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:
Your father was murdered while he was investigating a crime. Travel back through time to save him!
Overall rating
4
/
5
17 of 22 found this review helpful
Bloody Good!!!!
PostedSeptember 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
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game is very good but falls short of excellence.
But why?
But why?
Fun Factor: What makes a game fun for me is everything below...the sound and visual quality, the challenge, the storyline. What makes a game great is when all these factors are greater than the sum of their parts. I find this to be the case with Dark Cases: The Blood Ruby CE. I didn't want to stop playing. It's 2am now and I'm tired, but I've kept going, I've only stopped so I can write this review before turning off the computer. If a game motivates me like this it isn't because it's a big bore!
I think the sound quality if very good; The voice overs are understandable, with use of good English and they tell the story as you progress through the mystery of your dear father's disappearance. There's a bit of a "fairy tale" feel to this edition which means a combo of a flight of fantasy and a bit of mystery. Background music is very important to me. I think it rounds out the experience, at a minimum. When it's great it improves the story and evokes emotional highs and lows, suspense, thrill, nervousness, peace, etc. Because the music is so repetitive, I can't give it an excellent rating, but only good. I think it communicates a certain "feel" but that feeling is monotony. While the music doesn't hurt this game, it doesn't take it to the next, higher level. Visually the colors are rich and deep and warm. Characters are well drawn and individual items look almost photograph-like rather than just illustrative.
Level of Challenge: The puzzles were retreads but were well done. So, they were good, not great. The hidden object scenes offered no great challenge but were clear, well-identified and fun. There is a little but of interactivity as two items are combined to make one for quick use. Also, there's a bit of bonus feature: the silhouettes of an item or two are shown and the items must be found for immediate use. They complete the HOS and help move the story forward.
The storyline is good: as I mentioned, your father is a policeman who's disappeared. Though not exactly clear how, you travel through time to before your father death and have an opportunity to save him. This is not a spoiler. You'll experience it in the first couple of minutes of play. One common feature of these HOG/Adventure/Puzzle games is the "feminine" personality of the "star." Seldom is it a male persona. So your dear policeman father who's missing, is the father of young lady. This is annoying (as I am a man) but it's not big enough problem to ruin it for me.
I have completed a couple hours of this game and am enjoying it immensely.
As is the norm for me, I opted to use the instruction. It's very minimal and unobtrusive, unlike the teaching portion of some other games which goes on for hours and is simply annoying. It would be terrible to miss the fun of this game because you don't like the teaching mode...it's clear and concise and the game rises above it, even if you are REPULSED by the extra help at the beginning. Just a note: the reason I always do the instruction mode isn't because I'm a dumb dumb, but because good games have unique characteristics and I'd rather know from the beginning what they are in terms of navigating the experience. Some hate this. Others, like me, prefer it. It's not a moral dilemma. Opt out of it. And if there's a little instruction despite opting out, don't let it ruin the whole game for you. It's a fun game!
I'm not sure if there's an SE yet, and I don't care because of the great sale going on for CEs. If it were full price, I'd be unhappy with the expenditure (Not the game, just the $ for a CE) because there's nothing really CE about this. There is a strategy guide included and there is an interactive map which will hurry you along from one place to another if you choose. But I really like the other things: morphing objects, collectibles, achievements, etc. There is none of that. I guess the CE distinction is because there's wallpaper and music and re-playable mini-games and HOGs. Does anyone ever really use the wallpaper? Really? There is a bonus chapter...which I haven't gotten to yet. Hopefully it's excellent and not just a 10 minute gratuitous addition to justify the CE designation.
So, as I said, a great game is better than the sum of its parts. This game is that. I love it. As an SE it would be 5 stars easily. Only because it's a CE and there are none of the extra fun things that I like in a CE it's gotta be a 4 out of 5 stars... but again, this is punitive because of the weak CE features.
I heartily recommend this game. If you need a game NOW, buy it. If you can wait for an SE (or if you can find one for Mac right now) get the SE and save the money. Whatever you do, get this game at some point.
I recommend this game!
Your murderous half-sister has escaped, and you've got the last piece of your father's treacherous film projector...
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
One of THE BEST I've ever Played: It makes the Final Cut!
PostedJuly 31, 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 did love this game. After two consecutive bummer games, it was good to play this, a winner from start to finish.
The visual quality is superb: in the animated scenes the colors pop. It's very vibrant. Other parts of the game use real actors to play the roles of the main characters. Done well, this feature makes the game more of a cinematic experience.
One feature of the visual quality of a game that I look for is the design of the "Dashboard," by which I mean the layout of the inventory, map, strategy guide, hint button, achievements and menu button. This game's Dashboard is superb. There's even a "button" for achievements. This is far superior to the norm where you have to back out to the main menu to view achievements.
The Sound quality is high. The background music was appropriate, lending urgency to the game at just the right time. It was varied enough so as not to be repetitive, boring or annoying. Sound effects were...effective: shooting guns sounded like shooting guns, thunder sounded like thunder, etc. and voices of the actors were clear and they were convincing. They were ACTING!!
The level of challenge was excellent. I gave it five, but really meant to give it 4.5 and wanted to err on the positive, not the negative side so it got the 5 rather than a 4. The point deduction was because of excessive back and forth. At this same time, though, the back and forth is an important part of the game design: one of the "features" of the game is the ability to transport from one environment to another with the flick of a switch. This is a very MINOR complaint.
The HOGs were clear, not too difficult and the items were well hidden. The puzzles were easy. Not one of them caused me to break a sweat. No new ground was explored here. You've seen and played all the puzzles before and this may be the weakest part of the game. If's the only real improvement I would suggest.
To increase your level of challenge, you may choose from one of three levels of difficulty, and throughout the game you can change the selection.
There is a very quickly regenerating hint button in Casual Mode.
There is a strategy guide which, while not fully integrated is still very valuable because of its easy accessibility as a result of the design of the dashboard.
The storyline was great!!! It was fun and tense without being creepy. There's a major surprise at the beginning of the game which provides the juice for the rest of the game.
It's a Collector's Edition so in order to deserve this status (and the money it costs to purchase) it must provide extras. There were plenty:
a. Achievements (and some very creative ones) were awarded...maybe 15? One of them was a little goofy (to me at least): it was awarded upon finishing a Hidden Object Scene in 30 seconds without a clue. Well, if you tried to use a clue you'd fail immediately because of the time it takes. I'm not sure how it's possible to achieve, but it certainly doesn't detract.
a. Achievements (and some very creative ones) were awarded...maybe 15? One of them was a little goofy (to me at least): it was awarded upon finishing a Hidden Object Scene in 30 seconds without a clue. Well, if you tried to use a clue you'd fail immediately because of the time it takes. I'm not sure how it's possible to achieve, but it certainly doesn't detract.
b. Collectibles: There were morphing objects and 4-leaf Clovers. What made this a challenge and increased the fun quotient: there weren't too many of them. I think there were 12 morphing objects and 10 4-leaf clovers. This means that they weren't everywhere and you really had to watch carefully for them. One additional collectible, little snippets of movie reels (either as real objects, silhouettes, or outlines) were more plentiful, with 37. Although you knew there were more and they were in virtually every scene, they were very well hidden and it took concentration to find them.
One very clever (though not at all difficult) collectible was a series of kites which were hidden in the interactive map. This is out-of-the-box thinking and is something I hope the developers will improve as time goes on because it's a great idea for a collectible.
c. As I just mentioned, there is an interactive map which transports immediately, and as usual, indicates where you are and places where work remains to be done.
d. There is a bonus chapter of average length. It was less organized than the main story and, though a "prequel" meant to explain how we get to the point where the main story begins, it was lacking cohesion. I left the bonus thinking "who cares?"
e. Finally, one little fun addition is a tour of the developers office, designed to feel like you were playing a game. As a part of this, there was a great interview with the lead producer of Final Cut: Encore. The guy is very entertaining.
There's always a question of whether or not to buy the CE version rather than settling for the much less expensive SE. I don't think there is an SE at the moment. I know you shouldn't deprive yourself of this shining example of a game, so I suggest buying now. I'm glad I did. f If there is now or in the future an SE, you have to make a decision. I love the collectibles, achievements and interactive map. If you do as well, buy the CE. If you generally get a CE for the bonus chapter, save your money.
Again, this is one of the BEST I've EVER played. and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
I recommend this game!
Track down your real parents in The Keepers: Lost Progeny! After growing up an orphan, a mysterious photo showing your parents arrives!
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
This is NOT a Keeper. I was Lost.
PostedJuly 27, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This certainly seems like an intricate, well-put-together game that should be a five-star hit. But is was a miss, not a hit.
The intricacy to which I refer, it turns out, is simply an eerie feeling which is supported by creepy (good creepy) music and very dark tones. As for the "Mature content," aside from seeing a cartoonish character killing people (not seen close enough to be gruesome, and again, cartoonish), there was nothing that would disturb the dreams of any youngster.
The HOGs, as someone else commented, do require glasses, a magnifying glass and a flashlight. The challenge to an HOS shouldn't be an inability to view the items but that's what this is. The puzzles ranged from VERY SIMPLE to incomprehensible. (When you play this, if you play this, I specifically refer to the crystal game as incomprehensible).
The story is clear: you know what the overall story is. The storyline, not so clear. That is, the way the story is explained or played out, is not clear at all. The game had promise at the beginning and I was very excited. As it progressed, it became less and less promising and more and more confusing and unfulfilling.
Caveat Emptor: I think you'll get the wrong idea if you play the hourlong trial. You're going to think that the whole game is like this. It's not. It deteriorates the farther along you get.
Honestly, I had to quit. It no longer held my interest. This has seldom happened to me. I have never been as excited and yet come away as disappointed as with this game. Sadly, I can't recommend it.
I don't recommend this game.
Reveal the twisted plan of a deranged magician who has his own Vendetta against the world! And uncover a secretive world of magicians and discover the power they have held and passed down through the centuries!
Overall rating
2
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
I Don't Think I'd Have Called this Back for an Encore
PostedJuly 23, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
For some reason negative (but fair) reviews are poorly rated it seems. Consequently, I'm not expecting that gamers will grade this as a helpful review...but that's the way it goes...
I could not get through more than 45 minutes of this game. Perhaps it gets better but it wasn't good enough at the beginning, a critical point, I think, to hold my attention. Obviously, I didn't think it was fun.
The visual quality is poor. Some may find it clean and crisp. I find it to be more of what resembles a fledgling designer's first attempt. There is no detail to items. There is no richness to the colors. This was like a paint by numbers game.
To me, music is a very important element of games. It sets the tone, it marks urgency. Here the music was an annoyance. I couldn't discern a particular theme. It was just bad. Sound effects: there were obvious opportunities for sound effects...but nothing. Imagine this: a circus animal, a monkey, was playing with two cymbals. There should be some sound effects...the action of the monkey was pointed out, in fact. But nothing.
The puzzles offered nothing new or exciting. In most cases they were poor examples of puzzle types we've seen before. The HOG were very poorly designed. The descriptions were accurate but the scenes were so simple, so bland that they weren't fun.
The storyline: There is little relationship between successful completion of a puzzle and delving more deeply into the story. The normal actions of the game are mind-blowingly unrelated to the game itself...I know this sounds crazy, but I just had no idea what the heck was going on. Why did I do certain things? I don't know.
I had very high hopes for this game. The graphics in the title page are brilliant. The Tour D'Eiffel stands out brilliantly and was brightly lit and beautiful. I hoped for more of the same but was left wanting. This was amateur hour and I'm really sorry to say it.
There are reviews which base excellence on the length of the game. I quit this after 45 minutes. I have no idea how long it's supposed to be. To me the length of a game is not so important. If I love it, I'm probably going to think it's too short. This was not too short.
I just finished the newest Mystery Tracker game, Silent Hollow. This was a SOLID 5-Star game. Maybe my review skills have been tainted by that, but I don't think so. This was just not good. I understand that we all have different attractions in games, so I will still rate a game highly even if it's not my "cup of tea." Not this time.
I don't recommend this game.
There are screams heard in Silent Hollow... Trouble at the Mystery Trackers headquarters means you're called in to help.
Overall rating
5
/
5
61 of 74 found this review helpful
Silent? You'll be cheering loudly for this Mystery Tracker Adventure
PostedJuly 18, 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
It seems like a long wait a new Mystery Tracker game...and it was worth it. BETTER THAN EVER!!!!!!
Once again, accompanied by your trusty companion Elf the 4-legged wonder dog, you're called to Mystery Tracker headquarters to solve the emergency that's taking out Mystery Trackers left and right. Along the way you learn about the detectives and their pets. And good ol' Mr. Toad is there to lend a hint if necessary.
This game is spectacular. It's so fun that at 3:23 AM I'm still playing. My rating of fun factor would be higher if there were more than five stars. Yes the game is complex and it takes awhile to familiarize yourself with the "program." In this adventure you have special "abilities" which help you solve the case. You'll acquire these as the game progresses.
To me, soundtrack is a very important component of games: it sets the mood. Done perfectly again, Silent Hollow's music will let you know when the situation is urgent or no so much...
The Voice Overs are great and the voice acting is convincing. The only deficit is that there isn't lip movement along with the voice. I'd like to see them give a shot at synchronized lip movements to add even more realism. Still, this isn't a big problem. (Note, there are real actors playing the roles in the game, but a separate sound track).
The Voice Overs are great and the voice acting is convincing. The only deficit is that there isn't lip movement along with the voice. I'd like to see them give a shot at synchronized lip movements to add even more realism. Still, this isn't a big problem. (Note, there are real actors playing the roles in the game, but a separate sound track).
Visually the game is superior. The colors are vibrant and really pop. It's an exciting game and you can tell it's special just by the graphics.
It is VERY CHALLENGING. As I said above, it takes time to get used to all the ins and outs of the game. It requires a great deal of thought, (well, for me at least). But it is NOT drudgery. It is non-stop fun. I've been playing for two hours. I'm not a fast paced player. I'm enjoying every minute of this and am in no hurry for it to end.
The HOGs are tough. In some cases it's because the items are small. It's never because of graininess or poorly lit scenes (unless it's on purpose and you have to light a lamp i order to illuminate the HOG). The puzzles are intricate, and, like the rest of the game, require thought, concentration and skill. This isn't a problem. You'll appreciate it and when it's over you'll have a real sense of accomplishment.
The story line is straightforward and all the puzzles and HOGs push it along. The very first puzzle will explain the beginnings of the Mystery Tracker Agency.
Because I'm saying that this game requires a lot of thought, you might be thinking that it's not for beginners. Wrong. Yeah, it's tough, and it's a lot of work. A beginner might take a longer time to complete the game but I don't think he or she will be frustrated, I think they'll find it a very exciting way to start a new hobby.
Collector's Editions should offer something special and so this game does as well: There are 17 achievements, an integrated strategy guide, a couple of levels of playing difficulty, "shopping" for helpful items with "ducats" or coins you've collected on the way, a "go to" map and, finally, bonus gameplay.
At some point there may be an SE, but you don't want to wait for it! Get this now!!
I recommend this game!
Hop aboard to cross the border between life and death!
Overall rating
3
/
5
16 of 17 found this review helpful
It was DOA. It Came to Life. It Died Again.
PostedJune 29, 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
3
/
5
To my amazing disappointment, after reading a plethora of positive reviews, I conclude that this game is neutral. Not bad. Not good. In the middle. And that's the worst. If it were terrible, I'd have junked it. (And I came close). If it were great, I'd have played on with considerable speed because it's compelling. It was neither, so I played on, and did so slowly.
What happened?
The game begins very slowly. Clearly, early on, it's apparent that this game will be amusing. It does not disappoint in this regard. Along with the amusement factor, however, comes alarmingly slow game play. Every action is slow. Performing an action causes a reaction. The reaction takes FOREVER to happen. It's not snap, snap, snap. For example: I put a key in a lock. I know it's the right key. But it took way too long for the key to turn and then the box or chest or door or drawer to open. This probably seems nit-picky and not an important obstacle as you read this. But when you play the game, you'll find the rhythm is really interrupted because of the snail's-pace timing.
So, again, the beginning of the game, the first third, approximately, is VERY slow. Actions are performed and it's not really clear why. It's not clear what to do next. (I have never consulted a guide as often as I have the one in this game).
Then, MIRACULOUSLY, I got to a point in the game which was concise, thematically, and flowed perfectly. The mission was clear, how to achieve and succeed was fun. It was challenging but that's OK. I like that type of challenge....the challenge of a great game with puzzles that take time to understand and solve. This middle section of the game, which took me to the end of regulation play was GREAT and exactly what I'd hoped for.
This section ended abruptly, though and really had to go on. So to that point I would say, if there is an option between a SE versus a CE definitely get the CE. WARNING: though you need the bonus content to complete the game satisfyingly, and despite the fact that I'm saying you must get it....it is not good: the bonus play returns to the slow paced, seemingly not-well-thought-out first third of the game. In addition, it's interminable. It is constant back and fort.
Fun Factor: As I said, it's amusing. VERY. So I really liked that.
The audio-visuals are good. Much better than average. The Voice Overs are amusing on their own. The voice actors are hams...and it's really cool...so funny, affecting stereotypical accents (Spanglish). I hope game players won't find it offensive or insulting. I didn't, and I'm very sensitive to that sort of stuff. I just thought it was funny.
The level of challenge was adequate. At times, though, there were challenges that resulted from poor directions or, in one case, such a back and forth playing mode, that the challenge was trying to remember what you were really trying to accomplish.
The storyline was clear, funny, propelled throughout the game (even though sometimes I forgot what what I was doing and why).
I recommend the game because I think the best part, the middle part, is so good, it overwhelms the opening and closing parts. But this recommendation comes with all the caveats I have detailed in this review.
I recommend this game!
Crack codes, solve puzzles, and avoid traps laid out by a dangerous serial killer! Plot your escape in Trapped: The Abduction.
Overall rating
5
/
5
25 of 30 found this review helpful
I Couldn't Get Away From This Game
PostedJune 24, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I wish there were six stars available: I wouldn't give a sixth star, but I would then be punishing the story for its one deficit: a poor and abrupt ending. BUT, There aren't six so I STILL have to give it five stars for what it was, not what it wasn't.
An HOS-driven game is not what I ever like. This game, though, was one HOS after another. While the game was puzzling, there were no puzzles. (I note that the description of the story says "Crack codes, solve puzzles and avoid traps laid out by a dangerous serial killer! Plot your escape in Trapped: The Abduction." Well, it's not possible to "spoil" anything after that. That's exactly what the game is...except, again, I didn't see, skip, play. beat, etc,. any puzzles.
Fun Factor: The theme was creepy and I love being scared and taken up by the story. The developers accomplished this. I loved it from the very beginning,
Visual Sound Quality: Since it's a hidden object game, the objects are of prime importance. I thought they were difficult to see. It was a size issue, not a clarity issue. They weren't particularly well hidden or cleverly designed. They were just small. That was a problem.
As for sound, there was VERY CREEPY background music that was PERFECT. Many have complained about the kidnappers voice. I have no complaints. I thought his evil-sounding voice was the perfect complement to this frightening tale. The kidnapper toyed with his prey and his puppet-master voice sounded exactly like that: one minute cajoling and the next angry, but always, ALWAYS in control and that's what made this so on-target scary. The feminine voice of the victim played well against the polar opposite voice of evil.
Level of Challenge: It was basically find the objects listed. Only because of their small size were some hard to find. Like always, some of the items were done for once found while others were used to complete one scene and segue to the next. This was not particularly challenging.
Storyline: The whole game supported the story. A kidnapped girl in an abandoned, multi-room warehouse with a madman serial kidnapper/presumed serial murderer who can see every move and communicates with the victim.
Unfortunately, the game ended without a satisfying ending. I'll leave it at that. You'll know what I mean if you play the game.
You'll see from some of the reviews that is about a 50/50 split on whether or not this game is in good taste or epically twisted and sicko. Not sure what it says about me, but I loved it. I do not hesitate to recommend it to others, but if you are squeamish then maybe it's not a good idea. You could have some nightmares.
I've indicated that the game didn't present much of a challenge from the game playing perspective. Yet I have given it five stars. Clearly the game is greater than the sum of its parts.
I usually applaud a developer's effort to come up with something different. This gets a standing ovation. And that is why a game which would otherwise get four stars was awarded five by me.
I recommend this game!
Uncover the true murderer as you investigate a haunted house!
Overall rating
5
/
5
149 of 165 found this review helpful
THIS GAME IS NOT A CURSE!
PostedJune 20, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I don't know where to begin. This game is an instant classic in my opinion.
As usual, ERS has authored a game that is beyond comparison with other developers. It offers everything a gamer could possibly want: 3 modes of play, collectibles, excellent HOS (referred to as HOP for Puzzle), exceptional mini-games, and, in the CE, a bonus chapter of massive length, and from the perspective of the story line, a chapter of consequence.
It's a first person game: you are the detective that's been called in to solve the murder of a rich collector who's authored a book of wishes.
The game begins with a movie that is Disney quality: the characters are nearly animatronic. They look impossibly real. This game shows attention to detail that I have never seen before: in cut scenes, if you turn the sound off, I believe you could read the lips of the characters and know what they're saying. The voices, words, mouths are all in synch. In this movie you learn the premise of the story. Within the first hour of play you learn about the tasks you'll WANT to complete, and the collectibles you'll want to find.
While this is a very fun game it's also very complex. It is honestly not for beginners. This will sound crazy, but I think it takes dedication. I have never seen a game like this. When you finish it, you'll KNOW you've accomplished something (hey wait, am I talking about a game or curing some dreaded disease. Oh yeah, it's still a game!)
Like the other Haunted Legend games the fun factor is very high. There are little surprises at every turn. And the grumpy elf is back sounding, once again, like he stepped off a New York subway.
The visuals are rich. Colors more vibrant than any dream. The accompanying music adds the right degree of intensity and urgency. I don't suggest turning the sound down as some players do. If there is ANYTHING at all that is a little weak about this game it's the HOP: the scenes are not cluttered but the objects, unlike most other games, are very small and the difficulty of detection is not so much a result of clever hiding but their small size.
As I said above, it's a VERY challenging game. You're looking for many different collectibles along the way so it's necessary to inspect every scene very carefully.
When I read this I'm afraid I've put so much emphasis on the challenge that you'll wonder if it can possibly be fun. It is. It's a very satisfying game to play. I read other reviewers talking about how quickly they get through a game. I don't think it's possible with this game. I'm a slow player to begin with so I wince when read about a 5 hour game that took me 12. This game is longer. You will not regret it. You will not stop playing it. It will keep you up all night, I promise. It's 4:19am and I'm still up writing this review because I can't stop.
Don't wonder for even a moment if you should buy it. You should. I don't believe there is an SE at this point. You don't want to wait...because when you start playing this you'll feel like this is the game you've been waiting for forever.
I recommend this game!
Rescue your canine companion, and solve the mystery of Houndspoint!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
It's Not a Dog, but it is NOT fierce, either.
PostedJune 19, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I liked this game, but only liked it. In no way did I find it to be a five-star game and in no individual category did I feel a five-star rating was justified. I'm not sure what other gamesters were playing.
Overall it was a 3/5 for me. (I've tried to be a little more circumspect about handing out 4s and 5s. Admittedly, 6 months ago I'd have given this a 4 probably).
Fun Factor: The game was a lot more fun at the beginning when I felt it progressed at a good pace and was always moving forward. The second half of the game it became increasingly back and forth. In the Bonus CE gameplay it WAS ANNOYINGLY CONSTANT BACK AND FORTH.
Part of what made this game fun was the dog theme. I like dogs and there were a couple of cuties, albeit animated.
The developers did make an effort to do something different, and I'm all for that: they added "super powers." Essentially, this is heightened abilities. You have to do something to enact them. Unfortunately, while they tried, they failed. It was pretty lame, and one super power was incomprehensible to me.
Visual/Sound Quality: It was good visually. HOGs were clear, not junk piles. Sound quality was good as well, but nothing special. If this says anything about the game overall, I can't even remember if there were voice overs. I remember scenes where there could have been, but the text was written at the bottom of the screen, not necessarily indicative of anything.
Level of Challenge: The challenge to this game was artificial because there were lots of scenes in many places. While it was easy to remember where I wanted to go, it was hard to remember how to get there. This isn't a true challenge. I didn't need any special powers of deduction to figure out what came next. I prefer a lot more in a five-star game.
The HOGs presented a bit of a challenge. Not extraordinary, but better than many. The puzzles were way too simple. With only a couple of exceptions, they required no thought and therefore were not satisfying to conquer.
Storyline: Most of the games we play are fantasy and border on the absurd. This was beyond even that, IMO. I'm not giving anything away: you know it's got a dog theme. Put two and two together...Dog theme, Dog Heart...you can figure it out.
I was bothered by the poor effort at employing idiomatic English. In one HOG I spent what seemed like forever trying to find a Life Circle, thinking it was like a dreamcatcher or something similar. It turns out it was a life saver. It wasn't difficult to figure out that a pin pillow is a pin cushion, but there is my point...it's a pin cushion, not a pin pillow. There are several examples of this. The producers should have hired an editor.
Although the bonus play was, by far, the longest chapter in the game, it was also the worst chapter. And, despite the length of the chapter, it didn't feel like there was a build up to a dramatic, explosive ending. The ending was abrupt. Artistically, the end was very, very poor: one character, meant to resemble a (take a guess) actually looked like a person in a halloween costume. Since the character was drawn anyway I'd have taken the opposite approach: make a dog that looked a little like a person, not a person with a dog costume on.
Finally, there was a go-to map. I'm not sure if this is a CE only feature. I know I complained about all the back and forth. I know I could have avoided it by employing the map. To me, though, that's a little cheat-like so I don't do it. If you're ok with using a map for "getting there," I believe this is state of the art.
I might have graded this higher if I'd played the SE and not the CE. My expectations would have been lower. I think CEs should have something more than just an extra chapter, like achievements and/or special objects (morphs). Not to be found in this game.
While I will recommend this game, it is with and asterisk: buy the SE, not the CE.
I recommend this game!
Celtic folklore seems to be more truth than lore when the Samhain festival goers disappear! Find the missing people and save the day!
Overall rating
2
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
Not a Legendary Game, sadly.
PostedJune 14, 2013
sfr8rfan
fromWalnut Creek, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This game was less than OK. Based on the very positive reviews I expected near perfection.
a. The best part of the game were the HOS. In all fairness, they were excellent. Among the best I've seen. They were hard, and presented a big challenge, not as a result of bad coloring or junk piles or poor descriptions. The objects were just very well placed and hidden. This would have been a good purpose for the game and a good place to stop.
b. There was a lot of variety in the puzzles. Some were hard some were not. But this is the biggest letdown with the game:easy or hard, the instructions were absolutely terrible. They were not clear and they were not instructive. Success was either because the puzzle was super-easy or a result of trial and error without knowing what I was doing.
c. There were achievements but no collectibles. The achievements were earned in the normal course of the game: not skipping puzzles and not using hints for the HOG. One achievement, "Take more than 10 minutes to complete a puzzle" I achieved because I left the room and forgot to turn off the game.
d. The visual quality of the HOGs was very good, as I alluded to above. The rest was not impressive at all. The sound quality was lacking or really not applicable as there wasn't much sound. Music was spare and I don't recall any VOs. There was one scene where the background music was genuinely spectacular: it built as the tension built and made me feel like I was trying to beat the clock. This was good.
e. Outside of the HOG, the challenge factor was not quite OK..really a 2.5 out of 5. I like to understand how a game is progressing and then find challenges with that knowledge. It was very hard to follow what was going on without constantly consulting the strategy guide. There was a LOT of back an forth and while that's challenging, it's also referred to by another name: a waste of time.
f. I complained about this in two consecutive games now: the grammar was off. It doesn't seem like an English speaker wrote the text and clearly there was no editing. I'd point to the puzzle instructions as the prime best example. Still, there were other, very clear, very straightforward errors.
g. The story line was hard to follow. As I played the game I forgot what the premise was and thus the reason I was doing things. I just knew I had to get the bad guy. There were very few characters. The town was abandoned. The hero, her companion who was a victim; a father-daughter duo and finally one "out of left field" character was it. In an otherwise empty city, one character just appeared, needed saving, hung around to thank his hero (me!) and that was it: he played no role whatsoever in the progress of the story. Inventory acquisition at times made no sense. It was just there because it has to be in an HOG.
I'm starting to ramble...and that reminds me too much of the game. Sorry. I'm surprised with myself here, but, I'm not going to recommend this game. For one thing, it's definitely not worth $14. But beyond that, I didn't play the bonus content because I just wanted it to be over. The game was a half-off promo and I still don't think it was worth it.
I'd avoid this. Final warning: I got it after the one-hour trial. I almost always do the trial now, not wanting to depend on other reviewers. I remember being on the fence about this, but it was a promo so I got it. I regret the decision.
I don't recommend this game.