Escape from Monkey Island

"Now THAT is the second biggest monkey that I've ever seen!"

Before it was released for the Playstation 2, Monkey Island 4, titled Escape from Monkey Island was on the P.C shelves. I remember getting this on christmas day in the year 2000, and me and my parents tried to hard to get this working, but I was glad that I wasn't the only one. When you get this game working, it will be one of the best games you've played.

The story starts off when Guybrush and Elaine Marley, come off honeymoon and reach Mélée Island, but are shocked to find that a) both have been declaired dead, b) Elaines manor will be demolished, c) Elaine has a rival in her election, and d) there is an Austraillian developer who is challenging people to a insult something, and take over their houses / shops. It's all up to Guybrush and Timmy the Monkey to put things right.

What I have noticed, in the story that the story moves quick during the cut-scenes/FMV's, It is rather hard to explain, but lets say that (This does not happen in Escape from Monkey Island) Guybrush is speaking to Elaine, and then three clones of Elaines come of nowhere, Guybrush will start speaking to them about the task in hand, rather then ''Who are you, where did you come from?'' etc.

The graphics have had a make-over from The Curse of Monkey Island. Gone are the wonderful Disney style art, now fully 3D enviroments and characters take place. The islands that the game take place on are very beutiful designed. This is one of the best computer games to look at.

Escape from Monkey Island has voice acting, which The Curse of Monkey Island also had. The same voice actors are back, acting as their characters, plus there are new actors, who are greeted with open hands. My two personal favourite voice actors are Dominic Armato, who plays Guybrush, and has one of the best voices in the world and Earl Boen, who plays LeChuck.

The sound effects are okay, but not great, they either act on time, or take delays or act before, few of us might only notice this. The music, on the toher hand is super! tunes from previous Monkey Island games are back, with more beat. I don't get board of the famous Monkey Island theme tune, and never will.

Escape from Monkey Island is much unlike the other three games, it is not a point and click adventure, but a 3D adventure, like Grim Fandango but thank god that the control and gameplay is better. I personally think the change was risky, but it still worked. What I find annoying, is that you have to get Guybrush in just the right spot to do things, and you might have to walk slow to find the option your looking for.

Escape from Monkey Island will take awhile to complete, if you don't use a walkthrough. The game is hard, but once you pounder around for ages, you can easilly think of something.

Good

- Great story
- Fantastic puzzles
- Will last ages

Bad

- Its boring when your really stuck!

Summary

Graphics - 9/10
Sound - 9/10
Music - 10/10
Story - 10/10
Gameplay - 10/10
Challenge - 7/10

Alternatives : Grim Fandango, Other Monkey Island games.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/29/01, Updated 12/29/01