Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice

About

In Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice, players solve puzzles and gather evidence as detective Nancy Drew, exploring the beautiful city of Venice, Italy. The plot involves a phantom threatening to destabilize Venice's cultural gems, and Nancy must uncover the truth behind the masked figure while immersing herself in the local culture. Players can choose from two difficulty levels, making this game approachable for newcomers and challenging for experienced adventure game enthusiasts.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice screenshot

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 164 reviews

story30 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful Venetian setting with engaging characters and a fun storyline.
The puzzles are varied and challenging, with the Scopa card game being a standout highlight.
The atmosphere, music, and cultural elements add depth to the gameplay, making it enjoyable for both fans and newcomers.

Many mini-games, particularly Scopa and the dancing, can be tedious and frustrating, requiring repetitive play.
The navigation can feel clunky, with some puzzles being overly complicated or not intuitive.
The story lacks depth in character development, and some players found the overall mystery to be predictable.

story
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
35%
6%
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging plot, interesting characters, and beautiful setting, while others find it shallow or predictable. Many appreciate the balance of puzzles and narrative, though some criticize the navigation and pacing, feeling that gameplay is sacrificed for story. Overall, the storyline is seen as a highlight for many, contributing to a compelling experience despite some frustrations with character development and plot execution.
- “Beautiful setting, interesting characters, great story line.”
- “The story is one of the best in the series and is complemented by interesting characters and perfectly leveled puzzles.”
- “The story was an interesting one and the rendered images of Venice, Italy, are rather pretty.”
- “The actual gameplay is boring and the story is also boring.”
- “The puzzles and games felt repetitive, there was little for Nancy to do (and few helpful hints) throughout, and the story felt so far-fetched that the finale felt unearned.”
- “Storyline is very weak and not much character development for anyone.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, with many puzzles and mini-games described as overly challenging or unenjoyable. While some puzzles are appreciated for their difficulty, a significant number are criticized for being repetitive and lacking in reward, leading to a less satisfying gameplay experience.
- “The mini-games themselves are tedious and not even fun.”
- “Several tedious puzzles involving correct timing that make the game nearly impossible at points.”
- “There were a few parts that were tedious and downright unenjoyable, like a puzzle where you literally match colors for 30 minutes or a card playing minigame where your opponent has unskippable annoying lines counting the number of points you each get.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and unengaging, often describing it as boring and linear. While some appreciate the game mechanics and inventory system, others criticize the pacing and the balance of gameplay elements, suggesting that the focus on story detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as lacking depth and excitement, particularly for an adventure game that is meant to be completed in a few hours.
- “I like the game mechanics, inventory system, and pacing of the story.”
- “It's a great game with fun, easy gameplay.”
- “Note: my review has very minor gameplay spoilers (mini-game related but no culprit giveaways, so don't worry!)”
- “The actual gameplay is boring and the story is also boring.”
- “In fact, most of the gameplay can be described as tedious or confusing.”
- “It's sacrificed gameplay for story and doesn't pull it off.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
13%
38%
The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with a standout soundtrack that complements the setting and characters. Players appreciate the variety of Italian songs performed by gondoliers and find the music integral to the overall experience, contributing to the game's charm and immersion. Overall, the combination of engaging music and a captivating story makes it a favorite among players.
- “Love the soundtrack and the suspects.”
- “The atmosphere and music are top tier.”
- “Definitely in my top 3 favorite Nancy Drew games - great atmosphere (scenery and music), great story and characters, and you get to do a lot of spy-like tasks.”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel stale after a while.”
- “While the setting is beautiful, the soundtrack doesn't do it justice and feels out of place.”
- “The songs played by the gondoliers become annoying after a few rounds, as they don't change and get stuck in your head for all the wrong reasons.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive and detailed environment, particularly the enchanting Italian setting featuring gondolas, carnivals, and authentic cultural elements. Reviewers highlight the top-tier music and the engaging characters, which collectively enhance the overall experience and contribute to a captivating and suspenseful narrative.
- “I liked the game overall due to the Italian atmosphere: gondolas, carnival, masks, gelato, Italian words, and the game of scopa.”
- “Just like DBD, it's very immersive and atmospheric, and I loved all the small details that really enhance the environment!”
- “The atmosphere and music are top tier.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the game suffers from minimal character development, with players expressing disappointment in the weak storyline and lack of depth for the characters. This has contributed to a negative overall impression, making it one of the least favored entries in the series.
- “So far, this is my least favorite game of all time. There is very little character development, and I hated the puzzles at the end.”
- “The storyline is very weak, and there is not much character development for anyone.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The graphics are generally considered acceptable and decent, with smooth performance even on older hardware, which is a notable advantage for players.
- “The graphics are decent, and the game itself runs smoothly, even on an older laptop, which is a plus.”
- “The graphics were acceptable.”
- “The graphics are decent and the game itself runs smoothly, even on an older laptop, which is a plus.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly even on older hardware, which is a significant advantage. However, the frequent backtracking to the map after completing performances can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- “The graphics are decent and the game itself runs smoothly, even on an older laptop, which is a plus.”
- “Every time you finish a performance, you're kicked back out to the map, forcing you to turn around, re-enter the theater, and click on the curtain again. It's tedious and disrupts the flow of the game.”
- “The optimization is lacking; the constant backtracking after each performance feels unnecessary and frustrating.”
- “The repetitive process of returning to the map after every performance really hampers the overall experience and makes the game feel disjointed.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the humor in the side stories and find the closet feature particularly amusing, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience enhanced by the game's music.
- “The side stories were funny, and I loved the music.”
- “The closet feature was great and funny.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the monetization model that allows them to enjoy the game without ads after saving their progress, indicating a positive reception towards the ad-free experience.
- “You can save your progress and return to play scopa anytime, without any ads.”
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't disrupt the gameplay experience.”
- “I appreciate that there are no paywalls, allowing everyone to enjoy the game fully.”