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The Curse of Monkey Island

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac • 2018

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Quick resume

The only pirate adventure that asks the question: What's sharper, your sword or your wit?

Global score

97/100

Genres

Adventure, Puzzle, Point-and-click

Similar games

    Pros

    • Timeless humor and story
    • Engaging puzzles
    • Charming cartoon graphics and animation
    • Excellent voice acting and music
    • Strong nostalgia and replay value

    Cons

    • Dated interface and controls
    • Some obtuse puzzle solutions
    • Lack of modern enhancements or remaster
    • No hint system
    • No multiplayer or social features

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Survival, Violence, Fellowship, Expression. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Continuation, Story, Fantasy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players freely explore, solve puzzles, and make decisions in a point-and-click adventure format with multiple solutions and modes."

    • Competence
      3

      "Challenging puzzles and insult sword fighting provide skill tests and problem-solving opportunities."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focus is on single-player experience with no competitive multiplayer or ranking elements."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Many players report repeated playthroughs over years, strong nostalgia, and habitual engagement."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Entirely single-player with no cooperative gameplay elements."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players creatively solve puzzles using inventory items and explore multiple dialogue options."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; gameplay is individual and narrative-driven."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as a nostalgic escape and stress relief through humor and immersive storytelling."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of personal desire and nostalgia, not obligation or pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Encourages trying different puzzle solutions and exploring dialogue options."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Players explore diverse, exotic locations and uncover secrets in a richly detailed world."

    • Expression
      -3

      "Limited character customization; players interact with predefined characters and story."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strong fantasy elements with pirates, curses, voodoo, and cartoonish, imaginative settings."

    • Fellowship
      -4

      "Primarily a solo experience with minimal social interaction."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players develop problem-solving skills and learn puzzle solutions over time."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay typical of point-and-click adventures."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention to solve puzzles and progress."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Minimal social or emotional connection beyond narrative engagement."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; single-player narrative focus."

    • Progression
      3

      "Players collect items and unlock new areas and story segments."

    • Relaxation
      3

      "Humorous tone and engaging puzzles provide a balanced, enjoyable experience."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Appealing cartoon graphics, voice acting, and music provide sensory enjoyment."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social status or recognition systems present."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative immersion with memorable characters, humor, and plot."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Players use logic and reasoning to solve puzzles and plan actions."

    • Thrill
      1

      "Some suspense in puzzles and story, but overall low risk and tension."

    • Value
      4

      "Highly valued for nostalgia, humor, and timeless gameplay; considered worth the price."

    • Violence
      -3

      "Minimal combat focused on insult sword fighting rather than physical violence."

    • Survival
      -4

      "No threat of failure or death; stable, low-risk gameplay environment."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026