There are, out there in the great world of ours, great trilogies to shake the very foundations of our culture. There is the Lord of the Rings, a timeless fantasy epic that will outlive us all. Then there is a Star Wars trilogy, whose initial stellar success made it a multi-billion dollar franchise. In the gaming scene, we aren't short of those either - the original Halo trilogy was an event of a lifetime. To this day I recall every detail of that global marketing campaign, hitting even my little country. Dark Souls, another set of masterpieces to shake the gaming world as a whole. But none of the above - titans all! - can even come close to aspiring to the truest hidden gem. A masterpiece beyond peers.
The FROG DETECTIVE Trilogy.
Yes, I am not jesting nor joshing with you. Well, okay, you got me. Maybe a little, a teensy bit. But besides a bit of aggrandizing, I do believe more players should meet this gorgeous series of little narrative adventures. They are the epitome of whimsy, the essence of a silly, goofy game with what I would consider a Perfect Humour. Never mean. Never offensive. Never boring. Always funny.
Now normally I would review one game at a time, but Frog Detective needs to be looked at as a whole. For a couple of reasons. First, it tells a whole story, from start to finish, concluding this intimate epic of our amphibian detective. Second... Each game in the series is a tiny adventure. Smallest of the smalls. An hour, maybe an hour and a half for each is the absolute max you'll be able to squeeze out of them. This might be a bit off-putting to some but then read the name of the blog - Tiny Games, after all! Each part of this trilogy makes for a gentle and easy evening of fun. That is also how I would recommend consuming this beautiful series, but of course, feel free to tackle it all at once or in longer divisions of time. I ain't your boss.
Now, what's all the hubbub? You play as the titular, handsome, and most well-spoken Frog Detective. Well known in his circle to be the second-best private eye in town. I mean, it's good to have an ambition to be the best but honestly, who can compete with the investigating powerhouse that is Lobster Cop? Better to know our place. But hey, Second Best is stool good enough to get cases on your agenda to solve, and that's exactly what you'll get to straight away.
First is the mystery of the Haunted Island! A tiny isle has a possible ghost problem and the scientist - and a bunch of other rather zany characters! - have a hard time doing their business with all the haunting and ghostly, eerie sounds. And so you will take your magnifying glass, your hatless self (as hats do not agree with our froggy-shaped head), and a boat to go there and see what... or who, indeed, hides behind the terrible ectoplasmic affair.
The second case is even more complex! The tiny town of Warlock Woods is being terrorized (in the most gentle of terms) by the mysterious wizard. Who, it turns out, is also quite invisible. That is a proper challenge for our froggy senses of observation and deduction. We'll have to look into every nook and cranny, interview all the colorful citizens and passers-by, and apply lots of notes (and stickers!) to our impeccable notebook. Sure it might be hard to find someone who is invisible, but where's the fun in an easy mystery?
But wait, there's more trouble afoot! The third case is the most challenging yet! There are bandits, cowboys, and scooters in the sandy and heated Cowboy County. These desert-dwelling calm days are over as mystery rears its ugly head. In this great culmination of our Amphibian Gumshoe Adventure. We will finally learn the truths everyone was asking for. Are books of any use? Is banditry a form of poetic romance? And most important of all - can crime even be real?
Now, about the games. They are all very simple. Most of the tasks are fetch quests of sorts, where you need to talk to the goofy characters, which in most cases will have the thing you need... in exchange for a thing you need to find. It creates a bit of a scavenger hunt for items that need to change hands until you get all the answers. The second and third game in the series adds to it, making some tasks a bit more involved, and a bit more fun, but the operative word here is 'bit'. Don't expect any serious sleuthing or connecting the dots. It's a detective game in name only, but it's not the CASE OF THE GOLDEN IDOL.
You might be asking - where's the fun factor then? If the game is mostly just a walking sim with some rudimentary quests, what's the hook? Writing. Yup! The games are short narratives, telling a cute, silly story filled to the brim with outlandish characters. Every single one of them is charming in their way, and the world of Frog Detective is in many ways very innocent and wholesome. The worst thing that usually can happen to anyone is being on the end of a mean comment. Not even that mean, to be honest! But despite this softness, the personas we'll meet have unusual passions, strange quirks, and lots of goofy lines to share with us. It's a delight. I cannot praise it enough for it. Of course, humor is a very subjective topic, but here we're being treated to a little bit of chaotic, but well-put-together randomness. You will have a hard time predicting what lines can come out of the folks you meet. They do be a bit loony, in a harmless, often charming way. And each solved case ends in a dance party - like in real life!
On top of that, there's something to say about the art of the game. It's... as peculiar as the writing itself. Every character will stare at you with their unblinking, empty eyes, with a big smile plastered on their oversized heads. And yet, instead of being creepy or uncanny in any way, it just adds to the goofiness factor of it all. Levels are tight, vibrant, and just cute through and through. Your magnifying glass is mostly useless, game-wise, but it's so much fun to pull it out and zoom in on some random critter scurrying about. The music is another high note - it's outstanding! Composed by Dan Golding, who is responsible for the tunes in UNTITLED GOOSE GAME, the music adds a dash of mystery and adds a lot of easy flow to each game. The ambiance is impeccable, making every location stand out. From the spooky Warlock Woods to the western vibes of Cowboy County, the music is always spot on.
What more can I say than this - go and buy FROG DETECTIVE series. It's short. It's cute. It's fun as heck. You will enjoy your time, I am sure of it, and I sure do hope to see more games like this... And will follow Grace Bruxner's projects with curiosity to see if we can get another shot of that peculiar writing!
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