Among the many amazing indie titles from last year, Duck Detective: The Secret Salami stood out with over four thousand overwhelmingly positive reviews on steam. With the game being just around three to four hours long, the convenience of picking it up and playing in one sitting is the cherry on top of a satisfyingly, fun, cozy game that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Continuing this tradition, the developers at Happy Broccoli Games have brought back Eugene McQuacklin aka the Duck Detective to solve another mystery using his sleuthing skills, this time with a partner in crime.
While getting over his new divorce and still facing an addiction to bread, Eugene’s life is comically a mess. He is broke and lives with his over-enthusiastic roommate and friend, Freddy Frederson. When Freddy plans an impromptu glamping trip and invites Eugene along, the Duck Detective has no choice but to tag along. Arriving at Sunny Lakeside, a spooky glamping spot, Eugene and Freddy are met with a new mystery to solve and new suspects to learn about.
If you have played The Secret Salami, The Ghost of Glamping follows the same investigative style gameplay and I am really glad they didn’t change anything about it. As the Duck Detective, Eugene McQuacklin can discover clue words by talking to suspects and investigating the surroundings. These clue words are used to fill the blanks of sentences to form ‘Deducktions’ which provide answers and further progress the investigation.
Another important part of the investigation is to find out the suspects’ first and last names. This can be solved by observing each suspect, finding out their characteristics, questioning their motives, and snooping around their personal belongings. Even though the puzzles are fairly easy, straightforward, and light-hearted, they never get boring. The fun dialogues and monologues manage to retain that smile on your face throughout your playthrough.
I won’t get too much into the story or the characters as the whole mystery depends on these elements. However, I’ll say Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping wears its charm on its sleeves. If you are a new or a returning player, this game is a standalone sequel that is equally accessible with its easy-to-follow story, a brand-new set of characters, and simple gameplay. The writing has a touch of silliness, snappiness, and humor where even Eugene’s tolerance towards Freddy’s clingy personality felt relatable. The vibrant animation style sort of reminds you of Paper Mario while keeping its own uniqueness. Adding to all this, the incredible music and voice acting make the game feel more engaging and alive.
Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping final thoughts
The Ghost of Glamping like its predecessor is marketed as a short game and as a gamer, this is something I appreciate. In an era of gaming where video games are becoming more expensive, sometimes you don’t know what you are paying for. The transparency between studios and consumers has become a rare commodity but Happy Broccoli Games, like many other indie studios, wants players to know what they are getting into when their games are purchased which in itself deserves a special shoutout.
One might think a three-hour game would finish before it even started but the beauty of the Duck Detective series is it knows when to end by leaving its players satisfied, wholly content, and eagerly anticipating for the next one.
You must be logged in to post a comment.