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The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
Release Date: July 15, 2009
Reviewed On: PC
Also Available On: Xbox 360, iPhone/iPod Touch
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: LucasArts
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ - Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence, Suggestive Themes
PEGI Rating: 12+ - No Further Description
OFLC Rating: PG – No Further Description
The Secret of Monkey Island was possibly one of the greatest adventure games ever released. Monkey Island spawned several sequels and helped the adventure genre grow throughout the 1990’s. It is no surprise that LucasArts have chosen to recreate this gem for modern gaming with the new special edition. With updated and additional audio not found in the 1990 version, and completely new visuals, can an old game show us new tricks? Quick, look behind you, a three headed monkey!
Story:
For those of you unfamiliar with the original story of The Secret of Monkey Island, you are in luck, because nothing has changed in the new edition, and this is indeed for the better. Gamers are, for the first time, introduced to Guybrush Threepwood, a young man on a quest to become a mighty pirate. But to become one, Guybrush must pass the three trials set by the Pirate Elders on Melee Island. Guybrush will rapidly find himself way in over his head as he journeys through Melee Island, and later, Monkey Island, in the quest of saving the Governor of Melee Island.
Guybrush begins his long journey to becoming a mighty pirate.
The Secret of Monkey Island is a masterpiece of gaming story; no doubt this game goes down in many peoples’ mind as a great classic. With The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition making no changes whatsoever to the original story line and dialogue; this game will be loved by those returning to the game, and by those playing it for the first time.
Gameplay:
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition has taken some severe liberties with the original scheme of gameplay and controls found in the 1990 version to make it work with the more modern Xbox 360 version. For Xbox 360 players, the controls may not seem peculiar, but for long time PC adventure gamers it may be slightly abnormal playing the new special edition. Just like the original version, the new one uses hotkeys to activate the various gameplay actions such as; talk to, give, pull, push, look at, etc. but in the new version, these options are not clickable on screen as it was in the original, and neither is the inventory. Instead, these actions must be brought on screen by another hotkey, making playing a little more confusing for those unfamiliar with point and click adventure gaming.
Just like the Scumm Bar, the controls are somewhat different.
I cannot say I blame the developers for modernizing the game’s controls, as the new, tidier display allows for widescreen play without half the screen becoming filled with buttons and inventory. For those wanting a more classic Monkey Island experience you can do so just by the click of a button, and you have “classic mode”. “Classic mode” takes the game back to its original form with no changes whatsoever that is found in the new version. I found myself fascinated by the fact that this could be done at any point in the game, so much so, that I found myself spending more time going back and forth comparing visuals and audio than actually playing it.
Graphics:
The special edition adds a whole new visual persona to The Secret of Monkey Island with a unique look not found in any other game of the series, old or new. The new visuals are hand drawn and look spectacular. A few new visuals are added for improvement, such as; falling leaves, higher detailed water effects, or just small things to help create more of an environment that could not have been done in the original game. When comparing the original version and the special edition it is safe to say that about 95% of the game depicts the same locations nearly exactly as they were in the original. There is a small downside, however. The new look of Monkey Island does not do a fantastic job of capturing the original dark and eerie atmosphere, as the new style is brighter in comparison. The fact that the original and special edition look so similar is an amazing feat to witness, Needless to say, you will be amazed with the new look of Monkey Island, and being able to switch seamlessly between the old and new is a nice treat for the classic gamer.
Everything has gone under a complete overhaul.
Audio:
When The Secret of Monkey Island was first released in 1990, it contained no voice acting, and very subtle audio, due to the technical limitations of the time. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition brings back all the voice actors first found in the third game; The Curse of Monkey Island. On top of this, all of the gameplay audio has been updated to more realistic sounds, and the already amazing music of Monkey Island has, too, been improved with great results. There are a few quirky points to the new version though, with the special edition attempting to mimic every single action of the original, some of the voices can seem a bit slow in going from one thought to another. This is due in part to the time needed to read the captions of the original version. A small improvement could have been made to help eliminate this issue, but it is not so severe that it ruins the experience overall.
How appropriate you fight like a cow.
Summary:
The Secret of Monkey Island was a fantastic game when first released in 1990, and with no changes to the story it can be enjoyed by anyone in the new special edition. The new improvements added to the graphics and audio are remarkable, but the audio cueing could have used a few small tweaks to allow it to flow seamlessly. Players of the original game will find the Special Edition a bit odd when using the new controls, but the new model is excusable and works well enough. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is a ‘must own’ game for players of the 1990 version, or anyone interested in a great gaming experience with a unique and funny story. Gamers can only hope for more modernized remakes of other Monkey Island games as well as additional classic LucasArts titles.
Story: 9.5/10
Gameplay: 7.5/10
Graphics: 9/10
Audio: 8.5/10
Total Gaming Network Rating: 9/10
Gameplay: 7.5/10
Graphics: 9/10
Audio: 8.5/10
Total Gaming Network Rating: 9/10
~Kieran Manzi