Lord Winklebottom Investigates is a classic point-and-click adventure that puts you in the role of a gentleman giraffe. Developed by Cave Monsters, an English one-woman studio, the game is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter.
Set in an alternative version of the 1920s, Lord Winklebottom Investigates features a world populated entirely by animals. Among them are the titular Lord Winkelbottom and his hippopotamus companion, Doctor Frumple. Admiral Gilfrey has invited our heroes to visit him at his island estate. Upon their arrival they discover the axolotl Admiral dead in his tank, kicking off their investigation.
The Game Is On
Now it is up to the player to solve the mystery around the admiral’s death. With an isolated location and a limited pool of suspects, the game the has the vibe of an Agatha Christie mystery.
The setup might seem somewhat grim, but the game is actually quite colorful. It even features charming, hand-drawn art.
Lord Winklebottom Investigates paves the way to the culprit with traditional inventory and dialogue puzzles. The controls are simple and intuitive; hovering over anything or anyone that looks interesting allows you to look at it, grab it, or initiate a conversation.
That said, the best part of Lord Winklebottom Investigates is its setting and presentation. Winklebottom and Frumple comment about pretty much every object and location in the game. The calm demeanor of the former contrasts nicely with the latter’s grumpy attitude.
Posh Animal Politics
During the course of the game we’re given only a glance into the wider world of Lord Winklebottom and his associates. Regardless, there are some hints about this animal lead society that are quite interesting. It refreshingly includes non-mammals. There are even allusions to social friction between the various types of animals, which is a nice touch.
Lord Winklebottom Investigates is charming and delightful, but you can judge for yourself. A demo is available via Itch.io. It’s worth noting that the demo is more of a vertical slice, rather than an truncated version of the final game.
Pending the success of its Kickstarter campaign, Lord Winklebottom Investigates is scheduled to be released for Windows, Linux, Mac, and Nintendo Switch in 2020.
