CourageAngel's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.6
- Helpful Votes:198
- Reviews Submitted:73
- First Review:August 3, 2012
- Most Recent Review:February 10, 2019
- Featured reviews0
Become the Red Queen and save Chessland!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Alice Goes to War! Or not...
PostedFebruary 10, 2019
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
There are similarities to be found between this one and the "Shadowland" game. This is especially true with certain characters and the bonus game.
I did enjoy this game, and the idea of moving up in the ranks from a pawn to a queen piece was an interesting idea. The game had a... nice story, though it got a bit predictable in some areas. I didn't care too much for the ending of the main game, though I can understand why it ended as it did.
The bonus game has the player taking the role of "Hatter" and mixing in elements from a certain previous game. I'll leave it a surprise, but they make it pretty clear afterwards that they are now living in Wonderland and have helped a certain king, prior to a certain rebellion and woman appearing.
Overall, it was a nice... sequel/prequel game. I would love another game in this series!
I recommend this game!
Stop the evil Princess of Hearts and discover your true destiny!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Run into Adventure, Alice!
PostedFebruary 10, 2019
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Alice never expected that going out for a quick jog would end with her being sent into another world. And what's this about a prophecy? Saving the world? Alice just wants to go back home to her family. She soon realizes that she must work to save Shadowland, a twisted version of Wonderland, so that she can return home.
Add in a splash of mystery, learning the story of the original Alice, and more, Alice is soon in the center of the chaos. I found it to be a bit obvious about certain "points" and potentially ridiculous about others, but overall I enjoyed this game. It even had music (a song) included, which I loved.
It was interesting to see the designs for the characters, especially a certain cat, rabbit, and tweedle-pair. If you are interested in "Alice in Wonderland", I think you will enjoy this.
(Also, did anyone notice the reference to a certain author with the name of the princess?)
I recommend this game!
Play as both members of the Fletcher family to crack the case!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Prove Your Spouse is Innocent! Find the Culprit!
PostedJune 19, 2018
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I was very pleasantly surprised by this game. I sat down to play it and was thrilled by what I saw. The game starts with giving you, the player, the choice on who you want to start telling the story. The story being about how this couple (Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher) moved to Hidden Pines and one was framed for the murder of the mayor's wife. The story covers proving their innocence and finding evidence against the culprit, and getting the arrested. From the start, that was a neat feature. I want to go back and play as the husband, as I chose to start with the wife in my first time playing.
I love that this is a classic case of "Who did it?" and "Why?" No monsters of any sort, unless you count the monster hidden in the heart of any human (like greed). They have you collect clues, among everything else you do, and use an evidence board. The first is in your new home, and the bonus chapter has it set up in the police station. Collectibles in this game are presents. There's one in every scene. There are also morphing objects in the hidden object scenes and souvenir mustaches (props) that you can collect post-game.
I really don't have anything negative to say about this game. The visuals/locations are lovely. The sound/voice acting is great. The story is classic and fun. The level of challenge is "just right". I had a lot of fun playing this game, and I plan to go back and play again soon!
If I did have a complaint, it would be an error in game that they later fixed. So... can that still register as a complaint? I don't know... I do kind of wish that they would have added a few extra touches. Like more story about the (dead) wife, as we see and hear so little about her. The beginning has the characters offer to tell the story to a young woman. Who is this young woman? Their daughter, maybe? The dog ran away, and the maid went after it. Any update on that? The bonus chapter had me wanting to know if the victim was okay after the attempt on their life. Just minor things that don't really do anything to the game or my enjoyment playing it.
This game had me believing one thing, only to be proven wrong and pleasantly surprised on how they handled the events in game. The achievements are fun. There's even one for listening to an old man who works at the docks tell a story. If you listen, your character immediately starts yawning and dozes off. You wake up 10 minutes later and get the achievement, while the character reminds you that you "don't have time for that". The bonus chapter was a nice touch, and it took place post-(main) game.
There are nods to other games. One I can think of, as they mention it repeatedly, is the Dead Reckoning series.
Overall, I have to admit that this was an amazing game. I hope they do more of these types of games, or even make this a series.
I recommend this game!
Tragedy strikes a popular Parisian cabaret when their star dancer is murdered! Gather the suspects and unmask the killer.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Solve the Mystery of the Masked Killer
PostedJune 17, 2018
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Sophie didn't expect anything to happen when she accepted a bouquet of roses from a masked individual after a performance. Sadly, the roses carried something that ended up being fatal for her. Henri hires us to solve her murder. We are soon chasing down the culprit, but they appear to be one step ahead of us. Will we catch the culprit, or will this masked killer escape?
I enjoyed the forensic kit that we use in the game. It was something that had me feeling like a true detective. The visuals/locations were lovely, and the sound/voice acting was great. The level of challenge? It wasn't too difficult. The fun factor? I LOVE THIS GAME. I had a lot of fun playing it, and would love to go back and play through it again.
Now, after a certain point, I started thinking, "Maybe this suspect is the killer?" And then the game started to try and shift the "killer" title to another character. I was happy that I was right, in the end.
I will complain that the inspector (I think that was his "title") at the start was foolish. You never pin the blame on the first character at the scene! You work to prove their guilt. But I guess he didn't do anything else, or try to prove it, because that's our job in the game. Still, he seems to have a friendly rivalry/competition going on with our character, so I would imagine that he would know better. Oh well...
As I said before, I love this game. They did a marvelous job on this one. It's honestly one of my favorites in the series. Now, the CE has collectibles (windmills), morphing objects, and souvenirs, among other features. Its bonus chapter is a post-game story.
If you are a fan of mysteries/detective games, I think you will enjoy this one. I love that I got to play as a detective chasing down a normal criminal, which is normal in this series. No chasing monsters or anything of the sort.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the city from a tattoo artist’s magical ink?
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Magic and Tattoos Combined, Oh My!
PostedJune 17, 2018
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Not going to lie. The whole "magic tattoo gives you abilities" concept sounds great. I was very excited about that, as it was something I don't think I've heard of before/seen in a game. The visuals/locations and the sound were amazing in this game. The level of challenge was decent. The story was good when it was just the "magic tattoos", but then they added in things like witches and potions, etc. I didn't like it.
The demo was amazing, and had convinced me to buy the game. I still need to go back for all the collectibles and morphing objects, and maybe get all the achievements, but I did enjoy that demo and the complete game. That said, I think they shoved a lot of the "good stuff" into the demo, which didn't leave much to add later on. That doesn't mean the rest of the game is bad, or that I felt like they didn't try. I don't know... I think I was expecting something else? Maybe?
The CE contains a bonus chapter that continues the story by showing us what happened from Rachel's (the girlfriend) POV. This takes place pre-game and all the way through until the hero/boyfriend finds her and helps her get free.
I did want to see more of the tattoos and what they could do, but I guess that didn't make it into the game. We did see a good amount of variation. Also, Lillie: I love her design. Her character is great.
Overall, I think that if you're curious about this game, you should try the demo. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
(*sorry if this review sounds more like me rambling!)
I recommend this game!
Explore the four corners of Oz in this thrilling fantasy game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Toto Steals the Show
PostedJune 15, 2018
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In this game, you play as Dorothy. In the beginning, you say goodbye to your son and daughter as they head off to go to school. The radio plays a weather report and states that it will be a sunny day. A few hours later, we get a tornado. And soon after you, and Toto, are transported to another world. Can you get home, or will you be stuck here?
Bonus points if you can recognize another game where the voice actor for "Frank" was in.
They did an amazing job on this game. The visuals and sound were fantastic. I adored the designs of the locations and the characters. The challenge level was just right/not too difficult. The story was an interesting twist on the Wizard of Oz, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Having Toto as a part of the game was a nice touch, even if he is a part of the Wizard of Oz story. I enjoyed every moment he popped up or acted as our helper in getting items we couldn't reach. The stories for the various locations/people there were interesting to learn.
The culprit, I thought, wasn't immediately obvious. But as the game progressed, I started thinking about it and one character became the suspect I focused on. I was happy that I was right about this.
So, we got to use walkie talkies that Dorothy bought for her kids in the game, and they disappear shortly before the end of the game. Those things were "fancy", and I thought, "I hope they got them! It would be sad if they were lost!"
This is a great game. I had a lot of fun playing it. I will definitely play it again. If you are a fan of the Wizard of Oz or not, I think you will enjoy this game.
I recommend this game!
Tragedy strikes a popular Parisian cabaret when their star dancer is murdered! Gather the suspects and unmask the killer.
Overall rating
5
/
5
The Secret of the Masked Killer
PostedJune 14, 2018
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Too much of a Paris Green pigment can be fatal. Sophie, our victim, learned that the hard way when she was given roses covered in the stuff. We our soon hired to investigate this murder and bring her killer to justice. Or will this masked killer strike again?
We had an... inspector, I believe, tell us at the beginning that he'd caught the culprit. I was sitting there annoyed that he's not bothering to investigate, but hey, I guess that's our job. The forensic kit we have was interesting to use. It made me feel like a true detective, in a sense.
The CE has morphing objects and the windmill collectible, as well as souvenirs that you can collect during and even after completing the game. The bonus chapter is set after the events of the main game, and made me a bit annoyed/confused at the culprit. (I'm surprised they have an achievement for doing nothing in a hidden object scene for 5 minutes).
The main game's story was very interesting. After a while playing, I believed I knew who the killer was, and the game still goes and tries to make me change my mind. (*bonus: I was right about the culprit!) I had a lot of fun playing this game. The puzzles were not too difficult. If the skip button charged before I was finished, I mostly ignored it. The visuals and sound were lovely. The voice actors in this game were fantastic.
This is easily my favorite game in the series. I do wish they expanded on certain areas of the story, but it doesn't take away from the game at all. I did get a bit annoyed trying to beat the last bit of the puzzle before arresting the culprit, but I ended up doing it without the skip button. #NoRageQuit
If you're a fan of the Danse Macabre series, or just a fan of mystery games, I think you will enjoy this game.
I recommend this game!
Search the Siberian forests for your missing husband.
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Victim Turns Evil, Tries to Resurrect Dead Love
PostedJune 13, 2018
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
You play as Eve. Your husband, Michael, had gone on some form of expedition and had finally located what they had been searching for. Only, things don't end how he was expecting. Back at "home", Eve is wondering what happened to Michael and why he hasn't contacted her lately, only to receive a "ghostly" visit from her trapped love. And off she goes, all the way to Siberia!
I won't spoil the game or what led to the victim of the story from the past (Likho) turning evil. I will admit that the visuals were lovely. The sound quality? Well, in some cases, it was good. But some of the voice acting was... bad. For example, Eve was in danger multiple times, and the situation called for more than a loud whisper. Not the only complaint I had, but that's one. There was also the issue where the text says something, and either the character says something else (chicken -> partridge) or it affected the puzzle I was attempting to solve. The challenge level wasn't too difficult. The fun factor was low for me in this game. The story... I don't know if it wanted me to feel bad for the victim, and to a point I did, but the direction they took made me feel sorry for a surprising character.
Overall, it was a decent game. It's not my favorite in the series, and there were things that could have been improved on before release. I realize my opinion is not the "popular one", but it's my OPINION. I won't be playing this game again any time soon.
I don't recommend this game.
Is the notorious Axiom Butcher back from the grave?
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Has the Axiom Butcher Returned?
PostedJune 12, 2018
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The game has a scene at the start where the "psychic" character uses tarot cards to predict events that will occur. And then we dive right into the game. We're on our way to the Axiom Hotel, where the infamous serial killer, the Axiom Butcher, once stayed. They named this killer the Axiom Butcher because he murdered everyone in the hotel after another guest informed the police that the killer was staying there. From the moment we arrive, we notice our good friend James, but we can't speak to him yet, as he's undercover. And we're soon investigating a murder.
I will admit that I went into this game knowing what would happen up until a certain point. I had played either the beta or a demo of this before now, but I hadn't purchased it until recently. I am very glad I did. It is another wonderful addition to the Haunted Hotel series. The visuals and sound are amazing, as always. The fun and challenge level are great. The story has a good mix of spooky and terrifying. What I knew prior to playing the full game did not take away any enjoyment I had playing it.
I will make a small complaint. In the game, we stumble across the room of one of the guests... well, we find the door to the room. The door soon opens and we understand that the guest is in danger. From there, we take our sweet time and don't inform James about it, even when we find evidence that this guest is the next victim. Or that his suspect couldn't be the killer, but it made for some good suspense.
The story behind these killings is a sad one on some levels. I won't spoil it here or tell you who the culprit is, but I found myself less and less thrilled with the majority of the cast as the game went on. They're all gathered there for a reason...
Overall, it's a great game. I had a lot of fun playing it. And it's always nice to see our "good friend, James" in these games.
I recommend this game!
A pearl is stolen, leading you on a worldwide chase!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
The Pearl of Discord is a Hidden Gem
PostedJune 11, 2018
CourageAngel
fromDry Prong, Louisiana
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
As an agent of H.E.L.P., you are called in to locate a stolen pearl and, later, stop a plan that will destroy Venice. Can you preserve Marco Polo's legacy, or will the Zambetti family get their long sought after revenge?
I went into this game blind. I was a little apprehensive after reading some of the other reviews. In the end, I'm glad I bought it. It ended up being a pleasant surprise. I didn't get all of the achievements the first time, but I hope to get them all in the next! They had some interesting/unexpected achievements. For example: there was an achievement for trying to start a motor in a boat 2 or so times without putting the fuel in.
The main menu is interactive. You can click on both characters and they speak to you. If you get all of the dialogue from them (4 a piece), you get an achievement. The game let me go back and get the collectibles/souvenirs scattered through the game that I missed once I completed the bonus chapter.
Bonus chapter: we stopped one of the bad guys (a "minion"), and tied him up. Apparently we didn't go back and have him arrested, even though he was still where we left him when we play the bonus chapter. In the CE's bonus chapter, we play as another character, not our H.E.L.P. agent. This character was in the main game and we met him briefly. Sam was apparently on vacation in this game and went to Hawaii. We had bobble head figures of him and a villain from a previous game. He did show up later, at the end of the main game, but he didn't speak.
The visuals and sound are amazing, as is expected in the Hidden Expedition games. The story is interesting. I didn't expect a story like this based on Marco Polo, but I enjoyed it. Overall, I had a lot of fun playing this game. If you're interested, I suggest trying the demo first. This game did not disappoint for me. If I did have a complaint, it would be my confusion on where the souvenirs were in the game. I only collected them post-bonus game. Another minor complaint is that the villain of the game/the ancestor had a weak motive, but they were and are rich/nobles, so does that translate into their motive? Possibly... As I stated before, I love this game, and these complaints didn't really change anything for my enjoyment.
I recommend this game!