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| 9 JUL 2009 at 1:16pm |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | [size=16]**There are spoilers here**
Nancy, Nancy, Nancy...what have they done to you?
As some of you may already know, I've been a fan of Nancy Drew games for years. I've played and thoroughly enjoyed #1-15.
I held off buying more of them until recently, when I found White Wolf (#16) and Crystal Skull (#17) packaged together at a great price. I couldn't resist.
I've been in the throes of White Wolf for the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately, playing the game has become a tiresome chore and I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever get to the end. I might not be able to get to the end, in fact. More about this in a minute.
This time out, Nancy is investigating a series of mishaps at Icicle Creek Lodge, where she's acting as both maid and cook. And there's a lot of cleaning and cooking to be done.
This takes a big bite out of the time that's available to solve White Wolf's mystery. In fact, a few times I became so enmeshed in all of the busywork that I completely forgot why Nancy was there in the first place.
Investigation outside the lodge is governed by temperature. It's way too cold to go out at night, so outside investigatory activities are constrained to daylight hours only -- the same hours during which Nancy has to do her chores.
Of course, Nancy does have stuff to do inside the lodge other than chores: questioning guests, for instance. However, I hit a big snag with this early on -- I was unable to find all of the guests. This became so ridiculous that I started to think both Nancy and I had fallen through the ice and landed in The Twilight Zone.
One guest was particularly elusive; it took me days to find her. Then after Nancy had talked to her only once, the character was asked to leave the lodge and was never seen again.
Another guest had minimal interaction with Nancy, then checked out. Gee, was it something she said? I just don't get it...
There is one guest who's fairly easy to find, but after all conversation with him is exhausted you're limited to saying hello and goodbye. I did this so often -- I mean, talking to one guest is better than talking to no guests, and I kept hoping he'd have something new to say -- that after awhile, I was unable to remember much of what he'd said in the first place.
The lodge's handyman is also relatively accessible, but he doesn't say much at all.
In Junior Detective mode there have been times when items on Nancy's checklist have disappeared only to reappear later. I've also noticed that some of the game's dialog is repeated.
Further, I discovered an error in a hint provided for one of the puzzles. It mentions putting matching items into columns, but this is incorrect. The matching items need to be placed in rows.
None of the above amounts to much, however, compared to the pièce de résistance: the Fox and Geese game/puzzle. You must win this not once, not twice, but four times. It's one of the most sadistic puzzles I've ever encountered in an adventure game. I cringe when I think of all the hours I've spent trying to solve it.
I've managed to win the thing three times so far, but only after repeatedly knocking my head into a wall. I have no idea what I did to win; it was pure luck all three times.
Unfortunately, luck seems to have deserted me on the fourth go 'round, where I've been stuck for three days. And unless I can beat the thing, I'll be unable to progress any further in the game. Talk about a show-stopper.
In previous ND games, I've encountered difficult puzzles that have become easier after a certain number of attempts have been made to solve them. This doesn't seem to be the case in White Wolf, unless the required number of attempts is in the hundreds.
The best I've been able to do is reach a stalemate in which the A.I. and I dance around each other but make no progress. This can be continued indefinitely, with neither side prevailing. Also, Fox & Geese is a random puzzle so consulting walkthroughs/hints doesn't help.
I now seem to be in the area of diminishing returns. The longer I fiddle around with the puzzle the less I care about the overall game. I've pretty much lost interest in the plot and characters, and it really doesn't matter to me what might happen should I ever manage to become unstuck. At this point, I wouldn't care if the lodge just blew up or was destroyed in a snowstorm. At least then, the game would have to end.
I have no desire to die of old age trying to beat a puzzle in a Nancy Drew game. I've already squandered way too much time on the thing, so I suppose I'll just end up leaving the game unfinished. I think that's a real shame.
I'm quite disappointed in Her Interactive; I'm rather incredulous that they'd do something like this. The last time I checked, adventure gamers didn't particularly enjoy having to repeat a random puzzle a zillion times before lucking into a solution. I wonder if Her Interactive has forgotten that games -- particularly Nancy Drew games -- are supposed to be fun?
Well, whatever's happened to Her Interactive, I'm sorry to say that White Wolf is the worst Nancy Drew game I've ever played. :'( I sure hope Crystal Skull isn't like this. I want the old Nancy back!
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| 9 JUL 2009 at 2:09pm |
| Deleted User | Why don't you just get yourself a game saved after that silly puzzle from here: http://www.nicouzouf.com/en/index.php?id=postmortem or here: http://www.savegameserver.com/ or here : http://www.mysterymanor.net/pafiledb35/index.php?act=category&id=24 , Karla. Then finish the silly old game, and walk over to the Dark Side, and try out the first 4 CSI games. No getting stuck in them, and they have interesting stories. 8-)
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| 9 JUL 2009 at 2:21pm |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | I actually did look for a save game at one point and came up empty. But I didn't look everywhere. I just got tired of the whole mess.
Thanks for the links, though. If I ever decide to try to finish the game, I'll have a look.
Being stuck, as such, isn't bothering me as much as what Her Interactive has done to Nancy Drew. Shame on them.
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| 10 JUL 2009 at 10:57pm |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | I finally managed to beat the nasty Fox & Geese puzzle last night, unassisted. Again, it was pure luck.
IMO, only folks who are experts at spatial relationships (which I obviously am not) will get through this puzzle unscathed. To all others, I suggest staying as far away from this ND game as possible.
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| 28 JUL 2009 at 11:57pm |
ukpetdSpace Cadet
Posts : 176
Joined: 27 JUL 2007
Status : Online | Karla, whatever you do, do NOT go for Ransom of the Seven Ships! There is a coconut game in which you have to score higher than a monkey. The monkey is AI, spots the highest score targets instantly and has thrown before you've even thought about it. There are three rounds of eight coconuts. Highest score wins. I made the same remarks as Karla "What happened to the easier passage?" This should be fun, not an impossible task" For the record, I beat that grinning primate twice. Took me hours and dozens of attempts. [Fox and Geese? beat it OK. I had just played fox and geese (heavily disguised) in another game. Took more than one attempt at the fourth symbol.]
Most of the other puzzles are timed. Typical scenario is diving to a wreck and solving a puzzle (sudoko). Your air runs out and either you die (lose progress) or you go refill (many times).
There are seven hourglasses. Each runs for a different time. Click on them in the correct order (and time) so they all run out together.
There is only your friend, one suspect and a parrot to talk to in the entire game.
Most of the action takes place in 3rd person.
I made it through without a walkthrough only to discover I missed finding some loot.
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| 29 JUL 2009 at 11:31am |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | Thanks for the heads-up about Seven Ships, ukpetd. Unfortunately, I find what you've said to be rather discouraging.
I hit another big snag when trying to finish White Wolf: the endgame snowmobile chase, in which one is supposed to chase the culprit through an obstacle course of trees and boulders until he/she crashes.
The times I was able to avoid hitting so many things that I blew up, the chase would go on and on and on...it could easily last over five minutes without resolution, to the point that my mouse hand would start to give out. This left me totally incredulous that Her Interactive had done something so unreasonable again.
When I finally managed to beat the thing, I had no sense of satisfaction. All I felt was grim relief that I'd finally managed to finish the game.
I've since started playing Crystal Skull, which I'm finding more reasonable than White Wolf...so far. But from what you've said about Seven Ships, it sounds as though Her Interactive is persisting in its cruel streak, the reasons for which continue to baffle me.
There was a time I'd buy Nancy Drew games based solely on the fact that I knew I could count on them to be quality games. I didn't even have to know anything about the plot or read any reviews. Sadly, those days appear to be over. Crystal Skull may end up being my last Nancy Drew game. :'(
Oh well, I guess nothing good lasts forever...
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| 29 JUL 2009 at 12:31pm |
| Deleted User | Whoo-hoo! So I take it from all of the above that you'd finally beaten White Wolf, Karla? I admire your persistence in going at that nightmarish-sounding puzzle.... That means you can finally experience closure with this game.... [smiley=happy.gif]
Good for you, and congrats! [smiley=beer.gif]
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| 29 JUL 2009 at 2:41pm |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | Thanks, Traveller. Yep, I finished it, although doing so yielded no joy in Mudville. [smiley=sad.gif]
My completion of the game wasn't really due to persistence. It was more like obsession. [smiley=crazy.gif]
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| 6 AUG 2009 at 2:11am |
IviniaGuild Master
Posts : 4459
Joined: 7 JUN 2003
Location: US
Status : Offline | That's funny!! I actually liked this compared to the crappy game that was creature of Kapau whatever.
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| 6 AUG 2009 at 2:22am |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | That would be The Creature of Kapu Cave, which I rather enjoyed. At least its puzzles didn't make me want to twist people's heads off. [smiley=devil_smiley_grintail.gif]
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| 8 AUG 2009 at 5:55pm |
IviniaGuild Master
Posts : 4459
Joined: 7 JUN 2003
Location: US
Status : Offline | The whole back and forth thing to the tent collecting things drove me nuts in Kapua while the chores in White Wolf were really minor nuisances to me. :-/
Please don't tell me our tastes run in opposite directions Karla
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| 8 AUG 2009 at 11:21pm |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | Actually, my taste runs all over the map. There's no telling what I might like or dislike from one day to the next.
Then there are times I really want to like something but just can't. For instance, I've been pushing myself around in Still Life 2 for what seems like forever, hoping it will get better. But no matter how hard I try to like the game, I still think it sucks.
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| 5 JAN 2010 at 12:43am |
ukpetdSpace Cadet
Posts : 176
Joined: 27 JUL 2007
Status : Online | Originally Posted By karla (29 JUL 2009 11:31am)
I hit another big snag when trying to finish White Wolf: the endgame snowmobile chase, in which one is supposed to chase the culprit through an obstacle course of trees and boulders until he/she crashes.
The times I was able to avoid hitting so many things that I blew up, the chase would go on and on and on...it could easily last over five minutes without resolution, to the point that my mouse hand would start to give out. This left me totally incredulous that Her Interactive had done something so unreasonable again.
I spent roughly an hour trying to beat that finish. Got good enough to get the chase running for 15 mins. Never won. My better half, not usually the expert mouse wielder, took over. Two minutes later game over. The secret? Get close enough to see both mobiles. Place the mouse ahead of the culprit then waggle it both sides of the track. Culprit follows mouse fails to recover and crashes, you follow mouse recover and game is over.
I totally agree on the HER Interactive losing the fun part of the game. Warnings at Waverly Academy is a much better ND game.
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| 5 JAN 2010 at 12:54am |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | Hmmm...that's an interesting approach to the snowmobile chase, ukpetd. I don't remember if I tried it or not. I think I must have hysterical amnesia.
I've played the demo of Waverly, and it looks like a better game to me, too. Whether I'll take a chance on buying it remains to be seen.
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