Tales of Monkey Island: Season 1

With the horizon duly expanded, the subsequent return to Flotsam Island for Chapter 4 should have been a disappointment, and in some ways The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood is a step down from the heights of Chapter 3. It works in terms of the story, but the puzzles surrounding the trial scenes fall back into the formula of old, and the gameplay feels like it's treading water while waiting to deliver the ominous plot twist somewhat spoiled by the episode title.

But it's here that the episode elevates itself, turning our affection for the series into something approaching true emotional attachment. It's not high drama, of course - Monkey Island is too irreverent to scale those heights without a dash of irony - but it does represent a definite turning point, not only for this story but for Telltale's relationship with the series it has inherited. "By this point, you either trust us or not," it says, "so let's see what you make of this..."

The fact that Chapter 5, Rise of the Pirate God, manages to follow up on that cliffhanger and tie things up in a narratively satisfying parcel, is a testament to Telltale's growing skill at, well, telling tales. It's been a madcap journey, introducing new characters while finding room for the old, and to pull those threads together in a way that feels organic is no mean feat.

Where Chapter 5 stumbles is, once again, in the balance between story and gameplay. In many ways it's a repeat of the final instalment of Sam & Max Season 2. Quite apart from the afterlife motif, it's a smaller, simpler conclusion to a yarn that deserved an epic finale. The first half of the chapter is incredibly easy, especially when you consider that even players new to Monkey Island will, by this point, be well versed in how the game's logic works.

Few players would want a return to the days where one puzzle could result in a game being mothballed for weeks in frustration, but it's hard not to feel that Telltale is holding back on the tough stuff so that everyone can get to the end. It's a noble intention, but since future players won't be waiting for each episode, it's one that leaves the season as a whole with a peculiar rollercoaster difficulty curve, peaking and falling in odd places.

Taken as a whole, though, Tales of Monkey Island is a vast improvement on the fun-but-flawed Sam & Max series, despite those balancing niggles. Faced with these tenacious nits demanding to be picked, it helps to step back and accept that such gripes are far, far from game-breaking and no doubt inflated by the perfectionism we Monkey Island aficionados have come to insist upon. It's clear that Telltale is still figuring out how to pace a long-form game designed to be played in standalone chunks. Tales brings us closer than ever to a positive solution, but while a digitally-distributed episodic release may still make sense from a commercial point of view for developers, I've yet to be convinced that there's a tangible gameplay benefit to us, the players.

Still, reaction to the series has been almost unanimously encouraging and positive, and with good reason. For all the minor flaws and slight missteps, this is a polished and considered revival of a much-loved brand - so loved, in fact, that it's hard not to let that residual fondness colour our experience. Whenever the urge rises to pick apart which chapter is best, or which puzzle is worst, it's useful to remember that Telltale has produced the first Monkey Island title in over 10 years to justify its place in the series, and for that the faithful can be thankful.