Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch

About

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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch screenshot

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 171 reviews

story29 positive mentions

grinding19 negative mentions

The game features an engaging story with interesting characters and a nostalgic western theme that appeals to long-time fans of the series.
Puzzles are enjoyable and varied, with some being educational, such as baking and gardening, which adds a fun and interactive element to the gameplay.
The game has a charming atmosphere, enhanced by a great soundtrack that captures the essence of the ranch setting.

Many players found the repetitive chores, such as saddling the horse and picking vegetables, to be tedious and detracting from the overall experience.
Some puzzles are frustratingly finicky or based on luck, leading to moments of annoyance and requiring players to rely on walkthroughs.
The game can feel overly linear and may not provide enough guidance, resulting in confusion and backtracking that disrupts the flow of the story.

story
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
43%
5%
The game's story is a captivating blend of romantic tragedy and mystery, revolving around themes of love, betrayal, and hidden treasure, which keeps players engaged despite some repetitive gameplay elements. While opinions on character depth and plot complexity vary, many players appreciate the intriguing narrative and its integration with puzzles, making it a standout aspect of the game. Overall, the story is often described as wholesome and entertaining, with a nostalgic charm that resonates with players.
- “Even though it is one of the older games, you quickly forget about the graphics, because the puzzles and good story will keep you invested until the end.”
- “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 plot is not as coocoo as the previous entry, but it's still not believable.”
- “In order for the culprit's plot to work, no one in the game can act like a rational human being.”
- “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
19 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 tasks, such as saddling and unsaddling the horse for every minor action. Many found the puzzles to be either mindless or excessively reliant on luck, contributing to an overall experience that felt more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. This repetitiveness detracted from the enjoyment of the game, leading to a sense of annoyance and fatigue among players.
- “It's already bad enough that you gotta suss out the ingredient ratios in a tedious and boring sequence.”
- “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'.”
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.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay offers a solid 10-15 hours of entertainment, featuring straightforward puzzles and an engaging story, though it can become repetitive and tedious at times. Players noted that some mechanics, like the traveling system and certain puzzles, can be frustrating and require excessive clicks and transitions. Despite these drawbacks, the game is still considered a strong entry in the series, with enjoyable additions and lore.
- “The story, gameplay, and puzzles kept me very entertained and were very straightforward.”
- “Like most of this series, it's probably 10-15 hours of gameplay on the first go-through (assuming you don't use a walkthrough), and half of that on replay.”
- “Despite the flaws, it's a great game in the series, with many good gameplay additions, lore, and most of the puzzles.”
- “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.”
- “The puzzles can be atrocious (the fricken veggie picking), and some of the game mechanics can be tedious (taking off Bob's saddle every time, and having to return it to the storage room every time).”
- “A classic that still holds up, even if the gameplay can get a bit repetitive at times.”
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.”
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, which slightly detracts 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 and enjoyable qualities, featuring a mix of great music and a lighter, more jovial tone compared to other titles in the genre.
- “The story is amazing, the puzzles are great, and the atmosphere and music are captivating.”
- “The atmosphere is lighter and more jovial than some of the others.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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 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 its diverse character paths and hidden secrets, I find myself coming back for more.”

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

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