The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

 PC
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 402 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 350 out of 402
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 402
  3. Negative: 17 out of 402

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  1. ThecriticGoD
    Mar 27, 2016
    7
    The game is really funny and it's where it all starts, it's exciting to meet all the characters and it's really fun at first, however, the puzzles in this Monkey Island are pretty ilogical compared to Curse, Escape, or Tales. Towards the end of the game you'll find yourself spamming the hint button and the worst thing is after pressing it you won't be like "oooh, so it was like that",The game is really funny and it's where it all starts, it's exciting to meet all the characters and it's really fun at first, however, the puzzles in this Monkey Island are pretty ilogical compared to Curse, Escape, or Tales. Towards the end of the game you'll find yourself spamming the hint button and the worst thing is after pressing it you won't be like "oooh, so it was like that", you'll be like "wtf, that didn't make sense", which is what you want to stay away from in an Adventure game. However, this is a very very old game so probably things were seen a different way back then but nowadays I think it's not good to abuse illogical puzzles so much. Anyways, the game is funny and interesting, it's just frustrating at times.… Expand
  2. fartheststar
    Jan 12, 2013
    6
    This game has a good humor and likeable characters going for it. I found the going at first fun, but toward the end things got to be a grind, and I had to look up some hints several times. I was glad when it was over, although like I said, I did find the humor entertaining. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of adventures, and while this was entertaining, it also held several of the sameThis game has a good humor and likeable characters going for it. I found the going at first fun, but toward the end things got to be a grind, and I had to look up some hints several times. I was glad when it was over, although like I said, I did find the humor entertaining. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of adventures, and while this was entertaining, it also held several of the same frustrations that adventure games inexplicably fall into - that make you think "how would I have ever thought to do that - and I'm not even sure why I would want to do that even knowing I should do it?" But that taken, it was entertaining with likeable characters. Play it if you have interest, but I'd guess you can find other things that would be similarly or more enjoyable.… Expand
  3. Tarkus
    Sep 27, 2009
    5
    This remake is wonderfully done: the new graphic is just great, and the voices aswell. The problem is that it is too, too, very short. It lasts like 5/6 hours or so, and in the end you feel disappointed, because you would have expected more. Honestly, I don't think it was even worth buying it, even if it's just at a very cheap price. (P.S: Don't use H key!!! The help key: This remake is wonderfully done: the new graphic is just great, and the voices aswell. The problem is that it is too, too, very short. It lasts like 5/6 hours or so, and in the end you feel disappointed, because you would have expected more. Honestly, I don't think it was even worth buying it, even if it's just at a very cheap price. (P.S: Don't use H key!!! The help key: the adventure is already so damnit short, you don't want to make it even shorter and easier than it is already...)… Expand
  4. Dco326
    Oct 15, 2021
    6
    Samo je okej, meni se ne dopadaju neke stvari i ne mogu zat oda je igram jebiga. 6 je okej nisam ni hteo da je zavrsim.
  5. damaso7
    Mar 23, 2022
    7
    Muy buenos escenarios y ambientación. Además el humor en su punto fuerte. El problema es su duración, que es corta.
  6. B-Bog
    May 21, 2022
    6
    If you want nothing more than a faithful remaster of the first Monkey Island game with enhanced graphics, sound, and added voice acting, you are going to be very pleased with this. However, I played through Tales of Monkey Island right before playing this, and the original game's design reeeeaaally shows it age, with puzzles that can be obtuse or even downright nonsensical at times andIf you want nothing more than a faithful remaster of the first Monkey Island game with enhanced graphics, sound, and added voice acting, you are going to be very pleased with this. However, I played through Tales of Monkey Island right before playing this, and the original game's design reeeeaaally shows it age, with puzzles that can be obtuse or even downright nonsensical at times and lots and lots of tedious, slow traversal that completely ruins the pacing. Waiting for Guybrush to walk across a giant map screen that is 99% useless, empty space really tends to lose its charm after the 30th time or so...

    The awkward puzzle design is somewhat offset by the hint system, but I still resorted to looking stuff up in a guide towards the end of the game, because I knew that not doing so would just mean engaging in lots and lots of tedious trial-and-error, only to arrive at a solution that would make me go : "How tf was I ever supposed to figure this one out?" Maybe even worse is when you're really going down the right route, but there's no indication that you're doing so. Like, you see a monkey, you have a banana in your inventory, you think to yourself "Hey, monkeys like bananas, I bet giving the banana to the monkey is going to advance the game in some way!" Then you do so, and absolutely NOTHING happens. In this scenario, is your first thought "Hmmm, I bet I have to feed this monkey FOUR more bananas and then something good will happen!" If it is, congratulations, your logic perfectly aligns with that of the game and you're probably going to have a grand old time.

    I also think the game would've greatly benefited from a more streamlined interface than the old-school SCUMM engine with the 9 different verbs. The process of selecting these actions is even more tedious than in the original, because you have to press extra keys to bring up the verbs and your inventory.

    So, in summary, I think this game would've been a perfect candidate for a proper remake or even reimagining, that doesn't only improve the presentation, but also addresses the flaws in the game's design. As it is, it's a great nostalgia trip for people already familiar with the original, but if you evaluate it on its own for what it is today, it really doesn't hold up all that well.    … Expand
  7. bancandrei
    May 14, 2020
    6
    This game didn't look good when I first played it on Windows 3.1 and it doesn't look good now. This is such a missed opportunity of a remake. The humor and sense of adventure make this one of the all time greats. This is the game the put PIRATES on the map

Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Best PC Game of 2009
42
#42 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
36
#36 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. IGN
    87
    Playing this adventure will take you back to a simpler, more innocent time before games needed to bash us over the head with ultra violence to get our attention. They definitely don't make 'em like this anymore.
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  2. GameSpy
    90
    If you cut your teeth on, say, Telltale's various Sam & Max or Strong Bad series, you're about to find out exactly what a hardcore adventure game plays like.
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  3. Gamers.at
    92
    Monkey Island Special Edition is the well done remake of a classic game. The controls may not be perfect, but the graphics and sound make up for it.
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