Episode 342: Escape from Monkey Island
Added 2020-11-30 08:01:00 +0000 UTCOur non-chronological exploration of LucasArts adventure games continues with an episode all about the legendary developer's final entry in the genre: Escape from Monkey Island. Unfortunately, EMI ended this era of LucasArts with a whimper, as the clunky 3D interface and questionable puzzles make Guybrush Threepwood's Y2K adventure feel more like a voodoo curse than a barrel of monkeys. On this episode, join Bob Mackey and Nina Matsumoto (Thimbleweed Park cover artist and designer at Fangamer) as the two examine this unloved entry in the Monkey Island series to find out what went wrong.
Comments
Although not intentional by the creators, I can kind of see the commercialization in Escape as a meta-commentary on the state of LucasArts - from their halcyon days at Skywalker Ranch not even being allowed to make a Star Wars game to becoming a nearly exclusive Star Wars company as the adventure game industry dies.
Scott Scallion
2020-12-03 13:45:43 +0000 UTCThat was a great episode on a bad game. The only thing I remembered from my playthrough ten or so years ago besides monkey combat (which I've still got my notes for https://i.imgur.com/7QHtWLF.jpg ) was when Guybrush's dialogue bugged and he commented on the revelations about Herman Toothrot before they were actually unveiled. Looking forward to that Tales of Monkey Island episode!
Kevin Mayo
2020-12-03 05:53:00 +0000 UTCIs Starbucks... actually good in the U.S.? Because they're really bland and super expensive here in México. Really fun episode.
Luis Guillermo Jimenez Gomez
2020-12-02 23:45:03 +0000 UTCThis was a good episode that took Escape from Monkey Island on its own terms. While littering the Caribbean with chain restaurants and other depressingly familiar landmarks is valid to do with the series, it isn’t any fun! I enjoyed the odd shapes of some of the Escape characters more than the off-the-shelf Telltale characters in Tales, but that really only covers the vulture-like catapult guy and Ignatius Cheese—everyone else looks unremarkable and all the animation is stiff and loping.
Mike Mariano
2020-12-01 14:51:30 +0000 UTCI remember EGM gave the PS2 version of this gold back in the day, and I was eager to play it without even knowing what it was exactly. I was never a PC gamer, so I didn't know what an adventure game even was. I thought games like Zelda or Tomb Raider were adventure games, so I would have hated this. I came so close to renting it many times, over Devil May Cry and Jak & Daxter. I will say that these Monkey Island retrospectives have made me want to play these games, even knowing what they are. They sound really fun. Hearing the descriptions and the little music breaks really pulls me in. I might skip this game, but I really would like to check out the series if it becomes easily accessible again.
Phoequinox
2020-11-30 23:21:01 +0000 UTCI really liked this! Part of appreciating this genre is confronting really horrible games, I think. Helps you appreciate the good ones. Looking forward to Fate of Atlantis, that one's just a joy from start to finish.
crystalhearts
2020-11-30 22:41:23 +0000 UTCPlease bring along Nina for the upcoming Sierra games dives. I can't wait to hear her reactions to Bob's misfortune.
Normallyretro
2020-11-30 18:07:27 +0000 UTCI remember I had the PS2 version but for whatever reason it had a game breaking bug where the game wouldn't let me save despite the disc being brand new, I have no idea if this was a common problem with the PS2 version.
SilverHairedMiddleAgedTuxedoMask
2020-11-30 10:01:57 +0000 UTCOh, sick! I've been looking forward to the return of this series.
crystalhearts
2020-11-30 08:40:34 +0000 UTC
