CE Version Only)
Step into the shoes of Sheriff Sean Ross before he becomes the local Sheriff of Redsand as he chases down his first criminal Outlaw. There are 5 Hidden Object scenes and 7 Mini-games spread out over a mere 4 additional scene locations. You will continue your search for the final Morphing Wild West Item, 2 Wanted Posters, and 4 Zoom Zone Dollars of varying amounts which allows you to purchase the final Saloon Decorations.
Step into the shoes of Sheriff Sean Ross before he becomes the local Sheriff of Redsand as he chases down his first criminal Outlaw. There are 5 Hidden Object scenes and 7 Mini-games spread out over a mere 4 additional scene locations. You will continue your search for the final Morphing Wild West Item, 2 Wanted Posters, and 4 Zoom Zone Dollars of varying amounts which allows you to purchase the final Saloon Decorations.
Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only)
15 Wallpapers, (every single one with a character slapped on them. Wallpapers are supposed to be pictures of the scene's beautiful background so please...show off your graphics abilities, impress us without the characters as the main focal point!) 14 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 28 Movie Video Cutscenes, 36 Achievements, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Not-So Wild West Items, 14 Wanted Poster-Clickables, (clickables versus collectibles cuz they aren't very challenging to spot nor is it an original idea...very predictable!) 70 Zoom-Zone DOLLARS...I doubt anyone out west had a bunch of dollar bills, if they found all these dollars they would have been millionaires!? 15 Saloon Items (redecorate the local saloon, why not, you're practically Elon Musk?) 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
15 Wallpapers, (every single one with a character slapped on them. Wallpapers are supposed to be pictures of the scene's beautiful background so please...show off your graphics abilities, impress us without the characters as the main focal point!) 14 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 28 Movie Video Cutscenes, 36 Achievements, 18 Replayable Mini-Games, 18 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Morphing Not-So Wild West Items, 14 Wanted Poster-Clickables, (clickables versus collectibles cuz they aren't very challenging to spot nor is it an original idea...very predictable!) 70 Zoom-Zone DOLLARS...I doubt anyone out west had a bunch of dollar bills, if they found all these dollars they would have been millionaires!? 15 Saloon Items (redecorate the local saloon, why not, you're practically Elon Musk?) 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Join me at my new nature-themed forum where feeding the bears is actually encouraged! Reconnect with long-lost forum friends and become an official Woodsey at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Flipon
Join Kat and her crew of flipoblock miners on an epic quest through the Flipon solar system in this frenetic action puzzler!
Overall rating
2
/
5
39 of 50 found this review helpful
THERE ARE ONLY 2 PLANETS WITH 15 LEVELS EACH?
PostedSeptember 8, 2021
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
I breezed through the tutorial levels even though I had to figure out the game mechanics for myself because the tutorial certainly didn't explain things well. Then I knocked off all 15 levels on the first planet and several more on the second planet which also had 15 levels.
I was becoming bored because every level was basically the same, they just had different goals that weren't very challenging and didn't seem to progress in difficulty much. I finally just gave up and exited to the home screen where to my surprise, I discovered I had nearly completed the second and last planet, presuming there aren't more when you purchase the game?
In all fairness, there are other level modes available besides the Campaign. The Score Attack mode is an infinite mode where you continue level after level without the level goals that are in the main Campaign. The Challenge Mode allows you to generate and play a unique puzzle mode. The Versus Mode allows you to fight against friends or the AI. There is a mode that allows you to create and play your own levels or those created by different players as well.
This is a Tetris meets Collapse hybrid kind of game where you are tasked with swapping a Block to the left or right in order to make matches of 3 or more identical blocks. It's difficult at first to get used to the game mechanics because most Match 3 games allow you to swap tiles up or down as well, but once you get used to swiping left or right only, it becomes very easy to spot the upcoming matches.
As new blocks are added to the board, the blocks begin to rise to the top of the screen and if you don't remove a line of blocks, they can reach the top and you'll have to start over. Even though you can only swipe blocks left & right, all combinations will be removed even if some are vertical matches. The bottom line of blocks remains "asleep" and will not be included in matches or combos until they rise to the next line where they will wake up.
Blocks can be moved to empty vertical spaces where they will fall or drop onto the neighboring blocks. As you make combos it will fill up a SuperPower bomb that can be used to clear a group of blocks but as I said, the levels don't seem to progress much as far as difficulty so you probably won't need to use it.
Most of the levels require you to reach a specified goal before the time runs out, such as earning a specified number of points, making a specified number of combos of any amount of blocks, or 4-block combos. They throw in some random obstacles like Garbage Tiles that can't be moved but can be destroyed with adjacent matches. There are Boss levels where you must reach the goal level before the boss on a split-screen, in my opinion, these levels were even easier than the regular levels and kind of worthless.
Come join the fun at my new forum, talk about the daily games, catch up with old BF forum friends, or just enjoy a stroll as an official Woodsey at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
With this series, painting has never been easier! Avoid purchasing expensive painting supplies and making a mess. Just relax and enjoy!
Overall rating
1
/
5
18 of 28 found this review helpful
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT IMAGE SELECTION-UNINTERESTING IMAGES CAN BE BEAUTIFUL WITH THE RIGHT COLOR CHOICES!
PostedSeptember 7, 2021
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
This developer really needs to invest in a graphics artist if they want to sell more games because once again these are just single images slapped in the center of a grey square. The images couldn't be more unappealing, even if they included the background in the image (the ability to paint the entire scenery, not just a small picture of a fish out of the water) they still wouldn't be pretty because the color choices of olive greens, browns, blacks, and shades of ugly oranges just don't pop like other painting games. It's not just about image selection...it's about color selection too, even uninteresting images can be beautiful when the right colors are chosen! To make matters worse, the images include unpaintable huge black lines and various shapes to complete the picture, making the completed image look like a child's drawing...why??? The black lines would look better as a fillable color!
There are 64 images available but you are forced to finish the first level before moving on to the next. Why do I have to finish one level before proceeding? I did complete the first 10 levels and it appears that the rest of the images are basically round or oval shapes that I believe were intentionally designed to represent stained glass pictures. Honestly, they probably just designed it this way because it would take minimal effort to code these basic graphic images into the program!?
They did make the cursor tip slightly smaller and less bulky and you can now drag the cursor to fill in the colors on the entire board as long as you don't let go of the mouse button. In other words, as long as you left-click & hold before dragging a color, only the current number will be filled in, all other numbers will be ignored until you release the mouse button. This is a painting game...so it would be nice to have some actual paintbrush tip options ("options" is the keyword here as in more than one) There is also a Hint button that will point to any missed areas of the current color, without penalty if you don't feel like swiping over the whole board to catch missed areas. Speaking of swiping, you will probably have to swipe over the smaller sections numerous times before the color is added, some of the tiny areas seem to require clicking on a very specific area versus simply swiping across them!
There's not a whole lot to have to figure out, it's about as uncomplicated and basic as it gets. Paint By Numbers is a computer version of Oil or Colored Pencil Paint by Numbers. The only difference is that in real paint by numbers artwork, the colors are vivid and each adjacent color has a sharply contrasting color resulting in a very beautiful and colorful finished painting. Each area has a number and you simply chose the corresponding color bubble from the palette (also numbered) on the right side, left-click to fill in all the numbers with the correct color.
Unlike most other paint by numbers games, this series has minimal options. There is a Slider Bar that allows you to zoom in & out as well as a "fit" tab. You can move the entire page around by right-clicking and dragging, and there is a slider bar that allows you to change the color of the background as well.
It's abundantly clear now that this developer is only interested in making a quick buck rather than improving each game moving forward to give customers what they are asking for. At first, the games were unique but now other developers are jumping on the Paint by Numbers bandwagon and they have built a better mousetrap so to speak. Even the series' that are brand new have tweaked different features every time which shows they care, and to me, it shows that they have heart and would rather create fewer games with better quality versus mass producing games with crappy quality!
Become a Woodsey and join the fun at my new forum! thewoodsforum.boards.net ☯
It's abundantly clear now that this developer is only interested in making a quick buck rather than improving each game moving forward to give customers what they are asking for. At first, the games were unique but now other developers are jumping on the Paint by Numbers bandwagon and they have built a better mousetrap so to speak. Even the series' that are brand new have tweaked different features every time which shows they care, and to me, it shows that they have heart and would rather create fewer games with better quality versus mass producing games with crappy quality!
Become a Woodsey and join the fun at my new forum! thewoodsforum.boards.net ☯
I don't recommend this game.