Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition Review

By Dan Whitehead Published 15 July, 2009

Yo ho ho and a lot of old ROM.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Before we get started, those who have never played Monkey Island should probably just skip to the score at the end, dash over to Xbox Live Arcade and hit the download button. Unless you're a joypad-mangling mouthbreather, incapable of seeing past the next big shiny shooty game, you'll discover something that comes awfully close to being the perfect adventure game.

For those uninitiated, Monkey Island introduces us to Guybrush Threepwood, an ambitious young fellow newly arrived on Melee Island to seek his fortune as a pirate. First released back in 1990, he points and clicks his way through a series of puzzles, learning the art of insult sword-fighting and discovering the supernatural properties of root beer. Along the way he falls for Elaine, the island's feisty governor, and falls foul of the ghost pirate LeChuck, who has plans of his own for the lovely lass. If any of this sounds familiar then, yes, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies did borrow rather liberally - and rather cheekily - from this game in order to transform a Disney theme park ride into a rousing blockbuster success.

To say any more of the plot would surely spoil a wonderful experience best enjoyed fresh, so everyone who has yet to make Guybrush's acquaintance should do as they're told and go and play the bloody thing already. Go on. We'll still be here when you get back.

For those who already harbour fond memories of this beloved LucasArts adventure, more troublesome questions remain. First and foremost, have they mucked it up? The words "special edition" have taken on a less than enticing air when applied to projects connected with George Lucas, and the prospect of Star Wars-style tampering must surely cause concern to long-serving fans. Thankfully, this makeover is purely technical in nature. The whole game has been redrawn and reanimated in HD, and the soundtrack re-recorded with real actors and musicians, but the game itself remains mercifully untouched. It's the same script, the same puzzles, the same brilliant gags. Even Mr Lucas' fish-munching cameo remains unaltered.

'Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition' Screenshot 1

Before...

Personally, I found the visual makeover a little hard to accept at first. The original game is so deeply ingrained in my mind that the change took some time to feel right, a bit like seeing a colourised version of a classic black-and-white film. It doesn't help that they've redesigned Guybrush to fit in better with the cartoony makeover the series received after the somewhat controversial third entry, the first to be produced with no input from creator Ron Gilbert.

The shift from scrappy young hero to gangly blond fop still feels awkward, although almost every other character and location benefits from the fresh lick of paint. Some puzzle sequences - such as the cave search with the navigator's head - work much better with the crisp new definition, while many jokes are much funnier when spoken aloud. Purists like me will almost certainly find something to grumble about over the span of the game, but the overall impact of the redesign is undeniably for the better.

'Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition' Screenshot 2

And after...

For those unable to let the past go, a prod of the back button switches instantaneously between the new version and the original, a feature that is both welcome and technically impressive. It's a complex real-time dissolve between a pixellated square play area with static speech captions and an HD widescreen display with full voice acting, but it's pulled off seamlessly. In fact, I often found myself switching back and forth between the two just to see how it had been done. The improvement is most obvious during the static dialogue scenes, where the rather corny Mills & Boon-style still images of the original are thankfully replaced. Those chintzy pictures never sat right with the game's irreverent tone, so while still I mourn the loss of the original Guybrush, in all his pugnacious tousle-haired glory, I'm happy to see him replaced with the chinless blond do-over for these moments at least.

The change in control has been less successful. The classic mode still uses the old LucasArts on-screen menu of actions and inventory items, but the special edition version uses a rather less intuitive combination of pop-up radial menus. The A and B buttons act as left and right mouse-clicks, making movement and basic interaction simple enough, but the d-pad doubles as a quick select for actions and its problematic diagonals means that finding essential commands such as "Use" becomes a bit of a fiddle. Chaining a sequence of actions together with inventory items is just clumsy enough to be annoying, especially when faced with a timed challenge such as the melting grog mugs, and I actually found myself switching back to the 1990 point-and-click menu for these moments. Sometimes the old ways really are the best.

All such nitpicks pale, though, when you consider just what a truly great game Monkey Island is. Returning to it after almost two decades, it's a thrilling vindication to discover that it really hasn't aged in any of the areas that matter. It's still a brilliant juggling act between gameplay and gags, with neither element overpowering the other. Indeed, in many cases the puzzles are the jokes and vice versa, forming a perfectly paced adventure romp that lets the player get their teeth into the puzzles without slowing down its rattling good yarn with needless gameplay flab.

Some parts are slightly less successful than others - collecting all the sword-fight insults feels more of a grind than I remembered, while the deliberately confusing maze sections aren't much fun - but on the whole it's a game that never allows your smile to droop. Even when you're stumped by a puzzle, there's always some surreal background detail, deadpan wordplay or wry observation from Guybrush to make you laugh.

Of course, if you've played the game before, it's unlikely that you'll be stumped by much. In this regard, it's a victim of its own success. Despite not having played the game for years, I still found it all came back to me as I played through, with solutions that were once arcane now unexpectedly popping up fully formed, subconsciously summoned from some warm fuzzy pit of memories. Should you get horribly stuck there is a new hint system - called up by holding X - which prompts you onto the right path, yet it says a lot for Ron Gilbert's mastery of game design that even this diminished challenge didn't stop me from absolutely loving my belated return to Monkey Island. Like re-reading a favourite book, or watching a cherished movie for the umpteenth time, there are simply too many pleasures to be found in the construction of the thing for a lack of surprise to spoil the party.

The scene in Elaine's mansion, for instance, as Guybrush undergoes a bizarre series of off-screen battles, presented to the player only through non-interactive action prompts, is perhaps one of the most audaciously staged comedy moments in gaming, certainly in the stuffy environs of the adventure game. The fact that we never see the tremendous yak, wax lips, heavily armed clown or army of gophers makes them far funnier than any sprites could ever be, and yet the Python-esque skit also leaves you with an array of useful - if inexplicable - items essential to the upcoming puzzles. It's a joyous example of the game-maker's art at its peak; gags and gameplay working in symbiotic harmony for no loftier purpose than your entertainment.

'Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition' Screenshot 3

"And then they had the nerve to cast Orlando Bloom as me!"

So too for the moments where the game breaks through the fourth wall, calling attention to itself as a game, making sly references to other LucasArts projects or poking fun at the standard clichés of adventure gaming. Saving Guybrush from a watery grave, for example, flies in the face of gaming lore, requiring an action so simple yet so logical that you get the dual satisfaction of an expertly delivered punchline and a puzzle overcome in the same click. It's the game's genius in microcosm; constantly operating on multiple levels as an enjoyable adventure game and wickedly witty post-modern comedy, a double-decker sandwich of chewy, nourishing fun.

If there's one major complaint with this special edition, it's that it doesn't really offer much to justify the "special" part of that title. The game itself is special enough, of course, and the makeover is more than enough to make the re-release an occasion to cherish, but once the game is beaten there's nothing to mark its place in gaming history. I'm usually the first to complain when a game offers concept art as a reward, but for something as influential as Monkey Island such artefacts would actually have value. Maybe even a short video documentary on the game's original production, or how it was remade? A commentary from Ron Gilbert? Something from Tim Schafer and Dave Grossman? Any extra material would have made the return of Monkey Island more of an occasion, a celebration even, but in their absence you're left with a rather slim bare bones experience.

These bare bones form the skeleton of a truly marvellous game, however, and one that everyone should play. While it would be nice to have a more robust package, simply having such an unmistakable classic back in active circulation where new players can discover its dazzling inventiveness and giddy humour is victory enough. With any luck, they're already working on a similar reinvention for the sequel, LeChuck's Revenge.

Few games can stand the test of time with such confidence, and whether your interest stems from its genre-defining significance or its reputation as an unforgettable game, you won't be disappointed by time spent on Monkey Island. Anyone who disagrees probably fights like a cow.

9 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Dan.

About Dan Whitehead

Dan has been writing for Eurogamer since 2006 and specialises in RPGs, shooters and games for children. His bestest game ever is Julian Gollop's Chaos.

Read more articles from Dan by visiting the Dan Whitehead archive page.

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Comments (106) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JaysonG #1 3 years ago

    Awesome. Have to get this then.

  • byron_hinson #2 3 years ago

    Now to get this on the PC or Xbox? Agggrrrr

  • Nemesis #3 3 years ago

    Why are pirates called pirates?

    'cos they arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

    /veal

  • Kill_Crazy #4 3 years ago

    Wow. Was not expected. I wonder if it will run on my laptop...

  • Domovoi #5 3 years ago

    What a wonderful time for my 360 to RROD.

  • kamps09 #6 3 years ago

    I think pixel purification (HD) is one and right way to bring back oldies (less pixel hunting). For example, tried recently Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers and it was visual mess. But game itself, story, dialogue and puzzles are well worth every played minute. So we can only hope that some day...

  • Big_Bear #7 3 years ago

    I would personally get this on the PC for some reason I just can't bring myself to play a point n' click adventure with a joypad. The mouse and keyboard is the best control scheme for this sort of game. It seems like the reviewer has highlighted that the controls could be annoying.

    Can't wait to get this....

    You fight like a dairy farmer.
    How appropriate. You fight like a cow.
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 07:42

  • UncleLou #8 3 years ago

    The shift from scrappy young hero to gangly blond fop still feels awkward, although

    He looks indeed terrible on the "...and after" screenshot, downright moronic. Looks like a fop in Telltale's game, too, but at least like a witty one.

    Anyway, I'll buy this on Steam tonight. I am sure though that I'll have forgotten most puzzles. :)
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 08:35

  • joe90 #9 3 years ago

    Soon as i get home.. i downloading this badboy...

  • Darren #10 3 years ago

    Sweeeeeet!!! When's it out? :)

  • bad09 #11 3 years ago

    Cannot wait to get on this tonight! I'm really getting into this turnaround by LA. More please!

  • Darren #12 3 years ago

    Some puzzle sequences - such as the cave search with the navigator's head - work much better with the crisp new definition..."

    And that's exactly why I'm all for these old point 'n' click games being upgraded to HD so long as they keep as close as possible to the original art design.

    Personally I think Secret of Monkey Island S.E. looks terrific but then I've played all the games and seen different styles used throughout the series right up to Tales of Monkey Island. I always did like the Curse of Monkey Islands style and this game looks very much like that so I'm happy.

  • Gnort #13 3 years ago

    @Darren

    Today, both on XBLA and Steam.

  • Darren #14 3 years ago

    Dan Whitehead criticises the Xbox 360 controls for being a little clunky so how does this play on the PC with a mouse? I'm assuming that it would be a lot more straightforward with a mouse and keyboard because that's how these games were always meant to be played. Anyone know how it performs on the PC?

  • Ninja_Tino #15 3 years ago

    I am rubber, you are glue. The 'after' pic of Guybrush ain't great. He just looks really, really stoned. I like the Telltale look now. The goatee threw me at first but I guess it's reminiscent of the MI2 days.

  • Darren #16 3 years ago

    @kamps09 - Completely agree with you.

    I bought The Dig over the weekend and while the game itself is excellent, the graphics most certainly aren't technically. They're so blocky and lacking in detail and colour that it's hard to make out usable objects from background stuff thus you end up tediously sweeping each location for the (seemingly) exact pixel where a particular object might be. It didn't ruin the game as such but it did make me yearn for some high-definition detail to bring out the otherwise excellent art design which is blighted by the horrible low-resolution. As I said in the forum, it's only the low-res graphics that reallly date these older games.

  • Darren #17 3 years ago

    @Ninja_Tino - The outfit Guybrush wears in Tales is the one from Monkey Island 2. Don't know whether you was aware of that.

  • rogueJT #18 3 years ago

    How many Ms points?

  • bad09 #19 3 years ago

    @ rogueJT

    800 points so no excuse not to get it!

  • Ninja_Tino #20 3 years ago

    I was not aware of that, Darren. Thanks for that!

  • Katsumoto #21 3 years ago

    I'd have thought PC was the obvious version to get of this, surprised the review doesn't even acknowledge it's existence! I can't imagine it's very technically demanding either, so the vast majority should be able to play it. Still, good that this sort of thing is coming to consoles - the more the merrier! I wonder if they'll give any of the other classics this treatment? Looking forward to trying it tonight - I have no doubt i'll be flicking uncontrollably between the two modes constantly. :)

  • Doctor_What #22 3 years ago

    PSN version please!

  • Darren #23 3 years ago

    The review doesn't mention that all the graphics have been redone in 1080i (1920x1080) either so it'll look crisp and sharp on 1080p HDTVs. Most games tend to only be 720p at most and are upscaled to 1080p if you set that resolution.

  • UncleLou #24 3 years ago

    I'd have thought PC was the obvious version to get of this, surprised the review doesn't even acknowledge it's existence!

    Yeah. Controls aside, buying a game that you'll want to keep as a classic on a console where it'll probably only last for the rest of the generation doesn't make much sense to me.
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 08:47

  • andywilkie35 #25 3 years ago

    I must confess that I am one of the three people in the world who hasn't played this before, so I've been looking forward to it hugely - can't wait to get stuck in tonight!

  • Dizzy #26 3 years ago

    Consider it bought on XBLA. Been a while since I played this ;)

  • DUFFMAN5 #27 3 years ago

    @ Andy
    Make that four mate, until this weekend at least ;)
    Just need to complete Overlord II

  • Cappy #28 3 years ago

    Oh great, they've remade Guybrush with the vacant face of a retard. Utterly terrible art direction with none of the original game's charm.

  • XdarXideX #29 3 years ago

    It would be awesome if Beneath a Steel Sky would get a remake. In fact it would be awesome if ALL decent point and click adventures would get remakes. I'd be forever buying MS Points!

    EDIT: To all those who haven't played the Monkey Island games before, I highly recommend playing through SoMI with the classic graphics first!
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 09:06

  • ukzz4iroc #30 3 years ago

    AWESOME!!

  • miiiguel #31 3 years ago

    Sounds and looks good. Monkey Island played on the big telly, sitting on the couch... priceless!

  • IronCladChicken #32 3 years ago

    @ byron_hinson
    Just what I was wondering - shiver mi timbers!

    @Katsumoto
    Eurogamer XBox 360 biast? - never! :p
    Edited by 2 at 15/07/09 @ 09:14

  • Altrezia #33 3 years ago

    I spent SO much time as a youth playing these games, and the MI ones were my favourites. DOTT and Full Throttle were amazing too, but they couldn't quite match the insane piratey stories.

  • miiiguel #34 3 years ago

    Yeah. Controls aside, buying a game that you'll want to keep as a classic on a console where it'll probably only last for the rest of the generation doesn't make much sense to me.

    Yes that's because all the games and consoles will explode when Ballmer decides the generation is over...


    /Looks at Mega Drive and collection of games across the room.

  • kangarootoo #35 3 years ago

    "Even Mr Lucas' fish-munching cameo remains unaltered."

    Is that was who it was supposed to be? I never actually realised. I thought it was just some dude with a beard. Perhaps improved graphics will make things clearer.


    It doesn't seem to be on there yet :(

  • b00n #36 3 years ago

    Replaying those old adventures brings out the fact even more that the current episodic adventures are nowhere near the brilliance of this and the like of Indiana Jones, Broken Sword, Full Throttle, Sam & Max etc.

    Too bad that they didn't bother to publish this SE in an old big pc box with all the stuff inside that you got with the original release.

    Oh well, Steam it is! Good review btw.

  • XdarXideX #37 3 years ago

    "Monkey Island: SE" on the XB360 Marketplace

    http://ma rketplace.xbox.com/en-GB/games/...
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 09:23

  • Malek86 #38 3 years ago

    Steam, please. Why do I have to wait another 9 hours for it to unlock, while XBLA gets it now?

  • XdarXideX #39 3 years ago

    Haha... All of SoMI:SE's achievements are Secret! Brilliant!

  • kangarootoo #40 3 years ago

    @XdarXideX

    Cheers

  • kangarootoo #41 3 years ago

    Purchase made :)

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #42 3 years ago

    "If any of this sounds familiar then, yes, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies did borrow rather liberally - and rather cheekily - from this game in order to transform a Disney theme park ride into a rousing blockbuster success."

    To be fair to the Disney people, much of The Secret of Monkey Island has been said to have been inspired by the original Disneyworld theme park ride.

    See the theme park ride reference at the end of Monkey Island 2.

  • ardamillo #43 3 years ago

    Excellent. Finally, I can test if I really have got dumber over the last 20 years.

  • HolyJebus #44 3 years ago

    Is it this one or MI2 where Guybrush is telling the whole story of the game to someone, that's why he can't die, cause he's still alive telling the story?

  • XdarXideX #45 3 years ago

    @kangarootoo

    that's all right! I really should get to work though! Ooops!

  • miiiguel #46 3 years ago

    "that's all right! I really should get to work though! Ooops! "

    OMG! I knew I had something to do...! Shit...

  • miiiguel #47 3 years ago

    "that's all right! I really should get to work though! Ooops! "

    OMG! I knew I had something to do...! Shit...

  • Darren #48 3 years ago

    I've just purchased this game now from the Xbox.com Marketplace so it's ready to download tonight. However, I was quite amused to see that the description for the game suggests you need a hard drive or a 512 MB memory unit to play it... mainly because the download is 533 MB!!! Love to see how that fits on a memory unit that doesn't even have 512 MB free! Someone at Microsoft clearly isn't very good at maths! ;)

  • Darren #49 3 years ago

    @UncleLou - I hadn't thought about the fact that I might not be able to play all these classic XBLA games on the next gen Xbox so that's a very good point.

    However, I'm a bit wary of Steam at the moment because the two times I've purchased stuff from them has been followed by my bank phoning to tell me my credit card has been suspended due to suspected fraud. I'm not saying it *IS* Steam's fault but considering how much stuff I buy online (usually two or three things per week) from other retailers I find it highly suspicious. I've reported SteamGames.com to my bank, however, because it's the only thing I have to go on. This is the second time this year that my card has had to be cancelled.

  • Demiath #50 3 years ago

    While there's nothing wrong with a solid remake of MI1, I don't feel as compelled to buy it as I thought I would because, well, like most grown-up gamers I've already played through that game more than once.

    For some perverse reason I haven't played ME2, though, so I'd love a remake of LeChuck's Revenge...
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 10:04

  • Tonka #51 3 years ago

    The switching back and forth function sounds excellent. I would have been flickering that thing like a madman.

  • Darren #52 3 years ago

    If MI does well, which I suspect it will, then I'm pretty sure we'll also see special editions of the other three games too. One advantage of these remakes is that for the first time all four original games might have a consistent art style throughout.

    Also I reckon Tales of Monkey Island will appear on the Xbox 360 early next year once all five chapters have been released on the PC and Wii.

  • Darren #53 3 years ago

    Speaking of demos, is there one available for the PC yet?

  • Monkey_Puncher #54 3 years ago

    I'd love them to follow this up with remakes of 2+3, that would be gaming nirvana!

    Everyone buy it!

  • Katsumoto #55 3 years ago

    @MrED209 - why not just get the PC version then? Or are you mac-bound?

  • Ninja_Tino #56 3 years ago

    Would 'Curse of Monkey Island' really benefit from a remake?

  • Darren #57 3 years ago

    @Ninja_Tino - "Would 'Curse of Monkey Island' really benefit from a remake?"

    Less so because it's more recent but widescreen support and seeing that lush 640x480 artwork rendered at 1920x1080 would be nice. Considering it was only released on the PC (and perhaps Mac) there are probably a lot of ex-Amiga owners who've never played it.

  • RexRunti #58 3 years ago

    This has to be the first XBLA game I've purchased without playing the demo. Now just have to switch on my XBox as soon as I get home to download the thing.

  • Domovoi #59 3 years ago

    Huh, it's not on marketplace here yet. What gives? Don't tell me this is UK and US only.

  • Domovoi #60 3 years ago

    To be fair to the Disney people, much of The Secret of Monkey Island has been said to have been inspired by the original Disneyworld theme park ride.

    Ron Gilbert stated that that's mostly the atmosphere, though. The story and characters borrow heavily from the book On Stranger Tides.

  • optimusprym8 #61 3 years ago

    Main gripe is that it doesn't fill the whole screen at 1080p. Oh and annoying voice over work but I am used to the text only versions. Control is fine on 360 controller, selecting commands with the D-Pad is_not_hard

  • TheSnotGoblin #62 3 years ago

    Can you play with the classic graphics/UI but with the VO? Or if you want the voices are you stuck with the new artwork?

  • Ninja_Tino #63 3 years ago

    Voices are only with the new artwork etc.

  • darkmorgado #64 3 years ago

    Ron Gilbert stated that that's mostly the atmosphere, though. The story and characters borrow heavily from the book On Stranger Tides.
    Nice to see that someone has so much love for Wikipedia.

  • InsoFox #65 3 years ago

    @Demiath Wow, I highly recommend you give MI2 a go whether LEC remake it or not. It's possibly the best MI game, but tremendously detailed - I think it'd be much harder to remake than the first game, there are a lot more assets to convert - especially in terms of animation and music (which in its use of iMUSE is probably the most complex MIDI score ever made in a game and will be difficult to translate). There are probably more than three times as many locations, too, and many more characters. It's a big game and not a project to be taken lightly - not that MI1 is, either!

  • cawley1 #66 3 years ago

    Amazingly, I have never played this game, far too into console crap back in the day to bother with it on my Amiga.
    Now I have a missus, and she likes this sort of thing, maybe I should get this on Live Arcade and bring her along for the ride.

  • Ryuken #67 3 years ago

    I'd have thought PC was the obvious version to get of this, surprised the review doesn't even acknowledge it's existence!

    Welcome to the Eurogamer multiplatform reviews. :( EG is one of the most respected and biggest multiplatform sites around but they're still limping behind on detailing every different version of a game compared to what Gamespot or IGN usually do. A bit of a shame, at least with this article they didn't put a PC icon on the frontpage for the review but it's still featured on the PC portal... madness!

    Also, I hope this gets a boxed release in the end.

  • Toothball #68 3 years ago

    I've just bought it too on the Marketplace web site, and am currently trying to devise a plan to get me out of work as soon as possible. Didn't play it the first time round, so I've got a lot to look forward to.

  • gourry #69 3 years ago

    bollox - i have a job interview tommorow I'm supposed to be preparing for - how the hell am i supposed to do that now.

  • Kikizosan #70 3 years ago

    I think developers should only ever use secret achievements for things that cannot be missed on a single playthrough - e.g. story-based, level completion - so as not to spoil anything. From the few MI:SE achievements I know about, all of them are possible to miss. Not likely they would be missed, just possible.

    Still, it's Monkey, so multiple playthroughs are a given and hardly a chore. :)

  • Darren #71 3 years ago

    @Ryuken - To be fair to EG, IGN and GameSpot are not particularly good at highlighting the differences between multiformat games as they tend to cut 'n' paste one review and just tweak it slightly for each version. Certainly IGN do this and often get facts wrong (like claiming GTA IV had better AA on the PS3 for example!). At least EG have Digital Foundry to tell us all in nauseating detail exactly how each version differs technically. You don't get that kind of detail from any other site. ;)

    Sadly, the info does come too late for a game's release but it still makes for interesting reading anyway.

    Generally, if you have only one format then your choice is dead easy. If you want the best version and have a good PC plus one of the consoles then buy the PC version. If you have an Xbox 360 plus a PS3 and/or a crap PC then buy the 360 version. If you only a own a Wii then just... cry. ;)
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 14:37

  • captain-future #72 3 years ago

    Don't like the new graphics at all, BUT Monkey Island is a great game - if they didn't ruin it... if you haven't played the game before GO AND BUY IT (for the PC at least).

  • Domovoi #73 3 years ago

    Ron Gilbert stated that that's mostly the atmosphere, though. The story and characters borrow heavily from the book On Stranger Tides.
    Nice to see that someone has so much love for Wikipedia.

    Or Ron Gilbert's blog... There are other places to get information from than Wikipedia, you know.

  • Malek86 #74 3 years ago

    Got the demo on XBLA... to be honest, I don't like the new graphics. The backgrounds are really good, but the characters look totally out of place. And I don't like the style.

    Well, I'm still getting this at least for the old VGA version included. Buying the original CD on the internet would cost me well more than 10€.

  • WiseGuy #75 3 years ago

    Isnt this to be released on the iphone also /prays!

  • WinterSnowblind #76 3 years ago

    Just finished the game and loved it a lot. I got used to the graphics and style pretty quickly, although I would have prefered something closer to the Curse of MI. My biggest complaint would probably be that the voice acting is a little awkward, there's a lot of pauses between the lines to make it fit with the old engine and it can be a little slow. Not too much of a problem but it did bother me.

    The trial version also only goes up to when you get giving the three trials.. People who haven't played the game previously don't get to see anything good of the game, and would probably be a little turned off.

    Regardless, I'd still highly recommend it to those who haven't played it before.. Took me just under four hours, and that was knowing exactly what to do, and the achievements will definitely be bringing me back for a second play through.

  • dylman #77 3 years ago

    Roll on 6pm....

    /glares furiously at Steam

  • Malek86 #78 3 years ago

    It's out on Steam now!

    And for 9€. That's a full euro less than the XBLA version. I'm getting it after all.

  • UncleLou #79 3 years ago

    2GB?!

    Downloading now.

  • Pasco #80 3 years ago

    I also don't like the graphics. Backgrounds look OK but the characters look lifeless. Especially Guybrush who not only looks like a retard but has the most offensive hairdo in computer-game history.

  • levitate #81 3 years ago

    A dream come true. This cannot be missed.

  • bad09 #82 3 years ago

    Absolutely beautiful brush up. The genius of the switch between old and new is just awesome! Feels fresh and new in SE mode and brings tears to my eyes in original.

    / feels old

    All for 800 points \o/ Lucasarts if the Steam games (wicked pricing guys it just a silly way to announce!), this, the new MI (not got it myself yet - this weekend) are the shape of things to come then BRAVO!

    / claps

    Now... WHERE THE C**TING F**K IS BF3???????!!!!!!

    / Goes back to MI:SE
    Edited by 2 at 15/07/09 @ 20:24

  • SlackMaster #83 3 years ago

    I got into the series on the Amiga with Monkey Island 2. Completed and loved that game. I got Monkey Island shortly after that but never completed it.

    It's great to revisit it now with the HD refurb and redrawing. I think it's been done really well, and was very impress at how slick the change between the old and new versions are. I hope they remake LeChucks Revenge.

  • SlackMaster #84 3 years ago

    @ MrED209, you can skip cut scenes by holding the Y button if playing the xbox version. I've not tried skipping any dialogue, but it may be possible.

  • Binglybob #85 3 years ago

    The Secret of Monkey Island is my favourite game of all time (slightly ahead of BioShock) - it got me hooked on games and switching the SE version to the old-school graphics/interface is truly magnificant. That nostalgic feeling is overwhelming and makes me want to complete it in one sitting. I've just got my T-Shirt from Carla so better save and come back to it tomorrow.

    One thing....NO PIRATE DIAL?!?

  • Malek86 #86 3 years ago

    I've been playing the updated version for a while, and I'm getting used to it. It's really pretty good. Dub is ok, though I've never really liked Guy's voice, even in the past games. But this makes me wish for an updated MI2, though that would be a lot more difficult to make. By the way, did anyone check if there is still that bug where you can give Otis all your money?

    @MrED209: on the Steam version, you can skip single lines by pressing Canc. You might want to get that one instead?
    Edited by 1 at 15/07/09 @ 23:52

  • TOOTR #87 3 years ago

    Started playing this with Mrs TOOTR (who recently finished all the achievements for Fallout 3 and oblivion was her first game since game and watch donkey kong. Thats right. I know).
    Tried to sell her on MI being ultimate old school adventure game and sheer class.
    I was loving it from the first seconds and the original view brought memories flooding back.

    Mrs TOOTR however....'Its so slow' 'Can I stop them talking?' 'Why can't I search all the items in the room?' ' When do I get a weapon?' LOL She left me to it distinctly unimpressed.

    Cut to about 1.5 hrs later.

    Mrs TOOTR : Are you still playing this?' Sits down and watches a few seconds. 'Why don't you try using the Gopher Spray?'
    5 mins later - 'Give me the controller I've got an idea'

    Haven't had the controller back.

    Mission accomplished - just took a while to get there. :)

  • Singularity #88 3 years ago

    This is very tempting, as I too have hardly played it. But I'm going to wait at least a few days to see if the iPhone version appears, at that seems to be the only thing I get to play on these days.

  • Daikon #89 3 years ago

    Even though the Amiga version only had 32 colours I always thought it looked (and sounded!) superior to the VGA version.
    Perhaps it was the RGB monitor smoothing those jaggies?

    Anyway, I've been playing this tonight, and what a floodgate of memories has been opened!
    I'm also amazed at how the actually gameplay and humour hasn't aged at all.
    A true classic.

  • Ignatius_Cheese #90 3 years ago

    Having just completed this (and what an absolute joy it was having not played it for at least 8 years), this SE credits end with the repeated message of "Guybrush Threepwood will return".

    Now, this could either be a guarded statement that SMI is the first in the series or whether Lucasarts are seriously considering MI2 next for the SE upgrade.

    I can imagine that this will sell incredibly well on XBLA and no doubt PC so hopefully that will justify a MI2 release, although considering its lush graphical style for a 17 year old game, I would hope they don't tinker as much with the style as they have with this release.

    "Hi. My name is Guybrush Threepwood and I want to be a pirate!"

    *sigh*

  • XdarXideX #91 3 years ago

    We can only hope that MI2 will see an XBLA release. It's my favorite of the 3 I've played!

  • metalangel #92 3 years ago

    I don't like the new graphics either, and it's stupid that you have to live with them if you want the voices too.

    Guybrush indeed looks wrong... his new look for MI3 was a bit strange but it at least seemed right.

    Complaining about the 'Mills and Boon' nature of the old artwork is a bit unfair - I felt that the game did the whole Naked Gun/Airplane thing - that at a first glance it looks just like a 'serious' story but it's only when you sit and watch that all the absurdity becomes apparent. Especially with new Guybrush, who looks like he just wants to go Jamaica to get some Ganja and say 'duuuuuuuuude'.

    Will be coaxing Mrs Metal to join me for this adventure!

    EDIT: In fact, I've just realized that old Guybrush looks rather like porn starlet Christine Young! Or is it the other way around? Or is it? OR IS IT?
    Edited by 1 at 16/07/09 @ 14:04

  • DefdumBlindkid #93 3 years ago

    Loving this, think they've got this update spot on and 800 MS is a very good price.
    Maybe I'm just a tard but I think it's quite hard........hey, poetry!

  • yagisencho #94 3 years ago

    The PC controls are a bit wonky when using the new asset overlay, but all of the commands have keyboard shortcuts, so all is forgiven. I played the original through enough times that I could probably write a FAQ from memory, and yet I'm still enjoying this greatly. Although the animation hasn't really changed, the voice acting is uniformly excellent.

  • kangarootoo #95 3 years ago

    So I put some hours into this last. Just twanging between old and new graphics is fun to compare what you think you remember with what was actually present.

    /engage controversy engine

    I rather like the new graphics, and I think that if this wasn't a remake many people wouldn't be getting their noses out of joint. The original graphics were very pixellated and pretty functional really, and the close up shots were just digitised photos of people in fancy dress. Whenever you stylise something, some people won't like the result, but I am in the like camp I have to say.

    Environment art. Big improvement in some areas. The detail is obviously something the old game couldn't do, but the actual content of some of the scenes has been improved in ways that could have been implemented first time around. The huge moon that hangs over the sea on the harbourside path is great, whereas the original version had a tiny moon perched up near the top of the screen. I had actually forgotten how small it was until I flipped the graphics.

    And as for the dialogue, anyone complaining abouyt this dialogue should play Fable again.

    /controversy engine - off

    So overall, a welcome return which at 800 points is an utter bargain. And normally retro game nostalgia disappoints me greatly.

  • IronCladChicken #96 3 years ago

    @Mentalist(air)
    I don't think there were that many zombie ghosts on the Disney ride (at least before the movie was made).

    @HolyJebus
    The reason Guybrish can't die is becasue it was a thing with all LucasArts graphic adventures that the main character couldn't die - There was a couple of paragraphs of text at the front of the instuction manual explaining that this was so players wouldn't feel cautious about trying out ideas to solve problems (and reolving frustrating instant deaths that had hung around since the text adventure deaths in the late seventies/early eighties

  • Daikon #97 3 years ago

    Is anyone else having problems with the game crashing from time to time on Xbox 360?

  • SG #98 3 years ago

    I must say I'm loving this.

    Reliving the whole thing and thankfully being old enough to have forgotten many things so it feels fresher, and the ability to hotswap between versions makes it truly magical. The only thing I'm a bit gutted about is that my PC does struggle a bit, the animation can be a bit choppy in some areas. It's a 2GHz dual core with 2Gb of RAM too. Surely that's enough to handle it?

    Can anyone offer any tips? I'm not good at tuning PCs for games s I usually just use it for multimedia.

    It's also inspired me to get back to MI3 which I never completed, and MI4 which I've never even installed! But that'll obviously come after number 3.
    Edited by 1 at 17/07/09 @ 13:46

  • Daikon #99 3 years ago

    @IronCladChicken That was a later design decision. In earlier Lucasfilm games such as "Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders" and "Maniac Mansion" the main characters could die.

  • jenguin #100 3 years ago

    Guybrush can die.

    There is only one moment he can die . . . and there is an achievement for it in the 360 version.

    What was his special talent again? ;o)

  • -TKF- #101 3 years ago

    This is a 10/10 game if there ever was one, 100% proof that your scoring system doesn´t work, get rid of it

  • TOOTR #102 3 years ago

    @ Daikon - Yes I had a horrible freeze just as a certain someone was taken off the island by lechucks boat and I hadn't saved for over 2 hrs. But worse than that it froze AT the quicksave. Gutted.

    Oh well it was fun learning a few more insults and didn't take too long.

    Still loving the game .....just saving more often!
    Edited by 1 at 21/07/09 @ 12:10

  • IronCladChicken #103 3 years ago

    @Daikon
    Are you sure? I pretty sure I remember reading it in the instruction for Labyrinth?
    (which I've just discovered Douglas Adams helped to write :)

  • monkeywithnoeyes #104 3 years ago

    you would of thought they'd mention that its only 800points.. which is what? a fiver? some good deals on Live lately

  • chukcyQ #105 3 years ago

    The new art style looks 5c cartoon crap.

  • Kaminari #106 2 years ago

    Crappy, half-assed edition of an awesome game.

    MI2:SE looks a lot better with more content to justify the SE part.