This game RULES. I can’t be impartial about it. It’s the first one I ever played. I bought this and Last Train at Target when I was ten or twelve. I adored it. I loved every second of it. I was almost disappointed to discover the rest of the games were modern era, but this is such a GOOD anniversary game. A perfect ode to what Nancy Drew is. This one teaches you about old things like ham radio, cars, and more.
Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
It’s less polished, but it’s also my second Nancy Drew game so I have a hard time being impartial about this one too. It’s a train mystery! Those are always fun! It's also got a fun batch of character and there’s a good theme in there about how to appreciate what you have. The villain reveal is fun too. There’s a character beat about a police detective trying to frame a black man that’s really HMMMM. I’m also deeply uninterested in its attempts to teach you mining stuff.
The Haunted Carousel
A deeply disturbing examination of memory and how we escape our own mistakes.
Danger on Deception Island
its... goofy. Goofy in the weirdest ways and not very interesting otherwise? Character motivations are never explained. The final reveal is… complete nonsense with a sudden swerve towards running around a smuggling ship. They try to explain it in the credits and it just does not work. Kind of a mess!
The Final Scene
I really appreciate the different layers this goes for. Every single person contributes to the MESS that this kidnapping turns into. The kidnapping itself is a mistake, but the other suspects contribute to making the situation worse. Simone turns it into a press event that leads to a fake kidnapper trying to wring money out of it, Brady hides evidence, the bureaucracy is a mess. The entire crime wouldn’t even have happened if the culprit had looked a little closer at the documents he had in his vault! It’s all such a complicated mess! I love it! There’s also a really great time mechanic that works wonders. A+
The entire final climax relies on the realization that no one is going to help you. Every single ally you have was using you for their own ends and now they’re betraying you. The nervous movie star? Using this for publicity and couldn’t give a shit that your friend is trapped somewhere in this soon-to-be destroyed theater. The police? Following a hoax elsewhere. The friendly caretaker? Slowly going out of his mind, revealed to be the culprit and potentially not even aware of his own actions. The protestor? Well, he’s only in it for his cause and he’s just one guy against bureaucracy. You’re on your own, Nancy Drew. Good luck.
Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
Kinda not great? There’s some character beats I like but it also completely ignores those moments at the end. There’s one character who should have depth and they completely ignore that depth. It’s weird.
Warnings at Waverly Place
GIRLS SCHOOL DRAMA. I LOVE IT. This one teaches Edgar Allen Poe and stuff. Kinda iffy on some parts but it’s a blast otherwise.
Message in a Haunted Mansion
Okay so this is the oldest Nancy Drew one I can Actually Play and. It’s too old. Pixel hunting and precise puzzles and shit. It’s too much.
Treasure in a Royal Tower
Vast improvement! Great puzzles, fun characters, it’s About something? It’s a big Marie Antoinette defense squad game while not defending the other rich people in the French Revolution. I really like that its really trying to be about SOMETHING rather than NOTHING. And its the first one to try and tell a story about a generation long past. Its really charming!
Secrets Can Kill
Its the original and the series hasn’t quite figured out its purpose yet. It’s dark and gritty and in a really silly way. Steroids, drug deals, murder- its all way too far and incredibly silly. I appreciate that the remaster leans into it rather than change it though.
Curse of Blackmoor Manor
There’s a whole thing in here about family legacy and its dangers. Everyone is so attached to the history of family, the things that used to be, that they can’t see the future available to them. The victim is an outsider to the family and is beginning to believe she’s been cursed for interfering with the family. Jane’s motive for hurting her stepmom comes out of resentment for the changes in her life. This is a really highly regarded Nancy game. This series is always evolving and in a great way.
That said, I don’t like this one. It goes so far into weird obtuse puzzles. It’s frustrating.
Shadow At Water's Edge
Compelling stuff, stronger writing. I burned out on sudoku puzzles.
Secret of the Scarlet Hand
I really liked this one! Weird fucking ending! But exciting stuff about shitty museum practices!
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The Nancy Drew Marathon
This game RULES. I can’t be impartial about it. It’s the first one I ever played. I bought this and Last Train at Target when I was ten or twelve. I adored it. I loved every second of it. I was almost disappointed to discover the rest of the games were modern era, but this is such a GOOD anniversary game. A perfect ode to what Nancy Drew is. This one teaches you about old things like ham radio, cars, and more.
Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
It’s less polished, but it’s also my second Nancy Drew game so I have a hard time being impartial about this one too. It’s a train mystery! Those are always fun! It's also got a fun batch of character and there’s a good theme in there about how to appreciate what you have. The villain reveal is fun too. There’s a character beat about a police detective trying to frame a black man that’s really HMMMM. I’m also deeply uninterested in its attempts to teach you mining stuff.
The Haunted Carousel
A deeply disturbing examination of memory and how we escape our own mistakes.
Danger on Deception Island
its... goofy. Goofy in the weirdest ways and not very interesting otherwise? Character motivations are never explained. The final reveal is… complete nonsense with a sudden swerve towards running around a smuggling ship. They try to explain it in the credits and it just does not work. Kind of a mess!
The Final Scene
I really appreciate the different layers this goes for. Every single person contributes to the MESS that this kidnapping turns into. The kidnapping itself is a mistake, but the other suspects contribute to making the situation worse. Simone turns it into a press event that leads to a fake kidnapper trying to wring money out of it, Brady hides evidence, the bureaucracy is a mess. The entire crime wouldn’t even have happened if the culprit had looked a little closer at the documents he had in his vault! It’s all such a complicated mess! I love it! There’s also a really great time mechanic that works wonders. A+
The entire final climax relies on the realization that no one is going to help you. Every single ally you have was using you for their own ends and now they’re betraying you. The nervous movie star? Using this for publicity and couldn’t give a shit that your friend is trapped somewhere in this soon-to-be destroyed theater. The police? Following a hoax elsewhere. The friendly caretaker? Slowly going out of his mind, revealed to be the culprit and potentially not even aware of his own actions. The protestor? Well, he’s only in it for his cause and he’s just one guy against bureaucracy. You’re on your own, Nancy Drew. Good luck.
Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
Kinda not great? There’s some character beats I like but it also completely ignores those moments at the end. There’s one character who should have depth and they completely ignore that depth. It’s weird.
Warnings at Waverly Place
GIRLS SCHOOL DRAMA. I LOVE IT. This one teaches Edgar Allen Poe and stuff. Kinda iffy on some parts but it’s a blast otherwise.
Message in a Haunted Mansion
Okay so this is the oldest Nancy Drew one I can Actually Play and. It’s too old. Pixel hunting and precise puzzles and shit. It’s too much.
Treasure in a Royal Tower
Vast improvement! Great puzzles, fun characters, it’s About something? It’s a big Marie Antoinette defense squad game while not defending the other rich people in the French Revolution. I really like that its really trying to be about SOMETHING rather than NOTHING. And its the first one to try and tell a story about a generation long past. Its really charming!
Secrets Can Kill
Its the original and the series hasn’t quite figured out its purpose yet. It’s dark and gritty and in a really silly way. Steroids, drug deals, murder- its all way too far and incredibly silly. I appreciate that the remaster leans into it rather than change it though.
Curse of Blackmoor Manor
There’s a whole thing in here about family legacy and its dangers. Everyone is so attached to the history of family, the things that used to be, that they can’t see the future available to them. The victim is an outsider to the family and is beginning to believe she’s been cursed for interfering with the family. Jane’s motive for hurting her stepmom comes out of resentment for the changes in her life. This is a really highly regarded Nancy game. This series is always evolving and in a great way.
That said, I don’t like this one. It goes so far into weird obtuse puzzles. It’s frustrating.
Shadow At Water's Edge
Compelling stuff, stronger writing. I burned out on sudoku puzzles.
Secret of the Scarlet Hand
I really liked this one! Weird fucking ending! But exciting stuff about shitty museum practices!