Return to Monkey Island

Monkey Island 3 already exists and it's called The Cruse of Monkey Island and it's the best adventure game of all times. This, over here, it's just a money grab with terrible graphics and no ending. Just buy the real Monkey Islands 3

Yes, I am disappointed. The art style of course is a choice the devs can make however they want, but I don't think it's been a good one. However, I would have accepted the clanky style when the rest of the game just "clicked" - but it didn't. I get it that times have changed. But this is simply too much. Guybrush was a hero. Yes, Elaine didn't need him - but he at least tried. This game doesn't even try. And we needed him. We needed a hero like Guybrush and this game does nothing but destroy his legacy. Sorry to say this, but everyone in this game is a loser except for Elaine - and somehow even she is, because she actually was stronger in the first two installments.

I'm very sorry to write something so negative about Monkey Island: had high expectations for Return, as I had been waiting for this game for literally thirty years. But doubts emerge already at the presentation of the first trailer, with those horrible flash game graphics. Then the game comes out and...it's just bad. First of all, it is incomprehensible to me, INCOMPREHENSIBLE why Ron abandoned the idea of ending the story his way... it was what we were all waiting for, "Guybrush goes to hell". But no, all of a sudden that idea isn't being used, and in exchange we're given a pathetic soft reboot of the first two, which adds nothing to what we already knew. Interface and puzzles simplified beyond belief, and a nursery school atmosphere, like a cheap Sunday morning cartoon. Forget "On Stanger Tides" and the dark atmosphere of the first two: this is specifically a product targeted for children aged 12 and under. I'll tell you what definitely happened : Ron had his very clear ideas on how to design this game (those written in his famous 2014 post) , but he was understandably scared of failing. This is why he let himself be convinced by some idiot at Disney to abandon everything he had thought, which was probably "too dark" to be sold according to their damn marketing calculations, to focus on on a boring soft reboot for casual gamer, to maximize revenue and "be on the safe side. Now, every time such a beloved series is distorted in the name of market laws, irreparable rifts and disappointments are created in the fandom. And they never learn their lesson, EVER. They keep making the same ridiculous mistake. The only solution is this: make another Monkey Island, in pixel art and this time rigorous compared to the past and which tells the story we've all been waiting for: Guybrush goes to hell.

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.