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Different look, different feel

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 87 / 111
Date: August 23, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Let's be honest. Monkey Island 2 (MI2) was not much of a technological improvement from The Secret of Monkey Island (MI1). The Curse of Monkey Island (MI3) brought with it many things... much higher resolution, more colors, really good stylized animation... talented voice actors... the list goes on and on. There is still much debate over whether or not it was any better then the first two. (According to Lucasarts all three are liked more or less equally.) In any case, it was very different. Now Escape From Monkey Island (MI4) is coming out and it's taking a whole new direction. The graphics didn't particularly impress me at first... why 3D? Wasn't the series doing okay as it was? Why does Guybrush look like a character from Final Fantasy? Rather concerned, I checked out one of the short movies on the lucasarts web site. After watching that, I feel I can safely say that MI4 will (knowing Lucasarts) be very enjoyable. The 3D graphics don't really look right unless they are moving, and therefore no screenshot can really do this game justice.

For anyone who has played any of the earlier MI games, expect a lot of in-jokes, old jokes and good jokes. It seems that many of the characters and locations are going to be familiar.

If you haven't played any of the Monkey Island games before, then I'm sure you will be brought up to speed quickly, but I still recomend playing the other ones first.

Anyway, it looks as if lucasarts is about to finish yet another great game. I would recomend this highly just based on their consistantly great adventure games.

What a surprise!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 22 / 23
Date: November 08, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I'd never really been all that keen on the Adventure game genre, up until yesterday -- the turning point was when I was over at a friend's house, watching his son play Escape from Monkey Island. What a blast! I went directly out and bought a copy for myself, and was up until 5:00AM playing.

I used to think that adventure games were not involved enough -- there was just never enough depth in most of the ones I'd played. But this one is great on so many different levels -- story, humour, puzzles, dialog, voice acting, graphics (okay, the graphics aren't exactly cutting edge, but the setting really drew me in). I have developed an affinity with the main character.

According to my friend, most of the LucasArts adventure games are as fun as this one, and the reason the adventure genre is supposedly dead, is because at one point the market was saturated with FMV garbage (probably the stuff I had played).

If EMI is any indication of how fun LucasArts adventure games are, I'm going to have to buy a bunch more -- let my wife knock on the computer room door all she wants, but I'm not coming out for at least a year! :-)

A Great Game...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 19 / 22
Date: November 22, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I pre-ordered Escape from Monkey Island about 2 months before it came out, and I can gladly say that, excluding a few minor errors, I think the final product is great. The reviewers who said the game was not as good as The Curse of Monkey Island are right. It is not as good as the first game in the series(Secret) or the third(Curse), but it is better than LeChuck's Revenge.

Although it may not be quite as good as two of the previous games, I still highly recommend this great game. The graphics, while not as good as some newer games, are still creative and suit this colorful game very well. The controls are not as good as they should be for a game that requires some tight manuevering at times, but I was able to get around ok.

One thing I miss from previous MI games was the constant "laugh-out-loud" humor I enjoyed in Secret(MI1) and Curse(MI3). The game is funny throughout, but the humor is not as funny as it was in the previous games. Even Revenge(MI2) seemed to be a bit funnier.

The puzzles are difficult, but not as tough as they should be...and Lucas Arts should NEVER have included a walk-through with the game! It is too tempting to open it up and cheat. That's what the internet is for...if you can't figure the puzzles out, you go online for answers!

All in all, Escape from Monkey Island is a great game that will suit both hardcore adventure fans and fans of the Monkey Island series(wait....those are the same people). I would recommend this game to anyone who likes adventure games.

Somewhat of a Disappointment

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 25 / 33
Date: November 18, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Being a huge and loving fan of the Monkey Island games since the birth of point and click, I would have to say that this is not one of LucasArt's best additions. I think the guys there need some direction and stronger sense of humor and inventiveness.

What I didnt like: the fact that there are so many bugs in the programming (it crashed or froze twice during monkey combat and a few around hitting ole H.T. on the head as well as a few minor places), poor transition of 3D graphics and animation (Grim Fandango was muuuuch better), the game just didnt last very long, it was too easy to beat too quickly, the backgrounds were lacking the detail that Curse of Monkey Island held, controls were HORRIBLE and CONFUSING (i stuck to the keyboard), puzzles were wimpy and lacking, and not enough gags and jokes/references.

What I DID like: the 3D cutscenes, Monkey Kombat, X-wing in the swamp, the paradox sequence, the storyline, music, monkey's, lechuck's different forms, the final battle, and about half of the puzzles. Just not enough to keep me happy like the last three did.

Overall, it just doesnt seem like there is a big enough challenge to this game compared to some of the others. It seemed LucasArts was in too big of a hurry to bring this game out and show off their not-so-impressive 3D graphics/animation. The Curse of Monkey Island has to be my favorite. It was just...well, just really well done, it even had more life to it. I think LucasArts is barely holding on. The Star Wars games are getting a bit dry and they just dont have any other creative ideas to keep people's interest. This company has a lot of imagination and potential....if they would just focus on a fewer number of games instead of spreading it thin. Lots of trouble within the ranks is keeping their potential down and lack of personal professionalism. Most of the good people no longer work there. I know.

Top-notch sequel in "Escape From Monkey Island"

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: August 08, 2002
Author: Amazon User

"Escape from Monkey Island" is the fourth game in the "Monkey Island" series, which follow the adventures of wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood and the love of his life, Governor Elaine Marley, as they battle against the evil undead pirate Chuck LeChuck (who just won't stay dead after three games). In "Escape from Monkey Island" Guybrush returns from his honeymoon with Elaine to find out that they have been declared dead. Now he must investigate a slimy Australian developer who is buying up all of the Tri-Island area and "reforming" the pirates into docile citizens. In the meantime Elaine is running for governor against Charles L. Charles, a suspiciously familiar face. Once again Guybrush gets to rescue the damsel in distress, fight monkeys in Monkey Kombat (a hilarious Mortal Kombat spoof you have to see to believe), and test his wit at Insult Arm Wrestling, as well as downing Groggoccinos from Starbuccaneers and visiting his own theme restaurant Planet Threepwood (sound familiar?), all while trying to find a powerful Voodoo charm, the Ultimate Insult, before the bad guys do.

"EFMI" is the first game to feature 3D characters, and all of the familiar faces (Guybrush, Elaine, Carla, Otis, Herman) translate well to their new medium. The game's engine is basically an upgraded Grim Fandango GRIME system, but the graphics are gorgeous (and eccentric: the familiar swirly clouds, watercolour stars, nifty maps and gaudy costumes look great). The music is a mysterious blend of Caribbean and sweeping scores worthy of John Williams (steel drums, rowdy pirate music, Muzak in Starbuccaneers and Jambalaya Island (the same theme changes to a minor key once you visit Nuttin Atoll, nice touch) string-driven themes). The voice acting is superb, with Dominic Armato returning as Guybrush, Charity James as Elaine, Earl Boen as LeChuck, Tom Kane (Darwin on "The Wild Thornberries"), and Nick Tate as Ozzie. The dialogue is as sharp as any of the previous games (I loved listening to Ozzie Mandrill spouting Australian insults and throwing around Aussie slang at every opportunity), and the storyline is always a surprise. I had a few small technical problems even after installing the patch, but I found workarounds, and other than that the game ran great (it does require 3D acceleration, however). A pleasure from beginning to end, I only hope that there will be more "Monkey Islands" in the future!

A noble attempt, but my least favorite MI game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: January 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Escape From Monkey Island is the 4th entry in a series of adventure games starring our favorite wannabe pirate, Guybrush Threepwood. I grew up on these games, developed by the LucasArts gaming company and consider myself a pretty good adventure gamer. However, being well versed in all things Monkey Island, I can confidently say that this is the weakest game in the series thus far. I'm not implying that it's unplayable by any means, but it just didn't quite have the spirit of the previous 3.

So once again, Guybrush finds himself on Melee Island, the first island you visit from the original MI. The game picks up pretty much where the last one left off, with Guybrush and Governor Elaine Marley newly wed and returning from their honey moon. Elaine has been pronounced dead and must run for re-election against Charles L. Charles, a mysterious newcomer. There's also a new villain introduced, the pirate hating Ozzie Mandrill from Australia, and what MI game would be complete without the ghost pirate Captain LeChuck. Or the demon from heck pirate as he's now referred to. Just like previous games, you're after one goal. In EFMI, that goal is to discover The Ultimate Insult before Ozzie Mandrill can.

Just like any MI game, there are familiar characters from previous games to interact with. The only problem is the project leaders on this one are new to the world of Monkey Island and instead of really creating anything new or original, they spend most of the story rehashing old jokes. In fact there are so many inside jokes for fans of the old games, it starts to become a little tedious after a while. I found myself rolling my eyes more often than laughing. It feels like they tried so hard to please former fans that they ignored the fact that most of these jokes would go right over the heads of newcomers, but I guess they figured the target audience would only be fans of the previous games.

So once you leave Melee Island you explore a couple other islands before ending up on Monkey Island. If I'm not mistaken, this installment features the fewest islands to explore out of any other game, which is a shame because it makes it feel a lot shorter. When sailing around on your ship, you can see Phatt Island and Booty Island, previous islands from Monkey Island 2, but to my disappointment, you never get to revisit them. Insult sword fighting is replaced by Monkey Kombat, which I found to be quite challenging. I believe it took me a whole night to solve this part of the game. Overall the puzzles were pretty challenging and sometimes I don't know how an average gamer could solve them without the help of a walkthrough. Unlike previous MI games, there isn't an option for easy or difficult puzzles.

Escape From Monkey Island runs on the GrimE engine that was developed for the superior Grim Fandango. That makes it the second LucasArts adventure game not to run on the SCUMM engine, and the first MI game to feature 3D graphics and atmospheres. That's not necessarily a problem, it is necessary for games to take advantage of advancing technology, but unfortunately the 3D graphics in this game just don't look that great. The only time they look acceptable is when the game pauses for a cut scene to further the plot. Other than that, they look rather primitive by today's standards and even by the standard set by Grim Fandango which was released only a year prior. I prefer the look of Curse of Monkey Island which featured beautiful 2D graphics and backgrounds.

I was delighted that Dominic Armato and Earl Boen reprised their roles as Guybrush and LeChuck from Curse of Monkey Island, the first "talkie" MI. They do a great job voicing those characters and hopefully will continue to do so should a 5th MI go into production. The rest of the voice actors however were average to bad. Every time Otis opened his mouth I usually found myself hitting the button to skip his dialogue. I know this is only a computer game but I expect a little better voice acting. The music was decent but not as good as the music in Curse. It usually got a little repetitive in some areas and there weren't any new character themes or motifs introduced that stuck in my head.

Overall, it's a decent adventure game if you look at it from a stand-alone point of view, but in comparison to the rest of the MI series, it doesn't stand up to its predecessors. If you're a fan of MI, I would recommend playing it just for nostalgia's sake, but don't expect it to blow you away. For newcomers to the series who still enjoy adventure games, I would recommend playing the other games first or any of the other adventure games developed by LucasArts.

Hilarious Piratey monkey fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: June 01, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is an extremely funny comedy based game. The jokes are tasteful and funny and something that anybody could relate to. Some of the comedy is in the characters themselves like Britney, the bank accountant whose dream is to become a singer with her own backup dancers. This game is something only Lucas Arts could have produced. There are many jokes about the game and life situations and the game is actually very easy to play, though some of the puzzles are extremely hard, there being no clues to some of the puzzles. The sound is great (familiar music if you have played previous Monkey Islands) and the graphics arent something I could complain about though I really loved Curse of Monkey island's cartoon graphics (I HIGHLY reccomend that you play at least that if you want some backup story). Though it is 4th in the series, the gameplay is still refreshing. The only thing I could complain about is the shortness of this game (takes less than 24 hours to beat) and the control. This game is really fun and anybody who has played it loves it (though there are some who are quick to judge by the graphics). Chances are if you looked at this game, you are familiar with the previous classics. Even if you have not played the previous games, there is a prequel in the beginning that is enough to give you sufficient backup info to play this game. However if you really want to understand some of the jokes you will proboably need to play Monkey Island 1, 2 (not really too good compared to 1) and 3.

A mind-stimulating game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: September 30, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I really enjoy the "Monkey Island" series. They feature funny conversations, jokes, and animations. I had the game "Curse of Monkey Island" and I really liked it.

It's a puzzle-type game where you are presented many options in conversation and item-managing. This is true for the old "Monkey Island" and the new one.

I recommend this game to someone who wants a break from the dumb games where you don't use your mind. In this game you have to use thinking. You are first presented with a situation or scenario. For example, when you start the game out you're in a ship strapped to a pole. You have to try to get out.

The controls are all keyboard buttons (p,u,t,i,arrows,enter,delete). This is different from "Curse of Monkey Island."

The graphics are much improved from the previous version. They are now 3D and very attractive. I find the navigation of Threepwood a little troubling though, he seems not to move right and up at the same time.

All in all, this is a game with a long play life. I can only compare it with "Grim Fandango", which is another great computer title. These lesser known games are really interesting and puzzling. Anyone can appreciate the humor, though.

mmm. . .monkey island 4

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: May 23, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I have read a lot of bad reviews for this game. Lots and lots. I have absolutely no idea where they come from! I have never experienced any glitches with this game, nor had any problem with the dumb jokes or difficult puzzles. I rather ENJOY the dumb jokes and difficult puzzles. I find it difficult to trash the apex of Lucas Arts' Monkey Island series.

For those who are familiar with the series (i.e. have spent long, long nights sword fighting or talking to Murray): THIS GAME IS FOR YOU! You will be pleasantly reminded of all the fun in these games.

For those who are not yet familiar with the series (i.e. have not spent any nights sword fighting, and are probably wondering who Murray is): THIS GAME IS FOR YOU! Yes, even novices, newbies, and greenhorns will enjoy this game.

So what are you waiting for?

What have they done?

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: July 06, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Do you remember that funny Guybrush Threepwood who would make us laugh for hours in the trhee previous MIs?He is not himself any more. Remember those beautiful backgrounds and cartoonish graphics which made Curse of Monkey Island my favorite game? Not here anymore. Instead they have been replaced by monotonous 3D which, in my opinion, does not even match Grim Fandangos quality. Remember those puzzles which would keep us up all night long trying to figure them out? All gone. It took me only 5 days to complete Esacpe from Monkey Island taking in account that I dedicated only part my an afternoons to the game. As you might have noticed, I was pretty dissapointed with this game. The game is full of bugs and errors, in fact, the game even congratulates you when you have found a bug, since a message appears telling you an error has occured in the game and its title is "Congratulations! You have found a bug!" This type of errors were the ones that stopped me from enyoing the end of the game since they caused the game to run EXTREMELLY slow at the final monkey kombat and caused the end cinematics to run really slowly. By the way, what was that!! Monkey Kombat? I prefer the funny insult sword fighting in MI3 where the insults and their answers rhymed adding humour to the game. The control was confusing at first but then you get used to it, even though I miss the point and click interface, which, in my opinion, is one of the most important elements of graphic adventures, perhaps the one which distinguishes them from other genres. Most of the dialogue is not even funny anymore. As I write this review I start to appreciate the previous Monkey Islands much more. Curse of Monkey island is still my favorite. To conclude, I want you to know, in case someone ever reads this, that I do not hate this game, but I was deeply dissapointed. As soon as i ordered this game, I couldn't wait for it to arrive.When the day when it was in my hands came, I immediately went to my computer and started playing. Six days later I found myself writing this review. I hope there is a Monkey Island 5, but I wish they make it similar to the first three.

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