REVIEW : BROK the InvestiGator (PC)
A future society inhabited by animals in which the rich residents live in safety while the poor are left to struggle to survive amid air pollution and poverty.
Trauma from the past manifested in twisted nightmares:
At the start of the game, we see Brok attempting to flee a fire that has engulfed his home. Seeking an exit, he will come across his wife trapped beneath a piece of furniture. While you are attempting to save her life, she will continue to yell at you with bitter and begrudging words.
The game does include several interactive features, as well as optional in-game battles and the ability to punch doors and destroy stuff while in action mode, which you can switch to manually, for example, during the opening sequence where you must flee from the building.
A significant burden:
BROK The InvestiGator tells the story of Brok, an alligator detective who has regular nightmares about his murdered wife Lia – he is unable to fathom the reason for such awful dreams because they are so far removed from the reality of the previous disaster.
Brok is now in charge of Lia’s kid, Graff, who is difficult to approach due to his age, but Brok can try numerous approaches and topics in an attempt to break through the barrier that exists between them.
We do offer an in-game inventory where you can save your collected stuff. You can use them on other goods, combine them, or even reveal them to others when conversing. This is one of the ways that can be used with Graff.
Off to detective work: While checking his phone, Brok notices a flurry of calls from a possible client named Sin.
He is indeed seeking Brok for an urgent matter and is meeting you at his house.
Brok will jot down any relevant knowledge that may be found in the “Clues” section.
In terms of interaction, the player will not only be able to merge and use things but also view the surroundings and debate the display. There will even be a phone to use during games! Brok will get messages and calls from friends and clients, and he will be able to make calls himself if necessary.
We will also have a menu to help us with in-game orientation, such as a list of objectives to complete, stats relating to our strength and health required during combat, extras to unlock with the use of points, and clues to obtain with the use of stickers distributed around the areas.
A dreary future: The game is set in a futuristic world that appears to be particularly challenging for lower-class citizens. The outdoors is unkempt and teeming with air pollution, but many futuristic components will be found, such as holographic screens to control own bills or pharmaceutic services, security robots, and so on.
You will have to move from one location to another to complete your to-do list, and the provided setting is beautifully portrayed. A compelling interactive experience is created by the clean art and interesting goods from the future to investigate.
This is a story-driven point-and-click adventure with several interactive aspects and optional battles.
At the start of the game, you can select the difficulty level – the first allows you to bypass battles and focus only on the tale.
The art is quite well done, colourful, and new, and the designs are very intriguing when it comes to people and their environments. The style reminds me of 90s cartoons and point-and-click games I used to play as a youngster.
While the animation feature is good, some may appear too flashy in comparison to the rest of the game, such as the fire flames in the first scene. However, the devs did inform us via email that animation enhancements are already in the works!
During dialogues, the English voice acting is of high quality, and the BGM is appropriate for an investigative environment.
In this game, we may interact a lot because we have an inventory, a phone to use, money, and stickers to collect.
It is up to you to decide whether you want to solve problems in a clever yet peaceful manner or whether you want to use brute force to combat the adversary.
Not all obstacles in this game are enemies; for example, security robots or objects you can shatter to retrieve goods (coins for example).
While the tone is lighthearted, this game will touch on serious issues (CW: depression, su*cide mention, trauma).
Remember that every action has a consequence in this world, so be careful what you say to others and what acts you take! At the end of the game, you’ll be given a small decision map with a summary of the paths you’ve travelled.
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