Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge Special Edition, reviewed
About eighteen years ago I first played LeChuck's Revenge on an Amiga with a fourteen inch monitor. Funny then, that now, in 2010, I'm playing the same game on a 9.7 inch screen without a mouse and keyboard in sight. Progress? Quite possibly so.
Of course, the game has also changed with the release of the special edition. High resolution graphics, more frames of animation, a digital soundtrack, and voice acting... This isn't your grumpy grandpa Gabez's Monkey Island 2, at least not on the surface. Beneath, though, beats the heart of the classic game.
It hits you the moment the familiar whistle -- a tribute to the fan version of the cue? -- starts playing at Scabb Island. It is definitely LeChuck's Revenge, but it's different. In a good way. I have played the game more times than I care to admit, and this is as close to the feeling of playing it the first time I've ever had.
Granted, I don't think it's possible to quite surpass the original version of LeChuck's Revenge, artistically speaking. Almost 20 years of nostalgia might be the cause of that, though I truly feel Purcell, Chan, and company managed to push low resolution graphics to its limits with a look that went perfectly with the tone of the game. Yet LucasArts took the style of the graphics in a different direction. It captures the feel of the original without trying to copy it. It's not as gritty or realistic; instead it's slightly cartoon-y and slightly surrealistic. It almost feels as much like a Mario Bava movie as it does Monkey Island 2. This is a good thing.
And of course, there's the music. How Jesse Harlin has managed to recreate the score digitally is beyond me, but he truly has nailed it. The iMuse might not work as seamlessly as the original MIDI version, but that's a minor complaint. This is how I imagined the soundtrack would have sounded had Bajakian, Land, and McConnell gone back and re-recorded it. Add to that the voice acting, and you have what might be the best sounding Monkey Island game so far. Heck, I even got used to Largo's voice. And Dominic Armato has outdone himself as Guybrush Threepwood. Of course he would. He's a fan, he knew what was on the line here.
The sum of all parts add up nicely here. This isn't merely a paint by the numbers conversion, which admittedly the first special edition felt like at times. This is a lovingly restored masterpiece, re-imagined, yet true to the original. I could whine about them cutting out the opening credit sequence -- the one huge mistake made -- or some of the changed lines (I doubt Visa would have sued them if they kept that joke in) but why bother? Unless you're extremely anal retentive -- and you probably are if you're reading this -- it is easy to forgive the mistakes. The end product here is truly outstanding.
I am particularly happy Ronzo, Grossman, and Schafer recorded a commentary track for key scenes. On the surface they don't reveal much -- the secret won't be known, alas -- but it's the way they interact that explains why the writing works exceptionally well in LeChuck's Revenge. Ronzo's endearingly boisterous one liners, Schafer's ten-words-a-second quips, Grossman's subtle interjections. Again, it's about the sum of all parts, and that's what makes the commentary so revealing. It's not what they say, it's how they say it. And information aside, it's all very funny.
Add the new concept art section and baby, you got yourself a stew going. A stew of awesomeness.
It's easy to complain about the mistakes made here, but why bother? I mean, really. To me, LucasArts has taken what I consider to be one of the best games of all time and made some excellent and imaginative updates to it. I'm good with that that.
Now just shut up and enjoy the damn thing.