Unraveling the Mystery: Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping Review| The Gamerheads Podcast

Platform reviewed: PC

Also on: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PS5

Price: $9.99

The duck is back in his latest mystery, Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping. I fell in love with Eugene in the previous game and quickly dusted off my Deducktion skills to solve his next  mystery. There is never just one crime to solve in the duck detective’s story, however the case I need to quack is the mystery of the glamping ghost. Time to explore the campground and start my narrative adventure.

I started in Eugene's bedroom and he still has his witty jokes ready as I click through all the items. While it’s not required to play the previous game, the developers definitely didn’t miss an opportunity to hide Easter egg clues. As I ventured out, I found pieces of bread and salami and of course the Duck Detective had something hilarious to say. 

Quickly, I solved the first few Deducktions and I was on my way to the campground with one of my favorite characters from the previous game, Freddy. I made my way to the campsites, interrogating campers along the way. The world that was being created was just as lively as the last, with plenty of things to investigate, characters to talk to, and places to explore. I absolutely love the paper cutout look and movement, it was like I was moving a board game piece across the board. The entire vibe of the Duck Detective series is always so fun and playful and this game does not disappoint. 

Most of the puzzles and Deducktions I was able to easily solve, but there was only one puzzle that I struggled with. I have searched every clue and even looked at guides online, but I don't know how the correct code was found to unlock the hut. The closest I got was a clue with all the symbols on it. However, the code isn’t the order the symbols appear on the clue. I found nothing else that would give me any indication of the order. I was actually surprised there was a puzzle I couldn’t solve without help as usually the puzzles are straight forward for any age.

One thing that I find always enjoyable is that every character I speak with is voice acted. It adds to the depth of the character’s personality and honestly makes it more fun to speculate who is our suspect. Sometimes their tone or infliction of their voice makes me even more suspicious of someone when they may not even be involved. This aspect alone makes me feel like I’m in control of the story and being a true detective even if there is only one linear path.  

Final Grade: A-

Outside of the small puzzle that still seems impossible - if someone knows how the correct order is found please tell me, I’m dying to know - the overall game was very enjoyable. The depth of the story never fails to surprise me with all the twists and turns. Duck Detective always knows how to turn anything into a mystery to solve. It’s amazing how Happy Broccoli Games has mastered the science of enjoyable cozy short games that are fun for all ages. I hope that they continue to create more Duck Detective stories. Especially because of that crazy cliffhanger at the end I don't know how they could stop now! If you’re looking for a short, playful, cozy detective game check out the Duck Detective series to help Eugene quack his next case.