Brutal Gamer

Tales of Monkey Island: Episode 4 (PC) Review

By Zeth - November 10, 2009 - 14:38 UTC

A BrutalGamer.com review.

Avast ye… ah I can’t be arsed with the pirate references this time…    This is the fourth episode in the ever more amusing adventures of the hap-hazard pirate Guybrush Threepwood.  After overcoming the trials and tribulations of living inside a giant Manatee in the last episode we find Guybrush being rowed against his will back to Flotsom island by his new best friend, Morgan LeFlay.  Terrified he is about to be one of the mad doctor DeSinges’ experiments Guybrush is suddenly set upon by a gaggle of pirates, some familiar some not and served with a court summons.  So begins the Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood – Mighty Pirate ™.

Guybrush faces the wrath of the pirate court

A real return to form for the boys from Telltale after the slightly lacklustre efforts of Episode 3 left me feeling a little despondent towards the next instalment.  After 30 mins I was right back in the thick of the action with Guybrush and loving it.  Plot wise this is one of the strongest episodes and you can see everything ramping up for next months season finale when episode 5 hits just before Christmas.  Graphically too the plastic edge has been toned down again; one of  my main issues with Episodes 1 and 3 and the environments – even though back on Flotsom Island ™ – are very attractive & the art style works wonders as before.

Not for the weak of stomach this scene!

Once again the voice acting is spot on.   Each character, be they returning or new, offers up a real and show worthy performance.  Without these fantastic performances the games comedic timing and efforts would be lost and they would be incredibly flat affairs.  As they stand the music and great acting help lift this episode above the others effortlessly.   The usual Monkey Island trademark tunes and ditties are in place and the new compositions are all well made and blend well.

Longevity with this episode is around 3 hours at most.  The puzzles are a little generic and recycled at times and you do get the feeling you have played all these before recently in the other episodes.  That said the time really does fly by and the ability to tackle several “cases” at once during the court section means you can continue even if a little stuck at certain times.  I won’t bang on about the strange controls yet again, you know what they are like by now – think console controller & you have the gist of it.  The humour is back on track and many laugh out loud moments can be had from this game.  This is Telltale firing on all cylinders and it shows.

Guybrush Threewood - Pirate about town

Final Thoughts:

This episode is one of, if not the, best so far.  It is firmly into the whole plot of the story, De Singe has a lot fuller role and the dynamic between Guybrush, Elaine and LeFlay is a good thing.  There are plot twists a plenty and tragedy on the horizon but this is a great purchase and as good a slice of point and click as you’ll get for your dosh.  Why not a 9 or a 10?  After all this is the best so far right?  Well yes, but it is also the most recycled so far.  It makes great use of what has gone before and the plot is great, had this been episode 2 it would of been a 9.x but as the penultimate it sits in the 8’s.  Don’t let that fool you though this is the best Tales episode yet and I can not wait for the conclusion of the season next month.

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