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:
Find objects hidden across scenes set in China, Japan, Greece, and many other incredible places!
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 12 found this review helpful
DEFINITELY NEEDS A MAGNIFYING GLASS FEATURE
PostedJuly 18, 2021
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Our Beautiful Earth has returned with some amazingly beautiful scenery and tons of animals in all shapes and sizes from tiny grasshoppers to enormous elephants all across the globe. Most of the items are well-blended into the scenery and the graphics are super crisp but it's still really hard to find some of the smaller critters so they definitely need a zoom or magnifying glass feature!
Each of the 30 scene locations has 3 adorable cats that meow when you click on them and you'll earn extra points as well. Each level also has a hidden Camera that will reward you with a location screenshot, and there is a hidden Paw Print Tile of various critters in each level, even though dolphins don't have paws! Wouldn't it make more sense to have the Pawprint Tile open up to reveal that animals real print, even if it's just a flipper or dorsal fin?
Each of the 30 scene locations has 3 adorable cats that meow when you click on them and you'll earn extra points as well. Each level also has a hidden Camera that will reward you with a location screenshot, and there is a hidden Paw Print Tile of various critters in each level, even though dolphins don't have paws! Wouldn't it make more sense to have the Pawprint Tile open up to reveal that animals real print, even if it's just a flipper or dorsal fin?
Each scene has 2 Sub-scenes or Zoom Zones that will appear as Boxes on the Right side that come and go as objects are found and new ones appear. You can play in a Casual or Challenge Mode, depending on how fast you want the Hint & Puzzle Skip buttons to recharge, and there are no Misclick Penalties or Timers so this HOG is very relaxing, peaceful, and enjoyable to play! The first Star is earned for finding all 18 Listed Objects, a second Star for finding all 3 Cats, and a 3rd Star for finding the Paw Print Tile. Coins earned for completing the HOGs and Mini-games are used in the Gift Shop to reveal animals on a beautiful Wallpaper Scene.
After each Hidden Object Scene, you will play a Puzzle or Mini-Game such as Spot the Difference, Match 3, Memory Matching Animal Card Pairs, Drag Shaped Puzzle Pieces into Place, Rotate & Drag Tetris-shaped Pieces into a Grid, Rotate Circular Tokens to complete a picture or Mahjong. The Spot the Differences images are really subtle so they can be quite challenging and I don't normally like Mahjong but this was a classic Mahjong type that held my interest.
This is a beautiful HOG and perfect for nature-lovers, however, It would be nice if they offered a new feature or a different variation of Hidden Object Scenes, otherwise, it will eventually become stale and boring. At a bare minimum, they need a magnifying glass feature. Please join me at my new forum, we have lots of exciting topics including Nature, Animals, and of course, game discussions at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Can you solve a sinister mystery in time to save your nuptials?
Overall rating
3
/
5
18 of 25 found this review helpful
DIEHARD HAUNTED HOTEL FANS DESERVED A BETTER FINALE!
PostedJuly 17, 2021
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game less than 4 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
9 Main Game Scene Locations +4 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
9 Main Game Scene Locations +4 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
This isn't a dreadful game, had it been just another Haunted Hotel game I may have given this game 4-stars. But it isn't just another Haunted Hotel game, it is the FINAL game of the series and we deserved more! This is the 20th game in the series, and for those of us who were avid fans and purchased the entire 20 game series, we were shafted. Elephant Games had a duty to give us something spectacular for the final game in the Haunted Hotel series, instead, they gave us an average game, surely not befitting of this beloved series? Elephant Games may not care about Haunted Hotel anymore but I did and we all deserved Elephant's best attempt.
It is abundantly clear that Elephant Games no longer cares, their heart just isn't in it anymore. Perhaps it's because they are struggling financially, or perhaps they are ditching HOPAs altogether. Either way, we deserved more! Did they slap this game together on purpose as a Final Game in the saga to assure that no other developer would be able to continue their Haunted Hotel legacy? If that is the case, then I see their point to a certain degree (even though they didn't actually start the series, just games 5-20)
If they slapped it together because they are struggling financially, then shame on them! I understand businesses struggling during a Covid crisis, but I don't understand why they felt the need to offer subpar, or anything at all if they were struggling? They could have easily revisited this series when things picked back up, a game with the quality we know they are capable of! This may sound selfish, but we remained loyal to Elephant Games and they had an obligation to give us their best, or nothing at all! Instead of hanging their head high as they peaced-out, they now have to hang their head in shame for not only what they gave us, but also for what they didn't give us!
☽☾Morphing Objects/Collectibles: (CE version only)☼
There are only 13 Morphing Character Photos that morphed into objects that looked so out of place you couldn't help but notice them! They morph way too fast, the objects are ridiculously large, they offer no challenge whatsoever, so what's the point? Does anyone else remember how challenging Elephant Games Morphing Objects used to be? I sure do miss that Elephant Games quality! There are also 20 Zoom Zone Puzzle Fragments which create 4 Screensavers, no assembly required.
There are only 13 Morphing Character Photos that morphed into objects that looked so out of place you couldn't help but notice them! They morph way too fast, the objects are ridiculously large, they offer no challenge whatsoever, so what's the point? Does anyone else remember how challenging Elephant Games Morphing Objects used to be? I sure do miss that Elephant Games quality! There are also 20 Zoom Zone Puzzle Fragments which create 4 Screensavers, no assembly required.
◔Hidden Object Scenes◕
There are only 9 Hidden Object Scenes +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter, and a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's. These were some of the lamest HO's I've seen in a long time. Clearly, no effort whatsoever was spent in their creation because I was able to find every item without ever looking at the list, yea, they were that obvious! There are Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, and a single Swatch Find where you find the exact area that matches circular token swatch examples shown. They were super-simplistic and very boring and unfortunately, there were no alternate games available.
There are only 9 Hidden Object Scenes +4 in the CE Bonus Chapter, and a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HO's. These were some of the lamest HO's I've seen in a long time. Clearly, no effort whatsoever was spent in their creation because I was able to find every item without ever looking at the list, yea, they were that obvious! There are Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, and a single Swatch Find where you find the exact area that matches circular token swatch examples shown. They were super-simplistic and very boring and unfortunately, there were no alternate games available.
♙Mini-Games♙
There are 16 Mini-Games +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Although I didn't hate any of the puzzles, I really felt that Elephant Games should have come up with something epic for the finale of such an amazing series. Here are some of the games you'll encounter:
There are 16 Mini-Games +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Although I didn't hate any of the puzzles, I really felt that Elephant Games should have come up with something epic for the finale of such an amazing series. Here are some of the games you'll encounter:
1-Turn labyrinth sections to create a path.
2-Connect the Dots in sequential order...really?
4-Use directional arrows to dodge ghostly apparitions.
5-First, pull the key that will allow the green & white fog to mix, then pull the remaining keys in the correct order to allow James to escape.
6-Move buttons to all slots by using other buttons as bumpers.
7-Press piano keys to toggle the colors until only the 2 squares are green.
2-Connect the Dots in sequential order...really?
4-Use directional arrows to dodge ghostly apparitions.
5-First, pull the key that will allow the green & white fog to mix, then pull the remaining keys in the correct order to allow James to escape.
6-Move buttons to all slots by using other buttons as bumpers.
7-Press piano keys to toggle the colors until only the 2 squares are green.
✯Bonus Chapter (Collector's Edition version only)✯
Holy Haunted Hotel, it looks like the Ghostly Ship has set sail without you! Your days of haplessly haunting hotels may be behind you but it appears that you didn't get the otherworldly memo on how to cross over correctly. Who ya gonna call? James Blackthorne of course! This is a very short chapter that takes place over a measly 4 scene locations (the same Hotel Scenes as the main game) with just 4 Hidden Object Scenes and 5 Mini-Games. You will complete the collection of the final 4 Morphing Character Photos, and 5 Zoom Zone Puzzle Fragments to complete the fourth and final Screensaver.
Holy Haunted Hotel, it looks like the Ghostly Ship has set sail without you! Your days of haplessly haunting hotels may be behind you but it appears that you didn't get the otherworldly memo on how to cross over correctly. Who ya gonna call? James Blackthorne of course! This is a very short chapter that takes place over a measly 4 scene locations (the same Hotel Scenes as the main game) with just 4 Hidden Object Scenes and 5 Mini-Games. You will complete the collection of the final 4 Morphing Character Photos, and 5 Zoom Zone Puzzle Fragments to complete the fourth and final Screensaver.
♕Collector's Edition Extra's♕
5 Wallpapers, 0 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 20 Achievements, 12 Replayable Mini-Games,12 Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Morphing Character Photos, 20 Screensaver Puzzle Pieces to create 4 Screensavers, a Secret Room (Return to Scenes to Locate HO Objects-timed) Expedition Room (return to scenes to pick up any missed Collectibles) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide. Come join us at mt new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
5 Wallpapers, 0 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 20 Achievements, 12 Replayable Mini-Games,12 Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Morphing Character Photos, 20 Screensaver Puzzle Pieces to create 4 Screensavers, a Secret Room (Return to Scenes to Locate HO Objects-timed) Expedition Room (return to scenes to pick up any missed Collectibles) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide. Come join us at mt new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
Join Dracula and his allies on a quest for a treasure beyond imagination!
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 12 found this review helpful
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
PostedJuly 16, 2021
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I purchased the CE version sight unseen because this is one of my favorite TM series and I've never been disappointed...until now. The Legend of the Valkyries wasn't as "Incredible" as previous games and the CE versions extra content was minimal. There are only 7 Collectible Dwarves located somewhere within the 50 Main Levels and 15 CE Bonus Levels. The graphics aren't as amazing as they were with the previous two developers, the timer is really stingy and the Strategy Guide is so small I could barely see the marked areas.
A few tasks have been changed but the gameplay is still basically the familiar Incredible Dracula scenario. There are the typical tasks of repairing or constructing bridges, sawmills, BloodDonalds, and Crystal Mines. You will still be removing debris, potions, etc. as well as collecting Keys for treasure chests, activating gates and portals, and exploring caves and/or labyrinths. Frank has a bigger role this time and actually fights the monsters and Princess has her own demons to destroy.
The Collector's Edition has 50 Main Levels, 15 Bonus Levels, 33 Achievements, 13 Music Soundtracks, 8 Concept Art Pictures, 7 Collectible Dwarves, and a built-in Strategy Guide (good luck seeing it)
This is one of the few times that I can't recommend the CE version, the bling that makes a CE version worthy just isn't there. I wish I would have waited for this SE version but this has always been one of my top 10 favorite Time Management series so I naturally thought it would be another winner. I've learned my lesson the hard way, next time I will play the demo first and be a little more patient! Won't you join me at my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
The Hudson family is inviting you on their next amazing adventure! Get ready to solve puzzles and experience the wonders of Thailand!
Overall rating
3
/
5
44 of 53 found this review helpful
OBJECTS ARE A LITTLE MORE "HIDDEN" THIS TIME
PostedJune 30, 2021
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
The Hudson family travels are catching up with the penguins lately, sometimes you just gotta say Phuket...Phuket City Thailand here we come! Phucket, Big Buddha...sit tight, I'll get that bandage off your nose, or is that a moth? I'm not gonna lie, Phucket has some weird attractions, did anyone else see animal shapes in the clouds? Phuket has more than Big Buddha's, there's the Phuket Phi Phi Islands, Phuket nightlife, you can even go Phuket Island hopping! Bet the tourists drive the Phuket locals crazy!?!
In the last couple of games, they have added a few different HO variants, Mirror Reflections where the words are mirrored as well as the screen (as it would be reading the word "ambulance" in a rearview mirror), and Spot the Difference. I love "spot the differences" scenes but ONLY when they make subtle changes to the scenery, which isn't the case here. All you have to do is click on objects that have been added to the scene and in this case, the objects are huge and hard to miss! There isn't much of a challenge when the differences are Godzilla-sized moths, skateboards that are smaller than the moth, pinecones that would crumble Phucket's Big Buddha if it fell on him, or a stalk of broccoli that would scare any kid forced to eat his vegetables!
One of the biggest reasons I don't feel the need to purchase these games lately is because the items never change position when you replay the levels, which is a requirement to earn the necessary stars to unlock the next level in order to progress, therefore, it can get boring quickly. Sometimes they add a couple of new objects to the repeated scenes, but all the previous objects are in the same position every time you replay the game, Phuket...has a bunch of these repeated objects!
You can play in 3 different modes, a Relaxed Untimed Mode, 10-Minute Timed Mode, or a 3-Minute Timed Mode to complete each level. You will earn a single star on each HO location and the next location requires 1-3 stars to unlock it which means you'll have to replay the scene in a different HO mode. The Hidden Object Modes change each time you replay a scene, between Listed Item, Silhouetted Shapes, Scrambled Letter Modes, and the two new variants, Mirror Reflection and Spot the Differences. Because the objects themselves never move, you can basically guess at the objects by the time you roll around to the silhouetted shapes, and scrambled letters and get 99% of them right!
Each scene has a Lazy Turtle to discover (once you find him he won't appear in the other HO modes) There are trivia facts before visiting each location as well, Phuket...has some interesting fun facts, did I mention that already? I STILL think the developers need to use their Lazy Turtle Logo versus the cheap plastic turtle because this developer's Lazy Turtle Logo is one of the coolest logos I've ever seen, I know I'd personally rather see a Phuket Lazy Turtle logo than a plastic Phuket turtle any day of the week! He's an adorable "lazy" turtle wearing a sombrero and leaning up against a palm tree, probably thinking, Phuket...would be an awesome vacation destination! If they used a semi-transparent image of this logo and hid it in each scene it would be much more challenging to spot, which is the point of a hidden collectible that isn't on the list! (Phuket, free advertising never hurts either!)
The Hudson Family's trip locations include:
~Bangkok, The Grand Palace
~Phra Nakhon, Ayutthaya
~Bangkok, Floating Market
~Krabi, Railay Beach
~Surat Thani, Khao Sok
~Krabi, Phi Phi
~Phuket, Big Buddha
~Phuket, Phuket City
~Surat Thani, Koh Tao
~Bangkok, Khaosan Road
~Khao Yai National Park
~Chiang Rai, White Temple
~Mae Hong Son Pai
~Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon
~Bangkok, Chao Phraya River
~Bangkok, The Grand Palace
~Phra Nakhon, Ayutthaya
~Bangkok, Floating Market
~Krabi, Railay Beach
~Surat Thani, Khao Sok
~Krabi, Phi Phi
~Phuket, Big Buddha
~Phuket, Phuket City
~Surat Thani, Koh Tao
~Bangkok, Khaosan Road
~Khao Yai National Park
~Chiang Rai, White Temple
~Mae Hong Son Pai
~Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon
~Bangkok, Chao Phraya River
Mini-Games Available:
~Jigsaw
~Underwater Solitaire
~Travel Cards (Matching Card Pairs)
~Sea Animals (Restore picture puzzle)
~Tropical Fruits (Word Search)
~Jigsaw
~Underwater Solitaire
~Travel Cards (Matching Card Pairs)
~Sea Animals (Restore picture puzzle)
~Tropical Fruits (Word Search)
It would be a better game if the objects moved around when you revisited the scenes in a different Hidden Object Mode. I do appreciate that the objects are blended into the scenery better, but they are still really big/obvious objects that are hard to miss, even without the Magnifying Glass feature. This makes the game super easy to complete in just a couple of hours. Phuket...City isn't the only conversation topic going on in The Woods Forum! Join us at my new forum for series lists, daily game talk, and great conversation at thewoodsforum.boards.net
Emeraldium
Test your skills against 50 timed match-3 challenges across an enchanting place known as Emeraldium!
Overall rating
1
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
IT WAS RATHER ADDICTING AT FIRST BUT QUICKLY BECAME BORING
PostedJune 29, 2021
pennmom36
fromOn a good note, I loved how quickly the score window popped up when you completed the level goal.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
When I first started playing Emeraldium, it was addicting, but it quickly became repetitive and was so easy that I was completely bored by the time I finished the first group of 10 levels. The gem tiles eventually became hard to differentiate between the similar colors and shapes which slowed down progress, but the timer has more than enough time allowance and the levels are completed at a break-neck pace.
The goal is to turn all cells to Gold by making matches over them. The only obstacles I came across were stone blocks that require an adjacent match to destroy them which exposes more gems and cells that need to be turned to gold.
Supposedly, you'll earn Power-ups when you make a large match, but my game didn't have any no matter how large my matches were? They are the usual power-ups of a Pickaxe to remove a single tile, Dynamite to destroy 9 tiles, Double Dynamite to destroy a horizontal line, and a Nitro Lamp to destroy a vertical line.
The board layouts just weren't creative enough to present a challenge with hard-to-reach nooks & crannies. If this game were a bit more challenging and had a little more variety it would have been more interesting. I've opened my own forum, join us won't you at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Help the Penguins explore ancient Egypt and use logic to solve challenging mosaic puzzles!
Overall rating
3
/
5
29 of 46 found this review helpful
OH LOOK, ANOTHER FANTASY MOSAIC MONDAY
PostedJune 29, 2021
pennmom36
fromAt the risk of sounding whiny, the Penguin Family themed mosaics have just become boring to me after 47 games :(
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The penguins seem to have a lot of bad luck and their 47th adventure is no exception to the rule! The Penguin family finds themselves in a new predicament after a storm blows out their balloon's fire and they make an emergency landing in Egypt. Perhaps they should stick to adventures that don't present opportunities to put them in dire distress, I hear Antarctica is fairly adventure-free, other than the occasional hangry seal?
The Zen Mode has returned for those who prefer to solve the griddlers without all the hand/flipper holding. In Zen Mode, the numbers aren't crossed off but Mistakes aren't counted against you either, because chances are, you'll have to edit some of the cells as you switch between colors. You can delete filled-in or crossed-off cells by right-clicking the cell in Zen Mode, and you'll know you have completed a particular color correctly because a checkmark will appear on the color bubble.
You can play in a Casual Mode which crosses off the cells one by one, or the Advanced Mode, which only crosses off the remaining cells once the entire row and column have been filled in. You will earn a Gold trophy if you make no mistakes, a Silver trophy if you make one mistake, and a Bronze trophy if you make two mistakes. You will also earn up to three gold Stars if you don't use any hints, one star is deducted each time you use a hint. Therefore, it is possible to make a mistake or two but still earn 3 stars as long as you don't use any available hints.
There are 20 locations, and each location has 5 Griddlers and an additional mini-game. You can choose from 7 different tile sets, ranging in color vibrancy, and styles. Locked Colors can be disabled in the Settings menu, otherwise, some of the colors are locked and unavailable until you uncover color-specific keys that are hidden beneath some of the filled-in cells The Eye feature allows you to hide the grid to get a look at the puzzle without all the grid lines, and there is a reset icon that makes it much easier to restart the level if you make a mistake.
There are groups of numbers located on each column and row of the grid, each group of numbers must be separated by at least one blank or crossed off cell. Sometimes it's easier to cross-off cells that can't possibly contain a filled-in cell, which will reduce the number of cells and narrow the playing field down a bit, when you get stuck, you can switch colors and work back and forth until it's solved.
Some of the cells contain bonuses such as extra hints, extra mistakes allowed, or an extra pickax which allows you to choose which cell you want a hint on, and some cells contain keys to unlock colors (unless you disable this feature in settings) There is a Sun icon as well that when fully charged, will give you a mega-hint, filling in or crossing off a 3x3 area of your choice. I have opened a new forum, won't you join us at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Polygon Art is back with colorful new Paint-by-Number puzzles that allow you to create beautiful artwork with ease!
Overall rating
1
/
5
45 of 50 found this review helpful
LOOK AT THE BF SYNOPSIS PICTURES-WHO IS THE TARGETED AUDIENCE?
PostedJune 29, 2021
pennmom36
fromLooking at the bright side I don't see a heart this time!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
My review sounds like a broken record, but once again, this developer is failing to see the bigger picture in this geometrical Polygon Art game. You don't even have to download this game, just look at the BF synopsis pictures, who exactly are they trying to please because no adult would think these are interesting images and I know for fact kids wouldn't care about them!
The good stuff:
-for the 1st time, the developer is using slightly different color hue variations which gives it somewhat of a 3 dimensional appearance.
-The geometrical shapes have several advantages, it gives dimension and makes objects look like crystal, there's no need for those hideous thick black lines, the shapes are easier to see than most shapes in the paint by numbers games.
-I loved that only the current number was visible, the next number shows up when the previous number is complete (or the number is selected on the pad-no clutter)
-the cursor is smaller
-for the 1st time, the developer is using slightly different color hue variations which gives it somewhat of a 3 dimensional appearance.
-The geometrical shapes have several advantages, it gives dimension and makes objects look like crystal, there's no need for those hideous thick black lines, the shapes are easier to see than most shapes in the paint by numbers games.
-I loved that only the current number was visible, the next number shows up when the previous number is complete (or the number is selected on the pad-no clutter)
-the cursor is smaller
The bad stuff:
-The images are boring, really boring.
-The polygon shapes are huge which makes the images super easy and the levels are over in a snap.
-Did I mention the picture selection is dreadful?
-Did I mention I can only choose pictures within the current level
-This is an Art game, why are all the pictures of a single item, why can't the background be involved as well?
-I appreciate that you have finally added color hue variations, but just about any modern running computer can easily identify 16,777,216 different colors...take advantage of at least SOME of them!
-Why do so many of the pictures involve fruit? Let's compromise, I'll eat fruit while playing, how about nature and animals for the pictures, preferably the ones I don't eat?
-Why can't I have more than one cursor option? (I don't eat those ;)
-The images are boring, really boring.
-The polygon shapes are huge which makes the images super easy and the levels are over in a snap.
-Did I mention the picture selection is dreadful?
-Did I mention I can only choose pictures within the current level
-This is an Art game, why are all the pictures of a single item, why can't the background be involved as well?
-I appreciate that you have finally added color hue variations, but just about any modern running computer can easily identify 16,777,216 different colors...take advantage of at least SOME of them!
-Why do so many of the pictures involve fruit? Let's compromise, I'll eat fruit while playing, how about nature and animals for the pictures, preferably the ones I don't eat?
-Why can't I have more than one cursor option? (I don't eat those ;)
I don't actually see a bright side with this particular version. It may be time to call it quits on this series (Polygon Art) Please join us at my new forum, thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Egypt’s only hope of survival is an artifact with the power of dreams!
Overall rating
2
/
5
89 of 111 found this review helpful
THERE'S MORE TO CLEOPATRA THAN VANITY
PostedJune 27, 2021
pennmom36
fromCleopatra was an extremely intelligent woman and a Salon isn't just a salon!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I have always loved Egyptian-themed games so I was eager to play this game when I first saw it on another site. I really wanted to like this game but not only is it boring and repetitive, it has tasks that make no sense, and features that interrupt the flow of gameplay, not to mention glitches.
The character's dialog boxes interrupt the game and simply clicking on the boxes doesn't speed through the dialog. If the dialog box is explaining a feature, you are forced to click on that task even though you can clearly see that that task isn't available because it is blocked. Turning off the tutorial would mean that you won't get explanations for any new feature, and the explanations are already pretty vague so you'll be left clueless with this option! To make matters worse, I found that if you interrupt the dialog to click on the Strategy Guide, when you return to the game, whichever dialog box was interrupted gets stuck there and you can't click on anything to continue playing. This happened on 3 different levels and I had to restart the levels every time so it's a definite glitch, if I waited until the conversation completed I didn't have any issues.
In the last game series by this developer, they gave us giant speed pills, so the developers had to put on their thinking caps to come up with the most ridiculous feature imaginable...a Beauty Salon in the middle of the dessert! Btw Cleopatra reigned as Queen of Egypt in the 1st Century B.C.
The 1st beauty salon, the Harper Method Hair Parlour was opened in Rochester, New York in 1888 by Martha Matilda Harper, a domestic servant who invested her life savings of $380. In 1891, Martha was also the 1st person to start modern retail franchising, she only sold franchises to poor women, and she was the 1st to invent reclining shampoo chairs. In Martha's lifetime, she sold 500 franchised hair salons that emphasized natural healthy hair care. Among the Harper customers were British royalty, Susan B. Anthony, Woodrow Wilson, Grace Coolidge, Joseph P. Kennedy, Rose Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, George Bernard Shaw, and
Ladybird Johnson!
Ladybird Johnson!
My point here is that Cleopatra's Hair Salon in the desert seems really petty when you know the truth. The Hair Salon was created by a Canadian immigrant who didn't receive a formal education as a child, whose father sent her away at age 7 to become a domestic servant, a courageous woman who never gave up and blazed the trail to empower other women!
The developers decided to focus on Cleopatra as being nothing more than vain, even though there is evidence that she wasn't as striking as originally believed. Perhaps they should have focused on her intelligence? She spoke a dozen different languages and was educated in mathematics, philosophy, oratory, and astronomy. She was a popular Queen, a ruler “who elevated the ranks of scholars and enjoyed their company, and I can assure you that not once did she visit a Beauty Salon in the desert!...now you know :)
You can play in an Easy, Normal, or Difficult Mode, however, I found the Normal mode to be nearly impossible to earn all 3 stars on the first attempt, the timer is very stingy and you have to complete the tasks in a very specific order. My suggestion to the developer is to have a Normal player decide how fast the clock ticks down rather than the developer himself who is naturally going to know the order in which tasks need to be completed, therefore will be able to beat the levels more quickly than the Normal Average Joe! There are 20 Achievement Trophies to earn and a Hidden Puzzle rune in each level. I recommend that you search for the rune before clicking to start the level, and you can return to a level to search for missed puzzle runes without affecting your original score.
The Stars earned can be used to upgrade Cleopatra's attire which is accompanied by a booster to speed the movement of the characters, speed the removal of obstacles and building upgrades, or double the resources collected. You can also purchase furniture boosters:
*Sacred Cat: recharges running Speed
*Pharaoh's Bust: recharges workers speed
*Strengthing Magic: permanently increases the speed to remove obstacles & upgrade buildings
*Wings of Isis: slightly permanently increases the speed of characters
*Endless Chest: adds 1 gold, food, & wood at set intervals
*Precious Scarab: doubles resources
*Pharaoh's Bust: recharges workers speed
*Strengthing Magic: permanently increases the speed to remove obstacles & upgrade buildings
*Wings of Isis: slightly permanently increases the speed of characters
*Endless Chest: adds 1 gold, food, & wood at set intervals
*Precious Scarab: doubles resources
Besides needing a Beautification treatment at the Salon which has vague instructions as to what it actually does for the player, she also needs to worship the gods at the altar which activates the boosters. There will be several random merchant tents that will exchange resources but you have to be careful and use the correct merchant at the correct time. I actually hate merchant features all wrapped up in one tent, I'd rather collect them from altars or on the path.
The CE version has 50 Main levels, 5 Bonus levels, 10 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 20 Achievement Trophies, a Hidden Puzzle Rune in each level, and a built-in Strategy Guide. This SE version still offers 20 Achievement Trophies, a Hidden Puzzle Rune in each level, and 50 main levels so the only benefit I see with the CE version is with the built-in Strategy Guide.
Having a SG is definitely beneficial, but it would be nice if they added a Booklet of some sort that explained in detail what each feature does, such as the Altar, the Salon, each Merchant, etc. Catch up with long-lost forum friends on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Egypt’s only hope of survival is an artifact with the power of dreams!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
THEY WENT FROM SPEED PILLS TO BEAUTY SALONS IN THE DESERT?
PostedJune 27, 2021
pennmom36
fromCleopatra was an extremely intelligent woman and a Salon isn't just a salon!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I have always loved Egyptian-themed games so I was eager to play this game when I first saw it on another site. I really wanted to like this game but not only is it boring and repetitive, it has tasks that make no sense, and features that interrupt the flow of gameplay, not to mention glitches.
The character's dialog boxes interrupt the game and simply clicking on the boxes doesn't speed through the dialog. If the dialog box is explaining a feature, you are forced to click on that task even though you can clearly see that that task isn't available because it is blocked. Turning off the tutorial would mean that you won't get explanations for any new feature, and the explanations are already pretty vague so you'll be left clueless with this option! To make matters worse, I found that if you interrupt the dialog to click on the Strategy Guide, when you return to the game, whichever dialog box was interrupted gets stuck there and you can't click on anything to continue playing. This happened on 3 different levels and I had to restart the levels every time so it's a definite glitch, if I waited until the conversation completed I didn't have any issues.
In the last game series by this developer, they gave us giant speed pills, so the developers had to put on their thinking caps to come up with the most ridiculous feature imaginable...a Beauty Salon in the middle of the dessert! Btw Cleopatra reigned as Queen of Egypt in the 1st Century B.C.
The 1st beauty salon, the Harper Method Hair Parlour was opened in Rochester, New York in 1888 by Martha Matilda Harper, a domestic servant who invested her life savings of $380. In 1891, Martha was also the 1st person to start modern retail franchising, she only sold franchises to poor women, and she was the 1st to invent reclining shampoo chairs. In Martha's lifetime, she sold 500 franchised hair salons that emphasized natural healthy hair care. Among the Harper customers were British royalty, Susan B. Anthony, Woodrow Wilson, Grace Coolidge, Joseph P. Kennedy, Rose Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, George Bernard Shaw, and Ladybird Johnson!
My point here is that Cleopatra's Hair Salon in the desert seems really petty when you know the truth. The Hair Salon was created by a Canadian immigrant who didn't receive a formal education as a child, whose father sent her away at age 7 to become a domestic servant, a courageous woman who never gave up and blazed the trail to empower other women!
The developers decided to focus on Cleopatra as being nothing more than vain, even though there is evidence that she wasn't as striking as originally believed. Perhaps they should have focused on her intelligence? She spoke a dozen different languages and was educated in mathematics, philosophy, oratory, and astronomy. She was a popular Queen, a ruler “who elevated the ranks of scholars and enjoyed their company, and I can assure you that not once did she visit a Beauty Salon in the desert!...now you know :)
You can play in an Easy, Normal, or Difficult Mode, however, I found the Normal mode to be nearly impossible to earn all 3 stars on the first attempt, the timer is very stingy and you have to complete the tasks in a very specific order. My suggestion to the developer is to have a Normal player decide how fast the clock ticks down rather than the developer himself who is naturally going to know the order in which tasks need to be completed, therefore will be able to beat the levels more quickly than the Normal Average Joe! There are 20 Achievement Trophies to earn and a Hidden Puzzle rune in each level. I recommend that you search for the rune before clicking to start the level, and you can return to a level to search for missed puzzle runes without affecting your original score.
The Stars earned can be used to upgrade Cleopatra's attire which is accompanied by a booster to speed the movement of the characters, speed the removal of obstacles and building upgrades, or double the resources collected. You can also purchase furniture boosters:
*Sacred Cat: recharges running Speed
*Pharaoh's Bust: recharges workers speed
*Strengthing Magic: permanently increases the speed to remove obstacles & upgrade buildings
*Wings of Isis: slightly permanently increases the speed of characters
*Endless Chest: adds 1 gold, food, & wood at set intervals
*Precious Scarab: doubles resources
*Pharaoh's Bust: recharges workers speed
*Strengthing Magic: permanently increases the speed to remove obstacles & upgrade buildings
*Wings of Isis: slightly permanently increases the speed of characters
*Endless Chest: adds 1 gold, food, & wood at set intervals
*Precious Scarab: doubles resources
Besides needing a Beautification treatment at the Salon which has vague instructions as to what it actually does for the player, she also needs to worship the gods at the altar which activates the boosters. There will be several random merchant tents that will exchange resources but you have to be careful and use the correct merchant at the correct time. I actually hate merchant features all wrapped up in one tent, I'd rather collect them from altars or on the path.
The CE version has 50 Main levels, 5 Bonus levels, 10 Concept Art pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 20 Achievement Trophies, a Hidden Puzzle Rune in each level, and a built-in Strategy Guide.
Having a SG is definitely beneficial, but it would be nice if they added a Booklet of some sort that explained in detail what each feature does, such as the Altar, the Salon, each Merchant, etc. Catch up with long-lost forum friends on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Everyone’s favorite ghosts are back, and this time they’ll have to help a very unusual guest in their latest match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
5
/
5
87 of 97 found this review helpful
A GOLDILOCKS KIND OF GAME-NOT TO HARD, NOT TOO EASY-JUST RIGHT!
PostedJune 26, 2021
pennmom36
fromOnly 1/2 of those slain in battle honorably went to Valhalla The weapon-dead 1/2 were chosen 1st for Fólkvangr Odin gave this right to Freya as a sign of friendliness for the Vanir, to end the war between them & the aesir to earn their friendship
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Bravo devs, I think you found the sweet spot for the perfect gameplay! The game mechanics are easy enough to figure out what needs to be done, yet it still requires a lot of strategies to beat each level. It's not a frustrating game to play and this perfect mixture has made Laruaville 11 one of the most addicting games in this series. Whenever a demo abruptly ends mid-game and shocks me into the reality that I haven't yet purchased the game, I know that it's a 5-star game that I cannot pass on! Valhalla Or Bust!
You can play in a Relaxed Mode, a Limited Moves, or a Limited Time Mode. After each Match 3 level, you can play a Hidden Object Scene, or a mini-game, such as Blocks, Mahjong, or my personal favorite, Spot the Difference with differences that aren't as obvious as you'd expect! You can skip the mini-games (and there is a Hint feature with no penalties) They have added a Hint feature that points to the level goal feature, and they have a Strategy Guide Booklet that explains every feature as well as Tips & Tricks.
Laruaville is a Match 3 game that's "All About The Coins", the level goals are always the same,..collect all of the coins, of course, collecting the coins is anything but simple! There are plenty of obstacles to make the goal more difficult, but overcoming those obstacles only matters if they prevent you from getting to the coins.
There are several types of Coins available:
•Gold Coins: requires an adjacent match to collect.
•Frozen Coins: requires activating fires.
•Half Coins: requires joining 2 halves by making matches between the two halves.
•Locked Coins: requires bringing the key to the coin by making matches in front of the key to create a path.
•Coin Molds: requires guiding liquid gold to the mold to form a coin.
There are several Obstacles preventing you from getting to the Coins, however, if they aren't blocking a coin there's no need to overcome those obstacles. Power-ups will destroy most obstacles as well:
•Gold Coins: requires an adjacent match to collect.
•Frozen Coins: requires activating fires.
•Half Coins: requires joining 2 halves by making matches between the two halves.
•Locked Coins: requires bringing the key to the coin by making matches in front of the key to create a path.
•Coin Molds: requires guiding liquid gold to the mold to form a coin.
There are several Obstacles preventing you from getting to the Coins, however, if they aren't blocking a coin there's no need to overcome those obstacles. Power-ups will destroy most obstacles as well:
•Crates: requires an adjacent match to remove.
•Shielded Crates: requires an adjacent match on the unshielded portion. (rockets work too)
•Petals: requires an adjacent match to remove.
•Clay: requires power-up or explosion to destroy.
•Stone: requires power-up or explosion to destroy.
•Fog: requires an adjacent match to remove.
•Ice: requires a match 3 of whichever tile is trapped in the ice.
•Chains: requires a match 3 of whichever tile is chained.
•Keys: requires moving towards a locked coin by matching in between.
•Portals: requires moving the key to the key portals (portals also move drops and fire)
•Vials: requires filling with purple drops by matching vertically.
•Wooden Walls: requires an adjacent match to remove.
•Stone Walls: requires several adjacent matches to remove.
•Gem Stone Walls: cannot be destroyed.
•Torches: spread fire to melt snow, ice, etc. by making adjacent matches.
•Shielded Crates: requires an adjacent match on the unshielded portion. (rockets work too)
•Petals: requires an adjacent match to remove.
•Clay: requires power-up or explosion to destroy.
•Stone: requires power-up or explosion to destroy.
•Fog: requires an adjacent match to remove.
•Ice: requires a match 3 of whichever tile is trapped in the ice.
•Chains: requires a match 3 of whichever tile is chained.
•Keys: requires moving towards a locked coin by matching in between.
•Portals: requires moving the key to the key portals (portals also move drops and fire)
•Vials: requires filling with purple drops by matching vertically.
•Wooden Walls: requires an adjacent match to remove.
•Stone Walls: requires several adjacent matches to remove.
•Gem Stone Walls: cannot be destroyed.
•Torches: spread fire to melt snow, ice, etc. by making adjacent matches.
Large Matches will earn Power-ups on the board, however, there are times when a Power-up can hurt rather than help (read the Tips & Tricks Book) Most power-ups can be moved or double-clicked to activate.
•Small Rocket: (match 5) vertical OR horizontal line busters (right-click to direct)
•Large Rocket: selects a target in order of importance.
•Bombs: explodes with an adjacent match (usually w/ a chain reaction)
•Cannons: requires an adjacent match on the Red Cell to activate.
•Small Rocket: (match 5) vertical OR horizontal line busters (right-click to direct)
•Large Rocket: selects a target in order of importance.
•Bombs: explodes with an adjacent match (usually w/ a chain reaction)
•Cannons: requires an adjacent match on the Red Cell to activate.
I own every game in every series by this developer and I have yet to be disappointed! They always have different features and obstacles added so they are always new and exciting games. If you've been missing the BF forum then come join us at my new forum to reconnect with old friends at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!