nerd alert : nancy drew the secret of shadow ranch

Nancy is headed to Arizona for a wild west vacation with her friends Bess & George. Too bad that vacation is about to turn into a full blown mystery involving a lot of accidents and a glowing phantom horse.  Learn first hand the hard work of living in the west and explore ghost towns and horse trails looking for clues. Help Nancy figure out who is trying to scare the Rawley's off their ranch before its too late.

The 10th game in the Nancy Drew series from HerInteractive is one of my favorites. Its got mystery, puzzles, villains, and treasure to boot! Riding around the dessert on Nancys horse Bob was definitely a highlight - but the ghost town was my favorite. Did I mention the love story theme makes this one perfect for valentines day?

01/ canteen $14.00  //  02/ campfire logs $27.00  //  03/ southwestern throw $35.00  //  04/ tuning fork $5.95  // 05/ turquoise ring $17.00  //   06/ petroglyph box $8.99  //  07/ boots $49.99  //  08/ cactus picture $65.00  //  09/ western romance novel $7.99  //  10/ horseshoe necklace $31.00  //  11/ picture agates $2.99  //  12/ horse print $16.95  //  13/ cuff $55.00  //  14/ fools gold $10.00

5/6 Toes // Overall


1 // Graphics
good. the backdrops in this game make it beautiful because of all the desert mountain scenery. The characters are believable and for one of the earlier games it looks pretty good.

1 // Storyline and Characters
The love story mystery in the wild west. horseback riding, treasure, ghost towns and southwestern style will have every girl out there swooning.

0.5 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects
Very appropriate for the settings. I could do without shortys horrible singing at the cookout but other than that it was great =)

1 // Length of Game and Price
This game takes me about 2 afternoons to beat, which is a lot longer than some of the earlier titles (but way longer than the twister!) I will say that overall HerInteractive game lengths vary - but this is one of the longer ones.

1 // Replay Value
The storyline keeps me coming back to this one - its like taking a mini vacation to the Arizona desert without leaving my apartment. I've played it at least 5 times and an definitely not done yet.

0.5 // Puzzle Difficulty
this whole game is a scavenger hunt, which is great. There are all different kinds of inventory puzzles and mazes. Also one of the first Nancy games where you searched via the cell phone which i like - i didn't like the realistic lack of service when you were out exploring the Arizona trails!

nerd alert : warnings at waverly academy

The Nancy kick continues!

Nancy Drew # 21 : Warnings at Waverly Academy. 

There's something magnetic about this time of the year. Pair it with private school, a century old mystery, and some threatening notes from someone calling herself the Black Cat - and you've got Nancy Drew's 21st mystery from HerInteractive.

The valedictorian candidates at Waverly are all competing for a full ride to the college of her choice. But it seems that someone wants to get them out of the picture. Threatening notes, followed by some dangerous accidents have sent a few of the girls home. Now its Nancy's turn to try to solve the case. Undercover (with a fake name and everything) she gets to spend mid-winter break at Waverly Academy - the upscale New England girls boarding school. Help Nancy figure out who the culprit is before the black cat strikes again.

01/ brass apple bell $6.00  //  02/ white squirrel $120.00  //  03/ star necklace $15.00  //  04/ plaid skirt $44.50  //  05/ edgar allen poe collected works $13.59  //  06/ cello $585.21  //  07/ vintage book laptop case $79.99  //  08/ trunk $?  //  09/ cat nap duvet cover $135.00  //  10/ dart board necklace $26.00  //  11/ school ring $66.00

I really enjoyed this game, its got enough characters with secrets to keep you guessing to the end. Also, the whole bording school in a new england setting is somewhat romantic to someone like me who always loved the preppy, old building, uniform, school history thing. maybe I watched too much Gilmore Girls, but I always wanted to go to a school steeped in history and tradition.

HerInteractive also created a website for the campus in the game - talk about going the extra mile for the players. see it here

6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics
The environment in this game is what made it really cool. An exclusive New England private school for girls. The details of the building were great. wood paneling, a cozy library, and dorm rooms to boot. The changing weather also gets extra points. 

1 // Storyline and Characters 

Nancy is undercover as Becca Sawyer, a transfer student from way of France. The gossip between the girls is really driven home with the constant texting of rumors and happenings. Each girl is unique, and its great getting to talk to all of them throughout the game.

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects 

Appropriate for the game, nothing too special. Did like the cello music through the walls (very realistic) and the piano was pretty fun.

1 // Length of Game and Price 
This game is pretty long, takes me a few evenings (Instead of a few hours) to play through. probably around 8-10 total. Available as a direct download at $19.99! 

1 // Replay Value 
This is at least the 5th time I've played this game. Its more about the general story, like i said before the whole private school thing is pretty untouchable in my biased perspective.

1 // Puzzle Difficulty  

Not overly hard, but all the puzzles interlock to a larger riddle. keep a pen handy, this game always has me taking lots of notes!

nerd alert : shadow at the waters edge

I have been on a nancy kick for the past few weeks... replaying all the games from herinteractive. They are really good. you can tell each is treated individually - they vary so much form each other. Some are short and sweet, others are long and detailed. Some make you jump, others well i digress..

// from here

well, this game is very original. It's the longest game in the series, the navigation is pretty standard, but the story is the spookiest nancy drew so far.

The Ryokan, or traditional Japanese Inn, that Nancy is staying at is rumored to be haunted. but is it real? Explore Japan, get some help from Bess and George - and make new friends who know more than they re willing to share.

nancy drew #23 : shadow at the waters edge

01/ japan subway map ipad case $52.90  //  02/ mini zen garden $18.00  //  03/ owl origami lamp $53.00  //  04/ cell phone charm $5.00  //  05/ origami book $3.95  //  06/ sushi iphone case $20.00  //  07/ zen desk organizer $171.32  //  08/ puzzle box $49.00  //  09/ crane cushion $270.00

Lots of puzzles, silly little puzzles, sudokus and renograms. i love silly puzzles. i loved this game.


6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics 
The graphics in this game are on par with all the other HerInteractive games. The game environment was very large, lots to discover, fun to traverse. 

1 // Storyline and Characters 

Nancy is trying to do a little R & R in Japan, but of course she is plunged head first into a guarded mystery that revolves around the family that runs the ryokan she is staying at. 


1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects 

This games sounds made me jump more than once, the pond in the garden has a nice ambiance, and there is no lack of fun sound effects. 

1 // Length of Game and Price 
Its the longest nancy drew game out so far. If you take advantage of the mini games within the story there are days of gameplay to be had. at $19.99 that's a good deal. 

1 // Replay Value 
high, i have played this game 4 or 5 times since it came out. the mini games are fun - and the plot is involved. 

1 // Puzzle Difficulty 
I'll never look at bento the same. The puzzles we know from Japanese culture are a huge part of this game. the mystery itself is a great puzzle. you wont be disappointed

Bonus // Claws
This game gets the claws for its spooky goodness - the entire game takes place at night, and there are ghost sitings to boot! play it in the dark.

nerd alert : nancy drew alibi in ashes

So a few weekends ago - the newest Nancy Drew games hit the shelves... or rather the directly downloadable shelves and I spent an enjoyable Sunday playing Nancy Drew # 25 : Alibi in Ashes (for mac!).

Nancy Drew is being accused of burning down city hall in River Heights and it's up to George, Bess & Ned to help her find out who is responsible. Switch between characters to get the whole story from all the witnesses, stake out the local ice cream parlor, and try not to break anything at the antique shop.

01/ Magnifying Glass $79.00  //  02/ Matches $3.50  //  03/ Nancy Drew Handbook $17.95  //  04/ Nancy Books $30.50  //  

05/ Mic Magnet $8.00  //  06/ city hall (and togo?!) $4.00  //  07/ Fingerprint Kit $9.99  //  08/ Cell Phone Case $23.00  //  

09/ Fingerprint table $300.00  //  09/ handcuff necklace $44.00

Nancy is behind bars in river heights - but there are a lot of people willing to help her clear her name as the town arsonist. As Nancy, plug away at the case from inside the police station while Bess, George & Ned help your cause on the outside by questioning suspects and gathering clues. Most of this game was time spent switching between characters, it wasn't too terrible (but it would've been nice if you could go between all the characters instead of always having to return to Nancy)

 

Overall, this game was middle of the road for me. It wasnt great, but it wasn't bad. I really enjoyed the story, scenes and the town of River Heights - but it didn't 'wow' me the way some of the Herinteractive games do.

3/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics 

The graphics in this game are on par with all the other Her interactive games. The illustrated pictures on the cellphone weren't my favorite (put I recognize some are a reference to 'Shadow at the Waters Edge, so I will let it go) Also Nancy's house was gorgeous.

0.5 // Storyline and Characters

Though you have been able to control Nancy's friends in previous games (Like George in Ransom of the Seven Ships, and Frank and Joe Hardy in Creature of Kapu Cave) This was fun since each character had a different relationship with the people you were questioning, so you got less (or more) information depending on who was doing the questioning.

0.5 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects  

The sound was good, the voices were realistic. There wasn't anything spectacular about the music - but I do appreciate consistency in voice actors.

0.5 // Length of Game and Price  

The game was $19.99 for the direct download (yay no shipping!), and I took approximately 6 hours to finish the game. all in all, not the longest game out there, but not terrible for the price.

0 // Replay Value  

This Nancy game didn't have mini games, which i secretly love. The mini games are the main reason I replay Nancy games, and was sad there were so few here. Now that I know how the mystery unfolds, there isnt' much to go back and discover. And I don't think special attention to detain on the second play-through would reveal anything new.

0.5 // Puzzle Difficulty   

the puzzles were more time consuming than difficult. the hardest section was the maze at the end, but even that had dictated rules. 

Am I glad i didn't have to drive the car like 'Secret of the Old Clock'? Yes. Am I sad I didn't have to play a card game with a mysterious man like in 'The Phantom of Venice'? Yes.

nerd alert : resorting to danger

Well, hurricanes and inclimate weather don't really do much for my stress levels... and while gaming is the ultimate way to unwind, a game that takes place at a spa is kind of perfect stress relief.

Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger

Nancy is at it again! She has been invited to the Redondo, an exclusively elite spa for the rich and famous. There have been a rash of bombing incidents, that are more bad for business than dangerous - and Nancy is on the case.

01/ paul mitchell lavender mint shampoo & conditioner $43.47  //  02/ desk zen garden $11.30  //  03/ cucumber bath bomb $2.50  //  04/ fluffy robe $43.99  //  05/ face mask $31.71  //  06/ coconut soap 4 for $10.00  //  07/ pedicure kit $14.36



The second in the HerInteractive 'Dossier' series - these are more casual than the traditional Nancy Drew Mysteries. each scene has 'hot' items that need to be combined and used together to accomplish each scenes mini objective. Pay attention though, because you score points answering questions about what clues you have uncovered.

There is a garden maze, mud bath, zen garden & salon to keep you out and about. there is also a Pomeranian to keep you on your toes. Give guests facials and solve the mystery! Not a bad way to spend a rainy day.

5/6 polly toes

nerd alert : secrets can kill

I am not a huge fan of re-released games. I am too nostalgic about my games and i don't like them changing on me. however lately I have been running into the inevitable - games getting too old to run.

// image source

Today's nerd alert is the very first Nancy Drew game - released - by Her Interactive : Secrets Can Kill.
And its pretty season appropriate with all the back-to-school stuff going on!

01/ back to school socks $7.99  //  02/ mini vending machine $149.99  //  03/ recycled paper pencils $13.99  //  04/ clementine markers $6.00  //  05/ baggu backpack $24.00  //  06/ oot lunch box $45.00  //  07/ master lock $6.60  //  08/ elements pillow $35.00  //  09/ bobble bottles $12.99

originally released in 1998 it was recently re-released and remastered with better graphics, better puzzles and a new ending. Also they have been making their newer games PC/MAC compatible... I couldn't say no.

The graphics were originally pretty good, the characters were kind of a corny illustrations - now they are on par with Her Interactives more recent games, which is a plus. other than that I was kind of dissappointed... the game wasnt all that good the first time around, so i guess i shouldnt be surprised.

I finished this game in record time - less than 3 hours - and trust me it had nothing to do with the fact I played the original years ago.

Also, the new ending created the possibility to skip an entire round of questioning, and excluded a lot of character importance that belonged to the first game. new ending + old story = messy plot line

How about we re-release the classics, and keep the beginners pile in the past where it belongs.

Original | 3/6 polly toes
Remastered | 1/6 polly toes

nerd alert : captive curse

01/ ruby pendent $189.00  02/ lederhosen $114,000.00  //  03/ stein $11.25  // 04/ black forest cake painting $950.00  //  05/ deutschland mug $15.00  //  06/ medieval town photo print $20.00  //  07/ cuckoo clock $172.00  //  08/ grimms fairy tales $18.00  //  09/ elephant scarf $67.00


this past weekend I played the most recent addition to the nancy drew series : the captive curse

in the 24th Nancy Drew game from herinteractive, you are off to solve a fairytale mystery at a german castle. A monster is loose, and a legend of disappearing girls has Nancy playing the role of his next victim.

meet some questionable characters, help them play some games and get them talking about the tainted past of the history of Finster Castle. 

There were some somewhat interesting puzzles in this one, but it was a little light even on senior mode. Also, the castle layout was a bit confusing to navigate at first - but you'll catch on fast.

3/6 polly toes

Nancy Drew: The Captive Curse

nerd alert : white wolf

nancy drew has played quite a large role in my life. from reading the books, to watching the old black and white movies, to playing the very successful games from herinteractive.

There are currently 23 titles featuring nancy, the white wolf of icicle creek is #16

01/ kayak pendant $15.00  //  02/ crystal leaf necklace $55.00  //  03/ moose $200.00  //  04/ fish earrings $22.00  //  05/ sauna towel $24.90  
06/ snow shoes $175.00  //  07/ fox & goose game $18.75  //  08/ wolf tank $28.00  //  09/ deer silhouette $18.00  //  10/ felt acorns $12.00  
11/ log bench $5.95  //  12/ paw mittens $20.00

you play nancy drew, the quick witted sleuth in charge of finding the culprit behind a series of accidents at a cozy winter lodge... each incident is close on the heals of a white wolf which enhances the mystery

the characters are all suspicious, the terrain is treacherous, and there is plenty to explore inside the comfortable lodge you will be staying in.

So is the wolf behind the accidents? well, you'll just have to play it and find out!

4.5/6 polly toes