{2011 Holiday Gift Guide} New Nancy Drew PC Game: Alibi in Ashes

Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes PC Game
(Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS x 10.6 Snow Leopard)

This was my first introduction to Nancy Drew PC games, and I have to tell you I am hooked! Im not even a gamer really, either. It was so much fun stepping into Nancys shoes! The first thing that happens after you complete the very easy-to-follow game tutorial is you find a note telling you to go to City Hall. You head on over and someone locks you in a room that has been rigged to set fire! It really had me going the smoke, the flames, and being locked inside that small room. This is your first test, you must look around the room and see what you can move around or do to escape. I figured it out and escaped, only to run out of the building and find myself accused of arson and thrown into jail.

This is where the fun begins, because you must prove your innocence and you can only do that with the help of your friends, George, Ned, and Bess. Using your ultra-cool smartphone, you call your friend and switch to their body to interview witnesses, look for clues, find evidence, and take it back to the police station for Nancy to organize.

You keep track of where you need to be and whats next with these handy tools your smartphone, wiki journal, and a task checklist.

There are some really cool puzzles to solve along the way and I got to use a forensic lab, fingerprint scanner, and that evidence pegboard that the suspects are organized on. For me, this was a total blast I love that kind of thing! Another very cool aspect of this game is the graphics and the world you are exploring. Its sooo expansive and detailed!

I did at times find myself a little lost, going in circles around the town and trying to figure out what I was missing what the next step was. It can be a little frustrating, but I felt really proud of myself when I got myself out of these tangles without cheating (i.e. searching for a game walkthrough online). Another thing was that it was confusing jumping from one character to the other. Each one had his or her own tasks and sometimes would hold evidence. If I didnt remember which character was holding what it was time consuming jumping around to make sure I was using the right person. N0thing was so hard that I couldnt figure it out or was completely lost, though. I think it was very good brain exercise for me.

If youre wondering about playability over time (after Ive solved the mystery why would I play again?), you can challenge yourself by playing as junior detective the first time and senior detective later. It makes the puzzles harder and is a bit more complicated.

I was so absorbed in this game, and didnt want to stop playing to take care of my responsibilities (haha), so thats my only complaint about this game. It was so much fun! I cant wait to start my next Nancy Drew mystery!

Fun Links

View the Trailer Here
Like Nancy Drew PC Games on Facebook
Follow HER Interactive on Twitter
Follow the HER Interactive Blog
Play a mini game for free online from Alibi in Ashes!

This game is rated E for Everyone its suggested for ages 10 and up. So I would recommend it to any little girl, teenager, or mom (ahem) who has either enjoyed the Nancy Drew book series or just loves mysteries and the crime-solving process. Although it seems like it would be mostly geared toward women, its not! So it might be a good choice for a crime-bustin wannabe guy in your life.

You can buy Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes at HER Interactive or Amazon.com! It retails for $19.99 boxed but can be purchased as a download as well!

Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post has been provided to my family for us to keep and share our thoughts on thanks to Game Review Network & HER Interactive. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the free product provided.