I’ll always have a soft spot for mobile games; whether it is a mobile-exclusive or a port, I always appreciate having my games available through something that is always on my person. Point-and-click adventures work quite well on mobile devices, since they basically go hand-in-hand with touch screen interfaces. So I expect Return to Monkey Island could do quite well for iOS/Android, and I’ll soon find out as the game is set to be released for the platforms later this month.
This unexpected, thrilling return of Monkey Island is from its original creator, Ron Gilbert. It continues (and concludes) the stories from The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge. Return to Monkey Island has already done quite well for PC (via Steam), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series; the scores for each on Metacritic are all in the mid- to high-80s. It first launched for PC and Nintendo Switch in September 2022, followed by PlayStation and Xbox that November. It’s great to see the sequel to a cult classic getting such rave reviews, and it is also great that it will now be accessible to more players.
It’s been years since Guybrush Threepwood was last locked in a battle (of wits) with his nemesis, the zombie pirate LeChuck. Guybrush’s true love, Elaine, has changed her focus from governing. Guybrush finds himself adrift and unfulfilled, since he never did find the secret of Monkey Island. Captain Madison has led hip, young pirates to shuffle the old guard out of power. Melee Island has taken a turn for the worst. And famed businessman Stan is in prison for “marketing-related crimes.”
Players will banter with old friends and new faces on familiar islands that are now under dangerous new leadership. Then take to the high seas and explore the unknown while working through tough predicaments. The classic point-and-click gameplay involves solving puzzles and exploring the islands with the help of context-sensitive interactions, reactive dialogue trees, and an easy-to-use inventory system.
Developed by Terrible Toybox and published by Devolver Digital, Return to Monkey Island will be released for iOS and Android on July 27. Pre-registration is open now (iOS, Android).
