Sam & Max are back! And a lot of fans couldn't be happier...
-- Overview --
For those unfamiliar with the detective dog and his "rabbity-thing" sidekick, they are the creation of one Steve Purcell. As so-called "freelance police", Sam & Max have made it their duty to sniff-out and thwart evil-doers, with as much gratuitous violence and damage to public property as possible. They tend to succeed better at the latter than the former, but in a comical adventure such as this that comes as no surprise!
In "Culture Shock", trouble is afoot as a fallen child-star puts into motion a plot that would result in an army of brainless worshippers. Naturally it's up to Sam & Max to see that doesn't happen, whereupon comedic hijinks ensue. Is the plot convoluted? Hardly. But the cast of characters are what makes the game really shine, thanks to some talented voice-acting, as well as the spiffy sound and graphics that truly bring Sam & Max's world to life.
-- Gameplay --
The era of point-and-click adventure games isn't over yet. Generally speaking you are in control of Sam, and you interact and move about by simply clicking on the screen. The lack of verbs (look at, touch, talk to) feels as though it leaves the interface lacking somehow, but the witty dialogue and general hilarity tend to distract enough from this simple interface.
The scope of the game feels somewhat stifled, partly due to its episodic nature, and you will find yourself visiting the same locales for much of the game. The circumstances change enough to warrant the visit, but it does feel as though the developers were re-using stock in the expectation of testing the success of Sam & Max before braching out in future episodes.
The game also tosses in an arcade element, where you have the opportunity to drive the Freelance Police car, the Desoto. A few tools are at your disposal to pull over and otherwise annoy drivers on the road, but it does feel as though this arcade portion could have been more involved.
-- Graphics & Sound --
Graphically, Sam & Max is pretty enough. Cartoonish, yet 3D, and ultimately very detailed. The textures are excellent, and you'll find yourself consistently distracted by decals and pictures, posters and newspapers, all of which have something to shout about the world that Sam & Max live in. Is Sam & Max graphically brilliant? No. Does it need to be? Not really.
The voices are really bang on. The characters are truly brought to life in Sam & Max, every last one of them. Though Sam & Max have new voices compared to their LucasArts days, they are not at all distracting, and do an excellent job of respecting the duo's past.
The music is also excellent, very fitting for the "private-eye" style of Sam & Max, beautifully done.
-- Conclusion --
"Sam & Max Episode One: Culture Shock" is well worth the buy, and with luck this episodic series will continue to evolve and entertain. Though one episode only offers a few hours of gameplay, it is worth the $8.95 price tag. You may want to try out the demo first, and then make the decision if you want to get all six episodes for $34.95 instead. Certainly worth the price if adventure games and off-the- wall humour are up your alley.