Whereas the previous game, Nancy Drew: Ransom of the Seven Ships, focuses mostly on physical exploration and action mini-games, this game is more concerned with characters and dialog. Players must watch memorize which branches the squirrel chooses in its ascent and then select the correct paths.
Perhaps the second most difficult puzzle in the game has Nancy following a squirrel up a tree. These timed challenges are surprisingly difficult and require careful coordination and planning to get right. Nancy's daily task is to fix snacks for the students, occasionally receiving a timed order from a teacher. Fans of the previous games will recognize what has now become a staple of the series: the snack bar. My favorite such puzzle is the puzzle that involves Victorian silverware and table etiquette. Other puzzles require finding and studying books from the library. Since Rachel is so picky about the pan and zoom of each shot, players will likely do quite a few reshoots to get past this difficult challenge. Nancy must also take digital photographs of each of the girls for the finicky Rachel Hubbard. There are many different types of puzzles in this game, ranging from intense mini-games (air hockey and darts) to logic puzzles that may even pass as college admissions tests. Several of the game's best puzzles are inspired by Poe's works, such as "The Pit and the Pendulum" in which Nancy must solve a complex puzzle before a huge swinging scythe slices her in half. Eventually, she even learns of a relationship with the famous mystery and horror author, Edgar Allen Poe. In addition to learning about the suspects, Nancy must also learn about the history of the school and a former teacher from there. Naturally, there is more to each of them than they appear, and a great part of the game's appeal is discovering their secrets by stealth and subtlety. These snobby girls are a treacherous and petty bunch, always eager to stir up drama. There are 5 suspects, each with a distinctive personality and motivation for eliminating the competition by any means necessary. As the "new girl", Nancy must try to gain the other girls' confidence while scrutinizing their stories for clues. Nancy is called to the scene after a claustrophobic student is locked in her closet overnight. The Black Cat has been trying to terrorize the candidates for valedictorian, sending them ominous letters. The adventure begins when Nancy is summoned to a prestigious girls' boarding school named Waverly Academy, where she must pose as a new student to uncover the identity of "The Black Cat". All in all, the game is another great installment for the series, but it will probably appeal more to girls than boys. During the adventure, players will interact with a great cast of characters, solve challenging puzzles, learn about Edgar Allen Poe, and play fun mini-games.
This time, the game takes players into the snooty society of an exclusive private academy for girls, where the protagonist (Nancy Drew) must go undercover to learn who has been sending threatening letters to the candidates for valedictorian.
CAST OF NANCY DREW WARNINGS AT WAVERLY ACADEMY SERIES
The series is based on the Nancy Drew books, a celebrated franchise of mystery and adventure novels for young readers.
Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy is the 21st installment of the flagship point-and-click adventure game series from Her Interactive.