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ConnectTheDots' Review
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Danger on Deception Island
of
Danger on Deception Island
Bottom line: This game has a fantastic ending and storyline, but otherwise, not much stands out. It's a good game, not a great game.
Plot
Nancy’s stay on a whale-watching boat is no pleasure cruise. She arrives to find that her host’s boat has been ransacked! In fact, several places on Deception Island have been robbed recently. This isn’t the only problem that the sleepy island is dealing with. A baby orca whale has been separated from her pod and spotted swimming near land, and she doesn’t appear to want to leave! It’s up to you as Nancy Drew to solve both of these mysteries.
With two (or more!) plotlines going on, this game can get a little confusing, but everything comes together nicely in the end.
Characters
I like the suspects in this game mostly because they each have a very clear and realistic motive. In other games in the series, there seems to be one character that is obviously not the culprit. Other times, something that happens later in the game makes you cross a character off your list. In this game, every suspect becomes more mysterious throughout the game and is still a candidate even near the very end.
I know I seem to say this about every game that I review, but conversation is lacking with some of the characters. Sometimes, you can find yourself stuck and none of the suspects will talk to you. In this game, you can probably talk to the phone people just as much as you talk to the characters. I’ve never been a fan of the phone friends, so this isn’t a plus for me.
None of the suspects are memorable, but they aren’t boring, either, because they are each very passionate about the whale issue.
Graphics
Some may see the foggy atmosphere as a cop-out for detailed environment graphics, but the fog actually makes the Pacific Northwest environment more realistic and mysterious! As for the characters, two look very realistic while the other two look a little worse. Their mouths move along with the words most of the time and their facial expressions are okay. The hair and skin color of the suspects are probably their least realistic traits, which I think is something that HER has always had trouble with. Overall, the graphics work for the setting.
Music
Based on the other reviews that I’ve seen on this board, I’m in the minority on this one – I do not like the music in this game. Don’t get me wrong, I think that the style fits the game very well, especially the song with the harp. However, there doesn’t seem to be enough variety. In fact, two of the songs are basically the same song but one is more upbeat, and I kept hearing these songs back to back, over and over again. I feel like I heard another song only once or twice. I think one more song would have done the trick.
I like that a song plays when you solve certain puzzles. It’s kind of like a little celebration!
Puzzles
There are quite a few fun puzzles in this game, but many of them are what I call “plug and chug” puzzles. These puzzles are ones where the information is provided for you all in one place, and you just have to plug everything in to get the correct answer. These are usually codes. These puzzles require no thought, just the ability to find the decoder and transfer information, which is why I don’t care for them that much.
On many of the puzzles, at least in junior detective mode, Nancy will automatically tell you when you try to put a piece somewhere or write in a letter that it’s wrong. On some of these, I just guessed and ended up getting it right without doing any research. For example, if you type in “right” when asked a directional question and Nancy says that it’s wrong, then you know that the answer is probably “left.” I think it’s okay if Nancy comments once you’ve put all the pieces together, but when she comments on every move, the puzzle is too easy.
There are very few tasks in this game, which is fine by me!
"The Scare Factor"
The ending is kind of creepy, and there are a few dark moments. Otherwise, this game is not scary.
Other Odds and Ends
- The ending is absolutely fantastic, one of the best in the series! Honestly, I would play this game again just for the ending. There are several ways that you can mess up, and it took me a while to finally get it right! I also thought that the ending explained everything very well and was very surprising. They didn’t leave any questions unanswered.
- There is plenty, and I really do mean plenty, of reading in this game. The great thing is that you don’t have to read much of it to solve the game. It’s there if you’re interested, but if you’re not, then no need to read.
- If you’re an animal person, then you will probably like this game! You can learn plenty about whales and maybe even do a class project based off this game alone.
- There is quite a bit of exploring in this game, but little to no snooping.
- Now that I think about it, this game just isn't as "dangerous" as the name, or cover, implies. You hardly see the whale that makes the game seem so "dangerous."
THANK YOU for reading my review! Feel free to comment with your own thoughts. Feedback is appreciated.
I liked this game! I really liked the characters and all of the puzzles. I just wish we had a chance to meet Hilda. That's the only thing I don't like. The ending, for me, was a big surprise! I liked the music whenever you figured out something, too! Like a little celebration just for you!
The scenery fit the type of mystery. The fog just made the place even spookier! This game was one of my favorites, but hey, everyone has their own opinions.
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