Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 304 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • graphics
Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor Game Cover
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In Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor, players become the famous teen detective and explore a creepy English manor to uncover a mysterious family curse. By solving puzzles, examining clues, and interacting with characters, players delve into the history of the manor and its inhabitants, revealing secrets and unraveling the curse's mystery. This point-and-click adventure offers a spooky, suspenseful atmosphere and immerses players in a captivating story full of twists and turns.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 304 reviews
story38 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • Curse of Blackmoor Manor features a compelling story with interesting characters and a beautifully atmospheric setting, making it a standout in the Nancy Drew series.
  • The game is puzzle-heavy, offering a satisfying challenge that requires players to think critically and take notes, enhancing the overall detective experience.
  • Many players appreciate the nostalgic value of the game, as it combines elements of mystery, folklore, and engaging gameplay that keeps them entertained throughout.
  • Some puzzles are overly complicated or obscure, leading to frustration and the need for walkthroughs, which can detract from the enjoyment of the game.
  • The requirement to repeatedly solve certain puzzles to access areas can feel tedious and disrupt the flow of gameplay, making navigation cumbersome.
  • The ending has been described as anticlimactic or abrupt, leaving some players unsatisfied with the resolution of the story.
  • story73 mentions

    The story in this game is generally praised for its engaging and well-paced narrative, intriguing characters, and immersive atmosphere, particularly within the spooky setting of a manor. While many players appreciate the depth and complexity of the plot, some note inconsistencies and unresolved plot points that can lead to confusion. Overall, it is considered one of the stronger entries in the series, with a mix of challenging puzzles that tie into the storyline effectively.

    • “It's well-paced, with great characters, and the puzzles and secret passages all make sense to the story.”
    • “The storyline is detailed and immersive, the puzzles are varied (in type and difficulty), and the characters are bold and have dialogue options that make you want to interact with them.”
    • “The incredibly intriguing story combined with random creepy cutscenes keeps you on your toes the entire time you are solving the case.”
    • “The story was bizarre as well.”
    • “For starters, the story is really farfetched even for one of these games, and it's not even that interesting.”
    • “Once Nancy had her assignment and met the characters, the storyline didn't progress.”
  • atmosphere28 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, featuring elements like cults, lycanthropy, and gothic settings that enhance the spooky experience. Players appreciate the beautiful soundtrack, engaging puzzles, and the unsettling ambiance that keeps them on edge, although some noted a decline in intensity as the game progressed. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.

    • “Beautiful soundtrack and pre-rendered environments, a palpable unsettling atmosphere, plenty of spooky moments to give the player the occasional thrill, and puzzles that are surprisingly challenging yet always logical.”
    • “Atmospheric, bordering on creepy sometimes, this game has everything you could wish for in the genre.”
    • “By the end of the game, I didn't feel the same creepy intense atmosphere as I did at the beginning.”
    • “The entire atmosphere had me on edge at all times, with random encounters happening that were super creepy.”
    • “I would give it a 5/5 for character and atmosphere, but gameplay-wise I really did not enjoy this one.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game, while charming and aesthetically pleasing, are often criticized for being dated, especially given its 2004 release. Many reviewers appreciate the beautiful environments and overall visual style, but acknowledge that the graphics do not match modern standards and can detract from the gameplay experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as a highlight for their time, but they may not satisfy players accustomed to contemporary graphics.

    • “The environment is beautiful and I love the overall aesthetic.”
    • “The graphics themselves are phenomenal, considering that the game was made in 2004.”
    • “Considering its age, the graphics are stunning (if you ignore the character models), and the puzzles are far more interesting and varied than many of the other games in the franchise.”
    • “The graphics could’ve been better.”
    • “This is an older one (initially released in 2004) and it shows in the graphics.”
    • “The graphics are a bit dated by today's standards.”
  • music18 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a haunting atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience with a beautiful and immersive soundtrack. Many players find it integral to the game's spooky moments and challenging puzzles, contributing to a sense of unease and excitement. However, some users noted that the repetitive nature of the music and settings can become tedious over time.

    • “Beautiful soundtrack and pre-rendered environments, a palpable unsettling atmosphere, plenty of spooky moments to give the player the occasional thrill, and puzzles that are surprisingly challenging yet always logical.”
    • “The music is wonderful and the soundtrack still gives me a dreamy feeling.”
    • “The atmosphere of the castle, music, puzzles, and dialogs are really nice.”
    • “That game was quite interesting for the first 10 hours, but the same settings, decorations, music, and tedious tunnels bored me after and rather than creating a mysterious atmosphere, were just damn annoying at that point.”
    • “I didn't much care for any of the characters, and that song - you know the one - almost made me pull my hair out.”
    • “Haha it's also one of the scariest games, mostly because of the vibes of the manor, the music, and the occasional sudden jump scares when someone/thing unexpected pops up.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    The reviews highlight that the game features a significant amount of tedious grinding, particularly due to its complex and cryptic puzzles that require excessive backtracking and repetitive mini-games. While some players appreciate the challenge and aesthetic, many find the experience overly drawn out and frustrating, detracting from the overall enjoyment. The combination of difficult puzzles and the need to remember extensive information contributes to a sense of tedium that overshadows the game's positive aspects.

    • “I love most of these games, but this one stood out as tedious and padded.”
    • “The puzzles were fun but it was overall a very, very tedious game.”
    • “The puzzles are tedious, and there is a ton of running back and forth on several of them - I assume to stretch out the length of the game.”
  • gameplay9 mentions

    Overall, the gameplay is praised for its engaging mechanics and challenging puzzles, complemented by a beautiful atmosphere and strong character development. However, some players find certain elements, like mini-games and navigation, detract from the experience, leading to frustration with unclear objectives and pacing. While it offers a rewarding challenge for puzzle enthusiasts, the gameplay can feel cumbersome and less fluid at times.

    • “The mechanics work well and the puzzles are decently challenging.”
    • “Beautiful atmosphere, great gameplay, and stellar characters.”
    • “Can get hard at times but overall great gameplay!”
    • “I like the aesthetic for this game; however, the amount of gameplay wasted on having to play the mini-games and talk to the parrot (or making cakes for the parrot) makes this game so much less fun.”
    • “The gameplay is not fluid; sometimes you do things without understanding why, other times you get stuck because you don't know what to do, and even your journal doesn't help.”
    • “I would have saved at least 2 hours of gameplay moving around a labyrinthine manor of dark, twisty tunnels only to discover that my solution wasn't correct and have to go running back.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by a cast of amusing characters, particularly a talking parrot and the posh Mrs. Drake, whose witty dialogue adds charm. Players appreciate the clever puzzles that are complemented by the game's lighthearted tone and entertaining voice acting, making for a delightful experience. Overall, the combination of a lavish environment and quirky characters contributes to the game's comedic appeal.

    • “A spooky English manor, fiendish puzzles... and a hilarious talking parrot.”
    • “The environment was lavish and gregarious--and Lou Lou was hilarious and my favorite character so far.”
    • “Mrs. Drake is delightfully posh and provides quite a bit of the humor in the game.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game has been reported to have several glitches and bugs, particularly on newer devices, which can hinder gameplay. Users have noted that it is an older title and may require additional troubleshooting to run smoothly.

    • “This game is old and can be a little buggy on newer devices.”
    • “I enjoy Nancy Drew games, but this one is so buggy.”
    • “I couldn't get it to run at first, and the recommended troubleshooting and fixes suggested in the help section weren't working.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the character development, particularly for Jane, lacks realism in design, which may detract from the overall immersion and relatability of the character.

    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me disappointed with their growth.”
    • “The dialogue and interactions between characters are often clichéd, which detracts from any potential development.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The overwhelmingly bright environments in the game evoke a sterile, hospital-like atmosphere, which detracts from emotional immersion and may leave players feeling disconnected rather than engaged.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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