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The Nancy Drew mystery adventure games have been a staple girls franchise. This is the 20th in the series from Her Interactive. The games are a good mix of puzzles and point and click adventure on PC. This one is no different. It is a sure bet for a few hours of diversion on a dreary day for a girl or a boy. Nancy goes on vacation in the Bahamas, or is summoned there by a diabolical time share salesperson – or so it seems until her friend Bess gets kidnapped. By some very detailed and picky kidnappers. The story takes place at a conveniently abandoned resort. There are creepy little monkeys, a parrot that knows and says too much, and an oppressively hot climate. When put together it gives the game an atmosphere of anxious restlessness. The story, with the jumpy feeling of anticipation works. The puzzle part of game play is all there. Within each little segment it functions fine. But it would be better if it was in 3D and had better flow. The game has you wandering back and forth to pick up objects, and then slogging through pretty boring dialog.
The main problem with the game is the control system. It’s time for the Nancy Drew series to pick it up a little. The movement is very linear, each screen presented doesn’t have many click spots. There are limited ways to do any of the tasks. The little golf carts zip around on a map, rather than being in 3D. And that’s the only time that the arrow keys are enabled to allow free motion. In the rest of the game you are left to scroll all over the screen to find an elusive arrow to let you go forward, instead of using those arrow to find clues. The sailing and the scuba dive with the metal detector
were the most fun. The production values are low. It’s in 2D, and it runs at low-res graphics, which look pixilated. I played a review copy that they gave me.
Ransom of the Seven Ships is a solid addition to the series. It’s a decent game, with a nautical art-style that would make a pleasant element in a little girls summer birthday gift along with other choices in a basket of beach themed items. It isn’t technically advanced enough to keep an adult female gamer or even many teens engaged. I give Nancy Drew Ransom of the Seven Ships 7 star fish out of 10.
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