LeChuck's Revenge: Special Edition

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:59 pm

Yes, it's the original actor (Earl Boen). No worries. They also got the same actor from CMI for Wally.

Red_Breast · Post by **Red_Breast** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:16 pm

Thanks for the links Musically.

I noticed on the Youtube video at 6.33 it slips into classic mode but with speech unlike the first remake where it wasn't possible.
Has this been confirmed?

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:15 pm

Monkey Island 2 Special Edition on Steam for pre-purchase now. Only $9.99 like the first special edition. If you pre-purchase before July 7th when the game releases and unlocks you get The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition for free! If you already own it on Steam you can gift it to another Steam user.

And yes, there is (optional) speech support in classic mode.

Red_Breast · Post by **Red_Breast** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:16 am

Nice deal.
I found out from Mixnmojo about the 7th July release date. By the way they have a news item about the everything Telltale pack from Steam is now only $49.99. UK £34.99.

Comparing it to No.1 SE everything looks better about No.2 SE. I'm looking forward to the developer commentary.
I played No.1 SE for a second time the other day on a 360. The first time was my stepfather's laptop when it was released. I didn't do well regarding achievements. I'm currently contemplating playing it again to try for all the achievements but a part of me is saying 'don't even think about it.'

hippy dave · Post by **hippy dave** » Sat Jun 26, 2010 10:38 pm

MusicallyInspired wrote:Monkey Island 2 Special Edition on Steam for pre-purchase now. Only $9.99 like the first special edition. If you pre-purchase before July 7th when the game releases and unlocks you get The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition for free! If you already own it on Steam you can gift it to another Steam user.

And yes, there is (optional) speech support in classic mode.

if they would update the first special edition to also have speech in classic mode, i'd be completely sold. still probably will tho...

edit: hundredth post

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:16 pm

You can now pre-load MI2:SE on Steam in preparation for the release tomorrow!

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:52 am

I just downloaded and tried out the PS3 DEMO version of the game. Here are my observations. I bolded some important parts that might be of more interest.

Just tried the demo. I'm surprised at how faithful the MT-32 soundtrack in classic mode is to a real MT-32! There are differences. It's not 100% accurate but it is 99.99% accurate. Woodtick (which sounds very nice on a real MT-32) sounds absolutely horrible in classic mode here. Inside the huts of Woodtick sound perfect but outside the huts sounds very very bad. Like they used the horrible Piano patch from the MT-32 for some crazy insane reason. I have no idea why. It's supposed to be a bass and organ and the "Soundtrack" patch (which wasn't even recorded in either classic or special edition mode). Hopefully it'll be possible to patch the classic soundtrack with proper recordings from the MT-32 when resource file viewers for MI2:SE present themselves.

The iMuse is VERY satisfactory. It's not exactly 100% like playing the old game in MIDI but it's so close even I have trouble telling the difference. None of you will notice a difference. One thing I did notice, however, is that in certain sections they only use one version of the transition (such as when Largo leaves...there are a few variances of transitions in the MIDI version...only one in the SE). But for others it seems perfectly intact.

I'm very impressed with the graphics and animation as I knew I would be. The direct control for Guybrush is also very nice and intuitive when using a controller. And the ability to switch it off is nice. Same with speech in classic mode. Fits well. But you cannot turn off subtitles in classic mode when speech is activated, if some of you were looking forward to that. There are no awkward pauses between dialogue lines this time around. It feels and sounds very natural. Also, Neil Ross as Wally is excellent!

Everything impresses me. The biggest thing I wanted to check out was how they handled the soundtrack, and while there are a few screwups (Woodtick was a big one...worse in classic mode than SE mode, however) I'm very impressed and satisfied. They must have actually acquired an actual MT-32 and recorded everything from the raw iMuse MIDI files themselves when putting it together for classic mode. It's stunning and very enjoyable.

The only thing is you'll not be able to enjoy the classic version of the intro theme. In fact, you won't be able to enjoy the intro sequence at all because it doesn't exist. It's no where in the game. I was hoping that you'd be able to see it from the menu with the options to select to view the classic or special edition credits. Unfortunately, they're both just regular text scrolls with the SE version of the theme playing. No classic intro guys, sorry

. On the upside, the special edition version of the theme is very well done and true to the original.

m_kiewitz · Post by **m_kiewitz** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 12:10 pm

http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3180274

According to this:
- iMuse is completely gone
- digital music isn't really accurate
- Parts of original intro (dancing monkeys) and credits were removed
- Easy difficulty removed
- around 30 minutes of commentary in total
- "Hacked-In" autosave mode

and especially "The commentary itself is not terribly insightful [...] There is, however, a rather extended track about how awesome iMUSE is, despite its complete absence from the game."

clone2727 · Post by **clone2727** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 3:55 pm

m_kiewitz wrote:- iMuse is completely gone
- digital music isn't really accurate
- Parts of original intro (dancing monkeys) and credits were removed

...which is quite horrible.

m_kiewitz wrote:- Easy difficulty removed

The MI Madness CD had that too, so this really isn't anything new to this release.

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 4:02 pm

iMuse is not gone. Those reviews don't know what they are talking about. Like I said above, it's not exactly the same as the MIDI version, but it's indeed there. They're review is quite misleading.

m_kiewitz · Post by **m_kiewitz** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:16 pm

MusicallyInspired wrote:iMuse is not gone. Those reviews don't know what they are talking about. Like I said above, it's not exactly the same as the MIDI version, but it's indeed there. They're review is quite misleading.

Hmm, i just downloaded the demo from PSN.

Right at the start when you enter a hut, the music changes in a fixed way. It's playing one digital music loop and then switching to another music loop at a specific point. Sometimes even the old music loop keeps playing for some seconds, because the switch point wasnt reached yet. It's not dynamically changing. Try the same in original MI2 and you should hear the difference even at that point.

It gets worse when you enter the hut, leave immediately and repeat that.

Also i just noticed that they could have changed the line "payed 50 bucks for it" to "payed 10 bucks for it". And the intro is really butchered. Just the hanging-from-a-rope-scene and immediately "scaab island". No credits, no monkey island title, no dancing monkeys.

Red_Breast · Post by **Red_Breast** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:23 pm

About 20% in on the 360 version. Controlling Guybrush brings back memories of the fourth game on PS2. For the 360 version the controls are a lot better than the 360 version of the first Special Edition.

TheRedEye · Post by **TheRedEye** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:30 pm

MusicallyInspired wrote:iMuse is not gone. Those reviews don't know what they are talking about. Like I said above, it's not exactly the same as the MIDI version, but it's indeed there. They're review is quite misleading.

Actually I know exactly what I'm talking about, there is no iMUSE in this version of the game. They at least try to do some smooth transitions from track to track on PC and iPhone (and apparently PS3 too) but in the Xbox 360 version, there are no transitions at all.

Red_Breast · Post by **Red_Breast** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:19 am

So look what I got with my remaining Microsoft points. A suit like Stans. As you have to have an avatar you might as well do something with it. The laughs are on me today.

phunimator · Post by **phunimator** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:21 am

I bought the game through Steam on the PC, and overall, i'm very pleased with it!

Like some have mentioned, the IMuse affect HAS been recreated, at least for the PC. It works very well, and seems as smooth as the classic version with MT-32 instruments. The only time I have heard it stumble a bit is in Woodtick going between the main area, and Marty the Laundry guy. Otherwise, it works brilliantly everywhere else, at the beach, at the swamp going to the voodoo lady, and also at the graveyard.

I also love how they have extra transitional animations which makes it seem a lot nicer than the first special edition game, which just overlayed the exact same frames. In this one they have added extra animations to Guybrush when walking/talking and it really shows, as well as the backgrounds, like the cockroachs scurrying about in Largo's room! Very good minor details

Lastly, I LOVE the new control method, which works fantastically, and reminds me of MI3 a little. You can hover the compass icon over an object, and hold the right mouse button, then select actions for that object, i.e, for the shovel at the start of the game, you can either 'look' or 'pick up', but it feels more intuitive. The inventory is accessed easily via the middle/scroll wheel. The commentary is a nice touch!

Very well done Lucasarts! If only you did MI1: Special Edition to this calibre!