PistolPoet's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4
- Helpful Votes:267
- Reviews Submitted:12
- First Review:August 21, 2013
- Most Recent Review:January 25, 2017
- Featured reviews0
How far would you go to save your pet? Follow a young boy on a sensational journey like no other as he sets off to rescue his dog Bear!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Lovely, just needs a little more challenge
PostedJanuary 25, 2017
PistolPoet
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle, Time Management
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON THE DEMO
You play a boy who lives in the future, where a huge corporation has started kidnapping dogs. When it takes away your dog, you embark on a quest to find him.
Make no mistake, the description says this game is (partly) interactive animation, so don't expect much from the gameplay. Your course of action is usually fairly obvious, as there are only a few clickable areas per scene. There are some puzzles, though they usually aren't difficult at all. To make up for the simple gameplay, the developers have thrown in a bunch of arcade games and achievements, and this does help spice things up.
When I saw it was a BFG Studios game, I was really excited, because they used to make some of the best games around. Alas, this is just the PC version of a mobile game from years ago, so no, BFG Studios didn't make a comeback. But they were always good at making immersive games, and this one is no different. The graphics are lovely, at the same time cartoony and surprisingly well animated (the crocodile in the sewers, for example), and you get a good sense of atmosphere and attention to detail.
Don't play this if you want a challenge. This is about immersing yourself in a weird little world whose story is told through sights and sounds and a little boy's desire to find his best friend. Like with all good games, it's hard to explain exactly what's so good about it, so do try the demo.
Make no mistake, the description says this game is (partly) interactive animation, so don't expect much from the gameplay. Your course of action is usually fairly obvious, as there are only a few clickable areas per scene. There are some puzzles, though they usually aren't difficult at all. To make up for the simple gameplay, the developers have thrown in a bunch of arcade games and achievements, and this does help spice things up.
When I saw it was a BFG Studios game, I was really excited, because they used to make some of the best games around. Alas, this is just the PC version of a mobile game from years ago, so no, BFG Studios didn't make a comeback. But they were always good at making immersive games, and this one is no different. The graphics are lovely, at the same time cartoony and surprisingly well animated (the crocodile in the sewers, for example), and you get a good sense of atmosphere and attention to detail.
Don't play this if you want a challenge. This is about immersing yourself in a weird little world whose story is told through sights and sounds and a little boy's desire to find his best friend. Like with all good games, it's hard to explain exactly what's so good about it, so do try the demo.
I recommend this game!
Help Henri, a high-spirited baker with a penchant for pastries, arrange scrumptious ingredients into groups of three or more to make colorful confections.
Overall rating
5
/
5
34 of 40 found this review helpful
Well, I liked it
PostedSeptember 8, 2015
PistolPoet
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I don't usually play match 3 games, so I can't compare it to others, but this one is an old favourite of mine. The visual style is utterly unique and excellent (but this is highly subjective). I thought the cakes and the ingredients looked whimsical and delicious. Sure, the game is heavy on cheesy French stereotypes, but it's got a nice sense of humour about it. I found the difficulty just right, and the upgrades make a big difference and can help you out a lot. All in all, it looks like the developers put their heart into this little game and to me it's the perfect rainy-day, warm-and-fuzzy game equivalent to comfort food.
Also, as someone mentioned before, it did first come out a very long time ago, though it doesn't look outdated.
I recommend this game!
Prove the innocence of a young queen before she is put to death for a crime she didn't commit!
Overall rating
5
/
5
22 of 24 found this review helpful
Quite Lovely
PostedOctober 3, 2014
PistolPoet
fromSerbia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON THE FULL GAME
You'll like this game if:
1) You like fairy-tale settings and stories.
2) You don't mind a visual style that's not completely realistic.
3) You don't expect a very challenging game.
1) You like fairy-tale settings and stories.
2) You don't mind a visual style that's not completely realistic.
3) You don't expect a very challenging game.
Good sides:
1) The graphics. Oh, the graphics. I really love it when a developer isn't afraid to explore different styles and create something unique. The almost-watercolour visuals add so much atmosphere to the game and make it really stand out. I'd give this game 4.5 stars if I could, but I'm giving it 5 rather than 4 just to encourage the developer to keep experimenting with the graphics.
2) The different helpers. You'll encounter various creatures who will help you on your way, but will leave you after a while. I think this is a good compromise for those players who don't like animal helpers.
3) The story isn't exactly new, but the developers tried to give it a new spin and I think it works.
1) The graphics. Oh, the graphics. I really love it when a developer isn't afraid to explore different styles and create something unique. The almost-watercolour visuals add so much atmosphere to the game and make it really stand out. I'd give this game 4.5 stars if I could, but I'm giving it 5 rather than 4 just to encourage the developer to keep experimenting with the graphics.
2) The different helpers. You'll encounter various creatures who will help you on your way, but will leave you after a while. I think this is a good compromise for those players who don't like animal helpers.
3) The story isn't exactly new, but the developers tried to give it a new spin and I think it works.
Bad sides:
1) This isn't the most challenging of games. Some puzzles are repeated, which is a bit annoying. I don't think I've seen a single new or innovative puzzle.
2) Some players might still find the story uninteresting or overdone.
3) The children voice-over actors are atrocious. I don't remember when I last heard such terrible acting.
1) This isn't the most challenging of games. Some puzzles are repeated, which is a bit annoying. I don't think I've seen a single new or innovative puzzle.
2) Some players might still find the story uninteresting or overdone.
3) The children voice-over actors are atrocious. I don't remember when I last heard such terrible acting.
Conclusion: This game could have certainly done more to try to be original and innovative. As it is, it's a thing of beauty with an excellent fairy-tale atmosphere, so it's at least worth a demo playthrough.
I recommend this game!
Tragedy strikes a popular Parisian cabaret when their star dancer is murdered! Gather the suspects and unmask the killer.
Overall rating
3
/
5
9 of 15 found this review helpful
Pretty Meh
PostedOctober 3, 2014
PistolPoet
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
BASED ON THE FULL GAME
You'll like this game if:
1) You like Eipix games. This one looks and plays pretty much like all their other recent games.
2) You like France, but don't mind over-the-top or inaccurate accents.
3) You just want to waste a bit of time, as this game is not challenging.
1) You like Eipix games. This one looks and plays pretty much like all their other recent games.
2) You like France, but don't mind over-the-top or inaccurate accents.
3) You just want to waste a bit of time, as this game is not challenging.
Good sides:
1) Nice graphics, though the colours felt a bit washed-out.
2) Relatively interesting story, I guess, though it didn't draw me in.
1) Nice graphics, though the colours felt a bit washed-out.
2) Relatively interesting story, I guess, though it didn't draw me in.
Bad sides:
1) No challenge. The hidden-object scenes were ludicrously easy, with huge objects in plain sight.
2) Lautrec's accent was laughable, sort of Spanish if anything. Couldn't even pronounce "Moulin Rouge" in proper French.
3) The detective investigation mini games were far-fetched and boring. The magnifying glass takes ages to open up and the "evidence" you collect is silly.
1) No challenge. The hidden-object scenes were ludicrously easy, with huge objects in plain sight.
2) Lautrec's accent was laughable, sort of Spanish if anything. Couldn't even pronounce "Moulin Rouge" in proper French.
3) The detective investigation mini games were far-fetched and boring. The magnifying glass takes ages to open up and the "evidence" you collect is silly.
Conclusion: If you're a fan of Eipix, you'll probably love this game. However, to me it seems they are churning out games at a surprising pace and the quality is suffering. It's not innovative in any way and when I finished it, my only reaction was a shrug.
You’re about to uncover the secret that’s been haunting Blackrow!
Overall rating
3
/
5
15 of 17 found this review helpful
Really Mediocre
PostedAugust 29, 2014
PistolPoet
fromSerbia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
BASED ON THE DEMO
The first thing I noticed about this game is that the opening cutscene was poorly done. The characters seemed almost like cardboard cutouts and the animation looked pretty old.
I can't tell much about the story from the demo, but it wasn't promising. Kidnapped actress, dark magic, nothing new. The town where the game takes place is supposed to be abandoned after a plague outbreak a long time ago, and yet you get a fresh newspaper with a story about the kidnapped actress. Unless I missed something, it doesn't make much sense.
The gameplay was disappointing. You find a saw, only to lose it and need a hacksaw just after. Oh, and you can't saw through a leather strap. The HO scenes are your usual junkpile lists, so nothing exciting there either. The puzzles are unimaginative and too easy. There is one where you literally just put some shapes into the right slots.
I can't tell much about the story from the demo, but it wasn't promising. Kidnapped actress, dark magic, nothing new. The town where the game takes place is supposed to be abandoned after a plague outbreak a long time ago, and yet you get a fresh newspaper with a story about the kidnapped actress. Unless I missed something, it doesn't make much sense.
The gameplay was disappointing. You find a saw, only to lose it and need a hacksaw just after. Oh, and you can't saw through a leather strap. The HO scenes are your usual junkpile lists, so nothing exciting there either. The puzzles are unimaginative and too easy. There is one where you literally just put some shapes into the right slots.
All in all, this could have been done so much better. It's really a letdown, but other people seem to enjoy it, so give the demo a shot!
Resolve a family squabble before the gates to the realm of the dead swing open and horrors beyond imagination pour into this world!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 13 found this review helpful
Very enjoyable, funny and different!
PostedJuly 21, 2014
PistolPoet
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON THE DEMO
This one starts out like a lot of other HOPA game storylines, but just wait, it gets really different really quickly. I won't spoil, but just give it a chance to get going and you'll be hooked. The game doesn't take itself very seriously and is full of humour, from item descriptions to the dialogues. There is a Cheshire-cat style cat to help you, and he is very amusing and will actually be useful. The HO scenes are interactive lists, and the interactions are very innovative and fun to play. There are fewer puzzles than HO scenes, but they are also entertaining, if a bit easy.
The only downsides I could find are the fact that you can only choose between two difficulty levels and that the gameplay is pretty easy (you will use items almost as soon as you find them).
The great thing about this game is that it's an SE, but it has collectibles and the overall quality (the graphics, voice-overs and story) is on the CE level. I didn't think about a for a second, I bought it at once. You should certainly try the demo and decide for yourselves, because an innovative and entertaining game like this deserves your attention :).
The only downsides I could find are the fact that you can only choose between two difficulty levels and that the gameplay is pretty easy (you will use items almost as soon as you find them).
The great thing about this game is that it's an SE, but it has collectibles and the overall quality (the graphics, voice-overs and story) is on the CE level. I didn't think about a for a second, I bought it at once. You should certainly try the demo and decide for yourselves, because an innovative and entertaining game like this deserves your attention :).
I recommend this game!
A strange and deadly pollen is spreading around the world, and you’ve been hired to track down its source. But the secrets you discover in the fabled kingdom of Floralia are much darker than you imagined...
Overall rating
2
/
5
4 of 7 found this review helpful
What is this game doing in 2014?
PostedJune 30, 2014
PistolPoet
fromSerbia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
BASED ON THE DEMO
I played Jack and the Sky Kingdom and was underwhelmed. This one has exactly the same gameplay, which means that there is only one kind of HO scenes, which is definitely not enough. Plus, the graphics aren't all that sharp, so it's easy to miss small objects. The gameplay consists almost only of "find a symbol/token/part of something" and stick it where it belongs, which is boring beyond words.
What really bothered me is the fact that every single object you see is ornate to the point where you start feeling a bit sick. Every item has flowers and gems on it until everything seems to look the same.
I didn't manage to follow the story much, as it seemed convoluted and included characters from previous games I haven't played.
All in all, I suppose fans of the series will like it, and it would have been ok some years ago, but now we've grown to expect more creativity from our HOPA games. Or at least I thought so, before I saw how highly this game was rated...
What really bothered me is the fact that every single object you see is ornate to the point where you start feeling a bit sick. Every item has flowers and gems on it until everything seems to look the same.
I didn't manage to follow the story much, as it seemed convoluted and included characters from previous games I haven't played.
All in all, I suppose fans of the series will like it, and it would have been ok some years ago, but now we've grown to expect more creativity from our HOPA games. Or at least I thought so, before I saw how highly this game was rated...
I don't recommend this game.
In the cutthroat restaurant business, it’s eat or be eaten! Do you have what it takes to be hotter than the competition?
Overall rating
3
/
5
20 of 21 found this review helpful
Not that bad
PostedApril 2, 2014
PistolPoet
fromSerbia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the trial!
This game has potential, but it could have been so much better, because:
1) you can only carry one item at a time,
2) the tutorial isn't very clear about what to do with the gangsters,
3) you can make a chain of actions, but it isn't displayed in any way and you can't cancel it,
4) I didn't see a set goal, you just play the levels and collect the money.
Still, I thought the gameplay was decent. The mini games were fun and useful (making food for the next day) and the main game wasn't too frantic or clicky. I played through the entire trial and would have been happy to keep going for a while.
As for the people who say the game is biased against bikers, the thing is that this is a game, and you'll find simplifications and stereotypes in a lot of casual games. For example, don't the Diner Dash games portray old people as invariably slow and bad tippers or people who read books as introverted loners? I'm not saying it's a good thing, but I am saying that it's not fair to judge this game too harshly for it.
This game has potential, but it could have been so much better, because:
1) you can only carry one item at a time,
2) the tutorial isn't very clear about what to do with the gangsters,
3) you can make a chain of actions, but it isn't displayed in any way and you can't cancel it,
4) I didn't see a set goal, you just play the levels and collect the money.
Still, I thought the gameplay was decent. The mini games were fun and useful (making food for the next day) and the main game wasn't too frantic or clicky. I played through the entire trial and would have been happy to keep going for a while.
As for the people who say the game is biased against bikers, the thing is that this is a game, and you'll find simplifications and stereotypes in a lot of casual games. For example, don't the Diner Dash games portray old people as invariably slow and bad tippers or people who read books as introverted loners? I'm not saying it's a good thing, but I am saying that it's not fair to judge this game too harshly for it.
The wolf spirit still haunts… will you heed its call?
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 15 found this review helpful
Nothing special at all
PostedJanuary 23, 2014
PistolPoet
fromSerbia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Based on the demo!
If you're looking for an average HOG, you'll be happy with this one. The visuals are nothing special, mostly in shades of brown. The hidden-object scenes are somewhat varied (lists and outlines) but there's too many of them for my liking. The puzzles were ok, but not outstanding. The story takes a while to get going and you don't really begin to understand what's going on until at least half an hour in (and then it's pretty boring and unoriginal). What bothered me is that the "Native Americans" were actually white people. I know Eipix is from Serbia and they probably couldn't hire actual Native American actors, but they could have drawn their characters from scratch instead of casting European actors.
In conclusion, this game doesn't stand out at all (based on the demo) and is definitely not on the same level with the other games in the series.
In conclusion, this game doesn't stand out at all (based on the demo) and is definitely not on the same level with the other games in the series.
I don't recommend this game.
Work with April to take your business to new heights while making your customers’ dream vacations come true!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
A great TM mash-up!
PostedJanuary 12, 2014
PistolPoet
fromSerbia
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is not your average time-management game. At first, it is reminiscent of Sally's Salon, in that you're in charge of a travel agency and you have to take care of customers by dragging them from station to station and fulfilling their needs. But then you also get to go to their trips with them, and there the game adds other elements, so it feels like a totally different game. It really is an all-round TM experience, and with lovely graphics and a few special achievements, it is definitely a great choice. Plus, it feels completely casual as there is no timer, so you can play it at your leisure and take your time.
I recommend this game!