Bonus Round: Monkey Island / Rez HD: I’ve decided to include these both because I was determined to have only one real remake on the list if I could help it and yes, I gave that spot to Puzzle Fighter HD. First, Monkey Island is the prime example of what an adventure game should be. Well, at least an adventure game that is extremely fun, remastered in an exceptional way and is about freakin’ pirates. While it makes me feel the same way I did when playing it as a little kid, it is interesting to see the direction they took while revising the title from the ground up. The writing is still funny and the addition of actual voice work to the written dialogue along with the redone music makes the game feel new despite being older than some of the people who are going to read this list.
Rez HD, while being yet another remake, really came into its own on XBLA. Not initially being a fan of rhythm based titles or music games; I missed this when it came out years ago. Its release via the arcade gave me a chance to enjoy it and despite my ineptitude at understanding the title during the first playthrough, I came to realize that this was the kind of musically themed game I could consistently enjoy. And so far it is has held true as I have come back again and again. If you may not have really ever enjoyed a title like Rock Band, give Rez HD a shot. It is memorable in that it is true synergy between art and music.
