Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion

Players must make use of their deductive reasoning skills and apply their logic to piece together this mystery. Puzzles and games throughout this mystery also allow for more brain teasing exercises to be experienced by the player. I highly recommend this game for its amazingly designed atmosphere, educational value, and for the sheer enjoyment of it. I am giving it a perfect 5 GiN Gems. Pick up your magnifying glass and examine this game for yourself!

The timing of the release of this latest Nancy Drew mystery game from Her Interactive is perfect. It makes its appearance just as the festive season approaches when we are all super-organised and shopping around for that special something to buy for young computer users. Many parents and grandparents will be relieved to know that older kids need not graduate from painting and counting games to full-on madness and mayhem. The alternative is a game like Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion which is every bit as gripping only it relies on the player's powers of deduction and problem solving skills rather than their hand-eye coordination.

Great adventure game for the whole family. Interesting story keeps you intrigued until the very end, in spite of a few irritating puzzles.

I enjoyed experiencing Message in a Haunted Mansion. It was immersive and engrossing and I found the witty references to both Carolyn Keene and Nancy Drew in the game amusing. It occupied my thoughts whether I was playing or not. Tidbits of the backstory of the house and its previous owners blended well into Nancy’s investigation into current events. This interweaving told an interesting story, and I was sorry to see it end.

Message in a Haunted Mansion is one of a handful of adventure titles that have either just been released or are about to be released for the GBA. In fact, one of the greatest things about the title is the fact that the increased graphics horsepower in the GBA really enables developers to start taking advantage of the platform as they never have before.

The whole idea behind the HER Interactive series of games was to provide a format for girls to experience the joys of Nancy Drew while developing problem-solving abilities. What has since happened is that the games have a broad appeal to any fan of mysteries. This game is no exception. With solid graphical elements and a first-rate exploration mystery game, this title is perfect for GBA fans that want to exercise mental muscles.

On the whole there's a lot more game here. The package says about 20 hours of gameplay, which feels about right. I thought the previous two adventures (especially Secrets Can Kill) were a little too light on things to do. The story resolution also works better than the last two, with Nancy taking more direct action to unravel the mysteries of the mansion, and trapping the villain. The resolution isn't pulled out of the air, either. In fact, you'll see it's present right from the beginning of the game, if you're sharp enough to notice.

Still, its virtues definitely outweigh its shortcomings, and I recommend the game for its breezy, nostalgic atmosphere and superior graphics. I do keep hoping, however, that Her Interactive will tackle the weak points in their games with the same artistry and dedication with which they approach the strong elements. If they manage to do that they could have a truly great game on their hands.

All in all, I am pleased with Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion, though, having played 11 other games in the series, I must admit that it is not my favorite. Other games are more educational, and Nancy Drew: The Curse of Blackmoore Manor is more frightening.

Message in a Haunted Mansion may belong to a very exclusive club of adventures on the Game Boy Advance, but it still comes very difficult to recommend to anyone other than completionists and the most obsessive Nancy Drew fan. The game may be short, but such a poor conversion leaves a bitter taste in the mouth rather than the sweet flavour of victory. While an interesting story and decent puzzles form the basis of what could have been an enjoyable game, anyone interested should seek out its PC predecessor, which is simply bigger and better in every way.