Review: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge Special Edition
Game: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge Special Edition
Platform: XBLA (Version played) PSN, PC, iPod/iPhone
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: LucasArts
It’s often said you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, and with games that saying holds true. Graphics aren’t the be all and end all in games, which is one of the reasons going back and visiting classic games is so great. However, wouldn’t it be nice to go back and play the game in shiny new HD graphics, with all new voiceovers? Monkey Island 2 Special Edition does exactly that.
Following the success of last year’s The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition, MI2:LR SE (phew) follows suit by applying a new lick of paint to a classic point and click adventure. For the unaware amongst us, MI2 follows mighty pirate Guybrush Threepwood as he sets out on a brand new adventure to find the lost pirate treasure of Big Whoop. Along the way he’ll accidentally resurrect his arch enemy LeChuck, cheat in several different contests, get arrested, dive for a shipwreck and put a dog in his jacket for some reason.
Immediately going into the game you’ll find the choice between to control styles. You can opt for a classic point and click interface, but the addition of a new direct control method using the left stick for walking and the right stick for pointer navigation feels a much more natural fit for consoles. Although it takes some getting used to fully navigate a 2.5D environment, it’s relatively easy to get used to moving around. When an object is highlighted the appropriate verbs pop up, allowing you to select them. Whilst this does add the benefit of convenience, it somewhat removes the concept of working out what to do with the objects. Of course, if this seems unappealing, you could always use the classic control scheme.
The new artwork looks fantastic and is a perfect tribute to the original. Beautiful backgrounds fit perfectly with smoothly animated character models, which have been improved dramatically. Guybrush’s walking animation is noticeably smoother, as well as having a brilliantly designed character model (no foot-high quiff in sight). As expected, you can switch back and forth between the two art styles, giving you the option to experience the game in its original pixelated glory. This time round, the option to keep the new voice work with the classic art style exists, although in my opinion, the two don’t seem to work too well together.
The help centre at Disneyland gets worse every year...
The music and voice work are both worthy of note. All the classic voice actors, from Dominic Armato to Earl Boen, return to play their appropriate parts, and do so with an appropriate amount of pirate gusto. There really isn’t a weak actor among them, and Phil LaMarr gives a fantastic performance as Captain Dread. The music has been entirely rescored and really adds to the atmosphere of the game. The iMuse system, which moves the song into a variation specific to a certain location, is still present and works even better with the new music. The main theme over the end credits was fantastic, but did most definitely not bring a tear to my incredibly manly eye… Honest.
There is a true bonus to be found, especially if you are playing the game for a sense of nostalgia. Progressing through the story unlocks concept art, will be a joy to look through for fans of the series as it features not only concept art for the updated edition, but also classic sketches for locations by Steve Purcell. The game also features a fantastic, and sometimes hilarious, commentary track by the games’ three creators; Ron Gilbert, Dave Grossman and Tim Schafer. It’s a great little feature that I’d love to see implemented into more games, and really gives a reason to play the game out a few more times.
The hints feature makes a return, as well as a new object highlighting system, which illuminates interactive objects on screen. Whilst many players will have played the game before and will know exactly what to do with the cheese squiggles, it’s nice to see that there’s a helping hand for anyone slightly confused by the games’ sometimes twisted logic (I always thought that sign was just a sign)
Review Round-Up
Graphics: 5/5 – From backgrounds to character models to animations, it’s all beautifully presented with a HD shine.
Story: 5/5 – Possibly one of the greatest stories about pirates ever told;: definitely the funniest.
Gameplay: 4/5 – The new control scheme can take some getting used to, but with the option to switch, it’s still smooth to play.
Longevity: 4/5 – Once you’re done, you’re done, but the commentary is definitely worth a second, or even third playthrough.
Overall: 4.5 Loogies Hucked out of 5 – At the end of the day, if you’ve played Monkey Island 2 before, you’ll probably have loved it, and so playing the Special Edition is a great way to relive the experience with some added extras. If you’ve never played it before (and you really REALLY should have) it’s a great opportunity to experience one of the greatest adventure games ever made.
[starreview tpl=16]
