Duck Dectective: The Ghost of Glamping

Fair warning: I am biased when it comes to detective games. They are easily one of my favourite genres, so whenever a new one arrives, I will be on it. Having said that, I’m also highly critical of what makes a good detective game. I’m not the smartest person in town, but I want detective games to make me feel smart. I want to be able to figure things out on my own but have the ability to use hints if and when I do get stuck. And to be honest, I’ve been spoilt in recent years with Return of the Obra Dinn, Family, The Case of the Golden Idol, just to name a few. All of these have been sublime, although most of them put my wits to their limits.

But what if I wanted something slightly easier, though? Something where I don’t need as many hints to figure things out. The answer to that arrived last year with Duck Detective: the Secret Salami. Here we had a game that combined the excellent gameplay of the previously mentioned titles with a lot of intrigue while being an easier point of entry to the genre. Boosted by a fun, cartoony art style and some truly magnificent voice acting, this proved to be the perfect bite-sized package of mystery and fun. So when I heard we were getting a sequel only a year later, I was incredibly hyped.

Created by German indie studio Happy Broccoli Games, the Duck Detective franchise – because that’s what this is now – is all about figuring out who did what, where they did it, and mostly: why they did it. This first follow-up, Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping, provides us with what basically comes down to more of the same. In some cases, that might sound a little disappointing: sequels usually go bigger and bolder. But the world of Duck Detective has no need for that. It’s fully aware that, if you want something deeper and more intricate, there are already some other excellent titles available.

Instead, Happy Broccoli Games focuses on what makes their own games stand out from the competition: the world they have created, the amazing characters that inhabit it, and that standout voice acting. That last part is especially relevant when it comes to Eugene McQuacklin, the Duck Detective himself. Sean Chiplock is no stranger to the world of video games, having previously worked on franchises like Final Fantasy, God of War and Horizon, but here he takes centre stage in the most Benoit Blanc – Daniel Craig’s detective character in the Knives Out series – way possible. His interactions with his now-assistant Freddy Frederson are the epitome of buddy cop movies of the past, and while most people don’t seem to take Eugene all too seriously, you can be damn sure that he takes himself EXTREMELY seriously. This helps so much with exposing everything that goes on within the mysteries of the game, as, just like in the first game, a simple theft turns way more serious than you would assume.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. After the events of the first game, where down-on-his-luck Eugene uncovers a big scandal, he gets evicted from his home. His ex wants nothing to do with him anymore, and he’s forced to live with his biggest fanboy, Freddy. At the start of the game, Freddy invites Eugene to go glamping with him. For those unfamiliar: it’s like camping, but a bit more luxurious. At this campsite, Eugene will meet Freddy’s girlfriend for the first time and just try to get away from his money and relationship worries.

But there is something mysterious about this camping site. Well, multiple intriguing things, actually. First of all, the place is haunted. It’s built in the shadow of a former hospital for people with tuberculosis, and one of the patients apparently died and now haunts the place. A charming spot to bring the kids for some relaxation, right? Then, there also appears to be a mystery guest at the camping site, someone who is to be left alone and who is staying at the VIP tent. But what really kicks off the game is that a couple of camping chairs get stolen! This is, as you might expect, a case that only the Duck Detective can solve!

To do so, you do the things you usually do in this type of game. You interview suspects, confront them with new information or new evidence, and investigate the different camping spots. When you find all the clues you need, you are ready to make your de-duck-tions: you get a form with blanks that need to be filled in with the words you have collected as clues. This gameplay mechanic is exactly like it was in the first game, but I understand why: why fix it if it was never broken? If I had to be hypercritical, this lack of evolution in gameplay could be seen as a bit disappointing. The Ghost of Glamping feels like the developer took the template of the first game and just placed a different story within it. But like I said, that’s me being a bit unfair to the team. They did create this game in just a year, and to be honest, they delivered exactly what I wanted: more of Eugene’s adventures! Would it be cool to see new things being introduced in future sequels? Why yes, absolutely. But is it necessary? Not really.

The Duck Detective games are a blast. They provide a perfect entry point to a genre that is slowly getting stacked with more and more excellent games. And even if you’re not all that fussed about investigative work, there is a story mode that makes the deducing a lot easier as well. The games also only take about two to three hours to finish, so they’re perfect for an afternoon full of fun. And luckily, the game’s end does seem to tease future instalments, which I am 100% here for.