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Computer Times
Editors' Choice Game Tales of Monkey Island Review by Angie Kibiloski
Ahoy maties, and avast! Look sharp all ye land lubbers, for there be pirates in these waters! And of course, by “these waters” I mean the new downloadable game series from Telltale Games called Tales of Monkey Island. From the brilliant people who brought us Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures and the Sam & Max series, this new series joins the ranks of their quality games line up, and proves that you should expect nothing short of genius from this company. Play as the hero, Guybrush Threepwood, "Mighty Pirate," as he sails the seas battling poxy pirates, hunts for buried treasure, and goes up against a variety of foes, all while keeping up a running dialogue of witty repartee. I couldn’t get enough of this charming swashbuckler, and found myself playing through an entire episode, which takes several hours, in one sitting. Grab up your cutlass, don your favorite eye patch, and join this frolicking high seas adventure.
Chapter One, Launch of the Screaming Narwhal, introduces you to Guybrush Threepwood, "Mighty Pirate," in the middle of a battle with his arch rival LeChuck, a cursed evil pirate who has captured Guybrush’s wife, Elaine on her ship. Defeating him is somewhat successful, but you find yourself with a cursed hand for your efforts, and a cloud of infectious pox spreading all across the Caribbean. Little did you know that LeChuck’s evil could be contagious! As the adventure progresses, you’ll discover the secrets of Flotsam Island, where ancient forces keep the winds blowing inland and all ships dock bound. Figure out how to reverse the winds, find a cure for your possessed hand, and capture yourself a new ship. You’ll meet very interesting island inhabitants, like a glass blowing pirate and a crazy doctor from King Louis’ court. In addition to your main game, there is a treasure hunting mini game, exclusive to Chapter One, which is accessed through the main game menu. Throughout the season, you’ll collect codes that will unlock treasure maps. Explore the island with the clues from the maps to find hidden island idols. Then, go online to claim digital rewards for each idol you find. Make sure to sign up on the Telltale website as a registered player so you can get e-mailed when new maps come out.
Chapter Two, The Siege of Spinner Cay, continues the mission to find a cure for the Pox of LeChuck, which now seems to have infected every pirate you meet. Reunited with Elaine, and forced to work alongside the now supposedly reformed LeChuck, you explore the Jerk Bait Islands to find ancient merfolk artifacts before the other pirates can get their grubby hands on them. Now that you have a ship, you get to travel to a handful of little islands in pursuit of your goal. The merfolk who live in Spinner Cay are a riot, and make for some funny conversations. If you didn’t have enough troubles, both life and limb are threatened when Guybrush must go up against a famous pirate hunter, employed by none other than the insane doctor from Chapter One. Though a huge fan of our hero, this hunter will stop at nothing to fulfill her contract. Chapter Three, Lair of the Leviathan, Chapter Four, The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood, and Chapter Five, Rise of the Pirate God, will be released, one at a time, over the next 3 months, ending in November. You can purchase the entire season at http://www.telltalegames.com for $34.95, or get the chapters individually for $8.95 each from Amazon. If you go with the full season package from the Telltale Games website, you will also get a collector’s DVD at the end of the season for only the price of shipping. The first two chapters of this thrilling and quirky pirate adventure have been incredibly entertaining. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the saga will bring, and what fate has in store for our dashing hero, Guybrush Threepwood, "Mighty Pirate." Sail on over to Telltale Games and join me in discovering what sort of treasures await in the upcoming chapters of Tales of Monkey Island.
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