"LucasArts has done it again."

LucasArts keeps the adventure genre alive. I must say, this is the best adventure game I have ever played, and one of my favorites overall. The music and scenery is extraordinaire. But the controls will feel awkward the first hour or so.

Gameplay - 9/10

The gameplay is standard, and in 3d. It's extremely fun because you can interact with many objects in the environment. One of the cons here is that rather than being a point-and-click game, you use the keyboard to function. This didn't last for long, though. I soon adopted its style.

The game's difficulty is hard, and nearly impossible to beat the first time through.

Story - 10/10

You live in the Land of the Dead, as Manny Calavera, and you are a travel agent for the recently departed. You screw up a client's package, and you must venture to find her. There are many characters in the game to interact with, and you have the option to choose multiple lines in the dialogue. It's an odd story, but you'll love it, Tim Schafer deserves his props.

Graphics - 9/10

The backgrounds really attract you into the game, and the character models are great. However, every once in a while those pixels will show all too much.

Sound - 10/10

LucasArts is known for its music. They do indeed live up to there reputation in this game. Truthfully, I have dazed off sometimes just by listening to the soothing music. Perhaps it's too good.

The voice acting is okay, but could be better.

Replay Value - 6/10

The first time through the game will be exciting, every trace after that will be for the most part dull. There are still plenty of things to do after you've completed the game, such as examining every item in the Grim Fandango world, and talking to every character.

Overall - 9/10

If I could rate it a 9.5, I would. It's the best game I've bought within the last 6 months, I'm sad I didn't pick it up when it was released.

Buy or Rent?

If you play other LucasArts games such as Sam and Max, Full Throttle, and the Monkey Island series, do not hesitate to buy. In my opinion, it is the greatest LucasArts game since The Curse of Monkey Island. They were both released around the same time, so that's saying a lot. If you are new to the genre, you should definitely give it a try.

You'll be lucky if you can find a copy of the game, and if you do, be careful, because it is a gem.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/10/03, Updated 03/10/03