Duck Detective: The Secret Salami - Review

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami - Review

More games like Duck Detective  The Hidden Salami are desperately needed; they're tight, humorous, and full of charm. These adventures have a strong sense of personality. This game, both in concept and execution, is a complete joy. Its cast of peculiar but lovable characters, the plot advances with skill, and the dialogue is witty and crisp.

Even though Duck Detective is only two to three hours long (depending on how hard the puzzles stump you), it makes the most of its running time with a poignant, joyful, and occasionally dark adventure full of oddball tiny puzzles and fascinating set pieces.

Duck Detective's fundamental gameplay appears to have been most influenced by The Case of the Golden Idol out of all the games that have inspired it. As the title Duck Detective, you must infiltrate the travel agency's headquarters to find out who the "Salami Bandit" is. You are a depressed, divorced man who is down on his luck. This odd power has been destabilizing the atmosphere for everyone by attempting to frame workers for money laundering, producing turmoil and criminal activity.

There is a more sinister plot in store when you sift through the puzzle pieces; the Salami Bandit is just the start of something much bigger. You'll first question case suspects using your "de-duck-tion" ability to learn more about the Salami Bandit and their misdeeds.

I bring up The Case of the Golden Idol because the name-hunting aspect of this game is very recognizable. You'll need to look through desks, mugs, office boards, and other items, as well as talk to others who aren't directly involved in the main inquiry, to figure out which character is which. You receive hints from each person; it is your responsibility to follow the hints and discover each secret as they come to light.

Does Freddy Frederson merit all of the criticism thrown at him? Are there any secrets that the chatty office overachiever is trying to hide? Or the nurturing office manager who seems like a mother figure? You have the duty to ascertain each person's guilt because they are all being investigated.

Every aspect of this quickly developing story is charming, including the gameplay, story, and artwork. Duck Detective's approach to character models and their waddling movement is reminiscent of Paper Mario. Faces are endearing and expressive, too cute to be suspicious of, which heightens the drama of the final criminal disclosure.

Duck Detective also features a nice tension buildup that keeps your investigation moving quickly. You begin by looking into a sandwich theft, and before you know it, the mystery mothballs, and you're on the run from kidnappers and extortionists. Throughout, the game stays lighthearted and carefree, driven by humorous dialogue fragments and the innate absurdity of a tiny Duck Detective wearing a fancy hat and small coat.

Though your approach to the game's numerous puzzles may vary, I personally found the game's difficulties to be quite satisfying. Although the first riddles have clear answers, as the difficulty of your inquiry increases, you'll eventually run into more brainteasers and have to use more cunning reasoning.

You might even have to draw conclusions from certain riddles using reasoning and intuition rather than hard evidence. You can attempt several solutions before you find the right combination because the game will inform you if you're incorrect on a certain puzzle.

A handful of the riddles initially baffled me, but nothing that wasn't solvable with perseverance and dedication, and nothing that wasn't worthwhile in the process. Finding the correct balance is tough, but Duck Detective does a good job at it. Although the game isn't too hard, it has just the proper amount of difficulty to add interest to the primary plot and keep you wondering about its mystery.

It's important to note once more how brief Duck Detective: The Hidden Salami is. Throughout its length, it conveys a highly punchy story in a deliberately cinematic manner. Nevertheless, despite its brief duration, creator Happy Broccoli Games has produced a valuable experience: a multi-layered detective story including clever gameplay, endearing characters, and A lighthearted appeal.