Fresh from her adventures in Venice, Nancy is now in Ireland to attend the wedding of Kyler Mallory, a friend. She has been asked to be the Maid of Honor for this friend, who was an exchange student to the United States, where she and Nancy met. When Nancy arrives, she discovers that Matt Simmons, the bridegroom, has disappeared and no one knows what has happened to him. Kyler Mallory believes that he is playing some type of practical joke, and asks Nancy to help discover where he is. Nancy agrees to help and so begins the latest Nancy Drew adventure from Her Interactive, The Haunting of Castle Malloy.

There is a larger story besides this strange disappearance. Kyler Malloy has inherited a castle in Ireland and is planning on having her wedding there. This castle is supposedly haunted by a banshee, though, and the caretaker is convinced that the banshee and/or leprechauns have done away with Matt Simmons, the hapless bridegroom. Nancy will have to sift the myths from the facts to solve this mystery.

This is the 19^th installment in the popular series from Her Interactive, fresh on the heels of number 18, The Phantom of Venice. Phantom was a little different from the other games in that Nancy did a whole lot of actual sleuthing with the police, rather than snooping around on her own. There were less puzzles than usual, and Nancy spent a great deal of time traveling around Venice. In The Haunting of Castle Malloy, the emphasis is on puzzle solving more than interviewing suspects or traveling. Having the games all be a little different from each other is a good thing in a series this long.

As stated above, there are puzzles galore! Almost immediately Nancy is sliding tiles, arranging dolls, playing a Towers of Hanoi game and measuring weights. Soon, she will even be traversing a maze, an old adventure game standby. All of these puzzles are fun, although somewhat difficult. They are really challenging even for experienced gamers in the Sr. Detective mode, and not easy in the Jr. Detective mode. However, I’ve never been very good at sliding tiles puzzles.

While these puzzles are well-designed and interesting in and of themselves, they are made a bit more difficult because of a “disconnect” between the story and the puzzles. Many of the puzzles, especially the early ones, don’t have much of an introduction or reason why they are there and what connection they have with the story. For instance, one of the first puzzles involves placing dolls in a certain order according to rules of placement to other dolls. There is no introduction or explanation for this dollhouse, or what the dolls have to do with anything. This comes later in the story, after this puzzle has been solved (Nancy will, however, revisit this doll puzzle a few more times in the game).

Another isolated puzzle requires Nancy to balance varying weights, according to their density on a scientific scale. There are many more that are similarly disconnected from the story. While there are always a few of these “just for fun” types of puzzles in most of the Nancy Drew games and other adventure games, most of the puzzles in Castle Malloy are of this type.

Many of the Nancy Drew games feature puzzles that teach and inform players with a common theme. The theme here is that of Celtic tradition and symbols, with a less emphasized theme of science. Some of the puzzles do focus on these dual themes, but more do not. Many of the puzzles appear to be placed just for convenience, rather than to tie to the story together or to educate the player.

Besides the puzzles that are played to advance the story, there are also several mini-games that players can play any time they choose. A “spot the difference” game, a darts game, and a game where Nancy can mix drinks are the three that can be played over and over again. Did I say “mix drinks”? Yes, I did. Nancy can mix drinks in the local pub. Don’t be alarmed, though, these are juice and root beer drinks. My eyebrows went up a bit at first, but I was relieved to discover they were non-alcoholic. These pub patrons are modern, health conscious citizens.

At first, I thought the story was somewhat shallow. A bridegroom that would vanish before his wedding as a practical joke? Why would his fiancée think that? However, the characters are very interesting and believable, and the story soon takes on other aspects. The characters are very animated and each has a distinct personality. The dialogue is well-written and engaging. The excellent animation, combined with good writing and nice voice-acting, really immerses players in the game. The castle is drawn well and features great detail. This castle invites players to explore.

I am impressed with The Haunting of Castle Malloy. It is definitely one of the better Nancy Drew games and one that will present a challenge even to experienced adult adventure enthusiasts. However, this means it is probably too difficult for the younger crowd. Unlike many of the Nancy Drew games, this game is not for a 10-year-old, even on the Jr. Detective setting. The puzzles, while very good and entertaining, are just too hard for most young players unless they have some help.

The Haunting of Castle Malloy is a great game for players ages 12 and up, and one that ranks with the best of the series, namely The Secret of the Scarlet Hand, The Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake, the Curse of Blackmoor Manor, and Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon. A wonderful choice for a game to play over the upcoming holidays!

Gameplay: 8.5
This is a fun adventure! Fans of Nancy Drew will be pleased, and any adventure game fan will enjoy it, even adults. The puzzles are well-designed and challenging. While many of them aren’t interconnected with the story very well, that won’t faze many players who enjoy these types of manipulative puzzles. The characters and story are interesting, and players will be engaged throughout the game. The puzzles could have been tied in better with the story, but they are still fun to solve.

Graphics: 8.0
The graphics are excellent as usual, but the characters appear to be more animated and lifelike than in previous games. I’m not sure if that is actually the case, but that is my general impression.

Sound: 8.0
The music fits the theme well, and the sound effects are nicely handled. The voice acting is exceptionally good.

Difficulty: Hard
The level of difficulty can be either Jr. or Sr. level, but even the Jr. is hard. The main difference is in the puzzle difficulty and the addition of a task list for Jr. Detectives.

Concept: 7.0
Well, there is nothing new here from most other adventure games, but the execution is very nice.

Overall: 8.5
Kids will really enjoy this game, and adults, as well. A great choice for a family game that everyone can play without worrying about inappropriate content. Probably best played as a cooperative effort between older and younger family members and friends. Thanks Her Interactive, for continuing to design great games for teens. I have the new Hardy Boys mystery on my desk, and am looking forward to seeing how it compares to Nancy Drew. It has a lot to live up to, though!