Chickadees3's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:1,372
- Reviews Submitted:52
- First Review:September 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:February 25, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
An arsonist is burning down the Mountain Kingdom's forests!
Overall rating
5
/
5
23 of 40 found this review helpful
Holy fire brigade, Batman, we have to stop the arsonist!!!
PostedSeptember 22, 2016
Chickadees3
fromDFW, Texas
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
My review is based on playing the demo in custom mode and, oh my goodness, I did NOT want it to end!
The story - prince and princess are about to be married. A rather sympathetic third person, who's been in love with said princess for years, wants to be the one she marries. In the process of trying to stop the wedding he starts tremendous fires all over the forests which start reaching into the buildings of the kingdom. He needs to be stopped and we, as detective, are the one expected to stop him. Can we do it before he kills us? Or kills someone else?
Other reviewers have given excellent synopses of the game mechanics so I'll just get right into my overall impressions.
Fun - I was having a really good time playing the demo. Nice, crisp scenery. Excellent sound, both in voices and all the other game sounds. The mini games were so well integrated into the flow of things that sometimes I wasn't sure if I had played a mini game or not. The games were mostly on the super easy side because I was able to solve them seemingly intuitively, almost no thought involved. All of the HOS's were the type I particularly dislike - FROG's - but, in this game, that really didn't seem to matter. It didn't bother me to play them because I was enjoying the whole game experience that much. And the end of the demo - oh my gosh! It really ended on a cliffhanger. I feel I MUST find out what happens! Too bad I've already bought my personal quota of BFG games this month. Now I have to wait until next month comes around. Thank goodness it's not too far away :-)
I have one very small criticism. According to the special effects tutorial there was supposed to be morphing collectibles. I only ever saw the one for the tutorial and, believe me, I looked all over very carefully Either there's few of them and only one in the demo or they are very well hidden, so good luck finding them.
Even though the level of challenge was fairly low I was having such a good time that I definitely recommend you try it for yourselves. Thank you Eipix and BFG for Dark Parables: The Thief and the Tinderbox. What a great game!
I recommend this game!
Can you save a woman’s fiancé before it’s too late?
Overall rating
4
/
5
28 of 37 found this review helpful
Fun game.
PostedSeptember 15, 2016
Chickadees3
fromDFW, Texas
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
My review is based on the demo played in custom mode. I had 23 minutes left on the clock at the end of the demo so that may indicate a shorter game.
I found myself really admiring the artwork as I played. Crisp, clean lines, nice color and creative scenery all through the demo. Nothing too dark or small to see. The sound was good as well. At one point I had to lower the music because **spoiler alert** we're racing the clock to achieve a goal and the intensity of the music was causing me a lot of angst. Once I lowered it I was able to proceed without all the adrenaline flowing making me crazy :-)
There wasn't as much challenge as I would have expected. There weren't as many HOG's or mini games and the mini's there were were fairly simple except for one type that I particularly dislike so I skipped that one. I didn't see any alternate game that could be played in place of an HOG.
There were a lot of cut scenes, almost like watching a movie interspersed here and there with a mini game or HOG. Since I only played the demo and not the full game I don't know if it continues with lots of cut scenes for the entire game. Hopefully another reviewer will play the whole game and fill us in on that.
Some other points to be noted are: we can play as male or female as we choose; there are some collectibles, not many and no morphing items. There are the usual achievements, wallpapers, screen savers and music and 4 modes to play in. There is probably a bonus chapter too but I forgot to look to see if one is there.
Because of the limited number of collectible-type items and the fact that there are so many cut scenes and too few HOG's and mini games I would wait til the SE comes out and purchase then. There just isn't enough here to justify a CE price IMO. I sure was enjoying what play there is though so I definitely recommend you try the demo.
I recommend this game!
Can you save your best friend before it's too late?
Overall rating
4
/
5
16 of 18 found this review helpful
Ballerina beware!
PostedSeptember 11, 2016
Chickadees3
fromDFW, Texas
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
My friend, the ballerina/big star to be, has been kidnapped and it's up to me to rescue her. Can I do it before an ominous fate befalls her?
Wow! I am loving this game! I haven't previously played a Danse Macabre game so, for me, this is fresh stuff from this dev.
To begin with, the scenes play like a movie. The one at what turned out to be the end of the demo actually made me jump. I really enjoyed watching them. Seeing the way people's mouths moved as they spoke gave a sense of realism to the some of the conversations. The HO scenes felt new(ish), as well. After the games I've reviewed over the last several days, this one has been a breath of fresh air.
Gameplay was very smooth and movements required were logical. I didn't feel like I was lost as I played. There were some mini-games which stood out as such and were fairly easy to complete, then there were mini mini-games that were incorporated into regular gameplay and not really counted as mini-games, per se. I thought that was a fun aspect.
There are achievements and collections, although I couldn't get a sense of what the collections were because they were locked until after game is played. I can't recall for sure but maybe until after the bonus game is played, too. There's also morphing items but only in HOG's. As much as I was enjoying myself, I didn't feel the need to pay CE price for the extras this time. I will probably wait til the SE comes out and purchase the game then. Until then I say well done to the devs. Ominous Obsession is a fun game to play and I definitely recommend you try it out.
I recommend this game!
Can you save your new friend before it's too late?
Overall rating
3
/
5
20 of 22 found this review helpful
Nothing really bad but nothing really good here either.
PostedSeptember 9, 2016
Chickadees3
fromDFW, Texas
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
When I first saw what the storyline is - a camera that traps the person in the negative world who's picture is taken - I was eager to see how it would play. It sounded interesting. Until I played the demo which I completed with 24 minutes to spare, so this may be a shorter game. The ball was dropped with the story. It could have been much better but it's just average. The artwork is very fuzzy which detracted from overall enjoyment for me. The voices are kind of ridiculous. I'm not British and don't personally know anyone who is but I imagine a British accent is very different from what's depicted in this game. Also, the screeching that Mr. Jenkins kept doing set my nerves on edge. The game mechanics is pretty standard except that it took 2 steps to use the map. First open the journal, then open the map, every time I wanted to use the map. I felt this was poorly thought out by the devs. Then we have the HO's and the mini games, both of which I actually liked. The HO's aren't your typical lists, which is nice and the mini games are varied and fairly easy. I found them to be relaxing enough that they offset how I felt about Mr. Jenkins screeching. Maybe the devs deliberately planned that, lol.
I would recommend this game to newer players. Anyone who has been playing HOG's for awhile should probably wait for a better game to come along, as they always do.
I recommend this game!
What secrets are hidden in the legendary McCordan Library?
Overall rating
4
/
5
45 of 59 found this review helpful
Not my cup of tea but will be an excellent game for those who like this type.
PostedSeptember 8, 2016
Chickadees3
fromDFW, Texas
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3, Puzzle, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Game has excellent sound and the voices matched mouth movements. Picture quality was very good - clear and bright. I'm trying very hard to be fair to the game but it really wasn't something I would buy. Maybe I was just too tired but it seemed that I struggled to figure stuff out. I used the hint button, then the SG more than I would want in a game that I'd buy and, even with that, I finished the demo with only 4 minutes left in the allotted demo time. I kept trying to see the logic to the flow and it wasn't there for me. I stress for me because I really believe many others will very much enjoy Sable Maze. As I stated in the beginning of my review it looks good and it sounds good. It has an acceptable storyline even if a bit predictable (I knew immediately who the 'bad guy' was going to be) but still acceptable and even believable even though fantasy. It has the bells and whistles of a standard CE so no complaints there either. At the end of the demo, though, I had no wish to play any further so this is a no-buy for me. I suggest others try it out before buying because I'd bet lots of you fishes will like it and I do recommend Sable Maze, just not for myself.
I recommend this game!
Mystery P.I.: The Curious Case of Counterfeit Cove
Travel to New England to investigate a counterfeiting ring in Mystery P.I.: The Curious Case of Counterfeit Cove!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Great for a straight HOG
PostedOctober 25, 2012
Chickadees3
fromHurst, Texas
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I got this as a COTW a while ago and enjoyed it very much for what it is-a straight HOG. The pictures are bright and clear and the items, though well hidden, are decent-sized and findable if you look carefully. The music is relaxing and there's no story to speak of to get in the way of just looking for items. You also have a M3 to play after every 6 (I think it was) HOS's. Each HOS has 2 bonus items to find and if you find all 50 of them you unlock unlimited HOS's and M3's.
I like to have a couple of these in my repertoire to play when I want unchallenged, uncluttered relaxing gameplay and this perfectly fits the bill.
I recommend this game!
An evil villain is luring people to his beautiful mansion and preparing them for a terrible ritual. Can you keep your head on the shoulders?
Overall rating
5
/
5
69 of 92 found this review helpful
A house full of fun!
PostedOctober 25, 2012
Chickadees3
fromHurst, Texas
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Here is another ERS hit. In it I am a new tenant in the rooming house of my dreams with an unbelievably affordable rent. I am asked by my landlord to stay out of the right wing due to renovations. Soon after arriving in my room I see a woman who begs for my help as she is dragged off by a huge apelike creature. I also realize I have no key to exit the house and set off to find my landlord and the unknown woman. As I search (with the assistance of a holographic cat) I find possessions seemingly abandoned by previous tenants and then. . .horrific things!
To begin with, I love the artwork. It is recognizably ERS in both lines and color. There is lots of color of the softer kind. The music is also standard ERS fare. I kept it low and it provided the perfect background to each scene. Voices were appropriate to the action.
There are 3 modes of play (I demo'd in casual) which can be changed during gameplay, if desired. There are options to adjust sound, music, voice level and to maintain aspect ratio. There is a diary for notes but no map. There is a SG that stays on the last page you used it at. The only info I got from the hint button was to look elsewhere. There is concept art, music, wallpapers and screen savers. There is also a Games button which takes you to a listing of other ERS games-something I appreciate because I don't always know what all games a developer has done.
I didn't come across any HOS's in the entire demo-don't know if the game has any further in though. The minigames/puzzles were of the very easy kind-none too original but plentiful and done in a fun way that I really enjoyed.
Twilight Phenomena is strongly reminiscent of the Haunted Halls series in look, feel and sound. If you enjoyed those you will probably enjoy this.
I don't know how long this game is and it doesn't have morphing objects, collectibles or achievements which I usually prefer for a CE. Since this is ERS and I enjoyed the bonus chapter of Revenge of Dr. Blackmore so much, I think I will spring for the CE and keep my fingers crossed.
I rate this 4.5 stars and recommend you try it :)
I recommend this game!
Everybody is having fun at the Halloween fair until the pirate captain casts his ghostly spell over it. Survive and expel the curse!
Overall rating
2
/
5
55 of 66 found this review helpful
Too clicky-picky for me!
PostedOctober 24, 2012
Chickadees3
fromHurst, Texas
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
This is a straight HOG with a few super easy side games-put the puzzle together; find the matching pairs and the like- thrown in. The colors are very bright and the pictures are clear but the scenes are chock full of tiny items. Lots of items are well hidden and some are behind closed doors, closed frog mouths and such. There really isn't a story-line per se-it's just themed Halloween. The music is boring and repetitive.
The thing I found most irritating was you have to be very exact when you click an item or it doesn't work and you end up thinking it's the wrong item. Other times you can click and click on an item and it won't accept it but then go back and click again on the same spot and it will. Also had that problem with the continue button. I got stuck on one of them about 2and a half minutes before it would allow me to continue.
I like to keep one or two straight HOG's in my repertoire for the times when that's exactly what I want however this is not one I would choose. I don't recommend it mainly because of technical issues that need to be worked out.
I don't recommend this game.
Take part in a Spooky Mahjong. Complete over 100 unique levels to gain experience and points. Improve your rank and progress.
Overall rating
3
/
5
47 of 56 found this review helpful
Not my cup of Mahjong
PostedOctober 23, 2012
Chickadees3
fromHurst, Texas
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
This is a colorful version of Mahjong but not spooky at all. The music is too bland and the graphics too cartoonish for this to be considered spooky however that's not necessarily a bad thing.
This version requires you to remove designated quantities and colors of tiles in a designated amount of time within a designated number of moves. When I play Mahjong I don't want such a tightly controlled set up. There are trophies to be earned but I wouldn't enjoy playing long enough this way to earn those trophies.
Although I won't be purchasing this I can recommend you try it and see what you think because I didn't absolutely hate it.
I recommend this game!
Use your botany skills to survive the strange new planet of Botanica. Can you find your way back to Earth in this thrilling Hidden Object adventure?
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
Botanica or bust!
PostedOctober 21, 2012
Chickadees3
fromHurst, Texas
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In this game you are the botanist daughter of a scientist who has disappeared on a strange and beautiful world. You are trying to find him with the help of Ian, a man you meet there, and other-worldly creatures that up to now could have only existed in the imagination. Beside the fact that you are searching a wholly unknown world you have the added complication of an evil queen who has sworn to capture all other-world peoples who have found themselves on Botanica and whom you fear has evil intent towards your own world-Earth.
I found this to be an engaging game full of lovely, clear colors and good sound in both music and voices. The flora and fauna are a delight to see and the story captures the imagination. There are 3 modes to play in, a SG that opens to the place you are, a liberal hint system and interactive HOS's. The HOS's are few and the minigames are fun. There are achievements to win and cute little bugs to collect. There was not alot of sneaker-wear in the demo I played and game flow was smooth and logical.
Although I can't comment on game length having only played the demo, I will be purchasing this CE later this week. I give it 4.5 stars and recommend you try it for yourself :)
I recommend this game!