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Best Of The Bunch

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 26 / 27
Date: October 22, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I was so disappointed with Haunted Carousel that I decided to wait for budget versions of any new games. After reading a couple of reviews for Danger on Deception Island, I quickly changed my mind. I'm so glad I decided to buy this game, because it is the very best of the Nancy Drew games so far, and I've played all of them.
I'm the mother of an 11-year-old son. I played the game as a senior detective and he played on the junior detective level. This game had enough challenging elements to keep me busy and yet was not too difficult for my son on junior level. There is a real, meaningful difference between the junior and senior levels in this game; something that is often missing in games that are marketed to both adults and children.
This game is probably three times the length of Haunted Carousel, and it is packed with interesting puzzles. Nancy must find coordinates for a locator device, open secret passageways, use a morse code device, dig for clams and learn a little about chess, just to name a few challenges she faces in this game. The game also contains little diversions that are fun and satisfying, such as building a sand castle and playing feed the whale, and Nancy learns a lot about whales and dolphins in the process. Scattered throughout the game are little reminders of previous adventures as a nod to loyal fans.

Great entertainment for kids 12 and up

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 30 / 33
Date: August 26, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I am father to 2 Nancy Drew fans. Excellent graphics and gameplay. I previewed this game prior to my daughters playing through. This one is rated for ages 10 and up which I think may be a little low. Far more complex than all of the previous games. Involves Spanish language and foreign names as well as tremendous attention to detail including ancient symbols for words and numbers. This game is a real treat for the whole family to enjoy but too hard to be handed to a 10 year old. Take copious notes as this is extremely challenging. Kept me up long after the kids were in bed. We have played the others and are ready to pre-order the next release. Truly entertaining, bring your brain, this will challenge you.

Intriguing mystery

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 24 / 25
Date: October 10, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The cover says it is for "ages 10 and Up". I would say it is more like ages 12 and up, unless you have a child who stays on the A+ Honor Roll.

There is more area and people to cover than the previous games. A positive note, it is ONE disc. That is GOOOOOD. I recall one of the Nancy Drew games having two discs and I had to a lot of switching ... OFTEN. A negative note, this is not a game you can stop playing a week and then get back into. There is a lot of note taking, impressions of personalities to remember, etc. After 5 or more days, you forget small (but vital) things.

Yes, I recommend it highly, but not for age 10. I also recommend, if the player is around age 12, to send in the card for the game secrets/manual.... Otherwise, your gamer may end up stuck in a spot or two and is UNABLE to continue on without some vital clue. The manual can be used to help over those rough spots.

One more thing, check the system requirements before purchasing. I have heard that some people are trying to play the game on a machine without the requirements listed. (Amazon lists these requirements near the price.) If you don't have the lowest requirements, forget it. It will freeze often.... (IT'S FREE). Then you can go to the chat board where you choose which of the games you are playing, all 6 are listed, and ask questions, leave tips, etc. It won't be long before your post is answered either! Seems as though many people are always there.

The Best Nancy Drew Mystery Game - The Whole Family Loves It

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 28 / 32
Date: July 31, 2001
Author: Amazon User

My 11-year-old daughter recently received her copy of the Nancy Drew - Treasure in the Royal Tower, and the whole family (including her four brothers) are fascinated by it.

The graphics and characters in this game are very realistic, and the built-in hints are just enough to keep her moving along in the mystery. As a parent, I am glad to see these games geared toward girls, since it seems like many of the games are more suited for the boys. It improves her "computer confidence" as she masters the skills needed to solve the mystery.

This is my daughter's second game in this series. She had received the previous game in the series, Message in a Haunted Mansion, for Christmas last year, and she loved every minute of it.

It may be from "Her" Interactive, but the whole family loves this game. Her five siblings like to gather around the computer and watch as she makes her way through the spooky old castle, interviewing potential suspects and solving the puzzles.

We can't wait for the next one!

My Review of All Nancy Drew Games

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 25 / 28
Date: January 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Let me start off by saying that I will be 40 years old in August and love the Nancy Drew games. Here is what I rate them and why:

1. Secrets Can Kill - I give it (**) - The graphics weren't the greatest and the killer turned out to be someone that didn't even appear until the end of the game. I also didn't like having to switch from one CD to another.

2. Stay Tuned for Danger - (***) the graphics still needed improvement but puzzles were better.

3. Message in a Haunted Mansion - (****) The graphis still weren't the best but the puzzles and other clues made it interesting.

4. Treasure in the Royal Tower - (*****) - This is one of my favorite games in the ND series. I liked the puzzles and learning about Marie Antoinette. Very Fun Game to play.

5. The Final Scene (***) - This games was alright but I didn't like just staying at the theater because there were only so many rooms to explore.

6. Secret of the Scarlet Hand - (*****) This is one of my favorite games in the ND series because I got to learn all about Mayan culture and King Pacal.

7. Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake - (****) I really liked the characters in this game. I also liked that I got to learn about forest life, different types of poision ivy and lime disease. A very fun game.

8. The Haunted Carousel - (****) - This was a good game but not as interesting (educational) as other games were. The robot was rather annoying.

9. Danger on Deception Island (*****) - I really liked this game because it teache you about whales and how to go clam picking. I really liked the stoy plot as well. The only puzzle I did not like was the matching game because you'd turn over a card but then the match might be on screen 1 or screen 2 or screen 3. Other than that I really liked the game.

10. Secret at Shadow Range (*****) - I liked this game a lot. You get to learn all about ranch life and other interesting facts. I really liked the characters and plots.

11. The Curse of Blackmore Manor (*****) - In this game, Nancy goes to England to help a friend's daughter. Even though I figured out who the culpret was before the end, the game was still a lot of fun! The only thing I didn't like was the parrot because she was very annoying!

12. The Secret of the Old Clock (**) - Like the very first ND game in the series, I really did not care for this game. As Nancy you got around by car. However, you didn't get to see some of the characters. You only heard a voice when Nancy was talking to them. I also didn't like that every time you got a flat tire and had no money you had to but the shop owners bolts and nuts away to earn the gas or new tire. Finally, if a much younger person were playing the game they would have no idea that Lowood school for girls comes from the Jane Eyre novel or other events that happened in history.

Nancy's Best Game Yet

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 18
Date: November 24, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I just finished this game and it was awesome. The game is suspensful and filled with great puzzels and hidden rooms. You'll love exploring beautiful woods, meeting interesting characters, hearing the calm sounds of the forest and digging up pieces of Moon Lake's colorful history. There's lots of updates, including the ability for Nancy to "examine" certain things in her inventory. Also, Nancy now has a PDA that helps you keep track of notes. Also, I thought the background music was very well done. If you've played and enjoyed Nancy Drew games in the past, you'll love this one!

Just finished playing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 17 / 18
Date: November 24, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is the first of the ND series that I've played without having to look up cheats a hundred times. Unlike the previous adventures, there were several places (not just one) where Nancy was caught in a "second chance" situation - I think that makes it more exciting. I played the Senior Detective and only got really stuck twice - otherwise the hints were pretty helpful. This probably isn't the game for the very experienced gamer, but if you have played and enjoyed any previous ND games, you will not be disappointed here. It's low on violence and high on creative thinking. I wish there were more female oriented adventure games like this series. Have fun with it!

Freaky but Fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 22 / 27
Date: August 06, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game was probably one of the scarier Nancy Drew games. The graphics are still amazing and the features are new and improved! In this game, Nancy gets to have a PDA (personal digital assistant) that she takes around with her. It's a phone book and notebook. Nancy jotts down important notes and such in it and this time, you don't have to scroll ALL THE WAY DOWN to look at the new stuff she wrote (unlike the previous Nancy Drew game). It's really scary in the beginning and in other sections too. You have to snoop around at night and go to the graveyard! I'd say it is pretty freaky. But it's loads of fun. I only got stuck really bad ONCE during the entire game. That doesn't mean it's super easy but it just means that it's not extremely hard to the point where you can't figure it out yourself. This one was one of the better Nancy Drew games!

Great training for more advanced puzzle games

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 13 / 14
Date: December 09, 2002
Author: Amazon User

There's a series of Nancy Drew detective stories out. These are great games for any puzzle solver in your life, young or old, male or female!

In this installment, Nancy Drew is in St Louis to visit a friend, Maya. Her friend is kidnapped, and Nancy has three days to help rescue her before a theater is torn down - perhaps with Maya inside it!

I was very encouraged to find Nancy done as an intelligent young woman who was still very realistic. Other games involving female heroines, like The Longest Journey and Syberia, tend to make them 'girly' and bubble-headed. This definitely isn't the case with Nancy. Nancy loves to chat with her friends and boyfriend, and shows her youth, but she also has a level head and intelligence.

The game is on a relatively small map, so you're not trekking around from world to world. You get to know the theater quite well, and the few people that you deal with. On one hand this is good, because you don't have hours of wandering back and forth to do. On the other hand, this can get frustrating. You've already talked to the main people involved ... but suddenly after doing one trigger action they've vanished, or have thought up something new to say? And you don't ask the obvious questions like 'where were you?' until much later? So you end up wandering around the theater, going back to every single room, going to talk to every person, multiple times until they move into their 'next stage' of conversation.

I played at the senior level, but found most of the puzzles extremely easy. The two puzzles I didn't solve immediately were both incredibly annoying. In one, I read the manual several times and tried everything I could think of to get the pieces to spin. I must have clicked on the pieces hundreds of times. But apparently I wasn't clicking on the piece in the exact right spot, and my boyfriend had to fight with it for a while before chancing on that. In the second sticker, I had a PDA with a secret code required to get into it. I had a wallet full of numbers including the character's boyfriend's birthday. I tried for eons to get various codes to work. The ending solution was a totally random one. In both cases I was very frustrated to have wasted so much time for that solution.

I actually lived in St Louis for a year, and my then-boyfriend worked at Wash U near a building they mention. I was impressed that they did their research well, mentioning streets and areas that exist around there. Unfortunately my ex in real life turned out to be pretty slimy, so during the game I was rooting for him to be caught in the theater when it collapsed :) It was both fun and bizarre to have all sorts of very recognizeable St Louis references come up in the story.

The scenes are very lovely, but they're all static. Unlike most modern day games that let you walk through an area smoothly, in this one you're restricted to moving through a 'picture book' of scenes, where you can only turn to certain angles. This made it frustrating when I wanted to go to a certain door or look a certain way. Often I had to circle around a few times to get pointed in the direction I wanted, or the game prevented me from looking at the object I wanted to see. Some drawers would open, others were magically withheld from you. It took away from the sense that you were really "there".

Still, except for the few nasty puzzles, the majority of the game was very pleasant, and lasted maybe 5-6 hours. If you have a walkthrough guide within reach while you play, you can enjoy the rest of the experience sort of like an 'animated story book', and it's great practice for the more advanced puzzle games that exist out there.

Secret Scarlet Hand

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 42 / 76
Date: June 18, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This Game Is Very Fun. I've Played The Demo,Read The Book,& I Saw The Screen Shots. I Am A Fan Of All The Nancy Drew Games, And The Company That Makes It Says Its The Best Nancy Drew Game They Made. Enjoy The Game!!

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