nextgengranny's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:1,479
- Reviews Submitted:129
- First Review:May 1, 2016
- Most Recent Review:October 14, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The lighthouse fails and darkness invades Willow Ridge. Your husband runs into the forest for answers, unaware of the shadow hunting him.
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Walks a fine line between "average enjoyable" & "annoying".
PostedNovember 26, 2016
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on completing the entire game twice (which I will generally do before reviewing if my response to a game is mixed). There are aspects of this game I genuinely enjoyed. The hamster was a cool little sidekick (I named it "hamster"), & playing tic tac toe w/ a mechanical mouse is right up my alley. However, the mini-games, for the most part, were really not good, for a variety of reasons. Many were too simplistic; a number were the "random" type (example, cut the vines 'til you get the sequence right); & two had directions that were so obscure that I had to resort to looking them up in an online Strategy Guide to see what you were actually supposed to do. The HO scenes started out good in terms of variety, but soon waxed repetitive. The storyline became somewhat convoluted, & a good portion of it was told via a device this dev uses on a regular basis (& which I loathe): Looking at a poorly drawn "storybook" scene, finding four elements that are out of place, & placing them correctly. This device bores me breathless, & it was used at least three or four times in this game. The graphics are okay, although obviously, given the nature of the story, mostly dreary (that center still shot must be from the bonus chapter); I thought the characters, in particular, were quite well drawn. Most notable of all, perhaps (for me) was that actions weren't completed in super slo-mo in this game (a pet peeve of mine, especially where this particular dev is concerned, as they've lately come to excel at that). Lastly, I appreciated the fact that there were collectible acorns to find, as most SEs lack that, & that they varied in appearance, which is always my preference. In summary: I'm not distinctly unhappy w/ this game, but not thrilled w/ it, either. It's okay to while away a bit of time, but it feels as though it could have been quite a bit better (& in fairness, maybe in 2013 it was). I'll stick to recommending doing the demo, & maybe blowing a coupon on it if you got it like that. ;)
Travel beyond our galaxy to bring your lost son back home.
Overall rating
2
/
5
58 of 87 found this review helpful
Slow, slow, slow.
PostedNovember 19, 2016
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo only: That pretty much sums-up the pace of most everything I've done in this game so far. As an example, there's a point where you use a tongs to remove a cover, for the purpose of getting at whatever's underneath it. You select the tongs from inventory, use them to remove the cover...& the tongs return to inventory. You select the tongs again, retrieve item number one...& the tongs return to inventory again, requiring you to select them a third time to retrieve a second item. Even the most mundane tasks, such as using a key to open a car door, are completed in a manner that gives them more time & attention they merit; yet even so, I completed the demo in just under an hour, w/o skipping anything, including finding the collectibles, which suggests that this game may be on the shorter side. The graphics are excellent, but unfortunately, that's the only aspect of the demo that rated high marks in my book. There's an over-abundance of chatter that you can't skip through, which is a big negative to me where replaying the game is concerned. The mini-games, with one exception, were too easy to be entertaining to me, & I'm a casual gamer who only rates herself as being at the intermediate level (also, there's already been one w/ something annoyingly distracting front & center again, just as in the last game I played by these folks). The HO scenes suffered from a lack of creativity, which I've found to be the case overall w/ this dev, so no points awarded there. I'll forgive a lot in a game, so long as there's some aspect of it (aside from the graphics) that makes a really good impression on me, whether it's a good assortment of mini-games, creative & enjoyable HO scenes, a good story w/ interesting characters, or whatever...this demo just didn't stand out in any of those areas to me. Add to that the unnecessary slowness of the pace overall, & I'm no go for launch on this one.
I don't recommend this game.
A fire at the local asylum takes on a supernatural life of its own!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
Over-The-Top Cheese, But In A Good Way :)
PostedNovember 19, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I wrote a more detailed review for the CE (which is what I actually purchased), but I wanted to do a brief review on this page, as well, mainly to say that while I don't regret getting the CE, in this case, I think the SE serves just as well. This game is broken into what amounts to four smaller, separate games, each revolving around a different character. It's not over challenging, but it's absorbing, & I especially enjoyed the creativity of the HO scenes. As for the title of my review, I chose it because some folks have mentioned that this game has dark themes, which aren't my thing at all, but in this particular instance, it didn't bother me, & I think it's because so many aspects of this game which are experienced early on reminded me of some of the cheesier horror movies I've seen, so I wasn't taking it seriously at all. I enjoy this game enough that I've probably played it half a dozen times or so since purchasing it, so I definitely recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think. :)
I recommend this game!
A fire at the local asylum takes on a supernatural life of its own!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 10 found this review helpful
Actual Rating: 3.5-4 Stars.
PostedNovember 19, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
This is a solid game imo, & I'm not sorry I got it, even though I did so in my blissfully ignorant "buying w/o doing the demo" days. The reason I give it 3.5-4 stars is because I think one would do just as well to get the SE as the CE in this case. The bonus chapter is fine, & you have the ability to go back & collect any marbles you may miss (kind of cute, looking for lost marbles in an asylum, eh?), & those are both good things...however, the main game is still the main attraction here. The HO scenes are quite creative, & there's a nice range of difficulty in the mini-games; the graphics are fine, as is game length, & the stories of the various characters are interesting (not sure what it says about me, but I always choose to slap some sense into the attendant, & smile a little inside while doing so O.O). One additional thing worth noting: Based on some comments I've read, there seems to have been some confusion about this game having two bonus chapters, which it does not; in addition to the actual bonus chapter, there's a bonus GAME which is just that, a fairly brief game that opens up once you've collected all the marbles. As I say, I don't regret getting the CE, but I do think for a lot of folk, the SE would do just as well...& if you're anything like me, you're always looking for SOMETHING to use your coupons on before they expire, so the more options in that regard, the merrier. ;)
I recommend this game!
The rich folklore continues with this exciting tale set in an old Slavic land. As Child of Spring, can you save the world from eternal winter?
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
No.
PostedNovember 14, 2016
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Believe the low reviews. This game is horrible. I've had it over a month now, & still haven't finished it, because I can only play it so long before I want to bang my head against a wall until I forget I blew a coupon on this thing.
I don't recommend this game.
Uncover a secret from the past to save your dying father!
Overall rating
4
/
5
22 of 29 found this review helpful
Personally, a very mixed response.
PostedNovember 8, 2016
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Giving this game a 4 star rating in the hopes of rating it fairly, as I've only done the demo so far, & am on the fence about purchasing it. My one big take away from the demo was that this seems to be yet another game intentionally engineered to slow down gameplay. The first taste of this occurs smack at the beginning of the game, where we encounter a variation of the "slow, blinking eye": Upon arriving in an area, we slowly pan forward, slowly pan right, slowly pan left, slowly pan right again, then slowly pull back. This is presumably done in the context of "taking in the scene", is completely unnecessary, & put an immediate damper on my enthusiasm, as it didn't bode well...& sure enough, moving forward, small actions, such as emptying a pitcher of water into a bowl, were performed as though moving through molasses. This intentional, unnecessary slowing of gameplay is fast becoming, to me, the hallmark of "game padding", & it's becoming all too common. The graphics in the demo are excellent, & the characters have the potential to be interesting; the storyline, on the other hand, is one of the things I'm on the fence about, as I was hoping, based on the description, that the elven presence in this game would be significant, & the demo doesn't seem to support that. Gameplay thus far has struck me as being very linear on the one hand, yet somewhat unintuitive on the other; I recall at one point being someplace without being clear on how I got there or what I was supposed to be doing there. The map is very pretty, but wasn't as clear as most in indicating active areas. As far as HO scenes are concerned, what I've seen so far looks fine, in terms of graphics, interaction, & so forth; as far as mini-games are concerned, I encountered only one that I found challenging, & unfortunately, it was marred by another of my pet peeves: Having something visually distracting front & center in the screen. This is an automatic black mark for me, as it seems to me to be an artificial way of making a mini-game or HO scene seem more challenging by making it more difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. Collectibles consist of morphs in the HO scenes & faerie figures which occur once per area; I didn't observe any means of tracking whether one has "cleared an area" or not. In summary: While I think this is probably an acceptable quality game which many people will enjoy playing, I personally also think it's being overrated in terms of being "outside the box" as regards gameplay, story, & innovation, as I saw nothing to support that. Consequently, I'll stick to recommending doing the demo yourself, & seeing what you think...you're probably not as "peevish" as me. ;)
It's time to begin your journey to help a ghost captain and save the world.
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
Solid 4 stars.
PostedNovember 4, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I have all four games in the Lost Land series (this being the fourth), & with the exception of the first, I've enjoyed them a good deal. If you're unfamiliar with this series, two things are worth noting up front: (1) the HO scenes are all of the progressive silhouette variety, & are not replayable as part of the bonus content; & (2) these games tend more toward mini-games than HO, so if the former aren't your thing, you will miss out on a certain amount of content (on the + side in that regard, both hint & skip can be customized down to five seconds). That said, if you prioritize a game having a good storyline & interesting characters, this series is quite good, & "The Wanderer" is no exception. The main game is a good length, as is the bonus chapter, & a high level of quality is maintained throughout. As others have noted, there are a ton of collectibles, & a map that clearly indicates if you've missed any (I also like that areas never become closed off, allowing one to defer looking for them if one wishes). The mini-games are of a good range of difficulty, with some proving quite challenging; there are a few, however, that I thought were poorly done, such as the one shown in the far-right screen shot, which requires one to replicate a design while working right on top of it (obscuring one's view of the design). The graphics, for the most part, are quite good, the only notable exception being those instances when the characters have that "claymation" kind of look. The dialogue got a bit long-winded for my taste at times, but you can click through it at your own pace, which is a boon when replaying. I've played the main game twice now & the bonus chapter once; the main game took me about five hours the first time & three hours the second, & the bonus chapter took about two (no skipping any mini-games, all collectibles collected, & so forth; I skipped through the cut scenes & dialogue my second time playing the main game). All in all, the Lost Lands series, in my opinion, provides excellent value, especially as these games have good replay value. If you're not a collectibles fiend & prefer to wait for the SE, you'll still good a good, long game, well presented, that will provide hours of enjoyable play, & which you will likely want to play again. If you're new to the series, I highly recommend doing the demo, & for others in the series, as well.
I recommend this game!
Stop the evil Princess of Hearts and discover your true destiny!
Overall rating
2
/
5
8 of 9 found this review helpful
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........................
PostedOctober 30, 2016
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'm somewhere in the midst of my second time playing this game, & this is the second time I won't make it through in one sitting, & for the same reason...I'm BORED OUT OF MY MIND. How this game, in both the versions, got so many high reviews is beyond me. There's an over-abundance of devices, an over-abundance of running around gathering up bits & bobs you as often as not have no idea as to what you're going to use them for, & an over-abundance of hand-holding. I enjoyed the quirky characters, as I found that aspect of the game to be reasonably creative, but the story itself is one I will apparently never learn in it's entirety, as it goes on & on & on & on & on, through countless cut scenes & etc., to the point where I starting skipping the story-time stuff whenever it came up, as my patience in that regard had long since expired. I like a game to have a good storyline, but when I play a game, I expect it to consist primarily of PLAYING THE GAME. As far as the mini-games are concerned, I found them so devoid of challenge that I ended up skipping a number of them, something I normally NEVER do, simply because I finally balked at going through the motions to complete a "puzzle" that wouldn't challenge a five-year-old. The HO scenes are okay, & a couple are actually quite good; the graphics, for the most part, are average-to-below-average, though a couple of areas are nicely done. Finally, everything in this game seems designed w/ an intent of slowing gameplay down as much as possible, from "black outs" occurring every time you move between areas, zoom in, open an HO scene, etc., to having to pause a few beats before each move in a mini-game. Overall, to me, this game just isn't worth the time it takes to complete it, & I doubt I'll be bothered to go back & finish this second time around.
I don't recommend this game.
An arsonist is burning down the Mountain Kingdom's forests!
Overall rating
4
/
5
20 of 21 found this review helpful
DP take on "The Tinderbox"
PostedOctober 22, 2016
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
As a child, one of my daughter's favorite fairy stories was Hans Christian Anderson's "The Tinderbox", so I figured this game would be right up my alley, & demoed (& subsequently purchased) the CE as soon as it came out. My one strong criticism of it was that the bonus chapter was VERY short (a half hour to complete w/o skipping anything), & for that reason, I only gave the CE three stars. The main game, however, is of a good length, & I enjoyed playing it, even though I'm not a fan of FROGs. There's a nice selection of mini-games, w/ of a range of difficulty, & for the most part, the level of difficulty increases as you advance through the game. The fragments in the HO scenes are sometimes very small or of a different color than pictured, but w/ a bit of patience, I was able to complete them w/o using too many hints, & you can customize the hint (& skip) recharge down to 10 seconds if you wish. As for the collectible Parables, I personally found spotting them fairly challenging, as they're small, mostly inconspicuous, & they morph. The storyline wasn't great or terrible to me, either way; however, it's worth noting that areas do become closed off to you at various points (w/o warning), so if you intend to collect the Parables, it's best to look for them as soon as you enter an area (they're not found in all of them). Other than the noted exceptions in the HO scenes, the graphics for the most part are very well done. All-in-all, I enjoyed this game well enough that after completing it, I revisited the series, & have since purchased two other DP games, despite, as mentioned, not being a fan of FROGs...so it goes w/o saying that I recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think. :)
I recommend this game!
When a famous shapeshifting alchemist is charged with looking into the murder of the king's most trusted agent and friend, the last thing she expects to discover is an intricate network of shadowy criminals, intent on bringing chaos to the land.
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
More a game for the kids.
PostedOctober 20, 2016
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Since I only played the demo & won't be buying, I gave this game 3 stars across the board for fairness' sake, & called it a day. While the premise of this game - that of being an alchemist who shape-shifts - was quite appealing to me, there was too much about it I found off-putting to want to play beyond the demo. Fantasy is my preferred genre, but this particular game was just too cutesy for me; as examples, mixing a potion in a chatty, animated potion pot, & having dealings w/ the "pretender to the throne" of the snails. Those are things my 8-yr.-old granddaughter would probably get a real kick out of, but for me, it was just a bit much. Some of the graphics are too "cartoony" for me as well, not in the sense of being poorly drawn, but of being more what I'd expect to see in a children's story book. And then there's the "magic mushroom"...ie, the hint button, which is a largish mushroom that bounces up about every 3 seconds or so, just as though it has the hiccups. This game might be fine choice if you have young'uns to play it w/, & I do give the devs credit for coming up w/ something new, at least to me...just wish it had been done a bit differently.