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Monkey Island something-or-other announced, Jason bows his head in shame 04 Apr, 2022 / 66 comments

More to come.

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Official web site. Ron Gilbert, Dave Grossman, Land, McConnell, and Bajakian reportedly onboard. (See what I did there?!) Oh, and Dom, too!

Rex Crowle of Knights And Bikes confirmed as art director.

David Fox confirmed as lead programmer. We've heard murmurs about some other familiar name -- more to come.

Khris Brown is on as casting and voice direction.

Robert Megone of Thimbleweed Park-fame is joining in, too.

Ronzo has confirmed that CMI is canon; presumable EMI and TMI are, too. Do note the retcon in the trailer, though: the seagull that was killed off in TMI is back. Devolver state that the game "picks up where Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge left off".

For German fans: Marcel Weyers is translating Kehre Zur Affeninsel Zurück .

Want the trailer music in MP3 format? Mojo provides because Mojo loves you.

Jenn Sandercock is a producer on the game -- she previously worked on Thimbleweed Park.

Jared Emerson-Johnson confirmed as a music producer.

Noah Falstein pulled rank and got in on the playesting.

Known fanboy Elijah Wood raised his grog to the news.

Alexandra Boyd says, "there is only one true Elaine!" and jumps back into action.

Perhaps most strikingly of all, both The SCUMM Bar and The Legend of MI have had no choice but to update their front pages in the wake of all this. I guess that’s just something Ron will have to live with.

66

66 Comments

  • Avatar
    madmardi on 20 Apr, 2022, 07:14…
    !!! I still can't believe the news! In fact, after lurking around Mojo for the past 20+ years, this announcement finally impelled me to create an account and post. Seriously. I still can't believe this is happening - when I saw the speculation I was instantly convinced that it was just another silly April Fool's joke. (Or maybe, deep inside, I was afraid of having hope... and then having that hope smashed to smithereens and my feelings torn apart again, while I cried shamelessly in the corner for days... thanks for that Mojo - I still don't forgive you. :P)

    Ahem.

    Honestly, I don't know what to say. This announcement is filling me with the same giddy excitement as when I walked into an electronics store in my teens I saw that that there was a new Monkey Island game out called 'Curse of Monkey Island,' and then years later when I saw the announcements for Escape and Tales. Seriously, I feel like a kid again. This is going to be amazing!!!
  • Avatar of the CEO
    Thrik on 09 Apr, 2022, 17:35…

    ernestd

    Everyone has their own true monkey. But they are not making mi6 now, they are making 3a. So let us have the old school pixelated and old narrative version of the game the same way you had the many more modern versions all these years.


    Sounds like you don’t want the game Ron Gilbert is currently making then. A shame.
  • Avatar
    Jason on 09 Apr, 2022, 12:44…

    ernestd

    Jason

    YES! There is no more decisive evidence that we have a living community again than when people start inflexibly asserting what a "true" Monkey Island game looks and plays like to the extreme of parody. This is exciting.



    Everyone has their own true monkey. But they are not making mi6 now, they are making 3a. So let us have the old school pixelated and old narrative version of the game the same way you had the many more modern versions all these years.



    "Us vs. You"
  • Avatar
    ernestd on 09 Apr, 2022, 08:56…

    Jason

    YES! There is no more decisive evidence that we have a living community again than when people start inflexibly asserting what a "true" Monkey Island game looks and plays like to the extreme of parody. This is exciting.



    Everyone has their own true monkey. But they are not making mi6 now, they are making 3a. So let us have the old school pixelated and old narrative version of the game the same way you had the many more modern versions all these years.
  • Avatar
    kaysayva on 07 Apr, 2022, 10:03…
    and as why 3D can be acceptable but not 2.5D: two main reasons: 1) because i see 2.5D characters as shredded bricks, each part of a skeleton doesn't feel related, not organic.
    2) i hate mutation, i only believe in natural beauty, that's why i hate CEL shaded 3D to death too
  • Avatar
    kaysayva on 07 Apr, 2022, 09:47…

    Thrik

    Damn kaysayva, you must have really hated the parts of CMI that were drawn using 3D models.

    Personally, I don’t see a lack of artistry in tweening at all. It’s a widely used technique in the ‘proper’ animation industry and in the hands of skilled animators who pair it with hand-crafted keyframes it looks excellent.

    In any case, it is what it is. Sitting here and arguing the merits of animation techniques really means very little because the game is out soon, and these are the creative choices made by the development team helmed by Ron.

    I’m personally going in open to thoroughly enjoying whatever they came up with for their game, rather than losing my mind over whether the art style matches up with what I personally specifically wanted as a fan.



    not really,CMI's 3D was good, and some were very good actually. i am not against 3D, i am against BAD 3D, and it becomes worse with full 3D (King's Quest: Mask of Eternity for example) <- yikes
    3d with pre-rendered BGs is way more better fit for adventure games.

    and btw, you didn't pay attention to the context it seems. i noted early that this argument wont change anything, just replying for the sake of reality.
    and i surely gonna play the heck out of this game, and gonna enjoy the nitpicking too :P

  • Avatar of the CEO
    Thrik on 07 Apr, 2022, 07:22…
    Damn kaysayva, you must have really hated the parts of CMI that were drawn using 3D models.

    Personally, I don’t see a lack of artistry in tweening at all. It’s a widely used technique in the ‘proper’ animation industry and in the hands of skilled animators who pair it with hand-crafted keyframes it looks excellent.

    In any case, it is what it is. Sitting here and arguing the merits of animation techniques really means very little because the game is out soon, and these are the creative choices made by the development team helmed by Ron.

    I’m personally going in open to thoroughly enjoying whatever they came up with for their game, rather than losing my mind over whether the art style matches up with what I personally specifically wanted as a fan.
  • Avatar
    TimeGentleman on 07 Apr, 2022, 07:13…

    KestrelPi


    it is an inarguable fact that EVERY monkey island game ever made (including 1 and 2!) has had a different artstyle to the previous.



    Actually, Monkey Island 1 didn't have a different artstyle to the previous game :p
  • Avatar
    kaysayva on 07 Apr, 2022, 01:00…

    KestrelPi

    kaysayva

    KestrelPi

    Goury1

    kaysayva

    ernestd

    kaysayva

    i think this art style is a better fit without a doubt for monkey island https://youtu.be/aMcJ1Jvtef0?t=4000

    i find it to be weird of ron that he chose this art style, because he stated many times that he didn't appreciate COMI's art style (while it is 1000% better than the current chosen one) and even more in 2013 he stated that if he would make another MI game, he'd choose pixel art. unfortunately they didn't!
    oh well, will see how it goes, since the game seems to be already near finished, complaining won't change anything.



    You are not wrong because it's a matter of taste. But if it's the 3rd part of a trilogy the most logic thing would be to go for the style of the first 2 parts and be brave enough to do it, specially since they already went exactly for that in Thimbleweed Park just recently.



    i was expecting thimbleweed's art style. however i personally didn't like the character design in thimbleweed, because it is mimicking maniac mansion's dullness, i dunno why they did not go with DOTT's characters style for instance. or even full throttle for a better suiting dark theme.



    I'm holding my judgement of the art style off for now. After all we only see one little scene in the trailer. I will need to see more backgrounds and characters - particularly Guybrush and LeChuck - to make my own assesment of it



    Rex Crowle is a brilliant artist and art director, and I think when we see the whole thing in action people will see that it's great.

    I'll admit that it's a different sort of look for MI and might not be to everyone's tastes... but hasn't that always been the case with MI. The first two were pixel art, but in rather different styles with different background artists. CMI was a completely new style that was controversial at the time, and some still don't like. And then of course the move to 3D. So even if you don't like this style, I think it's fair to say that MI has never had an established 'house style'



    i sincerely say as a non-apologetic person: that is not quite true, your comparison is not accurate, because you are comparing the flashy 2.5D with real 2D!
    sorry but i am a 2.5d phobic! i just can't like it, and in my opinion it shouldn't be even compared to real 2d hand animated sprites...not even close



    I didn't even mention 2.5d or 2D or whatever. As I said, you can like or not likw whatever styles you want, but it is an inarguable fact that EVERY monkey island game ever made (including 1 and 2!) has had a different artstyle to the previous. And so we should be completely unsurprised that something else is being tried again.



    when you said: "but hasn't that always been the case with MI?" and "Rex Crowle is a brilliant artist" it seemed like a justification because what i understood is that yeah it is okay to take the risk in this game because they already took the risk in COMI and EMI. what i am saying is: the first 3 games are the core games to compare with because they are real 2d games, and COMi is appreciated very much by any body who has a sense of art because it is an amazing hand work, so if some people didn't like COMI's style back then, thats not related to my point, it is related to some people not wanting the cartoonish theme. and i here am complaining about hand drawn vs cheesy auto generated animations in the likes of flash, spine, unity, etc. so it is a core problem, not a theme problem.
    unless you are comparing with the unappreciated leap from 2d to 3d, then yeah, and that's the whole point! because it was a failure, and a big one too.

  • Avatar
    KestrelPi on 06 Apr, 2022, 17:43…

    kaysayva

    KestrelPi

    Goury1

    kaysayva

    ernestd

    kaysayva

    i think this art style is a better fit without a doubt for monkey island https://youtu.be/aMcJ1Jvtef0?t=4000

    i find it to be weird of ron that he chose this art style, because he stated many times that he didn't appreciate COMI's art style (while it is 1000% better than the current chosen one) and even more in 2013 he stated that if he would make another MI game, he'd choose pixel art. unfortunately they didn't!
    oh well, will see how it goes, since the game seems to be already near finished, complaining won't change anything.



    You are not wrong because it's a matter of taste. But if it's the 3rd part of a trilogy the most logic thing would be to go for the style of the first 2 parts and be brave enough to do it, specially since they already went exactly for that in Thimbleweed Park just recently.



    i was expecting thimbleweed's art style. however i personally didn't like the character design in thimbleweed, because it is mimicking maniac mansion's dullness, i dunno why they did not go with DOTT's characters style for instance. or even full throttle for a better suiting dark theme.



    I'm holding my judgement of the art style off for now. After all we only see one little scene in the trailer. I will need to see more backgrounds and characters - particularly Guybrush and LeChuck - to make my own assesment of it



    Rex Crowle is a brilliant artist and art director, and I think when we see the whole thing in action people will see that it's great.

    I'll admit that it's a different sort of look for MI and might not be to everyone's tastes... but hasn't that always been the case with MI. The first two were pixel art, but in rather different styles with different background artists. CMI was a completely new style that was controversial at the time, and some still don't like. And then of course the move to 3D. So even if you don't like this style, I think it's fair to say that MI has never had an established 'house style'



    i sincerely say as a non-apologetic person: that is not quite true, your comparison is not accurate, because you are comparing the flashy 2.5D with real 2D!
    sorry but i am a 2.5d phobic! i just can't like it, and in my opinion it shouldn't be even compared to real 2d hand animated sprites...not even close



    I didn't even mention 2.5d or 2D or whatever. As I said, you can like or not likw whatever styles you want, but it is an inarguable fact that EVERY monkey island game ever made (including 1 and 2!) has had a different artstyle to the previous. And so we should be completely unsurprised that something else is being tried again.
  • Avatar
    Jason on 06 Apr, 2022, 13:43…
    YES! There is no more decisive evidence that we have a living community again than when people start inflexibly asserting what a "true" Monkey Island game looks and plays like to the extreme of parody. This is exciting.
  • Avatar
    kaysayva on 06 Apr, 2022, 13:25…
    please guys, this mixing gotta stop, it is not a matter of opinion, nor taste, this here is reality.
    2.5d is a mutation, it fits the low budget fanny small companies. so considering it as a proper adventure game art style is a crime.
    not even 3d is proper, the 3d era destroyed the adventure industry anyways (take Full throttle 2 for example) that 3D craze was not adventure's friendly at all, and it is easy to say that the succeeded ones (like Grim fandango) were a slip of luck.
  • Avatar
    kaysayva on 06 Apr, 2022, 12:51…

    KestrelPi

    Goury1

    kaysayva

    ernestd

    kaysayva

    i think this art style is a better fit without a doubt for monkey island https://youtu.be/aMcJ1Jvtef0?t=4000

    i find it to be weird of ron that he chose this art style, because he stated many times that he didn't appreciate COMI's art style (while it is 1000% better than the current chosen one) and even more in 2013 he stated that if he would make another MI game, he'd choose pixel art. unfortunately they didn't!
    oh well, will see how it goes, since the game seems to be already near finished, complaining won't change anything.



    You are not wrong because it's a matter of taste. But if it's the 3rd part of a trilogy the most logic thing would be to go for the style of the first 2 parts and be brave enough to do it, specially since they already went exactly for that in Thimbleweed Park just recently.



    i was expecting thimbleweed's art style. however i personally didn't like the character design in thimbleweed, because it is mimicking maniac mansion's dullness, i dunno why they did not go with DOTT's characters style for instance. or even full throttle for a better suiting dark theme.



    I'm holding my judgement of the art style off for now. After all we only see one little scene in the trailer. I will need to see more backgrounds and characters - particularly Guybrush and LeChuck - to make my own assesment of it



    Rex Crowle is a brilliant artist and art director, and I think when we see the whole thing in action people will see that it's great.

    I'll admit that it's a different sort of look for MI and might not be to everyone's tastes... but hasn't that always been the case with MI. The first two were pixel art, but in rather different styles with different background artists. CMI was a completely new style that was controversial at the time, and some still don't like. And then of course the move to 3D. So even if you don't like this style, I think it's fair to say that MI has never had an established 'house style'



    i sincerely say as a non-apologetic person: that is not quite true, your comparison is not accurate, because you are comparing the flashy 2.5D with real 2D!
    sorry but i am a 2.5d phobic! i just can't like it, and in my opinion it shouldn't be even compared to real 2d hand animated sprites...not even close
  • Avatar
    KestrelPi on 06 Apr, 2022, 12:28…

    Goury1

    kaysayva

    ernestd

    kaysayva

    i think this art style is a better fit without a doubt for monkey island https://youtu.be/aMcJ1Jvtef0?t=4000

    i find it to be weird of ron that he chose this art style, because he stated many times that he didn't appreciate COMI's art style (while it is 1000% better than the current chosen one) and even more in 2013 he stated that if he would make another MI game, he'd choose pixel art. unfortunately they didn't!
    oh well, will see how it goes, since the game seems to be already near finished, complaining won't change anything.



    You are not wrong because it's a matter of taste. But if it's the 3rd part of a trilogy the most logic thing would be to go for the style of the first 2 parts and be brave enough to do it, specially since they already went exactly for that in Thimbleweed Park just recently.



    i was expecting thimbleweed's art style. however i personally didn't like the character design in thimbleweed, because it is mimicking maniac mansion's dullness, i dunno why they did not go with DOTT's characters style for instance. or even full throttle for a better suiting dark theme.



    I'm holding my judgement of the art style off for now. After all we only see one little scene in the trailer. I will need to see more backgrounds and characters - particularly Guybrush and LeChuck - to make my own assesment of it



    Rex Crowle is a brilliant artist and art director, and I think when we see the whole thing in action people will see that it's great.

    I'll admit that it's a different sort of look for MI and might not be to everyone's tastes... but hasn't that always been the case with MI. The first two were pixel art, but in rather different styles with different background artists. CMI was a completely new style that was controversial at the time, and some still don't like. And then of course the move to 3D. So even if you don't like this style, I think it's fair to say that MI has never had an established 'house style'
  • Avatar
    Goury1 on 06 Apr, 2022, 07:19…

    kaysayva

    ernestd

    kaysayva

    i think this art style is a better fit without a doubt for monkey island https://youtu.be/aMcJ1Jvtef0?t=4000

    i find it to be weird of ron that he chose this art style, because he stated many times that he didn't appreciate COMI's art style (while it is 1000% better than the current chosen one) and even more in 2013 he stated that if he would make another MI game, he'd choose pixel art. unfortunately they didn't!
    oh well, will see how it goes, since the game seems to be already near finished, complaining won't change anything.



    You are not wrong because it's a matter of taste. But if it's the 3rd part of a trilogy the most logic thing would be to go for the style of the first 2 parts and be brave enough to do it, specially since they already went exactly for that in Thimbleweed Park just recently.



    i was expecting thimbleweed's art style. however i personally didn't like the character design in thimbleweed, because it is mimicking maniac mansion's dullness, i dunno why they did not go with DOTT's characters style for instance. or even full throttle for a better suiting dark theme.



    I'm holding my judgement of the art style off for now. After all we only see one little scene in the trailer. I will need to see more backgrounds and characters - particularly Guybrush and LeChuck - to make my own assesment of it
  • Avatar
    Goury1 on 06 Apr, 2022, 07:01…
    I'm mostly curiopus about two things:

    1) Is LeChuck actually Guybrash's brother?

    2) Will Largo LeGrande make an appearence?
  • Avatar
    kaysayva on 06 Apr, 2022, 06:59…

    ernestd

    kaysayva

    i think this art style is a better fit without a doubt for monkey island https://youtu.be/aMcJ1Jvtef0?t=4000

    i find it to be weird of ron that he chose this art style, because he stated many times that he didn't appreciate COMI's art style (while it is 1000% better than the current chosen one) and even more in 2013 he stated that if he would make another MI game, he'd choose pixel art. unfortunately they didn't!
    oh well, will see how it goes, since the game seems to be already near finished, complaining won't change anything.



    You are not wrong because it's a matter of taste. But if it's the 3rd part of a trilogy the most logic thing would be to go for the style of the first 2 parts and be brave enough to do it, specially since they already went exactly for that in Thimbleweed Park just recently.



    i was expecting thimbleweed's art style. however i personally didn't like the character design in thimbleweed, because it is mimicking maniac mansion's dullness, i dunno why they did not go with DOTT's characters style for instance. or even full throttle for a better suiting dark theme.
  • Avatar
    ernestd on 06 Apr, 2022, 06:18…

    kaysayva

    i think this art style is a better fit without a doubt for monkey island https://youtu.be/aMcJ1Jvtef0?t=4000

    i find it to be weird of ron that he chose this art style, because he stated many times that he didn't appreciate COMI's art style (while it is 1000% better than the current chosen one) and even more in 2013 he stated that if he would make another MI game, he'd choose pixel art. unfortunately they didn't!
    oh well, will see how it goes, since the game seems to be already near finished, complaining won't change anything.



    You are not wrong because it's a matter of taste. But if it's the 3rd part of a trilogy the most logic thing would be to go for the style of the first 2 parts and be brave enough to do it, specially since they already went exactly for that in Thimbleweed Park just recently.
  • Avatar
    kaysayva on 06 Apr, 2022, 05:14…
    i think this art style is a better fit without a doubt for monkey island https://youtu.be/aMcJ1Jvtef0?t=4000

    i find it to be weird of ron that he chose this art style, because he stated many times that he didn't appreciate COMI's art style (while it is 1000% better than the current chosen one) and even more in 2013 he stated that if he would make another MI game, he'd choose pixel art. unfortunately they didn't!
    oh well, will see how it goes, since the game seems to be already near finished, complaining won't change anything.
  • Avatar
    Metallus on 05 Apr, 2022, 22:45…

    Thrik

    Oh my god, everyone! Oh my god.



    Worms in 2023
  • Avatar
    Goury1 on 05 Apr, 2022, 21:35…

    Jason

    If you wanted to achieve maximum dorkdom on this, you could point out that alternate timelines are already established in this series. Toward the end of MI1, an action you take (or fail to take) will determine whether you go back to Mêlée Island on the Sea Monkey with your crew and abandon Herman Toothrot, or you abandon the crew and return to Mêlée with Herman on his secret ship. The storyline of Escape from Monkey Island establishes the latter scenario to be canon. Who’s to say what happened in the timeline where Guybrush’s old crew doesn’t hate him? Butterflies and tsunamis, and all that.



    And after all, the Voodo Lady in MI2 confirms that Big Whoop holds the secret of another world.
  • Avatar
    Jason on 05 Apr, 2022, 21:15…
    If you wanted to achieve maximum dorkdom on this, you could point out that alternate timelines are already established in this series. Toward the end of MI1, an action you take (or fail to take) will determine whether you go back to Mêlée Island on the Sea Monkey with your crew and abandon Herman Toothrot, or you abandon the crew and return to Mêlée with Herman on his secret ship. The storyline of Escape from Monkey Island establishes the latter scenario to be canon. Who’s to say what happened in the timeline where Guybrush’s old crew doesn’t hate him? Butterflies and tsunamis, and all that.
  • Avatar
    Remi on 05 Apr, 2022, 21:00…

    Goury1

    I'm guessing that the new game will introduce the concept of multiple realities. The introduction of the multiverse is the only way for Ron to be able to tell his own version of the story and still keep COMI intact. This is my bet.



    Agree. See Twin Peaks: The Return.

  • Avatar
    Goury1 on 05 Apr, 2022, 20:36…
    I'm guessing that the new game will introduce the concept of multiple realities. The introduction of the multiverse is the only way for Ron to be able to tell his own version of the story and still keep COMI intact. This is my bet.
  • Avatar
    Jason on 05 Apr, 2022, 16:16…

    siozo

    Did anyone catch that they are using the original font for the Monkey Island title?



    Yes. Though it ought to be such a small and superficial detail, bringing back the original logo was in the moment almost as "legitimizing" to me as the participation of Ron and Dave.

    That new logo that was imposed on the special editions and TMI seemed so pointless to me. You can just imagine some marketing people in a board room somewhere going, "We have to REFRESH this brand! Our pie charts prove that the best way to manifest this aim is with a new logo that looks...vaguely like the old one was stepped on." Somebody was eager to justify their job that day. ;
  • Avatar
    siozo on 05 Apr, 2022, 16:02…
    Did anyone catch that they are using the original font for the Monkey Island title?
  • Avatar
    ernestd on 05 Apr, 2022, 15:33…

    Kroms

    ernestd

    Why is CMI even mentioned in the comments?
    The premise has always been 'what game Ron would have made to end the trilogy if he hadn't left the project?'. Period. A glorious 'what if'.
    The newer generations have had plenty of posterior versions of MI to enjoy.
    Let the old schoolers enjoy the trilogy this time after so many years.


    "MI3 doesn't go out of canon. We were very careful about that. Murray is in this game."

    https://twitter.com/grumpygamer/status/1511022135191384067?

    CMI is great, anyway.



    Yeah. I saw. And that's a big mistake imho. Nobody said CMI is not great. But that's totally a separate conversation.
  • Avatar
    KestrelPi on 05 Apr, 2022, 13:05…
    I for one am glad that RG seems to have softened his approach a little bit. I didn't really care about the what-ifs, and I always thought that as series went, MI didn't get dealt the WORST hand a series could be dealt after Ron left.

    A pretty great 3, a fairly bad 4, and a decent episodic series, I'd be more interested in seeing him just dealing with the hand he is dealt than resetting.

    This new approach also seems a bit more collaborative than the one he's had in the past, and that's welcome. Immediately announcing familiar names is welcome. The inclusion of Khris Brown I think shows the sort of attention to detail I want to see out of a project like this. Rex Crowle is a great choice to put his own visual stamp on the game if the original art team aren't available. And besides, by now the series has a history of experimenting with new art styles.

    As for what we've seen... weirdly a lot of emphasis on Melee island and the ghost pirates, huhm, and not much reference to the events of MI2. What's all that about? I predict time shenanigans, or something adjacent to that.
  • Avatar
    Kroms on 05 Apr, 2022, 06:48…

    ernestd

    Why is CMI even mentioned in the comments?
    The premise has always been 'what game Ron would have made to end the trilogy if he hadn't left the project?'. Period. A glorious 'what if'.
    The newer generations have had plenty of posterior versions of MI to enjoy.
    Let the old schoolers enjoy the trilogy this time after so many years.


    "MI3 doesn't go out of canon. We were very careful about that. Murray is in this game."

    https://twitter.com/grumpygamer/status/1511022135191384067?

    CMI is great, anyway.
  • Avatar
    HoagieLaRue on 05 Apr, 2022, 05:39…
    Like Krhil01, I'm a long time lurker that was forced to register and post my excitement. I wouldn't describe myself as "giddy" very often, but it applies to seeing this news.

    But man, the Limited Run anthology box didn't even make it 4 months before becoming obsolete. Sigh...off it goes to the trash bin I guess. /s
  • Avatar
    ernestd on 05 Apr, 2022, 05:39…
    Why is CMI even mentioned in the comments?
    The premise has always been 'what game Ron would have made to end the trilogy if he hadn't left the project?'. Period. A glorious 'what if'.
    The newer generations have had plenty of posterior versions of MI to enjoy.
    Let the old schoolers enjoy the trilogy this time after so many years.
  • Avatar
    LechuckMarley on 05 Apr, 2022, 01:59…

    ThunderPeel2001


    So basically we'll be spending more in the Carnival of the Damned. (And maybe get to play as Elaine who rescues him.)



    And as we all know, there was the lift to Melee from the tunnels
  • Avatar
    jp-30 on 05 Apr, 2022, 00:32…
    I got a promotion this morning, a big pay rise, Ron Gilbert's new Monkey Island announced, but I failed Wordle - first time ever. So... a real mixed bag today.
  • Avatar
    St_Eddie on 04 Apr, 2022, 22:41…
  • Avatar
    Carlius on 04 Apr, 2022, 20:49…
    What wonderful news!
    It will be interesting to see what plot points from CMI, EMI and TMI might bridge over to RMI. IMO one of the more interesting aspects was TMI's Voodoo lady good/evil ambiguity.
  • Avatar
    AlfredJ on 04 Apr, 2022, 19:36…

    Redbeard_1973

    Oh man. This actually makes me so happy!

    Regarding everybody asking for the secret: Isn't an entrance to hell (which can only be navigated through using a severed head) you can access through a giant monkey head enough of a secret?



    Oh yeah I agree. It's more that The Secret has gained a lot of speculation after the fact, with the running jokes in later games and Ron hinting about it when talking about his (then!) hypothetical third game. I never really gave it much weight since Ron's third game seemed impossible for so long. I just took it as a joke about the title of the first game. For all I care, the secret could be where Herman Toothrot's missing banana picker was.

    But, given all the years that have passed since then and the way those conversations evolved (and now that that 3rd game is actually happening), I'm sure they'll talk about the secret in some way. Maybe it'll be a big revelation that's central to the plot, maybe it'll just be some jokes. I'm fine with whatever they're doing, I don't need it to be something big (or present at all), but I'm happy to see what they've got cooking. As long as Guybrush is there and there's adventure and jokes, I'm happy.
  • Avatar
    Bloodnose on 04 Apr, 2022, 19:32…
    Ron just gave mojo a reason to exist for another 20 years
  • Avatar
    Bloodnose on 04 Apr, 2022, 19:32…
    Ron just gave mojo a reason to exist for another 20 years
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    Redbeard_1973 on 04 Apr, 2022, 19:18…
    Oh man. This actually makes me so happy!

    Regarding everybody asking for the secret: Isn't an entrance to hell (which can only be navigated through using a severed head) you can access through a giant monkey head enough of a secret?
  • Avatar
    AlfredJ on 04 Apr, 2022, 19:01…
    Additional thought:

    If we assume this game takes place between 2 and 3, and ìf we assume we're going to learn The Secret, that would make Guybrush continually asking other characters about the secret in later games a contradiction.

    Mind you, I'm still not sure there ìs an actual secret to be revealed, but given the fact that this game exists and who's making it, I'm sure the subject will at least come up.

    (And just to be clear, I don't even particularly care about these larger lore questions, but it's fun to speculate. I'm mostly just deliriously happy this game is happening at all, and I just can't wait to walk around some docks asking silly questions to random pirates. Whatever we're getting, I'm happy. Playing around with the larger Monkey Island myths is just a bonus, not the essence for me).
  • Avatar
    QueZTone on 04 Apr, 2022, 19:00…
    Oh goody!
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    AlfredJ on 04 Apr, 2022, 18:47…

    ThunderPeel2001

    Jason

    Yeah. There's no rule that says Ron has to accomodate any of the canon if he wants to style this as the "real" continuation, but on the other hand MI2 ending was such an open-ended gauntlet throw that in theory Ron could do absolutely anything he wanted for his mythic MI3a and just contrive a way to throw Guybrush on a bumper car at the end. He really doesn't have to do much bending to have it work both ways.



    Yep, exactly. There's such a huge gap between Guybrush as a child in a themepark with a demonic brother (and Elaine waiting outside on Dinky) to Guybrush on a bumper car in the middle of the sea (and Elaine fighting LeChuck). He could do whatever he wants and still tell a hell of a story.

    I just rewatched CMI's opening and they really don't explain anything. They just leave the bumper car to explain (and LeChuck making a reference to the "Carnival of the Damned").

    I foresee a CMI:SE in the distant future if Return to MI goes down well.



    Interesting theory, although the first scene with Murray in Curse makes it pretty clear it's the first time Guybrush meets him. If Murray is in this new game, that might be tricky. Unless I'm misremembering. Or Guybrush gets knocked on the head towards the end and forgets meeting Murray, like C3P0 at the end of the prequels (that's what happened there I think? Not rewatching those).

    Still, it's a good theory. They seem to make it pretty clear this will follow directly from the ending of MI2, and Ron's comment about them being careful about keeping Curse in the canon is interesting. You guys might be onto something here.

    I personally just assumed they'd start a new adventure, reference mostly the first 2 games, without actively contradicting the 3 games inbetween. But I'm starting to warm to the idea of the game actually taking place before Curse.
  • Avatar
    Scott S on 04 Apr, 2022, 18:20…
    Hello, Joy.

    Glo_kidd

    I am so ridiculously happy today :) im going to need some time to gather myself before my comments make sense. I am Joy



  • Avatar
    ThunderPeel2001 on 04 Apr, 2022, 18:09…

    Utwarrior

    Interesting tweet from 2009 showing how Guybrush could look like: https://twitter.com/grumpygamer/status/2517181729

    Yes, it's a fan art from Rex Crowle, the same art director involved in the new game.



    Great find! It seems Ron has been thinking about this since at least 2009.
  • Avatar
    Jason on 04 Apr, 2022, 18:08…

    Scott S

    You all seem very excited, but surely this is an April fool's. Isn't it?



    Yes, people are jumping the gun here. How hard can it be to get Denny Delk into a sound booth? Heck, we got Dom involved for our April Fools joke.

    And don't even get me started on those "round earth" fanatics.
  • Avatar
    Scott S on 04 Apr, 2022, 18:06…
    You all seem very excited, but surely this is an April fool's. Isn't it?
  • Avatar
    Utwarrior on 04 Apr, 2022, 17:58…
    Interesting tweet from 2009 showing how Guybrush could look like: https://twitter.com/grumpygamer/status/2517181729

    Yes, it's a fan art from Rex Crowle, the same art director involved in the new game.
  • Avatar
    ThunderPeel2001 on 04 Apr, 2022, 17:55…

    Jason

    Yeah. There's no rule that says Ron has to accomodate any of the canon if he wants to style this as the "real" continuation, but on the other hand MI2 ending was such an open-ended gauntlet throw that in theory Ron could do absolutely anything he wanted for his mythic MI3a and just contrive a way to throw Guybrush on a bumper car at the end. He really doesn't have to do much bending to have it work both ways.



    Yep, exactly. There's such a huge gap between Guybrush as a child in a themepark with a demonic brother (and Elaine waiting outside on Dinky) to Guybrush on a bumper car in the middle of the sea (and Elaine fighting LeChuck). He could do whatever he wants and still tell a hell of a story.

    I just rewatched CMI's opening and they really don't explain anything. They just leave the bumper car to explain (and LeChuck making a reference to the "Carnival of the Damned").

    I foresee a CMI:SE in the distant future if Return to MI goes down well.
  • Avatar
    Jason on 04 Apr, 2022, 17:46…
    Yeah. There's no rule that says Ron has to accomodate any of the canon if he wants to style this as the "real" continuation, but on the other hand MI2 ending was such an open-ended gauntlet throw that in theory Ron could do absolutely anything he wanted for his mythic MI3a and just contrive a way to throw Guybrush on a bumper car at the end. He really doesn't have to do much bending to have it work both ways.
  • Avatar
    ThunderPeel2001 on 04 Apr, 2022, 17:35…
    My prediction: Ron will be smart about wanting to make the game he wanted while not undoing what others have done after him. Conclusion: The best solution is to set a story directly after MI2's ending that leads into the opening of CMI's.

    So basically we'll be spending more in the Carnival of the Damned. (And maybe get to play as Elaine who rescues him.)

    That's what I'd do anyway.
  • Avatar
    ThunderPeel2001 on 04 Apr, 2022, 17:34…
    My prediction: Ron will be smart about wanting to make the game he wanted while not undoing what others have done after him. Conclusion: The best solution is to set a story directly after MI2's ending that leads into the opening of CMI's.

    So basically we'll be spending more in the Carnival of the Damned. (And maybe get to play as Elaine who rescues him.)

    That's what I'd do anyway.
  • Avatar
    Utwarrior on 04 Apr, 2022, 17:33…
    OMG! I'm really excited but if Disney still owns the IP, is this the game Ron wanted to make? I wonder if he has full creative control over it.
  • Avatar
    valkian on 04 Apr, 2022, 17:02…
    Damn it Ron, I'm too old to get this emotional about the release of a game.
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    Murray-Mint on 04 Apr, 2022, 16:57…
    It's actually happening! Cannot wait!
  • Avatar
    Jason on 04 Apr, 2022, 16:49…

    ThunderPeel2001

    I hope we're allowed to keep reporting on this "non-story"! ;)



    I suppose. But only if it's understood that Willow news has first postion.
  • Avatar
    Glo_kidd on 04 Apr, 2022, 16:48…
    I am so ridiculously happy today :) im going to need some time to gather myself before my comments make sense. I am Joy
  • Avatar
    Alexrd on 04 Apr, 2022, 16:40…
    Remember kids, never pay more than $20 for this.
  • Avatar
    elTee on 04 Apr, 2022, 16:31…
    Well played, Ron. This completely fooled me! Very excited and already saving up for a boxed copy and a bunch of merchandise :D
  • Avatar
    ThunderPeel2001 on 04 Apr, 2022, 16:11…
    I hope we're allowed to keep reporting on this "non-story"! ;)
  • Avatar of the CEO
    Thrik on 04 Apr, 2022, 15:56…
    Oh my god, everyone! Oh my god.
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    Khil01 on 04 Apr, 2022, 15:37…
    Wow, I'm so excited I had to stop lurking and make an account! The art style is very different but its kind of cool.
  • Avatar
    AlfredJ on 04 Apr, 2022, 15:37…
    What the hell??? I still can't quite believe it but jesus I'm in heaven.

    Interesting that the youtube description mentions it being the follow-up to Monkey 2 (as Ron always said, with this being "his" Monkey 3), but that Murray still exists. And, of course, Dom being back (nobody else would be acceptable).

    I'm hoping that Curse/Escape/Tales can just still fit in there, even if specific events aren't directly mentioned.

    Whatever they're doing, this is amazing. Anf we just had Psychonauts 2.

    Does this mean we'll actually learn The Secret???
  • Avatar
    Skinkie on 04 Apr, 2022, 15:25…
    Whoa! Out of nowhere. Can’t wait to play this
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    Huz on 04 Apr, 2022, 15:23…
    Half-Life 3 confirmed.
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    Rum Rogers on 04 Apr, 2022, 15:13…
    This is the greatest day in the last 30 years or something!!!!!!!!!
  • Avatar
    Jason on 04 Apr, 2022, 15:09…
    Hey, I'm just relieved nobody's gonna self harm now. Some of the reaction Ron's intimation garnered was getting downright People's Temple.

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