upsysydaisy's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.8
- Helpful Votes:2,457
- Reviews Submitted:156
- First Review:July 17, 2014
- Most Recent Review:July 20, 2017
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you give Romeo and Juliet the happy ending they desire?
Overall rating
5
/
5
74 of 92 found this review helpful
True Love Lives Forever!
PostedFebruary 25, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
What a bright diamond has landed in our fish pond! I know little of Shakespeare's works, but this little piece of it with a twist is captivating. You hardly think of a masterpiece in the gaming world. But I dare say this could be a first in Big Fish.
The game moves along at a good pace which makes it even more enjoyable, as being slow can cause boredom. Deep, lush, rich colors enhance the already beautiful graphics. I think much of it is hand-drawn, but I find both drawn and computerized very fine. The characters are absolutely devine, a few a little better rendered than others. They are exceptional to my eye. The creative and artistic talents that went into the making of Romeo and Juliet deserve high praises! The voices were positively perfect, as were the sound effects throughout the entire game.
The animals, birds, butterflies were done with realistic movements and colors. I loved the ornate, magnificence of the interiors and the beauty of the lush outdoors. The attention to detail made everything perfectly perfect!
Without giving much away, I will tell you that Romeo and Juliet are engaged and all is well...UNTIL a resentful, evil guy resurfaces from the past. He has a bone to pick and takes his anger to the extreme, using Juliette to appease his revenge. This creep was jilted my Juliet's mother when she chose a Capulet instead of him. Her mother died giving birth to her. It all created a very interesting story with that little twist.
We have an abundance and good variety of HOGs. I love the interactive ones, there was a multi-step one involving silhouettes that I really liked. The HOGs contained beautiful items and were not terribly challenging. There were more puzzles than HOGs and with most of them you could choose to play them in either easy or hard mode. I love that feature, it's fun to check out the differences between the two versions! With the selection of game modes available, Romeo and Juliet can be played by everyone, no matter what your skill level is.
It is a long game with 6 chapters and a good bonus chapter. Also the game has a great map and I liked the banner at the inventory bar, showing if there are any collectibles within the scene you are currently playing. There are achievements to earn and an assortment of collectibles to add to the fun. Lots of special little things to make this a most enjoyable game. It was delightful from beginning to end. I highly recommend, as it is certainly a 5-star game.
God Bless....
I recommend this game!
The famous Johnny Abilli has been murdered at the Broadbeach Resort. You've been called in to crack the case.
Overall rating
5
/
5
5 of 7 found this review helpful
Johnny's Dead, I Reckon!
PostedFebruary 24, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I completed the game but it wasn't as enjoyable as I had expected. It started out well with TV personality, Johnny Abilli being murdered and a number of suspects right off the bat. But I felt the game moved along too slowly and I thought the investigation in and around the club house would never end. I had played quite a long time before there was any spoken dialogue, nor had any characters made an appearance. So I was about to just uninstall.
Fortunately, it picked up pace and things got a lot more interesting, there was more action after arriving at Stewart Dent's house...and more shady characters came out of the woodwork. The evidence board filled up quickly and was easy to follow. In some games they are not so well organized. There were plenty of suspects to ponder over.
The graphics and colors are amongst the best, as in all the Dead Reckoning games. The characters were rendered in an excellent fashion for the time this story represents...the clothes, furniture style, cars. The voices were done very well. I don't care about the lip movement as it has nothing to do with the game play, it doesn't ruin the entertainment for me.
The music was good, there were no tech problems. I enjoyed all the games, had to skip a couple. I thought the HOGs were especially enjoyable and I love the interactive ones. There were lots of items in the HOGs but they weren't over cluttered junk piles that required a bulldozer to search through them!
I am giving this Dead Reckoning 5 stars because of the great graphics, characters and games/puzzles. I wasn't won over with the story itself because it just didn't have enough substance to it to satisfy my taste in crime games.
God Bless....
I recommend this game!
Who is responsible for your children’s disappearance? Follow the trail!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Thank Goodness - No Gingerbread Children!
PostedFebruary 24, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This fable is not really suitable for a child. Plus the witch is not typical of most fairytale villains. She has a bizarre face and her body is rather provocative for this kind of story, IMO. The characters are quirky. I loved the white bird and the feeble old man at the beginning of game.
The "Strange Lady" meets up with Hansel & Gretel in the forest and is intent on taking them for her own. She takes her basket of enchanted gingerbread men (mean little critters with sharp teeth) to their home. They are her minions who assist with her evil deeds. After putting Mom into a sleep spell. they kidnap Hansel & Gretel. They are taken to the witch's yummy looking Candy House and held captive with 2 other children. They are scared, weak from hunger and over-worked and desperately want to escape.
Mom awakens from the spell and the story is about her journey to find and rescue her babes, and destroy the witchy woman. She gets some help from a lovely interesting creature and encounters lots and lots of chocolate detours. But she ultimately accomplishes her mission.
Your game time is displayed when you exit and boy was I shocked at how long I played!! Surely it was due to my enjoying the scenery and nodding off sometimes while playing (lol). Otherwise, the game would be 14-plus hours long and that is not possible!
There are 40 tiny cupcakes hidden throughout the game, silly achievements to earn and a cute little gingerbread man hint-keeper, who paces in circles while waiting for the hint to reload. The HOGs are not difficult and some are interactive which is always fun. They are not a cluttered mess so really no need to use hints. I loved the puzzles. They were skippable. I did end up cheating once - had too much trouble with the toy knight!
The hint button worked as a jump map. The hand-drawn graphics are not vividly colored like in most fairytales, they are rather dreary through most of the story. Animation had a dated look but didn't diminish the quality of the scenery, it just added a "primitive" appearance. The ending was not a big battle, Mom just went in and took care of business. It did have a surprise twist to it, though.
There is a bonus chapter which I was unable to finish because of a glitch that I could not fix. In one of the HOGs, I was unable to pick up the spoon. Other than this incident, the game ran perfectly. I do recommend this quirky game, for a relaxing change of pace that's just a little different than our usual adult fare.
God Bless
I recommend this game!
Hoist the Jolly Roger and seek the treasures of the Caribbean sea!
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 9 found this review helpful
Hooray!! There Is A Relaxed Mode!!
PostedFebruary 24, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I was sad to read that a reviewer passed on this beautiful game, believing that is was timed only. The relaxed mode choice is right there in options when you enter your name.
I played the demo long enough to know this would be a definite addition to my cherished patchwork/mosaic collection. I'm always so excited to find another. As we mosaic lovers well know, they come along far too seldom.
I love the pirate theme and the interesting subjects in each collection. A fine variety of texture and design are offered in the materials. I appreciate the vivid array of colors that add an additional quality to the pictures. I am looking forward to discovering each new location of the many levels. Hopefully we will be blessed with more of these lovely puzzles, more frequently. They are good therapy when we need a time out from our normally hectic pace.
God Bless....
I recommend this game!
Lillian's fiance, Christian, has been kidnapped by an evil witch! Help Lillian explore Christian's castle and save her love!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
This Was A Tough One Folks!
PostedFebruary 23, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
At first glance Mystery of the Earl looks innocent enough, a sweet love story. Couldn't be further from the truth! I worked so hard and long to claim my victory. My finger will be long recovering from all the clicking on everything so many times.
It is a so-so story about Lillian and Christian who are to be married. He is an Earl who disappears. Lillian, intent on finding him, discovers some shocking secrets involving Christian and provides clues to his disappearance. The Earl is in trouble with an evil, conniving witch as a result of trying to enhance his financial standing. Lillian engages the help of a clever fairy to rescue Christian and defeat the witch who has imprisoned him.
The game is extremely challenging and tedious. Being stubborn I won my battle and my satisfaction was glorious. It is so difficult because it is quite small on screen compared to other games. Plus everything you need to find is so faint and tiny, it may as well be drawn with invisible ink. A magnifying glass will become your best friend! It is a seek & find (NOT a HOG) adventure and there are many things to find. There are 10 diamonds in each location and parts to assemble into items that go directly to inventory to be applied to a hidden area, exposing an important "tool". Not as complicated as it sounds! Just click on everything instead of giving up.
No click penalty, no timer. A different kind of jump map, the hint reloads quickly, a fairy helper sits there and offers advice where she deems necessary. Lillian's diary kept a good record of all the events. A no-frills ending. Advice: Pick this up with a coupon or during a good sale You will need lots of patience and good eyes! I did honestly enjoy the game because of the huge challenge!
God Bless....
I recommend this game!
Help the God of Chaos save his beloved from the curse.
Overall rating
5
/
5
36 of 42 found this review helpful
I'm In Love!
PostedFebruary 22, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I am head-over-heels in love with Mosaic: Game of Gods II. Here, finally after waiting for what seemed an eternity, another mosaic game has arrived.
I own all the mosaic games of this type and I must say this one is, IMO, over-the-top fantastic. It is different from the others in several ways. First of all, it has a storyline:
The wicked Darkness hated the beautiful Goddess and wanted to destroy her. She turned her into a tree and separated her soul into seven pieces, scattering them into all the other worlds. The God of Chaos loves the Goddess and wants desperately to save his beloved from the horrible curse. So this fable is responsible for the creation of this delightful game.
There are 150 glorious levels. The subjects are so beautiful. The designs, materials, colors, subject matter are perfectly done. There is such a variation in color and material design that I just take great delight in sitting here ogling it all...as much as I can, all the levels are locked until the one you are presently working in is finished...they open one at a time like in the other mosaic games. You can make out what the pictures are behind the padlock, enough to see that they are all stunning, especially the animals (for me). My good friend, the magnifying glass, is helping me out! If there was a timer, I did not notice, but usually you can still earn stars even when the time runs out in all the mosaic games, as I recollect. I can't comment on the challenge, I've not really encountered much of it in the 5 levels I have completed thus far.
_You earn points for each piece successfully placed.
_There is a score multiplier, so the faster you place the pieces, the bigger it gets.
_Earn 1 star for each completed level.
_Earn 2 stars for each level with no mistakes.
_Earn 3 stars completing a level using no hints.
_There are 7 trophies to earn.
_The music is beautiful with a mystical sound to it.
_The pieces are very easy to lay down.
_There is no clunky sound effect associated with it.
_It is a quiet, soothing game.
_There is a score multiplier, so the faster you place the pieces, the bigger it gets.
_Earn 1 star for each completed level.
_Earn 2 stars for each level with no mistakes.
_Earn 3 stars completing a level using no hints.
_There are 7 trophies to earn.
_The music is beautiful with a mystical sound to it.
_The pieces are very easy to lay down.
_There is no clunky sound effect associated with it.
_It is a quiet, soothing game.
I hope you get as much pleasure from this lovely collection of creative art as I am. AND what a great sale today!
God Bless....
I recommend this game!
Can you escape the mysterious musician's melody?
Overall rating
5
/
5
9 of 10 found this review helpful
Danger In Retro Havana !
PostedFebruary 22, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I thoroughly enjoyed Havana Nights! It was an uncomplicated mystery crime story that had a definite beginning, middle and end. The plot was unique, the ending had a surprise twist to it...and for once the ending was not silly or abrupt. I highly recommend this game. This one, IMO, is much better than the other two Cadenzas. It seemed shorter than the others, but I don't care. It's the quality and fun that is important!
The graphics were gorgeous and very colorful. The clothing, buildings, interior design , art, cars were very indicative of 1952 Havana. The characters were done extremely well and the voices were strong and clear. The Cuban accents did not sound hokey, may have been the real deal. I loved listening to the dialogue and when written it was easy to follow the storyline. I never skip dialogue in any game so this was a real pleasure. The story was similar to Music, Betrayal and Death in that a tune played by a musician bitter with revenge, put a spell on the victims which resulted in murder and destruction.
There was a satisfying amount of games, puzzles and HOGs. I loved them all, lots of fun. They were challenging but not frustrating. One puzzle actually was a pain in the ----, so I thankfully took advantage of the 10 second skip. I do always set the hint and skip to 10 or 15 seconds when a custom game mode is available. The HOGs were excellent and there was a good variety, some were quite unique. The inventory always had a lot of items but they were quickly used which I appreciated. The jump map was available very soon into the game and it was nice and quick. Havana was all laid out on it with the streets, piers and significant buildings...a very nice feature.
The music was pleasant and kept it on through the entire game, beautiful guitar pieces. The sound effects, right down to the least significant object or environmental sound, were very realistic. I really liked the short physical confrontations and the struggle for the gun. The boxing KO by a female boxer was an unexpected treat.
So, overall, Cadenza: Havana Nights was very entertaining and I think that it can be played by any skill level and even though it is a crime story, there are no bloody or inappropriate scenes if that is something that bothers you. IMO the game deserves 5 big, shiny stars!
God Bless....
I recommend this game!
Open a puzzle box to unlock four extraordinary worlds!
Overall rating
5
/
5
43 of 60 found this review helpful
My Imagination Is Soaring To High Altitudes!
PostedFebruary 18, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I want to go there! What a wonderfully refreshing game. The graphics are absolutely incredible. So much imagination and artistic talent is seen here. The colors are gorgeous with an other-worldly quality to them. Everything is just like a peaceful, magical dream, but that might all change soon. There is a villain who has to be conquered.
In the beginning we find Matthew, a deep sea explorer, finding a strange object on the sea bed. He brings it up and puts it in his duffle bag to take ashore for further investigation. Something made him pass out and we next see him in hospital where his fiancée, Samantha, is a nurse. He clutches his duffle bag close to him while in bed, when he is alone he tears into it in a fit of rage and removes the artifact which contains not only a mysterious black smoke, but a puzzle box with many sides. When it starts to open Matthew places it on the table and is suddenly swallowed up into the box. He screams out for Samantha to help. When she arrives and Matthew is gone she notices the box and goes up to it. And now, whoosh...she is sucked into the box and arrives in a fantastic magical land.
She immediately meets Harold, an old magician, who tells her she is in Atis and Matthew has been kidnapped. He is being held on a distant island which is actually a humongous mammal floating in the sky. Harold creates all these fantastic sky mammals out of magic paper.
Ralden, an evil wizard captured Matthew with the black smoke. The demo held no explanation for this. Harold gives Samantha a magic box which is her tool in the game, to get rid of the smoke when it "attacks". And there is a bugle that when she uses it, delivers her to the island where Matthew is imprisoned.
My review will easily become way too much to read if I don't stop now. But let me tell you about the other quality features.
There are 4 play modes, so just about everyone should be able to play this superb game. The puzzles/games in the demo were quite simple but fun. There are bound to be various difficulties further into the game. The one HOG in the demo was outstanding. I will say it is the very best I have ever played and I have played hundreds with Big Fish. It was different and very interactive.
It is a long game with 6 chapters and a bonus chapter. I am so anxious to get at it! There are achievements, ghost masks to collect which are invisible and sometimes appear briefly. Bit of a challenge to snatch them up. There are morphing masks. Also runes to collect, 90 of them I think. Collect them all, they restore the symbol code of the artifact.
This will end up being one of my top favorite games. I needed something like this to restore my old enthusiasm. Tomorrow's Game Today use to be a little highlight of my day. But not so much anymore. This wonderful game is a glimmer of hope that we can have light and beauty in our entertainment instead of all the darkness in the themes of the games being offered for such a long time now. And happy to see a good sale today!
God Bless...
I recommend this game!
A dark fog is taking over Bremen!
Overall rating
5
/
5
14 of 23 found this review helpful
It Brings Out The Animal In Me !!
PostedFebruary 16, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I played the demo and already have fallen in love with this Living Legends. The storyline is captivating and the animal aspect is especially appealing to me.
The story begins with Isabella receiving an invitation to come to the Bremen Music Festival to hear her twin sister perform. She is an exquisite violinist and Isabella is anxious to see her on stage displaying her wonderful talent.
On her way to Bremen Isabella finds an old man sitting on the roadside grieving over the loss of his beloved animal dolls. This was one of the first tasks in the demo. The demo started off right away with this first of many tasks leading up to the main story. The dolls were found and returned to this seemingly helpless fellow, but it was revealed that he was really under the spell of the Mistress of the Fog and was used to trick Isabella, but there was no explanation at that point in the demo.
She arrives at the doors of Bremen only to find that the Music Festival has been cancelled because the musicians have just up and disappeared. This is where the adventure begins and it is full of tasks and puzzles and HOGs and interesting things everywhere you go. You can choose from 4 different game modes , I always choose custom just to adjust the hint and skip to 10 seconds. There is a scroll that contains your map, tasks, goals, achievements, collectibles, morphs. I like that feature and the map is terrific. There are paper dolls and morphs to watch for in each location. And a feature I just love is a green icon on left of screen...click it and it tells you how many of these items are still left as well as your achievements, your task data is also available in an instant. No guess work for those of us who are biting our nails wondering if we discovered everything in each scene.
The villain in our story is the wicked Mistress of the Fog...a very thick menacing fog that you definitely want to stay away from. One of the musicians escaped from it but he is under a shapeshifting spell and it is agonizing and painful. He pleads with Isabella to join him in finding the other musicians and escape the evil Mistress and her deadly intentions.
The menacing fog drives everyone out of their minds. The musicians were cursed and have to be eliminated because when they play an ancient tune, the wicked Mistress is unable to commit anything evil for an entire year. And for some reason she wants to abolish Bremen.
The graphics was truly gorgeous and the colors are bright and appropriate for this story and subject matter. The characters were beautifully rendered and the voices were very natural. Everything was just perfect as far as I'm concerned. It makes the game so much more enjoyable. And one of the old man's animal dolls who has a special little role is simply adorable and he was done so cleverly.
The puzzles I encountered in the demo were fun and challenging. Loved them. The HOGs were amazing and I think you will agree. I loved the one that moved from side to side by placing your pointer to the edge of either side of the screen and therefore showed all the objects in more of a landscape view. Hope there are more of those in the game.
I was very entertained playing the demo, it seemed to just fly by and I know this will be one of my favorite games. I'm anxious to get back to Bremen and see what else that dreaded Mistress of the Fog has up her sleeve. And what kind of animals are her poor captives being turned into?
Because of the 4 game modes everyone at any skill level can play and I think it should be fun for all ages, except not so much for children. This is a very welcome addition to my collection, I've purchased very few games lately because they were just the same fantasy story over and over again and I'm tired of wizards and maniacs and serial killers. This game and the new Royal Detective: Borrowed Life are a refreshing change. I am not waiting for a sale to buy this quality game. Definitely worthy of 5 stars and then some!
God Bless....
I recommend this game!
Can you stop these stone-cold conspirators in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
38 of 49 found this review helpful
A Whole New Meaning To Being Stoned !
PostedFebruary 11, 2017
upsysydaisy
fromOcala, FL
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy, Word
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Sometimes the demo just isn't long enough, depending on the tasks at hand. Or is it just me ?! In this Royal Detective tale, Tristan, a prominent sculptor, disappears and his wife, Olivia, hires the detective to find him. The story was on the bizarre side, but interesting. Knowing it was just a made-up game, I was still amazed at these life-sized creations moving along lickety-split without falling, clunking, bumping, crushing, even flying. Have to engage my great imagination for this one !
Henrietta was a sweet, contented statue whose pet parrot was also made of stone. Seeing and hearing her speak and noticing the moss starting to spread on her, made me realize the sadness of this story, knowing that her husband loved and missed her so much that he tolerated this ungodly replica.
The other statues and very angry leader, bent on revenge, set out to find and kill Tristan. They have not been lovingly accepted by the ones who asked Tristan for these anomalies. They don't get it...DUH ! How can you be all smootchy and cuddly with a rock with glowing eyes ? And what do you feed them...sand and gravel ? Just a thought ! Weird, very weird.
I didn't travel any far distance...just to where Tristan was hiding. But I did play some very good games. Even though they were not too difficult, I really enjoyed them. I encountered a few HOGs which I liked very much. They were challenging and interactive, very nicely done. I hope this game is not as heavy with mini games as many of the newer ones are. There should be a good balance of HOGs and games so that all players are satisfied.
The hand-drawn graphics were beautiful, IMO. Very clear and bright with excellent color. I really don't care whether graphics are computerized or drawn, but I know it is a definite issue with many gamers. The characters were great looking, even the statues were creatively rendered. The voices sounded clear and natural.
In my demo time I found 1/2 dozen morphs and several talisman...and I earned 4 achievements in just one HOG ! There seemed to be 2 bonus chapters or at least an extra game attached to the bonus chapter. I liked the unusual nature of this Royal Detective game and hopefully it contains more entertainment than I was exposed to.
As for purchasing, it's up in the air right now. Only because during the demo there were SO MANY things that required being unstuck, repaired, unlocked, dug up, etc. Plus finding the tools to accomplish such. It all seemed too laden with these features. For me, it was more like ironing or doing dishes all day when all I want is a fun, relaxing time-out...not more tedium. But maybe the rest of the game is not so cluttered with these things. One can only hope.
Just to be fair I gave it 5 stars. For all I know at this point, it could be super-duper. Seems to be a good game for beginners, others may breeze right through it. I am curious to know if Tristan has any emotional attachment to any of his amazing creations. Sort of like Frankenstein and HIS angry creation. It will certainly appeal to many other gamers right away, especially with the subject matter.
God Bless...
I recommend this game!