Nancy does it again!
The Secret of Shadow Reach is apparently based on the best selling Nancy Drew book ever so if that isn't a bit of a selling point, it's not clear what would be. Like most of the other games in this massive franchise, such as Secret of the Old Clock and The Haunted Carousel, this is a point-and-click adventure that provides heaps of fun from junior detectives everywhere and which is well worth adding to your collection. The game starts out with Nancy heading off on holiday to a real Western ranch but it's not long before things take a turn for the sinister when the ghost of the former owner shows up and Nancy finds herself caught up in a revenge scheme from beyond the grave. Like the other games in the series, this is a first-person point-and-click adventure which requires you to explore the many locations while chatting to the locals and picking up clues to solving the many puzzles which bar your progress. This one introduces a few new elements to the series, like a larger inventory and the ability to use Nancy's phone to connect to the internet and which help to keep things fresh. This really is another cracking adventure for Nancy to get stuck into. The storyline is classic stuff and translates well into video game form, with lots of twists and turns, memorable characters and decent writing. The puzzles are as well done as ever, being cleverly integrated into the story while also being highly satisfying to solve, with a good level of challenge. Throw in the atmospheric visuals and you're left with another cracking romp.
