alsteele28's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.2
- Helpful Votes:1,950
- Reviews Submitted:209
- First Review:August 5, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 22, 2021
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The epic conclusion of an amazing trilogy in Adelantado Trilogy: Book Three, a thrilling Time Management game.
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 11 found this review helpful
Beat the bushes to reveal the secrets!
PostedDecember 24, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
As with the other games this follows very much in the same vain. As the last one was released a good while ago, I 'had' to refresh my memory with number two in order to be up to speed with 3.
I must say though that it can be played as a standalone as the story is pretty much insular just the same characters but on a new 'chapter' of their lives as it were.
I must say though that it can be played as a standalone as the story is pretty much insular just the same characters but on a new 'chapter' of their lives as it were.
Whilst I enjoyed the game and owing to the current sale, I will probably purchase it (and I have the other two also), but what I was finding increasingly uneasy from my point of view, was as a Christian, I felt that some of the 'speech bubbles' were just re-workings of scripture, and the values were again the Christian values, I know that in the worlds of Indians and Sharmans, the same truths would exist, and this thus noble etc, makes me feel slightly uneasy as to my mind it seems slightly blasphemous. I may be reading too much into this and maybe overthinking, I have a tendency to do that, but if I took out the dialogue, which is difficult as there is a lot of it and it drives the game, then you are left with a good solid game.
Like I have said in previous reviews of this game, the gameplay is almost of retail quality, and I would not be surprised if BF didn't release them as a retail triple pack, and I am sure people would buy it. The sound and graphics were akin to what you would expect in this genre of gameplay.
Don't be put off though by the fact that the blurb says 10 levels, within those levels are many sublevels, thus each level takes around 30 minutes to play. In the demo version, I had just got onto level 3 when the 'buzzer sounded'. If we bear in mind though that the first levels will probably be the easier ones, then there is I would have thought around 10 hours game-play, which is not that bad for a casual game. There are three timed skill levels and a relaxed one with no timer. I played on the normal, but there was a 'race' element in the fact that you had a competitor who was UI for expert mode, thus if you finished before him that you got extra points.
And finally,
If you follow the title, all manor of secrets will be unfold.
I do recommend this game, whether you are new to the series or if like me you have the others.
I recommend this game!
Everyone deserves a second chance – even the stingiest of them all.
Overall rating
2
/
5
33 of 84 found this review helpful
Americans once again ruin a good English classic
PostedDecember 6, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This game is not for me. The game is an American saccharine view of a classic English story. The game is very 'American' in that it how they perceive the story to be. There were inaccuracies in the actual objects, pretzels to my knowledge were not around in the Victorian ages in ye olde London town.
I couldn't seem to engage with the story as much as I could with the 'nutcracker'. The music also annoyed me, with snippets of classical music at strategically points within the game.
The upside though the graphics were good, the VO and puzzles were interactive and twists on alternatives. I stopped within the 30 minutes, as I say the story didn't engage me at all. I am not sure whether it is because I have read the book, and know that the developers have taken the 'harsh truths' of the books, and tried to 'humanize' Scrooge and give him a background, based on their own thoughts and perceptions, or whether it is just not a very good game. I am veering more towards the first than the second, as I don't see how you can continue a century old story.
I don't recommend this game.
Embark on a journey across Solitairea with your dragon friend!
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 15 found this review helpful
Boring
PostedDecember 2, 2013
Having played other solitaire games, I found this one boring in comparison, I played around 30 minutes, and didn't see hide nor hair of the supposed dragon, I skipped the inital story as I got bored with it.
Granted for a SE card game, there was VO and the music was passable, but this didn't bring anything new to the table. Having played 'Alice' and 'Fairyway' I felt that this was just another 'bog-standard' version of the genre. Had the dragon 'popped up to play' then I may have been reviewing differently but having not seen anything new in the time I played I can't really give a either a favourable review or score, and I certainly can not recommend the game.
I don't recommend this game.
To save your father from a hideous monster, you've decided to sacrifice your own freedom. Now you must journey through a strange and magical land before time runs out!
Overall rating
3
/
5
14 of 17 found this review helpful
Fairytale but slightly washed out.
PostedDecember 1, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This was an ok game, and for a SE had VO. The graphics were good and the storyline was the usual mangled together hybrid of various fairytales. The graphics were for me were a tad disappointing as they seemed slightly washed out. This could just have been me, but they didn't feel as sharp as other games.
The puzzles were good and were a good twist on the usual found in this genre of game. The characters were good and tried to inject some 'perceived' humour into the proceedings, but as usual this being predominantly American the whole PC (political correctness) brigade kicked in thus it was perhaps a bit too 'clean cut'.
Even at current event prices me, myself and I could not really recommend this game, there have been other 'fairy-tale' inspired games that have been done so much better, 'the nutcracker' and a 'cinderella' one. So for me personally I can't really recommend this game.
I don't recommend this game.
In this adventurous romance, outwit powerful villains and break an evil curse inflicted upon your love, Hari, while saving your best friend’s life!
Overall rating
4
/
5
More Puzzle than traditional HO
PostedDecember 1, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a good game, with a strong Chinesesque mystical story line. The game reminded me a little of 'Tales From the Dragon Mountain The Strix' in that the game was good as a possibly first HOPA game. The game in general was more adventure than HO as there were, certainly not in the hour trial in any case, no traditional 'junkpile' HO scenes. The game also feature a lot of puzzles which was good, but the puzzle games were perhaps a tad more abstract than perhaps I am used to in that there seemed to be more 'IQy' by that I mean they were thinking persons puzzles in that you perhaps had to find connections with regards to numbers or letters. Other HOPA games that I have played, bearing in mind this is on of my preferred genre's, tend to be more obvious, not necessarily any easier but more obvious (perhaps) of what to do.
The puzzles themselves remind me of the set-out of the popular Professor Layton games on the Nintendo DS console, in that you are given the instructions then you can press for further hints, the third 'hint' will then take a hint of your total columative hints that you have for the whole game world and not just for that puzzle. You can build up hints very easily, but this and other aspects brought to mind that the Professor Layton series had inspired this game, this in itself though is not a bad thing, as I liked those games, specifically for the puzzle aspects, when I had said console.
The game overall was good, with as I say a strong storyline, VO even though just a SE, The music was good and interacted with the overall feel of the game very well. The controls were good and responsive and overall I would highly recommend this game whether you are a first timer or a seasoned player. If you like more puzzles than HO to your adventure games then I would say go for this as this whilst is a HO game is possibly not what some would deem a traditional HO in that there is not 'junkpiles' just finding items in the scene. One other thing with regards to this is that the game alerts, at the bottom of the screen, how many pieces of the items that you need are in that particular screen, when you have found them then they fade out, thus when you move to the next scene they will be highlighted again to indicate that there are more of that particular category of items to find in that scene.
One thing I would say though is that I was not aware that this was a sequel, for me this didn't seem to matter and not playing the first in the series, this didn't seem to matter as the story was pretty insular, I think though of course I am now very keen on checking the first in the series out.
I recommend this game!
Help Emily restore the farm, or soon it'll be a chemical waste site.
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 14 found this review helpful
Farm frenzy in all but name
PostedNovember 29, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
This game is the above but with a different name. Although unlike the above franchise this game is really just clicking and whilst like the aforementioned game there you have chickens, wheat etc, the game is not as fun as the graphics are not as cartoonesque and the in farm frenzy franchise there is a bit more planning and challenge involved. The easy mode really is easy and it was not until level 8 when you could 'turn on' the expert mode, but even with this you then had to start again from level 1, the point of that being?
The game was too easy, I mean the time-limits were a joke, it may have been ok for a childs/first timers foray into this genre of game, but for any seasoned or anyone who has a vague interest in this genre of game, I would say don't bother.
The game was too easy, I mean the time-limits were a joke, it may have been ok for a childs/first timers foray into this genre of game, but for any seasoned or anyone who has a vague interest in this genre of game, I would say don't bother.
Another bug bear of mine was the fact that the game didn't retain the mouse settings that I have on my computer, I am left-handed thus my mouse is left-handed for some reason the developers assumed everyone was right-handed. I don't see how in this day and age that the coding has to 'default' to what they say is the norm, I mean how hard can the coding be to keep the default settings.
The music was ok, but as I say the graphics were nothing to write home about, they were adequate but nothing special.
Even on the current sale I can't really recommend this game and only played about 40 minutes of the trial before my wrist got tired from all clicking.
Release the characters from the witch's curse and find the portal home!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Paint by numbers
PostedNovember 25, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The title for me says it all. Let me explain.
There was nothing fundamentally wrong with the game it had a good story-line, the music was good and for SE there was a VO. The puzzles were good and very unique with most I had not seen before (in any shape), and others that were a good variation on the theme. The puzzles all tide in well, and even the HO were not all the standard 'junkpile' ones, yes there were some of those but they were others where you had to find 12 of 'something', e.g leaves. Others were where you had to interact objects with each other in order to get all items on the list.
The variety was good and the mini-games were good, the VO was there as was the story, but even though all elements were positive, there was something that just didn't make for me a good game. I am glad I bought it but I will try to explain why I didn't fully rate it.
The title said 'paint by numbers' and this is basically what I did, put the level on to casual, and just literally followed the map icons from one scene to the next, completed the task within that scene and moved on. Thus just completed the game in an almost regimented way. This I know does not do the game justice and if I did that with all the games I purchased I would just be wasting my money. I don't of course, but I think the reason I did with this one was the fact that the Advanced and Hardcore modes gave absolutly nothing away. I can understand the hardcore not doing so as that is for people who like real challenges, but the advanced mode whilst it allowed you to skip and hint, the map didn't offer any clues as to where to go next (in some games on advanced the map is still a bit more helpful, obviously some people may feel that this is a bit 'above and beyond' what the hardcore mode should do, personally I don't as I believe it give just enough nudge to where to go but not what to do when you get there), in this game however the advanced mode does none of that and you could be wondering aimlessly wondering what to do next.
Well I have 'bought' the game use that loosely as it was a free game when there was a sale on, and all the elements are there to make it a good, game and whilst I do recommend it I can't fully put the finger on why I don't 100% endorse it myself, I think though it had a lot todo with the map feature.
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
80 of 84 found this review helpful
Good test of mouse control
PostedNovember 25, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Family, Word, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
This is an excellent game with many good points.
If you like tangram and jigsaw puzzles this is a kind of a mix of the two. The game itself though whilst may perhaps look like a child's game is no picnic. The first few levels as always with these types of games are relatively easy, and can be completed with relative ease and all three keys collected. After around level 6 though things get tricky and it may take a couple of times to get all three keys (top marks). The game does severely test hand/eye and mouse usage, the time limits are quite tight and as such you need to be precise in what you are doing and where you are positioning your pieces with regards to placement in the puzzle.
You get three keys per level, you are guaranteed one key as that is just for finishing the level, the second is for no mistakes in placement and the third is for completing within the time limit. As I say the first one as far as I can tell you will always get it is the other two that are the trickier ones to obtain.
A couple of tips
1) There is a 30 second buzzer that alerts you to your time, if you are trying to get all three keys don't let this put you off as there maybe a tendency to try and rush which is of course when mistakes occur,
2) The number of pieces in the bar that you can place are 'rigid' in other words you can't scroll down to look for other pieces and you have to place one of the currently shown pieces before it will give you any more, on top of this the new piece will be placed any where within the 'strip'. To some this maybe a frustration but to me it added to the challenge of the game. There is always one that is relatively easy to place but it is finding that one on top of everything else that needs to be completed within the game.
A couple of other good things about this game.
2) The number of pieces in the bar that you can place are 'rigid' in other words you can't scroll down to look for other pieces and you have to place one of the currently shown pieces before it will give you any more, on top of this the new piece will be placed any where within the 'strip'. To some this maybe a frustration but to me it added to the challenge of the game. There is always one that is relatively easy to place but it is finding that one on top of everything else that needs to be completed within the game.
A couple of other good things about this game.
1) The fact that it has a left-handed mode, being a 'leftie' myself I thought this a good addition, basically it puts the puzzle pieces to the left-hand side of the screen, which if you are left-handed it makes more sense as this is the way your brain focuses, though due to a lifetime of having to 'conform' I find I can use either way but, it is a nice touch.
2) It may take a couple of run-through's to get all three keys, but beware that each time you repeat the same puzzle it is a different layout so you can't really fully memorise the setup.
3) If you are new to a mouse whether it be child or adult this is a good game to play as it does test your mouse skills.
Graphics are nice and chunky and keeping in well with the overall feel of the game, the soundtrack is also good and in keeping with the casual, puzzle nature of the game it is a nice ambient soundtrack.
If you are a fan of these types of games I would highly recommend it.
If you have a passing interest in puzzle, tangram games then I would defiantly download the free trial, so you can get a good feel of the game.
I recommend this game!
You thought this would be just like any other investigation. But now you find yourself lost in a mysterious mansion brimming with strange creatures, comatose colleagues, and mysterious tentacles around every corner…
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Departure from others in the series.
PostedNovember 22, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I reviewed the last in this franchise at the time of the release and said in that review that I hope they didn't make any more of the series as it had become slightly 'strained'. This 'sequel' has not changed my mind. The elements of the previous games are there including the familiarity over the map and hint etc., but the actual gameplay has taken a side-step and I am not sure whether it is side-step good or side-step bad. The only clue to the previous games was that the pendent early on seemed to be that of Dr Blackmore, and if I had played further into the game #this review is based on the hour demo#, then obviously more of the story would be revealed.
If I am taking this game as a stand-alone on merit, then it is from what I have played thus far a very good game. I particularly like the 'logic style' side game when you need to use the googles, I can presume that the combinations get harder as you progress within the game. Other good elements to the gameplay were that the hidden object games were not the usual 'junkpiles' but were progressive style HO games, by this I mean that each of the objects interacted with others and you had to use one to access another, eg. a key to unlock a lock, thus opened into another. This was another element I liked. Obviously with this being a CE then there was a VO, the music and graphics were good and as good as others in the series.
But that brings me to the final point, is this part of the series as such or is it too much of a departure to be actually part of the series, maybe I am just being cynical but it could be that they released this to try and sell more of three other games from this publisher, I don't know. I think they ought to have stated that whilst this had elements of previous Haunted Halls games, this game was loosely connected. Again it may have been more so as the game went on.
I am not sure whether this was a true sequel, but saying that as I stated in my last review of the series that would have been like flogging a very near to death horse. So yes this brings new life into the franchise and for what it is it is a good, crime, psychological, paranormal game, that if and when it comes out as a SE or if there is a sale on CE games I may buy.
If you are expecting more of the same as before then you may very well be disappointed, however if you want to see how the developers have developed the series onwards then you may very well like it. From my point of view I can recommend the game as the story-line is shaping up to be a good one and one that is involving and engaging.
I recommend this game!
Help the young maiden Giselle free those held captive in the castle and rescue her beloved prince from an evil curse.
Overall rating
2
/
5
10 of 19 found this review helpful
Warning game contains mild profanity!
PostedNovember 20, 2013
alsteele28
fromYorkshire England
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is based on the demo only. Saying that though as it is the 'clear roads', 'collect resources' type of game then you are either going to love or loathe. I normally love these types of games and have a large collection, this though I was in two minds with as whilst it does follow the same format as others in this genre, it for me didn't seem to 'flow' as well as the majority of others in this genre. Usually in these types of games even if you have the settings on 'time mode' the first first few levels are easily to complete with a top rating (stars, medals etc), but these were tight and made you think from about the second level, this was ok but it was a bit of steep learning curve.
What finally put the kybosh on the game for me though was the 'mild', though to me there was no need for it anyway was the profanity used in the opening dialogue on level five. It may have only seem mild to some, to others they may not regard it as profanity at all, to me I found it very unnecessary. What also annoyed me though was that this was a 'fantasy' style game which is aimed at children and passes as a family-friendly game where the story-line is easy to follow and the whole feel of the program is that of fantasy escapisam, then on level five there is this profanity. I mean the idea that a fantasy creature like a dwarf is going to start swearing no matter how mild, will spoil the a child or adult wanting escapism to be spoiled, by the writers putting in dialogue that was not in keeping with the overall effect of the game.
On the positive side, even though this was a SE the characters were talking and the graphics and soundtrack were good and in-keeping with the overall theme.
Normally I would recommend this type of game if you are a fan of the genre, this one though even without the profanity, I would still err on the side of caution, owing to the fact that I couldn't 'catch' the feel of the game, the death knell though came with the use of the profanity.
On this occasion I cannot recommend this game.
What finally put the kybosh on the game for me though was the 'mild', though to me there was no need for it anyway was the profanity used in the opening dialogue on level five. It may have only seem mild to some, to others they may not regard it as profanity at all, to me I found it very unnecessary. What also annoyed me though was that this was a 'fantasy' style game which is aimed at children and passes as a family-friendly game where the story-line is easy to follow and the whole feel of the program is that of fantasy escapisam, then on level five there is this profanity. I mean the idea that a fantasy creature like a dwarf is going to start swearing no matter how mild, will spoil the a child or adult wanting escapism to be spoiled, by the writers putting in dialogue that was not in keeping with the overall effect of the game.
On the positive side, even though this was a SE the characters were talking and the graphics and soundtrack were good and in-keeping with the overall theme.
Normally I would recommend this type of game if you are a fan of the genre, this one though even without the profanity, I would still err on the side of caution, owing to the fact that I couldn't 'catch' the feel of the game, the death knell though came with the use of the profanity.
On this occasion I cannot recommend this game.