Nancy Drew: Sea of Darkness
- February 2, 2017
- HeR Interactive
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Apple StoreIn "Nancy Drew: Sea of Darkness" , players assume the role of detective Nancy Drew as they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a ship's captain in an Icelandic town. They will solve puzzles, interrogate suspects, and uncover secrets about the ship's past while learning about Icelandic culture and seafaring traditions. The game offers adjustable difficulty levels, providing a suitable challenge for both amateur and expert sleuths. Please note, this game is not compatible with Mac operating systems higher than Mojave.
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Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and an immersive atmosphere, particularly with its Icelandic setting and stunning visuals.
- The puzzles are challenging and engaging, providing a good mix of difficulty that keeps players invested in the gameplay.
- The characters are well-developed with interesting backstories, and the storyline is intriguing, keeping players guessing until the end.
- Many puzzles are repetitive and heavily focused on math or Sudoku-like mechanics, which can become tedious and frustrating for some players.
- The plot can feel predictable and lacks depth, with some players finding the resolution unsatisfying or the culprit too obvious.
- Navigation can be clunky, and some puzzle instructions are poorly worded, leading to confusion and reliance on external guides.
- story68 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game received mixed reviews, with many players praising its intriguing plot, well-developed characters, and immersive settings. While some found the narrative compelling and engaging, others felt it lacked depth or excitement, often overshadowed by the abundance of puzzles. Overall, the game is recommended for its strong storytelling elements, despite some critiques regarding pacing and plot complexity.
“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 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 felt like the plot fell a little flat—like there could have been more added to the story.”
“I could have done with a few more story beats and maybe a few more establishing moments of Captain Lawrence and his story, as I didn't feel as much of an attachment to the historical narrative as I feel I could have.”
“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.”
- graphics27 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics in the latest Nancy Drew game have received widespread praise for their beauty and improvement over previous titles, featuring stunning visuals such as the northern lights and detailed character models. Many players appreciate the nostalgic art style that maintains the charm of earlier games while enhancing the overall atmosphere. Overall, the graphics are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience, despite not reaching the level of AAA titles.
“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.”
“The visuals and the music gave the game a very strong sense of place.”
“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, dialogs, and characters were good here.”
“With better graphics, more sass, and tension between Nancy and her beloved Ned, you must dig deep in the ice for answers to a generations-old mystery.”
- music22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and immersive quality, enhancing the overall atmosphere and storytelling. Players appreciate the enchanting soundtrack, including standout vocal pieces and thematic tunes that complement the engaging puzzles and dynamic characters. Overall, the music is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and sense of place.
“The background music was beautiful and immersive, and the extra, just-for-fun dialogue and games are great if you want to enjoy the story a little longer.”
“The music is enchanting and thematic, and the puzzles are a blast!”
“Beautiful imagery and a fantastic soundtrack you just want to stop and listen to.”
“I couldn't even figure out the music box one, and I can read music.”
“I enjoyed them a lot, most of them were pretty challenging but there was only one that had me throwing my hands in the air and resorting to a walkthrough (not necessarily because it was unsolvable but because I just can't with reading musical notes).”
“The visuals and the music gave the game a very strong sense of place.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and nostalgic qualities, combining beautiful art and sound design that evoke a sense of adventure. Players appreciate the vivid settings, dynamic characters, and enchanting music, which together create a cozy and captivating experience. Overall, the game is noted for its strong atmosphere that enhances the storytelling and gameplay.
“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 her 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.”
“I highly recommend it to Nancy Drew fans and people who seek out adventure games with a strong atmosphere to explore.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a strong emphasis on puzzles, which some players find intriguing and well-designed, while others criticize it for being overly repetitive and obstructive to progress. Many users feel that the abundance of puzzles detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration rather than engagement. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some appreciating the challenge and others feeling overwhelmed by the mechanics.
“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!”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by snarky and witty dialogue, particularly from characters like Dagny and Soren, who add a blend of sympathy and comedy. Players appreciate the unique and engaging personalities, as well as the clever writing that includes contemporary, meme-worthy moments. Overall, the humor is seen as a strong point, enhancing the game's atmosphere and character interactions.
“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.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by touching character storylines, particularly the heartwarming relationship between Ned and Nancy, which is enhanced by a beautiful score. The narrative effectively captures moments of love and tension, creating a poignant atmosphere where characters frequently face life-threatening situations and emotional turmoil.
“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.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
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.”
