Escape From Monkey Island Review

For PC

By Contributing Writer Chris George

Rating: Awesome
   I have purchased and enjoyed every game in the Monkey Island series ever 
since it began in 1990, and Escape From Monkey Island is no exception.  This 
game is a breath of fresh air in the drowning adventure game genre.  As long
as high-quality adventure games like this continue to be released, the genre
will never be completely dead.
   Like the previous games in the series, the main selling point of Escape 
From Monkey Island is the story line.  The story is engrossing, well-paced, 
and most notably of all, laugh-out-loud hilarious.  The story also 
highlights the fact that this game is about as unique as it gets, with 
villains such as Charles L. Charles, who smells suspiciously like a rotting 
corpse.
   If you have played Grim Fandango, you know what to expect in terms of the
interface and control.  If you pass an item that is use-able, the main 
character will turn his head and look at it, in order to let you know that 
it could be something important.  Along with the optional keyboard control, 
this gives Escape From Monkey Island the best overall feel of any game in 
the series because you never have to point and click until your fingers are 
sore.
   Like any good adventure game, the puzzles start out on the easy side and 
get progressively more difficult as the game goes on.  There are no sudden 
jumps in difficulty from easy to damn-near-impossible, which ensures that 
the game never feels unfair or cheap.  Eventually, the level of difficulty 
becomes high enough to require a large amount of patience, but even the most
difficult puzzles in the game are well-designed for the most part.
   The developers have made the graphics 3D for the first time in the 
series, while still retaining the same trademark graphical style.  The pre-
rendered backgrounds are magnificently detailed, and the vibrant colors 
ensure that the game still has a cartoon-style look.  My only complaints 
with the graphics are that minor clipping does occur every once in a while, 
and a few of the characters don't look as detailed as they could be.
   Like the graphics, the Carribbean soundtrack fits the style of the game 
almost perfectly.  The environmental sound effects also do a nice job of 
adding to the feel of the game.  As is usually the case with Monkey Island 
games, this one features some of the most convincing voice acting you'll 
find in any game.
   If you're one of those people who absolutely despises everything about 
traditional adventure games (and based on sales figures, a lot of people 
do), this game probably won't change your mind.  If you have even the 
slightest interest in the genre, you will be delighted to find that Escape 
From Monkey Island continues the franchise's tradition of excellence.
   
Send your thoughts on this review to chris@mastergamer.com

     
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