The Curse of Monkey Island (1997 Video Game) User Reviews

Highly Recommended - A Must-Play For All!!!!

[barfrog · 10/10 · 22 February 2008]

I had only written one review on IMDb prior to this, as I consider most games as unworthy of the time and effort...Curse of Monkey Island is different.

Having played and been impressed by Monkey 1 and 2, I had great expectations for the third release...and was not disappointed. The first thing that hit me was the substantially improved graphics. Don't get me wrong, for games made in 1990 and 1991 respectively, Monkey 1 and 2 were ground-breaking and provided the goods well, but CMI steps up and delivers a superb cartoon-style game-play which is both fun and satisfying. All scenes and settings have been carefully crafted and well thought out, and suit this type of game perfectly. The animation/CGI is a mixture of realism and exaggeration; a fantastic combination in this case.

For me the script has been crucial in the success of the previous two games. The CMI script is clever, appropriate and, above all, absolutely hilarious. Added to this, the script is now audio unlike the previous two where speech is displayed in text format at the bottom of the screen. Dominic Armato's voice is perfect for Guybrush: witty, clear and slightly naive. All other voice talents fit their characters perfectly, especially Earl Boen who is the voice behind LeChuck. I loved every single character throughout the game: not just their personalities and wit, but the way each character is animated superbly and distinctively. Whilst on the subject of audio effects, the soundtrack is worth a mention. The soundtracks for Monkey 1 and 2 were both monotone, and despite this were very effective at giving atmosphere and representing a change in mood. CMI's soundtrack is, once again, a step up. Each scene is complemented by a catchy, subtle, playful and piratey (if that's a word) tune. With a change in setting or mood, the music also adapts, adding to the entertainment and amusement that the game offers.

The whole idea behind Monkey Island is to solve puzzles and problems in order to progress. This might sound easy, but is actually devilishly tricky in many places. Some may be put off by the level of logic and amount of thinking that goes into Monkey Island, but in reality this makes the game even more entertaining and fun, and also adds to the replay value. The option of "The Curse of Monkey Island" or "The Curse of Monkey Island: Mega-Monkey" (which involves trickier and more abundant puzzles) suits players of all abilities and also gives good cause to play the game at least twice. Whatever difficulty level you choose, you are guaranteed a different game each time you replay, with numerous speech options and other puzzles to solve that don't affect the outcome of the game, but are just there for fun. The most entertaining section of the game is Ship Combat, and the sword "fights" that follow. These were particularly well thought out and make the game completely worthwhile. Add to this a stupendous story that is non-violent and suitable for all ages which will keep you hooked and wanting more until the very end.

Finally in conclusion, a uniquely special mention must go to the designers of this game. The way each complex puzzle and problem is thought out is simply astonishing. Whilst gathering up items and objects during game-play, you can't see how each one is going to help you progress, but with a little thought and perseverance solutions present themselves, and for that the designers of CMI must be highly commended.

10/10 for the best game I have ever played (not an exaggeration)

Guybrush's quest to save his girlfriend leads him onto a whole new set of adventures..

[athene925 · 10/10 · 24 June 2007]

"Curse of Monkey Island" is a treasure; in my opinion the series as a whole was the holy grail of adventure gaming, not to mention LucasArts.

But to return to "Curse," whats beautiful about CMI is that its not afraid to be itself. It does deviate from the first two but still remains faithful to the Ron Gilbert productions (if only the same could be said about the 4th installment of the series!). The voice work is impeccable, with Dominic Armato playing our favorite protagonist Guybrush Threepwood. The animation, while quite different than the classic pixelated characters, is done beautifully. It really is just absolutely gorgeous. And the music is fantastic! Its never annoying and you never have the urge to turn it off.

Although I'm not too big a fan of romance, the romantic scenes and themes are not at all overpowering. They also have the rare ability to come off as sweet instead of cheesy. That says a lot from a girl who routinely falls asleep during chick flicks.

Then, of course, is the classic MI element of humor. CMI is quite adept at delivering deadpan lines, altogether absurdist humor, and simply good fun. Gary Coleman makes a cameo as a budding young entrepreneur, and world events are discreetly jabbed at without stepping out of the bounds of the game.

Its not entirely fair to compare CMI to MI and MI2 because it truly is in a realm of its own. Personally I can never find a favorite between the 3 as they all are quite different from each other. However, if you want a swashbuckling good time with the flair of the classic series, I insist you give this game a shot. You will NOT be disappointed.

10/10 stars, hands down.

The best of the 4

[Squirelly Joe · 10/10 · 15 June 2002]

The Curse of Monkey Island. Released excactly 6 years after the success of Monkey Island 2. You would think with Monkey Island 2's wierd ending that it would finish Monkey Island once and for all. But, it all turned out to be a trick to lure Guybrush into captivity. But enough about that, the whole jist of this is that Monkey Island has returned, and the voices are just phenominal. If LucasArts were to make a movie/cartoon of Monkey Island, this would probably be what it would look like, and sound like. It's plot is real good, and everything about it is just awesome. If you haven't heard about the Monkey Island series, buy the Monkey Island Archives or The Monkey Island Booty Pack and play through all the games starting with The Secret of Monkey Island, then Monkey Island 2, and The Curse of Monkey Island. Monkey Island 4 was real good, but this one tops them all.

My favorite in the Monkey Island Series

[Quackle · 20 February 2003]

Great game! I love the Romance involved too, I don't care if I sound soppy, but this game would be good in a movie! Definitely my favorite in the entire Monkey Island series! In some places, you are close to tears...

10/10

Monkey Island at its peak!

[TheHande · 9/10 · 12 December 2006]

The Curse of Monkey Island has always been my favorite of the series. A vibrant visual look, an excellent soundtrack and brilliant voice-cast all create a memorable and humouristic adventure.

Graphics wise the game is definitely not a let-down. Though some corners have been cut the over-all feel of the game is reminiscent of Disney Feature Length Animations. The gameplay is simple and even a novice will get the hang of it soon enough. The game also offers a little extra for the more experienced players with its Mega Monkey Mode.

The voice-cast is one of my favorites. Dominic Armato's sympathetic voice makes Guybrush complete and Alexandra Boyd is simply charming as Elaine. Earl Boen makes for a wonderfully sinister yet over-the-top villain, LeChuck. Also the game's charm is added by memorable characters like Wally (Neil Ross), Murray (Denny Delk) and one of my personal favorites Haggis McMutton (Allan Young, voice of Scrooge McDuck). My hat also goes off to the late, great Kay Kuter and his memorable secondary-role as Griswold Goodsoup.

Michael Land's tropical and wonderful soundtrack once more graces the Monkey Island adventure, comprising of some of the best tunes in the business. The game isn't perfect and some locales are not as well detailed as other, but I had no gripes with the simple ending of the game which I found very satisfying.

Once again I applaud Lucasarts

[Dante Hicks · 8/10 · 8 July 2000]

Another fantastic offering from the Monkey Island team and though it was a long time coming and had to survive the departure of Ron Gilbert it's another worthy installment. My only gripe is that it was a little short seeming in comparison to the previous two, though that might be because of a glorious lack of disk-swapping. Roll on MI4.

Lucas Arts at its best

[ltlchang · 10/10 · 12 November 1999]

What can I say? Curse of Monkey Island is fantastic. The story is good and solid, but appropriately silly, the jokes are hillarious, the puzzles are puzzling... you couldn't ask for more in an adventure game. The "You don't need to see my identification" bit is in itself well worth buying the game for, not to mention Murray, who has become the hot topic among many of my friends (only some of whom have played the game). You will love this game. And if you don't, too bad!

Memories

[nballos · 10/10 · 15 May 2018]

One of my favorite video games ever , I played it with my Commodore Amiga 500 early in the 90,s

Old classic withstands the test of time

[JSlack · 10/10 · 14 September 1998]

By now, the game's stale, right?

The jokes have been done. Its all over. The creative genius which drove this game for the first two games was gone, after all.

Wrong.

The game is still intact, the jokes are here, folks. Sure, they're all rehash, but so was Monkey Island 2. And 1, for that matter.

The difficulty is well placed, somewhere between the slightly easy 1 and the ridiculously hard 2. The ship fighting sub-game is badly innappropriate, in the tradition of sub-games. And this game has the best joke of the whole series. When asked for your membership card to an exclusive beach, always select "You don't need to see my identification." Its worth the price of the game by itself.

The jokes haven't gotten old...this time around at least

[Steve316 · 10/10 · 18 May 1999]

First I played the second monkey island game, and I liked it despite the low quality graphics and sound. Then a few months later, I found out a new game was made. I tried it out and liked it a lot. First thing you notice is the great graphics. The areas are huge, colorful, and detailed, with lots to explore. The game requires you to use your brain, a lot, as always. The game is challenging, with all point and click games, frustrating. The jokes haven't gotten old a third time around. The animated cut scenes are a great addition to the game also. This is the best MI game out there, perhaps the best P&C game too! If you like cartoony games that play like a movie, get this game!

The Monkey's are listening...

[Keithtopher · 10/10 · 17 October 2000]

Destined to be a classic before it was even conceptualized. This game deserves all the recognition it deserves. At a time when first-person shooters like Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament are garnering all the attention of computer gamers, graphic adventures are a dying breed. With great pun and humour, The Curse of Monkey Island is a game that people of all age groups would enjoy. Life can only improve after playing The Curse of Monkey Island. *prediction* the sequel Escape from Monkey Island is already destined to be a classic too. I guarantee it.

Hey people, Imdb rocks!!

[PunkRockMan_2001 · 10/10 · 7 April 2002]

The curse of Monkey Island is a brilliant video game and its a stroke of genius from the video game designers at lucasarts to have created this sequel. All the characters are brilliant, the voice overs for the characters were realistic and funny. A lot of effort went into this game and it deserves the 10 i gave in the vote, keep up the good work lucasarts!

Disappointing

[elu5iv3 · 6/10 · 1 May 2001]

I'm a really big fan of the Monkey Island series. I absolutely adored the first two, the first being one of my initial PC gaming experiences back in the mid-90's or so. I believe their main joke-teller left and that'd make sense because Monkey Island 3 lacks the subtly and pure humour that the first two had. It's not a bad game. In fact, it's one of the few bright spots in the dying point-and-click adventure genre. Unfortunately it just doesn't live up to the hype it got after the awesome two titles that came before it. 6/10

This is truly the greatest adventure game ever.

[balloch · 28 April 2000]

COMI is the third in Lucasart's series of Monkey Island games and benefits from the advanced technology available for the first time in a Monkey Island game. The action is depicted through wonderful, cartoon-style graphics and for the first time we get to hear Guybrush et all speak. In my opinion, Dominic Armato does a great job in voicing Guybrush.

The plot is faithful to its predecessors: Guybrush has to save Elaine from the evil Zombie pirate LeChuck. The trouble begins when Guybrush proposes to Elaine, and involuntarily inflicts a curse on her.

Throughout his adventure, Guybrush again travels the Caribbean and comes across several excellent characters. Personal favourites are Murray and Mr Fossey. The dialogue rarely fails to be witty and entertaining and the puzzles are pitched at a suitable level for most gamers.

It is generally perceived that the ending is somewhat disappointing, a criticism which is not unfair. But this is one minor negative in a game with more than enough features to recommend it. If there has ever been a better point-and-click adventure, I would love to play it.

They've gone and done it again.

[Kinitawowi · 8/10 · 17 May 1999]

Lucasarts have pulled yet another beauty out of a seemingly bottomless bag of great games. If any further proof was required that they rule this genre of gaming, then this is it. Before actually playing the game, there was a little concern about how the writers were going to keep up the pace of gags after the first two games. Fears were rife that it was going to wear a bit thin.

Play the game and see how quickly those fears are allayed. From the introductory video with Guybrush in the dodgem boat (!), to the closing stages in the funfair, the jokes just keep on coming. I was a great fan of the first two games and the other Lucasarts works (Day Of The Tentacle, Sam & Max, etc) and this one does not fail to deliver the quality. You will not be disappointed. (Well, I wasn't.)

Rescue the Bad Guy, save the girl, destroy the Tri-Island area. No, wait...

[Merik · 10/10 · 15 March 2002]

This was my second experience of the Monkey Island series, the full seven years after I had been shown the first game. What was my response? "Oh, great, we're playing a cartoon." I'm glad my brother shut me up then and played on, because the jokes caught my attention once again, as well as Armato's wonderful voice-acting of Guybrush - not to mention everyone else done well (I still think CMI's Elaine sounds better than EMI's). The cutscenes do well to illustrate something happening, and the art of both the game and cutscenes are excellent. When we found the CD with the originals, Secret and LeChuck's Revenge, we were both ecstatic and spent hours working through Revenge - one such moment was where we just sat down and blew half a day on it. However, CMI has to be the Monkey Island game I've played the most, especially for the return of swordfighting and combat on the high seas. That moment when you encounter Kenny and he tells you he's gone straight and then, "I'm running guns!" had both my brother and I in tears from laughter. And that's not the best part of the game, not by far.

Amazing game, deserved a better ending

[eunbi0530 · 8/10 · 5 June 2023]

Beautiful art, great soundtrack, funny dialogues and nice puzzles. I have played this game several times so I know by heart where the answer to most puzzles are, I confess that my biggest issue remembering is the unique insult sword fighting, but you can get used to it quickly.

Some thing that must be said, though, is that from the six chapters this game has, the first four are amazing, the last two, which are really short, are not as good. I reckon the last chapter's puzzle is alright, but since we are stuck in a repetitive situation it can get a bit frustrating for those that might not know what to do, it is such a shame such a good game ends in such a low note.

By the way, the game has two sets of difficulty, one with easier puzzles (which takes you less steps to complete a puzzle) and Mega Monkey (the more complex one), there is also a sea battle difficulty (don't get your hopes up, those battles are quite simple, it is only a matter of how much damage your enemy takes).

This is at least twice the equal of other games!

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 8/10 · 22 April 2009]

On account of my unfortunately not being able to find them anywhere, I have not gotten to try any of the other entries in the series, although I certainly would not mind, and trust me, I have looked. For anyone who does not know, this is a point-and-click adventure title. That means that the mouse is what you use to interface with everything that you can do so with in this, though there is one particular case in this where that is inaccurate. I won't spoil it here, for anyone who haven't yet tried it. Nevertheless, regardless of how little experience you have with computers, you can sit right down and try this. There isn't even terribly many bits of this where you need to be fast or have swift reflexes. Heck, you can adjust the speed of the text(if you have it have subtitles on), and thus, of the talking in it, and it's not enormously awkward or forced when slow. Accessing your inventory is easy, as well as combining or using items. Clicking and holding down the button at anything you can affect gives three options for what to use with it(be it a person, a specific part of the surroundings or an object): Hand(push, pick up, open, etc.), eyes(examine, look through, etc.) and mouth(eat, converse, etc.). This all adds up to a welcoming, friendly environment, where you can approach the plentiful puzzles(the amount of them is varied, based on which of the two difficulty settings you try this on) at your own pace, and explore and take in the dozens of individual, creatively done characters and areas in this to your heart's content. The length of this will be determined by how much time you take to do such(you'll hear no blame from me, they're worth it), and your skill at figuring out the solutions. There are a few points in this where you get to decide if you want the harder way of completing that or not. This can be enjoyed by anyone, from any age. There's no material that isn't acceptable for children. This is one of the products that help prove that that very fact does not have to mean that it is intolerable for older audiences. The animation is quality work, smooth, everything moves as it should, and the 3rd dimension honestly isn't that sorely missed when trying this. The story-telling is well-done, and you're never unclear as to what is going on. There are numerous well-directed cut-scenes, kept in the same colorful, mostly bright 2D world as the rest, with well-done camera motion. "Cartoony" is an appropriate word to describe this, and not only the visual style. It can be applied to all of this. The entire world of this is very similar to, but not quite the same as, ours, with a mix of past and present, inhabited by people and filled with things that we can sort of recognize or understand at least portions of, but the absurdity makes them funny. That would have to be one of the greatest strengths of this, right there: It's hilarious. A lot of that comes from the lines spoken(what is said as well as how it is), and those who dig British efforts with focus on verbal, the likes of 'Allo 'Allo or the BlackAdder franchise will want to check this sucker out. However, there are several different types of jokes, including, but not limited to the following: Satire, cleverness, dark, spoofs, irony, gross-out comedy(not exactly my favorite aspect of this) and more. There's self-awareness, with the lead addressing you, personally, and, for example, explaining why he isn't going to do what you just asked him to. There are references to pop culture through a couple of decades. Almost all of it works, hardly any gags fall flat, and if you aren't in stitches during this, my best guess as to the reason would be that it's simply not compatible with your sense of humor... a situation that warrants no judgment, and if one suspects that could be the case, and wishes to find out, I suggest the demo version, where you, for free, can see if you care for the brand of play and/or laughter. The plot is well-written(nearly all of this is, really), develops nicely throughout and keeps your interest well. The audio is all excellent, crisp and well-done. The sound effects are spot-on. The music is well-composed with no exceptions. The voice acting is impeccable, with a celebrity or two. Armato is fantastic as Guybrush Threepwood(gotta love that name), whom you control. Boen is incredible as LeChuck, the deceased(and still threatening) zombie villain. The designs are immensely well-done, highly imaginative and all fit. In spite of the relatively limited disposition of our hero when it comes to pirate deeds, you do get to engage in some. Steer a ship, board that of others, and match blades in a rather unique, and marvelously thought up, way. The re-playability lies mainly in the choices, during dialog, etc. This is linear, with a tad freedom as far as the order goes, so the buccaneer sitting down with this, for at least the second time, has not got that large an amount of possibilities as far as being challenged by this goes, unless he or she has forgotten what to do in the meantime. Ah, nothing is perfect. Anyone who would care to delve into a thoroughly well-crafted and fascinating fictional universe, and crack up countless times should get a real kick out of this. The good kind, not the ones that hurt and potentially leave bruises. Don't forget, kids, do *not* eat books... that is just begging for a paper-cut. I would wager a guess that those who like the others would appreciate this one, too. And they're not the only ones who may get into this. I recommend this to, apart from members of aforementioned group, any fan of this genre of VGs, as well as anyone to whom this review appeals. 8/10

My first Monkey Island game

[Keyan-the-Eagle144 · 8/10 · 25 May 2018]

I'd never played Monkey Island before this third installment in the series but I got my hands on this. It was difficult at first, but I enjoyed it. It's now my favorite graphic adventure from the now-disbanded LucasArts (along with Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis). I enjoyed the 2D cartoonish style and the puzzles the most. Still, I wish it was longer, but don't let that stop you from trying the game. I started playing it again after getting an emulator for my laptop and even got to play the first two (both of which were really good as well). If you're looking for a good 1990s graphic adventure, make this your number-one priority!

The best Monkey Island. Hands down!

[jaspervanzyl · 23 March 2001]

The 3rd installment in the brilliant Monkey Island series is undoubtably the best. Guybrush Threepwood is back with his usual antics, only this time it's in sound!

The graphics is of huge improvement in this game. It's kind of Disney-type drawings rounded off by a stunning background. The voicing is excellent and becomes incredibly funny towards the late beginning of the game. Murray, the talking skull is classic, and Denny Delk does a smashing job as the poor fella.

The game has a great plot and very loveable characters, and although you miss Ron Gilbert's fantastic directing, the new crew does what Gilbert did about just about as good as the big man. Overall, Monkey Island 3 is without a doubt the best installment in the briliant computer game series.

The Curse of Monkey Island is a brilliant and fascinating addition to the Monkey Island library.

[BriChell · 29 December 1998]

The Curse of Monkey Island, also known as Monkey Island 3, is a captivating pirate adventure that is at least equal to the Secret of Monkey Island, or Monkey Island 1. The jokes are hilarious, the characters are intriguing, and the animation is astounding for a computer game. Dominic Armato does a brilliant job of portraying Guybrush Threepwood's voice, and his voice is just what you imagined it would be when you played Monkey Island 1. Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, was a disappointment to any diehard Monkey Island 1 fan, but the Curse of Monkey Island will renew your faith in the series once again. This is truly a computer game masterpiece.

Very Cool

[SaRaH-74 · 2 December 1999]

Monkey Island, Monkey IslandII and Monkey IslandIII are, I think one of the coolest series of games ever. I think the difficulty level is perfect...(they finally reached a happy medium between the easy first one and the psychotic second) and the jokes are fresh and funny. My opinion is that this series is right on par--though totally different--with the KingsQuest series. Loveable wonderful characters and great plot.

Good but not classic

[Will-164 · 5 October 2000]

COMI is not in the same league as the original Monkey Island, Ron Gilbert works. MI1 and 2 worked as a series but this one doesn't really fit in. I loved the bit in Monkey2 where Guybrush revisited that Melee Island backstreet but COMI doesn't have that kind of humour. It is a good game, if a bit short, but I would truly love to see MI4 revert to the old format and still benefit from technological advances. Glad to see a bit of the old swordfighting back but a little disappointing overall. Good try though, especially from Threepwood's voice.

"'Tis Third in The Legendary Series."

[GuybrushThreepwood1138 · 12 August 2001]

The Curse of Monkey Island has to be the Best LucasArts Adventure Game Ever Made. With its Original Story, clever Humor, Amazing Graphics and catch phrases or references to other movies or TV Shows hidden throughout the entire game, The Curse of Monkey Island will keep you in suspense for Hours.

In this Adventure Game you play as Guybrush Threepwood, a Mighty Pirate who has just escaped The Carnival of The Damned (Monkey Island 2:LeChuck's Revenge) but is lost at Sea with only his Captain's Log, a half eaten Corn-Dog and The Will To Find his lost love Elaine.

Guybrush finds that he has drifted into Plunder Island and realizes that Elain is under attack by their arch-enemy The Evil Undead Ghost Pirate LeChuck who's plan is to capture Elain and turn her into his Zombie Bride. Guybrush is taken prisoner and on board meets his old friend Wally together They save Elaine and think that LeChuck is no more.

When they are all safe Guybrush professes his love to Elaine and proposes to her. He gives her a Huge Diamond Ring he found aboard LeChuck's Ship little did he know that the ring was Cursed with a Disfiguring Voodoo Curse and turns Elain into into a Completely Gold Statue after he slides it on her finger.

Guybrush than seeks the help of The Voodoo Lady who tells him the only way to break the Curse is the Find The Legendary Ring of Blood Island. He than forms a Crew and sets off to find the Ring and Save Elaine.

Throughout his adventure Guybrush soon finds himself on The Infamous Monkey Island and he decides that the only way to free Elaine is to destroy LeChuck Once and For All...Again.