Computer Times
Editors' Choice Game
Sam & Max: Season One
Reviewed by Angie Kibiloski
Sam & Max: Season One (Retail $29.99) is a different take on typical adventure games, in its format and its characters. The Adventure Company has gathered together all six episodes of the first Sam & Max series from Telltale Games into one complete set. The episodes originally came out separately, as downloads from the Telltale Games website, and are still available in that format. Season Two has just begun to come out, and you can find the first episode online. This is such a cute game! You'll really enjoy the unique quality of the characters and premise. Never before has crime fighting been so fun, or quite so irreverent!
Sam & Max are Freelance Police, not hindered by the strict rules of regular cops and investigators, or indeed by the strictest moral code either. You play as Sam, the Joe Friday-esque canine gumshoe, followed closely by your side kick, Max, the hyperactive and mischief making rabbity thing. Together, you keep peace in your neighborhood, by any means available to you, violent or otherwise. Sam & Max are good buddies, and they look out for each other while playfully bantering back and forth. Nonetheless, Max's hyper ways can apparently even get on Sam's nerves. Every so often, when Max comes near Sam, he gets backhanded across the room. He enjoys it....I think....if his "Weeeeeee" is any indication. Both characters have a dry wit, and you'll love their sarcasm and off color humor, both when talking with each other and other characters.
Game play is like any other adventure game, with point and click navigation, easy to use inventory, and conversation options. One very important inventory item is Sam's gun, which you can use to shoot a variety of stuff around the environment. Try it out on everything, you might get some nifty surprises! Your firearm is not the only piece of machinery with which you can inflict damage. Try driving your old chopped-top Desoto downtown and aim for the other cars. You can ram them, sideswipe them, and shoot at them. Pull over a traffic offender and give him a ticket for speeding, having a broken taillight (which you conveniently broke) or any number of other crazy misdemeanors.
All six episodes will have you giggling with the characters' sarcastic commentary, and enjoying with strange glee their unorthodox methods of crime fighting. You'll also get a bunch of Extras with this boxed version of the season, including a Behind the Scenes video and a full size poster. Sam & Max: Season One would be a great gift for any game lover this holiday season. And if you enjoy this title, don't forget to check out the beginning of Season Two on the Telltale Games website.
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