Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island marks the start of a brand new year of releases from the recently transformed Lace Mamba Global (formerly known as Mamba Games and Lace Group), and it’s a year in which the publisher is intended to make some big waves in the Adventure gaming community. Not content with simply delivering unique and engaging products under the Odyssia label, both at retail and direct to the consumer, Lace Mamba Global are preparing to become the leading player in the genre. But if their plans start here, Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island has a lot more resting on it’s shoulders than simply needing to be an enjoyable game.

            Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island takes players to the Azurbbean, a vaguely recognisable interpretation to the Caribbean of the late 1600’s. The player enters the shoes of three protoplasmic adventurers, cursed by a sorceress and now looking for their human bodies. The plot obviously allows for the justification of a number of typically bizarre gaming conventions, such as long distance communication between the three playable characters, and also grants each of the three a number of unique abilities. Crossing paths at only predetermined intervals, the three pirate lead are a consistent source of humour throughout the game.

            The story of Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island was created by Bill Tiller of Monkey Island fame, so of course a lot of wit and a relaxed pacing are expected to be drawn from the script. After the somewhat confused and overwhelming opening the story begins to evolve at a reasonable pace, but only through cut-scenes. While the player may draw some background detail from their interactions with non-player characters (NPCs), there’s never any indication that you’re actually progressing the game by doing so.

            The game is essentially divided into three chapters, but not one per pirate as would be thought. All three are present and playable throughout, as Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island really is the story of the journey of all three, and though one in particular has proven to be a favourite, none are intentionally designed to stand-out as a single lead. The puzzle structure is well balanced, delivering a gentle pace at first before delivering extensive multiple-point challenges in the closing stages. Building in their cerebral challenge more quickly than their complexity or typical videogame obscurity, Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island teaches players the tricks early on and then expects them to adapt these tools without helping hands or hints later in the game. All the puzzles will be solved with a little brainwork, but Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island frequently proves to be kind of game that is better returned to in the morning than staying-up til 2am attempting to complete the current challenge. A concession has also been made with a hotspot locator, but this was probably seen as a necessary evil as even the most seasoned adventure gamer may have to rely on it during several different challenges throughout the later stages of the game.

            Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island is visually splendid. The hand-painted backdrops rarely make the 3D character models as conspicuous as has often been the case, and there are few moments in which the player will be drawn out of the atmosphere by a scenery detail or glitch that doesn’t quite sit right. The soundtrack is incredibly well devised, and certainly aids in the creation of the intended atmosphere.

            Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island is a well rounded adventure, and one that veteran gamers will most likely warm to. Comparisons to the Monkey Island series are inevitable, and for the most part Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island presents enough new ideas to be deemed a worthy associate, if not a competitor. Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island may not be the title that can bring Odyssia to the masses by itself, but it certainly is a worthy addition to any Adventure gaming catalogue.

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