Publisher: Her Interactive
Developer: Her Interactive
System requirements: Windows XP/Vista/Win 7/OSX 10.5, 1.5 GHz Pentium 4 or better CPU, 512 MB RAM, 3 GB hard-drive space, 128 MB DirectX 9.0-compatible graphics card, 16 bit DirectX-compatible sound device
Genre: Adventure
ESRB rating: Everyone
Release date: May 9, 2012

Nancy Drew has a long history as a book series. More recently, the PC game series is making a name for itself as a continuation of the tradition. As the 26th game in the collection, Tomb of the Lost Queen has a well established framework to not just match, but also hopefully to surpass.

Tomb of the Lost Queen takes Nancy to Egypt, job shadowing an archaeologist named Dr.Boyle at a dig site. The opening scenes tell of an Egyptian queen’s tomb, found 100 years ago by a team who supposedly succumbed to its curse, taking all knowledge of the tomb with them. Nancy believes this dig site is the location of the lost tomb. Disaster strikes immediately, however, as a wind storm engulfs the camp. As the power cuts and lightning flashes, Dr.Boyle is struck down and all evidence suggests he was attacked. After he wakes up in the hospital, Dr.Boyle asks Nancy to find out what happened.

Gameplay is much the same as it has been in past Nancy Drew games, with only a few subtle changes. An item bar is positioned across the bottom of the screen. Nancy has a cell phone for taking pictures and calling people, a journal that catalogues what she’s done so far, and a checklist to keep track of what needs doing. Movement is handled by clicking when the pointer turns to an arrow. Observing and collecting are also handled by clicking on items when the cursor changes shape or lights up.

Tomb of the Lost Queen is both the same and different from past games. Everything about it feels like the previous installments in the series. It’s the subtle but notable changes that put it a step ahead. Refinements to the UI layout and style are a welcome change, making it easier to use while being less obtrusive. As always, the background art is beautifully rendered and vibrant. The 3D character models are a step up and fit well against the backdrops. The differences between what’s 2D and 3D is barely noticeable.

There’s little negative to say about Tomb of the Lost Queen. The puzzle difficulty might seem like a hurdle for the game’s intended audience (kids 10 years old and up), but the junior detective mode with hints seems to handle that well enough.

I didn’t grow up a Nancy Drew fan. I still don’t read the books, but the game series is well done and I look forward to seeing where the series goes in the future. I’d recommend Tomb of the Lost Queen to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or a good puzzle game — or both.

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