Return to Monkey Island Review: Ron Gilbert Finally Finishes His Story

I wanted to get something off my chest before I go into detail on Return to Monkey Island. Joe here, and while the rest of the crew are arguing about whether modern adventure games can recapture the essence of the classics, I have spent the last month playing through Ron Gilbert’s triumphant return to his own franchise. Released on September 19, 2022 (Wikipedia), this is not another modern adventure game revival cash-in. This is Gilbert finally getting to complete what he began 31 years ago.

There is something important about Return to Monkey Island that every person needs to understand: it is the first Monkey Island game designed by Ron Gilbert (IMDB) since LeChuck’s Revenge came out in 1991 (Wikipedia). That is not merely a fun factoid, it is critical to understanding why this game matters so much. The game was developed by Terrible Toybox (MobyGames), and published by Devolver Digital (Wikipedia), and serves as a direct sequel to MI2 (Wikipedia), completely disregarding everything that happened after those two games. Gilbert will now be able to provide the answers to the questions he asked himself over 30 years ago.

The game was released on PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series (PCGamingWiki) utilising the modern Unity engine (Wikipedia), yet it has the aesthetic and feel of someone who knows how to create a great adventure game. This is not nostalgia. This is a master craftsman returning to his workshop.

Gilbert Returns to Form After 3 Decades

What is most interesting about Return to Monkey Island is not what it adds to the series, but rather what it remembers about what made the original games great. Gilbert, working in conjunction with Dave Grossman (IMDB), has created an adventure that is both modern and timeless. What is fantastic? They knew that adventure games failed because developers forgot how to create a player experience based upon a player feeling smart, not frustrated.

Return to Monkey Island includes both casual and hard mode options (PCGamingWiki), but here is the beauty of it: both modes treat the player as intelligent. Casual mode takes away some of the more obtuse puzzle chain logic without dumbing down the basic problem solving. Hard mode brings back the complexity of classic adventure game design without using pixel hunting or moon logic. It is a lesson in knowing your audience.

The game begins with Guybrush telling his son the story of his adventures, which instantly establishes this as Gilbert’s definitive take on his own mythology. The framing device is not just creative, it is a declaration of intent. Gilbert is claiming ownership of his creation, and stating clearly: this is the story of Monkey Island, all other versions were interpretations of someone else.

One of the first things that is evident when you begin playing is how naturally the writing flows. Gilbert has retained his ability to write dialogue that is humorous and not forced to be funny. Guybrush remains the lovable incompetent that we have grown to love, but there is a maturity to him that reflects both the character’s growth and Gilbert’s growth as a writer. The humour is successful because it arises naturally from character interactions and absurd situations, not from forced references or meta jokes.

The Art Style That Was a Scourge to Many Fans, But Ultimately Serves the Game

Before we move on to discussing the game, let’s cover the elephant in the room that caused many fans to lose their minds prior to the launch. Rex Crowle’s stylised art direction (Wikipedia) is a massive departure from the pixel art of the original games and the cartoonish art of the subsequent games. When the first screenshots were released, forum threads erupted with criticism about the “ugly” new look. And I am going to tell you why those criticisms were wrong headed.

The art style employed by Crowle fits the storytelling better than any form of photorealism or nostalgia based pixel art could. The slightly abstract, storybook quality of the art style serves the framing narrative of Guybrush telling tales to his son. The characters are expressive and memorable, the environments are both recognisable and fresh, and the overall artistic presentation fits the game’s themes regarding the nature of storytelling.

More importantly, the art style allows for incredible animation and character expression. The facial expressions of Guybrush are more indicative of his personality than any pixel art sprite. LeChuck’s presence is menacing in a way that no amount of stylisation can diminish. The artistic decisions made by the team liberate the artists from having to recreate nostalgic memories or present the game in a realistic manner, allowing them to create a unique and fitting artistic representation for this specific story.

The environments exemplify this approach wonderfully. Melee Island is recognisable as the same location that we remember, but it is completely reimagined. New locations such as Terror Island and Brrr Muda show how the art style can adapt to fit the mood and atmosphere of each setting. The visual cohesion throughout the game creates a believable environment that feels inhabited, not constructed.

A Puzzle Design That Recalls Why We Loved Classic Adventure Games

This is where Return to Monkey Island hits it out of the park. Gilbert understands that excellent puzzle design in adventure games does not depend upon the level of difficulty, but upon logical progression and providing the player with a sense of accomplishment. Every puzzle solution is earned, not random. You are never stuck because the designer chose to hide a critical object behind a non-descript element in the background.

The inventory system has been simplified without sacrificing any depth. Inventory items are combined logically, and the game offers gentle nudges through character dialogue and environmental elements to help guide the player without hand-holding. The moment you resolve a puzzle, you feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, because the solution was there the entire time and you just had to assemble the clues.

Consider the early puzzle concerning how to bypass the lookout at the dock. In order to get past him, you have to watch the behaviour of the characters, understand the internal logic of the game, and apply the items in a way that is logical in hindsight. It is classic Monkey Island puzzle design: lateral thinking is rewarded, but never punished for being logical.

The game also presents complex puzzle chains again. Obtaining the map pieces requires the player to understand the motives of multiple characters, manipulate social dynamics, and solve environmental problems. Each puzzle builds naturally to the next, creating that addictive “just one more puzzle” sensation that characterised the golden age of the genre.

A very nice feature of Return to Monkey Island is how the game deals with the different levels of difficulty. Casual mode does not remove any steps from the puzzles, it rearranges them to keep the logical flow whilst reducing the number of potential frustration points. Hard mode adds additional layers to the puzzle but does not rely upon arbitrary solutions that plagued late 1990s adventure games and made them nearly unplayable without walkthroughs.

The Music and Voice Acting That Ties Everything Together

Michael Land and Peter McConnell (Monkey Island Fandom) returned to create the soundtrack for the game, and their work here may represent some of the greatest adventure game music ever composed. The familiar Monkey Island themes return, but in a way that is evolved, matured, and seamlessly integrated into the new music. The main theme plays during the opening sequence with subtle variations that indicate this is familiar territory but also new ground. Melee Island’s music incorporates elements from the original whilst adding layers that illustrate the passing of time. New locations receive music that feels authentically part of the Monkey Island musical universe whilst establishing each location’s own identity.

Dominic Armato (Wikipedia) returns as Guybrush, and his performance here may be the best he has given in the role. There is a weariness to his delivery that indicates a degree of maturity and character growth, while still retaining the enthusiasm that made Guybrush lovable in the first place. The supporting cast also matches his level of quality and adds depth to both returning characters and new ones.

The voice direction of the game understands that great adventure game dialogue is not about delivering lines realistically, it is about capturing the personalities of the characters and delivering comedic timing. Every single line reading in the game serves the story and character development, and maintains the slightly theatrical tone that has made Monkey Island dialogue so memorable.

Why Return to Monkey Island Matters in 2022 and Beyond

What makes Return to Monkey Island so special is that it shows how adventure games can grow and improve without abandoning the aspects that made them great. Gilbert has not simply recreated his previous work, he has shown how the genre can grow and evolve while remaining true to its core strengths.

Veterans of the series will receive the closure that they have been waiting thirty years for, while new players will have an accessible introduction to why adventure games were important. The story is both a conclusion to Gilbert’s original vision of the series and a standalone adventure that does not require an encyclopaedia of series knowledge.

Most importantly, Return to Monkey Island shows that retro revivals do not have to be static relics. This is not a game that exists solely on the basis of nostalgia. This is a modern adventure game developed by someone who understood the genre before it went astray. Every decision made in the design of the game is done to serve the game, not as a means of fan service.

The ending, without revealing any spoilers, provides a sense of finality while leaving open doors for future stories. Gilbert answered the questions that he asked in 1991 while establishing the possibility of future stories. It is a lesson in how to create a conclusive story arc without it feeling rushed or stretched.

Return to Monkey Island is successful because it remembered that adventure games were never about the puzzles, or the graphics, or the voices. They were about creating worlds where curiosity and creativity were rewarded, where stories unfolded through the player’s actions, and where humour arose naturally from absurdities and memorable characters.

This is Ron Gilbert’s magnum opus, the game he has been preparing for his entire career. It is the adventure game we should have got thirty years ago, and the one we needed in 2022. Sometimes the best way to proceed is to remember why you were special in the first place.

Joe

Joe’s a history teacher who treats the console wars like actual history. A lifelong Sega devotee from Phoenix, he writes with passion, humor, and lingering heartbreak over the Dreamcast. Expect strong opinions, bad puns, and plenty of “blast processing.”