Game Review: Sam & Max Save the World

Game Review:
Sam & Max Save the World

Sam & Max Save the World is X-Box Live Arcade's re-release of the downloadable episodic PC game, Sam & Max: Season One. Sam & Max, a classic franchise that many gamers may not have heard of, started off as a series of classic Lucas Arts point and click adventure games. As Lucas Arts has since shifted its focus away from the adventure genre, Telltale Games has taken the franchise under its wing, releasing new episodic content for the PC. Released in episodes, and compiled in a season, the game works much like a TV show. Each episode contains its own story and adventure, all the while retaining the same characters and an overall arching storyline.


StoryPresidential elections, crazy talk show hosts, rampaging former child stars, and adventures to the moon are just some of the situations that spring up in Sam & Max Save the World. Sam and Max are two freelance police set out to rid the world of crime one case at a time. This dog and bunny (thing?) duo set out on wacky adventures in the form of six episodes contained within Sam & Max Save the World. Each episode works like a television show, with the set up (the commissioner calling about a new case), the main act of the story, and the exciting climax at the end.

In each of the six episodes, our duo must find clues and talk to zany characters in order to solve the case at hand. And this is where Sam & Max Save the World really shines. The writing in this game in incredible. From the arching main storyline involving a mysterious epidemic of hypnosis, to the sub stories contained within each single episode, the dialogue is fantastic. Hilarious and witty, Sam and Max always find the right things to say at all the wrong times. Sam plays the straight man, and Max the crazy (Dare I say psychopathic?) comic relief in an Abbot and Costello style comedy team. As they encounter increasingly interesting and unorthodox characters, hilarity ensues from opening scene to the final punchline.

Although each story itself is formulaic in it's television style episode design, its clear that's what Telltale was shooting for. Each episode lasts about an hour to an hour and a half (depending on how well your puzzle solving skills are) and ends before the jokes get stale. Reoccurring characters become familiar and you learn to associate with them, as their relationship with Sam and Max grows throughout the season. Although the story in "Episode 5: Reality 2.0" finds itself trying a bit too hard to fit in, each episode is well written and leads you on a natural escalating path towards conclusion. All the while each episode adds to the main storyline, where the top notch writing in Sam & Max Save the World serves as the game's best asset.

Story: 9/10

GameplaySam & Max Save the World is a classic point and click adventure game. Click on object A to investigate it, pick up object B, and use it on object A to complete a puzzle. With Max following, you control Sam as you walk around the neighborhood, taking anything that isn't nailed down (and you'll need to) in order to help solve the case. There are also lots of characters to interact with, and long dialogue trees to help find clues and actions that will further your progress. Often times, these dialogue trees seem to go forever. But that isn't always a bad thing, as the game keeps you trying each option to keep the laughs coming. If dialogue heavy gameplay isn't your thing, this isn't the game for you.

At its heart, Sam & Max Save the World is a puzzle game. Each puzzle mimics real world application, but causes the player to get creative in figuring out how to accomplish the goals. For example, the first puzzle in the game will have you after some Swiss cheese when your phone is held at ransom by Jimmy Two Teeth, the local rat. All you can find nearby is a big pile of non-Swiss cheese, and your gun. I'll leave you to figure out the rest. The problem is, the goals aren't always as clear. Luckily, the game rewards the player who picks the trial and error approach to puzzle solving with funny dialogue lines or cut scenes upon failing (sometimes funnier than if you succeed) to solve the puzzle right away.

I do have a few complaints with the gameplay, however. On the X-Box 360, the analog stick makes a sometimes awkward substitute for a PC's mouse. I found myself struggling to click on smaller objects on the screen, and on some of the timed puzzles, it leads to a lot of misclicks causing you to do things you didn't want to do. Additionally, for an adventure game veteran, the puzzles seemed a bit easy. I found myself knowing what to do before I was even presented with the option to do it. On the other hand, Sam & Max Save the World's difficulty is perfect for the budding adventure gamer, so it all depends on your level of experience with the genre.

Gameplay: 7/10

Presentation

Sam & Max Save the World, as I have stated before, mimics the style of a TV show. Each episode opens with a short credit sequence with our heroes driving down a monochrome street in their DeSoto. Each episode ends with an ending credit sequence of the same style, bookending the gameplay in a uniform way. This, along with the hour or so length of the episodes, really gives the vibe that you are playing a TV show.

The graphics in Sam & Max Save the World are well detailed and stylish, mimicking the Saturday morning cartoon theme that the series has retained from its roots. Each character is unique and has great, expressive animations. My only complaint is that the frame rate really hits the brakes at a lot of points in the game. The jerky motions as the camera pans or as an over the top animation begins really distracted from the immersion, and even caused the sound to skip.

And it really is a bummer when the sound skips. Being such a dialogue heavy game, the skip would often cause the game to completely omit a line. I found this happening more often as the episodes progressed. But that aside, the sound is fantastic. The voice acting is the star here, with every line delivered with emotion and style that really added a lot to the humorous writing. There are tons of lines here, well over 6000 (in a 6-8 hour game), and they are all delivered with emotion and realism. The sound effects are appropriate with the cartoon show style, and the music equally in time.

Presentation: 7/10

Summary

Sam & Max Save the World is a great game for point and click adventure vets and newcomers alike. The story is interesting and keeps you playing, all the while delivering a lot of laughs. The point and click gameplay really causes you to get creative and think, even if it is a bit on the easy side most times. And the TV show styling adds a lot to the experience of the episodic gameplay. Frame rate and loose controls aside, Sam & Max Save the World is definitely worth checking out if you are looking for an entertaining puzzle experience with a lighthearted vibe, lovable characters, and tons of laughs.

Final Score: 7.5/10

(Average of Story, Gameplay, and Presentation)