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Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill

79%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
grinding, stability
79% User Score Based on 560 reviews

Platforms

iPhoneiPhoneMac OSMac OSPCPCPhonePhoneWindowsWindowsMobile PlatformMobile PlatformiPadiPad

About

Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill REMASTERED is a first-person perspective, point-and-click adventure game where you play as Nancy Drew and investigate a murder at a local school. The game features 3D animated characters, each with a secret to protect, and offers new puzzles and storyline twists. With vintage Nancy Drew references and the choice between Junior or Senior Detective difficulty levels, players can enjoy a classic mystery game experience without the fear of starting over. Take risks and uncover the secrets hidden within the high school halls.

Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill screenshot
+4

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 560 reviews
story52 positive mentions
grinding22 negative mentions

  • A nostalgic experience for long-time fans of the series, capturing the essence of the original game.
  • The remastered graphics and voice acting provide a fresh take on the classic story.
  • A good introduction to the Nancy Drew series, with engaging puzzles and a fun mystery to solve.
  • The game is very short, taking only about 2-4 hours to complete, which may disappoint players looking for a longer experience.
  • Puzzles can be overly simplistic, making it feel more like a tutorial than a full-fledged game.
  • Some players experienced technical issues, including crashes and glitches that hindered gameplay.
  • story
    196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its straightforward murder mystery elements and pacing, while others criticize it for being cliché, lacking depth, and having an unsatisfying ending. The remastered version introduces some improvements and twists, but many feel it still falls short of delivering a compelling narrative, often feeling rushed or simplistic. Overall, while the game may appeal to newcomers or younger audiences, seasoned players might find the story lacking in complexity and engagement compared to more recent titles.

    • “I enjoyed the story and the sleuthing even though I finished the game in a few hours.”
    • “Very impressed - the story is deep enough and complex enough to keep your attention and sink your teeth into, the puzzles are interesting, clever, and logical.”
    • “The remaster helps the whole story to feel like it was leading somewhere rather than the slightly unfulfilling ending of the original version.”
    • “It's a classic since it's the first, but it's a major snoozefest plot-wise!”
    • “The ending feels like it comes out of nowhere, and it really feels like none of the stuff you do in the story logically connects to the final reveal.”
    • “The story is boring and the scenery and music are lacking.”
  • graphics
    64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the remastered Nancy Drew game are generally considered dated but still visually appealing, with some users appreciating the nostalgic charm despite minor glitches and bugs. While the graphics have improved compared to the original, they do not reach modern standards, leading to mixed feelings among players about their quality. Overall, the visuals are acceptable for a point-and-click adventure, and many players find them enjoyable within the context of the game's legacy.

    • “The graphics are definitely better - with a heavy uplift on character animation especially - and countless references to other games scattered around.”
    • “The graphics are also much better than the older Nancy Drew games, instead looking a lot like the new ones, and the storyline was not only superb, but also long enough to keep me entertained the whole way through!”
    • “It certainly helps that the graphics got a much needed face-lift.”
    • “To start off with, during playing, I was faced with an awful graphical glitch that caused intense flashing lights.”
    • “Just please stay away from this one if you're epileptic like me and end up with the same graphical glitch.”
    • “The graphics/animations were pretty cheesy, even by 2010 standards, and the voice acting was pretty bad.”
  • gameplay
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the remastered Nancy Drew title has received mixed reviews, with many noting that it has aged poorly compared to newer entries in the series, particularly in terms of gameplay loop and interface. While it serves as a good introduction for newcomers, the core mechanics remain largely unchanged from the original, leading to a shorter experience with fewer engaging puzzles. Despite some advancements in design, players feel that the remaster does not fully capitalize on modern gameplay expectations, leaving it feeling less satisfying than its successors.

    • “Voice acting, gameplay, and navigation were all stellar.”
    • “Just know that the later games have much richer gameplay with more intriguing characters, hard (and some almost impossible) puzzles, and fully fleshed out locales to explore.”
    • “The dialogue, story, and game mechanics are well done and have enabled this original classic of the Nancy Drew series to age well.”
    • “Overall, the game has aged poorly, particularly in regards to the gameplay loop.”
    • “I feel like I should have played the original version rather than the remastered, because then I'd be kinder to it for how bad it is, but seeing it with modern graphics and mechanics makes it feel worse.”
    • “So after four hours of gameplay, six puzzles in total, and a mediocre plot, I'm confident in saying it was a waste of my time.”
  • music
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising the intense and beautiful soundtracks that effectively build suspense, particularly in the library. However, others found certain music choices, such as random suspense cues during calm moments, to be annoying and poorly timed, detracting from the overall experience. Additionally, while some appreciated the nostalgic elements from previous games, there were complaints about audio synchronization issues and the inclusion of out-of-place tracks.

    • “The soundtrack, however, is excellent; I loved it so much that it sometimes sounded intense.”
    • “+ beautiful soundtracks.”
    • “On one hand, I really liked the environment and music, and I liked that the puzzles were thought-provoking and not just all frustrating like in many other games.”
    • “Like another user mentioned, the random suspense music for no reason is annoying and put me on edge.”
    • “As a heads up to new players, the music in the library might get kinda intense... you are not being timed or in any trouble, it was just a poor music choice that I wasted way too much time on.”
    • “The story is boring and the scenery and music are lacking.”
  • grinding
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and unengaging, with players noting that the puzzles often lack variety, being either too easy or overly laborious. Many reviewers express frustration with the repetitive exploration and uninteresting characters, which detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the game's low price and relaxing nature, the consensus is that it suffers from a lack of depth and engaging content.

    • “I would say it isn't one of my favorites though because of the tediousness of finding all the clues.”
    • “Unfortunately, there are not as many locations that you can explore thoroughly and it soon becomes tedious.”
    • “Secrets Can Kill is one of two Nancy Drew games to feature murder at the center of the mystery, but unfortunately, the plot disappears behind the tedious amounts of exploring you have to do to solve the big puzzle.”
  • humor
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing character interactions and witty dialogue, particularly Nancy's bluntness regarding serious topics like murder. Players appreciate the funny moments woven into the puzzles and story, with some even finding the graphics unintentionally humorous. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted experience amidst its crime-solving elements.

    • “The story is intriguing enough and the characters are funny in how hostile they are.”
    • “I also find Nancy's straightforward approach to asking about murder hilarious.”
    • “If you have some bucks loose on your sleeve, play a girly gumshoe and solve a crime, with some bright humorous moments... oh, and don't slip (pun).”
  • atmosphere
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in this Nancy Drew game is described as somewhat lacking in immersion, yet it still manages to create a unique and intense experience, particularly for a children's game. Reviewers noted a spooky ambiance that adds to the overall enjoyment, despite some confusion with the final puzzles. Overall, while not perfect, the atmosphere contributes positively to the mystery and learning elements of the game.

    • “It's weirdly atmospheric for a kids' game.”
    • “+ It had a spooky atmosphere that I enjoyed.”
    • “Every Nancy Drew game (with a few exceptions) is great and this one was at least a 6/10, the final few puzzles were too confusing for me, and the atmosphere and immersion aren't great but I enjoyed myself for the almost 4 hours I spent with this game.”
    • “This game in particular has a more realistic atmosphere that is a bit more intense compared to other Nancy Drew titles.”
  • stability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game exhibits some minor graphical glitches, bugs, and typos, but overall runs smoothly on Windows 10. While players have noted a number of glitches, they generally do not detract significantly from the overall experience, indicating a commendable effort in updating the original format.

    • “Runs great on Windows 10.”
    • “There are some minor graphical glitches and bugs, and some weird dialogue, with some minor typos, but I do see the effort they made updating the original to the new format.”
    • “It's short and pretty straightforward, and to be honest, there were a lot of glitches when I played, but the glitches were not enough to make me dislike the game.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is criticized for being lacking, with players noting minimal engagement and a straightforward experience that allowed them to complete the game in just a few hours.

    • “On the other hand, the character development was poor; there were hardly any choices to make, and I literally beat the game with little difficulty in about 3 hours.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a lack of emotional engagement due to the simplicity and scarcity of puzzles, leading to a sense of monotony and a feeling of merely going through the motions rather than experiencing a meaningful journey.

  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has limited replayability, with users noting that there isn't much incentive to play through it multiple times.

    • “Not a whole lot of replay value.”
    • “Not a whole lot of replay value.”

Buy Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill

3h Median play time
3h Average play time
3-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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