A somewhat short breath of fresh air in a stagnant genre
It's not often that a passable, let alone good, adventure games comes along. Ever since Myst set the standard, few companies have tried very hard to buck convention and come up with something really different. While Destination: Treasure Island won't win any awards for groundbreaking innovation, it still manages to breathe new life into a genre that has been growing steadily more stale.
An excellent story gives the game a strong foundation. The story takes shape soon after the game starts, and develops steadily as you go on. While many adventures often leave you wondering why you're there, or why you would even want to be, there is no "what's my motivation" vaguery here. It's excellently crafted and draws you right in, and sets the backdrop for everything else.
Graphically, the game is inspiring. While 99% of the game takes place on the same island, the scenery is so vibrant and beautifully rendered that they never grow old or boring. Occasional hints of life, such as lizards, spiders, and other bugs, as well as Captain Flint (Long John's trusty parrot), contribute to a feeling of being in a real, living place. With dark, dank caves, murky swamps and brightly lit beaches, you'll feel like you've really landed on a tropical island. The immersive environment is rounded out by excellent music and ambient sound. The music underscores the adventurous, somewhat jaunty feel of the adventure. But the brightest note is struck by the voice actors. The lead character is voiced wonderfully, perfectly capturing the sweet yet bold nature of Jim Hawkins. Even the supporting characters are well played, and manage to capture that piratey essence without being hokey or contrived. I maintain that puzzle play is the most essential part of any adventure game, and Destination: Treasure Island excels. Puzzles are wonderfully logical, each feeling like a natural obstacle to overcome. Long John provides you with an "enigma" that pretty much maps out your journey without making it too easy. Amusingly, I missed one of the key clues in the enigma, and found my answer by turning to Google (and not to a walkthrough). You get the feeling of truly participating in genuine pirate behavior, rather than simply solving arbitrary puzzles. The game even recognizes creative attempts to solve puzzles, such as trying to use a lens to start a fire. It may not work, but the game understands what you were thinking. The ability to combine inventory items to create new ones, and even better, to reuse old items in new ways, contributes to the logical feel of the puzzle play. Few, if any, of the puzzles will send you running for a walkthrough, yet manage to be challenging enough to be rewarding.
My only beef with Destination: Treasure Island is that is was rather short. This is mainly due to the fact that I truly enjoyed playing the game and was simply disappointed that it was over. All in all, the game was a pure delight, leaving me hopeful for an equally wonderful sequel.