Indie studio Happy Broccoli Games returns with another standalone adventure in their acclaimed Duck Detective series! This time, the down-on-his-luck duck-tective and his meddlesome sidekick find themselves at a haunted campsite. Will McQuacklin overcome the ghosts of his own past and quack the case?
Developed by: Happy Broccoli Games
Played on: Steam
Length: 2 hours
A review key was provided by Future Friends.
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami was one of my favourite cozy detective games last year, and the sequel brings another standalone mystery for us to solve. For those who are new to the Duck Detective, the series follows Eugene McQuacklin voiced by the incomparable Sean Chiplock, a depressed and recently divorced duck who finds himself in the middle of a ghostly mystery at a glamping site.
In this new mystery, Eugene McQuacklin is joined by the loveable Freddy Frederson voiced by Brian David Gilbert from the first game, plus a new roster of fully voiced characters who run the gamut of wacky personalities. Despite the one-year gap between both titles, jumping into Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping makes it feel like no time has passed, bringing back all the quirky charm, punny humour, and word-based puzzle mechanics that defined the first title.
Just like the first game, the main gameplay of Duck Detective involves interviewing suspects, inspecting evidence, and the occasional unsanctioned breaking and entering in order to collect keywords. Those keywords can be used to complete sentences, or de-duck-tions about your suspects and help you solve the mystery at large.
The gameplay isn’t complex by any stretch, and is unlikely to stump more experienced mystery gamers with its puzzles, but Duck Detective shines for its compelling cast and surprisingly in-depth plot. Its classic mystery structure and monster-of-the-week format definitely brings to mind The Famous Five and Nancy Drew tales from my own childhood.
Having played the first game, the sequel does seem to run slightly shorter and more straight forward, although there are enough twists and turns to keep you hooked throughout its two-hour run time. It also contains some minor story continuity for players who are following up from the first title, but the story does stand on its own two (webbed) feet for players who want to jump into the sequel right away.
Overall, Duck Detective feels like rarity in today’s gaming climate. It is a simple game that stumbled onto a great formula that players love, and Happy Broccoli Games is answering the call by giving us more of what we want. And if you know me, I’m never going to say no to more of a good thing. Here’s to even more cases to quack in the future!
Verdict: Throw Bread To The Fine Beak of Lady Justice!
For those new to detective games, Duck Detective remains a great entry point into the genre. This two-hour standalone mystery brings back all the quirky charm, punny humour, and word-based puzzle mechanics that defined the first title, plus a new roster of fully voiced characters who run the gamut of wacky personalities.
Wishlist Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping on Steam, and top up your Steam Wallet on Codashop to earn bonus rewards.
