Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery review – whimsical whodunnits

Worm Club; PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
All three cases of the indie sleeper hit are collated in one wry, enjoyable package that's perfect for a lazy afternoon's detecting

The frog detective - for you are he - doesn't hop, but lopes around on his stratospheric legs, wearing cropped denim shorts and an architect's long-sleeved turtleneck. He does not, in other words, cut a Sherlockian silhouette. Still, an unserious appearance can sometimes work in a detective's favour, and few of the Noah's Ark cast of animals in this whimsical whodunnit series seem much flustered by your presence or questions. Most of them willingly offer statements, evidence or leads - although, to be fair, most of these cases involve rather sweet, almost surreal misunderstandings. Nobody found guilty in this world is heading to the abattoir.

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery collates the three cases in a series from Australian studio Worm Club that debuted in 2018 and soon became a sleeper indie hit. They are mechanically simple: you're handed a case from your supervisor in your caretaker-sized office, head to the scene, magnifying glass in hand, then work your way from animal to animal searching for clues. The charm is in the dialogue, which is wry, knowing and heavily influenced by bright internet forum-style wit and patois.