The Secret of Monkey Island

""Look Monkey Island" "So, what?""

I recently got Curse of Monkey Island as a Christmas gift. This set include the first 3 Monkey Island games. So I decided to start from the first in the series, ''The Secret of Monkey Island.''

Boy was I in for a lesson. But before I tell you about the actual game, I'd like to say that Lucas Arts games are great, especially the graphic adventure games (which are usually the ones not based on Star Wars). I recently discovered the Monkey Island series after playing the first 5 minutes of Escape from MI on PS2. I was intrigued to find out what happened in the first 3 games before buying the new one. So I looked and found it for a cheap price. Now MI isn't the first Lucas Art adventures I've taken.

I have played and completed Sam and Max, Full Throttle, Indiana Jones (the one about Atlantis), and Day of the Tentacle. I have also played Dig, but I never finished that one. Now off to Monkey Island, ''wait it's not that easy''

Graphics: (7/10)
There are no words for how disgusting these graphics are!
Witty Come back: Yes there are you just never learned them.

The graphics aren't pretty. Actually one of the two reasons this game is so hard to play is because of the graphics. When you are on the world map the graphics are like just 1 pixel moving around. When you are off the world map the graphcis are way better. Since this game is fairly old, don't expect PS2 or even PS1 graphics. I say if you can stant graphics from games that come from a late Nintendo very very early Super Nintendo era, then you will be okay. But since this game comes free with Curse of Monkey Island, I was happy to get such a classic.

Gameplay: (8/10)
Insult: You're no match for my brains, you poor fool.
Witty Comeback: I'd be in real trouble if you ever used them.

Yes you need brains for these games. This games has some of the greatest and latest puzzles. Well maybe not the latest. Yes some of these puzzles will take an hour of point and click so you need to have patience, (or you need to have the internet to look up some guides). I suggest that unless you are really in a jam, don't look at a guide. You will feel more rewarded that way. Mainly this game is puzzles. Use the piece of rope with the cannon. Sometimes they aren't as clear cut at that. But you need to use your brains and say If I was Guybrush WimpWood...I mean Threepwood, then what would I do. The gameplay can sometimes be difficult so when in doubt take a break and think.

Humor: (10/10)
''You must master Swordplay, Thievery, and...er...Treasure Huntery''

The best part of the game is the amount of humor and side splitting jokes there are. It's lines like those that make this game. Plus probably the best part of this game is using insults to have sword fights. Through out this game every minute of the way you will at least have a smile on your face.

Story: (9/10)
You think this game is a save the girl type of deal. That's what you think. You are Guybrush ThreepWood: the wanabe pirate. You fall in love with Elaine Marley. You meet, chase after, and fight your archnemisis LeChuck. LeChuck puts fear into the hearts of every pirate and the only way to restore the pirating world back to its normal state, save the one you love, and become a pirate Captain yourself is to kill LeChuck...again! (He's already dead) But how do you kill a ghost? Find out and play this game. There are great characters and enough plot twist to keep you going.

Sound: (5/10)
Catchy bar tingles. The peaceful waves. And the sounds of the jungle. Besides that, there is no sound. This is where the game sucks. Barely any sound. You could turn off your speakers and put on a music cd that won't distract you from reading the game. You will still have great fun. The non existent sound is horrible and probably is the hardest thing to come over. The lines are still delivered just as well. If we only had character voices.

Replay Value: (7/10)play it once and its over. But you will enjoy every second of it. No doubt. Without a walkthrough maybe 6-10 hours. With a walkthrough 2-3. I suggest do it on your own. You will be happier that way. Even though the replay value is a little lower the humor will always stay forever.

Final: 8/10

The game feels more like a book. Either way, in a world of games full of violence and shoot em ups with crappy stories. We have a game that stands out with humor unmatched in anything you will ever see in a movie. With the problems of dated sound and graphics, this game still shines as a classic.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/28/01, Updated 12/28/01