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  • $19.99
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Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull (Windows)

common sense media says

Fulfilling mystery has spooky sleuthing & puzzles.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this game contains no violence and presents a strong heroine and challenging puzzles. While it doesn't have a two-player mode, it's good to play with someone else because two heads looking for clues are always better than one. There is some discussion of "hoodoo" (voodoo) beliefs and practices and New Orleans' secret societies.

Educational value: The puzzles require logical thinking.
Positive messages: Nancy is a strong heroine. Bess does a few devious things like putting hot sauce on someone's food to make them sick.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: This is the 17th mystery in this software series.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about what makes this game scary. Would it be scary without the music? How about the dark lighting or the thunderstorm? Families can also talk about parts of the storyline they may not understand: What is voodoo and where did it come from? What are some of the myths about immortality? What is the role of secret societies in helping to put on Mardi Gras? Also, do you think it was OK for Bess to make the store owner get sick by putting hot sauce in his gumbo?

What's the story?

What's the story?

NANCY DREW: LEGEND OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL takes place in New Orleans. Bruno Bolet has recently died in the old mansion, and when you stop by to check on his grandson, Henry, a person wearing a skeleton costume accosts you. Instead of being scared away, you decide to check into whether Bruno Bolet's death was really from a heart attack.

You solve the mystery by questioning characters and snooping around to find clues. As with all the past Nancy Drew mysteries, this game is loaded with puzzles. For one, you will need to make grave rubbings to decipher a code to open a mini-crypt. You will stumble upon secret rooms, passageways with peepholes, and a cemetery full of clues including some that are found on headstones.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

The 17th computer mystery in this series adds a new gameplay element to its award-winning formula. Not only do you play as Nancy Drew, but also, at times, you get to become her best friend Bess.

As for the game's spookiness, the music, rain, and periodic lightning help create an eerie mood, but it's never overpowering. And if you make a fatal mistake, the game returns you to the moment before that bad decision and gives you a second chance.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Windows
Not available online
Genre: Role Playing
Developer: Her Interactive
Released on: October 8, 2007
Price: 19.99
ESRB Rating: E

This review was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

 
BEST ONE YET
I've yet to find a better one! There isn't anything violent, no sex,no language, nothing at all. The puzzles were wonderfully challenging, the new screen design was wonderful, and the characters were more intriguing than ever. I can't recommend more!

Sashasumba123
teen, 16 years old
 
I LOVE ND
SASHASIMBA123 votes this one 5 stars!!!!

shayshay96
teen, 15 years old
 
Not for 10+
This game was one of my faorites, because it featured an attractie guy (in my opinion, though, he may scare others) plus you got to play as both nancy and bess marvin, which was a nice feature. Though the game does involve Bess putting hot sauce in a mans food so he gets sick, it is also a very challenging game so i would recomend it to older kids ( 13+) so they understand the message is not to hurt others to make people sick, but to help people (How they help henry). I found it a challenging game that was a little creepy. I got scared in the begining as there is a masked skeloton, and the power goes out. You play the whole game in darkness and the rain, and can get frightening at times. overall its a very good game.

DangerRanger101
teen, 13 years old
 
This game should NOT!!!Be rated E, so be cautious
The game is fairly difficult and it may take you a while to figure out what to do. But like all of the other games Nancy is a good role model, but she goes a little off here by having her friend, Bess do things that she doesn't feel comfortable with. Also the ending was a little dissapointing because of the culprit choice atleast to me. So if you don't like hard puzzles or good people going bad, than this isn't really the game for you. Also the animals can kill you, so that may be kind of scary too and the housekeeper, Renee really gave me the creeps and other kids will probably find her pretty creepy. But the scariest part was the beginning. The game encourages you to be in total darkeness, while it sounds like fun let's not forget who the target audience is, kids six and under will definetly get scared and it really pushes the E rating. On the more positive side, not all kids get scared very easily and it can be fun to get scared. The game is also very fun with the creepy scenary because let's not forget that this is a mystery. Overall, I think this is a fun game but there should be an option to skip a hard puzzle. Also the beginning doesn't fell quite necessary, to me it felt more like an entrance to a horror game rather than a mystery but I guess it's not all mystery, there has to be some horror to spice it up. But some of the content may not be the best for kids, like the beginning and the deaths that involve the animals, like Bernie the alligator. But I feel that this is a good game for a ten-year old with not only a fun game and interesting plot but with Nancy as a good role model, even if she tries to force her friend to do bad things, but hey, this is Nancy Drew we're talking about!

Novalita
kid, 13 years old
 
really creepy game
It's really creepy. It revolves around a dead guy who wore different glass eyes, had a creepy house keeper who believes in really freaky hodu stuff, and overlooked the graveyard so that he can keep track of who dies. During the entire game, there is a storm which at the very beginning, knocks out the power, so it's dark in the house too, and it's nighttime.

pizzavince
teen, 15 years old
 
Hauntingly Suspenseful!
This may be the spookiest Nancy Drew game there is. This game is PERFECT to play in the dark when you're just about to go to sleep. The game even suggests that you play in the dark! It is dark and stormy outside, a perfect recipe for a good Nancy Drew mystery! I rated this iffy for 10+ because the well-constructed, logical puzzles may be challenging. But nevertheless, it was a great, great game!

skater_gurl123
teen, 15 years old
 
awesome
love this game!

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