Return to Monkey Island

[Fuctifano]

I know it's been mentioned in the general chat thread but think the game (or at least the series) deserves its own thread.

Out on September 19th on Steam / Switch, the first MI game since Monkey Island 2, released 31 (thirty-one) years ago to have Ron Gilbert as the main creative force, and will probably be the last game in the series.

Predictably, grown man-children have lost the plot about the graphics being so caricature-like rather than realistic. I'm quite looking forward to how many references to the earlier games or pop culture in general they sneak in.

Could be good, could be a disaster. The first 2 games in the series will always be classics though, and I personally have a lot of time for the third.

[BFTD]

I didn't fancy the graphics much when I saw the trailer, but stopped giving a shit by the time it finished. Some folk are just really determined that they want the same thing over and over again. It's not like Monkey Island 1 & 2 had the same graphics style.

I'm broke, but I'd be buying it at launch if I wasn't. Ron & Co. deserve the money, even if it turns out not to be great. Thimbleweed Park was pretty good, so he hasn't lost his touch. Hoping that Murray makes an appearance, despite not being in Ron's MI games - I seem to remember him being one of the best things about Escape from Monkey Island.

[Gaz]

Murray is definitely going to be there.

[Fuctifano]

Murray is one of my all time favourite minor characters in any game, I hope he's not overused though. 

I'm off work that week, tremendous timing as it now turns out. 

[Loki]

As I am a total boomer that remembers fondly playing Monkey Island 2 on 11 separate Amiga discs, can I use steam on the xbox? Or will I have to use steam on my Surface Pro to play this?

But they have my money already.  Like every one else I love evil Murray Bwahahahashahaha.  Herman Toothrot can go straight into the bin though.  And if anyone wants to argue about it I challenge you to some insult swordfighting:

I ONCE OWNED A DOG SMARTER THAN YOU!

 

[Loki]

I just realised as well when I am "mourning" as the Queen died, I can sit on my arse all day and play this instead of working.  AND it's talk like a pirate day.

[BFTD]

8 hours ago, Loki said:

I just realised as well when I am "mourning" as the Queen died, I can sit on my arse all day and play this instead of working.  AND it's talk like a pirate day.

Time to dig out the trusty old keyboard for its annual outing...

[Fuctifano]

About 2 hours in, it's a fair old nostalgia exercise so far, with some of the puzzles on Melee Island being a deliberate re-tread of the 1st game (incredibly mild spoilers to follow)

Spoiler

e.g. breaking Otis out of jail, following a treasure map in the forest on Melee

but with different solutions. There is a scrapbook feature on the main menu to bring anyone who hasn't played the previous games up to date , though I can't think there will be many new players, and there's also in-game trivia cards to collect which then ask you a question about a previous MI game, not sure of the relevance of them yet.

Also an in game hint system to reduce the amount of googling. None of the puzzles seem fiendish so far but guess I'm only on part 1, and like MI2 there is a hard and easy mode which you select at the start (I went for the difficult option obvs)

Worth it just to ask Cobb in the Scumm Bar about Loom again if nothing else.

Edited September 19, 2022 by Fuctifano

[Fuctifano]

Finished it tonight, playtime for me was 9 hours, having looked now it says 8-10 about average. The in game hint system feels better than googling a walkthrough as it was better for giving a nudge in a direction to work out when I got stuck on a couple of the puzzles, mainly forgot to re-check using the same item to solve more than one puzzle.

Somehow missed the fact there was a "writer's cut" option in the settings so I'll maybe go through that version at some point.

Would say it's an 8/10 game, the graphics washed over me tbh and that seems to be the main sticking point for some folk.

Now off to reddit to see people discuss / lose their shit over the ending.

 

[54_and_counting]

Seeing this thread reminds me of this and other drawn games like it

Would love another broken sword game

[Loki]

On 22/09/2022 at 21:31, Fuctifano said:

Finished it tonight, playtime for me was 9 hours, having looked now it says 8-10 about average. The in game hint system feels better than googling a walkthrough as it was better for giving a nudge in a direction to work out when I got stuck on a couple of the puzzles, mainly forgot to re-check using the same item to solve more than one puzzle.

Somehow missed the fact there was a "writer's cut" option in the settings so I'll maybe go through that version at some point.

Would say it's an 8/10 game, the graphics washed over me tbh and that seems to be the main sticking point for some folk.

Now off to reddit to see people discuss / lose their shit over the ending.

 

 

Yeah I enjoyed it too, mainly for nostalgia but it was good fun.  Don't think it was as funny as the first two but I would imagine that's because I was a kid then and I'm a boomer now.  Didn't mind the graphics, I played the original Monkey Island not that long ago, so the graphics for these types of games don't matter.  I agree the ending was utter shite, but so was every ending to Monkey Island.

Same rules apply - everything has a purpose, if you haven't used it yet, just keep trying it on different things until it works.