Review – Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger

*Contest Alert! See details at the end of this review about how to win your copy of this game!*

Platform: PC
ESRB: E 10
Number of Players: 1
Publisher: Her Interactive
Release Date: September 2009
Official Website

When I was offered the chance to review a game set in a luxurious resort, of course I jumped out of my seat to do so. Resorting to danger is the second installment of the Nancy Drew Dossier series (the first being Lights, Camera, Curses), the more casual of the Nancy Drew franchises.

In Resorting to Danger, players play as the quick witted Nancy Drew as she attempts to expose and stop a bomber at a posh resort on the coast, while playing the role of “spa gopher” so as to not alarm the well to do clientele. This setting does prove to be a great way to introduce some very distinct personalities. However, being the gopher is not without its drawbacks, in the process of investigation, she has to perform menial tasks (which do actually contribute to the entertainment value of the game) such as cleaning the hair salon, making tea, and watching after a mischievous fluffy dog.

The mystery itself kept me guessing until the end, though I was sure I knew whom the bomber was on more than one occasion. When do we not in a whodunit like this? With the storyline being the driving force behind the whole game, being unpredictable is a good trait to have. The game itself is a story driven hidden object “plus” – the plus being matching found objects to one another in order to help her complete her tasks and further her investigation. Multiple mini games also appear within the story similarly to Lights, Camera, Curses for the purpose of unlocking doors, disarming the bombs, and such. Lastly, the game is sprinkled with conversation memory quizzes. Not only is remembering the conversations between Nancy and some of the key characters important for getting the most out of the game, but also to gain points by answering questions and choosing which rooms to go to correctly.

The sights and sounds of Resorting to Danger are as appealing as Lights, Camera, Curses but with an appropriate color palette to a high end resort & spa – brighter and more lush with great enhanced lighting and detail (generally speaking – there are some darker and dingier locations, like the basement). The seeking and finding is petty accessible, without being too simple. The music, sound cues, and character voices all serve to enrich the experience.

As a sequel, Resorting to Danger does improve on the original in the way that it seems to take out things that needlessly take time, like walking between locations. Everything seems to flow together a little more smoothly, and I enjoyed meeting these characters quite a bit more; they are quirky and easy to somehow personally relate to, making the game that much more immersive. It also added a couple of elements to challenge the memory, more alternate endings and an “arcade mode” to up the replayability factor.

Add to all this a strong, likeable, witty, intelligent female lead character and this game is great for girls of all ages. It’s worth picking up for a good time that is easy to play for a few minutes or a few hours at a time, challenging, fun, and entertaining.

Thanks for reading!
Dawn

Review copy provided by Her Interactive and did not affect the outcome of this review.

Win yourself a copy of Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger this weekend (April 2, 3, & 4) on GamingAngels.com! Simply leave a comment here telling us what you like most about going to a spa – or what you would like most – or your favorite spa! Winners will be announced Sunday after 7 pm pacific. You’ve got until then to post away!
Good luck!!