Videogame classics never really die. But they do come out of retirement, receive full audio and graphical overhauls, and appear on computer platforms they’ve never been on before--which is definitely a good thing.
Enter The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, a recrafted version of the 1990 LucasArts puzzle classic, not to be confused with the newer Tales of Monkey Island episodic adventures by Telltale Games. You control the character of Guybrush Threepwood, an aspiring young pirate who must pass three trials while rescuing Governor Elaine Marley from the dreaded ghost pirate LeChuck. Along the way, you’ll learn how to improve your swordfighting skills via the perfect insult, discover powerful new uses for the mighty Grog beverage, and endure horrible, horrible puns--which actually come in handy as you work to save Elaine and establish yourself as a pirate to be reckoned with.
And you've got a lot of nerve putting a trademark symbol in game dialogue.
As an overhaul of a classic, this Special Edition succeeds. Updated graphics catch the eye, while top-notch vocal and audio works add to the bright, friendly atmosphere. Plus, the interface is easy to master, and the game begins to feel intuitive after the first hour of play. We saw rock-solid system performance under Mac OS 10.6.3, and the game never froze or crashed during test play.
The game is designed around a series of puzzles. To solve them, you’ll need to talk to everyone, pick up whatever items you can, examine anything that catches your eye, and try everything--if an idea seems stupid, odds are it’s part of the solution to the puzzle that’s been driving you nuts. A three-level hint system (if you’re stuck, press H) lends a hand and will actually tell you where to go and what to do if need be. Unfortunately, the game’s tutorial doesn’t point out the hint system as clearly as we’d like.
Special Edition keeps the series’ trademark sense of humor intact, and even improves on it with updated voiceover work. This is an irreverent game that knows where it’s coming from, and it’s funny on multiple levels. Yet it’s also rewarding to replay later, especially if you had a new idea for a puzzle you were stuck on. Special Edition can be beaten within five to six hours of gameplay, and while that time is enjoyable, we were left wanting more.
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This game will thrill die-hard fans of the series, but it’s also newcomer-friendly, and as funny and satisfying as any puzzle game on the market.
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
COMPANY: Aspyr
CONTACT: www.aspyr.com
PRICE: $9.99
REQUIREMENTS: Mac OS 10.5 or later, 1.8GHz or faster Intel processor, 512MB RAM, ATI or Nvidia graphics card with 128MB of VRAM, 2GB free disk space
Updated graphics. Challenging puzzles. Solid performance. Low price. A great introduction to a classic series of video games. ESRB rating: Everyone 10+.
Very limited replay value. Tutorial/hint system should be a little better defined.
