In the "Phantom of Venice" by Her Interactive, Nancy Drew travels to Italy to unmask the Phantom, a cunning art thief working for a crime syndicate. Going undercover, she works with the Gdif (Italian version of the FBI) to uncover clues and spy on possible suspects. Nancy soon finds that danger is everywhere - especially when a mysterious note indicates that the ringleader, Il Dottore, is staying at the same palazzo that she is!

I downloaded this game from Amazon for under $5.00, and I love it! The plot is intriguing and moves along at a swift pace. Everything is seen from Nancy's perspective. To move around, just point and click. The graphics in this game are amazing! All of the locations have a rustic Mediterranean charm and beauty, and there are lots of places to explore. It felt like I was really there.

During the game, when I am not sleuthing, I enjoy playing the mini games like Scopa (an Italian card game), creating mosaics, shopping, picking locks, and earning euros by doing short tasks. It’s also fun being serenaded to on a gondola while touring Venice.

What I like most about this game (and all of the other ND ones as well) is that I always learn something new. I enjoy studying Italian, decoding chess notation, and much more. When I finish an ND game, I always feel smarter. Of course, learning is at its best when it is fun. And this is where I really applaud Her Interactive. The Nancy Drew games encourage me to think creatively in order to solve challenging puzzles and problems.

There are also small aspects of the game which are just as noteworthy. If I make a fatal error (like not escaping a trap or catching the culprit), I get the option to try again. Also, there are two modes to choose from: Junior or Senior detective. In junior detective mode I can call Ned Nickerson, Nancy’s boyfriend, for hints.

The Phantom of Venice is rated E for ages 10 and up - mild violence. (I haven’t been able to figure this rating out. At the very most it has mild peril, but certainly no blood or gore.)

This game took me four days to play. Video game fanatics could probably finish it in a day. Even so, I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to solve a thrilling, fun mystery. This is a good wholesome game that I could see guys playing as well as girls.

It works on Windows Vista/ XP/ 7.


The Her Interactive slogan put it perfectly: Dare to play!