Curse of Blackmoor Manor is a popular point-and-click adventure game developed by Her Interactive. The game revolves around a young American detective named Nancy Drew who is invited to Blackmoor Manor in England to investigate strange happenings surrounding an ailment that has befallen the head of the household, Lady Penelope Thornton-Weatherby. The manor is rumored to be cursed, hence the game's title. The main idea ** of the game centers around uncovering the secrets of the curse and finding a way to break it. As Nancy explores the manor, she encounters various puzzles and clues that gradually reveal the dark history behind the curse. This includes exploring secret passageways, deciphering ancient symbols, and interacting with the eccentric members of the household.
This includes exploring secret passageways, deciphering ancient symbols, and interacting with the eccentric members of the household. One of the key aspects ** of the game is the emphasis on puzzle-solving. Players must use their logical thinking and observational skills to solve the various challenges they encounter throughout the manor.
Curse of Blackmoor Manor Spoilers
Welcome to the new Computer Game Spoilers section of my gaming website. I added this section because I recently received questions about the plots of two different games which, to my surprise and embarrassment, I had totally forgotten the answers to. Then, to my further surprise, I was unable to find any existing website that would refresh my memory about the plots of computer games. lots of puzzle solutions, but no basic plot summaries.
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So I figured I'd better write some of them down while they're still fresh in my mind, just in case I or anybody else wants to refer to them at some point in the future (or in case anybody suffers a major game glitch and just wants to know what was supposed to happen in the end-- I get letters like this from time to time.) If you haven't finished Curse of Blackmoor Manor yet and you don't want the plot of this game to be revealed to you, then you don't want to read this page. Please go back to my main Curse of Blackmoor Manor page, where I give tips and reviews without giving away any of its plot.
But if you are looking for plot spoilers, just scroll further down the page to find them!
Plot Summary
This game is loosely based on the 1985 Nancy Drew novel The Bluebeard Room , but the plot was changed significantly to keep it appropriate for the 10-14 target audience (in the original plot, the cult was sinister and more demonic in nature and was involved in cocaine smuggling.) In the game version, Nancy is asked by a family friend to investigate what has happened to her daughter Linda, who has moved to a remote part of England with her new husband and fallen mysteriously ill. Although the doctors cannot find anything wrong with Linda, she is lying in bed all day with the curtains drawn acting insane, snarling at everyone and moaning about entering a room she should not have entered and being cursed. As Nancy investigates, she learns that there is a strange cult operating in Blackmoor Manor, with Linda's 10-year-old stepdaughter Jane as their newest acolyte, and that Linda believes she has been cursed with lycanthropy and is turning into a werewolf-like monster. But in fact, it turns out that those two things are unrelated-- the cult is actually more of a pretentious secret society that has nothing to do with Linda's ailment. Jane, feeling lonely and upset about her parents' divorce, has simply played an elaborate prank on Linda to make her think she has been cursed, hoping that this will make her go away. After Nancy rescues Jane from some trouble she has gotten herself into and hears her confession, Linda recovers from her delusions, Hugh returns home, and the family is strengthened by working through their problems.
Character Subplots and Secrets
Linda Petrov Penvellyn: The woman Nancy was sent to the manor to help, Linda is apparently rather fragile-minded and has allowed Jane to convince her that she has triggered an ancient curse that is turning her into a werewolf. In the epilogue, she forgives Jane and they resolve to work hard to become a real family.
Jane Penvellyn: Linda's 10-year-old stepdaughter, a lonely girl who has not come to terms with her parents' divorce yet. She makes Nancy play lots of board games with her and can be rather annoying. As mentioned above, she is the one who has been trying to make Linda think she is cursed, hoping that this might make her leave and her father might reconcile with her mother somehow. (Yes, this is a ridiculous plan, but you'd be surprised how many children of divorce believe it would work anyway!) Ethel is also training her in the ways of the cult.
Leticia Drake: Hugh's elderly aunt. Nancy discovers that she stands to inherit half the estate if Linda departs the premises, but in reality, she doesn't care about that. She is involved with the cult, however, and is the one who hired Ethel to train Jane.
Ethel Bosinny: Jane's creepy, unpleasant tutor, she is also the cult leader. She is not, however, evil or dangerous as in the book.
Nigel Mookerjee: A historian working on writing a book about the history of the Penvellyn family. Secretly, he is bored with the dull topic and wants his book to be a more sensational unauthorized tell-all book about the seedier side of the family. In the epilogue, he is thwarted in this goal because Nancy decides to hide the cult activity from him.
Minor Characters
Hugh Penvellyn: Linda's husband, Jane's father. He is away on business at the time of Nancy's visit, so she can only speak to him by telephone. He is clueless about the cult, but doesn't seem to mind it when he learns about it in the epilogue.
Mrs. Petrov: Linda's mother, who sent Nancy to England to check on her daughter. She is only spoken to by telephone.
Loulou: The Penvellyn family's pet parrot, she isn't really a character per se, but because she can talk, she occasionally has some useful information Nancy can ask her for.
Jane's guinea pig: The story of Jane's guinea pig is set up so that players might jump to the conclusion that the guinea pig met with foul play of some sort-- in particular, that the cult may have sacrificed it-- but this is just a red herring since the cult in this game is not evil and satanic like it is in the book. Jane's guinea pig was apparently just an ordinary pet that died.
Paliki Vadas: You need to call this character on the telephone to learn plot information, but she is never seen on screen and is not a suspect.
Ned: As usual in Nancy Drew games, Nancy's boyfriend Ned has no subplots and exists only to chat with Nancy on the telephone and deliver hints if the player needs them.
Nigel Mookerjee: A historian working on writing a book about the history of the Penvellyn family. Secretly, he is bored with the dull topic and wants his book to be a more sensational unauthorized tell-all book about the seedier side of the family. In the epilogue, he is thwarted in this goal because Nancy decides to hide the cult activity from him.
These puzzles range from decoding cryptic messages to completing complex mechanical contraptions. The game rewards players by gradually revealing the next piece of the puzzle as they successfully solve each challenge. As Nancy delves deeper into the mysteries of Blackmoor Manor, she uncovers a variety of supernatural elements that add to the overall eerie atmosphere of the game. These include encounters with ghostly apparitions, unexplained phenomena, and ancient rituals. The supernatural elements ultimately tie into the curse and bring the player closer to understanding its origins and how to break it. In addition to the main storyline, Curse of Blackmoor Manor also allows players to explore the manor at their own pace, interacting with objects, collecting items, and uncovering hidden clues. This adds an element of exploration and immersion to the gameplay experience. Overall, Curse of Blackmoor Manor is a captivating adventure game that combines elements of mystery, puzzle-solving, and supernatural storytelling. Its immersive storyline and engaging gameplay make it a favorite among fans of the Nancy Drew series..
Reviews for "The Haunting Beauty of Blackmoor Manor: A Visual Journey"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with Curse of Blackmoor Manor. The storyline was confusing and disjointed, making it hard to follow. The puzzles were extremely difficult and often didn't make sense, leaving me frustrated and stuck for long periods of time. The graphics and atmosphere were decent, but it wasn't enough to make up for the lackluster gameplay. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this game to others unless they enjoy endless frustration and confusion.
2. Emily - 1/5 stars - Curse of Blackmoor Manor was a complete letdown for me. The voice acting was terrible and sounded like it was recorded in someone's basement. The characters were dull and uninteresting, and the dialogue was cheesy and poorly written. The puzzles were tedious and repetitive, offering nothing new or exciting. I found myself struggling to stay engaged throughout the game, and by the end, I was just relieved it was over. Save your money and skip this one.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I found Curse of Blackmoor Manor to be quite boring. The gameplay was slow and monotonous, with very little action or excitement. The storyline lacked depth and intrigue, and the ending was anticlimactic. The graphics were outdated, and the controls were clunky and frustrating. I expected more from a Nancy Drew game, and unfortunately, this one fell flat. I would recommend trying other titles in the series instead.