Secretly Superb!
Graphics: The graphics are probably one of the biggest selling points of Secret Files. The game has superbly done backgrounds from scorching Cuba to chilling Tunguska and the designers have truly outdone themselves with bringing the theme of each area to life. The characters are slightly blocky however, and that is probably what lets down the graphics side of the game slightly.
Design: The design has been reasonably well done with simple easy-to-use toolbars etc. The main inventory bar at the bottom of the screen is slightly awkward to use as it is quite hard to navigate the arrows as they are so close to the edge. However, it is simple to combine items and try them on objects on the screen with the simple point and click feature in the game. The fact that the game points out all the places of interest on each screen is a major help for gamers as it cuts down time investigating every little nook and cranny on the screen to find hidden items. Overall, the design has been done quite well with a few niggling negatives thrown in for good measure.
Story: The story of Secret Files is another great selling point. It has many twists in the plot (some of which however, are quite easy to spot) that keep the player on their toes (>_> ok fingers) and so they really have to pay attention to the story as they go along. The script is pretty well done with some humorous moments although at times it is slightly fake and unimaginative but overall, it is done pretty well. The characters in Secret Files are very diverse, some are very likeable however, in my opinion the main character Nina is not. I felt no emotional attachment to her and at times she was actually rather annoying.
Sound: The music in Tunguska is meh...a mixed bag shall we say. Some of the music like when in the flying scenes are actually quite dramatic and are nicely done however, more than often than not there will be long periods of silence when searching for clues and this can make the game rather tedious at times. The sound effects are very effective in bringing the game to life however, during cut-scenes and the like there are voice actors. Yes, this may seem great for a DS game but believe me when i say dont get overly excited about it as the voice actors are very poor. Let me put it this way Nina has a surname like Kalenkow and lives in Germany and yet her voice actress has a californian accent...go figure...
Conclusion: Overall, Secret Files Tunguska is a well wriiten, beautifully designed game with a few flaws but doesn't every game? Anyways have fun exploring the world with Nina as you try to solve the mystery of the 1908 Tunguskan disaster and find her father!