The International House of Mojo

The last chapter in the Monkey Island games tends to be a bit of a point of discussion for fans of the series. LeChuck’s Revenge? Confusing. The Curse of Monkey Island? Short and unsatisfying. Escape from Monkey Island? Something about a robot.

And I’m sure there’ll be some controversy around Tales’ last chapter, "Rise of the Pirate God," but for me, I am impressed.

In my review of "Launch of the Screaming Narwhal," I argued that Tales had the potential to rival LeChuck’s Revenge as the best game in the series, and now that I’ve made my way through the incredibly satisfying last chapter, I see nothing that will change my mind on that. But we’ll leave that for the season review. (Remi, 2024: Coming in 2024, maybe.)

As for "Pirate God," it shares the atmosphere of the final chapter in LeChuck’s Revenge. The afterworld, where, not surprisingly, the majority of the game takes place, is one of the strangest and most interesting places I’ve seen in an adventure game. It has a desolate feel, accompanied by Michael Land’s quiet and eerie soundtrack.

The world is one that is well worth exploring, as there are many hints of what happened to characters from earlier chapters (make sure to check out the tombstones), and new bizarre characters, like Galeb, are introduced. In fact, the element of mystery, a particularly important part of the first few games, is finally brought back to the limelight again. Many things are alluded to without being fully explained, leaving room for interpretations.

That’s not to say it’s all doom and gloom. The game is definitely very funny. Winslow, who’s far and away my favorite new character, plays an integral part in this chapter, and his fetish for maps (and other things) comes back into play. And the use of Guybrush’s body during his wake is, for lack of a better word, inspired. And pretty hilarious.

If there is one negative side to "Pirate God," the puzzle design is decidedly it. While there are some good puzzles to be seen -- particularly one that is a direct nod to LeChuck’s Revenge -- the majority are simple, and some downright random. I have a feeling Telltale decided the game was too short and ended up tossing some quick brain teasers in there to prolong the experience. This doesn’t entirely work, and parts of the puzzles stand out from the rest of the game in not a good way. This isn’t a showstopper or anything, but a bit annoying.

Minor criticism aside, I am highly impressed with what the Telltale team has done with the finale. Some might not like it, mostly because some might suck, but for me, this was a highly satisfying ending to season one of Tales of Monkey Island. And more importantly, many openings were left open for a season two. Just saying.

Pros

• Stellar writing and direction.
• As atmospheric as any part of Monkey Island ever has been.
• Satisfying ending.
• That music.
• Fantastic graphics.
• Earl Boen as LeChuck!

Cons

• Puzzles are a bit simple and random.

Conclusion

The game literally drips with atmosphere: A superb finale to Tales of Monkey Island.