Her Interactive has created more than 20 Nancy Drew mystery-adventure games for the PC. Whether you're playing Message in a Haunted Mansion, Danger on Deception Island or The White Wolf of Icicle Creek, following some hints can help you master games in the Nancy Drew series.
Environment Interaction
Nancy Drew adventure games are point-and-click mysteries. Use the mouse to move around and investigate. You can see what items to investigate based on the appearance of your cursor as you pass it over an object. The main cursor is shaped as a magnifying glass. If your magnifying glass turns red, it is a signal to investigate. Click on an area that produces a red magnifying glass to get a closeup view and find out if you can zoom in further. A red cursor also points to items you can pick up and add to your in-game inventory.
In each game screen, make a point to look over the whole area. Hover your cursor over anything that looks suspicious or out of place. The game progresses based on items and information you find, so look at everything you can.
If you find yourself stuck, go through each area again to see if you missed anything. Sometimes, new objects or areas will open as you progress.
Character Interaction
Just as in real life, solving crimes is not always about physical evidence. As Nancy Drew, interview everyone you meet in the game. Even if a character tells you he has an alibi, continue to treat him as a suspect. Talk to everyone as thoroughly as possible and choose every conversation topic available to you. If a character accuses someone of the crime, talk to the accused person again to see if she disputes the accusation.
Different actions lead to new conversations with people. Through the game, be sure to talk to everyone multiple times. For instance, if you find the murder weapon, talk to everyone again in case a character has something more to say about it.
If you don't know what to do next, you might get a hint by talking to the people around you. Characters may let you know about a new area in the game or tell you unlock a mysterious door. Talking to characters can help progress the game if there is nothing left to do.
Tags: Nancy Drew, magnifying glass, talk everyone, your cursor