What happens when an awkward detective constantly finds himself solving strange mysteries without a hat that fits him?
Published : 24 Apr 2023, 07:30 PM
Have you ever looked at the top of a frog's head? The eyes are positioned atop the head, which gives them a field of peripheral vision of almost 180 degrees. A frog could make a pretty good detective with that vision. The trouble is – how does a detective's hat fit on a frog's head?
Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is an indie game initially created by Australian developer Grace Bruxner, with later chapters made alongside developer Thomas Bowker, that traces the life of one such frog detective – one who is socially awkward as well as lacking a hat.
The game includes three chapters – The Haunted Island, The Case of the Invisible Wizard, and Corruption at Cowboy County – published separately but later compiled into a collection.
As the player, you are tasked with being the second-best detective in the area with a turtleneck and a shy demeanour as you look for clues, go on fetch quests, inquire into strange scenarios, and interview compelling characters with captivating stories of their own.
Chapter 1 opens with our frog detective tasked with tracking down a mysterious ghost haunting the island king. Players can interrogate characters and search for clues in a classic linear point-and-click adventure with a seemingly pointless but fascinating magnifying glass in tow.
The charm of the game is in the dialogue. The frog detective has an innocence to his delivery that makes him quite likeable. Our hero is a bit socially awkward, and his clumsy social skills lead to various exchanges that are pretty funny and help uncover the mystery. The humour is quite dry and something about the characters' immobile animation and dead eyes adds to the giggles.
The artwork, with goofy 3D characters that seem cut from paper and coloured by crayons, is very endearing, and the jazzy score by Dan Golding sounds silly but fits extremely well with the characters' loopy movements.
While the gameplay may seem simplistic, it fits very well as an efficient way to deliver lighthearted jokes and fun scenarios.
In a genre that often becomes overcomplicated with back-of-the-box features like multiple routes, devious puzzles, and outsized ambition, The Haunted Island is a breath of fresh air. Its quirky dialogue, simple mechanics and lovable characters make for a delightful hour of relaxed play.
The second mystery takes the detective to Warlock Woods, where a malicious intrusion occurred during the celebratory parade for a new neighbour. The detective arrives in a town in ruins with a missing wizard and pies on the floor.
The chapter manages to evolve the game's mechanics for a more silly and fun experience. This chapter introduces a notebook, which can be decorated with stickers and makes it easier to keep track of clues and connections for the mystery. Moreover, the stakes are slightly higher because the detective must suspect every character of wrongdoing.
The dialogue steps up too, with various strange responses available to our determined detective.
Though the mystery isn't the most complex, the formula of an engaging visual aesthetic and goofy humour balances out once again, building to a more robust second chapter. The more extensive cast and more extensive scope definitely leave you wanting more.
The final chapter, Corruption at Cowboy County finds Frog Detective and Lobster Cop teaming up in a nearly deserted town with no sheriff. This time, the mystery becomes more complicated with many twists and turns. There's even a sinister scheme lurking in the background.
Fitting the grander scope, the supervisor provides the detective with a scooter this time so he can travel around and pull off stunts.
The writing shows the developers' growth throughout, with even cleverer punchlines and delightful parodies of the detective genre. The colourful environment is a great backdrop and is enhanced further by Golding's music.
This chapter has it all. Conversations with characters will comically veer off, secret societies will turn up, poetry and artwork are abundant, and there is even a bit of romance near the end. Quests lead to more unusual and funny dialogue, and the ending has such a big twist that I had trouble discerning it, even with the help of the trusty magnifying glass.
With the heart-wrenching finale, Frog Detective ends on a thoroughly satisfying high that shows you how much you've come to adore this goofy but loveable crime-solving frog.
Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is a witty, wholesome, relaxing entry into the detective game genre. I laughed in delight at the opening scenes introducing the three cases and the dance parties at the end. I even smiled like an idiot through all the dialogue as our daring detective tried to untangle themselves from their own awkwardness. It's been a while since I've related so quickly to a character.
The mysteries don't exactly tease your brain as they can be solved easily with the adventure game logic of rubbing inventory objects on locks to move forward. But challenging puzzles aren't really the point. The series is meant to be a fun time playing solo or a silly thing to share with friends.
The series is easy to pick up and play for players of any age or level with a few hours to spare. It might be simple, but Frog Detective is very good at what it aims to do.
Score – 8.5/10
Title: Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery
Year of Release: 2018-2022
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Mac operating systems
Time to beat: 3.5 - 4 hours
This article is part of Stripe, bdnews24.com's special publication focusing on culture and society from a youth perspective.