catsgranny's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.8
- Helpful Votes:63
- Reviews Submitted:5
- First Review:July 16, 2019
- Most Recent Review:November 25, 2019
- Featured reviews0
catsgranny's Review History
Can you prove your innocence after a string of magical burglaries?
Overall rating
5
/
5
19 of 20 found this review helpful
Domini Games Comes Through Again
PostedNovember 25, 2019
catsgranny
fromAtlantic, VA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Fairy Godmother Stories: Cinderella nails it, IMHO. Lately we have been offered a lot of very dark plots and characters in the games. Though this storyline does involve the good vs good-gone-wrong, it presents it in a much lighter tone. The twists (trying not to be a spoiler here) are unexpected yet in a way that makes sense. Bottom line, loved the storyline. The gameplay was just right for me; challenging without straining your brain to frustration, Easy/Hard options for mini-games with the choice to play a Match 3 instead, HOS had variety rather than the same old grocery list of things to find. In the CE, the collectibles were quite easy to spot, hard to miss them. My only complaint is that it was over too soon. Thoroughly enjoyed Fairy Godmother Stories: Cinderella and hope there will be a new installment in the near future. Domini games has definitely become one of my favorite developers in recent years.
I recommend this game!
A family reunion at the Sweet 18 hotel turns into a night of terror!
Overall rating
5
/
5
13 of 15 found this review helpful
A Rare Successful Series Installment
PostedNovember 10, 2019
catsgranny
fromAtlantic, VA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
In many instances, game series start to sour over time. Same cookie-cutter mini-games, HOS, and storylines. But Haunted Hotel is one of the few that, IMHO, has been consistent in putting out fresh ideas for plots and gameplay. Most mystery or "supernatural" games are a little on the dark side, of course, but this series has, for the most part, not gone too overboard with the evil.
It was interesting to play from our hero's (James), brother's viewpoint. I found that to be a fresh take on the norm. Also being introduced to new members of a very interesting family made you feel invested in the characters.
The storyline was interesting, gameplay flowed at a comfortable pace, and the mini-games challenging enough to keep you on your toes without overloading your brain's hardwiring. Most mini-games did have the Easy/Hard option. The HOS could have used a bit more variety than the usual "grocery list".
Overall, I was impressed with the game and the fact that after 17 games, the 18th was still fresh and interesting. One of the reasons Elephant Games is one of my favorite devs.
It was interesting to play from our hero's (James), brother's viewpoint. I found that to be a fresh take on the norm. Also being introduced to new members of a very interesting family made you feel invested in the characters.
The storyline was interesting, gameplay flowed at a comfortable pace, and the mini-games challenging enough to keep you on your toes without overloading your brain's hardwiring. Most mini-games did have the Easy/Hard option. The HOS could have used a bit more variety than the usual "grocery list".
Overall, I was impressed with the game and the fact that after 17 games, the 18th was still fresh and interesting. One of the reasons Elephant Games is one of my favorite devs.
I recommend this game!
Can you stop history from repeating itself before it’s too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
19 of 20 found this review helpful
Another Excellent Enchanted Kingdom
PostedOctober 12, 2019
catsgranny
fromAtlantic, VA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Domini Games has become one of my favorite devs for their visual appeal as well as the game play. This latest game in the Enchanted Kingdom series is one of the best yet. The difficulty was just right for me, as I like to play casually while trying to unwind. For some who want more of a challenge, there are harder modes to play. The HOs were varied, not just all lists of items too tiny and dark to see. Personally, I like the slider HOs, and this game had a couple of them. A couple of the mini-games were a little tough, but with the CE's Strategy Guide, I was able to manage without skipping. The map made it easy to know where to go next without a lot of needless back and forth. The medallions, statuettes, and feather collectibles were pretty easy to spot. Hard to miss them, actually.
The storyline may have been a little flawed it you paid attention to all the details, and there were just a few discrepancies in the dialogue. But, overall, it's a very enjoyable game from a trusted developer. I'm really looking forward to Domini's next Enchanted Kingdom.
The storyline may have been a little flawed it you paid attention to all the details, and there were just a few discrepancies in the dialogue. But, overall, it's a very enjoyable game from a trusted developer. I'm really looking forward to Domini's next Enchanted Kingdom.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the townspeople from a maniacal specter in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 15 found this review helpful
Rick Rogers is Back!
PostedOctober 9, 2019
catsgranny
fromAtlantic, VA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Now this one is more like it! I thoroughly enjoyed both Fellow Traveler and The Tall Man, but the third installment in the series, Enjoy the Shopping, fell short in my opinion. However, The Hook Man's Legend recaptured Rick's wry humor and clever wit bringing that element to the Paranormal Files games that makes it stand out from the dreary cookie-cutter HOGs that seem to have become the norm. The storyline was compelling, taking a fresh approach to an old tale. The mini-games were the perfect level of difficulty for me, especially with the option to choose between Easy and Hard. The HO scenes were a little dark, but not so bad that I had to use any hints. I found the eyes, collectibles and morphing objects without too much trouble, though the eyes were sometimes really hard to spot.
Overall, I was very pleased to see that this game had the same appeal as the first two. Rick Rogers is easily my favorite paranormal detective, and that's saying something given the competition he has with Anna Gray, Brown and James from their respective games.
Looking forward to see what case Rick has next in his Paranormal Files!
Overall, I was very pleased to see that this game had the same appeal as the first two. Rick Rogers is easily my favorite paranormal detective, and that's saying something given the competition he has with Anna Gray, Brown and James from their respective games.
Looking forward to see what case Rick has next in his Paranormal Files!
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover the paranormal activity haunting the mall?
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Not QUITE As Good as I'd Hoped
PostedJuly 16, 2019
catsgranny
fromAtlantic, VA
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
After playing Paranormal Files: Fellow Traveler and the sequel, The Tall Man, I was completely hooked on the series. Rick Rogers' backstory made you feel like you knew him on a personal level, so when he got himself drawn into his first encounter with the paranormal you felt able to relate to him better than some games' protagonists that you know little or nothing about. The storylines in both of the first games were captivating and the gameplay fun and intriguing. HOGs and minigames on a perfect level of challenge for me, especially with the option to choose between easy and hard. When the beta version of Enjoy the Shopping came out, I was so excited to try it. And the demo was great. I waited for what seemed an eternity for the CE to be released. Bought it immediately. But after the first chapter, it became a bit disappointing. Rick seems to have lost some of his charm from the earlier games. His wit and humor were noticeably diminished in this game. The storyline didn't make as much sense as the first two. The minigames were somewhat repetitive and there were too many silhouette style HOGs for my liking. The Collectibles were impossible to miss (I like a little challenge in finding them, but not to the point where you spend more time hunting tiny fleur-de-lis than actually playing the game) as were the morphing objects. I guess maybe my expectations were too high. It's a decent game, I'm still a loyal Paranormal Files fan, hence the 4 stars despite the disappointment. Just hoping the next one (hopefully there will be another) will go back to the atmosphere of the first two. If you haven't played Fellow Traveler or The Tall Man, you'll probably like Enjoy the Shopping. But to me, it just didn't live up to the standards set by the first ones.
I recommend this game!