Return to Monkey Island

So this game was OK. It was actually very OK. So OK that it's average. Where to start? I want to recommend people pick up the game because I'm a huge fan of the series and I'd like to see a new Monkey Island adventure more often than every decade. However, candor compels me to admit that this is definitely the weakest addition to the series thus far. The gameplay is quite nice if you're into point and click adventure games. The puzzles are satisfying complex and the 'Hint Book' that the game provides you with ensures that you'll never be stuck. There are also two different levels of puzzle difficulty which is nice for old school fans. All of this is done well. The game's problems are mostly thematic as it doesn't really feel like the Monkey Island that we've come to know and love. The game is almost aggressively disconnected from the 3rd, fourth, and fifth games in the series aside from random references. The plot hooks in game five are completely ignored. I know that Ron Gilbard didn't direct those games and may have mixed feelings about them but the fandom has lived with the franchise for decades and the canon aren't things that should be discarded so easily. In this game, Guybrush feels like a comedic sociopath for most of the game and the way that he sabotages himself for the sake of a joke gets old fast. Guybrush has always been doing "questionable" things during the games but for the most part, the more cruel actions were always aimed at people who arguably deserved it. In this game, he seems utterly indifferent to the consequences of his actions as long as he gets what he wants. LeChuck feels less like a real threat and more like a sitcom archnemesis. Even five made him more of a threat and you spend most of the game working with him! The new characters introduced in the game also fall flat. Elaine is probably the worst character affected as her personality feels like it was hacked down with a weedwhacker. The fiesty Elaine and brilliant planner of prior games is gone in favor of a paper-thin "female main character" for Guybrush to play off. You could rename Elaine as a brand new character without really changing much of the way the pair interact. The humor itself is much weaker than in prior additions. Instead of mocking the zany situations the characters find themselves in, the game seems motivated to constantly make fun of itself which becomes wearing after a while. The art style has similarly devolved IMHO. It's much more pseudorealistic than in the other games and it feels like it's trying to half-heartedly copy ren-and-stimpy in places. The humor is much more biting than it used to be. The ending was a huge let down but I'll get into that further along. In summary, it's an OK game. I hope that we'll see more media in this franchise and that next time they'll return to their roots. Spoilers Start Here The ending was a serious WTF moment. I actually sat through the entire credits because I was certain that this couldn't be the way the game was ending and it must be a fake out. Unfortunately, it was real. They seem to be trying to double down on the mindscrew ending of Monkey Island 2 but in this case they add so many confusing layers to it that I have no idea what the creators are trying to say. The whole final act of the game feels deeply disappointing and almost unfinished. A lot of plot elements just don't seem to have any sort of resolution and it feels like the game is doing it deliberately either to mock its audience or to make some sort of artistic statement that isn't very well conveyed. Long story short, I want to see more Monkey Island games but something in this design went seriously wrong. I like all of the other five to varying degrees but this one was not one I expect to replay.

It's alright, but the magic of the older games is gone

Finished the game in only 12 Hours. It just doesn't have the MAGIC of the older Monkey Island games!

A return to the classics! I love the new artstyle they chose, the voice acting is on Deponia's level, meaning it is fantastic. It is not as hard as the previous games because of the hint book, but that does not take away the wacky adventures you get to experience. Highly recommend if you like point-and-click adventure games!

All in all, I like the game. It has a lot of what I loved about MI 1 and 2 as a child and brings back many memories - especially with the numerous references to earlier adventures. And everything has somehow moved on - including the game itself. The graphics irritated me a little at first, until I completely accepted and came to love them for this part of the series. After this familiarization phase, the art design is really lovely. I was only frustrated by some of the puzzles, as it is often important to do things exactly as they are set out. So you can basically take the right approach and still fail. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as it's fairly typical for the gengre, but every now and then I would have liked at least a comment from Guybrush that the approach doesn't quite work. Sometimes I completely abandoned solutions that were actually going in the right direction, only to come back to them an hour later in frustration. But that's complaining on a high level. I would definitely look forward to a sequel.

TL;DR Return to Monkey Island is a solid return to form that preserves the series' charm and humor. While it delivers a fun, nostalgic adventure, it doesn't innovate much and feels a bit short, with a somewhat underwhelming ending. PROS - Classic Monkey Island humor and atmosphere are intact. - Nostalgic references from past games. - Engaging story with plenty of nods to the earlier games. - Well-designed puzzles that balance challenge and accessibility. - Option to choose between two difficulty modes. CONS - I don't like new visual style (subjective tho). - Shorter than expected with a finale that may leave some fans wanting more. - Game pauses when losing focus, which can be annoying. - Nothing new, same old good formula. - Heavily reliant on references to previous entries; newcomers might feel lost. Return to Monkey Island plays it safe and leans heavily on nostalgia, but for long-time fans, that's part of its charm. It doesn't push the series forward in big ways, but it brings back the humor, spirit, and clever puzzles that made the franchise iconic. Recommended primarily for fans who want to revisit old friends and memories but not be the best starting point for newcomers.

Fun game, big fan of the whole series, starting with the original playing as a little kid in the early 90s. Brings up a lot of nostalgia.

As a long-time fan of Monkey Island (my favorite is actually the first one, The Secret of Monkey Island), I was surprised by the news of a new title with Ron Gilbert. I have to be honest, like many others, the ending left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, I found it satisfying, but on the other, it left a slightly bitter aftertaste, both because of the narrative choice and the way it leans into nostalgia and the disillusionment of us, grown up kids. There’s something a bit melancholic at its core. Still, it was great to play a modern Guybrush adventure. I found the graphics quirky and, all in all, enjoyable. They suit the ironic and sometimes absurd tone of the storytelling. It may not be a perfect adventure, but it’s an enjoyable one. If I had to give it a score, I’d say 7 out of 10.

another confusing monkey island yet fun

It felt nostalgic and beautiful for me. I witnessed all stages and felt nothing but good. The journey is the prize not the ultimate aim. After 30 years I can understand it very clearly now, Thanks Ron.

first time trying the series, wasn't for me

like old times

Look! A three headed monkey!