Although I expected “Tales of Monkey Island” to be following the same structure as other Telltale games, I was pleasantly surprised to find out it felt just like any other classic chapter in the Monkey Island franchise. The plot might not be the most interesting ever, but it’s hands down the most fleshed-out in the series so far. I particularly liked the way they played around with LeChuck’s character to use him in unexpected ways. On the other hand, Elaine felt a little off both before and after the pox. She’s definitely been the hardest character to adapt from “Curse” onwards. A lot of new characters and locations have also been introduced, and, although not memorable, they managed to expand the MI world in new ways.

The puzzles are a mixed bag, but they are generally more accessible than they have been in the past. The most frustrating thing gameplay-wise has been the new inventory together with the item combination system. Even when knowing the solution to a puzzle, you would get stuck for skipping a dialogue or just because you didn’t use the items or commands the exact same way the developers had it in mind.

Despite the humor being able to capture the original spirit of the series, the visuals are probably the biggest flaw of the game. Although not as awful as “Escape from Monkey Island”, the 3D graphics are still quite ugly, and the atmospheric touch of the first two games remains unmatched.

Reviewed on Aug 18, 2023


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