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:
A magical egg is about to turn one girl's world upside-down.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
All things considered, somewhat ambivalent.
PostedJuly 13, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game & bonus chapter: This game has already been reviewed to death, so I'll attempt to keep my comments brief (good luck, right?). :D There are several things which keep me from rating this game higher, even though, in some regards, I'm tempted to: (1) A fairly graphic scene early in the game (it occurs in the demo, so you can evaluate that yourself prior to purchasing); (2) too many "random"-type mini-games (example, position the wooden birds correctly, w/ no clue given, by just guddling around w/ them until you get lucky); & (3) leaps & bounds of illogic so extreme that even I, a HOPA gamer who prefers the fantasy genre, found it eyebrow-raising. Anyone who plays fantasy-genre HOPA games knows going in that you'll be required to suspend disbelief & accept as par for the course a good deal of irrationality...so the fact that this game stood out for me in this regard says something. These factors didn't prove to be deal breakers for me, but they did serve to diminish the overall experience; I particularly didn't care for the violence, as this is game which seems geared to appeal to teenagers as well as adults. This game does have a lot going for it, including a bonus chapter which I thought made a nice contrast to the main game, so I still recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think; I just don't feel right rating it any higher, for the reasons given.
Become a Firewielder and prevent the Dark Lord’s rise!
Overall rating
3
/
5
11 of 20 found this review helpful
Will revisit when the SE comes out. ;)
PostedJuly 10, 2017
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo: Having only purchased one previous installment in this series ("Queen of Flames"), I'm not overly familiar w/ it myself; but based on a review I read in the forums, there's apparently a continuing storyline here? (I did wonder about that, as I recognized some of the characters shown in the sales media for this game as having been in the one I already have). Each installment does appear to be "stand alone", though, in the sense that you don't have to have played them all to understand what's going on. This particular installment didn't grab me enough to want it as a CE; I'm not invested in the series, the collectible was uninspired, & the quality of the bonus chapter, as always, is a complete unknown, & those three factors are what generally influence my decision to purchase a CE or not (hopefully, we will eventually see more reviews from folks who have completed the game & bonus, & not just the demo...I would especially like to see more people share their opinions of the bonus chapter!). As far as the demo goes, the graphics are gorgeous, & there was some creativity shown in some of the HO scenes & mini-games, which is good; but there were too many instances where I found gameplay to be either boring or unintuitive, so that the overall experience wasn't that enjoyable to me. Games that don't appeal to me as CEs sometimes do as SEs, so I also check the latter out if I'm uninterested in the former, & will do so in this case; but as a CE, this is not a purchase for me. As always, I recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you yourself think...& may we all game on. :)
I don't recommend this game.
The fabled Minotaur waits patiently in his labyrinth to be reborn. Only the descendent of Ariadne can stop him... which just happens to be you!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
An impressive series debut. :)
PostedJuly 9, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the completed game & bonus chapter: Having played both installments of "Endless Fables" at this point, I feel safe in saying I've found a new series to add to my list of favorites. :D Reasons being: The graphics, while a bit on the "overly sketchy" side in some scenes, are mostly quite good; there is a richness about them. Both HO scenes & mini-games are plentiful, & offer much variety. In the case of the former, there are both list & silhouette, average interactive, progressive, FROGs, & possibly some varieties I'm forgetting. :D The mini-games offer a nice range of difficulty, & in keeping w/ the storyline, a number of them are themed around some manner of maze concept (hint recharge & skip can be customized down to five seconds, if you're not a fan). The storyline is fleshed out w/ characters who are mostly interesting, & whose presence mostly makes sense. ;) Moreover, activities, HO scenes, & mini-games are all nicely woven into the story, as opposed to being randomly thrown in to give the player something to do. :D As for collectibles, there are a plethora of them: four types of insects (seven each), & two types of morphing flowers (ten each). Some of them blend in VERY well, & there's no pull tab or anything on the map to let you know if you've missed any, but the locations of all of them are shown in the strategy guide (they are found in the bonus chapter as well as the main game). I didn't think to watch the time when I played, but I would hazard a guess at six or so hours to play both, w/ all morphs & collectibles found, & no skipping anything. All up, this game has all the elements I look for in a game, & I'm so glad to have stumbled on this series. :D My tip to people looking for new games to play (as in, new to you): If you notice that someone who does a fair amount of reviewing seems to have tastes that are similar to your own, bring up their "profile" by clicking on their name next to one of their reviews. By scanning others reviews they've done, you can often find something you'll like that you missed. I've found some of my favorite games (& series) that way...now including this one. :D Good times. :)
I recommend this game!
Can you save your sister before it's too late?
Overall rating
2
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Not my cup of tea.
PostedJuly 9, 2017
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo: Gameplay thus far has consisted almost entirely of looking for this to open that. I wound up using the map incessantly to look for active areas, because there were so many bits & bobs to chase down that by the time I found one, I more often than not had no idea where it went anymore...& that was playing in just a few areas. It's really too bad, because the graphics are gorgeous, but gameplay was so one-dimensional, it brought me no pleasure to play this. By all means, do the demo, but I can see no basis on which to recommend this game.
I don't recommend this game.
The flutist returns to Hamelin, but he’s back for revenge!
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
Time killer.
PostedJuly 7, 2017
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo: Even though I rated the CE version of this game at two stars, I still demoed the SE w/ an open mind, as I sometimes like a game better as an SE than a CE. Unfortunately, in this case, it wasn't so. Even though the pace is somewhat brisker due to not spending time looking for collectibles, the majority of gameplay still involves chasing down endless bits & bobs w/ which to do this & that. In fairness, LoL has never been known as a challenging series; it has, however, previously, been known as one that's both charming & entertaining, while offering superior graphics. This particular episode, in my opinion, falls short on all accounts. I mentioned in my review of the CE that I have all previous games in this series; the fact that I do inclines me to want to continue, but I really just can't go for this game. The one redeeming facet was the HO scenes, which I thought, for the most part, quite good; but they didn't occur that often. The mini-games, I quite honestly can't comment on at all, as I recall not a one...they were there, but they made no impression on me whatsoever. As always, I'll suggest doing the demo yourself, as you may see qualities in this game which eluded me. As for myself, I think it's time to mourn the passage of a previously notable series. Review submitted on 07-07-17, @ 3:13 am Pacific Time.
I don't recommend this game.
Can you save your friend from a frozen fate?
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Good game, but be prepared to be a bit patient. ;)
PostedJuly 5, 2017
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Based on the completed game & bonus chapter: I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game. My first thought had been to get the SE, & if you choose that option instead, you'll still get a good length game w/ lots of HO scenes & mini-games, but I really do think this is one of those cases where the CE is preferable. You have both morphs & a collectible, in the form of little creatures called "flamblings", to find; neither occurs in each scene, but their presence or lack of is noted in a pull tab on the left side of your screen, which spares you fruitless searching. They are present in both the main game & bonus chapter, & surprisingly, I found some of the flamblings more challenging to spot than the morphs (the locations of both are noted in the strategy guide if you get stuck). The bonus chapter is a good length, & I felt it maintained the quality of the main game, as opposed to seeming like something that was dashed off. The storylines for both the main & bonus revolve around Norse mythology, which made a nice change, in my opinion (even though you're still on a rescue mission). While the characters tend to look cartoonish, the graphics overall range from acceptable to quite good. As mentioned previously, both HO scenes & mini-games are plentiful, w/ a nice variety in the former, including silhouettes & lists, interactive, progressive, & FROG types. The mini-games offer a range of difficulty; a fair number are one type of puzzle or another, but they do mostly increase in difficulty as you go along, & w/ the exception of the "rotate the rings until you complete the image, rotating one rotates the others" variety (of which there are about three), I enjoyed them. The flow of the game is good enough that I never once used a hint in either the main or the bonus; referring to the map to look for active areas from time to time was sufficient. The map transports, but I rarely used it for such, as in most cases, you're only moving a few scenes away. Altogether, I'd say the main & bonus took me about six or so hours to complete, which is a good length for me; & most importantly, I never got tired of playing. The reason I say "be prepared to be a bit patient" is mainly because of those rotating ring puzzles, but both the hint & skip can be set to charge very quickly, so one needn't suffer needlessly. ;) My best suggestion would be to sit down w/ this game w/ a pot of tea or joe at hand, prepared to take your time & relish it; it goes w/o saying, I highly recommend doing the demo, & seeing what you think. :)
I recommend this game!
Travel beyond our galaxy to bring your lost son back home.
Overall rating
2
/
5
7 of 7 found this review helpful
My mistake. -.-
PostedJuly 4, 2017
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: Even though I panned the CE for this game when I demoed it, I ended up getting the SE because I needed another game for a BOGO sale, & at the time, I just couldn't think of anything else (an SE I had actually been watching for came out the day after the sale...figures, right?). At first, once I got past the point where the demo left off, things seemed not bad...couple good mini-games, so I'm like, "This is maybe better than I thought." Then alien molasses from space apparently invaded my game through one of the portals my "son" created, & we must've passed through a time warp & gone back to mid-January, as well, because that's how slow this game became. There were a couple more good mini-games, but too much back-&-forthing, too many "activities" I've done in too many other games, & too much repetition of activities that weren't particularly fun the first time, such as the "history books" that required you to find out-of-place items & place them where they belong, which I believe came up at least four separate times. I gave the game two stars because it does have some good bits, but the good bits are few & far between enough that I'm unlikely to ever replay it, as I didn't enjoy most of it the first time. I surely don't personally recommend it, but as always, I'll suggest doing the demo, & seeing what you yourself think.
I don't recommend this game.
Explore the four corners of Oz in this thrilling fantasy game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 12 found this review helpful
Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
PostedJuly 2, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the completed game: I said when the CE came out that I might get this game as an SE w/ a coupon when it became available, & so I did. :) As a CE, I only rated this game at two stars, but as an SE, I rate it slightly higher because it does provide about five or so hours of play time (even when skipping the cut scenes), & some of the mini-games are quite entertaining the first time through. On the down side, once you get past the demo, you start visiting the same HO scenes twice, which I've never been keen on (is anyone?), & there are quite a few points in the game where you find yourself staring at a blank or "frozen" screen waiting for the next thing to happen, which soon becomes tiresome. While there are some charming touches, I don't find this game visually appealing overall, & I don't see it as having much replay value; I did replay it the once, just to see how it held up, & found myself getting tired of it about 2/3 of the way through. For a few hours' entertainment, it does well enough, but I wouldn't call it anything to write home about...but that's just my take on it. As always, the best bet is to do the demo, & see what YOU think. ;) Happy gaming. :)
Travel to the underworld and save your love from Death's embrace!
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 10 found this review helpful
Debatable.
PostedJuly 1, 2017
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on the demo: The flavor of this game is such that I think I have to have it. That said, based on content & lack of CE extras, I will likely wait for the SE to come out. It bears noting up front that unless I'm sorely mistaken, neither HO scenes nor mini-games are replayable as part of the bonus content. Even though I rarely use that option myself, enough people do that it's become an industry standard, so to me, that's a significant black mark. Gameplay thus far has been brisk & surprisingly free of filler, which I GREATLY appreciate. Unfortunately, a lot of the activities just haven't been that fun, so I question the replay value of this game. And while I always appreciate a "casual or hard" option being offered on mini-games, the games it's been offered on thus far are of a type I don't really care for, anyway, so I'm highly unlikely to choose to make them last longer by making them harder. ;) Obviously, this is a VERY subjective review, so I recommend, as always, that you take it w/ a grain of salt, & do the demo yourself...the flavor here is excellent, the pace is fairly brisk, the collectible hearts are appealing, & the care that's been taken is obvious, so I will definitely purchase this game at some point, either as a CE or an SE. I just question whether it's worth getting as a CE.
In the midst of a battle for the Academy of Alchemy, a young promising student, Eliana, is sent on a dangerous mission of retrieving three powerful artifacts, the Dragon Crystals.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 3 found this review helpful
HUGH drop in quality in the bonus chapter. :(
PostedJune 30, 2017
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on completing the main game, & as much as I could stomach of the bonus chapter: As indicated by the title of this review, the quality of both gameplay & graphics takes a huge hit in the bonus chapter, which is why, even though I'd rate the main game 3.5 stars, I can only allot 3 stars to this CE in terms of the total package. As for the main game: This game is loaded w/ charm, which is one of the main reasons I bought it, as I'm admittedly a sucker for that. :D Most of the responses you get when you click on various critters & suchlike are what you'd expect (butterfly flutters around, bird flies off to another perch), but there's a couple that are quite unexpected, so it's worth clicking on all of them. The graphics overall are pretty good, & only one HO scene in the main had a somewhat "junky" look. Interactions in the HO scenes are basic but plentiful, & in most list type scenes, 1-2 of the listed items morphs. For those of you that hanker for plentiful HOs, I'd say this game provides that, & none are revisited in the main game (HOs are revisited in the bonus). Mini-games are also fairly plentiful, but w/ only a handful of exceptions, the level of challenge is virtually nonexistent. The storyline can probably be adequately summed-up as "acceptable typical", but I thought the characters were well done, particularly the interactions w/ the peddler, who turns up several times throughout. As regards collectibles, there are three types, all found in their entirety in the main game. Although most are easy to spot, there are a few that are blended in quite well, & w/ no "pull tab" or markings on the map to use as indicators, it's easy to forget to look for them (& unfortunately, there's no way to go back & collect those you miss). It should also be mentioned that the game is played out in distinct areas, w/ each completed area becoming closed off to you as you progress, so if you're hoping to find all collectibles, it's best to look for them as soon as you enter a new scene; also, the bonus content includes some written material on each of the collectibles, such as telling you who the ghosts were in life. Overall, this game has enough to recommend it that I'm glad I got it, but if I hadn't got it at a significant discount, I'd be very unhappy about that bonus chapter. Unless it's worth it to you to overlook that for the sake of the collectibles & other CE extras, I'd advise getting the SE, instead, if doing the demo makes you think this is a game you would enjoy.