Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping – A Quackingly Good Cozy Mystery

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is a stand-alone sequel to the quirky point-and-click adventure Duck Detective: The Secret Salami. Happy Broccoli Games is back at it, and honestly, they’ve doubled down on charm. You’re once again stepping into the oversized boots of Eugene McQuacklin, a private investigator who happens to be a duck. His biggest enemies? A failed marriage, an unhealthy bread obsession, and cases that never seem as simple as they look.

Story & Setting: Bread, Ghosts, and Glamping

Eugene isn’t doing great. Recently divorced, spiralling into carbs. His roommate Freddy Frederson, an alligator with more optimism than sense, drags him to Sunny Lakeside for a vacation. Of course, Eugene can’t escape trouble. Rumours of ghosts, petty vandalism, and a stolen scarf pull him straight back into detective mode.

Gameplay: The Art of the De-Duck-tion

The game’s heart is its deduction mechanic—simple, elegant, and honestly more satisfying than I expected. There are about sixteen “Deducktions” to crack, each one nudging the story forward in a way that feels deliberate but never heavy-handed. It’s the kind of system that makes you lean in, not because it’s hard, but because it’s fun to piece things together.

Here’s how it works:

• Inspect: You wander around, clicking on everything that looks remotely interesting. Tents, the office, the Sanatorium, poke at the obvious stuff, but also the weird little details. Sometimes it’s the crumbs on a table. Sometimes it’s a throwaway line that suddenly matters later.
• Gather: Every clue, every name, every odd remark gets tucked into Eugene’s notebook. It’s neat, but not overwhelming. You’re not drowning in data; you’re just slowly building a web of words that starts to make sense.
• De-Duckt: This is where it clicks. You take those words and drop them into blank spaces to form a conclusion. It’s like finishing someone’s sentence, except the stakes feel higher because the story depends on it. One example might be: Ana is not replying to messages because The Duck Detective is irresponsible. (Not saying that’s real, but you get the idea.) Sometimes you guess right immediately. Other times, you stare at the blanks and think, “Wait, what did that capybara say again?”

The puzzles aren’t hard. They’re clever enough to make you feel smart without ever making you sweat. And if you do get stuck, the game doesn’t punish you. Hints are generous, and trial-and-error is built in; you’ll know how many words you’ve nailed, which takes the edge off. It’s forgiving in a way that feels intentional, like the developers really wanted this to stay cozy. And it does. You’re never frustrated, just curious. Which, honestly, is exactly what a detective game should feel like.

What I really liked, and maybe this is just me, is how the mechanic makes you pay attention to the writing. You can’t brute-force your way through without reading, and that means you notice the humour, the quirks, the little character beats. It’s subtle, but it makes the whole experience feel more personal. Almost like you’re in on the joke.

Presentation and Voice Acting

Visually, it’s adorable; there’s really no better word for it. The art style feels like something you’d want to frame, but it never tries too hard. The mix of 2D character portraits and 3D environments works better than you’d expect. It’s not flashy, but it’s clever. The world feels layered, almost tactile, and those little details, like objects scattering when Eugene waddles past, make it feel alive in a way that’s hard to explain. You notice it without thinking about it, which is probably the point.

The colour palette leans warm and inviting, even when the setting dips into something eerie. It’s a cozy kind of spooky, if that makes sense. The glamping site looks like somewhere you’d actually want to visit, minus the ghosts and the drama. And the Sanatorium? It’s unsettling, but not in a way that makes you want to leave. More like… you’d keep exploring just to see what’s behind the next door.

Now, the voice acting, honestly, is fantastic. Every character sounds distinct, and the humour lands because of it. There’s a rhythm to the delivery that feels natural, like these actors understood the tone perfectly. Eugene’s dry wit, Freddy’s cheerful optimism, and even the nervous pigeon all have personality that goes beyond the text. It’s one of those rare cases where writing and performance feel completely in sync. You don’t just read the jokes; you hear them, and they stick.

I think what surprised me most was how much the voices elevate the story. Without them, the game would still be good, but with them? It’s charming in a way that screenshots can’t capture. There were moments where I laughed out loud, not because the line was hilarious on its own, but because the delivery nailed it. That’s something you can’t fake.

Verdict

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is an essential experience for fans of cozy mysteries, point-and-click adventure, or anyone looking for a highly polished, short-burst gaming session.

It successfully takes the winning formula of its predecessor, witty writing, charming art, and satisfying “Deducktion” puzzles, and applies it to a fresh, compelling case. Though brief, the game is substantial, delivering a well-developed plot, memorable characters, and a perfect blend of humour and heart. If you have 2-3 hours and are looking to “quack” a case, look no further than this delightful, detective-duck caper. 

I played this on my iPhone, and it is available across a range of platforms including Steam and Google Play Store. I was provided a review copy by the publisher. 

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