Details of Return to Monkey Island

[Jake]

This game has approximately one infinity little details that are good. I'm going to list a few of the ones I liked here. These are probably bigger things than the main "Details of Monkey Island" thread, because I'm not feeling the need to drill so deep yet, but it's in that spirit: Stuff that didn't need to be there but made me happy or excited me.

 

Not sure how to spoiler tag this so I'll just go whole hog, but if that isn't necessary we can just leave them open??

 

A thing in the prologue:

Prologue Spoiler

The full on Big Whoop carnival first appears as we see it at the end of Monkey Island 2, but then after the kids have followed their "parents" to the edge of the scene and walk back into it, we see the shabbier beachside shacks that contain the actual puzzles. There's also a sign that Boybrush can't read, saying something about how it's not letters just sort of the shape of them? I don't know what any of this means in any direct way (other than "we stopped playing"), but it ended up creating the feeling of still being in a dream, or in the afterimage of one, at the start of the game, and I loved it. The subtlety of changing the set without the camera cutting was so good that Marius didn't seem to notice it, based on some DMs we exchanged after he played the prologue.

 

A cool thing in part 1:

Part 1 Spoiler

Carla and Otis are in the positions they are because you got them cushy government jobs in Escape! There isn't a lot of Escape continuity in Return, but I like that detail a lot. If you really want, it lets you paint a mental picture of Melee as a surprisingly tumultuous place once Elaine stopped running things, and Carla seemed to be trying her best to right things until Madison and her crew showed up.

 

A couple good details in part 4:

Part 4 Spoiler

The Woodtick music playing quietly in the background when you're on the sailing map screen is just the best. The music is FULL of little references to the past games - the soundtrack might be the most overtly nostalgic element in the whole game - and I love it. But the sailing map cue that sounds like a guy is just quietly playing the Woodtick music off on a dock somewhere really got me.

 

Also Part 4 Spoiler

I was not prepared for Stan in prison stripes. The noise I made when I saw it is best expressed in text by "gkjshghkksjfdg." It's not reallly a detail - its one of the loudest things in the game - but it's such a nice touch that the stripes don't move.

 

 

There are many more but there are a few that came to mind when thinking back on my playthrough.

[Remi]

Part 4:

 

The three pirates from the MI1 cover can be found on Terror Island. RIP.

[Jake]

Wally's doormat is a map of the inside of his store, with a little "you are here" dot on the doormat.

[KestrelPi]

7 hours ago, Jake said:

Wally's doormat is a map of the inside of his store, with a little "you are here" dot on the doormat.

I noticed this one, and enjoyed it

[Aro-tron]

I've only played the prologue and explored Melee so far - all the characters keep telling me to go to the docks, but I've been resisting it so far and just wandering around. I've been enjoying the dialogue a lot, and haven't felt the need to turn on subtitles like I thought I would. My favorite part so far is pestering Locke Smith by asking what every lock and key do. Her answers feel very Grossman in their specificity, and are just the kind of detail I love about these games.

[Marius]

Beginning of Part 3:

Spoiler

Under water, while walking towards Monkey Island, Guybrush passes a giant stone hand. Could be part of the Monkey Head?!

 

End of Part 3:

Spoiler

Looks like the pirate leaders cut off the rubber trees in advance.

 

[Remi]

Not even putting spoiler tags around this one.

 

[Laserschwert]

The funniest detail about the three pirates from the MI1 cover was the fact that one of them actually still wore the belt with "PURCELL" on it.

 

Also, as soon as I entered the prison and saw everone wearing striped prison uniforms, I said to myself, "The only logical thing to do is to have Stan have stationary stripes, like his plaid jacket", and bingo, there it was.

 

Music-wise they've referenced a lot of classic tracks, like the diving theme from MI2, each time Guybrush was underwater and obviously the love theme when Guybrush and Elaine shared the screen. Also, I'm sure I heard at least one track from ToMI referenced somewhere. 

[Remi]

Another one that doesn't really need spoiler tags -- Otis is in jail for stealing flowers from Carla's garden. I like that the flowers not only can be seen, but that they are yellow like in MI1. Otis likes his yellow flowers.

 

[demone]

I guess those flowers also cost him his cushy government job. 

Edited September 21, 2022 by demone

[Jake]

5 hours ago, Laserschwert said:

Also, I'm sure I heard at least one track from ToMI referenced somewhere. 

I think Murray’s theme from tales gets a little appearance in a cutscene. 

[KestrelPi]

 

Prologue stuff

 

Spoiler

They comment on this sign having writing that's been rubbed out and hard to read, but it's interesting to look at

 

 

It says Scurvy D but if you squint a little it could be Scumm B, couldn't it?

 

[BillyCheers]

I think this is from Part 1 or 2 …

Spoiler

I really loved reading LeChuck's diary (again and again). It immediately reminded me of Ron's developer diary ("I'm going to write in it every day. 😅). I can't help but think it was written by him.

And in general everything on LeShip is just so great: The name, LeChuck's office, the music, the crew etc.

Man, I just love this game so far! 

 

[Udvarnoky]

There's a "Pappapisshu" on Terror Island if you touch the thorns on the rocky beach.

[Kingharrison]

I know I missed this on first play through.... what's with all the symbols across Melee? I thought it would be something. 

[Jake]

They’re related to Madison’s gang but I didn’t entirely understand it. 

[Kingharrison]

6 minutes ago, Jake said:

They’re related to Madison’s gang but I didn’t entirely understand it. 

I somehow wonder if they are related to an achievement. 

[KestrelPi]

Just now, Kingharrison said:

I somehow wonder if they are related to an achievement. 

That's true... There are a lot of things here that feel like clues to puzzles that didn't end up existing. Maybe there are more puzzles to be discovered or maybe we're just supposed to feel like there are

[Jake]

Just now, Kingharrison said:

I somehow wonder if they are related to an achievement. 

I don’t think so. Madison’s gang is, if memory serves, referred to as “dark magic pirates” and I think the graffiti is some sort of spell or threat? But I was never clear on it. Have they taken over Melee by force? Some sort of charm? It’s a point where the fact that I last played through six months ago is hurting my ability to remember details since this was already fuzzy. 

[Staple Remover]

I haven’t tried it yet and/or not sure if it’s been posted elsewhere but you can free (Spoiler) at the end of the game. You need the serial number from the shackles that are on Le Ship. 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Staple Remover
Spoils

[Blondebeard]

Did anyone notice that Neil Druckmann (The Last of Us and also a huge Monkey Island fan) is in the credits listed as a voice actor? Anyone knows where he is in the game?

 

 

Update: Ron already clarified on Twitter

 

(Moved this from the main RtMI thread as it didn't make sense there)

Edited September 21, 2022 by Blondebeard

[Marius]

Part 3

Spoiler

You can leave Murray on Monkey Island. He won't be attached to the Sea Monkey.

I just tried it and couldn't believe it 😄

Unsure if he will come back later, I only just started Part 4 without him.

 

[KestrelPi]

Did anyone yet mention that the checklist on LeChuck's motivational pamphlet gets filled out as you do stuff in the game?

[Kingharrison]

What happened to the violin girl from the trailer? did she make it in?

 

[Staple Remover]

1 hour ago, Kingharrison said:

What happened to the violin girl from the trailer? did she make it in?

 

They had to cut her to avoid the game getting an “M for Mature” rating. 
 

They said her character brought in too much violin-ce.