User Reviews (1 - 11 of 93)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Review from AdventureGamers.com

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 104 / 109
Date: June 20, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock - E3 2005 preview
by Christina Gmiterko - posted on June 14, 2005

It's about that time of year again - time for a new Nancy Drew game by Her Interactive. This time, however, the developers have a surprise in store, and we were able to get an early peek at the game at E3. With their latest title, they promise to give some of Nancy's younger fans a little taste of what made this character so popular in the first place.

Over the course of hundreds of books, several movies and TV shows, board games, dolls, and twelve computer games, the Nancy Drew stories throughout the years have been updated and modified to suit the modern age. Now, instead of putting pen to paper in a notebook, Nancy has the kind of electronic notebook that you type on; instead of placing calls through the operator, Nancy has a cell phone. This year, Nancy will be celebrating her 75th birthday, yet somehow she is forever a teenager, and in her latest adventure you will turn back the clock and discover the vintage Nancy Drew.

The game is entitled Secret of the Old Clock, named after the first ever Nancy Drew book. However, the game's plot diverges from that of its source material and actually encompasses different elements from the first four books released in the series combined: The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase, The Bungalow Mystery, and The Mystery at Lilac Inn. Throughout the game, you will be visiting locations taken from these books, such as the Lilac Inn itself.

In addition to the old familiar settings, the game will also take place during that time period - the 1930s. This marks the first time that the series will not be set in present day. Her Interactive has made a great effort to make everything in the game look and sound authentic, and will even incorporate some background elements that reflect the important events taking place at that time, such as the Great Depression. This is a fitting inclusion, considering that Nancy Drew was originally created to help get young girls' minds off of the hard times of the '30s.

The plot of this mystery begins when Nancy is summoned to the Lilac Inn to meet with a friend of a friend - 17 year-old Emily Crandall. Emily has recently inherited the property from her late mother and has been struggling to keep her head above water with all of the new emotional and financial burdens. Nancy and Emily's mutual friend has asked Nancy to help run things for the time being. Nancy soon becomes curious, however, about why a girl she hardly knows would want her help. She soon finds herself embroiled in a mystery regarding a contested inheritance and an odd old man with several mysterious contraptions to figure out.

As with all Nancy Drew mysteries, there is an assortment of suspicious characters, including a desperate businessman, a shady paranormal expert, and an untrustworthy legal guardian, to name a few of the suspects Nancy will have to consider.

The game promises nothing really new in terms of interface and basic gameplay. However, the old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" holds especially true with this series. Yet while the fundamental elements have remained largely unchanged, the graphics and character models have continued to gradually advance, showing small improvements with each new game.

One new feature that has been added is Nancy's roadster, which fans of the original books will be glad to see. With the amount of accidents, vandalism, and speeding tickets that car went through, it felt more like a character in the story than a huge chunk of metal. With the roadster, you will be able to drive around Titusville, exploring the different locations. This is visually represented on the city map that you possess, and you will be able to navigate the car around the streets on the map.

As with the previous installments, there are also several activities to entertain yourself with if you want to take a break from the main mystery. One such diversion that we were able to play in our demonstration was a miniature golf course. This sequence was very easy to control, and I'm sure that many will find this to be a welcome distraction. Some of these kinds of mini-games are necessary to complete the overall adventure, but many are there just to raise the fun factor of the overall gaming experience.

One thing that has always shone throughout the development of this series is the creators' passion for what they are making. They've always been very committed to maintaining the atmosphere and style that the books possessed, and with this latest romp through the 1930s, you can expect the same level of dedication from them. Be sure to check out this title when it is released this summer, and then also be on the look out for the first crossover game between Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to be released later this fall!

Rel. date: July 2005 Developer: Her Interactive Publisher: Her Interactive

Another Great Nancy Drew Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 44 / 47
Date: August 26, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I just finished playing "Secret of the Old Clock", and I loved it! Before I say anything more, I think it important to add that I am 35 years old - so, take it from me, these games are great fun for ANYONE over the age of about 10!

This particular game is set in the 1930's (the depression era), and is about a young girl whose mother recently passed away - leaving her a bed & breakfast/bakery to run. She did, however, write her friend before passing, asking her to come & help her 17 year old daughter if something should happen to her - and her friend rushed right over, trying to help out, but knowing nothing of the business.

Strange things started happening at the inn at about this time, and both the young girl & her guardian are convinced that she is having a nervous breakdown - that it's all in her head. Especially since not only is she grieving the loss of her mother, but they are running out of money. An elderly neighbor (who was quite rich) had promised to leave them plenty of money in his will - but when he died, it looked as though he left all of his money & estate to a man who supposedly taught mind reading & esp.

In comes Nancy Drew... Is the will originally found the ONLY one? Could it be a forgery? And what of all the strange noises & happenings at the inn? Who's behind them, or are they really all in the teenager's mind? These are the questions you'll have to answer while playing "teen detective".

I found several differences between this game & the other Nancy Drew games I've played to date. First, the graphics are better - in fact they are just as good as some of the more high-tech games I've played. Second, you actually get to drive a car (but be sure to watch out for potholes)! Last, there was much more ground to cover - which I really liked - so you get to see a lot of the town, and speak with several people (rather than just being confined to a house, and only talking to 1 or 2 others). Oh, there's one more difference... You actually have to earn money in this game - to pay for gas, car repairs, games & other necessary items.

Overall, I think this game is a "must have" for anyone who enjoys (or had enjoyed) the Nancy Drew series. One of the great assets of these games is that they allow you to choose a difficulty level - but, I must warn all you other adults out there, if you haven't played many ND games (or even if you have!), you may want to choose the "junior" level. This will allow you to get more hints if you need them - and if you don't, you just don't ask for them - as it's the number of hints that will change based on the level you choose to play at.

Another 2 thumbs up for the creators of Nancy Drew!!!

Fun, but way too easy.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: November 26, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I love the Nancy Drew games. This game was no exception. As usual, there was an interesting plot, great characters, and a suprising culprit. Unfortunately, I found this game way too easy. I finished this game in one afternoon. The final challenge was completely unsuspensful. Other than a lack of challenge, it was a fun game.

A Disappointed Nancy Fan

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: July 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I'm 14 years old and I've been playing Nancy Drew games since #3 The Haunted Mansion, and they have always been exhilarating. The puzzles would be tough, but not annoying, and during the game you would always feel frightened at one point or another. Also, when they promised 20+ hours of play, they would mean it. I was disappointed when I finished the game after only 5 hours of play. When I told my mother this, she suggested I was just getting really good at playing the game and solving the puzzles. After reading these other reviews, I realize I am not alone in this time shortage matter. I just hope that the next game will have the actual amount of time, meaning more than 20 hours of play. If that means that it takes a little longer to come out, I will gladly wait.

Why all the complaints?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 11
Date: March 20, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I own and have played all the Nancy Drew games. My wife and I have immensely enjoyed them all. Here's the kicker - we have no kids and I'm over 50 years old and my wife is even older (I'm not including her actual age and it doesn't take a Nancy Drew to figure out why!). We live in a resort area and save all the games for the winter because while it doesn't snow here then, it does get a bit nippy and we do get a fair amount of rain. We always look forward to huddling around the monitor screen and popping in a recently released ND game or two during off-season. This year, we had Old Clock and Blue Moon Canyon in house and ready to install. In any case, I wanted you to know that we are very familiar with the games before giving you our impressions.

This is the first ND game where we haven't gotten stuck for a while or had to resort to the Her Interactive message board for a hint or even worse, consult a walkthrough! That said, it was extremely satisfying to finally play and finish one all on our own, despite the fact it does play a bit shorter than some previous Nancy Drew games. We both loved the original time setting and the News Reel type dialogue. Driving the car was easily the best and most fun way of getting around of all the Nancy Drew games and while the telegram schtick to earn money can get a little tedious (as well as the Zippy Gas slogan), we felt it taught the younger fans a true life lesson, one they will need when they get older. Work often is tedious and not very fun, but you do what you must to pay the bills. There are very few free rides in life. This game may have taught that lesson to many younger players while they weren't even aware of it. It was also a great way to get a layout of the town. The puzzles were not one on top of each other, but spaced nicely apart. They were challenging enough, but not impossible to do without help. For those who claim they were too easy, did you get through the mini-golf course on the first or second try? And were you able to sew the dress before you pulled out almost all of your hair? I thought not! Granted, the game does run shorter than previous ones, but there are very few dead spots and this game had more of a feel of doing actual detective work than being just a problem and puzzle solving game. Last, but not least, the graphics are outstanding and we were constantly blown away by how good they really were and how far Her Interactive has come since Secrets Can Kill was released. Her Interactive seems to be listening and reacting to the consumer. The very first Nancy Drew Game was a disaster of bad graphics and having to constantly interchange disks while playing it. Each Nancy Drew game since then seems to have a bit more quality and innovation to it than the previous game before it. It's now to the point where Her Interactive can match product with the best of the computer game industry.

So, should you buy the game? Absolutely! It's a fun journey to the past with a good story line, some fun and challenging puzzles and has graphics that will knock your socks off! My wife and I rate Old Clock as Her Interactive's best ND game yet. Other Nancy Drew games have some great features, but for smoothness of play, Secret of the Old Clock wins hands down! As for the complaints about the short time-play, do you measure value and enjoyability by time spent working a game or by the amount of fun you had playing the game? If you don't have a lot of fun playing this game, you probably shouldn't be playing this or any other Nancy Drews games in the first place. For those of us who like to have fun and marvel over incredible graphics, Secret of the Old Clock is a real treat and a must play.

Well done, Her Interactive!

Very Unlike the others...still good!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 13
Date: January 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

OK, I am a HUGE fan of the Nancy Drew games and I've beaten all of them and can't wait until the next one! I must say this is one of the most interesting!
It's so unlike the others and you get to do many things you wouldn't otherwise do. However, you know how sometimes things are fun at first but then they're just tedious work? That's how it was for me. The roadster thing was pretty fun at first but eventually just got very annoying.
You also get to do Putt-Putt and some other things you would't expect from a Nancy Drew game, but these are truly the most high quality games I've ever played (and I've played a lot of games) and you really can expect the unexpected with Her Interactive (the makers of the game.)
The characters aren't as good as I had wished but they're still excellent and the storyline is a tad confusing but way better than most games. BUY IT. NOW!
I also reccomend Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon. :)

Not as good as the others...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: July 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game only lasted about 6-7 hours for me, and is by far the shortest Nancy Drew game. The games usually take me about a week to finish, and this one took me not even two days of playing. The story isn't very interesting, and there is really only one location to explore. This is probobly why the game was so short! The puzzles are very easy, (senior detective level), and there isn't much dialogue either! I did like the ending though, it was a suprise! If you haven't played "Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake" or "The Haunted Mansion" yet, play those instead!

A mediocre game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: July 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I was really looking forward to the 12th installment of the Nancy Drew computer game series. However, I was a little disappointed. The game was not as exciting and suspenseful as most of the others. While it was intriguing, it didn't last long. 5 hours of gaming isn't exactly the 20+ hours promised. The puzzles weren't as challenging as I had hoped, even playing senior detective. But, despite its flaws, it is still worth a try. Just split the price with a friend.

Kewl Game!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: November 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This Nancy Drew game was one of the best games that HerInteractive has made so far. This game does have very challenging puzzles and it has a fun 1930's setting. I am ten years old and I own five Nancy Drew games. This one is defenitly my favorite.

Awesome game!!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: July 21, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I loved this game so much it was not that difficult even as Senior Detective. It was way to short, though. I would have loved it to be at least 2 days of playtime. I finished in about 8-9 hours. But it was well worth it. I can hardly wait for Hardy Boys Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon to come out in September.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next 

Actions