Nancy Drew: Sea of Darkness

About

In "Nancy Drew: Sea of Darkness," players assume the role of detective Nancy Drew as she investigates the mysterious disappearance of the Heerlijkheid's captain. The ship, once the centerpiece of a local festival, now serves as an eerie reminder of the unknown. Players will uncover secrets and navigate through Icelandic folklore and legends to solve the Sea of Darkness's mystery.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 186 reviews

story49 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a captivating Icelandic setting, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
The storyline is engaging with well-developed characters, providing a mix of humor and emotional depth.
The puzzles are challenging and varied, offering a satisfying experience for players who enjoy problem-solving.

Many puzzles are repetitive and heavily focused on math or Sudoku-like mechanics, which can become tedious.
The voice acting and character interactions are often criticized for being less charming and engaging compared to earlier entries in the series.
Some players found the game overly reliant on puzzles, leading to a lack of narrative flow and immersion.

story
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
32%
4%
The game's story is generally praised for its intriguing plot, well-developed characters, and immersive setting, with many players appreciating the balance between narrative and puzzles. However, some reviewers felt the plot could have been more engaging or complex, with a few noting that the puzzles sometimes overshadowed the storyline. Overall, while the story has its strengths, opinions vary on its depth and excitement compared to previous entries in the series.
- “The story, characters, music, and setting are all top notch.”
- “The storylines are so fun and intriguing—I still can't figure out who the culprit is until the end!”
- “The story line is realistic and absorbing, the characters are dynamic and unique, the animation and effects are superb, the atmosphere is immersive and stunning.”
- “I felt like the plot fell a little flat—like there could have been more added to the story; however, it's not a poorly made game either.”
- “The storyline with Ned was a little confusing.”
- “In general, the plot was a bit more mediocre than some of the other games—I suspected the guilty party immediately and the climax felt a bit stunted.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
13%
10%
The graphics in this game have received widespread acclaim for their beauty and improvement over previous titles in the series, with particular praise for the stunning visuals of the northern lights and ice caves. Players appreciate the cozy atmosphere and nostalgic art style, which enhances the overall experience despite the focus on puzzles and story. While not on par with AAA titles, the graphics are considered the best in the Nancy Drew series, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersion.
- “Love this game, super beautiful graphics; I often took time to stop and look at the northern lights.”
- “This game hands-down has the best graphics I've ever seen in a Nancy Drew game - from the gorgeous northern lights in the sky to the stunning ice caves to the characters themselves, the graphics were absolutely beautiful in my opinion.”
- “The graphics are beautiful - especially the northern lights and the ice caves.”
- “Though not on par with AAA games by any means, the graphics are an improvement from the older games, and I think they looked nice.”
- “But since graphics are definitely not the most important part of Nancy Drew games, I was glad that the plot, dialogues, and characters were good here.”
- “That being said, it is still worth playing for atmosphere and graphics alone.”
music
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
22%
11%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and immersive quality, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience. Players highlight the fantastic soundtrack, including a memorable vocal song during the credits, and note that the music complements the engaging storyline and dynamic characters. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The soundtrack for this game is fantastic and only lends to the atmosphere.”
- “Beautiful imagery and a fantastic soundtrack you just want to stop and listen to.”
- “The music, particularly the one vocal song, is great!”
- “The sprightly fiddle tune that plays in the community center, the adventurous music on board the ship, and the beautiful finale song are highlights.”
- “I couldn't even figure out the music box puzzle, and I can read music.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and nostalgic qualities, enhanced by a fantastic soundtrack and beautiful art style reminiscent of classic adventure games. Players appreciate the vivid settings, dynamic characters, and engaging storylines that contribute to a cozy and captivating experience. Overall, the combination of enchanting music, stunning graphics, and well-crafted environments creates a compelling atmosphere that draws players in.
- “The soundtrack for this game is fantastic and only lends to the atmosphere.”
- “The story line is realistic and absorbing, the characters are dynamic and unique, the animation and effects are superb, the atmosphere is immersive and stunning, the music is enchanting and thematic, and the puzzles are a blast!”
- “It's atmospheric (the last to be made with its proprietary game engine) and is just calming to play with the beautiful Icelandic setting.”
- “The atmosphere is very well done.”
- “That being said, it is still worth playing for atmosphere and graphics alone.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay is characterized by a strong emphasis on puzzles, which some players find engaging and well-designed, while others criticize it for being overly repetitive and obstructive to progress. Many reviews highlight the intriguing nature of the puzzles, but also express frustration with the sheer volume of them early in the game, which can detract from overall enjoyment. Overall, while the gameplay mechanics are improved compared to older titles, the balance between puzzle-solving and narrative engagement remains a point of contention.
- “I wasn't very invested in the story, but the puzzles and gameplay are quite good.”
- “Love this series, always has perfect puzzles that are intriguing enough and everything can be found through gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is interesting, and the phone conversations are strong.”
- “The one problem is that as soon as you start, you run into a dozen small puzzles obstructing your progress that you spend the rest of the game chasing down codes and solutions for, which take up over 90% of the gameplay.”
- “-very repetitive gameplay”
- “I just can't stand this many puzzles popping up within 30 minutes of gameplay!”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by snarky and witty characters, particularly Dagny and Soren, who provide a blend of sympathy and comedy. Players appreciate the clever writing, with memorable and contemporary jokes that enhance the engaging narrative and unique character interactions. Overall, the humor is described as genuinely funny, contributing to the game's charm and atmosphere.
- “Soren (who is gay as the day is long) provides quite a bit of humor in this game, while also being extremely sympathetic.”
- “I found the characters to be interesting and unique people I actually looked forward to talking to; the story was intriguing, the setting vivid and atmospheric, and the humor and general self-awareness were genuinely funny!”
- “I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of writing - there were some pretty funny, almost meme-worthy bits that felt really up-to-date.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by poignant character storylines, particularly the heartwarming relationship between Ned and Nancy, which is enhanced by a beautiful score. Players note that the narrative effectively captures moments of love and tension, often placing characters in high-stakes emotional situations.
- “The storylines of some of the characters felt more emotional, which could have also been attributed to the beautiful score that set the scene very well.”
- “Ned and Nancy's story is quite heartwarming and sweet.”
- “His monologue to Nancy is extremely touching and it only served to remind me how much we tend to overlook the fact that Nancy and Ned are very much in love.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews on grinding highlight a mixed experience; while some players find certain puzzles annoying and tedious, others appreciate the variety and engaging nature of the challenges, suggesting that the grinding aspect can vary significantly based on individual preferences.
- “As always, some of the puzzles are annoying and tedious.”

Buy Nancy Drew: Sea of Darkness

9h Median play time

9h Average play time

9-9h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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