Batten down the hatches and get ready to brush up on your insult sword fighting, because "Curse Of Monkey Island" is finally available for modern machines. For far too long, the third installment of LucasArts' legendary franchise has lain dormant along with other forgotten classics such as "Grim Fandango" and "Sam & Max Hit the Road." While the first two installments have been remastered and are available for a wide variety of platforms, fans have had to either track down an old copy of 'Curse' or pirate it (pun intended.) But with the power of Steam and GOG, Guybrush Threepwood sails again.
The curse gets worse
The sequel to "LeChuck's Revenge" finds the wannabe pirate lost at sea sailing on a bumper car. By a stroke of bad luck, Guybrush finds himself caught in the middle of a fight between an invading armada led by the undead pirate LeChuck against the island of Puerto Pollo and the beautiful Governor Elaine Marley. After being reunited with both his arch nemesis and the love of his life, Guybrush manages to accidentally destroy the former and propose to the latter. Unfortunately, the ring he chose to propose with was cursed and has turned Elaine into solid gold. It's up to Guybrush to find a crew, get a ship, and sail to Blood Island to rid Elaine of this 24-karat ailment.
Trim the sails and roam the sea
"Curse" introduced elements that would become staples in the series. It was the first entry in the franchise to eschew the intrusive commands on the bottom screen. It was also the first entry to feature voice acting with Dominic Armato, Earl Boen, and Alexandra Boyd breathing life into the characters Guybrush, LeChuck, and Elaine respectively.
Each of them would reprise their roles in follow-ups and in special editions of the first two installments.
This was also the first appearance of Murray, the demonic talking skull. A reoccurring fan favorite, Murray made his debut after Guybrush blasted him and his fellow skeletal crew with a cannon, leaving him without a body and a desire to spread fear and chaos across the Caribbean.
It was the entry that cemented the more cartoony art direction that would be used in later games. Finally, it was the first game in the series not to be developed by the trio of Ron Gilbert, Tim Schafer, and Dave Grossman. Gilbert and Grossman would later help Telltale Games make the final installment, "Tales of Monkey Island."
Seven pieces of eight
"Curse of Monkey Island" is available for purchase on Steam and GOG for the low price of $6.99. Players can also purchase a bundle that includes the special editions of the first two games. Best of all, those who already own the first two get a special discount on "Curse." With memorable characters, hilarious dialogue, and clever puzzles, all three games are treasures worth uncovering.
