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> Results: Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock
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by Michael Anderson
April 03, 2007
Malfeasance? That's my second favorite feasance!
Reviewed for PC.
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Full disclosure - I signed the petition to do ... um, something ... when LucasArts canceled the planned Sam & Max revival a few years ago. More full disclosure - I was very 'late to the party' on the early LucasArts point & click games and am not one of the hordes of rabid fans of the original games. But I am a rabid fan of this new series. And so should you - let me quickly explain why!
The new Sam & Max games are true episodic content - each game features a single main plotline that resolves in a few hours of gameplay. The two dimensional world has been replaced with a very nicely rendered 3D version of the same world, with new locations added during each episode. Everything in the presentation is excellent - the game looks, sounds and plays perfectly, providing a thoroughly modern point-and-click adventure. Load times for zones are a bit long, but everything else in the interface works perfectly. Playing the episode will only take about four hours - but you'll be back, trust me you'll be back! Because one of the joys of the game is that there is so much extra stuff present that it is nearly impossible to experience it all, and you will want to go back and try scenes in different ways to get all of the humor out of the game. It is somewhat jarring to suddenly realize that the game is about to end, but knowing that a new episode is only a month away makes it acceptable - that is what episodes are supposed to be about!
The original Sam & Max game featured some pretty edgy humor that would amuse younger audiences while also often being insightful and biting satire that adults would appreciate. Sam & Max Season 1: Culture Shock continues that trend very nicely. There are great lines such as Max saying "By patronize you, he means we want to buy stuff from you, not... mock you. We probably will mock you, but that's not what he meant." And that stuff is scattered throughout the entire game. Your 10 year old will laugh; your 18 year old will laugh; and you will laugh - a lot.
The games are not ESRB rated, but I would estimate them as E-10 based on some minor language and violence. And trust me that Max is highly disappointed by the 'minor' aspect of the violence. As they say "Sam: We're the Freelance Police. We're here to keep the peace. Max: Violently, if possible!" But all that transpires are small things like hanging Jimmy Two-teeth the rat out the window, bonking a few people on the head, and other minor stuff. The language is also minor and in line with what is said in most cartoons aimed at kids of that age - Sam referring to giving lawlessness a 'boot in the ass' is one of the primary examples I can recall. There really was very little objectionable content - the game is just a load of fun!
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> Results: Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock
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