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Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses!

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 9, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 10.

  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    Nancy Drew spin-off retains the appeal of the main series.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Not an issue.
  • Messages:

    Nancy uses bobby pins to open locked doors and containers in the course of her investigation. People associated with the film have various motives for sabotaging it, including jealousy, greed, and revenge.

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses! was written by Erin Bell

Parents need to know that the Nancy Drew Dossier series, of which Lights, Camera, Curses! Is the first installment, is a spin-off of Her Interactive's long-running Nancy Drew point-and-click adventure games. Gameplay has been adapted to cater to fans of casual PC downloadable games like Mystery Case Files, and involves more searching for items and figuring out how to use them in a scene. There are threats of violence, but none of it is ever acted upon. Nancy frequently uses bobby pin to break into peoples' offices and open locked boxes under the pretext of gathering evidence for her case.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about what a "remake" is in movie terms. What are some famous movies that have been given the remake treatment (i.e. King Kong, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and did you prefer the original or the remade version? Do you think it was all right for Nancy to break into peoples' rooms and pick locked chests in order to find clues for her investigation?
Did this review help you decide?

OK for Your Kids to Play?

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More on Nancy Drew Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses!

What’s the Story?

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.

Is It Any Good?

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.

Publisher’s Details

Developer: Her Interactive
Released on: 11/11/2008, Price: $19.99, not online enabled
ESRB Rating: E for Mild Violence

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0

    i laughed!

    i laughed when seen you!!!!!

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0

    Yet another great Nancy Drew game!

    I have long been a fan of Her Interactive's Nancy Drew adventure series, and was concerned that the new Dossier series wouldn't hold up to their high standards. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this game. It was extremely fun and entertaining to play. The game may sound simple at first, and it is designed to be for busy players who need something quick to play, but it still has plenty of challenges so that you won't get bored while playing. It is similar to some search and find games, but gameplay is unique,too. Instead of just searching for clues and tools, the player must also think of creative ways to use them. One of the things that I liked most about this game was the complex storyline with some surprises in the plot thrown in at the end. The only thing that I didn't like about it was the fact that the mini games got to be repetitive after a while. This first installment in the Nancy Drew Dossier series is great for people of all ages who enjoy solving a mystery in a high quality game.

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