I finished a couple days ago and it didn't feel like an MCF to me at all. It was a quality game, but the puzzles were way too easy. I was looking forward to the usual puzzles that really make me think.

And thanks for weighing in on the game, Ana. I suspect you are better at puzzles than I am, so maybe I could actually do these without hitting the skip button.

Most of them are seriously dumbed down and over in a second. I kept thinking there was another layer to them when one step was completed only to discover that rotating something twice was the end. :(

Ohhh!! BrownEyedTiger re: Most of them are seriously dumbed down

Between you and Draclvr re: she feels like a Dumbo, maybe I don't belong here since I am one in the BUMBEST section, could you suggest a Forum where there are people of my Kind who are in the Bumbest category since I felt the puzzles where not so bad.

Did you set the Difficulty on HIGH? I suspect it would be dead easy if you played on less challenging levels.

Reenie, the puzzles are the same no matter your setting.

Starcom, I am sure you are not a dumbo by any means! There were a few puzzles that took some thought, but a lot of them seem to have been cut short with things to do in them. I expected more from an MCF, they usually stump me for awhile, which I enjoy.

Well, that is weird. I never realized it was the same puzzles no matter what difficulty you chose. So what is the point in having varying difficulty settings, I wonder?

Reenie, although they are the same puzzle, sometimes they have more steps, pieces, etc. I believe that's the way it works, anyway.

No, the puzzles are identical regardless. Look at the walkthroughs and you will see only one solution. If they were different they would have to include multiple versions. As someone who writes the walkthroughs for BigFish, I can assure that is fact.

Also, it lists what the various differences are when you choose the difficulties. Nothing speaks of the puzzles being different.

For instance the Insane hardest level states Hints and Skips recharge slowly, selection penalty in HOPS, No glints or sparkles, Map shows no areas of interest, No helpful messages, Plus-item indicators are not visible. THat is all it does.

I can see that you are absolutely right, Ana; what you said makes total sense. I must have been suffering from tired brain when I posted what I did, because of course the walkthrough writer would have to include more than one puzzle solution if hard mode altered the puzzle. I think I need more sleep.

I recall only one game in the last 7 years of writing the walkthroughs that had puzzle difficulty setting on a select few of the puzzles in the game. I am sure there may be a few others that have that option. I think one of the Drawn games did, but not positive.

So, I'm curious to know what difference the "Difficulty Setting" makes, if not with regard to the mini-games, and why it is an option to choose Easy or Difficult if it makes no difference? Is this just nonsense, to make us think we have choices?

For the exact things I stated. You don't see little glints where an item may be hiding, you can't look at the map and see where there is something highlighted to do etc. That's all you get. For those that don't want to see little glimmers around, it helps a lot to be able to turn it off. The game itself is not harder though in terms of what to do. They are all the same.

I don't play these games in hard mode, but having no option to skip a puzzle would sometimes give me trouble, I feel sure.

In some cases, that is correct Marian. Most have a "select your own" options so you can just leave that on though. In this case, the skip button takes longer to generate but is not eliminated.

Yes, I've never played in custom mode. For some reason I usually choose the advanced mode.

I know one thing for sure - if I try to play the entire game with no help, they are usually a great value in terms of hours of play.

I usually take the Custom route, because it allows you to turn off most of the stuff but leave it set so the Map can tell you where you've missed something. I can find out what/where it is without having to shag my butt all over the entire "world" again. That wandering part about gaming has never held much appeal to me. But everything else gets turned off, so I suppose it is "Advanced+." ha ha