mouser9169's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:292
- Reviews Submitted:90
- First Review:October 20, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 24, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Uncover the mystery behind an artist’s deadly talent!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
An ok game - good for kids or beginners
PostedJanuary 12, 2014
mouser9169
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This review is based on a complete playthrough.
First, I played the CE, so let me tell you what you're not getting: A bonus story an hour long, some achievements that let you replay the identical puzzles and HOS your played during the game, and the Strategy Guide which you will not need.
THE GOOD: It's a simple game that doesn't try to be anything else. The story's been done before: Kid goes missing, Parent (unspecified) goes looking, has to solve a 'mystery', predictable plot 'twist', and the end.
The artwork was very well done, particularly the paintings, which are major focus of the game. The sound fit the scenes for the most part, though it did get repetitive.
Going with the 'simple' theme: there are a variety of puzzles: most of them I would call easy with a couple of 'moderate' difficulty ones thrown in (you have the skip button if you need it). The 'black bar' hints tell you exactly what you are going to need to accomplish your 'goal' in an area, with some bad puns along the way: "I'm going to need an extra hand for this" two screens later you're ripping the arm off a mannequin. So if you can read, you can get through this game (IMO anyone 6 or 7 or older should be fine)
THE BAD: No map, but you don't really need one as there aren't many areas at a time.
No lip synching: this, along with the dialog, makes the characters feel 'flat' and very one dimensional. Not enough to ruin the story though.
Short game: taking my time, using only a couple of hints, the game took me less than four hours, probably closer to three. If you take more time with the puzzles your time will be longer.
THE UGLY: Not much to say here. So long as you understand the kind of game you're getting (all about the story, simple, not challenging), you should have fun with it. The SE is definitely the better buy for the this game IMHO.
I recommend this game!
Uncover the mystery behind an artist’s deadly talent.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
An ok game - good for kids or beginners
PostedJanuary 12, 2014
mouser9169
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This review is based on a complete playthrough of the main game and bonus content.
This would be a good game for young children or people just starting out with the adventure games. The puzzles are simple (most are really variation on the same theme), the HOS aren't hard (no clicking penalty), and the story is decent.
First - The bonus material (or why should I pay double for this game?): The bonus game isn't bad. It took me a little over an hour, maybe more. It had some decent puzzles in it, a HOS, and a 'continuation' of the main plot, with pointers to a sequel.
The other stuff? There are achievements which 'unlock' replaying the puzzles and the HOS, so when you finish the game, you can go back and do them again, but they are the identical puzzles and scenes you already did. The achievements are almost all things you have to do to finish the game, so they aren't really challenges or things you can go out of your way to do.
You also get the wallpapers, concept art, strategy guide, etc...
My review:
THE GOOD: The graphics were well done. Widescreen was actually widescreen - you got to see more 'real estate' rather than stretching out and deforming the flat screen picture.
The artwork throughout the game was very nice. The storyline, though it's a common one, was presented well. The music, for the most part was fitting for the scenes. No maniac doctors or "witches" with grudges against the world.
It's a simple game that doesn't try to be anything else. It's mostly all about the story, which is a good one, though it could have been told better - Kid missing, mystery in the way, predictable 'twist' ending, ends happy (for you anyway). The story is 100% tied up in the main ending.
The black bar tips (Good or Bad - you're POV): They really go out of their way to tell you what you need to do, to the point of naming the tools you'll need to get, along with some bad puns (" I'll need a helping hand for this" ... two screens later you're ripping the arm off a mannequin).
THE BAD: No lip synching at all. You can't check your achievements in game, and once you 'earn' one you can't see what the achievement was for, so be sure to check them before you start playing if you care about those things.
No map, though you really don't need one because there aren't many areas.
It wasn't a very long game. Even with only the occasional hint (though you can't really avoid the 'black bar' tips unless you close your eyes or cover the screen) it took me less than four hours for the main game, and I wasn't rushing through it by any means.
THE UGLY: While the story wasn't bad, the dialog and voice acting left most of the characters 'flat' and one-dimensional.
Bottom line: It's a good game for a child (anyone over five or six should be able to enjoy the game), or someone just starting out with these games or who just wants a nice story with some Stuff to Do along the way.
You won't go wrong if you get the SE on this one. IMHO the bonus chapter isn't worth the price of another game, and as I noted above, you get a complete story. As a Collector's Edition though, I can only give it three stars.
So long as you understand what you're getting, it's an ok game.
I recommend this game!
Something wicked has taken over Fate’s Carnival!
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
And things were never the same again...
PostedJanuary 10, 2014
mouser9169
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This review is based on a complete playthrough of the game plus bonus content.
This is a game that changes all the rules of this genre. I can't call it a 'casual' game - this took a LONG time and a LOT of work and brain power (and sleeping on things a few times) before I got through it. It's Adventure; it's Puzzle; it's HO - and it's good - very, very good. Better than a lot of games I've paid a lot more for.
OK, the review:
First the CE stuff (or why should I pay double for this game?): The bonuses are many, varied, and interesting.
The bonus game continues the story and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger of it's own, pointing at a sequel. The puzzles in the bonus were hard. I spent easily three or more hours on the "bonus" game and found it more challenging and 'gripping' than a lot of SE games I've played. IMHO the bonus game could be released as a SE and it would still be better than a lot of what's out there - so yes, you are getting your money's worth.
Other extras: A room you can 'decorate' by buying things for your cat. You can play solitaire, which gives you "old pounds" to spend on those items, in addition to all the money you find in the game (if you want to get everything, you'll need to play at least a bit). Cards you collect in the game replace the face cards in the deck. Lots of achievements, some are pretty hard to get - like solve ten HOS in a row each in under three minutes.
You also get concept art, wallpapers, a video preview of an upcoming title, the strategy guide, and probably some other stuff: bobble head doll collectibles as well as the cards mentioned above.
I played the game on the middle difficulty: No hints, No skips, No task list, No sparkles. I really, really tried to avoid using the SG, and I think I kept it to under 10 times for the whole game+bonus. The next difficulty up doesn't let the cursor change over 'active' areas, and the highest difficulty is timed: you can only play that after you beat the game once.
Now for the game:
THE GOOD: Everything (I know - no game is perfect, but this is close). Seriously, this game rocked the house! Graphics were great. Looked good on my large monitor (not widescreen - I don't get why people want to play these games in widescreen - it just makes people look fat and turns circles into footballs). Music was good, not so obtrusive I had to turn it off - it fit the mood of the game pretty well.
I don't know exactly how long I played the game. At least ten hours. A lot of that was me going back and forth trying to figure out the next step, or what to use, or find something I missed. If you play on an easier difficulty you'll probably finish in under six hours. Just my guess. I played it over several days, and sleeping on some of the puzzles did help.
The puzzles - there were the normal minigames you find in most HOPA's, but then there were 'super puzzles'. This is going way back to the start of the series with those Rube Goldberg-esque machines. They aren't simple machines though, rather they are a bunch of smaller puzzles all put together on one board that have to be solved in a certain order (which you have to figure out) to finally get the prize and move on. There is a 'puzzle hint' button that worked even on my difficulty level. It gives you pretty direct advice if you're stuck. I used it deliberately two or three times (accidentally clicked on it a few more).
The hidden object scenes were well done - each one has a 'puzzle' you have to solve to find one item on the list. Are you noticing a theme, yet? Some of them are fairly easy - one of them I still don't know how I was supposed to figure it out (it was color based, so it could be my old eyes).
You don't need to have played the other Ravenhearst games, but doing so will help you understand what's going on. I skipped Escape, and wish I had played it first so I could understand some of the references better.
The story makes sense (at least, in that universe), and you feel pulled to go along with the game (no spoilers here). I consider this a good: you can do more than a few things non-linearly. If you're one to check the SG frequently, that may make finding where you are a bit more difficult, but I like the freedom it brings to the gameplay, rather than one long string of 'find this', 'use this here', put this there, solve this, lather, rinse, repeat. Of course some things still have to be done in order (story progressing things).
The SG stays open to where you used it last. What the SG calls chapters aren't really clean breaks like you have in some games. I consider the main game to consist of two major parts - each pretty long, then the bonus which takes place sort of where the first part of the game did, but the locations have changed because of what happened (no spoilers, remember?)
The 'normal' game ends conclusively - so if you are looking at the SE, you won't be cheated out of an ending.
You can 'reset' the game and play again at a different difficulty if you want to get the achievements or collectibles that you missed. If you want to get them all, you have to do this since you can't get the Alister's Watch achievement on your first playthrough.
Standard location style map - you can jump to any location. When you mouse over each one you get a small 'screencap' to help you remember which one it is.
THE BAD: I can't think of much to put here. I can't speak to the hints or the task system, since they weren't available at my difficulty - I'm sure other reviews have talked about them.
If you're looking for an easy, relaxing game - this isn't it. It's the closest a HOPA has come to 'Nancy Drew' difficulty that I've found.
If you're looking for an easy, relaxing game - this isn't it. It's the closest a HOPA has come to 'Nancy Drew' difficulty that I've found.
Keeping your own notebook is almost mandatory if you don't want to rely on hints. That could be a 'bad' if you aren't used to it from other games. There is a journal that records some important information (and has puzzles to solve, as well) so you aren't totally lost, but remembering the little details is up to you.
A couple of puzzles had me really stumped - they were visually based, and even on my large monitor (27" flat screen - not wde) there were some things I just couldn't notice - mainly with muted shades of color on small objects. You can chalk that up to my old eyes though.
The Ugly: Not much. There were no real bugs. Some of the black bar one-liners were kind of corny and got repetitive. One interactive object is an old rotary dial phone - the detective comments it's been so long she's not sure she remembers how to use one. I do remember - and unless they made the phones differently in the U.K., the dial in the game turned backwards.
It's a small thing - but you get can find a bobble head doll of the 'Master Detective' (ie: you) that does a little laugh thing. If you've got a certain picture of your character after all these games, seeing their portrayal of it may break that image a bit.
And I don't know if this was meant to be an inside joke or not, but you have a perfect 'Chekov's flare gun' hanging for a large part of the game.
I know that's a long review but it's a long game - and I do believe it can be one that helps push this genre to new limits. Put this one on your buy list - It would be worth it even at the full non-game club price. Can't recommend this one strongly enough - but play the earlier games first if you can (Easily my new favorite BFG).
I recommend this game!
The residents of Bitterford, Maine have fallen prey to a terrible curse. It’s up to you to unravel the series of mysterious events that led to the town’s downfall and uncover the evil that was responsible.
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 6 found this review helpful
Not bad as an SE
PostedDecember 7, 2013
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'm copying this over from the CE review - they're virtually the same:
This review is based on a completed playthrough of the Standard Game and Bonus Content:
First, the Bonus Content (or why should I pay double for this game?): There isn't any. Ok, there is - one tiny (seriously tiny) little area that when you finish the two puzzles you get to find morphing objects.
No bonus chapter, no extended storyline, yes you get wallpaper and screensavers and other stuff I don't care about but maybe you do. To me, the Bonus Game is the heart of a CE, and this game just doesn't have one:
Ok, now to review the rest of the game:
THE GOOD: It's different. Not the storyline, we've seen that before, but they tried some different mechanics out. Rather than finding a hidden object scene, the hidden objects are part of regular scenes (you see the list on the screens you can find objects). Then you get 'pictures' - reminded of the old 'viewfinder' reels. You match up the pictures in your inventory with the parts of the scenes that they match. It gives you a reason to remember what you've seen.
There were 'scares' without it being a scary game, if that makes sense. Those moments that make you jump even though you see them coming a mile away. Not too many of them - enough to keep you on your toes.
THE BAD: Lighting in the scenes. Way too much dark where 'hidden' objects were. I can easily say I have never used the Hint button more times in a single game ever (more on the hint system later). Dark scene after dark scene.
The 'puzzle' skip timer restarted whenever you exited and re-entered a puzzle, which wouldn't have been a bad thing if the puzzles didn't make you want to do that to try and figure them out... I can almost always figure puzzles out. I don't know whether these were just that difficult or that unclear or the darkness simply sapped the will from my soul, but I skipped more than a couple.
Glitches in the 'task list' (and Strategy Guide): Sometimes going back to an earlier area and 'looking' at something would reset the task list. The worst was at the end of the game when it suddenly went back to Chapter 3... The Strategy Guide was the worst I've ever seen (not that I do many CE's or even use them in the games I have) - all you get are pictures with no instructions. Figuring the SG out was a puzzle all its own.
THE UGLY: If you've read any of the reviews you've heard about the acting. Honestly, it's not the acting that was bad - but the script she was given:
"The mother in me says that bringing that <object of immeasurable EVIL> home to his family was irresponsible, but part of me says he wasn't in his right mind."
Audrey Hepburn couldn't pull lines like that off.
The character herself was supposed to be an 'over the top' psychic working on a 'Ghost chasers' type of show: CassAHHndra. She played the role she was given, it was just subpar writing, to put it nicely. Which is a shame because these guys have shown they are capable of much, much better.
Maybe after Escape From Ravenhearst they wanted to do a game that didn't take itself too seriously. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on that one.
Bottom line: I can give it four stars as a SE. CE I couldn't even recommend.
I recommend this game!
The residents of Bitterford, Maine have fallen prey to a terrible curse. It’s up to you to unravel the series of mysterious events that led to the town’s downfall and uncover the evil that was responsible.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Skip the CE - SE part not bad
PostedDecember 7, 2013
mouser9169
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This review is based on a completed playthrough of the Standard Game and Bonus Content:
First, the Bonus Content (or why should I pay double for this game?): There isn't any. Ok, there is - one tiny (seriously tiny) little area that when you finish the two puzzles you get to find morphing objects.
No bonus chapter, no extended storyline, yes you get wallpaper and screensavers and other stuff I don't care about but maybe you do. To me, the Bonus Game is the heart of a CE, and this game just doesn't have one:
Ok, now to review the rest of the game:
THE GOOD: It's different. Not the storyline, we've seen that before, but they tried some different mechanics out. Rather than finding a hidden object scene, the hidden objects are part of regular scenes (you see the list on the screens you can find objects). Then you get 'pictures' - reminded of the old 'viewfinder' reels. You match up the pictures in your inventory with the parts of the scenes that they match. It gives you a reason to remember what you've seen.
There were 'scares' without it being a scary game, if that makes sense. Those moments that make you jump even though you see them coming a mile away. Not too many of them - enough to keep you on your toes.
THE BAD: Lighting in the scenes. Way too much dark where 'hidden' objects were. I can easily say I have never used the Hint button more times in a single game ever (fortunately, the hint system was generally good). Dark scene after dark scene.
The 'puzzle' skip timer restarted whenever you exited and re-entered a puzzle, which wouldn't have been a bad thing if the puzzles didn't make you want to do that to try and figure them out... I can almost always figure puzzles out. I don't know whether these were just that difficult or that unclear or the darkness simply sapped the will from my soul, but I skipped more than a couple.
Glitches in the 'task list' (and Strategy Guide): Sometimes going back to an earlier area and 'looking' at something would reset the task list. The worst was at the end of the game when it suddenly went back to Chapter 3... The Strategy Guide was the worst I've ever seen (not that I do many CE's or even use them in the games I have) - all you get are pictures with no instructions. Figuring the SG out was a puzzle all its own.
THE UGLY: If you've read any of the reviews you've heard about the acting. Honestly, it's not the acting that was bad - but the script she was given:
"The mother in me says that bringing that <object of immeasurable EVIL> home to his family was irresponsible, but part of me says he wasn't in his right mind."
Audrey Hepburn couldn't pull lines like that off.
The character herself was supposed to be an 'over the top' psychic working on a 'Ghost chasers' type of show: CassAHHndra. She played the role she was given, it was just subpar writing, to put it nicely. Which is a shame because these guys have shown they are capable of much, much better.
Maybe after Escape From Ravenhearst they wanted to do a game that didn't take itself too seriously. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on that one.
Bottom line: It's not a bad buy as a SE (if you can get it on sale, even better). If any other publisher had put this out I'd probably be really impressed, but MCF has set such a high bar to meet with their previous titles, and not every game can be Dire Grove.
As a Collector's Edition though, it's not worth the extra dough.
I don't recommend this game.
Travel to Red Lake Falls to track down the latest Dark Dimension!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Game needed better beta testing
PostedDecember 5, 2013
mouser9169
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This review is based on a complete playthrough of the SE game.
I used to get a lot of beta test 'invites' from Big Fish. Wish I had gotten this one, the game really needed it. When it opened up with a typo (repeated line) in the first page of the journal and a scorecard where the numbers didn't add up, I had a bad feeling about the rest of the game.
I wanted to like this game. I like the premise. I like the main character. I like the villain (in a 'love to hate' way). The game just didn't 'click' for me.
THE GOOD: Starting with the positives - the graphics were excellent, the cutscenes were very well done. The way the story arc unfolded explaining a bit more about each character at a time was brilliant. By the time you got the end, you knew a lot about each character and their true intentions and motivations.
The journal recorded things (generally papers or pictures you picked up) in the order you found them. Small thing, but it helps keep it 'real'. There were only a few times the journal knew more than it should, and they were minor things you found out almost immediately after in the game. "Your" notes on each page were also very well done.
THE BAD: Hope you got sneakers on, cause you're gonna be doing a lot of walking. No map, and while I'm not always a huge fan of the transporting and information giving maps, this game needed something. You went back and forth so many times. The HOS were fairly well done, with some really hard to find objects in each scene (which I always though was the point - why play a HOG and then complain the stuff isn't easy to find). There were a few times though were the item names were vague, or even 'wrong' from an American English point of view: "tumbler" for a toggle switch as an example.
You also repeated the scenes, sometimes almost immediately after doing them the first time. Scene, use the object, back to the same scene. They did that twice, and more scenes were repeated with a bit more time in between.
The puzzles: I like hard, challenging puzzles. I don't like puzzles where I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do. I skipped two during the game for this reason (and I almost _never_ skip puzzles. One of them I still don't understand after reading the blog walkthrough after finishing the game. On the plus side they made a small modification to a 'classic' puzzle that made sure you really understand how the puzzle works, and not just doing the moves you know from having done it a dozen times before.
The selection boxes on the screens were way too large. I was clicking on a car in the middle of the street wondering why it had a gate latch on it until I realized I was selecting the gate on side street more than a inch of clear space away on my monitor. That pattern persisted through the whole game.
THE UGLY: Between the running around, trying to figure out what objects were used for what (I played on the easier of the two settings), the game just didn't give itself a chance to flow properly. What should have been a great, developing story was constantly interrupted by running around aimlessly back and forth with no map hoping you stumble on what to do next.
The "Hint" bar got stuck in a 'loop' at least once I can remember - what should happen is you try to use an item, realize it doesn't work as is, so you take it back and then go do something to it. The 'hint' would tell you to place the item and pick it back up, but then it went right back to place the item again. When you were at a point you needed to solve a puzzle to advance it went into "there is nothing for you to find here" mode.
Some of the thing you had to do just made no sense, even in a 'Dark Dimension'. Without spoiling anything - filling a container with water so that a metal object will rise to the top where you can pick it up. There were a few like that.
BOTTOM LINE: The story does end well, with enough clues that I think I can guess what the Bonus Content would be - but maybe it would surprise me. I didn't feel like I was cheated out of an ending. The game was long enough, even longer with all the 'trekking' but even if there was an interactive map the game would take most people four hours or more. With all the problems though, I can't give the game a good rating.
If you can get it on a 2.99 for the day or a half price sale, then I'd say get it, especially if you liked City of Fog. There were a few nice refereces to that game that those who played it would recognize and appreciate. So with that caveat, and if you can put up with the running around, I'll call it a half-buy?
I recommend this game!
Trail a wild pack of dogs rumored to have risen from the dead in this haunting Adventure mystery game.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Nice take on Hound of the Baskervilles
PostedDecember 2, 2013
mouser9169
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This review is based on a complete playthrough as a senior detective.
First, this is one of the early games so it does use the 'clunky' interface. Personally, I don't mind it that much, but I remember when all games were like that (or worse) back in the day.
THE GOOD: I was able to go through the whole game as a senior detective without resorting to forums, walkthroughs. or hints from Bess and George or the Hardy Boys (yes, you can call them in this game). That doesn't mean it was easy, some of the "puzzles" had me stumped for a while - like "sleep on it" while. There is enough information in the game if you take notes and keep your wits about you for you to figure things out. The game took a full day and parts of two others, so it's plenty long.
Everything made sense. Ok, you know the dogs aren't really ghosts (sorry if that's a spoiler ;p ) so someone must be using them. You've got exactly three people you can talk to which leaves you with exactly three suspects. The story followed a logical progression, and the puzzles were where you would 'expect' puzzles to be (ie: a code on a safe, not some random minigame to open the next door). Two of them were the same kind of puzzle, but I can forgive them for that.
The new 'gadget' for this game is a pda - be sure to check your inventory for it. This records a lot of information for you, as well as gives you some clues (more on that later). Doesn't replace the need for you to take your own notes and pay attention though.
You've got your "death trap" and "chase" scenes. Both were well done and took me more than a few tries to figure out.
Each of the three 'suspects' was at the top of my list at different times.
They did a great job revealing the story bit by bit.
THE BAD: The dogs show up the first night - no surprise given the game title. But I must've stayed in that house a month with all the time switching I had to do, and I never saw the ghost dogs again. They could have used that as something to keep you on 'edge' - you hear them coming, you have 30 seconds or a minute (plenty of time once you learn the way - and you WILL learn the way) to get back to the house. Seeing them more than once would've been nice because they were just plain wicked cool too.
Going back and forth through the woods got tedious. It's really the only location you can 'explore' though, and you can find a map for it. You'll be walking back and forth in there a lot, so pay attention to the 'landmarks' (already marked on the map).
Lack of locations in general. The people all stay in the same spots, and you travel to the single room they are in to talk to them. The house and the woods are the only real 'multi-room' locations - still more than some of the games though.
The PDA. It's your 'task list' and a journal rolled into one. I'm putting it in the bad because as senior detective I don't want the game telling me what's important and giving me clues (the PDA frequently suggests your next step - and even 'solves' at least one puzzle for you). For Junior Detective that would be fine. Maybe it gives even more information there. You do need to read it though, because there a few things that you only learn through that blasted thing IIRC. If I play through the game again I'll see if that's true or not.
THE UGLY: The map auto-updates (again, shouldn't on Senior), and I'll mention the PDA/Journal here again because that really irked me. It was like they kept wanting to show off this new thing they managed to put in the game.
The graphics by today's standards were pretty lackluster, though I'm sure they looked great at the time they were made. Never so bad that I didn't know what I was looking at or couldn't find what I needed.
The music kept switching from one theme to another. One was relaxing, one was tense/suspenseful. If they kept one for day and one for night, or one for the house and one for the woods it might've been ok, but the way it was 'jarred' me for a while every time it switched.
One reviewer commented that this game doesn't have a "theme" - it does, the "theme" is the ghost dogs - without giving anything away that isn't already in the game title, everything revolves around them. I found it a nice change from ancient cultures and such.
On a "Cool" note they managed to work in a cameo from a bit player in a previous game.
I recommend it wholeheartedly. Even with the pda it leaves enough for you to figure out to really get the 'little gray cells' working, and the 'quests' were just enough to get me frustrated, but not quite 'ragequit'. Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake just replaced Dire Grove as my 'favorite game'.
It's a far cry from all the 'adventure' games with sparklies and here's an object, ooh here's an identically shaped keyhole games, but if you're looking at a Nancy Drew title, you know that already.
I recommend this game!
Discover the Red Riding Hood Sisters and defeat the nefarious Wolf Queen!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Great SE buy!
PostedNovember 28, 2013
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I finally decided to give one of the 'Dark Parables' a try after reading so many good reviews, and I wasn't disappointed.
First off, the storyline ends properly. New questions are raised at the end, which may be answered in the CE - that's the way to do it. I've said in other reviews a SE story still needs to stand solid on its own, and this one does. Kudos to the developers for doing that.
Now the game:
I played it over several sittings on the middle difficulty. There are lots of Chapters, but some of them are very short, so that's not really a good barometer of the game length. I'd say it was at least four or five hours long. I certainly didn't feel cheated in that department..
I'm sure you've read about the HOS and how they work. Most of the 'items' could be found by just looking at the picture and clicking on 'what doesn't belong', but there are usually a few you'll need to actually look for. I had to use the hint a couple times, but could usually find them with some effort. The scenes are repeated, and even some of the items you need form each scene. They struck a good balance between Adventure / Hidden Object Scenes / Puzzles.
The map. Honestly, it looks exactly like the maps generated by ZMud when you go through those text games (precursors to modern MMO's). Pretty much useless. If ever a game needed a transporting map, this was it. You run back and forth. A LOT. Then you run back and forth some more. By the end of the game I had memorized and order to go through and check every room.
Difficulty: There was at least one 'key' type item that I never found - not sure if that is something for the CE or I just didn't find it. If it was there, it was 'optional' as the game and story were fine without it. There are 'parable' pieces to find. Each collection of four tells a parable when you collect them all - nice touch and a way to bring some 'lore' into the game. You do have the 'cursed objects' in the SE. I think i got 12 out of 20. They make your hint bar recharge faster, which doesn't do a whole lot, but its something. I'm glad they didn't go with the 'one morphing object in each room' pattern, as that actually makes them easier to find (you know one is there somewhere, you just have to click on the right spot). I didn't count the rooms but there are a lot more than 20.
The minigames were new, or at least new variations on old themes. I'm not going to say they were difficult - they could have been, but the devs decided to make persistence pay off rather than being forced to solve the challenge: I'm thinking especially of the 'wolf' game near the end. Dinging a star for that.
The sound and graphics were great. The style grew on me as I was playing. The cut scenes were well done, with a few lip synching issues that most people probably won't notice.
Bottom line: it's a solid HOPA with a good story (one of the characters from an earlier game in the series even makes a 'cameo') that plays and finishes well as a Standard Edition..
I recommend this game!
Experience a story about love so strong, it can overcome the most powerful evil! Explore visually stunning mystical dimensions and rescue your fiance!
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
So close, but not quite
PostedNovember 22, 2013
mouser9169
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
My review is based on a complete playthrough of the game (and CE content).
First off, differences for the CE: The only real bonus you get is the bonus chapter, which answers some questions you'll still have after this game ends. Personally, I hate that - a SE should end conclusively. There are objects you can collect but you don't get anything for them.
The Good - the graphics are top notch. I was able to kick the resolution up to 1900x1220 and the game looked crystal clear. I've read review about audio not 'syncing' in the cutscenes. Could be a GPU issue - they worked fine for me.
The game was a good five or six hours. You've got an intro, four scenes, and then the game ends. I can't even call it a proper outro, the game just wraps up and ends as fast as possible.
Each of the four 'ghost stories' was a nice vignette on its own.
Sound was good, if a bit monotonous after a while. It did fit the atmosphere of the game well, for the most part.
The map is interactive: it teleports you (and there's a lot of backtracking) and shows you where you still have Stuff To Do(tm). Personally, that was all the help I needed to finish the main game. I played on the highest difficulty: there were no sparklies anywere, but the cursor changed when you moused over something 'interactive'.
The Bad: HOS are repeated. They all follow the same formula: each one has a container with 'little things' in it. There are few things you have to move around and one thing you have to put together.
The minigames were forgettable. One I ended up skipping - and I still have no idea what I was supposed to do to finish it that I didn't already try several times. Nothing new here.
The Ugly: The story leaves too many unanswered questions. These get answered in the Bonus Chapter of the CE. Personally, I hate this: I think it's a bad road for developers to take and one we, as players, shouldn't accept. A SE should end conclusively.
If you didn't already play the first game, and don't figure out what the 'theme' to a Sacra Terra game is, a few things won't make sense (this is more of an issue in the CE bonus chapter).
Bottom line: Maybe it's because I'm comparing it to the first game (Angelic Nights), but this one just didn't do it for me. It came so close though. If you don't mind some lingering questions, then it may be a good buy for you as a SE - especially if you can ever get it on sale. I can't recommend the CE at all.
I don't recommend this game.
Experience a story about love so strong, it can overcome the most powerful evil! Explore visually stunning mystical dimensions and rescue your fiance!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
And I was really looking forward to this one
PostedNovember 22, 2013
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Review based on Complete Playthrough of Game and Bonus Chapter.
As always, first off the CE stuff (why should I pay double for this game?):
- the bonus chapter wraps up some questions you'll still have after the main story. Personally, I hate it when games do this. I want the SE portion to be a complete game. I had to split playing the bonus chapter over two days, and unlike the main game, I had completely forgotten a lot of what stuff was for and what I was doing. The story just wasn't there for me.
Other than that , not much reason I can think of to get the CE on this one (glad I got it on sale). You have 'beyond objects' you can find, but you get absolutely nothing for finding them all - and since the map tells you where they are and the cursor changes when you mouse over them... let's just say it isn't hard to complete the collection.
There are no achievements, no 'personal space' to decorate, no replayable minigames (not that any were memorable enough to want to replay). None of the stuff we've come to expect from top end CE's.
You also won't "get" quite a bit of what's happening, especially in the bonus chapter, if you didn't play the first Sacra Terra game or don't somehow catch on to the theme (why I am getting a ham?).
Now for the 'normal' game:
The Good:
Graphics were top notch. Cutscenes were well done - not live action, but still very nice. I read reviews where they didn't sync up - could be a GPU issue, mine played flawlessly.
Sound was nice - not too obtrusive and pretty much kept to the theme. It did get a little too monotonous over time though. There were places they could have gone with a change of music, and I really wish they had.
The length - main game was a good five or six hours. I split up playing over three days, playing a couple hours or so each day. I had no problem remembering what was going on in the story or what I was supposed to do.
The story has been done enough times: Evil witch steals fiancee; Hey! let's go get him back; No, ghosts and demons don't bother me; wrapup.
You've got an intro, four complete 'scenes' and then the game just ends. I can't even call it a proper outro. It's like realizing there's only sixty seconds left to finish a TV show so they wrap everything up as best they can all at once.
Each of the scenes/chapters is a mini "ghost story" in it's own right. You solve the ghost's problems, and you get one step closer to solving your own. For vignettes, they did very well story wise here.
The map: it teleports you - which is very helpful as there's a lot of back and forth, and it shows you where there is still Stuff to Do(tm) - some may consider that a bad thing. Personally, that was pretty much all the 'help' system I needed, especially in the main game. The Bonus Chapter I needed to use hints a few more times.
The Bad:
Hidden object scenes get repeated. At least most of them aren't random junkpiles. None of the minigames were really memorable. I skipped one in the BC (I had the orientation of the puzzle wrong in my head), and one in the main game (I still have no idea what I needed to do to 'solve' that one that I hadn't already tried).
The Ugly:
I said it at the top, I'll say it again here: I hate stories where you need the bonus content to understand what happened. I think it's a bad road for companies to go down - one we, as players, shouldn't accept.
Pretty much no extras to make it CE worthy, other than the bonus chapter (which wasn't enough on its own IMHO).
A few times the game stretched the 'suspension of disbelief' for me. Ok, you're in a story about demons and such, but (to take one example): you activate an auto-inflating lifeboat. Then you cut a gash in the side so it deflates. So far, so good. Then you slap some glue on the cut and it's a fully inflated, working lifeboat again... Probably won't bother most people, pet peeve of mine when it happens too often.
Bottom line - it's close, but it didn't make it. Maybe it's because I'm measuring it up to the first game, but I don't think that's it. I'd say maybe as a SE, but the story leaves too many questions for me to even recommend that.
I don't recommend this game.