Sam and Max: Episode 2

It appears that the second installment is now available on Gametap. That was a pleasant surprise, seeing it there when I logged in. I didn’t think it was coming out just yet, but then again, I have had my days all mixed up lately. (Don’t ask.) Anyway, I’m downloading now, and I’ll be back later to post my impressions if anyone is interested. I rather enjoyed the first one, and felt it was very much a continuation of the original game in tone and execution. That said, Sam and Max was probably my least favorite of the classic Lucasfilm/Arts adventure games, so I wasn’t expecting it to be anything more than what I got. With all of the adoration that Sam and Max gets with the rose colored glasses, I suspect a lot of people left Episode 1 feeling underwhelmed and disappointed.

Well, so far it’s pretty darn good. They’ve improved the pacing a bit, and the setup for this episode provides a nice variety that the first episode lacked. While there aren’t a whole bunch more areas than episode one had, there are more - and the approach of each one, having you participate in various bad TV shows, is fresh and funny. You audition for the first show, which gives you your second “puzzle” of the game, and it’s very simple stuff - but you’re still rewarded with a nice short scene for it, then you’re off to tape the first show, a Three’s Company-like sitcom. In it, you have to interact with different set pieces and the other “actors” and work in a sponsor’s slogan. It’s all done very well and, had the game not mysteriously crashed on me when walking to the next set (of my choosing), I’d be playing Who Never Wants To Be A Millionaire right now. As it happens, I’m clicking Submit and then heading back in.

To sum up, my quick impression so far is that it has improved pacing, variety, and is a bit sharper/funnier than the first episode was. I’ll be back with my full thoughts on it once I’ve completed the episode.

Good impressions, thanks for posting it. I’m waiting until these are available some place other than Gametap, and probably until there are a few more of them available, but it’s good to hear they are improving as they go.

I’m enjoying it alot as well. BTW is it just me or did thery change Max’s voice again? Sam actor but it just sounds… different. More high pitch or something.

Congrats to the Sam n Max team for being the first episodic content guys to actually put out a second episode.

Not counting Apogee and Epic who released and sold games in episodic batches.

Well, I’d congratulate Tell Tale in general. After all, they’ve released two episodes of the Bone series as well.

Due to some unanticipated gobbledeegook, I probably won’t be able to play through the rest of the episode tonight, so my full impressions will have to wait until tomorrow. Oh, the suspense!

Too bad there probably will not be a third bone game.

Meanwhile, I just beat Situation: Comedy.

All I have to say is better then the first. If you listen real close to the theme song on Midtown Comboys, I actually heard the line “probably hiding a cow”. That one really cracked me up for some reason. Also, be sure to check out the closet. Anyways, here’s why its better.

  1. It Parodies TV, which is a heck of a better target then the whatever they parodied in the Culture Shock.

  2. Having established a set of characters, they can now do self parody. For example, Sybil has a new career, which is funny since the first episode established her as somebody with multiple careers.

  3. Better writing, all around. It might go with modern TV being such an easy target, when you finally get on Myra’s set, her barbs are more acerbic then a Mother-in-Law’s.

  4. It finally hints at a super story that is going to tie all the episodes together. I guess we can dismiss some of the criticisms of the original as being necessary to establish the setting.

Before you go running out to get it, though, know that it still has some of the same problems as the original. I beat it in 2 hours flat. Literally, I timed myself. It also re-uses a lot of the sets and characters from the original. Everyone but Brady Culture is back in some capacity or another. Walking around the office nets you the same one liners as the original. Its great as part of my membership to Gametap, but I wouldn’t even pay $10 for it retail.

I should correct that to “in the modern era”

I know and if I remember correctly, they would release all the episodes at the same time so they weren’t true episodes like we think of them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lucas-Classic-Line-Sam-Max/dp/B00005Q6XJ/sr=1-3228/qid=1165772517/ref=sr_1_3228/026-3072381-9372404?ie=UTF8&s=videogames hmm the other day i saw this on amazon(it says ‘coming soon’). Is this for real? I’ve been looking for a new copy of Sam+Max for ages, and a bundle with the also great ‘Day of the tenticle’ seems fantastic. part of me feels it might be a hoax(it’s surely too good to be true)?

You’d do better to check ebay for some of the multi-game packages that LucasArts released in the late 90s. If I recall correctly, there were two adventure game bundles that compiled all of the Lucas adventure library. If you can find those, you’d be getting more bang for your buck. Pow!

I had in the past - but the asking price of £100 for some of them(like origonal monkey Island, which i luckily got years ago) is a large disincentive. Also i’m happy to support a dev/publisher that makes/re-issues these kinds of game. I would rather give a dev my money for a quality game when ever i can. Sometimes i get lucky in a bargin bin, but it would be great to see many ‘classic’ games like Sam+Max get a re-issue for a budget price imho. I havent yet got these recent ‘episodes’ versions, i want to play the origonal first.