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Return to Monkey Island | Review Thread

Fools idol

Banned
Damn, that sucks. I was also hoping to pick up the old games after seeing how well reviewed this one is. I guess I could get them on PC, but I pretty much exclusively play retro stuff in bed.

I would imagine this game being a success sale wise would lead to a release of the originals on the Switch.
 

old-parts

Member
I've been enjoying the game a lot so far, nearly at the end. It definitely feels like a proper Monkey Island game with the OG creators at the helm than the other sequels which never quite managed to capture the soul of MI.

The artwork has grown on me and there is a good deal of animation in the game, more so than I thought. There are some scenes in game you simply cannot do with old school pixel art and the pixel artist of MI1/2 says he was burned out after Thimbleweed Park. It will hold up better over time a lot more than the 3D art of prior MI games.

So yeah good stuff all-round.
 
It's not an art style, it's just bad graphics.

Mario is an art style. Borderlands is an art style.
super_mario_evolution_by_painbooster1-d3j9eza.gif
 

Ladioss

Member
Game is fine, even is some things should be criticized (its over-reliance on nostalgia for some cheap effects or humor, most notably)

It's not an art style, it's just bad graphics.

Monley Island 1&2 Special Edition have bad graphics and an ugly art style. Return to Monkey Island graphics are fine (or even great, provided you like papercraft).

People who think that acting toxic make them intelligent and/or interesting have ruined the internet for everybody else.
 
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Ladioss

Member
Just a side comment about the whole internet debate over the state of the graphics in Return. Nothing important. Sorry.
 
Just a side comment about the whole internet debate over the state of the graphics in Return. Nothing important. Sorry.
Calling it “toxic” is completely idiotic. It is a valid criticism and one that is constantly being dismissed by gaming “press” and the devs as being “toxic”. Sure, there are some toxic individuals but as always they a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a fraction. I will never understand the need to hyper focus on the 0.01%.
 

ShadowNate

Member
I took my time playing this, taking in the lovely music, the story and, yes, most of the visuals. I loved it. It's fun, funny, challenging but not with moonlogic, has tons of callbacks in a good way, and definitely feels like a Monkey Island game done right and it has a nice conclusion.

Many optional interactions and secrets too.

Graphics got in the way of me noticing or making out details only a couple of times, thankfully (and I'm pretty sure one of those occasions is intentional anyway). Otherwise, I got used and even really lliked them most of the time.

I wish some characters got more time to be better fleshed out or have more relative role to the story.
 

Pilgrimzero

Member
Just beat it. WTF was that ending

Much like Matrix 4, this game is a meta-commentary on making a reboot. And this is def the Matrix 4 of the MI games. Ending was weak. Sigh. Good to get some Guybrush and the gang back though. Can't wait for another one. Maybe one with a proper ending... though.
 

xrnzaaas

Gold Member
I enjoyed the game more than I think I would. The art style can be something to get used to, revisiting old locations and meeting old characters was cool and I enjoyed most of the puzzles. I'm not sold on the ending though... not the main twist itself (it is polarizing but I'm ok with the idea) but just how it felt rushed and unsatisfying after reaching the final location.
 

Pilgrimzero

Member
I get that Ron Gilbert knew what the Secret is since MI1 and yes there are clues (especially in MI2) but… I guess?

Guybrush maybe an actual pirate or just some average dude.

I get what Ron is telling us. I get it. Especially considering how he got the idea for he games. It’s just… I guess
 
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Pilgrimzero

Member

THERE NEVER WAS A SECRET!


…For Guybrush.

The mystery is supposed to that’s hinted at since game 1 and established pretty hard in 2 and the new sequel is
that it’s all an amusement park and always has been.
 
…For Guybrush.

The mystery is supposed to that’s hinted at since game 1 and established pretty hard in 2 and the new sequel is
that it’s all an amusement park and always has been.
Monkey island 1 never hinted that. MI1 was an adventure game with a normal ending.
Not only that but MI3 changed MI2 to practically remove MI2 meta ending!
In fact I really think that Gilbert's original idea for MI1 was the Return storyline more or less and someone
at LucasArts "forced" Gilbert to design an actual good adventure game instead of a WTF adventure game.
 
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RAIDEN1

Member
Its soo frustrating that you can't play it on any console other than Switch, what did Nintendo do to be rewarded with exclusivity?
 

Pilgrimzero

Member
Monkey island 1 never hinted that. MI1 was an adventure game with a normal ending.
Not only that but MI3 changed MI2 to practically remove MI2 meta ending!
In fact I really think that Gilbert's original idea for MI1 was the Return storyline more or less and someone
at LucasArts "forced" Gilbert to design an actual good adventure game instead of a WTF adventure game.

There is a (the same) door that says
Employees Only
in M1 2 and the new one. Curse wasn't made by Ron Gilbert. And the ending to the new game address how all the other games take place. Gilbert has said in an interview that he's known The Secret all along and his view of whats really going on with Monkey Island is consistant. Especially with the ending of the new game.

I dont so much like how he view HIS game but it is what it is.
 
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Nico_D

Member
Started the game. Dialogue has not been funny so far, witty comebacks and one-liners are missing.

Like right at the start of Part I:
"I'm gonna beat him to the punch."

There would be some very obvious and less obvious lines how to continue from there, the most simplest and predictable being "literally". Instead this game continues: "Just as soon I can get someone to back the venture." Even the simplest and most predictable would be "hehe" funny but now it's not even that. And that hasn't been the only moment where I've expected Guybrush to say something clever but he doesn't.

Either the dialogue better liven up or the puzzles be damn amazing.
 

RAIDEN1

Member
It's out on PS5 and Xbox.
It was a weird timed exclusive, just 2 months.
I'm gonna play it after GOW.
I'm gonna play after I've completed Coffee talk....but another query is why PS4 and Xbox One owners were left out when even the Nintendo Switch can handle it
 

UltimaKilo

Gold Member
They did a masterful job with this on the Switch, it runs so incredibly well. They really need to go help out the 2K team get NBA2K to run smooth on Switch… ugh.
 

YCoCg

Member
I love how this game completely breaks the timeline, to the point where they even lied about it being a direct sequel to MI2, the story of Return seems to take place at an unknown time point but all the characters reference the events of the other games and the scrapbook notes that Curse, Escape and Tales did happen but then it doesn't address the changes or events in a way to have them make sense continuity wise.

Great music though and it felt nice to see these places again, especially after that point in the story which causes Melee to be different on return.
 

Roberts

Member
Completed it (Hard mode). I wouldn't call the game a cakewalk, but the puzzles are relatively easy and intuitive despite the absurd nature of the story and puzzles. I don't think I laughed as much when I played the first two games as a teenager, but there are still plenty of laughs. I think the game is at its most fun when it deals with Gen X trying to figure out Gen Z, but there are plenty of other great jokes ranging from super dry to silly and broad. Not sure they nailed the ending, tho.
 

Edgelord79

Gold Member
Doesn’t have the charm to hold me. Bounced off hard after about 2 hours. Maybe, I’m just getting old.

Glad to see it doing well though!
 

PuffyCan

Member
Enjoyed the game, it's exactly what I was expecting from a Monkey Island game. Only thing I didn't like was the ending, as bad as Lost.
 
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