Nancy Drew: Danger by Design
- October 10, 2009
- HeR Interactive
Platform Tested: PC Genre: Role Player Game (RPG) Rating: E (Mild Violence) Nancy Drew is sent to Paris on an undercover assignment to investigate the actions of Minette, an eccentric fashion designer who has been wearing a mask for months and behaving erratically. Along the way, she learns quite
Get on SteamIn "Nancy Drew: Danger by Design," players assume the role of detective Nancy Drew as she investigates strange behavior from famous fashion designer Minette in Paris. Explore the city, interrogate suspects, and solve puzzles related to fashion, photography, and more to uncover the truth. With the 'Second Chance' feature, players can correct mistakes along the way for a more enjoyable experience.
Reviews
- The Parisian setting and atmosphere are well-executed, immersing players in the fashion world.
- The game features a variety of enjoyable puzzles, with some being challenging yet satisfying to solve.
- The characters are quirky and memorable, adding humor and charm to the overall experience.
- The plot is convoluted and lacks cohesiveness, with many loose ends and an unsatisfying ending.
- Several puzzles can be tedious or frustrating, requiring unnecessary backtracking and item collection.
- The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to lost progress.
- story57 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it intriguing and atmospheric, particularly appreciating the setting in Paris and the character dynamics. However, many critiques highlight its convoluted plot, lack of cohesiveness, and unsatisfying ending, with several reviewers noting that it feels disjointed and filled with plot holes. While some elements, like the side plot involving Noisette, are praised, the overall narrative often leaves players feeling confused and underwhelmed.
“Beautiful backgrounds, an intriguing story, and enjoyable, challenging puzzles make it an excellent game for players who want to explore an atmospheric mystery set in Paris.”
“The story and mystery is also a bit muddled, with the game providing an endgame exposition dump to tie the whole thing together.”
“I really liked the overall story.”
“The plot is convoluted and, without spoiling, you spend a majority of your time doing something other than solving the mystery at hand.”
“The story really makes no sense at all.”
“The game has good puzzles, solid characters, a great setting, and some genuinely funny moments, but there is plenty of padding, the plot is a disjointed mess, and there are some genuinely annoying and tedious sections throughout.”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky characters, funny accents, and bizarre situations that often elicit genuine laughter, particularly during the climax and certain memorable scenes. While some moments are described as tedious or frustrating, the overall comedic elements, including over-the-top character antics and unexpected plot twists, contribute to an enjoyable experience. However, the humor is sometimes overshadowed by a disjointed plot and annoying gameplay sections.
“I loved the concurrent plotlines going on in this one and it's also extremely funny.”
“The climax and 'final boss' are one of the most hilariously bizarre I have ever seen in a video game.”
“Never heard anything like it, it's just so crazy and over-dramatized; it was hilarious and had me in tears!”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspects of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in tasks like puzzles and mini-games. While some enjoyed the humor and character interactions, many felt that these tedious elements detracted from the overall experience, leading to a disjointed and unsatisfying conclusion.
“The whole painting thing was a tedious chore.”
“Helping Dieter develop photos in his dark room was particularly tedious and irritating.”
“I found the storyline tedious, the mini game to make money too repetitive, and the conclusion very unsatisfying.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally considered outdated compared to modern standards, but they still manage to enhance the game's atmosphere and storytelling. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and artistic elements, others note that the visuals lack the polish of newer titles. Overall, the graphics do not detract significantly from the gameplay experience.
“I truly loved seeing Sonny's trail of notes and artwork again!”
“It's not a particularly scary game, but the graphics in some scenes (the windmill, the park, the catacombs, etc.) really make the game!”
“The graphics are very outdated, but the story and puzzles are still great.”
“The graphics hold up too - obviously they're not state of the art by today's standards but don't hold back out of fear that they'll hurt your eyes.”
“Not as new as other games, so the graphics and interface are outdated in comparison (not necessarily a con).”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally engaging, with enjoyable and satisfying puzzles that avoid repetitiveness. However, some players find the mystery aspect lacking, and there are frustrations related to receiving gameplay direction through character dialogue.
“The puzzles and gameplay are solid and fun.”
“The gameplay is engaging and keeps you on your toes.”
“This is frustrating, especially for those of us who get direction in gameplay from dialogue with other characters.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including bugs that can prevent essential dialogue from triggering, necessitating replaying sections. While there are some glitches in the puzzles, they are generally manageable and do not severely impact gameplay.
“Unfortunately, the game is very buggy; we had to replay most of it because one essential piece of dialogue wouldn't trigger.”
“There are a couple of glitches in the puzzles, but they are not showstoppers, and you can easily just guess the missing elements.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by its beautiful backgrounds, an intriguing story, and enjoyable yet challenging puzzles, creating an immersive experience for players exploring a mysterious setting in Paris.
“Beautiful backgrounds, an intriguing story, and enjoyable, challenging puzzles make it an excellent game for players who want to explore an atmospheric mystery set in Paris.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report issues with the game's music functionality, noting that while the music plays, the game itself fails to run properly on Windows 7.
“I have Windows 7, and it just won't run; I can only hear music.”
“The soundtrack is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel dull after a short time.”
“The music doesn't fit the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
