Duke Grabowski, Mighty Swashbuckler

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 216 reviews
  • story
  • humor
  • graphics
Duke Grabowski, Mighty Swashbuckler Game Cover
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In "Duke Grabowski, Mighty Swashbuckler," players control a former pirate turned innkeeper, embarking on humorous adventures to become a renowned swashbuckler. Solve puzzles, interact with quirky characters, and engage in swashbuckling combat across points-and-click island environments. Duke's quest for respect and riches leads to hilarious exploits, featuring hand-drawn animation and voiceovers.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 216 reviews
story20 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • Charming and humorous dialogue that captures the spirit of classic adventure games.
  • Beautiful graphics and voice acting that enhance the overall experience.
  • Easy to pick up and play, making it a fun and relaxing point-and-click adventure.
  • The game is very short, leaving players wanting more content and depth.
  • Puzzles are overly simplistic, lacking the challenge that fans of the genre might expect.
  • The story feels incomplete and rushed, with many plot threads left unresolved.
  • story84 mentions

    The story is generally seen as charming and humorous, but many players feel it is too short and lacks depth, leaving them wanting more content and development. While the dialogue and voice acting are praised, the narrative is often described as simple and somewhat incomplete, with some sexist undertones noted. Overall, it serves as a light, enjoyable experience but may disappoint those seeking a more substantial storyline.

    • “But the story is adorable and it has some charm, and it's way too cheap to pass it by.”
    • “The story is good, the dialogue is clever, the humor is actually funny, and the NPCs have personalities.”
    • “It's definitely worth the $7-8 for a few hours of a feel-good story, and who knows, you may just learn a thing or two about wooing the ladies.”
    • “It ends just as the story feels like it’s starting to really pick up, leaving the whole thing feeling unfinished.”
    • “To be honest, it's way too short; the story becomes stupider by the end.”
    • “You not only get a really short game (2 hours max) that may or may not have future installments, but the story is not original.”
  • humor78 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its clever and funny dialogue reminiscent of classic titles like Monkey Island. Players found themselves consistently laughing throughout the short but entertaining experience, appreciating the charming characters and engaging writing. However, some critiques noted that certain aspects of the humor fell flat or felt bland, indicating a mixed reception in specific areas.

    • “With all the humor and anachronistic charms of Monkey Island.”
    • “I was constantly laughing out loud; it's so funny!”
    • “The story is good, the dialogue is clever, the humor is actually funny and the NPCs have personalities.”
    • “The character of Duke is forgettable and the humor is not funny.”
  • graphics48 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the colorful, cartoony 3D art style and detailed environments that evoke nostalgia for classic adventure games. However, some players express dissatisfaction with the art style and note technical issues, such as long loading times and bugs affecting cutscenes. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered charming and well-executed, there are calls for improvements in future installments.

    • “The artwork is made with love, detailed and beautiful surroundings.”
    • “It has beautiful, cartoony 3D graphics that are bright and colorful, good animations, good voice acting, nice music and sounds.”
    • “Bill Tiller’s artwork gives the whole experience the same feel as 'Curse of Monkey Island'.”
    • “The graphics and the animations aren't that great, but it's colorful and the music is quite good and in line with the theme.”
    • “Hopefully if they continue this series, they can tighten up the graphics on level 3.”
    • “Cutscenes won’t play for those with a GeForce 9500 GT graphics card, and I was unable to load into my save game ⅔ into the story due to some unknown bug.”
  • music30 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its atmospheric quality and ability to evoke nostalgia, particularly reminiscent of classic titles like "Curse of Monkey Island." Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack beautifully complements the game's setting, enhancing the overall experience, while the voice acting is also highlighted as a strong point. Despite some criticisms regarding graphics and character depth, the music stands out as a significant positive aspect of the game.

    • “The music is absolutely fantastic and evoked memories of the curse of monkey island, which drew me in immediately.”
    • “The music harkens back to curse of monkey island which is really nice.”
    • “Art, voice acting, music, and dialogue are all excellent.”
    • “Somewhat scratches an itch; the music and visuals are there reminding you of the glory days of adventure gaming, but sadly the meat of a good LucasArts style adventure game, the memorable characters and puzzles that give you a real sense of accomplishment upon completion, are not.”
    • “Quite a few Monkey Island references, and it reminds me a bit of Monkey Island in general -- including the music!”
    • “The music harkens back to Curse of Monkey Island which is really nice.”
  • gameplay20 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized as brief yet satisfying, with a unique mechanic of using character skills as inventory items and idea bubbles. While many players appreciate the straightforward puzzles and engaging narrative, some find the gameplay tedious and the voice acting annoying. Overall, the game offers an entertaining experience reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its short length and dialogue-heavy nature.

    • “The game's rather brief, but did a good job satiating my thirst for point-and-click gameplay.”
    • “The puzzles and game mechanics aren't spelled out to you, which is nice because they are easy to figure out on your own.”
    • “To me, this game is also an improvement on Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island on several levels: the writing and narrative are done much better and aren't confusing this time, the gameplay is smoother, characters are more likable/memorable, and the voice acting is better.”
    • “I tried to like this, but I found the gameplay to be incredibly tedious and the voice acting really annoying.”
    • “Something just like earlier Telltale projects, before they fired Dave Grossman and switched to gameplay-less visual novels.”
    • “The puzzles are easy, the story is straightforward, and it has two hours of gameplay, provided players interact with all objects and exhaust all dialog options.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its nice graphics, atmospheric music, and humorous dialogue, creating a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic pirate adventure games like Monkey Island. Players appreciate the well-designed puzzles and well-voiced characters, contributing to a funny and engaging point-and-click adventure. Overall, the combination of visual and auditory elements effectively immerses players in a charming and lively pirate-themed world.

    • “Nice graphics, atmospheric music, and funny dialogue.”
    • “This is a very funny and atmospheric point-and-click adventure.”
    • “The game is an excellent throwback to classic pirate adventure games, with well-made puzzles that are a joy to solve, good voice-acted characters, and a nice atmosphere.”
  • character development4 mentions

    The character development in the game is highlighted by stellar character designs and engaging dialogue, which adds depth and humor to the overall experience. Players appreciate the combination of well-crafted characters and entertaining interactions, enhancing their connection to the story.

    • “The character designs are stellar.”
    • “The game features a nice string of puzzles, great character design, and absolutely hilarious dialogue.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with some noting that while it is not particularly challenging, it can feel laborious and detracts from the overall experience. The game can be completed in about two hours, but the monotonous gameplay and irritating voice acting contribute to a lack of enjoyment.

    • “I tried to like this, but I found the gameplay to be incredibly tedious and the voice acting really annoying.”
    • “Not a hard game, a bit tedious in places but beatable in 2 hours.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches, freezing, and instances where players become stuck and unable to move. Despite these problems, some users feel the price justifies the experience.

    • “Unfortunately, there were many glitches, parts where I got stuck and couldn't move, and the game would freeze. But for the price, I shouldn't complain.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some users reporting smooth performance on high-end systems while others experience significant lag and frame rate drops on mid-range setups. Overall, the optimization appears to vary widely depending on individual hardware configurations.

  • emotional2 mentions

    The game is praised for its emotional depth, combining humor and charm in a touching pirate adventure. Players appreciate the heartfelt dialogue and delightful art and animation, which enhance the overall experience.

    • “A touching pirate adventure that made me chuckle on a good few occasions - a lot of love went into the dialogue ('touch the grog kegs? nah, they've been tapped already.'), and the art and animation is charming.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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