Nancy Drew: The Shattered Medallion

About

Nancy Drew and George compete on the reality TV show "Pacific Run" in New Zealand, hosted by the elusive Sonny Joon. As mishaps and cheating become rampant, Nancy must solve puzzles and collect medallion pieces to uncover the truth behind the show's chaos, while also navigating alliances and rivalries with fellow contestants. Explore New Zealand's culture and landmarks along the way.

Genres & Tags

Adventure

Play Modes

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

Nancy Drew: The Shattered Medallion screenshot

51%

Audience ScoreBased on 170 reviews

story26 positive mentions

graphics2 negative mentions

The game features a fun and quirky dialogue that can be quite humorous at times.
The puzzles are challenging and enjoyable, providing a satisfying gameplay experience.
The unique reality show setting adds a fresh twist to the traditional Nancy Drew formula.

The plot is confusing and lacks coherence, making it difficult to follow the storyline.
Many characters feel underdeveloped and uninteresting, detracting from the overall experience.
The game is overly linear, with little incentive to engage deeply with the challenges or characters.

story
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it disjointed, confusing, and lacking coherence compared to previous Nancy Drew titles. While some appreciated the quirky characters and humor, others criticized the plot as contrived and unsatisfying, often feeling like a series of unrelated puzzles rather than a cohesive narrative. Overall, the storyline appears to be the weakest aspect of the game, leaving fans of the series disappointed.
- “I think the plot was multi-faceted, the characters were fun to talk to, and the puzzles were satisfying.”
- “Good, solid story, albeit a little out of this world ;) the puzzles were very hard and therefore, as usual, very in style with Miss Nancy Drew.”
- “Finally meeting the mysterious Sonny Joon was awesome, as was the depth of his backstory and quest.”
- “The story was a hot mess and entirely contrived.”
- “The plot is nonexistent, the characters and their motivations are strange, I have no idea where I am supposed to go or what I am supposed to be doing, and the game is almost entirely boring puzzles.”
- “The story seemed all over the place, like it was missing pieces, and was hard to follow.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by witty and quirky dialogue, with a blend of kooky and dry internet humor that keeps players laughing throughout. The game’s reality show format and light-hearted plot reveal contribute to its comedic charm, while characters like Bess provide memorable funny moments, although some elements, like Sonny Joon's antics, may become repetitive. Overall, players with a taste for humor will find the game engaging and entertaining.
- “I had no expectations going in...and the reveal of the actual plot was wild and hilariously random!”
- “It's funny, the pacing is spot on, and the game show format is great.”
- “I thought the whole thing with the acting was refreshingly witty and funny; it almost had a very internet dry humor to it.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The emotional aspect of the Nancy Drew games varies significantly, with "The Silent Spy" being praised for its depth and impactful storytelling, making it one of the most emotional entries in the series. In contrast, "The Shattered Medallion" is criticized for lacking emotional engagement, as players feel the challenges are pointless and the storyline fails to resonate, diminishing the overall experience.
- “And I can't blame them, Nancy Drew: The Silent Spy is a masterpiece and also one of the most emotional Nancy Drew games in the entire series.”
- “It helped the story a lot, and if we aren't going to get any sort of conversation with Sonny about past cases, being able to contact Jamila was an emotional experience and very welcoming.”
- “What makes Nancy Drew: The Shattered Medallion a 'good' Nancy Drew game is that coming from the previous game, Nancy Drew: The Silent Spy, Nancy, timeline-wise, is probably exhausted from her emotional journey trying to fight an evil organization bent on taking over the world.”
- “There is no reason to try at any of the challenges, therefore making each puzzle feel pointless, other than to continue this boring storyline just to say that you finished this game.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The gameplay offers significant player control, which some reviewers found could have been enhanced with toggle options. However, despite its humorous elements, the overall gameplay experience is considered lacking compared to previous entries in the series.
- “You also have a lot of control over the gameplay.”
- “While the actual gameplay leaves something to be desired, this is by far the funniest entry in the series.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers express disappointment with the graphics and animation quality, suggesting a regression compared to earlier titles in the series. They also note that the art style and character motions from previous games were more appealing, indicating a preference for the older aesthetic.
- “I actually prefer the character motions and art style of much earlier games.”
- “I kind of felt like they're regressing in graphics and animation quality.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, leading to frustration and a diminished enjoyment of the overall experience.
- “But in practice, it's extremely tedious.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is heavily criticized due to its pre-scripted nature, which renders player performance inconsequential and limits the overall engagement and interactivity.
- “Everything in the game is pre-scripted, meaning your performance as a contestant is irrelevant.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy appears to prioritize avoiding spoilers from previous games, which some users feel limits opportunities for cross-promotion and could serve as free advertising to encourage players to revisit older titles.