Frozen City (Android)
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
In some ways, this is nice as the characters keep performing their tasks and moving through their day schedule even when you aren't actively playing. In others, it's aggravating as you'll run into the "sleep" period consistently when you are forced to let everyone sleep and can't really do anything in the game play at that point in time. There are also these new "hero" cards that require special stars to level up before you can assign workers to various positions needed for your city to thrive, putting you in a bind where either you are waiting constantly for materials to build up and hoping you get enough stars from the battle quests or paying for materials in the game, turning it more into a premium game than a free game - so "freemium" would be fitting here, though it's maybe not as blatant when it comes to forced ad play or advertising as some other games are. In the end, the forced schedule is rather disruptive as opposed to some games where you can choose to turn to night or sleep or set shifts for your characters. There is a tab indicating that shifts may be something further along in the game play, though suspect the shifts would still only be during the 2 normal working shifts and not during the sleep or meal shifts.
October 22, 2023
Frozen City
My Happy Marriage 5 (Light Novel)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Usui has made his move and managed to split of Kiyoka and Miyo, though Miyo doesn't seem to be standing for it, especially not after Kiyoka's last confession before he was taken away. Rather disappointed in Arata at this point and it seems the few allies left are scattered, buried under what little work they can do to try and salvage things, or possibly also locked away at this point. With the emperor also working alongside Usui now and the way the laws are currently written, things are certainly looking rather bleak at the moment. It will be interesting to see what Miyo thinks she can accomplish going in person for this confrontation, especially knowing her powers are limited to the dream realm. If everyone else is correct though, and her power in dreams is truly so much stronger and above all of the other powers, curious that there hasn't been some attempt or focus in her training for her to potentially stop Usui and his fake Gift users rather than simply protecting her and keeping her away from everything, though she has always been more peaceful and non-combatant. We've seen a few instances where her own fire has flared up and she's been an unexpected force to reckon with, especially in the dream world like when she saved Kiyoka.
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October 21, 2023
Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion (2023)
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While this is still a stand alone story that has as much to do with those of the living world learning about the haunted mansion and it's inhabitants, in many ways it is more true to the original story for the Disney ride it is based off of and at least some of the characters that are iconic from the park. It is less of a comedy than the previous attempt to bring the ride to the big screen in The Haunted Mansion, and has a bit more of a spooky/horror twist to it without actually being a horror film given it is still intended for families as the target audience. Madame Leota and Crump (though unsure a name was ever known for the ghost with the "hat box" on the original rides) are central characters when it comes to the ghost side of the story. We even see the bride make an appearance, though she doesn't have nearly as large of a role in the film as she does in the rides. The ending is the most fun, bringing the dining room dance to life, which honestly was the only part of the ride I enjoyed for a long time until I was much older.
October 17, 2023
Sticker Book Puzzle
My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
In theory, this is a cute idea and a fun alternative to a traditional puzzle or even a coloring app. It has a lot of forced "ad breaks" though that are highly aggravating and drag on the game play. It also makes it impossible to play without an active wi-fi connection since the ads won't play without it, which will result in you being stuck and unable to proceed with the game play. It's a coin toss after the forced ad break if the game will actually continue or if it will force close and you have to reboot everything, too. Ultimately, it's not worth the constant loading and ad time, no matter how nice the concept seems for a change of pace.
October 15, 2023
The Fast & the Furious 7: Fast X
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Dom and his family are being framed and targeted by Dante Reyes, son of the drug kingpin Hernan they had previously taken down. Unfortunately, it seems he has allies inside the Agency, leaving Dom and his family at a serious disadvantage as they get picked off with one trap after another. As with the previous film, the ending is a bit of a cliff hanger that seems to be setting up for yet another installment to the series. Letty is still in Antarctica while Dom and his son face drowning and perhaps their last allies left are either in critical condition or facing their own showdowns. If another one does come up, it's clear there will be no peace for the time being and Dom may be facing his greatest challenge yet.
Indiana Jones 5: The Dial of Destiny
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Indy thought he was retiring, but as usual, ends up in a much larger adventure than he thought he had bargained for, complete with Nazis, time travel, living history, and somehow unintentionally restoring the fragments of his family. Of course they also found a reason to get Harrison Ford on a horse, and he's one actor that really can ride. It's a rather hilarious chase scene and there is one part that you can just about see the green screen in use, but otherwise the film itself is high action and entertaining with a side dish of emotional drama. We have lots of bugs, and eels, which seem to take the place of snakes in this edition, but no actual snakes or the catch phrase "why did it have to be snakes". We do, however, get Indy's traditional gear, including his whip action and his iconic hat.
October 8, 2023
Avatar 2: The Way of the Water
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Finally got around to watching this during a redeye flight to Florida when I couldn't sleep. The CGI is well done and the characters are still interesting. We don't see as much of Jake, though he's still one of the main characters, as this largely focuses on his children and how they adapt to their way of the life as they are a bit different from the other Na'vi and their family is now being hunted by other avatars. Some adapt easier than others to their new way of life as they struggle to find a new place and settle in to try and keep their family safe. It's not so easy to stay safe though when their enemy is rather relentless and has some idea at least of where they could possibly go for help.
October 5, 2023
The King's Beast 11
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Rangetsu decides to head back home and see the country on her way. Unexpectedly, she's joined by Teiga along the way. At the beginning, there's a brief ray of hope, but that seems to have been dashed rather spectacularly by the time they make it back home. Considering the way both Rangetsu and Tenyou are handling their separation, can't help but wonder if Taihaku showing up means Rangetsu may soon be back at the palace with her brother and everyone else.
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I Swear I Won't Bother You Again! 1
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Similar to The Abandoned Empress, our protagonist has a horrible fate in the beginning of the book, only to wake up back in their own past while remembering what happened in the future. This sets them on a path to try and change their own fate, but in doing so, things don't pan out exactly as anticipated. This time around, Violette is determined not to end up hated and lashing out at her new half sister and wishing her happiness with the prince.... except the prince seems to be taking no notice in her sister and instead is seeking her out. At the same time, Violette's old friend, Yulan, seems to be taking a more proactive role in the story and certainly seems more interested and involved than just a friend.
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October 2, 2023
Mint Chocolate 8
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The student president is definitely trouble. Not sure why he has such a big issue with Kyouhei, but he's definitely crossing more than a few lines here. Fortunately Nanami is way to innocent and too stuck on Kyouhei to ever willingly betray him like that, even if she really needs to think again when it comes to them actually communicating. At least Kyouhei got the truth out of her, though hopefully it doesn't lead to more trouble. He's stone faced and non-reactive most of the time.... except when it affects Nanami, then he doesn't take any prisoners.
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Mint Chocolate 7
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
School trip time! This student council president seems to be bad news as well. He seems nice enough to everyone else, but there is something going on when Kyouhei comes up, and that's leading to some bad interactions with Nanami. Of course, Kyouhei doesn't seem too concerned about it so long as he keeps his distance from Nanami and doesn't get her worked up again. We also get a bit of history finally on Mizuki, which is nice given how good of a friend he's been to these two lovable dorks.
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Mint Chocolate 6
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Nanami is struggling pretty hard in this installment as she seems to constantly fear being left behind or not changing. At the same time, she constantly wants to be close to Kyouhei, but is also afraid to be close to him for awhile to the point that she's actively avoiding him basically. Kyouhei doesn't seem too worried as far as the future goes though, at least not at the moment. If anything, he's mainly worried about Nanami and how to cure this strange distance of hers and whatever is ailing her this time around.
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Mint Chocolate 5
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Nanami's cousin comes to visit and that's a whole strange experience on it's own, let alone her aunt. Things get a bit tense as they try to keep their relationship on the downlow, but really, they're about as obvious as a neon sign. Despite being called out on their name usage as well, it doesn't seem like it's sticking, even if Kyouhei seems oddly pleased by the idea of Nanami using his nickname instead of his surname.
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Mint Chocolate 4
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Things get heated when pictures and rumors are flying through the school. Nanami and Kyouhei's secrets don't seem to be so secret anymore. But perhaps that's a good thing as Kyouhei doesn't seem to be shying away from it nor does he seem to really care about keeping it a secret after all. He doesn't seem to be all that great at remembering holidays though if his sudden reaction to White Day is anything to go off of.
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Mint Chocolate 3
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
These two both really need to learn how to knock. More awkward situations, but also more slow progress and understanding as they grow closer. Kyouhei even sort of comes to the rescue when it turns out Nanami is sick for her birthday of all days. Unlikely he'd really care if anyone else needed to make it home or be taken care of until their parents got home.
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Mint Chocolate 2
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
There's some repeat content here as they rehash the beginning of this odd family and relationship between the step siblings, but we get a big of new content each time with some glimpse into either Nanami or Kyouhei's point of view at the time and how they see each other. They have a few awkward situations along the way, but at least they seem to be somewhat on the same page now regarding their feelings.
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Mint Chocolate 1
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is very reminiscent of Marmalade Boy for anyone who has read the other series. Nanami is shocked when she finds out her crush is now her new step brother. To make things even more awkward, he's about as dense as a rock when it comes to recognizing girls or their emotions. Perhaps Kyouhei isn't as indifferent as he pretends though. If nothing else, there is definitely some sort of pull between these two, which probably isn't helped by Nanami's rather obvious emotions and quick rage any time he's in the vicinity.
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October 1, 2023
Stuff Sort: Sorting Master
Stuff Sort: Sorting Master (Android)
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
This is basically the same game as games like Triple Goods Match, Goods Master 3D, etc. It even looks to have identical graphics to Goods Sort Puzzle, though it has a significantly higher rating online and is by a different group. While it does push for earning coins and bonuses, there is a slightly better balance on the ad watching and the ability to watch specifically when you want a certain bonus if you are out of coins to play without feeling like you need to spend money or forfeit the level. Still freemium pushing, but not as heavy handed, making it more enjoyable for some simple play to relax and unwind at the end of the day.
Cat Sort Puzzle: Cute Pet Game
Cat Sort Puzzle: Cute Pet Game (Android)
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Overall, this is very similar to games like Elevator Sort where you are trying to match everyone to the same level or branch. Unlike the other game, the branch clears when a full set is made, opening room to continue sorting, which is a nice advantage to other sorting games where the block or cube is blocked off once it's filled. This one also has forced advertising and earning coins per level with the draw of buying ad-ons (specialty cats to sort, backgrounds, decorations, etc.). Honestly, none of it is something that looks to be worth spending actually money on, but there have been stranger things hyped for in-app purchases.
Word Crush: Fun Puzzle Game
Word Crush: Fun Puzzle Game (Android)
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
The game itself is enjoyable and challenging, however, it tries to force ads and top ups very heavily to gain hints or pass extremely difficult levels. It is also misleading in the ads as there is no actual match list as the ads indicated and you're looking for words on your own with sometimes no direction at all for the daily challenges. At least the levels usually have some sort of theme to help get you started. It loses points for the false advertising and the heaving handed push to spend money or watch an insane number of ads.
Cake Sort: Color Puzzle Game
Cake Sort: Color Puzzle Game (Android)
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Unlike the sample game play in the ads, there is no option to move the cakes once they are on the board unless you are willing to pay for bonuses. The coin rate from the game is minimal so more than likely if you want or need boosters, you'll be paying out of pocket for them or watching so many ads that there's little to no game play at all. Drops the overall engagement and any enjoyment from the game significantly and makes it so it's not worth the time to try and play. This one won't be sticking around either.
Find It Out: Hidden Objects
Find It Out: Hidden Objects (Android)
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Admittedly, I downloaded this for the Oswaldo character to find in the ads hoping for essentially an app version of Where's Waldo. While this character is featured in some of the maps, the game play itself is essentially the same as Happy Find and other similar find it games online, with extensive lists, locked areas, repeat scrolling and forced ads. The forced ads especially kill it and make it nowhere near as enjoyable as it could be - unless you're willing to pay most likely to remove those ads. Freemium at its best.