Detective Gallo
- May 30, 2018
- Footprints Games
Detective Gallo is a comedy-noir point-and-click adventure game. As the titular hard-boiled detective, you'll solve puzzles and interrogate quirky characters to uncover a shocking conspiracy. With its hand-drawn art style and humorous dialog, Gallo offers a refreshing take on the classic detective genre.
Reviews
- The game features charming hand-drawn graphics and excellent voice acting, enhancing the overall experience.
- The humor and witty dialogue, along with an interesting story, provide an engaging narrative that keeps players entertained.
- Puzzles are generally logical and enjoyable, with some offering a good level of challenge without being overly frustrating.
- The game suffers from slow character movement and excessive backtracking, which can make gameplay feel tedious at times.
- Some puzzles rely on obscure logic or require specific dialogue interactions before they can be solved, leading to frustration.
- There are technical issues, including crashes near the end of the game, which detract from the overall experience.
- story40 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in the game is a blend of humor and noir elements, featuring a quirky cast of characters and unexpected twists that keep it engaging, despite some repetitive puzzles and backtracking. While opinions vary on the depth and excitement of the plot, many players appreciate the witty dialogue and charming art style, making it a fun experience for fans of point-and-click adventures. Overall, the narrative is entertaining, though it may not resonate with everyone due to its simplicity and occasional predictability.
“Loved the characters and the story.”
“The combination of cynical, noir deadpan delivery of jokes with a light-hearted comedy cartoon style makes for a silly, humorous story and plenty of hilarious one-liners.”
“The writing is brilliant, the humor is non-politicized and generally great, Gallo is funny, likeable and charming, the art style fits right in the 90's, there are countless small references for those of us who passed 30, puzzles are logical and funny, the backgrounds have a lot of interactable points with funny comments, the voice acting is top-notch, and the story is engaging right from the start.”
“I am going to finish it at some point, but I never feel the urge to complete the story.”
“Only complaint is the story and puzzles are the exact same every time.”
“In Deponia, the main character lacked any likable characteristics and the story had a nasty tendency to reset itself just as you got close to the main goal.”
- humor30 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it hit or miss; while the art style and voice acting are praised, the jokes often fail to elicit strong laughter. Many appreciate the clever moments and witty dialogue, reminiscent of classic adventure games, but some criticize the protagonist's dry humor and repetitive remarks as detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of silly and sardonic humor that may appeal to fans of the genre, though it doesn't consistently deliver on its comedic potential.
“The combination of cynical, noir deadpan delivery of jokes with a light-hearted cartoon style makes for a silly, humorous story and plenty of hilarious one-liners.”
“The colorful, cartoony style works really well, especially with the tongue-in-cheek kind of humor that the game features abundantly, giving the whole game a feel very similar to classic adventures like Sam & Max Hit the Road, Day of the Tentacle, Curse of Monkey Island, and Discworld 2.”
“The writing is brilliant, the humor is non-politicized and generally great, Gallo is funny, likeable, and charming. The art style fits right in the 90's, there are countless small references for those of us who are over 30, puzzles are logical and funny, the backgrounds have a lot of interactable points with funny comments, the voice acting is top-notch, and the story is engaging right from the start.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their beautiful hand-drawn art style and animations, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures. Reviewers note the visuals are complemented by quality voice acting and a humorous story, creating an engaging experience. While some players mention the slow pace of movement in expansive locations, the overall aesthetic and design are considered a strong highlight of the game.
“The graphics are good and the music is good, and the main character's voice acting is fairly on point.”
“Visually, the game features hand-drawn graphics and animations, all of which are really, really nice.”
“Solid writing and good comedy, wonderful visuals, superb soundscape and voice-over elevate it out of mediocre one.”
“As a huge fan of adventure games from the 90s, I have been looking for an adventure game that would manage to recapture the spirit, the humor, the puzzle-solving, and the art style of old classics such as Discworld, Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max, Toonstruck, Leisure Suit Larry, etc. Throughout the years, I tried many games that promised to deliver exactly that, but unfortunately, all have fallen short... all except Detective Gallo and Broken Age!”
“This classical point-and-click adventure mixes comedy, a noir-like setting, well-made hand-drawn graphics and animations, and a likable but unlikely rooster protagonist and his cactus sidekick with a good story and well-made puzzles; it does a lot of things really well, and it's a fun game that a lot of fans of the genre will definitely like, with the only real drawback being that the price is a tad bit too high for the amount of gameplay you get in return.”
“So far it's a solid point-and-click game with the graphics being its strong point, as well as decent sound and voice-overs which are always a plus.”
- gameplay13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Detective Gallo is characterized by classic point-and-click mechanics, making it accessible and nostalgic for fans of the genre. While the game features enjoyable puzzles and a comedic-noir theme, some players feel that the mechanics could benefit from further refinement and innovation. Overall, it offers a fun experience, though some users note that the gameplay duration may not justify its price.
“Detective Gallo starts out fun enough with its comedic-noir theme and puzzling gameplay.”
“This classical point-and-click adventure mixes comedy, a noir-like setting, well-made hand-drawn graphics and animations, and a likable but unlikely rooster protagonist and his cactus sidekick with a good story and well-made puzzles; it does a lot of things really well, and it's a fun game that a lot of fans of the genre will definitely like.”
“Gameplay is simple and intuitive, with your regular left click to pick something up, talk, open, interact, and right click to examine.”
“Ok, so I did enjoy this game, but I do agree with the other reviews that the mechanics of the game themselves could use some work.”
“You will not find anything new or innovative in terms of gameplay in Detective Gallo.”
“This game honors all the classic mechanics from the cult representatives of the genre, which makes this game a good choice for someone who feels nostalgic about the golden era of point-and-click games.”
- music9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's music features a brilliant jazz noir soundtrack that complements its comedic narrative, creating a wholesome experience. While many players appreciate the variety and classic sleuth sounds, some feel the music is solid but not particularly exceptional. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's charm, making it enjoyable for fans of classic point-and-click adventures.
“Brilliant soundtrack of jazz noir melodies develops on top of the comedy story, and the final product comes out wholesome and well-made.”
“Love the jazz music from start to finish.”
“So you probably don’t want to be stuck with repetitive and annoying music.”
“In the music and sound department, the game does a solid job, although it's not exceptionally special either.”
“+/- music and sound is not anything special.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of Detective Gallo has been noted to have minor bugs, including occasional stuttering during saving and some freezes. However, the voice acting quality is praised for being professional and free of any performance issues.
“Minor bugs and optimization issues.”
“The biggest problem I encountered in Detective Gallo was some minor issues with stuttering during the saving process and some occasional freezes from time to time.”
“I was also pretty happy to hear professional voice acting during the game without any stuttering or low-quality recordings.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is significantly enhanced by playing it in Italian with English subtitles, complemented by beautifully executed hand-drawn illustrations that effectively convey the game's unique universe and mood.
“The atmosphere is enhanced by playing it in Italian with English subtitles.”
“You can see nicely executed hand-drawn illustrations in Detective Gallo that perfectly convey the atmosphere of the game and its universe.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
“Despite the game's setting, the atmosphere fails to evoke any real sense of tension or excitement.”
“The overall ambiance is dull, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that the game offers limited replayability, primarily due to its fixed elements and relatively short completion time of around 10 hours. While some players express a desire for more variability in each playthrough, the main incentive for replaying lies in achieving 100% completion.
“I would love for elements to change with each playthrough, adding to the replayability.”
“The game offers so many different paths and choices that I find myself coming back for more.”
“Each run feels unique, thanks to the variety of challenges and outcomes available.”
“Would love for elements to change each playthrough, causing some replayability.”
“All in all, the game can be finished in roughly 10 or so hours (probably less if you're an experienced adventure gamer), offering little replayability other than 100% completion.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a brilliant jazz noir soundtrack that enhances its comedic narrative, resulting in a wholesome and well-crafted emotional experience.
“The brilliant soundtrack of jazz noir melodies enhances the comedic story, resulting in a wholesome and well-crafted experience.”
“The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
“I was moved to tears by the heartfelt moments woven throughout the narrative, showcasing the game's ability to connect with players on a profound level.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many point-and-click fans may find the game enjoyable, but some reviewers note that it suffers from tedious grinding and unnecessary backtracking, which can feel like padding.
“It’ll be a largely enjoyable game for a lot of point-and-click fans, provided they aren’t bothered by the pitfalls of occasional tediousness and back-and-forths that seem like padding.”
“The grinding feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which made the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report that "Detective Gallo" experiences minor stability issues, including occasional stuttering during saving and infrequent freezes.
“The biggest problem I encountered in Detective Gallo was some minor issues with stuttering during the saving process and some occasional freezes from time to time.”