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The Secret of Shadow Ranch

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the best Nancy Drew games. Really entertaining and intresting. I loved the challenges and puzzles it had. Plus the southern theme is pretty cool and my favorite thing was the love story between Frances and Dirk, I think it was very well thought out and spent three days glued to the computer until I was finished.

GREAT FOR ALL AGES!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 20, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I have to say that this game was one of the best in the Nancy Drew series! In the tenth installment of the ND series, players battle rattlesnakes, scorpions, and crazy chickens--and all tied together by the romantic love story of Frances Humber and Dirk Valentine. For the first time ever, your friends actually provide you with helpful hints through a new cell phone, complete with an Internet Browser! In addition, you get to do chores around the ranch, such as building campfires, collecting eggs, picking vegetables, and baking cakes. I never get tired of getting pecked by a nutty chicken!

Ride a horse through old dirt trails to investigate old cliff dwellings, stores, and ghost towns. Get locked in jail and even take part in a little barrel racing! Lasso-ing your lariat is another bonus in this game. Enjoy finding Frances' many favorite flowers and piecing together the love story of a sheriff's daughter and an Arizonian outlaw.

Hours of enjoyment for the whole family!

P.S. I guarantee that you will not believe WHODUNNIT!!!!!!

Good Game, But Frustrating

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 16, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I am quite a bit older than the intended audience for Nancy Drew games, but I've loved each one that I've played. The Secret of Shadow Ranch was no different, with the exception that toward the end, I just wanted it to end. SOSR has more puzzles than just about any Nancy Drew game I've played in the past, and many of these puzzles are just plain HARD. (I'm looking at you, magnet puzzle.) Many puzzles are presented to the player without any instructions, so there's a lot of trial and error involved in figuring out how to even start them. Toward the end, you are basically just traveling from location to location to solve puzzles, which I found frustrating. Any game that involves a complicated maze is not a good thing for me personally, but I would imagine that many people enjoy mazes.

Having said all of that, I found the game to be exceptionally charming. The developers captured the feel of a rural Arizona town, and I actually learned a lot about the history of that area. I enjoyed several of the tasks that others didn't, like baking the cake, which I got right the very first time. The solution was only slightly shocking, as there are less than a handful of suspects, but it fit in well with the game.

Despite the many frustrations I felt while playing the game, I had fun, and to me, that's the most important indicator of a good game.

very hard puzzles

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 24, 2008
Author: Amazon User

the puzzles in this game make 50 percent of the hardness in this game the other part is the chores you have to do in this game. besides being plain hard it has a good story line even though it has little to do with the actual book, the graphics are good for this game and is fun.

Great Games for Young or Old

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: October 23, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Am in my 70's and most video games are not for me; however, the Nancy Drew games are great for exercising this ol' brain and I don't need nimble fingers to play. Have 4 of her games and love them all. I especially enjoy the graphics and the "interaction" with the game's characters.

wonderful game!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

SPOLIER ALERT
This game was one of my fav games made by HER. This game really has no faults in my opinion. I think the only thing that was hard was measering what to put in the cake. I love this game and i think you will to!

one of the best drew games

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

One of the best Nancy Drew games I have played so far. The setting and game play were very good. Also there were no annoying repetitive tasks that had to be done over and over, such as cooking food 50 times in the white wolf. My only objection was that the metal/magnent puzzle was not designed well, it is far too sensitive. Overall, a fun game.

Different Genre- Lots of Fun!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 10, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I've only been playing Nancy Drew games for a short time. I've played approximately 5 or 6- and this by far was the most fun! I found myself drawn into the "dude ranch" setting and enjoyed gathering eggs, veggies and riding a horse! I have to admit, I thought I'd never get the barrel racing score to a good enough level. But I finally got it and, looking back, I have to admit it was fun. I figured out the culprit early on but that didn't destroy my enjoyment of the game. I'd recommend this for any age group (I'm certainly not a kid and I thought it was great fun!). The graphics were great, too! I got through it pretty fast, but I like that. I hate games that drag on for ever. The only part that got a little "old" was the constant cellphone calls to various individuals. Maybe because there were so few actual characters Nancy interacts with on the ranch. All in all, a fun game with some challenging and not-so-challenging puzzles. Great scenery.

One of the best ND Games

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Lately HerInteractive seems to have gone downhill with disappointing games such as Danger By Design and Creature of Kapu Cave (although luckily, White Wolf of Icicle Creek is a bit better). It's sad playing this game and realizing how amazing the Nancy Drew games used to be.

Secret of Shadow Ranch is partially based off the best selling Nancy Drew book of all time. The graphics are SUPERB, probably the best of any game (the later games tend to have overly smooth/blurry graphics). The characters were all interesting to interact with (with perhaps the exception of Mary Rawley, who got a bit annoying). You got to meet sweet, nice (and not to mention, cute!) Dave, who is keeping something from Nancy; quiet, mysterious Tex, who seems to like to watch Nancy get hurt; and talkative, outgoing Shorty, who loves to converse and cook.

Bess and George, who are essential in this game for hints, are hilarious to call and talk to. The sound effects and music are grade-A. But best of all is the plot. Who is sabotaging the ranch? Who is directing the phantom horse? With tons of leads and clues, this game will keep you guessing until the end. The puzzles are challenging without being frustratingly difficult; there are several fascinating places to explore. And the history/learning is abundant without being boring (see: Secret of Scarlet Hand).

The game is long but not overly lengthy as well. Perhaps the only complaint I have is the cell phone. It lit up WAY too much, even if I didn't have to call/email someone or look something up. There were way too many unneccasary websites to look up. Listening to Charleena Purcell's recording was annoying after a few times, even if Nancy does hang up in the middle of it.

Oddly enough my favourite part was baking a birthday cake for Tex. I love cakes and cooking (although in White Wolf it is way too much), and it was a nice break from the mystery solving. The ending requires wits and it is funny when you catch the criminal.

There are so many more positive things I could say about this game, but I will finish it off with: it is one of my favorite ND games. In fact, it is second ONLY to Treasure in the Royal Tower. If you are thinking of buying a Nancy Drew game, I would recommend this one.

Best one yet!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 12, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This Nancy Drew was soooo good!! It had just the right amount of everything, puzzles, riddles, characters! It was just fabulous!! This one is also very fun, some of the Nancy Drews just creep you out but this one is always bright and happy! Try it!

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