Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping – A Quacking Sequel

“He was a guy who talked with commas, like a heavy novel.” – Raymond Chandler

Overview

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is the exciting new sequel to the first game in the series, The Secret Salami. It sees the return of Eugene McQuacklin as he uncovers the mysteries of a haunted campsite with a new, somewhat unappreciated sidekick in tow!

Narrative

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping begins by revealing that the protagonist has been evicted from his previous apartment. He now lives with Freddy Frederson, who kindly takes the titular duck detective on a glamping trip at an abandoned and haunted sanatorium. Here, he becomes an enthusiastic crime-solving assistant, much to the annoyance of Eugene! Various seemingly innocuous mysteries, such as which guest is which, and who Freddy’s girlfriend is, entwine and culminate into much more serious enigmas, and the drama increases rapidly as the game progresses, contrasting the comedic elements in a satisfying way.

There are a variety of NPCs, such as an unemployed capybara and a split influencer rabbit; they all have unique backstories and entertaining personalities and help bring the narrative to life. Tidbits of information about duck detective and his personal life are revealed sporadically throughout the game, some being reminders of things revealed in the first game, such as his bread addiction. This helps create a flawed and well-rounded protagonist that is relatable and believable, as far as an avian detective goes!

Gameplay

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping features similar gameplay to the first game and sees players inspect the environment and interrogate NPCs in order to find clues and make in turn, make ‘deducktions’ about the case. Everything is logged in Eugene’s notebook, including character info, clues, an inventory, and a map that will indicate if all currently available clues within an area have been found. This all makes it very convenient to refer back and view different aspects of the case side by side. Making ‘deducktions’ involves using the clues that have been found to fill in the blanks on various statements within the notebook. There is also a hint (ponderings) mechanic available if players get stuck.

The case goes off on an array of tangents, and what first appears as a series of simple cases gets much more complicated and involved. There are several small enigmas to solve, all interwoven with the primary and overarching case. The combination of entangled and relevant mysteries makes the gameplay infinitely more satisfying and engaging, and provides a lot of fun.

The game offers a sleuth mode as well as a story mode, giving players to choice to focus on the gameplay or simply appreciate the narrative. It can also be controlled with either a keyboard and mouse or a controller, keys can be rebound, and a dyslexia-friendly font is available, resulting in a high level of accessibility.

Styling

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping utilises an isometric 2.5D colourful, cartoon-like art style that uses a colourful but muted palette, bold outlines and moody lighting. The protagonist and NPCs are all depicted in 2D as paper cut-outs and move accordingly. This is a fun touch and gives the game a cute and uniquely stylised aesthetic. Besides the interactable objects within the environment, there are others that will react to the player, such as desk chairs that spin when they are passed, or bins that can be knocked over. This is a solid, immersive addition that brings the campsite settings to life

The soundtrack is typical of the detective noir genre, featuring jazzy piano and brass music that really sets each scene. The voice acting is great, with a range of convincing voices. Eugene, in particular, has a gruff yet smooth voice that feels right at home in this setting, and his moody and somewhat poetic dialogue is the perfect fit for the genre.

Summary

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping will take around 3 hours to complete. It is a family-friendly mix of silliness and drama with a curious and engaging narrative, entertaining characters, a delightful art style, and atmospheric music. It provides a somewhat whimsical take on the detective noir genre, providing enjoyable mystery solving without taking itself too seriously. I had a lot of fun playing the original game, and this second instalment does not disappoint, doing credit to and building upon its predecessor. This experience has a broad appeal and will suit a wide range of players, but I especially recommend it to fans of casual puzzle games and detective fiction.

Looking for more fun detective games? You may enjoy these reviews:
The Beekeeper’s Picnic – A Heartfelt Adventure for a Beloved Detective – The Darkside Detective – 9 Point-and-Click Mysteries with a Spooky Twist! – Murder is Game Over: The Blackinton Curse – A Thrilling Fourth Instalment

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