I posted this in the video game thread, but I felt it deserved it's own thread:
Telltale Games: Tales of Monkey Island
Guybrush Threepwood returns!
Wow! I never thought I'd see the day. Now that it is here, I am not sure if I should be happy or annoyed...
I loved the first two, to the point of holding up with sacred reverance. I very much enjoyed the third one, though have always wondered what could have been had Ron Gilbert been involved and had it been made closer to the second one.
I can't say I completely hated the fourth... I had very mixed feelings about it. I could honestly say I thought it sucked... but them I could also honestly say I really liked it.
The reality of this fifth game really hasn't sunk in yet, but I have this funny feeling I am going to be a few bucks poorer the day it is released...
Hmm, really not liking Mr. Brush's new look.
Anyway, thanks for the info Banana Man!
"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape
It's being developed by Telltale Games, the guys responsible for bringing back Sam and Max; and like those games, "Tales of Monkey Island" will be in episode format. But they got Dominic Armato back to voice Guybrush!
Speaking of the first game, this is also being released soon as well:
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
It's got new graphics, full voice-overs, and live recorded music, but it's built right on top of the code for the original game. You can even switch between the old graphics and the new ones mid-game!
I just threw up a little in my mouth...
http://www.lucasarts.com/games/monkeyisland/
Most unfortunate (and somehow and in someways fortunate at the same time). But ought to be expected when something has the name "Lucas" attached to it in some way.
I guess my problem is being so attached to the original, kind of hurts my eyes to see things looking so different. I am sure this old gezer will adjust. It is kind of exciting that a new generation of degenerate and deprived little children will get to enjoy the greatness and the quirkiness that this game is.
"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape
Well, it looks like they're being extremely faithful to the original game. Like, REALLY faithful. So faithful that you can switch between old and new graphic schemes mid-game.
I'm actually really excited about this, because I thought that the addition of voice-overs in the third game gave the series exactly what it needed, and so I'm really happy that I'll now be able to play the original game with full voice-overs. Something tells me I'm going to buy this, and then just play it with the old graphics just so I can have the voice-overs. :P
Yeah, I read about being able to switch between versions and about the full voice after posting. Those are definitely exciting things, I might get this for Xbox Arcade.
My "unfortunate" comment came from seeing the new cover art... which I am still think is most unfortunate. I'll definitely be playing this with the old graphics as well. The voice overs will be great. I really hope they do the second one as well. Monkey Island II was one of the most amazing gameplay experiences of my entire childhood. That thing literally blew/warped my young mind in so many wonderful ways.
"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape
The entirety of the Dinky Island puzzles in MI 2 are some of the funniest moments in gaming history (talking to Herman Toothrot about philosophy, phoning up tech support, etc.)
The new guybrush looks as though he's had his head caught in a lift for 3 weeks.
So does LucasArts actually make their own games anymore?
The last game they made was Force Unleashed and from what i have read they have pretty much gotten rid of everyone but a few people and are no longer doing in house game development.
Their next huge title game The Old Republic is a mmo spinoff of kotor and from Bioware.
I mean they scrapped the next gen indiana jones game only to give us a shitty game like the staff of kings.
As far as i know the last jedi knight game outcast was also developed outside Lucasarts.
I remember when Lucasarts was on the top of the pc gaming world in the mid nineties with rebel assualt 1 and 2, x-wing and tie fighter, dark forces. I'm sure their were none star wars games but i never played them.
They used to make game with stellar graphics at the time, great gameplay and they along with interplay at the time were doing the CD-ROM interactive movies craze, which origin systems also got in on with a spaceflight sim/shooter wing commander.
Force Unleashed had great cut scenes on the HD next gen platforms, especially on the PS3.
If not for the awesome cutscenes and amazing music score it is just a hack and slash game that gets old rather fast. Without the gravitas of god of war. Force Powers ridiculously overdone to one up the prequels a thousand fold on the laughability scale. Again we came to having sense of disbelief being hung, drawn and quartered rather than being suspended.
I will say the game was damn fun for a few hours. But it was too easy to complete and too short. Not worth the delays and wait of 2 to 3 years.
I gave up some time ago hoping for a real KOTOR III or A Star Wars Battlefront 3. Lucasarts will continue to put out prequel related garbage like that bad clone wars game which got bad reviews seemingly from everyone.
So to wrap up a long and extra long winded post, it is no suprise luca$harts is not the developer of the new monkey island games.
All the Lucas companies should do the same and have outside talents take over. Seriously If the prequels had been handed off to someone else they would have been better, even the bad animation clone wars would be better if farmed out to pixar.
Should Lucas just close up shop and just be a visual effects studio for games and movies,lol.
“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.
Well, this new Monkey Island series is developed by Telltale Games, which consists of a bunch of former Lucasarts employees. It looks like they're basically trying to bring back all the stuff that the fans love but Lucasarts doesn't seem to give a rat's ass about. In fact, I believe that their Sam and Max series resulted from the fact that the team was working on a Sam and Max sequel for Lucasarts, but Lucasarts canceled the game, so they quit, formed their own team, licensed the rights from Steve Purcell, and made their own games.
TL;DR
Telltale Games = Rebel Alliance
Lucasarts = Empire
Tales of Monkey Island is just moments away from release! AAAAHHHH!!!!
Be sure to let us know how it is. Had this happened about five years ago, I'd be semi-euphoric right now, but as it is, I am really not even feeling all that interested in it. Perhaps as the insanely good reviews start flowing in, and LucasArts announces their regret for having missed out on the opportunity of making another Monkey Island because of the astronomical success of the new series, the Monkey Island addict in me will start to awaken. But for some reason he is sleeping like a baby, perfectly content with the many hours spent on the previous installments.
Also, be sure to let me know if Murray! The evil demonic skull makes an appearance. The first time he told me he was going to roll through the gates of hell with my head on a pike, I was endeared to him forever.
"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape