BROK the InvestiGator from Cowcat Games is a hybrid point and click adventure that adds a twist on the tried and true formula via action packed beat ‘em up sequences. In this ambitious title, we follow Brok, an intrepid private eye who’s trying to scrape by in the slums by taking on odd jobs, exercising his punching abilities, as well as an investigation or two. All to provide for his step-son and to help him achieve his ambition - to live under the dome and become a drummer.
When I first ran across BROK the idea of mixing a classic point and click adventure with beat ‘em up mechanics had me intrigued. A little confused on if and how it would work, but intrigued nonetheless. I mean, I am a big fan of both genres, so playing a game where I could do both had me excited. The only real question would be, would they synergize?
My slight hesitations aside, everything else about the game had me looking forward to getting my hands on it and diving in as the burly croc. The artwork seemed vibrant, the character designs were perfectly Saturday morning cartoon in style, and the action, at least from the outside looking in, seemed like a perfect break from the brain busting puzzles these types of game usually throw at you.
Aesthetically BROK hits the nail on the head, which is apparent from the moment you hit start on a new game. Like I mentioned earlier, it features a style reminiscent of the Saturday morning cartoons I grew up with. Meaning its nostalgic, warm, and welcoming. Even if at times the tone, narratively speaking, can get dark. And this is all reinforced by the excellent voice acting that perfectly matched the personalities of each character.
From a mechanical perspective however, it was a bit more of a mixed bag. For example, even though the environments may have been gorgeous and varied, sometimes the points of interest were hard to distinguish and it was difficult to tell what was a part of the background and what I could actually interact with. Meaning you would have to poke and prod more than you may want. There was a way to highlight those areas and quickly select them which alleviated some of the frustrations it may have caused, but I found myself relying on it instead of being able to discover those things easily on my own. This became especially important when points of interest were close together, or when they were out of reach and I had to remember that I could switch to the “Action” mode so I could jump to reach them or that I could punch to break something. A disconnect I struggled with through most of the game. With that in mind, I did appreciate that none of the puzzles felt too obtuse or difficult to solve, nor did I find myself cycling through each and every item in my inventory to figure out what would fit. Well not very often anyway. And when I did, the optional hint system came to the rescue!
Then there’s the beat ‘em up portions of this hybrid adventure. Which again, I have mixed feelings about. On one hand it was a nice reprieve from the puzzle solving portions and dialogue heavy story sequences. It let me stretch my thumb muscles and mash buttons. And I like mashing buttons. But, as a whole I felt they weighed on the experience more than they uplifted it. It never felt polished, it never felt satisfying like a beat ‘em up should, and it just ended up feeling like a novelty that overstayed its welcome. Something that whenever I was forced to do it, I eagerly anticipated for it to be over so I could move on to testing items on points of interest and cycling through more dialogue. Which is truly unfortunate because those last two things aren’t typically things I look forward to in a game featuring beat ‘em up action.
What truly sets BROK apart though, is its unique take on the genre. Things like the interrogation mechanics that’ll have you questioning suspects and piecing clues together in order to reveal the truth, really make you feel like you’re participating in the investigation. A feature I honestly wished was a more prominent part of the game as a whole! Plus, there are branching dialogue paths based on your choices that can lead to 11 different endings. So, if replaying games is your thing, then there’s a lot of meat on BROK’s bones. It's a little weird to say, but it’s true.
So, the question I have to ask myself is “would I come back for more?”. And I think that’s a difficult question to answer. From a distance I’d say yes, but not right now. I was satisfied with the ending I unlocked, and trying to get the other 10 just seems like a lot. However, I would want to come back and re-experience the world of BROK the InvestiGator, especially in a sequel, and especially with a few refinements to the gameplay.
Despite my gripes with portions of the gameplay, and the occasional awkward and tangential dialogue sequences, I enjoyed my time with BROK. It reminded me of playing those classic adventure games of the past, which honestly suffered from a lot of things as well. But I also hold those experiences near and dear. So if you’re a fan of these types of games, or are at least interested in trying BROK out, you’ll know within the first few hours if it’s something you’ll want to see through to the end.
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