Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes

About

In "Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes," Nancy Drew has been accused of arson, and it's up to you to clear her name. Explore River Heights, gather evidence, and question suspects to uncover the truth behind the town hall fire. Play as Nancy and her friends, participate in various activities, and choose between Junior or Senior Detective difficulty levels.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 444 reviews

story68 positive mentions

grinding44 negative mentions

The game features a compelling story where Nancy is framed for arson, adding a unique twist to the gameplay.
Playing as Nancy's friends (Bess, George, and Ned) provides a refreshing change and allows for interesting character interactions.
The puzzles, while not overly challenging, are enjoyable and the game maintains a fun atmosphere throughout.

The constant need to switch between characters by calling Nancy is tedious and disrupts the flow of the game.
There are significantly fewer puzzles compared to other Nancy Drew games, leading to a more dialogue-heavy experience that can feel repetitive.
The game can feel short and lacks the depth and exploration found in other titles in the series.

story
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
33%
9%
The story of "Alibi in Ashes" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its unique premise of Nancy being framed for a crime and the engaging character dynamics. However, some critiques highlight that the plot can feel thin or predictable, and the gameplay mechanics, particularly the character-switching, can become tedious. Overall, while the narrative has its strengths, it is often overshadowed by gameplay frustrations and a lack of challenging puzzles.
- “The story, mystery, and characters are all brilliant.”
- “I thought the storyline was great and overall I just became addicted to the game!”
- “An interesting story line that differs from the usual; Nancy is accused of a crime (and arrested for it), and you must rotate between playing as her, Bess, George, and Ned in order to dismiss the charges against her and find the real culprit.”
- “The game seemed more focused on talking to characters in a specific order and exhausting conversation options rather than the actual storyline and puzzles, which is what Nancy Drew games should be about.”
- “The plot was pretty thin and nonsensical, even as far as Nancy Drew games go, and the gimmick of switching between characters is cool in theory but tedious in practice.”
- “Nd games are also usually really well planned out, but this one you know who the culprit is pretty early on; not just you as a player, all of the characters know, and Nancy just can't do anything about it for a while, and there were several plot holes.”
grinding
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that the character-switching mechanic in the game is often seen as tedious and unnecessary, with players expressing frustration over having to call Nancy to switch characters, which disrupts the flow of gameplay. While some enjoy the concept of playing as Nancy's friends, the repetitive nature of tasks and interviews, along with poorly placed puzzles, contribute to a sense of monotony that detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, some players still find enjoyment in the game, indicating that the tedious elements do not completely overshadow its positive aspects.
- “Switching between characters via calling Nancy became really tedious and felt pretty pointless.”
- “The gimmick of switching from George to Bess to Ned was tedious and unnecessary - seemed like a time waster.”
- “Both the best and worst part of this game was that for the most part, you played as Nancy's friends (Ned, George, and Bess) but tediously had to keep calling Nancy to switch characters and had to have the same conversations with suspects just as a different character.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
47%
11%
The gameplay in *Alibi in Ashes* introduces a unique character-switching mechanic that allows players to control Nancy and her friends, each contributing to the story and puzzles. While this mechanic adds an engaging layer to the detective work, it can become tedious due to the repetitive nature of calling Nancy to switch characters. Overall, the game features a compelling narrative and interesting characters, but is hindered by clunky mechanics and a lack of challenging puzzles.
- “Playing as Nancy's crew for most of the game was a very refreshing and unique mechanic.”
- “The added mechanics of switching between friends to solve the mystery made the gameplay even more fun and engaging.”
- “I enjoyed the new mechanic of switching between characters.”
- “The gameplay is a sad case of a good story and writing hindered by some awful mechanics.”
- “Another edit, I want to take this down to like an 8/10 because this game is actually really tedious with the whole 'swapping characters mechanic.' The fact that I have to call Nancy just to swap to other characters becomes very exhausting and kind of lame.”
- “Some people are tripped up on the mechanics to switch from person to person.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are generally well-received, particularly for their atmospheric environments and aesthetic appeal, which enhance the game's mood. However, some users noted that character models appear fuzzy and lack detail. Overall, the combination of graphics and sound contributes positively to the gaming experience.
- “The graphics are great in terms of the various environments you get to explore, but the actual people/characters seemed fuzzy and out of focus.”
- “I think another factor for me is that part of what I love about the games is that they are really atmospheric and moody due to the aesthetics and music.”
- “The puzzles were fun and the graphics and music were great!”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its contribution to the atmosphere and overall experience, while others found it repetitive and lacking in depth. While the graphics and puzzles were praised, the soundtrack was often described as plain and not enhancing the game's mood effectively.
- “I think another factor for me is that part of what I love about the games is that they are really atmospheric and moody due to the aesthetics and music.”
- “Overall good puzzles, plot, characters, music, and replay value.”
- “The puzzles were fun and the graphics and music were great!”
- “This one, however, felt very factual and plain in terms of atmosphere, and the music was really repetitive.”
- “The backgrounds are nice, but are undone by the very repetitive soundtrack.”
- “The music lacks variety and fails to enhance the overall experience.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly enjoying the character of Ned and the quirky personality of Alexei, described as a "funny goofy goober." The humor is noted to complement the mystery elements, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “Alexei is my favorite, he's such an old funny goofy goober man.”
- “I enjoyed the mystery, and there's a good dose of humor in this one.”
- “A game that lets me play as Ned is hilarious and I adore this one.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The atmosphere of the game has been described as lacking depth and moodiness, with some reviewers noting that it feels more factual and plain compared to other titles, particularly those set in Ireland. The music is also criticized for being repetitive, detracting from the overall immersive experience, although the gameplay remains enjoyable.
- “I think another factor for me is that part of what I love about the games is that they are really atmospheric and moody due to the aesthetics and music.”
- “This one, however, felt very factual and plain in terms of atmosphere, and the music was really repetitive.”
- “Not as much atmosphere as some of the other games that are set in Ireland, etc., but still really fun and a decent amount of gameplay.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The character development in the game is well-executed, effectively evoking strong feelings towards the suspects, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of dialogue, puzzles, and stealth elements that complement the character arcs.
- “This game was a fun mix of dialogue, puzzles, sneaking around, and character development.”
- “They did a good job with the character development that I was starting to personally not like the suspects.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
While the game offers a fresh take on the traditional Nancy Drew formula with engaging puzzles, plot, and characters, it is noted that it lacks significant replayability, limiting the incentive for players to revisit it.
- “Overall good puzzles, plot, characters, music, and replay value.”
- “This was a different take on your traditional Nancy Drew game, and it worked well, but it doesn't have much replayability.”