Return to Monkey Island Reviews

Return to Monkey Island is ranked in the 98th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Sep 21, 2022

A hugely successful reboot for the beloved point 'n' click adventure, that achieves its comeback without sacrificing either its sense of humour or some enjoyably tricky puzzles.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 27, 2022

Return to Monkey Island brings another high quality Guybrush Threepwood journey, clearly demonstrating the charisma of the series that captivated many players and was deeply important to the development of point-and-clicks. Especially for those who have ventured to Monkey Island before, this is a very captivating adventure.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Sep 27, 2022

With the right amount of nostalgia and plenty of great characters, Return to Monkey Island is an awesome addition to legendary series, that can entertain older players of originals, and newcomers as well.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Sep 20, 2022

When it comes to pure fan service, there won't be many better this year than Return to Monkey Island. It feels like the true sequel to LeChuck's Revenge and it feels as though its clever, self-referential wit is a product of Gilbert's return. As sad and nostalgic as parts of Guybrush's newest tale can be, I had a wonderful time revisiting familiar people and places in yet another golden-age adventure.

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85 / 100
Nov 8, 2022

Return to Monkey Island is fantastic. Brilliantly written and full of charm, the game manages to deliver a fresh experience in a nostalgic world. Even though the new art direction is divisive, the storytelling and humor are top-notch and make this a highlight of the franchise.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 8, 2022

Though I still remain surprised that Return to Monkey Island even exists, I can't contest what Ron Gilbert and developer Terrible Toybox have wrought here. By masterfully combining the witty and thoughtful point and click escapades of the series past with a newfound warmth and charming aesthetic, Return to Monkey Island is by and large the series return that fans have long been waiting for and is a roaring success in the process.

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8.6 / 10.0
Sep 22, 2022

Ron Gilbert and Dave Grossman, the spiritual fathers of Guybrush Threepwood, are back, and you can feel it in every fiber of Return to Monkey Island. Hilarious situations, clever dialogue, memorable characters, beginner-friendly gameplay, and a fresh graphic style that may not be to everyone's taste bring the game series back to where it belongs: at the top of the point-and-click games. This game is definitely more than just pure nostalgia!

Review in German | Read full review

8.7 / 10.0
Nov 7, 2022

Return to Monkey Island is great. It takes the adventure game to new heights of hilarity with a clever narrative, fantastic stylized graphics, wonderful music, and a huge amount of heart.

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87 / 100
Sep 19, 2022

It's not a perfect game, it's probably not the best Monkey Island. But, of course, it is a heartfelt love letter to everything we love about graphic adventures and, in short, a fun and nostalgic experience.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

INVEN
Top Critic
8.8 / 10.0
Oct 13, 2022

Ron Gilbert, who started the series, focused on continuing the adventure from Monkey Island 2. You can easily find out that his unique sense of humor remains still to date. Even though there are slight disappoints with art style and ending sequence, it is destined to be moved at the end of the game if you are a fan who shared the long journey of this franchise.

Review in Korean | Read full review

8.8 / 10.0
Sep 19, 2022

A glorious return for one of gaming's most beloved franchises, that provides fan with another satisfying pirate-themed adventure, some clever dialogue and memorable characters.

Review in Italian | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Oct 2, 2022

Return to Monkey Island feels like a real celebration of the series so far by including characters, locations such as Melee and Monkey Islands and plenty of callbacks, but expanding on all of those things with plenty of brand new components to act as a worthwhile celebration and sendoff for Guybrush and his adventures. Guybrush continues to be an engaging, hilarious and believable character that really helps immerse you into the story of himself and his fellow adventurers. The ending may be hit or miss with some fans but will certainly promote discussion and it’s just great to see a new Monkey Island game in 2022. Whether you’re new or existing fan, Guybrush’s latest adventure is well worth experiencing.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 22, 2022

I am honestly very happy with the game overall and I am tempted to play through the entire franchise again. Thank you, Mister Gilbert, and everyone else involved in this game. For expanding the story I’ve been with since I was a kid and for hitting me right in my childhood, but in the best way.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 16, 2022

A well-devised foray into the life of a wannabe pirate captain, Return to Monkey Island is a masterclass in series revival. A game nostalgic enough to appeal to original fans but has its own unique identity for newcomers – easily a part of the Monkey Island legacy, but not trying to be it. The game doesn’t drastically shake up anything but keeps it fresh while continuing a long-standing journey.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 23, 2022

Return to Monkey Island is above all a return to the origins of the series. They say that lightning never strikes the same place twice, but Ron Gilbert and Dave Grossman managed to create an experience that in every way evokes the feelings conveyed by the original titles. Let's hope that Guybrush's adventures (these new adventures) don't stop there! We suspect that there are still many stories behind this infamous secret!

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Oct 31, 2022

Ahhhh, nostalgia, there is something warm and fuzzy about returning to something you remember vividly from your childhood. Monkey Island is a series I played a lot growing up and it was a blast returning there recently. It is a lot different now though on the Nintendo Switch, if you had told me I would be able to play Monkey Island, on the go when I was a nipper, I would have laughed in your face but here we are. Isn’t technology great?

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9 / 10
Oct 19, 2022

Return to Monkey Island lives up to the near thirty year long wait with a modernised take that feels fresh, unique and brand new. Nostalgia naturally fuels a major proportion of its endearing qualities, but the new puzzles, the sumptuous music and the glorious performances bring the series back to life in ways we couldn’t have imagined. An absolutely stellar return for a franchise we thought we’d never see again.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 22, 2022

Return to Monkey Island is exactly what one might expect: a graphic adventure that winks at the past while at the same time managing to bring something new to the genre. A pleasant journey in which to meet many old friends, with whom to have fun in an experience that is perhaps not too challenging, but nevertheless capable of entertaining in an authentic way.

Review in Italian | Read full review

90 / 100
Sep 26, 2022

Guybrush Threepwood returns to our consoles and PCs in an adventure that preserves the freshness of its predecessors, which will make us laugh more than once and in which it is clear that both Ron Gilbert and Dave Grossman have put all their hearts. Perhaps it is guilty of being too conservative, looking more than necessary at the first installment, but even so, if you enjoyed the previous adventures of the good Guybrush, you are going to enjoy Return to Monkey Island like children.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Sep 20, 2022

Return to Monkey Island treats itself as a game that never left. In some ways, the franchise itself never truly did. Terrible Toybox uses that to do its own spin on the current adventure game formula and while some elements are for the diehard fans, it also asks some interesting questions regarding gaming as a whole and how we perceive the games that defined us as we grow older.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review