Return to Monkey Island

Comparing this game to the classics like Secret, Revenge, and Curse is like comparing a toddler's scribbles to a masterpiece. Sure, it's solid compared to the forgettable Escape and Tales, but that's not exactly a high bar to clear, is it? - Classic controls: It's point and click like in the old times. Interactions have been simplified, similar to Curse, but no complicated mechanics like in Tales & Escape, so definitely a plus. - Atmosphere: While it captures some of the magic of the old games occasionally, those moments are few and far between. - Puzzles: They're an insult to the intelligence of anyone who played 1-3. It feels like it's dumbed down for the modern-day player. If you're used to hard puzzles, you can just point and click your way through the game like a mindless zombie. - Graphics: The cel-shading-collage-billboard-comic type of look is about as appealing as a root canal, but I got used to it fairly quickly, so while it's not exactly pretty, it's still way better than the 3D garbage we got in Escape and Tales, so I would say 'not great, not terrible'. - Story: The story is a complete disaster, from start to finish. If you're looking for coherence, closure, or even just a basic understanding of what's going on, then you're out of luck. The ending is so nonsensical that you'll be left wondering if Gilbert was on drugs when he came up with it. I mean, sure, Monkey Island games aren't exactly known for their realism or logical storytelling, but come on, at least give us something that we can follow. Otherwise, you'll be left scratching your head and wondering why you bothered playing this game in the first place. I guess the joke's on us for expecting anything remotely coherent. So all in all a mediocre game, not too bad, but certainly not on par with the old titles. Expect a smirk here and there, but don't prepare for mind-boggling puzzles or intelligent laughs, or else you'll be disappointed as a vegan at a steakhouse.

Try to soldier through the first chapter(s): everything that happens before you first board the ship is jarring, childish (literally and figuratively) and quite off-putting. I was setting myself up for frustration. Thankfully, the game's plot and humor start to click after that. There's plenty of nostalgia baiting and some of the returning characters are not used to their full potential, but what's there is at least entertaining enough. I didn't mind the simple puzzles, in fact I was glad to see a game that finally respects your time and does away with unnecessary padding of any kind. The story makes an attempt at giving the universe (and its protagonist) a coherent meta-narrative that also speaks to its creators' sensibilities and changed life perspectives. I wasn't fully sold on the ending or the "emotional" beats it tries to deliver, but I respect the effort. The art style is certainly different and some things (mainly Guybrush's design) never clicked with me, but it has a certain wild charm. The voices are consistently good, though LeChuck never sounds quite "right" despite the new actor's noble efforts. All in all, it is an entertaining 10-12 hour adventure that, weirdly, is at its best when it's not desperately grasping at its roots for easy nostalgia points. This is more of a 3.5/5 game but since you can't do half stars and I was in a charitable mood, I decided to round it up.

Ce jeu parvient à recréer les atmosphères croustillantes et délicieusement absurdes des épisodes précédents, tout en apportant une esthétique moderne et soignée. L'interface de jeu est également très bien pensée et efficace. Si vous voulez retrouver le charme et l'humour de ce qui fait un bon Monkey Island, ce jeu est fait pour vous.

After some time in the drawer, I finally decided to play this adventure. Once finished, I understood the opinions of other players: from those who have rated it with 5 stars to those who only gave it one star. And it is not an easy game to rate, as it depends on your previous experience with adventure games, and with the Monkey Island saga in particular, and even the vital moment in which you find yourself. This game is a traditional point and click adventure game very easy to handle. Technically speaking, the game has no problems at all. You can save the game at any time or continue the game the instant you quit. And what I liked the most: if you stopped playing for a while, returning to the game offers you the possibility to make a summary of what you have done so far. This is very very useful in adventure games. Compared to other adventure games, or even to other Monkey Island games, this adventure is relatively easy. You can consult the hint book in your inventory in case you get stuck. The puzzles are simple or merely entertaining. That is to say, they will not generate any stress or anxiety. The soundtrack is spectacular and follows the style of previous Monkey Island adventures. What's more, if you've played the previous ones, you'll find yourself humming along to the music on more than one occasion. The graphics, oh the graphics. They have a very peculiar style, very cartoon, which have not been liked by everyone. However, despite its very square style, it is incredibly surprising how expressive all the characters are. Whoever hasn't stared at Guybrush in the final scene, has no soul, no heart, or doesn't even know what has played. Perhaps the main problem with this adventure, is that it may rely too much on nostalgia and memories of other adventures in the saga. If you have played the entire saga, you probably will like this one. If you're not a fan of classic adventure games, it probably won't tell you anything.

I preordered it on steam. I‘m a Monkey Island fan since 1990 when I played it on my Atari ST. What stood out in this series used to be that deep rich atmosphere of being a wannabe pirate in the carribean going on a ridiculously fun adventure. To me, the second game was the pinnacle of the series, for many it’s the third part as it’s basically a mix of the 1 and 2nd part. Anyways, the franchise lost momentum after the third part snd came to a halt after the series. What came were years and years of a rollercoaster ride of feelings whether the series was buried or not. For years we listened to a grumpy old gamer yapping how shitty and evil disney is etc. All of a sudden then THIS! And it was about to be made by the man himself, the grumpy old gamer! It couldn’t get any better, well that’s what we thought…. The really bad part is basically the game itself. The puzzles are way too easy. The atmosphere is next to non existent. It feels you just rush from one puzzle to another as there isn’t really any challenge. I played it through in 10hrs and it just took that long because I always listened to all dialogues. The next issue: everything is leading to the end. As a die hard Monkey Island fan I was almost weeping the whole game as I knew how it will end. The game itself is a „goodbye“. Ron Gilbert got the „I‘m getting old and depressive and have to tell everyone that my wife and kids saved me“ syndrome. Just like Tim Schäfer with his Double Fine Children’s Book Adventure. Ron buried the franchise for good so noone can make money out of it anymore. Probably he now owns the rights of it, so RIP Monkey Island, you deserved so much more. And hey, the price was more than 20 bucks, so I did overpay, right? I should stick on that advice and never buy a game from Ron Gilbert again. I give this game 2 Stars anyways as I think it will be tough as nails for GEN-Z gamers and yeah, I like the art-style, bite me.