If you like the Monkey Island series but thought that the original’s special edition wasn’t quite special enough, then this enhanced edition of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge is the adventure game update that you’ve been waiting for. The original characters, scenario, and humor are maintained while updated visuals, voice acting, and the ability to toggle voice acting and subtitle regardless of visual preference have been added.

For those that haven’t played it already, LeChuck’s Revenge opens with our hero dangling from a rope and holding a treasure chest. Then he starts narrating to clue you in as to how he wound up in this predicament. Along the way you’ll meet colorful characters like a woodworker who specializes in peg-legs and odd locales like the International House of Mojo. Monkey Island should not be your go-to game for a faithful interpretation of pirate life, but it’s a great place to find funny characters, odd situations, and puzzle solutions that (mostly) make sense once you start to frame your solutions to the game’s world. You may have to resort to trial and error once or twice, but all interactable objects can be highlighted with a single button-press so you’ll at least know what your options are. If you get really stuck, there’s a hint button to keep you from giving up altogether. 

Swapping visual styles can also be done with a single button press. At first I thought it was a waste of a button, but I found myself switching back and forth on just about every screen to see how the old classic had been reinvented in the new engine. It’s a small touch that enhances the experience quite a bit for fans who fondly remember the original game.

Monkey Island 2 is a classic, and the new coat of paint serves to enhance that instead of sweep it away. You’ll groan, you’ll laugh, and when you’re done you’ll want to play it all over again with the developer commentary. 

Pros: Easily swap from new to old visual style and back again, added voice acting

Cons: A couple of puzzles require intricate timing