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Preview
Nancy
Drew The Secret of Shadow Ranch
Preview by Randy Sluganski
May 27, 2004
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 Nancy Drew is one smokin’ lady
lately, what with newspaper articles,
radio interviews and a soon-to-be-announced major motion picture.
We met with Megan Gaiser, CEO of Her Interactive to discuss the
newest Nancy adventure, The Secret of Shadow Ranch, which is not
only based on one of the best-selling Nancy Drew books of all time,
but is also the very first Nancy Drew book ever published in 1931.
 This episode finds Nancy on vacation at Shadow Ranch in Arizona
where the appearance of a glowing, galloping horse is causing the
resignation of employees and threatens to close down the ranch. Local
legend says the horse has come to avenge the hanging of its master
and that misfortune will befall whoever sets eyes on it.
 Experienced sleuths should
be thrilled with the improvements to the game - the most noticeable
being a larger game window that allows
you to become more immersed in the story. This new user interface
features a journal, a To Do list that must be checked-off when you
finish a task, a cellular phone and the dialogue box. As with most
girls her age, Nancy’s cell phone doubles as a laptop and offers
the options to surf the Web, receive e-mail and call friends for
hints.
 Among some of the activities
in which Nancy can participate will be barrel-racing and horseback
riding. The horseback rides were a
new and welcome perspective as was the experience of listening to
one of the ranch-hands warble an off-key ballad that will have you
covering your ears. There will be two difficulty settings and once
again the ‘Second Chance’ option will be present so that
mistakes may be corrected. The game also features a nifty ghost town
where legend has it there are strange nocturnal sightings of the
Just Adventure logo.
So if you’re looking for some mystery without the mayhem, then
prepare to saddle-up, but holster those six-shooters for The
Secret of Shadow Ranch is thrilling adventure without the violence.
   
 
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