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Monkey Island To Return

Posted by Soulskill on from the chuckle-with-lechuck dept.

Briareos was one of several readers to write with news that TellTale Games, along with LucasArts, will be bringing new Monkey Island games later this year. Tales of Monkey Island will be a series of episodic games released for PC and WiiWare in the coming months, and The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition will be a remake of the original 1990 game, available on the PC and Xbox Live. A trailer is available for the former, and this is what the press release says about the latter: "The development team at LucasArts is bringing the game into the modern era with all-new HD graphics, a re-mastered musical score, full voiceover, and an in-depth hint system has been added to help players through the game's side-splitting puzzles. Purists will also delight in the ability to seamlessly switch between the updated HD graphics and the original's classic look." Grumpy Gamer has a nostalgic look back at the franchise.

26 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Please by Azias · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Please don't ruin it.

    1. Re:Please by Per+Wigren · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Last time I replayed the originals was only about a year ago and they still ARE as good as I remembered them.

      --
      My other account has a 3-digit UID.
    2. Re:Please by slim · · Score: 5, Informative

      Please don't ruin it.

      The "re-imagining" special edition looks like a slam-dunk. Same locations, same script, same puzzles - you can even toggle between the original presentation and the new one on the fly. They've re-recorded the dialogue, arranged the chip music for real instruments and recorded that, painted HD scenery and animated HD sprites.

      The video at http://www.lucasarts.com/games/monkeyisland/ convinced me: this is something I want to pay money for.

      Conversely, Telltale's Sam & Max games were OK, but a pale reflection of the original LucasArts game, so I'm less excited about their new episodes of Monkey Island.

    3. Re:Please by hal2814 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just you wait. In this new version, Guybrush insults first.

    4. Re:Please by Vintermann · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I've never liked the animated look of "Curse" or these sequels. Guybrush should look like he could fit on the cover of an eighties pirate move cover, like this one:

      http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2702481152/tt0099816

      and indeed he does, on the original cover:

      http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/dos-games/1703-1.jpg

      Look at that haircut! It's cool, It's part of what makes him dorky. But as a cartoon character, it doesn't work. It's just another exaggregated feature.

      --
      xkcd is not in the sudoers file. This incident will be reported.
    5. Re:Please by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 5, Informative

      Lucasarts isn't making it. It's being made by Telltale Games, which is mainly composed of the same people who originally did all the good games from Lucasarts way back when.

      They are the same people who recently did two seasons of new beautiful episodic Sam & Max games and are gearing up for a third.

      --

      Technoli
    6. Re:Please by kalirion · · Score: 5, Funny

      They're also going to animate the epic Gopher Battle in LotR style.

  2. Second best by D-Cypell · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow! This is the second best slashdot article I have ever seen!

  3. Bring it on! by ardor · · Score: 5, Funny

    You fight like a dairy farmer!

    --
    This sig does not contain any SCO code.
    1. Re:Bring it on! by Pseudopositive · · Score: 5, Funny

      How appropriate. You fight like a cow.

    2. Re:Bring it on! by Per+Wigren · · Score: 5, Funny

      I once owned a dog that was smarter than you.

      --
      My other account has a 3-digit UID.
    3. Re:Bring it on! by Pseudopositive · · Score: 5, Funny

      He must have taught you everything you know!

    4. Re:Bring it on! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      First you'd better stop waving it around like a feather duster.

    5. Re:Bring it on! by imashination · · Score: 5, Funny

      I am rubber, you are glue!

    6. Re:Bring it on! by SIR_Taco · · Score: 4, Funny

      Oh yea?!

      --
      I say don't drink and drive, you might spill your drink. Before you get behind the wheel just stop and think.
    7. Re:Bring it on! by Marauder2 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I have no idea what you just said, but somehow I feel strangely insulted...

  4. Through the gates of hell... by Daemonax · · Score: 3, Funny

    If they mess this up there will be many people who will want to roll through the gates of hell carrying the developers heads on a spike... While they use their arm to pat kittens of course.

    1. Re:Through the gates of hell... by Bashae · · Score: 5, Informative

      One of the original designers, the original composer and a few other members of the original team, plus the voice cast from games 3 and 4, are in this game's development team.

      I'm hopeful.

    2. Re:Through the gates of hell... by TheRaven64 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I enjoyed the Monkey Island series, but I think Grim Fandango is the best game in this genre that I've played. I'm very glad they never made a sequel to it - it was a great stand-alone game but didn't leave any loose ends that needed tying up. Much as I enjoyed the Monkey Island games, I'm not sure that they need more sequels. I'd rather see more original games in the same style but with new settings or characters.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    3. Re:Through the gates of hell... by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 4, Insightful

      All the people who used to work on these great games left LucasArts. I very much prefer to have a game developed by people with experience and emotional attachment to the previous ones.

      Very true. And didn't most of those people go on to form TellTale Games? So with TellTale developing this, aren't you getting exactly what you want?

      --
      This guy's the limit!
  5. A Classic ... by __aajwxe560 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Guybrush Threepwood: Well, if there's one thing I've learned, it's this: never pay more than 20 dollars for a computer game.
    Elaine: What's that?
    Guybrush Threepwood: Never mind. I don't know why I said that.

    1. Re:A Classic ... by Petrushka · · Score: 4, Funny

      Guybrush: Ha! Those guys wouldn't know a good story if they paid fifty bucks for it.

    2. Re:A Classic ... by Late+Adopter · · Score: 4, Funny

      Guybrush: I can't help but feel I've been ripped off.
      looks at screen
      Guybrush: I'm sure you're feeling something similar.

  6. look over there, a 3-headed monkey! by spyrochaete · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm doubly thrilled at this announcement; first because I love the first two Monkey Island games, and second because it's been so long since Telltale's Sam and Max Season 2 ended and I miss playing episodic adventure games with my wife. None of Telltale's series since Sam and Max interested us so Monkey Island is doubly appreciated for finally filling the void!

    These Telltale adventures are the perfect activity to enjoy with a loved one. They're clever and funny and have great stories, plus the frustrating bits are that much easier when you put two heads together on a puzzle. My wife and I would always count the days until the next Sam and Max episode, so I did not hesitate to preorder the Monkey Island season the moment I learned heard this announcement last night (plus I got a free game of my choice from their site last night for doing so).

    Telltale is a studio I put my full faith into, and in my 24 years of PC gaming that's been a very rare thing for me to say. Their games are well programmed, the art style is creative and attractive, and the writing is consistently outstanding. I also love that you can get a very attractive DVD of the season plus some extras for free (plus about $7 shipping) if you own the digtal download season.

    Now please excuse me - I'm off to practise my insult swordfighting.

  7. Grumpy Gamer - not just another games blog by slim · · Score: 5, Informative

    Many readers of TFA won't realise that 'Grumpy Gamer' is Ron Gilbert, one of the creative geniuses behind Monkey Island. His blog post is fascinating.

  8. Re:Oh no! by spyrochaete · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you strike him down he will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!!!