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Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (video game)

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Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
North American Box Art
Developer(s)7th Level
Publisher(s)7th Level, Panasonic Interactive Media
Director(s)Steve Martino
Producer(s)Robert Ezrin
Writer(s)Bart Jennett
Platform(s)Windows
ReleaseDecember 1997[1]
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single player

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life is an adventure game created by 7th Level in 1997 for Windows. The game is based on the 1983 film of the same name and was the third of three Monty Python games created by 7th Level. Notably, it was rated Mature by the ESRB in North America.

Summary

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Loosely based on the 1983 film of the same name, the title sees the player traverse through the different stages of life while collecting items.[2] The Monty Python Mrs. Particle and Mrs. Velocity comedy sketch audio is included as an unlockable easter egg in the game.[3]

Development

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The Meaning of Life was the third in a trilogy of Python games developed by 7th Level, after Monty Python's Complete Waste of Time and Monty Python & the Quest for the Holy Grail.[4] Halfway through developing The Meaning of Life, 7th Level went bankrupt, leading to Take Two Software to take over the financing, development and publication of the title. Due to the hurried completion, the game was released with various bugs.[5] The game went gold on November 4, 1997.[1]

While preparing for the fall launch of the title, Eric Idle also worked on the expansion of PythOnline.[6]

Critical reception

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The Los Angeles Times said the game is "heavy on disjointed, psychedelic cartoons".[7]

Destructoid felt the game had "completely nonsensical, illogical, weird-as-hell puzzles".[8] Adventureclassicgaming asserted that it plays more like an adventure game than previous Python titles.[9] Just adventure felt the interface was easy to use.[10]

PC Gamer gave high praise to its sense of humour.[11] Entertainment Weekly wrote that it "subverts multimedia conventions and good taste with equally silly vigor".[12] The AV Vault noted the game's use of dry off-the-wall humour.[13] Monty Python fansite Montypython.net wrote it is "difficult, maddeningly illogical, silly and sure to offend".[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "New Developments in 7th Level Shift To Integrated Solutions, Tools & Technology". 7thlevel.com. November 14, 1997. Archived from the original on January 29, 1998. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  2. ^ "Monty Python Proves It Again: Laughter Gives Meaning to Life". Los Angeles Times. 1998-02-05. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  3. ^ "Looking for Lost Monty Python Material? Look No Further". www.vulture.com. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  4. ^ "Four Fat Chicks -- The Games of Monty Python". www.tap-repeatedly.com. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  5. ^ "Some Of The Corpses Are Amusing". sotcaa.org. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  6. ^ "Python's Idle Not Laughing at Web Prank". movies2.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  7. ^ "Monty Python Proves It Again: Laughter Gives Meaning to Life". Los Angeles Times. 1998-02-05. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  8. ^ "Games time forgot: Monty Python's Meaning of Life". Destructoid. 27 November 2007. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  9. ^ "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life - Review - Adventure Classic Gaming - ACG - Adventure Games, Interactive Fiction Games - Reviews, Interviews, Features, Previews, Cheats, Galleries, Forums". www.adventureclassicgaming.com. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  10. ^ "Meaning of Life Review - Just Adventure +". 2008-04-11. Archived from the original on 2008-04-11. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  11. ^ Cobbett, Richard (2011-10-15). "Saturday Crapshoot: Monty Python". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  12. ^ "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life". EW.com. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  13. ^ "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life PC review | The Adrenaline Vault". 2011-07-24. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
  14. ^ "Monty Python Videos and DVD". 2001-10-21. Archived from the original on 2001-10-21. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
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