Released May 23, 2024, Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a casual adventure game where you play a detective who happens to be a duck. This Duck Detective is down on his luck, but that won’t stop him from using his powers of “deducktion” to solve the newest crime of who’s been stealing lunch at the local bus depot.
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami Walkthrough
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a quick cozy game on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox. If you’re looking for a game that makes you feel like a detective, this is a great start.
You start your game by choosing either Detective Mode or Story Mode. Immediately after, you’re introduced to the Duck Detective, who appears to have had a rough night and laments over not being able to pay his rent this month.
The Nest Egg
Your first task is to use deducktions to help the Duck Detective figure out what he did last night and why he has no money.
You should examine his old police badge, his mobile phone on the desk, the loaf of bread on the bed, the picture of Ana on the noticeboard, the papers on the floor in front of his desk, and the letter on the floor by his door.
You’ll quickly find out that the Duck Detective is a bread addict.
Deducktion: The Duck Detective spent his/her last money on Bread for The Duck Detective.
The phone will ring, answer it, and listen to the most bizarre one-sided conversation ever. It will absolutely give you second-hand embarrassment.
Right, Duck Detective, you have a job. Best get there.
The Entrance
You arrive outside Bear Bus Offices and meet an angry koala who is protesting for the return of their bus fare.
Continue on and go inside the office building.
Quick note: one of the seven achievements for this game is to knock over all the bins in the office. If you see a bin in Bear Bus, you need to walk into it and knock it over. The other achievements happen organically as you play the game.
The receptionist isn’t going to let you pass because you don’t work here.
You need to use your magnifying glass to find out more about her. Check her name badge, the keychain on her phone, and her eyes.
Walk over to the calendar in the top left of the room and interact with it. Hover over the date with the blue square around it, the red circle, and the giraffe face’s smile.
Next, go to the suggestions box on the left side of the room. Examine the notes to get two first names, a birthday reminder, and a threatening note about a stolen mug.
Your suspects page will open up. Click the giraffe and add Sophie Wintheimer as her name.
Deducktion: Sophie is feeling sad because nobody has remembered her birthday.
You can now talk to her again to wish her a happy birthday to gain access to the office.
Go through the door on the left.
The Suspects
You’re immediately met with some kind of office drama. Joy.
You’ve been hired to find a lunch thief in the office. The boss didn’t hire you, so you still don’t know who to ask for your money at the end of all of this…
No matter, you have a job to do. See that piece of paper on the floor next to the stairs? Make sure you investigate that.
Look at the bus route map on wall. Focus on each of the four station dots to gain the map as a clue.
Next, investigate the green bag. You should hover over the receipt, the salami, and near the handle.
Talk to the crocodile then investigate him. Hover over his mug, eyes, and shoes. Well, at least we found the mug thief.
Use the key icon to interrogate the crocodile. Choose the job notes to ask him if he knows who picked you to investigate.
He doesn’t, but he’s a bit of a fanboy – why not sign his book for him?
Go back down the steps and examine the desk empty desk across from the cat that the boss was talking to when you walked in. It’s been empty for a while, apparently. Budget cuts?
Talk to the cat and then investigate her. Hover over her headset, the energy drink in her pocket, and her eyes.
Her whole vibe is a mood, honestly.
Head over to the desk in the top right of the room and investigate the computer monitor. Hover over the user image, name, and the password box. You can see a password hint that will give away a clue later.
Go up the steps you can see in the bottom right of the room and investigate the poster on the wall. Focus on the center of the poster, the post-it note to the left, and the first name and last name at the bottom above the “employee of the month” title.
Walk through the door that has a “come in” sign and find yourself face to face with the boss again.
Talk to the boss bear, then investigate him to find out more about him. Hover over his tie clip, his forehead, and the stain on his jacket near his right pocket.
Examine the nameplate on his desk, and the paperwork on the other side. Once you’re done, walk over to the portrait on the wall. You’ll want to hover over the left baby’s face, the bottom edge of the frame, and the bottom left hinge. This will reveal that there’s likely a secret compartment behind the frame.
Open your journal and go to the suspects page. The crocodile is Freddy Frederson and the cat is Laura Angst.
Leave the office and go back to Laura the cat.
Talk to Laura and ask her about Freddy the Crocodile, Sophie the Giraffe, and then the job sheet.
Open the suspects list again and fill in the boss’ name as Manfred Ernst.
Go back to Manfred the Bear and ask him about Laura and the job sheet.
It’s time for a deducktion!
Deducktion: Sophie the giraffe works as a receptionist. The bear is Manfred and he is the branch manager. Laura the cat works in customer service. The crocodile called Freddy works in the operating office.
The Client and More Suspects
Enter the kitchen.
Investigate the notice board on the right of the room. Hover over the orange Post-it note on the right, the top of the white piece of paper, and the Post-it note on the top left of the board.
Ah… An office party.
Talk to the sheep with the whisk, then investigate her.
Hover over the whisk, her right hand, and her hair.
Investigate the fridge next. Look at the note twice (to find a pawprint and a signature) and the red box on the top shelf. Then, look at the microwave.
Talk to the penguin, then investigate him. Hover over the top of his red case where there’s a clip, the bottom of his case, and his left foot to peek at his boots.
Go to your suspects page. The penguin is Rufus Sederis and the sheep is Margaret Whitlock.
Interrogate Margaret. Ask her about everything you can at the moment. Then, interrogate Rufus and ask him about everything, too.
Go back to the main office and take the other door opposite Margaret’s desk (the one with the locked computer).
You’ve found the parking lot for the building’s buses.
Talk to the buffalo, then investigate. Hover over his nose, his right hand that’s in his pocket, and the right lapel of his jacket.
Go to your suspects list and fill in his name: Boris Petrovic.
Walk over to the bus; there’s a duffel bag in the bag compartment.
Interrogate Boris and ask him about everything you can.
Head back to the kitchen and Margaret will mistake the new bag for Freddy’s.
Back in the office, Freddy assures you that his back is next to him.
Deducktions:
- More Suspects – Margaret the sheep works in customer service. The penguin is Rufus and works as the janitor. Boris the buffalo is a bus driver.
- The Client – Laura hired the Duck Detective because his/her lunch was stolen by a coworker known as The Salami Bandit.
After completing these deducktions, the Duck Detective will have a sudden revelation.
Talk to Laura again to confirm your suspicions.
Head back to the kitchen and you’ll be able to get your next two deducktions!
Deducktions:
- The Kitchen – Margaret is planning a surprise birthday party for Sophie.
- The Culprit – Freddy is being framed by The Salami Bandit because Freddy picked up the wrong bag.
The Presents
Let’s move on to something more positive. Once you’ve made the deducktion about Freddy being framed, Sophie’s surprise party will activate.
Everything seems fine until the last gift is opened.
Examine Sophie’s presents. There’s a necklace and a plushie to look at, but they aren’t the most important ones there – though you should still look at them because you need them for clues.
Investigate the book. Hover over the top left of the page, the top right of the page, and the bottom right of the page.
Investigate the note that came with the salami. Hover over the top right of the note, the stamp at the bottom, and the last word of the message. The letter gets added to your case file.
Deducktion: Sophie received the following presents from her colleagues: Laura gave a plushie. Rufus gave a book. Boris gave a necklace. Nothing got stolen.
Talk to Margaret and Laura, and then leave the room and talk to Rufus in the main office.
Unlock Margaret’s computer. The password is Purple Eyed Alien. Investigate the PC. Hover over the right side of the screen to find the first message and the second message, then hover over the vacation window on the left.
Next, investigate Laura’s computer. Look at the chat icon in the top left, the messages on the left of the screen, and the window on the right.
Go outside to the parking lot.
The Message and The Business
Investigate the noticeboard. Look at the top left of the page, the bottom center of the page, and the first circle in the red area.
Talk to Boris.
Deducktions:
- The Message – Sophie received a silly letter that contained a scary message.
- The Business – Salamis are being illegally imported from Salsiccia.
The Receptionist and More Business
It’s time to question all of the employees together! You’ll automatically enter a cutscene after you’ve solved the deducktion from “The Business,” so you’ll end up back in the kitchen.
After hearing your thoughts, the employees start to leave the kitchen. Only Freddy remains – fanboy that he is.
Talk to Freddy.
Examine the phone on the table and investigate it. Focus on the name at the top of the text, the first message, and the second message.
Leave the kitchen.
Talk to Rufus and Margaret in the office.
Investigate Freddy’s computer. Focus on the profile picture in the right-hand window, and both item listings in the left-hand window. Slightly stalkerish, but okay.
Let’s be sneaky now. Manfred isn’t in his office anymore, and that secret compartment is calling your name.
The code for the safe is CS/00/BD. The letters stand for Customer Service, Operating Officer, and Bus Driver. The combination is the number of staff in each department. Laura and Margaret are the only two Customer Service workers, Freddy is the only Operating Officer, and Boris is one of four bus drivers.
The code for the safe is 214.
Investigate the safe. Look at the keys, the fully visible note, the middle of the right note, and the bottom of right note.
You now have a key to the server room and more clues as to who is behind this whole fiasco.
Go to reception and talk to Boris and Laura. Sophie’s gone.
Look at the phone on the ground near Laura to find more clues.
Investigate Sophie’s computer. Look at the pink block on the right, the text window just above it, and the second paragraph on the left window.
Investigate the note on Sophie’s desk.
Focus on the end of the first line, the second line, and the start of the last line for clues.
Interrogate Laura and Boris about Sophie’s note. Then, go into the office and interrogate Margaret about Sophie’s note. Finally, go back to the kitchen and ask Freddy, too.
Go outside and talk to Manfred about Sophie’s note.
No one’s giving anything up, so it’s time to crack this case wide open!
Go back to the reception and unlock the server room door with that nifty key you lifted from the boss’ safe.
Look at the pile of boxes and the sparking server.
Investigate the mirror. Focus on your eyes, your right jacket lapel, and on the missing part of your hat on the right side.
Examine the lamp.
Investigate the computer – look at the top square in the right window, the top square in the bottom left window, and the top left window. Somebody is selling things they shouldn’t be…
Deducktions:
- The Receptionist – Sophie got kidnapped because Sophie wanted to snitch.
- More Business – Rufus blackmailed Manfred to make him stay quiet about Rufus illegally selling vouchers. Margaret is the one that provides the vouchers to Rufus.
- The Kidnapping – Sophie is at BearBus’s office, in a bus.
- The Salami Bandit – Manfred is the Salami Bandit, because The Salami Bandit’s and his/her handwriting are identical.
- The Dirty Work – Boris is the Salami Bandit’s accomplice, because the Salami Bandit needed someone who could easily carry out the importing of the salamis.
- The Infatuation – Sophie is the Salami Bandit’s accomplice because he/she used to date Boris and the Salami Bandit needed someone who could convince Boris into helping.
What a turn of events! It takes three to pull off a lunch heist, apparently!
Go out to the bus where you found the other duffle bag to find Sophie.
Everyone meets you outside and it’s finally time for THE REVEAL.
You get to decide who walks away in handcuffs from the three responsible for the salami crime. I chose all three because BearBus really needs some new employees. The game developers have even put in a little screen to tell you what percentage of players locked up each character.
This is certainly one of the best cozy games on the Nintendo Switch if you’re looking for something that doesn’t take hours to play.
And that’s end game – except, you forgot to get paid.
Guess who’s giving you a ride home?
All Duck Detective: The Secret Salami achievements
- Early Bird: Solved a deducktion
- Fits the Bill: Completed 5 inspections
- Poultry Case: Solved 5 deducktions
- Ducks in a Row: Filled out all suspects’ names
- Beak Performance: Solved 10 deducktions
- Quacked the Case: Solved the mystery of the Secret Salami
- Rage Uncaged: Kicked over all the bins at the BearBus office
Want to read about other short cozy games at Pro Game Guides? Try Little Kitty, Big City Review: The cozy cat game we’ve all been waiting for or Paper Trail is a nostalgic puzzle game about leaving home for the first time, now on PC and console.
