Guybrush Threepwood: We hardly knew ye

Telltale Games and LucasArts are saying that the popular pirate protagonist Guybrush Threepwood has met his doom and that all will be revealed in the next episode of Tales of Monkey Island. That episode - Rise of the Pirate God — promises to unearth secrets when it is released on Tuesday, December 8. According to the tease Telltale is circulating, suspects in his untimely death include recently reformed pirate LeChuck and Threepwood’s wife Elaine Marley-Threepwood. Apparently authorities cannot locate either of them but want to bring them in for questioning.

“He wanted what every young man wants - to loot, pillage, and sail the high seas in search of further looting and pillaging opportunities,” said Dave Grossman, veteran Monkey Island game designer and writer. “It’s a great tragedy to see such a productive life seemingly cut off prematurely. And I’m not just saying that because he owes me money.”

To celebrate Threepwood’s life, Telltale is offering the first four episodes of Tales of Monkey Island for individual purchase at http://www.telltalegames.com/monkeyisland. How inspirational! Each episode is priced at $8.95 USD.

Tales of Monkey Island now on Amazon

Telltale Games announced that its Tales of Monkey Island games are now available at Amazon’s new channel as the first episodic series available for the company’s recently launched Game Download Store. Each chapter of Tales of Monkey Island will cost $8.95, beginning with the first two chapters available for immediate download at www.amazon.com/GameDownloads in the United States. This also represents the first time that the Tales of Monkey Island episodes for PC have been available for purchase as individual episodes, says Telltale.

Learn more about the series by checking out www.telltalegames.com.

LucasArts, Telltale return to Monkey Island

Finally some exciting news today: LucasArts is bringing back one of its most beloved adventure franchises to modern gaming platforms: Monkey Island. The original hilarious pirate adventure is back with two new projects based on the classic Monkey Island franchise. First, Telltale Games will deliver a new game called the Tales of Monkey Island, delivering a completely new storyline that will unfold across five monthly episodes on PC and WiiWare beginning with the season premiere episode on July 7.

The Monkey Island celebration doesn’t stop there: later in the summer LucasArts will publish The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, a re-imagined version of the first game in the series. But more than just a remake, this game will add updated high definition graphics, a re-mastered musical score, and full voiceover to the classic adventure game originally launched in 1990. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition will be made available on Xbox LIVE Arcade and Windows PC.

Tales of Monkey Island sees the return of pirate Guybrush Threepwood with a new storyline that promises to escalate into hilarity during the course of the five-episode saga. While battling his nemesis, the evil pirate LeChuck, Guybrush accidentally unleashes an insidious voodoo pox that threatens to transform the buccaneers of the Caribbean into unruly pirate monsters. Players will experience humor, romance, and swashbuckling action that the Monkey Island games are famous for. Tales of Monkey Island is set to premiere on PC and WiiWare in the coming weeks.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition re-imagines the classic game (originally released in 1990) for fans. The development team at LucasArts is bringing the game into the modern era with all-new HD graphics, a re-mastered musical score, full voiceover, and an in-depth hint system has been added to help players through the game’s most puzzling moments. Purists will also delight in the ability to seamlessly switch between the updated HD graphics and the original’s classic look. The game’s twisty plot leads hero, Guybrush Threepwood, on a quest throughout the fabled Monkey Island. Tales of pirate wealth attract Guybrush, who lands at the port of Mêlée with high hopes, no money and an insatiable desire to become a pirate.

Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures Continue

Telltale Games has released the latest episode of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures today. The newest chapter, The Last Resort, details Wallace and Gromit’s Blackpool holiday which ends up getting rained rained out. the odd duo, not content to wallow in disappointment, decide to bring the beach to their basement with the construction of West Wallaby Waterworld, a makeshift resort complete with sun, sand, and Wallace’s homemade boardwalk attractions. Keeping their guests satisfied turns out to be tricky business, particularly after one is thumped on the head by an unknown assailant. Wallace and Gromit must work together to finger the culprit, with a little help from Wallace’s latest invention: the Deductomatic. Eat your heart out, Sherlock Holmes.

The latest episode, along with previously released episodes in the series, can be purchased directly from www.telltalegames.com This series of games will also be released on Xbox Live Arcade at some point if that is your platform of choice - but for now you can only find them for PC. The four-episode Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures series sells for $34.95.

Sam & Max Collection Gets Eisner Nomination

The 20th Anniversary Edition of Surfin’ the Highway, the complete Sam & Max comic collection, has been nominated for an Eisner Award in the Best Graphic Album — Reprint category. First published in 1995, Surfin’ the Highway a complete collection of Steve Purcell’s Sam & Max comics, starring the sarcastic and sharp-witted crime-fighting team known as the Freelance Police.

The wacky duo is also known as the stars of the popular series of adventure games by TellTale games that have managed to land on the PC, Mac and even the Wii. After nearly a decade out of print, Purcell and Telltale reissued the compilation in 2008.

To celebrate, Telltale has unveiled three bundles including Surfin’ the Highway and other Sam & Max merchandise.

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Sam & Max Coming to Xbox LIVE

It’s been more than fifteen years since the dynamic duo of smart alec canine shamus Sam and his hyper violent lagomorph sidekick Max first hit the gaming scene in LucasArts’ PC classic, Sam & Max Hit the Road. Now, after a recent return to the gaming world with their episodic adventures on the PC and Wii, the gumshoes are poised to bring their unique brand of crimebusting chaos to the 360.

Late yesterday, Telltale Games announced plans to bring Season One and Season Two of the popular game series to the Xbox LIVE Arcade. Both Sam & Max seasons will be released on Xbox LIVE Arcade as full-season bundles, providing instant gratification to players in one complete meal, rather than in bite-sized chunks. The second season is also scheduled to hit retail for PC and Wii in the coming months.

Like any good pulp novel, the approaching releases will sport catchy new monikers. Season One, which takes the Freelance Police from the New York City streets to Washington D.C. and all the way to the moon on the trail of a hypnotic nemesis, will be dubbed Sam & Max Save the World for all new releases moving forward. Season Two, which involves a baffling series of time paradoxes at the hands of unconventional aliens, has been renamed Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space. The Xbox LIVE Arcade releases will be the first to carry the new titles.

Sam & Max Season One Coming to Wii

Telltale and The Adventure Company have teamed up to bring Sam & Max Season One to the Wii. The Wii version of the popular PC adventure game will be in retail stores across North America starting October 7. The Sam & Max series is structured like a TV series, with self-contained episodes that tie into a larger overarching storyline as the season progresses.

The Wii version collects the first six-episode “season” of Sam & Max games on one retail disc. In Season One, canine detective Sam and his psychotic rabbit sidekick Max are on the hunt for the mastermind behind a baffling hypnosis conspiracy. Players get to interrogate suspects, uncover clues, solve puzzles, and piece together the underlying mystery that links the episodes.

The resurgence of the popular adventure game duo began on GameTap with fabulous results, so it is good that Wii owners who have not tried the game will get a chance to enjoy an adventure game that is more fun and less pretentious than most adventure games.