Customer Reviews
Great Games for Young or Old 
2007-10-23
Am in my 70's and most video games are not for me; however, the Nancy Drew games are great for exercising this ol' brain and I don't need nimble fingers to play. Have 4 of her games and love them all. I especially enjoy the graphics and the "interaction" with the game's characters.
wonderful game!!!!!!! 
2007-09-26
SPOLIER ALERT
This game was one of my fav games made by HER. This game really has no faults in my opinion. I think the only thing that was hard was measering what to put in the cake. I love this game and i think you will to!
one of the best drew games 2007-09-15
One of the best Nancy Drew games I have played so far. The setting and game play were very good. Also there were no annoying repetitive tasks that had to be done over and over, such as cooking food 50 times in the white wolf. My only objection was that the metal/magnent puzzle was not designed well, it is far too sensitive. Overall, a fun game.
Different Genre- Lots of Fun! 2007-09-10
I've only been playing Nancy Drew games for a short time. I've played approximately 5 or 6- and this by far was the most fun! I found myself drawn into the "dude ranch" setting and enjoyed gathering eggs, veggies and riding a horse! I have to admit, I thought I'd never get the barrel racing score to a good enough level. But I finally got it and, looking back, I have to admit it was fun. I figured out the culprit early on but that didn't destroy my enjoyment of the game. I'd recommend this for any age group (I'm certainly not a kid and I thought it was great fun!). The graphics were great, too! I got through it pretty fast, but I like that. I hate games that drag on for ever. The only part that got a little "old" was the constant cellphone calls to various individuals. Maybe because there were so few actual characters Nancy interacts with on the ranch. All in all, a fun game with some challenging and not-so-challenging puzzles. Great scenery.
One of the best ND Games 2007-08-16
Lately HerInteractive seems to have gone downhill with disappointing games such as Danger By Design and Creature of Kapu Cave (although luckily, White Wolf of Icicle Creek is a bit better). It's sad playing this game and realizing how amazing the Nancy Drew games used to be.
Secret of Shadow Ranch is partially based off the best selling Nancy Drew book of all time. The graphics are SUPERB, probably the best of any game (the later games tend to have overly smooth/blurry graphics). The characters were all interesting to interact with (with perhaps the exception of Mary Rawley, who got a bit annoying). You got to meet sweet, nice (and not to mention, cute!) Dave, who is keeping something from Nancy; quiet, mysterious Tex, who seems to like to watch Nancy get hurt; and talkative, outgoing Shorty, who loves to converse and cook.
Bess and George, who are essential in this game for hints, are hilarious to call and talk to. The sound effects and music are grade-A. But best of all is the plot. Who is sabotaging the ranch? Who is directing the phantom horse? With tons of leads and clues, this game will keep you guessing until the end. The puzzles are challenging without being frustratingly difficult; there are several fascinating places to explore. And the history/learning is abundant without being boring (see: Secret of Scarlet Hand).
The game is long but not overly lengthy as well. Perhaps the only complaint I have is the cell phone. It lit up WAY too much, even if I didn't have to call/email someone or look something up. There were way too many unneccasary websites to look up. Listening to Charleena Purcell's recording was annoying after a few times, even if Nancy does hang up in the middle of it.
Oddly enough my favourite part was baking a birthday cake for Tex. I love cakes and cooking (although in White Wolf it is way too much), and it was a nice break from the mystery solving. The ending requires wits and it is funny when you catch the criminal.
There are so many more positive things I could say about this game, but I will finish it off with: it is one of my favorite ND games. In fact, it is second ONLY to Treasure in the Royal Tower. If you are thinking of buying a Nancy Drew game, I would recommend this one.
Best Game Yet!!! 2007-08-12
Nancy Drew: The Secret Of Shadow Ranch is a thrilling Old West adventure set at a vacation ranch. The terra cotta cliffs hide ancient secrets that Nancy Drew must unravel - A ghostly horse is out for unearthly revenge, and the teen girl detective must find out why. Separate the truth from the ghost stories quickly, or you might be next on the list for unearthly revenge!
Best one yet!! 2007-08-12
This Nancy Drew was soooo good!! It had just the right amount of everything, puzzles, riddles, characters! It was just fabulous!! This one is also very fun, some of the Nancy Drews just creep you out but this one is always bright and happy! Try it!
The best Nancy Drew game I've played so far. 2007-07-18
Both my Father and I really enjoy the Nancy Drew games and I've played nearly all of them. This game is probably the best so far. The stories and voice acting are always great in these games, the interface is simple to use, and there are a lot of nice touches put into these games which make them very enjoyable, even for a grown-up.
This title is particularly enjoyable as it seems that everything involved in game play just came into place. Puzzles are well integrated into the story line and although not easy, are not impossible to figure out or accomplish. The story is engaging, and it's very exciting for we city slickers to get to ride a virtual horse and rope! I was particularly impressed with the ending puzzles, I thought they were extremely well done.
If you've never played an Nancy Drew game, I would recommend this one to start so that you can see all the best they have to offer.
awesome game!!!! 2007-05-26
I GOT THIS GAME A YEAR AGO.I AM NOW FINISHED WITH THE GAME.I HAVE TO SAY THIS IS MY FAVORITE GAME.AS YOU KNOW YOU TRAVEL TO BESS'S AUNTS AND UNCLES RANCH.THERE YOU FIND OUT ABOUT A GLOWING HORSE THAT LEADS YOU TO THE MYSTERY. IN THIS MYSTERY YOU DO CHORES, TALK TO PEOPLE, RIDE A HORSE NAMED BOB, AND EXPLORE 5 LOCATIONS.I HAVE ONLY THREE GAMES THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK,BLACKMOORE MANOR,AND OF COURSE SECRET OF SHADOW RANCH. THANKS FOR LISTENING TO MY REVIEW AND I HOPE IT HELPS!
Shadow Ranch - Get there now! 2007-04-02
The Crime: A -
Bess and George's Aunt Bet have chucked their life in Phoenix and bought Shadow Ranch. Now a phantom horse is appearing at night, heralding major accidents. Just before Nancy arrives, for example, Bess's uncle is bit by a rattlesnake and rushed to the hospital. What's going on here?
Suspects include cook Shorty Thurmond, store owner Mary Yazzie, and ranch hands Tex and Dave.
Fun fact - Mary Yazzie's character was named Mary Deer in the book. I don't know why they changed it.
By this point in the series, I was looking for something meatier than yet another tale of buried treasure and phantom animals.
The story is just too dang engaging to be ignored, though. Plus there are horses. Horses count for a lot in my book.
Puzzles: A -
Puzzles included everything from baking a cake to solving a little metal maze. The maze drove me insane.
One puzzle in particular made me roll my eyes because the way you find the solution is utterly dumb. You're looking for a really old piece of information, and Bess and George, stuck at the airport, happen to find a book that contains exactly what you need to know. And by old, I mean like a hundred years old. It was so contrived. Then again, I couldn't think of anything better, either.
Gameplay: A +
The new game interface features a wider screen and an inventory you have to open to access. I thought the wide screen was great but the extra clicking irritated me, because if you may miss the little button to close it or change pages. You get used to it, though.
Western life comes alive at Shadow Ranch, where you repair the chicken coop, perform daily tasks and always take care of your horse when you get back to the stable or Tex will have something to say to you!
Other fun in the game includes invesitgating a ghost town, learning to use a lariat (lasso) and completing a barrel race in under ten seconds.
You know how I said that DDI has everything but romance? Shadow Ranch has romance in spades. It's divine.
Time Changes: This one takes place in three days. When you complete the tasks for a certain day, it will automatically change to night.
Voice Acting: A
Raspy-voiced grump Tex sounds a lot like grumpy Red Knott from GDML (same voice actor) but it was nice to hear him again, like a phone call from an old friend. Many of the voice actors hear have appeared in other games, so it's a treat for a long-time fan. Superlative delivery, as always.
Favorites -
"My anti-persperant's going to get a workout today!" Nancy
"Ma'am." Dave
Any compliment Dirk Valentine gives Frances
Music: A +
Country-western heaven. (Except for Shorty's yodeling.) You could almost feel the heat.
IGraphics/Video: A +
Getting better and better all the time. Bonus points for the animated sequences such as gallop of the phantom horse.
Technical: A
No problems, just peachy.
Overall,
If you love Nancy Drew, this one's for you. A Must-have.
