The Curse of Blackmoor Manor

Plot
Nancy’s neighbor, Mrs. Petrov, asks her to visit her daughter Linda, who recently got married to Hugh Penvellyn and now is living at Blackmoor Manor, in England, a centuries old estate which belongs to the Penvellyns. Mrs. Petrov is really worried about her daughter, because she’s acting strange – hiding behind curtains, saying strange things and feeling ill. Nancy’s no doctor, but she agrees to go ‘across the pond’ and find out what’s wrong with Linda.

The plot is good. It expands more as the game goes on, of course, and is mostly centered around the Penvellyn family history, which is good, even if that has nothing to do with the original case.

Characters
The characters in this game were either bland or annoying. Some of the characters you hardly talk to, and others you interact with too much. When they did talk, they talked more about historical stuff than themselves or other characters. Each character had their own personality and perks. They all had the possibility of being the culprit. I liked playing games with Jane, getting mysterious answers from Linda, and talking to the unusual Nigel Mookerjee. I would have liked to be able to talk more with Linda and to speak with Ethel whenever I wanted.

Setting/Graphics
Other than the characters, the graphics in this game were very nice. The colors were so vibrant and the rooms were so intricate (even the tiles!). The graphics really made the manor come to life; I truly felt like I was there.With multiple rooms, passageways, and puzzles to discover I never got bored. It seemed like there was always more to find. Each room was designed very well and with great detail according to its purpose and person inhabiting it. If I could add anything to this game it would be to explore the outside of the manor and to see more of England.

Difficulty/Length
If you like puzzles, you will not be disappointed. CUR has, by far, the most activities to keep you busy. Some are very easy and others are very hard. Ridiculously hard. But if you keep a good attitude, even the trickiest challenges are fun.

“Scare Factor”
This game, in my opinion, was the scariest out of them all. The gloomy passageways, startling occurrences, and eerie plot throughout made for a perfect game for someone who wants to jump out of their chair with fright.

History
You can learn a lot about Penvellyn family history (which is really interesting, believe me) in this game. Also, there’s some information about alchemy, planets of our solar system, feeding parrots, and cockney accents. Educational, but fun.

Final Verdict
I am totally in love with this game. It was hard, creepy, and was everything I could have imagined a Nancy Drew game would be. This was my first game and, in my opinion, definitely one of the most challenging so, while I do recommend the game, I wouldn’t personally suggest this game for anyone’s first.