“The game is looking pretty slick and if it plays anything like the Monkey Island games it resembles then it might just be the surprise package of the year. “

My thoughts exactly. Despite it’s high system requirements and dodgy keyboard controls, Monkey Island 4 was actually a very good modern take on the series. I’ve played them all from beginning to end (without cheating!) and think that only 3 let the side down slightly, although it was still excellent.

So in the absense of Monkey Island 5 appearing any time this century, I nominate this game to be the new carrier of the MI torch!

Also, we all know full well that Guybrush would’ve been better as a hawt chick all along.

Appears to be pandering to the new market of female gamers, while simultaneously insulting them with trite stereotypical girlie stuff (dumb blonde, fashionable overly sexy clothes, and pink iPods (?)).

As far as targeting men, the only group I can see really appreciating this “style” is 12 year old boys. Too bad that they couldn’t care less about Sierra style adventure games, whose primary fan base is 20 – 50 years old by now. 12 year old boys are too busy playing Halo, WoW, and other triple-A games.

This game tries to appeal to too many demographics, making it unpalatable for all of them in the process.

I don’t think this game is pandering to female gamers at all.

Point n Click adventure games, such as the Monkey Island series which I mentioned, are predominantly played by males.

In fact, your own comments could be deemed sexist as you are picking out the “girly” parts of this game and I am sure the main character will end up having much more depth than you are suggesting.

I don’t think the game needs to “target” any group in particular, other than those who enjoy this style of adventure game, and I think that you are doing the developers a great disservice by suggesting that they don’t intend on having a good game. We will, like with every other game, have to wait and see.

I am also sure that many people thought exactly the same of films such as Clueless and Legally Blonde yet in the end were pleasantly surprised by what they saw.

“If that isn’t bad enough, the whole escapade has transported her back in time several centuries and Sunny now finds herself in an age of pirates and buccaneers.”

I really don’t think that this is an indication of a game which demands to be taken seriously, do you?

It seems pretty obvious to me that the game is being marketed as a quirky game which aims to come down on the side of fun more than anything else.
I don’t know about anyone else but I find it refreshing whenever I see a game with such aims.

Indeed, I can see this either going one of two ways.

On the one hand, it could go for oversimplified, tacky, stereotypical teenage girl rubbish, with no challenge and no depth for the typical adventure gamer. I’d be disappointed, but also somewhat impressed that they’re targeting a whole new demographic for this genre of game.

On the other hand, it could turn out that a compelling story and well thought-out challenges drag typical adventure gamers in, with the main character developing as the story goes along, adding more and more depth and intrigue to the whole situation.

The title, and of course the main character suggest the former, but that gorgeous, intricate hand-drawn art style suggests the latter. If nothing else, perhaps it’ll be the beginning of a point ‘n click adventure game renaissance – which can only be a good thing.