Marian - I had played the demo of Paranormal Files: The Trap of Truth CE, and never bought it. Now I have, and that's what I am playing now. Not bad.

I am glad you like it, Tally Ho. If you don't compare it to Five BN, I thought it was entertaining.

Yeah, the box doesn't say anything about 5BN, just Viva Media. Either way, terrific game.

I started my replay of Dream Chronicles 3: The Chosen Child last night and tonight I started playing Living Legends 8: The Crystal Tear. It's been a while since I played the other Living Legends games but this one seems to be quite different, or is my memory just bad?

I haven't played The Crystal Tear yet so can't offer an opinion.

Actually, looking at game descriptions of the other 7 games, I guess it is just my bad memory. Not sure what I was thinking about.

Well, this time I made it through Level 61 of Cradle of Persia but with only seconds to spare, no power up bonuses left, and only 1 life to go into Level 62.

I know the feeling!

I'm playing through the two Awakening games, Goblin Kingdom and Skyward Castle. The box says they were written for WinXP/7/8, but they are playing just fine on Win10, using Compatability mode. I played these years ago, but just found the cases in a bookshelf. The games are a bit too cutesy and are dated (no character dialog, repetitive music track, etc.). I only rate them as being "so-so" but the mini-games are a challenge at times, so I'm happy.

Some I liked better than others, but I have found all of the Boomzap HOPAs to be good.

I finished the Grim Facade: Sinister Obsession CE last night. I enjoyed it.

Just ordered two "Mystery of the Ancients" games I don't yet have - from the current Big Fish CE Sale. So one of those is likely to be my next play

Mud Water Creek and Black Dagger

I enjoyed both of those games, Mad.

That's good to know, Marian, thank you

I hope you like them, Mad. But you are certainly not obligated to do so!

I'm sure I will, thanks, Marian.
Not that many Casuals disappoint me because that's what I I play them as .... "Casuals" .... and don't expect a full "Adventure" production.
So over the years very few have fallen by the wayside

Very true for me too, Mad.

Well, started "Mystery of the Ancients : Black Dagger" and am liking it

Good to know!

Made it to Level 92 in Cradle of Persia, lost all my lives with 1 lousy square left to remove from the board and got kicked all the way back to Level 52 again.

I'm speechless, oldbroad

I know that feeling too, unfortunately. Ouch!

Is Cradle Of Persia a timed game?

It is a timed Match 3 game, yes, not a HOG type game.

I just finished playing Shiver: Poltergeist by Viva Media. This is another CD version game that I found in my cupboard and reloaded. It is an excellent game, created in the style of a long-play Adventure game. A refreshing improvement on so many contemporary HOAs.

The artwork is all realistic and the sound effects are terrific (rain, wind, lightning, running water, etc.) The game is alive: leaves blow in the wind, trees and grasses sway, debris drifts by, clouds morph as they cross the sky, torches flutter and create light patterns on the stone walls, etc. Somehow, the objects have weight in this game. This is how "adventure" games used to be. No "flat," candy-colored objects and not a sign of purple or green smoke.

It is a challenging game as well, with a lot to be done and a lot of room in which to do it. None of that enter a scene, do a few things and move on stuff. You spend some time re-examining and re-exploring as you wander around an island and its buildings, frequently backtracking. There are all the usual things to fix, assemble from scratch or create from found materials. It is SO much more immersive than recent games and I was so caught up in the environment that I was a little surprised to find the day sunny outside, when I turned off the game.

I loved it and am so glad I didn't toss it after finishing it all those years ago.