By the mid 1980s, George Lucas had created one of the most impactful, successful, and iconic film trilogies of all time. With Star Wars concluding, though, it was time for Lucasfilm to expand its horizons, and as a result, Lucasfilm Games was founded. The next step would normally be obvious; start development on licensed games, based on the hugely popular film series you helped create. Only one problem; the rights to Star Wars related video games were, until 1992, held by another company. So until then, Lucasfilm Games would have to rely mostly on original game concepts to get their foot in the door-though they did dabble in some movie related titles, such as Labyrinth and later on, Indiana Jones. But as is often repeated, restriction breeds creativity, and use of original IPs was a blessing in disguise to the developer. Some early employees even conceded that, were the Star Wars license available from the start, they likely never would have even made original games. It's a good thing they did; after breaking into the critical mainstream with their '87 title Maniac Mansion, they would go on to refine their formula into the beginning of their most popular original IP; The Secret of Monkey Island.
By 1990, LucasArts (as they were to be known for the next few decades) had developed their skills in the point & click adventure genre to a point where its releases were anticipated, and with Secret of Monkey Island, they had their biggest hit yet. They had already cultivated a bit following with some of their previous titles, and in ways, SOMI displays early LucasArts at their best; an adventure game with simple controls, low stakes (death is near impossible), and most importantly, clever writing and memorable characters. Is these last elements that make this game so fondly remembered, and so much of the game's appeal is timeless as a result. Everyone remembers the "you fight like a cow" insult swordfighting minigame, but the truth is that many parts of the game are genuinely funny and charming.
And the voice acting, added in the 2009 remaster, really helps with bringing characters to life and giving them their own identity. The music and ambient sound design is also improved in the redesign, and it's appreciated that you can swap from the remaster to the original game with the press of a button, allowing you to enjoy both the old-school layout and the modern voice acting and music in equal measure. It's also the first game in the SCUMM engine that features dialog trees, allowing the LucasArts team to really flex their writing muscles, and allow you to get the best experience out of the game.
Progression in Secret of Monkey Island is tied to a series of environmental puzzles, and while this type of game has mostly faded from the mainstream gaming landscape, it's still intuitive enough for anyone to play and understand. SOMI is, at its core, a relatively simple game, which gels well with its parodic and goofy narrative, but doesn't pair so well with some of its puzzles. Perhaps kids in the 90s simply had more time on their hands, because a good amount of environmental puzzles in this game are either very vague or borderline unthinkable; it seems like the only true way to figure them out naturally would be to try everything. This design philosophy works pretty well in the beginning of the game, but once you make it off Mêlée Island™, you often have too many items and too many options for things to be worked out reasonably. Finding the solution to a problem can be equal parts "oh man, I should have known that'', and "how was I ever supposed to figure that out?", and while the remastered edition does have a hint system in place, it still has difficulty walking the line between 100% trial and error and a direct guide of what to do.
It's only natural, then, that some would resort to walkthroughs or guides in order to pass by some of the particularly cryptic or confusing aspects of Secret of Monkey Island. That's not very surprising; what is surprising, though, is how enjoyable the game can still be, even when its main gameplay gimmick can be inconsistent. Every character, every interaction, every observation in this game just breathes charm and wit, and it's still devilishly clever in all the ways that count. Its enjoyability sans gameplay is probably its most impressive aspect, and it's a testament to LucasArts writing team that a game could still be fun even if you took all the "game" out of it. The best way to experience Secret of Monkey Island is personal preference, of course, but even with its handfuls of obtuse puzzles and confusing quests, you're still likely to have a jolly good time with it.
By 1990, LucasArts (as they were to be known for the next few decades) had developed their skills in the point & click adventure genre to a point where its releases were anticipated, and with Secret of Monkey Island, they had their biggest hit yet. They had already cultivated a bit following with some of their previous titles, and in ways, SOMI displays early LucasArts at their best; an adventure game with simple controls, low stakes (death is near impossible), and most importantly, clever writing and memorable characters. Is these last elements that make this game so fondly remembered, and so much of the game's appeal is timeless as a result. Everyone remembers the "you fight like a cow" insult swordfighting minigame, but the truth is that many parts of the game are genuinely funny and charming.
And the voice acting, added in the 2009 remaster, really helps with bringing characters to life and giving them their own identity. The music and ambient sound design is also improved in the redesign, and it's appreciated that you can swap from the remaster to the original game with the press of a button, allowing you to enjoy both the old-school layout and the modern voice acting and music in equal measure. It's also the first game in the SCUMM engine that features dialog trees, allowing the LucasArts team to really flex their writing muscles, and allow you to get the best experience out of the game.
Progression in Secret of Monkey Island is tied to a series of environmental puzzles, and while this type of game has mostly faded from the mainstream gaming landscape, it's still intuitive enough for anyone to play and understand. SOMI is, at its core, a relatively simple game, which gels well with its parodic and goofy narrative, but doesn't pair so well with some of its puzzles. Perhaps kids in the 90s simply had more time on their hands, because a good amount of environmental puzzles in this game are either very vague or borderline unthinkable; it seems like the only true way to figure them out naturally would be to try everything. This design philosophy works pretty well in the beginning of the game, but once you make it off Mêlée Island™, you often have too many items and too many options for things to be worked out reasonably. Finding the solution to a problem can be equal parts "oh man, I should have known that'', and "how was I ever supposed to figure that out?", and while the remastered edition does have a hint system in place, it still has difficulty walking the line between 100% trial and error and a direct guide of what to do.
It's only natural, then, that some would resort to walkthroughs or guides in order to pass by some of the particularly cryptic or confusing aspects of Secret of Monkey Island. That's not very surprising; what is surprising, though, is how enjoyable the game can still be, even when its main gameplay gimmick can be inconsistent. Every character, every interaction, every observation in this game just breathes charm and wit, and it's still devilishly clever in all the ways that count. Its enjoyability sans gameplay is probably its most impressive aspect, and it's a testament to LucasArts writing team that a game could still be fun even if you took all the "game" out of it. The best way to experience Secret of Monkey Island is personal preference, of course, but even with its handfuls of obtuse puzzles and confusing quests, you're still likely to have a jolly good time with it.