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Ghost of Thornton Hall: released in May 2013
Based on the Book: Uncivil Acts (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective #10, published in 2005)
How Closely Does the Game Follow the Book?: Not very closely. The characters and plots are all different. The only similarity is that they both have to do with the American South. I am okay with this, though, as I really didn't like the book.
Location: An island off the coast of Georgia, the fictional Blackrock Island
The Mystery/Crime: Missing person
Mode Of Transportation: None, as Nancy walks in and around Thornton Hall and its grounds for the entirety of the game
Is there an alarm clock in this game?: No
What is learned about in this game?: Female Spies of the Civil War, making a home-made battery
Brief Plot Synopsis: Savannah Woodham asks Nancy to investigate the disappearance of Jessalyn Thornton from Thornton Hall, which is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Charlotte Thornton
Brief Character Synopsis:
1. Clara Thornton - Jessalyn's mother and the uptight and reserved CEO of the family business
Actress I would cast to play her if it were a live action movie/TV show: Andie MacDowell
2. Colton Birchfield - Jessalyn's fiance who seems nice but also seems like he may be hiding something
Actor I would cast to play him if it were a live action movie/TV show: Lucas Black
3. Harper Thornton - Charlotte's sister, who has been mentally disturbed ever since her sister's death
Actress I would cast to play her if it were a live action movie/TV show: Holly Hunter
4. Wade Thornton - Jessalyn's uncle, who has a shady past
Actor I would cast to play him if it were a live action movie/TV show: Walter Goggins
Phone Characters:
1. Addison Hammond - Jessalyn's best friend
2. Bess Marvin - Nancy's friend
3. Ned Nickerson - Nancy's boyfriend
4. Savannah Woodham - a ghost hunter and Wade Thornton's friend
My favorite quotes:
"Oh, I'd never do such a thing. But it would be funny. Not funny, haha. But funny, 'Aaah, help, I'm in a well!" - Harper Thornton
"Even I have to admit it does have a certain "abyss gazes also into you" vibe to it." - Nancy Drew
"Sounds like upstairs people problems to me. I'm downstairs people." - Harper Thornton
"I suppose next she'll say Wade spent a year earning merit badges at Camp Mandatory." - Harper Thornton
"Good sweet nonsense!" - Wade Thornton
"And if the ghost is real, then case closed. A ghost did it." - Bess Marvin
My Thoughts:
I enjoy this game. I like the missing persons plot, the family connections and history, the ghost story, and the atmosphere. I like the characters and how they all have interesting back stories. I especially like Harper and Wade. The game had a nice long length, which is always good. I like most of the puzzles and activities in the game, as they are mostly logical and fit in well with the plot. Some of them were also unique, which I always appreciate. The spooky stuff like statues moving and other ghostly occurrences are also a nice touch.
The main thing I dislike about this game is the far-fetched and implausible ending. I was also disappointed in the "multiple endings." I thought it was going to be cool to have multiple endings to choose from but in reality you just get to choose how big of a jerk Nancy is going to be.
All in all, this game isn't one of my top favorites but I do enjoy it.
My random comment: The first time I played this game I was underwhelmed, but I think that was because I had read the reviews first and so the game was over-hyped. I enjoyed it much more on subsequent plays. I learned then to try not to read reviews before playing the games.
My Rating: 8/10
Based on the Book: Uncivil Acts (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective #10, published in 2005)
How Closely Does the Game Follow the Book?: Not very closely. The characters and plots are all different. The only similarity is that they both have to do with the American South. I am okay with this, though, as I really didn't like the book.
Location: An island off the coast of Georgia, the fictional Blackrock Island
The Mystery/Crime: Missing person
Mode Of Transportation: None, as Nancy walks in and around Thornton Hall and its grounds for the entirety of the game
Is there an alarm clock in this game?: No
What is learned about in this game?: Female Spies of the Civil War, making a home-made battery
Brief Plot Synopsis: Savannah Woodham asks Nancy to investigate the disappearance of Jessalyn Thornton from Thornton Hall, which is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Charlotte Thornton
Brief Character Synopsis:
1. Clara Thornton - Jessalyn's mother and the uptight and reserved CEO of the family business
Actress I would cast to play her if it were a live action movie/TV show: Andie MacDowell
2. Colton Birchfield - Jessalyn's fiance who seems nice but also seems like he may be hiding something
Actor I would cast to play him if it were a live action movie/TV show: Lucas Black
3. Harper Thornton - Charlotte's sister, who has been mentally disturbed ever since her sister's death
Actress I would cast to play her if it were a live action movie/TV show: Holly Hunter
4. Wade Thornton - Jessalyn's uncle, who has a shady past
Actor I would cast to play him if it were a live action movie/TV show: Walter Goggins
Phone Characters:
1. Addison Hammond - Jessalyn's best friend
2. Bess Marvin - Nancy's friend
3. Ned Nickerson - Nancy's boyfriend
4. Savannah Woodham - a ghost hunter and Wade Thornton's friend
My favorite quotes:
"Oh, I'd never do such a thing. But it would be funny. Not funny, haha. But funny, 'Aaah, help, I'm in a well!" - Harper Thornton
"Even I have to admit it does have a certain "abyss gazes also into you" vibe to it." - Nancy Drew
"Sounds like upstairs people problems to me. I'm downstairs people." - Harper Thornton
"I suppose next she'll say Wade spent a year earning merit badges at Camp Mandatory." - Harper Thornton
"Good sweet nonsense!" - Wade Thornton
"And if the ghost is real, then case closed. A ghost did it." - Bess Marvin
My Thoughts:
I enjoy this game. I like the missing persons plot, the family connections and history, the ghost story, and the atmosphere. I like the characters and how they all have interesting back stories. I especially like Harper and Wade. The game had a nice long length, which is always good. I like most of the puzzles and activities in the game, as they are mostly logical and fit in well with the plot. Some of them were also unique, which I always appreciate. The spooky stuff like statues moving and other ghostly occurrences are also a nice touch.
The main thing I dislike about this game is the far-fetched and implausible ending. I was also disappointed in the "multiple endings." I thought it was going to be cool to have multiple endings to choose from but in reality you just get to choose how big of a jerk Nancy is going to be.
All in all, this game isn't one of my top favorites but I do enjoy it.
My random comment: The first time I played this game I was underwhelmed, but I think that was because I had read the reviews first and so the game was over-hyped. I enjoyed it much more on subsequent plays. I learned then to try not to read reviews before playing the games.
My Rating: 8/10