Beyond Atlantis (Jewel Case) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bought this game about a year before I actually played it.Too "Mystisized".Now I have played and I'm sorry I didn't play it sooner.I'd give it 5 stars in both categories, only I found that end was kind of hokey.Doesn't take away that much from the fun of playing it overall, though. The puzzles are totally in context with each world - not a common thing these days, and you just have to realize that to get through them.What it should be about, right?

There are certainly parts of the game that ARE frustrating, but that's the fun of a challenge.Each world - and each is pretty complete - was a new adventure, and that IS what an "adventure game" is supposed to be about.

Graphics are surprisingly good, given that it's not a new game, and the details in each world were truly and delightfully surprising.I'm a graphics freak.Other thing I am is a music freak.IF you ARE going to provide music, then please make it worth MY while.This game does it.

Given that this is an older game, there is the usual disc stitching - mildly annoying, but not THAT much.I'm constantly searching for adventure games, and one that works is not to be blown off.This one does.

I'd consider it well worth the money - which isn't that much now.
Truly recommended, and worth the money.

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Product Description:
Worlds await you Beyond AtlantisProduct InformationStep into the land of dreams and legends in Beyond Atlantis. Immerseyourself in extraordinary worlds as you journey through a timeless tale ofintrigue and adventure. Assume the role of Ten descendent of Seth therenowned hero from Atlantis. Let wisdom be your guide as you travelthrough five fascinating worlds in search of the ultimate answer. Discoverbeautiful settings challenging puzzles and mysterious characters as youradventure unfolds and takes you Beyond Atlantis.Product FeaturesExplore worlds of unparalleled beauty as your travels take you to thefascinating lands of Tibet China Yucantan Ireland Atlantis and themystical land of Shambhala.Over 60 characters modeled in 3D.Engaging and challenging puzzles throughout.Stunning 3D graphics and animation.Multiple paths integrated into the storyline.System RequirementsWindows 95 98 Me200 MHz processor32 MB of RAM70 MB Hard Disk space minimum8X CD-ROM driveDirectX compatible Sound CardDirectX compatible Video Card

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Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon Review

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(More customer reviews)This was my second Nancy Drew game, at frist I had a bit of trouble. Once I remmembered what the frist game; (The Secret of shadow Ranch) had to teach me. Well I will just say keep your eye's open and your mind clear.
Loads of fun!

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Product Description:
The Hardy Boys have invited you, as Nancy Drew, on a train ride out West hosted by beautiful and prominent socialite, Lori Girard. Lori has gathered the greatest minds in mystery to solve a century-old secret and the haunted train is their best clue. The luxurious train once belonged to Jake Hurley, who set out long ago to find the mother lode during mining mania. Shortly after the trip began, Jake's wife, Camille met an untimely end. Although her death broke his heart, Jake pressed on in his search for riches. Years later, Jake's train was found in Blue Moon Canyon with the engineer slumped over in the car - dead. Jake had mysteriously vanished... Climb aboard as Nancy Drew and see if you can uncover the truth at the end of the line!

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Nancy Drew: Danger By Design Review

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(More customer reviews)This game comes in two disks; both are needed for install, but only one is needed for play. The game begins with a peek at Nancy Drew's bedroom and has a creative way to access the tutorial.

The graphics were nice. Many areas Nancy visits are light and sunny, as opposed to other games. The people were well-drawn and executed, though the people of Haunted Carousel are probably the best so far. Interacting with them was odd, though. Nancy didn't seem to need to talk to people very much, or be able to talk to them face-to face all the time. Often, when she'd go to see them, they would have nothing to say or be busy behind a door.

The puzzles ran the gamut, from very easy to "Universal Hints, here I come!" (Too bad for me, there was no UHS help when I played the game, though I did find a walkthrough.) I did have to cheat twice. Once, I feel it was something I could have figured out for myself if I had been patient enough. The other time, I truly feel a player would be hard pressed to get.Overall, though, I was pleased with the puzzles. Most puzzles fell in the middle of the spectrum and were challenging without being too difficult.

Moving around town was comfortable. Nancy uses a map of the Metro in the same manner she uses maps in other games like Scarlet Hand and Stay Tuned. However, the process of getting from one place to the next seems much faster in this game than in those games. There was also one cutaway similar to the tunnel-walking in Deception Island. The cutaway in Design is more enjoyable because is not as long and a flashlight is used, allowing the player to see what Nancy walks through.

Calling people is annoying in this game because the airline has conveniently lost Nancy's cell phone, and she uses land lines to make calls. To call the US, she has to dial a calling card AND THEN the number desired, dialing about 21 numbers for each call! Making calls takes forever.

Nancy needs to spend and earn money in this game. The manner in which she does this is not as irritating as in Old Clock, because in this game she does not risk losing money while making money.

Overall, I really liked this game. It has a much different feel to it. Why? Partly the locale. Partly the light and sunny atmosphere of many scenes. Partly the more advanced arrows and pointers to help Nancy get around. Partly that the mystery itself, and Nancy's plan to solve it, isn't always clear. The player has to work through it a bit and wander. There is not a lot of "pixel hunting," but there are a lot of mental challenges. Not as much learning as Royal Tower or Scarlet Hand, but just enough to help Nancy with a few puzzles. Nancy does get to do some fun things, such as ordering and eating French food at a caf

Nancy Drew: Secret Of the Old Clock Review

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(More customer reviews)Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock - E3 2005 preview
by Christina Gmiterko - posted on June 14, 2005

It's about that time of year again - time for a new Nancy Drew game by Her Interactive. This time, however, the developers have a surprise in store, and we were able to get an early peek at the game at E3. With their latest title, they promise to give some of Nancy's younger fans a little taste of what made this character so popular in the first place.

Over the course of hundreds of books, several movies and TV shows, board games, dolls, and twelve computer games, the Nancy Drew stories throughout the years have been updated and modified to suit the modern age. Now, instead of putting pen to paper in a notebook, Nancy has the kind of electronic notebook that you type on; instead of placing calls through the operator, Nancy has a cell phone. This year, Nancy will be celebrating her 75th birthday, yet somehow she is forever a teenager, and in her latest adventure you will turn back the clock and discover the vintage Nancy Drew.

The game is entitled Secret of the Old Clock, named after the first ever Nancy Drew book. However, the game's plot diverges from that of its source material and actually encompasses different elements from the first four books released in the series combined: The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase, The Bungalow Mystery, and The Mystery at Lilac Inn. Throughout the game, you will be visiting locations taken from these books, such as the Lilac Inn itself.

In addition to the old familiar settings, the game will also take place during that time period - the 1930s. This marks the first time that the series will not be set in present day. Her Interactive has made a great effort to make everything in the game look and sound authentic, and will even incorporate some background elements that reflect the important events taking place at that time, such as the Great Depression. This is a fitting inclusion, considering that Nancy Drew was originally created to help get young girls' minds off of the hard times of the '30s.

The plot of this mystery begins when Nancy is summoned to the Lilac Inn to meet with a friend of a friend - 17 year-old Emily Crandall. Emily has recently inherited the property from her late mother and has been struggling to keep her head above water with all of the new emotional and financial burdens. Nancy and Emily's mutual friend has asked Nancy to help run things for the time being. Nancy soon becomes curious, however, about why a girl she hardly knows would want her help. She soon finds herself embroiled in a mystery regarding a contested inheritance and an odd old man with several mysterious contraptions to figure out.

As with all Nancy Drew mysteries, there is an assortment of suspicious characters, including a desperate businessman, a shady paranormal expert, and an untrustworthy legal guardian, to name a few of the suspects Nancy will have to consider.

The game promises nothing really new in terms of interface and basic gameplay. However, the old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" holds especially true with this series. Yet while the fundamental elements have remained largely unchanged, the graphics and character models have continued to gradually advance, showing small improvements with each new game.

One new feature that has been added is Nancy's roadster, which fans of the original books will be glad to see. With the amount of accidents, vandalism, and speeding tickets that car went through, it felt more like a character in the story than a huge chunk of metal. With the roadster, you will be able to drive around Titusville, exploring the different locations. This is visually represented on the city map that you possess, and you will be able to navigate the car around the streets on the map.

As with the previous installments, there are also several activities to entertain yourself with if you want to take a break from the main mystery. One such diversion that we were able to play in our demonstration was a miniature golf course. This sequence was very easy to control, and I'm sure that many will find this to be a welcome distraction. Some of these kinds of mini-games are necessary to complete the overall adventure, but many are there just to raise the fun factor of the overall gaming experience.

One thing that has always shone throughout the development of this series is the creators' passion for what they are making. They've always been very committed to maintaining the atmosphere and style that the books possessed, and with this latest romp through the 1930s, you can expect the same level of dedication from them. Be sure to check out this title when it is released this summer, and then also be on the look out for the first crossover game between Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to be released later this fall!

Rel. date: July 2005 Developer: Her Interactive Publisher: Her Interactive

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Product Description:

This hot, latest installment of the Nancy Drew game series includes the best parts of the first four books and takes place in the same time period – welcome to 1930's America and the Great Depression. A friend of Nancy's asks her to visit the town of Titusville, where another friend, Emily Crandall, lives. Emily owns an inn and she's in a jam; she's low on cash and nearly bankrupt. However, she does have one hope of saving the inn: a neighbor died and left his money to her in his will. Or, did he?!


Who Is Nancy Drew? YOU Are!


Who Needs Nancy's Help


Nancy finds herself in the middle of a mystery when Emily and the dead neighbor's ESP teacher,Richard Topham,both claim the estate. Combine ESP with the strange inventions in the house of the the dead neighbor, Josiah Crowley, and you've got a recipe for all kinds of unexplained events happening in Titusville.





Emily Crandall Needs Your Help!


The Scene of the Mystery


Playing as Nancy, discover Titusville from behind the wheel of your 1930's roadster. Follow your roadmap to locations of interest in the mystery.Visit the lovely Liliac Inn owned by Emily, the invention-filled house of the deceased Josiah Crowley, and other locations where you need to search for clues.





Your Roadster





The Lilac Inn





Entry Hall of the Lilac Inn





A Mysterious Warning!


The Possible Suspects


Titusville is filled with a cast of characters. Here are some who may be responsible for the strange occurences Nancy encounters as she tries to discover who really inherited the money left behind by Josiah Crowley:





Jim Archer





Richard Topham





Emily Crandall





Jane Willoughby


Jim is a good-natured, but secretly desperate, businessman trying to make it through the end of the Depression. The bank he owns is teetering on the brink of failure. Jim has been helpful to Emily and her mom, but he's desperate for money. How far would he go to save his bank?


Richard is a self-proclaimed expert on ESP and telekinesis and lives in the house that once belonged to Josiah Crowley. How did he inherit Josiah's estate and money? He runs the "School for the Study and Development of Paranormal Powers," but is his act just a hoax?


Emily runs the Lilac Inn with the help of her guardian while she mourns the recent loss of her mother. She is plagued by strange occurrences: objects on the wall move, whispers call fromshadows, things mysteriously disappear and then reappear.Is Emily just stressed out or are things really amiss?


Gloria Crandall, Emily's mother, asked Jane to look after her daughter in case anything happened to her.She's doing her best to help Emily, but she doesn't know much about raising kids or running an inn. Could Jane have a hidden agenda?

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Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)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!

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Product Description:
Nancy Drew: The Secret Of Shadow Ranch is a thrilling Old West adventure set at a vacation ranch. The terra cotta cliffs hide ancient secrets that Nancy Drew must unravel - A ghostly horse is out for unearthly revenge, and the teen girl detective must find out why. Separate the truth from the ghost stories quickly, or you might be next on the list for unearthly revenge!

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The Lost Crown: A Ghosthunting Adventure Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)= PREFACE =

If you have played DarkFall I: The Journal, or DarkFall II: Lights out, then you don't need to read this review, you have probably bought the game immediately anyway. Yes, the entire game is one mans' job, Jonathan Boakes', and its not just acceptable; it is magnificent!

= SCENARIO =

You are Nigel Danvers and you find yourself limited to an interesting treasure hunt session in a somewhat isolated town called Saxton. Very soon some weird things will begin to happen. Will you survive these horrible events? Will you find your way in hunting down the hidden treasure? You are abount to find out SOON!

= GRAPHICS =

This time it is a 3rd person view, better in my opinion. It is almost full screen, with some space down for inventory (i 'd like titles in inventory items) , and some space up for the "Control Panel" Icon (The author *could* put there some option to quick save/load/quit) The graphics are mostly gray/screen, something that enhances the games mystery
theme, with a few nice drawn color additions. The ghost drawing an animation is very good, PLUS, almost all screens include some very very nice animation. Especially nice is the movement with the night vision of a camera on. Thumbs up and the best animation I 've seen!

P.S. You will be looking for some items in the forest at some point of the game, do not assume that all these items are colored.

= SOUND =

Being a professional musicologist, I have to judge that section stricly, and sound in this game is really good. Mysterious, ghastly and evil sound effects and music will compose a great atmosphere. However I (almost) missed what it hit me in The Journal and Lights Out: The sound isn't actually a part of the game action, it is there for a nice background - you can get the same pleasure by turning the sound off, something that would ruin the Darkfall's atmosphere.
Voices are good and clear.

= CONTROL =

No keyboard. Yes, I don't like that. Everything is mouse-driven, and, although you have a map, you can' move with the map, you have to walk to the locations manually. Also, it is not clear the fact that you don't have entire access to the town at certain points of the game (for example, in night 1, you can't go to a specific location but you don't get a warning message).
Subtitles are provided :)
Go top left and you have a menu which opens Save/Load etc. Only 8 saves ! :(

= ATMOSPHERE =

When a game is a masterpiece, reviewers are cruel. The game's atmosphere is very very good, but I still think that DarkFall I and II (and Darkness Within) is better in that section. There is nothing wrong with Lost Crown, but .... how should I tell? DFs were more evil, more frightening, whereas Lost Crown is more like a mystery than a horror game. This is not bad at all; but when you have played the DFs, you are somewhat expecting to be terrified even more!
It seems that Nigel finds the entire adventure more exciting than frightening... Well perhaps I will change my mind after I replay it a few times, but If I knew that the place I wondered around was haunted and there were evil ghosts everywhere kidnapping cats, I 'd get my a$$ outta there ASAP, not stay and even sleep in it!

= PLOT and RIDDLES =

This is the area in which the battle between this game and DarkFall I and II ends. DFs were very good, but relatively short. This game has a big plot scene (and I MEAN big) and lots of (inventory based, with one or two exceptions) puzzles. Also, because the game limits your access, you don't have to consider wandering around the entire town if you are stuck, so this effectively reduces your frustration. There are no tough puzzles, just a common sense of logic. Yes, this is my small complain, DFs were a lot tougher to finish - but also a lot quicker to finish.

= Vote For =

* Big plot
* Animation in almost all screens
* Great graphics and sounds
* Will run even in lower-end PCs
* No bugs/crashes (Well, don't try to use the walkie talkie at the night after you have used it previously in the day, or suddently the sun will appear again !)
* Subtitles allowed

= Vote Against =* Not scary. No match for DarkFall I, II, Darkness within, Shadow of the comet etc... Perhaps not being scary is an advantage, but I miss it nevertheless.
* Only 8 saves (No comments...)
* No method to bypass the text - very annoying when you make the mistake of asking something that you have already asked. This thing would prevent me to play the game again.
* I don't like the way that Nigel reacts to horror events; For example, I wouldn't be that 'cool' to simulate a call to the spirit as he is in first night; It seems to me that he was already aware to what would happen.
* No keyboard; yes I don't like the mouse. Especially when you have to click some times to save your game. At least, double click works :)

= OVERALL =

A piece of excellence. Get it, its really worth your $. It is a masterpiece, perhaps lacking the actual horror element, but a very fine job nevertheless.

==== [SPOILER] ====

I didn't like the ending. I don't know why, but I never like the endings in most games. Can't anyone ever create a magnificent ending like that in Monkey Island 2 or Laura Bow 1 ?

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Product Description:
Nigel Danvers is on the run! Two shadowy agents are on his tail, pursuing him across London to the grand train station at Liverpool Street. Nigel suspects that afternoon-s activities may be to blame.Travel with Nigel Danvers to an eerie seaside town on England's east coast. Learn to use advanced techniques used by real paranormal investigators, and uncover an ancient mystery and treasure. But, beware, not all of the towns residents will help in your mission, whether they are alive or dead.Inspiration from the haunting works of Charles Dickens, M.R. James, Arthur Conan Doyle, and E.F. Benson combines with real ghost-hunting gadgets to bring this frightening story to bone-chilling life. Success or failure in locating wandering spirits depends on your skill as an investigator. Placing motion detectors, night vision cameras, and temperature gauges correctly will reveal a location-s haunted past, and expose terrifying apparitions. With nerves of steel, and wits to match, you will soon discover long lost secrets, previously known only to the dead!

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