My Rating: Cafe Late (3)
A Few Parrot Cakes too Short
If there's one Nancy Drew game that tends to be a fan favorite among the ND community, The Curse of Blackmoor Manor seems to come to mind. Taking place in an English Manor filled with secret passageways, broken puzzles, ghosts, eerie dreams, witches in strange costumes, werewolves, and more, this is probably the weirdest Nancy Drew game to date. But is it all real? Or is something more sinister at work?
Overall, this Nancy Drew game was good, but not great. If there's one thing that tends to be missing from ALL the Nancy Drew games, it's the motivation and passion in solving a mystery in the first place. Honestly, if I could get hired to write ONE game for the company, I would totally change so many things.
That aside, below is my overwhelmingly good review for Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor.
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Probably, if not, the BEST Nancy Drew Game Ever Created!,
From mysterious halls to darkened legends, Nancy Drew, The Curse of Blackmoor Manor is filled with tons of spookiness, fun, and ultimately a mystery that no adventure gamer should ever miss in their lifetime. Continue reading and find out why!
(Note: I'm not going to specify any specifics because I haven't played this game in a while and I don't want to spoil it for other players who haven't played the game yet.)
The Story: 5 out of 5
If there's one thing that really made The Curse of Blackmoor Manor shine, it was the storyline. Who wouldn't want to get invited to an old victorian mansion of the 14th century? Most especially with a "beastifying" curse that holds it bound to spookiness!
Basically in this game, Nancy is invited to the manor to find out why one of her friends, Linda, has suddenly inexplicably fallen ill, rendering her bedridden until she can get better. Locked away in her bedroom behind a series of bed curtains, Nancy can only see her hairy and eerie hands, and slowly she realizes that there are "doors that should never be opened...".
The cast of characters in CUR are quite intricate, if not amazingly well interwoven into the overall story. There's Linda, which is the bedridden victim to the manor's curse, Mrs. Drake, the Great Aunt who has a fanaticism for planting, the typical rebel teenager Jane and her strict and mysterious tutor Ethel, and lastly there's the awkward, yet indignant scholar Nigel who roams the Penvellyn library. Oh and don't forget Lulu, the mysterious caged bird that loves to speak her mind and offer a variety of hints.
Overall, I think what made the cast so special was the fact that each of the characters played an immense role in solving the mystery of the game. The intense drama between Linda and Jane really added a layer of depth into the game, and it was especially interesting to be in the middle of the Penvellyn's family problems. Nigel and Ethel also proved to be very suspicious, most especially Ethel. (If you know what I mean...) I won't spoil too much, but for those of you that haven't played the game, keep a close eye on Ethel, you're in for a surprise! Mrs. Drake was also a very interesting character to interact with, especially when it came to learning more about the manor's history. Lastly, Lulu was also very humorous and she added a layer of comedy to a mansion so dreary.
Gameplay: 5 out of 5
Roaming the walls of the Penvellyn Manor was very intriguing. Each and every room had something eerie or odd, and there was NEVER any moments where there wasn't "enough" to snoop. From the many halls and rooms, to the grand foyer and passages, it almost felt like there was never an end to the new discoveries!
The puzzles in the game were also very clever and quite difficult, even on the Junior Detective difficulty. I often found myself stuck on one puzzle for days, trying to figure out how to solve it. I'd think about it, even draw it out! There's no doubt, this Nancy Drew game will have you scrounging for a pad of paper and a pen/pencil almost instantly.
One of the things that I also liked about the game was that, bit by bit, the Manor would slowly open it's pages to you. In the beginning of the game, the Manor is this dark and dreary place filled with unsolved puzzles, broken fountains, and pillars whose pieces must be found. As Nancy discovers all the secrets behind all these puzzles, the Manor slowly transformed into this world of intrigue and wonder. Puzzles that seemed forgotten and broken could now be solved (the fountain), rooms that were thought to be completely destroyed are completely accessible with enough mental power. Secrets that were thought to be hidden forever can be explored and discovered!
Another thing that made the game really fun was the spook factor. I don't think there was ever a time when I didn't feel scared in this game. From the ghosts and nightmares, to the secret passageways and rituals, this game will have your adrenaline running and your hands cold with fear.
What's a mystery without some comic relief? Throughout the game, Nancy would also be able to order food from the local pub and get it sent to her room, play cards with an incredibly disturbing dummy, and bake food for the starving Lulu.
Overall, the gameplay in Curse of Blackmoor Manor was truly amazing. It always thought provoking, eerie, and most importantly fun!
Music Soundtrack: 5 out of 5
If there's another thing that rocks in this game, it would most definitely be the soundtrack. From the violin themes of "Memoirs", to the wizardy theme of "Fairy", each of the game's songs offered a very unique tone to it. To this day, I still listen to the songs that were composed in this game. I highly commend the soundtrack artist for their hard work into making this game so real, sound effects and soundtrack!
Ending: 4 out of 5
If there's one thing that really could go wrong with this game, it would probably be the ending. (Note: This is spoiler free, and I will try not to interject any spoilers as much as I can!)
Throughout the whole game, there was this constant tension that was really building, almost bubbling over to the point of insanity. The great plot of the game really went downhill at the end.
It wasn't bad by any means, it was just disappointing. It was almost as if the writers of the game had a great idea, but then didn't really put it all together in the end. Almost as if they just slapped together a "decent" ending to cover all the loose holes. (No pun intended.)
Overall, the ending was good, but it most definitely could have been SO much better! I was really hoping for something that involved the referenced "monster", but the loose ends regarding the curse were never really fulfilled, and it left the player feeling a little lost and disappointed. Like I mentioned, it wasn't bad, but could have been much, much better.
Conclusion:5 out of 5
Overall, Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor is a game not to miss. The characters are all wonderful, the puzzles are cleverly designed and ingenious, and the plot line will keep you guessing until the very last few minutes. Although the ending wasn't the best in my book, I would still say that this is probably one of the best Nancy Drew games ever developed. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend that you play this game if you haven't played it yet. What are you waiting for? Dare to play?
(Note: I'm not going to specify any specifics because I haven't played this game in a while and I don't want to spoil it for other players who haven't played the game yet.)
The Story: 5 out of 5
If there's one thing that really made The Curse of Blackmoor Manor shine, it was the storyline. Who wouldn't want to get invited to an old victorian mansion of the 14th century? Most especially with a "beastifying" curse that holds it bound to spookiness!
Basically in this game, Nancy is invited to the manor to find out why one of her friends, Linda, has suddenly inexplicably fallen ill, rendering her bedridden until she can get better. Locked away in her bedroom behind a series of bed curtains, Nancy can only see her hairy and eerie hands, and slowly she realizes that there are "doors that should never be opened...".
The cast of characters in CUR are quite intricate, if not amazingly well interwoven into the overall story. There's Linda, which is the bedridden victim to the manor's curse, Mrs. Drake, the Great Aunt who has a fanaticism for planting, the typical rebel teenager Jane and her strict and mysterious tutor Ethel, and lastly there's the awkward, yet indignant scholar Nigel who roams the Penvellyn library. Oh and don't forget Lulu, the mysterious caged bird that loves to speak her mind and offer a variety of hints.
Overall, I think what made the cast so special was the fact that each of the characters played an immense role in solving the mystery of the game. The intense drama between Linda and Jane really added a layer of depth into the game, and it was especially interesting to be in the middle of the Penvellyn's family problems. Nigel and Ethel also proved to be very suspicious, most especially Ethel. (If you know what I mean...) I won't spoil too much, but for those of you that haven't played the game, keep a close eye on Ethel, you're in for a surprise! Mrs. Drake was also a very interesting character to interact with, especially when it came to learning more about the manor's history. Lastly, Lulu was also very humorous and she added a layer of comedy to a mansion so dreary.
Gameplay: 5 out of 5
Roaming the walls of the Penvellyn Manor was very intriguing. Each and every room had something eerie or odd, and there was NEVER any moments where there wasn't "enough" to snoop. From the many halls and rooms, to the grand foyer and passages, it almost felt like there was never an end to the new discoveries!
The puzzles in the game were also very clever and quite difficult, even on the Junior Detective difficulty. I often found myself stuck on one puzzle for days, trying to figure out how to solve it. I'd think about it, even draw it out! There's no doubt, this Nancy Drew game will have you scrounging for a pad of paper and a pen/pencil almost instantly.
One of the things that I also liked about the game was that, bit by bit, the Manor would slowly open it's pages to you. In the beginning of the game, the Manor is this dark and dreary place filled with unsolved puzzles, broken fountains, and pillars whose pieces must be found. As Nancy discovers all the secrets behind all these puzzles, the Manor slowly transformed into this world of intrigue and wonder. Puzzles that seemed forgotten and broken could now be solved (the fountain), rooms that were thought to be completely destroyed are completely accessible with enough mental power. Secrets that were thought to be hidden forever can be explored and discovered!
Another thing that made the game really fun was the spook factor. I don't think there was ever a time when I didn't feel scared in this game. From the ghosts and nightmares, to the secret passageways and rituals, this game will have your adrenaline running and your hands cold with fear.
What's a mystery without some comic relief? Throughout the game, Nancy would also be able to order food from the local pub and get it sent to her room, play cards with an incredibly disturbing dummy, and bake food for the starving Lulu.
Overall, the gameplay in Curse of Blackmoor Manor was truly amazing. It always thought provoking, eerie, and most importantly fun!
Music Soundtrack: 5 out of 5
If there's another thing that rocks in this game, it would most definitely be the soundtrack. From the violin themes of "Memoirs", to the wizardy theme of "Fairy", each of the game's songs offered a very unique tone to it. To this day, I still listen to the songs that were composed in this game. I highly commend the soundtrack artist for their hard work into making this game so real, sound effects and soundtrack!
Ending: 4 out of 5
If there's one thing that really could go wrong with this game, it would probably be the ending. (Note: This is spoiler free, and I will try not to interject any spoilers as much as I can!)
Throughout the whole game, there was this constant tension that was really building, almost bubbling over to the point of insanity. The great plot of the game really went downhill at the end.
It wasn't bad by any means, it was just disappointing. It was almost as if the writers of the game had a great idea, but then didn't really put it all together in the end. Almost as if they just slapped together a "decent" ending to cover all the loose holes. (No pun intended.)
Overall, the ending was good, but it most definitely could have been SO much better! I was really hoping for something that involved the referenced "monster", but the loose ends regarding the curse were never really fulfilled, and it left the player feeling a little lost and disappointed. Like I mentioned, it wasn't bad, but could have been much, much better.
Conclusion:5 out of 5
Overall, Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor is a game not to miss. The characters are all wonderful, the puzzles are cleverly designed and ingenious, and the plot line will keep you guessing until the very last few minutes. Although the ending wasn't the best in my book, I would still say that this is probably one of the best Nancy Drew games ever developed. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend that you play this game if you haven't played it yet. What are you waiting for? Dare to play?
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Once again, I definitely think I was being a bit "rose colored glasses" nostalgic back when I reviewed this Nancy Drew game. Don't get me wrong, it was a fun game, but the mystery elements and thrills were not there. The culprit in the end just didn't make sense.
Thanks for reading!
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