Sometimes, what you see is what you get. Other times, you find yourself surprised by a game that’s different than what trailers and marketing might show you. Cowcat Games’ Brok the Investigator is a game that doesn’t exactly follow its marketing, for better or worse.

In Brok the Investigator, you play as Brok, an alligator detective in a Sci-Fi world filled with robots, advanced technology, and anthropomorphic animal characters. I won’t go into too much detail about the story because games like this need to be experienced without spoilers, otherwise, it somewhat defeats the purpose. However, as Brok, you’ll be trying to make ends meet as a detective, using typical Point-and-Click logic to solve mysteries and help people out.

Where Brok the Investigator differs from other games in Cowcat’s library like Demetrios is that it adds platforming and Beat-Em-Up mechanics. You switch between adventure mode and combat mode. Combat mode allows you to jump, punch, and dash, as well as guard against attacks. Adventure mode is your typical Point-and-Click mode, where you’ll use and combine items, interact with NPCs, and solve puzzles.

Some of the puzzles are fairly simple, while others (such as a maze one early on) are just a slog to get through. Also, if you aren’t a Beat-Em-Up fan, there is an option to be able to skip the combat sections, which can be nice for folks who don’t care about that sort of thing. However, the inclusion of combat at all is strange, since it feels tonally off from the rest of the game.

There is a progression system in place since you gain money and experience for beating enemies and resolving parts of the story or side content. As you level Brok up, you can upgrade one of three stats, (Health, Strength, or Special) to enhance your combat abilities. Of course, if you play on the easiest mode and choose to skip fights this won’t be necessary, but it is still an interesting idea.

Visually, Brok the Investigator looks good. It has an animated style that really feels quirky and fun. The sense of humor in the game is pretty good too, though I think it does beat certain jokes (like Brok’s intelligence) to death. The character designs are interesting and by all accounts, the story is pretty good too.

In terms of gameplay, I think Brok the Investigator has an interesting concept. I’m not a huge Beat-Em-Up fan, but the idea of Beat-Em-Up elements is interesting. My favorite part about Brok the Investigator though is the sheer amount of accessibility options on show here. I couldn’t specifically verify this, but according to the developers, Brok the Investigator is the first Point-and-Click game to be fully accessible for blind and visually impaired players.

From full narration (dialogue and menus) to positional audio, directional vibrations to let you know where walls are, and a variety of other options, visually impaired players have a lot to work with here. I can’t be certain how well they work on Switch (I’m not visually impaired myself) but the effort was made here. There are also a number of other accessibility features that don’t have to do with vision in case you might need them.

Brok the Investigator surprised me with a variety of things. The accessibility features and even the Beat-Em-Up gameplay were unexpected. However, despite my issues with certain puzzles and the tonal shift of various endings, there’s a surprisingly developed experience here. It might not be for everyone, I know certain parts were a slog for me, but I can absolutely respect Cowcat Games’ efforts here.

If you are a Point-and-Click fan, a Beat-Em-Up fan that wants something a little different, or a fan of Cowcat Games’ work, give Brok the Investigator a try. I’m not entirely sure how friendly this would be for beginners to Point-and-Click games, but it is definitely an interesting experience. I hope other developers take a page out of Cowcat Games’ book in terms of accessibility here, it is a fantastic addition.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Brok the Investigator was provided by Cowcat Games for this review.

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Brok the Investigator

$14.99

8.5

Score

8.5/10

Pros

• Lots of Accessibility Options
• Simple Controls
• Variable Difficulty
• Fun Visuals and Characters

Cons

• Some Puzzles are a Slog
• Combat Feels Weird