Amazing Game

This was the first Nancy Drew game I played. I got it as a gift for my 16th birthday. I had read wonderful reviews about it online, so I was really looking forward to playing it.

The game opened with an option for a short explanation of the game, such as how to walk around in the halls, view clues, and keep items in your inventory. There are two playing levels... Junior and Senior Detective. The levels are supposedly very similar, except the Junior level puzzles are much easier.

I chose to play as a Senior Detective, since the game seemed to be marketed for younger girls. However, don't let this marketing strategy fool you. This game is perfect and definitely challenging for people of all ages.

"Treasure in the Royal Tower" is set in a snowed-inn castle with history linking it to Marie Antoinette... with a captivating mystery. I would tell you the mystery, but it gradually reveals itself over the whole game, so it would be a spoiler if I told you the full mystery.

The game begins in Nancy Drew's room in the castle. I was immediately impressed with the very realistic graphics. I felt like I was really in the room. Nancy's room has a telephone which can be used to call her friends Bess, George, and Ned for hints throughout the game. She also has a voicemail machine, and yes there will be several messages waiting for you during the game.

You then make your way outside the door (don't forget your key!) and into the stunning hallways. The hallways are filled with amazing portraits and stained glassed windows. The hallways are very tricky to maneuver through during the game. There are numerous dead ends and it's very easy to get lost. There are also three floors... the basement, first floor, and second floor. You can either use the stairs or the elevator to travel from floor to floor. There is no map for you to follow, so you are forced to learn the layout of the castle by yourself.

The library in the castle has been vandalized, and the castle is filled with eccentric "possible suspects." It's your job to find out who vandalized the castle and what the person is looking for. You can do this by talking to 2 guests in the hotel, the hotel owner, and the French ski instructor.

You can also "snoop" around... uncovering captivating secrets--- just don't get caught! However, if you do "royally" mess up and "die" or get thrown out of the castle, there is a handy "Second Chance" option which you can use to go back in time and pick up where you made your fatal mistake--- without having to start the game over. I used this helpful feature many times throughout the game.

For the first half of the game, you are confined to the inside of the castle because of the blizzard outside. However, later on in the game you must go outside to find important clues and retrieve certain objects from an outside shed. I found it very appealing to be able to go outside, because it offered a new setting for me to explore later in the game.

I got stuck at several different points in the game. Some of the puzzles on the Senior Level are very challenging, and you might be forced to get hints from Nancy's friends, Bess and George (who can be reached by Nancy's telephone in her room), or resort to looking up hints online (there are helpful message boards on the Her Interactive (www.herinteractive.com) website.) However, once you do figure the puzzles out, more secrets will be revealed.

I played this game almost non-stop for 3 days...(the game promises 20 hours of gameplay, and it definitely kept that promise) It had me so puzzled at times, it was all I could think about! I found myself drifting off to sleep with the thought... "I've got to solve that puzzle!" Once I finally did solve it, I was sad to see the game end. The ending was a little brief, kind of a disappointment. However, I absolutely loved this game, and I can't wait to try the next Nancy Drew titles!