Sea of Thieves is upping the ante with its next crossover as it revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 that an all-new story campaign subtitled The Legend of Monkey Island would be bringing some interesting additions inspired by the beloved point-and-click classic. As the two games are already the perfect swashbuckling pair, the only obstacle forcing them to sail in separate seas lay with their differences in gameplay, but Rare and Lucasfilm Games seem to have found a way for Sea of Thieves' latest crossover. It appears that after the previous team-up with Pirates of the Caribbean, both the Jolly Roger and the stakes have been raised.
Based on the trailer alone, it seems that many familiar faces and places will be coming to Sea of Thieves, even with Monkey Island's original cast returning bar the late Earl Boen voicing LeChuck. But this won't be all, as it seems the upcoming expansion has been carefully planned to ensure it best captures the spirit of both games in its own unique way, with brand-new gameplay mechanics and greater detail in explorable locations from Monkey Island canon. Coming as a free update for all players, Sea of Thieves and Monkey Island are promising many new things over three Tall Tales.
Monkey Island's Characters Set Sail For Sea of Thieves
Arguably the most obvious and yet the most significant of The Legend of Monkey Island's details is that iconic characters from across the point-and-click series will be coming to Sea of Thieves. Crucially, Rare has framed its latest Sea of Thieves crossover through one specific spyglass lens as a hypothetical "what if" scenario where Guybrush and company had found their way onto the titular Sea of Thieves. As this might suggest, these characters may no longer be quite as familiar as expected, best demonstrated by Guybrush's new bearded look and uncharacteristically adoring crowds.
So where these characters might be and how they will factor into The Legend of Monkey Island's overarching story will remain to be seen. But already the recently unveiled trailer promises many characters from Elaine, Murray the Demonic Talking Skull, LeChuck, and more just waiting for the player to cross paths with them. Interestingly though, in a discussion between Xbox Wire and Mike Chapman, the creative director for Sea of Thieves, the inclusion of these characters will strive for immersion thanks to in-depth dialogue and an authentic eye-to-eye patch Monkey Island experience.
There's More To Explore In The Legend of Monkey Island
As Chapman continues, this immersive experience won't just be limited to the characters players will meet, but it will include the places they'll go as well. Many iconic locations are confirmed to be appearing, such as Melee Island and the titular Monkey Island. However, as a step up from A Pirate's Life adapting Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean films and theme park attractions as best it could, The Legend of Monkey Island is offering fully explorable environments rich with puzzles to solve, complemented by an innovative first-person approach to point-and-click gameplay and supported by character interactions.
In fact, leading from A Pirate's Life, Rare has assured players that The Legend of Monkey Island will take place entirely within the Sea of the Damned to preserve the campaign's experience. This doesn't seem to be purely for the player's benefit, as similar to The Legend of Monkey Island's trailer, themes of memories hint that the titular island has become Guybrush's prison. With Chapman also promising that new locations will also feature alongside the old, showcased by players sailing down what appears to be a river of lava, then The Legend of Monkey Island could be the most unique Sea of Thieves experience yet.
Sea of Thieves is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.