This is a short puzzle game that for sure takes you on a brain bender in maybe different ways than you think. The storyline in comparison to the puzzles is just very lack luster. It's pretty clear what you're doing, but the why is a little squirrely. It wasn't awful to play and provided a few giggles, but not something I would play again.
With it being the first of the series, it is a little clumsy and the voice acting a little low budget - however, I've played the whole series and this is my second time playing through this one and it makes me appreciate the thought and detail that went into them all.
If you like old adventure games this game is something that is worth trying for sure. The storyline isn't too grandoir and knowing what to do next isn't super hard to puzzle out. The graphics are good for it's time, etc. Where things get really frustrating is the actual game play. The game boasts a new engine of being a "live theater" or something like that - meaning; characters understand a limited amount of dimensional space. (Dunno if that was the right way saying it... but whatever) So in one scene - you could be giggling watching your hero try to navigate the crowd of people to enter a shop. In the next scene - you're cussing him out because we won't tell the other charact what to do because there's an unseen barrier or something. So he ends up just wandering around the screen until both he, the other character, and you as the player - display a "?????" over your heads. Sigh... The game would probably have taken half as long if this wasn't a factor. If you've got the patience of Moses - go for it. If not - and yet you still want a challenge of your patience - stock up on some drinks.
The graphics of the game are super cute, colorful, and cozy. The idea of the game is one that has been done a lot, but can always be interesting. The game itself, however, is REALLY short. And the ending is really disappointing. I'd love to drone on and on about it, but honestly there's so little to say because you don't really do a lot. The game has soooo much potential for world exploration, spell creation, side quests and more. Just seems really half a'ed.
First off - the music and art of this game are absolutely stunning. I found myself loving each and every panel. Secondly - the way the story is written and the way it ties together in each chapter is beautiful. Thirdly - The storytelling of the game is great, and the characters they chose to highlight were interesting in their own unique way. So why 3 stars? The gameplay. It's REAllllllyyy monotonous and incredibly linear. There's not really any mess ups - and yes there are choices, but they don't really effec the story lines that much. In some areas it's really obvious what choices will get you what you want, in others it's not very clear at all. This game had a lot of potential to be a lot more interactive and set you up for a bit more of a dynamic gameplay and just fell really short. If you're wanting something that feels like an interactive story - this game is certainly for you! If you're wanting something to fill the time - this game is for you. If you're wanting something mind numbing and yet captivating - this game is for you. If you're wanting something challenging, stimulating, and intriguing - move on to something else.
I'm a sucker for retro gaming, so like a moth drawn to the fire, I will always play retro games if given the chance, no matter how bad or good. Kyrandia had my interest peaked when I realized it was three different games. Who doesn't want to the keep the adventure going if you really enjoy the game? The game was a joy to play! The backgrounds, the music, and the characters were fun to discover and amazing to gaze upon. The puzzles, however, can get really frustrating. I think one thing that irritates me more than anything in a game is constant back tracking due to lack of direction, meaningless side tasks, or the never ending fear of forgetting that one item you needed at the end of the game. This game tends to do that... a lot. You also need to save frequently because you can die pretty unexpectedly in a lot of places of the game. Other than those frustrations, I did honestly enjoy playing the game! It's a smooth interface and a joy!
I have always loved the Monkey Island game series. From the first to the last it has been one of the most clever, witty, and amazingly written games I've played. The humor is incredible and consistent throughout game play, dialogue, puzzle solving, and items collected. The characters and stories seemlessly tie to each other from game to game and remain true to their introduction in game 1. All of that is reason alone to play Curse of Monkey Island. However, specifically - the graphics of this game are amazing! The storyline is unpredictable! It's just a great overall game and will have you wanting to try the others.
I got this to play with my kids as we enjoy reading Nancy Drew books. The overall playthrough was okay, but nowhere near as amazing as Laura Bow games. It was pretty buggy throughout which made puzzle solving pretty frustrating at times. I felt the game also lacked consistent clarity in what to do next or even where to go to search. I found myself just wondering around the house clicking on things at times to try and figure it out. The characters in the game give off an animatronic creepy vibe... which I don't think is intentional? The dialogue was also pretty hit or miss. I also feel it could have had a much smoother interaction throughout the game when searching for clues or talking to characters. Overall - it wasn't an awful play, but I would go into it with pretty low expectations.
I didn't really have a lot of expectations going into this game - especially since it was free - but I really enjoyed it! The characters were fun and on point for the storyline. The puzzles weren't impossible to figure out without a little common sense. The humor definitely gave me some real chuckles throughout the game. It's a shorter playthrough - but super fun!
