Make no mistake: Monkey Island is back. BIG TIME :)
Sure, Escape from Monkey Island was a bit.... different from the classics Monkeys 1, 2 and 3. Especially for one big factor: the 3D graphics. They weren't bad, but they also weren't THAT good. So, a lot of people said: "No 3D for Monkey Island".
But hey, this time, the guys at Telltale nailed it just about right.
Let me just put this simple: if you liked previous Monkey Islands, you'll love this one.
The graphics might seem a little odd at first, especially with Guybrush's new look, but, 2 min. ingame, and you'll just love the way it all fits toghether. The lightning, the movements, the eye movement and even the brows seem alive. It all moves and feels nice.
Not only the graphics are up-to Monkey standards, but the character design also. Guybrush's witty, yet silly comments will make you laugh as hell. LeChuk's oddly-pronounced menaces will remind you those of the classic Curse of Monkey Island (IMO, the best in the series).
The audio design/voice acting is also great! The music feels only natural for a Monkey game, and the voice acting, as always, is superb.
Now about the interface part, I have to admit it felt a little awkward at first the way the character walks, which means you have to use a keyboard or mantain the mouse button pressed while you move it swiftly towards the direction you want the character to move. But, i also admit, after a few minutes playing, this will just feel natural. You'll get used to it quickly.
You'll be talking with a lot of characters in this episode, some skinny, some fat, some sorta french (?), with a lot of conversation options, some that are sure to make you laugh :).
The inventory system, luckily, allows to combine items to create a new one, just as in old Monkeys, but in contrast with the other Telltale games. I have to say this new implementation is superb, and that Tales of MI would'n have been the same without it.
The puzzles seem, however, a little bit less difficult than that of previous games in the series. In an interview i saw with the Telltale designers, one of them said that designers were not in the business of "beating the players" anymore, or something like that. Which, IMO, is only noticeable in this episode. While it's fun and engaging, it's a bit too easy-going. This may be a bad thing for some, a good thing for some newcomers, and nothing that special for some others.
I liked the way this chapter developed and believe me, it delivered everithing I was hoping for, and more.
My hope is that we'll see some high-difficulty puzzles in one of the chapters ahead, but it's just a minor detail that doesn't change the fact that this game is awesome.
So, in conclusion: Telltale's revival of old-series Monkey Island seems very promising. The first episode in this new part of the series felt good, and nice, and reawakened that long-lost feeling that can only come from a Monkey Island series.
Newcomers: you're in for one hell of a ride.
Long-time fans: you won't be dissapointed.
See ya!