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ConnectTheDots' Review
of
The Secret of Shadow Ranch
of
The Secret of Shadow Ranch
Bottom line: The unique puzzles and tasks, romantic back-story and beautiful setting make this game a surefire hit.
Plot
Nancy is invited out to Shadow Ranch by Bess and George, but her trip soon becomes anything but a vacation! Strange accidents have been happening around the ranch, and the appearance of a ghostly horse is a sign that more trouble is coming! Rumor has it the horse is Dirk Valentine’s coming back from the dead to cause a ruckus on his sweetheart’s father’s property. It’s up to you as Nancy Drew to find out who is really behind the accidents.
Characters
There are four characters in this game, but none of them really stand out. Part of the reason I feel this way is that there is hardly anything to say to them. Even Shorty, who is referred to as “talkative” in Her’s description of the game, doesn’t have much to talk about. Most of the girls on the boards will agree that Dave Gregory, one of the men who works the ranch, is a charmer; however, he’s a little too shy to really get to know him.
Most of this game is spent doing stuff, not talking to people, which I see as a good thing.
Graphics
The graphics in this game are very nice and cheery, although not completely realistic (sometimes Her would use a real picture as the backdrop instead of creating their own). The characters are some of the more lifelike ones in the series except when they talk. You can tell that Her put lots of effort into the graphics of this game, and it really paid off. Overall, this is a gorgeous game!
Music
The music is classic Western/Native American, and I absolutely adore it. The songs seem to be on random, because I would often hear the same tune several times in a row, but that’s okay because they really fit the setting and set the tone for the game. My only pet peeve about the music is that it continues to play really loudly when you’re talking to someone on the phone.
Puzzles
If you like puzzles and tasks, then this is definitely a great game for you! The guys on the ranch give Nancy plenty to do, from picking vegetables to feeding the horses. Off the ranch, there are many puzzles and riddles to solve, some of which are unique to SHA. The puzzles and tasks really lengthen this game. The longer the game, the better, right?
There is only one tedious task, in my opinion; the others are very fun and fit the ranch setting very well. I played the game on junior detective, and the puzzles are not too challenging, although there is one near the end that is quite frustrating. That seems to be the case with all of the ND games.
"The Scare Factor"
This game is not scary in comparison to other games in the series, but the setting can be a bit spooky at times.
Other Odds and Ends
- The horses creeped me out a little bit. When you are standing far enough away, they don’t move at all, same with some of the characters.
- There is lots of reading in this game, which isn’t completely necessary but very interesting! The Dirk Valentine back-story is one of my favorites of the series!
- At first, I though the lasso was a bit too cliché, but it was still fun to use!
- I found that Bess and George didn’t offer as many hints for this game as they have in other games.
- 9 12 15 22 5 25 15 21 is probably the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.
THANK YOU for reading my review! Feel free to comment with your own thoughts. Feedback is appreciated.
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