Adrenaline Gaming Zone

A little S&M for the Holidays anyone?

By thebohemiangamer - November 23, 2009 - 12:51 UTC

Sam and Max Beyond Space and Time of course. What were you expecting?

As a kid we didn’t have much money, fortunately I knew enough people that if I wanted to play a specific console I could. I’ve played everything from the Atari to the original Playstation as soon as it came out and being born in such a way and at such a time is an advantage to this day I feel I’m lucky to have had. This wasn’t the case with PCs however and I lament not having had the experience of playing games like Zork and Bard’s Tale in their prime. This includes the series of Lucasarts games using the SCUMM engine like Day of the Tentacle, Monkey Island, and Sam and Max. Luckily the boys over at X-Box headquarters decided to give my kind another shot at checking out why these games were so good back in the day. I had purchased Monkey Island for 800 points and after playing through it I wasn’t that impressed. Thus, when it came time to check out Sam and Max, I didn’t have high expectations. The difference between the games was like night and day.

I don’t know your type of humor, but I really don’t care. Sam and Max is hilarious regardless. If you don’t laugh in the first ten minutes of playing you’re obviously a humorless, soulless, shell of a human and should probably go back to playing games like Myst. The giant robot that attacks the office while quoting old 80’s song lyrics, the little souvenirs throughout the office, there’s a writing quality here that you just don’t get in many games and it’s extremely refreshing. The visuals are great, and while I enjoyed the old voice actors (particularly Max’s VO) the new ones do the job very well.

The game play, for me, is where it gets a bit hazy. I never really enjoyed the point and click adventure style games. I think the puzzles are downright esoteric sometimes and I feel lucky I have that hint frequency adjuster in the options bar. Moving a little hand around the screen is a bit clunky too, it constantly reminds you this was originally designed for a PC. As much as I don’t really enjoy the type of game play, I find myself compelled to see what’s next, what odd character, interesting dialogue, or funny gag is unlocked after completing the puzzle they give you and progressing the story.

I’m definitely recommending buying it, and $20 for 5 episodes is a steal, but not for the game play. Buy Sam and Max only if you want to laugh your ass off and be thoroughly entertained.

By thebohemiangamer

Developer: Telltale Games

Publisher: Xbox LIVE Arcade

Genre: Action & Adventure, Puzzle & Trivia

Game Rating: T (Teen)

Cartoon Violence
Crude Humor
Drug Reference
Mild Language
Mild Suggestive Themes

Online Interactions
Not Rated by the ESRB