spikeq

Monkey Island is a classic that breathes new life into the original from the 90 's. It has great humour, well done music and is one of the most memorable games I have ever played. It has the option to switch between the retro and new graphics, which appeals to both old and new people to the genre. However, the old graphics leave more room for imagination and the game technically has a built-in walk-through which ruins the game as it is to hard to resist, and should not be pressed until you are truly stuck. Regardless, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is definitely worth full price.

After 2 rather disappointing games, Ubisoft finally gets it right. This is a very fun, plenty to do game with a lot of great characters, most of which are based on real people e.g. Blackbeard, Black Bart, Mary and Anne. Most of your time is spent on the sea as a pirate but NOT an assassin. The outside world story is not very interesting and the game can become repetitive, but the game more than makes up for it.

While this game is great, I don't think it is the best in the series. DO NOT THINK I HATE THIS GAME. I love this game! It has so many memorable, funny and great moments with excellent writing and graphics. It has a brilliant soundtrack and one of the best songs in gaming of all time. However, this does not have the sharp wit its predecessors held close, and seems more of a fan made Monkey Island than anything, but in a respectful way to the originals. Take for example 'Act 3'. Without giving away too much, this starts off strong and enjoyable, a masterpiece in gaming. This turns into 'Sid Meiers Pirates!' like game-play with having to take down ships, followed by beating their captains in a sword fight using not attacks, but insults. No violence, just pure comic relief. There is clever writing to this part, but soon it all becomes repetitive and boring. The first game did this as well, yet managed to be fun and enjoyable, with no delay. Here, its a chore. Also the ending is rushed beyond belief, and sticks out like a sore thumb. In conclusion, the first and second games in the franchise are better than this, both retro and special editions. However, I still strongly recommend giving this game a try if you can get your hands on it, whether you are new to the series or not.

In many ways, Monkey Island 2 is better than the first. It ups the graphics, it ups the humour and it ups the story. It uses a similar formula to the first game, with some changes mostly for the better. This manages to be a much darker game than Monkey Island 1, yet still appealing to the same audience. The hint system is still there, which annoys me, however it still manages to be my personal favourite in the franchise. Lucas Arts perfected their brilliant sequel and will go down as one of the best adventure games of all time. If you liked the first Monkey Island, you will definitely love this one.

Monkey Island is a classic that breathes new life into the original from the 90 's. It has great humour, well done music and is one of the most memorable games I have ever played. It has the option to switch between the retro and new graphics, which appeals to both old and new people to the genre. However, the old graphics leave more room for imagination and the game technically has a built-in walk-through which ruins the game as it is to hard to resist, and should not be pressed until you are truly stuck. Regardless, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is definitely worth full price.