This game is so definitive! The throughline of the Monkey Island games is that it was LucasArts refining the point-and-click adventure and Curse is a near pristine edition of the genre’s classic formula. There were a few puzzles in this game that I needed to check a guide to solve but for the most part how the game hints at solutions is smart and abundant without being too obvious. The game likes to take many opportunities to hint at the functionality of items with specific word choice and when I really paid attention, I found myself intuiting the solution to many obstacles.

The production values are great. The cartoon look and hand-drawn animation are timelessly excellent. What a gift! Guybrush has had a lot of different looks (including looks from games I’ve not played), but this tallface version of Guybrush is my favourite. The voice acting is excellent and Dominic Armato is a revelation as the main character. It wouldn’t mean anything, though, if the screenplay wasn’t as good as it is. This was probably the funniest game released up to that point and it holds up well. I usually prefer a more self-serious story, but I think Guybrush’s innocence and charm win me over.

On the other hand, I didn’t like how gross the game could get. Like I complained about in my Monkey Island 2 review, I don’t like to be squicked out by icky jokes about lice and spit and everything. I won’t hold it against it because I don’t think it’s a big factor into the game’s overall quality, in which its overall quality is really special. It might discourage me from replaying it but I think this experience will last with me for a long time. I think it’s just a hair short of being the best PnCA I’ve ever played, but it’s up there.