Grim Fandango's controls are very basic. Click anywhere to make Manny walk, and double-click to make him run. Clicking on people or items opens up a contextual menu, allowing you to look at, talk to, pick up, or use whatever it is you're looking at. Pressing [I] or clicking the suit icon in the bottom right corner opens your inventory and allows you to cycle through things you're carrying, or take them out to use. It's important to note that there is no autosave, so you need to save your game manually. If you've already played the original game, then none of this is going to be much of a change to you, apart from the new mouse-controlled movement, and largely the Remastered version is more subtle than drastic. While the developer commentary is a lot of fun, the game itself has mostly been buffed rather than completely redone. It sounds fantastic with its orchestral accompaniment, and while not every part of the game looks as vibrant as most of the character models, the new lighting system adds a nice touch of atmosphere. Still, it might not have quite enough bells and whistles, or even significant upgrades, for some players. The stretched display for higher ratios is a bit of a downer, and as of this writing some players on Macs have reported bugs and sound issues, though it's expected these will be patched. Arguably, figuring out how and what to improve on a classic is no easy task, and the Double Fine team faced a lot of difficulties in working with (or evening tracking down!) many of the original assets in their quest to lovingly restore this classic.

If you've never played Grim Fandango, well, there's a reason why it's got such a huge following even seventeen years after its original release. Full of snark and clever humour, as well as a genuinely intriguing tale that covers four years in Manny's, um, "life", Grim Fandango is the sort of game that perfectly marries noir-like mystery with mythical folklore, whimsy, and modern humour. The eclectic cast of characters, rendered with creative, colourful designs, are distinct and memorable, from Manny himself to hyperactive demon mechanic Glottis, and the dry wit of Mercedes. Its puzzles are, ah, very old school, lacking any hand-holding and often very little direction at all. Even if you know what your objective is, actually accomplishes it typically requires the sort of roundabout "adventure game logic" the genre has always been notorious for... less "put the key in the door" and more "balloon animals, chemicals, a fire extinguisher, and playing cards". For a lot of players, however, that's part of its charm, in addition to being just the way games were made at the time, and Manny's four year tale is so engaging that you'll want to stick with him every step of the way. It mixes Mexican folklore and style with themes and concepts from classic movies like Casablanca and more, creating a world that feels vibrant and unique, full of intrigue, drama, magic, and comedy in equal measure. If you're a point-and-click adventure fan with an appreciation for comedy and a finely crafted tale, then Grim Fandango Remastered is a journey you deserve to take.

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