After playing the Secret of Monkey Island, I realised that I still have no clue what the secret of that damn island!
I wonder if that's supposed to be the irony in the writing?
The game does feel dated in its jokes and writing, but considering that it's released in 1990 with humour predating my literal birth, it felt like it was well executed for its time. I feel that it's possible that their humor could be considered groundbreaking and genius at it's time but it's hard for me to tell in 2024.
The game is filled with lots of breaking down of fourth wall. There were charming things they did like upside down text when Guybrush is literally upside down, having the "trademark" mark on every important phrase, and so many references to the real world.
On to mechanics, it does fill like there's a whole bunch of games in the 1990s where you play with combination of words to get some kind of effect. I wonder if mixing point-click adventure style with that was considered revolutionary, the same way MMOs today are the evolution of MUDs. There are lots of 'verbs' you can use on different things you can click on, but maybe 90% will at least have meaningful dialogue.
It does make you wonder though. I think there is a case for AI replacing actions players make that are incorrect...? It might bring us a little closer to a more interactive DND-style player-DM feedback loop..