begwood1's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.4
- Helpful Votes:24
- Reviews Submitted:9
- First Review:September 21, 2015
- Most Recent Review:January 12, 2025
- Featured reviews0
begwood1's Review History
Cozy up to this festive hidden-object puzzler!
Overall rating
1
/
5
AI Garbage
PostedJanuary 12, 2025
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
In addition to the lack of play value, the "photographic" backgrounds are obviously AI-generated. Just lousy in every way.
I don't recommend this game.
Solve a series of devious puzzles to escape Arcana manor and uncover the dark secrets of the mysterious magician once lived there.
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Devious Puzzles and Arcane Conundra!
PostedSeptember 23, 2019
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Well, this was just a ton of fun. We explore a spooky mansion belonging to a deceased magician on Halloween night, solving puzzles and enduring the taunts of Dr. Arcana along the way. The game is puzzle-centric and it will not hold your hand -- you need to notice patterns you find as you explore, and some of the puzzles are tough. Try the demo and see how you do with the gate puzzle. If you can't solve that one or find it too confusing or frustrating, stop there -- you aren't going to enjoy this game.
The atmosphere is delightful -- pleasantly creepy and enhanced by an excellent score (the game creator is also a member of the band Nox Arcana, who provided the gothic melodies). The mansion is peppered with artwork as well, which is saved in a gallery to look at later if you want to, as one of the game extras.
There are tons of puzzles, ranging from very easy to mind-bending. Many reviewers have called out the scarab puzzle, which I actually solved without too much pain -- but I really suffered over the constellation tiles and circular maze! Be prepared to do a certain amount of trial and error to figure out how to approach these -- and since the game won't let you undo a move without resetting the whole puzzle, there is a LOT of trial. But when you beat a particularly hard puzzle at last, the glow of accomplishment is worth it!
Some puzzles are familiar types, but others are creative: my favorite had you rearranging skulls with letters on them to create a phrase.
I loved the presentation of the game, the wealth of puzzles, and the challenge factor. This game reminded me of old classics like The Seventh Guest. I do have a few nits to pick -- the mansion is full of doors, all of which you open with the same two kinds of puzzles: a tile-swapping challenge, and a cipher to decode. The tile puzzles are fun, but the cipher puzzles aren't challenging or enjoyable, they just feel like a tedious task to get through as you match symbols on a scroll to figure out what letters they represent. And you do 13 of these (I think), which is simply irksome. There's also one "click lights at random to figure out the right sequence" puzzle, which is pointless. And the graphics are not particularly lavish, although they do the job.
Still, for me this is a five-star game because it was just so fun and so satisfying. IMO the "occult themes" are mild and shouldn't offend anyone who's seen much stage magic -- there are some pentagrams and runes and familiar "spooky" motifs, nothing offensive.
I recommend this game!
Journey through fantastic landscapes and complete many interesting tasks and exciting puzzles.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Another Puzzlefest from Itera Labs
PostedApril 3, 2018
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Word
Current Favorite:
Invasion: Lost in Time
(89)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Itera Labs is behind two of my favorite Big Fish Games -- Invasion and its sequel. I love how puzzle-heavy these games are; you encounter one at almost every step, and they're incredibly diverse. I had high hopes for this entry as well.
Sadly, Waves of Time delivers in puzzle quantity, but they are far too easy. Nothing I've encountered so far delivers even modest challenge. The game does have a fun and creative plot, involving a mix of sci-fi and time travel (so do the Invasion games, that seems to be Itera's specialty).
The other Itera hallmark is hilariously incompetent English translation -- and Wave of Time delivers! The dialogue and pop-up boxes are garbled products of non-native speakers. Guys, fork over the modest amount it would cost to hire someone to proof your games already! Wave of Time goes a step further by having American actors valiantly reading the broken English and trying to sound convincing. The effect is funny enough that it's actually one of my favorite things about the game.
If you love puzzles and minigames but want them to be very easy to solve, Wave of Time will delight you. If you can appreciate the unintentional humor of the dialogue, that's a plus. But those of us who loved the Invasion games are going to have to keep looking for other games loaded with "brain teasers" that actually tease the brain.
Silent Scream: The Dancer
You, as Jennifer, have to solve a perplexing mystery and save her only daughter in Silent Scream: The Dancer!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Offbeat little gem
PostedMay 20, 2016
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Large File, Word
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It's always nice to stumble upon a game that's a little different from the norm. This was included in one of those multi-game packs and I didn't expect much from it, but Silent Scream has an unusual look to it -- a hand-drawn cartoonish art style that's actually quite effective -- and goes a lot further in the direction of being genuinely creepy than most casual games do. Almost every scene has disturbing little animated details that appear and add to the atmosphere.
This is also a surprisingly hard game, which I like. The HOs are genuinely challenging and require some thought as well as sharp eyes. There are a few "stealth" puzzles as well; you have to pick a pocket or sweep up glass without being heard by bad guys. I found these incredibly frustrating and difficult and skipped most of them. Kudos for including hard mini-games, but these just weren't fun. It's a decent length and even includes a bonus chapter, although this is so short that it's basically an afterthought.
You play a young woman who is frantically searching for her missing child and to the game's credit, everything you do is directly related to that goal. You don't wander around fixing clocks and picking strawberries or whatever -- you look for information or try to get into the hospital where you think she might be, your character is frantic with worry. It adds to the foreboding atmosphere.
Like many games this one suffers from very poor translation (from Russian, I think) and from those impossible mini-games. But Silent Scream doesn't look or feel quite like anything else out there and if you like your games dark this one will be a spooky surprise.
I recommend this game!
Nightmares from the Deep: The Siren's Call
Face off against Davy Jones and his nightmares from the deep!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Nothing new here, but so well done.
PostedNovember 2, 2015
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Large File, Word, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This game isn't reinventing the wheel -- it's a familiar mix of standard hidden-object scenes, adventure-type inventory challenges, and puzzles, in a nicely rendered seaside location with enough plot to make you care what happens. However, I found myself really enjoying it!
Like the first Nightmares, we get a reasonably complex backstory unfolded bit by bit as we find coins to open a pirate chest. This time it's a town cursed by an unscrupulous pirate in league with Davy Jones. The plot elements -- Davy Jones, pirates with fishy features, the kraken -- are clearly "inspired" by the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (some of the incidental music is even reminiscent of the theme park attraction), but they're fun in the movies and they're fun here as well. In this installment, there's also a splash of "Shadow Over Innsmouth," which a few details in the game reference.
It's very pretty to look at even though the visuals in many scenes are quite similar, with coral and skulls and torchlight abounding. I ended up using the jump map quite a bit -- partly because the locations are mostly laid out in long daisy chains so it can take a while to get back and forth, and partly because I just couldn't remember which of the similar-looking rooms held the puzzle I just found the piece to solve!
The puzzles are mostly not difficult -- they're heavy on piece-swapping and jigsaw variations, with some novel variations thrown in -- but they are visually lovely and lots of fun to solve. A few of the inventory items are used in clever ways. This is a long game with lots to do and plenty of information to uncover, and the plot wraps up satisfyingly in the standard edition so you aren't left hanging. Voice acting is mostly quite good -- happily, the whiny-voiced daughter from the first game in the series is nowhere to be found in this one. And the cut scenes are lovely and cinematic (except for some poor character animation in a few).
If you love the standard HOPA game, then this is a fine execution of the formula and you will have hours of enjoyment ahead of you. It didn't knock me out simply because it never transcended the formula, but sometimes all you need is a good solid game, and Siren's Call delivers that in full.
I recommend this game!
Phantasmat: The Dread of Oakville
It's the end of the world... at least in Oakville.
Overall rating
2
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
Well, it looks pretty ...
PostedOctober 19, 2015
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Adventure, Large File, Word, Brain Teaser
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I have a tremendous soft spot for the original Phantasmat. It was the game that really showed me how good HOPA games could be and won me over (and then Mystery Case Files sealed the deal!). From creepy storyline to beautiful graphics to satisfying puzzles, it was a delight in every way.
None of the subsequent titles in the series has measured up, sadly, and this might be the weakest of the lot. Once again you crash your car in yet another creepy town and meet a bunch of people who seem .... not quite right. This time around the problems involve a doomsday prophet and a sinister puppet.
I'm all for sinister puppets, but the storyline is garbled and confusing, the characters are whiny and never come across as real people, and the puzzles are INSULTINGLY easy. The game holds your hand so much that you have little to figure out on your own. I think there were two puzzles in the whole game that I actually enjoyed.
There are some nice creepy doll and toy effects here and there, and the actress who voices Mae the mad prophet is very good indeed. Otherwise, I can say little good about this game.
I don't recommend this game.
Cadenza: The Kiss of Death
Is your husband-to-be guilty of betrayal – or even worse?
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Charming, but doesn't quite measure up to the first
PostedOctober 19, 2015
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Adventure, Large File, Word, Brain Teaser
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival
(133)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
We're back in New Orleans for the sequel to Cadenza: Music, Death, and Betrayal, and once again the jazz is smoky, the visuals are beautiful, and the characters are richly compelling. Ella, the heroine of the first game, is on the eve of her wedding when things go horribly wrong. She's left to save the life of her husband and unravel a mystery of music, backstabbing, and poison lipstick.
The voice acting and attention to detail are outstanding. We actually care about Ella and Anthony (well, at least I did) because the game spends time fleshing them out as people -- and they are voiced beautifully. The actress who plays Ella in these games gives the best performances I've ever heard in a video game. The two original jazz songs are really impressive.
The game also delivers an unusual level of realism for a casual game full of sparkles and hidden-object scenes. Most of your tasks relate directly to the plot of the story and make sense -- you'll be doing things like sneaking into a hospital room when the administration wants you to stay in the waiting room, analyzing the chemical makeup of a poisonous plant, and trying to open a police evidence locker.
Among the game's weaknesses,though, is that some of these tasks feel padded or frankly boring. You give fingerprints to an officer -- OK, that seems plausible. But it's just a busywork task; you just click on the inkpad and the fingerprint form repeatedly, so why include this? You also spend a lot of time turning ignition keys and making wedding arrangements and other less-than-compelling gameplay, especially early in the game.
When you do get to the puzzles, some are pretty great -- I especially liked the music lock on the van, the microscope puzzle, sneaking past the hospital guards, and the lanterns in Chinatown. But too many were far too easy -- the concepts were good, but they weren't challenging enough; as soon as you start fiddling with them they're solved. The hidden object scenes were the same types we've seen in other Madhead games and not too exciting, except for one beautiful Chinese art one. (I'm starting to wish they'd done a whole game set in New Orleans' Chinatown ...) I'm not a huge hidden-object fan in general -- I like the puzzle and adventure components of these games -- so an HO fan might like them more.
One other nit to pick: there were some mistranslated words in a few of the hidden-object scenes -- "fiddle" when they mean "violin bow" and "broche" when they mean "brooch," for example -- and a few weird grammar and other mistakes in the game text. I've never seen this before in a Madhead game; usually they do a better job with the English wording than American developers do! It adds to the impression that this game didn't get the same loving care the first one did.
Do I still recommend it after all that? Yeah, I do, for the compelling plot and emotionally involving characters. It's lovely to look at and listen to, and it's nice to see a game that's meant to engage an adult audience with a little more depth of story and character. I hope to see more of Ella and Anthony in future games ... and if they bring along some challenging puzzles in their next outing, that would just be gravy!
I recommend this game!
Hallowed Legends: Samhain
Celtic folklore seems to be more truth than lore when the Samhain festival goers disappear! Find the missing people and save the day!
Overall rating
4
/
5
Lovely Atmosphere and Puzzles Galore
PostedOctober 12, 2015
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Adventure, Large File, Word, Brain Teaser
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival
(133)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
There's a lot to like in this game. The visuals are truly beautiful and immersive -- the cut scenes don't render perfectly on my computer, but even so you can tell they're unusually well done for a casual game. The atmosphere is impressively spooky. There's no voice-over, which would have been nice, but the atmospheric sounds are fine. You get to earn achievements even in the standard edition, which is an unexpected bonus.
Best of all, it's loaded with puzzles and HOS. I personally prefer puzzles to hidden objects, but regardless of your preferences you'll find tons of both to enjoy. There is little of the "find a missing piece to open a chest to find another missing piece to open a door that holds another missing piece that opens something else" busy work you encounter in some games. Here, the missing piece will always unlock a puzzle that you get to complete, that door won't just fly open when you place it. The puzzles do have instructions, but you have to click the "i" button to see them. This lets you try to figure it out on your own first before you resort to hand-holding (and most of the objectives are pretty clear once you do a little tinkering). Most of the challenges aren't all that hard -- there's a towers of Hanoi puzzle, some repeat-the-sequence challenges, and lots of "shift the marbles so all the colors end up in the right place" puzzles and lots of others along with the straightforward hidden-object hunts -- but they are fun and satisfying to complete.
The plot is detailed and full of folklore -- although it's made-up folklore based on some terms and deities from Celtic myth, not an accurate depiction of Celtic beliefs. However, that leads to my biggest gripe about the game. The text (and there's a lot of it) is a mess. This was clearly written in another language and then sloppily translated into English by someone who isn't a native speaker. This is always annoying, but when your characters are scientists, folklorists and archaeologists conveying complex ideas it results in gibberish. It's hard to follow the plot and breaks the illusion of reality. It's inexcusable not to hire an English-speaking editor to polish your text!
I can't overstate what a flaw the mangled English is, and it keeps this game from being a five-star experience for me. However, Samhain is in other respects an excellent game and I really enjoyed it.
I recommend this game!
Return to your hometown to save your father and uncover Midnight Castle’s secrets!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
For Midnight Castle Fans
PostedSeptember 21, 2015
begwood1
fromLos Angeles, CA
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Adventure, Word, Brain Teaser
Current Favorite:
Mystery Case Files: Escape from Ravenhearst
(473)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've been obsessively playing Midnight Castle for weeks, so I was thrilled when this game showed up in a promotion. I think anyone who plays Midnight Castle has wished for a chance to explore the castle in a more interactive way!
This is a hybrid hidden object/puzzle game and you play as Anabel the (not-yet-a) vampire from Midnight Castle. You must make your way into the castle and defeat a villain who should be familiar to Midnight Castle habitues.
Most of the other puzzles are quite easy, except for the chess puzzle and a couple of puzzles that relied on manual dexterity. I play on a laptop with a touchpad, and these were incredibly hard -- with a mouse, probably easier.
The good: Midnight Calling is a simply beautiful game, with lush visuals and pleasant music. It's also full of details that reference Midnight Castle -- many of the artifacts you collect and the details in the art are callbacks to Midnight Castle gameplay.
There are two "super puzzles." LOVE THESE. You need to tinker with them to solve multiple stages to finally unlock your goal. It wasn't hard to figure out what had to be done -- I thought they were challenging but fair.
The hidden object scenes were creative, varied, and, again, visually beautiful.
You have an animal sidekick who, in my opinion, was very cute and endearing. This fits nicely with the pets you can collect in Midnight Castle.
The not-so-good: This game is really short. It took me a few hours to finish the main game and the bonus chapter. The plot was uninspired, and added nothing to the Midnight Castle storyline.
I would have liked more puzzles and harder ones, and less of the "find a piece that opens a box that holds another piece that opens a different box" types of tasks.
There was little to justify the "collector's edition" status in terms of extra features -- you get to earn achievements and play a fairly short additional chapter with an even less compelling plot line.
I would have liked more depth in the characters -- they had a chance to really open up the backstory, but Anabel, Henry, the Chamberlain, and the dragon don't gain much from their presentation here. I also would have liked to explore more of the castle. I was disappointed that we visited so few rooms there.
Summing up: This game is highly appealing to Mystery Castle fans -- I imagine it would be less so if you didn't know the parent game, probably a three-star game. I also think a new player who came to Mystery Castle after playing this might be disappointed, because that game is a very different experience, lacking the puzzles and interactivity of this one.
Mystery Castle fans may feel a little let down by the short and easy nature of this game, but it's so fun to get a different look at the Mystery Castle world that it's still worth playing. I would love to see a (longer, more challenging) sequel!
I recommend this game!