Hey this is Turtlesmind coming to you with another review. Today I am writing about the 1999 game Stay Tuned for Danger which is Herinteractive's second installment of the Nancy Drew Adventure Game series.
The Basics:
Once Again Nancy's case is associated with her Aunt Eloise who you all might remember from her first case Secrets Can Kill. As in SCK, you never meet Aunt Eloise. You, as Nancy Drew, are visiting with Soap Opera Star Mattie Jensen who rents Eloise Drew's house in New York City, 7226 Lexington Avenue to be more specific. I remember this because I heard Nancy tell the cab driver more times than I can count. Throughout the game several other locations are added to your city map such as 1999 Broadway, or better known as World Wide Broadcasting Network where Mattie works.
According to Mattie, her co-star, and obvious love of her life, Rick is getting death threats but no one will do anything about it. She manages to get you a job as an extra on her show "Light of our Love" which gives you full run of the studio.
Graphics and Gameplay:
The graphics in this game is a large leap from Secrets Can Kill (The original of course). Although that is true of the scene graphics, it is far more noticeable with the character design. The Characters in Secrets Can Kill stood out sharply in their 3D environments with their 2D design. Immediately the next year with Stay Tuned fo Danger, the two dimensional characters became 3D.
The interface is the same throughout the first nine games. Going back to this game ater completing Ghost of Thornton Hall really threw my head for a loop. For example in this game, navigation is a lot more limited. You will remember that the first few Nancy Drew games used a Magnifying glass as both directional curser and hot item curser. The only difference was the color occassionally changed based on the operation you wished to execute.
The phone in Mattie's front hall was neat little added feature in this game. Occassionally throughout the game, Mattie will leave you little phone messages from your friends. Your phone contacts are friends Bess and George and also Nancy's boyfriend Ned Nickerson. My favorite message has got to be "Ned called for you. He sounds cute".
The Suspects
Mattie Jensen:Soap Opera star Mattie Jensen plays female lead Serena on the daytime soap "Light of Our Love". Information on Mattie, and daytime soaps call Bess. For gossip on Mattie call your friends, read the magazines scattered around Mattie's house and the studio and also talk to the other suspects. Nancy refers to her as flighty but in this game, the characters do begin to take on more personality.
Rick is getting death threats from who knows where. Threats come via letters, dead flowers, poisoned chocolate and even wrong scripts via the teleprompter. Rick does not take this seriously and talking to this guy can be tedious and annoying. Makes you wish Herinteractive had made Nancy more sarcastic.
Mattie's agent and owner of Powers Talent agency. It is Dwayne that helps you get back onto the set. If you find yourself wishing the klieg light had hit Rick then you and Dwayne will get along fine. He happens to be Rick Arlen's ex agent.
Lillian is the Director for the show and at times quite short with Nancy. Although surly at times, the character was amusing to me. However it is important that you watch when you talk to her as she triggers certain events that detach from what you might be wanting to do.
Millie is by far one of my favorite characters in this game. According to Bess she actually owns WWB Studios. Although there are many important things found in her prop room, in my books she is placed her as a time filler and what some might call "comic relief". Before you can enter her prop room you must first correctly answer her riddles. The riddles vary in difficulty based on which of the three game difficulties you choose.
Stay Tuned for Danger's plot was a little more intricate than Secrets Can Kill. The graphics for the game overall were pretty decent for 1999 and the puzzles made sense. Some games you have to complete things that seem utterly ridiculous. This game you didn't find that. A couple of the prop room things are random and quirky but that is a prop room for you. However the puzzles in this game are quite simple and could stand to be a little more difficult on the Junior Mode.
My one complaint, especially playing for the 8th or 9th time, was how meticulous the game is. It is non linear to a point but I was trying to trigger the end event, but since I had not read every magazine, receipt and little scrap of paper what I was waiting for wouldn't happen. You definitely need to go over every location with a fine tooth comb.
All in all a must play for die hard Nancy Drew fans. My rating is 3/5.
Allez-Bye Bye
Turtlesmind
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