Nineteen years after Guybrush Treepwood swashbuckled his way into the hearts of many adventure gamers in The Secret of Monkey Island, he returns again in Telltales newest Episodic game, The Tales of Monkey Island.

The Tales of Monkey Island has rekindled my love for adventure games. Each chapter tells a chunk of the overarching story. Also since each episode has a recap of what has happened so far you could essentially jump in at any time, but why would you when you could buy all five episodes at once for a discount. (For the Wii version you must buy each individually.)

Since I am grading each chapter of the game separately I have decided to break it down into three elements to make it easier to me: Creativity of the Puzzles, Witty Dialog and Fun Factor.

Episode 1: Launch of the Screaming Narwhal

Deep in the heart of the Caribbean, Guybrush Treepwood “Famous Pirate” has finally found the voodoo formula to rid the world of his arch-nemesis, the notorious LeChuck. As Guybrush finds his wife and her sloop(small ship), that LeChuck has sieged, Guybrush notices he is missing one of the ingredients to the voodoo formula, meant to destroy LeChuck, so he improvises. While attempting a coup de main something goes horribly wrong… Next thing we know Guybrush is being washed up on Flotsam Island where this chapter takes place.

Mix in 1 part witty, 1 part cheesy, and 1 part inside jokes and you have the wonderfully crafted dialog Telltale has crafted for this game. Fortunately, for us N00bs to the Monkey Island franchise, Guybrush’s monolog slowly lets us in on the previous happenings of the series, so that we don’t feel cheated by those inside jokes. One thing to note about the style of dialog although  jokes may not be funny in the beginning of the chapter, they are often setting up running gags that become progressively funnier throughout the chapter, and often side splitting by the end.

Unlike some adventure games where you can click on and examine everything on screen, Guybrush is limited to primarily examining things that are relevant to the story or puzzles in the chapter. Each part of the island is broken up into small chunks and each chunk will have several things that you can examine.

While Guybrush is trying to figure out how to get off Flotsam Island he meets many funny and eccentric people with who he needs to help in order to progress the story. Often this requires Guybrush to solve a puzzle using things he has collected along the way.

One of the things I had to recall about playing adventure games is that everything you see is important and even though something may not be relevant now it will most likely be essential later. It is important when you come across a puzzle to remember everything you have learned up until that point. Fortunately none of the puzzles stretch the imagination too much or require you to use an encyclopedia to figure out which birth stone fits to each month, yes I did play some poorly designed adventure games in my youth. Now that makes me sound like an old man.

This chapter is quick paced, and the island is well designed. I enjoyed my introduction into the cell shaded world of pirate booty and wanted more by the time the chapter was completed.

On a side note, you must play with the sound on to complete this chapter of the game, trust me.

Creativity of the Puzzles: +6
Witty Dialog: +7
Fun Factor: +7

Episode 2: Siege of Spinner Cay

(WARNING – This part of the review contains spoilers for the first chapter.)
Guybrush, having escaped the Flotsom Island and the clutches of the mad, as in crazy scientist, Marquis de Singe, is off searching for is wife and LeChuck. The chapter opens up with a fight between Guybrush and Morgan. Morgan is the hot female pirate bounty hunter that has been hired by the Marquis de Singe to return Guyrush to him, so that he can dissect Guybrush’s evil voodoo hand. (That was a mouthful.) Luckily Guybrush is able thought your puzzle solving genius to get rid of Morgan and only loose his hand.

Equipped with his new hook hand Guybrush meets up with his wife and learns he must work with the new and improved nice human LeChuck.

Bumbling Human LeChuck

LeChuck is one of the funniest characters that you meet up until now.  He is having a hard time coping without the common sense of being a nice person, but he is trying ever so hard to learn. Unfortunately even though the dialog is good and there are some great puzzles, the middle of this chapter is fairly slow and has one really unintuitive puzzle.

Fortunately for those that are new to adventure games, or have been away for a while, there is a hint system. If you wander around long enough while trying to figure out a puzzle, Guybrush will say to himself, “Maybe is should talk to such-and-such again.” or, “Maybe I need to look at blank again.” These vague hints won’t tell you how to solve the puzzle, but they will point you in the right direction. It’s great because you still have the satisfaction of solving the puzzle yourself.

Creativity of the Puzzles: +7
Witty Dialog: +6
Fun Factor: +6

Episode 3: Lair of the Leviathan

(WARNING – This part of the review contains spoilers for the first two chapters.)

Guybrush, hot on the tail of Coronado De Cava and La Esponja Grande, is attacked again by Morgan who has come back to deliver the rest of him to the Marquis de Singe, when they are both swallowed up by a giant manatee. Now inside the manatee they must join forces to befriend Coronado De Cava and his crew.

Though the amount of locations you visit is the smallest yet, this chapter is very dense. Building upon what was created in the last two chapters, everything is better. This chapter has some of the best dialog yet, with a great array of pirates to interact with. Monkey Island fans will be most-likely happy to find out that Murray, the talking demonic skull, makes a return for this chapter.

Muwahahahaha! Murray is back to take over the World.

The puzzles are also as good as the last chapter. There is also a great battle and you get to assist someone a few guys pick up girls. Move over David DeAngelo and Mystery, Guybrush Famous Pirate Dating Coach is here. Although just like the last chapter, there is one puzzle that caused me difficulties.

Hint: This chapter has a few moving items, so pay attention.

Creativity of the Puzzles: +7
Witty Dialog: +8
Fun Factor: +7

First 3 Chapters Overall:

Telltale has done an great job so far. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for the last two chapters.