Richard's Online Journal
[01/06/09] Tales of Monkey Island
Oh yes. Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes…
If you need to know why you should be excited, a quick look at the Team page sums it up. I don’t know every name on the list, but seeing Dave Grossman, Mike Stemmle and Mark Darin listed at the top of it is more than enough for now. Really looking forward to this one. It’s a franchise perfectly suited to Telltale’s style, even if going up against peoples’ rose-tinted memories of the original games is one hell of a challenge.
(That said, I hope the majority is spent as far away from the titular island as possible. I always felt the games took a major downturn when that damn place entered the story, even taking the cannibals and ‘rubber tree’ joke into account.)
As for the Monkey Island Special Edition, it’s one I’m almost certainly going to download, but… egads, what happened to Guybrush’s hair? If they do a similar remake of Monkey Island 2, they’d better not mess with that awesome blue coat, that’s all I’m saying…
(Note to Lucasarts: Please do a remake of Monkey Island 2. At least, the first and second chapters. You know you want to, even if you don’t...)
I’m glad I’m not alone in thinking “lolwtflol” at Guybrush’s remastered hair. It fails to make him look like Guybrush.. which is rather sad as everything else is fantastic.
Yeah, Monkey Island itself wasn’t that great (optionally sinking your own ship and the ones you mentioned aside).
Posted by Nick on Friday 5th June
I’m not wild about the new look. I’ll try it, but it seems a bit shiny and plasticky for my liking.
As for Monkey Island, it’s not just the first game. Dinky Island (an atoll of the Island) in MI2 was easily the dullest bit, the Carnival of the Damned was just too silly for words in MI3, and as for MI4, even ignoring the general dullness, two words: Monkey Kombat.
Steer the hell clear of Monkey Island, I say.
Posted by Richard on Saturday 6th June
I never played MI4.. just couldn’t bring myself to. I can barely remember MI3 as I only played through it once, lent it to a friend and then never spoke to him again several months later, severing contact before reclaiming it (grr).
Posted by Nick on Monday 8th June
EFMI was… weird. MI3 was a mixed bag, but with some really nice moments. Murray was awesome of course, but I really liked the return of Lemonhead, especially his deadpan way of stopping a conversation.
“Shut up, or I’ll eat you.”
Posted by Richard on Monday 8th June
Monkey Island in the first game was great! Sorry, but you’re mistaken there.
Dinky Island was tedious (and quite ugly, too).
CMI was absolutely wonderful, even if the Carnival of the Damned wasn’t not-silly.
EMFI… hmm, yeah.
Posted by Johnny W on Monday 8th June
I tried reinstalling EFMI not long ago. I just couldn’t get into it. The 3D switch made it look revoltingly dated in a way that CMI didn’t. Navigation was a pain, the puzzles were decidedly below average and (from what I remember) the story wasn’t much fun, putting too much emphasis on parodying the real world than making jokes about pirates.
Posted by Bobsy on Tuesday 9th June
EFMI struck me very much as “Please Let Us Make Sam And Max 2” rather than a Monkey Island game. It didn’t particularly click with me at all. It’s the only one I’ve never been back and replayed later.
Monkey Island in the first game was great! Sorry, but you’re mistaken there.
Just went back and checked. Nope!
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 9th June
Oh, the hint line section was about the last of the good bits I can think of for it. It was pretty tedious.
Posted by Nick on Tuesday 9th June
That was on Dinky in MI2 though.
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 9th June
See, it’s been a long time since I last replayed played them. About 10 years at least.
Hmm, I should probably do that.. the intro music always gives me shivers.
Posted by Nick on Tuesday 9th June
I have it as a ringtone. Along with some other games too, like Team Fortress 2.
Posted by Richard on Thursday 11th June
I still think MI2 and CMI are the best of the series. I have the fondest memories of MI2 but CMI is clearly the best of the series in my opinion. Great voice acting, great artwork, great writing and especially great music. Even the puzzles were good.
CMI is probably still my favorite game of all time. I’d replay it but the wonderful artworks look sort of jagged on a 24 inch screen.
I loved the monkey island part in the first game, I for one really enjoyed it.
Posted by yves on Wednesday 22nd July
This is, like, the best gaming news of the year. And you fight like a cow.
Posted by jotajotaz on Monday 1st June