So, how good are these episodes?
I'm a hard core monkey island fan but I'm not likely to buy the episodes until they've finished them all. I typically like to play full games and not just tib bits.
It's time consuming yes, but I love to play a monkey island tale in it's complete entirety.
I currently don't have a computer to play these games on and to be Frank I don't want to spend money on these games if they don't live up to the quality of the previous installments.
I want to play a real Monkey Island game, I don't care who releases it, is this a real Monkey Island game? Does it work? Does it feel like one, is it at least acceptable?
Not to bore you about my mediocre, non original post anymore, the point presented, are these episodes good enough to buy the whole package when it's all said and done?
It's time consuming yes, but I love to play a monkey island tale in it's complete entirety.
I currently don't have a computer to play these games on and to be Frank I don't want to spend money on these games if they don't live up to the quality of the previous installments.
I want to play a real Monkey Island game, I don't care who releases it, is this a real Monkey Island game? Does it work? Does it feel like one, is it at least acceptable?
Not to bore you about my mediocre, non original post anymore, the point presented, are these episodes good enough to buy the whole package when it's all said and done?
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Most people seem to enjoy them, some LOVE them, others a bit less but still think they're okay...
It's not that expensive, so in the end i'd say it's at leastdefinitely worth a try.
Well said, some times I don't know why it comes natural to want to be subjected to other people's opinion and search out their influence. I guess I'm really reaching out to the fans in some way.
Well, your post certainly makes enough sense but I doubt I'll learn from it. You're right my question should have been better worded, I admitted I was wrong, people can change , they can even notice it in their selves, meh...
Well, share your opinions with me if you guys and gals want to, I'll just try to gather some interesting insights before I go to play it for myself. No spoilers please though.
Basically, how much you will enjoy them depends on a lot of things, most of all your expectations. ToMI has due to its episodic nature less overlapping puzzles and is often perceived to be easier for that reason. So if you're a hardcore adventure gamer, you may be disappointed.
What ToMI handles exceptionally well is the kind of storytelling that MI is famous for. The anachronisms, the out-of-place characters, the play on stereotypes. It all fits together in an almost movie-like fashion. ToMI is an excellent piece of comedy and one that the new generation of adventure gamers can appreciate the same way as veterans, but the gameplay has to strike a balance in order to satisfy both.
I have been enlightened by making this thread, it was not a mistake. I grew up in the adventure game/ Doom 1 an 2, Atari 2600/ Nintendo period. I've played Sam and Max, Maniac Mansion, DOTT, Star Trek A Final Unity, Star Trek Anniversary, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Monkey island 1, 2,3, 4.
Simon the Sorcerer 1,2,3,4. Putt Putt, that may be it actually but it's taken up a large part of my life.
Sighs, people miss the point of adventure games today though, if adventure games are too easy and dim-witted then the industry shouldn't cash in on them and should just let them die and give us quality games else where.
I'm glad the industries heart is in the right place but I'm not too certain if the industry has the right tools anymore to make these games.
I'd play it for story but really outside of linear story in video games if the game is too easy it really lacks depth to the circumstances the character is subjected to for his actions. Maybe you disagree?
When it's too easy I don't have time to be absorbed into the problem and solution to the puzzle. Monkey Island is largely a big thing because of its settings, beautiful art work and of course puzzles. I think most of all importance if a game is relatively short then the puzzles should logically be some what difficult.
That a side though, Monkey Island 1,2,3,4 can be long games and some of the puzzles can be a little difficult your first time playing through. That is why I wanted to know if anyone had any prediction as what this game would be like playing it all at once, all the way through. Any thoughts?
A weakness to episodic gaming is that they are making an entire game but marketing it towards a part time audience that buys it in episodes. This is a problem because they end up making an entire game that is too easy...do you agree? If I were to play this in its entirety I would zoom through it because it was designed to be broken down into easy parts that could be beaten in a few weeks between releases (with added time put in to make sales from late comers and to exercise marketing)...
Well, entertain my notions if you want to, we're starting to get off topic really, I guess I just wanted to talk about Monkey Island and where the franchise is currently at and heading.
Seems all this thread did was address concerns that were already there.
And I still haven't gotten any spoilers, yes!
Thank you for your reply
I think it is the same with ToMI : so far the Telltale team has been "taming" the beast, but I'm pretty sure we'll see some acrobatic rodeo before the end of the series
OK, worst metaphor ever.
This doesn't mean nothing has changed. As has been mentioned, the game is much easier than the old games, although not so easy that you won't have to stop and think, especially if you keep hints completely off. It's just that the puzzles involve a lot less trial and error and the game gives you more clues to illuminate them.
That might upset some hardcores, but really it's good game design. Having to to use a banana as a lockpick or some illogical nonsense is frustrating and it's part of the reason for the genre's decline in the mainstream.
Let me tell you that having played all of the Monkey Islands and numerous other games (including some you mentioned), that Tales of Monkey Island is excellent. I can't imagine how you can hold on until December to get them all. Every month I get my Monkey Island fix and it's not like playing an unfinished game - each chapter has some nice self contained stories and puzzles and an interesting cliff-hanger at the end that leads nicely to the next episode.
It worked well for Sam and Max too, especially when they even mentioned that a month had passed since their last adventure and the Hugh Bliss Calendar they had in their office was funny.
If you check the Telltale blogs, you'll see lots of reviews they list from various sources saying the game is amazing. I agree with those. There are other reviews out there with negative views, but they come from some very hardcore mindsets that left the building when it went 3D or cartoon-style.
This is the very definition of a "real" Monkey Island game, as when you check out the Telltale team page you see tons of the original people who worked on the original Secret of Monkey Island, LeChuck's Revenge and the even voice cast of Curse of Monkey Island. They even consulted with Ron Gilbert, the creator, they have Steve Purcell (who did the original box art for Secret and LeChuck's revenge) doing some special art.
If that's not an authentic all-star lineup I don't know what else is... I find that this game is exactly my vision of a Monkey Island game, it's style, the design of Guybrush, Elaine and the Voodoo Lady and everyone else is fantastic (especially when you compare it to the models in Escape from Monkey Island).
You must get it. And you must love it. It is your destiny.
Damn you're good. You have an extraordinary gift with words! I know you didn't anticipate a response like this, maybe you did, but I sure the hell didn't anticipate you! Your words move me like JELLO!
That was an amazing post, you should honestly be a writer or in advertisement. Wow, you are strong with words, I never anticipated to get such a response. I have an argumentative nature but I am drawn to your words like a baby to immediate danger! LOL!
I actually want to play these episodes now and just a few moments ago I was telling myself that there was no real reason to and that I'd give up on these sort of games.
I seriously feel like some naked Indian in a jungle some where and you just showed me a game boy or something and I'm going "HLY BEEP"!
You have a way with words, they should put your words on the next Statue of Liberty!
But yeah, this is a Monkey Island game for sure. No dumbed-up Guybrush, as he was portrayed in EMI. But do keep in mind that this is several years after MI5.
Couldn't agree more. I was a bit sceptic about episodic MI game at first (especially because I wasn't too hot about Telltale's SamnMax), but I can confirm they really got it this time! Part of the whole fun is waiting for next episode and guessing what will happen next
I only hope they will continue with this concept in their other series as well.
After 2 episodes I'd put ToMI up there with CMI (which is saying a lot, since CMI is one of my favorite adventures). Funny, beautiful and smart, heh, what more do you want?
Ok ok, his post was good, but you can take it too far....
Seriously, how many posts do you need to tell you that this is one GREAT addition to the Monkey island series....
I was VERY sceptical at first (thanks to EMI, and the way the caribbean was messed up by the dev's in that game), but I pre-ordered anyway because of the crew behind it... a leap of faith maybe, but it turned out to be a wise decision....
I even can;t help but think the designers completly discard EMI when it comes to "historical refferences" is this game, simpy making it the next REAL Monkey Island game.
Sure, the controls are not what the series used to have, but that takes like 2 seconds to get used to, the story is fun and the chapters are done in a true Monkey Island fashion... so each monthly chapter is just like the chapters in previous games.
And the cliffhangers are AWESOME...
There is A LOT to discover that you will probably miss when you play a chapter for the first time, so great replay value.
Sure they maybe short, but I can finish MI1 and 2 in record time nowadays (first finished the games mere days after their initial release).... does that make these games less fun???? no, offcourse not.
The same can be said for Tales... once you play, your hooked
to put it in just 3 words: GUYBRUSH IS BACK.... it's just that simple.
Don't be a fool, play the episodes now.
we begged for another MI game
we got another MI game
thats good enough for me
Theres some glitches here and there - which they arent bothering to fix - and as its in episodes... not as hard as the other MI.. but meh
Thank you ttg for reviving the series
So far the story is just as interesting and involving as any of the past games.
Playing them all together isn't a bad idea.. It will give you a better sense of the story as a whole and you'll be able to evaluate the series as a single game instead of in pieces. After the first one came out, it was like some people didn't realize that it was only "part 1" of the game and kept saying things like "It's a good game but they left out Murray!!!"
It's a bit on the easy side, but I find it makes for a more cinematic experience since you still have to use your head to know what to do next, but you don't have to keep coming back to the game, stuck in the same part for days, endlessly using everything in your inventory in every way with everything you can click on and going nowhere in the story....unless you like that sort of thing.
You can play the Demo (Which is almost like a tutorial) and see for yourself.
If you do not like what you see (style, 3D, Elaine's voice, whatever), then you can still wait for the full game or go away, but I sense you'll like it.
I have vivid memories of playing monkey island 1-3, spending days on end sat at my PC, pl
I spare myself a comment about the steering as there are enough interviews online were at least developers state how pleased they or the players are with it.
1st episode i really didn't like because it was completely different.
2nd episode big improvement, but not perfect.
it's good for a laugh when there's a rediculous phrase but he says it anyways. that's why i like monkey island games (ones with speech). if he doesn't say what you click then it makes me hate monkey island not like it.
i love the bit in ep.2 where elain is saying pleeeeeeeeeeesse lol.
You can activate it in the options
i don't mean the sound. the sound is fine. i mean when you click " oh look, a 3 headed monkey" i want him to say that and not "a golden tomato":p
For me, it's far from being an ideal Monkey Island game. The characterisations are off, the visual aesthetic isn't consistent with the early games, there's little subtelty, and the use of fantasy is somewhat jarring. However, the characters are well animated, the humour is sometimes quite funny, and the visual aesthetic is appealing in its own right.
As a fantastical, pirate comedy adventure, it's pretty darned good. As a Monkey Island sequel, not so much. I'm really enjoying the episodes, but they're far from being worthy sequels to the first three games. For maximum enjoyment, it's best to enjoy the game for what it is rather than to dwell on what it isn't or what it could have been.
I don't remember any real interleaving of puzzles between chapters in the earlier Monkey Islands. (could be false memory).
IMO, so far TOMI has been much better than the S&M series'.
Oh, sorry, I thought you were talking of the pop-up text that appears in the bottom of the screen to describe what you are clicking on ("voodoo recipe", fizzy root beer", and so on).
The game has patches to DL?
Check your version number at the lower left corner of the launch window -- for Episode 2, 1.0.0.18 is the current one with the sound fixes.
i don't think they need to make patches for the mic, rather than the screen resolution. just buy a better mic and release episode 3 already!