Of course this being a Monkey Island title, Guybrush also has one rather surreal big puzzle to solve that ties all the loose ends together. In this case it is figuring out the meaning of The Ultimate Insult, which is cryptically mentioned in the will of Elaine's long-lost grandfather, and discovering why Ozzie and even Charles L. Charles are so interested in it. Finding out what exactly The Ultimate Insult is and beating Ozzie and Charles L. Charles at their own game makes for an addictively fantastic adventure.
Once again taking the role of Guybrush, players travel around various fictitious Caribbean islands including Mêlée Island, Lucre Island, Jambalaya Island, Knuttin Atoll and even Monkey Island to search for clues and gather various items that will probably come in handy. In this semi-linear campaign you can expect to head to such wacky locations as the SCUMM bar, at least until it is turned into a Hawaiian themed LUA bar; the Palace of Prostheses, for those in need of glass eyes and wooden legs; Pirate Pete's Booty Showcase; and even a themed restaurant named Planet Threepwood among many, many others. Each location of course has its own mini-puzzles to solve that fit into the big story, as well as some wild red herrings.
Along the way Guybrush must gather a crew, clear his name after being framed as a bank robber, piece together what exactly The Ultimate Insult might be, and then head to Monkey Island…and escape (hence the game's title). There are plenty of items for this witty pirate to pick up, and players are advised to grab and pocket EVERYTHING as you'll never know what you might need later in the game. And you can expect to interact with a madcap assortment of eccentric and simply outlandish characters, whether it involves taking part in an insult contest or possibly meeting a future version of Guybrush. Much of this makes for humorous and out of the ordinary gameplay that is enjoyable for its wackiness alone.
Using a similar interface to the under-appreciated Grim Fandango adventure title, Escape From Monkey Island brings the world of Guybrush and Elaine into a thorough cartoon setting where the 3D characters merge nicely with the detailed 2D backdrops. The look remains consistent with the past Monkey Island titles while improving on the series' previously flat graphics. Wisely the camera is mostly fixed as Guybrush moves around the different scenes, which feels very much reminiscent of EA's Lost Sherlock Holmes Adventures from a few years ago. Players need not worry about confusing perspectives that seem to plague recent titles like Blair Witch or Nocturne. And while Escape From Monkey Island obviously doesn't have the rich Quake or Unreal-styled locations or animations, the settings are in keeping with the series and feature much more depth and heart as a result.