spythere's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:670
- Reviews Submitted:65
- First Review:December 4, 2014
- Most Recent Review:October 22, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Off The Record: The Art of Deception Collector's Edition
A famous painter finds herself in over her head!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
Deception of the Art or The Anticlimax of the Series
PostedFebruary 17, 2015
spythere
fromZürich
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival Collector's Edition
(389)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
If this is about art, why don't they give us art? This re-surfaced "painting" Leda's blight you might call crafts if you are a nice person, but it's kitsch of the worst kind. When a painting shall go to auction, it shouldn't look like painted by an amateur. Or look as if it's not at all painted, merely a copied/pasted photograph with applied Photoshop paint filter :/
The music is a further missed opportunity. In Austria they have very typical folk music, based on accordion, zither and tuba. Why does Eipix bore us with the same old same old symphonic, repetitive muzak instead?
The music is a further missed opportunity. In Austria they have very typical folk music, based on accordion, zither and tuba. Why does Eipix bore us with the same old same old symphonic, repetitive muzak instead?
Another conundrum is the story itself. There seem to be some local baddies, who force or bribe the thin-lipped artist into forgery of the painting, which they will then exchange with the original. As far as well. But it turns out that the bad guys are not interested in the art, they only want to learn a secret code which is hidden in the original painting. The code opens a safe which contains the key to the „real“ treasure, whatever it might be (the story ends there). By the way, it's a code of three runes, discovered in less than a minute under UV light, and the safe could have been hacked – even without code - in a few minutes by a child. So why bother at first with a copy of the painting? To me, the story was neither comprehensible nor conclusive. Art forgery would be such an interesting topic! But this is a clumsy tale about a hotelier family, risking their reputation in chasing with illicit means after a stupid code and about a journalist (you) who covertly must be a stuntwoman. Not only you naturally fly with an air glider (woo-hoo!), not only you immediately know how to pilot a big boat ... you even survive a fall backwards from a steep rock cliff, completely unharmed, lol.
The story is not the only flimsy thing. The graphics were partly grainy and pixelly on my MacBook. One time (main hall of the salt mines) I even had an empty black bar popping down, lacking text. And finished in a haste, I suppose.
The story is not the only flimsy thing. The graphics were partly grainy and pixelly on my MacBook. One time (main hall of the salt mines) I even had an empty black bar popping down, lacking text. And finished in a haste, I suppose.
Because the scenery is alpine Austria, the characters all speak with an accent. But why would they talk to each other in the same, flawed English? Wouldn't they speak Austrian dialect in general and use English merely to communicate with the foreign stuntwoman? Since we have English subtitles anyway ... Oh well, they tried to apply a bit of local color - but the bartender who calls a grown up woman „Fräulein“ is rude. No female customer would visit a hotel again where she was addressed so derogatory. I wish Eipix would make more games playing in Serbia or an environment they know better. I guess the scenarios would become more likely.
However, the way it's played was interesting, the HOPs were fun and varied, mostly silhouettes. The biggest challenge are the included morphing objects. Incredibly hard to spot, I found maybe four. I suppose they change only once a minute; thus, if you are too quick with finding the items, you never see them morph. You can of course repeat all HOPs at the end and may get your archievment anyway.
I'm immensely grateful that I hadn't to kill bugs or spiders with biocide. Nor was I encouraged to poison weed. A game which could do without pesticides, I do appreciate it!
But all in all, I found this game rather mediocre. Even the credits, which always have been Eipix's trademark, are somewhat listless. You get the strong impression that this dev churns out more games than it's good for quality. I wouldn't recommend the CE, but if you can get the SE at a sale or for a coupon code, why not?
But all in all, I found this game rather mediocre. Even the credits, which always have been Eipix's trademark, are somewhat listless. You get the strong impression that this dev churns out more games than it's good for quality. I wouldn't recommend the CE, but if you can get the SE at a sale or for a coupon code, why not?
I don't recommend this game.
The Agency of Anomalies: Mind Invasion
You're called to a health spa in the Alps, where an evil professor has something terrible in mind for his unwitting patients.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Disturbing Brain Travel
PostedJanuary 23, 2015
spythere
fromZürich
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival Collector's Edition
(389)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The year is 1925. Your client Renee sobs that her husband has disappeared in a mental sanatorium. Professor Swens is suspected to brainwash his patients. As soon as you arrive in the sanatorium, you are anesthetized and find yourself as patient locked in a room. Strangely enough, Renee who obviously knows more than she concedes, provides you with Swens' portable device for travelling through other people's minds ...
The game starts promising, has a good pace and many innovative things as paper key and paper locks, a 2D HOP with posters and ads, put tools back where they belong and so on. Not new, but still fresh and highly entertaining. It's longer than most games nowadays. Puzzles are mostly ingenious from easy to extremely challenging, I had to skip three or four.
The characters appear cartoonish but charming, with a tendency to really big eyes, as if seen through very thick glasses. Maybe the graphic artist is actually wearing a pair of those, lol.
The music is soothing, but has a slightly ominous, melancholy tinge which fits the sanatorium well. VO and sounds are excellent. You hear birdsong through a big part of the game, which is very agreeable, but makes it not less disturbing. This is finally a creepy game which can do without skeletons, black, red eyed monsters and similar nonsense. A quivering desk or liquids dropping from bottom to top have a much more uncanny effect.
The characters appear cartoonish but charming, with a tendency to really big eyes, as if seen through very thick glasses. Maybe the graphic artist is actually wearing a pair of those, lol.
The music is soothing, but has a slightly ominous, melancholy tinge which fits the sanatorium well. VO and sounds are excellent. You hear birdsong through a big part of the game, which is very agreeable, but makes it not less disturbing. This is finally a creepy game which can do without skeletons, black, red eyed monsters and similar nonsense. A quivering desk or liquids dropping from bottom to top have a much more uncanny effect.
It's a great game, for me the best out of the series. Unfortunately, it goes like in many games also a bit downhill against the end (darn deadlines - I wish devs would be granted more time to tie loose ends). The story has an unexpected turn; clever, but alas the motifs of the concerned person are never explained. Well, maybe in the CE.
A solid 4 and a half stars ... however I had to take one away for the use of bug spray. Dear devs, please stop pestering us with insecticides! Cease to poison our air, soil and water with those vexing biocides. Bees, butterflies, all useful arthropods like spiders, ladybugs, wasps and everybody who cares for environment will be utterly grateful ;)
A solid 4 and a half stars ... however I had to take one away for the use of bug spray. Dear devs, please stop pestering us with insecticides! Cease to poison our air, soil and water with those vexing biocides. Bees, butterflies, all useful arthropods like spiders, ladybugs, wasps and everybody who cares for environment will be utterly grateful ;)
I recommend this game!
The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams
An invitation from your long lost mother leads you to a mysterious facility deep below the Atlantic Ocean.
Overall rating
1
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
Nothing for cat lovers
PostedJanuary 20, 2015
spythere
fromZürich, Switzerland
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival Collector's Edition
(389) Tried this game today and was immediately intrigued. Interesting storyline, great graphics, and the many cutscenes didn't bother me but contribute to the atmosphere. I wanted to know what happens next, I looked forward to rescue all five kitten and was about to buy the game.
Fortunately I read the reviews beforehand and found out about the drowned cat family. Deleted the game at once. I love cats and would have hated to leave them on the sinking ship. What did these devs think? Seemingly not much. Together with the cats they sunk their own play.
Fortunately I read the reviews beforehand and found out about the drowned cat family. Deleted the game at once. I love cats and would have hated to leave them on the sinking ship. What did these devs think? Seemingly not much. Together with the cats they sunk their own play.
I don't recommend this game.
The Fog
Don't be afraid of The Fog. Fear what lies within it!
Overall rating
2
/
5
13 of 14 found this review helpful
Be warned: it's a Boys' World
PostedDecember 11, 2014
spythere
fromZürich, Switzerland
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival
(133)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
One of my worst purchases ever. Though the demo was interesting: after the obligatory car crash your daughter is gone - abducted? - and you search through an abandoned house. But soon afterwards (unfortunately after the demo) you end up in a forsaken military base which you don't leave for the rest of the game :(
Instead of looking out for your daughter, you wallow in military equipment, collect arms and medals and assemble machines. The game becomes more and more bleak, dull and a genuine drag. It is made for military inspired boys and other war-peddlers; we should have been alerted. I just wonder why we play a female part. Rather unlikely that a woman in high heels would take the trouble and struggle through barbed wire on search for tiny coils. Speaking of sense: how likely is it that the military would abandon secret materials and devices and leave behind such a mess?
Instead of looking out for your daughter, you wallow in military equipment, collect arms and medals and assemble machines. The game becomes more and more bleak, dull and a genuine drag. It is made for military inspired boys and other war-peddlers; we should have been alerted. I just wonder why we play a female part. Rather unlikely that a woman in high heels would take the trouble and struggle through barbed wire on search for tiny coils. Speaking of sense: how likely is it that the military would abandon secret materials and devices and leave behind such a mess?
HOs were mostly lists and played twice. The second time every item you picked up the first time was there again. So much for diligence in game design.
The whole game looked like a readoption of a ten-years-old story. The only innovation was the "case file", kind of a toy box with secret compartments, whose keys you have to find during the game. But that's alas not enough to blow away the dust from this resurrection.
The whole game looked like a readoption of a ten-years-old story. The only innovation was the "case file", kind of a toy box with secret compartments, whose keys you have to find during the game. But that's alas not enough to blow away the dust from this resurrection.
I don't recommend this game.
Weird Park: The Final Show
Bring an end to Mr. Dudley's reign of terror!
Overall rating
5
/
5
14 of 15 found this review helpful
A Lucky Bag full of Surprises
PostedDecember 4, 2014
spythere
fromZürich, Switzerland
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival Collector's Edition
(389)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
You play as journalist who investigates the strange disappearance of the boy Patrick Audley. He was of course abducted by evil Mr. Dudley and the big, fat clown, whom we met already in previous Weird Park games.
When you come to the house where Patrick disappeared, you find Mr. Dudley rummaging through the boy's toys. But before you can catch up with him, he slips away through a magical portal ... and you follow – whoosh – into a weird place between the worlds.
Congratulation devs, for being the first to discover that a rusty latch can be opened by simply using a hammer! Ok, the oil can is needed anyway, but later in the game *lol*
When you come to the house where Patrick disappeared, you find Mr. Dudley rummaging through the boy's toys. But before you can catch up with him, he slips away through a magical portal ... and you follow – whoosh – into a weird place between the worlds.
Congratulation devs, for being the first to discover that a rusty latch can be opened by simply using a hammer! Ok, the oil can is needed anyway, but later in the game *lol*
In pursuing Mr. Dudley we stumble over the clown who is chained to a machine and not anymore evil. What was already hinted in "Scary Tales" is fully out-played in the last part of the trilogy: Louis Gauche is a victim, a sad, overweight artist who only yearned for the public's appreciation - but tragically fell to his death. Actually, fat Louis has a conscience and a good heart and helps you now in rescuing the boy and defeating the malicious imp.
The map shows available actions and lets you jump. Very useful, since the game is long, the scenes are many, and one might easily get lost.
The hidden objects scenes were various, very entertaining and never boring. For example you assemble a dragon and look for its pieces, or you have silhouettes and search for tools that open boxes, where you find the next tool, and so on. Rather seldom you have HOPs with lists, but even those are interactive. Minigames have a fresh, original tinge; some were too difficult for me, but I will of course try again. It's a game you want to play more than once.
The hidden objects scenes were various, very entertaining and never boring. For example you assemble a dragon and look for its pieces, or you have silhouettes and search for tools that open boxes, where you find the next tool, and so on. Rather seldom you have HOPs with lists, but even those are interactive. Minigames have a fresh, original tinge; some were too difficult for me, but I will of course try again. It's a game you want to play more than once.
I was glad that the monsters/obstacles were mostly mechanical animals, and I had not to kill real snakes or real spiders. Well, except ... there were some insects in one scene. Which I had to spray with INSECTICIDE. Boo that, game designers! Have you not heard yet that insecticide is the main reason for the mass death of bees all over the world? Do I have to tell you how your food supply would look without bees? You were so smart with the hammer, why this relapse into ignorance? I'm still waiting for the first dev who gently nudges bugs out of the way with a twig or some such ;)
The inventory bar is not lockable, or I'm to stupid to lock it, but it drove me a bit nuts at the beginning. Every time I wanted to go back, it popped up.
The music - more shreds and clouds of ambience - is not very intrusive, but nevertheless became repetitive. The sound effects on the other hand are superb, as well as the voice overs, the cheerful graphic art, the wacky characters, the clever HOPs ... I'm just thrilled and must urgently, immediately go back to Weird Park.
Caution: this game makes you instantly addictive.
The music - more shreds and clouds of ambience - is not very intrusive, but nevertheless became repetitive. The sound effects on the other hand are superb, as well as the voice overs, the cheerful graphic art, the wacky characters, the clever HOPs ... I'm just thrilled and must urgently, immediately go back to Weird Park.
Caution: this game makes you instantly addictive.
I recommend this game!