Nancy Drew: Danger on Deception Island

The graphics in this game are incredible. The people look 3-D and although they do look a bit robotic, they're realistic and believable. The attention to detail is amazing as well. The scenery is beatiful -- there are cool things to look at that don't really pertain to your mystery, but then again, you don't KNOW for sure if they do or not -- it's always good to keep your eyes open and remember where certain things are.

The dialogue is clever and witty, and often funny and silly (but in a good way). My only complaint on this subject is the fact that sometimes the dialogue doesn't make sense -- sometimes a character speaking to you will tell you to try doing something you've already done, and Nancy (you) will say "OK, I'll try that" -- when in fact you've already done it! Obviously the game's programming can't handle ANY eventuality. But whatever. This is a small thing and it is a small annoyance at the most.

"The Final Scene" is so fun. All I can ask for in the next Nancy Drew game (and please, PLEASE keep making them!) is more puzzles (there were about five in this game; all pleasantly challenging) and, also, give us more game time! The box says it can take over 20 hours. I did the senior level and had it completed in 6 or 7. Then again, I'm in my twenties. (Yes! Adults, do not be ashamed to play this! I have gotten several of my friends hooked! However, I've also played one of the other games with a 10-year-old... she needed a little help but did pretty well on her own, so this is for all ages!) Also, like many people, I've played the other four games -- so I guess after awhile you get the hang of the games and that makes them go faster.

Synopsis: if you want many hours of good, mind-boggling and exciting fun, buy this game. Nancy Drew rocks!


Secret Scarlet Hand   June 18, 2002
42 out of 76 found this review helpful

This Game Is Very Fun. I've Played The Demo,Read The Book,& I Saw The Screen Shots. I Am A Fan Of All The Nancy Drew Games, And The Company That Makes It Says Its The Best Nancy Drew Game They Made. Enjoy The Game!!


a puzzle-adventure perfect for young sleuths   December 25, 2002
Lisa Shea
42 out of 49 found this review helpful

The seventh in the series, these games are relatively inexpensive yet provide hours of gameplay. In them, Nancy Drew, the college-aged female detective, explores mysteries and finds solutions to various puzzles.

You can see the various improvements in this latest entry. The graphics are much smoother, and as you turn around in a given area the 'snapshot' quality is more of a flow. It's still not a fully immersive environment - in essence you go "to" a spot and then can turn left or right through set images of the room. You can point to a "hot spot" in the room to approach an item or examine it. Still, in a way this makes it easier for younger detectives to know what to do. If you can't click on something, it's not important.

There's no violence or blood, although I do have to comment that the ghost dogs are rather scary! I have had younger teenage girls refuse to play some of the games I've lent them because they were too scary after a few hours. This one might fall into that category if you have a skittish nature. The dogs don't actually attack you, but their jumping on the doors, howling and rattling the house can be quite frightning.

The game uses very logical puzzles that actually teach you things. You want to test water from a well, but first you have to learn the real technique for priming a pump and do it. You need to use a motorboat, but the pistons aren't in the proper cycle positions. Anyone who uses a boat would see this by looking at the engine, and they helpfully include a diagram to show you (i.e. Nancy) how to fix this before the engine will work. Notes at the ranger station warn you about Hantavirus, a real danger if you're cleaning areas where mice live.

There are other puzzles - identifying birds, finding planks to get over rotten floorboards and so on - that fit in as well. In general the game does an admirable job of keeping the game very realistic-feeling, like you're really at this Pennsylvanian lake, amongst the locals there, exploring their world.

On the downside, much of the game involves pony-trail sorts of handoffs. You know you need a spark plug. You might think it would be lying around nearby or that one would be in the house. But instead, searching all over creation finds none. Instead, you have to go to sleep, wake up at night, chat with someone who it so happens has one, go back to sleep again, and then in the morning use it. It can get extremely frustrating when at many times in the game you know what you *need* but just have to figure out how the game designers think you should *get* it.

Still, many times this means that your gameplay time is stretched out as you wander around, explore, chat with people, and enjoy the world. It's not a game for people who want to race through to the end to have 'beaten it'. If you poke at a walkthrough site, you can probably do so in an hour or two. Instead, it's a game that, for a relatively low price, lets you wander through a well realized world, exercise those "little grey cells" in your brain, and really become knowledgeable about a number of intersting subjects. Give yourself time to have fun with this one!


A Thrilling Mystery.   November 22, 2001
40 out of 44 found this review helpful

After playing all 5 Nancy Drew games, I can fairly say that this is one of the best. I do not think that it was the best for one reason: in the other mysteries, what you had to do next was either clear cut, or Bess, George or Ned would give you hints as to what to do next. In this game, they were a bit tougher on you, giving you clues such as "Start questioning your subjects...see if they have plausible alibis" but once you did...they said the same thing (not telling you that your subject had more to say.)Other than that, it was thrilling and intriguing. Once it DID get started it was so exciting that things just rolled along. It was a great deal of fun, and I will definitely play it again and again.

Some hints:
1. Never leave a room unsearched, anything that you find can further your investigation, and if it doesn't at least you will be sure that you didn't miss anything.
2. Try and get around your suspects, read into their personal lives...do what detectives do best (snoop ;-) )
3. Lastly, trust no one except you, Bess, George and Ned. Never let all of your hopes ride on the innocence of one suspect. Things are never as they seem in Nancy's world, so try and act the same way towards it in your own.

Happy Gaming!


Another great game!   September 16, 2002
Molly P. (Portland, Oregon USA)
35 out of 44 found this review helpful

"Nancy Drew: Secret of the Scarlet Hand" is the 6th in this series by HER Interactive. Each game is full of clues, puzzles, and exciting (and possibly dangerous) adventures. "Scarlet Hand" is no exception. In this game, you (as Nancy) take an internship at the Beech Hill Museum, and when a priceless artifact goes missing, it's up to you to find out what's going on. You'll explore the museum (which includes a pyramid with several levels, and an outside exhibit), and take the subway to visit several other key locations. You'll talk to various people, all the while knowing that one of them could be the thief. It's a really fun game; I've played all the others and this one took longer than the previous game ("Final Scene") for me. It took about 10 hours on the senior level, and I was playing it with a partner. There are a lot of facts to write down and recall, and the puzzles in this game are very original. I was very pleased with the number of puzzles; just the right amount. What I really liked about this game, in comparison to some of the other Nancy Drew games, was that you didn't have to maneuver your mouse so much to find things. In some of the other games, you can only see objects if you position your cursor at just the right angle turning just the right direction. In this game, everything was very out in the open and the game was easy to maneuver; surprisingly, however, that didn't make the game any less challenging than its predecessors. Just another great addition to the "Nancy Drew" games collection, "Scarlet Hand" is sure to please gamers and mystery-lovers alike.