Tales of monkey island opinions so far

[Phatt]

As a massive Monkey Island fan, there was nothing about this series that made me want to play it beyond the first chapter.

 

The maddening control made me want to throw my computer out the window with that initial ship scene in the first episode. Why, after getting simple point n’ click control over 20 years ago with Maniac Mansion, do we now have to annoyingly steer Guybrush around the screen? There was nothing wrong with the Sam and Max control system, and there was no reason why they couldn't have used it with Tales.

 

Secondly, I hated the art direction. LeChuck looked absolutely ridiculous and goofy, not the hellish terror that graced the MI2 box cover. Everyone looked like characters from an episode of Jimmy Neutron. The jagged cartoonish art direction was downright offensive to the legacy of both art styles, Purcell's of MI1-2, and Tiller's of Curse. The graphics looked only slightly better than Escape, a game released a full 9 years prior.

 

The inventory system was also another puzzling aspect. A simple right click to the inventory box worked fine in earlier games. Now we have to pull the box from the right of the screen. Also, why do we need a item combination generator? We can't just use item A with item B?

 

There was nothing about the story that drew me in to it or made me care one bit about finding a damn sponge to deal with a disease outbreak. And now we have Guybrush interacting with mythological creatures? Give me a break. Almost as stupid as Guybrush talking to magical ship figureheads.

 

So, my opinion of Tales is that it is nothing but a glorified Escape from Monkey Island - none of the lessons from that disappointing game were learned or improved upon.

 

I'd compare The Monkey Island series so far to The Star Wars saga. The first one blew everyone away and established a dedicated fan base. The second one improved on every aspect of the first one, becoming the best of the series. The third one was a satisfying conclusion that visually looked better than anything done previously. Then you had the fourth installment. Disliked by most, even hated by some, devoid of everything that made the originals so good. Then the fifth installment, a slight improvement, but still not even in the same ballpark as the originals.

[The Tingler]

Controlling was only really difficult in that exact scene you mentioned, but do NOT use the prescribed 'hold button and drag the mouse that way' movement controls - use the mouse and WASD to move Guybrush. It IS point-and-click, you just control Guybrush manually. You soon get used to it.

 

And why is the inventory so difficult? You don't pull it, you just move your mouse at the right of the screen and it pops up. Agreed with the combining items thing, but I think they wanted people who'd never played these games before to be comfortable.

 

Story-wise it got much better after that initial episode, with episodes 3, 4, and 5 being particular standouts in different ways. LeChuck is intentionally almost a caricature in the first episode, and by the end I was thinking this is the best LeChuck appearance to date - especially when Earl Boen comes back.

 

Mythological creatures though, specifically the merfolk, I understand your disapproval as they appear quite suddenly, but I don't see why they can't feature in a series that has seen skeleton pirates, zombies, Mardi Gras parties, etc. And at least mermaids are piratey, unlike Giant Monkey Robots.

 

The art direction though, I can't help you. Get over it.

[Thrik]

Yeah, to be honest basing your entire opinion on chapter one is a bit daft. Although released as chapters, it is one big game and the later chapters improve on it dramatically.

 

I myself was left a little cold by the first chapter, particularly due to things like LeChuck's voice acting. However the last three chapters in particular really hit the spot for me thanks to improved lighting effects and general artistic merit — and of course the return of Earl Boen was welcome. Atmospherically the last two chapters felt a lot like MI2 to me, echoing the general sentiment that the series got darker as it progressed.

 

So, uh... I don't know, as a massive Monkey Island fan I guess I can't really take your opinion seriously until you've played more than a fifth of the game.

[Gabez]

You can also press I to bring up the inventory. Seems a weird criticism as well.

 

Your opinion is valid, of course, and quite interesting to hear, but I do think that you should play more of the series; that is, if you really are the massive Monkey Island fan you claim to be.

[Snugglecakes]

The later episodes do certainly get better. In a way this is how episodic gaming can really shine through, as changes can be made as they go along...

 

Episodes 3-5 were for me pretty damn good, and pure Monkey Island. I must say though that I agree with Phatt's comments on the character control. What it does allow is those fabulous cinematic camera movement sequences, which I like a lot, but I still think there must be a way to get good old point & click working here.

 

Sam & Max is such a pleasure compared to this new system. Thrik I get what you say about using WASD but... some of us just don't want to lol!

 

I want to play an adventure game with my mouse in the one hand and a hamburger in the other. It's part of what made the original SCUMM games such a nice & relaxing experience. Lets take Grim Fandango, possibly the best adventure game ever... and yet I havent' played it again for the last 10 years because every time I start, I just can't stand the keyboard character control. Same with EMI. TMI is nicer in that you can you use the mouse, it could be seen as a somewhat elegant solution but I hate the way Guybrush is facing one way, you hold down the mouse and move it, and he snaps one way and then the other before walking. It's much harder work than just pointing and clicking, something I've always seen as the best adventure invention ever. Strange then that developers keep trying to find ways around it.

 

Point. Click. End of story. That's what we want!

[Phatt]

Yeah, to be honest basing your entire opinion on chapter one is a bit daft. Although released as chapters, it is one big game and the later chapters improve on it dramatically.

 

I myself was left a little cold by the first chapter, particularly due to things like LeChuck's voice acting. However the last three chapters in particular really hit the spot for me thanks to improved lighting effects and general artistic merit — and of course the return of Earl Boen was welcome. Atmospherically the last two chapters felt a lot like MI2 to me, echoing the general sentiment that the series got darker as it progressed.

 

So, uh... I don't know, as a massive Monkey Island fan I guess I can't really take your opinion seriously until you've played more than a fifth of the game.

 

 

You shouldn't have to wait for a Monkey Island game to get good. It should be brilliant from start to finish, like Monkey 1-3. If you can't make a game that does that, you shouldn't be making Monkey Island games. If the first parts of those games sucked, I wouldn't bother continuing with those games or the series. But they didn't suck, they were brilliant, and drew me in completely to the total game.

 

I should probably clarify my statement of being a massive Monkey island fan - That applies to Monkey 1-3, certainly not the last two half-assed attempts.

[Radogol]

You can also press I to bring up the inventory. Seems a weird criticism as well.

 

Or press the mouse wheel.

[Thrik]

Yeah, okay. Don't play the whole game then. As I say, until you've done that we've nothing to discuss here.

 

TMI is certainly on lower ground than the original trilogy I'll give you that, but I consider TMI a quality game. I suspect even the finest Monkey Island sequel imaginable wouldn't knock my nostalgia-fuelled memories of the originals aside, though.

[Kroms]

Going over them again, they do seem a bit...err. There's too much traipsing around and too many puzzles that rely on the jungle. On the other hand, I keep looking at chapter three and comparing it with the others, I keep banging my head on the table to try and figure out a way to bring a bit of Woodtick into the first chapter, how Leviathan was so beautifully integrated into its story (gameplay feeds story which feeds gameplay), but I can't quite put my finger on how to do it. So I may be wrong. Ugh. Confusion. I think Chapter Four hit on something, though it's something that I seemingly experienced that some of you didn't.

 

I mean, all in all they were pretty good, but if Telltale does a second season, they really need to fix some of their design issues.

 

Secondly, I hated the art direction. LeChuck looked absolutely ridiculous and goofy, not the hellish terror that graced the MI2 box cover.

 

The hellish terror Guybrush gave a wedgie?

[Ascovel]

Is this is a good moment to plug in my review of Episode 5 where I did also give my general thoughts on the whole Tales?

[The Tingler]

Good a place as any...

 

Really? You didn't like 3?

[Ascovel]

I enjoyed 3 for its puzzles and DeCava. It didn't feel properly Monkey Island though, and the high school kind of character drama was annoying.

[Kroms]

I think the drama helped develop the characters a little better. For what it was, objectively? It was superbly designed. What I think we both took issue with the characters, though I would suggest a re-play, Ascovel. They grow on ya.

[Ascovel]

It certainly has already grown on me by now. Just for the reason that the next episodes didn't follow this one's pattern. One chapter like this isn't too bad.