Return to Monkey Island, Proust’s irresistible Madeleine

The flashback sequence, by the way, is quite painful. In October 2012, the Disney empire acquired George Lucas’ empire Lucasfilm and everything related to it, namely the special effects company ILM, Skywalker Sound and finally Lucasfilm’s video game division LucasArts.

It is under this magnificent house that some of the greatest adventure games have been christened Point ‘n clickCreated: Saga Monkey Island, Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, Maniac Mansion, Day of Tentacle… But the big-eyed firm decided to cut LucasArts; The end of a great video game adventure that began in May 1982.

Creator of the delusional and brilliant (mis)adventures of Guybrush Trippwood, a meritorious apprentice pirate whose fortunes kept failing, Ron Gilbert was then inconsolable about this redemption, seeing the venerable license slip away irretrievably. cherishing the maddened hope of regaining the rights to the franchise from Disney, with the prospect of one day creating a new installment in the saga.

The author’s legitimate fear of seeing a fabled license rotting away at the bottom of a drawer that even people experienced in video games know in favor of using a license. Pirates of the Caribbean. “Pirates of the Caribbean is a replica of Monkey Island, which is a replica of Disneyland’s Pirates attraction. So it’s hard to be mad at Disney because I was inspired by them in the first place. Commented by Ron Gilbert.

He didn’t believe very well. Seasoned player loved Steven Spielberg Monkey IslandTed Elliott was asked to help work on the game adaptation by writing the screenplay, which he eventually abandoned in 2001. Elliott, the screenwriter of four installments of the Pirates of the Caribbean saga, including the first, will rework it. The films developed a lot of certain ideas from its aborted script and universe Monkey Island.

Divisive artistic direction

It can’t be said that last April’s announcement of a new Monkey Island game developed under the watchful eye of its original parent reignited the fire and hallowed memories. Created over two years in his creepy toy studio, Back to Monkey Island It is a direct continuation Revenge of Lechak (the second part was released in 1991), De facto ignores the following opuses.

Ron Gilbert at the time designed a narrative arc to create a trilogy, but this 3rd installment would never see the light of day, beneficially, under his supervision. The Curse of Monkey IslandReleased in 1997. So Gilbert restarts the project to finally complete his original vision of Guybrush Tripwood’s unforgettable saga.

There is a visual setting in the new game first. Designed by Rex Crowley who worked on a very nice game tearful Released in 2013, the artistic direction of Am Back to Monkey Island It will obviously not be unanimous, with its flat hues, ultimately rather sophisticated appearance, decorations and very angular characters, which the chief decorator of Dr. Caligari’s cabinet would not deny.

If the license actually passed several graphic styles, such as for example The Curse of Monkey Island who had very cell shadingOr even a game developed by Monkey Island Studio Teltale in 2009, that the new title is disturbing. At least enough time to let nostalgic gamers process this new visual identity.

An entirely assumed identity, as Ron Gilbert explained on his blog: “Return to Monkey Island may not be the art style you wanted or expected, but it’s the art style I wanted. When I started this game, my biggest fear was that Disney wouldn’t let me make the game I wanted. But it’s been great work with them” he wrote.

The mighty Proust’s Madeleine

After the visual shock, relative at least, the game delivers as distorted a story as possible – therefore, according to the license! – In a good ten hours. If it has two difficulty modes, we can only advise you to directly choose the one that offers more puzzles, sometimes dangerous, but more rewarding. The level of the so-called “Show me the monkey money!” Placing an item for you.

The good news is that the puzzles are logical, and if they sometimes experience peaks of difficulty, it is well balanced and we no longer need to associate certain objects with each other illogically in our inventory. Say goodbye to the systematic scanning of tables by clicking on the nearest pixel; A principle that has given some gray hair to veterans of the genre in past productions, including the writer of these lines.

In its global approach, moreover, the gameplay Back to Monkey Island Clearly designed to be more accessible to neophytes: a larger cursor, instant action when you try to interact with an object with a decor element, a list of tasks to perform is available in the inventory…

And even a collection of clues, if necessary, more and more accurate until you find the solution to the puzzle or mystery. It should be avoided, of course, so as not to spoil the pleasure of gently working your brain, which will also never be on fire.

Awash in fanservice and easter eggs, it spawns the delicious anachronisms that are also one of the license’s trademarks. Back to Monkey Island High is carried out by the skilled hands of the tandem of Ron Gilbert / Dave Grossman with chiseled writing. A story always full of humor (and grog) with dialogues that hit the mark every time.

Here we have to thank all the dubbing actors, starting with the talent of Dominic Armato. who voiced Guybrush Tripwood in VO. If we add music – also legendary! – brilliantly re-orchestrated by Michael Land, Peter McConnell and Clint Bakadjian, who already worked on the series in the 90s, we will have. Back to Monkey Island A game that ultimately doesn’t take too many risks, aside from its divisive art direction, of course.

It’s not bad at all, and it’s not at all what we expected after being away for so long. It is a vivid pleasure to find Proust’s mighty Madeleine, who we wish could be infinite.