Return to Monkey Island is a classic point-and-click adventure game from the studio Terrible Toybox. The game is based on the game series by LucasArts from the 1990s. The game is the sixth iteration in the franchise and the first from the father of Monkey Island, Ron Gilbert, since Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge. Ron Gilbert left LucasArts after the second game in the series. Return to Monkey Island was released for various platforms in 2022. The game can be played on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and mobile among others. Here we’re looking at what Return to Monkey Island is, what it offers in terms of characters and gameplay, and if one can cheat in the game.
Return to Monkey Island Premise
As the name of the game suggests, players experience the environment from the original Monkey Island games once again. The game is set in a series of fictional islands on the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. The storyline involves ties into the second Monkey Island game from 1991 as well as the later games by Telltale games. The game’s main narrative follows the story in the Tales of Monkey Island title from 2009.
Players control Guybrush Threepwood, who is trying to solve the mystery of Monkey Island. In his adventures, he meets and interacts with various new and returning characters. The journey takes Guybrush to familiar locations like the legendary Mêlée Island and, naturally, Monkey Island. New locations in the game include Brr Muda and Terror Island.
The game is a two-dimensional point-and-click adventure, just like the original games and newer Telltale Games production. Players try to solve puzzles and secrets by interacting with the environment, collecting items, and chatting with various NPCs. Talking to the characters is paramount as information gathered, and the result of the interactions, have a huge impact on the outcome.
Return to Monkey Island Characters
Return to Monkey Island is a true adventure game that relies heavily on the narrative and the character-work. The stories and NPCs have always been crucial to the Monkey Island franchise, and the latest iteration is no different. The game comes with tons of unique and funny characters that can be interacted with. The adventure relies largely on how the player character responds to the people (and animals) he comes across with. Here are some of the more important cast members of the game.
The Protagonists
- Guybrush Threepwood: Guybrush is the legendary protagonist in the Monkey Island series. He’s gone various transitions from being the wannabe-pirate from the first Monkey Island game to the father telling his son, Boybrush, a story of how he searched for the secret of Monkey Island.
- Elaine Marley-Threepwood: Elaine is the wife of Guybrush Threepwood and the mother of their son Guybrush. She was the Governor of the Tri-Island Area, covering Mêlée Island, Booty Island and Plunder Island. Guybrush’s archenemy, LeChuck, had an obsession with Elaine and tried to make her his wife. However, thanks to her fierce nature, she usually doesn’t need much help from Guybrush.
The Main Antagonist
- G.P. LeChuck: LeChuck is the prime antagonist in the Monkey Island franchise and the enemy of Guybrush. This feared zombie pirate is the bane of Guybrush’s existence and a menace of the seas. In addition to his obsession with Elaine, he lusts for power so much that he turned himself into an undead creature to reach his goal.
Other Key Characters
- Murray: Murray is a talking Demonic Skull that first appeared in the series in Curse of Monkey Island. As part of the Army of the Undead lead, he used to sail the seas with LeChuck. One things that remains even after losing his body, the will to terrorize unsuspecting, innocent people, although success is less than guaranteed.
- Wally B. Feed: Wally is a monocle-wearing cartographer Guybrush meets on Scabb Island. To deliver accurate maps, Wally had traveled across the world. He also restores maps, which might be helpful for Guybrush.
- Stan S. Stanman: Stan is a strange and somewhat arrogant salesman in The Tri-Island Area. He first appeared in the first game in the series, The Secret of Monkey Island. He’s always willing to make a deal with Guybrush, if you can call them deals.
- Carla: Carla was the Sword Master of Mêlée Island in The Secret of Monkey Island and its Special Edition. As the master swordsman, the wannabe pirate Guybrush had to defeat her in one-to-one combat to become a real pirate. Since then, she has managed to become the governor of Mêlée Island.
- Corina: Corina is perhaps better known as the Voodoo Lady. She is a Voodoo Priestess, or a mambo, who can help Guybrush with everything from fashion choices to curses and magic. While she might know the future, she seems to often speak in incoherent riddles.
- The Pirate Leaders: These new leaders had ousted the original VIPs, or Very Important Pirates, as seen in The Secret of Monkey Island. Captains Madison, Lila, and Trent are now found at the old General Store, now a fish shop called The Cod’s Wallop, instead of drinking grog at the Scumm Bar.
Games in the Series
Monkey Island is a 2D point-and-click adventure game in which players control a wannabe pirate in the Caribbean. The game franchise was launched in 1990 with the release of The Secret of Monkey Island and quickly became one of the most revered adventure games in the history of gaming. Since the initial title, Monkey Island series has been expanded by seven more titles, the latest being Return to Monkey Island.
- The Secret of Monkey Island (1990)
- Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge (1991)
- The Curse of Monkey Island (1997)
- Escape from Monkey Island (2000)
- Tales of Monkey Island (2009)
- The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition (2009)
- Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge: Special Edition (2010)
- Return to Monkey Island (2022)
Return to Monkey Island Cheats
Return to Monkey Island doesn’t include developer-commissioned cheats. As a point-and-click adventure, the game relies on solving puzzles by talking to NPCs, finding items and using them in the right place. In this equation, there’s not much room for cheats, short from simply playing the game for you. However, there are still tips and tricks that we can give to new players that might help them complete the game and thus enjoy the entire story. In fact, the game’s puzzles are likely going to become frustratingly challenging to many people, and the developer has acknowledged this.
The Hint Book
There’s a Hint Book in the game, designed to help players struggling with puzzles to get on with the story. This is a great help for many, if not most, Return to Monkey Island players. However, players first need to acquire the book. In the early game, players should simply find their way to Mêlée Island. Then, they need to find the Voodoo Shop, which can be found on the Low Street on the right side. Talk to the Voodoo Lady and receive the Hint Book. Now it is permanently found in the inventory and you can access it any time you come across a problematic spot. Look for the objective you are struggling with and the Hint Book will give hints that get gradually more explicit.
Return to Monkey Island Cheats FAQ
What platforms is Return to Monkey Island on?
The game can be played on computers, including PC, Linus and macOS, newest generation of consoles Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, as well as mobile platforms iOS and Android.
Is Return to Monkey Island a remake?
Although the game does have a lot of recurring characters and story elements, it is not a remake. It is a standalone game that has ties with many of the previous games in the series.