"Look, Sam! I'm episodic!"
First of all, Season 1 is even funnier than the original Sam and Max Hit the Road - and that's quite an achievement! It introduces some classic characters and gives them a different role each episode - from the terminally paranoid master of disguise Bosco to the artsy Sybil to the bizarre magician Hugh Bliss. While having all episodes on one disc eliminates the anticipation of what new disguise Bosco might attempt (my favourite was Comrade Boscoverski) or what new job Sybil might try, the game's many eccentrics are unforgettable nevertheless.
The puzzles are extremely well designed. The difficulty is just right. (the one episode that was too easy is now less of a problem) There is a large amount of creativity. There is also enough variety in the presentation that you really feel like you're part of an adventure rather than just "use item A on item B". Many of the puzzles are multi-layered so that, for example, you first learn how to listen on people with the listening bug in Episode 3, then must work out how to rearrange the voice in Episode 4 to help fabricate a scandal involving a President and finally figure out how the bug (now a computer bug) works differently in the internet world in Episode 5. Many adventure games today don't really bother with puzzles anymore, preferring to rely on the story and presentation instead to carry their games (eg Fahrenheit, Dreamfall), but Season 1 manages to nail both game and story.
Even though this is an independent production on a low budget, the presentation is fantastic. The game looks good (but is simple enough to prevent the environment from being too cluttered - a bane of many modern adventure games), is excellently voice acted and is blessed with a fantastic jazz soundtrack. There are even a few hillarious songs (in the spirit of the Conroy Bumpus song from Hit the Road) - something most non-independent companies would not dare try.
Most important of all, the puzzles all make sense. This is the first adventure game I ever played where there was not a single 'designer's puzzle' (that made sense only to the creators and was likely included only to lengthen the game) in sight. Every time I figured something out by sheer grit rather than by wit, my first thought was always "why didn't I think of that" rather than simply "this is illogical".
All in all, Sam and Max is a fantastic game with great gameplay, great humour and a first class finale. Bring on Season 2 and Stinky's Diner!