Tales of Monkey Island: The Launch of the Screaming Narwhal

Resurrecting a much-loved series of games is a difficult and controversial task. The Monkey Island games are indisputably some of the best point-and-click titles ever created, blending humour and adventure together seamlessly. So, after a 9 year hiatus the news of a new episodic entry had me excited but apprehensive. Recapturing the atmosphere, comedy and mixture of puzzles would be a difficult task but The Launch of the Screaming Narwhal does a good job of getting this fresh instalment underway.

Developed by Telltale Games, the team that successfully revived LucasArts' classic Sam & Max, this first episode manages to retain the feel of the Monkey Island games alongside bringing full 3D to the series. In time honoured tradition the game follows the adventures of Mighty Pirate^TM, Guybrush Threepwood and his battle with nemesis LeChuck.

After spending several years gathering the items needed to finally destroy his undead adversary, his plans to defeat him go awry. LeChuck becomes human, his wife Elaine is kidnapped again and Guybrush ends up marooned on the nearby Flotsam Island, trapped due to a mysterious weather phenomenon. To make matters worse one of his hands has become possessed with LeChuck's evil and he must set about finding a way of both getting off the island and ridding his hand of the pox.

As soon as the game begins the new control system becomes apparent which isn't the good old fashioned point-and-click interface. To navigate areas you now either use the keyboard or hold down the left mouse button whilst dragging the mouse in the direction you want to walk. Undoubtedly this system will divide opinion as it is a bit of a departure from the standard format, especially for this type of adventure.

To begin with I found the system rather difficult to get used to but the more I played the easier it gets. As a control system it never really feels intuitive and dragging the mouse around the screen feels sluggish and a little unresponsive. Using the more conventional third-person keyboard controls were a lot easier and I ended up using them for the latter sections of the game. Thankfully, the controls never really detract from the experience and are only occasionally an inconvenience so it is worth bearing with them.

The rest of the Monkey Island experience remains familiar with comedy, puzzles and characters thrown together in a nice package. The voice acting is especially satisfying with Dominic Armato's Guybrush delivering on all levels. After a slightly shaky start the writing really picks up pace and delivers some classic Monkey Island dialogue. Musically, the game delivers a solid soundtrack which is never intrusive or irritating and hearing the classic theme again brings back memories.

The Launch of the Screaming Narwhal should mainly be judged on the strength of its puzzles, the core gameplay of the Monkey Island games. There is a pleasing variety to the types of puzzles which are all definitely within the traditional adventure style. Most were satisfying to complete which is always a good sign and there was only one occasion when I became frustrated. I knew what I was supposed to do, how to do it but I couldn't complete it until combining an item with a stationary object which was annoying.

A large part of Tales of Monkey Island revolves around its episodic delivery in Telltale's traditional style. As such, this first chapter feels like it is setting up the rest of the series and it doesn't quite sit comfortably on its own. New characters are largely forgettable and many only feature briefly in order to deliver a new item or to enhance the plot further. As a Monkey Island fan, I yearn for locking horns with LeChuck and the minor villain of this chapter isn't a worthy substitute. Hopefully Telltale will be able to hit their stride with the next chapters after paving the way with this initial segment.

For all the minor quibbles though, The Launch of the Screaming Narwhal felt satisfying and the chapter's cliff-hanger ending has me interested enough to count the days to the next instalment. Most importantly it is funny, well thought out and a satisfying length, taking me around 3 to 4 hours to complete at a steady pace. When bought as part of the pack it works out at £5 a chapter and this isn't likely to leave you feeling short changed. If you are a long term Monkey Island fan then this opening episode has plenty to enjoy. Where the series goes from here remains to be seen, but here's hoping the next chapter can build on a promising start.