Have you ever played a demo for a game and known the full version would absolutely rock? When I played the demo for Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, I said that it would be a hilarious and entertaining experience and I’m so glad I was right!
The full three hour version has a detective and story modes, is laugh aloud funny, and has so many twists and reveals packed in, and I am so sad there’s not more!
Solve crime as a down on your luck detective! Who is a duck! Reeling from a divorce and trying to make enough money to pay rent on your PI office, you must investigate a the mystery of who keeps stealing lunches at Bear Bus Office! Oh no!
As Eugene McQuacklin, players must use his powers of deduction to inspect evidence and interview suspects to learn their hidden secrets to figure out who has been stealing lunches at BearBus, a downtrodden bus operating company.
As you work your way through investigating who each character is in Duck Detective and how they’re all related, you’ll learn words that you then piece together to find out more about the central mystery of the game. You also get very educational “facts” about ducks as the game loads.
For example, when you mouse over the character’s body, points of interest will register which give you more information about them.
You’ll also get to click on different things in the office like a calendar, log into people’s computers (gasp), and even spend time in the kitchen!
When it’s time to fill out a deducktion, you’ll be given a list of words found so far, and can place words that make sense into the deducktion. If you get any wrong, the game will let you know you’ve got one or more wrong which does allow for eliminating words if you’re struggling.
Definitely pay attention to every single thing you see and interact with though, because those details end up being super important as the game progresses. (You can also knock over every single trash can. Delightful.)
I made a silly mistake which made me take twenty extra minutes to figure out a code for a safe and after I figured it out, I felt so silly! Because the clue was something I knew already!
Fortunately if you’re struggling, there’s a hint function and Mr. McQuacklin will walk you through figuring out how to get to the next part of the story, though less information is provided in detective mode. The journal also has a map that points out if there’s places of interest you should return to, which is also helpful if you’re not sure who to talk to next.
I absolutely loved this game and it has taken a permanent place in my top ten favorite games. The story is just so unexpected but the team did an incredible job making it feel realistic and entertaining. Who hasn’t had an annoying coworker steal their lunch? The various reveals that occur throughout the game though are unexpected in the best way.
Since the game is fully voiced, it’s also truly brought to life and I could not get over how Eugene sounded exactly like you’d expect a sad duck detective to sound, and the same can be said for all the other characters.
Laura, who answers calls for the call center is one standout. I would not want to get in her way. She deserves a raise. The only complaint I have is that the game isn’t longer and there isn’t already a sequel announced.
You can get Duck Detective: The Secret Salami today on Steam, Nintendo Switch, XBox Series X and S, and it plays on Linux and Mac operating systems. I can’t wait to see what Happy Broccoli Games has out next!
Images and review copy courtesy of Happy Broccoli Games
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