Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake

About

In "Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake," players assume the role of Nancy Drew to investigate a mysterious pack of glowing-eyed dogs guarding their master's secrets in a cemetery and speakeasy. The game features first-person perspective exploration, puzzle-solving, and interrogations. Players can choose between Junior or Senior Detective difficulty levels. Additional activities include bird photography and bug collecting.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake screenshot

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 229 reviews

story34 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

Engaging story with a spooky atmosphere and interesting characters.
Puzzles are fun and manageable, providing a good balance of challenge without being overly difficult.
Nostalgic experience for long-time fans of the series, with improvements in user-friendliness like the PDA for notes.

Navigation through the forest maze can be tedious and frustrating, requiring excessive backtracking.
Some puzzles feel more like chores, detracting from the overall mystery-solving experience.
The game lacks depth in character development and the mystery can be predictable.

story
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
39%
9%
The game's story is generally praised for its engaging and nostalgic elements, with many players appreciating the mystery and character development, despite some criticism regarding the limited number of characters and occasional tedious tasks. While the plot is described as intriguing and well-paced, some reviewers noted that it could have benefited from deeper exploration and more complex puzzles. Overall, the narrative successfully captivates players, making it a highlight of the experience.
- “An absolute masterclass of storytelling and mystery solving.”
- “The story was super interesting and I liked the environment of Moon Lake!”
- “The story alone will keep you playing, not to mention the complex puzzles and nocturnal terrors!”
- “The plot was rather lacking considering there were really only three people that you saw in person.”
- “The puzzles seemed a little less purposeful this time around as it seemed like they were trying to find excuses for you to solve puzzles instead of making it an important part of the story.”
- “This game has less puzzles than the other ones I've played and instead relied on the maze and silly side quests for that confusing/time-wasting element which was disappointing.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to create a relaxing and immersive atmosphere, with a standout soundtrack that complements the game's themes. However, some players noted inconsistencies in the timing of the music, which occasionally detracted from the experience, particularly when the mood shifted between lighthearted and ominous. Overall, while the music enhances the ambiance, certain tracks can become repetitive or misaligned with the game's events.
- “The music and atmosphere are relaxing.”
- “There is an ominous piece of swing music that plays whenever you investigate at night, and it perfectly fits the 'ghostly gangster' theme that the game is going for.”
- “The music really sets the atmosphere.”
- “The music seemed to be poorly timed, playing tense/spooky music when there was nothing happening, or it was broad daylight, while playing peaceful music during creepier moments.”
- “There were some other issues like the annoying bird and bug chores, the fact that the ghost dogs only show up once, and that I thought the mood of the game was a bit stretched between its two themes--most glaringly pointed out in the soundtrack which bounces between moody mobster jazz and Disney forest frolicking.”
- “It's not puzzle heavy and you get used to the wood maze fairly quickly; I love the ambiance that the location and music sets.”
atmosphere
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
38%
15%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its spooky and engaging qualities, enhanced by beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds and a fitting musical score. Players appreciate the blend of mystery, historical elements, and the presence of ghostly dogs, which contribute to a captivating and eerie setting. Overall, the atmosphere effectively immerses players in a fun yet haunting experience, although some moments may disrupt the tension.
- “I particularly enjoy the atmosphere of this entry in the series.”
- “I love the cast, the setting, the history of Malone, the fact that you are haunted by ghost doggos, and the overall eerie atmosphere.”
- “This combined with a labyrinth-forest and spooky cemetery creates a really cool atmosphere for the beginning of the game.”
- “When the dog attack comes though it dispels most of this atmosphere.”
- “But I found the puzzles engaging (even if very chore-heavy), the atmosphere really effective, even quite spooky at times for such an early game, and the characters pretty fun.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising them as the best in the series while others find them dated and rough, reflecting the game's age. Despite the graphical limitations, many players appreciate the engaging storyline and challenging puzzles, suggesting that the visuals do not detract significantly from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics may not impress by modern standards, they still hold a nostalgic charm for fans of the series.
- “Graphics are easily the best the series has to offer so far.”
- “I was pleasantly surprised with the graphics and the storyline was very intriguing, as were the characters.”
- “As this is an older title in the library, I won't be too harsh on the graphics.”
- “Aesthetically, this game is quite ugly.”
- “The graphics on this game are just too old.”
- “Graphics are a little rough and you may have to play around with the resolution a bit since the game originally ran on an older version of Windows.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to excessive backtracking and lengthy fetch quests. While some enjoy the intuitive puzzles and find later playthroughs more enjoyable, many feel that the repetitive tasks and slow-paced missions detract from the overall experience.
- “The game makes a habit of sending you running around a specific section which can be overly tedious for some, as well as the tasks you have to do could be long and drawn out, especially if it's your first time playing, which may leave some people more frustrated.”
- “Navigating through the forest maze and doing the fetch quests in it is tedious.”
- “I found this to be tedious and a bit frustrating, especially since it was used at multiple points in the game.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
13%
38%
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring improved movement mechanics and a helpful detective's log that enhances the experience. While some players note instances of padding, the engaging story and logical puzzles compensate for any shortcomings, making it a worthwhile adventure with enjoyable exploration elements. Overall, the gameplay is rated highly, with many praising its blend of exploration and puzzle-solving.
- “This one introduced the detective's log, which is a very helpful mechanic in the game.”
- “Gameplay: 9.5/10 excellent.”
- “As far as the complaints go, the game unfortunately employs some padding to stretch the gameplay.”
- “I was worried that the older mechanics would be annoying, but the story and puzzles are good enough to make up for it.”
- “Logical puzzles, engrossing story, and productive gameplay make this a worthwhile adventure game.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is highlighted by witty dialogue and engaging character interactions, particularly through the snarky persona of Red Knott, a misanthropic character with a fondness for birds. The dynamic between Jeff Akers and other characters adds to the comedic tension, making the exploration of the fun location even more enjoyable. Overall, the humor is a significant strength, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Hilarious dialogue between characters, great suspects, somewhat easy to solve clues, and a fun location to explore were all pluses!”
- “Red Knott is a delightfully snarky 'grumpy old man' who provides quite a bit of humor to the game with his love of birds and general misanthropy.”
- “Jeff Akers is a pain in the ass, and his relationship with the other characters is hilariously tempestuous.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences notable stability issues, including glitches that can reset ongoing puzzles when accessing notes, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these problems, players still find the game enjoyable.
- “Two things that bothered me: the game has some glitches, like if you opened your notes to look at something, it would reset any puzzle you were working on.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
Character development has shown noticeable improvement in recent titles, with enhanced attention to detail in character design and animation, particularly highlighted in the character Red Knott. However, the budget constraints of the games are still evident.
- “It's still obvious these games are made on a budget, but Her Interactive has really improved over the first few titles, not just in the attention to detail in the environments but in the character design and animation, Red Knott in particular.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way throughout the game.”
- “The interactions between characters often feel forced, which detracts from any potential growth or development.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game includes humorous parody advertisements, such as those mimicking Antique's Roadshow and PBS, which adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the engaging story and beautiful setting, they express disappointment in the limited character roster and feel that the narrative could be more developed. Additionally, certain gameplay elements, like the bug-catching puzzle, evoke discomfort, impacting the overall enjoyment.
- “The emotional depth of the story really resonated with me, making me feel connected to the characters and their struggles.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the narrative; it brought out feelings I didn't expect to experience while playing a game.”
- “The game beautifully captures the essence of human emotions, making every decision feel impactful and significant.”