Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping review

• Reviews by Lizzie Frizzle
• Published:

No fear of a letdown in this cozily familiar deductive animal mystery sequel

We all have our vices. Duck Detective Eugene McQuacklin is addicted to bread, and I’m addicted to Duck Detective Eugene McQuacklin. Luckily for me, after saving the world (or at least someone’s lunch) in his first case, The Secret Salami, Eugene is back in quack-tion to solve another mystery, and this time the world actually is sort of at stake! In Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping, a vacation at a haunted campsite turns into work when Eugene unravels a series of strange incidents – some a matter of national security – and the connections between them. Military secrets, espionage, and subpar plumbing follow, all presented with the series’ signature silliness, but for cozy gamers, deductive adventurers, or fans of the first Duck Detective title, the experience won’t feel like work at all.

When you, as Eugene, arrive at Sunny Lake, you may seem calm on the surface, but underneath you’re barely treading water: Your ex won’t return your calls, you got evicted from your apartment because you were never paid for your first case, and you recently bore witness to a very unflattering photo of yourself. There are also those notices about a court date that you keep ignoring… But worst of all, your new roommate – returning from The Secret Salami, geeky gator Freddy Frederson – feels sorry for you; hence his invitation to join him on a camping trip with his girlfriend.

Wait… Freddy got a girlfriend in between games?! That’s mystery enough for Eugene to agree to tag along, but on the lake other oddities quickly bubble up: missing camping gear, missing people, ransacked tents, hidden cameras, and more – not to mention the spooky hilltop sanitarium that you can thank for the eponymous “ghost.” To figure out who or what is really haunting Sunny Lake, you rely on the series’ familiar mechanics: investigating your surroundings, chatting with everyone, then making “deducktions” based on your observations. The gameplay is identical to The Secret Salami’s, with no tweaks or additional features, and is just as fun as ever. The only change is Freddy’s promotion from suspect to sidekick, but other than following Eugene around and occasionally getting new dialogue, he doesn’t have any abilities.

Each of the lakeside’s six locations contains several points of interest throughout the game. Eugene has thoughts about some, you’re able to ask certain characters about others, and for many you can “inspect” them yourself by mousing over a detailed, close-up view in search of three new sub-POIs. Through these actions, keywords appear in Eugene’s journal, and as the name implies, deducktions are made by using them to correctly fill in the blanks in his case notes.

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping

Genre:	Mystery
Presentation:	2D or 2.5D
Theme:	Crime solving, Animal
Perspective:	Third-Person
Gameplay:	Investigative, Deduction, Cozy
Control:	Direct Control, Point-and-click
Game Length:	Short (1-5 hours)
Difficulty:	Low
Graphic Style:	Cartoon

This simple but satisfying process repeats with more hotspots to inspect and sets of notes to complete as the game goes on. Collecting every possible word, even the decoys, is an excellent motivator to explore thoroughly, but some of Eugene’s conclusions take big logic leaps, like labeling a character “neglectful” because she’s got a tear in her tights, or another “vain” for taking good care of his skin. As in the first game, there are also a few times when assumptions and guesswork are the driving forces behind your deducktions instead of, well…deductions based on the clues provided.

The Ghost of Glamping may debut new suspects, storylines, and set pieces, but there are other similarities to its predecessor besides gameplay. The overall structure, the 2½-hour runtime, and a few déjà vu-inducing plot points tether it to the first game almost like an expansion pack, even though no prior familiarity with The Secret Salami is needed to understand or enjoy this second installment. And the carryover isn’t all negative, by any means: the synthy, jazz-noir soundtrack is back, as are Eugene’s ability to quack!, and the definitely accurate duck “facts” that liven up the loading screens. The series’ accessibility has also been retained, with the entire game playable using only your keyboard (or a mouse for some things, if you prefer; gamepads are also supported). Two difficulty settings, a map highlighting any hotspots or interactions you missed, and a generous hint function make getting stuck tough.

The cozy gameplay combined with cutout animal characters and stylized isometric graphics lets you soak in all the camp’s charm: ponds and hot tubs to literally soak in, a playground with a metal slide big enough to replace the stairs, and of course, a trash can or two to kick over. Set entirely after dark (because when else would a ghost come out?) the cool blue dimness that hangs over the campground turns a hazy green near the murky lake. The thick hues work in tandem with other atmospheric details like the lightning bugs buzzing around lanterns to evoke the sort of hot summer night that provides the backdrop to many a mystery.

As you explore each area, snooping in tents while you search for keywords, you also encounter some light puzzling – mostly a couple of clever lock combos to crack – but more time is spent talking to the new camp-thropomorphic characters. In addition to Freddy’s dear deer girlfriend are an ornery rabbit influencer, a capybara drifter, a militant beaver mom, and a couple others also staying at Sunny Lake. Everyone is one-note, and no one is particularly likeable except the beaver’s young son who loves a Pokémon parody that’s proof Happy Broccoli Games could make a mean creature collector if they ever wanted to, but it’s hard to stay mad at characters who all look like adorable stickers. Plus, deducing the relationships between the suspects, even those who may seem like strangers, is crucial to uncovering the campsite’s many secrets. Taking in the impressively drawn, lifelike character portraits in Eugene’s notebook is another way to gain insights.

Like the first Duck Detective game, the sequel is fully voiced by a gifted cast. Eugene’s asides are as dry as ever, Freddy’s friendship songs (performed if you idle for a while) are cute as heck, and the optional chats the two can occasionally have showcase the playful push/pull between them. These conversations are also part of what prepares you for a post-credits cliffhanger that you’ll either see coming or be confused by, depending on how closely you paid attention and how much non-essential inspecting you did.

The main story is higher stakes, larger in scale, and somehow both sillier and more adult than the first game’s. For me, the plot was fun but a little too riduckulous, especially compared to The Secret Salami’s surprisingly grounded sausage conspiracy. In The Ghost of Glamping, as a complicated narrative about blackmail, romance, hidden identities, hostile nations, and more unfolds, the “ghost” mostly takes a backseat while the “glamping” never even makes it into the car. Despite a ghost story cutscene partway through, the title still ends up feeling like it was chosen more to maintain the alliteration from last time rather than accurately describe the mystery – which is too bad, because a weekend spent relaxing in a heated tent with fresh linens and a private bathroom would probably be really good for Eugene.

Final Verdict

The Duck Detective sequel is a faithful continuation of the series that offers the same wholesome, casual gameplay and goofy noir style as its predecessor, though a lack of new features or other improvements along with its short runtime can make the game feel like DLC instead of a standalone sequel. Still, thanks to its stylish presentation and warm, welcoming vibe, whether you’re a franchise fan, a deductive adventure expert looking for some unserious mystery-solving fun, or a genre newcomer nailing down the basics of filling in the blanks, The Ghost of Glamping is likely to become one of your favorite haunts.   

Lizzie played her own copy of Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping on PC.