Lucas Arts is back, but not really. The game developed by veterans Ron Gilbert and Dave Grossman, with the support of an enthusiastic team, is a trip down nostalgia avenue and manages to turn back time, by returning us to the ‘90s when puzzles and quests were the main focus of our gamer’s lives. At the same time, the new Return to Monkey Island manages to be a modern game, which leaves behind the clunkiness of the initial point and click adventures. But can the sixth installment in the series be as immersive as the best ones we have seen?
So, to address the giant monkey in the room we can say from the start that Return to Monkey Island is a great game and Terrible Toybox did a nice job resurrecting the unofficial king of the adventure genre. The approach of building a nostalgia inducing game is not new, but the addition of modern gameplay elements turns this title into more than just a love letter to our inner children.
Although the developers did not even try to hide the fact that they are going to drown the returning players in almost tear inducing memories. It all starts with the so-called Scrapbook that presents the most crucial moments of the first five games. Do not think of a “so far…” like feature, more of a this were the points when we had the most fun. Also, just to make it clear, you do not need to know anything as a new player about the past in order to enjoy the game.
But it helps, since many of the references will actually be funny if you experienced the glory days of the games developed by Lucas Arts. This fact is also emphasized by the collectible system implemented in the game, that tasks players with finding and correctly answering questions related not just to Return to Monkey Island, but also the history of the franchise and the career of the most famous developers.
Old riders will rightfully feel like they deep dive in the “best of” album of Gilbert and Grossman. After a short and funny tutorial, the events start in the same place as the first game, on the lookout point of Mêlée Island. When you start exploring you will be able to recognize the most famous locations. Even if you don’t remember or you missed a crucial moment, Guybrush will reminisce about his previous life and will point out what happened here or there.
From the total of five chapters, the first three happen in places that have been already visited in previous games. There aren’t too many new faces in the character roster either, but as one would expect time has passed in the game world and the old status quo no longer applies. And yet, thanks to the new elements, Return to Monkey Island feels more like just a rehashing of an old classic.
Beyond the familiar faces and places, we get a new story, and the second half of the game really opens up the adventure, allowing players to travel to multiple locations and focus on increasingly difficult puzzles. Thus, the developers managed to keep their promise by offering players an authentic Monkey Island experience, while also offering a modern game. This is true especially when we talk about the game mechanics, that have been masterfully integrated in the story.
By chapter four you will be tackling simultaneously several puzzles without even noticing. You will juggle with several locations, will try to figure out the clues hidden in the dialogues, while keeping an eye out for Trivia Cards and trying to figure out the best way to get to your destination. It is worth mentioning that several puzzles can have multiple different solutions - a nice twist that adds a layer of extra fun. The same goes for the various details that change with every playthrough forcing players to be present and involved, not just following an online walkthrough made by somebody else.
Another modern element meant to ease up a bit the life of the players is the Hintbook that tracks in a surprisingly accurate manner your progression through the game. Also, with each usage the hints and directions become more detailed and straightforward. You can stop at any point, but if you insist, the book will serve you the solutions on a silver platter. This will be useful for those who have chosen the Hard mode dedicated to veterans. The easy mode of the game lets everyone breeze through the story, while seriously reducing the amount of puzzles the player will encounter.
Although after the trailers of the game I had my doubts, I have to admit that the live game looks much better than expected. The art style works and complements the dialogues and story bringing to life an unadulterated Monkey Island experience. The control scheme is well thought out and does not require too much accommodation. Extra kudos goes to the voice actors, Dominic Armato and Alexandra Boyd, who manage to bring back the Guybrush and Elaine we have expected.
One of the best things beyond the care and the passion that you can feel the developers have put in the game is the fact that they found the time to polish the overall experience. Although hard to be called a triple A title, Return to Monkey Island is not plagued by bugs, errors or crashes. Every element is where it is supposed to be and works as intended. Taking into account the state in which many games have been released lately, this is a welcoming return to how a game should be launched.
The Good
- Unadulterated Monkey Island atmosphere
- Great voice acting
- New story with classic parts
The Bad
- Without the Hintbook some puzzles are way too hard
- Limited number of save slots
- The art style is an acquired taste
Conclusion
It works both as a fan service for the point & click aficionados and also as a modern-day adventure game for newcomers. It has some minor shortcomings, but overall, it is once more a shiny standard of how good adventures should play and feel.
Review code provided by the publisher