Frog Detective 2 The Case of the Invisible Wizard

Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard is the second adventure starring the famed amphibian detective and his obviously detective-grade clothing. A town has been preparing a welcoming celebration for an Invisible Wizard, and the celebration has been ripped to shreds by an unknown culprit. The detective has been called in. The mystery is officially afoot.

The gameplay is short, simple and intentionally gentle. You interview the town's residents — a tightly written cast of weird, friendly characters — collect clues, examine objects, and piece together what happened by simply talking to everyone and paying attention. The mechanics are essentially point-and-click adventure with all the friction removed. There are no fail states, no puzzles that block progress for hours, and no narrative dead ends.

What makes the Frog Detective series work is tone. The writing is sincere, charming and deadpan in equal measure. Every character has something specific to say and a specific way of saying it. The mystery resolves cleanly. The world is the kind of place you want to spend more time in even after the credits roll, which is part of why the third game exists.

Estimated completion time is about an hour, which is exactly right for what the game is trying to be. The previous entry, The Haunted Island, was loved by all — except for one Steam reviewer who called it a middle finger and a waste of $5 — and the developer's commentary on that fact is itself indicative of the entire series' tone. Anyone who wants a small, complete piece of writing wrapped around a detective who happens to be a frog will leave satisfied.