Customer Reviews

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I would like to begin my review by first stating that I find everyone's appalling comments for this game's new layout to be quite unjust. I thought the larger game screen to provide a more authentic experience. The new cell phone mode made calling and accessing information on the web extremely practical, as well as useful.
Secondly, the new tool mode was not nearly as hard to comprehend as many have expressed it to be. Really, if this game is marketed to anyone over the age of ten, I would have expected those over thirteen writing these reviews to have been able to grasp the simplicity of this feature.
Thirdly, I found the chores such as getting eggs, picking vegetables, and feeding the animals to be fun. I love being thrown out, though I will admit the tongue-lashing I get for my mistakes, whether purposeful or not, really leaves my spinning. In one instance, however, I even found myself being attacked by an extremely angry chicken. Who could not enjoy that?
The graphics in this game are extraordinary. I loved how real all of the rugs, petroglyphs, and so on looked. Her Interactive really is to be commended on this.
Throughout this game weaves a tale of mystery and romance. An outlaw by the name of Dirk Valentine left his treasure hidden somewhere for his love, and through following his clues he wrote for his love, I encountered much more than your average dust cloud...I encountered many dangerous things, that, if not treated right, could (and did) send me to my peril.
I would finally like to mention my favorite character in this series: Bob the horse. Bob and I went through a lot together, and I'm going to miss that horse. Live long and healthy, Bob!

This was definitely a great addition to the Nancy Drew computer games. They changed the inventory window and it takes a little time to get used to it. Yes, it is frustrating at first but by the end, I decided it was a great idea.
In this mystery, Nancy goes to a ranch (I guess you probably figured that out from the title :) We do not get see Bess and George because their plane was delayed but we still get to call them and the Hardy boys to get hints.
The suspects in this game are Shorty- the cook; Tex- the head wrangler; Dave- the cowboy; and Mary Yazzi- an antique seller.
Nancy rides a horse in the game, which is neat. Some of the chores Nancy does at the Ranch are a little tedious and repetitive but they did seem to get easier as they go.
In the end, I really liked this mystery and I am ready to start the next one that comes out.

First of all, I think that the Nancy Drew games are wonderful. The developers have done a great job in the creation of these software programs. I have met fans of these games that are young girls, elderly adults, and even urban, teenage guys. With their affordable prices, you can't go wrong with a Nancy Drew software game.

That said, this is one of my least favorite games in the series. It starts out well - Nancy takes a trip out west to a working ranch where there are phantom horses, treasure lore, historical romance, and quirky characters. The visuals are lovely and the music is fun. But, the enjoyment of solving the mystery quickly gets lost in the tedious tasks that make up most of the gameplay. There are a lot of puzzles and clicking activities that are required to complete the game. Normally, puzzles add interest and intrigue to the gameplay process. In this case, however, the sheer number of mundane tasks and procedures make the game frustrating and, often times, boring. For example, doing a detailed pixel search to find ten arrowheads scattered around the game...trying to bake a cake ten times because much of it is trial and error...playing the same gameboard on an arcade game fifteen or twenty times to receive a necessary prize, etc. Many of these tasks are built into the storyline, such as the daily chores of picking vegetables and gathering eggs. Although these activities help give the game an authentic "ranch experience", they come at a sacrifice of the actual mystery-solving. I wish that the developers had spent more time creating a multi-dimensional sleuthing experience, and less time coming up with random puzzles and trivial activities. In fact, it feels like many of these activites were added just to extend the playing time and drag out the gameplay. This is certainly a case where quantity is not better than quality.

The developers also used a new visual format to create a larger action screen. The tools and objects that Nancy uses are now in pop-up menus that are activated at the bottom of the screen. The dialogue box also pops up during conversation and then disappears. This design makes sense in theory, but adds to the frustration during gameplay because of the additional pointing and clicking that is required. At times, it was also awkward to maneuver through the scenes - you might see an item of interest but have to turn around or back up before you could actually click on it.

That said, I am not sorry that I bought the game. If you are a fan of the Nancy Drew games, or if you are interested in horses, ranching, etc, then you will probably want to buy this game. However, if you have not played a Nancy Drew game before, I would advise that you pick a different game to start in the series, such as Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake, Treasure in the Royal Tower, or Message in the Haunted Mansion. In my opinion, those games are more enjoyable for their pure sleuthing fun. If you like the Nancy Drew games but would also enjoy a more adult-oriented mystery game, then try the Law and Order software series.

The Crime: A -

Bess and George's Aunt Bet have chucked their life in Phoenix and bought Shadow Ranch. Now a phantom horse is appearing at night, heralding major accidents. Just before Nancy arrives, for example, Bess's uncle is bit by a rattlesnake and rushed to the hospital. What's going on here?

Suspects include cook Shorty Thurmond, store owner Mary Yazzie, and ranch hands Tex and Dave.

Fun fact - Mary Yazzie's character was named Mary Deer in the book. I don't know why they changed it.

By this point in the series, I was looking for something meatier than yet another tale of buried treasure and phantom animals.

The story is just too dang engaging to be ignored, though. Plus there are horses. Horses count for a lot in my book.

Puzzles: A -

Puzzles included everything from baking a cake to solving a little metal maze. The maze drove me insane.

One puzzle in particular made me roll my eyes because the way you find the solution is utterly dumb. You're looking for a really old piece of information, and Bess and George, stuck at the airport, happen to find a book that contains exactly what you need to know. And by old, I mean like a hundred years old. It was so contrived. Then again, I couldn't think of anything better, either.

Gameplay: A +

The new game interface features a wider screen and an inventory you have to open to access. I thought the wide screen was great but the extra clicking irritated me, because if you may miss the little button to close it or change pages. You get used to it, though.

Western life comes alive at Shadow Ranch, where you repair the chicken coop, perform daily tasks and always take care of your horse when you get back to the stable or Tex will have something to say to you!

Other fun in the game includes invesitgating a ghost town, learning to use a lariat (lasso) and completing a barrel race in under ten seconds.

You know how I said that DDI has everything but romance? Shadow Ranch has romance in spades. It's divine.

Time Changes: This one takes place in three days. When you complete the tasks for a certain day, it will automatically change to night.

Voice Acting: A

Raspy-voiced grump Tex sounds a lot like grumpy Red Knott from GDML (same voice actor) but it was nice to hear him again, like a phone call from an old friend. Many of the voice actors hear have appeared in other games, so it's a treat for a long-time fan. Superlative delivery, as always.

Favorites -
"My anti-persperant's going to get a workout today!" Nancy
"Ma'am." Dave
Any compliment Dirk Valentine gives Frances

Music: A +

Country-western heaven. (Except for Shorty's yodeling.) You could almost feel the heat.

IGraphics/Video: A +

Getting better and better all the time. Bonus points for the animated sequences such as gallop of the phantom horse.

Technical: A

No problems, just peachy.

Overall,

If you love Nancy Drew, this one's for you. A Must-have.

I love the Nancy Drew games, they're great. All of them (sans Secrets Can Kill) have been a truly enjoyable experience for me. The Secret of Shadow Ranch is one of those enjoyable experiences. As stated in another review, though, it is not without fault(s).

1. The Game Screen - Call me old-fashioned, but I tend to prefer the old game screen. It could be because I prefer being able to access my items without having to open up a new mini-window to do so, but that's my take. The larger game window isn't anything amazing, but I like it well enough. I also think that having the journal and cell phone as menu icons instead of something on your computer and an item is great. So if keeping it that way is good, then I guess I can sacrifice the old item system. Perhaps they can put the item box where it used to be, but shrink it by two icons (so it's 2x1), and put the cell phone and journal on the bar, and have the same conversation system as in SSR. Just a thought (or two).

2. The Ranch Chores - ND has been making lots of progress with the feel of their games lately (actually since Secret of the Scarlet Hand), with their more organic attitude towards puzzles and activities. However, the ranch chores are annoying. Not only can you get kicked out of the ranch for doing them incorrectly (picking an unripe veggie or two?), but you do them three times during the three days over which the game transpires. And speaking of puzzles...

3. Puzzles - Now, with a lot of this game being based on a "brain-vexing" treasure hunt, this may be too far. It seems as though HI threw some puzzles in just to extend the game. Like the ranch chores, the puzzles can become annoying at times (such as a puzzle where you must navigate four magnetic beads through a maze that is partially hidden by wood). The hints throughout the game for puzzles and other such things are almost giveaways at times. I also tend to feel that Nancy shouldn't have to rely on the internet and phone friends for so much of the game, but I suppose it's less annoying that flipping through a "book" to find the info.

All in all, it was great. But these flaws are upsetting after the wonder that was DODI, which is HI's crowning achievement to date. Hopefully all that was good in DODI will return in the next installment: The Curse of Blackmoor Manor.

In The Secret of Shadow Ranch, you are invited to Arizona to stay on Bess and George's aunt and uncle's ranch. Unfortunatley, Bess and George seem to have a (ahem) "little" delay getting there with you, so for now, you're on your own. Spanning over a 3-day period, Shadow Ranch is definatley one of the best Nancy Drew games. The "new" big-screen, a cellphone in it's own compartment (with internet and email, though you can't send email!), and (my favorite), a notebook where Nancy keeps a journal (for all) and a checklist (only for Junior Detectives). And, as always, the toolbar, which takes up less space but holds more items. (A LOT more.) Begin your visit with a mystery. Where are the Rawleys? It turns out, at the hospital (!). Seems Ed Rawley had a little accident. He'll be OK though- but the Rawleys are staying at the hospital. And- what's this about a- PHANTOM HORSE??? Seems there's a lost treasure in the area- is it truth, or just a legend???

GAMEPLAY: 10! This game is longer than some of the others, it's over 3 days, but, unlike "THE CURSE OF BLACKMOOR MANOR", it's not tedious! There's a lot to do around the ranch- help Shorty, the cook, with the chores (strange, Shorty doesn't seem to do much), ride your horse, Bob, around Arizona, and, of course, solve the mystery- who's trying to sabotauge the ranch? And why?

CHARACTERS:9.5 There are some interesting people around the ranch, it seems. The 3 cowboys- Tex, the "head wrangler", Dave, the "foreman", and Shorty, the "cook"- are each suspicous-Nancy catches Dave, um, "digging", Shorty's been looking at gold deposits in the area (is he looking for Valentine's treasure?), and- was that TEX Nancy saw with Mary Yazzie?!? Mary Yazzie owns a store down one of the trails. She wants property from the Rawleys. Why? Maybe if you help her around her store, she'll help you...

GRAPHICS: 9.5 VERY good. Even better than Danger by Design- at least the characters. (Though sometime's Dave's beard looks like dots and it, um, moves.) The setting is very good as well, though Danger by Design has the BEST setting, in terms of graphics.

PUZZLES: 8.7 Some of the best puzzles are in this game, I think. None are extremeley hard, though they do make you think. (Hint: For the magnet puzzle, go to and from the board a few times in a row. It takes away the wood and makes the puzzle A LOT easier.)

FLAWS: Not many. I wish you could eat, and that you had your own room (or rather, you could see your own room). I have to admit, the setting, a desert, is not my favorite, but it works for the plot.

IS THIS WORTH YOUR MONEY?
I have to say, yes, it is. Junior detectives get A LOT of hints, if you want them, and the journal and task notes also help. Something for everyone, even if you don't like deserts much (like me, no offense), you'll love this game!

SECRET OF SHADOW RANCH

~By a Kid

This is a VERY good game. You're on a treasure hunt in the Arizona desert, which is really awesome. And the graphics are AMAZING! I love this game! If you like this game, my other suggestions are Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake and Nancy Drew: Danger on Deception Island! (P.S. You get to go to a ghost town, a canyon, the middle of the desert, a shop, and at the VERY end, ancient Indian cliff dwellings!)

My 13 yr. old grandaughter was fascinated with this game. She could hardly leave the computer. She learned about saddling a horse, gathering eggs, building a fire, gathering the ripe vegetables and other interesting things that perhaps "city raised kids" don't get a chance to learn.

I think this game is better than watching TV with all the agression, killing, fighting, that goes on. I was very pleased with the clean content of this game. A grandmother of five.

Hands down to the Nancy Drew series. It is amazing.

Secret on Shadow Ranch overall was very well done. The story plot was good and kept me entertained for a good amount of time.

As mentioned before, the new way of getting items out of a popup box is rather annoying, especially when you have a lot of items. but other than that i liked the new screen format and the way things were done.

This mystery wasnt too challenging for me. i was never so stumped that i was frusterated. i was the most frusterated with a couple of the puzzles already mentioned, they took tons of time rather than being complicated.

I liked this mystery, but it wasnt in my top three. But overall it is entertaining and fun!

this game is the best in the nancy drew game series. it was very challenging. so dont buy it thinking you'll beat it in 30 min. it was funner than the other ones because there are more places to go than the other games. you get to ride horses which is totally cool! if you need any help you can go to [...](they are links to the same site)and go to message boards where all nancy drew games lovers can share hints,cheats, and reviews. you can also read the book but it won't tell you how to beat the game. it was really fun, had better graphics than most games i have, has a cute boy;dave:) , and lots of cool and hard puzzles. i wouldn't suggest this game or any other nancy drew games for kids under 10 years old, otherwise get ready for unhappy kids and a game that won't be touched for a year or more.(i know this from experience, i got stuck for a year on the secret of the scarlet hand game when i was 10!i did end up beating it though, hooray!)
it is also fun at the end because you'll be suprised at how scared you feel when you are waiting for the bad guy to show up!

an overall excellant game! keep making great games, herinteractive!

here are all the games in the series in order:
secrets can kill
stay tuned for danger
message in a haunted mansion(this has seances and talk of ghosts and spirits, unfortunately:( )
treasure in the royal tower
the final scene
secret of the scarlet hand
ghost dogs of moon lake (no ghosts, really good and cool game!)
the haunted carousel
danger on deception island
the secret of shadow ranch
curse of blackmoor manor
secret of the old clock
**NEW**last train to blue moon canyon

dony forget to read all of the nancy drew books, they are really good!!!!!!!!!!

(P.S. SSSSHHH... THERE IS A NEW GAME COMING OUT SOON CALLED danger by design!!!!!)