There's also a marvelous sound design and - oh yes - voice acting that is difficult to dismiss. Instead of the somewhat over-simplification of the mouse control of adventure games (old-school fans will cross their arms with pride about the intense looseness of the blank text interface of the Infocom and Sierra days), the numerical pad controls movement and actions with about one minute of personal acclimation. Luckily, the mouse-less setup here prevails. Don't let anybody try to tell you there isn't a sense of Toy Story-like richness to even the most stilted of characters here one will still spend half the time just enjoying the look of the game.Īs admirable but flawed games like Battlezone II: Combat Commander or Hitman: Codename 47 taught us, there's a growing cardinal rule for game design: interface, interface, interface. As a whole, however, the vast majority of designs are still captivating. Some character designs, Guybrush especially, appear wooden at times, literally, as they have a "carved out" look to them (the less said about the hair, the better).
Unlike Grim Fandango, which featured cat-scratched skeletons and bulbous demons, this 3D engine has its limitations while trying to make its humans look both "full" as well as cartoon-like. Although to be fair, this new 3D look for Guybrush Threepwood and his cohorts doesn't always work as well as it should. Instead of the blocky days of yore or the flat (yet extremely well drawn) feel of the more recent Curse of Monkey Island, this is a fully rendered, lush and solid world of comic characters and stylish backdrops.Īctually, backdrops is an oafish word since the animated characters are seamlessly integrated into their own fabricated world, the game feels whole and, in its own way, real. Going for the full 3D approach this time, Escape from Monkey Island uses the Grim Fandango engine with a bit more shine.
Debacles be damned - this game is a gem.Īs dangerous as it is to criticism, it's all too easy to go off about the endless merits of this installment. LucasArts has managed to walk the fine line between series continuity and hilarious unpredictability which, in one fell swoop, helped the adventure game genre to resurface in a very hostile world. With wit, charm and cunning ingenuity, Escape from Monkey Island is one of those few game experiences where you struggle to find holes in it, where you have to sit and think until you can find something to complain about. After such licensed debacles as Star Wars: Rebellion and Star Wars: Force Commander, it was beginning to look like even something as treasured and non-Obi-Wan-related as their Monkey Island series would be in a spot of trouble. Let's be honest - LucasArts has never been timid when it comes to its line of adventure games.
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