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blackjack-15 · 4 years

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Death, Philosophy, and the Runs — Thoughts on: Legend of the Crystal Skull (CRY)

Previous Metas: SCK/SCK2, STFD, MHM, TRT, FIN, SSH, DOG, CAR, DDI, SHA, CUR, CLK, TRN, DAN, CRE, ICE

Hello and welcome to a Nancy Drew meta series! 30 metas, 30 Nancy Drew Games that I’m comfortable with doing meta about. Hot takes, cold takes, and just Takes will abound, but one thing’s for sure: they’ll all be longer than I mean them to be.

Each meta will have different distinct sections: an Introduction, an exploration of the Title, an explanation of the Mystery, a run-through of the Suspects. Then, I’ll tackle some of my favorite and least favorite things about the game, and finish it off with ideas on how to improve it. Like with all of the Odd Games, there will be a section between The Intro and The Title called The Weird Stuff, where I go into what makes this game stand out as a little strange.

If any game requires an extra section or two, they’ll be listed in the paragraph above, along with links to previous metas.

These metas are not spoiler free, though I’ll list any games/media that they might spoil here: CRY, mention of CUR, mention of ASH.

The Intro:

It’s time for New Orleans, y’all.

Legend of the Crystal Skull is a game that’s often rated highly by the fandom, especially for its atmosphere (which is among the most well-done and pervasive of the whole series). Honestly speaking, were it not for the mental health/death/immortality storyline(s), CRY would simply be a Jetsetting game a bit out of order, given its fascination with its location (even if the amount of locations is slightly smaller).

One of the high points of this game is honestly its location and ambiance. CRY takes the idea of the “dark and stormy night” and plays it to perfection, cloaking everything in such thick atmosphere that the players, like Nancy, can’t always see the way ahead, and have to take leaps of faith every once in a while.

The characters contribute to the thick atmosphere; Bruno is a shadow, Henry’s hiding everything under a guise of nonchalance and a fishnet glove, Renée is all gardening grandma hospitality but never says anything about herself, Gilbert has Southern Manners while avoiding saying anything bad even when he means it, and Lamont refuses to get involved in anything outside his shop. They aren’t perfect suspects, but they’re good characters, and it elevates the game.

Bess’ hesitance to delve into this atmosphere makes her the perfect partner for Nancy who begins by investigating just who the Skeleton Man was who attacked her before spiraling deeper and deeper into the mysteries surrounding Bruno Bolet and his crystal skull.

But while the costumes, pageantry, puns, and secrets all contribute to the atmosphere, nothing quite reaches the same level of Sheer Aesthetic as Bruno’s last years being dedicated to finding a crystal skull. Glittery and gothic with power over life and death, it’s easy to see why the game is named after it (which, of course, I’ll get into below).

This isn’t to say that CRY is all sizzle and no substance — far from it. CRY doesn’t attempt to teach the player the entire history of New Orleans, the complex background and practices of voodoo (or any of its other sister practices), nor does it get into iguana physiology or the mechanics of how to make someone sneeze or get the runs.

While education is of course present in CRY, it’s more centered in philosophy than in hard, straight facts. Professor Hotchkiss – a returning character perfectly suited to the French-influenced New Orleans and her love of slightly sinister history – gives the mission statement of the game, summing up its central philosophical question – “Does this mean that there mysterious external forces at work in the universe of which we do not and cannot ever have full knowledge? Or does it all boil down to us? If the human heart desperately wants something to be true, does the human mind have the power to make it true?”

It’s a fascinating question, and touches on all sorts of real-life phenomenon – the power of suggestion, the placebo effect, intelligent design, among others – without ever seeming like HER is trying to Teach a Lesson. Out of all the edutainment elements in this series, CRY (and I would add ASH in here as well) features some of the most subtle work that HER ever accomplishes.

The Weird Stuff:

Of course, a discussion (one-sided as these metas mostly are) of CRY wouldn’t be complete without addressing the things that qualify it to be a truly Odd Game within the Nancy Drew franchise.

The first and most obvious is that we’re dealing with death – and a recent death at that — for the first time in a while. We’d have to go all the way back to CLK to see another death of a relative not long before the mystery starts, and Emily’s mom’s death and Josiah Crowley’s death don’t hang over CLK the way Bruno Bolet’s death hangs over CRY.

Bruno is given instead more weight – part of the mystery is figuring out who he was, what he liked, what he wanted, and what he did every day, especially leading up to his death. The house is almost a stand in character for Bruno; it reflects him perfectly, including all the things that were important to him, and just as determined to keep his secrets. A lot of Nancy Drew games have the house/location as a character, but only a few associate the location with a specific character, and CRY does it possibly the best.

The second thing that makes this game so odd is the showcasing of an abusive relationship. Sure, Summer doesn’t hit Henry or anything, but is just as abusive all the same, and the game doesn’t shy away from showing her horrible behavior and the effect that it has on Henry. He stays with her because, like a lot of abuse victims, he doesn’t think he can do ‘better’ – that somehow this is what he deserves – and the only slight problem with how it’s portrayed is that we don’t get to see Henry leave her and be happier.

Lastly, in an oddity for Nancy Drew games so far, mental illness is put at the front and center of the game (rather than being a one-off random thing not really mentioned like in CUR). Henry, separate from the abuse he receives from Summer, is obviously depressed, and the game doesn’t really shy away from showing it. Sure, they might not use the term “clinical depression”, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not acknowledged. Henry’s depression, his sadness, his feeling of being out of control and yet still tied down – that permeates every moment of the game, and especially his conversations with Nancy. The whole reason Nancy’s there at the Bolet mansion in the first place is because Ned was worried about his shy, depressed classmate.

Gosh, Ned is such a good guy. He deserves so much better than Nancy “Lacks Tact” Drew.

Unlike a lot of the “Odd” games, the odd things in CRY don’t detract from the game; they make the game what it is. It’s a bit more mature, a little more introspective, a touch less black and white than most of the Nancy Drew games have been up until this point. No characters are simply caricatures, there’s very little stereotyping (for a ND game), and it’s not pointlessly spooky or try-hard in any way. CRY is the rare game that simply is what it aspired to be; while what it aspired to be was odd (and it is Odd), it doesn’t make it bad. It makes it feel genuine and honest – and after ICE, I can’t think of anything better for a game to aspire to be.

The Title:

We’re getting to the portion of Nancy Drew games where, regardless of the quality of the actual games, their titles are smash hits every time. “Legend of the Crystal Skull” is an incredibly good title on multiple levels.

First, it tells us what the game is about – not the Crystal Skull itself, but the legend of it – the myths, mysteries, and effects of the Skull. Not only does it (correctly) indicate that this game is a little more about philosophy than it is about something concrete.

The second thing it does is establish a sense of mysticism that is reinforced the second the game begins. We’re in New Orleans, we’re learning about this Crystal Skull, it’s dark, rainy, and spooky, there’s death and specters and possibly more afoot…and this doesn’t start with the Skeleton Man cutscene, or the phone call, or even the warning on the screen to play with the lights off – it starts with the title.

The Mystery:

We begin with Nancy and Bess visiting New Orleans – the French Quarter, to be specific – for a fun little vacation, only to be met with a Dark and Stormy Night. Ned, knowing of his girlfriend’s plans to visit New Orleans, asks her if she can check up on a classmate of his who’s going through a hard time: Henry Bolet.

Determined to get the visit out of the way, Nancy leaves Bess back at the hotel and traipses over to the Bolet Mansion. When she walks in – I know, honestly, Nancy – the open door, she’s greeted by a person in a skeleton costume in the front room, rather than a miserable college student.

She’s soon knocked out by the Skeleton Man, coming to when an elderly woman offers her an odd concoction and the Skeleton is long gone. Soon, Nancy discovers that Henry’s dead uncle was in possession of a Crystal Skull that was to protect its owner against any source of death other than murder, the plot starts to thicken quicker than a bubbling roux.

CRY is home to an incredibly solid mystery, full of atmosphere, colorful characters, and even a food minigame as if to draw me in specifically. While I don’t think it’s the best Nancy Drew game by a long shot, I would say that it’s definitely the best of the Odd games, and by far the most successful mystery + atmosphere combination that we’ll have until we reach SAW, quite a few games later.

Now, let’s move on to our colorful characters.

The Suspects:

We’ll start with Renee Amande, as I think she’s our first character who is properly introduced post-cutscene (with her concoction). Bruno’s elderly housekeeper, Renee is a practitioner of voodoo (kind of) and a believer in the crystal skulls – she wants to reunite all thirteen of them to move the world to a higher plane of understanding.

Our villain, yet not our killer – not directly at least – the only thing Renee is guilty of other than attempted murder of a plucky Illinois detective is falsifying a letter. The shock of the “false” crystal skull shocked Bruno so badly that he had a heart attack and died, but Renee didn’t actually kill him. She’s one of those villains in Nancy Drew stories who commit a minor crime, and jump immediately to murder when she’s discovered.

As the villain, Renee is actually the only suspect that could even work. The game plays with Dr. Buford and the mysterious Skeleton Man, but in reality Renee’s the only one with motive and opportunity. But, given that Nancy spends 3/4ths of the game trying to figure out what crime has actually been committed, rather than working with cold hard facts, that works out pretty well.

Henry Bolet, on the other hand, is apparently catnip to a good section of the Nancy Drew fandom, and is the closest thing to a living victim that we actually have in this game. When his parents died, he was shipped off to live with Bruno – and Bruno shipped him off to military school, so he should be a bit more muscular than he is – and he’s never gotten over their deaths.

Like, “Nancy finds him crying over his parents” kind of never got over their deaths.

I’ll be honest, while I know lots of people who did Love him with everything in them, I never really saw the appeal of Henry Bolet as a love interest for anyone, or even as a compelling character. His voice actor – Brian Neel – does a great job, with his voice definitely being the part of him with the most obvious appeal, but otherwise…maybe it comes from my distaste for underdog stories, maybe it’s that I’m no good with crying people, who knows.

As a suspect, Henry’s pretty much out from the moment that he confesses to Nancy that he sold a trunk for quick cash for his abusive girlfriend. HER isn’t bold enough to have that be a lie, nor are they dumb enough to make him the culprit after that. Henry’s out of the running for most of the game, but he never really becomes Nancy’s confidante, not like other early-clear suspects.

Henry’s an interesting puzzle as a character, but that more comes from his place as the central piece of CRY’s “Oddness”, rather than any interest in him as a possible suspect.

On the other end of fandom appeal lies Dr. Gilbert Buford, whose greatest sin as a character is declaring an obvious heart attack an obvious heart attack and using regular, polite Louisiana manners for a man of his age while interacting with a character who obviously has no problem with it at all.

Dr. Buford is hard at work giving the majority of Bruno’s characterization that doesn’t come from his house to him, as well as giving a truly excellent scare when finding Bess in the Secret Meeting scene. As a suspect, Buford is a moderately good one – cagey, a doctor, knows about the Skull – but ultimately falls short as he just has too many of his own secrets to carry.

I personally like Gilbert Buford as a character, and find him an entertaining source of exposition – but then, I grew up around Southern manners (and military manners, which aren’t too dissimilar), so that might be the reason why.

Rounding out our suspect list – though barely qualifying himself, honestly, is Lamont Warrick, owner of a curio shop and intensely vulnerable to hot sauce and sneezing powder.

One can only imagine the Horror that would occur if Nancy were to mix those two allergens. Well, one can also Giggle at the mental image, but still.

As a suspect…well, even HER knew that he was a non-entity; his biggest part to play is actually after the game concludes, where he closes his curio shop in order to search for Bernie, who has swallowed the crystal skull.

I guess someone had to search for it? I’d love a follow-up with him, maybe over Labor Day, or Memorial Day, where Bess goes back to see if he’s had any luck, only to find that he found a dead body along with the alligator, and in order to not get suspected for the murder, they have to bring the body with them and pretend that it’s alive, taking it to bingo games over the course of the 3 vacation days.

Yes, that was all to set up a bad “Weekend at Bernie’s” reference. Hush.

The Favorite:

As you might have guessed from…well, most of this meta, one of my favorite parts of CRY is the sheer atmosphere that the game embodies from its beginning through the closing puzzle.

The Bolet mansion is just the right amount of cluttered yet comfortable, shadowy yet detailed, and gloomy yet homey to be a nigh-perfect location. The graveyard isn’t hard to navigate, is filled with puns, and does a lot of the character work for Bruno and (to a slightly lesser extent) Henry while allowing both characters to be private and a bit mysterious. The greenhouse is simultaneously cozy and elegant and yet slightly cage-ish and slightly claustrophobic.

Even the locations that Nancy stays away from — the hotel balcony, Zeke’s, the food truck, the secret meeting — are thick with a different kind of atmosphere: less wet, less foggy, more brightly lit, more French Quarter than haunting mansion. Bess’ locations are welcoming yet secretive, perfect for the reluctant amateur-amateur detective who just wants her vacation to be fun and mystery-free.

Adding to the atmosphere is the sheer number of cutscenes/cinematic camera usages in CRY. The opening with the Skeleton Man, Bess getting caught at the meeting, opening the final crypt, Renee shutting the tomb…they’re all so perfect, and do a great job at making you feel really immersed in Nancy’s New Orleans experience.

My favorite puzzle is honestly finding the glass eyes. CRY isn’t really a game I remember for its puzzles; they fade a little bit into the background (with the exclusion of a couple I don’t like) because they’re well integrated into the story, and because the game doesn’t really grind to a halt to make Nancy complete minigames like in, for example, CUR.

My favorite moment is split between two very different moments. The first is, unsurprisingly, the conversation with Hotchkiss mentioned above where she lays out the theme of the game. It’s a shockingly nice moment in the game, coming in the start/middle of the mystery and being a familiar face – er, voice – for Nancy to get help from. It’s a moment that lets you stop and think about what Nancy’s actually dealing with, rather than effectively pausing the game through a rhymed puzzle about the skull or other such nonsense.

The other moment is a little more obvious and a little flashy – the moment when Bess is discovered at the Skeleton meeting. The tension right before, the sudden pop-up of the skeleton mask between the boxes, the conversation afterwards…it’s just as close as possible to a perfect scene. It’s long enough before Bess is discovered that the player can kind of get comfortable, but not so long that it drags on. The moment of discovery is startling, but not scream-worthy or too scary to replay over and over or in the dark. It’s just great.

The Un-Favorite:

There’s not a ton to complain about with CRY, but I do have a few small things that make replaying it somewhat of a chore.

The first is my least favorite puzzle: the loquat bug spraying. It takes a long time, it feels shoved in the game just to have an extra puzzle, and Nancy can only take one loquat at a time. I feel like the player should be able to take up to 3, and then come back and do it again if they need/want any more loquats. Honestly, it’s a puzzle in a place where a puzzle really just shouldn’t be.

My least favorite moment in the game would probably be the chest that Henry sells to Lamont. After selling it and building it up for quite a few minutes, it’s kind of a letdown that it only has a few things it in. This would have been a great place to have more character-building work done, but instead the focus is on “how do we find it/open it” and less on “what can this do for the story”.

Finally, I mentioned it above, but I’m not a fan of how Lamont pretty much is a non-entity in the game. I’m fine with one suspect being less suspicious or having less ‘dirt’ on them than the rest, but Lamont really doesn’t have anything on him. He’s never a suspect for the Skeleton Man, he doesn’t really do anything sketchy…he’s just underwhelming.

The Fix:

So how would I fix Legend of the Crystal Skull?

I think really the only fix that I would attempt is to give Lamont a little more plot significance. Sure, his curio shop is beautiful and wonderful and important to the plot, but Lamont himself really isn’t. In order to include him more in the plot, make Lamont a bona-fide treasure hunter that manages the curio shop for cash in between expeditions. He’s heard that Bruno has a treasure that people have killed for, but couldn’t figure out what it was before Bruno’s death. He buys the chest from Henry and searches it top-to-bottom trying to figure out if it’s hiding something since it’s obviously Bruno’s personal chest.

To add a bit more importance, I’d place him at the Bolet mansion on the night of Bruno’s death as well. Renee’s there, Dr. Buford is there, Henry we’ve already written off completely in the actual game as a suspect, so Lamont should be there as well, snooping around to try to figure out what treasure Bruno’s got and if he can persuade him to sell it (or at least let Lamont see it). Nancy can match footprints in the garden to his boots, or some other method of proving he was there. I’d just like for Lamont not to drop off the map early on. It also makes his canonical ending that much neater.

Honestly, that’s it.

Sure, I’d appreciate the loquat bug spraying minigame to be fixed as well, but CRY is honestly a pretty character-based game, thick with philosophy and legends, and it doesn’t need a ton of help in that area. Make all the suspects viable for most of the game, and I think an already entertaining and atmospheric game would be just a little bit better.

#nancy drew #clue crew #nancy drew games #legend of the crystal skull #nancy drew meta #video games #CRY #my meta #long post

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papenniesandbentoboxes · 4 years

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Favorite ND Soundtracks

Alright. I am a huge music nerd. For some time, I was a music major at college (I changed majors after having to take nine classes a semester because of all my ensembles). One of my hobbies is listening to movie and game scores. Some of the Nancy Drew games have some pretty great music. I don’t really know how I’d rank my favorites, but I’m going to list them in no particular order.

Shadow at Water’s Edge

Lovely traditional Japanese sound. Very calming yet it just sounds like someone is watching you.

The scenes in the city have some great music. Honestly? They are bops.

The music fits perfectly with the ambiance and mood. The music at the ryokan is haunting and beautiful and the music in the city is fun and carefree.

“Kasumi” is so wonderfully haunting and beautiful and horrifying at the same time. It’s beautiful and peaceful, and it makes me feel both sad and like I’m gonna die from being attacked by the yurei.

Some of the tracks in this don’t sound like they’re from a Nancy Drew game. They sound like they came straight out of a horror film.

Secret of Shadow Ranch

Western. Soooo western. A stereotypical cowboy movie score. I love it.

It makes me feel like I’m a cowboy in the wild west.

The guitar picking is perfect in “Dirk”. I love it so much that I listened and taught myself on the guitar and I played it too much because my sister was sick of it for a long time.

The ghost town music fits so well. A perfect combination of suspense and yeehaw.

The drums in “Lands”... Perfect. And the trombones in “Danger”... Great.

Curse of Blackmoor Manor

This score. It’s amazing. It makes me feel like I’m in an old English mansion poking around and searching through hidden passages. Oh wait...

This score seems like it should be the background music for a BBC show about royalty.

Some of the music is downright terrifying. Also, the dulcimer?! That instrument is underrated and used amazingly!

The piano and strings parts are just beautiful. “Memoirs” is one of my favorites. The use of dynamics in that piece is lovely.

This is probably the only music where a recorder sounds good.

Brigitte. I still know that song so well.

Legend of the Crystal Skull

Okay. As a jazz singer, this soundtrack spoke to my soul.

They mix horror and jazz and that makes me love it sooooo much.

I just really like jazz, okay?

“Bruno” hits different. It feels like you just walked into a 1930s New Orleans nightclub holding a cigarette and wearing a fur coat.

“Bayou” give me “Gonna Take You There” vibes.

Haunting of Castle Malloy

Say what you want about the game, but the music is beautiful.

“Nursery” still gives me chills. “Map” makes me feel like I should always be watching my back. “Grand” is rightly named.

The music in the pub are bangers.

As a Celtic music fan, this soundtrack is truly wonderful.

Warnings at Waverly Academy

This one fits the environment so well. Both suspenseful and youthful.

The cello. Ooooh, the cello. *chef’s kiss*

The violin solo... It’s so beautifully creepy and unsettling with the resonance and the reverb.

It just feels like late autumn/early winter. It has that vibe and it’s wonderful.

The Captive Curse

Again, as a musician, I’ve been exposed to lots of music, and some of that is traditional Bavarian music. This one combined the mystery of Nancy Drew games with the traditional music and it was done well.

“Girls” is both beautiful and slightly tragic. The piano, the violin, the cello, the everything. It feels like I should be out there wearing a dirndl with Nancy and remember all the girls before that have died at this castle.

Speaking of castle, “Castle” is so wonderfully mysterious. So is “Mystery”, of course. And the violin in “Legend”? It makes me feel curious.

The choir in “Creature” brings a whole new vibe to the game. Kinda gave me “Duel of Fates” vibes, if you know what I mean.

The Deadly Device

It sounds like it came straight out of a sci-fi film. It also gives me Doctor Who and Thor: Ragnarok vibes.

The repeated motif in “Research” sounds like “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas”, don’t hate me.

It fits the techie nerd vibe as well as the “hello, this is murder” vibe.

Ghost of Thornton Hall

This one. Oooh ho ho, this one. It still gives me chills. The music adds so much to the game. It’s creepy enough already, but add this amazing music and you get one of the most creepy Nancy Drew games.

Oh, did I also mention that this music will bring you to tears? Yeah.

That little bit of background choir in some of the tracks?

The brass section in “Dark” has a feel of urgency.

The OPERA in the background. UGH, IT’S AMAZING. This is coming from a person who has sang opera before and DAMN is this stuff beautiful. The vocalese is amazing.

The rhyme... The rhyme.

“Past” is so beautiful and tragic and truly captivates the sadness of the entire situation.

That one time where the drums are pretty much a heartbeat? Freaks me out. Every time. I love it.

The Silent Spy

This one has amazing music and it’s also one of the plot points in the mystery.

The link between Kate and the piano is amazing. Every time I hear the piano, it’s a reminder of Kate and her presence.

Kate’s Theme is so simple, yet so beautiful.

The bagpipes in the background add a whole new layer of sadness. I am one of those people who actually loves the bagpipes.

It feels like a FRICKIN SPY/HEIST MOVIE.

At the same time, SCOTLAND.

The use of the electric guitar is very lovely.

Labyrinth of Lies

I love it. I love it. The music belongs there.

The use of traditional Greek inspired music is wonderful and really helps with the entire ambiance.

“Souls” sounds like it belongs in the underworld.

Sea of Darkness

Hoooooly moly, I love this music. The strings, the choir, the woodwinds, the brass? Everything.

This music makes me want to go sailing.

“The Word I Couldn’t Keep” is still an amazing, beautiful song and no one can tell me otherwise because I am right.

The music in the ice caves, “Waiting” is absolutely amazing. The reverb makes it sound like it’s actually coming from inside the caves.

Midnight in Salem

Again, say what you want about the game, but the music was amazing.

Okay, they had some bops and bangers in this game. I was grooving to these tunes.

It sounds so Halloweeny. It’s so delightfully creepy. It sounds like a Danny Elfman soundtrack and I am HERE for it.

The use of the harp in these tracks is wonderful. It sounds like they also used chimes in here, which fits well.

“Feelings” is so beautiful. Another one of those hauntingly beautiful tracks that hits you in the feels.

“Family” instantly transports me from wherever I am to a small town in the mid-autumn with a little creepy vibe.

I got GTH vibes from some of these. I loved it.

The Phantom of Venice music during Ned’s phone call was superb. I heard it and instantly had flashbacks to Nancy’s not-quite-stripper days.

Seriously. Danny Elfman vibes.

Feel free to add on!! I’d love to hear more about what other people think of the soundtracks.

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doctorsgirl262 · 4 years

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Ranking (Most of) the Nancy Drew Video Games

Literally no one asked for this, but I thought it’d be really fun to rank and give my opinion on each of the games. I’m biased towards a fair share of the games since they were the ones that I played growing up. **I have yet to complete 5 of the games (I know, blasphemy) but I’m not going to rank them since I don’t have any opinion on them. This includes: Stay Tuned For Danger, Final Scene, Ransom of the Seven Ships, The Captive Curse, and Labyrinth of Lies. I am also not including the dossier games. I also want to stress that I don’t dislike any of the games.

28. Secrets Can Kill (Remastered): This game is okay, it’s not my favorite. I like the fact that Nancy is trying to solve a murder. But I feel like all the characters are kinda bland and really aren’t all that memorable, and neither are the games. I also found the hidden clues in the posters to be a bit challenging, so overall, I’m not a huge fan of the game.

27. Tomb of the Lost Queen: I loved the idea, but it wasn’t really memorable to me. I enjoyed it enough when I played it, but have absolutely no desire to play again. But I do like the Egyptian history that we see in this game.

26. Midnight in Salem: Honestly, not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. But by no means is it good. I didn’t hate it while playing, but it was missing a lot of what the games normally have. It felt dull and kinda boring, and the plot just didn’t feel totally cohesive. But, I look forward to playing more games in the future, even if it means waiting another 4 years. I will admit though that the mechanics were seriously lacking. I hated having to drag the screen up and down to search for clues, and the way moving worked kinda was abrupt and sudden. But, I’m realllllly digging the updated looks for the Hardy Boys.

25. Trail of the Twister: Kinda boring, kinda not. I don’t really care about tornadoes at all, so it was boring to learn about them and having to be part of the team. But I did enjoy the underlying mystery about selling secrets and such, and I liked most of the characters.

24. The Shattered Medallion: It’s an interesting game, but I’m not a huge fan of it. Nancy and George (and Bess) being on a reality tv show is an interesting concept, but I like the concepts where there is true mystery and danger to be found as Nancy delves deeper. The puzzles were fun, but not super memorable. I think it’s a fun game to play once, but I have absolutely no desire to play it again.

23. Message in a Haunted Mansion: I haven’t played this one in years, but I remember being terrified of it when I did. Finding the creepy note and then almost having the house burn down always scared me, and the fact that there was a “ghost” haunting the place didn’t help. I think it’s an enjoyable game, but it doesn’t have the same replay-ability as some of the other games do.

22. Secret of the Scarlet Hand: I love history, I really do. However, I found that this game was just a tad bit too boring with how much history it had in it. I enjoyed getting to learn about Mayan culture, but the fact that the mystery doesn’t really occur until half way through the game was just kinda a killer for me. The puzzle weren’t my favorite either.

21. The Haunted Carousel: I had a really hard time playing this one, but that has nothing to do with the game itself. I have a fear of oceans and sharks, so sometimes I had a hard time getting through puzzles. The puzzles weren’t my favorite, but I think the plot was interesting, with Joy remembering her past and the amusement park.

20. The Creature of Kapu Cave: I think it was really cool that we had the opportunity to play as the Hardy Boys in this game. I think it was an interesting plot overall, but I got bored sometimes. I also hated Quiggly, she was rude and annoying towards Nancy and it just frustrated me to no end.

19. Curse of Blackmoor Manor: The game had a creepy feel to it, but I feel like the end of the game was a real let down. There was so much plot throughout the game, and there was the “curse” that Nancy learned about, and it just seemed to come to an abrupt ending.

18. Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake: I think this game is interesting. The speakeasy was a really cool aspect of the game, and I enjoyed that it was a bit of a darker game. But I think the puzzles were fun and interesting and it was an enjoyable game.

17. Ghost of Thornton Hall: I love the atmosphere of this game, with it taking place in the South with ghosts. I love the history that was involved in the game, and the whole plot revolving around Charlotte and her death/murder. I like the dark route the game took, compared to some of the other games. It’s one of the few games that give me the chills.

16. Sea of Darkness: I hate it when there is Ned and Nancy drama in the games, it always makes me so uncomfortable. In a previous post I talked about how I felt about their relationship, so I won’t really get into it, but that’s besides the point. The fact that it’s last game with Lani Minella is sad, but it was still an interesting game. I think the puzzles were fun, and I enjoyed the Icelandic activities in the game.

15. The Silent Spy: I love the fact that we get a backstory on Nancy’s mom’s death. Also, going to Scotland and meeting Samantha FREAKING Quick. The fact that we finally got to put a face to her name after waiting for so long (11 games btw). I think it was a seriously fun game that had some interesting puzzles and had a unique plot.

14. The Haunting of Castle Malloy: Another really creepy game to me, but really well done. I enjoyed most of the puzzles in the game, and the idea of searching for the missing groom and trying to understand the history of Castle Malloy was super interesting. The characters were overall rememberable, and so was the plot, and I feel like it was a nice, challenging game

13. Alibi In Ashes: I really enjoyed this one too, and I love that you get to play as Bess, George, and Ned on top of playing Nancy. I find it crazy that her town would think that she would burn down the old town hall, but it’s whatever. I liked getting to build a case for Nancy, I think that was a fun aspect of the game. I also liked that it was our first chance to really meet Deirdre Shannon. I just liked the whole mystery aspect of this game, with dusting for finger prints and picking locks to trying to determine a suspect.

12. Legend of the Crystal Skull: I liked the dark vibe of this game, and that we got to play as Bess. I really enjoyed Henry Bolet and his character, and I think that the overall plot of the game was really interesting. The crystal skull was a really cool idea to have in a game, and I feel like overall the game had a good balance of creepiness. I also loveddd the little trap on the poor shop keeper with the sneezing powder.

11. Danger on Deception Island: This was another one of my favorites from when I was a kid. I always enjoyed the puzzle, especially the one with building Nessie for some weird reason. I thought the plot was really interesting, and that it was a creative idea. The puzzle in the game were also really creative, and I thought that overall, it was a cool game. The characters were interesting, and so was the plot.

10. The Deadly Device: The danger. The mystery. I spent so freaking long trying to beat aggregation, I cannot express the pleasure of completing all the levels. I like that this one had a murder, which reminded me of some of her older cases. I really enjoyed the characters in this one too, and I like how much a true mystery the case was. There were a few moments that really had me a little anxious and on the edge of my seat as I played.

9. Shadow at the Water’s Edge: One of the scarier games of the series, but I enjoy it. I feel like there are certain scenes that are actually terrifying, and I love how well done everything is. All the characters are interesting and finding out the backstory of the hotel and all the ghost business of the game. I think that it as a whole was just an amazing game, and there was so much detail that went into this game that I loved.

8. The White Wolf of Icicle Creek: Weirdly enough, I love the chores aspect of this game. I normally hate doing chores, but they’re kinda fun here. I think the puzzles in this game are fun, and so is the mystery. I love it when Nancy goes undercover. I love that they brought back Tino Balducci for it, and like Nancy, I feel like all of us were groaning at the realization that we had to work with him (but we were all also kinda excited to do it too). However, there was so much history to the game, that I feel like the ending was kinda abrupt, but that could totally just be me.

7. Secret of the Old Clock: I absolutely love the fact that this game takes place in the 1930s and that it’s based loosely on Carolyn Keene’s books The Secret of the Old Clock and The Mystery at Lilac Inn. The mini games are some of my favorites, and I just enjoyed all the characters and the plot. I always had a lot of fun when I played this one when I was younger, and it was always a game I looked forward to playing

6. Treasure in a Royal Tower: I love the history that the game is based on, Marie Antoinette. I found that the puzzles in this game were fairly fun too, but I especially liked having to do a bit of sneaking around. I feel like the older games had a lot more danger to them, and I found myself on the edge of my seat sometime while playing.

5. Danger by Design: Ooooh, this is a fun one. I loved getting to work for Minette, even though she was kinda crazy. All the puzzles were so much fun, but my favorites have to be the cooking challenge and the designs for Prudence Rutherford. The characters are super fun in this game, and I love the plot about the stained glass too. Getting to go into the catacombs is also super fun, and overall, I think they went in a really good direction for this game.

4. The Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon: I adored this game when I was a kid since it was the first Nancy Drew game I ever played. The idea of a hidden gold mine on top while also having Lori’s disappearance on a moving train was just so fascinating to me. I always enjoyed the puzzles and loved the characters, especially the Hardy Brothers.

AND FINALLY... MY TOP 3 FAVORITE GAMES

3. The Secret of Shadow Ranch: This is one of the more recent one I played, and I loved it so much. I love the history and culture of New Mexico, so I really enjoyed getting to see the petroglyphs and the cliff dwellings. I’m also a sucker for baking puzzles in games, so I really enjoyed that. The characters were also really interesting, and I loved the Dirk Valentine plot line. Overall, it was a really really fun game that I would love to play again.

2. Phantom of Venice: This game is near and dear to my heart. The characters are really interesting, and I love getting a glimpse at Ned and Nancy’s relationship, with him giving her the necklace (especially since the more recent games have been giving them a rocky relationship). I think the adventure itself is an interesting one, and I love it when Nancy travels abroad for a mystery. The puzzle in this game were really interesting, and overall, I really enjoy it. I also loved getting to be Punchy LaRue!

1. Warnings at Waverly Academy: This has been my favorite Nancy Drew game for years. I love all the characters and how different yet similar they are to one another. The puzzle throughout the game, from making a DNA strand to playing scram and air hockey, I didn’t dislike any of the them. And the Edgar Allen Poe story plot is also super cool, I think that was an amazing plot that Her Interactive came up with. Also, the snack shop mini-game is just so much fun. “As of now, the snack shop is open!”

#nancy drew #nancy drew games #sck #mhm #trt #ssh #dog #car #ddi #sha #cur #clk #trn #dan #cre #ice #cry #ven #hau #wac #tot #saw #ash #tmb #ded #gth #spy #med #sea #mid

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nancydrew428 · 4 years

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Hi!! So I’m conducting kind of a survey/study? Can you rank the games in order from best to worst in your eyes? A simple list will suffice. Include MID, and both SCKs please. But exclude dossiers ;)

Hi! Sorry for the late response! I’ve been doing finals and my last assignments of the semester haha. But I eventually finished this!

Also, don’t hate me (I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this except for on my bingo card, subtle plug), but I haven’t played 10 of the games, and of the ones that I have played, I still haven’t finished 3 of them🙊😂 So I might not be the most helpful, especially if you need exact rankings or answers from someone who knows everything about each game. I’m sorry! But hopefully my answer will still help you. If not, I’m hoping it’ll be interesting!

1. Curse of Blackmoor Manor

This one has definitely been my favorite game! It took me 8 years to finally finish it, but I’m so glad I did. I love the atmosphere, especially the creepy vibes (and I do like the English moor aesthetic, haha). The game used to scare me so bad, but now it’s just cute, and a little spooky. The only thing I don’t like is the moving rooms. All the other puzzles were good. But that one made me dizzy and confused, lol.

2. The Secret of Shadow Ranch

Dave Gregory. That’s it. That’s the tweet. Lmao. ...Seriously, though, I love being out on the ranch in real life and I love how that translated in the game. I love horses and cowboys. The love story with Frances and Dirk… My heart. I also loved the book. And I liked the glyphs. And the chocolate Shadow Ranch cake is to die for (it’s my go-to chocolate cake recipe!⁠—although I will never do walnuts).

3. Danger on Deception Island

This was the first game I played, so obviously it had to be high up on my list. Again, I love the atmosphere (that’s probably my biggest factor when ranking these games, and with playing games in general). It really reminds me of a place along the California coast that I visit during the summer. And I don’t think there would have been a better game to introduce 8 year old me into the world of ND video games.

4. Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake

This one used to scare me. Every night I would be afraid for the dogs to jump on the house and windows. Every time I would be in the woods looking for bugs I was terrified that something would happen. Also, Yogi! And I remember actually enjoying the puzzles and the hunt for bugs. Also, the speakeasy was so cool!

5. Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon

The Hardy Boys!! I saw someone say this is like an off-brand Murder on the Orient Express, and it was so funny to me, and I wanted to share it with you. But I love the train idea, the Hardy Boys, cooking, the potential “ghosts,” the hunt, and the dialogue.

6. Secret of the Old Clock

I loved this book. It’s the first Nancy Drew book (definitely a classic), and I love how they set the game in the ‘30s. It was completely different in that aspect than any of the other games. Although the driving wasn’t the most fun, I lovedthe pies, going through the secret passages, playing mini-golf, and the ugly yet cute cat that I don’t remember the name of.

7. Shadow at the Water’s Edge

I don’t know how accurate this is in the portrayal of Japanese culture. I hope that it’s pretty accurate and that it isn’t racist, but I’m not sure. But I remember playing this game when I was 11 and being absolutely terrified. The bento boxes were very cute, but I remember getting frustrated with it. The jumpscare is arguably the best part of the game and the scariest scene in any Nancy Drew game.

8. Sea of Darkness

This one is honestly this high up specifically for the graphics. Overall, it is a good game. I liked the puzzles, the setting, characters, dialogue, etc. But the graphics stole the show. It is the best Nancy Drew game with graphics, plus the scenery is pretty (even if it wasn’t as quality). I love the snow and the chilly atmosphere, and I definitely feel like it’s a winter game.

9. Treasure in the Royal Tower

I liked this game. I loved (you guessed it!) the atmosphere. I loved being snowed in, and I loved Hotchkiss. I don’t remember much of this game, and one might argue that that means that it should be lower on the list, but I remember really enjoying it, so I’m keeping it in this spot.

10. Legend of the Crystal Skull

I love the atmosphere, New Orleans, and Henry so much. This isn’t my favorite game, but it is so good!

11. Danger by Design

I like this one, with the Sonny Joon references. I also like Paris, and I think this is a fun game. But I always get it confused with The Phantom of Venice, which is why Phantom is listed right below this one. Which one has JJ and the cookies? I couldn’t tell you.

12. The Phantom of Venice

Like I said, I always get this one confused with Danger by Design. I couldn’t tell you what happens in each. Except this one has you dance in a catsuit and play SCOPA, but I don’t remember necessarily caring for either of these.

13. The Captive Curse

I like this one. I like Germany, the monster, the scary beginning, Renate falling asleep. But I feel like it could have been scarier. (If it was, let me know! I gotta replay it in that case.)

14. Alibi in Ashes

I love Alexei, the ice cream/milkshakes, and getting to play other characters than just Nancy. But other than that, it’s not my favorite game.

15. The White Wolf of Icicle Creek

I’ve only played the Wii version of this game, so I’m not sure how different it is from the PC version. + I never finished it. I loved the kitchen and cooking, and the wolf is super cute! But I didn’t like the ice thing. I could never get past it. Is it any easier on the PC?

16. The Haunting of Castle Malloy

I’m Irish and I think it’s cool that the game is in Ireland. I actually like the character design, but it feels a little bit….ridiculous to me? And the banshee? I don’t know. But I love the atmosphere, and from what I remember, I liked the characters.

17. The Creature of Kapu Cave

I remember liking the game, and I love anything with the ocean or lakes or swimming or diving. Like, the water is where I belong, and I think it’s so fun. But the character design is awful. Frank and Joe don’t look the way they’re supposed to, and I can’t get over it.

18. The Deadly Device

It’s a good game, but I’ve never finished it. It’s difficult in some parts and boring in others. But I love the Tesla idea, Mason’s sarcasm, and Ryan (I just love Ryan). But it’s never really pulled me in. (I think part of it might be because it’s the only game, other than SSH that I’ve tried playing without using any walkthroughs, so I’m having a tough time, lol.)

19. Warnings at Waverly Academy

I know that this is a fan favorite, but it isn’t my favorite. I like all of the Nancy Drew games that I’ve played for the most part, and it is a good game. But I’m tired of school, and I play video games to escape it. Plus, other than Mel, I don’t like any of the characters. That might be the point, but in a game where you have only a handful of characters, I don’t like only having one of them be likeable.

20. Message in a Haunted Mansion

I don’t remember much of this game. But I love anything even slightly spooky, and I remember thinking this game was cute.

21. Secret of the Scarlet Hand

I’m playing this game right now (not as I type this, but I’ve played it on and off for the past few months), and it’s pretty good. I like learning about Mayan culture, but it isn’t that special of a game. Nothing really stands out to me, and none of the characters are all that likeable imo.

22. Secrets Can Kill Remastered

Again, I don’t remember much from this game. It didn’t stick out to me much, and I enjoy games with a good atmosphere and a somewhat lasting impression. This game isn’t bad; I don’t think any of the ND games I’ve played have been bad tbh. But I don’t care about high school, and I want something else to remember. But I give Her Interactive kudos for making a game for girls about murder (especially because it was technically their first game, and this was just a remake). And that sounds sarcastic, but it actually isn’t! Lol.

23. The Haunted Carousel

This wasn’t a bad game. I just don’t really have an interest in carnivals and that sorta thing. They’re okay, but they don’t intrigue me that much. And I don’t remember much from this game. I played it around the same time that I played most of these games, and it didn’t stick out to me. However, I do love the cover and the fact that not every character is white.

24. Ransom of the Seven Ships

I know this game gets a bad rep, but I don’t think it’s a terrible game. But the black face is just too racist and makes me too uncomfortable to enjoy it as much as it could be enjoyed. If HeR toned down the racism a little bit, I could have actually enjoyed this game (except for George’s character design; they did my girl dirty, but what’s new?).

#trademarknickersoncharm #answer #game ranking #nancy drew #her interactive #video game #video games #game #games

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mewtonian-physics · 4 years

Note

kinda late but if you still want to do the nancy drew asks 10, 16, 17, 18, 20, 98, 117 & 119!

you spoil me :D dont ever stop please lol

10. Who’s your favorite reoccurring character (Carson Drew, Joe Hardy, Frank Hardy, Ned Nickerson, Bess Marvin, George Fayne, or Hannah Gruen)? Why?

this is hard bc i like frank and joe BOTH so much. they are hilarious. frank is all like calm and collected most of the time but he obviously has a huge crush on nancy and i find that very amusing just bc of how flustered he gets about it. and joe? joe is just the best. what can i say about joe. he speaks for himself. hes hilarious. ‘it’s a language, not a museum. tear down the velvet ropes standing in the way of your wordmagination’ comes to mind as a great example of that. and he and frank combined are just even funnier. i quote: ‘i get your drift, joe. i have lived with your drift for years. i am saddled with your drift.’ the hardy boys said sibling rights and they said it loud

16. What’s your favorite Nancy Drew video game? Why?

this is a mean question. i like all the ones from 23 to 29. they are so good. i especially love shadow at the water’s edge and ghost of thornton hall because they scare the shit out of me. also they are very sad and the story is compelling and i love the characters. shoutout to yumi and harper for being like, the actual best. the deadly device is awesome too bc its one of the only two games with a murder in it and i love murder mysteries. also it has ryan who is another big favorite. i love her and i love her gummy bears. shes so fun. captive curse fun, kinda scary, great characters. silent spy is the same but not scary it’s just cool. i love spy stuff. i dont know what my favorite is of those. they are all my favorites

17. What’s your least favorite Nancy Drew video game? Why?

i don’t like ransom of the seven ships because i think it is boring compared to a lot of the others. it has a few good moments(re: the culprit) but it takes so long to get to those and it doesn’t feel worth it half the time. creature of kapu cave is also low on the list because it is very repetitive, it’s not as bad though. i actually like midnight in salem though i think it works better as a stand alone game than as a nancy drew game.

18. What Nancy Drew video game could you play over and over again? Why?

i mean, u know, all of them? but especially the stretch from 23 to 29 as well as some of the early games like curse of blackmoor manor or last train to blue moon canyon… legend of the crystal skull and phantom of venice… i like the scarier ones. last train to blue moon canyon isn’t very scary tho despite being billed as like, a haunted train. its just fun. so many pipe puzzles and i will never get tired of jake’s gem machine thing. that was awesome.

phantom of venice also isn’t very scary but i love it. i love like everything about it. also i like to sit with enrico tazza and play scopa for hours on end. i think it’s a great way to spend my time. (i win. always.)

20. What Nancy Drew game do you feel has the best storyline? Why?

okay this is gonna show my bias but i think shadow at the water’s edge… i mean the tragedy of what happened to kasumi and the rift between the family members… the hidden will… the ghost stuff… superb. fantastic

captive curse also has a really great one. ghost of thornton hall too though some of the details don’t match up timeline wise, get it together herinteractive. deadly device… alibi in ashes… okay we just came back to ‘23 through 29 are the best, so sue me’ but i really think HER was at the top of their game (haha) there because like… holy shit they’re all so awesome. i haven’t mentioned tomb of the lost queen bc it’s my least favorite of those games but it’s pretty good too, just doesn’t stand out in comparison to the others you know?

98. What got you into Nancy Drew?

well i don’t remember what got me into nancy drew originally! i’ve been told i was reading those books since i was like, five, which i can believe. i know that i got into the games because one of my friends saw my book collection and was like u know there are computer games. i have a couple of them. we can play them if you want and i was like o_O and, well, the rest is history

117. What’s your favorite thing about Nancy Drew as a character?

she’s so badass! i love that she’s like, not afraid to be feminine but also just kicks ass on a regular basis. and she’s smart, but she knows that she needs to rely on her friends and does so. overall she’s iconic and i really looked up to her as a kid and i kinda still do lol

119. What’s your absolute favorite character (not Nancy, Carson, Hannah, Bess, George, Joe, or Frank) from any of the video games?

oh oh that’s hard. ummmm i love ryan and yumi and mel but i think my overall favorite is harper. i mean i can relate to how it feels to be sort of ‘separated’ from your family due to mental health issues… caused by trauma… caused by a member of your family. i like to think i’m dealing with it somewhat better than harper but also i have access to like, therapy and stuff, whereas she got tossed in a glorified asylum. so… yeah! anyway theres a reason i have a quote from her in my blog description and its not because i dont like her haha

thank you this was so fun waaaaah

#ask #nancy drew #neferpitous

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stabbingandorbeingstabbed · 5 years

Text

i have been tagged by @adz (hey kit!! :-)) and now i will respond to

twenty-one questions

nickname: kady, Evil Kady, Queen Bitch, queen of hell, *muttered* fucking vampire

zodiac: leo sun sagittarius moon aries rising

height: 5′6″

amount of sleep: im usually on massive amounts of vyvanse and that can. keep me awake like indefinitely??? but im also depressed so i like to sleep for days as well?? idk bro its always changing anywhere between 2 hours and 16 hours lmao

last movie i saw: i think the last Movie i watched was suspiria (1977)

last thing i googled: "legend of the crystal skull walkthrough” i found a way to play old nancy drew pc games on my mac and i got stuck lmao

favorite musician: like if i have to pick a singular musician probably sufjan stevens that funky dude does it all :-) but like if bands are allowed obviously mcr 4 ever

song stuck in my head: age of adz by sufjan stevens bc i typed out “adz” earlier lmao

other blogs: i dont rly have other blogs just a bunch of hoarded urls lmao

do i get asks: WAY more than i used to before my blog took a hard left into early aughts emo lmao it still shocks me whenever i get one tho like im nut Used to it and im always like “fuck whatd i do”

blogs following: wait does this mean how many followers do i have or how many blogs am i following?? i'm following 163 and have 1111 followers but i've also had my blog since 2012 and probably hundreds of those are inactive lmao

lucky numbers: 7

what i’m wearing: ive been home for hours but ive still got my big stompy boots on with tights and this b&w striped t-shirt dress i forgot i had bc its way too short to wear in public but has that ever stopped me?? nope

dream trip: well right now my dream trip would be to tag along with manda @anothersuperstition to meet frank in april but like in general i think i just wanna visit nyc as many times as i can bc it feels more like Home than indiana ever has lmao

dream job: i really was made to be in a shitty rock band i s2g like i have no relevant talents other than singing and loving attention but like. i wanna do That lmao

favorite food: im a real slut for non-tomato-based pasta dishes like if its got noodles and some kinda creamy cheesy garlicy sauce and maybe some seafood or chickens in there *italian finger kiss thing* MUAH

languages: english and maybe 2 phrases in french one of which i learned from lady marmalade

play any instruments: i was a child prodigy at the violin but i hated it so now i have a guitar and can play exactly one (1) song (malibu by hole) but i can still sing damn it!!!!!

favorite songs: like of all time?? honestly like since i was abt 12 ive loved the stretch from the jetset life is gonna kill you to the end of the album more than i love most of my extended family

random fact: during my fraught teen years i probably stole like tens of thousands of dollars worth of little things from here and there so now as an adult that still looks like a delinquent im so paranoid i LOOK like im trying to steal stuff that i like. wear both straps of my backpack and never put my hands in my pockets even tho i havent stolen anything in like Years and the mere idea of doing that now like. makes my stomach upset lmao

describe yourself as an aesthetic thing: okay so u know that scene at the end of american beauty where that weirdo is rambling and filming that plastic bag blowing in the wind?? so imagine you spray painted that bag black and when it dried it wasnt as aerodynamic so now when the wind blows its just kinda this. black plastic bag that kinda just limply scoots across the pavement

im gonna tag @anothersuperstition @corpsechic @spooo0n @deadfreddiethealien @a-swamp-creature and @leatherskinsuit but feel free to like ignore this or kill me also if u see this and wanna do it just lie and say i tagged u ok?? cool ok love yoU!!!!!

#kit ur thing abt the implicit indirectness of our communication as mutuals..... your mind #u put into words what usually stops me from tagging anyone besides the like 3 ppl i talk to on here and it made me Braver

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jane-penvellyn-of-blackmoor · 7 years

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Is curse of blackmoor manor your favourite Nancy drew game? If so, why?

Great question! Hrmm, this is always so hard to answer...

I’m always torn between saying my favorite game is Curse of Blackmoor Manor or Legend of the Crystal Skull. I go for the more spooky games, obviously. I enjoy being immersed in a highly themed while very eerie environment in games that I play, and the heavier the ‘aesthetic’ the better. Shadow’s Edge was good at this too.

I myself have always been fascinated with witches and werewolves and ghosts, honestly being like Jane and having books on monsters in my room since I was old enough to read. (In my Jane aesthetic the werewolf book pictured is actually a picture I took on my phone of one of my own books) I’m low key terrified of werewolves, but also totally fascinated with the mythology and history of them. I’m also in love with castles/mansions and medieval/victorian/gothic decor so everything about blackmoor is up my alley.

However I do happen to live in the south and New Orleans is something I love too and Crystal Skull totally caught the vibe of spooky new orleans. Rain storms, swamps, grave yards, voodoo, herbs, curio shops, gumbo, even pirates. That’s honestly some of my favorite aesthetics (yes, suffice it to say I love AHS: Coven for these reasons too).

Both games have very interesting unique characters and chilling settings, awesome mysteries and really fun puzzles (not looking at you dungeon of changing rooms). Something about Blackmoor though, it always had that distinct “Nancy Drew Game” feel, it was always very reminiscent to me of Treasure in the Royal Tower or Message in a Haunted Mansion. Maybe it was the castle like atmosphere or the note being slid under the door, but it just felt very Nancy Drew Game-ish if that makes sense. When it came out it was also the first classically spooky game we’d had in a long while, you know a haunted house type setting rather than a carnival or ranch.

I hope this answers your questions, and I’m sorry for being so wishy-washy and scatter brained on the topic. Maybe Midnight in Salem will come along and put this feud in my head to rest by being my new favorite haha! I doubt it though.

Thank you for asking, cheers!

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doctorsgirl262 · 4 years

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Ranking (Almost all) of the Nancy Drew Games

Literally no one asked for this, but I thought it’d be really fun to rank and give my opinion on each of the games. I’m biased towards a fair share of the games since they were the ones that I played growing up. **I have yet to complete 5 of the games (I know, blasphemy) but I’m not going to rank them since I don’t have any opinion on them. This includes: Stay Tuned For Danger, Ransom of the Seven Ships, and Labyrinth of Lies. I am also not including the dossier games. I also want to stress that I don’t dislike any of the games.

*EDIT: I am updating this last to add the Captive Curse and the Final Scene which I just finished within the last 2 days, so this is a re-post of my other post. (6/3/2020). I can’t run Stay Tuned for Danger on my computer, so it probably won’t ever make it on my list unless I watch someone’s play-through of it. I’ve heard bad things about Ransom of the Seven Ships, so I’m hesitant to buy the game and play it, but maybe I’ll get to it at some point this summer. I would like to buy the Labyrinth of Lies sometime soon, but I have to wait to get paid to be able to play. So, for the time being, they will continue to stay off of my list. I hope you enjoy my list!

31. Secrets Can Kill (Remastered): This game is okay, it’s not my favorite. I like the fact that Nancy is trying to solve a murder. But I feel like all the characters are kinda bland and really aren’t all that memorable, and neither are the games. I also found the hidden clues in the posters to be a bit challenging, so overall, I’m not a huge fan of the game.

30. Tomb of the Lost Queen: I loved the idea, but it wasn’t really memorable to me. I enjoyed it enough when I played it, but have absolutely no desire to play again. But I do like the Egyptian history that we see in this game.

29. Midnight in Salem: Honestly, not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. But by no means is it good. I didn’t hate it while playing, but it was missing a lot of what the games normally have. It felt dull and kinda boring, and the plot just didn’t feel totally cohesive. But, I look forward to playing more games in the future, even if it means waiting another 4 years. I will admit though that the mechanics were seriously lacking. I hated having to drag the screen up and down to search for clues, and the way moving worked kinda was abrupt and sudden. But, I’m realllllly digging the updated looks for the Hardy Boys.

28. Trail of the Twister: Kinda boring, kinda not. I don’t really care about tornadoes at all, so it was boring to learn about them and having to be part of the team. But I did enjoy the underlying mystery about selling secrets and such, and I liked most of the characters.

27. The Shattered Medallion: It’s an interesting game, but I’m not a huge fan of it. Nancy and George (and Bess) being on a reality tv show is an interesting concept, but I like the concepts where there is true mystery and danger to be found as Nancy delves deeper. The puzzles were fun, but not super memorable. I think it’s a fun game to play once, but I have absolutely no desire to play it again.

26. Message in a Haunted Mansion: I haven’t played this one in years, but I remember being terrified of it when I did. Finding the creepy note and then almost having the house burn down always scared me, and the fact that there was a “ghost” haunting the place didn’t help. I think it’s an enjoyable game, but it doesn’t have the same replay-ability as some of the other games do.

25. Secret of the Scarlet Hand: I love history, I really do. However, I found that this game was just a tad bit too boring with how much history it had in it. I enjoyed getting to learn about Mayan culture, but the fact that the mystery doesn’t really occur until half way through the game was just kinda a killer for me. The puzzle weren’t my favorite either.

24. The Haunted Carousel: I had a really hard time playing this one, but that has nothing to do with the game itself. I have a fear of oceans and sharks, so sometimes I had a hard time getting through puzzles. The puzzles weren’t my favorite, but I think the plot was interesting, with Joy remembering her past and the amusement park.

23. The Creature of Kapu Cave: I think it was really cool that we had the opportunity to play as the Hardy Boys in this game. I think it was an interesting plot overall, but I got bored sometimes. I also hated Quiggly, she was rude and annoying towards Nancy and it just frustrated me to no end.

22. The Final Scene (New) : I’m not gonna lie, this game really made me realize how helpful the task list is. I was so confused for the first like 25 minutes because 1) I somehow managed to not meet Nicholas for ages 2) It took me looking for a hint on the internet to realize there was a whole other area where Joseph was. There were a few things that I honestly just didn’t pick up on, and the characters definitely weren’t my favorite, but the whole plot really had me on the edge of my seat. I got really nervous at the end and it was a nice change of pace. I liked the danger that came with this mystery a lot. I liked the idea of Houdini being involved in the theater and that whole magic plot, but I never got the package that seemed really important?? Either way, I think it was an enjoyable game, but the characters were lacking.

21. Curse of Blackmoor Manor: The game had a creepy feel to it, but I feel like the end of the game was a real let down. There was so much plot throughout the game, and there was the “curse” that Nancy learned about, and it just seemed to come to an abrupt ending.

20. Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake: I think this game is interesting. The speakeasy was a really cool aspect of the game, and I enjoyed that it was a bit of a darker game. But I think the puzzles were fun and interesting and it was an enjoyable game.

19. Ghost of Thornton Hall: I love the atmosphere of this game, with it taking place in the South with ghosts. I love the history that was involved in the game, and the whole plot revolving around Charlotte and her death/murder. I like the dark route the game took, compared to some of the other games. It’s one of the few games that give me the chills.

18. Sea of Darkness: I hate it when there is Ned and Nancy drama in the games, it always makes me so uncomfortable. In a previous post I talked about how I felt about their relationship, so I won’t really get into it, but that’s besides the point. The fact that it’s last game with Lani Minella is sad, but it was still an interesting game. I think the puzzles were fun, and I enjoyed the Icelandic activities in the game.

17. The Silent Spy: I love the fact that we get a backstory on Nancy’s mom’s death. Also, going to Scotland and meeting Samantha FREAKING Quick. The fact that we finally got to put a face to her name after waiting for so long (11 games btw). I think it was a seriously fun game that had some interesting puzzles and had a unique plot.

16. The Haunting of Castle Malloy: Another really creepy game to me, but really well done. I enjoyed most of the puzzles in the game, and the idea of searching for the missing groom and trying to understand the history of Castle Malloy was super interesting. The characters were overall rememberable, and so was the plot, and I feel like it was a nice, challenging game

15. Alibi In Ashes: I really enjoyed this one too, and I love that you get to play as Bess, George, and Ned on top of playing Nancy. I find it crazy that her town would think that she would burn down the old town hall, but it’s whatever. I liked getting to build a case for Nancy, I think that was a fun aspect of the game. I also liked that it was our first chance to really meet Deirdre Shannon. I just liked the whole mystery aspect of this game, with dusting for finger prints and picking locks to trying to determine a suspect.

14. Legend of the Crystal Skull: I liked the dark vibe of this game, and that we got to play as Bess. I really enjoyed Henry Bolet and his character, and I think that the overall plot of the game was really interesting. The crystal skull was a really cool idea to have in a game, and I feel like overall the game had a good balance of creepiness. I also loveddd the little trap on the poor shop keeper with the sneezing powder.

13. The Captive Curse (New): I honestly really liked this one! I liked the history of the castle, and I loved the characters. I loved playing the games with Lukas and Karl, and play them a lot. I think there was a really nice balance of creepiness to not over power the game, and I overall really enjoyed it. I think the idea of the game was fun, and the puzzles were also super fun. I like how developed the characters are here, and it was a game that I honestly didn’t want to end when I found it reaching the final scene. However, the Ned and Nancy drama in the beginning wasn’t helpful at all. I understood the drama in the Sea of Darkness, but the drama in the game was minuscule and just unnecessary. But other than that, I enjoyed getting to have Frank on the phone, he was fun to talk to.

12. Danger on Deception Island: This was another one of my favorites from when I was a kid. I always enjoyed the puzzle, especially the one with building Nessie for some weird reason. I thought the plot was really interesting, and that it was a creative idea. The puzzle in the game were also really creative, and I thought that overall, it was a cool game. The characters were interesting, and so was the plot.

AND FINALLY… MY TOP 3 FAVORITE GAMES

1. Warnings at Waverly Academy: This has been my favorite Nancy Drew game for years. I love all the characters and how different yet similar they are to one another. The puzzle throughout the game, from making a DNA strand to playing scram and air hockey, I didn’t dislike any of them. And the Edgar Allen Poe story plot is also super cool, I think that was an amazing plot that Her Interactive came up with. Also, the snack shop mini-game is just so much fun. “As of now, the snack shop is open!”

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