Issue #94: On the Horizon
We toss in some game recommendations, because why the hell not?
A Week of Silence…
It’s been a slow week, and our only real news story is one we created ourselves. If you’re interested in sitting through half-an-hour of the Monkey Island 2 Special Edition commentary, here ya go:
Hardcore Mojo followers will remember we have an interactive commentary browser, too, all for your pleasure. Yes, we treat you well!
Over on our editorial Slack, The Curse of Monkey Island was a topic of conversation, particularly the small details you may have missed during your playthroughs. Specifically, running around before visiting the Voodoo Lady is a nice touch…
And the return of the stump joke – fun, hidden reference!
Yeah, no, that’s about what we got for you today. More news to come soon, or so one would hope. And, we even have a couple of recommendations to tide you over.
– Remi
Games You Will Like, Probably
Once in a while, not always, but once in a while, we will toss out some recommendations that may interest you. To wit…
Karim: “Lamplight City“
Lamplight City is a gem that more people should have played. You’re a 19th-century detective, hunting criminals and kidnappers in an atmospheric point-and-click adventure set in an alternative, gaslight-inspired world with a touch of steampunk.
Its willingness to let you fail—and then recover—gives weight to your decisions, making it stand out. The characters are compelling, its puzzles sensible, and it has a strong sense of place.
Try it, and its excellent sister game, Rosewater.
Lamplight City is available for Mac, Switch, Linux, and Windows.
Remi: “Life is Strange“
Specifically, the Max Caulfield games.
Existential YA might not be my jam – lovely as I’m sure The Fault in Our Stars is – but Life is Strange gets me in the weirdest way. For being high-concept time-travel stories, the series does, for whatever reason, feel incredibly real to me on an emotional level. Games filled with teenage friendship, love, and drama – they’re games highly indebted to Telltale’s game mechanisms, and are hugely story and dialogue-driven, with some simple puzzles thrown in for good measure.
As an observation, “life is strange” isn’t particularly profound, but within the context of these games? I don’t know, it vibes with me, and after playing the first game in 2017, I truly don’t think a week has passed without it humming in the back of my mind. Maybe it’s aging, who knows?
I just finished the second Max Caulfield game, Double Exposure, and it lived up to the original. The (supposed) final entry in the trilogy – Reunion – was released today. Square Enix only handed out reviewer copies a few hours before it dropped, which isn’t a great sign, but we shall see. I’m here for it. Find appropriate purchase links over on the official website.
Thrik also threw in a bonus recommendation – Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. Developed by Don’t Nod, the game shares many similarities to the O.G. Life is Strange – a game they also developed – and, if Thrik is to be believed, it’s a very good romp. (And who would not believe Thrik?)
This Week’s Poll
Last week, 53% of you said you preferred seeing our features exclusively on Mojo; 20% exclusively in the Adventurer, and 27% picked both.
This week, we check the temperature on your interest in Lamplight City and Life is Strange.
Merch for the People
Only the best! The Adventurer has a web store for all your apparel and decoration needs! Don the original LucasArts logo, Manny Calavera’s face, or the OG Adventurer logo, though be warned: Popularity will smack you in your face when you wear – or display – these masterpieces.
Full News Roundup
24 Mar: Those Monkey Island 2 Commentary Tracks: Your next thirty minutes – planned out for ya.
Last Week’s Mojole Results
It’s the game that sweeps the nation! Can you beat Mojole, our fiendishly difficult daily puzzler? Only hardcore LucasArts aficionados need apply.
19 Mar: “jack###” – Jack Sparrow: Referenced in Return to Monkey Island.
20 Mar: “play###” – ... Station. ReMI is hitting the PS5!
21 Mar: “xbox###” – Frequent platform for Double Fine games.
22 Mar: “captn##” – Capt’n. Captain. It just makes sense.
23 Mar: “penal##” – The Penal Zone: An on-the-nose episode name from The Devil’s Playhouse.
24 Mar: “mole###” – There are many molemen in Sam & Max.
25 Mar: “zone###” – The Penal Zone: An on-the-nose episode name from The Devil’s Playhouse.
And for the competitive amongst you, the Mojole forum thread has gone strong for more than two years. The two juggernauts to beat: Sushi and Huz.
Your Daily Challenges
Mojole too easy? Too hard? (Probably too hard.) Here are other daily challenges to get the brain cells firing on all cylinders.
Monkey Island Frantic: A Monkey Island scene-guessing game at a frantic pace. Image updates at midnight Pacific time. Brag about your results on the Mojo Forums!
Guess That Tune: Each daily game features a clip from Monkey Island music. Guess the tune in up to 6 tries, and return each day for a new challenge! Here, too, you can post your results on Mojo Forums.
Return to Monkey Island Trivia Card Game: The card-guessing game, now in your browser.
Become a Mojoer! (sponsored content)
Hey, kids, do you want to become one of us? Why not join our Patreon? One single dollar will make you a Friend of Mojo. And for the privileged few, there’s the $5 Diamond Club tier, which will earn you a special mention in The Adventurer. Join now! Our interns are hard at work finishing up the special mention section!
The Mojo Network
The International House of Mojo: Web, Bluesky, YouTube, and Mastodon.
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