Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping Review: Fits The Bill

The notorious anatis sleuth returns in Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping, the latest episode from Happy Broccoli Games. You may remember the first adventure featuring some secret salami? Well, it’s more of the same, and this time, Freddy is by your side.

Much like the predecessor, this is a point and click hybrid that is equally adept with console controls instead of a mouse. I played on the Steam Deck for its three-hour duration, which was faultless. The controls are intuitive, the menu systems simple, and there’s a hint system for when you start to get your feathers flustered when making deduktions.

No pun on my part, deduktions are a fundamental part of Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping mechanics. As Eugene, you’ll interact with the people on a glamping site to find the perpetrator(s) of a crime. But wait: what are you doing on a glamping site in the first place? You have Freddy to thank for that.

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping Review

For those who played the first game, you’ll recall the eager-to-please office alligator obsessed with the duck P.I. They’re now roommates (with Freddy effectively supporting Eugene), and Freddy has suggested they spend even more time together. Plus, he wants to introduce Eugene to his new girlfriend.

Unable to switch off his inquisitive/suspicious mind, Eugene asks Freddy not to divulge who the girlfriend is; instead, he’ll solve the mystery. That’s the initiation into the game, then ironically, an actual crime happens that Eugene must investigate.

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is a very short game, so there are no side quests or complicated play styles to get accustomed to. Show up to the site, interact with the objects and guests, then review your notebook to make these deducktions to propel the narrative forward. It’s undoubtedly a casual, and utterly charming at that.

All About The D

The way clues are solved is through unlocking keywords. Speaking with the guests or looking at items will help to develop vocabulary to make an assumption. First, you have to identify the guests through a series of clues. With items, you interact, and the word is unlocked. However, there are points of interest where Eugene will apply a Frog Detective-type magnifying glass to zoom in on anything important.

From a drop-down menu, you finger the suspect and add adjectives and verbs in a simple statement, not far from, ‘The cat sat on the mat’. This, in turn, unlocks the next thread, then moves onwards and upwards to find more clues. Having such a simple structure leaves room for the overthinkers to complicate things unnecessarily, and a handful of times, I misunderstood the meaning. A glaring flaw of my own, perhaps.

Though I really enjoyed the first game and gave it a positive review, I didn’t share the same enthusiasm as subsequent reviews. My issue was the length of the game. That’s a subjective factor. Constructively, I wouldn’t see it as a negative; though, it was such a pleasant experience that I wanted more, and the first game wasn’t enough. Now, however, after being drained of 100+ hours on Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping was the perfect serving of duck, and while brief once more, I left feeling absolutely satisfied.

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping Review Summary

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is a charming, casual crime caper that is as welcome as the first instalment, but independent without it. Regardless, you should get both and prep yourself for a potential trilogy? It’s the beak of casual gaming and well worth the playtime.