I Finished It

Spoiler#34 MYSTERY OF THE SEVEN KEYS 🔑

The Good:

There is slightly more snooping than MID, where you would not have respected a suspect's privacy.

The cat!!!!!!

The Bad:

Most of the puzzles I did not find intuitive, and as Nancy doesn't really tell you what you're doing I flapped around like a beached whale.

The NPCs, so uncanny valley everywhere.

Wtf with the locations? Why put big squares in and nothing to look at?!?!?!

The voice actress for Nancy honestly confused me with her intonation. Just... felt really off.

The typos. Why are there so many. Whyyyyyy. The writing in general wasn't good, but there's no excuse for that amount of typos in a game.

I played it, I'm glad I waited for Steam. I honestly prefer MID to it, and that isn't something I thought I'd be saying. Like I'm currently fondly thinking of MID. I think I have Post Traumatic Stupid Game Disorder. Going to go play Shadow Ranch now.

ETA: Actually I also did enjoy the all the references to previous games. That made me smile.

in nancydrewby LadyofFluffCan't check that off yet. 📝

96%

HappyImagineer

You're gonna need a bigger boat. 🚣‍♀️

Shadow Ranch is medically approved therapy.

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

Bob has calmed me. I love Bob.

PicnicLifeBitch69

You're gonna need a bigger boat. 🚣‍♀️

C’mon Bob! 🐎

portraitoffire

used to play shadow ranch when i was a kid just to stare at hot cowboy dave lol

Aggravating-Finish74

I prefer MID too!!! I thought I was alone

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

Definitely not alone, there are at least 2 of us!!!!

MID has grown on me throughout a few replays, and it had a good atmosphere. It's part of my Halloween tradition along with Thornton Hall and Waters Edge.

Aggravating-Finish74

Same, it definitely had to grow on me. I remember the very first time I ever booted it up I played maybe 5 minutes tops. Then didn't pick it up again until I had played through all the older ones and just needed a fix. Honestly its atmosphere is really nice and the ending with the party actually made me feel that nostalgic "sad I finished it" feeling that I really don't get that often anymore!

Hopefully KEY will be the same and one day I will think of it fondly, but as of right now I just can't see that happening.

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

I think part of it is they kind of didn't take the good bits with MID, and then added more and got those not right too? I can't really describe how off I feel with this game. But MID has become comfortable and the ending is very melancholy because it was a good ride and I didn't appreciate it for what it was when it came out.

But I still think we should have been able to snoop in people's rooms.

Aggravating-Finish74

That's so spot on. Especially "added more and got those not right too"

Snooping in rooms would have been great and added to the girls personalities. Also would have been a better way to find the coven pic

snappopcrackle

I preferred MID too. It at least had "the gang" come together and didnt feel quite as empty. It also had a lot of "so bad it's good" parts, like Deirdre and Nancy talking about the bassist in the car.

Also I played MID straight through and was interested in what would happen. KEY is the only game I've abandoned, and I really dont see myself going back. It kind of reminds me of RAN, where I played with a walkthrough just to try to grind through it.

Aggravating-Finish74

I begrudgingly finished KEY with a walkthrough and was somehow still constantly pissed at it, so I definitely don't blame you for abandoning it.

And all your points about MID are honestly making me want to replay it again, which speaks volumes to the difference in quality! Someone would have to threaten me to get me to start KEY again.

theothersideofdawn

Oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t like it as much.

I also loved the cat so I’m glad we are in agreement there! I say more cats and less NPCs haha. But with the typos… there are a TON in the old games too. So I’ve learned to deal with it.

It has good potential! And I still enjoyed it but I’m also a masochist who enjoys nearly crying at at puzzles I can’t figure out until I finally do and then fall off my chair in excitement.

If you want a good puzzle game recommendation, highly suggest escape academy.

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

The cat ruled, all games need a cat. AND A CAT YOU CAN PET!!! Literally screamed when I realised I could.

I don't like puzzles where I stare forever and then look up the answer to realise I wasn't going to put it all together. The whole progression on this game was off, which is sad because it's a longer game than average.

And I get your point with the typos, but the difference is price and how often we got a new game. I don't expect typo free when I buy a game at the older price point and knowing I get a new one in a few months. But they keep saying they're getting more advanced, and upping the specs required to play the games, and increasing the price, which is making the typos more irksome.

But we did get a cat, and I hope they carry on that particular feature!!!

theothersideofdawn

Maybe I’m lenient toward typos because typos are something I’m terrible at so I don’t wanna judge the stick in their eye with the plank in mine hahahahha

But yes. The cat and petting the cat makes up for a multitude of sins. I will take typos and a cat over no cat and no typos hahaha

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

LOL!!! I find I barely notice in the old games, I think because I enjoy them so much. My eyes skip over them. I think the writing on this one was rougher than usual, so my brain didn't just happy itself over them.

The cat should just be permanent, every game needs a cat we can pet at this point.

theothersideofdawn

Imagine if we had cats in the other games MHM should’ve had a cat cause there is one in Rose’s letter I think. It could go play with the rope… if you know

TRT it could scare you at the top of the steps

CUR it could bug Loulou

SHA it could protect eggs or knock over the horse food

DOG it could snarl before the dogs come and more dog attacks

SAW it could play with the slot machines 😂

I could go on

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

Oh knocking the horses food over would be prime cat! I feel that SEA needs a pub cat. Haunted Carousel could have had one to cheer up Joy, only it takes her to the end to realise she likes cats.

theothersideofdawn

SPOILER FOR HAUNTED CAROUSEL

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

so okay but what if Miles opened up at the end to reveal a coupon for one free cat from the shelter bahahaha

SPOILER OVER SPOILER OVER SPOILER OVER

thank you for coming to my ted talk

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

I LIKE THE WAY YOU THINK!!!!!

theothersideofdawn

Alright let’s go offer up our ideas.

ND 35; the case of HOW DID ALL THESE CATS GET IN CARSON’s office!?

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

OOOH SET IN RIVER HEIGHTS AS NANCY INVESTIGATES SOMETHING LINKED TO AN ANIMAL SHELTER AND SHE HIDES THE CATS IN EVERY PLACE SHE CAN!!!!!

Continue thread...

EaglesLoveSnakes

...someone just climbed outta my wardrobe. 😐

Based on inflation, the $32 is actually fairly comparable to the $20 price of games in the late 2010s.

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

I paid GBP 26.98 for KEY. For less money, I got This Bed We Made, Scene Investigators, Lake, Shadows of Doubt. All fantastic games, with less issues (Ok, will concede SoD is a bit buggy), longer than the old games. HER have increased the price, decreased the frequency, and the quality isn't there. I'd be less annoyed if we still got them twice a year, because it was lovely getting to the end of a game and then seeing the trailer and knowing (and this is even if I didn't hugely that one), that I'd get another in a couple of seasons.

I can handle the price increase, if the other issues weren't so prominent. Issues other devs are actively working on to fix in their own games. Feels like HER have checked out and I miss them.

levenus_supremus

You will be surprised, but all this time actresses in the russian localization sounded the same as the new one in this game🥲

JessicaMarie117

The cat was 10/10

While I thoroughly enjoyed myself playing the game and thought it felt much more complete than MID, I did struggle with the puzzles. I love love love puzzles but get really frustrated when it isn’t intuitive and I have to lookup what to do. Then it feels like I’m cheating, even though the issue was lack of instruction.

The NPC’s didn’t bother me really. If they are gonna cut corners anywhere, it makes sense to me to cut there.

Also I totally agree with the voice actress. I feel like she was given no context when reading lines, which is odd.

LadyofFluff

Can't check that off yet. 📝

I think the NPCs remind me of Observation Duty elevator people too much, and it made me uncomfortable. Felt very INTRUDER AHHHH REPORT REPORT REPORT.

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