Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch | 
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| From: Her Interactive
Category: Video Games
List Price: $19.99
Buy New: $8.72
You Save: $11.27 (56%)
New (11) Used (9) from $6.18
Rating:  87 reviews
Sales Rank: 4399
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows Xp, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows 98
Genre: Adventure Games
ESRB: Everyone
Media: CD-ROM
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries Included: No
Age: 5 - 20 years
Operating System: Windows 2000
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 1.7 x 7.9 x 9.6
MPN: 30056
Model: 25853
UPC: 767861000562
EAN: 0767861000562
ASIN: B0001XLSG6
Release Date: July 16, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Play as Nancy Drew in this interactive mystery-adventure game | | • | 20+ hours of thrilling game play; interview suspects | | • | New puzzles tie directly to the storyline and give important clues | | • | Solve the mystery on your own or team up with family and friends | | • | 2 difficulty settings for both experienced and new detectives |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
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!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 45 more reviews...
 An outstanding adventure through the old west! August 1, 2004
Jane Eyre (Idaho, USA)
107 out of 110 found this review helpful
I would like to begin my review by first stating that I find everyone's appalling comments for this game's new layout to be quite unjust. I thought the larger game screen to provide a more authentic experience. The new cell phone mode made calling and accessing information on the web extremely practical, as well as useful.
Secondly, the new tool mode was not nearly as hard to comprehend as many have expressed it to be. Really, if this game is marketed to anyone over the age of ten, I would have expected those over thirteen writing these reviews to have been able to grasp the simplicity of this feature.
Thirdly, I found the chores such as getting eggs, picking vegetables, and feeding the animals to be fun. I love being thrown out, though I will admit the tongue-lashing I get for my mistakes, whether purposeful or not, really leaves my spinning. In one instance, however, I even found myself being attacked by an extremely angry chicken. Who could not enjoy that?
The graphics in this game are extraordinary. I loved how real all of the rugs, petroglyphs, and so on looked. Her Interactive really is to be commended on this.
Throughout this game weaves a tale of mystery and romance. An outlaw by the name of Dirk Valentine left his treasure hidden somewhere for his love, and through following his clues he wrote for his love, I encountered much more than your average dust cloud...I encountered many dangerous things, that, if not treated right, could (and did) send me to my peril.
I would finally like to mention my favorite character in this series: Bob the horse. Bob and I went through a lot together, and I'm going to miss that horse. Live long and healthy, Bob!
The Secret of Shadow Ranch October 29, 2004
Rebekah Martin (MI,USA)
46 out of 50 found this review helpful
This was definitely a great addition to the Nancy Drew computer games. They changed the inventory window and it takes a little time to get used to it. Yes, it is frustrating at first but by the end, I decided it was a great idea.
In this mystery, Nancy goes to a ranch (I guess you probably figured that out from the title :) We do not get see Bess and George because their plane was delayed but we still get to call them and the Hardy boys to get hints.
The suspects in this game are Shorty- the cook; Tex- the head wrangler; Dave- the cowboy; and Mary Yazzi- an antique seller.
Nancy rides a horse in the game, which is neat. Some of the chores Nancy does at the Ranch are a little tedious and repetitive but they did seem to get easier as they go.
In the end, I really liked this mystery and I am ready to start the next one that comes out.
Shadow Ranch - Get there now! April 2, 2007
Bethany L. Rogers (Carol Stream, IL United States)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
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.
Secret of Shadow Ranch-Wow. August 21, 2006
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
In The Secret of Shadow Ranch, you are invited to Arizona to stay on Bess and George's aunt and uncle's ranch. Unfortunatley, Bess and George seem to have a (ahem) "little" delay getting there with you, so for now, you're on your own. Spanning over a 3-day period, Shadow Ranch is definatley one of the best Nancy Drew games. The "new" big-screen, a cellphone in it's own compartment (with internet and email, though you can't send email!), and (my favorite), a notebook where Nancy keeps a journal (for all) and a checklist (only for Junior Detectives). And, as always, the toolbar, which takes up less space but holds more items. (A LOT more.) Begin your visit with a mystery. Where are the Rawleys? It turns out, at the hospital (!). Seems Ed Rawley had a little accident. He'll be OK though- but the Rawleys are staying at the hospital. And- what's this about a- PHANTOM HORSE??? Seems there's a lost treasure in the area- is it truth, or just a legend???
GAMEPLAY: 10! This game is longer than some of the others, it's over 3 days, but, unlike "THE CURSE OF BLACKMOOR MANOR", it's not tedious! There's a lot to do around the ranch- help Shorty, the cook, with the chores (strange, Shorty doesn't seem to do much), ride your horse, Bob, around Arizona, and, of course, solve the mystery- who's trying to sabotauge the ranch? And why?
CHARACTERS:9.5 There are some interesting people around the ranch, it seems. The 3 cowboys- Tex, the "head wrangler", Dave, the "foreman", and Shorty, the "cook"- are each suspicous-Nancy catches Dave, um, "digging", Shorty's been looking at gold deposits in the area (is he looking for Valentine's treasure?), and- was that TEX Nancy saw with Mary Yazzie?!? Mary Yazzie owns a store down one of the trails. She wants property from the Rawleys. Why? Maybe if you help her around her store, she'll help you...
GRAPHICS: 9.5 VERY good. Even better than Danger by Design- at least the characters. (Though sometime's Dave's beard looks like dots and it, um, moves.) The setting is very good as well, though Danger by Design has the BEST setting, in terms of graphics.
PUZZLES: 8.7 Some of the best puzzles are in this game, I think. None are extremeley hard, though they do make you think. (Hint: For the magnet puzzle, go to and from the board a few times in a row. It takes away the wood and makes the puzzle A LOT easier.)
FLAWS: Not many. I wish you could eat, and that you had your own room (or rather, you could see your own room). I have to admit, the setting, a desert, is not my favorite, but it works for the plot.
IS THIS WORTH YOUR MONEY?
I have to say, yes, it is. Junior detectives get A LOT of hints, if you want them, and the journal and task notes also help. Something for everyone, even if you don't like deserts much (like me, no offense), you'll love this game!
SECRET OF SHADOW RANCH
~By a Kid
~*Nancy drew: The serect of shadow ranch *~ July 20, 2004
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is a great game for 12 and up. You learn how to sattle& ride a horse, pick ripe veggies, talk to lots of people,serch every room and town. It is a great mystry and has great graphics. You will learn about petroglyphs,1900's fashion & moreIf you mess up (or die)in your game use the "second chance" and you will go right back to what you where doing a minunte before you messed up.It takes about 4 days to complet( if you don't use cheats) .If you don't like this one or want more nancy drew chose from any of there 10 titles
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