Morgan: Metal Detective unearthed on Steam and consoles

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Cozy treasure-hunting adventure available now to download on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch platforms

Not every buried treasure needs to be centuries old, thousands of miles away, and highly sought after by pirates, Nazis or other nefarious individuals. There could even be some right in your own backyard. It's the latter kind of goodies you'll be hunting down in the newly released cozy adventure Morgan: Metal Detective, by the aptly named two-person UK developer Studio Morgan.

The teenaged Morgan joins her mother on the "dying" Cornish island of Glasden after her grandfather passed away. Little was she expecting to be entrusted with his precious metal detector, which he'd used in search of "the legends of Glasden’s secret treasure." Having heard all her grandfather's stories about this treasure, Morgan (voiced by BAFTA-nominated Charlotte McBurney, who played Amicia in the Plague Tale series) decides to follow in his footsteps by using the instrument to "scour the grounds of his local village." The more she explores, the more she'll get to know the island's inhabitants, and possibly even help them along the way. With their collective knowledge of the treasure, perhaps Morgan will be able to finish what her dearly departed grandfather started before her, and heal the hurting island in the process. 

Presented in a simple but cheerful 3D art style, Morgan is described as a "first-person metal-detecting adventure game [that] combines exploration, creativity, and a cozy atmosphere into a heartwarming adventure." According to co-designer Harvey Hayman, the game is set in a "sweet, sunny locale full of blue skies and friendly faces where you can take everything at your own pace." But this is no summer vacation, as you've got a job to do. Or lots of jobs, as it turns out, as it seems many of the locals have had items disappear, and a metal detector is just the tool to help find them. Unless you want to scour every square inch of the island, from sandy beaches to a Stonehenge-like monument to the impressive lighthouse on the cliff, you'll need to "really think about the potential location of [each] lost item." Then again, it pays to be thorough, as any "litter" you dig up can be taken to Cenna’s trading post, where "even the most useless trash can be exchanged for credits to purchase new sticker packs and film for your instant camera," which you can use any time to "take pictures of your favourite views." As you complete quests, you'll be rewarded with cassette tapes you can play along the way, and any stickers and photos you collect can be used to spiff up your journal.

Would-be treasure hunters can join the eponymous young protagonist right away as Morgan: Metal Detective is available now to download on Steam for Windows PC, along with console versions for PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch platforms.