Video Game of the Week – The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

Relive the swashbuckling misadventures of the wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood, as tales of pirate wealth lure him to the port of Mêlée with high hopes, no money, and an insatiable curiosity.

To prove that he is worthy of becoming a pirate, Threepwood must succeed as a swordsman, a treasure  hunter and a thief – which means you have to solve lots of complex puzzles along the way. If clever enough, Threepwood will win the confidence of Mêlée’s other pirates and find himself blown by the winds of fate towards the legendary and terrifying Monkey Island.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is easy to pick up, regardless of whether or not you have played this kind of adventure game before. You use the mouse to move around the screen and click the left button when you want to go to a certain location or interact with one of the game’s characters.

The puzzles – and the odd mix of tools and trinkets you collect along the way – can be very challenging but the all-new ‘hints’ system does a great job of pointing you in the right direction should you choose to use it. If not, you can be entertained by some genuinely funny dialogue as you scratch your head trying to figure out what to do next.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition updates the much-loved original adventure game, which was first released in 1990. The team at Lucas Arts has used updated graphics and a re-mastered musical score to provide a modern gaming experience, while faithfully retaining the themes and characters that made the original such a delight.

In fact, the developers have found it impossible to let the original go: a scene-for-scene ‘hot swap’ lets you seamlessly transition between the special edition and the original classic at any time during gameplay. Although the hot-swap isn’t necessary to progress through the game, it’s a fun feature and will give you a direct look at how far video game production has come in less than twenty years!

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is rated E 10+, mainly for alcohol and tobacco references, although a trip to Scuum Bar and other pirate haunts are unlikely to leave any lasting scars!

Publisher: Lucas Arts
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360
RRP: $9.99 (Download for PC); 800 Microsoft Points (XboxLive Marketplace)
ESRB Rating: “E 10+” – Everyone 10+