Situation: Comedy? Situation: Uncertainty...
-- Overview --
This second episode is no less wacky than the last: stop a talk-show host with verbal diarrhea and an insatiable urge to give away unwanted prizes to her audience, whom she hasn't allowed to leave her TV Studio for 3 days solid.
A bit of a rickety plot? This will likely bother people less than the length of gameplay. 2 hours to complete this episode, 3 tops if you explore every line of dialogue and look at every object. This will no doubt disappoint many, and have them crossing their fingers that Telltale will have more to offer in the next round.
The humour is still there. Sam & Max engage in repartee; Sam making astounding declarations including berries and kitchen implements, Max delivering one liners relating to unique methods of death and dismemberment. And, of course, obligatory (and ironical) opportunities for cheating and breaking the law.
But somehow, the game falls flat despite its standard recipe for humour. Perhaps related to its short run-time, but more likely to the game's inability to develop the wacky characters you're meeting along the way; few though they are. Some are even recycled. It seems the humour just starts to pick up, and then that character is removed from the story.
And it does not help that the story itself is weak. And the puzzles distinctly linear and far too easy for the veteran adventure gamer. Very rarely will you find yourself stuck; and if you do, you are often presented with so few options a little trial and error will get you going again.
The gameplay itself is not inherently different. You still chase bad guys in your car, which felt less inspired this time around than the last. And you will still ultimately point and click your way to victory. Which, though this is billed as a point-and-click adventure game, feels a bit of a cop-out when the world around Sam & Max seems rich enough for more elevated levels of adventuring entertainment. More action would not be remiss.
-- Graphics & Sound --
The graphics engine is the same as the previous episode. If you set the video resolution to 1600x1200, you may become suddenly aware of how pixelated any textures containing text appear. Among others. Inflated textures make this resolution, though supported, and unappealing choice.
Additionally, those with widescreen monitors will be disappointed. Your choices are 800x600, 1024x768 and 1600x1200. A meager offering in today's world of 3D gaming.
One of the shining points of the Sam & Max series, so far, has been the voice acting. The characters are all very distinct, and match their appearance near perfectly every time. What is most impressive is the surprisingly few number of voice actors listed when the credits roll; a testament to their versatility.
-- Conclusion --
Telltale Games' decision to create episodic adventures for the dynamic duo of Sam & Max is certainly a gamble, and it will be some time before we now if it pays off. This particular series is already starting to show some problems with this concept, unfortunately in episode 2 of 6. Especially related to length of play and depth of plot.
Sam & Max are certainly loveable characters on their own, but Telltale may have to mix things up more than they'd like if they intend to keep this series running without tripping over its own feet.