Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch

About

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch is a single player action game with a mystery theme. It was developed by HeR Interactive and was released on January 9, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

In Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch, players become the famous teen detective Nancy Drew and investigate a series of mysterious events at a ranch in Arizona. They'll explore the ranch, interact with characters, and solve puzzles to uncover the truth behind the legend of the Masked Rider. The game is a point-and-click mystery adventure with a western theme, offering a compelling story and diverse challenges for players of all skill levels.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch screenshot

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 187 reviews

story30 positive mentions

grinding22 negative mentions

The game features a charming story with interesting characters and a nostalgic Western setting that many players enjoy.
Puzzles are engaging and provide a good mix of challenge, with some players appreciating the educational elements related to cooking and gardening.
The game has a strong sense of adventure, with players enjoying the exploration of the expansive map and the various activities available.

The gameplay is often criticized for being tedious, particularly due to repetitive tasks like saddling and unsaddling the horse and performing daily chores.
Many players found the puzzles to be frustratingly unclear or overly complicated, leading to confusion and the need for walkthroughs.
The character development is seen as lacking, with some characters described as flat and uninteresting, detracting from the overall experience.

story
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
43%
7%
The story in this game is generally well-received, featuring an intriguing mix of romance, adventure, and treasure hunting, though some players find it easy to get stuck due to missed triggers. While the narrative is engaging and the characters are enjoyable, the puzzles are often criticized for their simplicity and repetitiveness, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many players appreciate the charming atmosphere and the way the story unfolds, making it a memorable installment in the series.
- “A genuinely interesting story with fun puzzles and a horse named Bob.”
- “The story of fated lovers is sweet and tragic, and the search for hidden treasure makes it all the more intriguing!”
- “Great story, great characters, and the puzzles are written into the story instead of just random minigames, which I appreciate.”
- “The storyline is very easy to stall in; you can accidentally miss a trigger very easily and end up getting stuck somewhere without realizing what you missed in order to get to the next part of the story.”
- “I didn't like the characters, the story, or the puzzles.”
- “The puzzles are simply not there, which is what I enjoy so much about these games, and the story between old lovers was not compelling enough for me.”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tedious and repetitive nature, with players expressing frustration over the constant back-and-forth travel and the necessity of performing mundane tasks, such as saddling and unsaddling the horse. Many found the puzzles to be overly simplistic or frustratingly luck-based, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game. Overall, the grinding elements are seen as a significant drawback, leading to a less engaging experience.
- “I found this to be so tedious I just started shamelessly using walkthroughs because I was so annoyed.”
- “The mandatory 'chores' you have to do to go out riding are tedious, requiring the player to backtrack constantly to complete them.”
- “The puzzles range from mindless sorting to annoying tile-sliders, all the way to 'solve this mini-game based entirely on luck that relies on teeth-grinding patience and/or save-scumming instead of any actual skill'.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
42%
33%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of frustration and enjoyment, with many players finding puzzles unclear and mechanics, particularly horse riding and inventory management, convoluted and tedious. While some appreciate the overall entertainment value and story engagement, others criticize the repetitive nature of tasks and the complexity of certain mechanics, suggesting that improvements could enhance the experience. Despite these issues, the game is still regarded as a solid entry in the series, offering a decent amount of gameplay time.
- “It's worth the price too - you get a decent amount of gameplay in.”
- “The story, gameplay, and puzzles kept me very entertained and were very straightforward.”
- “Despite the flaws, it's a great game in the series, with many good gameplay additions, lore, and most of the puzzles.”
- “Some of the puzzles are very unclear and clunky, and the horse riding mechanic is not intuitive at all.”
- “I don't know what they were thinking, the new inventory system is horrible, most voice actors are just weird (why is the horse guy doing ASMR?), and then the horse riding mechanic (or should I say the mechanic that will enable you to ride a horse) is so convoluted that I just couldn't get into it.”
- “It's all just a busywork simulator, with even the most basic puzzles requiring about 12 mouse clicks and three area transitions to even trigger, not counting the (thankfully short) dialogue trees, or the horrendous cellphone mechanics.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The music in this game is widely praised, with many players considering it the best in the Nancy Drew series, featuring a cheerful ranch vibe and an eerie electric guitar for ghost town exploration. The catchy tunes enhance the overall atmosphere, making it a highlight for players who often revisit the soundtrack. However, there are a few mixed opinions, with some players expressing less enthusiasm for certain tracks.
- “The soundtrack in this game ranks very highly for me; it gives you that cheerful ranch feeling when you're at Shadow Ranch, and an ominous electric guitar sound when you're out exploring the ghost town alone.”
- “The music is always a highlight in each game; I would just sit there for a bit listening and enjoying the cheery tunes.”
- “The soundtrack is my absolute favorite of all the Nancy Drew scores, and I'll listen to it frequently.”
- “I wasn't a big fan of the music.”
- “Knowing I will shell out the funds in the dead of winter like a meth addict, my body quaking and shuddering in need for the soundtrack, the voice acting, the wood chopping, the bob.”
- “The music for areas outside of the ranch is really nice, though.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The graphics of the game, while considered outdated by modern standards, evoke nostalgia for players familiar with 90s aesthetics. Despite some criticism regarding their quality, many reviewers feel that the engaging puzzles and storyline compensate for any visual shortcomings, making the overall experience enjoyable.
- “However, it is redeemable with the adorable storyline and pleasing graphics.”
- “The plot is very interesting, the characters are fun to interact with, and the graphics are fine.”
- “Other than tasks, I didn't like being kicked out because of the poor graphics.”
- “The graphics will leave you feeling nostalgic (at least if you're a 90's kid like me), and it can't be compared to the more recent games in this franchise.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is noted for its excellent replayability, similar to other titles in the Nancy Drew series, encouraging players to revisit the experience multiple times.
- “Like so many of the Nancy Drew series, this one has excellent replay value.”
- “The game offers multiple endings and choices that make each playthrough feel unique.”
- “With various character paths and hidden secrets, I find myself coming back for more every time.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be emotionally engaging, praising its wholesome story and well-developed characters, often rating it highly. However, some express minor frustrations with repetitive tasks, slightly detracting from the overall emotional experience.
- “Awesome and very wholesome game. I really like the story of the game, and the characters are very well put together. 10/10.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its engaging music and overall quality, with a notably lighter and more jovial tone compared to other titles in the genre.
- “The story is amazing, the puzzles are great, and the atmosphere and music are fantastic.”
- “The atmosphere is lighter and more jovial than some of the others.”

Skip Game Offers

Buy Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch

36h Median play time

29h Average play time

15-43h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch

94%412reviews

Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake

2009

Action

89%372reviews

Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor

2009

Action

79%294reviews

Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill

2011

Puzzle

97%572reviews

Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon

2009

Puzzle

82%377reviews

Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge

2011

Puzzle

More games like Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch is a action game with mystery theme.

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 29 hours playing Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch.

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch was released on January 9, 2017.

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch was developed by HeR Interactive.

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch is a single player game.

Similar games include Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake, Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor, Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill, Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon, Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge and others.

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch

Platforms

Buy Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch