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Mystery of the Seven Keys is the thirty-fourth game in the Nancy Drew Adventure series and was announced by Her Interactive on April 4, 2023. It is the second Nancy Drew game developed with the Unity engine. Loosely inspired by Diamond Deceit, the game was released on May 7th, 2024.

Synopsis[]

Get ready for a thrilling blend of adventure, mystery, and history in the latest installment of the award-winning Nancy Drew game series – Nancy Drew®: Mystery of the Seven Keys™! This all-new 3D game experience transports players to the heart of the historic city of Prague as they assume the role of famous detective Nancy Drew. Tasked with uncovering the truth behind the theft of a client’s heirloom necklace, players will navigate and sleuth through the beautiful city’s mysterious old-world environments. Encounter challenging puzzles, decode riddles, and discover clues entwined with medieval legends, alchemy, and lore. As the investigation deepens, Nancy uncovers a sinister web of cybercrime. Players must outwit devious suspects and use their detective skills to unravel a mystery threatening the city’s Bohemian heritage. Danger and intrigue at every turn add to the suspense as the criminals stop at nothing to prevent you from bringing the truth to light. Your investigative and critical thinking skills are crucial to solving the case and discovering the real mystery behind the legend of the seven keys!

Characters[]

Adela Čzerná[]

Hard-working and self-made, Adela is a woman who seems to know more than she tells. Her studies and business dealings have allowed her to travel the world, leading many to believe she is of noble blood. Despite her popularity, Adela prefers a rather simple, low-key lifestyle, and cares deeply for her home country of Czechia.

Patricie Vítkovci[]

Patricie is the owner of the Hungerkünstler Café, a local favorite that has been in her family for generations. She seems to know a bit about everything and everyone and has a habit of enlisting her customers to help around the café. She privately wishes for a more glamorous lifestyle but is committed to maintaining her family’s legacy.

Oskar Dvořák[]

Oskar is a specialty exhibit curator whose experience working with valuable collections at prestigious museums has earned him the role of director at Prague Castle’s newest exhibit. He is a relentless and erudite perfectionist whose excessive pride and arrogance often makes him disagreeable.

Vladéna Zlatý[]

Vladéna is an expert in gemology and appraisals with a long family history in Prague’s gem business. She is the owner of Zlatý Custom Jewelry, a prestigious store where she crafts her own branded jewelry. As the first woman in her family to be a store owner, she has little patience for those who may question her or her expertise.

Eliška “Elka” Strojník[]

Elka, a computer science student, is an intelligent woman with a strong sense of conviction. She runs half of Aparát alongside her grandfather, which she has turned into an electronics shop. She is secretly fond of Radek but doesn’t understand his devotion to bygone marionette theater.

Marek Strojník[]

Marek is an elderly craftsman and tinkerer who runs the other half of Aparát. Contrary to his granddaughter Elka, he has no interest in modern technology, as his passions are deeply rooted in Prague’s past. Most people have to earn his respect before he is willing to talk to them much.

Radek Nepovím[]

Radek is a spirited actor and puppeteer who runs the pop-up marionette theater in Prague Castle’s courtyard. Radek’s eccentric personality comes to life when he is able to share his passion for Prague’s culture and historical marionette arts. His charismatic disposition makes him popular with kids and tourists.

Leo Sokol[]

Leo Sokol of St. Vitus Cathedral is a compassionate older gentleman who is well respected by government officials and locals alike. He cares deeply about Prague, its people, and its history and is always willing to offer his advice to those who need it. Leo is an avid player of the trick-taking card game Mariáš.

Zane Garrett[]

Specializing in the security of precious gems, Zane is an international cybersecurity agent based in Africa working for the ICA. He is authoritative and formal while working, but outside of business matters is an easygoing man with a lighthearted sense of humor.

Phone Contacts[]

Unlike previous games, the only times when you can call your phone contacts that doesn't result in a voicemail (or Nancy noting they're busy) are when it's necessary to progress the game (i.e. there is almost no optional dialogue).

Ned Nickerson[]

Ned is Nancy's longtime boyfriend. He can be called and texted for helpful information and updates.

Carson Drew[]

Carson is Nancy's father. He's primarily busy with a court case but helps Ned give useful information to Nancy.

The Hardy Boys[]

Frank and Joe Hardy are long-time detective buddies with Nancy. They help Nancy get in contact with Zane Garrett as a secret agent specializing in gems.

Hans Felersinger[]

The CEO of SecondShine, the company that stored Adela's necklace. He can be called for information about the company and its proceedings.

St. Vitus Cathedral Secretary[]

The secretary of Leo Sokol. He can be called on what he does and Leo's whereabouts.

Prague Police[]

The police of Prague. They are eventually called for ultimately unsuccessful outside help.

Development[]

Upon the release of Midnight in Salem in December 2019, it was unclear whether Her Interactive intended to make another game. For the first time since The Final Scene, there was no teaser trailer for the next game attached. In October 2021, a trademark from the company titled "The Mystery of the Seven Keys" was discovered by fans, though the company refused to comment.[3]

On April 1, 2023, Her Interactive scrubbed their social media accounts and posted a cryptic video hinting at the announcement of a new game.[4] Due to it being April Fool's Day, there was some confusion over the announcement until the company officially announced on April 4 that they were working on a new game.[5] Further investigation revealed that the company had also trademarked "Case of the Missing Clue" on March 30.[3]

On April 11, Her Interactive was discovered to have built a secret website for the game, protected by the password "purgamentum". On April 12, the company announced that the password would change; the password was eventually revealed to be "lediamantdemamisere". Upon the password change on April 14, Her also released a video showcasing an environment in the game.[6] On April 21, a new video showcased a coffee puzzle at the previously shown environment, which was implied to be a cafe with a long history.[7] The last few seconds of the video teased a new character by only showing their body beneath their head. On April 28, Nancy Drew's 93rd birthday, Her Interactive posted a new video on their social media, showcasing the newest character in Nancy Drew #34, Radek, who was teased in the previous video.[8] The same video also announced the return of recurring characters like Ned Nickerson, the Hardy Boys, and Carson Drew.

On May 5, a new video showed off a new environment, appearing to be a tech store.[9] The last few seconds of the video also teased a new character by showing their laptop without revealing its owner. On May 9, a nonogram puzzle was posted on Her Interactive's social media, whose solution was a sun logo. It was implied that this sun logo somehow was related to who owned the previously shown laptop.[10] On May 12, a new character, Elka, was revealed in a released video. She wears a t-shirt with a sun logo the video zooms in on, implying she is the laptop's owner.[11] On May 16, HeR Interactive posted another puzzle on their social media, prominently featuring phone messages from previous characters of previous games. The solution was a phone number (15557877328) that was also a password to a page found using Game 34's website, resulting in an unlisted video. The video showed mainly static with voice clips from an unknown character and background noise.[12] On May 19, a released video revealed a new character, Oskar, as the previously unknown caller.[13]

On May 25, multiple puzzles were released on social media, one in which was split across HeR's newsletter, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter as separate images. When combined together, the image showed a hint to the password that was "efciijgesnzgi", all the first letters of all foreign countries that Nancy has visited in order. When typed into a website link hinted at another puzzle, a countdown timer is seen counting down to 3:34 PM PST for May 26. When the timer reached zero that day, HeR posted a video on their YouTube channel, notably revealing the game's location as Prague and the game's title as "Mystery of the Seven Keys".[14]

In September, Indy revealed that the game was based on a "Nancy Drew #83."[1] On October 13, YouTuber Arglefumph confirmed he had tested the game. During a Q&A livestream, he confirmed that the plot was similar to that of Diamond Deciet from The Nancy Drew Files series. He also characterized the game as an improvement from Midnight in Salem and is "more upbeat."[2]

On December 22, in celebration of the winter holidays, a holiday-themed music playlist was released on the Nancy Drew YouTube channel. Besides featuring music tracks from previous Nancy Drew games, four new tracks for this game were included, including "See You at the Theatre", "A Case to Remember", "Follow The Plan", and "Mellow Café".[15]

Next year, in 2024, HeR Interactive revealed the desktop game icon on March 6. The icon features a key surrounded by a fancy golden frame, fitting the game's theme.[16] On March 15, in celebration of Women's History Month, HeR Interactive released a press release both celebrating the company's contributions to women's success in the video game industry and highlighting the anticipated release of "Mystery of the Seven Keys", notably revealing it was planned for release in 2024.[17]

On April 1, one year after HeR Interactive teased a 34th Nancy Drew game, the cover art of the game was revealed.[18] On April 16, the official trailer for the game was uploaded on the Nancy Drew YouTube channel and confirmed the release date of May 7, 2024. It was also confirmed that there would be at least ten characters.[19]

The game was released on May 7, 2024.

As part of the promotion for the game, Nancy Drew actress Kennedy McMann did a livestream playing the game for the first time. The first part was streamed live on May 13, 2024.

Trivia[]

  • This is the first game to feature a dual navigation system: point-and-click, or free-roam. This is also the first time the latter will be an available option.
  • This is also the first game to allow players to re-read previous dialogue and sometimes replay dialogue options when available.
  • This is the second-longest gap for a Nancy Drew to release (4 years, 5 months), just 1 month shorter than it took for Midnight in Salem to release (4 years, 6 months).
  • This is the most expensive Nancy Drew game to date, starting at $32 USD.
  • This is also the largest Nancy Drew game in terms of file size, being 17 GB large, significantly larger than the file size of the second largest Nancy Drew game, Midnight in Salem, of 5.11 GB.
  • The game briefly features an outside narrator in the opening cutscene that isn't any of the featured characters, which has only previously happened for the series in Secret of the Old Clock.

Continuity[]

  • Nancy and Patrice mention the events of Shadow at the Water's Edge and Ghost of Thornton Hall with each other upon their first meeting.
  • Nancy compares Patrice pretending to be Adela to Rick Arlen's acting in her journal.
  • Nancy notes in her journal the DEGAS system used to catalogue valuables is similar to the system used by Melina Rosi for her system in Labyrinth of Lies.
  • The Hardy Boys note they've also been to Prague before, referencing Treasure on the Tracks (a 2009 spin-off DS game made by HeR Interactive). Joe Hardy even explicitly name-drops the game.
  • Nancy mentions in her journal that she's relieved the Hardy Boys didn't bring up the detective agency they plan to have with her, first mentioned in Midnight in Salem.
  • Lamont Warrick is mentioned on a customer records paper found on Marek's desk. (Legend of the Crystal Skull)
  • Nancy and Elka discuss how Nancy kept pursing the truth of the death of her mother, Kate Drew, in The Silent Spy despite her close ones opposing her, and how Elka faced a similar situation like Nancy's.
  • Nancy mentions to Leo that she's played a trick-taking card game like Mariáš before. This references Scopa, which Nancy played with Enrico Tazza in The Phantom of Venice.
  • Nancy mentions to Ned that she hadn't need to use alchemy symbols since her case in England, referring to Curse of Blackmoor Manor.
  • The Sadal Melik Sapphire is mentioned on the cover of a magazine found in Vladéna's store. Interestingly, the magazine notes Vladimir Thanatos praising the gem despite the fact that he is not meant to be owning it after Nancy stole it in The Phantom of Venice.
  • Nancy mentions how Deirdre would be proud in her journal after uncovering the culprit. Nancy also mentions Togo in her call to Ned or Carson at the end of the game (and also Hannah if talking to Carson). Carson brings up the Faynes during this call with Nancy.
  • Radek belongs to the Antique Puppet Restoration Society, whose president is Chantilly Hildegard, the name of one of Camille Hurley's dolls. The same doll that is featured on Radek's posters. (Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon)

Foreshadowing[]

  • After the end credits, Zane texts Nancy about the events of the game's ending, revealing that the culprit wasn't arrested by the authorities and is still on the loose. This is the first time a post-credits scene in the Nancy Drew game series explicitly hints at a culprit's return.

Main/recurring character revelations[]

  • Nancy is revealed to have been in a popular podcast called "My Favorite High-Stakes Heist", mentioned by both Ned and Vladéna, where Nancy apparently came up with creative solutions to absurd situations. It was because of this podcast that Vladéna decided to recommend Nancy to Adela to solve the case with her necklace.
  • Nancy can find a post-it note in Patrice's recipe book saying "PATRICE RULEZ" with space-themed doodles. This heavily implies Sonny Joon worked for Patrice at some point. Sonny Joon is also explicitly mentioned praising the café on the back of a flyer for the café next to Patrice.

Easter Eggs[]

  • Make Sonny Joon's favorite order (one shot of espresso, two sugars, & one steamed milk) to receive an egg.
  • Before inputting the correct lock combination for the alchemist's lab cabinet, set all three dials to the same symbol to get an egg.
  • Find and pet Leo's cat Mariáš ten times in these locations (in this order):
  1. In Leo's office, after you open the bookshelf.
  2. By the Castle Square statue.
  3. By the Old Town Square truck in the corner.
  4. In the room that connects the museum to the jewelry store behind a pillar.
  5. In Marek's store up against the wall.
  6. On a bench in front of the food stalls by the cathedral.
  7. In an alcove in the tunnels. Enter from the door beside Leo's office, & Mariáš is a few steps inside.
  8. On the cabinet on the right side of the cafe, under the pictures from previous games.
  9. In front of the clock in the Old Town Square by a truck.
  10. Beside The Dalibor Knight exhibit.

Allusions[]

Goofs[]

Gallery[]

Images[]

Walkthrough[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Leave no stone unturned in #Game34 | HeR Interactive. YouTube. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Arglefumph Q and A - Testing Nancy Drew: Mystery of the Seven Keys. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Schulte, Michaela (April 5, 2023). "The 34th Nancy Drew game is officially in development by HeR Interactive". Pro Game Guides. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  4. @nancydrewpcgames 🕵️. Instagram. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  5. @nancydrewpcgames We are excited to announce . . . 📣 #ND34! Follow and turn on alerts for updates!. Instagram. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  6. Nancy Drew (April 14, 2023). 📚 First Look at New Nancy Drew #ND34 Game Environment! | HeR Interactive. YouTube. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  7. Nancy Drew (April 21, 2023). New Coffee Puzzle Reveal! | HeR Interactive. YouTube. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  8. New #ND34 voice sneak peek for Nancy Drew birthday celebration! | HeR Interactive - YouTube. April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  9. New Location Unlocked for Nancy Drew Game #ND34! | HeR Interactive - YouTube. May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  10. 💻 thE nonOgram iS bAck! What mighT tHis PuzzLe shaPe up tO be? | HeR Interactive - Instagram. May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  11. Meet a new suspect 💻 for Nancy Drew game #ND34 | HeR Interactive - YouTube. May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  12. 📲 Nancy Drew Game 34 - Congrats You Solved Today's Clue! - YouTube. May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  13. New Character Alert 📞 Oskar! | HeR Interactive - YouTube. May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  14. ✨ The Next Nancy Drew Game Is… | HeR Interactive - YouTube. May 26, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  15. Nancy Drew Café Holiday Mix ☕ Featuring Nancy Drew: Mystery of the Seven Keys - YouTube. December 22, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  16. 🖱️ Get ready to click a new icon for #MysteryOfTheSeven Keys! - YouTube. March 6, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  17. CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: HER INTERACTIVE CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN’S VOICES IN THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY - HeR Interactive. March 15, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  18. #MysteryOfTheSevenKeys Video Game Cover Art Unlocked 🔐 - YouTube. April 1, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  19. Nancy Drew: Mystery of the Seven Keys | World Premiere Official Trailer - YouTube. April 16, 2024. Retreived April 16, 2024.

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