"GROG! GROG! GROG!"

Intro:

On the Amiga, and now on the PC, The Secret of Monkey Island is an epic adventure game from Lucasarts where you control wannabe pirate, Guybrush Threepwood, who finds himself on Melee Island at the start of the game.

Graphics:

The 2D visuals in The Secret of Monkey Island don’t exactly make you go ‘wow’ but they were great for their time when it was released on the Amiga. Graphics are very lush and have a nice amount of detail included into the scenery, locations and the classic attire the pirates wear.

Gameplay:

The gameplay in The Secret of Monkey Island is simple to work out as you’ll just be clicking and pointing with the cursor. The game will definitely test your brain and have you sitting there forever trying out all the possibilities of what needs doing or which puzzle needs solving. This might sometimes frustrate you (in a good way!) and completely muddle your mind. A great part in the game is when you are ‘insult sword fighting.’ You have to match up the insults so you have a witty reply to keep you in the melee against your fellow swashbuckler. In parts of the game you have to go and talk to people to get clues, hints or maybe items to advance in the game, or they may ask you questions about other things people have told you earlier in the game. So in general, gameplay is fine and can be picked up straight away, plus has brilliant ideas of putting your brain up against a challenge.

Sound:

The sound in The Secret of Monkey Island isn’t too great in some places and has the odd eerie music creeping up with a handful of catchy tunes. A classic tune in particular, is the song in the Scumm Bar, which is mesmerizing, and sticks in your head, so you’ll find yourself humming it over and over. Sometimes the sound may seem a bit blocky (when you do an action with an item), but on the whole is and clear to make out.

Lastability:

The Secret of Monkey Island will keep you occupied for many hours, with all those riddles and puzzles to solve. In some parts you might get really stuck and be going around the island or ship you are on to examine everything and everyone to try and get a clue or item needed. The replay value is high and you’ll find yourself starting the game more than once, just for the classic jokes and amusing catchphrases.

Conclusion:

Overall, The Secret of Monkey Island scores a well deserved ten out of ten for it’s detailed graphics, challenging puzzles, catchy tunes and replayability. I recommend fans of adventure and puzzle games rent this game, plus that pirate theme gives it more of an edge with the endless gags and one liners that’ll make you chuckle many a time.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/18/04