sfr8rfan's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.4
- Helpful Votes:5,257
- Reviews Submitted:171
- First Review:July 20, 2012
- Most Recent Review:March 25, 2023
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Life imitates art with deadly results in this thrilling whodunit!
Overall rating
3
/
5
9 of 9 found this review helpful
This is a Reward not Punishment!
PostedDecember 15, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This review is based on playing the complete game with bonus material.
Some games are driven by the story, others by HOGs and Puzzles and the storyline only provides a structure for the HOGs and Puzzles. This game is storyline driven.
Fun Factor: I liked the story quite a bit and this game was a lot of fun for me. I think you'll enjoy it also. Read on...you'll see why I liked it...
Visual/Sound Quality
Visuals: The characters are
comic strip characters come to life. I mean this as a big compliment. Visually the game is stunning, I think. It's set in Chicago in the 30s and I swear you'll feel like that's exactly where you are.
comic strip characters come to life. I mean this as a big compliment. Visually the game is stunning, I think. It's set in Chicago in the 30s and I swear you'll feel like that's exactly where you are.
Sound Quality: The game is story driven and music is a huge part of that: it helps set the mood, let's you know when something urgent is happening, can raise your heartbeat a bit, or can slow you down. Basically, the music, if well done, tells you how to feel about what's happening.. The music in Punished Talents is superb.
Visuals and sound come together in lip synching and script. From the very beginning the voice overs are exceptional. The cops you meet in the first scene seem straight from the Chicago PD. They're Irish with brogues and the lip synching is dead on. Later on you meet other characters and when there is lip synching it's very good. Note that not every character scene is lip synched. When the game passes to 3rd person from 1st person the lip synching ceases. It's less appealing at that point but I think it's a story-telling device.
Level of Challenge
HOGs: The HOGs are pretty standard. They are well-drawn and items are well-hidden but present no extraordinary challenge. There are around 20-25 HOGs.
HOGs: The HOGs are pretty standard. They are well-drawn and items are well-hidden but present no extraordinary challenge. There are around 20-25 HOGs.
Mini-Games: First off, there are not enough puzzles (I like puzzles and I think there are only around 10-12. Second, while a few of them present a new take on old games, there isn't one puzzle that I remember being completely new. The puzzles also present no great challenge.
Storyline
This is where the game really thrives. In the first person you are the wife of an author who's being sought by police. Several murders or near murders are taking place in Chicago and the victims and the ways they are victimized are detailed in the books your husband has written. You also are privy to a book about to come out so you are onto some other would-be crimes before the police. By the end of the game you've solved the mystery.
This is where the game really thrives. In the first person you are the wife of an author who's being sought by police. Several murders or near murders are taking place in Chicago and the victims and the ways they are victimized are detailed in the books your husband has written. You also are privy to a book about to come out so you are onto some other would-be crimes before the police. By the end of the game you've solved the mystery.
The game's title is a reference to the talents of the victims...a concert pianist, a sculptor, an actress, etc.
As a Collector's Edition, this is what you get:
a. A bonus game (a nice long bonus chapter)
b. The standard "who cares" assortment of Wallpaper, music, re-playable games, videos, concept art.
c. Achievements
d. An integrated strategy guide.
e. Two collectibles: one is intrinsic to the game (finding fingerprints: 40) the other is not (find teapots...I dunno may be they drank a lot of tea in Chicago in the 30s..but, yes, finding teapots: 25).
a. A bonus game (a nice long bonus chapter)
b. The standard "who cares" assortment of Wallpaper, music, re-playable games, videos, concept art.
c. Achievements
d. An integrated strategy guide.
e. Two collectibles: one is intrinsic to the game (finding fingerprints: 40) the other is not (find teapots...I dunno may be they drank a lot of tea in Chicago in the 30s..but, yes, finding teapots: 25).
As I said, I think this game is story driven, so the value in the Collector's Edition is the bonus gameplay. The additional puzzles and HOGs are not important. Even though the Bonus gameplay is lengthy and fun, I don't think it's a value. If I had it to do over again, I'd take advantage of the newly available Special Edition. I don't think the CE is really worth it. The overall rating of 3 is a reflection of the lack of value in the CE. As an SE for so much less money, I rate it a 4.
Having said all this, I do still recommend the game. I absolutely think it's a lot of fun based on the story line alone.
I recommend this game!
Life imitates art with deadly results in this thrilling whodunit!
Overall rating
4
/
5
78 of 82 found this review helpful
The game is NOT punishment. But, do you want it in CE or SE format?
PostedDecember 15, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This review is based on playing the complete game (both standard and with bonus material).
Some games are driven by the story, others by HOGs and Puzzles and the storyline only provides a structure for the HOGs and Puzzles. This game is storyline driven.
Fun Factor: I liked the story quite a bit and this game was a lot of fun for me. I think you'll enjoy it also. Read on...you'll see why I liked it...
Visual/Sound Quality
Visuals: The characters are
comic strip characters come to life. I mean this as a big compliment. Visually the game is stunning, I think. It's set in Chicago in the 30s and I swear you'll feel like that's exactly where you are.
Visuals: The characters are
comic strip characters come to life. I mean this as a big compliment. Visually the game is stunning, I think. It's set in Chicago in the 30s and I swear you'll feel like that's exactly where you are.
Sound Quality: The game is story driven and music is a huge part of that: it helps set the mood, let's you know when something urgent is happening, can raise your heartbeat a bit, or can slow you down. Basically, the music, if well done, tells you how to feel about what's happening.. The music in Punished Talents is superb.
Visuals and sound come together in lip synching and script. From the very beginning the voice overs are exceptional. The cops you meet in the first scene seem straight from the Chicago PD. They're Irish with brogues and the lip synching is dead on. Later on you meet other characters and when there is lip synching it's very good. Note that not every character scene is lip synched.
Level of Challenge:
HOGs: The HOGs are pretty standard. They are well-drawn and items are well-hidden but present no extraordinary challenge. There are around 20-25 HOGs.
HOGs: The HOGs are pretty standard. They are well-drawn and items are well-hidden but present no extraordinary challenge. There are around 20-25 HOGs.
Mini-Games: First off, there are not enough puzzles (I like puzzles and I think there are only around 10-12. Second, while a few of them present a new take on old games, there isn't one puzzle that I remember being completely new. The puzzles also present no great challenge.
Storyline: This is where the game really thrives. In the first person you are the wife of an author who's being sought by police. Several murders or near murders are taking place in Chicago and the victims and the ways they are victimized are detailed in the books your husband has written. You also are privy to a book about to come out so you are onto some other would-be crimes before the police. By the end of the game you've solved the mystery.
The games title is a reference to the talents of the victims...a concert pianist, a sculptor, an actress, etc.
So the question you have to answer is, do you spend extra money and buy the CE or do go with the much less expensive SE?
With the SE you get the basic game, 4 modes of play (the 4th mode is a custom mode) and a map.
For the extra money of a CE you get:
a. A bonus game (a nice long bonus chapter)
b. The standard "who cares" assortment of Wallpaper, music, re-playable games, videos, concept art.
c. Achievements
d. An integrated strategy guide.
e. Two collectibles: one is intrinsic to the game (finding fingerprints: 40) the other is not (find teapots...I dunno may be they drank a lot of tea in Chicago in the 30s..but, yes, finding teapots: 25).
a. A bonus game (a nice long bonus chapter)
b. The standard "who cares" assortment of Wallpaper, music, re-playable games, videos, concept art.
c. Achievements
d. An integrated strategy guide.
e. Two collectibles: one is intrinsic to the game (finding fingerprints: 40) the other is not (find teapots...I dunno may be they drank a lot of tea in Chicago in the 30s..but, yes, finding teapots: 25).
As I said, I think this game is story driven, so the value in the Collector's Edition is the bonus gameplay. The additional puzzles and HOGs are not important. Even though the Bonus gameplay is lengthy and fun, I don't think it's a value. I recommend taking advantage of the Special Edition, especially if you have a coupon or if it's on sale. I don't think the CE is really worth it.
Having said all this, I do recommend the game. I absolutely think it's a lot of fun based on the story line alone.
I recommend this game!
Play as both Ellie and Ian, two scientists stranded on Botanica. Can you save your friends and find your way home?
Overall rating
5
/
5
140 of 157 found this review helpful
Botanica: Earthbound?? No. It's HEAVENLY
PostedDecember 14, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
THIS IS A VERY IMPRESSIVE GAME.
In my last review I complained of developers not paying attention to detail. This is a 180 from that. The game is meticulously detailed.
Overall Rating: 250 starts out of 5. Yes IT IS that good.
Fun Factor: There's so much NEW to this game and so much that's good and new it's also very very fun. Like many good games it takes a little bit to get into a rhythm with this but once you do you will clearly understand what you're trying to do and the game will flow beautifully.
Visual/Sound Quality:
Visual: Really exceptional. The theme here is nautical/island/botanical. The artwork in the game supports that. You feel like you're in the tropics as you play. At the beginning of the game the play venue is a boat. You feel like you're a passenger...or better yet, you feel like you're part of the crew investigating the sunken Titanic. The HOGs (of which there are only 15) are superbly drawn. At this point you feel like you're dealing with photos more than drawing, IMO.
Visual: Really exceptional. The theme here is nautical/island/botanical. The artwork in the game supports that. You feel like you're in the tropics as you play. At the beginning of the game the play venue is a boat. You feel like you're a passenger...or better yet, you feel like you're part of the crew investigating the sunken Titanic. The HOGs (of which there are only 15) are superbly drawn. At this point you feel like you're dealing with photos more than drawing, IMO.
Sound Quality: The voice overs are very clear and understandable. The music is pure background. In some games music drives the mood. Not the case here. The musical style is appropriate and not at all annoying.
Level of Challenge:
a. HOGs: This is the first time I've complained that there aren't enough HOGs. These ARE THE BEST HOS I have EVER played. The majority of items require an extra step. Many of the items incorporate a puzzle just to clear the item! So, if you're a puzzle lover you'll really like this game. One example: the standard puzzle where you have to remember the cycle of buttons to push or you start at the beginning again. That's been incorporated into ONE item in an HOG. There are other HOG styles where you find the appropriate place for an item in the scene and place it. Or you match up a couple of objects that belong together but are separated in the scene. Only after doing this do you clear the item. My count is 15 HOGs. I'd have loved double that!!
a. HOGs: This is the first time I've complained that there aren't enough HOGs. These ARE THE BEST HOS I have EVER played. The majority of items require an extra step. Many of the items incorporate a puzzle just to clear the item! So, if you're a puzzle lover you'll really like this game. One example: the standard puzzle where you have to remember the cycle of buttons to push or you start at the beginning again. That's been incorporated into ONE item in an HOG. There are other HOG styles where you find the appropriate place for an item in the scene and place it. Or you match up a couple of objects that belong together but are separated in the scene. Only after doing this do you clear the item. My count is 15 HOGs. I'd have loved double that!!
b. Mini-Puzzles/mini-games: As I wrote above, ordinary puzzles have been incorporated into HOGs. The strict puzzles are even better!! This game presents puzzle designs I've never seen before and it's so exciting to see something new AND EXCELLENTLY DONE. Other, more familiar puzzles have a little twist to them that makes them like new. (This CE has "achievements." One is probably pretty dubious: spend 100 minutes on one puzzle. I achieved this. I spend over and hour and forty minutes on one puzzle. When the achievement popped up I couldn't believe it...but I wasn't going to skip, I wanted to beat the puzzle and finally I did. There are over 30 puzzles in this game so if you like puzzles, you will LOVE THIS.
c. There is a third challenge: making potions from items (plants!!) and other natural substances you collect. These are stored in your botany "kit" and when you've collected enough to make a potion you follow directions,make the potion and then use it to accomplish your goal.
Story Line: A ship's captain who's had a rocky life to begin with, accepts an invitation to go on a sailor's dream voyage, through a portal to a place not of the earth. He gets lost and in so doing also loses all that he loves. His daughter (somehow...it's not explained) figures out where he is and tries to find him and bring him home safe and sound. She is not alone. In this tropical setting she's joined by another scientist, also lost, who's trying to find the portal so he can return home to his daughter.
Of course the story line is pure fantasy. It's also pure fun and it really ties all the puzzles and HOGs together.
This story is NOT scary, but it's exciting. As mentioned in the description, it's a first person game in which you play two characters. This is not a central theme of the story in my opinion.
This game is excellent. And I cannot strongly enough recommend it.
Here's what you get:
a. A bonus Chapter wherein you play a THIRD person.
b. Re-playable Cutscenes, Soundtrack, Concept Art, Wallpaper.
c. A strategy guide.
d. Collectible (50 of one item scattered throughout the scenes). It's not central to the story and you gain nothing other than an "achievement" by getting them all. It's not distracting...in fact, it's a little bit fun.
e. Achievements. Normal stuff. Plus one thing I didn't realize was an achievement...when I got it it made me smile.
f. A jump-to map which shows your location, where you need to finish up a job and where you cannot yet go.
a. A bonus Chapter wherein you play a THIRD person.
b. Re-playable Cutscenes, Soundtrack, Concept Art, Wallpaper.
c. A strategy guide.
d. Collectible (50 of one item scattered throughout the scenes). It's not central to the story and you gain nothing other than an "achievement" by getting them all. It's not distracting...in fact, it's a little bit fun.
e. Achievements. Normal stuff. Plus one thing I didn't realize was an achievement...when I got it it made me smile.
f. A jump-to map which shows your location, where you need to finish up a job and where you cannot yet go.
This is one of the best games I've ever played. I believe you will say the same thing. Get it. Don't wait for an SE. Get it now. Play it now. You will NOT stop until you've completed it. It's like a new drug=I want MORE.
I recommend this game!
You shall have to investigate the mysterious disappearance of young Luciano Folgeri from the orphanage.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 4 found this review helpful
I'm Glad I Got in on this Dance!!...
PostedDecember 13, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
...But I have to admit, I'm not sure why!!
This is a very strange game indeed. I didn't understand much of what I was doing and if it weren't for the generous hint system I'd have hung up my ballet slippers early on in this dance. Instead, I played the whole thing and quite enjoyed it.
The storyline...a boy is kidnapped and we need to find out who, what, when, where, how and why. Sounds fair enough, right? Well answering those questions makes for a few nights of intense fun.
What I enjoyed most about the game (and this is true of a couple of games I've played lately) was the "feel," the "ambience." None of the individual parts were spectacular, frankly. And it was a very confusing game (and I think I'm a pretty insightful person).
You won't find this review helpful I'm afraid. It's very short on specifics. What I can be on point about (dancing reference:)) isn't particularly complimentary. This is a game where the total is far greater than the sum of its parts.
There's a lot of moving back and forth to utilize found objects. Nothing about the puzzles or HOGs stood out. I very much enjoyed the dark atmosphere which was supported by the gloomy visuals and scary background music.
Aside from that, the game play was ordinary: find an object, use the object, achieve the proximate goals (which, by the way, were very clearly explained) and solve the mystery.
I did exactly that. Not sure how. But I had fun doing it.
I recommend you give this a try...but for sure do the free trial first before spending money or a coupon.
I recommend you give this a try...but for sure do the free trial first before spending money or a coupon.
Apologies for the lack of specifics. Despite that, I'm confident in my positive recommendation.
I recommend this game!
The mystical Silver Arrow has been stolen from you on the eve of your wedding. Without it, you can’t marry your beloved Prince Philip! Can you track down the arrow in time?
Overall rating
2
/
5
32 of 40 found this review helpful
Forget the Silver Arrow. What's needed is a silver BULLET!
PostedDecember 12, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
If I'm going to pay $14 for a game I expect its developers to iron out the details. Maybe I should have read the description of the game more carefully and just skipped it. I didn't. I take the responsibility of reviewing games seriously, so I'll always be completely honest: I did not end up purchasing this game. I contemplated buying it after I completed the hour-long trial but opted against. Here's what happened:
The game takes place just before my wedding to my beloved Prince Phillip. Early on he sends a note to me which requires my written response. The reply is signed "Princess Mark." Very nifty that my first name is weaved into the storyline. Better yet, the developers should have anticipated the situation, and made the game a third-person perspective.
Speaking of perspective: The game takes place in "fairy tale times, befitting the marriage of a handsome prince and his beautiful princess. Curiously enough, my (the character's) wise old granny (whose name is Nanny) apparently comes from the deep south of the United States, inasmuch as she has a pronounced southern accent. Oh Well. What about the game?
Fun Factor: Because of the above "stuff" I wasn't having a good time. The rating reflects this.
Visual/Sound Quality: Even before I began playing the game I made a note that the background music was really good. It's anachronistic: it sounded, at first, like modern jazz. It didn't take long for it to morph into run-of-the mill elevator music. I'd have preferred the jazz interpretation.
Visuals: I think the drawing and coloration are well done. The characters look almost real. Humans look more like photographs than drawings and I commend the artists who accomplished this.
Finally, I guess this is a combination of visual and sound quality: the lip synching is THE BEST I HAVE SEEN in any game anytime.
Level of Challenge: It's not a hard game. I also don't think it progresses logically and some of the "tasks" just don't make sense at all. The developers take a stab at new games, but they miss the mark. If you buy this, you'll experience early on what I mean. The HOGs are ordinary at best. They are not challenging and they are not remotely creative.
The storyline: Well, you know part of it already. You can imagine the rest: things don't go smoothly as I approach my wedding day. An evil sorcerer (who has the capability of changing his appearance) has stolen the title's "silver arrow." Without this arrow I cannot marry my beloved. The story is about getting the arrow back.
Here's what you get for purchasing this Collector's Edition:
a. A long bonus chapter (based on the length of the strategy guide devoted to it.
b. Strategy guide (duh).
c. One Collectible (an item appears, without rhyme or reason, throughout the game). These items are converted into a currency value. With the accruing currency you can purchase "services" and clean up a tower room in your Grandmother's castle.
d. Achievements (the ordinary assortment).
e. Re-playable cut-scenes, wallpaper, concept art, screensaver, music, re-playable mini-games and HOGs.
f. A "jump to" Map.
g. 3 levels of difficulty from which to choose.
a. A long bonus chapter (based on the length of the strategy guide devoted to it.
b. Strategy guide (duh).
c. One Collectible (an item appears, without rhyme or reason, throughout the game). These items are converted into a currency value. With the accruing currency you can purchase "services" and clean up a tower room in your Grandmother's castle.
d. Achievements (the ordinary assortment).
e. Re-playable cut-scenes, wallpaper, concept art, screensaver, music, re-playable mini-games and HOGs.
f. A "jump to" Map.
g. 3 levels of difficulty from which to choose.
I prefer detective, murder-mystery driven content. If you do as well, I don't think you'll like this game. On the other hand, if you prefer a feel-good atmosphere, and a game where happy ending doesn't mean catching the bad guy, t think this game will be very satisfying for you. Therefore, I can recommend this game.
If you're not in a hurry to get a game right away, I suggest waiting for the SE. I don't think the CE content justifies the cost difference.
I recommend this game!
This was supposed to be the happiest day of your life. But instead of walking down the aisle, you're in another dimension, battling a mad inventor to save your family!
Overall rating
3
/
5
52 of 58 found this review helpful
It's not a big secret: This game is OK. Not more. Not Less. Oh, and you don't need the CE. This Version is just fine!
PostedDecember 11, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
My review is based on a completed game.
Whispered Secrets is an OK HOG/Puzzle game. Period. Nothing more and nothing less. It is NOT "Beyond" anything. You won't be discussing strategy at the water cooler. It gets a 3 out of 5 overall.
Whispered Secrets is an OK HOG/Puzzle game. Period. Nothing more and nothing less. It is NOT "Beyond" anything. You won't be discussing strategy at the water cooler. It gets a 3 out of 5 overall.
To me, it has an old-fashioned feel. That is, no special features. no intricate story-line. It's as though it's from a previous generation of game development.
Fun factor: I've given this a 3 (maybe a 3.5). It wouldn't have been that high except that the mini-games/puzzles became a bit more interesting and challenging as the game progressed.
Visual/Sound Quality: The word that crept into my mind when I was playing this was "primitive." The drawings and animation seem very old fashioned. There's not a tremendous amount of detail. Objects aren't poorly drawn, they just aren't really richly detailed as in some "state of the art" games we encounter these days. The colors seem muted rather than vibrant.
As for the sound: I've often written that I think sound is very important because it sets the tone for a game. The voice overs are well done, but the lip synching is terrible. So, listen, don't look! As for the music, the first time I played the game it seemed OK. This time it became monotonous.
Level of Challenge: It's not a particularly challenging game at all. When the story line dictates that you need something in order to move forward in the game, you can rest assured that you'll get what you need in the very next scene.
HOGs: I counted 25. Here you'll find the one interesting departure from the norm: while hunting for hidden objects, occasionally you can change the "venue." That is, you're looking at one room with certain objects, and you can flick a switch and be looking at the same room with a different set of objects. I liked this. It is about as imaginative as this game gets. HOS descriptions are well done and the items are neither cramped nor deceptively hidden. If you prefer, however, you can do Match 3 instead of HOG.
The story line is a little odd, but the way it's played out is FUN. I'm not going to ruin it for you, but it has to do with science, this world and beyond. Along the way you'll encounter chemistry, physics, astronomy, and, police sciences.
CE or SE?
If you spend a lot of extra money and spring for the Collector's Edition here's what you'll get:
a. Bonus gameplay.
b. 20+ Achievements (nothing out of the ordinary, but you'll be excited out of the gate because you can get 5-6 achievements in the first couple of minutes).
c. Collectibles, called observers. These are rodent/insect/alien-ish little creatures which are hidden around each scene. There are 164 in all. They are a bit annoying because, while they have nothing to do with the game, you're constantly reminded how many you've gotten, how many there are in a scene and how many you have left to find, you can't ignore them.
d. The standard array of "who cares" stuff: wallpaper, music, screensaver, concept art.
e. A "jump to" map which is very convenient.
g. Strategy guide.
f. As a regular part of the game there is one more collectible. It is directly related to the gameplay, so I won't spoil the fun...you can find it on your own.
If you spend a lot of extra money and spring for the Collector's Edition here's what you'll get:
a. Bonus gameplay.
b. 20+ Achievements (nothing out of the ordinary, but you'll be excited out of the gate because you can get 5-6 achievements in the first couple of minutes).
c. Collectibles, called observers. These are rodent/insect/alien-ish little creatures which are hidden around each scene. There are 164 in all. They are a bit annoying because, while they have nothing to do with the game, you're constantly reminded how many you've gotten, how many there are in a scene and how many you have left to find, you can't ignore them.
d. The standard array of "who cares" stuff: wallpaper, music, screensaver, concept art.
e. A "jump to" map which is very convenient.
g. Strategy guide.
f. As a regular part of the game there is one more collectible. It is directly related to the gameplay, so I won't spoil the fun...you can find it on your own.
Oh yeah: One really ODD quirk about this game: when you take something from your inventory and want to return it because it's the wrong thing, you have to take it back to the very position it had on the inventory bar in order to let go of it.
That's Whispered Secrets. I think you'll enjoy the game without going gaga over it. Having played both versions, I find no compelling reason to spend the extra money on the Collector's Edition (I already have). I think you'll be satisfied with the regular version (especially if you have a coupon to use).
I recommend this game!
These nursery rhymes are cursed, and your sister’s been taken by the Crooked Man!
Overall rating
5
/
5
169 of 181 found this review helpful
Cursery: A Big YES to the Game, but CE or SE? Which is right for you?
PostedDecember 9, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Game Review based on completing the game.
First off, this is a dark game, not meant kids and not meant for you if you're searching for light-hearted fun.
This is great game overall. At first I wasn't so sure. Initially, I thought it was challenging in a way that wasn't fun at all. Everything seemed very crowded and difficult to identify. The more I played the more I understood that the challenge is what makes this game great (duh).
Playing this is very much like reading something really dense (think of William Faulkner's description of a forest). If you like the depth of hyper-descriptive storytelling you'll love this. If you don't, then you'll think it's overkill. I love Crooked. The visuals are incredibly detailed and full of color and depth, and once I played it for a bit, established a rhythm and got comfortable the game was a big treat.
Along with the visuals, the sound quality is great as well.
There seem to be fewer HOS than usual and, to me they are very difficult. There is lots of "stuff" but still it's not a mess, just really well-drawn objects that also disappeared into the background as happens in a good, challenging HOS. (I just went back and counted the HOS. Based on the the Strategy guide, there are 10 in the regular game and 5 in the bonus).
If there are fewer than normal HOS, then there are lots of games to make up for it. The very first game made no sense to me. It was incomprehensible. I don't know what I was doing but I kept doing it and eventually succeeded in defeating the first mini-game and moved forward with the story. After this the games got easier to understand. The quality of the games, though, left a little to be desired.
So: now I've told you that there aren't many HOS and that the puzzles/games aren't so great, but that the game is. My conclusion is this: I think this is a great story and if you enjoy a great story/storyline, with beautiful visuals, you will love this game. The lack of HOS and good puzzles will be a big negative for many gamers. But, again, and I can't emphasize this enough, the story line and story-telling are so great, I consider this game a must have.
SE versus CE:
The SE has a map and 3 difficulty modes.
For a lot more money, the CE provides:
a. Bonus chapter (not related to the game, IMO, not really strong).
b. Strategy Guide.
c. Additional Puzzles.
d. Achievements.
e. Morphing Objects. In this game there's value to finding the morphing objects because they speed up the hint re-charge (and at the beginning I needed the hints A LOT).
f. Re-playable Cut scenes (a really great feature in this case).
g. The "who cares assortment": Soundtrack, Wallpaper, Concept Art, Screen Saver.
The SE has a map and 3 difficulty modes.
For a lot more money, the CE provides:
a. Bonus chapter (not related to the game, IMO, not really strong).
b. Strategy Guide.
c. Additional Puzzles.
d. Achievements.
e. Morphing Objects. In this game there's value to finding the morphing objects because they speed up the hint re-charge (and at the beginning I needed the hints A LOT).
f. Re-playable Cut scenes (a really great feature in this case).
g. The "who cares assortment": Soundtrack, Wallpaper, Concept Art, Screen Saver.
While I recommend this game I strongly urge you to take advantage of the free hour of play to see if you'll like it as well. If, after an hour, you like the game and don't mind spending the extra money, I think the the morphing objects and the strategy guide made this game a lot more fun for me and are worth the price of admission to CE. Also, even though the bonus chapter isn't related and wasn't the best, it was still fun (and maybe it's a preview of things to come). On the other hand, if you're playing with house money and have a coupon sitting around that's going to expire, don't hesitate to use it instead of buying a CE.
I hope this review helps you. If you like the standard HOS and the idea of VERY FEW HOS concerns you, then I think you will NOT like this game. Bear that in mind when you make any decision to acquire the game.
I recommend this game!
You're called to a health spa in the Alps, where an evil professor has something terrible in mind for his unwitting patients.
Overall rating
5
/
5
98 of 110 found this review helpful
This is no Anomaly. This is Excellence in Gaming!!
PostedDecember 7, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I was very excited to see Mind Invasion from Agency of Anomalies. I remembered Cinderstone Orphanage, The Last Performance and Mystic Hospital. If this was half as good as the other it would be great. Well, it's not half as good, it's twice as good.
It's taken some time for this newest offering and it's not hard to tell what the developers were working on!!
Overall this game is absolutely a 5 out 5. It's a 10 out of 5!. I've been excited recently with new offerings from old reliable developers only to be disappointed. This is not the case here. The game is pretty glitzy: I mean, you know you're into something special from the very beginning. BUT, does it have the juice to maintain a high level after a few scenes? YES.
The game begins with a lengthy Introductory cut scene which explains the storyline and why you are where you are. Also the very beginning there is an option to take advantage of a "quick" tutorial. This is a change from the past. The tutorial is done all at once and it is done quickly. I recommend doing it. Unlike others in the past, this tutorial is not intrusive and it doesn't last forever. It real is quick and it really is helpful.
The visual quality is great. It's top of the line art in HOGs. The sound quality is very good as well. The music doesn't so much drive the action as accompany it and it's very pleasant music. It's more background music than anything else.
There are three different types of HOG:
a. Placing items in their proper places based on context.
b. Matching silhouettes from the inventory list to the actual item. This one was a little too easy: once you click on the actual item it automatically picks out the silhouette. Not enough challenge in this format.
c. Standard find the listed items HOG.
a. Placing items in their proper places based on context.
b. Matching silhouettes from the inventory list to the actual item. This one was a little too easy: once you click on the actual item it automatically picks out the silhouette. Not enough challenge in this format.
c. Standard find the listed items HOG.
The items are not crowded at all, but still they are hard to find. It's because they are well-hidden and well-drawn. Again, in type "b" above, it would have added another level of challenge if you had to find it on your own.
Games: You'll be pleasantly surprised by old and new games of varying difficulty.
Because it's a CE there are the typical extras: a strategy guide; an additional chapter; a map. There's also the standard "who cares? fare": Concept Art, etc. There are achievements (very typical...all the same stuff you always achieve in the normal course of a game). There's one collectible. It's doesn't get in the way of the game but it adds nothing either...and this game really doesn't require anything special added to it.
You will not be disappointed. AND, here is the reason why: earlier I wrote that this game is superior to the others I mentioned. The story line, which isn't always so important (often it's just a very transparent effort at giving a reason for HOG and mini-games) is central to this. You'll find yourself really interested in the story. Each chapter gives one example of a character whose mind has been taken oven by a society bent on controlling the world. Yes, it's cheesy, but it's done really well and I think you'll have a great time with it and have a very hard time turning off your computer.
I strongly recommend this game. I'd like to tell you more but I don't want to ruin what I think you'll find to be a very exciting game. It's NOT FAST. Admittedly, I'm not a fast player. This is the sort of game which makes me appreciate being a slow-poke. I'm was in no hurry for the fun to end.
I recommend this game!
Help Ashley Ford find her father and solve the mystery of the Three Oak Mansion.
Overall rating
1
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
It looks great. That's it.
PostedDecember 4, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
Believe all of the negative reviews you've seen for this game. Sadly, they are on target.
Overall: The game is very poor.
Where there could easily be VO there is only text. As far as I can tell there are no VOs, but this is only after playing for 30 minutes. I could not continue. My time is too valuable. SO IS YOURS. The abundant texts have numerous misspellings and grammatical errors. This is never acceptable, but never less so than when text is the only means of communication. The texts also betray a total lack of familiarity with English idiomatic expressions.
Mini-game directions are useless as they don't explain properly what to do to solve the puzzles.
The story line is preposterous. I know that these games are "fantasy" to begin with so I'm not expecting "historical accuracy." But, after accepting some things as "real" or "plausible" because of poetic license, they must then make sense. Nothing in this game makes sense.
Fun Factor: Nope. See above.
Visual/Sound Quality: OK, how did the visuals get so good. The quality of the drawn items is so high that they look like camera shots instead. Really top notch.
Level of Challenge: I always write this when a game is bad, so here goes: It was very challenging just to stick with the game. I couldn't.
Storyline: Preposterous. A girl is trying wrest aback control of a property that her thief-father once stole and then lost. She's also trying to find her missing father. And there's something about missing crystals being the key to finding her father and retaking control of the property. Just awful.
Don't Buy This Game.
I don't recommend this game.
Track a mad man across time and investigate a gristly murder from the past!
Overall rating
5
/
5
13 of 13 found this review helpful
GET THIS GAME!!! But SE or CE? Let me help you decide.
PostedDecember 3, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Played in two different cities at two different times with dramatic parallels drawn between the two, this is a very exciting game.
Half the game is located in late 19th c. London and half in present-day Chicago. The protagonist, Angelica Weaver is able to "mind-port" from one time and place to the other.
Angelica Weaver is the protagonist and absolutely the star. This isn't a "first person" game where you're you're pretending to be Angelica. Yes, you control the action, but this is a "third person" game: while guiding Angelica's actions, you watch her draw conclusions. To me, this makes the game a little more real than the make believe" games.
Adding to the realism, Angelica has a very discernible midwest accent, (and, if I may say, a very clear midwestern sensibility. This adds to the feel of the story).
When time travel is involved you know that you're in a total fantasy. This was treated as realistically as possible. As a result, the game is as believable as possible and the story line is SUPERB...especially as it juggles the different time and place settings. I don't want to ruin the story so I'll just say what becomes obvious early on: there's a killer who has plied his trade in both times and places. OR, is it a copycat????
The game features HOGs, Puzzles and something I can only describe as "challenges," adventures that are not puzzles but require accomplishment. Already this game is better than most because of the breadth and depth of challenge. One particular challenge took me at least 30 minutes to accomplish. DON'T LET THAT DISSUADE YOU: I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. Yeah, it was hard. Yeah, it was frustrating. The longer I tried to "do it" the more adamant I was. I was going to beat it and not press "SKIP." I don't regret a minute spent on it. The HOGs were as good as, if not better than, others which I've played. The puzzles were better than most. The "Other" category is something I've never seen before and it is special. You'll know what I'm talking about when you play it.
As for the "feel" of the game, or, the "set design," as I like to call it, it was excellent. I felt like I was in a Chicago neighborhood and I felt like I was in last-century London (or what I think last century London would be like). Every aspect of the game supported it. As a testament to how great the game is, the puzzles were "time-space" appropriate: you had to do things and solve puzzles which made sense for the era you were in at the time.
I'm finding it's hard to do this review without revealing anything....so this seems a little spacey, I know...but the game is SO FUN and SO EXCITING that I don't want to take away a minute of the pleasure. Sorry. JUST TRUST ME. YOU WANT THIS GAME.
The question is whether to buy the CE or the SE. With this dramatically reduced "Catch of the Week" price for the SE, I would jump on it! I bought the CE and I don't think it's worth the huge price difference with the special now available.
Here's what you get for the extra $$$:
a) A bonus chapter. It's not long. It's a surprise. I don't know if it really adds to the game.
a) A bonus chapter. It's not long. It's a surprise. I don't know if it really adds to the game.
b) Achievements. Does this really mean anything? You're not entered into any Gamers Hall of Fame. You know what you've done. Personally, I think achievements are gimmicky. If you play the game well you'll get the achievements. If getting a "virtual trophy" for completing HOGs within a certain amount of time and without using hints is important, then, by all means.... It's a personal preference and not an important one for me.
c) HERE'S THE ADDITION THAT MAY MAKE the CE WORTH IT: Collectibles. There are two. One is pure collectible, the other is tied to available instant hints. While not integral to the story line they absolutely add another level to the game and quite a bit of fun. Gathering the collectibles will cause you to flip the "be alert and watchful" switch. BUT: you will get to certain points of the game which, once completed, can't be revisited. If what you enjoy about collectibles is "getting them all," then once you miss one and can't return to the area, it's all over with anyway. UNLESS YOU START THE GAME OVER FROM THE BEGINNING. Determining the value of this feature will tell you which version to buy. If it were me and I could get SE at the special $2.99 price, I'd grab it in a heartbeat. ONLY AFTERWARD, if I loved the game enough to warrant it, would I spend the extra $13-$16 extra for the collectibles.
d) An Integrated Strategy Guide. Definitely very helpful, but you can find walkthroughs without paying extra.
e) Additional Skill Modes which, like most, give you options from "quite a bit" to "almost zero" in-game assistance.
f) The usual "who cares" extras: Screen savers, Wallpaper and Unlimited Hidden Object Play."
Whatever you decide to do, just make sure you get one of the versions of this game without a doubt. Make the choice based on the differences (and the only important difference is the collectibles). While I enjoyed them enough to play the game a second time after blowing them the first time, I would still jump on this special price.
HEY I KNOW: download the CE, find out what the collectibles are and determine if they are worth it to you!!!!!!
I recommend this game!