You're as repulsive as a monkey in a negligee! (Curse of Monkey Island (PC))

Member Name: butters

Product:	Curse of Monkey Island (PC)
Date:	28/03/06 (1309 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Voices can now be heard.

Disadvantages: Still none to give

Yes, still an oldie but i have a little obsession with the Monkey Island series at the moment, and feel that i should give this one a try, considering i enjoyed the memories (of the weekend) of looking back on the Secret of Monkey Island.

Story.
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First off i'd like to explain the story. Guybrush Threepwood loves Elaine and since the first game has now become a pirate. He has had to stop the evil pirate LeChuck and his cronies twice and is still alive. Aarg! After a bit of a loss in Monkey Island 2: LeChucks Revenge, our character ends up in the middle of the ocean, stranded on a bumper car basically and writing a letter saying he has no food (when a chicken floats past on a barrel), and no other things. He ends up floating through a battle zone between LeChuck and another group. Elaine is there and finds you and is surprised because she thought you were dead and after being captured and escaping, you finally propose to Elaine with a ring you found on an evil zombie-ghost pirate ship (LeChuck). Ooops! That ring has a curse on it and the wearer turns to a gold statue. Back to the old adventure again to stop LeChuck and find out how to lift the curse on Elaine. It is still the same old usual. It works extremely well though, as it always has so why change a perfect game-you don't and that is what is great about this game. The story is still as strong as the humour and it has just changed in graphics and got a lot more illogical. Better get the coffee on then because this game is going to take some time.

Characters.
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As i said-why change a winning game-they haven't really. The graphics have though and i think that it works extremely well. It is a mix between 2D and 3D because it is 3D, but not true 3D because it is just like last time, in that you can walk all ways (up, down, left, right), but you still look 2D-ish. This suits the game excellently because it isn't blurred like the original games, it is just totally carttony and everyone has had a nice new makeover. Here the characters are:

Guybrush Threepwood-our heroes' new make over has him looking extremely cartoony, adding to the gameplay due to his fitting looks. He has a bit of a Jimmy Neutron-quiff (with the ponytail) but in blonde, and cartoony small and round eyes. He has the same clothes but with better detail, and a nice small jacket. Great looking bloke and spot on to fit the graphics.

Elaine-British looking with a bandana and big earrings. Dresses like a pirate too with the green jacket. Brown hair and once again, i think she looks suitable-keeping the looks of a feminine but strong character. Has a sword.

LeChuck-The voodoo pirate that has a greenish look about him. He has a flaming beard and evil eyes. He is pretty big and fat still and looks scary but cartoony enough for the part.

Wally-Looks like a small pirate wimp-child. Just a better look with small eyes.

Murray-a talking skull (no body) who wants to be evil but really isn't.

Altogether they come back for a great game because the looks haven't changes too much-just with better graphics. It still suits the style of gameplay because they keep their friendly looks and funny charm.

Graphics and Environment.
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The environment has changed too. The graphics have enhanced it and it looks amazing still. The detail of the cartoon is perfect and the 2D look once again suits the game. The environments remain the same in that you access the map and click on an area and you run there, except now the map is a bit more zoomed and the environments are bigger so it is more zoomed in so you can see before it tells you the name of where you are going. The graphics are pretty good here but not as good as they are in the game. I don't believe i am saying this but this great graphiced 2D/3D game is better than the GTA games if you ask me. Everything including the graphics are good and funny. In this place you get to access a restaurant, a barber and a volcano and more. As usual, there is more than one island to explore too. I think the graphics suit this too because there is detail in there but unlike in GTA with the hands of the people (proper dodgy), everything is perfect and pretty. Everything just fits.

Gameplay.
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The new look may be near-perfection, and so is the gameplay. Having played the third one first, i was enticed to play more due to how illogical it was, an wow, is it illogical. I love it because it is so original and has taken its own style of gameplay to a whole new level. In a previous review i said to play this first to get into it, but i don't really know. Your choice really, but i have to say that if you play the first and second game first, you will get into this game and maybe not need the walkthrough which is kind of cheating. It will take you some time i have to admit, but you're talking about putting aside 3 days full or so (including sleeping of course), instead of the 12 i think it would have taken me were it not for the walkthrough that i now regret using. It still has the same old shine though because it is still the puzzle/adventure that we all love because it challenges our minds at the same time as making us crap ourselves laughing. Let me give you an example of one mission.
You need to find a way to get to a ship that is out of harbour. You finally (and accidentally) discover a boat that has a hole in it and in your inventory alls' you have is a 'biscuit cutter', a 'card' to the beach, a 'mouldy biscuit' a 'pie pan', 'paste', a 'skeleton arm' and a 'button'. You don't plug it up with any of those though. You need to find something else out. You need to use an item on something else which will plug the boat if you do something to it. It is something that will bug you like hell when you get it and you wont find the answer here. This will take you quite a few hours to do alone.

Guess what else is back? The fantastic sword fighting system 'where both your sword and your wit have to be sharp' However, it has changed a little to keep it fresh. It work a lot better because what they've added is rhyming. You'd think that this would make it easier but it doesn't, because there are a lot of rhyms to choose from. Once again you have to fight a lot to figure out what insults to say and their responses. The only one i am going to tell you:

INSULT: You're as repulsive as a monkey in a negligee!
RESPONSE: I look THAT much like your fiancée?

How hilarious and they've not spoilt the fighting system at all. I think that it has been made a lot better. A bit of a risk considering that the fighting system worked before, but it worked. It is hilarious because of the extra effort involved and they still all make sense. This, i have to say, is a reason to buy the game alone.

Sound and Voices.
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Now lets get on to the sound of the game. Since this was made in 1997, it works pretty well. The background music is still that cheery sound everyone who plays the game loves, but there are voices too. Remember Mario and the stupid voice that didn't match-that stupid high pitched voice? It hasn't happened here and the voicing is incredible.

Dominic Armato-------Guybrush Threepwood (voice)
Alexandra Boyd-------Gov. Elaine Marley/Son Pirate (voice)
Earl Boen------------LeChuck (voice)
Denny Delk-----------Murray (voice)

They're the main ones i thought that you'd like to know about and they are really good and add to the plot because the voices add to the humour because when it is said aloud it is very funny indeed. And, the voices are so good because they are not eccentric like the stupid Mario voice, but normal. Elaine sounds British, LeChuck sounds evil and Guybrush sounds friendly and normal, not like an Italian on drugs.

Other New Features.
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I say that it hasn't changed much but there is another change. Now there isn't the option at the bottom such as 'push' and 'pull' etc. Now you left click on an object on the screen e.g. a biscuit and you can choose 'talk to/eat/blow/push/pull etc.', 'pick up' and 'look at'. This provides a lot more screen viewing so there is even more detail to be added to the page. Right click to get to your inventory now too.

Opinion.
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Altogether i think it is a superb game. The graphics only add to the game because they remain so cartoony and friendly, the characters remain hilarious and the voices make the jokes even funnier and the sword fighting has improved drastically, even though i thought that it was magnificent anyway. The quality of the game remains and all's they have done is made it longer. Even the story remains terrific. They even take the mick out of their game. On the start screen it says 'Click here for enhanced 3D SCUMM ENGINE graphics'. Click on it and it says 'Only Joking'.

Extra Information.
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Oh yeah, as before i have reviewed the game that was included in the bounty pack (the same) and thought you'd like to know that it boasts to be the 3rd in a series of legendary games, fine animation, voice and sound,high resolution (640x480) graphics, estimated of over 30 hours gameplay, two difficulty settings (Mega Monkey Island) and new insults.

Developer: LucasArts Entertainment Commpany
Age: Doesn't say but i think that it is 11+, although i think everyone will enjoy the humour-you'll either laugh at the jokes and rude puns, or be too innocent or young to understand them.
Made 1997
www.amazon.co.uk used and new from £11.00

My opinion is 'sheer perfection'.

The problem with it on some XP computers is that it forwards cut scenes, so if you buy it i suggest this:
Go on google and type in 'Curse of Monkey Island XP problem' and one of the links to a site sends you to a lucasarts problem page and this is number 45. Click on the last one and then on the new site click on software, and scroll down until a curse of Monkey Island section comes up and download the software. LucasArts suggest it so it must be authentic and i have downloaded it and it has fixed the problem and nt damaged my computer. However, if you do, play full screen because if you play it in a window (which is easier so you can access the walkthrough), problems like it cutting off often occur.

Thanks for the read. Butters

Summary: Perfection again. ....