summarizeEditor's Summary
I'm a huge fan of the Nancy Drew series, but unfortunately, Midnight in Salem didn't quite live up to my expectations. The game's storyline is interesting, with a unique blend of mystery and supernatural elements, but the controls can be clunky and unresponsive at times, making it frustrating to navigate the game world. The graphics aren't as polished as I'd like, with some noticeable glitches and texture issues. The dialogue can feel a bit overwhelming at times, with too much repetition and not enough variety. It takes a while to get invested in the story, and the pacing can feel a bit slow at times. That being said, the game does have a great atmosphere, with a spooky and mystical vibe that's perfect for fans of the series. The music is catchy and adds to the overall atmosphere, and the game has a good sense of tension and suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The game's length is decent, with around 10-15 hours of gameplay. Overall, I'd say that Midnight in Salem is a disappointing game that fails to live up to the series' standards, but it's still worth checking out if you're a die-hard fan.", "pros": ["The game's atmosphere is perfect for fans of the series, with a spooky and mystical vibe that's hard to resist.", 'The storyline is interesting, with a unique blend of mystery and supernatural elements.', 'The game has a great sense of immersion, with detailed environments and sound effects that draw you in.', "The game's music is catchy and adds to the overall atmosphere.", 'The game has a good sense of tension and suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat.', "The game's length is decent, with around 10-15 hours of gameplay.", 'The game has a great sense of exploration, with plenty of hidden secrets and areas to discover.'], "cons": ['The controls can be clunky and unresponsive at times, making it frustrating to navigate the game world.', "The graphics aren't as polished as I'd like, with some noticeable glitches and texture issues.", 'The dialogue can feel a bit overwhelming at times, with too much repetition and not enough variety.', 'It takes a while to get invested in the story, and the pacing can feel a bit slow at times.', "The game's difficulty level can be inconsistent, with some puzzles feeling too easy and others feeling too hard.", "The game's lack of innovation and creativity is disappointing, especially compared to other games in the series.", 'The game's lack of character development is also a letdown, with some characters feeling more like caricatures than fully fleshed-out people.'], "faq": [ {"question": "Is Midnight in Salem a good game for fans of the Nancy Drew series?", "answer": "While Midnight in Salem has some great elements, it's ultimately a disappointing game that fails to live up to the series' standards. If you're a die-hard fan, you might still find some enjoyment, but for me, it's a total letdown."}, {"question": "What are the game's system requirements?", "answer": "Midnight in Salem requires a PC with a 2.4 GHz processor, 4 GB of RAM, and a 512 MB graphics card to run smoothly."}, {"question": "Can I play Midnight in Salem on console?", "answer": "Unfortunately, Midnight in Salem is only available on PC and Mac."}, {"question": "Is the game's storyline original?", "answer": "While the game's storyline has some interesting elements, it feels a bit formulaic and lacking in originality."}, {"question": "How long does it take to complete the game?", "answer": "The game's length is around 10-15 hours, depending on your skill level and level of exploration."}, {"question": "Can I customize the game's controls?", "answer": "Unfortunately, the game's controls are fixed and cannot be customized."}, {"question": "Is the game's graphics quality good?", "answer": "The game's graphics are decent, but not as polished as I'd like. There are some noticeable glitches and texture issues."}, {"question": "Can I play the game in different languages?", "answer": "Midnight in Salem is available in English, French, German, and Spanish."}, {"question": "Are there any multiplayer features in the game?", "answer": "Unfortunately, Midnight in Salem is a single-player only game, with no multiplayer features to speak of."}, {"question": "Can I save my progress at any time?", "answer": "Yes, you can save your progress at any time, but be warned that saving can take a bit of time due to the game's loading mechanics."} ], "meta_title": "Midnight in Salem Review - A Disappointing but Atmospheric Nancy Drew Game", "meta_description": "Is Midnight in Salem a good game for fans of the Nancy Drew series? Our review dives into the game's pros and cons, including its atmosphere, storyline, and controls.", "og_title": "Midnight in Salem Review - A Disappointing but Atmospheric Nancy Drew Game", "og_description": "Get the inside scoop on Midnight in Salem, a game that's sure to divide fans of the Nancy Drew series. Our review covers the game's pros and cons, including its atmosphere, storyline, and controls.
A Nightly Stroll Through the Cemetery with Ghosts, a Cozy Mansion, and a Witch Hunt - Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem: Disappointing or a Spooky Atmospheric Game with a Touch of Magic?
As a child of the computer age, I have a special place in my heart for the Nancy Drew series. My parents got me my first computer when I was a kid, and I spent hours playing games on it. At first, it was just basic kid stuff like cat and Barbie games, but then I moved on to detective games like Scooby-Doo. The Nancy Drew series really captured my imagination, and I loved the way each game had its own unique story and atmosphere, with a mix of spooky and thrilling elements.
I played a lot of the series, from the old classics to the newer ones, and some of my favorite games were the ones with a more mystical or supernatural twist. Like 'The Secret of the Scarlet Hand' - that one's still one of my all-time favorites. I was also really scared to play 'Ghost of Thornton Hall', but it was so atmospheric and spooky that I ended up loving it. And then there was 'The Shadow at the Water's Edge', which was another favorite of mine.
I think what really drew me to the Nancy Drew series was the way each game had its own unique story and atmosphere. And, of course, the fact that they always had a bit of a supernatural twist. In Midnight in Salem, that supernatural element is front and center - and it's what makes the game so compelling.
Honestly, I was surprised to find that Nancy Drew games are still being released. I had somehow thought that they stopped coming out around 2012. But nope, and curiosity got the better of me - I wanted to see how the games had changed, if they were still any good, what the graphics looked like, and if they still held my attention. And out of all the ones that came out after 2012, I chose Midnight in Salem.
It's funny that, when the game was installing, I decided to read some reviews and found a lot of negative feedback. Players were pretty unhappy. But I decided to form my own opinion and, just in case, downloaded another game in case this one was a total disaster.
And honestly, I do agree with some of the criticisms after playing through it. But some things didn't seem as big of a deal to me.
Story
The story revolves around Salem, its history - lots of people know it, so the whole witchcraft theme is something you'll be dealing with throughout the game. Nancy's goal is to investigate a fire in an old house. In this fire, a girl was accused, and her relatives convince her that she didn't do it.
Nancy's goal is to prove this or disprove it. There are also some smaller puzzles in the story, but they all tie together in the end, and we can figure out who's good and who's bad.
For me, the story started off really confusingly in the beginning. Maybe that's why I wasn't interested in playing for the first couple of days. I was already thinking of giving up. It was hard to keep track of what was going on, too many names, a mess. But then things started to get interesting, mini-games showed up, and it was more of a real investigation, not just walking from character to character to talk to them.
Control
I've got to say, the control scheme here is a bit of a reach. My hand kept drifting towards the keyboard, but the control system is still firmly rooted in mouse-only. That's right, it's like they're stuck in the past. You've got your cursor for movement, rotation, and those awkward buttons for talking and grabbing.
More often than not, I'd spin around to face a target, only to accidentally click on a dialogue with a character behind me. Then I'd have to skip through the dialogue to get it to stop. It's frustrating, to say the least.
And don't even get me started on the navigation in tight spaces. It's like they're trying to make it as difficult as possible to get from point A to point B. The rotation and movement mechanics just don't mesh well, leaving you stuck in dead ends and having to spin around all over again. It's a real pain to navigate.
Graphics
But the graphics? That's a whole different story. I mean, this game came out in 2019, and it looks like it's stuck in the past. For comparison, Beyond: Two Souls came out the same year and looked way better. I get it, different engines, different budgets, different scope. But still, the graphics in Nancy Drew look like they're from a different era.
And if we're comparing it to Heavy Rain, which is 10 years old, it looks even worse. At least Heavy Rain had some life to it. The characters here just feel... flat.
I'm not talking about open-world gameplay or realistic physics or all that jazz. Just give me a static environment with some basic effects like rain and leaves blowing in the wind. That's all I'm asking for.
I've gotta say, the characters in this game seem kinda stiff. I mean, they don't really express themselves. If they're scared, their face doesn't change. If they're mad, they just stand there with their arms crossed. It's like they're made of cardboard with a few pre-programmed moves.
Even when the character is drowning, they just stand there with their arms crossed. It's like the game is stuck in 2012 or something. The animation is just not up to par for a game in 2019.
Some pretty funny bugs
I've already mentioned this, but it seems like some aspects of the game weren't thought through. Like when I start calling the character next to me, they just stand there. I get it, maybe it wasn't something they planned, but come on, some basic character movement would've been nice.
This game is pretty linear, so I get that there aren't a lot of options. But in these moments, you'd think they'd throw in some humor. Like, 'Hey, you're standing right next to me, no need to call.' But nope, they didn't. It's just another example of poor character movement.
The same goes for when the character is screaming, scared, or whatever. They all use the same animation. It's like they're stuck in one pose for the whole game. I mean, that's not what you expect from a game in 2019. The whole point of modern games is to have realistic character movements and expressions.
But if the character is supposed to be angry or scared, shouldn't there be a different animation for it? I mean, this is a linear game, so there aren't a lot of events to worry about. It's not like they'd have to animate every single possibility. So, why didn't they do it? I just don't get it.
The highlights
I have to admit, I played the game through without giving up. It took me four days, playing for about an hour each day, and I deliberately took my time to explore the location. Overall, it was quite engaging. Yes, the ending became somewhat predictable at some point, but I'm willing to forgive the game for that. Let's start with the positives before I get into some criticisms:
The mystical atmosphere - I mean, those walks through the cemetery, the old, burnt-down house, the ghosts popping out from behind corners, the fog, the pumpkins with glowing eyes... it's all quite atmospheric. I played it in early January, but I still got caught up in the atmosphere. So, the game's atmosphere was definitely a highlight.The story is pretty engaging - and the investigation story is actually quite good. Most of the characters have a backstory and some motivation for their behavior. There's a mix of mystery and regular old-fashioned crime, plus a few accidents. Plus, there are a few branching points where your decisions will affect the game's outcome. Not to the same extent as Beyond: Two Souls or Heavy Rain, but still.The mini-games - I love the mini-games in the Nancy Drew series, like the board games or cooking stuff. These mini-games, which you can play at any time but don't affect the story, are a highlight. You can make pancakes, brew potions to heal ailments, or decorate the town with pumpkins. In short, the mini-games are a plus, and they're a feature of this series.
The lowlights
Now, let's talk about the negatives. I've already mentioned some of these points above, but since we're wrapping up, I'll summarize them into a small pile:
To be honest, this game isn't ideal for big monitors. I've got a powerful computer that's great for gaming and work, plus a 32-inch screen. Even on max settings, the game looks a bit rough on a 4K monitor. I get it - back in 2014-15, 4K monitors were just starting to come out. But in 2019, they're pretty standard for anyone who games or works on a computer. The game runs smoothly, doesn't freeze, but on a large scale, the image gets a bit choppy.The controls are a bit wonky, and I lost atmosphere a few times when I ended up in the wrong place and couldn't get back. They've got arrows, you can have conversations with your mouse, move with the arrow keys, and it would be way more intuitive if they just had a 'left', 'right', and 'up' button.I also wished I could mark tasks on my phone, but they disappear after you complete them. I wanted a to-do list where I could check off what I've done, so I could see my progress and remember what's important.The start is a bit confusing. There's some book that I don't know why it's there, and then it's gone, and we're off to somewhere else, and I'm trying to figure out what's going on. I think if you're new to the Nancy Drew series, you'll be lost, and you'll have no idea who Carson is, or Ned, or the Drakes, or the Hardy brothers. Some explanations would be nice.The characters feel a bit lifeless, and I wish they had a bit more emotion. It's pretty obvious that the developers scripted a few specific movements for each character during conversations. At one point, it even felt like they had a nervous tic.
My overall impression
I was expecting a more negative review, but I got drawn in, and the game actually kept me engaged for a few hours. I think the one thing I can say is that Nancy feels more mature in this game.
Yeah, she's still that eternal teenager... I mean, the game says she's 18, but to me, she's always been this super-smart kid that everyone treats like a teenager, and Nancy uses that to her advantage. In this game, though, I sensed that she's a young woman now, who's bold, who swears, and who's got her own relationship drama going on.
I think that makes the character more relatable. This isn't that perfect girl-detective who always figures things out and knows who the villain is, and whose world is divided into good guys and bad guys.
Overall, the game has some positives, but I got the feeling that it's still a bit rough around the edges. Like, it's like they were trying to make it modern, but they didn't quite get it right, and they didn't revamp most of the old stuff.
Verdict
I was torn between a 3 and a 4, because the game just doesn't feel like it's worth its year-old release. It's like they rushed it or made some bad decisions, but we know that's not true. So, either they were in a hurry or they made some wrong calls.
Anyway, I've got four stars out of this game, and overall, I'd recommend it, but mostly if you've played the previous games and just want to reminisce a bit.
