The Adventure Game genre, at present, is in a sorry state. The days of wandering through exciting locations (while insulting grog-filled pirates or freezing time-travelling hamsters), adventuring with only an inventory full of improbably useful items (work out what a 'Manual of Style' actually is) and a few timely witticisms from the protagonist to assist you seem at an end.
Except for the occasional standout title, such as Psychonauts or the new Sam and Max mini-episodes, there is a distinct lack of engaging, plot-driven video games on the market today. Then comes along Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, supposedly turning the tired old premise on its head by hiding a decent plot and well-written dialogue inside of an experience that too often degenerates into a point-aim-and-click shooter. Worth playing but ultimately disappointing.
Guybrush Makes Good
Just when all seems lost, a rumour or a whisper of one. Then the rumour is confirmed - Guybrush Threepwood is coming back, baby. The Secret of Monkey Island, one of the original LucasArts adventure games, was a defining title featuring an excellent plot, humourous locations and characters, suspense, fighting, and all the staples of the genre.
In order of importance, these are:
- A main premise or quest: To be a mighty pirate!
- A slightly bizarre main character or characters: Guybrush Threepwood, Winner of the Hoik-A-Loogie International
- Improbably usable objects: Big, wax lips, rubber chicken, carrot-cake-with-file, giant cotton bud, navigator's severed head, and breath mints.
- Ensemble characters: Elaine, independent women and Threepwood's love interest; Ghost Pirate Le Chuck, enemy, antagonist, ectoplasmic fiend; Threepwood's crew: Carla, The Swordmaster; Otis, layabout and newly-freed prisoner; and Meathook, who would have a great deal of trouble learning to juggle.
- Witty dialogue: [Guybrush points at gigantic idol] "That's the second biggest monkey head I've ever seen!"
Tales of Monkey Island
Now being released episodically through Telltale Games, Tales of Monkey Island starts off 10 years after the last Monkey Island game, and is being published by 95% of the original Monkey Island team. Of the original characters, Guybrush, Elaine, Le Chuck and the Voodoo Lady (who is striking similar to Tia Dalma from Pirates of the Caribbean) make a return, along with a cast of new characters, new islands to explore, and voodoo curses to recite.
If all the love and care of the previous games, and subsequent titles such as The Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle and The Dig are anything to go by, this title will be something special. Finger's crossed, that it will be the kick-start this beloved genre needs.
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