Duck Detective: The Secret Salami

The premise of the mystery in Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is simple and lighthearted, and it is never uninteresting. It helps a lot that the cast of wacky characters have very marked personalities and fun relationships. By the end of the game, I came to care for Eugene and the great cast of the game. The game lasts roughly between 2 to 3 hours, and it is the perfect length for the story it aims to tell. However… I want more! Considering how the game ends, I can imagine seeing more of Eugene McQuacklin, maybe with a new sidekick and putting his life back together. And I think the world in general deserves more Duck Detective.

A charming, polished, and warmly humorous detective game whose cute 3D dioramas and delightful graphical touches are a pleasure to interact with.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami sets out to be a quick, breezy mystery and at this it excels. It’s full of fascinating characters with interesting relationships, set in a world brimming with detail to inform your investigation and when at its best makes you truly feel like a detective on the case. While I feel it’s fill-in-the-blanks system could be a smidge more helpful, that’s a small blemish on an otherwise excellent little mystery title that’s well worth settling in with one afternoon with a cup o’ joe and a sleuthing mind.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a great addition to the Happy Broccoli Games roster as well as to the detective mystery game genre. While it does play it safe in its approach, the game brings out the lovable aspects of the genre with its authentic characters and unique investigation. The voice acting and music are engaging and tonally-accurate, while the game doesn’t fall victim to stereotypes and carves itself a place in the sand within the cozy mystery beach. Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a must-play for those who crave a story-rich experience without the dirty work of digging too deep into the issue at hand (or feet?).

So this is an occasionally bumpy ride, but the superb presentation and enjoyable cast make this a mystery worth looking into for fans (if not newbies) of the genre.

A charming, albeit somewhat flawed experience that ends far sooner than it begins.

I’d still recommend waddling down the streets of this world, but with the caveat that it’s the briefest of journeys over far too soon for such a big personality as the Duck Detective.