MysteryAngel145's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.8
- Helpful Votes:812
- Reviews Submitted:45
- First Review:July 23, 2014
- Most Recent Review:May 14, 2021
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you rescue your children from a dangerous board game in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Revisit the Bridges to other kingdoms…
PostedMay 14, 2021
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time, far, far away...
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I own and have played the other 4 games that this one spins off from – and am so happy they made this continuation to each of them, so we could revisit those lands that offered such fun in previous games! Love this – definite buy. Lovely in sight and sound – a lot of fun, with a few new twists to some of the usual puzzle games. HOS are interesting and fun – overall the game is very imaginative and immersive.
Please note though – you do need to find the morphing objects and collectibles while you are in the scene – don’t assume you’ll be able to go back for them, because sometimes game progression makes it impossible to revisit previous scenes, and in the extras section there is no option to go back and collect what you missed. So be sure and clear out the scene of collectibles and morphs before you progress to the next area. :) The morphs are slow to change but do so quickly, so there is a bit of challenge involved in the watch and the wait …
As always, I recommend you play the demo first, as fantasy games are not everyone’s cup of tea – but I love them and will continue to buy them as long as the devs keep making them and making them this good!
Enjoy! :)
I recommend this game!
Something is terribly wrong in the toy world, and only you can help!
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 10 found this review helpful
A Christmas Escape into the Land of Dolls...
PostedDecember 19, 2020
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time, far, far away...
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Based on demo - Bridge to Another World series has some great games, many of which I own – and so glad they jumped on the Christmas train this year! :) The artwork is wonderful, the story well planned out, unique and intriguing – makes me want to keep playing to find out what will happen next. The gameplay is loads of fun and festive – the HOS original and fun, working with story - the mini games also story-appropriate and fun (with casual and hard choices for some). And the morphs and collectibles (snow globes) are a challenge to find, the morphs transitioning at a nice pace, with tabs at the left to pull out and show how many of each are left in a scene (with usually 2 of both morphs and collectibles to find). The music is their regular music with a pretty blend of a Christmas sound. Nice work guys! I can tell a lot of thought and work was put into crafting this. A definite buy from this corner of the world…definitely recommend!
Merry Christmas to all! :)
I recommend this game!
Can you bring back magic and rescue your mom in time for Christmas?
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 5 found this review helpful
Lost in the Christmas Tree Forest...
PostedDecember 6, 2020
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time, far, far away...
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Based on preview - Another great Christmas Stories game from Elephant - colorful, festive, and fun! I eagerly await these games' arrival each year - this time you are looking for your mom, who disappeared in the Christmas Tree Forest years ago but naturally the baddies do all they can to stop you from finding her...
I found the game to be enjoyable, the morphs not entirely easy since they turn to gifts and there are gifts scattered throughout each scene, so there is a bit of hunting involved. Puzzle pieces in the popups also sometimes required a bit of hunting, but it helps to know one is there when the pop up window doesn't go away (only until after everything is located and all puzzle pieces are found).
HOS varied in gameplay and size - small (popups) and large - (full screen) and some of the latter were a bit challenging to spot the items - especially the outdoor fountain. Minigames were cute and fun - perfect for Christmas, and also with a bit of challenge to them.
An interesting change I found - ALL mini games and hidden objects scenes can be seen from the extras menu - in other words, there is no lock on any not yet played - you can look at the screenshot and get an idea of what's coming to also help see if you might be interested in purchasing it. :)
The music, at times, was a bit off-putting with a repetitious sound, though most of the time it was okay, and I didn't mind it, even liked parts of it. I can always turn the sound off and put my own music on (or a youtube video of continuous music in background), so don't really judge the game based on that - only on story, gameplay, challenge, overall presentation, and length, and from what I can tell, this game hits all the marks.
Merry Christmas! :D
I recommend this game!
Can you save your beloved from a dangerous sculptor’s obsession?
Overall rating
5
/
5
61 of 76 found this review helpful
Cry No Tears – This is a Valentine’s Treat!
PostedFebruary 13, 2020
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time, far, far away...
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Based on demo: I have greatly been anticipating this game, and was not disappointed. I am pleased to see that though the company has changed/merged – the quality, beautiful graphics, amount of collectibles, and intriguing storyline have not - and Immortal Love games remain a favorite.
The game was an adventure from the word “go”. Story immersive, and had me eager to proceed to see what would happen next. I did not want to quit at demo’s end. The artwork is lovely, the music their trademark accompaniment, also lovely – the gameplay fun. Mini games provided a bit of challenge, a bit of thought, but were not too difficult - exactly as I like them. Same with HOS, which held an interesting variety.
The gimmick used worked with story and fit in well – a coveted artifact (which the order that is hunting you wants) and which you feed crystal tears to, received throughout game. It tells a portion of backstory plot with each tear, but then goes a step further providing a HOS where you must determine what the next step should be in your quest after finding the list items shown. A nice bit of variety there, which led to the next step in progression of game and was in keeping with the adventure.
Morphs (2 per scene) were interesting, in that they stayed in each state between 10 seconds and 25 seconds (with a 1 second changeover), the number always changing – so it made it more of a hunt to seek them out. I liked that. They were a challenge to find, in that the objects resembled each other in shape and size, sometimes color – nicely done! (I enjoy hunting for my morphs and not just having them blink at me like rapid neon lights when I enter a scene.) The transparent animals (also 2 per scene) blended in well. Collectibles are always a treat with this series. There is no option to go back and collect them post game, but with a sidebar showing how many are left in each scene and a jump map also showing any missing ones not yet picked up, it's easy to clear area of all collectibles before moving on and having previous scenes blocked.
Perhaps the only thing I would change/ask for – is a journal. One of the mini games required you to remember a name from one of the notes previously read – and I couldn’t, (perhaps because I was so sucked into gameplay at the time. lol) I tried different combinations, finally coming up with the right one, but it would have been nice to look in a journal for notes kept there to see it.
And now, I’m off to buy this fun and lovely Valentine - I recommend trying the demo to see if Immortal Love is for you as well!
I recommend this game!
Uncover a conspiracy against the king!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Medieval magnificence all the way through!
PostedFebruary 5, 2020
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time, far, far away...
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This game is stunning – the graphics are comparable to artwork in the renaissance period and before, even the colors used, and music fits the medieval time period and theme of the game. The voiceovers are brilliant – what I assume are true actors, displaying real emotion to further immerse you in the story, but also the lovely British accents and pleasant tone of the brothers’ Ulmers’ voices are something I could listen to all day. Indeed, I wish that one of those brothers (who you play) could have talked out his thoughts too (the black bar comments) so I could hear him constantly and not just when he was talking with others he came across! lol
Game had a very medieval King Arthur feel to it – even had a comment about a sword taken from a stone you happen across – and a lot of the unspoken comments were witty, like with a wolf head crest you put together and banter between brothers, etc.
The collectibles of the king’s seals were large, but not always easy to spot right away though never too difficult; they faded in and out and were sometimes cleverly hidden into setting, fitting well into the color schemes used. However, be warned, be sure to collect the collectible in each scene (a counter on the toolbar shows when it has been picked up) – you cannot go back and get them, and also, in the last scene of the main game, grab it first, before dealing with the last task you need to do – the story was so immersive, I bloody well forgot to get it, even though I saw where it was and planned to pick it up afterward. Once I placed the last item, it was game over, with no collecting it. (argh)
This is more historical than fantasy, though there is a tad of magic (but no wizards or elves you run across, etc, only knights, soldiers, and the story of a fictional royal family/lineage,). I loved it and recommend it to others who enjoy medieval stories, movies, renaissance faires, etc.
Some say it’s short – and it did seem to go by fast, but when keeping track of time played with my clock and how many hours it took me, main game took same amount of time as games I’ve played that seemed longer - though the amount of hours played was the same. I think it was just so good it seemed to fly by that much faster. :)
I gave it a 4 (on fun factor scale) – ONLY because of not being able to go back and get that one last collectible I lacked, since I got caught up in the story.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the kingdom from a crystal curse?
Overall rating
5
/
5
15 of 26 found this review helpful
An Intriguing Twist on the Cinderella Tale
PostedJanuary 31, 2020
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time, far, far away...
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I love Living Legends games, and this one is no exception. There is something magical about the blending of their lovely artwork, their trademark music, their interesting plots and gameplay that makes for an enchanting experience…
The collectibles were fun and challenging to find – the mice (2 per scene) are transparent and blend in well – each time you collect a certain amount (in the extras) one of the frozen band mice there returns to its original state and plays an instrument, which you can stop or start. The morphing objects (1 per scene) were small but not microscopic and provided a bit of a challenge to find – they stayed in each state 20 seconds and transitioned to the next quickly (1 second).
Some mini-games were easy, some took a bit of work. Hidden object scenes were fun to play, some of them cute, and all of the above fit with theme of story.
There is some critter action within scenes, (which I love) but no helper/gimmick, save for a magical clock that tells the backstory – cut scenes – each time you find and give it a crystal tear. It fit for plot and forwards gameplay in a realistic way (for this fantasy), so didn’t feel intrusive…fast-travel map shows collectibles & morphing objects needed to find, as well as a pull out tab to the left of screen. With the way the extras are set up, there doesn’t appear to be any link to go back and collect them post game.
One possible drawback - for those who have young children and are considering playing this with them – the heroine says “d**n” at one point when she drops a needed ring out of reach. (Filter wouldn't let me write out the word here) Personally that didn’t bother me, but I know it might for some…
I loved the demo, didn’t want to quit when I reached the end, and have purchased the CE, eagerly looking forward to when I have more time to play in full.
So, get swept up in the fantasy to see another side of Cinderella, and give the free trial a whirl…
You never know, it might be a perfect fit.
I recommend this game!
Can you help the train’s passengers save their holidays in time?
Overall rating
4
/
5
12 of 14 found this review helpful
All Aboard to Fix Christimases Past
PostedDecember 20, 2019
MysteryAngel145
fromMerry Christmas to all - and in the words of Tiny Tim - God bless us, everyone...
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I'm a wee bit confused about the antagonist - but still enjoyed game. :-)
*** following is a spoiler of Hansel's offense, which comes at last part of main game for those who want a clearer depiction of what to expect - Not only did Hansel disobey his mother by eating the gingerbread house she saved for the party, when he knew not to, he hid the pieces that collapsed and when the mother found them and blamed Gretel, scolding her, Hansel didn't admit he was the culprit but instead ran away from home - that all sounds like quite a dose of naughtiness to me, and it was unkind to let Gretel take the fall for his misdeed...***
The Enchanted Express was for those who had regrets for bad or selfish things they'd done to others, to have a chance to make up for them by helping other people who were enchanted, also for misdeeds. Children were not the only ones punished - adults were too, for neglect of family and for not helping the needy.
However, the antagonist (antihero?) was written a bit unclear in his motives - was he a good guy at heart that truly wanted those on the train to right their wrongs and be freed, to make it home for Christmas - or did he secretly want them to ride the train forever, if they refused to take part in his tales (or didn't beat his clock)? Was he a tough cookie with tough rules, but truly did care? Or was he pretending to care, but with a hidden agenda of wanting to keep those he turned into animals - those who refused to take part in the tales to help others - on his Enchanted Express? It seemed that way throughout most of the game, with the obstacles he threw in the path, but then it shows him as a good guy at the end, giving Gretel another chance, later waving to the children and them waving back (???)
And in the CE version of the bonus, (which was sweet with a moral tale of being kind and not judging others despite their differences) the antagonist warmly says he loves stories with happy endings. (Um...what?? lol)
So, in that I was confused - perhaps the antagonist had a change of heart and mellowed through Gretel's willingness to free those enchanted on the train? lol I don't know. It's the only thing that makes sense to this story.
I knocked a star off because without the morphs and collectibles and the bonus chapter found in the CE, it didn't feel as conclusive to me as a Christmas game (though the bonus chapter stands alone, and is a tale the storyteller tells us about cats, as all the "Christmas Stories" games bonuses are about them, and which I love, being a cat lover.) In the CE version only, along with the usual bling, there was also a secret room, which led to four areas and morphs (the type where item appears a short time then disappears) , with a clock that runs while doing it, which was fun to play and try to beat the last time achieved.
But the standard version is also delightful to play (and perhaps a wee bit less confusing as to the motives of the storyteller lol).
I hope this was helpful to someone. I realize it was more about plot /story than game mechanics, but I felt some things needed to be clarified...
Merry Christmas! :)
Who will save Fairytale land when Dame Gothel threatens to end Christmas forever?
Overall rating
5
/
5
68 of 78 found this review helpful
A "Grimm" Christmas that is truly a delight!
PostedDecember 12, 2019
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time far, far away
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
based on demo: (For those of you who watched the show Once Upon a Time, you will undeniably recognize one of the main characters from it at demo's end, and my favorite character from that show - which kinda stuns me. Can they do that? lol - well, they did. :)) ...
Enter the world of Grimm's fairytales, where you will help Hansel & Gretel (I'm sensing a trend here lol), Little Red Riding Hood and others, as you seek to find and save your storyteller father (Grimm) from the witch who changed him into an owl and has taken him captive...through the game, you'll speak with him and gain necessary items via the witch's enchanted mirror, seeking crystals to power it each time. (I, for one, don't mind these kind of gimmicks in Christmas games, if they fit plot well, though am not always crazy about them in others...) And since your father is Grimm, the author of these fairytales, it makes sense to get his input as you travel through the fairytale world he created...
Domini brings us another festive Christmas tale full of charm and little delights sprinkled throughout - these devs. are wonderful at creating a lot of interaction with non-game objects through many of the scenes - those items not necessary to progress in the game - and I recommend you turn off the function that allows the icon to change over active areas (in custom settings) to click on everything and fully enjoy their little extra surprises. :)
There are A) morphing Christmas trees - each one unique and a little fast at 3 second intervals, but still enjoyable to spot. B) Gingerbread stars in place of the usual puzzle pieces in the popup windows, to use in the extras, to exchange for items to fill your parlor with Christmas decor, etc, and C) constellations to find (not always in the sky), with a 3 disc-panel in your inventory that shows when a certain collectible is present. A jump map also shows collectibles, if wanted. Once you go through a portal to the next story character, you can't go back from what I could tell, so you'll need to keep an eye out to make sure you get them all first (I am uncertain if you can go back into the game thru the extras menu, to get missed collectibles. I had gathered all of them shown at that point of demo's end, but when clicking on those I found as well as the empty spaces beside them, both in the morphing trees area and in the constellations nothing happened, so my guess is not.) I just recommend whenever you open a portal, do what I do: before going through it, go back through the scenes and look first, or check the map. :)
Festive music and brilliant and colorful graphics in a snowy winter wonderland help make the gameplay a true delight - and the mini games themselves are intriguing, fun, and a bit of a challenge. Just how I like them! Not too hard, not too easy. There is also an "easy" and "hard" choice, which I love that these devs. do that. HOPs were colorful, even cute (the hide and seek mice one my favorite so far)... I didn't want to quit playing when demo ended - this is a must buy.
For the young at heart and children alike - enter the fantastic, fairytale world of Grimm, with cozy and festive holiday scenes that are far from dismal - and at least give the demo a whirl!
Merry Christmas! :)
I recommend this game!
Can you help the train’s passengers save their holidays in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
25 of 29 found this review helpful
All Aboard to Fix Christimases Past
PostedDecember 5, 2019
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time far, far away
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Family, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Based on the demo: I look forward to the Christmas Stories games every year, own all of them, and this one doesn't disappoint! The villain isn't your average scary run-of-the-mill monster/creature/warlock - or a witch, like the one in the original Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. No, it's a smooth-talking Scotsman storyteller, with a voice like melted butter (and that I could listen to all day), who traps children who have done wrong under an enchantment. He tells Gretel (you) that you must right your brother's wrong by doing 3 good deeds before midnight of Christmas (through 3 stories he tells from a book on the Enchanted Express). But he has an agenda - making it difficult, even dangerous for Gretel to free her brother from being a mouse (who becomes your helper). It's not made obvious what Hansel has done to deserve this fate (perhaps disobeying his parents and running away from home as it seems to imply in the intro, with Gretel at the train depot telling Hansel they must go back now?) - or maybe his bad deed is never shown, But Hansel has done something wrong, and Gretel must save him. I love that the villain isn't blatantly evil/scary, but SEEMS to be a nice guy at the beginning when he invites Hansel aboard his Enchanted Express to get warm and have delicious treats (reminded me a bit of the Candyman from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, though that dude was scarier looking lol) - it presents a good moral for children to be wary of any stranger, even the ones not apparently evil in word or appearance ...
Now, on to the specifics -
Pleased to see that since the beta there have been improvements made, especially in the graphics, which brought the game from good to wonderful, IMO. :)
The colors are more brilliant, crisp, royal and festive - just what you would want in a Christmas game. I'm not sure about the music, if it's Christmas or not (recently realized there are old songs I'd never heard that are Christmas songs and didn't know that when playing other games) but whatever the case, the music is pleasant to play to. Whenever I don't like music in a game, I mute it, keep voices/sound effects, and put on a continuous trek of other music that fits game in the bg, either in another window or on my stereo. :) With this one, I don't feel the need to do that.
A jump map shows collectibles. There are general collectibles to gather, as well as puzzle pieces in the popups, and morphing stockings in each of the main scenes, not always easy to spot right away, with how Christmasy the scenes are and often packed with delights -but not difficult.... there are cute critters you'll run across, even the persnickety ones, and a lot of Christmas charm. The type of game that warms the heart and makes you feel good as you play...
I found the mini games a bit of a challenge - not too easy, not too difficult, some famiiar, and some took a bit of thinking. With 3 of them, I started but had to skip to be able to finish the demo, though will play through when I buy the game and have more time to work with them. The Rube Goldberg type puzzle was on the easy side but made me smile...the HOS scenes vary in type and were colorful and cute.
So, if you like Christmas tales with good morals, a lot of festivity & fun, some giggles & smiles, along with a few, heartwarming "awww" moments - hop aboard, and at least try the demo! A true sweet treat for the entire family, adults (those kids at heart), and children alike -
Merry Christmas! :) And have a bright and wonderful New Year!
Can you stop a dangerous curse from destroying the realm?
Overall rating
5
/
5
8 of 15 found this review helpful
A Colorful Tale of Woe ...
PostedSeptember 22, 2019
MysteryAngel145
fromIn a land and time far, far away
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Puzzle, Strategy
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
How, oh HOW did I miss this?! I have been watching and waiting for the new Dark Parables, every night ( at 2 in the morning) when the changeover happens, since I played the Beta months ago – and though I recall that recently all Dark Parables games went on sale, the new one (this one) wasn’t listed as that day’s release – and now suddenly I see it as a previous listing??? (Was there a glitch at BF when it should have shown that day instead of the game that did??)
Am so glad I did a quick check and found it! I have been waiting for this one –but am confused by some of the reviews – drab color? Not colorful enough? With the pink sky alone I thought I might need to put on sunglasses, and the atrium was so beautifully rendered – it left me breathless … now, granted, it is a type of art not always as defined – but, speaking as an artist - the method fit well for this story, with the smears of paint left everywhere by the stained princess as she walks, etc. With that said, a bit more contrast to take the overall haze away (especially in the bright rooms) would have made colors clearer and overall scene more brilliant …
Note to devs, if you're reading this: it is awesome to be able to control the volume of cut scenes now, as well as normal gameplay. Thank you for that! Perhaps a contrast button to adjust and make colors clearer/ more intense would also not be amiss - for those who don’t like the overall haze, which does give a bit of a blurrier look.
The artwork fits for story, and, (as with all Dark Parables games), I love the originality and how two or more stories are blended into one, this one including the Ugly Duckling, one of my faves growing up as a child –
The music fit the tale and wasn’t invasive- sometimes with a Spanish theme, sometimes haunting, with choral bits (no words)… the morphs were perfect (not too hard, not too easy) and found in each scene, (to help hint meter) – separate from the parable pieces that are usually found in popup windows- almost like the old Dark Parables with the setup. (I say almost, because nothing will ever surpass the oldest DP games, specifically the morphs that were triggered when some specific thing was done in gameplay, and several scenes had to be revisited to see them and find them, but you never knew when it would happen, you just had to keep looking in previous scenes for them to show. Oh, that was fun - and eye-opening/ exciting when first stumbled across!) :)
I loved this game and story - and cannot wait to add it to my collection of Dark Parables, of which I own all of them. This is one of my favorite series - and devs - if you keep making them this good (or better) I will keep buying the Dark Parables games....
I recommend this game!