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Review
Nancy
Drew Dossier: Resorting To Danger!
Review by Ryan Casey
September 9, 2009 |
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 I
will be the first to admit that, try as I might to manage my schedule,
it’s hard to find time when I can sit down in front of the computer,
pop in that installation CD, and start playing an adventure game.
It seems that I’m lucky on most days if I can get an hour or
two to myself. If you are like me, than you have also tried your hand
at the casual game market, which offers mini-adventures that you can
enjoy in small spurts of free time. Fast Fun for Busy Detectives
is the slogan behind Her Interactive’s Nancy Drew Dossier
series, which capitalizes on the popular hidden-object format with
the charm and mystery of the original Nancy Drew PC adventures. Indeed,
gamers who are looking for a uniquely challenging mystery adventure
without the tedium of most hunt-and-find games should be satisfied
with this terrific series.
 In
the second installment, Resorting to Danger!, Nancy is hired
by the exclusive Redondo Spa to go undercover and reveal the source
of a series of non-lethal bombs (“construction accidents”)
that have everybody on edge. Gameplay works by combining two items
on the screen to earn points. The interface has been updated from
the
previous game so that you have more options of how to handle an
object. You no longer have to click the eye icon to look at something,
but you can pull, twist, shake, etc. It’s mostly critical thinking
and common sense that are necessary to solve these kinds of puzzles,
all of which are organic, so you never feel like you are hunting for
objects just for the sake of killing time, as is often the problem
in similar games.
 There
are several things that set this series apart from others of its kind.
The first is that it incorporates other kinds of puzzles. You will
have to decode ransom notes, defuse bombs, give facials, open locks,
etc. Added challenges to these tasks throughout all 32 levels keep
the game interesting and fun. There is also a cast of suspects of
interact with, all of which are voiced exceptionally. When interviewing
them, you get points for correctly selecting conversation cues to
elicit the right information. All of the evidence you collect throughout
your investigation is stored in a journal in your inventory, and it
affects which of the six possible endings you will earn at the end
of the game (although if you earn the rank of Super Sleuth, you will
be able to view all of the bonus material).
 What
makes this game such a pleasure to play is that it is simply a lot
of fun. The puzzles are challenging, but not to a frustrating level;
the suspects are funny and well-scripted; the plot moves quickly and
holds interest; and the length is adequate. In some ways, I almost
enjoy this series better than the original PC adventures because it
is a more solid product, with no tedious chores or timed sequences
to hinder enjoyment. I highly recommend this game and this series
for its unique approach to casual mystery adventures. It may be Fast
Fun for Busy Detectives, but it’s also highly addictive!
System Requirements:
- Windows XP/Vista
- 1 GHz CPU
- 256MB of RAM
- 300MB hard drive
- 32MB DirectX 9.0 video
card
- 16MB sound card
- 24X CD-ROM
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