On an island, there's a sloth who believes he's being haunted by a g-g-ghost. Oh no. Who could possibly get to the bottom of this very important mystery? Enter Frog Detective. As the amphibious investigator, I may not be able to wear a snazzy hat like Sherlock Holmes (on account of my head shape), but with a magnifying glass in hand, I'm the perfect frog to solve this case. After all, as my penguin boss aptly named 'Supervisor' tells me, I'm the number two best detective around, second only to the one and only Lobster Cop. And since the famous crustacean has his claws tied up with other business, it's up to me to find out what the heck is going on. Is the island really haunted? Why does the sloth think a ghost has taken up residence here? And why is a crocodile called Fresh X sunbathing over there? There's only one way to find out.
As a big fan of games involving gumshoe shenanigans, I've always wanted to try out the frog-shaped adventure. Happily, Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery brings together all three cases that were originally released separately into one fun-filled time from developers Grace Bruxner and Thomas Bowker. From getting to the truth of the spooky matter in The Haunted Island, to finding out why all is not what it seems in the The Case of the Invisible Wizard, and riding around on a scooter in Corruption at Cowboy County, playing Frog Detective has brought a bit of much-needed silliness and laughter to my life. And it's now a firm favorite.
Tricks of the trade
As any good detective knows, questioning animals of interest is a surefire way to help you get vital clues or information. For the first case, which takes me to a maybe-haunted island, I set about talking to a lobster by the name of Larry. The chap tells me that spooky, ghost-like noises are coming from a cave, but the entrance is currently blocked off. With nothing else for it, I'm tasked with finding the right items for Larry to make some explosives to clear the way. You know, normal detective work. After speaking with other folks on the island, it becomes clear that everyone is in need of something, and in exchange, they're willing to trade something else. A puzzle-like aspect comes into play since you have to see who has what, and then figure out how to get and trade each item until you have what you require to root out the mystery.
From speaking to the shy mouse Mo who wants to impress someone, to Noodle the sheep who's frankly disgusted that my jumper is made from wool, the true joy of Frog Detective is interacting with all of the characters. Humor is absolutely at the heart of what makes the experience of being the number two detective so memorable, too. This is a comedy through and through, and pretty much every conversation I have has me laughing for one reason or another thanks to every character's distinctive personality.
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All of the cases are quite short and won't take too long to finish, which makes it the perfect game to pick and play in short intervals or all in one go if you're so inclined. Without wanting to spoil any of the mysteries you set out to solve, the second and third cases feel a little bigger than the first, with more characters to meet and interview, and slightly bigger locations to explore, particularly in the final case in Cowboy County where you're kitted out with a scooter to zip around on.
Since you have more to keep track of as you progress, you're given a handy dandy notebook at the beginning of the second case to note down all of the animals of interest you meet - listing a possible motive for the crime in question, any prudent information they may reveal about themselves or the case, and what item they're currently after. It essentially allows you to keep a list you can keep referring back to. The excitement I felt when I was presented with the opportunity to decorate the cover of the notebook with all manner of different stickers cannot be overstated. I don't know how long I spent laying them all out just so to give it a personal touch, but my time was never better spent.
Frog Detective is so playful with the idea of the whodunnit, and being the famed frog who solves mysteries is such a fun time. There's something so wonderfully goofy about the 3D art style that just lends itself to the comedy, too. I can't remember the last time a game cheered me up quite as much Frog Detective did. I loved every minute of its silliness… er, I mean, very important detective work. If you're in need of something to make you smile, or better yet, laugh, The Entire Mystery is well worth picking up.
Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is out now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, and Switch. To see what other games we've been enjoying, check out our Indie Spotlight series, or look ahead to future releases with our roundup of upcoming indie games.
