catbag8717's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:8,793
- Reviews Submitted:584
- First Review:April 27, 2012
- Most Recent Review:September 23, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Help Sophia uncover the secret behind the Curse of Laroche Palace and rescue the Royal Family from their magical slumber.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Confusing, But Entertaining. Needs A Strategy Guide.
PostedMay 15, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This developer has returned with a new game in Mystery Murders: The Sleeping Palace! While this game is nowhere near the standard of MM: Jack The Ripper, I still enjoyed the trial I played (half an hour)
The storyline is a bit similar, you wake up with no memory, and everyone else in the palace has been put to sleep. This had great potential, but the gameplay was executed poorly. I feel like I would have gotten in to the game much better had the gameplay been a little better.
The graphics were pretty good, as everything was clear and the artwork was well done. Up to date with games these days. The graphics do not leap out at you though.
The HOS were a favourite from the last game I played from this developer, and continued to be a favourite in this one. The HOS were great as they were not too hard or too easy.
Adding to this, the puzzles were also solvable and in my opinion, were easy. It’s great to see developers taking gamers like me in to consideration.
Adding to this, the puzzles were also solvable and in my opinion, were easy. It’s great to see developers taking gamers like me in to consideration.
I must mention that I was repeatedly getting stuck while playing this game. The hint would constantly navigate me to places that were useless, and I felt like I was wandering around. In addition, instead of directing me where to go, the game would always say: ‘there is nothing to do here’ and almost every room I went to had this message.
FEATURES
- Hint and skip recharged very quickly, but as mentioned above, the hint was hardly ever helpful. I would recommend a walkthrough.
- Map is interactive.
- Diary to keep track of events.
- The game really, really needs a strategy guide, and I cannot stress this enough. I was constantly getting stuck, and this really drags the rating down for me.
- Hint and skip recharged very quickly, but as mentioned above, the hint was hardly ever helpful. I would recommend a walkthrough.
- Map is interactive.
- Diary to keep track of events.
- The game really, really needs a strategy guide, and I cannot stress this enough. I was constantly getting stuck, and this really drags the rating down for me.
While I enjoyed the trial, I still think the game had a lot of potential which it failed to live up to. I’d be happy to recommend the trial, but I’m not sure about buying…
I recommend this game!
Hidden Identity: Chicago Blackout
You awake with amnesia and will need to track down clues to discover your lost identity in this riveting Hidden Object game!
Overall rating
1
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Horrid.
PostedMay 15, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
I think I’m entering a bit of a phase here, because this is the third game out of four that I’ve hated recently! Everything about this game was just BAD.
The storyline was very hard to follow, and not very interesting at all. You wake up with no memory of how you got there, and the game offers no reason of why you are where you are. You have to collect notes to solve the mystery so the game says, but these notes are boring, pointless and a waste of time.
The graphics were grainy and horrible, and not very good compared with today’s standard of games, overall they were very disappointing.
Some of the HOS were confusing as well, with random clues and place the something. If I needed a hint as to where to place something, it would direct me to the thing I needed to place.
I love PopCap but this game has got to be one of the most boring games I’ve ever played in my life. Skip this, forget it exists.
I don't recommend this game.
Rescue your daughter from the clutches of the evil Emma!
Overall rating
3
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Could've Been Perfect!
PostedMay 14, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I decided to try this game after seeing it around for a while, and decided to give it a spin. This game has a lot of potential, but there are quite a few flaws in the game preventing it from being perfect. That being said, I did enjoy the trial I played, which was 40 minutes.
The storyline is rather well done, and the presence of voice-overs would have made it better. The opening scene of the game is great and gets you sucked in a little, and as you play, the true story of the old woman who took your daughter begins to unfold.
The main story is: After crashing your car in the woods, you and your daughter wander around to an old woman’s cabin, and there the old woman abducts your daughter and it’s up to you to get her back. While this has been done many times before, I enjoyed the twist this game gave it.
The main story is: After crashing your car in the woods, you and your daughter wander around to an old woman’s cabin, and there the old woman abducts your daughter and it’s up to you to get her back. While this has been done many times before, I enjoyed the twist this game gave it.
In my opinion, there were FAR too many HOS. All I seemed to be doing in the trial was playing HOS. To give you an idea of how many there were, there was one scene where I finished one, walked in to the next scene, and had to play another one. It infuriates me when games have too many HOS, and this one infuriated me a little for that reason.
That being said, I did actually enjoy the HOS. They were a good challenge for me, and included a couple of extra step items. There weren’t many puzzles, but the ones I played were a mixed bag, some easy and some hard, which I appreciated.
That being said, I did actually enjoy the HOS. They were a good challenge for me, and included a couple of extra step items. There weren’t many puzzles, but the ones I played were a mixed bag, some easy and some hard, which I appreciated.
The graphics were decent. Not bad, but not fascinating either. As soon as I entered the game, I was thinking this game was from a couple of years ago based on the graphics alone. That being said, nothing was hazy or unclear, and I could find anything I needed.
FEATURES
- Journal to keep track of events
- No map
- Hint and skip recharge quickly and the hint is a great help.
- Journal to keep track of events
- No map
- Hint and skip recharge quickly and the hint is a great help.
After playing the trial, these are the main things stopping the game from being a four or five:
- No map
- No voice-overs
- Needs a strategy guide. Seriously, I was wandering around for a while not sure of what to do. A strategy guide would have been a great help.
- Too many HOS and not enough puzzles
- No map
- No voice-overs
- Needs a strategy guide. Seriously, I was wandering around for a while not sure of what to do. A strategy guide would have been a great help.
- Too many HOS and not enough puzzles
The game itself is pretty decent, and had it been worked on a little longer, and had the developers played this game themselves before releasing it, the mistakes could have been prevented and this would have been a cracker. I enjoyed the trial, so I’d be happy to recommend.
I recommend this game!
Explore beautiful underwater temples! Search for artifacts to uncover the dark secrets of the Evil Empress and her hideous plans.
Overall rating
1
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Well THAT Was A Waste Of Time!
PostedMay 14, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I saw Empress of the Deep 3, and thought I’d better play the other two first, but I won’t even bother if the other two are like this! The 21 minutes I played seemed like an eternity, and I couldn’t wait to get out!
The storyline seemed a little interesting at times, but part of the way through I was just bored out of my mind. The main story of the game is: This girl called Anna wakes up after about a hundred years (sound familiar, anyone?) and tries to remember who she is. This story has been done countless times, and this one did not impress me at all. There is no fun in this game, and again, I couldn’t wait to quit!
The graphics were alright. They were up to standard with todays’ games, but they weren’t fascinating. The voice-overs (especially the man) began to slowly, ever so slowly, annoy me. The other voice-overs were ok, but as I progressed I got more and more annoyed.
The HOS were decent for once with this developer. The usual from this developer has seen the HOS either too long or too hard. These HOS were a good challenge for me and I enjoyed them. There weren’t too many or too little either.
The same cannot be said for the puzzles, however. I encountered 2 in the short time I played. I skipped the first one because there were no instructions, and the second one I literally solved in about 3 seconds flat. I was really not impressed with the puzzles, as it seemed the developers just did not put anything in.
There were a couple of things that irked me, which I must point out:
- Every HOS or thing you needed to collect had a giant magnifying glass around it, as if to say: “HEY! LOOK AT ME! I NEED TO BE COLLECTED!” and took away the challenge of finding things. To be honest, it just annoyed me.
- You could not see the names of locations unless you looked on the map, so when a map directed me to a location, I spent a couple of minutes trying to figure out where on earth it was.
-
FEATURES
- Journal to keep track of events. Sometimes features the mans’ voice (which, if you can remember, I said I hated the most)
- Map, which is not interactive and does not help at all.
- Hint and skip. Both recharge fairly quickly, but sometimes the hint is of no help due to the map.
- 10 Collectable flowers
- 10 Collectable orbs
The same cannot be said for the puzzles, however. I encountered 2 in the short time I played. I skipped the first one because there were no instructions, and the second one I literally solved in about 3 seconds flat. I was really not impressed with the puzzles, as it seemed the developers just did not put anything in.
There were a couple of things that irked me, which I must point out:
- Every HOS or thing you needed to collect had a giant magnifying glass around it, as if to say: “HEY! LOOK AT ME! I NEED TO BE COLLECTED!” and took away the challenge of finding things. To be honest, it just annoyed me.
- You could not see the names of locations unless you looked on the map, so when a map directed me to a location, I spent a couple of minutes trying to figure out where on earth it was.
-
FEATURES
- Journal to keep track of events. Sometimes features the mans’ voice (which, if you can remember, I said I hated the most)
- Map, which is not interactive and does not help at all.
- Hint and skip. Both recharge fairly quickly, but sometimes the hint is of no help due to the map.
- 10 Collectable flowers
- 10 Collectable orbs
I know I can be brutally honest when it comes to a game I don’t like, but to be fair, this game deserves the full brutality. I was a bit nervous to start playing when I found the developer was Gogii, due to their poor record in the past, and this poor record continues with this dismal offering.
Skip this, you’ll thank me later.
Skip this, you’ll thank me later.
I don't recommend this game.
Solve this maritime mystery to reunite a pirate with his lost love!
Overall rating
1
/
5
8 of 16 found this review helpful
Did I Dream This, Or Is This A Real Game?
PostedMay 13, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
..Needless to say it was a very boring dream
It would seem that Hidden Object Games are not this developers strong point (or at least, that’s the impression this game gave me) because the game I just played is horrible. I hate to be blunt, but there is no other way to put it. I did not enjoy a single minute of this game.
The story is a bore from the get-go. It’s a storybook like intro that doesn’t grab my attention once, I was just reading and reading, and adding to the voice, it felt like I was a little kid being lulled in to sleep. The story is a love theme mixed with a pirate theme that had quite a bit of potential, but sadly, was executed poorly.
The graphics are okay though; I mean, they aren’t the best, but they’re up to standard with this years’ graphics. Nothing was unclear or hazy, and the artwork is good.
My favourite part of the game (and this is quite sad when you think about it) was the Hidden Object Scenes. They were a little on the easy side, just the way I like them. There are extra step objects in some scenes, but not all and each scene has one item you take with you in the inventory. The objects were not very hard to find and I was done with the scenes quickly, but like I said, I enjoyed them.
The puzzles are the complete opposite. I didn’t like the one I played very much and was just left waiting for the skip button to fill, and at this time I was wishing I had been lulled in to sleep, because it would have been more fun.
FEATURES
- A notebook to keep track of events
- Map that is interactive
- Hint & Skip- the hint charges slowly even on casual, but the skip is faster.
- The game has 9 chapters in the main game and 3 bonus chapters, which are CE Exclusive.
- Concept Art (CE Exclusive, in the bonus content that is unlocked at the end of the game)
- Game Music (CE Exclusive, in the bonus content that is unlocked at the end of the game)
- Built-in Strategy Guide (CE Exclusive)
The puzzles are the complete opposite. I didn’t like the one I played very much and was just left waiting for the skip button to fill, and at this time I was wishing I had been lulled in to sleep, because it would have been more fun.
FEATURES
- A notebook to keep track of events
- Map that is interactive
- Hint & Skip- the hint charges slowly even on casual, but the skip is faster.
- The game has 9 chapters in the main game and 3 bonus chapters, which are CE Exclusive.
- Concept Art (CE Exclusive, in the bonus content that is unlocked at the end of the game)
- Game Music (CE Exclusive, in the bonus content that is unlocked at the end of the game)
- Built-in Strategy Guide (CE Exclusive)
Despite some good CE Exclusives, this game is just a complete bore. I couldn’t wait to uninstall it, and I wouldn’t play this game if you paid me. Not even worth buying on sale, just forget about this one.
I don't recommend this game.
The gates to another world will open soon! You can stop the impending disaster - if you track down the stolen runes!
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
I Couldn't Quit!
PostedMay 10, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON FREE TRIAL (One Hour)
To be honest, I was a little hesitant to try this game given how much I didn’t like one of their other offerings (Fallen: The Flowers of Evil), but once I started, I couldn’t stop! I played the entire trial of this game.
Being an atheist, I’ll admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the religious basis of this story to begin with, but as I played on, the story got better! The whole point of this story is: Your grandfather has been missing for a few days, and you set out to find him. Upon arriving at a church, you discover a mysterious order, which has had its stones stolen. It’s up to you to find these stones.
While partially unique, and partially non-unique, I rather enjoyed the story, and I considered purchasing.
While partially unique, and partially non-unique, I rather enjoyed the story, and I considered purchasing.
At the start of the game, I wasn’t too impressed with the ratio of HOS & puzzles. I saw a lot more puzzles than HOS, but the ratio improved towards the end of my trial.
There were 2 types of HOS: Junkpile, and Place the Item. The Junkpiles included both extra step objects and a zoom in scene, while the Place the Item HOS’ only had a zoom in scene. While my preferred scene was the junkpile, I enjoyed both types as they each provided me with a different type of challenge.
The same cannot be said for the puzzles. The majority of them were very hard, and I ended up having to skip most of them or refer to the Strategy Guide. For me, they were just a little bit too hard.
There were 2 types of HOS: Junkpile, and Place the Item. The Junkpiles included both extra step objects and a zoom in scene, while the Place the Item HOS’ only had a zoom in scene. While my preferred scene was the junkpile, I enjoyed both types as they each provided me with a different type of challenge.
The same cannot be said for the puzzles. The majority of them were very hard, and I ended up having to skip most of them or refer to the Strategy Guide. For me, they were just a little bit too hard.
The graphics were standard for this time of year. While not the best graphics I’ve seen, they certainly were not the worst. Artwork is well done, and nothing is hazy or unclear. In fact, the cutscenes were very clear and detailed, with a lot of bright colours being used to grab my attention.
FEATURES
- Map that allows you to jump between locations to save time back tracking.
- Diary to keep track of all the events in the game.
- 15 collectable messages
- 9 chapters including the bonus chapter (Bonus Chapter is CE Exclusive, so the game itself has 8 chapters)
- Built in strategy guide (CE Exclusive)
- Concept Art (CE Exclusive)
- Wallpapers (CE Exclusive)
- Map that allows you to jump between locations to save time back tracking.
- Diary to keep track of all the events in the game.
- 15 collectable messages
- 9 chapters including the bonus chapter (Bonus Chapter is CE Exclusive, so the game itself has 8 chapters)
- Built in strategy guide (CE Exclusive)
- Concept Art (CE Exclusive)
- Wallpapers (CE Exclusive)
Despite not liking the first game I played from these devs, this game was very entertaining for the hour trial, and I may consider purchasing. The CE has quite a lot of exclusive extras, so I would be happy to recommend this as a CE or SE.
I recommend this game!
Get ready for some hilarious ragdoll-smashing, ball-bouncing action in Tennis in the Face!
Overall rating
4
/
5
30 of 32 found this review helpful
I Really Enjoyed It! (Full Rating 4 1/2)
PostedMay 6, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This game is the old school action game that will be loved by all ages. Very fun, very challenging and an all-round great time will be certain.
The game controls are very simple, as is the aim: Knock people out with tennis balls! Although this seems to be easy, it is anything but. The gameplay is very challenging, and requires a lot of thinking. This is not a game to be rushed as I learned very quickly!
At a later point in the game, some levels have explosive cans instead of tennis balls. This is much more challenging and I really enjoyed this.
No matter what age you are, I guarantee you will love this game!
I recommend this game!
Castle: Never Judge a Book by Its Cover
Solving murder has never been so much fun!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
First Decent Game Of The Month!
PostedMay 5, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Lately, I’ve really liked games based off TV shows, and this is no exception. I really enjoyed my hour trial.
I had finished the prologue and had just started Chapter 2 when my trial finished, and the storylines for these cases, although in comic form, appeared to be very well thought of, and as you progress, you learn more and more in to the case and eventually get your man- or woman.
The first case was very good and I really enjoyed it. The opening scene was great, although there were no spoken words and the entire thing was a comic strip.
The first case was very good and I really enjoyed it. The opening scene was great, although there were no spoken words and the entire thing was a comic strip.
The graphics were well done. Nothing was hazy or unclear, and I never had to squint or tilt my computer back. Although not outstanding, I can’t find fault with the graphics.
The HOS were a good challenge. Each one contained 2 or 3 “extra step” objects the first time you played them, and the second time none. I found myself having to use the hint a number of times, so these were very challenging!
The puzzles were a mixed bag, some simple, some requiring a lot of thinking. I skipped all but one.
The puzzles were a mixed bag, some simple, some requiring a lot of thinking. I skipped all but one.
FEATURES
- Map to jump between locations.
- Murder Board, acting as your diary. This is where you store all evidence collected over the case, determining the victim, witness & suspects.
- Hint and skip recharged very quickly and were good use for a game with no strategy guide.
- 2 modes of difficulty, Casual & Veteran (I played casual)
- Map to jump between locations.
- Murder Board, acting as your diary. This is where you store all evidence collected over the case, determining the victim, witness & suspects.
- Hint and skip recharged very quickly and were good use for a game with no strategy guide.
- 2 modes of difficulty, Casual & Veteran (I played casual)
Although I’ve never watched the show, I was a real fan of this game. I really enjoyed the hour trial, and recommend to fans and non-fans of the show.
I recommend this game!
With your carriage broken, and a wolf nearby, you must find shelter. What awaits you in the village just ahead?
Overall rating
2
/
5
20 of 30 found this review helpful
And This Continues The Horror Start To The Month...
PostedMay 3, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I wasn’t a fan of the first to Shiver games, but I gotta say: This is the worst of the lot. You may accuse me of being biased, but I know that sometimes the next game in a series can be a lot better (for example, the Grim Tales series) but this game was just plain bad.
For starters, the storyline is very odd and hard to follow. It was very unorganized and just seemed to be all over the place. One moment you crashed your cart, the next you are escaping from some place, and the next you see a bonfire?? To sum it up, this story had me confused from the start. I could never get a grip on what was actually going on, and the cutscenes made it worse. They weren’t needed as far as I could see, and they just confused me even more.
The HOS were good though. They were a challenge for me, and included a few extra step objects.
The puzzles were very, very confusing, and hard to understand. I ended up having to skip a lot of them, but I didn’t really like them anyway.
The puzzles were very, very confusing, and hard to understand. I ended up having to skip a lot of them, but I didn’t really like them anyway.
The graphics were very hazy in the cutscenes, and not much better in the actual game. This was a real disappointment for me, since this is a 2013 game, I expected much better. It was almost as if the developers could not be bothered. The voice-overs were not really present throughout the demo; your character only gets a few lines at the start, and then the only speaking characters after that are your stepfather and another person who is in the story.
FEATURES
- Diary to keep track of events
- Some objects needed to be combined in your inventory
- No map.
- Hint & Skip. Hint charges very quick, almost too quick, so players can just rely on the hint for everything, and thus, there is no need for a Strategy Guide.
- Strategy Guide (CE Exclusive- only the first 2 chapters are in the demo)
- Wallpapers (CE Exclusive)
- Concept Art (CE Exclusive)
- Bonus Chapter (CE Exclusive- unlocked at the end of the game)
- Ability to replay the HOS (CE Exclusive- unlocked at the end of the game)
FEATURES
- Diary to keep track of events
- Some objects needed to be combined in your inventory
- No map.
- Hint & Skip. Hint charges very quick, almost too quick, so players can just rely on the hint for everything, and thus, there is no need for a Strategy Guide.
- Strategy Guide (CE Exclusive- only the first 2 chapters are in the demo)
- Wallpapers (CE Exclusive)
- Concept Art (CE Exclusive)
- Bonus Chapter (CE Exclusive- unlocked at the end of the game)
- Ability to replay the HOS (CE Exclusive- unlocked at the end of the game)
Despite the lengthy amount of CE Extras, I can’t say that it is worth the extra money or credits, because to me, it was a rather boring and uninteresting game. Had the story been a little more organized, we might be looking at a winner, but for me it was just one big disappointment.
I don't recommend this game.
Project Moonwalk is an exciting video game that allows you to train as an Astronaut and walk in the footsteps of the 1969 Apollo 11 Mission!
Overall rating
3
/
5
17 of 21 found this review helpful
Sci-Fi Nerds Will Love This!
PostedMay 1, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Since there were no reviews, I thought I would give this game a spin. I really enjoyed the trial, and I thought it was a unique game.
Project Moonwalk is a quiz game with a few puzzles (you have the option of skipping the puzzles) that guides you step-by-step through the “Space Race” between Russia (The Soviet Union) and the USA from the early 1950s to late 1960s, and is rather enjoyable.
The quiz questions are fairly easy (for example: Who owns the moon?) and include some questions with more than one correct answer, so there isn’t much of a challenge there. What adds to the challenge though are the puzzles, which included the centrifuge training (which was actually quite fun) and launching a rocket in to space (not fun for me).
The quiz questions are fairly easy (for example: Who owns the moon?) and include some questions with more than one correct answer, so there isn’t much of a challenge there. What adds to the challenge though are the puzzles, which included the centrifuge training (which was actually quite fun) and launching a rocket in to space (not fun for me).
The graphics in my opinion were superb. They were top-class, and very clear. The artwork was excellent.
The demo though is a laughable 19 minutes (maybe even shorter, since I went back in thinking I had gone back to the menu by mistake), so you would have to have really enjoyed it to purchase it.
While I won’t be buying this game, I really did enjoy the trial. It was fun while it lasted, so I would definitely recommend this game.
I recommend this game!