Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! (Windows, Mac)

In NANCY DREW DOSSIER: LIGHTS, CAMERA, CURSES! teenage sleuth Nancy Drew travels to Hollywood to investigate a movie set that has been plagued with a series of strange accidents. Nancy soon discovers that all of the movie's key players (who include ambitious young actress Eda Brookes, cagey producer Arthur Hitchens, controlling producer Molly McKenna, and embattled director Jorge Jackson), have motives for wanting to sabotage the production.

Gameplay in the Dossier series is a mild departure from the rest of the Nancy Drew point-and-click adventures in that it's designed for fans of casual hidden object games. To that end, players will have to search each location for a variety of clue items, and then figure out how to use the item in order to solve puzzles (such as using tape to repair a torn poster). Other activities include using a flashlight to investigate dark areas, using a bobby pin to pick locks, decrypting computers, making drinks at a juice bar (to overhear gossip), and uncovering information by asking the right questions in conversations.

Her Interactive's Nancy Drew games have a reputation for great production values and solid mystery stories that can be enjoyed by young and old players alike, and Lights, Camera, Curses! is no exception. Atmospheric music, attractive graphics, and competent voice acting (the actress for Nancy Drew reprises her role here) complement a set of challenging and creative inventory puzzles and mini-games that make sense within the context of the story.

As well, Nancy Drew continues to be a great role model for younger female gamers. Multiple endings, which are based on how many points players earn throughout the game, make a good case for replaying the game more than once.