monkey island special edition

Tinhead Ned · Post by **Tinhead Ned** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 7:36 am

Despite some nice graphic tricks (I really like LeChuck's ghostly glow), and how long I've waited for a talkie version of TSoMI, I can't help but be a little disappointed with this port. The animation looks frankly terrible - it's easy to accept in the original version but given today's capabilities it's just not on. This could have been the definitive version of this game - as it stands it looks like a well-made fan version instead of something from the once-hallowed halls of LucasArts.

theruler · Post by **theruler** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:17 pm

I totally agree with you.

Vegan · Post by **Vegan** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 6:31 pm

saulob wrote:If they release everything remade with new 3D graphics I would buy them all !!

ALL

I think there are a few titles that would lend themselves better to staying 2D, like Day of the Tentacle. That should look like 2D Saturday morning cartoon.

ezekiel000 · Post by **ezekiel000** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 6:46 pm

2D or 3D, I don't think it matters as long as they keep the original gameplay and feel to the game. The new Sam & Max games still work very well in 3D.

Morden · Post by **Morden** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:27 pm

MusicallyInspired wrote:Are you talking about Full Throttle: Hell On Wheels?

I wrote Full Throttle: Payback, and I meant what I wrote. Hell on Wheels is another failure entirely.

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:59 pm

Interesting. I never heard of another failed sequel. Is there a similar article about Freelance Police on that website? That was a good read.

ezekiel000 · Post by **ezekiel000** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 11:45 pm

http://www.mixnmojo.com/php/site/gamedb.php?gameid=18
http://www.mixnmojo.com/php/site/gamedb.php?gameid=116

rented mule · Post by **rented mule** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 3:30 am

Tinhead Ned wrote:Despite some nice graphic tricks (I really like LeChuck's ghostly glow), and how long I've waited for a talkie version of TSoMI, I can't help but be a little disappointed with this port. The animation looks frankly terrible - it's easy to accept in the original version but given today's capabilities it's just not on. This could have been the definitive version of this game - as it stands it looks like a well-made fan version instead of something from the once-hallowed halls of LucasArts.

I agree...but it's not the animations that make the remake look terrible. It's the character art direction and the dumb voice acting. Dominic Armato makes Guybrush look like some whiny kid. Perhaps that's what Ron Gilbert had in mind, but I'm guessing not. Guybrush's sarcasm simply didn't get captured with Dominic Armato.

Perhaps he's one of the reasons why I hated Monkey Island 3 and 4 so much.

LeChuck, Elaine and the 3 pirates' voices were alright. But Stan, Herman Toothrot and the Cannibal's voices were absolutely terrible.

But like I said, Guybrush's voice is the total turn off. I'm sure people here will disagree but that's the way I feel. :/

cocomonk22 · Post by **cocomonk22** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 10:27 am

Tinhead Ned wrote:This could have been the definitive version of this game - as it stands it looks like a well-made fan version instead of something from the once-hallowed halls of LucasArts.

I'm not sure I would call this a well-made fan version. I'm sure fans would have come up with something with a little more quality.

Bluddy · Post by **Bluddy** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:16 am

Sorry, I for one disagree strongly about the voice-work. I think it adds so much to the game... My first MI experience was Lechuck's Revenge, and coming into the 1st, I really didn't appreciate it all that much in the past. The games seemed plain and the lines somewhat dorky. Until, that is, I played this version.

My opinion is that in a comedic game, reading the dialogue is just not enough (and LucasArts games rely purely on dialogue rather than Sierra's sarcastic narration). It's like reading the script of an episode of Seinfeld/30 Rock and expecting it to be funny. The best you can get is some snickering, and resulting accusations of being a total geek. Having played a little further in now, the voices have made the game so enjoyable even my wife likes it (and that's saying a lot!)

I've also changed my mind regarding the other games: If Lucasarts can keep up the quality of the voice-work, and hopefully improve the animation and some of the spotty backgrounds, I'd be excited to see a redone DOTT. The original voice actors from the early 90s messed up some lines, delivering them without the proper timing or comedic emphasis. I'd love to see a better effort at what I consider LucasArts' best adventure.

marticus · Post by **marticus** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:10 am

I quite like Dominic in this, Guybrush is supposed to be naive at the start.

rented mule · Post by **rented mule** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:02 pm

marticus wrote:I quite like Dominic in this, Guybrush is supposed to be naive at the start.

No doubt but Dom still fails to capture that feeling.

Things like "I am Guybrush Threepwood, prepare to die" is classic Princess Bride stuff and Dom can't even get *THAT* right.

el seth · Post by **el seth** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:51 pm

The voicework is uniformly excellent.

I understand if you don't like the direction they went with MI3, but let's not cast dispersions on Dom's ability to "get it right" because this version doesn't sound exactly like what was going through your head almost two decades ago.

Flo · Post by **Flo** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:07 pm

el seth wrote:let's not cast dispersions on Dom's ability to "get it right" because this version doesn't sound exactly like what was going through your head almost two decades ago.

This.

Many of us have grown up with these games, played them repeatedly and thus have our own ideas of what the characters "should" sound like.

bobdevis · Post by **bobdevis** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 10:47 pm

rented mule wrote: [...] dumb voice acting [...] Perhaps he's one of the reasons why I hated Monkey Island 3 and 4 so much. [...]I'm sure people here will disagree but that's the way I feel.

It's indeed funny how opinions differ.
MI3 is my favorite. Brilliant sound, beautiful hand painted artwork AND sane controls!
MI5 (Telltale's) is second. They dropped the ball on the controls and camera angles a bit but it's fine otherwise.
MI1SE would be 3rd. The conversation gaps and low frame rate animations have an excuse. It would be much more difficult to get the on-the-fly UI change from new to old (F10) working otherwise. They COULD have done a better job with this but chose not to mess with the base engine too much I guess.
MI2 is 4th. Brilliant game... but no talkie is a big bummer.
MI4 is (no surprise) last. If Lucasarts comes around releasing a special edition they could leave the audio and the grfx alone for all I care as long as they THOROUGHLY rethink the controls.