The age of point-and-click adventure games was a blessed era with games like Sam and Max and Monkey Island. However, in recent years they have had quite the resurgence. And Brok the InvestiGator claws his way onto the scene, (animal pun intended.) Here, is our Brok the InvestiGator review.

Brok truly sets out to stand out from the rest of its predecessors, by combining the point-and-click genre with a beat-em-up twist, or as they call it, punch and click. However, the question is does it truly achieve stand-out status. Well, follow us as we investigate and break it all down for you.

Spoiler Warning: If you want to experience the story completely blind, here is your heads-up.

Story:

Brok the InvestaGator starts with the Titular character waking up in a fire. He realizes how bad his situation is and quickly deduces an escape route. After breaking out of the room, he is attacked by a group of haywire bots. After a quick brawl, he makes his way to find his wife Lia trapped under rubble. Struggling to lift the rubble, he knows he can’t save her, opting to stay with her till the end.

It’s then revealed that this was simply a nightmare for Brok. Holding guilt over the death of his wife several years prior. He wakes up in a sweat with his adoptive stepson there waiting for school. It is then that Brok finds out he has been receiving calls about a job. It is here where the story falls into players’ hands.

The story follows a conspiracy that unfolds across the chapters. Throughout Broks investigation small happenings in the slums slowly become apparent as the citizens are in great peril and danger. As they are susceptible due to the toxicity of the world outside the dome.

However, the story unfurls from two points of view. While Brok is the main protagonist, his stepson, Graff, also is a main character. Navigating the story as you work to protect the NPCs you meet, develop relationships with each, and uncover a deadly plot in the making.

The story of Brok the InvestiGator is a deep one. With both plenty of humor, and some gut-wrenching moments. The game offers a branching narrative driven by every choice, both major and minor, toward 10 different endings. With a canonical ending if you manage to uncover the truth, and an extended ending for completionists who find all the endings and collect all the in-game ads.

Overall the story was a fun and compelling one, with plenty of twists and turns. And with several ways to approach each situation it allows for maximum replayability. Until all endings and the final scenes roll.

Visuals:

Brok the InvestiGator has a very bright color palette. Many characters have designs that pop out with many characters using an almost animated cartoon-style aesthetic. The designs help make the look of the characters feel like a cartoon. Not to mention that the characters have a range of expressions that help to really sell their emotions in a moment. I loved it as it all felt so natural for these “Humans.”

The backgrounds also being highly detailed almost water-colored meets pencil shaded look. And with the vast difference between the Slums area, that the game primarily covers, and the high-end Drums or Dome. The slums are for those who are less fortunate, and who are not wealthy or intelligent inventors. It’s an absolute rundown home of decay, broken machinery, crumbling buildings, and more.

On the other hand, the Drums are entirely the opposite, acting as a technological marvel. From air cars to highly advanced pharmacies. A true utopia with very less risk of toxicity compared to those less fortunate.

The art of the game is rather detailed for taking a mild approach. The characters look vibrant, and the world looks like one beautifully desolate place. It adds to the visual appeal of the game.

Sound:

The sound design in Brok the Investigator is actually pretty tame. While not to say the area is bad, it’s the one part that isn’t mindblowing. However, it is still very good thanks to the voice acting.

The acting in this game is beyond good, you can hear and feel every emotion in the characters’ words. From Brok’s soft words towards Graff to his anger at the threat of harm to those around him. You can hear Graffs’ passion for wanting a better life, to his frustration with his father figure. There is much love given to storytelling.

Add in a fun and quirky soundtrack with some well-done atmospheric sounds and you get a nice overall feel. The main issue is that the soundtrack is rather limited as it seems there were very few background songs that were used in multiple areas. So it didn’t make each area feel special at times.

Gameplay:

The game sells itself as a point-and-click game. However, it is so much more than that. You can absolutely play the game as if it were a point-and-click, but players would miss out on the appeal of Brok. The game blends in the beat ’em up genre within its point-and-click nature. Creating a punch-and-click style game.

This allows players to approach each situation however they wish. They can choose to click and search around the environment and try to solve the puzzle utilizing their brain. Or they can quite literally, brute force puzzles, and just punch their way to victory.

Not only this there are also in-game choices to choose to skip puzzles if it’s too much as well. While this can affect the ending you get, it is still an option for players. Now speaking of choices, everything plays into what the player does whether that’s how they answer a character or if they offer to help at all.

Everything plays out into, who survives the game if they will live or die. Or, more importantly, the relationship you establish. The relationships play a part as well as some characters may be able to offer support or other options.

Now fighting in the game is rather simple. The combos are simplistic and straightforward. You have your basic combo, a finisher, and a charged attack than can break through some guards. And a special attack that can be used when you’re health is low. This provides enough to mix up combat but still keep it basic. Not to mention the use of weapons. This helps to provide plenty of options to use. Plus with health items to recover, and other temporary stat boosters.

The gameplay is a wonderfully fun mix of genres, that really blend into something great. Not just narratively but artistically as well. Truly, Cowcat took a fun chance with Brok the Investigator; hopefully, they will do more with this game.

Closing thoughts:

Overall, Brok the InvestiGator offers something truly familiar and fresh. With its rather deep and touching story with a lot of intrigue. As well as the investigation moments and interrogations and puzzles feel good. They require a wonderful mix of thinking and practice. As well as, the fact the game includes an in-game hint system with collectible ads.

Everything just feels fun and enjoyable, and with the resurgence of the point-and-click genre it arrived at the perfect time.

Brok the InvestiGator is available now for PC on Steam. It will be available for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch consoles on March 1st. Thank you to the team at Cowcat Games for providing the key to check out the game.

-Jess (Bloodieknux)

Hey everyone hope you enjoyed my thoughts and breakdowns in the article above. You can keep up with my thoughts & shenanigans by following me on all my social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, & Youtube.